December fades, but the flames of literacy still burn

[Jayaprakash Satyamurthy]

...which is much better idea than burning books, no matter how inane, turgid or allegedly offensive they may seem.

Erm, yes, I'm having a prosy moment here.

So, yea, tell us what you're reading, people!!!


I'm currently reading through Ian McDonald's River Of Gods, which looks like it may make it to our Book Club selection of the month. Also contemplating what to read next - either M John Harrison's Anima or a break from heavier stuff with Robert Heinlein's Rocket Ship Galileo.

 

[Culhwch]

...which is much better idea than burning books, no matter how inane, turgid or allegedly offensive they may seem.

What if they are written by Pamela Anderson?

I am currently underway on The Etched City by KJ Bishop, while skimming through Vogler's The Hero's Journey.

 

[Jay]

Along with reading Eco's The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana I am almsot done with cracked open Naomi Novik's His Majesty's Dragon, the first book in the Temeraire sequence, that all 3 installments will be released in 2006. I have the U.S edition (Del-Rey) in front of me which comes out in March I believe, but the UK edition is supposedly in the mail (which comes it January) and is apparently named Temeraire . Voyager is really pushing this series and Novik with more zeal than usual new releases. 100 pages in I can say I am rather intrigued. It's setting is in a time where Napoleon is still warring with England, but adds a very interesting dragon/aviator application, and different breeds of dragons from different world powers.

I mentioned I was reading Tim Lebbon's Dusk (late January release). Lebbon is an award winning author, generally associated with Horror, whose past work I really have enjoyed, and although I liked Dusk, which is a high/epic fantasy effort, I was left mildy disappointed by the work, it just came off to me as a darker Shannara, (although written by a much more competent writer IMHO.).

After even making even more progress with the recently released 900 pages The Lord of the Rings: A Reader's Companion by Wayne G. Hammond and Christina Scull, I'm now sold it's essential for for any self-respecting aspiring Tolkien Scholar, to go right new to the History of Middle Earth Editions, and Humphrey Carpenter's various works.

Also doing a reread of Alan Moore's V for Vendetta

Also contemplating what to read next - either M John Harrison's Anima

A combo! I don't have it, but I do have the individual books! Most excellent reading ahead!

 

[Jayaprakash Satyamurthy]

I expect so. I've read the short story The Course of the Heart was expanded from, and am quite interested to see what Harrison did with the longer version.

I look forward to reading your impressions of the Eco novel, and also Cul's take on the KJ Bishop, which was one of the best relatively-new things I've read this year.

 

[Jay]

and also Cul's take on the KJ Bishop,

I can't wait for Kirsten's next project myself.

 

[nixie]

Still reading Feast for Crows

 

[Prefx]

Rereading To Kill a Mockingbird and starting Narnia for the first time.

 

[YOSSARIAN]

I just finished rereading Narnia. The first time I read it was in sixth grade. I went to a Lutheran grade school and we spent the whole year reading Narnia and discussing all its religious concepts and analogies. Believe me, looking for religious themes in Narnia is like mining for diamonds in a jewelry store. Nonetheless, it is still a fun read!

 

[ravenus]

My impressions of Peter Hoeg's book Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow:

This one starts off in Northern Denmark in 1993 with the death of a kid apparently from falling off a roof. But the protagonist Miss Smilla, who is half-eskimo and something of an expert on snow patterns, is not convinced of it being a blameless accident and starts to make her own enquiries, in the process opening up a whole barrel of worms that appears to extend as far back as World War 2 and as far away as the Arctic.

The narrative is somewhat like Murakami's work, and even has Murakami-eque characters - for instance a mechanic helping Smilla in her quest because he too is emotionally attached to the kid, is described in detailed prose as a fastidious and methodical person who cooks these very exotic dishes and although he wants Smilla to move in a particular way handles her in a superficially non-judgemental manner. He also seems to have the most unlikely sort of contacts so even his actual identity is a sort of mystery to unfold. But Peter Hoeg has less of the feather touch sensibility in his prose than Murakami does. But at least up to halfways through his story is pretty strong and moving in very interesting direction.

...was a pretty good read on the whole. The latter parts have a very atmospheric depiction of high-seas adventure in the midst of the icy northern Greenland-scape, although the conclusion was somewhat dissatisfying with the villain's masterplan being vague and unconvincing. Also miss Smilla seems to have exceptional good fortune in all her spying missions with all kinds of unlikely twists preventing her getting nabbed and taken care of by the baddies.

Am now devouring my way through Neil Gaiman's American Gods which at least at 400 pages into a 600 pager is one of the best contemporary Horror/Fantasy books written! Totally gripping stuff.

 

[Jayaprakash Satyamurthy]

Taking that break from heavier reading with Pratchett's Equal Rites!

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I started reading The Witch of Prague by Francis Marion Crawford, but gave up on that one, and am now about to read my first Algernon Blackwood novel,The Human Chord.

 

[GOLLUM]

I started reading The Witch of Prague by Francis Marion Crawford, but gave up on that one, and am now about to read my first Algernon Blackwood novel,The Human Chord.

Let us know how it compares to the short stories when you've finished please...

 

[Mark Robson]

Finally finished the 100 page prologue to Crossroads of Twilight! Am just about beginning to remember what happened in the previous 9 novels. If I'm lucky I might get to finish this sometime before Christmas.

 

[polymorphikos]

I'm currently reading The Secret Teachings of All Ages by manly P. Hall, which is a mammoth book of esoterica that I found on sacredtexts.com. It is very odd, but I now have a basic history of Greek philosophy in me.

 

[Thunderchild]

I just finished reading Harry Turtledove's Videssos cycle - next one my list is Graham Shelby's Knights of dark renown, then Kings of vain Intent

 

[kaneda]

Finished Tad williams Green Angel tower: siege today (on the way to work, so had nothing to read on the way back ) Now onto the final book To green angel tower STORM. and I'm done!

 

[GOLLUM]

Sounds like you're enjoying the books then Kaneda...

 

[kaneda]

Siege was definatly the best one I've read. I don't think theyre anything special, just a really good story.

 

[hedgeknight]

Well, compared to you folks I feel like a novice! I just finished Martin's A Feast For Crows, but I don't really know what to read next. If I give you the books on my shelf can you help me? Yeah, I knew you could!

Currently, on my "to read" shelf are:

1. The Runes of the Earth - Stephen R. Donaldson (first book in the final series of the Land)
2. Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister - Gregory Maguire
3. Witch Child - Celia Rees
4. Inkheart - Cornelia Funke
5. Mammoth Cheese - Sheri Holman (author of the incredible book The Dress Lodger)
6. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
7. The One Kingdom - Sean Russell
8. American Gods - Neil Gaiman
9. Eyes of God - John Marco
10. The Golem's Eye - Jonathan Stroud (2nd in the Bartimeus Trilogy)

Whew! Can you see the difficulty I'm having? HELP!
-g-

 

[kaneda]

Well, compared to you folks I feel like a novice! I just finished Martin's A Feast For Crows, but I don't really know what to read next. If I give you the books on my shelf can you help me? Yeah, I knew you could!

Currently, on my "to read" shelf are:

1. The Runes of the Earth - Stephen R. Donaldson (first book in the final series of the Land)
2. Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister - Gregory Maguire
3. Witch Child - Celia Rees
4. Inkheart - Cornelia Funke
5. Mammoth Cheese - Sheri Holman (author of the incredible book The Dress Lodger)
6. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
7. The One Kingdom - Sean Russell
8. American Gods - Neil Gaiman
9. Eyes of God - John Marco
10. The Golem's Eye - Jonathan Stroud (2nd in the Bartimeus Trilogy)

Whew! Can you see the difficulty I'm having? HELP!
-g-

Go for American Gods