What are you reading?

I finished Jack McDevitt's "Seeker", a Nebula award winner for 2006.

This is a classic Asimov-like mystery detective story, also set in the far future (+10k years). No humanoid robots, but instead, avatars, AIs, and re-creations of historical figures. :)

The protagonist tells the story in first person and is a strong female lead. Very nice for a change of pace.

Lots of interesting stuff in here, but the detective part of story is a bit slow for the first half while the breadcrumbs are being followed.

The main characters are archaeologists and collectors of artifacts from their far past, namely 9k years earlier than the story start, when the first interstellar colonies were established in this future history. Most of the early colonies failed, and have become a source for historical artifacts.

Recommended.


Especially the parts where the protagonist has to travel into areas of the galaxy colonized by telepathic aliens. Very well done. As well as the conclusion; the solving the mystery of what happened to the ancient Margolian colony.
 
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Reading a couple different things right now:

1) Love & Logic Magic for Early Childhood. Already read Parenting with Love & Logic, but this one is focused more on young kids (have a 3yo and new born). The techniques work, I highly recommend it! Now if I could just get my wife to stick with it.

2) Science Fiction Super Pack #4 - picked this up from Amazon for $0.99 (and then got all the other as well for the same price). Just about done. I have a hard time finding Sci-Fi that I like to read. Kind of using these to identify author's I might like. So far, I've enjoyed about 3/4 of the stories I've read. Bad news is that most of the author's I like are ones I already knew I liked!

3) Bible - King James version. I've read the New Testament before, but its been a decade or so since I last read it straight through. There are several books of the Old Testament I have never read though. I spent the last few years reading most of the 'Non Canonical' Gospels, Acts and other early Christian works and really enjoyed them (another discussion, but I found most of the ones that date near the Canon texts to not be heretical at all), but I realized that I really hadn't been reading the Canonical texts. Actually starting with the NT and then will go back and work my way through the OT.

I may switch to the NIV though. While I prefer the KJV prayers, reading the text can be very difficult.
 
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I been reading Dune chronicles a bit.

Dune-Even thou it is sci-fi it has strong heroic fantasy taste to it.It had it's strange moments but I liked it a lot overall.

Dune messiah-After first part I jumped to next right away and I didn't liked it at all, it was so disappointing I am not sure will I continue series.


Also I was thinking to committing to Wheel of time series so my question is is it worth the time?Or should I stick to other series I started(Drenai, Riftwar, Malazan book of fallen and I am sure there are more I can't remember atm)
 
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If you were disappointed by the second Dune book already, it's probably best to stop. General consensus, I believe, is that it goes downhill. Personally, I liked and loved all of the six books because of all the philosophy, politics and of course the particular Dune atmosphere. The only thing I regretted was that the last book didn't really end.

Also I was thinking to committing to Wheel of time series so my question is is it worth the time?Or should I stick to other series I started(Drenai, Riftwar, Malazan book of fallen and I am sure there are more I can't remember atm)
I don't know Drenai, but as for the rest, depends on what tickles your fancy:

Classic epic fantasy with Elves: Riftwar
Grander epic fantasy without Elves: Wheel of Time
Epochal Military Fantasy with Orcs: Malazan

If you start with WoT or Malazan, be sure to continues at least to the second book. I didn't like WoT book #1 that much because it reminded me too much of LotR and derivatives and Malazan book #1 was just a bit too confusing.
 
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I enjoyed all the WoT series, though some of the earlier books got a little tedious at times. Might I also recommend the Recluse and Imager novels by LEM. (That's L.E. Modesitt Jnr for the uninitiated) :)
 
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2) Science Fiction Super Pack #4 - picked this up from Amazon for $0.99 (and then got all the other as well for the same price). Just about done. I have a hard time finding Sci-Fi that I like to read. Kind of using these to identify author's I might like. So far, I've enjoyed about 3/4 of the stories I've read. Bad news is that most of the author's I like are ones I already knew I liked!

What kind of sci-fi do you like, BN? I've delved a bit into some newer sci-fi recently in an attempt to help with my partner's sci fi epic I'm helping her write, and I've happened on some good stuff…

I enjoyed all the WoT series, though some of the earlier books got a little tedious at times. Might I also recommend the Recluse and Imager novels by LEM. (That's L.E. Modesitt Jnr for the uninitiated) :)

Ugh. I remember slogging through to book 4 of WoT, and I dropped it in frustration and complete boredom. I'd heard that's where it starts to pick up, but I couldn't take any more. I think Eddings is far more my speed. :)
 
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Ok thanks for tips.I think it might I should probably end riftwar first since I already completed half of the series.

I have nasty habit of starting too many series and than jumping to another.I have dozen series started in few genres(Fantasy,Sci-Fi and Crime novels).
 
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What kind of sci-fi do you like, BN? I've delved a bit into some newer sci-fi recently in an attempt to help with my partner's sci fi epic I'm helping her write, and I've happened on some good stuff…



Ugh. I remember slogging through to book 4 of WoT, and I dropped it in frustration and complete boredom. I'd heard that's where it starts to pick up, but I couldn't take any more. I think Eddings is far more my speed. :)

Early Eddings was brilliant, but his later stuff was little more than a boring rehash of older plots and characters. I STRUGGLED to finish his final series 'The Young Gods'.
 
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Early Eddings was brilliant, but his later stuff was little more than a boring rehash of older plots and characters. I STRUGGLED to finish his final series 'The Young Gods'.

I don't think I ever started The Young Gods. *headscratch* I'd believe it, though, especially if it was around the time his wife died...and of course after a certain point he was probably just dialing it in anyway. Even Redemption of Althalus was dreadfully boring and uninspired...it just kept going and going. I became sorry I started it.

The Belgariad was incredible, though...and of course, the Elenium.
 
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I'm curently re-reading a bunch of Wilbur Smith novels. The author mostly writes Egyptian Fiction novels, and other books set In Africa through the Ages.

Link - http://www.amazon.com/Wilbur-Smith/e/B000APTHYK

I highly recommend the Warlock Saga, and the Courtney Family series.
 
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I don't think I ever started The Young Gods. *headscratch* I'd believe it, though, especially if it was around the time his wife died…and of course after a certain point he was probably just dialing it in anyway. Even Redemption of Althalus was dreadfully boring and uninspired…it just kept going and going. I became sorry I started it.

The Belgariad was incredible, though…and of course, the Elenium.
If you thought Althalus was bad, do not even consider the Young Gods series. I'm a big Eddings fan, but that last series was hot garbage. If you're looking for something similar yet different, you should absolutely check out Patrick Rothfuss. I think you'd also enjoy David Gemmell's Drenai series that was mentioned earlier. Corwin's recommendation for LEM is also excellent--the guy's written 1 book 20 times, but he does it so tremendously well that you just won't mind at all.

Cureently working on book 3 of LEM's Imager series, as it happens.
 
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I read Ambercrombie's latest book, Half a King, over the weekend, and it was really good. I'd say he's toned down the violence in this one say, compared to the First Law series, yet maintained a great story with compelling characters. If you enjoyed his other books, I think you'd like this one. It will be a completely different trilogy compared to the First Law, but I'd say it is off to a great start.

Just today I've started reading The Sandman, by Lars Kepler. So far it is pretty good, I'm only about 50 pages in right now. It's a thriller/detective sort of book.
 
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If you thought Althalus was bad, do not even consider the Young Gods series. I'm a big Eddings fan, but that last series was hot garbage. If you're looking for something similar yet different, you should absolutely check out Patrick Rothfuss. I think you'd also enjoy David Gemmell's Drenai series that was mentioned earlier. Corwin's recommendation for LEM is also excellent—the guy's written 1 book 20 times, but he does it so tremendously well that you just won't mind at all.

Cureently working on book 3 of LEM's Imager series, as it happens.

Oh okay…thank you! Yeah, I picked up a LEM book a month or two ago…oh goodness, what was it called…Magic of Recluce. I could sense a really complex universe, but the characters and descriptions seemed a touch flat. Am I starting in the right place?

And of course, imho, nobody holds a candle to Rothfuss. He's brilliant. So unassuming in person, but on paper he's like Mozart. Or I suppose...Beethoven might be more accurate.

And David Gemmel I'm not acquainted with at all, though I think I've seen his name while browsing. I'll have to check him out. :)
 
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Magic of Recluse was LEM's first book, so he got better. However, while it was the first he wrote in the Recluse series, it is actually the second last chronologically. The first time wise is Magi'i of Cyador. Try his Imager series first for something a little different. There's currently 8 in the series, but again, the first 3 are set after the next 5, though it doesn't really matter which group you read first.
 
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Oh okay…thank you! Yeah, I picked up a LEM book a month or two ago…oh goodness, what was it called…Magic of Recluce. I could sense a really complex universe, but the characters and descriptions seemed a touch flat. Am I starting in the right place?

And of course, imho, nobody holds a candle to Rothfuss. He's brilliant. So unassuming in person, but on paper he's like Mozart. Or I suppose…Beethoven might be more accurate.

And David Gemmel I'm not acquainted with at all, though I think I've seen his name while browsing. I'll have to check him out. :)
Yep, Magic of Recluse is book 1, although the series is not written chronologically. I'd say stick with the series thru book 3. If it hasn't pulled you in by then, it's just not going to get there.

Gemmell isn't quite as "lush" as Eddings, but he does excellent characters, IMO. I' ve read almost all his stuff now. The Troy series, his last books (Actually finished by his wife after his death) and most easy to find at the bookstore, were my least favorite. Legend is the first book in the Drenai series. It was Gemmell's first book and it wasn't his best. Very enjoyable, but the series gets better as it goes. You'll get a good feel for what Gemmell has to offer, but know that he gets better as he goes.
 
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Awesome...thanks, guys!
 
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Uh folks, we've already got a LEM here in Geekdom.

I'm reading the second book in Sanderson's Stormlight Archive series. I really liked the first book once I got past the strange beginning and the second book has been even better!
 
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Read some of his Zloth, but he's not as good as my LEM. IMHO of course!! :)
 
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Oh okay…thank you! Yeah, I picked up a LEM book a month or two ago…oh goodness, what was it called…Magic of Recluce. I could sense a really complex universe, but the characters and descriptions seemed a touch flat. Am I starting in the right place?

I really like LEM and recommended him to my wife few years back. She read Magic of Recluce and couple of others in the Recluce series. Her verdict was that LEM is "comfort" reading to teenage boy inside a grown man! Make what you will of this but I think she has a point and I am not saying cos she is my wife :)
 
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I started Wheel of time after all.I will read first 2 books right away as Arhu recommended than I will decide which series to continue

I enjoyed all the WoT series, though some of the earlier books got a little tedious at times. Might I also recommend the Recluse and Imager novels by LEM. (That's L.E. Modesitt Jnr for the uninitiated) :)

I added those to my "to read" list.Unfortunately he is difficult to obtain in my country, there is no translated version and English version will be hard to find.I can always order it online but good old fashioned book hunting much more fun:).
 
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