Reading in January 2010

[Astra_]

I do intend to do that, but not until they've brought out the final one.

Ditto. Cannot wait to start it though.

 

[AlvinFlummox]

Well, I'm sick so I've been spending a lot of time in bed. Without anything new to read I decided to re-read Harry Potter. I've re-read the first two books so far. It's been years since I've read them and they're still delightful. They still make me giggle in all the right spots.

I did a Harry Potter reread in December, seems you're enjoying them again as much as I did!

Around 150 pages to go in Deadhouse Gates, still really enjoying it, should get another good chunk of it read later tonight. I'm also debating what to read next; I think I've got it narrowed down to two!

 

[DurzoBlint]

Just finished Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. It was a fast read and I enjoyed it although the constant referrals to farts and the like was a bit annoying.

Moving on to Kell's Legend by Andy Remic. I am hoping that it lives up to something along the lines of Gemmell.

 

[Bastard]

Just finished Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. It was a fast read and I enjoyed it although the constant referrals to farts and the like was a bit annoying.

Moving on to Kell's Legend by Andy Remic. I am hoping that it lives up to something along the lines of Gemmell.

I ordered Kell's Legend and it's sequel the other day, should be arriving soon. Let me know how you find it.

 

[Rob B]

Tonight, I began my Wheel of Time re-read with The Eye of the World

I do intend to do that, but not until they've brought out the final one.

I am kind of regretting not doing the re-read last year before The Gathering Storm, but I'm happy enough to do it now.

I'm also going to start Warriors edited by GRRM and Dozois tomorrow, which of course, as a new Dunk and Egg novella.

 

[Evil Agent]

I am kind of regretting not doing the re-read last year before The Gathering Storm, but I'm happy enough to do it now.

Well, there's still a couple books to go, so there's really no rush!

 

[Corporal Blues]

I just finished Pandemonium by Daryl Gregory. I really enjoyed it. As a debut, it is top notch, and even if it wasn't a debut, it is still top quality. The book seems relatively slim but Gregory didn't waste any words. Everything that took place in the novel had meaning later on, and often not in the way you expected it to. I also enjoyed the short "Demonology" chapters where Gregory gave some back story on the various demons.

The book is a bit of a genre bender, but I think that non sf/f readers would enjoy it too. I sure did. I highly recommend this book, and I want to read his other book Devil's Alphabet as well.

If you want you can check out my full review here.

 

[PeterWilliam]

Completed Barclay's Elfsorrow this evening. I had planned on going straight into Shadowheart, but the ending to Elfsorrow sucked the wind right out of my sails.

So, I moving on to my SFBC two-book omnibus of Abraham's, titled Shadow & Betrayal. It comprises the first two stories to The Long Price quartet. I've been waiting to treat myself to Abraham and now seems like as good a time as any.

 

[ChrisW]

Just about to finish Sasha by Joel Shepherd. Not sure what kcf has been smoking. The plot is ok, the writing is easy enough to read though I felt that the author occasionally didn't fill in the bits in between stuff happening. I also found the battles hard to follow(couldn't picture them in my head). Also I find it hard to believe that a country that is largely mountainous, heavily forrested and the bits that arn't heavily domiated by fences would have calvary being the main military force. I mean he had calvary charges at fall gallop jumping multiple walls/fences. Must be great horses to keep that up with an armoured man on there back.

One to avoid imo.

 

[Bastard]

Just finished The Book of Taltos by Brust... loved it. Particularly the Phoenix book, I thought it was excellent. Now the wait for the next couple of books that I'm missing to arrive so I can continue.

So, I decided to read The Pilo Family Circus that has been sitting on my shelf for a couple of months now.

After that I'll read more Vlad Taltos if the book have arrived, or might go with Age of Misrule by Chadbourn or with Canticle by Scholes. If it came to that I'm leaning towards Canticle.

 

[JCD]

I finished Madness Season by Friedman yesterday. It was a nice enough read even though the end seemed hastened.

Moving on to Kell's Legend by Andy Remic. I am hoping that it lives up to something along the lines of Gemmell.

Same here. I'm 40 pages into the book so it's too early to tell. I like what I've read so far.

 

[kcf]

I finsihed up Sleepless by Charlie Huston - this books is great - depressing, but great. And it's a bit different from other books of his. I can see it making a number of best of type lists.

I'm now reading the new Erikson novella, Crack'd Pot Trail.

 

[BrightStar]

After a pretty hectic past few days, I finally made time to sit down and begin reading Carol Berg's Spirit Lens.

Spirit Lens doesn't seem all that much like Carol Berg's previous titles. I'm struggling to really be able to visualize any of the characters, or their world, and the plot (which is very fast paced) is taking some concentration in order to keep up with what's happening. It's not an easy book to read, and sometimes I find myself having to work a little too hard to figure out what's being said amongst the slightly too obscure writing. It all seems a little overly poetic at times.

I do think that the plot holds promise, though since I've yet to connect with either characters or world, I'm not as interested in finding out what's going on as I would have liked to be.

I'm glad to say that Carol Berg still has an excellent grasp at writing in first person. I love how distinctive her main character's voice is, and how seemlessly she works in elements such as description etc into the narrative. Sometimes, I think she tries too hard, and this has a negative effect on her plot - the narrative gets confused amongst the poetic writing, and I find myself lost and a little confused. There were a few scenes that I felt hadn't had the effect they were meant to have had on me simply because I was struggling to keep up with the poetic style of writing.

My gripes could become a major hindrance to my overal opinion of the book if certain things don't improve. Although I am enjoying it - it just doesn't have me hooked just yet. Though of course I'll reserve full judgement until the end.

 

[mjolnir]

PeterWilliam Wrote:
So, I moving on to my SFBC two-book omnibus of Abraham's, titled Shadow & Betrayal. It comprises the first two stories to The Long Price quartet. I've been waiting to treat myself to Abraham and now seems like as good a time as any.

Enjoy. I'm sure plenty of people have bigged up Abraham's Long Price to you, but despite the danger of overhyping I shall do so too. They are wondrous books, quiet but demanding full attention once begun. I've found them mature in the best way, emotional and often bleak and tragic without feeling the need to wash the pages in gore, [not that there's anything wrong with a bit of that.] They're not action flicks, though. And, because they're quiet books, I was about ... oh ... maybe a hundred pages into A Shadow in Summer before it dawned on me that I was actually really enjoying myself. I hope they turn out to work for you.

Related to this I recently finished The Price of Spring. It was beautiful, all that I had hoped for, [though folks who like it bleak and as realistic as can be managed may find the ending a bit wobbly.] I thought it rounded out a great story in the best way imaginable, with a clear eye for consequences, and not flinching from confronting the fallout from the end of An Autumn War [discussion of which would be an unforgivable spoiler], but not unwilling to strike a note of hope. Probably one of my very favourite series right now and I'll be rereading them one day.

I forget if I posted that I finished Priest's Boneshaker. Think I did, but in case I didn't it was cracking fun. Nice to read a story, every once and a while, that just gets right to it and tells a ripping yarn without any screwing around.

Also finished Mike Carey's third Felix Kastor novel, Dead Men's Boots, which I found every bit as addictive as the previous two stories about the down-on-his-luck London exorcist. The fading of the dark charm of the whole thing that I first noticed after the second book, Vicious Circle, continued here, partly I think because of this thing Carey has for weaving brutal sex crimes into the cases Kastor gets involved in solving. It forms a part of the gritty, downbeat London setting and mood, to be sure, but ... well ... over a year after reading Vicious Circle I was still a bit burnt out, I guess. A little of the brutalism that's on offer here can go a long way, and each book contains a lot more than a little. The other problem I think I'm having is that Felix, unlike say Butcher's Dresden whose becoming a sort of urban fantasy pulp hero, isn't really a very nice dude. This problem, however, is mitigated by the fact that Fix himself is aware of this, and it gives him pain. I'm sure I'll be back for another dose, because they're good despite some very real warts, but probably not for a while.

And over the latter part of the holidays I listened to an audio copy of Jordan and Sanderson's The Gathering Storm, which reminded me that I am a fan of the Wheel of Time, and all the reasons why that is so. No more need be said. I eagerly await more.
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America'S Next Top Model Forums

 

[PeterWilliam]

Enjoy. I'm sure plenty of people have bigged up Abraham's Long Price to you, but despite the danger of overhyping I shall do so too. They are wondrous books, quiet but demanding full attention once begun. I've found them mature in the best way, emotional and often bleak and tragic without feeling the need to wash the pages in gore, [not that there's anything wrong with a bit of that.] They're not action flicks, though. And, because they're quiet books, I was about ... oh ... maybe a hundred pages into A Shadow in Summer before it dawned on me that I was actually really enjoying myself. I hope they turn out to work for you.

Yeah, I've definitely got high expectations for these. I really don't think Abraham will let me down, because although I like action well enough, I also happen to rate Tad Williams (especially MST) very high. I can do "quiet" or "slow" books, as long as the writer's prosaic style can capture me.

 

[Seak]

Yeah, I've definitely got high expectations for these. I really don't think Abraham will let me down, because although I like action well enough, I also happen to rate Tad Williams (especially MST) very high. I can do "quiet" or "slow" books, as long as the writer's prosaic style can capture me.

I recently finished A Shadow in Summer and have to agree with the hype. It was a great book, hope you enjoy. I don't know why I've been slow about getting the next one, but I still don't have it, when I really should.

 

[Loerwyn]

Managed about 70 (maybe a little more) pages of Wolves of the Calla last night, which puts me about 33 pages of being 2/3 of the way through it.

The book is big-big, say thankya!

 

[DailyRich]

Okay Hickman and Weis, you had your chance, I'm done. About halfway through the second Sovereign Stone book and I simply don't give a damn anymore.

 

[hobbs525]

I just picked up Nyphron Rising from the library and am totally pumped to get started. Dang this whole "job thing" for interfering with my reading!!

I finished this book yesterday and I loved it!! It was totally worth the wait and the way that the characters have evolved was exciting to say the least. I also saw where The Emerald Storm is next in the series and the wait for that will be painful.

kat

 

[BrightStar]

I've reached about page 80 of Carol Berg's Spirit Lens now, and I'm sorry to say that I'm really struggling with it. I don't even know whether I want to finish this book: the world is difficult to visualize and I still haven't really connected with any of the characters. I'm just not enjoying it, and I'm very dissapointed. The Lighthouse duology was a letdown for me, and I was hoping Spirit Lens would be a massive return to form for Berg. It's looking like it might not be. Still, I haven't given up on it yet, but if it wasn't written by Carol Berg, I think I would have thrown it on the "sell it!" pile by now.