Flights of Fantasy discussion

Should be finishing up The Curse of the House of Foskett today, then starting Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. Also have Rebel Mechanics from the library, since I was gonna read it whether it won or not... and I just put a hold in for The Forbidden Library.

So, I'm reading:

~God Is Disappointed in You - it's starting to get a little old, though. The joke has gotten a little thin at this point.

~Entreat Me - a romantic retelling of Beauty and the Beast. Damn me if nearly everyone except the heroine is a dumbass but then she's a bit of a bitch

~It's Alive - It's Weird Shit Wednesday and I'm reading some weird shit. It's...strange and though it's short (less than 100 pgs) I'm already to toss in the towel.

~The Purity Myth: How America's Obsession with Virginity is Hurting Young Women - actually, I'm still in the intro. I really gotta get some of these currently reading(s) cut down

~Seriously Delish: 150 Recipes for People Who Totally Love Food - I follow her blog. She's getting on my fucking nerves. In the entire breakfast section I found 4 recipes to try with 3.5 of them needing serious changes. Thank GOD for libraries.


And there's some other stuff I'm still reading, too.

I'm going to try and get close to finished all my sub-challenges so I can get back to Discworld and random countries soon:

Rat Girl by Kristin Hersch (celebrity)
Crime and Punishment (600+ pages)
The Girl Who Raced Fairyland All the Way Home (released this year)
Lady of Devices (science fiction ... specifically steampunk to finish my genre challenge)
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing (self-improvement...and non-fiction)
Deadly Appearances (home state/province)

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children kinda fizzled for me. I was expecting something more... atmospheric, I guess. Not sure I'm fussed about continuing the series.

Up next will be Rebel Mechanics.

Keeper of the Heart by Johanna Lindsey book 2 in Lyn-San-Ter series.
A fun sequel in the sci-fi romance. 5 stars

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

I am currently reading:

-The Raven King (really digging this so far. Anyone else like this series?)
-Alexander Hamilton (which I've been working on for awhile, and am finally finishing up!)

I want to start Rebel Mechanics next, but we'll see. I, once again, managed to have all of my holds come at once, and that means I have huge library book piles. Oops.

I'm reading Academ's Fury and still working on Deadhouse Gates.

Becky wrote: " Keeper of the Heart by Johanna Lindsey book 2 in Lyn-San-Ter series.
A fun sequel in the sci-fi romance. 5 stars

https://www.goodreads.com/book..."

I think this one was the best of the trilogy. The heroine in book 3 is TSTL.

colleen the fabulous fabulaphile wrote: "Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children kinda fizzled for me. I was expecting something more... atmospheric, I guess. Not sure I'm fussed about continuing the series.

Up next wi..."

I just picked up BOTH of those from the library.

And your comments about Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is echoing what I'm hearing from others...

Sinistmer wrote: "I am currently reading:

-The Raven King (really digging this so far. Anyone else like this series?)"


I read the first in the series but didn't really like it enough to continue. I liked the idea of it, but either the writing or characters bugged me. I'd have to read my review to remember. Heh.

MrsJoseph wrote: "And your comments about Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is echoing what I'm hearing from others... "

Maybe if you go in expecting it to be more UF than fantastical, your expectations will be more aligned to it.

I'm currently on a reread of the The Paper Magician trilogy.

Also started Lair of Dreams for my gym book - which will either last me forever, or will have to be upgraded to my regular book at some point.

I have The Forbidden Library from the library, so that'll be up after my reread... and then Sourcery and Wyrd Sisters for me and Jer's Discworld marathon. (Sourcery is a carry over from last month, which was a slow reading month for me.)

Ubik, The Invisible Library and Indigo Springs

I am currently reading The Red Knight by Miles Cameron. I'm about halfway through and its quite good although I have a few minor quibbles about the editing.

I'm also finishing the final novel in The Magicians Trilogy, The Magician's Land by Lev Grossman.

MrsJoseph wrote: "Becky wrote: " Keeper of the Heart by Johanna Lindsey book 2 in Lyn-San-Ter series.
A fun sequel in the sci-fi romance. 5 stars

https://www.good..."

I agree, but I did enjoy them all.

Dark Witch book 1 in the Cousins O'Dwyer Trilogy in paperback

Last night I unexpectedly finished the audiobook of Lock In. I was confused and unsure about it as first since it was slow to give me the information I was looking for; plus the genre is very different than Scalzi's usual books. I'm glad I stuck with it because it ended up being really good and a lot of fun even though it had a predictable ending that wrapped up quickly. Plus Wil Wheaton is an amazing narrator!

In the last day I've started two new books. On audio I'm continuing the Lunar Chronicles with Cress which I already know I'll enjoy and whip through. The other book I started is Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage. I've loved the other Murakami books I've read and my friend made me promise to read this one before I read anything else.

I don't care for Wil Wheaton as an audiobook reader. I know lots of people love him, but I just don't.

It's the same for me with Jim Dale. People seem to love him, especially for the Harry Potter series, but his voice just makes me stabby. LOL

/Random gripe over. :P

Becky wrote: "I don't care for Wil Wheaton as an audiobook reader. I know lots of people love him, but I just don't.

It's the same for me with Jim Dale. People seem to love him, especially for the Harry Potter..."

The lady who read Kate Daniels cured my husband of any desire of reading Kate. :(

Mm... Yeah. I just listened to about 6 seconds of sample and I can see why.

SHe likes to EMphaSIZE STrange SOUNds in WORDS.

So... I have them in ebook and that's the way they'll stay. LOL

Finished The Word for World is Forest, another enjoyable read by UG, a tad too short though. Lock In is on my May tbr I stick with the ebook, also The Aeronaut's Windlass hardcover is waiting on by bedside table, I want to finish The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories first though

Christine wrote: "The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories first though"

How are you liking it? I own that one so I'm wondering if I should bump it up the queue. :)

Becky wrote: "Mm... Yeah. I just listened to about 6 seconds of sample and I can see why.

SHe likes to EMphaSIZE STrange SOUNds in WORDS.

So... I have them in ebook and that's the way they'll stay. LOL"

Yes. He played it for me and I almost chucked the phone out the car, lol.

Finished reading Masques Two yesterday. It ended with a longer story than was typical for the collection and which might appeal to horror, sci-fi and YA readers alike. There were some good four-star reads among the stories but I felt that the book as a whole merited 3 stars.

Not sure what I'm going to read next. So many to choose from - and there's some other stuff I could finish too....

I started reading Stephen R. Donaldson's Thomas Covenant a few days ago:

I finished Deadhouse Gates and I'm starting Queen of Fire now. I'm a bit nervous to start because most people said it was a disappointment after the first two books, but I still want to know what happens.

Landover is said by many to be Brooks's best creation, especially by those who hate his Shannara series.

Just started Highlander in Her Bed on Kindle by Allie Mackay

Just started Fellside and Manchu Princess, Japanese Spy: The Story of Kawashima Yoshiko, the Cross-Dressing Spy Who Commanded Her Own Army.

I intend to read Bleach (3-in-1 Edition), Vol. 2: Includes vols. 4, 5 & 6 over the week. I had intended to start this a week or two ago but didn't have enough time. So looking forward to the summer break!

Carry overs finished in early May.

Red Rising
Academ's Fury

Both 3.5*'s

Finished

The Rook 3.5*'s
Second Cataclysm 4*'s
Perfect State 5*'s
Blood Song 4*'s
The Oversight 3.5*'s
Gardens of the Moon 5*'s

In progress:

Deadhouse Gates
The Hunger
The Emperor's Blades

I'm currently listening to Gumption: Relighting the Torch of Freedom with America's Gutsiest Troublemakers by Nick Offerman - and it's great. :D

Also, I started Cruelty by Ed Lorn... and it is bizarre and creepy so far. I like.

And my ForeverBook: Ripley's Believe It or Not! Unbelievable Stories For Guys

Ekel wrote: "

Landover is said by many to be Brooks's best creation, especially by those who hate his Shannara series."

Lol. If you read the early Shannara books these days they are quite thin and repetitive. I do mark The Word and the Void trilogy as some of the more enjoyable ones. But oh, so many books of the same sort of thing. I did like the Isle Witch ones too.

Landover was a nice change and pretty well done.

I've only read the Sword of Shannara so far. I enjoyed it, but the fact that Brooks "borrowed" whole scenes from Tolkien left a strange aftertaste. For example, there is a passage in the book which copycats the Gandalf/Balrog sequence from The Fellowship of the Ring 1 to 1.

HomeInMyShoes wrote: "Lol. If you read the early Shannara books these days they are quite thin..."

Alas! Only in terms of the plot/writing! ;)

^Haha. I subscribed myself to Terry Anonymous. I had read way too many books from Brooks and Goodkind. Now, the only Terry I enjoy is Pratchett.

HomeInMyShoes wrote: "^Haha. I subscribed myself to Terry Anonymous. I had read way too many books from Brooks and Goodkind. Now, the only Terry I enjoy is Pratchett."

I enjoyed Good Omens but didn't get into The Colour of Magic when I read it years ago. Pratchett was a very good writer and yarn-spinner (as indeed is Neil Gaiman) but I don't really enjoy reading comedy - even in a fantasy setting. It's something I prefer to watch on TV. That said, given that time has moved on and I'm not getting any younger, I might try reading some more Discworld novels in case I might like them more now.

It takes a skilled hand to write comedy that is only intended to stay written, not performed. With performance, you have tone, and nuance, and expression, and timing to aid the humor, but in writing, you can't really rely on those things. So I can definitely see why you would prefer comedy performed, because sometimes it can fall flat.

But when it's done well, I love it. I love giggling at books. :D

The Colour of Magic is, to many, not one of Terry Pratchett's finer works. I loved it, but I'm weird and prefer anything with the witches to the books involving the Nightwatch. That's me. I suggested to a friend to start with Equal Rites when reading Discworld. She was hooked and even enjoyed The Colour of Magic and the Light Fantastic which many dislike and are the reason many don't find themselves trapped in Discworld. The great thing about Discworld is it is quite order inspecific, although there are substories to read and order might be important, I have never found that the case.

It's also a series that doesn't need to be read and completed in a given timeframe. I can happily forget a lot of what happened in a previous book and still enjoy the next one I pick up. So I read a few Discworld titles every year. I've probably got four years left before I finish Discworld.

@Becky, I see you've already read Allie Brosh, so I won't recommend that to you. Damn that book made me laugh. I think I snorted on the bus.

Discworld is listed as one of the longest fantasy series in terms of both page count and volumes. I would argue that it is also one of the rare fantasy series that never bloated. If I remember right, all books but the first two volumes can be read as standalones.

HomeInMyShoes wrote: "@Becky, I see you've already read Allie Brosh, so I won't recommend that to you. Damn that book made me laugh. I think I snorted on the bus. "

Oh I love her! I've read her blog for years. She is brilliant. But her stuff relies on visual humor as well... Which is an art form of its own, for sure, but not the same as text-only humor. I think that's tricky!

Speaking of Discworld, I started Wyrd Sisters this morning.

I was a little trepidatious because the first 5 books in the series are kinda meh... and Wyrd Sisters was the first one I read, back in the day, and remains one of my favorites... but I was worried that doing a reread might dampen it somewhat.

I'm only 30ish pages in, but have happily gotten into the spirit of the thing, so I'm hopeful, now.

Just borrowed Mister Monday (The Keys to the Kingdom, #1) from the library. Can't wait to start it!

Yesterday I finished Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage and I loved it. Yet again Haruki Murakami did not disappoint.

I'm hoping to start A Head Full of Ghosts tonight. I can't remember the last time I read a book club pick, I'm looking forward to it.

Greg wrote: "HomeInMyShoes wrote: "^Haha. I subscribed myself to Terry Anonymous. I had read way too many books from Brooks and Goodkind. Now, the only Terry I enjoy is Pratchett."

I enjoyed [book:Good Omens|3..."

Greg, it's totally worth it. Good Omens is an amazing book, but I didn't like The Color of Magic either. Actually, I didn't like any Rincewind stories in the beginning. If you still want to read about Rincewind, I suggest "Interesting times". It is soooo much better than "The color of magic".

If you are a fan of Granny Weatherwax and the other witches, try "Lords and Ladies" or "Witches abroad." If you are into Samuel Vimes and the Watch, try "Guards! Guards!"

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

I started "Stormqueen" by MZ Bradley a couple of days ago and started on Jim Butcher's "Summer Knight" today. I wanted to read "Summer Knight" first, but had to wait for the book in the mail, that's why I also started reading "Stormqueen".

HomeInMyShoes wrote: "The Colour of Magic is, to many, not one of Terry Pratchett's finer works. I loved it, but I'm weird and prefer anything with the witches to the books involving the Nightwatch. That's me. I suggest..."

Ah so it's a common response to The colour of magic! Didn't know that till now. Will check out Equal Rites and see how that goes for me.

Becky wrote: "It takes a skilled hand to write comedy that is only intended to stay written, not performed. With performance, you have tone, and nuance, and expression, and timing to aid the humor, but in writin..."

Maybe I just need to find the right humorous books to change my mind about it. :)

colleen the fabulous fabulaphile wrote: "Speaking of Discworld, I started Wyrd Sisters this morning.

I was a little trepidatious because the first 5 books in the series are kinda meh... and Wyrd Sisters was the first one I read, back in the day, and remains one of my favorites... but I was worried that doing a reread might dampen it somewhat.

I'm only 30ish pages in, but have happily gotten into the spirit of the thing, so I'm hopeful, now."

Good to hear that Wyrd Sisters is one of the better ones! :)

Yavanna wrote: "I started "Stormqueen" by MZ Bradley a couple of days ago and started on Jim Butcher's "Summer Knight" today. I wanted to read "Summer Knight" first, but had to wait for the book in the mail, that's why I also started reading "Stormqueen".


OMG. I used to love Darkover! Never did finish it but Stormqueen! was one of my favorites.

Ekel wrote: "Discworld is listed as one of the longest fantasy series in terms of both page count and volumes. I would argue that it is also one of the rare fantasy series that never bloated. If I remember righ..."

OK. If their sequence isn't important, I can try a few recommended books in the series and see what I'm missing (or not :P).

Yavanna wrote: "Greg, it's totally worth it. Good Omens is an amazing book, but I didn't like The Color of Magic either. Actually, I didn't like any Rincewind stories in the beginning. If you still want to read about Rincewind, I suggest "Interesting times". It is soooo much better than "The color of magic".

If you are a fan of Granny Weatherwax and the other witches, try "Lords and Ladies" or "Witches abroad." If you are into Samuel Vimes and the Watch, try "Guards! Guards!""

Thanks for these recommendations, Yavanna!