[Use Of Weapons]

Even aside from all the smoking.

[Deornoth]

Finished reading Michael Shea's 'The Extra', where impoverished people go up against giant mechanical spiders (to earn big money) on film for the entertainment of the masses. This book treads ground that is already well trodden, and some of the social commentary is a little heavy handed, but it's still a lot of fun and highly recommended by me! My full review is over Here. I'm now finishing off 'Farlander' as well as Christopher Golden's 'Zombie' anthology.

[teholbeddict]

Currently reading The Reckoning by Sharon Kay Penman, which is the last book of her Welsh triology. I took with me on holiday and meant to have it finished by now, but as usual when on vacation I plan to read and then don't even get a page done. The second book of the series was fantastic, much better than the first and that's saying alot as the first one was excellent. I expect this last book will finish strongly because the woman has yet to write a bad book.

[Salt-Man Z]

Finished Grave Peril last night. I thought you guys said this was supposed to be even better than the first two? It was certainly more fantastical. But I miss the real-word grounding that the first two books had. Also, it seemed like it was the third book in a completely different series; with references to stuff that never got mentioned in the first two books: Michael, Harry's godmother, Kravos, etc. Not that it wasn't good, I just didn't find it up to the level of the previous two. I've got the next two books checked out from the library, so I'll be reading those next. Hoping to see more of good ol' Murph.

[caladanbrood]

polishgenius, on 23 February 2010 - 01:15 PM, said:

Just to be different, I'm currently rereading The Scar for the fourth time. Damn I love that book.

I love me some Mieville, The Scar is probably just about better than PSS. The endings still suck, mind you.





Trying to jump into The Gathering Storm, I really am. Somehow I can't make myself do it though. Damn

[QuickTidal]

Salt-Man Z, on 23 February 2010 - 06:20 PM, said:

Finished Grave Peril last night. I thought you guys said this was supposed to be even better than the first two? It was certainly more fantastical. But I miss the real-word grounding that the first two books had. Also, it seemed like it was the third book in a completely different series; with references to stuff that never got mentioned in the first two books: Michael, Harry's godmother, Kravos, etc. Not that it wasn't good, I just didn't find it up to the level of the previous two. I've got the next two books checked out from the library, so I'll be reading those next. Hoping to see more of good ol' Murph.

You gotta remember that Butcher wrote the first two in school as a creative writing project, and they both follow much the same formula (Case---->Spells designed with Bob that will be of use later--->Baddie smacks Dresden down---->Dresden solves mystery---->everything makes some sort of sense and his live gets back to normal...wizarding normal anyways---->), whereas Grave Peril brings you into Dresden's world proper, and stuff like Michael, Godmother Lea, Kravos are meant to say to us...you knew two case files before, but Harry's world is so much larger, so the stuff we didn't know included characters. There was no reason to bring those people into the first two books. The good thing about Grave Peril, other than the Nightmare which was cool, is the way that at that vampire party, all hell breaks loose! |Trust me, these books change with book 3 for the better. Keep at it.

[caladanbrood]

 

caladanbrood, on 23 February 2010 - 06:54 PM, said:

Trying to jump into The Gathering Storm, I really am. Somehow I can't make myself do it though. Damn

OK, so I've read the first chapter, and I have completely forgotten what's going on with who from the previous book. Just like each of the last four WoT books. Dammit

[Puck]

I'm now jumping straight into Wizard and Glass. Considering all the fuss I hear about it, it's gotta be damned good

This post has been edited by Puck: 24 February 2010 - 08:11 PM

[LadyMTL]

I finished reading City of Saints and Madmen last night and then started Thing of Beauty by Steven Fried. It's a biography about Gia Carangi, a supermodel in the early 80's who got addicted to heroin and died of AIDS.

I'm debating whether or not to buy Shriek because I did like City...but didn't adore it. What to do, what to do...

[Astra]

teholbeddict, on 23 February 2010 - 06:11 PM, said:

Currently reading The Reckoning by Sharon Kay Penman, which is the last book of her Welsh triology. I took with me on holiday and meant to have it finished by now, but as usual when on vacation I plan to read and then don't even get a page done. The second book of the series was fantastic, much better than the first and that's saying alot as the first one was excellent. I expect this last book will finish strongly because the woman has yet to write a bad book.

Sounds interesting. I will have a look at it.

P.S. although I think (if I remember correctly) I checked it and didn't find any ebook editions.

This post has been edited by Astra: 25 February 2010 - 03:52 PM

[acesn8s]

caladanbrood, on 23 February 2010 - 06:54 PM, said:

polishgenius, on 23 February 2010 - 01:15 PM, said:

Just to be different, I'm currently rereading The Scar for the fourth time. Damn I love that book.

I love me some Mieville, The Scar is probably just about better than PSS. The endings still suck, mind you.





Trying to jump into The Gathering Storm, I really am. Somehow I can't make myself do it though. Damn

I read King Rat a few years ago and wasn't too impressed. Are Mieville's other books similar?

[Deornoth]

Finished reading Christopher Golden's 'Zombie' anthology, there are some excellent stories here although I'd debate whether others were actually zombie stories at all. I also finished Col Buchanan's 'Farlander', a book that starts out bearing no small resemblance to 'Gardens of the Moon' but goes on to find it's own voice in the best possible way. My review is over Here. I'm now reading James Swallow's 'Black Tide'.

[polishgenius]

Not really. I started reading King Rat for the first time a couple of days ago, and the main effect was for me to start rereading The Scar because he just gets so much more accomplished then.

I can't really comment on plot and character, I didn't get far enough. Though I haven't given up on it just yet.

[caladanbrood]

acesn8s, on 25 February 2010 - 04:03 PM, said:

caladanbrood, on 23 February 2010 - 06:54 PM, said:

polishgenius, on 23 February 2010 - 01:15 PM, said:

Just to be different, I'm currently rereading The Scar for the fourth time. Damn I love that book.

I love me some Mieville, The Scar is probably just about better than PSS. The endings still suck, mind you.





Trying to jump into The Gathering Storm, I really am. Somehow I can't make myself do it though. Damn

I read King Rat a few years ago and wasn't too impressed.  Are Mieville's other books similar?

Perdido Street Station and The Scar are both considerably better than King Rat. Iron Council is a bit weaker, though. 

This post has been edited by caladanbrood: 25 February 2010 - 07:30 PM

[acesn8s]

I'll have to pick Perdido Street Station up after I finish The Simarillion. I just wrapped up The Burning Lands by Bernard Cornwell. It's the latest in his Saxon Tales. I think it was the weakest of the series so far.

[PeterWilliam]

Finished Conqueror's Moon, by Julian May. Moving on to the second book of her series, Ironcrown Moon.

[Astra]

Just finished When True Nights Falls by Celia S. Friedman Coldfire Trilogy, Book 2 and started Crown of Shadows Coldfire Trilogy, Book 3(and the last in the trilogy).

I would say I expected a bit more from the series considering how much price it receives on the Internet. Though it is not bad. 6-7 out of 10.
Damien annoys me with his religious fervency and preaching and prayers. I would not miss him if he were to go. If not for him, I would rate the series 8 out of 10.

On the other hand, I do like Tarrant.

Spoiler

Jenseny's sacrifice probably is the most powerful moment and it was sad to loose Hesseth

The Epilogue is also very intriguing and gripping and I am looking forward to read the last book.

[Ain't_It_Just_]

caladanbrood, on 25 February 2010 - 07:29 PM, said:

acesn8s, on 25 February 2010 - 04:03 PM, said:

caladanbrood, on 23 February 2010 - 06:54 PM, said:

polishgenius, on 23 February 2010 - 01:15 PM, said:

Just to be different, I'm currently rereading The Scar for the fourth time. Damn I love that book.

I love me some Mieville, The Scar is probably just about better than PSS. The endings still suck, mind you.





Trying to jump into The Gathering Storm, I really am. Somehow I can't make myself do it though. Damn

I read King Rat a few years ago and wasn't too impressed.  Are Mieville's other books similar?

Perdido Street Station and The Scar are both considerably better than King Rat. Iron Council is a bit weaker, though. 

Is The Scar similar to PSS?

[kcf]

I finished up The Conqueror's Shadow by Ari Marmell - it is a really snarky sword and sorcery book that stands well on its own form a mainly tie-in fiction writer (this is his first venture into true original fiction). Good stuff. (full review)

Next up is Spellwright by Blake Charlton - if the rest holds up as well as the prologue has, this is going to be a fun, intelligent book.

[Bauchelain the Evil]

Finished Meomories of a bitch by Francesca Petrizzo. Basically Helen of Troy tells her story in first person. A very good book, I was impressed.