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

[Luffy]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I'm also reading Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson. The second in his Stormlight Archive series.

Words of Radiance is in my best 5 books of all time.

[poohbear_nc]

Whilst battling a flu bug, I switch to shorter books that don't make my brain hurt: Erle Stanley Gardner's Perry Mason and Georges Simenon's Maigret and Carolyn Wells' Fleming Stone series.

[Uncle Robin]

Book clubs/group discussions not my thing, but Samarkand by Amin Maalouf sounded far too interesting not to read.

[ReadingManiac]

Originally Posted by fantasyfan

H. P. Lovecraft: The Complete Fiction Omnibus
The Early Years
1909–1925
Edited and annotated by
John J. D. Finn

This is the first volume of the Lovecraft Omnibus set of three books. It deals with the early years of Lovecraft’s writing career up to his 1926 thesis “Supernatural Horror in Literature”, for there is no doubt but that Lovecraft’s work does show a significant improvement after this essay was written.

But these works from the early years have a great deal of interest. Some are reasonably well written and entertaining. There is certainly a continuing improvement. We can see the enormous influence of the Irish fantasy writer, Lord Dunsany but also how Lovecraft still infuses his own personality and vision into these pieces. “Herbert West Reanimator” is a six part parody of horror literature which has distinctly comic overtones. And the appendix contains a number of unusual works such as “Sweet Ermengarde: or the Heart of a Country Girl”—a satire of the Horacio Alger books and the Prohibition Era, the “History of the Necronomican” and the complete text of “Supernatural Horror in Literature”.

The volume concludes with a Timeline of H.P. Lovecraft’s Life and Work.

One of the features that makes John Finn’s edition very useful is the presence of introductory material preceding each story and accompanying biographical details.

Finn also does a competent reading of the entire volume—including the introductory notes to the individual stories for Audible.

My ex had the three books and my introduction to Lovecraft was trying to read all three in succession. I burned out halfway through book 3.

[mewmartigan]

I have been bouncing back and forth between The Expanse and Brent Week's Lightbringer series.

Just finished Lightbringer and it is highly recommended. Glad I only discovered it as the 4th book of 5 came out. I didn't have to wait long for things to wrap up.


Also recommend The Expanse. I finished book 7, still have 8 and 9 (final) is projected to be this year I believe.

[mewmartigan]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I'm also reading Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson. The second in his Stormlight Archive series.

As I understand it, The Stormlight Archive is a 10 book series but book 5 wraps up a storyline. Then 6-10 are another storyline?

I really want to read the books but don't like waiting (looking at you Patrick Rothfuss!!) forever. If book 5 is "an" end, I will start them soon.

[Luffy]

Originally Posted by mewmartigan

don't like waiting (looking at you Patrick Rothfuss!!) forever.

Don't worry, Sanderson is a workaholic and will deliver on time.

[Dazrin]

Originally Posted by mewmartigan

As I understand it, The Stormlight Archive is a 10 book series but book 5 wraps up a storyline. Then 6-10 are another storyline?

I really want to read the books but don't like waiting (looking at you Patrick Rothfuss!!) forever. If book 5 is "an" end, I will start them soon.

That is what he has repeatedly said. Books 1-5 are one main story line, books 6-10 are a second.

I've read the first one but then stopped the series until book 5 gets published. I will then hold until book 10 gets published before reading the second set. At least with Sanderson I have no doubts that he will get things done in a relatively timely manner. They are HUGE books so every 3-4 years is more than reasonable in my mind. Rothfuss is the main reason I have gone to the "wait till they are published" stance too.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I'm also reading Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson. The second in his Stormlight Archive series.

I finished the Jan/Feb F&SF. It's certainly become a different magazine since C. C. Finlay took over as editor. I was thnking of dropping it, but since he's become editor, the stories have been much, much more to my taste.

Also starting Detection Unlimited by Georgette Heyer. One of her 20th Century mystery novels.

[Iseabel]

I'm currently re-reading The Winter Ghosts by Kate Mosse. I first read it three years ago and I was suddenly in a mood to pick it up again.

[PurpleStar]

I finished Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware. Good mystery/suspense type book like always.

Then I started The Institute by Stephen King. This will take awhile since I seem to do most of my reading on the bus these days.

[Apsalar]

Originally Posted by Apsalar

I've just started The Mystery of the Exploding Teeth and Other Curiosities from the History of Medicine by Thomas Morris. I love this so far -- it's a shocking blend of hilarious, cringe-worthy and impressive!

Done! This tapered off pretty quickly, and ended up "just alright". I've also finished Michael McDowell's The Elementals, finally. It was brilliant from start to finish, with an utterly chilling final line!

It put me right back onto my horror obsession, so I perused McDowell's works and decided to pick up his Blackwater series, starting with The Flood:

Elinor Dammert was rescued from her room in the flood-isolated hotel. What strange mission brought her there? How did she survive her isolation? Why was she in the Alabama town of Perdido that Easter morning in 1919?

These questions would never be answered because larger and even more terrifying ones would be asked. She soon would become a strange presence in the wealthy Caskey family and their town. Horrors, virtually unspeakable and nearly indescribable, follow.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by CRussel

I'm currently reading Hit List by Lawrence Block. Typical light reading from Mr. Block, and perfect for a breather while I think what I want to read next. I'm also listening to These Old Shades by Georgette Heyer. This is a favourite Heyer Regency, but I've not listened to it before, only read it. Quite good.

Oh, my, it's been a while since I've posted in this thread, clearly. Hit Man has been read, and it was as expected. Light and quick, but strangely enjoyable. Since then, several books, including the latest Foreigner book from C.J. Cherryh, and a beta read of a new book from a favourite author, Nathan Lowell. It's not in any of his current series, a completely new thing, but interesting. (Title is The Wizard's Butler.)

Currently finishing the New Leaf Book Club selection for this month, The Bookshop. Quite enjoying it, but see the thread for details.

[Xanthe]

I'm currently reading the Dr. Rhea Lynch mystery series written under the name Gwen Hunter by Faith Hunter (author of the Jane Yellowrock urban fantasy series) and am really enjoying them. Nice twists and turns in the story, the heroine isn't perfect, the secondary characters are interesting, and the books have a good sense of place. The setting is a small rural hospital in South Carolina, and the main character is a contract doctor in the ER there.

Since I'm a fan of the books the author has written under the Faith Hunter name, I already knew that she could tell a good story, and I haven't been disappointed.

[ReadingManiac]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

I'm also reading Words of Radiance by Brandon Sanderson. The second in his Stormlight Archive series.

Sanderson is high on my 'want to read' list.