Read Turn Coat, book 11 of the Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher.
Another bad people/creatures/whatever doing bad stuff with magic, while Dresden stops them, while getting completely beat up book. I don’t mean that as a bad thing though. That’s why I read the books!
This had some interesting world-building stuff, with some new stuff in over-arching story. Also read the short story that takes place after the book (in the anthology Side Jobs), an interesting look at the relationship between Harry and Murphy.
Currently reading Shadows of Self by Brandon Sanderson. Book 2 of second era of Mistborn. Just started it, so don’t have much to say about it yet.
What about all of you? What have you been reading or listening to lately?
There’s a Midyear Bingo check-in post, do take a look. Even if you haven’t started this year’s Book Bingo, you can still join, as there are still 6 months remaining only 5 4 months to go!
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The Word For World is Forest by Ursula LeGuin. I hated most of the first chapter but it’s improved since then.
The Stone Sky, book 3 of the Broken Earth trilogy by N.K. Jemisin.
I finished Exo Hunter which was my next book in the Infinite series by Jeremy Robinson. It was another pretty good book in the series, so far I have to say that the worst book for me was the series namesake, from then on it has been a good variety of stories all within this one “world”. Is nice!
Other than that it has been still on Deathlands. I’m still a little bit torn over how I feel about it. The main character voice actor I have got used to the change but a couple of other, and very specifically one character the voice acting has not only changed dramatically but the voice acting is now of a considerably lower quality for her. It is still very jarring even 20 or more hours on.
On the plus side however it seems after a lull or around 10 books of noticeably poorer writing the standard has jumped up again for the last three books which now seem a lot better thought out in general and have been a lot more interesting to listen to again.
I just hope they change that one voice actor out again soon and I can be happy xD (now on book 49)
Finished the second novel of The Housemaid series: The Housemaid’s secret, by Freida McFadden. While it’s written with the same literary structure as the first one, it is also a gripping and surprising novel. I found it to be even better than the first book in the series, as it’s much more difficult to predict what will happen next. The biggest issue with the first novel was the ending, which seemed more reliant on luck and wasn’t very realistic in my opinion. However, the ending in this one is much better and more satisfying.
I’m currently reading the third, The Housemaid is watching and it’s also gripping and fast paced.
Nearing the end of Blood Meridian, it’s so matter of fact in its telling of brutality and how nonchalant most of the characters are with death and destruction that it’s still shocking near the end. The descriptions of the geography are excellent, and I knew enough Spanish to get through the couple places it’s used, but I had to look up a bunch of the plants and animals I didn’t recognize. Once I’m done with that I’m going back to Memories of a Lyrical Man I’m about 1/3 in and looking forward to getting back into it, sci-fi character drama time traveling adventure.
Barack Obama biography A Promised Land. Not being American, it’s very interesting to learn how American politics work from a very charismatic guy.
The Reactionary Mind by Cory Robin.
Robin’s core argument is that conservatism’s animating value is not freedom, small government, religion, or even an attachment to the past. Instead it’s the belief in, and defense of hierarchy. He goes further to argue that Government and civic hierarchy is secondary to private and social systems. And the reason conservatives are so quick to defend hierarchy in institutions is the fear that liberation will leak into the private affairs of industry, society, and ultimately the home.
I’m suspicious of the thesis, but I have to admit, some of his ideas have worked like decoder rings for why MAGA acts the way it does.
I’m about halfway through The Martian by Andy Weir.
Dune: The Butlerian Jihad (Bryan Herbert and Kevin J Anderson)
I’ve long been a fan of the original Dune series, but only found out about the prequel books about half a year ago. So with the new movies, the new series that centers around the origins of the Sisterhood, and Denis Villeneuve doing a treatment of the events following Paul’s ascension to the throne, I figured there’s no better time to dive into the prehistory of the setting!
Finished The Triumph of Empire and The Antonines. Unfortunately, didn’t glean much from either that I didn’t already know, other than a theory that Aurelian’s monetary reforms triggered the hyperinflation of the late 3rd century AD, which I found an interesting suggestion.
Currently working on Roman And Local Citizenship In The Long 2nd Century CE. Much more enlightening.
Still working my way through Dungeon Crawler Carl. Haven’t had to go to the office recently so haven’t listened much.
