Whats everyone reading?

[Professor Bear]

Make Room!  Make Room! which is uhhh... the best Harry Harrison novel I've read, I guess?  It says something about the tone that the movie's inclusion of a cannibalism subplot actually lightened the adaptation's mood, but it's an interesting spin on the noir detective thriller, clearly influenced by postwar austerity and cultural memories of the Depression-era shanty towns.  There's still a level of relevance despite - or perhaps because of - the relatively primitive technology, but the idea that migrants would flock to the US from China rather than the other way around in the wake of global resource and housing shortages probably dates it more than anything else.
Harrison's writing and the world it describes are more interesting than any of the central plot arcs, particularly the hunt for a murderer that goes nowhere by design, and I enjoyed this to the point I wonder why it doesn't appear in my list of the 100 best sci-fi novels (created by stripmining arbitrary "100 best" lists off the web), as I'd certainly rate it above the rather dull Starship Troopers.

[TordelBack]

...I'd certainly rate it above the rather dull Starship Troopers.

Amen to that.  Actually, don't get me started on Heinlein in general, massively overrated IMO.  Make Room! Make Room! is ace, one of, if not Harrison's best.

[von Boom]

Make Room!  Make Room! which is uhhh... the best Harry Harrison novel I've read, I guess?  It says something about the tone that the movie's inclusion of a cannibalism subplot actually lightened the adaptation's mood, but it's an interesting spin on the noir detective thriller, clearly influenced by postwar austerity and cultural memories of the Depression-era shanty towns.  There's still a level of relevance despite - or perhaps because of - the relatively primitive technology, but the idea that migrants would flock to the US from China rather than the other way around in the wake of global resource and housing shortages probably dates it more than anything else.
Harrison's writing and the world it describes are more interesting than any of the central plot arcs, particularly the hunt for a murderer that goes nowhere by design, and I enjoyed this to the point I wonder why it doesn't appear in my list of the 100 best sci-fi novels (created by stripmining arbitrary "100 best" lists off the web), as I'd certainly rate it above the rather dull Starship Troopers.

Do yourself a favour and get stuck into Harrison's Stainless Steel Rat series. It is by far my favourite Harry Harrison works.

I'll overlook the Starship Troopers comment. This time.

[The Adventurer]

Its been a while, but over the last few months (since that post I made in May), I've been back in a print comic buying mood. Mostly diving into dollar bins trying to find obscure 80s and early 90s material that is unlikely to get a digital edition any time soon. Indie titles for the most part, a few licensed titles, and of course dead companies like Crossgen.

In June I actually got a ton of cool stuff from a comic shop an hour north of me. Mostly DC/Milestone comics, Icon and Hardware mostly, which I found to be very interesting. I also found a good chunk of a Crossgen title I was missing.






But this last Saturday I got to go to a comic convention that took place in my own backyard, called Terrificon. It had a good mix of comic creators and comic vendors. So I hit those dollar (and one quarter!) bins hard. The theme of the day ended up being Joe Staton's E-Man and Crossgen. As well as some other odds and ends. All of this majesty cost about 19 bucks. A good day.







Gizmo & the Fugitoid #2 closes the loop I started back in May. Finding a random copy of issue #1 at an antique store, spurring me on to dig into those bargain bins for indie treasure. I found issue #2 all by itself in a dollar bin. Just waiting for me to find it!

[edgeworthy]

Make Room!  Make Room! which is uhhh... the best Harry Harrison novel I've read, I guess?  It says something about the tone that the movie's inclusion of a cannibalism subplot actually lightened the adaptation's mood, but it's an interesting spin on the noir detective thriller, clearly influenced by postwar austerity and cultural memories of the Depression-era shanty towns.  There's still a level of relevance despite - or perhaps because of - the relatively primitive technology, but the idea that migrants would flock to the US from China rather than the other way around in the wake of global resource and housing shortages probably dates it more than anything else.
Harrison's writing and the world it describes are more interesting than any of the central plot arcs, particularly the hunt for a murderer that goes nowhere by design, and I enjoyed this to the point I wonder why it doesn't appear in my list of the 100 best sci-fi novels (created by stripmining arbitrary "100 best" lists off the web), as I'd certainly rate it above the rather dull Starship Troopers.

Do yourself a favour and get stuck into Harrison's Stainless Steel Rat series. It is by far my favourite Harry Harrison works.

I'll overlook the Starship Troopers comment. This time.

However, for the love of god, avoid Harrison's Stars and Stripes Trilogy!

[GordyM]

Making my way through the last couple of Charles Stross' Laundry novels. They're about a secret British government agency set up to deal with supernatural threats and prepare for a potential invasion from Cthulhu-esque Elder Gods.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Laundry_Files

[The Adventurer]

I really liked Laundry Files book 1, I really should get onto Book 2 one of these days...

[Tjm86]

Would definitely recommend them.  The first few books are probably the most amusing but the latter ones are becoming increasingly more complex.  The short stories such as Equoid are worth a gander as well.  One for the 'things that went over my head' thread was the name of his boss, James Angleton!

[GordyM]

I didn't even know there was something behind his name! Had to google it there.

[Smith]

2 book into Belgariad and NOTHING HAPPENED.Seriously,its two books of random encounters and people talking about stuff like you were supposed to know what it means.

[Robin Low]

2 book into Belgariad and NOTHING HAPPENED.Seriously,its two books of random encounters and people talking about stuff like you were supposed to know what it means.

I've described the Belgariad, and its sequel series the Mallorean, as a very long walk in the country. How good it is probably depends if you like your travelling companions or not.

Myself, currently reading:

The Spanish Letters, by Mollie Hunter (children's' book, Catholic plotting in 16thCentury Edinburgh)

Before they are Hanged, by Joe Abercrombie (rather late to this trilogy, but it's very good)

H.P. Lovecraft Collected Fiction: A Varorium Edition Vol. 1 (though it was about time I reread all this stuff)

The Fall of Delta Green (a Vietnam-era Lovecraftian technothriller roleplaying game)

Regards,

Robin

[Tjm86]

2 book into Belgariad and NOTHING HAPPENED.Seriously,its two books of random encounters and people talking about stuff like you were supposed to know what it means.

You sure you haven't accidentally picked up Game of Thrones?

[Smith]

Nah,there isnt enough food descriptions for that.

[GordyM]

Sunshine on Putty by Ben Thompson.

This is about what the author believes is the last 'golden age' of British comedy, from Vic Reeves Big Night Out and The Day Today to Alan Partridge and The Office. It can get a bit wanky when Thompson starts quoting philosophers and citing historical events, like a media student trying far too hard in his deconstructionist dissertation, but when he sticks to the facts and anecdotes it's really good.

[Bolt-01]

The Medusa Chronicles by Stephen Baxter & Alastair Reynolds.

Not finished yet, about halfway through and really enjoying it. The pair are playing in a universe created by Arthur C Clarke, but I'm loving trying to work out which writer wrote what.