What fantasy/science fiction book are you reading RIGHT NOW?

ussusimiel · Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 7:03 pm Post subject:

Recently finished The Stochastic Man by Robert Silverberg. It's a standalone dystopian novel set on Earth at the end of an alternative twentieth century. It has some good ideas and is very well written (almost literary Hide

(Where is luci, BTW?)).

Now nearing the end of Xenocide by Orson Scott Card. It's the 3rd book in the Ender series and it's quite good. This is my second time reading it but the last time I hadn't read Speaker for the Dead (the 2nd book) and it didn't work that well for me, so I'd recommend reading that before going on to Xenocide (though it's probably not necessary to have read Ender's Game (the 1st book)).

I know that Fist doesn't like these books and I think I understand why; the emphasis on philosophy and ethics/morality in the books tends to be a bit simplistic and thus annoying, but if you can get over that the stories are good and the characters likeable.

u.

Fist and Faith · Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 10:21 pm Post subject:

Hmm... I won't go back and see what I said about them. Maybe I was more harsh than I now feel. I don't dislike them. I just didn't think they were as amazing as I'd read they were, and didn't go beyond Speaker. EG is in a few Top 10 Sci-fi lists I looked up, which is why I read it. It was fun enough, if not Top 10 material. Speaker was more interesting.
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ussusimiel · Posted: Wed May 02, 2012 10:49 pm Post subject:

Avatar · Posted: Thu May 03, 2012 5:27 am Post subject:

I like Ender. And Speaker. I don't really like the end of Xenocide though.

--A
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aliantha · Posted: Tue May 08, 2012 2:20 pm Post subject:

The Sable City by M. Edward McNally. It's an indie novel -- first in a series called "The Norothian Cycle". The story's good so far. Wish he wouldn't keep saying that chain mail links have been sown to something, tho. Makes me think this culture has found a way to propagate 'em.... Wink

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Avatar · Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 6:41 am Post subject:

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrel. What the hell. Were talking about it in the other thread, and I've only read it once. Thought it deserved another chance, now that I have a different expectation of it.

--A
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I'm Murrin · Posted: Wed May 09, 2012 10:13 pm Post subject:

The Left Hand of Darkness
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Heart of God

Vraith · Posted: Thu May 10, 2012 4:24 pm Post subject:

danlo · Posted: Fri May 11, 2012 12:36 am Post subject:

Just started The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley-a friend just lent it to me, surprised I missed this one back in the 80s. So far VERY engaging, I really like the way she uses language...
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aliantha · Posted: Fri May 11, 2012 2:23 am Post subject:

Robin McKinley's good. Smile

Finished The Sable City and I recommend it. Turns out the next two books in the series are already out, so I may have to spend more money at Amazon -- too bad, huh?
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wayfriend · Posted: Fri May 11, 2012 1:38 pm Post subject:

Dust of Dreams. (Did I mention we need a "What Malazan book are you reading right now?" thread?) First time. Who the hell are all these people? Seriously. I didn't want to reread eight books, but it seems like that was absolutely necessary. This is by far his densest and most impenetrable book.
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Fist and Faith · Posted: Fri May 11, 2012 2:55 pm Post subject:

Yeah, it's a bit crazy. Heh. And some makes a lot more sense after reading TCG. The Snake, for example, had me going, "What the hell is going on???" After TCG, it's one of my favorite things in the whole series.
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We are not required to save the world. We are required to stand up as truly as we can for what we love. -SRD

Mi alasharia la shantih, Darling Silezia.
Isaiah ShadowLurker, mi alasharia la shantih, shantih.

ussusimiel · Posted: Fri May 11, 2012 11:24 pm Post subject:

Just finished AATE. Phew! Took me 8 months Confused

The less said about it the better, but I'm glad I finished it 'cos now I'll be able to read the Last Dark and take a proper look at the threads on the AATE forum.

ussusimiel · Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 12:47 am Post subject:

Just finished a re-read of Darwin's Children by Greg Bear. This is the sequel to Darwin's Radio. I really like these books. I would recommend reading them in sequence, but I'd have to say that I find Darwin's Children an exceptional science-fiction book in how it handles the spiritual. Normally sci-fi shys away from the spiritual but this one delves deeply into it and has some passages that I find powerful and touching.

u.

Orlion · Posted: Mon May 14, 2012 6:24 pm Post subject:

Got less than a hundred pages to go with The White Rose. Very good trilogy, thus far. Will have to get the other books in the series. What's great about this one is how everything is being tied together from the previous books... even the silly things (i.e. flying whales) are given a place in the grand scheme of things... a good place, too!
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Orlion · Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 1:20 am Post subject:

Done with The White Rose. Thoroughly enjoyed it, will have to pick up the other Black Company books some time.

But for now, it's on to Mistborn: The Final Empire by Brandon Sanderson.
_________________
'Tis dream to think that Reason can
Govern the reasoning creature, man.
- Herman Melville

I am Lazarus, come from the dead,
Come back to tell you all, I shall tell you all!

"All creation is a huge, ornate, imaginary, and unintended fiction; if it could be deciphered it would yield a single shocking word."
-John Crowley

Avatar · Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 5:18 am Post subject:

Avatar · Posted: Mon May 21, 2012 5:42 am Post subject:

Just re-read Stonewielder , busy on Orb Sceptre Throne.

--A
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Orlion · Posted: Mon May 21, 2012 7:43 am Post subject:

aliantha · Posted: Mon May 21, 2012 12:29 pm Post subject: