What are you reading?

[Atria35]

Finished The Jade Throne (still a great series!) and now am moving onto The Other Bolyn Girl.

[rocklobster]

Tomorrow, I start re-reading Knife of Dreams

[Edward]

Today I started reading Orpans of Chaos by John C. Wright.

[That Dude]

Started on the third book of the Sword Of Truth series, "Blood Of The Fold" by Terry Goodkind.

[ShiroiHikari]

Picked up Les Miserables again after seeing part of the 25th anniversary concert on PBS. I'm almost done with it but I think I'm going to have to re-read it sometime, because I forgot a lot of the earlier parts of the book. >_>;

[Atria35]

I'm pretty much done with The Other Boleyn Girl- dark, dramatic, weaves fact with speculation and does it well. I admit it, I'm rather a sucker for books like this, and it was done fabulously. A House Divided, and all that! (okay, I know, but that quote seriously applies to this book!)

After, I'm moving onto Snow Falling On Cedars.

[uc pseudonym]

Rafiki by Joseph Shenk

25+ years of collected letters of a missionary who was part of the creation of one of Tanzania's largest churches. Useful regarding church politics here and various cultural issues. Probably not so interesting to someone who hasn't been the places he mentions or met the people he talks about.

The Eyes of the Overworld by Jack Vance
Cugel's Saga by Jack Vance

The later books in the trilogy are more like connected short stories (events along the central journey), and I generally enjoyed them more. Cugel is sometimes called the first modern anti-hero and though I can see it, he's far from the brooding or psychopathic anti-hero model. He's cheerfully selfish, which is really all it takes for evil. Most of the lives in his wake end up destroyed, most dramatically selling a woman into sexual slavery, not because he's particularly malevolent, but because it would simply be inconvenient for him to do otherwise.

Also unlike many anti-heroes, I think Vance means Cugel to be a pathetic character. Half the stories are devoted to him bringing bad things on himself. I wish there was a middle ground where we get to see Cugel go up against another trickster instead of either succeeding or failing wholesale. So overall, though I see how this trilogy was imaginative and influential, I still think Lyonesse is the better example of Vance's writing.

Next up, China Miéville again. I'm not sure whether I hope I can get more books soon, to try new authors, or whether I'd rather get into my collections of Glen Cook and Jim Butcher.

[MomentOfInertia]

I finished Terry Pratchett's The Light Fantastic and read Going Postal, both were entertaining.

I also read Dan Wells' Mr. Monster very creepy/weird but awesome, and Garth Nix's Grim Tuesday which was good.

[c.t.,girl]

Gun, With Occasional Music by Jonathan Lethem

and

Stiff by Mary Roach

I'm liking both of them. :> I really love the first one though. I've never read a book with such a futuristic view as this one gives. Very unique, in my opinion.

[Atria35]

Stiff by Mary Roach

I'm a huge Mary Roach fan, and I loved that book. It made me think about death in a new light.

Anyway, ended up dropping Snow on Cedars for now, went with The Affinity Bridge since my library had it. To words: Steampunk Zombies. This seems to be popular ATM. But it is an easy read- I should finish it by tomorrow or the day after.

[Htom Sirveaux]

Farewell, My Lovely, by Raymond Chandler.

This is good. Really good. Top-notch crime noir fun.
I initially picked it up thinking I'd just read the first couple pages. Then the first chapter. Then I just said, "Sod it," and dove in. Every time I read from it, I can't just find a mid-chapter stopping point - I've gotta read at least one full chapter.

[bigsleepj]

Farewell, My Lovely, by Raymond Chandler.

I have a deep love for Raymond Chandler's prose, though his plot construction was dodgey at best and sometimes his books are somewhat, erm, of their time. Still, he's one of my favourite writers. Currently I'm reading his book The Little Sister.

[c.t.,girl]

I'm a huge Mary Roach fan, and I loved that book. It made me think about death in a new light.

Anyway, ended up dropping Snow on Cedars for now, went with The Affinity Bridge since my library had it. To words: Steampunk Zombies. This seems to be popular ATM. But it is an easy read- I should finish it by tomorrow or the day after.

i haven't finished it yet but i'm glad i'm not the only christian who's read it. XD; everyone in my house makes me feel awkward for reading it. XD seems like death is kinda the taboo in my house.

[Atria35]

[quote="c.t.,girl (post: 1465105)"]i haven't finished it yet but i'm glad i'm not the only christian who's read it. XD]

It's a cultural thing- I will admit to being fascinated by dying/death, and I've done a lot of research on death and funerals and whatnot. I wanted to be a medical examiner at one point, but then I realized I'd have to go through med school.

But it's a fascinating subject, and you shouldn't feel ashamed, since everyone dies at some point. Discovering what happens to people after death is a good thing.

[c.t.,girl]

It's a cultural thing- I will admit to being fascinated by dying/death, and I've done a lot of research on death and funerals and whatnot. I wanted to be a medical examiner at one point, but then I realized I'd have to go through med school.

But it's a fascinating subject, and you shouldn't feel ashamed, since everyone dies at some point. Discovering what happens to people after death is a good thing.

lol i thought about being that too...but now i write mysteries stuffs...so i wanted to know things so i could be precise about when my characters try to do stuff with the dead bodies. >_>

i quite agree with it being fascinating and a good discovery!! it's just...when i was watching the show Taboo (national geographic channel) they had an episode about what happens to a dead person. >_> my dad called me a sick and disturbing person for watching it. D: BUT I WAS REALLY CURIOUS.

[Edward]

I have just started reading Boneshaker by Cherie Priest.

[rocklobster]

I am currently reading Stanley Kurtz's expose of Barack Obama: Radical-in-Chief.

[MomentOfInertia]

I have just started reading Boneshaker by Cherie Priest.

Is it Good?
I'm curious.


I finished re-reading Jim Butcher's Dresden Files:Storm Front I had forgotten how *ahem* mature some of the stuff in there was... aside from that a very interesting premise and well written.

[TWWK]

I just started Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro. It's been on my reading list for a long time, but became a priority when I realized a movie had been made (starring some very talented actors), which my wife watched without me. -_-'

[uc pseudonym]

The Brothers K by David James Duncan

When a friend loaned me this book, a narrative of family life and baseball, I sincerely hoped I could say something good about it. But I actually enjoyed the book considerably. Though I suppose it could appeal to people who like family drama, the book gets into religious issues in a very similar way to its Dostoevsky namesake. Even the baseball is a metaphor for religion. The prose is also nice and it's successful in hitting a tone of low key humor.

Perdido Street Station by China Miéville

If you like fantasy or steampunk, there's really no reason not to at least try Miéville. This is the best example of his work I've read so far and thus I look forward to The Scar which is even more acclaimed. He likes to create cities that are populated by dozens of races and cultures and other interesting things. But unlike Leviathan and The City and the City here I liked his characters as well as the world.

[rocklobster]

Just finished the latest Warriors book, Night Whispers. Not sure what I'm starting next. Probably the second book in Dragons in our Midst

[sh51]

Currently reading The Sin War: Birthright from The Sin War trilogy by Richar A. Knaak
from the Diablo game universe.

[rocklobster]

Currently reading The Siege of Macindaw, book 6 in the Ranger's Apprentice series.

[the_wolfs_howl]

I finished reading To Kill a Mockingbird and have started going through God of the Fairy Tale by Jim Ware with my little sisters. Some interesting observations.

And I feel the need to say that I'm in chapter 8 of Arthas: Rise of the Lich King and I keep on waiting for Warcraft 3 to start XD

[Mu Shin Ron Sha]

I just finished The Greatest Show On Earth by Richard Dawkins.

Next on the list is The Tangled Bank by Carl Zimmer.

[samurai10]

I'm attempting to read Les Miserables by Victor Hugo but I'm failing miserably. >_>;;;

[rocklobster]

Starting Rise of the Evening Star, book 2 of the Fablehaven series.

[Nanao]

The Travels of Marco Polo by Marco Polo

[Atria35]

Put Affinity Bridge on hold in order to finish Black Powder War, book 3 in the Temeraire series. Have I ever mentioned that I love this series? Yeah. I love this series.

[the_wolfs_howl]

And I feel the need to say that I'm in chapter 8 of Arthas: Rise of the Lich King and I keep on waiting for Warcraft 3 to start XD

Lol, I spoke too soon The next time I opened the book, Warcraft 3 started. Ah, nostalgia! ^_^ I'm realizing, though, that this book would probably be a lot less enjoyable to someone who hadn't played the game first :/