Flights of Fantasy discussion

Here is my TBR for the month, in no particular order:

Main Choices:
A Study in Scarlet
The Unusual Suspects
Gardens of the Moon
Howl's Moving Castle
The Silver Chair
The Horse and His Boy
Wuthering Heights

Would Like to also Read:
Ancillary Justice
The Cheerleaders of Doom
Because of Winn-Dixie

If I manage to read them all, I will match or improve upon my success in January with the number of books read.

Thankfully, I was able to fit four of these into the Feb 2014: Luuuuuurve N Stuff Challenge as well.

I've started The Silver Chair, and I like it a lot more than I liked Voyage of the Dawn Treader. When I finish I will start on A Study in Scarlet. I recently watched the BBC Sherlock's Study in Pink so it will be interesting to see how different they are. I'm guessing quite a bit. And I'm still reading A Game of Thrones.

I don't think Study in Pink varies from Study in Scarlet as much as some of the more recent episodes. It seems like as the show has become more popular the makers have felt more comfortable with deviating more front the original stories.


How are you finding Game of Thrones?

Today I finally started Shift Omnibus Edition (Silo, #2). I'm only 10% but I'm already really liking the way the book is set up. I'm also listening to Prince Caspian on audio.

Game of Thrones is a reread (but I love it). I'm reading the first three books again and then will read the 4th & 5th for the first time.

I started Mr. Shivers yesterday and I'm liking it pretty well.

Also working on The Light Fantastic.

I'm reading a little of Pale Queen's Courtyard and then on to Howl's Moving Castle.

I've just started reading M. Harold Page's Marshal Versus the Assassins for my next review on Black Gate.

After that, I'll be joining you guys in Howl's Moving Castle and Gardens of the Moon. Always meant to get to those. Thank you for creating the occasion. This will be my first time joining this group in a group read.

I'm still currently in my cool down mode, meaning that period of time when you're still so mentally and emotionally tied up in the book(s) you just finished, that your head rebels against you trying to immerse it in another world without giving it time to heal.

I'll probably try to finish "A Feast for Crows" and then maybe "A Dance with Dragons" if I don't relapse into boredom with the series.

I also might finish "Gardens of the Moon", and I'm tempted to start "The Lies of Locke Lamora".

I kinda love it when that happens Luke-it's like this euphoria you carry around for a few days. I'm still pecking away at book 5-Game of Thrones. It just does not have a hold on me like the first 2 books did. I scored a lot of deals on Black Friday-so there are a bunch sitting in my Kindle & iBook que. I just started Tales of the Bodhisattva: The Khurran. Fledgling by Nicole Conway, and the 2 Everville books by Roy Hoff.

Sometimes it's a euphoria, other times it's a crippling horror and sadness lol. I just finished "Armor" and it was the latter. There was no happy ending and although I did see the ending coming, it did not lessen the impact the book had on me.

Luke wrote: "Sometimes it's a euphoria, other times it's a crippling horror and sadness lol. I just finished "Armor" and it was the latter. There was no happy ending and although I did see the ending coming, it..."

At least you were not pissed off, I think that's the worst way to leave a book.

That does happen as well. Some books have gone flying across my bedroom in a fit of disgust at the writer. Fortunately, that is fairly rare (thank god since I despise damaging my precious books) and I generally force myself to trudge through.

Luke, when I was in grad school and had to read a lot of literary theory and criticism, I threw Derrida's books so often that my husband nicknamed my study the Avery Research Center for Bad Book Ballistics. Now, though, I have young children to whom I need to say, "We don't throw books," so I have to mean it and model it. That has made me a bit pickier about what I'll start reading. : )

Sarah wrote: "Luke, when I was in grad school and had to read a lot of literary theory and criticism, I threw Derrida's books so often that my husband nicknamed my study the Avery Research Center for Bad Book Ba..."

Lol. That's why I read pretty much everything on kindle now. Can't be throwing that thing around :)

Definitely know what you mean Luke. When a book has really affected me, it can take me a bit of time to start something new because I'm not done thinking about the previous read yet.

Just read A Darkling Sea. For me, it was ok but nothing special. In some ways felt a bit like a throwback to older sci-fi (which is no bad thing but I think I was looking for something more complex. Not sure what I'm reading next. I'm always impressed by people who plan out their reading for the month in advance, I just can't do that. I have to read what I'm in the mood for at that moment (another reason why I only buy one book at a time unless there is some amazing special offer)

I'll probably start 'Study in Scarlet' tonight, then move on to The Mislaid Magician: or Ten Years After since it's the last book I have from the library.

I will be starting A Study in Scarlet today and continuing with Garden of the Moon. I'm going to give it 150 pages to grab me and see how it goes from there. Sometimes I have trouble with very military books because I have trouble picturing all of the action. Plus I have about 15 other library books calling my name.

I agree that A Darkling Sea seems a bit of a throw back to old sci fi. I'm not sure if it will be much more than a 3.5 for me, but it is thought provoking.

I make a general plan for my reading goals, but let me be perfectly clear, I'm a moody reader. If I'm not into a book, it goes into a corner and may not be seen again for months. Still, I enjoy sitting in my library, perusing what I might want to pick up in the following month, reading about which books are to be released, etc. It can be fun to "window shop" my reading list ;)'

Laurel wrote: "I agree that A Darkling Sea seems a bit of a throw back to old sci fi. I'm not sure if it will be much more than a 3.5 for me, but it is thought ..."

I think A Darkling Sea was about 3.5 stars for me as well, although I decided to go with three stars rather than four. It does have some really interesting ideas but, for me, there are other books that do the "alien cultures" thing a lot better.

For depicting an alien culture that seems truly "alien" my favourite book is Pandora's Star. The best "strange other planet" book I've read is probably Dark Eden.

Seriously Paul,

You are responsible for fully half of my tbr these days!

*ambles over to Amazon*

Pandora's Star is 1144 pages long AND the beginning of a new series?! I may have to think about that one...

Pandora's Star went on my TBR because I read Great North Road last year and thought it was brilliant.

Okay, I trust you both implicitly. I'll just make this my year of the sci fi resurgence :)

I'm cool with that!

Well, last night I started into "The Lies of Locke Lamora". I'm not as enthralled with it as some reviewers seemed to be. It's decent, to be sure, but I'm not a huge fan of the type of narrative. You just never get close enough to the characters for me to really feel like I know them (granted, I'm only 60 pages in, so it might change).

If anyone looks at my profile they'll notice that a few books on my "currently reading" shelf seem to to have been there a while.

THAT is because I had several books on hold at the library which I'd sent for one at a time over the last few months. Sadly they have all come in at once.

Really.

Even setting some of those aside all the books on the list I own have to wait until I get through the library books.

I have no will power.

Finished The Silver Chair and Study in Scarlet, still working on A Game of Thrones. And starting Cruel Beauty. A book I bought because I loved the cover. And I like Beauty & the Beast.

I'm reading Howl's Moving Castle and I'm loving it so far!

Also trying to read Pale Queen's Courtyard for a mini challenge I set for myself: https://bookslifewine.wordpress.com/2...

Also picked up You Are Your Own Gym: The Bible Of Bodyweight Exercises For Men And Women because I've got to get a routine going again...my jeans had a very...pointed conversation with me this morning. I think they were serious. O_o

I think I'll also try to start Gardens of the Moon...later.

I'm still working on Swan Song, my HF group read book The Winter Palace: A Novel of Catherine the Great and Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders (re-read, so I'm not really rushing on this one).

I also have Doc out from the library, so I need to get that one read at some point, since I can't renew it again. *sigh* Don't people know that they can't put a hold on a book I haven't gotten to yet?? It's very inconsiderate.

Then I will be reading the group reads here, I think starting with Earth Abides, simply to get it out of the way if it's boring. LOL Better books as incentive work wonders for me... either I'll get so bored that I just quit, or I'll fly through it. Heck, maybe I'll even end up liking it. Who knows?

Then... I dunno.

Becky wrote: "I'm still working on Swan Song, my HF group read book The Winter Palace: A Novel of Catherine the Great and Fragile Things: Short Fictions and Wonders (re-read, so I'm ..."

My library copy of Gardens just came in today. It's only been on request since the beginning of Jan. :<

I have the whole MBotF series sitting on my desk, staring at me. I just can't bring myself to do it since I have like 8 other series that are considerably shorter that I want to read first.

MKotF?

Whoops, meant MBotF (Malazan Book of the Fallen). Don't know how that 'K' slipped in there lol.

"k"odex??????

MrsJoseph (taking back my data & giving GR the middle finger) wrote: "My library copy of Gardens just came in today. It's only been on request since the beginning of Jan. :<"

My copy came in as well. The cover is all bent open and looking at it is giving me anxiety.

Say no to senseless book abuse :(

Garden of the Moon...13.5 pages a day unfortunately

Luke wrote: "So no to senseless book abuse :("

For real!

I meant to say "say no to book abuse" but for some reason my fingers aren't communicating properly with my brain today :/

I understood what you meant. Us book people always understand each other even through our typos. :)

Felina wrote: "I understood what you meant. Us book people always understand each other even through our typos. :)"

Which is the only reason why anyone can understand the words that are coming out of my mouth...umm I mean being typed from my keyboard.

Random Thought of the Day: I miss Chris Tucker...he needs to make another movie..NOW!

Felina wrote: "MrsJoseph (taking back my data & giving GR the middle finger) wrote: "My library copy of Gardens just came in today. It's only been on request since the beginning of Jan. :

My copy came in as well..."


Ugh

Luke wrote: "Say no to senseless book abuse :("

^this

I finished 'Cruel Beauty'. It was... interesting. Sort of a Beauty and the Beast retelling with Greek mythology thrown in. Beast was a Demon which I liked. But it had (mildish) (view spoiler)[ instant-love AND a love triangle. (hide spoiler)] which I did NOT.

Now I'm reading Nation by Terry Pratchett. I've had this one for awhile, bought when Borders went out of business (I still miss them!). This one is not what I was expecting. Its a poignant look at life, death, memory, and faith. Being alone and belonging. I think I might need to read something lighter (and happier) when I'm finished. Maybe Howl's Moving Castle. I love that book.

Nyssa wrote: "Random Thought of the Day: I miss Chris Tucker...he needs to make another movie..NOW! "

Or not. Not works for me.

Nienna wrote: "I finished 'Cruel Beauty'. It was... interesting. Sort of a Beauty and the Beast retelling with Greek mythology thrown in. Beast was a Demon which I liked. But it had (mildish) [spoilers removed] w..."

Cruel Beauty keeps coming up on my recommendation lists and people keep talking about it, so I put it on my TBR. I think I'll pass for now though.

----------------


I finished 'Voyage of the Dawn Treader' last night.
Right now I'm reading Comanche Moon, which I picked up based on a friend's rec. That's my "at home book". I think for my Nook book I'll start on the 3rd in the Troy Series- Fall of Kings. I'm kind of dragging my feet though because I don't want the series to finish. *sigh*

Nicki wrote: "I was so moved by that book. There are a few people I still need to foist it off on.

Its funny that Pratchett is known as a humorous writer but that he also has this in him. Although, it doesn't surprise me.

I need to get back to those Troy books. Now I've forgotten a lot of the first one.

Just finished Howl's Moving Castle.

I'm still working on Pale Queen's Courtyard. It's an SPA but damn. This woman writes very poetically. I'd compare this (of what I've read so far) to Jacqueline Carey.

Annnnd I just looked HIM up and realized it's a guy, lol. *facepalm*

Still, it's very good. I'm...ecstatic about that so far but - like Jacqueline Carey I think you would have to be in the mood to read this. Right now I'm really not in the mood.


- Laural - The author is Canadian. :)

Reading Earth Abides right now.. Blah.

Plan for the rest of the month is to tackle Mr. Shivers, Howl's Moving Castle, some Narnia books (I've read through The Voyage of the Dawn Treader as of now)... After that, I'm not sure.

I've thought about giving Gardens of the Moon another try. I've read it before and I didn't like it at all.. But maybe I'll like it more on a second read through? I don't know.

Per his preface, Erikson believes that you will not only love it or hate it (he says there is no in between), but that you will know which, after reading a third of the book.