• Welcome to the Fantasy Writing Forums. Register Now to join us!

What are you Reading Now?

pmmg

Myth Weaver
At present I happen to be reading the Iliad and the Odyssey, they kind of go together. I had not remembered the level of detail these went into. They are quite specific about who killed who in battle, and how the fatal blow was struck. It does seem to quite specific for something that may have just been myth. I am not surprised that some took it more literally and went looking for the actual Troy.
 

Mythopoet

Auror
Finished reading the Broken Earth trilogy by N. K. Jemisin. I actually powered through most of The Fifth Season and all of The Obelisk Gate over a weekend and then it took me a good week to get through The Stone Sky. Mostly because I got really busy but also because the final book dragged a bit toward the beginning. Despite this and some elements I found personally distasteful, this was a really incredible trilogy. Truly immense in scope as very few fantasy books are. I loved it mostly for the worldbuilding and backstory and central confllict. Didn't really find any of the characters, save one, relatable or likeable. But their stories were still interesting. Even fascinating. And the writing was excellent. Recommended, but beware of some sexual crudeness.
 
Not too long ago I read We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson. I've been burned so many times by YA, and i normally don't read contemporary, but this was *so* good. Rated 5 stars on Goodreads.
 

Mythopoet

Auror
I've begun reading A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab. It's interesting, but not exactly a page turner.
 

Gurkhal

Auror
I've got almost everything historical fiction written by Mary Renault on its way to me. Thus expanding from The Last of the Wine to new visions of ancient Greece. :D
 

skip.knox

toujours gai, archie
Moderator
Just finished Jack Campbell's Dragons of Dorcastle. The fellow knows how to serve up an adventure tale. It's a bit by-the-numbers, but solid writing and clever ideas carried the day for me. Definitely a cut above other fantasy I've read lately.
 

Mythopoet

Auror
I've got almost everything historical fiction written by Mary Renault on its way to me. Thus expanding from The Last of the Wine to new visions of ancient Greece. :D

I'm going to have to look for these. I love ancient Greece.

I finished reading A Darker Shade of Magic in one day. Quite good. I'll definitely read the sequels at some point.

Then I read The Watchmaker's Daughter by C. J. Archer. Decent mystery adventure story with a strong dash of romance.

Also finished reading Tales of Three Hemispheres by Lord Dunsany. I really enjoyed the two sequel stories to Idle Days on the Yann, which was one of my favorites from A Dreamer's Tales.

Now I'm reading Hadon of Ancient Opar by Philip Jose Farmer which takes place in Africa 10,000 BC. Very interesting so far.
 

Steerpike

Felis amatus
Moderator
Just finished Jack Campbell's Dragons of Dorcastle. The fellow knows how to serve up an adventure tale. It's a bit by-the-numbers, but solid writing and clever ideas carried the day for me. Definitely a cut above other fantasy I've read lately.

I've listened to the whole series, and the second, on audio during my long drives. Lots of fun, and I like the characters. Yeah, it's a bit by the numbers, but Campbell knows how to tell a good story (if you haven't read his Lost Fleet books--also good and less by the numbers).
 

Steerpike

Felis amatus
Moderator
Been reading the Gray Man series, by Mark Greaney. Four books in, and so far they're a hell of a lot of fun. Think Jason Bourne-style thrillers. Realism isn't always at the top of the author's list, but entertainment is.
 

Dark Squiggle

Troubadour
Just Finished Dreamsnake by Vonda N. McIntyre. I liked it a lot. Postapocalyptical but not dark, and character based, with minimal worldbuilding, can you imagine that?
Started reading Knickerbocker's History of New York. I like it so far, but it's not as good yet as I thought it would be.
 

T.Allen.Smith

Staff
Moderator
I've learned a lot as a writer by reading widely, across genres.

Currently, I'm reading Cormac McCarthy's All the Pretty Horses. Its a period piece about two young cowboys coming of age in 1949.
 

Incanus

Auror
Re-reading Memories of Ice.

It's very, very cool. If there was ever a series designed to be re-read, it is these Malazan books. I'm getting much more out of it this time around.

Also, reading a book about ancient cities by L. Sprague de Camp. Not researching anything in particular, just trying to increase my general knowledge, and perhaps get some inspiration.
 

Ban

Troglodytic Trouvère
Article Team
I'm mid-way on Siddharta Mukherjee's "the Emperor of all Maladies" and nearly finished with Selwyn Raab's "the Five Families". I like thick, informative books and I can recommend both to people interested in understanding the history of cancer treatment or the history of the mafia in New York city.
 
Top