What are you reading?

[uc pseudonym]

I was experiencing severe deja vu with A Clash of Kings until coming across a scene I knew I had read. Skimming through other volumes reveals that I actually read the first three books in the series. Though I have A Feast for Crows aforementioned skimming was enough Song of Fire and Ice for the time being.

Instead I began the Dark Elf Trilogy by RA Salvator. I am enjoying it so far. However, I worry that reading the books in chronological order instead of the order they were written may result in later ones seeming poorly written.

[RubyJewelStone]

I think everyone ends up reading FLowers For Algernon when they're in high school.

And Beouwulf.

I couldn't even buy the book without everyone at the counter breaking into one huge reminisce-session. >.>;

My cousin took one look at the book and seemingly smacked it for revenge.

Needless to say, I'm not looking forward to that book so far...

Anywho, I was skimming Fahrenheit 451 on the plane yesterday, so that counts as what I am reading.

[SnoringFrog]

I just finished up Salamandastron by Brian Jacques, and next time I pick up a book it'll be Magic Street by Orson Scott Card.

[bigsleepj]

I've finished Crime and Punishment (excellent, excellent!) and now I've gone over to Umberto Eco's The Island of the Day Before, about a 17th century Italian nobleman shipwrecked on an abandoned ship not far from an island that sits across the International Date Line (yes he's trapped in today and the island is strictly speaking yesterday), and he's unable to reach it because he can't swim and because he has a psychological fear for the sun (he's photophobic) he has to overcome these two obstacles. Along the way he thinks back at his past (which makes up half the novel) which includes his first love and various friendships, including one with a Jesuit who builds Aristotelean Telescopes. So far the book is good, but not as good (or at least as immersive) as Eco's Foucault's Pendulum and The Name of the Rose.

[the_wolfs_howl]

I've finished Crime and Punishment (excellent, excellent!)

I'm glad to hear you've finished it. That's more than anyone else in my family could say ^_^ Did you like the ending?

[bigsleepj]

I loved it. It's a very good ending, and it had some emotional impact. There were times I was close to tears. C&P is certainly a great read.

[Kkun]

I'm reading Humility and Absolute Surrender by Andrew Murray. I like the way Murray looked at things...I'll have more to say about Humility after I finish it.

[uc pseudonym]

Letters to a Young Evangelical by Tony Campolo

It may be impolite to read another's mail, but I respect Campolo as someone who takes the Bible seriously and lives what he preaches. The book dealt with numerous issues in fairly broad strokes, but that is its intent. Overall I felt it was good and if it serves as a wake up call to any Christians in our generation, all the better. Also, it was a very quick and easy read; I didn't spend more than a few hours on it.

This was actually a random diversion from my fantasy as of late. After getting through the Dark Elf Trilogy I'm done with Drizzt for now, and will soon select another book.

[Alice]

Deep reading, guys!

I am partway through The Ladies of Grace Adieu and other stories, by Susanna Clarke. I think anyone who liked her Norrell and Strange book would like it. Some of the stories are really thought-provoking, and of course they're well-written.

[Technomancer]

The Dust of Empire: The Race for Mastery in Central Asia by Karl Meyer. It's a fascinating book, and a worthwhile antidote to the amnesiac politicians and pundits that seem to infest popular discourse. It's also a highly relevant book.

http://www.amazon.com/Dust-Empire-Mastery-Asian-Heartland/dp/1586482416/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-7016585-2989461?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1184727458&sr=1-1

[Mithrandir]

Silence on the Wire

[Tenshi no Ai]

Going to try and attempt to read Order of the Phoenix again (quit within a few chapters in because harry was being too whiny and emo... man I hope he dies in Deathly Hallows^^). My goal is to finish it before the movie comes to my theatre which'll probably be in a couple weeks since a different movie is starting this weekend. And yet they were on the ball with Pirates and Spiderman 3... Pick and chose I guess^^

[Doe Johnson]

I just finished Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I won't say anything about it since I'm sure many of you are reading it/planning on reading it soon.

You know...I feel kinda sad...I spent an entire day reading...though I did get about 5 hours of sleep...still...finishing it 26 hours after purchasing it...

[Mithrandir]

David Eddings Younger Gods.

[jon_jinn]

The Secret Life of Bees - by Sue Monk Kidd.

[uc pseudonym]

The One Kingdom by Sean Russell

Shifting to some less mainstream fantasy for the moment. Unfortunately, I have to admit that I'm beginning to suspect there may be a reason for it being not mainstream. I'm 200 pages in and so far all that's really happened is that a ton of characters have been thrown at me. None of them particularly interested me except the guy that dies* almost immediately.

*Supposedly. I remain suspicious.

[Valkaiser]

Read last two weeks or so:

Downbelow Station by C.J. Cherryh
(Sci-Fi, centers around a space station overburdened with refugees)
Orion by Ben Bova
(Time travel warrior)
The Darksword Trilogy by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
(Fantasy, magic, pretty standard fare)
Several Stainless Steel Rat books by Harry Harrison
(Awesome spy style novels with a gentleman crook as protagonist)

[Technomancer]

Stalin and his Hangmen: The Tyrant and Those who Killed for Him

http://www.amazon.com/Stalin-His-Hangmen-Tyrant-Killed/dp/0375757716/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/103-8683087-4499816?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1185327929&sr=1-1

It's a fascinating book, but I'm going to put it aside for a while: it's just too bloody depressing.

[Alice]

I started:
Grapes of Wrath, by Steinbeck, and Have Spacesuit, Will Travel, by Heinlein (which I read as a previously).

I'm more than halfway through A Patchwork Planet, by Anne Tyler. She's a great author.

[mechana2015]

Just finished HP 7

[Mithrandir]

I'm way to geek. I was trying to figure out which Hewlett-Pakcard device that manual was for, until I realized it's a popular mainstream title. >.<

I'm going back through all my calvin and hobbs.

[mitsuki lover]

Last weekend I reread Deborah Turner Harris' novel of a alternate reality Scotland:
Caledonia of the Mist.

[Alice]

I finished Patchwork Planet and started another Anne Tyler book.

[yukinon]

I have recently started reading Technopoly by Neil Postman.

It's strange because I agree with almost all his points, but I have been dissapointed because so far I just don't think he's making those points very well.

[jon_jinn]

i'm reading, The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier.

[righteous_slave]

7 Habits of Highly Effective People again, hopefully this time I'll take a little more application out of it.

[uc pseudonym]

A Feast for Crows by George RR Martin

After abandoning my previous book due to lack of interest, I decided to go back to more mainstream fiction. I'm reading it slowly (relative to the size) but it is essentially like the other books in the series.

[Htom Sirveaux]

Still working on The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass, but it's now going a bit slower because I'm also reading R.A. Salvatore's The Legend of Drizzt book I: Homeland and I've just started James Clavell's Shougun. I should really just try to concentrate on one book at a time, but there's so many that I want to read and my list doesn't seem to be getting any shorter.

[Sheol777]

Neuromancer - yeah I know, I am way far behind in the reading department.

[SnoringFrog]

The Andromeda Strain by Michael Criton.