What are you currently reading?

[mhatchett]

Land Of Laughs. Jonathan Carroll. Really enjoying it, it feels comfortable if that makes any sense. Apparently it falls into a genre called Low Fantasy. Never heard the term before: "nonrational happenings that are without causality or rationality because they occur in the rational world where such things are not supposed to occur."

[Theli]

Currently reading Pan book of horror Volume 1. Decent horror book of short stories from 1959. The style of writing and prose is quite dated but the tales are pretty original and remind me of Roald Dahl's "Tales of the Unexpected".

I like some of those old anthologies, kind of like a time capsule from the period they were written.

I finished The Stand some time ago. I liked it quite a bit, but didn't love it, like some others do. I had no problem with the ending, as some have complained about. My complaint would be more that it just seemed to go on and on, and I often found I didn't really care all that much about the characters, except maybe Trashcan Man and Flagg. Also I found it surprisingly religious and distinctly American. I'd describe it, at least the first half, as a post-apocalyptic US road trip.

Also I should note that I read the extended 1990 edition.

Now finishing the Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series by Tad Williams, 3/4 through the last book, To Green Angel Tower, which means I still have like 350 pages or so to go.

[mhatchett]

I love the Stand, however, I love the first edition better. The editing makes a difference.

[mhatchett]

Piddling around with Neil Gaiman's The View From the Cheap Seats. Fours Bookshops is very nice. I rarely read these type of books, Essays, etc, in order. As the topic interests me. Looking forward to Ghosts in the Machines:Some Hallowe'en Thoughts, The Dresden Dolls: Hallowe'en 2010.

[Theli]

I just finished off The Last Argument of Kings and started up Great Expectations by Charles Dickens. For good measure I am keeping my expectations low.

[TJCams]

I am reading, and enjoying, Paul Tremblay's A Head Full of Ghosts.

[Theli]

I am reading, and enjoying, Paul Tremblay's A Head Full of Ghosts.

I really want to read that one. Sounds interesting.

[RonClinton]

I am reading, and enjoying, Paul Tremblay's A Head Full of Ghosts.

One of my favorite reads of the last year or so. I hope you dig it as much as I did.

Currently reading Joe Lansdale's newest collection, DEAD ON THE BONES: Pulp on Fire.

[Daninsky]

Currently reading Big Jim Thompson's A SWELL LOOKING BABE. Another fever-dream accounting of a half-smart, grossly unlucky man's circling of the drain and eventual descent down the toilet of life. Same as most of Thompson's novels.

I love reading Thompson more than almost any other American writer, but he always makes me feel like I need a dry-cleaner for my soul.

[Theli]

Currently reading Big Jim Thompson's A SWELL LOOKING BABE. Another fever-dream accounting of a half-smart, grossly unlucky man's circling of the drain and eventual descent down the toilet of life. Same as most of Thompson's novels.

I love reading Thompson more than almost any other American writer, but he always makes me feel like I need a dry-cleaner for my soul.

Well put, my friend! I love me some Thompson too. Reading more of his works is a goal I'd set for myself this year.

[Martin]

Currently reading 'A Long December' from Richard Chizmar. Less than half read so far but I have read a couple of stories that alone would be worth the price of admission. After the Bombs is a story that will be with me for a long time. I also fully understand why his wife was upset over Midnight Promises. I can;t recommend this one enough, especially for those who love dark short stories!

[Daninsky]

Currently reading 'A Long December' from Richard Chizmar. Less than half read so far but I have read a couple of stories that alone would be worth the price of admission. After the Bombs is a story that will be with me for a long time. I also fully understand why his wife was upset over Midnight Promises. I can;t recommend this one enough, especially for those who love dark short stories!

I read it the week it was released and voted it my personal best short fiction collection for 2016 (narrowly edging out Lynda E Rucker's YOU'LL KNOW WHEN YOU GET THERE). I thought it was a great read from start to finish, with only a handful of small stutters throughout. I wrote a huge, rambling review of it on Goodreads and Amazon, wherein I explained that I'd been writing a review in my head for a day or two while reading the book. And that that review was subsequently blown away and replaced with another one entirely when I finally read the title (and final) story. That last yarn totally knocked my socks off. Just...I still sit sometimes and shake my head when I think about the execution and implications behind it.

But anyway, yes, I heartily echo your recommendation.

[TacomaDiver]

I really enjoyed this one. One of the few books that managed to mess with my head. His follow-up though ... I don't want to say I hated it ... let's just say that I definitely didn't like it. Much. At all.

I am reading, and enjoying, Paul Tremblay's A Head Full of Ghosts.

[TacomaDiver]

I'm currently reading The Last Unicorn. It's kind of clunky so far but I'm beginning to see the magic (so to speak.)

I'll probably start the first Vision collection from Marvel Comics tonight.

This year, I was invited, and decided to participate, in Book Riot's Read Harder challenge. I'm excited about some of the categories, but also kind of dreading some too. I know, keep an open mind ...

[Theli]

I'm currently reading The Last Unicorn. It's kind of clunky so far but I'm beginning to see the magic (so to speak.)

I'll probably start the first Vision collection from Marvel Comics tonight.

This year, I was invited, and decided to participate, in Book Riot's Read Harder challenge. I'm excited about some of the categories, but also kind of dreading some too. I know, keep an open mind ...

The Last Unicorn is an odd little book. It doesn't quite fit into the regular mold for fantasy, it's not Tolkien-esque high fantasy, nor Howard-esque low fantasy, but instead hearkens more, in some ways, to Lord Dunsany. In some ways it's a series of parables, in others a satire, but beneath it all it's poetic escapism. The pacing is odd and maybe a bit clunky, but I'd rather that than a paint by numbers fantasy story.

It seems nowadays that fantasy has rigid parameters, mostly inspire by the aforementioned Tolkien and Howard. Admittedly now it is expanding a bit again, but I really loved the earlier works (say pre-Tolkien, or just post-Tolkien) when fantasy felt more free.