Fatal Alliance by Sean Williams
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What'cha Reading?
- Thread starter Falselogic
- Start date
Read Mark O'Connell's Notes from an Apocalypse in a single sitting today. What starts out as an exploration of prepper culture turns into a philosophical examination of what "the end" even means and how what most of people consider the end isn't. For my tastes it gets a little too navel gazing in the last chapter or so but it was very good and O'Connell highlights the absurdity of the prepper culture and the libertarian silicon valley folks who think they can pay their way out of disaster (either in New Zealand or Mars). I would recommend it.
One more Star Wars book for the year with The Star Wars Book: Expand your knowledge of a galaxy far, far away by Cole Horton
Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson
A book that didn't work for me, but might work for somebody else.
Going back to more familiar territory with Mention My Name in Atlantis by John Jakes
Going back to more familiar territory with Mention My Name in Atlantis by John Jakes
FelixSH
(He/Him)
The Princess Bride (both the book, as the book in the book) started somewhat slow, but I'm now roughly at the middle point, and it has become a ton of fun.
Also, Inigo Montoya is a great name
I wished there were more weird interruptions, like "this was before Europe, but after Spain", or whatever it was. I feels like Abe Simpson is reading from a book, but has to interrup from time to time, to give some nonsense explanations about earlier times.
Also, Inigo Montoya is a great name
I wished there were more weird interruptions, like "this was before Europe, but after Spain", or whatever it was. I feels like Abe Simpson is reading from a book, but has to interrup from time to time, to give some nonsense explanations about earlier times.
170 books done, and still going. On to, We Are Legion (We Are Bob) by Dennis E. Taylor
Violentvixen
(She/Her)
I read that a bit ago and was definitely befuddled as to how it ended up on so many lists. But it was fun and quick so I'm glad I got it from the library. Very different from anything else I'd read.
Just finished Why We Swim by Bonnie Tsui. I liked it a lot but it would probably bore a non-swimmer to death. I'm very glad to have learned about Guðlaugur Friðþórsson and Nihon Eiho (there's probably a better link to the whole concept but this makes the point).
Those are my favorite parts of one of my favorite books.
Eager to hear your take on this one. It's been sitting in my wishlist forever but have never pulled the trigger because I have too much sci-fi in the backlog already, but the premise sounds interesting.
Which reminds me, from the synopsis sounds like a similar take to The Improbable Rise of Singularity Girl, that also deals with the concept of self when the Singularity comes. In this case it deals with the very first human to get uploaded (the titular girl) and it is a great book filled with tasty delicious ideas. My favorite, from very very early in the book,
is that running the digital copy of our heroine is so expensive she is time-delayed, with one second of her time being hours of human time, so interaction with the human world is done entirely with asynchronous messaging
By all means, go full speed ahead. I give it two thumbs up. It wasn't perfect (some of the science stuff made my eyes glaze over), but it was really fun
Want to get at least one nonfiction in for the month, so reading Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light by Patrick McGilligan
Want to get at least one nonfiction in for the month, so reading Alfred Hitchcock: A Life in Darkness and Light by Patrick McGilligan
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It’s odd that Susanna Clarke and I have never spoken to each other, because she seems to have written her new book Piranesi specifically for me. I can’t remember the last time I read something that was pitched so directly at my own weird combination of interests and tastes.
Violentvixen
(She/Her)
Finally read We Were Eight Years in Power. Good, although wish I'd read it earlier when the Obama/Trump transition was more fresh in my mind. I had to remind myself of a lot of the events discussed in the book.
I also started and quickly abandoned Buy Yourself the F*cking Lilies, because I found the writing annoying, the stories hard to follow, etc.
I also started and quickly abandoned Buy Yourself the F*cking Lilies, because I found the writing annoying, the stories hard to follow, etc.
Claus: Legend of a Fat Man by Tony Bertauski
I finished Gideon the Ninth. I liked it enough to cheat on a Christmas present* to open and begin Harrow the Ninth as soon as possible.
*I hedged my bets - I told my girlfriend to open it, check if it contained a book called Harrow the Ninth, and if it did to tell me and give it to me, and if not, to tell me nothing and reseal the box. Yes, I feel guilty. No, not that much.
*I hedged my bets - I told my girlfriend to open it, check if it contained a book called Harrow the Ninth, and if it did to tell me and give it to me, and if not, to tell me nothing and reseal the box. Yes, I feel guilty. No, not that much.
Just finished my big goal for the year by reading at least ten books each month this year. Moving on to A Lot Like Christmas by Connie Willis
Getting my musical theater history on with American Musical Theater: A Chronicle Fourth Edition by Gerald Bordman and Richard Norton
Violentvixen
(She/Her)
Blasted through The Empress of Salt and Fortune and Binti this weekend. I don't think I've read a novella in a long time but these were a lot of fun.
Now to see if the library has more of these series. I'm try to keep a light book by my nightstand to read before I go to sleep, and something more intense to read otherwise.
Now to see if the library has more of these series. I'm try to keep a light book by my nightstand to read before I go to sleep, and something more intense to read otherwise.
If you’re a podcast listener, Levar Burton recently did a really great interview with Nnedi Okorafor on his podcast “Levar Burton Reads.” It’s very much worth listening to, as are the two previous episodes, in which Burton reads one of Okorafor’s short stories.
Violentvixen
(She/Her)
I barely keep up with the one podcast I subscribe to (Nature) but I will download these episodes, I don't think I've disliked a single thing she's written.
Getting into book two of the Sun Eater trilogy, Howling Dark by Christopher Ruocchio
One-third of a the way into Harrow the Ninth and so far it is very different from its predecessor Gideon the Ninth. I'm enjoying it because the mysteries are intriguing me, but it's also very different in tone and tenor from the first.
Finished off Ship of Smoke and Steel, which I did not recall ever purchasing, but was in my Kindle library anyway, and I said "Oh, okay!" and, luckily, it wound up being a really fun YA book that I enjoyed quite a bit. A bit formulaic by the standards of YA Fantasy, perhaps, but ain't nothing wrong with a formula I enjoy! It's about a magic crime-boss from a Fantasy Kingdom coerced by the cops to take over a haunted ship that demands live sacrifices. And, it being a YA book, she also gradually realizes she's in a love triangle when she come to the conclusion that smoochin' on other girls is rad.
Also, the book suddenly becomes Monster Hunter whenever the Mutiny of a Ghost Ship or Unto Whom Do I Bestow Smooches bits even hint at dragging things down. All in all, a rip-roariin' good time. Already added the sequel to my queue.
Also, the book suddenly becomes Monster Hunter whenever the Mutiny of a Ghost Ship or Unto Whom Do I Bestow Smooches bits even hint at dragging things down. All in all, a rip-roariin' good time. Already added the sequel to my queue.
I am currently reading The Calculating Stars and I am enjoying it.
TCS feels to me like it really isn't "about" the alt history setting so much as it is about a woman fighting for equality and dealing with her own personal struggles.
For me, the book is a bit of a window into issues that I am not forced to confront as a male. But Elma also has some really human issues that I can relate to. And she is confronted with the racism of the 50s and discovers that she too has blind spots for injustice.
Violentvixen
(She/Her)
Well I've put The Calculating Stars on hold at the library after hearing you all talk about it!
I just finished Circe by Madeline Miller, I liked it and recommend it. Just enough changing around of the original myths to keep it interesting while still matching the general shtick of those gods.
I just finished Circe by Madeline Miller, I liked it and recommend it. Just enough changing around of the original myths to keep it interesting while still matching the general shtick of those gods.
174 books read this year, and here's my top 10
10. Musical Misfires by Mark A. Robinson
9. Double Star by Robert A. Heinlein
8. If it Bleeds by Stephen King
7. Middlegame by Seanan McGuire
6. Injustice: Year One by Tom Taylor
5. Superman: The Unofficial Biography by Glenn Weldon
4. Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff
3. Battle Ground by Jim Butcher
2. The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin
1. Once There Was a Way: What if The Beatles Stayed Together? by Bryce Zabel
Now, currently reading Surrounded by Enemies: What if Kennedy Survived Dallas? by Bryce Zabel. I hope it's as good as The Beatles book
10. Musical Misfires by Mark A. Robinson
9. Double Star by Robert A. Heinlein
8. If it Bleeds by Stephen King
7. Middlegame by Seanan McGuire
6. Injustice: Year One by Tom Taylor
5. Superman: The Unofficial Biography by Glenn Weldon
4. Godsgrave by Jay Kristoff
3. Battle Ground by Jim Butcher
2. The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin
1. Once There Was a Way: What if The Beatles Stayed Together? by Bryce Zabel
Now, currently reading Surrounded by Enemies: What if Kennedy Survived Dallas? by Bryce Zabel. I hope it's as good as The Beatles book
Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson. Wish me Luck!
Violentvixen
(She/Her)
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi. I think when I put this on hold at the library I was number 60-something so glad to finally get it!