March's Mystical Musings Upon Mouth-Watering Manuscripts

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Following a recommendation somewhere on this site (I forget where), I'm reading Tanith Lee's first novel, The Birthgrave, and generally enjoying it (thankfully, as I couldn't find it second-hand and had to pay over £16 for a small-press paperback reprint).
 
Just started 'The Diamond Age' by Neal Stephenson after finishing and loving 'Snow Crash'. So far I'm really enjoying it.
 
Following a recommendation somewhere on this site (I forget where), I'm reading Tanith Lee's first novel, The Birthgrave, and generally enjoying it (thankfully, as I couldn't find it second-hand and had to pay over £16 for a small-press paperback reprint).

As you might expect, it being her first book, it's not her best, though it did make a big splash at the time. I'd read so many of her later books by the time I read Birthgrave I was a bit disappointed.
 
I've been reading a lot of Gaiman recently and am just about to start on American Gods. I also have Robertson Davies' Cornish Trilogy tempting me and a new Allende. Plus Jay Rayner's Greedy Man in a Hungry world to finish. Plus writing. Plus work. I need to cut one - is eating and mortgage-payments really neccessary...:p
 
Finished Jack London's THE CALL OF THE WILD. This started off as an endless litany of meaningless violence and brutality, hardly an adventure story at all. I was beginning to wonder if I made the right decision to read what many consider a venerable classic. Then the story came to an end, and what an ending it was, like STRAW DOGS except more explosive proving that when done right violence can be exciting. Everything then, that happened before, as uncomfortable and unpleasant as it was, suddenly made sense and seemed completely justified. Not an enjoyable read for a good long stretch but worth crossing the finish line for.
 
Springs, American Gods is the only Gaiman book I have ever read and I actually really liked it. His writing had a weird feel to it, and the book left me with an uncomfortable feeling at times...but in a good way. It was so different from what I normally read and I like to stretch the brain muscles some times.


For me , I am still on Way of Kings by Sanderson in a re-read. It is so massive!! I am almost on page 600...I cannot wait to finish and get the sequel in a week or so.
 
Finished Myke Cole's Control Point -a quick and easy read, enjoyable if you can ignore the fact that the protagonist is a bloody idiot you have no sympathy for..

Now reading Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie. Ill be honest its not grabbed me so far, have nearly put it down and chose something else 2 or 3 times but hopefully things are about to turn for the better.
 
So far this month:
  1. Orlando by Virginia Woolf - much funnier than I was expecting (and I've read it before).
  2. The Lights in the Sky Are Stars (aka Project Jupiter) by Frederic Brown - very slight and disappointing piece of SF in which people lecture each other for page after page and the author namechecks one of his own earlier funny books (What Mad Universe) as an inspiration to one of the characters.
 
Finished Doctor Sleep by Stephen King last night. Very good but a predictable ending that I guessed a mile away.

Started A Crucible of Souls by Mitchell Hogan. Not got far into it but so far it's quite good. Just hope it remains good.
 
Recently started two novels, which isn't my normal custom,
Generation Loss by Elizabeth Hand
Pietr the Latvian by Georges Simenon (first Inspector Maigret novel)

I've only read a couple of short stories by Hand and a (Maigret) novella by Simenon, so I have some catching up to do.

Randy M.
 
Finished Doctor Sleep by Stephen King last night. Very good but a predictable ending that I guessed a mile away.
Yes, it met the formula a bit toward the end didn't it.

I'm reading a quick Agatha Christie in between genre books: A Murder is Announced, which is a decent Miss Marple. Christie is sometimes criticised for her writing, which accepted wisdom seems to say is not on a par with her clever plots. However, the few I've read recently have been pretty well written, so I think it may be a bit of an urban legend.
 
Just finished Neverwhere, took a break to reread The Time Traveler's Wife, now onto American Gods. After that Robertson Davies' Cornish Trilogy and an Allende.

Must. Not. Set. Foot. In. The. Library.

Must. Not.
 
Finished Orphan Star last night. Onto the next in the Pip and Flinx series, End of the Matter.
Apparently Skua September from the Icerigger books makes an appearance!
 
Finished Jack London's THE CALL OF THE WILD. This started off as an endless litany of meaningless violence and brutality, hardly an adventure story at all. I was beginning to wonder if I made the right decision to read what many consider a venerable classic. Then the story came to an end, and what an ending it was, like STRAW DOGS except more explosive proving that when done right violence can be exciting. Everything then, that happened before, as uncomfortable and unpleasant as it was, suddenly made sense and seemed completely justified. Not an enjoyable read for a good long stretch but worth crossing the finish line for.
A good read that one. Alsp try White Fang about a semi-domesticated wolf hybrid. Reading these books you get the impression that London really knows his dogs!
 
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