[Overactive Imagination]

I'm reading RotCG. Some parts have been a bit weak so far, while others have been awesome. I'm looking forward to learning more about Kyle (and his sword), Traveller and Ereko.

Oh, and for school I'm reading this: Carrie L. Kracl (2012): Review or True? Using Higher-Level Thinking Questions in Social Studies Instruction. The Social Studies, 103:2, 57-60.




..Not half as cool as Malaz.

This post has been edited by Overactive Imagination: 09 October 2012 - 10:49 PM

[worry]

Overactive Imagination, on 09 October 2012 - 10:48 PM, said:

I'm looking forward to learning more about Kyle (and his sword)

Congratulations, you're the first person to ever say these words.

[Use Of Weapons]

Started Tad Williams's _The Dirty Streets of Heaven_ on the train this morning, and I'm already hooked.

[Serenity]

Abyss, on 09 October 2012 - 06:39 PM, said:

ICE STATION by Matt Reilly. I knew nothing about this book except that the back blurb ref'd a "firefight over a drowning pool full of killer whales". A glance thru the first few pages wasn't encouraging but figuring i needed a throwaway book for the trip, i bought it second hand and brought it along. And holy fuck but that is some fine fine action writing. The character development is limitted (he has a female marine nicknamed 'Mother'... because she's a mean-ass motherfucker.... no, seriously....), the plot is a mess (his concept of international espionage is... creative...), the actual text varies from ok to choppy and the perspective is all over the place, but clubfuck me sideways like a baby seal the guy can write a cinematic action scene... everything else is just to move from action scene to action scene and it's FRIKKIN AWESOME. Seriously... i was prepared to be underwhelmed and got the complete opposite. If you see this book cheap somewhere, grab it.

I read that a few years ago and enjoyed it. IIRC, one of the action scenes lasts for about 200 pages, LOL.

I also read Temple, which was pretty much more of the same. Except for the killer whales . . .

Abyss, on 09 October 2012 - 06:39 PM, said:

THE FOREVER WAR by Joe Haldeman. I now understand why this is a sci fi classic. Resembles Heinlien's STARSHIP TROOPERS and Steakley's ARMOR in barely minor ways and stands firm on its own. Worth the read.

Indeed! One of my faves, although I've yet to read the sequels.


I finished Asher's Shadow of the Scorpion and am now reading Jed Rubenfeld's The Interpretation of Murder.

[Abyss]

worrywort, on 09 October 2012 - 10:59 PM, said:

Overactive Imagination, on 09 October 2012 - 10:48 PM, said:

I'm looking forward to learning more about Kyle (and his sword)

Congratulations, you're the first person to ever say these words.

Now why you gotta go bein' all hater like that, eh?

Serenity, on 10 October 2012 - 12:12 PM, said:

Abyss, on 09 October 2012 - 06:39 PM, said:

ICE STATION by Matt Reilly. ... i was prepared to be underwhelmed and got the complete opposite. If you see this book cheap somewhere, grab it.

I read that a few years ago and enjoyed it. IIRC, one of the action scenes lasts for about 200 pages, LOL.

I also read Temple, which was pretty much more of the same. Except for the killer whales . . .

Noted. Orcas don't get nearly enough screen time and tend to be treatd like big dolphins as opposed to pack hunting predators who eat great white sharks for breakfast. These were pretty nasty.

Quote

Abyss, on 09 October 2012 - 06:39 PM, said:

THE FOREVER WAR by Joe Haldeman. I now understand why this is a sci fi classic. Resembles Heinlien's STARSHIP TROOPERS and Steakley's ARMOR in barely minor ways and stands firm on its own. Worth the read.

Indeed! One of my faves, although I've yet to read the sequels.
...

There are sequels?

[Salt-Man Z]

Abyss, on 10 October 2012 - 02:33 PM, said:

Quote

Abyss, on 09 October 2012 - 06:39 PM, said:

THE FOREVER WAR by Joe Haldeman. I now understand why this is a sci fi classic. Resembles Heinlien's STARSHIP TROOPERS and Steakley's ARMOR in barely minor ways and stands firm on its own. Worth the read.

Indeed! One of my faves, although I've yet to read the sequels.

There are sequels?

Yep, Forever Peace was the first (though more of a thematic sequel) followed by a more direct sequel, Forever Free.

[QuickTidal]

Abyss, on 10 October 2012 - 02:33 PM, said:

ICE STATION by Matt Reilly. ... i was prepared to be underwhelmed and got the complete opposite. If you see this book cheap somewhere, grab it.

Quote

I also read Temple, which was pretty much more of the same. Except for the killer whales . . .

Quote

Noted. Orcas don't get nearly enough screen time and tend to be treatd like big dolphins as opposed to pack hunting predators who eat great white sharks for breakfast. These were pretty nasty.

The SEVEN WONDERS book by him (which I tore a new one in my review) that I read had killer crocodiles.

Me sense a theme.

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 10 October 2012 - 03:35 PM

[Hound]

And a novella by Reilly had killer gorillas (HELL ISLAND) and another book had killer polar bears (SCARECROW AND THE ARMY OF THIEVES).

[Abyss]

Salt-Man Z, on 10 October 2012 - 03:21 PM, said:

Abyss, on 10 October 2012 - 02:33 PM, said:

Quote

Abyss, on 09 October 2012 - 06:39 PM, said:

THE FOREVER WAR by Joe Haldeman. I now understand why this is a sci fi classic. Resembles Heinlien's STARSHIP TROOPERS and Steakley's ARMOR in barely minor ways and stands firm on its own. Worth the read.

Indeed! One of my faves, although I've yet to read the sequels.

There are sequels?

Yep, Forever Peace was the first (though more of a thematic sequel) followed by a more direct sequel, Forever Free.

So noted.

QuickTidal, on 10 October 2012 - 03:34 PM, said:

Abyss, on 10 October 2012 - 02:33 PM, said:

ICE STATION by Matt Reilly. ... i was prepared to be underwhelmed and got the complete opposite. If you see this book cheap somewhere, grab it.

Quote

I also read Temple, which was pretty much more of the same. Except for the killer whales . . .

Quote

Noted. Orcas don't get nearly enough screen time and tend to be treatd like big dolphins as opposed to pack hunting predators who eat great white sharks for breakfast. These were pretty nasty.

The SEVEN WONDERS book by him (which I tore a new one in my review) that I read had killer crocodiles.

Me sense a theme.

Hound, on 10 October 2012 - 04:38 PM, said:

And a novella by Reilly had killer gorillas (HELL ISLAND) and another book had killer polar bears (SCARECROW AND THE ARMY OF THIEVES).

A theme indeed.
But do these other books have killer action scenes? ... because given the right state of mind i might suffer the writing again....

[Hound]

Abyss, on 10 October 2012 - 04:46 PM, said:

A theme indeed.
But do these other books have killer action scenes? ... because given the right state of mind i might suffer the writing again....

Yes, especially his SHANE SCHOFIELD/SCARECROW books, of which you've just read the first one (ICE STATION, followed by AREA 7, SCARECROW, HELL ISLAND (= a novella) and SCARECROW AND THE ARMY OF THIEVES). His JACK WEST JR. books (SEVEN ANCIENT WONDERS, THE SIX SACRED STONES and THE FIVE GREATEST WARRIORS) are also quite readable and have tons of action scenes.

[Abyss]

Hound, on 10 October 2012 - 05:05 PM, said:

Abyss, on 10 October 2012 - 04:46 PM, said:

A theme indeed.
But do these other books have killer action scenes? ... because given the right state of mind i might suffer the writing again....

Yes, especially his SHANE SCHOFIELD/SCARECROW books, of which you've just read the first one (ICE STATION, followed by AREA 7, SCARECROW, HELL ISLAND (= a novella) and SCARECROW AND THE ARMY OF THIEVES). His JACK WEST JR. books (SEVEN ANCIENT WONDERS, THE SIX SACRED STONES and THE FIVE GREATEST WARRIORS) are also quite readable and have tons of action scenes.

Cool. Scarecrow at least was borderline interesting. The rest of the squad were pretty much stock disposeable characters altho Mother did provide a few moments of entertainment

Spoiler

notably when she stabbed a killer whale in the face while it was chewing off her leg

. And the seal was surprisingly badass.

[Hound]

Yeah, actually Reilly's books are really quite bad..... but I like them, because they have their entertaining moments and I like my occasional once in a while silly books..... The books are so bad, they become fun to read.

[Abyss]

Hound, on 10 October 2012 - 05:27 PM, said:

Yeah, actually Reilly's books are really quite bad..... but I like them, because they have their entertaining moments and I like my occasional once in a while silly books..... The books are so bad, they become fun to read.

He's like the Michael Bay of action lit!

[Defiance]

Going to start Jim Butcher's Storm Front later tonight. I've heard a lot of good things about the Dresden novels, so I have pretty high expectations.

[amphibian]

Defiance, on 10 October 2012 - 06:17 PM, said:

Going to start Jim Butcher's Storm Front later tonight. I've heard a lot of good things about the Dresden novels, so I have pretty high expectations.

I do recommend that you temper your expectation levels for the first couple. The "enjoyment/expectation curve" should look like an upwardly rising curve. Start off low by expecting a decent wizard-in-the-modern-city novel.

That'll get you through the first two (quick reads). The third one should get you saying "Hey, I like this a lot!" and the fourth, by the time you are finished with it, should have you saying "Oh jeez, I need the next books right away."

[QuickTidal]

I believe my review for SEVEN DEADLY WONDERS was 1-star at Amazon...(of which there are 66 1-star reviews)...and I commented on the fact that he would describe a setting for a page and then show me a diagram of it...then WHY did he tell me about it instead of just saying "refer to diagram 2.b".

But yeah, hated it.

I think I said it was like a 12 year old kid had just played an action packed video game and was relating the story to me....

And isn't the author guilty of this (!!!!!!)? I can't recall if it was him, but when a professional writer uses more than one exclamation point...they are a shitty writer.

[stone monkey]

Currently reading, in no particular order of importance; The Fractal Prince by Hannu Rajaniemi, Defending The Realm: The Authorised History of MI5 by Christopher Andrews and The Hydrogen Sonata by Iain M Banks. They're all fun in quite markedly different ways.

[Abyss]

Defiance, on 10 October 2012 - 06:17 PM, said:

Going to start Jim Butcher's Storm Front later tonight. I've heard a lot of good things about the Dresden novels, so I have pretty high expectations.

Mwa ha haaa...

[Macros]

Started forge of darkness.
Confused so far to say the least

[acesn8s]

Finished Changes and Side Jobs last night. On to Ghost Story. I DL'ed FoD last night.