Flights of Fantasy discussion

I saw that posts were drifting into June for the May topic so I thought I'd start a new one here.

Towards the end of May, I started reading Once Upon a Time in the Weird West and I'm enjoying it so far - it's a nice mix of (gay) paranormal and steampunk tales. I also picked up The Space Merchants, which I'm reading as part of a group read. It's sci-fi written in the 1950s that is still relevant today.

reading Hyperion by dan simmons!

Thanks for updating the thread, Greg. We're such slackers around here. LOL

I've read (or at least finished) a few books already in June:
Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman - 5 stars
A Short History of Nearly Everything - 4 stars
Scythe - FoF BOTM - 1 star :(
One Child: The Story of China's Most Radical Experiment - 4 stars
In the House in the Dark of the Woods - 5 stars

Currently reading:
This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate
The Lamb Will Slaughter the Lion

Currently reading Split the Party by Drew Hayes. It's fun!

Nicki wrote: "I stalled out on my ASoIaF reread, but I played a really good adventure game (Unavowed) that put me in the mood for some urban fantasy, so I picked up Rosemary and Rue. I'm halfway t..."

Oh! I bought and started playing One Deck Dungeon (https://www.amazon.com/Asmadi-Games-A...) because I wanted to play some adventure game.

Becky wrote: "Thanks for updating the thread, Greg. We're such slackers around here. LOL"

LOL No problem! You're all doing a good job overall in maintaining the group's discussions, so I wouldn't worry about topics like this so much. :)

I didn't get the chance to order a copy of Scythe for the group read but now I'm wondering at your 1-star rating. Is it really bad?

On the other hand, In the House in the Dark of the Woods looks to be an awesome read!

Full disclosure, Greg: I am a nitpicky reader a lot of the time. LOL The things that annoyed me in Scythe are maybe not at all likely to annoy other people. But, annoy me it did, and hence the low rating. If you are more forgiving of plot conceits so that a particular conflict can arise, then you may be likely to enjoy it much more than I. It has a 4.3+ average rating, so clearly many others enjoyed it a lot more than I did.

Which is funny because ITHITDOTW is SUPER polarizing, and should have a much higher average than it does... but it's one of those books that you're either going to absolutely love, or just not get at all. I fell into the former camp, happily. If you like narrators of the most unreliable kind, and never QUITE knowing what's happening and being down for the creepy/weird tone or feel of a book, then definitely pick that one up. :D

Early in the month I read A Memory Called Empire. I'd put this one in the category "perfectly decent books that left me cold."

I'm on vacation now and vacation is a great time for low-impact, fun books. Started off with Even Tree Nymphs Get the Blues on the drive, which is a super cute, cozy UF. Next in audio is Strange Practice, another UF about a human doctor whose clients are all supernatural types.

Paper book is Gemina, a SF YA told in message threads, descriptions of camera footage, etc. The nasty murder-corporation is on the space station and things are getting tense!

Even Tree Nymphs Get the Blues? I have read a couple of Molly Harper's shorts, and enjoyed one of them didn't love the other. But that title reminds me of Even White Trash Zombies Get the Blues by Diana Rowland. Have you read those? They are pretty good on audio too.

Nope, haven't read them. I'm squeamish and the covers grossed me out. :D I like things like this in audio, so maybe I'll give it a try.

Well... Maybe don't go for those if you're squeamish. LOL The main character works in a morgue and talks about morgue-y stuff, sometimes descriptively, as well as dietary requirements, and the inevitable crossover between the two because of being a zombie.

Becky wrote: "Full disclosure, Greg: I am a nitpicky reader a lot of the time. LOL The things that annoyed me in Scythe are maybe not at all likely to annoy other people. But, annoy me it did, and hence the low ..."

I can be nitpicky too, Becky, though the thing I find the most annoying in a book is poor typography or editing. When I notice spelling and grammatical errors it takes me out of the story and reminds me that I'm reading a book. But plot flaws can be very annoying as well. In one book I read, the protagonist had escaped from a large aquarium in which he'd been placed with a predator. How he escaped from that made sense. How he was able to use a box of matches in his pocket some twenty minutes later did not!

And ITHITDOTW still sounds interesting! :)

I read Dark Matter by Blake Crouch some time ago and really enjoyed it so I am trying his new novel (at least I think it's new) Recursion now. Hopefully I like it as much as Dark Matter.

Greg, Scythe was more of a "We have this problem that we have caused because of these technological advancements, but we're going to choose this particular solution instead of X, Y, Z, etc etc etc myriad other options" kind of plot issue.

Read ITHITDOTW - DO IT. :D

Matt wrote: "I read Dark Matter by Blake Crouch some time ago and really enjoyed it so I am trying his new novel (at least I think it's new) Recursion now. Hopefully I like it as much as Dark Ma..."

Have you read any of his Pines series? I read the first one, and I did not love it, but I've agreed to read Recursion with some friends, so I'm hoping it is better! LOL

Becky wrote: "Matt wrote: "I read Dark Matter by Blake Crouch some time ago and really enjoyed it so I am trying his new novel (at least I think it's new) Recursion now. Hopefully I like it as mu..."

Nope can't say that I have. Dark Matter was the only thing of his I've read so far.

Well dang it. I was hoping that you could tell me whether it was better or not. LOL

Beth wrote: "Early in the month I read A Memory Called Empire. I'd put this one in the category "perfectly decent books that left me cold."

I'm on vacation now and vacation is a great time for ..."


I have a copy of Even Tree Nymphs Get the Blues on audio. Worth the read?

I'd say so! Worse come to worst it's like three hours long and won't eat up much of your time.

Beth wrote: "Early in the month I read A Memory Called Empire. I'd put this one in the category "perfectly decent books that left me cold."
..."

I love this description for a category.

So many books fit it

Had to put everything on pause for a week, but here's what I've got going.

Scythe as my audiobook, which I like so far.

Limited Wish by Mark Lawrence - on the last chapter. Loving this series. It's kinda sci fi ish with a Stranger Things vibe. Mrs J, I think you'd like it. Short, witty, quick reads...

Pick Up the Pieces: Excursions in Seventies Music - Got this from NetGalley because it sounded cool (music) and was written by that actor guy I always liked in Northern Exposure. Except...found out it's another John Corbett, so not the actor....oh well. Kinda boring in some spots, but interesting here and there. (mostly when he's talking about musicians I'm familiar with)

Chris wrote: "Scythe as my audiobook, which I like so far. Don't let Becky scare you off. She's gotten to be the Simon Cowell of book judging."

Wow. Ok.

Well that makes two of you then.

Look, the guy may be super nice in private, but I think probably most people's perception of him is from his public persona, which is that he's a rude asshole, and often unnecessarily mean. Whether you like him because of that or despite it doesn't really matter. Either way, I don't exactly consider being called "the Simon Cowell of book reviews" to be a compliment.

Read NPCs because of MrsJ. Rather enjoyable.


Also, can I be Simon Cowell? I'd say Becks could be Randy Jackson telling authors "Yeah, no. Just not working for me dawg."

Ack, sorry....

Moving the Simon title over to Ala...

Chris wrote: "Had to put everything on pause for a week, but here's what I've got going.

Scythe as my audiobook, which I like so far.

Limited Wish by Mark Lawrence - on the la..."

Should I start at the beginning or does it matter?

I'm excited Lawrence wrote something I might be able to read!!

Ala wrote: "Read NPCs because of MrsJ. Rather enjoyable."

Glad you enjoyed it! I just finished book 2 and plan to read 3 as soon as I finish Even Tree Nymphs Get the Blues

MrsJoseph wrote: "Should I start at the beginning or does it matter? .."

Yes, definitely. Second book picks up shortly after the first...

Starting a Recursion buddy read with some friends today. I hope that I like Recursion better than Pines. That was so out of left field and the writing was weird, so I didn't even make it past the first book of the series. Or maybe I'm just hypercritical. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Becky wrote: "Thanks for updating the thread, Greg. We're such slackers around here. LOL

I've read (or at least finished) a few books already in June:
Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman - 5 stars..."

I love A Short History of Nearly Everything.

I’m still working of Black Company. I really like it but my brother and SIL were here visiting for a week and I didn’t do anything constructive while they were here and then took a week to recover from Not being constructive. Should finish that tonight. I’m also reading Those Across the River which I am also very much enjoying. But it’s due back at the library today and since I really like it, I decided to buy it. But Barnes didn’t have it in stock so I ordered it from Amazon. Since our house is a new build, they can’t find our house to deliver it. Good grief. We’re in the middle of the city. This isn’t back country.

Becky wrote: "Starting a Recursion buddy read with some friends today. I hope that I like Recursion better than Pines. That was so out of left field and the writing was weird, so I didn't even ma..."

I just finished Recursion last night. Let me know how you like it when you're done!

Well... I'm about 20% in right now, and I have a few issues with it. We'll see.

Currently reading Even Tree Nymphs Get the Blues. So far, not really a fan but it is less than 3.5 hours and free, so...

Was recommended Horus Rising recently. Not sure if I plan to read it now or just get around to it considering how tall Mt. TBR is...

Read the 2nd and 3rd in the Spells, Swords & Stealth series. Light, fun reading. Will probably do the 4th tonight.

Ala wrote: "Read the 2nd and 3rd in the Spells, Swords & Stealth series. Light, fun reading. Will probably do the 4th tonight."

Accck! I'm still finishing up Tree Nymphs and haven't started #3.

Though, you might be interested in that Horus Rising I mentioned above. Has a lot of good reviews and the geek rec.

I've read it already :P

Years ago, though. And I have been thinking about re-reading before doing more from the Black Library.

I've only read the Eisenhorn and Ravenor trilogies, like three anthologies and then Horus Rising. When I realized how many damned books that series has, and how many other damned series with dozens of books each there are, I sorta just put it aside.

So to answer, no. Haven't read any of the Sigmar stuff. Because I'm scared of the commitment.

My brother is collecting and reading the "Horus Heresy" sub-series. He's on book eleven or so and there's like fifty of them? He isn't the most avid reader so it's gonna take him a while. And that is only a fraction of the Black Library...

Ala wrote: "I've only read the Eisenhorn and Ravenor trilogies, like three anthologies and then Horus Rising. When I realized how many damned books that series has, and how many other damned series with dozens..."

Honestly...this was my feeling on yesterday when I saw the series list. 50+ books??! Plus sub-series? Fuck me sideways, IDK about this.

I thought WoT and Malazan were pushing it. But 50+ books in just one series? Yeah, I'm gonna have to build up a tolerance or something.

Plus, diving that deep into it will undoubtedly push me towards the games and such. And that's kinda scary all on its own.

Has anyone read the Invisible Library series?

This is one of those series which seems like a great idea/story hidden behind so-so writing.

I was just wondering if it gets better and is worth continuing?

Finished book four of the Spells, Swords & Stealth series. Predictable but fun.

Never read those Colleen, sorry.

Ala wrote: "I thought WoT and Malazan were pushing it. But 50+ books in just one series? Yeah, I'm gonna have to build up a tolerance or something.

Plus, diving that deep into it will undoubtedly push me towa..."

HUbby and I were having this exact conversation last night. I was telling him how Malazan had me apprehensive but after seeing Horus I thought Malazan "wasn't so bad.' And then THAT disturbed me, lol. A 10 book series + sub series should seem pretty bad.

Also, I've wanted to play D&D for a while but NPCs was a major push to just try.