Reading in February 2010

[chitman13]

Had a slow month so far due to having a cold and not able to focus on reading. Still, I've managed to finish two audio books and I'm making my way through a couple of good books too.

The Waste Lands by Stephen King - listened to this one and thoroughly enjoyed it. I've read it before a couple of times but it's been a while. I particularly like the way that King is building the setting up nicely as well as creating some memorable characters. Looking forward to Wolves of the Calla more than Wizard and Glass (which will be up next).

Starship Mutiny by Mike Resnick - another audio book I listened to this month. Really enjoyed this one and it's just the sort of quick paced SF that I love to read. I'm already on to Starship Pirate and I think I'll be polising this series off fairly quickly.

Currently reading The Orphaned Worlds by Mike Cobley (following on from Seeds of Earth in a great way) and Spellwright by Blake Charlton (a new fantasy that grabbed my eye and is reading like a dream so far). I'm also still reading Forbidden Knowledge by Stephen Donaldson, but it's taking a while and I doubt I'll finish it.

[suciul]

More sf finished, this time inspired by Jeff Vandermeer Locus Online Best 0f 2009 article - I did a quick post on FBC too with links to our many reviews from the books there - I read Mercury Station by Marc von Schlegell; a short take here:

"I have to say that this one is closer to what one would call "essential sf" than things usually labeled such; it is innovative in so many ways, and while Venusia was weird but with a sort-of-clear-plot/action and I have not decided yet if Mercury Station truly makes sense plot-wise, the things thrown in almost casually from a chrono-dynamics theory, to Quantum computers, to Medieval imagery and action combined with 22nd century Solar System intrigue, all in a package that will make you a bit dizzy but still compel you to turn pages, should make this one a must for any sf-lover. Highly, highly recommended"

[Gizmo]

Just finished Job: A Comedy of Justice by Heinlein. Absolutely loved it.

Don't know whether or not to go back to Deepness in the Sky. Hm, I think I'll persist with it even though I really can't get into it.

[bearcatmark]

I read Banks' Look to Windward. Really enjoyed it...it's my fifth culture book in the last year and I've enjoyed every one. less action in this one, but a great look at Orbital life...plus I did really enjoy the story. I'd rank it with The Player of Games, but below Use of Weapons and Consider Phlebas.

Reading A Fire Upon the Deep right now. I'm about half way through and very very impressed.

[Zappster]

Originally Posted by chitman13

I'm also still reading Forbidden Knowledge by Stephen Donaldson, but it's taking a while and I doubt I'll finish it.

You should! I remember it being a struggle at the start of the series because it was almost unremittingly grim, but I do recall that some of the political intrigue and machinations are revealed towards the end of the book. That's one of the things that made the series for me. Some of the new PoV characters introduced in the remainder of the books are fantastic. It was all about finding out how the "quicksand of plots and counterplots" (as one character puts it I believe) would play out in the end. Also Warden Dios is amazing.

Anyway, currently reading House of Suns by Alastair Reynolds. My first Reynolds book and I think I'm finally getting a grip on it. I was getting lost with some of the terminology and just the vastness of everything. Finding it hard to visualize things and basically it was making my brain melt. I've done what I always do when faced with these types of books. Power on and hope things become clearer as I continue, which they invariably do in almost all the cases. It certainly does hold promise and his writing - technical tomfoolery notwithstanding - is clear and easy to read. He does have quite an imagination (if this book is anything to go by) and there's a fair bit of the sense-of-wonder feeling to this book for me. Now I just need it to proceed and end well. Then maybe I'll tackle some of his Revelation Space books.

[metalprof]

Originally Posted by Zappster

You should! I remember it being a struggle at the start of the series because it was almost unremittingly grim, but I do recall that some of the political intrigue and machinations are revealed towards the end of the book. That's one of the things that made the series for me. Some of the new PoV characters introduced in the remainder of the books are fantastic. It was all about finding out how the "quicksand of plots and counterplots" (as one character puts it I believe) would play out in the end. Also Warden Dios is amazing.

Plus, you get to play the Stephen R. Donaldson GAP Drinking Game - every time he inserts the word "exigencies" into his prose, you take a drink.

Make sure you don't have to go to work the next day :-)

I just re-read this series last year, and enjoyed it even more the second time through. Besides Waden Dios, the Amnion are pretty intense, too! Definitely worth the time.

Ken

[Hellions]

I've finished The Star Beast by Robert A. Heinlein which is one of those books that has been lying around my household for as long as I can remember. This one turned out to be a real page turner, a fun book with plenty of fun characters. And I like the Darrell K. Sweet cover art too

[SusF]

Star Beast was my very first science fiction book. Mom bought it for me for Christmas one year, sat me down and explained science fiction. I'll always have fond memories of that book.

[suciul]

I got an arc of A Mighty Fortress by D. Weber 4th Safehold book and second anticipated sf title of 2010 and it was excellent; from Goodreads:

"The 4th installment of the superb Safehold series goes back to the intensity of the first two volumes, with lots of quotable lines, jaw-dropping moments and powerful emotional ones.


The ending is similarly emotional to the one in OAR though I have to say that the book is more like BSRA in the sense that it opens a new arc but not closes it. I heard the series is planned to go 10 volumes, so who knows maybe the next volume will close its first part, maybe not..

It's hard to talk more about the book without spoilers and I will try to add more after the first reread, but I really wanted the book to go more - and it's quite long, almost 700 pages of text plus characters, glossary, timekeeping details, probably the longest of the 4 -

Action galore in Corisande, Zion, on the seas (make sure you have the map from OAR handy, though I think the final version of the novel will come equipped with maps), daring escapes, nasty conspirators, dastardly assassinations, one sword fight for the ages inside the Temple of all places, very, very emotional moments, tragedy and rejoicing, a tense dinner, lots of memorable lines and a baby...

One of the non-spoilerish quotable lines, though there are several that are even more awesome, but...:

“I was simply attempting to establish the proper . . . collegial atmosphere.”


Somewhere between an A+ and an A++ depending on rereads"

[Rob B]

Today I finished what is, so far, the best SF novel I've read this short year and probably best overall - Geosynchron by David Louis Edelman. A fine finale to what is a superb SF trilogy.

I was vastly disappointed by Kim Stanley Robinson's Galileo's Dream earlier in the month. I felt like I was reading a history book, and a fairly dull one at that. This, plus my multiple frustrating attempts at Red Mars in the past have convinced me that KSR is just not a writer for me.

[suciul]

Originally Posted by Rob B

Today I finished what is, so far, the best SF novel I've read this short year and probably best overall - Geosynchron by David Louis Edelman. A fine finale to waht is a superb SF trilogy.

I was vastly disappointed by Kim Stanley Robinson's Galileo's Dream earlier in the month. I felt like I was reading a history book, and a fairly dull one at that. This, plus my multiple frustrating attempts at Red Mars in the past have convinced me that KSR is just not a writer for me.

Completely agreed about Geosynchron (have reviewed it on FBC and I put my thoughts sometime ago here); though I think i will rate AMF higher so far, but it's true that is only vaguely sf, more epic fantasy than anything else; however the year is early and we have Terminal World, Void 3, a possible new IMB, a new Asher, Empire of Light (another highly awaited trilogy ending), Transformation Space (another highly awaited series ending - tetralogy here), Guardians of Paradise, some highly anticipated debuts...

I did not even try to read Galileo's Dream - got several review copies for some reason and browsed them to see the same clunky prose - since I gave up on KSR a long time ago; I read the whole Mars trilogy and I was ok with the first one, but got bored badly after

[Rob B]

suciul -

I've still got two books in Safehold to catch up with before reading A Mighty Fortress, but I may do that sooner rather than later. I'm really looking forward to Terminal Word a great deal, too.

RE: KSR, I'd seen a lot of good reviews around the net for the book so I had high hopes that it would work for me. Not the case.

[suciul]

I finished two more sf-nal books - started them earlier - Birmingham: 35 Miles (debut) and Snakeskin Road (direct sequel) by James Braziel; post-apocalyptic America, with most of the South a sort of huge desert-like camp, slavery, degradation, brutality; I loved the style of Birmingham which follows young Mat Harrison who lives in the restricted Southern zone and works as a miner with his father and uncle, marries his girlfriend Jennifer who has an emigration visa to Chicago where her mother goes alone when her stepfather dies, while by some judicious maneuvers, Matt has one too, but does not want to leave his brutal but beguiling for him native landscape; tragedy ensues of course...

The book was a page turner but I just could not understand the motivation of Mat, so I gave it a B; some books just do not cross over culturally well and I just wanted to shake the main hero and tell him "gtf out there as long as you can"

The sequel Snakesin Road deals with Jennifer who finally leaves, but the road to Chicago is far from smooth and lots of unpleasant things happen; the second book is an homage to everyone who tried to run away from persecution or from poverty and find a better life somewhere else and I *definitely empathized with it*; as the author puts it, it's dedicated to the runaway slaves of yore, to the undocumented immigrants of today...

In many ways Snakeskin Road is even darker and more brutal than Birmingham but it is both a page turner and a book I *really, really* understood, so it got an A+ from me and i hope to do a full rv on FBC sooner rather than later

Both are highly recommended for lovers of dark, no-sentimentality post-apocalyptic fiction, though as mentioned the parallels to today or the past are obvious and intentional.

I hope there will be more in that universe since the ending of Snakeskin Road begs another novel

[chitman13]

Originally Posted by Zappster

You should! I remember it being a struggle at the start of the series because it was almost unremittingly grim, but I do recall that some of the political intrigue and machinations are revealed towards the end of the book. That's one of the things that made the series for me. Some of the new PoV characters introduced in the remainder of the books are fantastic. It was all about finding out how the "quicksand of plots and counterplots" (as one character puts it I believe) would play out in the end. Also Warden Dios is amazing.

I'm still not quite convinced by what I've read of it so far and it's now been put on the sidelines while I read stuff that I enjoy.

Besides what I mentioned in my last post, I'm also reading Meridian Days by Eric Brown, a book that has some interesting concepts, but one which could do with expanding to make it feel less rushed. Nearly done, so final verdict shortly. Also, after really enjoying Starship: Mutiny by Mike Resnick, I'm now onto the sequel, Starship: Pirate. I've now got all audio books for this series in line and I'll be finishing them quickly - I'm finding myself putting it on rather than the TV, and also walking the dog longer so I can find out what happens next

[PogiRunner]

I just finished Hyperion by Dan Simmons. The book was recommended to me by a friend and searching here I discovered all the praise it has received.

After about 150 pages in, I questioned whether the novel suited me. I was afraid it was headed towards something akin to a bunch of people sharing insignificant, boring stories while sitting around a campfire.

I am glad I continued as the 'stories' became very interesting and main plot lines advanced at a decent place in real time between them.

Lately I have adopted a habit (unless it is one of my favorite authors) to not start a series unless it is completed or near completion. I am glad this is the case with Hyperion as it would have been very frustrating to me without the next book readily available to start reading immediately.

I started reading the sequel, The Fall of Hyperion.

I highly recommend Hyperion to those looking for a decent read. However, keep in mind that unless you plan to continue the series the ending may leave you very frustrated and cheated.