What Are You Reading Now.

Discussion in 'Discussion of Published Works' started by Writing Forums Staff, Feb 22, 2008.

  1. Arannir

    Arannir Active Member

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    Maybe not now, but I've purchased my summer reading for my three month stint in the United States.

    -Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan (not seen the netflix show but like the concept on the surface)
    -Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson
    -The Secret Barrister (NF, but I kinda fell in love with British legal system after failing law)
    and, what I'm most excited for
    -a Lovecraft collection
     
  2. Cogito

    Cogito Former Mod, Retired Supporter Contributor

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    Reading Asimov's Foundation series in story chronological order. Currently wrapping up Forward the Foundation.
     
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  3. paperbackwriter

    paperbackwriter Banned Contributor

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    Ive just finished the Book of Exodus. Now Im reading the Book of Numbers. Will the Israelites ever wake up ? Stay tuned.
     
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  4. Stormsong07

    Stormsong07 Contributor Contributor

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    Currently re-reading Brandon Mull's Fablehaven series, in preparation for his follow-up series, Dragonwatch. I forgot how good they are, even though they are YA. I recommend them if you like fantasy and mythological creatures.
     
  5. AussieNick

    AussieNick Member

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    Currently reading David Mack's Star Trek: Destiny series. A bit dry at times but still my favourite star trek books so far.
     
  6. MusingWordsmith

    MusingWordsmith Shenanigan Master Contributor

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    Currently reading Xenotech Rising by Dave Schroeder. I picked it up at a con and it's fairly interesting so far! The MC does tech support for alien technology, and it's a fun, goofy read. IMO the plot has taken a bit to kick in, it's about halfway through and has built pretty slowly, but I'm entertained enough by the voice and humor to keep reading anyway. First in a series, might be picking up the other ones too!
     
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  7. MarcT

    MarcT Active Member

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    I enjoy real life adventure stories, mainly about sailing. I've read The Strange Last Voyage of Donald Crowhurst a few times, which perfectly illustrates the meaning of between a rock and a hard place.
    I'll probably read it again, because every time I find something new in the book.
    Anyway, at the moment I'm reading The Romantic Challenge by Francis Chichester, where he sails Gypsy Moth V across the Atlantic 4000 miles, trying to achieve an average of 200 miles per day, back in 1970.
    He makes 60 knots of wind sound like a light breeze.
     
  8. Aerek_Of_Augustine

    Aerek_Of_Augustine New Member

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    I just got done reading WeHave Always Lived In The Castle and if I’m being honest, it was a good book, but Mary Katherine was kind of antagonist to me? She in her own way was kind of selfish and stunted.
     
  9. Beloved of Assur

    Beloved of Assur Active Member

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    Just finished "The Notes of the Cavalryman" (my translation from the title in my native language) by Nikolay Gumilyov about his service 1914-1915 in the Imperial Russian Army. An interesting text but seeing how it was published in 1915-1916 in Imperial Russia, the censors had their way with it and its a very whitewashed story about the First World War. The Russians are always on friendly terms with the civilian population, they always outthinks and outfights the Germans and Habsburg troops, conducts dasterly infiltrations and sneak attacks almost always without losses and all the troops are always happy, eager, loyal and brave, not to mention that they almost always outfights their enemies. But for some strange reason retreats more than they advance by a wide margin.

    You'd think an army like this would hold its victory parade in Berlin by Spring 1915, at the latest.

    But I would conjecture that if the author described his real experiences from the war, the censor would send him off to Siberia and the publications shut down.
     
  10. LoaDyron

    LoaDyron Contributor Contributor

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    I have finished reading today A Knight of The Seven Kingdoms, great book. Now... will George R.R Martin continue the tale of the two main characters? I hope he does... well one day XD. Now I will start reading J.R.R. Tolkien books: starting with Silmarillion, then The Hobbit, after the trilogy of The Lord of The Rings, finishing with Unfinished Tales.
     
  11. Maverick_nc

    Maverick_nc Contributor Contributor

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    On Writing - Stephen King. (For about the twentieth time). I'm not a huge fan of his books, but each time I read this one I learn something new.
     
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  12. flawed personality

    flawed personality Contributor Contributor

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    Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus. Yes, seriously. :p
    It is insightful as well as entertaining. :)
     
  13. Beloved of Assur

    Beloved of Assur Active Member

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    To start with the Silmarillion is, I would say, a brave endeavour. Good luck.
     
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  14. LoaDyron

    LoaDyron Contributor Contributor

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    That sounds a challenge! Better! I will do a leap of faith. :superwink:
     
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  15. Night Herald

    Night Herald The Fool Contributor

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    Recently finished the Books of Babel series. Waiting on the fourth installment. Now I'm getting started on that Moby Dick (Norwegian translation, since that's what's on my shelf; if I love it I'll probably pick up the original as well).
     
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  16. Maverick_nc

    Maverick_nc Contributor Contributor

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    Starting reading The Silmarillion over twenty years ago, still haven't finished it. I read for enjoyment but that damned book feels like work. :read2:
     
  17. aguywhotypes

    aguywhotypes Active Member

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    Bible (NASB and Amplified)
    Six Word Memoirs: Love & Heartbreak
    The War of Art
    The Lie That Tells the Truth
     
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  18. Catrin Lewis

    Catrin Lewis Contributor Contributor Contest Winner 2023 Community Volunteer

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    I've got that book around here somewhere, I'm pretty sure. I'll have to find it and see if you're right.
     
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  19. Steerpike

    Steerpike Felis amatus Contributor

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    It's a good one :)
     
  20. Catrin Lewis

    Catrin Lewis Contributor Contributor Contest Winner 2023 Community Volunteer

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    :supersmile:

    But I was wrong. The book I was thinking of is called To the Castle, by Dorothea Malm.
     
  21. Steerpike

    Steerpike Felis amatus Contributor

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    Ah. If you're inclined to pick up the Shirley Jackson book, it's quite good :)
     
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  22. EdFromNY

    EdFromNY Hope to improve with age Supporter Contributor

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    Just finished Lisa Barr's The Unbreakables, which is certainly not my normal reading thing, but was rather good. Now reading John Berendt's Midnight In the Garden of Good and Evil. Based on much of the advice currently in vogue, it's hard to imagine that this engaging (and often amusing) book could get published today, but I'm quite enjoying it.
     
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  23. Beloved of Assur

    Beloved of Assur Active Member

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    Now trying to read Tolstoy's "The Cossacks" and the non-fiction book "Village Life in Late Tsarist Russia". But my glasses have broken so I'll have to wait untill I can get them fixed.
     
  24. Azuresun

    Azuresun Senior Member

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    Abandoned One Damned Thing After Another, by Jodi Taylor--it just wasn't working for me. The rules of time travel were vague and poorly explained (they can't interfere in the past, only observe, but then one of them saves a past person's life and it's never commented on), and the plotting felt off (what should have been a huge "everything you know is wrong!" reveal is sapped of drama because it's just dryly exposited at a point where it doesn't actually affect anything, and hasn't had any foreshadowing, and even the protagonist just shrugs and carries on with her day).

    On a bit of a graphic novel kick at the moment. Just finished the full series Bakuman (or as I sometimes think of it, Yo Dawg, I Heard You Liked Manga). It's the story of two creators trying to break into and become number one in the world of manga, and it's really good. It adopts a lot of the trappings of actual battle manga (rivals turned allies, the overpowered foe who the heroes must overcome to reach the top, learning new special techniques), and applies them to a field you wouldn't expect, but it works. The creator's previous work was Death Note, infamous for the ways it made writing in a book the most epic thing ever, and you can tell they're enjoying a chance to apply those same techniques to something lighter and more comedic in nature. Another thing that I like is that in total, the series takes place over about ten years (2008-2018), and one thing you don't see often in this genre is that the main characters really grow and develop over that time, along with a really great supporting cast of fellow creators and editors. Highly recommended, and I think it'll resonate more if you're already a writer or artist. :)

    On a totally different tone, currently reading From Hell, Alan Moore's take on Jack the Ripper. I've been pacing myself with this one, reading one chapter a day before going to bed. The opening chapter took a few rereads to understand (it jumps around in time and revolves around one character who goes by different names), but by the end of the second, when we get context for what's happening, I was hooked. I get the feeling I'll have a lot more to say when I've finished reading, but one thing that strikes me is how Victorian London is as much a character as any of the people in it. Alan Moore said one of the prompts for this was Margret Thatcher talking about "Victorian Values", and he depicts a place that's both advanced and savage, where London stands at the pinnacle of civilisation, technology and discovery, but at a tremendous cost to women, the poor and the rest of the world. And even then, both polite society and civilised human nature are like rafts floating on stormy and monster-infested seas, which might be overturned at any moment.
     
  25. Jovette

    Jovette New Member

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    I have just finished The Tattooist of Auschwitz. It was incredibly moving and I've found myself thinking about the story a lot. I thought the portrayal of Mengele was particularly harrowing. I'm sure I will revisit this book many times.
     
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