Whats everyone reading?

[Radbacker]

I really Like Dune and the Dune universe but have never been able to get through the damn novel, I thing a re-try might be in order for me too, I've been reading a lot more Sci-fi lately.

speaking of Sci-fi just raced through collected books 3 , 5 and 6 of Manhattan Projects.  Great crazy Sci-fi , splendid art (reminds me of Frank Quietly quite a bit) and a total mind f&*k of a read just how I like em.  Bit sad to see the end of Yuri and Laika though   Wouldn't be out of place in the Galaxy's Greatest. Anyone know if more is on the way?

Black Science, another great Sci-fi comic, bit more grounded than M.P. but every bit as good.  The art is amazing if a tad dark, some of the spreads and alternate city designs are really detailed they get across so much in so few pages considering how little time we spend in each one (the design work on the Native American world and tech comes to mind).  Need more of this too.

Nearly up to the last Fables, Cubs in Toyland (book 18?) and then Snow White (book 19?) still great.  Surely aint the last I've seen of Bigby.  Amazing how this has managed to keep going well past it's original Adversary storyline and nearly the whole bajillion pages drawn by the one artist, just great.

CU Radbacker

[Apestrife]

The dark knight returns: Last crusade.

Really liked this one. Had a classic feel to it. Not only serves as a prequel to DKR, but also as a bridge between Y1 (Gordon mentioning someone calling himself the joker) and DKR. The focus is on Jason, I think the subjects ties into DKIII as well (I could easily see this being the last chapter when DKIII gets collected)

I thought Joker was brilliant in this. Being able to take a step backwards while still being two ahead of everyone else. And just as Jason's story connects with Bruce, I'm thinking Dick (who's only mentioned once in the book) picked one or two beats from the Joker with his appearance in DKSA.

Outside DKR, I think reads well on it's own as well. A story about Bruce being confronted on his obsessions as well as what his teachings does to his Robins.

Well recommended!

[futureimperfect]

Vurt

Story and setting wise it reminds me of A Scanner Darkly. A bleak dystopian future where drug use is rampant in society. And oh what fantastic drugs they are! So glad I picked it up.

[Mardroid]

Stephen Kings new novel and third in the Bill (or is it Kermit?  ) Hodges trilogy.

Very enjoyable. The first book in the trilogy was essentially a crime thriller with no supernatural elements, which is unusual for King, although not unheard of. The second had a little bit of supernatural, but that had nothing to do with the main story of that novel. In fact you could remove that element of the story (which is actually part of the thread of this third novel) and the story would not lack for it. And both stories are good, and kind of refreshing for this difference, although I am a sucker for supernatural fantasy elements.

It seems King is [spoiler]too because the supernatural is back quite strong in this third novel, although it is still a detective story at heart.[/spoiler]  I haven't finished it yet, but I'm enjoying it a lot. There was one resolution [spoiler] that relied a but too much on unlikely coincidence[/spoiler]. That's something that Stephen King relies on a bit too much at times, but it was still an interesting occurrence and I think the good stuff, and decent characterisation outweighs the not so good.

[Colin YNWA]

So as I'm reading Progs at home when travelling about I'm reading digital Star Wars comics bought a while ago and I've just finished 'The Star Wars' an adaptation of Lucus' first complete draft which would be revised many, many times before becoming 'American Graffiti'... or something.

Anyway its a corking read. I mean I have absolutely no idea how Mr Lucus thought it would all fit into one movie, maybe he didn't maybe that's the idea of a first draft, throw it all in and see what comes out of the re-write wash. Folk on here with more Star Wars knowledge will have a better idea. What I do think is it would have made a cracking Saturday Morning serial. The influence of Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers etc really come to the fore in this version of the story. Its a real rollercoaster (nowt like a cliche!).

Half the fun of course is finding the bits you recognise from all the films across the original trilogy and even the rubbish triology. Loads of it in there all mixed up and messed around and seeing those scenes and characters in a new context is immense fun. All helped by the wonderful art of Mathew Mayhew, an artist I've always found a bit stilted and static in the past, who has really cut loose here and tells the story in fine, fitting kinetic style. Lovely stuff.

If you've not read this and enjoy your Star Wars stuff can't recommend it highly enough.

[Dandontdare]

Vurt

Story and setting wise it reminds me of A Scanner Darkly. A bleak dystopian future where drug use is rampant in society. And oh what fantastic drugs they are! So glad I picked it up.

Must read this again. I loved it when it first came out, especially with the familiar Manchester locations.

I'm currently re-reading one of my all time favourites: A Prayer for Owen Meaney by John Irving. I needed a holiday novel (GNs just aren't practical  ). It's actually been ages since I read anything that doesn't have pretty pictures. What a strange tale it is.

[The Enigmatic Dr X]

I read The Passage Trilogy on holiday.

It was fun, even if the apocalypse stuff was underplayed (there's a kinda... "and then a year passed", with some newspapers being found to give a flavour of what happens).

The two sequels are a bit of a re-tread. In both, the first part of the book is set pre-apocalypse and the second part then picks things up in the post-apocalypse, showing the impact of the events in the first section.

This made for the second and third books, which also benefit from being a couple of hundred pages shorter (the first was over 1000 on my Kobo), being a paradoxically a bit dull (as you are seeing the same events from a different perspective and so any shock value is lost) yet also quite interesting (as you see the impact past events have on the other characters).

The books are incredibly well-written, and an easy read (I got through over 2500 pages in ten days).

Would I recommend them? Dunno. On the one hand, the books are a poor telling of a hackneyed apocalypse, with no real emphasis on the end of the world and unexplained spiritual elements. On the other hand, they are well constructed character pieces.

[Colin YNWA]

I'm currently re-reading one of my all time favourites: A Prayer for Owen Meaney by John Irving. I needed a holiday novel (GNs just aren't practical  ). It's actually been ages since I read anything that doesn't have pretty pictures. What a strange tale it is.

Love A Prayer for Owen Meaney. My favourite John Irving book. Must try to find time to re-read his novels myself some time.

[Hawkmumbler]

In terms of comics, i'm currently powering my way through the second and third trades for Lumberjanes. It truly is one of the best, most delightfully upbeat comics on the market. Take the sceevy 80's feel out of The Goonies and replace it with a cast of genuinely likable one's, and your onto a winner. Oh, and LGBTQ+ representation. Thats important.

Next, onto Suicide Squad: Rogues!

[Rately]

I'm about to start Don Winslow's Savages.

Read Power Of The Dog and The Cartel recently, and couldn't recommend them highly enough. Love the characters he has created, and the way he has woven real life events into the stories.

[Fungus]

Hopelessly behind on some things but have to mention The Maxx. 6 months behind on this, and 26 was tremendous. One of the best things I've ever read. Hilarious, moving, with some of the funkiest art you'll ever see (which I like). You find Culbard sparse and uninspiring ? Pick up The Maxx!

It was a nice antidote to the preceding comic: Vertigo Quarterly SFX 3. I'd have dropped this at the time, it's the equivalent of comics medicine and I can see now it's not *really* good for me... just dull and pretentious (mostly). Bundling several dull tales together doesn't disguise that. See also: Dark Horse Presents.

[Theblazeuk]

The Fireman by Joe Hill was an interesting book to read whilst in New England myself, mainly because I could hear the more ridiculous accents in real life if I kept my ears open. It's an OK book which struggles to get going and is a bit in love with its own ridiculous main characters and their contrivances, but  it's enjoyable enough throughout.

A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E Schwab is pretty typical fantasy fun and ran along extremely quickly. Nice bit o fun.

Of Dice and Men by David M. Ewalt was easily the best thing I read though. Non-fiction popular look at the history of Dungeons & Dragons via one man's return to the game after years in the wilderness. Loved it.

[Apestrife]

Nemesis the warlock, colour edition.

One of the most imaginative stories I've read. Every page made me bubbly with the stuff thrown in, both art and writing. Only Adventure times comes close.

While it's not the whole Nemesis story, I think it ends on a fitting note. Felt like a new cycle began. Revenge begat revenge. If they'd used the latest last Nemesis panel (Nemesis and Torquemada made into one, endlessly chasing each other still one million years later on) it'd be perfect. --I'm even thinking of making a copy of that panel and glue it in, on the last black page.

For those who haven't read it already --DO. Because it's brilliant.

[futureimperfect]

The Complete Alien Omnibus - Alan Dean Foster

So the only reason I picked this up is because I want to see Alien 3 is based on the screenplay involving monks on a wooden satellite. I'm not holding out too much hope but you never know. And for $3 at the thrift shop it's worth the risk.

[Hawkmumbler]

OK, so still working my way through Dune and making more headroom than usual...but somethings bugging me, why are The Guild such a big deal? They seem to exist solely to ferry The Spice and it's commodity equals throughout the galaxy, and despite having by far the greatest monopoly on space way's their ultimate desires, to have ultimate control of The Spice resources, seem somewhat...shallow.