SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

Personally I bought Age of Swords from Audible because it's the same narrator as Riyria Tim Gerard Reynolds and he's fantastic.

I read Beasts Made of Night by Tochi Onyebuchi. My review:

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

Recently finished The Drawing of the Three and now reading Tigana.

Veronica wrote: "Recently finished The Drawing of the Three and now reading Tigana."

What'd you think? Or was this a reread?

Rob wrote: "Veronica wrote: "Recently finished The Drawing of the Three and now reading Tigana."

What'd you think? Or was this a reread?"

The King book? It was my first time through. I really liked it. I was pulled into the world of these messed up people. The last 50 pages or so were especially hard to put down.

The Waste Lands is even better imho.

I'm looking forward to it!

My review of The Forbidden Library by Django Wexler

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

I just finished To Green Angel Tower, Part 1, which was very good, just like the preceding books. Now, I have started To Green Angel Tower, Part 2. They're long books, but very worthwhile.

I finally read an ARC I got last year Julia Vanishes by Catherine Egan. It's fantasy and the first in a series I think I'll read.

Now I've got a library book You Don't Have to Say You Love Me: A Memoir by Sherman Alexie. Because I read all Sherman Alexie, and because my RL book group is discussing The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian at the end of the month.

I've also got from the library The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson, for which I waited six months, which is rare.

I read already in a day Sons and Soldiers: The Untold Story of the Jews Who Escaped the Nazis and Returned with the U.S. Army to Fight Hitler by Bruce Henderson. It's really good!

Holly wrote: "Michele wrote: "Holly wrote: "Currently reading Candlenight by Phil Rickman. This is the third of his pagan magic themed books for me; I still have a couple to go. R..."

The writer who most reminds me of Machen in his sense of creeping horror behind every day things that slowly catches up on the protagonist is Ramsey Campbell.

Big catchup again:
A re-read of book 2 of the Time Master trilogy by Louise Cooper, The Outcast, reviewed - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2067720202

and completed the Time Master trilogy, The Master and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2064528040.

Midnight Sun by Ramsey Campbell, and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2077985229.

The Bridge by Iain Banks, reviewed - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2078259886

The Turning Wheel, And Other Stories by Philip K Dick, reviewed - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2081242865

book 3 of Patrick Ness' Chaos Walking trilogy, Monsters of Men, and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1811505943.

book 1 in a Michael Moorcock trilogy, Count Brass and reviewed - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2083283951.

Read the short story which wraps up the Chaos Walking trilogy by Patrick Ness - Snowscape - and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2041750620.

Currently reading the last book in the Children of a Dead Earth trilogy by Patrick Tomlinson. It's an interesting sci-fi cum mystery thriller genre mashup. Set in the far future on a new colony in a star system where the main character is the husband of the head of the police force (as well as the former head as well).

Read book 2 in Michael Moorcock's Chronicles of Castle Brass trilogy - The Champion of Garathorm, and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2083501935.

I listened to Age of Swords, which I enjoyed though not quite as much as the first one. ★★★★☆ - (My Review)

Finished Tigana - a bit slow but still immensely enjoyable. Now starting Johannes Cabal the Detective because it's time to get back to my favorite necromancer.

Finished reading:

Kill the Dead which was just as fun as the first book! If you like bang 'em up, shoot 'em up smart mouths with dark pasts and literal demons, this series is for you!

Seven Surrenders which you just need to read if you got through Too Like the Lightning. This book answers all your questions and ramps everything up. All the lulls and philosophizing in TLTL suddenly make sense. This series is how I imagine the Ariekei from Embassytown feel when they hear the new Ambassador pair. It just reverberates right through my head. Extremely interesting if you can stick with it.

The Saga of the Volsungs was one of the most badass epics I've read so far. Part family drama to put Star Wars to shame, part torture tutorial, part Arthurian, these women were boss bitches, and their men could only attempt to be worthy of them. Anyone know of books that retell this story (not Arthurian)? I found one book (Bloodtide) but it doesn't seem like what I'm looking for.

Almost done with Hounded. I want to break Atticus' smug face and run away with Oberon. I will likely not finish this series, but I may pick up the first book in Oberon's series, The Purloined Poodle because Kevin knows how to write a dog, and that's a great mystery title for a doggy detective.

Getting ready to read The Devil You Know and The Zero Stone, both of which I'm doing as group side reads if'n anyone else can be convinced to talk a little bookshop with us. Also hoping to have some mundane activities at work this week to start listening to Catch-22.

I finally finished Daughter of Smoke & Bone. I was on the verge on putting this book on my dnf shelf, but I'm glad I kept going because the last few chapters were worth trudging through the middle chapters.

Six-Gun Snow White is such a good read. I've found a new favorite author.

I'll probably read Broken Monsters or Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch next.

I finished and really liked the memoir You Don't Have to Say You Love Me: A Memoir by Sherman Alexie. Maybe I loved it.

Now I'm reading All the Birds in the Sky by Charlie Jane Anders.

Read volume 3, The Quest for Tanelorn in the Chronicles of Castle Brass trilogy by Michael Moorcock and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2084298667.

Just finished reading The Gap Into Ruin: This Day All Gods Die and here is my my review for it.

Just astonished that this book has managed to completely ruin the series for me.

Sumant wrote: "Just finished reading The Gap Into Ruin: This Day All Gods Die and here is my my review for it.

Just astonished that this book has managed to completely ruin the series for me."

I'm astonished, too. My own memory is that it gave a good wrap up for the series. I'm off to read your review, but I'm curious to know if you have more thoughts to share here.

I started the electronic versions of Alif the Unseen and Purple Hibiscus [Maryland One Book] while on vacation last weekend. Have A Dance with Dragons and A Dance with Dragons as audiobooks for the commute.

I finished The Punch Escrow by Tal M. Klein. My review:

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

Finished Johannes Cabal the Detective and now reading The Rook.

I did not like the concluding book for Gap series because not only was bloated in terms of no of pages but the repetition that Donaldson did in the book was bordering on insulting.

Allison wrote: "Getting ready to read The Devil You Know and The Zero Stone, both of which I'm doing as group side reads if'n anyone else can be convinced to talk a little bookshop with us..."

Wait, what? Here? How did I miss this? I mean, I would pretty much drop everything to read that book any day or night.

Sabrina wrote: "I just finished Carol Berg’s Dust and Light and Ash and Silver. An often-overlooked duology that I found both enjoyable and challenging to work through...."

Would you consider those paranormal romances, or straight-up fantasy?

Still working on my re-read of Stephen King's Dark Tower series, though I also picked up -- on the recommendation of a colleague -- Augustus, an epistolary novel about the Roman emperor.

Michele wrote: "Sabrina wrote: "I just finished Carol Berg’s Dust and Light and Ash and Silver. An often-overlooked duology that I found both enjoyable and challenging to work throu..."

Not Sabrina, but I do know that Carol Berg doesn't write paranormal romances. She writes epic fantasy. I didn't know about this duology though. Thanks for the recommendation, Sabrina. I love books about artists.

I'm currently reading City of Heavenly Fire, the sixth, and final, book to the Mortal Instruments series.

Sarah Anne wrote: "Wait, what? Here? How did I miss this? I mean, I would pretty much drop everything to read that book any day or night. "

Uh...which one? Zero Stone is for this group. Conversation here:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

and Felix Castor is in UFA:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

(btw, we're also reading Fledgling there, so I'm about to pick that up, too, as soon as someone finishes reading something.)

Michele wrote: "Would you consider those paranormal romances, or straight-up fantasy?"

Shomeret wrote: "Not Sabrina, but I do know that Carol Berg doesn't write paranormal romances."

Fully agree; Carol Berg writes fantasy with very little to no romance.

I found both the Sanctuary Duet and the Lighthouse Duology (which was written before, but takes place in the same world) very enjoyable. It is probably not mainstream fantasy material and needs some time to get into (complex worldbuilding and old English language, which can be challenging for a non-native English speaker like me), but it deserves more attention, so I hope you’ll like it!

Carol Berg is one of my favorite authors, at least based on the 7 books I’ve read so far, so I just wanted echo Sabrina and Shomeret in the hope of giving an underrated author (in my opinion) more attention. :)

I’ve read both duologies that Sabrina mentions, as well as the unrelated Rai-Kirah trilogy. They all had minimal romance, and I loved all of them.

Allison wrote: "Sarah Anne wrote: "Wait, what? Here? How did I miss this? I mean, I would pretty much drop everything to read that book any day or night. "

Uh...which one? Zero Stone is for this group. Conversati..."

I was panicking at thinking of missing out on a Mike Carey reread. I love those books.

Since my last post, I’ve finished:

1. Weaveworld by Clive Barker. This was a mixed bag. I liked it quite a bit in the first third or so, but my interest fluctuated more through the rest. It also had a tendency toward cheesiness and melodrama. There’s a term used in the book for a special power that some women have access to – the menstruum. This word appears in the book 105 times. I believe I have scientifically proven that your eyes can’t possibly get stuck if you roll them too much. Up to 105 times, anyway. My review.

2. The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. I loved this. My much longer review.

3. Children of God by Mary Doria Russell, sequel to The Sparrow. I liked this a lot, but not as much as the first book. My review.

I’m getting ready to start The Library at Mount Char next.

I finished The Rook and enjoyed it. It was funnier than I'd expected. Now I find out it's going to be a show on the Starz cable channel next year. It should be fun if they get the tone and humor right.

Now I've returned to the Alex Verus series to read the fourth book, Chosen.

I just read Three Parts Dead which was different and clever. I liked it enough to want to read the sequel, but I doubt this will be going onto my re-read list of books.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Before that I read The Hanging Tree - which I loved. Ben Aaronvitch on good form.

and Penric's Fox - another of Lois McMaster Bujold's fantasy novellas. I really do like Sorcerer Penric and his demon Desdemona - who has the imprints of a number of previous Sorcerers all of whom were rather forceful women and run their own big sister type of comment/criticism/advice/tart objections.

Now re-reading We Are Legion (We Are Bob) before going on to read the sequel. Enjoying We are Legion as much as the first time.

Although my pace has collapsed (due to having little time) I'm still enjoying The Emperor's Edge. Engaging story, and good characters.

I've also begun The Wonder Book of Aircraft [from 1919], which is the most adult children's book I've ever read, and also the first which includes some basic aerodynamics and pictures of flaming airships crashing to the ground. Aside from (so far) one instance of language that isn't appropriate in the modern world, it's a very good book from the early days of aviation with interesting thoughts to the (as then) future prospects of flight.

Veronica wrote: "I finished The Rook and enjoyed it. It was funnier than I'd expected. Now I find out it's going to be a show on the Starz cable channel next year. It should be fun if they get the t..."

Tried the preview, looks good, so added the Rook to my Want to Read. Looking forward to it.

Thaddeus wrote: "Although my pace has collapsed (due to having little time) I'm still enjoying The Emperor's Edge. Engaging story, and good characters.
[..."
Having just tried the preview sample, also added to want to read. And my, my, self-pubbed with pushing 1,000 reviews. That's going it some.

Sumant wrote: "Just finished reading The Gap Into Ruin: This Day All Gods Die and here is my my review for it.

Just astonished that this book has managed to completely ruin the series for me."

That's a shame. I've certainly had the experience where things go downhill in a series.

Finished The Hugo Winners 1963-1967 and reviewed it - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2087465827.

Thanks for the answers re Carol Berg. I don't know why I thought "paranormal romance" -- I think it was something about the dude on the cover lol Anyway, it looks good and have TBRed it.

I've just finished books 4 and 5 in the Alex Verus series: Chosen and Hidden.

Carro wrote: "Veronica wrote: "I finished The Rook and enjoyed it. It was funnier than I'd expected. Now I find out it's going to be a show on the Starz cable channel next year. It should be fun ..."

Hope you like the rest of it, Carro. :-)

Michele wrote: "Thanks for the answers re Carol Berg. I don't know why I thought "paranormal romance" -- I think it was something about the dude on the cover lol"

His torso isn't bare with a six-pack, and you can see his face. :D

Veronica wrote:

Carro wrote: "Veronica wrote: "I finished The Rook and enjoyed it. It ..."

:)
@Chris - :D

And as of this weekend, finished re-read of We Are Legion (We Are Bob) and enjoyed it again.
Then galloped through the sequel For We Are Many. Love the concept of effectively being able to be in many places at once. Despite the many threads this series is easy to read, the storyline moves along and I didn't get lost as to who was who. Well - just once I double checked on the chapter headings to confirm, this chapter is a continuation of that chapter.

Finished Stephen King's Dark Tower series. I'd forgotten how much the ending tears me up. It's a good ending and a right ending, but that doesn't mean I have to like it >:|

Update/correction to message 1052

"I started the electronic versions of Alif the Unseen and Purple Hibiscus [Maryland One Book] while on vacation last weekend. Have A Dance with Dragons and Pushing Ice as audiobooks for the commute."
Putting Orlando and The Jiro Kuwata Batmanga Vol. 1 and The Final Empire to my Fallen-Off Shelves shelf for a bit, and reading the "Death of the Family" arc in The New 52 Bat-Family collection. (Batman, Volume 3: Death of the Family, The Joker: Death of the Family)

I just finished Underground Airlines and it was as Sarah advertised, fantastic! Great audio and story. I am in the middle of The Fold and Moxyland