What are you currently reading?

[jwcarlson]

It's been a minute...

I finished The Shadow Rising (not even) a couple of weeks ago and, frankly, it took forever.  I'm not sure how into The Wheel of Time I am.  I'm primarily a character driven reader and I know that there's plenty of people who rave about WoT characters, but I'm not sure how much I care about them (yet).  Thankfully TSR is the longest book by word count, at least.  I am a bit concerned because I've heard a lot of people's favorites are in the first 4-5 books and also so many that say "it really becomes the Wheel of Time in book four".  Well, here I am after book four wondering what WoT is because it's starting to feel like I'm a horse on a treadmill and there's a carrot dangling just out of reach.  I do not dislike the books, I just don't love them.  I'll give it at least one more book and then probably read New Spring after that and see what I think.  I currently have zero desire to crack open book 5.  But if I'm five books in plus the prequel, I think I'll eventually plow through them.

Since finishing TSR, I've been on a tear.  I've read Sendlin Ascends (#1 of Books of Babel) by Josiah Bancroft and Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo.  And tonight I will finish Dark Matter by Blake Crouch.  Ninth House was the weakest of the group, but it was still quite good.  I've read quite a bit of Bardugo (Shadow and Bone trilogy and Six of Crows duology).  And boy is Dark Matter a page turner.  If I didn't have to work today I'd have finished it in 24 hours.  Had to force myself to go to bed around 12:30 this morning because I have to be up at 4:30!  Thinking that I might need to explore some other Black Crouch books, even if Dark Matter doesn't stick the landing, it's been a good enough ride to want more.

I've been trying to decide if I think that these books are this great or if they were just a needed and much appreciated change of pace.  I believe I'm going to read at least one more book before returning to WoT (the next in the Books of Babel - Arm of the Sphinx, I believe).  But I am in a good place as far as getting through some of my massive pile of books that I hope to read someday, which is nice.  We're leaving to go stay in a cabin we rented for a week on the 18th and will be gone for six nights.  It's going to be hot, but it should be a half-decent chance to get some reading done even if we're hiking and fishing and whatnot.  Will have to decide if I want to consume a beefy WoT book or if I want to check 2-3 others off the "to be read" list instead.

[JettsPapa]

On 6/13/2022 at 7:55 AM, jwcarlson said:

It's been a minute...

I finished The Shadow Rising (not even) a couple of weeks ago and, frankly, it took forever.  I'm not sure how into The Wheel of Time I am.  . . .  I do not dislike the books, I just don't love them.  I'll give it at least one more book and then probably read New Spring after that and see what I think.  I currently have zero desire to crack open book 5.  But if I'm five books in plus the prequel, I think I'll eventually plow through them.

 

That's kinda where I am with that series.  I read the whole thing a few years ago, but I doubt if I'll ever do it again.  There are other authors, and other series, that I re-read every 10 years or so.

[jwcarlson]

On 6/13/2022 at 8:10 AM, JettsPapa said:

That's kinda where I am with that series.  I read the whole thing a few years ago, but I doubt if I'll ever do it again.  There are other authors, and other series, that I re-read every 10 years or so.

That's The Dark Tower for me.  My last go-through was audio book instead of paper, which was a good/interesting twist on the standard re-read.  I typically do not re-read too much stuff, but I do find myself listening to a lot of Stephen King books that I've previously read.  King is my favorite author.  The audiobook subscription that I have (Scribd) has a large selection of Stephen King books that I download and listen to when I can at work, doing house/yard/vehicle work, water changes, dog walking, etc.  I just finished Bag of Bones in audio form and Scribd had a version that King himself narrated.  He's done quite a few of his books and I REALLY enjoy his narrations.  I'd love a version of The Dark Tower that he reads.  Additionally, I have no idea how King is as prolific as he is.  I know he's being doing it "forever", but good grief, you'd think the guy would slow down a little in his 60s and now 70s.

I don't really keep track of or "count" audiobooks.  But I could see myself finishing WoT in audiobook form.  Plus I've heard that the narration by, I think, Cramer (Kramer?) and Redding (Reading?).  Perhaps I'd enjoy the series more having it read to me as opposed to plowing through it.

Edited June 13, 2022 by jwcarlson

[anewbie]

Rereading otherland series (just finished book 3); while waiting for next book in last king of osten ard; (for those who care next book is scheduled to be released in mid July). Two other books I want to read (one day maybe - maybe never) Door of Stone and Winds of Winter. A bonus book would be Lightbringer (pierce brown).

[jwcarlson]

On 6/13/2022 at 9:52 AM, anewbie said:

Rereading otherland series (just finished book 3); while waiting for next book in last king of osten ard; (for those who care next book is scheduled to be released in mid July). Two other books I want to read (one day maybe - maybe never) Door of Stone and Winds of Winter. A bonus book would be Lightbringer (pierce brown).

Never heard of Otherland and haven't ready any Tad Williams, might have to try some at some point.  Doors of Stone, I'm pretty sure, will eventually release.  Rothfuss is pretty active and he sure seems to be talking about it a lot now, so maybe he had a big break through or something.  I think he had the prologue released as part of some fundraiser he did.  I enjoyed Name of the Wind, but thought A Wise Man's Fear was... not so great.  It seemed like a quarter of the book was dedicated to his adult activities within the fae realm and, frankly, that just didn't click with me and I'm not a prude or anything.  Not convinced that Rothfuss could really wrap things up well in just one book either, unless it's some 2000 page brick.  Lots of open ends.  I know he has lots more planned (or even drafted) for the universe... so maybe some of the mysteries won't be wrapped up in the main trilogy.

Winds of Winter I have a hard time seeing any real path to release.  Similar to Rothfuss' situation, I'm not sure how Martin could possible tie it all with a pretty bow in just one book.  Also, he's 25 year older than Rothfuss.  

I'll certainly read them both if they ever come out!

In any event, I try to go into series with the awareness that they may not ever progress beyond what is currently published.  I really "fell in love" with Scott Lynch's The Gentlemen Bastards series and blew through the three published works a few years back only to learn it's a planned (10 books, I think) series... I have a hard time believing that it will ever be done, though Lynch isn't terribly old (about Rothfuss's age).  But the first book (Lies of Locke Lamora) was published in 2006.  I'm not sure if there's a contract issue or what, but I think Lynch just announced that he's coming back to the world with novellas... so I guess... yay?  

 

Not everyone can be Brandon Sanderson lol

[anewbie]

On 6/13/2022 at 12:47 PM, jwcarlson said:

Never heard of Otherland and haven't ready any Tad Williams, might have to try some at some point.  Doors of Stone, I'm pretty sure, will eventually release.  Rothfuss is pretty active and he sure seems to be talking about it a lot now, so maybe he had a big break through or something.  I think he had the prologue released as part of some fundraiser he did.  I enjoyed Name of the Wind, but thought A Wise Man's Fear was... not so great.  It seemed like a quarter of the book was dedicated to his adult activities within the fae realm and, frankly, that just didn't click with me and I'm not a prude or anything.  Not convinced that Rothfuss could really wrap things up well in just one book either, unless it's some 2000 page brick.  Lots of open ends.  I know he has lots more planned (or even drafted) for the universe... so maybe some of the mysteries won't be wrapped up in the main trilogy.

Winds of Winter I have a hard time seeing any real path to release.  Similar to Rothfuss' situation, I'm not sure how Martin could possible tie it all with a pretty bow in just one book.  Also, he's 25 year older than Rothfuss.  

I'll certainly read them both if they ever come out!

In any event, I try to go into series with the awareness that they may not ever progress beyond what is currently published.  I really "fell in love" with Scott Lynch's The Gentlemen Bastards series and blew through the three published works a few years back only to learn it's a planned (10 books, I think) series... I have a hard time believing that it will ever be done, though Lynch isn't terribly old (about Rothfuss's age).  But the first book (Lies of Locke Lamora) was published in 2006.  I'm not sure if there's a contract issue or what, but I think Lynch just announced that he's coming back to the world with novellas... so I guess... yay?  

 

Not everyone can be Brandon Sanderson lol

Tad's books are pretty good. Shadowland series is the one i recommend the most; though others prefer his other series. His books are much more complex and better written than most of trash; usually having multiple deep arcs. Still at the end of the day it is fluff - entertaining fluff but fluff 😉

 

[OnlyGenusCaps]

I'm enjoying reading about a turbulent political time.  I know this forum doesn't allow discussion of politics, but perhaps I'll be forgiven this once:

"The storm before the storm: The beginning of the end of the Roman Republic"

It's been great so far.  The fall or the Roman Republic seems to have been proceeded by the loss of political norms as it became a game of people willing to do anything to win power.  I'm right where Sulla first appears...  🤫

[BeeD]

I don't have much to add. I've been in a reading dead zone for a while. I did reread The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. I'm surprised by the fact that I liked it more as a teenager than I do as an adult. It doesn't seem like something that teenager would find compelling, but I guess teenaged brains will grab onto anything new and soak it in. 

[drewzero1]

I finally started reading grown-up books again (it's been a lot of Green Eggs and Ham the last few years) and just finished Doomsday Book, by Connie Willis. I loved the time travel and the medieval element, but the epidemic and plague hit a little too close to home (despite having been released 30 years ago).

Stocking to the future-medieval scifi theme, I've just started A Canticle for Liebowitz. It's much more fun so far, inasmuch as post apocalyptic monastic life could be considered fun.

[jwcarlson]

I've finished Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes and Josiah Bancroft's Books of Babel #2 (Arm of the Sphinx) and Blake Crouch's Recursion in the last two weeks.  Reading Lord of the Flies now, a "classic" that I simply wasn't required to read during school.  Strangely so, perhaps.  The same with Fahrenheit 451, which I might read next.  I usually read relatively long books, but I am really liking these ~50-150,000 word books compared to 250k+.  They really seem to snap through and I wonder if it wouldn't help me get through the longer stuff faster if I didn't fold in some sorter stuff in between.  Typically I fold series together alternating reads between them, but they might both be pretty long books.

It's got to be pretty close to time for me to head back to Wheel of Time (on #5 now) or perhaps pick up a beefier stand-alone like The Stand or Swan Song... or series like Dune... all books I hope to read soon-ish.  Or because I'm enjoying some SciFi at the moment, maybe The Three-Body Problem.

Edited June 27, 2022 by jwcarlson

[Brandon p]

On 6/27/2022 at 8:24 AM, jwcarlson said:

I've finished Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes and Josiah Bancroft's Books of Babel #2 (Arm of the Sphinx) and Blake Crouch's Recursion in the last two weeks.  Reading Lord of the Flies now, a "classic" that I simply wasn't required to read during school.  Strangely so, perhaps.  The same with Fahrenheit 451, which I might read next.  I usually read relatively long books, but I am really liking these ~50-150,000 word books compared to 250k+.  They really seem to snap through and I wonder if it wouldn't help me get through the longer stuff faster if I didn't fold in some sorter stuff in between.  Typically I fold series together alternating reads between them, but they might both be pretty long books.

It's got to be pretty close to time for me to head back to Wheel of Time (on #5 now) or perhaps pick up a beefier stand-alone like The Stand or Swan Song... or series like Dune... all books I hope to read soon-ish.  Or because I'm enjoying some SciFi at the moment, maybe The Three-Body Problem.

@jwcarlson I’m going to have follow the leader re- read “Something Wicked This Way Comes” I haven’t read it since college. I’m already freaked out. I guess that makes my James Patterson short seem inadequate, but I can read heavy all the time. We have a Clear difference in what a long book is I read “John Adam’s” by David McCullough was long and it was maybe 900 pages. To each his own I guess. I like nonfiction and when I go fiction is still tends to be more science based fiction. Michael Crichton is a easy read but his booked were pretty were researched about the science part of his books. He wrote one of my favorite essays and I won’t mention it because it would probably cause issues, it’s a rebuttal to one 1900’s most seminal books about science. In my elementary school we in different read groups you are are in the sunflowers and I think I’m I a daisys. 
 

@drewzero1 I remember those days which were not long ago. I’m not sure if you have one or more children. This will sound bad but I have a 18 a year old that is probably still reading green eggs and ham and 12 that is read books more like jwcarson. That said one can rebuild a car. It is certainly enjoyable to read not mean for children. For about 6 or 7 years I had to read books so we could be sure that are 6 year was reading age appropriate books. I was surprised at how many books that at in the teen section of the library were not ok for a 6 year old. It makes Perfect sense  but I guess I should have read more books as a teen. I will say that there are underrated books written for teens. I think that doing that really rekindled my love for reading. There will always be a place for ”Green Eggs and Ham” 

[Guppysnail]

On 6/27/2022 at 9:18 AM, Brandon p said:

There will always be a place for ”Green Eggs and Ham” 

😍🥰🤗

[jwcarlson]

@Brandon pI enjoyed Something Wicked, but didn't seem particularly frightening as an adult 🙂  I bet it would be spookier as a kid! 

I would consider 900 pages a long book for sure... but without word count I don't really know if it's just 100 words per page I guess that's not a very long book 😄.  I don't mean to get into a book-wagging contest or trying to brag, believe me.  It's just perspective 🙂  I mostly read Fantasy and some SciFi, but do go though some good non-fiction usually in phases.  One of my favorite non-fictions ever is Yuval Noah Harari's Sapiens. 

I'm not an avid Crichton reader by any stretch, but have enjoyed Jurassic Park and Andromeda Strain.  Eaters of the Dead was kind of a "miss" for me, but I listened to the audio book and while I listen to a lot of audio books, I'm the first to admit that I do not necessarily consume them all that well.

Re: different reading groups, sunflowers and daisies made me laugh audibly.  I do not recall reading groups ever in school, but maybe I was just blind to all of that at the time.  I don't feel like a particularly fast reader, but when I was younger I could really rip through books.  I could read a Roald Dahl in a day as a youngster.  With three kids, a wife, two dogs, fish, and a full-time job cutting into my reading time, it might take me many weeks to read some of the bigger stuff.  It really feels like they can jam everything up which can get discouraging, honestly.  Wheel of Time #4 is about 395,000 words and I wouldn't want to go back and figure out how long it took me to read it.  Lots of nights where I might get one page and then the book is whacking me in the face.

 

Your comment about books meant for teens being better than many give them credit for is spot on.  I read a decent amount of what would be classified at "YA".  His Dark Materials trilogy, Six of Crows duology, Shadow and Bone trilogy are some good ones that come to mind as fairly recent reads for me.  But .  When I was in that target age group I was reading a lot of Stephen King, including The Dark Tower.  So I'm coming back and reading books that others might have read as kids which I think have a lot of themes that are actually quite adult.  I'm not a gate keeper at all.  I think reading is important and that doesn't matter if you're reading Dr Suess, Dr Spock, or Dr Strange (those are comics, right?).  A few months back I stumbled across an app timer (while looking for data usage) that's built into my phone's OS (Android) and was grossed out with myself.  Now... I don't use my phone anywhere near as much as some others.  But when I think about my 24 hour day, am I comfortable spending 45 minutes on Facebook sometimes?  A lot of times that during the downtime of my nightly discus water change.  But why not read during that time instead?  Or do the dishes or something?  So I set a 20 minute timer and then my Facebook shuts off.  Some days I hit the 20 minutes.  Some days I don't even hit 10.  But my overall screen time has dropped like two hours as a result.  Because I'm constantly opening some article I see posted or someone says something that sends me a-googling for more information... do I really need to read a 40 comment thread about someone's sick discus or the gossip *stuff* on a local scanner page?  Sure some of it might be worthwhile, but almost none of it is.  Give me someone with a book in front of their face instead of a phone any day! /rant

Edited June 27, 2022 by jwcarlson

[JettsPapa]

On 6/27/2022 at 8:18 AM, Brandon p said:

. . . In my elementary school we in different read groups you are are in the sunflowers and I think I’m I a daisys. 
 

That reminds me of the semester in high school when due to my other class selections I wasn't able to get the English class I'd have otherwise been in.  While that group was reading King Lear I was reading Huckleberry Finn.

[Brandon p]

I got “King Lear”. It was the only class I needed to graduate. I was a football play and needed one class to play during my senior year. I finished early to enter college a semester early on a football scholarship. I was hoping for green eggs and ham. Joking aside I was glad I took the class. It was Chaucer not king Lear but I would not have been exposed if it wasn’t for that. 

[Brandon p]

@jwcarlsoni agree read should be fun don’t matter how long or short. If it’s enjoyed that’s the way it should be. I have a new book to read when I finish the Wright Bothers book I’m reading. I ordered it all ready it came with “Homo Deus” 

[FishPlanet]

"The Sacrifice" By Beverly Lewis.

[lefty o]

The Storm of Steel, Ernst Junger (original 1929 translation). a personal account of WW1 trench warfare. some things are lost in the translation, but fairly good read.

[BeeD]

On 6/27/2022 at 1:49 AM, drewzero1 said:

inasmuch as post apocalyptic monastic life could be considered fun.

I think I have to read it now.

[drewzero1]

On 6/28/2022 at 9:35 PM, BrettD said:

I think I have to read it now.

I'll be returning it to the library soon, and Winnefox has a couple of copies available if you want to check it out. 😊

[jwcarlson]

Finished Lord of the Flies last night... as with most "classics" that I've read - I guess I just don't get it.  It was an OK story, but was maybe a little bit too unbelievable or something?  Should have read it 20 years ago, maybe. 😄

 

Started We Hunt the Flame next based on my sisters recommendation.  It's been almost two years since I bought it, which seems like a good amount of time to age a book before diving in, right?  Thankfully they don't expire.

[Patrick_G]

On 6/30/2022 at 5:29 AM, jwcarlson said:

Finished Lord of the Flies last night... as with most "classics" that I've read - I guess I just don't get it.  It was an OK story, but was maybe a little bit too unbelievable or something?  Should have read it 20 years ago, maybe. 😄

They still make kids read it in school. I agree, it's not that great.  They're also still reading The Martian Chronicles, probably the worst Ray Bradbury book. 

[jwcarlson]

On 6/30/2022 at 9:55 AM, Patrick_G said:

They still make kids read it in school. I agree, it's not that great.  They're also still reading The Martian Chronicles, probably the worst Ray Bradbury book. 

I have no idea how I wasn't required to read it.  Same with Fahrenheit 451, which I might read eventually.

I did read The Jungle for school, but that was very much a skim read.

[Patrick_G]

On 6/30/2022 at 8:13 AM, jwcarlson said:

I have no idea how I wasn't required to read it.  Same with Fahrenheit 451, which I might read eventually.

I did read The Jungle for school, but that was very much a skim read

 

I generally like the Jungle, and books on the immigrant experience in general. I think some Willa Cather books should be added to the Curriculum to round out that genre. 

[JettsPapa]

On 6/30/2022 at 9:55 AM, Patrick_G said:

They still make kids read it in school. I agree, it's not that great.  They're also still reading The Martian Chronicles, probably the worst Ray Bradbury book. 

I also had to read The Lord of the Flies in school about 45 years ago.  I didn't care much for it then, and haven't bothered trying again.

I've been a science fiction fan for close to 50 years, but never cared much for Bradbury.  Maybe I need to give his stuff another try.  Back then I was reading authors like Arthur C. Clarke (I thought his novels were just okay, but he wrote great short stories), Isaac Asimov, and Robert Heinlein (though he went off the rails with his last few books).