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

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by HarryT

It's one of my favourites, although I think I'd probably put "Murder Must Advertise" right at the very top.

Gosh, so hard to choose a favourite. Maybe Nine Taylors, if only because I learned something about bell ringing that was completely new to me. Or even Busman's Holiday. But then, I'd have to fall back to Murder Must Advertise as the classic non-Harriet Vane book. But really, I don't think there's one I didn't enjoy.

Currently reading Wen Spencer's Endless Blue. It took a bit to sort out the beginning, but I'm now starting to really get in to it.

[samhy]

Originally Posted by Joy736

Just finished Lola and the Boy next door by Stepanie Perkins. Highly recommended if you're into contemporary romance. Nex up: The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.

How does it compare with Anna and the French Kiss?

[orlok]

Originally Posted by alansplace

The House of Silk A Sherlock Holmes Novel by Anthony Horowitz turned out to really have the feel of a Conan Doyle Holmes tale and I really got the feel of the environment and the characters. The story was very interesting as well and had some real surprising twists. With the exception of the Mary Russell series by Laurie R. King I've stayed away from the Holmes-by-other-authors stories, but I'm sure glad to have read this one!

That sums up nicely how I felt about it too.

Just finished Hit Me by Lawrence Block, the latest in the hit-man Keller series. Ok, though strangely tension-free given the subject matter. In fact it was most interesting when he was revealing the history of various stamps, Keller being an avid collector.

Now moving on to Desert Places by Blake Crouch. After the surprise enjoyment of The Pines a couple of months ago, I have been promising myself a try of more of his works.

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by Fbone

Next is another "first contact." This one by Karen Traviss, City of Pearl.

This was 392 pages of nothingness. The world creation was ok but too minimal. There was such a good opportunity for more development but Traviss didn't take advantage of it. The storyline was straightforward with no surprises. Not much happened. The book just ended with no climax. Nothing here. Rated D [2 stars]

Next is a gamble. Skyship Academy: The Pearl Wars by Nick James. A YA Sci-fi about two opposing groups on the hunt for energy "pearls" that drop from space.

[caleb72]

Just finished Slaves of God by Brian Rappatta. Wasn't a big fan unfortunately. I thought the characterisations seems a little inconsistent while conversely, the voice of each character was a bit too similar and the internal logic wasn't really holding together. Additionally, sometimes I felt like I was intruding on someone's fetishistic musings which was a little uncomfortable. I hate doing it to an indie author, but I wouldn't recommend this one.

Next indie book is The Last Bad Job by Colin Dodds:

The Last Bad Job is the story of a reporter with a hell of an assignment: Five months on a New Mexico desert compound to cover what may be the next Jonestown. For the reporter, it could be a career-maker. But when a cult member close to him drowns herself, he decides to run for it, and sets unimaginable events into motion. What ensues is a dark and comic journey through sex, drugs, cults, suicide, the apocalypse, and what comes after it.

Bit of a strange one, so I'll see how I go.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Next up: Armlet by Ross Richdale

I can't recommend it. The basic story-telling is OK-ish, but the science fiction aspects of it are completely dreadful. I think the author might have been better off making it a fantasy, but even then there's be some bits that would be appalling.

I'm rather surprised I finished it.

(Hey - for a few days my TBR is below 300! But it'll pop back above 300 when April comes along.)

Next up: Dog and Dragon by Dave Freer. A sequel to Dragon's Ring, I think.

[LovesMacs]

I forced myself to finish Perelandra, the second volume in C.S. Lewis' Space Trilogy. I started reading it with eager anticipation after the imagination-filled Out of the Silent Planet, the first volume in the series. There are two big problems with Perelandra: 1. not much happens for most of the book, apart from the protagonist talking with an alien woman who doesn't understand much of what he says... leading to 2. I had a difficult time following what was being said too.

The author writes that he wanted to spur discussion about religious ideas in a more popular format. But the way this particular novel does it...

Plot spoiler ahead:

Spoiler:

The book is essentially an alternate take on the Eden story from the Bible: what if someone had intervened and prevented Eve from taking the apple?

I get that some initial misunderstanding makes sense for the plot and the off-world setting, but not page after page of confusing questions and answers!

It made for a very unpleasant read, and it's put me off of finishing the trilogy. I haven't yet decided what to read next.

[Gazella]

Originally Posted by wttwoa

managed to get the 5 book set of Percy Jackson & the Olympians for $10 and i read the whole first book yesterday and started the 2nd book today, great books so far.

One of my favorite series! The Kane Chronicles and The Heroes of Olympus are both fantastic as well. Rick Riordan is a great author.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

(Hey - for a few days my TBR is below 300! But it'll pop back above 300 when April comes along.)

Well done. Yes, it will pop back up, but this is the first time I remember seeing it below 300. You're doing well.

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Next up: Dog and Dragon by Dave Freer. A sequel to Dragon's Ring, I think.

I've got this series in my library (those sneaky monthly bundles!), but haven't read either. What did you think of Dragon's Ring?

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by CRussel

I've got this series in my library (those sneaky monthly bundles!), but haven't read either. What did you think of Dragon's Ring?

Here's what I thought, when I read it in July 2010.

Summary: I liked it. I gave it an 8/10 in my list for 2010.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Here's what I thought, when I read it in July 2010.

Summary: I liked it. I gave it an 8/10 in my list for 2010.

Thanks, Paul. I'll move it over to my TBR and see what I think. Of course, my TBR is a bit larger than I'd like right now, with a bunch of mysteries on it (still have several of the Phryne Fisher books to read, and then there's the Morse and Campion books...), but I need to space those out with some good SF, so hopefully I'll get to it soonish.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Note that falling free is set in the same universe as her Vorkosigan books, but a few hundred years earlier and with no common characters. It is an excellent story. I hope you enjoy it.

I did finish Free Falling and I really enjoyed it. The next book in the series is on my TBR list fairly near the top.

[JSWolf]

While I was away on yet another Cruise, I finished the following books...

Falling Free by Lois McMasters Bujold
Time to Murder and Create by Lawrence Block
Armageddon's Children by Terry Brooks

All are enjoyable reads.


My next up read is Survivor in Death by J.D. Robb.

After the members of the Swisher family were murdered in their beds, nine-year-old Nixie Swisher was left an orphan—and the sole eyewitness to a seemingly inexplicable crime. Kids are not Dallas’s strong suit. But Nixie needs a safe place to stay—and Dallas needs to solve this case.

[maianhvk]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

I'm just about to finish the first book of 'The Farseer Trilogy' by Robin Hobb, "Assassin's Apprentice."

I found this review of the book, which I'll put here; "I can barely remember the last time I waited quite this breathlessly for the next installment of a series." At the time, I didn't realize it was because nothing of any substance happened in the first book...

I admit that it's been interesting to watch the development of the characters, and the flow of history as the story progresses, but I've got about 10 more pages to go and there has yet to be anything really substantive happening. A bit of this, a bit of that, but in which book of the Trilogy does the MAIN EVENT happen? The story is well written, the characters interesting and well developed, and there is no 'boredom' to reading it, but where is the 'oomph?' So far, nothing has really happened. It's as if this is the first 300 pages of a 700-page book.

EDIT: Well, it just happened. He didn't kill someone important but was blamed for it, then forgiven. The end. I'll read book two in a few months after I get my blood running again.

Stitchawl

That's exactly what I had in mind. But Astra seemed to be pretty enthusiastic about this trilogy.

Spoiler:

The climax is in the third book - but then I wouldn't call that a climax. Remember, Fitz is supposed to be the catalyst, not the hero. An important, but not the biggest role. So don't expect anything fabulous.

Originally Posted by wttwoa

managed to get the 5 book set of Percy Jackson & the Olympians for $10 and i read the whole first book yesterday and started the 2nd book today, great books so far.

Originally Posted by Gazella

One of my favorite series! The Kane Chronicles and The Heroes of Olympus are both fantastic as well. Rick Riordan is a great author.

I agree that Percy Jackson is great. The story is simple, but Mr. Riordan really does know how to keep you turning the pages. But I had problem with the other two series. They're also good, but I found them boring. Perhaps I got tired with the theme.

[NickyWithNook]

Originally Posted by NickyWithNook

I'm reading Before I Go To Sleep by S.J. Watson. I started reading it yesterday during the day, and almost finished it at the roller skating rink when my daughter was skating. But then it was time to go just as the book was getting to the most suspenseful part, and I was too busy last night to finish it. At some point today I'll get to the end.

I really liked this book. I'm surprised by how much I liked it, as suspense novels aren't usually my thing. I have no idea what to read next, though.