What are you reading?

For an intellectual challenge, I've started reading Phil Dick's most demanding book, VALIS
… and what a challenge it is!
 
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Just finished “Butcherville” by Chris Kelsey, and it was excellent, better than his debut and using the same core character set. Now reading a non-fiction management book before digging into re-reading ‘The Cleric Quartet’ by RA Salvatore. Haven’t read these since the 90s or so.
 
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I've not read that Cleric series by Salvatore in quite some time myself. I'd read some of his earlier books but had never tried that series until he gifted me a set since I lent him an Everquest account to use. I could read about those dwarf brothers and never get bored. Doooooo-dad!!!!
 
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Last night I finished reading Heretic, volume three of the Grail quest series. This book is different from the prior two, in that almost all of it is fictional, with very little factual content from the hundred years war. Even with that caveat, it's still a great read and puts Thomas further down the path of completing his quest, and getting some sweet revenge along the way. I started book four, thirteen hundred and fifty-six this morning and it's already off to a ripping good start!!
 
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I completed the Grail quest series this morning, it was the first time for me reading this series but won't be the final. This series has it all, a good lead character, some nasty villains, great plot/story and laced within real events, which at least for me helps keep time-frames consistent. Considering the author didn't really cover much of the hundred year war within this series, I wonder if he might return to it and add another story or more at some point.

I picked up the first Sharpe novel to read next, I'm not sure if I'll read the entire series but for now it's what was handy.
 
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I did finish a book three days ago, the first in the Sharpe series, Sharpe's Tiger. I've not read this series before, although I've heard much about it and I've enjoyed other series from this author, so I decided to give book one a try. I very much enjoyed the story and setting, some of the characters I really didn't care for, but they didn't dectract from the story all that much. I'll likely pick up the other books at a later time, as of now I've started re-reading the Riftwar Saga, right now I'm at the mid-point in book one, Magician: Apprentice.
 
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Currently reading Ringworld, by Larry Niven.

I just finished Mona Lisa Overdrive from William Gibson's The Sprawl Trilogy.

it's a interesting series. I found it very confusing at times and a little frustrated about the details left up to the reader to decide. I'm writing an essay about this book right now. I found great service here to help me with my writing. Hope I'll finish it in the near future.

I recently read Neuromancer, and yeah, while it did manage to grip me at times it's not my cup of tea. I find books that use too much made up words or too abstract descriptions off putting. I need to be able to picture the scene and not break my brain over what exactly the author is talking about (I'm looking at you, Gene Wolfe).
So while I do own both Count Zero and Mona Lisa Overdrive, they're probably staying on my backlog permanently.
 
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I polished off Magician: Apprentice last night, and now I'm roughly fifty pages into the second book, Magician: Master. This is such a fun series to read and I vividly recall having to wait on each and every book to be issued!! The latter books taper off in quality a bit, but the first three to four are just outstanding.
 
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Ringworld is great!

Yeah, I'm about 70% in and I am definitely eager to see what comes next.

I have started to re-read all the books in the saga of recluse series:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Saga_of_Recluce

Would you recommend these?

I polished off Magician: Apprentice last night, and now I'm roughly fifty pages into the second book, Magician: Master. This is such a fun series to read and I vividly recall having to wait on each and every book to be issued!! The latter books taper off in quality a bit, but the first three to four are just outstanding.

Ah, yeah, the Riftwar Saga has been due for a re-read for me for a long time. Last book I read was Exile's Return (10+ years ago), haven't read the last 8 books at all yet. I've been meaning to start the afresh with the first and make my way through all of them. Haven't gotten around to it yet, alas.
Gotta say though, the Empire trilogy ranks among my top 3 trilogies. Quality material.
 
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Y
Would you recommend these?

Recommending books is hard, for me anyhow. I mean I like them a lot - enough to re-read the whole series a second time (and a few of them a third time). But you would have to like his writing style which is a bit more unique then other authors I have read. More often told almost exclusively from the main characters point of view. Also spans a very large time line and he doesn't like to write about the same character (as the main protagonist) more than two books at most. The series in remarkable coherent and well put together. Very deep and well thought out lore. Anyhow I really enjoy them.

Rift War series is also amazing, loved those!
 
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Rift War series is also amazing, loved those!

I loved Magician/Silverthorn/Darkness when they first came out, but didn't really enjoy the couple after that (Prince of the Blood, The King's Buccaneer). Who knows, I may have been burned out on generic fantasy back then, and there is so much good stuff out there I haven't looked back.

What are considered the high points in his oeuvre that I've missed?
 
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I loved Magician/Silverthorn/Darkness when they first came out, but didn't really enjoy the couple after that (Prince of the Blood, The King's Buccaneer). (..)
What are considered the high points in his oeuvre that I've missed?
You didn't mention the Empire trilogy, so if you haven't read that, it's the one you missed. Others, not really.

The Empire trilogy (with Janny Wurts) was the next high point for me, right after the original Riftwar Saga.

Prince of the Blood and the King's Buccaneer I have filed as "Krondor's Sons", which I don't remember too well, same with the Serpentwar Saga that came after those. That one was… okay? Tried picking up the series again a few years ago with Legends of Krondor but found them just too boring. Maybe I've also been spoiled a bit by now from other fantasy works.
 
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Mark Twain :
The awful german language

Mark Twain :
Meisterschaft, oder : Even german is preferable to death
 
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I have already finished 15 books this year (and I'm not even quarantined! I just set a goal of 24 after saying "I need to read more" as a new year goal each of the last few years) … including books on running, music, re-reading some old Star Wars books and the Cleric Quintet.

In queue is 'The Plague' by Camus because why not, right? Actual paper book I bought in the 80s, whereas everything else is on Kindle.

Currently reading "Mary, Everything (The Flapper Covenant Book 1) by Cassandra Yorke" (aka @Aubrielle;). So far I am enjoying it - the characters are immediately intriguing, and the situation is intentionally confusing which has served to get me more intrigued. My biggest barrier is we're re-doing our bedroom and staying in the guest room, and the dogs are being a nightmare about the change in location! :D
 
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Finished Aliens: Phalanx

This is the worst of the lot. It got so bad near the end that I was harboring actual aggressive feelings towards the story and author - which I never do.

Maybe it's because it was so long and I felt like I'd wasted to much time.

Not sure, but it was beyond terrible.
 
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