What book are you reading...

jumpy · 1 Apr 2015 at 09:56

Illium - Dan Simmons

A sci-fi rework of the Illiad, kind-of.

Glaucus · 1 Apr 2015 at 12:36

Fear the sky,
About half way through and it's brilliant. I hope the other two books in the series are just as good.

In eleven years time, a million members of an alien race will arrive at Earth. Years before they enter orbit, their approach will be announced by the flare of a thousand flames in the sky, their ships’ huge engines burning hard to slow them from the vast speeds needed to cross interstellar space.

These foreboding lights will shine in our night sky like new stars, getting ever brighter until they outshine even the sun, casting ominous shadows and banishing the night until they suddenly blink out.

Their technology is vastly superior to ours, and they know they cannot possibly lose the coming conflict. But they, like us, have found no answer to the destructive force of the atom, and they have no intention of facing the onslaught of our primitive nuclear arsenal, or the devastation it would wreak on the planet they crave.

So they have flung out an advanced party in front of them, hidden within one of the countless asteroids randomly roaming the void.

They do not want us, they want our planet. Their Agents are arriving.

Bickaxe · 1 Apr 2015 at 13:45

Just finished The Martian.
Loved it, would read again

On to Catch 22 now. So far quite weird but amusing.

GTRacer · 1 Apr 2015 at 14:11

Just finished 'It's What I Do' by Lynsey Addario, really interesting account on life as a conflict/documentary photographer.

Currently a quarter of the way through 'Tender is the Night' by F Scott Fitzgerald. Really great prose, can't form my opinion on the overall story yet though.

Egon · 3 Apr 2015 at 15:55

Got 12 books on my "What to next read list". Looking for a series to get my teeth into though.

The list below gives you a fairly good idea of my tastes and a lot of that list came from recommendations on here. All suggestions welcome and I'll look them up.

List came from uk.ereaderiq.com btw, great site for tracking kindle book prices

EDIT: Just grabbed the Assassin's Apprentice (The Farseer Trilogy, Book 1) for 99p so that's one option.

shroomz · 4 Apr 2015 at 17:01

Idleman said:
Just read some reviews and not to sold on it, if I'm honest. I much prefer a story that allows you to relate to the characters and see the full picture through their eyes. To see what motivates them, what drives them. To get a sense of their history and so better enjoy their journey of adventure. Where mysteries and unanswered questions become clearer as the story progresses.
The Malaxen Books seem to have far to many characters coming and going, I think I would loose interest very quickly. I have a low attention span and get bored very quickly, so whatever I read needs to be gripping and draw me in. This feels like to much hard work to read.

Yeah, you may well hate the Malazan books. It's not that they're not gripping, it's rather that the scale is so massive and everything is actually related in a way that isn't always immediately apparent, it can get confusing. I love them, halfway through Midnight Tides.

Nursie · 4 Apr 2015 at 17:53

Currently reading Wolf Hall after enjoying the TV version

NiCkNaMe · 5 Apr 2015 at 17:13

Finished off a series by Terry Schott - The Game is Life. Five books in total, all really good. There is an interlude in the middle (book 3) that I'd recommend reading as it gives some useful background. Really gripping, all about virtual reality as an education tool but has lots of twists and turns.

Also just finished nanostrike by Pete Barber which was ok, but a bit predictable and half way through ratcatcher by Tim Stevens. Oh and the latest Chris Ryan (Hunter Killer) which again whilst predictable was very easy to read and I think I went through it in about a day!

Started to use bookbub to let me know about daily deals on Amazon and picking up a huge number of free or 99p books

blundaruss · 6 Apr 2015 at 09:10

NiCkNaMe - The Game is life series sounds pretty cool, but can you tell me if its YA? I have read some YA books in the past and not really got on with them, think im a little old for YA now! :\

NiCkNaMe · 6 Apr 2015 at 12:02

Nah its not YA, at least I wouldn't say so! Some pretty complex threads at times and pretty thought provoking.

blundaruss · 6 Apr 2015 at 13:07

Cool, might give it a go. Currently reading the necroscope series, very good! think im on book 5 or 6 but theres a lot more to go! think i might give necroscope a break after this one, fancy somthing different.

No1newts · 8 Apr 2015 at 09:50

Going to give the Elric of Melniborne books a go as I've heard a fair bit about them.

Cosimo · 8 Apr 2015 at 11:24

Back to some spy fiction with Charles Cumming's first book, A Spy by Nature.

Cleisthenes · 8 Apr 2015 at 11:26

Reading Mark Kermode's 'Hatchet Job'. Good so far, if you're interesting in film and film criticism that is

chroniclard · 8 Apr 2015 at 11:32

Idleman said:
Just read some reviews and not to sold on it, if I'm honest. I much prefer a story that allows you to relate to the characters and see the full picture through their eyes. To see what motivates them, what drives them. To get a sense of their history and so better enjoy their journey of adventure. Where mysteries and unanswered questions become clearer as the story progresses.
The Malaxen Books seem to have far to many characters coming and going, I think I would loose interest very quickly. I have a low attention span and get bored very quickly, so whatever I read needs to be gripping and draw me in. This feels like to much hard work to read.

*Malazan

They are slightly complex at times with the myriad of characters but they do all flow together and it all falls into place as you progress. The characters also progress quite nicely.

They are quite refreshing after the endless farm boy becomes awesome dross.

That said I have only just started book 5.

shroomz · 8 Apr 2015 at 12:15

chroniclard said:
They are quite refreshing after the endless farm boy becomes awesome dross.

100 times yes.

Munimentum · 8 Apr 2015 at 13:14

toshj said:
Was going to say the Wheel of Time. Phenomenally detailed, the world building is incredible, despite the slight lull from 8-10. I genuinely reckon that 1-6 are some of the most exciting books I've read.

But then again, everyone keeps on telling me to read Malazan, so I should probably get round to that soon

Wheel of Time is what I always recommend for someone looking for a huge series. Just reading this has made me want to go and read them all again for like the 6th time

rs1800 · 8 Apr 2015 at 13:30

Just started DO NO HARM by Henry Marsh, a brain surgeon talking about various operations. Facinating so far.

Kosmiche · 9 Apr 2015 at 12:17

I'm reading Prince of Thorns by Mark Lawrence.

Such a page turner this book is.

Darujhistan · 28 Apr 2015 at 18:55

Idleman said:
Just read some reviews and not to sold on it, if I'm honest. I much prefer a story that allows you to relate to the characters and see the full picture through their eyes. To see what motivates them, what drives them. To get a sense of their history and so better enjoy their journey of adventure. Where mysteries and unanswered questions become clearer as the story progresses.
The Malaxen Books seem to have far to many characters coming and going, I think I would loose interest very quickly. I have a low attention span and get bored very quickly, so whatever I read needs to be gripping and draw me in. This feels like to much hard work to read.

Malazan is not for you. Definitely not. That's not a criticism either by the way, they are very complex, the scale and ambition of this series is unmatched. There's some crackers in there though, especially 2 thru 6. People may think that A Song of Ice and Fire is complex with lots of characters etc but Malazan makes it look like a child's story. Not that ASOIAF isn't great it is, but it's relatively straightforward.