Community Book club - What are you reading and what have you read recently

[Dandy]

Finished Emma Newman's excellent Atlas Alone. She's quickly becoming one of the best sci-fi writers out there.

I started this last night. After Atlas is my favourite of the series and had an insane ending, so I'm so glad Atlas Alone picked up on it after Before Mars.

 

[kristoffer]

About halfway through the Mueller report

 

[Mivey]

Bought it on my kobo a week ago, and making good progress (at least considering how rarely I get to read these days). The first one took a while to hook me, but I really like how the second one starts the story much faster, and is really expanding the look on the world of ... The Wheel of Time? I don't think I have heard any name for the world itself, which on one hand kinda makes sense (why would people of their technological level even need a word for their own "planet"), and but funny enough, is pretty rare for this genre.

I'm looking forward where the fairly large group of protagonists and deuteragonists (the three boys, plus Egwene, the Wisdom, Morraine, and Lan) will end up during the course of this 1000 page monster.

 

[Pranooy]

About halfway through the Mueller report

Not an American, so don't know much other than lil bits and pieces i hear on twitter.
Isn't it a huge ass report? How do you read redacted stuff?

Bought it on my kobo a week ago, and making good progress (at least considering how rarely I get to read these days). The first one took a while to hook me, but I really like how the second one starts the story much faster, and is really expanding the look on the world of ... The Wheel of Time? I don't think I have heard any name for the world itself, which on one hand kinda makes sense (why would people of their technological level even need a word for their own "planet"), and but funny enough, is pretty rare for this genre.

I'm looking forward where the fairly large group of protagonists and deuteragonists (the three boys, plus Egwene, the Wisdom, Morraine, and Lan) will end up during the course of this 1000 page monster.

I started the audiobook of Eye of the World last week. Haven't listened enough to get hooked. But i really like what was happening so far.

 

[kristoffer]

How do you read redacted stuff?

You read the bits that aren't blacked out!

 

[Xagarath]

I started this last night. After Atlas is my favourite of the series and had an insane ending, so I'm so glad Atlas Alone picked up on it after Before Mars.

I'm glad to see a direct sequal as well! Hoping she keeps the series going.

 

[OSatan]

Surface Detail - The Culture Book IX - Iain M. Banks

Finally another Sci fi book...

Really, really good until the ending, like the ending just happens in the most obvious way, that is not The Culture way!

I can't believe I'm going to say this but I miss the gimmicks on his books...

 

[Dandy]

Finished Atlas Alone this morning. It felt... short, not that that's a bad thing(maybe I've been reading too many 700+ page books lately). I just blew through it very quickly, and loved it. I'm assuming there will be more in the series, and I can't wait to read them.

I think I'm going to dive into Holy Sister by Mark Lawrence next. I really liked the first 2 in the series, and I've heard that the finale is great.

 

[EdwardTivrusky]

Racing The Beam: Nick Montfort and Ian Bogost

I'm reading this for the fourth or fifth time at least. Basically it covers the Atari VCS and the technical and engineering aspects of a selection of games. It covers a bit of the social aspects of the time in the Atari environment but mainly it discusses what a game did that was interesting, talks about why it was interesting and then gives some code & diagram descriptions of the implementation. I love it but it is a bit too technical for some and not technical enough for others. I can see what they were going for and although i'd love more technical details it would possibly be too dry without the non-technical commentary.

Being a UK kid i have no nostalgia for the NES and we were a Sega family anyway but i'd love something similar, technical and engineering details with social overview for the Spectrum 48k and Commode 64 and some milestone games.

 

[Pranooy]

Finished Atlas Alone this morning. It felt... short, not that that's a bad thing(maybe I've been reading too many 700+ page books lately). I just blew through it very quickly, and loved it. I'm assuming there will be more in the series, and I can't wait to read them.

I think I'm going to dive into Holy Sister by Mark Lawrence next. I really liked the first 2 in the series, and I've heard that the finale is great.

I own the Red Sister, but i still haven't started it since i heard i should read entire Broken Empire trilogy first before starting this series. Most likely will read Broken Empire, once i'm done with Riyria Revelations and Red Rising.

 

[Dandy]

I own the Red Sister, but i still haven't started it since i heard i should read entire Broken Empire trilogy first before starting this series. Most likely will read Broken Empire, once i'm done with Riyria Revelations and Red Rising.

Oh, I didn't know there was even a connection between Red Sister and Broken Empire (I haven't read the latter yet). Red Sister is excellent either way!

 

[OSatan]

The Hydrogen Sonata - The Culture Book X - Iain M. Banks

Ehhhhhh...

A book of nothing really, all the questions this book ask gets answered with it doesn't matter, whole plot points and dilemmas are dismissed and it's a shame because this book has probably for me the best alien race this books ever created, those little insects where a blast and more developed than anything banks did this side of The Culture.

It also seems that Banks never heard a fractal or mathematical composition since his description makes no sense.

Its not a bad book but the ending is just there to end not even the customary epilogue just an extra chapter with nothing in it.

Now my official ranking of The Culture Books:


Excession>=Consider Phlebas>Player of Games>>>Look to Windward>=Surface Detail>>>>>>>>>>>Use of Weapons>=Inversions>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>The Hydrogen Sonata>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>The State of the Art>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Matter

 

[Gevin]

Excession

 

[Rosenkrantz]

Cibola Burn. I love The Expanse universe and the book is pretty good, but as someone who came on board after watching the show I have a bit of trouble adjusting to the book's narrative form and so many PoVs.

 

[dummmyy]

Just started reading Ask the Dust by John Fante. Fast read so far, but he's laying it on thick with the 'woe-is-me'

 

[OSatan]

Elevation - Stephen King

I wanted a pallet cleanser, didn't know this book was so short lol.

This jumped my queue just because goodreads have it as #1 for 2018 and damn what a good read it is.

Really smooth ride that grabs you from the star to the end.

 

[zonk]

Reading Oathbringer by Brandon The God Sanderson right now and about half way done The man is a machine and I've been consuming everything by him and Oathbringer is one of the last one's I haven't read yet Thank god he writes super fast.

He also just posted the cover of the Skyward book:

Cover of Skyward #2

 

[Wibblewozzer]

I have freed myself from the shackles of Gene Wolfe and The Book of the New Sun. I have completed The Urth of the New Sun (The Book of the New Sun, #5)

Pretty solid 1/5 for pretty much the entire series. I'm tempted to give the first book 2/5 only because I liked the series less as I kept going but they were all bad. I saw they had an article due to Gene Wolfe actually passing away last weekend and it is filled with extreme praise and relates how fans of the books like certain games. I'm aware this is the perfect series for some people. It is the antithesis of what I enjoy in writing. It's hard for me to full encapsulate how it's everything I hate but I can sum it up as being random, surreal, unintelligible, and seeming to lack any direction, conflict, or sensible characters.

 

[Pranooy]

I was avoiding this book series even with the high praises thinking this is a pure YA book. It isn't. I really liked the bad ass main protagonist and enjoyed the hunger games style of capture the castle. Been a while since i finished a book in a day (it isn't a huge book).
Also i started the sequel "Golden Son".

I have freed myself from the shackles of Gene Wolfe and The Book of the New Sun. I have completed The Urth of the New Sun (The Book of the New Sun, #5)

Pretty solid 1/5 for pretty much the entire series. I'm tempted to give the first book 2/5 only because I liked the series less as I kept going but they were all bad. I saw they had an article due to Gene Wolfe actually passing away last weekend and it is filled with extreme praise and relates how fans of the books like certain games. I'm aware this is the perfect series for some people. It is the antithesis of what I enjoy in writing. It's hard for me to full encapsulate how it's everything I hate but I can sum it up as being random, surreal, unintelligible, and seeming to lack any direction, conflict, or sensible characters.

Damn, that bad eh? May i ask why you kept reading even tho you hated the first few books? I can never continue the series, if i don't enjoy at least first or the second book.

 

[Xagarath]

Started Arkady Martine's A Memory Called Empire, which is so far an impressively detailed space opera about diplomay and cross-culture intrigue:

 

[Wibblewozzer]

Damn, that bad eh? May i ask why you kept reading even tho you hated the first few books? I can never continue the series, if i don't enjoy at least first
or the second book.

Because I bought the five book set on Kindle and didn't want it to be wasted money. Also, they weren't exactly boring for the most part, so I was able to continue plowing through them. It helps that they were mostly all really short books and helped with my Good Reads 2019 goal.

 

[Phoenix RISING]

This month:

Next month:

 

[Li Kao]

Finished another one that was interrupted years ago, will talk about it in a moment. Good so far, not much rereading due to ocd too. Just nowhere near as pleasurable an experience like in my teen.
But I digress... interested in reading more King, an author I didn’t read near enough of. As I read Salem’s Lot and I’m crazy enough to consider reading the man from his beginnings, I was wondering if, for those that read it, Carrie was more than it looks from an external pov ? Will I find more than a long drama about teen, religion, then it’s firework time ?
I haven’t read it obviously but that looks a little too slim to give me the will to read it. Am I wrong ? (which would be very cool)

Same for Cujo, Dead Zone and Christine, some early King look like solid 1h30 movies but hundreds of pages ? Because this fucker can’t write short to save his life, and as much as I greatly respect him from Salem, the few times I read short works from him I sorta wished he wouldn’t have tried.

Tempted to try Hap & Leonard #1 to change litterary genre, as I read far too much horror books. But I fear being uninterested.

 

[Li Kao]

Damn, I killed this thread

 

[Milena]

I finished listening yesterday to the second book in the Misborn series, The Well of Ascension:

I'm still loving the story and the characters, my favorites being Sazed, Vin of course and

Spoiler

TenSoon

I've started the third audiobook right away. I can't wait to see where it goes.

 

[zonk]

I've started the third audiobook right away.

Do you listen to the regular audio books or to the graphic audio books? What's your opinion on either?

 

[Milena]

Do you listen to the regular audio books or to the graphic audio books? What's your opinion on either?

I've only listened to Audible audiobooks so far, mostly because of cost. I did listen to a few samples of graphic audio and the first impression was a bit weird, but I guess I'd have to get used to all the different sound effects before appreciating them. After all, it took some time to get used to regular audiobooks.

Anyway, I love regular audiobooks! I don't think I could manage going to work without them. I even almost look forward to doing chores now. Almost.
There are some great narrators out there that can truly elevate a story. Of course, terrible narration can destroy even a great book. I think most do a good job, I've enjoyed to various degrees pretty much everything I listened to so far.
The only series that I had to shelve, at least for now, was Erikson's Malazan: I'm not sure if it was solely the narration to blame, though.

 

[Wibblewozzer]

Forgot to update so I have two books completed. They're related so it works out: The Rosie Effect (Don Tillman, #2) and The Rosie Result (Don Tillman #3)

I believe this is meant to only be a trilogy so that finishes them up. How I used to describe the first book to people actually deals with a bit of later plots because I made assumptions so I'll just say it starts as a romantic comedy about a fellow who has a different way of thinking, processing information, and getting through life so at forty-years-old due to some pressure he decides to start The Wife Project to find himself the perfect partner to get married to. Outside of the odd characteristics I'd still say it feels like wish fulfillment as everything works out too neatly through the series. Kind of like a cheesy Hollywood ending. But it's still satisfying if you can just accept it and go along for the ride. The first book is still my favorite but I tore through these last two fairly quickly as they're simple reads and the perspective of the lead is really fun.

There's a movie adaptation in the works but it looks as if it's in production hell so who knows it that will actually come. I feel like I saw an updated release date recently for it but I'm sure it'll keep getting bumped around.

Up to 11 of 25 complete for the year. Goodreads says I'm three books ahead of goal. Woo!

 

[Pranooy]

Do you listen to the regular audio books or to the graphic audio books? What's your opinion on either?

I tried graphic audio book of the "The Well of Ascension"/ Mistborn 2, after listening to regular audiobook of Mistborn 1: The Final Empire. I listened for about 5-8 chapters before giving up. The overall production value is really good and it feels like a "audio movie", but I prefer Michael Kramer's voice tbh over having a ton of people playing each character. And also the background music/sound effect felt good at the start, but it gets kinda distracting later on.

Also i listen to audiobooks in high volume in my car and it certainly was weird when they started emulating kissing sounds for Vin & Elend. Lol.

Overall mixed feeling on Graphic audio. It isn't bad, but i would certainly prefer audio book by great narrators like Steven Pacey, Michael Kramer etc.

 

[Milena]

Also i listen to audiobooks in high volume in my car and it certainly was weird when they started emulating kissing sounds for Vin & Elend. Lol.

What?!

Overall mixed feeling on Graphic audio. It isn't bad, but i would certainly prefer audio book by great narrators like Steven Pacey, Michael Kramer etc.

Yep, Micheal Kramer is great, really loving the Mistborn series read by him, and I see that he also co-narrates Sanderson's Stormlight Archive series, so another reason to look forward to that.

Other great narrators I've encountered so far:
Jonathan Keeble (first books of The Saxon Tales series and The Warlord Chronicles by Bernard Cornwell), perhaps my favourite one;
Christian Rummel (The Lost Fleet and The Lost Fleet Beyond by Jack Campbell);
MacLeod Andrews (The Reckoners series by Brandon Sanderson);
Suzy Jackson (Skyward by Brandon Sanderson).

Yes, I've been reading a lot of Sanderson over the last year

 

[Wibblewozzer]

The Harry Potter audio books are high quality, too. I recall being annoyed with some of the voices (largely because the movies make me hear them differently) but I got used to them.

 

[Mivey]

I find it baffling how something like 50 Kbps is a default encoding for audio books. It's 2019, I don't need an 9 hour long audio file to be compressed to the point where it sounds like archive footage from WW2.

 

[Flips]

Started The First Law trilogy a couple of days ago and now I'm about 20% done with the first book. As with most books, it took some chapters time to get into it. But so far I've been enjoying it. I don't have a favorite POV yet but I think Glokta might become my favorite. I'd continue reading now that I'm home from work but I gotta catch up with GoT lol

And since The Way of Kings is this thread's cover image, I'll tell everyone here to go buy and read it if you haven't already.

 

[Gevin]

Started The First Law trilogy a couple of days ago and now I'm about 20% done with the first book. As with most books, it took some chapters time to get into it. But so far I've been enjoying it. I don't have a favorite POV yet but I think Glokta might become my favorite. I'd continue reading now that I'm home from work but I gotta catch up with GoT lol

And since The Way of Kings is this thread's cover image, I'll tell everyone here to go buy and read it if you haven't already.

I love Glokta

 

[Pranooy]

Started The First Law trilogy a couple of days ago and now I'm about 20% done with the first book. As with most books, it took some chapters time to get into it. But so far I've been enjoying it. I don't have a favorite POV yet but I think Glokta might become my favorite. I'd continue reading now that I'm home from work but I gotta catch up with GoT lol

And since The Way of Kings is this thread's cover image, I'll tell everyone here to go buy and read it if you haven't already.

One of my top 3 book series. Love it so damn much and i am super hyped for the 2nd trilogy (The age of madness trilogy) in September. Day one Steven Pacey narrated audio book.

My favorite character is Logen Ninefingers, followed by Glokta.
"Say one thing for Logen Ninefingers, say he's complicated."

Yep, Micheal Kramer is great, really loving the Mistborn series read by him, and I see that he also co-narrates Sanderson's Stormlight Archive series, so another reason to look forward to that.

Other great narrators I've encountered so far:
Jonathan Keeble (first books of The Saxon Tales series and The Warlord Chronicles by Bernard Cornwell), perhaps my favourite one;
Christian Rummel (The Lost Fleet and The Lost Fleet Beyond by Jack Campbell);
MacLeod Andrews (The Reckoners series by Brandon Sanderson);
Suzy Jackson (Skyward by Brandon Sanderson).

Yes, I've been reading a lot of Sanderson over the last year

My favourite narrators are:
Steven Pacey (First law trilogy and First Law World)
Stephen Fry (Hitchhiker's guide, Mythos and Harry Potter)
Michael Kramer (Mistborn and Wheel of time)
Simon Vance (Lightbringer series)
Tim Gerard Reynolds ( Riyria Revelations and Red Rising series)

 

[Wibblewozzer]

Besides Robin Hobb has anyone read any of these other authors and have recommendations?

10 female fantasy writers to read after Game Of Thrones ends

 

[Gevin]

Besides Robin Hobb has anyone read any of these other authors and have recommendations?

10 female fantasy writers to read after Game Of Thrones ends

Jemisin is really good (left some comments in her award winning trilogy on Community - Book club - What are you reading and what have you read recently)

Lois McMaster Bujold is pretty well known but I've yet to read any of her. I've read Naomi Novik's Uprooted and it was good.

Some of the others are on my TBR list.

 

[fantomena]

Thanks to season 8 of GoT, as soon as my exams are over, Im gonna start reading ASOIAF starting with the 1st book.

 

[Wibblewozzer]

Jemisin is really good (left some comments in her award winning trilogy on Community - Book club - What are you reading and what have you read recently)

Lois McMaster Bujold is pretty well known but I've yet to read any of her. I've read Naomi Novik's Uprooted and it was good.

Some of the others are on my TBR list.

I'm assuming these authors are more modern and traditional compared to other authors you like?

 

[Gevin]

I'm assuming these authors are more modern and traditional compared to other authors you like?

No comments

 

[NarohDethan]

I read the Marie Kondo book and proceeded to disregard her cleaning advice all together :c

 

[Xagarath]

Besides Robin Hobb has anyone read any of these other authors and have recommendations?

10 female fantasy writers to read after Game Of Thrones ends

Jemisin is solid to good, as is Okorafor. Stevenson's lighter but very likable. Pierce is strictly YA but an important trailblazer in that one.

Novik is amazing - Uprooted and Spinning Silver are both genre standouts, and some of my favourite books of the last few years,

 

[Flips]

Besides Robin Hobb has anyone read any of these other authors and have recommendations?

10 female fantasy writers to read after Game Of Thrones ends

She isn't listed there but I quite enjoyed the The Black Magician trilogy by Trudi Canavan. It's nothing fancy but well-written and it kept me interested as far as I remember.

 

[BlueOdin]

Currently reading The Reamins of the Day from Ishiguro and enjoying it. Reading it in German because I bought spontaneous. Enjoying it so far though there was a passage where I knew that the main character would be an hardcore Brexiteer.

Have Hardboiled Wonderland by Murakami and Shogun by James Clavell lined up after that. Biding time until I get my eBook reader back.

One of my top 3 book series. Love it so damn much and i am super hyped for the 2nd trilogy (The age of madness trilogy) in September. Day one Steven Pacey narrated audio book.

My favorite character is Logen Ninefingers, followed by Glokta.
"Say one thing for Logen Ninefingers, say he's complicated."

Oh shit, new Abercrombie trilogy this year? Why didn't anyone tell me?

I love Glokta

Glotka da man

 

[OSatan]

Because this fucker can’t write short to save his life,

speaking of short


WHY DID I STARTED READING JERUSALEM (by Alan Moore)????

The prologue is more dense than most books and just as long, now I know how his artist feel when they get his scripts. everything is there in the utmost detail.

The angel's speak is cool as hell tho.

 

[Li Kao]

speaking of short


WHY DID I STARTED READING JERUSALEM (by Alan Moore)????

The prologue is more dense than most books and just as long, now I know how his artist feel when they get his scripts. everything is there in the utmost detail.

The angel's speak is cool as hell tho.

We disagree it seems, but out of curiosity what short work of King would you recommend ?
I'm not opposed to changing my opinion, it's even one of the great pleasures in life.

Or maybe you are frowning at me because I'm dismissing long works, but as previously mentioned, I have reading OCD and can't stomach huge novels anymore, unfortunately.

 

[OSatan]

We disagree it seems, but out of curiosity what short work of King would you recommend ?
I'm not opposed to changing my opinion, it's even one of the great pleasures in life.

Or maybe you are frowning at me because I'm dismissing long works, but as previously mentioned, I have reading OCD and can't stomach huge novels anymore, unfortunately.

Even his detractors praise King's short works so probably is just you and his style in general.

Try Elevation or Full Dark, No Stars for modern King since his style did change a lot in his later years and maybe your problem is classic King.

 

[Phoenix RISING]

If you don't have 100s of hours to spend reading through all of the Witcher novels and playing all the games, World of the Witcher is a great book.

 

[Li Kao]

Even his detractors praise King's short works so probably is just you and his style in general.

Try Elevation or Full Dark, No Stars for modern King since his style did change a lot in his later years and maybe your problem is classic King.

For the record, but this doesn’t really change anything, I just realized that we didn’t understand each other at first. When I said King could’nt write short to save his life I was speaking about his tendency to write long novels, not about the quality if his short fiction work.
This doesn’t really change anything though, I still find what I read of the short King far more anecdotal than the long King. But I luckily haven’t read all of the man’s work, it leaves me with many good things left to experience, that I’m certain of.

 

[Li Kao]

Feels like dropping Savage Season (1990) by Joe R. Lansdale.
Can't say it's all on the book, what I feared happened, I have a hard time giving a shit if there is no horror or sci-fi element. Yeah, that's sad, I know.

On the other hand, while apparently short, the book doesn't move that fast. There are a couple interesting portrait of people scarred by the 70's and activism, the main duo is cool, but ultimately I really don't give a shit about the plot.