Sci-fi and Heroic Fantasy discussion

So, what have you been reading this February.

It's a short month, so I'm sticking to short stories. :)

Half way through The Stand by Stephen King in January so will have to finish it up in February. At first I didn't like it much at all, but when it got past the whole plague thing and switched over to the whole Randall Flagg versus Abagail Freemantle thing, it started to get my attention. But man...I'm happy I got the original, shorter version, don't think I could slog through the extended version.

Started on the group read The Dying Earth by Jack Vance...in fact I have the omnibus of the four books, so technically I'm reading the Compleat Dying Earth.

I'm currently working on these SFF books:
- The Year's Best Science Fiction & Fantasy 2015 Edition edited by Rich Horton (should finish this month)
- Lock In by John Scalzi (should finish this month)
- The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (might finish this month)
- The Circle by Dave Eggers (might finish this month)
- A Dance with Dragons by George R.R. Martin (will not finish this month - many trees died to bring us this book)

And I'm reading other non-SFF books too:
- The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins (might finish this month)
- The Long Home by William Gay
- Go Girl!: Raising Healthy, Confident and Successful Girls Through Sports by Hannah Storm and Mark Jenkins

This month would probably be a slower reading month but I'm flying to Columbus OH over President's Day weekend with my daughter for a basketball tournament so I'll probably finish some books on the plane flight and in the hotel...unless there are other things to do in Columbus in February?

Just finished reading the entire Rama series by Arthur C. Clarke and now reading the Tripods series by John Christopher

Noris mythology by Neil Gaiman! Just picked up my copy today so I will be reading it next. Then the bear and the Nightingale, the Lord of the rings (I have never read it!) and after that the book thief. If their is time I will read Lord of the flies.

I'm currently reading Aurora, Divergent and Soul of the Fire

I'm going to finish Knife of Dreams next week, then I'm going to read The Fifth Season before continuing with The Gathering Storm.

Krysta wrote: "Norse mythology by Neil Gaiman!"

Neil Gaiman is hit-and-miss for me atm. I loved Neverwhere and Stardust (the movie anyways), but absolutely hated American Gods. But colour me intrigued for Norse Mythology!

I finished my re-read of the Codex Alera books by Jim Butcher. Still one of my favorite fantasy series. I wish he'd revisit Alera in some new books.

Currently reading The Fever Code. I really enjoyed the Maze Runner trilogy and this book is a prequel that's answering some questions I had.

Davy wrote: "Neil Gaiman is a hit-and -miss for me."

His words are what I can't get enough of. He could write a story about a stick and I would want to read every word he had to say about it. Ha ha, he is like an artist. You should give Good Omens a chance of you haven't already.

Currently reading The Painted Man (US: the Warded Man) by Peter V Brett.

victoria wrote: "Just finished reading the entire Rama series by Arthur C. Clarke and now reading the Tripods series by John Christopher"

I think I'm going to start reading Rama II around the end of the month. How did you like it and the two that followed?

Trying to finish up Dune, it is taking forever.
Going to finish The Winter's Tale, hopefully this weekend.

This month will also include Alice in Wonderland and The Maltese Falcon, and hopefully His Majesty's Dragon.

Shaitarn wrote: "Currently reading The Painted Man (US: the Warded Man) by Peter V Brett."

I liked that one but lost interest in the second book. May need to revisit.

Ready Player One

I just finished Dean Koontz "Ashley Bell" so I had a choice between "Moon Called" by Patricia Briggs, or "For Love of Evil" by Piers Anthony

I went with Piers Anthony because it is a book in the series of Incarnations of Immortality that I am not familiar with and I love that series of books.

Finished The Painted Man so I'm onto The Invisible Library.

Finished They Dying Earth, but as I generally don't read multiple books in a series back-to-back, decided to switch to Edding's King of the Murgos since I've been reading a lot of dark stuff lately (The Stand, even The Dying Earth wasn't exactly cheerful except in rare moments when someone got what was coming to them), and more darkness is forthcoming (The Passage trilogy, The Handmaid's Tale). At least The Mallorean is a light and fun read to mix in with the rest.

Finished Handmaid's Tale. Currently reading Suldrun's Garden by Vance.

Trying for:
Deaths End
Dark Matter (whenever can get from library)
The paper menagerie
The first dark tower book
Continuing to backfill from 2016.....

Rachel wrote: "Trying for:
Deaths End
Dark Matter (whenever can get from library)
The paper menagerie
The first dark tower book
Continuing to backfill from 2016....."

Lol...our lists are similar. I liked Dark Matter, but not enough to purchase it. Its a good title to get from your library. I'm currently in the middle of the Dark Tower series. The first book is a bit dry...Stephen King wouldn't even argue with that assessment. But stick with it because I just finished the fourth book and all I can say is OMG. The emotional roller coaster is worth it. Started Death's End today and its not what I expected. Its better and I don't know how that's possible!

Randy wrote: "victoria wrote: "Just finished reading the entire Rama series by Arthur C. Clarke and now reading the Tripods series by John Christopher"

I think I'm going to start reading Rama II a..."

It was the most amazing thing ive read this year so far. Im still sad from the last book

Just finished Stross' Empire Games, which was pretty good & a quick read, if a bit frustrating (view spoiler)[ in that in sets up two main timelines and protagonists and ends with their meeting, not showing any of the fallout or next steps. At least we do get to catch up with "the survivors" of the first six Merchant Prince books. (hide spoiler)]
& starting on Binti:Home

victoria wrote: "It was the most amazing thing ive read this year so far. Im still sad from the last book"

Really? Wow! Glad to hear that. A lot of people were down on the Rama sequel trilogy. I've put off reading them because of that. I'm glad to hear a different opinion.

Just finished Aurora which was simply brilliant. Don't think I have enjoyed Kim Stanley Robinson as much as I did since the Mars trilogy.

Worth reading 2312 and even the Mars trilogy first though as they're some references but it is not necessary.

Today just started on The Simulacra by PKD.

Also got Shaman (KSR again), The Martian, The Handmaid's Tale and House of Leaves lined-up for this month.

Finished Mistborn 1, 2, 3, and 4, hopefully gonna finish 5 and 6 and move on to the stormlight archive, I'm enjoying Sanderson :)

Randy wrote: "victoria wrote: "It was the most amazing thing ive read this year so far. Im still sad from the last book"

Really? Wow! Glad to hear that. A lot of people were down on the Rama sequel trilogy. I'v..."

I saw that and it made me wary of it but obviously those people have no idea what they were talking about

Binti - Home by Nnedi Okorafor
Okorafor's sequel to Binti has the title character taking a leave of absence from her studies at Intergalactic University to return home to Earth and her parents and friends. She doesn't get quite the reception she expects. This novella is in much the same style as its predecessor, with the exception that it's not self-contained, but rather ends on a clear "to be continued..."

Wow!
A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers

Chambers' previous novel, The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet, was a story of a contract construction spaceship and its quirky crew of various personalities (and species) making their way across space to a job. (Some compared it to Firefly in that regard — except for the whole alien thing.) For this follow-on, she's ditched the ship and its crew and started anew on a planet, featuring a couple of minor characters introduced late in the predecessor. The reinitialized ship AI, now inhabiting a humanoid body ("kit"), is having many unexpected difficulties fitting in.

Pepper, who you may recall as one of Jenks' hacker contacts from the first book, takes Sidra under her wing for reasons that become clear an impressive back story told through interleaved flashbacks. The two stories work perfectly together, and the result is really enjoyable & engrossing. (I tore thru it in under 24 hours.)

I finally finished The Fires of Heaven today, and up next I'm going to start Jim Butcher's the Dresden Files Omnibus Volume 1.

I finished Theft of Swords which was great and very enjoyable. I'm currently reading The Blood-Tainted Winter, it's a viking-style fantasy. It has a nice start, but from the ~30% mark it becomes more interesting.

OK, G33z3r, you definitely have me looking forward to A Closed & Common Orbit now.

Enjoyed Binti:Home, though I found my interest fluctuating at points (liked the glimpse of Oomza Uni; then felt there was a bit too much retread of the first novella, though I enjoyed seeing Third Fish again; definitely was drawn in to the end of the book, with the encounter with the Desert People). I was a bit annoyed at the cliffhanger ending, but I know Tor has already bought the next installation -- just saw that this will be Binti: The Night Masquerade. I don't know much about African masquerade (it was interesting how the appearance of this figure interacted with the Himba gender expectations); the masquerade figure made me think of the carnival figures in Hopkinson's Midnight Robber.

Finished Drew Hayes' Split the Party: Spells, Swords & Stealth, Book 2 and starting Going Rogue: Spells, Swords & Stealth, Book 3. Excellent series with an interesting premise, great characters and a well written entertaining plot.

I've just finished reading Jeanette O'Hagan's latest novella, Lakwi's Lament. It was a little under my normal age group as far as reading went, but it was still enjoyable. I like the world she's building.

Finished reading Perdido Street Station in January, so I've moved on to The Scar

Much as I enjoyed the slower start to PSS, where we spend quite a bit of time in the first half of the book exploring the streets of New Crobuzon, and getting to know its inhabitants, it's nice to get into the story a bit quicker in The Scar.

I'm liking the city of Armada so far.

Yesterday I finished reading The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum.

Starting The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold.
Still trying to get through all the orbital mechanics in Neal Stephenson's Seveneves. Almost 50%.

Just read Wen Spencer's new book Black Wolves of Boston. An interesting twist on urban fantasy with some interesting characters and lots of humor. Next I plan to finish Childhoods End, which I started last month but set aside for some reason. I'm not sure what I'll pick out of my TBR list after that.

Reading The King's Blood and planning to finish that series this month. That should take me into early March, but if I finish early then planning to get into The Iron Heel, The Last Man or Memory of Water

I am reading War Factory by Neal Asher. I am enjoying it very much so I may read another Asher book next as well.

Finished The King of the Murgos by David Edding, and The Stand by Stephen King...and going from one post-apocalyptic tale to another because I'm starting The Twelve by Justin Cronin

I am finishing A Darker Shade of Magic and hopefully finally finishing Redwall. Then I am going to start one from my challenge list. I'm not sure which book yet, there are so many I want to read :)

Probably something from my Sci-Fi list. I like switching back and forth.

Richard wrote: "and hopefully finally finishing Redwall.

Oh man, I used to love the Redwall books as a kid. I never finished the series but at least more than half of it anyway and still have the books. I should try rereading them as an adult, could be fun to revisit.

Currently re-acquainting myself with the first novel of Pamela Belle's Silver City Trilogy ( The Silver City ) which I last read in the 1990s when they came out.

I cannot wait for the remaining novels in the series to be republished.

Just finished Dark Matter which seemed like a thriller trying on mommy's sci-fi clothes. Certainly seemed made for tv/movie - just not comparable to things like too like the lightening or ninefox gambit, or deaths end which I'll probably do next.

Side note - how do you link books from the GR app???

Rachel wrote: "Just finished Dark Matter which seemed like a thriller trying on mommy's sci-fi clothes. ..."

That was my take on Dark Matter, too. :)

Rachel wrote: "Side note - how do you link books from the GR app???.."

I don't think you can.

I finished Lock In last night and gave it 3 stars. Here's my review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I added my thoughts to the group discussion of the book located here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

NekroRider wrote: "Richard wrote: "and hopefully finally finishing Redwall.

Oh man, I used to love the Redwall books as a kid. I never finished the series but at least more than half of it anyway and st..."

I never read any of the Redwall books as a kid. I guess I'm making up for some of that now.

Another obsession I have is board games. There's a game called Mice and Mystics that is heavily influenced by Redwall and Mouse Guard: Fall 1152 which is why I decided to go back and read some Redwall.

My sister was into Redwall for a while, so I read the first book. One day I should get back to it.

I picked up Assassin's Creed: The Secret Crusade in a used bookstore and am starting that right now.