Reading in May 2011

Apologies for the double post!

I've just finished the first book in The Magic Kingdom of Landover: Volume #1 (Magic Kingdom for Sale - Sold!) and I quite enjoyed it. The writing and themes are a strange meld between teen and YA, for example it sometimes feels as if Brooks is writing on a somewhat patronising level for YA, but the next minute it'll approach a topic in an almost YA style. That said, it's a fairly clichéd and trope-heavy story and setting, but it's fairly well written and keeps you going back for more, and in a strange way, the clichés make it a more interesting and almost unique read in this period of darker and more original fantasies.

Will be taking a break before jumping into the second book, though.
 
DurzoBlint said:
I finished Midnight Tide by Erikson. It has been a little bit of time since my last Malazan book so it took a few chapters to jog my memory about the races, magic and everything else that his books have to offer. That said, dying to get into the next book in the series (after a few other commitments).
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Following Midnight Tides I just recently finished Night of Knives by Esslemont. I wish I skipped NoK and went straight to The Bonehunters. Chronologically events in NoK take place prior to Gardens of the Moon which intrigued me, but unfortunately I was disappointed and believe it is safe to skip.
 
PeterWilliam said:
Finished Bakker's The White Luck Warrior. To be sure, I did like it, but somewhere in the neighborhood of The Judging Eye. The story continues onward, but still no large insight to the more compelling plot points.
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He sure likes to keep us guessing, but the story did move forward by leaps and bounds compared to TJE. It also had nearly 50 % more page count. This is an impressive series for sure, my favourite.
 
columbob said:
He sure likes to keep us guessing, but the story did move forward by leaps and bounds compared to TJE. It also had nearly 50 % more page count. This is an impressive series for sure, my favourite.
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It is definitely a series I would be completely unable to stop reading. Bakker is like a massive train wreck...I don't want to be immersed in such grimness, but I can't help slowing down to look. I am occasionally intrigued about the idea of re-reading one of the larger fat-fantasy series, once they're completed, of course. I think Bakker's, of all that come to mind (i.e. > or = 5 books), is the series that will re-read the best.

Recently finished Flanagan's The Ruins of Gorlan, his first book in the Ranger's Apprentice series. I picked this up to read, as I am trying to compile some worthwhile sf/f reads for my 21-month old son and my soon-to-be son (due mid-July). In terms of YA I have read, and taking this book for what it was attempting, it was simply great. Flanagan didn't go over the top or bring about the absurdly ridiculous in creating a tale that is adventurous, straightforward and with an example in the characters that is good for kids to emulate. For what it is, it is well done.

Have no idea what to read next. I'm stuck between:
  • Empire of Black and Gold
  • The Crown Conspiracy
  • Lamentation
  • The Warded Man
  • Acacia or
  • Black Sun Rising
 
I've got Black and Gold coming up sometime this summer, and Acacia will probably be my next "walking book"....whenever I finish up Way of Kings :(

Really disliked Black Sun Rising when I tried it a few years back.
 
PeterWilliam said:
It is definitely a series I would be completely unable to stop reading. Bakker is like a massive train wreck...I don't want to be immersed in such grimness, but I can't help slowing down to look. I am occasionally intrigued about the idea of re-reading one of the larger fat-fantasy series, once they're completed, of course. I think Bakker's, of all that come to mind (i.e. > or = 5 books), is the series that will re-read the best.

Recently finished Flanagan's The Ruins of Gorlan, his first book in the Ranger's Apprentice series. I picked this up to read, as I am trying to compile some worthwhile sf/f reads for my 21-month old son and my soon-to-be son (due mid-July). In terms of YA I have read, and taking this book for what it was attempting, it was simply great. Flanagan didn't go over the top or bring about the absurdly ridiculous in creating a tale that is adventurous, straightforward and with an example in the characters that is good for kids to emulate. For what it is, it is well done.

Have no idea what to read next. I'm stuck between:
  • Empire of Black and Gold
  • The Crown Conspiracy
  • Lamentation
  • The Warded Man
  • Acacia or
  • Black Sun Rising
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I would try to catch up with Shadows of the Apt so you don't fall much more behind since he has a great release pace (2 books a year or so).

The Crown Conspiracy I would wait for the final book to come out, which shouldn't be much longer.

The Warded Man you have plenty of time to catch-up, so I would wait a bit more.
 
Ok, its settled. I'm going along with Erfael and...well...you know...that guy. The, uh....Bastard. Tchaikovsky's Empire in Black and Gold it is.
 
Bastard said:
I would try to catch up with Shadows of the Apt so you don't fall much more behind since he has a great release pace (2 books a year or so).

The Crown Conspiracy I would wait for the final book to come out, which shouldn't be much longer.

The Warded Man you have plenty of time to catch-up, so I would wait a bit more.
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While my overall impression of Crown Conspiracy was OK, I've even read sequel, it suffer from lower-then-average writing stile. It compensated by fast plot though. Warded Man was other way around for me. Good writing didn't compensate slow and boring plot and subpar worldbuilding.
 
DurzoBlint said:
I enjoyed Empire in Black and Gold. I think you will too.
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Agreed. I found Empire in Black and Gold to be quite heavy going, but it was well worth it. I've been meaning to try to break into Dragonfly Falling but with the number of books I have, and the sheer size of it, I've not been successful.

I must have enjoyed it or I wouldn't have stolen one of the character's names as my name here :p
 
i finished Song for the Basilisk by Patricia McKillip and I would rate it very high compared with other books by the same author. It shows better control of plot, inspired from the Grand Opera style of the 19th Century, beautiful and evocative language, strong characters and a powerful finale.

I have found some similarities in the storyt with Guy Gavriel Kay's Tigana, but each books stands on its own merits. While I rate Kay very high in my preferences, between Tigana and Basilisk I am inclined to prefer the second. Both are very emotional books, but McKillip shows a more subtle control of pathos and plot.

One of the reasons I like McKillip books is that they manage to be different from one another, while maintaining her signature style. In the Forrest of Serre was a fairytale, Ombria in Shadow was gothic, The Riddlemaster of Hed was epic, Song for the Basilisk is opera libretto, Winter Rose was romance.
Another attraction for me is McKillip approach to magic: we don't have here the mechanical rigid rules or the fortuitous snapping of fingers when in need, not even the years of apprenticeship and / or reading of scrolls. Magic remains mysterious, hidden, barely controlable and very, very dangerous on the practitioner.
a final mention on Song for the Basilisk : McKillip shows a fine touch for humor here, something that was less evident in other books I've read of hers.
 
It's been awhile, but I've not made much headway with The Unremembered. I think I'm going to put it aside, I might pick it up again some other time. I'll be doing a re-read of Hundred Thousand Kingdoms for next months book club. I enjoyed it the first go round, and it'll be interesting to see what else I pick up going through it a second time.
 
PeterWilliam said:
It is definitely a series I would be completely unable to stop reading. Bakker is like a massive train wreck...I don't want to be immersed in such grimness, but I can't help slowing down to look. I am occasionally intrigued about the idea of re-reading one of the larger fat-fantasy series, once they're completed, of course. I think Bakker's, of all that come to mind (i.e. > or = 5 books), is the series that will re-read the best.

Recently finished Flanagan's The Ruins of Gorlan, his first book in the Ranger's Apprentice series. I picked this up to read, as I am trying to compile some worthwhile sf/f reads for my 21-month old son and my soon-to-be son (due mid-July). In terms of YA I have read, and taking this book for what it was attempting, it was simply great. Flanagan didn't go over the top or bring about the absurdly ridiculous in creating a tale that is adventurous, straightforward and with an example in the characters that is good for kids to emulate. For what it is, it is well done.

Have no idea what to read next. I'm stuck between:
  • Empire of Black and Gold
  • The Crown Conspiracy
  • Lamentation
  • The Warded Man
  • Acacia or
  • Black Sun Rising
Click to expand...

I'd go with The Warded Man among your choices by a wide margin, but if you enjoyed The Ruins of Gorlan I'd continue with the Burning Bridge, The Icebound Land and Battle for Skandia. The sequels steadily ramp up the drama, action and romance. I was actually not that impressed with the Ruins of Gorlan, but the sequels up to Battle of Skandia was excellent.
 
Just finished The First Law trilogy last night. Wish I had of read it long before now. Great characters, good battles and enough teasing of world lore to leave me wanting more!

Now on to Best Served Cold.
 
Over the past week, I finished up the first two novels in Kevin Hearne's Iron Druid Chronicles - Hounded and Hexed and enjoyed them quite a bit. Some laugh out loud moments. Reviews to come.

Tuesday, I dove into A Clash of Kings, some of you may have heard of the author.
 
PeterWilliam said:
Ok, its settled. I'm going along with Erfael and...well...you know...that guy. The, uh....Bastard. Tchaikovsky's Empire in Black and Gold it is.
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I forgot, but for Sullivan's series you might want to wait for the Orbit release since I know it'll be more to your liking.
 
Bastard said:
I forgot, but for Sullivan's series you might want to wait for the Orbit release since I know it'll be more to your liking.
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Yeah, I see where Rob got the new omnibus. I'm outside his house waiting for him to go to sleep. Should have a new omnibus by morning. :D
 
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