I just finished reading Stephen King’s new novel, Later. I’m about to begin reading Matthew Hughes’s Barbarians from the Beyond, a sequel to Jack Vance’s The Demon Princes series.
What are you reading?
WHAT ARE YOU READING?
GeorgeKelley.org
I just finished reading Stephen King’s new novel, Later. I’m about to begin reading Matthew Hughes’s Barbarians from the Beyond, a sequel to Jack Vance’s The Demon Princes series.
What are you reading?
My last book was THE PLASTIC NIGHTMARE by Richard Neely, the first half of a new Stark House Press twofer that also contains WHILE LOVE LAY SLEEPING, which I’ll get to later. Neely wrote a number of twisty thrillers between the late sixties and the early eighties. I read a number of them back then, but this is the first new edition of any of his work I’ve seen in years. Yesterday I picked up some library books on hold, and next up will be THE SURVIVORS by Australian Jane Harper, who made a splash a few years ago with her first novel THE DRY. Her last novel, THE LOST MAN, was one of the best thrillers of the last few years. As well as I can recall, Harper is the first Australian writer I’ve read. I’ve considered trying Peter Temple but have never quite gotten to him.
Michael, I picked up THE SURVIVORS this week at the library too! If you’re looking for another Aussie writer, try Garry Disher. I haven’t read his two most well known series, but try the outstanding UNDER THE COLD BRIGHT LIGHTS or (first in a new series) BITTER WASH ROAD (aka HELL TO PAY). Another I liked (though not as well as the Disher) is Emma Viskic, who writes about a mostly deaf PI (Caleb Zelic), starting with RESURRECTION BAY. Of course, there is always Arthur W, Upfield (though he was born in England) or Peter Corris.
I also highly recommend Gary Disher. Great writer.
Michael, I read THE PLASTIC NIGHTMARE way back when it was first published. Terrific thriller! I’ll have to check out that new STARK HOUSE twofer!
You must have got ARCs of those two. The King doesn’t come out until next Tuesday and the Hughes until next fall.
I just finished excellent novel by Sarah Langan called Good Neighbors. Sort of a cross between The Crucible and the Twilight Zone episode The Monsters Are Due On Maple Street. And Eleven a collection of very dark tales by Patricia Highsmith. Right now I just started Serpentine by Jonathan Kellerman. Also trying to read a short story a day and have started dipping into some collections by Lisa Tuttle.
Steve, decades ago, Jeff Meyerson motivated me to read a short story each day (Jeff had been doing it for years). I got into the habit and continue it today. Very rewarding! Yes, the Stephen King book and the Matthew Hughes book are ARCs. Somehow, I’ve gained a reputation for book reviewing and ARCs are my reward!
Steve, how’s Kellerman holding up for you? I’ve been reading him, or at least the Alex Delaware series, since the beginning in the Eighties. I’m beginning to think I’m reading them more out of habit than because I still like them. They’re all the same–Alex and Milo go around talking to people, then talk about the interview, throw out some wild theories, then move on to the next interview. I haven’t gotten the new one, and somehow missed the one from last year. Should I give up? I HATE giving up on a writer I’ve been reading that long.
I;I am still enjoying them. They are kind of a comfort read for me. Yeah, they all follow the same formula, but I find them a fast read.
I recently finished an epic, immersive book by an author I was completely unfamiliar with: INTO THE FIRE by Mia West. I initially picked it up because it was 99-cents in the Kindle Store and, for a book consisting of eleven interconnected novellas and short stories, the price was right. INTO THE FIRE is set in Germania and Gaul in the decades just after the fall of the Roman Empire; it tells the story of Marcus, who returns home after serving as a soldier in the Roman army for 20 years, and Wolfram, the village blacksmith. The two men throw in their lot together and travel across Gaul, finally settling in coastal Brittany and helping build a thriving community with a group of people living in a crumbling Roman fort. I loved this view of Europe just on the verge of the Dark Ages—but one heads-up: the protagonists do have a sexual relationship and there’s a lot of sexy-times in the book, but I found you can easily skim over those.
Deb, INTO THE FIRE sounds good. I’ll have to track down a copy. I’ve read some Roman Empire adventure novels and a few Dark Ages tales, too. Occasionally, I’m in the mood for a good historical novel.
Looks like all her books are man on man, including the paranormal (dolphin shifter!). Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but Jackie isn’t interested.
I’m not concerned about the genders of the protagonists—but, frankly, in many books (whether m/f, m/m, f/f, or ménage threesomes) I just skip over the sex scenes. I thought INTO THE FIRE was both interesting and immersive—I’m not gonna lie, when—late in the book—the settlement was threatened, I was anxiously turning the pages, hoping that things would turn out positively for the people living there. It’s the sign of a good writer that they can make me care about what happened to a group of (fictional) people from 1500 years ago. But in the interests of full disclosure I did want to let everyone know that INTO THE FIRE has quite a few sex scenes.
Deb, I also tend to “skim” past most sex scenes. Most writers don’t write engaging sex scenes. Many seem like paint-by-the-numbers obligatory sexual exercises that the publisher required every 50 pages or so.
Jackie agrees with you and George. She skips over a lot of the sex scenes in the books she reads too. In fact, there are some series by authors she otherwise likes that she won’t read because of sex stuff she doesn’t want to read (bondage, three-way).
THE HUCKSTERS (1946) by Fredric Wakeman. A real time capsule of a book!
Dan, I’ve seen copies of THE HUCKSTERS from time to time. Next time I spot a copy, I’ll pick it up!
The movie version is particularly notable for a memorable performance by Sydney Greenstreet.
Just finished Nick Petrie’s sixth Peter Ash book, THE BREAKER. I know a lot of people liked the previous one, set in Iceland, but I thought it was the least believable of a not totally believable series, plus he was on his own in freaking Iceland without his backup (Lewis and June), so, don’t recommend it. But once you get to the halfway point of THE BREAKER, you will not be able to do anything else but race through the rest of it. It’s set in Milwaukee, by the way.
Now reading Bill Pronzini’s “western mystery” THE PEACEFUL VALLEY CRIME WAVE, set in 1914 Montana and narrated by the County Sheriff. Sad that the Nameless series has ended, but glad Bill is still writing entertaining books like this one.
Also reading (of course) two anthologies of short stories: BULLETS AND OTHER HURTING THINGS, edited by Rick Ollerman, the Bill Crider Tribute collection, and IT OCCURS TO ME THAT I AM AMERICA, edited by Jonathan Santlofer.
Also non fiction: Martin Edwards, ed. HOWDUNIT: A Masterclass in Crime Writing by Members of the Detection Club.
The Crider book I bought, the others are all library Kindle downloads.
Jeff, you’re way ahead of me on the Peter Ash series! I just picked up a Bill Pronzini stand-alone mystery I somehow missed. Notice Steve is now reading a short story each day. You’re a Good Influence on the rest of us!
CRAZY MIXED-UP PLNET by Charles E. Fritch, a mainly humdrum science fiction collection, and Lester del Rey’s BEST SCIENCE FICTION OF THE YEAR: FIRST ANNUAL COLLECTION, one of five Year’s Best anthologies that del Rey edited. Currenly reading Lord Dunsany’s THE CHARWOMAN’S SHADOW and working away through WIELAND by Charles Brockden Brown.
Jerry, I’m a big fan of Lord Dunsany’s work! I’m tempted to start reading the Jorken’s series (150 stories!) but I have a couple stacks of books to read before I can attempt it.
I already had the King book on hold – I’m #7 of 28, so it won’t be long. The Joan Didion is in transit.
Jeff, I read LATER by Stephen King in an afternoon. King knows how to write compelling stories. I couldn’t put it down!
Reading LAST BUS TO WISDOM by Ivan Doig and ANXIOUS PEOPLE by Fredric Backman. Also stories from the Bill anthology. The first one shocked me and not necessarily in a good way considering he is one of my favorite writers. What did you think, Jeff?
Yes, it was a very disturbing story. I didn’t expect it to end that way.
I’m reading Tropic of Stupid by Tim Dorsey. I wasn’t current with him, but don’t think they really need to be read in order. Next up – who knows??
I’m also keeping up with my vow to read a magazine a day to get rid of them. I get about 20 free magazines every month, and they often pile up. I did just get a notice from Oprah that they are going digital only effective NOW.
Maggie, Diane receives a lot of free magazines, too. She spends hours looking through them for coupons and recipes. Then we donate the magazines to our local Library.
our libraries don’t take donations yet. I usually take out recipes or info on new products, but then I just recycle the magazine as I know how frustrating it is to see an article with part of it torn out
I used to take full magazines to my dr’s office, but even prior to the pandemic they put signs up not to do so for fear of spreading germs (over a year before the pandemic they were doing this)
Maggie, our Library is accepting donations but there are a lot of rules and stipulations. I try to take a box of books/CDs/DVDs each week when they’re open for donations. No word on when they’re planning a Library Book Sale.
EARTHBOUND by Milton Lesser
THE WATER ROOM by Christopher Fowler (Bryant & May #2)
Rick, Great Minds think alike! I have Fowler’s THE WATER ROOM in the On-Deck Circle. I read EARTHBOUND long ago before I found out “Milton Lesser” was also Stephen Marlowe.
Jackie read CHAOS by Iris Johansen. She was surprised that she is still writing hard-edged books at nearly 83 years old.
She has the new J. D. Robb (Nora Roberts) book, FAITHLESS IN DEATH, but is waiting a few days to see if the library Kindle edition becomes available soon.
I think she is reading a paranormal book by Aussie writer Keri Arthur, a favorite of hers.
How do you get free magazines? I have to pay for subscriptions to those I get.
John, Diane subscribes to magazines like OPRAH and BETTER HOMES & GARDENS. They send her all kinds of other magazines (for free) mostly cooking magazines and fashion periodicals.
When I called to cancel my local paper (I was paying $45 a month and never really reading it since the election) they lowered the price to $11. That is really sad. The NYT is still a great paper though. Thank God for that and the Post. They want to keep their advertisers and I think the same is true with magazines.
Patti, I read the Wall Street JOURNAL every day. And the BUFFALO NEWS. Diane reads the NIAGARA GAZETTE, mostly for obituaries of friends.
I get offers from a website that I honestly can’t remember how I got on their list. Also, if you subscribe to some magazines, they send you a sample to try to tempt you into subscribing, but that hasn’t happened for a while. The only thing I pay for is a tv guide type mag that used to be free with my newspaper subscription. I had been paying for Bon Appetit, and got a free subscription for a friend, but stopped recently due to not enjoying the lack of interesting articles. When things resume, I’ll probably get it again. Years ago, with the now defunct coke rewards, I used to get entertainment weekly
Patti: My newspaper is very low, and I’ve found out that they judge by how long you’ve been a subscriber (not sure when that started, possibly with the newest owner) When the horrid Doug Manchester owned it, they tried to double the rate, and only by threatening to quit did they get reasonable. Mine is now less than the tips and Holiday gift I give the carrier.
My Foe Outstretch’d Beneath the Tree by V.C. Clinton-Baddeley (fiction) and Speaking Of Pianists by Abram Chasins (non-fiction).
I remember reading the Clinton-Baddeley book back in the late ’70s! I had all of his books at one time.
Art, impressive reading!
I am reading one of the Jimmy Perez Shetland crime novels by Ann Cleeves. Not sure what will be next as I picked four library books today – Long Bright River by Liz Moore, The Index of Self-Destructive Acts by Christopher Beha, Ohio by Stephen Markley and Nights in White Castle by Steve Rushin. Anyone read them? Also bought a trade paperback titled Reading the River about the North Saskatchewan River that ran trhough the town where I grew up. Then as I began to write this, I heard a noise on my front step and when I looked a box with 11 books from Book Outlets had arrived. Among them is The New Kings of Nonfiction, a collection edited by Ira Glass., Mike Eruzione’s story about the 1960 US Olympic hockey team, and a novel set in Montana titled Broken Field by Jeff Hull. I enjoyed Hull’s first novel, Pale Morning Dove, very much. Don’t think I will be tracking down the new Stephen King.
Kent, your reading stack is getting bigger than mine! I’m a big fan of Ira Glass.