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

[ReadingManiac]

Originally Posted by mewmartigan

I have been bouncing back and forth between The Expanse and Brent Week's Lightbringer series.

Just finished Lightbringer and it is highly recommended. Glad I only discovered it as the 4th book of 5 came out. I didn't have to wait long for things to wrap up.

This is also high on my 'want to read' list. It may be the next new book I start.

[Luffy]

Originally Posted by ReadingManiac

Sanderson is high on my 'want to read' list.

Please read The Way of Kings as soon as you can.

[astrangerhere]

Since my last post, I've been busy:

I've finished:

1. A Monk's Guide to a Clean House and Mind by Shoukei Matsumoto
2. Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Anne Terese Fowler - DROPPED
3. Message to Adolf Pt. 1 by Osamu Tezuka
4. Beasts, Gods, and Men by Ferdinand Ossendowski - DROPPED
5. Message to Adolf Pt. 2 by Osamu Tezuka - 5 stars
6. The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa

I'm listening to Rachel McAdams reading of Anne of Green Gables for the New Leaf Book Club.

I am reading Alan Hunter's Gently Sahib on my Kobo.

[Fbone]

Just finished Two Serpents Rise by Max Gladstone. Gladstone's world-building is incredible and I especially enjoyed the relationship between Caleb and his father. However, I thought the ending was anti-climatic. Still, this was well worth reading and I will eventually move on to the next in the series.

Next is a library book, Old Bones by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child.

[mewmartigan]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

That is what he has repeatedly said. Books 1-5 are one main story line, books 6-10 are a second.

I've read the first one but then stopped the series until book 5 gets published. I will then hold until book 10 gets published before reading the second set. At least with Sanderson I have no doubts that he will get things done in a relatively timely manner. They are HUGE books so every 3-4 years is more than reasonable in my mind. Rothfuss is the main reason I have gone to the "wait till they are published" stance too.

Good deal, thanks! I missed that the first time I browsed the state of the sanderson for 2019.
If book 5 is 2023 I may still not start them until late next year. I have been buying them though.

[mewmartigan]

I just started James Islington's The Shadow of What was Lost.

So far, so good but lots of similar names/places.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Also starting Detection Unlimited by Georgette Heyer. One of her 20th Century mystery novels.

Which was quite fun, but wrapped up a bit too quickly for my taste.

Next up (as well as the Brandon Sanderson epic): Through Fiery Trials by David Weber. Despite the dreadful names, I'm still reading his Safehold series.

[Luffy]

My review of Our Oriental Heritage (3/5):-

Spoiler:

I read this incredibly glued together account of history. It was a privilege to read a history book from the eyes of a deceased scholar. I mean, when discussing India, Will Durant mentions Gandhi and includes him in his book when the latter is still alive!

This was a fascinating read. It was my longest slog. I began reading in early 2019 and finished it after what seemed a long time of shifting from civilization to civilisation.

I have never read a book like this. Nor will anyone. This tome lies alone as a work of science rendered into everyday language. I am giving it only 3 stars for petulant and childish reasons. My impatience with some repetitions have something to do with it. It doesn't matter. I loved reading about the lost and earliest civilisations with awe. What a show this was.

[Kindleing]

Originally Posted by Luffy

My review of Our Oriental Heritage (3/5):-

Interesting, that was an early college textbook of mine more years ago than I care to remember. I saved it for years thinking I would read it in its entirety while not under the pressure of class schedules, but that didn't happen. Eventually it went the way of most of my other textbooks. But I remember enjoying it at the time.

[Luffy]

Originally Posted by Kindleing

Interesting, that was an early college textbook of mine more years ago than I care to remember. I saved it for years thinking I would read it in its entirety while not under the pressure of class schedules, but that didn't happen. Eventually it went the way of most of my other textbooks. But I remember enjoying it at the time.

Was it really a textbook? Being the latter, it was really terrific at times. I've completely forgotten the first chapter, though.

[Kindleing]

Originally Posted by Luffy

Was it really a textbook? Being the latter, it was really terrific at times. I've completely forgotten the first chapter, though.

It was volume one of the series "The Story of Civilization". It was the major textbook we used in a required course my first year of college. I knew there were other volumes but I didn't realize how many until years later when I saw a complete set in someone's home. I was surprised to see the size of the complete set since I had always thought of it as a textbook. It was only recently (actually, I think in a recent thread here on MR) I found out the sets were offered by book clubs, which is probably where the set I saw came from.

Wikipedia says there were 11 volumes:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Story_of_Civilization

Edit To Add: What did you read this on - how did the illustrations look? It has been years since I have seen the book and I don't remember how much color was included but I wonder how the ebook looks.

[Luffy]

Originally Posted by Kindleing

What did you read this on - how did the illustrations look? It has been years since I have seen the book and I don't remember how much color was included but I wonder how the ebook looks.

Indeed I read it as an e-book, and there were only a few illustrations. I forgot what they were about. If I even had the paper books, I don't think that I would stop reading to focus on the maps etc. You should read the first book, if you're so nostalgic about it.

[astrangerhere]

Originally Posted by astrangerhere

Since my last post, I've been busy:

I've finished:

1. A Monk's Guide to a Clean House and Mind by Shoukei Matsumoto
2. Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Anne Terese Fowler - DROPPED
3. Message to Adolf Pt. 1 by Osamu Tezuka
4. Beasts, Gods, and Men by Ferdinand Ossendowski - DROPPED
5. Message to Adolf Pt. 2 by Osamu Tezuka - 5 stars
6. The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa

I'm listening to Rachel McAdams reading of Anne of Green Gables for the New Leaf Book Club.

I am reading Alan Hunter's Gently Sahib on my Kobo.

Finished the Alan Hunter and am about 3/4 through Ann Leckie's The Raven Tower.

Finished listening to Anne and am about to start Kate Chopin's The Awakening, which I haven't read since university.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by astrangerhere

Finished the Alan Hunter and am about 3/4 through Ann Leckie's The Raven Tower.

I seem to remember enjoying The Raven Tower a great deal. A very interesting fantasy universe.

[astrangerhere]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I seem to remember enjoying The Raven Tower a great deal. A very interesting fantasy universe.

I haven't read anything of Leckie's that I did not enjoy. The Radch trilogy is still my favorite, but she always bring something new and unique. I also love her unashamed diversity. Raven Tower started a little slowly, but really picked up.