What are you reading?
Re: What are you reading?
I read Binti & found it… a bit juvenile. Won’t be continuing it.
Abraham sounds delish, will check him out.
Abraham sounds delish, will check him out.
'You just said "your getting shorter": you've obviously been drinking too much ent-draught and not enough Prim's.' - Jude
- Impenitent
- Throw me a rope.
- Posts: 7267
- Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2005 12:13 am
- Location: Deep in Oz
Re: What are you reading?
I read the Binti trilogy -it is indeed adolescent. I persevered through the three because I liked the writing and I was curious about the cultural perspective. I can't recall reading any other black African writers.
I also read Noor - thanks for the recommendation Narya. I enjoyed the book though I found the ending tame. Which was disappointing.
I'm now reading Akata Witch, also by Nnedi Okorafor. This is definitely young adult, with an emphasis in young. I don't know whether I'll be able to finish it; I feel like I've given Okorafor a fair shake and if this one doesn't bring it home, I'll give up on her.
I also read The Quiche of Death, by MC Beaton, and freely admit it was the title that tickled me. It's the first in a series of 36 (!!!) books starring protagonist Agatha Raisin, former PR director who fulfils her childhood dream of retiring to a cottage in the Cotswolds only to accidentally embroil herself in a murder by cheating in a local quiche-baking competition in an ill-considered attempt to ingratiate herself in the small village community.
If you want a cozy mystery with some laughs, I recommend it.
Since my last post, I also finished all the Penric and Desdemona books. Enjoyed but not sufficiently to reread in future.
I can recommend Gail Carriger's first non-fiction The Heroine's Journey: For Writers, Readers and Fans of Pop Culture. An excellent contrast to the Hero's journey that literary analysis usually uses as a lens.
Have I recommended At the Edge of the Haight, by Katherine Seligman? More or less contemporary fiction, set in San Francisco, with protagonist a young woman living rough who witnesses a murder. The focus of the novel is not the murder but rather, the nature of her day-to-day life, her immediate circle and the nature and psychology of those relationships. It makes real the lives of people who are usually relegated to the edges.
I also read Noor - thanks for the recommendation Narya. I enjoyed the book though I found the ending tame. Which was disappointing.
I'm now reading Akata Witch, also by Nnedi Okorafor. This is definitely young adult, with an emphasis in young. I don't know whether I'll be able to finish it; I feel like I've given Okorafor a fair shake and if this one doesn't bring it home, I'll give up on her.
I also read The Quiche of Death, by MC Beaton, and freely admit it was the title that tickled me. It's the first in a series of 36 (!!!) books starring protagonist Agatha Raisin, former PR director who fulfils her childhood dream of retiring to a cottage in the Cotswolds only to accidentally embroil herself in a murder by cheating in a local quiche-baking competition in an ill-considered attempt to ingratiate herself in the small village community.
If you want a cozy mystery with some laughs, I recommend it.
Since my last post, I also finished all the Penric and Desdemona books. Enjoyed but not sufficiently to reread in future.
I can recommend Gail Carriger's first non-fiction The Heroine's Journey: For Writers, Readers and Fans of Pop Culture. An excellent contrast to the Hero's journey that literary analysis usually uses as a lens.
Have I recommended At the Edge of the Haight, by Katherine Seligman? More or less contemporary fiction, set in San Francisco, with protagonist a young woman living rough who witnesses a murder. The focus of the novel is not the murder but rather, the nature of her day-to-day life, her immediate circle and the nature and psychology of those relationships. It makes real the lives of people who are usually relegated to the edges.
Mornings wouldn't suck so badly if they came later in the day.
Re: What are you reading?
I'm giving Brandon Sanderson another try with The Well of Ascension. I really wish he'd learn some action signifiers other than frowned, paused, nodded, and smiled. I kid you not, it's a complete list.
Last edited by Frelga on Sat Apr 30, 2022 11:06 pm, edited 1 time in total.
If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn't as cynical as real life.
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
Re: What are you reading?
Lol! I still haven’t read the last book of that very long war series.
I’m re-reading Jemisin’s broken earth. It can be really depressing.
I’m re-reading Jemisin’s broken earth. It can be really depressing.
'You just said "your getting shorter": you've obviously been drinking too much ent-draught and not enough Prim's.' - Jude
Re: What are you reading?
I just finished The Kaiju Preservation Society and really like it.
https://us.macmillan.com/books/97807653 ... ionsociety
It's the first novel I've read with Covid times incorporated into it. Despite that it's a fun read.
I'm a tad confused, though... because when I was looking for a description to post, all the reviews said the protagonist was a man. I listened to the whole book thinking she was a woman. It doesn't make a difference to the story, really. But it does explain why they got a man to read it. Will Wheaton does an excellent job as narrator, as always.
https://us.macmillan.com/books/97807653 ... ionsociety
It's the first novel I've read with Covid times incorporated into it. Despite that it's a fun read.
I'm a tad confused, though... because when I was looking for a description to post, all the reviews said the protagonist was a man. I listened to the whole book thinking she was a woman. It doesn't make a difference to the story, really. But it does explain why they got a man to read it. Will Wheaton does an excellent job as narrator, as always.
Re: What are you reading?
It sounds intriguing. I noticed that book's blurb calls the protagonist Jamie througout without ever using pronouns. Sounds like the book leaves it to the reader to assume Jamie's gender?
If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn't as cynical as real life.
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
Re: What are you reading?
Maybe so? With an audiobook I'd have to listen to the whole thing again to see if there are any clues.
It's times like this when I miss having a physical book I can riffle through the pages.
It's times like this when I miss having a physical book I can riffle through the pages.
Re: What are you reading?
I just went to amazon and looked at the first 14 pages as a free preview and there's no hint of the gender of the protagonist. That has to be deliberate. I feel justified in my assumption.
Re: What are you reading?
Interesting! On audiobook, it's hard to find a narrator whose gender isn't obvious from their voice, but it would be cool if they tried.
For my comfort listen, I've been listening to the Amelia Peabody books, but both my libraries have a big gap in the middle of the series.
For my comfort listen, I've been listening to the Amelia Peabody books, but both my libraries have a big gap in the middle of the series.
If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn't as cynical as real life.
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
- Voronwë the Faithful
- At the intersection of here and now
- Posts: 46488
- Joined: Mon Nov 21, 2005 1:41 am
- Contact:
Re: What are you reading?
That does appear to be the case, at least according to this review at Kirkus Reviews: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-revi ... n-society/
"Spirits in the shape of hawks and eagles flew ever to and from his halls; and their eyes could see to the depths of the seas, and pierce the hidden caverns beneath the world."
Re: What are you reading?
I will take their word for it that gender is never specified.
It was funny. At lunch I asked my husband what gender he thought the protagonist was. He said, "A guy, of course."
Both of us, listening at the same time at the same pace just assumed that Jamie was our own gender.
We boggled at that for a moment, but really, it doesn't make a difference to the story.
It was funny. At lunch I asked my husband what gender he thought the protagonist was. He said, "A guy, of course."
Both of us, listening at the same time at the same pace just assumed that Jamie was our own gender.
We boggled at that for a moment, but really, it doesn't make a difference to the story.
- RoseMorninStar
- Posts: 13124
- Joined: Fri Dec 14, 2007 11:07 am
- Location: North Shire
Re: What are you reading?
Nice!Maria wrote: ↑Wed May 11, 2022 6:21 pm I will take their word for it that gender is never specified.
It was funny. At lunch I asked my husband what gender he thought the protagonist was. He said, "A guy, of course."
Both of us, listening at the same time at the same pace just assumed that Jamie was our own gender.
We boggled at that for a moment, but really, it doesn't make a difference to the story.
My heart is forever in the Shire.
- Impenitent
- Throw me a rope.
- Posts: 7267
- Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2005 12:13 am
- Location: Deep in Oz
Re: What are you reading?
Perfect example of unconscious bias! We all have them, of course.
Mornings wouldn't suck so badly if they came later in the day.
Re: What are you reading?
Hey Impish!
'You just said "your getting shorter": you've obviously been drinking too much ent-draught and not enough Prim's.' - Jude
- Impenitent
- Throw me a rope.
- Posts: 7267
- Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2005 12:13 am
- Location: Deep in Oz
Re: What are you reading?
'Huggles Inanna'
Mornings wouldn't suck so badly if they came later in the day.
Re: What are you reading?
I took a break halfway through Sanderson's characters nodding, pausing, smiling, and frowning because Carpet People hold came up.
As the foreword says, it was co-written by the 17yo Terry Pratchett and the 43yo Terry Pratchett. At 43, when people who couldn't get enough Pratchett discovered that his first book was out of print, he decided to "clean it up a bit" the result being something neither Pratchett would have written alone.
It's delightful both as a fantasy book written for children and as a Pratchett book. At the end are the original stories that the 17yo Terry read to the children's reading circle.
17yo Pratchett was already a better writer than Sanderson is now.
As the foreword says, it was co-written by the 17yo Terry Pratchett and the 43yo Terry Pratchett. At 43, when people who couldn't get enough Pratchett discovered that his first book was out of print, he decided to "clean it up a bit" the result being something neither Pratchett would have written alone.
It's delightful both as a fantasy book written for children and as a Pratchett book. At the end are the original stories that the 17yo Terry read to the children's reading circle.
17yo Pratchett was already a better writer than Sanderson is now.
If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn't as cynical as real life.
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
Re: What are you reading?
Lol. You are right about the last bit.
It’s one of Irikas fav books.
It’s one of Irikas fav books.
'You just said "your getting shorter": you've obviously been drinking too much ent-draught and not enough Prim's.' - Jude
Re: What are you reading?
Has she read Tiffany Aching books yet?
If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn't as cynical as real life.
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
- Dave_LF
- Wrong within normal parameters
- Posts: 6842
- Joined: Fri Mar 17, 2006 10:59 am
- Location: The other side of Michigan
Re: What are you reading?
Mistborn reads like an earlier version of Stormlight that doesn’t take itself quite so seriously. At least at first . Same goes for Wax and Wayne—the story began as a writing exercise and is actually a lot of fun. Then he decided to turn it into another tetralogy, and you can almost feel where it takes a turn for the ponderous.Frelga wrote:I'm giving Brandon Sanderson another try with The Well of Ascension. I really wish he'd learn some action signifiers other than frowned, paused, nodded, and smiled. I kid you not, it's a complete list.
Re: What are you reading?
Sanderson is just basic. There is a fun plot in there somewhere, and the magic system is well thought out (with an asterisk for the protagonist who keeps discovering new powers she has, but I'm willing to allow that there may be a reason for that), but there is no depth to imagery, characterization, or ideas. It could still be good entertainment, if it wasn't so interminable.
I'm also stalled on the third Iron Druid book, Hammered. The series is an example of what I mean by good entertainment without being that deep. And it has fun mythology references. But I'm not in the right brainspace for it.
I went through two more Vorkosigan books. I could have done without the torture porn in Mirror Dance, and Memory felt slow in places, but overall they were solid. I feel like Ivan doesn't get enough credit from anyone, given how often he has to rescue Miles.
I'm also stalled on the third Iron Druid book, Hammered. The series is an example of what I mean by good entertainment without being that deep. And it has fun mythology references. But I'm not in the right brainspace for it.
I went through two more Vorkosigan books. I could have done without the torture porn in Mirror Dance, and Memory felt slow in places, but overall they were solid. I feel like Ivan doesn't get enough credit from anyone, given how often he has to rescue Miles.
If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn't as cynical as real life.
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!