Readers! what are you reading?

[Vault101]

Hello

due to...circumstances...I started reading again after a long Hiatus! the main problem was not the reading itself but lack of things that interested me

that has since changed after getting an E-reader (and then getting another E-reader because I wanted backlighting [sub/]for a lot of money[/sub]) and with the internet, now I have access to a mind blowing amount of books

so...

[b/]what are you reading now?[/b]

[b/]what do you like to read in general?[/b]

[b/]have you stepped out of your "comfort zone" at all recently?[/b]

[b/]if you don't read WHY THE HELL NOT?[/b]

[sub/]comics count too as far as I'm concerned[/sub]

right now I'm reading the Honor Harrington series (first book "on Basilisk station" https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35921.On_Basilisk_Station?from_search=true)

its a space opera featuring a "Strong Female Character" who is captain of a ship, at first I didn't like it due to all the heavy "explaining" its also a bit right wing but after finishing the second one and being more familiar with the world its become a favorite, and of coarse one of the better "Strong female charachters" I've seen

generally I like to read sci fi, but I'm open to most things (perhaps less so to fantasy) what I generally look for are female characters (not always a deal breaker) and anything that avoids the cliche's associated with popular YA novels and typical romances

I recently Finished "The price of salt" its not far out of my comfort zone by much but it is a bit more "literary" than usual, its about two women who have an affair...set in and written in the 50's ! (who would have thought they had lesbians back then?) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52258.The_Price_of_Salt?from_search=true

 

[Zontar]

I recently read the book "Leviathan Wakes", first science fiction novel out of three. It was entertaining, and the description by R.R. Martin was pretty accurate: it's as close to a Hollywood blockbuster a book can get. That and I recently re-read World War Z.

At the moment I'm more into factual historical books though.

 

[Vault101]

I recently read the book "Leviathan Wakes", first science fiction novel out of three. It was entertaining, and the description by R.R. Martin was pretty accurate: it's as close to a Hollywood blockbuster a book can get. That and I recently re-read World War Z.

At the moment I'm more into factual historical books though.

ah! I started that one...or at least acquired it with the intention of starting it, unlike the HH books that one seemed a lot more engaging

sometimes I think "ok man...we're in space, I get it, I don't care [i/]how[/i]..please stop explaining light travel to me"

 

[Zontar]

sometimes I think "ok man...we're in space, I get it, I don't care [i/]how[/i]..please stop explaining light travel to me"

Oh, you'll enjoy it then. Apart from a small technical problem near the beginning that becomes a real technical problem at the end but isn't really gone into detail, they don't explain how things work. Hell, in the QnA at the end, when the interviewer asked how the engines worked, the authors said "very well".

 

[Colour Scientist]

I'm currently muddling my way through the Doug Dorst/JJ Abrams novel S.
I haven't picked it up for a while now though because I have mountains of college work so it's kind of fallen by the wayside.

I don't expect the story to be mind blowing but I'm enjoying it and it's a pretty creative little novel.

Spoiler

I'll read anything really, I can't think a particular genre that stands out as an obvious personal preference.
Individual books or series stand out for me moreso than genre.

 

[BathorysGraveland2]

As of right now, I'm not reading anything. But very recently, I was reading through Sword Woman, which is a collection of Robert E. Howard's less-famous medieval historical-fiction stories. While the book is named after his character Dark Agnes (who inspired Red Sonja), the vast majority of it all takes place during the Crusades, which is a very cool setting for the short story format. Some very underrated stuff here which is obviously overtaken by his famous characters.

The edition I read was illustrated and published by Del Ray Books, who have done similar compilations for much of Robert's other work. Really cool stuff.

EDIT: Fondest hails for your return, by the way.

 

[Vault101]

Oh, you'll enjoy it then. Apart from a small technical problem near the beginning that becomes a real technical problem at the end but isn't really gone into detail, they don't explain how things work. Hell, in the QnA at the end, when the interviewer asked how the engines worked, the authors said "very well".

heh....

my only issue I think is wrapping my head around the world building, but yeah what I did read it all felt very intuitive

As of right now, I'm not reading anything. But very recently, I was reading through Sword Woman, which is a collection of Robert E. Howard's less-famous medieval historical-fiction stories. While the book is named after his character Dark Agnes (who inspired Red Sonja), the vast majority of it all takes place during the Crusades, which is a very cool setting for the short story format. Some very underrated stuff here which is obviously overtaken by his famous characters.
.

thats the conan guy? this sounds really cool...I don't often read short stories but...well you never know

 

[Queen Michael]

This is what I'm reading right now:

Space Wolf by William King

The Story of the Stone by Cao Xueqin

Digging to America by Anne Tyler

 

[Eclipse Dragon]

I personally like fantasy stuff that doesn't use "Inspired by Tolkien" as an excuse for being cookie cutter. Also things that are a little more whimsical, and dragons, lots of dragons. I also like sci-fi fantasy.

My personal favorites involving dragons...

The Dragonriders of Pern series (because it's required reading for dragon fans) - Anne Mccaffrey [footnote]and Todd but nobody likes him[/footnote]
The Temeraire series - Naomi Novik
The Pit Dragon Chronicles- Jane Yolen
The Stargods, the Dragon Nimbus and all associated trilogies- Irene Radford
Here There Be Dragons - James Owen

Spoiler: (This guy also illustrates his own books completely in pen and ink, which is both insane and awesome)

Personal favorite non-dragon themed books...

The Percy Jackson series and it's sequel so far[footnote] and by default feel the movies need to die in a fire.[/footnote]-Rick Riordan
The Night Angel Trilogy- Brent Weeks (loved it)
The Lightbringer Series- Brent Weeks (love it even more than Night Angel, addicted to it, author is on a roll)

Personal favorite graphic novels...

Bone- Jeff Smith
Sandman- Neil Gaiman
Fables- Bill Willingham

 

[Zhukov]

Reading now:

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

It's about an American Baptist preacher and his family who go to live in the Congo as missionaries, to spread the word and whatnot. While the husband is kind of the main character, as in he's the driving force of the plot, it's told through the eyes of his wife and four daughters, jumping between their perspectives.

Of course, they're completely clueless as to what they've gotten themselves into. The results vary from hilarious to awkward to borderline tragic. The book is probably best encapsulated by a scene where the preacher tries to get the local women to baptize their kids in a nearby river. They outright refuse and he get hugely pissed off about it. It turns out the locals didn't want to dip their kids because said river was full of crocodiles.

Like to read in general:

Anything. About the only things I'd turn my nose up at are westerns, paperback romances and adaptions of movies or video games.

Stepped out of comfort zone recently:

Umm, my comfort zone is kinda huge. So no, not really.

[sub][sub]PS. The lack of Dog in your avatar is highly disconcerting and profoundly distressing.[/sub][/sub]

 

[Geoffrey Francis]

I've been meaning to restart the Robin Hobb Farseer series. I heard she is releasing a new one soon.
Assassin's Apprentice (1995)
Royal Assassin (1996)
Assassin's Quest (1997)

I prefer to read Fantasy, with Sci-Fi a close second. The last series I read was the Ware Tetralogy by Rudy Rucker (Also a free download so thats nice) http://www.rudyrucker.com/wares/rucker_ware_tetralogy_cc2010.pdf it is slightly more adult in nature then Hobb. (There is drug and sexual themes involved). I quite liked how he ended the series. Thought provoking.

The last time I stepped out of my comfort zone... Well I guess it isn't out of my zone but I started reading Homers Odyssey, well I started it, my e-reader died before I managed to finish it.

 

[Vault101]

Reading now:

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

that sounds really cool, I'm gonna look it up...but yeah "missionary in the 3rd work country does not often end well

[quote/]Anything. About the only things I'd turn my nose up at are westerns, paperback romances and adaptions of movies or video games.[/quote]

Westerns? that's an oddly specific genre...considering I don't think it's been hugely popular for a loooong time, I generally avoid tie in material too...although I have heard there are a few decent books I'm those kinds if things

[quote/][sub][sub]PS. The lack of Dog in your avatar is highly disconcerting and profoundly distressing.[/sub][/sub][/quote][/quote]

No Love for my ghost cats? It's ok he'll be back

 

[Euryalus]

Right now, I'm reading HP Lovecraft in German to help study... I'll let you know what it's about as soon as I figure it out. So far there's a dude who dreams a lot and goes to some place or... something... I don't really know. HP Lovecraft isn't easy to read in english. Why did I choose this? >.<

Other than that the last thing I read was cool air. Also by HP Lovecraft. This one in English... I'm rather fond his work.

The other things I love reading are Aesop's Fables, the Greek Myths, and Grimm's Fairytales.

Favourites, in order, are.

The Ox and the Frog <----- Absolutely hilarious and really short
Seven at one Blow
The Oddyssey
Hesiod's Creation myth
Theseus's myth
Perseus's myth
and Allerleirauh.

 

[Frezzato]

I'm reading Command and Control - Nuclear Weapons, the Damascus Accident, and the Illusion of Safety.

Highly recommended for anyone who wants to read about the many, many accidents which almost led to America accidentally nuking ourselves/friendly countries. Also, it's a fascinating look into how nuclear weapons were made and how they were made "safer". Curiously, there's no mention of this bad boy [http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/25-years-us-special-forces-carried-miniature-nukes-their-backs-180949700/?no-ist] yet.

 

[Starblazer117]

I will be reading The Masked Empire in two weeks when it comes out. A Dragon Age novel that will be a tie in with Inquisition.

 

[Esotera]

I finished reading all The Culture novels a few weeks ago, and before that I was reading Game of Thrones. Currently working on the Lord of the Rings books, and I'm not particularly sure what I'll read after that. Probably some sci-fi...

 

[Frezzato]

...
I recently Finished "The price of salt" its not far out of my comfort zone by much but it is a bit more "literary" than usual, its about two women who have an affair...set in and written in the 50's ! (who would have thought they had lesbians back then?)...

In the 50s eh? Makes me think of this old photo [http://xaxor.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Weird-pics-from-the-past19.jpg]. Could have been taken in the 60s. Just makes me wonder.

Welcome back by the way.

 

[Colour Scientist]

Reading now:

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

I bought a copy of that a few years ago, I started it but I think I got distracted by something else and I never went back to it.
Do you reckon it's worth a second look?

 

[Treeberry]

At the moment I'm re-reading The Hunger Games (and am noticing a bunch of interesting things I missed or glossed over before) but may about to start The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie - I read Best Served Cold first and it whetted my appetite for its parent series.

I was reading The Emperor of All Things a historically-based fantasy novel which started off well but then fell apart thanks to a whole section of the book being exposition so drawn out it bordered on parody. (Look at me, I should be a critic!) The things about the novel that I originally found endearing and charming made my blood boil - "GET ON WITH IT!" - at this point, especially as it was clear that the plot was not going to get resolved and lo and behold there will be a sequel.

In general I like to read fantasy and sci-fi simply because I find it easier to sift through those genres. I think the only genre I'd be uncomfortable with would be romance - I prefer my romances to be a sidestory to something bigger rather than being the main event.

Recently I read Snow Flower and the Secret Fan which is awesome by the way. It follows a young Chinese girl in ye olde days and goes into detail about foot binding and all manner of aspects of old Chinese society. It really was a fascinating read and I heartily recommend it.

 

[Zhukov]

The Poisonwood Bible

Do you reckon it's worth a second look?

Abso-bloody-lutely.

Well, dependent on personal tastes of course, and I have not the slightest clue what yours may be.

For instance, I could forgive you for not liking the style it's written in. Gets a bit abstract and... flowery, for lack of a better term. It's occasional enough that it can be ignored, but I find that the older I get the less patience I have for such literary ornamentation.