Official Reading/Book Thread

[animal74 1,930]

On 4/22/2025 at 1:43 AM, fishy said:

I just read this! I'm really eager to get into the next book, as I found this one really compelling. What did you think of it? 

Started really slow and due to it being a debut novel I was expecting it to be so-so. The ending was crazy though and I think (know) the series gets better. Here's my full review cuz it's complex, haha...

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/744152562

Edited yesterday at 04:08 PM by animal74

[animal74 1,930]

22 hours ago, fishy said:

- All Systems Red, Artificial Condition, and Network Effect by Martha Wells, books 1, 2, and 5 of the Murderbot Diaries series. All rereads and just as good as the first time!!!!!!!

- Legendborn, Bloodmarked, and Oathbound by Tracy Deonn, books 1-3 of the Legendborn Cycle. First two were rereads and BETTER the second time.

I like Martha Wells' fantasy books, have yet to try Murderbot though. @Aimee  why only 2 stars for the first one? Curious!

 

A co-worker recommended Legendborn and my 13-yr-old really enjoyed the first two and bought #3 a few days after it came out but has yet to read it (was trying to re-read the other two first). What did you like most about the series?

[Aimee 1,187]

41 minutes ago, animal74 said:

I like Martha Wells' fantasy books, have yet to try Murderbot though. @Aimee  why only 2 stars for the first one? Curious!

 

A co-worker recommended Legendborn and my 13-yr-old really enjoyed the first two and bought #3 a few days after it came out but has yet to read it (was trying to re-read the other two first). What did you like most about the series?

Honestly, just wasn't for me. I had a few chuckles and the premise was interesting but I just couldn't get into the story or the characters.

[der meister 3,404]

10 hours ago, OrbitingDeath said:

GODDAMNIT SLOTH

 

I am making my way through part 7 myself, love em that much that im currently collecting the hardcover editions as they come out. 

My favourite book series of recent times,  and maybe even surpassing the GFL series from Scott Sigler and the Dune series on my all time list. 

 

From quickly looking at your posted list, i have added 'The downloaded' and 'Divine Dungeon' to my to-read list on goodreads, so will get there eventually. 

 

 

I'm on book 5

 

 

[Acydburn 1,677]

11 hours ago, OrbitingDeath said:

I am making my way through part 7 myself, love em that much that im currently collecting the hardcover editions as they come out. 

I finished book 1 last week and i'm a quarter through book 2. Really enjoying them. I have the 1st one in hard cover already lol. 

 

Also keep debating buying this shirt lol

[STZ 5,532]

On 8/2/2024 at 5:22 PM, OblivionWalker said:

Read "Project: Hail Mary" by Andy Weir (author of "The Martian" and "Artemis") recently and I really enjoyed it!

 

Right now, I'm reading "The Starless Sea" by Erin Morgenstern and I have no idea what to make of it, honestly. Like it's so unusual I'm not even sure if I like it or not. I'm almost done with it, so I'll give final thoughts in a bit.

I’m near the end of Project Hail Mary right now. I’m using the wife’s audible credits up lol. I’m not sure if I’d have enjoyed it as much if I was reading though. There’s a lot of science and math that might have went over my head if I was actually trying to read. I’m not entirely sure though, this was my first audiobook. Enjoying it, interested to see how the last five chapters go

[OrbitingDeath 3,340]

12 hours ago, Acydburn said:

I finished book 1 last week and i'm a quarter through book 2. Really enjoying them. I have the 1st one in hard cover already lol. 

 

Also keep debating buying this shirt lol

I so want it, together with this one https://dungeoncrawlercarl.threadless.com/designs/goddamnit/mens/t-shirt/regular

 

[OrbitingDeath 3,340]

6 hours ago, STZ said:

I’m near the end of Project Hail Mary right now. I’m using the wife’s audible credits up lol. I’m not sure if I’d have enjoyed it as much if I was reading though. There’s a lot of science and math that might have went over my head if I was actually trying to read. I’m not entirely sure though, this was my first audiobook. Enjoying it, interested to see how the last five chapters go

 

[fishy 1,758]

18 hours ago, animal74 said:

I like Martha Wells' fantasy books, have yet to try Murderbot though.

I haven't read any of her fantasy books yet. I know she has an insane backlog, I've just never gotten around to them. I really enjoy Murderbot because I found them really funny, I appreciate how short they are, and I like the messaging of them. Wells does a nice job of saying what she wants to say (re: genderqueerness, neurodivergence, capitalism & colonialism, etc.) without sacrificing her story and without assuming the reader is a fucking idiot. 

 

18 hours ago, animal74 said:

Started really slow and due to it being a debut novel I was expecting it to be so-so. The ending was crazy though and I think (know) the series gets better. Here's my full review cuz it's complex, haha...

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/744152562

I just sent you a friend request over on Goodreads--I really enjoyed reading this! I agree with your points, too. I didn't love the narrator, and I was kinda annoyed with John Gwynne for choosing so many characters whose names start with the K sound. 

 

My main thought here was that it felt like a prologue to the series, if that makes sense? Like, this whole book felt like the setup for everything else that's going to happen. We took all this time just to establish who the good guys and bad guys are

 

18 hours ago, animal74 said:

A co-worker recommended Legendborn and my 13-yr-old really enjoyed the first two and bought #3 a few days after it came out but has yet to read it (was trying to re-read the other two first). What did you like most about the series?

I think there's so much to like, and I'm so glad to hear that your 13 y/o is reading/enjoying it!!! 

 

The most obvious thing to love here is how the book explores racism and misogyny. I think the author does a fabulous job of Making It About Race(TM) without reducing the plot to a classic "fighting against the system" situation that we often see in fantasy. We follow Black female character whose story is not simply Black suffering. It's wonderful because you can tell that this story was written by a person who's experienced, witnessed, and felt the grief, loss, and hurt that's being presented here. She translates those feelings into a story palatable and accessible for young adults in a nuanced way that makes it appealing and enjoyable for adults, too. 

 

The romance is fantastic as well! There's a true love triangle (rather than a "love triangle," which is actually just a love angle) that's messy and requires all the characters to be fleshed out in order to be truly appreciated. 

 

The whole story is based on different magic systems coming together--King Arthur/Welsh mythology + Black American ancestral magic--which makes for a really rich system of power. 

 

Lastly, I'm usually rather critical of the chose one trope because it's been done so many times, but I really like the way it's written here. Instead of having an OP character whose main struggle is figuring out who to aim at, the narrative shows Bree struggling with the burden of that power and relying on her friends, family, and community to support her. It's overall really great messaging for young adults (and adults tbh) who pick the book up. 

[der meister 3,404]

2 hours ago, OrbitingDeath said:

I so want it, together with this one https://dungeoncrawlercarl.threadless.com/designs/goddamnit/mens/t-shirt/regular

 

 

The Desperado Club one is kinda fire tbh

[OrbitingDeath 3,340]

29 minutes ago, der meister said:

 

The Desperado Club one is kinda fire tbh

 

Yeah great one as well, but i kinda hope to run into shirts like this at a comic con over ordering it there. Sure it probably will be bootlegs, but i just checked for 2 shirts and 1 zipped hoodie, and with shipping and taxes the prices skyrocketed to get it to the Netherlands  

Even for 1 shirt alone, it would be like 45 euro's.  So fingers crossed i just find something at a con this year.

[der meister 3,404]

41 minutes ago, OrbitingDeath said:

 

Yeah great one as well, but i kinda hope to run into shirts like this at a comic con over ordering it there. Sure it probably will be bootlegs, but i just checked for 2 shirts and 1 zipped hoodie, and with shipping and taxes the prices skyrocketed to get it to the Netherlands  

Even for 1 shirt alone, it would be like 45 euro's.  So fingers crossed i just find something at a con this year.

Good luck! This year is a bad one for discretionary spending. 

[Acydburn 1,677]

4 hours ago, OrbitingDeath said:

I so want it, together with this one https://dungeoncrawlercarl.threadless.com/designs/goddamnit/mens/t-shirt/regular

 

https://dungeoncrawlercarl.threadless.com/designs/donut/mens/t-shirt/regular I like this one more TBH but yeah it's def a classic.

 

Glerp Glerp is hilarious but not something I would wear.

[Acydburn 1,677]

Read Recently:

Three Assassins by Kotaro Isaka (sequel to bullet train)

You'd look better as a ghost by Joanne Wallace

Murder Your Employer: The McMasters Guide to Homicide by Rupert Holmes

Dungeon Crawler Carl 1 + 2 by Matt Dinniman 

 

Three Assassins was just okay.. Probably can skip it

You'd look better as a ghost was alright as well I wasn't impressed. Writing was fine but just nothing really happens.

Murder your employer surprised me. Was interesting and kept me engaged

Dungeon Crawler Carl is just fun and entertaining

 

[animal74 1,930]

I was in a March Readathon and everyone was raving about Dungeon Crawler Carl. Another to add to the TBR pile! Lol

[animal74 1,930]

4 hours ago, fishy said:

Wells does a nice job of saying what she wants to say ... without sacrificing her story and without assuming the reader is a fucking idiot. 

While there is messaging I suppose in her fantasy too (that I've read) it sounds like it may not be as pronounced as in Murder Bot? It's there but, as you say, it doesn't detract. She's a master world-builder so if you like that in your fantasy, definitely giver her a try.  

 

4 hours ago, fishy said:

I just sent you a friend request over on Goodreads--I really enjoyed reading this! I agree with your points, too. I didn't love the narrator, and I was kinda annoyed with John Gwynne for choosing so many characters whose names start with the K sound. 

 

My main thought here was that it felt like a prologue to the series, if that makes sense? Like, this whole book felt like the setup for everything else that's going to happen. We took all this time just to establish who the good guys and bad guys are

Accepted! And thanks. I like your point that it feels like a prologue - that's a good way of putting it. Plus it was a debut novel so there's that. 99% of people I've talked to/read reviews from say that the series gets so much better. I like the world and the concepts - hopefully the characters smarten up!

 

4 hours ago, fishy said:

The romance is fantastic as well! There's a true love triangle (rather than a "love triangle," which is actually just a love angle) that's messy and requires all the characters to be fleshed out in order to be truly appreciated.

Funny you mention this. I talked to my daughter last night and asked if she thinks I would like the series and she gave me this look and shook her head. "Too YA." 

I said, "Too much kissing?"

She said yes. 

I told her I can handle some kissing as long as it's driving the story and not too much (I did just read a Holly Black novel after all!). 

I'm more interested in the spin on Arthurian mythology anyway. 

[animal74 1,930]

Did someone else just send me a Goodreads friend request? Wondering if it's one of you or a random. 

[Enorama 2,056]

27 minutes ago, animal74 said:

Did someone else just send me a Goodreads friend request? Wondering if it's one of you or a random. 

 

That would be me lol

[OrbitingDeath 3,340]

3 hours ago, Acydburn said:

https://dungeoncrawlercarl.threadless.com/designs/donut/mens/t-shirt/regular I like this one more TBH but yeah it's def a classic.

 

Glerp Glerp is hilarious but not something I would wear.

Yeah i like the hearts better as this cover of donut doesnt fit her actual design in the books (dinniman didnt want to traumatize the cover designer or something with actual tortoiseshell drawings)

 

 

And yeah im not wearing the glurp one

[OrbitingDeath 3,340]

2 hours ago, animal74 said:

I was in a March Readathon and everyone was raving about Dungeon Crawler Carl. Another to add to the TBR pile! Lol

Its the best!