Hey!! Let's get some action going! What are we reading?

[Ayleth]

I'm reading two books at the moment.

My 'main focus' is Shōgun by James Clavell. It's been on my to-read backlog for well over a decade — now that the show's come out, my fiancé has told me that I have to hurry up and finish the book, or I can't complain about spoilers.

It's massive, especially since I'm still getting back into the swing of reading after an extended hiatus. I'm 56% of the way through and taking a break with the much shorter and faster-paced Zombie by Joyce Carol Oates. So far it's disgusting and absolutely gripping — I'll probably finish it right after posting this.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

And now I'm reading The Loving Cup by Winston Graham. The tenth novel in his Cornish Saga about the Poldark family.

And it was enjoyable in a soap-opera kind of way.

Next up: Disobedient by Elizabeth Freemantle. A novelisation of the life of Artemesia Gentileschi (early 17th century painter). So far, I'd like more footnotes. I hope there's a good afterword that clarifies what's actually known.

[drofgnal]

I finished The Women by Hannah. It was very good, but I didn’t think it was as good as the Four Winds or Nightingale. Looking for my next read. Need something a bit lighter after those two.

[Dr. Drib]

Currently reading The Bad Girl, a literary novel by Emma Tennant.

Great novel of doubling and incipient insanity, which calls to mind Hogg's novel [The Confessions of a Justified Sinner], and Stevenson's short novel [Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - the doubling aspect].

[drofgnal]

After the gut wrenching stories of Hannah, I’ve decided to return to the Shannara series. I’ve only got 3 trilogies to finish it off for good. (One may be a quadrilogy) I started it yesterday.

[Dr. Drib]

Just finished "The Bad Girls", by Emma Tennant - A twisted, wacky, scary, wonky, wonderful..and difficult novel. If you wish to get inside a diseased mind, this is one literary novel that will satisfy that goal.

Just now started "Only About Love", by Debbi Voisey. A wonderful writer. This is one of her Novella-in-Flash works. Don't let the title scare you: This is about life, loss, and living.

[Dr. Drib]

Just now finished "Only About Love", by Debbi Voisey.

If you're at all curious about how a Novella-in-Flash works, then this is a really fine example of that form. I really admire her writing. (This is the second of her Novella-in-Flash pieces I've purchased and read.)

She's such a wise writer and gets to the heart (it would seem to me), about the enduring and challenging conflicts of how we love, and the many obstacles and weaknesses we place in front of that concept, and how we so often screw it up.

I have such a high respect for her work.

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I'm now reading Camel's Bastard Son, by Corey Mesler. I've know him for close to 40 years. He is also the co-owner (along with his wife), of Burke's Book Store, in Memphis, Tennessee.

This is a wonderful, sexy novel - big with sex and big with outrageous characters. The dialogue is wonderful, and the characters are loopy and endearing.

WARNING: If sex bothers you (along with the act of making love), then you should stay away from Corey's novel.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Next up: Disobedient by Elizabeth Freemantle. A novelisation of the life of Artemesia Gentileschi (early 17th century painter). So far, I'd like more footnotes. I hope there's a good afterword that clarifies what's actually known.

And very good it was too, and there was a good afterword explaining sources.

Then I read The Bronze God of Rhodes by L. Sprague de Camp. An excellent historical fiction about the architect of the colossus of Rhodes. Given the period of history, more fiction than history, but very good nonetheless.

And then three by Cory Doctorow; two shorts, Posey the Monster Slayer and The Canadian Miracle, both good in their own ways; and For the Win, an excellent near-future story of union activity.

Currently I'm reading The Twisted Sword by Winston Graham. The 11th in his Poldark series.

[DrNefario]

I finished The Gathering Storm (Wheel of Time #12) by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson last night.

I read book 11 in hardback around the time it came out, which was late 2005, and then Robert Jordan died, the series was eventually finished by some nobody named Brandon Sanderson, and although I bought the remaining 3 books, I never quite got around to reading them.

Now, 18 or 19 years later, I decided to continue. I didn't bother re-reading anything, or even a summary of book 11, so the beginnning was a little confusing, but it mostly came back to me as I went along. There were a few things I didn't think had happened yet, which made me wonder if I'd accidentally skipped to book 13, but I guess I'd just forgotten. (I did read Knife of Dreams, right?)

Anyway, I enjoyed it a lot, and look forward to finishing the series in 40 years or so.