April 2019: Reading Thread

[Simbelmynë]

I read just under half of The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet by Becky Chambers towards the end of March and decided to give up on it. The characters hadn’t yet proved themselves as anything much more than safe and inoffensive, and as it had the feel of a novel largely concerned with characterisation and the relationships between those characters, I didn’t feel compelled to keep going. Beneath the aesthetic of a multi-species space opera the genuine SF elements were few and far between, and while there might have been a good plot there, I didn’t manage to find more than a very slow beginning. There were a few parts of it I did enjoy - a ship which runs on algae, a crewmember (was it the pilot?) with a dual personality resulting from an illness unique to that character’s species - but not enough to feel that the second half of the book held much promise.

Flowers for Algernon was waiting for me on my shelf, and needing something I thought I’d likely enjoy I picked this one up. I raced through this novel. If you haven’t already read it then I highly recommend it, easy to see why it’s considered a classic. Clever, unique, expertly penned, and genuinely heart felt, this one will stay with me.

I then picked up The Dancers at the End of Time by Michael Moorcock. Having a couple of conversations on here about MM reminded me that I had the Eternal Champion omnibus edition sitting on my shelf, and I’m glad I finally got round to it. Hugely imaginative, fast paced, very philosophical and even quite funny. Moorcock’s style of prose can be a tad challenging at times, expecting you to keep up with his goliath imagination, but I kind of enjoy having to draw on my own sense of fantasy to paint a picture in my mind’s eye, and the sometimes spare descriptions and minimal stream of consciousness leave ample opportunity for this. A gorgeous trilogy, one of the author’s best.

 

[Hugh]

I love The Greater Trumps (which I think is the first thing I ever read by Williams—I went looking for something by him because of his association with the Inklings, and the combination of that plus the Tarot was irresistible) but I seem to remember being disappointed the first time I read it, too. Which usually doesn't lead to a second read for me, but there were certain scenes that stayed with me, so I read it a second time years and it was a different experience. For me, it's my favorite of those of his books I've read.

I did appreciate it much more on the second read, and, though it's too early to say as yet, I suspect certain scenes will stay with me. I know that I look at the minor arcana differently now, likewise my perspective on the Hanged Man.

 

[Grace_E]

I've been trying to read more of late–especially with all of the tempting books sitting, waiting, near my bookcase.
Recently I've been rereading, "The Bear and The Nightingale" by Katherine Arden. She recently came out with the book to the trilogy, so I'm rereading the first to delve into the others. It's a story based in a historical Russian background, and the magic is also based in a very old Russian myth about the King of Winter, or Death, as he's known, and his brother, the Bear, Medved, Hunger, Famine (pick your poison). It's so intriguing because of the conflict between the "old ways" or what was considered pagan magic, and Christianity, which hit Russia.

I also added "S" to my collection of stories, although this requires more of my time because it's two stories put into one: the actual tale, "Ship of Theseus," and the story written in the margins between two college students. Over the course of the book, they hold a discourse within the pages about the mysteries behind the actual printed story and also develop a relationship. The book is also simulated to read, feel, and look like an actual library book being passed down from hand to hand, from the check-out stamps in the back, to the label on the binding.

 

[Bick]

I've finished book 3 of the Murderbot series by Martha Wells; Rogue Protocol. I have immediately ordered and began reading book 4 Exit Strategy. My opinion thus far is that this is a great series. But I have reservations about the 4 novella set up. There is absolutely no significant break break between Rogue Protocol and Exit Strategy. It is like moving from chapter 9 in a novel to chapter 10. I'll have more to say when I finish.

I've just started All Systems Red, the first Murderbot Diaries book by Martha Wells, myself. It won every award in the known universe of course, and seems excellent so far - should be a quick read.

 

[Simbelmynë]

I've been trying to read more of late–especially with all of the tempting books sitting, waiting, near my bookcase.
Recently I've been rereading, "The Bear and The Nightingale" by Katherine Arden. She recently came out with the book to the trilogy, so I'm rereading the first to delve into the others. It's a story based in a historical Russian background, and the magic is also based in a very old Russian myth about the King of Winter, or Death, as he's known, and his brother, the Bear, Medved, Hunger, Famine (pick your poison). It's so intriguing because of the conflict between the "old ways" or what was considered pagan magic, and Christianity, which hit Russia.

I also added "S" to my collection of stories, although this requires more of my time because it's two stories put into one: the actual tale, "Ship of Theseus," and the story written in the margins between two college students. Over the course of the book, they hold a discourse within the pages about the mysteries behind the actual printed story and also develop a relationship. The book is also simulated to read, feel, and look like an actual library book being passed down from hand to hand, from the check-out stamps in the back, to the label on the binding.

I like the sound of The Bear and The Nightingale, might have seen that in Waterstones and will have to check it out at some point. Can’t say I really know anything about Russian myths but I do enjoy books based on mythology.

Also intrigued by your short story. I may have misread your post but is this a story of your own?

 

[HareBrain]

Finished A Passage to India. Brilliant all through, except perhaps for the short final part, which didn't seem to add much. One of those novels about mostly unremarkable people doing mostly unremarkable things, but which nevertheless seems to remarkably encompass Everything.

 

[Bick]

I just finished All Systems Red, by Martha Wells. Very good, I loved it. I shall read the others, but I don’t have them to hand, so they’ll have to wait a bit.

I’m now going to start a reading of The Past Through Tomorrow, the collected Future History stories of Robert A. Heinlein. I’ve read a few of these where they’ve been collected in other anthologies, but it should be good to read them collected together. The collection brings together 20 of his best short stories dating from 1939 through to 1957, all in his loosely-connected Future History as well as the first Lazarus Long novel, Methuselah’s Children.

 

[biodroid]

Finished Odd Hours by Dean Koontz, it literally is the oddest book in the series so far. Major character introduced in the beginning and then they don't appear for 70% of the book then right at the end they appear, don't know why he made her pivotal when she did nothing.

Going to try Age of Myth by Michael J Sullivan. Hope it's good.

 

[Randy M.]

Finished A Passage to India. Brilliant all through, except perhaps for the short final part, which didn't seem to add much. One of those novels about mostly unremarkable people doing mostly unremarkable things, but which nevertheless seems to remarkably encompass Everything.

Whew! Boy, am I relieved!

Seriously, I was surprised when I read it how fast it moved along, how beautifully written it was, and how it ended with a kind of mystery. I should reread it. Details have faded.

Randy M.

 

[Randy M.]

I’m now going to start a reading of The Past Through Tomorrow, the collected Future History stories of Robert A. Heinlein. I’ve read a few of these where they’ve been collected in other anthologies, but it should be good to read them collected together. The collection brings together 20 of his best short stories dating from 1939 through to 1957, all in his loosely-connected Future History as well as the first Lazarus Long novel, Methuselah’s Children.

Another one on Mount TBR that I should make a concerted effort to dig into. That said, next up is probably The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter. I really enjoyed Theodora Goss' story collection, In the Forest of Forgetfulness, and this novel looks to have a sense of playfulness and some humor, which sounds like a nice counter-balance to some of my recent , noir-ish reading.


Randy M.

 

[tobl]

I just finished All Systems Red, by Martha Wells. Very good, I loved it. I shall read the others, but I don’t have them to hand, so they’ll have to wait a bit.

I’m now going to start a reading of The Past Through Tomorrow, the collected Future History stories of Robert A. Heinlein. I’ve read a few of these where they’ve been collected in other anthologies, but it should be good to read them collected together. The collection brings together 20 of his best short stories dating from 1939 through to 1957, all in his loosely-connected Future History as well as the first Lazarus Long novel, Methuselah’s Children.

i love heinlein. especially, the world as a myth books.

 

[biodroid]

Started Age of Myth by Michael J Sullivan. So far I like the smooth flow of the writing, it feels natural not forced, the plot is quite gripping too. I had to force myself to stop reading or I will fall asleep at work.

 

[HareBrain]

About 1/4 through Lost Boy by Christina Henry, which was pressed on me by an enthusiastic barista. I'm not hugely attracted to the idea of retellings (this one is based on Peter Pan, though it's not Peter's story) but I love this so far.

Later today I'll be sequestering myself in a coffee shop with a slice of cake and reading various short stories which will probably do weird things to my brain.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Reading Gary's Compton's book, Prince Smurphy-Murphy and the Chocolate Mushrooms. So far cute and whimsical, with lots of illustrations.

 

[Hugh]

"The Marvellous Land of Snergs" by E.A. Wyke-Smith. Read on kindle but it had the original George Morrow illustrations.
I read this because Tolkien wrote to W.H. Auden that it was "probably an unconscious source book! for the Hobbits, not of anything else". In fact I found very little resemblance to the Hobbit/LOTR other than that the Snergs are around four feet tall and like feasting.
The main reason for my reading it was that it is well documented that he and his children loved the book and they all clearly had a lot of fun with it. Having read "Roverandom", "Mr Bliss" and "The Father Christmas Letters" last year, I had a sense of the imaginative interplay between Tolkien and his children. I hoped that in reading the Snergs I might pick up on this. Although after the first few pages I thought it might be tedious, I very much warmed into it, and at times I found myself, much to my surprise, thinking that Tolkien was reading it to me.

 

[Randy M.]

Not sure I'll get much time for reading this weekend, but if I do I'll be starting The Strange Case of the Alchemist's Daughter by Theodora Goss, which I've been meaning to read for a couple of years.

Randy M.

 

[Parson]

I've finished book 3 of the Murderbot series by Martha Wells; Rogue Protocol. I have immediately ordered and began reading book 4 Exit Strategy. My opinion thus far is that this is a great series. But I have reservations about the 4 novella set up. There is absolutely no significant break break between Rogue Protocol and Exit Strategy. It is like moving from chapter 9 in a novel to chapter 10. I'll have more to say when I finish.

Keeping my promise.

The Murderbot series is very tough to evaluate. Strictly as a work of Science Fiction it is first rate. The story is both believable and understandable while being most certainly S.F. (actually sort of surprisingly so, for someone who has written almost exclusively Fantasy) I love murderbot the main character it -but for some reason I want to call it a she. Cover?- is a a security bot who has hacked its governor and has set herself itself free from following commands "robotically." It (I almost said she again) is in the process of developing into a full individual. She calls herself "murderbot" because she remembers being part of a massacre dimly. Since she is both cloned material and mechanical her memory can not be entirely wiped. I won't say more about this because I don't want to spoil the story which I think is a crackerjack and deserves to be read. If I were to rate this I would rate it as a work which will be a classic, something on the order of Fredrick Pohl's Gateway. Original, gripping, and memorable. 5 stars

Sigh! Now for the bad news. This series of novellas is best compared to a television series where each story is dependent upon the former story. In fact, while a case could be made for a break between All Systems Red and Artificial Condition, there is little reason for a break between Artificial Condition and Rogue Protocol and no reason at all for a break between Rogue Protocol and Exit Strategy. I am dead certain that this is a marketing decision. Taken all together all four books come to at most 640 pages (Kindle estimates 160 pages each), but I've read that in the actual books that there is only about 100 pages per novella. Even the high end number of pages would only make a large size novel, and at the small end a normal novel. For all four ebooks I paid $33.95, if you would buy the hard cover the total would come to app. $60 and paperbacks $65. You will have to decide whether a very good novel is worth that kind of money. Because that is all you are getting. It is not four separate novels. It is four episodes of one very good story. Because of this I can't make myself give the books a 5 star rating. It feels like robbery.

 

[Extollager]

For me, the wonderful thing in Charles Williams's The Greater Trumps is not the card pack but the table of dancing figures, with the one in particular that seems both to be moving everywhere and standing still. There's real mythopoeic imagination there. There's more wonder in that room of dancing figures than whole "worlds" "built" by some authors.

For someone thinking of reading Charles Williams for the first time, my recommendation would likely be The Place of the Lion or, especially if the prospective reader leans to horror, All Hallows' Eve.

I've begun what will be my 13th reading of The Lord of the Rings. It's been almost seven years since my last reading, and I've been looking forward to this.

I expect to finish reading the Penguin selection (circa 1980) of Aubrey's Brief Lives within the next couple of weeks. This whetted my appetite for the unabridged version, about which more, I expect, before too long.

 

[Danny McG]

I've begun what will be my 13th reading of The Lord of the Rings. It's been almost seven years since my last reading, and I've been looking forward to this

On my agenda also for mid summer, sitting out on a deckchair on my patio.
I'm dithering whether or not to start with The Hobbit because I only reread that about two years ago but LOTR was a lot longer, maybe a decade

 

[Danny McG]

You will have to decide whether a very good novel is worth that kind of money. Because that is all you are getting. It is not four separate novels. It is four episodes of one very good story

I bought the first one but I'm waiting on buying the others.
I've a feeling that they'll eventually do an omnibus and I'd prefer to go bookshop and buy that.
But there might be parts 5 & 6 to get by then!