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Friday, March 08, 2019

More Expanse

So, I'm still churning my way through the Expanse novels, and I've watched up to Season 3 of the tv series.

The book list has grown a bit since my last post (THREE YEARS AGO!) - I really should make an effort to keep this updated. So many things to do...

I've read all the ones in the previous post, and I'm now reading Persepolis Rising. I believe the next book after that should be out in a few weeks so I'm sorted for a bit.

But once I get through them I've always got Anathem by Neal Stephenson to finish. I keep stopping and starting it because it's such a behemoth of a book with a steep language learning curve. I'm intrigued to see where it goes, though. It has a fantasy feel but with sci-fi futuristic elements. To be honest I'm thoroughly confused by it.

Over and out for now. Let's hope it's not another three years until I post again.

Thursday, April 14, 2016

The Leviathan has woken

This is my current reading list:

The Expanse - by James S.A. Corey

I've just finished reading Leviathan Wakes, the first book in the series, and I loved it! It reads exactly like a sci-fi tv show, so it's really easy for your imagination to build the world in your mind.

For some people that's probably not what you want in a book. But for me, I loved it.
I love books AND tv, so to have a book series that reads like a tv show AND has a tv show being made is fricken awesome.

Call me shallow if you like. That's ok by me. I'm just enjoying the pure entertainment of this awesome story.

And the sci-fi!

SCI-FI!

YEAH!

So, I've got quite a few books to chew through. Not to mention the fact that my sister just gave me the password to her Kindle account. Oh boy! She reads a thousand times faster than me, and has thousands of books under her belt. It's like I've just been given the keys to the kingdom. Gotta sift out the soft-core porn titles that bloomed out the ass of 50 Shades, but that's ok. There's tons of awesome fantasy and sci-fi titles in there just waiting for my eyeballs to be glued to them. Can't wait.

Also, met some awesome people at a festival recently who recommended some great titles. So, they're on my list too.

Perhaps I should write out a list. Like, as in a proper book list. Coz I'm sure I've forgotten a shitload of books I meant to put on my list, so that would be one good reason. And if I had a proper list then I would never fall into an empty book well again.

Perhaps I could write out a few different lists. I could write out the definitive THIS IS MY READING LIST list, as well as a NICE TO READ list, a MIGHT WANT TO READ list, a RECOMMENDED list, and a NEVER GONNA READ, BUT SHOULD BE ON A LIST ANYWAY list.

And the ocd 'must be organised' side of me would love making all these lists. It would be like a little project. Which, by 'project' I mean 'a procrastination tool to keep me from doing what I should be doing while also making me feel like I'm working'. Ah, dammit. Now I've gone and said that I can't do it because I know it for what it is.

Hey ho. I'll just put 'making book lists' on my list of things to do some day :-)

Friday, February 26, 2016

The Expanse

I've just started reading Leviathan Wakes by James S.A. Corey.

It's quite promising so far, and the fact there is a tv show is a huge bonus! I'm hoping to read the book before I start watching. I'm just hoping I don't have to read ALL the sequels before starting to watch the tv show.

I let Game of Thrones get ahead of me on that score. I didn't even finish the first novel before I started watching it, and I never bothered picking the book up again.

I really don't want to fall out of reading the Expanse novels in favour of the tv show.. I want to enjoy them both in tandem.

Btw, if you want to follow me on Goodreads you can find me below:

Goodreads

I'm HUGE on sci-fi at the moment - so please feel free to recommend some!

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Time Flies When You're Reading

Wow it's been a long time since I've posted!

I'm still here... still reading, and boy have I read some amazing books by some amazing authors!

The Bone Season - Samantha Shannon (plus sequel)

The 5th Wave - Rick Yancey (plus sequels)

Daughter of Smoke and Bone - Laini Taylor (plus sequels) (I can't stop thinking about this series!!!)

Neptunes Blood - Charles Stross (plus others, incl some of the Laundry files)

Fade to Black - Francis Knight

That last one is what I'm reading right now. I started it after finishing one of the Laundry files by Charles Stross (I LOVE his writing style), so I still had quite a book hangover from that. I didn't know what to read next, so I was surfing the Kobo suggestions and just clicked on Fade to Black and started reading without thinking about it or checking the blurb.

The writing suckered me in so fast! It was so easy to read, but not 'leave-your-brain-at-the-door' easy, I mean it was well written (unlike this blog!). It suckered me in so bad and I'm panicking now coz I think I'm near the end.

At some point while reading a book I will obsess about it, and will Google search it to death until I've researched every single thing I can about the book, the author, the author's cat, and when the next book is out.

I haven't done this with Fade to Black yet, and I feel like it's slipping out of my fingers! Yikes!

I LOVE this book, and don't want it to end.

I'm off now to go research it.

I hope there's sequels. That's 'sequels' plural!

I'll cover the other books I mentioned above at some point in the future, because goddammit they're excellent and deserve to be talked about.

In other news I've written the first sentence of a new book idea that's been in my head for years. I'm hoping I'll write the second sentence sometime this decade. We shall see.

Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Book List

Well, time flies when you're reading The Dark Tower series... hehehe, see what I did there?

Ok, bad joke. Moving on.

I finished Stephen King's Dark Tower series a while ago, and I liked it. I didn't mind that the end was predictable and stupid.. it couldn't have been any other way, really. King even goes so far as to say he would have stopped the book a chapter early (without Roland reaching the Dark Tower).. but that would have been frustrating as all hell!

Anyway.. I haven't got any more to say about it, so moving on!

Kvothe!

If you don't know that name, then you damn well should!!

'The Name of the Wind' - by Patrick Rothfuss

The main character, Kvothe, is brilliant.
The story is amazing!
The writing is sublime!

Read it!

Read it now!

'The Wise Man's Fear' is the second in the series.. and equally as awesome.

The third book........... is unwritten!!!

I know, it's incredibly frustrating, but that's just the way it is. Read the first two anyway. You are armed with the knowledge that the story is unfinished, so go forth and read. Don't fear. Just read. The third book will come along soon....... hopefully!

So, I'm at a bit of a loose end at the moment. I finished 'The Wise Man's Fear' a few weeks ago and I've been trying to find something to fill the gap.

I've never read any Pratchett, and it was recommended to me, so I've downloaded the first book onto Kobo on my phone, and I'm trying so hard to get into it! It's a real struggle, but knowing there are 35 books in the series makes me feel a little comforted that I won't be left hanging so soon... but I've got to be drawn in first.

I've been so distracted with my artwork and stuff lately that it's hard to clear my head and concentrate. It's going to be a crazy busy summer this year (plus I've just launched my YouTube channel!), but hopefully I should be able to compartmentalise things and get myself organised soon. I'm moving house (bought my own flat, yay!), and I've got a good plan on how I'm going to lay everything out, which should be great fun to organise.

Life just keeps getting better and better, really. But it is harder and harder to find books to satisfy me. I'm hoping Pratchett can deliver!

Book recommendations are always welcome, by the way!

And now for some shameless marketing:
Here's my website: www.swanstardesigns.com
You'll find links to all my online shops and stuff, as well as a gallery of all my artwork and jewellery.
Go and buy my stuff :-D
Marketing message over.

Saturday, June 01, 2013

I'm a finalist

I drew a picture of a cat.

I entered my picture of a cat into a 'tattoo design' competition.

My picture of a cat got chosen as a finalist.

I grinned like a cheshire cat.

Happy days!

In order to win I need votes. If ya wanna help me win, please vote here:
http://redbubble-tattoo.strutta.com/entry/2616675

I am currently running 7th out of 10 finalists. Voting closes 5th June! I've got a long way to go to catch up!

Oh, here's the picture of the cat:


You can buy t-shirts, prints, cards, iphone cases, stickers, and hoodies from my Redbubble shop here:
http://www.redbubble.com/people/swanstardesigns/shop

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Slingin' Guns

Well, I'm sticking with the Gunslinger, by Stephen King.

It reeeeeeeally makes a difference to read well written sentences.

That's not to say that the Great Gatsby wasn't written well, or Robin Hobb's Rain Wild series. I guess I just wasn't in the right frame of mind to start reading those.

I am determined to stick with the Gunslinger. I will finish a book if it goddamm takes me all year!