[Abyss]

Kruppe, on 31 December 2014 - 07:10 PM, said:

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi - The (true) story of a girl coming of age during the Iranian revolution. If you're a fan of (non-superhero) graphic novels and you haven't read this one, slap yourself in the face and then go read

The movie is also worthwhile.

[QuickTidal]

Abyss, on 31 December 2014 - 05:57 PM, said:

, but it's fast becoming my second favorite.

Until you try out Ilona Andrews Kate Daniels series!

[amphibian]

I am in Foxglove Summer and I can say that Aaronovitch is better than Ilona Andrews by a wide margin. Might be on a par with the Matthew Swift books.

So the list goes Butcher, Webb, Aaronovitch, Jacka and then Andrews in terms of magic detective series I've read.

[QuickTidal]

amphibian, on 01 January 2015 - 01:24 PM, said:

I am in Foxglove Summer and I can say that Aaronovitch is better than Ilona Andrews by a wide margin. Might be on a par with the Matthew Swift books.

So the list goes Butcher, Webb, Aaronovitch, Jacka and then Andrews in terms of magic detective series I've read.

Okay, putting Aaronovitch and Jacka ESPECIALLY before Andrews is lunacy. Welcome to 2015 folks, where Amph is looney tunes.

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 01 January 2015 - 03:03 PM

[Andorion]

QuickTidal, on 01 January 2015 - 03:02 PM, said:

amphibian, on 01 January 2015 - 01:24 PM, said:

I am in Foxglove Summer and I can say that Aaronovitch is better than Ilona Andrews by a wide margin. Might be on a par with the Matthew Swift books.

So the list goes Butcher, Webb, Aaronovitch, Jacka and then Andrews in terms of magic detective series I've read.

Okay, putting Aaronovitch and Jacka ESPECIALLY before Andrews is lunacy. Welcome to 2015 folks, where Amph is looney tunes.

I have read Jacka - 2 books and I like the concept and the world but in terms of action Andrews takes the cake. Regarding Aaronovitch I know how much love he gets in these forums but I read the first book and I wasn't that impressed. It felt like I just kept on waiting for that moment when i would be blown away but I wasn't. I like the world-building and everything but in terms of storytelling... not so much

[amphibian]

No, Andrews had sloppy and uneven action for most of the books. It's only after they discovered what a juji gatame was that they actually started making sense.

Aaronovitch doesn't go on for the action in full like Jacka and Andrews. But it makes sense and is better written.

I've read all the Kate Daniels stuff out so I'm pretty informed on this.

[Coco with marshmallows]

amphibian, on 02 January 2015 - 03:54 AM, said:

No, Andrews had sloppy and uneven action for most of the books. It's only after they discovered what a juji gatame was that they actually started making sense.

Aaronovitch doesn't go on for the action in full like Jacka and Andrews. But it makes sense and is better written.

I've read all the Kate Daniels stuff out so I'm pretty informed on this.

Ah. Nothing like an ill-informed/nonsensical action scene to put me off a book.
It's why i like Miles (Christian) Cameron's descriptions in Red Knight - he's clearly practised and got some idea what he's going on about.

[polishgenius]

Coco with marshmallows, on 02 January 2015 - 11:58 AM, said:

It's why i like Miles (Christian) Cameron's descriptions in Red Knight - he's clearly practised and got some idea what he's going on about.

I did feel that at the very start he was showing off a little bit too much with knowing every detail of medieval military dress and equipment, but once the battles got going and such, I was really impressed with how he'd clearly thought about how magic would affect the tactics and suchlike.


Similar dedication is shown by Mary Gentle, who got a masters in Military Studies in order to write Ash: A Secret history. It paid off in a big way.

[Chance]

Finished up A Betrayal in Winter by Daniel Abraham just before new year and it is probably one of the best books of 2014.

Currently halfway into the next one, An Autumn War and getting a feeling that it is much less good, but its only half ways so far and I'm still hopeful.

[worry]

I'd say all of the latter three books are equally good. DA just does not fail to deliver on his setup.

[Andorion]

Finished Broken Blade, the book improved markedly towards the end but the ending still struck me as too convenient.
Onto Bared Blade, like what I am reading so far.

[Mentalist]

Due to the holidays, a lot of my free time went to gaming instead of reading.

At home I'm still reading Simon Morden's Arcanum, parallel history Earth, where magic suddenly goes away and what happens to the society without it. interesting so far.

As my commute book I hacve Hamilton's "Pandora's Star" and as with most "hard" SF it's a slow build. Like it so far.

[JPK]

I finally finished The Broken Eye. I know everyone else here loved the book, but I have to say it was a solid "ok" for me. The action and magic were great as always, but there was a solid chunk in the middle of that book that just dragged on and on and on for me. For three months. I'm still in for book four but I'm not as excited about the series as I was three months ago.

Now I'm going to read a couple short stories/novellas (cosmere and powder mage related) and then try someone new with The Golem and Jinni by Helen Wecker.

[Abyss]

Finished Aaronovich's FOXGLOVE SUMMER... Comments in the dedthread but totally enjoyed.
Started Herne's IRON DRUID: SHATTERED on audiobook. So far decent fun. I don't expect brilliance from this series but it holds my attention well enough.
In pretty pics finished SAGA vol 4... Some of the magic of the earlier collections is gone, but I'm invested in the characters and there was some fun development. Now back to EX MACHINA at long last.
On deck... Dunno.... Aaronovich gave good urban fantasy but I'm still craving, so maybe back to Jacka for Verus bk 3. Maybe some sf...

[QuickTidal]

I've got AUTHORITY by Jeff Vandermeer (2nd Southern Reach book) on the go, but it's taking second place behind my Marvel Unlimited binge reads.

[Macros]

just finished up the ombnibus I had of Cornwells opening 6 books in the saxon chronicles.
Purchased pagan lord immediately, will be starting it as soon as the battery charges a bit

[Abyss]

QuickTidal, on 05 January 2015 - 12:05 PM, said:

...it's taking second place behind my Marvel Unlimited binge reads.

Just accept that this is going to be the case for the next few months and revel in it.

When i started on the Marvel Meth, in less than six weeks i read virtually every X-men comic published between 2009 and 2014 and it was GLORIOUS.

Silly mass crossovers... Filler issues... Claremont's six or seven useless comeback attempts... that book that had Dazzler as the fucking lead.... read it all. ALL. SO MUCH COMIC SO SO MUCH.


...my friends got kind of sick of me calling them with 'To me, my X-men' and the Ladybyss never quite accepted referring to the car as The Blackbird... come to think of it calling the washroom 'Cerebro' never really caught on either... i think the cleaning lady enjoyed being called 'Sage' tho'....

[QuickTidal]

Abyss, on 05 January 2015 - 07:08 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 05 January 2015 - 12:05 PM, said:

...it's taking second place behind my Marvel Unlimited binge reads.

Just accept that this is going to be the case for the next few months and revel in it.

When i started on the Marvel Meth, in less than six weeks i read virtually every X-men comic published between 2009 and 2014 and it was GLORIOUS.

Silly mass crossovers... Filler issues... Claremont's six or seven useless comeback attempts... that book that had Dazzler as the fucking lead.... read it all. ALL. SO MUCH COMIC SO SO MUCH.


...my friends got kind of sick of me calling them with 'To me, my X-men' and the Ladybyss never quite accepted referring to the car as The Blackbird... come to think of it calling the washroom 'Cerebro' never really caught on either... i think the cleaning lady enjoyed being called 'Sage' tho'....

Yeah, I'm done with Hickman's AVENGERS already, and I have one issue left of INFINITY...will do SECRET WARRIORS next, and then PROBABLY finish BATTLE OF THE ATOM (which I started in floppies but never got to finish)

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 06 January 2015 - 03:08 PM

[Nicodimas]

Started the Tower Lord..actually made a dent. This was not my first try to start this book and about half way in. Feel like it's finally getting good!!

Anyone know how long this series is supposed to be ..cause this book makes this seem like it's going to be WoT long.

[amphibian]

I have a feeling that this will be four books at the most. There isn't a huge plot in the makings and something like 17 or 18 years go by in the first two books.