What are you reading?

I've been chugging along on the Deverry series by Katharine Kerr. Just bought the third act books (The Dragon Mage book 1-3). Really enjoying the books more and more.
 
Joined
Feb 15, 2009
Messages
1,971
Location
Sweden
Finally finished Doris Lessing's "Shikasta", the first in her 5 books "Canopus in Argos" "Sci-Fi". Series. Sci-Fi in quotation marks, because it's very different from other Sci-Fi stories.

Shikasta is, surprise, surprise Earth, guarded by the benevolent Canopus and Sirius galactic empires, And very negatively influenced by the evil Puttoria/Shammat constellation. The story spans thousands of years, and mostly consists of reports from envoys and letters. The main "protagonist" is the envoy Johor, who frequently has visited the planet, in the 20th/21st century actually born into it as one George Sherban.

As said it's very different from other Sci-Fi I've read, and it's also difficult to follow, requires full concentration. But I liked it, and look forward to the next book, "The Marriages Between Zones Three, Four and Five" (the planet is surrounded by six zones, not sure what they are, but I guess I will know after the next book).

pibbuR who will spend some time with easier books before investigating the zones.
 
Joined
Nov 11, 2019
Messages
2,151
Location
beRgen@noRway
I finished Holy Spy, the last of the Shakespeare series of Rory Clements, and another very good book of historical fiction in the Tudor era.

I'm torn for the next one, I'm hesitating between another book from the same author in the pre-WWII period, the 2nd book of M.C. Scott's Rome series, or Agent in Berlin written by Alex Gerlis (who I haven't read yet). I fancy some spy story so I'll probably start with the last one.
 
Joined
Aug 29, 2020
Messages
10,279
Location
Good old Europe
Hum, this Gerlis fellow is not a very good writer. A poor and naïve introduction, then the grammar is sometimes doubtful. I'm surprised it has such a high score on both Goodreads and Amazon. Hopefully this is getting better later in the book. Has anyone read his books?
 
Joined
Aug 29, 2020
Messages
10,279
Location
Good old Europe
I'm re-reading the Ringworld books. I tried Ringworld once but put it down pretty quickly. Now, they've been great fun! I guess my tastes have changed a little since 1980. ;)
 
Joined
Aug 3, 2008
Messages
8,251
Location
Kansas City
I'm halfway through Fire & Blood (the full book not the art version which I also plan to get), and I'm thoroughly absorbed. Just getting to the part where House of Dragon show begins. Other than that finally reading Fight Club, after years ago enjoying other Palahniuk books like Stranger than Fiction and Rant. And finally I plan to jump back into early William Gibson trilogies (outdated start of the cyberpunk genre), some books of which I missed.
 
Joined
Feb 6, 2008
Messages
510
Location
This particular universe
I finished Agent in Berlin, by Alex Gerlis. I'm not sure what to think about it; the start is very naive but it gets better. It has its share of typos and the grammar is not always very good. Perhaps I'll give the author another chance with the next novel but nothing is certain.
 
Joined
Aug 29, 2020
Messages
10,279
Location
Good old Europe
I started another book, but I've just received The Fall of Numenor, by J.R.R. Tolkien and beautifully illustrated by Alan Lee. No new content, but editor Brian Sibley has assembled stories from previous Tolkien books into one single chronicle of the Second Age.
 
Joined
Aug 29, 2020
Messages
10,279
Location
Good old Europe
Redglyph said:
I started another book, but I've just received The Fall of Numenor, by J.R.R. Tolkien and beautifully illustrated by Alan Lee. No new content, but editor Brian Sibley has assembled stories from previous Tolkien books into one single chronicle of the Second Age.
Click to expand...
Let me know how it is. I'll probably put it on my Christmas list. :)
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
2,377
Location
Leuven, BE
@wiretripped @Carnifex So far so good, but I'm only at the beginning of the story. The introduction was quite instructive and very interesting for me, who read TLOTR and The Hobbit years ago before most of Christopher's curative work was well known here (I only read a little bit of The Silmarillion once it was translated in French but it wasn't really my thing back then).

The hardback book is beautiful, it includes 10 colour plates from illustrator Alan Lee (plus the cover), the pages have a good quality to them, the font is not too small and in two colours (dark blue for the titles). The text contains many indented editorial explanations and references.

Since it's an assembly of Tolkien's notes, I don't expect a complete and coherent story like the first books, but rather something like a history book, so it may take a while for me to read it entirely.
 
Joined
Aug 29, 2020
Messages
10,279
Location
Good old Europe
I am 3/4 of the way through The Stand - the unexpurgated, extra wordage, door-stopping, jack-supporting, wrist-aching edition.
I first read it 30+ years ago (the original, edited down edition), and to be honest, most of my plot memories have been replaced by the TV mini-series, so it's been interesting. I still think it's pretty good and I'm enjoying the added background to some of the characters, but I don't think it's on the same level as IT and plenty of others. I forgot about how much silly stuff there is (e.g., who they send on the infiltration mission, WTF guys), but I do remember how silly the end is, so I've got that to look forward to.
A literal hand of god experience
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
2,282
Location
New Zealand
Shagnak said:
I still think it's pretty good and I'm enjoying the added background to some of the characters, but I don't think it's on the same level as IT and plenty of others. I forgot about how much silly stuff there is (e.g., who they send on the infiltration mission, WTF guys), but I do remember how silly the end is, so I've got that to look forward to.
A literal hand of god experience
Click to expand...
That's how I remember it too, I haven't watched the series though.

IT was far better IMO, it's the best I've read from Stephen King.
 
Joined
Aug 29, 2020
Messages
10,279
Location
Good old Europe
The Stand book is superb, for me it never gets old, one of those novels I find myself reading every five years or so. The nineties telly version wasn't bad, yet the recent one a couple years ago....just yikes. Stick with the book, imo!
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2011
Messages
18,941
Location
Holly Hill, FL.
I am working my way through Hunters of Dune at the moment (almost done at 95%). Next up is Sandworms of Dune which will be my last book in the Dune universe.
I've read the Butlerian Jihad trilogy after I finished the 6 books by Frank Herbert, and to my surprise actually enjoyed them (maybe even more so than Frank's last 3, who were a little slow to my liking). In fact, reading through Hunters now I'd say they are almost obligatory reading to be able to know what's going in these last 2.

Shagnak said:
I am 3/4 of the way through The Stand - the unexpurgated, extra wordage, door-stopping, jack-supporting, wrist-aching edition.
I first read it 30+ years ago (the original, edited down edition), and to be honest, most of my plot memories have been replaced by the TV mini-series, so it's been interesting. I still think it's pretty good and I'm enjoying the added background to some of the characters, but I don't think it's on the same level as IT and plenty of others. I forgot about how much silly stuff there is (e.g., who they send on the infiltration mission, WTF guys), but I do remember how silly the end is, so I've got that to look forward to.
Click to expand...
The Stand is one of my favorite King novels, It (🤭) doesn't get old. The Shining is probably my favorite all time King book, I'd rate IT below those two.
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
2,377
Location
Leuven, BE
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom