Hey!! Let's get some action going! What are we reading?

[tazzle]

Just finished Iain Banks' "The Wasp Factory" which was great, riveting - but a bit like camping out in the brain of an adolescent Frank Booth ("Blue Velvet").

I'm now something less than a quarter through "Orphans of Chaos" by John C. Wright, and quite enjoying the atmosphere. I love how this book drew me right in and created a cozy narrative feeling from page one. So far, my impression is sort of "The Secret History" meets "His Dark Materials." I know it's the beginning of a series, so I'm just hoping that it won't conclude with too much of a hanging plotline. I love series books, but I really want each of them to be able to stand alone. But very happy with this so far, yes.

[izmi]

Just finished: Califia's Daughters; Leigh Richards.
Currently Reading: Pesthouse; Jim Crace.

[Slite]

Just started "On Basilisk Station", as I havent read anything from the Honorverse series before, so far, so good.

[Sparrow]

Just recently finished 'Vanity Fair' by William Thackeray ( Patricia!) - very enjoyable.

'Devil May Care' Sebastian Faulkes (writing as Ian Fleming) - only average.

Just started 'Pillars of Earth' by Ken Follett - on account of being highly recommended in these quarters (esp HarryT) - and it has been excellent so far .

[Dr. Drib]

Originally Posted by Laz116

Just finished: Cormac Mccarthy: The Road (very good)

Reading now: Jose Saramago: Blindness (it's so so)

Coming up: Harper Lee: To kill a Mockingbird, Dostoevsky: The Idiot, Heinlein: Citizen of the galaxy.

I think we have similar tastes. I love Saramago's work, and collect this Nobel winner in Hardcover English language First Editions.

Cormac McCarthy's novel won the the Pulitzer, I beleive, and is also a wonderful novel, a beautifully written novel.

I've read your "Coming up" novels, too.


Don

[nekokami]

About 1/3 through re-reading H. Beam Piper's Fuzzies and Other People. I had forgotten the extent to which this book really completes the plot lines of the previous one. I wish Piper had been able to get his financial and other troubles sorted, rather than committing suicide. We lost a lot of good unwritten books when he died.

[algernon]

"Lonely Road" by Nevil Shute : a little dated spy/romance story from the '50s, but one author that always delivers for my tastes.

[DMcCunney]

Originally Posted by nekokami

About 1/3 through re-reading H. Beam Piper's Fuzzies and Other People. I had forgotten the extent to which this book really completes the plot lines of the previous one. I wish Piper had been able to get his financial and other troubles sorted, rather than committing suicide. We lost a lot of good unwritten books when he died.

Piper's agent died unexpectedly, and had been keeping all of Beam's records in his head. His death threw Piper's affairs into chaos.

Piper apparently lost confidence in his ability to earn a living, and had commented he felt born out of time, and really should have lived in the 15th and 16th centuries he mined for background in things like "Lord Kalvan of Otherwhen". There were a number of folks who would have jumped to help, but Piper felt he should be able to handle his own affairs, and wouldn't accept charity, or even reveal he needed it. When he decided he couldn't handle his own affairs, he chose to end his life.

I've also heard a story from someone who knew Piper socially that the suicide was in part a slap at his wife. She appears to have been a gold digger, and part of her requirement was that he take a out a hefty life insurance policy with her as beneficiary. Suicide voided the policy, and she got nothing.

In an ironic twist, at the time of his death, John W. Campbell was tring to find him, as he'd bought a Piper story and wanted to send him a check.
______
Dennis

[tazzle]

hmm... Nearly finished with "Orphans of Chaos" now and felt compelled to update my initial impression. Uck, it unexpectedly sort of segued into some fairly ick light paedo and bondage creepiness. I'm beginning to feel like taking a shower every time I set the reader down. bah.

I'm just mostly looking forward to starting something else... I have a pile to choose from, but the fictionwise sale is bringing up new possibilities. I've been wanting The Lies of Locke Lamora, so I might go with that next... or maybe the new Gaiman...

[Izzy]

Originally Posted by Leep

Just finished Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. Very well written and an interesting read that should appeal to many interests.

cheers

I loved that book. It was the first book I read after I got my Kindle. I blew through it very quickly.

[astra]

Guys, it would be very helpful if you mention genre of a book are you talking about.
ta!

[Wordcrasher]

I just finished Dauntless by Jack Campbell, and I now started Fearless. I wonder how it happened I missed these great books

[izmi]

Lilith's Brood; Octavia E. Butler. I enjoyed the first of the series of three, but I am finding that the second half of the second book, and the third, are dragging on. It is a book of the post-apocalyptic science fiction genre

[dickon25]

Tazzle
I've been wanting The Lies of Locke Lamora, so I might go with that next.

Brilliant book - I loved it! Haven't read the sequel yet, it's on my list......

Almost finished Boudica by Amanda Scott. It's only an 'OK' for me so I don't think I'll be looking for the sequel in a hurry.

George Martin is next in the queue - Game of Thrones.

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by tazzle

hmm... Nearly finished with "Orphans of Chaos" now and felt compelled to update my initial impression.

Wow, I'm surprised you got to "nearly finished". I just stopped... it was just to fragmented for me. I really didn't care what happened to the horny teens who weren't teens.

BOb