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#currentlyReading

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draNgNon

I'm #CurrentlyReading _To End in Fire_ by David Weber and the late Eric Flint.

I've been intending to for ages, afaik it's the only Honor Harrington book I have not read.

google.com/books/edition/To_En

Google BooksTo End in FireTHE CROWN OF SLAVES SAGA CONTINUES. ADVENTURE AND INTRIGUE IN HONOR HARRINGTON’S STAR KINGDOM FROM NEW YORK TIMES BEST-SELLING AUTHORS DAVID WEBER AND ERIC FLINT.The Solarian League lies in defeat, crushed by the Grand Alliance of Manticore, Haven, and Grayson.Obedient to the Alliance's surrender demands, the League is writing a new Constitution, to prevent the reemergence of out-of-control bureaucrats, like the "Mandarins" who led it to disaster. Frontier Security has been disbanded, the outer worlds have regained control of their own economic destinies, and multiple star systems will soon secede from the League entirely.Yet the League is—and will remain—the largest, most economically powerful human star nation in existence, and despite the overwhelming evidence that their unelected political leaders were the driving force behind the war, many League citizens deeply resent the fashion in which their star nation—the Solarian League—has been humbled. And those who most resent the Grand Alliance continue to blame Manticore for the nuclear bombardment of the planet Mesa after its surrender. They refuse to accept that the League—and the members of the Grand Alliance—could have been manipulated by a deeply hidden interstellar conspiracy called the Mesan Alignment. The Alignment is only an invention of the Grand Alliance, no more than a mask, a cover, for its own horrific Eridani Violations.Those Solarians will never accept the war guilt of the League, because they know the Grand Alliance was just as bad. Because they deeply resent the way in which the Grand Alliance pretends to be the innocent "good guys." And in the fullness of time, those Solarians will seek vengeance upon their enemies.Not all Solarians feel that way, but even some of those who accept that there was an interstellar conspiracy cherish doubts about its origins. But it is still out there, and now defeated Solarians and agents of the victorious Alliance must join forces to find it. Even if they don't believe in it, it believes in them.They must find it and identify it, to prove to revanchist Solarians that there was a conspiracy.And they must find it and destroy it to end its evil once and for all.The Crown of Slaves Honorverse Series:Crown of SlavesTorch of FreedomCauldron of GhostsAt the publisher's request, this title is sold without DRM (Digital Rights Management).About the Crown of Slaves Saga:“Fans of Weber's Honor Harrington series . . . will be delighted with this offshoot in which he and coauthor Flint develop several situations and characters from other stories. . . . This outstanding effort transcends the label ‘space opera’ and truly is a novel of ideas.”—Publishers WeeklyAbout David Weber:“[A] balanced mix of interstellar intrigue, counterespionage, and epic fleet action . . . with all the hard- and software details and tactical proficiency that Weber delivers like no one else; along with a large cast of well-developed, believable characters, giving each clash of fleets emotional weight.”—Booklist“[M]oves . . . as inexorably as the Star Kingdom’s Grand Fleet, commanded by series protagonist Honor Harrington. . . . Weber is the Tom Clancy of science fiction. . . . His fans will relish this latest installment.”—Publishers Weekly“This entry is just as exciting as Weber’s initial offering. . . . The result is a fast-paced and action-packed story that follows [our characters] as they move from reaction to command of the situation. Weber builds Shadow of Freedom to an exciting and unexpected climax.”—The Galveston County Daily News“Weber combines realistic, engaging characters with intelligent technological projection and a deep understanding of military bureaucracy in this long-awaited Honor Harrington novel. . . . Fans of this venerable space opera will rejoice to see Honor back in action.”—Publishers Weekly“This latest Honor Harrington novel brings the saga to another crucial turning point. . . . Readers may feel confident that they will be Honored many more times and enjoy it every time.”—BooklistAbout Eric Flint:“This alternate history series is . . . a landmark . . . ”—Booklist“[Eric] Flint's 1632 universe seems to be inspiring a whole new crop of gifted alternate historians.”—Booklist“[R]eads like a technothriller set in the age of the Medicis . . . ”—Publishers Weekly
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Antonina_orthefallofrome
Historical fiction, murder mystery

👍 This book was so damn GOOD. So haunting, so real, and as a person with sisters, I felt the underlying theme of female familial bonds. I loved the historical note at the end!

👎 Thus, my only complaint was at the end. I understand that this was also a romance, but I think the end was missing that extra special punch to the feels. I needed an on-page sister heart-to-heart.
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Hashbrowns: 🏷️
#bookreview #bookrecommendation #bookcommunity #books #bookaddict #bookstack #bookish #bookworm #booklover #bibliophile #readmorebooks #fyp #readinggoals #readinglist #currentlyreading #tbr #instaread
#instaread
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draNgNon

I'm #CurrentlyReading _The Tyranny of Faith_ by Richard Swan

or I'm trying to anyhow. I got the Prevnar 20 pneumonia vax this afternoon and between that and the shoulder I might not be up for reading anything more sophisticated than Dr Seuss for a day or so.

I read _The Justice of Kings_ ages ago though, and rather liked it, even if it was rather dystopic for a fantasy setting.

(scans the timeline of these threaded posts) I really am tearing through them, heh. two more, then I'll slow down / diversify the reading, I think.

google.com/books/edition/The_T

Google BooksThe Tyranny of FaithAction, intrigue, and magic collide in the second book in an epic fantasy trilogy, where Sir Konrad Vonvalt’s role as an Emperor’s Justice requires him to be a detective, judge, and executioner all in one—but these are dangerous times to be a Justice . . .   A Justice’s work is never done.    The Battle of Galen’s Vale is over, but the war for the Empire’s future has just begun. Concerned by rumors that the Magistratum’s authority is waning, Sir Konrad Vonvalt returns to Sova to find the capital city gripped by intrigue and whispers of rebellion. In the Senate, patricians speak openly against the Emperor, while fanatics preach holy vengeance on the streets.     Yet facing down these threats to the throne will have to wait, for the Emperor’s grandson has been kidnapped - and Vonvalt is charged with rescuing the missing prince. His quest will lead him – and his allies Helena, Bressinger and Sir Radomir – to the southern frontier, where they will once again face the puritanical fury of Bartholomew Claver and his templar knights – and a dark power far more terrifying than they could have imagined.  "Richard Swan's sophisticated take on the fantasy genre will leave readers hungry for more." – Sebastien de Castell on The Justice of Kings “A fantastic debut.” – Peter McLean on The Justice of Kings  Also by Richard Swan:The Empire of the WolfThe Justice of Kings The Tyranny of Faith
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draNgNon

I'm #CurrentlyReading _A Master of Djinn_ by P. Djèlí Clark

it was recommended to me by a friend, who was in my RPG session tonight and said he thought it was good I'd read the short story first.

google.com/books/edition/A_Dea

Google BooksA Dead Djinn in CairoAlex Award-winning author P. Djèlí Clark, A Dead Djinn in Cairo is a Tor.com original historcal fantasy set in an alternate early twentieth century infused with the otherworldly. Egypt, 1912. In Cairo, the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities investigate disturbances between the mortal and the (possibly) divine. What starts off as an odd suicide case for Special Investigator Fatma el-Sha’arawi leads her through the city’s underbelly as she encounters rampaging ghouls, saucy assassins, clockwork angels, and a plot that could unravel time itself.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
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draNgNon

I'm #CurrentlyReading _A Dead Djinn in Cairo_ by P. Djèlí Clark

this is not a full-length novel by any means, but the novel from a few years later was recommended to me by a friend, so might as well get a feel for it.

google.com/books/edition/A_Dea

Google BooksA Dead Djinn in CairoAlex Award-winning author P. Djèlí Clark, A Dead Djinn in Cairo is a Tor.com original historcal fantasy set in an alternate early twentieth century infused with the otherworldly. Egypt, 1912. In Cairo, the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities investigate disturbances between the mortal and the (possibly) divine. What starts off as an odd suicide case for Special Investigator Fatma el-Sha’arawi leads her through the city’s underbelly as she encounters rampaging ghouls, saucy assassins, clockwork angels, and a plot that could unravel time itself.At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
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Radgryd

**Currently Gaming: **The Shadow over Cyberspace by @FictionFactoryGames. I've been enjoying the game so much, playing through it slowly, an hour here or there. The way FFG tells stories is beautiful, touching, and it never fails to make you smile and laugh. It is well on its way to tie Arcade Spirits as my favourite FFG game.

**Currently Watching: **The Studio. Let's be real, @shewasquirky and I started watching this for Kathryn Hahn. 🤭 But we've been enjoying it next to all the cringe-y moments. The latest episode we've watched featured Olivia Wilde, and it was absolutely hilarious. Certainly not for everyone though because it's loaded with media references.

**Currently Reading: **Three Kinds of Lucky by Kim Harrison. Finally back to reading something written by Kim Harrison! The story is very intriguing so far, but I failed to extend the borrowing time in my digital library, so now I have to wait for another 2 weeks to continue reading. 🥲

#CurrentlyGaming#CurrentlyWatching#CurrentlyReading
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draNgNon

I'm #CurrentlyReading _A Drop of Corruption_ by Robert Jackson Bennett

...becuase @piebob liked it 🙂

google.com/books/edition/A_Dro

Google BooksA Drop of CorruptionNATIONAL BESTSELLER • The eccentric detective Ana Dolabra matches wits with a seemingly omniscient adversary in this brilliant fantasy-mystery from the author of The Tainted Cup.“Wonderfully clever and compulsively readable . . . another winning blend of fantasy and classic detection.”—Publishers WeeklyIn the canton of Yarrowdale, at the very edge of the Empire’s reach, a Treasury officer has disappeared into thin air—vanishing from a room within a heavily guarded tower, its door and windows locked from the inside. To solve the case, the Empire calls on its most brilliant and mercurial detective, the great Ana Dolabra. At her side, as always, is her bemused assistant Dinios Kol.Ana soon discovers that they are investigating not a disappearance but a murder—and one of surpassing cunning, carried out by an opponent who can pass through warded doors like a ghost. Worse still, the killer may be targeting the high-security compound known as the Shroud, where the Empire harvests fallen titans for the volatile magic found in their blood. Should it fall, the Empire itself will grind to a halt, robbed of the magic that allows its wheels of power to turn. Din has seen his superior solve impossible cases before. But as the death toll grows and their quarry predicts each of Ana’s moves with uncanny foresight, he fears that she has at last met an enemy she can’t defeat.
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draNgNon

I'm #CurrentlyReading _The Tainted Cup_ by Robert Jackson Bennett

it feels familiar, a fantasy-setting murder mystery, but the MO and settings are novel to me.

google.com/books/edition/The_T

Google BooksThe Tainted CupA Holmes and Watson–style detective duo take the stage in this fantasy with a mystery twist, from the Edgar-winning, multiple Hugo-nominated Robert Jackson Bennett“Great fantasy detective stories are too rare, but Bennett—[a] rising star of fantasy—more than delivers.”—Charlie Jane Anders, The Washington Post“A thoroughly satisfying delight from start to finish.”—Amal El-Mohtar, The New York Times Book ReviewNOMINATED FOR THE EDGAR AWARD • A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New York Times Book Review, NPR, Elle, BookPageIn Daretana’s greatest mansion, a high imperial officer lies dead—killed, to all appearances, when a tree erupted from his body. Even here at the Empire’s borders, where contagions abound and the blood of the leviathans works strange magical changes, it’s a death both terrifying and impossible.Assigned to investigate is Ana Dolabra, a detective whose reputation for brilliance is matched only by her eccentricities. Rumor has it that she wears a blindfold at all times, and that she can solve impossible cases without even stepping outside the walls of her home.At her side is her new assistant, Dinios Kol, magically altered in ways that make him the perfect aide to Ana’s brilliance. Din is at turns scandalized, perplexed, and utterly infuriated by his new superior—but as the case unfolds and he watches Ana’s mind leap from one startling deduction to the next, he must admit that she is, indeed, the Empire’s greatest detective.As the two close in on a mastermind and uncover a scheme that threatens the Empire itself, Din realizes he’s barely begun to assemble the puzzle that is Ana Dolabra—and wonders how long he’ll be able to keep his own secrets safe from her piercing intellect.By an “endlessly inventive” (Vulture) author with a “wicked sense of humor” (NPR), The Tainted Cup mixes the charms of detective fiction with brilliant world-building to deliver a fiendishly clever mystery that’s at once instantly recognizable and thrillingly new.
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draNgNon

at long last, I'm #CurrentlyReading _Translation State_ by Ann Leckie

I am sure it will be a wonderful read...all my friends who've read the book adore it.

I'd held off getting it becuase I wanted it in mass market paperback format. then I gave in and got the trade paperback anyhow, but was too busy to read it, and then I read all these other books in the last 2 weeks since hurting my shoulder.

Maybe I'll re-read _Ancillary Justice_ after this. ...maybe.

google.com/books/edition/Trans

Google BooksTranslation StateThe mystery of a missing translator sets three lives on a collision course that will have a ripple effect across the stars in this powerful novel from a Hugo, Nebula, and Arthur C. Clarke award-winning author. "There are few who write science fiction like Ann Leckie can. There are few who ever could." —John Scalzi  Qven was created to be a Presger translator. The pride of their Clade, they always had a clear path before them: learn human ways, and eventually, make a match and serve as an intermediary between the dangerous alien Presger and the human worlds. The realization that they might want something else isn't "optimal behavior". It's the type of behavior that results in elimination.  But Qven rebels. And in doing so, their path collides with those of two others. Enae, a reluctant diplomat whose dead grandmaman has left hir an impossible task as an inheritance: hunting down a fugitive who has been missing for over 200 years. And Reet, an adopted mechanic who is increasingly desperate to learn about his genetic roots—or anything that might explain why he operates so differently from those around him. As a Conclave of the various species approaches—and the long-standing treaty between the humans and the Presger is on the line—the decisions of all three will have ripple effects across the stars.   Masterfully merging space adventure and mystery, and a poignant exploration about relationships and belonging, Translation State is a triumphant new standalone story set in the celebrated Imperial Radch universe."Leckie’s humane, emotionally intelligent, and deeply perceptive writing makes this tautly plotted adventure feel fundamentally true while also offering longtime fans a much anticipated glimpse into the Radch’s most mysterious species. Readers will be thrilled." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)"Another of Leckie’s beautiful mergings of the political, philosophical, and personal." —Kirkus (starred review)
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draNgNon

I'm #CurrentlyReading _Provenance_ by Ann Leckie

I am sure it will be a marvellous read...

but I must digress to whine about the physicality of the book.

it's the softcover on the Orbit imprint with the stylized blue cover. it sure looks like they took a font and layout intended for mass market paperback and blew it up for the softcover/trade paperback size so they could charge more. I could probably read it from 5' away and it's more paper than it needed to be.

I wanted physical copies of Imperial Radch for a while now – the Ancillary books are superb, but I was unhappy when I read them as ebooks and lacked the ability to flip back and forth easily – but this situation bugs me, I generally don't prefer trade-sized softcover fiction, they wear out too easily, but mass market paperback was not to be found.

anyhow, I am reading it, long overdue. my cracked scapula has 4 more weeks to go. I got nothing else to do really, other than work and read and faff about online.

google.com/books/edition/Prove

Google BooksProvenanceAn ambitious young woman has just one chance to secure her future and reclaim her family's priceless lost artifacts in this stand-alone novel set in the world of the award-winning, New York Times bestselling Imperial Radch trilogy. Though she knows her brother holds her mother's favor, Ingrid is determined to at least be considered as heir to the family name. She hatches an audacious plan -- free a thief from a prison planet from which no one has ever returned, and use them to help steal back a priceless artifact. But Ingray and her charge return to her home to find their planet in political turmoil, at the heart of an escalating interstellar conflict. Together, they must make a new plan to salvage Ingray's future and her world, before they are lost to her for good.
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draNgNon

I'm #CurrentlyReading _The Golden Enclaves_ by Naomi Novik

...I'm really enjoying this series

google.com/books/edition/The_G

Google BooksThe Golden Enclaves#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Saving the world is a test no school of magic can prepare you for in the triumphant conclusion to the New York Times bestselling trilogy that began with A Deadly Education and The Last Graduate.FINALIST FOR THE HUGO AWARD • ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Paste, Publishers WeeklyThe one thing you never talk about while you’re in the Scholomance is what you’ll do when you get out. Not even the richest enclaver would tempt fate that way. But it’s all we dream about: the hideously slim chance we’ll survive to make it out the gates and improbably find ourselves with a life ahead of us, a life outside the Scholomance halls. And now the impossible dream has come true. I’m out, we’re all out—and I didn’t even have to turn into a monstrous dark witch to make it happen. So much for my great-grandmother’s prophecy of doom and destruction. I didn’t kill enclavers, I saved them. Me and Orion and our allies. Our graduation plan worked to perfection: We saved everyone and made the world safe for all wizards and brought peace and harmony to all the enclaves everywhere.Ha, only joking! Actually, it’s gone all wrong. Someone else has picked up the project of destroying enclaves in my stead, and probably everyone we saved is about to get killed in the brewing enclave war. And the first thing I’ve got to do now, having miraculously gotten out of the Scholomance, is turn straight around and find a way back in.
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draNgNon

I'm #CurrentlyReading _The Last Graduate_ by Naomi Novik

The prior book was a joy to read, even if it was a reminder of how young people adapt to the most horrific conditions.

Am looking forward to reading this one, but it's longer and I'm busy with work, entirely slowed down by my hurty shoulder.

google.com/books/edition/_/wxu

Google BooksThe Last GraduateNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The specter of graduation looms large as Naomi Novik’s groundbreaking, New York Times bestselling trilogy continues in the stunning sequel to A Deadly Education. “The climactic graduation-day battle will bring cheers, tears, and gasps as the second of the Scholomance trilogy closes with a breathtaking cliff-hanger.”—Booklist (starred review)HUGO AWARD FINALIST • LOCUS AWARD FINALIST • ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR: Polygon, Thrillist, She Reads In Wisdom, Shelter. That’s the official motto of the Scholomance. I suppose you could even argue that it’s true—only the wisdom is hard to come by, so the shelter’s rather scant.    Our beloved school does its best to devour all its students—but now that I’ve reached my senior year and have actually won myself a handful of allies, it’s suddenly developed a very particular craving for me. And even if I somehow make it through the endless waves of maleficaria that it keeps throwing at me in between grueling homework assignments, I haven’t any idea how my allies and I are going to make it through the graduation hall alive.    Unless, of course, I finally accept my foretold destiny of dark sorcery and destruction. That would certainly let me sail straight out of here. The course of wisdom, surely.   But I’m not giving in—not to the mals, not to fate, and especially not to the Scholomance. I’m going to get myself and my friends out of this hideous place for good—even if it’s the last thing I do. With keen insight and mordant humor, Novik reminds us that sometimes it is not enough to rewrite the rules—sometimes, you need to toss out the entire rulebook.The magic of the Scholomance trilogy continues in The Golden Enclaves
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draNgNon

I'm #CurrentlyReading _A Deadly Education_ by Naomi Novik

Someone mentioned it in a thread a few weeks ago, and I decided it was compelling. After consideration I bought the beautiful hardcover edition. I did not feel an ebook would do the diagrams justice. Then I was too busy to read them.

Now it's time...

google.com/books/edition/A_Dea

Google BooksA Deadly EducationNEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of Uprooted and Spinning Silver comes the first book of the Scholomance trilogy, the story of an unwilling dark sorceress who is destined to rewrite the rules of magic.FINALIST FOR THE LODESTAR AWARD • “The dark school of magic I’ve been waiting for.”—Katherine Arden, author of the Winternight TrilogyI decided that Orion Lake needed to die after the second time he saved my life.Everyone loves Orion Lake. Everyone else, that is. Far as I’m concerned, he can keep his flashy combat magic to himself. I’m not joining his pack of adoring fans. I don’t need help surviving the Scholomance, even if they do. Forget the hordes of monsters and cursed artifacts, I’m probably the most dangerous thing in the place. Just give me a chance and I’ll level mountains and kill untold millions, make myself the dark queen of the world. At least, that’s what the world expects. Most of the other students in here would be delighted if Orion killed me like one more evil thing that’s crawled out of the drains. Sometimes I think they want me to turn into the evil witch they assume I am. The school certainly does. But the Scholomance isn’t getting what it wants from me. And neither is Orion Lake. I may not be anyone’s idea of the shining hero, but I’m going to make it out of this place alive, and I’m not going to slaughter thousands to do it, either. Although I’m giving serious consideration to just one.With flawless mastery, Naomi Novik creates a school bursting with magic like you’ve never seen before, and a heroine for the ages—a character so sharply realized and so richly nuanced that she will live on in hearts and minds for generations to come.The magic of the Scholomance trilogy continues in The Last Graduate and The Golden Enclaves“The can’t-miss fantasy of fall 2020, a brutal coming-of-power story steeped in the aesthetics of dark academia. . . . A Deadly Education will cement Naomi Novik’s place as one of the greatest and most versatile fantasy writers of our time.”—BookPage (starred review) “A must-read . . . Novik puts a refreshingly dark, adult spin on the magical boarding school. . . . Readers will delight in the push-and-pull of El and Orion’s relationship, the fantastically detailed world, the clever magic system, and the matter-of-fact diversity of the student body.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
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draNgNon

I'm #CurrentlyReading _Ribbon Dance_ by Sharon Lee & Steve Miller

I feel like I'm making up for lost time on speculative fiction, as I blew through a re-read of its prequel _Trader's Leap_ over the last day or so.

google.com/books/edition/Ribbo

Google BooksRibbon DanceNEW ENTRY IN THE BEST-SELLING LIADEN UNIVERSE® SERIESOn a world where cake is a necessity, it takes the Grid to protect the civilized and the deaf from the dire influences of the ambient and to keep the chaotic Haosa at bay.Having arrived at recently Dust-bound Colemeno, Trader Padi yos’Galan is essential to Master Trader Shan yos’Galan’s plan to recoup Clan Korval’s fortunes by establishing new routes for the clan’s tradeship. Shan’s inner Healer insists Padi come to terms with her as-yet unplumbed psychic abilities, which might place her in the top tier of dramliz, if she can learn control.Padi yearns to concentrate on trade, but Colemeno’s fey ambient and deadly long-term politics combine to bring her face-to-face with the Haosa, and in particular with the mysterious and untouchable Tekelia, as Korval’s trade mission’s necessity of a port audit collide with a cruel history of murder, deception, and brutality. Amid the dangers, Padi unexpectedly finds herself eagerly exploring her dramliz side when faced with the unspoken powers of the ambient, the sky-filling energy of the ribbon dance, and Tekelia’s mutable eyes.
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