Read that as well as a kid.

Yesterday I read Fahrenheit 451 for the first time since I was in school.

Pretty good. Any time I re-read something I read back in school it makes me sad for how literature was treated during my education. We just learned about what other people thought about it rather than being encouraged to form our own opinions.

Got a couple of flights in the next few days. Taking Ender's Game with me which is one of my favorites but haven't read it in years.


After that I think I might take on Crime and Punishment.

Anyone have any translations they recommend? I'm pretty intimidated so more interested in accessibility than precision.

Make sure you re-read Enders shadow after too!

Memoir about a white family during the destruction of Rhodesia/Zimbabwe by Robert Mugabe. As someone who has been to Zim, it's just a heartbreaking read.

Maybe I took it wrong, but I thought the whole Shadow series undermined Ender, which was a disappointment. Maybe Card was trying to keep ender from seeming so good, but he overdid it IMO. Bean can be special just like Ender. He didn't have to be better.
Also, I had never heard of Ender until my daughters hit high school in the late '90s.

I've read 19 books in 2025 after reading zero in 2023 and 2024. My goal was 24 but I think I can get to 36 if I keep rolling. Best book was The Nightingale, worst book was Tipping Point.

South Platte said:

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I've read 19 books in 2025 after reading zero in 2023 and 2024. My goal was 24 but I think I can get to 36 if I keep rolling. Best book was The Nightingale, worst book was Tipping Point.

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Gladwell's book?

Backyard Gator said:

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South Platte said:

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I've read 19 books in 2025 after reading zero in 2023 and 2024. My goal was 24 but I think I can get to 36 if I keep rolling. Best book was The Nightingale, worst book was Tipping Point.

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Gladwell's book?

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Correct.

I read a ton of those types of books and I've never been able to get into Gladwell's stuff for some reason.

bagger05 said:

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I read a ton of those types of books and I've never been able to get into Gladwell's stuff for some reason.

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I enjoyed David and Goliath, but I've actually found a use for it in real life.

I like Gladwell's books, but I don't take him incredibly seriously.

I think his take on school shootings and media coverage might be too on the nose, but that was a New Yorker article, not a book. I find his thoughts on football absolutely idiotic, so it goes without saying we don't agree on everything.

lurker76 said:

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Maybe I took it wrong, but I thought the whole Shadow series undermined Ender, which was a disappointment. Maybe Card was trying to keep ender from seeming so good, but he overdid it IMO. Bean can be special just like Ender. He didn't have to be better.
Also, I had never heard of Ender until my daughters hit high school in the late '90s.

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It definitely downplayed ender but the first shadow is a better book.

I usually update read list at end of quarter, but this one surprised me.

"The Scientist and the Serial Killer" by Lise Olsen
This ebook caught my attention when I saw it on ebook deals for $2 or $3. I saw it involved the Houston serial killers; Dean Corll, Elmer Wayne Henley and David Brooks. I expected it was an old book, but discovered released in 2025. I was 13 (same age as youngest know victim) when Henley killed Corll in 1973 and the story came out. It was a huge story for those living close to Houston. My memory centered around the body's found around the Bolivar Peninsula since being from Port Arthur we often rented beach cabins there in summer. I saw recent HBO documentary "The Clown and the Candyman", but mainly focus was on Gacy. Being so long ago my memory is spotty, but I remember the shock of the murders. Now serial murders seem routine, but the term wasn't even used back then.
The book is written like those of Erik Larson (The Devil in the White City) where it goes back and forth between the sensational (actual murders) and the forensic work done in especially the last 15 years to identify the last of victims. Side note the primary forensic person is an Aggie.
The book also, like the HBO documentary, delves somewhat into the probability that Corll participated in a larger organization of sex trafficking of teenage boys between Houston, Dallas, and California primarily. The fact that the missing were dismissed as run away juvenile delinquents and hippies certainly led to large number murders. The too late investigation was presented as very sloppy with effort to get it to trial and over. No need to be sure all victims found (they had enough) or go into others that may have been involved.
Book was both informative and captivating. Finished in a week.
(A-)

Eisenhorn Xenos - done
Eisenhorn Malleus - done
Eisenhorn Hereticus - in progress
Eisenhorn Magos - next (unless anyone recommends I should read the Omnibus short stories first?)

Thanks for the recap. That was the summer between my fish and sophomore years.

I had written up a pretty lengthy reply, but this forum isn't the place for the response I had. I'll certainly pass on this book as i really don't want to relive that time and those circumstances. I just feel so bad for the families of the boys that were recovered, and even worse for those that were never located. or looked for.

A couple of days ago I finished the last book of the Plainsman series, The Trail to Reconciliation and started book two of the Sun Eater series, Howling Dark. About an hour after I started it, the newest Dan Brown book in the Robert Langdon series, The Secret of Secrets dropped and I almost started to read that instead, but decided to keep reading Howling Dark.

Treasure Island. That was pretty great!

Any Readers if Robin Hobb's Farseer Trilogy. I'm half way through book 2 (Royal Assassin) and while enjoying is casually. Its not an epic experience that many have treated it. Hopefully I'm still in the build up stage. I know there are also many other series under the umbrella (16 books in all), but not sure how far I'll take it at this rate. Will definitely finish this first trilogy though and decide from there.

It's a masterfully crafted story but I know some people find Fitz to be so unlikable that it affects their appreciation of the entire story (which is fair).

So if you're struggling with it because it doesn't have a "root-able" protagonist, I wouldn't expect your feelings to change. However, the greater story itself is quite something and is a fan favorite for a reason!

M.C. Swag said:

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It's a masterfully crafted story but I know some people find Fitz to be so unlikable that it affects their appreciation of the entire story (which is fair).



So if you're struggling with it because it doesn't have a "root-able" protagonist, I wouldn't expect your feelings to change. However, the greater story itself is quite something and is a fan favorite for a reason!

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No I actually like his character, as I do most of them. I love the world building as well, but after 700ish pages it feels like a real slow burn to develop and I'm hungry for some action to enrapture me. So jot struggling with it, just hoping there is a build up to some grit soon. Thanks for the feedback.

So far. Goal is 40 read and 25 listened to.

Books 2025
Read:
1. The Innocent- David Baldacci. Book 1. Will Robie
2. The Hit- David Baldacci. Book 2. Will Robie
3. Forever, Interrupted -Taylor Jenkins Reid
4. Split Second- David Baldacci. Book 1. King & Maxwell
5. An Affair of Spies: Ronald Balson
6. Agent to the Stars: John Scalzi
7. After I do: Taylor Jenkins Reid
8. Traitors Gate:Jeffrey Archer William Warwick book 6
9. Lucky: Marissa Staple
10. When the Moon Hits your Eye: John Scalzi
11. Believe: The Untold Story Behind Ted Lasso, the Show That Kicked Its Way into Our Hearts: Jeremy Egner
12. The women: Kristin Hannah
13. Strangers in Time: David Baldacci
14. South of Nowhere: Jeffrey Deaver
15. James: inc
16. Maybe in Another Life: Taylor Jenkins Reed
17. Unlocked: John Scalzi
18. An Eye for an Eye. Jeffery Archer. Book 5. William Warwick.
19. The Goddess of Warsaw
20. Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal: Christopher Moore
21. The long way to a small angry planet: Becky Chambers -inc
22. The Nightingale: Kristin Hannah-in progress
23. The Life we Bury: Allen Eskens
24. Verity: Colleen Hoover
25. The Guise of Another: Allen Eskens
26. Elsewhere: Gabrielle Zevin

Listened:
1. Over my dead body: Jeffery Archer. Book 4 Willam Warwick
2. Next in Line: Jeffrey Archer. Book 5. William Warwick
3. Long Road: Stephen Hyden
4. Slay book 3. Scott Sigler (in progress-serial)
5. The Target: David Baldacci. Will Robie book 3
6. The Guilty: David Baldacci l. Will Robie book 4
7. The End: David Baldacci .Will Robie book 5
8. Split Second. David Baldacci: King and Maxwell book 1
9. Hour Game: David Baldacci: King and Maxwell book 2.
10. Zero Day: David Baldacci. Will Puller book 1
11. Simple Genius: David Baldacci. King and Maxwell Book 3
12. First Family: David Baldacci. King and Maxwell book 4
13. Sixth man. David Baldacci King and Maxwell book 5
14. Atmosphere: Taylor Jenkins Reid
15. King and Maxwell: David Baldacci. Book 6
16. The Forgotten: David Baldacci. John Puller Book 2
17. The Escape: David Baldacci. John Puller Book 3-in prog

StinkyPinky said:

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M.C. Swag said:

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It's a masterfully crafted story but I know some people find Fitz to be so unlikable that it affects their appreciation of the entire story (which is fair)


So if you're struggling with it because it doesn't have a "root-able" protagonist, I wouldn't expect your feelings to change. However, the greater story itself is quite something and is a fan favorite for a reason!

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No I actually like his character, as I do most of them. I love the world building as well, but after 700ish pages it feels like a real slow burn to develop and I'm hungry for some action to enrapture me. So jot struggling with it, just hoping there is a build up to some grit soon. Thanks for the feedback.

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I think it is just Hobbs style. I remember liking it at first then just finishing to finish. Have sampled some of her other works and found them the same. Interesting and well written, but hard for me to really get into. Actually just read the first book of the Soldier's Som trilogy. Something was just missing for me. So when the reviews said the second book was okay but depressing, I decided I wasn't interested enough to pay for it.

StinkyPinky said:

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Any Readers if Robin Hobb's Farseer Trilogy. I'm half way through book 2 (Royal Assassin) and while enjoying is casually. Its not an epic experience that many have treated it. Hopefully I'm still in the build up stage. I know there are also many other series under the umbrella (16 books in all), but not sure how far I'll take it at this rate. Will definitely finish this first trilogy though and decide from there.

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I didn't enjoy the Farseer trilogy much

The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. Can't believe I'd never read this book until now. Very powerful read.

You've read a lot this year for the little spare time you have! That's awesome!

Finished Recursion and Dark Matter. Kind of felt like they were the same plot with a different scientific method to get there. Think I liked Recursion better. But both were quick easy enjoyable reads.

Still on book 2 of Suneater in the car. on Aubible.

Not sure what is next to read/

Rudyjax, do you ever get burned out after reading so many books by the same author? Also, can you describe John Scalzi? I read "Kaiju Preservation Society". It was okay, not great. His book ideas are grab my attention, but the writing doesn't quite stick with me.

I'm reading "Slaughterhouse - 5" by Kurt Vonnagut Jr. I knew nothing about it. It is a jumbled mess, but the writing is something that sticks with me for days afterwards. What's it about, you ask? Billy Pilgrim is a WWII vet and former POW who is now an optometrist in the 60s (when the book was writen). Because of his dealings with aliens from Tralfamidor, he exists all at once in time, which is how the Tralfamidorians see time. Humans appear as long centipede-like beings, because they see humans all at once from birth to death.

Yeah, take a gummie and ponder that for a while, friends.

I like most of Scalzi's works. He has a distinct sarcastic irreverent tone/sense of humor that is noticeable to various degrees throughout all of his books (I believe I have read almost all of them.)

I think Old Man's War is by far his best work. None of the stand alone books really stand out in my memory, but I would say I liked them when I read them.

I haven't read Dark Matter yet but saw the Apple TV show which I really liked. I agree that the premise was similar for both.

I really enjoyed Recursion. I like Blake Crouch's writing.

Finally slogged through Abercrombie's "The Blade Itself". Gotta say it was tough to get through. I generally liked the characters, the worldbuilding, etc. but man... not much happened to move the plot forward IMO until the last 1/4 of the book. Does the series pick up the pace? I'd heard it compared to A Song of Ice and Fire, but it definitely trended more towards A Feast for Crows than A Storm of Swords.

Regardless, going to take at least a one book break from the series & read Stephen King's "Fairy Tale". Heard good things about it.

Philo B 93 said:

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Rudyjax, do you ever get burned out after reading so many books by the same author? Also, can you describe John Scalzi? I read "Kaiju Preservation Society". It was okay, not great. His book ideas are grab my attention, but the writing doesn't quite stick with me.

I'm reading "Slaughterhouse - 5" by Kurt Vonnagut Jr. I knew nothing about it. It is a jumbled mess, but the writing is something that sticks with me for days afterwards. What's it about, you ask? Billy Pilgrim is a WWII vet and former POW who is now an optometrist in the 60s (when the book was writen). Because of his dealings with aliens from Tralfamidor, he exists all at once in time, which is how the Tralfamidorians see time. Humans appear as long centipede-like beings, because they see humans all at once from birth to death.

Yeah, take a gummie and ponder that for a while, friends.

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Baldacci is a great listen. They do a good job with voices and sounds.

I might get tired at some point. I prefer to listen to his and they're always available via Libby or Spotify.

My issue is I've very particular and once I find an author I like, I stick with thiem.

Scalzi is highly over-rated. There is always something I find off on him.

I liked the Villan started kit and the Unlocked series.

I didn't like many of the others but stuck with them.

Apache said:

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Finally slogged through Abercrombie's "The Blade Itself". Gotta say it was tough to get through. I generally liked the characters, the worldbuilding, etc. but man... not much happened to move the plot forward IMO until the last 1/4 of the book. Does the series pick up the pace? I'd heard it compared to A Song of Ice and Fire, but it definitely trended more towards A Feast for Crows than A Storm of Swords.

Regardless, going to take at least a one book break from the series & read Stephen King's "Fairy Tale". Heard good things about it.

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Yes, the series really picks up after Book 1. Just read these earlier this year, keep going! And also, definitely read Fairy Tale, it was incredible.

I haven't read Kaiju Preservation Society, so I can't comment on that, but Starter Villain and the Head On/Locked In books were all good. I haven't seen a lot of mentions on here about his Collapsing Empire trilogy, and I liked those. I also liked the Old Man's War series, but it kind of petered put towards the end.

lurker76 said:

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I haven't read Kaiju Preservation Society, so I can't comment on that, but Starter Villain and the Head On/Locked In books were all good. I haven't seen a lot of mentions on here about his Collapsing Empire trilogy, and I liked those. I also liked the Old Man's War series, but it kind of petered put towards the end.

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I liked the first Collapsing empire. Couldn't get into the 2nd.

There is something about his books that I'm just not sure about.

But if yall want amazing, gory, sad, funny fiction, sciency fiction, I highly recommend Scott Sigler.

The Galactic Football League Series.
The Infected Trilogy
Earth core and Mt Fitzroy
The ALive Trillogy
The Crypt Series.

He has his Siglerverse where everything is interconnected.

boy09 said:

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BenFiasco14 said:

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Philo B 93 said:

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I finished "Way of Kings" by Brandon Sanderson. This is the longest book I've ever read, with 1137 pages or 45 hours of audible.

I've read three Brandon Sanderson books recently, and I'm done with his books. They're good, but world-building just isn't my thing. I liked Way of Kings, and if he could do it in half the pages I'd continue with the series. The story is epic. Does this sound familiar: young warrior/slave boy finds out he may have special powers that can defeat evil and save the world with the help of an old Jedi warrior? I love the idea, but when I read real-world news feeds and start wondering how the Parshendi and Alethi are reacting to Trumps tarifs, its time to move on. Hmmm, I dunno, maybe I'm in too deep already. Just typing this makes me want to move on to the next million page book in the series.

Anyway.... "Way of Kings" - very good book, just very long for those of us with attention deficit disor...

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I recently finished this and then dove straight into Words of Radiance and now I'm on Oathbringer lol… I got straight up addicted. About halfway through Oathbringer and finally taking a breather.

I suggest sticking with it. You got through way of kings which had a ton of the early world building.

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I got some pretty heavy Stormlight burnout about halfway through Oathbringer. The ending was great though. Wanted to get through Dawnshard before taking a break from Stormlight, i had a VERY tough time getting through it..

Since then i've read The Will of the Many and Piranesi, both were fantastic. Can't wait for the Strength of the Few later this year.

2025 so far:
The Well of Ascension
The Hero of Ages
Mistborn: Secret History
Oathbringer
Dawnshard
The Will of the Many
Piranesi

Current: The Alloy of Law

Probably read the Sword of Kaigen next. Then i don't know where to go from there, my TBR just keeps growing. Really want to ready the Green Bone Saga and the Poppy War Trilogy. But after finishing The Will of the Many, i also really want to check out the Licanius Trilogy.

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I didn't read any of those next…

Alloy of Law, Shadows of Self, The Bands of Mourning - Mistborn Era 2 is fine. Just not as gripping as Era 1 imo. From what I've heard, The Lost Metal is the best of Era 2, but I don't know how soon I'll get around to it. Feeling pretty burned out on it.

Dark Matter, Recursion - Both were great. I'll give the slight edge to Recursion.

Dungeon Crawler Carl - Got through it. Did not enjoy it. Won't be continuing.

Razorblade Tears - Finished it today, thought it was great. Will be checking out more S.A. Cosby.

Where would you recommend starting?