[Morgoth]

Confederacy of Dunces - Toole

[Thelomen Toblerone]

Going to Extremes - Nick Middleton


The bloke goes to the coldest, hottest, driest and wettest inhabited places on Earth. It's pretty good, quite funny and very informative. It's actually so good it's delaying my re-read of RG.

[pat5150]

I just finished Steven Erikson's newest novella, the third volume in A Tale of Beauchelain and Korbal Broach. In terms of chronology, The Lees of Laughter's End occurs in between Blood Follows and The Healthy Dead, but I'm told that each reads as a stand-alone.

This was my first experience with Erikson's short fiction, and this novella proved to be an hilarious Malazan interlude. We follow the misadventures of the two necromancers introduced in Memories of Ice, as well as those of their poor manservant Emancipor Reese, along with the rest of the hapless crew aboard the Suncurl.

Although the author drops a few hints pertaining to the Malazan series, this novella is, for the most part, an entertaining episode taking place before Beauchelain and Korbal Broach's arrival on Genabackis. This work demonstrates just how funny Steven Erikson can be when he's working outside of the parameters associated with the main sequence.

Given the fact that the Malazan world is so vast, I found it interesting to have the action taking place in a locale we haven't seen before. Information about Lamentable Moll, Toll's City and the rest of the continent of Stratem, as well as the temporary presence of the Crimson Guard, was sort of neat. Hints pertaining to the Jhorligg appear to confirm new information regarding the K'Chain Che'Malle from Reaper's Gale.

All in all, an extremely fun read that should get more than a few chuckles out of you. If you're a big fan of the Malazan saga, you will not be disappointed.

Patrick

[Giles]

i just bought no humans involved- kelly armstrong ive read the rest of her women in magic series (that may no the right name) and they were well good.
So i'm looking forward to this

[Tiste Simeon]

Cold Iron said:

Oh come on. You were 2 when he died!

Yeah but a mopey, long haired musician who kills himself with a huge media storm to follow would appeal to any emo.

[Grumble]

F Paul Wilson .... Repairman Jack Novels excellent books to while away the days till SE's next offering.

[pat5150]

Just finished Weis and Hickman's Dragons of the Dwarven Depths.

Their last Dragonlance offering, The War of Souls trilogy, was a far cry from their popular Dragonlance Chronicles and Legends. This new series, The Lost Chronicles, will explore some of the storylines that were not part of the narrative of the original main sequence. Hence, it boded well for fans eager to see Weis and Hickman recapture their erstwhile excellence. After all, they were going back to their old stomping grounds, the world of Krynn, during the War of the Lance.

The predominant problem with Dragons of the Dwarven Depths lies in the fact that there's nowhere near enough material to make a full-length novel. At best, this should have been a novella. Personally, I believe it would have worked best as a short story such as the ones Weis and Hickman came up with for the Tales trilogy.

There is so much "filler" in this book. . . I couldn't quite believe it. There are unnecessary portions filling us in on the back story. Given the fact that one needs to have read the original Dragonlance Chronicles, these parts of the narrative are totally obsolete. Add to that the inordinate amount of time spent journeying and I estimate that a good 50% of the novel could be excised without readers losing much of the story.

The second shortcoming of this book lies in the selection of the plotline that would serve as its backdrop. The search for the Hammer of Kharas was not part of the original saga, and there's a good reason why it was only alluded to in Dragons of Winter Night. It was only part of the Dragonlance roleplaying modules because the storyline wasn't that interesting to begin with. As I mentioned, not enough material. . .

Hence, as fun as it is to go back in time and return to the events that marked the beginning of the War of the Lance, Dragons of the Dwarven Depths is a disappointing effort.

Check the blog for the full review!

Patrick

[McLovin]

RG, baby. RG. :cool:

[Giles]

just got night of knives. so when download is over and i have time il read that

[Thelomen Toblerone]

It's a good book, not quite up to SE's standard and a little short, but great nonetheless.


I'm about to dive into a whole host of books on Locke int he hope it helps with revision. Joy.

[McLovin]

I don't think Scott Lynch's novels are going to help you with revisions, buddy

[pat5150]

I just finished Sergei Lukyanenko's The Night Watch and loved it!

Having heard so many good things about Sergei Lukyanenko's Night Watch series last year, my curiosity was piqued in such a way that I couldn't not buy the first two volumes. And although my expectations were high for this book, I was truly impressed by The Night Watch. It's no wonder this urban fantasy trilogy made Lukyanenko the bestselling speculative fiction author in Russia. Hopefully reviews like these will help generate interest for this imaginative series.

The Night Watch is comprised of three different parts. Although they're related, the three parts read like distinct novellas, each with its own storylines. And yet, each part is a thread in a vaster tale.

Sergei Lukyanenko's writing style could be qualified as "minimalist." Nothing is overwritten, no words or sentences are wasted -- you won't find flowery prose in this book. The author's concise style makes for a brisk pace, and the novella-type format turns this novel into a real page-turner.

Had I read this book last year as I intended, The Night Watch would certainly have ended up in my Top 10 of 2006. I can't wait to read both sequels, The Day Watch and The Twilight Watch.

Highly recommended. . .

Check the blog for the full review!

Patrick

[Giles]

yeah i read day watch and night watch earlier this year they were really good. although it is really easy to tell its translated from russian

[Astra]

Actually, it is already a Tetralogy?
The fourth book was published in Dec. 2005.
I liked it more than the first 3 books. When it is being translated to English, it is going to be a fun reading for our Scottish friends, because action takes place in Edinburgh

[EDIT] I forgot to mention the title. Most likely it is going to be The Last Watch. Maybe without an article though...

[Dag]

I don't know... I read The Night Watch, but it didn't impress me... I found it a bit boring, actually.

I've also seen the movie, and it is visually impressive and contains a few quite interesting ideas, but still... I got out of the cinema with that "Wow!" feeling, but one week later I couldn't remember what that movie was about.

Oh, well... De gustibus and so on...

[Astra]

I hate the movie. The first time I watched it it was before I read the trilogy(it was trilogy yet), then I watched it again along with Day Watch movie after I read all 4 books. My opinion has not been altered. They are just trying to immitate Hollywood and claim they can do as well or better but they are far behind IMHO. Especially Night Watch. 101 special effects...used in places where they were required and NOT required as well. Very difficult to understand what is it all about unless you have read the book.

[Astra]

Finished The Lions of Al-Rassan.
Good book, real page turner but ...but...I wish someone else was killed and another lived, not the other way around. Sad story.

There are a few stand alone books I would like to read before I go for HP (I have not read any HP books yet )

The Road by Cormac McCarthy
The Earthsea by Ursula K.Le Guin
Stardust, Neverwhere, Anasy Boys, American Gods by N. Gaiman
Perdido Street Station (and his other books, didn't read anything of him yet)by China Mieville

Most likely I am going to start with The EarthSea then go for Gaiman or HP

[Falco]

Gaiman is good. Liked all 4 you've got listed there...

[sewer.rat]

Just finished 'The Name of the Wind' by Patrick Rothfuss. Decent book by another geek like us.

Re-starting Scott Bakker's series, finding it just as hard to get into as the Malazan series. Lots of history to digest with very little explanation, but many here enjoyed it so I'll give it another go.

On the 'To Read' shelf:

David Keck's 'In the Eye of Heaven'
Eberron 'Blood of the Flame' series
Re-read of the Matador series by Steve Perry (I love this series)
Joe Abercrombie's 'The Blade Itself'

[drinksinbars]

just bought another copy of gemmels ravenheart as someone stole my origiinal copy

and also got inversions be banks.