What are we reading?

Gusington · July 07, 2015, 08:53:54 PM

^Looks like you may have already done that.

BanzaiCat · July 08, 2015, 07:49:08 AM

Wish I could say I already made my mark on that.

But some things are better left undiscovered, which is precisely why one does NOT bring a blacklight to a La Quinta Inn.

Gusington · July 08, 2015, 01:11:18 PM

Truer words are rarely spoken.

Greybriar · July 08, 2015, 01:35:39 PM

I am currently reading Righteous Fury by Markus Heitz.

Nefaro · July 08, 2015, 07:31:08 PM

Got a few chapters into Shadowrun: Borrowed Time earlier this week.

Not some new revelation in storytelling plots, but thus far it's been an engaging read in the cyber-magic-noir IP.

I can see myself burning through this pretty quickly once I start in again, which is a good sign.

Greybriar · July 13, 2015, 11:10:29 PM

I just started reading This Book Is Full of Spiders: Seriously, Dude, Don't Touch It by David Wong.

Talk about a change of pace!

Pinetree · July 14, 2015, 04:38:42 AM

I've finished the first volume of The Black Company Chronicles, aka as The Books of the North, and what a brilliant series, best fantasy I've read in a long time. I've now moved on to The Books of the South.

Gusington · July 14, 2015, 07:26:52 AM

Never read Books of the South, but if you're digging Glen Cook try An Empire Unacquainted With Defeat, a book of short stories set in the same fantasy universe.

Gusington · July 14, 2015, 08:56:36 AM

Also, currently reading Byzantine Armies 325ad-1453ad by Dimitris Belezos. It's similar to the classic Osprey Men at Arms series but bigger and badder and on steroids.

mirth · July 14, 2015, 07:55:23 PM

Just finished 'First Blood' by Charles Whiting, which dealt with the Battle of Kasserine.

Good read. First book I've read totally through Kindle.

JasonPratt · July 15, 2015, 02:54:24 PM

The movie adaptation was generally better overall.

:D

airboy · July 16, 2015, 09:04:34 PM

I've finished all of my reading for the 2015 Hugo Award ballot. I have a couple of recommendations out of it.

"The Triple Sun: A Golden Age Tale", Rajnar Vajra (Analog, 07/08-2014) = 1. Awesome planet exploration and understanding an alien race mystery. This is a short story. It is one of the best SF short stories I have read in decades.

Three more short stories were also very good:
"Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust, Earth to Alluvium", Gray Rinehart (Orson Scott Card's InterGalactic Medicine Show, 05-2014) – Enjoyed it a lot. Aliens conquer a small Earth Colony and this is a plot by a dying man to use below ground burial to hopefully end the servitude.

"Championship B'tok", Edward M. Lerner (Analog, 09-2014) – very good story about a small group of aliens captured by humanity, their spy operations to gain freedom, and internal spy operations to overthrow the current alien leadership.

Big Boys Don't Cry, Tom Kratman (Castalia House) – enjoyed it. Story about a AI type battle tank, its battles, and its betrayal for scrap. This is not quite as good as the others - but if you enjoyed the Hammers Slammers series you would probably like this.

My final recommendation is a very odd read for me:
The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison
This is a SF story about a planet with multiple races. The protagonist is a half-breed, young male who is 5th in line for a Chinese Court type throne with despotic powers. The boy is an exile with a very poor tutor who also mentally/physically abused him. The Emperor and the next 4 in line for the throne are killed in a Zeppelin type crash - and the boy suddenly becomes Emperor and has to decipher all of the ways of the Imperial Court and establish his reign. The book is somewhat slow to develop, but really sucked you into a totally different culture, world view, and alien world.

Nefaro · July 17, 2015, 12:38:38 AM

Quote from: Greybriar on July 13, 2015, 11:10:29 PM
I just started reading This Book Is Full of Spiders: Seriously, Dude, Don't Touch It by David Wong.

Talk about a change of pace!

Did you read the first one, John Dies At The End?

I suppose you saw the movie based on it.

Greybriar · July 17, 2015, 01:20:01 AM

Quote from: Nefaro on July 17, 2015, 12:38:38 AM
Quote from: Greybriar on July 13, 2015, 11:10:29 PM
I just started reading This Book Is Full of Spiders: Seriously, Dude, Don't Touch It by David Wong.

Talk about a change of pace!

Did you read the first one, John Dies At The End?

I suppose you saw the movie based on it.

Yes, I read the first book, John Dies at the End. But I haven't seen the movie yet.

Nefaro · July 17, 2015, 05:02:22 PM

Quote from: Greybriar on July 17, 2015, 01:20:01 AM
Quote from: Nefaro on July 17, 2015, 12:38:38 AM
Quote from: Greybriar on July 13, 2015, 11:10:29 PM
I just started reading This Book Is Full of Spiders: Seriously, Dude, Don't Touch It by David Wong.

Talk about a change of pace!

Did you read the first one, John Dies At The End?

I suppose you saw the movie based on it.

Yes, I read the first book, John Dies at the End. But I haven't seen the movie yet.

They did a pretty good job on the movie, especially considering the budget. Some great acting in there; whomever ran casting did a wonderful job.

Obviously they had to pick & choose bits to fit into a move that's an hour & a half but it's well worth watching. Still on Netflix and I think one of the premium movie channels also plays it on occasion.