What we're reading, the SFF edition

rwm4768 · Jun 14, 2012

fivetoesten said:
I'm in the middle of the last book of Robin Hobb's Farseer Trilogy. I think I'm enjoying it. I think Fitz is too flawed, but then again he may just be a brutally realistic character. The coin I flipped hasn't landed yet.

I have the first book of that series sitting on my list of books to be read. I haven't gotten around to it, though, because I have an irrational dislike of epic fantasy written from a first person perspective. Should I get over this and read the book?

fivetoesten · Jun 14, 2012

yeah, go for it. For a long time I didn't like first person either, but not too long ago I read the Spinward Fringe series and now its not so bad.

aliwood · Jun 15, 2012

It's been so long since I wrote I forgot what I was reading then. I'm currently on the Star Trek Invasion series book 4 - The Final Fury. I'm also working my way through Ray Bradbury's R is for Rocket short stories, the selected short stories of Alfred Bester and some short stories from Alice Munro who isn't SFF, but she knows how to write about people. I seem to have gone short story mad. At least it means I finish them.

Oh, nearly forgot. I'm listening to Stephen King Dark Tower book 2. Now that's nowhere near a sort story.

Grunkins · Jun 15, 2012

I read Iain M Banks' Look to Windward and really enjoyed it ("So, can I eat this?").

Currently reading Caliban's War by James S. A. Corey.

Johnny Von Rotten · Jun 15, 2012

I'm debating whether or not to dash through the Wheel of Time books in time for the 1/8/13 release of the finale. I'm not sure it's worth it. It's probably not.

I read the first two in high school over a decade ago and loved them, but I'm well aware of the mid-series drop off.

Still, there's something alluring about taking on a 14-doorstopping-book series and being there with others to see it finish.

Caitlin Black · Jun 16, 2012

I've finally had time to read for pleasure again this past week.

So I read "Guards! Guards!" by Terry Pratchett, and "Absolute Visions" by some very talented AWers (Congrats to all of you!).

The latter has made me start thinking about a SF story again, one that I haven't written a single word of because it's too daunting. But the SF stories in Absolute Visions were really amazingly powerful, hence thinking about my own aborted efforts...

About to read "Angel" by L. A. Weatherly. This has been on my TBR pile for over a year, and I kept meaning to get around to it, but never have yet. But I have time now, so this 500-page tome shall feel my gaze!

Pretty sure Angel is PNR, can't quite remember.

rwm4768 · Jun 16, 2012

Johnny Von Rotten said:
I'm debating whether or not to dash through the Wheel of Time books in time for the 1/8/13 release of the finale. I'm not sure it's worth it. It's probably not.

I read the first two in high school over a decade ago and loved them, but I'm well aware of the mid-series drop off.

Still, there's something alluring about taking on a 14-doorstopping-book series and being there with others to see it finish.

Yeah, I'm in kind of the same situation right now. I've read the first two books and currently have the third checked out from the library. I'm wary of the drop off, though.

In the epic fantasy realm, I am currently reading Furies of Calderon by Jim Butcher, and I am really enjoying it so far.

In the urban fantasy realm, I am reading Something from the Nightside by Simon R. Green. It's pretty good so far. Not my favorite, but it's short, so I'll probably finish it.

Reservoir Angel · Jun 17, 2012

I got Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey out of the local library a couple days ago and have been meaning to read it but it just keeps sitting there, sandwiched between my Roald Dahl books and the Necronomicon...

Had to read through the first volume of Death Note first, which is what I'm using as my excuse for not getting to it yet. Speaking of, I really need to get the next volume of that...

Ian Isaro · Jun 18, 2012

Black Sun Rising by CS Friedman

Odd story: I read the third book in this trilogy over 12 years ago. The first one became steadily more familiar, yet I was sure that I hadn't read it. Eventually I figured it out, which meant I knew all kinds of character arcs and twists, but dimly from my youth. Strange experience.

As for as the actual book, I thought it got off to a rough start but was good once all the plot elements got into place. The third book takes things to a satisfying conclusion as well.

Filigree · Jun 18, 2012

Finished the second 'Kushiel' trilogy by Jacqueline Carey. Good read, but not as fun for me as the first trilogy. There's a third trilogy with a new man character set a century later. I've read the first of that, and wasn't wholly thrilled.

But right now I'm settling in to read Lynn Flewelling's latest 'Nightrunner' book, CASKET OF SOULS.

Johnny Von Rotten · Jun 18, 2012

Decided against WoT. About halfway through Jeff Salyard's Scourge of the Betrayer.

rwm4768 · Jun 18, 2012

Just finished Furies of Calderon (first book of the Codex Alera) by Jim Butcher. It was probably one of my favorite books I've ever read. I like my fantasy action-packed, and Butcher doesn't disappoint. It was difficult finding places to stop reading it because chapters so frequently ended on cliffhangers. Butcher knows how to get you to keep reading.

rwm4768 · Jun 21, 2012

Finished reading A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin. I have mixed feelings about it. Her writing style didn't suit my tastes. Perhaps it's that the book is intended for a younger age group. I'd imagine it was something special for its time, but now, with so much fantasy out there, it seems unoriginal (even though I know it was original at the time).

rwm4768 · Jun 21, 2012

On a roll. Just finished Something from the Nightside by Simon R. Green. It was a short, fun read, and there was a nice twist in the climax. On the whole, I would say I enjoyed it.

aliwood · Jun 22, 2012

Finished the Stephen King, now on to book 3. Read Cory Doctorow's Little Brother. I've started working my way through Ray Bradbury's Martian Chronicles, and also Harry Potter book 4.

rwm4768 · Jun 22, 2012

Just finished The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. Wow, that was a long book. It was good, though. Sanderson does a great job with his characters and makes you want to root for them, even when they're not perfect. I would recommend this book, as long as you have a fair amount of time to devote to it (it's 1000 pages long). The end was a little disappointing to me because it just made me want to read more. Now I have to wait for the next book. In the meantime, I'm going to get his first Mistborn book from the library.

llambertlawson · Jun 25, 2012

I'm currently 'reading' Red Shirts by Scalzi; the reading by Wil Wheaton is pretty well done.

Reservoir Angel · Jun 25, 2012

I've been trying to read 'Dragonlight' by Anne McCaffrey but I just can't get into it. Maybe it's just the way it's written; it reads like something my mate's little brother would write after just discovering a thesaurus for the first time.

rwm4768 · Jun 25, 2012

Finished reading The Dragon Reborn (book 3 of The Wheel of Time). So far, the series has been a good, exciting read. I've heard of the drop off, though, so I'm hesitant about continuing. I may end up forcing myself through the books just because I want to know how it ends.

Drey of Boon · Jun 26, 2012

I'm halfway through "Diaspora" by Greg Egan. The first 20 or so pages are so dry and hard, hard sci-fi that I almost put it back on the shelf, but I'm glad I punched on cos it's opened up into a pretty amazing glimpse of a possible future.

Nakhlasmoke · Jun 26, 2012

Just started Ellen Kushner's Thomas the Rhymer and so far I am loving it. This is the first book I've read by Kushner though I've heard her name tossed about in fantasy circles long enough.

eyeblink · Jun 27, 2012

Nakhlasmoke said:
Just started Ellen Kushner's Thomas the Rhymer and so far I am loving it. This is the first book I've read by Kushner though I've heard her name tossed about in fantasy circles long enough.

Please let me know what you think of it when it's done. I've had a copy of that in the TBR pile for a very long time. It's also short by fantasy standards, which does help!

Ian Isaro · Jun 27, 2012

Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence

Mixed feelings on this one. The main character is basically just a brat with inflated impressions of his own importance - I liked the surprise antagonist simply for showing otherwise.

While I liked some things about the future-as-past setting, it made me realize how much I dislike generic medieval Europe. Making a post-apocalyptic future resemble that period of history seems like a failure of imagination, unless it's meant to be a fake-out, in which case I think it's pointless.

Ian Isaro · Jun 27, 2012

Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence

Mixed feelings on this one. The main character is basically just a brat with inflated impressions of his own importance - I liked the surprise antagonist simply for showing otherwise.

While I liked some things about the future-as-past setting, it made me realize how much I dislike generic medieval Europe. Making a post-apocalyptic future resemble that period of history seems like a failure of imagination, unless it's meant to be a fake-out, in which case I think it's pointless.

Filigree · Jun 27, 2012

Finished Laura Anne Gilman's three 'Vineart War' books. Evocative writing and a great magic system make this fun to read, but I keep feeling this was one killer 700-page book stretched out to fit three shorter but more mediocre books.

I'm re-reading Anne McCaffrey's CRYSTAL SINGER after about 25 years. Good story, but I'm noting the same touches of thesaurus fever that Angel noted with DRAGONFLIGHT.

What we're reading, the SFF edition

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