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Departments => Books => Topic started by: fuzzyoctopus on July 30, 2006, 02:34:48 AM

Title: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fuzzyoctopus on July 30, 2006, 02:34:48 AM
Well, "What are you reading part 2" is three pages back so I'm going to start a new  one.

I just finished "The Gate to Women's Country" by Sheri S. Tepper. This also fits into my "what classics should I be reading" question from ages ago, as post-apocolyptic feminist dystopias are not really my favorite thing in the world.  But I decided that since I'd never read any of her books I should try a few.  Got two more on my night stand and am going to give them a try.  "Gate" was pretty good, but obviously, depressing, and I'm just not into depressing right now.

I'd have enjoyed it more if I were reading it for a class, instead of for fun. It seems like the kind of book that's much better if you're reading it for analysis.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: medrx on July 30, 2006, 07:27:22 AM
I'm re-reading Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series.  I know it's sort of an old one, but I'm catching up.  I'm sort of surprised nobody here has mentioned them, yet.  I know it takes him a while to fork out a book, but it's a fabulous series.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fuzzyoctopus on July 30, 2006, 08:40:46 AM
We tend not to mention them because some of us like them and some of us hate them and we've hashed the argument out so many times we have nothing new to say on the subject.  
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Harbinger on July 30, 2006, 12:40:59 PM
Greenwitch, of the Dark is Rising sequence. Some of my favorite books as a kid.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Parker on July 30, 2006, 05:30:23 PM
Just finished Vernor Vinge's Fire Upon the Deep.  I haven't read nearly as much sci-fi as I have fantasy.  I thought this book was a great read--very well done, and an excellent example of the strengths of the genre.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Spriggan on July 30, 2006, 06:13:05 PM
Let me sticky this for you guys.  There tend to be a lot of new threads created because the "what are you reading" threads get pushed back.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: chunktile on July 30, 2006, 08:15:39 PM
Currently reading:
    The Dark Half -- Stephen King

It's not too bad. I tried reading it before, but my schoolwork took over.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers on July 31, 2006, 12:27:16 PM
I'm finally getting around to Angela's Ashes.
Magnificently written. but it's a hard read -- so many crappy things happen early on.

Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on July 31, 2006, 03:39:10 PM
Yeah, I only read half of Angela's Ashes because it was just too depressing.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on July 31, 2006, 04:04:32 PM
I am reading Throne of Jade by Naomi Novik, the second book in the Temeraire series.  It's the Napoleonic Wars with dragons, much of it having a similar feel to Patrick O'Brien.  I would definitely recommend it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on July 31, 2006, 04:40:50 PM
Did you read the first? I'm thinking of buying the paperback.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on August 01, 2006, 12:08:39 PM
Yes, I read the first (His Majesty's Dragon), and it is great.  I'm probably going to buy it as soon as I have some fun money to spare.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Chimera on August 02, 2006, 05:57:08 AM
The other day I read Kiki Strike and the Shadow City, a YA book that was first published by an independent press then did so well it was picked up by Bloomsbury (I read about it in Publishers Weekly). In fact, I wrote about it in one of my blogs. I wonder if I could turn it into a book review for TWG with very little trouble...

While in Newport Beach, I read Heaven's Eyes by David Almond which, for all its hype, was not my favorite of his books. (If you're going to read a David Almond book--and you should, because his prose is beautiful and he does magical realism right--read Kit's Wilderness and Skellig.) On the airplane home from California I started and finished The Devil and Miss Prim by Paulo Coelho (author of The Alchemist fame). I enjoyed it for what it was--a very allegorical novel without deep characterization that explored interesting philosophical questions. And today I read the graphic novel Fables: Legends in Exile, which was a very interesting fairytale retelling in modern New York.

Yeah, I read a lot. When I can't sleep, I read (and write).
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on August 02, 2006, 07:37:49 PM
There's this great, new website where you can track what you're reading, what you plan to read, write book reviews, etc called ChainReading.  Check it out: www.chainreading.com     It's fairly new, but still quite impressive.  Works great for this kind of thing.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fuzzyoctopus on August 03, 2006, 12:50:16 AM
So.... that was kind of spam, but actually related spam and quite interesting.   Will I be shunned if I sign up?

"Singer from the Sea", by the way, is a way better book to read, and much happier than "Gate to Women's Country."  Ms. Tepper is inspiring me to great feministic heights as a writer. Also, the copy I have includes a sample of itself in the pack as part of the "also from this publisher!" section.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: MsFish on August 03, 2006, 01:05:14 AM
I'm reading the fourth Snicket book...but I just get so bored.  I own 1-9, so I feel like I should read them, but they are just so simplistic and predictable.  I can be entertained by the narrator's wit for about 15 minutes, and then I have to put the book down.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fuzzyoctopus on August 03, 2006, 02:34:27 AM
Quote
I'm reading the fourth Snicket book...but I just get so bored.  I own 1-9, so I feel like I should read them, but they are just so simplistic and predictable.  I can be entertained by the narrator's wit for about 15 minutes, and then I have to put the book down.


Man, I am so glad I'm not the only one who feels that way...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Chimera on August 03, 2006, 05:48:54 AM
Sacrilege!!!

Well, to each his own, I guess.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Oldie Black Witch on August 03, 2006, 12:58:50 PM
Quote


Man, I am so glad I'm not the only one who feels that way...



Me too.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Tink on August 03, 2006, 04:11:21 PM
Quote
Sacrilege!!!

Well, to each his own, I guess.


If it makes you feel better, Chimera, I'm with you. I have enjoyed the series thus far, although I admit it got much better once they starting really delving into the mystery of their parents' deaths, which doesn't happen till what, book 10 or something?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Chimera on August 03, 2006, 08:11:50 PM
I picked up the scent of the mystery in Book 5. But it is kind of subtle, even then.

As for keeping this thread on topic--just finished Gifts by Ursula K. LeGuin. Pretty good. It had some interesting plot twists and there were times it seemed to be heading in a stereotypical direction and she did something besides the norm (which was nice), but I wasn't blown away.

Perhaps that's my problem, though. Whenever I read her books, I'm always expecting to be blown away because it's, you know, Ursula K. LeGuin! I guess that isn't really a fair thing to do to an author, though.

So, I liked it. It was fine. But I doubt I'll read it a second time, like I do my favorites.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: chunktile on August 05, 2006, 12:49:24 PM
Well, I'm starting Mistborn: The Final Empire!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Atreas on August 08, 2006, 12:42:29 PM
Quote
Well, I'm starting Mistborn: The Final Empire!


Then you're in for a treat.  (Finshed it yesterday.)

Finished Spider-Man: The Darkest Hours by Jim Butcher this morning and I'm reading Stupid and Contagious by Caprice Crane now.  This should be interesting....
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Kuntrey_Pilgrum on August 08, 2006, 03:30:49 PM
 I just finished Mistborn as well, and have started on what my dear, stupid brother would call Victorian Era nonsense.[My Lady Harlot] :P I'm just A sap for romantic Prince meets depraved Lady Of Society meets storycausing grandaughter-type stuff :-/
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: EUOL on August 08, 2006, 04:00:45 PM
Reading the book STIFF, a nonfiction work about cadavers.  Very interesting, and actually rather amusing.

Oh, and MISTBORN 2.  For, like, the seventh time.  (Sigh.  Revision is so boring.)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fuzzyoctopus on August 09, 2006, 12:31:00 AM
Well I finally finished "Singer From the Sea", which was quite long, but a really really excellent book, which I would recommend to all the fantasy lovers out there, especially those of you who like it when people combine sci-fi with fantasy.  And all the women on here, since it's kinda geared that way.

Since I have tomorrow off I'm going to start "Six Moon Dance," after which I will have to decide if I want to continue reading books by Sheri S. Tepper until my brains fall out, (If they're as good as the last one, the answer will probably be yes) or if I should move on to something different.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on August 10, 2006, 02:32:07 PM
Currently trying to read Tad William's Otherworld:City of Golden Shadow, Dune (the original... for the first time, I'm embarrassed to admit...), and Needful Things by Stephen King.  Ah, and sorry if my last post was kind of spam.  It's not my website.  Just a cool one that I got told about.  Thought people here might be interested.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Chimera on August 10, 2006, 08:07:51 PM
On fuzzyoctupus's recommendation, I just requested Singer from the Sea from the library. I'll let you know what I think, when I get to it (I've got like 10 books ahead of that to read).

And I finished up the library's available copies of Bill Willingham's graphic novel series Fables. Very good--but also very PG-13. Willingham takes fairytale characters and puts them in a secret society in modern day New York, where he explores virtue and vice--but mostly vice. I like the strong, interesting characters, and the story has lots of surprises, and by now I'm so involved in the story the language and occasional nudity can't deter me. But fair warning--despite having fairytale characters, this is not for kids.

So I've enjoyed vol. 1-5--but the library doesn't carry anymore! And I'm dying to know more about Snow, Bigby, Blue, Red Riding Hood, and all the others--and where the conflict with the Adversary will go next. I think there's only one more volume published at present. Maybe I can track it down at a bookstore...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Atreas on August 10, 2006, 08:16:36 PM
'K.  Finished Stupid and Contagious.  Which was good and interesting in its own way, I suppose.

Now, on to Chindi, by Jack McDevitt.  I've had it forever so we'll see if I'm in the mood for Sci-fi/mystery.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers on August 11, 2006, 08:42:56 AM
I finished Angela's Ashes ***spoiler: he finally saves enough money to move back to the US and have sex with a married woman /END spoiler***

Now I'm reading The Year's Best SF (the one for 1997). The William Gibson story sucks. Even for William Gibson stories. It's not even science fiction, yet they included it in a book that refused to accept Fantasy because it's just about SF. Stupid.

However, the story immediately thereafter in the book, "The Nostalgianauts" by S.N. Dyer is one of the best short stories I've ever read in my life. So, a mixed bag here.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: PixelFish on August 28, 2006, 10:49:19 PM
Quote
I'm reading the fourth Snicket book...but I just get so bored.  I own 1-9, so I feel like I should read them, but they are just so simplistic and predictable.  I can be entertained by the narrator's wit for about 15 minutes, and then I have to put the book down.



I had the same issue, alas. A friend lent me the first nine too. I kept wanting to like the books, but about the only thing I was reading them for was Lemony Snicket's sentence-per-book about his lost love.

The adults-as-stupid schtick gets old for me too. When I got to the fourth or so book and yet another adult doesn't believe that Count Wossname is involved, despite the track record, I just kinda groaned and closed the book.

....


Am now re-reading:

+ All the City Watch books out loud with my boyfriend.

+ Komarr by Lois Bujold (again out loud with my boyfriend--whichever we read depends on our tastes for the evening)


New Reads:

+ Kate Elliot's Crown of Stars (very quietly reading, based on an OSC article recommending it)

+ David Sedaris's Holidays on Ice

+ Pippi Langstrumpf (in German, because I am trying to learn German. This means I read...oh, a page a day. Maybe I'll get done with this by the end of the year?)

Just finished:

+ Elantris and Mistborn by EUOL

+ Thud! by Terry Pratchett

Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on August 29, 2006, 01:31:14 AM
Love Bujold. Love them all.

My wife loves Lemony Snicket mostly for the underlying mystery of which the author gives only very small glimpses in the first books.

I'm currently reading Footfall by Niven and Pournelle.

Karen is reading Protector of the Small by Tamara Pierce. She's read a bunch of her books lately.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: PixelFish on August 29, 2006, 03:23:21 AM
Ooooo, I can endorse Tamora Pierce's books, or at least the Tortall ones. (The Circle of Magic ones I'm less enthusiastic about.)  I first read 'em when I was a wee tyke myself. While I think fondly of the Alanna series, as it was the first set I read, I think it's the roughest of the batch. I really enjoyed the Protector of the Small, as well as the latest, Trickster's Choice and Trickster's Queen, which follow Alanna's youngest child. She does a good job of making her heroines distinct characters despite shared attitudes.

At this last Comic-con, I got my paws on a partial manuscript of Terrier, the latest Tortall book. It's not even got an ending, and it's pretty rough in some ways, being only a partial, but eet was equally intriguing. The Del Rey people let me have it. Two years before they'd given me a ARC of Trickster's Queen and I'd blogged about that. I stayed up one night reading it, and was disappointed come morning that I didn't have the whole thing.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Rocnerd on September 05, 2006, 03:35:01 PM
Let's see, just finished Lynn Flewelling's "The Oracle's Queen".  Good Trilogy.   Just started "The Foreigners Gift" by Fouad Ajami.  
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers on September 05, 2006, 04:05:02 PM
tell us more about said books.

I am currently reading China Miéville's Perdido Street Station.
It's one of those SFF books that gets categorized as "literature" so non-genre likers don't have to feel bad. It also has the baggage you'd expect from such a book. THe prose is too... excessive. And everything gets compared to sex and excrement -- or at least labeled as "obscene." Seriously, I'm not even sure what i'm supposed to think when he tells me that a half-inflated dirrigible is hanging "obscenely" from a building. Anyway. It takes forever to start. And while I think it's supposed to be SF/future, he's clearly making this stuff up as he goes along. some nice ideas, but I'm beginning to think that this would be a better book if it were 300 pages instead of 839. I'm probably going to give up on it soon.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: PixelFish on September 05, 2006, 04:20:12 PM
Perdido Street Station:

I started that two months back, and then laid it down mid-chapter, and forgot to come back to it. I'm only a handful of chapters in, and I remember some pretty imagery, and the beginnings of a plot, but little other than that. (Mostly I remember the insectoid people, and some building descriptions.)

While I want to like the book, the fact that I put it down and forgot about it til now does not bode well....
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on September 05, 2006, 06:23:49 PM
I just read Six Days of the Condor, a 1974 spy thriller. It was fairly entertaining, but the main character was just too lucky. The bad guy even commented on it once. Too much sex. And it was rather a Marty Stu: the main character was a spy/detective thriller book fan who got hired to work for the CIA reading and analyzing spy/detective thrillers. I rather think the author would like that too. But still, it was entertaining.

(It was quickly made into a movie entitled Three Days of the Condor which starred Robert Redford.)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: PixelFish on September 05, 2006, 10:09:10 PM
Forgot to mention that I picked up the first book of what seems to be the latest David and Leah Eddings series, The Dreamers. I didn't set particularly high standards for it, because while I enjoyed their first few series when I was much younger, the writing got rather repetitive and the "said-ism" is pretty rampant. (You know, when the author consults a thesaurus every time a character says anything, ie. Polgara murmured, Barak groaned, Belgarath gloated, Garion muttered, etc.)

Anyway, I'm only about halfway in, but even more than the Althalus book, this one almost reads as a parody of the Eddings' style. Characters seem rehashes of other characters: Eleria being a direct copy of Flute/Aphrael, right down to the obsessive kissing and silly names for other characters, Rabbit being the Silk/Talon character, Zelana being a cross between Polgara and Ce'Nedra, and so on. I can't say whether I'd recommend this to past fans or not. I'm relatively tolerant of the early series flaws and quirks and this one is irking me.

Also, as with most of the Eddings books, you could more or less skip right over the theologically inclined prologue setting up the myths and story themes. The flowery language they tend to go for there usually ends up killing any vitality of the myths they are trying to create.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Rocnerd on September 07, 2006, 09:25:13 AM
Lynn Flewelling's, The Oracle's Queen, is the third book in the Trilogy that started with The Bone Doll's Twin.  A land where only Queen's are supposed to rule or the land will suffer.  Naturally a king is in charge at the moment and has been killing off the female offspring with claims to the throne.  An oracle sends a vision to one wizard concerning the next queen to be born who must be saved.  A spell is cast, a girl becomes a boy, the story begins.  I liked the books even though I found the whole concept a little disturbing at times.  After the Bone Doll's Twin is the Hidden Warrior and then the Oracle's Queen.  I enjoyed all three.  The author has several other books set in the same land that are all connected but stand alone novels using the same characters (though not the same as in the Bone Doll's trilogy).

The Foreigner's Gift is the author's impressions from people who he has met and interviewed in Iraq.  A little different from what I normally read, but heard an interview with him on NPR and liked what I heard, so bought the book.  Only just past the first chapter.  
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Fellfrosch on September 07, 2006, 01:26:28 PM
I absolutely loved the first 3/4 of Bone Doll's Twin, but then the story and the theme and the characters all changed and it wasn't the book I wanted anymore, so I stopped. I think I only have 50 pages left, and I just can't bring myself to finish it.

Perdido Street Station, on the other hand, I only got 50 pages into before giving up. It didn't engage me on a "cool story" level or a "good writing" level, and without either of those the "neat world" level isn't enough.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Swiggly on September 10, 2006, 04:27:41 AM
Well, I've just finished reading Fall of a Kingdom by Hilari Bell. Now, I have nothing to read.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on September 11, 2006, 12:54:42 PM
I just read Twilight by Stephenie Meyer.  She's LDS and she said that people keep asking her what a good Mormon girl is doing writing vampire novels.  Anyway, it was pretty enjoyable but it seemed to be more about the set-up, characters, and setting than about an actual story.  I'm going to try the sequel.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on September 11, 2006, 03:22:10 PM
I saw an article about her in yesterday's Deseret News (http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,645199923,00.html). Sounded interesting to me, too.

Currently reading The Stolen Child by Keith Donohue.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Kuntrey_Pilgrum on September 23, 2006, 04:00:53 PM
I'm currently rereading the Protector Of the Small series, by Tamora Peirce, as well as The Magician's Guild by Trudi Canavan, and i'm trying to force myself through the Scarlet Letter for class[blech]
 
I JUST finished PEEPS by Scott Westerfeld, which is about vampires, and another by him, The Midnighters, about these five kids who can walk around during the 25th hour of the day, while we petty mortals wait for twelve o'one to roll around.

I'm also just starting on rereading the Bartimaes Trilogy, a child's series about a demon summoner in an alternate world's version of England.
 I NEED to go to a bookstore soon.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: stacer on September 23, 2006, 05:00:56 PM
If you like Peeps and Midnighters, you'll LOVE the Uglies trilogy, which I think is the best of Scott Westerfeld's work. Science fiction in a not-too-distant future, in which everyone is ugly till they turn 16, and then they get the "pretty surgery" and get to go to New Pretty Town and be bubbly and happy. Commentary on our present-day obsession with beauty and a great story in and of itself. Chimera reviewed it here a while back--take a look.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Kuntrey_Pilgrum on September 24, 2006, 03:47:24 PM
Quote
If you like Peeps and Midnighters, you'll LOVE the Uglies trilogy, which I think is the best of Scott Westerfeld's work. Science fiction in a not-too-distant future, in which everyone is ugly till they turn 16, and then they get the "pretty surgery" and get to go to New Pretty Town and be bubbly and happy. Commentary on our present-day obsession with beauty and a great story in and of itself. Chimera reviewed it here a while back--take a look.

Actually, I found these books AFTER I read the Uglies Trlogy on her advice.  Those books are awesome though.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fuzzyoctopus on September 24, 2006, 08:44:41 PM
Quote
If you like Peeps and Midnighters, you'll LOVE the Uglies trilogy, which I think is the best of Scott Westerfeld's work. Science fiction in a not-too-distant future, in which everyone is ugly till they turn 16, and then they get the "pretty surgery" and get to go to New Pretty Town and be bubbly and happy.


Wow, I've never heard of that one. I'll have to keep a lookout for that one.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Chimera on September 25, 2006, 12:48:33 PM
Quote
I'm also just starting on rereading the Bartimaes Trilogy, a child's series about a demon summoner in an alternate world's version of England.

I've been meaning to read the Bartimaes Trilogy FOREVER (at least a year). I actually have the library book with me--but very little time to read at present. If you're re-reading it, it must be pretty good. I've heard good things about it--we'll see what I think.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: So_Blonde on September 30, 2006, 06:13:03 PM
I am reading the whole lemony snicket series before the last one comes out. ;D
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Kuntrey_Pilgrum on October 01, 2006, 12:35:45 AM
 ;D
Quote

I've been meaning to read the Bartimaes Trilogy FOREVER (at least a year). I actually have the library book with me--but very little time to read at present. If you're re-reading it, it must be pretty good. I've heard good things about it--we'll see what I think.

I must warn you, I like the Charlie Bone Books about a third as much, so some might say I have low standards.
  Also, the books are Very good in my low opinion. The whole thing is one big mystery you'll figure out almost completely in the second book. I really liked it anyways though, just to sound redundant. ;D
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Seeker on October 02, 2006, 01:43:15 AM
I'm halfway through The Elfstones of Shannara.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fuzzyoctopus on October 02, 2006, 02:20:54 AM
I picked up another Sheri S. Tepper book a few weeks ago - "After Long Silence".  And despite the fact that the protagonist's annoying and painfully vapid wife was killed off by chapter 3, I'm having a hard time wanting to finish it. Must not be in the right mood. Instead I'm re-reading "Time Enough for Love", which probably means that the Tepper book has too much plot for my attention span right now.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Mr_Pleasington on October 02, 2006, 04:18:17 AM
I'm working my way through Steven Brust's "Taltos" series of novels.

They're cheese, but they're fun cheese.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Harbinger on October 03, 2006, 12:16:20 AM
An old textbook called The Age of Propaganda detailing how advertisers and others tailor messages to play to our emotions and assumptions. Interesting and a little spooky.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Chimera on October 03, 2006, 12:47:52 PM
The Big Book of Bright Ideas by Sandra Kring. My mom gave it to me. She rarely recommends books to me--I think she gave me this one beause it is about an unusually creative child, which I was (or at least she thinks I was).

Not fantasy nor YA (my usual fare), but very well-written first-person memoir-like fiction. I love Kring's description and details. It has a child protagonist but my guess is that it will deal with "adult themes" by the end and that's why it is marketed as mainstream fiction. I'm actually kind of curious why it wouldn't be considered YA or MG--though it could simply be the fact that often mainstream makes more $ (at least larger advances, I've heard). I'll probably write a review/article about it when I finish.

Oh, and K_B--I read The Amulet of Samarkand and I really liked it. ;D I'm going to see if my local library in California has the second one.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on October 03, 2006, 05:14:34 PM
The Prestige, by Christopher Priest.  Quite good so far.  The movie comes out this month, and it looks amazing.  So, I thought I'd check it out.  It's about magicians/illusionists.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on October 10, 2006, 12:54:45 PM
I just finished New Moon by Stephenie Meyer and I really liked it.  I think she managed to fix a lot of the things that weren't as enjoyable in her first book.  Now I'm reading Inda by Sherwood Smith and having a lot of fun.

Oh, and I love the Taltos books by Brust and the Bartimaeus trilogy by Stroud.  I would recommend the former to anyone who doesn't mind the main character being an assassin, and I'd recommend the latter to anyone.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: dreamking47 on October 11, 2006, 11:04:48 PM
I just finished "The Gate of Gods" by Martha Wells, the final book in a trilogy.  Not bad, but far from her best work.  Wells is known for single-volume genre fantasies that avoid epic fantasy tropes (no elves, dwarves, dragons or wizards with long gray beards).  The best introduction to her work would be "Death of the Necromancer" but fans of "Elantris" might also be interested in her "Wheel of the Infinite," which features a somewhat similar plot element (I can't say what, it would spoil things for you).

I too have enjoyed most of Brusts' Taltos books (and most of his other works), but I didn't much care for the Bartimaeus books, or at least the last one (I have reviews of it and "Death of the Necromancer" up at Amazon if you're curious).  Too many plot problems.  I read "The Prestige" back when it came out, about 10 years ago.  I remember thinking that it was fairly good, but I can actually imagine it being a better movie than book.  That's rare, but it's a fairly compact, character-driven story.

I'm also currently reading "Designing Interactions," a non-fiction book by Bill Moggridge.  Next in my fiction queue is Italo Calvino's "The Nonexistent Knight and The Cloven Viscount."  Then it'll be time for something light again!

MattD
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on October 17, 2006, 01:10:34 PM
Arrgh.  I finished Inda by Sherwood Smith, and she decided to put in a bunch of unnecessary trash that ruined the book for me.  Why do authors do this to good books?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on October 17, 2006, 07:42:29 PM
I've never figured that out Sigyn.  Finished Prestige.  Good book.  The end could have been a little better developed, or just plain more.  Reading On a Pale Horse by Piers Anthony right now.  I'm thinking I'm going to quit though (on pg. 75) as it hasn't really done that great of a job of "catching" me.  Going to try Fifth Sorceress by Robert Newcomb next.  Need to find something of value...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on October 17, 2006, 09:00:32 PM
"Secrets of Jin-Shei" by Alma Alexander. It stared out slow, but promises to become all complicated and angst-ridden. At least I hope.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on October 26, 2006, 06:39:21 PM
Fifth Sorceress was a bit too dense for me.  The pages looked like Tolkein but weren't written as well.  So, I kicked it to the curb and picked up Runelords:  The Sum of All Men by David Farland.  Pretty good so far.  Mostly though, it has made me want to start working on my novel again.  Have Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (John Berendt) and The Dragon Waiting (John Ford) in the waiting.  I need to find a book that I'm excited to read, and want to get back to it when I put it down.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Chimera on October 26, 2006, 10:46:57 PM
The Ordinary Princess by M. M. Kaye. I needed my quintessential favorite book from childhood to calm my nerves and soothe my sorrows. It worked. I love that book!  ;D
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fuzzyoctopus on October 27, 2006, 12:38:09 AM
I spent about $30 of the money I had saved up for OVFF on books at the book dealer in the vendor's room.  I just finished Mike Resnick's new collection of short stories "New Dreams for Old" and I also picked up the first book of Rachel Caine's new series, "Glass Houses".  Next on my list is "Grass" by Sheri S. Tepper, but only after I memorize all the bones in the skull, wrist and ankle.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on October 27, 2006, 01:43:51 AM
Just finished Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. It's a pretty impressively written book about a time period I knew pretty much nothing about.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on October 30, 2006, 04:36:14 PM
Reading Doppleganger by Marie Brennan.  Pretty slow intro.  Not much going on.  Mediocre reading.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shrain on November 08, 2006, 10:58:44 AM
Quote
Just finished Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. It's a pretty impressively written book about a time period I knew pretty much nothing about.

My dad loved this book, which he read a few years ago. He still sometimes mentions it because the book fascinated him so much.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on November 10, 2006, 01:24:07 AM
We're reading Lifter by Crawford Killian. It's an old favorite of mine, mostly because I want to know how to fly.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Pink Bunkadoo on November 12, 2006, 07:57:15 PM
Quote
We're reading Lifter by Crawford Killian. It's an old favorite of mine, mostly because I want to know how to fly.

Whoa, I just ordered that for Mom.  She mentioned recently that she'd like her own copy.  (Isn't it fun?  I read it every few years or so.)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on November 13, 2006, 06:12:55 PM
Reading Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt.  Quite good so far.  About halfway through it and still enjoying it.  Hallelujiah.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on November 13, 2006, 06:38:59 PM
Yup, Lifter is fun. :)

I just read Realtime Interrupt by James P. Hogan (or something like that). It's a virtual reality novel, but it's not cyberpunk/postcyberpunk, because there's nothing punky about it. It's pretty interesting. One of those reality twisters, but a pretty straightforward narrative instead of being weird or Dickian. I'd have to say it's a pretty non-stellar virtual reality novel, as they go. Nothing groundbreaking. The cover has some quote like "the terror is in your mind" which is completely misleading--it's not a thriller. Still, an entertaining enough read.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on November 16, 2006, 05:32:46 PM
The Dragon Waiting, by John M. Ford.  So, I've only read about 25 pages of this book, but it's written just beautifully.  Not like flowery words or anything, but just very well written.  I know that Robert Jordan is a sore point for a lot of people on this site, but Jordan said that Ford was the best author in the US, bar none.  Fairly strong statement.  So, I had to check him out.  Pretty good so far.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on November 27, 2006, 11:17:10 PM
Read "The Cuckoo's Egg", by Clifford Stoll, yesterday.  Went pretty quickly.  Really cool book.  Working on "Lisey's Story" now, by Stephen King.  I finally get to go pick up Mistborn from the Library this Friday.  Been waiting for that one for what seems like forever.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers on November 28, 2006, 01:51:59 PM
"My Guitar Wants to Kill Your Mama"

I got it primarily because it's a live release with Joe Satriani, but who can say 'no' to a song with that title? Especially when Frank Zappa is the artist? If you can, you are clearly screwed up beyond my capacity to assist you.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: PixelFish on December 02, 2006, 07:18:41 AM
Chimera: I loved the Ordinary Princess too as a kid. My sister bought me a nice hardcover edition last Christmas.

Dan_Guidan: John Ford passed away recently, and I've been trying to find his Star Trek novels. I've heard a lot of people praise his work, not just Jordan.


What I am reading: Her Smoke Rose Up Forever, by James Tiptree Jr. - a collection of her short stories. I'm now on The Girl Who Was Plugged In, which has really hooked me. The Screwfly Solution was pretty riveting too, in the same sort of dark fascinating way I found Shirley Jackson's The Lottery. I'm trying to decide if the stories are too dark--I kinda like some optimism in my science fiction, so I have to be in the right mood to read these stories, but I still think they are well written.

Also just finished Maskerade by Terry Pratchett. He is as amusing as always, although this novel still won't be a favourite. Recommended if you are a Pratchett completist. (BTW, anybody hear about the Hogfather film?)

In the middle of Blindsight, by Peter Watts. Am liking it a lot. The characterisation is interesting to me, as well as the interwoven stories (the past on earth, the future in space). The character of Jukka the vampire is a nice riff on vampires without getting too cliche. Less romance, more predator.

Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Oldie Black Witch on December 02, 2006, 07:56:50 AM
Death Note. Guh. It's *fantastic.* Maybe I should spend more time on psychological thrillers like this.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Parker on December 04, 2006, 08:18:58 PM
I just finished reading Rusalka, by CJ Cherryh.  It took me a bit to get used to the style, but I really enjoyed the book, overall.  I think one of the most impressive things about it was how freewill--usually something I believe magic shouldn't be able to affect in fantasy--was thrown to the wind.  One of the main points of the book was to see what it would be like if wizards could affect freewill.  Very interesting.  Highly recommended.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: chunktile on December 04, 2006, 10:59:19 PM
Reading: Huck Finn for English class. I'm beginning to wonder if I'm the only one in my class who likes the book.
Wow, it's been a while since I've been on here. . .
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on December 09, 2006, 01:40:05 AM
Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. Believe it or not I haven't read this book until now and I'm really loving it. Debating whether or not I should write a review, seeing as how most people here have read it, anyway.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Spriggan on December 10, 2006, 11:30:22 PM
I haven't, so there's at least one person that's a regular who's interested.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: dawncawley on December 14, 2006, 07:25:05 PM
Just finished Melanie Rawn's new book Spellbinder, totally outside anything she has written before, so if you are a fan don't be surprised. It is modern day, and with witches, not Mages....whatever. I liked it anyway :)

Getting ready to start either Lions of Al-rassan, or Mistborn. Both are on my to read list, and both sound great, so I am not quite sure where to start. Anyone have any suggestions?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on December 14, 2006, 09:29:01 PM
Hey.  Just finished Lisey's Story by Stephen King.  Decent, not amazing.  About halfway through Mistborn right now.  Hoping a little more action shows up sometime soon in that one.  I read Good Omens a while ago.  I REALLY liked the first 1/4th or so of the book, and the last 1/4th or so.  The middle seemed pretty long and boring to me.  When it was funny though, it was FUNNY.  Definitely worth reading.  I really like Gaiman's work.  J.V. Jones's:  A Cavern of Black Ice, is quite good.  Even if her 3rd book has taken nearly a millenia to come out.  Sometime soon...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on December 15, 2006, 05:18:39 PM
I just read Spirits that Walk in Shadow by Nina Kiriki Hoffman.  She's a bit up and down as an author; her good stuff is very good, but her bad stuff is horrid.  Luckily this was a good one.  The story was mainly character driven with the chapters alternating between the viewpoints of the two main characters, Jaime and Kim.  Jaime is someone having to learn to be nice and deal with the world away from her odd, magical, and sometimes very mean family.  Kim is a normal girl suffering from abnormal bouts of depression which Jaime learns are magically caused.  The two are roommates, and I really liked their interaction.  This is a semi-sequel to The Thread that Binds the Bones (which I love but which has some very difficult themes) and The Silent Strength of Stones (which I liked less well but was still interesting). 

Does anyone else read Hoffman?  I'm trying to find some short stories that deal with this same family, but I don't know where to look.  Any input would be appreciated.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: DavidB on December 15, 2006, 09:16:14 PM
I just read The Thirteenth Tale, by Diane Setterfield.

I read the first couple of chapters Monday evening, and it seemed kind of mediocre, so I put it down and watched TV instead. On Wednesday, I figured I'd give it another shot, and read a chapter or two before dinner.

I didn't eat dinner on Wednesday. I finished the book just before two in the morning. I still had chores I had to do before I could go to bed.

On Thursday, I read the book again.

You should read this book. But not if you have anything important to do the next day.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Pterath on December 22, 2006, 09:44:13 PM
I have read Elantris and Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson as well as his Warbreaker e-book.  I recommend all of them and I'm anticipating Mistborn 2 to be equally as good.    ;D

Last night I finished Guilty Pleasures by Laurell K Hamilton, which was enjoyable though I hated the main character.  Far too abrasive for me to come to care about the character, Anita Blake.  Though I may try the next book.

On my plate to read is The Silent Tower by Barbara Hambly, Dragonworld by Byron Priess, and Michael Reaves, and The Destined Queen by Deborah Hale. My daughter got Hale's book for me for my birthday a while back we will see if the cover which she liked will capture my attention within the pages.  Whichever captures my attention will get read first.

Kel
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Rukloph on December 22, 2006, 10:18:29 PM
I was reading The End by Lemony Snicket, but now I'm half way through Slawter by Darren Shan. I am soon going to read Bec by Darren Shan aswell.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on December 23, 2006, 06:55:37 AM
Currently reading the much touted "The Thirteenth Tale" by Diane Setterfield. I'm several chapters into it and am yet to be impressed.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Pterath on December 27, 2006, 09:09:14 PM
Well, I am amending my list, I just purchased Academ's Fury and Cursor's Fury by Jim Butcher.  I loved the first book which I believe was his first called Furies of Calderon.  The Follow up, Academ's Fury, has me turning pages like mad so I am hoping it follows the last one well.  If I try to explain it I will probably give too much away and follows some of the overdone cliched Tolkien framework that makes you want to groan "not again!" But, all the same, I really enjoyed it.  Butcher has fast and furious action and keeps you on your toes so to some point you can forgive the fact that the young hero is a shepard boy of no real talent.

I  also picked up another new author's work, Fiona McIntosh's Myrren's Gift.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on December 28, 2006, 10:38:27 PM
I just finished A Shadow in Summer, by Daniel Abraham.  It was incredibly good.  Very well written, and an intriguing storyline.  Not all that intense or exciting, but a great story nonetheless.  I'd recommend it to just about anyone.  Now I'm trying to read Lord of Snow and Shadows by Sara Ash.  About 70 pages into that, and having some difficulties with it.  Her writing is flatly mediocre and the storyline is so cliched fantasy that it's killing me.  Will probably give up on it sometime today or tomorrow and try to get a new one.  Chainreading is down for some reason, and so I don't have access to my list of books that I wanted to read.  I might just end up defaulting to another Stephen King if it doesn't come back up soon.  He's usually good for an exciting read.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: lehea on January 01, 2007, 11:59:06 PM
The Princess Bride by William Goldman.  This is the edited version of the classic tale.  I am SO glad it is... there was like 72  pages purely dedicated to the training of Buttercup to become a princess.  Now, normally I like unabridged versions of stories, but that's just pure torture! ~twitch~  Thank you William for editing to make it more reader friendly!  8)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on January 03, 2007, 11:32:16 PM
So, I decided to finally pick up Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz.  Fairly interesting so far.  I also just saw this new book called "The Tower of Shadows" by another young author (Drew Bowling).  Apparently started writing in High School, and is now a Sophomore in college.  Anyone read this yet?  I thought I might, but didn't care too much for Eragon.  Mr. X (Peter Straub) and Dreamcatcher (King) are next on the list.  Oh the joys of bookdom.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Harbinger on January 12, 2007, 03:47:59 AM
Kitty Goes to Washington. Thank you, Ms. Fish, for letting us know about these books.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: lehea on January 12, 2007, 07:55:12 PM
The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas... the complete and unabridged version of course  8)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Chimera on January 13, 2007, 12:30:38 AM
Confessions of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella. I really loved her stand-alone Can You Keep a Secret?, which was LOL funny. This is good, too, but similar and not as humorous. I guess it was written first, so Secret probably resembles it.

I've just started it, though, so we'll see. It is totally guilty pleasure, like chocolate.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Pterath on January 14, 2007, 11:27:58 PM
Have finished all of my last batch and my girlfriend gave me The Laughing Corpse and Circus of the Damned by Laurell K. Hamilton.  Almost finished with the first title here and still don't think I'll ever really care for the character Anita Blake but I like the world she weaves.....

Kel
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on January 15, 2007, 04:45:36 PM
Because of Skar's article (http://www.timewastersguide.com/view.php?id=1444), I'm reading a David Gemmell called Hero in the Shadows. It's ok so far.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: digitalbias on January 16, 2007, 04:33:34 PM
Currently---

Fiction: Empire by OSC, Phylogenesis by Alan Dean Foster, Stalking Darkness by Lynn Flewelling
Non-Fiction: The Web That Has No Weaver by Ted Kaptchuk, Agile Web Development with Rails, and Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on January 27, 2007, 12:26:52 AM
I bought the new WotF book (Vol. 22).  So, I'm trying to read that, and I just got a book from the library called "The Tower of Shadows" by some young kid (sophomore in college...young...oh my...) with the last name Bowling that Terry Brooks said was good.  I'm still trying to finish Survival by Czerneda.  It's been so slow; I'm having a difficult time wanting to finish it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on January 28, 2007, 10:27:51 PM
Mistborn.  I know I should be ashamed that it's taken me this long, but I've had insane loads of work at school since the book came out, and this is the first semester I've had a chance to do any free reading…
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: pengwenn on February 06, 2007, 05:51:32 PM
I'm just getting to Mistborn too.  It's our selection this month for our book club on a writer's web site I'm a member of,
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on February 19, 2007, 10:33:32 PM
Mr. X by Peter Straub.  Reading this guy is certainly a treat, but his writing is very dense, and he includes a lot that just feels like filler.  Entertaining so far.  Anyone else ever read Straub?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: 42 on February 22, 2007, 04:09:40 AM
Left to Tell by Immaculee Ilibagiza. It's actually one of my textbooks this year, but it's rivetting (and rather gut-wrenching). It's an autobiography of the author's experience in the Rwandan Holocaust. It should be a work of fiction, but sadly isn't.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Oldie Black Witch on February 22, 2007, 06:32:39 AM
Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott. I'm about half-way through, and if I have to read another rhapsody about the glory of dying a chivalrous death, I may have to hurl all over the book.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on February 23, 2007, 06:18:21 AM
Oh, come, it wasn't that bad.  Frankenstein was worse, at any rate.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on February 26, 2007, 09:23:47 PM
In the middle of Dreamcatcher (S. King) and Vol 21 of Writers of the Future.  Need to put together a new pile now that my current one is gone.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on February 26, 2007, 09:32:42 PM
A Secret History by Mary Gentle (violent and gruesome)
Practical Demonkeeping by Christopher Moore (funny)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: dawncawley on February 27, 2007, 08:20:46 AM
Judging from the names, the descriptions seem a bit backward, but I guess this is why you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. ;)

I am currently reading nothing but my business textbook, and it isn't very fun :(
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shrain on February 28, 2007, 04:07:51 AM
When Demons Walk, Patricia Briggs. It's quite enjoyable, though her novels are pretty short. I'm loving the big turn I've just come across. I'll probably check out some of her other books. :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on March 13, 2007, 05:52:30 PM
Just got into a book called The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch.  It's his debut novel and acutally quite good so far.  Thats two for two for me with books endorsed by George R. R. Martin.  Last one was A Shadow in Summer, which was excellent.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on March 14, 2007, 04:45:40 PM
In the Garden of Iden by Kage Baker.  It's odd so far with immortal scientists saving lost species in the time of Bloody Mary.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on March 21, 2007, 05:46:58 PM
So, Lies had a pretty weak ending in my opinon.  Decided to pick up a mystery novel:  James Patterson's 1st to Die.  Interesting, is about all I can say right now.  Murder mystery.  And I'm buring through the thing.  SHORT chapters.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: dawncawley on March 29, 2007, 07:06:14 PM
I am now reading The Silver Wolf by Alice Borchardt. Finally, something that isn't a textbook :D
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: bittersweet010102 on March 31, 2007, 09:47:21 PM
well, currently im reading "Freaks: Alive On The Inside" by Annette Curtis Klause. It's a really good book! I loooove it so far. Next I'm reading "Mistborn" by Brandon Sanderson (my favourite author)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: dawncawley on April 03, 2007, 06:23:47 PM
I am on to the second book in Borchardt's Wolf series, Night of the Wolf. Next will be The Wolf King.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: bittersweet010102 on April 15, 2007, 11:34:38 PM
finished mistborn....woah soo videogame material! anywho now im reading "Ariel"  by Grace Tiffany. so far its good. Its like a modern version of "The Tempest" by Shakespear.. i read that one and it was incredible because of the language, its so interesting..
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on April 16, 2007, 04:33:44 PM
I am reading several mangas.  Hana Kimi, ZombiePowder, Ouran High Host Club, Tail of the Moon, and a bunch of the X-Men Graphic novels. I love the library.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on April 19, 2007, 09:28:58 PM
Reading Stranger in a Strange Land for the first time.  Pretty good so far.  I also picked up Darwin's Black Box today, which was actually in the non-fiction section, but thought it sounded pretty interesting. 
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on May 11, 2007, 07:40:04 PM
Got "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss in front of my face now.  He's a WotF winner from 2002, and this is his debut book.  Big.  And pretty good so far.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on May 12, 2007, 05:00:26 AM
Bio Rescue by S.L. Viehl
The Silver Lake by Fiona Patton

You will see reviews soon.

You know, dan_gaidin, you could always submit a review, if you want!  ;D
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on May 21, 2007, 10:43:17 PM
Really?  Didn't know that simple peons like myself could do such a thing.  Is there a list of  "book review do's and don'ts" somewhere on the site?"  Or should I just check out what's been done before and copy the format?  I'd love to blab my opinion.  :)  How do I submit it?  At this point I'm guessing that all this info is somewhere and I should probably just make my lazy fingers get off of their respective butts and click the mouse a time or two.  I'll look.  Thanks for the info.

Edit:  So, I just kicked my fingers into gear and found some guidelines.  Oddly enough, there's no specific guidelines for books... everything but, in fact, it seems.  :)  I'll check out previous reviews, but it might be nice to have a list of things to include in a book review listed on the general TWG submission guidelines page (probably as altered by Fell as he's the original poster).  I'll be sure to put one up for The Name of the Wind as soon as I'm finished.  Thanks for mentioning this.  Should be fun.  :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Lightningfall on May 24, 2007, 05:04:07 AM
The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
The Shattered Land book 2 of The Dreaming Dark by Keith Baker
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on May 24, 2007, 05:58:31 AM
Really?  Didn't know that simple peons like myself could do such a thing.  Is there a list of  "book review do's and don'ts" somewhere on the site?"  Or should I just check out what's been done before and copy the format?  I'd love to blab my opinion.  :)  How do I submit it?  At this point I'm guessing that all this info is somewhere and I should probably just make my lazy fingers get off of their respective butts and click the mouse a time or two.  I'll look.  Thanks for the info.

Edit:  So, I just kicked my fingers into gear and found some guidelines.  Oddly enough, there's no specific guidelines for books... everything but, in fact, it seems.  :)  I'll check out previous reviews, but it might be nice to have a list of things to include in a book review listed on the general TWG submission guidelines page (probably as altered by Fell as he's the original poster).  I'll be sure to put one up for The Name of the Wind as soon as I'm finished.  Thanks for mentioning this.  Should be fun.  :)

It's easy, you just submit (from the front page), and then I edit and post it when the schedule allows. When you submit it, I'll look at it and if it needs changes, I'll be sure to contact you. Do what format you're comfortable with. We don't have guidelines as yet. We're working on creating a style guide. But in the meantime, do it however you want.

We always need more reviewers.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers on May 24, 2007, 02:25:07 PM
and read the clock score guidelines linked to fromt he submission page. Please.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on May 24, 2007, 04:56:34 PM
Yeah.  I've already read the clock scoring guidelines.  Good setup, I think.  Just finished the book last night.  Oh boy. :)  Do my best to get a review written by the end of the day tomorrow.  Thanks for the info.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on May 24, 2007, 04:58:44 PM
Ah, had another question.  Do you only take one review for a book?  For example, I'm in the middle of Stranger in a Strange Land right now, and the book is pretty old and popular.  So, I'm thinking that there might already be a review for it somewhere.  If there is, can I still review it?  Thanks.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers on May 24, 2007, 06:05:22 PM
if there is a substantive difference in the things you say about the book, we are happy to take multiple reviews for the same work.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on May 24, 2007, 10:27:59 PM
Okay so two things.

One:  How do I find out if a review has already been done on a particular book?  I found the "Book" section on the main page, but I'd have to click through every page of reviews to find a particular book that way.  Is there a listing of reviewed books somewhere?  Maybe sorted alphabetically by author or title?  I mean, I'll probably write a review for a book that has been previously reviewed on TWG anyhow so that I can put it on my chainreading page, but it would make things easier to have accessibility like this anyhow.

Two:  I have my review for The Name of the Wind done, but I've tried to submit the article twice (yes I checked to make sure that I was logged in first) and each time it says

     Article error, article not saved.

Don't know what I'm doing wrong...
Thanks.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Spriggan on May 24, 2007, 10:41:55 PM
just do a search for the book title, sorting of article titles is coming but not anytime soon.

as for the error, article not saved, that's a bug it should be fixed now, I had forgot to check this while I was on vacation.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on May 25, 2007, 05:13:01 PM
Dan Gaidin, if you're still having trouble submitting, you can always email it to me.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on May 25, 2007, 07:38:48 PM
Success!  :)  And I'm off...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on June 04, 2007, 11:03:51 PM
Reading Deadhouse Gates (Second book in the Tale of the Malazan Book of the Fallen) by Stephen Erikson.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on June 11, 2007, 06:40:06 PM
Gave up on the Malazan.  Too much and definitely not enough.  So, I picked up "to say NOTHING of the DOG" by Connie Willis.  Heard it was a good time travel story.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on June 11, 2007, 09:59:28 PM
Oh yeah, it's a great story. There's even a review here  (http://www.timewastersguide.com/view.php?id=1427) I did a while back.

Right now I'm reading:

Lords of the White Castle by Elizabeth Chadwick
Dies the Fire by S.M. Stirling
A Train to Potevka by Mike Ramsdell
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Harbinger on June 17, 2007, 08:05:27 PM
I'm reading a book called Hiding the Elephant about the illusionists and other magicians of the 19th/early 20th centuries.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on July 09, 2007, 05:37:55 PM
Just finished The Shining by King, and now into Writers of the Future Vol 20 and Fear by Hubbard.  Should be interesting.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on July 10, 2007, 03:13:59 PM
Doomsday Book by Connie Willis.  I don't know if this is the best thing to read when I'm feeling sick.  Oh, and I just read Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier which I would highly recommend.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on July 10, 2007, 04:16:21 PM
Chasm City by Alastair Reynolds
Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on July 25, 2007, 10:31:58 PM
Currently just into Devices and Desires by KJ Parker.  Really dense and slow going so far.  Going to be taking a break this Friday though when my copy of Deathly Hallows gets to me.  :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: pengwenn on July 31, 2007, 10:42:19 PM
The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: lehea on August 02, 2007, 08:23:24 PM
The Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on August 08, 2007, 07:04:17 PM
So (no joke) I was just about to go Google Bartimaeus Trilogy and find out who wrote it.  Last Saturday this guy at the Red Cross (I was giving blood) said that it was a good one and that I should read it, if I hadn't.  So thanks.  Just about finished with Devices and Desires.  Great book.  Am planning on throwing a review up for that and also for The Lady in Black, which I just recently read but haven't had a chance to sit down and write anything about yet.  Also, just got a notice that Red Seas under Red Skies (sequel to Lies of Lock Lamora) is waiting at the library for me.  So, that'll be up next.  Pretty excited for that.  Hope it delivers.  Anybody else read Lies?  Should probably check for a review on that one too.  Later all.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on September 05, 2007, 07:02:03 PM
So I, for one, thought that I'd mention that I was reading Mistborn 2.  I know that it's probably an  unstated fact that most of the people who post to this board are doing, or have done, this.  But, you know, for the newbies.  Check it out.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on September 06, 2007, 03:46:40 PM
I just finished The Fox by Sherwood Smith.  A good story but it tended to wander a bit and had too much sexual content.  Or maybe it didn't but I'm still remembering the first book.  Anyway, Mistborn 2 is next on my list, since I already read the draft.  I got a copy from the library so my pretty signed copy stays pretty.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on September 09, 2007, 10:16:11 AM
Recently finished The Necessary Beggar by Susan Palwick.  Now reading HP5 (for the first time).  And also a bunch of school books related to writing, essays, rhetoric, and teaching composition.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on September 12, 2007, 06:29:58 PM
Just finished Letter to a Christian Nation.  It was pretty poor.  Into "A Shadow in Summer" by Daniel Abraham now.  Quite good.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: pengwenn on October 04, 2007, 12:22:21 AM
I have 10 pages to go in Mistborn 2 and someone at work has the audicity to interrupt me and ask a question.  (okay, my break ended 5 minutes ago but I'm not watching a clock here people I'M READING!)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on October 04, 2007, 05:07:02 PM
Making Money by Terry Pratchett.  Since I spent almost three hours waiting in a doctor's office yesterday, I managed to get through over 200 pages.  It's hilarious.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on October 04, 2007, 05:38:27 PM
Ack!  Three hours?  That's horrid.  But goes to show that you should always have a book with you.  No matter where you go.  :)

Reading The Warrior's Apprentice by Loid McMaster Bujold.  It's okay.  I'm not much into military sci-fi, which is pretty much what this is based on what I've read (up to pg 175 of 200).  The girls in my writers group all think they're the bomb (Miles Vorkosigan books).  So, I got browbeat into trying it.  Hope it goes somewhere soon, but I'll probably end up reading the whole thing even if it doesn't.  Want to give it a fair shot.

Next on my list is The Dragon and the George by Gordon Dickson.  Never read it before.  Another "you should read this" title, from a friend.  :)

Want to get to Evil for Evil by K.J. Parker.  Need to.  Responsibility though.  It's --ick-- sometimes.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on October 05, 2007, 04:51:07 PM
Warrior's Apprentice is not the best of the Miles Vorkosigan books.  You should try Vor Game before giving up on the series, since that one is a lot better.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on October 05, 2007, 07:28:21 PM
Yeah, I'm kind of having a tough time of it and I'm almost done.  Only other book of hers that I've ever read is The Curse of Chalion.  Didn't much care for that one either.  She writes decently enough, but I just don't much care for what is going on in the story.  I'll give her one more go on your suggestion.  If I don't care for that one though, I might just give up on her books.  Thanks.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers on October 05, 2007, 07:31:20 PM
"I now have the strength and commitment to give up halfway through anything!"
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: bittersweet010102 on October 08, 2007, 04:43:54 AM
The Haunting Of Alaizabel Cray
its allright...hard to follow
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on October 08, 2007, 05:19:11 PM
What book was it that did this for you, SE?  It's only been about two years since I even broke into the "I-can-put-a-book-
down-and-walk-away-from-it-if-I-can't-handle-any-more-of-it" club.  Malazan two was my breaker.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on October 08, 2007, 05:37:36 PM
Rusalka by C. J. Cherryh.  I really like the writing (this is the first Cherryh I've read) but I'm not far enough in to decide on the plot.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers on October 09, 2007, 02:09:44 PM
heh, actually, I don't have that strength and commitment. Even after it took me two months to read the first 30 pages of Eye of the World, I came back and forced myself through the whole thing.

I almost gave up on The Amazing Adventures of Cavalier and Klay, due to rampant homosexuality on display, but even in my disgust I couldn't. And I'm sorta glad I didn't. There was actually a purpose to it all, though the necessity is arguable. It's a very good argument about sidekicks.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on October 24, 2007, 07:32:53 AM
Very recently finished HP7.  It was ok.  I wish I had my copy of Mistborn 2 with me, though, so I could read something good.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: pengwenn on October 25, 2007, 12:09:20 AM
I just finished Big Fish and now I'm looking for something else to read.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on October 29, 2007, 08:33:57 PM
Empire of Ivory by Naomi Novik. About halfway through, so expect a review soon! (P.S. I'm enjoying it.)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Kaell on November 03, 2007, 08:27:23 PM
I'm reading Well of Ascension for a third time , and I've been trying to get my copy of Feast of Souls back from my sister for a while now. Once I've finished those, Hunter of Worlds and Goblin Quest.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: pengwenn on November 05, 2007, 08:57:29 PM
Lord of Chaos (Book 6 of Wheel ot Time series) by Robert Jordan

I'm rereading them all before I start Knife of Dreams (yes, I'm behind in the series).  Lord of Chaos is my least favorite one in the series but I'm finding it so much more enjoyable now that I realize it's his writing and that someone else is going to have to finish the series.  I guess I'm just enjoying it while I can.  Hopefully whoever ends the series will be just as entertaining and engaging.  (And no I'm not going to get into the debate about the value of RJ's writings.)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on November 06, 2007, 09:16:36 PM
Reading New Moon (Stephenie Meyer) and Mainspring (Jay Lake) right now.  New moon is simplistic and decent.  Not sure how I feel about Mainspring.  Hoping it gets better mostly.   Read Enchantments of Flesh and Spirit by Storm Constantine not too far back.  That was interesting.  Still need to get to Evil for Evil by KJ Parker.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on November 07, 2007, 04:20:13 PM
Mary Queen of Scots and the Murder of Lord Darnley by Alison Weir.  She's one of my favorite historical writers.  Even though this book is long, it is so readable.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Swiggly on November 17, 2007, 10:48:12 PM
I'm kind of shifting between a couple of different books.

I'm flipping through parts of Forging the Sword by Hilari Bell and I've still got to finish Scarlet by Stephen Lawhead. I'm trying to keep my gag reflex down to read Innocent Mage because I bought both books because I thought the covers looked so freaking awesome I had to buy them without actually reading an exerpt. Green Rider and The Beatles Biography by Bob Spitz (Which is only slow going because it's so huge but a good read)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shi on November 19, 2007, 02:22:10 AM
Oh, Haha! I was reading The Innocent Mage. I actually kind of liked it, until the end, and then I didn't even finished it(30 pages to go, how sad is that?) The characters were the most interesting thing. There wasn't really any plot, and when there was, that's when I started to dislike it, actually. I find it all quite funny.

Let's see, I'm reading New Moon, my loving sister actually went out and bought it for me when I was feeling sick! How sweet! And Flowers For Algernon. Awesome book!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on November 26, 2007, 08:40:03 PM
So, I've heard both good comments and bad about Innocent Mage.  Don't know if I'll end up reading that one or not.  Currently into:
     Sword from Red Ice by JV Jones
     Farenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury
     Turn of the Screw by Henry James
     WotF #19
Need to start Gunslinger by Stephen King here pretty soon too, for my book club.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on November 27, 2007, 04:22:03 PM
Dracula by Bram Stoker. Have never read it before, am at chapter 4 and....creeeeepy!!!!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on November 28, 2007, 06:50:02 PM
Ah, I need to read that one, Nessa!  Been on my list for a while now, and I keep forgetting about it.  Thanks for the reminder.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Lightningfall on November 29, 2007, 04:01:53 AM
Confessor by Terry Goodkind
The High King's Tomb by Kristen Britain

Both excellent books.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Minx on December 15, 2007, 06:16:17 AM
Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on December 15, 2007, 08:14:06 PM
I just finished Clear and Present Danger by Tom Clancy, and it was really, really good.  The beginning is slow, but the last two hundred pages were just amazing, and I think it had the tensest ending of any book I've read in a long time.  It also had a lot of military language (I mean the f-word) and violence, which may not be to everyone's tastes.  I think my favorite Clancy is still Cardinal of the Kremlin.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Azhev on December 15, 2007, 08:24:52 PM
Finished Mistborn and have now moveed on to [bThe False House[/b] by James Stoddard.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on December 19, 2007, 12:59:04 AM
Had to take "Sword from Red Ice" by JV Jones back to the library.  Dumb waiting list.  Reading "Innocent Mage" by Karen Miller.  Trying to anyways.  Really tough going.  Slow and pretty boring so far.  Semi-decent writing.  Got a copy of "Dead Zone" by Stephen King and "Eye of the World" by RJ today.  Thought I'd put the latter into the reading slot of the book club I'm in.  Looking forward to both of those.  I might just drop Innocent Mage though if it doesn't get a lot better really fast.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: charity on December 19, 2007, 06:34:34 AM
erm... this thread. I really need to pick up one of the fifty new books I have lying around, can't wait for that Christmas vacation to kick in...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Azhev on December 19, 2007, 07:38:04 PM
Reading The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima.  It's a young adult urban fantasy.  Not too bad, actually.  Kind of cliché in parts, but I like the theme and some of the dynamics.  A recommendation for any.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Loud_G on December 19, 2007, 08:32:33 PM
Right at the moment I am reading an omnibus (collection of short stories) called "The World of Jeeves" by PG Wodehouse a british author of the mid 20th century. They are hilarious stories about the wealthy elite in england and show the life of a dimwitted but loveable Bertie Wooster and his highly intelligent personal valet (manservant) Jeeves.

I recommend the stories to anyone of any age. They are simply a delight. Mr Wodehouse also wrote abou 100 full length novels of similar nature about 1/3 of which deal with Jeeves.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Elayne on December 27, 2007, 08:29:40 AM
Reading "Innocent Mage" by Karen Miller.  Trying to anyways.  Really tough going.  Slow and pretty boring so far.  Semi-decent writing. 

How did you like this one? I've almost picked it up because the cover is cool and I like trying out new authors, but I've been a bit disappointed lately by a lot of the new author's I've read.

Just finished up Elantris! Very cool book! Not sure what I'm going to start netxt!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on December 27, 2007, 09:04:43 PM
The Protector's War by SM Stirling; sequel to Dies the Fire
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shrain on December 27, 2007, 09:39:33 PM
Hey Dan, I recently read Innocent Mage. I agree it was kinda slow from the get-go, but it caught me up before too long and Asher is such a hoot. IMO, it was worth the wait. In fact, I went and got the second book and liked it a bit better, perhaps because I already cared a lot about the characters. Anyway, good luck.

I'm reading Wolf's Blood by Jane Linskold. It's the last in a huge series (6 books so far, I think). Some of it is a lot of repetitive info, but I am excited about seeing if the "big question" is answered. Besides, I have to see how the characters end up!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Lightningfall on December 28, 2007, 06:14:14 AM
This Alien Shore by C.S. Friedman.
The Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on December 28, 2007, 09:48:40 AM
The Mabinogion.  Classic Welsh tales.  I'm enjoying them.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: 42 on December 28, 2007, 03:39:21 PM
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DeCamillo

It's a very short read.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Pygmalion on December 29, 2007, 01:32:54 AM
The Mabinogion.  Classic Welsh tales.  I'm enjoying them.

Wow, nice choice! I read the whole thing for a Mythology course I took last semester and thought they were excellent... except for the names, which I don't even attempt to pronounce.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: medikman on December 29, 2007, 05:17:08 AM
Well I just finished Mistborn: The Final Empire yesterday
started Elantris today, and other than that I am in the middle of

A Clash of Kings
Beowulf (Seamus Heaney translation)
Dragons of a Dwarven Depth
The Swarm War
Dune
and Hardwiring Excellence (healthcare management book)

I am hoping to have at least 4 of them done by Jan 2nd when I have to go back to work
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Azhev on December 30, 2007, 05:58:22 AM
Captain's Fury by Jim Butcher.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on December 31, 2007, 04:41:20 AM
Wow, nice choice! I read the whole thing for a Mythology course I took last semester and thought they were excellent... except for the names, which I don't even attempt to pronounce.

I speak a little Welsh, so it's not too bad for me.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Lightningfall on January 01, 2008, 07:03:54 AM
Katherine Kerr's Deverry Novels.

Act One: the Deverry books proper
    * Daggerspell
    * Darkspell
    * The Bristling Wood (Dawnspell)
    * The Dragon Revenant (Dragonspell)

Act Two: The Westlands
    * A Time of Exile
    * A Time of Omens
    * Days of Blood and Fire (A Time of War)
    * Days of Air and Darkness (A Time of Justice)

Act Three: The Dragon Mage
    * The Red Wyvern
    * The Black Raven
    * The Fire Dragon
    * The Gold Falcon (in progress)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Azhev on January 03, 2008, 12:25:24 AM
Excellent books, lightningfall.  Some of my favorites.

Finished Jim Butcher's new book, and now I am on to Well of Acenscion.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shrain on January 08, 2008, 03:54:47 AM
Raven's Strike by Patricia Briggs. One of her best, I think.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Swiggly on January 10, 2008, 09:01:06 PM
I read the first of Codex Alera just a few days ago.

It's an okay book.

Right now I'm reading the Beatles by Bob Spitz. It's ENORMOUS
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Azhev on January 11, 2008, 01:45:03 AM
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Pygmalion on January 11, 2008, 06:20:09 AM
Wow, nice choice! I read the whole thing for a Mythology course I took last semester and thought they were excellent... except for the names, which I don't even attempt to pronounce.

I speak a little Welsh, so it's not too bad for me.

You speak Welsh?? That is awesome! I've always been interested in the language, but it's not exactly an easy one to learn... especially in Oklahoma...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: charity on January 12, 2008, 04:25:02 AM
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

Ha Ha! I just finished Inkheart and now I'm on to Inkspell. I do have to say that with all the talk about loving books I'm a little unnerved about how much I related to that story. I hope I'm not like Elinor....
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Crux on January 12, 2008, 04:40:00 PM
Just finished Alcatraz Versus The Evil Librarians and I've now finally started on the Malazan series by Steven Erickson.  A co-worker had been reading it and kept coming in to work all excited to tell me about something that happened.  So I got book 1 Gardens Of The Moon and started on it this week.

On a side note, I just bought on ebay a 100 year old copy of The Divine Comedy :D  I love old books!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Azhev on January 12, 2008, 05:23:15 PM
Finished Elantirs and am still reading Inkheart with Mythago Woods thrown in there.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shi on January 13, 2008, 11:16:04 AM
Just finished Iron Kissed, by Patricia Briggs. A Lot of fun if you like werewolves. And I'm working on Sabriel, by Garth Nix.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: charity on January 13, 2008, 03:50:39 PM
42! how did you get your NaNo award to show up next to your avatar!? I want mine to do that!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Spriggan on January 13, 2008, 10:15:46 PM
Go to your profile and click "View All of Charity's Awards"

It will let you set your active trophies there.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: charity on January 14, 2008, 02:43:14 AM
Gracias.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on January 18, 2008, 11:44:01 PM
Struggling through Goodkind's final book, Confessor.  Can't wait until it's over.  This is the last book that I'll ever have to read when I want to spit on it and throw it into a wood chipper.

Just finished The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie.  Quite good.  Not really any climax/resolution but I'm ready for the next two in the trilogy.

Figure I'll dive into the Dune series next.  Have only ever read Dune (first book) and apparently the series was just recently finished.  One of the few sci-fi/fantasy epics that I haven't tried to get into yet.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Lightningfall on January 27, 2008, 03:23:12 AM
Breath and Bone by Carol Berg.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Gemm: Rock & Roll Star; Born to Rock on January 27, 2008, 08:04:01 AM
Currently on my plate (aka, the side of my bed I don't sleep on because women avoid me like flies):

"Reinventing Comics" by Scott McCloud

"Pseudoscience and the Paranormal" by Terence Hines

"Understanding Dreams" by Mary Ann Mattoon

"Elemental Power" by Amber Wolfe

"Green Lanter/Green Arrow" by Dennis O'Neil and Neal Adams

"Sticks, Stones, Roots, & Bones" by Stephanie Rose Bird

"A Dark and Angry God Arises" by Stephen R. Donaldson

and "Disturbing the Universe" by Freeman Dyson
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Azhev on January 28, 2008, 01:47:33 AM
Wolf's Head, Wolf's Heart by Jane Lindskold and Leven Thumps and the Whispered Secret by Orbert Skye.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Lightningfall on January 30, 2008, 02:48:19 AM
The short list.
Dead House Gates by Steven Erikson
The Devil Delivered also Steven Erikson
Wild Magic by Angus Wells
The Death of a Necromancer by Martha Wells
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Lightningfall on January 31, 2008, 01:01:14 AM
Finished The Devil Delivered and Wild Magic.  Now I'm adding
Talion Revenant by Michael A. Stackpole
The Ruins of Ambri by Melanie Rawn and
Conqueror's Moon by Julian May.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Azhev on January 31, 2008, 02:47:33 PM
Not sure if you want to read Ruins of Ambrai.  It's part of a "trilogy" that hasn't been finished yet.  Been that way for a number of years now, with (as far as I am aware) no end in sight.  Good luck.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Lightningfall on January 31, 2008, 03:56:43 PM
I do realize that but, I've read it before so it's not so bad.  Thanks for the heads up though.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on January 31, 2008, 04:25:28 PM
Dragonhaven by Robin McKinley
These Is My Words by Nancy Turner
The Innocent Mage by Karen Miller
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Azhev on February 01, 2008, 01:55:43 AM
Fablehaven by Brandon Mull
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on February 01, 2008, 06:24:37 PM
The Bookman's Wake by John Dunning.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Lightningfall on February 05, 2008, 01:11:57 AM
Restoration by Carol Berg
Rules of Ascension by David B. Coe
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Azhev on February 05, 2008, 06:55:44 PM
Restoration by Carol Berg
Rules of Ascension by David B. Coe

Good books.  Especially Carol Berg's.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Soryn on February 08, 2008, 11:58:36 PM
I haven't been able to finish any books in a long time, but here is the list I'm trying to get through:
Through Wolf's Eyes by  Jane Lindskold
Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J. K. Rowling (yes am I a terrible person I haven't finished it yet :) )
Dragonsdawn by Anne McCaffrey
The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett

I'm not allowing myself to pick up anymore until this mountain is done, but when I do finish them, I'm starting Xenocide by Orsen Scott Card  ;)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Lightningfall on February 10, 2008, 07:23:08 AM
You have good taste Azhev.

Rise of the Blood Royal by Robert Newcomb
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Azhev on February 10, 2008, 07:06:40 PM
Thanks.  ;D

Have you enjoyed Robert Newcomb's books, Lightningfall?  I've read The Fifth Sorceress and tried The Gates of Dawn, but I could never really get into the series.  And I've heard that the other books are a lot like.  What's your opinion.

Right now, reading First Rider's Call by Kristen Britain.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Faster Master St. Pastor on February 11, 2008, 05:25:11 AM
Right now I'm reading The Lair of Bones by David Farland.
Soon I shall be reading The Winter of Our Discontent by Steinbeck.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on February 11, 2008, 05:06:12 PM
Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson. I really like it so far.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on February 11, 2008, 06:53:38 PM
In the middle of Evil for Evil by KJ Parker.  Enjoying it immensely.

Also just dipped into Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Phillip K. Dick.

I'll probably finish the Engineer trilogy with The Escapement (sequel to Evil for Evil) next and then on to Children of Dune by Frank Herbert.

Picked up a book of short stories by O. Henry last weekend too.  Looking forward to reading that one.  Old stuff, but my parents really liked his stuff apparently.

Sigyn:  Erikson is staggering in his complexity, but lack a lot of the deep character development that I really live for in books.  Never made it past the middle of the second book in that series myself.

Azhev:  Don't care much for Newcomb.  Really don't like the way that he writes and everything takes so incredibly long to happen in his books.  I've ended up putting down every book of his that I've ever picked up.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Azhev on February 12, 2008, 05:21:12 AM
Azhev:  Don't care much for Newcomb.  Really don't like the way that he writes and everything takes so incredibly long to happen in his books.  I've ended up putting down every book of his that I've ever picked up.

I agree.  He started off interesting, but then he got a really morbid fascination with blood...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: skibocastle on February 12, 2008, 06:48:08 AM
Just finished His Dark Material's by Phillip Pullman.  Anyone know if Lyra's Oxford is a continuation of the story or a stand alone?

Also re-reading Eye of The World to get reading for the newest book
Elantris by Brandon Sanderson
Blue Coyote by Christopher Moore
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: charity on February 14, 2008, 02:35:41 AM
Right now The Princess Bride --- a true classic, I know ;)

then I'm on to Twilight, since one of my book groups is reading it (note to self: don't join anymore book groups!)

then I've got the Bourne Supremacy waiting and  Dearly Beloved by Anne Morrow Lindbergh.

The list after that is long and well... I have a ways to go before I'm caught up.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Azhev on February 15, 2008, 03:47:44 AM
His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik.  I'm really enjoying it.  It's a lot better than I thought it would be.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Felastizairu on February 17, 2008, 07:13:47 AM
I just finished Brandon's e-book Warbreaker and Ian McEwan's Atonement in the last week.  I'm trying to get into Robin Hobb's Shaman's Crossing, but I'm having trouble.  Terry Prachett's Colour of Magic is next on the list.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: charity on February 21, 2008, 05:40:17 PM
Twilight.... I had to pull myself away to even type this, now I have to leave- it's calling to me.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on February 21, 2008, 06:21:57 PM
Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Lightningfall on February 22, 2008, 08:18:54 AM
Have you enjoyed Robert Newcomb's books, Lightningfall?  I've read The Fifth Sorceress and tried The Gates of Dawn, but I could never really get into the series.  And I've heard that the other books are a lot like.  What's your opinion.
I, personally, enjoy his books quite a bit.  Though he does, as you say, have a morbid fascination with blood.

Reading Wild Magic by Angus Wells.  It's a bit slow so far.  We'll see if it picks up.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Comfortable Madness on February 22, 2008, 04:02:16 PM
I've decided to read the Wayfarer Redemption Series by Sara Douglas. I am currently near the end of book one and it is pretty good so far...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on February 22, 2008, 08:23:42 PM
Hello, I'm new to actually posting, but everyone's got to start sometime.  I liked Sara Douglas's stuff, but the second set of books was a bit weaker than the first couple.
I've been working on the history of WWII by Winston Churchill, its six volumes so I read other stuff inbetween to lighten the death and destruction.
Anyone have opinions on David B. Coe, Rules of Ascension? That's next.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on February 23, 2008, 04:12:41 PM
Hello readerMom! It's nice to see you here. I read your little introduction and I'm a BYU-grad mom, myself, just FYI.

Everyone talks about Sara Douglas, but I haven't read any of her stuff. Which of her books would you recommend that I read first?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: White on February 23, 2008, 06:20:34 PM
Currently reading "Good Omens" by Terry Pratchett/Neil Gaiman, undecided as of yet - like a lot of things in it, not sure about some things though.

Next up is "Runemarks" by the chick who wrote Chocolat, and "Keeping it Real" by Justina Robinson (i think that's her last name anyway) - liked the excerpt I read on amazon.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Azhev on February 24, 2008, 11:36:23 PM
Reading The Summoner by Gail Z. Martin.  Not too bad actually.  The only gripe I have is that everything seems to fall too neatly into place for the heroes.  I like a little disorganization myself.  ;D

readerMom, I enjoyed Rules of Acension.  Not the greatest thing out there, but a nice, solid read.  The series could've been shortened down to a trilogy I believe, but you should enjoy it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on February 25, 2008, 05:37:37 PM
I just read Bleach 22.  Squee!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on February 25, 2008, 06:28:40 PM
I just started Rules of Acension, seems all right so far.  In the Winston Churchill stuff I'm almost to the German invasion of Russia.  And my neighbor just brought over a box of fluff, James Patterson, Dean Koontz and other silly mysteries and thrillers.  So I'm in for a spree of mind candy.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Azhev on February 27, 2008, 04:52:51 PM
Reading A Sorcerer's Treason by Sarah Zettel, soon to be followed by Newton's Cannon by Greg Keyes.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: skibocastle on February 28, 2008, 05:52:50 AM
Just started Blasphemy by Douglas Preston, and have The Great Hunt waiting for me. :-)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Loud_G on February 28, 2008, 05:53:06 AM
Just started "The Knight" (Wizard Knight duology) by Gene Wolfe. I must say that so far it is quite interesting.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: n8sumsion on March 05, 2008, 07:20:49 PM
I loved The Knight and The Wizard by Gene Wolfe. Great books!

I just finished reading World War Z by Max Brooks. I was very impressed with it.

Next up is Captain's Fury by Jim Butcher and The Road by Cormac McCarthy. (I'm on the bus or train about 2 hours a day, so I get a lot of reading in.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Lightningfall on March 09, 2008, 06:08:06 AM
Protector of the Flight by Robin D. Owens.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Azhev on March 10, 2008, 04:04:27 AM
Finished Newton's Cannon and now on to The Innocent Mage by Karen Miller.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on March 11, 2008, 07:06:52 AM
Currently reading:
Some bad fiction written by college people in my Writing class
The Lord of the Rings (again)
The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien
Carpenter's biography of Tolkien
Beowulf, which I'm translating
Various Arthur stuff

Yes, this is all reading for my classes this semester.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: skibocastle on March 11, 2008, 05:05:09 PM
Just finished Mister B. Gone by Clive Barker.  Very interesting to read a book told by a demon.  Next up is Through Wolf's Eyes by Jane Lindskold, then on to Rules of Ascension.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Loud_G on March 12, 2008, 01:24:12 AM
I am now reading "Great Irish Tales of Myth and Fantasy". It is a collection of really old stories from Ireland. :D

I'm hoping that grounding myself in these early myths will help in the writing process.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on March 12, 2008, 06:07:06 PM
Still trying to get to the end of Children of Dune (keep finding things that pull my attention away from it), reading a bunch of short story possibles for this quarter's Writers of the Future contest (critique swap), and will probably read OSC's Characters and Viewpoint after finishing Children of Dune.  Then again, maybe not.  And I keep seeing "Rules of Ascension" popping up all over this thread.  Checked that book out today, and I'll probably get to it soon.  Maybe after Characters and Viewpoint.  :)  Need to read something by Clive Barker.  Started one (Imajica) a while ago.  Got 4 pages into it (very pulled in by that early point) and realized that I didn't have the time necessary to devote to the nearly 1200 page tome.  (Comes in two books, I only had the first one--600 pages--and then found out...)  Had to put Innocent Mage down though when I tried to read it a while back.  Got nearly 75 pages into the thing and absolutely nothing had happened yet, and the prose wasn't written well enough to keep my attention any further.  Azhev, you'll have to post what you thought about it once you get through it.  Wish I was rich.  There are so many books that I'm dying to read, but the Library doesn't buy them fast enough.  :)  Ahhhhh!!!!  Happy reading all.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Lightningfall on March 22, 2008, 12:36:51 AM
Protector of the Flight and Keepers of the Flame by Robin D. Owens.
The Cipher by Diana Pharaoh Francis.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Loud_G on March 24, 2008, 02:28:18 PM
Reading "Speaker for the Dead" by Card. Good stuff.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: pengwenn on March 24, 2008, 05:43:45 PM
Everlost by Neal Shusterman
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: charity on March 25, 2008, 03:49:33 AM
Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin

It's good so far, but I'm only on Chapter 3.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on March 25, 2008, 05:16:55 PM
The Truth series by Dawn Cook.  I picked the first one (Hidden Truth) up for a light read and it was surprisingly good, so I have to hunt the rest of them down.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Azhev on March 29, 2008, 02:10:49 PM
Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede and Erec Rex: Dragon's Eye by Kaza Kingsley.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on April 04, 2008, 07:05:26 PM
Just finished Escapement, and thus the Engineer Trilogy, by KJ Parker.  Probably the best set of books I've ever read.  Just amazing.  Finally got to Alcatraz versus the Evil Librarians.  Like two chapters into that right now.  After seeing what some of the prose looks like, I have no doubt that this book just dumped out of Brandon's brain in a heartbeat.  Very fast-paced and funny.  The pace reminds me of a short story that I'm working on, and the words on those pages came off the tips of my fingers faster than any others have before or since.  Really looking forward to this read.  Ah, and I very innocently found the "last page" thing.  Was laughing out loud.  I wanted to see how many pages the book was (honestly.   I do this quite often with books and rarely ever read anything on that last page...) and there was that danged paragraph with parentheses around it, and I couldn't help myself.  Really funny.  And a great way to keep people from reading the REAL end of the book.  Hoo hoo!

And yes, Children of Dune is still on hold while I'm reading these others.  Character & Viewpoint is definitely next.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Comatose on April 12, 2008, 06:20:44 PM
Quote
I've decided to read the Wayfarer Redemption Series by Sara Douglas. I am currently near the end of book one and it is pretty good so far...
You should read teh Axis Trilogy firstr (also by sara douglass), it explains a lot that happened before, and gives a unique feeling to the cahracters coming in, and besides, in my opinion, it's much better.  I liked book one of wayfarer's redemption, but the rest just threw me for a loop.  I think it is because book one is very reminecent of the other trilogy, while the others forge on to new things, which isn't always a bad thing, but in this case...  Just Read and find out I guess.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: pengwenn on April 14, 2008, 05:22:33 PM
I finished Old Man's War (quick read) and I've moved on to The Man Who Fell to Earth by Walter Tevis.  I seem to be in a science fiction mood lately.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shrain on April 16, 2008, 06:02:07 PM
Oh, that reminds me, I need to read Scalzi's The Last Colony soon. Right now I'm reading Good Omens by Gaimen and Terry Pratchet. What an absurdly enjoyable book. so far.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on April 30, 2008, 10:00:42 PM
Through my full list from last post, and got through Three Days to Never by Tim Powers (not my favorite, but not bad), and into Cold as Ice by Charles Sheffield right now.  Going to read Ignition by Doug Beason & Kevin J. Anderson next.  Trying to make my way through the WotF judges.   Then I'm going to have a WoT re-read in prep for the final book next year.  Really looking forward to it all.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on April 30, 2008, 10:25:36 PM
Good Omens is one of my favorites to re-read when I need cheering up.  Its not the end of the world after all.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on May 09, 2008, 01:54:27 AM
I just finished King of Thorn volume 4, and this manga series is just amazing.  I'm not a fan of horror/survivor stories in general, but this one is great.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on May 09, 2008, 02:15:00 AM
Just finished Insurrection by David Weber.  Very intense.  I'll have to get the others from the library, but not until I can stay up all night to read them.  There was no place to stop.  Since half my family (and me) had the stomach flu I was up anyway, but it was quite a ride.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: charity on May 09, 2008, 02:09:34 PM
Okay... I'll admit it. I'm reading 'The Host' by Stephenie Meyer. So far it's a bit slow going, but that might just be because I'm not so into Sci-Fi. It's not bad though.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Azhev on May 18, 2008, 05:49:55 PM
James Dashner's 13th Reality.  I'm rally enjoying it.  It's got some good characters and an interesting plot.  I'm fascinated by the science of kwoopy.  Recommended for those who enjoy YA/Children's stories.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on May 18, 2008, 08:32:43 PM
The Knight by Gene Wolfe. Wolfe always makes me feel like I'm not understanding about half of the story. Sigh.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Azhev on May 19, 2008, 03:33:49 AM
I gave up reading The Knight for that very reason.  I just couldn't follow the narrator.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on May 19, 2008, 06:13:48 PM
Read Ignition (KJA/DougBeason) and Moonspeaker (KD Wentworth) and just started Gateway by Frederick Pohl.  Gateway is pretty good so far.  Especially in light of the fact that it was written before I was born.  Written in first person, which is a bit of a change-up for me, but I've settled into it pretty easily.  Happy to find another book that I can do that with.  Will probably read Before They Are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie next (Second book of The First Law).  Just bought that one last week and am really looking forward to it.  Loved the first one.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on May 20, 2008, 04:17:55 PM
So, I gave up on The Knight. I guess Gene Wolfe just isn't for me. Now I'm reading Cast in Shadow by Michelle Sagara, and I really like it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Azhev on May 22, 2008, 04:23:28 AM
So, I gave up on The Knight. I guess Gene Wolfe just isn't for me.

Me either.  How far did you get? I got to chapter 3 before putting it down for something else.

Reading The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart.  I like!!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on May 22, 2008, 05:50:03 AM
Just finished listening to A Feast for Crows, after a Martin-fest broken up only by The Prestige. Those were some good months of commutes! With what I listen to books on tape for, the longer the better. (Queued up next is the Temeraire books.)

I hadn't read the Martin books at all before, and enjoy many aspects of them. Some of the people are incredibly crude though, and it's hard to completely like almost all of the characters (and there are plenty of characters to detest).
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on May 22, 2008, 04:03:00 PM
I made it about 100 pages in.

Now I'm reading The Outback Stars which started out really good but is getting bogged down in stupid lust.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on May 22, 2008, 06:23:44 PM
So, I'm into Martian Race by Gregory Benford now.  Just started it, so I don't have much of an opinion yet.  I've also been meaning to get back into the Martin books.  Stopped reading Clash of Kings about halfway through when I just felt bored with the storyline.  Want to give it another chance though.  And still need to get to Before They are Hanged.  Still plodding through the WotF judges books though.  Just finished Pohl's Gateway, which I really liked quite a bit.  I've probably liked that one the best out of the handful that I've gotten through so far.  On to more.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: flex on May 24, 2008, 02:00:39 AM
Any starwars fans on here? Currently I am into the Legacy of the force: Invincible. I've read just about every starwars book known to man, and would love to chat with anyone of like minded taste. I am not overly excited about this latest series, but then again I knew it would be hard to top the New Jedi Order series. Anyway, this book should be a page turner as the final battle between light and dark may be playing out....Drop me a line ;D
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on May 28, 2008, 10:30:10 PM
Picked up a recent copy of "Analog" and "Fantasy & Science Fiction" magazines.  Finished Analog.  It had Eric James Stone's most recent publication in it, which was pretty much the best on in the bunch in my opinion.  F&SF is pretty good so far.  I need to finish my WotF XVIII.  Just read Patrick Rothfuss's winning short story, which I really enjoyed.  Close to being done with that one.  Wish I had more time to read...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on May 29, 2008, 03:58:08 PM
I'm reading Passage by Lois McMaster Bujold.  I like this series, but I wish she didn't put in so much sexual content.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shi on May 30, 2008, 06:24:54 AM
I started A Great and Terrible Beauty, my Libba Bray. It's been sitting on my book shelve for months, so I figured it was finally time too read it. Seems good so far, but I'm worried it'll fall into the typical school social monarchy.

Quote
Just read Patrick Rothfuss's winning short story, which I really enjoyed.


Isn't The Name of the Wind based off his short story? I just bought the book, so hopefully it's good, too.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: White on May 30, 2008, 05:15:06 PM
Quote
Isn't The Name of the Wind based off his short story? I just bought the book, so hopefully it's good, too.

I read his blog, and I think he said he submitted a short story based off part of TNotW.

I just bought V for Vendetta.

It's excellent. It's the first entirely American styled comic book I've ever bought, so it's exciting and I'm enjoying branching out very much!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on May 30, 2008, 05:26:43 PM
I read his blog, and I think he said he submitted a short story based off part of TNotW.

Actually pretty sure that the story he won the WotF contest with was stripped out of the second book in the trilogy "The Wise Man's Fear".  He had to alter it a bit to make it into a contained short story first.

And, TNotW is an amazing book.  I loved it.  Can't wait for the next one.  Was pretty sad to hear that it got pushed back to a March '09 release, but I guess I'll take it whenever I can get it.

Finished the mags(Analog and F&SF) and Wotf XVIII.  I'm currently a bit into the Martian Race, but have set it aside to read "a mind of its own:  how your brain distorts and deceives" by Cordelia Fine.  Was suggested by Scott Bakker in an recent interview that I just read the other day.  It's a non-fiction book (so not part of my normal fare) but quite good so far.  Funny and very intriguing.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: White on May 30, 2008, 05:37:40 PM
I read his blog, and I think he said he submitted a short story based off part of TNotW.

Actually pretty sure that the story he won the WotF contest with was stripped out of the second book in the trilogy "The Wise Man's Fear".  He had to alter it a bit to make it into a contained short story first.

And, TNotW is an amazing book.  I loved it.  Can't wait for the next one.  Was pretty sad to hear that it got pushed back to a March '09 release, but I guess I'll take it whenever I can get it.

Finished the mags(Analog and F&SF) and Wotf XVIII.  I'm currently a bit into the Martian Race, but have set it aside to read "a mind of its own:  how your brain distorts and deceives" by Cordelia Fine.  Was suggested by Scott Bakker in an recent interview that I just read the other day.  It's a non-fiction book (so not part of my normal fare) but quite good so far.  Funny and very intriguing.

Right, I stand clarified. Although since he originally wrote TNotW all out undivided, I view it more as one continued story than a trilogy. Which is good, because then it reads more as a series than a trilogy.

Critical difference there in my view is in a series, they're the type of things where you can pick up any book and start at any part and they're good even reading as stand alones (author examples - Terry Goodkind, Dianna Wynne Jones and Terry Pratchett). As opposed to trilogies which tend to be very Beginning, Middle, End. Which is why trilogies don't work as well as movies because people will always be disappointed by Middle Book Syndrome.

Again, that's just IMO... and kind of tl;dr    -__-;;


Uhh, and since I'm guiltily getting off topic here, I mentioned her far back starting the Quantam Gravity series ("Keeping it Real", "Selling Out") by Justina Robson and both myself and the first friend I've lent them to would *highly* recomment them and class them as being dangerously addictive.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on June 06, 2008, 10:18:04 PM
I'm reading Singularity Sky by Charles Stross.  I'm liking it so far, but I'm worried it is either going to go R-rated or weird.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on June 09, 2008, 06:58:59 PM
Just finished Stir of Bones by Nina Kirriki Hoffman.  It's a prequel that was written after the main sequence books (two, I think).  Tough to read as the first book because it was mostly just event setup to form a character and not really a story in and of itself.  Had some points that I really didn't care for either, especially as a piece of YA fiction.  Almost disturbing.

Started reading The Burning City by Niven and Pournelle.  The character's names are terrible (MC is named Whandall, and I keep hearing, "Someone call the Whaaaaaaaam-bulance!" as I read.  And if anyone doesn't get that reference, go out and buy Disney's "The Kid" immediately.  Great movie.) and not a whole lot has happened so far (60 pages in), but it's semi-interesting.  Keep telling myself that I should have picked up The Mote in God's Eye for this set of authors (reading all the WotF judge's most recent stand-alone or series beginner book), but that would have broken my rule for picking these books.  Ah well.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on June 09, 2008, 07:07:28 PM
I didn't really like Stir of Bones but I thought the other two books about these characters were very interesting.  Nina Kiriki Hoffman is kind of hit-and-miss with her books.  Some of them I really love and others I just think are terrible.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: skibocastle on June 10, 2008, 04:53:47 PM
I'm reading Truth by Terry Pratchett, and I've also just finished the first book in the Twelve Houses series by Sharon Shinn.  I really enjoyed it, a good mix of action and politics, with some good characters.  I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Comfortable Madness on June 10, 2008, 05:27:50 PM
Currently reading the second installment in Goodkinds Sword of Truth series. I really liked the first one but the second one really doesn't compare. I 've heard alot of bad things about this book. Is this series worth continuing? I really hate to quit on it after reading the first one and a half but I also would really hate to waste the amount of time it will take to read them all.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on June 10, 2008, 06:22:53 PM
At the point in the series that you are, I'd suggest bailing now.  The first book was really quite good.  The 2nd and 3rd were iffy in my opinion and after the fourth things just take a huge dive.  Goodkind has some great imagination, but he starts forcing his idealistic philosophy mess way to hard after this.  Writing quality definitely takes a huge dive after that point too.  Really, I'd bail.  My opinion.  I've read em all.  Wish I could have my time back.  Was seriously a waste that I could have put to much better use.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: charity on June 10, 2008, 06:33:21 PM
I just finished a book called 'West with the Night' by Beryl Markham. Okay, wow, that was an amazing book. I should do a review on it or something... if I ever get around to it.

It's this girl memoirs from growing up in Africa in the mid 1900's. It's incredible and she's an excellent writer, I highly recommend it.

Oh and just to add to the umph, my friend picked it up at a library book sale... one of those gems you find evey once in a while.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: flex on June 11, 2008, 03:40:58 AM
The Sword of Truth novels have all the potential in the world, and you keep hanging on throughout the series, praying that he may regain the his former glory. But alas, in the end your are slapped in the head with a large dose of reality..... The series sucks. I cant tell you how many times I tossed the book across the room when I had to hear about the sword leaving its scabbard.... My god it was like he had a page quota and had no actual plot driving words or thoughts to use..... so the reverted back to the old sword of truth. And come on... how many times can one couple get pulled apart, reunited, pulled apart, almost killed, only to be reunited.... rinse, wash repeat. Thanks for wasting my time and costing my money terry.... It helped my appreciate the WOT series even more!

And I am currently reading the second book by brandon sanderson...good read so far.... Hope he can deliver through the end.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on June 18, 2008, 03:21:10 PM
I'm reading Night Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko, and I'm really liking it. The atmosphere is great.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on June 19, 2008, 06:05:17 PM
How's the reading on that one, Sigyn?  I haven't put it at the top of my priority list because I figured it was a translated version that would be difficult to read.  Have head lots of good things about that series though.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: skibocastle on June 19, 2008, 09:49:51 PM
I just finished the second book in the Twelve Houses series by Sharon Shinn.  I'm still really enjoying the series and can't wait to get the third book. :-)  I also have Runelords waiting for me.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on June 20, 2008, 03:17:25 PM
I really liked Night Watch. I'm definitely going to try the rest of the series. The translation is very readable, and I just loved the complexities of the stories. Maybe I'll write a review.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on June 20, 2008, 07:10:04 PM
I'm sure the admins would love you for it, Sigyn.  :)

Picked up Heart-shaped Box by Joe Hill and His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik yesterday.  About 70 pages into Heart-shaped Box and it's quite good.  Really glad that I put The Burning City down for a while.  Will probably get back to finishing it after HMD.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on July 02, 2008, 03:51:49 PM
I just read The Host by Stephenie Meyer, and I was pleasantly surprised.  I didn't have very high hopes for it, and it was actually quite enjoyable.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Obi on July 10, 2008, 08:20:12 PM
I'm, er, in the middle of two books, actually. 
The Running Man by Stephen King, which is just amazing.  ^^  I'm not very far, but I really like it.  I only recently started reading Stephen King, and I've been grabbing whatever of his books I can.  I wish I'd started sooner.   ;D
The other is Twilight by Stephanie Meyer.   I really don't like it nearly as much as The Running Man.  But still... I discovered a strange little completely hopeless romantic hiding inside me that squeals rather loudly as I read. 
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Comfortable Madness on July 10, 2008, 08:51:30 PM
I'm, er, in the middle of two books, actually. 
The Running Man by Stephen King, which is just amazing.  ^^  I'm not very far, but I really like it.  I only recently started reading Stephen King, and I've been grabbing whatever of his books I can.  I wish I'd started sooner.   ;D
The other is Twilight by Stephanie Meyer.   I really don't like it nearly as much as The Running Man.  But still... I discovered a strange little completely hopeless romantic hiding inside me that squeals rather loudly as I read. 


I must recommend that you read The Long Walk written under King's alias Richard Bachman. It might be my favorite book of all time!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Miyabi on July 10, 2008, 09:15:13 PM
I'm, er, in the middle of two books, actually. 
The Running Man by Stephen King, which is just amazing.  ^^  I'm not very far, but I really like it.  I only recently started reading Stephen King, and I've been grabbing whatever of his books I can.  I wish I'd started sooner.   ;D
The other is Twilight by Stephanie Meyer.   I really don't like it nearly as much as The Running Man.  But still... I discovered a strange little completely hopeless romantic hiding inside me that squeals rather loudly as I read. 
If you like King, I would recommend the Hannibal series.  They aren't by King, but they are very well written and in the same type of style as King.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on July 11, 2008, 03:34:48 PM
I'm reading Queen of Candesce by Karl Schroeder. I'm liking it much better than the first one because it isn't about the annoying teenage boy bent on revenge.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on July 11, 2008, 05:18:51 PM
Just finished Empire by Orson Scott Card.  It was decent.  Now it's on to Hard Landing by Algis Budrys and Roma Eterna by Robert Silverberg in my seemingly never-ending attempt to finish a book by each of the Writers of the Future judges.

Edited: spelling correction
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: flex on July 14, 2008, 11:43:04 PM
I'm into A clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin. Fantastic series, I recommend it so far. It is long but quite engaging.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on July 21, 2008, 06:54:23 PM
Read Noise by Hal Clement:  decent.  Reading Three Hands for Scorpio by Andre Norton: kind of blah.  Have Stonehenge Gate by Jack Wiliamson next.  Then it's back to Roma Eterna, which started out well, but got trumped by some shorter books after I noticed how long and dense the pages were in it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Azhev on July 23, 2008, 04:36:58 AM
Shadow Rising. I'm re-reading my Wheel of Time. It's been a long time, and I'm amazed at how much I've forgotten, plus how things make more sense now as I've continued with the series.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Miyabi on July 29, 2008, 04:35:08 AM
The Shining - King
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on July 29, 2008, 05:31:00 PM
Implied Spaces by Walter Jon Williams. I'm really enjoying it so far. Especially the cat.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on July 29, 2008, 07:08:31 PM
So, this is really weird, Sigyn.  I was reading one of the posts in the Science Fiction gropu over at Shelfari, and I had someone recommend the site:  gnooks.com  Apparently, it suggests authors that you might like, based on three input authors that you do like.  So, I put in my three (Scott Bakker, KJ Parker, RJ) and Walter Jon Williams was the first name to come up.  His website looked funky though and there was a link for a free download of part of one of his books that didn't work.  So, I wrote him off.  Now though, I'm wondering if I should give it a try.  lol.  Crazy how this world works.

Currently reading Stonehenge Gate by Jack Williamson (like reading a novel in fast-forward...odd), still haven't gotten back to Roma Eterna, and will be picking up Rollback by Robert J Sawyer today.  Betrayal in Winter by Daniel Abraham should be coming up soon too.  And I just added a handful of books to my "to read" list yesterday after reading Brandon's blog (actually, from Stephen King's acceptance speech of an award in 2003, but Brandon's blog indirectly...) and listening to the weekly Writing Excuses podcast.  Sometimes I feel buried by all the books that are out in the market and wonder why I have this driving urge to write and try to make it as an author, but then remember my opinion of so many of the books that I read, and that gives me hope.  Maybe false hope, true, but in the end I hope my efforts are worth it.  Only time...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Comfortable Madness on July 30, 2008, 03:31:05 PM
Thanks for referencing that website, gnooks.com, it is pretty neat. I put in Robert Jordan, Stephen King, and Tom Clancy and it spit out Terry Goodkind. Which, I have to say, is pretty accurate as I have read the first two books in the Sword of Truth series and was thouroughly impressed with the first one.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on July 30, 2008, 07:33:46 PM
I finished the Walter Jon Williams, and I would definitely recommend it. It was a lot of fun. Now I'm reading Jhegaala, the new book by Steven Brust.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on August 11, 2008, 05:00:51 PM
Double post.  You people need to read more. I'm reading The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan. This is my first time reading it. The problem is I've heard all the complaints about what is wrong with Jordan so I'm noticing all of those things as I read. It's really irritating. If I hadn't heard the complaints, I probably wouldn't be annoyed by them for an0ther three or four books. As it is, if Rand, Mat, or Perrin comment one more time on how much better the other two are at talking to women, I think I'll bang my head against the wall until I lose consciousness.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Comfortable Madness on August 11, 2008, 07:34:03 PM
Double post.  You people need to read more. I'm reading The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan. This is my first time reading it. The problem is I've heard all the complaints about what is wrong with Jordan so I'm noticing all of those things as I read. It's really irritating. If I hadn't heard the complaints, I probably wouldn't be annoyed by them for an0ther three or four books. As it is, if Rand, Mat, or Perrin comment one more time on how much better the other two are at talking to women, I think I'll bang my head against the wall until I lose consciousness.


Seriously? That is one my favorite little things in that series!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Miyabi on August 11, 2008, 09:40:41 PM
I FINALLY got around to reading Warbreaker. . . So I'm working on that right now.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Reaves on August 12, 2008, 01:06:54 AM
Double post.  You people need to read more. I'm reading The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan. This is my first time reading it. The problem is I've heard all the complaints about what is wrong with Jordan so I'm noticing all of those things as I read. It's really irritating. If I hadn't heard the complaints, I probably wouldn't be annoyed by them for an0ther three or four books. As it is, if Rand, Mat, or Perrin comment one more time on how much better the other two are at talking to women, I think I'll bang my head against the wall until I lose consciousness.

wait what exactly did you hate about that?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on August 12, 2008, 05:08:40 PM
To quote Sam Eagle:

"You are all weirdos."
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: MrPaperCamel on August 13, 2008, 10:42:42 PM
Nearly finished with Good Omens by Neil Gaiman & TerryPratchett. Not sure what I will start next, hopefully I wil be as entertained though =).
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: dawncawley on August 16, 2008, 01:32:31 AM
I am re-reading Silver Wolf by Alice Borchardt. Which means I will be reading the other two in the trilogy, Night of the Wolf and The Wolf King,  soon after ;)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: MrPaperCamel on August 16, 2008, 01:38:49 AM
I really enjoyed Good Omens. I definitely laughed a lot, and thought a lot of the ideas were put forth very cleverly. Not at all what you would expect from an Apocalypse book. Neverwhere is still my favorite of his works, but it might just be how much I could relate to Richard's character.

Just started Anansi Boys. Definitely feels like the same writing style found in American Gods, but I am curious where it is these characters are taking us. Too soon into the story, so haven't gotten a why do we care yet. I am sure I will be intrigued as always.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on August 18, 2008, 05:03:05 PM
I just finished Cry Wolf by Patricia Briggs and The Blue Castle by L. M. Montgomery.  They were both so much fun.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Comfortable Madness on August 18, 2008, 05:20:31 PM
Finally got around to starting the Song of Ice and Fire series by GRRM and I am just about finished with A Game of Thrones. I gotta say the book is fantastic and I am very much looking forward to the rest of the series.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on August 18, 2008, 06:05:16 PM
Lol at Sigyn.

I come back here way too often and find that no one else has posted since my last post.  So I don't put anything down.  Since last time:

Finished Stonehenge Gate (Jack Williamson):  didn't much care for it.  Story-wise or writing-wise.

Finished Warbreaker (Brandon Sanderson):  Probably my least favorite of his books (although the squirrel was FUNNY).  This one had a lot of problems for me, but I guess that's the breaks.  I'm guessing that I'll like Warbreaker 2 a bit more, and will think that it should have been a stand-alone.

Finished Betrayal in Winter (Daniel Abraham):  AWESOME!  Great second book in the quadrilogy.  A favorite of mine.

Finished Mister B Gone (Clive Barker):  Eh.  Not bad.  Could have been done better by scaring me a bit more.

Halfway through Rollback (Robert Sawyer):  Interesting but WAY too much told via flashback.  Getting annoying.  The main story hasn't moved a whole lot.

1/3 through Clash of Kings (George Martin):  Listened to this on CD.  Second time trying to get through this one.  Finding that I'm developing the same kind of apathy toward most of the characters once again.  Really want to finish it this time though because the guy's such a great writer.  Still, it ight end up in the same pile as the Malazan books.  We'll see.

Up next, Roma Eterna (Robert Silverberg):  This one's been on the back burner for forever, it seems.  Will probably get to it this time through though.  I need to.  Only four more to go (including this one) in my quest to read at least one book from each of the WotF judges.

Back to debugging my code.  :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Comatose on August 21, 2008, 02:31:49 AM
If you guys like Niel Gaiman, try reading Stardust, I really enjoyed it.  I tried rereading some portions of Eldest (by that Paolini kid who makes me angry), but had to throw the book down in frustration.  On thursday (tommorow), I plan to zip on over to Mcnally's and pick up the new Artemis Fowl (I seriously hope he doesn't make another one.  The first... four were good, but then started to deteriorate), and the new Keys to the Kingdom, Superior Saturday (Garth Nix).  I'm excited about that last one.  Keys to the Kingdom has been really great so far, and I can hardly wait for the conclusion, which probably won't come out for a while.  So that's what I'm about to read, I'll let you know what they are like when I'm done.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on August 26, 2008, 04:49:30 PM
I'm reading The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova and Midnight Never Come by Marie Brennan. I'm still not sure what to think of the former, but I'm really liking the latter.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: SarahG on August 27, 2008, 10:11:58 PM
WriterDan, thanks for the gnooks recommendation (about a month ago - I don't check this thread very often) - that is one cool website!  It sent me to Dawn Cook, and I'm planning to check one of hers out at the library tonight.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on August 27, 2008, 10:29:54 PM
Hey, I'm glad that you can use it and find good stuff, Sarah.  I just came across it on another forum by happenstance.  So I figured, gotta spread the love!  :)

Since last time:

Finished Rollback by Robert Sawyer -- Two main story arcs, neither of which were handled very well or very satisfactorily, imho.  Definitely some interesting ideas, and some good character building though.  Worth reading in the end.

Finished Clash of Kings by GRRM -- Long, long, long.  With very little happening that I much cared about.  But the guy can write!  Dang!  Glad to accomplish getting through it this time.  Don't know if I'll continue with the series though.  If I do, it'll be a long time coming.  Lots of other good stuff out there for me to read that is a lot more satisfactory for me.

Finally picked up Roma Eterna by Robert Silverberg again:  So far, I have mixed feelings.  The first chapters were great.  Kind of tailing off the further I get into it though.  Lots of background history that I don't need to know.  Doesn't even add to the feel of the milieu for me either.  So, we'll see where this one ends up.

Trying to hold in the reins on Before they are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie.  I really just want to jump to this one.  Quite badly.  Need to get through the WotF books.  Aaaaaaauuuuugh!  Four left.  Then I don't think that I'll undertake any goal quite so big for a while.  Well, except for my re-read of the Wot books in prep for AMoL.  :)  I guess that there is still that one.  lol.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on August 27, 2008, 11:30:15 PM
I love Dawn Cook, gnooks came up with her on my first try.  I would like that site bette if I lived in a town with a decent sized library.  Of course that would only be the Library of Congress, so I guess its OK I live in the middle of nowhere.
I just started on The Mars Trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson.  I fed my kids pizza last night so I could keep reading Red Mars.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on August 28, 2008, 05:35:20 PM
I just finished Midnight Never Come by Marie Brennan, and it was lots of fun. Now I'm reading Zoe's Tale by John Scalzi.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on September 09, 2008, 05:37:26 PM
Finished Roma Eterna finally.  That was one densely written book.  Ended up to be decent and boring in turns.  Great characterization when the story wasn't detailing "history", and really lacking in a real ending.  In the end, glad that I read it, but also glad that  I'm done with it.

Finally got to start reading Before They are Hanged by Joe Abercrombie, and am loving it.  Already 100 pages in.  Went to Barnes&Noble the last night to try and pick up the new WotF anthology (which they didn't have oddly enough...) and noticed that The Last Argument of Kings (final book in this trilogy) was sitting on the shelf.  Had a hard time not picking it up.  Wish I wasn't such a poor college student.  I need to get a job.

Also started on Old Man's War by John Scalzi.  Not very far in yet, but it's mildly interesting.

Nightwatch (that Russian one about the vampires...) is next up on my list, then I need to get back to the WotF judge books with Hidden Empire by Kevin J Anderson, then it's Freedom's Landing by Anne McCaffrey and TimeWeb by Brian Herbert to finish off my list.   Ah, the sweet sound of success.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: SarahG on September 09, 2008, 05:41:25 PM
Also started on Old Man's War by John Scalzi.  Not very far in yet, but it's mildly interesting.

I read Old Man's War recently, and enjoyed it.  It had some interesting concepts, I thought.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Emillith on September 09, 2008, 05:49:57 PM
I'll be finishing up the latest Terry Brooks today. Then I'll go back to One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez that I interrupted for Terry.  :D
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Comfortable Madness on September 15, 2008, 07:08:24 PM
My wife has been pressuring me to read Stephen King's Eyes of the Dragon so I've started that.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Loud_G on September 15, 2008, 09:26:33 PM
Currently reading "Off Armageddon Reef". 

It is a scifi setting where all the scifi is stripped out partway through only to be brought back at the end. The middle reads somewhat like a fantasy.

It is very interesting.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on September 16, 2008, 05:38:03 PM
Hey, I'm reading Off Armageddon Reef as well. I'm only about 20 pages in, though. I'm also reading Lake Wobegon Days. It is very different.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: SarahG on September 16, 2008, 07:28:29 PM
I've recently discovered Penelope Lively.  She's a British author who grew up in Egypt (which biographical detail is responsible for my interest in reading her work).  So far I've read a collection of her short stories and 1 1/2 novels, and I'm enjoying them.  She's strong on describing characters' thoughts and memories and motivations in an interesting way.  Some characters are certainly more likable than others, but they're all pretty vivid.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: JCHancey on September 17, 2008, 01:49:07 AM
I just finished wizard's first rule and wow that was awesome!!! library didn't have stone of tears in tho... made me sad
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: GreenMonsta on September 17, 2008, 01:59:03 AM
Jakobus that is my favorite series of all time. Dont get me wrong Wheel of Time is awesome but Sword of Truth is the one you want. Your lucky to start it now, all the books are out. It took me years of waiting to finish that monster series. Oh and by the way Ston of tears is easily 1/3 longer than Wizards First Rule and just as good.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Emillith on September 17, 2008, 02:00:26 AM
Ok, still putting off Hundred Years... Instead now I'm reading Born to Kvetch.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Miyabi on September 17, 2008, 07:41:32 AM
I just bought The Name Of The Wind and I'm rereading Homo Sacer : Sovereign Power And Bare Life
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: MrPaperCamel on September 17, 2008, 02:54:47 PM
Started reading Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Figured as a linguist, I should probably have read these at some point.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Miyabi on September 17, 2008, 03:09:13 PM
Started reading Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. Figured as a linguist, I should probably have read these at some point.
Did you hear that Burton is remaking Alice In Wonderland?  I'm REALLY excited!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on September 17, 2008, 05:39:29 PM
WHAT!!!!  Freaking cool!  Love Burton.  This one'll be a ride for sure.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: MrPaperCamel on September 17, 2008, 11:46:19 PM
I did not know that. Should be interesting since his brain is crazy on a normal day.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on September 18, 2008, 01:20:38 AM
I enjoyed Off Armageddon Reef, but of course I like Weber a lot.  I can actually understand what is happening in a space battle when he describes it.  The sequel is out in hard back and I had a very hard time not buying it. Keep trying One Hundred Years of Solitude.  I read it for a class and irritated the teacher to no end by finishing it in a weekend and talking about what happens later.  I've got the latest Artemis Fowl but I'm not very excited about reading it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Hanami on September 18, 2008, 07:27:30 PM
I'm re-reading "Magic's Pawn", the first part of the trilogy "The last Herald-Mage", by Mercedes Lackey, and one ob my favorite books right now... the whole trilogy, I mean, but I believe the first and third books are the best. I strongly recommend you give a try at some of Lackey's books, I think they're worth it. Well, at least for me!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on September 22, 2008, 05:07:33 PM
So, I lied.

I finished Before They are Hanged and liked it so much that I went out and bought the third in the trilogy (The Last Argument of Kings) and started reading it this morning.  Will get to Nightwatch and all the rest afterward.  At least, that's the plan for right now...  :)

The new WotF anthology (24) still isn't out.  Think it's going to be released sometime next week.  We'll see.  I'm sure that will come into the schedule when it's finally out.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on September 22, 2008, 05:17:13 PM
My sister bought Chalice by Robin McKinley, and she lent it to me. Hurray! I'm very excited to read it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Miyabi on September 22, 2008, 08:10:32 PM
Brisngr is amazingtastic so far!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on September 26, 2008, 08:03:02 PM
So, ironically enough, less than ten days after I bought Last Argument of Kings (Joe Abercrombie) I was notified by email that I had won a copy of the entire trilogy through FantasyBookCritic.

Dang.

On the up side, I'm a little more than a third of the way through the book now, and loving every minute of it.  So, at least I didn't pay for a crappy book.  :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Wielder on September 27, 2008, 05:27:14 AM
Brisngr is amazingtastic so far!

My room mate finished it the day after it was released and he said he loved it.  I have never been able to get past the first book though, so, I'll just have to leave that one be for now.

There is one book that was recommended to me just yesterday that I am having trouble putting down: The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak.  I'm sure this book is mentioned somewhere in this thread, but I really don't have time to read it anymore.  So far, it has been great (50 pages in).  I'll try to keep you all up to date!

But just a quick generalized shameless plug: The story is narrated by Death and through the novel, he reveals the story about 'the book thief.'  Really cool things are going on here in regards to PoV so far. 
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Reaves on September 28, 2008, 11:19:19 PM
Brisngr is amazingtastic so far!

Against my better judgment I picked it up, and I have to agree with you. Got it around noon and six hours later I am halfway through...whats that, 3-4o0 pages? His descriptions are amazing, especially in the opening pages of the book. They really stuck with me.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: dawncawley on September 29, 2008, 12:05:59 AM
I'm glad to hear that he has improved as a writer so much. I am looking forward to starting that series soon, and watching the evolution of another writer :)

Currently, I am finally able to get back to reading, due to some unexpected time off work, so I am hurrying to finish the Wolf series so I can re-read the first two Mistborn books in preparation for the third book :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: CthulhuKefka on September 29, 2008, 09:38:37 AM
Just finished up The Lies of Locke Lamora. It was a decent read, I liked how the author, Scott Lynch, described the city. It was almost Victor Hugo'esque (although not nearly as detailed).

And speaking of Hugo, I recently re-read Les Miserables, as it is one of my all time favorite novels.

Re-read The Thief of Always by Clive Barker as well, easily one of my favorite books by him.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Miyabi on September 29, 2008, 03:06:02 PM
Brisngr is amazingtastic so far!

Against my better judgment I picked it up, and I have to agree with you. Got it around noon and six hours later I am halfway through...whats that, 3-4o0 pages? His descriptions are amazing, especially in the opening pages of the book. They really stuck with me.
The biggest problem in my opinion was the lack of grammar being consistent I mean, he did alright, but there were MANY places that could have been improved.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on September 29, 2008, 07:40:07 PM
Just finished up The Lies of Locke Lamora.

The second in this series (Red Seas Beneath Red Skies) wasn't quite as satisfying as the first, but still a good read.  If you liked them, you'd probably dig The First Law trilogy by Joe Abercrombie.  Same kind of feel.  Anyhow, CthulhuKefka, a suggestion for you.  I need to read some more Barker too.  Read his most recent (Mister B Gone) but wasn't too caught up in it.  I know that he has better stuff out there.  Just need to find some of it. 
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: MrPaperCamel on September 29, 2008, 08:24:17 PM
Finished Alice in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass. Story was much more interesting with all the footnotes and biographical and historical information.

Just started Elantris, and not entirely sure what I think yet. Very intrigued where things are actually heading, but not entirely sure what kind of story I am getting into. Feel like I am at a disadvantage somehow.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: SarahG on September 29, 2008, 08:41:53 PM
Several forum members have recommended Rothfuss's Name of the Wind, so I picked it up yesterday and stayed up far too late reading.  Then when I finally forced myself to turn off the light, I had trouble sleeping and had all kinds of scary dreams.  I'm definitely hooked - but maybe I shouldn't read it right before bed.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Reaves on September 29, 2008, 11:47:28 PM
The biggest problem in my opinion was the lack of grammar being consistent I mean, he did alright, but there were MANY places that could have been improved.

By grammar do you mean rules of sentence structure and that type of thing? Run-on sentences? I noticed some mistakes in dialogue but always chalked that up to the fact that the characters didn't study grammar in school  :P and would talk naturally without worrying about the finer points of the English language.

For the most part I consider grammar rules to be a style choice. There are times where run-on sentences are actually really bad and/or don't make sense. Fragments that are confusing. But they can just as easily be tools of expression to convey the scene to the reader.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on October 02, 2008, 04:51:24 PM
Several forum members have recommended Rothfuss's Name of the Wind, so I picked it up yesterday and stayed up far too late reading.

Name of the Wind is an awesome book.  Loved every minute of it.  Just got another friend of mine to start reading it.  Can't wait for Wise Man's Fear!  April can't come too quickly.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: GreenMonsta on October 06, 2008, 09:14:48 PM
I just started reading "The Runelords" by David Farland the other day. There was a sign next to Robert Jordans book that said if you liked Jordans work than you might like David Farland and I think Anne Cobb or something like that. Im a little more than half way through and I like it a lot so far, so I guess Boarders wasn't too far off with the informative sign.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on October 07, 2008, 05:23:45 PM
I'm reading Snake Agent by Liz Williams, and I am loving it. I hope it continues as good as it started.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: SarahG on October 08, 2008, 08:31:41 PM
I finished Name of the Wind and I loved it.  I think my favorite part may be the title and what it signifies - there's something intensely stirring about the idea of things obeying you and helping you if you know their names.  (I hope I'm not spoiling anything here - it's in the first chapter.)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: GreenMonsta on October 08, 2008, 11:42:14 PM
Just finished David Farlands RuneLords. I was pleasantly surprised with this book. I had a good amount to it and a cool magic system that we dont even get to fully understand in this first book. I am eager to finish the series, too bad it will have to wait until after MB3 at this point.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on October 09, 2008, 06:34:43 PM
Quote
I think my favorite part may be the title and what it signifies - there's something intensely stirring about the idea of things obeying you and helping you if you know their names.
I think that idea would appeal to me more if I didn't have children. ;)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: SarahG on October 09, 2008, 06:41:11 PM
Maybe you just haven't learned their deep names yet.  ;)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on October 09, 2008, 08:40:50 PM
Quote
Maybe you just haven't learned their deep names yet
Aaaah, that's my problem.
Just finished The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman.  I liked it more than I thought I would.  I felt disappointed that it was over so quickly.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on October 10, 2008, 04:49:50 PM
I'm reading The Magicians and Mrs. Quent. I found out it was due at the library and I couldn't renew it, so it jumped the reading queue. I'm really liking it so far, although it does some funny things with its tone. The first part reads like a regency romance while the second part reads like a mix of Jane Eyre and Turn of the Screw. I haven't gotten to the third part yet.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on October 14, 2008, 09:33:38 PM
Finished Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie.  Absolutely amazing.  The guy can write.  Into Freedom's Landing by Anne McCaffrey right now.  Maybe halfway through.  Going to bail on it in a few hours though when I go to pick up my copy of Hero of Ages.  Will probably be with that one for a while.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fuzzyoctopus on October 18, 2008, 01:19:29 PM
I am reading Lethe by Tricia Sullivan, and am disappointed to learn she has only  another handful of books out there, because this one is really good.  (Didn't stop me from ordering two of the ones she does have off of half.com though!)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: MrPaperCamel on October 18, 2008, 08:17:05 PM
Just finished Elantris. All I can say is wow. I have never been so hopelessly in love with storylines before, while at the same time being frustrated by certain things that were done. I love figuring out puzzles, but I had the feeling I was given any clues towards what the answer was. Won't thread hijack or necropost elsewhere (though my brain is tingling with thoughts), will just say what a wonderful journey it was and I sincerely hope we are not done with it. I know Brandon has said he will continue, but I never take anything for granted. Especially in light of such things as Firefly, Advent Rising, and Red Dwarf.

Currently have Mistborn and Academ's Fury on order (small town bookstores hate me). Currently reading up on how to operate Ubuntu because I apparently don't remember how to work Linux. Going pretty quick though. Like falling off a bike.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: GreenMonsta on October 21, 2008, 11:24:26 PM
Elantris is awesome, I loved that book so much. Im currently re-reading Wizards First Rule to prep for the series thats coming out on ABC in like 10 days or so. Im about halfway and its hard to believe I still love this book as much as I do.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: MrPaperCamel on October 22, 2008, 03:16:33 AM
I really enjoyed Wizard's First Rule. Took me by surprise as the content of the story, and what exactly was going on. I was not expecting that kind of story, and it was refreshing to see something new. I am unfortunately still stuck in the middle of Phantom...and honestly have stopped caring about the characters. Terry has hammered the same point on the about 200 pages the he dealt with in another book and I am really annoyed at hearing about it. To me that is really sad when I started with so much interest in the characters.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on October 22, 2008, 03:19:29 AM
Just finished Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

I know it's not genre fiction, it's high school romance. But I really loved the voice and the main character. And while some events aren't exactly believable, I really really really enjoyed this fun book.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: GreenMonsta on October 22, 2008, 03:24:48 AM
Paper- You know I agree. I do however love the series and I don't mind any of the books (Blood of the Fold, Pillars of Creation) too much I do feel that your involvement with the characters was much more intimate in the earlier books. The last book doesn't disappoint so stick with it. Also the biggest complaint I had, was the introduction of Six so late in the series. It was almost like he ran out of material so he had to throw her into the mix along with the princess once again. Ah well, its still one of my favorite series with some of my favorit books.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Necroben on October 22, 2008, 04:32:59 AM
Just finished Catacombs by John Farris.  Not all bad but his word usage kept throwing me out of the story.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on October 22, 2008, 04:37:49 AM
I just finished By Schism Rent Asunder, the newest David Weber.  It is funny seeing him redo a book, Heirs of Empire, and turn it into a series.  I think he just got tired of starship battles and wanted good old-fashioned naval battles instead.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Necroben on October 22, 2008, 04:46:19 AM
Mummy, have you read 1633 by Webber and Eric Flint?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on October 22, 2008, 04:53:15 AM
No, my small town library doesn't have it and my book budget has been eaten up by EUOL. I like Weber a lot though.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Necroben on October 22, 2008, 05:03:25 AM
I like him as a writer in that as well as The War Gods Own.  Never read his SciFi though.  I'm still saving up for EUOL's newest book.  It's a good thing Dan's is so far out in advance, I have the chance to afford it when it comes out.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silenced Parrot on October 22, 2008, 02:30:17 PM
I'm about to read Brisingr, so wish me luck with that one.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Elmandr on October 22, 2008, 04:56:48 PM
As of right now i am reading a bunch of Neil Gaiman. All at once. He rocks. Oh, yeah, im also reading some Pratchett. Specifically Night Watch.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on October 22, 2008, 05:26:22 PM
KARL SCHROEDER IS AWESOME!!!

Ahem, I feel much better now.  I just finished Pirate Sun and it was great. I love this series by Schroeder, and you all should read it. So there.

Now I'm reading How to Ditch Your Fairy by Justine Larbalestier. It's fun YA.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on October 22, 2008, 06:50:23 PM
1633 by Flint & Weber is a good book, but you have to start with 1632 by Flint, of course. That whole series is awesome. It's such an expansive alternate universe; it's even spawned its own magazine that pays pro rates. I love it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on October 22, 2008, 08:13:15 PM
I will have to go pester my librarians about Eric Flint.  Elmandr1, I think reading a lot of Neil Gaiman, coupled with Terry Pratchett, (Nightwatch is my favorite) could warp your brain, though Halloween is the right time for it.  I read the Graveyard Book recently.  Once you got over the idea of a bunch of ghosts raising a child it was really good.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: MrPaperCamel on October 23, 2008, 01:15:34 AM
Picked back up Phantom at the slight behest of Monsta. I am glad to hear that you feel it ended well enough that I should continue on with it. Very annoyed that they did introduce Six when they did as well. Seemed out of place and desperate and I don't even know her arc yet. Also getting annoyed at the plot device they are using with Richard. If I were twenty years younger I would be able to relate just fine...

Also Dan's Vampire Bunny book has had me doing something I have not done in a while; Laughing out Loud.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Necroben on October 23, 2008, 02:26:38 AM
1633 by Flint & Weber is a good book, but you have to start with 1632 by Flint, of course. That whole series is awesome. It's such an expansive alternate universe; it's even spawned its own magazine that pays pro rates. I love it.

That is true, it just happened to be on the shelf, and was the first one I picked up.  I love 'em, I've gotten up to 1635 so far and haven't been bored with any of them.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on October 23, 2008, 02:14:12 PM
Currently working on the Lays of Beleriand (Tolkien).  His poetry takes some getting used to, but retains a sort of magic in its own right.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on October 23, 2008, 06:59:05 PM
1632 and 1633 are actually free e-books on the Baen Free Library website.

http://www.baen.com/library/

If you can't find em in a library, and don't mind reading on the computer, that's at least an option for the first two books in the series.

I'm listening to The Graveyard Book through the streaming video of Gaiman reading them, linked to from his website.  It's pretty good so far.  Keeping me interested while doing other much more mundane stuff at school anyhow.

Almost finished with Hero of Ages now.  About 150 pages left to go.  I'm going to have some good reading ahead of me with all of these "SPOILER" threads that have popped up since the book came out.  Want to see where Brandon is going to go with all of this afterward.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on October 23, 2008, 08:31:29 PM
Quote
1632 and 1633 are actually free e-books on the Baen Free Library website.

http://www.baen.com/library/

If you can't find em in a library, and don't mind reading on the computer, that's at least an option for the first two books in the series
Thanks for the link.  Generally I don't like reading on the computer, because the chair is uncomfortable and my children bug me, but there is getting to be a big list of things I want to read that way.  I may have to give in and find a more comfy chair.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on October 23, 2008, 10:26:01 PM
They're available in a lot of different formats, no DRM, so if you have any other devices or a ton of paper and ink, you can read them however you like.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on October 27, 2008, 05:40:17 PM
Finishing Freedom's Landing now that HoA is finished.   Also picked up Iain M. Banks new book, Matter.  It's pretty good so far.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: MrPaperCamel on October 30, 2008, 06:12:56 AM
I just finished Dan's vampire book, and Phantom by Terry Goodkind. Phantom was extremely hard to get through. In the end it felt like a chore. I am really curious how everything will play out. especially since I am this far in, I don't think I can just let it go. I think I would be enjoying everything more if there weren't so many books in the series. I phrase it that way because then themes wouldn't need to be repeated so much. Would feel more like actual Leit Motif instead of harping. And majorly, events put into play in this book would feel more connected to the beginning of the series instead of feeling like the author forgot to explain important things and hoped we all wouldn't notice too much.

Will either start Mistborn, Academ's Fury, or The Confessor next. Not sure what I am in the mood to jump into right now. Anyone have any good suggestions for Noir?

Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Loud_G on October 30, 2008, 03:22:46 PM
I am now reading Well of Ascension! Yay! Hopefully I'll finish it by the time Brandon gets to DC :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on October 30, 2008, 06:26:08 PM
Quote
Anyone have any good suggestions for Noir?
Other than reading the originals, Dashiell Hammett is great, try Jim Butcher.  The Dresden Files are good Noir/Urban Fantasy.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: GreenMonsta on October 30, 2008, 11:08:13 PM
You know I haven't had the time to go to the library or book store lately so I ended up downloading like 10 fantasy e-books the other day. I'm sure my work doesn't mind me doing this while working and also using their printers to print 3 to 400 page books. Right now I'm reading "Delver Magic" book 1 by Jeff Inlo. Its not bad, its a traditional fantasy with elves and dwarfs but a couple of other races in the mix aswell. So far I cant complain, it is fairly entertaining and keeps me occupied for the time being.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on October 31, 2008, 04:38:32 AM
I'm 2/3 of the way through the Name of the Wind. It's completely unoriginal. Everything about it: the world, the characters, the plot setup, the magic, is based on a cliche. But it's done oh so well. The more I read, the more I think that this is the ultimate genius-orphan-boy-learns-magic-and-seeks-revenge-on-his-parents'-supernatural-killers story and that now that this book exists, there's no need for anyone to write another one ever again. It's just that good.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: MrPaperCamel on October 31, 2008, 06:18:11 AM
Other than reading the originals, Dashiell Hammett is great, try Jim Butcher.  The Dresden Files are good Noir/Urban Fantasy.


Own all Dresden =). After Halloween you will have to look at my old avatar. Will look into Hammett though, thanks.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Elmandr on October 31, 2008, 06:21:07 AM
I'm 2/3 of the way through the Name of the Wind. It's completely unoriginal. Everything about it: the world, the characters, the plot setup, the magic, is based on a cliche. But it's done oh so well. The more I read, the more I think that this is the ultimate genius-orphan-boy-learns-magic-and-seeks-revenge-on-his-parents'-supernatural-killers story and that now that this book exists, there's no need for anyone to write another one ever again. It's just that good.

Haha! reached the pinnacle, huh. Name of the Wind, the ring of all the revenge seeking orphan books. Anyway, what do you think of Pats voice?

That's actually my favorite aspect of the book. He has a terribly ominous voice. The funniest part is that when i met him, i found an overly clever witted jokester, who never stopped smiling. For him to shed such a grim tone in his writings from his light hearted disposition...well, he's just awesome is what im trying to say.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: GreenMonsta on October 31, 2008, 12:50:14 PM
Yeah I dont know. I've read too many of those to think this one could be hands down the best but I guess that means that I will have to pick it up and give it a try some time. Seeing how I dont mind cliche fantasy novels.

I still stand by "Wizards First Rule" as the hands down best. You dont have to like Goodkind or even the rest of the series but that book was awesome.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Loud_G on October 31, 2008, 02:25:01 PM
I still stand by "Wizards First Rule" as the hands down best. You dont have to like Goodkind or even the rest of the series but that book was awesome.

It was good, but I don't think I could call it the best. Certainly very enjoyable, though the torture scenes lasted too long.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Comfortable Madness on October 31, 2008, 02:30:37 PM
I agree that Wizards First Rule was a fantastic book. However, I was extremely dissapointed in the second book, Stone of Tears. So much so that it took away from how awesome the first book was. Don't get me wrong Stone of Tears wasn't horrible but it just couldn't, successfully, follow up a great first act. Thus, taking away from the show as a whole.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Elmandr on October 31, 2008, 04:07:21 PM
I agree that Wizards First Rule was a fantastic book. However, I was extremely dissapointed in the second book, Stone of Tears. So much so that it took away from how awesome the first book was. Don't get me wrong Stone of Tears wasn't horrible but it just couldn't, successfully, follow up a great first act. Thus, taking away from the show as a whole.

I know what you mean, authors tend to paint themselves into a corner--its hard to follow up "The End of the World"

So when another book comes, its usually disappointing or redundent, "What, the world is going to end....again?"

Which is a big part of the reason authors create these complex, really interesting worlds, write a trilogy or series on it. Then never go back to it again. What happens if the readers doesn't want to leave?

For instance, Scadriel, i hope that this isn't the end...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: GreenMonsta on October 31, 2008, 04:21:21 PM
Maddness I tend to disagree. While I respect your opinion I loved the whole series. Almost every book was awesome for me so I guess I am biased. The Stone of Tears was an awesome book I didnt have trouble with the series until Blood of The Fold or Pillars of Creation. But again I loved the Sword of Truth. Come on, the Palace of the Prophets and the Sisters of the Light may be a rip off of The Amrylin seat and the Asi sedi but I read the Sword of Truth first and I thought it was good. Also the torture scenes were needed to build Richard as a character, if you read the whole series Richard never forgets Dena and turning the blade white for the first time. That was important in making him who he was. But again thats just me im sorry.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on October 31, 2008, 05:59:43 PM
Quote
Anyway, what do you think of Pats voice?

That's actually my favorite aspect of the book. He has a terribly ominous voice. The funniest part is that when i met him, i found an overly clever witted jokester, who never stopped smiling. For him to shed such a grim tone in his writings from his light hearted disposition...well, he's just awesome is what im trying to say.
I don't know about that. I think his voice in the book is often quite funny and entertaining. Any grimness just comes from more of an injection of reality than you see in a lot of books. Life for an orphan would naturally be very difficult for an orphan in a society like this, and it's nice to see it portrayed that way.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Elmandr on October 31, 2008, 11:14:23 PM
Quote
Anyway, what do you think of Pats voice?

That's actually my favorite aspect of the book. He has a terribly ominous voice. The funniest part is that when i met him, i found an overly clever witted jokester, who never stopped smiling. For him to shed such a grim tone in his writings from his light hearted disposition...well, he's just awesome is what im trying to say.
I don't know about that. I think his voice in the book is often quite funny and entertaining. Any grimness just comes from more of an injection of reality than you see in a lot of books. Life for an orphan would naturally be very difficult for an orphan in a society like this, and it's nice to see it portrayed that way.

Thats probably a better way to explain it. It is sort of morbid humor. Which isn't so hard to believe given that Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett are two of his favorite authors...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: CthulhuKefka on November 07, 2008, 06:28:19 AM
I am currently re-reading the book "Nerds: Who they are and why we need more of them" by David Anderegg, Ph.D.

It's an interesting book.  :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Elmandr on November 07, 2008, 08:28:18 AM
I am currently re-reading the book "Nerds: Who they are and why we need more of them" by David Anderegg, Ph.D.

It's an interesting book.  :)

Thats an interesting title.

I started reading Country of Origin. Mainly because the author is the professor of my 3000 level class i'm going to be taking next semester. Well, that was initially why i picked it up but thats not whats keeping me reading. Its really good.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on November 09, 2008, 02:19:16 PM
Reading lots and lots of job-related materials lately.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: MrPaperCamel on November 09, 2008, 04:03:24 PM
Stupid SixSigma taking up all my reading time. Which is hilarious since I physically have to force myself to stop reading Mistborn =). Sazed makes me smile.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shi on November 10, 2008, 01:44:33 AM
Oh gosh, how long has it been since I last posted??? You know, I don't even want to think about it.

Anyway, I was reading a couple books, and some of them I was really liking... I just can't remember what they are. Shoot.

Oh! Jumper. I'm really enjoying Jumper. Totally different than the movie. So if you didn't like the movie, you might like the book (like me), but if you did like the movie you might not get into it.

I'm also completely addicted to the Fables comics. Yeah, you got to love the Big Bad Wolf.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on November 13, 2008, 06:04:10 PM
So, I was wandering around the internet yesterday and came across a review for KJ Parker's new novel The Company.  And I'm all, NewNovel?  I completely freaked out, called my local Borders, reserved a copy, and picked it up last night.  Started reading.  Ah, it's good to be back in a KJ Parker book.  Can't wait to get further in.  Having a difficult time not reading it while here at work.  It's burning a hole in my head, sitting there on my desk just an arm's length away...

Started reading Heroes Die by Matthew Woodring Stover a few days ago.  Got about 50 pages into it and decided that I didn't really like it.  So, I bailed on it.  Finished Matter by Iain Banks just before that.  Amazing ideas, awesome writing, but little to no story.  Frustrating, but I guess that's what I get for picking up a sci-fi book.

I also have An Autumn War by Daniel Abraham reserved at the library.  Guess they're working on getting it into their system.  Don't know what I'm going to do if that one comes available before I'm done with The Company though.  Will probably have to let it sit.  Have three weeks to keep it after all, and I doubt I'll be able to put The Company aside until it's over and done with.

Also picked up Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney and am reading it with my wife.  Pretty funny so far.  Mostly just chuckles, but still worth a laugh.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on November 13, 2008, 07:33:50 PM
Quote
Amazing ideas, awesome writing, but little to no story.  Frustrating, but I guess that's what I get for picking up a sci-fi book.
Science fiction has gotten a lot more of a "literary" reputation lately, I think its because a lot of authors have abandoned the storytelling qualities that made it different in the first place.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on November 14, 2008, 05:41:24 AM
I think it's also partly because writers have worked very hard to get it that sort of reputation.  And believe me, the fight's not over yet.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: CthulhuKefka on November 14, 2008, 05:25:04 PM
I'm also completely addicted to the Fables comics. Yeah, you got to love the Big Bad Wolf.

Those comics are Grade A Awesomeness. I think I have most of them on a disc somewhere.

I'm currently reading a comic series called Preacher, but I'm sure most of the crowd here hates it for obvious reasons lol.  :D
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on November 15, 2008, 12:20:51 AM
I'm reading Lilith by George MacDonald, and I have to say, it is weird. I'm not completely sure whether it is a good weird or a bad weird yet.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: MrPaperCamel on November 22, 2008, 12:07:14 AM
Finally finished Mistborn. Catching up =). Really really glad I started it. Was a spectacular read for me. Made me remember why it is that I read the particular sub-section of fantasy that I do.

I was a little sad that I saw a lot of the ending pieces coming. Some of it was fun to try and pick out. I get a great sense of fulfillment from picking out very small things that turn true in the end. With other things though; I am fairly certain I only guessed them because Brandon "spoliered" them in the Writing Excuses podcast. Not sure if we are on a statute of limitations, or if I was able to take really fine details and figure out how his methods. In either case, I figured some things out much much earlier than i would have normally.

Still looking forward to the rest, which I shall be acquiring soon =). And always nice to figure out Christmas gifts for friends.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on November 22, 2008, 04:46:24 AM
I've been plowing through The Guns of August, a detailed look at the first month of WWI.  I don't think I've ever read of this many errors made by presumably capable people; except in the case of the Russians, they were pretty much incapable to begin with.  The author's premise that this month directly caused the next four years of misery is pretty well proven and I'm only half-way through.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on November 22, 2008, 07:34:08 AM
I just finished The City of Ember and The People of Sparks. I enjoyed them quite a bit, though there are a few stupid things in the way Ember was planned.

Are there other really good science fiction middle grade books out there? (Not fantasy; actual science fiction.)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on November 22, 2008, 12:45:50 PM
You've read The Stainless Steel Rat?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on November 22, 2008, 05:29:41 PM
I enjoyed The Stainless Steel Rat, a bit dated, but fun.  The Retief books by Keith Laumer are elso good, in that same style.  I like David Weber and Robert Heinlein's The Moon is  a Harsh Mistress, as far as sci-fi goes. 
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: CthulhuKefka on November 22, 2008, 06:58:02 PM
I just finished re-reading Battle Royale by Koushun Takami. Pretty dark book, but none the less an interesting read again.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on November 22, 2008, 07:06:59 PM
I read all the Stainless Steel Rat books in 9th or 10th grade and thoroughly enjoyed them—they're the reason I learned Esperanto. They're not middle grade or even YA—they're books written for adults. A Stainless Steel Rat is Born and its immediate sequel may have tried for the older YA crowd, but it wasn't much of an effort.

I'm trying to think of books aimed at 9- to 12-year-olds that are serious science fiction like the Ember books are. (Not dumb stuff like "My Teacher is an Alien"—not that I know for sure that that is dumb, but it sounds dumb and the covers looked dumb.)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Elmandr on November 22, 2008, 08:12:50 PM
I'm reading a bunch of self-improvement books on writing. You know, the kind that helps you "Find your voice," "create unforgettable characters," and write "a damn good novel!"

Does anyone have any particular books in mind that focus on becoming a better writer and the like?

Thanks much.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: MrPaperCamel on November 23, 2008, 05:29:51 AM
I just finished re-reading Battle Royale by Koushun Takami. Pretty dark book, but none the less an interesting read again.

How was it in comparison with the movies?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: CthulhuKefka on November 23, 2008, 06:03:43 PM
I just finished re-reading Battle Royale by Koushun Takami. Pretty dark book, but none the less an interesting read again.

How was it in comparison with the movies?

Honestly, the movie was a terrible adaptation. Changed too many things. The manga on the other hand is much more in line with the original novel.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Loud_G on December 01, 2008, 03:30:42 PM
Finally reading Hero of Ages! WOO!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on December 01, 2008, 05:30:39 PM
So, I just read significant chunks of the manual (Roleplaying Book) for Warhammer Quest (acquired online, though my friend owns the game).  Makes me very sad that there's little chance GW will reproduce it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Vatdoro on December 01, 2008, 07:12:36 PM
Currently re-reading A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin and The Great Hunt by Robert Jordan. I'm slowly going through both of those series again so I feel "caught up" when their next books come out (hopefully next year).

Reading The Warlock in Spite of Himself by Christopher Stasheff and Warbreaker for the first time. Also reading The Dark Knight Returns (comic book) which is fun.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on December 01, 2008, 11:50:33 PM
I'm reading Day Watch, or I would be if I hadn't misplaced it. I'm assuming it has to be in my house somewhere, but I don't know where.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Reaves on December 02, 2008, 12:36:27 AM
I just finished reading The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. It was actually reviewed on this site quite some time back and while I was looking through the list of book reviews, it caught my eye. I didn't pick it up until quite some time later but I am very impressed, especially for a first book. In my opinion it could have used some editing but still I was impressed.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: flex on December 02, 2008, 08:36:39 PM
I have not read all the posts so I'm sure someone has put this on here but, I just finished the Twilight Series. Let me preface this by saying that I am not a teenage girl or a lonely single mother. I am a normal adult male who loved this series. I started this series with nothing in mind beside reading the book before the movie because I like a good vampire story, and to my amazement I loved it. In fact for three day's I could do nothing but read the series. I had my wife driving to get the next book while I was finishing another. I was blown away. Now there is a lot of overdone googly-eye love pages, and I was able to not just look past it but actually embrace it. I must say I was very surprised, and despite the fact that my father mocked me for having the series on the counter I will still recommend it to all my friends.  Look past the young adults section category, look past the droves of young ladies flocking to both read the book and see the movie, and just pick it up. I did it a walmart and when mixed in with groceries no one noticed it. Now I'm in a mad scramble to find a series that can compare to it in style and hopefully equal it writing ability. If anyone has any recommendations please drop me a line.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Loud_G on December 02, 2008, 09:45:24 PM
If you liked Twilight, the Host (by the same author) was in my opinion MUCH better (and yes, I too, liked Twilight (and am a normal married adult male))
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on December 03, 2008, 12:05:25 AM
I think it's hilarious that you felt a need to qualify what you're reading with an explanation.

(BTW, doesn't matter if someone else is reading what you are—it's just what you're reading!)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: kevinpii on December 03, 2008, 03:17:24 PM
at the moment I'm reading Elminster in hell. its not so good. i used to like ed greenwoods stuff but its been a while since i read anything of his so i thought i would pick it up. i just don't really like it, it jumps around too much from memories to reality back to Elminster its almost too much work to figure out where the story is headed at the time.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on December 03, 2008, 05:48:12 PM
Reading Sword from Red Ice by JV Jones right now.  Been meaning to get to it for a long time now.  Don't really feel bad though.  It took her five years to write the dang thing.  It's no wonder it took me over a year to get to it once it was finally released.  So far it's pretty good.  Nothing spectacular.  Also just finished Diary of a Wimpy kid recently.  Read it with my wife.  Pretty funny.  Worth a couple of chuckles anyhow.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Comfortable Madness on December 03, 2008, 07:18:04 PM
Currently reading Storm of Swords by George RR Martin. Took me a long time to pick up this series. So far I'm very impressed. Although, like Jordan, he switches character perspective just as your really into what the current character is doing. He also does not space out time jumps. He just starts a new paragraph which can be a tad confusing at some points. These two complaints are really nothing at all compared to how much I enjoy the story!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Eerongal on December 05, 2008, 02:52:49 PM
The Prose Edda by Snorri Sturlson, a translation obviously, since the original was written in the early 1100's or so and is in old norse.

I highly reccomend it if you like norse (viking) mythology. It's a pretty good primer, from the creation of the gods, to their role, to tales of their exploits, all they way up to ragnarok.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: MrPaperCamel on December 05, 2008, 04:49:47 PM
Fighting through Academ's Fury now. I really like a lot of the characters, and am immensely curious where he goes with the story but it just feels so boggy at the beginning. Seems like Jim is still trying to figure out his way through this genre.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on December 05, 2008, 09:58:43 PM
Started the Magyk series.  Got them to listen to while traveling over Thanksgiving.  My 9 yr old was so into it he wanted to stay in the car.  They seem better than a lot of the current crop of copy-cat fantasies in the children's section.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: SarahG on December 08, 2008, 09:09:05 PM
I'm currently reading The Best Birth about the Sarah McMoyler method of childbirth.  I find it much more reasonable and less like propaganda than competitors like Bradley's Husband Coached Childbirth or Jennifer Block's Pushed.  Key points:
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on December 08, 2008, 09:43:46 PM
Set aside Sword from Red Ice to pick up An Autumn War by Daniel Abraham.  This guy is one amazing writer.  Love his stuff, and so far this book is no different.  Really looking forward to reading more of him.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Hanami on December 19, 2008, 01:11:11 PM
If you liked Twilight, the Host (by the same author) was in my opinion MUCH better (and yes, I too, liked Twilight (and am a normal married adult male))

Agree. In fact, I think it such a pity that some people won't read The Host just because they disliked Twilight.

Right now, I'm reading Phoenix and Ashes, the third book in the Elemental Masters series by Mercedes Lackey. I have to recognize, they are both interesting and original.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on December 22, 2008, 09:02:24 AM
Primal Leadership, by Goleman et al.  It's popular science, as it were, about the role of emotion in leadership.  Pretty good, so far.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: GreenMonsta on December 25, 2008, 04:24:52 AM
Band of Brothers by: Stephen E. Ambrose.

I have always stuck to fantasy seeing how realistic stuff never really interested me. I mean if I wanted real stuff I would watch the History channel or Discovery. So I was out of books to read and I saw this in a box of my fathers books. I decided that I had seen the mini-series enough times to recite the lines so I might as well read the book that spawned it. I have to say that I am pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoy this book. It makes me think that I might delve deeper into the whole historical novel section of the book store. Anyway I'm about half way through and I love it so if you haven't read it yet and like historical warfare type stories I suggest you read it, even if you've seen the mini-series.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: CthulhuKefka on December 25, 2008, 08:35:35 AM
Band of Brothers by: Stephen E. Ambrose.

I have always stuck to fantasy seeing how realistic stuff never really interested me. I mean if I wanted real stuff I would watch the History channel or Discovery. So I was out of books to read and I saw this in a box of my fathers books. I decided that I had seen the mini-series enough times to recite the lines so I might as well read the book that spawned it. I have to say that I am pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoy this book. It makes me think that I might delve deeper into the whole historical novel section of the book store. Anyway I'm about half way through and I love it so if you haven't read it yet and like historical warfare type stories I suggest you read it, even if you've seen the mini-series.

That is the same as when I watched the TV mini-series North and South. Immediately went out and picked up the books and loved them.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Necroben on December 26, 2008, 05:58:41 AM
I just got Hero of Ages for Christmas! Yea! :D
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: hoid354 on December 27, 2008, 06:42:54 AM
Cool! I already read the whole series  :). I'm currently reading The Eye of the World, partly because Jordan chose Sanderson to finish the series. I liked the first book in the Codex Alera series, and I want to read Academ's Fury (it's the next book, right?), but i got Shogun, Watership Down and To Kill a Mockingbird for Christmas, so it will be a while before i'll go to the bookstore again  ;D.

Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on December 27, 2008, 09:31:04 AM
I got two (exceptional) Thai cookbooks for Christmas... and 4 volumes of the user manual for my new digital camera...

I'll probably spend much of tomorrow reading the camera's manual stuffs.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: CthulhuKefka on December 27, 2008, 09:10:47 PM
I got two (exceptional) Thai cookbooks for Christmas... and 4 volumes of the user manual for my new digital camera...

I'll probably spend much of tomorrow reading the camera's manual stuffs.

Mmmmm, I LOVE Thai food.  :)

Surprisingly I didn't get any books this year, will have to remedy that next year.  :D
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Reaves on December 28, 2008, 02:11:50 AM
I'm currently reading The Eye of the World, partly because Jordan chose Sanderson to finish the series.

I really hate to quibble, but actually Jordan never met Sanderson. It believe it was his wife that choose Sanderson to take up the mantle.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on December 28, 2008, 11:09:47 AM
I also love Thai food.  My collection of Thai cookbooks now numbers at around 7 or so...

Mmmmm, I LOVE Thai food.  :)

Surprisingly I didn't get any books this year, will have to remedy that next year.  :D
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: CthulhuKefka on December 28, 2008, 05:44:38 PM
I'm going to have to bug my dad to make some Chicken Satay with spicy peanut sauce sometime soon. Haven't had that in awhile and it is too delicious.  :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: hoid354 on December 28, 2008, 08:17:30 PM
I'm currently reading The Eye of the World, partly because Jordan chose Sanderson to finish the series.

I really hate to quibble, but actually Jordan never met Sanderson. It believe it was his wife that choose Sanderson to take up the mantle.
okay, well, you get my point, he's still finishing the series
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on December 29, 2008, 01:46:03 AM
The only time I ever tried to make Satay was when it was dark and it was an undercooked failure (the sauce we made wasn't good, either, probably because of a bad recipe).  I'll have to try to make it again some time, though I really don't do much grilling—I prefer to work over a wok or pot.

I'm going to have to bug my dad to make some Chicken Satay with spicy peanut sauce sometime soon. Haven't had that in awhile and it is too delicious.  :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Loud_G on December 29, 2008, 04:13:19 PM
I'm reading the First Annual Collection of "Year's Best Fantasy" Short stories.  In the past I haven't read much in the way of short stories, but I've got to say, I've enjoyed quite a few of these and I'm thinking it is a good way to learn about other authors without buying too many books :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: GreenMonsta on December 29, 2008, 05:36:52 PM
I think I'm going to have to look into that there Gloria. Sounds like my kind of thing.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: kevinpii on December 29, 2008, 06:09:08 PM
i just finished dune messiah and am currently reading renegade by ted dekker.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bastille on December 30, 2008, 07:51:28 PM
I'm reading MB #1, Inkdeath, breaking Dawn and Tales of Beetle the Bard. I'm more focused on Breaking Dawn because that's a fast book to read. I can read like 100 pages an hour.

Bastille
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on January 01, 2009, 07:57:28 PM
I just finished Tooth and Claw by Jo Walton, and it was great. Now I'm reading Blood and Iron by Elizabeth Bear, which is good so far, but I'm not sure how it's going to go.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: flex on January 01, 2009, 10:31:14 PM
I just finished Hero of Ages and I must admit that I was a little disappointed. It was slow and drawn out in my opinion, but admittedly I did have very high hopes for this book, perhaps to high. I'm now onto The Magician: The secretes of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, By Michael Scott. It is a young adult book but when I read the alchemist(first in series) I found it engaging so I hope this one wont disappoint.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: GreenMonsta on January 02, 2009, 08:59:32 PM
First of all I want to say that I loved the Misborn trilogy. You are entitled to your opinion and thats cool that you share it.

Second, What books are you talking about. an Immortal named Nicholas Flemel sound eerily similar to Harry Potter. Also having the other book named the Alchemist makes it too close to ignore.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: flex on January 03, 2009, 07:02:46 PM
It's more along the lines of the Made for TV Movie's the Librarian with just a pinch of Potter. I also just finished The Time Machine. Its one the the first classic's that I've read and I found it enjoyable.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on January 04, 2009, 11:00:32 PM
Nicholas Flamel was a historical figure (an Alchemist).  Like much of Harry Potter, it isn't a Rowling original.

I've justed started Covenant Hearts (non-fiction).  Nothing too exciting so far, but that's to be expected, as it was a gift from my father.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: flex on January 05, 2009, 02:29:42 PM
I just took a moment to look up some info on Nicholas Flamel and it seems to me that the author follows the supposed historical figure almost exactly. Its one of the cases that history is more interesting than fiction.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: CSmythe on January 05, 2009, 06:50:06 PM
I am just finishing up The Hero of Ages and have to say that it was the most fun book in the series. I have just been flying through it, unable to put it down and happily missing out on sleep to read.

After that I have Empire in Black and Gold by Adrian Tchakovisky which I am really looking forward to.

Right before HoA I tore through Princep's Fury, the 5th book in the Codex Alera which was a bit slow to start but once it kicked in it just flew.

I picked up 7 new books with Christmas GCs so am looking at a nice long run with some exciting new authors to get me through these brutal cold months (-50 outside today, I need to move).
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on January 06, 2009, 02:24:26 AM
I just finished a series by Cinda Williams Chima (new writer). Good books (although the editing is HORRIBLE).

The Warrior Heir, The Wizard Heir, The Dragon Heir
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: GreenMonsta on January 06, 2009, 10:28:23 PM
Right now I'm reading a book out of DragonLance that my uncle recommended. He has a really nice library full of fantasy so even though I'm not the biggest fan of DragonLance or ForgottenRealms (except Drizzt/Salvatore) I'm giving it a try.

Its called Chronicles volume 1: Dragons of Autumn Twilight by: Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on January 07, 2009, 12:09:02 AM
Quote
Its called Chronicles volume 1: Dragons of Autumn Twilight by: Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
I had a hard time getting through that one, never continued the series.
 I just finished The Lies of Locke Lamora, I can't decide if I want to read the next one or not. It had good writing, great characters and an interesting plot, but really foul language and a few plot devices that were so implausible I had to stop reading the book for a bit to think about why it was so ridiculous.  Has anyone read the second book? I think it is called Red Skies Over Red Seas.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on January 07, 2009, 12:16:11 AM
Is it set in modern times?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on January 07, 2009, 04:31:19 AM
No, an imagined universe that was quite amazing actually.  It was one of the reasons I kept reading.  There are huge glass building made by a lost race, a fallen empire and a huge amount of background that is only referred to in bits.  Describing how humans have made themselves at home in an alien city that they cannot explain nor duplicate was very good. 
The details that got me were more mundane, like how much abuse can a person take and still be able to win a knife fight?  How far can a person with severe bloodloss, to the point of being dizzy, walk without bleeding out and dying?  Those kind of things.  They kept the main characters alive to further the plot, but after this miraculous stamina was an important plot device three times in so many chapters I started to get annoyed.
And the name is Red Seas Under Red Skies.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on January 07, 2009, 04:16:43 PM
Oh, sounds interesting. Maybe I'll check it out if I ever find the time (not likely).
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on January 07, 2009, 06:35:17 PM
Its called Chronicles volume 1: Dragons of Autumn Twilight by: Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman

That was the first book that I ever bought.  Loved it then, and just recently went back and re-read the entire series.  It's quite possible that I liked it this last time through because of all the memories of reading them back when I was in 5th grade, but I still think that they're great books.  Some awesome characters in there, and they're pretty quick reads to boot.

**********

I just finished The Lies of Locke Lamora, I can't decide if I want to read the next one or not.   Has anyone read the second book? I think it is called Red Skies Over Red Seas.

I read that one ReaderMom.  The writing was very similar, the vulgarity was just as rampant, and there were a few story-telling devices that he used that I didn't care for.  Didn't like the way the first one was put together.  Red Seas was guilty of hiding information from the reader on purpose to build tension in a couple scenes, and after the cool ending of the first one, the ending of the second was a big let down for me.  That being said, the story was still fun; he fleshed out a world a bit more, spent a lot of time on pirate ships (which was fun to read for a change), and in the end left me with a feeling much similar, if maybe just a bit less content, as the first one.  The third comes out in March supposedly, and there are a proposed seven in the series.  I'll probably read the third one, if just for the fun of it.  These days I'm not finding much that is perfect, but a lot of stuff that does a decent job of making me a happy reader.

**********

Finished Sword from Red Ice by JV Jones.  It was essentially an exercise in world building, and bit of character development (but just a bit).  Wasn't too happy about that.  Especially after learning that instead of this being the final volume in a trilogy, she's stretched it out to five books now.  Don't know if I'll read the fourth.  Definitely won't be high on the priority list though.

Just picked up Perdido Street Station by China Mieville.  It's supposedly part of the New Weird genre of fantasy.  And I'll definitely give it that--it's weird.  At this point, I'm hoping that there's more to it than just the weird.  He's gearing up to be a pretty good writer in my mind at this point.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on January 07, 2009, 06:44:03 PM
WriterDan–what exactly is the 'New Weird' genre of fantasy?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on January 08, 2009, 06:00:09 PM
You know, other than the definition that it's weird, I don't know what much to say.  Apparently, it's a term coined my Mieville himself, but lots of other authors have been bunched into the category.  This book that I'm reading has stuff like humans with beetle heads and compound eyes as a different race, viably mixing inorganic material with biological hosts, and all placed in a world like something you'd expect out of Gormenghast-like, but modern-day London.  There's a wikipedia article on it apparently.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Weird

If I had to put it to a term, I'd say--Urban fantasy and sci-fi to the extreme.  I've heard lots of good stuff about the guy, so I decided to check it out.  Definitely good writing, and an interesting story.  Into it a hundred pages now.  But man, just freaking...weird.  :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on January 08, 2009, 07:02:35 PM
Yeah. It's weird.

I wasn't entirely satisfied with the ending to Perdido Street Station, but it was certainly a well-written book and got pretty dang tense.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on January 08, 2009, 11:01:56 PM
Oh, I get it…sort of. Thanks, though.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Loud_G on January 09, 2009, 12:46:17 AM
My wife and I are reading 'Alcatraz vs. the Evil Librarians' out loud to eachother and thoroughly enjoying it!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: hoid354 on January 09, 2009, 04:41:49 AM
Wow, it seems like a lot of people are reading Brandon Sanderson books. I might have to pick up Alcatraz after i finish the books i got for Christmas.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on January 09, 2009, 12:50:03 PM
I thoroughly enjoyed that one, and my brother just raved about it.  Thought it was the funniest thing he'd ever read (he's 19, but with a quirky sense of humour).

I think I'll wait to buy them until a boxed set comes out, however, with the whole trilogy.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: CSmythe on January 09, 2009, 04:06:09 PM
I think that the Alcatraz books at least are going to be a five books series actually, and I am not even sure if the fifth book has been purchased yet. Might be a while before you get them in a boxed set.

Also started in on Adrian Tchakovski's(sp?) Empire of Black and Gold and have to say, it is great. This book might win the award for worst back cover blurb ever but I encourage everyone who likes political fantasy to pick a copy up and give it a try. A very cool story and some very cool characters it has been a great read so far.

Also along with everyone else I am reading through Alcatraz vs the Evil Librarians. I just can't stop laughing, this book is hilarious.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on January 10, 2009, 01:21:24 AM
What is the title of the first book? I can't seem to find it….
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: CSmythe on January 10, 2009, 04:07:03 PM
Alcatraz vs. The Evil Librarians. I believe you can actually purchase it straight from www.brandonsanderson.com, if not I am sure your local bookstore will have it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on January 10, 2009, 04:13:51 PM
Oh, maybe that's why–I thought that was the name of the series. I don't even think we HAVE a local bookstore. I live on the tiniest, most insignificant little speck on the earth. 8)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Loud_G on January 10, 2009, 10:31:04 PM
Oh, maybe that's why–I thought that was the name of the series. I don't even think we HAVE a local bookstore. I live on the tiniest, most insignificant little speck on the earth. 8)

You have an internet connection, so that is doubtful ;)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on January 11, 2009, 05:03:54 AM
I started reading the "Study" books by Maria V. Snyder. Poison, Study, Magic Study and Fire Study.  I quit half-way through the last one because she had known characters react in completely stupid ways to continue the plot.
Any suggestions for slightly older fantasy series that my small library might have?  I've gone back to reading Winston Churchill, so I need something lighter after that.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on January 12, 2009, 01:26:33 AM
Quote
Oh, maybe that's why–I thought that was the name of the series. I don't even think we HAVE a local bookstore. I live on the tiniest, most insignificant little speck on the earth.

You have an internet connection, so that is doubtful
Haha, true. But it's still pretty freaking small. And in our "town center," we have a pizza place, a ridiculously over-priced grocery store, a liquor store, a hardware store, a bank, and a real estate place that no one ever goes into. Pretty pathetic.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on January 12, 2009, 03:21:00 AM
Hey, I lived in a place about that size once.  Downtown was all of two short blocks, I think.  I rather liked it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on January 12, 2009, 03:26:44 AM
That's fine. But I like big cities better. And the people in my town aren't very nice.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: MrPaperCamel on January 12, 2009, 06:17:40 AM
Just finished Academ's Fury. Moving on to Eats, Shoot & Leaves by Lynne Truss. I have been told it is rather amusing.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Necroben on January 12, 2009, 06:23:53 AM
I'm finishing up The Redemption of Althalus by David & Leigh Eddings.

My next is to try and finish up a romance novel called Falling Bodies by Andrew Mark.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on January 13, 2009, 11:26:09 PM
I'm reading 'Oliver Twist' for English now, and I am amazed at how many words he manages to stuff into one sentence!!! I mean, I've heard the rumors, but I never expected single sentences to take up entire paragraphs!!!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on January 13, 2009, 11:40:35 PM
Hah, you should read Kant!  He's worse!

But, you do need to remember:  Dickens got paid by the word.  (And, frankly, it shows.)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: SarahG on January 14, 2009, 06:51:23 PM
Dickens got paid by the word.  (And, frankly, it shows.)

Of course, there was a the counterbalance: if people quit reading his words, he'd quit getting paid.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on January 14, 2009, 10:50:55 PM
Quote
But, you do need to remember:  Dickens got paid by the word.
Although I have heard this statement numerous times, my English teacher (a very intelligent, knowledgeable woman who has been teaching English and Oliver Twist for 35 years, and who's husband is a Superior Court judge) has told our class that this is simply a rumor, and a false one at that.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: flex on January 15, 2009, 09:49:14 PM
I just finished The Chase by Clive Cussler. Very fast and exciting read. I got this book for christmas and didn't want it, I love history, and I love fiction, but historical fiction for me is usually as cheesy as it gets. This book though caught me off guard. It was fun, entertaining and intelligent. Great read. Now I'm onto The Host that many of you suggested. Hope its as good as many of you think.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on January 16, 2009, 05:39:05 PM
Who is the author of 'The Host?'
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on January 16, 2009, 06:15:19 PM
Stephenie Meyer.  The Twilight (teenage vampires that everyone loves) author.

The Host is kind of like a romantical version of the Body Snatchers, from what I've heard.  Haven't read it yet myself.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on January 16, 2009, 07:54:01 PM
Oh.…I wasn't aware that Meyer had written any other books besides the Twilight series.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on January 16, 2009, 09:57:40 PM
Halfway through The Ill Made Mute, first of the Bitterbynde series.  It's better than I was expecting.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on January 17, 2009, 12:40:49 AM
Quote
Although I have heard this statement numerous times, my English teacher (a very intelligent, knowledgeable woman who has been teaching English and Oliver Twist for 35 years, and who's husband is a Superior Court judge) has told our class that this is simply a rumor, and a false one at that.

Well, your teacher was sort of wrong.  Many of Dickens' novels were published initially as serials, and his publisher paid, essentially, by the page (Dickens had to meet minimal page requirements).  So Dickens got paid to produce a certain amount of text, regardless of content or quality (assuming the public still bought it).  That's essentially the same as getting paid by the word, in my book.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on January 17, 2009, 04:52:00 AM
Not really. Big difference. If the minimum is 3,000 words, then he would get paid the same amount for writing 3,000 as for writing 50,000.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Necroben on January 17, 2009, 04:58:24 AM
not if 4200 only fit on a page.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on January 19, 2009, 09:53:15 PM
You see my point. Hyperboles and exaggerated statements are often used when making a point (at least when I'm the one making it).  8)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: CSmythe on January 19, 2009, 10:16:22 PM
Just starting in on the second novel in the Night Angel Trilogy by Brent Weeks. I honestly was going to pass on the rest of this series after having read the first but it keeps getting recommended to me by people whose opinions I trust. Apparently Weeks fixes a number of the things I had problems with in the second volume so who knows. It is a series about a magic assassin so it could turn out great.

On Stephanie Meyer I gotta say that The Host, from what of it I managed to wade through is pretty bad. I dug Twilight, thought it could have been a great series but then mostly just got offended by the rest of it. Now I'll state for the record that I am a guy and 26 so probably not her target audience but really I had a pretty big problem with Bella becoming basically suicidal as soon as Edward left at the end of Twlight. It just seemed like she met a guy and decided that without him life wasn't worth living, not really a great message to be sending to teenage girls as far as I am concerned.

I have never in my life advocated banning books but I desperatly wish they would keep this out of the hands of children, it teaches terrible lessons for young girls and frankly is not something I would want my daughter (assuming I had one) reading until she was at least old enough to see how messed up it was.

Maybe I read to much into it, on the surface it certainly is a book about a girl who is in love with a sparkly (ugh) vampire and on that level it is fine, except for the sparkling.

Thoughts?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on January 26, 2009, 09:51:56 PM
So, I put Perdido down for a few books.  They were ones that came up on my City Library waiting list, and Perdido is one I get from the University for something like three months.  So...

Read Born Queen by Greg Keyes.  Final book in Thorn and Bone series.  Mostly just confusion for me.  Don't think I understood why anything happened in the entire book, let alone the rest of the series.

Tried to read TimeWeb by Brian Herbert.  Forced myself through 45 pages (even though I wanted to pitch it after 2) before giving up on it.  Horrible writing.  Horrible story-telling.  Just...uck.  There was no point in continuing the torture.

Started Hidden Empire by Kevin Anderson.  Decent so far, even though every, new, extremely short chapter has a new POV character in it.  Not sure what to think about that.  This is the last author that I have to read to complete my goal of reading at least one book from every author in the Writers of the Future judges panel.  It's been an interesting ride.  I'll say that.

Ghost Story by Peter Straub is coming up after I finish those last two.  Supposedly one of his really good ones.  I like a little horror every now and then.  :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on January 28, 2009, 04:11:40 PM
I'm rereading 'Thieves Like Us' by Stephen Cole and I'm really enjoying it. It's more of a juvenile read, but.…
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bastille on January 28, 2009, 07:47:52 PM
Lets see. I'm reading at this point Inkdeath because I've had it since Christmas and I haven't finished it yet and that's REALLY slow for me.

Bastille
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on January 28, 2009, 07:48:46 PM
Inkdeath was a big one, if I remember it correctly. I think I liked it, too.  :D
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: kevinpii on January 31, 2009, 01:22:12 PM
Im reading children of dune. Its good but i cant seem to get into it because of getting ready for the new baby.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on January 31, 2009, 08:34:22 PM
A good reason!!! Congratulations!!! ;D
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on February 02, 2009, 06:16:55 AM
I just started William James' The Will to Believe (and other essays) and Human Immortality.  I'm still on "The Will to Believe", but I'm really liking him so far.  (This is Philosophy, for those who were wondering.)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on February 12, 2009, 08:48:07 PM
I tried to read Spirit Gate by Kate Elliott and bailed after my obligatory 10%.  Writing was mediocre, story was slow, and so much freaking explanation!  Anyhow, I picked up Seventh Son by Card.  Pretty decent so far.  Need to get on to my re-read of WoT in anticipation of AMoL.  Exicted for the ending.   ;D
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on February 13, 2009, 04:19:01 AM
I just read my first Forgotten Realms book, Plague of Spells. It was actually pretty good (and I'm not saying that just because I'm doing the copyedit of the sequel). It didn't feel roleplayish and felt like it could be read cold with no problem by anyone who had no experience with D&D (aside from a couple character references like "the monk" and "the half-elf" that stood out like a sore thumb; these could easily have been edited away).

It's quite sufficiently epic in scope, with interesting characters including an astrally projecting girl and a drug addict who sold his soul to keep the drug from killing him. And then imprisoned the deity he sold his soul to and took over his house. And then carelessly got his soul stolen by the astrally projecting girl's brother.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on February 13, 2009, 08:15:41 AM
I just started Beasts of No Nation (by Uzodinma Iweala), which I'm currently borrowing.  Has kind of a bizarre voice—the narrator uses broken English.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bastille on February 13, 2009, 06:47:27 PM
Lets see. I'm reading at this point Inkdeath because I've had it since Christmas and I haven't finished it yet and that's REALLY slow for me.

Bastille

I finished it!! Hallelujah!! Took long enough. I got caught up in everything else that it just say on my bedside table staring at me.

Bastille
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on February 14, 2009, 08:46:19 PM
Some very interested books I've been reading, lately. They go highly recommended. I've already finished Everyone Poops and Why We Fart; now I'm on to The Gas We Pas, but I don't know if I'll make it through. It's a tricky read.












I'm actually reading Hero of Ages (for the first time). I'm sure you all know who the author is.…
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Necroben on February 15, 2009, 04:25:58 PM
The Bear and The Dragon, by Tom Clancy
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on February 15, 2009, 04:33:59 PM
Shattering Glass by Gail Giles…wow. Amazing book. But…kind of frightening. (Not in a violence way; actually, in kind of a psychological way.)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: flex on February 18, 2009, 03:05:48 AM
Just finished reading the Night Angle Trilogy. Not the greatest writing but I like the concept of the story so in the end I enjoyed it. I wouldn't recommend it as the greatest ever but it was a fun read if you got passed the first book.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on February 19, 2009, 01:32:08 AM
Night Angle? Are you sure it's not Night 'Angel?'
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: little wilson on February 19, 2009, 07:50:49 AM
I'm reading Prince Caspian. I watched the movie last night, and got a sudden craving to read the book, since I've never read it before (I stopped on The Horse and His Boy the last time I tried reading Narnia). I loved the movie, and I'm really liking the book.

EDIT: And now I'm onto The Voyage of the Dawn Treader...I'm almost surprised at how quick a read these books are....
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bastille on February 19, 2009, 01:40:43 PM
I'm reading Prince Caspian. I watched the movie last night, and got a sudden craving to read the book, since I've never read it before (I stopped on The Horse and His Boy the last time I tried reading Narnia). I loved the movie, and I'm really liking the book.

EDIT: And now I'm onto The Voyage of the Dawn Treader...I'm almost surprised at how quick a read these books are....

Those are good books. I've read them all and yeah they are quick reads. :) I hope you enjoy them.

Bastille
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: flex on February 19, 2009, 06:18:38 PM
Yes your right its Night Angel. I am not an accomplished speller, so I use spell check and usually am to lazy to re-check it myself.  But as long as a few of you can figure it out I'm good. Thanks for the catch though!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on February 19, 2009, 10:38:22 PM
Haha–no problem.

Are those the ones by C.S. Lewis? I enjoyed those…I think.…:/
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: little wilson on February 20, 2009, 12:13:38 AM
Are those the ones by C.S. Lewis? I enjoyed those…I think.…:/

Yes. Chronicles of Narnia is by Lewis....And the only one that I haven't enjoyed so far is The Horse and His Boy (hence why I never finished it, and have now skipped it to finish the series....).
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on February 20, 2009, 02:46:19 AM
Finally got around to reading the Temeraire books.  I wish I had read them earlier, I am really enjoying them.  My library just got them and we are playing tag with several other people who are checking them out too.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: GreenMonsta on February 20, 2009, 03:00:46 AM
I have finally gotten around to starting the Song of Fire and Ice series by George R. R. Martin. Currently half way into the Game of Thrones and I really enjoy it so far.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: flex on February 23, 2009, 02:25:10 AM
I just finished The Road. WOW.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: SarahG on February 23, 2009, 08:31:31 PM
Yes. Chronicles of Narnia is by Lewis....And the only one that I haven't enjoyed so far is The Horse and His Boy (hence why I never finished it, and have now skipped it to finish the series....).

How long ago was it that you tried to read it?  You might consider giving it another try, once you finish the series - I know I enjoyed that one more when I got older.  Aravis gets less annoying toward the end, I promise.  (Plus, she gets a bit of what she deserves.)  And as you've noted, they're very quick reads, so you won't have wasted much time if you still don't like it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on February 23, 2009, 09:30:21 PM
Its funny how children's lit has changed.  I read the Narnia books around 9 and loved them.  My older sons, 10 & 9, think they are horribly boring and prefer Terry Pratchett.  I think they have less tolerance for pure plot with less humor.
I could blame my parenting, but maybe I'll say its the problem with kids today.  There is more out there now and it is much less didactic than a lot of what I read at their age.  I'm not that old, mid-30s, but I would say learning to read today would be much more fun.
That said, Horse and His Boy is my least favorite of all of them.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: SarahG on February 23, 2009, 10:41:44 PM
Hmm, that's worrisome.  I was hoping to share my love of Narnia with my kids (I'm expecting my first in May), so I hope it won't be too hard to convince them of how wonderful those books (and others I enjoyed as a child) are.  Maybe if I start them young...

Or maybe I should just go with the flow, let them read the more interesting and funny books, and pick other battles to fight with them.  I'm sure there are a lot of good books out there now that I've never heard of.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: little wilson on February 23, 2009, 10:57:29 PM
Pratchett's good. I like him. And I started Narnia about 4 years ago. I was a teacher aid in my senior year for a 3rd grade teacher and the teacher didn't always have something for me to....But the Narnia books were in there, and since I sat next to the bookshelf.....I just couldn't really get into the book. I didn't even get that far. Maybe 30 pages? I don't know...And yes, I do intend on re-reading it after I finish the others.

And as for kids and reading. I think just instilling in them a love for reading a lot of different types--at least, not just humor--will make it easier for them to enjoy stuff like Pratchett and Lewis. Even if their styles are completely different, they're both really good, and they both write/wrote predominantly fantasy (to my knowledge).

On a side note, I really need to focus on reading one book at a time. I whipped out Card's Ender books a couple days and so I'm re-reading them on top of Narnia....And I have a craving to re-read Ella Enchanted, too.... ::)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Loud_G on February 24, 2009, 04:43:51 PM
Currently reading Book One of the Runelords by David Farland.

I'm not all that far into it (3 chapters) but I am liking it quite a bit so far.

It was refreshing to not start out on a farm, but with a murder in the middle of the night :D
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Comfortable Madness on February 24, 2009, 05:36:50 PM
Finishing up my WoT re-read with Knife of Dreams. I did not remember the prologue being that long.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on February 24, 2009, 06:01:42 PM
Just starting my re-read of the WoT books.  Eye of the World.  It's been forever since I read this for the first time.  Pretty sure this is my third time reading it, and I have to say that I'm enjoying it quite a bit.  I was a bit worried going into it that I might not like the writing.  I've heard a bundle of people say that they can't handle Jordan's prose.  I'm on page 150 now, and really I think that I'd like to see what some of those people consider to be books worth reading that have writing that is "so much better".  Man, this is good stuff.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on February 24, 2009, 10:36:14 PM
When I go back to one of RJ's books after a long while…I'm just so…amazed…at how talented he is. Just amazed.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on February 24, 2009, 11:02:03 PM
Little Wilson, I always read multiple books.  Right now I just finished Making Money, by Terry Pratchett, And I have The Widow of the South, Victory of Eagles by Naomi Novik, A History of the Arab Peoples and another history book about the early 1800s that I can't remember the title of, all in the middle of right now.  That way you always have something you want to read around. 
I am waiting until the summer to start my RJ reread, because if I finish too early I will just get annoyed that the next book isn't out yet.  My husband has been listening to them on audiobooks and he started already because it takes a long time to get through them that way.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Reaves on February 25, 2009, 04:14:38 AM
Just starting my re-read of the WoT books.  Eye of the World.  It's been forever since I read this for the first time.  Pretty sure this is my third time reading it, and I have to say that I'm enjoying it quite a bit.  I was a bit worried going into it that I might not like the writing.  I've heard a bundle of people say that they can't handle Jordan's prose.  I'm on page 150 now, and really I think that I'd like to see what some of those people consider to be books worth reading that have writing that is "so much better".  Man, this is good stuff.

 Yeah, I am actually doing the same thing. JoeC inspired me  ;) At least, I'm trying to; I picked up EotW but didn't get very far until I grabbed the first two of Jim Butcher's Dresden Files. Good books I haven't read > great books I've read and reread  :D
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on February 25, 2009, 05:30:15 AM
I'm still reading Regenesis by CJ Cherryh (the sequel to Cyteen), and I also started The Patriot Witch by CC Finlay which Del Rey released a PDF of online. It's a fantasy which starts at the battle of Lexington & Concord; it's interesting.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: little wilson on February 25, 2009, 08:46:01 AM
Little Wilson, I always read multiple books.  Right now I just finished Making Money, by Terry Pratchett, And I have The Widow of the South, Victory of Eagles by Naomi Novik, A History of the Arab Peoples and another history book about the early 1800s that I can't remember the title of, all in the middle of right now.  That way you always have something you want to read around. 

Oh, I used to always be reading multiple books. But I haven't really been reading a whole lot since I finished HoA, and so for me to be reading about 5 or 6 books now is a little crazy. And time-consuming since if I was doing what I should be doing, I would have virtually no time at all to read...But alas, I am a slacker to the core. It's terrible...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on February 25, 2009, 05:39:56 PM
Starting today, I will be reading The Judging Eye by R Scott Bakker. My work day is basically being wasted due to the anticipation.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on February 25, 2009, 06:54:05 PM
I can TOTALLY empathize with you BookstoreGuy.  I couldn't find a local bookstore that actually had a hardback copy of Judging Eye and so I broke down and ordered one from Amazon.  And it's not going to get here for another week!!!!!  AUGH!!!!  Even though I'm re-reading Eye of the World, I still want Judgning Eye NOW!!  Grumble, grumble.  Have fun with it.  I'll be joining you soon, if not soon enough for my own likes.  :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on February 25, 2009, 08:11:56 PM
I can TOTALLY empathize with you BookstoreGuy.  I couldn't find a local bookstore that actually had a hardback copy of Judging Eye and so I broke down and ordered one from Amazon.  And it's not going to get here for another week!!!!!  AUGH!!!!  Even though I'm re-reading Eye of the World, I still want Judgning Eye NOW!!  Grumble, grumble.  Have fun with it.  I'll be joining you soon, if not soon enough for my own likes.  :)

if i can get you over your Erikson misconceptions, we will be, like, BFFs! ;)

for those of you who like VERY dark, psychological fantasy, Bakker is your guy. did is stress how dark it is? if you shy away from novels with sex and language, this book might offend your sensibilities. there, my warning is out there.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Miyabi on February 25, 2009, 09:13:09 PM
HOPEFULLY sometime soon I can start reading Eye of The World . . . hopefully.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on February 28, 2009, 10:21:29 PM
HERO OF AGES!!!!!!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on March 02, 2009, 07:31:32 PM
I just finished Hunter's Death by Michelle West and it was amazing. Next I'm reading Bone Crossed by Patricia Briggs.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: kevinpii on March 04, 2009, 03:29:21 PM
I just finished sinner by Ted Dekker and am now reading enders game.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: SarahG on March 04, 2009, 06:00:20 PM
The Baby Wise series by Gary Ezzo.  Right now I'm about to start Toddler Wise.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on March 04, 2009, 08:32:40 PM
I read the first couple of The Company novels by Kage Baker a couple of years ago, so now that my library has caught up, I am doing the same.  Also reading The Mysterious Benedict Society.  I can't wait to share that one with my older kids.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Reaves on March 04, 2009, 09:30:06 PM
I've heard Terry Pratchett was very good, so I picked up Time Thief. Or maybe Thief of Time? Anyway, it was good, but not quite as good as I'd been led to expect. I know he has written a LOT, so maybe that one just wasn't as good as some of his others? Any suggestions? Who knows, it could just be not my thing, but I'd like to try him at least once more.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on March 05, 2009, 02:26:04 AM
Brandon recommends the book The Truth as a good Discworld introduction. I quite enjoyed Thief of Time, but I wouldn't say it's one of the best and it got kind of confusing. Also it makes more sense if you've read the earlier Death/Susan books.

The one I read most recently was Monstrous Regiment and I really enjoyed that; it can be read without much knowledge of the series. Going Postal followed by Making Money were both quite entertaining. My favorite may be Night Watch, but that one is well along a thread... See this picture: http://www.lspace.org/books/reading-order-guides/the-discworld-reading-order-guide-1-5.jpg

More or less any book there that doesn't have a solid line to its left can be read on its own. The "Industrial Revolution" group is the least coherent; all 4 of those books listed can be read on their own and only Going Postal has a direct sequel (Making Money, which isn't on the chart yet for some reason).

My least favorite are the Rincewind novels. He's not a very interesting character (apart from his Luggage), and The Colour of Magic (the first Discworld book) really is not written nearly as well as most of the rest. The Light Fantastic wasn't so hot either. I started out with Equal Rites and thought that was a very fine introduction. I would start a young adult with The Wee Free Men; those are great books.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on March 05, 2009, 03:05:41 AM
Is it just me, or is 'Civilizations' spelled wrong on that chart…picture…thing?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bastille on March 05, 2009, 03:09:49 AM
HERO OF AGES!!!!!!

OMG!! I'm going to start reading that soon!!!

Bastille
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on March 05, 2009, 03:13:56 AM
Awesome dude you'll probably catch up to me soon, though–I haven't been reading it much lately.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bastille on March 05, 2009, 03:14:56 AM
Is it good? I read all the sample chapt. on BS website but nothing more. I need to go to Barnes and Noble soon.

Bastille
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on March 05, 2009, 03:16:31 AM
Oh, it's really good. I'm only on like page 200, but…I really like it, so far. A lot of foreshadowing, too. (Which I like.)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bastille on March 05, 2009, 03:18:31 AM
i like foreshadow to. Gives hints and I LIKE hints.

Bastille
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on March 05, 2009, 03:19:51 AM
Yeah…but I like answers more.  :P
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bastille on March 05, 2009, 03:21:34 AM
Answers sometimes confuse me.  :-\

Bastille
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on March 05, 2009, 03:23:30 AM
So do hints.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bastille on March 05, 2009, 03:25:01 AM
True but hints can have more than one answer.

Bastille
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on March 05, 2009, 03:26:04 AM
So can answers. (???)

OK, I admit it—I really don't know what I just said.

And…I have to go to bed now, so don't bother hanging around for my next post…lol. Shaggy is OUT>>>
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bastille on March 05, 2009, 03:27:07 AM
See ya!!!!  ;D

Bastille
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Reaves on March 05, 2009, 04:20:17 AM
Brandon recommends the book The Truth as a good Discworld introduction. I quite enjoyed Thief of Time, but I wouldn't say it's one of the best and it got kind of confusing. Also it makes more sense if you've read the earlier Death/Susan books.

The one I read most recently was Monstrous Regiment and I really enjoyed that; it can be read without much knowledge of the series. Going Postal followed by Making Money were both quite entertaining. My favorite may be Night Watch, but that one is well along a thread... See this picture: http://www.lspace.org/books/reading-order-guides/the-discworld-reading-order-guide-1-5.jpg

More or less any book there that doesn't have a solid line to its left can be read on its own. The "Industrial Revolution" group is the least coherent; all 4 of those books listed can be read on their own and only Going Postal has a direct sequel (Making Money, which isn't on the chart yet for some reason).

My least favorite are the Rincewind novels. He's not a very interesting character (apart from his Luggage), and The Colour of Magic (the first Discworld book) really is not written nearly as well as most of the rest. The Light Fantastic wasn't so hot either. I started out with Equal Rites and thought that was a very fine introduction. I would start a young adult with The Wee Free Men; those are great books.

Great Ookla, thanks! I was at my library looking at the collection of Pratchett novels, wondering where to start. I opened up a couple of them to see if it gave some time of reading order but it just listed all his 20-30 some novels...Eventually I was just like, screw it I'll either get it or I won't  :P That chart will help me a lot!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: GreenMonsta on March 05, 2009, 04:54:05 AM
Currently I'm reading "The Keepers of the Hidden Ways" trilogy by Joel Rosenberg. I'm on book three "Crimson Sky" and I have to say that they are quite different than what I'm used to. Now don't get me wrong they are fairly good. They twist our current time with another world that is more middleages with Norse gods who roam around. Strange in a nice kind of way.

Also Just finished reading "A Game of Thrones" by George R. R. Martin. Fantastic book! I honestly could barely put the book down. One of those books that you just devour. I'm looking forward to picking up the rest of them soon so I can finish his "Song of Ice and Fire" series.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on March 05, 2009, 05:00:48 AM
Is it just me, or is 'Civilizations' spelled wrong on that chart…picture…thing?
"Civilisations" is a correct British spelling. Terry Pratchett is British.

The US versions of the books do use US spellings though.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: little wilson on March 05, 2009, 07:17:13 AM
I would start a young adult with The Wee Free Men; those are great books.

Heh. I loved that book. It was my favorite of the Tiffany Aching Adventures trilogy. The other two were really good as well, but...that one delved more into the Wee Free Men, and those guys were awesome. I love their scottish accents. It rocks. :D
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Comfortable Madness on March 05, 2009, 03:52:47 PM

Also Just finished reading "A Game of Thrones" by George R. R. Martin. Fantastic book! I honestly could barely put the book down. One of those books that you just devour. I'm looking forward to picking up the rest of them soon so I can finish his "Song of Ice and Fire" series.

Awesome series! I loved all of them. I don't think you will have to read too fast. The fifth installment, A Dance With Dragons, was supposed to be released 3 years ago but still isn't out yet!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Necroben on March 06, 2009, 06:00:16 AM
I'm re-reading Faith of the Fallen by Terry Goodkind.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Reaves on March 06, 2009, 09:37:11 PM
I'm re-reading Faith of the Fallen by Terry Goodkind.

Shun! Shun the unbeliever! Shuuun!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on March 06, 2009, 10:57:07 PM
Terry Who?

Terry Poo.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on March 06, 2009, 11:45:43 PM
Hahaha that rhymed.…
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Necroben on March 08, 2009, 12:20:13 AM
So I'm now an unbeliever?  How did you know? ;D

'course, I've always thought that WFR and FoTF were his best books of the series.  Though on my re-read of the last one, I found a lot of plot holes and inconsistencies throughout the whole series.  Way too contrived.  But he has an interesting style, and if it seems like he ripped off the genre on account of all the cliches, well that's just par for the course.  The genre being epic fantasy.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: flex on March 08, 2009, 04:26:02 PM
Just finished Pillars of the Earth. Very long and ambitious(59+ years of characters life spans). Not bad, gets you to be invested in the characters pretty well. I get sick of church construction by about page 300 but overall pretty good. It did take about 3 weeks of steady reading for me to finish where a normal book is about 3 days but in the end I think it was worth it.   
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Necroben on March 08, 2009, 11:32:17 PM
Was that the one where the guy learns to build cathedrals?  Then his son also learns to build as well?  All set in medieval Europe, in the dark ages?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on March 09, 2009, 08:17:17 AM
Yeah. It's one of my wife's favorite books. I enjoyed it as well. She was so excited for the sequel but it turned out to be really trashy with characters who the reader can only hate and with no overarching framework like the cathedral.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on March 09, 2009, 09:49:54 PM
Shame.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: GreenMonsta on March 10, 2009, 01:05:32 AM
I am upset to find out that the latest book in the series is 3 years in the making. It books like that that make you wonder if they will ever be written.

I'm gonna hop on the Goodkind conversation for a second. I agree that he has a lot of holes and his writing is preachy but I also agree that his style and characters are interesting. I find some of the things from his books to be some of my favorite things I've read. I know he has too many cliches and some of the plot lines are just crap and even whole books kind of loose steam at times (ie Pillars of Creation"). I mean if you read Sword of Truth you might agree that coming up with Six so late in the series was a little like trying to fill space. I was upset with that. But in the end you end up with a few really good books. I mean read Wizards First Rule and tell me that wasn't a good book. I agree again by saying that Faith of The Fallen was tied with WFR for his best books but Stone of Tears was also a good book. Over all the series can be hard to like for some. I for one like the over all series but the last three kind of lost me.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Reaves on March 10, 2009, 01:27:32 AM
Yeah I'm gonna be honest; I haven't actually read anything by Terry Goodkind. I just said what the general opinion on the boards seems to have been  :D
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on March 10, 2009, 01:48:17 AM
I join Reaves in his declaration.  ;)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Necroben on March 10, 2009, 04:39:48 AM
I started to do the same thing with Twilight.  Never read it though.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on March 10, 2009, 05:55:51 AM
I liked Wizard's First Rule, but the series seemed to go downhill from there.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on March 10, 2009, 06:08:09 PM
Yeah, WFR was a pretty good book.  The last three though were a complete waste of time.  Horrible.  Yeah.  If you can avoid it, just don't go there.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on March 10, 2009, 06:33:03 PM
I think that the true Wizard's First Rule is, "These are not the fantasy books you are looking for. Move along."
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on March 10, 2009, 10:42:50 PM
Ouch.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: GreenMonsta on March 11, 2009, 12:03:02 AM
Wow, I can understand people not liking the series but I find it hard for a fantasy fan to not at least think Wizards First Rule was decent. I mean of course you are entitled to your opinion but you just surprise me. I am also surprised because I thought you were the somewhat intellectual type but hey, we can all be that way when we don't think something is worth our time. I can say that there were some of my favorite characters in that series but don't even bother with the last three books for the most part. If you get that far *SPOILER ALERT*  then just think about what the most cliche ending would be and your probably right.  *SPOILER ALERT*

Just finished Keepers of The Hidden Ways by Joel Rosenberg. Good little trilogy but it ended too quick for my taste. It was a good time killer while working. Looking forward to finishing George R. R. Martins series Song of Ice and Fire. I'm going to pick up book two tomorrow.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on March 11, 2009, 03:59:22 PM
Insulting my intellect for being honest in my dislike for an author and his "not-fantasy" series seems a bit ridiculous. I don't like him, and I think his books are garbage. I have always said this, and I have always been very up-front about my opinions whether here or when I was at the bookstore. I haven't insulted your intellect (or any other reader's) because of your likes or dislikes, so I suggest you refrain from it yourself.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: GreenMonsta on March 11, 2009, 09:12:50 PM
I apologize for any offense taken. I didn't mean you lacked intelligence "I thought you were the somewhat intellectual type but hey, we can all be that way when we don't think something is worth our time.". That's the quote. I was only saying that your responses were un-intelligent. I also pointed out that I understood why because you didn't think the subject wasn't worth your time. I get that you don't like the "fantasy" books that we were talking about and that you don't like the author. I'm sorry if you took my statement as an insult because it wasn't really meant that way. I respond very similarly to subjects that I don't like.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on March 11, 2009, 11:30:59 PM
GreenBeerMonsta, I do not think you understand.

Terry Goodkind said his books are not fantasy. That's why Steve said "not-fantasy" series.

Steve made two very short posts expressing his disdain, one of which rhymed and the other of which referred to Goodkind's statement and made a Star Wars reference. That's hardly unintelligent.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on March 11, 2009, 11:45:30 PM
I'm with Ook and Bookstore on this one, but…when did his post rhyme??
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Reaves on March 12, 2009, 01:23:18 PM
I'm with Ook and Bookstore on this one, but…when did his post rhyme??

check previous posts..
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on March 12, 2009, 04:27:59 PM
I almost feel kinda sad that more people didnt get the Star Wars reference...

My rhyming mockery was one of my better moments.

Let me explain my disdain for Terry "Terribad" Badkind. I started reading his books because they looked similar to Jordan's. Book one was rather cliche, but I forgave that because I didn't know any better. However, I began noticing a pattern even in my ignorance. Richard doubts everyone--> finds obscure prophesy--> prophesy fulfilled causing more distrust--> random rape sequence -->Richard saves the day on accident-->The end--> return to step one.  I cant stand that the character never learns. He is the luckiest bastard in the history of fantasy novels.

excuse me: "non-fantasy" novels.

The moment an author alienates the people who reads his books, I throw any respect for him out the window (not that I had much in this case). Then came the day when he said his novels weren't fantasy, and did not hold any of those genre cliches. Really? Dragon? check. Magic Sword? check. Boy king growing up from abject poverty? check. Prophecy? check. His FATHER is the BAD GUY? BIG CHECK. I can keep going.

The point is this: if anyone want to read his novels, giddyup. hey at least you are reading - a thing that I wish everyone would invest time in. However, my personal opinion is that there are better authors to read. Specifically, there are authors out there who treat their fans with the respect they deserve, and who don't make a mockery of the fantasy genre and those who read it.

Now, with that out of the way, I am currently reading Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie. I had hoped to be in the middle of Bakker's The Judging Eye, but the bookstore didn't have the copy they said they did, so I had to Amazon it. I just got it the other day - it's a very good looking book.

Also. I received my collector's edition of Erikson's Gardens of the Moon on Tuesday. It looks AWESOME!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on March 12, 2009, 05:51:44 PM
Don't you have the urge to post some pictures of your own copy?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on March 12, 2009, 06:21:00 PM
I'll take some pics of it and post em. The illustrations were done by Michael Komarck. The new cover is amazing, and then there are 7 (including the cover again) interior full-color illustrations. They kick ass.

Subterranean Press did a fantastic job on it. If you are 'in' to Collector's Editions, I recommend them strongly. Another perk of ordering from them is that by getting this series, I am entitled to have the save numbered copy for every book of the series - in my case 321. Makes a sweet matching set all signed and with the same number.

This does bring up the point of internal illustrations. I miss them from fantasy novels. I remember the first 3 Terry Brooks novels had them, and they were great. I miss interior art a lot.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on March 12, 2009, 11:56:20 PM
I still don't see the rhyme…or the Star Wars reference…*feels stupid*
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Reaves on March 13, 2009, 12:01:57 AM
I still don't see the rhyme…or the Star Wars reference…*feels stupid*
No offense, Shaggy, and I don't mean to be rude, but...you're a big boy. Keep looking. Both of those posts are on the last two pages of this thread.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on March 13, 2009, 12:20:48 AM
OK, found the rhyme (I wasn't looking so far back before). And the Star Wars reference…was that the "These are not the books you are looking for. Move along."

No offense taken.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on March 13, 2009, 06:03:48 PM
Yes, that's right.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: little wilson on March 14, 2009, 07:15:55 AM
I love the Star Wars reference....Of course, I love any and all Star Wars references because Star Wars is just fantastic.

Anyway. Terry Goodkind....He's very dark. Very, very dark. But I liked him...Granted, I have yet to finish the series, but what I did read, I liked. And I loved Wizards First Rule. I also love the rule. "People are stupid." It makes me happy, for some reason....I'm not sure why.

And mocking books you haven't read. I find that the best way to truly mock a book is to read it yourself, because then you have the knowledge of EXACTLY what to mock. And the people who like the books can't get on your case with saying "You don't know what you're talking about, because you've never read it. I'm sure if you read it, you'd like it."....This is why in some regards, I'm happy I've read Twilight....

Now, for on topic. Does Schlock Mercenary count? Cuz that's what I'm reading...Or was. I just got all caught up yesterday. I feel happy. Yet sad at the same time, because now I can't read 9 months worth of strips a day...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on March 16, 2009, 03:49:48 AM
I agree about commenting on books you have read. It makes things more interesting because you can give examples. It's like when people used to tell me they wouldn't read anything but Brandon Sanderson or Robert Jordan because nothing else would compare. Really? Seems kinda hard to know that...and that's just silly.

Having read Goodkind, I don't think he's dark at all. More like imitation dark. He does the same thing every book, and most of his rape and violence serves no purpose. To me, that's not dark. That's just filler.

If you enjoy really dark stuff, read R Scott Bakker. I plan to now that I finished Last Arguement of Kings. It was good. A little abrupt at the end, but good.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Comfortable Madness on March 16, 2009, 01:38:17 PM
I have heard a ton of good things about Bakker. What book would you recommend for someone unfamiliar with his work?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on March 17, 2009, 04:55:59 PM
The first book is The Darkness that Comes Before. Once again, disclaimer: Very dark. If you are offended by sex, language, and violence, i suggest you stay away. The first book is slow paced with lots of psychology and politics. the following 2 books lead into more action. the 4th book i have yet to read.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: CthulhuKefka on March 18, 2009, 03:39:02 AM
I'm currently reading "An Enquiry Concerning Human Understanding" by David Hume. It's good stuff.  :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Reaves on March 18, 2009, 03:57:01 AM
From a review of one of Joe Abercrombie's books on here, I wasn't sure if it was for me, but reading his blog has interested me greatly. His series just might be what I pick up next!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on March 18, 2009, 03:55:11 PM
Abercrombie feels very much a mix of Erikson and Lynch. I enjoyed him a lot. It's not quite as grim or dark as people make it out to be. I personally thought the 2nd novel was the best, but they were all well done. Much better than the cliched garbage floating around currently...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: kevinpii on March 18, 2009, 05:23:36 PM
Since i haven't posted here in a while I'll put the books that i have recently read.
1. enders game by Orson Scott Card. which i loved.
2. Speaker for the dead. also Orson Scott card. which i loved even more.
3. The crown conspiracy. by Michael J. Sullivan. It was kind of a light easy read. He didn't stray too far from the stereotype of certain races. The main characters were kind of cliche but it was written well enough that it didn't take too much from the story. All in all it wasn't too bad for a new author, I'll probably read the sequel when it comes out.
4. I just started xenocide this morning so i will have to see how that goes.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on March 19, 2009, 02:11:59 AM
I've started the Death Gate cycle by Weis & Hickman.  I read the first 4 when they came out and never finished up the series.  It is funny the stuff you remember after 10 years. I can never remember the endings, but a few quirky scenes stick in my memory with nothing to connect them to.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: sortitus on March 19, 2009, 07:49:14 PM
A friend lent me Elfstones of Shannara by Terry Brooks. My friend raved about the series for several months before I let him lend me a book. Maybe it's because of that that I haven't enjoyed the book at all, but I really can't get into it. It feels just like LoTR, only the hobbits are humans and the elves have been nerfed.

So, my questions are: Am I crazy? Am I reading the wrong Terry Brooks book? I've heard quite a bit of good buzz about Terry Brooks, but I am finding his writing excruciating. What is the deal?


I certainly have gotten more picky since 6th grade. I reread Zelazny's Amber series recently and didn't like it as much as this time around, though it still ranks somewhere in my top 10. Probably.

*Fitzgerald's writing isn't horrible. I just can't imagine anyone reading it when they could be reading Faulkner or Hemingway. :P
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on March 19, 2009, 08:02:08 PM
Terry Brooks' stuff is very Tolkien in nature. It was great when I was in Jr. High, but not so much now. I respect Brooks for getting people to read, but I don't read his books anymore. He is very much in the old style of fantasy. So no, you are not crazy. The Elfstones of Shannara is book2 of the initial trilogy, and it is the best of all of Brooks' novels by far, but it is still very cliche in our current era of the genre.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on March 19, 2009, 08:41:20 PM
Quote
Fitzgerald's writing isn't horrible. I just can't imagine anyone reading it when they could be reading Faulkner or Hemingway.
Fitzgerald…the guy who wrote The Mysterious Case of Benjamin Button? Yeah, just so you know…not everybody reads books just 'cause they were written by a big name. And furthermore, not everyone has the same taste in books; certain authors have become big names because they are liked by the general people–that in no way means that everyone likes them.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: sortitus on March 19, 2009, 11:07:09 PM
Fitzgerald…the guy who wrote The Mysterious Case of Benjamin Button? Yeah, just so you know…not everybody reads books just 'cause they were written by a big name. And furthermore, not everyone has the same taste in books; certain authors have become big names because they are liked by the general people–that in no way means that everyone likes them.

Yeah, he's the guy who wrote Benjamin Button, though The Great Gatsby is his most famous work. And everyone reading big names? Kinda impossible to dodge reading some Fitzgerald unless you get very lucky and/or drop out of high school. If you are unlucky like me, you will be forced to read Gatsby no less than three times in high school English courses. I try to conceal my dislike for Fitzgerald for the most part, seeing as how I'm an English major and still have teachers who idolize him that I need to not piss off. Like my adviser. :P

(IMO) It's healthy to have read Fitzgerald, though not necessarily healthy to read Fitzgerald.

Now on to the next book in my stack.... Shall it be Dune, Ender's Game, or the Dark Elf Trilogy? (Yes, I have somehow survived without reading any of those three. I am insane.)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on March 19, 2009, 11:09:44 PM
Quote
If you are unlucky like me, you will be forced to read Gatsby no less than three times in high school English courses. I try to conceal my dislike for Fitzgerald for the most part, seeing as how I'm an English major and still have teachers who idolize him that I need to not piss off.
Haha that sucks…although I haven't read Gatsby yet so I don't know if he's even that bad, but…still.

From what I've heard…go with Ender's Game.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on March 19, 2009, 11:14:01 PM
Dune. Stay away from Dark Elf. I'm kinda meh on Ender's Game.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on March 19, 2009, 11:17:27 PM
Why?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Reaves on March 19, 2009, 11:41:52 PM

Now on to the next book in my stack.... Shall it be Dune, Ender's Game, or the Dark Elf Trilogy? (Yes, I have somehow survived without reading any of those three. I am insane.)

Same. And I expect to be reading The Great Gatsby sometime in the next month or so for my American Literature class...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: GreenMonsta on March 20, 2009, 12:23:58 AM
I was never forced to read any Fitzgerald in high school. I could probably base that on having gone to a vocational school but whatever.

I have yet to read Dune or Enders Game as well. I don't know much about them but I have read almost all of The Dark Elf. I would have to agree and say stay away. Especially if you are having a hard time with Brooks and Shannara. Don't get me wrong, I have read all of the Shannara books up till the newest one that is still in hardcover and I enjoyed them enough. I find both Drizzt and Shannara to be kind of "Old Fantasy". They are both series that drag on way too long and tell similar stories over and over again.

Oh and on a side note. If you do decide to pick up The Dark Elf trilogy try and pick up the Ice Wind Dale trilogy first. Salvatore wrote Icewind Dale first and the characters became popular so he went back and wrote Dark Elf. So chronologically for the characters Dark Elf is first but I would say Ice Wind Dale is the better starting point.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: sortitus on March 20, 2009, 12:27:25 AM
Ah, okay. My brothers are the ones who suggested The Dark Elf Trilogy, but I will follow your advice. I do not trust my relatives, especially since one tried to get me to read *gulp* Twilight.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Necroben on March 20, 2009, 12:40:17 AM
Finished Melanie Rawn's Mageborn Traitor, again.  And I'm now re-reading David Edding's Belgariad and Malloreon series.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: GreenMonsta on March 20, 2009, 12:50:23 AM
I love the Belgariad and Mallorean series as well as Belgarath the Sorcerer and Polgara the Sorceress. Great reads. I don't seem to like them any less each time I read them.

I just finished Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin. Great book and I look forward to the next one. My only issue is I was doing a little research and I found that there are three books left to come out in the series and the latest book that he released in 2005 took five years. I mean the man is already 61 and at that rate I'm worried if he will ever finish the books. That's not even getting into the fact that its hard waiting five years for a book. It almost makes me want to stop reading these books and come back to them in a couple of years. Anyway I know that I will break down and read all the ones available so I don't know why I try to delude myself.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on March 20, 2009, 01:47:58 AM
Quote
I do not trust my relatives, especially since one tried to get me to read *gulp* Twilight.
Judging from your use of the word 'tried,' I assume that you resisted the pressure to join the cult…bood job.  ;)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on March 20, 2009, 01:49:00 AM
Quote
Finished Melanie Rawn's Mageborn Traitor, again

Did she ever finish that trilogy? She had several that weren't finished and I got tired of checking on them.  I understand she had a severe case of depression, which is a valid reason not to write, but I hadn't heard if she was back in the saddle, so to speak.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Necroben on March 20, 2009, 02:06:31 AM
Not that I know of, and it's been 12 years on this one so far.  When I have nothing better to do I take a look at her site.  She did write and publish some other stuff since, but if she's not going to finish what she starts then I'm not buy'n.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on March 20, 2009, 05:18:58 PM
Ah, okay. My brothers are the ones who suggested The Dark Elf Trilogy, but I will follow your advice. I do not trust my relatives, especially since one tried to get me to read *gulp* Twilight.

yeah...if you didn't like the stereotypical fantasy of Terry Brooks, and you didn't like the lack of character depth in those books, then I fear you won't care for Dark Elf. You may as well read a die-roll log from a D&D game. Seriously.

Dune is still a good book, and I think it always will be. Though I don't recommend reading any of the Prequel/Sequels by his son Brian Herbert. They are terribad.

It's hard to know what to recommend for you to read since I don't know what like and dislike. The popular thing to read in the fantasy genre currently is Urban Fantasy (Jim Butcher, Simon R Green, Kat Richardson, anything with vampires and magic) and grim fantasy (characters die like crazy - Martin, Abercrombie, Erikson, Lynch, Bakker).
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: little wilson on March 20, 2009, 09:34:41 PM
They are terribad.

I don't know what it is, but every time I see this word, I chuckle...So clever. I should adopt it into my vocabulary...

Anyway. I've never read Fitzgerald. I was one of the lucky ones. If I had taken AP English in my senior year, I would've had to, but alas, I never did finish the application for that, so I was stuck in regular english where we only had to read Beowulf, Macbeth, and a couple others...It was nice...Although now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure I did try to start Gatsby one time back when I was a sophomore. It was sitting out on our kitchen counter for a couple weeks because my brother never put it away....I didn't particularly care for it.

As for Brooks. I tried reading Shannara when I was in 5th grade...Or maybe it was 6th. It didn't pull me in at all. I still haven't read it. I sometimes feel like I should, just to say that I have, and yet at the same time, I don't really want to.

For your 3 books. I haven't read Dune or Dark Elf. I need to read Dune....I loved Ender's Game, but...you might not. I know some people who really haven't liked it. But maybe you will. I mean, you resisted the urge to read Twilight and a good portion of the people I know who didn't like Ender's Game are huge fans of Twilight, so...yeah.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: kevinpii on March 22, 2009, 01:50:47 AM
I really like the Drizzt books, sometimes. I have to be in the mood for a good hack and slash fantasy. Salvitors characters lack some depth and his story line always comes back to the same things, kill an orc, walk a little further kill another orc, kill a giant, walk further, kill another orc and a giant, call panther, panther kills orc. His books go something like that, however his fight scenes are good enough that they will keep most intrested.

I just finished Enders Game and Speaker for the dead a couple of weeks ago and I loved them. They just seemed very clever. Even with knowing the plot twist in Enders game I still really enjoyed it.

My doctor recommended the dune trilogy to me and i loved it. So I guess you could you its doctor recommended. (he actually wrote it on a prescription pad).
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: CthulhuKefka on March 22, 2009, 03:47:28 AM
Currently reading the "North and South" trilogy by John Jakes.  I don't usually read novels about war, but it's pretty good so far.  :)





Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on March 22, 2009, 05:01:41 AM
My doctor recommended the dune trilogy to me and i loved it. So I guess you could you its doctor recommended. (he actually wrote it on a prescription pad).

Dune isnt a trilogy. The original Dune (which is classic) is followed by several follow-ups, all of which get increasingly more odd. Dune Messiah and Children of Dume were ok, but God-Emperor was a little too far out there. I didn't get to Chapterhouse of Dune or Heretics of Dune. The 6 prequels were freaking awful - some of the worst novels i have ever read. ever. seriously.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on March 22, 2009, 01:42:07 PM
Who wrote them??
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Madjius on March 22, 2009, 07:24:07 PM
That is well said.
I tried reading those but after seeing Children of dune on the screen, It feels like any more story after that epic saga could only make it worse. Dont get me wrong, I love Dune!

Atm I'm reading Mistborn, Stuck on the last chapter.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on March 22, 2009, 08:18:47 PM
Which book? (@Madjius)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: kevinpii on March 23, 2009, 01:31:40 AM
My doctor recommended the dune trilogy to me and i loved it. So I guess you could you its doctor recommended. (he actually wrote it on a prescription pad).

Dune isnt a trilogy.

I think your splitting hairs saying its not a trilogy. while it may be true that it wasn't origanally written as a trilogy I don't think it is too far out to say that it is.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on March 23, 2009, 04:53:09 AM
Who wrote them??
If you're talking about Dune, the author was Frank Herbert (for the first 6 books). for the Prequels and the other current Dune projects were done by Brian Herbert (Frank Herbert's son) and Kevin J Anderson.

kevin - Dune isnt a trilogy. it's 6 books. by your definition, I could say that Wheel of Time is a trilogy...with extra books tacked on. Or Hitchhickers Guide was a trilogy...with a few extras. Same with Piers Anthony. Same with Jim Butcher. Not to mention, Frank Herbert didn't finish the story, which is why we have his son and Kevin J Anderson have destroyed it thus far.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on March 23, 2009, 05:50:09 AM
I  call Earthsea a trilogy.   (It WAS a trilogy for more than a decade.)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: kevinpii on March 23, 2009, 01:01:29 PM
I just checked my copy of the children of dune it actually says on the top " the climax of the classic dune trilogy" so I guess if the publisher felt the need to call it a trilogy who am I to say it isn't.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on March 23, 2009, 03:42:06 PM
interesting. none of my copies say that. neither does the 40th anniversary copy - as least on the front cover. I'll take your word for it though. the first "trilogy" of the six books are the best ones of the bunch. they have some fantastic ideas. I actually enjoyed Dune Messiah quite a bit. God Emperor was a bit too bleh for me. I seriously wonder if I would have finished it had I not been listening to it in audio.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: kevinpii on March 23, 2009, 03:52:17 PM
I do see what you are saying about it not being a trilogy. Having read only the first three books it seemed like a trilogy to me and that being on the cover I just assumed that it was a given. That being said given your experience in this area I do respect your opinion and feel that you would know more than me in this area. I hope I haven't taken this discussion too far, its just that sometimes if I think that im right I'll argue more than is necessary.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on March 23, 2009, 04:00:53 PM
not at all. just do humanity a favor and dont waste brain-power on reading anything with Brian Herbert's name on it - seriously, they were awful, and I feel like my impression of Dune as a whole was ruined because of those "books". It makes me rather sad, because the original Dune is a classic.

now I have to decide if I should re-read the Erikson stuff once I finish Bakker's The Judging Eye. tough choices...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: kevinpii on March 23, 2009, 04:23:35 PM
Thanks for the advice. I have heard that about Brian Herberts writing. I have thought about reading Paul of dune though just because it fits in that same time period between Dune and Dune Messiah, but I have not yet succumbed to that temptation.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Madjius on March 24, 2009, 04:05:57 AM
Which book? (@Madjius)
The last one

Hunt you down without mercy! Need I smell your breath? Need I run you down? I can crawl back in if your luck runs out!...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: GreenMonsta on March 26, 2009, 12:58:19 AM
I just started reading my second non-fiction book. The first being Band of Brothers. This one is quite different, very interesting so far. Its Emergency by Neil Strauss. So far its pretty good so we will see how it end up.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Miyabi on March 26, 2009, 02:42:04 AM
I plan on forcing myself through the first chunk of Eye of the World tonight. . . hopefully I make it through. ha ha.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Madjius on March 26, 2009, 03:28:36 AM
I plan on forcing myself through the first chunk of Eye of the World tonight. . . hopefully I make it through. ha ha.
Is it your first ride through that forest? :)
Few are they who actualy enjoy re-reading stuff.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on March 26, 2009, 04:06:40 AM
Umm…I think you may be in the 'few' group on this one, Madjius. I love to re-read books. Good books, anyway.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Miyabi on March 26, 2009, 04:14:54 AM
I love re-reading books, but this is my first time through this one.  It's like my 7th attempt to read it.  I stopped counting though. ha ha.  I usually only make it to like chapter 3
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on March 26, 2009, 06:54:27 AM
I only re-read books very rarely—I'd rather read new material than re-read something I've already read, particularly if it's fiction w/o heavy philosophical undertones (à "Le Petit Prince).
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Miyabi on March 26, 2009, 06:56:09 AM
heavy philosophical undertones
I tried explaining that to someone at work the other day and using the lack of it as one of the reasons I dislike the Twilight series.  She was like. . . . urhm, what're you talking about. ha ha.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Loud_G on March 26, 2009, 04:25:09 PM
Most books I'll only read once. However there are a select few which are of a certain caliber which just demand multiple readings.

Wheel of Time is such a series. I have read it at least 3 (if not more) times, though truthfully each time I re-read the series it IS longer :D

The Belgariad and Mallorean. Read those at least twice.

Otherland. I'm in the middle of a second read through.

There are others, but they aren't coming to mind. Mistborn is going to be one of those. I've only read it once, but I imagine I'll do it again in a year or so. :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: kevinpii on March 26, 2009, 05:18:25 PM
I'm with LoudG, some books just demand a re-read. I have read the wheel of time books twice and will probably start a re-read very soon. I have read the count of Monte cristo three times because I loved it and with its sheer massiveness I had to go through it again to catch up on what I had forgotten or maybe missed the first time.

I'm also in the same boat with Miyabi, there is just a little bit of dread thinking about going through the books again. There are certain parts that I'm afraid I'm going to get bogged down on. Its why I haven't started it yet
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: SarahG on March 26, 2009, 06:29:29 PM
heavy philosophical undertones
I tried explaining that to someone at work the other day and using the lack of it as one of the reasons I dislike the Twilight series.  She was like. . . . urhm, what're you talking about. ha ha.

I actually think the Twilight series does have some interesting philosophy in it.  I especially appreciated the overarching sexual metaphor of the vampire world.

Of course I realize that admitting I found some value in Twilight essentially relinquishes my claim to any particle of intellectual or literary sophistication.  Most of you will now lose whatever little respect for me you may once have had.   ;)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on March 26, 2009, 09:01:37 PM
heavy philosophical undertones
I tried explaining that to someone at work the other day and using the lack of it as one of the reasons I dislike the Twilight series.  She was like. . . . urhm, what're you talking about. ha ha.

I actually think the Twilight series does have some interesting philosophy in it.  I especially appreciated the overarching sexual metaphor of the vampire world.

Of course I realize that admitting I found some value in Twilight essentially relinquishes my claim to any particle of intellectual or literary sophistication.  Most of you will now lose whatever little respect for me you may once have had.   ;)

YOU HAS NO BRAIN!!! ACKK!!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Necroben on March 27, 2009, 12:39:43 AM
I guess I'm one of the few people who re-read a lot of books.  But that could be because I go through them rather quickly.  I've gone through my library at least twice.  I have to admit that I've re-read The Wheel of Time some-odd 20 times though. ;D
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Madjius on March 27, 2009, 02:14:11 AM
heavy philosophical undertones
I tried explaining that to someone at work the other day and using the lack of it as one of the reasons I dislike the Twilight series.  She was like. . . . urhm, what're you talking about. ha ha.

I actually think the Twilight series does have some interesting philosophy in it.  I especially appreciated the overarching sexual metaphor of the vampire world.

Of course I realize that admitting I found some value in Twilight essentially relinquishes my claim to any particle of intellectual or literary sophistication.  Most of you will now lose whatever little respect for me you may once have had.   ;)
Oh, I love the Magic Can! :D :D :D
Thats the best part of the movie! Heeell yeah! :D

I could summarise the plot for you but then id be banned from this country, website and reality.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on March 27, 2009, 05:59:21 PM
out of curiosity, has anyone read Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks? I picked it up on a recommendation and read the first chapter. It feels very meh to me, but that may have been because I had just finished a Joe Abercrombie novel. anyone know if it is worth reading?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on March 27, 2009, 08:17:36 PM
Necroben, I re-read books regularly.  I read them so fast, for plot and to find out what happens, that often I go through it again immediately (if it was good) to get the character stuff I missed the first time.
I also have found I miss some things because I don't say the words in my head as I read.  This happens frequently with Pratchett books.  When I read them aloud to my husband I catch some puns I had missed the first couple of times.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on March 29, 2009, 11:56:53 PM
Ya I re-read everything (good). I re-read different books depending on what mood I'm in because I know what they're like and am able to anticipate whether I will enjoy them at certain times.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: little wilson on March 30, 2009, 12:36:03 AM
I also have found I miss some things because I don't say the words in my head as I read.

That happened to me the first time I read Hero of Ages. I read the last 100 pages again after I finished it, and all over the place I was going "I don't remember that!"...It was really weird...

And I re-read books all the time. I've read the first 4 Harry Potter's about 3 or 4 times each. The Belgariad I've read at least 5 times. I make a point to read that every one or two years. Ender's Game is another I've read multiple times. And Mistborn is definitely going on my list of re-reads. Soon.....Really, the list of re-read books is just too long.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: kevinpii on April 01, 2009, 09:20:35 PM
I'm reading Fortress Draconis by Michael A. Stackpole. He has a good podcast every week but so far this book is just o.k.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on April 01, 2009, 09:24:47 PM
I kinda packed all the books I was going to read, so I had to go to Borders and grab something. An H.P. Lovecraft collection. So. Freaking. Awesome.

That and I'm reading Dan Wells' Blacker Darkness again (though it's not called that anymore).
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on April 01, 2009, 09:37:51 PM
What's it called now?

I'm reading The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss and it is AMAZING you should all read it!!!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on April 01, 2009, 10:20:38 PM
the title is a work in progress - he'll change it again i'm sure.

I have Name of the Wind, but its in that stack of books I packed. I'm not really in any rush to read it since the next one isn't out yet. Rothfuss is a genuinely cool guy.

My problem is I buy books when I see they are on sale, and I buy faster than I read - especially now that I am focusing on writing. I recently finished listening to the full Jordan stuff on audio since I drive a TON- I hadn't read it since book 9 was hardback. It was really long. I don't think it would have held my attention had I not been stuck listening to it in a car. And it wasn't as good as I remember (kinda like Brooks and Eddings). I've got Clash of Kings going in my car now, and I'm loving it (the Lanesters are way more enjoyable than the Starks).
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Eerongal on April 02, 2009, 06:51:59 PM
I kinda packed all the books I was going to read, so I had to go to Borders and grab something. An H.P. Lovecraft collection. So. Freaking. Awesome.

Anything by H.P.L. and his group of friends is just awesome. I love the entire Cthulhu mythos.


Currently reading: Elegant universe by Brian Greene.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on April 02, 2009, 09:39:03 PM
I'm rereading the Chronicles of Amber by Rodger Zelazany you can get them all in the Great Book of Amber for about $29.95 or something like that its about 1.2 k pages and his most popular work even if it didn't get any hugo/nebula awards
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Eerongal on April 02, 2009, 10:04:08 PM
I'm rereading the Chronicles of Amber by Rodger Zelazany you can get them all in the Great Book of Amber for about $29.95 or something like that its about 1.2 k pages and his most popular work even if it didn't get any hugo/nebula awards

Someone I know is reading and/or has read that. They say it's really good. I've always been kinda curious about it, but never read it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on April 02, 2009, 10:10:39 PM
One of the best book series ever it ranks up there with WoT (had about as big a following when it was still being released) Dune, and Mistborn check it out
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Miyabi on April 04, 2009, 12:27:49 AM
My current book list.

The Eye of the World
-Dragonsteel
The Great Hunt
The Dragon Reborn
-Warbreaker (I should be right about here once the actual book comes out.)
The Shadow Rising
The Fires of Heaven
Lord of Chaos
--I Am Not A Serial Killer (just to break up the single series reading)
A Crown of Swords
The Path of Daggers
-Alcatraz v. The Scriveners Bones
Winter's Heart
Crossroads of Twilight
Knife of Dream
A Memory of Light : The Gathering Storm


The books with a single dash will be read as soon as they come out, that is just where I assume I'll be when they come out. (With the exception of Dragonsteel which will be read as soon as it gets to my house.)

The one with the double dashes will be read as soon as I decide I need a break from WoT. ha ha.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: little wilson on April 04, 2009, 12:29:22 AM
I am currently re-reading the Mediator series by Meg Cabot...It's good. I like Cabot's writing style. It's cool...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: SarahG on April 08, 2009, 09:33:01 PM
I kinda packed all the books I was going to read, so I had to go to Borders and grab something.
And that was easier than just unpacking a book or two?

The books with a single dash will be read as soon as they come out, that is just where I assume I'll be when they come out. (With the exception of Dragonsteel which will be read as soon as it gets to my house.)

The one with the double dashes will be read as soon as I decide I need a break from WoT. ha ha.
Miyabi, that is an impressively detailed and organized list of books to read!  I generally wait till I'm done with one book before I decide what to read next.  Or sometimes I get bored with one book and add another simultaneously.  Currently I've got 3 books on my nightstand, and pick up whichever suits my mood each night.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on April 08, 2009, 10:49:53 PM
I highly recommend I Am Not a Serial Killer as a "read sooner rather than later" novel. it's awesome.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: haperez on April 11, 2009, 10:10:05 PM
I am reading Breaking dawn... after eating like in two weeks the other three books... i am taking it easy now, don't know what to start reading next.  :P
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Reaves on April 11, 2009, 11:10:29 PM
I am reading Breaking dawn... after eating like in two weeks the other three books... i am taking it easy now, don't know what to start reading next.  :P

shh...better keep quiet if you want to leave this forum with your life.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: sortitus on April 12, 2009, 12:48:39 AM
*pounces upon haperez from above*

RAAAAAAWR!
*shifty eyes*

*reverse pounce out of the frame*


I'm really going to have to read those some time and see if they're as good/horrible as everyone says. In the meantime, I just finished "Out of the Silent Planet" by C.S. Lewis. Not a recommended read unless you want a poorly constructed sci-fi version of Narnia. Also, rummaging around in the old books I found a copy of "None Dare Call It Conspiracy" by Gary Allen. I'm forcing myself through it, but it's umm... interesting. I really am having a hard time not just throwing it in the trash, but I decided to read the entire thing even if it is an attempt to create a moral panic and anti-communist reaction. It's "non-fiction" (pronounced "sensationalist journalism").
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on April 12, 2009, 02:39:43 AM
*shoots mangled remains of haperez's body with rpg*
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Reaves on April 12, 2009, 03:03:11 AM
Because we all know...







                                   (http://www.warehouse23.com/img/full/SLKP-R37.jpg)


Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on April 12, 2009, 05:25:50 AM
I just finished Learning the World by Ken MacLeod. It's a first contact story where humanity is the aliens who have already been in space for several thousand years without encountering any aliens before, and the aliens they meet are early 20th-century bat-people types.

I liked reading it, but after the end, I'm not really satisfied that that's all there is and that there's no sequel. I'll have to check out his other work, but there may be less focus on character than I really prefer.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on April 13, 2009, 04:33:54 PM
*dances on harperez's body* i was going to start reading Alcatraz evil librarians but my library had it checked out and I'm broke *cries* and please don't bring up books where as vampires and other creatures shoot off the rainbow like a disco ball else i go on a tirade of destroying myths i like watching on the History channel...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Renoard on April 13, 2009, 06:51:34 PM
Submissions if they ever arrive.  Some stuff from Reaves, I just picked up a copy of Elantris, but nothing epic.

Sigh.  At my age I should not be hoping for the end of year to arrive sooner.  Ookla steal me an ARC of A Rising Storm.:P
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on April 13, 2009, 06:54:25 PM
we only have 2 and half years left!!!!!! then the incas say we are all screwed!!!!!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Renoard on April 13, 2009, 07:20:20 PM
They may well be right.  I could make an argument for that timeline agreeing with the NT and Daniel...

But we'll see.


 8)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: haperez on April 15, 2009, 05:11:08 PM
*shoots mangled remains of haperez's body with rpg*

hehehe i can tell this book is a sensitive topic.... i'll keep quiet or not? hehehe kidding
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on April 15, 2009, 11:51:10 PM
Yes. Silence would be advisable.

 8)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: ErikHolmes on April 16, 2009, 03:26:48 AM
I plan on forcing myself through the first chunk of Eye of the World tonight. . . hopefully I make it through. ha ha.

I started reading Eye of the World about 3 times over a period of a few years and put it away each time. I didn't get interested in it until the Trollocs attack. My advice would be to just force yourself to read it until there is an attack. After that I could hardly put them down.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on April 16, 2009, 06:08:07 AM
Got through quite a few books recently as I caught the "kill-you-slowly-over-the-course-of-two-weeks" version of THE FLU.

Storm Front by Dresden -- Okay.  Not my favorite.  Kind of cheesy.  Made me chuckle a few times.  Have been told that things pick up a bunch by about book 4.  So, I might continue on with this series but not chomping at the bit for the next one by any means.

Snow Crash by Stephenson -- Decent.  Good writing, interesting characters, lots of speculative chaos.  Especially for a book that is as old as it is (17 yrs).  Totally different than what I thought it would be.  Can't say that I really much enjoyed the book though.  It was interesting, and I finished it...I just don't think I liked it.  <<shrug>>

Writers of the Future, Vol 24 -- Really disappointed in this one.  Just not a lot that grabbed me.  Bitter Dreams (Gold winner, by Ian McHugh) was decent, if simple.  One of the others just totally pissed me off that it was even in there.  Horrible use of "withholding information from the reader".  I don't know.  It was pretty much one let-down after another for me.

Currently reading Lamentation by Ken Scholes.  Pretty good so far.  About halfway through.  Interested to see where it is all going.  He's a WotF winner whose winning story totally had me lost.  Hoping for good things though.

Next up will probably by Unclean Spirits by MLN Hanover (Daniel Abraham).  Urban fantasy from an author that I think writes some GREAT fantasy (Long Price Quartet).  Really looking forward to that one.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on April 16, 2009, 06:51:08 AM
Yeah, I've been really surprised at how low-quality a lot of the WotF stuff is.  Frankly, TLE is better much of the time.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on April 16, 2009, 07:31:04 AM
I read the ARC of Lamentation and liked it a lot. I'll definitely be checking out the next four books.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on April 20, 2009, 11:10:18 PM
So, I think I should have bailed on Lamentation after halfway through.  The second half of the book nearly killed me.  Everything that I liked about the first half of the book seemed to fall apart in the second.  Granted, it's the guy's debut novel.  But I just can't hack stuff like that.  Probably won't be continuing with the series.

Into Unclean Spirits.  Loving it so far.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on April 21, 2009, 07:01:56 AM
I'm curious about what you're referring to about Lamentation, WriterDan. But that would probably need its own spoiler thread or private messages.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Renoard on April 21, 2009, 07:05:58 AM
It's a slipstream bodice ripper fusing Crime Noir with Urban Fantasy. :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on April 21, 2009, 06:04:32 PM
I just finished The Forest of Hands and Teeth, which I think is the best title I've come across in a while.  However, the book was definitely subpar.  The writing style was okay, but the narrator was annoying and an idiot, the side characters had almost no personality (except for the fanatical nun, who was overdone and cliched), and there were giant plot holes all over the place.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: haperez on April 21, 2009, 09:54:37 PM
i am about to finish breaking dawn... i wont tell anything about it heheheh dont worry you all... but i dont know what to read next... i came across some series of books called magic bites has anyone heard of it? what do you recommend...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on April 21, 2009, 10:30:41 PM
*snipes haperez from industrial warehouse roof* We all warned you *shrugs*
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: little wilson on April 22, 2009, 12:28:41 AM
I have to read three books for one of my classes. The three that I chose are Wuthering Heights (Bronte), Northanger Abbey (Austen), and Tess of the d'Urbervilles (Hardy)....I'm a couple chapters into W.H. right now....

I'm also going to start reading the Mortal Instruments trilogy by Cassandra Clare. First book is City of Bones. I intend to take it and Northanger Abbey with me to Europe next week....
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on April 22, 2009, 06:15:46 AM
I rather enjoyed the Sparksnotes for Wuthering Heights...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Renoard on April 22, 2009, 08:40:45 AM
I'm midway through Elantris.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: little wilson on April 22, 2009, 06:04:03 PM
I rather enjoyed the Sparksnotes for Wuthering Heights...

Heh. I think I will too. SparkNotes is awesome....
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: SarahG on April 22, 2009, 09:11:49 PM
Wilson, I pity you when you get to Tess.  I found that book to be painfully stupid and pointless.  It was the perfect example of why a literary classic is a book that everybody wants to have read but nobody wants to read.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on April 23, 2009, 12:33:39 AM
Not all of them. Just some.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on April 23, 2009, 01:24:53 AM
1984 kicks ass! ;D
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: SarahG on April 23, 2009, 07:43:37 PM
Shaggy, I agree.  Many classics really are worth reading, but Tess is not one of them.  Either that or I'm just not smart enough to get it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on April 23, 2009, 10:44:02 PM
Lol. I can understand that.…
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on April 24, 2009, 02:23:03 AM
I didn't like Beowulf or Brave New World but i don't mind Lord of the Flies...i think we are forced to read them b/c the previous generation is taking the fact that they had to out on us...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Renoard on April 24, 2009, 03:27:59 AM
I think Beowulf is kind of fun.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on April 24, 2009, 08:33:19 AM
I really like Beowulf.  But then, I read it in Old English... most translations don't do it justice (though Heaney's is decent).
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on April 24, 2009, 11:51:41 AM
Seamus Heaney?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on April 24, 2009, 02:01:43 PM
That's the one.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on April 24, 2009, 11:39:15 PM
I have his edition (the bilingual one). Cool cover.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on April 27, 2009, 06:39:53 PM
Finished Unclean Spirits by MLN Hanover (Daniel Abraham).   Loved it.

Tried to read The Bone Dolls Twin by Lynn Flewelling.  Bailed after 12 pages.

Reading Duma Key by King.  50 pages in.  Getting some good ramp up, and had a GREAT idea for my current WIP short story while reading it.  More of a stylistic/presentational sort of thing, and not a plot one. 
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on May 08, 2009, 05:10:53 PM
Finished TURN COAT by Butcher. I have mixed feelings about it.

Now I am reading the stack of books my friend let me borrow because I don't want to spend moolah right now.

NIGHT WATCH
THE SUMMONER
CAVERN OF BLACK ICE
PERDIDO STREET STATION (a re-read for me - I need that "feel" for something I'm working on)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: ryos on May 10, 2009, 06:56:09 AM
Currently have Terry Pratchett's Making Money out from the library. It is, 100%, everything I've come to expect from a Discworld novel, and is a fantastic follow-up to Going Postal.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on May 10, 2009, 12:05:56 PM
Started studying Fechtbücher.  Read what Passchen has to say on Ringen, and now I'm starting into the longsword treatise attributed to Döbringer.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on May 11, 2009, 09:51:54 PM
I didn't particularly like Making Money when I first read it, but when I read it again recently it was much funnier. It seemed more topical and relevant than two years ago.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on May 12, 2009, 06:45:02 PM
Reading Havemercy by Jones and Bennett.  I really like the way they've written the book.  Don't see much of a plot so far though.  Has had a bit more sexual tension of the "other persuasion" than I usually care to read about.  If it keeps on in this mien I might have to bail.  Would be unfortunate.  Their writing is really quite good.

Don't know what I'll get to next.  Looking for something good and trying to keep myself from picking up Deadhouse Gates for the third time.  I just read an interview with Steven Erikson the other day and he seemed like a really smart but decent guy.  Makes not reading his books all the more difficult.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: ryos on May 12, 2009, 06:49:53 PM
I finished Making Money last night. Very funny all throughout, and the courtroom scene was epic. ;D

Still, I was a little disappointed that the stakes never felt quite as high as they did in Going Postal. It was fun and all, but we never get a "the post office is on fire" moment from it, and as dangerous opponents go Cosmo Lavish had more of Crispin Horsefry than Reacher Gilt.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on May 13, 2009, 05:51:21 PM
I'm reading Flora Segunda by Ysabeau S. Wilce, and it is amazing. It's young adult, but the world she had built feels so amazingly real. I love that the main character lives in Crackpot Hall which has 11,000 rooms  but only one potty they can get to.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on May 13, 2009, 09:41:53 PM
…'crackpot?' What??  ???
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on May 13, 2009, 10:16:40 PM
That's the name of the building. It's clearly meant to be humorous.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on May 13, 2009, 10:20:50 PM
Sorry for being unclear. I meant by that post something more like 'does the name of the building have any significance to those who live inside the building? or is it purely for humour's sake?'
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on May 14, 2009, 04:38:14 PM
It's mostly for humor's sake, though no one who lives in the house is actually normal.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: sortitus on May 19, 2009, 09:18:37 PM
I recently finished "I Am Not a Serial Killer" by our very own Fellfrosch. I loved it, and heartily recommend it to anyone who can handle the mortuary scenes. :)

Another recent read was "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" by Phillip K. Dick. It was very good as well, though I thought that it got a bit preachy at points. Despite minor annoyances, I would still rate it as one of the best books I've ever read.

I've just started "Dune" by Frank Herbert. We will see how I like it. So far it seems a little cliched, but well written. Maybe it wasn't cliched when it was released, as the case is with LotR. I don't know my SF history very well. :P
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on May 19, 2009, 09:24:04 PM
I AM NOT A SERIAL KILLER is awesome. Definitely not for everyone, but im a little twisted, so I thought it was great!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on May 19, 2009, 11:53:53 PM
 I just ordered Serial Killer via UK post.  Guessing it'll take near three months to get to me, but it's coming.  :)  Looking forward to finally reading it after hearing all the hype.

Finished Havemercy.  Very little plot at all in that book.  I'm a little frustrated with it for being so well-written.

Reading Lord of the Flies for the first time.  Yeah, I know.  It's interesting so far.

I've also just started The Orphan's Tales:  In the Night Garden by Catherynne M. Valente.  I really like it so far.  This is the first book that I'm reading on my new Kindle.  Still kind of paranoid that I'm going to drop it, so I'm only reading this book at home until my cover/case comes in the mail next week.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: sortitus on May 20, 2009, 04:40:17 AM
Serial Killer only took seven business days to get to me, and I'm in Remoteville, USA. The Book Depository sent it airmail. :D Lord of the Flies = meh. I am jealous about the Kindle. Send me one, please.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on May 20, 2009, 04:14:09 PM
I finished Gardens of the Moon and am currently reading Deadhouse Gates and while it is a marvelous read i don't understand why Bookstore Guy thinks it's complexity blows the top off of WoT.... i like the books so far but i enjoyed Eye of the World much more (possibly my favorite WoT book) i expected from his praise for it to knock me on my bum... but i would still recommend the book to anyone who likes epic fantasy
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on May 20, 2009, 05:22:16 PM
i said the series is much more complex and entertaining (imo) than WoT - though i do also happen to feel like much more happens in single books (excluding #1) in the Erikson series than most other authors have happen in their entire series. and Eye of the World, imo, isnt complex at all - it was enjoyable, but not complex (very straight-forward really). i also said Gardens of the Moon is the weakest of all of them. most people (myself included) find books 2 and 3 to be where the series really grows and becomes awesomazing (yes, i made that word up).
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on May 20, 2009, 05:32:13 PM
I'm 200 pages into Deadhouse gates... and Shadwthrone's and Cottilton's identities are intriguing.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on May 20, 2009, 05:40:04 PM
the ending to books 2 and 3 are what made me say, "holy crap...this is awesome..." actually my fav. characters are in book 2 - Mappo and Icarium. awesome character dynamic - especially when you learn more about them in later books.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on May 20, 2009, 10:47:13 PM
Dang you for being so persistent about this BookstoreGuy!  :D

If I have to listen to you rave about the Malazan books for much longer I might just have to give them another chance.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Renoard on May 20, 2009, 10:48:08 PM
The only thing that bugged me was the concept of Warrens.  It looked too much like consuming an entire universe AND the mind of it's creator as a power source.  Just didn't like it.

On the other hand he handles setting and character well.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: sortitus on May 21, 2009, 06:17:32 AM
I finished "Dune" this evening. It was good at parts, but unfortunately my overall impression in the last chapter went from respectful enjoyment of a classic (if a bit annoyed at points) to super-meh. I don't know what happened. I'll read the last few chapters again tomorrow and see what happened. Maybe I've just been told too much how awesome the book is. My brother says that I need to read the series before passing judgment.

I'll put those books you guys are talking about in the list for the next trip to the library. Right now, I've got a Bujold compilation and Hickman novel sitting on the table for me.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on May 21, 2009, 03:30:18 PM
Many people think the first Dune novel is the only good one.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on May 21, 2009, 03:45:21 PM
Dune is a good read. I think it has lost a little impact over the years, but still quite good. The following 2 novels are decent, and have some very cool concepts in them. After that they get WAY out there and are quite boring.

And no, you shouldnt read the prequels/sequels written by Brian Herbert and Kevin J Anderson. They are terribad. Seriously. Some of the worst novels I have ever read.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on May 21, 2009, 04:44:04 PM
They aren't worth reading but they aren't terribad... and my favorite Dune book was #3 Children of Dune
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on May 21, 2009, 05:25:15 PM
I can echo that.  I liked Dune.  Messiah was decent but not my favorite.  I really liked Children though.

Haven't gotten to any of the others.  I've been meaning to for a long time.  I don't know what to think about the final (two) volumes that BH/KJA wrote.  I've tried to read a few KJA books and put em all down.  He's one of those that "tells" a lot in expositional dumps and such.  Not bad, but not my favorite.  But the only book by BH that I tried to read was absolutely horrendous.  Timeweb, or something like that.  Only got about 20 pages into it.  Horribad.  And Terribad for sure.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on May 21, 2009, 05:47:01 PM
I'm reading Resenting the Hero by Moira J. Moore.  From the cover and title, I expected it to just be a fluffy fantasy (kind of along the lines of John Moore), but it actually has quite a bit of depth.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on May 21, 2009, 06:03:39 PM
KJA's own stuff isn't really all that bad. It's not amazing, but it isnt bad by any means (the Saga of the Seven Suns has some great ideas, and can be enjoyed once you get past large amounts of setup). I blame the first 6 dune prequels horridness on BH. not only is the writing bad, but there is so much character stupidity, and so many logic and plot flaws.

but yes, Messiah has some fantastic concepts, and Children does too. after that it's a whole lot of weird.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Renoard on May 21, 2009, 07:34:00 PM
Any reading of Herbert should include The Eyes of Heisenberg.  Probably should include The God Makers too.  The later shows that even a great writer can steal from a lesser one (i.e. Stasheff's Warlock Series.) and make improvements.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on May 26, 2009, 06:20:20 PM
So, after having the book sit on our shelves for over a year (it's not even our book, oddly enough) my wife finally said that she wanted to read The Host.  We're reading it together.  Not too far in yet.  Her writing is nowhere near as terrible as the stuff I remember from Twilight though.  This book might just be doable.

Reading an ARC for a middle-grade book that a friend of mine is trying to get published too.

I just have way to many things to read right now.  :)  lol.  Ah, the life.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on May 26, 2009, 07:43:40 PM
It's not an ARC unless a publisher releases it pre-publication. If there's no publisher attached, it's called a manuscript.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on May 26, 2009, 10:07:59 PM
Im back to reading some Brian Lumley and F Paul Wilson. I need something good after suffering through the last Dresden Files novel.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on May 26, 2009, 10:31:30 PM
Was it that bad? I haven't read any and have been thinking about starting.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on May 26, 2009, 10:40:19 PM
since i know you, i know it will bug you. all the progress he made with the characters over the course of the 1st 10 novels, he essentially hits the reset button on it and sends them all back to square 1. the one character he does a ton of development on in book 11 gets killed off rendering it useless. in addition, he doesn't address any of the crazy stuff that happened to characters in the prior novel. lastly, i figured out who the bad-guy was as soon as the introduced the character. it was garbage, and has culled my desire to read anything further in that universe. this says a lot since i seriously pimped out this series before reading book 11.

such a shame. dont waste your time reading it. i'd rather read WoT, and you KNOW how I feel about that...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on May 26, 2009, 11:34:27 PM
It's not an ARC unless a publisher releases it pre-publication. If there's no publisher attached, it's called a manuscript.

Ah, okay then, manuscript it is.   ;D  He'd just done all this fancy work to put it into a little booklet and it's stapled up with a cover page and everything.  It's beautiful and I thought I'd try to give it a little more official title.  Didn't know ARC was reserved for these kinds of things.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Renoard on May 27, 2009, 03:10:14 AM
Is he self publishing?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on May 27, 2009, 11:28:39 PM
Very much doubt it.  He has the manuscript (:D) out to several places right now.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Renoard on May 29, 2009, 12:17:22 AM
I just picked up the Mallorean at the library.  FIgure since Certain persons are in Seandar securing Semirhage and probably the Crystal Throne besides, I'd better refresh on Seandar. Oh sorry that was Sendar wasn't it. ;P
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on May 29, 2009, 04:05:35 PM
I finished deadhouse gates and am reading memories of ice
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: echigo109 on May 29, 2009, 05:06:21 PM
I'm reading The lord of the rings By: j.r.r. Tolkian
and the instrimintalities of the nightBy: Glenn Cook. Its okay but i wouldn't suggest it if you haven't read any of his books try the black company or the dread empire first.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Renoard on May 29, 2009, 06:38:09 PM
Black company is pretty good, but I felt it was unfinished.  We needed more volumes.  I see some influence from this book in Jordan's writing.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: sortitus on May 29, 2009, 09:47:26 PM
I finished "Mystic Warrior" by Tracy and Laura Hickman. It was my first from the Hickmans, and I was rather disappointed. The book started out interesting, with good cover copy and a decent first chapter (Once the book got around to the chapters, that is.). It all went downhill from there. The story felt disorganized, lacked focus, and took a left turn at the crossroads of stupid. Maybe even bushwhacked as soon as possible to the highway of stupid. The human part of the story was ok, the fairy part was self-contradictory and had about a paragraph of explanatory footnotes per ten paragraphs of actual writing, the goblin part was awful beyond explanation. Yeah. Um....

Next was "Warrior's Apprentice" and "The Vor Game" by Lois McMaster Bujold. I'm glad I saved these for last, as they were AWESOME! Highly recommended and all that. My next batch will certainly have Bujold in it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on May 29, 2009, 10:46:58 PM
I am NOT a serial killer.

By some guy.  You might know him.  Just got it last night in the mail.  From the UK.  Finally.  :D

Really good so far.  I'm quite impressed.  Not even through the second chapter yet though.  Tried to start reading about 1 am last night, but then thought better of it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Texcap on June 01, 2009, 04:37:18 PM
Just finished Frankenstein: City of Night by Dean Koontz this morning, which was great fun (if not quite as good as  the first) and has me chomping at the bit for Frankenstein book 3's release in July.  I'm also going back to read the first Odd Thomas novel by Koontz after stumbling upon Brother Odd a couple of months ago and really enjoying the protagonist, the life affirming message and the overall peculiarity.

I'm also reading Gardens of the Moon, Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erickson (awesome) and should be starting Elantris by week's end.  I've got a 12-hour flight to Japan in a couple of weeks and I'm hoping to be able to take advantage of it and catch up on a lot of reading on the plane and return trip. 
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on June 01, 2009, 07:56:21 PM
Deadhouse Gates is much better than Gardens of the Moon and i think Memories of Ice tops both easily... im just past page 800
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on June 01, 2009, 09:05:37 PM
What'd I say? I TOLD you that the series is full of awesome! I think you can really see his growth as a writer in books 2 and 3. Memories of Ice is my favorite book (as a whole) of his. Other books have some incredible parts, but overall book 3 is my fav. Though, Bonehunters is freaking awesome as well.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: PW on June 03, 2009, 05:59:24 AM
I just finished The Prince of Nothing by R. Scott Bakker.  Now I am on to The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell and I am NOT a Serial Killer by Dan Wells.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on June 10, 2009, 04:59:06 PM
I just finished This Is Not a Game by Walter Jon Williams. He is an amazing writer. If you aren't reading his stuff, you should be.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on June 10, 2009, 05:36:20 PM
He's on my list of to-be-read, but I haven't had any reason to move him to the front of the pile yet.  Perhaps I'll have to do that now...

I'm still trying to get through Orphan's Tales.  Close.  Oh, so close.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on June 10, 2009, 06:07:36 PM
I'm currently working my way through a re-read of the Charlie Bone series…I'm on the fourth one now (Charlie Bone and the Castle of Mirrors). It's a bit YA, but I like 'em.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: SomeHackWriter on June 10, 2009, 11:01:29 PM
The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on June 10, 2009, 11:42:38 PM
(@ Hack) That's an amazing book.

There's a Patrick Rothfuss thread somewhere (I think it's in Books, maybe?) that you ought to check out.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Reaves on June 11, 2009, 12:51:21 AM
JONATHAN STRANGE AND MR. NORRELL, by Susanna Clarke. Its actually really cool; basically, its an alternate-ish history set in 19th century England, during the Napoleonic Wars. I'm only a few chapters in but it has been very interesting so far; very different in style from most other fantasy these days.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on June 11, 2009, 01:50:38 AM
The Malazan Book of the Fallen series has become my crack :P
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Renoard on June 11, 2009, 08:51:35 AM
Well in the last 2 weeks I've read the Riftwar and the first three books of the Belgariad.  Think I'll go back to Feist and read Silverthorn next.  Eddings is just less.  Just rereading this stuff to remind me where the WoT came from in the first place.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Comfortable Madness on June 11, 2009, 03:33:23 PM
Just started reading Desperation by Stephen King. I'm a huge fan of King. IMO you would have to dig really deep to find an author that actually makes you feel as though you are actually in the story as well as King does.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: SomeHackWriter on June 11, 2009, 10:13:58 PM
Desperation was good.  I enjoyed it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on June 12, 2009, 06:05:41 PM
I just finished This Is Not a Game by Walter Jon Williams. He is an amazing writer. If you aren't reading his stuff, you should be.

So, I found it at the library today.  Up next.  Pretty excited.  Thanks for the suggestion.

Also finished The Orphan's Tales:  In the Night Garden.  All in all, not my kind of book.  I forced myself to read the whole thing though because I had bought it for my Kindle and didn't want to bail on something I had bought.  If I had picked up the actual book, I would have definitely put it down for good and not made it all the way through.  It was a book of fairy tales, and for people that like those kinds of books, I think I can definitely say that they would love this one.  Great writing, interesting ideas, fleshed out mythology, the works.  But it just didn't hit me.  There's a sequel to it.  The series is only two books.  But I doubt I'll be reading that one.   I'd suggest that lovers of fairy tales read these though.  It'd be right up their alley.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on June 13, 2009, 06:22:54 PM
Just finished House of Chains and started Midnight Tides DHG and MoI are better... still a great read


Memories of Ice is as good as EoTW and Dragon Reborn (my favorite WoT books)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on June 15, 2009, 10:54:41 PM
I just finished This Is Not a Game by Walter Jon Williams. He is an amazing writer. If you aren't reading his stuff, you should be.

So, I found it at the library today.  Up next.  Pretty excited.  Thanks for the suggestion.

So, I got sick this weekend and finished it.  The book was really good.  Right up until the end.  And then the author pulled an unforgiveable, in my book, and I was completely frustrated that I had spent my time on it.  It was like, complete manipulation of the reader.  And I HATE being used.  Sorry, this was just not the right book for me.  In fact, it'll probably take me a long time to get over it all and allow me to pick up another book of his.  Now, that's probably just a shame, but at this point I can't say that I much care.  Ugh.

In other recent news, I'm taking the advice of Scott Card and reading outside of my genre.  :D  Picked up Every Dead Thing by John Connolly, and will probably also be reading My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult.  I read sample sections of these two books on my Kindle and loved the way that they started.  Here's to broadening my horizons.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on June 15, 2009, 11:18:04 PM
Which unforgiveable did the author pull?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Comfortable Madness on June 16, 2009, 02:19:22 PM
Did he pull the Stephen King Dark Tower style ending? Because I love that series but the ending was just unsatisfactory.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on June 16, 2009, 06:54:40 PM
So, I got sick this weekend and finished it.  The book was really good.  Right up until the end.  And then the author pulled an unforgiveable, in my book, and I was completely frustrated that I had spent my time on it.  It was like, complete manipulation of the reader.  And I HATE being used.  Sorry, this was just not the right book for me.  In fact, it'll probably take me a long time to get over it all and allow me to pick up another book of his.  Now, that's probably just a shame, but at this point I can't say that I much care.  Ugh.

Wow, I feel really bad about recommending this now.  What did you dislike so much?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Liathiana on June 18, 2009, 07:40:54 PM
I'm making my newbie rounds ;D

Currently I am working on a reread of the Wheel of Time and Twilight series (yes I know, I'm one of them! I have my guilty pleasures thank you very much!). At the moment I am reading Lord of Chaos and listening to Eclipse on cd for the long drives to and from work. I have also started Warbreaker, which I"m really excited about and loving so far. Already I want to make a costume! I"m also using it for one of my writing projects that was suggested somewhere around the web sometime ago, I really can't remember where...so that should be interesting!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on June 19, 2009, 05:33:01 PM
Finished Midnight Tides going to go buy Bonehunters today...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Renoard on June 20, 2009, 04:18:22 AM
Finished Belgariad, nearly done with Sethanon which will finish up my reread of the WoT antecedents.  I was surprised just how much had been lifted.  It had been about 20 years since I read those serie and it was funny.  Of course like they say, "a bad writer copies, a good writer invents his own and a great writer steals and makes it his own with improvements."  Wot takes these elements and weaves them into something much greater and more beautiful than the sum of things stolen but it was a crack up seeing where things had been lifted from with eyes freshened by time.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: FantasyAngel on June 20, 2009, 11:11:17 PM
Bought The Name Of The Wind today so that should keep me busy for a day or so.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: sortitus on June 20, 2009, 11:19:38 PM
Just finished a re-read of the first five Amber books. I like them lots. Moving on to Merlin's part of the story today.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: little wilson on June 21, 2009, 06:41:10 PM
In the middle of Warbreaker right now, and just got a collection of all of H.P. Lovecraft's stuff. Should be starting that VERY soon....I'm excited.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on June 22, 2009, 12:35:06 AM
So . . . reread of The Ranger's Apprentice series, which I really love. (I got the fifth (newest) one the other day so I'm rereading the series). The first one's the best so far, I think.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Renoard on June 22, 2009, 02:53:16 AM
So.  Finished A Darkness at Sethanon.  Was anticlimactic and riddled with magic bullets just as I remembered. After the fall of Armengar everything else was downhill and a bit trite.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on June 22, 2009, 05:20:49 AM
My last re-read of the Amber series was only Corwin just because Merlin in comparison is dull....i mean Corwin is like General Paton on Super-Roids.....
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Renoard on June 22, 2009, 04:06:47 PM
Merlin is a bit of a let down.  For a chaos beast, you'd expect a more alien and unconventional personality.  I think he just spent too much time slumming with Luke.  It made him far to human.

Just got to the mid point of Magic's Pawn by Mercedes Lackey and I won't be reading further.  I feel taken advantage of, because I wasted time on what I did read of the book.  Just glad it was borrowed from the library.  If I'd paid for it well then I'd really be steamed.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtlhddoc2 on June 22, 2009, 05:57:30 PM
Just finished Toll the Hounds by Erikson...   the whole series is just weird, I mean, I like the books, but he is long winded, often descibes things in incredble detail, and then have them not matter a whit. A friend of mine called it "Ann Rice Syndrome".

The big issue for this whole series for me is that the magic systems are a mess. It is like he makes it up as he goes along.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: sortitus on June 24, 2009, 08:22:13 AM
I do think that Merlin pulls a lot more stupid mistakes than Corwin, but that's the nature of the story. Coming of age and all that jazz. I do like Merlin's story a bit though, and I think that part of his normalcy comes from the general idea that people are people, even if they can turn into a demonic monster at will. Since humanity is all we know, all we can do is base everything else off it. Besides, Corwin is himself a supernatural being, so let's not begrudge Zelazny his philosophical exercises, even if it does leave the books laden with too much Freudian psychology. The not-quite-pop-culture references keep it fun. :D

I just started The Color of Magic for the first time, and guess what greeted me in the first chapter? A reference to Amber (http://books.google.com/books?id=8xctZFAdp4QC&lpg=PP1&pg=PA9)! (First new paragraph on the page, first sentence.) I'll be back in a few days and let you know what I think of the next stack of books.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on June 24, 2009, 10:06:13 AM
Have I mentioned I'm translating a Middle Walloon fencing manual into English?  I think that counts as reading...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on June 24, 2009, 05:35:20 PM
I'm reading Princess of the Midnight Ball. I love fairy tales.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on June 24, 2009, 11:46:23 PM
I like merlin it's just corwin is SOOO much cooler... i thought it was funny someone tried to kill Merlin every year on my b-day


P.S. That is Larry Niven's b-day also
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on June 26, 2009, 10:47:39 PM
WARNING:  Slight spoilers for This Is Not a Game, by Walter Jon Williams.

Which unforgiveable did the author pull?

Reader manipulation.    He sets up a secondary, very probable, betrayal scenario toward the end of the book, then proceeds to completely over sell it.  But it flops, because in the end, the secondary betrayal isn't there.  Nothing is.  And the main character blows it all off by saying "crazy, complicated stuff like that only happens in the fiction I write, not in real life."

He sets us up by KNOWING that as fiction readers we're EXPECTING for there to be something more.  But there isn't.  Not only did that make the ending totally flop for me, but it pissed me off to the extreme.  If he didn't want to make a crazy, complicated ending, then just don't make it that way.  Don't set things up to look like it and then (essentially) point your finger at your reader-audience and say "Ha, ha.  Stupid you.  You fell for it."  I read books for the fun stuff.  Not because it's real.  If I wanted real, I'd pick up a non-fiction book.

Augh!

Sorry, guess I should just shut up now.  It just totally torqued me.

Don't worry about the suggestion, Sigyn.  I had been planning on reading him anyways, and this book ended up being a shorter one than the one I had planned on picking up.   Like I mentioned, I liked the rest of the book quite a bit.  It was just the end that totally ruined it for me.  I might pick up another one by him in about 10 years or so.  It might just take that long for me to get past this.  I'd still take another suggestion from you any time.  :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: haperez on June 28, 2009, 03:26:21 AM
I am reading the study series, just finished poison study and i love it...

anyone has a comment about the farseer trilogy?? is it worth reading ?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Renoard on June 28, 2009, 04:09:45 AM
Just re-read Bear's Eon, about to start Feist's second series set on Midkemia.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: FantasyAngel on June 28, 2009, 11:47:43 AM
Haperez,  I thought the farseer trilogy was really good.   For me it was something different as it was the first book I'd read that was from a first person vp.  I think it had a good story and loved the characters, in fact I got quite involved with them.
I was recommended the book myself and would certainly recommend it to anyone else.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on June 28, 2009, 05:21:07 PM
The Farseer trilogy will not leave you feeling happy at the end. Fitz really gets a raw deal. To find his happy ending you have to read all the way to the end of the Tawny Man trilogy, and it's best to read the Liveship trilogy before reading the second book of the Tawny Man trilogy.

Pesonally I think the Liveship books are better than either the Farseer trilogy or the Tawny Man trilogy. But all together they're pretty good.

(She wrote herself into a corner in the last Farseer book and ended up retconning some stuff from the first book, but that's the only real flaw.)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: ErikHolmes on June 28, 2009, 07:23:11 PM
(She wrote herself into a corner in the last Farseer book and ended up retconning some stuff from the first book, but that's the only real flaw.)

She did? To be honest, I didn't notice. What did she retcon?

I read the Farseer and Tawny Man books, but couldn't get through the Liveship ones. (I might have made it half way through the first book, but who knows, I might go give them another try later on).
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on June 29, 2009, 03:16:24 AM
Assassins apprentice isn't a bad read...got it for free on my da's kindle
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: haperez on June 29, 2009, 06:46:35 PM
Thanks to you all... i think i am gonna give it a try, from all you guys say is a good read to keep me entertained for a while  ;D
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on June 29, 2009, 07:37:48 PM
She did? To be honest, I didn't notice. What did she retcon?
For one, the white ships. The explanation doesn't match the earlier descriptions.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: sortitus on June 30, 2009, 01:24:22 AM
Finished "The Color of Magic" and "The Light Fantastic" by Terry Pratchet. I didn't like them as much as some of his more recent books, but they were excellent.

"Name of The Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss was actually pretty good. It sounded kinda gimmicky as an idea, but since the Writing Excuses guys heartily endorse it, I read it anyway. I'll definitely read the next book in the series.

The first book in the Belisarius series, on the other hand, wasn't my cup of tea. I'm not going to pick up any more of those.

I'm off to the library before it closes. :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: echigo109 on June 30, 2009, 01:28:43 AM
I just finished the Children of Hurin. and am now reading The Return of the King and The Silmarillion all by jrr tolkien ( Children of Hurin and The Silmarillion where edited by christopher tolkien). and the  Tyranny of the Night by glenn cook.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on June 30, 2009, 06:41:10 AM
As a word of warning, the Silmarillion reads like the Bible.  It's a wonderful book, but definitely no adventure story.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on June 30, 2009, 06:11:26 PM
As a word of warning, the Silmarillion reads like the Bible.  It's a wonderful book, but definitely no adventure story.

Have you read the Bible? I just finished Psalms, and believe me, The Silmarillion is actually much more interesting and more easy to read.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on June 30, 2009, 07:47:48 PM
As a word of warning, the Silmarillion reads like the Bible.  It's a wonderful book, but definitely no adventure story.

Have you read the Bible? I just finished Psalms, and believe me, The Silmarillion is actually much more interesting and more easy to read.

Of course I've read the Bible, silly.  The only real thing I can think of that makes the Silmarillion easier to read than the Bible is that Tolkien moved all the genealogies to an appendix.  =þ  Despite this, I've read it twice (which is almost as much as I've read any book).

If you want stories, go for the Books of Lost Tales.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on June 30, 2009, 09:21:26 PM
Heh, we just finished Psalms too. Took us months to read it out loud. It's been the most torturous book to read so far. At least most of the others have a plot. (Of course, now we've started Proverbs...)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: necronos on July 01, 2009, 06:20:57 AM
I'm reading Elantris for the first time ever.

All I usually read is 40k fiction, but then I took a break to reread all the Wheel of Time before Novembers release of the 12th book, but then I took a break from that to read all of Brandon Sandersons books. Hopefully I can read all of them and get back to the Wheel of Time before I something else catches my attention and makes my pile of books to read bigger.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on July 01, 2009, 06:23:50 PM
Reading The Steel Remains by Richard Morgan.  I read the sample deal on my Kindle for this book and didn't know if I was going to like it or not.  The first chapter has info dumps running amok in it.  They tend to peter out by the time you hit Chapter 3, and then only raise their crooked heads occasionally.  So, for the most part its okay so far.  Mostly just character and worldbuilding in the first 100 pages or so though.  Not a whole lot of substance has happened that I can tell.  Will be interesting to get to the end of this one and see what I think of it.

Really getting psyched for The Price of Spring in three weeks, and just found out that KJ Parker has a new novella, Purple & Black, coming out in four weeks.  This is going to be a good month for me.  :D
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Comfortable Madness on July 01, 2009, 06:29:27 PM
I'm reading Elantris for the first time ever.

All I usually read is 40k fiction, but then I took a break to reread all the Wheel of Time before Novembers release of the 12th book, but then I took a break from that to read all of Brandon Sandersons books. Hopefully I can read all of them and get back to the Wheel of Time before I something else catches my attention and makes my pile of books to read bigger.

40k fiction? Fiction you say? As far as I'm concerned Ibram Gaunt and his merry band of Guardsmen are as real as the keyboard I'm typing on.....

On a serious note how is the 40k fiction? I enjoy the table top game and the brief stories in the codex's are pretty interesting.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on July 02, 2009, 06:38:08 AM
The Fantasy side is on par with dragon lance books so if your in to that....
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: necronos on July 02, 2009, 06:47:32 AM
40k fiction? Fiction you say? As far as I'm concerned Ibram Gaunt and his merry band of Guardsmen are as real as the keyboard I'm typing on.....

On a serious note how is the 40k fiction? I enjoy the table top game and the brief stories in the codex's are pretty interesting.

*glances at the Tanith badge on his chest* Of course 'Bram Gaunt is real!

Most of the 40k fiction is good, some of it is awful and some of it is brilliant. Anything written by Dan Abnet is fantastic (Gaunt's Ghosts, the spin off - Double Eagle, The Eisenhorn Trilogy, Ravenor Series, Brothers of the Snake), the Horus Heresy novels (technically 30k - written by different authors) are really good with only one or two crappy titles. The Ciaphas Cain series is quirky and good... that is by Sandy Mitchell.

It depends on what you like in the 40k 'verse too. I'm not a player, just a reader, and I find that I'm not all the excited about Space Marines (with a few expections) but I really love reading about IG or Inquistion.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on July 02, 2009, 05:13:53 PM
The Fantasy side is on par with dragon lance books so if your in to that....

No, having read several books of both, I can positively say Dragonlance is better.  (I much prefer the Warhammer World, but the fiction... is downright pitiful...)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on July 03, 2009, 02:19:16 AM
they both just have writers who are in essence whores(not litterally for those of you who take things out of context)...and both are pitiful
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on July 03, 2009, 04:39:29 AM
They have recently put out Dragonlance books for the middle grade age, 8-13, and my 10 yr old loves them. I don't care much for the adult versions, but these have gotten him away from Captain Underpants so I am happy they are available.

I have started reading the Alera Codex books by Jim Butcher. I have had to fight my husband for the books so I've only read the first one, but I like them so far.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on July 03, 2009, 05:28:29 AM
I finished bonehunters and am starting Reapers Gale
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on July 07, 2009, 12:44:30 AM
Finished the Percy Jackson & The Olympians series and have just started Ender's Game (Orson Scott Card).
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on July 07, 2009, 05:19:38 AM
Finished the Percy Jackson & The Olympians series---

What'd you think of that series?  I've had a few people suggest them to me, but haven't been much for YA stuff.  So, I'm wondering in general what you thought of it as a fantasy book, and also how it stacks up specifically within the YA genre.

lol!  Maybe you should just write a full review and submit it to Nessa while you're at it.  :)  Boy, I'm not demanding or anything, am I?  Really not looking for anything special.  Just your thoughts.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on July 07, 2009, 08:52:18 PM
I've only read the first Percy Jackson, but I really enjoyed it. It is definitely great YA and pretty great fantasy to boot.

I just read Patternmaster by Octavia Butler. I felt like she had "good" characters do "bad" things without really addressing the issue. Has anyone else read her? Are her other books this way?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on July 07, 2009, 11:32:21 PM
It's definitely, without-a-doubt, 100% YA. IMO, obviously aimed towards a child audience. However, I still think it is very worthwhile to read it. Riordan works with internal feelings, conflict between characters, and humankind's faults as a whole to make a believable, mind-capturing tale. AND the books are really, really funny, (but I didn't feel that the humor detracted from the stories at all). It's one of my all-time favorite series.

Make sure you read them in order, though. Much better that way.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Renoard on July 08, 2009, 10:00:59 PM
But but But.  Captain underpants is Kewl!

Just finished the King's Buccaneer and am taking a hiatus from Feist to reread the Laumer books in the World Shuffler series.  60's pulp SciFi at it's best.

I do wish Feist had not been afraid of introducing renaissance technology the way Jordan did.  That is just one of the major improvements.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on July 10, 2009, 06:03:34 AM
I loved Captain Underpants when it was brand new i was like 6 or 7 for the first one and got it at the book fair... in the third one on the name list my name converts to Gidget something-lover (i like the flip scenes)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on July 14, 2009, 07:15:23 AM
Finished The Steel Remains.  Not my favorite.  Well, actually, not really even close.  Doubt I'll read the next one in the series.

Started You Don't Have to be Evil to Work Here, but It Helps by Tom Holt.  Pretty funny so far, but a bit too much real-world solidity for me to really like it up front.

Going to be reading Black Sun Rising by C.S. Friedman next.  Well, probably.  Quite looking forward to finally getting to this one.  Still, I might end up getting The Price of Spring (Abraham) and Purple & Black (Parker) before finishing it, both of which will take precedence.  Can't help myself in these cases.  They'd probably take the pie (or proverbial cake, if you must) over just about any other book that I could be reading at the time.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Andrew the Great on July 14, 2009, 10:51:48 PM
Just finished The Lies of Locke Lamora and Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch. Loved both.

Prior to that, I read the First Law series by Joe Abercrombie - not so much. I can't really tell you why, but I just didn't like the books.

I'm thinking next thing I'll do will be a re-read of WoT. Haven't done one for a while, and I want to be able to remember the characters for The Gathering Storm.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bururian on July 16, 2009, 12:17:21 AM
Currently doing a re-read of Winter's Heart, by Robert Jordan, since I got behind on it while reading the Night Angel Trilogy. Also reading Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, and just starting up Rules of Ascension, by David Coe. Wish I had some more Brandon Sanderson to read now.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on July 16, 2009, 03:24:48 PM
I'm reading The Soldiers of Halla, the tenth (and final) installment in the Pendragon series. Not bad so far.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: sortitus on July 17, 2009, 12:26:26 AM
I finished "Dream Thief" (Lawhead). I don't mind a little deus ex machina every now and then, but the main characters hardly did anything in this book. Shallow characterization and motivations, poorly explained plot, absolutely stupid romance, etc. Would not recommend to anyone.

"Memory" by Bujold was all that I've come to expect of her novels. I'll really have to try some of her non-Vorkosigan novels.

"Pawn of Prophecy" by Eddings left me ambivalent. It was very formulaic and often silly, but I'm curious enough about where the series goes because of what my brothers have said about it. I'm partially intrigued by the transparency of the plot. I'll finish off the series, as it's pretty short. If I don't bash my skull to pieces because of the stupidity of the characters first.

My sister is obsessed with Mercedes Lackey, but I never succumbed to her pleas to try Lackey out. I decided that a nice collabo-novel would be a safe spot to test the waters. I was wrong. "This Rough Magic" (Lackey, Flint, Freer) wasn't worth the paper it was printed on. My sister said that Lackey's collaboration projects are always super weird. She's going to help me pick a better sample.

Brandon Sanderson didn't disappoint with "Warbreaker". I had read some on his site a few months back, but reading an entire novel on a screen didn't sound like an enjoyable experience. That kid always pulls out some sweet magic. I was kinda disappointed by the wimpiness of BioChromatic Breath, but Vasher's encore pulled me around. On another topic, and without going too deep into spoiler territory, WTF incest? I don't care how many generations separate you. It's still creepy, curtain couple. The book was still awesome, though. Eh plus plus.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: FantasyAngel on July 17, 2009, 01:22:08 AM
Just finished The Name of the Wind and about to start on Gardens of the moon.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on July 17, 2009, 03:43:32 AM
I LOVEEE TNotW. Amazing book. Props for reading it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on July 17, 2009, 04:36:48 AM
WTF incest? I don't care how many generations separate you. It's still creepy, curtain couple. The book was still awesome, though. Eh plus plus.
This is a misconception that unfortunately seems it was easy to get from the book, because a lot of people are getting it.

The First Returned, the guy who the Idrian royal family is descended from, was named Vo and lived many years (centuries?) before the Five Scholars.

So no, there was no incest.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on July 20, 2009, 10:31:47 PM
And just so everyone knows 80% of us white folks that live in the good ole US of A are related to whatever stranger sitting next to you
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on July 21, 2009, 04:28:23 AM
Well, some people got the impression that Vivenna and Siri are directly descended from Vasher, not just related. They're not. (Or related at all, to meaningful definitions of "at all," as far as I know.)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on July 21, 2009, 04:31:19 AM
isn't he sterile?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: ryos on July 22, 2009, 12:53:08 AM
isn't he sterile?

Well, normally, yes. But there must be SOME way for a Returned to reproduce or the royal line wouldn't exist.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on July 22, 2009, 01:19:55 AM
I always assumed the royal line was an anomaly
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: sortitus on July 23, 2009, 10:52:34 AM
I got that impression as well, though I couldn't tell if it was gov. propaganda or the truth. There was definitely truth in the true royals having descended from a returned, but I thought that may have had something to do with the earliest returned being a little... special.

I just finished Twilight. Just barely. It was simultaneously as awful as everyone said and not really that bad. For an author who seems determined to write romance, her romantic scenes were horrible. That section in the meadow was the worst. What's with Bella referring to Edward's skin as marble whenever she touches him? It's a creepy description, saying that your lover is cold and stony (but if it works for Nynaeve...). She even said something like, "his cold, unyielding lips" when describing a smooch. Yuck.

The prose was always iffy and the action scenes disorienting. Characters were cardboard, plot was nearly nonexistent. When she dropped the stupid obsessing about how physically perfect Edward was, I found myself enjoying the book, sometimes for paragraphs at a time. With a good editor, I imagine the book would have made a very nice 200-page story. There was a scene that was approximately three pages long somewhere between page 350 and page 400 that was excellent. I really enjoyed that part.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on July 23, 2009, 06:25:38 PM
So, I bailed on the Tom Holt book.  Just seemed like nothing was happening and it all seemed so everyday.  Mildly funny though.  I must give it that.

Started Black Sun Rising by Friedman.  Pretty good thus far, but really just into the book.

Stopped reading that one for a quick foray into the effects of mescalin and lsd in The Doors of Perception by Aldous Huxley.  The first half was pretty good, but the rest seems intent on proving that all Christians should ingest the drugs on a regular basis.  Don't know how impressed I am with his logic though.

Bought Price of Spring (Abraham) and Best Served Cold (Abercrombie) off of Amazon yesterday.  Waiting with bated breath for those to arrive.  Can't wait.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on July 25, 2009, 03:59:22 AM
The problem with erikson is every book starts out so bloody slow...but the rest of it is so bloody genius!!!! if it wasn't for the first 150 pages of his books i would kiss him...well maybe not :P...but Toll the Hounds is picking up and once i'm finished with it i can begin the books i bought before becoming a Malazan Books of the Fallen addict
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on July 27, 2009, 06:59:18 PM
The problem with erikson is every book starts out so bloody slow...but the rest of it is so bloody genius!!!! if it wasn't for the first 150 pages of his books i would kiss him...well maybe not :P...but Toll the Hounds is picking up and once i'm finished with it i can begin the books i bought before becoming a Malazan Books of the Fallen addict

for the fun of it, you should get ahold of his 3 short stories in the Malazanverse. They are about the 2 necromancers and are comedy.

also, the stuff written by Esselmont in the Malazonverse is worth reading as well. The first one is decent, but the 2nd one is considered by many to be just as good (if not better) than the newest erikson novels.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on July 27, 2009, 07:11:27 PM
I thought Reapers Gale was one of the better books...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on July 27, 2009, 08:58:06 PM
many people consider Reaper's Gale a small step down from the others in the series, and Toll the Hounds even lower (mostly due to it being filled with more backstory than is usual). However, they are still good. Which to me says a lot about the books written by Esselmont.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Hero of Ages on July 28, 2009, 08:54:19 AM
I just finished the Dreamers series by David Eddings.  I read 1-3 when they 1st came out but was greatly disappointed by the 3rd book so I didn't pick up the last book in the series until I was in Barnes and Noble a few weeks back and saw the 4th book on clearance for $4,98, so I snagged it.  Since it had been a few years since I read the others I started over and reread the entire series.  Books 1 and 2 are ok but not up to the old David Eddings standards (which should tell you something), 3 was disappointing (again) and 4 was downright bad.  **SPOILER**  Talk about Deus Ex Machina.  The series is about gods protecting their followers and territories but when the gods' gods stepped into the picture I had had enough.  ** End Spoiler**

The whole series was an easy read, I read it in my spare time at work, and finished all 4 books in about a week and a half.

After the disappointment of that series I decided to reread something that I knew was good so I am currently on my 3rd read-through of The Name of the Wind.  When I finish that one I have to decide which to read: Stranger in  a Strange Land (unabridged) or Ender's Game.  Decisions, decisions.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: FantasyAngel on July 28, 2009, 10:43:44 AM
The Dreamers series was the first Eddings book I ever read and I haven't been able to pick up another Eddings book since.  I'm afraid the series sickend me.  I agree the first 2 books where ok, I like a few of the characters and was getting into the story but it all went down hill from there and the ending what was the guy thinking.  Seriously!  That just completely made the first 3 books redundant and pointless.

It's really a shame as I've heard many people say Eddings is good but I don't know whether I'll ever be able to bring myself to buy another of his books to see.  Maybe some day but I wouldn't hold my breathe.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: little wilson on July 29, 2009, 05:45:19 AM
Granted,  I haven't read the Dreamer's series, but his Belgariad is actually pretty darn good. I mean, it's not the best fantasy, but it is a very good introduction to fantasy. And if you don't want to buy it, there are always libraries...

As for what I'm reading--The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. I went and bought it at Hasting's the other day along with Hero of Ages (I was missing HoA in my collection, and saw NotW there too, so grabbed that). I like it so far. A lot. 'Tis good stuff.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Hero of Ages on July 29, 2009, 08:22:52 AM
Granted,  I haven't read the Dreamer's series, but his Belgariad is actually pretty darn good. I mean, it's not the best fantasy, but it is a very good introduction to fantasy. And if you don't want to buy it, there are always libraries...

As for what I'm reading--The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. I went and bought it at Hasting's the other day along with Hero of Ages (I was missing HoA in my collection, and saw NotW there too, so grabbed that). I like it so far. A lot. 'Tis good stuff.

Ditto Eddings' other series.

How far into Name of the Wind are you?  I won't say where I am in case you aren't there yet. (since I have read it before if you are past me it won't spoil anything)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: little wilson on July 30, 2009, 01:59:50 AM
Oh, I'm not very far. I haven't really had a whole lot of time to read it and I just started it yesterday while my sister was in a doctor's office....I was sweating in the car for an hour. Ugh....But oh well. Sweating and reading a good book? That's fine.

In answer to your question, though: The sword was put on the wall, and then the inn filled up with that caravan/traveling group that came by. The tinker is out among the villagers...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on July 31, 2009, 05:05:24 AM
Finished Toll the Hounds meaning i can read the books ive beem putting off!!!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on July 31, 2009, 10:01:41 AM
Just finished The Will to Believe.  I rather liked the titular essay, and a few of the other early ones were pretty good, but the anti-Hegelian essay, the Psychical one, and the one on Human Immortality were all a bit of a disappointment.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: little wilson on July 31, 2009, 10:30:54 PM
Finished Name of the Wind last night at about 2:45....It was freaking awesome. I really want to read Wise Man's Fear now. It's not out yet is it? (I was looking on line last night and couldn't really find anything about it)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on August 01, 2009, 12:02:18 AM
http://www.patrickrothfuss.com/blog/labels/book%20two.html

He finished the draft of Wise Man's Fear in May and sent it to his editor. It might come out in April 2010. He's the kind of author who sending this type of draft to an editor means he's happy with it and thinks it's in publishable shape. Now editing has started but it will probably take less editing than a Brandon book.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Hero of Ages on August 01, 2009, 07:48:38 AM
So it got bumped again huh??  It was originally supposed to be out in April 2008, then April 2009, then November 2009, now apparently next April.  Ahhhhhh, the waiting!!!!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on August 03, 2009, 01:20:33 AM
Finished Charlie Bone and the Shadow. Book #7. Extremely disappointing. I really enjoyed the first six, but this one was just . . . bad. Nothing happened in the whole book (that mattered (to me ::))) and you end up at pretty much the same place you started with. I could've just skipped over to book #8 and not really been that bothered.  :-\

On the OTHER hand,

I finished The Chosen this afternoon (Chaim Potok). Aaand . . . it was amazing. Absolutely fantastic. One of the best books I've ever read. I loved it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on August 03, 2009, 05:14:08 AM
Reading Ringworld Throne...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on August 03, 2009, 08:15:10 AM
I finished The Chosen this afternoon (Chaim Potok). Aaand . . . it was amazing. Absolutely fantastic. One of the best books I've ever read. I loved it.

Try My Name Is Asher Lev.  It's fantastic.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on August 03, 2009, 11:24:32 PM
Yea that's on my list for this summer. I've been told it's incredible. Thanks though.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on August 04, 2009, 08:03:49 PM
I just finished Warbreaker (I had to wait for a library copy because I like keeping my hardbacks pristine).  I didn't read this one online, so its the first of Brandon's adult books that I didn't see in process. It was so much fun. Now I'm reading Code of Conduct by Kristine Smith.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on August 04, 2009, 09:14:35 PM
The Price of Spring by Daniel Abraham.

So, I'm only into chapter five and have already had the chills a number of times and had tears come to my eyes once.  Yeah.  Tears.  It's psycho good.  Fourth in the series though.  Don't cheat and just read this one.  It'll ruin the effect.  :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on August 05, 2009, 07:58:54 PM
Yeah i needed a break from my job search so i spent the time allotted for it today and yesterday at the library and read pawn of prophesy a good read but i don't get the hype
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on August 05, 2009, 10:38:22 PM
Last Light of the Sun by Guy Gavriel Kay. Read it once before, but that was probably 2-3 years ago.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on August 06, 2009, 04:23:04 AM
Silk is your name Prince Kehlands or whatever's



And if anyone has read Game of Thrones im almost at page 300 and i despise Sansa
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on August 06, 2009, 06:38:07 PM
Just finished GoT and Sansa is redeemed a little bit, but I agree she is the most annoying character in the book. I seem to be reading the series in competition with someone else at my library. And they read much slower than I do.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: little wilson on August 06, 2009, 07:37:55 PM
Silk is your name Prince Kehlands or whatever's

Do you mean Prince Kheldar? From the Belgariad? If so, then yes (I know, because I'm one of the ones who dubbed her it).

Reading: Nothing right now. Searching for something to read....Considering re-reading Harry Potter since it's been a good 2 years since I last read them all. Or maybe something else....so many choices...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on August 06, 2009, 08:03:29 PM
Finishing up World's End: Age of Misrule 1 for the review blog. Then The Strain. Then 18 million other novels requested of us. Its good stuff. Loving it!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on August 06, 2009, 10:28:21 PM
Really interested in what you think about both of those, BSG, as I have both of them on my TBR pile.  Will have to keep my eyes on the blog.  :D
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on August 07, 2009, 03:16:15 AM
Yeah i meant Kheldar...he's humorous especially the fact that he acts like love is a curse when he loves the queen
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: sortitus on August 07, 2009, 11:08:20 PM
Yeah i meant Kheldar...he's humorous especially the fact that he acts like love is a curse when he loves the queen
Umm... yes. It is extremely peculiar that someone who would likely get killed if he revealed who he loved thinks that love is a curse. ;)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: little wilson on August 07, 2009, 11:10:40 PM
Kaz--He acts like that BECAUSE he loves the queen. Have you read the Mallorean? Because that one gets even better in regards to Silk and love...

And I still can't find anything to read. I have a list of books I want to read, but...I was just reading excerpts and summaries for them online, and none of them are catching my eye....Have you ever had that happen? It's frustrating the heck out of me. I'm going on a 14-hour drive tomorrow and I need a book (preferably two...or three) for it.... :-\
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on August 07, 2009, 11:36:49 PM
I was under the impression that he fell in love with her long before she became queen...and he thought marriage as a whole was terribad just like having obligations
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on August 08, 2009, 05:23:39 PM
And I still can't find anything to read. I have a list of books I want to read, but...I was just reading excerpts and summaries for them online, and none of them are catching my eye....Have you ever had that happen? It's frustrating the heck out of me. I'm going on a 14-hour drive tomorrow and I need a book (preferably two...or three) for it.... :-\

There's a thread ErikHolmes started, saying he was out of things to read. Have you looked at that? It has a lot of good suggestions.

I'm reading In Ashes Lie by Marie Brennan, but I'm finding it a little hard to get into.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: little wilson on August 09, 2009, 05:15:27 AM
Yeah I saw that (just now, but...yeah). I'm normally a huge fan of fantasy, but apparently I wasn't in the mood. My dad reminded me of a different series I've been meaning to read--The Great and the Terrible by Chris Stewart. So yes. That's what I'm reading now.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on August 09, 2009, 05:31:34 AM
I almost burnt Game of Thrones today....it's far to realistic you love some characters and rail at the others and the ones you love get the short end of the stick... this all lead to me putting the book down and seriously considering torching it!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: little wilson on August 09, 2009, 05:48:28 AM
Heh. The only book I've considering torching is Twilight. But as much as I believe she should never have written the book, I just can't convince myself it's not literature enough to burn it....
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on August 09, 2009, 06:12:04 AM
Evidentally it only gets worse. I read the jacket covers of the next ones and when I found out that he kills some imporatn people I reconsidered reading the rest.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shaggy on August 10, 2009, 08:48:13 PM
Just finished To Kill a Mockingbird. I'd seen the movie before but never read the book . . . it was pretty up there. I didn't remember some of the key plot changes, either, so that was fun. Very good.

I'll be starting either The Promise or My Name Is Asher Lev next. Not sure which yet.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on August 11, 2009, 03:55:37 PM
Evidentally it only gets worse. I read the jacket covers of the next ones and when I found out that he kills some imporatn people I reconsidered reading the rest.

Well yeah, characters get snuffed left and right. It's what makes Martin awesome. Book 4 did feel like it lost a lot of focus though. Book 5 will be out soon-ish, and I'm rather excited.

I also finished the first Age of Misrule novel. I'm not sure what to think. Great beginning, and a great ending (though that wasn't a sure thing until the last 10 pages), but it felt like a TON of setup. I might have withhold judgment until I've read books 2 and 3.

After receiving an email from Joe Abercrombie, BEST SERVED COLD will be next on my list after THE STRAIN (by Del Toro).
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on August 12, 2009, 04:49:21 PM
You got an email from Joe Abercrombie.

All I can say is, freaking cool. 8)

His book just happens to be the next one on my TBR list as well.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on August 13, 2009, 06:50:23 PM
finished THE STRAIN. I wanted to like it SOOOOOOOO bad, but it was SOOOOO full of plot holes and logic flaws. however, if you can be brain-dead while reading it, it has a popcorn-novel quality to it. there will be a review on the blog shortly.

now onto BEST SERVED COLD. it's scary how excited I am...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on August 13, 2009, 07:46:37 PM
Nice!

I'll be sure to follow that review. I wouldn't want to miss him making fun of you on the off-chance that you guys don't like it!  :P

Oh, uh, what am I reading? Well, nothing really. Just finished Gaiman's The Graveyard Book though. Not too sure what I'll read next yet.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on August 13, 2009, 10:59:13 PM
How about Gardens of the Moon? Steve you seriously need to post a review for that series if not for the slow beginings that would be the best series on the market!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on August 14, 2009, 03:22:56 PM
I'm reading The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. The anime series was incredibly faithful to the book. I like it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on August 17, 2009, 05:20:18 PM
Abercrombie is my hero.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on August 19, 2009, 04:55:28 PM
Currently reading, Techniques of the Selling Writer (this one's on Inter-library loan, so I had to read it first instead of Best Served Cold.  Grumble, grumble...)

So far I'm very impressed.  On the whole, I've found that this book has mostly enlightened me as to why I have liked certain books that I've read in the past.  I'll get to this part that talks about setup, and I'll say, "I remember reading this book, and not liking it.  Huh.  That's why."  Really interesting.  Has also given me a few insights into my own writing, which makes me really excited to get back to my most recent WotF entry.  In reading this one, I've found that I agree most whole-heartedly with what Mr. Swain has put to paper.  It is getting a bit long though.  At approximately 350 pages, I'm getting to the point (pg 200) where my mind is calling out for something fantastical.  Must...push...through!  It's good for me.  :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on August 19, 2009, 06:11:51 PM
Finally finishing off the last of The Contemporary American Poets.  I've been working on this book of poetry for over 10 years.  I'm just not a huge fan of Modern American poetry.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on August 19, 2009, 08:52:01 PM
reading Dawnthief by James Barclay - it will be released in the US in September. It's a cross between Gemmell and Martin. So far, pretty entertaining. After that, Lamentation.

I'm trying to find a pdf copy of Un Lun Dun by Mieville. Anyone have one?

I have a copy of Metatropolis coming in the mail.

Hey Ookla, do you have a copy of Painted Man, and perhaps the ARC of the sequel to Lamentation?

This review thing has been expensive...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on August 19, 2009, 09:16:20 PM
We no longer have the Painted Man. Didn't you say you got one from Joshua? Maybe Ethan has it still?

I have the ARC of Lamentation but not its sequel. Sorry I couldn't be of any help.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on August 19, 2009, 09:21:09 PM
No worries, you're fired.

I had the first part of the manuscript draft of Painted Man, but not the whole thing. I'll find a copy somewhere.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Slamel on August 20, 2009, 03:44:03 AM
Reading Lamentation, Skinwalker, Soulless, and Ghost Ocean.

Just finished The Swordbearer, The Steel Remains, Winter Duty, and Best Served Cold.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on August 20, 2009, 05:17:10 PM
I'm reading Dread Empire's Fall: The Praxis by Walter Jon Williams. It's amazing how different each of the things I've read by him have been.

Bookstore Guy, I have a real copy of Un Lun Dun but not a pdf. Depending on where you live, you can borrow it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on August 20, 2009, 05:36:51 PM
I'm in SLC.  I am gentle on borrowed books, and like long walks on the beach...with Slamel.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Slamel on August 20, 2009, 06:04:28 PM
Between this and the post about cuddling, people are going to start thinking your wife has something to worry about.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on August 20, 2009, 06:18:48 PM
Not to mention Dan saying he had "dibs." lol!

It's ok, my wife will just go over and gymnastics-kick you in the head when she decides it's worth her while. She beats me sometimes.

I saw Goodkind's new novel at Costco yesterday and wondered if anyone would care if I set the area on fire.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on August 20, 2009, 09:10:10 PM
My wife told me that my copy of I Am Not A Serial Killer arrived in the mail today all the way from jolly old England.

Two more hours, and I get to go home and read it   :) ;) :D ;D :o 8) :P
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on August 20, 2009, 10:21:03 PM
I saw Goodkind's new novel at Costco yesterday and wondered if anyone would care if I set the area on fire.

A wood-chipper would be much more fun and lots more dramatic.  Can I come?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: sortitus on August 20, 2009, 10:25:08 PM
You forget the rule. Don't talk about *censored*. Can we really have Goodkind as a censored word on the forum? Like, we type "Goodkind", and our post says "puppies", or something. Please?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Andrew the Great on August 21, 2009, 02:30:50 AM
That would be truly amazing. It opens up all sorts of possibilities for fun new sentences about *censored as well.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Hero of Ages on August 21, 2009, 06:31:27 AM
I just finished Haze and Imager by L.E. Moddesitt.  The cover and blurb for Haze interested me, unfortunately the book just didn't live up to either.  It is very annoying when 2 or 3 times in the first 20 pages I find editing errors so bad that I couldn't even understand the sentence.  What is worse is that I'm not all that good at grammar and the like, and they were so obvious that I actually had to reread them 5 or 6 times before giving up and moving on.

Imager was much better, no editing errors that jumped out at me, and a story that actually lived up to my expectations.  I was even surprised by a few, not many, of the plot twists.  It was a decent fantasy story that hints at being a pretty good series (it is the 1st book in an announced series).
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on August 21, 2009, 02:39:05 PM
Finished I Am Not A Serial Killer in one sitting... more or less.  My wife and I were at a church social thing, and I skipped out to read in the foyer, so I was interrupted frequently and had to drive a little, but other than that, I powered through the book.  Actually, it was more like I was 100% addicted.  It was awesome.  If you haven't read it, I can give the website address in England where you can buy it and have it shipped directly to you.  Shipping is free.  The book cost $10.00 and it is very, very much worth it.  It won't come out in the states until March I think, so England is the only way to go if you want it before then.

As for the book, well, I already gushed a little, but seriously, it's the best book I've read since... wow.  Having a hard time thinking of the last book that was good.  I think it even beat out Hero of Ages imho, but that's probably the last book I read of comparable quality.  You should own it already.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on August 21, 2009, 04:54:25 PM
I'm in SLC.  I am gentle on borrowed books, and like long walks on the beach...with Slamel.

I'm in North Salt Lake, so that shouldn't be a problem.  I'm going to Fell's house tonight, if you're on the way. I actually have no idea how to set this up. Should I email you?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on August 21, 2009, 05:14:13 PM
Actually, I'm going to Fell's tomorrow, so no sense in you getting off the freeway. Can you leave it with him? Also pm me your actual name so we can personally thank you in our review of the novel...seeing as I have no idea if we have met or not.

you are full of awesome.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Andrew the Great on August 21, 2009, 05:17:22 PM
Just finished Night of Knives by Ian Cameron Esselmont. This is the one set in the same world as Malazan book of the Fallen. I wasn't really sure what to expect, reading about Malazan characters written by a different author, but I ended up liking it just as well as I did the Malazan books. So I'll be picking up Return of the Crimson Guard and reading that one next, and then maybe I'll give Best Served Cold a chance. Hoping I'll like it better than I did First Law.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on August 21, 2009, 06:06:46 PM
They actually did some co-writing on Gardens of the Moon, and it was a completely shared world when they created it, so there shouldnt be too many jarring differences. Also, most people consider Return of the Crimson Guard to be as of an equal or better than most of the Erikson novels--i think it takes place after book 6 or 7 of the Erikson side of the series. You'll prolly need to import it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Andrew the Great on August 21, 2009, 09:32:26 PM
It supposedly takes place after Bonehunters. I'm currently looking at the cost of importing both it and Dust of Dreams. Depending on how much it costs, I may wait until January, but I don't think I have that kind of patience.

After Night of Knives, I wasn't particularly worried about the quality of Return of the Crimson Guard, but now I'm just excited.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on August 24, 2009, 10:48:56 PM
Since Sigyn was kind enough to lend it to me, I'm reading Un Lun Dun. It's very Alice in Wonderland so far. And it has interior illustrations, which for me is a reason to cheer.

I also am reading the newest Robin Hobb. Comes out in January in the US.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: JCHancey on August 25, 2009, 05:57:59 PM
Dreams of Steel by Glen Cook. If you haven't read him, go get the Black Company. Amazing stories, totally different from anything you've ever read. I promise you'll enjoy it :)
oh and The Dragon Reborn :P
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Reaves on August 25, 2009, 11:14:55 PM
I just finished ACROSS THE NIGHTINGALE FLOOR by Lian Hearn. It was not what I expected, which isn't to say it was bad. Really I'm still undecided about it.
     Basically its set in fuedal Japan, although the country itself is never mentioned. I found it to be mostly political intrigue and while I went into it expecting lots of cool combat scenes I was disappointed in that respect. There was very little combat throughout the book, despite the fact that the main character is an assassin.
     One thing I will say for it though, the not-Japanese culture is very immersive, even going so far as to mention that this character did or did not use the polite forms of speech.
     I found the climax to  be very disappointing as well. The author made promise after promise that the main character's quest was to assassinate the antagonist and save his father's life, only for the antagonist to be essentially stabbed in the back by another viewpoint character.
     Despite this the book's last two paragraphs were possibly the most beautiful I have ever read.
     Even though I found the majority of the book to be very slowly paced and in some places dull, I think I may actually pick up the next one. Don't ask me why.
     Anyone else heard of this book? Read it? What did you think?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on August 28, 2009, 05:46:00 PM
the new Robin Hobb is terrible...and i'm only half done...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on August 28, 2009, 10:59:03 PM
One of the bad sides of being an actual reviewer, eh Steve?

I love the fact that I can just willy-nilly drop a book whenver I please and not have to slog my way through the bad and the ugly.  What would little people like me do without those like you?

Carry on!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on August 29, 2009, 12:10:19 AM
Darn, I was hoping it would be the start of another good series like the Liveship books, which is my favorite Hobb.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on August 29, 2009, 01:36:48 AM
Storm of Swords and i am happy to say Sansa and her mother aren't near so annoying in Clash of Kings... much better book than GoT
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on August 29, 2009, 06:14:52 AM
Yeah...and it's a Liveship book. It is so utterly predictable and repetitive. pages and pages are dedicated to conversations that you can predict the outcomes in the first sentence. It is seriously cliche. Every character is an idiot. The chapter leads are asinine. I'm so disappointed in Hobb right now...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on August 31, 2009, 05:26:37 PM
I just finished the copy of UN LUN DUN that Sigyn let me borrow. Way odd, and way imaginative. The more I think on it, the more I like it. Not quite up to Gaiman quality, but still pretty cool.

Now reading some David Drake SF, the 2nd Age of Misrule, and slogging through the cursed Robin Hobb...

EDIT: Finished Robin Hobb's newest. It is beyond terrible. There is no climax. There is no action. There is no intrigue. There ARE, however, dozens of cliches.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on September 06, 2009, 04:42:00 PM
Feast for Crows and then a year of waiting for his next book....i think this hurry up and wait thing is becoming a habit
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Andrew the Great on September 07, 2009, 05:52:28 AM
For me too. I seem to have a knack for picking up series that are in the middle still.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: little wilson on September 07, 2009, 06:17:29 AM
Not to be off-topic, but the phrase "hurry up and wait" reminded me of something. My favorite band has a song with this title and it's pretty much my favorite song by them. But I've never heard the phrase other than in that song....And now I've heard it twice in the past week....

Reading: City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare....will soon switch over to the first book in The Great and the Terrible series by Chris Stewart, when I go back to school tomorrow....
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on September 07, 2009, 06:25:42 AM
Just started reading A Fire Upon the Deep.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on September 07, 2009, 04:45:08 PM
My family uses hurry up and wait quite frequently...ahh i'm becoming my father!!!!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on September 07, 2009, 05:27:26 PM
Well, I finished Patient Zero which was completely awesome. It should be titled Rainbow Six: Zombies.

I then decided to torture myself with the newest Terry Brooks. 1/3 through, and it is terrible. Thank goodness I didn't buy it...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on September 07, 2009, 05:52:17 PM
I'm reading The King's Peace by Jo Walton. I'm not finding it hugely engaging so far, but I loved Tooth and Claw by her, so I'm going to keep at it and see if it gets better.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on September 08, 2009, 03:36:10 PM
A Princess of Landover was terrible. At least it was only 300 pages so the torture was over quickly. The worst part? Knowing that this is going to be what Brooks writes from now on. What happened to the author who wrote the delightfully dark and violent Elfstones of Shannara?

Now reading The Company by KJ Parker. I was told it was better then the Engineer Trilogy, which is why I'm giving it a chance.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on September 15, 2009, 03:46:34 AM
So I bailed on Black Sun Rising by Friedman after about halfway through.  Just couldn't get into it.

Onto Furies of Calderon by Butcher.  Interesting beginning anyhow.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Hero of Ages on September 15, 2009, 07:43:32 AM
Liked Furies but gave up (for now) on the 2nd book.  Some books just seem to heap on the bleakness until they are just oppressive and I find myself finding excuses to not read them.  Robin Hobb's Farseer Trilogy is like that for me (It eventually finish it, and liked it) as is the 2nd Furies book.  It may pick up later on but as of about half way, I put it down and haven't read any of it for about 3-4 months.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on September 15, 2009, 04:02:02 PM
Read The Company by KJ Parker. I didn't love it, but didn't hate it by any means. I'm now reading an ARC, and a novel titled The Electric Church. It is a quick read, and pretty cool, but it's the first time in a LONG time that I have been seriously distracted by HOW MUCH swearing there is in it.

On the list to read:
The Somnabulist
The Devil's Company
The Devil You Know
Vicious Circle
The Quiet War
Blood of Ambrose
Dead and Gone
The Warded Man (The Painted Man...whatever...)
Darkest Hour
and whatever comes in the mail from Pyr, Orbit, and Wizards of the Coast.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on September 15, 2009, 05:25:07 PM
I'm reading Little Brother by Cory Doctorow. I just finished The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan. I'm really enjoying the Percy Jackson series.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on September 15, 2009, 06:05:02 PM
You know, I think I have a copy of Little Brother sitting around somewhere. I've just never gotten around to reading it. Let me know what you think.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on September 15, 2009, 08:02:58 PM
The only Brother character i know is George Orwell's "Big Brother is watching you" what an awesome book that was a bit freaky too.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on September 17, 2009, 05:41:01 PM
Liked Furies but gave up (for now) on the 2nd book.

So, I bailed on that one too.  Got about 60 pages into it and quit.  I just couldn't believe how poorly thought out the thing was.  It's like, "Don't think about anything.  Just put it all on paper and never go back," was the motto for this one. 

Young girl slices through a military-grade tent (can you say heavy, burlap-like fabric?) with a small dagger and jumps through the resulting hole before the guy with the SWORD can take two steps and run her through?  Before he can even yell for "the guards" to come and help him?  Um, no.  Random teenager doesn't know who the most powerful fury-crafter in the area even is, and brashly offends her without even thinking that she might get mad and send her magical fury after him?  Uh huh.  Girl runs into a forest and immediately knows it will try and capture her (fury-controlled trees), and instead of backing up a few steps and running around keeps running deeper into the trees?  Did I miss something here?  Same young girl being "okay" with the fact that she's going to get raped and then killed if she gets caught by some knights that are chasing her?  Okay, yeah.  No chance.

Butcher's writing is decent in this one.  I read the first two chapters and decided that if these ridiculous notions didn't stop soon that I'd quit.  And they didn't.  So, it's done.

Picked up Bright of the Sky by Kay Kenyon on the turn-around.  Really quite good so far.  She does have some pretty big problems with jumping POV in a single section, which can get confusing, but I read somewhere that this goes away after a bit.  So, I'm willing to push through it.  Really looking for great things from this book.  It's the first science fiction book that I've read in a LONG time that focused so heartily of characters and their lives.  Gives me hope that there are science fiction writers out there that still care about things like character and story and aren't stuck in yesteryear thinking that the "wow" factor is all that matters.  Well, here's to hoping anyhow.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on September 17, 2009, 07:30:40 PM
Classic Sci-Fi is pretty much the only Sci-fi i read because the newer ones, in my not so humble opinion, generally blow.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on September 18, 2009, 05:20:14 PM
You are reading the wrong new scifi. There are some amazing things out there (i.e. Karl Schroeder).
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: little wilson on September 18, 2009, 05:53:02 PM
I'm on to to the 4th book in Chris Stewart's "The Great and Terrible" series. It's an LDS series about the last days. And it's really good. There are some fairly big continuity errors (ones that I'm REALLY surprised the editors didn't catch, even though they're not that important to the plot), and the writing is amateurish in places, but the story itself is really good.

And sad. I was reading the 3rd book (finished it last night, and am now half-way through the 4th) before one of my classes yesterday, and I very nearly started crying. I had to skip/skim the part to make sure I wouldn't. And then come back to it when I got back to my apartment to really read it....And then I did cry...Amateurish though the series may be, it's still very good. I love it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on September 18, 2009, 06:27:39 PM
i.e. Karl Schroeder

I actually have Permanence by him in my TBR list.  Glad to know this could be another good sci-fi book.  The problem that I'm seeing comes mostly from the sci-fi that I've read, which I will agree is not very wide-reaching.  Even though Fantasy is by-and-large my favorite, I'd still like to be proven wrong about sci-fi.

Here's a few sci-fi authors I have on my TBR list.

Karl Schroeder
Tobias Buckell
Alastair Reynolds

Any others people can suggest that will deliver good stuff without sacrificing either character or actual story?  Or any of those three that I should wave off?

I've tried some of the "popular" authors (Iain Banks, Robert Sawyer) and haven't much cared for what I saw.


Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on September 18, 2009, 06:42:24 PM
I tried Buckell, and didn't care for it. Reynolds is pretty good--start with Revelation Space. The Safehold series by Weber is pretty good. Lots of people say Hamilton is good Hard SF. We were just sent a bunch of SF from Pyr to read, so we'll let you know: The Quiet War, and a ton of Mike Resnick. My buddy Skar says that the Jack Campbell series is OK, as well as the military SF by John Ringo (but I suggest you avoid the novel GHOST). There are a few other authors I was told to read for the SF equivalent of Hack'n'slash...but I can't recall the author names...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Slamel on September 18, 2009, 08:26:39 PM
Hamilton is the hardest SF I have ever seen and it is really, really great.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on September 19, 2009, 04:13:09 AM
Heinlein is one of the absolute best author's in any genre! (if you dispute this FACT i will smother you with a pillow :P) My favorite of his is Stranger in a Strange Land.



P.S. Anyone grok (if don't get it...don't ask and go buy SSL)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on September 21, 2009, 05:20:05 PM
I finished Little Brother and it really wasn't my favorite.  It was probably a better read before Obama was elected.  It was really one-sided, and while it brought up a lot of good things to think about,  the main character's attitude just made me roll my eyes. 
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on September 21, 2009, 05:28:52 PM
I grok.  Thou art god?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Comfortable Madness on September 21, 2009, 06:24:16 PM
Bookstore Guy, you'll be happy to know that I just picked up the first book in the Malazan series, Gardens of the Moon. I'm pretty excited to start reading it. I've heard many good things from you and many others about this series. Glad I'm finally getting around to it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on September 21, 2009, 06:31:17 PM
Bookstore Guy, you'll be happy to know that I just picked up the first book in the Malazan series, Gardens of the Moon. I'm pretty excited to start reading it. I've heard many good things from you and many others about this series. Glad I'm finally getting around to it.

I bought it too a couple weeks ago, but between writing, work, and finishing up The Blade Itself, I haven't had time to start just yet.  :(
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on September 21, 2009, 09:00:10 PM
It's the worst of all the books and yet it still kicks *censored*! Yeah the series is darn good... if you can predict anything i give you props...it's seriously complex


P.S. Yes I am Recovering Cynic. How about you?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on September 21, 2009, 09:03:06 PM
Indeed.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Andrew the Great on September 21, 2009, 09:37:47 PM
The Malazan series is amazing. You just have to keep pushing through if you get confused in the first one. Erikson isn't a big one for exposition. He just drops you in and expects you to figure it out. Granted, it wasn't terribly difficult to figure out the setting stuff, but some people I know have been put off by it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Hero of Ages on September 22, 2009, 07:40:13 AM
Just finished rereading WoA and decided to take a break and read something new before rereading HoA.  My wife bought me Dan Brown's new book The Lost Symbol and I am about 7 chapters in and to tell you the truth I am not that impressed.  It just feels forced to me.   Da Vinci Code was good but the 1st book Angels and Demons was the best book by him so far.  I couldn't even finish Deception Point or Digital Fortress.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on September 24, 2009, 10:43:40 PM
Finished Bright of the Sky by Kay Kenyon.  Totally let down.  It was a sci-fi book in every sense of the genre.  Ugh.

Picked up a copy of the new WotF anthology (25) from Barnes & Noble the other day.  Starting up on that, and will probably get into Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay sometime soon.  Hoping for good things from both.  Debating on whether or not to try another sci-fi book anytime soon.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on September 24, 2009, 11:06:55 PM
I just finished The Blade Itself by Abercrombie.  It. Was. Awesome.  There was a tad too much swearing for my taste, but other than that, I have no complaints.  I would recommend it too anyone who can handle their share of violence and brutality and who is not easily offended by swearing (I am easily offended by swearing, but the quality or the writing and the story made up for it, and it only got bad after I was completely hooked on the book). 

I'm going to pick up the sequels soon, but before that, I'll be reading The Lies of Locke Lamora first, more for research purposes than anything else, but I'm sure I'll enjoy it as well.  If I didn't already own Locke Lamora (and wasn't broke), I'd be going out to buy Before They Are Hanged and reading it first. 
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Andrew the Great on September 24, 2009, 11:28:41 PM
You can't do much better than Lies of Locke Lamora anyway, so that's not such a bad thing.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on September 25, 2009, 05:59:35 PM
Finished Feast for Crows last week and this past week and contiuing through wed i'm cramming for mid-terms YAY TEXT BOOKS!!!


EDIT: it's not really mid-terms...what do you call it if its split into thirds not halves?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Slamel on September 25, 2009, 06:24:35 PM
Irritating.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on September 25, 2009, 06:57:01 PM
I'll be reading The Lies of Locke Lamora

You can't do much better than Lies of Locke Lamora anyway, so that's not such a bad thing.

Although, Lynch swears more profusely in the Gentlemen Bastard series than Abercrombie ever did.  Felt like I was back in grade school again when I read Lies.  I really liked the story in it, but his story-telling method (jumping between past/present/info dumps) mostly just bothered me.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on September 25, 2009, 10:13:06 PM
I think that Lynch swears more than the First Law Trilogy, but not more than Best Served Cold. And as I recall, Lynch doesn't do the time jumping thing nearly as much in book 2. Maybe it would be more to your liking, Dan.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on September 28, 2009, 06:27:59 PM
Lynch had too much swearing for me. I'm not even going to touch Abercrombie.

Right now I'm reading Passage by Connie Willis.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on September 28, 2009, 06:52:52 PM
I think that Lynch swears more than the First Law Trilogy, but not more than Best Served Cold. And as I recall, Lynch doesn't do the time jumping thing nearly as much in book 2. Maybe it would be more to your liking, Dan.

Really?  Just recently finished Best Served Cold, and I still have the impression in my head that Lynch was the worse of the two when it came to swearing.  Admittedly, it's been a while.  I did read Red Seas Under Red Skies, and even though the story was interesting, the ending was a complete let-down.  Hoping for better things from Republic of Thieves, whenever THAT is going to come out...

In the middle of Wotf 25, and getting more frustrated by the story.  I obviously don't understand what all goes into choosing these things.  It's also obvious that it's not what they say it is, or these anthologies would be much better.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on September 28, 2009, 07:26:01 PM
So I'm about a quarter through Locke Lamora and he puts Abercrombie to shame when it comes to swearing.  In The Blade Itself the characters swore, but mostly when they were angry or where a normal person might likely swear.  Lynch's characters swear about as often as they breath. 
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on September 28, 2009, 07:30:34 PM
Quote
Lynch had too much swearing for me. I'm not even going to touch Abercrombie.

Right now I'm reading Passage by Connie Willis.

Okay, so I've only read the first book of the The First Law trilogy by Abercrombie, and I'm also only part way through Locke Lamora but so far, The First Law is winning easily, and the mature content is much more toned down (except for violence that is; if violence bothers you, then The First Law will most definitely bother you).
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on September 28, 2009, 08:00:03 PM
Man, I really don't remember Lynch being worse with the swearing than Best Served Cold. It's been a while, so I could easily be remembering it wrong. These authors aren't for everyone.

As for WotF, the last anthology I read of theirs was full of pointless stories that were poorly written. Bleh.

Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on September 28, 2009, 09:02:54 PM
I can't compare Best Served Cold as I have not read that one.  You might be right on that one.  It's on my list of books to read regardless.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on September 29, 2009, 05:03:07 AM
I started American Gods... pretty good so far
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Hero of Ages on September 29, 2009, 08:00:18 AM
American Gods is a great book by the great Neil Gaiman.  His Neverwhere is even better.

Still reading Lost Symbol.  It is getting better but still feels forced, like Dan Brown was thinking the entire time, "this has to be better than DaVinci Code."
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shi on October 05, 2009, 10:24:32 PM
I'm just started White Night by Jim Bitcher. Got hooked on the Dresden files a few weeks ago while on vacation and what can I say, I'm already on book 9. And I thought it would take me forever to catch up...

I have The Blade Itself and Lies of Locke Lamora both sitting on my shelf ready to be read. You guys make it sound both fabulous and not at the same time, so I'm quit intrigued to start them.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on October 06, 2009, 05:48:07 PM
Finished Wotf 25.  Meh.  Good writing and all, but... yeah.

Into Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay.  Pretty good so far.  Oh happy day.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: JCHancey on October 07, 2009, 06:03:07 AM
Bought The Ghost King today, and consumed it in four hours. Oh my god my faith in Salvatore is restored. This book is incredible! I am still in shock from it. This is by far the best book he's done, IMO.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on October 07, 2009, 03:40:32 PM
Jakobus-- Is it too late to tell you that we are giving away 5 free copies of THE GHOST KING next Thursday to go along with our Salvatore interview?

WriterDan-- I was bored to death with Tigana after the switch in PoV. One of the few books I put down without finishing.

Shi-- Books 7-9 of the Butcher series were great. And then books 10 and 11 made me want to scream in frustration...they led to me selling my Jim Butcher collection on ebay. As for THE BLADE ITSELF and LOCKE LAMORA, I love them both. If you can handle a more mature level of content, then there is nothing wrong with them at all.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: JCHancey on October 07, 2009, 09:23:49 PM
You can never have too many books! :D
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on October 09, 2009, 05:28:30 PM
The Ancient World of the Celts.  Recently finished Wars of the Ancient Greeks by Victor Davis Hanson.  Was quite good.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: haperez on October 10, 2009, 09:21:22 PM
Hello guys I am about to finish the farseer trilogy so what should i read next the fools trilogy??? i have the first book already but i also saw that Robin Hobb wrote another trilogy b4 that one... but i dont know if its connected with Fitz which i want to see till the end.... i'll wait for comments

Thanks
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shi on October 10, 2009, 11:08:16 PM
Reading Whitechapels Gods by S. M. Peters and it is fantastic! I'm on a steampunk kick right now. I blame Tor.

Bookstore Guy-- I agree, the last few Dresden books have been great. Though I grow more worried the farther I get to the dreaded book 11. Lucky for me I've been getting them from my library :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on October 11, 2009, 05:42:50 AM
American Gods is pretty good (on page 220ish) but decided i'm just not in the mood for it so i went and bought Chornicles of the Black Company..... darn you Steve you got me on this dark fantsy kick where i can't even read Hienlien whom I love!!!!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on October 11, 2009, 06:41:25 AM
Hello guys I am about to finish the farseer trilogy so what should i read next the fools trilogy??? i have the first book already but i also saw that Robin Hobb wrote another trilogy b4 that one... but i dont know if its connected with Fitz which i want to see till the end.... i'll wait for comments.
You can read the first Fool book before reading any of the Liveship books, but you should read all the Liveship books before reading the 2nd Fool book. Fitz does not appear in the Liveship books, but someone else does and the trilogy is very important in the overall plot.

I personally think the Liveship books are her best work.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: pengwenn on October 12, 2009, 04:33:42 PM
I'm reliving a forgotten moment of my childhood.  I'm reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.  Suddenly I have this strong urge to buy a chocolate bar.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on October 12, 2009, 05:19:58 PM
I'm reading Unseen Academicals. I really enjoy Pratchett.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on October 12, 2009, 05:44:02 PM
I'm jealous. I ordered a copy but my local bookstore hasn't gotten it in yet.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on October 12, 2009, 08:48:38 PM
WriterDan-- I was bored to death with Tigana after the switch in PoV. One of the few books I put down without finishing.

Well, there goes another one.  You were totally right about the story after the POV change.  I got through the end of that section by flipping forward and realizing that I only had 80 pages until he got back to the original POV character.  But even after that, he kept on talking about what HAD happened, and filling in the history of the story and why it might or might not be important.  The dude can write, but man, there's pretty much nothing interesting about a story told that way.  Felt like a history book.  And what with the story being about the destruction of a country...well, I just couldn't deal with it anymore.  Can't say that this is one of the few that I've put down though.  I've put down lots.  :D

So, I'm reading this book called Transformation by  Carol Berg.  I don't have very high hopes for it though after reading Steve's review of Flesh and Spirit.  I moved it up to the top of my TBR list because there's a girl on Shelfari in the Fantasy Book Group that I moderate that said she thought the men in this book were the epitome of those she likes to read about in fantasy settings.  So, I'm off and running.  At least she writes well.

Alastair Reynolds will just have to wait.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on October 12, 2009, 09:56:32 PM
I finished up John Brown's SERVANT OF A DARK GOD, and we got a review of it up on EBR. I think the main problem people will have with it is that the beginning makes you think "Oh crud, another traditional epic fantasy. Here comes the epic quest." What's awesome is that after several chapters he kinda slaps you and says "don't be silly, no epic quest in this epic fantasy." It was SOOOO refreshing.

I just responded to Kaz on the blog about Epic Fantasy. For whatever reason, people seem to thin that Epic Fantasy MUST have an Epic Quest. I find this to be a common misconception. The term "Epic" has nothing to do with travel.  Epic is a definition of great achievements or events that are narrated in elevated style. This can be done in a focused setting. How about we let the bad guys do the traveling for once? Good heavens. Once you get past the intro to SERVANT, things become crazy interesting. The second book (out next year i imagine) will be a siege (of sorts) of "Epic" proportions. 

Epic Fantasy needs less traveling, and more focus.


WriterDan--Look at that! How awesome was that call? Though, really, I'm a bit sad that I'm right. For a long time I thought it was just me since everyone RAVES about TIGANA. I was gonna give it another shot, but I'm glad I didn't succumb.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: haperez on October 13, 2009, 01:04:37 AM
cool then i will continue with those never thought those books were connected.

Hello guys I am about to finish the farseer trilogy so what should i read next the fools trilogy??? i have the first book already but i also saw that Robin Hobb wrote another trilogy b4 that one... but i dont know if its connected with Fitz which i want to see till the end.... i'll wait for comments.
You can read the first Fool book before reading any of the Liveship books, but you should read all the Liveship books before reading the 2nd Fool book. Fitz does not appear in the Liveship books, but someone else does and the trilogy is very important in the overall plot.

I personally think the Liveship books are her best work.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on October 16, 2009, 02:11:40 AM
I tried Robin Hobb once, but I stopped because I kept wanting to throw the book against the wall.  I don't like books where I actually want to enter the story and kill characters myself.  Just no good.

Now I'm reading Alcatraz versus the Knights of Crystallia and next I'm going to read The Hollow Kingdom.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: little wilson on October 16, 2009, 05:00:42 AM
Trying to find a copy of The Count of Monte Cristo to re-read. I'm writing a research paper on it for my english class, and I I need to get it fresh in my mind...All the school's English copies are checked out. And I don't know French. Blast.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on October 20, 2009, 06:43:53 AM
Time to learn!  C'est bon pour la sainté!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on October 21, 2009, 10:48:30 PM
Finished the most recent Dexter novel.  This series has gone down-hill.  Stick with show.  It has surpassed the novels.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shi on October 22, 2009, 12:06:15 AM
Quote
Finished the most recent Dexter novel.  This series has gone down-hill.  Stick with show.  It has surpassed the novels.

Dang, that's not something you hear very often! But I must say, I am loving the show, so no complaints here.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on October 22, 2009, 04:33:29 PM
I'm reading The Shining Court by Michelle West. I love her, but sometimes it is hard remembering who all her characters are from book to book. I wish I had a photographic memory.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on October 26, 2009, 06:45:49 PM
So Transformation was incredibly boring.  I finished it though, as I felt obligated to after saying that I'd give my opinion of the characters in it.  And, I mean, the characters were all right, but the story was just boring and really quite simplistic.  Grumble.  Finishing that one did give me confidence in my ability to choose to put a book down though.  If I hadn't been stuck with reading it, I would have dropped it after about 50 pages.  So, in that sense, it was a good experience.

Reading House of Suns now by Alastair Reynolds.  And whoa, it's cool.  Great writing, seems to be character oriented so far, and very interesting.  Then again, I'm only going to be reading it for another 12 hours or so, cause that's when I'll be getting my copy of The Gathering Storm, which will definitely take precedence.  :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on November 02, 2009, 05:58:53 PM
I just finished Maps and Legends by Michael Chabon. It's a collection of his essays. I liked it, and I think my favorite one was about the Daulaire's Book of Norse Myths. I always loved that book.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on November 08, 2009, 12:08:32 AM
Finished Gathering Storm.

But I don't want to hit on it too hard.

So, I'll just say that I'm done with it.

Maybe I just need to sit on it for a while.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on November 09, 2009, 06:36:03 AM
I'm a third of the way through Gardens of the Moon and struggling with it.  The only reason I'm still reading is that I've been promised that I'll be greatly rewarded.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on November 09, 2009, 06:02:37 PM
I talked with Erikson about this at World Fantasy.  He agreed that most people have trouble with Gardens.  It was a situation where both Erikson and Esslemont felt that starting "at the beginning" was overdone and not appropriate to the series and the story they wanted to tell.  As Jim Minz (the guy who got Erikson finally published here in the US) said, "Gardens is like having anvils tied to your feet and then being thrown in the ocean.  If you manage to free yourself and keep swimming, there is a high chance that you will come to think of Erikson's novels as the pinnacle of fantasy."  I agree 100% with this.  Gardens is the weakest (easily) novel in the series, and then it becomes fantastic.  You have to realize that Erikson and Esslemont don't hold your hand like 99% of all other authors.  They assume that you are intelligent, and that you can figure stuff out on your own.  At least that's what they told me.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on November 09, 2009, 06:31:44 PM
Oh, I'm not having trouble "figuring things out on my own" so to speak; I am having trouble seeing where the novel is going or getting behind any of the characters as yet.  Don't worry.  I'll finish it.  And if it is everything that it has been promised me to be, I will be converted.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on November 09, 2009, 07:10:05 PM
I've only read Gardens of the Moon by Erikson, and I loved it. I have to admit that I never quite understand why people say they have a hard time with it.  I loved it enough that I bought the whole rest of the series and they are waiting in my to-read pile (which is currently about seven feet tall).

Anyway, I just finished Flora's Dare by Ysabeau Wilce. This series really has some of the best world building I've seen in a young adult novel in a long time.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Miyabi on November 09, 2009, 07:21:32 PM


Attempting once again to read The Eye Of The World . . . . .

I just finished reading Scribbler again.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Slamel on November 09, 2009, 08:00:45 PM
Oh, I'm not having trouble "figuring things out on my own" so to speak; I am having trouble seeing where the novel is going or getting behind any of the characters as yet.  Don't worry.  I'll finish it.  And if it is everything that it has been promised me to be, I will be converted.

Don't worry it doesn't go anywhere.  I haven't read Dust of Dreams yet, but up to that point we are ALL waiting for the big reveal of where it is going.  We have hints and deep plotlines that give us a few ideas about it, but nothing is concrete.  However, to cite Shepard Book from Firefly, the journey is the worthier part.  I don't really care where The Malazan  series is ending up because it is a hell of a lot of fun reading in the going.  Hopefully this doesn't discourage you from reading the rest of them.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on November 09, 2009, 09:00:29 PM
Quote
Don't worry it doesn't go anywhere.  I haven't read Dust of Dreams yet, but up to that point we are ALL waiting for the big reveal of where it is going.  We have hints and deep plotlines that give us a few ideas about it, but nothing is concrete.  However, to cite Shepard Book from Firefly, the journey is the worthier part.  I don't really care where The Malazan  series is ending up because it is a hell of a lot of fun reading in the going.  Hopefully this doesn't discourage you from reading the rest of them.

Hmm... that might actually be a problem.  I'm a plot/goal driven person.  If a book meanders without an indication of what it's building towards, then I lose patience.  I'll finish it; this I promise.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on November 09, 2009, 11:11:15 PM
Erikson and Esslemont personally promised me that a TON is going to be resolved - partially through Dust of Dreams, and significantly through The Crippled God.  Also Esslemont's series is going to fill in gaps while Erikson is writing the next segments of the series once the main 10-book segment is done.  Don't worry, they do have a plan.

But, as Nick said, the journey itself is worth the reading. 

Sigyn - If you loved Gardens, the next two novels will consume you.  Then the following ones...well, you'll love them.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on November 09, 2009, 11:26:05 PM
Memories of Ice is one of the top 10 sci-fi/ fantasy books ever written!!!!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on November 12, 2009, 06:21:40 PM
Finished DIVING INTO THE WRECK (SF) and THE AFFINITY BRIDGE (Steampunk).  Both were fantastic.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on November 12, 2009, 06:53:28 PM
Finished Gathering Storm.

But I don't want to hit on it too hard.

So, I'll just say that I'm done with it.

Maybe I just need to sit on it for a while.

I'm finding this a...different...read as well.  I finally got my copy from the UK, so I'm a little behind.

Word of advice to serious WoT fans:  while the UK edition may have the awesome cover, the binding is HORRID.  It isn't stitched, and thus will fall apart after a few read-throughs of the novel.  I'm really quite upset with Orbit for doing this.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on November 13, 2009, 07:06:02 PM
I'm reading Yiddish Policeman's Union by Michael Chabon. I am sick of the f-word.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on November 16, 2009, 06:48:31 PM
I read Water for Elephants during my trip to Phoenix.  For how much praise that book got, there really wasn't much story to it at all.  Mostly just a clip of life for a guy who bailed for the circus during the depression years.  There there's this tacked-on happy-feely ending to it that didn't fit at all.  Plus there were a bundle of places I had to skip past because of how graphic the sexual content got.  I mean, just dumb to put that in this kind of book.  Shock value stuff.

Reading House of Suns right now by Alastair Reynolds.  This one is taking my forever (dense copy) and I can't say that I'm really pulled into the story, but at least there's a story and decent characters.  Been getting sick of sci-fi fiction that forgets that fiction means there has to be a story in there somewhere.

Meanwhile, I've been gearing myself up for the "ultimate sacrifice".  lol.  Going to hit the first three Malazan books next.  I've already been through the first one once, and tried the second one twice.  Still, all these people just won't get off it and stop lauding praises of the series.  Course it doesn't help that I've read a load of interviews with Erikson and the dude is really a decent guy.  So, I'm going to hit em hard--one, two, three--give it my best go, and see where it all comes out on the back end.  Of course, if I end up liking them, this isn't going to do very nice things for my TBR pile...

I'm finding this a...different...read as well.

I'm interested in seeing what you think about it in the end.  Is there going to be an Elitist Book Review on this one?

...the binding is HORRID.  It isn't stitched, and thus will fall apart after a few read-throughs of the novel.  I'm really quite upset with Orbit for doing this.

My hardback cover of Name of the Wind split on me before I had even read it once.  Man, I wanted to scream at that.  Inferior binding on hardback books absolutely sucks.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on November 16, 2009, 08:22:03 PM
It takes a while for each book in the series to draw you in... the only problem with the series is the beggining is like a HUGE memory dump!!!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Catcha on November 17, 2009, 04:30:03 AM
I re-reading the Tawney Man trilogy by Robin Hobb. I'm thinking of making The Fool my favorite character of all time. ;D
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on November 17, 2009, 05:38:10 AM
Finished American Gods about 10 minutes ago.... one word.... AWESOME!!!!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on November 17, 2009, 06:34:32 AM
I'm reading the third of Dan's serial killer books. It's pretty good. ;)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Hero of Ages on November 17, 2009, 08:17:53 AM
My hardback cover of Name of the Wind split on me before I had even read it once.  Man, I wanted to scream at that.  Inferior binding on hardback books absolutely sucks.

Yeah, mine split on me too but it did take 3 reads to do it.

Quote from: Champion Kaz
Finished American Gods about 10 minutes ago.... one word.... AWESOME!!!!

American Gods was fantastic.  Anansi boys is the follow up and it is good but not as good.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on November 18, 2009, 07:22:55 PM
I'm reading the third of Dan's serial killer books. It's pretty good. ;)

I would say that I'm jealous, but I still haven't read the second one, which is just about KILLING ME!  Ah, the pleasure of waiting for books that I know have already been completely written.  Well, good books anyhow.  I don't much care about the crappy ones.  :D
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on November 19, 2009, 04:37:03 PM
I would say that I'm jealous...

You should be.  Those three books were full of awesome.

Oh, and I did finish up the WoT novel, so now Nick and I can write up the review.  Reading it was an odd experience.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on November 19, 2009, 05:16:58 PM
So I was still plowing through Gardens of the Moon yesterday when I reached the chapters dealing with Crokus and the assassins.  Now I am *devouring* Gardens of the Moon as much as I can while not completely ignoring my wife or my own novel-in-progress.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on November 19, 2009, 10:57:41 PM
*cheers* and it's okay to ignore life if you are reading Erickson...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on November 19, 2009, 11:07:16 PM
Kaz, you aren't married are you?  At least, you aren't married to a woman who does not understand addictive book-reading, that's for sure.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on November 20, 2009, 05:05:50 AM
I'm married to my mother who is my sister who is my daughter..... in other words TEXAS.....
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on November 23, 2009, 09:21:50 PM
I just finished Gardens of the Moon.  Holy freaking cow.  I am humbled.  And now, I face a terrible dilemma: do I finish Abercrombie's First Law trilogy, or do I start on the Malazan: Books of the Fallen series in earnest. 

How do you go about making a decision like that?  Jeez!  It's like having to choose between dating the prom queen or that hot chick who keeps smiling at you in biology...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on November 23, 2009, 10:49:42 PM
Go with the hot chick... she has a better disposition... :P
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on November 24, 2009, 12:03:25 AM
So, House of Suns was really good.  I'm completely impressed.  Granted, it was quite difficult at first to connect with it, as the TWO point-of-view characters are both told in first-person.  And it started a bit slow.  But cool.  I really liked it.  Thanks a grundle for the suggestion peoples.  I'll definitely be reading more of Mr. Reynold's work.

And on to Gardens of the Moon.  Into the first chapter so far.  So, not much to report on.  :D  But expect me to keep you updated, Steve.  I'm dedicated to this.

I would say that I'm jealous...
You should be.  Those three books were full of awesome.

And I AM jealous of the fact that anyone had already read the second book and I haven't.  It was just tough to pull up jealousy for those reading the third.  :)  Don't want to spoil the effect, anyhow.  After buying and reading the first Serial Killer book, I have no doubt as to Dan's ability to write a good yarn.  Can't wait for my turn at the next two in the series.  In fact, I'm starting to save my pennies now.  Speaking of...have I ever told you my theory about pennies?  Penny on the ground.  Two seconds to pick it up.  $18/hr.  When was the last time you were paid that kind of cash to do anything?  :D  Watch out for those nickles!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on November 24, 2009, 12:34:55 AM
Cynic--finish up the First Law Trilogy.  Its a done series.  then go on with Erikson--he will eat up a lot of time.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on November 24, 2009, 01:16:34 AM
Yeah, that was my decision too.  It kinda helped that I had already purchased them a few weeks ago and they were sitting on my bookshelf taunting me.  I'm ordering the Malazan books 2-4 on Amazon; they'll be here long before I finish Before They Are Hanged and The Last Argument of Kings.

It's so lovely to hear from dear old Glokta.  He just brightens my day...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on November 24, 2009, 09:56:44 PM
Erickson will steal ALL of your FREE TIME until you finish his series... it's like crack put in binding
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on November 24, 2009, 11:21:41 PM
I'm reading the Erikson short story collection (the Malazan one), and Westerfield's LEVIATHAN.

WriterDan--I'm glad you liked Reynolds.  I haven't gotten to that novel yet, though just the fact that you thought it was enjoyable makes me hopeful--I mean, we've already established we have similar tastes.

As a note to all you who like the stuff I like: Next year, a short story collection is coming out from Eos titled Swords and Dark Magic.  It was edited by good old Lou Anders.  It is 576 pages of stories with the following table of contents:

"Introduction: Check Your Dark Lord at the Door" - Lou Anders & Jonathan Strahan
"Goats of Glory" - Steven Erikson
"Tides Elba: A Tale of the Black Company" - Glen Cook
"Bloodsport" - Gene Wolfe
"The Singing Spear" - James Enge
"A Wizard of Wiscezan" - C.J. Cherryh
"A Rich Full Week" - K. J. Parker
"A Suitable Present for a Sorcerous Puppet" - Garth Nix
"Red Pearls: An Elric Story" - Michael Moorcock
"The Deification of Dal Bamore" - Tim Lebbon
"Dark Times at the Midnight Market" - Robert Silverberg
"The Undefiled" - Greg Keyes
"Hew the Tint Master" - Michael Shea 
"In the Stacks" - Scott Lynch
"Two Lions, A Witch, and the War-Robe" - Tanith Lee
"The Sea Troll's Daughter" - Caitlin R Kiernan
"Thieves of Daring" - Bill Willingham
"The Fool Jobs" - Joe Abercrombie

I just fainted again seeing this list.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on November 25, 2009, 04:10:27 AM
I'm half-way through The Moon is a Harsh Mistress BRILIANT... can't say if Time Enough for Love is better or worst...  but i still prefer the beggining of Stranger in a Strange Land we will see what i think when i finish...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Miyabi on November 25, 2009, 04:12:14 AM

Decided today that I will continue my wade through the massive library that is known as the Star Wars Extended Universe. . . yeah, that's at least a few hundred books. =]
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on November 25, 2009, 08:25:33 PM
I love the Moon is a Harsh Mistress. I like Heinlein, but that one is my favorite.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Chaos on November 25, 2009, 08:36:48 PM
I just finished Gardens of the Moon.  Holy freaking cow.  I am humbled. 

I have Gardens of the Moon on me to read pile. So you're saying it's definitely worth my time? (I just have extreme difficulty caring to plow on with a book I, um, don't care about, and so it worries me)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on November 25, 2009, 08:56:14 PM
Chaos, here's what I'll say about Gardens of the Moon:  If you start reading it, get half way through the book, and you are not hooked, then toss it.  I had a hard time getting through about the first third of it.  It was intricate, well written, but I had a hard time seeing where it was going.  About a third of the way through, Erikson gave me a character that I loved, and all the plot lines started to weave and tighten.  The last third of the book is near impossible to put down.

The reason I say I was "humbled" by the book is this: I have never read a book where the author created such a complex and believable universe.  I say universe because the story involves men, gods, demi-gods, demons, and everything in between.  It is, hands-down, the most epic thing I have ever read.  It is everything that The Wheel of Time could have been if it hadn't bogged itself down, but it is updated as well.  There are no cliches here.  It's a heck of a ride, if you are willing to give it a chance.

So like I said, take a lazy Saturday and read the first half the book.  If you are not convinced by then, well, Erikson may not be for you.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Chaos on November 25, 2009, 09:08:33 PM
Excellent analysis. I sure hope I will like it; epic is awesome.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on November 25, 2009, 09:32:30 PM
There aren't any series of novels out there right now that are more epic than Erikson (in my opinion).  I am a tad biased since Erikson is my fav, but I readily admit that his series isn't for everyone.  It takes an investment of time and intellect to fully appreciate the series.  Once you let yourself get sucked into the world, you will realize there is so much more going on in a single book in the series than most other full series combined.

As the biggest Erikson fan around here, even I wasn't convinced of the series' awesomeness until I'd finished book 2.  After I read book 3, I had to reevaluate everything I'd read in the fantasy genre, because it was simply the best book I had read.

Is Erikson worth your time?  Yes.  Gardens shouldnt take too long to read--it is the shortest in the series.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Chaos on November 25, 2009, 09:37:48 PM
There aren't any series of novels out there right now that are more epic than Erikson (in my opinion).  I am a tad biased since Erikson is my fav, but I readily admit that his series isn't for everyone.  It takes an investment of time and intellect to fully appreciate the series.  Once you let yourself get sucked into the world, you will realize there is so much more going on in a single book in the series than most other full series combined.

As the biggest Erikson fan around here, even I wasn't convinced of the series' awesomeness until I'd finished book 2.  After I read book 3, I had to reevaluate everything I'd read in the fantasy genre, because it was simply the best book I had read.

Is Erikson worth your time?  Yes.  Gardens shouldnt take too long to read--it is the shortest in the series.

Oh, I completely trust your judgment, Steve. I've had oh-so-many people recommend the book to me, that I would enjoy its complexity. I merely just wanted to get the perspective of someone whose initial impressions of the book weren't so awesome, and whether the temporary slogging through it was productive. I shall definitely grind through books one and two, even if you have to whip me to do it.

I've had bad luck stopping books. I stopped Name of the Wind nearly two pages before Kvothe and the Chronicler met up. Honestly, if I simply worked a little harder, I would have been completely sucked into that book. There's something to be said for some dedicated slogging to get into a book.

Maybe I'll keep notes ;)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on November 25, 2009, 09:46:11 PM
I totally get your hesitancy.  And I was originally one of those guys who slogged through the first 2/3 of the book wondering why my friend--who's judgment is impeccable--worshiped the presses the Erikson novels were printed on.  But man, when I understood, I nearly fainted due to the awesomeness.

And he puts out a book a year.  So refreshing.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on November 25, 2009, 10:57:25 PM
The reason he is approximately 6 on my list of fav's is the majority of his books start as a huge info dump... well written and necessary but if he could only spin it out over a larger period i think i would be brought into the story faster and enjoy the expierence more. Otherwise i have zero complaints and he shames damn near anyone.



P.S. Heinlein kicks everyone's tuckus b/c of Stranger in a Strange Land (recently found out he holds the record for the most Hugo Best Novel awards wasn't surprised but happy)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on November 27, 2009, 05:49:25 AM
Finished The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, it was AWESOME!!!! Every book i read of Heilein confrims my belief that he is the best in the Genre. Stranger in a Strange Land is the best stand alone novel I have read (Sci-Fi as I don't judge between genres) and The Moon is a Harsh Mistress definetly deserved it's Hugo. Though i think i like Time Enough for Love slightly more than
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on November 27, 2009, 06:28:24 AM
I stayed up until 6:30 a.m. this morning reading Before They Are Hanged.  Wow.  I think of all the authors I have ever read, Abercrombie does characterization the best.

And now on to Last Argument of Kings.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Chaos on November 27, 2009, 09:18:44 AM
Rereading Foundation's Edge, by Isaac Asimov. In my opinion it is the best Foundation novel. I'm anxious to see if my reread holds up to my first reading. I'd thought this is one of the best books, but let's see now, with my added perspective on writing, if it holds up to the test of time.

I'm near the beginning, though I can find few faults. It is concise, snappy prose. Fabulous writing from a Great.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on November 27, 2009, 05:25:00 PM
I prefer Second Foundation
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Chaos on November 27, 2009, 10:59:02 PM
Wow. It's been a while since I've read Asimov. Holy crap, it's dialogue heavy, with cerebral characters. Still, it worked. I think Foundation's Edge is definitely the best of the Foundation novels, especially when you add in the knowledge you gain from Foundation and Earth.

I've given up on NaNoWriMo, kinda, but I shall make for it by reading. Next up, The Blade Itself.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on November 30, 2009, 04:15:05 PM
Okay, Last Argument of Kings is *much* darker than the other books in Abercrombie's First Law trilogy.  I thought the third book in a trilogy was supposed to be an upswing?  Instead, it seems like all of the characters have descended into darkness.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on November 30, 2009, 08:13:47 PM
Servant of a Dark God by John Brown. I'm really liking it so far.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on November 30, 2009, 08:18:59 PM
I read the sample chapters before it was released quite good.
Currently reading:
Genetics Text Book (Test on Thursday)
Ringworld Throne

Books that are collecting dust:
Illustrated Man
Red, Blue, and Green Mars
Ringworld Children
Flare (Zelazny)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on November 30, 2009, 10:31:38 PM
As a note to all you who like the stuff I like: Next year, a short story collection is coming out from Eos titled Swords and Dark Magic.  It was edited by good old Lou Anders.  It is 576 pages of stories with the following table of contents:

"Introduction: Check Your Dark Lord at the Door" - Lou Anders & Jonathan Strahan
"Goats of Glory" - Steven Erikson
"Tides Elba: A Tale of the Black Company" - Glen Cook
"Bloodsport" - Gene Wolfe
"The Singing Spear" - James Enge
"A Wizard of Wiscezan" - C.J. Cherryh
"A Rich Full Week" - K. J. Parker
"A Suitable Present for a Sorcerous Puppet" - Garth Nix
"Red Pearls: An Elric Story" - Michael Moorcock
"The Deification of Dal Bamore" - Tim Lebbon
"Dark Times at the Midnight Market" - Robert Silverberg
"The Undefiled" - Greg Keyes
"Hew the Tint Master" - Michael Shea 
"In the Stacks" - Scott Lynch
"Two Lions, A Witch, and the War-Robe" - Tanith Lee
"The Sea Troll's Daughter" - Caitlin R Kiernan
"Thieves of Daring" - Bill Willingham
"The Fool Jobs" - Joe Abercrombie

I just fainted again seeing this list.

I did as well the first time I saw the list posted on Lou Ander's blog.  MAN.  I'm excited for this one.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on December 01, 2009, 05:44:38 PM
Servant of a Dark God by John Brown. I'm really liking it so far.

I enjoyed this one.  Very very set-up heavy, but good.

I did as well the first time I saw the list posted on Lou Ander's blog.  MAN.  I'm excited for this one.

I preordered my copy of this (Swords and Dark Magic) from Subterranean Press.  It is signed by all the authors.

Okay, Last Argument of Kings is *much* darker than the other books in Abercrombie's First Law trilogy.  I thought the third book in a trilogy was supposed to be an upswing?  Instead, it seems like all of the characters have descended into darkness.

Upswing?  Heavens no.  That's kind of the point.  They DO descend into darkness, no matter how hard they fight against it.  Best Served Cold shows this as well.  Abercrombie is Dark Fantasy about screwed up people.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on December 01, 2009, 06:47:37 PM
I preordered my copy of this (Swords and Dark Magic) from Subterranean Press.  It is signed by all the authors.

Please tell me it's going to be published elsewhere as well.  I'd have a hard time dishing out $75 for it.  Although, I must admit, I am still tempted.

By the way, Gardens of the Moon is coming along nicely.  I'm garnering a few new opinions of the book this time through.  My impression last time that it was character development light was completely wrong.  Must have been something else that made me think that, though I don't know what it might have been.  But liking what I'm seeing so far.  :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on December 01, 2009, 09:36:53 PM
Eos will be publishing a normal version.  If the Sub-Press version wasn't signed, I would have just gone for the normal one.

Yeah...I never understood the people that claimed Erikson was light on character.  He wasn't amazing in Gardens, but man does he improve.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on December 02, 2009, 07:58:16 AM
Currently reading Romeo Dallaire's Shake Hands with the Devil. (Yes, nonfiction. It's Dallaire's account of the '94 Rwandan genocide. Compelling stuff, if a little difficult to take at times.)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Slamel on December 02, 2009, 06:51:50 PM
Hey Silk, I just finished that.  Its a bit over the top on the minutae, but seriously intense stuff regardless.  Very good read, and agreed...hard to take at times.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on December 04, 2009, 10:17:31 PM
Finished up Leviathan by Westerfield.  Not bad.  Not as good as Phillip Reeves' Hungry City Chronicles, but still good.  The Bio-Manipulation in it was quite awesome though.

Neuropath is next i think.  But i have a huge stack to choose from...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on December 05, 2009, 03:48:17 AM
Slamel: I'm actually kind of enjoying the minutiae. Then again, I'm reading it as research for my current novel, so I'm happy for any details he throws in in that regard. (I also have had hardly any time to read since September, so maybe I'm just a bit starved for anything narrative.)

But yes. I heartily recommend it to anyone with a strong stomach. Though after this I think I'm going to go out and find me a couple Terry Prachett books.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on December 10, 2009, 08:47:46 AM
So, Gardens of the Moon is done.

Cool.

I have to say, I really liked the book this time around.  For some reason, it was different, and I can't really put my finger on why.  Maybe I'm just a different reader now and that's the sum all end all reason for it.

Anyhow, I think I did figure out why I though the characterization was so poor the first I read it.  Erikson DOES do characterization, but in this book we never really get motivation.  So, for the most part, we don't know WHY people are doing what they are doing (besides following orders or other mundane things like that).  Yes, he gets into the character's heads, but we're not there long enough to see it all.  He could have explained it all, like most other authors tend to do, but instead he just drops us in and makes us figure it all out as we go.  In this, we have to take it on faith that the author knows what he's doing.

He does.

Hoping for more good things from Malazan #2.

Thus, I'm currently reading Deadhouse Gates.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on December 10, 2009, 03:41:33 PM
Yeah, right now I have Deadhouse Gates on my bookshelf tempting me (I also have books 3-5 sitting there too), but my wife says I'm only allowed to have one obsession at a time, and I currently already have two (an RPG and the book I'm writing).  It will have to wait until I get something off my plate.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on December 10, 2009, 06:14:50 PM
I finished Servant of a Dark God and I quite liked it. Now I'm reading Wars of the Roses by Alison Weir.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on December 10, 2009, 09:58:15 PM
By the way, to clarify what I said earlier: I totally take Slamel's point about the minutaie in Shake Hands with the Devil. There are a lot, and I found them kind of overwhelming; I spent a fair bit of time flipping to the indices in the back to remind myself what a certain acronym meant or which party a certain politician belonged to. I honestly feel like I'd have to read it again just to get a complete grasp on the nuances of the thing (which I completely intend to do, by the way). But at the same time, I honestly did enjoy the time he spent setting all that up, and I think it did contribute.

So, uh, you should all go read it? No, seriously, it's pretty engrossing stuff.

Anyway.

Now I'm reading Pratchett's Making Money. Three cheers for materials that won't give me nightmares*!

* Note: Dallaire's book has yet to actually give me nightmares.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on December 11, 2009, 03:57:43 PM
Ah, the joys of Pratchett!  He is the awesome.  And, no, I did not just make a grammar mistake.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on December 11, 2009, 06:19:18 PM
I finished the Ringworld saga it was beastly! However, i couldn't get into illustrated man by Bradbury....
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on December 17, 2009, 11:27:02 PM
I've been reading a bunch of shojo manga: Tenshi Ja Nai, Captive Hearts, Yotsuba&!, and Ultimate Venus.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on December 18, 2009, 12:36:28 AM
Finished Pratchett's Nation the other day. Now reading... uh... academic article abstracts.

::)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on December 19, 2009, 06:51:25 AM
I'm about 300 pages into Deadhouse Gates and really liking it.  Stormcaller popped up in my queue at the city library though, and I only have 3 weeks for that.  So, I'm taking a quick break to read that one.  Not too much of a fan of the info-dumpish dialogue and prose at the beginning, but not poorly written, so I'll still give it my 10%.  There are loads of people that have said this series is really good though, so maybe I'll give it a bit more.  Hope it doesn't take much more though...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on December 19, 2009, 07:01:37 AM
Just started Salvatore's The Ghost King (thanks Slamel and Bookstore Guy!).
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Comfortable Madness on December 21, 2009, 03:39:50 PM
I'm currently finishing up book 2 in the Malazan series, Deadhouse Gates. Good so far but I was much more impressed with Gardens of the Moon. Maybe that will change after I read the ending.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on December 21, 2009, 03:58:52 PM
Finished Pratchett's Nation the other day. Now reading... uh... academic article abstracts.

::)

What did you think of Nation?  It's one of the few Pratchett books I haven't read; I think I've put it off because I read the description and was not terribly intrigued.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on December 21, 2009, 06:02:02 PM
I didn't really like the description of Nation either, but I liked the book quite a bit. It isn't the best Pratchett I've read but it's definitely in the better half.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on December 21, 2009, 08:07:43 PM
I thought Nation was pretty special. Definitely check it out. It's pretty different from Prachett's usual fare, but it's definitely worth your time.

Lessee, finished The Ghost King, which was fun, but kind of...uh... traumatic. (OH GOD FOURTH EDITION BROKE MY PLAYGROUND AHHH)

Then finished Bitter Night by Diana Pharaoh Francis and am now reading Michelle Sagara's Cast in Shadow.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bejay on December 21, 2009, 11:52:26 PM
Nation is great.

I stumbled upon a book with an unusual cover and went for it.

Bad Monkeys by Matt Ruff.

Rather entertaining if you like your stories twisted :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on December 22, 2009, 02:38:46 AM
I finished reading How to Ditch Your Fairy. I liked it a lot, although a loose end annoyed me. (It was meant to be understood but it annoyed me that it wasn't mentioned.)

I'm reading The Maze Runner right now. It's pretty intense. I would have line edited a few sentences more but it's a fun read.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on December 22, 2009, 06:07:35 AM
How To Ditch Your Fairy.... what an awesome title!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on December 25, 2009, 08:19:57 PM
Well i need to re-read the last couple of Malazan Books b/c Dust of Dreams is about to come out!!!! Bridgeburners FTW!!!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: little wilson on December 25, 2009, 09:39:24 PM
I got a B&N gift card for Christmas. I think I'm going to use it to buy Gardens of the Moon....And then that's what I shall be reading. :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on December 26, 2009, 01:15:59 AM
Reading Guy Gavriel Kay's Tigana. Re-reading, actually, for the first time in a few years.

It's constructive, though! It's research for my thesis! (Yes really.)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bejay on December 26, 2009, 01:30:47 AM
I got a B&N gift card for Christmas. I think I'm going to use it to buy Gardens of the Moon....And then that's what I shall be reading. :)

I am jealous. Reading that book for the first time is just awesome.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on December 26, 2009, 04:31:02 PM
I got Name of the Wind for Christmas!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on December 26, 2009, 11:34:40 PM
I'm making myself read some of Clarke to see if i like his novels better than his short stories (their a mix bag of tricks either really good or just terribad!) i found The Songs of Distant Earth at the used bookstore in Corsicana, Texas (a small ex-urb an hour from Dallas or 50 miles south) called the Book Stack.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on December 29, 2009, 05:05:24 PM
Reading Guy Gavriel Kay's Tigana. Re-reading, actually, for the first time in a few years.

It's constructive, though! It's research for my thesis! (Yes really.)

I tried so hard to like this book, and I just couldn't.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on December 29, 2009, 08:53:43 PM
Eh, I enjoyed it, but it's not my favourite of his works. I'd rather read... uh... any of his other stuff (excepting the Fionvar Tapestry trilogy, which I haven't read and have heard is a little subpar).  There's some good stuff in this book, I think, but there's also some stuff that's hard to get past, and it's a little hamfisted compared to his later works.

Anyway, finished that one as well as Prachett's Feet of Clay. Will probably move onto Morgan's Steel Remains next.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on December 29, 2009, 10:50:58 PM
Eh, I enjoyed it, but it's not my favourite of his works. I'd rather read... uh... any of his other stuff (excepting the Fionvar Tapestry trilogy, which I haven't read and have heard is a little subpar).  There's some good stuff in this book, I think, but there's also some stuff that's hard to get past, and it's a little hamfisted compared to his later works.

Anyway, finished that one as well as Prachett's Feet of Clay. Will probably move onto Morgan's Steel Remains next.

Steel Remains is very...shock value.  Like most of Morgan's stuff, it is very dark and gritty, but a lot of it is just there for shock value's sake and not necessarily pertinent to the story.  I'm undecided as to whether I like his work or not.  Just a warning since I know we reviewed it on the EBR blog.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on December 30, 2009, 03:46:10 AM
Yeah, thanks. I really do enjoy Morgan's work and I expect to enjoy this one as well, but I will probably be doing some eye-rolling through the more explicit stuff...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on December 30, 2009, 06:36:33 AM
Borders and a couple of stores in the mall had water problems... so they're entire Sci-Fi section was 30% off. I found some good stuff that wasn't water damaged at all!!!
1. Dawnthief by James Barclay ( which I am currently reading/ outlining, thanks steve!)
2. The first 2 Dreaded Empire books by Glen Cook
3. Old Man's War by John Scalzi
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on December 30, 2009, 09:48:18 PM
Yeah, thanks. I really do enjoy Morgan's work and I expect to enjoy this one as well, but I will probably be doing some eye-rolling through the more explicit stuff...

exactly lol!

Borders and a couple of stores in the mall had water problems... so they're entire Sci-Fi section was 30% off. I found some good stuff that wasn't water damaged at all!!!
1. Dawnthief by James Barclay ( which I am currently reading/ outlining, thanks steve!)
2. The first 2 Dreaded Empire books by Glen Cook
3. Old Man's War by John Scalzi

Seriously?  Man.  I never have that kind of luck...except when I worked at the bookstore.  We had water probs all the time, but I already got a fat discount, so it didn't really matter...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on December 31, 2009, 03:11:54 AM
I was lucky they were out of Heinlein and a few others (i looked for a cavern of black ice but they only had red sword or whatever the third book is called by Jones) else I would have spent way to damn much!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Slamel on December 31, 2009, 03:28:14 PM
Yeah, thanks. I really do enjoy Morgan's work and I expect to enjoy this one as well, but I will probably be doing some eye-rolling through the more explicit stuff...

exactly lol!

Borders and a couple of stores in the mall had water problems... so they're entire Sci-Fi section was 30% off. I found some good stuff that wasn't water damaged at all!!!
1. Dawnthief by James Barclay ( which I am currently reading/ outlining, thanks steve!)
2. The first 2 Dreaded Empire books by Glen Cook
3. Old Man's War by John Scalzi

Seriously?  Man.  I never have that kind of luck...except when I worked at the bookstore.  We had water probs all the time, but I already got a fat discount, so it didn't really matter...

Two things:  You were fat?  You got a discount for being fat!?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on January 01, 2010, 07:30:31 AM
I'll gain 50lbs if I get a book discount for it!!!! (Funny thing is I was 29% body fat for years but I've been a scrawny bastard for the last 4 years... though i had muscle for 1 of those four so not totally scrawny... now though when i bend right or left my ribs show so I'm scrawny again!!!!)


P.S. I did not use Jenny Creg
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on January 04, 2010, 07:44:07 PM
I tried to read The Storm Caller over the holiday break, but bailed on it after 10%.  Decent writing, horrible use of info dumps, but the thing that really killed it for me was all of the head-jumping.  This person, and then this one, and then that one...freak!  I just couldn't deal with it.  Though BSG has said the ending is superb, I just couldn't make myself slog through it to get to the end.  So, I'll probably give the guy another chance after he's written a few more books.  Hoping that he gets better.  Makes me wonder how much reading in the Fantasy genre the guy does though, because I haven't read very many recent books that let the POV-switch fly.  Anyhow.

About halfway through Deadhouse Gates and really liking it.  Got another friend of mine hooked on it over the break as well.

And got lots of Amazon love for Christmas.  So, I bought:
  1)  Darker Angels  (MLN Hanover aka Daniel Abraham, Urban Fantasy, if you read urban, READ THIS SERIES!  Awesome)
  2)  Neuropath (Scott Bakker's psychopathic thriller, excited to say the least)
  3)  Belly of the Bow (KJ Parker Fencer series, love the author, and for $4?)
  4)  Twelve (Jasper Kent, on Kindle as this one is yet to be released in the US)
 
Excited to read them all.  :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on January 04, 2010, 08:02:02 PM
I finished reading The Maze Runner. It was enjoyable. Fast-paced.

I am now reading Island in the Sea of Time by S.M. Stirling. I'm a big fan of the 1632 series, and this is basically the same premise (but it came out before 1632). However, the bad guys are nastier. I think the characters in 1632 are more compelling, though not much so. What really makes 1632 shine is the collaborative effort that built up behind it. Nothing like that happened for Island in the Sea of Time. Anyway, in this book the entire island of Nantucket is cast back in time from 1998 to the year 1250 or so B.C.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on January 04, 2010, 08:20:52 PM
Just bought Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin and Starship Troopers by Robert Anson Heinlein
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Comfortable Madness on January 05, 2010, 05:03:56 PM
Recently went out to buy Memories of Ice, the third Malazan book, and they did not have it in. So, I browsed around a little bit and decided to pick up the first book in Cooks Black Company series. Or so I thought. I somehow managed to, accidentally, buy The Return of the Black Company. >:(

I started to read it and something just didn't seem right. So, I checked the inside cover page to see the order the books were written in and saw, as I had thought, "The Black Company" was listed as book 1. Upon acknowledging that I had indeed bought the right book I flipped it over, just in case, and finally realized that it was The Return of the Black Company. Son of a......
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Slamel on January 05, 2010, 08:43:57 PM
I tried to read The Storm Caller over the holiday break, but bailed on it after 10%.  Decent writing, horrible use of info dumps, but the thing that really killed it for me was all of the head-jumping.  This person, and then this one, and then that one...freak!  I just couldn't deal with it.  Though BSG has said the ending is superb, I just couldn't make myself slog through it to get to the end.  So, I'll probably give the guy another chance after he's written a few more books.  Hoping that he gets better.  Makes me wonder how much reading in the Fantasy genre the guy does though, because I haven't read very many recent books that let the POV-switch fly.  Anyhow.

About halfway through Deadhouse Gates and really liking it.  Got another friend of mine hooked on it over the break as well.

And got lots of Amazon love for Christmas.  So, I bought:
  1)  Darker Angels  (MLN Hanover aka Daniel Abraham, Urban Fantasy, if you read urban, READ THIS SERIES!  Awesome)
  2)  Neuropath (Scott Bakker's psychopathic thriller, excited to say the least)
  3)  Belly of the Bow (KJ Parker Fencer series, love the author, and for $4?)
  4)  Twelve (Jasper Kent, on Kindle as this one is yet to be released in the US)
 
Excited to read them all.  :)

Im posting the Neuropath review later this week.  Its an interesting book.  Sad to see you didn't enjoy Stormcaller, its a rad book, and each book in the series has been getting better and better.  KJ Parker? Really?  Blegh...  That was me throwing up on you.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Slamel on January 05, 2010, 08:46:22 PM
Recently went out to buy Memories of Ice, the third Malazan book, and they did not have it in. So, I browsed around a little bit and decided to pick up the first book in Cooks Black Company series. Or so I thought. I somehow managed to, accidentally, buy The Return of the Black Company. >:(

I started to read it and something just didn't seem right. So, I checked the inside cover page to see the order the books were written in and saw, as I had thought, "The Black Company" was listed as book 1. Upon acknowledging that I had indeed bought the right book I flipped it over, just in case, and finally realized that it was The Return of the Black Company. Son of a......

Yeah.. Croaker makes the series, by the time he exits stage left I was hooked and willing to deal with the new PoV.  Starting without Croaker is like eating mashed potatoes and gravy...without mashed potatoes.  Or gravy.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on January 05, 2010, 10:03:46 PM
Sad to see you didn't enjoy Stormcaller, its a rad book, and each book in the series has been getting better and better.

I figure I'll hit his next series.  I just couldn't do this one, and I'm really not all that into skipping the first book of a series.

KJ Parker? Really?  Blegh...  That was me throwing up on you.

Yeah, I know.  You and Steve can hate on her all you want.  I still love her stuff.  The Folding Knife!  TBR Feb 22nd!!!

Still, your poor opinions in this case don't diminish my opinions of either of you.   8)  Rock on ElitistBookReviews!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on January 06, 2010, 04:19:22 AM
So Dawnthief lacked in originality but the execution was indeed awesome!!!
Now, I need to start a book and I cant decide which one!
a.) Starship Troopers
b.) Old Man's War
c.) Left Hand of Darkness
d.) A Fortress in Shadow
e.) go back to reading the slow starter The Songs of Distant Earth
f.) Red Mars

P.S. I just don't get the hype around Arthur C. Clarke....
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Chaos on January 06, 2010, 04:59:11 AM
Went to Powell's Books in Portland and managed to grab a signed paperback of Elantris and Mistborn. Also, I got The Mote in God's Eye, Stranger in a Strange Land, and A Shadow in Summer. Very exciting.

Now I officially have too many books on my reading list... sigh.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on January 06, 2010, 05:12:45 AM
Mote in God's Eye and Stranger in a Strange Land FTW!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Comfortable Madness on January 06, 2010, 04:19:27 PM
After the bookstore mishap I decided to switch gears and started reading Mister B. Gone by Clive Barker. Never read any of his stuff and it was sitting there on one of my bookshelves and decided to give it try. I'm pretty impressed so far.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on January 06, 2010, 05:54:07 PM
I'm dying, just dying. I usually read a book or two a week, but I've been reading the same two books for a month. Something is wrong with me! I may go cry now.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on January 06, 2010, 06:56:03 PM
Also, I got ... A Shadow in Summer. Very exciting.

Shadow in Summer!  Long Price quartet is easily on the top of my "best reads" pile.  LOVE Daniel Abraham.  Shadow in Summer was good, but didn't have the "wow factor" for me that the other three in the series did.  Still, enjoy!

After the bookstore mishap I decided to switch gears and started reading Mister B. Gone by Clive Barker. Never read any of his stuff and it was sitting there on one of my bookshelves and decided to give it try. I'm pretty impressed so far.

I thought Mr. B. Gone was fairly interesting.  Barker's obviously a good writer.  Can't say that the whole horror aspect of the book worked for me though.  Still, it gave me a great jump point for a short short story of my own.  So, I can't say too much bad about it.  :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Chaos on January 07, 2010, 03:22:00 AM
Also, I got ... A Shadow in Summer. Very exciting.

Shadow in Summer!  Long Price quartet is easily on the top of my "best reads" pile.  LOVE Daniel Abraham.  Shadow in Summer was good, but didn't have the "wow factor" for me that the other three in the series did.  Still, enjoy!

I actually bought it specifically because I remembered how much you liked it in this topic. I'll be sure to give it two books, and by then I'm sure I'll love it, too.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on January 07, 2010, 03:28:01 AM
Why did you get Stranger in a Strange Land or The Mote in God's Eye for that matter?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Chaos on January 07, 2010, 03:51:22 AM
Same reasons :) Though I credit Writing Excuses for telling me about Mote in God's Eye.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on January 07, 2010, 04:37:18 AM
Mote is possibly Niven's best book and Stranger is definitely Heinlein's
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Chaos on January 07, 2010, 04:57:43 AM
Yup, that's what their covers pretty much inform me of. Stranger's says "Science Fiction Masterpiece" and such. You wouldn't believe how hard it is to find Mote in God's Eye, though.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on January 07, 2010, 05:34:21 AM
Yes I would... i eventually ended up buying a used one on amazon b/c i couldn't find one in my area
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on January 08, 2010, 05:19:43 PM
I was sick so I got to finish a book. Hurray! I read Old Man's War and now I am reading A Shadow of All Night Falling. I love Glen Cook.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on January 08, 2010, 05:49:12 PM
Old Man's War was popcorn entertainment.  I enjoyed it.  The sequel is very bleh, but the 3rd book, The Last Colony, was pretty good.

Im not actually reading much at the moment.  Writing instead.  And waiting breathlessly for Mass Effect 2 to come out.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on January 08, 2010, 08:31:07 PM
Just so everyone is aware.... Dust of Dreams (the new Malazan Books of the Fallen book) comes out in the US in 10 days!!!! woot!!!!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Slamel on January 08, 2010, 09:55:18 PM
Just finished Varanger and The High City by Cecelia Holland.
Finished Neuropath a while ago.
On the last dozen pages of Lightbreaker by Mark Teppo.
Reading Hidden Empire by Orson Scott Card.
Next up will be Flesh and Fire, a pleasure read through of all of the Black Company now that I finished the omnibus collection, and The Devil's Alphabet.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Hero of Ages on January 09, 2010, 06:59:42 AM
I just finished rereading The Hobbit and am now on to a reread of The Lord of the Rings.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Chaos on January 09, 2010, 08:25:06 AM
Just finished Varanger and The High City by Cecelia Holland.
Finished Neuropath a while ago.
On the last dozen pages of Lightbreaker by Mark Teppo.
Reading Hidden Empire by Orson Scott Card.
Next up will be Flesh and Fire, a pleasure read through of all of the Black Company now that I finished the omnibus collection, and The Devil's Alphabet.

How is Empire and Hidden Empire? Any good?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Hero of Ages on January 09, 2010, 08:26:59 PM
I read Empire when it 1st came out and liked it.  It is definitely not typical OSC fare.  It is actually a political/action/suspense thriller ALA Ted Bell (author of the Alexander Hawke spy series).  It is very different, but good.  I haven't read Hidden Empire yet.  It is the sequel.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Slamel on January 09, 2010, 11:00:08 PM
They both suffer from political thriller syndrome.  Lots and lots of buildup, and a paragraph long resolution.  Kind of a letdown.  I could have done with 150 or so more pages in both books to flesh out scenes, characters, plot, etc.  I liked them both, but wanted more in the end.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on January 10, 2010, 11:56:07 PM
Can't remember if I mentioned reading Gail Carriger's Soulless, but I finished it a while back. Finished Abraham's A Betrayal In Winter as well. Alomst through Jay Lake's Green, which I have a couple of issues with, but which is pretty darn cool nonetheless.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on January 11, 2010, 06:39:12 AM
Ursula K. Le Guin's Left Hand of Darkness... the beginning is interesting and well done
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on January 11, 2010, 08:02:06 PM
Getting close to finishing Deadhouse Gates.  Just haven't had the time that I want to put into reading lately.  School and writing are quickly becoming a limitless vacuum for my time.  Been having an itch to finally read Storm of Swords as well.  Don't quite know what it is that's making me lean in that direction though.  I had a tough time getting through Clash of Kings (took me two attempts, with the second mostly being absorbed in a CD-audiobook while commuting to a supercomputing conference).  Still going to read Memories of Ice first though.  These huge tomes are killing my pace for keeping up on new stuff.  Yeesh.

I remember thinking that Empire was very blah.  Not bad, but not especially good or memorable either.

What'd you think of Betrayal, Silk?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on January 11, 2010, 09:09:53 PM
Memories of Ice WILL CONSUME YOU!!!! If you do not love it you are not fit to call yourself a Science Fiction / Fantasy Nerd/ Fan, enough said.


P.S. prepare to delay all other activities b/c they will (at the time of reading/ pure bliss) feel rather insignificant.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on January 11, 2010, 11:39:43 PM
Finished Island in the Sea of Time. Now reading 1635: The Dreeson Incident.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on January 11, 2010, 11:44:09 PM
Is that about the Locke Nest Monster?  :P What happend in 1635?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on January 12, 2010, 12:13:03 AM
I'm too tired/frustrated to form a critically informed opinion of Betrayal right now, so here's the short version:

It was awesome.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on January 12, 2010, 06:17:59 PM
Kaz: See http://1632.org — it's a time-travel-induced alternate history series that I love.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on January 13, 2010, 05:47:46 PM
I just got Iorich from the library. I am very happy.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtlhddoc2 on January 14, 2010, 06:07:58 AM
Finally got Gathering Storm from the Library. I only had to wait for 42 other people to return the book. And there are 185 people waiting on it, so I better finish quick eh?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Seaoftrouble on January 14, 2010, 07:09:27 AM
Finally got Gathering Storm from the Library. I only had to wait for 42 other people to return the book. And there are 185 people waiting on it, so I better finish quick eh?

That's insane there is no way I could handle being 42 ( ;)HGTTG) let alone 185.  It is a great read.


Currently I am working my way threw Under The Dome (Stephen King).
Minor spoiler alert:
 It always amazes my how King can make so many fully realized characters before he starts to kill them.   
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on January 14, 2010, 09:51:32 PM
Read Erickson... he does it better
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bejay on January 15, 2010, 12:22:25 AM
Or Martin, I never let myself attach to any of his characters any more. "Loo, the shiny hero(ine) that was build up over the first three quarters of the book! There (s)he rides. There .... (s)he's dead-...."
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on January 15, 2010, 12:31:21 AM
I do get attached and sometimes find myself annoyed with their deaths, but i view it as a good thing. Martin is awesome but nothing compares to a Bridgeburner!!!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Comfortable Madness on January 15, 2010, 04:49:46 PM
With Erickson and Martin I find myself exclaiming, NNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! After every 300 pages or so. It's like "Aww sweet. This character is pretty bad ass.......crap!" Annnddd he or she is dead.

Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtlhddoc2 on January 17, 2010, 05:20:42 AM
Finished Gathering Storm. Was a much easier read than some of the previous WoT books. Didnt take as much time. Not sure yet, if that is good or bad.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on January 17, 2010, 06:04:35 AM
That's a plus!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtlhddoc2 on January 17, 2010, 06:09:46 AM
Im not sure yet Kaz. It was a much larger tome than any of the others, yet I read it in about half the time. I went through the entire book thinking that "something was missing or different" and I dont think that is brandons fault either. I think the last 5 chapters, especially, felt rushed. Maybe I should move this to a critique thread.....
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on January 19, 2010, 09:15:03 PM
So, Deadhouse Gates was really cool, and I'm pretty sure it was all the time spent with Felisin that turned me off the first two times through.  She was just super unsympathetic for me.  Glad that I made it through this time, and really excited to get onto Memories of Ice now.  I have to take a small break to read a couple of books that I bought with my Christmas money.

Starting up Darker Angels by MLN Hanover (Daniel Abraham) now.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on January 19, 2010, 10:36:19 PM
Glad you liked Deadhouse Gates.  The ending to that novel was completely full of awesome.  Memories of Ice is, in my opinion, even better.  The last quarter of Memories made it so every book I read for 2 months after that horrible by comparison.  So awesome.

I read Breathless by Dean Koontz.  I vomited due to its awfulness.  It's right there with the newest Dan Brown and the Terrys.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtlhddoc2 on January 19, 2010, 11:33:21 PM
BSG, do you know when the next Malazan book comes out here in the US?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on January 19, 2010, 11:54:30 PM
Yesterday!!!!!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on January 19, 2010, 11:56:13 PM
I just checked out Amazon, mtlh.  Dust of Dreams is available as of right now from them.  they have listed today as the publication date, and have hardback and paperback showing as "in stock".  Go check em out.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on January 20, 2010, 12:11:31 AM
Yeah, it came out.  Only one more to go in the main story-arc.  Erikson and Esslemont promised me that we would all get a MAJOR resolution.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on January 20, 2010, 12:27:54 AM
I got my subscription to the Grantville Gazette and now I'm reading Grantville Gazette IV. Which I somehow apparently missed coming out in hardback...along with Grantville Gazette V... Oops.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Andrew the Great on January 20, 2010, 12:32:48 AM
Just finished Servant of a Dark God. It was really good, but slow at first. Once I got past the first 150 pages or so, it picked up substantially. I think I just couldn't bring myself to care about the characters for the first little while, but got into a bit more as I came to know them a bit.

Starting Lamentation by Ken Scholes, which I had a few friends recommend to me, and which I was able to get for $4 in hardcover. Figured I really couldn't go wrong there (unless it's absolutely dreadful, which, from what I'm hearing, it's not).

Though of course it may now be delayed as I have a Dust of Dreams reading marathon. I had completely forgotten that it was out, which makes me feel like a bad sci-fi/fantasy reader. So I'll remedy that by immediately picking it up.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on January 20, 2010, 12:58:57 AM
I'll read it when i finish Left Hand of Darkness... but I'm taking my time
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtlhddoc2 on January 20, 2010, 03:17:19 PM
well, thank you all very much! I am going to place my library order now and hope I get it soon (unlike Gathering Storm which made me wait for 40+ other people! lol)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Comfortable Madness on January 20, 2010, 03:53:39 PM
While I await the arrival of Memories of Ice I wandered off into the non-fiction section. I started to read a book on profiling serial killers. One of the scariest books I've ever picked up.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on January 20, 2010, 09:29:23 PM
You know, I think I gave everyone advanced warning of Dust of Dreams release....
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Fireborn on January 21, 2010, 05:27:09 AM
Well, the last thing I finished was HOA, but that goes in another forum.

I'm currently reading Fallen by Lauren Kate.  Penny Arcade said it might be the start of a new craze, kind of like Twilight(may they be known as the awful books they are), so I thought I'd preempt it by reading it and finding out if it's terrible or not.  So far, it's not doing so well.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: little wilson on January 23, 2010, 12:29:01 AM
I'm about to start the first book in the Vampire Earth series. Looking forward to it, due to the EBR review for the 8th book.

Also, I would've started Malazan but when I went to B&N, the only copy they had of Gardens of the Moon was ripped a bit and I prefer to buy my books in perfect condition. And a discount for the rip still wouldn't have been worth it. It was very not cool, since I really wanted to read it...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on January 23, 2010, 04:26:49 AM
I'm the opposite, anything to save money! Unless I'm getting it signed...then i probably won't even read that copy.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Fireborn on January 23, 2010, 09:52:33 AM
I finished Fallen today, and I thought it was decent.  In comparison to Twilight I'll say this.  Everything that Stephanie Meyer tried to do, Lauren Kate pulled off about three times as well with about a fourth of the length.  Half of the reason for this is that it has angels rather than vampires and actually makes the two different romantic interests in actual competition.  It has a mythology I'm rather interested to see play out, its secondary characters have some interesting quirks (thought they tend to parallel those in Twilight)  The setting is also much better with the conflict derived not entirely from romance but also from the fact that the main character questions her own sanity from time to time.  She has good reason to do so, since she's locked up in a reform school for what appear to be the criminally insane.  The romantic side of the book is also played much better, with the counterpart to the "Team Edward Team Jacob" debate actually being a debatable contest.  This book's "Edward" has a short POV for the prologue, and this brief snippet into his head allows you to see the subtle hints of what's going on in his head from the prose, and is actually a likable and stable person.  The MC falls a tad into Mary Sue territory, but this isn't too terribly apparent as her main function is to be a placeholder for the reader, which she accomplishes rather well.
Overall, I'd recommend this to your Twilight hooked friends as a far superior alternative.  And there's a sequel coming out in September, which I actually intend to read!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: little wilson on January 24, 2010, 02:17:44 AM
I'm the opposite, anything to save money! Unless I'm getting it signed...then i probably won't even read that copy.

Well. There's a reason for it. I'm kind of Nazi-ish when it comes to my books. I keep them in as pristine a condition as it is possible to do with paperbacks, and yet still read them. Some of them I've had for a good 8 years and they have no rips or bends. The only thing they've got are places on the edges where the color has worn off. That's it.

Buying a book with a rip in the cover--even with a discount--would've irritated me....Maybe this means I'm a bit OCD, but....I don't really care.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on January 25, 2010, 08:38:32 PM
I'm the opposite, anything to save money! Unless I'm getting it signed...then i probably won't even read that copy.

Well. There's a reason for it. I'm kind of Nazi-ish when it comes to my books. I keep them in as pristine a condition as it is possible to do with paperbacks, and yet still read them. Some of them I've had for a good 8 years and they have no rips or bends. The only thing they've got are places on the edges where the color has worn off. That's it.

Buying a book with a rip in the cover--even with a discount--would've irritated me....Maybe this means I'm a bit OCD, but....I don't really care.

Dont be silly.  There's nothing wrong with that mentality.  There's a reason I rarely let people borrow my books: they might damage them...or leave a fingerprint on them...or breathe on them. 

As for the Vampire Earth books, I personally found the first on to be slow for the first chunk due to "setting stuff up."  However.  The ending to book one was great, and then the following novels were fantastic (except book 7...).  He got back on track with the latest book (as we mentioned in the review).  I'm hoping the Dresden series follows this example and becomes good again...cause the most recent 2 novels sucked big time.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on January 25, 2010, 08:53:21 PM
Yeah, I'll typically take the covers off of hardbacks that I loan to people, and I have a really hard time loaning my paperbacks out.  Had a friend one time (notice the past tense) borrow a set of the first four Harry Potter books in paperback that I own.  When he gave them back to me, he said it looked like they'd never been read before he got them but that now they looked "well used".  I can't begin to describe the things that went through my head in that moment (most of them would probably get me landed in jail, or at the least some kind of house arrest), but given these recent responses, I'm guessing that some of you can at least begin to feel my pain.

Lots of times when I loan books out I also worry that I'll never get them back; however, now I need not worry anymore because of my most recent Christmas present:

http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod88840113 (http://Library Embosser)

Oh.  Can I even begin to describe how cool this thing is?  :D  I'm going stamp-happy.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on January 25, 2010, 09:06:17 PM
I'm cheap, but I like to lend books, so I use those address stickers that charities send to guilt you into sending them money.  At least that way when I lend a book I know guilt will follow that person until they return it. We recently got a package of two books my husband lent his cousin, 6 months ago. It works well for books kids take to Grandma's or school too.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on January 25, 2010, 09:13:48 PM
Yeah, I'll typically take the covers off of hardbacks that I loan to people, and I have a really hard time loaning my paperbacks out.  Had a friend one time (notice the past tense) borrow a set of the first four Harry Potter books in paperback that I own.  When he gave them back to me, he said it looked like they'd never been read before he got them but that now they looked "well used".  I can't begin to describe the things that went through my head in that moment (most of them would probably get me landed in jail, or at the least some kind of house arrest), but given these recent responses, I'm guessing that some of you can at least begin to feel my pain.

Lots of times when I loan books out I also worry that I'll never get them back; however, now I need not worry anymore because of my most recent Christmas present:

http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod88840113 (http://Library Embosser)

Oh.  Can I even begin to describe how cool this thing is?  :D  I'm going stamp-happy.

That's awesome! lol!

Of all the people I know and have known, I've lent out books to 4 people; Dan Wells, Brandon Sanderson, and my 2 good friends Nick (from the blog) and Rob.  That's it (take note that my parents aren't on this list.  Or my wife.).  And they've been good to my babies---err books.  Especially Nick.  Cause he's even more OCD with books than I am...a feat for sure.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on January 25, 2010, 09:39:11 PM
For a book I'm going to read one time and give away/ sell to half-price, b/c i don't have the shelving space, I tend to not care so much about the appearance just the binding.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: little wilson on January 25, 2010, 11:30:51 PM
Oh, man. It's great to know there are others with this book-OCD. For the longest time, I've been the only one I know with it, although my sister has it to a very minor degree.

And Dan, I totally understand. Not that something like that has happened to me (my loaned books came back looking a little more used, but nothing that I couldn't handle with more than a cringe or two), but I know what I would do (or want to do) in that situation, and none of them would be pretty....

BSG, good to know that about Vampire Earth. Hopefully they'll suck me in enough to get me back into a reading mood. For some reason, I haven't felt like reading much lately. It's an odd feeling for me....

Also, I told my brother to read to Erikson. Even though I have read Gardens yet, I know the kinds of books he likes and after what I've heard here, I'm sure he'll love them....And if he likes them, I'm pretty much guaranteed to like them (since that's generally how my family rolls with fantasy).
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on January 26, 2010, 05:17:50 AM
I have similar taste to my father, though mine are broader when it comes to sci-fi and fantasy, he likes more of the old school. However, I really don't like the books my sister or older brother read. Though we generally agree about movies, go figure.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: little wilson on January 26, 2010, 06:37:54 AM
My tastes are a mixture of my brother and my sister. My brother likes adult fantasy; my sister likes teen fiction/fantasy. My dad is more like my brother. And everyone else either doesn't read or doesn't read fiction (one of my other brothers prefers non-fiction). So yeah. I'm pretty much guaranteed to like any fantasy book my brother reads, but he's not going to like all the stuff I read, because some of it is more teen rather than adult....which he doesn't like.

Funny how families mesh and clash like that.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on January 26, 2010, 06:03:08 PM
Finished Darker Angels.  I enjoyed it.

Just picked up Neuropath by Bakker.  Judging by Steve and Nick's review though...  We'll see, I guess.  :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on January 29, 2010, 12:18:34 AM
Currently through my umpteenth re-read of The Wheel of Time. This is something I do every time I finish the newest book, and thus started again on Eye of the World moments after closing the Gathering Storm. I'm currently at Path of Daggers, having started it last night - found an old bookmark in it, which kind of surprised me. Apparently I was reading it sometime in the past and stopped...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on January 29, 2010, 01:05:52 AM
Chaos, we have some upstart trying to get another god to challenge our authority... look at Shivertounge's sig.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on February 04, 2010, 05:54:06 PM
Nick and I got some awesome ARCs.  Oh man am I geeked out.  Tor and Pyr are our heroes.

In addition, I imported an absurd number of novels.  Once I finish up reading John Saul's latest, I will be having some serious reading fun.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on February 05, 2010, 08:26:22 PM
I had a book that I read years ago but I couldn't remember the title or author.  I was thinking of posting a description on here to see if anyone knew what it was. Imagine my surprise when I got a book from the library because the author had been recommended on a random forum and found out that it was the same book I had been trying to find.  The world is weird.

The book is God Stalk by P. C. Hodgell.  I'll see if it was as interesting as I remembered.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on February 08, 2010, 06:01:44 PM
This John Saul book is bumming me out.  Has anyone read extensively of his work?  This is only the 2nd novel of his that I've read, and they both have had the exact same plot.  Black House, and House of Reckoning.  Traumatized kids who inevitably take revenge?  Is this all he does now?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on February 09, 2010, 08:03:53 AM
lol.  So, the only book of his that I've ever tried to read is a book called The Devil's Labyrinth.  And it starts out with a couple kids.  Though I haven't gotten much further than that.   I don't pick it up very often.

I finished Neuropath.  Steve and Nick were way too nice in their review.  For me, there was nothing thrilling about the book, the "questions" that it raised were absolutely retarded, and the ideas were harped upon over, and over, and over,  and...really I don't think I could repeat those two words any less than an infinite number of times and get even close to how ham-fisted it was.  The dude can write, yes.  But prose is not story.  And there's essentially nothing in the book that'll ever make me want to revisit its pages.  In fact (and it just about kills me to say this) I'll probably give this one away.  Travesty, I know, but it was seriously THAT bad.  I'm just going to stick to Bakker's fantasy stuff.

I got sick last week and read Storm of Swords (because my copy of Memories of Ice was up at my school office) while I was laid out on the couch.  It was a decent read, but not great.  Better than Clash of Kings.  There are very few characters that I even care to read about in the series (Jon Snow, Arya Stark, and Tyrion Lannister) and so slogging through the rest was tough.

I'm going to burn through Hunger Games as soon as my wife finishes reading it, and then finally get to Memories of Ice.  I'm really looking forward to it now.  I meant to read these first three Malazan books straight through.  So much for the best laid plans of mice and men.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on February 09, 2010, 05:22:51 PM
The issue with Neuropath is knowing what to compare it to.  If you compare it to his fantasy novels, it sucks bad.  If you compare it to the typical mystery/thriller novel, it isn't awesome, but it isn't terrible either.  That was the most difficult thing for me to realize when reviewing this novel.  I have to keep genres very divided, because it isn't fair to compare, say, the latest James Patterson to Steven Erikson.  Apples and oranges.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on February 09, 2010, 05:59:12 PM
It wasn't horrible as compared to other thrillers?  Man.  You know, I don't think that I've ever read another book in the "thriller" genre.  But, for me, there was never any tension in the book.  At all.  It was just a bunch of blah-blah repetition about "The Argument" with a bunch of over the top sex/violence.  I admit, there was a point for about 5-6 pages where I felt some tension (the final kidnapping that resolves itself so abruptly), but other than that...blah.  When I see "thriller" I expect...well, tension.  I expect to be strung out on worry and concern and freakish levels of having to know what happens next.  I just didn't ever get that.  Maybe I need to read more thrillers.  But given the comparison level that you've given it, I don't find myself really wanting to all that much.  What a bummer.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on February 09, 2010, 07:55:41 PM
Yeah.  Most Mystery/Thriller novels fall under the "lower your expectation" category.  You have to make yourself think totally differently, and consider the main market/focus group for those novels.  Don't think too hard when reading them. 

Neuropath's actual mystery (or better yet, how people react to it) is pretty typical.  I think had there not been pages and pages of philosophical and psychological debate, the tension would have been stronger.  Of course, Bakker would have had to add a lot more mystery elements...

I wish I could say that I will read only his fantasy, but I know when anything by Bakker is released, I'll read it hoping for the best.  Plus, you know, that whole review thing...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on February 09, 2010, 10:03:38 PM
Yeah, I hear you.  Tell you what.  If I see a glowing review from you about another of Bakker's non-Fantasy books, then I'll get a copy from the library and read it.  No more buying them straight off the cart for me though.

I need to get me some James Barclay and Mark Chadbourne.

Two weeks 'til I get more KJ Parker.  Oooooh!  I'm shivering.  ;D
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on February 10, 2010, 04:08:07 PM
So I finished Dead House Gates last night, and while it was good, I felt like it needed . . . more.  I scratch my head at that statement because the book was 700+ pages long, but I still felt like the ending was lacking.  I liked the ending of Gardens of the Moon much better.  I guess I was expecting the plot-lines to converge like they did in the first one and turn into a giant ball of awesome, but it never did.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on February 10, 2010, 05:12:46 PM
The ending of Deadhouse Gates makes more sense after reading Memories of Ice.  It is really 1 book split between regions.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on February 12, 2010, 07:12:51 PM
MoI is on Genabackis... where Gardens of the Moon takes place. It is the biggest ball of awesome out of all the series so far.

Almost finished with Dust of Dreams.... Awesome!!!!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on February 15, 2010, 12:03:34 AM
Just finished Redliners by David Drake.  One of his older books, but it is awesome.  Very sad, but awesome.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on February 16, 2010, 06:13:12 PM
Just finished Hunger Games.  It had a lot of problems for me.  Guess I never really got into it.  Vaguely interesting ideas, but not anywhere near what I'd expected due to all the fuss.  Unfortunate.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on February 16, 2010, 08:18:34 PM
Just finished Dust of Dreams.... and wow!!!! The ending was just fabulous, this book ranks up right beneath Memories of Ice... along with Bonehunters. Steve Icarium was awesome!!!!!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on February 18, 2010, 06:16:08 PM
The Folding Knife came in the mail yesterday.  Ha ha!!!

And today, I've put aside Memories of Ice (just when I was getting into the story too) and started it instead.  KJ Parker.   8)  Can't help but love it.  Erikson can wait.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on February 19, 2010, 12:03:51 AM
I'm reading EMPIRE IN BLACK AND GOLD and also GEOSYNCHRON.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on February 19, 2010, 05:02:55 PM
I picked up a YA called Bleeding Violet. It's used the f-word enough to be a R-rated movie. I'm kind of annoyed.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on February 19, 2010, 06:55:21 PM
Well that just means more than twice.....
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on February 19, 2010, 08:16:48 PM
So, I've been told that max F-words in a PG-13 movie is 7.  Typical max seen is two, though Antwone Fisher had three and (supposedly) so does the PG-13 rated (DVD) version of Ever After.  Oceans 12 had 15 in it, though 14 of them were "bleeped out".

BSG:  Both of those books are on my TBR list, though Empire in Black and Gold is a bit higher.  :)  Am curious to what you think about that one, as it's had so many rave reviews.

Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on February 19, 2010, 09:47:14 PM
GEOSYNCHRON, as of right now (read a 1/4 of it last night) is awesome.  It, and the 2 other books in the series, aren't for everyone.  They are Business Cyberpunk.  But really, I'm reading this last one thinking "Man, these three books are kinda like if Bakker wrote SF..."  It had been a long time since I read INFOQUAKE (first book in the series), so it was nice to see a little recap of the prior 2 novels as an appendix in the back of the book.  Man, I usually kinda hate SF, and maybe i'm biased because of the "Business" overtones in the book, but this series is fantastic (if slow).
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on February 19, 2010, 10:21:31 PM
I'm about halfway through Servant of a Dark God by John Brown. Enjoying it quite a bit, although his writing style feels like it uses a bit more tell than it should, but then again it's usually for things it can't show, so I can forgive it. Aside from that, and the occasional infodump - some of which are necessary, some of which I kinda feel aren't - it's a fantastic read.

Also picked up Mainspring by Jay Lake, and The Affinity Bridge by George Mann. Have read the first few pages of the latter, but not far enough to know for certain if I like it or not. Although since it's Steampunk, it's almost a forgone conclusion that it'll be awesome.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on February 19, 2010, 10:49:40 PM
Just finished Hunger Games.  It had a lot of problems for me.  Guess I never really got into it.  Vaguely interesting ideas, but not anywhere near what I'd expected due to all the fuss.  Unfortunate.

Well, it is YA, so naturally it's more simplified than if it were written for adults. That being the case, it could have been a lot worse. I was pleasantly surprised. It's not a book I liked enough to have it be on my 'to recommend' list, but it wasn't a bad book. It was still interesting.

As for me, I recently finished the Codex of Alera series (6 books over about a month) by Jim Butcher and I really liked the series, especially books 3 and 4. Tavi has made my top 10 list of favorite characters.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on February 19, 2010, 11:40:06 PM
The Affinity Bridge by George Mann. Have read the first few pages of the latter, but not far enough to know for certain if I like it or not.

Awesome, awesome novel.  Sherlock Steampunk.  I imported book 2 from england. George Mann is, uh, the man...his newest novel (being released shortly), GHOSTS OF MANHATTAN is awesome too.

SERVANT OF A DARK GOD is a very cool book.  It has flaws, but it is good.  Book 2 is already much better (i've read a 1/3rd of it), but of course you will have to wait until the Fall for its release.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on February 20, 2010, 12:01:49 AM
Well, it is YA, so naturally it's more simplified than if it were written for adults.

Truth.  It wasn't so much the lack of complexity that bothered me there.  More the way the story was told and how the characters reacted to given situations.  It was a decent read.  I wouldn't put it on my recommended list either though.  :)

Also picked up Mainspring by Jay Lake

Mainspring killed me.  Of course, I didn't really care for his winning Writers of the Future entry either.  Haven't read anything else by him.  Mainspring is all about the world and the newness factor, and so in that way it's more a Science Fiction book.  The story was lacking.  The ending doesn't tie anything up either.  It was extremely frustrating.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on February 20, 2010, 04:39:56 AM
Also picked up Mainspring by Jay Lake

Mainspring killed me.  Of course, I didn't really care for his winning Writers of the Future entry either.  Haven't read anything else by him.  Mainspring is all about the world and the newness factor, and so in that way it's more a Science Fiction book.  The story was lacking.  The ending doesn't tie anything up either.  It was extremely frustrating.

I picked it up mainly because I read Green and loved it, and also because I'm making an attempt at writing a novel with Steampunk-ish aspects. I'm basically picking up every novel in the genre I can find, both for enjoyment and for research. I know there's a second book in the series, so if the ending doesn't satisfy me I'll give the sequel a shot and see if that ties up anything.

The Affinity Bridge by George Mann. Have read the first few pages of the latter, but not far enough to know for certain if I like it or not.

Awesome, awesome novel.  Sherlock Steampunk.  I imported book 2 from england. George Mann is, uh, the man...his newest novel (being released shortly), GHOSTS OF MANHATTAN is awesome too.

SERVANT OF A DARK GOD is a very cool book.  It has flaws, but it is good.  Book 2 is already much better (i've read a 1/3rd of it), but of course you will have to wait until the Fall for its release.

I'll be honest and admit something you've probably heard many times before. I picked up The Affinity Bridge based off the review on your site. I'd been looking for more Steampunk to read, and saw the review the first time I went to the site. Since you guys had already shown excellent taste (meaning taste like mine) with other reviews, I went with it. I'm only about three or four chapters in, and I love it already.

Servant of a Dark God is very cool, but the flaws in the writing style (which shouldn't really count as flaws, I suppose, but I digress) tend to stand out to me quite a bit. I think it's the writer in me, and because I usually read it before bed, after spending several hours writing. It's not nearly enough to make me put it down, though, and I have read far worse novels in terms of writing style. The plot and characters hooked me and hooked me deep from the first chapter.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on February 25, 2010, 06:08:51 PM
I just finished The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson #3) and it made me happy.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on February 25, 2010, 07:19:19 PM
Left Hand of Darkness was extremely well done... the ending was marvelous and yet bitter sweet.... very complex emotionally through out the whole book.

Starship Troopers is the least of Heinlein's Hugo Winners but still a great read... I had 3 test this week but took breaks to read it...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on February 25, 2010, 08:38:31 PM
I am 80% done with The Name of the Wind.  Words cannot describe the awesomeness.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on February 28, 2010, 06:25:24 AM
I started reading Shadow Unit (http://wiki.shadowunit.org/index.php/Reading_Order) earlier today. And now I can't stop.

Help
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on March 01, 2010, 07:04:54 PM
I finished The Folding Knife by KJ Parker.  Was loads of fun, dragged a bit in parts, but I was left happy that I had bought/read it.  Though with this book behind me, I think that Daniel Abraham has taken a pretty solid stance in my "Favorite Author" position.

So, I'm back to Memories of Ice again.  But Mr. Monster is probably less than three days away from being in my mailbox.  After I get to read that lump of fun, I'll finally be able to finish Memories of Ice because there'll be no other books in my drop-everything-else-and-read-this-NOW category coming out for quite some time.

Thankfully.  :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on March 01, 2010, 07:38:25 PM
I finished Patrick Rothfuss' Name of the Wind a few days ago, and it has stuck with me since.  That book is magic; seriously, I don't think a story has captivated me more in a long, long time.  It's easily in my top five, and may very well be my number one, although I should probably sit and ponder a bit before I make that decision.

Anyway, I picked up John Steakly's Armor for a re-read.  I have not read it again since I started writing, and I want to take a look at it through the eyes of an author rather than a reader.  It's a fantastic book if you haven't tried it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on March 02, 2010, 01:05:19 PM
I finished Patrick Rothfuss' Name of the Wind a few days ago, and it has stuck with me since.  That book is magic; seriously, I don't think a story has captivated me more in a long, long time.  It's easily in my top five, and may very well be my number one, although I should probably sit and ponder a bit before I make that decision.

Yeah, I felt the same way the first time through it.

My copy of I Am Not A Serial Killer arrived yesterday, which means all other books will be put off until I finish this. Which should be soon, as it's deeply engrossing.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on March 02, 2010, 07:57:46 PM
Finished both The Fire in His Hand and With Mercy Towards None by Glen Cook, very interesting read. One Character is a religious fanatic whom is trying to establish a fallen empire.
Currently reading The Blade Itself.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on March 02, 2010, 08:19:36 PM
The Blade Itself rocked.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Texcap on March 02, 2010, 10:56:08 PM
Reading way too many things at once, but I'm enjoying them all a great deal:

History: Hugh Nibley: A Consecrated Life by Boyd Peterson

Fantasy: Elantris by Brandon Sanderson (audio), The Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle, Shadow Prowler by Alexey Pehov (audio)

Sci-Fi: Diving into the Wreck and The Spires of Denon (novella) by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Graphic Novels: Agents of Atlas Vol. 1 by Jeff Parker, Amulet by Kazu Kibuishi, Missile Mouse: Star Crusher by Jake Parker, Usagi Yojimbo Vol. 11 by Stan Sakai
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Comfortable Madness on March 02, 2010, 11:53:52 PM
I finally started reading Memories of Ice. It helped me figure out just what Deadhouse Gates was missing: Anomander Rake.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on March 03, 2010, 12:18:28 AM
Yeah, him and the whole other slew of characters.  DHG and MoI are really just one hugenormous novel.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtlhddoc2 on March 03, 2010, 06:43:01 PM
Just finished Dust of Dreams - and frankly, I was not very impressed, it was even more difficult to read than the previous novels. the skirting from charachter to character without warning and the lack of revealing which character he was actually writing about really bothered me. i will get the next one just to get the story finished. But i am done with Erikson after that.

I am now reading 1632 - an enthralling alt-history style tale. I am about 200 pages in and cant wait to read more.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on March 03, 2010, 07:14:16 PM
The only part that was even slightly difficult to follow was Icarium.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtlhddoc2 on March 03, 2010, 07:20:49 PM
I found the opposite Kaz. I thought taht part was a no brainer, pegged it for Icarium right away.

There was, to me, quite a bit of dues ex machina in the book as well. Yeah, he kind of explains that using the convergence storyline, but that is growing pretty weak. Characters being incredibly smart and wary suddenly doing incredibly stupid things, really grinds my gears. and I am unhappy about that. I really loved the middle 4 books (3,4,5,6) - plot and character development worked very very well in those. 7 and 8 were good for moving the stories along and finally getting some explanations about the magic systems and gods and such. But 9 really fell flat.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on March 03, 2010, 07:25:20 PM
I love the 1632 series, though some of the later books are more about a huge cast of interacting characters than about an overarching plot.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtlhddoc2 on March 03, 2010, 07:38:14 PM
it was this thread that gave me the idea to read it, Peter. I love alt-history. Love Turtledove's Crosstime Traffic, but they were very much "Young Adult". May start on "Great War" at some point soon.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on March 03, 2010, 07:59:34 PM
it was this thread that gave me the idea to read it, Peter. I love alt-history. Love Turtledove's Crosstime Traffic, but they were very much "Young Adult". May start on "Great War" at some point soon.

Great War, as in the one with World War 1 being fought between the North and the Confederacy (victorious in the Civil War)? You might want to read How Few Remain first, if that's the one you're talking about. It's not absolutely necessary, but it does set up a fair amount of what happens in Great War: American Front and subsequent novels. It's fantastic, though.

I love Turtledove's work. Never was able to get into the Crosstime Traffic novels, although the idea behind The Disunited States of America caught my interest.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtlhddoc2 on March 03, 2010, 08:30:05 PM
i read the C/T traffic books, but really quickly. they were all from a teenagers point of view. Good but not great. But re-whetted my interest in teh genre again.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on March 03, 2010, 08:43:55 PM
I found the opposite Kaz. I thought taht part was a no brainer, pegged it for Icarium right away.

There was, to me, quite a bit of dues ex machina in the book as well. Yeah, he kind of explains that using the convergence storyline, but that is growing pretty weak. Characters being incredibly smart and wary suddenly doing incredibly stupid things, really grinds my gears. and I am unhappy about that. I really loved the middle 4 books (3,4,5,6) - plot and character development worked very very well in those. 7 and 8 were good for moving the stories along and finally getting some explanations about the magic systems and gods and such. But 9 really fell flat.

Dust of Dreams suffers from being the first half of a bigger novel (DoD and The Crippled God are 1 novel).  I don't like that Erikson did this (I don't like when ANY author does this), but what can we do.  This is part of the reason I have yet to review DoD.  It's like only reviewing the first 400 pages of Memories of Ice (or only the first half of any novel), and I feel kinda stupid doing it.  This is part of the reason I hated the most recent Hobb novel.  This sets a bad industry standard.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtlhddoc2 on March 03, 2010, 09:10:07 PM
BSG: I tried to remember that, I really did. He explained it at teh beginning. But it does not explain away, or help the fact that he was all over the place. He shattered the timeline, confused up the map, had entire chapters where you barely knew whose point of view it even was, plus adding new characters and confusing up THEIR point of view by bouncing back and forth from character to character from one paragraph to the next and back again. If it had been like reading half of a book, that would beone thing. But it read, to me, like 8 different books with a novella which tried to tie them all together (and failed, mind you).
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on March 03, 2010, 09:31:20 PM
Yeah, he bounced around a ton.  To me, this was all set up, and it suffered from it.  Do I think the book was bad? No.  I enjoyed it.  Was it as strong as earlier novels in the series? Well, by itself, no.  In a few months when TCG is released (in the UK), I'll be able to form a more informed opinion.

But yeah, I can see why a lot of people are frustrated with book 9.  I can also see why people are loving it.  This has really been the mantra of the series.  It doesn't bother me, perhaps because I end up having to read and finish so many terrible novels (due to the review blog), that Erikson's 80% is still awesome compared to a lot of crap I end up reading.  He's a welcome relief.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on March 03, 2010, 09:58:48 PM
My problem with the Crosstime Traffic books was that each of them I picked up ended with someone other than the main characters solving the problem. It got to where I would flip to the end (I never do this) to see if the same thing happened, and it did. My guess is that Harry Turtledove thought he needed to do something to dumb-down the books for teenagers, and this was his response. Not a good idea, in my opinion.

I think Harry's standalone novels (like Guns of the South) are stronger than his enormous series. The big ones get too impersonal, with their far-flung casts. I read the first couple Worldwar books and then realized I didn't care about any of the characters.

Eric Flint's (and others') 1632 books on the other hand keep it personal and interesting. Actually, if you like straight alt-history (no time travel setup), also check out his Trail of Glory series, 1812: The Rivers of War and 1824: The Arkansas War. I thought they were great (and there's few more coming eventually). My only complaint with them was that the new version of the Star-Spangled Banner was a bit cheesy.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on March 03, 2010, 10:17:27 PM
I think Harry's standalone novels (like Guns of the South) are stronger than his enormous series. The big ones get too impersonal, with their far-flung casts. I read the first couple Worldwar books and then realized I didn't care about any of the characters.

I had the opposite reaction. While I enjoy the standalones, I enjoyed the larger series significantly more. I didn't find them to be impersonal, myself, but I think I can understand how you might see it that way. Some of the character were less interesting than others (especially in the sequel series, Colonization). The Darkness series was even better, and I think it might have been because it was shorter.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on March 04, 2010, 08:56:23 AM
Mr. Monster

Ha, ha!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on March 06, 2010, 07:31:28 PM
Mr. Monster!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on March 07, 2010, 04:53:43 PM
I don't like Eric Flint's 1630s books because I know enough about the 30 years war to know his books are not really historically accurate. Yes I know it is alternative history, but he changed personalities on historical figures. His portrayal of Gustaphus Adolphus really annoys me. He was not this wonderful Flint makes him out to be.

I also think his books are kind of silly. Alot of what the people from that small town do are not really believable. I know most people don't care about historical accuracy in the sci-fi. I actually do... I am in the minority. It is because I read alot of history and historical fiction.

Harry Turtledove does the best of any alternative history to be realistic. I have read alot of his books, but got bored with him awhile ago. It seems the be the same pattern over and over again. I am not putting him down. However after about a dozen or more of those books, I don't want to keep going. To be fair 10-12 books is about my limit for any author.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on March 07, 2010, 07:22:25 PM
So you want historical accuracy... in alternate history? Despite the fact that the mere act of transporting an entire town back in time to the middle of the aforementioned war means that it cannot, in any way, play out the way it originally did?

I'm not sure how to comment on personalities of historical figures being changed. I don't know any historical figures, or what they're like as people. I haven't actually read the 163x series, though - alternate history that deviates due to time travel isn't as interesting to me as the kind that deviates due to a small change.

Anyway.. finished I Am Not A Serial Killer a few days ago, and last night finished Servant Of A  Dark God, which I put off for a while due to other books capturing my interest. SoaDG was good though, despite my earlier problems with John Brown's writing style, and I look forward to the next book in the trilogy.

Currently reading Scott Lynch's The Lies of Locke Lamora, which is possibly the best alliterative title ever, finishing up The Affinity Bridge, and considering starting a re-read of The Name of the Wind. Also meandering my way through Dawnthief by James Barclay and Elements of Fiction Writing: Characters & Viewpoint by Orson Scott Card.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on March 07, 2010, 08:20:11 PM
I like alternative history, where they change stuff, but the stuff that isn't changed is believable. Alot of the actions done by the Americans and their success was kind of silly too. Harry Turtledove does far more research in his alternative histories. I actually don't agree with all of his outcomes, but I can respect his conclusions.

SM Stirling did better alternative history when he sent the Island of Nantucket back 6000 years in time. He is not the most entertaining writing (Flint is more entertaining), but he did more research. I like to see entertaining and good research.

I read alot of historical fiction.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on March 07, 2010, 08:31:44 PM
I did read Island in the Sea of Time by Stirling. It contains no historical figures, so you can't say he got the personalities better than Flint did. :)

In any historical period of study there are different sides that researchers take. I don't know the period well, but I'm willing to believe that there are historians who do think Flint's take on the personalities fits fine. Virginia DeMarce, for example, one of the later co-writers, is a historian who knows a ton about the period, and she seems to have no problem with Flint's take.

There are a couple more glaring errors in 1632, such as the idea that the locals weren't used to taking baths (they were), but all in all I'm satisfied. Though having so many armchair experts among the town population does stretch believability a bit (but I had that same problem with Stirling).
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on March 08, 2010, 07:11:04 PM
Finished Mr Monster:

Awesome

Awesome

Awesome

 8)

So, I'm a freak about paperbacks and always read them barely opened enough to see all of the text that's way down in the dark spine of the book.  Which means that as I was reading this book, my peripheral vision was constantly getting glimpses of "the eyes" on the cover of the book.  Freaked me out.  Especially at the beginning of Chapter 9 when John's looking into the mirror and wondering about Mr Monster.

Whoa.

Yeah.  This was such a great book.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on March 08, 2010, 07:17:27 PM
My wife finished Mr. Monster last night, staying up until 2:00 a.m. to get through the last quarter of the book.  Now, for some people (like myself), this is not abnormal behavior.  I'll stay up late to finish a book if it interests me at all.  My wife, however, doesn't like to read much, and if it hooked her that hard, well, it has to be really good.

And now it's my turn :)  I'll have it done by Wednesday easily.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on March 09, 2010, 04:22:30 PM
I finished Mr. Monster last night too. I stayed up late to finish it, because I thought that if I didn't finish it I wouldn't be able to go to sleep because I would be thinking about it, but then after I finished it, I had trouble going to sleep because I was still thinking about it. Sigh. It was so good.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on March 09, 2010, 04:53:26 PM
Half-way through.  Stuck at work.  Curt needs to die.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on March 09, 2010, 07:45:37 PM
Curt needs to die.

Oh what a twisted web Wells weaves...

<<<evil laughter>>>
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on March 10, 2010, 05:47:14 AM
And now I am finished, sated, to describe it precisely.  I'll admit that I had a hard time with the first quarter of it, but after things got rolling . . .   Holy awesome.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on March 10, 2010, 05:10:28 PM
The third book is at least 5 times as awesome.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on March 10, 2010, 05:12:36 PM
The third book is at least 5 times as awesome.

Easily.  In every aspect.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on March 10, 2010, 06:48:08 PM
The Blade Itself was AWESOME!!!! But a good deal of you already knew that.... Currently reading Bauchelin and Korbal Broach... which is a collection of 3 short stories about 2 characters you meet briefly in Memories of Ice.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on March 10, 2010, 08:31:58 PM
The Blade Itself was AWESOME!!!! But a good deal of you already knew that.... Currently reading Bauchelin and Korbal Broach... which is a collection of 3 short stories about 2 characters you meet briefly in Memories of Ice.

This collection is awesome.  They are essentially 3 comedic novellas about the Necromancers and their manservant.  I had Erikson and Esslemont sign this for me at World Fantasy.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on March 11, 2010, 06:53:26 PM
Yep just finished the Healthy Dead (last of the 3).... now I'm reading Before They are Hanged!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on March 11, 2010, 07:13:04 PM
Yep just finished the Healthy Dead (last of the 3).... now I'm reading Before They are Hanged!

That was my fav. of the Abercrombie trilogy.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on March 13, 2010, 12:29:29 AM
Currently reading Bauchelin and Korbal Broach... which is a collection of 3 short stories about 2 characters you meet briefly in Memories of Ice.

So, let me get this straight.  B&KB are only in Memories of Ice?  With all this side-story love that Erikson had been giving them, I thought that they were going to become major players in the Malazan books.  Crazy.  I'm actually really intrigued now by the B&KB books, whereas before my interest level was only on par with the rest of the main series.  I'd like to see how Erikson handles a "smaller" story.  The main sequence books are just soooooo massively complex.  Dangit.  No copies in either library.  Maybe this'd be worth a Kindle-buy for me...  Based on Steve's opinion, probably.  :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on March 15, 2010, 01:18:33 PM
I am about 100 pages into Gardens of the moon. I am constantly flipping to the glossary. Even his glossary is dense. Robert Jordans glossaries are more detailed.

There is a Malazan wiki on the web somewhere. I'll probably use that.

Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on March 15, 2010, 02:51:36 PM
I was about a third of the way through Gardens before I felt like I really had a clue as to what was going on.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on March 16, 2010, 06:35:53 PM
It takes time for the perpetual confusion to end... like 150 pages+
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: ryos on March 28, 2010, 06:52:50 AM
I'm 25 pages into Markus Zusak's The Book Theif. I'm reading it on a glowing recommendation from my sister.

So far, not a lot has happened. The book is written with a circuitous narrative device that is already growing tiresome, and I'm wondering if that is ever going to change. I hope it does. It's written from the perspective of Death, who is telling the story from a little WWII-era-German girl's diary. So far this has mostly just served to distance me from the girl's story. The focus is on his Death character, who has, at least in the first 25 pages, mostly been less than compelling. But, hey, at least the language is pretty.

Is this what "Literature" is? Honestly, if it weren't for my sister's recommendation, I'd have put it down by now. I'm bored. I'll give it at least another hundred pages to pick up before I bail.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: whitetrash on March 28, 2010, 07:30:23 AM
The Shadow Rising book 4 WOT by Robert Jordan..
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on March 29, 2010, 04:17:59 PM
I just finished Sirens of Titan by Kurt Vonnegut. It was very different. I liked it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: whitetrash on April 01, 2010, 03:22:09 AM
reading Cold Copper Tears by Glen Cook....
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on April 02, 2010, 06:17:21 PM
I finally read BONESHAKER.  Meh. 

Almost done with MR. SLAUGHTER.  It is a great Historical Fiction--a little more streamlined than the two novels preceding it, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on April 02, 2010, 11:26:22 PM
So Steve,

The other book that I keep hearing about from 2009 "best of fantasy" lists  (besides BONESHAKER) is THE WINDUP GIRL.  Have you read that one yet?  Of all the books on these lists, the only ones that have really tickled my interest are these two.  I'll probably bail on Boneshaker.  Any opinion yet for the other?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bejay on April 03, 2010, 11:39:20 AM
Before you pick up Boneshaker, you might want to head over to the elitist guys. They reviewed that one just now and it came up a little short of the expectations....
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on April 03, 2010, 03:26:10 PM
The boneshaker has gotten good reviews elsewhere. I have not read it.

you might also want to look at sfsite.com for their picks. They have their best 5-10 books of the year going back several years.

If you want a really great science fiction book, try The Road by Cormac McCarthy. It won a pullitzer prize. The author does not really consider it sci-fi, but it is. Basically he had a son later in life. One day realized he would do anything for his son. So he came up with the most horrible post-apocalyptic world possible where a man had to protect his son. The prose is incredibly rich.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on April 05, 2010, 03:53:45 PM
I'm reading The Graveyard Book. I was a bit worried going in, because it won a Newberry and my faith in the Newberry committee is nonexistent, but I'm actually quite liking it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on April 05, 2010, 04:21:55 PM
Before you pick up Boneshaker, you might want to head over to the elitist guys. They reviewed that one just now and it came up a little short of the expectations....

Bejay--
Yeah, WriterDan visits EBR, which is why he mentioned BONESHAKER and asked me about WINDUP GIRL.  Bookstore Guy (me, one of the dudes on the Elitist blog) and Steve (me, the guy to whom Dan asks his question) are the same person.

The boneshaker has gotten good reviews elsewhere. I have not read it.

you might also want to look at sfsite.com for their picks. They have their best 5-10 books of the year going back several years.

I have absolutely zero faith in sfsite's recommendations.  Their choices are erratic, and they have some very questionable novels on their "Best" list (SANDMAN SLIM?  Really?)

So Steve,

The other book that I keep hearing about from 2009 "best of fantasy" lists  (besides BONESHAKER) is THE WINDUP GIRL.  Have you read that one yet?  Of all the books on these lists, the only ones that have really tickled my interest are these two.  I'll probably bail on Boneshaker.  Any opinion yet for the other?

I haven't read WINDUP GIRL.  It is published through Night Shade Books, and they don't send ARCs to us.  It is kind of YA, and pretty short, so if I could find a copy for free somewhere I'd read it (or borrow it from some lovely person).  But yeah, knowing you Dan, I'd pass on BONESHAKER.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on April 05, 2010, 06:06:59 PM
I heard Paolo read part of the Windup Girl. It is by no means anything CLOSE to YA.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on April 05, 2010, 06:41:56 PM
So I finished Memories of Ice, and I want to try and compile my thoughts about the Malazan books so far.  On the whole, I really enjoyed the third book.  Now, finally, after reading the first three , I think I have a better grasp on Erikson and why I didn't care for the series all that much before now.  I'll probably put my thoughts into the Malazan discussion in a few days though.  Let it simmer.

In the meantime, I picked up Servant of a Dark God by John Brown.  I'm about 20 pages in, and so far I'm mostly just frustrated with his prose.  (Starting 30% of his sentences with a conjunction, laying out a characters options in detail in the midst of a chase scene, explanations of history/worldbuilding DURING a scene so that I can understand the scene).  I can see the possibility of lots of cool ideas and interesting play in the book, but I don't know if I'm going to be able to get through something that is this difficult for me to read.  Hopefully things get better, and not worse.  I remember EBR's review on it and because of that I WANT to get through it.  We'll see though.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on April 05, 2010, 06:45:34 PM
In the meantime, I picked up Servant of a Dark God by John Brown.  I'm about 20 pages in, and so far I'm mostly just frustrated with his prose.  (Starting 30% of his sentences with a conjunction, laying out a characters options in detail in the midst of a chase scene, explanations of history/worldbuilding DURING a scene so that I can understand the scene).  I can see the possibility of lots of cool ideas and interesting play in the book, but I don't know if I'm going to be able to get through something that is this difficult for me to read.  Hopefully things get better, and not worse.  I remember EBR's review on it and because of that I WANT to get through it.  We'll see though.

I had the same issues when I read it, particularly with how much telling and infodumping it seems goes on. It gets less common later in the book, and what happened in the second half really got me into it. I enjoyed it greatly, but I'm not to keen on John Brown's writing style. Hopefully it'll improve with the second book and so on, because I love his ideas and a good number of his characters.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on April 05, 2010, 06:47:58 PM
I heard Paolo read part of the Windup Girl. It is by no means anything CLOSE to YA.

I know right?  But blurbs say it is for teens.  It confused me.  Especially after I heard Paolo talking at World Fantasy.  It had been a long time since I heard that much profanity in such a short time.

So I finished Memories of Ice, and I want to try and compile my thoughts about the Malazan books so far.  On the whole, I really enjoyed the third book.  Now, finally, after reading the first three , I think I have a better grasp on Erikson and why I didn't care for the series all that much before now.  I'll probably put my thoughts into the Malazan discussion in a few days though.  Let it simmer.

In the meantime, I picked up Servant of a Dark God by John Brown.  I'm about 20 pages in, and so far I'm mostly just frustrated with his prose.  (Starting 30% of his sentences with a conjunction, laying out a characters options in detail in the midst of a chase scene, explanations of history/worldbuilding DURING a scene so that I can understand the scene).  I can see the possibility of lots of cool ideas and interesting play in the book, but I don't know if I'm going to be able to get through something that is this difficult for me to read.  Hopefully things get better, and not worse.  I remember EBR's review on it and because of that I WANT to get through it.  We'll see though.

Yeah, I really decided I liked Erikson after books 2 and 3.  

As for John Brown, the first bit of the story was kind of tacked on.  After I got through that, I could enjoy the book more.  I've read 1/3 of book 2, and it is already much better than book 1.  Though, the magic is still pretty vague.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bejay on April 05, 2010, 08:48:16 PM
Bejay--
Yeah, WriterDan visits EBR, which is why he mentioned BONESHAKER and asked me about WINDUP GIRL.  Bookstore Guy (me, one of the dudes on the Elitist blog) and Steve (me, the guy to whom Dan asks his question) are the same person.

I know, I just overlooked that he was adressing you, not the community in general. Forget everything I said after "Good morning...." ;)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on April 05, 2010, 08:57:21 PM
I finished The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms last night, by N.K. Jemison. I went into it hearing a fair amount of hype, so I suppose it was inevitable that I would feel a little let down by it. It was an amazing read regardless, especially for a debut novel. The writing style is a bit odd - it's first person perspective, and the heroine is trying to remember everything that happened. As such, it skips around a bit as the narrator tries to remember every detail of what happened. I felt it worked, though, and I look forward to the second book.

Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on April 05, 2010, 10:06:44 PM
Which blurbs? I checked Amazon and the PW review doesn't mention teens; the school library journal (for school librarians, so it has to mention age level) labels it Adult/high school and says "This highly nuanced, violent, and grim novel is not for every teen. However, mature readers..." --basically saying teens who are like adults might like it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Rezo on April 06, 2010, 01:03:50 AM
I am now re-reading "Pan Lodowego Ogrodu" by Jarosław Grzędowicz. (There are three published tomes, but sequels are in writing)
In english it would be like "The Lord of the Ice Garden". But believe me, it sounds better in Polish.
And I must say, it's one of the best things I have ever readed. Polish is complex, right, but reading Polish books, especially from native writers, it's a far, far better experience than reading English ones.

The plot of "PLO" is set in the future - people can now travel to other solar systems without any problem. And after years of space exploration they find something unique - other civilization. However, even if the natives look and behave just like humans, they are stuck in Middle Ages-like era.
Several groups of humans are sent to the planet to examine everything - natives' culture, flora, fauna, stuff like that. Also, a rule is set - no human is allowed to in any way disturb the culture and reveal himself.
But after some time, one of the scientific groups get lost. They literally disappear, not leaving any message or trace.
Unfortunately, the Rule says that sending an army there is not an option. So, one single soldier is send in a rescue mission - a soldier with best possible training and with biological implant that gives him unbelievable physical and mental possibilities.
But even that isn't enough to prepare him to what he will see in that world...
World in which, apparently, magic DO exist.

So, this book is, in fact, an science-fiction and fantasy in the same time.
Believe me, you can't NOT love this book. Great ideas, ultrarealistic characters and one of the best main protagonists of all the time. If anyone would ever get to learn Polish , know this - these books alone are enough reason to learn this language.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: whitetrash on April 06, 2010, 02:27:37 AM
I am reading Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Hero of Ages on April 06, 2010, 06:56:56 AM
Rezo, that premise sounds pretty interesting.  Too bad it is in Polish only.

I am currently re-reading the Dresden files.  Fun easy reads and great characters.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on April 06, 2010, 06:05:38 PM
Let's see I've read Before They Are Hanged (fantastic read), Caverns of Black Ice, Old Man's War (so incredibly awesome, if you like Sci Fi buy this book!), & Noonshade since i last posted. All of them were good, but Caverns took a while to draw me in. Also, I am about halfway through Nightchild right now....
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtlhddoc2 on April 07, 2010, 08:26:19 PM
I really really liked Old Man's War. I read the sequels as well. the 4 book set was great.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: little wilson on April 07, 2010, 10:38:20 PM
A couple nights ago, I read Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South. The BBC did a mini-series based on it a few years ago, and it's really good. I heartily recommend it to anyone who is a fan of things like Pride and Prejudice (without the zombies, although I do need to read that one too). Only, North and South is a million times better than Pride and Prejudice in both story and characters. And complexity. It's just awesome. I stayed up until 5:40am to finish it. I only got 2 hours of sleep that night...miserable, yet totally worth it.

As for now, I am finally reading Way of the Wolf....Yes. It took me a really long time to start it, but oh well. I'm only 60 pages in and I already really like it. A lot. It's probably best that I waited this long to read it. I have more time available to spend on a relatively longer series.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on April 10, 2010, 05:46:30 AM
Zoe's Tale by John Scalzi.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on April 16, 2010, 06:08:49 PM
I'm reading Point of Honour by Madeleine Robins which takes place in an alternate regency England.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on April 16, 2010, 08:25:14 PM
WINDUP GIRL.  meh.

On to Jim Butcher's CHANGES.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on April 19, 2010, 06:13:41 PM
I started up on Infoquake (David Edelman), but skipped out for a bit to read The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray (Chris Wooding).  Both are pretty good so far.  Wooding seems to be jumping POV's a bit, and that's bothersome, but it's only infrequently so I'm able to push through it.  Definitely wondering where this one is going.  Pretty excited to get back to Infoquake too.  Interesting stuff.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on April 19, 2010, 07:33:44 PM
Finished Nightchild and Last Argument of Kings (wild and awesome)!!!! Glokta is so crazed but he's a BA!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on April 19, 2010, 07:52:55 PM
He is so BA?

What is BA?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on April 19, 2010, 08:03:14 PM
Bada$$ (don't know if I'm allowed to say the full word here. Haven't quote gotten a handle on the language limits of this fine site.)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on April 19, 2010, 08:12:10 PM
We posted a review of WINDUP GIRL over at EBR.  In a word?  Emotionless.

Almost done with Butcher's CHANGES.  Given how pissed I was about the quality of the previous book, CHANGES has won me back over absurdly quick.  Craziness.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on April 19, 2010, 08:30:15 PM
Last Argument of Kings (wild and awesome)!!!! Glokta is so crazed but he's a BA!

Yeah, he became my favorite of the series by the end, too.

Reading Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. A repeat of the first book and I'm halfway through. It had better change the plot here pretty soon or I'm gonna be annoyed.

Bada$$ (don't know if I'm allowed to say the full word here. Haven't quote gotten a handle on the language limits of this fine site.)

Oooh, close but you pass. ;)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on April 20, 2010, 05:09:18 PM
Reading Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. A repeat of the first book and I'm halfway through. It had better change the plot here pretty soon or I'm gonna be annoyed.

I wasn't that big of a fan of Hunger Games.  Still, with all of the attention that it has garnered it's unfortunate that the sequel is anything near a repeat of the first.  I don't plan on picking it up anyhow, but for the rest of her readers out there it really is too bad.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on April 20, 2010, 08:25:41 PM
We posted a review of WINDUP GIRL over at EBR.
Told ya it wasn't YA. ;)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on April 20, 2010, 08:29:13 PM
We posted a review of WINDUP GIRL over at EBR.
Told ya it wasn't YA. ;)

lol!

Paolo does have a younger age book coming out soon, I think I was confusing the two.

Edit:  I also finished Jim Butcher's CHANGES.  It was awesome.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on April 21, 2010, 05:18:25 AM
I also finished Jim Butcher's CHANGES.  It was awesome.

I find this extremely interesting.  With how many things Butcher has been working on lately, and how horrible the last two books seemed to have been, do you think there's any chance that Butcher tried a ghost writer on the last two books but decided that it wasn't working after all?  :D  How different are the last two books from this most recent one?  Crazy that there could be soooooo much variation within a single series by a single author.  I should probably try to read another one of these.

PS--I finished Servant of a Dark God and was pretty underwhelmed by it.  There seemed to be a decent story/world-building/characters, but the story-telling was really hard for me to enjoy.  Took all the tension and mystery out of it.  So, I pretty much lost interest early on, but pushed through to the end because of the good review from EBR.  The conversations in it are well done, the action scenes not so much, and the prose was decent.  All the sentences that began with conjunctions didn't change though.  I mean, I do this to a certain extent in my own writing, but this was really distracting.  Frustrating, more like.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on April 21, 2010, 06:50:34 AM
PS--I finished Servant of a Dark God and was pretty underwhelmed by it.  There seemed to be a decent story/world-building/characters, but the story-telling was really hard for me to enjoy.  Took all the tension and mystery out of it.  So, I pretty much lost interest early on, but pushed through to the end because of the good review from EBR.  The conversations in it are well done, the action scenes not so much, and the prose was decent.  All the sentences that began with conjunctions didn't change though.  I mean, I do this to a certain extent in my own writing, but this was really distracting.  Frustrating, more like.

I'm pretty sure I mentioned it before, but I felt the same way. The prose in particular was an issue for me, in that it contained far more telling than showing. I enjoyed it, though, in the end, but not as much as I thought I would.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on April 21, 2010, 03:41:28 PM
I also finished Jim Butcher's CHANGES.  It was awesome.

I find this extremely interesting.  With how many things Butcher has been working on lately, and how horrible the last two books seemed to have been, do you think there's any chance that Butcher tried a ghost writer on the last two books but decided that it wasn't working after all?  :D  How different are the last two books from this most recent one?  Crazy that there could be soooooo much variation within a single series by a single author.  I should probably try to read another one of these.

PS--I finished Servant of a Dark God and was pretty underwhelmed by it.  There seemed to be a decent story/world-building/characters, but the story-telling was really hard for me to enjoy.  Took all the tension and mystery out of it.  So, I pretty much lost interest early on, but pushed through to the end because of the good review from EBR.  The conversations in it are well done, the action scenes not so much, and the prose was decent.  All the sentences that began with conjunctions didn't change though.  I mean, I do this to a certain extent in my own writing, but this was really distracting.  Frustrating, more like.

No, I doubt he used a ghost writer.  He doesn't have that many projects going on.  Books 10 and 11 in the Dresden series were mostly set up, and they suffered heavily from it.  Had Changes (book 12) been the same way, I would have given up on Butcher.  Changes is very similar to books 7-9 in the series.  Which is good.  As for variation in a series, it happens all the time, especially in long series.  Jordan did it, EE Knight, Butcher, Erikson to a lesser degree, Bakker, every mystery author, and most horror authors.

As for Servant, yeah, it had problems, as do most first novels.  I had no issue with the action sequences at all.  I felt they were clear.  It was like a less complex version of a Martin story set "on the range."  I've read the 1st third of Brown's 2nd novel, and it is much better.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on April 23, 2010, 09:08:30 PM
Finished The Haunting of Alaizabel Cray and will definitely be reading Retribution Falls now.  :)

Back to Infoquake.

Just ordered the triplet-book of Bauchelain and Korbal Broach along with a copy of Patrick Rothfuss's Not-a-children's-storybook.  Really intrigued by the Rothfuss book and quite looking forward to it.

Saw mention a couple weeks ago too that KJ Parker has a new novella coming from Subterranean Press:  Blue and Gold.  Hope it's as good as Purple and Black was.  Man.  I still get urges to go back and read that one all the time.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on April 23, 2010, 09:44:03 PM
I just discovered that my middle-of-nowhere Texas town opened a used book store a few months back.  I celebrated a bit too early though.  The place was tiny and their fantasy section consisted of two very small shelves.  Still, I picked up  Writers of the Future Volumes XX through XXII.  I'll be doing some reading since I'm trying to crack that nut :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on April 24, 2010, 08:34:08 PM
do you think there's any chance that Butcher tried a ghost writer on the last two books
LOL, this is the silliest thing I've read in weeks. :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on April 27, 2010, 04:50:14 AM
LOL, this is the silliest thing I've read in weeks. :)

Of course it was!  I am the King of Silly.  Well, okay, maybe just a minor Duke...  LOL
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on April 27, 2010, 05:53:32 AM
Hey Steve,

Are you going to be reviewing Watcher of the Dead by J.V. Jones sometime soon?  I just read a review that Don D'Ammassa did and I'm not at all encouraged by it.  The line that killed me was:  "Most of their personal stories come to some sort of resolution during the course of the novel, but the greater conflict remains open ended..."  The third book just stagnated for me.  And here I was hoping for something great.  This series is beginning to sound a whole lot like the Kingdoms of Thorn and bone series by Greg Keyes that I read .  After getting through all four books in that series, I still never had any kind of concrete idea as to who was the bad guy and why everything was happening.  Jones is much the better writer in my opinion, but this lack of real story progression is just killing me.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtlhddoc2 on April 27, 2010, 01:52:46 PM
Reading Turtledove's Worldwar series. Pretty good, if a little on the light side.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on April 27, 2010, 02:55:14 PM
Guns of the South is probably his best book. I like the way he has this radical historical changes (Robert E. Lee gets AK-47s), but then tries to figure out how historical characters would really act. He does a tremendous amount of research for his books.

I read about a dozen books by him. I never finished the world war series. It went on and on. His books are formulaic, so after about a dozen I got bored with him. Then again a dozen books is quite alot of books by one author.

He has another series (not from guns of the south universe) where the South wins the Civil War and projects it forward to World War 1 and World War 2. He takes a very pessimistic and left wing view of history that does get a bit annoying. However, it is done well. I made it to part way through World War 1 in this series before moving on. They were done well.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on April 27, 2010, 03:40:50 PM
Hey Steve,

Are you going to be reviewing Watcher of the Dead by J.V. Jones sometime soon?  I just read a review that Don D'Ammassa did and I'm not at all encouraged by it.  The line that killed me was:  "Most of their personal stories come to some sort of resolution during the course of the novel, but the greater conflict remains open ended..."  The third book just stagnated for me.  And here I was hoping for something great.  This series is beginning to sound a whole lot like the Kingdoms of Thorn and bone series by Greg Keyes that I read .  After getting through all four books in that series, I still never had any kind of concrete idea as to who was the bad guy and why everything was happening.  Jones is much the better writer in my opinion, but this lack of real story progression is just killing me.

Yeah.  Review should be coming shortly.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on April 27, 2010, 05:00:35 PM
I'm reading Memories of Ice. I am so happy.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on April 27, 2010, 11:10:48 PM
I'm reading Memories of Ice. I am so happy.

Awesome.

I'm finishing up DRAGONFLY FALLING.  I have China Mieville's KRAKEN in the mail.  I will read it soon.  Until then, I may go for NIGHTS OF VILLJAMUR.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on April 28, 2010, 06:38:29 PM
I'm reading Memories of Ice. I am so happy.

Memories of Ice is an amazingly freaking awesome hunk of fantastical love.  Enjoy it!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on April 29, 2010, 06:06:19 PM
Finished Ghost Brigades and am halfway through Bring Me the Head of Prince Charming by Zelazny and again halfway through Smoke Ring by Niven
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on April 29, 2010, 07:00:53 PM
Finished Ghost Brigades

I felt Ghost Brigades was the weakest of the series.  It just felt flat to me when compared to OMW and (later) Last Colony.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on May 01, 2010, 04:42:36 AM
Finished Infoquake.  Really good.  I was really surprised at how much I liked it because it all centered around business, of which I'm not a big fan of the details.  But it was good.

Reading Twelve by Jasper Kent now, with some Color of Magic by Pratchett sprinkled in here and there.  Haven't read any Discworld stuff before and a friend of mine nearly went off the handle when I told him so.  Reading both on my Kindle.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on May 01, 2010, 01:18:19 PM
The Help by Kathryn Stockett, set in civil rights era Jackson, Mississippi (historical fiction, not sf). Half-way through, and DANG is it good.

Edit: Finished it. Ahhhh that was a good story. Well developed, excellent conflict, interesting characters. Just great all around.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: ErikHolmes on May 01, 2010, 07:07:03 PM
I just finished Bones of Faerie by Janni Simmer. If you're looking for a clean book for YA readers its pretty good. It's a little dark. The book starts off with a baby girl being born with faerie hair. Anything of faerie is shunned so the baby's father takes her out and leaves her in the forest for the faeries.

A few hours later the baby's older sister (our protagonist) sneaks out to try to go and get her baby sister but the wild animals got to her first and she finds only half eaten bones . . .
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on May 03, 2010, 04:34:12 PM
Finished Infoquake.  Really good.  I was really surprised at how much I liked it because it all centered around business, of which I'm not a big fan of the details.  But it was good.

Told ya so.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on May 03, 2010, 04:49:48 PM
Finished Infoquake.  Really good.  I was really surprised at how much I liked it because it all centered around business, of which I'm not a big fan of the details.  But it was good.

Reading Twelve by Jasper Kent now, with some Color of Magic by Pratchett sprinkled in here and there.  Haven't read any Discworld stuff before and a friend of mine nearly went off the handle when I told him so.  Reading both on my Kindle.

Don't be put off by The Color of Magic.  Pratchett didn't really hit his stride until about ten books later in the series.  When I recommend him, I usually say to start with the book Guards!  Guards!.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on May 05, 2010, 04:01:05 PM
Finished DRAGONFLY FALLING, WWW: WAKE, and THE OSIRIS RITUAL.

DRAGONFLY=awesome
WAKE=meh
OSIRIS=awesome

After reading WAKE, my expectations for Hugo nominated novels has sunk to an unprecedented low.  They aren't bad, but they just aren't worthy of the hype.  I only have 2 nominated novels left.  One I expect to suck.  The other (JULIAN COMSTOCK) I am actually excited about.

I also have KRAKEN and NIGHTS OF VILLJAMUR at home to read, along with Alan Campbell's Deepgate Codex series that I imported due to the superior UK covers.

Speaking of awesome covers and books that have me excited, go to Pyr's webpage, and go to their blog.  They have their Fall/Winter catalog announced with covers and descriptions to all their releases.  They ALL look awesome (with 1 exception).  It is a remarkable line-up.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on May 05, 2010, 05:02:11 PM
I picked up Old Man's War last week at a used book shop for $1.50.  Finished it last night at 1:30 a.m.  It was pretty full of awesome.  It wasn't perfect, but it was amazingly interesting, and it dragged me through to the end.  I couldn't put it down after I got to Part III.  I had forgotten how much I loved a good military sci-fi story.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on May 05, 2010, 05:13:43 PM
It's better than Starship Troopers..... and coming from me that's saying alot!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on May 06, 2010, 06:40:45 AM
Finished Infoquake.  Really good.  I was really surprised at how much I liked it because it all centered around business, of which I'm not a big fan of the details.  But it was good.

Told ya so.

lol.  Yes.  You did.  I shall doff my hat to the master.

<<doffing of hat>>

I'll definitely be continuing that series.

Finished DRAGONFLY FALLING, WWW: WAKE, and THE OSIRIS RITUAL.

DRAGONFLY=awesome
WAKE=meh
OSIRIS=awesome

After reading WAKE, my expectations for Hugo nominated novels has sunk to an unprecedented low.  They aren't bad, but they just aren't worthy of the hype.  I only have 2 nominated novels left.  One I expect to suck.  The other (JULIAN COMSTOCK) I am actually excited about.

I also have KRAKEN and NIGHTS OF VILLJAMUR at home to read, along with Alan Campbell's Deepgate Codex series that I imported due to the superior UK covers.

Speaking of awesome covers and books that have me excited, go to Pyr's webpage, and go to their blog.  They have their Fall/Winter catalog announced with covers and descriptions to all their releases.  They ALL look awesome (with 1 exception).  It is a remarkable line-up.

Need to get my hands on Empire in Black and Gold.  No surprise on Wake.  For me, RobertSawyer=meh.  I've heard that Kraken is really quite good. Mieville has an amazing imagination.  Man.  I do wish his endings could be a bit better.  Maybe this time...

The Pyr lineup looks SOOOOOO amazingtastic.  Nearly fell out of my chair when I saw the cover for Spring-heeled Jack.  Whoa.  The covers that Pyr is able to get for their books are just wow.  How cool would it be to get my novel picked up by them?  The idea boggles the mind.  So, your post begs the question:  Which book are you NOT excited about?  :)

Read on the blog that Tchaikovsky is working on Book 7 (are you kidding me?) of his Shadows of the Apt series.  Any idea how long that series is supposed to be?  Or is there even an end?  I looked up the wiki on the series and he's got all sorts of bug-people.  You have any idea how many insects there are in the world?  Essentially unlimited source material here.

I got The Maze Runner from the library and am almost through it.  Bunch of freaking disgruntled, uncommunicative teenagers.  It's like a not-so-great version of Lord of the Flies in TechnoWorld.  Eh.  I'm mostly just confused by what is going on in it.  Spot-on review at EBR, Steve.

Don't be put off by The Color of Magic.  Pratchett didn't really hit his stride until about ten books later in the series.  When I recommend him, I usually say to start with the book Guards!  Guards!.

So far the story is all over the place.  Construction is horrible, but the world/story so far is okay.  Bout 15% in.  I don't think I could really be all that critical of it because of the tone of the story though.  Just too...whimsical.  I tend to give those kinds of stories a lot of leeway.  Tone reminds me a bit of what I tried to put into the story I just sent to WotF.

Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on May 06, 2010, 02:39:22 PM
Yes, whimsical would be the best word to describe The Color of Magic.  The reason I say not to be put off by it is that the book is not really representative of the bulk of Mr. Pratchett's writing.  The Color of Magic is a farce, and so is it's sequel, The Light Fantastic.  After about the first four books or so where he hasn't really settled on a voice or style, Pratchett starts writing satire, and nearly all of his books from then on are about the best fantasy-satire you can find.  Guards! Guards! is the beginning of his first series where he is really hitting his stride, which is why I generally recommend it, although the Rincewind/Twoflower books have some awesome stories in the series (Interesting Times being my favorite), so at one point or another it is worth reading Pratchett's early work.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on May 06, 2010, 04:11:06 PM
So, your post begs the question:  Which book are you NOT excited about?  :)

Not telling. 

But yeah, Spring Heeled Jack?  Words cannot describe how excited I am for it.  The bummer is I think my wife imported Jasper Kent's series for me last week.  Talk about unfortunate timing.

As for Shadows of the Apt, he wants it to be 10 books initially.  However, there are definitive arcs within the series.  Books 1-4 are a complete arc.  Then 5-7, then 8-10.  But with limitless bugs?  He could go on forever.  And that's OK with me.

The new James Enge looks pretty solid too.  I love his writing style.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtlhddoc2 on May 06, 2010, 06:37:54 PM
about 3/4 of the way through book 3 of the Worldwar saga from Turtledove. Really enjoying this series. Dont really like the timeline leaps he does though. probably going to read Guns of the South after I finish Titling The Balance, sicne it has been highly recommended by some people here.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: ErikHolmes on May 07, 2010, 01:11:55 AM
I just started The Blade Itself after reading the Elitist Book Review. Pretty good so far but nothing amazing has happened yet . . .
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on May 07, 2010, 01:43:09 AM
I just started The Blade Itself after reading the Elitist Book Review. Pretty good so far but nothing amazing has happened yet . . .

I'm almost finished with it, and so far nothing amazing has happened. Despite this, for some reason I am loving it. It might just be Abercrombie's style of writing. I can tell something is building, and I can just feel that it's going to be amazing.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on May 07, 2010, 05:06:21 AM
I just started The Blade Itself after reading the Elitist Book Review. Pretty good so far but nothing amazing has happened yet . . .

I'm almost finished with it, and so far nothing amazing has happened. Despite this, for some reason I am loving it. It might just be Abercrombie's style of writing. I can tell something is building, and I can just feel that it's going to be amazing.

These novels are very very character driven and as a result the pacing will be slower, less plot. But it's worth seeing it through to the end.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on May 07, 2010, 05:18:38 AM
I just started The Blade Itself after reading the Elitist Book Review. Pretty good so far but nothing amazing has happened yet . . .

I'm almost finished with it, and so far nothing amazing has happened. Despite this, for some reason I am loving it. It might just be Abercrombie's style of writing. I can tell something is building, and I can just feel that it's going to be amazing.

These novels are very very character driven and as a result the pacing will be slower, less plot. But it's worth seeing it through to the end.

The books are very much worth reading, but just be prepared because book three hits you in the stomach like a brick.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: ErikHolmes on May 07, 2010, 06:22:11 AM
I think its just hard to read anything after reading The Lies of Locke Lamora because that book was just filled with so much awesome.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on May 07, 2010, 06:40:20 AM
I think its just hard to read anything after reading The Lies of Locke Lamora because that book was just filled with so much awesome.

Try reading The Lies of Locke Lamora and The Blade Itself at the same time. Add in I read and finished both I Am Not A Serial Killer, Mr. Monster, as well as The Affinity Bridge while reading both of these... I may soon go into a coma from overdose of awesome...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on May 07, 2010, 03:49:38 PM
Try reading The Lies of Locke Lamora and The Blade Itself at the same time. Add in I read and finished both I Am Not A Serial Killer, Mr. Monster, as well as The Affinity Bridge while reading both of these... I may soon go into a coma from overdose of awesome...

I just finished up the sequel to THE AFFINITY BRIDGE.  It was extremely fun.  Between THE AFFINITY BRIDGE, THE OSIRIS RITUAL, and GHOSTS OF MANHATTAN, George Mann has turned into one of my favorite authors.

I decided to read China Mieville's KRAKEN rather than NIGHTS OF VILLJAMUR.  Why?  'Cause KRAKEN is a cooler sounding title.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on May 07, 2010, 04:20:06 PM
Finished Smoke Ring and I started Night Of Knives..... talk about awesome!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtlhddoc2 on May 08, 2010, 07:53:15 PM
Finished Worldwar series by Turtledove, need a break from alt history, and mega-series fantasy as well. Anyone recommend a few one-off fantasy novels with no tie-ins to any other series?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: ErikHolmes on May 08, 2010, 09:35:05 PM
Not sure what you mean by one-off. Just like stand alone novels?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on May 08, 2010, 09:48:35 PM
I like Bujold's The Spirit Ring. It's not related to any other of her books.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on May 08, 2010, 10:13:10 PM
Reading Lamentation by Ken Scholes.  So far I'm giving it a resounding "meh."
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on May 09, 2010, 05:11:16 AM
Finished Worldwar series by Turtledove, need a break from alt history, and mega-series fantasy as well. Anyone recommend a few one-off fantasy novels with no tie-ins to any other series?

Sunshine byRobin McKinley

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman

Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman

The Stolen Child by Keith Donohue

To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Hero of Ages on May 09, 2010, 07:22:06 AM

Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman


Neverwhere is one of my all time favorites.  You may also want to give American Gods by Neil Gaiman a read too.  I just reread it and it was better the 2nd time and it was pretty amazing the 1st time.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtlhddoc2 on May 10, 2010, 12:10:31 AM
Not sure what you mean by one-off. Just like stand alone novels?

Yes, exactly :)

Thanks all for the recommendations. I am going to start with Gainman, I think :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on May 10, 2010, 12:38:26 PM
Another book by Connie Willis that is very good is The Doomsday book.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on May 10, 2010, 03:33:11 PM
Another book by Connie Willis that is very good is The Doomsday book.

The Doomsday Book has more sciency stuff in it. To Say Nothing of the Dog is funnier. Just depends on what you're in the mood for.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on May 12, 2010, 11:45:47 PM
Finished Color of Magic.  It was fun.  I definitely won't be crossing Pratchett off my list of authors to read.

And Twelve is awesome so far.  There was a bit of semi-forgivable infodump at the beginning to tell about the MC's life, but now I'm hip-deep in the story and loving it.  Dude knows how to evoke mood.  Wow.  Hoping it'll keep getting better.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on May 13, 2010, 04:24:41 PM
I just finished Memories of Ice. It was such a great read.  Just awesome. Now I'm on to Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtlhddoc2 on May 13, 2010, 06:58:46 PM
ok, I got 28 pages into "Good Omens" and bookmarked my page and have not had a desire to pick it up again. So I probably wont even bother at this point.

Going to start the Elric Saga for the first time now.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on May 13, 2010, 07:26:32 PM
ok, I got 28 pages into "Good Omens" and bookmarked my page and have not had a desire to pick it up again. So I probably wont even bother at this point.

Going to start the Elric Saga for the first time now.

Sad day.  Gaiman and Pratchett aren't for everyone I suppose.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on May 14, 2010, 07:05:14 PM
Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde. I'm only a few pages in, but the idea of seeing the last rabbit by proxy makes me giggle.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on May 14, 2010, 08:40:20 PM
I just finished Memories of Ice. It was such a great read.  Just awesome. Now I'm on to Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs.

I finally picked up Memories of Ice.  It has been sitting on my bookshelf for the last six months or so, but I had a hard time picking it up after Deadhouse Gates (which left a bad taste in my mouth).  I'm only a few dozen pages in and I'm already liking it better than its prequel.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Renoard on May 17, 2010, 03:10:19 PM
Just finished FEist's Conclave of Shadows, the first in a series by S. L. Farrell about an alternate Rome/Illyria.

Just started a Brontee's Anne Grey.  So far it looks promising.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Comfortable Madness on May 17, 2010, 03:13:31 PM
About half way through House of Chains. Might be my favorite of the series so far. Lets see how it finishes up.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Hero of Ages on May 18, 2010, 08:00:28 AM
I just finished The Warded Man by Peter Brett.  It was pretty good for a 1st novel.  Good enough that I am reading the sequel The Desert Spear.  Next on the list is the Amber series by Zelazny.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on May 20, 2010, 04:20:24 PM
I finally picked up Memories of Ice.  It has been sitting on my bookshelf for the last six months or so, but I had a hard time picking it up after Deadhouse Gates (which left a bad taste in my mouth).  I'm only a few dozen pages in and I'm already liking it better than its prequel.

Memories of Ice was, for me, the easiest of the first three to get into.  Think I felt really grounded by about page 75, when for the others it was more like two or three times that many pages before I really understood what was going on.  Memories is worth every minute that you put into it.

I'm  about 3/4th of the way through Twelve and loving it.  Put it down for a bit to re-read The Folding Knife though.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on May 20, 2010, 04:58:15 PM
KRAKEN was seriously bonkers.  Good, but bonkers.

Cynic--Deadhouse Gates isn't really a prequel to Memories.  They run concurrent (well, other than the prologue).  My appreciation of Deadhouse Gates really got much higher after finishing Memories (through I LOVED Deadhouse.  That ending was so tragic and awesome).

I really enjoyed House of Chains.  Karsa is one of my favorite characters in the series.  The dude is an absolute BEAST later.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on May 20, 2010, 05:30:08 PM
Put it down for a bit to re-read The Folding Knife though.

So....the ending makes sense to you? You liked it?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on May 20, 2010, 05:37:36 PM
Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon. Listening to it on audio. She is a remarkable writer. I am near the beginning and thoroughly engrossed. You rarely get this kind of character development in science fiction. Most of the book is in the first person who is autistic in a world where there are virtually no au tistics. There is a "cure" for his autism that they want him to take, but wouldn't that change his personality?

very well done so far. Alot deeper than the popcorn sci-fi I usually read.

I did not like Good Omens. I stopped about 1/3 of the way through. I am not into brittish satire. It is not my thing. I didn't really care what happened to the characters and did not find it funny enough to keep going for laughs. I did not really like the Moist Von Lipwitch Discworld books either for the same reason. It is just not my thing.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on May 20, 2010, 08:11:59 PM
Put it down for a bit to re-read The Folding Knife though.

So....the ending makes sense to you? You liked it?

You'll have to forgive him, Nessa.  For some reason everything Parker writes is awesome to him.  Nobody is perfect :P

Personally, I feel like I have been burned by too many times by her inconsistent characters.  She can write extremely well, but her characters rarely make sense with their decisions and expectations.  To me.  But hey, that's why reading is awesome, cause people like different stuff.

On a side note, WriterDan, I assume you ordered Parker's new novella from SubPress?  As well as the Daniel Abraham collection?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on May 20, 2010, 10:46:56 PM
Put it down for a bit to re-read The Folding Knife though.

So....the ending makes sense to you? You liked it?
You'll have to forgive him, Nessa.  For some reason everything Parker writes is awesome to him.  Nobody is perfect :P

Heh.


Reading Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice. Figured it was about time.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on May 20, 2010, 11:04:15 PM
Put it down for a bit to re-read The Folding Knife though.
So....the ending makes sense to you? You liked it?

As Steve said,  I love to read KJ Parker.   8)  Although, I have to admit that the first time that I read this one I was left a bit...flat, shall we say.  I'm actually looking forward to going through this one for a second time.  I'm hoping that my rose-colored glasses will be  a little less tinted this time, and that I'll be able to develop a more unbiased opinion of it.  Taht being said, I'm about 20 pages into the re-read and thoroughly loving it.  lol.  She does character development right; if not character consistency or justification perfectly.  I wasn't thoroughly impressed with the ending of The Company, though I fully enjoyed that story.  Yes she has a number of imperfections inherent in her books, but the things that she does well, she does really well, imho.  Honestly, the only reason I'm re-reading this one so soon after the first time through (March 1st) is because of a little impetus that has arisen involving a particular book review site I frequent...

On a side note, WriterDan, I assume you ordered Parker's new novella from SubPress?  As well as the Daniel Abraham collection?

You scared me there for a bit.  Thought they'd already been released!   :o  So, yes, I'm planning on getting a copy of both of them.  Up until a couple weeks ago though, I'd been without funds to do so.  Thank heaven for birthdays!  Now I'm not-so-broke, instead of just broke.   ;D  Blue & Gold isn't out until December, but I need to order Leviathan Wept today.  Thanks for the reminder, Steve.  
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on May 20, 2010, 11:16:22 PM
The Company pissed me off.  The end just kinda...happened, and left me totally flat and deflated.  I found myself thinking (the whole entire novel), "Why can't we just have a book about their exploits in the war?  Those are the only sections of this book that I like..."
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on May 21, 2010, 01:22:34 PM
@nessa: I am a Robert Jordan fan. One thing I find lacking in his book is the weakness of his writing about really old characters. Aes Sedai are old. When I read his books (and re-read them), I remember wishing that he would have written old characters the same way that Anne Rice writes them. She does a very good job explaining what it is like to live for hundreds of years.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on May 28, 2010, 12:47:20 AM
@nessa: I am a Robert Jordan fan. One thing I find lacking in his book is the weakness of his writing about really old characters. Aes Sedai are old. When I read his books (and re-read them), I remember wishing that he would have written old characters the same way that Anne Rice writes them. She does a very good job explaining what it is like to live for hundreds of years.

Interesting. I'll keep that in mind. I'm about halfway through it.

In the meantime I just finished Bujold's The Sharing Knife: Passage and The Sharing Knife: Horizon, thus completing a satisfying series.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Renoard on May 29, 2010, 05:12:59 PM
Aes Sedai are old, but the whole issue of slowing and centuries of what amounts to middle age would tend to make them distinctly abnormal, psychologically. He does that. But I think his handling of the genuinely elderly is pretty on target. We see that in Thom and Jain Fairstrider, and a few others.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: ErikHolmes on May 29, 2010, 06:59:33 PM
Yah, I had no problems with how the older Aes Sedai were portrayed. A hundred years as an Aes Sedai and a hundred years as a blood drinking murderer are entirely different.

People tend to adapt I think, someone who'd lived a few hundred years might not be much different then the guy next door. My favorite is Corwin of Amber, part grandpa and part wise cracking smartass.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Renoard on May 29, 2010, 07:18:41 PM
Agreed.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on May 30, 2010, 09:12:38 PM
Finished Empire in Black and Gold, Dragonfly Falling and i only have a few chapters left in Blood of the Mantis.... problem is Salute the Dark doesn't come out until September which is when i leave for the Air Force!!!! That isn't just!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on June 02, 2010, 01:11:20 PM
Finished The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon. I think this won a nebula a few years ago. I liked it. It is different from most science fiction books. Most of the book is in the first person by someone who is autistic. It takes place in the future where for a younger generation autism is cured. His manager is pushing him to have surgery to fix his autism.

I don't know what this book competed against for the nebula, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Moon is a gifted writer. You don't see much of this type of work in genre fiction.

Now I am listening to Hidden Empire by Kevin J Anderson. Bookstore guy heard it was bad, but it was sitting on the library shelf staring at me and daring me to check it out.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on June 02, 2010, 04:06:26 PM
I never said I heard it was bad.  It was reviewed on the blog Nick and I run.  I just don't care for Card as a person, so I typically avoid all of his books.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: ryos on June 03, 2010, 03:51:10 AM
Monster Hunter Vendetta E-ARC is out from Baen. So far, it's been even more fun than MHI was. ;D
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on June 03, 2010, 03:58:06 PM
I'm reading Darkborn by Alison Sinclaiar.  It has a terrible cover but the book is quite good so far.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtlhddoc2 on June 03, 2010, 05:51:49 PM
Im struggling through the elric saga. getting near the end of book 6 and I have to say, the story is rather weak, it has kept me mildly entertained but it jumps around too much and the magic system is barely explained. How did this series make it onto a "Top 100" sci-fi/fantasy book list? It isnt the worst I have read, even this year, but I couldnt justify putting it on the same list as the likes of Tolkein, Jordan and Eddings....

but then again, this is where I got the list..


http://home.austarnet.com.au/petersykes/fantasy100/lists_books.html

And you can plainly see the person compiling the list deigned to include Twilight and Eragon, both pretty darn high up too.

So.... I am almost finished with Elric and probably going to start George RR Martins Song of Fire and Ice set...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on June 04, 2010, 01:16:03 PM
@bookstore: You have the book mixed up. This is not the Empire book by Card about a civil war in the US(I didn't like that book much). It is the first book in the Saga of the Seven Suns by Kevin J Anderson. I think you posted that you knew someone who said it was boring until book 4. It was in the library so I grabbed it. They have a limited supply of sci-fi audiobooks and I burn through them in the summer. I have a 40 minute commute to work and then I am outside alot. When I am outside I like to have audiobooks on. I don't want to sit on my couch and read a book in the summer.

Why don't you like Orson Scott Card? From what I read about him, he seemed like a nice guy.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on June 04, 2010, 04:59:20 PM
Ah, my bad--yeah my good friend said the series is boring until more than half way through.

Why don't I like Card?  Because I saw him scream and berate a kid (I'd estimate 12 years old) behind me in line at a book signing for bringing 4 novels (that he had just purchased) for Card to sign.  Pretty silly considering other people had stacks of 10 books for signing.  The kid didn't say anything, I think he was nervous to meet Card, but looked like he was gonna cry after.  Everyone around me was stunned.  I had 2 novels for him to sign (one was mine, and one I was going to purchase).  I left the unpurchased on a nearby table.

It could have been an aberration.  He could have had a bad day before the signing.  He did come in in a stained white t-shirt and what looked like pajama shorts.  Didn't really seem like he cared to be there (that was my impression before he yelled at the kid).

So there you have it.  That was my experience.  I'm sure 9 billion people have had good ones with him, and that's fine.  Card won't miss my not buying his books.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on June 05, 2010, 04:22:15 PM
That is pretty bad...

I actually don't get the point of getting books signed. I don't see a value in a signature.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: ryos on June 05, 2010, 10:59:50 PM
For me, it's not the signature in the book, but the chance to meet the author, brief though it may be.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on June 06, 2010, 12:31:57 AM
Well, yeah. If I didn't have his signature people might not believe that I once shook Michael Chabon by the hand. ;)

(And wow, that is pretty shocking. I hope it was an aberration; it dismays me to think that people would put up with standing in line to get stuff signed by Card if he did that all the time.)

Just finished Julian Comstock. My feelings are mixed. And I've just started Diana Pharaoh Francis's The Cipher. (I sorta told her that I'd review her newest, so now I've gotta read the first three. XP)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on June 06, 2010, 01:49:02 AM
Finished Fablehaven, by Brandon Mull Dragon Slippers by Jessica Day George and A Shadow in Summer by Daniel Abraham last night. All very, very enjoyable books. Can't wait to get to the sequels.

Also alpha read Binding Mars, by Nessa, which I'm not sure if I can add to my 'List of Books Read'... very engaging story. One of those that rips you through, in a good way.

Before those, however, I have some others to read. Grave Peril, by Jim Butcher, Liberating Atlantis by Harry Turtledove, and finally getting back to Empire in Black and Gold by Adrian Tchaikovsky. The latter has a rather slow start which makes it difficult to get really into, but I'm enjoying it so far.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on June 06, 2010, 02:50:43 AM
Finished Julian Comstock the other day as well. I also found it a bit unsatisfying. I liked a lot of things about the book, but the end wasn't really among them.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on June 06, 2010, 03:07:44 AM
Also alpha read Binding Mars, by Nessa, which I'm not sure if I can add to my 'List of Books Read'... very engaging story. One of those that rips you through, in a good way.

:D
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: ErikHolmes on June 06, 2010, 03:10:58 AM
I just started Runemarks by Joanne Harris. Anyone else read it?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on June 06, 2010, 03:19:58 AM

Also alpha read Binding Mars, by Nessa, which I'm not sure if I can add to my 'List of Books Read'... very engaging story. One of those that rips you through, in a good way.


I think alpha reading DEFINITELY counts. In fact, it's so much work you can probably count it twice. :P
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shi on June 07, 2010, 10:14:45 AM
Finished reading Small Favor by Jim Butcher recently. I love Harry, but now I'm scared because I'm onto the "dreaded" Turn Coat.

I'm currently reading The Demon's Covenant, by Sarah Rees Brennan. Who needs love triangles (though this book does have it) when you have brotherly love? Sibs rock!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on June 07, 2010, 01:33:06 PM
People must really love books to be an alpha reader. I have never been one, but I would think that the difference in quality between a book in alpha stage and a final book is pretty large. You are basically doing alot of free work for someone.

Then again I am sure that Alpha readers are essential. Editors are all well and good, but if you work with the same 1-2 people on a book, the responses and reactions are kind of narrow. Plus the editor will know you and know your work better than someone more external so areas that you both might think are clear are probably problematic to others.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on June 07, 2010, 02:43:14 PM
People must really love books to be an alpha reader. I have never been one, but I would think that the difference in quality between a book in alpha stage and a final book is pretty large. You are basically doing alot of free work for someone.

Then again I am sure that Alpha readers are essential. Editors are all well and good, but if you work with the same 1-2 people on a book, the responses and reactions are kind of narrow. Plus the editor will know you and know your work better than someone more external so areas that you both might think are clear are probably problematic to others.

Yes, the quality difference is relatively high. The difference is even bigger in the writing group stage. I've been alpha reader on a decent number of books and to answer your question, not only do I love books, but I also love writing and seeing the writing of others and myself progress. It's free work, but it's work that you can see progress and that's satisfying.

The one benefit for alpha readers is that they usually get their name on the acknowledgment page.

Finished Interview with the Vampire. It wasn't what I expected. Still mulling over whether I liked it or not.

On to The Kingdom Beyond the Waves by Stephen Hunt. My first steampunk. Also going to the library today for new fodder.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on June 07, 2010, 03:13:27 PM
People must really love books to be an alpha reader. I have never been one, but I would think that the difference in quality between a book in alpha stage and a final book is pretty large. You are basically doing alot of free work for someone.

Then again I am sure that Alpha readers are essential. Editors are all well and good, but if you work with the same 1-2 people on a book, the responses and reactions are kind of narrow. Plus the editor will know you and know your work better than someone more external so areas that you both might think are clear are probably problematic to others.

Yes, the quality difference is relatively high. The difference is even bigger in the writing group stage. I've been alpha reader on a decent number of books and to answer your question, not only do I love books, but I also love writing and seeing the writing of others and myself progress. It's free work, but it's work that you can see progress and that's satisfying.

The one benefit for alpha readers is that they usually get their name on the acknowledgment page.

Yeah, I'm hoping for that acknowledgment page thing :P

This was my first alpha reading, and I enjoyed it, for the same reasons Nessa just stated. I love books, and I've never had the chance - outside of Warbreaker and writing group - to see novels in progress. And if I can give any advice or suggestions or even find something that could be tweaked in a way that makes the story better, or helps the author... honestly, that feeling is completely worth the effort.

Alphas reading is fun. I'd like to to do more of it. I'd also like to get one of my own novels to the stage (read: finished) where I can have it alpha read.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on June 07, 2010, 03:50:41 PM
Finished Julian Comstock the other day as well. I also found it a bit unsatisfying. I liked a lot of things about the book, but the end wasn't really among them.

I loved Julian Comstock, though the ending was a little flat compared to the rest of the novel.  I was rather hoping the novel would follow an Abraham Lincoln-type ending (if you've read the novel, it should be obvious what I mean).  It would have fit the novel well.

Nessa:  You haven't read any Steampunk?  It will be interesting to see what you think of Hunt's second novel (I don't think it is a true sequel, so you are good).

And if anyone cares, the winners of the Elitist Book Reviews contest will be announced today.  Sometime.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on June 07, 2010, 06:53:14 PM
And if anyone cares, the winners of the Elitist Book Reviews contest will be announced today.  Sometime.

As if.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on June 07, 2010, 08:12:40 PM
Haha. Be nice, Dan!

Guessingo: Also, a lot of alpha readers are writers themselves. So instead of working for free, it's often more of a "you read my manuscript I'll read yours" situation.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on June 07, 2010, 10:47:35 PM
Leviathan Wept has been delayed.   :'(  But it's only for 2-3 weeks.  I guess I can manage.

Put it down for a bit to re-read The Folding Knife though.

So....the ending makes sense to you? You liked it?

After finishing my re-read, I have to ask:  What was wrong with the ending?  :)  I thought it was fully satisfying.  All in all, I enjoyed the book more this time through than I did the first.

Haha. Be nice, Dan!

I guess there are two ways to interpret my sarcasm there.  In this case, I meant it in the most positive way possible.  As in:  Who wouldn't be interested?  Not:  Who would?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on June 08, 2010, 01:13:58 AM
After finishing my re-read, I have to ask:  What was wrong with the ending?  :)  I thought it was fully satisfying.  All in all, I enjoyed the book more this time through than I did the first.

Because the climax was told through a freaking letter, when we've spent 400 pages on the minutae of Basso's day-to-day comings and goings, so it was disparate from what Parker had spent the entire book setting up. It's as bad as Twilight's pov character being unconscious during the climax. (No, wait. Sorry. Not THAT bad.) And then the main character who's spent his whole life fighting just gives up. His wife's actions come completely out of left field. I could go on, but those are the main points.

The rest of the book was fine and quite fun to read. I would have been happy if it had stopped at about page 375.

Quote
I guess there are two ways to interpret my sarcasm there.  In this case, I meant it in the most positive way possible.  As in:  Who wouldn't be interested?  Not:  Who would?

As in YOU since you were selected. :P
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on June 08, 2010, 05:25:02 AM
Okay, so yes, the fact that the climax came through a freaking letter was horrific.  King to you.  In fact, that point was the "one problem" that I had with the book.  Well, with the last third or so actually.  :D  Letters and story summary overcome the actual stuff thats more character interactive, which really bothered me.  I was pretty disappointed the first time through because of this fact.  And the ending just felt blah because of it.  This time through though, I kind of stepped back and just enjoyed the way the thing was written.  The ending bothered me a bit, but not so much this time.  Though there is something that is important:  Basso just got his sister's son killed.  He loved his sister more than anything or anyone.  Maybe that was why he gave up?  Who knows.  It's not in the book, as some would say.  As a whole, I thought the story was decent, and I really enjoyed the way it was written.  Of course, if it comes to picking a book with a decent story with great writing OR a great story with mediocre writing, I'll take the first option every time.  Why?  Mostly because the way a story is written is such an integral part of the reading experience for me.  I completely agree with Steve about The Company though.  That ending was just horrible.  No matter how good the book could have been.  Yeah.

And huzzahs to you as well, Nessa.  Thou art an Elitist.  While I'm only coming in somewhere around third place...  8)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on June 08, 2010, 05:55:18 AM

Haha. Be nice, Dan!

I guess there are two ways to interpret my sarcasm there.  In this case, I meant it in the most positive way possible.  As in:  Who wouldn't be interested?  Not:  Who would?

My bad. I guess I'm just cynical and jaded and assume people mean negative things all the time. :P

Yes, congrats to you both.

Speaking of book reviews, I just realized that I've read several books that I haven't reviewed yet. Hm. I should get to that.

And I just finished with Francis's The Cipher.  It was good. I think.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on June 08, 2010, 03:54:23 PM
I'm reading Shalador's Lady by Anne Bishop. I never know quite what to think of her. Her writing is very engaging but a lot of her content bugs me.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on June 08, 2010, 04:26:17 PM
Yay for you new reviewers.  I'm trying to be more excited (I really am), but I kinda hurt my lower back Sunday night, so I loaded up on pain stuff.  It isn't helping a ton.  If I move much I am reduced to crying like a little girl reading Twilight.  Coincidentally, though I don't think it is fake-vampire related, I also see sparkles in my vision when I move suddenly (or at all).

I read a lot of books over the last week.  I'll list them later.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on June 08, 2010, 05:56:57 PM
picked up the audio Stonehenge by Bernad Cornwell

This is historical fiction. One of the writing excuses guys recommended him on their podcast.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: link389 on June 09, 2010, 05:51:18 AM
I'm reading Bran Hambric: The Farfield Curse for the second time at the moment.  It's middle-grade fantasy, but really interesting and fun.  After that, I'm tossing up between Elantris or Warbreaker.  Any suggestions?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on June 09, 2010, 05:24:10 PM
picked up the audio Stonehenge by Bernad Cornwell

This is historical fiction. One of the writing excuses guys recommended him on their podcast.

I've read this one and it's ok. Some of his other stuff is better.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on June 09, 2010, 05:32:47 PM
I'm reading a book by an author I like, but the book has such a horrible cover that I don't want to admit I'm reading it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: ryos on June 09, 2010, 09:21:02 PM
I'm reading a book by an author I like, but the book has such a horrible cover that I don't want to admit I'm reading it.

That was me while reading The Gathering Storm. I always take the dust jacket off when I read a hardcover. With TGS, I was loath to put it back on when I was done.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: aronsamma on June 10, 2010, 11:02:13 PM
I've recently finished:

Quicksilver - Neal Stephenson
13 Things That Don't Make Sense - Michael Brooks (mixing it up with a little nonfiction)
The Painted Man - Peter V. Brett

and I'm currently working on:

The Confusion - Neal Stephenson
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Hero of Ages on June 11, 2010, 07:08:00 AM
I've recently finished:

Quicksilver - Neal Stephenson
13 Things That Don't Make Sense - Michael Brooks (mixing it up with a little nonfiction)
The Painted Man - Peter V. Brett

What did you think of The Painted Man?  I thought it was pretty good for a 1st book.

I am just about done with the Amber series.  I only have about 50 pages left in the last book.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on June 11, 2010, 01:17:58 PM
Please post a review of the Neal Stephenson books as a new thread or a TWG review. I have been meaning to read more of his books for a while, but I have not had a chance.

If anyone else has read his books please post a review. I read Snow Crash a while and thought it was outstanding. Stephen King has praised him in 2 of his novels (Cell and Under the Dome)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: aronsamma on June 11, 2010, 07:35:05 PM
What did you think of The Painted Man?  I thought it was pretty good for a 1st book

I really liked it. It wasn't terribly original, but you know, I didn't mind that. It was told really well, except for a few times when the perspective got a little weird. I'm looking forward to the sequel.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on June 11, 2010, 08:33:45 PM
So, I've read a few books over the past few weeks.  Julian Comstock,  Blood of the Mantis (a bit back), Altered Carbon, re-read books 2 and 3 of the Necroscope series to go along with the novella collection Harry and the Pirates, and some other stuff (alpha read Correia's Hard Magic).

Anyways, I may read Salute the Dark next.  Or Nights of Villjamur.  Or Lesser Demons.  Or Cry of the Newborn.  I dunno.  Whatever.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Renoard on June 14, 2010, 01:31:34 AM
I read snow crash when it first came out and I think it is an important book for letting  someone dip their toe in Cyber-punk, but much as I like Hiero as a character I thought the plotting was bad enough I never have read another of his books.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on June 15, 2010, 04:32:34 AM
Didn't much care for Snow Crash.  Lots of cool ideas, I just never got into the book.  Cryptonomicon was really good.  I also tried Quicksilver.  Didn't much care for it though, and bailed after a few hundred pages.

I bailed on the Painted Man after about 60 pages.  Pretty poor writing and failed my 10% rule (hook me by then).

Stopped reading Watcher of the Dead.  Will have to pick it up later.

I'm about halfway through Red Wolf Conspiracy, and conflicted.  Great writing, but seriously hard to get into any of the characters.

I also just bought John Scalzi's God Engines.  Thought it looked pretty good and was only $5 on my Kindle.  Woo-hoo!  Amazon reviews look pretty split.  Will have to clear things up for them sometime in the near future.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on June 15, 2010, 12:47:23 PM
Please post what you think of God Engine. My library doesn't stock novellas. I want to know if its worth buying.

I think alot of the negative reviews may be because it is different from Scalzi's other books so it appeals to a differnet crowd.

I have trouble understanding how people don't like Snow Crash. It is one of my all time favorite books. I can deal with slow pacing if its necessary. Every book does not need to be a thriller.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shi on June 17, 2010, 05:00:25 AM
Finished White Cat by Holly Black. I must say, I wasn't expecting much since I really did not like Tithe, But the White Cat was really good.

Also finished Demon's Covenant by Sarah Rees Brennan, which was, sadly, disappointing. Could be because the book was from my least favorite character's point of view. But really, I think the book needed another draft to tighten it up, and it suffered from middle book syndrome, just setting up the final book.

I swear by The Demon's Lexicon though, best book evers.

And I'm halfway through The White Road by Lynn Flewelling.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on June 17, 2010, 05:25:28 PM
Finished Lies of Locke Lamora, Elements of Style (handbook by E.B. White and William Strunk Jr.) and I am currently reading Best Served Cold
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on June 18, 2010, 06:35:22 AM
Finished Red Wolf Conspiracy.  Good and bad.

Starting The Adamantine Palace by Stephen Deas tonight.

I probably won't get to the God Engines until I finish Palace and Twelve as well.  Just found out that Amazon canceled my order of Leviathan Wept because it got delayed a few weeks and I didn't explicitly tell them that I still wanted it.  Grumble, grumble.  I think I'm going to weep.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Eerongal on June 18, 2010, 03:02:48 PM
Just finished the book "The immortals" by Tracy hickman. Pretty good book, if you ask me!

It's basically about a "cure" for aids that was invented, which in turn ends up becoming a form of super aids.

This causes the US government to set up camps for all the victims to try and stop the spread of it, which pretty much end up being run like nazi death camps (and of course, hidden from the public).

The point of the novel is basically to focus on the interactions of humans in extreme, dire situations.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on June 18, 2010, 07:32:03 PM
Actually just found a paperback copy of The Immortals at DI last week for a buck.  Total bonus.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on June 19, 2010, 03:56:58 AM
Blood of the Mantis was a fantastic read! What's your opinion on the series as a whole BSG?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Renoard on June 20, 2010, 04:14:46 AM
Just finished The Prodigal Mage by Karen Miller.  It was a good continuation of the world and characters from the Innocent Mage duology.  If I have any complaint it's that the sections which are technically independent novellas ought to have been developed more and published as three novels.  A model more like the one used by Raymond Feist would showcase her stories better.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtlhddoc2 on June 20, 2010, 04:41:05 AM
Just finished Guns of the South, not sure what I am up for next, a series or a stand-alone? hmmm need to think about that, it is not like I have a whole lot of time these days, but I will coming up....

I gotta ask...  is songs of Fire and Ice worth starting?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on June 20, 2010, 05:31:17 AM
Just finished Guns of the South, not sure what I am up for next, a series or a stand-alone? hmmm need to think about that, it is not like I have a whole lot of time these days, but I will coming up....

I gotta ask...  is songs of Fire and Ice worth starting?

It's worth starting only if you willing to wait long periods of time for new books in the series to come out. Extremely compelling, extremely well-written, but because of that the wait is almost unbearable. Add in that all this other stuff related to A Song of Ice and Fire is coming out, but no definite release date for the next book, and it becomes rather frustrating. I decided a while back that I'm not going to pick up any more of his books, or have anything to do with any of his other properties, until the series is finished.

Guns of the South is one of the few Turtledove books I haven't read, mostly because I don't care much for alternate histories where things are changed by time travel. Have you read the Timeline 191 books? That series is among my favourite of his.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on June 20, 2010, 06:00:04 AM
Blood of the Mantis was a fantastic read! What's your opinion on the series as a whole BSG?

http://elitistbookreviews.blogspot.com/2010/06/blood-of-mantis.html

His review makes it pretty obvious.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on June 21, 2010, 04:32:05 PM
Blood of the Mantis was a fantastic read! What's your opinion on the series as a whole BSG?

http://elitistbookreviews.blogspot.com/2010/06/blood-of-mantis.html

His review makes it pretty obvious.

The series isn't perfect, but I have loved it.  If I wasn't busy with Nights of Villjamur (which so far is full of win), I'd be reading Salute the Dark.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Valkynphyre on June 21, 2010, 09:25:17 PM
Just finished reading The Name of the Wind. Fantastic, even though it really didn't go anywhere. Absolutely awesome.

Question: I read book one of A song of Ice and Fire, and there are only two characters I still like (John Snow and The tomboy/princess). And it doesn't look like they'll be able to survive much longer. And I'm also not really a fan of incest (go figure). My question is this: Is the series worth continuing?

I just realized I asked this question to a Fantasy book forum, and the response will be undoubtably yes.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on June 21, 2010, 09:55:49 PM
Spoiler statute of limitations is past, so I'll say that Jon and Arya are not dead yet in the latest book. If you like those characters (as I do), then you should like their stories in the rest of the series.

Of course the main issue with that series is that no one has any idea when the next book will come out, not to even contemplate the two books that are supposed to come after that. It would not surprise me if it's 10 years or more before the last book comes out.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on June 21, 2010, 10:27:08 PM
I really didn't care for Game of Thrones but the rest of the series is much much better.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Renoard on June 22, 2010, 02:37:30 AM
If you are looking for period realism and a big world with lots of cultures then yeah.  If you want a cute little gothic romance full of elves, magic and swashbuckling then you'll be disappointed.  I just wish Martin would finish the series.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on June 22, 2010, 04:19:12 AM

Guns of the South is one of the few Turtledove books I haven't read, mostly because I don't care much for alternate histories where things are changed by time travel. Have you read the Timeline 191 books? That series is among my favourite of his.

Guns of the South is Turtledove's best novel. I have read about 15 of his books. This is by far the best. Time Travel is a mechanism similiar to the invasion of aliens during world war 2 in his world war books. I think the concept would make a great movie. They have to make sure not to turn it into too much of an action flick.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on June 22, 2010, 07:40:16 PM
I'm reading Shadow in Summer by Daniel Abraham. For some reason I thought this was going to be science fiction. I'm really enjoying it. I just finished Magic Below Stairs by Caroline Stevermer, which was fluffy fun.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on June 22, 2010, 11:28:13 PM

Guns of the South is one of the few Turtledove books I haven't read, mostly because I don't care much for alternate histories where things are changed by time travel. Have you read the Timeline 191 books? That series is among my favourite of his.

Guns of the South is Turtledove's best novel. I have read about 15 of his books. This is by far the best. Time Travel is a mechanism similiar to the invasion of aliens during world war 2 in his world war books. I think the concept would make a great movie. They have to make sure not to turn it into too much of an action flick.

I don't see the mechanism as the same, because when time travel is involved, it's generally someone coming back to change a specific thing. The alien invasion is not the same sort of thing, which is probably why I enjoyed the Wordlwar series as much as I did. I prefer the change that causes the alternate history to be something more natural, such as in Timeline 191, when Robert E. Lee's battle plans were recovered shortly after being lost (unlike in our time, where the Union found them). A small change, but one that had massive consequences.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on June 23, 2010, 02:28:25 AM
@Shivertonge: If you read the book, you will see it in Turtledove's style. He likes to make a change to history then write what he thinks will have happen after that. He uses time travel the same way. It is a very good book. You may not see it that way, but you will see the same pattern in Guns of the South as in other books. It is his best and I think most popular book.

It is also smart. Robert E. Lee gets 100,000 AK-47s, but he has these guys act realistically after he gets them.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on June 23, 2010, 02:59:50 AM
@Shivertonge: If you read the book, you will see it in Turtledove's style. He likes to make a change to history then write what he thinks will have happen after that. He uses time travel the same way. It is a very good book. You may not see it that way, but you will see the same pattern in Guns of the South as in other books. It is his best and I think most popular book.

It is also smart. Robert E. Lee gets 100,000 AK-47s, but he has these guys act realistically after he gets them.

I'd disagree that it's his best, personally, and I don't know enough to know if it actually is his most popular. I've read a little of it, and while the writing was as good as his other books, the method of the change didn't appeal to me. Time travel always feels cheap to me, and while I understand the every concept of the book relied on it (how else could the Confederacy get AK-47s?) because of it, it just didn't work for me. I've read over thirty of his novels and several collections of his short fiction which I enjoyed much more than I did what I read of Guns of the South. The Darkness series, where World War 2 is played out in a world where magic works, or Southern Victory (the previously mentioned Timeline 191) were far more enjoyable, I thought.

Just a difference of opinion. Not saying it's bad, I just don't agree that it's his best.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on June 23, 2010, 07:12:21 AM
I agree it's his best. :) Other books of his I've read tend to get bogged down. Also, his YA books (Crosstime Traffic) all have horrible deus ex machina endings or someone other than the protagonists solving all the problems.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on June 23, 2010, 07:37:55 AM
I agree it's his best. :) Other books of his I've read tend to get bogged down. Also, his YA books (Crosstime Traffic) all have horrible deus ex machina endings or someone other than the protagonists solving all the problems.

I didn't really see them as being bogged down, personally. I do agree completely, however, about the Crosstime Traffic books. I tried to read The Disunited States of America, because I thought the concept was awesome, but couldn't get through it. The premise intrigued me greatly, but the execution... just didn't work for me.

I'll probably get around to Guns of the South at some point. I have a signed copy of Liberating Atlantis on my to-read pile first, though.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Comfortable Madness on June 23, 2010, 02:49:35 PM
Finally finished House of Chains. By far my favorite of the series. The ending of the Tavore vs. Felisin arc, wow! Absolutely heart wrenching. Book was full of awesomeness but I really enjoyed the scenes with Pearl and Lostara. Just a fantastic book. Midnight Tides is next. Hopefully Ganoes shows up in the next one.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on June 23, 2010, 05:16:07 PM
I think Harry just doesn't know how to write a YA book—maybe he couldn't wrap his mind around kids being able to do anything effective, so didn't write that. Which does mesh with the real world, since in the real world adults generally solve problems, not kids, but doesn't make for compelling reading when kids are your main characters.

However, it's not too much of a problem since his strength is writing for adults and he does plenty of that. I just know to avoid his YA books.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on June 23, 2010, 05:45:03 PM
I'm reading Shadow in Summer by Daniel Abraham.

Ah, one of my favorites.  Enjoy it.   And read the rest of the series.  :)  In fact, buy them.   ;D  Well worth it.

Finally finished House of Chains.

I so need to get to this one.  After finally making it through the first three in the series and getting completely smashed by Erikson's awesome factor, the fact that I've so much else to read has been bothering me to the extreme.  Maybe in a month or so.

Close to finishing up the Adamantine Palace by Stephen Deas.  Lots of good here.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on June 23, 2010, 07:16:10 PM
House of Chains is next on my list.  Glad to hear it was awesome.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on June 23, 2010, 07:44:14 PM
House of Chains is next on my list.  Glad to hear it was awesome.

House of Chains involves one of my favorite characters.  Love it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on June 23, 2010, 08:37:22 PM
House of Chains is next on my list.  Glad to hear it was awesome.

House of Chains involves one of my favorite characters.  Love it.

Again, I'm happy to hear the positive recommendations.  I was a bit worried since I loathed Tavore and was tepid at best regarding the rest of Deadhouse Gates.  I almost stopped reading the series after that book.  If I hadn't already purchased Memories of Ice, I might have given up early.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on June 23, 2010, 09:28:21 PM
Interesting.  Deadhouse Gates (especially the ending...and the Sappers) is what made me say, "This series is full of awesome."  Then Memories of Ice came along and became one of my favorite books ever.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on June 24, 2010, 04:20:20 AM
@ Steve I'm assuming the character in HoC you referred to is Karsa Orlong.
MoI is the best book in the series, and one of the best books ever! I mean, it had everything; Anomander Rake is such a bad @ss, you have the hopeless ever expanding south, the development of the Deck, and awesome warrior cults. What isn't there to love?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on June 24, 2010, 04:09:31 PM
@ Steve I'm assuming the character in HoC you referred to is Karsa Orlong.

Yes.  So.  Effing.  Awesome.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on June 24, 2010, 08:51:35 PM
Reading China Mieville's The City and the City right now.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on June 24, 2010, 08:52:53 PM
I enjoyed that one.  Of course, I like everything by Miéville...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Valkynphyre on June 24, 2010, 08:53:47 PM
Just picked up some light reading *cough* from the library yesterday: Les Miserables, Dune, The Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever series, and still reading The Three Musketeers.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Eerongal on June 24, 2010, 10:21:24 PM
I just finished Scott Sigler's books infected and contagious. They're both some very good sci-fi/horror mash up. The author also apparently offers up all of his books for free via podcasts, so if you arent sure if you'll like it, you can go listen to 'em, and maybe donate and/or buy one or both. I thought they were great, some of the best sci-fi i've read in a while.

Edit: also, his podcasts can be found via podiobooks.com, which is a site dedicated to audio books that the authors put up for free. That's how I find him (it was a "staff's choice" title i randomly chose)

that site is great, it even offers a way for you to donate to the site and the author at once.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Renoard on June 24, 2010, 10:36:10 PM
Fair warning, if you can't tolerate rape and incest in the context of fiction, don't read Donaldson.  It's not gratuitous, but it is impossible to avoid.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on June 24, 2010, 11:37:38 PM
Anybody read The Warded Man, b/c I'm thinking of picking it up.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on June 25, 2010, 12:07:58 AM
I'm still waiting for Elitist Book Reviews' review of the Warded Man, since I know what Steve thought of it.

I found most of it mediocre at best, and there are specific things I hated.

It has sold quite well worldwide.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Hero of Ages on June 25, 2010, 08:39:05 AM
Anybody read The Warded Man, b/c I'm thinking of picking it up.

I liked it.  There are a few problems that are not unforgivable when you take in to account this is a 1st book by a new author.  It has a very interesting premise.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: MaeLavanya on June 25, 2010, 11:22:51 AM
I'm currently reading I Never Promised You a Rose Garden by Hannah Green. A fascinating book.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on June 25, 2010, 03:50:21 PM
I'm still waiting for Elitist Book Reviews' review of the Warded Man, since I know what Steve thought of it.

I found most of it mediocre at best, and there are specific things I hated.

It has sold quite well worldwide.

/Vomit

People are trying to get me to read the second one too...there is no mercy in this world...

To be fair I prolly should.  Same with that second Robin Hobb novel.  It's just so hard to start a book you are pretty sure you are going to hate.  You know?  Especially when you've got all sorts of AWESOME novels just sitting there, winking at you suggestively. 

Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on June 26, 2010, 12:22:05 AM
Fair warning, if you can't tolerate rape and incest in the context of fiction, don't read Donaldson.  It's not gratuitous, but it is impossible to avoid.

Which is probably the main reason why I could never care enough about what happened to Thomas Covenant. And it's pretty dang hard to like a series, no matter how well written, if you can't stand the main character. It's one reason why I've never recommended those books to anyone.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on June 26, 2010, 12:46:37 AM
Finished The City and the City.  Currently reading one of the Writers of the Future anthologies (volume 21). To be fair, I've only read two stories so far, but... thus far, I'm a little underwhelmed.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on June 26, 2010, 07:15:23 AM
When I saw the title of the sequel to the Warded Man I knew there was no point in me reading it, since that whole culture was one thing I cared for not at all.

I am going to read both Hobb books though, in a row, since I know reading half a book sucks. But if she doesn't pull it off I'm probably done with Hobb (I didn't like the first Soldier Son book and didn't read the next two). I thought the Liveship books were great though, and these two books are a sequel to that.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on June 26, 2010, 09:50:18 AM
Got about 2/3 of the way through The Wayfarer Redemption by Sara Douglass before giving up. Ug. Just, ug. I tried, really I did, but I stopped caring.

Instead of bothering to finish Douglass, I'm starting JV Jones' The Baker's Boy, unless there's another of hers you'd recommend I start with. Here's to hoping it's better written...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on June 26, 2010, 09:57:56 AM
Got about 2/3 of the way through The Wayfarer Redemption by Sara Douglass before giving up. Ug. Just, ug. I tried, really I did, but I stopped caring.

Instead of bothering to finish Douglass, I'm starting JV Jones' The Baker's Boy, unless there's another of hers you'd recommend I start with. Here's to hoping it's better written...

I loved The Wayfarer Redemption. Where she lost me was in the second book, which I can't remember the title of. I do remember the reason, though, and while it seemed rather silly at the time, looking back I realize that what I identified as a promise that was made in the first book, was broken in the second. Add in that it screwed over my favourite character and brought a secondary character I didn't like to the forefront, and yeah... I didn't read the third book.

Read a synopsis, though, which made me glad I skipped it.

And, to actually be on topic... Recently read A Night of Blacker Darkness, after finally breaking down and buying the Writing Excuses Season 1 CD. Loved it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Renoard on June 26, 2010, 12:47:00 PM
Since someone co-opted my copy of "Alice" and "Through the Looking Glass" I'm about to start Stevenson's Treasure Island.

Looking forward to more SpecuFic, but I'm very selective in that dept.  Waiting on Madeline Howard's next, as well as Karen Miller's.  Of course the next installment of WoT is anticipated, ambivalently.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on June 27, 2010, 04:35:03 AM
I just bought The Cat that Walks Through Walls and Red Seas under Red Skies and I'm 3/4 through Best Served Cold.... which is all kinds of awesome and Shivers is messed up by this point!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on June 28, 2010, 02:37:50 PM
Finished Old Mans War by John Scalzi. It was light reading. It was ok. I am not chomping at the bit for the next one, but I don't feel like I wasted my time. Like alot of books I found the character development and the world development far more interesting than the action scenes. I skimmed over the final action scene so I could get to the end. He sure does use alot of dialogue. I am neutral on this. The book seemed a lot like a movie script. It made me wonder whether he was thinking of this for a movie when he wrote it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtlhddoc2 on June 28, 2010, 07:52:14 PM
Fair warning, if you can't tolerate rape and incest in the context of fiction, don't read Donaldson.  It's not gratuitous, but it is impossible to avoid.

the same could be said about the entire Malazan series, violent rape, prostitution, pedophilia, incest are all quite rampant throghout the novels, some of it done by "hero" styled charachters, as well.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on June 29, 2010, 01:41:02 PM
I am most of the way through Gardens of the moon. I don't see the violence as gratuitous at all. Does that change later on? I am not opposed to violence and sex if it is done well and has its place. For example, Dianna Gabaldon's series (I only read the first book) is incredibly violent and sexually explicit, but it is done well and it has a purpose.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on June 29, 2010, 05:10:21 PM
I am three books into the Malazon series, and while the violence, rape, etc. is there, none of it has been gratutitous or thrown in for shock value.  Erickson (imho) has handled it very tastefully.  And just so you know, I won't read an author who doesn't. 
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtlhddoc2 on June 29, 2010, 07:54:37 PM
I read all 9 books, and while it  may have, in some instances, been done tastefully, I thought there was far more than most books, and it was often, in my opinion, completely unnecessary.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on June 30, 2010, 06:47:15 PM
You are insane! The Malazan Books don't have rape committed by a POV, but by other soldiers (and guess what that always happens in warfare and foreign occupation) it is very realistic including the good the bad and the ugly of man. Prostitution and gluttony are the most common immoralities in the series.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on June 30, 2010, 10:33:57 PM
The Malazan Books don't have rape committed by a POV

Except Karsa.  But it is glossed over.  But yeah, can't say content is very extreme in any case with the Malazan series.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on July 01, 2010, 01:41:05 AM
Speaking of extreme content (or so I've heard?), I just started The Windup Girl by Pablo Bacigalupi. Only a couple pages on so far...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on July 01, 2010, 04:18:00 PM
Speaking of extreme content (or so I've heard?), I just started The Windup Girl by Pablo Bacigalupi. Only a couple pages on so far...

Yeah, there is some Richard K Morgan/R Scott Bakker shock value stuff in there.  But really, my problem with the book was its utter lack of emotion in character, plot and setting.

But maybe that was just me.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on July 01, 2010, 04:38:58 PM
I'm rereading the beginning of Tinker by Wen Spencer which has a great setting and magic system, but I'll only be reading the first part because the middle and ending aren't very interesting or well done.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on July 02, 2010, 02:03:02 AM
Just finished the audiobook of Hidden Empire by Kevin J Anderson. Bookstore guy heard right. It was boring. Andersons universe was hollow and filled stereotypes of bad sci-fi. The human empire was called "The Hanseatic League". That was a Medievil German Trade Guild. Yeah that name would be brought back in the future.

Just bought The Reality Dysfunction by Peter F Hamilton. I also want to finish Under the Dome by Stephen King.

On Audio I just checked out:
Stonehenge by Bernard Cornwell (thanks to the Writing Excuses guys for recommending Cornwell)
His Majestys Dragon by Naomi Vivik
First Alvin Maker book by Orson Scott Card (former manager of mine recommended this to me 2 years ago).

A woman I work with gave me a book called Shapechangers Song by Jennifer Roberson. She said she is terrific. Anyone read any of her books?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on July 02, 2010, 02:28:28 AM

Yeah, there is some Richard K Morgan/R Scott Bakker shock value stuff in there.  But really, my problem with the book was its utter lack of emotion in character, plot and setting.

But maybe that was just me.

I'm about a hundred pages in now, and yeah, there's some shock-value stuff in there.

I am enjoying the thing overall. I actually quite like the setting. I don't have a problem with the characters yet, though I'll agree so far that the emotion seems a little... superficial. The plot's moving slowly, but honestly I don't relaly notice that until I put the book down. *shrugs*
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on July 02, 2010, 02:35:35 AM
Stonehenge by Bernard Cornwell (thanks to the Writing Excuses guys for recommending Cornwell)

Stonehenge was ok, not Cornwell's best, but a good standalone if you don't want to get into his series. If you like that, you'll like his other stuff, such as the Richard Sharpe series, which takes place during the Napoleonic Wars. I recommend the series done in the UK  (http://www.amazon.com/Sharpes-Rifles-Sean-Bean/dp/B00004U3UK/) with Sean Bean as lead character.  He has some of the best villains you just love to hate.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on July 02, 2010, 03:29:47 AM

A woman I work with gave me a book called Shapechangers Song by Jennifer Roberson. She said she is terrific. Anyone read any of her books?

I've only read The Saga of Tiger and Del by her (since I can never find a copy of Karavans when I feel like reading it) and I loved it immensely. I devoured all six books of that series in five days. They're still among my all-time favourites.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on July 02, 2010, 04:26:06 AM
Reading Terminal World by Alastair Reynolds.  About halfway through.  I just like this guy's books.  Good stuff.

Also got my first stack of ARCs for EBR reading and will be getting to them soon.  Man, how cool is this job?   8)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Renoard on July 02, 2010, 07:17:33 AM
Cool enough.  Would love to do that.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on July 02, 2010, 12:29:16 PM
@Nessa: Thanks for the tip. I read historical fiction more for the history. I saw a documentary on Stonehenge in the last 2 years so the book caught my eye. I get the impression that the Sharpe books are the hero character in a history world saves the day? Not really my thing. Is Agincourt good? I read a book about Agincourt about 10 years ago. Very interesting battle.

I have a hunch that alot of the historical fiction I like alot of people around here would not like.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: aronsamma on July 03, 2010, 02:46:19 AM
Speaking of unceasing rape, I just read The Desert Spear, which is the sequel to The Warded/Painted Man. I swear, there's a rape or a reference to a past one in every single chapter. There may be one or two exceptions, but it's seriously nonstop. It's always given the gravity it deserves, but it's still a pretty big hurdle for a reader to overcome.

It's too bad too, because the book is otherwise quite good. I don't think I'd put it in my top 10 or anything, but it was worth the read, at least. If you really liked the prequel, though, be prepared not to see The Painted Man for over a third of the book. You won't get a viewpoint from him for a little while after that either.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on July 06, 2010, 09:19:39 PM
I just finished The Windup Girl. I honestly can't decide how I feel about this book.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shi on July 06, 2010, 10:28:25 PM
Right now I'm reading Nightlife by Rob Thurman. It's kind of like Supernatural on crack, so I'm liking it.

Also reading Peeps by Westerfeld. Bought this book from a thrift store a while ago, and it mysteriously disappeared while I was reading it (this happens about once a year to me, call it a curse). After I searched the house twice, I finally swallowed my pride and bought a new copy. Anyway, excited to finally finish it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on July 07, 2010, 06:43:53 AM
Reading Leviathan Wept by Daniel Abraham.  Ha ha!   ;D
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on July 07, 2010, 04:28:22 PM
I just finished The Windup Girl. I honestly can't decide how I feel about this book.

Yeah.  Really cool setting and idea, but executed with zero emotion.  With how many people were going bonkers over the book, I expected to at least, you know, CARE about what was happening.  Didn't happen.  I felt all sorts of "meh" after reading.  And I thought the ending was completely flat.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on July 07, 2010, 08:25:50 PM
Yeah, the ending didn't really come together for me. And while I didn't DISLIKE any of the characters I wasn't really attached to them. Emiko I found more interesting, and just when Jaidee started to get interesting he became a nonPOV character.

So yeah, I'm kinda lukewarm about it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Eerongal on July 08, 2010, 11:53:41 PM
so i'm working on scott sigler's earthcore at the moment, and just thought I'd mention this, as I know it's a popular place around here, but BYU plays a role in the beginning of the book, as the characters research the history of the wha wha mountains there.

Thought it was kinda cool i had at least heard of the place before, but only because of these forums.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on July 09, 2010, 08:31:21 PM
Finished Leviathan Wept.  Interesting.  Alternately fantasy and literary, with some futuristic sci-fi stuff thrown in.

Finally getting around to finishing Twelve by Jasper Kent, then I'm going to read my copy of God Engines by Scalzi.  Couple quickies before diving into  The Dark Age trilogy by Mark Chadbourn.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on July 12, 2010, 06:24:11 PM
Twelve ended well.

God Engines:  Decent prose.  Decent characters.  Good ideas.  Horrible story-telling.  Horrible, horrible.  Info-dumps and maid/butler dialogue made up, essentially, the entire thing.  Twists with no foreshadowing at all.  And in the end mostly blah because of the presentation.

Reading Devil in Green, and except for the excessive POV jumping (thankfully, only between two characters so far) it's pretty decent.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on July 12, 2010, 08:58:11 PM
Just finished SM Stirling's gritty urban fantasy A Taint in the Blood. I liked his The Change books, but this one was a little over-the-top with all the vampire/blood/sex/torture.

Tomorrow I should have Novik's newest Temeraire book in my hot little hands. *Squee*
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on July 15, 2010, 06:11:00 PM
Ahhhh, Swords & Dark Magic.  Just posted the review.  So delicious.

Reading Discord's Apple.  I went into it blind, and expecting that I was going to want to vomit every page.  Turns out it is pretty decent so far.  Who wudda thunk.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on July 17, 2010, 04:55:50 AM
I just finished The Truth Is a Cave in the Dark Mountains, a short story by Neil Gaiman.  It was awesome.  It's in the Anthology Stories which Gaiman edited.  It's only 24 pages long so if you happen to be idling in Barnes & Noble like I was tonight . . .
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on July 17, 2010, 08:03:15 PM
Just finished Cat Valente's Palimpsest. Odd little book, and not for everyone I suspect, but excellent.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Renoard on July 18, 2010, 02:02:10 AM
Finally made myself sit down and read "Newspring"   Wow. I really didn't give it a fair shake before.  It was not in the least dry.  The only complaint is that it felt like one of his prologues because far too many threads were left unexplored.  The whole pursuit of the Aeil retreat, where was Tam al'Thor and his Bees, etc.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on July 18, 2010, 05:31:32 AM
Speaking of Wheel of TIme, I decided this afternoon that I would "start" The Gathering Storm.

(I know, I know. I'm way behind everyone else.)

I'm now six hundred pages in. I should have realized that this was a bad idea.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Renoard on July 18, 2010, 10:44:47 AM
TGS can be engrossing. No 'bone practice for you!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on July 18, 2010, 08:12:11 PM
*wry smile* no kidding.

But the good news is it only took me all of yesterday afternoon/evening to read! >>;  Now I can move on with my life.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on July 19, 2010, 04:13:29 PM
I'm reading Jane Austen's Letters. I love her tone and dry wit, but I do wish I had more concept of what was going on in her life.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on July 20, 2010, 06:45:52 PM
Red Seas under Red Skies... not sure if it was better or worst than Lies of Locke Lamora, anyways it's an excellent read.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on July 20, 2010, 07:34:40 PM
Red Seas under Red Skies... not sure if it was better or worst than Lies of Locke Lamora, anyways it's an excellent read.

Currently reading this as well and enjoying it immensely. Also reading Grave Peril, the third book of the Dresden Files, The City and the City by China Meilville, and every Calvin and Hobbes book (currently partway through Scientific Progress Goes 'Boink'),
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on July 20, 2010, 08:35:54 PM
I finished Off Armageddon Reef and am now on the second book, By Schism Rent Asunder. It's entertainment. Weber tends to wander from strict POV, which is disappointing, and having one character who is basically superman with his own personal spy satellite system and worldwide eavesdropping capability tends to reduce the tension, but there's a HUGE gun on the mantle I hope we'll see later in the series. I'm entertained enough to keep reading. It's certainly much better than the first Weber solo book I read, On Basilisk Station, in which the writing was poor enough to put me off Weber for a decade, though I did enjoy his collaborations with Eric Flint in the 1632 series.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on July 21, 2010, 12:54:44 PM
Most Webber fans prefer the Honor Harrington books to the Safehold books (off armageddon reef) if you look at the reviews on amazon. I listened to the audio of the first 3. They are ok. I like what he is trying to do, but he is not that good of a writer. That robot/cyborg person is missing depth. He also solves alot of problems with discussions. you will see this in the next 2 books. People talk alot to come up with solutions. I get the impression that he decided to serialize the books so he can pump out one a year and there is alot of filler. I also think the good guys are too likeable. They don't have flaws and are too smart. I stopped after the 3rd one for now. He punches out a book a year so we will see where he goes with the story before I go back to it. I like the overall idea, but it is lacking in places. you will see these more in the 2nd and 3rd book. Not much seems to happen in the 3rd book at all.

Webber gave an interview on the dragonpage where he said he hurt his hands some time ago and cannot type. He speaks all his books into voice recognition software. Pretty interesting interview. The show after that they discussed what it would be like to write a book that way. I think they are worth checking out.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on July 21, 2010, 05:53:33 PM
Seeing as I found the first Honor Harrington book to be decidedly blah, I don't really care what Weber fans think. But I do have a friend who likes the Safehold books a lot, which is what prompted me to check them out.

Your criticisms are legitimate so far, which is why I only classified the books as entertainment. (Though I don't have a problem with talking to come up with solutions.)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on July 21, 2010, 06:49:26 PM
Red Seas under Red Skies... not sure if it was better or worst than Lies of Locke Lamora, anyways it's an excellent read.

Currently reading this as well and enjoying it immensely. Also reading Grave Peril, the third book of the Dresden Files, The City and the City by China Meilville, and every Calvin and Hobbes book (currently partway through Scientific Progress Goes 'Boink'),

I didn't like Red quite as much as I did Lies, but it was still a good book.

And I thought I'd throw this pic up on the forum because it's cool to run into other Calvin & Hobbes lovers.

http://www.timewastersguide.com/forum/index.php?topic=7716.0
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on July 22, 2010, 06:14:20 AM
My copy of The Princess and Mr Whiffle has shipped!!  Woo-hoo!

Was worried for a bit because Subterranean has been saying that orders were close to getting maxed out and I ordered through Amazon.  Phew.

Can't.  Wait.   :D
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shi on July 22, 2010, 07:48:26 AM
Finished reading Moonshine by Rob Thurman. Thought it was fun til the twist ending. Wft, how is anyone supposed to figure that out? Okay, so maybe figuring out wasn't the point, but if you're gonna set it up like a mystery/thriller, give me the satisfaction of at least being able to guess what'll happen. No scooby-doo moments, please!

On onto the next Cal Leandros book.

I'm kind of on an Urban Fantasy high. Any good suggestions? I've read Dresden, and Mercy Thompson (and right now Cal), along with a few others scattered here and there. Love to hear what others suggest.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: DragonFly on July 22, 2010, 02:48:08 PM
For a similiar light feel, try the Kitty Norville series by Carrie Vaughn,  Jane Yellowrock by Faith Hunter,  Bitter Nights by Diana Pharoah Francis, and if you really want bubblegum, the Sookie Stackhouse books.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on July 22, 2010, 03:59:03 PM
Depends on if you want Guy Urban Fantasy or Chick Urban Fantasy.  Most girls can read both, but most guys don't (in my experience).  DragonFly's recommendations are good Chick Urban Fantasy.  Guy-ish stuff has Lightbreaker by Mark Teppo is pretty interesting.  The Devil You Know by Mike Carey.  Something from the Nightside by Simon R Green as well as The Man With the Golden Torc by the same author (2 different series).  Monster Hunter International by Larry Correia.  Stuff like that.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on July 22, 2010, 04:23:34 PM
I'll second the Bitter Night recommendation.

Just started reading Nnedi Okorafor's Who Fears Death.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shi on July 23, 2010, 07:00:48 AM
Hey, thanks for all the suggestions! Yeah, I'll read books aimed at both guys and gals, so they all sound worth checking out. Looks like I have stuff to keep me busy for a while!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on July 23, 2010, 03:55:04 PM
Seeing as I found the first Honor Harrington book to be decidedly blah, I don't really care what Weber fans think. But I do have a friend who likes the Safehold books a lot, which is what prompted me to check them out.

Your criticisms are legitimate so far, which is why I only classified the books as entertainment. (Though I don't have a problem with talking to come up with solutions.)

I just finished the newest Honor book MISSION OF HONOR.  I thought it was entertainment.  Thing is, he writes a bit like a epic fantasy writer, and often is subject to the same criticisms as a Jordan, Erikson or Martin.  Sometimes he just gets too wordy.  Conversations and political meetings go for too long.  Weber's character internalizations are used to relay info dumps.  But regardless, I still enjoy his novels.  This latest one was pretty crazy with a huge body-count.  It was a solid book.  Plus it came with a cd of ebooks of every Weber book published through Baen.

But now I finally get to read something that has been on my shelf taunting me.  CRY OF THE NEWBORN by James Barclay.  My Import of the Month.  So excited...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on July 23, 2010, 07:56:08 PM
When I heard Webber's interview on the Dragonpage, I got the sense that he sees novels as a problem solving activity. He wants something to be solved, has a set of characters, then has them solve it. I think that is part of the reason behind the conversations and info dumps.

The safehold books are a great idea for a series. People get almost exterminated by an alien species. A small number go off and colonize a planet. The guys who lead the colonization are kind of crazy and think that if people ever get technology again, we will be whiped out. So they make up a religion that keeps people at about 1500-1600 european technology level. One woman from that period has her mind placed into a robot that wakes up 500 years later (or something like that).

chaos ensues. Cool idea. He certain likes the technology of that period. He is clearly an anglophile based on the Honor Harrington books and the safehold books. All of his navys are based on the Brittish navy from the Napoloeanic period. Even in the harrington books, the flavor is based on the English navy.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shi on July 25, 2010, 01:05:31 AM
Way excited! Read the review for 'The Devil You Know' at Elitist book's and really wanted to read it. Right when I was about to walk out of the library book sale I found it! I know what I'm doing tomorrow.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on July 25, 2010, 03:11:48 AM
Finally finished Gardens of the Moon. I don't understand the magic system or how the warrens work, really understand the realtionship between gods and people, what the Zaghut Tyrant was (I may have the type of tyrant wrong), what Moons Spawn really is, and I am not sure what gardens of the moon were. I think the garden is where the tyrant died at the end. I also don't get what a puppet is.

I take it this is normal. Or I may not have read the book carefully enough. I did get that Kruppe is the eel.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on July 25, 2010, 04:37:54 AM
guessingo, your reaction is similar to the one I had, though I may have understood a bit more.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on July 25, 2010, 05:08:04 AM
Hum. Interesting. I have a library copy of Gardens of the Moon; I'm curious to start it.

Currently reading The River King's Road by Liane Mercel.

Oh, did I mention that I finished Nnedi Okarafor's Who Fears Death? 'Cuz I did. If I didn't mention it, that also means I didn't mention that it is awesome, which is a problem that would need to be corrected. So: It's awesome.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on July 25, 2010, 05:47:28 AM
Finished The Magic of Recluce last night. Decided to reread Ender's Game, and see if I like it any better this time around.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on July 25, 2010, 04:38:31 PM
I had to force myself to sit down to get through Gardens of the Moon. I have read that this series gets good with the 3rd book.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on July 25, 2010, 04:49:00 PM
I liked Gardens.....

Currently 1/3 of the way through the Cat that Walks Through Walls and after it I have Revolt in 2100
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on July 26, 2010, 12:16:05 AM
Began THE LAST STORMLORD by Glenda Larke and got about 100 pages in before I got bored and then read...

Patricia Brigg's 5th Mercy Thompson Book SILVER BORNE, which was fabulous, as should be expected.

Instead of going back to Larke's, I'm now about 1/3 of the way through Guy Gavriel Kay's UNDER HEAVEN.

I'll get back to Larke's book when I have the stamina again to wade through more world-building.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on July 26, 2010, 12:45:52 AM
Hmm. I'll be curious to hear what you think of Under Heaven. :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on July 26, 2010, 06:56:11 PM
I'm reading Naomi Novik's new Temeraire book. Ah, happiness.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on July 28, 2010, 01:38:33 AM
Just finished Feed by Mira Grant. I think I'm in love. :P
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: hubay on July 28, 2010, 03:33:56 AM
Aw, I saw the word "feed" and thought you were talking about M Anderson's dystopian book from a while back. Got me all nostalgic/excited, though I've heard Grant's is good too.

I'm currently trying this thing where I read a classic for every new fantasy book I pick up. So I'm combo-ing China Mieville's Kraken with Dorian Grey.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on July 28, 2010, 06:03:12 PM
The Cat that Walks Through Walls was fabulous! Revolt in 2100 is good so far and Utah is a place of interest because Mormons and Catholics are oppressed by the current "Christian" regime. The main character starts off as a fanatic and you see him change over time.... other than the fact that he is passive aggressive he reminds me of what I went through, irritatingly well written. Good Stuff!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Valkynphyre on July 29, 2010, 02:42:12 PM
That new Darth Bane series? I had heard about it, went to the library and picked it up, but...

It was disappointing. I don't think I'm even going to finish it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on July 30, 2010, 12:20:06 AM
Hmm. I'll be curious to hear what you think of Under Heaven. :)

Whoa boy, I HAD to write a review after reading that one, cuz I had to vent. Dunno when the EBR Overlords will get around to posting it. But here's the gist:

Awesome setting.
Awesome characters.
Beautiful prose.
Stupid ending.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on July 30, 2010, 01:15:42 AM
Hubay: Nope, but now I'm kinda curious. Maybe I'll see if the library has the one you mentioned.

Nessa: The ending is ... not my favourite of his, though I can't say I thought it was stupid. Cant wait to see your EBR review though.

Just finished An Autumn War by Daniel Abraham. Everything he does continues to be awesome.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on July 30, 2010, 01:25:21 AM
Nessa: The ending is ... not my favourite of his, though I can't say I thought it was stupid. Cant wait to see your EBR review though.

I just finished it yesterday, and I was mightily pissed off with his point-by-point summarized ending. Dude. Just finish writing the novel (it's ok Mr. Kay, I'm patient if it takes another 300 pages...) instead of being laaazyy.

Perhaps in a few days I won't be quite so mad.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on July 30, 2010, 01:41:16 AM
Oh yeah, huh, I'd kinda forgotten that he'd done that...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on July 30, 2010, 01:42:53 AM
Do you think that all the other excellence of Under Heaven makes up for the lazy ending? Am I over-reacting? It's just that the injustice of it all is still too fresh I think... Perhaps I would have cared less if the characters hadn't been quite so well done. Or the setting so engaging.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on July 30, 2010, 06:32:25 AM
The ending honestly didn't bug me when I read it, though I certainly see where you're coming from. I can see why Kay did it the way he did, though, since I think in a lot of ways the story he was telling was over when the story line of the Wens ended, and the horses were dealt with. (Hopefully that's vague enough to be spoiler-free for everyone else.) It would have been hard to NOT mention the fallout from all that, but it's not really the story he was telling, and telling it all in full might have diluted the original story too far.

Hmm. Now I'm going to spend the next few hours debating whether or not the ending was the way it should be... :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on July 30, 2010, 06:56:55 AM
You make an interesting point, Silk. I'm going to have to think about that. I've made arguements for 'beyond the scope of the story' before, so I should consider it here too.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on July 30, 2010, 09:47:05 AM
Just finished Red Seas Under Red Skies, the sequel to The Lies of Locke Lamora, by Scott Lynch.

Wow. Simply... wow. That book was amazing. The ending was perfect. I can't really think of anything else to say other than that. Lies and Red Seas are two of the best book I've read in a long while, and two of the most satisfying stories I think I have ever experienced.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: darkfiction13 on July 30, 2010, 11:05:09 AM
I'm currently reading The Dragonbone Chair and The Name of the Wind. Actually, I'm listening to The Name of the Wind on my iPod.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on July 30, 2010, 04:17:31 PM
Hmm. I'll be curious to hear what you think of Under Heaven. :)

Whoa boy, I HAD to write a review after reading that one, cuz I had to vent. Dunno when the EBR Overlords will get around to posting it. But here's the gist:

Awesome setting.
Awesome characters.
Beautiful prose.
Stupid ending.

Have I mentioned how much I like how I am called on these forums?  I'm either an EBR Overlord (who DOESN"T like being called an Overlord?), or BSG (Battle Star Galactica?  I will take that association any day of the week).  Makes me feel all sort of warm and squishy inside.

Gonna try to get your Under Heaven review in next week along with a George Mann review, and an Interview with Ed Greenwood, and maybe more...next week may have more than the customary quantity of content.

But yeah, I don't like Kay very much.  He has really solid ideas, and write soooo well, but I typically detest his pacing, and (to me) the arrogance that comes through his writing.  Of course, that last bit may have been colored by actually hearing him talk...

Shiver: Lynch is full of awesome.  All the time.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on July 30, 2010, 06:50:49 PM
So I hit DI (second-hand everything store in Utah) this morning and got two hardbacks in perfect condition.

Red Seas Under Red Skies by Lynch-- $4
The Passage by Cronin -- $5

I couldn't believe how I made off with those, but it's the solid truth.

Had to mention them after the recent love for Red Seas on this thread.

Anyhow.

I'm reading Midwinter by Sturges right now.  Just over halfway through.  Going to be doing a review for the second book in the series (Office of Shadow) and figured it might be a bit easier to do so if I'd read the first in the series.  I'm kind of conflicted about the setup of reviewing books for which I haven't read prior books in the series.  This was an easy catch-up though.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on July 30, 2010, 06:54:13 PM

Shiver: Lynch is full of awesome.  All the time.

Agreed. I only wish there was more of his stuff to read. I've read all of his serial novel, Queen of the Iron Sands,  that's been posted so far on his website, as well as Into the Stacks in the Swords and Dark Magic anthology. If there's any more of his work currently out there, I'd love to get my hands on it.

In other news, I don't recommend taking Palimpsest, by Catherynne M. Valente to work to read on your breaks. It is too hard to put down once you've picked it up, and I was late from my break yesterday because of it. I also didn't get to sleep until 5am this morning because of the awesomeness of that book.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on July 30, 2010, 10:37:46 PM
I'm kind of conflicted about the setup of reviewing books for which I haven't read prior books in the series.

Word.

Sometimes there just aren't enough hours in the day to do so, but when I can, I try.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on July 30, 2010, 10:52:14 PM
Last night I read The Fool Jobs by Joe Abercrombie, also in the Swords and Dark Magic anthology.  I loved it.  It kinda reminded me of a short story I wrote (some of you read it, Discharge).  Anyway, I love Abercrombie, but I need to take him in small doses. 
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on July 30, 2010, 11:21:44 PM
But yeah, I don't like Kay very much.  He has really solid ideas, and write soooo well, but I typically detest ... the arrogance that comes through his writing.  Of course, that last bit may have been colored by actually hearing him talk...

I've never heard him speak, but I got the distinct feeling that if he were sitting next to me as I read UNDER HEAVEN he would have had a smug look on his face. That's the way he writes.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: hubay on July 31, 2010, 12:49:08 AM

Have I mentioned how much I like how I am called on these forums?  I'm either an EBR Overlord (who DOESN"T like being called an Overlord?), or BSG (Battle Star Galactica?  I will take that association any day of the week).  Makes me feel all sort of warm and squishy inside.

You know, Mr. Overlord, you should be worried about your new reviewers. I'm sure stealing them away from them away from the human populace has temporarily made your blog stronger, but since you haven't included them in your hive mind they can rebel and usurp your power once the protoss attack. ( I've been playing lots of starcraft 2 lately.)

In related news, your blog has convinced me to finally start reading the Temaire books. I've been putting it off because my library has every book in the series except the first – what gives? –  so I finally had to cave in and buy it.

In keeping with my current 'standard'/fantasy reading habits, I'm pairing His Majesty's Dragon with Devil in the white city. Not as classic as some of my other choices, but I've been meaning to read it for a while.

And Silk: You really should read it if you get a chance. It's one of the better dystopian (it's kind of cyberpunky, but more accessible than your standard fare) books I've read in a while.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on July 31, 2010, 04:57:18 AM
Horray! A new Novik reader (yes, you can blame me, I wrote that review).

As for Devil in the White City, it's a really interesting book. He tries too hard to make it read like a novel, but that's easy to ignore. He does an excellent job of pairing the two stories and has great imagery and a sense of suspence.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on July 31, 2010, 01:04:53 PM
Just finished Palimpsest. Simply amazing. Red Seas Under Red Skies, and then this... both immensely satisfying, to the point where I worry that I might be spoiled for the next book I read.

Then again, maybe I need something less awesome to bring myself down from that...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on August 02, 2010, 05:27:19 PM
I read Red Seas a while back and it really IS full of awesome it stands up against Lies of Locke Lamora which was hard to do.

Anyways, started and finished Friday by Heinlein, now I'm off to read Methuselah's Children
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on August 03, 2010, 06:53:24 AM
Finished the Price of Spring. Abraham is still awesome.

I'm now reading Austin Grossman's Soon I Will Be Invincible. Pretty good so far.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on August 03, 2010, 01:25:24 PM
I got 1.5 books into Orson Scott Cards Alvin Maker on audi and was completely bored. I cannot explain why I did not like it. It had to do with the fantasy elements being too light and the fantasy being more talk than fantastical.

I am about 1/3 of the way through Naomi Vivik's first book. It is totally engrossing. I never would have picked it up if not for what people said on here and the review on Elitist books. The blurb on the book did not do anything for me. Again, its hard to say why I like it. I think it is the writing style, historical elements, and how interesting the characters (including Temeraire and his rider) happen to be. I have not been this pleasantly surprised with an audio book since I listened to The Time Travellers Wife 3 years ago (stunning book. Much better than the movie).

I find it difficult sometimes to explain why I like a book and why I do not.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on August 03, 2010, 02:59:24 PM
Card is overrated, sorry but he is.

Anyways I bought Name of the Wind, To Sail beyond the Sunset, and For Us the Living last night psyched!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on August 03, 2010, 07:51:41 PM
Finished Grave Peril the other night, and went out and bought the next two books in the series. Less than 24 hours later, I'm a little more than halfway through Summer Knight. It's been some time since I've been this compelled by a series, and according to some subtext from  EBR, I haven't even gotten to the best books in the series yet.

Awesome ^^

Also managed to, finally, find a copy of Alcatraz vs The Knights of Crystallia at the library today. Only Alcatraz book they had in, and the only published Sanderson novel I haven't read.

Awesomesauce.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on August 04, 2010, 07:27:29 PM
So Office of Shadow, so far, is heads and tails better than Midwinter.  In fact, I'm quite taken aback at just how DIFFERENT they are.  It's like two different people wrote them.  Seriously.  That, or this dude did a lot of "authorial maturing" between the two.

Finished the Price of Spring. Abraham is still awesome.

Absolutely true.  Can't wait for The Dragon's Path next year.  Ooh!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on August 05, 2010, 04:31:52 PM
Finished Name of The Wind. ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE! It has the sense of wonderment that so many books try to imitate along with a very strong sense of realism, truly genius.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on August 05, 2010, 05:52:38 PM
I finished Tongue of Serpents. I love Naomi Novik.  I started and gave up on Discord's Apple, and now I am trying Imager by L.E. Modesitt, Jr. I'm terribly excited because Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal came in for me at the library. I just have to go pick it up.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on August 06, 2010, 05:15:44 AM
Finished Death Masks today, and now must wait for a bookstore to open so I can read the next book...

In the meantime, I pick up where I left off on Best Served Cold.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on August 06, 2010, 06:31:09 AM
I'm reading Erickson's Gardens of the Moon right now. I hate to say it--maybe I'm just not far enough into it--but so far it's not really doing anything for me.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on August 06, 2010, 08:45:19 AM
I'm reading Erickson's Gardens of the Moon right now. I hate to say it--maybe I'm just not far enough into it--but so far it's not really doing anything for me.

My favourite review of Gardens of the Moon on Amazon starts with this:

Quote
Gardens of the Moon feels like it was originally a 10,000 page book, then there was a fire, and only 666 pages were saved.

Note this is a one-star review, and my referencing of it is not in any way my opinion of the book. I just enjoy reading 1-star reviews. XD
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on August 06, 2010, 03:11:49 PM
I'm reading Erickson's Gardens of the Moon right now. I hate to say it--maybe I'm just not far enough into it--but so far it's not really doing anything for me.

I was nearly halfway through Gardens before I really started enjoying it.  Once you meet Crokus, things get better (imho).
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on August 09, 2010, 11:30:13 AM
Well, as I've run out of Dresden books to read (have to wait a while before I have the money and time to pick up White Night and Small Favor) I've decided to take another stab at Gardens of the Moon. This will be my second attempt to read this, having grown bored about a year ago around page 60-something. Also, I got distracted around that time with some other books I can't currently remember, but were apparently vastly more interesting.

I'm at page 106 or so now, and while I'm not confused as other people seem to be (going by the Amazon reviews), I'm just... bored. I don't really care about any of the characters, what's going on, or why it's going on. I've heard the book picks up about halfway through, but to me this is a serious flaw in the storytelling - there's nothing to hook me for the first half of the book? Why am I expected to care enough to get to that point? Everything just ranks as mediocre to me at current - the characters, the story, the prose; it's all just "okay".

Anyway, since I always finish books I start, I'm going to do so this time around. And I'm going to read the next two, at the very least, since I own all three (Half-Price Books was having a sale; got them all for a total of $6). I've also heard that things start clicking into place in Deadhouse Gates, and you start to realize the "true brilliance of Erikson's writing" around this point.

That's an actual quote from a fan on Amazon, by the way. One of many. That's another issue I'm having with it, I think. The fans. So many claim that if you don't like it, that you simply don't 'get it,' and you're an idiot who should go read 'something simpler, and leave Erikson to the grown-ups'. The attitude is a real ringing endorsement.

Gah... okay, gonna end this now, before I start writing an essay on how fans ruin everything...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on August 09, 2010, 03:13:22 PM
Meh.  Erickson isn't for everyone.  I enjoy the books, but I have to take them in small doses.  Books 4 and 5 have been sitting on my shelf for months now, and I've felt no need to pick them up, although I will.  The rewards are worth it, but sometimes it feels like a chore to plow through his stuff rather than a privilege. 
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on August 09, 2010, 04:01:01 PM
I'm a huge fan of the series, but I wasn't sold until book 2.  I did see a ton of promise and potential in book 1, which is why I kept reading, but I too had a "so what" attitude for a majority of book 1.  Erikson isn't for everyone, as is the case for every author. 

Typically I say if the first book in a series sucks to you, then don't bother reading on.  Erikson's series is really my only exception.  It's a big commitment, but suggest reading the first 3 books and then making a judgment.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on August 09, 2010, 04:43:31 PM
Began THE LAST STORMLORD by Glenda Larke and got about 100 pages in before I got bored ...

Finished that. It's 'meh'. Perhaps the second will actually have a plot with a resolution.

Also recently finished Bernard Cornwell's The Last Kindgom, loved it, and am now reading the Pale Horsemen. Also reading American Gods by Gaiman. Enjoying both very much. It's nice to read something good after that other disappointment.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on August 09, 2010, 04:56:14 PM
Looks like everyone is reading books full of awesome i mean i saw Abercrombie, Erickson, and Gaiman great reads all!
Anyway I'm looking for some good dark fantasy and having problems... uhhhh!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on August 09, 2010, 05:33:36 PM
I finished Shades of Milk and Honey and it was just lovely. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes Jane Austen and fantasy.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on August 09, 2010, 11:48:21 PM
Yeah, I've heard a couple people say before that Erikson takes time to get into. So far (at about 140 pages in) I'm still a little bit "meh" but I do find I'm more engaged with it than I was at 70 pages.

Shivertongue: Meh. Fans are lame. However, Erikson's fans aren't his fault. XD
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtlhddoc2 on August 10, 2010, 12:13:53 AM
it took me 3 whole boks to "get into" the Malazan series, but it was worth it. It was not bad, like Neil Gaiman was for me, so sticking with it was not a difficult choice. Just..  some stuff does not make sense until teh 3rd or 4th book.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on August 10, 2010, 02:43:09 AM
Yeah, I've heard a couple people say before that Erikson takes time to get into. So far (at about 140 pages in) I'm still a little bit "meh" but I do find I'm more engaged with it than I was at 70 pages.

Shivertongue: Meh. Fans are lame. However, Erikson's fans aren't his fault. XD

Heh, I found myself having the same reaction at around that same area in the book. I was reading on my break at work a few hours ago, and came back inside, telling people "140 pages in and I think I've found the plot!"

It's safe to say I'm much more engaged in the story than I was before, although I'm still feeling a bit 'meh' about the whole book as well. I'm beginning to think it might have been better if the book had started with Darujhistan, rather than where it did.

mtlhddoc: That's a problem, in my eyes. It should not take several books to 'get into' something.

Edit: Just finished Furies of the Calderon, by Jim Butcher, in audiobook, read by Kate Reading. The first in the Codex Alera series, it is a rather traditional fantasy, in many ways formulaic and predictable.

Despite this, or maybe because of it, I loved every moment of it.

I don't know why - it could be that I've just been on a rather large Butcher kick for the past few weeks. I know others haven't cared for it, but I found it greatly entertaining and interesting. Some background reading I've done indicates the Alerans are similar to the Romans because they ARE Romans. The lost legion, transported to a new world centuries ago. I've already downloaded the second book in the series, and I'm looking forward to listening to it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on August 10, 2010, 03:49:41 PM
Gardens is enjoyable, ignore everyone bashing it. I know plenty of people who have just as hard a time getting into Eye of the World.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Valkynphyre on August 10, 2010, 04:52:58 PM
I can't stop reading the Name of the Wind. I've had it checked out from the library for..8? 10? weeks now? Whenever i finish I read A mistborn book again, and must return. I'm going to be reading the copy I bought to avoid $30 library fines to my 11 year old brother at night.

Why is this book so good? AGH!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on August 11, 2010, 11:58:44 AM
Listening to Anatham by Neal Stephenson. They have 4 readers on this book so they put alot of effort into the audio, but Neal Stephenson will probably be tough on audio. Also checked out the audios of books 3-5 of Naomi Novik series. Book 6 is not out on audio yet.I really liked the first two. Part of the reason I liked them was because they were short. She did not use more pages than she needed to tell her story.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Comfortable Madness on August 11, 2010, 02:31:33 PM
So far the Malazan series breaks down this way for me:


Gardens of the Moon- At first confusing but was really interested in the characters and thus continued the series.

Deadhouse Gates: *shrug*

Memories of Ice: At the time easily turned into my favorite of the series.

House of Chains: Absolutely fantastic. One of my favorite story arcs of all time is the one between the Paran sisters.

Midnight Tides: Has it's moments. Introduced a few new neat characters. Such as two out of three of the Beddict brothers, but overall kinda  frustrating.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on August 11, 2010, 04:14:05 PM
Finally finished James Barclay's hugenormous CRY OF THE NEWBORN.  It was incredible.  Absolutely.  Incredible.  Thank heavens I have the second half of the duology SHOUT FOR THE DEAD waiting.  It will have to wait though.  My reading list:

SALUTE THE DARK
MONSTER HUNTER VENDETTA
BLACK LUNG CAPTAIN
then SHOUT FOR THE DEAD
ONCE WALKED WITH GODS
THE IMMORALITY ENGINE (assuming it ever comes...)
etc

You get the idea.  So many books.  So little time.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on August 11, 2010, 04:44:00 PM
What?! You have Salute the Dark already!!!! *Glares jealously while plotting on how to steal a copy before the release date*
I'm as excited about it's release 9/1 as WoK the day before.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on August 11, 2010, 09:49:35 PM
What?! You have Salute the Dark already!!!! *Glares jealously while plotting on how to steal a copy before the release date*
I'm as excited about it's release 9/1 as WoK the day before.

I do indeed, and have had it for some time.  I just have had a bajillion other novel to read, so Salute the Dark got pushed back.  That said, I'm loving the little bit I've read today...in fact, I think ima take a 15 minute break right now and go read some more.   Neener neener.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: aronsamma on August 12, 2010, 02:28:24 AM
Listening to Anatham by Neal Stephenson. They have 4 readers on this book so they put alot of effort into the audio, but Neal Stephenson will probably be tough on audio.

for sure. good luck with the diagrams and whatnot. that may be my favorite book, so i hope it works out for you

Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on August 12, 2010, 03:30:13 AM
Just finished Gardens of the Moon. I like it more than I did at the beginning, but I'm still rather lukewarm about it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on August 12, 2010, 02:53:18 PM
Just finished Gardens of the Moon. I like it more than I did at the beginning, but I'm still rather lukewarm about it.

I thought the way he tied everything together at the end was pretty awesome. 
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on August 12, 2010, 09:39:03 PM
I concur. I just bought and started The Quiet War interesting so far.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on August 13, 2010, 12:58:57 AM
The ending was well done enough.  It certainly made much more sense by the time I'd finished the book.

Just started--and, ahem, finished--Justine Larbalestier's Liar.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on August 13, 2010, 03:16:16 AM
Just finished Proven Guilty, the 8th book in the Dresden Files. Moving on to White Night in a few minutes. I'm still reading Gardens of the Moon, but I've shifted that into my "work book" slot (which is the book I bring to work and read during my breaks), at least until I finish the Dresden Files. The series is too awesome and compelling for me to put down, and honestly, knowing the next one is waiting there for me to start makes picking up Erikson to feel more like a chore.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on August 13, 2010, 11:30:04 PM
Finished The Office of Shadow my Sturges.  Some good and some bad.  EBReview to come.

Picking up Tome of the Undergates by Sykes so I can get a review out on it before it gets released in September.   Really looking forward to this one.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on August 14, 2010, 06:09:02 AM
Finished Blake Charlton's Spellwright and Charles Stross's Glasshouse. Uh, I should probably stop reading and do something constructive now...

>>;
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Chaos on August 16, 2010, 02:02:10 AM
I'm definitely not doing anything productive, but hey, summer only lasts a bit longer! I need to read read read!

And what have I been reading? A crapload of Dresden. I found my copies of Fool Moon and Grave Peril (which I had previously thought vanished into aether), so I finished those yesterday. I read Summer Knight today, and I will probably start Death Masks momentarily...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Valkynphyre on August 16, 2010, 02:45:39 PM
I finished up the WoK ARC yesterday. It was fantastic!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on August 16, 2010, 03:34:09 PM
Just finished Turn Coat, by Jim Butcher. Now, with all due respect to Elitist Book Reviews... I think they're dead wrong on their review of this book. It was amazing, one of the best I've read in the series. Now, it may be that I misunderstood their meaning behind the term, but I saw no indication whatsoever of a "magic reset button". What changes I saw in the characters and the story, to me, were the result of character development in some ways regressive, yes, but natural and honestly fitting with the events of the story.

I loved it. I can't wait to get my hands on a copy of Changes - which isn't out in paperback, so I can't buy it yet due to my rule of buying each book in a series in the same format. I have the others in paperback, so I must have all of them in paperback. If it compares to the other books in The Dresden Files, it would definitely be worth the price of hardcover, but then my OCD would flare up when it didn't look right on my bookshelf.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on August 16, 2010, 04:41:01 PM
Reasons I disliked Turn Coat:
1) The guy pulling the strings was absurdly easy to spot.
2) The events from the prior novel, which involved one of the main characters getting nearly shot to death, are mentioned in passing.  Once.  In a "Hmm, that was unfortunate" kind of way.  What's the point of grievously injuring a main character if there are no tangible effects on the main characters.
3) Harry's ability to always "throw every last bit of emotion" into his magic to overcome the baddie.
4) Being that this was the half-way mark in the series, I felt it was cheap to undo several books worth of development with a casual wave of the hand.  Now we have to go through that development all over again over the course of several novels instead of having all new conflicts.  This is mainly noticed with Luccio and Thomas (this is where the magic reset button comes into play).  In addition, all the attention given to Morgan was wasted (we are going to take an under-developed character, give him some life, but not enough to actually make any difference, then get ride of the character), and as expected, was thrown out the window in Changes.
5) Murphy still pointlessly not taking up the Sword.  She wants to save everything, but won't take the one thing she knows will help her cope with the supernatural aspects that have nearly destroyed her over the past.  At this point, it's just used to have a filler-conflict that they can discuss at dramatic points in time.

There is more of course, but I feel like it isn't worth mentioning since Changes helped alleviate some of my fury over the direction of the series.  Turn Coat wasn't even close to books 7 and 8 in terms of quality and plot progression.  But hey, every series has a stinker or two.  And of course, many people felt Turn Coat was great, and who am I to judge.


@Silk - Did you find Spellwright as maddening as I did?  Such a frustrating novel.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on August 16, 2010, 06:45:02 PM
I actually had a lot of fun with Spellwright. The only part I really found frustrating was the end, which was so obviously a setup for book two that I felt it sort of failed at being anything else (like, you know, an ending). And I would have liked to see a little bit more growth from the protagonist in a couple of areas. I got the feeling that the author was sort of saving those for book two, so maybe it's another part of the same problem.

Other than that, though, I rather enjoyed it.

(Hey, the library has all the Butcher books. I should get on those.)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on August 17, 2010, 03:41:06 AM
Reasons I disliked Turn Coat:
1) The guy pulling the strings was absurdly easy to spot.
2) The events from the prior novel, which involved one of the main characters getting nearly shot to death, are mentioned in passing.  Once.  In a "Hmm, that was unfortunate" kind of way.  What's the point of grievously injuring a main character if there are no tangible effects on the main characters.
3) Harry's ability to always "throw every last bit of emotion" into his magic to overcome the baddie.
4) Being that this was the half-way mark in the series, I felt it was cheap to undo several books worth of development with a casual wave of the hand.  Now we have to go through that development all over again over the course of several novels instead of having all new conflicts.  This is mainly noticed with Luccio and Thomas (this is where the magic reset button comes into play).  In addition, all the attention given to Morgan was wasted (we are going to take an under-developed character, give him some life, but not enough to actually make any difference, then get ride of the character), and as expected, was thrown out the window in Changes.
5) Murphy still pointlessly not taking up the Sword.  She wants to save everything, but won't take the one thing she knows will help her cope with the supernatural aspects that have nearly destroyed her over the past.  At this point, it's just used to have a filler-conflict that they can discuss at dramatic points in time.

There is more of course, but I feel like it isn't worth mentioning since Changes helped alleviate some of my fury over the direction of the series.  Turn Coat wasn't even close to books 7 and 8 in terms of quality and plot progression.  But hey, every series has a stinker or two.  And of course, many people felt Turn Coat was great, and who am I to judge.


Okay, having the specifics helps me make a bit more sense with that review. That's one of the downsides, I think, to spoiler-free reviews - I didn't know, going in, what the "magic reset" was, and was expecting to have been done to everything in the series. Harry back under the Doom of Damocles, Murphy not trusting him, etc. This might be why I loved it as much as I did - I was expecting something far worse, and was blown away when it didn't happen.

***Some possible spoilers below. You have been warned.***





I'll give you the first three points, but I think I have to contest the fourth and fifth. The character regression of Luccio and Thomas actually felt natural to me. What Thomas went through forced him to abandon what he'd been trying to do and give in to what he'd been repressing, and his reactions to it make a lot of sense. For Luccio, I could say the same. Not quite as traumatic (arguably) as Thomas, but it felt like a natural response to what she'd gone through. As for Morgan... seeing more of him definitely gave his final scene some incredible impact. It wouldn't have worked if we hadn't gotten to know him better, and while it would have been interesting to see what happened to him had he lived, I think it would have made the story poorer.

As for Murphy, I think it's just at this time she's not ready to give up on her career. Taking up the sword would mean, essentially, becoming a vigilante ( as I doubt they'd let her carry it around on the job), which is against the law. And Murphy has shown time and time again that she's a stickler for following the law. That's just the way I see it, and the point above, and I'm definitely not saying you were wrong or that I'm right. We just reacted to it differently (which I think is pretty cool).

I agree, though, that it doesn't match Proven Guilty or White Night, which were beyond amazing. Small Favor was good, but definitely not in the caliber of those two, or even, in my opinion, Turn Coat.

Anyway, to keep on topic... I'm slightly further in Gardens of the Moon now. It's not as complex or difficult to read as some make it seem, but it's still not as interesting either. But, since I had to get a copy of Changes from a different library, and it might be a few days before it arrives, I'm gonna make a big push to finish it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on August 18, 2010, 06:24:40 PM
Just thought I'd say SALUTE THE DARK was awesome.  The end.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on August 18, 2010, 08:37:10 PM
Reading Ari Marmell's THE CONQUEROR'S SHADOW. He's been a staff writer for Wizards of the Coast writing manuals for games (I think...), but this his his first novel. Pretty good so far, a little different than your standard sword & sorcery. Although after all those manuals one would think his prose could be slightly less cumbersome. Alas.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on August 19, 2010, 10:02:43 AM
Finished Changes last night. Amazing. Now I'm upset that I have no more Dresden to read until Side Jobs comes out in October...

Also (finally) finished Gardens of the Moon, about ten minutes ago. Took me two years and three restarts to get through. It was good. Not great, but good. It had this annoying habit of rising into sheer awesomeness for brief periods, then suddenly shifting back in to slow and boring for long stretches. I give it a B-.

Now I'm trying to decide if I want to start Deadhouse Gates or Empire in Black and Gold...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on August 19, 2010, 09:34:58 PM
Reading LeGuin's Left Hand of Darkness. Took me a couple chapters to get into it, but I'm there now.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on August 19, 2010, 10:10:40 PM
Left Hand of Darkness deserves it's fame, bitter-sweet throughout but it is still amazing!

@Steve how does it measure up against the series?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on August 19, 2010, 10:57:48 PM
Reading LeGuin's Left Hand of Darkness. Took me a couple chapters to get into it, but I'm there now.

It's not for everyone. But it's definitely a thought-provoking and fascinating book.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on August 20, 2010, 03:52:04 PM
@Steve how does [Salute the Dark] measure up against the series?

I think it is my favorite so far.  There were a few things that seemed unimportant in the end, but really the ending had that Memories of Ice kind of feel to it.  I was so angry and satisfied at the same time.  It actually kept me up the night after i finished it thinking about the themes of the novel, and what the title of the novel meant.  I tell you, my list of fav authors has had some dramatic changes lately...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: hubay on August 20, 2010, 11:25:29 PM
One of my friends has a complete collection of the wild cards series, to date – they're ridiculously hard to find anywhere near where I live – and in exchange for letting me read them I've converted him into a fan of Shadows of the Apt, Locke Lamora, and Temaire. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy and superior.

I've also been playing tag with bookdepository.com. I told them to notify me the next time they have Mr. Monster in stock at least five times, but by the time I see their notification email, the copy's already sold.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on August 21, 2010, 07:04:37 AM
I've also been playing tag with bookdepository.com. I told them to notify me the next time they have Mr. Monster in stock at least five times, but by the time I see their notification email, the copy's already sold.

Good thing it comes out in the US in only a month, then! If you think you have a better/sooner chance via Amazon.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on August 23, 2010, 08:18:16 AM
Just finished Empire in Black and Gold. Wow. This book is so incredibly awesome, I can't think of a proper way to describe it. I am so happy I splurged and picked up Dragonfly Falling the other day; t'would suck if I had to wait to continue this series.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Valkynphyre on August 24, 2010, 10:06:34 PM
Just picked up American Gods. Hope it's good.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on August 24, 2010, 11:22:39 PM
Just picked up American Gods. Hope it's good.

I loved it.  That said, I know a lot of people that don't.

I finished reading Chris Wooding's The Black Lung Captain.  It was so frakking great.  Just as good as Retribution Falls.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on August 25, 2010, 04:26:51 PM
I'm trying C.J. Cherryh. Again. I keep thinking I should like her books, but if I don't like this one, then I'm giving up.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtlhddoc2 on August 25, 2010, 06:55:34 PM
Im reading "Ball's Complete Book of Home Preserving"

;)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on August 25, 2010, 07:15:50 PM
Bright of the Sky by Kay Kenyon. So far so good.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Recovering_Cynic on August 25, 2010, 07:43:31 PM
I tried C.J. Cherryh once and was so bored to tears that I have never tried her since.  The book was called Rusalka.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on August 25, 2010, 08:14:34 PM
Rusalka is a tough slog. I love Cherryh, but I can't recommend it. I didn't get through the second book. The writing style is deliberately opaque in that series.

My favorite Cherryh is the Chanur series. If you're going to read just one Cherryh book, I recommend The Pride of Chanur. It also has the advantage of being short. Of course, if you like that and want to read the rest, the next three books are a trilogy largely in name only—it's basically a long book split into three. Though this is "long" in 1980s paperbacks terms. It doesn't seem long at all nowadays. All 5 Chanur books are available in two omnibuses...which do not keep the middle trilogy in the same volume. Ugh. (The 5th book was written 6 years later and features a secondary but still major character from the first books.)

I also do like her human-centric SF, but some of it can be a bit tough to get through. Downbelow Station was her first Hugo-winner, and it starts with a huge infodump. (I suspect it got added at the publishers' request.) My favorite of this type is probably Tripoint.

I'll probably read the rest of the Foreigner series someday but stopped partway through the 5th book. It's a lot of alien anthropology and politics that I don't get into so much.

Still, I own more Cherryh hardcovers than from any other author.

So anyway, The Pride of Chanur. Read it!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on August 25, 2010, 09:08:51 PM
Bright of the Sky by Kay Kenyon. So far so good.

I liked about the first third of that one., tolerated the second third, and was annoyed by the third...uh...third.

You'll have to let me know what conclusion you come to.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on August 25, 2010, 10:13:14 PM
Just picked up American Gods. Hope it's good.

Just finished it recently. It's a really astounding book. Yet at the same time disturbing. Gaiman has Americans pegged, which was rather disconcerting. The best books are ones not just about their subject, but also go deeper, and American Gods does that because it's not just about Shadow and the things he experiences, it's also about America and what makes it tick.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shi on August 26, 2010, 09:51:48 PM
Finished Mr. Monster by Dans Wells last night. So good! Beginning was a little slow, but once I hit the halfway point I had to read it all the way through. Good things I started reading it in the middle of the day, and not one of those "10 minutes before I go to bed".
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on August 27, 2010, 08:34:24 PM
I liked about the first third of that one., tolerated the second third, and was annoyed by the third...uh...third.

You'll have to let me know what conclusion you come to.

Sounds fairly similar to what I thought. Honestly, overall I'm actually pretty fond of the book. The second third or so of the book did feel rather, um, leisurely, but not so much that I particularly minded it. The third part... Yeah. I was disappointed by Titus's decision there, because I had been looking forward to a conflict that ultimately didn't come (not in this book, anyway).

It's too bad because the decision that he did make was just as interesting (or could have been if I hadn't been so fixated on this other thing that didn't happen). So really I don't have a problem with what actually happened; I just think she could have prepared readers for it a little better. What kind of gets me is that I think this would have been fairly easy to do. At least, I know how I would have done it...

I expect this would have bugged me a lot more if I didn't have the next three copies out from the library already.  :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on August 30, 2010, 05:24:48 PM
I just finished Corrupting Dr. Nice by Kessel because I had heard it was like To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis, but it was far, far inferior. I feel annoyed.

Now I'm going to start the next Michelle West book in the Sun Sword series.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shi on September 01, 2010, 06:23:08 AM
Finished the Atlantis Complex my Eoin Colfer. Well, I was expecting more from the book. I mean, the previous Artemis Fowl was just so good, and this one disappointed a little. It was funny though, that's always a plus. But the humor in this book even felt different, it felt more like... Hitch-hikers (though I've only seen the movie). I wondered if the writing got colored from when he worked on And Another Thing...

Or maybe I just don't remember the other books that well.

Anyway, not sure what to read next. Hmmmm.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on September 01, 2010, 06:50:54 AM
Now I'm going to start the next Michelle West book in the Sun Sword series.

Oh, let me know what you think. I've the first of the Elantra books (same author under the name Michelle Sagara) and I have the next one in the series out, but I haven't read any of her West books.

Still working my way through Kenyon's The Entire and the Rose series. World Too Near went down pretty easily, though I will likely be very disappointed if we don't see more of one particular character. (Having started the final book, this seems unlikely, I am happy to report.) City Without End I had a couple of issues with, namely The Plot That Should Have Been There (But Wasn't) and The Plot That Was Actually Pretty Cool, But Came Out Of Nowhere.  Even so, the general awesomeness that is this series pulled me through it.

I'm not far enough into the last book yet to have formed an opinion of it, except to say that it reinforced one of the issues I had with City Without End.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on September 01, 2010, 12:39:28 PM
Finished Under the Dome by Stephen King. I found the ending very disappointing. Most of the book was basically Lord of the Flies with adults in a small town. I like the way he had alot of characters in a small town and mapped out the town. I found his main bad guy character a little contrived and he under the cover took alot of annoying shots at conservatives (I am reading for fun, not politics). I did like the Lord of the Flies aspect. Then on about page 950, he has this massive plot twist that rendered the first 950 pages relatively meaningless. He spent all this time building up a conflict in a small town, then through it out the window.

I did like the Kings reason for why the dome came down. I thought it was creative. When I picked up the book I figured this would be one part I would not like.

I have had the Thomas Covenant books on my shelf for 10 years. I finally decided to actually read it. So I am reading Lord Fouls Bane. I have not decided whether I will get Way of Kings on audio or read it yet. I really like the two people who are reading (same two that do Wheel of Time), but now I am reading that there is alot of illustration that I would miss out on. So I will probably read the book instead of audio. My reading pace is slow. I try not spend alot of time on the couch.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on September 01, 2010, 05:12:08 PM
Oh, let me know what you think. I've the first of the Elantra books (same author under the name Michelle Sagara) and I have the next one in the series out, but I haven't read any of her West books.

I love everything I've read by Michelle Sagara/West. That includes 3 Elantra books, 2 Hunters books, and 3 Sun Sword books (I'm on the fourth). The stuff she writes under Michelle West is epic fantasy with lots of view point characters so it feels different than her Elantra books, but they're really absorbing.

One warning. The Sun Sword series makes a lot more sense if you've read the Hunters duology first since it continues on with many of the same characters. Also, if you read the Hunters duology and don't like it then you've only invested in two books and don't have to continue on with the next six.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on September 01, 2010, 10:44:17 PM
Sword of the Dawn by Moorcock
Queen of Sinister by Mark Chadbourn

Pretty sure I'm going to try for Horns by Joe Hill next.  Pretty excited to read it, as I enjoyed Heart-Shaped Box.  I'd also kind of like to read The Passage by Cronin, but that's a freaking huge book and I don't know if I can spare the time for it right now.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on September 02, 2010, 12:23:01 AM
In the middle of Blood of the Mantis right now, by Adrian Tchaikovsky. The entire series has been fantastic so far.

Also, on a whim, picked up Magic Kingdom for Sale - SOLD! from Half-Price books. Half off the cover price of a copy printed in the 80's put it at a little over a dollar, so I figured why not. Didn't care for many of Brook's other novels, but so far I'm enjoying this one quite a bit.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on September 02, 2010, 06:46:15 AM
One warning. The Sun Sword series makes a lot more sense if you've read the Hunters duology first since it continues on with many of the same characters. Also, if you read the Hunters duology and don't like it then you've only invested in two books and don't have to continue on with the next six.

Duly noted. Thanks! :)

In the middle of Blood of the Mantis right now, by Adrian Tchaikovsky. The entire series has been fantastic so far.

Also, on a whim, picked up Magic Kingdom for Sale - SOLD! from Half-Price books. Half off the cover price of a copy printed in the 80's put it at a little over a dollar, so I figured why not. Didn't care for many of Brook's other novels, but so far I'm enjoying this one quite a bit.

Ooh, I have very fond memories of that one. Never read the rest of the Landover series, though according to EBR that's probably for the best.

I'm still reading City Without End. Starting to see why The Plot That Should Have Been There (But Wasn't) ... uh... wasn't there. It's cool in concept and it sort of works, but it also sort of doesn't.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on September 02, 2010, 07:21:05 AM
Yeah, Magic Kingdom for Sale - SOLD! is a great book. Pretend it's a standalone.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on September 02, 2010, 08:19:38 AM
Yeah, Magic Kingdom for Sale - SOLD! is a great book. Pretend it's a standalone.

Yeah, that's what I'm planning to do. I might take a look at the second and third, but no further than that.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Agate on September 05, 2010, 01:18:23 AM
I just finished reading "The Way of Kings" by Brandon Sanderson, I am still in that happy place of awe and brain overload after finishing a great book. I will be picking the book up again many times over the next weeks; looking up different parts, and ideas as I let the story and the world sink in. So as not to confuse myself further I am holding off on anything new, so I am re-reading "The Name of the Wind"  by Patrick Rothfuss
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: The Jade Knight on September 07, 2010, 06:53:34 AM
I recently (finally) finished The Contemporary American Poets.  I recently started The Brothers Karamazov.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on September 07, 2010, 12:54:09 PM
I just finished the audio of Anathem by Neal Stephenson. It was not as hard to listen to as I thought. Note, It probably took me 50% longer to listen to than the length of the book since I kept going back. I also got the book out of the library for the glossary. I liked it. It is different than most Sci-Fi (which is what you get with Stephenson). Large parts of the books were discussions of philosophy and science. I got a little bored during parts of it, but that is what you get with Stephenson so I accept it. It is not for everyone. That being said, Stephenson's prose is excellent. He accomplished what he set out to.

Now I am listening to books 3-5 of the Naomi Novik Tremaire series. She is a very good writer. I am surprised I like these. As I posted before, I never would have started these books if not for posts on here and Bookstore Guy's review on his website. so thank you guys.

BTW, i am going to buy Brandon's book instead of audio. Went through it in the library. Too many good things in it to audio. This is probably one of those series where I will read it and then when the next book comes out (or maybe after a few) audio it to remind myself what I forgot. I did this with Wheel of Time and will do it with George RR Martin when (if() his next book comes out.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on September 07, 2010, 12:59:19 PM
also, isn't Dragonsbane the book that got Brandon into fantasy? Is that book good for adults or more of a "I would have like it at 13 " type book?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on September 07, 2010, 06:56:20 PM
Currently reading Simon R. Green's From Hell with Love (slapstick urban fantasy fun) and Suzanne Collins' Mockingjay (YA dystopia book #3).

Now I am listening to books 3-5 of the Naomi Novik Tremaire series. She is a very good writer. I am surprised I like these. As I posted before, I never would have started these books if not for posts on here and Bookstore Guy's review on his website. so thank you guys.

Actually, it was *I* who wrote that one :D I love the Termraire books. Book 6 isn't as strong as 1, 2, 4 & 5, but I imagine it's a good setup for what's to come.

also, isn't Dragonsbane the book that got Brandon into fantasy?

Yes

Is that book good for adults or more of a "I would have like it at 13 " type book?

Definitely good for adults.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Liralyn on September 10, 2010, 01:24:37 AM
Just finished Glasshouse by Charles Stross based on Howard's recommendation http://www.writingexcuses.com/2010/08/01/writing-excuses-4-30-worldbuilding-the-future/, and I have to say, I have very mixed feelings about it.

On the one hand, I see what Howard meant by the singularity concept, in which the future has changed so much that it is completely alien to our point of view, and I think that Stross manages that really well.  The premise is very intriguing--enough so that I made my husband read it, too.

On the other hand, I think Stross could have done a much better job with the overall work.  The characters  felt really inconsistent.  The main characters didn't seem like the same character at all, and we jokingly wondered if Stross had combined two different novellas without rewriting the characters to be consistent.  It was, to be honest, frustrating.

I think it was worth the read, though--I feel like reading this book will help me be a stronger writer, and my husband and I stayed up talking about it until 4 am, which was really fun. 
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on September 10, 2010, 07:45:39 AM
Finished www: wake by Robert J. Sawyer. Fun book, interesting ideas, but I have some problems with it. (Don't I always.) ::)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on September 10, 2010, 12:37:12 PM
Finished www: wake by Robert J. Sawyer. Fun book, interesting ideas, but I have some problems with it. (Don't I always.) ::)

what are your problems? I think elistist gave it a bad review. I really liked his book Flash Forward.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on September 10, 2010, 04:55:34 PM
Finished www: wake by Robert J. Sawyer. Fun book, interesting ideas, but I have some problems with it. (Don't I always.) ::)

what are your problems? I think elistist gave it a bad review. I really liked his book Flash Forward.

I didn't give it a bad review.  I gave it a mediocre review.  It had some very cool concepts and ideas, but even I can only suspend my disbelief so much.  The kid in that novel is just TOO smart.  She can solve every problem, and have a genius level conversation on every subject.  Maybe she should go solve that whole "world peace" thing when she has a moment.

Shawn (one of our awesome reviewers) liked WAKE more than I did (he's an SF junkie, poor fellow), and he just read and reviewed WATCH.  It had all the problems of WAKE magnified by a bajillion. At least.

As for what I'm reading?
A Star Shall Fall - surprisingly good.
Monster Hunter Vendetta - weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on September 10, 2010, 08:50:20 PM
Reading The Prodigal Mage by Karen Miller. I read her Reluctant Mage books and thought they were OK. But from what I've read so far, it looks like Miller's writing has really been polished in the last several years. Makes me more excited the more I read.

In other news, I started The Questing Road by Lyn McConchie and stopped at page 50. One would think that someone who had co-authored several books with Andre Norton would be a good writer on her her own. No such dice. The pages would be better used as compost.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on September 12, 2010, 03:05:40 AM
Just finished Cumberland by Michael V. Smith (one of the professors at my university). It was often uncomfortable, but ultimately quite satisfying. It's not speculative fiction, though.

Also, I finished Sawyer's www:Wake recently, which was all right.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on September 14, 2010, 03:09:25 PM
WoK was uber awesome! I'm reading Plato's Republic at work and Salute the Dark at home (Salute the Dark is as good as WoK!)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: echigo109 on September 15, 2010, 11:21:58 PM
I'm reading the "legend of drizzet" and "The Way of Kings" both are amazing
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on September 16, 2010, 11:05:42 PM
Well, with A STAR SHALL FALL done (awesome), I also finished MONSTER HUNTER VENDETTA (awesome).  Next I'm heading into YA zombies with ROT & RUIN (Jonathan Maberry), and WOLF AGE (James Enge).
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on September 17, 2010, 02:14:20 AM
Just started Jeff Vandermeer's Finch.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on September 17, 2010, 11:36:32 PM
Salute the Dark may have been the best book out of the quartet! If you haven't picked up Empire in Black and Gold yet do so now! The cover is pretty.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on September 19, 2010, 05:01:45 AM

what are your problems? I think elistist gave it a bad review. I really liked his book Flash Forward.

I missed this before, sorry. And apparently I announced that I'd finished Wake twice. ::) What can I say--the last couple of weeks have been a bit hectic.

What Steve said more or less sums it up--a book with really cool ideas that didn't quite hold up to its potential. Caitlinn is a little too smart (it didn't bug me the way it bugs the EBR guys, but I did notice it), and I had a hard time getting past the first chapter. It essentially introduces Caitlinn as a boring teenage girl doing boring teenage girl things, and for me it was a complete turn-off. I got over it eventually, but yeah. That first chapter just did not do it for me.

I enjoyed the rest of the book rather more, but there were a couple of things... Caitlinn learns something about her father later on in the book, and I just don't buy that this was a surprise to her, especially since she's supposed to be such a smart kid.

There are a couple of side plots that could totally be way cool... in book two. In book one, they're really cool-looking ideas that don't accomplish anything other than setup.

That's my opinion of Wake in a nutshell.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guy on September 20, 2010, 08:12:52 PM
just finished Name of the Wind, and I loved it! and now will be rereading the Dark Tower
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Munin on September 22, 2010, 04:03:25 AM
I just wrapped up The Long Price quartet by Daniel Abraham. It's a very unique setting with a very original magic system. The first two books are pretty good, but it's the third book where things become truly amazing. The fourth book deals with the repercussions of the seriously bad stuff that goes down in the third book, and is also extremely interesting.

Also finished The Black Prism by Brent Weeks. It's good, but not great... until you get to the twist (which is moderately early on). Then, things really pick up. I'm eagerly awaiting the next book in the series.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on September 24, 2010, 06:27:31 PM
I'm reading The Picture of Dorian Grey....interesting piece so far.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on September 27, 2010, 08:02:16 PM
Black Hill by Dan Simmons.

This is my first foray into a Simmons novel.  Very interesting experience so far.  :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on September 28, 2010, 08:13:15 PM
It's time to start The Sunless Countries by Karl Schroeder. I'm so excited.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on September 28, 2010, 09:43:55 PM
Finished THE WOLF AGE.  It was completely great.  Almost finished with ROT & RUIN - completely fantastic so far.

Then I delve into DEXTER IS DELICIOUS, which I am prepared to hate.  It's kind of exciting.

Who knows what I'll read after that.  Maybe the new David Weber novel.  Or some James Barclay.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on October 06, 2010, 12:16:02 PM
The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie. GREAT BOOK. I immediately went out and got the next two in the series. I really like how he did not hold back on the violence. I also like how he makes characters who are generally antagonists in other series likeable characters. He made me like the self absorbed and shallow nobleman. I also liked the torturer. The last fight scene (chapter The Bloody Nine) was fantastic. I tend to get bored and skim over fight scenses.

Listening to Naomi Novik's 5th book. I like them. They are fun. I think it is good that they are short.
I just got Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson on audio. I read his first 2 mars books in the 1990s, but never finished the series. I remember really liking them.

I also got the book Canticle by Ken Scholes. It seems to have gotten very good reviews. That book is on hold until I finish Abercrombies books.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on October 08, 2010, 05:41:44 PM
Sunless Countries was okay, though not as good as Pirate Sun in my mind. Now I'm on to Cast in Fury by Michelle Sagara.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on October 08, 2010, 11:46:54 PM
Finally into Way of Kings.  I'm a bit slow.   ::)  Or maybe just broke.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on October 11, 2010, 04:29:44 PM
I was sick this weekend, so I finished Cast in Fury and now I'm reading Seeker's Bane by P.C. Hodgell.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on October 11, 2010, 09:32:06 PM
Finally into Way of Kings.  I'm a bit slow.   ::)  Or maybe just broke.

Heh. I'm currently on page 75. Been too busy reading other stuff.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on October 12, 2010, 04:08:27 PM
Finally into Way of Kings.  I'm a bit slow.   ::)  Or maybe just broke.

Heh. I'm currently on page 75. Been too busy reading other stuff.

The only reason I'm done with it is because I read it a year ago...though I did re-read large segments of it a tad before it was published.

I finished ROT & RUIN, which was great.  DEXTER IS DELICIOUS, which was sooooooo terrible.  Re-reading some Glen Cook in prep. for his SURRENDER TO THE WILL OF THE NIGHT (so excited!).  Might read either some David Weber next, or THE CARDINALS BLADES.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on October 13, 2010, 08:59:07 PM
I finished reading Vinge's RAINBOWS END. Enjoyed it quite a bit. I also liked how the ending, while appropriate, was not perfect. Yet it still has a good amount of denouement.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: JCHancey on October 14, 2010, 09:06:36 AM
Currently reading Animal Farm. I don't like this book, it has terrible Cold Ware Era propaganda written all over it. Don't see why people praise this book.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on October 14, 2010, 03:08:20 PM
You wouldn't like 1984 at all if you think Animal Farm is cold war propaganda, and 1984 is one of the best books out there....
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Liralyn on October 15, 2010, 03:11:13 AM
David Weber's Off Armageddon Reef.  Having a hard time getting through it, even though I've liked lots of his books.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on October 15, 2010, 04:38:02 AM
Animal Farm was published two days after Japan said they would surrender in World War II and a couple weeks before the formal surrender happened. So it actually predates the cold war. Though it is certainly propaganda, except not paid for by a government.

It was written in a time when a hot war with the communists was a very very real threat. People still read it and praise it because it's about the dangers of how a dictatorship can sneak up on you. For people who aren't politically savvy, communism and socialism can sound like a great idea.

Plus it's short.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on October 15, 2010, 06:06:25 PM
David Weber's Off Armageddon Reef.  Having a hard time getting through it, even though I've liked lots of his books.

if you look at the amazon reviews, alot of his fans don't like this series. The idea is better than the execution. Later books seem to have alot filler so he can punch out a book/year. I think the idea of his series is good enough to make me keep read them  just to see where he is going. His writing is lacking. Plus long stretches in future books where literally nothing happens. Just people sitting around talking.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on October 15, 2010, 10:47:23 PM
I quite enjoyed Off Armageddon Reef, but the first sequel had no climax whatsoever, which was a letdown. Though there was exciting stuff about the quarter-through mark, it wasn't enough to carry to the end to make me judge the book a success.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shivertongue on October 15, 2010, 11:41:03 PM
Just finished Boneshaker by Cherie Priest. It was good. Not great, and it certainly could have been better, but it was enjoyable enough.

Picked up a copy of Julian Comstock, by Robert Charles Wilson today, and also a used copy of Dragonflight by Anne McCaffery (I probably spelled that wrong, but I'm too lazy to go look up the proper spelling).
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on October 17, 2010, 06:59:29 AM
Just bought This Crooked Way (James Enge) and The Epic of Gilgamesh (the Assyrian creation myth that Genesis is argued to have it's roots in)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on December 15, 2010, 07:44:44 PM
I've been missing TWG so much, because of this section. It's nice to have it back.  But I wonder, will the posters return?

Anyway, I'm reading Pegasus by Robin McKinley.  Her structure is so interesting.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on December 15, 2010, 08:46:08 PM
I'm reading Pegasus by Robin McKinley.  Her structure is so interesting.

I just finished that myself. I know what you mean by 'interesting'. I see how it was necessary in order to tell the story without exposional tedium, but it affects the forward movement of the story and makes the pace much slower. Which, actually, is nice sometimes.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Salkara on December 16, 2010, 12:30:26 AM
Let's see... I'm in the middle of Malazan: Book of the Fallen. A friend turned me onto it, and I've stuck with it because of the nonlinear plot. I'm rather unaccustomed to it and find it intriguing.

My "To Read" list is already so long, but I'm always looking for more to add to it. I've been studying for my CPA exam for half a year, and I've just been loading books onto the list for when I finished, which happened 16 days ago.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: readerMom on December 16, 2010, 04:36:00 AM
I've been catching up on the Dresden Files, I like them better when I have the previous one still in my head.
I am also reading the Malazan books, though I find them slow going. I can't just jump through them while keeping an eye on the kids. They require concentration.
I just moved to a much bigger place so I am enjoying the new library system.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on December 16, 2010, 05:26:09 PM
Geez.  What have I read...

Horns of Ruin
Cardinal's Blades
Elfsorrow
Shadowheart
Walking Dead Book 1
Scar Night
Tyranny of the Night (re-read)
Deadman's Road
The Fall
Rot & Ruin
Ragged Man (after a re-read of the 3 novel before it)
...and a handful of others.

Doing a re-read on the last 2 Erikson novels and also the first 2 Esslemont novels (my copy of Stonewielder by Esslemont got lost in the mail).  I'm reading 3 different manuscripts that are set to be published over the next year or 2.  I have the next 2 Alan Campbell novels, some Daniel Abraham, the 2nd Walking Dead book, some imports, and a dozen other novels in my pile to be read.

Yeah, that just about sums up my last couple of months, and the coming few.

The End.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on December 16, 2010, 05:52:47 PM
I read Cryoburn by Bujold. I enjoyed it, but it wasn't GREAT. I've been calling Bujold my favorite author for years, but she seems to have lost some of the magic. Mirror Dance and Memory were the pinnacle of the Vorkosigan series. It's been merely good since then. And Paladin of Souls is her most recent truly great book. So if I don't think she's writing masterpieces anymore, is she still my favorite? Though, counting the first two Sharing Knife books as one book, I do consider it a great book. Separately, not so much. Splitting was wrong.

Miles' most exciting conflict was right at the beginning when he was hallucinating. Roic was a boring POV character; I really did not care about him. Jin was OK—I liked the animals stuff—but not great. I liked the reversal when they revived the wrong corpse (except they never used pictures of her to verify?), but then they found the right one very easily.

I did like the understated way she rejected the white knight who was going to swoop her off to safety and instead was interested in the guy who was taking care of her kids (for a few days, at least).
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on December 16, 2010, 06:26:21 PM
Peter, I think you must look for very different things in Bujold than I do.  I really liked Cryoburn, but I think my favorite part about Miles is his manic-ness rather than the difficult choices he often has to make.  Miles doesn't make any life-changing decisions in this one, true, but that wasn't a big deal for me.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on December 16, 2010, 07:27:27 PM
He didn't have any particularly manic moments in this book either though.

I value my strong emotional reaction to Bujold books. That didn't really happen for me in this one.

I still LOVE the end of Shards of Honor (before the aftermaths part, which is an interesting short story). Not because of any difficult choices people make, but because of what people say. It just gets me.

Also, there was a life-changing moment at the very end of Cryoburn. A friend of mine thinks Lois punted on it by not really dealing with it in the book because it was too hard for her to address directly due to her own father dying recently.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: maxonennis on December 16, 2010, 09:08:48 PM
I'm reading Ronin by Frank Miller (a comic from the early 80's). An entertaining story, but everyonce in awhile one of the characters does or says something that just throws me right out of the story.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shi on December 16, 2010, 09:21:47 PM
Yay, the forum is back! Alright, what have I read?

Speak - Laurie Halse Anderson: Fantastic!
Glimpses - Lynn Flewelling: Any nightrunner fan's wet dream.
Deathwish - Rob Thurman: Urban Fantasy fluff. Title got me lots of weird looks at work.
Totally Joe - James Howe: Good heart, but utterly forgettable, and WAY too many exclamation points.
and... oh, finished the Fruits Basket manga. So good!

Right now I'm working on Oryx and Crake, by Margaret Atwood. Very intriguing so far. And Ash, by Malinda Lo.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: andygal on December 18, 2010, 12:49:43 AM
Currently Reading
The Way of Kings
and Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident (yes it's a children's book, shut up, you)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on December 19, 2010, 02:08:47 AM
I'm reading Bloodshot by Cherie Priest, which I got as a Firstreads book on Goodreads.  It's okay, but nothing to write home about. 
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on December 21, 2010, 05:55:49 AM
Recently:
Way of Kings (Sanderson)
Poison Throne (Kiernan)
Holes (Sachar)
Towers of Midnight (Jordan/Sanderson)
Writers of the Future 26
Hounds of Avalon (Chadbourn)
Stalking the Dragon (Resnick)
Best Christmas Pageant Ever (Robinson)

Now:
Up Jim River (Flynn) --  pretty standard sci-fi so far.  Not really my cup.

Next:
Hawkwood and the Kings (Kearney) --  Pretty excited for this one.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: junestormcrow on December 22, 2010, 02:44:48 AM
Most recent epicness: Towers of Midnight

Finished Sunday: The Narnian by Alan Jacobs-good stuff, but I am a total Lewis fangirl, so may not be your cuppa. Well written and lots of things I didn't know. He references a lot of Lewis' letters, which I found cool.

Next on list: Re-read of Out of the Silent Planet(almost done)

There's a bunch of others in progress, but I am working on reading through the stack, it's threatening to fall on my head while I sleep again.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on December 24, 2010, 03:41:12 AM
I just finished The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. It had some plot holes at the end, which weren't my favorite, but overall the book was just lovely.

Now I'm reading Sun and Moon, Ice and Snow by Jessica Day George, and so far I'm loving it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on December 25, 2010, 08:10:02 AM
Just finished Philip Pullman's The Subtle Knife, and I'm not particularly thrilled with how it ended. Obvious cliffhangers and climactic battles facilitated by character stupidity do not a happy reader make.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: junestormcrow on December 28, 2010, 08:16:05 PM
The Subtle Knife was the first of those books I threw at the wall. The Amber Spyglass was thrown as well. I am glad I got those three out of my house. Good, but infuriating for so many reasons.

Finished Out of the Silent Planet yesterday and enjoyed it more than the first time after the explination of certain aspects of the theme Jacobs gave in the Narnian.

Now reading The Problem of Pain, Invisible Monsters, and Leviathan by Scott Westerfield.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on December 30, 2010, 02:15:42 AM
I didn't have a s many problems with the ending of the Amber Spyglass as I did with the Subtle Knife. But speaking of books that I'd like to throw at a wall, Twilight is just as bad as advertised.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: junestormcrow on December 30, 2010, 02:38:14 AM
Finished Invisible Monsters today. Such a great story about the power of appearances.

Twilight, while atrocious, is at least obviously going to be atrocious from page one. Pullman makes out like he's going to tell a good story and then craps all over it to further his "message". I think his offense is worse. Same problem I have with the Sword of Truth books.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Oditogre on January 03, 2011, 11:30:59 AM
I'm currently reading:
"The Well of Ascension" (Brandon Sanderson)
"Men at Arms" (Terry Pratchett)*
"First Lord's Fury" (Jim Butcher)

Planning to read:
-Finish the "Mistborn" books
-Start "Dresden Files"
-Possibly pick up one of Pratchett's YA books
-Possibly try "Ender's Game"

*I've already read this a couple times.  I almost always am reading a few books at once, and at least one of them is almost always something light and fun that I've read before.  Recluce (Modesitt) and Discworld (Pratchett) books are the ones I come back to most often.

Pullman makes out like he's going to tell a good story and then craps all over it to further his "message". I think his offense is worse.

I couldn't have said it better myself. I bought the omnibus when trailers started being released for the movie, and I really liked the first book, but by the end of the series I was basically forcing myself to keep reading out of morbid curiosity for how Pullman would tie it all together in the end.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on January 03, 2011, 05:29:41 PM
The problem with all of Card's novels is he never learned to write a convincing child. The children reason to well for their age, it doesn't match reality (and before any comes in and starts mentioning oh well Ender was a super-genius, your point? He could regurgitate information but not reason at that age his reasoning skills would still be minimal.)

Anyways I'm reading Poe's short stories and poetry right now and I must say Raven isn't near his best work.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: junestormcrow on January 03, 2011, 06:37:18 PM
I've always been fond of "A Cask of Amontillado" myself, of course, we read Poe in school in Baltimore growing up, so I've always known there was more than "The Raven and "The Tell Tale Heart". I have to read even more though, his Collected Stories and Poems in on my desk shelf as a too be read.

@Oditogre I do this myself, right now the light hearted book is A Wizard of Oz, and I also pick up random YA to read from my old books all the time. The last was In the Time of the Witch by Mary Downing Hahn.

I always accepted Card's over logical children as being part of the world he was trying to create. The kids at Battle School and the debating siblings are all on genius level according to story, how else would they talk?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on January 03, 2011, 08:12:00 PM
I'm reading Love and Louis XIV by Antonia Fraser, and I'm finding it much more readable than I expected.  I'm always hesitant when it comes to non-fiction because some of it is so dry. 

I gave up on Pullman after the end of The Golden Compass.  With the way that one ended, I knew I wasn't going to enjoy reading more.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Renoard on January 04, 2011, 03:39:57 AM
Pullman keeps tripping over his lead encrusted, Neutronium propaganda. Wait he is a theist and thinks organized religion is a good thing right? He was just way too subtle for me.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on January 04, 2011, 04:59:34 PM
Finished Joe Abercrombie's series. He is fantastic writer. He did alot of things the opposite of current trends in fantasy. Instead of creating a vast world with lots of nations and histories, he simplified it to 3 nations and no map. However, this left him room to work on a deep plot and stunning characters. The battle scene in the 3rd book may be my favorite battle scene of all time. I also really liked the way he wrote the northmen. He did a great job with them in the 3rd book. It is the kind of depth I would expect to only see in a very good and very well researched historical fiction novel. Oh and of course, he has canibals and a torturer is a viewpoint character. I think I might end up liking Abercrombie more than George RR Martin in the dark genre. Its too early to tell.

I am on Ken Scholes second book. I am reading this due to the good reviews on the Elitist book review site. I like the post-apocalytpic fantasy. The first book starts with a robot getting repgrammed, to cast a spell, that nukes a city. He also has a neat twist on the catholic church. In his books, the church is a group of archeologists. I like that his books are short and he is very efficient in his writing. A couple of things bothered me. First off, I think he was too brief in a few places. I remember thinking, a few times, how did we get here so fast? Also, the book starts with a catastrophe, but I don't think Scholes does that good of a job describing the sense of grief and horror that people would have gone through. Some of the main characters spent months burying an entire city. I would think that would be horrifying. Scholes doesnt doesn't really describe that well.
All that being said, I like him and will stick with him. I started on the second book and I think his writing has improved immediately.
I also really like the concept that he is running with. I have wanted to read fantasy books that mix magic and technology. This is the
first that I have found. I believe Brandon Sanderson said he is going to do that on his next Mistborn book.

I also picked up a Daniel Abraham book. I had never heard of him. I don't know anyone who has. I am reading him due to reviews
on the Elitist book review site and I think Brandon said he liked him at one of his book signings.

Also, audioing the Mars Trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson. I read the first two in the 1990s. They are as good as I remember. These
are books where you can tell, the author must have spent an incredible amount of time on. They are done very well. It is about the
colonizatin and terraforming of Mars.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on January 06, 2011, 10:33:49 PM
I also picked up a Daniel Abraham book. I had never heard of him. I don't know anyone who has. I am reading him due to reviews on the Elitist book review site...

This warms the cockles of my heart.

Whatever those are.

It is interesting though that experts of language don't even seem to know that one:  http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-coc2.htm   8)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on January 07, 2011, 05:01:48 PM
My copy of Stonewielder finally came.  Sheesh.  My first copy was lost, so the place had to send a new one.  Looking forward to reading it.

I also have a copy of Tim Lebbon's Echo City coming.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on January 07, 2011, 06:31:25 PM
I'm reading Bards of Bone Plain by Patricia McKillip. It was a Christmas present.  I love Christmas.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on January 08, 2011, 10:54:37 PM
The Hammer, by KJ Parker.

Up Jim River ended like I figured it would.

My copy of Stonewielder finally came.

Jealous.  I so need to read me another Malazan book.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtbikemom on January 12, 2011, 07:16:11 AM
Thank you, thank you Elitist crew for the heads-up on Daniel Abraham.  Book four of The Long Price Quartet is waiting for me at the library and I can hardly wait.  He is now on my short list of favorite authors.

Not as pleased with Tom Lloyd or George Mann.  Just not my cuppa.

Just finished Bujold's Mirror Dance and Brothers in Arms.  Excellent.  Thanks, Peter!

Also enjoyed Shades of Milk and Honey (tx to Vanessa on Elitist) for the fluffy Regency fare and completely reliable content.  I will share this with many.

Have ordered Carol Berg's latest, Soul Mirror.  Her writing is better than her pacing, but I'm a fan and this one is supposed to be better than book 1, The Spirit Lens. 



Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on January 15, 2011, 12:55:44 AM
Half-way through Tim Lebbon's ECHO CITY.  It has an extremely strong PERDIDO STREET STATION feel to it.  Since I liked that novel, this is a good thing.  It should also give you a hint as to the type of content to expect in it.

In the mean-time I'm compiling the EBR list of the best of 2010, plus our compiled Hugo Nomination list (my personal list will be slightly different than the one EBR posts).  It's tough going, especially since I know that the Best Novel category will be filled with  stuff by the usual suspects regardless of the quality of the work.  It's amazing what blog visibility has done to the Hugos.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Renoard on January 15, 2011, 01:52:19 AM
Not sure if I mentioned it, but The Hobbit is on my next read list, but I can't seem to make myself pick it up and get started. Rereading has always been difficult for me. I remember too much content and it takes something special to let me reread without feeling bored.

I don't do amazon and I don't do ebooks. Partly for ethical reasons and partly for the aesthetic. But the B&N and the Borders locally are always very nearly empty of new books. The crappy tradesbound Manga have edged out the decent books for adult readers. I never see a lot of the titles cited here, alas. Why they aren't even stocking WoK, and the massmarket edition is a ways off yet.

sigh!  :-\
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: junestormcrow on January 15, 2011, 05:14:38 PM
I need to go say my thanks for my awesome local B&N then, they still had Kings up when I went after Christmas, and their SciFi/Fantasy section is always well stocked with new and old books.

Almost finished the Jungle. Read Leviathan and Hunger Games last week, both were good and made me want to read the sequels.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on January 16, 2011, 08:11:46 AM
Servant of a Dark God was rather well done, however I put the book down a couple of occasions when I found Talen a little too petty and self-righteous.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on January 18, 2011, 08:30:15 PM
Servant of a Dark God was rather well done, however I put the book down a couple of occasions when I found Talen a little too petty and self-righteous.

I enjoyed it quite a bit--especially after the first few chapters were were forgotten.

As I was compiling a List for the Hugos, I realized that EBR might be eligible for the BEST RELATED WORK category.  So, if you need something to put on your ballot along with Writing Excuses Season 4, put our names down!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtbikemom on January 18, 2011, 09:28:56 PM
Looking forward to all the lists!  Go EBR!

Boo hoo, the book waiting for me at the library was not book 4 of Long Price Quartet, it was a manga for my kid.  Can anyone explain to me what Fruits (sic) Basket means?  Even the 14-yr-old doesn't know.  (semi-rhetorical question/rant)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on January 19, 2011, 05:40:25 PM
Fruits Basket is the name of a game where a bunch of kids sit in a circle and each choose a different fruit to be. Someone stands in the center of the circle and yells out a bunch of fruit names. The kids who are those fruit have to get up out of their places and run to a different sitting place while the person in the middle steals one of the sitting places making someone else the person in the middle.  When I was little, we called the game Tip the Basket, because if you yelled that, everyone had to get up and change places. The manga is called that because the main character remembers playing the game when she was little and the other kids told her she was onigiri (rice ball) which isn't a fruit and so was never called so she didn't really get to play.  It made her feel like she was an outsider, and part of the manga storyline is her becoming friends with a whole family of outsiders.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on January 19, 2011, 07:48:30 PM
I don't know of any other fantasy or science fiction review sites that are close to Elitist Book Reviews. I stopped reading fantasy books for years (other than Robert Jordan) in large part because I could not tell from the blurb in the book if it would be any good. The blurbs all read the same. The best part of your reviews is because if you like a book, I can often tell from the reasons that you like it that probably would not like it. If you don't like a book, I can tell from your reasons for not liking it that I might like it.

To me that is the sign of a good book review site. I hope its ok to make one suggestion. Since you review so many books, I think you could use another category.

books we like that are pretty good
books that are great which you think are the best books.

There is a big difference between finishing a book and thinking it was pretty good and finishing a book with the feeling wow, this was terrific.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on January 19, 2011, 09:39:36 PM
books we like that are pretty good
books that are great which you think are the best books.

We've been getting this kind of thing ready.  We are hammering out where the line is.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtbikemom on January 20, 2011, 01:28:38 AM
Fruits Basket is the name of a game where a bunch of kids sit in a circle and each choose a different fruit to be. Someone stands in the center of the circle and yells out a bunch of fruit names. The kids who are those fruit have to get up out of their places and run to a different sitting place while the person in the middle steals one of the sitting places making someone else the person in the middle.  When I was little, we called the game Tip the Basket, because if you yelled that, everyone had to get up and change places. The manga is called that because the main character remembers playing the game when she was little and the other kids told her she was onigiri (rice ball) which isn't a fruit and so was never called so she didn't really get to play.  It made her feel like she was an outsider, and part of the manga storyline is her becoming friends with a whole family of outsiders.

The 14-yr old says, "Ohhhh. . . now I get it."   
I say, (yawn) "Thanks!"
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on January 20, 2011, 05:39:14 PM
If I have induced a yawn, then my job here is done.

I'm reading House of Chains and loving it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on January 21, 2011, 05:40:38 AM
Thank you, thank you Elitist crew for the heads-up on Daniel Abraham.  Book four of The Long Price Quartet is waiting for me at the library and I can hardly wait.

Don't know if you've already realized this or not, but Abraham also writes urban fantasy under the name MLN Hanover.  I've really liked the series so far (three books).  So, if you ever swing urban, it'd probably be worth a look.

Also,

Can anyone explain to me what Fruits (sic) Basket means?

I must have been reading too much Abercrombie lately, because I so totally didn't think "kids game" when I read this one...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on January 21, 2011, 06:04:10 PM
I'm reading House of Chains and loving it.

I loved that novel.  Once you finish book 6 you should read the first 2 Esslemont novels.  You should also read the collection of three novellas that Erikson wrote about the necromancers.  Pure comic gold.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on January 21, 2011, 07:24:30 PM
I loved that novel.  Once you finish book 6 you should read the first 2 Esslemont novels.  You should also read the collection of three novellas that Erikson wrote about the necromancers.  Pure comic gold.

I have them all in my to-read pile.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on January 22, 2011, 10:52:43 PM
Crimson Wind by Diana Pharaoh Francis and Kissing the Wtitch and Other Tales by Emma Donoghue.

Also a bunch of things for various classes which are decidedly less interesting. ::)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on January 25, 2011, 07:45:06 AM
Hawkwood's Voyage by Paul Kearney -- Bout 60% of the way through the book and it's finally started talking about the voyage.  Yippe gee willikers.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on January 29, 2011, 08:17:04 PM
The majority of the books I've been waiting for are being released right after I ship out for basic :( I'll have to wait two months after everyone else. On the plus side though, The crippled god is released two weeks after I get out :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on January 31, 2011, 05:32:51 PM
I'm reading THE HEROES by Abercrombie.  Next will be THE CRIPPLED GOD by Erikson.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on January 31, 2011, 07:22:37 PM
I'm reading Celia Garth by Gwen Bristow. It uses the word 'sassy' more than any other book I have ever read.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on January 31, 2011, 10:40:55 PM
I'm going to tell you all what WriterDan is reading.  Preempting his gloating, so to speak:

"I'm currently reading Abraham's THE DRAGON'S PATH,"  Dan said.  He rubbed his hands together in a vague similitude of Scrooge counting his money.  "That's right, folks!  The new Abraham!  Aside from Parker, Abraham is my fav author. MUAHAHAHA!!"

And there you have it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on February 01, 2011, 04:53:19 PM
Apparently Daniel Abraham has a new book coming out that he co-authored with George RR Martin's assistant. If you look in GRRMs blog there is a link to a video interview with the two. Might be tricky to find, I think they are using a pen name instead of their names for the author.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on February 01, 2011, 05:56:34 PM
Apparently Daniel Abraham has a new book coming out that he co-authored with George RR Martin's assistant. If you look in GRRMs blog there is a link to a video interview with the two. Might be tricky to find, I think they are using a pen name instead of their names for the author.

Yeah, it's called LEVIATHAN WAKES.  WriterDan is also reading an ARC of that of that one (though hopefully not right at this moment since it doesn't come out for months yet).
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on February 01, 2011, 06:13:06 PM
Is writerdan allowed to comment on the book before it comes out?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on February 01, 2011, 09:37:39 PM
I finished The Collected Short Fiction of C.J. Cherryh. I liked a small percentage of it very much, but most of it really didn't move me. I did notice a trend of a page or two or three at the beginning of many stories that was really slow, that I found myself skimming in order to get to a character.

My opinion of Cherryh as a storyteller has gone down in the last decade. Sometimes her writing style is just too opaque. Back in high school the only thing I found so was the Rusalka series, but some of the things I reread over the last few years have also flowed less well than I remembered.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on February 01, 2011, 11:54:56 PM
I'm going to tell you all what WriterDan is reading.  Preempting his gloating, so to speak:

Curses!!!  Taking my glory like that!  I'm so...well...so...I guess I have done that to you before, so scratch that one up to experience.  Don't take Steve's glory.  Check.

Still, spot on for what I wanted to say.   8)  It's really good so far.  Loving it.

Apparently Daniel Abraham has a new book coming out that he co-authored with George RR Martin's assistant.

I've seen the videos that were posted and they made me so stoked to get to that one, but as Steve intimated, I have a grundle of books that I have to get to before it, so the next two months or so are going to be literally killing me while I whittle the stack in anticipation of Leviathan Wakes.  From what I've heard, the series is five books though.  Not three.  Though the first three already do have titles.  As soon as I do get to read this one though, there'll be a review up on EBR.  Get ready for it, peoples.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: haperez on February 03, 2011, 03:31:53 AM
Hello everyone I am about to finish warbreaker and i was wondering if someone has any recommendation... i read the house of night series las december and now i am waiting for the new one but it comes out until november  :-\

Anyway I am looking for something good... I have been thinking on reading the Chronicles of Elantra
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on February 03, 2011, 05:22:55 PM
Hello everyone I am about to finish warbreaker and i was wondering if someone has any recommendation... i read the house of night series las december and now i am waiting for the new one but it comes out until november  :-\

Anyway I am looking for something good... I have been thinking on reading the Chronicles of Elantra

Hop on over to Elitist Book Reviews.  We've reviewed a ridiculous number of books over the past year, and can find something for pretty much everyone.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on February 03, 2011, 06:19:49 PM
Anyway I am looking for something good... I have been thinking on reading the Chronicles of Elantra

I really like the Elantra books and would definitely recommend them.

Right now I'm reading Among Others by Jo Walton. It's a very different read, and I like it a lot so far.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on February 03, 2011, 06:58:18 PM
Hello everyone I am about to finish warbreaker and i was wondering if someone has any recommendation... i read the house of night series las december and now i am waiting for the new one but it comes out until november  :-\

Anyway I am looking for something good... I have been thinking on reading the Chronicles of Elantra

Hop on over to Elitist Book Reviews.  We've reviewed a ridiculous number of books over the past year, and can find something for pretty much everyone.

I like the diversity in your top list from 2010. Surprised to see Shades of Milk and Honey there. I have not read this, but that struck me as a chick book. Then I noticed that Dan Wells liked it. If a serial killer author can like it, I might try it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on February 03, 2011, 07:48:27 PM
Anyway I am looking for something good... I have been thinking on reading the Chronicles of Elantra

I really like the Elantra books and would definitely recommend them.

Right now I'm reading Among Others by Jo Walton. It's a very different read, and I like it a lot so far.

EBR was sent a copy of that as well--looked interesting.  I was gonna read it, but then I remembered I had new Erikson, Esslemont, Matheson, Correia and Barclay to read...I wish it had actually been a tough decision, but it wasn't.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on February 04, 2011, 06:02:27 PM
Anyway I am looking for something good... I have been thinking on reading the Chronicles of Elantra

I really like the Elantra books and would definitely recommend them.

Right now I'm reading Among Others by Jo Walton. It's a very different read, and I like it a lot so far.

EBR was sent a copy of that as well--looked interesting.  I was gonna read it, but then I remembered I had new Erikson, Esslemont, Matheson, Correia and Barclay to read...I wish it had actually been a tough decision, but it wasn't.

It's very . . . contemplative. I'm not really sure how to describe it. It essentially starts after the girl has saved the world and having to deal with "what happens now?" I don't think it's a book for everyone, and I know that if I had read this as a teenager, I wouldn't have liked it at all, but right now I find it fascinating.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on February 07, 2011, 07:38:16 PM
THE HEROES was awesome.  My package containing THE CRIPPLED GOD was delayed due to weather, so I'm reading FARLANDER instead.

I also read Larry Correia's upcoming DEAD SIX.  Co-authored with Mike Kupari.  Alternate present military thriller.  It was quite awesome.  It reminded me of Tom Clancy minus the boring crap.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on February 08, 2011, 04:27:05 PM
I recently finished:

Wolfsbane by Patricia Briggs, follow up to her Masques. Not particularly good. She should stick to urban fantasy.

Elizabeth Bear's All the Windracked Stars in preparation for reviewing the sequel. Strange and oddly compelling. My Jury's still out on that one.

Reading now:

The Soul Mirror by Carol Berg at the request of an EBR reader.

By the Mountain Bound, Bear's prequel to Windracked Stars.

The Mighnight Mayor by Kate Griffen, which has an unusual style, but I'm enjoying so far.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on February 08, 2011, 05:56:26 PM
I just finished Neuropath by Scott Bakker. I'm confused (some of the climax stuff just didn't make sense) and feel like I wasted my time. No real payoff, and depressing. Blah.

That was the first off the stack of books from World Fantasy. Now I can get rid of it so my bookshelf is less crowded. But I can't decide if I should donate it to the library or just tear out the pages and recycle them.

The writing was certainly good, but that's not what I read a book for.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on February 08, 2011, 07:31:44 PM
But I can't decide if I should donate it to the library or just tear out the pages and recycle them.

I vote for ripping the pages out and then burning them.  Put the ashes in your garden, and then he'll have at least contributed something to your life.  That book was horrible.  And I even bought it.  Ugh.  I have really enjoyed the Prince of Nothing books, but I'm not going to be reading any more of Bakker's stuff that lands outside the fantasy realm without some fairly hefty persuasion.

Finished The Dragon's Path by Abraham.  Really, really good.  Loved that book and can't wait for the rest.  Review up soon at EBR.

Started Esperanza by Trish MacGregor today.  The prologue didn't inspire much confidence, and after reading Abraham, whose prose is tight and efficient, wading through the morass of this one might end up being more of a chore than I'd anticipated.  Ah well.  More fodder for the cannons.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on February 08, 2011, 11:47:57 PM
But I can't decide if I should donate it to the library or just tear out the pages and recycle them.

I vote for ripping the pages out and then burning them.  Put the ashes in your garden, and then he'll have at least contributed something to your life.  That book was horrible.  And I even bought it.  Ugh.  I have really enjoyed the Prince of Nothing books, but I'm not going to be reading any more of Bakker's stuff that lands outside the fantasy realm without some fairly hefty persuasion.

Finished The Dragon's Path by Abraham.  Really, really good.  Loved that book and can't wait for the rest.  Review up soon at EBR.

Started Esperanza by Trish MacGregor today.  The prologue didn't inspire much confidence, and after reading Abraham, whose prose is tight and efficient, wading through the morass of this one might end up being more of a chore than I'd anticipated.  Ah well.  More fodder for the cannons.

@Peter - Just toss it to the library.  I'm a big Bakker fan and I though that book was terribad.  It had some interesting nuggets that people could debate, but as a thriller it failed miserably.  The pacing was balls, the story predictable, and the content was there for shock-value in an attempt to hide the absurdity of it all.

@Dan - I'm glad you liked it.  I assumed you would, but you never know (as evidenced by our comments about Neuropath).  Though your review for it won't get put up on EBR for a couple of months.  You tease.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtbikemom on February 09, 2011, 01:24:21 AM
Just finished a re-read of The Spirit Lens so I could enjoy Carol Berg's Soul Mirror.  She's so good and the pacing was better than Spirit Lens.  Solid, exciting ending with shades of Bronte to pique anticipation for the last installment.

Before that, I re-read The Name of the Wind in anticipation for the long-awaited sequel.  It will be so disappointing if it does not live up to so many ridiculously high expectations, but that's what happens when someone like Rothfuss is brilliant from the start.  It's his own darn fault.

Heading into more Miles Vorkosigan stuff while awaiting Daniel Abraham and others.  The Habitation of the Blessed by Catherynne M. Valente is on my read-soon list.  That sounds yummy.

Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on February 10, 2011, 07:31:57 AM
@Dan -  Though your review for it won't get put up on EBR for a couple of months.  You tease.

Eight weeks!  That's hardly any time at all.  Especially now that I only have twelve to finish my entire dissertation.   :o
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on February 10, 2011, 04:45:29 PM
@Dan -  Though your review for it won't get put up on EBR for a couple of months.  You tease.

Eight weeks!  That's hardly any time at all.  Especially now that I only have twelve to finish my entire dissertation.   :o

You're a writer.  What's a dissertation when compared to a 150K word novel?  Shouldn't be any trouble.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on February 10, 2011, 10:02:55 PM
You're a writer.  What's a dissertation when compared to a 150K word novel?  Shouldn't be any trouble.

The writing will be cake, agreed.  It's the computer stuff I'm worried about.  Nothing I can really do about how long that stuff takes.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on February 11, 2011, 01:55:23 PM
If this is a PhD dissertation, it can be rough, since he has to get a panel of professors to go along with it.

What is your dissertation on? 
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on February 11, 2011, 10:46:07 PM
Twinkies for you.   8)

Solid rocket propellant ignition.  I do computer simulation and construction of both steady and non-steady-state models.

Most everyone on my committee is on-board right now.  Well, except for my original adviser.  We have...um...shall we call them, differences of professional opinion.

And since this is a What are you Reading board...

I listened to Hurt Me, by MLN Hanover (Daniel Abraham) on PodCastle yesterday.  Really liked it, right up until the end where we find out that there's been information withheld from us.  Grumble grumble.  Apparently, this was the point of writing the story in the first place though, as evidenced by comments on his blog.  Can the flow of information be handled such that surprises about something the POV character knows aren't presented until the end of the story.  In my unprofessional opinion, the answer is no.  Although, in this case he's done it better than about 95% of all the others I've read who've tried to do it.  And beside the fact, it's still a pretty freaky-good yarn.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on February 14, 2011, 05:41:55 AM
I started reading White Cat by Holly Black last night at 8 something, and did not want to go to sleep. But I did anyway, and finished it in the morning. I really liked it. But there's this one twist in the climax where I laughed out loud and thought, "Oh, that's awesome"...and then later realized it wasn't awesome, it was a plot hole. I went back and checked and as far as I can tell, yeah, it's a plot hole. Has anyone read it who can discuss it with me? Maybe I'm still missing something.

The book also has a gut-punch denouement that was perfect. Horrible but perfect. Of course, I expect it to get cleared up in a later book in the series (trilogy, I guess?).

Also there are believability issues with the world that are easier to accept in a YA book like this than in adult fiction. Basically, it's an alternate history where a certain type of magic has been around for centuries, but most things in history have still gone exactly the same way. Doesn't make sense, but it's a worldbuilding issue present from the very beginning so it's easy to just accept and move on. But that plot hole in the climax does not fit that category.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: dhalagirl on February 15, 2011, 06:32:24 AM
I just finished reading Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning.  Fantastic!  A bit contrived at the end, but still a fantastic end to the series.  A few (ahem :-*) scenes made my toes curl, and that does not happen very often!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on February 15, 2011, 06:38:30 PM
I'm on to Consider Phlebas by Iain Banks.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on February 15, 2011, 08:19:35 PM
So.  The Crippled God.  Wow.

Also read Farlander.  Mixed bag.

Going to start on the new Matheson, Other Kingdoms and also read Wolfe's The Sorcerer's House (since I imagine it will be on people's Hugo Ballots).
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on February 15, 2011, 09:49:42 PM
Hawkmoon:  The Runestaff.  Classic stuff.

Also going to start the final Alcatraz from Sanderson tonight with my wife.  At a glance, I wondering what the freak is up with the chapter titles, but I guess I'll figure that out.

And going to finally get to I Don't Want to Kill You next.  So excited for that.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Miyabi on February 16, 2011, 04:33:28 AM

I've started The Osirus Ritual by Mann a few times the last couple weeks, just keep getting distracted. lol.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on February 20, 2011, 05:30:47 AM
I Don't Want to Kill You rocks.  Went to LTUE today.  Listened to Dan talk.  He said he wanted to make people cry with this one.  Mission accomplished.  Just wow.  Amazing ending.

About 1/4 of the way through Buntline Special by Mike Resnick right now.  If you like books that are driven by dialogue, you'll probably like this one.  It's like 80-90% dialogue with very few tags.  Kinda crazy, actually.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on February 22, 2011, 06:28:17 PM
I read The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima, and I think I was just too old this week to get into it. Sigh. Now I'm going to read some Agatha Christie.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on February 23, 2011, 06:07:44 PM
Started Strange Affair of Spring-Heeled Jack this morning.  The cover is super-mega-tastic-awesome.  Story so far is pretty mediocre and switches POV mid-stream pretty often  Very well-written though.  Guy can write.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on March 03, 2011, 04:50:59 PM
Right now I'm reading Among Others by Jo Walton. It's a very different read, and I like it a lot so far.
I just finished this one yesterday. I liked it, and found it kind of nostalgic because of all the SF she reads as a kid. But the magic and saving the world aftermath part is good, too. It just kind of ends, though. But I think that's why she uses the diary format, because it's just a slice/stage of Mor's life. Do you think that makes it excusable Sigyn or just lazy?

Also just finished A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. Urban Fantasy vampire romance (that pretty much says it all). She showed up at the New York Comicon on a fantasy author panel  (http://www.petervbrett.com/2010/10/11/nycc-fantasy-author-panel/) with Sanderson, Butcher, Abercrombie, Novik, and Brett so I was curious about her. Turns out she was probably thrown onto that panel for publicity's sake and not necessarily because those authors' readers will want to read a vampire romance book.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on March 03, 2011, 05:43:20 PM
Everyone on that panel was there for publicity's sake. It was wholly put together by publicists from various publishing companies.

I'm reading Wise Man's Fear and loving it. Unfortunately, I have to sleep sometime. Sigh.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on March 03, 2011, 06:42:11 PM
It just kind of ends, though. But I think that's why she uses the diary format, because it's just a slice/stage of Mor's life. Do you think that makes it excusable Sigyn or just lazy?

I've thought a lot about this book because there were a lot of things I liked about it and things I didn't. I don't think Walton was being lazy in using the diary format or that the story was just a bunch of ends. It isn't a question of excuse.  In my mind, this book is a story about what happens after someone saves the world and has to deal with going on with life. It's thoughtful that way and so completely character driven. It reminds me of some literary fiction I've read. I think the author specifically wanted it to be a bunch of ends seen through Mor's eyes. The plot is negligible on purpose.  I could be wrong, but it felt like Walton was trying to do some very specific things with this book, and she did them, though they did not necessarily always work as an enjoyable read. I've read Walton's blog on Tor.com and that might be coloring my view as well.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Dragon Shard on March 08, 2011, 04:11:06 PM
Im reading Unseen Academials by Terry Pratchet. Im 3/4 into the book and its more then up to his usual standards. :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on March 08, 2011, 10:25:12 PM
I'm reading the Unincorporated Man by the Kollin brothers. Parts of it are interesting. The anti-virtual-reality segment was pretty good, if heavy-handed.

The book has terrible POV issues though. It just goes all over the place. It feels like a third-person-omniscient book that was partially edited into a third-person-limited book. There are often scene breaks inserted when the POV changes within the same scene, but then a section will have a POV change or two within it without any scene break, even from one paragraph to the next. Even if they kept it omniscient, though, that POV always bugs me and strikes me as amateurish. Well, this IS their first novel.

Its technological view of the future is straight out of the 50s, but with nanotech grafted on. There's the obligatory "Look how enormous New York City is now!" scene from that era of writing. And it's a very Western-centric future, with the convenient excuse that India and China nuked each other out of existence. Or rather, it says India and Pakistan nuked each other out of existence, which I totally understand, but then it just throws China into it too. Why? No idea.

Oh, and there's a note in the acknowledgments page thanking the alpha readers for pointing out how terrible the first draft of the sex scene was. Well, the version that made it into the book is still pretty terrible, if blessedly short.

Still, I'm interested to see how the story plays out. There is a fairly competent antagonist who has a legitimate reason to fear the protagonist's affect on his society. And I'm still fascinated by the basic premise of personal incorportation, selling shares in yourself.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on March 09, 2011, 05:40:15 AM
Well, I finished the above book, and doggone it if they didn't manage to pull it off. The writing didn't improve or anything like that, but the plot is extremely satisfying. There were a couple major reversals at the end (though they were well enough telegraphed). Now I'd like to read the sequel.

...though reading Amazon reviews, I probably won't unless a third book is good again.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fireflyz on March 10, 2011, 12:58:16 PM
I just finished Steven Erikson's first book in the Malazan series.  I liked it, but I felt like the book was almost completely plot driven with very little character development.  Even when characters did undergo development, it seemed like it was driven by the plot.  The descriptions weren't as much as I would have liked either.  But that's just me, I like a lot of description.  Having said that, the last hundred pages or so was exciting with twists and turns that made it nearly impossible for me to guess the ending.  And that was fun.  I've heard that the first book wasn't his best, but I'm not sure if I want to get sucked into such a large series unless it's going to get better.  Anyone read his series and have feedback?


I also reread Susan Cooper's the Dark is Rising Series.  I had read them years and years ago while in middle school and loved them.  Originally, the cover to the Grey King (the dog with silver eyes) is what drew me in.  Which just goes to show that sometimes a good cover is worth a thousand words.  Anyway, the series is five books long.  I was dissapointed that it didn't hold up to the test of aging.  I think it's hard for an author to write a middle grade/early YA novel that is going to be able to be read again and again as their readers age.  It was a good little story, but it was completely plot-driven.  The writing was good, if simple.


I also just finished up a biography of George Washington by Ron Chernow.  It was well written and intriguing.  It's very interesting to see sides of Washington glossed over in the history books.  THe man was a social climbing aristocrat whose resentment of Great Britain stemmed from their army not allowing colonials to hold permanent commissions in the army.  Having said that, it was fascinating to see his evolution into the egalitarian President we know today.  My only complaint is that the author could have used a better editor.  There are certain areas of the book that are repeated (sometimes with the same quotations/source citations) several times.  For example, apparently Washington was obsessed with scientific developments in agriculture and tried to apply those to his own estates.  While interesting, after the fourth time it crops up in the book it starts to get old.  Chernow obviously favors Washington, but I didn't find his bias too be over the top.  He takes him to task on his failures even if his vehement in his defense in other places.


I have a few more novels to put up, but I'll save it for tonight.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: hubay on March 10, 2011, 06:41:34 PM
Ah, I loved the Dark is Rising! I think Cooper's standalone The Bogart ages better though.

I just finished Dan Simmon's Hyperion, and I'm starting on The Fall of Hyperion, now. Really, really good book – thanks, writing excuses – and I liked how the different backstories give you very different impressions of the world, and who the bad guys might be. Excited for book2.

Has anyone read the two Endymion books? I'm wondering if I should pick those up after I'm done with this one.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on March 11, 2011, 11:17:19 PM
@fireflyz:  Steve'll probably be around here sometime soon to tell you about this, but...

http://elitistbookreviews.blogspot.com/2009/08/gardens-of-moon_9674.html

Finished Blue&Gold by KJ Parker.  Good stuff, but not my favorite of hers.  Look up Purple&Black.  Much better.

Reading Wolfsangel by M. D. Lachlan.  Would be a million times better if he didn't jump POVs all the time.  Still pretty good though.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fireflyz on March 12, 2011, 12:26:20 AM
Thanks for the link!  I had heard his learning curve was steep, and it was, but I didn't think it was too terrible.  I also heard that he started in the middle of the story and made no bones about it.  I was fine with that, but I still think his characters weren't well developed.  Having said that, the ending was sufficiently entertaining and the prose was well done.  Based on that and the link I'll pick up the second book.  We'll see how that goes, I'm looking forward to it.

I just finished two books today.

The first is 9 years among the Apache.  It's an account from a boy who was kidnapped by the Apaches in 1870 at age 11.  He lived with them and the Comanches as an Indian for 9 years.  He stole horses, killed white men, indians, and mexicans, and rode over most of the southwest.  Finally, Quannah Parker convinced him to go to the reservations and then they found his family and he was reunited.  He eventually became "civilized" again.  He lived until the 1930's and Congress made an exception so that he could stay on the reservation as a Comanche.   Very intriguing read, I have read a lot of the West, but was still unprepared for some of the savagery in the book.

The second was Freakonomics.  I saw the documentary and wanted to pick up the book.  Very interesting read.  The authors tackle some controversial subjects (abortion and it's effects on crime) but only from the relationships of numbers and the data, not from any moral aspect.  Other interesting portions deal with parenting, sumo wrestling, and real estate agents.  I've always liked economics (in theory, in practice I'm not a huge fan of regression analysis) and this book was a fun read.

Next up is the 2nd  Erikson novel.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtbikemom on March 15, 2011, 12:06:44 AM
Just finished Alan Campbell's Scar Night and, while I almost put it away several times, I finished it mostly out of curiosity.  Not so much for plot resolution or character arc satisfaction, but to see how far into depravity this author was willing to go while still spinning a fascinating if credence-stretching tale.  If there had been overt sexual content mixed in with the unceasing violence, that would have done it for me.

 I found it fascinating, though, how much the destructive, bloody themes of "Grand Theft Auto" were mirrored in this story. The author is one of that game's developers.   Kind of a social excursion into a genre I have learned to avoid.  I should have known better, but I'm actually glad I finished it.

Having said that, and with my obvious distaste for the horror genre and its cheapening of human life and suffering, there was a lot to like in this generally distasteful book.  The uncluttered prose and ghastly metaphors combined for an unsettling balance.  The pace is rollicking, as advertised, but the content is not really emotionally satisfying, so the good pacing was mostly wasted on me.  I am a demanding reader when it comes to believable interpersonal relationships.  The motivations of the main characters didn't always ring true or stay consistent, but the like-able ones were very like-able. Not original, but intriguing nonetheless.  Toward the last third of the book, I groaned each time the only half of the story that still interested me shifted to the cheerless other half.  I almost skipped the above-ground battle scenes, especially since I was not fully invested in the story as a whole, but persevered.  Again, it was just intriguing enough as a glimpse into a twisted perception of his world and for sometimes surprisingly good writing to keep me going.

The ending, and most of the intense action scenes, went bad-Matrix, but with a delicious cliffhanger ultimately.  Almost good enough for book 2, but only if I get really desperate for a good read.  Yes, I admit, this was a good read.  In the meantime, I will cleanse my literary palate with Bujold and Rothfuss and maybe another sweet, older McKillip because I have had enough blood and guts for the present, thank you very much.

Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on March 15, 2011, 05:23:50 PM
I'm reading Dark Mirror by M. J. Putney, and there's a certain clunkiness to the the storytelling and characterization that's making it a difficult read. I'm still not certain whether I'm going to put in the effort to finish it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on March 15, 2011, 05:32:25 PM
Just finished The Accidental Billionaires by Ben Mezrich . This the book The Social Network was based on. Zuckerberg is portrayed as alot less of a jerk than he is in the movies. I don't feel sorry for the guys from Harvard who sued him. They did not offer to pay him and wanted him to do all the real work for their website which they would then own. There is absolutely no way they knew enough about development to bring Facebook to where it is now. They did not know how to code at all. There is a tremendous amount of technical talent behind that site. Business guys who don't know how to code don't get that. They basically wanted someone else to do the real work for them. Ideas are cheap, it is The Execution of the Idea that matters. As expected the book glosses over the technical aspects of what they were doing when this started and focuses on the partying. No way there was that much partying. They were coding 70-80 hours/week. This is probably not interesting to readers and the author doesn't have the knowledge to really understand just how much work is involved in this kind of thing. For the record, I don't use social networking sites.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on March 15, 2011, 06:49:48 PM
Last night I finished Act of Will by A.J. Hartley. Very disappointing. I knew nothing about the book when I picked it up, but the first 20 pages were great.

There's this conceit that it's translated from an old manuscript in an unknown language using an 18th-century partial translation as a key. And then the narrative voice (it's in first person) is fantastic. The narrator is an 18-year-old Globe-Theater-type actor named Will who starts the novel in a dress and then gets accused by the local Empire of sedition when they barge in saying they're going to burn down the theater. It's a great beginning.

But then after that it's just boring. It's a standard sword & sorcery world (with only European-like humans) with not very much sorcery. The magic is used by the protagonists maybe 5 times in the book and is very ill-defined. The villains also use a kind of magic but all it does is teleport soldiers around. Pretty lame.

The characters are pretty boring too. Will falls in with a group of people who call themselves adventurers. When I read that I figured the book was in trouble. It's like the author played D&D and then wrote a book. Very boring. When it took them 40 pages or whatever to travel across a desert with nothing happening, I was convinced the book was in trouble.

The only reason I finished the story was because of the voice. But even that got a bit tiring after a while. For example, there was this scene where Will becomes a snake-oil salesman in order to get some money...and there was no fallout from that at all. The adventurers patted him on the back and said good job, and none of the people he bilked seemed to get upset. Huh? It was an amusing scene to read, but I couldn't suspend my disbelief.

The end was also lame. They defeated the bad guys, and not in a clever way. Also, there was a balk that Howard would be annoyed at.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fireflyz on March 16, 2011, 12:32:17 AM
Finished 2nd Erikson novel.  It was better than the first.  The breadth of the world really started coming through in this novel and it is massive.  That's really good.  The Seventh's long retreat was also very well done.  I enjoyed Fiddler and Kalam and gang.  I didn't like the girl's POV.  I'm sure we weren't supposed to like her.  She was put in a horrible situation and reacted horribly to it.  That's probably what 9 out of 10 people would do.  I just didn't enjoy reading about it.  Also, her thoughts seemed disjointed at times and then bam! she decides to become a goddess and suddenly it's all different.  I felt that part was very poorly executed.  I could have done without her story line at all and I think the book would have been much better for it.  I'm sure that in the future her plotline will become more meaningful and was neccessary, but I didn't feel that Erikson pulled it off. 

So, two books in.  Will I continue?  I think I will.  Erikson has some moments of genius.  There are some good characters (when he chooses to develop them).  They aren't wholly good or evil and I like that.  I like grey.  Sometimes it's nice to read some black and white, but I think of all the genre types, fantasy tends to go overboard with that.

The bad parts are that at times Erikson's setting falls to the way side.  Whenever the action or dialogue picks up the setting is lacking.  The character development was better this time, but only for certain characters.  Others it was very similar to the first book and that was a dissapointment.  The magic is very interesting, but in parts I again feel, that it was poorly executed.  I feel that thus far, two books in, Erikson is similar to Brent Weeks.  He's superior in his world, story, and prose, but they both tend to have heavily plot driven novels in an interesting world that's never fully described.  I feel that Erikson could do with a good editor.

I'm also cognizant of the fact that this is his second novel and the man puts them out at a very quick rate.  I'll read on because so far the plot (and some of the characters) have me intrigued.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on March 16, 2011, 04:39:20 PM
@fireflyz:  Actually took me three attempts to get through Deadhouse Gates because I was really turned off by the girl's story.  Third book was mega-awesome though.  I totally envy you your first read through THAT book.  :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Miyabi on March 16, 2011, 04:51:27 PM

On my trip to New York I picked up a random Graphic Audio books.  It ended up being the third book in the Night Angel Trilogy.  I LOVED it.  So I started just a day or two ago on the first book.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Renoard on March 17, 2011, 01:59:56 AM
Just reread Dragonsdawn by Mc Caffery. Was nice.

Just finished The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/108424.Patrick_Rothfuss).

(http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1297311431m/1215032.jpg) (http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1215032.The_Wise_Man_s_Fear)

Rothfuss is incredible. He is a rare good author in a period dedicated to shlock, yet seemingly genuinely self deprecating and humble about his work. "A Wise Man's Fear" is a sophomore novel and you might expect certain predictably disappointing shortfalls in such. From the terse yet poignantly humorous dedications to the bookend afterward, you should be pleasingly surprised. The secondary story, told in intercallary vignettes is easily as compelling as the greater epic told in Kwothe's colorful narratives.

Rothfuss apologizes for the time taken to write this second volume in what promises to be as rich and grand as Jordan and as literary as Steinbeck. But he needn't have. The time taken shows in the quality of the writing and the obvious measures taken to overcome the Sophomore Slump. One can only hope that Rothfuss has produced a "schema" such that others may follow his example. In writing he has proven to be as painstakingly efficient and creative as any Artificer in the "Fishery". "The Wise Man's Fear is a solid continuation of "The Name of the
Wind."

My only real complaint was, where the name of the wind was very nearly a character in the book of that name, a wise man's fear is part of a thread that is nearly tangential, and only mentioned once. Though I suspect a good deal of the unresolved bits in this book relate to it and are really foreshadowing, he doesn't connect them to the fear in any direct way. That doesn't detract from the substance of the book in any way, but it stood out as an oversight because of the precision with which "A Wise Man's Fear" is constructed.

It's a good read, go ye forth and act accordingly.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on March 17, 2011, 06:28:38 AM
I just finished The Candidates by Inara Scott. A fun young YA magic academy book where most of the students don't know it's a magic academy. Not groundbreaking, but well written. I'd like to read the next one.

It reminds me of a certain book that Sigyn has written, except it's more traditional. But it takes place in the Pacific Northwest and the main character girl's name ends in "cia." ;)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on March 17, 2011, 03:06:19 PM
sorry about the double post on the same book. My conputer locked up when I posted the first time. Then I got busy and did not have time to re-write it for a while. You can go ahead and delete on of them.

Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on March 17, 2011, 06:56:57 PM
The "cia"s are everywhere. I gave up on Dark Mirror and now I'm trying A Million Open Doors by John Barnes.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on March 18, 2011, 07:08:43 PM
Ending of Wolfsangel was horrendous.

Reading The Dragon's Path by Daniel Abraham again.  :)  Ah, goodness.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fireflyz on March 19, 2011, 01:15:43 PM
Just finished Memories of Ice, Book 3 by Steven Erikson.  Wow is the first word that comes to mind.  I said before the world is massive, but this one really started to show just how much of an understatement that is (and there were hints at how much larger the world is so I'm guessing I'm not done yet).  This time the novel switches back to the Bridgeburners, or what's left of them.  I loved the cycle of Gods and how they are being forced to come together.  I loved the politics.  I really loved some of the social commentary made by Erikson.  It was nice to see the Malazan Empire through the eyes of others and realize that in many respects, here is an Empire very similar to the Roman Empire, minus the lack of morality.  The explanations of their army structure and their layers within layers that the reader is only now beginning to see is breathtaking.

Description was a lot better than the previous two books (though still lacking in parts).  Characterization was much more developed as well.  I feel that by this book Erikson no longer feels like a beginning novelist still finding his feet.  That's refreshing because the series feels like it's about to take off and I'm ready to try to keep up.

Once again, there was one plotline that seemed to me to be completely unneccessary.  The Mhybe (sp?) was hard to read and generally boring.  I understand the reason for her line (mainly to show us that Silverfox had good intentions), but I feel that this could have been shown without having to read pages and pages of endless whining. 

I said it before and I'll say it again.  I feel that Erikson would benefit from a really good editor.  I wouldn't envy them the task, because to be hypervigilant through 900+ pages is not easy.  I think that they caught 90% of the book.  Whether this was Erikson on a rewrite or the agent or the editor, I don't know.  I do know that there were occassional parts that were either sloppy, plodding, unneccessary, or not as well executed.  For most authors this wouldn't stand out, but Erikson's prose/story was so well done on this one that I picked up on it.

The ending was one long boulder rushing down a mountainside that bounced off into space and plummetted, taking my heart with it.  I wasn't prepared for the level of emotion unleashed at the end of the book.  Erikson was masterful in that moment.  Readers beware, like Martin, he's not afraid to kill off beloved main characters.  I think the main difference is that, whereas Martin does it to be realistic/gritty, Erikson's characters generally die in ways to show the best parts of humanity.

To sum up, I'll be reading the rest of the series :-)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on March 20, 2011, 07:42:34 AM
Love to hear that, Fireflyz.  Absolutely LOVE to hear that.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: ork on March 21, 2011, 12:44:09 PM
am busy reading two at a time. 'the towers of midnight' and 'the wise man's fear', before that i was busy with malazan book one. too huge not forgetting complex but sticking to it cos i loved it. and i have read most of the reviews making it worth the time.though i have to finish these pressing two first.  ;D ;D
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on March 21, 2011, 05:31:46 PM
I'm reading One of Our Thursdays is Missing by Jasper Fforde. It's a hoot. I find it especially funny that in the BookWorld, the Thursday Next books are in fantasy, whereas in the real world, I've only seen them shelved in Mystery or General Fiction.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on March 22, 2011, 02:10:32 AM
@fireflyz - Erikson's series is my fav.  Just be aware that the first 5 novels are essentially just setup for the last 5 books.  After the awesomeness of books 2 and 3 (which run concurrently) some readers feel the next few books are a let-down.  I never did, cause I felt Erikson became a better writer each novel, and became exceptionally good at character.  I do however agree that the novels could have done with a very heavy edit.  However, that said, from what I understand his novels actually have little to no editing to insure that they were released on a yearly basis.  I consider them incredible as is, so another 6 months of edits and drafts, in my opinion, wouldn't have made them better enough to warrant the added delays.  That's my view though.  To each his own.  Glad you are liking it though.

I read some stuff on my vacation to England.  Company Man.  Vampire Empire Book 1.  I started A Matter of Blood by Sarah Pinborough (freaking LOVING it so far).  Had lunch with Tom Lloyd and James Barclay, and also with their editor Simon Spanton.  My appreciation and respect for all of them skyrocketed. 
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: hubay on March 22, 2011, 02:47:40 AM
@BGuy Does that mean we'll be reading an interview with any of them sometime soon? If so, I'm looking forward to it.

I took advantage of the Borders closing nearby to stock up on all sorts of fantasy paperbacks, including the entire First Law Trilogy. That was fun. I'm having trouble feeling too upset about the bankruptcy when it's gotten me so many cheap books.
I just finished Before They are Hanged. Really enjoyed some of the character progression; I felt a lot of the characters in Book 1 were pretty static – but to be honest abercrombie writes them well enough that I didn't mind. I'm putting off Last Argument until I've got my summer internship taken care of, though.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on March 22, 2011, 02:36:46 PM
@bookstoreguy: Why was it so urgent to get the books out every year? Was it for income? I like it better when authors spend more time on books. Now I know Brandon gets his out fast, but he has said that he is a workaholic and he has a stockpiling of writing from before he was published.

BTW, has erickson said anything about what is next? Is he going to write in the same world. I didn't really like the first book much. However, you have praised them so much, I'll probably keep going eventually. I can't put my finger on exactly why I didn't like it. Part of it was that the arch at the end was too fast. It felt off. It also didn't quite make alot of sense. I also did not find the characters all that compelling. But as you and others have said, it is book 3 that draws you in.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on March 22, 2011, 03:30:33 PM
Getting out a book a year helps maintain your fanbase and sales.  It also helps sell your series to new readers since they see your books coming out with regularity.  I for one am glad he chose his current method of getting novels out.  The Rothfuss/Martin/Lynch/Jordan (before his passing) way of doing things doesn't do it for me.  But that's just me.

I interviewed Erikson before I left for my vacation.  He talks very openly and and candidly about what he thinks of his own stuff, and talks about his next projects.  I'll publish it soon-ish.

@hubay - probably won't have another interview with them out for a while since we've had them over the past year.  When Tom's last book comes out next year will do another, and when we've caught up on all of James' stuff maybe.  These were more of social visits between friends.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fireflyz on March 23, 2011, 02:12:03 AM
@Bookstore Guy

I'm okay with the novels setting up the rest.  Haha, as a huge WOT fan I've had some experience with the middle novels bridging the gap of earlier novels and setting up future ones.  As long as the world is brilliantly realized and the characters are intriguing I don't need an incredibly active plot provided it's clearly going somewhere.  Clearly, Erikson's delivered on those points.

I get what you're saying about Martin and co. To be fair, I don't think those guys are putting out books at such a slow rate due to editing though.  I think it's mainly due to not writing as fast or as often.  I get your point.  I do love authors that are prolific.  I have a lot of respect for King, Sanderson, (and now) Erikson who put out large volumes of work on a consistent basis. 

I look forward to reading the interview.  I've been busy lately and haven't had a chance to research Erikson much.  So far it's just been through his novels.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fireflyz on March 26, 2011, 12:46:22 PM
Well, I finished books 4, 5, and 6.  In a week.  Which I think speaks well to Erikson's series.  And to the fact that the office was pretty much empty this week and I had a ton of free time on my hands.

Book 4 was good.  We follow a new (from his POV anyway) character for the first half of the book.  For anyone who wants to know how to make a character we hate turn into one we love, they should read this novel.  I started off disliking Karsa, but by the end I felt he had grown a lot.  The final showdown with Sha'ik was a little anticlimactic, but that's alright.

Book 5 was...interesting.  I didn't realize the entire book would be Trull Sengar's story.  I can see why it was neccessary, the Crippled God's push for power is vast and sweeping.  I finished book 5 and remember my head hurting.  Why?  Because Erikson's world is so vast and the cast of characters has grown so large that tracking them all made me feel like my brain was being forced to expand.  Haha, not a bad thing in and of itself.

Book 6 was a return to some of the plots from the earlier books.  It was refreshing after spending over a thousand pages away from them.  The ending was amazing (as his endings usually are).  It had me holding my breath, wondering what the fate of the 14th would be.  I can't truly believe that the Empress is this big of an idiot, but if she is I hope her death is slow.  She's earned it a hundred times over.

I love the social commentary that's made.  There's some original Marxian thoughts, comments on civilization, on the cyclical nature of history, etc.  Many of his thoughts mirror my own which might be why I like them so much, but he does it in a way that never comes across as preachy.  That was one of Goodkind's many problems.  Erikson introduces you to an idea from both perspectives and depending on who the POV is from we see what they think is the correct one.  There's no blugdeoning over the head though and for that I'm thankful.

My complaints are few and the usual.  Erikson's publishing speeds are incredible.  Especially because the prose is good, the ideas are good, the characters are good.  Rothfuss could take some lessons in building and maintaining tension from him (IMHO his second novel has little tension throughout).  For all of that, the man is in desperate need of editing.  Why?  Because the man's books are good with great plots.  They could be great.  They could eclipse everything in fantasy today (perhaps not Sanderson...it's too early to tell, but if Stormlight Archive series gets better than WOK then they would rival each other).  Even Jordan, and as a long time WOT fan I never thought I'd say that.  Unfortunately, I don't think they will attain those heights.  They are epic and breathtaking in scope.  Sometimes the writing is almost Shakespearean in nature.  Having said that, they are places where he overwhelms with exposition.  Places where he indulges in something that's an obvious interest of his but does little to further character or plot.  There are story arcs that take up dozens of chapters to deliver a small piece of the plot.  I feel that in a way, his success is a curse.  I'm sure the publishing companies are allowing him to do whatever he pleases.  But sometimes you do have to kill your darlings.  And sometimes there is too much of a good thing. 

I'm moving onto the next one and am really beginning to wonder.  Erikson's done a good job of convincing the reader that this world is doomed and the heroes are unlikely to save the day.  Let's hope we're wrong :-)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on March 28, 2011, 04:10:03 PM
Now that you are at this point in the series, you should read the first two Esslemont novels.  Night of Knives will take you just a couple of hours, and its a prequel to the Erikson stuff.  But the you get to read Return of the Crimson Guard which is awesome, and it picks up on the Empress storyline.  Then you can get back to the Erikson stuff.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on March 30, 2011, 09:48:21 PM
Reading Black Halo, by Sam Sykes.  Sequel to Tome of the Undergates.  Pretty good so far.  And he even has a storyline starting up that's not on "the boat".  Whadd'ya know.

Reading Candy Shop War by Brandon Mull to my kids as well.  Starting off slow and way too many big words for them, but it's coming along.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on March 31, 2011, 04:28:20 PM
Finishing off the King of Plagues right now--love it. 

Also finishing off Company Man by Robert Jackson Bennett--shockingly good.  The alternate history in it is fascinating, and though the pacing is very slow, I love the guy's writing.

I'm also half-way through A Matter of Blood by Sarah Pinborough.  Import  only at the moment, but it makes me think of R Scott Bakker had he actually done one of his thrillers right.

After that?
New Tchaikovsky
New Pevel
Barclay
New Pohl--All the Live He Led
New Valente
the latest Jasper Kent
More Larry Correia

I'm busy for a while.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: maxonennis on March 31, 2011, 06:24:11 PM
Just started Daniel Abraham's The Dragon's Path and Adrian Tchaikovsky's Empire in Black and Gold yesterday.

Counting The Fade by Chris Wooding, and The Way of Kings that makes four books in one year that strongly feature human offshoot species. Seems like a new-ish fad in epic fantasy.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fireflyz on April 02, 2011, 01:07:44 AM
Well I read Reaper's Gale and Toll the Hounds from Erikson this week.  I liked them both, but for different reasons. 

Reaper's Gale was very well told.  It included some of my favorite characters.  One thing that Erikson does very well, which I think is rare in fantasy, is capture the movements of armies over an entire campaign.  He does this without bogging down, or being boring.  I loved the story of the Marines in Reaper's Gale.  There was a lot of nail biting moments.  I liked that Erikson went out of his way to demonstrate that in many ways, the Malazans were much further advanced.  Their magic was different, their weapons and armor superior, and their technology was superior.  Still, there were a few times that he sliced through Gordion knots that didn't have to be cut in such an abrupt manner.  Mainly, I'm looking at Karsa's duel with the Emperor.  I thought it was more than a little anticlimatic.

Toll the Hounds was hard to get through.  It's strange, because I saved several quotations throughout this novel on my kindle.  I did so, because Erikson had some very profound thoughts on grief, faith, and several other things.  The further destruction of the Bridgeburners was heartbreaking.  Cutter's personal growth was nice to see.  The ending was very well done.  Very poignant.  Unfortunately, I found several portions in the middle that ran on and on, seemingly going nowhere.  Also, the beginning was hard to sink my teeth into because it felt like we jumped from one POV/plot line to another to another to another.  After a few hundred pages and you've only come back to a few plot lines twice, it gets old.  So this novel, while hard to get through, was well paid off in the end.

Finally, I read Dan Wells's latest in the series.  "I Don't Want to Kill You."  I found his first novel intriguing.  Almost like a teenage Dexter.  (Yes I know, the comparison's been made many times before).  I knew going in about the supernatural aspect (and yes, as Dan's addressed before, it's not set up well and kind of pulls the reader out of the book when it first occurs).  Still, I wanted to read the second one.  Mr. Monster was disturbing.  I've experienced a lot in my life.  Overseas, my experiences have been well outside the realm of the average person.  Even so, this novel was upsetting.  You see, Dan does a good job of making us think that there's more to John Cleaver.  Perhaps, he isn't a sociopath.  Perhaps there's hope.  Mr. Monster dashes those hopes away.  Even while we see John start dating and began to become more normal.  We know it can't last...and it doesn't.

Which brings me to his latest novel.  It's a fast read.  I found myself wondering where John was going to go in this novel.  Dan starts us off similarly to the first two.  There is a murder.  There's sufficient evidence to indicate it's a serial killer.  What I loved about this novel, is that it threw out the rule book.  John seemed more in control of his tendencies, but we got to see that he was indeed falliable.  What made this novel for me though, was the interaction between John and those around him.  I'm not quite convinced that a girl like Marci would exist in the real world.  It would take a hell of a personality for a girl to be the hottest girl in school and still have the confidence to go for an unpopular guy.  Not only to go for that unpopular guy, but to appreciate him for who and what he is.  And ultimately, that level of maturity is increasingly rare in our society.  I'm not convinced that Marci exists, but I hope she does.  And Dan clearly hopes so as well.  For once, John isn't alone.  Dan did a very good job here.  He made me forget that thus far, this series has not been a happy one.  The happiest ending was the first book and it's only grown darker since.  I won't give anything away, but I was reading the book at work  (I'm blessed with free time occassionally) and had I known what was coming, I would've put the book down and waited until I got home.  It packs a punch.  One that leaves the reader gasping.

I've never been a huge fan of YA.  Too many times it's like high school all over again.  The only people that look back with fondness on high school are either old enough to forget what it was like or else were part of the reason why high school was not the best years of our lives.  I'm suspicious of those that espouse it to be the best years.  Dan Wells does a good job of weaving roses in amongst the thorns and reminding the reader that there were rays of sunshine.  And enjoy those rays, because he doesn't let them last long.  Thanks for the read, Dan!


@Bookstore Guy, I'll probably give those two books a read this weekend if I have time.  I need to take a breath before the plunge of the final two :-)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on April 05, 2011, 02:36:53 PM
The Big Short by Michael Lewis. It is about the guys who saw through the mortgage bond fraud on wall street and bet against it years before anyone else. They actually created the Credit Default Swap industry. These Swaps are insurance on mortgage bonds. By buying these bonds they were betting that the mortgage bonds industry would completely collapse and since they held insurance on these bonds, they would get paid when the bonds failed. The whole industry was a complete fraud. Wall Street took garbage sub-prime mortgages, then gamed the models that the rating agencies used to rate them to give them ratings that meant almost not chance to fail. These are mortgages that start at 2% interest and jump to 15% after 2 years. Wall Street even made up fancy names for parts of the bonds called Tranches and Mezzanine levels. They actually ran out of mortgages to sell. So they took the worst mortgages in the worst bonds and then repackaged them again into what they called Collaterized Debt Obligations and then got those rated high. The book is about the small number of people who actually read the bonds materials and realized "this is complete garbage". They did it years in advance. Absolutely fascinating. Michael Lewis is the guy who wrote The Blind Side. It is very easy to read. I actually listened to it on audio. You do not need any background in finance to follow it. He provides enough where you can look up more wikipedia.


Canticle by Ken Scholes: I like this book, but not as much as the Elitist Book review. His writing improved in the 2nd book. In the first book there is this huge catastrophe at the beginning. He plays lip service to how horrible this is, but does not give a real good sense of loss. I like how he wrote Vlad Li Tams voice in this book. However, the story was a bit contrived. Everything is going bad then one of the heroes by chance happens on something and then is able to save the day. (well sort of. More bad things happened later). Also, though I like that the book is short (under 400 pages) which is contrast to a lot of fantasy. He seems to bite off more than he can chew in 400 pages. I don't get the sense of depth I get from other authors. All that being said. The world is very interesting. He mixes magic and robots which is neat. I am now on Antiphon and will keep going. His writing seems to improve with each book. The world is extremely original.
Another thing I really like about Scholes is that he is very efficient in his writing. Stuff happens. He gets to the point quickly. He really makes every sentence count.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on April 05, 2011, 11:02:00 PM
I finally finished A Million Open Doors by John Barnes which was interesting if rather plotless.  I'm sick, so I also flew through River Marked by Patricia Briggs, whose books I always find delightful. Now I'm reading The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells, which I'm sure will be interesting like all her books.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on April 07, 2011, 04:02:03 PM
Finished A MATTER OF BLOOD by Sarah Pinborough.  It may be one of my favorite horror novels ever.  It was a recommendation from James Barclay when I was in England.  So awesome.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on April 07, 2011, 09:30:49 PM
@Guessingo:  I wasn't a very big fan of Lamentation, for most of the very same reasons that you mentioned having with Canticle, plus a few more.  If you're a fan of efficient prose though, you should check out my review of Dragon's Path, Daniel Abraham's new book, up on EBR as of yesterday.  That book was solid and very well-done.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on April 11, 2011, 01:44:32 PM
I have a Daniel Abraham book sitting on my couch. Going to read it when I finish Antiphon. I think the one you mentioned is the one I have. A lot of people have been praising him. I don't do as much as reading as the rest of you. I actually audio far more books than I read. I also want to go back through this list and read some more Peter's book reviews. I have a hunch, I'll like books he recommends.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on April 11, 2011, 04:50:33 PM
Of course, as my taste is impeccable. For starters, see my sig.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtbikemom on April 11, 2011, 09:11:44 PM
I think I like everything that both Peter and Nessa like.  What does it meeeeeean?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on April 11, 2011, 09:42:49 PM
I think I like everything that both Peter and Nessa like.  What does it meeeeeean?

That you're a cylon.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on April 11, 2011, 11:29:04 PM
I think I like everything that both Peter and Nessa like.  What does it meeeeeean?

That you're a cylon.

Do I get to be the blonde one? /leaves to buy sexy red dress
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on April 12, 2011, 02:27:47 PM
Of course, as my taste is impeccable. For starters, see my sig.

What a way to take a compliment. I laughed when I read this.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on April 13, 2011, 02:01:38 AM
Well, I did mean it to be humorous.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtbikemom on April 13, 2011, 02:39:29 AM
I think I like everything that both Peter and Nessa like.  What does it meeeeeean?

That you're a cylon.

Do I get to be the blonde one? /leaves to buy sexy red dress

I'd rather be the kick-butt Asian cylon, anyway.  Always wanted to fly a space ship.  Which one would Peter be?

Back on subject, reading Memory by Bujold because I forgot I bought it and read Komar just before.  Both excellent.  She is such a good writer.  I decided not to read any more Alan Campbell after all.  The Amazon review sez he drops all the characters I cared about in book two.  Not worth the dark content for me.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on April 13, 2011, 06:05:27 PM
I'm almost done with The Floating Islands by Rachel Neumeier, and I am really enjoying it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fireflyz on April 14, 2011, 12:48:28 AM
Well, I have finished the Malazan Series.  Yes, I thought I'd read the side novels before diving into the final two books (which, as Erikson says in the beginning are basically one super huge book).  But I had to know how the story ended.  So I read Dust of Dreams and The Crippled God back to back.  Warning:  There will probably be SPOILERS in this so if you haven't read the series or the last two books, please skip ahead.

SPOILER WARNING CONCLUDED


I have to give it to Erikson.  The man has some amazing stories to tell.  Going into these books I thought the Crippled God was the enemy.  When I discovered that he wasn't the enemy, but in fact the central reason behind the entire series, I was blown away.  Initially, I was a little turned off.  After all, this guy seemed like a villian.  But, Erikson does a tremendous job of showing why we should like the Crippled God.  In many ways, the Crippled God is humanity, enslaved by callous, uncaring Gods.  This was just one long rollercoaster from start to finish.  I thought we were going to see the end of the Bonehunters at the end of book 9.  The way Erikson brings all of the races together is just breathtaking.  I've said it before, but Erikson has incredible talent in moving whole armies through thousands of pages.  I haven't seen it done this well before.  Where we get to see and feel for armies as a whole and yet we get to see through the eyes of every aspect of those armies.  The only series that can compare with breadth and scope is Wheel of Time.  But whereas Wheel of Time is a story mainly of individuals, Malazan Book of the Fallen is definitely a tale of societies.  Sure, there are individual stories, but there are more than just a few.  Unlike WOT, I didn't get the feeling that it was three key players saving the world.  Instead, I saw it as disparate groups of human/humanlike races coming together to do what is right.

Many will say that Erikson's books are dark, sarcastic, and not very uplifting.  It's true.  In many places he takes a dim view of the world.  But the ultimate story, the reason for all of those pages, is about doing what is right.  There's no real reward for the participants.  Sure, there's the possiblity of the world ending well after their dead and there's the possiblity for massive changes in their world (loss of magic, etc.) but none of these is the reason for their actions.  They are simply doing what is right.  Damn the torpedos, full speed ahead.

I want to say thank you to WriterDan and Bookstory Guy for plugging Erikson even after I was less than enthralled with his first book.  Definitely worth the read!

I'm leery of how series will end.  I think of Stephen King's Dark Tower series and while I liked the ending, I didn't feel completely satisfied.  I don't see how he could have finished it any other way, but it still left me wanting more.  Then there's J.K. Rowling who had a decent ending and ruined it with that awful epilogue.  Erikson's ending is the best I've read in recent memory.  There are a lot of big time pay offs.  By the end, that long, long breath we've been holding is finally allowed to exhale.  And that was immensely satisfying.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fireflyz on April 14, 2011, 01:14:54 AM
I've been trying to read more YA scifi/fantasy because the current novel I'm working on is present day YA sci fi.  To that end I read James Dashner's Mazerunner and Scorch Trials this week.

The Mazerunner is a good, fast paced read.  The basic premise is that a teenage boy wakes up with no memory in a Maze that surrounds a compound in which another fifty or sixty boys have been living for two years.  The rules are harsh, death ever present, but this boy is different.  Others remember him and he's beginning to feel like he's been there before.

The book's a little too plot driven for my taste.  There's not a whole lot of character development.  The descriptions are adequate, but with such an exotic locale, I could have used a little more to help anchor me in.  There's definitely a certain Lord of the Flies feel, but without the obvious symbolism.  The writing is tight, sparse for the most part and I like that.  It definitely helps the book move along.  The entire time I felt like we were moving at break neck speeds.  For all of that, the book does a good job of developing the setting so that by the end I felt like I had a good grasp of the situation.  The character's didn't have personal development, but they did connect with each other so that the budding friendships were believable.  Yes, these teens were more adequate than I would expect from teenagers, but Dashner does pay lip service to them being selected for above average intelligence.  The ending was satisfying and the epilogue definitely set up the sequel.

My only real complaint is that instead of actual swear words Dashner has the characters use words they've made up during their stay in the Maze.  The spelling in some cases is so similar to modern swearing that it's really obvious.  It's a pet peeve of mine.  I think it's morally questionable to have cursing in your books that replaces our words with something similar.  I just think it's hypocritical.  If you mean **** then say ****.  I can see using words from the society at large to show what they consider profane.  This is especially true of fantasy or non earth worlds.  However, the Mazerunner is recognizably Earth.  By the end of the novel the words stopped pulling me out of the story.  Like I said, pet peeve.

The Scorch Trials was another good, fastpaced read.  I loved how Dashner began to reveal some of the reasoning behind the Maze and now these Trials.  It's made clear that this is a post-apocolyptic society.  The character development that was missing from the Mazerunner is gone from the Scorch Trials.  Characters begin to develop in some pretty interesting directions.  What's better, is that it's more than just the main character.  The description's better as well.  Perhaps this is because now we're in a setting that is more relateable to the reader.  The ending was good in that Dashner kept leaping from potential ending to potential ending, leaving the reader guessing right up until the very end.  Unlike the first book, this one does end on a cliffhanger.

I really only have one complaint again on this book.  It's not the language (Dashner does have the people the teens run into act confused by their cursing, but to me that's just more annoying).  The book essentially takes place over a mad dash to cover 100 miles through inhospitable terrain to a Safe Haven within two weeks.  The book is so fast paced though that by the end when one of the characters says they have one day left I actually put the book down for a moment.  I thought about it and it just didn't feel anywhere close to two weeks.  Also, the main obstacle they face is a City in the middle of their journey that is filled with infected, Zombie-like people.  These teens are in good shape after running the Maze so it just wasn't believable that they would take that long to travel there.  The first night they have to cover thirty miles.  They travel from sundown to sunup.  Even if they moved at 3mph they would make it there in time, but in the book it takes them almost three days. 

Outside of a few continuity errors, this book was a step above the Mazerunner and has me looking forward to the next novel.

I'd reccomend this series to anyone looking for a good afternoon read.  There's no swearing, no sex, and while there is killing and death, there isn't a lot of graphic violence.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on April 14, 2011, 04:13:20 PM
Glad you liked the Erikson portion of the Malazan series.  The Erikson novellas are fantastic--read them if you haven't already.  I really like the Esslemont novels for what they bring to the series as well.  Extremely well done.

Glad you enjoyed the ride.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fireflyz on April 15, 2011, 12:02:00 AM
Finished two books today.  The first was Night of Knives by Ian Esselmont.

Honestly, fast on the heels of the finale of Erikson's books, this one wasn't as striking.  The beginning was a little slow to get into.  Esselmont does follow Erikson's formula of jumping from character to character.  I did like Temper's POV and it was interesting to get some back story.  I was dissapointed that we didn't get to see what actually went down when Surly confronted Kel and Dancer.  Still, not a bad read and as I think this was his first, I'm sure it only gets better.

The second book I finished was The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.  It's post apocolyptic sci fi set in America.  North America is divided up amongst twelve Districts that all specialize in certain areas (argiculture, industry, and technology) to serve the Capital District.  The 12 rebelled 75 years ago and were defeated.  Now they basically exist to keep the Capital happy.  One of the ways they oppress the districts is to select a boy and girl from each district to compete in a futuristic gladatiroial arena.  This is the story of a girl who volunteers to take her younger sister's place.

I absolutely loved this book.  Yes, some parts were fairly predictable, but I really liked the voice.  The prose was smooth, no bumps to knock the reader out.  The character was interesting and Collins does a nice job of showing us the world through this hardened girl's eyes.  The best part?  She's inherently unreliable, but not intentionally.  She is oblivious to the type of person she really is.  Because in her world, weakness equals death.  I didn't realize this was a series, but that makes it all the better.  The book is fast paced and there aren't a whole lot of lessons to be gleaned.  It's mainly entertainment, but the characters and the plot make it worth the trip.

Going into this, I was not a fan of present tense in writing.  The only other book I read with present tense was the Wind Up Girl which I thought was a pretty terrible novel.  That novel was 3rd limited POV and the present tense kept pulling me out of the novel.  That and the novel started nowhere and finished the same. 

Collins's story is in 1st person and the present tense works much better.  I'm glad I read it.  I had written off any present tense authors, but she gives me hope.  I highly reccomend this as a good book to read in an afternoon.  Especially as a break between some hefty fantasy tomes.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtbikemom on April 15, 2011, 07:53:27 AM
Nice reviews, fireflyz!  I appreciate your sensibilities.  Check out an old thread called "Reliable Content" here sometime.  I think you would appreciate some of the recommendations there.  I refer back to it from time to time and may start a similar new thread with the original lists for the purpose of attracting newer additions.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on April 15, 2011, 03:48:19 PM
@fireflyz-- Night of Knives is a novella pretending to be a novel.  And it will feel like a disappointment if you've already read the full Erikson stuff.  Usually you should have read it  around the time you read book 6 of Erikson.  Return of the Crimson Guard is much better.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fireflyz on April 16, 2011, 08:52:01 PM
Finished off the Hunger Games Trilogy yesterday.  I didn't really intend to, but after the second I had to know how everything turned out.

The second book is called Catching Fire.  I found this book very interesting because the Writing Excuses Podcasters just had a Romance themed podcast.  There is definitely a love triangle thing throughout the the trilogy.  It's well handled and manages to see saw back and forth enough that the main character (female) could go either way and the reader would be hard pressed to be upset with her.  By the end of the book the pendulum has shifted and the writing is on the wall (we hope).  The second book was more of the same as far as content.  The protagonists find themselves back in the arena.  I read this on the intro that the Kindle has and was slightly turned off.  I mean, really?  We just read an entire book devoted to the Hunger Games and now book 2 is more of the same?   I was wrong.  The author does such a fantastic job of handling the plot that I quickly got over any misgivings I had.  This book definitely has a 1984ish feel to it.  Fast paced, I was to the end before I realized it. 

As a word of warning to those who are thinking of reading the series, the second book ends on a major cliffhanger.  So I'd reccomend having the third ready so you're not waiting for awhile.  If you're anything like me, that will dirve you nuts.

The third book was a change from the first two.  No more Hunger Games (sort of).  Going into this book, and even a third of the way in, I found myself growing concerned.  You see, YA novels in general don't have a problem with violence or death in their books.  They do seem to have a problem with accurately describing the violence.  And up until this point, I felt this was following the same patterns.  I think we do ourselves a disservice whenever we have violence without the consequences.  I don't think that accurately depicting violence will make us desensitized.  If anything, the past few generations have seen the least violence in history.  We used to have to butcher our own livestock, fight to preserve our right to the little parcel of land we had, etc. and that was violence from an early age until death.  Anyway, my point is that I don't like it when an author describes shooting someone or someone getting killed violently and it's just oh they were shot or oh they were stabbed.  That cheapens it.  If the author can't bring themselves to be realistic with the physical effects then they at least should delve into the mental.  And this brings me back to the final book, Mockingjay.  Partway through the book the novel takes a darker turn.  We begin to see the psychological effects of violence and war.  The author does a good job of showing multiple views on war, humanity, and empathy.  As I neared the end I started to realize that this book might not have a happy ending.  Collins does an excellent job of building tension and giving the reader every reason to believe that this is not a fairytale.

Ultimately, it's not a fairytale, but it's a damn good read.  There are a lot of good messages interwoven throughout the story.  This is the type of novel I enjoy.  The kind that after you put it down, lingers on, making the reader think.  Collins's message is idealistic and great in theory.  I think the true answer lies in how her protagonist solves her problems.  It's not through wit or banter or manipulation.  It's through violence, because even if it is the last resort, sometimes it is neccessary.  Stephen King says that violence is hardwired into our systems.  After six years in the infantry, I'm inclined to agree with him.  I'm not sure that Collins would.  This series treads familiar paths, but it's message bears repeating.  I'd say this a good read for anyone over the age of 13 up to an adult.  There's no sex and very little language.  Obviously, there's violence, but nothing too explicit.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fireflyz on April 16, 2011, 08:55:48 PM
@mtbikemom   Thanks for the tip, I'll definitely check it out.  I've been chewing through my reading list and am always on the look out for new titles.

@ Bookstore Guy  Haha, novella is more accurate, I agree.  When it ended after six chapters I was a little taken aback.  I'm looking forward to the Crimson Guard though.  The little tidbit Erikson gave us was definitely intriguing.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on April 18, 2011, 08:51:52 PM
I'm reading Midnight Tides by Steven Erikson right now, and life is very happy.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on April 18, 2011, 09:49:33 PM
I'm reading The Unremembered right now, and life is not very happy at all.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Patriotic Kaz on April 19, 2011, 03:28:58 PM
First thing I did at the airport when I got out of basic was to buy The Wise Man's Fear, absolutely fabulous so far.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on April 20, 2011, 09:54:54 PM
Reading Mark Hodder's second book, The Curious Case of the Clockwork Man.  Really good stuff so far.  Not to mention the studly cover art...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on April 20, 2011, 10:03:37 PM
I'm reading The Unremembered right now, and life is not very happy at all.

Oh wait...I already posted that.  I'm sorry, I'm stuck in this time-lapse thing where the book I'm reading starts off exactly the same as Eye of the World and The Sword of Shannara.  The Eye of Shannara.  There is still a ton of time for it to differentiate itself, but I feel like I've read this before...

...what was I saying?  Oh!

I'm reading The Unremembered right now, and life is not very happy at all.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: dhalagirl on April 21, 2011, 06:05:20 AM
I'm reading Falling Under by Gwen Hayes.  It's good so far.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: hubay on April 21, 2011, 08:49:43 PM
@writer dan: I've been loving all of pyr's cover art lately, especially when they enlist Jon Sullivan. He's half the reason I picked up Empire in Black and Gold (Elitist's review is the other half).

SPOILERS for those of you who haven't read Erickson yet.

I just finished Midnight Tides. My local library didn't have it, but they did have Bonehunters, so I made the mistake of thinking I could skip the book and get it later – it sort of worked, because Ericksons books aren't all consecutive, but it also kind of spoiled the ending for me. Since Karsa meets some Edur in the end, I already knew who won. The entire book had a sense of inevitability about it, that the edur where destined to win, but I'm not sure if that was intentional or a result of me already knowing the ending.

When Iron Bars showed up my mind was blown, because all that talk of Holds made me think the book was much, much more of prequel than I thought (I figured it was set something like 1000 years or so in the past). Realizing the Crimson Guard was there changed the entire book for me, and gave it more of a sense of immediacy.

When I get a chance I want to grab some Esslemont books now, just because I like the Crimson Guard, but I've got to grab I Don't Want to Kill You first.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on April 22, 2011, 06:31:04 PM
Done with THE UNREMEMBERED.  Bad.  I don't understand why the industry insists on trying to find another Robert Jordan story--well actually I do.  Money.  But still.  We don't need another clone.  We just need good, original, entertaining stories that are well written.  Orullian is a good dude, but as my favorite NFL commentators say, "C'mon man!"

Also finished THE ALCHEMIST IN THE SHADOWS (sequel to THE CARDINAL'S BLADES).  Not the best book ever, but there is just something about musketeers that is SO fun to read about. 

Before I read THE SCARAB PATH, I promised Dan I would read WOLFSANGEL so we could discuss it and the review we are going to write up.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: maxonennis on April 22, 2011, 09:46:04 PM
Finished off the Hunger Games Trilogy yesterday.  I didn't really intend to, but after the second I had to know how everything turned out.

If you liked Hunger Games and Mazerunner you should try Gone by Michael Grant. I'll caution you that it gets pretty disturbing.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fireflyz on April 23, 2011, 12:00:20 AM
Alright, five books read this week (a few short ones).

First up was The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie.  I held off on reading this because I'm torn on Abercrombie's works.  ON the one hand, he's got a lot of talent.  On the other hand I think he tries too hard to make nasty, unlikeable characters who are mostly cowards.  I like gritty, real works.  (GRRM anyone?)  But I'm not a huge fan of a world absent of anyone who isn't a big turd.  Abercrombie's trilogies were a decent debut.  I liked them.  Best Served Cold I didn't like much at all.  It just went on and on and on with a very obvious ending. 

Now, complaints out of the way:  I liked Heroes.  Abercrombie seems to have reined in his over the top characters.  Most of the characters were believable with very real/understandable emotions.  Abercrombie's writing was in top form (as usual) and we actually had a few likeable characters.  For anyone who has read the previous novels, you'll recognize a lot of familiar faces.  The action was quick paced and even though it only covers a few days, it didn't feel like there was any fluff.  My biggest issue with Abercrombie is that he writes purely entertainment fiction.  I never put one of his books down with any new thoughts or perspectives.  I put his book down thinking hmm..that was good...and immediately forget it.  It's like watching a good action movie.  It's nice in the theater, but you're not going to watch it when it comes out on dvd.  And that's Joe Abercrombie for me.  A quick, entertaining read, but no real substance.  Still, I reccomend it if you're reading list is scraping the bottom of the barrel and you need a good read.

Per Dan's suggestion from the podcast I picked up The first two Joe Ledger novels by Jonathon Mayberry.  Patient Zero and The Dragon Factory.  This was good stuff.  Think Tom Clancy with some pretty awesome sci fi thrown in.  The first novel deals with zombies, but Mayberry goes to great lengths to show the science behind it so that it's believable.  Well, sorta believable.  The main character is a Ex-Ranger, Baltimore PD Detective.  This is probably the only portion that is hard to swallow.  The main character is nearly super human capable.  Throughout the novels the man never sleeps, is always sharp in picking things up to move the plot forward, rarely gets injured, and manages to kill dozens of people with very little effects.  The second novel deals with racism, eugenics, and Unicorns.  Haha, yep, unicorns.  There is more character development, but these novels are still very much plot driven.

All in all, Mayberry's a good, quick read.  The main POV is 1st person, but the rest switch between a very loose 3rd limited and omniscient.  Again, nothing this more entertainment reading, but not bad.

I read a Louis Lamour book because it'd been awhile (I've read all of his books at least twice and most of them half a dozen or more).  If you've ever read any of his novels, you know they're formulaic.  But I still love reading him for a number of reasons.  First, he was a consummate scholar and historian.  Historical fiction at its best.  Secondly, the man lived.  By 17 he was in Singapore working on a ship.  He traveled all over the world, was a professional boxer with a pretty good record, served in the army, and did about a million other jobs.  Anyway, Lamour is the opposite of the other writers this week.  He's entertaining (if predictable once you've read a lot of his books), but he imparts a lot of wisdom through his works.

Finally, I read the first Vampire Diaries novel.  I have to admit, the TV series has been something of a guilty pleasure of mine.  I figured I'd give the books a try.  The novels are a lot different from the TV series.  In many ways it's like reading another story (though I have to say I like the TV show a lot better).  The story is pretty good, kind of has an Anne Rice feel to it.  The biggest issue I have is with the characters.  The author seems to lapse between vapid, shallow girls who are the most popular in the school and intelligent, thoughtful girls who can see below the surface.  Often a character will use words that are not in keeping with who they are.  This pulls the reader out of the story.  The ending was incredibly anticlimactic and didn't really end.  I turned the page and the book was over.  Weird.  I'll probably try to read one more because I do love the TV series and they are short books, but if it's more of the same I'll just stick with the show.

@maxonennis thanks I'll check it out.  I'm chewing through my reading list so I def. need some good reads.  I'm looking forward to GRRM and (hopefully) Lynch this year, but other than that, just looking for new stuff.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on April 23, 2011, 05:32:46 AM
@fireflyz - I found the 3rd Joe Ledger novel to be better than the 2nd one.  I love reading his stuff.  Dan shares his agent with Jonathan Maberry, and was how i heard of the guy in the first place.  Read Patient Zero and completely loved it.  Finally convinced Dan to read it--of course he loved it.

I'd suggest you pick up James Barclay, Tom Lloyd, Adrian Tchaikovsky, and Jasper Kent.  the first novels of those first 3 authors a a tad rough, but after that they are completely awesome.  Jasper Kent's novels are just completely awesome all the way around--he was my top Hugo nomination this year.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fireflyz on April 23, 2011, 08:26:56 PM
@Bookstore Guy  Thanks for the suggestions!  I'll check out Jasper Kent next week for sure (and some of the others if I have time).  As an aside, do you go to a lot of the cons?  I went to World Fantasy per Peter's suggestion/help and made some good connections (met Dan Wells there also), but I haven't been to any of the others yet.  Part of it is that I'm on the East Coast and both WorldCon and World Fantasy are West this year.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on April 25, 2011, 10:45:50 PM
@Bookstore Guy  Thanks for the suggestions!  I'll check out Jasper Kent next week for sure (and some of the others if I have time).  As an aside, do you go to a lot of the cons?  I went to World Fantasy per Peter's suggestion/help and made some good connections (met Dan Wells there also), but I haven't been to any of the others yet.  Part of it is that I'm on the East Coast and both WorldCon and World Fantasy are West this year.

I try to go to 1 major Con a year--usually either WorldCon or World Fantasy.  This year I'm going to WorldCon, but I may hit World Fantasy as well depending on my vacation/money situation. Going to Cons is how I made enough connections to start a good review blog.  The people at the various publishing companies already knew me when I sent out emails saying, "Hey!  I'm a reviewer now!  Send me books!"  This year WorldCon is kinda a two-part trip - 1) Pitch novel.  2) Get on panels where I can point at myself saying "Look!  I'm a reviewer!  Vote for me in the Hugos next year!"

Next year WorldCon is in Chicago and World Fantasy is in Toronto.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fireflyz on April 27, 2011, 01:33:14 AM
That's cool, Reno should be a lot of fun.  I was curious as to how you got your start as a reviewer.  That makes a lot of sense.  Sounds like you did your homework.  Good luck with pitching the novel!  Haha nothing more nervewracking than delivering your pitch and trying to read body language to see if they like it.  Then again, when they give you their card and ask for pages it's one of the best feelings ever.  I'll have to satisfy myself with NY Comic Con and WorldCon in Chicago next year.   OH and thanks for the Jasper Kent suggestion, working my way through twelve right now.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Josh Dawson on April 27, 2011, 11:12:15 AM
Ok, I tend to load myself up with reading:

Over the last month, I've been slowly working my way through Eddings' "Elenium," re-reading Jordan's "Wheel of Time" (again), re-reading Sanderson's "Mistborn" trilogy, and educating myself in such classics as "The Picture of Dorian Gray," and "Jekyll and Hyde."

Is it any wonder I never complete assignments any more? >.<
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on April 27, 2011, 04:19:48 PM
WOLFSANGEL is an odd novel so far.  The first 60 pages feel like you're reading a disjointed mythology tale.  Then the novel completely changes into an almost strictly 3rd Person Limited gritty historical fantasy novel.  Once you get past those first 60 pages, the novel is actually really fun and slightly reminiscent of Gemmell.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on April 28, 2011, 08:45:13 AM
@fireflyz:  Twelve totally rocked.  Loved that book.  Just got Thirteen Years Later from Amazon and can't wait to read it.

@BSG:  Points 1 and 2 acknowledged, sir.  Glad to see you concur.

Almost done with the Clockwork Man book.  It's way good.  Hodder just won the Phillip K. Dick award too.  Total coolness.   8)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on April 28, 2011, 04:24:51 PM
I'm actually really upset that Twelve wasn't Hugo nominated, or that Kent wasn't Campbell nominated.  Man, that ending made everything so much more awesome.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on April 28, 2011, 08:10:16 PM
Sorry for the double post.  A friend of mine bought me a copy of Erikson's the CRIPPLED GOD in trade paperback format.  It doesn't exactly match my hardback collection, so I figured someone here may want it at a heavily discounted price.  It's normally $20.  If someone wants it for $12 let me know--I intend to roll that into my hardback purchase of the novel.  Send me a PM.

On another note, I am mostly done with WOLFSANGEL, and really enjoy it so far.  Of course the ending is coming up, and from what I understand it is poorly done.  We'll see.
EDIT: So the book ends, and I discover there are 60 pages left.  It feels very much like that series of tack-on endings from the movie version of The Return of the King.  Still even with the crappy beginning and the odd ending (maybe could have been the beginning to book 2 instead?) this book was very enjoyable.  The savagery of it was impressive and perfectly fitting.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on May 01, 2011, 06:58:09 AM
So I think I'm going to have to go visit Barnes&Noble to see how much the published book differs from the ARC I read, because there weren't 60 pages tacked onto the end that I remember.  More like 6.

Clockwork man rocked the house.  Totally awesome.  Loved it.

Finally getting to The Heroes, by Abercrombie.  Good stuff.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: dhalagirl on May 02, 2011, 12:16:21 AM
Falling Under fell off halfway through.  She did some weird things stylistically that I didn't like.  I felt the dream sequences were weak and the last third of the book was a total cop out.  There were still some good moments, but overall I'm disappointed.  I'm now moving on to the last Vampire Academy book and The Windup Girl.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on May 02, 2011, 07:36:36 PM
So I think I'm going to have to go visit Barnes&Noble to see how much the published book differs from the ARC I read, because there weren't 60 pages tacked onto the end that I remember.  More like 6.

Clockwork man rocked the house.  Totally awesome.  Loved it.

Finally getting to The Heroes, by Abercrombie.  Good stuff.

Oh the last 6 pages were even more tacked on, but overall I felt the last 40-60 were kinda meh.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: maxonennis on May 02, 2011, 11:06:14 PM
(http://cdn1.iofferphoto.com/img/item/206/075/144/g_ebook-animorphs-1-the-invasion-k-a-applegate-epub-pdf++-12e19.jpg)

A childhood favorite, finally re-released after fifteen years. Have you ever waited fifteen years for a book?!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on May 04, 2011, 06:01:40 AM
Max, my daughter LOVES the animorph books. She's only recently discovered them.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fireflyz on May 04, 2011, 11:27:26 AM
Alright, recent reads.

Read the 3rd Joe Ledger novel by Jonathan Maberry.  Maberry's writing has definitely improved.  There were no real hiccups to be found.  This novel was by far the most entertaining, I think.  There was admittedly less characterization but the plot was so intriguing that it really didn't bother me.  Besides, you don't read Jonathan Maberry for character development (though he does slowly move them forward).  If you want a class on suspense, then he is your man.  He does this by flashing back and forth between the good guys and the bad guys and by the third novel he's got it down pat. 

My only complaint (and if you've read the book feel free to comment) was that halfway through the book there is a single mention of the name one of the anonymous bad guys.  I thought it must be a mistake because there was a single mention of the name and then nothing after.  If it wasn't a mistake then it was a really cheap way of letting the cat out of the bag.  If it was a mistake then I hope it gets fixed.  About the only other thing that is off is how the main character is dealing with all of the trauma he's witnessed in the past year.  I haven't done a headcount, but I'd venture to say that Joe Ledger has killed close to fifty people and seen at least three times as many die.  Maberry pays lip service to what this is doing to the main POV, but most of the time it's a "can't think about this now, I'm in the fight."  That part is true, but when you are consistently put into a high stress environment, your hypothalmus (sp?) begins to light up like a christmas tree until soon it doesn't shut off.  This is one effect of PTSD.  It's your brain's way of helping you survive.  Unfortunately, a heightened fight or flight response, with the switch thrown permanently to the flight side, will have lasting effects.  And Joe Ledger rarely shows any effects.  Outside of that, great read.

Twelve by Jasper Kent was interesting.  Think War and Peace meets Anne Rice.  I didn't know he was English, but its one of those curious things that within the first chapter I tend to recognize if the author is American or English.  It was confirmed at the end of the book.  I felt that reading this book was like watching the development of a writer.  The beginning is sparse in description, a lot of talking heads, etc.  By the midpoint when the vampires begin to really materialize (not giving anything away, the hints are heavy from the beginning) the description is much better.  In some ways, this really did feel like the main character was taken right from War and Peace.  A part of the army, but not really beholden to them with a mistress.  Not neccessarily a bad thing, but I felt there was a lot of overlap between the two.  It was nice to see vampires that weren't sparkling in the sun.  Instead, if they were in the sun, they were burning.  I don't mind vampires that aren't inherently evil, but the last few creations I've read have not been that good.  Kent spares no one in this novel and beloved characters drop left and right.  The ending was a long, twisted ride which was fun.  I like thinking I know what's going on and then finding out I"m wrong.  Kent only withholds a few items so it doesn't feel forced.  The only complaint about the ending is that the main character waffles back and forth over certain parts that drag on for pages and pages.  That got old and slowed the pacing down.  Outside of that, solid read.

I've been reading the Gone Series by Michael Grant.  Think Lord of Flies meets Stephen King (The Dome/The Stand/The Myst).  Grant isn't as good a writer as King, but he's not bad.  This series is tough for me.  It's interesting, but maybe it's hard for me to remember what I was like at 14.  Everyone over the age of 14 has mysteriously vanished.  The issue I have is that 14 year olds that are good kids seem more intelligent than the bad ones, but somehow the bad kids are infinitely more capable.  Each book seems to show that everything that could go wrong does.  Instead of there being an even shake between good types of people and bad, it's predominantly bad.  I also don't like that his solution to continiuing the series seems to be the good guys letting the bad guys go rather than imprison or kill them.  Mind you, this is after the bad guys kill babies and other kids.  Then the main POV agonizes over every person that has died, but seems oblivious to how many of those deaths could have been prevented.  It's the classic all that evil needs to triumph is for good men to do nothing.  I don't like reading books where evil seems to be consistently winning up until the end.  It just seems a little fake that suddenly at the end the good guys wake from their stupor, act, and win the day, only to let them go and begin the cycle all over again.  Still, Grant's writing isn't bad and it has kept me buying the books, but if I hadn't accidentally bought the latest novel first, I probably would have stopped on book two.

Finally, read Superfreakonomics, the sequel to Freakonomics.  I'm not going to go into detail about it as it's basically the same premise as the first book which I reviewed.  There are just different topics like prostitution, global warming, and a bunch of others.  Very good read which I highly reccomend.  Especially if you're interested in economics.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: maxonennis on May 04, 2011, 03:13:26 PM
Max, my daughter LOVES the animorph books. She's only recently discovered them.

Oh man, in the 90's they were just IT. I was obsessed with them. I still enjoy them but I don't have to wait anxiously a month until the next one comes out. Reading the re-releases makes me feel pretty nostalgic, which makes me feel a lot older than I really am. Uh, I can't decide if that's a good thing or a bad.  :-\
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on May 04, 2011, 08:16:31 PM
I'm reading Tiassa by Steven Brust. I love his books, though this one seems more like a collection of short novellas rather than a single, cohesive book.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: dhalagirl on May 07, 2011, 03:32:25 AM
Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead was fantastic!  I decided to put off reading The Windup Girl so I could read Monster Hunter International before Mr. Correia comes to town next week.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on May 09, 2011, 04:44:50 PM
Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead was fantastic!  I decided to put off reading The Windup Girl so I could read Monster Hunter International before Mr. Correia comes to town next week.

That's a good idea.  Larry's stuff is fun and fast.  Windup Girl was slow and sloggy.  I can see why people liked it to a degree, but I felt it was poorly plotted and paced, with the actual Windup Girl in the novel only being there for shock value purposes to alleviate the boredom.  I hope you like it much better than I did.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on May 13, 2011, 09:23:00 PM
Finished Abercrombie's The Heroes.  Awesome stuff.  I could easily read another one of his right now.

Started The White-Luck Warrior by Bakker.

Will probably knock a few more for-review books out of the way after this one.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: hubay on May 14, 2011, 04:18:04 PM
@WriterDan: It sounded like Abercrombie's next book is going to a western, or at least very western-influenced. Tell me you're not excited for that.

I'm starting up The Dragon's Path right now. I actually hadn't read the Long Price Quartet before this, and now I think I will.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on May 14, 2011, 06:19:45 PM
I just finished Field Grey by Philip Kerr, and it was interesting, but. . . .  It had a lot of R-rated content, and some of it was appropriate to the story and some of it wasn't, but it all made it a harder read for me.  Also, none of the characters were really that likeable. That also made it a harder read.

I'm not sure what to read next. I have some stuff from the library, and I don't really know what to put first. Oh well.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: dhalagirl on May 15, 2011, 04:22:37 AM
Monster Hunter Intenational was Fantastic!  Now on to Scalzi's Fuzzy Nation.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fireflyz on May 16, 2011, 12:35:17 PM
Finished the Tudors: The Complete Story by G.J. Meyer.  This is a historical overview of the Tudor's 118-year reign.  Meyer's prose is very readable which is always good in a history piece.  Rather than focus an entire book on one monarch, he does a very credible job of looking at each Tudor.  Admittedly the vast majority is spent on Henry VIII and Elizabeth I.  This isn't surprising considering very little is written about Henry VII's reign.  The most interesting part is his unforseeable rise to Bosworth's field.  Edward and Mary's reigns are both very brief.  What I found very interesting is that Meyer would have a background chapter that set the scenes for the chapters that followed.  Mainly this dealt with politics and religion.  A very good read on how England's schism came about.  I loved the Tudors on Showtime, but this book really disabuses the modern reader about how successful and good their reign was.  By the end the Crown was bankrupt and the social laws were the most repressive in 300 years.  I highly reccomend this book as a good starting point for anyone interested in that time period.

I started April Blood:  Florence and the Medicis by Lauro Martines.  Unfortuntately, this author's prose was not very readable.  The book nominally is supposed to be about the assassination attempt on Lorenzo Medici and his brother during mass in late April.  The author provides a lot of unneccessary and meandering background so that halfway through the book we still haven't reached the events it's supposed to be about.  I finally had enough and put it down without finishing it.  I'll look for a better written work about Florence and the Medicis when I have time.  Any suggestions?

I finished Inside Delta Force by Eric Haney.  This was an excellent read.  Written by retired Command Sergeant Major Haney, this work is by one of the first members of Delta Force.  While certain parts are glossed over due to security concerns, he talks in detail about selection process, training, and some of their deployments.  These include Iran, Beirut, Grananda, and Panama.  The author makes a few controversial claims, especially about POW's in Vietnam.  (Namely that the North Vietnamese held several hundred POWs at the end of the war.  They had done this with the French as well, later bargaining their lives for billions in aid.  The Nixon administration knew about this, but wanted to get out, so suppressed the information.  Delta Force and the CIA began planning an operation when an obscure retired military officer publicly announced he was going after POW's in Vietnam.  This scrubbed the mission.  A year later, Delta was ready to go in again and this same officer reappeared.  The mission was scrubbed a second time, the POWs were killed, and it was swept under the rug).  All in all a fascinating read and while I never served in SF, I did serve with SF overseas on a handful of missions.  Based upon that and my military experience, the book seemed credible.  The author provides photos and other proof to back his claims as well.  Definitely an interesting read.

Up next?  I'm halfway through Game of Thrones and will be rereading Martin in preparation for Dance.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on May 18, 2011, 07:37:05 PM
I just started Empire of Black and Gold by Adrian Tchaikovsky. It looks good so far.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on May 19, 2011, 04:02:01 PM
I just started Empire of Black and Gold by Adrian Tchaikovsky. It looks good so far.

A solid series.  It gets better as you go along--mostly due to Tchaikovsky becoming a better writer.  He has some PoV issues in the first book that slowly go away as the series goes on (they are essentially gone in book 5).  And the dude pumps out 2 books a year in that series.  The UK is about to get book 7.  The series gets really good once the history of the world starts getting explored.  So awesome.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on May 21, 2011, 05:04:05 AM
The Dervish House - Ian McDonald.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: dhalagirl on May 25, 2011, 06:18:20 AM
Fuzzy Nation is Awesome!!!  I'm almost done reading Monster Hunter Vendetta and I'm loving it just as much as I did the first one.  Next up is Shades of Milk and Honey.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on May 25, 2011, 08:55:28 PM
I loved, loved, loved Shades of Milk and Honey, and I am still sad it didn't make it on the Hugo ballot.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on May 25, 2011, 10:45:36 PM
Yeah, Shades of Milk & Honey was pretty solid.  As for the Hugos, I'm not surprised actually.  She isn't high enough on the popularity ladder yet.  It has nothing to do with actual quality.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fireflyz on May 28, 2011, 10:42:08 PM
I just finished my read through of GRRM's ASOIF.  This was my fourth read through, but it's been about two years since I read them last.  I'll bite my tongue as to Martin's tardiness with this novel.  For any who are interested, he did post a lengthy entry on his NotABlog about some of the reasons why he's taken so long.  Also, I watched his interview with Joe Abercrombie and he talked about writing the opening scenes back when he first started.  I was struck by his mentioning that the chapter was really flowing for him and he ran through it very quickly over the course of three days.  It's hard for me to understand a slow writer.  I write very quickly.  Usually I knock out 3-6k words at a time over the course of several hours.  I also read incredibly fast.  I know a good friend of mine who reads at a fraction of the pace that I do and writes much slower.  So I think there is definitely a coorelation there, but I'm just not a slow writer.  Clearly Martin is.  His prose is gorgeous though and while mine is starting to gather interest in the right circles, I'm nowhere near Martin.  So while I've been upset with his seeming lack of progress, I have to acknowledge that if it takes 3 days to finish a single chapter when the writing is going extremely well...it could take awhile to finish a novel that's 1000 pages.  End Rant.

Spoiler Warning for those who haven't read the books..don't read on.

I've been following the HBO series as well and I think it's a true mark of a writer that most of the lines have been word for word from the book and they are even more powerful when spoken.  That's good prose, my friends.  It's always hard for me to read the first book.  Eddard Stark is eerily similar to my father.  He won't lie, won't hide his feelings, and does whatever he feels is right no matter the cost.  That the cost is his head and ultimately the downfall of his house is truly tragic.  Honestly, I find it hard to let my breathe out until after the Red Wedding.  I like Martin's realism, but dammit, I really want the Starks to triumph.  It's a bit like reading Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.  You know the Empire fails, but you can't help yourself from hoping it won't happen.

A Feast for Crows was a good read.  I love Jamie and Arya's viewpoints.  I also like how well Martin gets inside the head of his characters.  Reading Cersei's POV, it reads like she's a genius.  Because she believes she is a genius and everyone around her is stupid.  Obviously, the external ramifications that Martin shows us from other POV's demonstrates that she is the real idiot.  A lesser writer wouldn't allow her POV to feel as authentic.  Feast does a good job of introducing new characters with new threads that hint at things we've yet to glimpse.  It really makes one wonder how he's going to wrap this up in 3 books.  It makes me wonder if this isn't something that he's been struggling with and a large reason for why he's taking so long.  I know that Martin originally envisioned writing the last half of the series five years after the Red Wedding (I think it was the Red Wedding).  I think he's got his work cut out for him. 

All in all, this was a fun reread.  I especially enjoyed the events leading up to the Red Wedding.  Roose Bolton talks about how his army got cut off and some of it was lost to the Lannisters.  The first time through I didn't notice that it was all of Robb's most loyal subjects.  Then he gives Robb a reasonable explanation for only bringing his own men and the Karstarks who are on the verge of mutiny.  In hindsight, it's obvious that this is all part of the grander plan to end the King in the North.  Again, a lesser writer probably wouldn't have included that, but that Martin did just adds another dimension to his work.  Some highlights that I enjoyed:  the duel between Dorne and Ser Gregor Clegane and Tyrion and his father/Shae.

Definitely looking forward to Dance.

Currently I'm reading UR, a novella by Stephen King.  I'll post that up probably sometime early next week.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on June 01, 2011, 12:40:38 AM
Just finished The Dervish House by Ian McDonald.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: dhalagirl on June 01, 2011, 03:33:05 AM
How was it?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on June 01, 2011, 04:29:10 AM
I really enjoyed it--it's a very different book. Not a whole lot of action, and it makes you work a little harder than a lot of books do (which I don't think is a bad thing, necessarily). But yes, neat setting, good characters, and some VERY interesting concepts.

I'll probably write a review of it in the next little while, but that's the condensed version.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: maxonennis on June 01, 2011, 03:38:19 PM
What am I reading? Well, I can't tell any of you.  8) It's not on shelves yet, and might not be until mid fall, and from an excellent author whom most of you have probably never heard of before. If I sound smug, it's because I am.  :P Anyway, after I'm finished with it I'll write a review and ask the author if it's okay if I post it here. Okay, gloating done.  ;D
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on June 01, 2011, 05:46:27 PM
Finished Scott Bakker's  White-Luck Warrior.  Such a waste of time.  And money.  Grumble grumble.

On a positive note, I started Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Correy (Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck) today.  Even the first chapter of this one is awesome.  Genius.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on June 01, 2011, 06:54:46 PM
Reading the first Long Prince Quartet Book. got halfway through and bought the next 3. Very interesting book. I see why so many people (including other fantasy writers) like it.

finished the 3 Ken Scholes books in his eventual 5 book series. Interesting world and ideas. It is post apacalyptic. So there are machines and magic. He reveals a little about the world at a time which is good. I like that he keeps the books to 400 pages, but I think he is trying to accomplish too much in those pages. The 3rd book ends with the rising up of a peasant hero (you don't see this until the 3rd book). Its a bit of a twist, but the same motiff. They are pretty good, but not great. The best part of the books is not the plot or the characters, but the tidbits you learn about the history of the world.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fireflyz on June 03, 2011, 02:26:52 AM
Finished UR, Riding the Bullet, and The Long Walk, all by Stephen King.

UR was good, about a english professor that receieves a pink Kindle.  (Pink? you say)  Turns out that this particular Kindle is from an alternate reality that has access to all 10.4 million realities.  This means that there are plenty of works by Hemingway, Shakespeare that have never been seen in our reality.  THe story progresses from there, along with some nice references to the Tower.  Great story, semi decent ending.

Riding the Bullet is a short story about a young man making a deal with the devil.  Really it's about death and fate.  Pretty good story with a good ending, very short.

The Long Walk is King writing as Bachman.  This was a really good read.  It's about one boy who has signed up for the Long Walk.  He's one of a 100 kids under the age of 18 who have enlisted to walk until only one is left.  When they stop walking or drop below 4mph  they are given a warning by soldiers shadowing them.  Three warnings and they are shot.  This is reminiscent of the Hunger Games (although it was written well before that).  The fact that this is a semi-long read and it's essentially inside the head of a sixteen year old the entire time, yet never gets boring, is amazing.  This is a deeply psychological, philosophical work.  By the time the end drew near I was emotionally invested and holding my breath.  The ending wasn't perfect, but I'm not sure there is ever such a thing with a piece like this.  I definitely reccomend it.

Currently I'm working my way through Bag of Bones.  It has a feel that's very similar to Lissey's Story which I loved.  Reading King's prose is like making love to the written word.  Bag of Bones is about an author (surprise, surprise) and I get the feeling that King is using the main character (1st person POV) to get across a lot of what he believes regarding the writing process, ideas, and his thoughts on life.  I can't wait to finish it and then I'm onto the Company Man.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on June 06, 2011, 08:22:39 PM
I loved Empire of Black and Gold, though it did have some weaknesses. I'm hoping those are due to this being the author's first book. Now I'm on to Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, which I like so far.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: hubay on June 06, 2011, 10:35:30 PM
I loved Empire of Black and Gold, though it did have some weaknesses. I'm hoping those are due to this being the author's first book.

Oh, don't worry. I just finished the Scarab Path and mmmm that was good. You get this extremely personal struggle within the city, but there's also this epic battle that comes when two armies clash. Best of both worlds.

It was also awesome to see a more-or-less Inapt city and learn more about the magic, but they also tossed in new technology with Totho and a new wasp artificer. Again, best of both worlds.

And then there's this a great mystery throughout the novel, and the story really expanded on his world, which is one of Tchaikovsky's greatest strengths.

It was by far my favorite of his so far, and I think I'll be ordering the UK version of the Sea Watch just so I can get it early.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: dhalagirl on June 07, 2011, 06:50:31 AM
I can now see why so many people here have been talking about Shades of Milk and Honey.  It's absolutely delightful.

Now it's on to Born of Shadows by Sherrilyn Kenyon. (Yay!  Sentella hotness!)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shiael on June 07, 2011, 04:09:40 PM
Re-reading the Sword Of Truth series <3  and starting the Dark elf/ Drizzt series. I honestly have no idea where to start on this. I heard there is quite a bit of conflict on the subject. I am also reading Ivanhoe. just turned the first page, literally.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on June 07, 2011, 04:13:08 PM
I loved Empire of Black and Gold, though it did have some weaknesses. I'm hoping those are due to this being the author's first book.

Oh, don't worry. I just finished the Scarab Path and mmmm that was good. You get this extremely personal struggle within the city, but there's also this epic battle that comes when two armies clash. Best of both worlds.

It was also awesome to see a more-or-less Inapt city and learn more about the magic, but they also tossed in new technology with Totho and a new wasp artificer. Again, best of both worlds.

And then there's this a great mystery throughout the novel, and the story really expanded on his world, which is one of Tchaikovsky's greatest strengths.

It was by far my favorite of his so far, and I think I'll be ordering the UK version of the Sea Watch just so I can get it early.

Amen to all this.  I just posted the review of Scarab Path over at Elitist Book Reviews.  The battle fought at the bridge toward the end of the book is one of my favorite actions scenes in this whole series.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shiael on June 07, 2011, 04:16:55 PM
I have officially bumped my 'books to read' list up about thirty. :P
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on June 08, 2011, 05:51:40 AM
Finished Carriger's Blameless (WAY improved over Changeless) and the first volume of Gaiman's Sandman. Just started N.K. Jemisin's The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on June 08, 2011, 09:12:43 PM
I quite enjoyed Fuzzy Nation. Karen is a fan of the original and also liked this reboot.

It's a short and not complicated novel. And the main character is the same snarky guy as most of Scalzi's main characters. But reading it was entertainment time well spent.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on June 11, 2011, 04:55:29 AM
Finished Hundred Thousand Kingdoms. Enjoyed the thing for the most part; still trying to decide how I feel about the ending. I've just started Inside Straight (a Wild Cards novel), but I'm not far enough in yet to give any sort of a verdict.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on June 11, 2011, 11:13:08 PM
Just finished Leviathan Wakes.  Was pretty good.  And fun.

On to Bitter Seeds by Ian Tregillis.  Been wanting to read this one for a while now.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtbikemom on June 12, 2011, 02:30:11 AM
Me, too.  In the middle of Leviathan Wakes, that is.  It came for free with The Dragon's Path on the Kindle.  A fun and furiously-paced space adventure so far. 

Rothfuss' WMF spoiler alert below.










Finally finished The Wise Man's Fear.  Everything was terrific for me until the Felurian nonsense.  Ho hum, more male sex fantasy, as unrealistic and uninteresting as ever for most females, IMHO.  Eye-rolling, even.  And the tension between Kvothe and Denna is delicious, but bordering on the absurd.  Almost as bad as Bones.  Overall, I loved it and can't wait for more now that certain things are ringing true again.  If I could write like Rothfuss, I'd die happy.  Well, happi-ER.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fireflyz on June 12, 2011, 03:07:35 PM
Finished Bag of Bones, read Duma Key both by Stephen King.  Read the Company Man by Robert Jackson Bennet.  Read Strunk and White's Elements of Style.  Currently reading Rose Madder by King.

Bag of Bones was awesome.  King wrapped things up nicely.  His endings either tend to be bleh or great and this one was great.  It definitely had the same feel as Lissey's Story as I mentioned before, but definitely a good read.

Duma Key was a very good read.  I started off not really liking the protagonist.  I mean, he's an amputee with brain damage which causes him to be angry and violent.  That's not the best selling point.  The next thing I knew I was 15% in and actually invested/interested in where he was going in rebuilding his life.  And that's what good storytelling does.  I wouldn't reccomend it for the beginning author, but it's always nice to see an author tug on the right chords at the right moment to pull the reader in.  The protagonist in Duma Key begins painting, something he was good at as a child, to try to get himself back in a better mental state.  Or as his pyschiatrist tells him, "you need to build hedges against the night."   I don't want to spoil anything, but the horror does appear and the ending is another good one for King.  There's always a sense of continuity in his work.  Of course from the Dark Tower, but also in that a lot of his supernatural elements follow similar patterns.  Sometimes this makes it feel slightly predictable, but more and more I'm coming to find it's similar to Sanderson's universe.  This is King's universe, a half step away from our own, where the impossible is possible.  Frighteningly so.

I read the Company Man based off of Elitist Book Reviews comparison to Deadwood.  I love me some Deadwood.  I can see where they were coming from with that as far as unlikeable characters portraying different sides of themselves.  Unfortunately, I didn't feel the prose was anywhere as good as Deadwoods prose was (which I'd secretly been hoping for).  I will say that Bennet has good, punchy prose.  The kind that is mainly short, concise sentences.  I like that style of writing (perhaps because it's similar to my own beliefs in what good writing is).  The prose wasn't bad, I just wasn't blown away by it.  I felt that while it was serviceable, the author could have made better choices here and there to elevate it above simple mechanics. 

The story was good, but I'm not a huge detective fan and this was that in spades.  Including the alcoholic who manages to save the day and the soul-weary police officer trying to do the right thing.  We even had the innocent damsel in distress.  It felt cliched.  A pet peeve of mine is people that live one lifestyle but then act in another.  What I mean is that if you're never sober you're going to be worse than useless when you need to react, but in stories the drunks always manage to rise above themselves.  I'd like the author to go on a three week bender and see how productive they are.  Alright, alright, enough complaining.  It wasn't a bad book, just not my cup of tea.  But much like Country music, skiing, and scrapbooking aren't my cup of tea, I know that some people will absolutely love this book.

The author's description was good and it had to be.  This is 1920's Pacific Northwest in a way you've never imagined.  It was an interesting work and while I don't think the author is at the top of their game, they are getting there.  Someone to keep an eye on in the future.

I read Strunk and White's Elements of Style this past week.  I know it probably seems a travesty having not read it yet.  Especially with me having the temerity to call myself an author.  In my defense, I did read King's On Writing which does pay a lot of lip service to the aforementioned authors.  Anyway, the center where I work hands them out to all of their research investigators/assistants.  (Any place that gives you a free copy of such a cool book isn't all that bad IMHO)  I settled down to read it and was pleasantly surprised.  I was prepared for boring, dry, dusty English professors who had never written a day in their life.  The type of Professors who pick the most mundane syntax text books and make you pick out the participal phrases from the sentences in the exercises.  Man, was I wrong.  This is a book written by men with a clear love for the English language.  They are authors themselves and it shows.  As they say, "the reader is in trouble more than half the time" and its the authors job to rescue them.   I loved it.  Highly reccomend for anyone who is interested in becoming an author or even if your job requires you to write reports, etc.

I'm on a King kick and am currently working my way through Rose Madder.  So far it's alright, but not his best.  After this one I'm gonna back off from King for awhile.  Not sure which direction I'm headed in.  I know next month will be good as I believe another Dresden book is coming out as well as GRRM.  Maybe I'll pick up some non fiction to tide me over.  We'll see.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: dhalagirl on June 12, 2011, 10:40:33 PM
I read the ARC for Volume 1 of Laddertop, Orson Scott Card's graphic novel, and it was ok.  Not the best Manga I've read, but still pretty decent.  It was fun to see some of the tech and terms from the Ender Universe in this.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on June 16, 2011, 12:46:40 AM
I finished The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms and The Sigh of Haruhi Suzumiya and really liked them both. Now I'm reading The Queen of Attolia.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on June 16, 2011, 04:09:15 AM
Reading From The Notebooks of Dr Brain by Minister Faust. The premise is great but I can't stand the characters.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shiael on June 16, 2011, 05:06:14 AM
finished reading A Debt of Bones. I have to say, it isn't the same without Richard. :'(
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: dhalagirl on June 16, 2011, 04:08:26 PM
Finished Born of Shadows.  It was really good but Sherrilyn's new habit of changing POVs mid-page without a break was really annoying.

Now on to Bloodlines by Richelle Mead.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: GreenMonsta on June 17, 2011, 10:55:41 PM
Just finished The Wise Mans Fear by Patrick Rothfuss. My god is that trilogy good. I find myself at one of those inevitable losses that we experience while reading any series before its entierty has been published. Such a strong need for more with no way to fill the space. Maybe I will catch up on WOT finally. Just cant wait for The next book in the Kingkiller Chronicles!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fireflyz on June 17, 2011, 11:55:42 PM
This week's fare was mostly pirates.  Pirates?  Yep, Pirates.  The first two were non fiction works.  The Republic of Pirates:  Being the True and Surprising Story of the Carribean Pirates by Colin Woodard is a fantastically well researched look at some of most well known pirates of the Golden Age of Piracy.  Blackbeard, Calico Jack, and Henry Avery.  The author uses literally hundreds of primary sources and tells a good tale.  Very, very different from what most people believe.  Pirates rarely killed anyone, rarely had to do more than fire a warning shot, and rarely took all of the cargo of the ships they captured.  The second non fiction was If a Pirate I Must Be.. by Richard Sanders.  This follows Black Bart who was forced into piracy after the slaving ship he was on was captured.  After a few months he realized being a pirate was a lot better than being little better than a slave aboard a merchant ship.  Black Bart was one of the last successful pirates and actually captured more prizes than any other pirate in history.  Over 400 ships in less than three years.  Another very good read, although the author goes to great lengths to discuss every prize and 400 of them is a bit much.

I read Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton.  This novel was published posthumously after it was found on his computer.  Now I know why authors have a burn order on unpublished works.  I've read Crichton before (Jurassic Park, Lost World, Timeline which I especially liked) and found him a good storyteller.  Not a great author, but entertaining, and some of his ideas are definitely interesting.  This novel was set a little before the Golden Age of Piracy when the pirates were actually privateers.  I won't go into much detail, but this was obviously a work that was either in need of revision or (as I think most likely) a work that was never meant to see the light of day.  There are entire segments that simply aren't believable.  It's all plot with very little character.  Even the plot at points makes no sense.  We just lumber on and on from one part to another until finally, blissfully, it's over.  There is some good writing in here, but for the most part I think one should only read this book if they are a successful author so they know what to do to any works they don't want resurfacing after they pass on.

Currently I'm alternating between Night Shift by Stephen King (a collection of 25 short stories published in the 70s) and a book on quantum physics, string theory, and alternate/parallel universes by Brian Greene.  Amazing book, but very heavy reading.  I've always been fascinated by quantum theory, but only from the layman's perspective.  I never wanted to wager my GPA in college by taking a course in it, haha.  I'll post those reviews up in a few days.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on June 19, 2011, 03:23:59 PM
Just finished the comedic Will Power by AJ Hartley, and it was pretty good--it was written by a college professor of Shakespeare, and it definitely has those undertones. Now I'm reading an oldie but a goodie The Story of the Stone by Barry Hughart. And what do I find in the front cover of the library copy? A 'donated in the name of Marion K. Smith' tag. I teared up. Doc Smith was the adviser/advocate/bulldog for The Leading Edge while I was there, up until he passed away. Ahhh memories.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on June 20, 2011, 12:25:30 AM
Nessa, did you read Act of Will before Will Power? I haven't been more disappointed in a book in recent memory.

A lot of those "donated in the name" books came from the Quark library. Ethan donated them without our permission. (We would have given it but he didn't ask.)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on June 20, 2011, 03:41:19 PM
Nessa, did you read Act of Will before Will Power? I haven't been more disappointed in a book in recent memory.

I did not. What about it disappointed you? The thing about humor pieces is that it's hard to be strict about plot/style/worldbuilding.

A lot of those "donated in the name" books came from the Quark library. Ethan donated them without our permission. (We would have given it but he didn't ask.)
I knew that TLE had a 'library'. He probably donated when the library was just opening, I'm guessing. They have a decent science fiction section a the Provo library, better than other libraries, at any rate.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on June 20, 2011, 05:00:39 PM
I loved the first 20 pages of Act of Will (it comes before Will Power, so I'd have thought you'd read it first). The setup was great, the voice was great, the humor was great, the conceit of it being a translation of a strange-language manuscript found in someone's attic was entertaining.

But then after that it just got so cliche. They spent 50 pages traveling in a very boring manner; Will was with a group of people who actually called themselves "adventurers" (that just felt straight out of D&D); Will spent hundreds of pages denying magic was happening in front of his eyes. And there was a meaningful death at the end, but then the guy managed to recover; the magic was so ill defined (weapons with magic rocks in them, whoopee). I loved the voice but that wasn't nearly enough to carry me through the book, and I was left with no desire to read the second one.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on June 21, 2011, 08:00:04 AM
When I read Will Power it comes across to me as the kind of 'fantasy book for the masses'. It pokes fun at the high fantasy genre, and doesn't make the magic so in the reader's face that literary snobs won't necessarily put it down because it has magic in it.

If that makes any sense. It seems to me that's what he's trying to do. As a result the books will have a broader base than if he'd taken the magic and worldbuilding and etc seriously. Kind of like Wicked (McGuire), where the magic/worldbuilding is a second-thought kind of thing to the character interactions, and as a result it reaches a wider audience than 'regular' fantasy. Or am I mistaken?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fireflyz on June 21, 2011, 12:05:04 PM
Finished the Night Shift by Stephen King.  Read Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal.

Night Shift was good.  About 25 short stories with some really good ones like Children of the Corn.  There were a few that were so-so, but definitely good for aspiring novelists to read or anyone who is interested in the evolution of an author as a lot of these came right around the time he started being published.

Shades of Milk and Honey was interesting.  I saw Mary at a con, but didn't want to approach because I hadn't read any of her works yet and only knew of her through Writing Excuses.  I've always liked Pride and Prejudice, but if I'm being honest, Wuthering Heights is more my cup of tea.  I really enjoyed this book.  The prose was well done.  For the most part, short, concise sentences.  The magic (glamours) were well done.  The description was lacking in parts, but this actually worked in this book because it so closely mirrored Jane Austen that my mind immediately filled in the blanks.  Ever since I saw the movie version with Keira Knightley that's what I picutre when I read anything similar so that helped with this.  For a first time author (which I believe she was with this book) Mary was a good first read.  Unfortunately, many first time authors suffer occassionally from prose that pulls the reader out.  I didn't have that issue here.

My only real complaint is with the ending.  There was some very brief foreshadowing concerning one of the characters and there was a late mention of dueling by another character.  It wasn't nearly enough.  The book is almost completely about conversations and unspoken desires, but the ending is the classic Hollywood blow out in which the main character (always proper, always right no matter how much it hurts her) acts completely out of character.  The ending following this Hollywood confrontation is completely Deus ex Machina.  The tragedy is that I think this could have been easily avoided with more foreshadowing early on and perhaps more conversation and less physical confrontation at the end. 

The ending isn't terrible, it's just not up to par with the rest of the ending.  I was surprised by the romantic turn of events at the end and I thought she did a credible job with knocking one of the potential suitors out of the picture.  Unfortunately, this was a surprise more for the lack of foreshadowing than being a well set up change in direction.


All in all, a very enjoyable read and I can see why Mary has earned such attention for her work.  I would read her again because her prose is so readable.  So long as there isn't more Deus ex Machina, I think I've found another author to read.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on June 21, 2011, 06:07:46 PM
When I read Will Power it comes across to me as the kind of 'fantasy book for the masses'. It pokes fun at the high fantasy genre, and doesn't make the magic so in the reader's face that literary snobs won't necessarily put it down because it has magic in it.

If that makes any sense. It seems to me that's what he's trying to do. As a result the books will have a broader base than if he'd taken the magic and worldbuilding and etc seriously. Kind of like Wicked (McGuire), where the magic/worldbuilding is a second-thought kind of thing to the character interactions, and as a result it reaches a wider audience than 'regular' fantasy. Or am I mistaken?

Well, I suspected after reading it that perhaps I was not the intended audience. But I don't think the book is reaching its intended audience; the total number of Amazon reviews is a good indicator of a book's popularity (unless they are fake reviews), and judging by that these books have sold terribly.

Right now I'm reading the Dervish House. Karen gave up on it in the third chapter or so, but so far it's still interesting to me (Stanza says I'm 7% into it). Ian McDonald writes rather dense books; I've only read Brasyl before. I liked some things about it but am not sure I enjoyed the experience.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtbikemom on June 26, 2011, 01:54:52 AM
Read Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal.
  I would read her again because her prose is so readable. 

If you liked Shades even a little, you will LOVE Carol Berg.  See Mrs. Nessa's review here: http://elitistbookreviews.blogspot.com/2011/05/soul-mirror.html   So glad she gets Mrs. Berg.  There is no more careful and precise writer in all of speculative fiction in my opinion.  Her prose is nearly perfect and the stories are getting better and better.

Leviathan Wakes (Corey/Abraham/Franck) got really gory on me!  But it ended well and the character development was all that one expects from Abraham.  Good stuff.  The Dragon's Path was likewise very satisfying.  Unforgettable characters, interesting world building and just the right amount of description for my taste.  Daniel Abraham rocks!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: dhalagirl on June 26, 2011, 05:22:41 AM
Bloodlines was predictable.  It's not as good as her previous works.

I started reading Hit List by Laurell K. Hamilton and it's super awesome so far.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on June 26, 2011, 07:15:23 AM
A verdict on From The Notebooks of Dr. Brain: Absolutely brilliant in number of ways,  disappointing in others; worth the read over all.

Also read Kowal's Shades of Milk and Honey (awesome), Shadow Blade by Seressia Glass (pretty good, though mostly a romp) and am now onto Blackout by Connie Willis. Having fun on that one so far.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on June 28, 2011, 08:03:56 AM
Leviathan Wakes (Corey/Abraham/Franck) got really gory on me!  But it ended well and the character development was all that one expects from Abraham.  Good stuff.  The Dragon's Path was likewise very satisfying.  Unforgettable characters, interesting world building and just the right amount of description for my taste.  Daniel Abraham rocks!

Yup.   Yup.   Yup.   Yup.   Yup.   Aaand yup.  :D

Bitter Seeds was pretty disappointing.  Reading Sword of Fire and Sea right now, and it's mostly just a jumbled mass of confusion and running around.  At least it's short.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on June 28, 2011, 06:34:39 PM
If you liked Shades even a little, you will LOVE Carol Berg.

So I tried Carol Berg once and didn't really care for her. Is her newer stuff better?  Because I LOVE Shades of Milk and Honey.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on June 28, 2011, 07:36:13 PM
If you liked Shades even a little, you will LOVE Carol Berg.

So I tried Carol Berg once and didn't really care for her. Is her newer stuff better?  Because I LOVE Shades of Milk and Honey.

Carol's newer stuff is pretty good. Her new Collega Magica series is like mystery/fantasy/gothic. The pace is slower so it takes time to get into, but the payoff is worth it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on June 30, 2011, 05:31:43 AM
Reading Connie Willis's Blackout.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on June 30, 2011, 06:01:00 AM
Just finished Hounded by Kevin Hearne. Whoooaboy. If you like Urban Fantasy this is for you. Fun, hilarious, clever. I really enjoyed it.

Now I'm on Midsummer Night by Fredda Warrington. I'm about 100 pages in and so far it's ok, but I haven't seen much magic yet...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fireflyz on July 01, 2011, 01:21:08 AM
Read Everything's Eventual by Stephen King, The Talisman by Peter Straub and Stephen King, and Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk.


Everything's Eventual was a short story collection King wrote while still recovering from the hit and run incident he had.  It was very, very good.  Even though I liked Night Shift, it's insane the difference between that and this one.  Granted over twenty years had past, but it's nice to see how improved his writing has become.  King has a good intro concerning ebooks (this is 2001) and how when he wrote and released Riding the Bullet via electronically it caused a huge frenzy.  He said he did it to try new media, to keep his edge, but he was disappointed because in interviews no one asked him about the story, they just cared about the numbers of people who checked out a book in electronic format.  Ironically, the audio rights went for over 100k.  The stories in here are good, including Everything's Eventual (the title) and 1408.  I like the book better than the movie, though to be fair th book version is much, much shorter.  All in all, a good read.

The Talisman by Peter Straub and King was a lengthy read.  Fans of King's Dark Tower series will feel a lot of similarities between Roland's world and the Territories (the alternate world that is part of the setting for the book, our world being the other).  It's the story of a twelve year old boy who must travel from New Hampshire to California to find the Talisman.  His mother is dying of cancer, his father's been murdered by his friend and business partner, so she's all his has left.   In the Territories, his mother's double or Twinner is also dying and if she dies, the fate of the Territories will lie in the hands of his father's business partner's Twinner.  There is some good writing here.  The book gets off to a slow start (like most of King's lengthy works) but is running down hill at a breakneck pace by the time you reach 70%.  Especially touching is the Wolf character.  I get the feeling when I read this that this is a cross between an American take on Tolkien, fairy tales, and King's own Dark Tower universe.  It's worth the read.

Fight Club...I've loved the movie for years.  It spawned an era of anti-establishment, anti-work movies where the protagonist hates their job and goes to crazy lengths to change it.  I finally read the book.  I was surprised by how good it was.  The story is basically just free thought from the protagonist.  Most of the time when he's speaking to other characters there isn't even proper punctuation (though the other characters do have dialogue tags).  There was some really good writing in here.  It's definitely a style I personally could not hope to emulate.  It's just a little too foreign for me.  I like the visceral mental diatribes, they add weight to the character's mental state.  Anyone who has seen the movie won't be surprised by the ending.  I would like to be able to read it blissfully unaware of the duality of the protagonist, but I couldn't.  In some ways the book handles it better than the movie, but in many ways the movie passes it on that end of things.  Then again, it's much easier to do that in the format of cinema as opposed to the written word.  The movie doesn't follow the book exactly, so there are some nice twists and turns.  I think Chuck has some interesting, thought provoking things to say about society...the rest I think he's talking out of his ass.  It's alright though, because he remains true to the character.  You can't ask for more than that and at the end of the day you can take it or leave it when you turn the last page.There's an afterward written after the movie made it so famous.  It's really funny how he got his idea and just ran with it, not expecting much.  His advance was 6k.  I liked that he was cognizant of the fact that what he was doing structure wise in his novel went against the norm.  The whole point of the "rules" was to anchor the reader in while we whipped from scene to scene and character to character.  He did a good job.  It's sad how many people out there believed everything he wrote and chose to emulate it.  The first five pages of the afterward are describing all of the crazy things people did in the wake of its popularity.  All in all, good stuff.

I'm going to read the sequel to the Talisman and depending on how that goes, hopefully be tackling some new Butcher and GRRM shortly.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on July 01, 2011, 05:51:10 AM
Reading Connie Willis's Blackout.

So I finished it last night and posted something snarky to Twitter about looking forward to the other half of the book, and then realized that Blackout and All Clear are actually appearing on the Hugo ballot as one item and felt kind of like a jerk.  Maybe I should wait to review it until I've read both...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: hubay on July 01, 2011, 08:14:26 AM
@fireflyz
Black house is good, but don't expect it to be anything like the talisman. the protagonist is an adult and very different, it isn't focused on the journey like the talisman, but instead is sort of structured very vaguely like a mystery. Very strong dark tower tie-ins, though. I liked it, but I think the talisman had a better sense of the fantastical and mysterious to it.

Anways, I'm reading Unseen Academicals. Big pratchett fan, and I'm curious about this story cuz the UU always seems to be a supporting character in the books. Also haphazardly reading memory, sorrow, and thorn. I think it's a good story, but after reading the Shadowmarch series (which is very similar, in my opinion) I feel like it's more dense and takes longer to read through.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bejay on July 03, 2011, 12:44:51 PM
Started A Dance with Dragons two days ago. So far..... pure love. Thx again Amazon. :)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on July 05, 2011, 06:11:59 PM
I'm reading Shadowborn by Alison Sinclair. I really liked the other two books in this series, so I'm excited to see how this turns out.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Hero of Ages on July 06, 2011, 06:10:03 AM
Currently reading The Never Ending Story.  I always wanted to after the movie came out but for some reason it was always out of the library.  In the years since, I had forgotten it until the other day.  I finally bought it and it is pretty good so far.  I am about half way into it.  Next on the list is either The Wise Man's Fear (which I have owned since the 1st day it came out but just haven't gotten around to reading yet), Tarzan King of the Apes (another that I have always wanted to read), or The Dark is Rising series (which I read years ago, but want to reread).  Decisions, decisions.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtbikemom on July 06, 2011, 11:38:49 PM
I used to own first editions of three Tarzan books, one of which was Tarzan and the Ant Men.  Very early classic sci fi.  They might still be in a box somewhere.

I listened to the last seven chapters of Terry Pratchett/Neil Gaiman's Good Omens while riding in the woods today.  The order got scrambled somehow (my IPod was NOT on shuffle) and for a while I was irritated, then realized it didn't make much of a difference.  Still fun.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shiael on July 11, 2011, 01:11:34 AM
just finished elantris for the first time <3 <3 <3

I have to say, excellent political view. The one book i have read that actually specifies political concerns of both non and main characters. however, the lack of war made me sad :/    Still up VERY high on my list of favorites.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on July 11, 2011, 11:47:56 PM
Sword of Fire and Sea was pretty bad.  Semi-decent writing, really confusing, and seemingly pointless.

Read the Nebula Winners Showcase 2011.  Lots of status quo Science Fiction, and a couple of good fantasy stories.

Reading Frederik Pohl's All the Lives He Led right now, and it's fairly interesting but not really what I'd call exciting or engaging.

I need something really good to read.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fireflyz on July 12, 2011, 12:24:07 PM
My reading took a hit this past week.  (For good reasons, which might come with some exciting news in the next week or so)  I was able to read Just a Geek by Wil Wheaton and No Better Place to Die.

I picked up Just a Geek because I read Pat Rothfuss's review on his blog.  Also, I'm a huge Trekkie fan.  Let me clarify that.  I absolutely loved TNG and Voyager, thought DS9 was alright, the original was good, and Enterprise was terrible.  I can quote lines from the shows, love specific episodes, but I can't remember the names of every episode and I've never, never been to a Star Trek Convention.

Alright, bona fides out of the way, onto the review.  Just a Geek was well written.  It's not a terribly long book and a lot of it appears to be taken from Wil's blog.  Having said that, Wil goes into detail to tell the reader what was going on behind the scenes when he wrote each entry.  The book starts off with a young, 16 year old Wil Wheaton watching members of the original Star Trek cast come out of their hotel to get on a Trekkie Cruise.  It takes a sixteen year old to be able to judge them so harshly and so completely.  We've all been there.  In Wil's case it resulted in him leaving Star Trek and spending the next 10+ years regretting it.

This is a story about fame and success turning into ruin.  But more than that it's a story about recovery and acceptance.  It's a story about hope.  And I think those stories are worth reading every now and again to remind us that there's always a ray of sunshine at the end of the tunnel.  This will appeal to any reader, but especially those who followed the show as there's a lot of behind the scenes looks from Patrick Stewart and co.

No Better Place to Die is a memoir of an 82nd Airborne Pathfinder's days in Normandy.  It follows the action of Saint-Mere Eglise which had some of the most brutal close combat of the war.  It's an alright book.  The author's prose isn't bad, but he jumps all over the place and innundates the reader with a ton of names, details, etc.  It would appeal to the amateur historian looking for an in depth look at the conflict, but the average reader, meh.  Also, when I read memoirs I'm hoping to get a look inside of the writer's head.  In this case the author takes the rare approach of pulling himself out of the story.  There are a lot of harrowing tales and several Medal of Honor moments.  Definitely worth reading for that alone.  The second half of the book is filled with letters from the soldiers involved.  Really you could read the second half of the book and find out the same information, but as they are letters you're expecting disjointed, haphazard organization.  The first half is the same thing told by the author, but much more jarring.

Next up? GRRM of course  :-)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on July 12, 2011, 04:13:47 PM
I need something really good to read.

Nope.  You aren't allowed to read anything really good.  I've claimed that right.

Oh wait!  You get to review the anthology with 2 of my short stories in it! (Obviously I can't review it)  It comes out next month though...
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: WriterDan on July 12, 2011, 10:41:32 PM
Nope.  You aren't allowed to read anything really good.  I've claimed that right.

Ain't it the truth!  AIN'T it the truuuuuth!  << said with vehemence, as I grab my tail and squint into the bright lights>>

Oh wait!  You get to review the anthology with 2 of my short stories in it! (Obviously I can't review it)  It comes out next month though...

Actually, I'd forgotten about that.  That's the problem with e-books I'm supposed to read.  I never see them sitting on my shelf at home and so they totally slip my mind.  This has made my day.  For what it is.  Twisted both ankles on my way to school today (at the same time) and I'm beginning to wonder if I should just start wearing my ankle braces 24-7 now.  Freaking stupid tendons.  Freaking stupid uneven ground.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Silk on July 13, 2011, 01:51:55 AM
Reading Axis by Robert Charles Wilson. Also recently finished Larry Correia's Monster Hunter International and Scott Westerfeld's Pretties.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: hubay on July 13, 2011, 07:46:01 AM
I just tore through the most recent of Adrian Tchaicovsky's short stories over on his website (not really a book but whatever). It's called Cities of Silver and is about an expedition into an underwater city.

Soooo good. The best part was the voice – it read like a late 1800's/early 1900's science fiction, something like Journey to the Center of the Earth. Took me a while to realize the protagonist was a girl, but I'm looking forward to seeing another story with the same characters. Has a sort of holmes/watson repertoire with the main POV being the doctor's assistant. It also expands the world, which is the best part of his little web short stories; they show parts of the world and kinden he might otherwise not touch in the main series (though the next one is called the sea watch, so maybe the crab-kinden will show up after all).

Seriously, though. He really needs to turn those stories into an anthology at some point. The man rivals mr. sanderson in productivity.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on July 14, 2011, 12:02:51 AM
I'm reading The Book Thief for my book club and the new Daniel Abraham for myself.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on July 15, 2011, 06:41:50 PM
Reading Axis by Robert Charles Wilson. Also recently finished Larry Correia's Monster Hunter International and Scott Westerfeld's Pretties.

I did not like Axis at all. The first book in the series "Spin" is becoming one of my favorite science fiction books. Generally it takes a while for a book to truly settle in for me to decide how much I like it. I may find that I burn through a book and think it is entertaining, but find that it is not memorable and I don't remember much of anything about it a few years later (RA Salvatore Drizzt books, Riftwar books), but others settle in with me over time. Spin combines the elements of an epic movie where you meet some kids who are friends and following their friendship and life to later stages in life with a fascinating science fiction backdrop. Axis bored me. I did not like it and found the ending dissapointing. The third book in the series just came out. I am sure I'll read it, but now I am skeptical that I will like it. Wilson is critically acclaimed. He is Stephen King's favorite Sci-Fi writer, so I do plan to read more of his books.

just really dissapointed in Axis, after I was stunned by the first book Spin.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: haperez on July 17, 2011, 06:30:54 PM
Hey Guys I just finished the CHRONICLES OF ELANTRA and I am looking for something to read I am torn between  PARANORMALCY or INSIDE OUT... or the last books of the INMORTAL series... anyone has a good recommendation ?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on July 18, 2011, 03:29:40 PM
Long Prince Quartets series by Daniel Abraham. Just finished the 4th and final book. I don't think I would have liked this when I was younger (I am 37). Now that I am getting older and I have read alot of books, I really appreciate this book. It is pretty different from alot of epic fantasy. It basically follows to sort of friends for their whole lives. The books focus on regular people. The most interesting parts of the books are how he combines the regular day to day lives of the characters with larger issues going on in the world. Some of my favorites parts are when Maati is trying to have a relationship with his long lost son, Liats strange and selfish relationship with Maati (I kept thinking... Maati kick her to the curb in the 3rd book). Otah just being a regular guy who never did anything special to become emperor. Just did the best he could. I even understand the crazy girl who almost destroyed the world in the last book. I understood why she was so damaged (her whole family was murdered when she was a little girl).

I like the way Abraham presented characters who made ambiguous moral decision or had to since the world left them with no choice, but left the read to decide how they felt about it. He didn't judge. In the first book, the cities had what seemed to be a horrific government. You had to kill your own brothers to be king of the city. If you didn't they would kill you. As the books go on, you understand why they had to do it. The king receives control of an all powerful magical beast. If there is a war or competition for ruling, then these kings can attack each other with them. This destroyed earlier empires.

This was a very unique story. It is also adds an element that I think alot of fantasy does not. It has alot of cross over to popular fiction. Most fantasy is about action and adventure. These books are really more about regular people, who have a life to live and are just trying to get buy.

Currently Read: Towers of Midnight. I know I am slow. I have been reading these books since I was 16. I did not want to read it right away since there are only 2 left. When its done, its done.

Audio Books:
 Doing a couple of non-fiction books
The History of Warfare
Why the Weest Rules--For Now
Then back to fiction, going to Audio Way of Kings. I believe it is the same people who read the Wheel of Time and they are very good.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on July 19, 2011, 05:32:08 PM
I'm reading Leviathan Wakes and I love, love, love it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fireflyz on July 20, 2011, 12:03:31 PM
Just finished GRRM's Dance.  For those of you worried about spoilers, the only spoilers I'll post will concern some of the POVs in the book.  GRRM has already said who was (and was not) in the book, but if you'd rather not know don't read any further.  To those that don't want to know anything, but are on the fence about picking it up I would say it's definitely worth your time.  GRRM at his best.


So, years of waiting for this one, was it worth it?  Yes...and no.  I'll explain further on.  A lot of our friends are back but the book mainly focuses on Tyrion, Jon, one of the Greyjoys, and Daenerys.  For those of you who are Arya fans, she makes a brief appearance (one of my favorite plot lines of the series).  The prologue seemed unneccessary to me.  I can sort of see why he included it, but it didn't do the job of a prologue IMO which is to either pull the reader into the maelstrom or else dangle something interesting before their eyes.  Honestly, the first three or four chapters were average and I was worried that GRRM might be losing it.  I shouldn't have worried.  After that I was sucked in and the prose was back to his usual excellence.  There is one plot development that happened in the first quarter of the book that felt like it came out of left field.  I was bothered by it, but decided to hold my ire until I'd finished the book.  By the end the wrinkle was given enough time and information to make it less jarring.  Aside from that, the only thing I'll say is that GRRM had me forgetting what he's famous for:  killing or maiming characters we love.  By the end I was cursing myself for ever forgetting.  Enough said.

So, if it was an excellent book why is it worth picking up, but not?  Well, much like Feast felt like half a book, this too feels like half a book.  I'm sure that if he had tried to hold the release of Feast and Dance until both were completed and released them six months apart the fans would have torn him apart.  But the books would be a much better read IMO if all the plot lines were woven together over the course of two books rather than half a story in one and half in the other.  The Meerneese knot?  I don't know.  I could sort of see a few parts where the going must have been difficult.  I can't comment as I wasn't over GRRM's shoulder for the past five years.  Was it writer's block?  An impossible situation? Laziness/loss of enthusiasm?  We'll never know, but ultimately, the man delivered.  You can't ask for more than that.

The last thing I'll mention is that the number of viewpoints has increased.  With two books left, I'm not sure how he's going to bring this to a satisfying conclusion and still fulfill all the promises he's made to the reader.  Then again, a lot can happen over the course of 2000 pages.  I'm rooting for him.  I really enjoyed this book.  It made me remember why GRRM is considered one of the best modern fantasy writers.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that the next book is only a couple years away.

So if you're on the fence, I reccomend picking it up.  If you haven't read Feast in a long time I'd suggest reading that and moving right into Dance.  I think you'll find it enjoyable and it should satisfy your appetite...for a little while at least.  At the end of the day it IS a great story beautifully written and deserves to be read.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: guessingo on July 20, 2011, 04:15:54 PM
Dance with dragons is getting mixed reviews on amazon. Alot of fans don't like it. I plan to re-read the whole series before I touch Dance. I read the first 3 books in 2000. By the time I got to Feast for Crows, I forgot so much, it wasn't worth it.

It seems like its a lot easier for an author to start a series that to move it along and finish it. People get excited at the start and then are often disappointed later on. It could be that as time goes by and you work out the details your original plans don't work, it could also be that you are getting older and your views and opinions change. I believe I saw somewhere that Brandon has a detailed outline of all 10 books of the Stormlight Archive and knows where he is going. I am sure this is subject to change over time, but this sounds like a first to me. Just figuring out how to organize your notes and outlines over such a long story has to be tough. I wonder how much Peter helps with this.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fireflyz on July 25, 2011, 12:25:17 PM
@guessingo
  I don't think that it's easier for authors to start a series rather than finish it.  There are many authors that are very prolific and others that are not so much.  Authors are unique just like any other person.  Some are fast writers committed to putting out books at a quick rate.  Others are obsessive perfectionists who would rather take a week to get a thousand words rather than have anything less than their best come out.  And I think sometimes authors bite off more than they can chew and as any creative person knows, that kind of problem crushes creativity.  Is that what happened with GRRM?  I don't know.  I was among those who felt he was taking way too long to put this book out and that he didn't seem to be working hard towards finishing it.  Having seen GOT on HBO and reading Dance, I am feeling more inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt.  We'll see.


Read The Steel Wave and To the Last Man by Jeff Shaara.  You might be familiar with his series on the Civil War.  Gettysburg and Gods and Generals were made into movies.  The Steel Wave follows the Normandy invasion.  It was well done, showing Eisenhower, Patton, Rommel, and a few of the front line grunts including the 82nd AB.  If you're looking for a good introduction to Normandy or just a retelling with life to it, look no further.  To the Last Man is about WWI.  This was amazing.  I am a huge history buff but must confess WWI is my weakpoint.  THe first half of the novel follows the air war.  It features the Bloody Red Baron who shot down 80 planes and the Americans who went to France to fly years before America entered the war.  Shaara tells it like it is and it's bloody for all involved.  Black Jack Pershing and a frontline marine figure heavily into the second half of the book.  I highly reccomend this book.  It might just be my own personal experience, but I think too often WWI is overshadowed by WWII and it deserves to be remembered.  The British sent half a million men across Flanders Field (just one of many such attacks over the years of the war).  THe first day 40,000 soldiers were mowed down.  This was the advent of the machine gun, chemical gas, and old world tactics.  It was horror.  I live in a small town fairly close to some major cities.  My town has about 20k people in it.  I can't imagine what it would look like to see them all die twice over in the course of a single day.  Good read.

Next up?  Butcher's next novel coming out tomorrow!
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fireflyz on July 27, 2011, 11:56:30 AM
Finished Jim Butcher's Ghost Story yesterday.  Haha, the same day it came out.  Did I like it?  :-)

I'll try to keep this spoiler free, but anyone reading the series knows that Harry Dresden was killed at the end of the last book and this book deals with his ghost.  I was a little leery of this plotline because it could come off as cheap.  By this point Dresden is a powerhouse of a wizard and stripping him of his power seemed too easy.  I shouldn't have worried, Butcher handles it well.  While Dresden's power is signficantly diminished and changed in many ways, he's not completely helpless.  Dresden must return to the world of the living to solve his murder or three people he loves will die.  What really sold this book was Dresden's internal realizations.  Instead of being able to go in guns blazing he is forced to think through his actions.  This leads him to realize the consequences of his actions from the last novel.  Good stuff that is well written.  Butcher's plot twists are always good and this one is no different.  True, withholding information from the reader can be cheap, but when the main character is in the dark too it feels genuine.  I'm jealous of his twists.  The only complaint I had was at one point the writing is very confusing due to the characters in the scene (you'll know when you get there).  Minor, but slightly annoying.  All in all, a very good read.

The only bad news?  It's not the longest book in the world and it's a fast read so you'll finish it and be left waiting another year for the next book.  I have to admit, I wish he'd abandon his Codex Alera series and just write Dresden books.  Paranormal fantasy is not my thing, but with Butcher and Dresden, I'll make an exception.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on July 27, 2011, 07:01:15 PM
I finished Leviathan Wakes,  and I loved it. It's a mix of science fiction and noir detective, and I would definitely recommend it, though it does use the f-word a few times.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fireflyz on August 02, 2011, 12:02:37 PM
I've been reading a lot of nonfiction concerning the Old West of America, circa 1860s-1880s.  Research for a potential future novel.  Taking a break from that I read Mira Grant's FEED yesterday.

Feed was promoed on the writing excuses podcast a few weeks ago.  I'd been hearing buzz about it and decided to give it a try.  I'm not a huge zombie fan, but this book goes way beyond your classic zombie yarn.  It tells the story of a small group of bloggers who live in this new post zombie world.  Is this horror?  Yes.  Is this sci fi?  I would again say yes.  Is this fantasy?  You'd be right again.  It was all good.  The prose is well done.  Short, concise sentences in 1st POV.  Crunchy writing is good writing.  You won't fall in love with the prose, but like any good thriller, you won't stumble over it either.  The book takes a break in between chapters to give us excerpts from the characters blogs.  This is really just a way for the author to infodump about the world or the characters.  Having said that, while it was obvious that it was an infodump, I didn't mind.  Why?  Because it was interesting and short.  A few pages of back story interspersed amongst the current narrative doesn't bother me.  This is definitely a good read.  It's also straightforward and quick.  Good for a Saturday afternoon.

  The only issue I have with this novel is that it's completely plot driven.  The only character development is done through the backstories to explain to the reader why the characters are the way they are currently.  The characters don't want to change and they don't.  This becomes an issue because the plot driven concept turns Feed into a mystery whodunnit novel.  And as a mystery Feed fails to deliver.  While following a presidential candidate, someone begins using zombies to try to assassinate the candidate.  This is considered terrorism in this new zombie world.  But there's very little suspense.  There's very little in the way of mystery.  The characters do decide to look around, discovering that a plot to kill the candidate and themselves exists, but the evidence just falls into their lap.  That brings the book down a bit and definitely reduces it's rereadability.

  All in all, Feed is a mundane mystery set against the backdrop of a very, very interesting world.  The writing is good, the characters are interesting, if flat.  To go back to an earlier statement, good for a Saturday afternoon read.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fireflyz on August 04, 2011, 12:02:52 PM
Just finished Deadline, the second book in Mira Grants's Zombie Trilogy.  There will be spoilers for those who haven't read the first book, but I'll refrain from referencing anything from the second book.  Who starts a series with the second book anyway?

Deadline begins where Feed left off.  We're now in the head of Shaun Mason, Georgia's brother.  I was critical of the character development (or lack thereof) in her last novel.  This novel has character development, but it's external.  Essentially Shaun hears his sister's voice talking to him because he can't deal with reality.  That he was the one who killed her.  This changes his character signficantly, but it's a change that occurred off the pages, in between books.  For the remainder of this book his character will remain essentially the same.

The plot was even better than Feed.  Grant does a good job of providing realistic explanations for the virology behind the zombie virus that's been raging on the planet for over two decades.  I think that's one of the best things about this series, Grant takes it seriously and so the reader must too.  There's a whole new host of characters with their own little quirks, but most of them are just scenery. 

Deadline was a quick, fun read.  It's definitely a page turner.  The issues I have with this book are similar to the last.  There really is no attempt at character development.  Grant has an annoying habit of constantly having Shaun think about punching anyone who reacts to him speaking aloud to the girl in his head.  In the beginning of the book that was fine, but after 500 pages we don't need to hear it again.  The plot is interesting, but again as a mystery novel it leaves much to be desired.  A ton of information is withheld from the reader so it's impossible to know where the book is headed.  That's alright, but I think the book would've been better if she allowed us a clearer picture and developed the suspense more.  As it is, some of the plot movements seem contrived and make little sense.  I will say that I saw the epilogue scene coming a mile away and it should make the next book interesting.

I'm not sure how she's going to wrap everything up in one more book because there's a lot left unexplained.  Both her books clock in just over 600 pages so maybe the third will be larger.  Or maybe she'll extend it past a trilogy.  I know that my reviews have been cricital of Grant, but that's the writer in me.  I'll still read them because sometimes it's alright to read a page turning thriller and let your brain go on autopilot.  And Grant's writing is good.  It's very entertaining.  But this isn't something I'll be thinking of after I close the book and it isn't a series that I'll be dying to reread over and over again.  In this case, what you see is what you get.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on August 04, 2011, 08:22:29 PM
I'm reading Across the Great Barrier by Patricia C. Wrede, and I like it so far, though it's hard because I haven't felt much like reading lately. This was the only thing I've picked up that held my attention for more than two minutes.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on August 04, 2011, 09:17:55 PM
Uh, I've read a lot of stuff lately.

Never Knew Another
God's War
Deadline
With Fate Conspire
The Immorality Engine
Midnight Riot
Monster Hunter Alpha
Spellbound (the sequel to Hard Magic)
Variant
The Girl who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making
Ghosts of War
The Hugo nominated short fiction

Then I have Alloy of Law, some more James Barclay, and some other random ARCs.  Business as usual.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on August 04, 2011, 10:19:07 PM
Does Spellbound have illustrations, and are they better resolution than the ones in Hard Magic?
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Bookstore Guy on August 05, 2011, 04:07:49 PM
I'm pretty sure the completed version will have illustrations, but as for the resolution I have no idea--alpha reader.  I'll ask Larry.

The book itself, however, was my favorite of his works so far.  It was an absurd amount of fun to read.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on August 05, 2011, 09:29:06 PM
If Larry wants anyone different to do illustrations, Ben (Inkthinker) loved Hard Magic but was bemoaning the illustrations to me on the phone.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Shiael on August 06, 2011, 08:18:48 PM
There's so many books that i need to read! pity school's starting soon; i wont have the time to 'waste'       better get more reading done and less drawing so i have something to draw when i'm bored to death in my classes             I recommend the a song of ice and fire series, though i only just started it myself; the first book was brilliant.  :D 
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: dhalagirl on August 09, 2011, 03:52:07 AM
I just finished Hard Magic and while I enjoyed the story, I agree that the illustrations left something to be desired.  I still prefer the Monster Hunter books over the Grimnoir Chronicles. Which is why I'm now reading Monster Hunter Alpha. (squee!)
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtbikemom on August 09, 2011, 07:46:23 PM
Reading Patrick Ness's Chaos Walking threesome, the first being the intriguing The Knife of Never Letting Go.   The first was the best, full of all the things in the Elitist review and more.  If only the next two books were as concise.  Alas, they drag on.  They do blossom in emotional complexity and scope and they are what I consider "reliable" despite some language and much violence.  I really do really want to know what happens, but it has been a bit of a chore to get through.  The overall story is as bleak as anything out there, too.  Unrelentingly bleak.  Every glimpse of hope is followed shortly by huge disappointment and increased peril.   Ness uses, though, some unusual and innovative punctuation and spelling choices that convey exactly what I believe the author wanted.  It all rings true, even the complete lack of a good break for the mains.

I recommend this series to a fast reader, lover of character development (me) and someone who likes the idea of good YA fare for grownups (me, me, me).  I do not regret becoming invested in the story, despite its pacing problems, probably due to the problems of the gardener-style writer.  There is much to like.

Treated myself to my first taste of K.J. Parker also on vacation last week.  Blue and Gold was fun and satisfying.  I loved the cynical humor and the redemptive ending.  Well, somewhat.  Not too tidy, fun prose, really fun characters.  I look forward to Colours in the Steel next, if I ever make it through this Ness stuff.  The ending better be full of happy-ever-after or I'm going to throw my Kindle gently against the wall.  Not too tidy, though, please.

Also on the dock: the short stories That Leviathan Whom Thou Hast Made (Stone) and The New World (more Ness).   Then I am off to Ted Dekkerland, heretofore unexplored territory for me.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtbikemom on August 11, 2011, 06:47:40 PM
I was thrilled with the ending to Monsters of Men, third in the Chaos Walking series, when it finally came.  It almost made up for the unnecessary length of the story.  This is another set of books that could have been edited down to a real gem.  Does it happen that authors who win awards for their first volumes become untouchable and refuse or neglect good advice?  I wonder . . . .

My library had a few Ted Dekker books and I've been feeling guilty about spending a bit too much on downloads lately, so I grabbed one yesterday and read half of it.  Am I glad I didn't pay for this.  And what a sorry example of misleading online reviews!  I find that I only agree with the one-star Amazon review and absolutely none of the recommendations I've heard for years concerning this author.  What a pile of crap.  Did the same people like Goodkind?  Probably.

I may have enjoyed this book (Chosen) back when I thought Lloyd Alexander and David Eddings were brilliant, when my kids were young and I looked for fun read-alouds.  I can see reading this to a young Harry Potter fan, pausing often with explanations of how good, moral content is ruined by cardboard characters and sloppy, juvenile prose.  I think, even back before I became spoiled by all the amazing stuff I've read since, I would have rolled my eyes and used it as a teaching tool more than anything.  It especially pales in comparison to the Patrick Ness I just finished, whose world view I do not necessarily agree with as much but whose brilliance and talent I can't help but praise. 
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Peter Ahlstrom on August 11, 2011, 07:02:55 PM
But...Lloyd Alexander is brilliant. Eddings doesn't hold a candle to him; I wouldn't mention them in the same breath.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: maxonennis on August 11, 2011, 07:14:24 PM
But...Lloyd Alexander is brilliant. Eddings doesn't hold a candle to him; I wouldn't mention them in the same breath.

Agreed. Eddings always came off as racist to me.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtbikemom on August 11, 2011, 07:41:42 PM
Yes, I still think Alexander is brilliant.  His best books hold up to the test of time better than any of Edding's.  I only mention them in the same breath, so to speak, because I discovered them at about the same time and they were all the fantasy I knew of for a long while.  Eddings was sweet and wholesome, despite some issues that were not obvious to me at the time and which I believe were largely unintentional. Polgara the Sorceress was nearly awesome, but I agree that Lloyd Alexander is a cut above anything else from that era, especially for such a broad audience.  Timeless classics.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Nessa on August 13, 2011, 06:52:50 AM
I'm reading Across the Great Barrier by Patricia C. Wrede, and I like it so far, though it's hard because I haven't felt much like reading lately. This was the only thing I've picked up that held my attention for more than two minutes.

It's on my to-read list. I enjoyed the first one quite a bit. Let me know how you like it.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Pink Bunkadoo on August 15, 2011, 03:27:16 AM
As much as I love Lloyd Alexander (he kissed me on the cheek once (http://wedoitthehardway.blogspot.com/2007/05/memories-of-lloyd-alexander.html)) his non-Prydain stuff is pretty much all the same. 
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Sigyn on August 15, 2011, 06:10:24 PM
I'm reading Across the Great Barrier by Patricia C. Wrede, and I like it so far, though it's hard because I haven't felt much like reading lately. This was the only thing I've picked up that held my attention for more than two minutes.

It's on my to-read list. I enjoyed the first one quite a bit. Let me know how you like it.

I really liked it. If you liked the first one, I would think you'd like this one too.

As much as I love Lloyd Alexander (he kissed me on the cheek once (http://wedoitthehardway.blogspot.com/2007/05/memories-of-lloyd-alexander.html)) his non-Prydain stuff is pretty much all the same. 

While his work does have some similarities, it certainly isn't all the same. The Vesper Holly books and the Beggar Queen trilogy are certainly not interchangeable.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: Pink Bunkadoo on August 15, 2011, 06:42:05 PM
That's true.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: fireflyz on August 16, 2011, 12:08:16 PM
Been awhile in between posts.  My Kindle died and was resurrected this weekend.  It wouldn't turn on, blank screen, etc.  I charged it per Kindle's Customer Support but...nothing.  This morning it randomly turned on so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.  I haven't even had it a year...granted I've read over 130 books on it, but still.

This past week I read a few non fiction works on the American West.  Unfortunately, there is less good scholarly works on this unique period of history than other times in history.  Tough reading.  I've read quite a few Louis Lamour books...reread as I've read them all.  Good historical fiction.  This novel in my head is going to be a long time in coalescing, but it's getting there.

I'm rereading the Dresden Files.  I've only read them once and they're quick, fun reads so I"m guessing that won't take too long.  Anyone have any reccomendations for some good epic fantasy?  Something along the lines of Sanderson, Jordan, Martin, and Erikson.  I could really go for something along those lines.
Title: Re: What are you reading, part 3
Post by: mtbikemom on August 22, 2011, 12:57:22 PM
For fireflyz:

I haven't read them yet, but the reviewers seem to really like Adrian Tchaikovsky's series starting with EMPIRE IN BLACK AND GOLD.  It's on my to-read list after WoT is finished.  The first book may be a bit rough, I've read, but they apparently improve as they go and the latest was well-received.  I can't remember how many books there are so far or how many are expected, but I plan to read them all.

I really enjoyed Dan Wells' I Am Not a Serial Killer.  It was a perfect thriller/character study for a final summer read.  I can't recommend it enough for brilliant insight into the mind of a moral sociopath.  Dan's writing style is fresh and occasionally beautiful.  His apparent love of poetry shows and his humor is pitch perfect.  Completely reliable content, though a bit too gory for some.  Not for me.

I am also enjoying the delicious Patricia McKillip's Alphabet of Thorn.  Some of it is a bit acid-trippy, but the whole thing is intriguing and mostly reliable content-wise.  Thanks again, Mrs. Nessa, for the great steer in her direction!