[Abyss]

Just Finished Aaronovich's Rivers of London novella MASQUERADES OF SPRING and novel STONE AND SKY.


Masquerades is a fun Nightingale story, told from the POV of Gussy, a British expat and Folly grad living in 1920s New York City. It's a fantastically written story, Gussy is an engaging narrator and while i can't speak to accuracy, the author weaves a thoroughly entertaining adventure through NYC's Jazz scene, Harlem's African-American community, and Gussy's deeply concealed gay lifestyle very very effectively. There's an absolutely wonderful supporting cast in play and while the magic elements are perhaps more low-key than the usual Rivers tale, there are some wild hints dropped along the way about the wider American magic scene we've only had bits of in the main series. It's a great read for anyone who enjoys these books.

As a bonus, the novella lays down the basis for one hysterical easter egg in Stone and Sky. No big if you don't read both, but having one follow the other I was laughing out loud when it dropped. Stone is an interesting story, split evenly between Abby and Peter's narrations. We've had a bit of a time jump, mostly i think to open up Abby's dating life to exploration... having been introduced to her as a very young kid, on the one hand i appreciated the way the author aged her up and wrote her consistently, but on the other i'm not sure i was ready for her to be quite as actively getting it on as she does here. It's not a problem, it didn't detract from the story, but Abby's been very much a YA/younger reader's character before now, and this was a shift. Another interesting element was moving a large chunk of the cast to Aberdeen Scotland, as a team, to conduct an investigation. Peter does the hard core police work, Nightinggale does the heavy lifting behind the scenes, and Abby and her glorious foxes explore the supernatural side (and Bev mostly takes care of the twins and pops in every so often to steal whatever scene she's in). Even Peter's parents have a short subplot. It's much more of a self contained team book than prior novels, but it works, and the supernatural elements they're dealing with here... a murdered selkie and a phantom panther being just the two set out at the very start with more to follow... are nicely played.

Good book, effectively different from what's gone before, worth the read. Kobna Holdbrook-Smith as usual delivers an exceptional narration to the earbooks, and Shvorne Marks does a superb job w Abby.

[polishgenius]

polishgenius, on 29 September 2025 - 06:01 PM, said:

lol just got (at full price) Alchemised without seeing QT's mention of it, about 50 pages in. Didn't realise it was a HP fanfic changeup, but it's a lot better than 50 Shades I'd imagine...


Anyway I'm enjoying it so far, let's see if it gets the Double Meh or if it fits my tastes more.


I also picked up The Raven Scholar, the other buzzy fantasy of the moment. Haven't started it yet though.

Got to a certain point and no. Eww. Can't be dealing with this right now. I got through the first ew, no bit, then I reached the flashback QT mentioned and the hints at where the story might be going... well, yeah, I might come back at some stage to find out of I'm right, and to find out what happened in general, because the story overall is engaging and well written. The premise of the lost rebellion and of necromancy's use as an authoritarian tool, that's all very interesting, and I'm not usually a fan of necromancy as a main story premise. But what I'm assuming is the fanfictiony element QT referred to... no.





Started Raven Scholar instead, as well as the second Emily Wilde book. The second is obviously much lighter in tone and while the first I'm yet to find out, I'm sure it's less... well, less rapey.

[Briar King]

Will finish up Changes and start up Ghost Stories reread in a few hours after waking up.

[Abyss]

Started The 13th Paladin bk 9, FOREST OF IRE, fun take on 'mystical Elves living in harmony w nature' when the Elves are fanged hyper aggressive borderline savages and the forest is actively trying to murder them all and the usually competent heroes are completely stumped about what to do about any of it.

Also began a THE GOD IS NOT WILLING selective reread ahead of NO LIFE FORSAKEN. ..and damn, this really was a great book.

[JPK]

 Abyss, on 08 October 2025 - 02:45 PM, said:

Also began a THE GOD IS NOT WILLING selective reread ahead of NO LIFE FORSAKEN. ..and damn, this really was a great book.

If you have time, I'd say to just do the full reread on tGinW as it's shorter that most other Malazan novels and there really doesn't seem to be any slack to it. I've heard the narrator was really good too, if you go the earbook route like usual.

For myself, I'm about 100 pages from the end of my own tGinW reread and finished of Frankenstein last night. I was surprised at how beautifully Frankenstein is written. A lot of the classics I've been digging into are known for their prose but I haven't really seen much talk about how good Frankenstein's is.

Next up is Dracula.

[Tiste Simeon]

I'll be doing a TGINW reread soon methinks

[QuickTidal]

It's spooky month, and so I've decided to finally read THE STAND....a book I admit to never having read. My only experience with it is VAGUE memories of the 1994 miniseries with Gary Sinise...

[Tiste Simeon]

 QuickTidal, on 08 October 2025 - 03:57 PM, said:

It's spooky month, and so I've decided to finally read THE STAND....a book I admit to never having read. My only experience with it is VAGUE memories of the 1994 miniseries with Gary Sinise...

The only King I've ever read but I enjoyed it from what I remember.

[QuickTidal]

 Tiste Simeon, on 08 October 2025 - 05:28 PM, said:

 QuickTidal, on 08 October 2025 - 03:57 PM, said:

It's spooky month, and so I've decided to finally read THE STAND....a book I admit to never having read. My only experience with it is VAGUE memories of the 1994 miniseries with Gary Sinise...

The only King I've ever read but I enjoyed it from what I remember.

It's the tippy top of a lot of King fans lists, so yeah it seems like a no-brainer.

[Abyss]

 QuickTidal, on 08 October 2025 - 05:44 PM, said:

 Tiste Simeon, on 08 October 2025 - 05:28 PM, said:

 QuickTidal, on 08 October 2025 - 03:57 PM, said:

It's spooky month, and so I've decided to finally read THE STAND....a book I admit to never having read. My only experience with it is VAGUE memories of the 1994 miniseries with Gary Sinise...

The only King I've ever read but I enjoyed it from what I remember.

It's the tippy top of a lot of King fans lists, so yeah it seems like a no-brainer.

It's great, massive sweeping epic that manages to also be very character focused. Also, standalone unlike a lot of his other works from that era that tie in directly or indirectly to THE DARK TOWER.

[QuickTidal]

 Abyss, on 08 October 2025 - 05:52 PM, said:

 QuickTidal, on 08 October 2025 - 05:44 PM, said:

 Tiste Simeon, on 08 October 2025 - 05:28 PM, said:

 QuickTidal, on 08 October 2025 - 03:57 PM, said:

It's spooky month, and so I've decided to finally read THE STAND....a book I admit to never having read. My only experience with it is VAGUE memories of the 1994 miniseries with Gary Sinise...

The only King I've ever read but I enjoyed it from what I remember.

It's the tippy top of a lot of King fans lists, so yeah it seems like a no-brainer.

It's great, massive sweeping epic that manages to also be very character focused. Also, standalone unlike a lot of his other works from that era that tie in directly or indirectly to THE DARK TOWER.

Isn't Randall Flagg the Man in Black though?

[HoosierDaddy]

 QuickTidal, on 08 October 2025 - 06:33 PM, said:

 Abyss, on 08 October 2025 - 05:52 PM, said:

 QuickTidal, on 08 October 2025 - 05:44 PM, said:

 Tiste Simeon, on 08 October 2025 - 05:28 PM, said:

 QuickTidal, on 08 October 2025 - 03:57 PM, said:

It's spooky month, and so I've decided to finally read THE STAND....a book I admit to never having read. My only experience with it is VAGUE memories of the 1994 miniseries with Gary Sinise...

The only King I've ever read but I enjoyed it from what I remember.

It's the tippy top of a lot of King fans lists, so yeah it seems like a no-brainer.

It's great, massive sweeping epic that manages to also be very character focused. Also, standalone unlike a lot of his other works from that era that tie in directly or indirectly to THE DARK TOWER.

Isn't Randall Flagg the Man in Black though?

Yes and No. There are other worlds than these.

[Abyss]

HoosierDaddy, on 08 October 2025 - 08:00 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 08 October 2025 - 06:33 PM, said:

Abyss, on 08 October 2025 - 05:52 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 08 October 2025 - 05:44 PM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 08 October 2025 - 05:28 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 08 October 2025 - 03:57 PM, said:

It's spooky month, and so I've decided to finally read THE STAND....a book I admit to never having read. My only experience with it is VAGUE memories of the 1994 miniseries with Gary Sinise...

The only King I've ever read but I enjoyed it from what I remember.

It's the tippy top of a lot of King fans lists, so yeah it seems like a no-brainer.

It's great, massive sweeping epic that manages to also be very character focused. Also, standalone unlike a lot of his other works from that era that tie in directly or indirectly to THE DARK TOWER.

Isn't Randall Flagg the Man in Black though?

Yes and No. There are other worlds than these.

Exactly - that connection is effectively a retcon, and KIng did this beautifully for many of his books, but while it clicks an 'oh hey!' moment if one reads TDT, it's irrelevant for reading THE STAND for the first time.

...in contrast with a lot of his later work where the connections are more obvious(ish), deliberate, and can actually affect the reader's understanding of the story.

[Tiste Simeon]

I finished listening to Stonewielder (still my favourite of the NotME but we shall see when we get to BaB, OST & Assail)

As discussed upthread, I am now listening to The Devil's by Abercrombie. I'd forgotten how good a narrator Steven Pacey is.

[polishgenius]

Finished The Raven Scholar, by Antonia Hodgson. Not a debut novel, since Hodgson has a very successful series of crime novels under her belt (which I actually read the first one of years back, The Devil in the Marshalsea), but her first foray into fantasy.


It's terrific. Basically a story of contenders for an Empire's throne in competition for it, with all the skullduggery, twists and turns, and devious plotting you might imagine, but also some great, memorable characters and a real sense of wit. And it's just really well written. Absolutely delightful, and in a lot of the ways y'all on this forum tend to enjoy, so I highly recommend it.

[Abyss]

 polishgenius, on 14 October 2025 - 12:02 AM, said:

Finished The Raven Scholar, by Antonia Hodgson. Not a debut novel, since Hodgson has a very successful series of crime novels under her belt (which I actually read the first one of years back, The Devil in the Marshalsea), but her first foray into fantasy.


It's terrific. Basically a story of contenders for an Empire's throne in competition for it, with all the skullduggery, twists and turns, and devious plotting you might imagine, but also some great, memorable characters and a real sense of wit. And it's just really well written. Absolutely delightful, and in a lot of the ways y'all on this forum tend to enjoy, so I highly recommend it.

Reco noted - it's bk 1 in a trilo so it might be a while but your post and the blurb make it tempting.

[Abyss]

Abyss, on 08 October 2025 - 02:45 PM, said:

Started The 13th Paladin bk 9, FOREST OF IRE, fun take on 'mystical Elves living in harmony w nature' when the Elves are fanged hyper aggressive borderline savages and the forest is actively trying to murder them all and the usually competent heroes are completely stumped about what to do about any of it.

Just Finished FOREST OF IRE. Despite the translation's utterly criminal overuse of the words 'smithereens' and 'whooshed' (seriously, the number of times a character "silently whooshed through the shadows" had me laughing), this book was great fun. The titular Forest was well thought out, it presented a real and ugly challenge to the characters and managed a few nice twists from the usual 'fantasy dark forest full of dark things' tropes. There are slogs but they aren't unduly sloggy, it's more like a series of excursions into the forest rather than one long sloggish slog of slogginess. The existing cast are well challenged, a few new characters add some fun to the dynamic, and the overall story advances nicely. Some part of me wishes the author had been as strong as this when he started bk 1, but part of the fun has been watching the writing evolve. The action sequences in particular were very well written this time. I have bk 10 ready to go, but....

Quote

Also began a THE GOD IS NOT WILLING selective reread ahead of NO LIFE FORSAKEN. ..and damn, this really was a great book.

Going w just the reread now and it's such a treat to be back in Malazanland again.

[JPK]

I've finally started de Castell's THE MALEVOLENT EIGHT. I was wondering how he'd up the craziness from the first book and have to say that Temper is a very good start.

[Tiste Simeon]

 JPK, on 17 October 2025 - 05:56 PM, said:

I've finally started de Castell's THE MALEVOLENT EIGHT. I was wondering how he'd up the craziness from the first book and have to say that Temper is a very good start.

Yes haha just an incredible character!

[champ]

Rereading The God is Not Willing in preparation...

How did I forget how glorious of a character Stillwater is!!!!