Back to reading Rosemary and Rue by Seanan McGuire (first book in her October Daye urban fantasy series). Only read couple of pages, but things are setting down so should be getting back to reading more.
What about all of you? What have you been reading or listening to lately?
Official Bingo Turn-in post is live!
Finally getting around to the Expanse books. Currently on the third entry. So far so good, though they get more hype than I think is deserved.
I’ve recently finished Collapse by Carlos Taibo . In this book, the author mainly explores the definition and possible causes of a future collapse. The book revolves around the future scarcity of energy resources and climate change. Furthermore, he speculates about possible scenarios in a post-collapse society arising from an ecological crisis.
I enjoyed rereading it.
In the last “what are you reading” post I mentioned re-reading Piers Anthony’s Incarnations of Immortality series, also mentioning that the series is one of Anthony’s with the least amount of his weirdness in it. That was before I reached the last book in the series, And Eternity. That one goes full-on Piers Anthony weird. Like… oof.
Just finished: The Perks of Being a Wallflower. First time read for me, it was great! I really wish I’d read it as a teen.
Finishing up: 1984. I read it ~15 years ago, can’t believe how much I forgot.
Up next: Starship Troopers. It’s a book I own but haven’t read. I love the movie and typically hate reading a book I’ve already watched the movie version of, however I hear it’s worth the read and am curious how it’s written.
Good luck with Troopers. Verhoeven really spun some gold from the source material
Starship Troopers ended up a very different experience in the book, so I think you won’t feel as though you’re retreading too much.
Thank you for the insight! I’m hoping different will be a good thing, as most others seem to have liked the movie more.
Recently finished book 4 in Dungeon Crawler Carl series and yea. That was an ending I wasnt expecting and am excited to get to the next book.
Also got through Scream with Me: Horror Films and the Rise of American Feminism (1968-1980) by Eleanor Johnson. Had some interesting ideas on the horror genre and relations to what was going on at the time. Like the ERA and the Roe decisons. Was a really nice change of pace from all the scifi/fantasy i have been reading lately.
Just started Cult Following: The Extreme Sects That Capture Our Imaginations—and Take Over Our Lives by JW Ocker. Not far but feels like it will be interesting.
Just finished:
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Children of Strife by Adrian Tchaikovsky
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The Spear Cuts Through Water by Simon Jimenez
Currently reading:
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The Works of Vermin by Hiron Ennes
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The Language of Liars by S.L. Huang
Really enjoyed The Spear Cuts Through Water when I read it last year. Great world building, and the tone was just lovely.
What’d you think of Strife compared to the other 3? I liked 1 and 2 quite a bit but 3 felt like a wrong direction to take for me
On the one hand, it covers a broader stretch of time—from slightly before to slightly after the rest of the series—but on the other hand it’s more human-centric, with less exploration of new non-human intelligences (although there’s still some). And like book 3, it focuses more on a single planet (but also more of Earth than we’ve seen in the rest of the series).
I’d put in on par with 3, but I liked 3 more than a lot of other readers did.
Interesting. It’s a couple down on my to read list. Hopefully I’ll get to it this summer
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Just finished Andy Weir’s Artemis. Enjoyed it a lot. It felt a bit like Heinlein’s writing style, but better in the characters (although I haven’t reread any Heinlein in a while, so that may be inaccurate). Ended too soon for me, but then again it had to end where it did for that story line.
Just got caught up with the Dungeon Crawler Carl series and desperately awaiting book 8. I’m not a fan of LitRPG but hot damn it hits different.
Meanwhile I’m working my way through the Sun Eater series. Super morose and way *too full of self-reflection but it’s definitely grabbed my attention. and kept me wanting more.
How far along in Sun Eater are you? I’m only three books in, but wholely agree on your assessment!
I finished 1Q84 Book 3 yesterday. The journey is finally over and I’m glad to have had some closure to the story. I found some aspects of the storytelling were a bit repetitive at times, but I’m still a fan of Murakami’s dreamlike storytelling nonetheless.
I found a copy of Dungeon Crawler Carl’s Doomsday Scenario at the library, so that’s next on the reading list this week.
I have about a half hour left on The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley. It’s delightfully queer, but it could be gayer…
I’ve been reading the Throne of Glass series by Sarah J. Maas - currently on book #4, Queen of Shadows. Recommended to me by my wife.
Overall I’m liking the series, much better than the ACOTAR series (also by Sarah J. Maas) that I read only two books of before deciding I wasn’t into the spiciness that my wife enjoys.
I think the protagonists are pretty well written and fun to read as (mostly), but find the antagonists to be somewhat shallow. I’ve found the endings of each book to not feel as rewarding as I want and sometimes I feel like there are major exposition dumps towards the endings to explain everything quickly before wrapping up and setting up the next adventure.
I compare a lot of fantasy to Sanderson’s Cosmere so maybe I’m being unfair or biased… but I like the series well enough so no major complaints.
I went on a huge binge of these books last year. I personally liked the Crescent City books the best of hers. I think overall her plots are interesting but the writing and character development is fairly simplistic.
I’m currently reading the third novella in Radicalized, a collection by Cory Doctorow. It’s chilling stuff, especially this third one.
As of yesterday I finished:
All You Need is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka: I thought this was really fun. I liked the book more than the Tom Cruise movie so now I’ll have to see what the anime movie is like. I have to admit that the whole “it’s not technically a time loop” explanation felt really over thought and it could have just been time loops. A good vacation read
Will Destroy the Galaxy for Cash by Yahtzee Croshaw: Yahtzee is really good at his fundamentals. He knows how to fundamentally write a good story, produce a watchable YouTube video, and make engaging video game mechanics. His strength is in British comedy which in my opinion is usually best in written form because it allows for lengthy humorous asides. Well written with good twists and still very funny
Next up: Diaspora by Greg Egan and Will Leave the Galaxy for Good
I’m reading Perfume, by Patrick Süskind. I started reading it because apparently it was one of Kurt Cobain’s favorite books
I’m listening to Harrow the Ninth. I read a few years ago but I’ve forgotten quite a bit. It’s also fun to take in in audio form. I think there’s a lot I missed in the reading of it.
I’m reading Mossflower because I decided to rectify the fact I hadn’t read the Redwall books in middle school like everyone else (I was a snob).
