The Sword and Laser discussion

Finished Unlocked: An Oral History of Haden's Syndrome and Lock In. Started The Mirror Empire but seemed to have missed the boat on the group read in another group, so I am debating what to read next - finish Mirror Empire, participate in the in the other groups Harry Potter re-read, or continue with Riyria Vol. 2. I guess I'll need to decide some time today.

Sky wrote: "Started The Mirror Empire seemed to have missed the boat on the group read in another group"

I wouldn't say that. I'm still not even halfway done and several others are just starting from what I understand.

September already? Sheesh.

It's the start of the Hogwarts school year and a few of us are joining Harry & Co this year for a reread. Last time I did the Jim Dale versions of the audio book. This time I'm trying out the Stephen Fry ones.

Meanwhile here's my (long) weekend review round up:

All audiobooks too. I swear I'm reading stuff (in the middle of The Mirror Empire atm) but I did a bunch of shorter audiobooks I guess this week.

The Widow's House (My Review). I really like the Dagger & Coin series. If you haven't checked it out yet, you're missing out IMHO.

Lock In was another really fun Scalzi book. (My Review)

Sand wasn't as good as Wool I'd put it about on par with Shift and Dust (My Review)

Rob wrote: "I wouldn't say that. I'm still not even halfway done and several others ar..."

Cool, I will stick with it then.

I am reading The Warrior's Path by Catherine M. Wilson

So many people have cool things going on...

I'm reading/listening to The Broken Eye and enjoying it so far.

Still have Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation in the audio queue, taking my dear sweet time with it. Haven't listened to it in a couple weeks, but it'll be there when I'm ready to jump back to it. Similarly, I have Silicon Sky started but it's depressing me right now so I haven't given much thought to it lately.

Listening to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (well, the UK edition) after being sorted into my house.

And I guess I should be reading Stories of Your Life and Others now that it's September. Maybe I'll give it a go before bed. I'm rather unmotivated on it...

I'm going to finish The Stone of Farewell (Tad Williams).
I just started The Last Olympian (Rick Riordan) and as soon as I finish that I'll be starting...
Leviathan Wakes (James S.A. Corey)
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I'm late to the game on the Percy Jackson series (my son introduced me) and the Expanse series but better late than never.
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Enjoy September, sounds like there's some great books lined up.

Finished The Time Traveler's Wife. Very well written novel, which (for some odd reason) reminded me of The Shadow of the Wind, despite being such dissimilar works. Might make a good pick for the Vaginal Fantasy group, for those folks doing double duty both here and there (if it hasn't been already).

Now reading The Turn of the Screw for another group.

Reading the comic trade Gotham Central, Book One, about the cops around Gotham City that have to deal with the consequences of Batman and the supervillians. It was just reprinted, so maybe the Gotham tv show is based on it. Lawrence Block said "Gotham" originally meant "Goat Town" in the intro.

Having overdosed on Rothfuss for the last month I need something short and modern so I've gone with the latest installment of the Laundry Files The Rhesus Chart

The Wings of the Dove by Henry James.

Just finished The Martian and I loved it, I had gotten it from the library but I think I'm going to have buy it.

Next up is Elric of Melniboné, followed by Gardens of the Moon

I breezed through this month's pick (excellent choice, Tom!) over the weekend. I'm now reading Interesting Times.

The Dragon Reborn. My only problem with it is that I must wait a month before I can buy more of the series.

Finished The Mirror Empire. I really didn't like it. My review

Now doing the Harry Potter re-read with NABCC for the next few weeks and tackling The Crippled God.

Finished off Jonathan Strahan's forthcoming anthology Fearsome Magics, and headed off GR for the night to finish reading Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone that I'm reading with the rest of folks in Rob's splinter cell.

Finished The Turn of the Screw.

Now reading We Need to Talk About Kevin for yet another group while waiting for this month's S&L pick to come in at the library.

A bunch. Almost done the S&L pick (in audio, the only way I could get it).

Also working on:

Tanya Huff's The Heart of Valor (3rd in her really fun military SF series)

Peter Watts' Blindsight (been meaning to read it for a few years now, and with the sequel coming out this month, figured it's as good a time as any).

And some non-fiction. Reading a few works on the history of now-common but revolutionary inventions. Read The Box: How the Shipping Container Made the World Smaller and the World Economy Bigger last month and hope to hit The Age of Comfort: When Paris Discovered Casual—and the Modern Home Began sometime soon.

Walter wrote: "Finished The Time Traveler's Wife. Very well written novel, which (for some odd reason) reminded me of The Shadow of the Wind, despite being such dissimilar works."

I really liked that one. Usually when a work of literary fiction with a genre premise gets attention from the lit-fic establishment, I'm wary. But I was pleasantly surprised to find the time-travel elements were really well-done in addition to the character work.

I'll be starting the September pick shortly, but I'm currently reading Hounded, Oryx and Crake and Mexican Eskimo Book 1: Exmikan. I'm enjoying all 3, but most particularly Hounded. Oberon has quickly became one of my favorite dogs in literature.

Finishing up The Dragon Reborn and starting Promise of Blood. I've been saying I'd read that one for a while now.

I'm reading a bunch if primary source Arthurian stuff. And let me tell you, Geofrey of Monmouth's Arthur? HILARIOUS.

Roman Empire: "um, excuse me, did you just steal from us? And haven't you not paid your taxes for like, decades? Could we maybe get some restitution?"
Arthur: "FOR THIS OFFENSE I SHALL CONQUER ROME"

I also decided to go with something light after Name of the Wind, so I am reading some YA novels I've been putting off; The Beka Cooper series by Tamora Pierce. Its nice and light.

Sophie wrote: "I also decided to go with something light after Name of the Wind, so I am reading some YA novels I've been putting off; The Beka Cooper series by Tamora Pierce. Its nice and light."

Beka Cooper is a great character. Have you read the other books about Tortall?

Finished The Hero of Ages. Mistborn is an excellent trilogy where Sanderson does a great job twisting some of the fantasy tropes. I'll definately have to read Alloy of Law, but I might wait until Sanderson starts working on the sequel to it.

Will probably read one of the public domain books on my Kindle next. Love getting books from the library, but it will be nice to read a book that doesn't have a due date on it.

Finished Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Some books just never get old.
My fanboy spewing in the review space.

Time to finish off Xenocide. After maybe 2 or 3 months.

CatBookMom wrote: "Sophie wrote: "I also decided to go with something light after Name of the Wind, so I am reading some YA novels I've been putting off; The Beka Cooper series by Tamora Pierce. Its nice and light."
..."

Yes! Alanna was my first YA book when I was young, and I've read all the other Tortall novels up until Beka's story. I'm really excited to be back in Tortall, I miss her characters.

Still with the Expanse books -- wrapped up Abaddon's Gate, am now reading The Churn: An Expanse Novella, and when I finish that (possibly later tonight; else tomorrow) I'll be heading straight into Cibola Burn.

After that, I think something historical -- The Long Ships by Frans G. Bengtsson. And after that maybe some N.K. Jemisin? It's going to be a good month.

Joseph wrote: "After that, I think something historical -- The Long Ships by Frans G. Bengtsson. "

That's been on my list forever, just can't seem to find the time.

Ctgt wrote: "Joseph wrote: "After that, I think something historical -- The Long Ships by Frans G. Bengtsson. "

That's been on my list forever, just can't seem to find the time."

One of my other groups -- Sword & Sorcery -- is having "swords without sorcery" as one of next month's themes, so this seemed like a good choice. I saw the movie back when I was about 10 and bits of it always stuck with me, although I didn't realize it was based on a book. And, for that matter, I didn't even remember the name of the movie; I just rediscovered it a few years back.

I can heartily recommend Russ's How to Suppress Women's Writing for non-fiction reading Elizabeth you might want to check out SHAWL, NISI, ed.
The Year’s Notable Feminist Science Fiction, Vol. 1, Aqueduct Press, Jun 2015 (eb, tp) when it is released.

Brian wrote: "Just finished Storm Front and loved it. Just started The Big Over Easy."

I love how Jasper Fforde has included a few Easter eggs from the Thursday Next Series.

Currently I'm reading Colony by Ben Bova. I've been enjoying it--it has a lot of thrillerish characteristics.

Okay okay okay.
I am reading sooooo much and will prob not finish them all this month. Most likely not as I havent had a really good reading month all year.
Daughter of Smoke & Bone
The Spiritglass Charade
The Maze Runner
Hamlet
Magic Slays
I, Robot
A Midsummer Night's Dream

Library Reads
Club Dead
Blood Song
The Diamond Throne


As you can see there is no way this will get done along with my school work and planning out a film and screenwriting club for my school and working on my TESOL and doing a Application to teach in Korea which includes a essay. -_-

I just finished up Brandon Mull's, Fablehaven series. It was a fun read, some things bothered me, but otherwise a good series for the kids. Next up...I'm finally getting around to Leviathan Wakes

After finishing Abaddon's Gate I sped through The Churn: An Expanse Novella and am now a goodly way into Cibola Burn.

Jennifer wrote: "I just finished up Brandon Mull's, Fablehaven series. It was a fun read, some things bothered me, but otherwise a good series for the kids. Next up...I'm finally getting around to [book:Leviathan..."

I want to read that so bad. It sounds awesome I doubt my library has it.

Taking a break from the seemingly endless The Once and Future King and doing my annual Heinlein re-read. This year it's Double Star. It's generally considered one of his better books and it won the Hugo for best novel but you never hear anyone talk about it much. I guess it's not controversial enough. It's probably been 30 years or more since I last read it.

I'm just about caught up to the assignments after my game of thrones binge read. I've also been reading more graphic novels (aka comics)


Saga:Stories of Your Life and Others

Jennifer wrote: "I just finished up Brandon Mull's, Fablehaven series. It was a fun read, some things bothered me, but otherwise a good series for the kids. Next up...I'm finally getting around to Leviathan..."</i>

Fablehaven is the series that got my son to fall in love with reading. I suggest it to everyone. I enjoyed them as well!

As for what I'm reading-just finished [book:Hounded. It was fun! It reminded me of Dresden files. I'm working on the last book of Mortal Instruments City of Heavenly Fire and after that I have The Broken Eye. Those two will probably be most of my month-cuz they are both huge.

Unpopular opinion time: Xenocide is the best of Card's Ender books so far. Here's my review.

It's on to The Alloy of Law now!

Has anyone read Card's Reamde? I've had it gathering dust on my shelf for a while and I'd like to know if I should bump it up the list

Scott wrote: "Has anyone read Card's Reamde? I've had it gathering dust on my shelf for a while and I'd like to know if I should bump it up the list"

Isn't that Stephenson? I really enjoyed that book. It's really long though.

I just finished Imago by Octavia Butler. It was by far the best of the three books in the Exogenesis series. I couldn't put it down and it's been a long time since I could say that about a non-audio book.

I'm still listening to The Broken Eye by Brent Weeks. It's really good, but I'm jittery because I want to move to my next book and this one is really long. Too many books that I really want to listen to or read in print have come out lately. I can't keep up.

Scott wrote: "Has anyone read Card's Reamde? I've had it gathering dust on my shelf for a while and I'd like to know if I should bump it up the list"

I loved Stephenson's REAMDE...It harkens back a bit to his older stuff. No mongolian hoard vs crusaders, no 17th century history geek-out (though I did love those series).

How on earth did I think it was Card? Sorry about that. Well I enjoy long books,as long as they're not too slow paced.

Added Blood Price, The Misenchanted Sword, and The Mirror Empire.

I'm a big fan of the series that stars with Blood Price Blood Price; I hope you like them. I'm currently doing a re-listen, and have just started the third, Blood Lines

I'm almost finished reading Sleeping Late on Judgement Day (got about 9 chapters left) and I am really liking it, a lot more than the 2nd book (Happy Hour in Hell) Happy Hour in Hell was good, but I felt the plot didn't really go anywhere, but I digress.

Once I finish Sleeping Late on Judgement day I'm going to start Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation, it was given to me as a gift, and it looks pretty interesting

Jason wrote: "Once I finish Sleeping Late on Judgement day I'm going to start Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation, it was given to me as a gift, and it looks pretty interesting"

It's good, but not great.

I am reading The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
On Stranger Tides by Tim Powers
Safehold series book 5- david Webber