What are you reading at the moment?

[LeMarchand]

Just finished Redshirts. A group of crew on a not-entirely-unlike-The-Enterprise ship begin to question the high attrition rate amongst their number...

 

Amusing and very metafictional. Comes with 3 codas, the first of which is a bit of a struggle, the second is a little better but the third (which ties in with the second) is really quite moving. Worth a read.

[witch]

I've just read Hex. Thought the end was disappointing

[DJ-1701]

I've just read Hex. Thought the end was disappointing

 

Did they convert to binary?

 

Seriously though, I hate it when that happens and it seems to quite often in any story telling media, something starting off good or great ruining it's potential.

[Norphy]

Just finished Redshirts. A group of crew on a not-entirely-unlike-The-Enterprise ship begin to question the high attrition rate amongst their number...

 

Amusing and very metafictional. Comes with 3 codas, the first of which is a bit of a struggle, the second is a little better but the third (which ties in with the second) is really quite moving. Worth a read.

 

Redshirts was my John Scalzi gateway drug. I enjoyed that one so I looked his other work. The first Old Man War books were excellent, the later ones quite good. Lock In was good, as was The Android's Dream. The Collapsing Empire has potential as well.

[Theldron]

I've just read Hex. Thought the end was disappointing

 

I never got to the end, struggled with it so have moved on to Trapped by Jack Kilborn. A couple who run a center for troubled teenagers take them on a camping trip to an island, where there is a legend that there was a civil war prison and the prisoners revolted and turned to cannabilism to survive.

 

Story for the whole family

[LeMarchand]

The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo

 

A book of fairy tales set in a fantasy Tsarist Russia like setting. Each story takes one or two (or more) familiar tales and weaves a new tale based on/echoing them.

 

Obviously, your enjoyment will depend greatly on how much you enjoy fairy tales, especially revisionist ones, but I thoroughly enjoyed this and aim to seek out more by the author. Even tempted to get the Harback (which has some lovely, if spoilerish, illustrations). Not sure why this is classed as YA, though I guess the author's other work may fall under that purview.

[Bompalompalomp]

Ghost Rider by Neil Peart

 

On a bit of a Rush kick...

[LeMarchand]

Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

 

After thoroughly enjoying her book of fairy tales, I gave this a go. It's the first part of a YA trilogy set in the same vaguely Tsarist Russia fantasy world. It was OK, but I spent a lot of the book in fear of what looked like a Bella/Edward/Jacob triangle. Fortunately it wasn't that bad, but it was merely "mildly diverting" whilst her short stories were brilliant.

[casey]

The 'Bryant and May' series of dectective novels by Christopher Fowler, they have a vague similarity to the Ben Aaronovitch books.

 

Lots of kind of supernatural threads and loads of information on the history of London, as well as being great stories and characters.

[LeMarchand]

The 'Bryant and May' series of dectective novels by Christopher Fowler, they have a vague similarity to the Ben Aaronovitch books.

 

Lots of kind of supernatural threads and loads of information on the history of London, as well as being great stories and characters.

 

Got a few of those in the "to read" mountain. I really liked some of his early books, especially Roofworld, but then kind of lost touch with what he was doing.

[LeMarchand]

Station Zero

 

Final part of Philip Reeve's "Railhead" trilogy, set in a future where interstellar travel is by train. Ex-thief Zen Starling is living a life of luxury but misses his Motorik (Android) lover, Nova. When he receives a mysterious coded message he sets out on a new adventure that could set the future of the universe on a whole new track.

 

Not as gripping as the author's "Mortal Engines" sequence, but a fun read. Starts of a little slow, but gradually picks up steam. The final page or two gets a little preachy, but its heart is in the right place.

[Scifigirl]

Just read- The two of swords trilogy - KJ Parker who is really Tom Holt.... not too bad

 

Gearing up for the new set of Harry Dresden short stories on the 7th June by reminding myself how good they are.

[pooley]

Read the new Raymond E Feist book, King of Ashes, enjoyed, looking forward to the next.

[LeMarchand]

Hammers on Bone by Cassandra Khaw

 

A private eye is hired by a young boy to kill the boy's father, who the child says is a monster... just like the private eye.

 

One of those books where you suspect that the author knows their world (noir meets Lovecraft) inside out, but the reader doesn't really get invited in. Why did the protagonist in a present-day London sound like he'd stepped out of a Raymond Chandler novel, for instance? Plus not a lot seemed to happen over the course of the book that couldn't have seen it as a much tighter short story. I won't be seeking out any of the sequels.

[Chrism03]

Nation by Terry Pratchett https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nation_(novel) Found it in a second hand book shop and after al the discworld novels it was a must read, seams very good so far.

[LeMarchand]

Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman

 

I thought I'd read this when it was a World Book Day choice but if I did, it's totally gone from my memory. Picked up a nice illustrated hardback from the market for a pound, and it was definitely worth that! It's a short tale about a disabled Viking boy who gets caught up in an adventure with 3 transformed Norse gods.

[mikeprice]

Just finished the Dark Space trilogy by Jasper T Scott - got it on an offer so I was prepared for it to be no good

Actually I found it pretty good - well developed characters - well written etc etc

 

OK I have read better written book - but I have read many that are much worse - especially Sci-Fi books

 

good enough that I have paid to get book 4

[LeMarchand]

The Feaster from the Stars by Alan K Baker

 

In a Steampunk version of Victorian Britain, there is something lurking in the tunnels of the still under construction London Underground. Something that is driving men mad. Two of Her Majesty's finest are dispatched to investigate and discover that something far more terrifying is on the way: The Feaster from the Stars - The King in Yellow.

 

2nd in a trilogy. Not read the first, but this volume was in Poundland and sounded interesting. Unfortunately it wasn't brilliant and had an almost literal deus ex machina ending. At least The King in Yellow was better used than in True Detective.

[hardtailstar]

Just bought Sean Conway's 4 books, His triathlon of Britain in three books and his book on cycling round the world

[SpuffMonkey]

Railhead Vol 3 - Station Zero by Philip Reeve - excellent fun for a kid's book

[LeMarchand]

Railhead Vol 3 - Station Zero by Philip Reeve - excellent fun for a kid's book

 

Yay! Philip Reeve ftw.

 

I'm currently on his "Night Flights", 3 short stories starring Anna Fang (a "different POV" of events already told in Mortal Engines, a reworking of the World Book Day "Traction City" and a new story covering a mission referenced in ME). Apparently Reeve was so impressed by Jihae's portrayal of Anna in the upcoming movie that he felt there needed to be more written about her. Also his publishers probably realised that existing fans weren't going to be rushing out to buy the inevitable movie tie-in covers...

[mikeprice]

Just finished a group of 3(I think) books by Jasper T Scott - the Dark Space trilogy - got them as a group on one of those stupidly cheap deals on the WWW.

so good I actually bought the next one (OK the fourth of the trilogy - I think there are a couple more as well)

[SpuffMonkey]

Yay! Philip Reeve ftw.

 

I'm currently on his "Night Flights", 3 short stories starring Anna Fang (a "different POV" of events already told in Mortal Engines, a reworking of the World Book Day "Traction City" and a new story covering a mission referenced in ME). Apparently Reeve was so impressed by Jihae's portrayal of Anna in the upcoming movie that he felt there needed to be more written about her. Also his publishers probably realised that existing fans weren't going to be rushing out to buy the inevitable movie tie-in covers...

 

Yeah - got that for my birthday - so starting it any day now

[SpuffMonkey]

btw - I'd really recommend Gnomon by Nick Harkaway - its sort of sci-fi, dystopian, detective, thriller and more AND well weird - its a long read and really keeps you guessing at what the hell is going on - I read it a few months ago and forgot to post

[LeMarchand]

Night Flights by Philip Reeve, illustrated by Ian McQue

 

3 tales starring aviatrix Anna Fang from the "Mortal Engines" quartet: one covering how she came to own her airship the "Jenny Haniver", one a reworking of a previously-published story about her first visit to London and the third covers a mission to a remote island and ends with her meeting a girl with a hideous scar.

 

Entertaining, but slight. Although it's fairly "stand-alone" I can't imagine anyone who isn't a huge ME fan buying this, and if you fall into that category it's still hardly an essential read. OTH it's only £7 for the hardback.