Author Topic: What are you reading, part 3  (Read 311120 times)

Nessa

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1545 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.
« Last Edit: September 07, 2010, 07:00:18 PM by Nessa »
"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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Liralyn

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1546 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. 

Silk

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1547 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.) ::)

guessingo

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1548 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.

Bookstore Guy

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1549 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!
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Nessa

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1550 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.
"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

Check out my book reviews at http://elitistbookreviews.blogspot.com/

Silk

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1551 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.

Patriotic Kaz

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1552 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!)
"Words are double edged blades. Only the great and the foolish play with knives." - Kaz the Buddah

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echigo109

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1553 on: September 15, 2010, 11:21:58 PM »
I'm reading the "legend of drizzet" and "The Way of Kings" both are amazing

Bookstore Guy

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1554 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).
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Silk

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1555 on: September 17, 2010, 02:14:20 AM »
Just started Jeff Vandermeer's Finch.

Patriotic Kaz

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1556 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.
"Words are double edged blades. Only the great and the foolish play with knives." - Kaz the Buddah

"Take off your sandals, for you are posting on holy ground." -  Yahweh Kaz

"Chaos, go to your room!" - Momma Kaz

Silk

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1557 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.

guy

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1558 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

Munin

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Re: What are you reading, part 3
« Reply #1559 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.
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