What are you reading right now?

[lhb412]

^I've got the Dover editions of all of the Andrew Lang fairy books (save two: still need the Orange and Olive books). They have the original H.J. Ford illustrations! I always go for the editions that have old illustrations!

I've got a pretty big (and ever growing!) collection of fairy and folktale collections. I'll advocate for the Jack Zipes translation of Grimm... speaking of which, he recently translated the first edition of Grimm into English for the first time, which features the stories in their coarser, more authentic forms before they made things a bit nicer and friendlier in further editions. Definitely have to pick that up soon!

[sentaison]

I finished Project 731, the next book in Jeremy Robinsons Kaiju Thriller series. Just as great as the previous entries. I've got to get more of his work.

[klen7]

I finished 'Grasshopper Jungle'.. a lot of distractions with work related readings slowed me down... there were a few giant praying mantises, but for the most part the book focused on the sexual confusion of a bisexual high schooler. I guess we'll see how it plays on the big screen when Edgar Wright brings us his adaptation, but there is enough humor and weirdness to make for an interesting film.

[MekaGojira3k]

About 2/3rds of the way through The Andromeda Strain

Also about 1/2 way through re-reading Jurassic Park.

[Mysterio]

I always find it a bit surreal that my little bro started this thread but he hasn't even logged on to the forums in over 3 years yet the thread is still going strong.

[MekaGojira3k]

Finished the Andromeda Strain. It was a very fast read. I liked it, the end was a bit anticlimactic. I think I really wanted everything to go really terribly for everyone.

The only other Crichton books I've read are the other Jurassic Park novels...but does anyone else see similarities to the set up of these and vs. Biollante?

Not just the bio-tech angle, but things like the early warning system things that appear throughout?

[XvGojira]

[lhb412]

This year I resolve to read more!

I keep a reading log, and the amount under 2015 was pathetic! I spent much of New Year's Eve in marathon reading form to finish Homer's The Odyssey (Robert Fragle's translation) and E.T.A. Hoffman's The Nutcracker (with the Maurice Sendak illustrations) just so I could put them under 2015!

[The Shadow]

I intend to read more this year as well; I started last year okay but then dropped off as the year went on. I might keep a log of what I've read this year as well, it's not something I've really done before but maybe it'll encourage me to keep up my reading pace.

Currently I'm reading Elvenbane by Andre Norton and Mercedes Lackey (book 1 of the Halfblood Chronicles).

And I just finished up Cobra Outlaw by Timothy Zahn (Cobra Rebellion book 2) -- Zahn is one of my favorite authors, and I particularly enjoy his Cobra series.

Cobra, the first book in what has become the Cobra series, is one of Zahn's earlier novels (first published 1985) is currently with Baen Books. If anyone would like to check it out, Cobra is available free through Amazon and chances are it's also in the current Baen Free Library (the BFL will have multiple formats available).

Here's the Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/Cobra-Timothy-Zah ... 00XLTZTIK/

And a link to the Baen Free Library (Yes, Cobra is there as well); after a quick look it seems that most everything in the BFL should be available for free through Amazon (from Baen) as well:

https://www.baenebooks.com/c-1-free-library.aspx

[2004Zilla]

[klen7]

I really enjoyed "John Dies at the End" so I have no idea why it took me so long to pick up the sequel, "This Book is Full of Spiders". About half way through and enjoying it quite a bit.

::edit:: finished this book. enjoyed it greatly, loved the ending. Started "Futuristic Violence and Fancy Suits" by the same author

[lhb412]

Reading Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer.

[klen7]

^ That's pretty close to the top of my list, got it for Christmas. What do you think so far?

[lhb412]

^About a third of the way through, and am certainly enjoying it. I'd classify it as more like classical horror than anything.

The trilogy ended up on a bunch of year end 'best' lists in Dec/Jan - not just genre lists, either: general lit. I decided to pick it up because of that.

[2004Zilla]

Finished reading The Terminal Man by Michael Crichton.

It was an interesting read on a subject I'll that usually isn't taken seriously in mainstream media: Psychotherapy (or "mind control," as Crichton puts it). Admittedly, it's rather short, as a good third of it is purely scientific explanations, and the climax feels rushed. Unless you're into medical science, you're probably not going to be staying up all night to finish it until you reach the second half.

One thing I noticed is that it's aged remarkably well.

[sentaison]

I just finished The Rules of Supervillainy and its sequel, The Games of Supervillainy by C.T. Phipps. A couple of very readable novelettes about a guy who mistakenly is given a magic cloak that had belonged to the city's greatest hero. Having past issues with the heroic side of superdom, he sets out to become the world greatest villain.

Of course it's not that easy...

[The Shadow]

How'd you like The Rules of Supervillainy? I picked up a free ebook this past February on Amazon because it sounded interesting.

After confirming my intention to read more this year I immediately slacked off; but I'm quickly getting back on track.

Current Read Total: 7

Since my previous post I finished reading Temple by Robert Cornuke (not counting since I read most of it last year). This is a non-fiction book about where Solomon's Temple was, Cornuke (a former police detective) follows the evidence for the Temple's location and why none of that matches the now traditional location called the Temple Mount (and also just what the Temple Mount location probably is).

On to books in my Read Count;

I've read On The Path Of The Immortals by Thomas Horn and Cris Putnam (also non-fiction).

I've read The Enduring Flame trilogy co-written by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory -- an epic fantasy type of story, but closely follows the two lead characters throughout the trilogy so it "feels" somewhat smaller but you're still informed about the greater world of the story as the two leads travel. Fantasy fans should like the trilogy, I found it an entertaining read; here are the three books in the trilogy:

-The Phoenix Unchained
-The Phoenix Endangered
-The Phoenix Transformed

Mr. Monk in Trouble by Lee Goldberg. I'm a fan of the show, and this is the first of the books I've read (along with a few others in my To Read stack). Lee Goldberg was one of the writers for the show so picking it up is very much like tuning into an episode. After the strange death of a former SF police officer who retired to the gold rush city of Trouble, Monk is asked to investigate. Along the way Monk is confronted by trick or treaters, hordes of butterflies, and vicious burros. Great fun to read especially if you like the show. There were also several Psych books which are probably good too, but I haven't read any yet (even though I am a fan of Psych)

And I'm currently reading The Sanctuary by Raymond Khoury. So far the book has shifted between the past and the present day following the core characters, with the plot surrounding some mysterious knowledge collected by the Templars (unknowingly) in the past. It's been a little slow to start, and so far I'm enjoying the sections that take place in the past over the present day but things look like they'll be picking up soon in the present.

I don't believe I've left out anything, if I have I'll note it in the next update.

[lhb412]

The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, which is a collection of real life case stories by neurologist Oliver Sacks.

Sacks joins the ranks of many great authors whose work I was inspired to read after they passed away and NPR re-aired an old interview with them that I happened to listen to.

[planetxleader]

Just popping in to say that if you haven't ever read Moby Dick, it's really, really damn good.

[lhb412]

Jason and the Argonauts by Appollonius of Rhodes ( new Pengiun edition/translation)

[lhb412]

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le Carré.

[lhb412]

Now reading The Daily Show (The Book): An Oral History. It's like one of those oral histories of movies and TV shows you read online, only this one is crazy long and comprehensive, dealing with about 18 years in detail and featuring practically every personality from onscreen and behind the scenes. It's really great so far, love the format, and I'm rapidly approaching the moment when teenaged me started watching the show (mid-2003 or so).

[DannyBeane]

I've been working my way through Stephen King's The Dark Tower series for the past month or so. I just finished The Wasteland and I'm about to start Wizard and Glass.

[Benjamin Haines]

Last year, I read In the Shadow of Man by Jane Goodall, the 1988 revised edition of her 1971 book chronicling the first decade she spent studying chimpanzees in Tanzania. I found it absolutely captivating and eye-opening and I've been devouring non-fiction books about the study of apes ever since.

Orangutans: Wizards of the Rain Forest (1999) by Anne E. Russon

The Intimate Ape: Orangutans and the Secret Life of a Vanishing Species (2010) by Shawn Thompson

Bonobo: The Forgotten Ape (1997) by Frans de Waal

Through a Window: My Thirty Years with the Chimpanzees of Gombe (1990) by Jane Goodall (This is her follow-up to In the Shadow of Man.)

Among African Apes: Stories and Photos from the Field (2011) edited by Martha M. Robbins and Christophe Boesch (The chapters are written by different scientists covering chimps, bonobos, and gorillas.)

Gorilla: Struggle for Survival in the Virungas (1989) by George B. Schaller with photographs by Michael Nichols (This one ended up being mostly a picture book.)

Now I'm currently reading Chimpanzees of the Lakeshore: Natural History and Culture at Mahale (2012) by Toshisada Nishida.

[klen7]

^ I sense a theme.

I just finished "Ready Player One".. not sure which of the many "too read" books i'm picking up next