[Serenity]

Finished Wyndham's The Kraken Wakes and started on Vernor Vinge's A Deepness in the Sky.

[Baco Xtath]

Graablick, on 07 October 2013 - 08:42 AM, said:

Baco Xtath, on 06 October 2013 - 11:11 PM, said:

Bout 1/2 way through Great North Road and I'm not really impressed. Oh well, better than listening to the radio. Also about a 1/3 of the way through listening to Redemption Ark (read before) and really enjoying it - again. Haven't read a thing in two weeks as the wife and I have discovered Breaking Bad. Next listens are Blood Song and either Promise of Blood or the Judging Eye (though I may wait on this one until Unholy gets a release date).

Just drop GNR and jump over to Blood Song or Promise of Blood. GNR doesn't get any better.

Alright. Dropped. But can you answer me how some stuff ends? See me over in spoiler thread.

[polishgenius]

Currently starting The Kings of Eternity, by Eric Brown. Kind of excited for this because I've been circling this for years for some reason: while Brown is kind of up-and-down, when he's good he's very, very good and this has a reputation as one of his best.

[JPK]

Just finished The Darkest Road. I'm really glad that I read Fionavar before any of his other works after seeing elsethread that it's almost always considered either the very least or second least enjoyable of GGK's works. I think I'm going to read Tigana soon and save the stuff that is universally praised for a little farther down the list.

Next up I'm starting a reread of The Fellowship of the Rings. I've realized that I've been on kick lately of rereading things that I last read either in high school or very shortly afterwards lately. I'm ok with this.

[rhulad]

Just finished the first two in the Xanth series, and Enders Game. Not sure what to read next.

[Macros]

Just finished cloud atlas.

thoroughly enjoyed the book after a rocky start.

the sudden change in tone and perspective between the first two tales really threw me for a loo as I was starting to get into Ewells diary and his antiquated prose (felt like reading something orwellian) but once I spotted the first connection it made me more interested. Knowing the chopping and changing was going to occur made the subsequent transistions easier.
I enjoyed the progression (devolution) of the spoken language as the story progressed beyond current events (although I did spend entirely too long trying to figure out what company name Nea So was an aberration of (googling reveals its fabircsted). Each story taken individually are hardly novel ideas but the way they interlink and (in my head) how Cavendish becomes the fulcrum of the tale is well worked. The not so subtle suggestions of full circle by the novels midpoint did make me wonder just where the hell it was going to go, but the turn back down the storyline to close them all up is managed superbly.

I want to watch the film to see how they work it all together.

next up something a bit easier on the brain - alloy of law

[Grief]

Macros, on 08 October 2013 - 10:18 AM, said:

the sudden change in tone and perspective between the first two tales really threw me for a loo

Poop thread leaking?

[Ukjent]

Done with Lions of Al-rassan, still love it. And over to the republic of thieves. There's something fitting with autumn and GGK, as far as I can tell they are always mourning what once was and never may return.

[T77]

Finished a couple of books recently.

Lord of Chaos by Jordan, sixth book the the WoT. Liked it, but much too long for what it was. Would have been much better if it was half the length. Can be said for most of this series too. I have to wonder about the editors.

Runes of the Earth by Donaldson, seventh book in the TC series. I liked it, it had potential to be the best so far out of the second and third chronicles, but the ending fell a bit flat.

[QuickTidal]

I'm about 60 pages from the end of THE PAGAN LORD by Cornwell. It's mostly what you'd expect from this series, but one a smaller scale. I think because of how his life ebbs and flows around historical events we get books where it's nothing but Uhtred doing amazing stuff and being draped in glory, while also being stymied by fate...and other books (like this 7th book) in which it's more of a bridging novel to the inevitable events of the next glory-filled one...and as such it's more of a "moving the pieces about" type of book where there is battle but it's not the end-all, be-all of the tale.

That's not to say it's bad at all. It's great, and if you enjoy Uhtred's story so far, this book won't disappoint you. It's just not a balls-to-the-wall, war-torn action packed rampage like the previous book was, or the 1st and 3rd book were.

What sings bets about it though is definitely the realism of Uhtred's age and his inner thoughts. Now in his fifties, he's not the young man he used to be, and his life is a long trail of warrior glory that he has to live up to, or down to... depending on who he meets.

It's also very strange to be past the Alfred The Great era, as almost Uhtred's entire journey thus far has been about Alfred in one way of the other. So to inevitably remove that from the narrative, I find I actually MISS the pious old bastard. (Never thought I'd say that)

Anyways, wonderful stuff, if not quite one of the best books in the series, I like where it's going.

Back to Reynolds CHASM CITY now.

[Macros]

Finished Alloy of Law earlier, of what I have read of Brandersons work Id say I think its his best.
I feel the length of the book, limited cast and confined nature of the setting suited his writing very well. That the universe had already been created helped keep background and filler out of the novel so we could focus on the story, which was quite well told and well paced.
I thought he handled the romantic interest in this novel far better than in his previous offerings, it was believable and bearable. The ending of it was... satisfactory, not for all parties concerned, but definitely from my perspective and the characters of the.. Well characters.

suitable tie up at the end left us open to further adventures, which I would probably read.


starting Perdido Street Station tomorrow night.

[Tiste Simeon]

Minor detour to read V for Vendetta finished, GOTM started!

[amphibian]

T77, on 08 October 2013 - 07:16 PM, said:

Runes of the Earth by Donaldson, seventh book in the TC series. I liked it, it had potential to be the best so far out of the second and third chronicles, but the ending fell a bit flat.

Against All Things Ending is the best thing he's ever written (third book of the last cycle, which will be four books in total).

Runes of the Earth is a table setter, Fatal Revenant kicks things into high gear and Against All Things Ending is just a scene-chewer from beginning to end. I'm excited for the last one hitting stores in nine days.

[JPK]

amphibian, on 08 October 2013 - 09:36 PM, said:

T77, on 08 October 2013 - 07:16 PM, said:

Runes of the Earth by Donaldson, seventh book in the TC series. I liked it, it had potential to be the best so far out of the second and third chronicles, but the ending fell a bit flat.

Against All Things Ending is the best thing he's ever written (third book of the last cycle, which will be four books in total).

Runes of the Earth is a table setter, Fatal Revenant kicks things into high gear and Against All Things Ending is just a scene-chewer from beginning to end. I'm excited for the last one hitting stores in nine days.

I second this. Amph is 100% on the ball here.

[acesn8s]

You guys are making me want to dig out the my First Chronicle books...

[Salt-Man Z]

I'm diving into the First Chronicles again as soon as I finish Pinto's The Third God. I've had an ARC of The Last Dark sitting here for a couple of weeks now, but it's going to have to wait for the full reread (I haven't read FR or AATE yet, either.)

[lastname]

T77, on 08 October 2013 - 07:16 PM, said:

Finished a couple of books recently.

Lord of Chaos by Jordan, sixth book the the WoT. Liked it, but much too long for what it was. Would have been much better if it was half the length. Can be said for most of this series too. I have to wonder about the editors.

'The editors' in this case would largely be Harriet McDougal, Jordan's wife.


Reading Neverwhere (Gaiman) and finding it a very enjoyable read so far.

This post has been edited by lastname: 09 October 2013 - 05:06 AM

[Hocknose]

Just finished Emperor of Thorns and now have a decision to make...

Lies of Locke Lamora or
The Heresy Within

I've heard lots of good things about the 'Gentlemen Bastards' but the 'Ties that Bind' looks like it's a completed trilogy...any suggestions???

[acesn8s]

Finished The Silver Spike, moving on to Shadow Games.

[Macros]

@hocknose.
haven't read your second option.

however Lies of Locke Lamour is a fantastic boom, but the sequel is a massive drop in quality, haven't read the third yet.