[HoosierDaddy]

Picked back up the Shadows of the Apt series in mid book #2. Seems like I left it at the most interesting time as I'm getting straight into some war stuff. Is keeping my interest so far.

[HoosierDaddy]

Briar King, on 20 April 2014 - 03:34 AM, said:

Graablick, on 19 April 2014 - 09:26 PM, said:

Done with the two first Man of war books. Anyone got some scify recommendation? Plus for human against anything, so I can play imaginative StarDrive games based upon what I have read.

The Muthafucking Expanse Series. That is all I can say I've read of SciFi except Star Wars EU.

Expanse is pretty legit.

Leviathan Wakes, Caliban's War, and Abaddon's Gate are the first three by James S. A. Corey (I think).

After that: Hyperion Cantos, Foundation Series, Revelation Space, etc.

[Ukjent]

The Expanse is pretty good, but I have allready read it and it isn't what I'm looking for.

[McLovin]

Graablick, on 19 April 2014 - 09:26 PM, said:

Done with the two first Man of war books. Anyone got some scify recommendation? Plus for human against anything, so I can play imaginative StarDrive games based upon what I have read.

I enjoyed the PRAXIS trilogy by Walter Jon Williams.

[Abyss]

Finished Lovegrove's AGE OF ZEUS. Not bad. I think I've outgrown his Godpunk stuff but it held my attention well enough. Next, some more Marvel Meth, then.. Dunno,,, the TRP is both high and wide... Been on my mind to finish some paused series which would put Campbell's second LOST FLEET series, Tidhar's BOOKMAN bk3 THE GREAT GAME, Asher's ORBUS and McQueen's WITCH on deck.

[Ukjent]

Reading the forum favourite Tigana.

[worry]

Finished Black Sun Rising. It was hella gothy for a sci-fi/fantasy novel. It felt like Vampire Hunter D or something. It's a very interesting world, there are a couple interesting characters (which may seem like faint praise, except there aren't that many characters in total, period), and there's a bunch of potential that is like halfway reached/halfway squandered through narrative repetition and odd choices on where to focus (for instance almost zero time given to the quest-motivating romance, but lots of time given to mourning a horse). But the potential that is successfully explored is really cool, and the finale was pretty gripping (read the last quarter of the book in one sitting). I will continue the series fairly soon (the second quest sounds like a big improvement).

Now I'm gonna read The Ocean at the End of the Lane cuz it sounds short and sweet.

[Salt-Man Z]

Graablick, on 19 April 2014 - 10:30 PM, said:

If the Gap series is as mentally exhaustingas the stories about Covernat I'll better read them in the summer.

More, actually. Still one of the best sci-fi series I've ever read, though.

[Ukjent]

Damn, . Compared to my friends and peers I have read a lot, but I have yet to read something as exhausting as Covernant that's just impressive

[firvulag]

Uh, I hated the ending of Faith by John Love. Set up was cool, bunch of psychos get trained to use Earth's most advanced warship to take on an alien threat. But I just couldn't get over the fact that the captain was a convicted rapist and the 2nd officer was a multiple murderer. At least Thomas Covenant felt guilt over what he did!

On another note, am I the only one who wasn't that impressed with the Expanse novels? I felt it was average at best, but I think I'm definitely in the minority with that opinion.

I'm currently starting the 3rd and final book in the Braid Path trilogy and I must say I didn't expect the books to be this grim, it seems for every victory the good guys get, the bad guys get 3. I'm eager to see how they defeat the big bad


T

[Salt-Man Z]

Just finished William Shakespeare's The Empire Striketh Back by Ian Doescher. That was actually pretty amazing. I'll definitely be picking up the other two when I can.

[QuickTidal]

Salt-Man Z, on 21 April 2014 - 09:32 PM, said:

Just finished William Shakespeare's The Empire Striketh Back by Ian Doescher. That was actually pretty amazing. I'll definitely be picking up the other two when I can.

I had no interest in the first one, but buzzed through a bit of the second one in the store and I thought it was really charming, so yeah I'll be picking them up as well.

As to what I'm reading: Admission time. When I read NIGHT OF KNIVES originally, I recall skimming most of it annoyed that it didn't concern characters that I knew...so I'm giving it a fresh go all these years later...and man it's so much better when I don't assume I'm going to know anyone.

[Serenity]

Finished Cornwell's The Burning Land - enjoyed it, but not as much as the previous books in the series. Might be running out of steam a bit.

Then I read the third book in Bujold's 'Vorkosigan Saga', The Warrior's Apprentice, which was great fun.

Today I've made a start on R M Meluch's War Birds.

[Imperial Historian]

Just finished 'the troupe' by Robert Jackson Bennett, very impressed, best book I've read for a long time which wasn't recommended by this forum. I thought it was pretty well done coming of age story of a callow boy who joins a travelling troupe to find his father, with a nice build up of mystery as things get wierder and wierder. Reminded me of gaiman at times. Also its fairly short and standalone which is nice! Highly recommended.

[Tiste Simeon]

Finished King of Thorns, and have started Emperor. I dunno what it is about Mark Lawrences writing style but I seem to start off not enjoying it, and then not being able to stop reading by the end!

[Salt-Man Z]

QuickTidal, on 22 April 2014 - 10:36 AM, said:

Salt-Man Z, on 21 April 2014 - 09:32 PM, said:

Just finished William Shakespeare's The Empire Striketh Back by Ian Doescher. That was actually pretty amazing. I'll definitely be picking up the other two when I can.

I had no interest in the first one, but buzzed through a bit of the second one in the store and I thought it was really charming, so yeah I'll be picking them up as well.

Yeah, when I heard about the first one (Verily, a New Hope ) I thought, "That's cute, but I don't really care." When LibraryThing offered up review copies of the second one, I thought, "Eh, why not?" I went in expecting (a) a tongue-in-cheek parody, and (b) that it would be dull to read. But neither of those things turned out to be true. It's a faithful adaptation that enriches the original story (the asides and soliloquies are fantastic) and the iambic pentameter is both easy to read and comprehend. (I was afraid I'd get lost in the meter and lose track of the actual words, as often happens to me with SE's poetry, but nope!) I highly recommend it to anyone familiar with Star Wars.

For those curious, here's the epilogue, which I love:

Spoiler

CHORUS said:

A glooming peace this morning with it brings,
No shine of starry light or planet's glow.
For though our heroes 'scape the Empire's slings,
The great rebellion ne'er has been so low.
Brave Han is for the Empire's gain betray'd,
Which doth leave Princess Leia's heart full sore.
Young Luke hath had his hand repair'd, remade--
The man is whole, but shaken to the core.
Forgive us, gentles, for this brutal play,
This tale of sorrow, strife, and deepest woes.
Ye must leave empty, sighing lack-a-day,
Till we, by George, a brighter play compose.
Our story endeth, though your hearts do burn,
And shall until the Jedi doth return.

[Puck]

Finished Heroes Die yesterday. Count me as sold on Stover and Caine in particular.

Now, what next? I have the strongest urge to reread FoD, but since it's too heavy to lug around with me all day I've also started Plato's Republic in order to continue to educate myself about some classics.

[JPK]

I've finished Sandman and feel empty and hollow knowing that there isn't any more to come.

Oh, wait... Overture... Yesss... My precious. I'm also very very likely to pick up Absolute Death at some point.

Otherwise, I'm still chugging along with The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. This one is so dark it hurts at points, so I'm finding myself hesitating every time I go to pick it up. It's still a great story by Murakami though, so I know I'll finish it eventually. I guess it's like a slow-moving car-crash for me. I already know I'm going to need something lighthearted after this one.

[amphibian]

If you've finished Gaiman's Sandman, move to Carey's Lucifer, which has a rough start, but goes to some splendid places and at times, surpasses its better known cousin.

[Baco Xtath]

Imperial Historian, on 22 April 2014 - 03:01 PM, said:

Just finished 'the troupe' by Robert Jackson Bennett, very impressed, best book I've read for a long time which wasn't recommended by this forum. I thought it was pretty well done coming of age story of a callow boy who joins a travelling troupe to find his father, with a nice build up of mystery as things get wierder and wierder. Reminded me of gaiman at times. Also its fairly short and standalone which is nice! Highly recommended.

Audio version is fantastic. Loved this book. Dark and different. Haven't bought American Elsewhere yet but I definitely will.

Finished Neptune's Brood. Liked it a lot. Not Hugo good, but good. Re-reading/listening to the Prefect. Love me some Reynolds. Also, intermittently listening to Shadow of the Torturer (reread) and am going to start either Saturn's Children or Palimpsest tomorrow.