[Abyss]

Abyssmal Note of Thread re-tasking: The below thread started as a discussion re books for me to read on vacation and evolved/drifted, as threads will do, to a discussion re Charles Stross' work. Skip down to post #29 or so if you just want to jump to that part.

- Abyss, re-cycles.



I'm off for a week or two of serious sloth shortly. From a practical point, i can't carry my entire to-read stack with me. Knowing my usual speed of reading and factoring in two flights (at least), four mmpbs is about right for those times i'm not doing other stuff.

Thus... in the stack we have:

Neal Asher - Gridlinked / Line of Polity

SM Peters - Ghost Ocean

Charlie Stross - The Atrocity Archives

Andrzej Sapkowski - Blood of Elves

Alastair Reynolds - Redemption Ark / Absolution Gap

Stephen R Donaldson - Mordant's Need duology

Brent Weeks - Night Angel trilogy

P Pullman - His Dark Materials trilogy


Obviously the duo/trilogies (or 2+3 in a series) count as two/three, and yes, i've read the first books in the series' from Spakowski and Reynolds.

Thinkies? I'm looking for a good blend but on the other hand if a series so utterly rocks that i will want to read it all then i would bring it all along... Comments on the relative strengths of the listed novels welcome.

I have a suspicion that Donaldson, Reynolds and Pullman may be too deep for my purposes. Weeks is tempting but will all three read well back to back or am i going to wish i brought something to break up the series... and keeping in mind i will likely have a minimum of one alcoholic beverage per hour during reading sessions...

- Abyss, ...oh decisions, decisions...

[Aptorian]

The only ones I've read are Weeks trilogy. I really liked them too. His kind of fantasy writing is what I aspire to one day write. It's sort of shallow fantasy with not that deep characters, somewhat see through plot, but the world building is excellent, the dialogue is both entertaining and newer slowed me down and he knows how to entertain both in character interaction and action scenes.

I'd say that you could easily bring the three and read stuff in between them if you need to. Each book is "sort of" stand alone in that there's a mission in each book that needs to be finished, while there's an over arching plot that doesn't end in cliffhangers.

Keep in mind that each book improves on the other and the third one is just plain awesome. All though the second part of the book is rushed, the revelations and the epic battle is up there with the ending of MoI in my opinion.

[stone monkey]

Of those I'd definitely take The Atrocity Archives because Cosmic Horror + Modern Day Spy Fiction= Win! And if you haven't read His Dark Materials yet, what on earth have you been playing at?

The Asher books are good holiday reads, being pretty lightweight and high on the adventure +cool sf toys scale. The Donaldsons are good reads, but won't necessarily put you in the best of moods so are maybe not advisable for a holiday. The Reynolds are good modern day space opera, more of the same as you've read the first one (And get hold of The Prefect, it's set in the Belle Epoque and has some cool Easter Eggs if you've read the others...)

I haven't read any of the others on the list...

This post has been edited by stone monkey: 26 January 2010 - 10:04 PM

[QuickTidal]

Weeks Night Angel series is one of those that I just wanted to keep reading. The first one feels the most standalone, but the second and third slide right up alongside it. I read them all in one go easily, didn't need a break.

His Dark Materials is AWESOME, but supremely heavy with religion and science discussion by the end. Dunno how holiday-ish it is. That said it is really awesome and well worth your time.

If you want to throw something contemporary in there, something thriller-ish (I know you read the Dan Brown books) then might I recommend James Rollins? His Sigma Force series is quite excellent, highly readable, and are leaps and bounds ahead of Browns' Langdon books. The plots are always fun, lots of action and historical stuff, as well as really cool gadgets. There's an opener volume called SANDSTORM, but the first true Sigma Force novel (with lead character Gray Pierce in the driver's seat) is actually MAP OF BONES and that one is hell of a read. The peripheral characters have decent depth and act as good satellites in the story. The volumes after that one are as follows (BLACK ORDER, THE JUDAS STRAIN, THE LAST ORACLE, and THE DOOMSDAY KEY). Anyways, just a heads up on a good series.

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 26 January 2010 - 10:11 PM

[caladanbrood]

With Asher and Reynolds, you can have a fortnight of pure class sci-fi. Do it!

[Abyss]

QuickTidal, on 26 January 2010 - 10:09 PM, said:

...If you want to throw something contemporary ... then might I recommend James Rollins? His Sigma Force series is quite excellent, ...

Now this is really coincidentally funny because i have THE JUDAS STRAIN sitting in the trp, but i had discounted it because i haven't read the earlier ones. How tightly wound is the series? Picking up on your Brown/Langdon analogy, if i start with JUDAS will i be hopelessly lost or is it a read in any order kind of thing like ANGELS AND DEMONS and DA VINCI CODE?

- Abyss, ...liking the upthread commentary so far...

[QuickTidal]

Abyss, on 26 January 2010 - 10:40 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 26 January 2010 - 10:09 PM, said:

...If you want to throw something contemporary ... then might I recommend James Rollins? His Sigma Force series is quite excellent, ...

Now this is really coincidentally funny because i have THE JUDAS STRAIN sitting in the trp, but i had discounted it because i haven't read the earlier ones. How tightly wound is the series? Picking up on your Brown/Langdon analogy, if i start with JUDAS will i be hopelessly lost or is it a read in any order kind of thing like ANGELS AND DEMONS and DA VINCI CODE?

- Abyss, ...liking the upthread commentary so far...

Ah, good question. I actually read BLACK ORDER first and then grabbed and read MAP OF BONES and wasn't lost at all. There is a main running thread throughout all the books that is to do with a shadowy organization called "The Guild" and one of its operatives that gets tangled up in things often. For the most part they get involved on varying levels but not yet fully. You can tell that they and their relationship to Sigma are the long plot arc for all the books though.

Thankfully most of the Sigma books do work as standalones perfectly fine. Rollins will always give you just enough backstory on characters in each book, so you aren't lost. Something big does happen to one character in THE JUDAS STRAIN but as it is a new plot point it shouldn't really be a detriment to you reading the earlier books later.

So long story short reading THE JUDAS STRAIN first shouldn't cause you any issues other than that the team are a little more familiar with one another. I can specifically recommend that one though cause it has some really "interesting" wildlife and a visit to one of the most mysterious ruins on the planet. A Very cool read!

Also, enjoy your time off dude!!

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 27 January 2010 - 01:51 AM

[polishgenius]

Pullman isn't that heavy- it's got some themes to it, but it is first and foremost a fantasy adventure. A bloody good one too. The third one maybe needs sober reading, but the other two should be fine.


I've only read the first Weeks, it was good but I haven't got round to the rest yet - so I'd suggest breaking it up. It is basically Heroes Die crossed with David Eddings - if that appeals to you, go for it.

I'd suggest taking two Pullmans and two Weeks. You're probably right about Reynolds, not read the rest.

This post has been edited by polishgenius: 27 January 2010 - 10:41 AM

[Raymond Luxury Yacht]

Bring the Donaldson. Mordant's Need is not too deep. It's pretty light actually, my wife read and liked it and she really doesn't read fantasy. It's a fun little duology. Worth reading, not too heavy, great for your trip.

[Use Of Weapons]

I'd go with the Stross and the Asher. Nice balance of SF and fantasy, but with the bonus of Stross-stress on the brain. FTW!

[Tsundoku]

Abyss, on 26 January 2010 - 08:59 PM, said:

I'm off for a week or two of serious sloth shortly. From a practical point, i can't carry my entire to-read stack with me. Knowing my usual speed of reading and factoring in two flights (at least), four mmpbs is about right for those times i'm not doing other stuff.

Thus... in the stack we have:

Stephen R Donaldson - Mordant's Need duology

It was very clever, but it left me feeling cold. It isn't exactly light either, and I found very few of the main characters to be likable. The author seems to spend a lot of his time trying to impress us with his cleverness (see above). Much like other Donaldson I have read, actually. So I guess if you like his other stuff ...

Quote

Brent Weeks - Night Angel trilogy

Really enjoyed the first one, and went out and bought 2 and 3 (as detailed elsethread). I haven't read Heroes Die, but have read Eddings a long time ago, and if polishgenius' comparison worries you - don't. Maybe in a geographic/settings sense there could be some minor resemblance - like a faint sense of deja vu - but that's about it. None of the stuff I dislike in Eddings is present. Althalus it ain't.

[polishgenius]

Yeah, I didn't mean that it's bad like Eddings ('later work)- but it has some of the sense of humour and dialogue (less of it and less twee, but there), and his way of writing is fairly similar- none-too-complex, but draws you in.



Also: read Heroes Die.

[Salt-Man Z]

I've only read the Donaldson and Reynolds, and highly recommend them both. However, Reynolds is probably too heavy for light vacation reading. Mordant's Need, on the other hand, is great. True, it can get rather bleak at points, but overall, it's a nice fantasy romp, with a fascinating magic system and a world of political intrigue. (And it's by far the lightest work in Donaldson's oeuvre.)

[Abyss]

polishgenius, on 27 January 2010 - 04:26 PM, said:

...Also: read Heroes Die.

I've been pimping Stover for years. I have all three Acts of Caine. You're preaching to the perverted.



So... based on the above and my musings i'm thinking Weeks' trilogy, with Stross or Asher as a break... if i make room for another (and really, who needs underwear on vacation anyways?)... hmm... maybe i'll take the first Pullman for the return flight..

Tho' Peters is tempting because i REALLY enjoyed WHITECHAPEL GODS...

Ok, Weeks is in... now i have to decide on 4 n 5... hmmm...

- Abyss, ...puts more thought into this than into packing...

[QuickTidal]

polishgenius, on 27 January 2010 - 10:36 AM, said:

Pullman isn't that heavy- it's got some themes to it, but it is first and foremost a fantasy adventure. A bloody good one too. The third one maybe needs sober reading, but the other two should be fine.


I've only read the first Weeks, it was good but I haven't got round to the rest yet - so I'd suggest breaking it up. It is basically Heroes Die crossed with David Eddings - if that appeals to you, go for it.

I'd suggest taking two Pullmans and two Weeks. You're probably right about Reynolds, not read the rest.

I don't think you can compare The Night Angel series to Heroes Die at all, I don't understand that comparison. It's also not (as was stated above) anything like Eddings stuff either.

Sorry Polishgenius, but those are bizarre comparisons. (no offense intended)

Also, Pullman is INITIALLY not heavy. The first book is a rollicking good time without too much heaviness....that said, Book 2 is moreso science and relilgion-wise and Book 3, around the time they start talking about Quantum Entanglement...yeah that's heavy in my mind.

[polishgenius]

I was talking to Sombra. My description of Weeks was aimed specifically at a known Stover pimp.

[polishgenius]

QuickTidal, on 27 January 2010 - 05:33 PM, said:

I don't think you can compare The Night Angel series to Heroes Die at all, I don't understand that comparison. It's also not (as was stated above) anything like Eddings stuff either.

Sorry Polishgenius, but those are bizarre comparisons. (no offense intended)

None taken, my comparisons are often... outside the box, apparently. Heh.

Come on though, it's about a bitchingly hard assassin and involves large-scale sorcerous conflagration and the fate of kingdoms.

[Abyss]

polishgenius, on 27 January 2010 - 05:36 PM, said:

...Come on though, it's about a bitchingly hard assassin and involves large-scale sorcerous conflagration and the fate of kingdoms.

Sure, but does Weeks, at any point, have a character say "Well fuck me with a crowbar!" ?


- Abyss, ...fucking loves Caine and wishes fucking Stover would get the fuck on with fucking writing more of him fuck. But i fucking digress...

[polishgenius]

No (well, not to my knowledge), but fucking that's where fucking Eddings came into it, fucking ain't it?


Me, personally, I wish I could obtain Blade of Tyshalle in this bloody country.

[Abyss]

Eddings would be vastly improved by more use of fuck.

And after a brief scan of the internuts, i am stunned at the prices for even well-worn mmpbs of Blade of Tyshalle. Wowfuck.

Y'know, for a moment there this thread was making me consider bringing HEROES DIE and BLADE along for a re-read, but now i'm going to put them in a safety deposit box instead...

- Abyss, astounded.