[QuickTidal]

amphibian, on 13 April 2014 - 11:05 AM, said:

Keep in mind that Apt has perhaps the most singular and bizarre collection of tastes, judgments and impulses that I've yet encountered in a human being.

Seconded.

It's part of what he's known for.

[Imperial Historian]

Graablick, on 13 April 2014 - 07:42 AM, said:

So you are praising Tad Williams, the guy who wrote the boring dragon stone chair where all the evil elves were singing people to death? I do not understand.

Tad Williams has generally improved as a writer since memory, sorrow, thorn (with the exception of the god awful shadow something series), otherworld would have been a classic if he'd managed to confine it to three books, war of the flowers is one of the best 'fairy' (of the vicious variety) stories I've read, and his new series is a pretty good urban fantasy.

[Ukjent]

Hm.. Perhaps I should give him a chance in the future.

[QuickTidal]

I may have to revisit my copy of DIRTY STREETS...as I appear to be in a very small minority.

[Abyss]

QuickTidal, on 13 April 2014 - 11:28 AM, said:

amphibian, on 13 April 2014 - 11:05 AM, said:

Keep in mind that Apt has perhaps the most singular and bizarre collection of tastes, judgments and impulses that I've yet encountered in a human being.

Seconded.

It's part of what he's known for.

careful people, this is a family friendly forum... Apt's goatsex proclivities and registered plush toy offender status are not public topics to say nothing of that whole episode with the Barbie dolls, car batteries and the latex lab coat... and then there was the incident with the donkey suit at the Renfaire, to say nothing of the tainted caviar situation...

Imperial Historian, on 13 April 2014 - 12:47 PM, said:

Graablick, on 13 April 2014 - 07:42 AM, said:

So you are praising Tad Williams, the guy who wrote the boring dragon stone chair where all the evil elves were singing people to death? I do not understand.

Tad Williams has generally improved as a writer since memory, sorrow, thorn (with the exception of the god awful shadow something series), otherworld would have been a classic if he'd managed to confine it to three books, war of the flowers is one of the best 'fairy' (of the vicious variety) stories I've read, and his new series is a pretty good urban fantasy.

Graablick, on 13 April 2014 - 02:22 PM, said:

Hm.. Perhaps I should give him a chance in the future.

I recommend WAR OF THE FLOWERS. It's one and done and will give you a good taste for his style, albeit not how he approaches massive stories.

I finished but really disliked MS&T, alternately loved/hated OTHERLAND, but there's no denying he's a talented writer.

QuickTidal, on 13 April 2014 - 04:01 PM, said:

I may have to revisit my copy of DIRTY STREETS...as I appear to be in a very small minority.

Actually, i'm finding opinions everywhere very split, also re the second book.

[Baco Xtath]

I loved Dirty Streets but not so much Happy Hour in Hell, mainly because 14 hours or so of the audiobook is spent in hell, which can get really old. Still, glad I listened to it and am eagerly awaiting Sleeping Late on Judgement Day.

1/2 way through the Fell Sword. Still really good but with all the POVs and me trying to work while listening, I'm a bit lost.

[worry]

Baco Xtath, on 13 April 2014 - 08:37 PM, said:

mainly because 14 hours or so of the audiobook is spent in hell, which can get really old.

If you think that gets old, just wait till you see all eternity.

[Ukjent]

Read the Devil You Know, the first book in the felix Castor series yesterday and it wasn't bad, but I didn't fall for the setting and kept thinking the whole time that I wanted to read the Alex Verus series instead .

[Serenity]

Read Gemmell's White Wolf over the weekend - loved it so much I nearly started The Swords of Night and Day straight away, but I'm rationing DG's books as I've only got a few left to read. So I'm now starting on Cornwell's The Burning Land.

[Abyss]

Graablick, on 14 April 2014 - 08:03 AM, said:

Read the Devil You Know, the first book in the felix Castor series yesterday and it wasn't bad, but I didn't fall for the setting and kept thinking the whole time that I wanted to read the Alex Verus series instead .

A word about this series: it gets better, but it's a slow boil thing, not nearly as fast paced as Verus or Dresden.


I liked it for that very reason, but while everything gets progressively more interesting as the books proceed and Carey builds, if you want 'fast', yeah, not the series for you.

I had to adjust my expectations, i'm glad i did. I think it's worth it, if anything for the sheer change of pace from Dresden's breakneck 48 hrs to save the world setup scene chase scene fight scene badass scene BIGGER fight scene pattern.


DEVIL is the least interesting and if i hadn't had DEAD MAN'S BOOTS already in the TRP, i might not have read it. I'm glad i did tho' - Carey gets way more creative in book 2 - and it prompted me to get 3 and 4 and grab 5 as soon as it was released. 4 and 5 are especially great and do pick up the pace, but Carey was playing a long game with this series and, like his comics, i think you have to be prepared to give him time.


If you liked bits of the setting, i'd say go for BOOTS. He starts to add to the world in interesting ways... his werebeasties are some of the more original i've read and the exorcism thing is explained a bit more.

[firvulag]

I've just started the 2nd book in the Braided Path trilogy by Chris Wooding. Whilst the first book was quite as gripping as I'd hoped the second novel has certainly ramped things up a bit, looking forward to see where they go from here.

Also, this is the time I've read any Chris Wooding and hoping to read his Ketty Jay series in the not too distant future

[Ukjent]

Guess I have to think about it then. I expected something like Dresden and Verus so the whole plot with only a ghost was a bit disappointing, but then again it was only the first book .

[polishgenius]

Imagine something midway between Dresden and Hellblazer and you're about there. The world does definitely get bigger and broader, but it is very much horror-themed and not as big-scale as those two.

There are about a billion urban fantasies set in London, so it's not as if you're short of options, though I'd say it's one of the best.

[Abyss]

firvulag, on 14 April 2014 - 04:06 PM, said:

I've just started the 2nd book in the Braided Path trilogy by Chris Wooding. Whilst the first book was quite as gripping as I'd hoped the second novel has certainly ramped things up a bit, looking forward to see where they go from here.

Also, this is the time I've read any Chris Wooding and hoping to read his Ketty Jay series in the not too distant future

I liked the braided path trilo.
At times it becomes somewhat standard good vs evil fare, but had enough novel ideas and fun characters to hold my attention.
It prompted me to pick up the Ketty Jay series, which is near the top of the TRPFHAB.

[JPK]

Speaking of Ketty Jay, I finished book 3 a couple of days ago. You really should bump the first book up a couple notches of that mountain, Abyss. Wooding is not the greatest writer I've had the pleasure of reading, but his characters are fantastic and I love the world that he's created here. As I've said before, it's very reminiscent of Firefly (in a good way) but still holds up on it's own and doesn't feel like it's just a clone.

I also finished listening to Cold Days. James Marsters really does a great job with the narration.

Next up is The Wind-up Bird Chronicle for reading and The Fires of Heaven for listening.

[Tapper]

Tearing through the Fionavar Tapestry trilogy. I read it in translation when I was 16, and wasn't overwhelmed by it then. In my memory, it had become a young adult novel, but now that I read the original, it's anything but.

[Ukjent]

The last days I have read the three Verus novellas that I own, Now I just wondering what to read next, The cripple god, Tigania Or perhaps just buy something new.

[Aptorian]

The Incredible Kitsu, on 15 April 2014 - 12:03 AM, said:

Speaking of Ketty Jay, I finished book 3 a couple of days ago. You really should bump the first book up a couple notches of that mountain, Abyss. Wooding is not the greatest writer I've had the pleasure of reading, but his characters are fantastic and I love the world that he's created here. As I've said before, it's very reminiscent of Firefly (in a good way) but still holds up on it's own and doesn't feel like it's just a clone.

Funny, I liked the world building and the steampunk/airship fantasy but I absolutely hated the characters, especially the captain and the demonologist. They were just so very unlikeable. It's clear that over the course of the book we're meant to come to understand and feel for these guys but I just wasn't having it. The captain is very poorly built up character and I never stopped hating his guts. He's sort of similar to the duelist character in The First Law trilogy only worse.

[QuickTidal]

Just finished MR. PENUMBRA'S 24-HOUR BOOKSTORE by Robin Sloan.

Absolutely one of the lovliest and charming books I've had the pleasure of reading. It's got everything, books, bookstores, secret societies, jet-setting, Google and Silicon Valley, codes, pop-culture refs. Quite possibly the book of the year for me. Loved it.

Next up, CHARMING by Elliott James.

[Baco Xtath]

Finished Fell Sword, really good, though, like others, I'm not sure if it surpasses the Red Knight. Hate that I've got to wait who knows how long for the next one. I'll definitely have to do a re-listen though cause I'm still a bit confused.

Just started Redshirts by Scalzi. Even though I was already spoilered about what's going on, it's fun and Will Wheaton is a great narrator so I'm enjoying the shit out of it. Short as hell and will probably be done with it tomorrow so next up is either Prador Moon or the Prefect or Use of Weapons (the latter two being rereads/listens).