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What are you Reading Now?

Geo

Troubadour
So I just finished the Book of Amber; the compendium of the ten novels by Roger Selazny referred as the Chronicles of Amber. I read them all before -long ago- and I have to say that I liked them much more at that time. Nonetheless, Zelazny's take on the multiverse is superb and he's a master of vivid descriptions.
Done with that, I'll start A handmaid's tale, I also read this one as a teen and I wonder if I'll like it as much now.
 

skip.knox

toujours gai, archie
Moderator
Now reading The Arm of the Sphinx, the sequel to Senlin Ascends, by Josiah Bancroft. As many reviewers have said, it's even better than the first, and the first was brilliantly original. Most original fantasy I've read in quite a while, this book is welcome proof that a book can be grim and dark without being grimdark.
 
I just started Throne of Glass.

There are lots of mature, nuanced YA novels with complex themes and writing. This, to be honest, does not look as if it's going to be one of them. I don't know yet, though, only about 40 pages in. Just read the first few chapters paired with chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. I've got to read the series, anyway; I got the first four books in the series for Christmas from my Mamaw (who already read and loved the first book, and keeps bugging me semi-subtly about starting it...She loves books and will read anything, so i've been giving her everything I read, and more recently, using her as a test reader to see if a book is worth it. Lol). They're hardcover and gorgeous and look amazing on my shelf, and oh well. Too much of my shelf is unread. Gotta start tackling that.

It looks a bit fluffy, but, whatever. Could be fun; I'm entertained so far. And i've heard the books get better as they go along.
 

Demesnedenoir

Myth Weaver
Which takes me to a tangent... do the books get better or do we just get "into" the writer's voice? I've found this one of the issues when trying to critique single chapters.

I just started Throne of Glass.

There are lots of mature, nuanced YA novels with complex themes and writing. This, to be honest, does not look as if it's going to be one of them. I don't know yet, though, only about 40 pages in. Just read the first few chapters paired with chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. I've got to read the series, anyway; I got the first four books in the series for Christmas from my Mamaw (who already read and loved the first book, and keeps bugging me semi-subtly about starting it...She loves books and will read anything, so i've been giving her everything I read, and more recently, using her as a test reader to see if a book is worth it. Lol). They're hardcover and gorgeous and look amazing on my shelf, and oh well. Too much of my shelf is unread. Gotta start tackling that.

It looks a bit fluffy, but, whatever. Could be fun; I'm entertained so far. And i've heard the books get better as they go along.
 
Which takes me to a tangent... do the books get better or do we just get "into" the writer's voice? I've found this one of the issues when trying to critique single chapters.

That's an interesting question. For me, I think my inner editor tears apart the writing style of everyone I read until I reach the point where I'm fully invested in the story, at which point I kinda drop the judging of the writing and let the story lead.
 

Insolent Lad

Maester
I'm doing a reread of Haggard's "She" at the moment — and finding occasional bits I have unconsciously stolen over the years... :)
 

Geo

Troubadour
After a long week end without interruptions (nieces and nephews went to camp on the coast), I managed to finished Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's tale," which I found even more chilling than when I read it the first time as a teen, and also Diana Wynne Jones' "Howl's Moving Castle," which is absolutely surprising and so well crafted it's inspirational. I really liked how Wynne Jones takes well known details of classic fairy tales and integrates them into a totally new world.
 
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Tom

Istar
What a coincidence! Right now I'm rereading Castle in the Air, the sequel to Howl's Moving Castle. @TheCrystallineEntity, have you read The Tough Guide to Fantasyland? It's absolutely hilarious, and one of my favorite Diana Wynne Jones books.
 
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Geo

Troubadour
What a coincidence! Right now I'm rereading Castle in the Air...

Which I started yesterday... so really a coincidence

Have you read The Tough Guide to Fantasyland? It's absolutely hilarious, and one of my favorite Diana Wynne Jones books.

I'm not TheCrystallineEntity but The Tough Guide to Fantasyland was the first book I read from Wynne Jones and I absolutely love it. That one and Good Omens are my to-go books when I need a mood pick up.
 
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Mythopoet

Auror
Finished my umpteenth reread of Dune. It's such a magnificent book.

Began reading through all the Zothique stories by Clark Ashton Smith. I have a volume of all of his stories, but I've never read through all of it. I mostly skipped around and came across some good stories and some rather mediocre ones. This time I looked up which stories are part of one of the consistent settings he created and decided to read that way. Right now I'm going through all of the Zothique stories. To be honest it's some dark, rather disturbing stuff. I think I can safely say Zothique is one of the fantasy settings I would least like to visit.

I also read Smith's story City of the Singing Flame and I really liked it. It had more "wonder", less "horror".
 
And now I'm reading Heir of Fire (the third book.) The second book was far better than the first, but still, this series is far more mediocre than I was made to believe.

Whatever. I like it. I'm only six books behind on my goodreads challenge, too.
 

Incanus

Auror
Finished my umpteenth reread of Dune. It's such a magnificent book.

Began reading through all the Zothique stories by Clark Ashton Smith. I have a volume of all of his stories, but I've never read through all of it. I mostly skipped around and came across some good stories and some rather mediocre ones. This time I looked up which stories are part of one of the consistent settings he created and decided to read that way. Right now I'm going through all of the Zothique stories. To be honest it's some dark, rather disturbing stuff. I think I can safely say Zothique is one of the fantasy settings I would least like to visit.

I also read Smith's story City of the Singing Flame and I really liked it. It had more "wonder", less "horror".

Oh, yeah. CAS is now one of my all-time favs. The Zothique stories are indeed dark and disturbing--and wonderful! After reading The Dark Eidolon for a second time recently, I deem it the greatest fantasy short story of all time. There's absolutely nothing like it anywhere. Singing Flame is excellent, of course. The stuff to avoid are the run-of-the-mill sci-fi adventure stories--they don't hold up all that well.
 

Mythopoet

Auror
Oh, yeah. CAS is now one of my all-time favs. The Zothique stories are indeed dark and disturbing--and wonderful! After reading The Dark Eidolon for a second time recently, I deem it the greatest fantasy short story of all time. There's absolutely nothing like it anywhere. Singing Flame is excellent, of course. The stuff to avoid are the run-of-the-mill sci-fi adventure stories--they don't hold up all that well.

I didn't like The Dark Eidolon that much. The Empire of the Necromancers is probably my favorite so far. (They're listed in alphabetical order so I still have a bunch to read.) After I finish Zothique I'll probably read all the Hyperborea stories.
 
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