What are you reading ?

I seem to only read books much when I am on vacation.

I finished Feist's Magician: Master. It was an excellent read. More serious than its predecessor, Apprentice, but not too heavy.

Am starting Silverthorn now.

At this rate, if I choose to read every book in the cycle, I will be 84 years old when finished.

The Feist books are pretty good, some are higher quality than others but the series overall is pretty well told.

Wanted to read some good sci-fi, so I've read Fred Pohl's Gateway for the nth time.
Gosh, I can almost recite this fantastic book anytime.

Up next is Jeff Noon's VURT (again, I've read this one before -- but couldn't find any good recent release book)

I really enjoyed Gateway and the one after, Beyond the Horizon maybe? I've not read those books in years, might have to order or grab them next time I see them up for sale!

Finished King of Thorn; moving on to Emperor of Thorn.

Originally Posted by Thrasher
I am curious how both differ from the stories in the silmarillion and the history of middle earth.

As far as I understood him in his foreword, he took a different approach this time : "Follow a tale through the ages". What is meant is, that there is the tale, and Christopher Tolkien looked after what had become of this tale throughout the decades of his father's work. Different versions, mentions in other texts etc. .

Like The History of Middle Earth?

Originally Posted by Carnifex
I really enjoyed Gateway and the one after, Beyond the Horizon maybe? I've not read those books in years, might have to order or grab them next time I see them up for sale!

Methinks, the first one is the best. The sequels are turning more like cookie cutter classic hard sci-fi tales.
Not that if they are bad books - totally worth the read, but missing the original's witty double-edged narrative (brutal new-wave satire on consumerism, and a traditional pulp space soap opera), hence totally forgettable on the long run.

1/2 way through Emperor of Thorns. Thinking about what to read next….

Those Thorn books are pretty good, the first being a true masterpiece, in my opinion. He's my kind of villain!

Originally Posted by Thrasher
Like The History of Middle Earth?

Not quite. In the "History", he took a text, or a number of texts, and examined them.
Like the texts of their going through Moria, he presents to the reader all variants, all versions and all shifts in detail.

This time it's like … someone goes on a road, and you follow him (or her) to see what might (have) become out of him or her.

That's at least how I understood it.

Of course, variants are shown again, but this time it's rather a "I'll follow you" than an "I'll take some bits / parts and examine them".

Not sure I follow you, but that's ok.

I found the first and second good but the third is dragging. There are books I prefer either due to story or imagery including name of the wind; briar king (that scene where he kills his sister is still very sad); shadow march (tad williams); Red Storm Rising series (book 5 comes out soon); Games of Throne.
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Some of the above are not the best with regards to writing but whatever. Really like Tad Williams stuff though one series was a bit over done.

Originally Posted by Carnifex
Those Thorn books are pretty good, the first being a true masterpiece, in my opinion. He's my kind of villain!

I would agree on the third book, it is a little lacking when you compare it to the previous two volumes. I thought much of that might be due to the author trying to win favour for the protagonist, which I think was a huge mistake. The guy is a grade A asshole, don't try to soften him up in the third book, man!!! But I cut him a huge amount of slack, simply because of how utterly fantastic the first two novels are. I know they are books that I'll reread for the rest of my life.

I, Claudius.

Is the Mistborn series any good ?

Originally Posted by you
Is the Mistborn series any good ?

If you are happy reading 5 pages where a single paragraph can move the lot along or explain things etc., then yes.

If not, then no.

Thin Air - Richard K. Morgan - textured, dark, tight, twisted, layered, brilliant!

Just about finished The Girl in the Spider's Web. The character and story live up to the first 3 but the presentation (writing style) is a big let down. It is presented more as a series of reports and less of a story. Pity because I liked the characters and story they are trying to tell.

I've slowed down quite a bit with my reading in the past two months, being around family will have that effect on your leisure time, not a complaint at all, mind you! About three weeks ago I finished the sixth book in the Iron Druid Chronicles, Hunted. I truly enjoy how this author keeps bringing in more pantheons into the story, and thereby enriched the overall tale even more. Last Friday I finished the seventh book, Shattered, and I'll likely start reading the eighth book today or tomorrow.