SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

Karen wrote: Have you read the other Discworld books? I'm trying to read them in order, sneaking one in between other titles. Nice little romps

I'm not reading them in any order but I like to pick one up when I'm in the mood for an easy read. They are great in-between books for my reading life. I like the watch and death books the best.

I carelessly forgot to bring my 'next book' yesterday and ended up without anything to read so I downloaded Goliath. It is set in The Matrix universe and probably my favourite Neil Gaiman to date.

I've been working on my second the sequel to my fantasy novel, Lancelot: Her Story. I'm trying to make sure I catch all the mistakes. If you're interested in the Arthurian legends, this is a new twist on them.

Still reading Book of the New Sun. Next up is The Wind-Up Girl, then about 30 more books. Then about 40 more after that and I can take a break :/

Mathew wrote: "Still reading Book of the New Sun. Next up is The Wind-Up Girl, then about 30 more books. Then about 40 more after that and I can take a break :/"

How is Book of the New Sun? I'm about to start that.

Kim wrote: "Rob wrote: "I listened to Seven Deadly Wonders, which isn't supposed to be fantasy..but someone forgot to tell the author that. It gets pretty ridiculous. I was looking for a change of pace, and th..."

Hmm. Somehow I didn't get notified there were new posts. Yes it was my first, and will definitely be my last.

Is there a particular Berry book you'd recommend trying first?

I've been having trouble with notifications on this thread, too. I've only read Berry's Cotton Malone series. I remember really liking The Charlemagne Pursuit. I didn't read them in order at first. I don't know if it's necessary or not.

Tad wrote: "I'm reading The Cold Between: A Central Corps Novel by Elizabeth Bonesteel and

The Devil You K..."</i>

What did you think of [book:The Devil You Know? I just finished it and was a little disappointed.

Currently reading: Secrets of the Demon
Currently format switching between audio/Kindle: The Windup Girl



Other January Reads:
Dark Heir (3 stars) - good, but not my favorite of the series
Forever Odd (2 stars) - frankly, a little boring



Other January Listens:
Armada (4 stars) - simplistic & predicatable, but full of geeky fun
Eighth Grave After Dark (3.5 stars) - Honestly, not that great, but I love the humor, call it a guilty pleasure
Magic Shifts (4 stars) - definitely a series transition book, but still fun
Fortune's Pawn (3 stars) - just okay
How to Run with a Naked Werewolf (4 stars) - another guilty pleasure based on snarky humor
Dark Descendant (3 stars) - just an ok run of the mill UF story
Shadow Sight (2 stars) - I'm going to call a UF trope violation on this one - "tough" heroine who needs to be saved, secrets the hamper progress for no good reason, characters who are hateful for no reason, and worst of all every guy is "hot" and gets her motor running
Leviathan (4 stars) - great action and adventure



Other January Immersive Reading (Switching between audio and Kindle):
The Heart Goes Last (4 stars) - Margaret Atwood has a habit of pushing socio-cultural trends to discomfort
The Devil You Know (3 stars) - just ok, engrossing at times, but dragged a LOT
Rosemary and Rue (5 stars) - this was a re-read and I actually bumped up my rating from 4 to 5 based on the nuances that hold true with more information revealed in later books



January Format Bender:
The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet (3 stars) - Ok, I am a huge P&P fan. Sue me. The reality is that while the writing sucks and contributes little that wasn't covered in the related web series, I appreciated the links to help me revisit the web series.




I doubt that I'll finish my current books by the end of January, but on deck, I have:
Lucifer, Vol. 1: Devil in the Gateway
The Ghost Brigades

So far this month I've:

* ... finished up the last four Harry Potter books (my first time reading them) after starting the series in late December. I really enjoyed these. More than I expected to, really.

* ... read Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay. I really liked this one also, and it stuck with me for a while after finishing it. I definitely plan to read more by the author in the future.

* ... read The Girl with All the Gifts by M. R. Carey. I enjoyed this one, but I thought it got tedious at times when it devolved into a more typical survival/horror type story. I really enjoyed the beginning when it felt more unique, and I liked the end, and there were some good bits in the middle, but over-all I was happy to finish it.

* .... started Odyssey by Keith Laumer. I’ve read about a third of it so far, finishing up the larger story from the anthology. I always have mixed feelings on these older science fiction anthologies, but the first story held my interest pretty well.

Another winner from Brandon Sanderson The Bands of Mourning
My review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Here is my review of Tombs of Atuan, 2nd book in Earth sea cycle.

Just finished Gateway. Really enjoyed this and next I'm going to start Beyond the Blue Event Horizon

I've just finished The Martian audioboook, which I loved. My next listen is Sorcerer to the Crown which seems intriguing so far.

I am also finally getting around to reading some Robin Hobb, starting with Ship of Magic

the loved the movie "Hanna" the movie was written as a screenplay. does anyone know of a book with a similar theme??

Just finished Ancillary Mercy. What a superb book!
My review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I keep putting that one off. I don't want it to end :)

I wish it hadn't:(
So, so good!

I've decided to re-read Outlaws of the Marsh. It's quite large (there are varying versions, but most are about twice Lord of the Rings), but quite fantastic.

Imagine Robin Hood, but set in Ancient China, and directed by Quentin Tarantino. Just reached the bit where a monk kicks a pair of criminals into an ordure pit.

I'm reading the second Expanse book, Caliban's War.

Phrynne wrote: "Another winner from Brandon Sanderson The Bands of Mourning
My review
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

Just finished this, it was really good I struggled between giving it a 4 or a 5 but it certainly takes the #3 spot for me on the quality list after #1 and #4. Hmm now that I'm thinking about it harder I'm not sure I feel like this was a more consistent book throughout but it's finale wasn't as good as #4, I'm really unsure again.

Heather wrote: "I'm reading the second Expanse book, Caliban's War."

One of my favorites in that series. Probably because Avasarala and Bobbie are my favorite POVs

I finally got to reading Guards! Guards!. I really enjoyed it, as everyone said I would. (My Review)

Don wrote: "the loved the movie "Hanna" the movie was written as a screenplay. does anyone know of a book with a similar theme??"

I would recommend the superb graphic novels X-23: Innocence Lost and X-23: Target X.

Neither of the female characters annoy me, which is great. The first book I really enjoyed, but Holden and Miller are both weirdos so being inside their heads was a bit much.

I feel like the prose is less clunky in this book. The authors seem to be writing more seamlessly instead of being able to tell it's two authors.

I could be wrong, but I think Leviathan Wakes was Ty Franck first published novel. Either way, he was far less experienced than Daniel Abraham and it showed.

Abraham has been putting out a second excellent series at the same time as Expanse. I don't think Franck's done anything else (besides writing for the show, but Abraham's doing that as well)

thank you Trike

Space by James Michener.

it was available from my public library. don't know why I didn't read it at time of publication.

Just finished Secrets of the Demon. This is a pretty decent UF series. Not quite up to the standards of the Dresden Files or October Daye, but so far I am enjoying it.

Will probably finish The Windup Girl today, with which I've been switching between audio and Kindle. This is definitely not a shiny, happy story, but so far, I've enjoyed it.

I'm reading nothing but Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell so that I can try and finish it.

Kim wrote: "I'm reading nothing but Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell so that I can try and finish it."

Holy crap! I just noticed the page count. Hope it is a good one.

I dislike long books but I really loved that one :)

I finished Odyssey by Keith Laumer yesterday evening (my review) and am just getting started on The Windup Girl.

Continuing on my journey through the Vorkosigan Saga I just finished the Young Miles omnibus and I'm still extremely impressed with the series. Both novels and the novella in the collection were great. There is definitely some weirdness in the virtually separate stories in The Vor Game, but the book is so enjoyable that it didn't seem too jarring.

I'm still plodding through Gemini Cell, but the book isn't really holding me and as I reached the third act where all the drama is playing out it's just not really all that interesting to me. I really want to finish it as it's at least a 2-star book, but I think this might be my first DNF of the year with no plans to complete.

I'm going to take a quick break from the Vorkosigan books and clear off a few books I've had on my to-read shelf. Currently I'm reading Binti by Nnedi Okorafor as I'm slowly getting into the habit of reading a novella between novels. This is my introduction to African Science Fiction and it's wonderful that I get to read about characters NOT like me for once. The story is great. I'm going to have to read more of her writing after this because she is absolutely superb at portraying place and feeling.

I plan on reading Skyfall by Catherine Asaro next as I've been interested in checking out the Saga of the Skolian Empire and I'm kind of a weirdo who tends to read series in chronological order.

I am currently in the middle of the audiobook version of 14 by Peter Clines. Very engaging with a huge WTF factor so far.

I just got an audiobook (from the library) of Captain Vorpatril's Alliance by Lois McMaster Bujold, which I've read but not listened to.

I just finished Threatened by Eliot Schrefer and I've nearly finished

I Must Say: My Life as a Humble Comedy Legend by Martin Short.

I'm psyched because my copy of Poseidon's Wake by Alastair Reynolds just arrived in the mail yesterday!

I also have Robin Hobb's Fool's Assassin from the library to read soon also.

In a bit of serendipity I am listening to Small Favor right now which is Dresden set in a very cold and snowy Chicago, while at the same time shoveling the foot of snow that fell at my house (not Chicago). One way to do immersive reading.

I a currently reading Elfstones Of Shannara its a slow beginning but i like it so far

Hank wrote: In a bit of serendipity I am listening to Small Favor right now which is Dresden set in a very cold and snowy Chicago, while at the same time shoveling the foot of snow that fell at my house (not Chicago). One way to do immersive reading.

If I can avoid that I do. (But you don't always know.) I find that when I read a book set where it's cold, when it is cold outside, it just makes it seem colder.

I just finished The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson and I finished I Must Say: My Life as a Humble Comedy Legend last night. I hope I have something really different on hold at the library.

Finished The Shepherd's Crown by Terry Pratchett

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I am finishing up a re-read (re-listen?) of A Local Habitation as part of a year-long series read. It is just as good as the first time. The October Daye series is one of my favorite UF series.

Just finished The Wise Man's Fear, which I really enjoyed but still took me about a month to get through. Now I'm reading All the Birds in the Sky and really liking the blend of science and magic.

I've finished Central Station which will appear next month. Great characters, exotic atmosphere, zero action, tiny plot. My review is here.

I finished listening to The Fall of Hyperion. I enjoyed it, though not as much as the first one (My Review).

I also finished City of Blades. Loved it. It's the best book I've read this year so far (My Review).

That's good to know about Fall of Hyperion.

I am reading Consider Phlebas which is good so far.

I recently finished The Windup Girl (my review) and now I’m reading The Lark and the Wren by Mercedes Lackey.

I try to avoid reading too many books in a row with a similar tone or feel, unless they're all in the same series, and I sure nailed it this time. These two books couldn’t be much more different – from dark, dreary, and gritty science fiction to light and fluffy (so far, anyway) fantasy. I’m enjoying The Lark and the Wren more than I expected to, though. I kept skipping over it on my reading list because it just didn’t look that appealing, but it’s holding my interest well.

I assume many of us are hitting Morning Star today!

Rob wrote: "I finished listening to The Fall of Hyperion. I enjoyed it, though not as much as the first one (My Review).

I also finished City of Blades. Loved it. It's the best bo..."

I didn't like book two of Hyperion as much either. But I enjoyed 3 and 4, although they are somewhat different characters.