[worry]

I'm reading The Casual Vacancy, about 2/3 in right now and enjoying it fairly well. It's, by design and in contrast to HP, not a huge page turner by any means, but it does have pretty well drawn characters and a definite point of view. I wouldn't recommend anyone rush out to get it, but it's meeting (and occasionally surpassing) my medium expectations. I don't think it has the literary ambitions of like Zadie Smith or Jeffrey Eugenides, and it stays pretty modest. And I think I'm just at the part where everything is gonna start hitting the fan, so it might turn into a page turner for the last third. Nobody seems to have mentioned it since that early review thread, so I figured I'd say something.

[JPK]

Just finished my reread of Changes and am now halfway through my reread of Ghost Story. I've found that the Dresdencrack holds up very very well to a reread. Getting very very excited for Cold Days.

After I finish this though, I'm heading full power into The Blinding Knife and then King of Thorns. Suspect I'm going to be spending every moment possible reading this week.

[Tattersail_]

 The Incredible Kitsu, on 07 November 2012 - 08:25 AM, said:

Just finished my reread of Changes and am now halfway through my reread of Ghost Story. I've found that the Dresdencrack holds up very very well to a reread. Getting very very excited for Cold Days.

After I finish this though, I'm heading full power into The Blinding Knife and then King of Thorns. Suspect I'm going to be spending every moment possible reading this week.

I have just started The Blinding Knife and just finished Last Argument of Kings!! I Love reading when it is like this

[JPK]

 Tattersail, on 07 November 2012 - 08:41 AM, said:

 The Incredible Kitsu, on 07 November 2012 - 08:25 AM, said:

Just finished my reread of Changes and am now halfway through my reread of Ghost Story. I've found that the Dresdencrack holds up very very well to a reread. Getting very very excited for Cold Days.

After I finish this though, I'm heading full power into The Blinding Knife and then King of Thorns. Suspect I'm going to be spending every moment possible reading this week.

Agreed. I know for me that it's (at least in part) all this lighthearted stuff after FOD. I loved that book, but Jeebas Almighty it was hard to chew through at times.

I have just started The Blinding Knife and just finished Last Argument of Kings!! I Love reading when it is like this

[Tattersail_]

 The Incredible Kitsu, on 07 November 2012 - 09:16 AM, said:

 Tattersail, on 07 November 2012 - 08:41 AM, said:

 The Incredible Kitsu, on 07 November 2012 - 08:25 AM, said:

Just finished my reread of Changes and am now halfway through my reread of Ghost Story. I've found that the Dresdencrack holds up very very well to a reread. Getting very very excited for Cold Days.

After I finish this though, I'm heading full power into The Blinding Knife and then King of Thorns. Suspect I'm going to be spending every moment possible reading this week.

Agreed. I know for me that it's (at least in part) all this lighthearted stuff after FOD. I loved that book, but Jeebas Almighty it was hard to chew through at times.

I have just started The Blinding Knife and just finished Last Argument of Kings!! I Love reading when it is like this

FoD? I am saving that one for a future read, I don't like starting a trilogy on book one unless it is bought for me

[Use Of Weapons]

 polishgenius, on 06 November 2012 - 12:03 AM, said:

Just started Kate Griffin's new book, the Urban-Magic-but-not-Matthew-Swift-though-he-appears-in-it Stray Souls.

So far... well, you know how the Dresden Files raised the bar in book four and then blew it up in Death Masks? Well, the last book, Minority Council, was book four and it raised the game for the series and now this... is FUCKING. AWESOME. I'm not that far in so there's still time to tail off but I'm not expecting that from Griffin and if she doesn't, well, Cold Days is going to have to go some to be the urban fantasy release of the year.

It's like China Mieville and Terry Pratchett had a baby who's godfather was Neil Gaiman.

I finished this the other day and forgot to write about it. Completely agree with your description. I love how Swift is still there, and his interactions with his PA form a humorous background activity that slightly off-screen. He's still awesome, but Sharon Li is such an excellent character. And there's a real sense of how much larger the magical world is than just Swift in this novel. Griffin has really upped her game in this novel, and I can't wait to see where she goes next with it. It's billed as the first book in the 'Magicals Anonymous' series (the support group for sufferers of magical ailments and conditions that Sharon sets up in the book, and there's plenty of scope for expansion even with just the characters introduced in this first novel. Kevin the OCD vampire, Sally the modern-art-loving banshee, and Gretel the epicurean troll all have much room for exploration, and hint at societies we've yet to encounter. Not to mention the hints of Sharon's luuuurrrve interest, Rhys the Welsh druid who's allergic to stress.

And Griffin's signature sense of place, capturing the feel and reality of London, is as present as ever. I love this series.

[Ain't_It_Just_]

 Baco Xtath, on 22 October 2012 - 06:23 PM, said:

Really wish Mieville would do some more Bas Lag books.

Me too! Though I still have The Scar to enjoy

Today I finished Dorian Gray and the ending was NOT what I expected, to be honest.

Think i'll start Gaiman's Fragile Things, since it's only a lend.

[Serenity]

I've abandoned Heroes Die. Got about 200 pages into it but wasn't feeling the love. Started Bitter Seeds this morning.

[QuickTidal]

 Ain, on 07 November 2012 - 10:49 AM, said:

 Baco Xtath, on 22 October 2012 - 06:23 PM, said:

Really wish Mieville would do some more Bas Lag books.

Me too! Though I still have The Scar to enjoy

Today I finished Dorian Gray and the ending was NOT what I expected, to be honest.

Think i'll start Gaiman's Fragile Things, since it's only a lend.

Aside from SHOGGOTH'S OLD PECULIAR (which is in the previous short fiction anthology SMOKE & MIRRORS and is my all time fave Gaiman short piece), FRAGILE THINGS is the best collection of Gaiman's short work. Because it includes things like THE DAY THE SAUCERS CAME, INSTRUCTIONS, and THE MONARCH OF THE GLEN (the short sequel story to AMERICAN GODS that stars Shadow). It's just a wonderful book. Enjoy!

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 07 November 2012 - 02:03 PM

[End of Disc One]

 Serenity, on 07 November 2012 - 11:07 AM, said:

I've abandoned Heroes Die. Got about 200 pages into it but wasn't feeling the love. Started Bitter Seeds this morning.

I haven't read Heroes Die yet but FWIW I've seen reviews saying that the book gets better in the second half.

[QuickTidal]

 Serenity, on 07 November 2012 - 11:07 AM, said:

I've abandoned Heroes Die. Got about 200 pages into it but wasn't feeling the love. Started Bitter Seeds this morning.

I had to try three times at HEROES DIE to properly get into it. Save it for a try down the road.

But BITTER SEEDS...oh man are you in for a treat! Enjoy that.

[QuickTidal]

Finished my re-read of Denning's STAR BY STAR, and yeah "the part" got me again. The great thing about the end of this book is that it tempts you to go right into Elaine Cunningham's DARK JOURNEY.

I'm not sure what I'll pick up next...hmmm....choices. I'm tempted to start the Vorkosigan books though...

[Serenity]

 End of Disc One, on 07 November 2012 - 02:03 PM, said:

 Serenity, on 07 November 2012 - 11:07 AM, said:

I've abandoned Heroes Die. Got about 200 pages into it but wasn't feeling the love. Started Bitter Seeds this morning.

I haven't read Heroes Die yet but FWIW I've seen reviews saying that the book gets better in the second half.

 QuickTidal, on 07 November 2012 - 02:04 PM, said:

I had to try three times at HEROES DIE to properly get into it. Save it for a try down the road.

Righto, I'll give it another go somewhere down the line. It would be the first book I've picked up on recommendation from people on here that I haven't enjoyed . . . which can't be right!

 QuickTidal, on 07 November 2012 - 02:04 PM, said:

But BITTER SEEDS...oh man are you in for a treat! Enjoy that.

Thanks for the recommendation, btw! I liked the 40 - 50 pages I read this morning

[pat5150]

Just finished Richard Morgan's The Cold Commands. Better than The Steel Remains, but still suffers from a number of shortcomings. . .

Check out the Hotlist for the full review.

Patrick

[Kruppe's snacky cakes]

Started A Fortress Of Grey Ice by J.V. Jones, after recently finishing the first book. All the political shenanigans of a GRRM novel, but in what seems to be a pre-medieval setting. I'm really liking this series so far.

On the YA front, I'm reading The Bone Magician by F.E. Higgins. Creepy good fun...much darker than most kids' books.

After years of waiting for...and forgetting about...MMPB editions of the King Raven trilogy by Stephen R. Lawhead, I finally noticed this exists in an omnibus version. So I snagged a copy for 8 bucks, and of course, had to start reading it right away.

[QuickTidal]

 Kruppe, on 07 November 2012 - 05:22 PM, said:

Started A Fortress Of Grey Ice by J.V. Jones, after recently finishing the first book. All the political shenanigans of a GRRM novel, but in what seems to be a pre-medieval setting. I'm really liking this series so far.

The 1st book has been on my ToRead pile since last Christmas and I've never gotten around to it...how was it?

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 07 November 2012 - 06:02 PM

[Abyss]

 Briar King, on 06 November 2012 - 01:03 AM, said:

 Abyss, on 05 November 2012 - 10:26 PM, said:

Just remember, it steadily gets better, book by book.

Yeah rhulad most find bk 1 the weakest with a huge improvement in bk 2 then shit is just epic balls to the wall from bk 3-6.

 Briar King, on 07 November 2012 - 12:07 AM, said:

What are you waiting for then? Go dust those fuckers off and crack open Furies tonight!

Seriously.
Bk 1 is weak. Especially if you've experienced the later Dresdencrack and are hoping for that level of Butcher. It has its moments but mostly its predictable, archetypical and verges on annoying.
Bk 2 starts that way, and about 20 pages in turns everything on its ear and just launches and each successive book just amps the awesome up even higher. By the end of 2 i don't think i was even remotely tempted to do anything but read the rest of the series straight through and it held that level of my attention without break.

 Use Of Weapons, on 07 November 2012 - 10:25 AM, said:

 polishgenius, on 06 November 2012 - 12:03 AM, said:

Just started Kate Griffin's new book, the Urban-Magic-but-not-Matthew-Swift-though-he-appears-in-it Stray Souls.... this... is FUCKING. AWESOME. ...

I finished this the other day and forgot to write about it. Completely agree with your description. ...I love this series.

Interesting. I had slated her in that stack of generic urban fantasy writers who seemed to always write the crap that ends up in anthologies piggybacking on other actually talented writers.
Will have to check this out now.

 Ain, on 07 November 2012 - 10:49 AM, said:

 Baco Xtath, on 22 October 2012 - 06:23 PM, said:

Really wish Mieville would do some more Bas Lag books.

Me too! Though I still have The Scar to enjoy
...

jealous!
As much as i loved KRAKEN's squiddy goodness, SCAR remains my favourite Mieville work.

 Serenity, on 07 November 2012 - 02:27 PM, said:

 End of Disc One, on 07 November 2012 - 02:03 PM, said:

 Serenity, on 07 November 2012 - 11:07 AM, said:

I've abandoned Heroes Die. Got about 200 pages into it but wasn't feeling the love. ...

I haven't read Heroes Die yet but FWIW I've seen reviews saying that the book gets better in the second half.

 QuickTidal, on 07 November 2012 - 02:04 PM, said:

I had to try three times at HEROES DIE to properly get into it. Save it for a try down the road.

Righto, I'll give it another go somewhere down the line. It would be the first book I've picked up on recommendation from people on here that I haven't enjoyed . . . which can't be right!
...

That ain't right. Push through. Don't make us shun you.

 QuickTidal, on 07 November 2012 - 06:02 PM, said:

 Kruppe, on 07 November 2012 - 05:22 PM, said:

Started A Fortress Of Grey Ice by J.V. Jones, after recently finishing the first book. All the political shenanigans of a GRRM novel, but in what seems to be a pre-medieval setting. I'm really liking this series so far.

The 1st book has been on my ToRead pile since last Christmas and I've never gotten around to it...how was it?

Bleh.
I tried, i really tried. I read FORTRESS and the sequel CAVE OF RED ICE and, just bleh.
Boring characters slogging through boring settings doing boring things in build up to a boring 'big finish' that is more or less the only real action piece in the books.
Not impressed and won't bother with bk 3.
Also didn't like how one apparently important plotline links back to her previous series yet none of the blurbs, marketing or foreword ever reference that, and i can't credit her with writing that plot in a way that someone who hadn't read that series would necessarily understand. I mean, yes, you can see what's going on, its just apparent that there's a link that isn't being explained and not in a Malazan 'start in the middle of the story' way.



On the other side of things QT i picked up BITTER SEEDS and it's on deck after British commandos are done shooting trolls in AGE OF ODIN.

[QuickTidal]

 Abyss, on 07 November 2012 - 08:13 PM, said:

On the other side of things QT i picked up BITTER SEEDS and it's on deck after British commandos are done shooting trolls in AGE OF ODIN.

I hope you dig it sir. I certainly had a blast with it, and more so the sequel.

[acesn8s]

 pat5150, on 07 November 2012 - 04:45 PM, said:

Just finished Richard Morgan's The Cold Commands. Better than The Steel Remains, but still suffers from a number of shortcomings. . .

Check out the Hotlist for the full review.

Patrick

Do you suggest a reread of The Steel Remains before picking up The Cold Commands?

Steel Remains was my first Morgan book. Since then I've read the Kovacs series. I'm trying to figure out if i should reread Steel.

[acesn8s]

I started reading S. M. Sterling's Nantucket series.