What are you currently reading?

[cupiscent]

I started Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir.

It was released this year but didn't really catch my attention, then I saw it was "necromancers in space" and I felt it was too bizarre to pass.
About 40% in, curious things happening, but nothing yet that keeps me dead on my tracks reading.

Oh, that's the one that @cupiscent said she was going to read next! I hadn't heard about it, then on the same day I see it mentioned 3 times (you two plus an article on Tor.com)

Yes! I have indeed started it, I'm a couple chapters in. (It's just been our main character introducing the world and her situation through a whooooole butt-ton of attitude plus getting her arse kicked by her wispy teenage girl necromantic nemesis. The writing is both snappy and atmospheric. I'm pretty into it so far.)

I think it's one of those US-only books so far - at least, I couldn't find it from a UK publisher, and had to order it from the States. (Published by Tor, only in hardback so far.) So it makes sense that UK-market hasn't seen a lot of buzz for it! I have mostly been hearing about it through US-market online friends.

[Bender]

Finished Starsight (Skyward #2) by Brandon Sanderson.

Continuation of his YA Sci-fi trilogy. After a solid opening in Book 1, he creates a vivid world and takes the plot to a different setting in Book 2. Though some events make you scratch your head, even for a sci-fi book, it ends brilliantly setting scene for next sequel and leaves you guessing where the plot is heading towards.

7/10

[eclipse]

Started Godblind

Stopped reading Godblind at 33% in ,not my cup of tea  sorry.

[ScarletBea]

Stopped reading Godblind at 33% in ,not my cup of tea  sorry.

Another confirmation that we have very different tastes the majority of the time

[eclipse]

Stopped reading Godblind at 33% in ,not my cup of tea  sorry.

Another confirmation that we have very different tastes the majority of the time

When we both like the same book it must be awesome!

[JMack]

Finished Starsight (Skyward #2) by Brandon Sanderson.

Continuation of his YA Sci-fi trilogy. After a solid opening in Book 1, he creates a vivid world and takes the plot to a different setting in Book 2. Though some events make you scratch your head, even for a sci-fi book, it ends brilliantly setting scene for next sequel and leaves you guessing where the plot is heading towards.

7/10

I got such a kick out of the first book. Looking forward to the second.

[Lanko]

Finished Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir. 5/5

Here's what I posted on Goodreads:

Necromancers in space seemed too good and bizarre of a concept to pass. And I'm glad I didn't.

The book mixes very well creepy, seriousness and the wondrous with absurd jokes, witticisms and action. In less skilled hands maybe this could end up disastrous, but here it made the story flow really well.

In this world there are Nine Houses of necromancy, each with their own specialty and purpose, and then 18 of them (a necromancer and their bodyguard - classical swordsman/woman) all travel to a citadel full of magic and technology to pass trials to become Lyctors (assistants, let's say) for the God Emperor of the Dead.

There is no battle royale competition, though. They can all ascend together to near godhood... or only a few, or even none at all.

Of course, a lot of things go wrong and the plot thickens with conspiracies, backstabbing, alliances and a lot of suppositions that keep the story rolling.

We have good glimpses of all these people (obviously focusing on Gideon and her necromancer), though of course, some much more than others, but I think it was good enough. You may feel for some of them even with not much stage time.

And how it ended... I really wasn't expecting that. From the blurb and how things were going I actually thought it would be pretty predictable, but nope... total surprise.
And the implications of what might happen next really made me wish this was a complete series already.

Things now look really vast, and I can only hope the brilliance of it all doesn't get destroyed by everything getting super rushed, because it seems this is a trilogy.

Maybe it really fits fantastically, but the first impression after closing the book feels this is a much bigger story for just three books. Not a bad thing in any way, specially with such a fantastic concept, that kept evolving throughout the story.

Now at least one more year for the next one...

[Bender]

Finished Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir. 5/5

Oh, the premise caught my attention immediately. But the other Goodreads reviews are brutal. Hmmm.

[cupiscent]

Finished Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir. 5/5

Oh, the premise caught my attention immediately. But the other Goodreads reviews are brutal. Hmmm.

It's written in a very strong style. As is always the case with that, some people aren't going to like it. I've had a skim through some of the GR reviews, and I think it's mostly style-bounce - people don't like Gideon's attitude (which I LOVE, but mouthy "unlikable" lady protags face an uphill battle with some audiences) or they don't like Muir's word choices or constructions (I saw one review bitching about the over-complicated made-up names--talk about a staple of the genre, but also the most twisty name I've seen so far is "Nonagesimus" which is straight-up Latin...).

Perhaps have a look at the first few chapters and see what you think?

[Bender]

I pay only so much attention to the reviews. I really liked the premise as it's new and refreshing and have already bought the book and started it. 2 pages down atm.

[Lanko]

Finished Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir. 5/5

Oh, the premise caught my attention immediately. But the other Goodreads reviews are brutal. Hmmm.

I agree some may feel it starts a little dense and that the switches from creepy, serious and brutal space magic parts with others with dialogue and comedy YA may put some people off, but I thought it was so well handled it added to the story instead of being a disaster haha.

[Rostum]

finished rule 34 and it was very good read Auberon an Expanse short which was also very good. It would seem season 4 of The expanse starts 13th of December.

[Peat]

I was going to finish The Bone Ships by RJ Barker today but after I missed a train today, I popped into a Red Cross and found The Story of the Stone by Barry Hughart so I brought it and will probably be mainlining it. The fact Hughart only wrote 3 books is probable proof of objectively evil entities in the universe. My favourite line from it so far:

"You have a hole in your heart. All young people do. It's there to catch the wonderful things of the world, and later on it gets filled up by broken things".

Started Godblind

Stopped reading Godblind at 33% in ,not my cup of tea  sorry.

Good lords, it's been a while since we've agreed on a book.

[eclipse]

Good lords, it's been a while since we've agreed on a book.

Hmmm

[ScarletBea]

Good lords, it's been a while since we've agreed on a book.

Hmmm

Is that code for 'eclipse will now trail old posts to find evidence'?
I think you also agree on Jemisin's books, hehe