# Khadaji's Whatcha Readin' thread - July 2014 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 2, 2014, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-july-2014/692215 "2014-07-02T19:57:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2014, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-july-2014/692215/21 "2014-07-03T14:29:03Z")
I’m a little more than halfway through the latest Dresden Files novel, _[**Skin Game**](http://www.amazon.com/Skin-Game-Dresden-Files-Book-ebook/dp/B00HUVUSZ4/)_. When I stopped reading last night they’d broken into Hades’s vault, and The Devil had just tapped Harry on the shoulder. I still really enjoy these books. 🙂 Now that the holiday weekend is upon us, I’m hoping to finish this soon. I think Max Allen Collins’s _[**Supreme Justice**](http://www.amazon.com/Supreme-Justice-Max-Allan-Collins/dp/1612185304/)_ will be next: it was a Kindle First and therefore a freebie, and I’ve never read anything by Collins before, so I’m not sure what to expect. The genre is right up my alley, though. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2014, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-july-2014/692215/22 "2014-07-03T15:17:31Z")
> [@Misnomer](#): > > I’m a little more than halfway through the latest Dresden Files novel, _[**Skin Game**](http://www.amazon.com/Skin-Game-Dresden-Files-Book-ebook/dp/B00HUVUSZ4/)_. When I stopped reading last night they’d broken into Hades’s vault, and The Devil had just tapped Harry on the shoulder. I still really enjoy these books. 🙂 Now that the holiday weekend is upon us, I’m hoping to finish this soon. Oh goody, I’m picking that up at the library on Sunday. ---
**Author:** ![DZedNConfused](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dzednconfused/32/15991_2.png) [@DZedNConfused](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DZedNConfused)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2014, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-july-2014/692215/23 "2014-07-03T15:44:45Z")
Good and bad news for us Discworld fans: Apparently there is a fifth Tiffany Aching book in the works! YES! Bad news due to his increasing struggle with Alzheimer’s Pratchett has had to canel his appearance at The International Discworld Convention. ☹ > **[Terry Pratchett forced to cancel appearance by Alzheimer's](https://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/jul/02/terry-pratchett-cancel-appearance-alzheimers-discworld)** > > Discworld author, diagnosed in 2007, has announced that 'the Embuggerance is finally catching up with me' ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2014, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-july-2014/692215/24 "2014-07-03T17:43:39Z")
YEA…awww. ---
**Author:** ![DZedNConfused](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dzednconfused/32/15991_2.png) [@DZedNConfused](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DZedNConfused)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2014, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-july-2014/692215/25 "2014-07-03T19:15:34Z")
Yeah, I have been dreading hearing news that he’s quitting writing due to the Alzheimers. It makes me sad. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Politzania](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3ab097/32.png) [@Politzania](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Politzania)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2014, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-july-2014/692215/26 "2014-07-03T19:43:37Z")
Sigh … I mean to participate in these threads much more than I actually end up doing… \*\*Grrlbrarian \*\*- I really enjoyed _Soon I Will Be Invincible_ - Carrie Vaughn’s \*[After the Golden Age](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8665134-after-the-golden-age) \* & _[Dreams of the Golden Age](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17332275-dreams-of-the-golden-age)_ are also fun superhero novels, if a little less snarky. \*\*SpazCat \*\*- I dearly love Dorothy Parker, but reading a bunch of her works all at once does start to wear a bit. I have a contemporary (but not first edition of) \*Here Lies: The Collected Works of Dorothy Parker \* & have considered picking up the \*The Portable Dorothy Parker \* but alas, it’s not in ebook form (and therefore quite a bit more portable!) yet. Am currently listening to Alan Cumming narrate Scott Westerfeld’s _**[Leviathan](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11399222-leviathan)**_. I didn’t realize how coincidental it was that I started the novel on the 100th anniversary of the assassination of the Archduke Ferdinand; as one of the main characters is his son, Alekander, on the run after the murder of his parents. The other protagonist is Deryn Sharp, a Scottish lass disguised as a middie in the British Air Service. I’m quite enjoying both their stories - as well as the alternate historical world where steampunk machines (Clankers) are pitted against manmade creatures (Darwinists) in what will soon become The War to End All Wars. From the library, I checked out Joe R Lansdale’s latest collection _**[Bleeding Shadows](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17915745-bleeding-shadows)**_. He’s up to his usual spooky, gory, twisted tales. I’m loving it; tho I may need to take a break or two, as Lansdale pulls no punches. I really appreciate that he varies his protagonists - male and female, different races etc. And while he revisits Depression-era Texas quite regularly, he still manages to tell a new story each time. A bit of dark humor shows thru as well: “Mr. Bear” is creepily amusing once you catch on to who he really is. Finally got around to reading a noir classic - Raymond Chandler’s _**[The Big Sleep](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2052.The_Big_Sleep)**_. The snappy writing is right up my alley - love the language & atmosphere! Marlowe himself, I’m not quite sure about yet - seems he brings a lot of the situations on himself. The plot kept me involved throughout , tho I didn’t spend a lot of time trying to figure out what was going on; rather I just wanted to enjoy the ride. The e-book I checked out from the library paired this with _[Farewell My Lovely](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2050.Farewell_My_Lovely)_, which I’ll be digging into next. ---
**Author:** ![Grrlbrarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrlbrarian/32/4048_2.png) [@Grrlbrarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrlbrarian)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2014, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-july-2014/692215/27 "2014-07-03T20:38:21Z")
> [@Politzania](#): > > Sigh … I mean to participate in these threads much more than I actually end up doing… > > \*\*Grrlbrarian \*\*- I really enjoyed _Soon I Will Be Invincible_ - Carrie Vaughn’s \*[After the Golden Age](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8665134-after-the-golden-age) \* & _[Dreams of the Golden Age](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17332275-dreams-of-the-golden-age)_ are also fun superhero novels, if a little less snarky. > > \ > > Am currently listening to Alan Cumming narrate Scott Westerfeld’s _**[Leviathan](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11399222-leviathan)**_. I didn’t realize how coincidental it was that I started the novel on the 100th anniversary of the assassination of the Archduke Ferdinand; as one of the main characters is his son, Alekander, on the run after the murder of his parents. The other protagonist is Deryn Sharp, a Scottish lass disguised as a middie in the British Air Service. I’m quite enjoying both their stories - as well as the alternate historical world where steampunk machines (Clankers) are pitted against manmade creatures (Darwinists) in what will soon become The War to End All Wars. I really must scuttle away and find those Golden Age books. They sound like just the ticket. 😃 Also, I loved loved loved Leviathan as an audiobook. Ahhhh the thick Scottish accent! Westerfeld contrives some captivating steampunk contraptions, doesn’t he? And the characterization and plot were wonderfully done. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2014, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-july-2014/692215/28 "2014-07-03T21:07:26Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > But Monty Python had spoiled my literary reactions once more. In the trial of Rebecca, one of the suborned witnesses says that Rebecca is a witch because she turned into a swan and flew around the castle, then turned back into a woman. To which I responded, inevitably - > > “She turned me into a newt!” > > Regards, > Shodan > > PS - I got better. Monty Python ruined witchcraft for all of us. 🙂 This \*Ivanhoe \*discussion has me intrigued. I think Walter Scott will be my next Author Quest after I’m done with John Scalzi. > [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > Oh goody, I’m picking that up at the library on Sunday. Your library has Sunday hours? Are you in heaven? ---
**Author:** ![DZedNConfused](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dzednconfused/32/15991_2.png) [@DZedNConfused](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DZedNConfused)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2014, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-july-2014/692215/29 "2014-07-03T21:20:20Z")
> [@SpazCat](#): > > Your library has Sunday hours? Are you in heaven? University town maybe? Our Main Library is open on Sunday during the regular school year. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2014, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-july-2014/692215/30 "2014-07-04T04:30:48Z")
Thanks, **DZedNConfused** , for starting the July thread. Been on the road a lot this week. I’m nearly done with Andrew Solomon’s _Far From the Tree_, nonfiction about raising children with severe problems and how a parent’s love can overcome many (if not all) obstacles. I’ve liked the book more the deeper I got into it. Next up: resuming George R.R. Martin’s _Dreamsongs Vol. II_, a collection of essays, short stories and unproduced screenplays. Lots o’ good stuff. > [@Grrlbrarian](#): > > …I’m nearly finished with **[Soon I Will Be Invincible](http://www.amazon.com/Soon-Invincible-Vintage-Austin-Grossman/dp/0307279863/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1404331812&sr=8-3&keywords=Austin+Grossman)** by Austin Grossman. It’s a highly enjoyable peek-behind-the-scenes at what it’s like to be a superhero or supervillain. Tongue in cheek, definitely, but very well rendered. Enormous fun to read if you’ve ever enjoyed a DC or Marvel superhero movie… Thanks - I’ve always wanted to read that since first hearing about it. Sounds cool. ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2014, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-july-2014/692215/31 "2014-07-04T04:46:01Z")
Vernor Vinge’s _A Fire upon the Deep._ I’m trying to fill in my Hugo and Nebula novel lists. ---
**Author:** ![araminty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5e925/32.png) [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2014, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-july-2014/692215/32 "2014-07-04T06:07:23Z")
I too enjoyed **Soon I Will Be Invincible** , and, fun trivia time, the author Austin is twin brother of the SDMB-beloved Lev, whose third **Magicians** book will be [out in August](http://smile.amazon.com/Magicians-Land-Novel-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00G3L19CI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1404453963&sr=8-1&keywords=lev+grossman+the+magician%27s+land)! ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2014, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-july-2014/692215/33 "2014-07-04T13:42:32Z")
> [@SpazCat](#): > > Your library has Sunday hours? Are you in heaven? My local public library is open from 1-5pm on Sundays. I don’t live in a university town or anything. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-july-2014/692215/34 "2014-07-07T01:28:52Z")
I finished Andrew Solomon’s _Far From the Tree_, and mostly liked it. It’s very big and dense, though, and is best taken in small doses, I’d say. The chapters on transgender kids, kids born of rape, and kids who develop schizophrenia were particularly powerful. I’ve resumed George R.R. Martin’s _Dreamsongs Vol. II_, as also mentioned earlier, and am enjoying it. It included two Wild Card short stories which were pretty good. This weekend I also raced through _Double Down_ by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin, a fun, energetic, behind-the-scenes account of the 2012 Presidential campaign. It’s a worthy successor to their _Game Change_ (about the 2008 campaign), which I also liked. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-july-2014/692215/35 "2014-07-07T01:36:46Z")
I finished reading **The Last of the Mohicans**. I quite enjoyed it, and I’m not sure why people would classify it as “unreadable” just because it uses somewhat flowery language. I thought it was interesting to have a hero who was an unabashed racist. ---
**Author:** ![LavenderBlue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e95f7d/32.png) [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-july-2014/692215/36 "2014-07-07T02:36:49Z")
I finished _Anne Perry and the Murder of the Century_ by Peter Graham. It’s the factual version of the Heavenly Creatures movie. I think he tries too hard find motives there. Two kids murdered their mother. They were just awful brats who did something terrible. ---
**Author:** ![Meurglys](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@Meurglys](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meurglys)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-july-2014/692215/37 "2014-07-07T11:25:48Z")
Currently reading a great little book called _Sea-Dogs of Today_ by [A. J. Villiers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Villiers), who was himself an old sea dog! It was published in 1932 and is about the owners, captains and some of the noteworthy crewmembers of the great cargo-carrying sailing ships between around 1880 until 1930, by which time they had almost disappeared. Great stories of rounding Cape Horn with the cargo shifting in the hold and storm force winds tearing at the sails! All based on his own personal recollections and interviews with the people concerned. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-july-2014/692215/38 "2014-07-07T12:40:44Z")
> [@SpazCat](#): > > Your library has Sunday hours? Are you in heaven? Yep! University town, as **DZed** said. The library’s open 7 days a week, they have most of the stuff I want or they get it for me, no late fees, cool programs… I don’t spend much time in there anymore because I reserve all my stuff online and they have it at the desk for me to pickup. I \<3 my library! ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-july-2014/692215/39 "2014-07-07T14:02:05Z")
I picked up [Until the End of the World](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DX73ZPY/ref=oh_d __o09_details_o09__ i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) because it was cheap and had great reviews, and I’m glad I did. The author takes a very overdone story (virus gets loose, causes Zombies) and makes it fresh and interesting. I bought the second one in the series but haven’t read it yet. ---
**Author:** ![Grrlbrarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrlbrarian/32/4048_2.png) [@Grrlbrarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrlbrarian)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2014, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-july-2014/692215/40 "2014-07-07T14:33:26Z")
> [@araminty](#): > > I too enjoyed **Soon I Will Be Invincible** , and, fun trivia time, the author Austin is twin brother of the SDMB-beloved Lev, whose third **Magicians** book will be [out in August](http://smile.amazon.com/Magicians-Land-Novel-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00G3L19CI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1404453963&sr=8-1&keywords=lev+grossman+the+magician%27s+land)! :eek: The talent in that family! I’m envious. Thanks to all in this thread who’ve recommended [**The Rook**](http://www.amazon.com/The-Rook-Novel-Daniel-OMalley/dp/0316098809/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1404743189&sr=8-1&keywords=daniel+o%27malley) by Daniel O’Malley. I could scarcely bring myself to put it down, even to attend the 4th of July fireworks. 😉 (I did manage not to bring it, but what a struggle it was). This book fit neatly into my recent theme of “Special powers may actually make your life suck.” I felt equally bad for Grossman’s supervillain and superhero, and Myfanwy Thomas certainly made the case that her powers were really more of a curse, all things considered. Loved the rich detail of powers, scenarios, etc. in **The Rook** , especially since it didn’t interfere with the pacing at all, and the humor made the book for me. **[On to Days of Blood and Starlight](http://www.amazon.com/Days-Blood-Starlight-Daughter-Smoke/dp/0316133981/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1404743589&sr=8-1&keywords=days+of+blood+and+starlight)** by Laini Taylor. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-july-2014/692215.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/khadajis-whatcha-readin-thread-july-2014/692215.md?page=3)