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

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Yes, it's the Harry Dresden series by Jim Butcher. So I'm starting on Storm Front, the first in the series.

For a very competent wizard, Harry seems to be rather incompetent at life. I'm not sure I believe the world-building at all. But on the whole, an above-average urban fantasy. I'll certainly read the next one sometime soon.

Not sure what to read next - so many choices!

[DrNefario]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

For a very competent wizard, Harry seems to be rather incompetent at life. I'm not sure I believe the world-building at all. But on the whole, an above-average urban fantasy. I'll certainly read the next one sometime soon.

Not sure what to read next - so many choices!

I'm told the first one or two are quite weak, compared to when the series gets into its stride, but I wasn't sufficiently impressed by Storm Front to put the effort in. In some ways it's a relief to be able to opt out of a popular long-running series.

[Ravensknight]

The Drive to be the Best
Eyeshield 21 #17
4 Stars

If it wasn't for this manga series, my reading outlook for January would be as bleak as the weather. Had a string of sub-par reads but thankfully this manga just keeps on lifting my spirits and providing me with some really good fun. And I'm not even a huge sports fan.

[PurpleStar]

Originally Posted by DrNefario

I'm told the first one or two are quite weak, compared to when the series gets into its stride, but I wasn't sufficiently impressed by Storm Front to put the effort in. In some ways it's a relief to be able to opt out of a popular long-running series.

I've made it through 14 of them and liked every one of them! I guess, different strokes for different folks!

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Well, that was fun. I quite enjoy these books, and this one didn't disappoint. Except that I'll have to wait until next January for another.

Next up, Deep South by Nevada Barr. This is number 8 in the Anna Pigeon series.

A good place to re-engage with Ms. Pigeon. I chose this one because I knew it was just at the start of an important turning point in her personal life, and because it was available from my library. I'd likely read it before, but it has certainly been MANY years, so I remembered little if any.

I'll be working my way through the rest of the Anna Pigeon books as time and inclination allows, especially if they're available from the library. I enjoy them, and I end up finding out about all sorts of US national parks that I would never have known anything about at all.

This one is set on the Nanchez Trace in Mississippi, and while I doubt I will ever have occasion to be in Mississippi, much less at this park, it was still interesting. Probably just a bit more violent than absolutely required, but that's fairly typical for these books. Fortunately, it was easy to just skim over the worst of it.

Next up? An old compilation of David Weber Honor Harrington stories, The Service of the Sword.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

For a very competent wizard, Harry seems to be rather incompetent at life. I'm not sure I believe the world-building at all. But on the whole, an above-average urban fantasy. I'll certainly read the next one sometime soon.

Not sure what to read next - so many choices!

Originally Posted by DrNefario

I'm told the first one or two are quite weak, compared to when the series gets into its stride, but I wasn't sufficiently impressed by Storm Front to put the effort in. In some ways it's a relief to be able to opt out of a popular long-running series.

^ This. I just can't see what the fuss is about, and won't be reading any more in the series. I found the character of Harry Dresden irritating and superficial, and the number of supernatural elements/characters thrown in, seemingly randomly, faintly ridiculous.

[BelleZora]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Next up, Deep South by Nevada Barr. This is number 8 in the Anna Pigeon series.

I've read all of Nevada Barr's books except Winter Study, which I'm reading now. They are excellent mysteries with settings of National Parks. Barr was a seasonal park ranger and wrote the first Anna Pigeon mystery while working in Guadalupe Mountains National Park. Highly recommended for mystery/National Park lovers.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Not sure what to read next - so many choices!

I decided to have a go at a recent freebie I picked up, Scotland Yard's First Cases by Joan Lock.

I though it was going to be an interesting overview of the setting up of the City Police and the detectives at Scotland Yard, along with the cases they handled.

Instead, it is an uninteresting overview of the setting up of the City Police and the detectives at Scotland Yard, along with the cases they handled.

It might be useful as reference, although the attempted narrative structure might make finding the specific reference hard.

Too dry for me. I'm moving on.

To Firefight by Brandon Sanderson. The second in his Reckoners series.

[astrangerhere]

I have been working through Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Americanah since January 16th. Everything always slows down when the semester starts...

[Rev. Bob]

I quite liked Lexie Dunn's How to Save the World and am looking forward to/hoping for another book in the series. I practically read it all in one sitting.

I've also gotten two-thirds of the way into Kevin Hardman's Sensation, first of his "Kid Sensation" series, and the only reason I haven't finished it yet is that I had to put it down and get some sleep. I'm glad I already have the next two (three if you count the short story), and I'll probably bite on the remaining three after I finish these. I'm already wincing at the $6 per volume cost, which is why I'm holding off until I finish book three to make the buy. Maybe the author'll surprise me with a second omnibus between now and then!

(Yes, there's an omnibus of the first three books in the set, and it's a significant discount over the standalone price. Remember, Amazon strongly discourages indie authors from charging more than $10.)

[Ravensknight]

Project Reread Begins

Starting off my year+ long reread of series and authors. Starting with Steven Erikson's epic Gardens of the Moon. I've been looking forward to this since early '16 when the idea came to me.

[Dngrsone]

Finished The Norman Conquest: The Battle of Hastings and the Fall of Anglo-Saxon England by Marc Morris.

Well-written and fairly balanced in my opinion.

Next up, Dreamwalker by C. S. Friedman

[drjd]

Originally Posted by drjd

Next up, The King's Deception by Steve Berry.

Finished The King's Deception. This Cotton Malone adventure blends gripping contemporary political intrigue, Tudor treachery, and high-octane thrills into one riveting novel of suspense. Recommended.

Next I am taking up Sleeping Bones by Katherine V. Forrest.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by danskmacabre

I really enjoyed the Silmarillion, but I started reading it with the attitude that's it's more an encyclopedia that a novel.
I've since read it several times, but I tend to read it over a longer period of time, like a few weeks in small reading sessions that cover to cover over a short period.

The history of middle Earth books are even heavier going, but still, it's kind of interesting to see how Tolkien's work developed and yeah, reading it in bed for 30 minutes at a go is about right and it sure helps me goto sleep..

I've read The Silmarillion. While I did finish it, I found it to be a dreadful bore and a waste of time.

[JSWolf]

I'm currently reading Quantum Night by Robert J. Sawyer.

Experimental psychologist Jim Marchuk has developed a flawless technique for identifying the previously undetected psychopaths lurking everywhere in society. But while being cross-examined about his breakthrough in court, Jim is shocked to discover that he has lost his memories of six months of his life from twenty years previously - a dark time during which he himself committed heinous acts.

Jim is reunited with Kayla Huron, his forgotten girlfriend from his lost period and now a quantum physicist who has made a stunning discovery about the nature of human consciousness. As a rising tide of violence and hate sweeps across the globe, the psychologist and the physicist combine forces in a race against time to see if they can do the impossible - change human nature - before the entire world descends into darkness.

I'm roughly 1/2 done. So far, it's an interesting book. I'm liking it. But it does have a lot of technical stuff in it.