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Someone in here recommended the Red Rising series and I’ve been enjoying it thoroughly. I’m on the third one now. The reader for the audiobooks is Tim Reynolds and he does a great job. Thanks for the recommendation, whoever you are!
Also physically reading Martyr! by Kaveh Akbar, but it’s too soon to comment on.
I just finished Dungeon Crawler Carl, by Matt Diniman and now I'm reading John Dies at the End, by Jason Pargin / "David Wong".
If you know these stories (crazy reality twisting, real world + fantasy, a touch of sci fi) and have others in a similar vein, I would appreciate any suggestions.
The Library at Mount Char by Scott Hawkins. Don’t read anything about it before hand, just strap in and enjoy the ride.
On it - thank you!
my local library doesn't have more than the first dungeon crawler carl, and Google play only has the second so I haven't finished the series but I love it. princess donut is the GOAT.
I read John dies at the end a few years ago and didn't much care for it
I warn you. do not attempt to watch the movie. it is hot garbage.
Dungeon Crawler Carl is an Amazon/Audible exclusive. If the book is listed anywhere else, it’s a stolen copy.
Now, that a new publisher is putting out new editions of the books, I’m hoping more libraries get rights to the text.
The audiobook, which I HIGHLY recommend, will always be an Audible exclusive. The narrator is re-recording a full immersion version with a full cast and sound effects, but they release those in episodic format, rather than whole books.
Suggestions for when your library doesn’t have something that you want to read: Check to see if your library offers it as an ebook. And if not, see if they can get a physical copy for you through inter-library loan.
I'm currently reading We Were Eight Years In Power by Ta-Nahisi Coates. I'm not going to finish it. I've read most of his Atlantic articles and I buy the thesis he's weaving, but I feel like we're past the point where awareness matters (or that I am insufficiently aware). People know the bad they're doing and want it. We're in the activist moment.
I'm next going to start Shift by Hugh Howey because I need some entertainment out of my reading.
Shift was great! It was probably my favorite of the series.
I just started A Wrinkle In Time.
I may be 40+ years too late but I am doing it anyway.
Aw, it’s been a while, but I read it as a kid and then later as an adult and I felt it held up pretty well.
I’m listening to Babylon’s Ashes by James S.A. Corey. It’s the 5th book in The Expanse series.
I’ve read these books before, but I just really love them.
I LOVE The Expanse series. I was at a used bookstore over the weekend and a lady next to me was contemplating picking up the Leviathan Wakes. I told her she should grab it because it’s my favorite scifi book series of all time. She had watched the series and loved it, so I told her I think she would enjoy the books too.
There’s so much good stuff there!
I started reading the Bobiverse trilogy (Dennis E. Taylor), just getting into the 2nd book.
The premise and arch is nothing short of stunning but I'm not sure about the development, or the storytelling. E.g.:
spoiler
Where is the author going to fall on Bob increasingly interfering in the development of a less-developed alien species? I sense more and more such dilemmas coming up, as a result of the whole thing branching out more and more, and I'm not sure how the author is going to gather it all again.
Definitely nice to read though, since I read the first book in just a few days.
I loved the Bobiverse books, but I think there are more books than a trilogy. I don't want to give spoilers though, so you'll have to see yourself how it plays out with these aliens.
TIL there's more books in the series. I had only seen it referred to as a trilogy and assumed I was done after book 3.
Looks like 4 and 5 are out, 6 has a completed first draft and a 7th is planned after that.
To the TBR list they go.
I’m listening to The Republic of Thieves by Scott Lynch and reading A Wizard and Her Daughter by Matthew Runyon.
How are you enjoying The Republic of Thieves so far? None of the books after The Lies of Locke Lamora have hit the same high note since. I'm still waiting on the Thorn of Emberlain to come out but after so many years I fear the author's run out of ideas on where to take the story next.
I’m almost done a short story compilation called men and machines, one of the forwards has a very interesting remark that could be written yesterday. It’s from 1968.
I finally got in touch with my brother, and got my next batch of Star Wars books, it includes a large X-Wing series so looking forward towards it. Sounds like it’s Top Gun in space.
Image of the forward
According to him, we would have at this point now made an intelligent being.
I read so many of the 90s era Star Wars books so good. Really enjoyed Stackpole’s Rogue Squadron.
Heh, that does seem so relevant to today's world. We are still worried about the same things, but the problem with this kind of prediction is, one day we might actually be right 😀
Randomly picked The Will of the Many from a list of recommendations.
Still too early to judge but it has potential. Magic system seems interesting, and I'm very interested in the world building. The present tense is certainly a choice, but it works where it needs to.
On the other hand, I've never been terribly interested in fantasy Rome, the pyramid scheme magic system risks painfully on the nose allegory if not handled properly, and the prospect of this story moving to "the academy" has me wary due to my irrational hatred of stories set in schools.
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Enshittification as a book and the second book of murderbot as an audio book
Both highly recommended
I'm almost done the second section of Shroud by Adrian Tchaikovsky. I'm enjoying it so far. At first it seemed almost like Lovecraftian horror but in space, but it started showing more depth as it progresses.
I’m reading Road to Ruin by Hana Lee. I picked this up at a romance bookstore the last book crawl because the cover and summary on the back seemed interesting. It was a good choice!
I’m really digging it. Kind of like a Mad Max type world where people use magic to keep their cities safe. The main character is a sparkrider who uses her magic to fuel a motorcycle she uses to deliver items between cities. I’m about a third of the way through and I am enjoying it a lot.
Reading through the Wizard of Oz series with my kids. Currently on Jack Pumpkinhead. When I was young I only read the movie related books, reading more of the world is a fun experience to share with my kiddos.
Would recommend as a children's book, but not something I'd read absent their influence.
Started reading "halted state" by Charles Stross, but the 2nd person narrative killed it for me. I also didn't find the theme of a crime in an open world game too appealing, so it went to the "didn't finish" pile. Stayed with the writer and read "escape from yokai land" next, which was a blast, I'm a huge fan of the Bob Howard books in the Laundry Files. Now reading "a conventional boy", the latest installment in this series. So far so good, but I'm only a few chapters in.
Just wrapped up Fire of Heaven (Wheel of Time #5)!
Time to get into the alleged slog of the middle books I think.
I started reading The Darkness That Comes Before by R. Scott Bakker based on a recommendation from a friend and I've been enjoying it!
The pacing and world building are well done, the characters are nuanced, and there's a vagueness in his writing that lends itself well to the fantasy world. Makes it seem more mysterious and interesting.
The Dresden Files are all fun reads! The audiobooks are particularly good too, with James Marsters doing a wonderful job!
I'm finishing up Rhythm of War in the Stormlight Archive series. It's my first foray into Brandon Sanderson, and I'm enjoying it so far, but there's so much that I don't know how into the Cosmere I'll end up going. On the non-fiction side, I'm reading Nate Silver's On the Edge and trying to work my way through my third (maybe fourth?) reading of Gödel, Escher, Bach by Douglas Hofstadter, which I always grasp a little bit more of each reread.
I read about the first fifth of Ghost Story (Dresden Files) this morning. According to my history it's been a little over 5 years since I last read this, it feels like so much less. To be as vague as possible, that first meeting with the Ragged Lady breaks my heart every time.
I also started The Fellowship of the Ring earlier this week. Only a couple of chapters in, so not much to say about that yet except that I find Hobbits very unpleasant.
I've continued Words of Radiance after a 8-9 month hiatus. This Graphic Audio thing is still rad, I've just been going through a reading reading phase rather than an audiobook one. I haven't gotten around to getting a physical copy yet because I have the previous book in the giant hardcover with (I think) the European art? My local fantasy bookshop hasn't had it in when I've been around and I haven't bothered to ask.
Finished the latest Incryptid, the last couple have been a bit disappointing. They never quite do it for me, what I really want is for the books to go for another chapter and let me see the family in the aftermath of the story, but they always end abruptly right as the climax resolves and there's no wind-down. You'd think after 14 books I'd be used to it but it always leaves me a little deflated. It's nice that we get to explore a little more of different characters each book, but I just want to see them together outside of an immediate crisis too.
What else... I'm near the beginning of The Death of WCW, we're still going through the history of wrestling in North America. I know a lot of it and don't really care, but it's necessary context so fair enough.
Oh and I still have a handful of other books on the backburner, Storygraph says I have 12 books going 🤷♂️ I'll finish some eventually.
I'm currently reading Martyr! I'm about two thirds of the way through. I like it, but I definitely like all the other characters more than the main guy.
I'm close to finishing the third Sector General novel by James White. I like a little Golden Age sci-fi now and then.
Just finally finished, Mountain of Black Glass, Tad Williams, and while I enjoyed it, it took me over two months of listening to get it done. The protagonists continued their way through the Otherland, and boy did Williams expound on the details in this book. There was a significant slump in the last third that didn't pick up until the very end. I'm hoping Sea of Silver Light, is a little quicker.
Other books I've finished lately:
I'm currently reading Isabella Nagg and the Pot of Basil, Oliver Darkshire, which is very Pratchett-esc. Lots of witty footnotes, and fun village humor. Pretty light reading, but enjoyable!
Library at Mount Char is excellent, and a must-read for anyone into weird horror.
Just finished crime and punishment by Dostoyevsky, started with Notes from the House of the Dead. Both in Arabic. Couldn't understand them in English. lol
Just consumed The Last Murder at the End of the World by Stuart Turton. You may recognize him as the author of the 7 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. This one is a post-apocalyptic murder mystery. It is jam-packed with questions and mysteries. While I had a few remaining questions about the apocalyptic event that happened prior to the story, every string related to the actual story was neatly plaited in a 1000-strand braid with a satisfying end. Love that author.
I'm almost done with Assassin's Quest by Robin Hobb. I'm contemplating jumping over to The Magic of Recluce by LE Modesitt Jr or maybe The Scholomance series after this.
I'm reading The Tyranny of Faith by Richard Swan (Empire of the Wolf book 2). I like it so far. The plot is interesting and the way the story told from a future perspective so you get little hints at what is to come. I wish the romance was either better written or absent. It's not built up at all and feels like more of a plot device than genuine feeling from the characters.
I just read Clemens P Suter’s Two Journeys, and will start on the second installment Rebound. It’s an unusual sci-fi adventure, about real people, not superheroes, action packed lots of eye candy
Currently reading Paranormal Outcasts the complete series (Sean Fletcher), after this I have Butter Cookies and Demon Claws (Peter V. Brett) and Tailored Realities (Brandon Sanderson) as my next to reads and that will hopefully be enough for the rest of the year.
I spent most of the week craving a specific vibe, so I tried and put down a bunch of things that weren't quite it. Ended up settling on The Ways of Khrem by D. Nathan Hilliard, even though it's not what I wanted either; it's holding my interest, though, so I'm satisfied.
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An Army Major is seconded to the Prime Minister's office, where he's directed to look into rumors surrounding a new member of the nuclear advisement committee.
Outside of the unusual premise, which I liked, this felt pretty bog-standard old-school spy thriller. Some chapters near the end could have been condensed into a few paragraphs, and a couple of bits haven't aged super well (but no slurs, for a change!). Overall, I found this 'fine', but nothing I'd recommend.
I just whipped through A Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid which was a fun queer enemies to lovers story that I listened to driving back and forth across Pennsylvania this weekend.
I'm still working on Half The World by Joe Ambercrombie. I think I'm going to take a break on his stuff for a bit after I finish this one.
I'm on a long re-read of the R.A. Salvatore Drizzt series. Right now it's: The Orc King (Transitions, Book1 - #17 in the wider series).
I was on vacation for a little over 2 weeks and went through 6 books on the trip. Trains, planes, coffee shops, and hotel room before bed. It's surprising how much reading can get done in-between exploring new cities.
Just finished Bone Yard by Jefferson Bass. Found a copy autographed by Bass at a Habitat For Humanity thrift store.
My other recent acquisition is Alice in Sunderland by Bryan Talbot. I don't usually seek out graphic novels, but got a good deal on this one because it was (mis-)classified as children's lit. It looks interesting, broad in scope, and a candidate for the 'beautiful cover' bingo square.
I'm now on book 10 of He Who Fights with Monsters, and I expect to finish that this coming week.
I've really made less progress on my bingo card than I planned, but I still have time to turn that around before the end date.