[QuickTidal]

So I've started into DOCTOR WHO: A WRITER'S TALE by Russell T. Davies and Ben Cook, but it's a behemoth that I won't be able to consume in one go so I'll probably handle it in section by section. Currently some good stuff about how Donna was originally not Donna at all, but a youngish girl named Penny....though Wilf was always there as the doddering old grandfather with a telescope. It's really quite interesting to see how the 4th series shaped up, what was there and what wasn't. The Pompeii episode was originally meant to be Nazi's in a museum, but RTD worried he'd already done WWII enough. Moffat's Vashta Nerada/Library ep was already being written. All really interesting though, it's just a huge book that I can't do in one pop.

So, I've got either THE PARADISE PROPHECY by Robert Browne (yeah, this is like a Rollins-ish thriller it seems) or MOZART'S LAST ARIA by Matt Rees (a thriller that stars Mozart's sister Nannerl investigating his death as he sent her a secretive letter claiming he was being poisoned) which sounds awesome. Barring that I might stay in the DOCTOR WHO vein and finally get around to reading PRISONER OF THE DALEKS on my Kindle. So many choices!

[Bauchelain the Evil]

QuickTidal, on 19 August 2011 - 12:59 PM, said:

MOZART'S LAST ARIA by Matt Rees (a thriller that stars Mozart's sister Nannerl investigating his death as he sent her a secretive letter claiming he was being poisoned) which sounds awesome.

I bet it was Salieri who did it

[QuickTidal]

Bauchelain the Evil, on 19 August 2011 - 01:17 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 19 August 2011 - 12:59 PM, said:

MOZART'S LAST ARIA by Matt Rees (a thriller that stars Mozart's sister Nannerl investigating his death as he sent her a secretive letter claiming he was being poisoned) which sounds awesome.

I bet it was Salieri who did it

Or as LAST ACTION HERO taught us...F. Murray Abraham

LOL!

[Salk Elan]

I just finished the book and must say I'm really amazed how enthralling the second half was, and I completely agree with Werthead's review regarding Mark Lawrence handling his post-apocalyptic world far better than Paul Hoffman.

amphibian, on 19 August 2011 - 02:49 AM, said:

As for the Mary Sue accusations, it may seem like that at first, but you quickly learn that Jorg is small time in everything he's managed to achieve before the book starts.

I partly agree. True, a lot of explanation takes place in the second half of the book (actually, 15 pages later my first opinion wouldn't have been so harsh), but for me he still seems to have possessed many talents he could not possible have acquire as a ten years old, already back when he left, and before the crucial encounter happened, and even his supernatural luck didn't seem to have left him in the end.
Apart from that he was characterised very plausible.

-------------

My next book is going to be Feersum Endjinn by Ian M. Banks.

[Fist Gamet]

Obdigore, on 17 August 2011 - 07:36 PM, said:

King Kazma, on 17 August 2011 - 04:10 PM, said:

Fist Gamet, on 17 August 2011 - 04:09 PM, said:

Finished The Way of Kings, part one. Much better than I expected, has a couple of very interesting story arcs and one dull one, but imaginative and well written. Recommended.

Esplain.

don't say Shallan...don't say Shallan.....

You know thats what he will say. I want to know what she is seeing when she draws. That thing could get really creepy really quickly.

Sorry, but yes. Shallan's arc just doesn't work for me. I am expecting it to get far more lively in the second part but the whole naive young girl discovering the world isn't black and white, just bores me. I don't find her particularly likeable and her wit smacks of a selfish and spiteful nature. The true test for me is that I find myself skimming over her parts to to get to the others.

[Fist Gamet]

UseOfWeapons, on 17 August 2011 - 05:07 PM, said:

Glokta has a claim to being the best new character in fantasy this century

Agreed, just don't get tired reading about him. Alas between Glotka and Logen, I cannot decide which is my favourite! The Bloody-Nine is awesome!

[MWKarsa]

Finished up Book 6 of the Dresden Files Blood Rites and it was entertaining like the previous 5. This morning I decided to finally give The Game of Thrones a read as I bought the first 3 books of that series awhile back and it's time I gave it a shot.

This post has been edited by MWKarsa: 22 August 2011 - 04:08 PM

[Rhand]

Finished A Storm of Swords by G.R.R. Martin. Gods, it is GOOD. A Feast For Crows here I come!

[Salt-Man Z]

Finished Brent Weeks' The Way of Shadows. It didn't impress me much to start with, but I got hooked in eventually. And holy crap, you know the whole "no character is safe" cliche? Yeah, Brent Weeks invented that bad boy. Wow. Looking foward to the rest of the trilogy, but first I gotta read Star Wars: Vortex by Troy Denning.

[QuickTidal]

Salt-Man Z, on 22 August 2011 - 04:23 PM, said:

Finished Brent Weeks' The Way of Shadows. It didn't impress me much to start with, but I got hooked in eventually. And holy crap, you know the whole "no character is safe" cliche? Yeah, Brent Weeks invented that bad boy. Wow. Looking foward to the rest of the trilogy, but first I gotta read Star Wars: Vortex by Troy Denning.

Let me know how VORTEX is, I was disappointed with ALLIES and hoped Denning to amp it back up.

[HoosierDaddy]

Finished Dies the Fire, by S.M. Stirling (or something like that). Found myself skimming quite a bit for three reasons:

1. The prose isn't exactly stellar.
2. Suffers viciously from "traveling" syndrome
3. Two main POV's, one of which just simply annoyed me so badly I couldn't wait to finish their sections. I get it. She is a witch/wiccan/pagan. I don't need reminded every 10 words. EVERY 10 WORDS.

Kind of started the second, but not really enthused about it. Might just read something else.

[Mentalist]

Rhand, on 22 August 2011 - 04:14 PM, said:

Finished A Storm of Swords by G.R.R. Martin. Gods, it is GOOD. A Feast For Crows here I come!

make sure to have A dance with Dragons handy when you finish....

I've recalled that I never finished Asher's 4'th Polity novel "Polity Agent"

so, reading that now.

This post has been edited by Mentalist: 23 August 2011 - 02:40 AM

[worry]

I'm reading Un Lun Dun. I bought four China Mievelle books based on his general reputation here and elsewhere. Started with this one, didn't realize it was a "young adult" book but it's decent so far anyway.

[MWKarsa]

QuickTidal, on 22 August 2011 - 04:30 PM, said:

Let me know how VORTEX is, I was disappointed with ALLIES and hoped Denning to amp it back up.

VORTEX is much better than ALLIES but the series is starting to lag with the different authors and trying to make the entire series flow together with their own styles. Golden is really a terrible author and I'm not looking forward to her next entry in the series.

[Abyss]

Fist Gamet, on 21 August 2011 - 01:48 PM, said:

UseOfWeapons, on 17 August 2011 - 05:07 PM, said:

Glokta has a claim to being the best new character in fantasy this century

Agreed, just don't get tired reading about him. Alas between Glotka and Logen, I cannot decide which is my favourite! The Bloody-Nine is awesome!

Thirded re Glokta. One of the best things about that series.

Salt-Man Z, on 22 August 2011 - 04:23 PM, said:

Finished Brent Weeks' The Way of Shadows. It didn't impress me much to start with, but I got hooked in eventually. And holy crap, you know the whole "no character is safe" cliche? Yeah, Brent Weeks invented that bad boy. Wow. Looking foward to the rest of the trilogy...

It gets better.

As for moi, Butcher's ALERA book 4 done and enjoyed. Will comment elsethread.

Also Martin Millar's THE GOOD FAERIES OF NEW YORK... i don't think i have ever used the word 'charming' to describe a book but it totally fits. It's silly and trite but even so it works as a quick read.

Also Richard Kadrey's BUTCHER BIRD. Not Kadrey's best work, but entertaining enough for a freebie he gave away online.

Next up, ROBOPOCALYPSE!

[Serenity]

Can I just say how much I loved Hyperion from start to finish. Amazing novel. I'm actually quite disappointed that there are sequels, cos for me that ending was just perfect. Of course, I'll read them anyway.

After that I read Emphyrio by Jack Vance, which I didn't think I'd like but ended up really enjoying, then The Hanging Shed by Gordon Ferris, which was kind of like Scotland's answer to Jack Reacher but not as good (and I got annoyed every time a character said "ah ken, ah ken" or described something as "wee" ).

Now I'm reading Fool Moon.

Another vote for Glokta here.

[QuickTidal]

Its funny, I posted upthread how I'd purchased Russel T. Davies & Ben Cook's A WRITER'S TALE, a mammoth book of emails and scripts ect. that went into Series 4 and the specials of DOCTOR WHO and how I'd never be able to read it all at once...and yet here I find myself days later still avidly reading it from page to page...with no thoughts to pick up a fiction book till I am done with this one.

The insight into a writers life alone is interesting, but when it concerns my fave show...

Anyways, I didn't expect this book to be this goddamned readable!

[FastBen]

I'm about 150 pages into Reaper's Gale at the moment. I took a break from Malazan to read some Bakker and A Dance With Dragons but now I realize I've been having some serious Malazan withdrawals. Lether is really my favorite continent.

I'm also about 150 pages into American Gods by Neil Gaiman - so far so good.

And I'm just beginning Summer Knight by Jim Butcher. I was seriously underwhelmed by the first 3 books of the Dresden series. I was expecting a lot from all the hype and though the books aren't bad - they really haven't pulled me in like I thought they would. I'm going to give it a couple more books, since I already purchased them and I'm hoping it gets better.

[Abyss]

FastBen, on 24 August 2011 - 07:36 AM, said:

...And I'm just beginning Summer Knight by Jim Butcher ... I'm hoping it gets better.

heh heh heee...

[pat5150]

Just finished the excellent The Inheritance and Other Stories, a collection of short fiction by Robin Hobb/Megan Lindholm. If you are a fan of the author, you should definitely give it a shot.

Check out the full review on the blog. . .

Patrick