What are we reading?

[Gusington]

Thanks Airboy. IIRC I enjoyed Red Phoenix. Had no idea there was a sequel.

[Pinetree]

Red Phoenix Burning by Larry Bond. North Korea implodes and the South invades. Really enjoying it so far. I'd read Red Phoenix back in the day so it's great seeing some of the old characters back.

How is that book?  I read Red Phoenix two or three times and still own the hardback.  Is the quality of the sequel as good as the original?

I'm not even halfway through it yet so it's hard to make a judgement, but from what I've read so far, yes. A lot of the old characters are back and then there are the new ones who have connections back to the first book.

I've just finished it. It's pretty good, I'd give it a 3 out of 5. It's definitely not a rehash of the original, but not quite as epic neither. The story flows well and there are some nice set-pieces but the final showdown doesn't quite have that knife-edged feel a techno-thriller should have. I still enjoyed it though, what made it for me was seeing some of the old characters again.

[Gusington]

I'm reading "Echoes of a Haunting - Revisited" by Clara Miller. Terrible writing and her narrative voice reminds me of listening to my Mom tell old wives tales, but if even one percent of this ghost story is indeed true then it's pretty insane.

[MetalDog]

Just finished Ready Player One.  HIGHLY recommend it to any child/fan of the 80's, video games, D&D and geeky nerddom in general.

[Gusington]

^I've been wanting to read that for a while.

[MetalDog]

Then you should make time for it today.  It was a joy.  And the musical references are more up your alley than mine.

[Staggerwing]

The third book in the Hell's Gate series by David Weber & friends just came out, 10 years after the first one (!). I actually gave up waiting after a few years so I'm pleasantly surprised.

Hell's Gate

Hell hath no fury

The Road to Hell



It's been so long that I'm re-reading the first two books just to refresh my memory. The series is about what happens when two different civilizations in different parallel Earths, one based on magic 'technology' with no real material technology beyond that of the middle ages, and one roughly equivalent to our world around 1900 with some psychic elements, begin exploring huge multidimensional portals that started appearing roughly 100-150 years before the events in the books. Eventually the two civilizations bump into one another and a misunderstanding leads to war.

[bayonetbrant]

[Staggerwing]

^Yeah, I saw that. Nice writeup  O0.  I wish listed it for near-future purchase.

[Sir Slash]

Very nice review. Don't know if I want to read the whole book though. Interesting.

[bob48]

I'm currently reading 'The Thirty Years war' by Friedrich Schiller. Interesting but pretty heavy going in places.

This has also got me reading the standard rules to GMT's 'Musket & Pike' series games..............

[Gusington]

I've been looking for a lighter Thirty Years War book seemingly forever.

[bob48]

I suspect there is no such thing, it really is an amazingly complicated period. However, a small handy book on the war is the one in the Osprey 'Essential Histories' series, entitled, strangely enough, 'The Thirty Years' War 1618-1648'

Oh, and I've just ordered a copy of 'Saints in Armor' which is one of GMT's Musket and Pike series of games.

[Gusington]

^I'll wait for you to write your memoirs of the era.

[bob48]

I'll send you a signed copy.