What world are you currently exploring through the activity of reading?

[Perturabo]

I'm taking a break from the war stuff and re-reading the Rozen Maiden manga now. I love the character designs.

I usually mix up a heavy read with a lighter novel these days to avoid reading burnout. Just finished the latest Game of Thrones book (A Dance Wiith Dragons). A good read but the story just rolls on and I can't see a satisfying conclusion coming anytime soon. Now reading the history of the English Civil War but unfortunately know that the Royals will be coming back to sponge off the country once Cromwell kicks the bucket.

Game of Thrones is the TV series. The novel series are A Song of Ice and Fire (generally, while it has pretty detailed court intrigues and politics, let's not forget that in the end, the most important stuff happening is the dead guys attacking and dragons returning).
BTW. I find it interesting that the TV series are called Game of Thrones while the first novel is called A Game of Thrones.

[HauRuck]

I don't get much time to read so when I do I tend to stick to science fiction followed by the occasional fantasy/war themed novel. The last book I read was Saturn's Children by Charles Stross. It's about a former sexbot whose now found an odd purpose in a world where humans have become extinct. Why it caught my eye was it got nominated for Hugo/Nebula or something like that. Generally anything with such a titalating description would be utter cr@p but this did turn out to be a very interesting read for me quite unlike most of what I've read. Despite the nominations, one or two passages might be too graphic for many though they are really limited to little more than 2 or 3 sentences each.

Before that I read the entire line from John Scalzi beginning with Old Man's War and ending with Zoe's Tale and some one-off books. I've never ever read anything I liked more. Apparantly a lot of others agree as 3 out of 4 books got nominated for a Hugo. I don't believe this has ever happened before in history for a single series. Obviously hollywood immediately picked it up and the first movie, Old Man's War, is suppose to be out next year. Ender's Game is also being made now...with Ender played by the kid from Hugo. Ender's Game, Starship Troopers, and The Forever War are the books that inspired Scalzi to write this series and it has the flavor of all of them in an otherwise pretty light but thoroughly engaging read.

I read those coming off of a 3600 some page Space Opera called the Night's Dawn Trilogy. Reality Dysfunction was the first book by Peter F. Hamilton. This is the best long epic space opera I've ever read. Tons and tons of characters Game of Thrones worthy... Perhaps perfect with the exception of the very very last chapter or two. Such an epic tale the ending almost has to be a letdown. Still, the Old Man's War did manage a pretty satisfying conclusion in comparison...but I fully recommend both series....one a light read and the other quite heavy.

[JasonRimmer]

I enjoyed the Forever war books. I looked at old mans War awhile ago, think it will now find it's way into my wishlist.

[parusski]

I just found a copy of The Dragonlance Chronicles/Dragons of Autumn Twilight/Dragons of Winter Night/Dragons of Spring Dawning on audio. Looking forward to listening. These were my first foray into fantasy books in the 80's.

[JasonRimmer]

WOW that takes me back. I bought all those when they where released. The Radio was doing a dramatisation at the same time as the firs book. I was about 14 I think.

[Perturabo]

I remember liking Dragonlance when I was a teen. Raistlin Majere was my favourite character. Sturm was my second favourite.

[parusski]

WOW that takes me back. I bought all those when they where released. The Radio was doing a dramatisation at the same time as the firs book. I was about 14 I think.

Oddly enough I had been playing D&D before I started reading the Dragonlance series.

I remember liking Dragonlance when I was a teen. Raistlin Majere was my favourite character. Sturm was my second favourite.

I also loved Raistlin. And Tanis Half-Elven. And Alhana Starbreeze. And Tasslehoff Burrfoot. And...

[parusski]

Moments ago I finished listening the unabridged audiobook A Blaze of Glory: A Novel of the Battle of Shiloh, Jeff Shaara.

[JasonRimmer]

Hmmm I read a great war novel by him and hated it, bored me silly. So I never bothered reading another book by him though I do know his civil war books are highly rated.

[parusski]

His civil war books are really good. One of the best Civil War novels I have read in a long time was Cain at Gettysburg, Ralph Peters. Outstanding.

http://www.amazon.com/Cain-at-Gettys.../dp/0765330474

http://www.audible.com/pd?asin=B0070YX7PO