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

[jgaiser]

I'm having a heck of a time staying focused on a single book this summer. Seems like every few days I find *another* book that looks to good to not start right now.

Currently reading:
A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century by Barbara Tuchman - 35%
Post Captain by Patrick O'Brian - 84%
Simple Cooking by John Thorne - 28%
To Serve Them All My Days by R.F. Delderfield - 10%
1632 by Eric Flint - 60%

[Marrella]

Originally Posted by jgaiser

I'm having a heck of a time staying focused on a single book this summer. Seems like every few days I find *another* book that looks to good to not start right now.

That sounds exactly like me. I have been a messy reader for years, but this year, I get the impression it gets a bit out of control...

I read a sample of Stephen Lawhead's Skin Map this afternoon and could barely resist buying it. I put it on my wish list instead (let's see how long it will stay there).

The English version is geo-restricted , but the German translation didn't look too bad in the sample, so I will probably get it soon. I will never understand why one book in a series is geo-restricted and the next one is not. It seems I would be able to get The Bone House in English.

[carld]

I finished off William Barton's Radio Silence. It was an enjoyable read, and one of the better "Gray Goo" stories I've read. Though the ultimate solution puzzled me, and left me wondering why it wasn't implemented way before. I may need to go back and reread the last few pages.

I'm going to start working my way through Jeremy Silman's How to Reassess your Chess 4th Edition. It's a huge chess workbook, and I expect it to take up most of my free time over the next few weeks. I only wish it was available as an ebook. I'm tempted to order Lessons with a Grandmaster instead, since it is available as an ebook, and the sample was very good.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Next up:

So You Want to Be a Wizard (New Millennium Edition) by Diane Duane.

I had forgotten how good this was. I'm going to wait until I've finished it before doing a textual comparison with the original version.

Most of the updating and changes happen in the first few chapters, where some of the re-writing is of every paragraph. But for most of the book it's much more restrained.

There are a couple of problems with new details in the re-write, which hopefully will be fixed in a minor update at some point. And there are a few typos (which I've also reported: a couple of quotation marks the wrong way around, and one OCR error.).

But overall, it's a good updating of an excellent YA novel. Highly recommended.

Next: The Black Moth. Georgette Heyer's first novel (Publisher SourceBooks currently have them on special offer, and BooksOnBoard is adding an extra 33% off.)

It shows some promise, but is not as impressive a first novel as Agatha Christie's The Mysterious Affair at Styles. But perhaps I should wait until I've finished it before saying any more.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Next: The Black Moth. Georgette Heyer's first novel (Publisher SourceBooks currently have them on special offer, and BooksOnBoard is adding an extra 33% off.)

It shows some promise, but is not as impressive a first novel as Agatha Christie's The Mysterious Affair at Styles. But perhaps I should wait until I've finished it before saying any more.

Unfortunately Black Moth is one of the weaker Heyer book.

[Apache]

I am reading Tarzan of the Apes. Thank you HarryT.
I had forgotten how much I loved this one.
Apache

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by tompe

Unfortunately Black Moth is one of the weaker Heyer book.

I rather suspected that. Being her first novel and all. But I have read two of her later novels that were wonderful, so I want to read the rest in publication order as much as possible.

[MickeyC]

Just finished Tell No One by Harlan Coban I have a warning regarding this book:

Do not start reading it if you have a list of chores or other things you need to do because you won't get them done. For example, you can't pick up the groceries and read this book at the same time and, in just about every case, the book wins. Great read.

[Kindoll]

I'm reading Yesterdays Gone by Sean Platt and David Wright. It's written in a series and I'm halfway through series 1 and liking it so far.

[alansplace]

Originally Posted by alansplace

After finishing Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone I jumped right into a re-read of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. What fun!!

Originally Posted by Pookeysgirl

I'm already on Prisoner of Azkaban .

Now I am too!

[Kindoll]

You guys are making me want to re-read HP.

[no.guru]

Madame Bovary, which I was assigned to read as a college freshman in the late 80s. Very pleased so far.

[Shopaholic]

I'm jumping all over the place. I took a detour at Water for Elephants. I really liked that book. I'm an animal lover so it was hard to read about the abuse subjected to zoo animals. Especially back in the depression era when it was a free for all and practically zero concern for their well being. The elephant got her justice in the end though. It made it worthwhile.

I'm about 50 pages or so into the first book of Fablehaven. I'm liking it so far. I like the writing style and the story is pulling me in.

I'm reading HP again at the same time. I'm into Goblet of Fire.

Too many on the go. lol Slightly off topic but I bought a new toy for my reader. Target had M-Edge covers on sale for $15 so I bought one. They have some Kindle covers on clearance. Which doesn't make much sense to have the pink & orange one on clearance but the purple & blue is full price for $39.99. I don't get it but it fits my Sony very nicely & I'm super happy with the new outfit for my reader.

[Shopaholic]

Oh and for any interested HP fans, Pottermore has just released the two extra books: Quidditch through the ages & Fantasic Beasts & where to find them. I'm SO hoping they'll release Beatle the Bard soon too!! ++ fingers crossed.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Next: The Black Moth. Georgette Heyer's first novel

It shows some promise, but is not as impressive a first novel as Agatha Christie's The Mysterious Affair at Styles. But perhaps I should wait until I've finished it before saying any more.

Although published in 1921, it was apparently initially written when she was 15 (afterword) or 17 (wikipedia) in 1917 or 1919. A fun, if uneven, romance. Occasional wonderful turns of phrase.

It's certainly an early work. And it did improve in the second half, and certainly shows a lot of promise. I'm looking forward to reading the others that I've just bought.

But first, F&SF January 2006 by Spilogale authors

Another of my backlog of F&SF, from when I had let my subscription lapse for a while.