Universal Geek Book Club discussion

Besides the books for this group - what else are you reading?

I'm trying to broaden my fiction scope in 2016. My goals are to read more and to read a broader variety since I tend to stick to Urban Fantasy.

I am following several series, so 2016 is the both the year of catching up and finding stand-alone gems.

I just finished The Chocolatier's Wife. It was a Kindle Book Deal a while back -- either free or .99. I didn't expect much, but I enjoyed it. Really light fantasy + a little bit of romance. I'm also tackling House of Leaves little by little -- it's intense.

Last year I read half of The Dresden Files and the Land of Oz books so I plan on finishing both of these series this year. Also trying to work on all of the new cannon Star Wars books. And what ever book club books come along.

I'm not quite current on Dresden - but that's on my to-read list for this year as well. I bought the Oz bundle a million years ago and it's in my kindle as well.

I'm reading the Paper Magician Series. I love it. It's fresh and imaginative, One more left, I'm sorta procrastinating on finishing it because that's the current book in the series.


Butcher's new series is also on my list - I have it on audible, but I couldn't list while working. Too many things were happening. :)

If you haven't read Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore you should check it out. It's nerdy-geeky-adventure-fantasy with a wonderful story.

I second that! I loved it!

I second that! I loved it!

Bleu wrote: "I'm also tackling House of Leaves little by little -- it's intense."

HOL is good, but definitely intense. I think it's definitely helpful to have someone to read it with.

I've been going a little crazy with The Expanse series. I read book 1 (Leviathan Wakes) about a year and a half ago, then started and finished book 2 (Caliban's War) just recently. The series just keeps getting better. I was going to wait a little while to start book 3 (Abaddon's Gate) but just couldn't hold off.

Jeff wrote: "I've been going a little crazy with The Expanse series. I read book 1 (Leviathan Wakes) about a year and a half ago, then started and finished book 2 (Caliban's War) just recently. The series just ..."

I think I'm going to start reading The Expanse series this month. I've just been hearing too many good things about it and since Pandora Star, I've been missing out on epic sci-fi.

Kristen wrote: "If you haven't read Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore you should check it out. It's nerdy-geeky-adventure-fantasy with a wonderful story."

That may one of my next books since I'm kinda worn out by dystopian books. Also I picked up Lumberjanes by Noelle Stevenson since I really loved Nimona.

As for the Expanse I have heard nothing but good things but my to read pile is getting to large to handle. But I may move it up in the queue to watch the series.

Re: Paul's comment: Mr. P's 24 hour bookstore is great. It's good if you like whimsy sprinkled in your fiction or if you like fantasy/d&d .

Sooo.. I am really late to the party - and I haven't read them or watched any of the movies. I just entered the Harry Potter realm.
I am listening to them on Audible and love them. Finished the first one today and half way through number 2.

What's even more amazing - I've avoided spoilers this long. lol

I'm reading Redshirts for another book club and it's quite fun. I'm not a big Star Trek fan, but I know enough to enjoy the in-jokes and little Easter eggs.

On a related note, does this group do monthly book reads?

Hey Esse,

We have one book a month that we read and then chit-chat about our impressions and have a general discussion.

It's all still new - so we are welcoming input and vision to make this a fun space for geeks to geek about books. The Universal Geek podcast will probably include side notes mentioned at the end of the month about the book and the next book announcement.
Hope this helps :)


-Kristen

Gotcha, thanks! I had no idea this club was related to a podcast, so that's probably why I was so confused.

Kristen - I'm seriously impressed that you were able to avoid HP spoilers this long.

I finished Abaddon's Gate (The Expanse series) and like the previous books, loved it. I really want to tear into the next one, but I think I'm going to hold off and savor these first 4 books a bit.
I started A Fire Upon The Deep by Vernor Vinge. I know it's high on the must-read list of classic sci-fi. There's a kid in it named Jeffrey, and every time I either read or hear his name (I'm bouncing between Kindle and Audible) I grind me teeth. Being a Jeff, I've always *hated* being called "Jeffrey", so it's rubbing me the wrong way... which is really stupid and I need to get over it and not let it ruing the book.

I'm really interested in reading Jim Butcher's stuff too. I knew nothing about it until watching The Dresden Files series several years ago, and I love that. So if I really can't get into A Fire Upon the Deep maybe I'll start on the Dresden series.

Jeff wrote: "I finished Abaddon's Gate (The Expanse series) and like the previous books, loved it. I really want to tear into the next one, but I think I'm going to hold off and savor these first 4 books a bit."

I just finished Caliban's War and immediately wanted to read the next book but I had to start Welcome to Night Vale and read American Gods again (sometime before April 5! But the cliffhanger at the end ... gah!

Honestly, the Expanse novels are some of the best sci-fi I've read in a long time. After reading the first book, I wanted to restart Star Wars RPG because I had so many more ideas. Then the second book blew my mind even further.

This feels like Firefly prequels - the Universe before Earth Got Used Up.

As for Jim Butcher's stuff... that first Dresden Files book is amazing noir... Dresden is a protagonist who gets treated very poorly by his author.

I completely agree on all of The Expanse. It's *so* good, and Rocinante's crew has a lot of Firefly elements: a crew thrown together that becomes like family to each other, basically pirates whose only home is the ship itself, and each of them having bigger secrets from their past that the rest of the crew doesn't know.

I wrapped up the Harry Potter books - I'm in the middle of the movies. I'm trying to savor a little. Not too long, don't want them to get stale like oreos.

So I just started a good fluff series. It begins with this one: . It was witty and funny and clever. I'm listening via audible and the narration is pretty good. I'm on book 3 now. They are quick reads so I can finish one in a day with my commute and work.

What's everyone else reading for fun this April?

I'm also trying to do an epic reading challenge for the remainder of the year with Fellowship of the Rings being the goal for April.

I decided to finally read The Dark Tower series and get as far along as I can before the movie comes out. I just finished the first, and while it seemed short I liked it. It's easy for me to forget just how good Stephen King is when he's in the mark. I think the Gunslinger's affinity for the boy grew a little too quickly, and likewise disappeared too fast when that time came. But otherwise I'm pretty into it and have started The Drawing of the Three.

I keep going back to read more of A Fire Upon The Deep, but it's not grabbing me so far. Which is a bummer, since I know it's a classic and it's something I really want to get through.

MLAA White Trash Zombie looks interesting, and I might check it out after Drawing of the Three. Bleu's comparison to the Sookie Stackhouse series gives me pause though. I haven't ready True Blood, but saw way more of the series than I care to remember and I straight-up hated Sookie as a character.

Jeff wrote: "I straight-up hated Sookie as a character."

This is for others to answer, but is Sookie one of those characters you are supposed to be slightly annoyed with, like Buffy?

Sookie is annoying, but charming. She's Veronica Mars or Buffy - always getting into trouble or seeking trouble when she should just chill out.

Angel in White Trash Zombie (WTZ) is not as annoying - she stands on her own - although there are love interests, she's not swooning over this one or that one. I'm thinking the audible narrators sounded similar. I'd have to go back and see if I have the last Sookie installment and if the voices are similar,

I just finished Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.
Completely different than any other vampire book I've read.
I want to go teach a semester of high-school AP History/English and have this book be a supplement to the standard text book. Hell, that would be pretty cool if there was a whole Facts within Fiction Class. Dissecting the historical truth in A L : V H or the math/science in The Martian or the butterfly effect vs. 11/22/63.