[Baco Xtath]

Went fly fishing today up in the mountains for about 8 hrs and listened to Last Light of the Sun by Guy Gavriel Kay on my iphone the whole time including the 2hr drive there and back. It's really good and I'm actually looking forward to painting my house this week and finishing it off. Aside from that I'm reading Red Seas under Red Skies by Scott Lynch; it got poor reviews, or so I found, but I'm actually really enjoying it. Also dragging through Lake of the Long Sun by Gene Wolfe; I'm determined to read the whole solar cycle as my bedside reading, though at times I wish to surrender (it may be better reading if I were to take down 100 pages a night but I'm only doing 5 - 10 so it's grueling).

[Obdigore]

Boco, Red Seas under Red Skies was a good-ish book, but compared to Lies of Locke Lamora it wasn't the same standard and the ship parts were just... off, at least to me, and that is a lot of what I saw the reviewers talking about. I still enjoyed it, but I hope the next one is more Lies and Less Seas.

[Use Of Weapons]

Was in London for an interview yesterday (went well, thanks for asking), and on my way back I chanced to stop by Forbidden Planet and picked up _Initiate's Trial_, Book 9 of the Wars of Light and Shadow by Janny Wurts and book 1 in the penultimate arc of the entire series, the Sword of the Canon. It leaps forward over 200 years from our last encounter with all the major players, so there's a bit of a time wrench to deal with, but it's still fun.

Also grabbed Catherine Asaro's latest novel in her enormous Skolian Empire saga, _Carnelians_. I freaking love this series. It treads a fine line between ultra-hard SF (Asaro is a practising particle physicist) and romance, with some clever world building and great action thrown in. One of her romance plots has the characters acting the parts of sub-atomic particles in quantum entanglement. How cool is that?

[QuickTidal]

UseOfWeapons, on 17 November 2011 - 01:55 PM, said:

Was in London for an interview yesterday (went well, thanks for asking), and on my way back I chanced to stop by Forbidden Planet and picked up _Initiate's Trial_, Book 9 of the Wars of Light and Shadow by Janny Wurts and book 1 in the penultimate arc of the entire series, the Sword of the Canon. It leaps forward over 200 years from our last encounter with all the major players, so there's a bit of a time wrench to deal with, but it's still fun.

I have CURSE OF THE MISTWRAITH on my ToRead list as I love meaty series like this, but just haven't gotten round to it yet.

As it stands, though I am also balls deep into SKYRIM (level 16 don't'cha'know), I am about halfway through Barclay's DAWNTHIEF and let me tell you that a widget-quest fantasy novel goes PERFECTLY alongside a quest-based RPG game. The two are working hand in had to entertain me endlessly.

Up next, either TIGANA (GGK), EXCESSSION (Banks), or THE GIRL WHO CIRCUMNAVIGATED FAIRYLAND IN A SHIP OF HER OWN MAKING (Cat. M. Valente)...haven't decided yet.

[Abyss]

QuickTidal, on 17 November 2011 - 04:08 PM, said:

... though I am also balls deep into SKYRIM (level 16 don't'cha'know), I am about halfway through Barclay's DAWNTHIEF and let me tell you that a widget-quest fantasy novel goes PERFECTLY alongside a quest-based RPG game. The two are working hand in had to entertain me endlessly...

Heh... i can see how that would work.


Funny thing about Barclay... i liked, tho far from loved, his first RAVEN trilo 'Chronicles of the Raven'. It's essentially two widget quests and a save the princess run. And one of the things that bothered me, and this is a general observation, not a spoiler, were the repeated statements that the Raven are something awesome and exceptional... Barclay suffered a bit from show me don't tell me fail.

Now i'm 3/4 thru ELFSORROW, the first book of his second trilo 'Legends of the Raven', and the jump in quality, widget-chase notwithstanding, is huge, especially on the Raven-are-awesome point. Virtually every time someone says some variation of 'We're the Raven. This is what we do.' (and there are quite a lot) it's almost shiver-worthy and usually followed by pages of great stabby/ker-splodey action.

I wouldn't necessarily suggest someone who wasn't enjoying the first trilo push through to the second, because that's a LOT of pages on spec, but if you happened to have read the CHRONICLES and decide you had enough, you might want to consider checking out LEGENDS.


When the widget quest gets tiresome, i still have a re-read of Morgan's THE COLD COMMANDS on the side. Gotta say, this book is approaching Malazan levels of things you can catch the second time around.

[QuickTidal]

Abyss, on 17 November 2011 - 05:37 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 17 November 2011 - 04:08 PM, said:

... though I am also balls deep into SKYRIM (level 16 don't'cha'know), I am about halfway through Barclay's DAWNTHIEF and let me tell you that a widget-quest fantasy novel goes PERFECTLY alongside a quest-based RPG game. The two are working hand in had to entertain me endlessly...

Heh... i can see how that would work.


Funny thing about Barclay... i liked, tho far from loved, his first RAVEN trilo 'Chronicles of the Raven'. It's essentially two widget quests and a save the princess run. And one of the things that bothered me, and this is a general observation, not a spoiler, were the repeated statements that the Raven are something awesome and exceptional... Barclay suffered a bit from show me don't tell me fail.

Now i'm 3/4 thru ELFSORROW, the first book of his second trilo 'Legends of the Raven', and the jump in quality, widget-chase notwithstanding, is huge, especially on the Raven-are-awesome point. Virtually every time someone says some variation of 'We're the Raven. This is what we do.' (and there are quite a lot) it's almost shiver-worthy and usually followed by pages of great stabby/ker-splodey action.

I wouldn't necessarily suggest someone who wasn't enjoying the first trilo push through to the second, because that's a LOT of pages on spec, but if you happened to have read the CHRONICLES and decide you had enough, you might want to consider checking out LEGENDS.

Cool. Yeah, I am really enjoying DAWNTHIEF so if the rest of the books get better, then I'm in for the long haul with them. I'm surprised it's taken me this long to get to reading them. I will say that it is nice to sink my teeth into a series that has so many books already.

[Salt-Man Z]

Man, I've seen a number of books from Barclay's various series on the clearance racks for $2. I always talked myself out of picking them up, but shoot.

[Dolorous Menhir]

Baco Xtath, on 17 November 2011 - 01:18 AM, said:

Went fly fishing today up in the mountains for about 8 hrs and listened to Last Light of the Sun by Guy Gavriel Kay on my iphone the whole time including the 2hr drive there and back. It's really good and I'm actually looking forward to painting my house this week and finishing it off. Aside from that I'm reading Red Seas under Red Skies by Scott Lynch; it got poor reviews, or so I found, but I'm actually really enjoying it. Also dragging through Lake of the Long Sun by Gene Wolfe; I'm determined to read the whole solar cycle as my bedside reading, though at times I wish to surrender (it may be better reading if I were to take down 100 pages a night but I'm only doing 5 - 10 so it's grueling).

Sounds like you are not enjoying The Book of the Long Sun. Stick with it. The story of Patera Silk has been one of the most rich and rewarding I've ever read. And when it's done, The Book of the Short Sun follows.

[Salt-Man Z]

I actually think Lake of the Long Sun was the highlight of the series for me. I'll be doing the entire Solar Cycle coming up in a month or two here (4th time through BotNS, 2nd for BotLS, and first time reading BotSS.)

[T77]

Salt-Man Z, on 17 November 2011 - 11:58 PM, said:

I actually think Lake of the Long Sun was the highlight of the series for me.

Agreed, I liked the first two Long Sun books, but struggled with the last two.  I'm about halfway into the first Short Sun book and it is incredible so far!

This post has been edited by T77: 18 November 2011 - 03:02 PM

[Morgoth]

I finished REAMDE by Stephenson, and though it was nothing like what I expected I enjoyed it immensely. A brilliant thriller several levels above what the big thriller writers are capable of writing.

I've now started on Summer Tree, the first book in the Fionavar Tapestry, though I might take some time finishing as my xbox will be returned to my longing embrace this evening and Skyrim is already waiting.

I've had a burst of Kay reading this last month or so, and have more or less enshrined the man up with Wolfe and Cook as one of my favorite fantasy writers.

[Abyss]

QuickTidal, on 17 November 2011 - 07:57 PM, said:

Abyss, on 17 November 2011 - 05:37 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 17 November 2011 - 04:08 PM, said:

... though I am also balls deep into SKYRIM (level 16 don't'cha'know), I am about halfway through Barclay's DAWNTHIEF and let me tell you that a widget-quest fantasy novel goes PERFECTLY alongside a quest-based RPG game. The two are working hand in had to entertain me endlessly...

Heh... i can see how that would work.


Funny thing about Barclay......
I wouldn't necessarily suggest someone who wasn't enjoying the first trilo push through to the second, because that's a LOT of pages on spec, but if you happened to have read the CHRONICLES and decide you had enough, you might want to consider checking out LEGENDS.

Cool. Yeah, I am really enjoying DAWNTHIEF so if the rest of the books get better, then I'm in for the long haul with them. I'm surprised it's taken me this long to get to reading them. I will say that it is nice to sink my teeth into a series that has so many books already.

The series gets a lot of flack, not entirely unwarranted in some respects. I only picked it up because i found 1-4 and 6 in a cheapy bin and figured wtf. Having just finished 4 and totally enjoyed, i have to acquire 5 asap. Then 7.

Salt-Man Z, on 17 November 2011 - 09:10 PM, said:

Man, I've seen a number of books from Barclay's various series on the clearance racks for $2. I always talked myself out of picking them up, but shoot.

Hey it worked for me. Tho i can't comment on anything other than his RAVEN series'.


Just finished ELFSORROW. Gotta say that for a 400 or so page widget chase Barclay not only kept the pace but managed to throw in more and more interesting character development than the first three combined. It's like in the first three we were supposed to just take his word for it but in 4 he finally gets around to showing the reader just what he's been telling us for 1200 pages or so. Honestly if the first 3 had been this good the writer would have way more fans.
And that finale... fuck me but the man can write a fight scene. Followed by a fight scene. Followed by yet another fight scene and yet it builds as opposed to getting tiresome.


Have a few GNs from the library lined up now for a change of pace, then we'll see whether book 5 or something from the TRP wins out.

[Tattersail_]

I really enjoyed reading The Black Prism. I thought it was enjoyable throughout and will happily purchase the next one.



I have started reading The Gunslinger. Not far in, but it's going okay.

[jdiddyesquire]

Tattersail, on 18 November 2011 - 03:36 PM, said:

I really enjoyed reading The Black Prism. I thought it was enjoyable throughout and will happily purchase the next one.



I have started reading The Gunslinger. Not far in, but it's going okay.

I really enjoyed the characters much more in Black Prism than I did in his Night Angel Trilogy. Gavin and Kip both had great layers, I thought.

[Baco Xtath]

Dolorous Menhir, on 17 November 2011 - 11:29 PM, said:

Baco Xtath, on 17 November 2011 - 01:18 AM, said:

Went fly fishing today up in the mountains for about 8 hrs and listened to Last Light of the Sun by Guy Gavriel Kay on my iphone the whole time including the 2hr drive there and back. It's really good and I'm actually looking forward to painting my house this week and finishing it off. Aside from that I'm reading Red Seas under Red Skies by Scott Lynch; it got poor reviews, or so I found, but I'm actually really enjoying it. Also dragging through Lake of the Long Sun by Gene Wolfe; I'm determined to read the whole solar cycle as my bedside reading, though at times I wish to surrender (it may be better reading if I were to take down 100 pages a night but I'm only doing 5 - 10 so it's grueling).

Sounds like you are not enjoying The Book of the Long Sun. Stick with it. The story of Patera Silk has been one of the most rich and rewarding I've ever read. And when it's done, The Book of the Short Sun follows.

I like it alright but I think the stretch of time that it's taking me to read it is the problem. I put my daughter to bed at 8 p.m. and read my main book until 10, then I get in bed and read my bedside book for 15 minutes max. The pace of the book and my allotted time for it are at odds, I believe, and that's my problem with it. Before Long Sun, my bedside books were primarily short stories: Galactic North, Zima Blue, Pump Six, Looking for Jake..etc. If I finally do surrender, I'll simply make Book of the Long Sun, my main book and I'll knock it out pretty quick.

[Salt-Man Z]

Morgoth, on 18 November 2011 - 02:59 PM, said:

I finished REAMDE by Stephenson, and though it was nothing like what I expected I enjoyed it immensely. A brilliant thriller several levels above what the big thriller writers are capable of writing.

I'm glad you enjoyed it!

Check out this great review of Reamde in comic form.

[Fist Gamet]

Recently finished The Way of Kings (part two) and give it a solid seven Knights Radiant out of ten. It's taken a long time to get really interesting but I am looking forwards to the next installment.
Now enjoying a re-read of Legion of Videssos, Turtledove, alongside The Rise and Fall of The British Empire, Lawrence James. Two very very different books but that tends to work nicely for me.

Oh, and noticed a few mentions for Barclay's Dawnthief...another of those books I could not finish as it was, imho, a poor, generic, dull retelling of somebody's RPG gaming nights. I'd steer well clear, plenty of great books out there to read instead.

[QuickTidal]

Finishing up DAWNTHIEF by Barclay. Really good fantasy quest book with a few twists things I wasn't expecting to happen at all. Much better written than I expected as well. Will defo pick up the next book in the series.

And of course Moses's interview with SE has made my Malazan-jones show back up so I will be continuing with my full-series re-read with DEADHOUSE GATES next since I've got no more series got-to-read-it-now books coming out... till mid-December when I will be getting an ARC of the final book in Michael J. Sullivan's Ryria series (PERCEPLIQUIS) from Orbit. Other than that my end of year reading is wide open for choices.

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 19 November 2011 - 01:56 PM

[McLovin]

200 pages into ADWD and LOVING it.

[acesn8s]

Finished Dragonfly Falling. Moving on to a re-read of Snow Crash. I haven't read it since it first came out.