Author Topic: What are we Reading Now: Conan the Librarian (Read 146818 times)

Charlie 6 · « **Reply #30 on:** 20 June 2016, 20:34:24 »

Quote from: Wrangler on 20 June 2016, 20:08:18

Has there been any good cutting edge scifi novels that has come out? I've been wanting get into something of a space opera type. I've been always levitating to "try-true" or "old and forgotten" books series, like Honor Harrington Series (Battletech, but I'm still sticking with that one. ;)). I ended my self-impossed boycott of reading "new" core Honor Harrington such A Rising Thunder, and the side-story Shadows of Freedom book.)

Any recommendations?

I enjoyed Shadows of Freedom, thou for David Weber, it was shorter book. Sounds like Weber is going after the 800-pound gorilla in the room in next in the side-series. Admiral Gold Peak and her 10th fleet is going pay visit in Mesa. I beat thats going be more political than slash, smash, and seeya Mesa Alignment fans.)

Did you read Cauldron of Ghosts? It wraps up the Torch storyline a bit.

I just finished R. A. Salvatore's "Maestro", mildly discombobulated and poorly edited at times but enjoyable.

Davout73 · « **Reply #31 on:** 20 June 2016, 20:40:52 »

Stiletto, the long awaited sequal to Daniel O'Malley's excellent book Rook

Sudden Appearence of Hope, by Clare North. I absolutely loved First Fifteen Lives of Harry August, and this one has been good read thus far.

Dav

Matti · « **Reply #32 on:** 21 June 2016, 13:51:41 »

Quote from: Wrangler on 20 June 2016, 20:08:18

Has there been any good cutting edge scifi novels that has come out? I've been wanting get into something of a space opera type. I've been always levitating to "try-true" or "old and forgotten" books series, like Honor Harrington Series (Battletech, but I'm still sticking with that one. ;)). I ended my self-impossed boycott of reading "new" core Honor Harrington such A Rising Thunder, and the side-story Shadows of Freedom book.)

Any recommendations?

You could be interested about stuff written by Michael McCollum. Antares Dawn & sequels are good stuff. If scifi ground warfare is of any interest, among the best on that front is The Complete Hammer's Slammers.

Daryk · « **Reply #33 on:** 26 June 2016, 08:00:57 »

Just finished Scalzi's "The Human Division" after picking it up at the bookstore last night. It apparently came out while I was overseas, and I just couldn't put it down. The only reason I didn't have to fight my wife to read it is she chose to read the new David Drake RCN book first. Now I wait until she's done (she chose to sleep last night).

Matti · « **Reply #34 on:** 26 June 2016, 09:10:12 »

Quote from: Daryk on 26 June 2016, 08:00:57

David Drake RCN book

RCN = ???

Also what is the Human Division like?

Daryk · « **Reply #35 on:** 26 June 2016, 10:09:13 »

RCN = "Republic of Cinnabar Navy", aka the "Lt. Leary" books. They're very good on the whole, basically Aubrey/Maturin "in space!". Start with "With the Lightnings", the first in the series.

"The Human Division" is a continuation of Scalzi's "Old Man's War" universe. He writes a LOT like Heinlein, and works very hard for consistency. In this latest installment, we're following Harry Wilson around, one of the original characters from the first books. The main character from earlier in the series (John Perry) is only mentioned as part of the background. I think Scalzi has more in the works for this series, but I could be wrong. This particular book certainly raised more questions than it answered.

Trajan Helmer · « **Reply #36 on:** 26 June 2016, 12:14:34 »

In the last month, I've read Mind Hunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit by Mark Olshaker & John Douglas. Cross of Iron: The Rise and Fall of the German War Machine, 1918-1945 by John Mosier, and Caliban's War by James S. A. Correy. Finishing up Secrets of Ancient Man: Revelations from the Ruins by Don Landis and Stealing from God: Why Atheists Need God to Make Their Case by Frank Turek

Next on deck: Hell to Pay: Operation Downfall and the Invasion of Japan, 1945-1947 by D.M. Giangreco

MoneyLovinOgre4Hire · « **Reply #37 on:** 26 June 2016, 13:41:24 »

Quote from: Daryk on 26 June 2016, 10:09:13

RCN = "Republic of Cinnabar Navy", aka the "Lt. Leary" books. They're very good on the whole, basically Aubrey/Maturin "in space!". Start with "With the Lightnings", the first in the series.

"The Human Division" is a continuation of Scalzi's "Old Man's War" universe. He writes a LOT like Heinlein, and works very hard for consistency. In this latest installment, we're following Harry Wilson around, one of the original characters from the first books. The main character from earlier in the series (John Perry) is only mentioned as part of the background. I think Scalzi has more in the works for this series, but I could be wrong. This particular book certainly raised more questions than it answered.

The final(?) book in the series is The End Of All Things. It came out just about a year ago.

Euphonium · « **Reply #38 on:** 26 June 2016, 13:51:49 »

Just got around to finishing Jim Butcher's Codex Alera last week. I read the first one and a bit a couple of years ago, and decided to go back and finish them off. Overall I really enjoyed them.

Next on the list for fiction is a re-read of Peter Moorwood's Horse/Demon/Dragon/War-Lord set, and for non-fiction I'm reading Anthony Beevor's history of the Spanish civil war, The Battle for Spain.

Lorcan Nagle · « **Reply #39 on:** 26 June 2016, 14:41:14 »

Quote from: Wrangler on 20 June 2016, 20:08:18

Has there been any good cutting edge scifi novels that has come out? I've been wanting get into something of a space opera type.

Have you read Ancilary Justice by Ann Leckie? It's a space opera set in a declining empire who use human bodies controlled by the AIs of their starships as soldiers. The narrator is a ship's computer, shifting between a point 19 years in the past which lead to the ship's destruction, and the present day where the last remaining body it controlled is on a mission of revenge.

While the setup is quite standard, Leckie's writing style is truly impressive, especially the flashback sequences where the ship describes what's happening in multiple places at once that either it or its bodies can see. There's a literary trick as well where the empire doesn't have gendered pronouns, and so it defaults to she/her to describe everyone, with only a handful of characters given explicit genders. It makes for a very interesting read.

The book was critically lauded when it came out. It won the Hugo, Nebula and Arthur C. Clarke award (the first book to win all three), and the two sequels have been nominated for the Hugo and Nebula as well.

Demon55 · « **Reply #40 on:** 30 June 2016, 16:21:31 »

"Calming your Angry Mind" by Jeffrey Brantley and Barbara Frederickson

"Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius

BrokenMnemonic · « **Reply #41 on:** 01 July 2016, 04:59:52 »

It's been a moderately busy month for reading - I seem to have been picking up more comics lately, which have been cutting into my novel time - and I've been working my way through some series that were new to me.

I read through several historical romance series - the first three novels of Sarah Maclean's Love by Numbers series (I didn't like the male protagonist much in the first novel, but the second and third novels were excellent), the first two novels in Jennifer McQuiston's Seduction Diaries (well above average) and the three novels of Miranda Neville's Burgundy Club (wasn't that keen on the first novel, liked the second, really liked the third).

I've been meaning to finish off Jo Nesbo's Harry Hole series, so I read the prequel novel The Bat and picked up the final few novels I've not read yet second hand, although they're currently lurking in my kitchen along with a few other books like the sequel to The Alienist and a copy of Great Mambo Chicken and the Transhuman Condition.

I finished Kevin Hearne's Iron Druid series in May, so started reading the Kitty Norville novels by Carrie Vaughn this month; I've read the first four, and thoroughly enjoyed them - particularly the fourth. My copy of the fifth novel didn't transfer onto my phone properly, so I need to reupload that, and because I'm impatient and lazy at the same time, I started the Dragon Age novel The Stolen Throne at lunchtime yesterday and the first Cainville novel, Omens by Kelly Armstrong, on the way into work this morning. The Dragon Age novel's been reading quickly and well - I'm playing through Inquisition at the moment, so it's nice to be able to read some stories set in that universe - and Omens is off to a very promising start. I've heard mixed reviews of the series - a lot of PnR fans don't seem to like that romances are fairly slow-burn in the series, or don't like that the mystery is taking a while to unfold, but I'm really enjoying the setup and pacing at the moment, and a friend of mine was up til 1am (with a start for work at 4.30am) finishing the third novel the night before last, so I have high hopes for it.

Today is new comic book day for me, though...

MoneyLovinOgre4Hire · « **Reply #42 on:** 01 July 2016, 13:43:14 »

I'm reading the First Succession War handbook.

Reldn · « **Reply #43 on:** 13 July 2016, 23:22:21 »

Well, aside from "Embers of War", I've never read any other Battletech novels. So, I took the plunge and purchased a small selection of the older books. Currently reading "Decision at Thunder Rift".

Triptych · « **Reply #44 on:** 14 July 2016, 00:01:26 »

With the Old Breed by Eugene Sledge. Found a copy in a used bookstore and snapped it up. I'm glad I did. Probably one of the greatest novels of a marine's first hand account of being in war. I'm only on chapter 2 and I'm already at the edge of my seat.

BrokenMnemonic · « **Reply #45 on:** 19 July 2016, 01:57:51 »

Storybundle have posted up a bundle of Japanese sci-fi novels that look interesting - has anyone here read any of them, and if so, would they be willing to give an opinion on them? Money's a little tight this month, but if the books are good I can always walk more and bus less!

Lorcan Nagle · « **Reply #46 on:** 19 July 2016, 08:00:22 »

I've been eyeing the bundle up as well (pay day is tomorrow). I'm tempted just for Legend of Galactic Heroes, as I quite like what I've seen of the anime based on it.

Cidwm · « **Reply #47 on:** 19 July 2016, 09:20:39 »

I've finished reading Collision of Empires by Prit Buttar. Currently ready Germany Ascendant by the same author. Good reads so far on the eastern front, ww1.

rebs · « **Reply #48 on:** 19 July 2016, 11:09:18 »

I just reread a splendid little book called The Wars of Reaving. Third time through (three and a half, really), and still plenty of subtle details to pick up on. Especially in the details of the many varied absorptions and reavings that rocked the Ice Hellions, the Goliath Scorpions, and the Fire Mandrills - as well as the Society, the Coyotes, and Burrocks, the WOB, whispers of the Not-Named, and the mighty antagonism between the Jade Falcons and the subtleties of their tracking with the Ghost Bears and Hell's Horses shift to help shape and contain the Wolves in the background of everything going on in the whole bloody tapestry.

The Eagle · « **Reply #49 on:** 19 July 2016, 22:04:06 »

Yesterday I finished Deathfire and today I picked up Legion (both Hours Heresy novels) for yet another read through. Deathfire was just so dlsad I needed a pallet cleanser and so went to my favorite of the series.

Top Sergeant · « **Reply #50 on:** 23 July 2016, 09:39:55 »

Death's Bright Day by David Drake. I've become a fan of the RCN series. I find my inner historian delighted when I come across all the classical references he uses.

Daryk · « **Reply #51 on:** 23 July 2016, 11:46:13 »

My wife and I bought that and Scalzi's "The Human Division" for our birthdays, which are three days apart. We swapped books as soon we finished.

Matti · « **Reply #52 on:** 23 July 2016, 12:06:19 »

Quote from: Top Sergeant on 23 July 2016, 09:39:55

Death's Bright Day by David Drake. I've become a fan of the RCN series.

What can you tell about it? Can you make comparisons to other similar scifi works? I've read Antares Dawn & sequels and handful of the Honor Harrington series.

Daryk · « **Reply #53 on:** 23 July 2016, 13:13:13 »

The closest analogy is probably a space opera version of the Aubrey/Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian. Definitely start with "With the Lightnings".

Top Sergeant · « **Reply #54 on:** 23 July 2016, 14:15:13 »

Quote from: Daryk on 23 July 2016, 11:46:13

My wife and I bought that and Scalzi's "The Human Division" for our birthdays, which are three days apart. We swapped books as soon we finished.

That is very cool! Make that a tradition!

Daryk · « **Reply #55 on:** 23 July 2016, 14:40:08 »

If we could get Drake and Scalzi to play along, we totally would! :D

elf25s · « **Reply #56 on:** 23 July 2016, 14:45:29 »

dont know how my youngling found the hard copies of my chung kuo series all 8 books by david wingrove but for some strange reason i want ot start reading them again

Wrangler · « **Reply #57 on:** 28 July 2016, 23:13:23 »

My family had bough bunch of semi-recent Star Trek novels, part of the Lost Era series.
They highlight characters during time periods the Televisions shows / movies hadn't covered.

I just finished up, The Sundered: The Lost Era 2298 (Star Trek Lost Era) By Michael Martin. Pretty darn good book after reading it. The further adventures of Captain Sulu and some other original ST crew who are part of Excelsior's crew including Lt. Tuovk and Chekhov. Story centers around mysterious race causing problems with the Tholians. We get see what the Tholians are really like, years after original Enterprise crew encounter them. I recommend it, despite that like all stories novels, nothing is concrete canon, but the Lost Era books are to a degree inter-connectivity.

elf25s · « **Reply #58 on:** 29 July 2016, 10:14:29 »

from old trek paperbacks only 3 i enjoyed were how much for just a planet uhuras song and strangers from the sky

HobbesHurlbut · « **Reply #59 on:** 29 July 2016, 11:11:18 »

Quote from: Wrangler on 28 July 2016, 23:13:23

My family had bough bunch of semi-recent Star Trek novels, part of the Lost Era series.
They highlight characters during time periods the Televisions shows / movies hadn't covered.

I just finished up, The Sundered: The Lost Era 2298 (Star Trek Lost Era) By Michael Martin. Pretty darn good book after reading it. The further adventures of Captain Sulu and some other original ST crew who are part of Excelsior's crew including Lt. Tuovk and Chekhov. Story centers around mysterious race causing problems with the Tholians. We get see what the Tholians are really like, years after original Enterprise crew encounter them. I recommend it, despite that like all stories novels, nothing is concrete canon, but the Lost Era books are to a degree inter-connectivity.

We got to see them in Enterprise series though.