Looking forward to your thoughts on Citadel of the Autarch. (You planning on doing the coda, Urth of the New Sun?)
Aww, that's less funny, but probably more interesting.
I guess I plan to read all the Sun books at some point, but I don't have any of the rest. I actually have no idea how connected they all are, but if Urth is an actual coda to this story then I'll do that one sooner.
They came with white hands and left with red hands.
Reading Vandermeer's Annihilation, book one of the Southern Reach trilogy. Nothing much is happening, but that nothing much is freaking creepy. I love Vandermeer.
Puck was not birthed, she was cleaved from a lava flow and shaped by a fierce god's hands. - [worry] Ninja Puck, Ninja Puck, really doesn't give a fuck..? - [King Lear]
Reading Vandermeer's Annihilation, book one of the Southern Reach trilogy. Nothing much is happening, but that nothing much is freaking creepy. I love Vandermeer.
Southern Reach gets very creepy. Good fun.
Abyss, on 13 April 2017 - 03:15 PM, said:
QuickTidal, on 13 April 2017 - 03:09 PM, said:
Mentalist, on 13 April 2017 - 02:43 PM, said:
Cyphon, on 09 April 2017 - 09:35 AM, said:
Mentalist, on 08 April 2017 - 06:21 PM, said:
finished "Bitter Seeds" re-read. Tossing "Coldest War" in my bag as next commute read.
At home, I'm a few chapters into the third book in the Inheritance trilogy omnibus, and.... i dunno. I like the concepts, and its a pretty creative setup, but for some reason it doesn't leave a lasting impression that means I have to keep reading.
I just finished reading Bitter Seeds for the first time this morning. I thought it was a bit uneven. I'd be curious to hear what you think of the later books as I'm not ensnared enough to put the rest of the trilogy on my to buy list. Mind you there's about 180 books on there so what's one more...
Yeah, I wasn't blown away by it when I read it either. Which is part of the reason it took me so long to get to Bk2.
So far it seems to continue to over-rely on a trope which I pretty much hate
Spoiler
"everything is pre-destined" , and Gretel knows everything and she's doing everything for reasons.
I swear, if she turns out to be an early manifestation of the Eidolons who are trying to get to us... I will cringe.
Spoilered. Below my thoughts only for those who already read the bk:
Spoiler
Also, I'm seeing Marsh inheriting command of Milkweed once Pembroke is killed, because he's the senior-most officer.
So far, in some ways it's an even darker book than the first (characters in the peacetime get even more emotionally wrecked than during the war), but the overall plot is kinda hanging there, with the abovementioned trope I don't like supposedly dovetailing everything together.
Mind, I'm only about halfway through, so things may change.
amphibian, on 13 April 2017 - 03:06 PM, said:
In regards to the Tregillis books: Oh, things will change.
^^This.
100% this.
You may THINK you know what's going to go down, but you don't. You really don't.
Thirded.
Great trilo.
Okay, so I finished "The Coldest War"
I gotta admit, things didn't go quite how I imagined (but mostly).
Tregillis is clever with that ending.
But the problem is, while I don't hate the trope he's launching into now, I'm always skeptical and wary of it. And the other one, the one that dominated the book, I straight up despise
which leaves me in a weird place. I want to see how it pans out. But I really can't say I enjoyed the journey so far.
Which probably means the last book will go on my "to buy eventually" list.
And given that i'm now a proud miserable respectable homeowner bank's slave adult, and i'll have to actually watch my spendings, that means it might take me a while to get to buying it.
This post has been edited by Mentalist: 14 April 2017 - 12:32 AM
The problem with the gene pool is that there's no lifeguard
THE CONTESTtm WINNER--чемпіон самоконтролю
Jump Around, on 23 October 2011 - 11:04 AM, said:
And I want to state that Ment has out-weaseled me by far in this game.
I guess I plan to read all the Sun books at some point, but I don't have any of the rest. I actually have no idea how connected they all are, but if Urth is an actual coda to this story then I'll do that one sooner.
Yeah, Urth is a direct sequel, continuing/finishing/restarting Severian's story. It's not strictly necessary, but it interweaves with BotNS very tightly (you wouldn't want to read Urth without having read BotNS first, that's for sure) and makes overt much that was just hinted at in New Sun. It's also simultaneously more sci-fi-y and more mystical than New Sun, which is quite interesting.
The Long Sun/Short Sun sequences are tangentially related (becoming more so in Short than Long) with Short being a direct sequel to Long.
"Here is light. You will say that it is not a living entity, but you miss the point that it is more, not less. Without occupying space, it fills the universe. It nourishes everything, yet itself feeds upon destruction. We claim to control it, but does it not perhaps cultivate us as a source of food? May it not be that all wood grows so that it can be set ablaze, and that men and women are born to kindle fires?"
―Gene Wolfe, The Citadel of the Autarch
Just finished up watching Jess Jones (my favourite defenders show so far, much better and compact arc than daredevil, and a superb villain)
Heading to bed and taking a book with me. Off the three way tie I decided to go with whichever of the three was at the highest position in whichever stacks they happened to be piled in.
Shogun wins.
Holy fuck BK, this book is a doorstopper.
Just finished up watching Jess Jones (my favourite defenders show so far, much better and compact arc than daredevil, and a superb villain)
Heading to bed and taking a book with me. Off the three way tie I decided to go with whichever of the three was at the highest position in whichever stacks they happened to be piled in.
Shogun wins.
Holy fuck BK, this book is a doorstopper.
I would have seconded SHOGUN.
it's phenomenal! Enjoy!
"When the last tree has fallen, and the rivers are poisoned, you cannot eat money, oh no." ~Aurora
"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon
Interests:Sacrificing myself for everyone else's greater good!
Posted 16 April 2017 - 03:25 AM
I polished off Ellis' Normal today. I have to say that that actually was fairly normal compared to what I usually expect from Ellis. I mean, every concept that he puts into this one is actually fairly plausible, if perhaps a few years ahead of it's time.
Spoiler
I'm talking the micro-bots that are programmed to look human in a crowd until they dissolve into tiny exploding assassination machines.
Next up I'm continuing with The Black Company books with Water Sleeps. I've heard mixed reviews on this one from several different people. It seems that people either really love or hate these last two books (I know I've had a couple conversations about them with you, Abyss) but I haven't really talked with anyone that fell into the middle. I'm curious to see where I end up on them.
Two thirds through Authority. I think I actually like that one better than Annihilation, so yeah, can hardly put it down
Puck was not birthed, she was cleaved from a lava flow and shaped by a fierce god's hands. - [worry] Ninja Puck, Ninja Puck, really doesn't give a fuck..? - [King Lear]
I polished off Ellis' Normal today. I have to say that that actually was fairly normal compared to what I usually expect from Ellis. I mean, every concept that he puts into this one is actually fairly plausible, if perhaps a few years ahead of it's time.
Spoiler
I'm talking the micro-bots that are programmed to look human in a crowd until they dissolve into tiny exploding assassination machines.
Next up I'm continuing with The Black Company books with Water Sleeps. I've heard mixed reviews on this one from several different people. It seems that people either really love or hate these last two books (I know I've had a couple conversations about them with you, Abyss) but I haven't really talked with anyone that fell into the middle. I'm curious to see where I end up on them.
Soldiers live and wonder why.
I loved the Glittering Plains novels.
Trouble arrives when the opponents to such a system institute its extreme opposite, where individualism becomes godlike and sacrosanct, and no greater service to any other ideal (including community) is possible. In such a system rapacious greed thrives behind the guise of freedom, and the worst aspects of human nature come to the fore....
The only thing I'm mad about with Glenn Cook is his refusal to write more black company. His evolution as an author, risk taking, and genuine appreciation of non European culture has been brilliant.
I survived the Permian and all I got was this t-shirt.
The only thing I'm mad about with Glenn Cook is his refusal to write more black company. His evolution as an author, risk taking, and genuine appreciation of non European culture has been brilliant.
If I recall correctly, he's said that his manuscript for a follow-up book was stolen by a fan during a dinner party. I can imagine that would be enough of a frustration to make one not want to rewrite the book.
Location:The call is coming from inside the house!!!!
Interests:Interesting.
Posted 16 April 2017 - 07:04 PM
Whisperzzzzzzz, on 16 April 2017 - 05:50 PM, said:
amphibian, on 16 April 2017 - 05:43 PM, said:
The only thing I'm mad about with Glenn Cook is his refusal to write more black company. His evolution as an author, risk taking, and genuine appreciation of non European culture has been brilliant.
If I recall correctly, he's said that his manuscript for a follow-up book was stolen by a fan during a dinner party. I can imagine that would be enough of a frustration to make one not want to rewrite the book.
He had all of one copy, brought it to a dinner party, and left it lying around...Yeah.
THIS IS YOUR REMINDER THAT THERE IS A 'VIEW NEW CONTENT' BUTTON THAT ALLOWS YOU TO VIEW NEW CONTENT
I thought the stolen manuscript was for Dread Empire's finale, not Black Company, and he eventually went back. A Pitiless Rain & Port of Shadows are just perpetually "upcoming".
They came with white hands and left with red hands.
What worry said. He's also written something like a half dozen BC short stories in the meantime.
"Here is light. You will say that it is not a living entity, but you miss the point that it is more, not less. Without occupying space, it fills the universe. It nourishes everything, yet itself feeds upon destruction. We claim to control it, but does it not perhaps cultivate us as a source of food? May it not be that all wood grows so that it can be set ablaze, and that men and women are born to kindle fires?"
―Gene Wolfe, The Citadel of the Autarch
Started my first GGK with Fionavar. I know people don't recommend this, but whatever. Based on comments I've read, I expected this to be dry and boring, but I'm surprised at how easy it is to read. I'm also emerging from my reading slump, so I'm really enjoying this.
Interests:Reading, video games, role playing games, Fountain Pens, journals...
Posted 17 April 2017 - 03:31 PM
End of Disc One, on 17 April 2017 - 02:05 PM, said:
Started my first GGK with Fionavar. I know people don't recommend this, but whatever. Based on comments I've read, I expected this to be dry and boring, but I'm surprised at how easy it is to read. I'm also emerging from my reading slump, so I'm really enjoying this.
Kay's prose is always excellent. I think a lot of the Fionavar criticism is more trope based than anything (I think he was heavily influenced after working on the Silmarillion).
I really enjoyed the Fionavar Tapestry, of course I read it in the late 80s when I was still a teenager. Like the Belgariad, I still enjoy Fionavar due to nostalgia. Yes it is flawed, but I don't care.
I look forward to reading about your impression.
“The others followed, and found themselves in a small, stuffy basement, which would have been damp, smelly, close, and dark, were it not, in fact, well-lit, which prevented it from being dark.”
― Steven Brust, The Phoenix Guards
Help
Salt-Man Z, on 13 April 2017 - 08:47 PM, said:
