Reading in April 2012

Today, I started reading Caine's Law by Matthew Stover.
 
Still reading Deadhouse Gates. It's picking up a bit more, so that's good. I only wish that we didn't have to follow around Felesin. I really can't stand her. I wish that those three (Heboric(sp?), Baudin and Felesin) had a different perspective.

Though there's more than just the three of them now.

Hate to say this, but I really hope she gets killed off soon just so I don't have to read anymore of her whining.

Though I have a sneaking suspicion that Baudin is charged with keeping her alive for some reason unbeknownst to me. Well, not entirely unknown, I have more suspicions about that scenario.
 
Siberian said:
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?
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I've read the majority of the bibliography of Michelle West & Michelle Sagara (after this early 90's series she decided to write under separate names with differing styles) but haven't yet gotten around to this series. If I had to speculate anyway from the info I do know, I'd say that the Goodreads recommendation sounds like it might be your best bet.
 
Speaking of Michelle Sagara, I've been busy reading her series "The Chronicles of Elantra" aka as "The Cast" series. So entitled due to the fact that all of the books begin with "Cast in....". There has been one installment published every year since 2005 (along with a short story set in that world which appears in the anthology Harvest Moon. The books out so far, in chronological order, are Cast in Shadow, Cast in Courtlight, Cast in Secret, Cast in Fury, Cast in Silence, Cast in Chaos, and Cast in Ruin, with another due in September.

I'm unsure as to where the exact line between Fantasy and Urban Fantasy lies, but my guess is that this series straddles the line. The series seems fantasy, set in an original quasi-medieval setting filled with magic, dragons, an elf-like race, as well as several other races of varying degrees of originality. At the same time, it has been set entirely in one city (Elantra) and follows the sort of story structure seen in Urban Fantasy. At times there is a bit, or the hint of, romance, but much less than seems the norm in UF. And there's no sex. Imo this series makes The Dresden Files look "wild" by comparison. Additionally, the author has confirmed that she is limited as to page count and so the "rhythm" of the books remind me very much of the other UF that I have read. Generally, there is a mystery (or two or three), the main character goes out to investigate, and in the process meets with contacts both new and old in order to ultimately solve/resolve the issues that have arisen. Although some things do carry over from novel to the next, or to a later installment down the line.

The books center around Kaylin Neya, 19 years old, who begins as a private in the Hawks, one of the three law enforcement bodies that exist in the Empire of Elantra. She escaped the fiefs of her youth (sort of like slums outside of Imperial control) and spent her older teenage years growing up in the company of the Hawks, as a kind of mascot. Her sole ambition is to be a Hawk (although she sometimes moonlights as an assistant to the Midwives Guild or the Foundling Hall [for young orphans]). Despite this, she harbors a secret that at times gets her wrapped up in events far beyond the scope of her station.

I found the first book to be original, if somewhat muddled, with certain concepts a bit unclear and some characters a bit cardboard (though still very distinctive). But that too fits well with the other UF with which I am familiar, as I think that ime all take at least a book or two to sort out what they want to be and/or polish out the rough edges. I thought the second book to be a clear improvement, with the series becoming better as it goes along and quite good (imho) at this point. The author has clearly spent some time with her world-building, and there are quite a lot of secrets both old and new to be discovered in this setting. I think that beyond the first book Sagara does an admirable job of revealing them, or hinting at them, as the need arises. I often wished for a bit more explanation or discussion in at least several scenes in each story, not because I didn't understand what had been revealed, but instead because I very much was interested in exploring it further.

I have two other criticisms. One is that certain plot patterns reappear, especially in the first couple of books. This definitely wasn't a deal-breaker for me, and I'd doubt that it's as noticeable for people who don't read the whole series one after another. The second issue is that, at her core, the main character displays some definite similarities to one of the key characters in the author's "Sun Sword/House War" books. Obviously this is only a potential issue for those who've read that/those series as well, and I've heard that many people can still overlook the comparison.

Ultimately, I'm glad that I read this series, expect it to continue to improve and would recommend it to those intrigued by what I've written. Last year's installment had 358 votes for Best Fantasy Book of 2011 on goodreads, enough to garner it a 14th place finish, so I'm definitely not alone in my enjoyment of the books.
 
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Finished Parker's The Company, which was good.

Now reading Range of Ghosts by Elizabeth Bear.
 
No problem: I'm never quite sure if people see our reviews or not. :)

And agreed with the positive reviews: Rob's been so positive about it that had I not already been stacked up with stuff to read (not complaining!) I'd have bought a copy.... so, yes, also interested what Ben thinks!


Mark
 
Hobbit said:
No problem: I'm never quite sure if people see our reviews or not. :)

And agreed with the positive reviews: Rob's been so positive about it that had I not already been stacked up with stuff to read (not complaining!) I'd have bought a copy.... so, yes, also interested what Ben thinks!


Mark
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Right on, Mark. Over on Amazon, there's a couple reviews I get a kick out of. If I was an author and seen a couple of those, it would be really cool. I was disappointed the other day though, I went out to B&N to check out a copy, and that store hadn't even ordered any copies of it. By then it had been released for 4-5 days I think. Whats up with that? Justin had a cool review of it too, you se that?
 
Yup.

Got to say, Justin's reviews are usually pretty good too.

Weirdly though, these days I don't look at reviews as much as I used to: I'm rather worried that if it's a review of a book I'm reviewing it might just affect what I write.

After I've written the review, that's fine, though! (And if I wasn't going to review it, like this one, because Rob's already reviewing it, that's fine too.)

Mark
 
Hobbit said:
Yup.

Got to say, Justin's reviews are usually pretty good too.

Weirdly though, these days I don't look at reviews as much as I used to: I'm rather worried that if it's a review of a book I'm reviewing it might just affect what I write.

After I've written the review, that's fine, though! (And if I wasn't going to review it, like this one, because Rob's already reviewing it, that's fine too.)

Mark
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I could understand that. I like checking out books I want to read, I stop if I see too many spoiler things, but most people probably don't do all that as bad as I do. lol
 
Kazz Wylde said:
I went out to B&N to check out a copy, and that store hadn't even ordered any copies of it. By then it had been released for 4-5 days I think. Whats up with that?
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I've heard authors saying that after the demise of Borders, B&N has definitely cut back in their buying of new books and isn't in a rush to get many new releases right away. Their conventional wisdom expected the opposite, but for whatever reason B&N has definitely reduced their orders on new titles and series with a proven track record (maybe B&N wants to promote Nooks this way, or figures that they'll get the Brick & Mortar customers anyway, or just wants to focus more on non-book merchandise?). Definitely a shame.
 
AmethystOrator said:
I've heard authors saying that after the demise of Borders, B&N has definitely cut back in their buying of new books and isn't in a rush to get many new releases right away. Their conventional wisdom expected the opposite, but for whatever reason B&N has definitely reduced their orders on new titles and series with a proven track record (maybe B&N wants to promote Nooks this way, or figures that they'll get the Brick & Mortar customers anyway, or just wants to focus more on non-book merchandise?). Definitely a shame.
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That's depressing.
 
Finally got around to finishing "Blade of Tyshalle." Overall one of the best genre books I've read. Stover did things you just can't do with fantasy or sci-fi alone.

I did find the "blind god" to be unnecessary and kind of silly, but that's one stain on an otherwise perfect novel.

Now it's on to rereading "A Clash of Kings."
 
A few days ago I finished Caine's Law.

This is another book that just came too late for me; I remember loving the first Caine duology and also the first half of the duology ending here, but when I opened this one I realized that I kind of forgot most of what was about except in a vague sense. I did a quick refresh and i realized that I simply cannot suspend disbelief any more for the ultimate simplistic super hero taking revenge on an unjust society storyline which this series amounts too in the end; yes, the hero is complicated, with dark impulses but when all is said and done there is very little depth and nuance; anger, violence in droves but I couldn't find the magic of a few years ago and I simply did not care about the hero, the secondary characters or the the setting
 
Finished Unclean Spirits by MLN Hanover/Daniel Abraham. Really enjoyed it and looking forward to the rest. It's a really quick read, so definitely worth giving a go.

Started The Curse of the Mistwraith by Janny Wurts. I'm a fan of lots of description, so I hope that holds up here.
 
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