Reading The Sunlit Man by Brandon Sanderson. His fourth and final standalone Cosmere “secret project” novel.
I am about 1/4th through, and it’s interesting to see how connected this is with Cosmere, unlike the first 3 books. I think this book should be read after you have read at least 1 book of The Stormlight Archive. Looking forward to seeing if we learn anything else in it.
What about all of you? What have you been reading or listening to lately?
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Currently reading Consider Phlebus. Read the entire series years ago but thought it was worth re-read. Just as good as my first time!
Excession and Player of Games are my two favourite Culture novels.
Seconding these, The Player of Games is my favorite book and I love to see it called out.
I liked these the best. They are also among the more accessible books in the series.
I just started Polostan (2024) by Neal Stephenson. I saw an interview where he said he’s been sitting on the idea for a new trilogy for years and finally sat down to start it with this book.
Next on my list!
How is it? It is on my to buy eventually list but I haven’t even read Termination Shock yet.
I’m only 60 pages in now but good so far. If you like his writing, he’s still got it.
“Harlem Shuffle” by Colson Whitehead.
It’s the 1960s and this dude is trying to make a go of a furniture store on 125th Street. He’s an honest businessman who wants to help people in the community get good products at a reasonable price, and provide for his wife and kids.
Of course, being an honest businessman in 1960s Harlem is a bit different from being an honest businessman in say Darrian, CT. So what if he’s doing a little fencing; hanging out with stickup men; aiding corrupt police, and suchlike?
Great depictions of the neighborhood with lots of action.
Sounds pretty interesting.
I picked up Project Hail Mary from the library this week. Only just started but I’m enjoying it so far.
Great read. Have fun !
I just finished Stephen Baxter’s World Engines: Destroyer and while it was OK, I have the uncomfortable feeling that I’m discovering unsavory things about Baxter. There are commonalities in his main characters that are… unattractive? One main character, fine. But when the main character is basically the same character in different settings and with different names; and when the story literally contains “and then, everyone clapped”… well, I don’t know. The writing is better than I could do, and I’m interested to see where it goes, but I don’t know if I can enjoy the libertarian fantasy overtones. I’m torn.
I’m a couple chapters into A. Tchaikovsky’s Shroud, and have great expectations. I know I like Tchaikovsky’s world building and writing, and this looks so far like another novel (innovative?) premise from a great author.
Yeah, Stephen Baxter is somewhat sus. I liked his collaboration with Arthur C. Clarke, and I really liked reading his books when I was a kid who couldn’t really understand the politics. He has some really interesting concepts (Manifold: Time fucking BLEW MY MIND when I was like 12), but yeah, he has some very libertarian politics that lead to some, uh, interesting plot points.
Whew, it’s not just me. I’m always cautious about assuming things about authors.
I finally made it to book 2 of Sanderson’s Stormlight Archives.
How are you liking it so far?
So far, good. Not great, but quite good. It feels like a lot of setup and teasing of things to come without actually getting there, which is fine for the first book but I am 2/3 through the second book. Still, the writing is enjoyable and the books, although long, are not boring.
Sundial by Catriona Ward. No spoilers but its a very dark psychological horror. I’m not far into it but I’m already hooked.
Having recently finished Stormlight, I am very curious to read the Sunlit Man now!
I just finished Assassin of Reality by Maryna and Serhiy Dyachenko (book 2 of Vita Nostra). It honestly kind of felt like an afterthought to capitalize on the popularity of the first book. I didn’t feel like it added much and preferred the open endedness of the first book.
Now I’ve started Wool by Hugh Howey, the first of the books the Silo show is based on. Too early to give my thoughts but the first few chapters were very closely followed in the show.
Hm, interesting. I wasn’t sure I’d like it at first, but I jammed through Vita Nostra, and didn’t realize there were already published sequels until a few days ago, when I immediately moved them to the top of my TBR pile. I’ll try to lower my expectations to be more in line with reality–thanks for the heads-up!
I am reading The God of the Woods by Liz Moore. I am about 2/3 through and so far I am not really getting it. I don’t dislike it and it is well written but I am not entirely sure what about it is making people rate it so high.
I am about 7 chapters in to The Brothers Karamazov. I had heard a lot of good things prior to reading it and knew it was a classic, but god damn is it good. Dostoevsky is an amazing author who can make you feel the essence of the scene he’s describing.
I am glad I started reading it when I did, any earlier and I don’t think I would have the same appreciation for it.
This book is so complete. An Amazing ride. Some great characters. Enjoy it ! “The more i love humanity, the more i dislike humans”. Loose translation, i ve read it in French.
That’s a pretty interesting quote.
This kind of thread is really bad for my wallet.
So it’s working! Mwahahaha!
I’m listening to Green Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson after finishing Red Mars
I hate books. I hate books. I hate books. I hate pages. I hate bookmarking. I hate covers. I hate words. I hate passages. I hate authors. I hate reading. I hate left-to-right. I hate shelving them. I hate conversations. I hate twists. I hate mysteries. I hate waking up. I hate my job. I hate being alive.
I decided to start reading John Dies at the End, it’s been pretty funny.
This Book is Full of Spiders isn’t AS good, but still funny if you like that kind of thing.
Funny, I kind of remember Spiders better than the first one. I think they just really creeped me out. :p
I fibbed a little. I’m actually reading the fourth one right now. I do really like the short story it opens with, though.
I recently finished Isles of the Emberdark which is the latest novel by Brandon Sanderson 😁. Really loved it - tons of Cosmere crossover and some interesting setup for the future.
I also have recently read A Darker Shade of Magic by V. E. Schwab. Enjoyed this a lot and am now onto the second in the series, A Gathering of Shadows.
Not much reading last week. Read Joe Haldeman’s “a separate war”. I already commented on the forever war last week, nothing to add to that. Currently reading “furiously happy” by Jenny Lawson. And still listening to “the eye of the Bedlam bride” in my commute. This will take a while to listen to, since my weekly commute time is about six hours, and the audiobook is 20+ hours. It is a good listen though, I read the previous books in the series, but listening is more fun in my opinion.
