I'm nearing the end of Prince of Thorns, though. I keep reading in between two nappy changes and sometimes while winding the baby . Joys of parenthood! (A piece of advice if anyone is thinking about venturing into parenthood: don't rush, take your time and enjoy your own time and sleep while you can) (I also read books like "Baby Whisperer" and sometimes I think there's more black magic in these baby books than fantasy books ).
Back to Prince of Thorns: I was so surprised with the change that happened halfway through. I didn't expect the author to suddenly introduce heavier fantasy elements. A change that I welcome with arms wide open. I'm really enjoying it. Really!
Just finished Elantris by Sanderson. I enjoyed it, but it wasn't as good as Warbreaker and Mistborn.
Just started The Night Angel Trilogy, so far, the writing style leaves something to be desired but I've been looking for a good assassin book for a while so I hope it gets better as the book progresses.
Back to Prince of Thorns: I was so surprised with the change that happened halfway through. I didn't expect the author to suddenly introduce heavier fantasy elements. A change that I welcome with arms wide open. I'm really enjoying it. Really!
i finished Sea Watch two days ago but only now I had the chance to reread most part of it and I am even more impressed at what the author achieved in a 6th series book - standalone and full package but part of a larger story, huge expansion of the universe with lots of new characters and kinden, sense of wonder that reads like the best sf - the undersea part which is the second half of the book minus the explosive finale is just awesome reminding one of the best of Jules Verne 20 000 Leagues Under the Sea and sf set in a colonies on a desolate Martian landscape in various books
There are kinden bonding and traveling in animals like sea-horses, huge jellyfish or riding octopuses, crabs and the like, there are seagods, prophecies, dart-cavalry, but also Aptness, submersibles, engines and all with no fire but springs, accretion of materials and more; mysterious kinden like the builders and the savage echinoi, plus more familiar ones like the krakind (analogue of spiders) and their servants/followers, onychoi (huge crab-like warriors and their followers).
Stenwold and Teornis star from the known characters plus a bunch of new ones and the novel has both joy and heartbreak in spades
So far, I've read about 2 and a half chapters of Devices and Desires. I liked what I've read. Definitely looking forwards to reading more.
So far, the things I don't like are that the author does not describe things very often. I don't really get much of an image of what the characters look like. The other thing is some of the character names --- they're just a bit difficult to remember.
But so far, I have a good feeling about this book. I'm hoping to read more later today.
I decided to give a new author a try because Guy Gavriel Kay and his Under Heaven was listed as the best book of 2010 by quite a few posters here. Took a chapter or 2 for me to get acclimated to his style. He has a deceptively simple but flowing method of writing that is very much as graceful as the setting for the book; The Tang Dynasty along the Great Wall of China. The pace really picked up as he builds the narrative and introduces fascinating new characters based on real historical figures.
BTW, what a way of life for a man if you were at least middle class during the Tang! The high born all had lots of concubines, and there are Houses of Pleasure everywhere. It was just accepted by all in society - if you were a man, and had the cash, married or not, it was all cool. Now thats what I call a fantasy, right guys?
Still, some clearly intelligent and crafty females manage to steal the show for me, Tai's Kanlin warrior bodyguard Song for one, and the gorgeously described "Precious Consort" for another, as well as Tai's own star-crossed lover/courtesan. "Spring Rain".
The elevated status of the Chinese males of the times were nearly the only fantasy aspects of the story to me besides the results of rituals of the mystical shamans of the steppes beyond the Great Wall. I really enjoyed the deceptions and deviously twisted machinations of the central characters throughout the middle of the tale.
However, the ending was a bit anti-climatic for me. The fact that the stupendously generous gift of Sardian horses (other then the gift's affect on Tai's status within the Dynasty) ended up having very little to do with the outcome seemed a bit curious to me.
Not the best of 2010 for me, but Under Heaven is a fine, fine piece of historical fiction writing in every way.
So far, I've read about 2 and a half chapters of Devices and Desires. I liked what I've read. Definitely looking forwards to reading more.
So far, the things I don't like are that the author does not describe things very often. I don't really get much of an image of what the characters look like. The other thing is some of the character names --- they're just a bit difficult to remember.
But so far, I have a good feeling about this book. I'm hoping to read more later today.
Last year I found Devices and Desires in the bargain bin at my library and I liked it so much I ended up reading the entire 3 book series. I don't recall being bothered by any lack of character descriptions in any case. Some real nice political intrigue and manipulations throughout, I enjoyed the series very much.
I reread The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King earlier this month. I'm currently listening to the Dark Tower III: The Waste Lands by SK in the car and reading his novel Duma Key at home.
Trying to get through Against All Things Ending (what a cool title, though not as good as Should Pass Utterly, which was the original title) by Stephen R. Donaldson. Despite how slow it is, I like it. My dictionary, on the other hand, is having a rough time.
Starting to get a wee bit repetitious. Hope I can make it through!
Finished up Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb and enjoyed it thoroughly-
Some parts were hard for me to read as Fitz repeatedly gets dumped on but I'm hopeful the last book will wrap things up happily-
Started Enders Game by Orson Scott Card and am about half way through- excellent break from my normal fantasy diet.
I'm still chugging along with the third Sharing Knife novel by Bujold. This book is the weakest thus far. It's slow going. There hasn't been much in the way of tension or conflict. There's been some social prejudices and bigotry, but Fawn and Dag seem to deal with it really quickly and and leave a trail of people with their eyes opened to their bad ways. They deal with it a little too easily if you ask me. I'm not too sure that generations of dislike is going to be mended that quickly.
There are some hints that some conflict is on its way, but I'm 61% through the book already. It's taking its time.
I had a similar reaction: I thought the first 2 books were ok, harmless adventure with humor, romance and some dark overtones. I'm a big fan of the author, but I found the 3rd book rambling and repetitive of the themes from the first 2 books, and you can probably skip completely the fourth installment, who was rather pointless.
On my own reading list I finished today The Alchemy of Stone, and I liked it enough to put the other books of the author on my wishlist. One of the things I liked about the book is the Ekaterina Sedia got the message across without beating the reader over the head with a sledgehammer in order to make a point. It's talking about freewill, and progress as a force of destruction, immigration, being an outsider, and a lot moe themes with an echo in current events, yet it does so with subtlety and restraint.
I'll go check now older threads on the book without fear of spoilers.
In line with my abysmal record of starting books for no reason, I started Tchaikovsky's Dragonfly Falling last night.
So far I reckon it's slightly faster reading than Empire in Black & Gold, but it's still quite the undertaking for me. Want to get it read before I forget even more of what happened in the first book, although the idea to stop now (Chapter 3/4) and reread Empire later in the year is quite appealing.
I had a similar reaction: I thought the first 2 books were ok, harmless adventure with humor, romance and some dark overtones. I'm a big fan of the author, but I found the 3rd book rambling and repetitive of the themes from the first 2 books, and you can probably skip completely the fourth installment, who was rather pointless.
I was actually suspecting the truth of that last bit. That's a shame. The first two were fun to read. I think I'll be taking a break and going to a different author and genre when I finish this one. I won't rush into the 4th book.
Finished "Fifth Elephant"(hilarious) and now reading "Unseen Academicals" by Terry Pratchett-it's good, not gut bustingly funny, almost serio-comic in that he's telling a very deep story.
I finally got my ARC copy in the mail and plan to have it completed by the end of the weekend if I can, more and more is getting piled on so maybe middle of the week at the latest. I have yet to get to the game changer but what I have read so far in Prince of Thorns I am digging.
I'm several chapters into The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin. It's early days yet and I'm still forming an opinion on the book. At the moment, I have to admit, I'm finding the book ... mmm ... a tad confusing, but I'm not sure that's the right word. Jemisin is a very fine writer and in this book she seems to be using something very close to the ye olde "unreliable narrator" technique. She drip-feeds information about the world so it's very hard to get a sense of the whole. Yeine also seems to tripping out a lot, with dreams of gods going berserk and whatnot. The effect Jemisin is creating is very deliberate, but I'm finding it rather distancing at the moment. I've got a feeling though that I'll get sucked in once I get a better picture of what the hell's going on.
I am back to Martin's Dreamsongs vol 1, finished the short story Nightflyers last night. What an amazing read. One more story to go and then I will need something new. Think I will wait to get into vol 2.
I started Kraken by Mieville last night, really looking forward to some good China.
I am also breaking one of my rules by reading another book at the same time, The Hidden Reality by Brian Greene, a look at the implications of current quantum physics/cosmology theory which apparently points to a multiverse of parallel worlds.
Yes, true real life is apparently stranger then even the strangest SF/Fantasy.
. Joys of parenthood! (A piece of advice if anyone is thinking about venturing into parenthood: don't rush, take your time and enjoy your own time and sleep while you can) (I also read books like "Baby Whisperer" and sometimes I think there's more black magic in these baby books than fantasy books 
I'm hoping that I can develop my opinions better in my review (probably posted in 2 weeks).
