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

[Latinandgreek]

Originally Posted by Geralt

Changed my mind about starting Assassin's Apprentice and I continued with A Songs of Ice and Fire book 3; A Storm of Swords. It was about time I return to that series rather than starting a new one (even if the new one is finished ). So now that I'm on summer vacation I think it wont take me long to finish..

Both series are fantastic. You have a lot of great reading ahead of you, enjoy!

[Yapyap]

After a very long period of reading almost nothing but young adult books, I find myself drifting back towards adult books, and lately I've been on a mystery kick.

I finally got around to reading The Cuckoo's Calling last week - wasn't blown away by it, but enjoyed it a great deal. A good, solid, well-plotted and well-written mystery; definitely above average in the genre and with lead characters I'd love to see more of. If JKR does write more Cormoran Strike books, as she's indicated, I'm very interested indeed.

I also finally got around to giving Laurie R. King's Mary Russell & Sherlock Holmes series a try; I admit I've eyed those books with some curiosity for a while but as I've struggled with and not really enjoyed any Holmes incarnation before (either Conan Doyle's originals, which I've attempted to read a few times over the years, or the various screen incarnations), I was rather hesitant.

I'm really glad I finally gave them a go, though! I've read the first four now in quick succession (broken only by The Cuckoo's Calling) and have enjoyed them all very much, although so far, I think the very first one (The Beekeeper's Apprentice) is the best. I like Mary, the pace works for me, the mysteries are clever enough, and I actually almost think I could do with more Holmes in these books - King's version of him actually appeals to me a lot.

[speakingtohe]

Originally Posted by Yapyap

After a very long period of reading almost nothing but young adult books, I find myself drifting back towards adult books, and lately I've been on a mystery kick.

I finally got around to reading The Cuckoo's Calling last week - wasn't blown away by it, but enjoyed it a great deal. A good, solid, well-plotted and well-written mystery; definitely above average in the genre and with lead characters I'd love to see more of. If JKR does write more Cormoran Strike books, as she's indicated, I'm very interested indeed.

I also finally got around to giving Laurie R. King's Mary Russell & Sherlock Holmes series a try; I admit I've eyed those books with some curiosity for a while but as I've struggled with and not really enjoyed any Holmes incarnation before (either Conan Doyle's originals, which I've attempted to read a few times over the years, or the various screen incarnations), I was rather hesitant.

I'm really glad I finally gave them a go, though! I've read the first four now in quick succession (broken only by The Cuckoo's Calling) and have enjoyed them all very much, although so far, I think the very first one (The Beekeeper's Apprentice) is the best. I like Mary, the pace works for me, the mysteries are clever enough, and I actually almost think I could do with more Holmes in these books - King's version of him actually appeals to me a lot.

You might consider trying the Enola Holmes books by Nancy Springer.
Another take on Holmes. His sister is the detective. Very enjoyable IMO and good mysteries that are Holmsian in nature,

Helen

[Yapyap]

Originally Posted by speakingtohe

You might consider trying the Enola Holmes books by Nancy Springer.
Another take on Holmes. His sister is the detective. Very enjoyable IMO and good mysteries that are Holmsian in nature,

Helen

Thanks - I actually have the first Enola Holmes book somewhere among the 1000+ to-be-read ebooks I've accumulated since going a bit crazy shopping. I keep hearing good things about that one, too, and definitely plan to give it a go one day.

The Mary Russell series does have one major thing in its favour to me (in addition to being plain good stories), and that's the Russell/Holmes relationship. I'm not a romance fan in general, but older man / younger woman relationships are the exception to that.

[mewmartigan]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Fun, isn't it? I'm currently about parallel with you, but in my case it's a re-read. Of all the MilSF I've read, this series is definitely in the top handful. Well written, with a definite sense of humour, and great beasts.

Oh man, you finished off March to the Stars and We Few in just a few days....I"m only halfway through March to the Stars.

I feel slow, I don't consider myself a slow reader, just not much time to read, haha.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by mewmartigan

Oh man, you finished off March to the Stars and We Few in just a few days....I"m only halfway through March to the Stars.

I feel slow, I don't consider myself a slow reader, just not much time to read, haha.

This is the good news / bad news. I have time to read a lot because I don't have a current contract.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by kennyc

Spent most of yesterday reading "The Best American Short Stories 2012" - it has some great stuff -- even some that are 'new yorker' style stories

http://www.amazon.com/Best-American-...t+stories+2012

p.s. also a SF story thrown in - Beautiful Monsters

Actually a couple of SF stories and many other great ones too and ...

I just noticed that it's on sale at Amazon for 99 cents as are some other Best American XXX 2012 Series due to the new editions coming in a couple of months.

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by Dazrin

I finished Dexter at lunch today and will start Forever Odd this afternoon. Neil Gaiman's American Gods also came in over the weekend but I think I will wait until after Forever Odd and possibly Doomsday Book if it comes in soon (#2 on the wait list, 2 copies).

I really enjoyed Forever Odd and found it a better book than the Dexter one. The main character is much easier to like for me.

Doomsday Book did come in, so I will read that next.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Next: Doomsday Book by Connie Willis.

I'll leave a more detailed description until the book club thread. Only average to poor for me.


Now: The Day the Magic Stopped edited by Christopher Stasheff

A collection of fantasy stories on a theme. The first ones have ben OK, but I doubt that anything will approach Larry Niven's wonderful "The Magic Goes Away".

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I'll leave a more detailed description until the book club thread. Only average to poor for me.

That is unfortunate, so far at 40% in I am really enjoying it. But as you say, I will leave any details for the book club thread.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by CRussel

Finishing off We Few this afternoon, and moving on to Captain's Share, the fifth book in the Solar Clipper series by Nathan Lowell.

Finished Captain's Share. When last we saw Ishmael, in Double Share, he was Third Mate on the solar clipper Tinker, but now it is several years later and he's First Mate. And, of course, sitting his Master's examination and passing, which forces him onto a different ship as Captain. And, naturally, the ship he's given is the worst in the fleet, so we get to watch as he whips it into shape. Predictable, but very enjoyable.

[PurpleStar]

I finished A is for Alibi by Sue Grafton. I liked it, thought it was well written and I liked the Kinsey Millhone character and the mystery. I'm glad I bought a few more of them when they were on sale and I will get to them soon enough.

Next, I will be reading Supernatural: One Year Gone by Rebecca Dessertine. I'm itching for some new Supernatural and the TV season hasn't started yet, so a book will do. And it has been sitting on my (physical) shelf for a long time so I should read it.

[tompe]

Originally Posted by PurpleStar

I finished A is for Alibi by Sue Grafton. I liked it, thought it was well written and I liked the Kinsey Millhone character and the mystery. I'm glad I bought a few more of them when they were on sale and I will get to them soon enough.

The series is very good in the beginning but I think it got worse. I am stuck at "T is for Trespass" which I have not been able to finish.

I think Sara Paretsky's V.I. Warshawsky books are better and also have a lot of similarities and the same feel.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by PurpleStar

I finished A is for Alibi by Sue Grafton. I liked it, thought it was well written and I liked the Kinsey Millhone character and the mystery. I'm glad I bought a few more of them when they were on sale and I will get to them soon enough.

Next, I will be reading Supernatural: One Year Gone by Rebecca Dessertine. I'm itching for some new Supernatural and the TV season hasn't started yet, so a book will do. And it has been sitting on my (physical) shelf for a long time so I should read it.

Originally Posted by tompe

The series is very good in the beginning but I think it got worse. I am stuck at "T is for Trespass" which I have not been able to finish.

I think Sara Paretsky's V.I. Warshawsky books are better and also have a lot of similarities and the same feel.

The Kinsey Millhone books go badly downhill well before "T", IMHO. I never managed to read past J or K. Supposedly, they improved again recently, but frankly I'm done with them. And I'd agree that the Sara Paretsky books are a good alternative.

[PurpleStar]

Originally Posted by CRussel

The Kinsey Millhone books go badly downhill well before "T", IMHO. I never managed to read past J or K. Supposedly, they improved again recently, but frankly I'm done with them. And I'd agree that the Sara Paretsky books are a good alternative.

Well, I got the first 5 Kinsey Millhone books and I will read those. So maybe I should just stop there before they go downhill?