It's November. What are you reading?

[Dan Jones]

OK everyone.

Feel free to post what you have been reading in the month of November.

The Call Of The Herald (1st novel in the Godland series) by Brian Rathbone. About 70% through - with great respect, it seems slightly amateurish editorially, perhaps unsurprising for a self-published novel. But great story, so will stick to it - have read that the quality improves with the series.

 

[Parson]

I've finished "Yellow Crocus" by Laila Ibrahim a solid historical novel of the American South in the 1840's and 50's seen through the eyes of a young plantation owner's daughter and her African wet nurse and later maid. Believable characters, well researched, and quite entertaining. I've also finished Rise of the Alliance by Ryk Brown, Episode 12 of the Frontiers Saga. This one was a bit of the disappointment it did not have the sparkle of the earlier novels. I suspect Ryk Brown is tiring of the story.

I'm 2/3's finished with The Art Forger by B.A. Shapiro. I've learned a lot about the techniques of painting and is an interesting story as well. It is hard to categorize as to genre. There is an historical aspect (many flashbacks to the 1890's). There is a mystery aspect (possibly a pair of crimes, or none at all?). And there is some romantic interests. All in all I like it quite well. I'm also reading Mind's Eye, a near future S.F. about a man who has a working neural interface with the internet and the ability to read minds. This one's hard to put down.

 

[Randy M.]

I'm about to start the thick anthology Masterpieces of Terror and the Supernatural (1985) selected by Marvin Kaye with Saralee Kaye. There are several familiar old classics included ("Dracula's Guest" by Bram Stoker, "Carmilla" by Sheridan LeFanu, etc.) as well as less familiar old stuff and new stuff.

Watch for reviews in the short story thread.

Another anthology I've dipped into without completing. I'll be interested in seeing you response to "Lazarus" and "The Tree" when you get that far.

Randy M.

 

[AE35Unit]

I gave up on First Lensman, its now listed on bookmooch for someone else to read. Or burn. I don't think Ill read another EE Smith book ever again!

 

[althea]

I'm reading Dragon Prince by Melanie Rawn.The author is new to me and I like her writing.
All the ingredients are there for a good story,ruthless royals,dragons and sunrunners,who practice magic.
It is shaping up nicely.

 

[John Dark]

Don't Look Now by Daphne du Maurier

Through the first two stories, one of which was The Birds, and just starting the third.

 

[Brian G Turner]

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch

Cool - will be interesting to see what you think of it - one of those authors people tend to love or hate:
http://www.sffchronicles.com/forum/scott-lynch/

Currently reading, Thing Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, and I am enjoying it.

Snap! Am hoping to finish it tonight or tomorrow. A very interesting book.

 

[HareBrain]

Unable to find anything tempting in the local library, I've started rereading The Lord of the Rings for the first time in over ten years. Lovely.

 

[Bick]

Unable to find anything tempting in the local library, I've started rereading The Lord of the Rings for the first time in over ten years. Lovely.

I was actually thinking I might do this. I got the 50th Anniversary hardback editions recently, and they do need a read.

 

[biodroid]

just finished with volume 23 of ddirk pitt adventures by clive cussler interesting as usual

I read Dragon and think I can remember something about robotic dogs on wheels that was over the top. And other interesting ways Dirk Pitt can survive impossible scenarios.

 

[Randy M.]

Concerning Things Fall Apart

[...]Snap! Am hoping to finish it tonight or tomorrow. A very interesting book.

I agree and would elaborate except I only got half-way through last week and this week reading time has dried up. (Darn it.)

Seriously, in reading this I have a similar sense to reading s.f. and some fantasy, of immersing myself in a culture different enough to feel a bit alien, but with parallels that allow for identification with characters and some situations. And the way Achebe writes gives the story a sort of mythic feel even when depicting daily activities and concerns.


Randy M.

 

[althea]

Concerning Things Fall Apart


I agree and would elaborate except I only got half-way through last week and this week reading time has dried up. (Darn it.)

Seriously, in reading this I have a similar sense to reading s.f. and some fantasy, of immersing myself in a culture different enough to feel a bit alien, but with parallels that allow for identification with characters and some situations. And the way Achebe writes gives the story a sort of mythic feel even when depicting daily activities and concerns.


Randy M.

I started this in the summer but couldn't get going with it.Nowadays,I regard my time as a limited resource,and give myself about 20 pages to "get into" a book.If it hasn't grabbed me by then,I let it go.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Seriously, in reading this I have a similar sense to reading s.f. and some fantasy, of immersing myself in a culture different enough to feel a bit alien, but with parallels that allow for identification with characters and some situations. And the way Achebe writes gives the story a sort of mythic feel even when depicting daily activities and concerns.

Indeed, I accepted the village culture and value systems as the norm - so the alieness of "the white man" comes across really strong, despite some shared values. This is where the story became especially rich and interesting for me.

 

[AE35Unit]

Now reading Flinx in Flux by Alan Dean Foster. A return to the world of Pip and Flinx.

 

[TheShadowsandSilence]

You may have mentioned having done so before and my memory isn't recovering it, but... have you read his The Ceremonies? I'd classify that as one of the very best modern "horror" novels of the latter twentieth century....

Sorry for the delay in answering, I've had no internet for the last few weeks. I have read The Ceremonies and I absolutely loved it, it has such an excellent sense of pace and tone. I love 'The Events at Poroth Farm' as well, a brilliant story (but a very different piece even though the two share plot similarities). I would definitely classify The Ceremonies as one of the great horror novels.

 

[Hex]

Reading Dust and Light by Carol Berg. It took me a little time to warm to the protagonist but once I got over that, I've been loving it. More accessible than the Collegia Magica books (which were excellent but a little more elaborate) and it's set in a world I love already because of her Breath and Bone/ Flesh and Spirit duology.

It's a great, dark, clever murder mystery/ political intrigue. The only problem is that the sequel, Ash and Silver, isn't due out until next August. Not sure I can cope...

 

[The Bluestocking]

Got distracted from my ongoing reading list as I tear through Simon R. Green's Ghost Finders series.

Not bad at all. Writing is a little patchy and there are some gaps but the storytelling is solid and the action races along though it's not quite up there with Clive Cussler's Sahara or Robert McCammon's opening scene from The Wolf's Hour. And Robert McCammon's writing and pacing far outdoes Cussler's or Green's.

Sounds like I'm comparing apples (Urban Fantasy/Horror) with oranges (action/adventure) but all these stories are action-packed and I think it's a fair comparison in some ways.

 

[Vince W]

Starting The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu, translated by Ken Liu (no relation). Winner of the Galaxy Award (China's Hugo) in 2006.

 

[martin321]

A Dance with Dragons (Part 2: After the Feast) by G.R.R. Martin - I finally got around to reading this and enjoyed it. Obviously, it's not as good as the first three books in the series, but is still pretty entertaining.

Goblin Moon by Teresa Edgerton - Another entertaining book. It made a nice change from all the faux-medieval fantasy I usually read.

The Prisoner of Zenda and Rupert of Hentzau by Anthony Hope - Good old-fashioned swashbuckling adventure stories.

 

[Parson]

Finished The Art Forger by B.A. Shapiro. Excellent book, a best seller and well deserved. Picked up The Giver by Lois Lowry a winner of a John Newbery winner. Looking forward to it. I'm well into Mind's Eye from Douglas E. Richards a S.F. in near future. Pretty good and really unusual in this day and age, a story whose main character is male. I'd bet I haven't had 15% male leads this entire year.