[QuickTidal]

Tiste Simeon, on 15 September 2026 - 05:36 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 15 September 2026 - 05:22 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 25 August 2026 - 11:10 AM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 25 August 2026 - 10:14 AM, said:

Macros, on 24 August 2026 - 06:33 PM, said:

I bounced off Malice, didn't like it at all

Huh fair enough. It's not groundbreaking by any stretch of the imagination but it's fun and entertaining imo.

Yeah, I dug MALICE too...but I took too long between MALICE and the second one so I bounced off the section one as I'd forgotten everything.

Last night I was on one of my used book (overstock) websites I check frequently, and was able to get RUIN and WRATH (for cheap prices) to complete the quadrology on my shelf, so I may have to seek out a summary of MALICE now so I won't bounce off the second one and I can finish the series properly.

It's not long since I read it so feel free to ask anything haha

Will do, thanks man!

[pat5150]

I've been meaning to read some of the novels Robin Hobb wrote under the Megan Lindholm pen name for years and I finally gave Wizard of the Pigeons a shot.

Published in 1986, the book is considered one of the precursors of the urban fantasy subgenre and it's the first work that brought Lindholm wider attention in SFF circles. In the introduction for the 2020 edition, the author explains that stories are born when ideas collide. This book grew from the realization that some US army veterans went through catalyzing experiences that changed them in profound fashion. Add to that the fact that a score of years haven't been enough to erase those changes in any meaningful way, plus the knowledge that some of them have found ways to survive, just like pigeons or coyotes, in big cities that are not their natural habitat. More than three decades after it was released, the homeless problem has grown in every major city in the country and veterans of more recent wars and conflicts are still trying to make sense of what they were ordered to do and cope with the repercussions of what they did. Every time I read a book from the 70s, 80s, or 90s, I'm always wondering if that work has aged well. If anything, Wizard of the Pigeons may be more apropos now than it was back in 1986.

The main protagonist, Wizard, is a Vietnam vet turned homeless in the city of Seattle. In the aforementioned introduction, the author recounts that many young men she knew enlisted, or were drafted, and went off to war. Those who ultimately returned were often considered still "missing in action," or so the bleak joke went. They went away as kids and came back home as strangers. Due to the anti-war sentiment, these young men were not treated particularly well upon their return. The cycle for such boys was to turn eighteen, be drafted, get sent to war, and if you survived return home to disdain and blame. Some came back as alcoholics and/or drug addicts. Some bore terrible scars, suffered from loss of hearing, or returned with missing limbs. The various disorders associated with PTSD were not well-known at the time and more often than not society reacted with horror instead of helping these poor souls who didn't know how to process what they had gone through and how it changed them. This is the backdrop for the novel and it affects the plot in a myriad of ways.

It's a slow-burn type of novel that can be a difficult read at times that deals with homelessness, poverty, and mental illness. Definitely worth a read if you're a Robin Hobb fan!

[QuickTidal]

pat5150, on 16 September 2026 - 01:20 AM, said:

I've been meaning to read some of the novels Robin Hobb wrote under the Megan Lindholm pen name for years and I finally gave Wizard of the Pigeons a shot.

Published in 1986, the book is considered one of the precursors of the urban fantasy subgenre and it's the first work that brought Lindholm wider attention in SFF circles. In the introduction for the 2020 edition, the author explains that stories are born when ideas collide. This book grew from the realization that some US army veterans went through catalyzing experiences that changed them in profound fashion. Add to that the fact that a score of years haven't been enough to erase those changes in any meaningful way, plus the knowledge that some of them have found ways to survive, just like pigeons or coyotes, in big cities that are not their natural habitat. More than three decades after it was released, the homeless problem has grown in every major city in the country and veterans of more recent wars and conflicts are still trying to make sense of what they were ordered to do and cope with the repercussions of what they did. Every time I read a book from the 70s, 80s, or 90s, I'm always wondering if that work has aged well. If anything, Wizard of the Pigeons may be more apropos now than it was back in 1986.

The main protagonist, Wizard, is a Vietnam vet turned homeless in the city of Seattle. In the aforementioned introduction, the author recounts that many young men she knew enlisted, or were drafted, and went off to war. Those who ultimately returned were often considered still "missing in action," or so the bleak joke went. They went away as kids and came back home as strangers. Due to the anti-war sentiment, these young men were not treated particularly well upon their return. The cycle for such boys was to turn eighteen, be drafted, get sent to war, and if you survived return home to disdain and blame. Some came back as alcoholics and/or drug addicts. Some bore terrible scars, suffered from loss of hearing, or returned with missing limbs. The various disorders associated with PTSD were not well-known at the time and more often than not society reacted with horror instead of helping these poor souls who didn't know how to process what they had gone through and how it changed them. This is the backdrop for the novel and it affects the plot in a myriad of ways.

It's a slow-burn type of novel that can be a difficult read at times that deals with homelessness, poverty, and mental illness. Definitely worth a read if you're a Robin Hobb fan!

Seconded. It's a GREAT book.

[Abyss]

 JPK, on 15 September 2026 - 03:17 PM, said:

 Abyss, on 15 September 2026 - 12:25 AM, said:

 JPK, on 14 September 2026 - 10:06 PM, said:

Hey Abyss, I've finished up season 2 of Midnight Burger. Going into S3 and spotted a certain spinoff involving a younger version of one of the main cast. Spotify has them mixed together. What order do you suggest tackling them?

Absolutely listen to the spinoff, either all at once and then resume MB, or in release order mixed. Do NOT skip it, or the other spinoff, but that you can and probably should alternate w MB in release order.

The writing is meticulous and it all ties together beautifully.

Thank you. I'll go ahead just keep it mixed in with S3. I can see that there's an interesting story there, and I'm really interested in anything that continues to develop the Triad.

The season finales just released recently and they were rivetting. I shit you not, the steady build across both series to the MB finale... flawless. I had to listen to it again while i was listening to it. The character beats, the payoff, the humour, they even nailed the action scenes. Utterly worth your time.

[JPK]

I've been trying to work my way through the second Coldfire book and I'm not sure if I'm just not liking this one as much as the first or if it's suffering because I'm reading/listening to some truly excellent books & podcasts right now.

For context, I'm working though Steinbeck's East of Eden in ded-tree, GGK's Sailing to Sarantium as an ebook, and Midnight Burger/Spinoff as a podcast.

I want to say it's just bad timing but I'm worried it might not be because

Spoiler

A lot of my dread is bound up in the will-they/won't-they (kill each other) relationship between Damien & Gerald and Damien's constant torturing himself over this alliance. Added to that, I was thinking I was in for an interesting political intrigue in a hostile city story, but now we're back to the neverending travelogue of the first book.

.

I dunno. I'm starting to think maybe I should take a break and knock out either the new Bobiverse or Blacktail and then circle back to this.

[Abyss]

QuickTidal, on 16 September 2026 - 12:32 PM, said:

pat5150, on 16 September 2026 - 01:20 AM, said:

I've been meaning to read some of the novels Robin Hobb wrote under the Megan Lindholm pen name for years and I finally gave Wizard of the Pigeons a shot.

Published in 1986, the book is considered one of the precursors of the urban fantasy subgenre and it's the first work that brought Lindholm wider attention in SFF circles. In the introduction for the 2020 edition, the author explains that stories are born when ideas collide. This book grew from the realization that some US army veterans went through catalyzing experiences that changed them in profound fashion. Add to that the fact that a score of years haven't been enough to erase those changes in any meaningful way, plus the knowledge that some of them have found ways to survive, just like pigeons or coyotes, in big cities that are not their natural habitat. More than three decades after it was released, the homeless problem has grown in every major city in the country and veterans of more recent wars and conflicts are still trying to make sense of what they were ordered to do and cope with the repercussions of what they did. Every time I read a book from the 70s, 80s, or 90s, I'm always wondering if that work has aged well. If anything, Wizard of the Pigeons may be more apropos now than it was back in 1986.

The main protagonist, Wizard, is a Vietnam vet turned homeless in the city of Seattle. In the aforementioned introduction, the author recounts that many young men she knew enlisted, or were drafted, and went off to war. Those who ultimately returned were often considered still "missing in action," or so the bleak joke went. They went away as kids and came back home as strangers. Due to the anti-war sentiment, these young men were not treated particularly well upon their return. The cycle for such boys was to turn eighteen, be drafted, get sent to war, and if you survived return home to disdain and blame. Some came back as alcoholics and/or drug addicts. Some bore terrible scars, suffered from loss of hearing, or returned with missing limbs. The various disorders associated with PTSD were not well-known at the time and more often than not society reacted with horror instead of helping these poor souls who didn't know how to process what they had gone through and how it changed them. This is the backdrop for the novel and it affects the plot in a myriad of ways.

It's a slow-burn type of novel that can be a difficult read at times that deals with homelessness, poverty, and mental illness. Definitely worth a read if you're a Robin Hobb fan!

Seconded. It's a GREAT book.

still not drawn to Hobb, i just cant find it in me to willingly partake in an activity destined to depress, but i admit that the description almost tempts me to try her work again.

[Abyss]

JPK, on 17 September 2026 - 06:57 PM, said:

I've been trying to work my way through the second Coldfire book and I'm not sure if I'm just not liking this one as much as the first or if it's suffering because I'm reading/listening to some truly excellent books & podcasts right now.

For context, I'm working though Steinbeck's East of Eden in ded-tree, GGK's Sailing to Sarantium as an ebook, and Midnight Burger/Spinoff as a podcast.

I want to say it's just bad timing but I'm worried it might not be because

Spoiler

A lot of my dread is bound up in the will-they/won't-they (kill each other) relationship between Damien & Gerald and Damien's constant torturing himself over this alliance. Added to that, I was thinking I was in for an interesting political intrigue in a hostile city story, but now we're back to the neverending travelogue of the first book.

.

I dunno. I'm starting to think maybe I should take a break and knock out either the new Bobiverse or Blacktail and then circle back to this.

Three notes about book 2.... blocked simply for people who haven't read 1, no real spoilers....

Spoiler

1. Damien and Tarrant's relationship ... trust the author with this.

2. i wish i could tell you otherwise but the travelslogue is absolutely a thing w this book - and one of the books responsible for my childhood-born aversion to travel in fantasy books, along w MS&T and Shannara - and consequently...

3. it's the weakest book of the series, BUT, the payoff is solid, and bk 3 is brilliant.

... hope that helps. I think you're maybe making it harder with Sarantium and Midnight Burger in the background bcs as much as i love/praise/reco Coldfire, GGK writes better slow boil fantasy intrigue, and MB is funnier/faster.

Honestly throw in Steinbeck and i don't know how youre even keeping track of what you're reading when and where!

[Abyss]

k, i've been remiss in my Just Finished(s), so...

Just Finished THE TAPESTRY OF FATE, Amin Al Sirafi bk 2, Shannen Chakrabortay

As prep for this book, i reread (ear'd) bk 1, THE ADVENTURES OF AMINA AL SIRAFI... it was just as much fun as the first time, and i utterly enjoyed it.

The first half of TAPESTRIES is on par, easily. It starts in the middle of a glorious caper, puts Amina and co thru a great great opening, like an Indiana Jones movie heist/escape in text form, then sets up the bigger plot, nails the characters beats and gets to it. It's great, i was loving it. The core story of Amina's quest for magic treasure is utterly captivating.

The middle of the book... drags a bit. Put it this way, Amina herself at times complains about being bored, and I had to agree w her. Thi is compounded by the addition of a POV that, while at times interesting and always well written, in my opinion receives far too much time. I see why the author included it, the narrative device works, the way it all ties together makes sense, it's just too much when we could be reading about Amina stealing things. There are brief breaks and one really exceptional scene, but it draaaaaaaaaged, for me, til the finale when things picked up again. And to be clear once things pick up again we're back to a happy crazy pace, w Amina and her crew doing what they do best, interesting magic around them, solid opposition. And then a hell of an epilogue.


Despite my feelings about the back half, I enjoyed the book, it was worth the time and money, i am on board (hee) for 3. If you enjoyed bk 1 this is completely worth your attention.

[QuickTidal]

QuickTidal, on 15 September 2026 - 06:26 PM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 15 September 2026 - 05:36 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 15 September 2026 - 05:22 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 25 August 2026 - 11:10 AM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 25 August 2026 - 10:14 AM, said:

Macros, on 24 August 2026 - 06:33 PM, said:

I bounced off Malice, didn't like it at all

Huh fair enough. It's not groundbreaking by any stretch of the imagination but it's fun and entertaining imo.

Yeah, I dug MALICE too...but I took too long between MALICE and the second one so I bounced off the section one as I'd forgotten everything.

Last night I was on one of my used book (overstock) websites I check frequently, and was able to get RUIN and WRATH (for cheap prices) to complete the quadrology on my shelf, so I may have to seek out a summary of MALICE now so I won't bounce off the second one and I can finish the series properly.

It's not long since I read it so feel free to ask anything haha

Will do, thanks man!

Started back into VALOUR (even though mu copy is the stupid American one spelling it without the 'U') and this time it wasn't as hard to get back into the various POVs...so let me know if I have this straight as you recall it Tiste:

Spoilers for Book 1 of THE FAITHFUL & THE FALLEN

Spoiler

-Evnis helped another country and queen (Rhin?) overthrow the Arda king and murdered a bunch of people who stood in their way.
-Corban escapes this fate with his wolf, and a bunch of people from his village, including his mom, the blacksmith/weaponsmith, the stablemaster, Evnis' kid, his best bud, and a witch with a crow...they think both his father and sister are dead, the father is, the sister isn't.
-Cywen (the sister) stayed behind with her love interest who seems to have thrown in with the bad guys? She thinks she's been abandoned.
-Nathias is the noble scion of what seems to be a sort of Roman Empire-styled kingdom, thinks he is the chosen one, but is actually being manipulated by the main bad guy.
- Veradis is Nathias' main man but has begun questioning what his man is doing and Is seemingly a good person?
-Nathias sent a bunch of warriors including Veradis led by some pirates (Calidis) and a dissident giant to a giant city in the forest to capture a fabled axe?
- On the way they encounter and co-opt the help of the Gadrai (giant hunters?) including grizzled veteran Maquin, and his main man Kastell...but the pirate dudes ambush the Gadrai when it becomes clear they won't help steal this axe, killing Kastell...Maquin and two of his fellow Gadrai realize the trick and escape from them.
- the giants seem to want to re-invade the human lands to reclaim what they think is ancestrally theirs?
- there are demons and angels fighting in the mortal realm and moving events too.

Is that everything? I think that's where it stands at the beginning of VALOUR. Let me know if I've missed anything or misconstrued anything.

[Abyss]

Just Finished BLACKTAIL, by Scott Hawkins. Holy furfucks, this book messed me up.

I adored THE LOBRARY ON MOUNT CHAR. The swerves, the weird, the quirky characters who could be funny one second and murderously serious the next, the underlying urban fantasy and sf vibes set up just out of sight of the real world. Hawkins brings all that to this book, about an orphan wolf who decides that he's had enough of humans' crap. The animal world Hawkins sets up her is at once deceptively simple and wildly complicated. The animals aren't simply humans in fursuits, their thoughts and motives are appropriately different, but still very engaging. The interplay w the human world is there, he doesn't try to overexplain it, there's a level of 'just go w it' that will/won't work for some readers, but wow if you can, the overall impact and immersion is pretty stunning.

The book is also brutal. Hawkins mentions in an interview that he has experience w dogs and specifically rescues, and he doesn't shy away from their stories and it's heartbreaking and infuriating and by the time characters start to hit back it's hard not to side w them. Hawkins doesn't make that easy tho... the animals are very much animals and what they do, often, is pretty damn savage.

It's all compelling as hell, and one of the few recent books i can honestly say surprised me repeatedly, seeming to go one way, swerving elsewhere, setting up one thing and delivering a completely unexpected payoff.

Macleod Andrews nails the earbook narration and absolutely broke me, repeatedly, before yanking me back up again.

Great book, a wild return for this author, and his next thing will be an instant pre-order for me.

[Abyss]

Just Finished PLATFORM DECAY, Martha Wells' latest MURDERBOT book.

I almost did a series reread ahead of this. I didn't bcs after Hawkins' Blacktail i was kind of desparate for something lighter and new, and i'm glad bcs now i have an excuse for a complete reread and then i can listen to this book again.

Yknow those books that make you laugh out loud, or that make you grin, realize you're grinning, and can't stop? This was that. Murderbot is on a rescue mission to an interesting artificial ringworld. The who and why are core and i won't spoil, but the basics of this character, who is slowly becoming more sort of human but doesn't exactly want to but still does, having to save people and not only keep them alive but keep them from fearing it in a situation where if it does what it does best (besides watch media) that's unavoidable, is gloriously written. Wells wrks in some new elements to Murderbot's pov that are nicely new but still consistent w what we know. There are effective refs to the prior books without getting tied up in needing to remember everything... i wouldn't reco someone read this book ahead of the rest, but i suspect that someone who did would still very enjoy it.

The pace is perfect, the action scenes are perfect, Kevin Free's narration is perfect, the book is the bestest entry in the series so far and that's saying a tonne. Worth your money and time and smiles.

[polishgenius]

I missed that Hawkings book was coming, sounds good.

This post has been edited by polishgenius: 18 September 2026 - 10:21 PM

[worry]

Sorry for the length, but here's my recent batch of reads:

Words of Radiance -- After not much liking The Way of Kings, I was pleasantly surprised to find I liked this one more, pretty much right from the start. The plots all had more forward momentum, the characters were richer, and the events of the book were just more interesting. I still broke it up into three parts cuz it's huge, but it didn't all feel like an extended prologue like the first one did. It still shared some of the first one's flaws: the epigraphs are largely annoying rather than enlightening or enriching (complete opposite of Malazan); the Wit isn't witty and Shallan isn't clever/funny; the treatment of the parshmen's situation is House Elf-level mealy-mouthed so far and seems on the verge of getting worse; and I still just don't like a lot of the world-building. But I still found a lot of what happened in this book old-school fantasy thrilling. And what's strange about Wit and Shallan being duds is that other characters really are funny -- Syl, Pattern, Lopen, Teft, Rock (sometimes), Zahel (the cranky camp swordmaster), and even Kaladin. Anyway, if I'd give the first book like a D+, I'd give this one a C+. Not the best, but a full grade higher than book 1!

The Childen (by Melissa Albert) -- This is a weird one. Kind of a horror fantasy without much horror and even less fantasy. Just kind of vibes. Protagonist is this woman name Guinevere who is the daughter of a best-selling author of a series in the 'portal fantasy' subgenre. Book splits its time between adult Guinevere dealing with her late mother's legacy, and child Guinevere living in a somewhat isolated cottage mansion with her mother, father, and brother while her mother writes and eerie things happen to the family and various visitors. Oh and the two main characters in the books are based on (and named after) Guinevere and her brother. So what's happening to them and why? Is the fantasy world at the heart of her mother's books real? Can the adult versions of the siblings -- now estranged -- reconcile any of this? Kinda-sorta. The writing in this book is good, the vibes can definitely be creepy, but there's a big hole in the middle of it: we hardly get any glimpses of the children's books at the center of it all. There's literally one passage of any significant length, and the rest is small details peppered here and there through glancing mentions. I mostly liked what's there, but this is like 2/3 of a story, and that missing 1/3 is the heart. Imagine The Magicians trilogy -- which this is otherwise nothing like btw -- if you learned barely anythig about Fillory.

Eight Billion Genies -- Graphic novel with a pretty cool high concept What If? What if, when the world's population reached 8 billion, every single human being on Earth received a genie that would grant them one wish. That's everybody of every age and disposition -- even babies, though the genie has to determine when a person has enough reason to make a wish. Each chapter then covers a specific time frame of 8. Chapter 1: The first 8 seconds. Chapter 2: The first 8 minutes. All the way to the first 8 centuries, if I remember correctly. Anyway, you better believe this book covers the good, the bad, and the ugly of what such a situation would deliver. I thought this was great, would recommend!

Squire -- YA graphic novel about a girl who has dreams of glory in war and signs up to be a soldier. It's a fantasy world, but the author (Sara Alfageeh) is Jordanian-American and it has cultural influences from that background. It's a pretty straightforward story about fantasy vs. reality when it comes to war, with other themes of tribalism/nationalism and prejudice. I think it is drawn well, told well, and makes its points well without going overboard for a YA level.

The Buffalo Hunter Hunter -- I'm nowhere near a completionist on Stephen Graham Jones's work, but this is the best thing I've read by him for sure. A quick log line would be: Old West riff on Interview with the Vampire. There's a framing device set in modern times -- and vital to the overall story -- but the bulk of this novel is the narrative set down by Lutheran pastor named Arthur in very early 20th Century Wyoming taking the confession of a Blackfood Indian named Good Stab, who claims to be older than he appears. This book is very dark -- referencing some very real massacres, among other historical events -- while still doing all the good things horror is capable of. Arthur is a very wry, self-aware narrator and Good Stab is a perfect foil with an extremely fascinating story to tell. This is so far the best thing I've read this year, for sure. --And shout out to Pat, I got this through one of his On Sale posts.

Who knows though: I just started Blacktail by Scott Hawkins, and after that I'm hoping Legacies of Betrayal will have arrived.

[HoosierDaddy]

Finished There Is No Antimemetics Division by QNTM/Sam Hughes.

Sci-Fi/Horror book. Great idea. Great execution up to 95% mark. Didn't really stick the landing, but it was so damn great up to that point that I don't care. It was worth it for the journey to get there. I'd love to read anything similar to this if anyone has recommendations!

As I was listening, I kept thinking: "If this was a movie it'd be so... gnarly. Like I need to avert my eyes." The terror and horror just oozes in the background while perfectly mundane things are happening. There's a lot to unpack here if I want, but I'm sure my subconscious will do that in my nightmares, so no need to do it while I'm awake!

[QuickTidal]

HoosierDaddy, on 23 September 2026 - 03:36 PM, said:

As I was listening, I kept thinking: "If this was a movie it'd be so... gnarly. Like I need to avert my eyes."

Doctor Who Series 6 villain the Silence are essentially what you read in this book.

[HoosierDaddy]

QuickTidal, on 23 September 2026 - 04:04 PM, said:

HoosierDaddy, on 23 September 2026 - 03:36 PM, said:

As I was listening, I kept thinking: "If this was a movie it'd be so... gnarly. Like I need to avert my eyes."

Doctor Who Series 6 villain the Silence are essentially what you read in this book.

To some degree, but the Silence also be just straight murdered lol. The memetic effect of not being able to remember them is definitely one in the same. That is my favorite season of Who by far. None of the others really grabbed me... Karen Gillian might have had something to do with that to begin with lol.

[QuickTidal]

HoosierDaddy, on 23 September 2026 - 04:56 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 23 September 2026 - 04:04 PM, said:

HoosierDaddy, on 23 September 2026 - 03:36 PM, said:

As I was listening, I kept thinking: "If this was a movie it'd be so... gnarly. Like I need to avert my eyes."

Doctor Who Series 6 villain the Silence are essentially what you read in this book.

To some degree, but the Silence also be just straight murdered lol. The memetic effect of not being able to remember them is definitely one in the same. That is my favorite season of Who by far. None of the others really grabbed me... Karen Gillian might have had something to do with that to begin with lol.

Oh for sure, it's not a 1:1 but it's the closest I've seen in media. Tis a great season of DW.

[JPK]

Midnight Burger S3E24 -

Spoiler

The Mucklewains in Juno! I fucking lost it. Such an interesting dilemma with the only half the population can see Ashley setup.

Abyss, you were right to cut YL in between MB though. The writing interweaves beautifully.

[worry]

Abyss, on 18 September 2026 - 01:49 PM, said:

Just Finished BLACKTAIL, by Scott Hawkins. Holy furfucks, this book messed me up.

I adored THE LOBRARY ON MOUNT CHAR. The swerves, the weird, the quirky characters who could be funny one second and murderously serious the next, the underlying urban fantasy and sf vibes set up just out of sight of the real world. Hawkins brings all that to this book, about an orphan wolf who decides that he's had enough of humans' crap. The animal world Hawkins sets up her is at once deceptively simple and wildly complicated. The animals aren't simply humans in fursuits, their thoughts and motives are appropriately different, but still very engaging. The interplay w the human world is there, he doesn't try to overexplain it, there's a level of 'just go w it' that will/won't work for some readers, but wow if you can, the overall impact and immersion is pretty stunning.

The book is also brutal. Hawkins mentions in an interview that he has experience w dogs and specifically rescues, and he doesn't shy away from their stories and it's heartbreaking and infuriating and by the time characters start to hit back it's hard not to side w them. Hawkins doesn't make that easy tho... the animals are very much animals and what they do, often, is pretty damn savage.

It's all compelling as hell, and one of the few recent books i can honestly say surprised me repeatedly, seeming to go one way, swerving elsewhere, setting up one thing and delivering a completely unexpected payoff.

Macleod Andrews nails the earbook narration and absolutely broke me, repeatedly, before yanking me back up again.

Great book, a wild return for this author, and his next thing will be an instant pre-order for me.

Just finished Blacktail -- print not audio -- and I largely agree with Abyss. I liked this quite a bit. I guess for those wanting a comparison, I wouldn't say this was 'as good as' Mount Char. But if that is a 5-star book for you (and it was for me), this is an easy 4-star.

There are some obvious antecedents in animal-POV fiction -- The Call of the Wild, Watership Down, maybe most closely The Plague Dogs -- but aside from maybe a nod here and there this is very much its own thing. And I'm only guessing at what might be a nod, since Hawkins' Acknowledgement section is mercifully short -- one more reason to be impressed by him.

I went into it knowing it had 'surprises' in store, but even then I hardly predicted any of what happens, so I'm right there with Abyss. I would also echo that there's a certain need to go-with-the-flow to some elements, given that it is pretty much all animal POV. Maybe there's a slight hint of Caveman Lawyer goofiness here and there to how they're relating to the works of Man. But it's actually almost all well thought out and written, and while it can get silly (intentionally), only rarely does the writing overplay it in an eye-roll kind of way. Not zero times, but not too many. I do think it could be a turn-off for some though. If I had one other complaint, it's that I wish there was at least one more chapter in the middle of Blacktail's journey. Everything from start to finish absolutely makes sense and you can fill in any blanks on the way for sure, I just wish for one more piece in the mid-journey section before the final arc, because he's a great character and his moments of self-reflection are always compelling.

Anyway, yeah, this book is pretty great. Dark, funny, harrowing, horrific, extremely angry, all that good stuff.

[worry]

That was short though so I finished it earlier than expected. Still another week before Malazan.

I blind bought a lot of three T. Kingfisher horror books. Never read anything by her before, just curious, and they were cheap and short. Also figured I'd start with the horror stuff given the season. The Hollow Places; The Twisted Ones; and A House With Good Bones. Those first two don't have particularly inspiring titles so I think I'll start with the third.