I havn't seen one of these threads for a while I dont think - sorry if they're there & I'm missing them!!!

I finished Ursula Le Guin's Gifts, Voices & Powers (cant find touchstones?) at the start of the month, I liked Voices the best out of those 3 & i really liked how they tied together - very interesting!

Now I'm reading Lynne Flewelling's Luck in the Shadows which I'm loving! It threw me for a bit when I read the prophecy from her Tamir Triad again, but I really like knowing that the Tamir triad is kinda like the history to the Nightrunner series :)

What are you reading???

My husband just brought home Foundation: The Collegium Chronicles, so I've abandoned both The Magicians and Mrs. Quent and The Sea of Monsters for the moment :-)

Oh, I didn't know that about the Tamir Triad. I like Luck in the Shadows and its follow-up Stalking Darkness. I haven't gotten around to Traitor's Moon yet.

Will - I definately recommend the Tamir Triad! I really enjoyed it & the story has stayed in my head for a long time (most fantasy books run into eachother in my memory & end up gettin lost, lol)...

Oh I love the Tamir Triad! Haven't read the other one yet...but they're on my list.

I'm going to read The Gambler's Fortune by McKenna - number three in a series I'm really enjoying.

eta - changed my mind

Message edited by its author, Nov 6, 2008, 7:41am.

My post has SPOILERS!

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I read The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. Ugh! The writing was very good but I hated that he killed off the main characters though I should have known when I saw he wrote The Constant Gardener. I watched that movie and he did the same thing.

END SPOILERS

I'm now reading The Zookeeper's Wife. The writing is just okay. It took me a few chapters to get past the writing and into the story. The story is very interesting.

Next up is Three Junes, Being Liberal in an Illiberal Age and The Sparrow.

Having recently gotten through the substantial The Name of the Wind for the group read, I turned to short fiction for a while. Just finished Lord of the Fantastic, short stories by various authors; loved some, others were only OK which is typical of such collections. Also just read some short stories from a couple of back issues of Fantasy mag. So, after all that short lighter fare, I've started Thermopylae: the battle that changed the world for some heavier matter. Hubby picked it up after our son shared his video of 700. So far, the writing is a little convoluted and academic but pretty good. The author seems to know more about world-shaping people, places, and events of 2,500 years ago than I know about those of today.

6. Morphidae, I read The Spy Who Came in from the Cold decades ago and The Constant Gardener a few months ago (haven't seen the movie) as well as most of Le Carre's other work. Le Carre writes tragedies; beautiful, intimate, character-driven studies of real human nature--bad and good, and doesn't spare readers the consequences of his characters' human weaknesses. If typical fantasy offers readers an escape into another, more appealing world; Le Carre is as far from that as I can imagine.

I'm aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaalmost finished with Hero of Ages. Should have finished it ages ago but the last week I've had 4 days without any opportunity for pleasure reading - too much work to be done.
Possibly I'd had managed to sneak some more reading time in but to be honest while it's not a bad book it's not really close to it's predecessors. And the discussions on faith are rather... didactic, may be the word - I dunno.

#7 that's a good description of Le Carre's work. Some socio-political commentary but mostly character studies. I much prefer his later works over the cold war stuff.

I've just started re-reading Curse of the Mistwraith preparing for the next two in the series.

Morphy: I *loved* The Sparrow - hope you enjoy it!

I'm reading:
Leaves of Grass, from my Banned Books list
Paperweight, from my Stephen Fry biblio list
The Poems and Songs of Robert Burns from my library list

I don't know what all the fuss is about with Whitman; I'm not really liking it much. The Fry book is wonderful, of course. He's my intellectual crush. And the Burns is good but taking me forever to get through - it takes a long time to get through each poem because of the dialect, which is hard for me to read. I've been squeezing reading time in my reading aloud to Charlie, and I can report that he really seems to like Burns and Fry, but cries every time I start to read the Whitman!

Getting ready to read The Automatic Detective due to a LT recommendation. Does anyone have any thoughts on it?

#7 Yeah, Spy was very well done as a character study as was Gardener. But his tragedies are so far from what I enjoy, I now know to stay far away from his titles. Unless you know of any of his books that aren't so harsh? I really did like his writing style.

Oh, my pile of "I'm reading this:" has gotten completely out of hand. Organizing for Your Brain Type is clearly what I should be reading but I add to it Crazy '08 - must be finished before 11/11/08 book group meeting - and Photo Portfolio Success which I am reading just to frustrate myself, and The Science of Mind, Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue and baby photography NOW. Well, that's it, folks.

#12 the only one (of those I've read) that maybe isn't quite so harsh is mission song but unfortunetly it is also in quite a different style.

This month I'm reading the following:

The Hickory Staff by Jay M. Gordon and Robert Scott.
The Greener Shore by Morgan Llywelyn
Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby

#8 Again, we agree, Busifer. It's some kind of record. Read my review when you're done.

#15 I loved Fever Pitch. Busifer should read it, if she hasn't.

#16 So far I'm enjoying it quite a bit, even though I know nothing about the sport or the teams involved.

#16 - I own it. Kind of. Bought it for husband when it was newish, in a 'there must be SOME way to get him to read'-attempt. He liked it. I'll note it down for the future!

12. I've read most of Le Carre's books and none could be called up-beat or light. The Tailor of Panama was, perhaps, less completely dark; bad things happening to people but the ending wasn't as difficult as some of his others. I have the Mission Song but haven't read that one yet. I would say Le Carre is just not for you. His writing reminds me of The Lovely Bones which starts out with an absolutely horrific crime and, if anything, gets sadder from there. But the writing is just so beautiful and you care so much about these characters you keep reading through the shock and tears. And in the end... ok, no spoiler. And since you mentioned liking a movie adaptation of another Le Carre, the movie of Tailor was very good and followed the book reasonably closely. You can also look for a very young Daniel Radcliff (aka Harry Potter) in a small role.

I'm probably just going to have to pass on Le Carre. They are too bleak for me. Personally, I liked The Lovely Bones. I don't mind bad things happening to people in books; however, I don't care for books that end up totally negative. There needs to be some type of up-note at the end.

Robin Hobb is another other where I like her writing but she tortures her protaganists. It's never-ending and nothing ends well for them. I can't read anymore of her stuff.

Message edited by its author, Nov 6, 2008, 4:38pm.

I'm currently rereading Salem's Lot for a group read here in another LT group. I'm also reading The Heretic's Daughter and listening to The Dead and Gone.

I loved The Sparrow too. I am about to begin Not One Drop.
I put aside Name of the Wind for now, as I had only just begun it, then suddenly had several to review. I want to devote my full attention to it when I read it, as I was enjoying it a great deal...

Since my post last night I have changed my mind yet again and actually read a whole book, started another and dumped it, and finally decided on what to read.

I read, last night, in fascinated repulsion Vivia by Tanith Lee. Posted a short review. Very short. It's all I can summon up for it.

Then, I started Ya-Yas in Bloom and no sorry, not going there. It's bloody awful. So that is going into the To-Sell box alongside the horror that is Vivia.

I am now going to attempt to read Bitter Fame: A life of Sylvia Plath and try my luck with some non-fiction.

Morphy - My dad was a big fan of Le Carre's, but after I read The Spy Who Came In I was not a fan at all. I have to agree with you there.

I just read (well, actually I gave up) The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne. What rubbish! Totally strained my belief. I described it to a daughter and she said, "Oh, like Lost." Well, kind of. It's set on a mysterious island and it's very confusing and hard to believe. So yeah, it's the same.

#10 scaifea

I agree with you about Leaves of Grass--my take on Whitman is the he was a poet who was very full of himself which often got in the way of his poetry, but who sometimes had flashes of brilliance. Unfortunately it gets depressing to wade through the dross to find the bits of gold (some of which are embedded in larger works, which make them really hard to find!). He needed a good editor to help him fine tune his work. I tried to read the complete Leaves of Grass this summer and finally had to throw up my hands in despair. I now look for him in anthologies where with luck (and a good anthologist) you can find some decent poems.

Do you suppose the book was banned for aesthetic reasons?

ETA

Read Dewey by Vicki Myron yesterday and The Man Who Forgot How to Read this afternoon. Both were fairly short and easy reads.

I'm reading Three Cups of Tea--almost finished--for a group read at our local library and Pirate of Exquisite Mind for LT group read--finished the 1st weeks section on Sunday so waiting for the next week. I'll probably finish Come Tell Me How You Live either tonight or tomorrow and definitely will finish and review my September ER book tomorrow, Living Agelessly.

Can't wait until tomorrow evening when I should be able to choose a new book to read over the weekend!

Message edited by its author, Nov 7, 2008, 12:44am.

Hi! I thought I'd jump in here! So far this month I have read:

We bought a zoo and some baby mouse graphic novels just because they are too cute and I heard a lecture by the author last month. I also read How to be bad which is a teen novel. I liked it. I started Unaccustomed Earth but got bored with hat book quickly.

For college, I read Heart of Darkness and When I was Puerto Rican.

I just read Leaves of Grass (again) for college. I liked it. I really enjoy the concepts behind Whitman's novel although he is a bit verbose and rambling. I find the banning ridiculous. There are only a few lines of controversial text and you have to read them deeply to get the meaning. Besides- like many lines in poetry they can be interpreted many ways.

Message edited by its author, Nov 7, 2008, 1:27am.

MusicMom: It was banned on sexual grounds, although I haven't managed to get to those good bits yet - LOL!

I just started The Solitaire Mystery by Jostein Gaarder last night and am really enjoying it.

Next up will be Independent People by Halldór Laxness.

Just started The Eyre Affair, by recommendation of lots of LT folks, littlegeek especially. *waves*

I've just started reading Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke.

I just managed to finish Hero of Ages. Anyone interested in what I though about it can read my review. I'll only say here that I'm in total agreement with Littlegeek on this one.

I now have a mountain of documents to write for work but then I think I'll read Brasyl.

Message edited by its author, Nov 9, 2008, 3:21am.

I finished The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis. The last book in the Narnia series. I have one word for it, "YUCK!" Just yuck. Or "EW!" Ew works.

Now I'm reading Three Junes.

Hi MrsLee!

#28 km- I loved Independent People; it reminded me of my Norwegian relatives.

#31 A-yup. WARNING: not really spoilerish, but you may not want to read this before you read Hero of Ages: When it comes to authors shoving their personal religious beliefs into their novels, you & I seem to agree wholeheartedly. Actually, I don't mind an exploration of faith if the deck is not stacked and the ultimate answers remain ambiguous. But having someone muse about atheism in a very shallow way, then be definitely proved wrong is just disingenuous in the extreme. Talk about ruining a great character. I mean, is that what believers really think of atheists? Jeeze.

/rant

btw, I'm still reading Touchstone.

#33 - On Hero of Ages: Yes. Yes. YES. I think he's such a good author but that was really disappointing.

I'm reading Inkdeath aloud to the children in the evenings and we are about 2/3 of the way through. For myself, I am reading Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy. So far it is excellent, but very grim. I am hoping to have it finished by Thursday when we have a plane coming with groceries and mail. Then I can move on to something more cheerful like, say, The Children of Hurin. ;-)

I was reading The Court Lady and the Country Wife but am now setting that aside for a bit (even thought I'm enjoying it, so I can read Lucy Maud Montgomery: The Gift of Wings, a new biography about the author of Anne of Green Gables. I think everything is going to be on hold for the next little while, cooking, cleaning, laundry...aww, who needs to eat eh? there's always eggs and toast right?

I finished Luck in the Shadows & dove into Stalking Darkness which i'm loving :)

I guess its kind of typical fantasy, but its well written IMHO & I'm well lost in the world & having trouble putting it down :)

33 littlegeek/34 busifer

I very much liked the first two books in the series (though I admit wasn't thrilled with the way the second book ended) and I was really looking forward to reading Hero of Ages. That is really disappointing to hear.

I just finished The Last Days by Scott Westerfeld. I like it, but I think Peeps (which it is sort of a sequel to) is much better. I think I'm going to skip past my TBR pile and pick up Shatterpoint by Matthew Stover, a Star Wars book that my boyfriend lent to me.

I am almost finished Beckwood Brae (yup, taking a while...you'd think I'd have finished it by now given who wrote it!)

Then I have The Shack to read as so many have read it I want to see what all the fuss is about.

(And, shhh, don't tell anyone....but I think I'll get a glimpse at the sequel to bb too!)

I'm also reading Beckwood Brae, but on top of that, I'm also reading Doktor Sleepless and The Woad to Wuin.

#38 I'd still say it's worth reading Hero of Ages, because it's still a Brandon Sanderson book, with all the fun that entails. Plus, a lot of details from way back in the first book are explained. Besides, don't take our word for it, read it yourself!

I just started something appropriate for the Holiday - A Great and Godly Adventure: The Pilgrims and the Myth of the First Thanksgiving by Godfrey Hodgson. It's pretty fascinating, actually.

There's almost ~nothing~ that we do (or have) in our "traditional" Thanksgiving dinner that was part of the first Thanksgiving. A well-researched read of less than 200 pages! I might even have it done by Thanksgiving, too.

35. Calling Jude the Obscure very grim is really an understatement. Hardy only wrote tragedies, and off all his sad, grim tales, Jude is the darkest, saddest, and grimmest. Far from the Madding Crowd had something of reclamation for its main characters after all their trials. But the rest of Hardy that I've read, about 5 I think, are more like Jude if not quiet so dark and grim.

42. Not even squash? One of the native "three sisters" crops for some North American agricultural cultures but maybe not in that specific location. We don't typically eat beans or corn at Thanksgiving but do have pureed squash. I read Mayflower a couple of years ago. A great deal of detail on policial history but I don't remember too much about diet except how the European arrivals frequently helped themselves to stored seed corn; kept themselves alive but left native communities to beg and borrow seed from neighbors for spring planting.

#43 WildMaggie

Under the Greenwood Tree is a wonderful book by Thomas Hardy which is a delightful read (for him, anyway!) and not grim. That and Far from the Madding Crowd--which I also love--are the only two of his I've read so far. I plan to read another for my 999 challenge next year--how's Mayor of Casterbridge? I own that one and Jude the Obscure--but I'm not sure I want it that grim! I have some pretty heavy reading planned and i don't want to get too bogged down!

#38 - Like Littlegeek said - take your time and judge for yourself.

44. Under the Greenwood Tree is one that I have not read. Far from the Madding Crowd, Mayor of Casterbridge, Jude the Obscure, Tess of the d'Urbervilles, and Return of the Native are the ones I recall reading right now. I went through a real Hardy period a while back. All the ones I read except Madding Crowd ranged from sad and bleak (Native) to dark and very grim (Jude). Madding Crowd was more of a cautionary tale where he did allow his main characters some measure of happiness after their trials. Jude was by far the grimmest, almost horrific at the darkest part (trying to avoid a spoiler here). The Mayor was not as grim but was dark. The main character is a fool who pays for his folly. Clearly I didn't read all that Hardy because I hate his writing. But you have to like tragedy. Which I hope celebrian does like, because The Children of Hurin is another one. What does that character say at the end of Romeo and Juliet in Shakespeare in Love, with tears in his eyes? "Sad..... and beautiful." I'll have to look for Greenwood Tree, now, and see what I think. Was that an early work?

#46 WildMaggin

As I recall Greenwood Tree was very early--maybe his first. I love his writing and would like to read one of the "major" ones. Thanks for the information you provided to help me decide which one to read.

I haven't read Hurin yet--but Silmarillion wasn't a cheery read and I enjoyed that one. I don't require sweetness and light nor do I require a happy ending. What I like, though, if the story is grim or depressing it should make a point worth making.

#46 Hurin is not a cheery book either. I have tomorrow off.Yea. I am rereading To Kill a Mockingbird tonight. I have forgotten how much I enjoyed this book. I am hearing the music from the flick too. Elmer Bernstein music. Lovely music.

To Kill a Mockingbird is really dear to my heart--every time I read it I am just in awe of how wonderful it is. It never loses its charm.

It is really is dear to my heart too. Mr. A Finch is a character from a book I would like to have met if possible.

Just had to share - I started Good Omens and it is without exception the funniest book about the end of the world that I have ever read!

Oh--what a great book! And the only one I've ever read by either Neil Gaiman or Terry Pratchett!

#51 - After having read it over 10 times I still think it's the funniest book ever :-)

47. MusicMom41, exactly. Not nihilistic. Hardy's tragedies certainly made his points which were mainly about his dissatisfaction with the social institutions of his time and society. He was especially down on marriage as it was practiced then, and organized religion, and way his society regulated social, economic, and especially sexual relations.

Now the thread has gotten to one of my absolute favorite books, no nihilism in Gaiman and Pratchett!

I started My Name is Will last night. Amusing so far, and partially set right here in good ole Santa Cruz.

I've started to carry Brasyl around with me. Not had the opportunity to start it yet, though. Seems like I'm over the ears in work. Hopefully I'll get around to starting it tonight.

I'm reading most of the Flashman series this month. I was given Flashman and the Redskins which is book 7, by a friend and then found books 8 & 9 in the library. (but for some reason nothing is available with inter-library loan). I found a couple more on Bookmooch and a few more really cheap on half.com and they should be arriving in a week. Then one turned up in the next county over's library.

I usually hate reading series out of order but since the series order is not chronologically ordered I can live with all the skipping around I am doing.

55 - But... But... But *my* name is Will. You can't have it!

I've restarted Beauty because I had forgotten about it. I have been caught up in other books lately.

Finished The Eyre Affair, I was afraid I wasn't going to like it, seems it just took awhile for me to warm up to it and get my head in the right place for it, because by the end I really enjoyed it. Now for my light reading I've picked up Trouble in the Brasses by Charlotte MacLeod writing as Alisa Craig. Still reading my Churchill and Schaeffer.

59. There, there, Will. Try to share nice. See how well Maggie1944 and I manage, on the same threads even.

I have just finished reading (Leslie Langtry Bombay series) a laughed all the the way throught the three of them. Also read neally all of (Christine Warrens) books they were really good. read (Cherry Adair new night fall and night secrets) and (Cindy Gerard Take no prisoners and Show no mercy). Iam starting (Sherrilyn Kenyon One Silent Night).

Use square brackets, booklover. It will make the touchstones show up. Usually.

Two thirds of the way through The Doomsday Book.......so far its fab!!

I liked Trouble in the Brasses.

I finished Good Omens and it was great! it kept me up late wanting to see what would happen next.

Speaking of Neil Gaiman, my daughter saw the trailer for Coraline. She said it looked great.

Coraline is a great book. He and Prachett have both been doing more kid and YA books. Lucky kids.

Doomsday Book was really good, despite the subject matter.

Although, not as good as Year of Wonders, imo.

Message edited by its author, Nov 12, 2008, 3:41pm.

Just finished Ships of Merior the continuing trials of Arithon Master of Shadow and his nemisis the Prince of Light. Why oh why have I not read this series before. Absolutely wonderful compelling fantasy. Fortunetly I have Warhost of Vastmark to hand as Ships ends rather abruptly.

I am bogged down right now.. stuck in a book. It is a good book, but apparently not good enough to drag me away from LT..
It is taking me way too long to read.

I'm reading The Blade Itself which is the third time i've attempted it, i think i'm finding the charaterisations more characatures, there was't much introduction, maybe i'll like it, too early to tell.

#33 lg - Independent People is wonderful. I am enjoying it immensely even though I don't have Norwegian relatives or even Icelandic relatives.

I recently read The Far Traveler: Voyages of a Viking Woman which was very good. It wasn't really a biography in any meaningful way, but once I realized that and treated it as Icelandic archaeology and history, it turned into quite a good book.

edited to fix 333 to #33

Message edited by its author, Nov 13, 2008, 9:41am.

#69 reading fox - to fill in a footnote, Ships of Merior and Warhost of Vastmark were originally conceived, written, and first published as one volume (the US hardback). When Britain went to press, they couldn't make the book sturdy enough, thus, it was split, and the split stayed for all of the subsequent paperback versions, since, I was told, in mass market format, the spine would have cracked, when read. Therefore, I do recommend to read both titles back to back - though the best place was picked for a stopping point, really, it's meant as one story arc. (Sad planning - if I'd had warning in advance, I'd have handled the break with just a bit more aplomb).

#71 Musereader - I found the same thing with that title, though the plot is quite nicely not formulaic...the handling of the characters reminded me somewhat of Gene Wolf in his Shadow of the Torturer, by tone, at least. My taste differs, though the artistry is indisputable.

For a break, I am reading Scotland, the Autobiography by Rosemary Goring which is historical nonfiction, of excerpts taken from contemprary accounts of events. It's quite fascinating - if a bit of a pastiche view, by short clips.

Next up will be Julie E. Czerneda and Riders of the Storm.

Finished The Automatic Detective. It's not too bad- sort of Ray Bradbury meets Donna Andrews.

The World in Six Songs showed up in my store's book exchange basket- nearly broke my neck snatching it up and shoving it in my locker! So far it's great, maybe even better than This Is Your Brain On Music.

Books like this make me miss my carefree, pre-university days where I could spend five or six hours every day reading what I wanted...

I'm this close to the end of The Phoenix Endangered by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory. I had some trouble committing to it at first, but I think it picked up nicely in the second half. I figure I'll probably finish it on the bus ride home tonight.

And after that? I'm not sure. My ER copy of Bitten by Kelley Armstrong arrived yesterday, (my fastest ER title ever!), so I know I really should get to that... but I've been planning to read Blood and Iron by Elizabeth Bear "next" for, like, two months. Something always seems to come up. Maybe I've just got to stick Bitten on the back burner for a couple more days. We'll see.

Finished Doomsday Book and have now embarked on Richard Adams' Maia

I'm reading The Hero of Ages now. I'm a little wary of the faith stuff Busifer and littlegeek have mentioned, but I hope it's good beyond that.

Finished my mystery, now I'm reading Reaper Man and already loving it. Bah. I have to clean and cook today.

I can't decide which is my favorite Pratchett book, Mort or Reaper Man. I love them both!

BTW, what does it say about me that DEATH is my favorite character?

#79 cmbohn

you and me both!!! DEATH is definitely my favourite character within discworld, he's hilarious

I LIKE THE DEATH OF RATS

DEATH ROCKS

Has anyone read Pratchett's new book, Nation?

DEATH ROCKS but the Patrician rules!

nup, but i think i have a copy in the TBR pile.

Granny Weatherwax can take on any of them!

I aint'nt dead.

I was really sorry to hear that Mort wasn't much in the books anymore, I liked him, but as long as DEATH is around, I'll be fine.

I am currently reading Orcs by Stan Nicholls. Fun and interesting but if you think about it too hard it seems like a railroaded RPG. The author has some things he wanted done and contrives a 'situation' to bring it about. other than that I'm enjoying it.

>1 I absolutely loved Luck in the Shadows and the rest of the Nightrunner books. I think those are my favorites of everything I've read so far this year. I have The Bone Doll's Twin in my TBR pile but haven't gotten around to it yet.

I'm closing in on finishing The Book of Names which has been pretty good so far, so long as I ignore the religious preachiness.

Up next is Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night by Kresley Cole or maybe one of the other books I have out from the library.

I'm reading The Bone Doll's Twin at the moment. It's caught my interest. I'm still reading Beckwood Brae, too.

I've finished Beckwood Brae now and am about to start The Shack. But am crook, too tired to concentrate and need to stay awake to get no. 1 son from school!

I've startd The Graveyard Book and I have to confess it has grabbed my attention in the first 10 pages. (Touchstones not working properly! books is The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman).

I want to read that one! Let us know what you think, maggie.

I have a question for the folks here. I posted it on 999 challenge, but didn't get an answer. I have Barchester Towers listed for my challenge next year, but I noticed that it is one of a trilogy or something. Do you have to have read any of the others before reading this one? Or can I just jump in?

#92 Actually Barchester Towers is the second in a series of 6 books. You can safely read it as a stand alone, or skip the first book, The Warden. It's one of my favourite books ever.

The other books in the series are Doctor Thorne, Framley Parsonage, The Small House at Allington, and The Last Chronicle of Barset. They all rock.

btw, there's a Trollope lovers group on LT. All are welcome.

I'm almost done Blood and Iron by Elizabeth Bear, and I'm sorry to say that I really haven't enjoyed it. I can appreciate the multi-layered motivations she's given each side, but I didn't click with any of the characters and so wasn't really able to engage with the book. Sigh. You win some, you lose some.

Next up: Any Given Doomsday, which I'm kind of dreading given all the negative reviews.

#94 Bummage, I recently downloaded Blood & Iron for my Kindle.

I am reading an ARC, and eying Windswept House for when I am done.

To take a break from my recent fantasy binge I thought I'd try some philosophy, I know AC Grayling from his New Scientist pieces and a collection of his works came cheap from the book people. The Meaning of Things was some of the biggest pile of tosh I've had the misfortune to read in a very long time. Full review is here for those who are interested in just how bad it is. On the assumption that his NS works can't be that out of character I'm trying one of the others, but I may have to abandon it if it is as bad, T Pratchett has better philosophy Hogfather is my alltime favourite so far.

I'm still working on Independent People. I usually breeze through books, but this one deserves a slow, thorough savoring.

I'm also not reading anything else right now, which is unusual.

#98 Yeah, that book is so emotionally dense. The tension, the drama. It's like a Bergman film, in a good way.

#95 - it's not a bad book by any means, but it's definitely a plot-based one. I'm very much a character-driven reader; if I don't click with the characters, I have trouble caring about the plot.

I find that I think much better of Blood and Iron now that I've finished it and have spent some time thinking about how it's structured. My review is here, if anyone's interested.

Thanks, littlegeek. Now I'm looking forward to reading it!

I just finished Seven Suspects and The Terra Cotta Army. Both good. I was expected Seven Suspects to have Father Brown, since it's by Chesterton, but it didn't. And The Terra cotta Army was fascinating! Plus it had cool pictures, which I always like. =)

I'm nearly finished with My Antonia. It's my first foray in Cather and I'm loving it.
Now I want to read everything of her's.
I love when I find an author like that!

I've been sick and have had tooth pain leading to a root canal yesterday. So I've been comfort reading the entire Harry Potter series.

I just finished the third Temeraire book. I liked the end, which I never read before because I got stalled halfway through the first time I tried to read it. I think I figured out why, though.

#89 Will - I really hope you enjoy The Tamir Triad, as I've allready said I definately did!!! Please let me know your thoughts once you've finished :)

I'm about 40pages from the end of Traitor's Moon & if the Tamir Triad hadn't done so allready, this trilogy would definately have pushed Lynne Flewelling up my fave authors list!!!

cmbohn - Barchester Towers is the only Trollope I've read yet, but it convinced me to read lots of him. It did take me a bit to get into the tone of it all.

I'm reading The Shack because too many people have been asking me what I thought about it, so I wanted to be able to give an informed opinion, it's not my type of book, really. Also reading my ER book, The Gates of Trevalyan by Jacquelyn Cook, which in its early stages also doesn't seem to be my kind of book, but we'll see. I have a sneaking suspicion that I'm going to jump into the third HP novel and zip through that for fun. My daughter brought it home from the library.

Interview With The Vampire - to see if I still dislike it, and because I don't remember most of it.
An Anthropologist On Mars - because Oliver Sacks rocks.
Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets - a reread, for no good reason

I finished Any Given Doomsday yesterday; thank goodness that's over with! I felt like I needed something completely different, so I've started in on Sodomy and the Pirate Tradition by B.R. Burg. So far so good.

I finished Lynne Flewelling's Traitor's Moon on friday night & luvd it so much that nothing on my TBR shelf interested me... But I remembered a work friend telling me about a trilogy that she knew I'd luv, so I held off starting anything til sat evening coz mum & I were goin to her house for a tupperware party, anyhoo, she lent me The outstretched Shadow by Mercedes Lackey & James Mallory & although some of it seems a bit overwritten or underedited to me, I'm enjoying the main character & the story so far :)

Message edited by its author, Nov 23, 2008, 3:59am.

I finished Christine Falls last night. While some of the "twists and turns" were predictable, I liked the writing style well enough that I'll read the next in the series.
I started Thursday Next: First Among Sequels as well. I read the other Thursday Next novels so long ago that I was worried I wouldn't remember all of Thursday's wacky adventures... It's coming back to me.

I've just borrowed Twilight Herald and Dragon and Phoenix from the library so I must read them and The Last Dragonlord ASAP.

I finished To Kill A Mockingbird which was our Big Read. I then picked up where i had left off onWicked which is getting more interesting with each chapter. I am also getting back into The Last Hero & this should keep me busy for the time being. 8^)

14 days and I've managed just as many pages of Brasyl. Not that it's a bad book. It's just that I work way too much, plus have been otherwise occupied, what with birthday celebrations, so all time not spent on obligations and social duties have been time spent sleeping. Mainly because with this workload sleep deprivation only is going to make things even worse. My goal is to finish it this week.

*holding thumbs that nothing acute/urgent/unplanned for will come up at work*

I still have to finish reading Terry Pratchett's Nation, I've been a bit down so I haven't gotten as much read as I would have liked to. So far Nation is good and I would like to continue reading it.

I also read a good manga called Solanin which is what you would get if you turned a Leonard Cohen song into a contemporary Japanese story about J-Rock music.

I'm about halfway through Kelley Armstrong's Bitten, my October ER book. It's a reread, and I'm enjoying it all over again.

(I actually did reread Precursor during 1 of the 14 days mentioned above. Needed a break and could not manage to intake/process more unknown data...)

I just read a really interesting YA book called The New Policeman. It's about a young Irish teen who decides to get his mother some more time for her birthday, and there never seems to be enough. He finds his way to the fairy land. Really different.

Eifelheim -- used copy
The September Society
A Mortal Curiosity

Nothing very complex or too challenging. So far, Eifelheim is the most in keeping with my current mood.

I did zip through the third HP, The Prisoner of Azkaban, nice. Now I've slogged through The Gates of Trevalyan, just not my thing maybe. Started The Shack, seems well written, but a punch in the gut to begin with.

Oh! I've heard The Shack was really good from all that I know that have read it. I've also heard people say you either love it or hate it. I'll have to pick it up next time I'm in town.

I'm still working on Brisingr. I'm going to make myself finish it this weekend. Matter of fact, I'm logging off right now to go read.

kirbyowns - I think The Shack is definitely worth a read, though it does go on at times. It's worth it if only to make you think about your preconceived ideas of who God is and what He is about. It also happens to be a good story, though as I say, there have been a couple of times I wish the author would get on with the story.

Finished Lucy Maud Montgomery: The Gift of Wings last night, took me awhile 'cause I kept going to her journals to check on references and there are tons of footnotes as well. I love Noel Coward's quote about footnotes: "Having to read a footnote resembles having to go downstairs to answer the door while in the midst of making love." Seemed apt with this book. The footnotes were very interesting, but they were at the back of the book, so I was constantly flipping back and forth, drove me nuts. I prefer footnotes at the bottom of the page. That being said, it was still an excellent, extremely well-written book about an amazing woman.

Now I need to read something light to cheer me up. Poor Maud had a very sad life near the end and while I'm going to read her last journal now too, I'm also going to read Daughter of the Forest as a complete departure from reality.

I've just started Connie Willis' To Say Nothing About the Dog. It's great! Some of my friends have been raving about her for a while, but she really is good.

Will, I have a copy of that.. but yesterday I saw it in my sons hand. Maybe he will read it while he is here at home.. maybe it will wander off with him?

I posted this elsewhere but am copying it here:

I am going to be giving Guernsey a pass. No matter what I read here, it just doesn't call out to me.

I am expecting to receive The Housekeeper and the Professor: A Novel
By: Yoko Ogawa in the mail today. I have to review this one, then I am free from obligation for at least a month. So I will wait until that comes and read that next.

I just finished Windswept House by Malachi Martin. I liked it less that Vatican. I tend to enjoy books about shenanigans at the Vatican ( fiction and non) for some reason. I just ordered The Entity: Five Centuries of Secret Vatican Espionage by Eric Frattini Alonso with a 40% off coupon at B&N.

I finished The Shack yesterday in between basting the turkey and mashing the potatoes. I do recommend it, it was a good read, though I'm sure not for everyone.

Began The Gladstone Bag by Charlotte McLeod, not far enough in to know anything. I was too tired to read after dinner, so played Animal Crossing instead.

I reread Larklight yesterday. Such a fun book.

I'm almost through The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch. After this, I think I'll be reading Anatomy of Keys by Steven Price.

126 - did you know the latest book - Mothstorm - just came out?

Yes, I saw that on the forums. I read Starcross today, but they didn't have the new one at the library. I'll have to put a hold on it.

Just finished The Gladstone Bag, by Charlotte McLeod. It had a quote in it for the Green Dragon.

"Puffins don't shuffle along on their tarsi the way other alcids do, you know. They tiptoe around like peg-legged sailors on a toot."

Since my head and tummy feel crappy right now, I'm going to stick with light mysteries and read Death and the Chapman by Kate Sedley.

I've finally been reading the Temeraire series by Naomi Novik and am waiting for the latest one to come in for me at the library. I don't buy hardbacks as a general rule, (especially since I have the rest of the series in paperback) so I'll read it from the library then buy it for myself when the paperback comes out. It was not what I was really expecting with the alternate history, and I don't really know much about that time period in Europe so I was sort of lost for a little while. But I got used to the formal language the main character, Laurence, tends to use, and I've really enjoyed it.

Not sure what's up next, nothing really grabbing me from the tbr pile, so we'll see.