What Are You Reading Right Now?

Earlier today I finished Curtsies & Conspiracies, the second book in Gail Carriger's Finishing School series. It was a rollicking good time. A good bit of action in the story. A character from the Parasol Protectorate series popped up, which was fun.

I'll get back to the series a bit later. For now, my plan is to read a longer novel next...
 
Yesterday evening I finished The Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb, the first book in her "Farseer Trilogy." It was quite an interesting and engaging novel. The world was unique, as was the magic, and the story was fairly compelling. I hoping I can get to the rest of the trilogy sometime. For now, though, I have one more book that I bought over the holidays to read.
 
Today I finished Throne of Jade, the second Temeraire novel. I enjoyed it, though it wasn't quite as fast-paced as the first book. Still, I do want to continue with the series. It's interesting to read a fantasy series set in alternate-history Napoleonic Wars. My next read will be a novella that's given me the idea for an upcoming story I'll be writing soon.
 
From the last time I posted, I was able to finish Tad Williams' epic fantasy novel, The Dragonbone Chair. It was very slow, especially at the beginning, but I ended up enjoying its luxurious progress and very intricate and detailed world-building. I definitely plan on finishing up the trilogy, but I'll be reading a few other books before I continue with the massive second volume.

I did not finish William Gibson's Neuromancer. Not because I didn't like it, but I got sidetracked doing other things, and so much time passed that I felt I needed to start over, which I will in the near-future.

I did end up reading an action-packed space opera: Prador Moon by Neal Asher, which is another instalment in the wicked Polity setting, and this one is chronologically the earliest. It features the first contact and conflict between the human Polity and the Prador Second Kingdom. Lots of fun, some amazingly high-tech concepts, and very well thought out aliens. You can check out some of my extended thoughts on this book here.

Currently, I'm reading the Victorian era novel North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. It's supposed to be one of the better industrial/social novels of the time, and Charles Dickens edited it and serialised it in his magazine. Only two chapters in, so can't say much so far, except that it's pretty easy reading.
 
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Yesterday evening I finished Michael Kohlhaas by Heinrich von Kliest. It's an influential German novella published around 1810. Among the works inspired by it are the novel Ragtime and the film based on it. I came across the story at TV Tropes. The plot has inspired a fantasy story I'm planning on writing, so I decided to real the novella.

It's quite the read. It's very much a story of how corruption among the nobility causes rebellion among common folk. There are also instances of mistakes made that end up complicating the story further. Yet there's also this mysterious fortune teller, who may actually be able to see the future, and how that complicates the plot towards the end, which gives a fantasy twist to an otherwise realistic work. I found the ebook in a collection of German classics at Project Gutenberg.

I've read through all the books I acquired last year. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to take another run at a classic I paused in my reading, or if I'm going to buy some new ebooks. I have writing to do, so I'll take some time to think about it...
 
Note: All top tier wealth and power corrupts no matter the political stance, nothing new here folks, always was, always is, always will be. I am impressed with upper crusties showing caring and compassion, as long as its genuine, I can spot a phony a mile away.....;)
 
I've been reading The Expanse series by James S.A. Corey. On book four (Cibola Burn), and it's excellent. Adventure and action, very likeable characters, some hard science, humor, it's got about everything.

I had been meaning to read it since before the TV series came out, and in fact I didn't realize at first that the series was based on the books. The series is very well done also.
 
Yesterday evening I finished Waistcoats & Weaponry, the third book in Gail Carriger's "Finishing School" series. Lots of fun! I liked how the plot moved in one direction, then ramped up and took a turn in the last quarter of the book. The characters are great as well. I hope to start on the last book in the series this weekend.
 
Last night I finished Manners & Mutiny, the fourth & final book in Gail Carriger's "Finishing School" series. It had slow but dramatic start, then accelerated towards a rousing finish. There was a warm happy ending that I wanted and needed. I enjoyed how this and last book planted seeds for the "Parasol Protectorate" books. And there were the exploding fake desserts. I plan to move on from that to the final book in a more serious series, probably starting next week.
 
YOU WON'T NEED TO READ!! Look at the NEWS!!! Trump is messing up the government! I WAS SET UP FOR LIFE FOR TIMES LIKE THESE! The aliens I communicate with HATE TO SEE HUMANS FIGHT AGAINST EACH OTHER! (esp. on issues of bigotry!) I wouldn't be surprised if the aliens show up on the WH lawn now! I am an abductee/contactee!:D :eek: :D
 
Uhhhhh, M A G A
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Over the last week I read the final two books in Lisa Shearin's "Raine Benares" series, Treasure & Treason and Ruins & Revenge. I enjoyed them, though I missed having Raine's point of view in these last two books. The action shifted to another character, and while he wasn't as witty and snarky as Raine, it was good to follow him. I liked coming back to the world and learning a little more about it in the midst of another adventure.
 
Last night I finished A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers. Such a lovely read! Not much action or drama, but some excellent characterization. It also filled out the universe Chambers created in Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet. I'm hoping to start on the next novel in this universe, Record of a Spaceborn Few, in the next few days.
 
Yesterday I finished Becky Chambers' Record of a Spaceborn Few. It wasn't as tightly focused in terms of plot and characters as the other two books in her universe were. Yet it was still an intriguing exploration of the culture she's created. I did like how she tied the lives of the characters she introduces together. I hope she writes more in this universe.

Pondering what I want to read next...
 
I have been re-reading the Miss Fisher Mysteries by Kerry Greenwood. I am currently reading Queen of the Flowers. I was introduced to the character, Phryne Fisher, by watching "The Miss Fisher Mysteries" on PBS. after watching the first episode, I started ordering the books and now have the whole series that ar so far available in print. Eagerly hoping and looking for more to come.
 
"Odd Apocalypse" by Dean Koontz. Odd Thomas is one very interesting character by Koontz. Very good movie adaptation of the book with the late Anton Yelchin in the title role and Willem Dafoe as police chief of the fictional Pico Mundo, Calif.




"Fate is not a straight road. There are many forks in it. You have the free will to choose which one you take, but sometimes it will bend around and bring you straight back to that same stubborn fate."
 
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