Well, I guess I'll have to do a reread of Clancy since I haven't read any of those since they came out decades ago. In the meantime, I've been on a hiatus but currently reading Howling Dark. Once I read that I will have to divert to DCC.

My latest completed book is The Color of Magic by Terry Pratchett, and I'm about to start A Parade oh Horribles by Matt Dinniman, book 8 of the DCC series.

I enjoyed The Color of Magic but feel like there would be more appreciation for it if I had found it 30 or 40 years ago. The Sharpe books hold more interest for me at this time.

Read the whole series of books the Off Campus show on prime is based on. A little annoyed they mangled one of the best scenes in book 1.

Currently on book 3 of Zodiac Academy because two friends are reading it. I'd hesitate to encourage young women to read these books, because the first one is rapey af, and power imbalance in relationships is normalized. If your kids are reading it, I'd discuss it with them.

The Discworld books really improve as the series goes on. It takes him a few books to hit his stride, but once he does, Pratchett is gold.

Thanks. There is a reason so many of his books are listed on "must read" lists, and I'm sure I'll get back to the Discworld universe, but there are other books to rad right now.

The Red and the Black - Stendahl.

It's classic literature. Takes place in France. Story about a scheming priest from wrong side of tracks. Love affairs, church politics, real politics. Damn good book.

birdman said:

---

The Red and the Black - Stendahl.

It's classic literature. Takes place in France. Story about a scheming priest from wrong side of tracks. Love affairs, church politics, real politics. Damn good book.

---

Have you read Elmer Gantry? Wonder if it's similar. I did my senior English paper on that. Impactful book.

Just finished Stoner by John Williams.

Overall I enjoyed it and thought it was a good read. It was a really well written and told story. But don't really get the hype. Not much to the actual story, IMO.

I had a reset yesterday and put the new DCC book aside for a new one. called The Wager; A tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Grann. After getting a page or two into A Parade of Horribles, I realized I needed to read a summary of the first seven books to catch up.

lurker76 said:

---

I had a reset yesterday and put the new DCC book aside for a new one. called The Wager; A tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Grann. After getting a page or two into A Parade of Horribles, I realized I needed to read a summary of the first seven books to catch up.

---

The Wager is good. I listened to the audio book of it which is how I prefer to consume my nonfiction historical books. Nothing groundbreaking, but its still always amazing to read these stories and learn what these shipwrecked guys had to go through

RE Lee, A Biography, Volume 2 by Douglas Southall Freeman.

In volume 2, we pick up following Bull Run and follow Lee up through Chancellorsville and the death of Stonewall Jackson.

Onto volume 3, and still working on gone with the wind plus bondage of the will by Martin Luther.

The Marksman said:

---

American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin Sherwin. History was always my favorite subject in school, and I've always been fascinated by the Manhattan Project and by J. Robert Oppenheimer. When I learned that Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer film was based specifically off of this biography, I had to read it. This book was very captivating, and the authors did an incredible job conducting interviews with over 100 people in Oppenheimer's life while writing this biography over 25+ years. Oppenheimer's life story makes for an incredible read. I expect that I will be thinking about Oppenheimer and about this book for a long time even after finishing it.

---

Also reading this now.

Skinny Dip: Skink series book 5 by Carl Hiaasen -- I accidentally started this thinking it was an entire series that the TV show R.J. Decker's based on but evidently, the show is only based on the first book in this series. It was entertaining none the less. Its style is in the vein of Elmore Leonard (Justified) and/or Joe R Lansdale (Hap and Leonard).

If you're into that genre (maritime disaster type stuff), Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage is phenomenal

Just finished Morning Star, wow talk about some twists and turns, 9 out of 10! Now on to Book 2 of the Edge of Madness series.

13B said:

---

Skinny Dip: Skink series book 5 by Carl Hiaasen -- I accidentally started this thinking it was an entire series that the TV show R.J. Decker's based on but evidently, the show is only based on the first book in this series. It was entertaining none the less. Its style is in the vein of Elmore Leonard (Justified) and/or Joe R Lansdale (Hap and Leonard).

---

This is soft porn?

YouBet said:

---

13B said:

---

Skinny Dip: Skink series book 5 by Carl Hiaasen -- I accidentally started this thinking it was an entire series that the TV show R.J. Decker's based on but evidently, the show is only based on the first book in this series. It was entertaining none the less. Its style is in the vein of Elmore Leonard (Justified) and/or Joe R Lansdale (Hap and Leonard).

---

This is soft porn?

---

No, not at all but there are sexual situations and content I suppose. More in line with Hap and Leonard as opposed to Fourth Wing or Penthouse Letters.

13B said:

---

YouBet said:

---

13B said:

---

Skinny Dip: Skink series book 5 by Carl Hiaasen -- I accidentally started this thinking it was an entire series that the TV show R.J. Decker's based on but evidently, the show is only based on the first book in this series. It was entertaining none the less. Its style is in the vein of Elmore Leonard (Justified) and/or Joe R Lansdale (Hap and Leonard).

---

This is soft porn?

---

No, not at all but there are sexual situations and content I suppose. More in line with Hap and Leonard as opposed to Fourth Wing or Penthouse Letters.

---

lol. That title reads like it. I first read Skink as Skank.

I've loved all the Dungeon CC books, but man I am slogging through This Inevitable Ruin.

YouBet said:

---

13B said:

---

YouBet said:

---

13B said:

---

Skinny Dip: Skink series book 5 by Carl Hiaasen -- I accidentally started this thinking it was an entire series that the TV show R.J. Decker's based on but evidently, the show is only based on the first book in this series. It was entertaining none the less. Its style is in the vein of Elmore Leonard (Justified) and/or Joe R Lansdale (Hap and Leonard).

---

This is soft porn?

---

No, not at all but there are sexual situations and content I suppose. More in line with Hap and Leonard as opposed to Fourth Wing or Penthouse Letters.

---

lol. That title reads like it. I first read Skink as Skank.

---

Yeah, I'm not sure what Skink refers to. I enjoyed the R.J. Decker show moderately and saw that the source material was a book called Double Whammy by Carl Hiaasen. I looked it up on Libby and found it but there was a long wait for it but a much shorter wait for book 5 in the series. I don't mind reading out of order but in this case book 5 had nothing to do with R. J. Decker (he doesn't make a single appearance in this book). Not sure what the commonality is in the series other than it all takes place in Florida. Skinny Dip refers to a man throwing his wife off of a cruise ship and she survives long enough for a random guy to find her naked and near dead.

13B said:

---

YouBet said:

---

13B said:

---

YouBet said:

---

13B said:

---

Skinny Dip: Skink series book 5 by Carl Hiaasen -- I accidentally started this thinking it was an entire series that the TV show R.J. Decker's based on but evidently, the show is only based on the first book in this series. It was entertaining none the less. Its style is in the vein of Elmore Leonard (Justified) and/or Joe R Lansdale (Hap and Leonard).

---

This is soft porn?

---

No, not at all but there are sexual situations and content I suppose. More in line with Hap and Leonard as opposed to Fourth Wing or Penthouse Letters.

---

lol. That title reads like it. I first read Skink as Skank.

---

Yeah, I'm not sure what Skink refers to. I enjoyed the R.J. Decker show moderately and saw that the source material was a book called Double Whammy by Carl Hiaasen. I looked it up on Libby and found it but there was a long wait for it but a much shorter wait for book 5 in the series. I don't mind reading out of order but in this case book 5 had nothing to do with R. J. Decker (he doesn't make a single appearance in this book). Not sure what the commonality is in the series other than it all takes place in Florida. Skinny Dip refers to a man throwing his wife off of a cruise ship and she survives long enough for a random guy to find her naked and near dead.

---

Nice to see Carl Hiassen getting some attention. Skink is a character who is a former governor of Florida who went off the grid and rogue. I've enjoyed a few of these eccentric, Florida-craziness books during the summertime. Lots of swamp redneck goodness in each one.

Finished Phantom Orbit by David Ignacius. It is about the US, Chinese and Russian space programs, primarily around the GPS systems and potential vulnerabilities. I thought the book's premise sounded interesting but the plot was pretty boring. Not much happened and the characters were not the most interesting. I would rate it a C, maybe a B-. This was the first book I have read from this author so not sure if his other works are better but I will probably not be reading more from him unless someone here can recommend one.

I also have been reading the second book in John Gwynne's Bloodsworn Saga, The Hunger of the Gods. I'm about 90% finished with it and am really enjoying this series. I'll probably dive directly into the third book and complete the trilogy. These have been the first books I have read from John Gwynne and if you like Norse fantasy stuff I highly recommend them. Hope the conclusion holds up well.

My most recent 5 completed books:

Philo B 93 said:

---

13B said:

---

YouBet said:

---

13B said:

---

YouBet said:

---

13B said:

---

Skinny Dip: Skink series book 5 by Carl Hiaasen -- I accidentally started this thinking it was an entire series that the TV show R.J. Decker's based on but evidently, the show is only based on the first book in this series. It was entertaining none the less. Its style is in the vein of Elmore Leonard (Justified) and/or Joe R Lansdale (Hap and Leonard).

---

This is soft porn?

---

No, not at all but there are sexual situations and content I suppose. More in line with Hap and Leonard as opposed to Fourth Wing or Penthouse Letters.

---

lol. That title reads like it. I first read Skink as Skank.

---

Yeah, I'm not sure what Skink refers to. I enjoyed the R.J. Decker show moderately and saw that the source material was a book called Double Whammy by Carl Hiaasen. I looked it up on Libby and found it but there was a long wait for it but a much shorter wait for book 5 in the series. I don't mind reading out of order but in this case book 5 had nothing to do with R. J. Decker (he doesn't make a single appearance in this book). Not sure what the commonality is in the series other than it all takes place in Florida. Skinny Dip refers to a man throwing his wife off of a cruise ship and she survives long enough for a random guy to find her naked and near dead.

---

Nice to see Carl Hiassen getting some attention. Skink is a character who is a former governor of Florida who went off the grid and rogue. I've enjoyed a few of these eccentric, Florida-craziness books during the summertime. Lots of swamp redneck goodness in each one.

---

Definitely some "rich" characters in this one.

I've read several Ignacius books . I think The Increment was his biggest hit.
I agree Phantom Orbit was real average

PGAG said:

---

I've loved all the Dungeon CC books, but man I am slogging through This Inevitable Ruin.

---

Well, this book is when the story as a whole (i.e. what's going on outside the dungeon, political plots, etc) really amped up x10 and everything just got really bonkers. There's just so much more to it now than Carl, Donut, and their friends. Hang in there, there's still classic Carl, Donut, and Samantha stuff to come.

Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert. Wanted to read the second Dune book before the Dune: Part Three movie that is adapting it comes out in December. I loved Dune, but Dune Messiah was nowhere near as good. It was okay, and I'm interested to see Villeneuve's take on it, but I probably will never read it again.

This is mostly an interlude. Read Children of Dune before the movie. It looks like it's going to go past the end of Dune Messiah. Children of Dune gets much more back to the story the way Dune was.

BQRyno said:

---

This is mostly an interlude. Read Children of Dune before the movie. It looks like it's going to go past the end of Dune Messiah. Children of Dune gets much more back to the story the way Dune was.

---

It will have to to make it a worthwhile movie. Plus, he's already diverted from the books in order to make it more palatable for audiences. Different thread though.

Sea Speed said:

---

This book is depressing.

---

Did a detour and read this out of sheer curiosity. I haven't read a book this fast in a long time. Terrifying but really interesting.

Yes it's an insanely quick read. Could easily knock it out in half a day if you were so inclined.

Finished Father Elijah and I wish the guys who out me on to it told me there was another book after it because I would really like to read that now. Ordered it yesterday but I am offshore now so can't get it.

The book was good, reads quick for a 600 page book. It follows a Catholic monk who was picked by the Pope to essentially be the front man to challenge what he believes to be the antichrist. There is a lot of theology in the book and it mirrors the book of revelation. It is very interesting and deals a lot with spiritual warfare as well as the human psyche a bit.

Not to sound like a doomer or anything but it is definitely interesting how many parallels there are between things in the book and modern times. I understand people have been saying that since the Bible was written, but it doesn't make it any less true.

I'm not a Catholic, nor am I religious, but I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to reading the conclusion.

Finished the 3rd audiobook in the Slow Horses series. I highly recommend these books and listening to them because the reader really puts you in London. I warn you that listening to the book can be dangerous if you are prone to very hard laughter.

Finished listening to Empire of the Summer Moon last night, based on recommendations from here. Great book. I learned a lot.

Next up on Audible: Free Ride by Noraly Schoenmaker, also known as Itchy Boots. It's the story of her round the world motorcycle journey.

Completed (audio): Absolute Monarchs: A History of the Papacy by John Julius Norwich. An overview of the popes and their impact on the world from Peter to Benedict XVI. Enjoyable, though sometimes a little dry. A few great Popes, a few truly awful Popes, and a lot of dudes who had a huge impact on Europe and the world. Worth a listen if you're interested in that part of history, but not unskippable.

Zero Hour: Expeditionary ForceBook 5 by Craig Alanson -- This series is always entertaining.