March 2018 reading thread

[Parson]

@vanye Yes, Heroines will most certainly do. Remember I'm the big Honor Harrington fan here. But an 18th century novel, and the longest one in the English language at the time? ---- Still considered a classic, so I ordered it. And I fear we are dealing with my least favorite genre, Romance. I'll let you know by and by if I am able to stay with.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

I am about to start Come Along With Me (1968), a posthumous collection of pieces by Shirley Jackson. It contains the unfinished novel of the same name, several short stories, and three essays.

 

[nixie]

A reread of Neil Gaiman's Fragile Things.

 

[Vince W]

Starting The Leaky Establishment by David Langford.

 

[Toby Frost]

I'm reading an SF compilation from the late 80s called Isaac Asimov Presents Robots. There are some decent names in there. Most of the stories are from the 1950s or so, and it's striking how much of it feels like The Jetsons.

 

[williamjm]

I've only ever read (a good while ago) his book "The Inferior" - and didn't rate it too much.
I might revisit him nowadays to see if he appeals a bit better

I thought his book The Call was very good (The Invasion is the sequel/conclusion to it). I did like The Inferior, but I think The Call is better.

 

[nixie]

Neil Gaiman,Norse Mythology

 

[Parson]

Started listening to Genesis by Neil Luzito. I am enjoying it a lot so far.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Someone came through the checkouts today with what I thought was the worst, most tacky, most ridiculous title I'd ever seen on a book - it was something like "The Ladies of Lovely Lane". Sentimental old drivel!

Later at home I decided to look it up on Amazon and found that the book I'd seen was part of a series - so I checked out the first book and the sample chapter, ready for a laugh.

And was hooked! And as it was on offer at 99p I bought it!!

So I have now begun reading The Angels of Lovely Lane by Nadine Dorries.

[And, just to explain the terrible title - apparently, the books are based on a hospital in an area of Liverpool that is really called Lovely Lane, and the author - writing about a group of trainee nurses - did originally train as a nurse. Which both explains the title, and gives an expectation of authenticity of what's to come. I just hope I enjoy it!]

 

[vanye]

@vanye Yes, Heroines will most certainly do. Remember I'm the big Honor Harrington fan here. But an 18th century novel, and the longest one in the English language at the time? ---- Still considered a classic, so I ordered it. And I fear we are dealing with my least favorite genre, Romance. I'll let you know by and by if I am able to stay with.

I wouldn‘t really call it romance, I reckon. There is too little - uh - romance in it. It‘ll be very interesting to get your take on it. The way I see it, hell has a library with only this one book in it.

 

[dask]

Decided to set The Galaxy Primes aside for awhile. Maybe a good long while. Thought I was ready for another Doc Smith but discovered I was wrong. Can't quite put my finger on it and not sure I would want to if I could. So, with time getting more precious by the day I started this:

Can't quite follow all this Null-A stuff and figure out why it's so important but so far the story doesn't seem to require it of me and zips along quite nicely without fully knowing why.

 

[Vince W]

Decided to set The Galaxy Primes aside for awhile. Maybe a good long while. Thought I was ready for another Doc Smith but discovered I was wrong. Can't quite put my finger on it and not sure I would want to if I could. So, with time getting more precious by the day I started this:
View attachment 43527
Can't quite follow all this Null-A stuff and figure out why it's so important but so far the story doesn't seem to require it of me and zips along quite nicely without fully knowing why.

I have that exact copy on my shelves.

 

[Danny McG]

I have that exact copy on my shelves.

Ditto

 

[janeoreilly]

Reading Star Wars: catalyst

 

[Foxbat]

Just started David Weber's On Basilisk Station (which I wouldn't have heard of if I hadn't frequented this forum). First impressions are that the writing style is uncluttered and easy to read (which I consider a good thing)

 

[tobl]

Just started David Weber's On Basilisk Station (which I wouldn't have heard of if I hadn't frequented this forum). First impressions are that the writing style is uncluttered and easy to read (which I consider a good thing)

wow you pop the cherry with david weber? seriously? good choice in the book also. i think you're going to love Honor

 

[Extollager]

Harold Mead's Mary's Country, which someone here at Chrons praised highly a while ago, and which many of us have probably never heard of. It's a dystopian/survival novel. It was one of a number of fantasy and science fiction works in the catalogue of his library made after C. S. Lewis's death, though so far as I know Lewis isn't on record anywhere commenting on it. It reminds me a bit of things by John Christopher.

 

[Hugh]

Sadly I found Eric Newby’s “Slowly Down the Ganges” disappointing. It’s the account of his and his wife’s journey down much of the Ganges in the winter of 1963/4 in a variety of boats. A real pity as I’ve enjoyed other books of his and had been really looking forward to this one. I spent much of the time in reading it just feeling relieved that I wasn’t there with him.

At the same time I read through the Terry Carr anthology “Classic Science Fiction”, twelve stories from 1940-1942, mainly reprinted from Astounding Science Fiction. This was OK if a little dated: as the title indicates there are several classics. I bought it specifically to read Theodore Sturgeon’s “Microcosmic God” as @dannymcg had mentioned it in passing.

The above reading was interrupted by Jack Vance’s “Planet of Adventure” series omnibus edition. I enjoyed this very much. I hadn’t intended to read it for a while but looked at it idly while being kept on hold interminably on the phone and was immediately hooked and all other reading interrupted. What I particularly liked was that as I was reading the first volume, “City of the Chasch”, I suddenly realised that it was reminding me of reading Burroughs’ “Princess of Mars”, a book that I really loved aged @ thirteen. I’m sure others must have commented on this. It left me with very pleasant images of interesting alien peoples as I fell asleep at night.

Currently reading Neil Gaiman’s “Norse Mythology”. I assume this was a labour of love as he has strong competition from Kevin Crossley-Holland’s “The Norse Myths”. All credit to Neil for the effort he put into this.

 

[The Judge]

I've finished Crimes Against Magic by Steve McHugh. I can understand why some people might like the series, since the book was fast-paced and full of things -- mostly very violent things -- happening, but it wasn't for me. Minor issues of poor proof-reading and editing for the American market (despite being written by an English author, set mainly in England and populated by English-inhabiting if not English-by-birth characters) set my teeth on edge a little, though I coped, but I found the plot involved but not involving, the characters one-dimensional and mostly unpleasant (even the good guys seem borderline psychopaths), the writing basic and unimaginative, and any research into the reality of life in C15th France must have been of the most perfunctory kind. Disappointing.

I'm hoping for better things with Gateway by Frederik Pohl, reissued under the SF masterworks banner, which has already hooked me after only a few pages. And for some lighter fare, I've moved away from genre and picked up Ode to a Banker by Lindsey Davis, part of her Falco series set in Ancient Rome, which isn't gripping me to the same extent but has an enjoyable and witty voice.

 

[Extollager]

FWIW, Hugh, I really enjoyed Newby's Slowly Down the Ganges. Like you, I've enjoyed several other books by him, too.