I read four books this week!

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

It started when I was reading the thread in Cafe Society about post-apocalyptic science fiction. I decided I should read some of the books mentioned in the thread, especially since a few of them were on my “get around to reading before I die” list.

I’m sort of semi-self employed as a massage therapist. I’m required to be on premisis three days a week, and on call another two. Since most days I’m required to physically be there, I usually don’t have any clients until mid-afternoon (after that, it’s nonstop, full tilt boogie, as people are getting off work and deciding they want a massage, like, now) and my on-call days I’m probably going to be needed to work on a maximum of two clients, I have plenty of time to read.

So, after a run to Book Magician last Teusday in which I snared copies of On the Beach, A Canticle for Liebowitz and Alas Babylon. And commenced to read. By Thursday, I had read OTB and Canticle. All the way through. Thursday, I went to Dead Poet Books, which may be the best name for a used bookstore ever, and picked up The Handmaid’s Tale, Lucifer’s Hammer and The Princess Bride. By this past Teusday night, I had read THT, started LH, got bored, laid it aside and completely read TPB. That’s four complete books in seven days.

So, in the space of a week, I’ve basically read more books than I’ve read in the past two years. The last few jobs I’ve had, well it wasn’t so much a time issue (no matter how packed my schedule is, I can make time to read if I want to) , but usually when I was home, I was so physically and mentally exhausted, I couldn’t get through more than about ten pages of any given book without needing to take a nap.

Mom says I’m making up for lost time. I expect that by late this afternoon, I’ll have knocked off the rest of Lucifer’s Hammer and maybe gotten a good running start on Alas, Babylon.

What should I read next?

2

Are we still on the end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it kick? Or are you looking for something else this time? :smiley:

3

Well, I think Alas Babylon will hold me for a while as far as the apocalyptic stuff goes. I was thinking maybe some really good swords and sorcery type stuff. Or, hell, maybe even something non-fiction, like a well-written history of the pre-Byzantine civilizations of Asia Minor or something like that. Or Carthage. Haven’t really read much about Carthage.

4

Check out Robin Hobb.

The Farseer trilogy is the start – each book chockful of great characters, lots of action, intriguing ideas, and writing that pulls you along.

Next read the Liveship trilogy.

Finish with the Tawny Man trilogy, and discover that you’ve been reading one humongous story.

When I got to the third trilogy, only the first volume had been published, and I wouldn’t start it until all three were available. No way was I going to get into the story and then have to wait months to see how it all came out!

5

Jane Lindskold’s Firekeeper books.

Through Wolf’s Eyes
Wolf’s Head, Wolf’s Heart
The Dragon of Despair

And a new one, too! I have to get it…

Wolf Captured

Excellent thinking sword and sorcery fantasy. Plus intelligent canines. (And other critters, too.)

6

I need to get the last book of the Liveship trilogy, as I just got done reading Fool’s Errand a couple of days ago. I’ve been bawling my eyes out over the events near the end, but I WILL read them all.

I generally read a book every couple of days. My all time record was when I was pregnant and on bed rest…I was reading SEVEN BOOKS A DAY. My husband was running back and forth to the library, checking out two dozen books at a time.

7

Umm… Lynn, if you were reading seven books a day, and the Average American (that mythical beastie) reads one book a year, how many counties were you reading for? :smiley:

8

sigh

In my younger days, when I tired far less easily, I would average about two or three books a month, more or less, depending on the length of the book. It wasn’t unusual for me to have two books going at the same time, usually one fiction and one nonfiction, plus I subscribed to Scientific American. Once I’m through my present reading binge, I may subscribe again, and hopefully go back to my old reading pattern. I’d forgotten how much I actually enjoy reading. I was actually down to about a book or two a year for about three years, just because I was basically so tired so much of the time that I just couldn’t maintain the effort.

This past week, I’ve been averaging a bit more than a book every two days, but I really can’t imagine keeping it up on a long-term basis. One or two per month, plus good, informationally dense magazines like SA or Discover (I much prefer the former) sounds about right. Of course, I do have some lost time to make up for. I’ve actually done about two months worth of reading in the space of a week and a half. If I keep up the present pace for about another month, then I figure I’ll be “caught up” and can slow down a bit.

My current work schedule does allow me a lot of time for reading, plus I’m a lot less stressed (oh, the joys of working at something you actually enjoy for a living).

9

Terry Pratchett. Robert Rankin. Tom Holt.

Repeat.

:smiley:

10

I’ve been reading these books for the last month or so. I’m so glad that I didn’t hear about her until all the books had been published. Waiting would have been hell.

I was about halfway through Assassin’s Apprentice, loved it enough to go ahead and buy the rest of the books. I’ve done that before – read a little bit of an author, fell in love and splurged, and then been disappointed. Not this time.

She’s my new favorite writer. Good stories and lots of action (particularly in Liveship) but she doesn’t stint on character development. I love these books. Very imaginative, and not a bit of lazy writing anywhere. I’m gonna be so sad when I’m done with these books.