What Are You Reading, Part 2

[StormingTexan he/him]

Just as Ernest Cline let me down with his second book Andy Weir did as well with Artemis. I loved The Martian and was looking forward to his second book. The premise sounded good and the plot wasn't horrible but the characters.. Especially the main protagonist. She is a young women written like a 15 yea old boy. Just horrible and completely unbelievable. Mr. Weir clearly does not know how to write women. I think if he would have written the main protagonist as a man it would have helped but still not the level of quality The Martian was.Disappointed. 

I also read a Sci-Fi classic I've been meaning to for a while Rendezvous with Rama. It was good but one of those books you are supposed to draw your own conclusions from the ending. Not a bad thing but I typically like a little more resolution. I found out there is a sequel but apparently it is co-authored and has horrible reviews so I will stop her. 

 

[Who Sharded?]

On 12/6/2017 at 8:09 PM, Steeldancer said:

Um.... read faster? 

Because part 5 is quite a ride. I really hope you enjoyed part 3, but thats something you can discuss in the part topics 

In my experience, reading faster is the WORST way to handle a book when you're struggling with it.  I'd say set the book aside, and come back when you're in the mood.  

[Dunkum he/him]

12 hours ago, Who Sharded? said:

In my experience, reading faster is the WORST way to handle a book when you're struggling with it.  I'd say set the book aside, and come back when you're in the mood.  

I'll second this.  there are 2 or 3 books I can think of where I couldn't get into it the first time I tried it, but on setting it down and picking it up again a while later, I found myself really enjoying it.

[Ammanas]

Rereading Matter by Iain M. Banks. Its one of the better Culture novels in my opinion, but it usually seems to fly under the radar when people talk about there favorite culture novels; I think thats because its Special Circumstances heavy and doesn't offer any of the glimpses into the day to day life of The Culture. I am currently about 75 pages in and am really enjoying it; its been several years so I hardly remember any of it. Its both a blessing and a curse to have a bad memory and rereads feel almost like the first time.

Here is how I would rank the culture novels (I know most people are higher on Use of Weapons than I am, but I appreciate the unconventional way of telling the story even if it didn't work for me):

1. Player of Games/Surface Detail

2. Hydrogen Sonata

3. Matter/Look to Windward

4. Excessions

5. Use of Weapons

6. Consider Phlebas

7. Inversions (Only technically a Culture Novel. I was tempted to leave it off the list)

[+Slowswift]

Just finished Promise of Blood by Brian McClellan.

Amazing.

[Draginon he/him]

Started the Star Wars short story collection From a Certain Point of View today. Didn't have time to read for the past few days.

[Scyora she/her]

After finishing The Way of Kings (It was great!) and all of Arcanum Unbound (Edgedancer excluded)...

I now startet a reread of Die unendliche Geschichte (The neverending story). It was the book that brought me into reading and has a special place in my heart. (Which means a reread every other year)

[StormingTexan he/him]

Prompted by the movie preview of Annihilation I am reading The Southern Reach trilogy by Jeff VanderMeer. I finished the first book and just started the second. I don't even really know how to describe it besides oddly satisfying without feeling like I really know anything about what is going on. It's weird but I like it so far.  

[Briar King]

Finished Oath. Can finally breathe and get back into my other reads. I did not like that book... Now I can finally get on the threads for it but I suspect I won’t have good things to say there.

Bonehunters is a thing of beauty at 260 pgs in!

[Orlion Blight he/him]

1 hour ago, Briar King said:

Finished Oath. Can finally breathe and get back into my other reads. I did not like that book... Now I can finally get on the threads for it but I suspect I won’t have good things to say there.

Bonehunters is a thing of beauty at 260 pgs in!

We may have to commiserate. I believe I like it waaaaay more than you did, but am also not nearly as enamoured as other people are. 

My friend is breezing through them back-to-back. It will be interesting to see what he thinks since he hasn't read any other Sanderson books. 

[Guest]

7 hours ago, Briar King said:

Finished Oath. Can finally breathe and get back into my other reads. I did not like that book... Now I can finally get on the threads for it but I suspect I won’t have good things to say there.

@Briar King: I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on the book. I personally have mixed feelings over it and, based on what I have seen, I can't say it has been as well received as WoR. As such, I am collecting other readers thoughts in order to figure out if they all match one with another. You can PM me if you want.

[Briar King]

Message sent!

[Ammanas]

Read the book Tanya the Evil: Deus lo Vult. I loved the anime and was excited to try the book it was based on, but either something was lost in translation or the anime is just a far superior way of telling the story.

I am giving a independent author a chance with The Path of Flames by Phil Tucker (with my brand new Kindle Paperwhite!). It is the first of a completed series and it hasn't blown me away, but its pretty decent so far. He is still introducing new characters so its way to soon to make any conclusions on its quality yet.

[Briar King]

100 pgs exactly left of Grace. So good. Will be jumping into bk2 right afterward. 

So happy to be free of Oath...

Was going to pick Dresden 5 up when I finished that but I’m not going to juggle 3 bks at once for a few more days.

[Ammanas]

4 hours ago, Briar King said:

100 pgs exactly left of Grace. So good. Will be jumping into bk2 right afterward. 

So happy to be free of Oath...

A lot of people think Wall of Storms is better than the first one; for me it was still a very high quality book (and I can see why many people say its better) but Grace of Kings is still my favorite. I do love the ambition of Wall of Storms though.

Hah I am just imagining you as the Ancient Mariner, but instead of a albatross around your neck its a copy of Oathbringer*

*if you have no idea what I am talking about I was referencing Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Coleridge

Edited December 25, 2017 by Ammanas

[Briar King]

That’s very apt

[Dunkum he/him]

decided it was about time for an Elantris reread

[DreamerWeaver13 she/her]

Just finished Sins of Empire by Brian McClellan.  Enjoyed it immensely. Better than Promise of Blood, which I really could not get into (only read 2-3 chapters).

Barb

[Left he/him]

I finished The Sandman main line of comics. It’s taken me almost a year, but I’ve really enjoyed it and do believe it is a masterpiece of modern storytelling. There were so many disturbing and provoking and delightful stories, and I could never stop reading the series for long. 

I also read Ringworld by Larry Niven, and I wasn’t really a fan. The characters just haven’t aged well, and it makes the story seem more like a macho adventure than a grand sci fun novel. 

I’m working on the collected novellas of Ursula K. Leguin, and I’m adoring it. She’s such a fantastic author, and I wish she had a greater popular fan base. 

[Orlion Blight he/him]

 Finished Oathbringer. 

Now, onto The Cosmology of the Wider World by Jeffery Ford. 

[Briar King]

Finished Grace just past midnight. Excellent and completely epic book.

started Wall of Storms.

[Ammanas]

Wall of Storms has a slower beginning and is a more melancholy book, but it really picks up and has some epic scenes. It's a ambitious book that I think Liu pulls off. 

[Flying she/her]

I'm reading The Princess Bride because I've never read it even though I've watched the movie. I'm probably going to read Ready Player One afterwards.

[Ammanas]

I ended up having a lot of fun with Tucker's Path of Flames. After a bit of a unsteady start (the main thing was it started with a battle scene and I didn't know who to cheer for because I didn't know any of the characters) it ended up being a nice blend of old school and new school fantasy. Onwards to book 2 called The Black Shriving!

[StormingTexan he/him]

Finished up the Southern Reach trilogy. I don't even know if I liked it. It is one of those unresolved endings you are supposed to make your own assumptions. It was very interesting and thought provoking with excellent prose but for sure not spoon feed to you left ultimately unresolved. I will say it was very unique. 

A while ago I read The Shadow of What Was Lost by James Islington and really liked it then kind of forgot about it. I just saw the second book to the series has been out for a while and the third is being published in the summer. I am rereading the first one (forgot almost everything except the fact I liked it enough to email the author and congratulate hm on his first book) and then I'll jump in to the second book. 

Edited December 28, 2017 by StormingTexan