Hey there, I am curious what everyone is reading and how you are feeling with it. I started demon copperhead yesterday, made it about 70 pages in and decided to read the first book in the chthulu CaseBooks. It’s a kinda retelling of Sherlock Holmes but with a Lovecraft quist.
I am digging it so far, about 50% through and it’s a fun ride.
So what are you all reading?
The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi. Bloody amazing.
That was the last book I finished, and it was solid. The “getting the gang back together” part was fun, and the latter half just picked up from there. Without getting too spoilery I think the last character from her past showing up, and the more fantastical shift from there on, really added a lot to the enjoyment factor.
i keep meaning to pick up Demon Copperhead. It’s set in my home county. I wonder how much the author embellished and how real she kept it.
I’m currently picking my way through No Plan B. For a Reacher installment, it seems like it was slow to get rolling, and struggling to keep my attention.
Had a long pause for a while, but back to making my way thru all of Discworld in publishing order. I’m on Monstrous Regiment at the moment and enjoying Terry Pratchett’s delightful writing as always.
Chthulu Casebooks sounds fun, I’ve never heard of it but I enjoy Holmes and mysteries in general, will make a note to check it out!
I’m reading Social Reproduction Theory and Perrido Street Station. I like the former a lot, but the latter is incredibly dense, not in the sense that the proses are impenetrable or the vocabulary needed to read is overwhelming, but I just can’t power through the book’s long winded passages to set up the world building. I hate that I have to consult the map very closely to even follow what the hell he’s talking about. I read the book for a good hour or two and haven’t seen anything notciable happening, because the author is taking his sweet time to meticulously describe everything, before the tension, I guess.
But eh, it’s really just the matter of taste. Many people love his style of writing, and honestly I could see that, somehow. As for me, I will stick around with this book for a bit longer to see if my patience pays off.
Sorry because this turns out to be a rant.
I’m reading Thinner by Stephen King. It’s my first King novel and I’m really enjoying it.
City of Beasts by Isabel Allende. Didn’t realize it was for young adults until after I bought it, but it’s pretty good so far!
Code 2nd Edition - it’s a huge slog even compared to Nand2Tetris, with so many chapters focussed on Electronic Engineering.
I want to get to the end though as he added new chapters for machine learning and AI, etc. (although just before the release of ChatGPT lol)
The Case for Space by Robert Zubrin. It’s really interesting and he clearly has thought a lot about how humans could live in space. The parts about the orbital mechanics of maneuvering about the Saturn system etc. can be pretty confusing though.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir, a fun Sci-Fi story from the author of The Martian. A little heavier on the Fi than its predecessor but still quite scientific. Next on the list is the Bobiverse.
Just started this as well.
Currently almost finished of Jade City and it’s just interesting enough to keep me going. Very interesting take on a magic system being like a drug, but this one is mostly about political intrigue.
If you wanted a story about an alternate history Japan with drug-magic powered Yakuza clans, then this book is for you!
Currently I am reading two books. The first is; This is your brain on music by Daniel Levitins and the second is; The subtle art of not giving a fuck by MArk Manson.
The first is really nice, but requires a lot of attention of me as termnology I am unfamiliar with is used. Yet it is able to convey tons of information on every page and the subject fascinates me.
The second is really good, very easily digest able and I like the nuance it provides on how to (amongst other things) prioritize your life.Guns, germs, and steel. I don’t usually go for this sort of historical work, but it’s pretty interesting. Some good stories in there.
If you like guns germs and steel, you may also really like the hot zone by Richard Preston. I devoured that like I’ve never devoured a nonfiction book before (I usually think they’re dry)
Just started the first Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser books by Fritz Leiber. Can’t say it’s really grabbing me yet, but it’s early days.
Just finished The Guns Above by Robyn Bennis which I quite liked, but I’m a huge Aubrey-Maturin fan and there is clearly some fan service done thereI just finished reading The Courage to be Disliked — found it quite freeing in my day to day life, a nice way of looking at the world.
I’m working my way through some of the more “pop” books. Sarah j maas, “beach reads”.
Honestly they’re all super easy and I finish them in 1-2 days. But I’m shocked at how “THE BEST BOOKS EVER” of this day and age are so downright terrible compared to the best books of like pre-2000s.
Has anyone else noticed that shift?
You’re just comparing two different sets of books. I haven’t read Sara J Maas but back in the 90s and auties we were getting crushed under an avalanche of Danielle Steele, Dean Koontz, and Dan Brown. If you want a contemporary fantasy author with a bit more gravitas read Catherynne Valente or Kazuo Ishiguro. Although they won’t go down smooth as a beach read, maybe.
