Humouress is here once more for 2019!

Happy New Year one and all! Wishing you joy, health, happiness and wealth (however you measure it) for the coming year.

I'm Nina. I'm form England but living in tropical Singapore surrounded by guys - my husband (who tolerates my reading but is starting to make comments about my book acquisition habits), my two sons who are 15 years old and 10 years old (who also loves to read and to be read to) and their 2 year old golden retriever, Jasper.

I lean heavily towards fantasy (preferably high) with a smattering of sci-fi (space opera), mysteries (pre-war), young adult and juvenile fiction and school stories - or whatever else catches my fancy at the time. I'm trying to read books off my shelf, since my reading hasn't kept up with my acquisitions (anyone else have that problem?). I try (try) to review and rate all the books I read (which doesn't help my reading speed) and I don't put spoilers in (I hope). If you want to jump to a review, click on the relevant number in my monthly lists (>4 humouress:, >5 humouress: & >6 humouress:).

I tend towards the lighter side of things (hence my screen name) - because if you look at the dark side ... but why would you want to? Life’s hard enough. I tend to lurk more than post on LT, but I'm around, so please don't feel shy about joining me and posting here.

I am still trying to reach that elusive '75 books read in a year' target, for the tenth year. Maybe this year ....



This is the view we had as we welcomed in the New Year; the Esplanade Theatre in the foreground and the towers of Marina Bay Sands behind the fireworks. (The Merlion is there too - it's the little blue dot at the end of the walkway from the Esplanade Theatres.)

... carrying over from 2018 (thread 1)
continuing on from 2018 (thread 3)

Green Dragon thread



I found this Neil Gaiman quote last year, but I think it's worth repeating.

review posted/ rated/ written/ read

✔ / / (#) / Title

March

9) Dr. Eleventh originated by Roger Hargreaves
✔       8) Dr. Tenth originated by Roger Hargreaves
7) The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells
✔       6) Dr. Ninth originated by Roger Hargreaves

review posted/ rated/ written/ read

✔ / / (#) / Title

February

nothing to report :0(

review posted/ rated/ written/ read

✔ / / (#) / Title

January
✔       5) The Ghostly Term at Trebizon by Anne Digby
✔       4) Small Gods by Terry Pratchett
✔   3) The Runaway King by Jennifer A. Nielsen
2) Tashi and the Haunted House by Anna and Barbara Fienberg
✔   1) All Systems Red by Martha Wells

March
6. 8.

February

January
1. 3. 4. 5.

The constellation:

  You have got to read this one!                          
  Really good; worth reading                                
      Good, but without that special 'something' for me  
       Very nice, but a few issues                                   
           An enjoyable book                                                                        
           Um, okay. Has some redeeming qualities                  
                Writing is hard. I appreciate the work the author did    
               (haven't met one - yet)                                               
                     Dire                                                                            
                     Rated only as a warning. Run away. Don't stop.               

Purple stars, from Robin's thread:

5.0
4.5
4.0
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5

Reading at home : The Runaway King, Ship of Magic

‘Waiting for the boys to finish classes’ book : Eragon

Bedtime reading :Tashi series, Little Miss series

Kindle : Trebizon series

Downtime : Skulduggery Pleasant

Overdrive :

Book club Red Rising & Small Gods

Reading inspirations

Ongoing series:

The Dark is Rising - Susan Cooper
Chronicles of the Cheysuli - Jennifer Roberson
Chronicles of the Kencyrath - P. C. Hodgell (group read, started January 2018)
Tashi - Anna Fienberg
The Vorkosigan Saga - Lois McMaster Bujold (2014-2017 group read - savouring it before I run out of these glorious books)
**Farseer (group read> starting March 2018)
***The Wheel of Time - Robert Jordan (relaxed group read starting January 2019)
{Tor read https://www.tor.com/2018/02/20/reading-the-wheel-of-time-eye-of-the-world-part-1...

Planning to read with the kids:
A Series of Unfortunate Events - Lemony Snickett
Ranger's Apprentice - John Flanagan (group read starting January 2019)

Ooh, what about...

Miss Fisher mysteries
Cinder
Vatta/Honor Harrington
*Ready Player One
Earthsea book 1

(Moving this here from downstream)

(Note to self: Trying to tidy up loose ends from last year (because the library wants their books back); finally posted my Nevermoor review.

Still hoping to do:
67) Nevermoor: the Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
60) Dr. Thirteenth originated by Roger Hargreaves
54) The Thirteen Storey Tree House by Andy Griffiths
52) Crazy Rich Asians
51) The Magic Thief by Sarah Prineas
49) To Ride a Rathorn by P. C. Hodgell
46) Dr. Twelfth originated by Roger Hargreaves
45) Dr. Eleventh originated by Roger Hargreaves
44) Dr. Tenth originated by Roger Hargreaves
43) Dr. Ninth originated by Roger Hargreaves

 

Okay; come on in! The water's warm.

Happy New Year. Putting down my current read by Alison Goodman to post on a few new threads.
I read the first Skulduggery Pleasant book a long while ago when I took my younger ones to hear Landy speak which was a fun event. I noticed the other day that there are now about eleven books in the series, are you enjoying them?

Hi Kerry! You're the first here; please help yourself to refreshments.

Actually, I didn't get more than a chapter in to the first Skulduggery before being distracted, but I do intend to try again. Both my sons enjoyed them. The books we have were actually acquired by my older son and then his brother got into them and demanded we buy more books in the series. I'm fairly sure he's current with it ;0)

Happy reading 2019, Nina. What a gorgeous view you had for the firework.

Thanks Barbara! Welcome over.

We did have a good view; it looked like we were level with the higher fireworks. Usually the fireworks start at midnight, but for some reason, they started at 11.30 and built up until 11.55 - we were worried that someone had made a mistake with the timing. But all was well - they saved the best for last, with a continuous show starting at midnight with lots of colours (and smoke and noise, of course). The photo at the top was the finale.

Thanks, the wine is going down well at the moment. Daughter is gushing to me at present about her latest D&D character, an elf cleric, I'm getting an overload of info on this guy.

>15 avatiakh: Ah, yes; I know the feeling. Have some more alcohol. :0)

Happy 2019
A year full of books
A year full of friends
A year full of all your wishes realised

I look forward to keeping up with you, Nina, this year.

Happy reading in 2018, Nina!

That is a beautiful view at the fireworks at the top.
We were together at home for the first time in years. In previous years we would go away for a few days, as Ari got very anxious of all the noise. And most years Frank worked the night of New Year. So we actually saw some fireworks this year :-)

Happy New Year! Great pics of the fireworks

Oh, here you are. Well, I suppose it was inevitable, wasn't it. Carry on.

>15 avatiakh: >16 humouress: lol.
Happy new year! Hope you have a fab one.

Dropping off a star! Gorgeous fireworks :)

Welcome back!

Happy New Year and happy new thread! Wow, those fireworks are spectacular!

Dropping off my star, Nina!

Happy to see you back again, Nina. Of course I'll be keeping up with all your adventures again this year. :)

Happy New Year, Nina. I love the Gaiman quote.

1) All Systems Red by Martha Wells

{First of 4: The Murderbot Diaries. Sci-fi. Kindle single}
LT recommended

 

I was looking for some quick reads to try and make my '75 books read in 2018' quota in the last couple of weeks in December. I found this as a Kindle single deal and since this has been getting a lot of (favourable) noise on LT recently I downloaded it to read. However, light, fluffy and quick it is not; I had to put brain into gear - and so it became my first book of 2019.

This novella is told in the first ... er ... person from the Murderbot's point of view. It (although, for some reason, I think of it as feminine) is a cyborg (part organic, part robot), rented out by The Company (which is never named) as a security unit to a scientific team which has an option to investigate an area of a new planet. There is another, larger team (on a different area of the planet) which rates more SecUnits rented out by the company but, as a robot, Murderbot feels no affinity to them. In fact, it has infiltrated it's governor module which is normally used by the company to give it instructions.

The novella opens thus:

'I could have become a mass murderer after I hacked my governor module, but then I realised I could access the combined feed of entertainment channels carried on the company satellites. It had been well over 35,000 hours or so since then, with still not much murdering, but probably, I don't know, a little under 35,000 hours of movies, serials, books, plays and music consumed. As a heartless killing machine, I was a terrible failure.

I was also still doing my job, on a new contract, and hoping Dr. Volescu and Dr. Bharadwaj finished their survey soon so we could get back to the habitat and I could watch episode 397 of Rise and Fall of Sanctuary Moon.'

The Murderbot has to be careful that no-one finds out that it has gone rogue but it does also seem to have developed a conscience as well as an addiction to space soap operas.

The mission goes disastrously wrong (possibly sabotage - but who?) and it has to make decisions that will save the humans it has been assigned to - but only by going against the programming from the governor module.

I don't tend to read much sci-fi and when it is, it's space opera like the Vorkosigan saga and I haven't read AI pretty much at all since I read most of Assimov's I, Robot series about thirty years ago, so this genre was quite fresh to me. I liked the protagonist and the team it worked for. The team was a good mix of (Earth) ethnicities and genders and I liked the way they approached situations relatively calmly. What surprised me was the way the Murderbot thought, rationalised and (despite constantly convincing itself otherwise - or trying to) cared. The ending was bitter sweet, but it opens the way for further Murderbot Diaries.

Nicely done. A sentimental view of a 'non-sentimental' being.

4.5 stars

Welcome Paul, Anita, Anita, Richard, Charlotte, Natalie, Jim, foggi, Roni, Susan, Micky and Beth! Happy 2019!!

>17 PaulCranswick: Maybe even a meet up this year, Paul?...

>18 FAMeulstee: That's nice, that you got to see in the New Year with Frank, Anita and got to see fireworks, too.

>19 figsfromthistle: Thanks Anita!

>20 richardderus: I humbly thank you for your permission, good sir. ;0)

>21 charl08: Thanks Charlotte! (I can empathise with Kerry because I get that from my sons. Although in their case, it's a blow by blow description of the fabulous moves they made playing football - and then I discover it was all on the Playstation.)

>22 curioussquared: Thank you. I made them myself. ;0)

>23 drneutron: Thanks Jim! And thanks for putting us on the map again in 2019.

>24 foggidawn: Thanks foggi! Singapore does put on a good show at New Year. Those are the main ones for the country and we've tried to get a good view that wouldn't squash the kids since the year our youngest was four. Now it's a family tradition (but unfortunately, the cost is starting to get prohibitive).

>25 ronincats: Thanks Roni! You found me!

>26 quondame: Thank you Susan!

>27 MickyFine: Thanks Micky! Maybe I'll even manage 75 book adventures this year.

>28 BLBera: Thanks Beth! It is a good quote, isn't it? That's why I couldn't resist using it again. I did hunt for another, but nothing topped this.

Dropping off my star Nina! Happy New Year!

Happy weekend-in-progress, Nina.

Happy new year and happy reading for 2019! If you pick up Earthsea again, I'd love to compare notes!

>31 The_Hibernator: Welcome Rachel!

>32 richardderus: Thank you Richard.

>33 Foxen: Welcome Katie! Thanks, will do. I’ve got that ‘so many books I want to read right now‘ feeling.

2) Tashi and the Haunted House

{17th and 18th of 32:Tashi series. Fantasy, children's}
(Re-re-read)

Jack's uncle Joe shyly introduces his friend Persephone to Tashi one day. She is a percussionist and reminds Tashi of his cousin Lotus Blossom - so that introduces another Tashi story. Tashi and his friend Ah Chu (love these names) are warned against going near the haunted house - so naturally they set off to find out why. Instead they discover Ning Jing who is being held captive by her wicked cousin Bu Li, so of course, they rescue her. That's when Lotus Blossom's talent for making weird noises comes to the fore.

Uncle Joe looks a lot like the actor Terry Thomas.

4****

The Big Race

Jack comes home full of excitement because the school stage had just collapsed and now they needed to think of ways of raising money to replace it. This reminded Tashi of the time he had to raise money to rebuild his school back in his home country and when two strangely familiar demons wandered into town.

Unfortunately, Mum doesn't seem to appreciate Persephone's accompaniment.

4****

3) The Runaway King by Jennifer A. Nielsen



{Second of 3: The Ascendance Trilogy children's, fantasy}
(Re-read)

This book follows on within a few months of the end of the first book, which concerned Conner's plot to find the 'lost' prince Jaron of Carthya. The main protagonist is Sage (who is about fourteen or fifteen years old) and the story is narrated in the first person from his point of view.

Sage realises that the king of Avenia is in league with the pirates who were hired to kill prince Jaron four years ago and the kingdom of Carthya is in danger from invasion on more than one front. To save the kingdom, he decides to join the pirates and infiltrate them from the inside. Imogen, who helped him at Farthenwood, doesn't want to see him put himself in danger. But there's the small matter of the princess Amarinda.

I like Sage's brashness - which gets him out of a lot of scrapes but also tends to get him into scrapes - and his dedication to his kingdom and friends. Obviously, other characters in the book feel the same way as I do because it wins him their loyalty. I like Sage's heroism, that he would try to save as many people as possible, whether he knows them or likes them. And he likes giving people second chances.

This is a nicely plotted novel for children/ young adults with lots of action and derring-do. Nielsen builds the tension skilfully; at some points I really wanted to read on to find out what happened while at the same time I almost couldn't bear to, in case all Sage's planning collapsed like a house of cards. And the number of times that things almost worked out, only for Sage to have safety snatched from him at the last moment by a bad turn of luck! The number of times things work out may be improbable in real life but work very nicely in this YA fantasy.

4.5

Mini-review from Dec 2015

Knights, thieves, pirates; swashbuckling adventure, a little bit of politicking, a hint of romance. Well written, focused if a little improbable in real life; but, hey, that's why I read fantasy. This series is addictive. It seems popular, too. I recognised it in Dutch the other day. Looking forward to the next book.

*Binding on this edition (Scholastic ISBN 978-0-545-28416-5) is bad.*

>29 humouress: I loved All Systems Red, and I have the second in the series, Artificial Condition, all queued up on my Nook. Are you going on with the rest of the books? (I hope).

Karen O.

Hi Karen and welcome to my thread!

I did enjoy All Systems Red although I think I should read it again without the time pressure to do it justice. However, I found this one on sale while the others were not, so I didn’t get them. I will look out for them though and continue with the series at some point.

>36 humouress: A re-read that holds up to the first positive impression is a valuable thing. *smooch*

Happy New Year, Nina!

As you may have noticed, I LOVE the Murderbot books. So fun! I read that, with the success of the novellas, a novel is now in the works.

I love that Gaiman quote up top. We're going to try the tv adaptation of his American Gods tonight. I'd love to have kindness really catch on everywhere - it's being talked about a lot these days, and I'm happy to see that.

If you haven't read the Binti books by Nnedi Okorafor, you might like those, too.

>29 humouress: I have that one on hold at the local library. Glad to see you thought so highly of it.

>39 richardderus: Truly. *smooch* back

>40 jnwelch: Welcome over, Joe. I'll have the book to look forward to, too, then. American Gods is showing here but I think I want to read the book first, since it's on my shelf. Let me know how good the show is.

Thanks for the Binti BB; I have been eyeing it, since so many people on LT like it.

>41 alcottacre: Hi Stasia and welcome to my thread. I'm not the only one here who liked Murderbot.

Pumping out the children's fantasy I see! I love children's and middle school fantasies. Much better than teen. But right now, I'm reading a bunch of board books. lol

Happy New Year, Nina! You had an awesome view of the fireworks - thanks for sharing. Like Joe, I LOVED the Murderbot Diaries and would highly recommend the Binti books - I still have to read the third one, but I thoroughly enjoyed the first two. They are perfect on audio, narrated by Robin Miles.

I knew I was missing someone!! A little late but still wishing you



And look at you already on book #4!!

>43 The_Hibernator: You may be right Rachel; children's and middle school books may be better than for teens. In fact, I don't think I read much teen-fantasy. Maybe the romance/ hormones get in the way?

Board books are good. I may go back and read some of the Dr. Mr. Whos from last year since I didn't write the reviews. (And then sneak them onto my list for this year.) I hope IL is appreciating the literature. :0)

>44 Crazymamie: Hi Mamie and welcome over! I think your threads raced away from me last year and I lost you.

The fireworks were fun. I think this year was the highest we've seen them from; I don't remember being level or above them before.

I'll certainly look out for the other Murderbot Diaries. Yes and the Binti too. I'm getting double BBs on my own thread *sigh*

>45 Berly: Welcome over Kim! I'll try not to hold it against you ;0) (who am I to talk?)

January and February tend to be good reading months for me - probably some left over adrenaline from trying to get to 75 at the end of the year and the boys are on holiday so there's less rushing around from pillar to post. Let's see if I can keep the momentum going.

4) Small Gods by Terry Pratchett

 

{Thirteenth of 41: Discworld series. Fantasy, humour, satire}
{Bookclub}

Another book in the Discworld pantheon with Sir Terry at his hilarious best. This book frequently made me smile, laugh, giggle silently or guffaw out loud though I suspect a lot of it went over my head, as usual. I did start off writing down funny quotes but it was interrupting my reading having to pause so often.

‘Time is a drug. Too much of it kills you.’

So: the major gods of Discworld live at Cori Celesti - but away from the Hub, on the outskirts of deserts or deep in marshes, people believe in small gods, linked to local waterholes and so on. And as the numbers of their followers grow, so does their status of these gods and their powers increase. Upon the belief in one such god, the Great God Om, is the city of Omnia sustained. And the novice priest Brutha (who has been a novice for many years and is likely to remain a novice for many more years) is one of his most fervent believers, having been brought up in a small village by his grandmother who instilled that belief deep in him.

His eighth prophet being scheduled to appear, the Great God Om descends to earth and takes the form of ... a one-eyed tortoise.

Now consider the tortoise ... It has about as good a turn of speed as you need to hunt down a lettuce.’

Who, having survived the fate once already, has a dread of being seized by an eagle and dropped from a great height.

‘Gravity is a habit that is hard to shake off.’

Actually, Brutha is probably Om's only true believer; fortunately, the eagle drops the Great God Om (as a tortoise) into Brutha's garden. And so events are set in motion.

Om, being arrogant in his power, has a tendency to lose his temper easily...

'Om lost his temper and turned Lu-Tze into a lowly worm in the deepest cesspit of hell, and then got even more angry when the old man went on peacefully shovelling.

'The devils of infinity fill your living bones with sulphur!' he screamed.

This did not make a great deal of difference.'

... but unfortunately (or not) his stock is rather low at the moment. The problem is that religion in the great city of Omnia is all show and no substance.

We also meet Vorbis who is in charge of the Quisition and is effectively in charge of Omnia's priesthood (and thereby, Omnia) and who has a Trump-like tendency to believe the lies he tells others to believe. He hears about the heresy that proposes that the Discworld is supported on the back of four elephant which stand on the shell of a giant turtle which is slowly swimming through space when all good Omnians know that the world is round and revolves around its pole.

And so with this cast of characters we travel to Ephebe where philosophers congregate and where the second greatest library on Discworld is situated - before it was burned down.

I confess, I didn’t digest Small Gods in one sitting. But the plot zigs and zags in unexpected ways, none of which I foresaw. Of course, everything works out happily, thanks in no small part to Lu-Tze the history monk (based on Lao Tse the philosopher, according to the Discworld wiki), who is there to observe events, otherwise they would just be random happenings.

And Cut-Me-Own-Throat Dibbler’s distant relative, Cut-Me-Own-Hand-Off-Diblah, makes an appearance or several. Necessarily, so does Death.

This book was absolutely hilarious in spots, funny in others, satirical in some and just narrative in parts.

4 stars

Litsy notes:

(But why did Om end up as a tortoise? Is there a higher being - that maybe he could pray to?)

Have you read Thief of Time yet? One of my favorites, and Lu-Tze plays a large part.

>50 ronincats: I haven't Roni. Maybe it's time to return to Discworld.

I did start Hogfather for the festive season but I got interrupted (by the festivities).

>49 humouress: I so wish the Pratchett books held the joy for me that y'all get out of them. Ah well, I'm simply deficient somehow.

>52 richardderus: It took me until Reaper Man to really start enjoying them, but with a few exceptions they got significantly better over the, not long enough for me, haul.

>52 richardderus: No comment. :0)

>53 quondame: I think they fluctuate for me. Discworld is about the only series I don't read in order so I don't know if the fault is on Pratchett's side with the writing or mine with being in the right mood to appreciate them. This book was absolutely hilarious in spots, funny in others, satirical in some and just narrative in parts. A lot of times, I have the feeling I'm missing the joke or maybe I think there's one there but there really isn't. Probably one reason (apart from the 40+ book investment) that I haven't collected the series.

But Small Gods worked for me.

>52 richardderus: >54 humouress: Not for me either. Sigh.

>54 humouress: I did like Small Gods. But Vimes & co are the ones that really appeal to me, and Rincewind & co those that really don't. Of course I like Susan & co.

>55 Berly: But worthwhile seeing if a recommendation works; Small Gods was chosen by a member of our new book club (second meeting last this Friday) as one of the good ones and it did work for me. Similarly, I’ll look out for Roni’s recommended Thief of Time.

I read almost all of Discworld starting in middle school and finishing in high school, and I think I own just about all of them. But Small Gods actually might be one that I didn't get to for some reason!

I haven't found myself as drawn to Discworld in the past few years, and I know there are books in the series I'll never read again. I love the Watch books and the Death books, and some of the Witches ones are fun, too. I also love Monstrous Regiment and the Moist books starting with Going Postal. And the Tiffany Aching ones. Okay, after writing all of that out, maybe I still like most of Discworld :) But, I don't see myself picking up any of the Rincewind novels again -- I never found him that funny even the first time around.

Hi Nina! Small Gods is one of my favourite Pratchett's - I've been thinking I need to revisit the Discworld series again. I might be in the minority but whilst I find Pratchett funny, that's not the main reason I enjoy his books - I think his satire/social commentary is brilliant and that's why I keep coming back to them.

>58 curioussquared: I've considered that the since Rincewind is the central character of the first two Discworld novels which were largely send ups of the silliness of the fantasy sold as sf popular when they were written, they have been somewhat off putting to someone who has heard those of us who love Vimes, Death, Moist and Tiffany (and yes Granny Weatherwax) raving about them. Pratchett's knives were well practiced at the time, but not his heart so much.

>60 quondame: Agreed! This whole thread is making me want to reread some Pratchett.

>49 humouress: I'm trying to read one series a year, starting this year. I'm debating between Discworld and A Song of Ice and Fire next year.

I kept trying with Pratchett, honest I did, but the filmed version of Hogfather led me to my only y'all's-level pleasurable experience with them...and then came The Color of Magic and Rincewind, *crash*thud*crunch* went I.

>63 richardderus: Not much of a Pratchett fan either, RD. About the only series of his that I can tolerate is the Tiffany Aching series. I think I have the wrong sense of humor to appreciate his work.

We're really enjoying the American Gods tv series, Nina, but there's a caveat - they've amped up the blood and violence, at least in the early episodes. I can see some logic - there are ancient, violent, bloody gods involved, but personally I wish they'd not done it to the extent they have. Still, it's almost comic book-ish in presentation.

Listening to Equal Rites after Amber mentioned it on her thread: I really like the witches.

>15 avatiakh: me too. I read one Pratchett book, and it was mildly amusing. It's okay, there are so many other books that I will enjoy.

>50 ronincats: >52 richardderus: >53 quondame: >55 Berly: >56 quondame: >58 curioussquared: >59 souloftherose: >60 quondame: >61 curioussquared: >62 The_Hibernator: >63 richardderus: >64 alcottacre: >65 jnwelch: >66 charl08: >67 fuzzi: Gosh, the camps on Pratchett are pretty firmly divided. Maybe it’s a British thing? Apart from Natalie, Susan and Roni it seems to be mainly the Brits who enjoy his books. Not just sense of humour but locations and events; there’s a joke in Good Omens (a Pratchett / Neil Gaiman collaboration) about the London Orbital motorway that you probably have to be a Londoner to really appreciate *, for instance.

For me, as I said, his writing ranges from amusing to absolutely hilarious and the narrative in between advances the plot. But those moments of hilarity and satirical amusement make it so worthwhile. Though sometimes I wonder about jokes but they’re not really there; there’s a very minor character in Small Gods called Aristocrates and I wondered if his name was a portmanteau of Aristotle/ Socrates/ aristocrat but there actually was such a name.

The reactions in our book club WhatsApp chat (which may or may not meet tomorrow to discuss it) are equally varied, with a couple of people finding it quite slow.

* and I mean appreciate, not merely understand the reference

>62 The_Hibernator: Two very different series, Rachel. Discworld runs to over 40 books while SOIAF isn’t finished yet.

As you can see, not everyone gets Pratchett’s humour but I find that you can read (most of) them as stand-alones. Martin, on the other hand, killed off my favourite characters by halfway through the second book and then did away with a fair chunk of my second tranche by the end of it, at which point I gave up. Too violent for me, although my husband loved the TV series (which was probably even worse).

>65 jnwelch: I haven’t watched ‘American Gods’ (yet) Joe although they’re showing it on cable here. Partly because I haven’t read Gaiman’s book although I have it on my shelves but also because I missed the first episode and I’m sure I’d be lost. It’s probably on demand somewhere around or will be shown again so I’ll catch it sometime.

Thanks for the violence caveat; as I said, not my thing so I’ll watch cautiously.

>69 humouress: We must have had very different sorts of favorite characters in GoT - I found that the too-stupid to live died disproportionately and the unamusingly vile likewise.

>69 humouress: >71 quondame: Haha, I was just thinking we must have had the same favorite characters in GoT! I gave up on the books halfway through the second one. I actually have really enjoyed the TV series, though -- I think the show does a good job of making me like characters I didn't like in the books.

>70 humouress: I found the violence in American Gods was too much for me, personally. Reading and seeing visually recreated are very different in my experience.

Hi, Nina! Finally making my way out of my own thread!

>8 humouress: I've got some of the same books on my radar this year. All Systems Red is on my list, as is working on the Chronicles of the Kencyrath, which I'd planned to read more of last year. Sadly, I finished the Vorkosigan Saga last year, although I can see a reread in my future for those books. Of course, I'll be continuing with the Realm of the Elderlings and I also plan to start The Wheel of Time series this year, although those chunkster fantasy books are a handful!

>71 quondame: Really? I felt those were the ones who got to survive :0)

>72 curioussquared: Oh, thank goodness; I was beginning to feel I was the only one. I did kind of watch the TV series out of the corner of my eye as my husband had it on. I could leave the room if the violence got too much, so I survived it - but I also missed bits of the story line.

>73 MickyFine: Hmm. Well, maybe I'll read the book first and then decide. Of course, the current trend in films etc is for more violence (as opposed to the previous trend for violence) so everyone seems to be upping the quota.

Hi Robin and welcome!

I think I'm going to have to re-read To Ride a Rathorn and go from there with the Kencyrath.

If you're thinking of the Wheel of Time, I've been planning to do that for a while. (In fact, I set up a group read a few years ago but didn't manage to get past the first book, myself. Partly because we stayed in Sydney longer than I had been anticipating and I wanted to read my books which were in Singapore.) Maybe we can read it together at a leisurely pace. Maybe we can even get a group read going ...

>76 humouress: Nina, a group read of the Wheel of Time series would be fun. I may have read the first one many, many years ago as well, but went on to other stuff, so I'm starting over fresh with the series.

I read the first book last year for the first time. Want to read the second this year.

>77 rretzler: Okay, let's do it! I'd like to read the first book again (for, possibly, the fourth or fifth time) and go from there. There is a prequel, New Spring but I have a feeling there are spoilers in it for some of the books. I think it came out in the middle of the second half of the series - so probably best not to start with that. Oh, and by first book, I mean The Eye of the World. I think I've seen more recent editions split it into two books.

>78 ronincats: You Roni? Wheel of Time? For the first time? I suppose you don't read much fantasy then. ;0)

If you don't feel like reading The Eye of the World, comment anyway and join us when we get to The Great Hunt.

I quite like the way Heather has set up the Elderlings group read. Shall we say it's a go?

As I said on my thread, I've just read The Eye of the World as part of this read-along at Tor.com, so I won't read it again, but I need motivation to move ahead on The Great Hunt.

https://www.tor.com/2018/02/20/reading-the-wheel-of-time-eye-of-the-world-part-1...

Hola neighbour!

>81 PaulCranswick: Hey Paul! Hoping we'll stay neighbours for long enough to meet - at least once.

>80 ronincats: I loved the Wheel of Time series, Roni (it got finished well by Brandon Sanderson after Jordan died), but it's a bigtime reading commitment. I thought the first five were great, so I give a thumbs up to The Great Hunt. After the first five, the subsequent books got a bit bloated with all his world-building. Still, the whole series was a great read for me.

Popping in to say Hi! and see what you're reading, not that I need any more book bullets though. : )

>75 humouress: I can’t cope with Game. Of Thrones either. We watched series I together, but then I left the watching to husband and son. Too much violence.

Darn, kinda shot myself in the foot. With all these BBs for The Calculating Stars, when I received an Amazon e-mail with a Kindle deal for it I ended up getting both books for $12.98. But the first book is just $2.98 (possible less in USD) in case anyone wants to get it.

>83 jnwelch: I read the Wheel of Time series as they were issued, having discovered them when the first two or three books were written, but I never got to the end and at this distance I really need to start from the beginning to keep track of all the characters, hypotheses (mine) and twists and turns. Looking at the state of the spines, I think I got as far as book 10 (Crossroads of Twilight). I did sort of like the world building but it made it harder to keep track.

You know how you say 'I never want this series to come to an end because I'm enjoying it so much'? But you know how they also say 'Be careful what you wish for because it might come true'?...

>84 Berly: Hi Kim! As you give, so shall you receive. (I'm full of wisdoms today, aren't I?)

>85 SandDune: Yup. I hear you sister.

>86 humouress: >88 humouress: Karma. Serves you right! LOL

5) The Ghostly Term at Trebizon by Anne Digby

{Eleventh of 14: Trebizonseries. Children's, school story. Kindle}

   

Since I've just read and reviewed my ten book omnibus of the Trebizon series, I thought I might as well go ahead and read the last books and finally find out what happened to Rebecca & co. (I didn't get this far when I first read them as a school girl).

Rebecca Mason has just spent the summer holidays between her fourth and fifth years with her parents and playing in the junior tennis tournament at Eastbourne although her parents don't realise how well she has been doing and have been mysteriously quiet about her end of term report. On the way back to school, she injures her wrist and is forced to stop playing tennis for the term. This does mean that she can focus on her GCSE coursework, which has been suffering from the time dedicated to practising, while her friends at Garth College are also focussing on their Oxbridge entrance exams.

Meanwhile, she meets an old friend from her London days - and someone seems determined to make the story invented by last years fifth years, about a Court House ghost, become reality.

I like the way Digby made Rebecca's parents into real people rather than the (necessarily) distant presence they have been up until now. GCSE course work isn't the most exciting topic to read about but, as I'm getting more acquainted with it since my own fifteen year old will be doing his GCSEs this year, I can relate.

The Trebizon books are short and easy to read as well as being plausible and grounded in real life. Unfortunately, my e-book edition (published by Straw Hat) did have some typos, swapping letters like 'b's for 'h's for example.

3.5 stars

>89 Berly: Actually, I meant you. I don't think I score too many hits. :0)

>69 humouress: Well, I've read some of the Discworld and some of the Song of Ice and Fire books, so I know how different they are. I am feeling I should wait on the Song of Ice and Fire until he finishes it, but I believe that he will pull a Robert Jordan and die before his series is done. He just takes too long between books. And he's not getting any younger.

Here's a video which is a bit dated, but in case you click on funny youtube videos:

George R. R. Martin, please write and write faster

>69 humouress: >92 The_Hibernator: I can handle the violence better in the Song of Ice and Fire books, in the Game of Thrones series on TV the violence hits harder. When it gets to much, I just keep my eyes closed until Frank tells me I can watch again.
I have tried a few Discworld books, but didn't like them.

>86 humouress: Heh...both books for less than the tree-book price of one, a steal in any territory. Happy reading!

*smooch*

>92 The_Hibernator: Very funny, thank you for the link Rachel.

Discworld is higher on my list because at least it's funny but neither of the series are really in my top ten (sorry).

>93 FAMeulstee: It's easier to switch off my brain and just gloss over the words if I'm reading, whereas if I close my eyes or use the iPad or some similar distraction, I can still hear the TV program. Worst case, I skip pages or walk out of the room where the TV is.

>94 richardderus: Thanks Richard! Although I'm not very good at reading my e-books. But Calculating Stars has been getting a lot of good reviews lately. I was thinking of borrowing it on Overdrive, but when it popped up as a deal, I thought 'Why not?'

>79 humouress: I'm definitely in - will call for a little rearranging, but it's all good!

>69 humouress: >92 The_Hibernator: I'm still hanging in there with GoT, although I wonder if Martin does get around to finally finishing them, how they may differ from the show. If he kills off Jon Snow in the book, and he's hanging by a thin thread right now, that will be the end for me. I predict important things for Jon and the show seems to be bearing out my prediction (and everyone else's too)

Okay!

The group read for The Wheel of Time is set up and ready to go: https://www.librarything.com/topic/302886

I'll do something similar to Heather's Realm of the Elderlings set up with a main thread linked to individual threads for each book, to avoid spoilers. I've set up the threads for The Eye of the World and The Great Hunt so far and will do the rest as people need them. (Actually, the thread for the second book is a bit of a work in progress because I've spent all morning browsing WoT related posts, images, news items and so on and I've run out of time. You can start moving in - just don't mind the work tools around the place.)

>97 humouress: You are amazing! Thanks for getting it all set up.

>98 rretzler: *blush* Thank you. I had fun with it, looking for images and so on. But now I’m feeling some pressure to start reading - and, of course, I’m quite excited about starting, having looked up all that stuff - because it would be a bit strange if I fell too far behind when I’m supposed to be coordinating :0)

So last night I was cheerleading for my dog; he seems to need me to stand in front of him while he eats or he leaves half his dinner. I can’t stand inside the house right in front of his food bowl but on the other side of the grille, I have to be outside with him. I was having a rather odd conversation ‘Good boy Jasper. You’ll grow up to be a big, strong dog,’ and at the same time ‘Stay there. Don’t move,’ in an aside to the frog that seems to like to shelter under his food and water bowl stand. Fortunately it did (I think it thought I was crazy).

This afternoon my son rang me at the end of school ‘Can you send an e-mail to my teacher right now to say I can borrow the Brotherband books because she’s not sure if it’s age appropriate?’

‘But then I’ll be late to pick you up,’ (a touchy subject between us)

‘I don’t care as long as I get to borrow my book!’

Ah, child of my heart.

>100 humouress: ahhh, you raised a reader...

>100 humouress: My dog used to be a picky eater who would just not eat sometimes. Then, my boyfriend accidentally spilled some frozen peas and Skelly gobbled them up and kept licking the floor looking for more. Now we add a handful of peas to each meal and he is SO EXCITED to eat. No, I don't understand it either.

Also, that's the cutest conversation with your son!!

>101 fuzzi: >102 curioussquared: :0) *proud mamma*

>102 curioussquared: Hmm, frozen peas huh? Yes, I bet Jasper would love the cold and the crunch of those.

I'm crawling around the threads to say I'm not dead but woefully unread, both books and threads. Happy polar vortex. Oh wait...y'all would *expire* in -30C air temps, -50C wind chills.

>104 richardderus: Gosh, Richard, you don’t look good at all. Wrap up well.

Think I’ll stay here on the equator and complain about the heat and humidity. And talk to frogs and geckos (but I digress ...).

>93 FAMeulstee: Yes, I agree. The violence is much harder to stomach when you're seeing it in full color. These books are a little heavy for me anyway, so I can only handle a bit at a time. The first book I cranked through really fast, but the rest of them I've really dawdled on. I think I'm half-way through the third, and can't remember what's happening anymore. I'm going to try restarting the series and doing audiobook instead, since I can't even remember what book I'm on! (I could, of course, check. But where's the fun in that?)

>100 humouress: Love that conversation about your son and choosing book over timeliness! Definitely the right choice. : )

>106 The_Hibernator: One reason I won't continue with SoIaF; I read the first two years ago before abandoning the series so I can't remember the details but I really don't fancy re-reading them, if I did want to continue. At a stretch, I might just go from book 3 and wing it.

>107 Berly: Though my dad denies it, he was always late when it was his day to pick my sister and me up from primary school. I didn't mind, though, because the library was in the same hall that we had to wait in. We had to sit in our class lines until there were just a handful of us left and then we could walk around so I'd make a beeline for the books. There was one day (though he vehemently denies it while criticising me for being 10 minutes late for my boys) that we didn't get picked up until 4 o'clock (instead of 1 o'clock). My mum got home, found the lunch uneaten and no girls at home so she was the one who finally picked us up. Me, I was as happy as a lark at all the bonus reading time.

This was in Africa and we didn't have phones at home. We had had a landline in the previous house that was one of the very few that worked - until it stopped working. When my parents needed to call family (overseas) urgently, like when my grandfather was sick, they'd go into my dad's office. Otherwise, I suppose, they would telex (but I never saw that). It was weird when we visited my grandparents and my grandmother would be on the phone gossiping to her friends at the drop of a pin.

>108 humouress: Wow, no phones growing up. What a contrast to the current generation of US kids, who are attached to their phones 24/7. Glad your mom finally came to pick you up and that you enjoyed your bonus reading time. (Bad dad!) : )

>108 humouress: That reminds me of the time my mum (and dad) forgot to pick me up from Brownies. I was a very unimpressed 8 year old!

Have you always lived outside the UK? I am jealous.

>109 Berly: Yup; I doubt my kids would survive, or my husband who's always been surgically attached to his mobile. It was a more innocent time then, when we (or I, at least) didn't worry about what could happen to kids if you didn't oversee them every hour of the day.

>110 charl08: Ah; that's because you didn't have a library to plunder ;0)

No, I spent the first 10 years (give or take) in Africa where we were lucky enough to live in a town where we had huge gardens and then moved to England. My husband was similar but he ended up growing up in Asia, which is where I moved when we got married. I haven't lived in England since, except for a couple of months or a couple of weeks here and there and though it isn't the same as when I was living there, I get homesick when I do come back.

Not to say I don't enjoy living in other parts of the world, though; every place has it's pros and cons.

>102 curioussquared: My son just brought Jasper back from his walk. Usually they go out after dark but now the sun is still up and they came back at 5.00. When he's hot, Jasper has a habit of splashing water out of his bowl and lying all spread-eagled on it. I thought this would be a good time to try out the frozen peas idea and give him a nice treat especially since he does like ice. So I chucked a handful of frozen mixed veg out to him (no peas in the house). He was quite interested at potentially getting some food (as he always is) but all he did when it landed was to sniff disdainfully at it, though he did check all the pieces hopefully, and then lie down on most of it. Well, I suppose it did serve some purpose.

Such a boy! (Struggling to convince my 10 year old to eat more veggies, too.) So, thank you for the idea. I liked it, but Jasper says 'no, thanks'. :0/

>113 humouress: Haha! I love the image of him lying down on all the veggies. Sorry it didn't work for you. I would maybe try again if you do have some peas in the house at some point -- Skelly turns up his nose at normal veggies, but enjoys more protein-heavy legume types like peas and lima beans. Dogs are weird!

>114 curioussquared: Dogs and boys!

>113 humouress: Lying spread-eagled on the frozen veggies to cool off! I have the image in my mind. LOL

So I forgot to say that we finally had our book club meeting last weekend - which is to say that most of us met up, after having to reschedule due to various people having other commitments. One member didn't make it in the end, but he was the one who recommended Small Gods. It being the weekend before the Chinese New Year holiday, we also tucked in to all the 'very healthy' CNY snacks (pineapple tarts, bak kwa, fried chicken wings etc) and we didn't really discuss the books thoroughly as such. We did give our impressions but we didn't do any in-depth analysis. If anyone has any pointers or suggestions as to how to discuss a book, I'd be grateful to hear.

Opinion was divided on Small Gods; the one guy present who had read the book (and seconded the initial recommendation, having read it before) - our host's husband having disappeared when we decided we ought to get on with book club business - was enthusiastic, the three other ladies not so much. One comment was that the humour was too much like slapstick. Me, I found some of the book hilarious and other parts okay. We weren't sure whether it might be a gender bias or a cultural thing, since the other three ladies are Singaporean and both gentlemen of the book club are British.

Red Rising found us more in agreement. I found it a bit violent, some people thought it was a bit like The Hunger Games (et al) but at least one person went on to read further into the series. But we all liked the way the society was structured (in its portrayal).

So it was a very nice evening - but we estimated we spent less than an hour discussing the books although I think we met for about four hours.

Only one book for next time. Since the lady I first talked to about SF&F books (if you remember, we started the book club with a membership of two) is a huge fan of the Raksura series and I liked All Systems Red which I read in December, we're going with the first Raksura book. I really ought to find the title - and, for that matter, obtain it and read it. We were supposed to meet on the first but fortunately for me, we'll have to push it back due to other commitments ...

The first Raksura book is The Cloud Roads and the first two chapters can be read here. The author's wiki for the whole series is here. I'm mildly surprised to see that this incredibly detailed and textured world doesn't have any sort of reader's guide/twenty questions materials! Still, the overview material could develop some ideas for questions to put the readers.

>117 humouress: Adding Red Rising to the BlackHole!

Like you, Nina, I can read violence better than I can tolerate watching it. I would never make it through Game of Thrones.

>117 humouress: Ooh, those book club snacks look delish!

>117 humouress: Sometimes bookclubs of two are the best. I miss mine.

>118 richardderus: Thanks Richard. I think I'll just keep you on hand for easy reference.

>119 alcottacre: Ooh, a BB. My full review is on my 2018 thread.

>120 foggidawn: Mmm, yes. I made a mistake and thought we were meeting over dinner, but by the end of the evening, I was quite full. Not helping my waistline, which has been expanding since November. (Even the new clothes I splurged on in London in October are a bit ... snug)

>121 quondame: Well, this is my first (RL) book club; hopefully we've got enough momentum up now to keep it going, having had two meetings. Can you get your duo back together, Susan?

>122 humouress: Alas, no. 50+ years and miles too. It was such a delightful immersion that I'm afraid my expectations spoiled what should have been comfortable friendships.

>122 humouress: *wheeeeee* I get a trip to Singapore!!

My erstwhile mate, Jeremy, was a *huge* fan of the Raksura books. I read two with him and then life intervened.

I like Martha Wells, but I haven't read any of the Raksura series yet. It looks interesting, though. I think that's a BB even though you haven't even read the book yet!

>123 quondame: Well, it's nice that you still have good memories.

>124 richardderus: Yup. As long as you promise to be reliable.

I shall take Jeremy's recommendation as a gift, then, thank you.

>125 antqueen: Wey-hey - another BB!

Wicked Scarlet, enjoying the book-bulleting of so many innocent bystanders. *tsk* Enjoy the Raksura reads.

>127 richardderus: Who, moi?



Thank you!

As soon as I am done with the Murderbot series by Martha Wells, I am going to have to see if my local library has any of the Raksura series.

(ETA: don't worry - they're just book bullets)

Hah - thought I solved the clue for the 8th treasure hunt heart and found it was actually the answer to the 14th heart. No matter; I'll take 'em any way I can get 'em.

Oh - and we discovered the >100 humouress: frog taking a swim in Jasper's water bowl. At least we also discovered that he won't go after it, although he does take an inordinate interest in garden lizards. Not in geckos, oddly enough nor - to my frustration - in the birds that steal from his food bowl though he'll growl at humans who get too close.

I've not worked out the book group perfect formula (although I'm very good at leaving them) but tend to think that sharing participation is key - asking people to bring a question along, or a comparison to another book. I once found a list of questions online, cut them up and asked people to pull one out at a time. Taking it in turns to lead, also. The food bit of your sounds wonderful.

Thanks for the ideas Charlotte. I'll see if I can find some questions to take along. I think all the members of the book club are new at this.

It's good to see comparisons of Red Rising with Hunger Games. I found Hunger Games disturbing for the kid-on-kid violence. And I hate love triangles. Of course, I didn't have to read the next two, because they were the types of books you couldn't avoid spoilers on.

>130 humouress: Ha!! Love it. I am definitely not that good at the Treasure Hunt. I have found 6 clues and kinda lost interest. Go, woman, go! ; )

Dear Ms Overkill, please accept this coffee as a peace offering....

>135 Berly: Finally got them all, but I had to ask for help and resort to some deep google research.

>136 richardderus: Thanks, Richard; you must be tired of the book bullets. That hits the spot. *slurp*

... by the way, that was sugar you added, right?

>137 humouress: ...of course...

>138 richardderus: Oh good. That's all right then.

Time to drop by your thread, I think. Though I have been lurking.

(>138 richardderus: Omigosh; that is literally giving me vertigo. Shame it's not one of the pictures I can't see. Any chance you could change it? A bouquet of flowers, maybe?)

>139 humouress: Is that one better?

Such a good friend you are. Thank you.

I think.

There aren't many penguins in Singapore, Nina which would slap them down a-plenty.

Thanks to RD for a smile on a Sunday morning.

Have a lovely Sunday neighbour.

>138 richardderus: That's the best! But what was it before?

>143 quondame: It was a gif zooming in on this :



but on a short loop.

So thoughtful, is our RD.

>144 humouress: Such a fun guy!

>142 PaulCranswick: You're right Paul. I should have just seen him off the premises.



(ach; me gifs aren't working. All right, he can stay.)

*preens*

>147 richardderus: tcha *eye-roll*

(Note to self: Trying to tidy up loose ends from last year (because the library wants their books back); finally posted my Nevermoor review.

Still hoping to do:
67) Nevermoor: the Trials of Morrigan Crow by Jessica Townsend
60) Dr. Thirteenth originated by Roger Hargreaves
54) The Thirteen Storey Tree House by Andy Griffiths
52) Crazy Rich Asians
51) The Magic Thief by Sarah Prineas
49) To Ride a Rathorn by P. C. Hodgell
46) Dr. Twelfth originated by Roger Hargreaves
45) Dr. Eleventh originated by Roger Hargreaves
44) Dr. Tenth originated by Roger Hargreaves
43) Dr. Ninth originated by Roger Hargreaves

carry on)

>52 richardderus: >68 humouress: I’m deficient, too.

>70 humouress: Violence isn’t my thing either. It’s why I never watched True Blood which is based on the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charmaine Harris which I really liked. I wouldn’t mind the sex scenes at all (hubba hubba) but I fear it will be far too bloody for my taste.

>108 humouress: My mom was also a late picker-upper and I remember several times when the school parking lot was totally empty by the time she picked me up. It was rather scary when I was at this one school that was surrounded by an unpleasant neighborhood.

>117 humouress: I might give the Raksura series a try after you tell us what you think.

Nice review of Nevermoor, Nina!

>150 Morphidae: Hi Morphy! Welcome over; good to see you here.

Discworld does seem to elicit love-it or don't-understand-it responses.

I wish they would tone down the violence in TV and films. There are a few things I'd like to watch but I'm wary of.

My dad used to pick us up when we were in primary school and I don't even remember the neighbourhood - but those were my halcyon days. I think the neighbourhood was fine and anyway, I had books, so I was oblivious (more than usually).

Raksura - that reminds me; my Overdrive hold on The Cloud Roads has finally come in and since I've only got a couple of weeks left, I'd better start reading!

>151 ronincats: Thanks Roni!

Ordered Clockwork Boys and The Wren Omnibus for my Kindle from the Amazon UK store.

>152 humouress: I think one of the scary parts was because I would get out of school and start reading. Then I'd come out of the reading haze, wondering where my mother was. I'd look around and where there had "just a moment before" been loud kids running around and cars streaming out of the parking lot, was now a dead place with crickets chirping. Spooky. And no cells phones back in the 70s either!

>155 Morphidae: Well, I had my sister there too, plus we were in the school hall rather than outside.

Have a great weekend, neighbour.

>157 PaulCranswick: Thank you Paul.

>158 Berly: Thank you Kim.

6) Dr. Ninth originated by Roger Hargreaves

(Ninth of 13 : Dr. Who/ Mr. Men series. Children's. Retro)

 

The Doctor meets Rose while shopping for a hat (where he sees a familiar looking hat and long scarf)- but then they’re accosted by Autons and they have to rescue Jack Harkness from them, too. Rose gets to see the inside of the TARDIS and is amazed.

3.5 stars

>160 humouress: My favorite Doctor! "Lots of planets have a North" said in a defensive huff still makes me giggle.

>161 richardderus: I wouldn't have suspected you for a Whovian. I think my favourites are the fifth Doctor and the tenth, just because I caught more of their programmes.

7) The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells

I've finished The Cloud Roads - and just in time! Our book club meeting (which didn't get postponed as many times as the last one) is tonight, though I thought I had a couple more days but, anyway, my Overdrive book expires today.

I really enjoyed this book; even though my reading mojo isn't back up to full power, it had me well hooked.

Moon knows that he is different from other groundlings. In spite of the fact that groundlings (humanoids) come in different shapes, sizes, colours, with scales, feathers, bone crests and so on, he is different because he can shift shapes and fly. Unfortunately he doesn't know exactly what he is. He learned enough when he was young to shape shift and to fly, so he could escape when the rest of his family was destroyed. Then, one day on the brink of disaster, he discovers that he is a Raksura and he has an offer to join the Indigo Cloud court.

This opens up a whole new world for Moon. But he has spent all his life hiding what he is and moving from groundling tribe to groundling tribe every time he was discovered and cast out - because maybe he is one of the dread Fell race who ravage the land. So he finds it difficult to trust. And the Raksura of Indigo Cloud are suspicious of him, a solitary male. Why didn't he try to find his own kind? Maybe he's a Fell ally.

Meanwhile, as Moon and the other Raksura try to get on with each other (or not) there are political manoeuvrings between the queens of Indigo Cloud and the Fell seem to have an unholy interest in the court.

I like Wells's world building and the way that humanoids are all quite different from the humans that we're used to. It's quite subtle; it gradually dawns on you as you read that you're not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy, you're in the Three Worlds (named for water, earth and sky). The terrain that Moon covers is quite familiar, ranging from deserts to icy mountains although there are also flying islands and mushroom-seeming creatures that stand up and run away. There is obviously a long history to this world but other than providing abandoned ruins to shelter in, it isn't relevant to this story.

In my imagination, while the groundling forms of the Raksura are humanoid, their shifted forms resemble dragons (as depicted on the Corgi editions of Pernese stories) although the covers I've seen depict them differently.

One minor quibble I have (and this may be the printing or a bad edition) is that occasionally, the past tense and pluperfect tense are mixed up ('sank' versus 'sunk' for instance). It sticks out and snags my attention out of the story (but I didn't notice anything similar in All Systems Red which I also read as an e-book), enough that I noticed when the words were used correctly.

I enjoyed this book enough that I'm planning on buying the series for myself.

4.5*****

>163 humouress: I've read & re-read the Raksura books, they are good tales.

So we had the book club meeting for The Cloud Roads, although a couple of members haven’t quite finished the book. It seemed to go on a gender divide again; the two guys were not so keen and of the four ladies, three of us really liked it and one (who hasn’t finished yet) thought it was okay.

We liked the world building and the adventure but we found it hard to visualise the characters. I picture the Raksura as similar to the cover illustrations of Pernese dragons (I’ll have to look up the illustrator’s name) while someone else thought of them as gargoyles and one or two others kept thinking of the creatures from the ‘Avatar’ film. One person commented that he couldn’t visualise the shape shifting.

   

Although we had made a resolution not to pick books in a series (because, even with the first in a series, that implies you have to continue with the series, and it only tells part of the story) we don't seem to have stuck with it very well. One comment was that you can see further books in a series coming off this and the lady who recommended this book (who is a great fan of the series) mentioned that Martha Wells has kept writing vignettes on-line, although she isn't planning on publishing any more books in the series.

I've been aware of the Raksura books but haven't gotten around to them yet.

>164 quondame: Appreciate the endorsement Susan. The friend who recommended them to the Book Club is also a fan. Better head off to Amazon and see if I can get it for my Kindle.

>166 ronincats: I think you'll like them Roni.

8) Dr. Tenth originated by Roger Hargreaves

{Tenth of 13 : Dr. Who/ Mr. Men series. Children's. Retro}

 

Dr. Who is trying to take a well-deserved holiday on an alien planet when a spaceship lands on it because the Sontarans have decided to invade. So he tries to convince General Staal that he is not an enemy and all he wants is for the Sontarans to leave so that he can have some peace and quiet - but the General doesn't believe him.

4****

9) Dr. Eleventh originated by Roger Hargreaves

{Eleventh of 13 : Dr. Who/ Mr. Men series. Children's. Retro}

 

The Doctor and River Song have just spent a very busy day avoiding danger from all quarters. Unfortunately, the Doctor has left something vitally important behind - but he can’t remember when or where he left it or what, in fact, it is. They do have a time machine though, so they go back and retrace their steps through all the dangers.

4****

*reading mojo still low. Suspect youngest son may have taken it*

>170 humouress: I often say that children are energy vampires, sucking the energy out of the unsuspecting adults around them. Why else are parents, teachers, and others who work with children always so exhausted? So it makes sense that they might appropriate reading mojo, too.

>171 foggidawn: Thanks for the sympathy Foggi. In this case, though, he’s using it. He’s storming ahead with book 4 for the Ranger’s Apprentice group read, for example, (not to mention the other books he’s read in between) while I haven’t even started book 1

>172 humouress: At least someone in the family is reading then! Hope the mojo returns asap.

Sometimes I think it's great to just embrace other activities when you don't feel like reading. The books will still be there when you're back in the mood for them.

>170 humouress: That's funny! But not. Sorry you have lost your mojo. Hope it comes back soon.

>174 MickyFine: Thanks Micky. It's six of one and half a dozen of the other - I do want to read but all the stuff I've been putting off is threatening to deluge me, so I ought to get to it. On the other hand, I haven't got the reading jitters yet, which is when I absolutely have to read a book. My husband is binge-watching 'Game of Thrones' which they are showing all the series, with back to back episodes every night in the run-up to the new series. I suspect that is fulfilling the need (when I can bear to watch. At least this time, he can forewarn me or fast forward).

>175 Berly: Thanks Kim. It's showing signs, but not back fully.

Hmm; well, it's a new quarter and I have the follow-on link - so I think it's time to start a new thread.