What are you reading?

Discussion in 'Miscellaneous' started by Snowlilly, Aug 21, 2012.

  1. Velocity

    Velocity Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    May 19, 2001
    Location:
    In the back of beyond
    Norse Mythology by Neil Gaiman
     
  2. Smellincoffee

    Smellincoffee Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    May 20, 2005
    Location:
    Heart of Dixie
    The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood of Great Renown in Nottinghamshire
     
  3. Skellington

    Skellington Part-time poltergeist Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2009
    Location:
    Dublin, Ireland
    Norse Mythology also.

    Before that, The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks. I had not read this before, and I think it's been about 25 years since I started reading him. It's his first published novel and kind of reads like the distilled essence of a Banks narrative, the master mold from which all others have sprung. It's a short novel, but could maybe have done with some snipping as the single-character narration and meticulous detail can wear a bit thin. Nonetheless it's a superlative novel - assured, thoughtful and provocative.
     
    trekkiedane likes this.
  4. Locutus of Bored

    Locutus of Bored Yo, Dawg! I Heard You Like Avatars... In Memoriam

    Joined:
    Jul 5, 2004
    Location:
    Hiding with the Water Tribe
    Isaac's Storm by Erik Larson, writer of the excellent The Devil in the White City (about serial killer HH Holmes and his "murder castle" during the Chicago World's Fair). Isaac's Storm deals with meteorologist Isaac Cline's hubris about (not) building a sea wall and how it helped lead to the complete destruction of Galveston, Texas in the hurricane of 1900, and the deaths of up to 12,000 people when the storm surge flooded the city. It also deals with how hurricanes are formed, the birth of modern meteorology, the history of the booming city of Galveston up to that point and how despite being rebuilt, elevated 17 feet, and given a sea wall after the hurricane, the new city never regained its former glory and was surpassed in prominence by Houston further inland.
     
  5. Nyotarules

    Nyotarules Vice Admiral Moderator

    Joined:
    Jan 20, 2016
    Location:
    London
    Great series if you want to read about a Starfleet that is far from perfect
    Star Trek Vanguard - Declassified
    Star Trek Vanguard series book 3 - Reap the whirlwind
     
  6. Smellincoffee

    Smellincoffee Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    May 20, 2005
    Location:
    Heart of Dixie
    The Eagle and the Wolves, historical fiction about a Roman legion invading Britain. Right now they're training the natives so they can fight the Taliban. I mean, the Dark Moon Druids.
     
  7. Kor

    Kor Fleet Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Jul 31, 2001
    Location:
    My mansion on Qo'noS
    I started reading The Fountainhead last night.

    It's dreadful. :thumbdown:

    Kor
     
    Balok's Decoy likes this.
  8. Smellincoffee

    Smellincoffee Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    May 20, 2005
    Location:
    Heart of Dixie
    Still picking my way through The Canterbury Tales. I'm using a massive edition that has the original text on the left side, and modern English on the right. I'm 2/3rds of the way through. Lots of romantic pining, fighting, and two episodes of accidental posterior-smooching.
     
  9. Velocity

    Velocity Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    May 19, 2001
    Location:
    In the back of beyond
    Yep! The Fountainhead is claw your eyes out dull.
     
  10. Balok's Decoy

    Balok's Decoy Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    Aug 13, 2016
    Location:
    Balok's Decoy in Baltimore, MD
    Atlas Shrugged is even worse if you can believe it. It's like The Fountainhead on human growth hormones and even less self-awareness.
     
  11. mimic

    mimic Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2001
    Location:
    Virginia
    Just finished The Fifth Season by NK Jemison, and if anyone's looking for an excellent fantasy read, can't go wrong here. She avoids the typical tropes of the genre and comes up with a truly original world.
     
  12. Nyotarules

    Nyotarules Vice Admiral Moderator

    Joined:
    Jan 20, 2016
    Location:
    London
    Star Trek Vanguard - Open Secrets (book 4 of 9)
     
  13. Vorpal_Blade

    Vorpal_Blade Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

    Joined:
    May 29, 2016
    Location:
    Nebraska
    I'm reading 'The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever'.
     
  14. Smellincoffee

    Smellincoffee Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    May 20, 2005
    Location:
    Heart of Dixie
    Sister Queens, a joint biography of Queen Catherine and Queen Juana, the sisters of Isabella & Ferdinand who both met sad ends.
     
  15. Greg Cox

    Greg Cox Admiral Premium Member

    Joined:
    May 12, 2004
    Location:
    Lancaster, PA
    Harrison Squared by Daryl Gregory: a Lovecraftian YA novel.
     
  16. Smellincoffee

    Smellincoffee Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    May 20, 2005
    Location:
    Heart of Dixie
    Why not start with Anthem? It's a lot shorter, the same philosophy is there ,and the random preachiness is at the very end and limited to only a few pages.

    I just read The Armada, which taught me the fun word "billingsgate" -- the verbose profanity used by sailors. Now finishing Sense and Sensibility, and then on to...1066, by Peter Rex.
     
  17. Lowdarzz

    Lowdarzz Captain Captain

    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2008
    My brother told me that a television adaptation of Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series is in the works so I've decided to start this series with the prequel New Spring.

    It'll only take me a few years to get through all 14 books.
     
  18. Smellincoffee

    Smellincoffee Commodore Commodore

    Joined:
    May 20, 2005
    Location:
    Heart of Dixie
    Reading Spain in the Southwest, a history of New Mexico, California, Texas, and (presumably) Arizona & Colorado.
     
  19. Velocity

    Velocity Vice Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    May 19, 2001
    Location:
    In the back of beyond
    The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher
     
  20. Gaseous Anomaly

    Gaseous Anomaly Bonzo Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2005
    Location:
    Hanging out
    The misc forum on TrekBBS!