What are you currently reading?

[Martin]

I'm reading UNBROKEN, which is a great book, but has been dragging a bit for me as I near the home stretch.....it is an endless catalog of misery. Louie Zamperini had one hell of a series of misfortunes plague his life.
Also reading MODERN MASTERS: MIKE PLOOG, about one of my favorite comic-book/storyboard artists, and the new JUSTICE LEAGUE DARK, VOL. 1.

I will read Unbroken eventually.

[Jargendeli]

Finished INSPECTION by Josh Malerman, then read/competed CONTAGION by Erin Bowman. Currently reading DESCENDANT by Graham Masterton. I know, what is up with these one word titles.

Next up THE LAST by Hanna Jameson.

Jim

[mhatchett]

I just finished up Snakewood by Adrian Selby. I would recommend it though it's not your standard S&F novel and the beginning is a bit dense. It finishes strong and introduced a lot of interesting elements, just don't look for many real good guys in this one. Up next a mystery by Chris Knopf, The Last Refuge.

[RonClinton]

Just read Bradbury's SOMEWHERE A BAND IS PLAYING (Gauntlet S/L HC), and while I appreciate Gauntlet's on-going goal to offer unpublished material and rough snippets of unfinished to his fans, some of that material probably should have stayed in the proverbial trunk...this was one of those efforts. As a Bradbury fan, it was an interesting book as it showed the progression of the pieces, the alternate truncated fits and starts, etc., but as just a piece of fiction, it contained just about every Bradburyesque excess of sentimental prose, and, worse, wasn't particularly interesting and didn't make a great deal of sense in spots. This needed a lot more polish and work before it should have seen print...reminded me a bit of the later Matheson stuff Gauntlet published, material that did little to further Matheson's body of work's reputation and, in fact, arguably diminished it. I understand the financial and artisitic/cultural/completist motivation to put out material posthumously and/or in their twilight years when they no longer have the ability to write new fiction (and Bradbury and Matheson are far, far from the only ones who've had this happen), and I understand such material should not be compared to their classic work and instead should be accepted for what it is...but it's still unfortunate when that new material doesn't reflect the quality for which they're known and, for some readers, puts a bit of a tarnish on that work. Rough, uneven work is expected in a writer's early years, but should a writer and/or his audience find worth in its publication at the end of his career? Harper Lee's GO SET A WATCHMAN is another example, though as I understand it this was a money-grab by people who ignored her decades-long refusal to release any new work.

[Martin]

Reading Tim Lebbon's 'The Silence' before it hits Netflix. Enjoying it so far. Has a classic horror vibe to me.

[mhatchett]

Just read Bradbury's SOMEWHERE A BAND IS PLAYING (Gauntlet S/L HC), and while I appreciate Gauntlet's on-going goal to offer unpublished material and rough snippets of unfinished to his fans, some of that material probably should have stayed in the proverbial trunk...this was one of those efforts. As a Bradbury fan, it was an interesting book as it showed the progression of the pieces, the alternate truncated fits and starts, etc., but as just a piece of fiction, it contained just about every Bradburyesque excess of sentimental prose, and, worse, wasn't particularly interesting and didn't make a great deal of sense in spots. This needed a lot more polish and work before it should have seen print...reminded me a bit of the later Matheson stuff Gauntlet published, material that did little to further Matheson's body of work's reputation and, in fact, arguably diminished it. I understand the financial and artisitic/cultural/completist motivation to put out material posthumously and/or in their twilight years when they no longer have the ability to write new fiction (and Bradbury and Matheson are far, far from the only ones who've had this happen), and I understand such material should not be compared to their classic work and instead should be accepted for what it is...but it's still unfortunate when that new material doesn't reflect the quality for which they're known and, for some readers, puts a bit of a tarnish on that work. Rough, uneven work is expected in a writer's early years, but should a writer and/or his audience find worth in its publication at the end of his career? Harper Lee's GO SET A WATCHMAN is another example, though as I understand it this was a money-grab by people who ignored her decades-long refusal to release any new work.

I agree Ron, a lot of money grabs, which I don't mind if it is a good product. I love Bradbury, but you know he was the ultimate revisionist, he didn't do a re-write that he wasn't convinced eclipsed the original and I hate that. Not being a completist myself, I find it pretty easy to draw the line.

[brlesh]

Four hundred pages into The City of Mirrors and really enjoying it. There was a lengthy backstory in the first third of the book that was, first time in the trilogy, the first time I was somewhat bored with the story. But, you come to realize that that backstory was the genesis for the entire Passage story; just wished that Cronin could have speed it up a bit. But, otherwise, City of Mirrors, similar to the first two books, is kicking ass. Can't wait to see what the final 200 pages have in story. Overall, will be sorry to see this one come to an end.

B

[Ben Staad]

I have to admit I didn't read this yet. By the time I received my copy I would have had to do a re-read on the other two and I just never got around to it. Thanks for the mini review.

Four hundred pages into The City of Mirrors and really enjoying it. There was a lengthy backstory in the first third of the book that was, first time in the trilogy, the first time I was somewhat bored with the story. But, you come to realize that that backstory was the genesis for the entire Passage story; just wished that Cronin could have speed it up a bit. But, otherwise, City of Mirrors, similar to the first two books, is kicking ass. Can't wait to see what the final 200 pages have in story. Overall, will be sorry to see this one come to an end.

B

[Dan Hocker]

Anyone else read the series of books the TV show "The Expanse" is based on (also called The Expanse)? I'm really enjoying them so far. Though the further in I get the more I realize that the books did a much better job of telling the story that the show did. The show changed a lot of the fundamental either character traits of the main characters and the different political organizations. I really think the books version of those things has been much better.

[bsaenz24]

Anyone else read the series of books the TV show "The Expanse" is based on (also called The Expanse)? I'm really enjoying them so far. Though the further in I get the more I realize that the books did a much better job of telling the story that the show did. The show changed a lot of the fundamental either character traits of the main characters and the different political organizations. I really think the books version of those things has been much better.

Waiting for book 9 and then I'll start.

[njhorror]

Reading the second in the Merrily Watkins series by Phil Rickman, Midwinter of the Spirit.

The first, The Wine of Angels, was typical Rickman, a great read from cover to cover.

[mhatchett]

Anyone else read the series of books the TV show "The Expanse" is based on (also called The Expanse)? I'm really enjoying them so far. Though the further in I get the more I realize that the books did a much better job of telling the story that the show did. The show changed a lot of the fundamental either character traits of the main characters and the different political organizations. I really think the books version of those things has been much better.

I read the books and enjoy the show. I pretty much compartmentalize each and try to enjoy them as two similar, but slightly different things, if that makes sense at all lol!!! The books are just wow, I can't believe they haven't won more awards. One of my best buys from Sub Press for sure.

[Dan Hocker]

I read the books and enjoy the show. I pretty much compartmentalize each and try to enjoy them as two similar, but slightly different things, if that makes sense at all lol!!! The books are just wow, I can't believe they haven't won more awards. One of my best buys from Sub Press for sure.

Generally I compartmentalize those things as well, but reading through the books now, it just seems like the show made some strange choices with some of the changes that they made.

[dannyboy121070]

Reading the second in the Merrily Watkins series by Phil Rickman, Midwinter of the Spirit.

The first, The Wine of Angels, was typical Rickman, a great read from cover to cover.

I'm gonna have to check these books out. I remember Tyree raving about the BBC adaptation of MIDWINTER, and I just read about it in WE DON'T GO BACK, a phenomenal book about Folk Horror. Thanks for the reminder, NJ.

[njhorror]

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