Whats everyone reading?

[SmallBlueThing]

THE TRAIL OF CTHULHU by August Derleth.

A selection of short stories forming a loose novel, detailing the persuit of the Great God Cthulhu and the threat of his minions. Written over the decade following 1943, each of the five tales delves deeper into the "Cthulhu Mythos", that bowels-loosening pantheon of gods and ideas laid down by HP Lovecraft, but only later termed as such by Derleth.

For anyone who finds Lovecraft "difficult"- and that's probably anyone reading  from 1970 onwards- Derleth thankfully writes is a subtly more modern manner and parlance. While he goes over familiar ground, it's all far more contemporary than HP, despite now being nearly seventy years old.

Amusingly, the first story, 'The House on Curwen Street', begins in a manner so similar to The League's 'Psychoville' to be coincidence. It's a testament to the power of Derleth's prose that this similarlity doesnt bugger the narrative at all. Great stuff.

SBT

[Skullmo]

Just read the whole of Death Note. And it was one of the best comics I have read, really exciting all the way through (although it felt like it dipped a bit in the middle it was only because the first half was so good). I really recommend this series.

[Skullmo]

Meltdown Man is just brilliant. Massimo at his very best, and a cracking story to boot.
A definite firm favourite of mine.

And unbelievably, this chap is just a few pages away from owning it all!

I only read it when it was reprinted in the Extreme Editions. I was stupid to assume because it had not yet been reprinted it was going to be rubbish (like mean arena), but it was amazing!

I hope he can track down the remaining pages!

[Mabs]

Had Judge Dredd: Mandroid and Absalom: Ghosts of London, delivered today! Really looking forward to reading them!

[Hawkmumbler]

A strange, flat, TPB sized amazon package arrived this morning, followed by a second one that felt like a phonebook edition of something. Rather interested as to what christmas may hold for me now.

[Mabs]

Had another delivery for Leviathan also, its really bloody hard to find a copy so very pleased indeed!

[Bolt-01]

Just starting the copy of the collected Lilly Mackenzie that I got from Simon Fraser at Thought Bubble. A lovely little collection and the strip reads brilliantly in this format.

[Tjm86]

Re reading Le Guin's Earthsea Quartet (although never actually read the original 4th part).  Nearly finished Tombs of Atuan and keep being struck by similarities by one of the early Slaine stories involving Slough Feg and Medb (on Belardinelli's run).

Also grabbed The Incal.  Gorgeous hardcover edition, superb art, bonkers story.  Well worth it!

[Mabs]

Re reading Le Guin's Earthsea Quartet (although never actually read the original 4th part).  Nearly finished Tombs of Atuan and keep being struck by similarities by one of the early Slaine stories involving Slough Feg and Medb (on Belardinelli's run).

Also grabbed The Incal.  Gorgeous hardcover edition, superb art, bonkers story.  Well worth it!

I so wanted to read the Earthsea stories that recently i requested my library to order in a copy. Only problem was it was 'Tales of Earthsea' which is not the original trilogy of stories. So a bit gutted nonetheless will try again.

I finished Absalom : Ghosts of London a while ago and loved it! Absolutely superb. Just a question though,[spoiler] is the demon doppelganger Harry encounters at the hospital a demon or death i.e the grim reaper? [/spoiler] any help will be much appreciated.

[TordelBack]

Re reading Le Guin's Earthsea Quartet (although never actually read the original 4th part). 

My favourite fantasy series, from my favourite author in any genre (it's worth noting that there are now 5 novels and 2 short story collections).  The first is the best, but the latter books are fascinating and frequently moving.   It's well worth seeking out The Wind's Twelve Quarters, a LeGuin short story collection, for the first two Earthsea stories both 'chronologically' and in the order of writing.  It's also a terrific collection - LeGuin is at her best in the short form, indeed I'd go so far as to say she is the best short SF/Fantasy story writer of them all.

[HdE]

Am having a big ol' reading sesh each night after work to see if I can't make a dent in my reading pile of trade paperbacks.

Am on a bit of a retro kick right now, reading through a couple of episodes of Judge Dredd from Case Files vol 3 (just finished 'The Forever Crimes) and the Complete Nemesis The Warlock. I'm bookending this with a bit of Deadpool and Cable and Marvel era Transformers, just for laughs.

Thoughts:

Just how ridiculously good is that Dredd stuff? I'm REALLY enjoying the stories for their simplicity, and the artwork is just masterful. Ron Smith is possibly my new favourite Dredd artist. His every page is just gorgeous.

Nemesis The Warlock has spurred my resolution to re-read some of the stuff on my shelves. Last time I made the effort, I came away thinking 'it's not as great as I remember'... but that opinion has changed. The sheer lunacy of Pat Mills' early Nemesis scripts and the INSANE detail in Kevin O'Neill's artwork are enormous fun to behold.

Deadpool and Cable (or Cable and Deadpool, depending on how you remember it) is a lot of fun, although I do tend to read it with the feeling there's a bit of a sugar rush going on. It's a hyperactive read, and I sometimes feel like it's breezed by too quickly, but it makes me laugh out loud, so it's all good.

As for the old-timey Transformers... I have that in several nice, chunky IDW reprint collections. I'm kinda going through it for the nostalgia value, but it really is good fun in places. I just started reading the Underbase Saga... so much death!

[Hawkmumbler]

Just read the whole of Death Note. And it was one of the best comics I have read, really exciting all the way through (although it felt like it dipped a bit in the middle it was only because the first half was so good). I really recommend this series.

Indeed. Death Note is quient essential reading, comic/ manga or other wise.
[spoiler]I agree with your sentiment that the series dip's after the death of L, Near and Mello try so hard to fill in his boot's but at the end of the day it's the suporting cast (Light's Dad, Matsuda etc) that pull it all together. Oh, and the ever awsome Ryuk.[/spoiler]

[Tjm86]

It's well worth seeking out The Wind's Twelve Quarters, a LeGuin short story collection, for the first two Earthsea stories both 'chronologically' and in the order of writing.  It's also a terrific collection - LeGuin is at her best in the short form, indeed I'd go so far as to say she is the best short SF/Fantasy story writer of them all.

Noticed our market's book stall had that one at the weekend.  Nearly grabbed it but ended up with Asimov's I, Robot and The Rest of The Robots.  Will nip back and see if it is still there.  Would agree wholeheartedly on your appraisal.  My all time favourite book is one of hers: The Lathe of Heaven.  Absolutely cracking read. 

[shaolin_monkey]

It's well worth seeking out The Wind's Twelve Quarters, a LeGuin short story collection, for the first two Earthsea stories both 'chronologically' and in the order of writing.  It's also a terrific collection - LeGuin is at her best in the short form, indeed I'd go so far as to say she is the best short SF/Fantasy story writer of them all.

Noticed our market's book stall had that one at the weekend.  Nearly grabbed it but ended up with Asimov's I, Robot and The Rest of The Robots.  Will nip back and see if it is still there.  Would agree wholeheartedly on your appraisal.  My all time favourite book is one of hers: The Lathe of Heaven.  Absolutely cracking read.

Love the Lathe of Heaven, Winds 12 Quarters too.  Another standout for me is The Left Hand of Darkness, although my absolute favourite is The Dispossessed - a gripping adventure yarn hiding a treatise on a workable anarchic society. It almost makes you believe such a society could be possible by the end of the book.

[Kerrin]

"The Wind's Twelve Quarters" is superb. As are left hand and the dispossesed.

Recent stuff for me has been, in no particular order,

"The Right Stuff", Tom Wolfe. A wonderful read. I've read some Wolfe which I didn't get on with but this was excellent.

"The Pack", Jason Starr. Werewolfs in Manhattan. Utter toss.

"Cyberabad Days", Ian McDonald. This is a series of loosely connected short stories which follow on from and are set in the same future India as his "River of Gods". Great stuff and well worth a read.

"The Yiddish Policemen's Union", Michael Chabon. Brilliant. Read it.

"The Hydrogen Sonata", Iain.M.Banks. Culture. Love it.

I've just started reading the amended "Magician" by Raymond.E.Feist but I think I'll leave it at that this time. Can't be arsed with the thirty thousand sequels.