What are you reading?

richcapo

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Just finished Lev Grossman's The Magician's Land: Very good, but rushed -- reads like three or so books crammed into one.

If you like off-the-wall magic (I'm talking Infinity Gauntlet cosmic level stuff here) crossed with adult-targeted fiction, I suggest reading it and its two predecessors, The Magicians and the Magician Kings, the latter which The Chicago Tribune called "The Catcher in the Rye for devotees of alternative universes" (thanks Wiki).
 
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Jack McManus

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Thunder and Lightning -- Natalie Goldberg (writing advice)
Thrillers: 100 Must-Reads -- ed. by David Morrell & Hank Wagner
The Human Chronicles Saga, Part 1/Book 1: The Fringe Worlds -- T. R. Harris
 

ResearchGuy

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I pulled David Frum's 1994 Dead Right off the shelf, to reread after all these years. Couple of chapters in, now. Lots of water under the political bridge since then.

Also reading the March/April 2014 issue of Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine.

--Ken
 

angeluscado

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Trying The Hobbit again. I really, really, really want to read it because I loved the movies I've seen so far.

After that, if I'm not sick of Tolkein, I'll tackle the Lord of the Rings trilogy. If I am sick of Tolkein, I might try to get through A Song of Ice and Fire. Again.
 

mrsmig

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Finished The King's Grave by Philippa Langley and Michael Jones, about the discovery of Richard III's grave. The co-authors trade chapters throughout, with Jones covering the historical facts and Langley the discovery of the grave.

The main problem is that Langley seems to have an almost schoolgirl-like crush on Richard. She wants to believe that not only was he a good man and a good king, but that the reports of him being physically deformed were concocted by a bunch of pro-Tudor meanies like Thomas More. As a result, when the discovered remains indicate a man whose back was badly twisted by scoliosis, Langley's reaction is so over-the-top that it's difficult to take her seriously.

Jones' historical chapters are pretty darned dry, but I preferred them to Langley's emotional hand-wringing.
 

virtue_summer

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The Sword Dancer by Jeannie Lin. It's a historical romance set in Tang Dynasty, China. I'm really enjoying it.
 

richcapo

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The Enchantress by Michael Scott: The final book in his Nicholas Flamel series. The last book (The Warlock) was absolutely amazing -- perhaps the finest fantasy book I have ever read -- and this one, only fifty pages in, is shaping up to be just as good.
 

mrsmig

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A Summons to Memphis by Peter Taylor.
 

brasiliareview

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The Good Soldier Svejk by Jaroslav Hasek. It's breezy but good and clever. It satirizes Czech society during WWII through the eyes of a Sancho Panza-style protagonist.
 

richcapo

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Last night finished The Enchantress, the final book in Michael Scott's The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel series. Excellent. Even better than its predecessor, The Warlock, which was absolutely incredible.

Highly, highly recommended.
 
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Michael Wolfe

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War and Peace. As great as the story is, I find many of the philosophical digressions just as interesting. Tolstoy's theory of history might be somewhat questionable, but well worth the investment of time all the same.
 

Jerboa

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Watership Down. Found it on my Kindle (I bought a second hand kindle with 3000 odd books on it), and I don't think I've ever read it before.
 

Devil Ledbetter

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Watership Down. Found it on my Kindle (I bought a second hand kindle with 3000 odd books on it), and I don't think I've ever read it before.
That is a truly great book. I read it probably 30 years ago, then again about 18 years ago, and it has always stayed with me. My teenager is reading it right now.
 

ssbittner

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I loved Watership Down growing up (although I didn't appreciate it as much when I was forced to analyze it for English class later.) It's a wonderful book.

I've just started Blood and Iron: A Novel of the Promethean Age by Elizabeth Bear. It's the start of a series, so I'm hoping I enjoy it as much as her other novels.
 

Inky

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Hidden Order by Brad Thor
and, for light reading *yes, I'm being cheeky* Writing a Novel with Scrivener

Aye, pulling out my teeth with pliers soaked in sludge would probably be more enjoyable.
Use Scrivener, they said.
It's easy, they swore.
*attempts to remove eyes with spork*
 
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