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Hey, I missed last month thanks to a new job that has thrown my routine totally out of whack. But G33zer got it so that's good :)

I have been reading. Let's see, this will be long -

I read 3 books in Lynn Kurland's Nine Kingdoms series (it's set up as trilogies), Star of the Morning, The Mage's Daughter, and Princess of the Sword. I really enjoyed these, solid fantasies with a strong romance subplot that doesn't overshadow anything (no sex either).

I read Bill The Vampire which was awful and offensive yet somehow I read the whole thing - like staring at a train wreck I guess. Maybe I was waiting for the main character to become less of a nasty jerk. But nope. It was short at least.

I read Scott Sigler's trilogy Infected, Contagious, Pandemic. It was very good, but I was getting tired of "yet another mutation" by the end.

I finished Armada finally. Totally lacking in the charm RPO held for me.

The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet was next and I really enjoyed it, though it's much more of a slice-of-life story, character driven, than any kind of action adventure, space opera thing I was expecting. It was a very good set-up novel if she continues to write about the characters.


I read California Bones by Greg van Eekhout. I liked it a lot and will continue the series at some point (I was lucky to catch the first one on sale for Kindle).

The Girl in the Spider's Web - I just had to read it, I'm such a fan of the other books. And I really liked it. It was a bit different - I think better in some ways because Larsson was pretty wordy and went off on some tangents. I think it didn't have quite enough Lisbeth scenes and the whole plot was a bit murky and wrapped up kind of out-of-the-blue. But the other books were kind of like that too. Anyways, I liked it just fine.

Last book, I finished yesterday - The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry. Really nice little book about a bookstore owner. I think any big reader would like this book, even if it doesn't have any fantasy or scifi elements going on.

Up next, finishing Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, which I was listening to, but I don't have a long drive now, so I'm just going to read the rest of it.

Right now I'm reading A Canticle for Leibowitz, on a recommendation from my ol' sparring partner, G33z3r. So far, it's fantastic so I don't think it'll be too long in the finishing.

Then because it's October and I'm due, I'm going to read A Head Full of Ghosts. And probably some other kind of horror because I'm a traditionalist that way. But also on the docket are The Stars My Destination and The Demolished Man because, apparently, I am under-educated in my science fiction canon.

For those interested in what new releases they can look forward to this month,


Tor.com lists some selections:




SFSignal has:


Kirkus recommends:

For sure I am reading The Restorer, I started that last night around midnight (insomnia). But, on deck for October I have Books of Blood, Volumes One to Three (thank you Bobby) and Something Wicked This Way Comes. Provided those go easily I would like to read:

Leviathan Wakes
Hyperion
Poison Study
The Three-Body Problem
And finish The Secret Country (about half way through now)

Amelia wrote: "For sure I am reading The Restorer, I started that last night around midnight (insomnia). But, on deck for October I have Books of Blood, Volumes One to Three (thank yo..."

Amelia, I was about to jump into Everville but it turns out, even though it can stand alone, it's second in the series after The Great and Secret Show which means I have to read both -- just because I know that the first one exists, sooooo...hm, maybe that should be my other horror. That should get me through October.

Right, adding to the fail that I read it by accident thinking it was The Thief of Always...

Amelia wrote: "Right, adding to the fail that I read it by accident thinking it was The Thief of Always..."

Which also looks pretty good...

The Thief of Always is short, you'll have that read in a couple of days easy. My copy is 225 pages with pen & ink illustrations.

Finished A Canticle for Leibowitz (high five Bobby!) due to it being a group read for a different group, and Aurora. Both were quite good and I enjoyed them.

Currently reading The Snow Queen and it is fantastic so far. Empire Ascendant comes out next week so, lots and lots of reading to do. Already read both the October reads for this group though, so no problems there.

Oh! The Snow Queen looks quite good. What do you think so far, Brendan?

Amelia wrote: "Oh! The Snow Queen looks quite good. What do you think so far, Brendan?"

I'm about a third of the way through and so far I'm really enjoying it. There's political intrigue, music-based duels to the death, and some weird nanomachine infection that turns people into computers. Very neat.

Occultation by Laird Barron

Ooooh, must have! Thanks, Brendan!!

FYI, We had a group discussion of The Snow Queen earlier this year.

I finished up The Miniaturist yesterday, which was not at all what I expected when I entered/won a copy from the giveaways. Doesn't really fit this group, but there is a small amount of mysticism to it. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would considering it's not my usual cup of tea. I then started 1632, which I bought years ago but never really got going on. That is my plan through this holiday shopping season upcoming is to pick up some books I own that I never finished up over the years, so I don't spend Christmas gift money on myself.

Amelia wrote: "For sure I am reading The Restorer, I started that last night around midnight (insomnia). But, on deck for October I have Books of Blood, Volumes One to Three (thank yo..."

Really enjoyed Poison Study. Can't wait to see what you think.

I'm currently reading The Infinite Sea I have some issues with it, but I still like the story so far so I'll finish it.

Need to get back to Knight's Shadow which I'm only 1/3 of the way through. I got sidetracked by the Everest movie which made me read Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Di[book:The Dread Wyrmsaster|1898] and Dark Summit: The True Story of Everest's Most Controversial Season again.

Waiting on Beowulf's Children to arrive. After talking about it here, I broke down and ordered a copy from a used book store.

And highlight of October will be when The Dread Wyrm comes out on the 20th!

Was fortunate enough to receive an ARC of Slade House by David Mitchell. Flew through it in a couple of nights, it's really more of a novella than a novel. I was relatively shocked by this since my previous experiences with Mitchell were Cloud Atlas and The Bone Clocks.

Anyway, Slade House is a fun little take on the haunted house sub-genre set within the universe of Mitchell's "uber-novel". This makes it sci-fi, I promise! Lots of characters and names from The Bone Clocks show up so it's fun for Mitchell fans, but still stands alone as a good read for those who haven't read any of his previous works.

Next up will be Hyperion for the group read!

Michael wrote: "I finished up The Miniaturist yesterday, which was not at all what I expected when I entered/won a copy from the giveaways. Doesn't really fit this group, but there is a small amou..."

I haven't even looked to see what that book was about, but it put me in mind of:



Pretty cool, have a look. I saw it at a museum exhibit back home a few years ago. The miniature were all there, and then the film(s) were running on a loop in one room. It was just the right mix of really cool and pretty creepy! :) Very October!!

Kivrin wrote: "Amelia wrote: "For sure I am reading The Restorer, I started that last night around midnight (insomnia). But, on deck for October I have Books of Blood, Volumes One to Three. I started it about midnight on Thursday night and finished it this morning before I rolled my lazy arse out of bed. I HAD to finish! I would have stayed up last night, but the words were starting to blur. :)

Kivrin wrote: "I'm currently reading The Infinite Sea I have some issues with it, but I still like the story so far so I'll finish it.

Need to get back to Knight's Shadow which I'..."

Are you a climber?

I like a good rock wall, but that's about it. Can't figure out why anyone would put themselves through that kind of punishment.

*snorts* I'll ask my mister when he gets back from the airport. He used to climb (pre-me), almost summited Mt. Adams on his own, but got altitude sickness a couple thousand feet short of the summit and wisely descended (since he was alone). He says that if he hadn't met me he'd probably be a Sherpa in Nepal. :)

I don't like heights...thinking of taking up kayaking though.

My hubby's a kayaker. It's funny. I wouldn't take the risk to climb Everest, but I'd go into space in a nanosecond!

*snort* No thanks, no deep sea diving either...claustrophobia. I'm okay, unless I feel trapped. Elevators don't bother me, but zipped up sleeping bags make me FREAK out! Ha! Weirdo.

I normally don't do this. Most authors can get away with slacking a bit once I've fallen for their worlds and characters. I'm finishing the Sword of Truth series, and I'm rapidly losing my love for it. What an utter disaster.. it's fallen to episodic clichéd forgettable randomness... no form , little function. Terribly disappointing. I'm starting Phantom today, though I'm not sure why. Rant complete, apologies!

I'm not sure what I'll read yet...been too busy running errands (got ta pay the rent or I'll be reading in the street) and working around the house...hope to read a bunch of short stories this month tho

Alex wrote: "I normally don't do this. Most authors can get away with slacking a bit once I've fallen for their worlds and characters. I'm finishing the Sword of Truth series, and I'm rapidly losing my love fo..."

Terry Goodkind is not my favorite, to say the least, so you can rant away! I got through the fist one okay, I think I gave it 3 stars, but didn't even finish the second, so you made a LOT further than I did!!

Spooky, you already read the October reads? Both of 'em?

*snort*

Spooky, I just did a "book compare" to see if there was anything fun to recommend...we have 7 book in common. Seven. (And, one of those was The Cat in the Hat!) Ha! Never mind.

I best get reading...

The Sword of Truth started fine. But then it just got preachy and Goodkind's preachy is none-too-subtle. I got to the fifth book before I got fed up with hearing the same story again and again interspersed with piles of gratuitous borderline literotica that puts any Fellurian complaints to shame.

Just tackled The Emperor's Blades (finally) and Old Man's War (also finally). Waiting for my reserved copy of Shadows of Self!

Leo (Rahien Sorei) wrote: "The Sword of Truth started fine. But then it just got preachy and Goodkind's preachy is none-too-subtle. I got to the fifth book before I got fed up with hearing the same story again and again inte..."

The Emperor's Blades gets two BIG thumbs up from me. Love that book.

not yet Ms. A, but i'll get on the case soon enough. :)

hey, how do you do "book compare"? is there a button for that???

Yeah, when you go to a person's profile (they either have to be public, or you be friends with them), then just below their profile data there are options to "Send a Message", "Recommend a Book", "Compare Books", etc...

Kivrin, I was supremely pleased with Staveley's premier novel (review incoming) and couldn't put it down! So excited for book two, inordinately so. However, I had some quibbles, but nothing too major, solid 4 stars.

Kivrin, I was supremely pleased with Staveley's premier novel (review incoming) and couldn't put it down! So excited for book two, inordinately so. However, I had some quibbles, but nothing too major, solid 4 stars.

Spooky1947 wrote: "hey, how do you do "book compare"? is there a button for that???"

Holy smokes, Spooky. How long have you been on this site, yo?

Rereading Honor Harrington Novel series

years, Bobby, years....

Spooky1947 wrote: "years, Bobby, years...."

Hey, do you remember where the "Is science fiction getting more pessimistic" thread is? I can't find it.

2013? What? I think of you as like an old, old Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ timer. Like G33z3r. What made me think that?

Bobby wrote: "Hey, do you remember where the "Is science fiction getting more pessimistic" thread is? I can't find it."

Has SciFi become More Pessimistic? (Being pessimistic about Spooky1947 doesn't count, though.)

naaa....I'm not like a old oldtimer...I joined Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ when Amazon bought it...that was when I first heard about it

That means I'm oldertimerer than Spooky. :)

I think I started in 2007.

Amelia wrote: "That means I'm oldertimer than Spooky. :)

I think I started in 2007."

I'm all mixed up. I thought you were a newbie. Have you always had that funky avatar?

I'm new to your group, not GR. I've been here ages. Longer than I've been married to the Mr! :)

And, "that funky avatar" is 7 of 9! 7 is awesome!!

Amelia wrote: "I'm new to your group, not GR. I've been here ages. Longer than I've been married to the Mr! :)"

Poor man must have a name. When you call him "the Mr." it sounds like you guys are already On Golden Pond. In your Depends. With your walkers.

Amelia wrote: "And, "that funky avatar" is 7 of 9! 7 is awesome!!"

Oh I recognized her right away. ;-)

That's the name another group I've been with for years gave him. Mr Amy.

My family dubbed y'all the "book nerds" a LONG time ago. So funny. My sister once said to me, "Sissy, you're so weird! You talk about the nerds like they're real people!" To which I replied that y'all are actual real people, some I had even met in person by that point. Shut her up.