[Serenity]

FInished The Moon is a Harsh Mistress and now reading Sharpe's Tiger.

[Macros]

YES!
take a drink everytime someone says sahib, someone says bastard or there's mention of a woman's figure, double if its a bosum!

Eta - when you leave India replace sahib with frog, double for crapaud

Etaeta- when I say drink I mean a slug of beer, not a shot, don't want any cases of alcohol poisoning on my conscience.

Also, imo (I love the Sharpe novels btw) read the 3 India novels, then jump to Rifles and chronological from there on, leave the interlude books till the end, after Devil.
I think they're the weakest on offer (lump sharpes chaos in there too). Where Cornwell just wanted a handy pay day.

This post has been edited by Macros: 20 November 2015 - 10:43 AM

[Serenity]

Macros, on 20 November 2015 - 10:34 AM, said:

YES!
take a drink everytime someone says sahib, someone says bastard or there's mention of a woman's figure, double if its a bosum!

Eta - when you leave India replace sahib with frog, double for crapaud

Etaeta- when I say drink I mean a slug of beer, not a shot, don't want any cases of alcohol poisoning on my conscience.

I'm only three chapters in and I reckon I'd be pissed already

Macros, on 20 November 2015 - 10:34 AM, said:

Also, imo (I love the Sharpe novels btw) read the 3 India novels, then jump to Rifles and chronological from there on, leave the interlude books till the end, after Devil.
I think they're the weakest on offer (lump sharpes chaos in there too). Where Cornwell just wanted a handy pay day.

Ah, right - good to know. So leave Trafalgar and Prey till the very end?

I'm not intending to read them in a hurry as I don't like reading multiple books in a row by the same author, unless I get as addicted as I did to Patrick O'Brian.

[Macros]

its pretty popcorn military fiction, but you can burn out on them, I know when I first discovered sharpe I read everything that was released at that time, I forget exactly but it was before the India ones came out anyway.
But definitely knock trafalgar, Prey, Havoc and Fury, along with the short stories, until after reading the rest in chronological order. They were definitely wedged in after basically wherever Cornwell thought he could squeeze another bit out of sharpe historically. Still fun sharpe novels but require a bit more suspension of disbelief than normal.

Considering that the 3 India's were written well after the original (I think Eagle or Gold was first) and are so far, chronologically, before even rifles I think he does an excellent job of showing where the legend that sharpe becomes started out. but those 4 I mentioned, yeah just take it a bit too far, considering its never mentioned in any of the other books how he happened to be at trafalgar and copenhagen, but india and some of his exploits are at least handwaved.

[amphibian]

Abyss, on 19 November 2015 - 03:24 PM, said:

Chance, on 18 November 2015 - 03:13 PM, said:

Think I'm going for Something More Than Night for my next read.

Let us know how that goes, it's been siting high on the TRPFH for a while.

It's better written than the Milkweed books. I quite enjoyed it - have read it twice.

[QuickTidal]

amphibian, on 20 November 2015 - 02:22 PM, said:

Abyss, on 19 November 2015 - 03:24 PM, said:

Chance, on 18 November 2015 - 03:13 PM, said:

Think I'm going for Something More Than Night for my next read.

Let us know how that goes, it's been siting high on the TRPFH for a while.

It's better written than the Milkweed books. I quite enjoyed it - have read it twice.

I have the opposite opinion. The Milkweed books are far superior to me. I didn't care for SOMETHING MORE THAN NIGHT at all.

Though I'm excited to read his new series starting in THE MECHANICAL.

[Andorion]

QuickTidal, on 20 November 2015 - 02:30 PM, said:

amphibian, on 20 November 2015 - 02:22 PM, said:

Abyss, on 19 November 2015 - 03:24 PM, said:

Chance, on 18 November 2015 - 03:13 PM, said:

Think I'm going for Something More Than Night for my next read.

Let us know how that goes, it's been siting high on the TRPFH for a while.

It's better written than the Milkweed books. I quite enjoyed it - have read it twice.

I have the opposite opinion. The Milkweed books are far superior to me. I didn't care for SOMETHING MORE THAN NIGHT at all.

Though I'm excited to read his new series starting in THE MECHANICAL.

Haven't read the others but Mechanical is very very good

[Tiste Simeon]

Randomly decided to finally start reading Ash: A Secret History by Mary Gentle. I think I was putting it off because Grunts was terrible. But I'm already intrigued a couple of pages in!

[Chance]

Abyss, on 19 November 2015 - 03:24 PM, said:

Chance, on 18 November 2015 - 03:13 PM, said:

Think I'm going for Something More Than Night for my next read.

Let us know how that goes, it's been siting high on the TRPFH for a while.

A halfway it is one of the weirdest books I've read in a while. The first two chapters sold me on the book, very unusual for me I usually don't make up my mind on if it is worth my time until at least a quarter of a book is done. So its good unless Tregillis does something really stupid further in, the only question is likely if it is a good book or if it is a great book. Thought I can easily see how someone not in the mood for what it is could put this book down very fast and never touch it again or dislike it upon finishing.

[Macros]

just finished The Dread Wyrm.

Think I'm gonna take a break for a few days from reading, need to actually do some work tomorrow and next week

Eta, that lasted long, starting Cinder Spires #1 Aeronauts Windlass

This post has been edited by Macros: 20 November 2015 - 08:52 PM

[JPK]

I'm a quarter of the way through The Lions of Al-Rassan. Holy shit. How have I had this on my shelves for five years and not listened to you guys about how fantastic it is?

[Baco Xtath]

Briar King, on 21 November 2015 - 05:10 AM, said:

Is there a reading order to those books? I've never looked them but hear a lot on them

He has three series: the Fionavar Tapestry, the Sarantine Mosaic, and Under Heaven/River of Stars. Otherwise, all his books are stand-alones.

Finished Wake of Vultures and the Night Watch (Russian version). Both were excellent listen. I wasn't blown away by either but they both were well above average.

[JPK]

Baco Xtath, on 21 November 2015 - 12:58 PM, said:

Briar King, on 21 November 2015 - 05:10 AM, said:

Is there a reading order to those books? I've never looked them but hear a lot on them

He has three series: the Fionavar Tapestry, the Sarantine Mosaic, and Under Heaven/River of Stars. Otherwise, all his books are stand alones

The only thing I'd to this is to read Fionavar first if you're going to read it. They were his first works, and while you get hints of his future writing style they are nowhere near the quality of the other works by him that I've explored. That said, they're still enjoyable enough for a read.

[Abyss]

Briar King, on 21 November 2015 - 05:10 AM, said:

Is there a reading order to those books? I've never looked them but hear a lot on them

Published order is good, but if you get bogged down or just want the best I suggest
LIONS OF AL RASSAM
SONG FOR ARBONNE
SARANTINE MOSAIC
UNDER HEAVEN / RIVER OF STARS.
These are intelligent and beautifully written books with great characters and compelling stories. I read the first three before the ones below so I suppose the earlier works were unfairly judged by me in comparison.
FIONAVAR isn't bad but is clearly an early work and a bit dated. It's fantasy fans' nostalgic fantasy, more or less.
LAST LIGHT is ok.
YSABEL isn't.
TIGANA is wildly divisive.... Read it and make up your own mind. I thought it was his weakest book.

[EmperorMagus]

Briar King, on 22 November 2015 - 03:56 AM, said:

Cool. Is it all set on the same world and connected in any way?

No. They are not connected.
Don't listen to Abyss, everybody LOVES Tigana. He is a blasphemer.

[worry]

I'm reading The Dragon Reborn and I just wanted to say

Spoiler

I hate this couple of sentences: "She looked as strong as Mistress Luhhan, and some in Emond's Field claimed Alsbet Luhhan was almost as strong as her husband. It was not true, but it was not far wrong."

What exactly is the point of saying it's not true and then saying it is not far wrong, when the statement was already qualified with "almost"? She's not almost as strong, but she's almost almost as strong. Great. I hope Robert Jordan is resting in peace wherever he is, but I also hope that every once in a while his soul gets attacked by a swarm of mosquito souls.

[Tiste Simeon]

I'm not very far into Ash, but I'm a little bit concerned about the casual mentions of child rape so far. The first time it was, I felt, contextually alright - she is taken advantage of & turns round & kills her attackers. This is written almost as a history book so it shows how she became tough etc. Not pleasant but then medieval Europe was not a pleasant place, I'm OK with it for the sake of the narrative.

But then not much later on she is mentioned as being, what, 9 or 10 years old & being used for butt stuff by soldiers "because there aren't any little boys around so you'll do." or words to that effect? Didn't seem any need for that. And to make it seem like she accepted it, even enjoys it? Not sure about that.

I'm definitely going to keep reading but that kind of took me by surprise and felt a bit unnecessary...

[QuickTidal]

worry, on 22 November 2015 - 05:34 AM, said:

I'm reading The Dragon Reborn and I just wanted to say

Spoiler

I hate this couple of sentences: "She looked as strong as Mistress Luhhan, and some in Emond's Field claimed Alsbet Luhhan was almost as strong as her husband. It was not true, but it was not far wrong."

What exactly is the point of saying it's not true and then saying it is not far wrong, when the statement was already qualified with "almost"? She's not almost as strong, but she's almost almost as strong. Great. I hope Robert Jordan is resting in peace wherever he is, but I also hope that every once in a while his soul gets attacked by a swarm of mosquito souls.

Oh man, don't let Terez hear you say that...she'll bring some kind of righteous Jordansplaining down on you for such words.

[amphibian]

Tiste Simeon, on 22 November 2015 - 05:47 AM, said:

I'm not very far into Ash, but I'm a little bit concerned about the casual mentions of child rape so far. The first time it was, I felt, contextually alright - she is taken advantage of & turns round & kills her attackers. This is written almost as a history book so it shows how she became tough etc. Not pleasant but then medieval Europe was not a pleasant place, I'm OK with it for the sake of the narrative.

But then not much later on she is mentioned as being, what, 9 or 10 years old & being used for butt stuff by soldiers "because there aren't any little boys around so you'll do." or words to that effect? Didn't seem any need for that. And to make it seem like she accepted it, even enjoys it? Not sure about that.

I'm definitely going to keep reading but that kind of took me by surprise and felt a bit unnecessary...

It was/is a big piece in setting Ash's character. This has become normalized to her. She even gets a bit of enjoyment out of it sometimes. It's very screwed up and MG puts it in a way that shows the horror, sadness, and the "get on with it" attitude Ash developed.

The soldiers are her fucked up family and she did what she could to stay alive and with them. Then she got good at doing those things - in an immensely sad and admirable way.

Keep reading. This book will boil the brain at later points.

[Mentalist]

EmperorMagus, on 22 November 2015 - 04:07 AM, said:

Briar King, on 22 November 2015 - 03:56 AM, said:

Cool. Is it all set on the same world and connected in any way?

No. They are not connected.
Don't listen to Abyss, everybody LOVES Tigana. He is a blasphemer.

Tigana is the weakest GGKay work* Yes, even LLotS is better


*disclaimer: I didn't read Ysabel