[Morgoth]

The Histories by Heredotus completely blew me away. I bought it thinking it would be dry and difficult, but interesting. Instead I discovered a riveting read that painted such a vivid picture of the world at the time I was entirely caught within it.

[Mentalist]

Lavie Tidhar--"Camera Obscura" out of the "Bookman Histories" omnibus. This was a weird mashup of everything I loved about late 19th/early 20th century science fiction and adventure novels, in a well-written alternative history steam-/clockworkpunk Earth, and it kept me turning pages untill the very end. probably the best thing I've read this year so far.

[opiate taylor]

Just read through Laird Barron's short story collection The Imago Sequence. He has become my new favorite horror writer. Also read The Incomplete Nifft by Michael Shea, an awesome Vance meets Howard meets Lovecraft sword and sorcery fix-up, and Programmed to Kill by Dave McGowan, a non-fic book about the weird and shocking connections between military/gov't and many so-called serial killers. The latter book I highly recommend to anyone who already thinks the gov't is crooked and secretive in the extreme. This is not a bio of famous killers. McGowan has done his homework. Check out his (decidedly ugly) site and get a taste of his writing here.

Waiting impatiently for Glen Cook's next Black Company book, A Port of Shadows.

[Traveller]

Just finished Shogun.

It is truly fantastic - beautifully written, and so immersive. Its one of those rare books that leaves you feeling almost bereft when it ends.

[QuickTidal]

Ian Tregillis' Milkweed Tryptych was the best thing I read last (and this) year. Easily. Mindbendy, timey-wimey, Alt reality WWII featuring Nazi superpeople, warlocks and giant Lovecraftian gods. Solid, all three volumes.

Oddly enough, the one I'm reading right now (Jay Kristoff's STORMDANCER) is shaping up to be a solid fantastic read. Japanese-ish fantastical setting with demons, ninjas, samurai, mythical creatures and gods, Sky-ships, chainsaw katana's, steampunk-suited soldiery, and a kickass heroine. It's been such an excellent ride!

[Vengeance]

I just fucking finished Cains Law by Mathew fucking Stover. It is a fuckingbrilliant conclusion to the Cain Books.

[Ailesbury]

During the whole Covid shutdown, I read Roberto Bolano's 2666. It is really a mega-novel with whirlwind impact because of its length. Chilean writer Bolano wanted to release the book as 5 different parts, but his publisher went against his wishes. In the beginning, the book deals with a mysterious and elusive writer who nobody can find. Yet, the book goes into a completely different direction later on as all these women in Mexico start to disappear. You will find echoes of Philip Dick in the book and Bolano did state that he was influenced by him. I think 2666 is the best Latin American novel I have ever read. If you can set aside some time for a long read, then read this avalanche.

This post has been edited by ailes: 03 December 2020 - 11:57 PM

[worry]

I happened to read 2666 last year too. Those early sections are charming with I guess what you'd call very light satire, or at least cheekiness, though each section feels very distinct...but then the prison and disappearance portions are like a descent into hell.

[Tiste Simeon]

I think for me the last book I read that was Truly Fantastic was THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LARUE and I would heartily recommend.

[Abyss]

 Tiste Simeon, on 28 March 2021 - 06:47 AM, said:

I think for me the last book I read that was Truly Fantastic was THE INVISIBLE LIFE OF ADDIE LARUE and I would heartily recommend.

I have read (ear'd) some great books laterly, but i have to agree with Tiste on this book being a step above.

[Maark Abbott]

Man, it's been a while... Lord Foul's Bane so far is really, really good. Donaldson weaves words so deftly. Until Mhoram ejaculates rather than cries, at least.

The last book I genuinely couldn't put down was probably The Unholy Consult. Hurts my soul that Bakker's quiet on the final duology of Second Apocalypse. It was good enough that going from that to Stormbad 1 is probably one reason that Branderson leaves such a sour taste in my mouth now. It's like going from the finest Swiss chocolate cooked by men with twiddly, stereotypical moustaches, to the Aldi equivalent of smartprice.

[Raymond Luxury Yacht]

The fifth season by nk jemisin was fantastic.

[Gust Hubb]

I have been enjoying a Iain-Bank-like author (Peter F. Hamilton) who really has the epic space opera thing down and even throws in fantasy in some of the series. I am finishing both the latest Commonwealth book and audible-ing the last Confederation trilogy book.

[Abyss]

Tchaikovsky's CHILDREN OF TIME and CHILDREN OF RUIN just utterly blew me away.

[Tiste Simeon]

 Gust Hubb, on 28 July 2021 - 01:11 PM, said:

I have been enjoying a Iain-Bank-like author (Peter F. Hamilton) who really has the epic space opera thing down and even throws in fantasy in some of the series. I am finishing both the latest Commonwealth book and audible-ing the last Confederation trilogy book.

One of my favourite authors!

[End of Disc One]

 Abyss, on 28 July 2021 - 04:09 PM, said:

Tchaikovsky's CHILDREN OF TIME and CHILDREN OF RUIN just utterly blew me away.

I struggled with the present day sections of Children of Ruin. Children of Time though was simply amazing.

[champ]

 End of Disc One, on 28 July 2021 - 07:21 PM, said:

 Abyss, on 28 July 2021 - 04:09 PM, said:

Tchaikovsky's CHILDREN OF TIME and CHILDREN OF RUIN just utterly blew me away.

I struggled with the present day sections of Children of Ruin. Children of Time though was simply amazing.

Ohhhhhh I've just bought them, good to know.

[Maark Abbott]

It's still got to be The Unholy Consult for me. Licanius 1 really hooked me in but wasn't a blow away holy shit moment. Witness 1 has yet to really wow me - it's good, but it's not Khark good (yet).

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Becky Chambers' Wayfarer series.

Four books beginning with The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet, which is very Firefly-esque in terms of "found family" on a ship getting into misadventures. The second one A Closed and Common Orbit is perhaps the weakest of the four, although still very good. A Record of a Spaceborn Few is a slightly different style in that it seems to be a collection of unrelated threads which do mostly converge in the end, and does a fantastic job of asking the question of what happens when humans have been in space long enough that they start to look back to the ground? It's probably my favourite and I found it the most affecting of the four. The final one The Galaxy and the Ground Within is different again, showing how a bunch of strangers of different species temporarily stuck mid-journey on a small station together cope and how they help one another.

They're linked together tenuously but all take place in the same universe.

This post has been edited by TheRetiredBridgeburner: 29 July 2021 - 12:37 PM

[Tiste Simeon]

 TheRetiredBridgeburner, on 29 July 2021 - 12:36 PM, said:

Becky Chambers' Wayfarer series.

Four books beginning with The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet, which is very Firefly-esque in terms of "found family" on a ship getting into misadventures. The second one A Closed and Common Orbit is perhaps the weakest of the four, although still very good. A Record of a Spaceborn Few is a slightly different style in that it seems to be a collection of unrelated threads which do mostly converge in the end, and does a fantastic job of asking the question of what happens when humans have been in space long enough that they start to look back to the ground? It's probably my favourite and I found it the most affecting of the four. The final one The Galaxy and the Ground Within is different again, showing how a bunch of strangers of different species temporarily stuck mid-journey on a small station together cope and how they help one another.

They're linked together tenuously but all take place in the same universe.

You're someone whose tastes quite often coincide with mine and as such, on my "to be trusted with recommendations" shortlist I'll add them to my ever growing "I should get them and read them" wishlist...

This post has been edited by Tiste Simeon: 30 July 2021 - 03:28 PM