I haven't seen SchndlrsFist around since TWW returned, so I'll go ahead and start this year's reading thread with a copy and paste of last year's:

It's 2021 and time to reset the book reading challenge. Let's all try to read one book a week this year, but if that's too much just list whatever you read because reading is fun. Also, try to rate the books you finish from 1 to 10 so other people can see what might be a good book to pick up.

1) Currently Reading - Here Comes a Candle - Fredric Brown

1/8/2021 6:55:08 AM

1) Finished - The Storm Before the Storm - Mike Duncan
2) Currently reading - At Day's Close - Roger Ekirch

1/8/2021 11:48:07 AM

1) Here Comes a Candle - Fredric Brown - 8/10
2) Currently Reading - The Godwulf Manuscript - Robert B Parker

1/12/2021 1:30:31 AM

1) Here Comes a Candle - Fredric Brown - 8/10
2) The Godwulf Manuscript - Robert B Parker - 7/10
3) Currently Reading - Ready Player Two - Ernest Cline

1/21/2021 1:47:12 AM

1) The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - C. S. Lewis
2) Prince Caspian - C. S. Lewis
3) Currently reading - Gringos - Charles Portis
4) Currently reading - The Meritocracy Trap - Daniel Markovits

1/25/2021 1:29:47 PM

1) Here Comes a Candle - Fredric Brown - 8/10
2) The Godwulf Manuscript - Robert B Parker - 7/10
3) Ready Player Two - Ernest Cline - 6/10
4) Currently Reading - Zoey Punches the Future in the Dick - David Wong

2/3/2021 4:27:26 PM

1) Here Comes a Candle - Fredric Brown - 8/10
2) The Godwulf Manuscript - Robert B Parker - 7/10
3) Ready Player Two - Ernest Cline - 6/10
4) Zoey Punches the Future in the Dick - David Wong - 7/10
5) Currently Reading - The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test - Tom Wolfe

2/23/2021 6:31:23 PM

1) Here Comes a Candle - Fredric Brown - 8/10
2) The Godwulf Manuscript - Robert B Parker - 7/10
3) Ready Player Two - Ernest Cline - 6/10
4) Zoey Punches the Future in the Dick - David Wong - 7/10
5) The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test - Tom Wolfe - 8/10
6) Currently Reading - Trapped! The Story of Floyd Collins - Robert K Murray & Roger W Brucker

3/18/2021 1:48:08 AM

Already way behind, dammit.

1) The Storm Before the Storm - Mike Duncan 9/10
2) At Day's Close: Night in Times Past - Roger Ekirch 6/10
3) Liberators: Latin America's Struggle for Independence - Robert Harvey 7/10
4) Currently reading - The Romani Gypsies - Yaron Matras
5) Currently reading - Napoleon's Hemorrhoids - Phil Mason

3/19/2021 11:18:48 AM

1) Here Comes a Candle - Fredric Brown - 8/10
2) The Godwulf Manuscript - Robert B Parker - 7/10
3) Ready Player Two - Ernest Cline - 6/10
4) Zoey Punches the Future in the Dick - David Wong - 7/10
5) The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test - Tom Wolfe - 8/10
6) Trapped! The Story of Floyd Collins - Robert K Murray & Roger W Brucker - 8/10
7) Currently Reading - The Other Side - Alfred Kubin

3/25/2021 1:51:21 AM

1) Here Comes a Candle - Fredric Brown - 8/10
2) The Godwulf Manuscript - Robert B Parker - 7/10
3) Ready Player Two - Ernest Cline - 6/10
4) Zoey Punches the Future in the Dick - David Wong - 7/10
5) The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test - Tom Wolfe - 8/10
6) Trapped! The Story of Floyd Collins - Robert K Murray & Roger W Brucker - 8/10
7) The Other Side - Alfred Kubin - 7/10
8) Currently Reading - The Other Place and Other Stories of the Same Sort - JB Priestley

4/12/2021 1:53:24 AM

1) Here Comes a Candle - Fredric Brown - 8/10
2) The Godwulf Manuscript - Robert B Parker - 7/10
3) Ready Player Two - Ernest Cline - 6/10
4) Zoey Punches the Future in the Dick - David Wong - 7/10
5) The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test - Tom Wolfe - 8/10
6) Trapped! The Story of Floyd Collins - Robert K Murray & Roger W Brucker - 8/10
7) The Other Side - Alfred Kubin - 7/10
8) The Other Place and Other Stories of the Same Sort - JB Priestley - 8/10
9) Currently Reading - The Feasting Dead - John Metcalfe

4/19/2021 1:08:27 AM

1) Here Comes a Candle - Fredric Brown - 8/10
2) The Godwulf Manuscript - Robert B Parker - 7/10
3) Ready Player Two - Ernest Cline - 6/10
4) Zoey Punches the Future in the Dick - David Wong - 7/10
5) The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test - Tom Wolfe - 8/10
6) Trapped! The Story of Floyd Collins - Robert K Murray & Roger W Brucker - 8/10
7) The Other Side - Alfred Kubin - 7/10
8) The Other Place and Other Stories of the Same Sort - JB Priestley - 8/10
9) The Feasting Dead - John Metcalfe - 7/10
10) Currently Reading - Gravity's Rainbow - Thomas Pynchon

5/3/2021 6:00:33 PM

1) Here Comes a Candle - Fredric Brown - 8/10
2) The Godwulf Manuscript - Robert B Parker - 7/10
3) Ready Player Two - Ernest Cline - 6/10
4) Zoey Punches the Future in the Dick - David Wong - 7/10
5) The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test - Tom Wolfe - 8/10
6) Trapped! The Story of Floyd Collins - Robert K Murray & Roger W Brucker - 8/10
7) The Other Side - Alfred Kubin - 7/10
8) The Other Place and Other Stories of the Same Sort - JB Priestley - 8/10
9) The Feasting Dead - John Metcalfe - 7/10
10) Gravity's Rainbow - Thomas Pynchon - 8/10
11) Currently Reading - Pattern Recognition - William Gibson

Whew! That was definitely one of the densest and most difficult novels I've ever read. It definitely helped to follow along with a guide ( https://www.coursehero.com/lit/Gravitys-Rainbow/ ) along the way, and I've heard things become clearer on repeat readings. Maybe someday, but not in the near future; that was quite a slog!

6/30/2021 3:03:26 AM

1) Here Comes a Candle - Fredric Brown - 8/10
2) The Godwulf Manuscript - Robert B Parker - 7/10
3) Ready Player Two - Ernest Cline - 6/10
4) Zoey Punches the Future in the Dick - David Wong - 7/10
5) The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test - Tom Wolfe - 8/10
6) Trapped! The Story of Floyd Collins - Robert K Murray & Roger W Brucker - 8/10
7) The Other Side - Alfred Kubin - 7/10
8) The Other Place and Other Stories of the Same Sort - JB Priestley - 8/10
9) The Feasting Dead - John Metcalfe - 7/10
10) Gravity's Rainbow - Thomas Pynchon - 8/10
11) Pattern Recognition - William Gibson - 7/10
12) Currently Reading - The Forever War - Joe Haldeman

7/7/2021 4:49:08 PM

"Forever War" was pretty good, IMhumbleO

7/7/2021 4:54:49 PM

Cool. It's been on my list for many years and last week's release of Tomorrow War caused it to pop back in my head. I have a copy of Forever War in storage somewhere, but rather than hunt that down I just checked this copy out of the local library.

7/7/2021 6:43:27 PM

Library is where it's at. I liked that one better than his later book "Forever Peace".

7/8/2021 9:08:07 AM

Yeah, I saw that one at the library, too. They didn't have Forever Free, though, which I hear is a direct sequel to Forever War. Have you read that one?

7/8/2021 11:37:05 AM

1) Here Comes a Candle - Fredric Brown - 8/10
2) The Godwulf Manuscript - Robert B Parker - 7/10
3) Ready Player Two - Ernest Cline - 6/10
4) Zoey Punches the Future in the Dick - David Wong - 7/10
5) The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test - Tom Wolfe - 8/10
6) Trapped! The Story of Floyd Collins - Robert K Murray & Roger W Brucker - 8/10
7) The Other Side - Alfred Kubin - 7/10
8) The Other Place and Other Stories of the Same Sort - JB Priestley - 8/10
9) The Feasting Dead - John Metcalfe - 7/10
10) Gravity's Rainbow - Thomas Pynchon - 8/10
11) Pattern Recognition - William Gibson - 7/10
12) The Forever War - Joe Haldeman - 9/10
13) Currently Reading - The Riddle-Master of Hed - Patricia A McKillip

7/31/2021 1:49:58 AM

1) Here Comes a Candle - Fredric Brown - 8/10
2) The Godwulf Manuscript - Robert B Parker - 7/10
3) Ready Player Two - Ernest Cline - 6/10
4) Zoey Punches the Future in the Dick - David Wong - 7/10
5) The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test - Tom Wolfe - 8/10
6) Trapped! The Story of Floyd Collins - Robert K Murray & Roger W Brucker - 8/10
7) The Other Side - Alfred Kubin - 7/10
8) The Other Place and Other Stories of the Same Sort - JB Priestley - 8/10
9) The Feasting Dead - John Metcalfe - 7/10
10) Gravity's Rainbow - Thomas Pynchon - 8/10
11) Pattern Recognition - William Gibson - 7/10
12) The Forever War - Joe Haldeman - 9/10
13) The Riddle-Master of Hed - Patricia A McKillip - 8/10
14) Currently Reading - Heir of Sea and Fire - Patricia A McKillip

8/9/2021 10:03:48 PM

1) Here Comes a Candle - Fredric Brown - 8/10
2) The Godwulf Manuscript - Robert B Parker - 7/10
3) Ready Player Two - Ernest Cline - 6/10
4) Zoey Punches the Future in the Dick - David Wong - 7/10
5) The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test - Tom Wolfe - 8/10
6) Trapped! The Story of Floyd Collins - Robert K Murray & Roger W Brucker - 8/10
7) The Other Side - Alfred Kubin - 7/10
8) The Other Place and Other Stories of the Same Sort - JB Priestley - 8/10
9) The Feasting Dead - John Metcalfe - 7/10
10) Gravity's Rainbow - Thomas Pynchon - 8/10
11) Pattern Recognition - William Gibson - 7/10
12) The Forever War - Joe Haldeman - 9/10
13) The Riddle-Master of Hed - Patricia A McKillip - 8/10
14) Heir of Sea and Fire - Patricia A McKillip 7/10
15) Currently Reading - Harpist in the Wind - Patricia A McKillip

8/31/2021 11:32:57 PM

1) Here Comes a Candle - Fredric Brown - 8/10
2) The Godwulf Manuscript - Robert B Parker - 7/10
3) Ready Player Two - Ernest Cline - 6/10
4) Zoey Punches the Future in the Dick - David Wong - 7/10
5) The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test - Tom Wolfe - 8/10
6) Trapped! The Story of Floyd Collins - Robert K Murray & Roger W Brucker - 8/10
7) The Other Side - Alfred Kubin - 7/10
8) The Other Place and Other Stories of the Same Sort - JB Priestley - 8/10
9) The Feasting Dead - John Metcalfe - 7/10
10) Gravity's Rainbow - Thomas Pynchon - 8/10
11) Pattern Recognition - William Gibson - 7/10
12) The Forever War - Joe Haldeman - 9/10
13) The Riddle-Master of Hed - Patricia A McKillip - 8/10
14) Heir of Sea and Fire - Patricia A McKillip 7/10
15) Harpist in the Wind - Patricia A McKillip - 7/10
16) Currently Reading - Uzumaki - Junji Ito

10/6/2021 7:32:29 PM

1) Here Comes a Candle - Fredric Brown - 8/10
2) The Godwulf Manuscript - Robert B Parker - 7/10
3) Ready Player Two - Ernest Cline - 6/10
4) Zoey Punches the Future in the Dick - David Wong - 7/10
5) The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test - Tom Wolfe - 8/10
6) Trapped! The Story of Floyd Collins - Robert K Murray & Roger W Brucker - 8/10
7) The Other Side - Alfred Kubin - 7/10
8) The Other Place and Other Stories of the Same Sort - JB Priestley - 8/10
9) The Feasting Dead - John Metcalfe - 7/10
10) Gravity's Rainbow - Thomas Pynchon - 8/10
11) Pattern Recognition - William Gibson - 7/10
12) The Forever War - Joe Haldeman - 9/10
13) The Riddle-Master of Hed - Patricia A McKillip - 8/10
14) Heir of Sea and Fire - Patricia A McKillip 7/10
15) Harpist in the Wind - Patricia A McKillip - 7/10
16) Uzumaki - Junji Ito - 9/10
17) Currently Reading - Smashed - Junji Ito

[Edited on October 19, 2021 at 2:45 AM. Reason : ]

10/19/2021 2:45:04 AM

1) Here Comes a Candle - Fredric Brown - 8/10
2) The Godwulf Manuscript - Robert B Parker - 7/10
3) Ready Player Two - Ernest Cline - 6/10
4) Zoey Punches the Future in the Dick - David Wong - 7/10
5) The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test - Tom Wolfe - 8/10
6) Trapped! The Story of Floyd Collins - Robert K Murray & Roger W Brucker - 8/10
7) The Other Side - Alfred Kubin - 7/10
8) The Other Place and Other Stories of the Same Sort - JB Priestley - 8/10
9) The Feasting Dead - John Metcalfe - 7/10
10) Gravity's Rainbow - Thomas Pynchon - 8/10
11) Pattern Recognition - William Gibson - 7/10
12) The Forever War - Joe Haldeman - 9/10
13) The Riddle-Master of Hed - Patricia A McKillip - 8/10
14) Heir of Sea and Fire - Patricia A McKillip 7/10
15) Harpist in the Wind - Patricia A McKillip - 7/10
16) Uzumaki - Junji Ito - 9/10
17) Smashed - Junji Ito - 8/10
18) Currently Reading - The Dark Descent - Edited by David G Hartwell

10/21/2021 1:25:17 AM

1) Here Comes a Candle - Fredric Brown - 8/10
2) The Godwulf Manuscript - Robert B Parker - 7/10
3) Ready Player Two - Ernest Cline - 6/10
4) Zoey Punches the Future in the Dick - David Wong - 7/10
5) The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test - Tom Wolfe - 8/10
6) Trapped! The Story of Floyd Collins - Robert K Murray & Roger W Brucker - 8/10
7) The Other Side - Alfred Kubin - 7/10
8) The Other Place and Other Stories of the Same Sort - JB Priestley - 8/10
9) The Feasting Dead - John Metcalfe - 7/10
10) Gravity's Rainbow - Thomas Pynchon - 8/10
11) Pattern Recognition - William Gibson - 7/10
12) The Forever War - Joe Haldeman - 9/10
13) The Riddle-Master of Hed - Patricia A McKillip - 8/10
14) Heir of Sea and Fire - Patricia A McKillip 7/10
15) Harpist in the Wind - Patricia A McKillip - 7/10
16) Uzumaki - Junji Ito - 9/10
17) Smashed - Junji Ito - 8/10
18) The Dark Descent - Edited by David G Hartwell - 9/10
19) Currently Reading - Viriconium - M John Harrison

12/17/2021 10:36:07 PM

Quote :

" They didn't have Forever Free, though, which I hear is a direct sequel to Forever War. Have you read that one?"

Ah, nope. I've been reading a lot of Cixin Liu and Matthew Hughes lately, pretty good sci-fi/fantasy.

12/18/2021 12:22:10 AM

I read the Three Body Problem trilogy a few years ago and loved it. Not familiar with Matthew Hughes.

12/18/2021 12:58:52 AM

Three Body Problem was great, I'd recommend his "Wandering Earth" collection of short stories, too.

Matthew Hughes's stories and writing are kinda like Jack Vance's, if that helps at all.

12/18/2021 6:53:52 PM

That does help, I love some Jack Vance. Tales of the Dying Earth is a fucking classic. Cugel is one of my all time favorite characters in literature, period.

[Edited on December 19, 2021 at 2:19 AM. Reason : ]

12/19/2021 2:18:08 AM

Haha, good ol' Cugel. My dad's Wifi is called "Overworld", after one of those Tales of the Dying Earth.

I'd recommend the Henghis Hapthorn books by Matthew Hughes, they definitely reminded me of Cugel.

12/19/2021 8:26:20 PM

Thanks, I'll put them down on the list.

12/20/2021 1:37:24 AM

1) Here Comes a Candle - Fredric Brown - 8/10
2) The Godwulf Manuscript - Robert B Parker - 7/10
3) Ready Player Two - Ernest Cline - 6/10
4) Zoey Punches the Future in the Dick - David Wong - 7/10
5) The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test - Tom Wolfe - 8/10
6) Trapped! The Story of Floyd Collins - Robert K Murray & Roger W Brucker - 8/10
7) The Other Side - Alfred Kubin - 7/10
8) The Other Place and Other Stories of the Same Sort - JB Priestley - 8/10
9) The Feasting Dead - John Metcalfe - 7/10
10) Gravity's Rainbow - Thomas Pynchon - 8/10
11) Pattern Recognition - William Gibson - 7/10
12) The Forever War - Joe Haldeman - 9/10
13) The Riddle-Master of Hed - Patricia A McKillip - 8/10
14) Heir of Sea and Fire - Patricia A McKillip 7/10
15) Harpist in the Wind - Patricia A McKillip - 7/10
16) Uzumaki - Junji Ito - 9/10
17) Smashed - Junji Ito - 8/10
18) The Dark Descent - Edited by David G Hartwell - 9/10
19) Viriconium - M John Harrison - 7/10
20) Currently Reading - Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy

12/28/2021 11:26:31 AM