What Fiction are you reading this week, February 16, 2020?

[hermetic]

Visiting the library remains the most common cultural activity Americans engage in. The average 10.5 trips to the library adults reported taking in 2019 exceeds their participation in eight other common leisure activities.


Reading The Round House by Louise Erdrich. It is great. I imagine many of you have already read this one as it’s from 2012. But if you haven’t, I can’t recommend it enough. Intriguing, sad, funny, and the writing is gorgeous.

I’m listening to Killing With Confetti by Peter Lovesy. This is classified as Police Procedural, Mystery & Detective - Traditional British, Cozy. But not humor, for some reason. And detective Peter Diamond is a hoot. I will be looking for more of his stories.

What good stuff do you have for this week?

[SouthernLiberal]

1. I'm mostly a Science Fiction reader...

So I am reading 1634: The Bavarian Crisis by Eric Flint and Virginia DeMarce. I decided at the beginning of the year, that I am going to finish or catch up on series that I like. This one got picked first, because I knew that I owned the whole series. I will read other things along the way, of course. Several of my favorite authors have new books coming out this year.

[hermetic]

2. Hi there

We have several Sci Fi fans that frequently post here, myself included. Happy to see you. So, do stop by and let us know what you are reading and you might learn about some other authors, too.

[CurtEastPoint]

3. Ask Again, Yes

Quite good with families, history, conflict, love. Not gushy.

[hermetic]

4. By Mary Beth Keane

A fairly new book and very highly rated. "A profoundly moving novel about two neighboring families in a suburban town, the friendship between their children, a tragedy that reverberates over four decades, and the power of forgiveness."

[CurtEastPoint]

10. Yes, and I got till Wed to finish and return to Library. About 2/3 in. Very good read.

[dameatball]

5. "A Vengeful Wind" by James L. Nelson. Book VIII of "The Northmen Saga"

this is a good series that I revisit from time to time.

[murielm99]

11. If you like these,

check out Bernard Cornwell, The Last Kingdom series.

They are historical fiction, starting with Alfred the Great, and told from the point of view of a pagan who ended up in his service. Cornell is related to the man, hence his interest in that period of history.

One critic referred to them as, "The Game of Thrones, but real."

[dameatball]

15. Yes indeed. A great series. I'm up to "War of the Wolf." I try not to read this series too closely

with the Nelson series, as they almost can become too similar. But in both the historical aspects are pretty interesting even though it is fiction.

[murielm99]

6. I read Plague of Doves

and LaRose. How did I miss this one, The Round House, since it is part of a trilogy?

LaRose was incredible, uplifting.

Currently, I am reading The First Man in Rome, by Colleen McCullough. It is the first of a seven book series. I thought it might be confusing, with too many characters to keep straight. It is not. It is very engrossing. Interestingly, she advances a lot of the action through a series of letters between many of the protagonists.

I intend to read the whole series, although it may take some time.

The library I use did not have this book. They borrowed it from a smaller, nearby library. There was some confusion about getting the right book, so it took a while.

When I got the right book, finally, I bet the small library was thrilled. The copyright on this worthy book is 1990. I have a hunch that it has not circulated in years. It is such a wonderfully fat book!

[hermetic]

8. I know, right?

Wondered the same thing: how did I miss this one? Glad now I found it because it is really intense. It's a mystery, but not a who-done- it. More a we-know-who-done-it-but-what-are-we-going-to-do-about-it.

[Ohiogal]

7. Trying out my first Sharyn McCrumb novel

The Unquiet Grave.

I’m looking forward to reading The Round House, I guess I’m behind everyone else here!

[hermetic]

9. I think you will be pleased

with both. It's not a contest...

[murielm99]

12. I read that one.

It was superb.

Read all her ballad books, starting at the beginning, if you can.

[Number9Dream]

13. Just finished "The Lincoln Myth" by Steve Berry - pretty good

Thanks for the thread, hermetic.

I've been reading quite a bit of Steve Berry recently. I enjoy the historical 'what-ifs', combined with action page-turner. "The King's Deception" was especially good. I just started "The 14th Colony" by Berry.

[hermetic]

14. Howdy, stranger

Long time. Good to see ya. Sounds like some good stuff there. Thanks for sharing.

[TexasProgresive]

16. I got a great deal on 4 Ruth Rendell's Inspector Wexford mysteries.

Reading Sins of the Fathers it is really good.

Truth by Terry Pratchett was outstanding. It conveys so much truth about power of the powers that be and the power of a free press. And then they are the dwarfs who run the press, werewolf cop, zombie lawyer and a reformed vampire who "dies" whenever he takes a flash picture. Oh and there are trolls and golem firefighters. Lots to entertain and lots of truth.

[hermetic]

17. Cool

Baroness Rendell wrote SO many books and received many awards. Then she wrote even more under the pen name Barbara Vine. Sounds like she was an amazing woman.

Good job describing The Truth. I put it on my library list for tomorrow.

[TexasProgresive]

18. "Truth" was so good and easier than "The Color of Magic"

I have one more Discworld novel in the console of my truck. I may stay with Inspector Wexford for one more before diving back into the comedic absurdity of Discworld.

[Paladin]

19. "Blue Moon," Lee Child's latest Jack Reacher novel.

Predictably good read, but it could have been edited a little tighter---too many uses of the adjectives "gamine" and "mean."