What are you reading?

[kgambit]

Recently finished these:

 

American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History by Chris Kyle et al

Viper Pilot: A Memoir of Air Combat  (Wild Weasel missions from 1986 to 2006) by Dan Hampton

Magician's End by Raymond Feist

 

and just started this:

 

The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor   by Jake Tapper

(the story of Combat Outpost Keating - Afghanistan 2009)

[BruceVC]

Recently finished these:

 

American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History by Chris Kyle et al

Viper Pilot: A Memoir of Air Combat  (Wild Weasel missions from 1986 to 2006) by Dan Hampton

Magician's End by Raymond Feist

 

and just started this:

 

The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor   by Jake Tapper

(the story of Combat Outpost Keating - Afghanistan 2009)

 

A good and worthwhile list, Magicians End would be my favourite

[kgambit]

 

Recently finished these:

 

American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History by Chris Kyle et al

Viper Pilot: A Memoir of Air Combat  (Wild Weasel missions from 1986 to 2006) by Dan Hampton

Magician's End by Raymond Feist

 

and just started this:

 

The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor   by Jake Tapper

(the story of Combat Outpost Keating - Afghanistan 2009)

 

A good and worthwhile list, Magicians End would be my favourite

 

 

Magician's End was my favorite as well.   It's a good read but it's tough to see the series come to an end.   It is the final book in both the Chaos War saga and the grand finale to the entire  Rift War Cycle (which started in 1982!).   Not sure if Feist has anything further planned for Midkemia or not.  He certainly left himself some wiggle room at the end. 

[Gfted1]

Hmm, I never picked up the Chaos War saga after the Rift War saga. How would you say the two compare?

 

God I loved the parts with Thomas(?) and how his magical chainmail was a repository of power from a long dead highly magical race. Hmm, now Im talking myself into re-reading that whole series again...but I still have WoT to catch up on. Decisions...

[Walsingham]

I've remembered why I quit before. I'm in the chapter on the Iran-Iraq war. If anyone is wondering why I'm so down on him, this is the chapter you should read. I'm not even going to highlight any aspects. I defy anyone here not to know what I'm talking about. this isn't even about politics. It's just appallingly written.

 

I am going  to have to take a break and get some food.

[kgambit]

Hmm, I never picked up the Chaos War saga after the Rift War saga. How would you say the two compare?

 

God I loved the parts with Thomas(?) and how his magical chainmail was a repository of power from a long dead highly magical race. Hmm, now Im talking myself into re-reading that whole series again...but I still have WoT to catch up on. Decisions...

 

Tomas aka Ashen_Shugar the Velheru plays a important role in Magician's End. 

 

I thought the Rift war saga (Magician, Silverthorn and Darkness at Sethanon) was his best work by far, with the Serpeantwar saga a close second.     

 

There is a lot of reading between the RIft War saga and the Chaos War Saga:

 

Rift War Saga (Magician, Silverthorn and Darkness at Sethanon)

Legends of the RIftwar trilogy (Jimmy the Hand, Honoured Enemy and Murder in La Mut  fit chronologically with Magician in the Riftwar Saga but I read them long after the first series)

The Empire Trilogy (Daughter of the Empire starts during Magician but it's almost a totally separate series with a couple of characters from the Riftwar saga crossing over.)

Riftwar Legacy (Krondor the Betrayal starts after Servant of the Empire and Krondor the Assassins and Krondor Tears of the Gods follows Mistress of the Empire)

Krondor's Sons (Prince of the Blood and The King's Buccaneer)

Serpeantwar Saga (4 books)

Conclaves of the Shadow trilogy

Darkwar Saga trilogy

Demonwar Saga (Rides a Dread Legion and At the Gates of Darkness)

Chaoswar Saga trilogy

 

http://www.crydee.com/raymond-feist/reading-order/chronological

 

 

I think I have an extra paperback copy of Honoured Enemy from Legends of the Riftwar.  I still have hardbound editions starting with Darkwar saga thru Chaoswar saga plus paperbacks of the Conclaves of the Shadow and Legends of the RIftwar but my original copies of the Riftwar saga, Serpeantwar Saga, Krondor's Sons and Empire Trilogy were all destroyed in a flood.  

[Raithe]

I have to admit, I always found Magician, and then the Empire Trilogy as the most interesting of the bunch...   Although certain elements of the Serpentwar Saga are quite good.

I still have to get around to the Demonwar and Chaoswar sagas though.

[Gfted1]

@kgambit: Thanks for the information. I didn't realize how much happened between those two series.

[annath]

Just finished re-reading The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson in preparation for the sequel, which I suppose is more than halfway to release by now...

 

Also reading Mediatations by Marcus Aurelius, off and on.  Its an interesting collection of philisophical ideas and sort of lifestyle tips from a long-dead Roman Emperor

[WDeranged]

I finished the second "Dunk & Egg" novel and thoroughly enjoyed it, now I'm diving back into something epic with The Warrior Prophet, the second book of The Prince of Nothing series.  The first book dragged on for hundreds of pages before the good stuff (a grind but necessary for the background) but this one picks it up perfectly, again I feel very strong Dune vibes, the number of clashing cultures and philosophies is overwhelming but I enjoy figuring out that kind of stuff.

[Oerwinde]

Been reading The Last Wish, the first Witcher book translated into english. I'm really enjoying it. CDProjekt actually did a really good job of adapting the source material.

 

Been reading the Wonderful Wizard of Oz to my daughter. Its a lot shorter than I thought. Kindle estimates it should take me just over 2 hours to finish reading the whole book.

[BruceVC]

Been reading The Last Wish, the first Witcher book translated into english. I'm really enjoying it. CDProjekt actually did a really good job of adapting the source material.

 

Been reading the Wonderful Wizard of Oz to my daughter. Its a lot shorter than I thought. Kindle estimates it should take me just over 2 hours to finish reading the whole book.

 

Thanks for the tip, I didn't realize those books have been translated. I am on the last book of  "The Malazan Book of the Fallen", the Crippled God by Steven Erikson

 

Once I am complete I'll start on the translated Witcher series

 

 

[Oerwinde]

I think they have 3 books translated so far. The Last Wish is a series of short stories that introduce Geralt and the world he inhabits, while I think Blood of Elves is the first book in the ongoing series. I'm gonna have to pick up blood of elves once I'm done this one.

[Malcador]

Good to hear they got the third book done, was about to learn Polish. Still wonder at how well the translation is done.

 

Finished off Caliban's War, it was so so. Have to say the heroes get on my bloody nerves, the head Captain is a self-righteous guy to start, and the antagonists' evil is so clear cut it just leads to boring moral outrage. Also a scene where "I love you guys, you know that" is written made me put it down for a bit. But it is a space opera, so I suppose stuff like that is to be expected.

 

Also finished Emperor's Gift - 40k book so nothing truly stunning but one thing Dembski-Bowden does do well is show relationships between characters well, though a Grey Knight smiling or trying to make a joke seems off, to me.

 

Next up, is Masters of Doom, that book Hurlshot read about the creation of Doom/id. That should be somewhat interesting, I hope. Is there one written about Sierra ?

[kgambit]

Finished The Outpost by Jake Tapper.  Based on the assault by Afghan Insurgents at Combat Outpost Keating in Kamdesh, Afghanistan in 2009 and the events leading up to it.  It's exceptionally well written and Tapper doesn't pull any punches in it. 

 

and started this one:

 

The Gilded Rune by Lisa Smedman

[Labadal]

My last post about A Dance of Dragons, I promise!

 

The book is done and I can't help but feel that I'm being trolled. I mean, he's not bad at writing and there are some interesting situations he puts his characters in. It's just that the way it is going now, we'll get another five books before the whole story is done.

[Monte Carlo]

"Terms of Engagement" a self-published piece of military sci-fi by some German / American dude. Starship Troopers meets Aliens meets Blade Runner meets Black Hawk down. It's actually a lot of fun.

[Serrano]

I'm re-listening to an audiobook called Hard Magic, which is part one of the Grimnoir Chronicles by Larry Correia.

 

It's a detective noir type story set in an alternate 1930's America with magic and super powers and sci-fi technology. It's a bit of everything thrown together and it works very well, it would probably go down well with people who enjoy the Shadowrun setting. The narrator is also really good for the most part and is perfect for the lead, Jake Sullivan.  

Edited August 10, 2013 by Serrano

[ShadySands]

Hmm, I think I'll have to check out both Hard Magic and Terms of Engagement

 

For now though still making my way through the Shadowrun Returns anthology and so far so good. I like most of the stories and they tend to fill in the background of characters from the game pretty well. That said, I tend to prefer the stories with main characters who can use magic over the rest.

 

I guess I'm just a magic groupie

[Oerwinde]

Reading Wild Cards now. George RR Martin's superhero universe, but I'm not sure exactly how much he writes in it.

['GM']

Well since I've finished A Dance with Dragons ... and who knows how long it'll be before the next book is released (anyone?) ... I decided to read 'The Host', by Stephanie Meyer. Only about a third of the way through. I'm liking it so far. Heard the movie was awful though so I may not go see it.

[Sargallath Abraxium]

...been thinkin' o' revisitin' an ol' favorite; The Legend of Huma...rest o' the family's goin' ta Ontario fer a week the end o' August so might jus' dust 'er off then...

 

 

...WHO LUVS YA, BABY!!...

[Oerwinde]

I saw my stacks of dragonlance books on my shelf the other day and wanted to pick them up, but I have like 60 books on my kindle waitig for me that I haven't read yet. Gonna give the Maztica series a go after I'm done with Wild Cards.

[Malcador]

Started Reamde instead of Masters of Doom. It's a typical Stephenson novel so far, hope it gets better

['GM']

Well since I've finished A Dance with Dragons ... and who knows how long it'll be before the next book is released (anyone?) ... I decided to read 'The Host', by Stephanie Meyer. Only about a third of the way through. I'm liking it so far. Heard the movie was awful though so I may not go see it.

Update for anyone considering reading this book....

 

Don't read it!

 

It sucks big time. How something with such a promise to be a unique read can turn into some stupid love triangle bunch of crud is amazing. Two thirds of the way in and I don't know if I'll even bother to finish it.