Recreational Literary Endeavors

Luthorne

Well-Known Member
#1
Didn't spot a thread for this, so, though I'd pop up a thread for people to mention what books they're currently reading, how they're enjoying them, etc. After all, there's one for anime, manga, games, and movies, so why not books?

Finished up Herbie Brennan's Faerie Wars books, starting with 'Faerie Wars', moving on to 'The Faerie Emperor', 'Ruler of the Realm', and finally finishing up with 'Faerie Lord'. I was, in many ways, disappointed with Faerie Lord, as it didn't feel as good as the rest of the books to me, but it was still an enjoyable book series with a lot of enjoyable parts to it.

Currently, got myself an Omnibus of some of Lois McMasters Bujold's work, specifically, 'Komarr', 'A Civil Campaign', and 'Winterfair Gifts'. Rereading 'A Civil Campaign' at the moment, just because I feel like something amusing, and I do adore Miles' snark. Not to mention him getting yanked by the chain hard when everything blows up in his face for trying to be sneaky about love. Ah, how I do love Miles Vorkosigan. :wub:

With luck, I shall be getting the first book of the Dresden Files series in on Saturday, and I shall start in on that.

So, anyone else care to share what books they're reading?
 

Ina_meishou

Well-Known Member
#2
Recently finished The Courts of the Crimson Kings, by Stirling. Excelent read.


Currently reading Flashfire, by sherman and cragg. Just like all Starfist books, its hillarious.
 

Voivod

Well-Known Member
#3
I'm about halfway through Steven Erikkson's Gardens of the Moon, the first book the Malazan Book of the Fallen.

I was definately confused at first, but i kept reading and one of the most inetersting books i've read in a long time
 

mandalorianjedi

The Original M2J
#4
My friend David Tyson just published a book either last year, or the year before called "The Fifth Age: The Quest for the Stone of Power". He's going to be publishing the second one soon.

It's geared more towards a younger audience, but it's not bad.

Other than that, I tend to re-read through my Shannara, Harry Potter and Artemis Fowl Series books from time to time.
 

okais

Well-Known Member
#5
Been reading several David Gemmell's novel. I especially enjoyed Legend and The First Chronicles of Druss the Legend along with Waylander.
 
#6
I just finished The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Only problem that I have with it is that the next book won't come out until next year.

Thinking about re-reading the Belisarius Saga by David Drake and Eric Flint, which by the way, are LEGALLY available on this site- http://baencd.thefifthimperium.com under the link labeled- 13-TheBalticWarCD.

God I love Baen's CD-Rom bookshare program.
 

nick012000

Well-Known Member
#7
I'm reading the Corean Chronicles, by L.E. Modesitt Jr.

Basically, it's like a Fantasy version of the Military Sci-fi subgenre.
 

garedelyon

Well-Known Member
#8
Just finished 'Colour' by Victoria Finlay. The history of pigments and dyes, and how people have used them, and why. Brilliant book. Non-fiction. Awesome.

Now reading 'The Carpet Wars', by... this guy. BBC reporter. Uses the art history of carpets in the middle east as a parable for the conflict of the region, over the last 200 years. Also non-fiction.

'Anybody out There?' by Marian Keyes. Chick-lit ftw.

'The Poet and the Woman', by Aristophanes.
 

JiigarGhen

Well-Known Member
#9
Let's see....rereading every single Discworld book I can get my hands on right now. As well as...hmm. What else have I read in the last week or so? Ah, the 1633 series by David Weber and Eric Flint. Personally, I find I like Weber a lot better when he's writing with someone else. He has a tendency to use long, rambling sentences that don't really go anywhere in particualr at times.

I've also read a few of the Bolo books, most of the Guardians of the Flame series by Joel Rosenberg, a couple others by Rosenberg....umm. Oh, and this pair of books I rather liked, called Banewreaker and Godslayer, by Jacqueline Carey. Reminiscent of Lord of the Rings, but a bit more thought provoking about who and what is actually evil. I believe the little question that's written in the front cover goes something like "If all that is considered good considers you evil, are you?"
 

spooky316

Well-Known Member
#10
Recently creating cards for the FSN image thread has gotten me into Magic: the Gathering once more, so I'm re-reading my books. Just finished "The Thran," and started "The Brother's War."
 

drakensis

Well-Known Member
#11
JiigarGhen said:
most of the Guardians of the Flame series by Joel Rosenberg
Now there's a blast from the past. I picked up (or was given, can't quite recall) the first of those secondhand and it was my first introduction to the roleplaying hobby. Granted, none of my DMs have ever flung me into a fantasy world, but I remain watchful.
 

SotF

Well-Known Member
#12
I have the first three books in a single omnibus edition. That series was one of my favorites and still gives me a few moments when rereading it.

Wish I'd been able to find the rest to read at that point because I'd found a later one in the library and it didn't really seem to have the same flare as the first few.
 

parker

Well-Known Member
#13
I'm reading Watchmen and a Lovecraft collection on the side.
 

SotF

Well-Known Member
#14
Currently I'm working through Indiana Jones & The Dinosaur Eggs.
 

Luthorne

Well-Known Member
#15
Recently read 'Darkly Dreaming Dexter', 'Dearly Devoted Dexter', and 'Dexter in the Dark', all by Jeff Lindsay, which were quite good reads...let no one say that first person perspective is bad, as long as you have an intriguing person providing the first person perspective. And Dexter is a delicious character indeed. Ironically, I got into it because someone wrote a story involving a Naruto that was based off of Dexter...and now, having read the books, I can safely say that they did zippo justice to the books whatsoever. Of course, I understand there's some sort of television series, but I have virtually no desire to see how it raped the book series. :sweat2:

Other than that, read 'Storm Front' and 'Fool Moon', both of which were fairly good...now, if only the third book would come in, since I've been in line for that one for forever. Ironically, I have most of the rest of the series checked out, so...argh. It's irritating, since I absolutely know that reading the books out of order would be a Bad Idea?.

Thinking about rereading the 1632 series sometime, since I love Eric Flint. Or possibly Crown of Slaves yet again, since my favorite Honor Harrington books are ones that were cowritten by Eric Flint, whose characters I enjoy immensely. David Weber is a good author, mind you, but Eric Flint draws me into it more easily, whereas I occasionally find myself lost in a sea of words with David Weber, trying to figure out where I was and what exactly is being described for a second or two. Plus, Victor Cachat is Fucking Awesome?.
 

ttestagr

Well-Known Member
#16
Luthorne said:
Recently read 'Darkly Dreaming Dexter', 'Dearly Devoted Dexter', and 'Dexter in the Dark', all by Jeff Lindsay, which were quite good reads...let no one say that first person perspective is bad, as long as you have an intriguing person providing the first person perspective. And Dexter is a delicious character indeed. Ironically, I got into it because someone wrote a story involving a Naruto that was based off of Dexter...and now, having read the books, I can safely say that they did zippo justice to the books whatsoever. Of course, I understand there's some sort of television series, but I have virtually no desire to see how it raped the book series. :sweat2:

Other than that, read 'Storm Front' and 'Fool Moon', both of which were fairly good...now, if only the third book would come in, since I've been in line for that one for forever. Ironically, I have most of the rest of the series checked out, so...argh. It's irritating, since I absolutely know that reading the books out of order would be a Bad Idea?.

Thinking about rereading the 1632 series sometime, since I love Eric Flint. Or possibly Crown of Slaves yet again, since my favorite Honor Harrington books are ones that were cowritten by Eric Flint, whose characters I enjoy immensely. David Weber is a good author, mind you, but Eric Flint draws me into it more easily, whereas I occasionally find myself lost in a sea of words with David Weber, trying to figure out where I was and what exactly is being described for a second or two. Plus, Victor Cachat is Fucking Awesome?.
Fool! :crazy: Dexter is the best show on tv. It is made of win, and psycopathic violence.
 

silksponge

Well-Known Member
#17
Never watched more than one episode of Dexter,clashing schedule and lazy overall.

Currently I'm re-reading six Kurt Vonnegut novels before I start on the four recently gifted upon me.

Before those it was Kung-Fu High School which I seemed to have had in my possesion but never read. It made me sad.
 

Estrecca

Well-Known Member
#18
In no particular order...

Illium and Olympos. Endymion and Rise of Endymion. Both series by Dan Simmons.

Soon I Will Be Invincible. Hilarious parody of the whole superhero genre. And yes, I was rooting for Doctor Impossible.

A Clash of Kings by George R. Martin. Densest epic fantasy saga ever.

Sojourn by R.A. Salvatore. Bog standard D&D fantasy from the 80s. Pretty damn bad, in other words.

And now I'm waiting to see if I can get World War Z. Sounds like fun.
 

Luthorne

Well-Known Member
#19
ttestagr said:
Fool!? :crazy:? Dexter is the best show on tv.? It is made of win, and psychopathic violence.
Given that I am currently watching a grand total of zero series on television, the fact that it's the best series being shown on television may mean less than you think. My use of televisions currently extends strictly to gaming purposes. :p

Besides which, I've heard that they toned down Dexter for the television series, especially in regards to his relationship with Rita, which makes me sad. Not to mention , I understand he killed off his brother in the television series. But, in all honestly, no matter how good it is, I have a hard time believing that it could possibly live up to the book series and the deliciously dark narrative and humor to be found within. :sisi:

Edit: Still...someday, I may look into finding the DVD box set or something, if I'm bored and inexplicably find myself hungering for entertainment in that particular medium...
 

garedelyon

Well-Known Member
#20
Arrian - the Campaigns of Alexander

Because I heart the ancient world :p

And On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta. For about the 30th time.
 

SotF

Well-Known Member
#21
Just finished Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Anita Blake: Blood Noir

I've started to get a deranged glee with Anita Blake at least.

Another I finished was Night Life by Caitlin Kittredge, the first of a new series and it's about a werewolf detective.
 

Ordo

Well-Known Member
#22
Currently reading Babylon Babies by Maurice G. Dantec. This book is at times interesting and at other times difficult to read. I'm starting to think that it has lost something in it's translation from French to English. At the moment I am curious enough as to what's really going on to keep reading, but if the author takes much longer getting to the part of the story described on the back cover I may be setting this one aside.

Battle for the Abyss by Ben Counter. Normally I like Ben Counters work, and I was looking forward to reading about the Primarch of the Ultramarines. Unfortunatly he appears to be MIA in this book which just focuses on a group of Marines attemtping to accomplish an admittedly difficult task. I love Space Marines as much as the next person but after having read about them for awhile now I really prefer stories that do something different with them like in 'Soul Drinkers' & 'Grey Knights' series of books. For me the most interesting portions of the Horus Heresy has been seeing the Primarchs in action as well as seeing loyalist memebers of the Traitor Marine Legions dealing with their turncoat brethern.

Also I can't be the only one who wants to see someone write good book focusing on the Eldar.
 

Watashiwa

Administrator
Staff member
#23
Before college starts, I need to do some serious reading.

Hence, I've picked up copies of Lord Dunsany's "The King of Elfland's Daughter", the book that is the foundation of every fantasy book in it with an elf ever; as well as "Siddartha," which is a book about Buddhism in it's early years.

After that...well, I've been seeing copies of Osamu Tezuka's manga about Buddha at my Border's, so I might go get that. Or maybe I'll go after some Lovecraft. :huh.:
 

Frank Cadena

Well-Known Member
#24
Been re-reading Tom Clancy's Books starting with Without Remorse. I've read some of the books before, jumping here and there but recently I was gifted with the complete set and so I'm reading from the start to refresh what I've already read and fill in the missing gaps in my reading.
 

silksponge

Well-Known Member
#25
More Vonnegut.

A few a haven't gotten to and couple for the hell of it.

-Any recommendations for books/series with heavy satire/black humor?

The Illiad and the Odyssey because they're Epic.

A biography on Lincoln.Mostly because it was on sale,and has an awesome hat.
 
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