Nothing at my end. Life has been kinda busy lately.
What about all of you? What have you been reading or listening to lately?
For details on the c/Books Bingo, check the Midpoint check-in post.
I’m reading “The Eyewitness” by Muhammad Saeed Mehdi. It’s a self biography by a Pakistani civil servant since the 1950s. I’m a Pakistani American who recently visited Pakistan for the first time in 20+ years. I bought the book while I was over there.
I’m woefully ignorant of the history of Pakistan despite my parents complaining about Pakistani politics my entire life. I will say that book is amateurishly written, it’s clearly written by someone my grandfather’s age who didn’t hire a professional writer to help with this book. It is still fascinating because it’s like listening to my grandfather tell a story about characters I’ve heard about my whole life. It’s about events my parents and grandparents lived through. Its giving my a different perspective on the lives my parents led before moving to the US.
Currently in 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami. The story is reasonably interesting, but what keeps me coming back is the beautiful use of metaphor.
“Once you pass a certain age, life becomes nothing more than a process of continual loss. Things that are important to your life begin to slip out of your grasp, one after another, like a comb losing teeth.”
Just finished listening to A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. LeGuin, as read by Harlen Ellison (the author). He did a god job with it.
Also nearly finished the Autumn Republic, the final book of the Powder Magic trilogy.
Finished A Wizard of Earthsea 2 weeks ago, finished Tombs of Atuan last week, now reading The Farthest Shore.
Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annihilation_(VanderMeer_novel)
I’m almost done with it and then I understand it’s part of a trilogy so I’ll go hunt down the next book. Its spooky in an X Files way and I’m digging it.
An overall solid series. I read Absolution last year and am about to start his Ambergris series as soon as my library hold comes in.
This book made me feel so much dread that I couldn’t even finish it.
Absolutely loved Annihilation. I expected Roadside Picnic, but got Lovecraftian incomprehensible horrors, government conspiracies, and main character coming to terms with themselves and events in their life.
Authority is a bit different, but the feeling of dread and being lost is still present throughout the book.
I found Authority jarringly different. It’s good in its own way, but… yeah.
Since my last reply to one of these I have got through a few things.
I finished what was left of Dungeon Crawler Carl which was good, I’m looking forward to more.
Read a few Outlanders books again which was nice to go back to.
And now currently half way through the third book of “The Remaining” series of books by Molles. It is alright so far.
Slow Gods, by Claire North. Quite decent so far, shades of the Culture novels but more political. Borrowed a bit from Adrian Tchaikovsky’s “Final Architecture” series in terms of how hyperspace works, but I guess he put his seal of approval on it since he’s endorsing it on the cover
A book which resembles my favorite series ever, and which is endorsed by one of my other favorite authors? That’s a hell of an endorsement. Final Architecture was a DNF for me, but I’ve enjoyed basically all of Adrian Tchaikovsky’s other books.
I love me some Tchaikovsky.
Saaaame. Can’t wait to read both his 2026 releases so far, book 4 of the Tyrant Philosophers series, and book 4 of the Children of Time series. I have so many other authors that I wish published as voluminously as he
I couldn’t get through the third Children of Time book, but would really like to see what happens to the freed demoness in Tyrant Philosophers .
Here’s a suggestion.
‘Over The Wine Dark Sea’ by Harry Turtledove. Greek traders circa 300 BC.
Ooooof, that 3rd Children of Time book actually was a bit flimsy. Added to the lore & mythos of the universe; and that’s about it.
I loved those first three Tyrant Philosophers books. Felt like he was channelling China Meiville’s Bas Lag novels; but doing a superior job of it.
I’ll check that out, I haven’t had much exposure to Turtledove
Just finished listening to Project Hail Mary earlier today. Otherwise I listen to 99% interesting podcast or horror narrations on YouTube.
I have a lot of time to listen to things since I’m just a lowly garbage truck driver.
I’ve got three going.
Canadian Pie, a mix of Canadiana, satire, and travelogue by Will Ferguson.
Dust of Dreams by Steven Erikson, because I don’t find the world dark and depressing enough. It’s my first reread of the Malazan books and I remember very little as I read it when it was first published.
Brothers in Arms by Lois Bujold-Mcmaster. I just love the Vorkosigan Saga.
Re-reading the Sandman comic series for the first time in about twenty years.
I did that when the library got the new editions.
Really holds up well, imho.
If you like Gaiman, look up Tanith Lee. He stole a lot of his tropes and style from her.
I’d start with ‘Night’s Master’
Thanks for the recommendation, will add it to the list!
We Few by Nick Brokhausen, which is a first person account of his time in MACV-SOG.
I read The Two Hotel Francforts by David Leavitt, which was so-so. I wouldn’t recommend it since I wouldn’t know why.
Now I’m reading Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin. I’ve only just started, but I really like it so far. It’s my first read of Baldwin and I’m really impressed by his writing.
I’m most of the way through Ships of Oak, Guns of Iron: The War of 1812 and the Forging of the American Navy. I checked it out from the library based on recommendation from somewhere, I don’t recall where anymore. It fills in so many things I never knew about the War of 1812, super interesting.
I’m on the second Ian Cormac novel, “Line of Polity,” about which I learned from this community!
I’m reading Flowers over the Inferno by, er, that Italian lady whose name I can’t remember.
Listening to Speedrunning the Multiverse by adastra339. amoral overpowered MC who only cares about getting stronger.
I am enjoying it.
