What books are you reading for pleasure these days?

I was caught out badly the Spring Into SciFi series which I suspect is a kind of vanity publishing thing. The writing was awful, truly awful. Avoid.

As an antidote to the dross above, I turned to an old favourite, Joe Haldeman's classic, The Forever War followed closely by one of his I'd not read before, Mindbridge. Both a bit dated in places but otherwise they hold up remarkably well possibly due to Haldeman's military service and science background.

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I loved The Forever War, I found it really profound. I need to read it again soon.
 
Ed McBain’s 1976 novel, Mary Mary. It’s been sat in my Kindle ‘Unread’ folder for literally years. An engaging legal / murder mystery featuring lawyer Matthew Hope. I have a horrible feeling I’ll be buying more in the series.

Edit: My apologies. Despite what the copyright notice states in the Kindle edition of this book, it was actually published in 1992. I’m not sure if that will encourage or discourage potential readers but felt the correction necessary ‘cos this kind of error bugs me.
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Currently reading Japan 1941: Countdown to Infamy by Eri Hotta, about Japan's leaders' bumbling slide into a disastrous war. Interesting insights from the Japanese side. Having read John Toland's The Rising Sun previously, she corroborates some of what he said and adds more detail. To satisfy the history buff. 🙂
 
I just wrapped up "How to Build a Car" by Adrian Newey.

I've followed Formula One for some 50 years now.

The book started out well, and then immersed itself in vernacular from the industry. I'm an engineer and most of it went over my head.

Hard to recommend.
Too bad. Hoped for something interesting from Newey.
 
Currently reading "Lumholtz Ghost", a biography on Norways only tropical explorer. Rather interesting fellow, did a couple of expeditions to Australia, several to Mexico and one to the interior of Borneo.
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When I am through with that, the next one in the pile is "It cant happen here" by Sinclair Lewis, if am not doing Chestertons "The everlasting man" in-between.
 
The first volume of Terry Brooks' "The First Druids of Shannara" series arrived today. "Galaphile" is his first return to that universe since "The Fall of Shannara" series ended in 2020, and my first dip back into the Shannara universe since I read all 32 books in that world over a 9 month period a couple of years ago.
I hear Terry Brooks is retiring, and handing over the Shannara world to someone else. That could be a good thing for the franchise, in my opinion. I think Terry ran out of ideas and rehashed them a little too often.
 
Something special: Aztec by Gary Jennings

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Amazon blurb: Told in the words of one of the most robust and memorable characters in modern fiction, Mixtli-Dark Cloud, Aztec reveals the very depths of Aztec civilization from the peak and feather-banner splendor of the Aztec Capital of Tenochtitlan to the arrival of Hernán Cortás and his conquistadores, and their destruction of the Aztec empire. The story of Mixtli is the story of the Aztecs themselves---a compelling, epic tale of heroic dignity and a colossal civilization's rise and fall.
 
I hear Terry Brooks is retiring, and handing over the Shannara world to someone else. That could be a good thing for the franchise, in my opinion. I think Terry ran out of ideas and rehashed them a little too often.
I read today that "Galaphile" is his last Shannara book, and Delilah Dawson will take over the writing duties, while he stays on as an advisor. I will likely read the remaining "First Druids" series, and then bow out of the Shannara universe myself. They have been entertaining, but I am not sure where else that universe can go. Kind of like when Todd McCaffrey took over for his mother Anne. IMO, the writing quality of the "Dragonriders" books dropped considerably after that handoff.
 
I read today that "Galaphile" is his last Shannara book, and Delilah Dawson will take over the writing duties, while he stays on as an advisor. I will likely read the remaining "First Druids" series, and then bow out of the Shannara universe myself. They have been entertaining, but I am not sure where else that universe can go. Kind of like when Todd McCaffrey took over for his mother Anne. IMO, the writing quality of the "Dragonriders" books dropped considerably after that handoff.
I personally liked the first book the best. Despite (perhaps because of?) being a clone of The Lord of the Rings, it was an enjoyable read. I need to read it again.

I think his Magic Kingdom of Landover series is my favorite of his works.
 
I personally liked the first book the best. Despite (perhaps because of?) being a clone of The Lord of the Rings, it was an enjoyable read. I need to read it again.

I think his Magic Kingdom of Landover series is my favorite of his works.
Never read any of the Landover books. I enjoyed the Shannara prequel books in the "Knight of the Word" trilogy, and the follow-up trilogy "Genesis of Shannara". They kind of tied the chaos and madness of our world into the fictional Shannara world.
 
Back to disappointing reads it seems. Thought I’d try something different. A wonderfully dark tale set in parts of the UK that I know quite well. Characters’ pasts are revealed chapter by chapter, drawing the reader into a murky world of secrets leading ever closer to the identity of the killer. Then the ending destroys everything that went before with a sugary sweet conclusion and implausible reconciliations. I was annoyed, very annoyed.

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I just finished Not Till We Are Lost, the first half of the latest installment of the Bobiverse books. A good romp, as always, but more comfort food than real nourishment.

Now I'm back to Stars' Call, the first book in the Battleship Chronicles. Which didn't particularly grab me before, and doesn't now. But it's still decent entertainment, so I'll probably see it through to the end. I just hope the story will at some point start to make something of the interesting premise.

But what I really want is for J. S. Dewes to write a second part to Rubicon! I've read that book last year and it's still on my mind.
 
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