Reading in February 2012

[Corporal Blues]

I think I might read the Ketty Jay books next, I've been wanting to get into them for quite awhile. Great characters huh?

Do it! The characters are all rouges and rapscallions with dirt in their past, so if you like that kind of character then you should enjoy the Ketty Jay books.

 

[Kazz Wylde]

Do it! The characters are all rouges and rapscallions with dirt in their past, so if you like that kind of character then you should enjoy the Ketty Jay books.

I love those kinds of characters, gotta love the rogues, man.
I'm gonna hunt it down, Thanks Blues.

 

[TooNice]

I've gotten hooked on the Dresden Files. I love them. I heard people weren't so fond of the first couple of books but I thought they were awesome. I actually miss the more grounded Big Sleep meets Harry Potter kind of vibe they had to them (not the best examples to use, but you get my point), with the investigating and police and such. The latest two I've read (summer knight and death masks) were much grander, broader in scope delving deeper into the world of the Nevernever than the first two where that side of the story was far away in the backdrop and mysterious. But they're still really good. I think I may just tear through the whole series if Butcher's form keeps up.

 

[Contrarius]

I've gotten hooked on the Dresden Files. I love them.[....] I think I may just tear through the whole series if Butcher's form keeps up.

Another convert!

I tore through the series the first time, myself. Actually, I almost stopped after #2, 'cause they just didn't grab me that much. But kind caring internet friends convinced me to stick with it, and the rest is history. It's great to hear that you didn't even need the convincing!

 

[TooNice]

Yeah I've read 5 of them in about 2 and a half weeks lol. Was there any reason you can put into words why the first two didn't grab you? I must say Murphy annoyed the **** out of me, and I found her kind of irrational at times (especially in book 2), but other than that I thought they were really top notch.

 

[Contrarius]

Yeah I've read 5 of them in about 2 and a half weeks lol. Was there any reason you can put into words why the first two didn't grab you? I must say Murphy annoyed the **** out of me, and I found her kind of irrational at times (especially in book 2), but other than that I thought they were really top notch.

They weren't as well written as the rest of the series, and yes Murph annoyed me, and James Marsters did a fairly lousy job narrating the first ones (he's great on most of the series). For one thing, they felt kinda like tutorials -- here's the kinds of demons, here's the kinds of werewolves, and so on -- and I'm not much of a werewolf fan, either (even though I listed The Last Werewolf as my favorite book of 2011 -- consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds...). They just didn't jell for me. Also, they had the common "start of a series" problems -- they gotta lay out the world and the characters, and the author himself is still figuring it all out, and the reader isn't really invested yet, and all that sort o thing.

 

[bossfan2000]

Hey there Nashvillian! I don't remember whether we've spoken before, but I'm just down the road apiece in Lebanon.

Are you looking for a change of pace from WoT? What sort of thing are you thinking about? There's sooo much out there!

Howdy..my team lead at work lives in Lebanon (I'm in Cane Ridge/Antioch).

I've got literally 200 unread books on my shelves at the moment, and really should pick something from there. But I am itching for something newly released. I just downloaded samples of The Goblin Corps, Giant Thief, & Against the Light. If none of those work out, I'll just go back to WoT or the last Riyria omnibus. Or maybe I'll just continue my trend of reading thrillers/espionage stuff.

 

[CFogle21]

Just finished Retribution Falls. I was a little skeptical at first but I ended up really enjoying the book. Will definitely be picking up The Black Lung Captain.

 

[Contrarius]

Howdy..my team lead at work lives in Lebanon (I'm in Cane Ridge/Antioch).

This is me waving at you.....{wavewavewave}. My brother lives in Antioch, just off Old Hickory. My parents are just north of Brentwood. Yes, I've been in TN a loooooooong time.

I just downloaded samples of The Goblin Corps, Giant Thief, & Against the Light. If none of those work out, I'll just go back to WoT or the last Riyria omnibus. Or maybe I'll just continue my trend of reading thrillers/espionage stuff.

Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with any of those. I do love the downloadable samples at Amazon, though. Very handy feature. I hope you enjoy whichever you choose!

 

[molybdenum]

I'm about 3/4s of the way through Blade of Tyshalle and I cannot believe how good this book is. I thought Heroes Die was certainly above average, but nothing to truly write home about, but this book is on another level entirely.

Let's put it this way, if Chapter 0 was a short story, it would probably be one of my favorite short stories ever, and the book hasn't really let up from there. It was really a brilliant move counteracting Caine with Kris Hansen, as the way those two work opposite yet in some ways symetrical really makes this book work. Also, there seems to be less about the injustices of the Caste system, which started to get on my nerves in Heroes Die, or maybe I'm just used to it.

This definitely knocks off Deadhouse Gates as the sequel that most improved on the original. As is, this is one of my favorite books ever at this point. Now I better go try to get closer to finishing it so I can get onto that Book Club Book.

 

[Seak]

I'm about 3/4s of the way through Blade of Tyshalle and I cannot believe how good this book is. I thought Heroes Die was certainly above average, but nothing to truly write home about, but this book is on another level entirely.

Good to hear, I hope to read this soon.

 

[TooNice]

They weren't as well written as the rest of the series, and yes Murph annoyed me, and James Marsters did a fairly lousy job narrating the first ones (he's great on most of the series). For one thing, they felt kinda like tutorials -- here's the kinds of demons, here's the kinds of werewolves, and so on -- and I'm not much of a werewolf fan, either (even though I listed The Last Werewolf as my favorite book of 2011 -- consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds...). They just didn't jell for me. Also, they had the common "start of a series" problems -- they gotta lay out the world and the characters, and the author himself is still figuring it all out, and the reader isn't really invested yet, and all that sort o thing.

Fair enough. I haven't noticed an increase in the quality of the writing though tbh, I thought the first ones were equally well written, I'm a big fan of the first person perspective of Dresden. Plus I liked the exposition, learning about how the world works.

 

[CFogle21]

I couldn't wait, so I went out and picked up The Black Lung Captain. Will be starting it today.

 

[Luke_B]

I'm carrying The Wise Man's Fear over from last month. After a week of reading, I'm only now approaching the halfway mark -- this is a big book! It's got that meandering vibe that TNotW had, but with the sense that something more is burbling away just beyond the periphery. I also agree with all those who commented on what an immersive read it is. In most mega-page count epic fantasies these days we follow four or five or more POVs -- here, there's something nice about this book and living behind Kvothe's eyes for the entire story.

 

[beniowa]

Finished Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter by Seth Grahame-Smith. On the one hand it was a very easy read and was well researched (the non-vampire parts anyway). On the other, I didn't buy the premise of vampires being behind the Civil War at all. Plus, I got really annoyed that the author had to quote the secret Lincoln dairy several times a page, which tended to take me out of the narrative. Frankly, I wouldn't have read this if a friend from work hadn't given it to me.

Now reading Percepliquis by Michael J. Sullivan.

 

[Danogzilla]

I'm carrying The Wise Man's Fear over from last month. After a week of reading, I'm only now approaching the halfway mark -- this is a big book! It's got that meandering vibe that TNotW had, but with the sense that something more is burbling away just beyond the periphery. I also agree with all those who commented on what an immersive read it is. In most mega-page count epic fantasies these days we follow four or five or more POVs -- here, there's something nice about this book and living behind Kvothe's eyes for the entire story.

I'm right around the halfway point too and really enjoying it. After spending so much time in Kvothe's head during the first person bulk of the story it's interesting when we jump back out and get the third person omniscient stuff at the Waystone Inn. I would expect it to be third limited and still in Kvothe's pov, but I like how Rothfuss pulls off the omni.

 

[PeterWilliam]

Still in Flanagan's Ranger's Apprentice series. Just finished The Kings of Clonmel and moving into Halt's Peril.

 

[Seak]

I just finished Wizard's First Rule and actually kinda enjoyed it, especially the ending. *ducks (not the animal)*

I will say, 10 years ago I would have loved it and thought it was the bestest thing in the whole world. Now, Richard's just too perfect and it seemed to just jump from one adventure to the next with little to no foreshadowing.

Started Vonnegut's Breakfast of Champions about the fictional science fiction author, Kilgore Trout, and it's amazing. Of course. I think Vonnegut created it just to throw out a ton of his random SF ideas without even having to write short stories. They're pretty awesome - like a alien civilization of cars that have car babies.

 

[Red Viper]

I started Gardens of the Moon. Its a little tough to read but I love how big and complicated the world seems to be

 

[Contrarius]

I *finally* finished Among Thieves this evening. It took me a long time, 'cause I'm still on a non-genre kick.

At first I thought it was fairly standard, but by the end of the book I found it surprisingly affecting. Some good characters. Good action sequences, too. I'll be very happy to read the sequel. In audio it would have been even better with a better narrator. He wasn't bad, but IMHO he read too carefully -- didn't really get down into the meat of the words. But okay, nonetheless.

Just started The Spirit Lens (Berg, Collegia Magica 01). Not quite 2 hours in so far. I already love the characters. The narrative voice is a bit incomprehensibly flowery at the beginning, but the guy is a librarian so whaddaya expect. First person, which I personally like a lot. Berg does great characters, so I look forward to the story ahead. Narrator on this one is okay so far.