Author Topic: What are you reading, part 3  (Read 311159 times)

Nessa

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1380 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.
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Silk

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1381 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.

Peter Ahlstrom

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1382 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.
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Nessa

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1383 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...
"The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter--'tis the difference between the lightning-bug and the lightning."  -  Mark Twain

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Shivertongue

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1384 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.
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Renoard

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1385 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.
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Patriotic Kaz

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1386 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!
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guessingo

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1387 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.

mtlhddoc2

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1388 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.

guessingo

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1389 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.

Recovering_Cynic

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1390 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. 
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not with a bang, but a whimper
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mtlhddoc2

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1391 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.

Patriotic Kaz

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1392 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.
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Bookstore Guy

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1393 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.
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Silk

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1394 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...