Fantasy Book Club discussion

Welcome to August.
Tell us what you are reading this month.

I'm about to open the new group reads, The Mirror Empire, and To Whatever End. Join the conversation if you are able.

Hello Brenda, welcome to August you too. I'm about halfway through Midnight Tides, the last hundred pages have whooshed by.

Starting the month with Karen Millers The Falcon Throne. The new Robin Hobb is out next week so will probably pick that up and need to read part two of Words of Radiance

Started The Scorch Trials a few days ago, and I'm almost half way through The Liar's Key

So, two weeks ago I packed up and moved back to California from Florida and I've been kind of a stressed out mess but now I'm settled and internet's hooked up and good to go :)

So, I read last month -

Cold Comfort Farm not genre, but fun. Watched the movie afterwards and liked that too.

The Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy. I really liked this series, it was different - a mix of portal fantasy and urban fantasy and romance that worked well together.

The Darkangel - I don't know how I missed this one back when I was a teenager inhaling fantasy books, but now at least I know what I missed - it is a wonderful dark fairy tale and I will definitely be reading the sequels.

The Rebirths of Tao was a fine wrap up for the trilogy. I really enjoy reading these books - fun brain candy.

The Girls at the Kingfisher Club - I loved this one. No actual magic, it's just a new version of the 12 Dancing Princesses fairy tale, set during the depression in NYC.

Now, I'm about halfway through Gateway and liking it even though the main character is totally irritating at times - I just wanna smack him!

Good luck and best wishes in your new home, and state.

Michele wrote: "Now, I'm about halfway through Gateway and liking it even though the main character is totally irritating at times - I just wanna smack him!"

That's a book I've not read in a long, long time. And I can't think offhand of another SF book that drives the narrative with the character's (very 70s-style) psychoanalysis sessions.

I just finished The Final Empire today, does that count? But I also just got Cress from the library, and I'm waiting for The Well of Ascension, next in line for The Vagrant ebook, and hoping to get The Martian too!

Just started book 3 Brisingr of the Inheritance Series. Enjoyed the first two books

The Jokester wrote: "Just started book 3 Brisingr of the Inheritance Series. Enjoyed the first two books"

I loved this series! I don't care that it has a bunch of "tropes" or is labeled as young adult, I have such good memories reading and rereading the Inheritance Cycle....it's good solid fantasy :)

Currently reading Mirror Sight, of the Green Rider series, plus re-reading The Hobbit (an all-time fav). :)

I've got The Falcon Throne, The Mirror Empire, Veil of the Deserters, Ruin: The Faithful and the Fallen 3 and Prince of Thorns re-read.

The Jokester wrote: "Just started book 3 Brisingr of the Inheritance Series. Enjoyed the first two books"

I never got as far as this one, let me know what you think.

So many good books being mentioned. I'm halfway through Midnight Tides but mum arrives for a visit tomorrow so that will severely slow me down. She doesn't read and doesn't get that interruptions spoil it!

Going on a road trip to BC (Canada), have just finished up:

Fuzzy Nation (John Scalzi) - not bad, but I like something more complex. This group has ruined me for books that are simple :)

Shadows Edge (Brent weeks) - I quite enjoy this series. I will note that Brent really likes boobs.

First two books of Daughter of Smoke and bone- Looove this series

Just Finished The Martian in record time for me. Picked The Red Knight back up after putting it down for a bit (because i got a book in the mail id been waiting for) and it's just as good as when i put it down, with a wide range of great characters. Hopefully I can pick up The Mirror Empire this month at some point.

Plans for this month are

Audiobooks- A Darker Shade of Magic (VE Schwab), Battle of the Labyrinth (Rick Riordan), Falling Kingdoms (Morgan Rhodes), Dreams of Gods and Monsters (Laini Taylor)

Real books- finish The Shadow Rising (R Jordan), finish Wishsong of Shannara (Terry Brooks), Half Bad (Sally Green), Half a War (Joe Abercrombie), The Way of Kings ( B Sanderson) and I may also sneak in another Hitchhikers book :)

Still plugging along withJennifer Roberson's Sword-Breaker.

Love this series and plan to finish it up and read her latest in the series that I haven't read thus far.

Margret, enjoy the holiday.

On my list are: The Golem and the Jinni, Insurgent which are two months of reads from my tbr group. We each pick a read for someone based on their to read list.

Also, The Invisible Library for the real people book group, as opposed to you virtual people!! Also, for other groups on here: Vicious, The Bonehunters and then our read Mirror Empire.

Assuming that life, a 5000 word essay and mum staying doesn't blow that plan out of the water ;)

Just finished The Painted Man, which was an excellent read. Relatively light reading, despite it being reasonably long. Plenty of action and a fast pace made it very enjoyable as I now begin the book that conveniently arrived today - The Crippled God. Got a nice large paperback, as the hardcover was hard to find and very pricey. Really looking forward to finishing the main Malazan series, but it's certainly not light reading.

The Emperor's Blades only 99p on UK kindle today.

Thanks Helen, just bought it. Bargain!

Too. Many. Books. :)

Currently reading a number of Anthologies:
Steampunk World- Steampunk, told from authors not native to England or America! Really captivating thus far.
Jade Palace Vendetta- Book 2 of the Masumaya Kaze trilogy, billed as a "Samurai Murder Mystery.
Malice- Not sure how I overlooked this before, but this a recc from my friends Evgeny and Jose. Liking it alot thus far!
Five Glass Slippers- I love fairy-tale retellings/reimaginings! (Five Enchanted Roses is also on my "To-Read" list.)

N.R. wrote: "Currently reading Mirror Sight, of the Green Rider series, plus re-reading The Hobbit (an all-time fav). :)"

The Green Rider series needs more love!
The series is phenomenal!

Shari Kay wrote: "Land of Shadows is a DNF. Just FYI

Started Libriomancer"

Why is it a DNF? (Just curious; it's just as informative to find out why people disliked books as it why they LIKED them.)

Abbreviation for "did not finish."
:)

I'm still working on Fortress Draconisbut in the meantime I have started The Lies of Locke Lamora. So far It's pretty interesting.

Shadowdenizen
oh...dear... I totally misread that....
sorry for my brain fog

lol

LOL.
No worries.

It's all good! :)

Hey guys, I'm new to the group, happy to be here! I've been. Little slow on my reading lately. I am currently reading Sword of Shannara and Dragonbone Chair. The Mirror Empire looks really good though, so I will definitely be picking that up once I finish one of the other two.

Sword of Shannara was my first fantasy some years ago. And I loved Tad, I should probably read that series again.

I love Tad, too! And The Dragonbone Chair remains a favorite after all these years; while perhaps not as technically polished as GRRM or Sanderson, this book always just grabs me and refuses to let go!

I'm in for a re-read (buddy read?) of the trilogy, once I get some of the my current books off my plate! (I'm alos doing a re-read of the Shannara series, in chronological order. [I've completed Genesis trilogy, the "Magic" duology, "First King", and the orginal "Sword" trilogy. Just started the "Heritage" quartet.

Id be down for a buddy read of the Dragonbone Chair. I have been having trouble with it because it starts off a little slow for my taste, but I have heard too many good things to give up on it. Plus I have read some books that were slow to start but blew my mind after they got going (Sanderson's Stormlight Archive comes to mind)

Absolutely loving Shannara though!

I would if we leave it till Autumn, I've got to catch up on the reading and series in behind in.

Autumn sounds OK to me.
Lets me clear off my plate a little bit, too.

Autumn sounds great!

Awesome.
It's been some time since I've read that trilogy; something to look forward to!

Brilliant.

Shadowdenizen wrote: "I love Tad, too! And The Dragonbone Chair remains a favorite after all these years; while perhaps not as technically polished as GRRM or Sanderson, this book always just grabs me and ..."

Count me in, it has been on my to read pile for a while now!

I'm currently binge reading the The Black Company, I can see why there are so many reccs! The plot is linear and doesn't have all the details and many ramifications I like in my series, but it is so much fun! I really hope the story will be interesting in the next books, too, I'm about to start The Books of the South.

I noticed that you were reading it, I intend to at some point.

Eh eh, I was undecided between the black company and Malazan, but in the end I picked the former just because it sounded like a lighter read. I've plenty of time this month but no real moments for full immersions, and too many people around me who fail to understand that reading does not translate into being diseased or something.

Mum had been at my house since Monday, I've read about 20 pages since then. She just doesn't get it. Having said that, I've persuaded her to read a book!

Max wrote: "Id be down for a buddy read of the Dragonbone Chair. I have been having trouble with it because it starts off a little slow for my taste, but I have heard too many good things to give up on it. Plu..."

I envy you the opportunity to read Dragonbone etc again! I bought it when it was fairly new and honestly read and put it down a couple of times. In the meantime, thankfully, the other two were published. Then I was finally bookless enough to pick it up again. After getting over the hump [which admittedly took a bit of time in that book] I was glued to my chair till it was done. The next morning I went out and bought the rest [yes, pre-kindle]. I don't know if I did anything else till they were finished.

I've since read them a million times over, including out loud to my kids. LOVE them. And imo his best work.

Shari Kay wrote: "Shadowdenizen wrote: "Shari Kay wrote: "Land of Shadows is a DNF. Just FYI

Started Libriomancer"

Why is it a DNF? (Just curious; it's just as informative to find o..."

Gotta say I finished one of them but couldn't get through the second - meh.

I'm currently bouncing around as I tap my foot for several 'nexts' [next peter grant, next dresden, next rothfuss etc]
I'm in the midst of book three of Hellequin [surprised me that I like these as much as I do]
Struggling with book four of Darynda Jones' Charley Davidson series
Frustrated with book 6 of Kate Daniel series
Rereading Dune at the beach . . . all that sand . . .
Jumping around in the Vlad Taltos series [fun, and it doesn't seem to matter]
Stuck on book 4 of Alex Verus [dang why do I not enjoy this series?]
Dabbling in book 2 of Locke Lamora - fun, but I want to wait for the next book to come out! Will go back to it when there's a release date for #4]
Trying to get over the hump in the first codex alera book

I think that's it . . . I'm actually not this neurotic about most things - but I find myself getting aggravated and switching a lot lately!

I kinda agree with all that, actually. :)

And, "Yay", ALissa! Looks like our buddy-read is shaping up nicely, even though it's a ways away.

I always enjoy getting opinions from new readers on books I love! (We're currently doing a read of "Wars of Light and Shadow" with Amy, who hasn't read them, and she's definitely opened my eyes to a few things I hadn't noticed before in THAT series.)

85% of the way through House of Chains - I'm really loving this series. I found a master reading order list of Malazan books. I believe the next book for me will be another Bauchelain and Korbal Broach novella The Healthy Dead then back to the main series with Midnight Tides

Just started my next Audiobook this morning. Going hard scifi with Seveneves

Yes someone set a date for a dragonbone chair reread - It's been a while :) I'm in!

Was traveling for work, which gave me time to revisit Riverside -- I finished The Privilege of the Sword and The Fall of the Kings, both by Ellen Kushner (Fall was co-written with Delia Sherman, just to be precise) and started Thomas the Rhymer, just because I was on a Kushner kick and remember it as being really, really, really good.

Shadowdenizen wrote: "I kinda agree with all that, actually. :)

And, "Yay", ALissa! Looks like our buddy-read is shaping up nicely, even though it's a ways away.

I always enjoy getting opinions from new readers on boo..."

Eheh, yes, The Wars of Light and Shadow is perfect for a group read, I did one while I was reading it for the first time and now with the reread I'm exploring the story from yet a new angle. Just that good.

Autumn for The Dragonbone Chair sounds very good to me! I've never read anything by Tad Williams.

Alissa, why don't you start a buddy read thread for your Wurts. read. Or I can do that for you. Gives everyone a place to comment.

Helen wrote: "Alissa, why don't you start a buddy read thread for your Wurts. read. Or I can do that for you. Gives everyone a place to comment."

That would be awesome Helen! So far we've used a couple of threads (no spoilers or spoilers tagged only) for The Curse of the Mistwraith here https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... and for The Ships of Merior here https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... I'm always in for some Wurts' books discussing, her stories are so multifaceted!