[Aptorian]

Heresy!

[polishgenius]

Abyss, on 17 January 2023 - 02:37 AM, said:

Next up... not sure... the eTRP is fantasy-heavy but i may be feeling something spacey, with fleets of pretentiously named ships blasting the fnckstars out of each other...

Sounds like you want Yoon Ha Lee's Ninefox Gambit tbh.





Anyway I was hoping reading The Big Sleep would give me some hope that casting Liam Neeson as Marlowe in the upcoming not-quite-adaptation was a better fit for the book character than it seemed at first glance on comparison to Bogart, but no. I don't get it.
Reading further, it's an adaptation of a 2014 book, obviously not written by Chandler. ffs guys.

This post has been edited by polishgenius: 17 January 2023 - 06:17 AM

[QuickTidal]

Macros, on 16 January 2023 - 09:19 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 16 January 2023 - 08:31 PM, said:

Macros, on 16 January 2023 - 08:04 PM, said:

Started a new book
The King's Justice by Richard Swan

Good luck. I made it 100 pages before dropping it.

oh boo, I picked it up flipping through the kobo store, keep a book on my phone to read on travel days etc. What was the turn off?

The plot was basically a detective story with no bells and whistles to impress me in a fantasy novel. Like it was fine. Well written. But nothing compelled me to read on after the sampling I read.

[Chance]

polishgenius, on 17 January 2023 - 06:16 AM, said:

Abyss, on 17 January 2023 - 02:37 AM, said:

Next up... not sure... the eTRP is fantasy-heavy but i may be feeling something spacey, with fleets of pretentiously named ships blasting the fnckstars out of each other...

Sounds like you want Yoon Ha Lee's Ninefox Gambit tbh.

There can be no bad reasons to start Ninefox Gambit, it is awesome

Otherwise the first Spiral Wars book Renegade should have enough of awesome spaceships blasting the holy shit out of each other.

This post has been edited by Chance: 17 January 2023 - 04:13 PM

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

Aptorian, on 17 January 2023 - 06:01 AM, said:

Heresy!

As it was, I was sort of bouncing off the Stross. I've only read Accelerando (a favorite) and Halting State from him previously. They were both as dense, but somehow easier to get into.

[Abyss]

Chance, on 17 January 2023 - 04:11 PM, said:

polishgenius, on 17 January 2023 - 06:16 AM, said:

Abyss, on 17 January 2023 - 02:37 AM, said:

Next up... not sure... the eTRP is fantasy-heavy but i may be feeling something spacey, with fleets of pretentiously named ships blasting the fnckstars out of each other...

Sounds like you want Yoon Ha Lee's Ninefox Gambit tbh.

There can be no bad reasons to start Ninefox Gambit, it is awesome

Otherwise the first Spiral Wars book Renegade should have enough of awesome spaceships blasting the holy shit out of each other.

Both noted tnx muchly, but then i noticed i had Ketty Jay 4 , ACE OF SKULLS in my library, so that was an easy pick. I have been waiting way WAY too long to get to the end of the Ketty Jay story and the earbook took forever+ to be made.

Whisperzzzzzzz, on 17 January 2023 - 05:09 PM, said:

Aptorian, on 17 January 2023 - 06:01 AM, said:

Heresy!

As it was, I was sort of bouncing off the Stross. I've only read Accelerando (a favorite) and Halting State from him previously. They were both as dense, but somehow easier to get into.

S'funny w Stross, it seems people who adore Accelerando and his other harder sf stuff tend to be less pulled in by the Laundry, and vice versa. I love the Laundry books, borderline dnf'd Accel and barely started Halting before moving on.

[amphibian]

stone monkey, on 16 January 2023 - 08:44 PM, said:

I read Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian recently; which is a truly amazing book. The characters range from monstrous to very monstrous - one of whom states that he's literally the devil and may not be lying about that. The things they get up to are absolutely appalling - made even worse by the fact that the whole thing is based fairly closely on testimony of actual events ( the author even personally retraced the party's steps to allow him more accurately describe their surroundings). It's not a book that can be enjoyed in the conventional meaning of the word, however the writing is stunning.

This is exactly what that book is - a reveal of the brutality of imperialism by independent and quasi state actors, the destruction of native cultures and people, and a scintillating display of language.

[Abyss]

amphibian, on 17 January 2023 - 07:18 PM, said:

stone monkey, on 16 January 2023 - 08:44 PM, said:

I read Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian recently; which is a truly amazing book. The characters range from monstrous to very monstrous - one of whom states that he's literally the devil and may not be lying about that. The things they get up to are absolutely appalling - made even worse by the fact that the whole thing is based fairly closely on testimony of actual events ( the author even personally retraced the party's steps to allow him more accurately describe their surroundings). It's not a book that can be enjoyed in the conventional meaning of the word, however the writing is stunning.

This is exactly what that book is - a reveal of the brutality of imperialism by independent and quasi state actors, the destruction of native cultures and people, and a scintillating display of language.

k but does it have dragons and lasers?

[QuickTidal]

Abyss, Feb 7th, the DEATHGATE CYCLE is getting audiobook versions finally, in case you're interested.

For myself, I decided to finally read book 2.....but I forget far too much of Book 1, so I'm re-reading DRAGON WING...Hugh the Hand is Adam Driver. I will not be taking questions.

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

I read The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller on the way to and from London this week. It's a re-telling of the Iliad.

I really enjoyed it overall. A touch soapy in places, and the odd character is one-dimensional in the extreme (side-eyeing you, Agamemnon) but overall it really captured the otherness of Greek mythology and also the recurring theme that hubris is the downfall of everyone, to the point that you wonder how none of them ever start to spot that.

It also did a good job of leaning in to the point Stephen Fry makes so well in his Greek mythology series - Greek heroes did not get to be famous by being nice people. As much as he's often a sympathetic main character, it didn't shy away from the fact Achilles was a raging dickhead at times as well. Odysseus is by turns compassionate and clever, but also as slimy and manipulative as they come when it suits him too.

It was refreshing to see a modern re-telling though, and I mean modern in the sense of the acceptance that no, pearl-clutchers, Achilles and Patroclus did not have their ashes buried together because they were "just friends".

This post has been edited by TheRetiredBridgeburner: 20 January 2023 - 10:45 AM

[Abyss]

QuickTidal, on 18 January 2023 - 01:20 PM, said:

Abyss, Feb 7th, the DEATHGATE CYCLE is getting audiobook versions finally, in case you're interested.

For myself, I decided to finally read book 2.....but I forget far too much of Book 1, so I'm re-reading DRAGON WING...Hugh the Hand is Adam Driver. I will not be taking questions.

Tempting but I suspect a relisten would chip away my nostalgic love for the series. Weis n Hickman have a 'slow build to big finale' pattern that works for me when the worldbuilding is engaging. Having read it twice, I fear it would be less so. Not swearing I wont change my mind tho'.

[Aptorian]

Read a couple of books.


To be taught if fortunate by Becky Chambers. After reading Psalm of the Wild-Built, I went into my library and found out I owed a few more of Chamber's books.

To be taught if fortunate is again a nice low stakes sci-fi book, that's more about the people than a wild adventure. I liked it for what it is but would have enjoyed something crazy happening towards the end.

Read the second Eisenhorn book by Dan Abnett, called Malleus. Even better than the first book, I like the continuing exploration of the WH40K universe. It has some really crazy action sequence and great character work. However it's also a book that does far too much telling, not showing.

Looking back at the story's events, the plot doesn't make a lot of sense. A lead in a centuries old cold case randomly becomes critical, an accusation is levelled, there's an escape, and a search for a McGuffin, that reveals some knowledge that should be obvious, then a lot of planning and research happens off page and they go fight the big bad.

This was a terrible way of telling a story. Still cool action though.

Started up TJ Klune's Under the Whispering Door. Like The House in the Cerulean Sea before this one, this book is a charming tale worthy of a Disney or Pixar story. It's about a Scrooge like lawyer who dies and has to come to terms with death and the life choices he made.

I'm liking the book overall but I've got to say the two "good guy" protagonists who are helping Wallace, our Scrooge like protagonist... They're actually acting like a bunch of dicks and I can't help siding with the asshole. It's annoying that the characters act deliberately obtuse and avoid giving straight answers.

This post has been edited by Aptorian: 23 January 2023 - 07:54 PM

[QuickTidal]

Started Nicholas Eames second "The Band" book BLOODY ROSE....fuck me, why didn't I start this sooner?! I'm only 20 pages in and it's already kicking my ass with goodness!

[Abyss]

QuickTidal, on 23 January 2023 - 08:01 PM, said:

Started Nicholas Eames second "The Band" book BLOODY ROSE....fuck me, why didn't I start this sooner?! I'm only 20 pages in and it's already kicking my ass with goodness!

it's very VERY good.

[QuickTidal]

Abyss, on 24 January 2023 - 03:21 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 23 January 2023 - 08:01 PM, said:

Started Nicholas Eames second "The Band" book BLOODY ROSE....fuck me, why didn't I start this sooner?! I'm only 20 pages in and it's already kicking my ass with goodness!

it's very VERY good.

I know he's hard at work on OUTLAW EMPIRE, so I figured it was time to read the second book.

[Macros]

Read the third Thursday Murder Club book by Osman, The Bullet that Missed.
If you like the first two you'll like this. Would they sell as well if it wasn't him? No.
Has he created a wonderful little set of characters that you start to care about? Absolutely

[JPK]

I've been listening to Touch by Claire North. I'm about 25% in now.

Spoiler

It's an interesting concept and a nice spin on possession, but I'm finding myself disengaged because I find Kepler to be rather dislikeable. I haven't disliked a protagonist this much in awhile.

This post has been edited by JPK: 24 January 2023 - 07:37 PM

[Tiste Simeon]

JPK, on 24 January 2023 - 07:37 PM, said:

I've been listening to Touch by Claire North. I'm about 25% in now.

Spoiler

It's an interesting concept and a nice spin on possession, but I'm finding myself disengaged because I find Kepler to be rather dislikeable. I haven't disliked a protagonist this much in awhile.

Interesting. That's my favourite of her books, I don't remember feeling that way. I hope you enjoy it!

[Macros]

I get that, character was unlikeable for me at the start as well

[Abyss]

polishgenius, on 17 January 2023 - 06:16 AM, said:

Abyss, on 17 January 2023 - 02:37 AM, said:

Next up... not sure... the eTRP is fantasy-heavy but i may be feeling something spacey, with fleets of pretentiously named ships blasting the fnckstars out of each other...

Sounds like you want Yoon Ha Lee's Ninefox Gambit tbh.
...

Considered but Wooding's KETTY JAY 4: ACE OF SKULLS won out and it's so so great to read these characters again.
Even the cat.