Reading in July 2009

I finsihed American Gods this weekend which was awesome (i guess that is fantasy, but I figured I'd include it). I just finished reading The Player of Games.

On plate this month I have Use of Weapons and Excession... Old Man's War still sits on my shelf and I am thinking diving into George R R Martin's fantasy series. I have been trying to decide which fantasy I should commit to and he seems to be the most highly regarded (though people have made a strong case for Erikson).
 
I finished Orbus by Neal Asher the other day and I can honestly say that this is the best sci-fi book I've read this year. It's also, IMO, Neal's best book to date with what feels like more refinement in his writing - and when you're talking about mutated Prador, a trigger happy war drone and an Old Captain, among many other things, it's such a pleasant surprise.

I read Neal's work because he's the best at creating amazing aliens and ecologies, some seriously bad-ass bad guys (and good guys, come to think of it) and excellent balls-to-the-wall storytelling. It's not changed and when comparing Gridlinked to Orbus all of the above is present in both but the growth that Neal has gone through as a writer since then is amazing.

Orbus is an excellent book in the loose Spatterjay series (The Skinner, Voyage of the Sable Keech, Orbus) and probably Neal's most accomplished novel to date. Truly excellent.
 
I just finished an ARC of The Sheriff of Yrnameer by Michael Rubens. Cole is a thief/smuggler/criminal who hits a string of rotten luck. Unable to pay a debt, he steals a spaceship that just happens to be filled with freeze-dried orphans. Crazy adventure and hilarity ensues as Cole is compelled to get the children to the planet Yrnameer. But will the new sheriff of Yrnameer do the right thing and save a town from a group of Bad Men?

It's a wacky science fiction comedy in the tradition of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Like Douglas Adams' signature book, there isn't much of a plot, but there are lots of laugh-out-loud moments. I thought the "be a good person because it's expected" attitude was played a little too strongly though. I also felt a romance subplot made the final third drag a bit. On the whole, the book was a fun, entertaining read. A full review will be written and posted later on BSC Review.

For my next read, I've already started The Angel's Game by Carlos Luis Zafon.
 
I just finished The Dreaming Void, I rely enjoyed it. I'll be reading the next in the series but I've got eight other books to read before I go buying any more. I hope they're all as good as if not better.
 
I finished a debut The Manhattan Prophet by Jake Packard which is astounding; set in 2047 when the City State of NY is a vassal of the Northern Alliance (Sony, Microsoft, Euro-Reich, Federated US...) with draconian anti-terrorist laws, mayor for life Jack Storm and general Pellet as commander in chief of First Army based in NYC which forms the shock troops of the Alliance, all happening after the Exchange of 2026 (nuclear) and more nuclear attacks in 2036 followed by environmental devastation.

Very, very explicit, brutal, violent and a retelling of Jesus Christ story in a 21st century context at least to some extent; just a great book and a great ending too.
 
suciul said:
I finished a debut The Manhattan Prophet by Jake Packard which is astounding; set in 2047 when the City State of NY is a vassal of the Northern Alliance (Sony, Microsoft, Euro-Reich, Federated US...) with draconian anti-terrorist laws, mayor for life Jack Storm and general Pellet as commander in chief of First Army based in NYC which forms the shock troops of the Alliance, all happening after the Exchange of 2026 (nuclear) and more nuclear attacks in 2036 followed by environmental devastation.

Very, very explicit, brutal, violent and a retelling of Jesus Christ story in a 21st century context at least to some extent; just a great book and a great ending too.
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Yeah, That one sounds pretty cool, Liviu.
 
I've not long finished reading Gateway by Frederik Pohl, again very enjoyable. I'll either be reading Hyperion or Red Mars next I haven't decided yet
 
Kazz Wylde said:
Yeah, That one sounds pretty cool, Liviu.
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I got a review inquiry last week about it and it seemed of some interest so i took a look and I have to say that it just blew me away, took me by surprise and I *had* to read it then, just finished whatever I was reading at the time and that was the next novel.

Very, very explicit a la Stover (Caine) and with some similar themes from there too, I hope there will be more in the universe, though it has a definite ending but room for more; it may be that living in the NYC area for 13 years now I may appreciate more the book since so much happens in very familiar locations, though it has action in India, Boston, upstate NY...

Will do a full rv in the first available slot on FBC (early/mid August since until then I have a full plate of rvs) and the book jumped in my co-#2 spot in mainstream fantastic for 09.

We will have 2 big posts with "2009 so far in books" with contributions from several FBC contributors - this Saturday (fantasy/mainstream, 42 books, 2-3 repeats) and Sunday (sf/mainstream fantastic - 38 books again 1-2 repeats)

Next sf novel for me is Land of Dead by Thomas Harlan
 
DiscoStu said:
I'll either be reading Hyperion or Red Mars next I haven't decided yet
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I loved Red Mars, although it is a little long. I quite liked Hyperion but I seem to be in the minority of not loving it. The first story (it's six connected stories in one) really is wonderful but the other five pale a bit in comparison.

At the moment I am slogging through Lord Foul's Bane by Stephen Donaldson - fantasy is such hard work and doesn't quite do it for me. However, I am enjoying the quality of his writing and may go on to read the Gap Series. Anyone else read it?
 
suciul said:
I got a review inquiry last week about it and it seemed of some interest so i took a look and I have to say that it just blew me away, took me by surprise and I *had* to read it then, just finished whatever I was reading at the time and that was the next novel.

Very, very explicit a la Stover (Caine) and with some similar themes from there too, I hope there will be more in the universe, though it has a definite ending but room for more; it may be that living in the NYC area for 13 years now I may appreciate more the book since so much happens in very familiar locations, though it has action in India, Boston, upstate NY...

Will do a full rv in the first available slot on FBC (early/mid August since until then I have a full plate of rvs) and the book jumped in my co-#2 spot in mainstream fantastic for 09.

We will have 2 big posts with "2009 so far in books" with contributions from several FBC contributors - this Saturday (fantasy/mainstream, 42 books, 2-3 repeats) and Sunday (sf/mainstream fantastic - 38 books again 1-2 repeats)

Next sf novel for me is Land of Dead by Thomas Harlan
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Man, I wish I could get as much reading in as you do, at least to knock out my TBR pile, let alone my wish list! :eek:
I'm just curious Liviu, you call this mainstream fantastical, and post it under scifi. Is that cause of the near future it's in?
Sounds like some cool stuff, I read the excerpt.
 
Kazz Wylde said:
Man, I wish I could get as much reading in as you do, at least to knock out my TBR pile, let alone my wish list! :eek:
I'm just curious Liviu, you call this mainstream fantastical, and post it under scifi. Is that cause of the near future it's in?
Sounds like some cool stuff, I read the excerpt.
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Well here on sffworld it is just fantasy, sf and mainstream, so technically Manhattan Prophet is sf, but I would distinguish it from pure sf for many reasons; near future is part of it but not only (eg Courts Sun is sf, through and through with time travel, alien civilization, same with Steal Across the Sky, while Daemon or this one are mainstream fantastic on the sf-nal side, Jasmyn and White is for Witching are mainstream fantastic on the f-nal side)
 
suciul said:
Well here on sffworld it is just fantasy, sf and mainstream, so technically Manhattan Prophet is sf, but I would distinguish it from pure sf for many reasons; near future is part of it but not only (eg Courts Sun is sf, through and through with time travel, alien civilization, same with Steal Across the Sky, while Daemon or this one are mainstream fantastic on the sf-nal side, Jasmyn and White is for Witching are mainstream fantastic on the f-nal side)
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OK, Gotcha, Makes sense to me. :cool:
So, You ranked this right below Jasmyn, huh? Man, And you had this one put in your lap, basically. You're lucky, Liviu.
 
Kazz Wylde said:
OK, Gotcha, Makes sense to me. :cool:
So, You ranked this right below Jasmyn, huh? Man, And you had this one put in your lap, basically. You're lucky, Liviu.
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We get 3-4 review inquiries per week at FBC (usually, could be more, could be less) and I check any that are even remotely interesting, an excerpt first and foremost and of course it all depends on how much I am interested in the subject at the time (space opera and weird fantasy are always in for me up to excerpts, YA, urban paranormal and pure horror/thrillers almost always no, with epic fantasy, adventure/near future sf, historical fiction, mainstream depending on what I read, plan to read)

So this one (Manhattan) was on the cusp - could be interesting but most likely no and then the excerpt just "talked to me" and when I opened the requested pdf I realized that's an asap book and it truly blew me away; as mentioned it easily could be a co-#1, just need more time for it to settle...

But overall in 09 I read 5 books so far (out of tens) I got un-asked review inquiries and I have only several more I plan to read for now

Same btw with browsing - every week without fail I go to BN and Borders and browse all new releases in fiction hardcover (sff I know since we do spotlights and all) and I have a filter - author (if known I generally have an opinion, but I rarely read authors with 2-3 earlier books I heard of but did not try since there was a reason I did not try them so to speak) title/cover (this is the most important filter and led me to many finds), browse and decide...

Overall out of literally hundreds of titles I checked out this year, I found out maybe 10 I loved, the last one being White is for Witching, though for this I knew the title from Robert but did not expect to be even remotely for me, so imagine my surprise when I opened it and it hooked me on first page


Back on topic,

I started Land of the Dead the long awaited 3rd volume in the Mexica/Japanese empire space opera/adventure sf of Thomas Harlan starring Gretchen Anderson archaeologist and (only semi-trusted as of European descent) agent of the Empire and single mother of 3, Imperial Navy Cptn Tadeishi from a cobbler family in a "blood society" mothballed for being in the wrong place at the wrong time and Green Hummingbird, protector of both, a Mexica Naualli (roving Imperial super-agent and magician to boot), but the cast is quite big with strange aliens too...

Superb so far, will post final impression soon and full FBC rv in early Aug on publication
 
Kazz Wylde said:
Liviu, Has this been a better then average year for good reads?
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Not really on topic :) but it's hard to say - in fantasy (and f-nal books) definitely, lots of favorites, new authors (for me) and all, in sf not really (not bad but no breakout novel for me like BSRA, Anathem, Quiet War, Spirit, Void 2 of last year - with my new tier rankings all those would have been co-#1's in 08 with Omega to the mix were I to read it then, 6 super, super all core-sf books, no such so far in 09 sf - my top 09 sf till July is a near-future thriller that barely qualifies as sf in my book, though it does with time-travel and the superb Maya civilization world building) so far but the big hitters are coming in the Fall
 
suciul said:
Not really on topic :) but it's hard to say - in fantasy (and f-nal books) definitely, lots of favorites, new authors (for me) and all, in sf not really (not bad but no breakout novel for me like BSRA, Anathem, Quiet War, Spirit, Void 2 of last year - with my new tier rankings all those would have been co-#1's in 08 with Omega to the mix were I to read it then, 6 super, super all core-sf books, no such so far in 09 sf - my top 09 sf till July is a near-future thriller that barely qualifies as sf in my book, though it does with time-travel and the superb Maya civilization world building) so far but the big hitters are coming in the Fall
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Alright, thanks for that. Well then, Bring on the heavy-hitters.
 
As mentioned in a post above the heavy-hitters core-sf novels (ie dealing with the mysteries of the universe in a way or another) are coming in the second part of the year and one such is Land of the Dead by Thomas Harlan, the third book in his Mexica/Japanese human empire in space.

It can be read as a standalone from earlier novels representing a crucial turn in the series, the back-story is presented and it actually makes a great novel to start this superb series...

I finished it today and it was just great, with twists, turns, lots of Mexica folklore complemented by snippets from Musashi' story in this alt-Earth and his struggle to overthrow the Mongol dynasty in Japan (that is the branch point, no Taifun, Japan conquered, refugee Japanese fleet washes out in Central America, allies with the incipient Mexica empire in the late 1200's) that fit perfectly in the "struggle against barbarians" that is part of the story

Just great, great though the way some characters evolved surprised me a lot since Gretchen and Green Hummingbird while crucial to the story are more secondary with the main stars being "involuntarily retired" Cptn Hadeishi and his former second and current battle cruiser Captn Susan Kosho

Next installment which hopefully will take less than 4 years is a huge asap novel for me...

Full rv on FBC in Aug publication week (Aug 4 is the official date so far)
 
I was wondering what happened to Thomas Harlan and this series. Pretty big delay between books, no?
 
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