What are you reading ?

Has anyone read the Chalion series by Lois McMaster Bujold?

In the past, overviews of her award winning / nominated novels didn't grab me (court intrigue, in particular), so I've put off reading her for years. I am happy to report that the awards are well warranted, even for someone with differing perferences like myself. I finished the first 2 books, "Curse of Chalion" and "Paladin of Souls", and have started "The Hallowed Hunt"

The first 2 developed into amazing page turners that kept me awake into the wee hours on school nights. For shame.

The Curse starts slow. Lots of new names, words, ranks of nobility, countries, and a new theology are thrown at you. But the build up of intrigue, dangers, and elevation of the underdog protagonist is amazing.

The Paladin starts a little faster, and has some nice surprises along the way, as well as heart pounding dangers, but I preferred the first's story about the noble unbelievably self-effacing underdog.

Highly recommended!

I am currently reading Metro 2033 (no I haven't played the game - and I probably won't).

I have to say that, up to this point, I am a little disappointed and bored. The tour of the post apocalyptic metro is atmospheric enough but it seems to ramble a bit while nothing of what happens seems to have any real impact.


I just hope that the plot will kick in soon and all the little things will finally come together and show that they had some reason for happening other than to make me feel that I'm not reading a tourist guide written by a character created by Stephen King.

Ok, I am reading Cold Vengeance by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. I happen to adore the main character of one of their 'series' Agent Pendergast. Before that I had finished Handle With Care by Alice Seabold. I had read The Lovely Bones by her and found it interesting until the ending so I tried another of hers called House Rules which made me frustrated throughout it and it also ended oddly. After I tried Handle With Care I decided I can't stand her writing and will no longer be reading her works. *shrugs* It happens.

Now that I'm done with the pointless ramblings I'm thinking of taking the time time to catch up with some of the classics that I've missed. (And at this point I'd like to thank my new e-book reader and the wonderful Project Gutenberg for offering me more choices than I will ever need). Before that however, I noticed that Project Gutenberg has a bunch of stories by Philip K. Dick, surprisingly. And since that guy is slowly turning out to one of my favorites, I feel obliged to check them out. I picked the 'Variable Man' at random (or just because I liked the title) and so far it's as interesting as I expected. Check it out: it's free (and legal)

After that… I think I remember reading Moby-Dick when I was still in school but never finished it… I guess I could now give it another try. (Also, I'd like to clarify that my apparent attraction to 'Dicks' is purely incidental and only when it comes to literature - other than that I remain unquestionably and reliably straight as always.)

Just picked up the 20th anniversary edition of Timothy Zahn's Star Wars: Heir to the Empire. Just finishing up re-reading Sherwood Anderson's Winesburg, Ohio … then back to Thrawn!

Originally Posted by txa1265
Just picked up the 20th anniversary edition of Timothy Zahn's Star Wars: Heir to the Empire.

It's out already ?

Oh my ! I must buy the book soon ! It's always been one of my favourite Star Wars novels !

I just leafed through my very own Zero Gravity … got the box about half an hour ago .
Man, my fingers are a-trembling …

The remake of an old SF series (pen & paper) -> sounds interesting.

-> and negotiations for a computer role playing game are on the way already … Nicole - please keep us informed!

Mantisa by John Fowles. I can't eve describe how weird and different it is from everything else he's written…

Originally Posted by HiddenX
The remake of an old SF series (pen & paper) -> sounds interesting.

-> and negotiations for a computer role playing game are on the way already … Nicole - please keep us informed!

Hehe yes, I played Justifiers back in the days, and this book features most of the characters of my old gaming group . And I just finished writing a short story that is scheduled to appear in the next issue of JUST News …
I'll keep you informed on the adventures of our most valued publisher Markus for sure; Justifiers is his franchise now. I mean, how many people are ther who buy the rights to p&p games they once played?

Justifiers ? The RPG punblished by Ulisses ?

I played a demo session at the last RPC.

Found it interesting, but also very complex. Plus, I never had THAT many dice in my hands for my whole life !

The new (Ulysses) Justifiers is a remake of the old (less complicated) Justifiers; since my old player character survived his ordeals back in the 90s, he is around to feature in one of the new Justifiers novels .

Aha, I see. I only know the new, current Justifiers … Hence I did not know that there was an older installation of this RPG …

Oh yes, we played it back in the early 90s. It had been published by StarChilde, and it consisted of A5 booklets just like Traveller. Markus (who had been our Justifiers GM back then) decided to start a search for the long lost publication rights long after its demise, and he succeeded … and turned it into a franchise.

Ah ! So that's how it came to be ! I didn't know that at all ! Thank you very much !

Old steampunk by K W Jetter - "Infernal Devices"

I just finished all five books of the Song of Fire and Ice series by George R R Martin. I had been reading them since May, they totaled over 4,000 pages combined. I liked the series overall, but I didn't enjoy the last two books as much as the first three. I was mainly interested in four characters, Danerys, Jon, Arya, and Tyrion, and there weren't as many chapters devoted to them.

After that, I wanted something a little lighter to read, so I am currently reading Jim Butcher's Dresden Files books.

Originally Posted by Hurls
Old steampunk by K W Jetter - "Infernal Devices"

He is still allowed to write ???

I found his Star Wars books as far the worst I've ever read in my whole life - only surpassed by the "Chronicles of the Shadow War" books by Chris Claremont.

Originally Posted by Alrik Fassbauer
He is still allowed to write ???

I found his Star Wars books as far the worst I've ever read in my whole life - only surpassed by the "Chronicles of the Shadow War" books by Chris Claremont.

Lol! Old book, 1987, ok, self indulgent but flows ok. Claims to have invented steam punk term in 2011 introduction to reissue that I am reading.

I can think of many people who should be banned from writing, for many reasons including they never had what it takes or they lost it or they think editing is not neded as their work is perfect..

Just about done with The Devil Colony by James Rollins. Started reading his Sigma Force series last year and really like them. They seem like a mix of Clancy and Crichton. You have the action/military stuff from Clancy (though not in nearly as pain staking detail which makes me happy) plus the story always revolves around some pseudo-science that has a basis in real science and real history.

One thing I really like is that the last chapter of the book always goes through what is real and what is not.