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

[Apache]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Next up: The Blood of the Fifth Knight by E. M. Powell. Historical fiction in the time of King Henry II

I checked the book out on Amazon and bought the first one, The Fifth Knight, with some of my Digital Credits. It sounds very interesting. Thank you,
Apache

[issybird]

Originally Posted by DrNefario

I really enjoyed the Sharpe books, myself. I read them all in a fairly short period of time, bar the one which was published later. The "backfill" books were mostly a bit less interesting, but I kind of enjoy learning my history through the prism of fictitious action.

I came to the Sharpe books knowing little about the Penninsular Wars other than the fact of them and that Wellington won them; now I feel conversant with both the major battles and the grand sweep of the action. I also find fiction a good way to approach a historical topic; I can fill in later with a serious, nonfiction work, but it helps to have the framework for a starter. Cornwell gets the history right, too, a critical element. The books aren't perfect, but the characterizations and the dialogue are excellent.

[Uncle Robin]

Now into Randall Munroe's How To - great fun and informative. Also, is there anything Chris Hadfield HASN'T done?

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

Also, is there anything Chris Hadfield HASN'T done?

Apparently not.

[Dngrsone]

Finished reading Fall or Dodge Goes to Hell by Neil Stephenson. Enjoyable enough, but long.

Going for something a little shorter: All You Need is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka.

[tourneur]

Just finished:

This Earth of Mankind by Pramoedya Ananta Toer. Written while in prison, it's about the Dutch colonial period in Indonesia. From a historical perspective I found it very informative and interesting. As a novel (in terms of narrative and characterization) it's not particularly special.

Next up are two books by Teju Cole for my local book club.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Next up: The Blood of the Fifth Knight by E. M. Powell. Historical fiction in the time of King Henry II

Which was also good fun. A period of history I knew only in broad outline. So straight onto the next in the series, The Lord of Ireland.

[issybird]

I'm reading:

What I Saw: Reports from Berlin 1920-1933 by Joseph Roth, a selection of his journalism from the Weimar years. This is not Isherwood's Berlin.

Think Fast, Mr. Moto by J.P. Marquand, the third of the Mr. Moto novels. These period pieces are both fun and more nuanced than you'd expect about the situation in Asia in the run-up to WWII.

[astrangerhere]

I'm reading Rebecca West's This Real Night, the second book in the Aubrey Trilogy.

I'm listening to Bob Nuefeld's excellent Librivox reading of Nathaniel Hawthorne's Twice Told Tales.

[ZGottlieb]

When I go the What are you reading page, I get a blank page. I know its the settings, but I'm not sure where I went wrong.

Does anyone have a solution?

Thanks,

Z.

[Dngrsone]

Just finished "reading" Ancillary Mercy (Audio) by Ann Leckie.

I think that the narrator, Adjoa Andoh, is very talented and has such wide range of voices that every character was distinct and consistent throughout the series. She did a superb job for a very good trilogy.

[Uncle Robin]

Just started on Semicolon: The Past, Present, and Future of a Misunderstood Mark by Cecelia Watson, and it's off to a VERY promising start:

[ReadingManiac]

I've been reading Elements of Horror: Earth from Redcape publishing. Short stories themed on the element, with 3 more volumes coming for Air, Fire and Water. The quality of the stories is outstanding in this one. I hope the others are as good! Love a good monster story.

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by Fbone

Next John Flanagan's The Emperor of Nihon-Ja. The tenth in the Ranger's Apprentice series.

This one wasn't my favorite in the series. There seemed to be a lot of conveniences. When something needed to be done there was always someone with the skill and resources available. Everything was just so perfect. One group of people need weeks to arrive at a location and another just a few days under mounds of snow where food is somehow plentiful. Still it was fun to read and explore a new land. Hopefully, the next one will be better. Rated C- [3 stars].

Next TBD

[Angst]

Rereading, (or rather listening to on Audible,) Name of the Wind and A Wise Man's Fear, by Patrick Rothfus. I can't wait for The Doors of Stone to be released.

Patrick Rothfus is a lot like George RR Martin, (in more than just style): The last book in his series was published in 2011. And he's working on a TV series at the same time, so publication will be delayed further.


Arrrggghhh!