# [Sept] What Are You Reading?



## Cthulhu's Librarian (Sep 1, 2005)

And onto this months installment...

Re-reading George R R Martin's _A Game of Thrones_.


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## Wombat (Sep 1, 2005)

Finished a re-read of _Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell_ and of _The Monk_.  Next up is  _Sharpe's Eagle_, which will probably be followed by either _Frankenstein_ or _Northanger Abbey_.

I am gearing up for a Regency-based _Ars Magica_ game


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## Mercule (Sep 1, 2005)

I'd never read the Harry Potter books.  Just finished #2 and am waiting for #3 to become available at the library.  They've been on my list for a while.  I'm going to buy them, but, at this point, I'm waiting until the collector's set comes out the Christmas after #7.


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## WayneLigon (Sep 1, 2005)

I just finished up _Iron Dawn_, by Matthew Woodring Stover, and I'll either go on to read _Jerico Moon,_ a sequel, or go on to something else. Iron Dawn is a very low tech, low-low magic fantasy book set on our Earth. Iron is a new thing. It would a perfect Iron Heroes setting or adventure.


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## Wyn A'rienh (Sep 1, 2005)

Since school just started, I'm alternating between my biology textbook and my world literature book.  I'm really enjoying the world lit.


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## RangerWickett (Sep 1, 2005)

Drivethrurpg.com had the first Vampire: the Requiem novel available for free download yesterday, so I picked it up and have been reading a bit. Nothing spectacular yet. Sort of 'down-to-earth' vampirism.

A friend loaned me "Boulevard," a novel by my former creative writing professor Jim Grimsley. It's about a gay man seeking love in New Orleans. I'll get to it later this month, but New Orleans-related things have me a little weirded out now.

I want to read that Strange & Norrell book, but it's checked out at my local library.


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## Starman (Sep 2, 2005)

I just finished reading Haruki Murakami's _Hard-boiled Wonderland and the End of the World_, which was excellent. Now I am going to reread the last two books of The Wheel of Time in anticipation of _Knife of Dreams_. After that I will be rereading A Song of Ice and Fire in anticipation of _A Feast for Crows_.


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## Ankh-Morpork Guard (Sep 2, 2005)

Just about to finish Pratchett's _Jingo_. After that I'll probably read a mix of _The Light Fantastic_ and start going through the New Jedi Order books again.


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## Krug (Sep 2, 2005)

_The Sundering_, Book 3 of the *Warcraft* trilogy by Richard A Knaak. Book 2 was so-so, but sets the stage for the epic, pull-out-all-the-stops finale.


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## ragboy (Sep 2, 2005)

Reading the _Iron Tower_ by McKiernan. I'm not too impressed at the moment. He doesn't do a very good job of immersing you in the world. And due to either bad writing, or deliberate creation of an annoying people, he repeats himself about every third sentence... 

"Wolves are in the forest." 
"Wolves you say!? In the forest?" 
"Yes, wolves, they are in the forest...wolves." 
"That's bad, right?"
"Yes. Wolves in the forest are very bad." 

etc. 

Not sure if I'll finish it.


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## Desdichado (Sep 2, 2005)

_Tarnsman of Gor_ by John Norman.

I know, I know...  I read it in high school, when I had no idea of "Goreans" or anything like that, and at that time, I thought that the book was just a Barsoom rip-off.  I never read further in the series than the first one.

Now, of course, I'm curious if I was just missing it, or if Norman didn't really get into the whole bizarro female submissive thing until later books in the series.  And I'm mostly just enjoying it as a Barsoom rip-off.  I was able to find the first four of the books dirt cheap at a used book store, so I may read that far into the series before quitting.  Maybe.  If the philosophising stays as low-key as it is in this first one.


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## GreyShadow (Sep 2, 2005)

Joshua Dyal said:
			
		

> _Tarnsman of Gor_ by John Norman.
> 
> I know, I know...  I read it in high school, when I had no idea of "Goreans" or anything like that, and at that time, I thought that the book was just a Barsoom rip-off.  I never read further in the series than the first one.




I read the _Tarnsman of Gor_ in high school also. Never knew a thing about Goreans either. I on the other hand kept reading and think I got up to about book 15? The female submissiveness does get worse the further one reads in the series. I picked up one of the last in the series a few years ago, and it's very much not missable. I believe I only got a chapter into it before I had had enough.

Currently, I've just finished The Precipice by Ben Bova. Finished it in one day while I was sick on my honeymoon. Trust me, I know there are better things to do in bed than read while on your honeymoon.   At least it was a good read. 

Andrew


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## Rawhide (Sep 2, 2005)

_Dies the Fire_, by S.M. Stirling. On the on hand, it's not as good as the previous series in the same universe, but it is a heck of a setting for a d20 Modern game.

I had the same expereince with Gor. The first 3 are fine, the next 3 are okay, the next one is a little worse, and I'l scanned some since and determined they're sludge.


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## John Q. Mayhem (Sep 2, 2005)

ragboy said:
			
		

> Reading the _Iron Tower_ by McKiernan.




Have you read LotR?


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## ragboy (Sep 2, 2005)

John Q. Mayhem said:
			
		

> Have you read LotR?




Yeah. I know. I knew it in high school when the Iron Tower first came out...or I was first aware of it, anyway. What can I say... $0.25 paperbacks are a weakness. I think I'll break down and go get the RR Martin series.


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## Angel Tarragon (Sep 2, 2005)

Mythago Wood by Robert Holdstock. Never read it before.


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## Desdichado (Sep 2, 2005)

ragboy said:
			
		

> Yeah. I know. I knew it in high school when the Iron Tower first came out...or I was first aware of it, anyway. What can I say... $0.25 paperbacks are a weakness. I think I'll break down and go get the RR Martin series.



This may just be a myth, but I'd heard the McKiernan wanted to write continuations of the LotR stories, and naturally neither Tolkien nor his estate was interested in supporting that.  That's why the Iron Tower so closely mimics the LotR; he was specifically trying to get as close as he could without getting sued to recreating the setting so he could _then_ turn around and write the stories he really wanted to.

Like I said, though--that story may be completely apocryphal.


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## ShadowDenizen (Sep 2, 2005)

Currently (re)reading "A Rumor of Gem" by Ellen Steiber.
Really fascinating contemporary fantasy.  The prose is lyrical, and really dragged me in right from the first paragraph.

On the back burner?
"In the Ruins"- the new book in the "Crown of Stars" series.
"Wolf-Brother"- First book in the "CHronicles of Ancient Darkness"
"Eldest"- The (long-awaited) sequel to Eragon.


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## Ibram (Sep 2, 2005)

I just finished reading the new Magic:tG novel "Ravnica"... and again I wonder why I keep buying those things...

I'm currently rereading HPL's dream cycle stories, and will probably go back throgh REH's works for most of this month... either that or just dig down to the bottom of my library and pull something out that I havent read in years (Sterling and Drakes "the General" series is always a good read)


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## Desdichado (Sep 2, 2005)

Ibram said:
			
		

> I'm currently rereading HPL's dream cycle stories,



Great stuff, that.  "The DreamQuest of Unknown Kadath" is my favorite Lovecraft story, and one of my favorite stories period.

I may have to put that on my list--next up when I finish _Tarnsman of Gor_ is _Under a Green Star_ by Lin Carter.


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## Vraille Darkfang (Sep 2, 2005)

Right Now:

 I'm reading Annihilation: War of the Spider Queen 5.  So far, not to bad.  Of course I'm on page 56.  So far, I'd have to say this series is above average for shared world fiction & most fantasy fiction currently available.  Though this speaks more for the lack of quality in the bookstore than about the exceptional quality of the series.  

I'm also reading Elric: Tales of the White Wolf Anthology.  A bunch of stories (including one by Gary Gygax) where different writers (including Moorcock) wrote a short story about Elric, Dragon Lord of Meliborne.  As I'm only on page 10, I can't say much about it yet.

I'm also reading Mongoose's Pocket Player's Guide.  It's small enough to carry around & read in my spare time and I have yet to read the PHB cover to cover & its starting to slow my game down as my players for some reason have decided to pull every obscure option available in the PHB over the last few weeks; I put in the semi-colon just so I could keep this mammoth run-on sentance going for a few more words longer.

Finally, I have Vampire Hunter D Volume 2 on order & it should be coming in any day.  (Volume 1 was a great read, highly reccomended.


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## DungeonmasterCal (Sep 2, 2005)

Michael Moorcock's "The Skrayling Tree--The Albino in America".  Also picking through the DMGII and Weapons of Legacy getting ready for my new D&D campaign.  I should be getting Stormwrack in a couple of weeks, as I've been convinced it's worth the money if you're running a sea-faring campaign.


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## Wombat (Sep 2, 2005)

Frukathka said:
			
		

> Mythago Wood by Robert Holdstock. Never read it before.




Ooooh!  Fascinating book full of all sorts of rpg potential.  Have fun with it.


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## Cthulhu's Librarian (Sep 2, 2005)

Frukathka said:
			
		

> Mythago Wood by Robert Holdstock. Never read it before.




Wonderful book, one of my favorite books ever. _Lavondyss_ and _The Hollowing_ (two of the sequels) are also well worth reading.


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## Desert-Raven (Sep 2, 2005)

*Reading list*

I am currently reading a quartet of Lawrence Sander's novels I had on the shelf...

McNally's Risk, McNally's Caper, McNally's Trial, and McNally's Puzzle....currently I'm on "Trial", they are a fun read, nothing too serious.

Hopefully this light reading gears me up for my next attempt, George R R Martin's A Game of Thrones...I'm looking forward to that series after all the talk I heard about it.

D-R


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## ragboy (Sep 2, 2005)

Joshua Dyal said:
			
		

> This may just be a myth, but I'd heard the McKiernan wanted to write continuations of the LotR stories, and naturally neither Tolkien nor his estate was interested in supporting that.  That's why the Iron Tower so closely mimics the LotR; he was specifically trying to get as close as he could without getting sued to recreating the setting so he could _then_ turn around and write the stories he really wanted to.
> 
> Like I said, though--that story may be completely apocryphal.




It's pretty obvious that's what he wanted/tried to do (just too many characters/places/situations that map directly to LotR), but he failed miserably. He basically wrote a "Classics Illustrated" version of LotR. Blarg. I picked this up because I wanted to get back into fantasy (after being used, abused and finally abandoning Jordan several years ago). Off to the other half-price books in the area to find the Martin stuff.


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## Asmo (Sep 2, 2005)

I´ve read 120 pages of Perdido Street Station.
Intriguing. Imaginative. Strange words. Lots of them.

Asmo


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## RangerWickett (Sep 2, 2005)

Asmo . . . you'll be sorry.

But yes, the world and the linguistics of the man's writing are fascinating.


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## Desdichado (Sep 2, 2005)

Asmo said:
			
		

> I´ve read 120 pages of Perdido Street Station.
> Intriguing. Imaginative. Strange words. Lots of them.



Only 100 more to go before the book starts!


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## Cthulhu's Librarian (Sep 2, 2005)

Joshua Dyal said:
			
		

> This may just be a myth, but I'd heard the McKiernan wanted to write continuations of the LotR stories, and naturally neither Tolkien nor his estate was interested in supporting that.  That's why the Iron Tower so closely mimics the LotR; he was specifically trying to get as close as he could without getting sued to recreating the setting so he could _then_ turn around and write the stories he really wanted to.
> 
> Like I said, though--that story may be completely apocryphal.




He really was trying to write a sequal to the LotR. He was in the hospital for a long time after being hit by a car, read the LotR, then decided to write continuing adventures of the hobbits. He did so, then either sent them to the Tolkien estate or a literary agent. Regarless, the estate got wind of it, and ordered him to stop or be sued. So he changed the names and places, and ended up getting it accepted and published. He tells the story in the "About the Author" section of one of his books. Or maybe the introduction. I don't remember, I couldn't finish the book.


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## Cthulhu's Librarian (Sep 2, 2005)

RangerWickett said:
			
		

> But yes, the world and the linguistics of the man's writing are fascinating.




So is the story. Another of my favorite recent novels.


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## The Thayan Menace (Sep 2, 2005)

*Best Pulp-Horror Satire Ever ....*


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## VorpalBunny (Sep 2, 2005)

I'm about 100 pages into Keith Baker's _City of Towers: Dreaming Dark Pt. 1_. .  Pretty good so far, and chock full of ideas for my Eberron campaign.

I'm just wondering when the Dreaming Dark is gonna show up...


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## Richards (Sep 2, 2005)

I just picked up James Alan Gardner's _Radiant_, the latest in his "Expendable" series, at the book store today.  I'm stoked - I've been waiting for another "Expendable" novel for a long time!

Johnathan


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## Angel Tarragon (Sep 3, 2005)

Wombat said:
			
		

> Ooooh! Fascinating book full of all sorts of rpg potential. Have fun with it.





			
				Cthulhu's Librarian said:
			
		

> Wonderful book, one of my favorite books ever. Lavondyss and The Hollowing (two of the sequels) are also well worth reading.



Thanks for the well reading wishes guys. I am truly loving it so far!


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## danbuter (Sep 3, 2005)

"Dying of the Light" by George R.R. Martin.
Only a chapter in, so far.


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## Jakar (Sep 3, 2005)

Just finished Shaman's Crossing: Book One of The Soldier Son Trilogy by Robin Hobb that was released down here in Oz before it was in the USA.  Miracles do happen sometimes.   

It was a very good read, but not as good as the first Assassin book IMO.


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## MonsterMash (Sep 3, 2005)

_Collapse_ by Jared Diamond, _Pocket Modern Handbook_ Mongoose, some IT and Knowledge Management stuff for work.


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## Starman (Sep 3, 2005)

MonsterMash said:
			
		

> _Collapse_ by Jared Diamond




How is it? I really enjoyed _Guns, Germs, and Steel_ and I've been curious about this one.


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## Mark CMG (Sep 3, 2005)

Cthulhu's Librarian said:
			
		

> What Are You Reading?





Lord Dunsany's The Book of Wonder (Free PDF Weekend!)


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## Liminal Syzygy (Sep 4, 2005)

RangerWickett said:
			
		

> Asmo . . . you'll be sorry.



Hmmm... Why's that?

Currently trying to decide between:
1) The Algebraist by Iain M. Banks
2) Natural History by Justina Robson
3) Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb
4) finishing off Stephenson's System of the World (left off halfway through the first book just as I went on a long vacation, didn't want to lug the book around, and haven't gotten back to it)


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## John Crichton (Sep 4, 2005)

Just started Moorcock's The Elric Saga.  About 70 pages into Elric of Melnibone.  Not bad so far.


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## drothgery (Sep 4, 2005)

Read Elizabeth Moon's _Marque and Reprisal_ (the second Vatta book) yesterday, and both _On Basilisk Station_ (the first of David Weber's Honor Harrington books; it was only $4 from Amazon, so I figured it was worth a shot) and Jacquiline Carey's _Banewreaker_ were also in the last box from Amazon. But the big project for this month is re-reading Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time in advance of _Knife of Dreams_.


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## ShrinkyLink (Sep 4, 2005)

Tishimongo Blues, by Elmore Leonard
Latest New Scientist


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## Tetsubo (Sep 4, 2005)

Germs: Biological Weapons And America's Secret War by Judith Miller, Stephen Engelberg & William Broad


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## tadk (Sep 4, 2005)

*What I am reading now*

First Read
Teach Yourself NLP by Steve Barister and Amanda Vickers
Bloodtide by Melvin Burgess

Re-reading
Serpents's Eye by Wade Barker


Just finished

Ravnica by Cory J Herndon


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## ssampier (Sep 5, 2005)

Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay by Green Ronin and Black Industries (pub.)

I _really_ should add some non-fiction to my plate (I read industry news articles for my work, but never books).


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## demiurge1138 (Sep 5, 2005)

Just finished Vitamin Q, which is a weird British trivia book. Next up, China Meiville's Looking for Jake.

Demiurge out.


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## WayneLigon (Sep 6, 2005)

The Thayan Menace said:
			
		

> Re: Gil's All Fright Diner




Yep, very good book indeed.


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## WayneLigon (Sep 6, 2005)

I decided to go on into _Jericho Moon_ by Matthew Woodring Stover; so far, not nearly as good as Iron Dawn. The action moves between Bara and Co. and Joshua ben Nun, and so far I'm hoping Bara plants a flint axe between his eyes, unlikely as that is.


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## devilbat (Sep 6, 2005)

A clash of kings - George RR Martin


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## Krug (Sep 6, 2005)

Finished _The Sundering_ and thought it tried to do too much. Also, 



Spoiler



too few heroes died.


  

Moving on to Peter Straub's _Lost Boy lost Girl_, but hasn't quite gripped met yet.


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## Desdichado (Sep 6, 2005)

Finished _Tarnsman of Gor_, but it wasn't as good as I remembered.  I had thought to maybe read up through books four or five (I have no interest in going beyond that...) but I'm not sure now.  Currently reading Lin Carter's _Under a Green Star_ with his _Jandar of Callisto_ coming in the mail to me from a used book store that sells on Amazon.  I've never read anything by Lin Carter, oddly enough.


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## Warehawk (Sep 6, 2005)

Currently:

Home is the Sailor by Day Keene
Swords of the Empire...A Warhammer Fantasy Anthology

On Deck:

Committed : Confessions of a Fantasy Football Junkie  by Mark St Amant
Blood Bowl by Matt Forbeck


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## amethal (Sep 9, 2005)

Just finished _Scaramouche_, and moved on to _Captain Blood_.

Its excellent swashbuckling stuff, and I'm pretty sure it was an Enworlder on one of these threads who recommended reading Raphael Sabatini's works.

Anyway, now I'm recommending them as well.


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## Desdichado (Sep 9, 2005)

amethal said:
			
		

> Just finished _Scaramouche_, and moved on to _Captain Blood_.
> 
> Its excellent swashbuckling stuff, and I'm pretty sure it was an Enworlder on one of these threads who recommended reading Raphael Sabatini's works.



It might have been me; I've been known to recommend Sabatini, and those two books in particular many times before.  Did I also mention that both are available from Project Gutenberg as free text files?

I'm blasting through older shorter novels like it ain't no thang; I don't know if it's worth updating this thread anymore.  I just finished _A Princess of Mars_ by Edgar Rice Burroughs, _Under a Green Star_ by Lin Carter and _Pirates of Venus_ by Edgar Rice Burroughs, and am already nearly halfway done with _At the Earth's Core_ by Edgar Rice Burroughs.  I'll probably read some more ERB before the month's done.  Most of that is re-reading; I've read probably two thirds of his quite prolific output in my lifetime, some of it many times over.

I'm also investigating some even older stuff; Edwin L. Arnold wrote a story called _Gulliver of Mars_ published right around the turn of the century, that was supposedly inspirational to ERB and his creation of Barsoom.  I've also got two famous H. Rider Haggard novels, _She_ and _King Solomon's Mines_ queued up; also supposedly inspirational to Burroughs as he invented the Tarzan stories.

And I'm expecting to get _Jandar of Callisto_ by Lin Carter in the mail today or tomorrow from the used bookstore from which I ordered it; supposedly an unabashed knockoff of Barsoom as well.

Heck, I'm reading more this month than I've read in the last few _years_.  I don't know what's got into me.


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## jaerdaph (Sep 9, 2005)

Thanks to Green Ronin's new Thieves' World campaign setting, I've returned to Sanctuary for the first time in many many years. I read the original TW series years ago, and I haven't read anything in the new series that's out now. I'm just finishing up _First Blood_, a compilation of the first two original TW anthologies, _Thieves' World_ and _Tales from the Vulgar Unicorn_, and I think I'm going to move on to Lynn Abbey's _Sanctuary_ next.


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## Thornir Alekeg (Sep 9, 2005)

Just finished Timothy Zahn's  The Green and the Grey.  Pretty good, really fast, easy read.  Just started Into the Ruins , book 6 of the Crown of Stars by Kate Elliott.


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## Orius (Sep 11, 2005)

Finishing up my summer reread of LotR.  After that, going to reread Wheel of Time to get up to spped for Book 11.


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## Steel_Wind (Sep 11, 2005)

Just finished _Gardens of the Moon _ and am on to book two: _Deadhouse Gates_ by Steven Erikson (Bantam/Spectra).

This series, _Malazan Book of the Fallen_, is mega high powered and is heavily influenced by Glen Cook's _The Black Company_. Recommended.


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## Nifft (Sep 11, 2005)

Tad Williams _To Green Angel Tower_ (part deux). Hope to finish it this weekend.

 -- N


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## DaveStebbins (Sep 12, 2005)

Joshua Dyal said:
			
		

> I've also got two famous H. Rider Haggard novels, _She_ and _King Solomon's Mines_ queued up; also supposedly inspirational to Burroughs as he invented the Tarzan stories.



Haggard is good stuff.

I visited my daughter this weekend, so with 20 hours of driving I was able to 'read' three audiobooks. First up was _Mr. Paradise_ by Elmore Leonard, which I rather enjoyed. Next was _The Funny Thing Is..._ by Ellen Degeneres, which was also very good. Last up was _17 Lies That Are Holding You Back and the Truth That Will Set You Free_ by Steve Chandler, which while inspiring, didn't particularly cover any new ground. Maybe the book was supposed to work by pointing out the obvious, but it didn't really do anything for me.

-Dave


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## John Q. Mayhem (Sep 12, 2005)

I've just finished the first volume of the Marshall Cavendish _Illustrated Encyclopedia of World War II_.


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## PhoenixDarkDirk (Sep 12, 2005)

I'm reading a few books:
+_Genesis_ by Poul Anderson, an astronaut gets his mind loaded into a computer;
+_The Godmother's Apprentice_ by Elizabeth Ann Scarborough, a Seattle rock star's teenaged daughter goes to Ireland to train to be a fairy godmother, the second of at least three books;
+_Grave Peril_ by Jim Butcher, the third of a series of books about a wizard working as a Private detective in Chicago, this time there's quite a lot of ghost activity;
+_The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane_ by Robert E. Howard, a complete collection of the stories of a Sixteenth Century English Puritan swordsman.

I also just finished reading that new Harry Potter book, which I don't think will have to be explained to anyone.

I'm enjoying, or have enjoyed, all of these books.


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## Hand of Evil (Sep 12, 2005)

*BLOOD BOWL* by Matt Forbeck, a WFRP novel, you got to love the tag line: _He should have stuck to fighting dragons..._


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## Desdichado (Sep 12, 2005)

Hey, you Blood Bowl novel folks; be sure and post your impressions of it, 'kay?  

As a longtime player and fan of the game, I'm curious about the novel, and cautiously optimistic.  We'll probably only buy one copy for our whole group, and just pass it around, but that partly depends on what I hear about it as folks read it.


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## Olive (Sep 12, 2005)

demiurge1138 said:
			
		

> Next up, China Meiville's Looking for Jake.




Huh. Didn't kno this was out. Might try to pick it up soon.

I'm in the dying pages of _Diamonds are Forever_ by Ian Fleming, and before that just finished _Guns, Germs and Steel_. GGS was great, but I'd been reading a heap of non-fiction in the lead up to that so I was a bit burnt out by the end. DaF is pulp as hell, and not a genre I think I'm in love with. But it certainly has been a light and easy read.

I'll probably start _The Confusion_ by Neal Stephenson tomorrow.


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## RichCsigs (Sep 13, 2005)

Currently reading Terry Funk's bio _More Than Just Hardcore_.  A good read if not a bit disjointed.


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## AIM-54 (Sep 13, 2005)

Let's see:

_ The Origins of Modern Germany _. an old survey book on Germany history from about 900 to 1939 originally published just post WWII.  Well written and given me all kinds of world-building idea, politics-wise.

_ Corporate Download _, picked this SR sourcebook up this summer and am finally getting around to reading it.  One of the more enjoyable gaming books of any genre I've read.

and the guilty pleasure, _ Invid Invasion _, I found the Robotech series almost complete at a used bookstore last spring and have been reading through it again for fun.  It's fun, but the memories are better than the reality.   

Next up: _ Waging Modern War _, kicking off my series of Balkans reading, for professional purposes.


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## DarkSoldier (Sep 15, 2005)

*wrong book*

I finished _American Empire: Blood & Iron_ on Tuesday, and I'm going to start _American Empire: The Center Cannot Hold_ soon.


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## MonsterMash (Sep 15, 2005)

Starman said:
			
		

> How is it? I really enjoyed _Guns, Germs, and Steel_ and I've been curious about this one.



_Collapse_ is interesting and fairly alarming in terms of where current societies stand as a lot of the historic mistakes are still being made, but there is still grounds for optimism. I don't regard it as being too environmentally deterministic, I'd not read any of Diamond's books since _The Third Chimpanzee_, so I don't have too much ground for comparison with _Guns, Germs, and Steel_.

Now reading _The Honoured Society_ by Norman Lewis, _Armies of the Middle Ages vol2_ by Ian Heath and _Mongoose Modern Pocket Handbook_.


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## Hand of Evil (Sep 15, 2005)

Joshua Dyal said:
			
		

> Hey, you Blood Bowl novel folks; be sure and post your impressions of it, 'kay?
> 
> As a longtime player and fan of the game, I'm curious about the novel, and cautiously optimistic.  We'll probably only buy one copy for our whole group, and just pass it around, but that partly depends on what I hear about it as folks read it.



I enjoyed it, good flow and capture of the game but not too much grid-iron.  A good bit of the book is to intro you to the characters but not a bad read.


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## sir_ollibolli (Sep 15, 2005)

I've finished Katherine Kurtz "Deryni Tales", and wanted to start "In the King's Service", but I have put it on hold since I've read in the anthology the novel is a first novel in a new Deryni trilogy (I have a habit to try and read triogies and cycels and series, when they are complete, but there are some exceptions - Harry Potter, Diskworld, Xanth, Pern, Myth)

Right now I am reading "Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell", and am enjoying it very much.

Waiting in the batting circle... Terry Brooks' "Voyage of the Jerle Shannara", all three books (see above)...


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## EricNoah (Sep 18, 2005)

RangerWickett said:
			
		

> I want to read that Strange & Norrell book, but it's checked out at my local library.




I'm about 2/3 through it and it's good, I'm enjoying it.  It's been a while since I was this "into" a book.


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## haiiro (Sep 18, 2005)

I'm plodding through The Historian, which is pretty underwhelming. Somehow it's managed to stay above my "I'm going to stop reading this" threshold, but not by much.


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## The Josh (Sep 19, 2005)

*too much*

Right now I'm reading

The Icewind Dale Trilogy - Salvatore
The Dark Tower series - Stephen King
The Robot Trilogy - Asimov 
Elminster Making of a Mage - Ed Greenwood
The Spider Queen books
The White Company - Arthur Conan Doyle
and a pile of old school comic books


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## Captain Tagon (Sep 19, 2005)

The Destruction of the Books - Mel Odom


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## Krug (Sep 19, 2005)

_Ravenor_ by Dan Abnett.


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## WayneLigon (Sep 19, 2005)

_Tales from Development Hell: Hollywood Filmmaking the Hard Way_, by David Hughes. 

Did you ever wonder what happened to that cool movie you heard rumors about but never happened? This books shows you how and why such things happen. Even wonder why in God's name they put X into movie Y? This book tells you how such things come to be. 

So far, I've read about how the hottest script in Hollywood at one time never got made, the making of Total Recall and why there never was a sequel, the various ins and outs that led to the remake of Planet of the Apes, and some of the background to the filming of Lord of the Rings.

That last is so far my favorite. Apparently at one point Boorman (Excalibur) was all set to do LotR, back in 69-70 or so. He wanted four hot young stars to play the four hobbits. John, Paul, George and Ringo. Can you imagine how that would have turned out?

He has another book out that I want to track down called The Greatest Science Fiction Movies That Never Were Made.


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## Hand of Evil (Sep 19, 2005)

Just starting WFRP Liar's Peak by Robin D Laws


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## John Q. Mayhem (Sep 19, 2005)

I've also read the Analects of Confucius, and I'm in the middle of _Amusing Ourselves to Death_.


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## Black Omega (Sep 19, 2005)

Right now I'm reading The Golden Torc.  I'll finish the Pliocene Exile series before moving on to anything else.


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## CCamfield (Sep 20, 2005)

Good thread so far!!  I didn't know about a new Expendables-universe book, and will have to see if the library has it. 

The fellow who is reading Mythago Wood - what do you think of it now?  (Finished yet?)  Verrrry nifty book.  I liked it best of the author's books.

I am currently reading The Deer and The Cauldron, part 1, by Louis Cha.  That's the English name for a Chinese author, part of one of whose books was turned into _Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon_.  So far it's been a pretty wild ride with a young rogue named "Trinket" impersonating an Imperial eunuch and learning nifty kung fu.

Also reading a thesis from the university library about Greek hero myths and propaganda/politics.  Nifty stuff.  And a translation of the Thebaid by Statius, which is all right, but not a candle to Homer.

Next up:  Call for the Saint, by Leslie Charteris.  Couple more stories involving my favourite pulp-y character.

Final babbling:  if you like Raphael Sabatini and can stand reading e-books, I highly recommend Stanley Weyman.  Weyman was an inspiration of Sabatini's, and his Adventures of a Gentleman of France, and Under the Red Robe, are very good.  (The latter is mostly a "romance" but has an excellent hook... a man guilty of duelling, with the penalty of death, agrees to work as a spy for Cardinal Richelieu.)


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## Eridanis (Sep 20, 2005)

I just spent the past month and a half reading Sagiro's Story Hour; easily the equal of most fantast novels, and long enough to count as four or five normal-sized books. (If you've never read the SH, StevenAC's pdf of it is fantastic.)

I'm now reading Elaine Cunningham's COUNSELORS AND KINGS trilogy set in Halruua. Next up will be something from the boxes of books that I've been unpacking over the past week; I'm finding boxes I haven't opened in five years. I've also resolved to start selling books from my collection; I can't keep moving these things without ever reading them...


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## Karlcullinane (Sep 20, 2005)

I recently picked up a lot of John D. McDonald books on Ebay, mostly Travis McGee series, but it also has a copy of The Girl, the Gold Watch, and Everything. Good, old fashioned reading and detective novels. I also have been digging through my collection of Remo Williams novels (I have 1-99 complete run, and some of them really do make me LoL).
Just finished re-reading American Gods by Neil Gaiman, neato stuff, and it's made me want to drag out my copies of Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency  and The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul by Douglas Adams (his slightly less known works).
I also have been hankering to break out my E.R.B. books....Tarzan and John Carter still haven't been equaled in modern fiction IMHO.
Not a lot of time to read these days.....ah how I miss my days before kids


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## Pants (Sep 21, 2005)

Finished Bakker's _The Warrior Prophet_ last night. Wow. Not really sure how to rate it since there were astounding parts and some fairly tedious 'uber Kellhus' parts.  But damn what a good book.  Can't wait for _The Thousandfold Thought_!


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## Pants (Sep 21, 2005)

Started reading Stephen King's _The Regulators_.


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## GrayIguana (Sep 24, 2005)

Cthulhu's Librarian said:
			
		

> And onto this months installment...
> 
> Re-reading George R R Martin's _A Game of Thrones_.




And I just finished it for the first time.  I've either been reading a lot of really bland books lately, or this book was just great.  I can't wait to get the rest of the series.


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## Cthulhu's Librarian (Sep 25, 2005)

GrayIguana said:
			
		

> And I just finished it for the first time.




I envy you. I'm really enjoying rereading the books in anticipation of the new on in November, but I always miss that sense of wonder from reading an excellent book for the first time.


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## Red Spire Press (Sep 25, 2005)

Just finished reading Number 9 Dream by David Mitchell. Great book but it had a lot of glaring editing issues, which repeatedly broke the flow of the narrative. Next up is one of the numerous Murakami or JG Ballard books I have laying around, begging to be consumed.


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## Ankh-Morpork Guard (Sep 25, 2005)

Doing a lot of reading at the moment.

_The Light Fantastic_ and _Soul Music_ by Terry Pratchett. (Need to pick up _Thud_ sometime soon...)

_Young Jedi Knights: Jedi Under Siege_ by Kevin J. Anderson and Rebecca Moesta...rereading a few of these in this series to make sure I've got the details of the time period right for my new Story Hour. Its been so long since the game and reading the books that I've gotten fuzzy on a lot of things.

Also starting through the New Jedi Order books again for the same reason, but this time planning ahead for where one of the Story Hours is going to be a while from now. I.e. Another excuse to read them again.


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## Zulithe (Sep 25, 2005)

After countless posts full of positive fervor regarding GRRM's _A Song of Ice And Fire_ series, I picked up the first two in hardcover. I'm working my way through _A Game of Thrones_ (but am withholding commentary until I'm finished!) I will say that I'm hooked enough to order the third one already. The fourth one comes out on my birthday. What a present that'll be. 

A few of my friends are trying to convince me to read Eragon and Eldest, but the amazon.com reviews really changed my mind. And I thought Harry Potter was a hack job! I flipped through a copy and noticed he even went so far as to name one of his mountain ranges "The Spine". Sound familiar? I'll be steering clear of Paolini.


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## Michael Tree (Sep 25, 2005)

I'm currently reading Elantris, and it's just as good as all the reviews say.  Best of all, it's an epic story in a single volume, which is almost unheard of in fantasy these days.  I have limited reading time, and I've gotten to the point where if I see a new book and it says "part 1 of the blah blah blah" I immediately lose all interest and go onto something else.  Such book has to come highly recommended for me to actually consider reading it.  

Next up... probably Anansi boys by Neil Gaiman, or maybe A Spirit of Grace by Mary Doria Russell.


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## GrayIguana (Sep 28, 2005)

Cthulhu's Librarian said:
			
		

> I envy you. I'm really enjoying rereading the books in anticipation of the new on in November, but I always miss that sense of wonder from reading an excellent book for the first time.




Yeah, I had a great time reading this book.  I've even gone back to re-read favorite parts.  On one hand I wish I had known about the book(s) earlier, but on the other hand it is nice that I now have 3 more books to dive into.  Unfortunately, I have some personal / work projects that will probably keep me from reading for a couple months.  

Someone also just mentioned that they passed on Eragon to read Game Of Thrones.  I also just finished Eragon.  At the time, I didn't think it was that bad.  I've definately read worse, but that isn't much of an endorsement.


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## Branding Opportunity (Sep 28, 2005)

I'm also rereading Songs of Fire and Ice series in prep for the upcoming fourth book.  I must say, I'm enjoying them almost as much this time as I did the first time.


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## Starman (Sep 28, 2005)

I just finished _The Wind-up Bird Chronicle_ by Haruki Murakami and now I'm reading James Ellroy's _L.A. Confidential_. Murakami's book was just as weird and surreal as the first book of his I read, _Hard-boiled Wonderland and the End of the World_, but I enjoyed it. Ellroy's style took some getting used to, but it's good, as well.


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## Wild Gazebo (Sep 28, 2005)

Coming Through Slaughter
Blood Sucking Fiends
The Te of Pigglet
Vernon God Little
And I'm going to start Salimar the Clown either tonight or tomorrow.


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## Pylar (Sep 28, 2005)

*Jordan*

I'm probably gonna get flamed by everyone that visits this link..but I'm rereading the Robert Jordan Wheel of Time novels.  Started about a month and a half ago, and now I'm about 1/2 through Winters Heart.  So it looks like I'll get the series done by the time Knife of Dreams comes out. I just hope RJ doesn't let me down this time...I'm dreading rereading Crossroads of Twilight again as it is.


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## KaosDevice (Sep 28, 2005)

I just finished Callahan's Con by Spider Robinson last night. I got to admit, the whole Doc Webber situation made me a little misty there at the end. Still though a fun and funny read.


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## ShadowDenizen (Sep 28, 2005)

Reading "The Historian", and (slowly) working my way through the "Crown of Stars" series.


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## Jakar (Sep 28, 2005)

ShadowDenizen said:
			
		

> Reading "The Historian", and (slowly) working my way through the "Crown of Stars" series.



From what I hear there is a new Crown of Stars book coming out soonish.  Damn fine series of books that one, if a little less known here in Oz.


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## atom crash (Sep 28, 2005)

Last week I finished "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole. Absolutely hilarious.

Now I'm reading "Foucault's Pendulum" by Umberto Eco. I read about half of this a few years back and loved it but was unable to finish it -- it's the literary equivalent of eating really rich chocolate cheesecake.


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## Kesh (Sep 29, 2005)

Currently reading _The Puppet Masters_ by Heinlein. Very, very good book, though his writing style is a little sparse for my tastes.


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## Undead Pete (Sep 29, 2005)

Just picked up *Anansi Boys*, the new book from Neil Gaiman.  Looks really good


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## atom crash (Sep 29, 2005)

Anansi Boys was a good read, but not as good as some of his other books.


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## ssampier (Sep 29, 2005)

Cthulhu's Librarian said:
			
		

> I envy you. I'm really enjoying rereading the books in anticipation of the new on in November, but I always miss that sense of wonder from reading an excellent book for the first time.




I'd agree. I especially got that feeling when 



Spoiler



the "Red Wedding" in SoS. I was so emotionally involved in the story that I put the book down and couldn't pick it up again for a few hours. After I came to terms what was happening, I happily continued.


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## amethal (Sep 29, 2005)

My brother bought me _Thud!_ for my birthday.

Its pretty standard Terry Pratchett, by which I mean its excellent but didn't grab me as much as _Going Postal_ did. Still, it does heavilly feature Commander Vimes, who is my favourite Discworld character by a mile.

My brother is the only person who has the secret of buying books for me. Other people don't dare, as they think there's a fair chance I'll already have it. He however buys me newly released books, as he knows I'm too mean to buy a hardback myself.

I'm now re-reading _The Standing Dead_ by Ricardo Pinto. I'm enjoying the trilogy a lot more the second time round for some reason, but it looks like the 3rd book won't be out for ages yet.

After that, its on to _Jonathan Strange and Mr Norell_ Looking forward to it, since most people here seem to like it.


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## ShadowDenizen (Sep 29, 2005)

> From what I hear there is a new Crown of Stars book coming out soonish. Damn fine series of books that one, if a little less known here in Oz.




Yep;
The 7th (and hopefully final) boook is due out around February.

This series IS good, but it's very tough reading, due to the fact that the author is a little clunky in getting the "World-Building" info out: she tends to "Exposit" world information, rather than fitting it naturally into the story.  (As opposed to Jordan, Martin, or Wurts, who have a much more "naturalistic" way of imparting information to the reader.)

All this is just MHO, of course. Anyone else feel differently? I'd be curious to hear others opinions.


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## howandwhy99 (Sep 29, 2005)

atom crash said:
			
		

> Now I'm reading "Foucault's Pendulum" by Umberto Eco. I read about half of this a few years back and loved it but was unable to finish it -- it's the literary equivalent of eating really rich chocolate cheesecake.



I read that about ten years ago.  Umberto Eco is one of my favorites, but when I picked up Baudolino last year I just couldn't finish it.  I must say, after reading Pendulum you have to wonder what all the fuss is about regarding DaVinci Code.

My literary cheesecake: Salman Rushdie


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## Wild Gazebo (Sep 30, 2005)

Mmmmm....cheese Rushdie.


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## Atridis (Sep 30, 2005)

just finished Iron Council, by China Mieville
just started The Polish Officer, by Alan Furst and Looking for Jake, by China Mieville


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## Waylander the Slayer (Sep 30, 2005)

I have read the following this month:

Iron Council by China Meiville- A very good book that is bothe evocative, original and has plenty of depth to the storyline.

Shaman's Crossing by Robin Hobb- I think i was a bit dissapointed with this book but it is still better than most other authors i have read.


Different Seasons by Stephen King- Some of the best short stories i have read (Shawshank Redemption etc.)


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## sniffles (Sep 30, 2005)

CCamfield said:
			
		

> I am currently reading The Deer and The Cauldron, part 1, by Louis Cha.  That's the English name for a Chinese author, part of one of whose books was turned into _Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon_.  So far it's been a pretty wild ride with a young rogue named "Trinket" impersonating an Imperial eunuch and learning nifty kung fu.




Is this an English translation of the novel? I wasn't aware any of his novels had been translated except for _The Book and the Sword_. I love Louis Cha/Jin Yong, but so far have only been able to read English translations of the graphic novels, which isn't the same thing at all. 

Also, Louis Cha did not write _Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon_. The author of that series (CTHD is part 3 of 5) is Wang Dulu. 

I'm currently reading What Life Was Like on the Banks of the Nile. It's a Time-Life book, but it's a nice description of life in ancient Egypt, with great photos.


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## Sequoia2 (Oct 1, 2005)

Foundation by Issac Asimov.....great book


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