Reading in February 2010

[Bastard]

I finished the 4th Apt book Salute the Dark by A. Tchaikovsky and it was all that i expected and more; though the series is supposed to go 10 and there are at least 2 more books in the 6 month interval pipeline, this book nicely rounds a lot of the main plots threads and concludes to some extent the story started in Empire and Gold;

The title is apt (so to speak) since this book is very dark - I saw some complaints how given all the war and violence in the first 3 volumes, most main characters escape; well, up to here since this book is merciless on them; I would not want to spoil some of the most powerful moments of the book but there are so many including personal combat, cavalry charges, mystic foretelling of the future, escape from crucifixions in the nick of time, weapons of mass destruction, land battles, air battles, intrigue and assassinations or tentative of such, but the prize goes to the gladiatorial combats and especially to the climactic one that has all the intensity of the best from Spartacus on...

Since the first part of the series sort of ends here, I really have no idea what will happen next so the fifth book due this summer jumped a notch on my asap list; Salute the Dark is an A+/A++ depending on rereads; if book 5 matches the intensity of book 4 and brings more twists and turns - here there some unexpected ones but mostly the sheer carnage of the war including withing the ranks of the main characters was the biggest surprise - they could jump to the top of my fantasy list for 2010

For "series completists" books 1-4 can be said to form sort of a complete series so go read them...

That's great to know. I'm 120 pages into it, it's been slow reading for me but that's just because I haven't been in the mood. But so far so good, I hope I can make a good dent on the book tonight.

I already read a description for Scarab's Path, the 5th book, and it spoiled a bit... but it did add up to my anticipation to the things to come. I think it's going to be released in about 5 months.

 

[SusF]

I finished MythoOS last night, enjoyable as always, and now I'm back to slogging through Elisabeth Bear's Ink and Steel.

Slogging being the determintive word here. I'm 50% through the book and it still feels like a set up for action. As of yet, NO action or forward movement has taken place. Sigh.

How can someone manage to make a book with Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe and, Mab, and Morgan leFay in fairyland actually be boring? That's just not right.

 

[suciul]

That's great to know. I'm 120 pages into it, it's been slow reading for me but that's just because I haven't been in the mood. But so far so good, I hope I can make a good dent on the book tonight.

I already read a description for Scarab's Path, the 5th book, and it spoiled a bit... but it did add up to my anticipation to the things to come. I think it's going to be released in about 5 months.

I know what you are saying - I was psyched up to read the book when I got my arc some 10 days or so ago and then MoH got released that night
I got into more of a sfnal/weird fiction mood after and read a bunch of such, but slowly I was building back up to read Salute and after the first 100-200 pages where there are the preparations and positioning, it just gets awesome with heart-stopping (and heart breaking) moment after moment

I read only half of the spoiler for Scarab (saw the identity of the first part of the couple there and stopped), so the final part of the couple came as a bit of a shock since once characters started dying left and right, I though that one was a goner for sure...

I also started Farlander and I like it so far, but I may need something different for a break after the awesome and emotional Salute the Dark since usually after such a book, any next book is a let down unless it's very, very different, so i may give a try to a lighter YA'ish book (Thief/Whalen-Turner or Eyes King/Banner)

 

[Rulkez]

I was going to wait , but after reading that about Salute the Dark and immensly enjoying Dragonfly Falling...

Delivery estimate: 23 Feb 2010 - 25 Feb 2010
Dispatch estimate for these items: 18 Feb 2010
1 "Blood of the Mantis: Shadows of the Apt (Shadows of the Apt 3)"
Adrian Tchaikovsky; Paperback; £3.98

Sold by: Amazon EU S.a.r.L.
1 "Salute the Dark (Shadows of the Apt 4)"
Adrian Tchaikovsky; Paperback; £3.99

Sold by: Amazon EU S.a.r.L.

Can't wait

 

[Seak]

Finally finished The Crown Conspiracy by Michael J. Sullivan and it was at least as good as everyone keeps saying. It only took me a while because I had a conference this last weekend and school has been intense.

It's fast-paced traditional fantasy with a nice twist to it, following a couple thieves who are accused of murdering the king.

Currently reading a post-apocalyptic serial novella from Tim Marquitz called Sepulchral Earth about zombies and a necromancer. Pretty cool so far.

Also making my way slowly but surely through Reaper's Gale. Not that it's bad, it's just huge.

I'm kinda just waiting for A Betrayal in Winter to come in the mail, Argh.

 

[Erfael]

I finished MythoOS last night, enjoyable as always, and now I'm back to slogging through Elisabeth Bear's Ink and Steel.

Slogging being the determintive word here. I'm 50% through the book and it still feels like a set up for action. As of yet, NO action or forward movement has taken place. Sigh.

How can someone manage to make a book with Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe and, Mab, and Morgan leFay in fairyland actually be boring? That's just not right.

I felt the same way about Blood and Iron when I read it a while back. Everything that I should like was there, but it was somehow a total slog. I felt pretty let down by it, as I really liked her earlier SF trilogy (Hammered, Scardown, Worldwired) and was looking forward to her take on different material. Sad to hear I&S isn't really better.

I'm currently reading Well of Ascension by Sanderson. As with Mistborn, it's a nice, fun read so far.

 

[Eventine]

Despite doing a lot of reading lately, I've not been posting much due to other distractions (and slow typing!), and not feeling I had much of interest to say. I did want to specifically mention a few books though:

Shades of Grey, Jasper Fforde: A change of pace from Fforde. His new setting and concept (a post apocalyptic world where people can only see one colour in the spectrum and an associated caste system) is quite original, and much darker than we're used to. Some of his trademark humour is there, athough in this series it's more a twinkle in the eye than a nudge and a wink. Definitely worth a look for fans and newcomers alike.

Knights of the Cornerstone, James P Blaylock: Despite seeing the name around for years I was never inclined to pick up any of his work until I read some of the short stories he co-authored with Tim Powers in Strange Itineraries. I wish I'd jumped earlier. While missing Powers' esoteric secret histories, he does equally well at inserting the fantastic "realistically" into a modern setting. And he has speedboat chases, trebuchets and explosions - need I say more? Anyone have any recommmendations on which Blaylock to read next?

The Graveyard Book, Neil Gaiman: I really wanted to like this, but mostly felt meh about it. Maybe because I was in hospital at the time I read it? At any rate, I didn't feel like it had anywhere near the charm of Coraline, which is a bit sad because I usually find Gaiman consistently entertaining.

Other books recently read that I'm too indifferent about to comment on at the moment:
Tooth and claw, Jo Walton
As She Climbed Across The Table, Jonathan Lethem
Orphans of chaos, John C. Wright
Arc d'X, Steve Erickson
Strange Itineraries, Tim Powers
The Phantom Tollbooth, Norton Juster
The Ghost in Love, Jonathan Carroll
The Hotel Under The Sand, Kage Baker
Drood, Dan Simmons

 

[DurzoBlint]

Despite doing a lot of reading lately, I've not been posting much due to other distractions (and slow typing!), and not feeling I had much of interest to say. I did want to specifically mention a few books though:

Shades of Grey, Jasper Fforde: A change of pace from Fforde. His new setting and concept (a post apocalyptic world where people can only see one colour in the spectrum and an associated caste system) is quite original, and much darker than we're used to. Some of his trademark humour is there, athough in this series it's more a twinkle in the eye than a nudge and a wink. Definitely worth a look for fans and newcomers alike.

Knights of the Cornerstone, James P Blaylock: Despite seeing the name around for years I was never inclined to pick up any of his work until I read some of the short stories he co-authored with Tim Powers in Strange Itineraries. I wish I'd jumped earlier. While missing Powers' esoteric secret histories, he does equally well at inserting the fantastic "realistically" into a modern setting. And he has speedboat chases, trebuchets and explosions - need I say more? Anyone have any recommmendations on which Blaylock to read next?

The Graveyard Book, Neil Gaiman: I really wanted to like this, but mostly felt meh about it. Maybe because I was in hospital at the time I read it? At any rate, I didn't feel like it had anywhere near the charm of Coraline, which is a bit sad because I usually find Gaiman consistently entertaining.

Other books recently read that I'm too indifferent about to comment on at the moment:
Tooth and claw, Jo Walton
As She Climbed Across The Table, Jonathan Lethem
Orphans of chaos, John C. Wright
Arc d'X, Steve Erickson
Strange Itineraries, Tim Powers
The Phantom Tollbooth, Norton Juster
The Ghost in Love, Jonathan Carroll
The Hotel Under The Sand, Kage Baker
Drood, Dan Simmons

Shades of Grey sounds pretty good, may have to give it a shot rather soon. As for The Graveyard Book, I have yet to be impressed by Gaiman. Everyone seems to love his books but everyone that I have read left me with little impression if any at all.

Was surprised you didn't enjoy Drood, everyone I know that has read it has loved it. I have been on the fence about picking it up and was just about to pull the trigger when I saw you didn't like it, or at least it didn't impress you. I may have to rethink whether or not to pick it up.

 

[Eventine]

I wasn't unimpressed by Drood, I just didn't feel like I had anything to add to what I've seen written about it so far. It's good, but not a great book like I found The Terror to be.

 

[SusF]

Well, I started Mistborn last night. So far so good. It's the ultimate caper novel.

 

[NickeeCoco]

I felt the same way about Blood and Iron when I read it a while back. Everything that I should like was there, but it was somehow a total slog. I felt pretty let down by it, as I really liked her earlier SF trilogy (Hammered, Scardown, Worldwired) and was looking forward to her take on different material. Sad to hear I&S isn't really better.

That's a drag. I have one of the Promethean age books at home and it's next on my to-read pile. I'll still give it a go, but I'd hate to slog through a book.

 

[MattNY]

Advice: If you find it a bit strange, keep going. The Gunslinger is made up of short stories that King roped together into a novel. The second book (The Drawing of The Three") is the first one in the series written as a novel, so it flows a bit better and makes a little more sense. The Gunslinger's certainly a good read though.

Thank you. Without this advice, I may have been a put off. I am still in the beginning, but slowly moving through it.

I have also started Elven Star by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. I am about a hundred or so pages in and it seems to be a decent followup to Dragon Wing, should that be the sort of fantasy you enjoy.

 

[Bastard]

I know what you are saying - I was psyched up to read the book when I got my arc some 10 days or so ago and then MoH got released that night
I got into more of a sfnal/weird fiction mood after and read a bunch of such, but slowly I was building back up to read Salute and after the first 100-200 pages where there are the preparations and positioning, it just gets awesome with heart-stopping (and heart breaking) moment after moment

I read only half of the spoiler for Scarab (saw the identity of the first part of the couple there and stopped), so the final part of the couple came as a bit of a shock since once characters started dying left and right, I though that one was a goner for sure...

I also started Farlander and I like it so far, but I may need something different for a break after the awesome and emotional Salute the Dark since usually after such a book, any next book is a let down unless it's very, very different, so i may give a try to a lighter YA'ish book (Thief/Whalen-Turner or Eyes King/Banner)

Highly interested in Farlander as well, already have it on pre-order. So far I've only heard positive things about it.

 

[TheEvilKing]

I know what you are saying - I was psyched up to read the book when I got my arc some 10 days or so ago and then MoH got released that night
I got into more of a sfnal/weird fiction mood after and read a bunch of such, but slowly I was building back up to read Salute and after the first 100-200 pages where there are the preparations and positioning, it just gets awesome with heart-stopping (and heart breaking) moment after moment

I read only half of the spoiler for Scarab (saw the identity of the first part of the couple there and stopped), so the final part of the couple came as a bit of a shock since once characters started dying left and right, I though that one was a goner for sure...

I thought the first two books were good but not great (I've give 'em 7 and 7.5 respectively. The author's heavy reliance on battles and fight scenes to drive the plot irked me, as did the obvious unwillingness to kill central POV characters).

I take it from your comment that (hopefully!) we see some main characters killed off, does Tchaikovsky also chill out on the combat scenes a bit and concentrate on a more character-driven plot? Reason I'm asking is because I'm not sure whether I'm gonna continue this series or not.

As for myself, I recently read Memoirs of a Master Forger by William Heaney - review here. An easy reccomendation. It's a very enjoyable, skillfully crafted, read.

 

[suciul]

I take it from your comment that (hopefully!) we see some main characters killed off, does Tchaikovsky also chill out on the combat scenes a bit and concentrate on a more character-driven plot? Reason I'm asking is because I'm not sure whether I'm gonna continue this series or not.

As for myself, I recently read Memoirs of a Master Forger by William Heaney - review here. An easy reccomendation. It's a very enjoyable, skillfully crafted, read.

At some point in the novel there is this prophecy addressed to Stenwold by a "mystic" - whose identity is quite interesting in itself:

"The machines of war are turned on your own people. Your friends are loyal to you, and they shall die for it, or be scarred through, and never to recover what they once were. Blood is born of blood, welling up between the trees, beneath the gold lightning. Ancient evils brought to light, the dead tradition of the life-​drinkers remade, and armies marching under a standard of black and gold and running red. A pillaging of the past for power, so that even the worst excesses of the old times are dug up. The worms of the earth! I see the worms of the earth feasting on all our corpses. Autumn leaves, Stenwold Maker. So many that you shall not see again. They fall and fall, the leaves of autumn, red and green and black and gold.’"


That sums the book well and yes lots of characters get killed off; as for the second point, well there is all out war everywhere, so there are battles, but not only that; if you like gladiatorial combat a la Spartacus, this book has that in spades, some of the most spectacular such in a long time...

If you like air battles - dogfights a la WW1/2, "plane" to "plane", there is that too and prophecies and magic also....

All in all - Salute fulfills the promise of the series and closes pretty much all the main threads so it reads like a series ending and a new beginning too; I am really, really excited by the next book since I have no idea where it will go

I loved too Memoirs of a Master Forger btw

As for reading, started Farlander as mentioned and I am very interested, but I am not done with my rereading of Salute (3rd time parts) and I may reread from the earlier 3 volumes to see how all came together, so probably another day at least in the Kinden universe

 

[bearcatmark]

I finished Perdido Street Station late last month which was excellent. I'm currently reading sci fi (read Look to Windward and now half way through A Fire Upon the Deep), but will be moving to fantasy for a few next. So here are the books I am looking to get to next. Let me know where you would start.

1. The Last Unicorn by Peter S Beagle
2. Lord Foul's Bane by Stephen Donaldson
3. The Lies of Lock Lamora. by Scott Lynch

Thoughts?

 

[metalprof]

1. The Last Unicorn by Peter S Beagle
2. Lord Foul's Bane by Stephen Donaldson
3. The Lies of Lock Lamora. by Scott Lynch

I still need to read #1 and #3 myself, so I can't really compare - but I'd suggest Lord Foul's Bane, simply because if you really like it, you have several more books then immediately waiting for you.

I need to get onto reading The Last Unicorn. A while ago I watched the animated version (which at the time, I had no idea was based on a book), but the movie gave me a big "WTF" feeling - likely because I had not consumed enough mushrooms before watching it or something I'd actually like to read the book then watch the movie again to see if I appreciate it more.

Ken

 

[SusF]

1. The Last Unicorn by Peter S Beagle
2. Lord Foul's Bane by Stephen Donaldson
3. The Lies of Lock Lamora. by Scott Lynch

I read Last Unicorn years and years ago, when it first came out. I remember enjoying but it didn't make that big of an impression on me. I think it will seem a bit simplistic next to the other two you've chosen.

Lord Foul. Never could get through the first book. Tried a few times, gave up. I may try again now that I'm older and have more patience.

Lies of Lock Lamora is on my to-read list. It sounds like fun in the vein of Fritz Leiber, and I love my Fritz Leiber!

 

[Twinner]

I also did not care much for The Gunslinger when I first read it. However as the series moved along I grew into it and as it went along it pulled me in more and more. I ended up loving it and when the final 3 books were released (fairly rapid-fire quickly) I was even more into it. King wrote that the first his line of The Gunslinger was one of his favorites, and I have to agree! It is perfect!
"The Man in Black fled across the desert, and the Gunslinger followed."

It has a descriptive simplicity that King seldom achieves, yet I tend to enjoy most of the SK things I read.
(Well.... a lot of them anyway.)
Great series I thought, but I agree with many of the criticisms of the individual novels, but I did very much love the series!!
Roy

 

[Hobbit]

Shades of Grey sounds pretty good, may have to give it a shot rather soon.

Read the first few pages of Shades of Grey and it does seem different, yet still Jasper Fforde. In the pile....

As for The Graveyard Book, I have yet to be impressed by Gaiman. Everyone seems to love his books but everyone that I have read left me with little impression if any at all.

No, that's pretty much my impression as well. Think the bloke's great, less impressed with the majority of his writing. I do think that sometimes people think more about the man than his writing when discussing his work. But what do I know: some staff really like his writing.

I am reading (and enjoying) Wolfsangel by MD Lachan (not real name.) Vikings seem to be in favour at the moment (I reviewed Raven last year) and this one starts very much like that. But with added werewolf, I believe.

Highly interested in Farlander as well, already have it on pre-order. So far I've only heard positive things about it.

Yeah. Again, read the first few pages and it seems to start very well.

Looking forward to getting to it more later.

Mark