What book are you reading...

[x-st]

Recently read Adam Kay - This is going to hurt. Diaries from his time as a junior doctor. Loved it, had me laughing out load at times.

It was great wasn't it. One of those books I could literally have read in one sitting and had to force myself to put it down to actually get some sleep.

Having finished the Predator Omnibus I'm now reading Simon R. Green's newest mystery in the Ishmael Jones series, Into The Thinnest of Air.

 

[checjb]

Reading: "Hard Road" (John Reznick Book 1) by J. B. Turner. Really good. Only 25% in but it's really action packed. Kind of Bourne-like but with the guy knowing he's an assassin from the start.
Just finished: "The Event" by Nathan Hystad. Millions of space craft appear above the Erath and then whisk everyone away except for one random guy. It then goes through post-apoc, ID4 and Stargate. Very intriguing and easy to read. It's not high art but fun for those quick 10 minute sessions.

Listening to: "We are Legion (We are Bob)". A guy dies and wakes up to find himself the "AI" on a space ship. Fantastic, engaging, thought provoking, funny and gloriously nerdy. One of those books that I don't want to put down and really don't want it to finish. Luckily there are already 2 more to satisfy me when I do reach the end of this one.

 

[chroniclard]

Just read Blackwing: Raven's Mark Book One by Ed McDonald. Pretty decent as fantasy goes. Awaiting book two later this year.

 

[Ancientpencil]

Sorry to all, but I'm heavily into Jeffrey Archer. It's easy reading and I like the twists. He's got loads of free short stories on Kindle. I'm also into Edward Rutherfurd, who wrote his history of London, Paris and Salisbury, to name but a few.

The Mystery Method!

Pancakes are wonderful, especially traditionally with lemon and sugar.

 

[Glaucus]

The culture series is great, well I should say the first book is.
On to Machines that think : everything you need to know about the coming age of AI by NewScientist

So far very interesting indeed.

Then probably on to book 2 of the culture series. Or maybe Alien Invasion.

 

[bsheep9]

Ready player one.

Good read at the moment. Trying to finish it before the film comes out

 

[x-st]

Just finished David Gerard's Attack of the 50 Foot Blockchain: Bitcoin, Blockchain, Ethereum & Smart Contracts. Well, looks like any possibility of me taking a punt on crypto to make me a fortune is now officially dead....undeniably this book really drills down on the subject and doesn't have much good to say about any of it.

 

[deej]

Ready player one.

Good read at the moment. Trying to finish it before the film comes out

Just finished this. Really enjoyed it and sped through it.

Before that it was the Lotus War trilogy by Jay Kristoff. Nice Steampunk/Japanese Shogunate crossover.

 

[Ancientpencil]

J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings is always a great read but have to start with the Hobbit first. I was pleased I'd read them all before watching any of the films; Jackson brought all the pages to life. I may put them all back on my long reading list.

 

[chroniclard]

J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings is always a great read but have to start with the Hobbit first. I was pleased I'd read them all before watching any of the films; Jackson brought all the pages to life. I may put them all back on my long reading list.

Likewise, probably read LOTR a dozen times before the film came out. Sadly I will likely never read the books again as the films ruin them for me. (Not that the films are bad, I enjoyed them a lot)

 

[FortuitousFluke]

Just finished the Audiobook of Joe Abercrombie's The Heroes. Really enjoyed it, good balance of darkness and humour and you really get a sense of the absolute pointlessness of the central conflict as well as a good understanding of the inner workings of the characters, most of which are desperately trying to avoid as much involvement in the war as possible, despite most of them being soldiers.

I've listened to a few audiobooks through various Audible offers and I've got to say that Stephen Pacey has to be by far and away my favourite narrator.

 

[toshj]

Just finished the Audiobook of Joe Abercrombie's The Heroes. Really enjoyed it, good balance of darkness and humour and you really get a sense of the absolute pointlessness of the central conflict as well as a good understanding of the inner workings of the characters, most of which are desperately trying to avoid as much involvement in the war as possible, despite most of them being soldiers.

Within the genre, it's a very good book indeed. Have you read or listened to Best Served Cold? I personally think it's Aberombie's best work, superior to the trilogy even. I read both BSC and TH back to back recently, and had to take an enforced break from his work as I became unnecessary cynical and world-weary for a couple of weeks!

 

[FortuitousFluke]

Within the genre, it's a very good book indeed. Have you read or listened to Best Served Cold? I personally think it's Aberombie's best work, superior to the trilogy even. I read both BSC and TH back to back recently, and had to take an enforced break from his work as I became unnecessary cynical and world-weary for a couple of weeks!

So I read the first law trilogy a few years back and now I've listened to the audiobooks for all three of the stand alone books, I have to say he's probably one of the most accomplished fantasy writers around today in terms of the quality of his writing. I really enjoyed BSC but I think The Heroes is my favourite of his works, the cynicism of Tully, Whirrun's musings on the nature of violence and the general interplay between all of the characters during the downtime between battles just rang true for me. When I was looking back at it I was surprised how much I enjoyed it given that in terms of actual plot driven action, not a lot really happened (which I guess is the point).

I think I'd give my left arm for a series of books following the trials and tribulations of Nicomo Cosca, has to be one of the least redeemable characters I've ever read about but I loved him. Completely in keeping with his character, that of an absolutely horrendous individual who happens to be dangerously charismatic.

 

[toshj]

So I read the first law trilogy a few years back and now I've listened to the audiobooks for all three of the stand alone books, I have to say he's probably one of the most accomplished fantasy writers around today in terms of the quality of his writing. I really enjoyed BSC but I think The Heroes is my favourite of his works, the cynicism of Tully, Whirrun's musings on the nature of violence and the general interplay between all of the characters during the downtime between battles just rang true for me. When I was looking back at it I was surprised how much I enjoyed it given that in terms of actual plot driven action, not a lot really happened (which I guess is the point).

I think I'd give my left arm for a series of books following the trials and tribulations of Nicomo Cosca, has to be one of the least redeemable characters I've ever read about but I loved him. Completely in keeping with his character, that of an absolutely horrendous individual who happens to be dangerously charismatic.

Yeah, I think I was all Abercrombied-out by the time I'd finished The Heroes, but I did very much enjoy it. Not got round to reading Red Country yet as when it appeared on my eReader the smallest font size was absolutely massive!

Agreed that a Nicomo Cosca series of books would be incredible. Definitely one of my favourite characters across the genre.

 

[No1newts]

Red Country is a great read if the twist is a little too flagposted and the "big" scene seemed a little cut short but still a great read.

He's back writing in the first law world after a break on the half world books, I was actually exchanging emails with him a year or so ago when he had just started writing the trilogy again. He comes across as a genuinely nice bloke.

 

[FortuitousFluke]

Yeah, I think I was all Abercrombied-out by the time I'd finished The Heroes, but I did very much enjoy it. Not got round to reading Red Country yet as when it appeared on my eReader the smallest font size was absolutely massive!

I can understand that, Best Served Cold is especially draining, it's effectively one man desperate for redemption attempting to improve himself and coming out of the experience 100x worse than he was in the first place. I think that's why I enjoy the humour so much, you need it to cut through all the grim!

Red Country is a great read if the twist is a little too flagposted and the "big" scene seemed a little cut short but still a great read.

He's back writing in the first law world after a break on the half world books, I was actually exchanging emails with him a year or so ago when he had just started writing the trilogy again. He comes across as a genuinely nice bloke.

That's really cool. I read a lot of fantasy and I've got to say there's a truth and intelligence to his writing that I've just not managed to find elsewhere, that's not to say other offerings aren't good, I think we're having a bit of a fantasy renaissance, it's just his stuff is different in a way that a lot of books in the fantasy genre aren't. Very excited to hear he's back on the first law world.

 

[No1newts]

You have a bit of variety in the scene now. It used to be all high/epic fantasy (which is fine) but the grimdark (Lawrence, Abercrombie etc) adds a new depth and grim/epic crosses like Erikson & Martin all leave the genre in a pretty good place.

Edit: read his blog if you want updates, he's not that regular but they're good updates. He's drafted the first two if the trilogy and the third is almost finished draft iirc aiming for 2019 book 1 publication and then 12/18 month intervals thereafter. Again iirc I think the first books working title is "A Little Hatred" set about 20 years after Red Country.

 

[Rob200sx]

I've made a start on the Horus Heresy, 46 books! Currently on book 3 and enjoying it so far, this is not going to be a cheap endeavour.

 

[Ancientpencil]

It's money well-worth spending if you're enjoying them so much. I recently downloaded some free kindle books but never attempted such a big series. Very best wishes.

 

[Shamikebab]

It starts off really well but it loses it's way and meanders a lot. It falls down because GW doesn't want it to end so there are a billion short stories and audiobooks and it's hard to tell what order things are meant to be read in. I still read it because I've started so I'll finish but it's fallen apart because it's being run by a business rather than as a series of books.


Just finished Chronicles of the Unhewn Throne by Brian Stavely. An interesting series, I liked the world and it did some interesting things.