Reading in April 2012

[The Moye]

Still chugging along with Deadhouse Gates, the second Malazan book. I'm finding that I'm not as interested in this one as I was in the first. Granted, I'm only on chapter eleven (but I feel like I've read far more), so hopefully things start to pick up a bit more.

I struggled thru that book. I am now on memories of ice and it is like 1000xs better than deadhouse gates imo.

 

[beniowa]

I'm about three-fourths through KJ Parker's The Company.

 

[Siberian]

I've been reading on and off Michele Sagara West's Into The Dark Lands. I like the ideas so far but the writing is choppy and I can't really connect with any of the characters. I know it's her first book and it shows, so I guess I'll have to ask if the book (and the series) is getting any livelier?

 

[hawkeyye]

I think the Sanderson bubble is going to burst soon. I think people are going to see that there's really not a lot there.

I wouldn't bet your house on that. With his Mistborn and WoT work he has legions of fans. I for one thought Way of Kings was the best or second best fantasy book I read last year. Can't wait for the next one.

 

[Haliax]

I'm about three-fourths through KJ Parker's The Company.

What do you think of it so far?

 

[PeterWilliam]

I've been reading on and off Michele Sagara West's Into The Dark Lands. I like the ideas so far but the writing is choppy and I can't really connect with any of the characters. I know it's her first book and it shows, so I guess I'll have to ask if the book (and the series) is getting any livelier?

I can't really attest to this series, but I expected it to show a lack of experience. However, I have read her Sacred Hunt duology and it was good. I fully expect that her works beyond that continue to improve and I intend to continue on with her series from the same world as Sacred Hunt, if not her entire bibliography.

 

[RTR]

Just finished up Last Argument of Kings, just started Midnight Tides

 

[Seak]

Reading M.L.N. Hanover's Unclean Spirits. I'm a huge fan of Hanover/Abraham but I was wary of his UF stuff. I'm impressed so far, about halfway through and it's hard to put down.

Also just finished Jon Sprunk's conclusion to the Shadow Saga, Shadow's Master. Stays on par with the rest of the trilogy. Really good sword and sorcery, fast-paced, low on details and lots of action.

 

[Daddy Darth]

All but done Under Heaven by Kay. I did enjoy the richness of the setting and characters, however the actual story was underwhelming. For me it is missing an actual climax. Given what was transpiring I wanted it to go bigger, into the conflict of the rebellion. Instead it went smaller, more personal, culminating in events at the inn. Which was a brilliant scene, just thought it needed more. Well, I needed more. My secret desire is for Kay to truly tackle a large epic tale spanning half a dozen books. He is one of the best writers around and often not given his due.

 

[Loerwyn]

All but done Under Heaven by Kay. I did enjoy the richness of the setting and characters, however the actual story was underwhelming. For me it is missing an actual climax. Given what was transpiring I wanted it to go bigger, into the conflict of the rebellion. Instead it went smaller, more personal, culminating in events at the inn. Which was a brilliant scene, just thought it needed more. Well, I needed more. My secret desire is for Kay to truly tackle a large epic tale spanning half a dozen books. He is one of the best writers around and often not given his due.

So that's why you've been quiet

 

[kcf]

In the last few weeks I've finished up Arctic Rising by Tobias Buckell, The Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed, and The Wood Wife by Terri Windling. I got a review written for the The Wood Wife, but I'm still working on reviews for the others. I'm now reading Blade of Tyshalle by Matthew Stover - I'd forgotten just how good he is.

 

[molybdenum]

I wouldn't bet your house on that. With his Mistborn and WoT work he has legions of fans. I for one thought Way of Kings was the best or second best fantasy book I read last year. Can't wait for the next one.

Yeah, I don't know of any cases where fans of an author suddenly realized that the author wasn't any good. Most of the time support for an author leaves when the books go downhill in quality. I don't see that happening with Sanderson. I thought Way of Kings both did a lot better with his weaker qualities, the prose and characterization, then he did with Mistborn, though the book overall was not quite as good.

Sanderson's too creative to suddenly just lose it. He's got a lot of books mapped out already as well, so don't expect him to run out of ideas and just put stuff out to make money.

I just finished Stonewielder. I thought it was another step up for Esslemont, though he isn't quite close to Erikson in my book (the awful Toll the Hounds notwithstanding). Fist is probably the most interesting place we've been to yet, and while the land itself seemed to overwhelm the story elements I was invested (if not so much emotionally) in what was occurring in the story.

Next up for me is Kings of the Morning by Kearney. Looking forward to it even though I was disappointed by Corvus. Kearney's kind of on probation from me, as by my count out of the 5 Monarchies of God books and 2 Macht books I've read, there's been 2 excellent (The Ten Thousand, The Iron Wars), 1 very good (The Second Empire), 1 good (Corvus), and 3 mediocre (Books 1,2 and 5 of Monarchies of God). We'll see how this one turns out.

 

[beniowa]

What do you think of it so far?

I wasn't sure where the story was going at first, but it's good like all of Parker's stuff.

 

[Loerwyn]

The Wee Free Men by Sir Pratchett - not all that far into it (maybe 10%), but I've giggled a few times and I'm getting fairly interested, but it's still early days.

Finished. One of the best Sir Pratchett books I've ever had the pleasure of reading.

 

[DragonReader]

Finished Shadow's Master by Jon Sprunk (Great book! Great series!)

Now reading Adventures: The Chronicles of Lucifer Jones Vol. 1 (1922-1926) by Mike Resnick

 

[Khale]

I wouldn't bet your house on that. With his Mistborn and WoT work he has legions of fans. I for one thought Way of Kings was the best or second best fantasy book I read last year. Can't wait for the next one.

I completely agree with you on Sanderson and Way of Kings.

Currently, I am about halfway through Rise of Empire by Michael Sullivan and am really enjoying it.

I also just started on Throne of the Crescent Moon by Saladin Ahmed which I think is going to be a great and fun read.

 

[Siberian]

I can't really attest to this series, but I expected it to show a lack of experience. However, I have read her Sacred Hunt duology and it was good. I fully expect that her works beyond that continue to improve and I intend to continue on with her series from the same world as Sacred Hunt, if not her entire bibliography.

Someone on Goodreads recommended skimming through the first 100 pages or so to get to the "good stuff". I normally hate doing this, but the beginning was really too slow so I might end up doing just that.

 

[JustaStaffer]

Just wrapped up my review of NK Jemisin's new one - The Killing Moon. Awesome. Review is up on the blog.

Also finished The Providence Rider by Robert McCammon (Sub Press). Excellent historical fiction pre-America and James Bond Dr. No pastiche.

 

[thrinidir]

Just finished Kings of the Morning.

What can I say, it's very readable, but utterly underwhelming. Haven't been impressed with Kearney since The Mark of Ran, everything up to that point was brilliant. The Way of Kings continues the trend set by Corvur and The Ten Thousand, but while those books had redeeming qualities (a few interesting characters, moving scenes and good lines) the concluding book of the trilogy feels rather tepid. No good battles, underdeveloped (new) characters, lack of good drama and drawn out beggining of the book that doesn't bring enough to the story to justify underdeveloped and unfocused mid and ending. Kearney tries to cram an epic story, a large and memorable cast and intimate drama all within 300 something pages and the lack of breathing room shows. It just doesn't work for me. Rictus being the bright exception.

 

[Danogzilla]

After finishing another Jack Vance quickie (it's very satisfying to read a novel in one or two sittings), I started Theft of Swords Michael J. Sullivan's Riyria omnibus volume one.