What are you reading?

rhymegirl

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I am reading one of my Christmas presents: Stephen King's

Revival

I've read about a fourth of it.
 

Brightdreamer

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It's been a month, might as well update...

Last Books Finished:
Smaug: Unleashing the Dragon, by Daniel Falconer (hardcover) - A book about the creation of Smaug in Peter Jackson's Hobbit trilogy. The industry jargon can get a little thick, but otherwise I liked this look at the CGI process. (It also confirmed my suspicions that the Smaug glimpsed in the first movie was the original four-legged model, and was changed before the full-body view of the second movie. It does not explain why Weta prematurely released full-body images of Smaug before they nailed down the design, but I still think I'm the only person who noticed the promo material didn't match the final dragon.)

The Writer's Guide to Everyday Life in the Wild West, by Candy Moulton (hardcover) - A reference book for writers about the real West. Not bad from a factual standpoint, and it has extensive bibliographies for each section, but I'd hoped for a more inspiring read. Instead, it was more like reading a school textbook. It also could've used a section on common myths and misconceptions about the era that will mark you as a know-nothing amateur if they show up in your stories, seeing as how this was aimed at writers.

Currently Reading:
The Prince, by Niccolo Machiavelli (Nook) - A study of how to acquire and maintain power. I'm sure I'm missing a lot, not being familiar with the Italian politics of Machiavelli's time, but I'm finding it somewhat intriguing. The basic psychology of power is the same today as it was then, even if the methods aren't as blatantly brutal.

And I'm still picking at Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson (hardcover). I'm enjoying it when I read it, but I just don't think to pick it up for days at a time. (I went through a similar thing with The Way of Kings; really liked it, but I had to consciously commit to sit down long enough to get invested in the story. Then it flew by.)

I'm between titles on Kindle, having finally nuked a YA story that just wasn't going anywhere. (I finally gave up when the MC was about to drop into a depressive fugue; he'd already gone out of his way to be obnoxious and selfish and actively avoid engaging in a story, despite potentially interesting things happening all around him. No way was I sticking it out through depression...) Poking at a self-help title and an action title with Freemason overtones, but haven't gotten far enough in either to commit to finishing.
 
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ajs

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Just started reading The Elephant's Journey (José Saramago)--as recommended by a friend. I haven't read anything by him before. :)
 

Sophia

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My first finished book for this year is The Copper Promise by Jen Williams. I'm now reading Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke.
 

blacbird

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One of a series of police-procedural mysteries from Sweden, by the wife-husband team of Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö, featuring a police detective named Martin Beck. The novel I'm reading is third in the series, titled The Man on the Balcony. Very atmospheric noir stuff, in excellent translation. I've read a couple of others in the series, some years ago. Wahlöö died in 1975, and this novel was published in 1968, so it's not recent. He also wrote some mysteries under his own single name. I don't know what Sjöwall has done subsequently to the mid-1970s, or whether she remains extant. But anyone who enjoys P.D. James might find these novels to be good reads.

caw
 

ChimeraCreative

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In the first ten days of 2015 I've read The Damnation Game by Clive Barker (a pretty good read considering it was his debut proper novel) and Snowblind by Christopher Golden (which is a horrendous flop, avoid at all cost).

Moving onto Out by Natsuo Kirino.
 

ishtar'sgate

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Just started The Monogram Murders by Sophie Hannah. She has ventured into Agatha Christie territory with a tale starring Christie's famous Hercule Poirot. I hope, hope, hope she does him justice.
 

Kyla Laufreyson

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I finished Karyn Bosnak's 20 Times a Lady yesterday. I really only read it because I adore the movie based off of it. Having experienced both now, I can firmly say I prefer What's Your Number to it's source material, but also that they're pretty different experiences.

I'm presently reading My Favorite Horror Story (a horror anthology), taking it a story or two every day. Some bits are better than others, of course. I'm also in Good Omens, which a friend gave me as a late Christmas gift.
 

ResearchGuy

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Just started The Monogram Murders by Sophie Hannah. She has ventured into Agatha Christie territory with a tale starring Christie's famous Hercule Poirot. I hope, hope, hope she does him justice.

Isn't that a copyright violation?

--Ken
 
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hester

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Just finished The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace. Great, heartbreaking work.
 

screenscope

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I'm reading PRIMAL BODY, PRIMAL MIND : Beyond the Paleo Diet for Total Health and a Longer Life by Nora T Gedgaudas and it is changing my eating habits as I read it.

This is more of a horror story than the Stephen King book I read before it!
 

Calla Lily

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Just started The Monogram Murders by Sophie Hannah. She has ventured into Agatha Christie territory with a tale starring Christie's famous Hercule Poirot. I hope, hope, hope she does him justice.

Isn't that a copyright violation?

--Ken

I was at the Bouchercon where the cover was unveiled The book is sanctioned by Christie's estate.
 

ResearchGuy

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Devil's Deal, by Terri Lynn Coop, on Kindle. Looks like it will turn a little too intense for my usual just-before-going-to-sleep evening reading, so I'll finish it earlier in the day.

Also, the peculiar Several Short Sentences About Writing, by Verlyn Klinkenborg.

And (not books) current issues of Ellery Queen, Analog, and Fantasy & Science Fiction.

Physical and virtual shelves overflow with thousands of other books awaiting attention, not to mention the magazines and newspapers that cascade into my home.

--Ken
 

Lhowling

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Rereading Janet Fitch's White Oleander. Loved it when I was a teenager.