What are you reading?

[Kong Wen]

In April last year, I read the first book of Jin Yong's long Condor Heroes series, but those books are only just being translated into English now. The second volume came out in January of this year, so I'll order that right now and read it when it comes in.

I also started N.K. Jemisin's Broken Earth trilogy last April, and I already have the second volume of that, so I'll try reading that while I wait for Jin's book to come in. I'll probably be able to stay on pace after all!!!

01. 01-02 French Exit (2018), Patrick deWitt (Canadian)
02. 01-03 We Should All Be Feminists (2014), Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Nigerian)
03. 01-05 Blindsight (2006), Peter Watts (Canadian)
04. 01-06 Men Explain Things to Me (2014), Rebecca Solnit (American)
05. 01-13 Watership Down (1972), Richard Adams (English)
06. 01-14 Elevation (2018), Stephen King (American)
07. 05-26 The Amber Spyglass (2000), Philip Pullman (UK)
08. 06-02 The Obelisk Gate (2017), N.K. Jemisin (USA)

Yep, looking good for staying on pace after all. Jin Yong's next book should be here within the next couple of days, so I'm going to hold off on starting anything new. If I keep following my pattern, the next book I read after that should be the second in the Song of Ice and Fire series, which is a perfect summer read.

Jemisin's Broken Earth trilogy is simply phenomenal (so far). Highly recommend that anyone with any interest in sci-fi, fantasy, and great, engaging world-building check it out. Great characters, great arcs for at least 3-4 of the main characters through the first two books, and some really well-realized plot elements.

[Sharecrow]

I’m proud to say I’ve finished a couple more books. Stephen King’s “Lisey’s Story” which was really good but the weakest King I’ve read yet I think. But still good. I also started and finished, on a friend’s recommendation, Jules Romains’ “The Death of a Nobody” which was quite short and quite depressing. It had a very existential vibe to it. Good stuff.

Before my trip I’m going to try to knock out “The Haunting of Hill House” by Shirley Jackson. On my trip I’ll be bringing the first three novels in David Eddings’ Belgariad series as well as the second book in Asimov’s Foundation series, the latter of which I’ve never read before.

1. Speaking of Jesus: The Art of Not-Evangelism by Carl Medearis
2. The Talisman by Sir Walter Scott
3. The Skaar Invasion by Terry Brooks
4. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
5. Rubayat of Omar Khayyam by Omar Khayyam
6. Legends of Localization - Book 1: The Legend of Zelda by Clyde Mandelin
7. I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream by Harlan Ellison
8. Lisey’s Story by Stephen King
9. The Death of a Nobody by Jules Romains

[Kong Wen]

Before my trip I’m going to try to knock out “The Haunting of Hill House” by Shirley Jackson. On my trip I’ll be bringing the first three novels in David Eddings’ Belgariad series as well as the second book in Asimov’s Foundation series, the latter of which I’ve never read before.

I too have stopped after the first Foundation book! I really should continue them at some point but I have a few great series on the go right now. Come to think of it... I used to have a 5-or-so box set and I'm not sure I know where it is now...

[Sharecrow]

Before my trip I’m going to try to knock out “The Haunting of Hill House” by Shirley Jackson. On my trip I’ll be bringing the first three novels in David Eddings’ Belgariad series as well as the second book in Asimov’s Foundation series, the latter of which I’ve never read before.

I too have stopped after the first Foundation book! I really should continue them at some point but I have a few great series on the go right now. Come to think of it... I used to have a 5-or-so box set and I'm not sure I know where it is now...

I’ve actually read Prelude to Foundation twice, then the first book once, and then ignorantly read the third book thinking it was the second one (since it’s called Second Foundation). I have a signed copy of the first one and I think of Prelude also.

[Kong Wen]

Jemisin's Broken Earth trilogy is simply phenomenal (so far). Highly recommend that anyone with any interest in sci-fi, fantasy, and great, engaging world-building check it out. Great characters, great arcs for at least 3-4 of the main characters through the first two books, and some really well-realized plot elements.

This remains true. I couldn't resist continuing the series, so instead of moving on to another book, I just dove straight into The Stone Sky. It has a very satisfying conclusion. I'm going to miss it.

01. 01-02 French Exit (2018), Patrick deWitt (Canadian)
02. 01-03 We Should All Be Feminists (2014), Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Nigerian)
03. 01-05 Blindsight (2006), Peter Watts (Canadian)
04. 01-06 Men Explain Things to Me (2014), Rebecca Solnit (American)
05. 01-13 Watership Down (1972), Richard Adams (English)
06. 01-14 Elevation (2018), Stephen King (American)
07. 05-26 The Amber Spyglass (2000), Philip Pullman (UK)
08. 06-02 The Obelisk Gate (2017), N.K. Jemisin (USA)[/color]
09. 06-21 The Stone Sky (2018), N.K. Jemisin (USA)

I officially started my summer vacation today, so I'll have lots of opportunity to read by the pool. I'm debating between bringing home a bunch of shorter one-off books that have interested me and accumulated in my library on one hand, or selecting a smaller batch of larger books in my normal series rotation on the other. The latter would include something by Stephen King (probably 11/22/63), the latest Jin Yong volume, and the second book of the Song of Ice and Fire.

[Sharecrow]

i managed to finish a couple books on my vacation. First I read David Eddings’ first book in the Belgariad series: Pawn of Prophecy. It’s pulp fantasy but it’s fun and has some sentimental charm too. I also finished Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House which was quite good (but no where near as good as The Turn of the Screw).

I’m working on book two of the Belgariad now and toying with the idea of going ahead and starting Time Machine by H.G. Wells, which I’ve read once before. Good times.

1. Speaking of Jesus: The Art of Not-Evangelism by Carl Medearis
2. The Talisman by Sir Walter Scott
3. The Skaar Invasion by Terry Brooks
4. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
5. Rubayat of Omar Khayyam by Omar Khayyam
6. Legends of Localization - Book 1: The Legend of Zelda by Clyde Mandelin
7. I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream by Harlan Ellison
8. Lisey’s Story by Stephen King
9. The Death of a Nobody by Jules Romains
10. Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings
11. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson

[Kong Wen]

You can read Time Machine in an afternoon! Do it!

[Kong Wen]

The latter would include something by Stephen King (probably 11/22/63), the latest Jin Yong volume, and the second book of the Song of Ice and Fire.

I'm starting the second week of my vacation now, and as luck would have it, I did indeed finish that massive King tome. Excellent book. There were a couple things that were weird about it, narratively, I mean beyond the usual things you'd expect from it being a King book.

01. 01-02 French Exit (2018), Patrick deWitt (Canadian)
02. 01-03 We Should All Be Feminists (2014), Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Nigerian)
03. 01-05 Blindsight (2006), Peter Watts (Canadian)
04. 01-06 Men Explain Things to Me (2014), Rebecca Solnit (American)
05. 01-13 Watership Down (1972), Richard Adams (English)
06. 01-14 Elevation (2018), Stephen King (American)
07. 05-26 The Amber Spyglass (2000), Philip Pullman (UK)
08. 06-02 The Obelisk Gate (2017), N.K. Jemisin (USA)[/color]
09. 06-21 The Stone Sky (2018), N.K. Jemisin (USA)
10. 06-29 11/22/63: A Novel (2011), Stephen King (USA)

I think I'm in just the right mood to tolerate another volume of G.R.R. Martin—the show is far enough concluded that its high bar, against which the novels compare somewhat unfavourably, isn't as fresh in my memory. Might as well crack it out.

[Sharecrow]

I finished the second book of Eddings’ Belgariad. I rather liked it. I think I’ll knock out Time Machine before deciding what to read next

1. Speaking of Jesus: The Art of Not-Evangelism by Carl Medearis
2. The Talisman by Sir Walter Scott
3. The Skaar Invasion by Terry Brooks
4. The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
5. Rubayat of Omar Khayyam by Omar Khayyam
6. Legends of Localization - Book 1: The Legend of Zelda by Clyde Mandelin
7. I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream by Harlan Ellison
8. Lisey’s Story by Stephen King
9. The Death of a Nobody by Jules Romains
10. Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings
11. The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson
12. Queen of Sorcery by David Eddings

[Kong Wen]

01. 01-02 French Exit (2018), Patrick deWitt (Canada)
02. 01-03 We Should All Be Feminists (2014), Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Nigeria)
03. 01-05 Blindsight (2006), Peter Watts (Canada)
04. 01-06 Men Explain Things to Me (2014), Rebecca Solnit (USA)
05. 01-13 Watership Down (1972), Richard Adams (UK)
06. 01-14 Elevation (2018), Stephen King (USA)
07. 05-26 The Amber Spyglass (2000), Philip Pullman (UK)
08. 06-02 The Obelisk Gate (2017), N.K. Jemisin (USA)
09. 06-21 The Stone Sky (2018), N.K. Jemisin (USA)
10. 06-29 11/22/63: A Novel (2011), Stephen King (USA)
11. 07-14 A Clash of Kings (1998), G.R.R. Martin (USA)

I have a couple "break" books, but Martin wasn't exactly mentally exhausting, so I think I'm going to move directly on to Jin Yong's A Bond Undone: Legends of the Condor Heroes, Vol. 2 instead, and see if I can remember any of the large cast of martial artists.