This Week I'm Mostly Reading General Chat Golden Threads

[Best]

I'm stuck hard on book three of Neil Gaiman/Michael Reeves' Interworld series. I quite enjoyed the first two but this is one that is like pulling teeth. Years ago I made the (very freeing!) decision not to feel obliged to finish books I wasn't enjoying, but as this is the last in a trilogy, I really do feel like I can't abandon it. The issue is I can't seem to read more than one or two pages at a time either.

I only have about 30 pages left, I need to just get the head down and get it over with. Then I can reward myself with John Connolly's Shadow Voices, which I got for Christmas.

 

[hannah]

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss (The Kingkiller Chronicle Book 1).

Read both books years ago and with the anticipation of the third book of the series I'm going back over them

 

[David76]

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss (The Kingkiller Chronicle Book 1).

Read both books years ago and with the anticipation of the third book of the series I'm going back over them

I'm always a bit puzzled by The Kingkiller Chronicle's success. Granted, I only read the first book years ago, but that was the most hilarious wish fulfilment rubbish I've ever read. That bit where the main guy is playing the most difficult lute music piece in the history of the universe and still plays it a gazillion times better than any human ever despite pretty much all of the strings snapping and everyone being in tears, I mean come!

I posted this in the Fantasy Books thread but will post it here too.

Just finished The Blacktongue Thief by Cristopher Buehlman. Cool, elaborate world-building, interesting character, nice plot with good pace, action and interactions, a couple cool twists towards the end

Overall a really strong book, would recommend

 

[Siobhan]

Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel. Sitting in the "to be read" pile for a long time but when I start reading it, I can't for the life of me figure out why I waited so long.

 

[Jess]

Just finished Red Sister, the first book in the Book of the Ancestor trilogy by Mark Lawrence. The first book I've read from him, as I have no interest in stuff like The Broken Empire after reading about how unlikeable the protagonist is. Fortunately, this one wasn't anything like that, but I wasn't completely convinced either. It's pretty slow and plodding for the most part, with a sudden flurry of activity in the final 5-10% - as is so often the case in fantasy. The main character is interesting enough but I found it really hard to care about most of the side characters. The second book is supposed to improve on both counts, so I'm giving the series the benefit of doubt for now.

 

[Wanted]

Finished "A Carol for the Dead" by Patrick Dunne. Was hoping to read it over Christmas but didn't get the chance so January had to do.

Decent story, a mystery with history and archaeology throughout. Not going to lie, I thought it was horror/ghost story when I picked it up. Still, it was worth a read.

One thing that can be a little jarring, when a man is writing a female lead, is when it's like they sort of forgot she's a woman so they panic and throw in "thoughts" they think a woman would have about what to wear tonight or some such.

Anyway, I'm not onto "The Inverted World" by Christopher Priest now. Enjoying it so far.

 

[Pip]

I liked the Book of Ancestors. Nona is pretty cool.

On that note, I'm currently reading Lawrence's "Girl and the Moon" the final book of the prequel trilogy to Book of Ancestors.

 

[Dylan]

Jorg in The Broken Empire trilogy is not unlikeable. He's a cunt though. I would probably compare him to someone like Bron in Game of Thrones, where he has next to no morals but has some loyalty/friendships.

 

[Legion]

Started reading Coraline by Neil Gaiman. Have read a lot of his other stuff but never got around to this.

 

[Jess]

Been reading The Night Watch by Sarah Waters. Tried reading her book The Little Stranger a few years ago and couldn't get into it at all. This one has pulled me right in though. Really enjoying it.