November Reading Thread

[Danny McG]

Now reading The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle.

I know, I know. But I can't help myself, it's been my comfort read a couple of times a year since it was first published and I bought it brand new in 1974!

 

[mosaix]

The Enchanted - Rene Denfeld

 

[Dave Vicks]

THE VIEW FROM THE CHEAPSEATS.Neil
Gaiman.2016
Essays.

 

[Dave Vicks]

SPACE 2.0 by Rod Pyle.2019
About the new Space Age.

 

[williamjm]

Yes, Amongst Our Weapons was the last that I bought in Hard back and over a year ago, so about time for a new book I want to see what the new baby is like I guess by their titles Winters Gift, and maybe also The Masquerades of Spring reference that.

Those two novellas are both set in America, Winter's Gift follows FBI Agent Reynolds (although Peter does get mentioned a bit) while Masquerades is in 1920s New York.

 

[Ubergeek]

THE VIEW FROM THE CHEAPSEATS.Neil
Gaiman.2016
Essays.

Liked the one about introducing his daughter to the Bride of Frankenstein movie .

 

[Dave]

In that case I've already read Winter's Gift but not Masquerades. I'll have to find that and the short graphic novels, and look at Tales from the Folly to see if I've read everything inside there or not. Thanks.

 

[dask]

Next:

 

[Parson]

Now reading The Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle.

I know, I know. But I can't help myself, it's been my comfort read a couple of times a year since it was first published and I bought it brand new in 1974!

The last time you posted this I went and read it again. It does stand the test of time, but I found I didn't like it quite as well as I liked it the first time so I probably won't read it again.

 

[Bick]

I’m now reading Edmund Cooper’s The Tenth Planet. Enjoyable - the best stuff by Cooper can be very good. This is not his very best, and has aged a bit, but it’s better than most modern SF I’ve read.

 

[Hugh]

I've been catching up on some Beatrix Potter after a gap of more than sixty years, and re-acquainting myself with that unusual area of Cumbria where small animals wear human clothes and sometimes even talk with humans.
Here are some brief summaries, but please be aware of PLOT SPOILERS.
The Tale of Samuel Whiskers: kitten climbs up a chimney only to find himself trussed up by a pair of rats who roll him in dough with a view to baking him.
The Tale of Jemima Puddleduck: gullible Jemima gets sweet talked by a fox into laying her eggs in his garden shed.
The Tale of Tom Kitten: Tom and his sisters have been all dressed up in their Sunday best. Unfortunately they lose all their clothes in a series of garden mishaps, get smacked and sent to bed.
The Tale of Benjamin Bunny: Peter and Benjamin Rabbit, when attempting to retrieve Peter's clothes from Mr McGregor's scarecrow, hide under a basket. Unfortunately McGregor's cat decides to have a sleep on top of said basket.
The Tale of Two Bad Mice: Two mice break into a doll's house, but on finding all the food on the table is plaster and inedible, they wreck the place.
The Tale of the Flopsy Bunnies: Mr McGregor finds six little rabbits asleep on his compost heap and bags them up in his sack. Fortunately their parents come to the rescue, replacing them with rotten marrows. McGregor's wife is very angry with him.
The Tale of Pigling Bland: my personal favourite. Young Pigling Bland sees the light and heads "over the hills and far away" dancing hand in hand with a young female pig.
And that's probably already too many...

 

[Extollager]

Hugh, I never read Beatrix Potter till I was in my late 30s I suppose. I don't remember Pigling Bland very well, but several of the others are books I'd pick up expecting a lot of enjoyment. Samuel Whiskers is almost Lovecraftian except that it's scarier. Potter's diction is a key element in these stories... the "soporific" effect of eating too much lettuce, etc. in the Flopsy Bunnies. The hilarious violence of the Two Bad Mice like a couple of rock band members at an expensive hotel...

 

[hitmouse]

Samuel Whiskers was very frightening when I was 5. The idea that rats had a secret room up a chimney was not a nice one.
Mr MacGregor was also rather worrying.

 

[Hugh]

I'm probably going to have to track down three or four Beatrix Potter titles that I'd now like to read again.

 

[Danny McG]

Not a book, but I can think of three separate occasions since 1971 where I've seen kids mega disappointed when they wanted to watch the film The tales of Beatrix Potter and then realise within minutes that it's just a ballet.

 

[Danny McG]

In the belly of the whale by Michael Flynn.
Murders and shenanigans aboard a generation starship that's 200 years into its thousand year voyage.

Book blurb:-

In the Belly of the Whale is a gripping epic that takes readers on a profound voyage through time and space aboard an enormous generation ship. The narrative captures the poignant transformation of Earth's finest minds into a stifling regime, their rigid rules sparking an uprising among the hard-pressed crew. This provocative tale delves into the price of freedom, the metamorphosis of societies, and the repeating patterns of tyranny and liberation. Against this, Earth itself is undergoing a significant period of change, offering a layered, thought-provoking backdrop to the story. In the Belly of the Whale is a compelling exploration of humanity's enduring pursuit of freedom, pushing the boundaries of the genre to offer a deeply insightful study of societal evolution and individual resilience. This is more than a space odyssey; it's an invitation to delve into the heart of the human spirit and societal dynamics

 

[Pyan]

Reading my way through Imperium, by Travis Starnes, as recommended by @bwb last month. Enjoying them a lot - they rattle along at a fair pace, and he's obviously done his research into the Roman Empire, although

Spoiler

his chief protagonist is hell-bent on making said research obsolete!

The actual plot is very similar to the Safehold series by David Weber, though with a quasi-historical basis rather than a purely SF/F one, but it's got enough differences to avoid any accusations of plagiarism. 4*,so far.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

During my week away from the computer, I read Guardian (2002) by Joe Haldeman. About 90% historical novel (in the late 19th century, a woman and her teenage son leave her abusive husband, making their way to the American West and, eventually, Alaska) and about 10% science fiction/fantasy (a shapeshifter, often in the form of a raven, shows her other worlds and times.)

I am now about to start Catfantastic (1989), edited by Andre Norton and Martin H. Greenberg, an anthology of original science fiction and fantasy stories about felines. Looking at the list of authors, I believe that all are female.

 

[Elentarri]

~ The Embroidered Book by Kate Heartfield

This is something of a historical fiction novel, only magic is real and hidden magisters (magic users) have very different ideas on how it should be used. The novel covers events between 1767 and 1793 focusing on the lives of Charlotte (Maria Carolina) and Antoine, daughters of the Habsburg Empress Maria Theresa.

Charlotte is sent off to marry the obnoxious King of Naples, while Antoine is sent to France and renamed Marie Antoinette. Magisters by accident when they find an embroidered book of spells after their governess is murdered, Charlotte and Antoinette try to make what they consider the best use of their magic to the betterment of their respective kingdoms. Unfortunately, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. It also doesn't help that these two sisters find themselves on opposite sides of the looming conflict between those magisters who think magic should be kept secret and tightly controlled to a select few, and those that think magic should be taught to everyone. In a world rife with politics and magic, there is by default a lot of spying, skulking around, betrayal, secrets and assassinations.

I found the magic system interesting, but would have liked to know more about it. Every spell requires sacrifices, usually of memory, precious items and blood/hair etc. The middle of this novel dragged a lot - all the skulking and family dynamics got tedious. While the main characters are represented a flawed individuals (who made mistakes and just plain horrible decisions, and were not always likeable), I did sometimes wonder if Heartfield wrote them with views that are too modern? But then again, I know nothing of the thoughts of 18th century queens.

The Embroidered Book is an interesting study of two sisters. I am of two minds whether the magic involved enhanced or did nothing for the story. But the book did provide several nights entertainment for me, despite the sag in the middle.​

 

[Danny McG]

In the belly of the whale by Michael Flynn.
Murders and shenanigans aboard a generation starship that's 200 years into its thousand year voyage

I was slowly getting into this convoluted multi character story but now this tech garbage has got into the tale:-