What are you reading ?

I also picked up Kevin Hearne's Hounded and liked it quite a bit. Got it Friday I think and I am already on the third one in the series. Like most series, they go down in quality a little bit as it progresses but still a fun read.

Finished The Robots of Dawn. Enjoyable read, although IMHO not quite as enjoyable as the Foundation series. Next in line will be Foundation's Edge and Foundation and Earth, which I'm quite looking forward to. But for now, my current Sci-Fi phase is nearing its end and it's back to Fantasy again!


The days are getting shorter, Winter is coming, and this year I want to try and read lots of cozy books I have never read before:

• Middle Earth novels, which since the movies mean Xmas to me, i.e. 1. Hobbit, 2. Silmarillion, 3. Children of Húrin, 4. Lord of the Rings.
• The Neverending Story.
• The Last Unicorn.
• Harry Potter.

(Ok, I have read LotR, of course, although i didn't enjoy the German translation too much).


While we are still one or two months away from the really cold nights, though, I have started reading an intriguing fantasy series aimed at young adults:

Ranger's Apprentice by John Flanagan. I have to say, after one book, it's jolly good fun! It reminded me a lot of Raymond Feist's Magician: Apprentice — but with a Ranger, my favorite class in RPGs. How cool is that? Coming-of-age story with some Hell, Yeah! moments.

Read the Black Company by Glen Cook, currently on the first three and almost done. Had forgotten how good these books are (read a long time ago). Reading the entire series again and really like the entire atmosphere created by this author.

Originally Posted by wolfgrimdark
Read the Black Company by Glen Cook, currently on the first three and almost done. Had forgotten how good these books are (read a long time ago). Reading the entire series again and really like the entire atmosphere created by this author.

Indeed. I'm planning on a re-read of that series as well. If you haven't tried Cook's Instrumentalities series, it's worth a read.

Currently flying thru a book by one of my favorite authors, LE Modesitt, Imager. Some crazy old guy told me that it was just as good as the Recluse and Spellsong series. It seems he was right.

This is my favorite thread on here. I've discovered quite a few authors that I had never heard of that I like quite a bit.

I'm on the 6th book of the Iron Druid series now. Still a fun read but I am ready for a different direction. I got the first book of Steven Eriksons epic but found that I am just not in the mood for it at the moment so I just picked up The Black Company which I had never heard of. So many good choices out there, I love it.

The Black Company has long been one of my favourite series to reread on a regular basis. The characters and stories are top notch stuff.

I just finished book six of Jordan's series Wheel of Time, Lords of Chaos. Wow, this book really did drag in places, but the end was strong and just might make me crack open the 7th book. I'm starting to notice a nasty trend in these books though, there's like 400+ pages of barely useful exposition and then 50 pages at the end of very necessary changes, and drastic scenarios that seem to conclude each book. Overall, I'm not impressed with this style, although I do wonder how it will all end.



-Carn

Originally Posted by Toff
This is my favorite thread on here. I've discovered quite a few authors that I had never heard of that I like quite a bit.

I'm on the 6th book of the Iron Druid series now. Still a fun read but I am ready for a different direction. I got the first book of Steven Eriksons epic but found that I am just not in the mood for it at the moment so I just picked up The Black Company which I had never heard of. So many good choices out there, I love it.

The music thread is similarly enlightening. The trick is to figure out which people have tastes similar to yours.

As for the Malazan stuff, that first book is difficult. Erikson throws you into the middle of a very detailed world with next-to-no introduction. The story itself was good, which is a good thing because I think I was half way thru the book before I was able to start putting pieces of the bigger picture together. That aspect, at least, has gotten better as the books go on. I've got book 5 (or 6?) waiting on me now.

Originally Posted by dteowner
I've got book 5 (or 6?) waiting on me now.

Huh, didn't know you were into Malazan. Do you plan on reading Ian C. Esslemont's series, too? I understand that they run sort of in parallel with Erikson's main series, starting after book 5. (Cf. Malazan Reading Order and Map.

Black Company was a big inspiration on Malazan -- guess I'll have to read those too, at some point.


I'm currently finishing up Ranger's Apprentice, book 2. Again pretty fun, short and light reading. Probably going to tackle Malazan #4 next, though.

Originally Posted by Arhu
Huh, didn't know you were into Malazan.

Blame the Watch. The glowing reviews here got me to buy the first one. I'm not the fanatic like some folks here, but it's a very good series.

Originally Posted by Arhu
Do you plan on reading Ian C. Esslemont's series, too? I understand that they run sort of in parallel with Erikson's main series, starting after book 5. (Cf. Malazan Reading Order and Map.

Hadn't even heard of those. Will have to take a look.

Originally Posted by Arhu
Black Company was a big inspiration on Malazan — guess I'll have to read those too, at some point.

Highly recommended, for certain.

I've really enjoyed The Black Company Series. I've read the first three so far (The Black Company, Shadows Linger, The White Rose) and its gotten better each book. The White Rose was excellent. I'm reading The Silver Spike right now and plan on moving to The Books of the South after I'm done with it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Black_Company

Ranger's apprentice #2 ended on sort of a cliffhanger. And so did book 3 … number 4, then, concluded the apprentice part.

Reading House of Chains now (Malazan #4).

I'm currently re-reading the Imager Portfolio series prior to getting book 7 (Antiagon Fire) in the series. Modesitt for the WIN!!

Finished Mira Grant's Deadline yesterday. The first book in the series was probably a little better crafted, but the second one just seemed like a more enjoyable read. Good zombie apocalypse stuff with some conspiracy angles thrown in. Looking forward to picking up the conclusion of the trilogy.

Currently working on Straken by Terry Brooks. For some reason, I've got a problem with Brooks (actually, I've got the same issue with Feist): his books can sit in my drawer for months or even years before I decide to read them yet I always enjoy them once I get started. Not sure why. Anyway, finishing off this trilogy so it's not collecting dust in my drawer any longer.

I'm rereading the entire Covenant series, by Donaldson, to get ready for the new book on the 15th…..and supposedly final book. It's been a great ride, almost 40 yrs since the first book, I'm hoping for a great finish.


-Carn

Enjoyed the first Covenant Trilogy, but didn't care much for the later stuff.

Me too, read the first series and loved it, tried the second trilogy didnt like it as much.

Reading forge of darkness by erikson. A must read for fans of the malazan empire, but the first quarter of the book is kind of slow.

Also read the deathstalker series. If you don't tale the books to seriously, there is a lot to enjoy.

Through the "Quest for the Spark Book One" graphical novel by Jeff Smith & Tom Sniegoski. Good stuff. You wouldn't be disappointed. Entertaining at least.

Originally Posted by Carnifex

I just finished book six of Jordan's series Wheel of Time, Lords of Chaos. Wow, this book really did drag in places, but the end was strong and just might make me crack open the 7th book. I'm starting to notice a nasty trend in these books though, there's like 400+ pages of barely useful exposition and then 50 pages at the end of very necessary changes, and drastic scenarios that seem to conclude each book. Overall, I'm not impressed with this style, although I do wonder how it will all end.



-Carn

I couldn't agree more. I'm currently bogged down in the second book, and I really don't know if I can force myself to finish all 14 books. I do wonder how it all ends up though.

It only gets progressively worse until Sanderson takes over. I gave up.