Author Topic: What are you reading, part 3  (Read 311081 times)

WriterDan

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1200 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?
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Bejay

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1201 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....

guessingo

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1202 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.

Sigyn

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1203 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.
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Bookstore Guy

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1204 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.
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Peter Ahlstrom

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1205 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.
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WriterDan

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1206 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.
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Shivertongue

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1207 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.
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Bookstore Guy

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1208 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.
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Bejay

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1209 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...." ;)

Shivertongue

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1210 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.

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Peter Ahlstrom

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1211 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.
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Rezo

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1212 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.

whitetrash

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1213 on: April 06, 2010, 02:27:37 AM »
I am reading Warbreaker by Brandon Sanderson...

Hero of Ages

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1214 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.
I must not fear;
Fear is the mind killer;
I will face my fear;
I will let it pass through me;
When the fear is gone, there will be nothing;
Only I will remain.
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Anticipation of death is worse than death itself.
-Me-