What are you reading at the moment?

[Feanor]

Started Sienkewicz's Knights of the Cross. I've read his famous Triogy, With Fire and Sword, The Deluge, and Sir Michael (what is with the translation? The Polish title is Pan Wolodyewskij, and the Russian translation Пан Володыевский, how one earth did they get Michael from that?). It's pretty good so far though it's supposed to be a weaker work of his. It deals with the era of Timur the Lame, and the Christianizing of Lithuania, Yadwiga, Yagaylo, Duke Vitovt, etc. and of course the titular crusaders of the German Order. Sienkewicz is of course most famous for Quo Vadis.

 

[Feanor]

I've decided to revisit Ivan Efremov, a Soviet science fiction author, from the 1950's and 60's, often quoted up there with Stanislav Lem, and the Strugatsky Brothers. Much of his work fell in with hard science fiction, meaning fairly closely connected to reality (he was a paleontologist with much knowledge of geography), though some of his later works are more speculative. In a way he had his own vision of the future of mankind, including the development of human potential. In a way he is a communist alternative to Frank Herbert, and how much more optimistic his visions of the future appear is reflective of the views held by many about the future of humanity from the gold age of science fiction. Much of his work has been translated into english, including Razor's Edge, Hour of the Bull, and Andromeda.

 

[Pusser Tas]

Currently re-reading James Rusbridgers Book enitled 'Betrayal at Pearl Harbour'

Am aware that James streched his imagiation and stated things that were not true thus implicating Capt. Eric Nave. RN. (Ex RAN)

Still other than this the book is a reasonable read.

 

[Feanor]

Working my way through a 6-volume set of Nikolay Leskov. He is less famous in the west but in my opinion deserves to rank up there with Chekov in terms of his knowledge of human nature and Russian life of the 18th century. If you have an interest in classical literature at all, I would recommend checking him out. There are quite a few works of his available in english.

 

[ngatimozart]

I am working my way through Brandon Sanderson's Mist War series. Have finished the first two and started on the third. A very good read so far if you like fantasy.

 

[Feanor]

I am working my way through Brandon Sanderson's Mist War series. Have finished the first two and started on the third. A very good read so far if you like fantasy.

I like fantasy but find most of it aimed at children. For reference I found Game of Thrones too simplistic, though I greatly enjoyed Tolkien, Zelazny's Amber Chronicles, and Robert Howard's Conan (though for context his worlds are amazing while the characters and plot are practically two-dimensional). From the Slavic side I liked Nik Perumov (not sure if available in english) and Sapkovskiy's Witcher series. And of course Kirill Es'kov's The Last Ringbearer is quite an interesting piece, LotR but the Orcs are the good guys. How does Sanderson compare?

 

[ngatimozart]

I like fantasy but find most of it aimed at children. For reference I found Game of Thrones too simplistic, though I greatly enjoyed Tolkien, Zelazny's Amber Chronicles, and Robert Howard's Conan (though for context his worlds are amazing while the characters and plot are practically two-dimensional). From the Slavic side I liked Nik Perumov (not sure if available in english) and Sapkovskiy's Witcher series. And of course Kirill Es'kov's The Last Ringbearer is quite an interesting piece, LotR but the Orcs are the good guys. How does Sanderson compare?

Sanderson isn't Tolkien by a long shot, but his character development and world context is good.

 

[Redlands18]

Sanderson isn't Tolkien by a long shot, but his character development and world context is good.

I am a huge Stormlight Archive fan but can't get into Mistborn. Also a massive Wheel of Time fan and Brandon done a superb of finishing it off after the untimely death of Robert Jordan.

 

[Feanor]

Sanderson isn't Tolkien by a long shot, but his character development and world context is good.

I'll add it to my ever growing list.

 

[Larry_L]

Currently reading Regenesis, by C J Cherryh. Cherryh is probably my favorite Science fiction writer. The book is the third in her series about the planet Cyteen, the opponents of the Merchenters Alliance, currently at peace. These 2 powers were seeded from earth, and are part of a string of stars and stations. Cyteen being on the far end of the string from earth. This book takes place sometime after 2200. Cherryh has written at least 11 books covering the period before and after the discovery of faster than light travel. Many of her books have been translated into French, German, an Italian.

 

[Feanor]

Currently reading Regenesis, by C J Cherryh. Cherryh is probably my favorite Science fiction writer. The book is the third in her series about the planet Cyteen, the opponents of the Merchenters Alliance, currently at peace. These 2 powers were seeded from earth, and are part of a string of stars and stations. Cyteen being on the far end of the string from earth. This book takes place sometime after 2200. Cherryh has written at least 11 books covering the period before and after the discovery of faster than light travel. Many of her books have been translated into French, German, an Italian.

I read her Downbelow Station but found it very tedious and weak. And I like science fiction a lot. Is the rest of her stuff any better?

 

[Larry_L]

I read her Downbelow Station but found it very tedious and weak. And I like science fiction a lot. Is the rest of her stuff any better?

She can be a bit boring at times. Especially in the area of what people are thinking. They seem to ponder an idea forever, and in detail. I tend to ignore that as the plot, and character development, is also quite detailed and entertaining. Downbelow station is one of her books that I only read once. Several of her books that I have reread are: Serpents Reach, Cuckoo's Egg, Tripoint, and 40,000 in Ghenna. She wrote a Russian flavored series, but that leans towards fantasy. The title's, in order are, Rusalka, Chernvog, and Yvgenie. I found them slow going, but managed to get through them. Instead of science you would find creatures, and witches, with the protagonist not knowing their own capability.

I looked for books by Nikolay Leskov, but they are scarce in the US. Mostly what is available is the Russian versions with a hefty price tag.

 

[Feanor]

She can be a bit boring at times. Especially in the area of what people are thinking. They seem to ponder an idea forever, and in detail. I tend to ignore that as the plot, and character development, is also quite detailed and entertaining. Downbelow station is one of her books that I only read once. Several of her books that I have reread are: Serpents Reach, Cuckoo's Egg, Tripoint, and 40,000 in Ghenna. She wrote a Russian flavored series, but that leans towards fantasy. The title's, in order are, Rusalka, Chernvog, and Yvgenie. I found them slow going, but managed to get through them. Instead of science you would find creatures, and witches, with the protagonist not knowing their own capability.

If there's anything you would recommend strongly that is a cut above Downbelow Station, I'm up for giving her another chance. Like I said I like science fiction a lot.

I looked for books by Nikolay Leskov, but they are scarce in the US. Mostly what is available is the Russian versions with a hefty price tag.

Well....

https://www.amazon.com/Books-Nikolai-Leskov/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3ANikolai+Leskov

I mean, it's not a 6 or 12 volume set of selected works like you'd easily find in Russian. But on the other hand western publishers are less eager to do multi-volume sets of a single author. Something I personally find quite annoying.

 

[Sierra Mike]

I'm a big Fantasy fan... Tolkien, Eddins, Jordan, Sarah Dougals... all great...

I also plough through Bio's and current political non-fiction.

Currently reading Serhil Ploky's Russo-Ukraninian War. The difficult thing is to maintain objectivity when reading one side of the argument... There's many a PhD in the waiting once the dust settles on this one...

 

[Redlands18]

I'm a big Fantasy fan... Tolkien, Eddins, Jordan, Sarah Dougals... all great...

I also plough through Bio's and current political non-fiction.

Currently reading Serhil Ploky's Russo-Ukraninian War. The difficult thing is to maintain objectivity when reading one side of the argument... There's many a PhD in the waiting once the dust settles on this one...

I take it you mean Eddings and Sarah Douglass? Huge Eddings fan back in the 80s, but I have found his books haven't aged that well. Douglass like Jordan died far too young at 54 and 59. Jordan of course leaving his masterpiece incomplete. Raymond E Fiest and Katherine Kerr are 2 authors you may like, going on your choices.

 

[Larry_L]

Well....

https://www.amazon.com/Books-Nikolai-Leskov/s?rh=n:283155,p_27:Nikolai+Leskov
I mean, it's not a 6 or 12 volume set of selected works like you'd easily find in Russian. But on the other hand western publishers are less eager to do multi-volume sets of a single author. Something I personally find quite annoying.

Thank you. Annoying that this did not show up when I searched Amazon. I will order it today.

Most, if not all of Cherryh's books, have an esoteric flavor to them which is part of their attraction for me. You will have noticed this in Downbelow Station. I found the Cyteen series quit good. The esoteric here delves into Cloning and Regenesis, the process of using human genetics combined with experience to create a clone that is very close in ability to the doner of the genetic material. The three book series is followed by Regenesis, and 40,000 in Ghenna. The former on the same planet, while the latter on a planet colonized with clones by the Union military at the end of the war with the Alliance. The Alliance station Pell is where Downbelo Station takes Place.
In Tripoint the esoteric comes into play with navigation during faster than light travel. As the experience is very disconcerting to the human mind, humans drug themselves during faster than light travel. Navigators who do not drug themselves are rare and experience heightened awareness during the trip.
You seem rather pragmatic. I have to ask myself if you would enjoy any of her books.

 

[Feanor]

Thank you. Annoying that this did not show up when I searched Amazon. I will order it today.

Might be my spelling. Nikolai vs. Nikolay. My transliteration is based on my knowledge of English. I didn't consider that there would likely be an established spelling.

 

[Feanor]

I've started on Christopher Clark's Iron Kingdom, it's a modern history of Prussia. An interesting read so far. And I've picked up Boris Lavrenev, a Soviet author, a veteran of WWI and the Russian Civil War. His writing is informed by the darkness of those times, and the peculiar cultural and historic baggage of a Russia on the verge of soviet society, but with many of the pieces of old imperial society still there.

 

[Larry_L]

Yesterdays mail brought several books by Nikolai Leskov. They are both collections of short stories. I started reading the one translated by William Edgerton, making it through 3 stories. Several of the stories are in both books, but since they are used, the price is still reasonable. The other book, The Enchanted Wanderer. is translated by Richard Pevear, and Larissa Velokhonsky. I am delited to find a new author to follow.

 

[Feanor]

Yesterdays mail brought several books by Nikolai Leskov. They are both collections of short stories. I started reading the one translated by William Edgerton, making it through 3 stories. Several of the stories are in both books, but since they are used, the price is still reasonable. The other book, The Enchanted Wanderer. is translated by Richard Pevear, and Larissa Velokhonsky. I am delited to find a new author to follow.

Let me know what your thoughts are. I inherited a 6 volume set from my grandfather's library, a bibliophile like myself. I'm through 5 volumes of 6, and so far he's great. And had I not inherited the set, I don't know that I would have come across him at all. He doesn't have the fame of other classic authors like Chekhov, or Dostoevskiy, or the 20th century masters like Bunin, Kuprin, Sholokhov, or Bulgakov.