What we're reading in August...

[Naryaló S dú]

I didn't see anyone start one; it being August 1st, so have you started reading anything new so far in August?

 

[Naryaló S dú]

I'm still reading Lord of The Rings, Naruto 15, and some Richard Feynman books.

 

[tangaloomababe]

I am re reading The Historian, loved it so much. I am waiting on 4 books, two from the books store and two I purchased online. All recommended by NESA, who has become a great source of book referrals. Thanks Nesa.

 

[Pyan]

A Short History of Nearly Everything - Bill Bryson

 

[HoopyFrood]

Damn, August already. How time flies.

Anyway...same thing I read every week, Pinky...

Sorry, I mean the same things I was reading in July: Deadhouse Gates by Erikson and dipping into Tales of Suspense by Poe when I get the chance. Finished Pit and the Pendulum the other day. Damn I love that story!

 

[GOLLUM]

OOPS forgot to start a thread for the new month, thanks for that....

Still completing Michael Flynn's Eifelheim, it's excellent to date.

 

[kcs_hiker]

Jonathon Strange and Mr. Norrell

soon to start Iggulden's Emperor and Scarrow's Legion series

rereading some Robert Heinlein and maybe even some Edgar Rice Burroughs (found some of the John Carter books when I was digging for my old RAH stuff... couldn't pass up the covers heh)

 

[ice.monkey]

'The Jester' by James Patterson and Andrew Gross. 100 pages in. So far it's okay, but nothing special. Really undecided about what to read after that. I've got a John Connolly to read, but also Michael Crichton's 'Eaters of the Dead', 'Rifles' by Mark Urban, 'Last of the Amazons' by Steven Pressfield and a rake of books I want to get and read!!

Too many books, too little time! I need an upload facility!!

 

[SpaceShip]

A Short History of Nearly Everything - Bill Bryson

How you getting on with that Py? I keep picking it up and putting it down. Yes, it's full of interesting facts and info but a bit heavy for Bryson I think.

I'm reading his Made in America and still struggling through Grantchester Grind by Tom Sharpe

 

[Nesacat]

Just started Wierd Shadows Over Innsmouth edited by Stephen Jones. Am also reading, in the same vein, The Children Of Cthulhu edited by John Pelan and Benjamin Adams.

For something different am reading The Third Witch by Rebecca Reisert and Hermit in Paris: Autobiographical Writings by Italo Calvino.

 

[Connavar]

Jonathon Strange and Mr. Norrell

soon to start Iggulden's Emperor and Scarrow's Legion series

rereading some Robert Heinlein and maybe even some Edgar Rice Burroughs (found some of the John Carter books when I was digging for my old RAH stuff... couldn't pass up the covers heh)

Ooh very cool seeing another Conn and Scarrow fan

Im reading alot of them right now.

Im on right the second book in the Emperor series and i have Scarrow second and third Legion books waiting for me.

Let me know what you think about them in thier threads in HF forum.

Alittle warning about Emperor series, dont expect it to be 100% historical Accuracy. Its pretty accurate when its about Gauis Julius Ceasar but not the other characters and Rome herself in his time.

I dont care about that at all cause Conn is great writing very well rounded characters and a great story.

 

[Briareus Delta]

Technically, I started this in July but, hey, sue me!

I'm reading Darker Than You Think by Jack Williamson, part of the Fantasy Masterworks series. It's a classic tale of lycanthropy. I'm about halfway through and enjoying it immensely.

 

[Soggyfox]

Peter F Hamilton - The Dreaming Void.

i have Hilldiggers on the bookshelf and some Warhammer 40K to pass the time.

 

[cougs]

Finishing up Elantris by Brandon Sanderson, before I move onto Erikson’s Malazan books and some Conan (Howard).

After glancing through Max Brook's Zombie Survival Guide, it looked like too much fun not to pick up...so I need to squeeze that in somewhere.

 

[GOLLUM]

I'm reading Darker Than You Think by Jack Williamson, part of the Fantasy Masterworks series. It's a classic tale of lycanthropy. I'm about halfway through and enjoying it immensely.

It's an excellent story and well deserving of the Masterworks collection....

 

[Mark Robson]

Just finished a quite disturbing YA book called Red Tears by Joanna Kenrick. The central character in the story gradually descends into clinical depression and onwards into a cycle of self harming. I think the most disturbing thing about the book for me was not the language, or even the nature of the self harming, it was more the fact that it caused a lot of the very worst memories from my own teenage years to surface. I finished the story thinking 'There but for the grace of God ...'

The story is well plotted, and the characters are all too real. Not a book for everyone by any means, but it was a book that made me think.

 

[Nesacat]

Mark ... Yes it is disturbing but it's a very good book. It's helped me with working with young people who harm themselves. She writes well, she does not make an unnecessary fuss. The young people I work with seem to respond very positively to it for which I am very grateful.

 

[Rane Longfox]

So technically I read most of these in July, but whatever...

Been reading a number of books over the last month.

Al Reynolds - Chasm City
It's been so long since I read this that I actually managed to forget the twist at the end. Thank god, because if you know what's coming, this isn't such a wonderful book

Well written, and with some really good ideas though.

GRRM - A Feast for Crows
The only book that appealed in an english-language bookshop in Rome, I finally got around to reading this, and nearly threw it straight in the bin after a few chapters. Persevered, but it didn't really get much better. A few hints of action later in the book were suitably dulled down by the dreary, slow writing, and Martin's usually excellent political machinations were limited to making me cringe every time I saw the word "Cersei" at the heading of a chapter. I can hardly believe this is the same man who wrote A Storm of Swords.

Harry Potter 7
Well, written, technically, with a horribly predictable plot and no decent twists to speak of. The few "good" deaths were hardly ever seen, and merely mentioned, and some really good oportunities missed. Dissapointing ending to an occasionally promising series.

Scott Lynch - Red Seas Under Red Skies
By far the best book of the bunch. A little dissapointing at the end, but clearly it will be expanded upon in a later book. I enjoyed this just as much, if not more than tLoLL, even if only for the sailing. Great fun to read, and the mixing of so many different genres is really impressive.

Jim Butcher - Fool Moon
About half way through this at the moment, and in two minds. As with the first Dresden book, the writing does jar from time to time, and the plot twists seem... uneccessary, but the characters are wonderful, and the rare moments of comedy are well worth the wait.

 

[Stormpirate]

Rane, I recommend keeping on with the Dresden books. The writing does suffer a bit in the first couple of books, but they get much better as you go along.

It's been awhile since I posted in this thread!

Reading:
Under the Black Flag: The Romance and Reality of Life Among the Pirates. This is an interesting book, but I feel like I've been reading it forever.

The Book of Air and Shadows. Just got started on this one. From the summary, it's like The Da Vinci Code, but with Shakespeare. A manuscript in the Bard's own handwriting has been discovered, and it's a race to find it.

I picked up 1984 a few months ago, but can't seem to keep on it.

 

[mogora]

Red Seas Under Red Skies.
It started great, got a bit draggy, and now looks to be picking up with the sailing lessons, which is where I am now. Sad over poor kitty at the furniture maker's. Giggled over the idea of lucky kitty in a basket on a boat. Read a review on sfrevu.com that had a %^$##@ spoiler about Caldis, who I just met and like a lot. Hope there's more kitties in the rest of the book.

The Outback Stars.
Late getting this, but wanting more sci-fi type stuff lately. Would prefer standalones, which this isn't, but at least not massive tome to use as chocks on 18-wheeler.

Pushing Ice.
Yes, late on this too. Sounded good from recommendation on another thread.

Treason's Harbour by Patrick O'Brian.
Ok, technically historical fiction. But the full immersion in a strange world of people who think very differently feels just so totally right to my SF likes. I'm finally understanding more and finding a lot to be really, really funny.

(Rane: I read Feast for Crows some time ago but agree completely. A great disappointment that has severely tarnishment my enjoyment of the series.)