What Are You Reading?

[Xisor]

I didn't get the younger vibe either, but I also really enjoyed it. Not my usual taste but Toby managed an excellent and pleasantly simple/down-to-earth novel. Would be very keen to read more form his repertoire.

Myself, I finished a re-read of CS Goto's excellent "Salvation". I'm not sure how they managed "Warrior <nouns>" duo, but "Salvation" was a genuinely fascinating and enjoyable read. Some really tremendous bits of low-key 40k. Unexpectedly good, given Goto's rep, and more so given I'd already read and enjoyed it and been surprised the first time!

I also raced through Stanislaw Lem's "Solaris" too. Somewhat dated in its way, but its also one of the most brilliantly compelling bits of SF I've read in a very long time. Really ticked all my boxes: tons of big ideas, small cast, cramped setting, long 'nothing happening in a cave (space station)' moments, a good mix of dialogue with exposition and asides, a lot of history and sense of 'culture' pertaining to the thing, a lot of plausible evocation of unreal science.

Damn decent, and blooming fascinating. I think "Solaris" will stay with me for a good long while. I wonder how it holds up in Polish?

Now, I'm a good halfway through "Binti: Home", in which I'm stepping away from my usual tastes, and very hugely enjoying it nonetheless. I'm quite tempted to check out "Phoenix" next.

[Rob P]

Still on Straken

Bear in mind i'm only a couple fo chapters in.

The tone so far is a little off what I expected, it's more Star Wars than Starship Troopers. That's not to say i'm not enjoying it.

I also feel we are being spoon fed the factions, but that is probably a big plus for entry level to 40k.

Obviously, it could swerve the other way in no time.

I am also finding it to be a pleasant smooth read.

[Chun the Unavoidable]

Mythos, Stephen Fry.

[Therion]

I also raced through Stanislaw Lem's "Solaris" too. Somewhat dated in its way, but its also one of the most brilliantly compelling bits of SF I've read in a very long time. Really ticked all my boxes: tons of big ideas, small cast, cramped setting, long 'nothing happening in a cave (space station)' moments, a good mix of dialogue with exposition and asides, a lot of history and sense of 'culture' pertaining to the thing, a lot of plausible evocation of unreal science.

Damn decent, and blooming fascinating. I think "Solaris" will stay with me for a good long while. I wonder how it holds up in Polish?

I'd also recommend his Fiasco (and perhaps Pilot Pirx as an introduction) and Invincible if you like unusual takes on first contact.

[Chun the Unavoidable]

Sword of the Lamb, M K Wren - first of what seems to be an epic Science Fantasy trilogy from the eighties that has completely escaped my radar.

And Solaris is definitely a lingerer.

[Rob P]

Further into Straken and enjoying it more. Realised the thing I didn't (and still don't) like is the casual references to the wider universe which provide unsubtle nods to the reader and make the universe feel so small.

That being said, I'm really getting into it now and IG v Orks usually have that fairly straight plot which allows focus on human character development (which I'm starting to see at 20%+)

[Major Rawne]

Finished up The Lords of Silence at the end of last week. Excellent read even if I never really got a handle on where the story was going.

Current read is Sons of the Emperor the event exclusive Primarchs anthology. Just over halfway through and all good so far.

[Therion]

Started reading Incest: from "A Journal of Love" : The Unexpurgated Diary of Anaïs Nin. Oh God, what a trainwreck. Also, reading the expunged diary along to see the differences.
Ugh the toxicity levels are just off the charts. It's, like, a Chernobyl reactor of literature XD . Probably should stop reading and sell all her diaries because they just increase my levels of despair.
On the other hand she's a Great Writer and these are hard to come by. On the other hand her pathological thought processes and ideas and pathological lying are just too disturbing.

Shuzo Oshimi The Flowers of Evil COMPLETE 3. Very interesting. One of the few heterosexual romances where I find male protagonist that is somewhat relateable to.

[Chun the Unavoidable]

The Travelling Bag and Other Ghostly Stories, Susan Hill. Perfect for this time of year and already nearly finished.

[Chun the Unavoidable]

The Reverse of the Medal, Patrick O'Brian. Time to get my smile back.

[Fenris]

Finally found the time to read something again (this year has been quite..busy,let's just say that).
So i restarted Jain Zar.One forth in,it's good.

Now i just have to hope to be able to finish it soon

[Major Rawne]

Since the last update I finished the Sons of the Emperor Primarchs anthology. Really excellent stuff all told with a real mix of stories. Following on from that I made a brief start on the Space Marine Battles novel Eye of Ezekiel which is fine so far.

However that has all be scrapped as I picked up Anarch at the Weekender. About a quarter of the way in and a tear has already been brought to my eye, with promise of more to come.

[Chun the Unavoidable]

Now reading Dragon's Egg, by Robert L Forward.

[Xisor]

Finished off King's "Daemonslayer" - it's rather good! Who knew!?

Fairly simple plot, with the culmination being fairly swifter than I expected, but it pretty neatly gets me 'up to speed' with Gotrek and Felix, as I started at "Dragonslayer". Not exactly full-circle, but part of the loop is closed now, so I'm chuffed and feel unduly accomplished for it.

I nipped through Robbie's chapbook short that precedes "Blood of Iax" - impressive wee story!

I've also raced through a re-read of "Malekith" and "The Bloody-Handed". I'd intended just to stick to part of the first section of the book - covering to the point that Malekith sets sail north, but somehow I got sucked right in.

My plan for a big dwarfen re-read seems to be encompassing the whole Warhammer World... I hope I resist being drawn into "Shadow King" too soon after. Not that it's bad (I recall it being excellent), but Elven stories leave me a bit flummoxed. They're a bit... existential? Fey? I'm not sure quite what, but they mess with me in an odd way.

Dwarf stories leave me a bit more... Grounded.

Difficult to pin down. Maybe I'm just really impressionable, and the dwarfs seem to set a good example!

[Rob P]

It might depend on the author and depiction.

I loved the War of the Beard trilogy (every bit of it) and thought the Tyrion and Teclis books were great too, but I think that was the extent of my elf/dwarf reading in WFB.

Currently reading Outcasts of Time. I'm quite close to the end now and not sure if i'm going to like the finale but so far it's been a real interesting read. I've loved the way the author takes us through the centuries and how the protagonist marvels at how things have changed, but I don't necessarily feel the protagonist has sufficiently progressed his character at this point with 5% to go.

[Major Rawne]

Blitzed my way through the last of Anarch over the weekend. Boy was that awesome. Really was an excellent conclusion to The Victory story arc and has me yearning for more, just a shame it might be a while before we get another Ghosts book.

Up next is another Weekender pre-release title, Spear of the Emperor. Only a couple of chapters in and though I have only a small inkling where this is going Aaron is already getting across the depth and reality of the universe.

[Chun the Unavoidable]

And now about La Belle Sauvage, by Philip Pullman - a lovely signed, numbered, and slip-cased edition bought for my son last Christmas... needless to say, he hasn't read it.

[Major Rawne]

And now about La Belle Sauvage, by Philip Pullman - a lovely signed, numbered, and slip-cased edition bought for my son last Christmas... needless to say, he hasn't read it.

It's not one of those I got you a book that I want to read situations is it? You can be honest we're all friends here .

For myself I have just this moment finished up Spear of the Emperor, bar the short story. It probably needs a little thinking as to how I feel, but early summary is lots of good stuff, a few questions around the primaris, however it feels very much like a part 1.

Up next will be knocking out the aforementioned short story then probably back to Eye of Ezikiel after my post Weekender detour. Though having said that the new BL novellas are getting rave reviews, and I do have the infernos to bang through, and the event anthology.

[Chun the Unavoidable]

Of course not! ( )

Now reading Best Ghost Stories of Algernon Blackwood. I don't think I've read anything of his before. Lovecraft was a fan, which is promising. Partway into the first tale, The Willows, I find his style very reminiscent of William Hope Hodgson... again, most hopeful.

[Chun the Unavoidable]

Roger Zelazny's Jack of Shadows... inspired by Mr Vance's works, according to the author. It lacks the style, of course, but the fun element is certainly there.