What are you reading now?

Mr_Asa said:

Kevin Hearne's Iron Druid series.  On the third or fourth book right now.  I'm digging it

If you're a fan of Jim Butcher, you should pick it up

That series is great.  Just the right balance of "serious" and "tongue in cheek".  

stroker said:

Mr_Asa said:

Kevin Hearne's Iron Druid series.  On the third or fourth book right now.  I'm digging it

If you're a fan of Jim Butcher, you should pick it up

That series is great.  Just the right balance of "serious" and "tongue in cheek".  

That's what I'm finding as well

Duke said:

Currently reading Stonehenge Complete by R A Chippendale.  It's a history of the history of Stonehenge.  He basically summarizes what the current understanding and interpretation of the site was in each era from the 1500s through the present day. 

I just got a group of 4 old Allistair MacLean books out of dead storage at the library:

Ice Station Zebra

Bear Island

Where Eagles Dare

Night Without End

I've read some of these before but its been 40 years.  Some of those I haven't read but you really can't go wrong with MacLean.

 

 

If you like MacLean and haven't read it yet, I definitely recommend HSM Ulysses (his first book). It's a bit different from a lot of his later work and IIRC based on his experience abroad ships escorting the Murmansk convoys. Not what I'd call ideal bedtime reading, but worth reading nonetheless.

Started reading "Journey of Rise" by Robert Mccullar. It's a pretty neat sci-fi novel. I'm enjoying it. 
https://www.amazon.com/Journey-Rise-Robert-McCullar/dp/1456352350

BoxheadTim (Forum Supporter) said:

Duke said:

Currently reading Stonehenge Complete by R A Chippendale.  It's a history of the history of Stonehenge.  He basically summarizes what the current understanding and interpretation of the site was in each era from the 1500s through the present day. 

I just got a group of 4 old Allistair MacLean books out of dead storage at the library:

Ice Station Zebra

Bear Island

Where Eagles Dare

Night Without End

I've read some of these before but its been 40 years.  Some of those I haven't read but you really can't go wrong with MacLean.

 

 

If you like MacLean and haven't read it yet, I definitely recommend HSM Ulysses (his first book). It's a bit different from a lot of his later work and IIRC based on his experience abroad ships escorting the Murmansk convoys. Not what I'd call ideal bedtime reading, but worth reading nonetheless.

Yes, it's actually my favorite of his books. And yes, it definitely benefited from his hitch on cruisers during WWII.

I'm about 80% through this novel and I highly recommend it. I've gained an appreciation of Chopin, and learned things through this author about WW2 that I never knew. So, I'm listening to Chopin right now, and I can picture Ingo Six, the main character, playing this music on the piano in the bombed out apartment building in Warsaw in August, '44, moments before he reunites with Lidka. It's a great story so far, but I'm worried about how it ends. Warsaw was not the place to be in 1944.

Command Authority, by Tom Clancy.

Mr_Asa said:

Kevin Hearne's Iron Druid series.  On the third or fourth book right now.  I'm digging it

If you're a fan of Jim Butcher, you should pick it up

I will have to look that up. I wrapped up Dresden files, and the Rivers of London Series.

Along that similar vein, I highly recommend Ben Aaranovitch's Rivers of London series. Modern fantasy, police procedural. About a London police constable who becomes a wizard apprentice and starts dealing with supernatural crimes.

I've enjoyed the Rivers of London series as well.  Haven't picked up the most recent couple of books though.

The Alex Verus series by Benedict Jacka also fits in that realm of books.

Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline. 
 

Currently reading Martha Wells' - All Systems Red, the first of the Murderbot Diaries (just started); a science fiction. And, Emily John Mandel's post-apocalyptic diction - Station Eleven, set in the future where the world is destroyed by a global pandemic (relatable circumstances).

Ted Chiang, Stories of your life and others.  The title story is what Arrival is based on, but so far there are some truly great stories in this book.  His work is considered SciFi, but its very not traditional (no space ships, no lasers, etc). and will really make you think.

The curse of Lono, Hunter S Thompson. I needed a break from the seriousness

ProDarwin said:

Ted Chiang, Stories of your life and others.  The title story is what Arrival is based on, but so far there are some truly great stories in this book.  His work is considered SciFi, but its very not traditional (no space ships, no lasers, etc). and will really make you think.

Just picked that up last week from a Kindle sale.  For me, has a similar flavor to Bradbury. 

Karacticus said:

ProDarwin said:

Ted Chiang, Stories of your life and others.  The title story is what Arrival is based on, but so far there are some truly great stories in this book.  His work is considered SciFi, but its very not traditional (no space ships, no lasers, etc). and will really make you think.

Just picked that up last week from a Kindle sale.  For me, has a similar flavor to Bradbury. 

Hmmmm, color me interested.  Thanks!

I didn't know there was a Ready Player Two!!!  I know what I'll be reading this weekend.

I just finished re-reading Red Rising by Pierce Brown to remember what happened in the series so I could read the most recent book in the series.  If you like dystopian sci-fi, I recommend the series.

-Rob

Just finished Ready Player Two, thank you Duke! It was good but his other book Armada is still his best in my opinion.

Agency by William Gibson.

A rather creepy look into adaptive AI and machine learning.

About a week ago I decided it was time to finally get around to reading the last 3 books in the Wheel of Time -- the ones that Brandon Sanderson wrote to finish it off after Robert Jordan passed away.  I've read the previous 11 before but it's been 15 years and I've forgotten a lot, so I decided to go back to the beginning.  2/3 of the way through The Great Hunt (book 2) at this point.

ShawnG said:

Agency by William Gibson.

A rather creepy look into adaptive AI and machine learning.

When was that written?  I usually try to stay on top of Gibson's work but I don't think I know that one.

In reply to Duke :

2020, I only found out about it the other day.

It's part two of the Jackpot trilogy that started with The Peripheral.

Duke said:

Karacticus said:

ProDarwin said:

Ted Chiang, Stories of your life and others.  The title story is what Arrival is based on, but so far there are some truly great stories in this book.  His work is considered SciFi, but its very not traditional (no space ships, no lasers, etc). and will really make you think.

Just picked that up last week from a Kindle sale.  For me, has a similar flavor to Bradbury. 

Hmmmm, color me interested.  Thanks!

 

His other collection (Exhalation: Stories) is excellent as well, but there is one rather long one in the middle that I wish I had skipped.

ShawnG said:

In reply to Duke :

2020, I only found out about it the other day.

It's part two of the Jackpot trilogy that started with The Peripheral.

Cool, I didn't know about that one either.  Thanks!

chandler said:

Just finished Ready Player Two, thank you Duke! It was good but his other book Armada is still his best in my opinion.

I keep forgetting about Armada.  I'll have to put that on my list.  Thanks.

Only 20 pages into  Angela's Ashes by  Frank McCourt, life story of a kid born in Ireland, moves to NYC then back to Ireland.

Lying in bed reading the mindset and culture of Ireland, I start giggling.  SWMBO looks at me,

"These are my people!!"