Books

Tiamats Wrath by James S. A. Corey.

Its been a few years since my first time reading so it's been great going back to it as I'd forgotten most of this one apart from the major points.

Also I've struggled to want to read something new recently so also re-read Murderbot Diaries and The Martian.

After a reccomendation on here, I'm working my way through the World War series by Harry Turtledove. Currently halfway through Striking The Balance. Excellent series but I must admit to skimming in places in this volume. I feel that it's been padded out a bit. Will keep on though and finish the series. Excellent author and really does go into alternative history scenarios with detail.

Also, as I have since about 1967, constantly reading The Lord Of The Rings ;-)

Decoding Your Cat & How to Read a Book.

Decoding Your Cat is actually written by the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, and it's about general cat behavior, behavioral issues, the issues cats face in addressing behavioral issues, how to train your cat and debunking cat myths [For example, contrary to popular belief, cats don't actually see us as "clumsy cats". They know we are a different species, but still use cat body language to communicate— though they're still apt to mimic when they can]. Every chapter has anecdotes so that you can get an idea of how conflicts play out between cats and humans. I have already finished this book last month, though I review it every now and then to refresh what I know, but mostly because of the cute cat pictures. Also, I wanted to recommend this book.

I'm only a fourth into "How to Read a Book" by Mortimer J. Adler, and unfortunately I still haven't done pre-reading on it (ironic, given that the book says that it's one of the first kinds of reading that you must do) so I'm just plowing through it, but from my impression it's an interesting read that offers information that you would otherwise not reflect on. Well, besides the tips on how to read, it tells you why, and those parts are the most interesting to me. I'm currently on the part about words vs terms, and it gives me an insight of how words are used as terms in text from different fields. There are many definitions of a word, but in technical books some words are important that they specify one term, though one term can be described by more than one.

I'm re-reading glen cook's black company series. Read em before, years ago, but happily my memory is shit and they almost fell like new again. Also reading summer of blood by Dan Jones, history of the peasants revolt.

Ghost Brigades by John Scalzi

Finishing off the last couple of books in Iain Banks' Culture series. I read them 10+y ago but had largely forgotten the content of most books, I'm up to Surface Detail again and really enjoying the ride.

Also read Ian McDonald's The Dervish House for the first time recently and highly recommend it, it's another excellent book.

James.

The 'Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' story, told from the perspective of Jim.

The best part is where Jim and the other slaves have to practice playing dumb and incompetent and speaking gibberish in front of the white folks to avoid making them feel bad.

Not done yet, but really enjoying the first few chapters.

Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson

I read it for a social-cultural diversity class (it's not a textbook), but I would highly recommend White Fragility by Diangelo. Very eye-opening, perspective-shifting book.

Also read How to be an Antiracist by Ibram Kendi for a book report, and it was also a great read.

My book club is going to discuss Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte this week. I finished pretty early, so I've been listening to The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch. It's also standalone sci-fi, though it's doing the thing I don't so much like where it oversimplifies some of its key tech. The prologue was fantastic!

About half way through Three Body Problem. Overall I really like it.

The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones.

Been in the mood for weird horror. Just finished The Fisherman by John Langan. It was pretty good.

Skyward Flight is fantastic. As are the next two novels in the series. I just finished Defiant a couple weeks ago. Brandon did such a good job concluding the series, I'm so hyped for Stormlight 5's conclusion. I'm also very excited to see how Janci continues in Skyward Legacy.

I just started Greencloak by Lyndsey Luther, which sounds like it's going to be a fun high fantasy novel in a unique setting. She's also the person Lyn in the Stormlight Archive is based on

I started Shadows of the Dark Crystal by JM Lee, I hadn't realized there was a Dark Crystal extended universe.

Lot of terms to look up, but I'm very much enjoying it so far.

I'm also planning on reading the comics this week.

The Mad Ship by Robin Hobb. It's the second book in her Liveship trilogy. It's much better than the first one, which was very slow to start.

I aim to read all her books in The Realm of the Elderlings series eventually (current book I'm on is #5). She's not my most favorite writer, but she's up there.

I’m working picking up where I left if with the books of the Murderbot Diaries by Margaret Wells. I read the short story Compulsory a couple nights ago, last night and Rogue Protocol last night. I figure I can get Exit Strategy, Home: Habitat, Range, Niche, Territory, and Network Effect for sure done by this time next week.

Having most of the early works in the series being Novellas or occasionally short stories really makes it fly.

I'm just about to hit the climax at the end of Finder by Suzanne Palmer, first in a four-book space opera. It's been enjoyable so far, so if she sticks the landing, I'll probably add the next book to my TBR list. Not sure what I'll end up reading next.