Nathan Bransford - The Forums

I'm reading "Salvage the Bones" the National Book Award winner from 2011. Does anyone else make it a point to read the award winners?

AnimaDictio wrote:I'm reading "Salvage the Bones" the National Book Award winner from 2011. Does anyone else make it a point to read the award winners?

I make it a point to read the Caldecott and Newberry winners. I've read quite a few and have not been disappointed so far.

I've just finished Touch of Power by Maria V. Snyder. I read her Study series and enjoyed them. Now I'm on to Delirium by Lauren Oliver, so far so good. Ummm...maybe I need to venture outside the YA world...

~Kristie

I'm currently immersed in George R. R. Martin, following my Robert Jordan binge (and while waiting for Mr. Sanderson's final delivery). I keep a reading blog, because as a writer one of my activities to keep growing is reading a chapter a day from an author I feel has a lot to teach. I share lots of insights there. Those of you who like reading Martin and writing related stuff, feel free to check it out: Graeme Brown's fantasy reading blog

The Infinite Book, by John D. Barrow.

Mind-bending stuff about the nature of infinity—mathematical, physical, and temporal.

"Lord of the Rings." I read it once before, but not the whole thing. I stopped "the return of the king" when the volcano blew up (and I can't remember why.) This time I'm determined to read all of it. I just finished "the fellowship of the ring"

I just discovered James Branch Cabell, Neil Gaiman's biggest inspiration and the namesake of my college's library. I don't know how I never heard of him, but he's got this great dreamy sense about him, but with a bitter bite, like a cross between Tolkien and Ambrose Bierce. Well, okay, not quite _that_ bitter...how about if C. S. Lewis had written something like "Narnia" with the sense of humor of "The Screwtape Letters"? But preachy in a different way? I don't know how to explain it. I just know I'm loving it...the mighty hero and his magic dwarf sidekick ascend to the mountain fortress of the evil wizard to rescue the beautiful princess, only to discover that the wizard is sick of her and she likes being there bossing the wizard around, so the wizard keeps trying to convince her that the hero's sword is magic and he's been defeated so she has to go home now. Then the hero reveals that he thinks the princess is kind of a bitch, and that actually the magic dwarf sidekick is a cute girl in disguise that he knew from his hometown, and the two of them ride into the sunset.

I'm juggling between Origins by Neil deGrasse Tyson and Arguably, the essay collection from Christopher Hitchens. I'd highly recommend both for anyone interested in a lucid, colloquial account of the cosmos (the former), or a beautifully written and at times jaw-droppingly caustic take-down of American sacred cows (the latter).

I just finished Philip Roth's Exit Ghost. (The first and only book of his I have read.)

This was not a book I sought out. It was on the table where I was visiting.

At times, this writer is so intelligent, so erotic (without going there), and impressive...

but I must say, I am glad I am not him or writing what he writes.

i am not sure if anyone has read this book before. but i am reading Magic Of reality by Richard Dawkins. one of the best books i have ever read

The Uglies by Scott Westerfield
Finding it hard to get into so far but I'm persisting.

Just finished Inside Out and Outside In. Really enjoyed them.

LaurenNTaylor wrote:The Uglies by Scott Westerfield
Finding it hard to get into so far but I'm persisting.

Just finished Inside Out and Outside In. Really enjoyed them.

Did you read her Poison Study series? I loved them and have had a hard time deciding to pick up the Inside Out/Outside In books...do they compare?

I just finished:

Cinder
The Forgotten Garden
Hidden
Silver
Once
Shatter Me

Can you tell I'm a YA junkie? Ha!

I've just started reading Wings by Aprilynne Pike and for book club: Wesley the Owl...

Currently reading SHADOW OF NIGHT by Deborah Harkness. It's the sequal to A DISCOVERY OF WITCHES. This has turned out to be a pretty enjoyable series - vampires, witches, daemons, time travel...
But I'm a sucker for time travel stories.

Eric by Terry Pratchett

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness and The Unnamed by Joshua Ferris. Both are scrumptious. One is sad, but scrumptious.