What are you reading?

[Hallow]

Just got my large shipment of books from Amazon.

 

Currently reading Orb, Sceptre, Throne by Esselemont. After that Ill move on to Alloy of Law, then Way of Kings and the first 3 books in Black Company (not sure which one Ill do first) and then probably Heroes and Best Served Cold by Abercrombie.

[Sleeper]

Just finished Flowers for Algernon. Wow, I need to read something happy now.

 

Going to start a compilation of poetry by W.H. Auden I think.

[Crowl Rife]

Just finished Flowers for Algernon. Wow, I need to read something happy now.

 

Great story.

 

I'm in the middle of both Knife of Dreams and Reamde by Neal Stephenson (which is awesome).

 

Just got 3 of the original Chung Kuo series in the mail... the other 5 should be arriving during the next week. Eager to read this series... couldn't wait for the re-release of the series so bought used copies off eBay since they are out of print.

[Sleeper]

Just finished Flowers for Algernon. Wow, I need to read something happy now.

 

Great story.

 

It really is. Definitely one of the best books I've read over the past year.

 

Meant to start my collection of WH Auden, instead I'm reading American Gods, by Neil Gaiman. Interesting so far.

[redarm]

Finished the last Chronicle of the Black Company, The White Rose. I loved these books.

 

A major theme is that though we'd like to think things as black and white, everything is just varying shades of grey. The characters do a lot of rationalizing and soul searching when they realize they may be closer to black than they'd like. When faced with one evil or another which do you choose and can you support one to defeat an even darker foe? Morality is often times an afterthought to survival. Makes for interesting introspection.

 

Pacing was fantastic. The story never gets bogged down in too much inner dialog and keeps moving from one desperate situation to another. Cook keeps things fairly simple without giving everything away. The action is great and outcomes are never certain. All in all a very satisfying read.

 

I am continuing with the Black Company and beginning Shadow Games, the first Book of the South. I am interested to see what happens to the remnants of the company and how they cope with the events at the end of The White Rose.

[Wren of the Brown]

Finished The Darkness That Comes Before by R. Scott Bakker... just started Gardens of the Moon. I have a lot of "book 1"s on my to be read pile right now, will probably confuse myself when I get around to picking up the continuations. Hah!

 

Hey Songstress, glad to hear you gave Bakker a shot. What did you think?

 

Slow getting into it... I was actually a bit baffled for the first few chapters... but once I got a feel for the world and the characters, it was really good. When Kellhus started meeting up with the other storylines, I really got into it. Book 2 currently on my wish list, but I have a large pile to be read at the moment so I won't be shelling out money for it just yet.

 

His plot moves in leaps and bounds and it took some effort to realize exactly what he's framing. He's also a master of cliffhangers and this is immensely frustrating if you read in bits and pieces because they are such important cliffhangers. Book 2 is also on my list - I might buy it next month.

 

---

 

I'm currently starting a book by Edith Simon called The Twelve Picturesl written in 1955. She was a historian and The Twelve Pictures, at least as I understand it, is a prosaic retelling of the Nibelungenlied and, at least in the scant reviews I've found, incorporates some slightly different texts from Wagner's sources and she also supposedly frames a different theory of history in the retelling. But that's what I've read and I have no idea what to expect yet. She writes in a slightly archaic tone which is not unpleasant. For instance:

 

In their faces, then, and in their fates their distinction rested; regally built and regally clad, with crowns upon the heads of all four of them - pictured from the back, their destinies untraced, they might be any kinds, exemplary, happy and glorious; unknown and envied.

 

I hope this is to Nibelungenlied as "Once and Future King" is to Arthurian saga. We'll see.

[Hallow]

Currently reading Way of Kings and I have to ask... when does this book stop being a snoozefest and start being interesting?

[J.W.]

I just finished James Herbert's, The Magic Cottage. I think it was published in 1986. I found it at the Library book store for a buck. So I have a long list of to reads on the shelf and I don't know why, but I chose this one to read next. Very glad I did. About as straight forward and easy to read book as it gets. Simple yet profound and some genuine scary parts. You'd shelf it under Fantasy/Horror I guess. I highly recommend it for a nice, easy change of pace read that might make you, at least, think about leaving the light on.

 

Also just read Jasper Kent's, Twelve. Sort of a History Fiction with a fantasy twist (vampires). I loved it until the ending however this is a continuous series which picks up on some of the same characters years later. Tempted but not sure if it's worth it to carry on with the rest of the series. Hopefully someday I'll get back to it. Anyway the actual historical fiction parts are much, much better the fantastical parts to be honest.

Edited February 18, 2012 by PatsFanTX

[J.W.]

Finished Elantris and The Blade Itself now. Currently reading Before They Are Hanged and really enjoying the trilogy.

I have this book on my shelf yet to read. Glad to hear you liked it.

[Hallow]

Finished Elantris and The Blade Itself now. Currently reading Before They Are Hanged and really enjoying the trilogy.

I have this book on my shelf yet to read. Glad to hear you liked it.

 

If you're talking about the First Law books, when I was finished I wasn't very satisfied.

[J.W.]

Finished Elantris and The Blade Itself now. Currently reading Before They Are Hanged and really enjoying the trilogy.

I have this book on my shelf yet to read. Glad to hear you liked it.

 

If you're talking about the First Law books, when I was finished I wasn't very satisfied.

 

Yeah the Abercrombie books. Well then damn. I picked this up when Borders went out of business. There's about 6 or 7 books I bought at like half price just b/c they looked cool. The Blade Itself, was one of them.

[Suttree]

Finished Elantris and The Blade Itself now. Currently reading Before They Are Hanged and really enjoying the trilogy.

I have this book on my shelf yet to read. Glad to hear you liked it.

 

If you're talking about the First Law books, when I was finished I wasn't very satisfied.

 

Yeah the Abercrombie books. Well then damn. I picked this up when Borders went out of business. There's about 6 or 7 books I bought at like half price just b/c they looked cool. The Blade Itself, was one of them.

 

It is a great series Pats. You just need to be ready to realize that the first Trilogy is just a small peak into the world hinting at a far greater struggle. The great thing about Abercrombie is each book since those first three has gotten better. It is all good but I feel like his last "The Heroes" was the strongest.

Edited February 18, 2012 by Suttree

[Ryrin]

Valley of Horses.

[Suttree]

Just started "Twenty Thousand Roads" the ballad of Gram Parsons and his American Cosmic Music.

[Hop-Robin]

Can't remember which book I read last.

Currently reading Deadhouse Gates by Steven Erikson and The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss.

Next I plan on reading Harlequin by Bernard Cornwell.

[J.W.]

Just started "Twenty Thousand Roads" the ballad of Gram Parsons and his American Cosmic Music.

 

Interesting. I was stuck on this Gram Parson's cover by Gillian Welch for the longest time. Most people find it too slow and dull but I think it's one of the most amazing songs I've ever heard. It fits a lot of different scenes from a lot of different stories in my head.

 

[Suttree]

Just started "Twenty Thousand Roads" the ballad of Gram Parsons and his American Cosmic Music.

 

Interesting. I was stuck on this Gram Parson's cover by Gillian Welch for the longest time. Most people find it too slow and dull but I think it's one of the most amazing songs I've ever heard. It fits a lot of different scenes from a lot of different stories in my head.

 

Thanks for sharing Pats, that was really cool. She definitily does the song justice. Gram was one of the most talented artists of his era, sadly very much underrated. My father played him a ton when I was young and over the last few years I have come back to it. Really enjoying the book so far...man some crazy stories about him told by Kieth Richards!!!

 

There are a number of great versions of that song including Gram w/Emmylou Harris off his last album Grievous Angel. My fav still is the original however from when he was w/ The Byrds on Sweethearts of the Radio.

 

[J.W.]

Decided to finally take the plunge and started Stephen King's, The Gunslinger, last night. Hopefully I'm in for a long, exciting ride.

[Songstress]

Decided to finally take the plunge and started Stephen King's, The Gunslinger, last night. Hopefully I'm in for a long, exciting ride.

 

It has its moments - some extremely good. If you've read a decent amount of his other stories, it's absolutely fascinating how many things you'll recognize from other books.

 

The ending... is controversial. Let me just say that. I was satisfied, many were livid.

[J.W.]

Decided to finally take the plunge and started Stephen King's, The Gunslinger, last night. Hopefully I'm in for a long, exciting ride.

 

It has its moments - some extremely good. If you've read a decent amount of his other stories, it's absolutely fascinating how many things you'll recognize from other books.

 

The ending... is controversial. Let me just say that. I was satisfied, many were livid.

 

 

Yeah, I've read most of his other somewhat better received books... The Stand, It, Salem's Lot, Pet Sematary, The Dark Half, and some of his newer stuff like Duma Key, Under the Dome, Cell, Dreamcatcher and bits and pieces of his short stories. I always like his books. I think I own all of them as I've picked up any and everything I find in used books stores. I've always known if I went down this Dark Tower path I would have to put everything else aside for a while. I'm pretty excited, I think I'm down for it. Thanks for your thoughts!

[redarm]

Completed Glen Cook's Shadow Games and almost finished with Dreams of Steel. Liked the first very much, with Croaker as captain and such, not sos sure about the second. I like it but I want more about the company and this book just does not deliver on that front. At least not yet. I've only got thirty pages to go, so... Next up is The Silver Spike. I understand this also follows events away from the Black Company, although many familiar characters return after a book off.

Edited February 24, 2012 by redarm

[TheePazuzu]

Well worth reading, in some ways he is Randesque figure, you should be able to identify with him. The world is like ‘The Wheel of Time’ set in a future where science and technology is now greatly reduced but with some other forces have emerged.

[Hallow]

Decided to finally take the plunge and started Stephen King's, The Gunslinger, last night. Hopefully I'm in for a long, exciting ride.

 

It has its moments - some extremely good. If you've read a decent amount of his other stories, it's absolutely fascinating how many things you'll recognize from other books.

 

The ending... is controversial. Let me just say that. I was satisfied, many were livid.

 

 

Yeah, I've read most of his other somewhat better received books... The Stand, It, Salem's Lot, Pet Sematary, The Dark Half, and some of his newer stuff like Duma Key, Under the Dome, Cell, Dreamcatcher and bits and pieces of his short stories. I always like his books. I think I own all of them as I've picked up any and everything I find in used books stores. I've always known if I went down this Dark Tower path I would have to put everything else aside for a while. I'm pretty excited, I think I'm down for it. Thanks for your thoughts!

 

Heh good thing you've read Salem's Lot, will come in handy while reading the DT ;)

[humanraindelay]

Maps in a Mirror by Olson Scott Card.

[Jon Paul]

I picked up Elantris and Warbreaker the other day. Currently reading Elantris. Already like Raoden. He didn't fall to pieces when he was chucked into the city. He has strength. I like that. Dislike Hrathen. Not because he's religious, but because he's not the right religion ! Reserving judgement on Sarene.