Science Fiction Aficionados discussion

Please tell us what you're reading right now! (Other than this thread.)

I've got Consider Phlebas on deck to read, after I get through the two MHI books.

I'm planning on reading Armor soon. I believe that you recommended it to me over at FA, Ala.

I am over half done with The Warrior's Apprentice, and I also have Consider Phlebas on deck...now I need to add in a quick reread of Dune!

Ala wrote: "I've got Consider Phlebas on deck to read, after I get through the two MHI books."

So do I. I think I keep seeing that one of my many groups has it lined up before too terribly long, so I'll probably pick it up then. I'm also planning to read World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War at some point in the near future.

Consider Phlebas is good, I just finished it and started The Player of Games and I'm really enjoying it.

Also reading the Hyperion cantos by Dan Simmons, brilliant books.

reading Make Room Make Room by Harrison

I've always wanted to read Hyperion!

Yeah, I recommended Armor. It's a great book with plenty of action.

And Hyperion is great, but you have to read the first two back-to-back, otherwise it's....not as good.

Maybe one day I can read both back to back... hmmmm

Make the time, Jason!

I'm right in the middle of "Consider Phlebas" and diggin it big time. I did a little preliminary reading about Banks' "Culture" and that just added to the enjoyment of this first novel.

There are some truly bizarre and disturbing scenarios in this book (if you are into the bizarre and disturbing...I am!!) as well as some massively large ideas and concepts. Banks lays just enough out there to feed the imagination and, once your mind takes over the feelings of scope, vastness and philosophical implications can't help but feed on your thought processes. He makes you do the work though...which is a good thing. Not unlike one of my favorite authors M. John Harrison, the message is in the doing, not the telling.

best
Michael

Trying to finish up two books on my currently reading shelf that I had for three or four month now, Cyteen: The Betrayal and Kesrith (The Faded Sun, #1), which both are both by C.J. Cherryh.

kevin, what do you think of the cherryh books? i have both of them but have yet to read them.

I think her opening is a little slow with a lot of description.

Boneshaker, followed by Theories of Flight and Exodus Road: Book One of Twilight of the Clans.

I am reading Peter Ackroyd's book about Frankenstein and especially the times of the 1800's. It is a great book and one that could fit into the world of science fiction very well. I am also enjoying researching and reading PB Shelley's work.

Jason wrote: "I've always wanted to read Hyperion!"
Hyperion and Dan Simmons rocks. He is one of my favorite authors of all time.

Hyperion is one of those books I think every scifi fan should read. I'm just starting The Fall of Hyperion so I'll let you know if it's as good!

I plan on reading Hyperion soon!

I started Ghost Road Blues yesterday. I really liked the beginning. Very griping.

Continuing with my C.J. Cherryh read, now I am on to The Collected Short Fiction of C.J. Cherryh.

I've just finished reading the Dragon Heir. Most people gave it a 5 out of 5 but I gave it three. This is becuase of what happened in the middle of the book. Warren Barber literally manhandled Leesha Middleton on two occasions.....actually three if you count the final confrontation they had. He gave her a bloody nose and stripped her of her dignity. It was sexist and degrading toward women in general... in short.....it was completely distasteful. He was more evil and sadistic then Leesha ever was.....and yet.....nowhere was he manhandled or abused the way she was......even in his final demise. It felt like it was not about her being evil,but rather about her being a girl......which was why she deserved to be abused and not him.

I've just finished reading the Dragon Heir. Most people gave it a 5 out of 5 but I gave it three. This is becuase of what happened in the middle of the book. Warren Barber literally manhandled Leesha Middleton on two occasions.....actually three if you count the final confrontation they had. He gave her a bloody nose and stripped her of her dignity. It was sexist and degrading toward women in general... in short.....it was completely distasteful. He was more evil and sadistic then Leesha ever was.....and yet.....nowhere was he manhandled or abused the way she was......even in his final demise. It felt like it was not about her being evil,but rather about her being a girl......which was why she deserved to be abused and not him.

Just started Old Man's War by John Scalzi. It's my first space opera/military scifi book ever. (sad,huh?). Only a few chapter in, but I'm enjoying it a lot so far.

Right now I am reading Game Of Thrones by G.R.R. Martin and I am absolutely loving it! I haven't read anything by this author before. I've had Fevre Dream of his, which is more horror, on my TBR list forever! But with all the buzz about it and the HBO special, I was intrigued....and now I'm hooked!

good book Kathy! Take your time though, he isnt quite as prolific (about this series anyway) as some other authors...lol

Agents of Light and Darkness (Nightside, Book 2) by Simon R. Green which is sort of a dark urban fantasy series... my last was a religious horror and this seems similar lol

Kathy wrote: "Right now I am reading Game Of Thrones by G.R.R. Martin and I am absolutely loving it! I haven't read anything by this author before. I've had Fevre Dream of his, which is more horror, on my TBR ..."

I almost started that but I just finished a 560 page book and need a bit of a shorter story, cant wait though!

Kasia wrote: "I almost started that but I just finished a 560 page book and need a bit of a shorter story, cant wait though! "

I can completely understand that Kasia. I'm the same way.

Nicki wrote: "You know, for the longest time I kept misreading the title of the second Nightside book as Angels of Light and Darkness. Agents... kind of makes more sense. LOL."

Funny you mention this, I kept thinking the same thing, it even says Angels on my ebook that I'm reading now haha..

Kathy wrote: "Kasia wrote: "I almost started that but I just finished a 560 page book and need a bit of a shorter story, cant wait though! "

I can completely understand that Kasia. I'm the same way."

I've been really looking forward to reading The Stand for the first time but it will require a large degree of emotional investment and I just want something fun and fast as I get back into the swing of things after only finishing three books in May.

Still reading C.J. Cherryh, this time its Finity's End.

I'm reading "Zoo City" by Lauren Beukes, starting out well, only a few pages in so far. Read "Moxyland" a while ago, would recommend this if you have not read her books yet, well worth it.

Ala wrote: "I've got Consider Phlebas on deck to read, after I get through the two MHI books."

I'm about to start reading this one, too. I've already read The Player of Games so I'm not quite doing the series in the right order. I didn't really know what order they went in when I started - The Player of Games was recommended to me because I do play an awful lot of games ;)

Kevin wrote: "Continuing with my C.J. Cherryh read, now I am on to The Collected Short Fiction of C.J. Cherryh."

I never heard of C.J. Cherryh before Goodreads - can anyone tell me (a) how I should pronounce that surname, and (b) where would be a the best place to start?

Kathy wrote: "Right now I am reading Game Of Thrones by G.R.R. Martin and I am absolutely loving it! I haven't read anything by this author before."

I've heard a lot of good things about this series, but I really don't want to start reading it before it's finished. Which is a general rule I apply to any series that seems to have an ongoing story arc (rather than just a set of standalone stories set in the same world), ever since childhood disappointment at the end of Heretics of Dune. But I know it'll be a treat when I do get there :)

Reading SHE WALKS THESE HILLS by Sharyn McCrumb ... Quite good! ... Just finished LUD-IN-THE-MIST ... by Hope Mirrless ... as "enchanting" a fantasy novel as you can find ...

I have way too many books going.....lol.
I am reading Consider Phlebas, Dune, and House of Chains, and recently finished Magician: Apprentice for my botms.
I am still hoping to get to Tomato Rhapsody: A Novel of Love, Lust, and Forbidden Fruit and Already Dead before I have to move on to Midnight Tides

zooming through Neverwhere

I loved Neverwhere.

I just barely started The Summer Tree, but like it so far.

Neverwhere is an an all-time favorite of mine, too!

I've heard that Neverwhere is a good one.

I am reading Ringworld along with its sequel Ringworld Engineers then on to Doomsday Book.

I'm finishing up Robots Beyond. It is a very good book by some great writers!

Re-reading The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, among other things.

Just finished my re-read of House of Chains and a Garrett that I was filling bleak moments with...Cold Copper Tears.
Still finshing up Dune and Consider Phlebas.
Then I plan to go on to Shades of Grey and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Looks at my list for a minute....

Damn, no wonder I been so crabby...

I should throw a Dresden Files in here....

Damn this work stuff, and the lawn, and kids( not really, but you know) ....

Cherry just added the h to the end of her name to be different i heard. If you like fantasy read her fortress series and start with Fortress in the Eye of Time. If you like space opera and shipboard stuff--Infinity's End is in the Alliance Universe Series although Down Below Station won the Hugo. If you like politics and what a human does on an alien planet when he's the liaison between human and alien, read her Foreigner series (14 books) starting with Foreigner. If you like clones, her Cyteen series got a Hugo also. My favorite is the Alliance series with Hellburner and Heavy Time, Merchanter's Luck, Rimrunner, Tripoint, and others. Then there's her cat's in space--the Chanur series which is also very good. She has others. I just discovered Angel with a Sword and the group writing of the Merovingen Nights Series. Take your pick and enjoy.

I am currently reading David Brin's Uplift saga and Uplift trilogy. Very good. If you like dolphins and chimps "uplifted" to sapience but still maintaining the intrinsic characters, you might enjoy this series. Those who love animals I know will.

Finished The Circle Trilogy: The Complete Trilogy in One Epic Edition.

Started Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone this morning. I can't believe that I haven't read this yet.