Beyond Reality discussion

Please let us know what you're reading this month!

I've already read (and loved) Palimpsest and will be getting involved in the discussion here. I won't be able to get a copy of Julian Comstock: A Story of 22nd-Century America in time, so...

I'm currently working on The Secret History of the Mongol Queens: How the Daughters of Genghis Khan Rescued His Empire (which is really, really interesting and which I'll nurse all month) and will soon start Amulet by Roberto Bolaño (for another group). After that, it's on to Boneshaker by Cherie Priest, then Black Ships by Jo Graham.

I plan to start Anathem before the end of the month in preparation for October's discussion.

If my turn with Mockingjay rolls up at the library, I'll shoehorn it in somewhere, too, as I know it will be a quick read.

Moonshine in the MorningbyAndrea McNicoll

Currently working on Palimpsest, Hell and Earthand Shop Class as Soulcraft: An Inquiry Into the Value of Work. Other than Julian Comstock: A Story of 22nd-Century Americanot sure what else I'll get into. (if I finish all these)

Just started The Ships of Merior, in between getting ready for my students to start on Tuesday.

Oh yeah I am also reading The Ships of Merior. .But I am staying totally on schedule with it. A chapter set each Friday, Saturday and Sunday, I think it will work best for me to stay with the plan.

I'm looking forward to a long weekend reading (provided I don't get distracted by Netflix streaming episodes of Pillars of the Earth). I hope to finish Song of the Beast by Saturday so I can start reading The Way of Kings, which I received yesterday, signed and numbered by Brandon.

Otherwise, I've got some GoodReads group book-of-the-month selections to read and a couple of non-fiction selections for my church. You can visit my current-month shelf for my dynamic list of September reads.

I'm dabbling in The Pillars of the Earth but will abandon it this afternoon when my copy of Noise: A Novel arrives. Hooray dystopia!

I had such big plans for staying with the group for the series read, but I fell behind early on with The Curse of the Mistwraith and am giving up hope of ever getting caught up. I am about halfway through Curse and am reading the discussion threads as I finish each Chapter Set.

For September I hope to finish Curse and read The Ships of Merior. I also have a First Reads win from several weeks ago that I hope to read as well.

The good news is I will be spending time on airplanes and in airports in September, and that always boosts my reading.

I'll be finishing up Julian Comstock: A Story of 22nd-Century America tonight and then plan to start on The Hunger Games, then probably Warbreaker.

After that it's up in the air, but I've picked up The Pillars of the Earth and The Passage, plus I have the hugo-nonimated novellas and still haven't read Wake and The City & The City

And since the final movie(s) are coming out soon, I'm picking my way through a full Harry Potter reread as well.

I am reading Dead Until Dark byCharlaine Harris

I'm planning on reading the parts of The Ships of Merior that come up this month, along with C.J. Cherryh's Inheritor. I tried to read Julian Comstock: A Story of 22nd-Century America two months ago but couldn't get into it. Maybe, though, I'll give it another try this month since so many people seem to have liked it.

So far this month I'm working on The Curse of the Mistwraith (I've fallen way behind on this one, but hope to get a good chunk of it finished over the long weekend) and Palimpsest both for the group. Not sure what will come after these.

I just finished an interesting book about dangerous, deadly, and intoxicating plants called Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln's Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities. In addition to that I'm working my way through The Passage, American Gods, and this weekend I hope to start The Hunger Games.

I am currently reading The Ships of Merior. After it, I might read Mortal Coils or Let the Right One In. After that, I don't know.

I started The Windup Girl but really couldn't engage with the book so abandoned it in favor of Pandora's Star. I understand thisone is a bit slow starting so I'll give it a chance for now. I still have The Ships of Merior but his may be trumped by Mockingjay which I got from the library

Stick with it, Pandora does pick up.

I started on the sequel to Pandora, I am reading Judas Unchained

I finally finished the Elric: Stealer of Souls, I liked the stories but there was something about the books that didn`t click.

Finishing up Kushiel's Dart tonight probably, mixed feeling about that one. I also just started Un Lun Dun yesterday, too soon to tell with it though. Tonight I'll probably start Fugitive Prince as well.. And once I finish up that I'll move on to The Other Lands, and then The Lies of Locke Lamora if there is still time left in the month.

Dawn wrote: "Finishing up Kushiel's Dart tonight probably, mixed feeling about that one. I also just started Un Lun Dun yesterday, too soon to tell with it though. Tonight I'll probab..."

I am intrigued as to what you mean by mixed feelings about Kushiel's Dart

I don't really know. I liked it.. But there were some things that annoyed me. I'm thinking I'll give it three stars, but it could easily have been four if not for some of the more annoying aspects. I don't want to say too much here, for those who haven't read it. If you want I'll post a link to my review once I have a chance to write it.

Dawn wrote: "I don't really know. I liked it.. But there were some things that annoyed me. I'm thinking I'll give it three stars, but it could easily have been four if not for some of the more annoying aspects...."

A link would be nice.

So I just finished A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin, and I felt disappointed. I read the The Telling by her this summer, which I really liked, and I thought it was time to catch up on classics, but this book didn't move me. I think it might have to do with the too distant POV, but it could also be the translation, since my library didn't have it in English.

I really wanted to like it, and I did like it, I just wasn't swept away. I could put it down, and I'm notorious for not being able to put any book down unfinished...
So I'd like some extra opinions, since nobody in my circle has heard of Le Guin.

Hey Jan,

I read the Earthsea trilogy in high school, I was mesmerzied. But then I read it last year (30 years later) and found it good, but not great.
The Dispossessed is still one of my favorite books of all time.
I find her work of variable interest, for me. Some of it I really like and some I find (gasp) boring. But then once in a while I will be reading along, slightly bored, when a plot twist or line of dialog will really resonate with me and then I am glued to it.

I started Pandemonium by Daryl Gregory yesterday and am very impressed so far.

Sandi wrote: "I started Pandemonium by Daryl Gregory yesterday and am very impressed so far."

Sandi, I started reading that several months ago, then got distracted into reading something for a group. My fiancé picked it up, read it, and loved it, but I never got around to it again. It's on my "must be read soon" list. I agree with you - I was impressed with the first part, as well. I'm interested in knowing your thoughts once you've finished it.

I'll soon start "The Last Enchantment", the third in Mary Stewart's Merlin set.

Benjamin wrote: "I'll soon start "The Last Enchantment", the third in Mary Stewart's Merlin set."

I really liked those books--they really pushed me to read many other versions of the Arthurian legend.

Yes, I am enjoying them although I came at them from the opposite perspective. I've read numerous Arthurian accounts, some of them quite oddball. But I had always heard many people say Mary Stewart's were the best...so of course I had to read them.

They are good, I read them in High School, back in the early 80s. I really liked them back then. Got me into Jack Whytes Authur history

Ah, Jack Whyte. Yes, I have the entire series still on my TBR shelf. Something intimidating about them...

I need to read the Mary Stewart series. My problem is that my first Arthurian novel was The Mists of Avalon and it's kind of spoiled me for the rest since it's so different!

I do like The Once and Future King. I did not like the Stephen Lawhead books at all.

I seem to have missed this thread. Finished an audio version of Dune and found it not nearly as good as I remembered from a century ago when I first read it. Also read a really light and funny piece of fluff called The Spellman Files.

Am now reading Julian Comstock: A Story of 22nd-Century America and listening to The Summer Tree which is quite good so far. Have so much other stuff to read, I can't tell you. Guess I'll tackle The Way of Kings next as it's sitting here beside me and everyone else on Goodreads appears to be reading it!

Oh, I just checked my list of books read and I finished an audio version of Death's Excellent Vacation (so-so) and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest which I loved. Wish there could be more of these.

Benjamin wrote: "Ah, Jack Whyte. Yes, I have the entire series still on my TBR shelf. Something intimidating about them..."
Good thing is that he split them up. First 2 books are the creation of Camelot and the Sword. Next two are Uther and Merlin. Next Two are Merlin and Arthur, the final books are Arthur, Lancelot and Gwenivere
So they can be read in bite size chunks

Sandra aka Sleo wrote: " The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest which I loved...."

I have been very scared of these books. I watched both movies and thought they were so so but the books...It worries me that they have become a phenomenon. Last time I jumped on a band wagon I read Grissom's the Firm and was very, very disappointed

Ken wrote: "Sandra aka Sleo wrote: " The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest which I loved...."

I have been very scared of these books. I watched both movies and thought they were so so but the b..."

I read the first two -- or listened to them -- before I knew there was a band wagon. They're very suspenseful murder mysteries with some political conspiracy thrown in. Just enjoyable escapism, not great literature. So by the time I got #3, I belatedly realized they've been best sellers, but enjoyed it anyway.

I watched the first movie via Netflix on my computer and enjoyed it quite a bit, although they left a lot out. As always, the books are better than the movies.

Are you guys referring to the American movies or the Swedish movies, because my friends (who are fans) claim the Swedish version are much better.

I never read them, because suspense and murder mysteries really aren't my thing. Also, I really hate how they translated the titles in English... The original Swedish titles have an entirely different meaning. I wonder why they do that... changing titles.

Anyway, I didn't start on the second Earthsea book, but instead chose to read Gifts by Le Guin. I read Powers (which is the 3d installment in Annals of the Western Shores) this summer, where I cried for 2 days, and so far Gifts seems as good as that was. I really like Le Guin's voice in these, so I'm wondering again why I didn't swoon over the Earthsea books.

I don't think the American movies are out yet. I was referring to the Swedish ones. I have seen only the first one.

You are right, and now I'm completely confused what my friend was talking about. Ahh well, should only spout my own opinions here :p

Jan wrote: "You are right, and now I'm completely confused what my friend was talking about. Ahh well, should only spout my own opinions here :p"

Maybe they were only predicting the Swedish ones are better as Hollywood usually glams things up too much.

Could be, she studied Swedish, so she might be a little prejudiced as well.

And it depends, The Departed was a remake of a great Asian movie, and it was equally great.

That was good. Didn't know it was a remake. And I thought the movie The Horse Whisperer was much better than the book.

I've been reading Peril's Gate, the 6th book in the series we're currently discussing in another thread. I felt that the previous two books had slowed down a bit, compared to the first three, and they contained a bit more setup, but my goodness, that definitely pays off in Peril's Gate. My hands were literally cramping up from gripping the book so hard during one chapter! I should be reading something else because I have a few reviews due, but I simply have to finish this book first.

I am reading Dead Until Dark byCharlaine Harris

Stefan wrote: "I've been reading Peril's Gate, the 6th book in the series we're currently discussing in another thread. I felt that the previous two books had slowed down a bit, compared to the firs..."

Right. I'm dying to see what you think of Davien's Maze.

I got an ad from Amazon in my email advertising the newest book by Jack Campbell. Has anyone read his books? In particular, the Lost Fleet series? Are they any good, or are they kind of like David Weber's Honor Harrington series? I'm not into long descriptions of hardware.

I'm still reading Pandora's Star after taking a break to read Mockingjay which I found very disappointing. My copy of PS was due at the library and couldn't be renewed so I started on Ships of Merior last night; finding myself once again bogged down by the language, I stopped by Half Price books today and was fortunate to find PS and also Judas Unchained so my reading is set for a while.

I have had zero time to read these past few weeks - I'm stalled at chapter IV of Ships of Merior, not because I'm not wanting to continue, but just because I haven't had time & energy to! Between having houseguests two weekends in a row, the start of the school year, homework for a graduate course I'm taking, and the Jewish holidays, life has been too hectic to find time to read. And that's when you KNOW I'm busy because I am very good at finding time to read.

This week things calm down a bit, so I'm hoping to find time to pick it back up again.

I've been reading Transformation by Carol Berg. It's Part 1 of a trilogy. Almost done. Also reading Dracula. I've got Dracula in Love and Shades of Milk and Honey up next. And, of course, The Ships of Merior.

I finished Amulet, which was underwhelming, and moved on to Boneshaker, which failed to keep my interest (for reasons I can't quite pin down.) So now I'm having a comfort read, re-reading Night Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko, which I adore.

I'll probably give Boneshaker a second chance in a week or so, and if it doesn't do it for me this time, I'll have to chalk it up as a loss and return it to the library. (It has holds, anyhow.)