I’m now starting the 4th volume of Book of the New Sun, by Gene Wolfe. I don’t understand much, but am completely captivated by the implication that I might, someday.
I’ll have a look, thanks!
Redshirts proved to be wholly entertaining, but pretty short.
Afterwards I started with Book 1 called Luna: New Moon by British Author Ian McDonald. It is a strange book for me. On the one hand I could see and read that it is really well crafted, and the author has really perfected his writing style. However, there are certain things that let me bounce off of the book. At first the book starts with a glossary of people that will be in the book, and oh boy do you need that. Multiple pages of descriptions of people, at least 60 or 70, spread over multiple families/dynasties. And while I am not a literature critic, for me it seems opening with a glossary to try to understand what happens later seems lazy, or a failure of introductions of the people. Comparing that with my favourite author Peter F. Hamilton he never needs to hand out glossaries for his characters. At the same time some of the dynasties described are foreign cultures to me, and the naming schemas made it very difficult to follow who is who.
So I ultimately stopped reading that after about 200 pages. I think I gave it a decent try.
Next on the list is (already startet, 130 pages down) is the first book of The Merchant Princes by American Author Charles Stross.
It reads very smoothly, which is both a compliment and a complaint. While I can read this down very quickly and without problems of understanding (english is not my mother tongue), I am not learning new words, or phrases. This is deep American culture writing, so if you’re good with CSI or American television/books in general you can probably read this through without any problems.
Thank you so much for your view and reading experience!
I’ve been away from SF for a bit and read a book I got in a thrift shop:
A pleasantly surprising read, I must say. Local language used poetically, usage of historic events for its story, and well crafted descriptions of nature and landscapes, seasons, farming and husbandry. It’s also a love story, I suppose, but that didn’t bother me 
.
I’ve since learned that it’s quite a famous book, or used to be.
Thanks for the reference; just put a hold on this at my local library.
My mom’s third husband and I have, shall we say, sharply diverging views on history and politics. He sends me books from his echo chamber, and I politely put them on the donation pile unread. I’m going to send him Howard Zinn’s “A People’s History of the United States” and possibly this one for Christmas this year.
And may have inspired a cookie / biscuit 
Speaking as a library worker, we thank you for that.
My wife and I are huge library fans/ supporters. It’s some of the best money you can spend in a community and needs far more than it’s usually given. Thanks for being a library worker – you are most definitely appreciated!
At least in the USA, one of the best services offered by the local library is ILL: Inter-Library Loan. I live in a small town and our library does not have some of the more obscure items I’d like to read (understandable, not a complaint). I have used ILL to borrow such items from libraries all over the country and even Canada. And the cost is usually zero.
The worst thing about ILL is that too few people know about it and use it. It is a fantastic service. I love our library.
I agree. ILL is great, especially for smaller libraries, but also if you’re looking for more scholarly works and don’t have an academic library nearby. From our side of the circ desk, it’s fun and interesting to see what our patrons have ordered in.
Sadly, not all ILSs (Integrated Library Systems, the software your library runs on) make ILL easy to find. Some don’t do it at all; you have to come in and talk to a human librarian. Our library system falls into that latter category.
It’s one of the things in the RFP (Request For Proposal) we sent to ILS vendors earlier this year. In the past two weeks I’ve sat six full days through vendor Dog & Pony shows. Completely mind-numbing. It’s not quite as bad as sitting in a darkened room for 48 hours with a used car salesman, but close. Maybe if the used car salesman had PowerPoint… (Please, please, we’re all literate here and don’t need you to read your slides to us.)
Fortunately, a consensus had been reached partway through yesterday morning (although no ink yet spilled) and we will enter the new millennium soon. (Soon being in bureaucratic timescales.)
I have used ILL but try not to because of the cost my local library bears to provide it. That may be my own incorrect perception and I readily concede that. But administrative overhead, cost to transfer materials between libraries…
Our island library doesn’t have more than a few pennies and some pocket lint it can draw upon, so I try to differentiate any requests between need to have and nice to have.
That was one of my favourites as a kid!
Started listening to the audiobook of Leviathan Wakes (The Expanse series book 1) on the commute. I picked it up because of the upcoming Owlcat game without realizing there was a TV show already.
The Merchant Princes (First Book) done, I started and finished very quickly:
All Systems Red by Martha Wells
Very lovely crafted story of an artificial created bot which hacks its own protocols so it no longer has to listen to everybody. The whole book (not that thick) is written from the perspective of the bot that calls itself “Murderbot”. It is the first book of the Murderbot series.
I liked it so much that I ordered the second book today.
Next on the list (and already started) is:
Starter Villain by John Scalzi
Very quickly (after reading Redshirts by him) he is becoming one of my favourite authors. Much humor, intelligent characters, easy to read. You can almost imagine the dialogues as being part of a sitcom sometimes. Today I finished a chapter, closed the book, and just laughed, which rarely if ever happens.
Cannot recommend enough.
Some Roald Dahl, easy reads.
My favorite story still either the Snowman or Yes is No
Started reading The Oligarch’s Daughter by Joseph Finder.
Readers have given it a high rating on both Amazon and Good reads. But surprisingly Publisher’s Weekly review and a few other reviewers have not. Funny thing this is not the only book having this title. There is another book too having the same title, The Oligarch’s Daughter by Eric van Lustbader.
Will have to give this book a read too.
I enjoyed that one too.
Been a Martha Wells fan ever since her second novel. Murderbot is top notch! I know there’s a TV show but haven’t watched it to compare. Love how Murderbot is nongendered so anyone can put themselves in the role mentally.
Currently reading Mary Roach, Packing For Mars. Great humorous nonfic writer about science, easily readable chapters before falling asleep. A decent topical companion to Kelly and Zack Weinersmith’s A City on Mars.
