What fantasy/science fiction book are you reading RIGHT NOW?

[Loredoctor]

I started a reread of The Algebraist for my flight to NY (the book weighs a lot less) and even though I know how it ends it's more interesting than that.

I LOVE that book. The Dwellers are superb.

I dropped what I was reading at the time to pick up the Algebraist on the strength of its intriguing title and your uppercase "LOVE."

A very good book. You're right, the Dwellers are excellent! I got lost every so often in Banks's convoluted and byzantine sentence structure, but enjoyed the book immensely. Thanks for the tip!

Thanks for reading it! I am glad you like it. The more Banks fans here the better!

[Spiral Jacobs]

Finally getting around to reading Toll the Hounds. A whole book in

Spoiler

Kruppe's

verbose style can be a bit exhausting, but so far it's OK.

During my vacation I also started in Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell, which looks very promising. I can't wait to continue that one!

[Demondime-a-dozen-spawn]

Finished Memories of Ice over the weekend and I'm re-reading as much of it as I'm able until the library delivers my requested copy of House of Chains from another branch.

[stonemaybe]

Reading Peter Brett's The Painted Man. It's got me well and truly hooked.

Edit - Finished the Painted Man (called 'The Warded Man' in the US). What a great story! Setting - mankind has almost been wiped out by demons that rise from 'The Core' every night and slaughter anyone they can find. The only defence is 'wards' which can be painted or carved on buildings. These prevent a demon passing but don't actually harm them.

It's not the most complicated book I've ever read, but goes along at a good pace with great magic ideas and develops the characters well.

[Akasri]

Just finished book 1 of the Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson - starting book 2.

This is a great story! There are some unique things in this story - the whole concepts of Allomancy and Feruchemistry are great. It's not just your ordinary run-of-the-mill fantasy novel, and it's very well written (IMO).

I hadn't read any Sanderson before now - but after reading this, I think the Wheel of Time final book(s) is in good hands.

[aliantha]

"Ogre Castle" by Bob Vardaman. I was looking for something light, and I got it.

[duke]

Better late than never, I've just started Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb.

[Loredoctor]

Better late than never, I've just started Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb.

The start of an incredible read.

[Brinn]

"Shadow of the Wind" by Julian Carax...I mean Carlos Ruiz Zaffon!

[Demondime-a-dozen-spawn]

I LOVE that book. The Dwellers are superb.

I dropped what I was reading at the time to pick up the Algebraist on the strength of its intriguing title and your uppercase "LOVE."

A very good book. You're right, the Dwellers are excellent! I got lost every so often in Banks's convoluted and byzantine sentence structure, but enjoyed the book immensely. Thanks for the tip!

Thanks for reading it! I am glad you like it. The more Banks fans here the better!

While at times it looks like an act, I think the Dwellers are genuinely "laid back" - until they're f*cked with. And then, watch out.

Spoiler

I'm also having an interesting discussion on another forums about the physics of a massive blob of water under tremendous pressure, and whether or not Banks's assertion that ice will form even at those high temperatures "holds water."

Better late than never, I've just started Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb.

The start of an incredible read.

Damn it, Loremaster! I must eagerly take your word for it and check it out.

[Avatar]

Rereading the Illuminatus! trilogy...then on to the Dark Tower again.

--A

[Fist and Faith]

I think Xar bought Illumanitus when we were at B&N in NYC. Don't know if he read it yet. I've seen some folks here saying it's pretty good.

Better late than never, I've just started Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb.

The start of an incredible read.

Damn it, Loremaster! I must eagerly take your word for it and check it out.

I was thinking the same thing. I've heard about the series for years. Nothing specific at all, but everybody seems to like it.

[Menolly]

I think Xar bought Illumanitus when we were at B&N in NYC. Don't know if he read it yet. I've seen some folks here saying it's pretty good.

He did.
He came up to me to see what I was looking at when I saw it on the shelf there and I mentioned Av and Stone had talked me into reading it.

[hue of fuzzpaws]

Hail Eris

[Akasri]

I think Xar bought Illumanitus when we were at B&N in NYC. Don't know if he read it yet. I've seen some folks here saying it's pretty good.

Maybe I just didn't "get it" but I was not that impressed by the Illumanitus trilogy. It's been a long time since I read it, but I remember being kind of "meh" about it.

What am I missing?

[Darujhistan]

House of Chains - re-read.

Don't know whether to start A Song of Ice and Fire - GRR Martin, or plough on through the rest of the Malazan series which i have not yet read - MT thru - TLH

I don't think i can make a bad choice here however!!!

[Fist and Faith]

ASOIAF wasn't my cup of tea. Also, Malazan is among the most extraordinary series ever. So there's my advice. I read the first four a second time before going on to MT. I thought it was a good move, and am extremely happy I did it. Now I need to work up the energy to read the whooooooole thing again. But Xar said Dust of Dreams is coming out next month!! So I won't be starting the whole series again before that, for sure. Probably need to read some other things first, also.

[Loredoctor]

I dropped what I was reading at the time to pick up the Algebraist on the strength of its intriguing title and your uppercase "LOVE."

A very good book. You're right, the Dwellers are excellent! I got lost every so often in Banks's convoluted and byzantine sentence structure, but enjoyed the book immensely. Thanks for the tip!

Thanks for reading it! I am glad you like it. The more Banks fans here the better!

While at times it looks like an act, I think the Dwellers are genuinely "laid back" - until they're f*cked with. And then, watch out.

Spoiler

I'm also having an interesting discussion on another forums about the physics of a massive blob of water under tremendous pressure, and whether or not Banks's assertion that ice will form even at those high temperatures "holds water."

That's an interesting question!

Better late than never, I've just started Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb.

The start of an incredible read.

Damn it, Loremaster! I must eagerly take your word for it and check it out.

Just be prepared to experience a lot of pain; the main character suffers.

[Avatar]

Maybe I just didn't "get it" but I was not that impressed by the Illumanitus trilogy. It's been a long time since I read it, but I remember being kind of "meh" about it.

What am I missing?

Five pounds of flax.

Hahaha. To be honest, it's kinda hard to explain. I was already a fan of his books before I read Illuminatus!. So meeting characters like Simon Moon and Hagbard alread carried the weight of familiarity.

Maybe, in order to really enjoy them, you already need to have some fundamental agreement or sympathy with some of the ideas he puts forward.

I certainly agree it's not always the easiest book to read. But behind the fiction and the lies there are some very interesting ideas. The trick is finding them among eveything else.

--A

[Darujhistan]

"I read the first four a second time before going on to MT. I thought it was a good move, and am extremely happy I did it. "


That's exactly what i have done, i enjoyed the series even more 2nd time around and things made more sense, i think for continuities sake i'm going to go stick with Malazan thru Toll the Hounds, and then read the last two Dust of Dreams and the Crippled God together.