[Slow Ben]

Fiiiiinally getting into Aeronauts Windlass.

[Baco Xtath]

Abyss, on 01 December 2015 - 06:21 AM, said:

Finished SM Stirling's CONQUISTADOR. not as good as LANCERS, but decent. Could have benefitted from better bad guys, tho the setting was fascinating.

On to LEVIATHAN WAKES. want to get into the books before the tv series.

H0. LEE. SHITT!!!

I can't believe you've not read these yet. You're going to love this series.

Finished Queen of Fire. Pretty damn good. Much better than most people led me to believe. It's not perfect by any means but it is good. 5% left in the Dread Wyrm. Freak'n love this series. It just keeps getting better and better.

Getting ready to start Master and Margarita and the Stars my Destination.

[Abyss]

Baco Xtath, on 01 December 2015 - 10:19 PM, said:

Abyss, on 01 December 2015 - 06:21 AM, said:

...

On to LEVIATHAN WAKES. want to get into the books before the tv series.

H0. LEE. SHITT!!!

I can't believe you've not read these yet. You're going to love this series.

Was waiting for them to finish it, but the tv series prompted me.
About 20% in, plenty to like so far!

Quote

Finished Queen of Fire. Pretty damn good. Much better than most people led me to believe. It's not perfect by any means but it is good.

It's a solid series overall. I really enjoyed.

[Morgoth]

Andorion, on 30 November 2015 - 03:05 AM, said:

Finished 7 chapters of Robert Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land. Not sure if I am going to finish this. It does not seem to have aged well at all. The most grating part is the gender relations: Ben, the principal male character upto now, is so patronising to Jill the principal female character. and the way she behaves, its quite likely this is a normal social attitude. Plus I also noted how there was a debate about sending an all-male crew or a crew of couples, but never an all female crew. I am going to try for a few more chapters, but so far I don't like it.

I hated that book. The rampant, deeply unpleasant sexism was simply too much for me. I can't understand how it's possible to read that book and not be put off by Heinlein's misogyny. Whenever someone use the word "grok" I want to shake some sense into them.

"Nine out of ten times women are at least partially responsible for their own rape" is the line that made me decide enough was enough.

[EmperorMagus]

amphibian, on 27 November 2015 - 08:10 AM, said:

Volyova is one of the best characters in recent science fiction. Clavain matches her (eventually).

Reynolds has a true gift for turning characters that are jerks at first impression into people that you understand and love, even though they're still often acting like jerks.

It's repeated itself across two series and several stand-alone books now.

That moment when you think you've posted something but you only thought about posting it...

You say Volyova is one of the best in recent sci-fi. What characters would you compare her to in terms of pure badassery/ awesomeness in recent OR old sci-fi? Especially among female characters.

The only character that comes to my mind is the main character of the Imperial Ratch books and she comes nowhere close.

Morgoth, on 02 December 2015 - 08:24 AM, said:

I hated that book. The rampant, deeply unpleasant sexism was simply too much for me. I can't understand how it's possible to read that book and not be put off by Heinlein's misogyny. Whenever someone use the word "grok" I want to shake some sense into them.

"Nine out of ten times women are at least partially responsible for their own rape" is the line that made me decide enough was enough.

What the actual fuck. Why the hell do I not remember that.
I think I need to reconsider my fondness for Heinlein.

[worry]

That quote is actually only on the audiobook. It's an aside Heinlein shouted at the sound engineers and they "accidentally" left it in.

[Baco Xtath]

Nostalgia for Infinity, on 02 December 2015 - 08:45 AM, said:

amphibian, on 27 November 2015 - 08:10 AM, said:

Volyova is one of the best characters in recent science fiction. Clavain matches her (eventually).

Reynolds has a true gift for turning characters that are jerks at first impression into people that you understand and love, even though they're still often acting like jerks.

It's repeated itself across two series and several stand-alone books now.

That moment when you think you've posted something but you only thought about posting it...

You say Volyova is one of the best in recent sci-fi. What characters would you compare her to in terms of pure badassery/ awesomeness in recent OR old sci-fi? Especially among female characters.

The only character that comes to my mind is the main character of the Imperial Ratch books and she comes nowhere close.

Reynold's other female leads spring to my mind. All the Akinya women in Poseidon's Children, the lead women in House of Suns (particularly Abigail Gentian), and the two leads in Pushing Ice.


Also:
Bobbie, Avasarala, and Naomi Nagota from the Expanse
Brawn Lamia from Hyperion
Archeth from a Land Fit for Heroes
Ash from Ash: A Secret History (though not Science Fiction proper) is beyond badass
Ripley in Alien

This post has been edited by Baco Xtath: 02 December 2015 - 11:15 AM

[amphibian]

William Gibson has made a habit of picking capable women as his main protagonists. He doesn't write true action scenes anymore though.

In Seveneves, Stephenson eventually leads us to seven very capable women who survive apocalypse.

Ash, though, is the most badass and awesome woman character in basically anything I've read in a long time.

[QuickTidal]

I'm reading Wallace Breem's EAGLE IN THE SNOW, and so far it's pretty damned good. The tale of the late Roman defense of Gaul from the Germanic tribes across the Rhine. A Commander who just wants to retire, and a Western Roman Empire about to fall into ruins, and a horde of tribes itching for land and plunder.

BK, I think you'd be into this. I know you like Roman stuff too.

[QuickTidal]

Briar King, on 02 December 2015 - 02:42 PM, said:

Pure fiction or historical figures?

The buildup and battle happened and are historically accurate.

Stilicho asks the protagonist (Paulinus Gaius Maximus, who I believe is fictional, but is based on Paulinus Gaius Suetonius who defeated Boudicca)...who is one of the final commanders of Hadrians Wall before it's abandoned in the 5th century. Stilicho brings him south with his men to hold the Rhine while he himself deals with the Vandals and the Goths as Alaric becomes more and more trouble for Rome.

So I think aside from the protagonist being invented, the rest is historically accurate. The battle at Mogontiacum (present Day Mainz) did occur.

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 02 December 2015 - 03:00 PM

[Abyss]

Baco Xtath, on 02 December 2015 - 10:56 AM, said:

Nostalgia for Infinity, on 02 December 2015 - 08:45 AM, said:

amphibian, on 27 November 2015 - 08:10 AM, said:

Volyova is one of the best characters in recent science fiction. Clavain matches her (eventually).

Reynolds has a true gift for turning characters that are jerks at first impression into people that you understand and love, even though they're still often acting like jerks.

It's repeated itself across two series and several stand-alone books now.

That moment when you think you've posted something but you only thought about posting it...

You say Volyova is one of the best in recent sci-fi. What characters would you compare her to in terms of pure badassery/ awesomeness in recent OR old sci-fi? Especially among female characters.

The only character that comes to my mind is the main character of the Imperial Ratch books and she comes nowhere close.

Reynold's other female leads spring to my mind. All the Akinya women in Poseidon's Children, the lead women in House of Suns (particularly Abigail Gentian), and the two leads in Pushing Ice.


Also:
Bobbie, Avasarala, and Naomi Nagota from the Expanse
Brawn Lamia from Hyperion
Archeth from a Land Fit for Heroes
Ash from Ash: A Secret History (though not Science Fiction proper) is beyond badass
Ripley in Alien

amphibian, on 02 December 2015 - 01:55 PM, said:

William Gibson has made a habit of picking capable women as his main protagonists. He doesn't write true action scenes anymore though.

In Seveneves, Stephenson eventually leads us to seven very capable women who survive apocalypse.

Ash, though, is the most badass and awesome woman character in basically anything I've read in a long time.

Seconding Archeth and Lamia.


Anita Blake, Laurel K Hamilton's EXECUTIONER series. Like Buffy with a Glock and necromantic powers. First ten books ONLY. ONLY ONLY.

Joe Abercrombie's Monza Murcatto in BEST SERVED COLD, and Shy from RED COUNTRY.

Kitai in Butcher's ALERA series. Also, she gets all the best lines. I know people are all over the place about his female characters in DRESDEN, but while his Murphy solo story was so-so, his Molly story was a lot of fun and she did, in fact, kick ass.

Stealth in Peter Cline's EX-HEROES series. So so much ass kickery.

If you ever go old school and read Joel Rosenberg's GUARDIANS OF THE FLAME series, he has a couple tho they're mostly supporting characters

[JPK]

I'm about to finish Summer Knight on my lunch. I'm still enjoying it, but as of this run I think it fell below Grave Peril in my rankings of this series.

Now I'm split trying to decide between The Goblin Emperor by Addison and The Crown Tower by Sullivan for my next audiobook.

[amphibian]

Abyss, on 02 December 2015 - 03:45 PM, said:

Seconding Archeth and Lamia.


Anita Blake, Laurel K Hamilton's EXECUTIONER series. Like Buffy with a Glock and necromantic powers. First ten books ONLY. ONLY ONLY.

Joe Abercrombie's Monza Murcatto in BEST SERVED COLD, and Shy from RED COUNTRY.

Kitai in Butcher's ALERA series. Also, she gets all the best lines. I know people are all over the place about his female characters in DRESDEN, but while his Murphy solo story was so-so, his Molly story was a lot of fun and she did, in fact, kick ass.

Stealth in Peter Cline's EX-HEROES series. So so much ass kickery.

If you ever go old school and read Joel Rosenberg's GUARDIANS OF THE FLAME series, he has a couple tho they're mostly supporting characters

Apart from Stealth/Ex-Heroes, these are fantasy books.

Still great characters, but not quite what's being asked for.

[Abyss]

amphibian, on 02 December 2015 - 04:28 PM, said:

Abyss, on 02 December 2015 - 03:45 PM, said:

Seconding Archeth and Lamia.


Anita Blake, Laurel K Hamilton's EXECUTIONER series. Like Buffy with a Glock and necromantic powers. First ten books ONLY. ONLY ONLY.

Joe Abercrombie's Monza Murcatto in BEST SERVED COLD, and Shy from RED COUNTRY.

Kitai in Butcher's ALERA series. Also, she gets all the best lines. I know people are all over the place about his female characters in DRESDEN, but while his Murphy solo story was so-so, his Molly story was a lot of fun and she did, in fact, kick ass.

Stealth in Peter Cline's EX-HEROES series. So so much ass kickery.

If you ever go old school and read Joel Rosenberg's GUARDIANS OF THE FLAME series, he has a couple tho they're mostly supporting characters

Apart from Stealth/Ex-Heroes, these are fantasy books.

Still great characters, but not quite what's being asked for.

You're playing the 'sf isn't fantasy isn't sf' card? Really?


ASH is hardly sf and HYPERION is barely harder sf than STAR WARS.

[amphibian]

The overarching story of Ash concerns sentient robots and alternate time streams. The medieval/present day settings also contribute to it being much more SF than fantasy.

[Abyss]

The defence rests.

[Gabriele]

QuickTidal, on 02 December 2015 - 02:08 PM, said:

I'm reading Wallace Breem's EAGLE IN THE SNOW, and so far it's pretty damned good. The tale of the late Roman defense of Gaul from the Germanic tribes across the Rhine. A Commander who just wants to retire, and a Western Roman Empire about to fall into ruins, and a horde of tribes itching for land and plunder.

BK, I think you'd be into this. I know you like Roman stuff too.

Seconded.

Books with Roman settings are pretty popular right now, at least in the UK. You may also check out Douglas Jackson and Harry Sidebottom.

[Mentalist]

Finished "Elric: The Fortress of the Pearl". proper review in the ded thread tomorrow. Moving onto the last (for now) Elric book, "The Sailor on the Seas of time"

At home, finished Book 1 of "The Crippled God" in the Malaz re-read.

[Andorion]

Reading A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge. Really like it so far

[EmperorMagus]

Abyss, on 02 December 2015 - 03:45 PM, said:

Baco Xtath, on 02 December 2015 - 10:56 AM, said:

Reynold's other female leads spring to my mind. All the Akinya women in Poseidon's Children, the lead women in House of Suns (particularly Abigail Gentian), and the two leads in Pushing Ice.


Also:
Bobbie, Avasarala, and Naomi Nagota from the Expanse
Brawn Lamia from Hyperion
Archeth from a Land Fit for Heroes
Ash from Ash: A Secret History (though not Science Fiction proper) is beyond badass
Ripley in Alien

amphibian, on 02 December 2015 - 01:55 PM, said:

William Gibson has made a habit of picking capable women as his main protagonists. He doesn't write true action scenes anymore though.

In Seveneves, Stephenson eventually leads us to seven very capable women who survive apocalypse.

Ash, though, is the most badass and awesome woman character in basically anything I've read in a long time.

Seconding Archeth and Lamia.


Anita Blake, Laurel K Hamilton's EXECUTIONER series. Like Buffy with a Glock and necromantic powers. First ten books ONLY. ONLY ONLY.

Joe Abercrombie's Monza Murcatto in BEST SERVED COLD, and Shy from RED COUNTRY.

Kitai in Butcher's ALERA series. Also, she gets all the best lines. I know people are all over the place about his female characters in DRESDEN, but while his Murphy solo story was so-so, his Molly story was a lot of fun and she did, in fact, kick ass.

Stealth in Peter Cline's EX-HEROES series. So so much ass kickery.

If you ever go old school and read Joel Rosenberg's GUARDIANS OF THE FLAME series, he has a couple tho they're mostly supporting characters

I'll admit I've not read most of the books mentioned. Although I disagree with almost all of the characters mentioned from books that I've actually read.

Brawn Lamia definitely does not kick ass. She does not do anything that shows her as being especially smart or capable AND her most important contribution to the story is carrying a lot of data for a guy to some place else. No thanks.
Kitai, while being a bad ass from a martial point of view, does not work as a bad ass character either. Her most important contribution to the story is falling in love with the smart ass main protagonist.
I remember deciding to read the Anita Blake series and people here warning me about vampire gangbangs. Am I remembering the wrong thing?

I decided to stay away from Ash because of all the discussion about how she gets raped. I really get angry when I read about rape so I stay away from it.

Also, the Fantasy world has female protagonists that are fucking awesome. That was why I specifically said Ilia is the most bad ass Sci-fi character ever. You can't do much to top Tavore Paran, Apsalar, or The Lady in The Black Company