Reading in December 2011

**Ropie** · December 12th, 2011, 07:10 AM

I'm 100 pages into the Red Dwarf omnibus edition by Grant & Naylor. Werthead (I think) posted a review of this a few months ago so I have them to thank for drawing my attention to this excellent and very funny collection

**Rob B** · December 12th, 2011, 11:06 AM

Finished Deadline, the second Newsflesh novel by Mira Grant and loved it. Great pacing and characters, this book most definitely did NOT suffer middle-book syndrome. I CANNOT wait to read Blackout when it publishes next year.

Next up - The Recollection by Gareth L. Powell.

**livens** · December 13th, 2011, 04:46 PM

After a unsuccessful reading of Vinge's The Children of the Sky I took a couple weeks off from reading anything. I was really bummed out that this one didnt live up to the quality of his others. Heck, I guess you could say it put me in a state of depression!

Then I picked up a copy of Stealing Light by Gary Gibson last week. Fantastic read! I am almost at the end and this book is still going strong. Ive got my reading mojo back

**chitman13** · December 14th, 2011, 04:38 AM

Still plowing through Leviathan Wakes whenever I get the time. I really like the fact that the chapters are fairly short, the two viewpoints equally interesting, and the setting surprisingly addictive. I must say that if it wasn't for the prologue I may not feel quite the same as it gave a little glimpse of what's to come without giving too much away. I'm holding off my year-end round up as I think this will slide firmly into the top 5 if it continues like it has, perhaps even into the third spot - I doubt it will knock the top two off their spots.

**chitman13** · December 15th, 2011, 03:21 AM

I finished Leviathan Wakes last night. Hugely enjoyable, fast paced, and just full of character. The story was interesting, but it also left the door wide open for the sequel. I thought it might make my top 5, but in reality I've read other books this year that I enjoyed more. Very pleased I got my finger out and read it though!

**Loerwyn** · December 15th, 2011, 04:19 AM

Finally finished the first Ciaphas Cain omnibus last night. It was pretty darned good!

**Rob B** · December 15th, 2011, 01:55 PM

Originally Posted by Rob B

Next up - The Recollection by Gareth L. Powell.

More than 2/3 into it (hopefully I'll finish it today or tomorrow) and I like it quite a bit. Quick pace with short chapters, but Powell manages to get a fair amount of plot across. There are some very superficial thematic similarities to Eric Browns masterpiece Kings of Eternity, though not handled quite as deftly. Could do without some of the flashbacks, but overall, and enjoyable nonetheless.

**DDCOrange** · December 16th, 2011, 08:59 AM

I've taken the plunge into the Honor Harrington universe and started reading On Basilisk Station. I'm about a quarter of the way into it and wondering why so many people find it incomprehensible (from some earlier posts I've read). Seems pretty straightforward so far; maybe I just haven't reached the incomprehensible part yet.
Overall I like the story and writing style, it reminds me of something Elizabeth Moon would write.

**Loerwyn** · December 18th, 2011, 01:43 PM

Kris Longknife: Mutineer by Mike Sheperd is the book I'm currently reading. About 70-80 pages into it so far and it's alright, but perhaps a little confusing for me.

**chitman13** · December 18th, 2011, 03:31 PM

Originally Posted by Rob B

More than 2/3 into it (hopefully I'll finish it today or tomorrow) and I like it quite a bit. Quick pace with short chapters, but Powell manages to get a fair amount of plot across. There are some very superficial thematic similarities to Eric Browns masterpiece Kings of Eternity, though not handled quite as deftly. Could do without some of the flashbacks, but overall, and enjoyable nonetheless.

I really enjoyed the style in The Recollection, Powell does a great job at telling the story, though it just didn't quite work as well as it could have. I remember plowing through it in a couple of days, and Powell will be an author I read again. Looking forward to reading your review Rob

Also, his earlier novella, Silversands, is one I would recommend.

**Rob B** · December 19th, 2011, 11:14 AM

Originally Posted by chitman13

I really enjoyed the style in The Recollection, Powell does a great job at telling the story, though it just didn't quite work as well as it could have. I remember plowing through it in a couple of days, and Powell will be an author I read again. Looking forward to reading your review Rob

The review will probably go up early 2012, based on how I've got my reviews spaced out. Be sure to join the SFFW book club discussion early next year as The Recollection is the book of the month.

On the whole I liked it a lot, some good ideas, very good pacing. I'd definitely check out more by him.

**chitman13** · December 20th, 2011, 02:59 AM

I've got a couple of books on the go at the moment. The first is The Quantum Thief by Hannu Rajaniemi. I started listening to this over the weekend as I was doing a lot of driving and I'm about halfway through. To be honest I have absolutely no clue what the hell is going on in this book, but it's still strangely gripping. I think my biggest problem with it so far is that it throws all these ideas and terminology in the narrative but doesn't explain anything at all, like I'm just supposed to know what they all mean and what the history of the setting is. I like exposition and explanation in my sci-fi, and this doesn't have either.

Yesterday I received and started reading Dark Eden by Chris Beckett. I loved his previous novel, The Holy Machine, despite some pacing issues, and Dark Eden was always high on the to-read list. Only a couple of chapters in and it has me hooked, but only time will tell. It's worth having a look on his website for the blurb and some further info, which has pointed me to a story in his collection (The Turing Test) that details the landing on Eden. Oh, and I love the cover:

**Hobbit** · December 20th, 2011, 05:35 PM

Yesterday I received and started reading Dark Eden by Chris Beckett.

Not that impressed myself, Mark: be interesting to read what you think.

Much more impressed with Paul Malmont's The Astounding, the Amazing and the Unknown, released in July, which is a mixture of fact and fantasy from the 1940’s involving Robert A. Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, L. Ron Hubbard and other SF writers.

Think it might be in my top five of the year, if it continues to be as good.

Mark

**chitman13** · December 21st, 2011, 03:38 AM

Originally Posted by Hobbit

Not that impressed myself, Mark: be interesting to read what you think.

Interesting to hear that Mark, but then I am only 50 or so pages in. I'm waiting for the status quo to be broken and the story to really get going, I think that will make or break it for me.

**suciul** · December 21st, 2011, 08:17 AM

Still reading mostly non-sff - I am in a nostalgia mood and I am reading and enjoying (more or less as most are quite dark in the classical Russian "mostly everyone dies in the end" style) lots of Romanian books these days, but I got also The Great game by Lavie Tidhar and plan to read it soon, though I think either the M. Flynn In the Lion's Mouth or Ian Whates City of Light and Shadow may also be my next sf read as they have closer pub dates, though I have a promise for an arc of Paul McAuley In the Mouth of the Whale and that is one my top expected books of January so it's a read on receive.

As for The Recollection discussed above, a dissenting opinion from me - very average writing, very average story, very average book and a disappointment considering that i really liked some of the author's short stories and i expected much more; maybe 20 years ago when I got heavily into sf, this book would have seemed more interesting but today it is just a forgettable by the numbers one.