[Cause]

Apt, on 02 January 2017 - 03:05 PM, said:

Cause, on 01 January 2017 - 06:00 PM, said:

I have decided to tackle the 21 Reacher Novels. I think it will become stale at some point so if you have a suggestion of a another series I can mix things up with that would be much appreciated.

Don't. I tried to get into the Reacher series this summer because of my love of the film and just couldn't do it. I don't know if the series magically improves at some point but I read 2,5 books and it was like pulling teeth. The premise is often interesting but the execution is coma inducing.

A lot of the books problems come from being old books, they start in the 90s I think. Reacher is an interesting guy but he's written lick a 40 year old teenager. He's got some of that Harry Dresden chilvalry going but he's written like a horny idiot. He's got that smart mouth of Dresden but he comes off overly smart. And the bad guys are cartoon monsters. They constantly torture secondary characters to show how evil and bad they are and how good Dresden is. Typically this goodness is proven by him rescuing the female lead of the book from being raped/tortured/burned/what ever.

The film was definitely a lot more fun than the books I read.

A friend of Mine is a huge fan! I read the first one ages ago. Honestly I remember the bare bones of the plot but not whether I loved it or not. Also I need books!

[Chance]

Melnibonean Wanderer, on 02 January 2017 - 06:27 PM, said:

Anyone here ever read Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff? I'm looking for some fantasy with a Shinto/Asian mythology feel to it.

Not read Stormdancer but you could look into Demon Hunter by Richard Parks the series is two short story collections and a novel which interconnects in a very nice way. Found it enjoyable as a light read and sounds like what your looking for.

I'm reading Renegade military sci-fi by Joel Shepherd as one of those light reads inbetween actually good stuff. Its comfy to laugh at the right wing militarism which seem present in 95% of this kind of book, especially when it get confused over its own contradictions and enjoy the explosions. Also while not lost fleet good for space battles this is one where tought has been put into it even if it includes boarding

This post has been edited by Chance: 03 January 2017 - 05:19 AM

[polishgenius]

Mentalist, on 02 January 2017 - 06:20 PM, said:

Finished "When the Heavens Fall" last night round 3 AM. The book really picks up and Turner pulls off the convergence well. It's no Erikson (the book really lacks a unique hook), but it's certainly better than Sanderson.

I gotta say, the second one improves on When the Heavens Fall in almost every respect. It's still not quite SE, but if SE had written the ending of Dragon Hunters you wouldn't turn your nose up at it. I just saw that book 3 has already been out for a while, will pick that up...

Quote

At home, I'm gonna give Kameron Hurley's "Mirror Empire" a read, since I recently saw Book 2 in store.
EDIT: before that, though, to ensure I don't get an "epic overload", I'll read Stephenson's "Seveneves"....

I'm assuming you just specifically mean epic fantasy there, because in literal terms Seveneves is about as epic as it gets.

This post has been edited by polishgenius: 03 January 2017 - 07:50 PM

[End of Disc One]

Briar King, on 03 January 2017 - 04:32 AM, said:

Oh cool Sanderson has 672 pg bk Arcancum Unbound out featuring the Cosmere short stories I've never read (9) and a new Lift story set after bk2. I'm really excited for that as I think she is the best thing in those bks.

Great anthology, especially for those interested in the Cosmere. I'm not a Lift fan but her story is pretty good, and the Mistborn: Secret History novella is excellent fan service. It also has the Hugo award winning Emperor's Soul.

[Mentalist]

End of Disc One, on 03 January 2017 - 08:55 PM, said:

Briar King, on 03 January 2017 - 04:32 AM, said:

Oh cool Sanderson has 672 pg bk Arcancum Unbound out featuring the Cosmere short stories I've never read (9) and a new Lift story set after bk2. I'm really excited for that as I think she is the best thing in those bks.

Great anthology, especially for those interested in the Cosmere. I'm not a Lift fan but her story is pretty good, and the Mistborn: Secret History novella is excellent fan service. It also has the Hugo award winning Emperor's Soul.

Mybe if it's reasonably priced, I might grab it after my current Mistborn 1.5 read. I saw "Emperor's Soul" in standalone before, but the price was smth like 25 bucks for a paperback novella

[EmperorMagus]

Briar King, on 04 January 2017 - 01:33 AM, said:

Mentalist, on 04 January 2017 - 12:29 AM, said:

End of Disc One, on 03 January 2017 - 08:55 PM, said:

Briar King, on 03 January 2017 - 04:32 AM, said:

Oh cool Sanderson has 672 pg bk Arcancum Unbound out featuring the Cosmere short stories I've never read (9) and a new Lift story set after bk2. I'm really excited for that as I think she is the best thing in those bks.

Great anthology, especially for those interested in the Cosmere. I'm not a Lift fan but her story is pretty good, and the Mistborn: Secret History novella is excellent fan service. It also has the Hugo award winning Emperor's Soul.

Mybe if it's reasonably priced, I might grab it after my current Mistborn 1.5 read. I saw "Emperor's Soul" in standalone before, but the price was smth like 25 bucks for a paperback novella

It's $16 on Amazon HC ed

Some dollars are more equal than others.

[Andorion]

Briar King, on 03 January 2017 - 04:32 AM, said:

Oh cool Sanderson has 672 pg bk Arcancum Unbound out featuring the Cosmere short stories I've never read (9) and a new Lift story set after bk2. I'm really excited for that as I think she is the best thing in those bks. I might go buy it tomorrow before Safehold 6 burns me out to much more. I just read 7 more straight pgs of tech discussion. This bk sucks compared to the rest so far at 137 pgs.

BK, when you actually read this tell me how it is and what are the stories. Since its an anthology, its not on my immediate-read list

[Abyss]

Briar King, on 04 January 2017 - 03:11 AM, said:

He'd have to convert to CA but 16 is really on the cheap side for a HC. New HC is usually around $22 for us

$29 on Amazon.ca, $16 for the ebook.

[QuickTidal]

Andorion, on 04 January 2017 - 05:05 AM, said:

Briar King, on 03 January 2017 - 04:32 AM, said:

Oh cool Sanderson has 672 pg bk Arcancum Unbound out featuring the Cosmere short stories I've never read (9) and a new Lift story set after bk2. I'm really excited for that as I think she is the best thing in those bks. I might go buy it tomorrow before Safehold 6 burns me out to much more. I just read 7 more straight pgs of tech discussion. This bk sucks compared to the rest so far at 137 pgs.

BK, when you actually read this tell me how it is and what are the stories. Since its an anthology, its not on my immediate-read list

I got a copy for Christmas, so I can chime in for you too when I get to it.

[QuickTidal]

Recently finished HELLBOY: WEIRD TALES anthology which was good.

As we speak, the amazon tracking shows that Tad William's brand new MS&T book THE HEART OF WHAT WAS LOST is on the truck on the way to my doorstep! So I think it goes without saying that I'm starting that tonight!

[Andorion]

Briar King, on 04 January 2017 - 05:33 AM, said:

Andorion, on 04 January 2017 - 05:05 AM, said:

Briar King, on 03 January 2017 - 04:32 AM, said:

Oh cool Sanderson has 672 pg bk Arcancum Unbound out featuring the Cosmere short stories I've never read (9) and a new Lift story set after bk2. I'm really excited for that as I think she is the best thing in those bks. I might go buy it tomorrow before Safehold 6 burns me out to much more. I just read 7 more straight pgs of tech discussion. This bk sucks compared to the rest so far at 137 pgs.

BK, when you actually read this tell me how it is and what are the stories. Since its an anthology, its not on my immediate-read list

This plus the 120 pg Lift story but it has solar system maps and planet summaries as well. You ve read a few of them already.
"The Hope of Elantris" (Elantris)
"The Eleventh Metal" (Mistborn)
"The Emperor's Soul" (Elantris)
"Allomancer Jak and the Pits of Eltania, Episodes 28 through 30" (Mistborn)
"White Sand" (excerpt; Taldain)
"Shadows for Silence in the Forests of Hell" (Threnody)
"Sixth of Dusk" (First of the Sun)
"Mistborn: Secret History" (Mistborn)

QuickTidal, on 04 January 2017 - 11:24 AM, said:

Andorion, on 04 January 2017 - 05:05 AM, said:

Briar King, on 03 January 2017 - 04:32 AM, said:

Oh cool Sanderson has 672 pg bk Arcancum Unbound out featuring the Cosmere short stories I've never read (9) and a new Lift story set after bk2. I'm really excited for that as I think she is the best thing in those bks. I might go buy it tomorrow before Safehold 6 burns me out to much more. I just read 7 more straight pgs of tech discussion. This bk sucks compared to the rest so far at 137 pgs.

BK, when you actually read this tell me how it is and what are the stories. Since its an anthology, its not on my immediate-read list

I got a copy for Christmas, so I can chime in for you too when I get to it.

Please do.

I have read some of these - Shadows for Silence, Sixth of the Dusk, Secret History, Emperor's Soul, but not the rest

[Andorion]

So reading progress:

Bakker's Thousandfold Thought: Excellent as always. Esmenet is so much more interesting. And any Acchamian - Kellhus interactions are gold

Wurts' Ships of Merior: Very good so far. Far better than the first book.

Gone with the Wind: Very, very irritating.

[Tiste Simeon]

Finally started reading the Gemmell Troy books. They better be as good as Macros said they are...

[QuickTidal]

Tiste Simeon, on 04 January 2017 - 08:18 PM, said:

Finally started reading the Gemmell Troy books. They better be as good as Macros said they are...

They are. I back those up too. Fantastic reads! Enjoy!

[polishgenius]

I'm reading The City of Ice, book 2 in The Gates of the World by KM McKinley. I enjoyed a lot about the first one a lot, but I did feel that it felt like essentially a massive prologue (I noticed Andorion had a similar reaction when he read it recently. Worth a try, but hinging a lot on the second book). Having started the second, there is enough happening immediately that I wonder why he didn't modify and move some of it into a climax for the first, but in general spending the time to move all the pieces into place is, so far, paying off quite well, and it does feel like it's a series going places quite fast now.

There is one so-far-rather-weird magic-S&M-based subplot, the relevance of which is not yet apparent, but there is also a moment when a dragon spunks over a boat, so win some, lose some.

[Mentalist]

Abyss, on 04 January 2017 - 08:34 AM, said:

Briar King, on 04 January 2017 - 03:11 AM, said:

He'd have to convert to CA but 16 is really on the cheap side for a HC. New HC is usually around $22 for us

$29 on Amazon.ca, $16 for the ebook.

Bookdepository has it for 22 CAD, which is sensible.

Might just wait for the autumn edition for 12 bucks, though.

[Lady Bliss]

Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews after reading QTs recommendation in another thread. The first book was pretty good.

[Andorion]

polishgenius, on 04 January 2017 - 11:29 PM, said:

I'm reading The City of Ice, book 2 in The Gates of the World by KM McKinley. I enjoyed a lot about the first one a lot, but I did feel that it felt like essentially a massive prologue (I noticed Andorion had a similar reaction when he read it recently. Worth a try, but hinging a lot on the second book). Having started the second, there is enough happening immediately that I wonder why he didn't modify and move some of it into a climax for the first, but in general spending the time to move all the pieces into place is, so far, paying off quite well, and it does feel like it's a series going places quite fast now.

There is one so-far-rather-weird magic-S&M-based subplot, the relevance of which is not yet apparent, but there is also a moment when a dragon spunks over a boat, so win some, lose some.

I will be picking this up soon. Good to know that the plot speeds up.


Is KM Mckinley a he or a she?

[End of Disc One]

Briar King, on 04 January 2017 - 11:38 PM, said:

Sixth of the Dusk seems to be the least liked. I'm quite excited for it now. I want those maps and summaries.

I enjoyed it. It has a protagonist who doesn't talk much, and I wish more of Sanderson's characters would learn from him.

[JPK]

I finally finished The Dark Tower today. I first read The Gunslinger 15 years ago and though my journey to the Tower wasn't as long as Roland's, it sure as hell felt like it at times. I firmly fall into the "this wasn't the best ending I've ever seen, but this was the right ending" camp. I think this is one of those series that I'll end up revisiting about every 10 years as it is a stories that I believe will mean different things to me at different stages of my life.

I think it's going to take me a couple days to really absorb that it's over and be able to really invest into a new book, so I'm just going to relax and keep chipping away at my bed-time book Bleak Seasons by Cook until I pull through it.