I am currently reading two books.
Kim Stanley Robinson's
2312, which showcases humanity's expansion into the solar system. I'm about a hundred pages in right now and it's really very good. It started off with a description of an extreme environment in both technical and figurative language, a combination that he managed to work well enough to almost poetic effect. It has a more sedate pace, but is no less interesting for that. KSR seems like a very humanistic writer with a guarded optimism concerning the future. Also, some of his anarchist sensibilities are coming through. I'm loving the short interludes so far: descriptions on the construction of artificial habitats (from asteroids) and quick-help guides on the processes of planet terraforming. I only ever read two works by KSR in the 90's - his first short novel
Icehenge and the novella
Green Mars, which came paired with Clarke's
A Meeting with Medusa in one of those Tor Doubles. I've mostly forgotten how they were (though I do have a memory of enjoying them) and haven't picked up anything by him since, so it's like reading him for the first time.
Peter Newman's
The Vagrant, which is a science fiction/fantasy hybrid novel (or science-fantasy) that seems quite intriguing so far. The protagonist is superficially reminiscent of King's Roland Deschain or Gemmell's Jon Shannow, but with a sword instead of guns. Also, the post-apocalyptic event (a 'breach' of sorts, like the one mentioned in Mieville's
Bas-Lag books) has given Newman a chance to make it quite weird. I like stories where there is good world-building through details sprinkled here and there in the narrative where you have to figure it out for yourself, and this seems like it might be of that type. Also, it's in present tense, but I've gotten used to it so far (I'm on chapter 5).