March Reading Thread

[J-Sun]

I finished Between the Strokes of Night by Charles Sheffield. Very good, as its reputation would suggest. Some great new ideas here and its also well written. I love the invention of S-Space - great stuff. Highly recommended if you like thoughtful yet pacy SF that spans the galaxy.

I'm now moving on to Merchanter's Luck, by C. J. Cherryh. Like the book I've just finished, this is another well regarded SF novel from one of the greats that I've not actually read before. Many books fall into this category, and I'm going to try and make a small dent in that particular pile over the next few months.

Glad you liked the Sheffield - it's one my favorites and, yep, S-Space is a fantastic idea. Did you read the 80s version or the revised version? I've only read the original one.

Merchanter's, which follows on from Downbelow Station in a smaller scale, is not on the same level as Strokes for me, but it's really good, too.

 

[Extollager]

Just finished a second reading of Morris's The Well at the World's End and a first reading of Reynolds's Permafrost. I've been reading stories in Cornell Woolrich's Nightwebs too. Next novel: Tolstoy's Resurrection, in a new translation from Penguin Classics.

 

[Brian G Turner]

Am still on The Three Body Problem, and while I enjoy the contemporary Chinese section, I get bored by the fantasy game that increasingly dominates the narrative - the character stands around watching not much happen.

I've therefore jumped across to Britain BC by Francis Pryor for a little light reading, and am hugely enjoying his chatting but insightful narrative of British prehistory.

 

[Danny McG]

I've finally gotten around to The Second Sleep by Robert Harris.

This was originally planned to be read between Christmas and New Year but, TBH, I genuinely forgot I had it!

It was only tonight, after seeing it mentioned on Facebook earlier, that I remembered and unearthed it.

 

[BAYLOR]

Im currently reading Pacific Vortex by Clive Cussler so far , its decent read, Ive seen his books for year on the shelf but until now, never read him. II p[lan to check out more of his books.

 

[BAYLOR]

I've finally gotten around to The Second Sleep by Robert Harris.

This was originally planned to be read between Christmas and New Year but, TBH, I genuinely forgot I had it!

It was only tonight, after seeing it mentioned on Facebook earlier, that I remembered and unearthed it.

You might want ot check out Joe Steele by Henry Turtledove . The premise is really twisted. What if Joseph Staline Paretns he'd emigrated to the United Staes and Jospeh Staline end up President t of the uUnited Staes instead of FDR.

 

[Danny McG]

You might want ot check out Joe Steele by Henry Turtledove . The premise is really twisted. What if Joseph Staline Paretns he'd emigrated to the United Staes and Jospeh Staline end up President t of the uUnited Staes instead of FDR.

Cheers Baylor, I've already got that as an ebook. It's in my TBR stack somewhere!

 

[Bick]

Glad you liked the Sheffield - it's one my favorites and, yep, S-Space is a fantastic idea. Did you read the 80s version or the revised version? I've only read the original one.

My pb edition of Strokes was published in 1987, I think its the first UK edition - I got it from a used book store, so I expect its original. I didn't know there were other versions. It's this edition:

Btw - not sure what that is on the cover, as it doesn't feature in the book

 

[soulsinging]

Im currently reading Pacific Vortex by Clive Cussler so far , its decent read, Ive seen his books for year on the shelf but until now, never read him. II p[lan to check out more of his books.

I've picked up so many Clive Cussler books only to think "maybe next time" every time. One of these days I'll follow through! The Dirk Pitt series sounds appealingly Indiana Jones-ish.

I finished The Lost Man by Jane Harper and loved it. One of the stronger mysteries I've read in a while. Buried family secrets and an eerie setting in the Australian outback. Always nice when an impulse grab pans out.

Now I'm on to Wizard of Earthsea by Le Guin. I read this series once years ago and don't remember much, but after being disappointed with the Dispossessed I kind of wanted to give a legend another chance. So far it's ok but there is something about Le Guin's writing I find off-putting. It's like there's only ever one fleshed out character (the main protagonist), yet I never really feel like I get to know them despite spending so much time "in their head."

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I've always felt, when reading A Wizard of Earthsea, which by the way I love, is that the main character is not Ged so much as it is Earthsea itself.

 

[BAYLOR]

My pb edition of Strokes was published in 1987, I think its the first UK edition - I got it from a used book store, so I expect its original. I didn't know there were other versions. It's this edition:

Btw - not sure what that is on the cover, as it doesn't feature in the book

I read that book and loved it.

 

[vanye]

I'm probably going to start The Light Brigade by Kameron Hurley next.

Please let us know what you think of it. I‘m still very much on the fence about The Stars are Legion and therefore need some help deciding if I should buy The Light Brigade.

 

[vanye]

I've picked up so many Clive Cussler books only to think "maybe next time" every time. One of these days I'll follow through! The Dirk Pitt series sounds appealingly Indiana Jones-ish.

It might pay to star with the first one, then (Raise the Titanic). I found that the subsequent books get weaker and stuck on jingoistic BS, so I stopped reading them after a few.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

I am well into Emus Loose in Egnar: Big Stories from Small Towns (2011) by Judy Muller. The title makes it sound like it's funny, but it's really a mostly serious book about newspapers in small American communities.

 

[tobl]

It might pay to star with the first one, then (Raise the Titanic). I found that the subsequent books get weaker and stuck on jingoistic BS, so I stopped reading them after a few.

i like cussler and numa files and oregon. dirk pitt is fun but totally over the top. is just by the 15 or 20, when 2 new characters appear that it gets lost

 

[J-Sun]

My pb edition of Strokes was published in 1987, I think its the first UK edition - I got it from a used book store, so I expect its original. I didn't know there were other versions. It's this edition:

Btw - not sure what that is on the cover, as it doesn't feature in the book

Yep, that would be the first one - same edition I read*. I forget when he revised it - I think around 2000 (ISFDB says 2002, actually). As far as the cover, maybe it's a weird conception of a ramjet? I'm not sure - a lot of SF books just have "spacy stuff" like that picture of a Way Station cover someone posted recently.

*Allowing that it was 1985 US. Mine looks like this:

 

[Danny McG]

I've finally gotten around to The Second Sleep by Robert Harris.

This is so dull!
DNF for certain.....maybe I'll keep it for those long nights of insomnia

 

[BAYLOR]

i like cussler and numa files and oregon. dirk pitt is fun but totally over the top. is just by the 15 or 20, when 2 new characters appear that it gets lost

Might I suggest James Rollins ?

 

[BAYLOR]

I've always felt, when reading A Wizard of Earthsea, which by the way I love, is that the main character is not Ged so much as it is Earthsea itself.

I read the first three Earthsea books. Among the best fantasy ive ever read.

You might find Bridge of Birds by Barry Hughart to of interest . It's fantasy set in ancient China.

 

[Foxbat]

Busy working my way through Radical Scotland. It covers an interesting period (1792-1820) of civil unrest and the precursors to trade unions in Scotland.