April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Reading

[Thadlerian]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

I have just started to read The Red Wolf Conspiracy by Robert V S Redick.

Lucky you! I'm still waiting for my local shop to take it in...

 

[kcs_hiker]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

Desolation Island by Patrick O'Brian
It's Not About the Bike by Lance Armstrong
Cell by Stephen King (didn't like it)
Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer (thought we were done with this love triangle... but apparently not)
Stone Cold by David Baldacci (good wrapup)
The Solace of Open Spaces by Gretel Ehrlich (excellent)
The City and the Stars by Arthur C. Clarke (rereading all his stuff)

 

[Urlik]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

just finished Clarke's Childhood's End
just started Analogue One

 

[j d worthington]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

I finished off The Shores of Death a couple of days ago, and have been reading Wilkie Collins' The Haunted Hotel -- his last novel before succumbing to medical problems and an opium addiction resulting from a prescription for said problems....

 

[DeepThought]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

Received a copy of Joe Abercrombie's The Last Argument of Kings. So putting my current reading aside momentarily.

Cheers, DeepThought

 

[j d worthington]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

Finished Collins' The Haunted Hotel last night. It's obvious he was already suffering some of the effects, as it lacks the power of his best work, is much, much briefer than usual, and is much more terse in both construction and writing; yet it has an odd, dreamlike sense of eerie fatality through much of the book that at times gives it quite a punch, and is at worst an enjoyable and interesting read, while the Countess Narona has an odd fascination as a truly fated and damned soul....

 

[Razorback]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

Finished The Muller-Fokker Effect, by John Sladek. It was a stream-of-consciousness, satirical comedy piece from 1971. It’s definitely part of the New Wave movement. It wasn’t much of a story. The writer seemed more interested in showing how witty and hip he was. It had some interesting ideas here and there, and the humor still works in spots, but it hasn’t aged very well. It was only 213 pages, but I thought it would never end. I probably would have thought more of it if I read it when it was new, but as of now I only rate it a 4 on a 10-scale. I expect a lot of people disagree with me on this one (it’s on Ian M. Banks’ top 10 list), but it didn’t work for me.

 

[Alurny]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

Just finished the first 3 books of Earthsea, now onto a new publication of some Elric books by Moorcock.

 

[j d worthington]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

Finished The Muller-Fokker Effect, by John Sladek. It was a stream-of-consciousness, satirical comedy piece from 1971. It’s definitely part of the New Wave movement. It wasn’t much of a story. The writer seemed more interested in showing how witty and hip he was. It had some interesting ideas here and there, and the humor still works in spots, but it hasn’t aged very well. It was only 213 pages, but I thought it would never end. I probably would have thought more of it if I read it when it was new, but as of now I only rate it a 4 on a 10-scale. I expect a lot of people disagree with me on this one (it’s on Ian M. Banks’ top 10 list), but it didn’t work for me.

I may be one of those who disagrees with you... though, to be honest, I've not read the book in close to 30 years. It's on my TBRR (that's "re-read") pile, though, and scheduled for a read fairly soon (I hope), so I'll let you know my opinion then, should you be interested....

 

[Razorback]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

I may be one of those who disagrees with you... though, to be honest, I've not read the book in close to 30 years. It's on my TBRR (that's "re-read") pile, though, and scheduled for a read fairly soon (I hope), so I'll let you know my opinion then, should you be interested....

I suspected you would. And I certainly would like to know your opinion on the re-read.

 

[Taltos]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

Managed to finish Stroud The Golem's Eye - don't know what to say about it, nothing especially interesting or ground breaking in this book, still it was readable and I can't say that it was wasted time.
Now to finish the trilogy The Ptolemy's Gate - 1/5 through it with one morning (as it has to be finished by Friday) and feeling is about the same as with the previous book - readable but not much more.

 

[AvoidingReality]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

I've just started A Companion to Wolves by Elizabeth Bear and Sarah Monette, but expect to be a long time in finishing it because I'm very busy at the moment. So far - counting the first 20 pages - it looks promising, but I haven't read enough to say more.

 

[murphy]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

I've just started A Companion to Wolves by Elizabeth Bear and Sarah Monette, but expect to be a long time in finishing it because I'm very busy at the moment. So far - counting the first 20 pages - it looks promising, but I haven't read enough to say more.

I really enjoyed it. Both writers are good.

 

[elvet]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

Just finishing up Skybowl, book 3 of Melanie Rawn's Dragon Star trilogy. It was good. She definitely has no qualms about the demise of characters. I read the Dragon Prince just prior to this so everything was fresh in my mind. I still had some difficulty remembering the minor charaters who often had similar sounding names. All in all a good read, not up there with Martin of GGK, but worthwhile nonetheless.

 

[murphy]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

Just finishing up Skybowl, book 3 of Melanie Rawn's Dragon Star trilogy. It was good. She definitely has no qualms about the demise of characters. I read the Dragon Prince just prior to this so everything was fresh in my mind. I still had some difficulty remembering the minor charaters who often had similar sounding names. All in all a good read, not up there with Martin of GGK, but worthwhile nonetheless.

Her Exiles books are better IMO, but unfortunately, the trilogy is lacking the 3rd book. Don't know when, if ever it will be written.

 

[j d worthington]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

At this point, I've moved on to a reading (or, rather, re-reading for the first time in a couple of decades) of The New SF, ed. Langdon Jones. While I can't say Giles Gordon's story (the opening piece) appeals that much to me personally, it is a story with many levels; certainly one that requires some chewing over. And Sallis' "The Anxiety in the Eyes of the Cricket" has always been among my favorite Cornelius stories -- not to mention that wonderful title....

 

[Nesacat]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

Just finished reading Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Published by Oxford University Press and put together by Robert L Mack. It's very well put together with a huge glossary explaining many things peculiar to the times.

It was a tad aggravating having to switch back and forth but i don't know if it could have been done any other way; unless it were footnotes.

 

[Connavar]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

I just got back to Fool Moon by Jim Butcher. In a better mood for it after reading Faded Sun,comics,mangas.

I like that its about Werewolfs this time and Bob cracks me up with his attitude and style , if you are Dresden fans you know why

Butcher really got him right. Sometimes i wish there was alot more air time for him in the storyline.

 

[D_Davis]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

Finally finished Where Late the Sweet Birds Sang. It was a slow read. Most of it is pretty good, although I wish the first scenario had been drawn out more. I found the conflict between the humans and the first clones to be the most interesting aspect of the novel, but that's all finished in about 70 pages.

 

[HoopyFrood]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

Just finished reading Sweeney Todd - The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Published by Oxford University Press and put together by Robert L Mack. It's very well put together with a huge glossary explaining many things peculiar to the times.

Robert Mack, you say. He's an English lecturer here at Exeter. He's awesome -- certainly makes a lasting impression every time you meet him. He has quite the fascination with Judy Garland, I hear.