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

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Menolly
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Post by Menolly »

I'm Murrin wrote:I do have the Tales from Earthsea collection to read some time. My order of The Other Wind went on hold and had no delivery in sight, so got cancelled. :(
Does your library do interlibrary loan? That's how Beorn and I got ahold of the entire cycle...
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Post by Avatar »

Well, I'm reading The Algebraist by the apparently soon to be sadly lamented Iain M Banks.

Initially disappointed that it wasn't a Culture novel, I'm already enjoying it an awful lot. The kind of enjoyment where you wish it wasn't a stand-alone book.

But it is. So the enjoyment is tinged with regret that the story must be over so soon.

--A
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Post by ussusimiel »

Avatar wrote:Well, I'm reading The Algebraist by the apparently soon to be sadly lamented Iain M Banks.

Initially disappointed that it wasn't a Culture novel, I'm already enjoying it an awful lot. The kind of enjoyment where you wish it wasn't a stand-alone book.

But it is. So the enjoyment is tinged with regret that the story must be over so soon.
Very sad news about Iain Banks. I really enjoyed The Algebraist, it's probably my favourite non-Culture novel. It has the span of a Culture novel and some really great characters and alien races.

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Post by aliantha »

The Channel War by M. Edward McNally.
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Post by Orlion »

The Eye of the Pyramid... the quality of which will be the basis for judging Avatar's character :lol:
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Post by I'm Murrin »

Greatly enjoying Tehanu still. It's a more grounded novel than the others, more domestic, and it is absolutely a feminist critique of the society Le Guin created in her earlier Earthsea books - and, by extension, real life patriarchal western society.

This article was shared on Twitter this morning, about "benevolant sexism", where people say things that are complimentary, positive, but that serve to reinforce sexist memes, and the message there resonates pretty strongly with scenes in Tehanu where Tenar talks to people about women's roles and power.
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Post by Vraith »

Orlion wrote:The Eye of the Pyramid... the quality of which will be the basis for judging Avatar's character :lol:
Then you will find yourself ranking Avatar as one of the highest quality characters you know.

Or the quality of your character will be in question.

On topic, though:
Bakker's "Prince of Nothing" series just now arrived at my door, and I will begin it this evening.
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Post by Menolly »

Finished Gravid.
C'mon May!
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Post by Shaun das Schaf »

I'm Murrin wrote:Greatly enjoying Tehanu still. It's a more grounded novel than the others, more domestic, and it is absolutely a feminist critique of the society Le Guin created in her earlier Earthsea books - and, by extension, real life patriarchal western society.

This article was shared on Twitter this morning, about "benevolant sexism", where people say things that are complimentary, positive, but that serve to reinforce sexist memes, and the message there resonates pretty strongly with scenes in Tehanu where Tenar talks to people about women's roles and power.
I totally have to read this soon (the Earthsea Quartet). It's sitting on my bookshelf like a box of fine chocolates waiting for me. Actually, that's a lousy simile. If it were a box of fine chocolates, hell, even if it were a box of not-so-fine chocolates, I would have read it long ago... and very quickly.

Nearly done with Terry Pratchett's Sourcery. Haven't enjoyed it quite as much as the others but there's still good stuff in it.
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Post by Menolly »

Menolly wrote:
I'm Murrin wrote:I do have the Tales from Earthsea collection to read some time. My order of The Other Wind went on hold and had no delivery in sight, so got cancelled. :(
Does your library do interlibrary loan? That's how Beorn and I got ahold of the entire cycle...
Or maybe look around in some used book stores?
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Post by Fist and Faith »

I can't believe it's not on the shelves. Maybe not in stock every moment in every store, but still.
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Post by sindatur »

Listening to Mordant's Need read by Scott Brick. About 5 chapters in (I've got both Books, so will listen to them back to back)
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Post by Avatar »

Orlion wrote:The Eye of the Pyramid... the quality of which will be the basis for judging Avatar's character :lol:
Huh? :lol: Why on earth would that be the case. :D

Just remember, Illuminatus! is both the wheat and the chaff. You have to do the threshing yourself.

Wilson's comment on Zen Without Zen Masters applies equally to his own work:

If you read it and don't laugh, you missed the joke. If you read it and only laugh, you missed the point.
I'm Murrin wrote:Greatly enjoying Tehanu still.
As I said before, my favourite of them all. Her writing grew a lot in the intervening time, and I find it much better than the earlier ones.

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Post by ussusimiel »

Finished Existence by David Brin. Good book with lots of hooks to keep you interested right to the end (also leaving a few loose threads to conjure with). Noticed something that I noticed in some of his Uplift books, and that's his tendency to include lots of subplots. This caused the book to drag a bit for me and I started to skip ahead to follow the main plotline. (Hmmm, I did much the same recently with Life of Pi. I wonder am I beginning to catch that postmodern malaise of a short attention span :lol: )

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Post by lucimay »

well i'm attempting Gaiman's American Gods again. i tried it once a long time ago but it didn't hook me so i don't remember how far in i read before putting it down but my brother is a huge Gaiman fan and he's all excited cause Gaiman is coming to Lexington (dude is PAYing 32 bucks to see an author??? bizarre) and so i thought i'd give it a try again since my bro loves it so much. i'm in chpt 4 at the moment and i think that's further than i got last time. i'm moderately entertained thus far. :thumbsup:
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Post by Sorus »

I liked American Gods. It might actually be my favorite Gaiman, not counting Good Omens.

Oh, a change is coming, feel these doors now closing
Is there no world for tomorrow, if we wait for today?


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Post by Menolly »

Not really sure this counts as a book, since it is fanfiction and all posted online, but...

Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality

It was posted about in the JKR forum, but although I read everything there, I didn't really pay attention to it. However, SD recommended it as a good read as well, and since I've finished Gravid, decided to give it a shot. Seems to be well written so far, and I am up to chapter seven.
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Post by duke »

Hey everyone. I've started on the "grand re-read" of TC as I think everyone is calling it. I looked back at my reading log and it has been 10 years since I last read through the 1st and 2nd chronicles. Currently I'm in the early stages of LFB.

Having gone through a divorce recently I'm feeling Covenant's pain at Joan leaving him acutely.

- "Did I do a whole life's laughing in that little time?"
- Where Covenent shows Atiaran his white gold ring and he thinks "I should have thrown it away, he muttered bitterly, a leper's got no right to be sentimental."
- In previous reads I missed how Lena was in awe of Covenent, how she didn't want a "small" life with Triock but how she wanted to become a Lord. I also now understand through personal experience how Lena's question "Are you married?" was so painful for Covenant.
- Covenant not realising that his leprosy was cured in the Land until *after* he rapes Lena.
- I now understand better Atiaran's thought regarding Lena - "Ah, Lena my daughter, I see what you have done. It is a brave deed, worthy of praise and pride." Lena hiding to protect Covenant from retribution for the rape.

I'm sure these are obvious things, but these are what is standing out so far on this re-read.
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Post by aliantha »

Menolly wrote:Finished Gravid.
C'mon May!
Yeah! C'mon May!

Oh...wait. That means I have to write the bloody thing, doesn't it?

(About 20K words in, as of tonight. Tying in all these little ends is maddening. Remind me never to do a five-book series again. :lol: )
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Post by Iolanthe »

Feet of Clay - TP
I am playing all the right notes, but not necessarily in the right order!

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