I just bought.....

[FicusFan]

A trip to my local independent bookstore turned up the following:

Mitchell Smith: Snowfall and Kindom River

Set in a post-apocalyptic ice age Colorado, this probably belongs in the science fiction category, but as the characters in the story rely on technology at the level of ancient civilisations, this would appeal to fantasy readers. Described by one reviewer as Robert E. Howard meets Jack London.

Steve Erikson: Garden of the Moon (secondhand)

I was waiting for Tor to release the US edition in paperback just because I dig the pulp cheesiness of the cover art (dodgy reason, I know), but I couldn't resist picking up this secondhand copy of the first book in a series I've heard so many good things about.

I have the two books by Mitchell Smith too. The third is out but still in HC. Tor published them here as just plain Fiction, so they couldn't even decide. It looked to me like alternate history, and so could be Fantasy.

The Erickson just came out here in HC, it will be at least a year, possibly more (if the book doesn't sell well) before it goes into PB. Tor has recently been delaying/cancelling promised PBs.

 

[brightcrow]

Wow Erfael, I'm most impressed by your memory . Good books too.

I'm going to the World Fantasy Convention in October , so I wanted to read works by nominated authors. However I didn't think I'd enjoy a few of the books nominated for best novel, so I ordered anthologies containing short stories by those authors.
Fox Woman, Kij Johnson (this one I already have, though it's not the book nominated)
Tooth and Claw, Jo Walton - this novel is nominated
Album Zutique: No. 1, Jeff Vandermeer, et al
The Dark : New Ghost Stories, Ellen Datlow

Yesterday I got:
Undead and Unwed, Mary Janice Davidson
Trash Sex Magic, Jennifer Stevenson
The Great and Secret Show: The First Book of the Art, Clive Barker (book group read)
Agyar. Steven Brust (book group read)
Cravings, Laurell K. Hamilton, et al
Storm Front (The Dresden Files, Book 1), Jim Butcher
Tales of Old Earth, Michael Swanwick
Skin Folk, Nalo Hopkinson

I also ordered:
Midnight Robber, Nalo Hopkinson
Brown Girl in the Ring, Nalo Hopkinson
Mojo: Conjure Stories, Nalo Hopkinson
Lamb : The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal, Christopher Moore (book group read)

 

[KEParrott]

The first 3 books of The Tales of Alvin Maker.
Theres something about OSC's writing that makes me want to read everything he's done; maybe its the simplicity, but I find myself reading every line as opposed to someone like Jordan where I find myself skipping over some of the 'unneeded' details.

Raymond Feist's Magician: Apprentice and Magician: Master.
Heard a lot about these since I started lurking these forums, thought I'd give them a go.

R. Scott Bakker's The Darkness that Comes Before.
Another book that is talked about a lot here.

 

[Erfael]

Went looking for Beauty by Tepper at the used shops....didn't find it, but couldn't resist:

Flewelling, Hidden Warrior
Chabon, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay
Brin, Sundiver

 

[brightcrow]

I really loved Chabon's Kavalier and Clay, didn't expect to but loved it! Great golem story within also.

 

[Mithfânion]

I have the first Mitchell Smith book (Snowfall) as well, it's a pretty cool post-apocalypse/Ice Age tale. Will be reading the sequels.

 

[zev]

i just bought Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erkison

It was a good read but i found the pacing too fast for my likeing and at times it was difficult to tell what the characters were doing, nevermind why they were doing the things that they were doing

Would it be worth my while to continue reading the series?

 

[Hobbit]

Just bought in advance a signed copy of Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell (because of all the comments round here ) and a signed copy of Stephen Baxter's next called Exultant - sort of a Wyndham Sf with historical overtones.

zev - I think that's the first time I've heard of Erikson going too fast - usually the comments are that they are too slow and/or confusing.

Would it be worth my while to continue reading the series?

I'd say stick with them a couple more books - Memories of Ice (Book 3) seems to be a deciding point! - they are confusing, but things will start to fall into place along the line.

Hobbit

 

[Leiali]

I bought Memories of Ice a while ago thinking it was the second in the series! What is the second book called then?! And what is it with publishers?! Why don't they say, BOOK 1, BOOK 2 etc?! It's not as if the Steve Erikkson books are easy to follow!

 

[brightcrow]

There's a wonderful review of Erikson's books here:Archaeologist of Lost Worlds You can view the entire article by selecting the 'free day pass'. In it, he describes his way of appreciating the things that people find confusing in this series.

I'm tempted to read these now, but am wondering how people in the US are getting the sequels not yet published here - a favorite booksearch site?

 

[Hobbit]

Brightcrow - I know that there's a lot of people who've read about the books here and then gone on to buy via Amazon etc. It was mentioned at one time that it was perhaps easier to get copies from Canada rather than Europe.

Leiali - by not labelling the books, it seems to add to the confusion!
I always thought at one time that it was because the books could be read as stand-alone, but I'm not convinced of that now.

The order to date is:

1. Gardens of the Moon
2. Deadhouse Gates
3. Memories of Ice
4. House of Chains
5. Midnight Tides

then there's also the novellas Blood Follows (which connects to Memories of Ice) and it's sequel The Healthy Dead.

Midnight Tides is a break from events in the previous four but all of the books (at the moment there's 10 planned, I think - but Blood and Healthy Dead weren't included in that) will interconnect as part of the whole series.

Have a look around using the 'search' option - you should find plenty mentioned about the series.

Hobbit

 

[FicusFan]

I'm tempted to read these now, but am wondering how people in the US are getting the sequels not yet published here - a favorite booksearch site?

I got one of mine (#1) from a local SF/F/H Specialty Store, then I got books #2 and #4 from local cons. I am still looking for number #3 and number #5 when it goes into paper.

They will be out here eventually (if the series sells) but it will take years until they are in paper.

Amazon (USA) may have used or even new ones to sell, and certainly Amazon.uk and .ca are also options if you don't want to wait. Or any other on-line site selling books if you have one you use.

 

[FicusFan]

I just picked up:

Judgement Day by Jane Jensen, PB. It was previously published as Millennium Rising.

Dante's Equation by Jane Jenson, TP

 

[Leiali]

Leiali - by not labelling the books, it seems to add to the confusion!
I always thought at one time that it was because the books could be read as stand-alone, but I'm not convinced of that now.

The order to date is:

1. Gardens of the Moon
2. Deadhouse Gates
3. Memories of Ice
4. House of Chains
5. Midnight Tides

then there's also the novellas Blood Follows (which connects to Memories of Ice) and it's sequel The Healthy Dead.

Midnight Tides is a break from events in the previous four but all of the books (at the moment there's 10 planned, I think - but Blood and Healthy Dead weren't included in that) will interconnect as part of the whole series.

Hobbit

Thanks Hobbit. I've read Gardens of the Moon. I loved it. But it is quite a commitment as the story is so complex. I am utterly gutted I bought the wrong next book in the series. The blurbs did not indicate that deadhouse gates was before it, it just went on about Gardens of the Moon. Clearly I must rectify the situation and buy the correct installment....

 

[Priestvyrce]

Thanks Hobbit. I've read Gardens of the Moon. I loved it. But it is quite a commitment as the story is so complex. I am utterly gutted I bought the wrong next book in the series. The blurbs did not indicate that deadhouse gates was before it, it just went on about Gardens of the Moon. Clearly I must rectify the situation and buy the correct installment....

Don't you just hate that! I've done it several times myself, but unless it is listed in the book(and even that is not a big help sometimes) you do tend to get a little lost as to what comes next.

 

[brightcrow]

I've ordered the following books since I posted last (can it be only a week ago?!) The last three were New and Notable from Locus.

The Unicorn Sonata Beagle, Peter S. (described as urban fiction, unrelated to The Last Unicorn)
Prey Michael Crichton
Mulengro Charles de Lint
The Anubis Gates Tim Powers
Diplomacy of Wolves (The Secret Texts, Book 1) Holly Lisle
Transformation Carol Berg
Restoration Carol Berg
Revelation Carol Berg
The Book of the Beast: The Secret Books of Paradys II (Book of the Beast) Tanith Lee
Chronicles of Amber 2 Volumes :Boris Covers, Roger Zelazny
Mortal Suns Tanith Lee
The Book of Jhereg: Contains the Complete Text of Jhereg, Yendi, and Teckla (Vlad Taltos) Steven Brust
Dead Until Dark (Southern Vampire Mysteries) Charlaine Harris
Firethorn Sarah Micklem
Coyote Cowgirl Kim Antieau
Memory Linda Nagata

 

[FicusFan]

Don't you just hate that! I've done it several times myself, but unless it is listed in the book(and even that is not a big help sometimes) you do tend to get a little lost as to what comes next.

And sometimes when it is listed they do it in reverse order, or they only list books that are published by the current publisher and so leave gaps.

I read a lot of series and I also want to see them numbered.

 

[Dallandra]

Still waiting for Gardens of the moon by Steven Erikson that I ordered about a month ago.... I want to read it already!!!

 

[FicusFan]

I just bought:

Tainted Blood by James M. Thompson, PB
Cerulean Sins by Laurell K. Hamilton, PB
I have the HC, but I also get the PBs since my first nine are in PB - also the PBs have a chapter or so of the next new book.
ReVisions Edited by Julie Czerneda & Isaac Szpindel, PB

The September books have started to come out at my local Borders. I of course have a coupon for an additional 15% off on top of my membership card at Barnes & Noble. I have to use it by August 30th, but the local B&N is soooo slow putting out new books. So I will have to wait. aaaaahhhhh

 

[Leiali]

I'm debating as to whether to buy the Warrior Prophet from Amazon Canada, as though the book itself is not hugely expensive, I don't know if it makes sense to order one book when taking shipping costs into account? Have those people who have ordered books from overseas chosen to do so with individual books? Or would you suggest that I wait til I can't get hold of something else that only the canadians can provide?!