[EmperorMagus]

Puck Puckster, on 26 January 2016 - 09:49 PM, said:

Reading The Thousandfold Thought. I've gotten soooo slow with reading. But still loving this stuff, more and more, actually. Go, Kellhus!

*Kelhus fanboyism ensues.*

I finally finished Absolution Gap. The book was mediocre and the ending was horrible. There is so much wasted potential in this series.
I also read the firs three of C. J. Cherryh's company wars, which were good light reading between chapters of Absolution Gap, good stuff but repetitive and easy to predict.

Currently reading Singularity Sky, I have no idea whether it is comedy or Space Opera or military Sci-fi or a thriller or whatever.Regardless, it is a very well written book with interesting characters.

[Serenity]

EmperorMagus, on 27 January 2016 - 06:35 AM, said:

I finally finished Absolution Gap. The book was mediocre and the ending was horrible. There is so much wasted potential in this series.

Do you mean the whole seven-book series, or just the trilogy? If you haven't already, try Galactic North. It brings things to a far more satisfactory conclusion, IMO.

I've got one chapter left to read in Cherryh's third Foreigner book, Inheritor. As usual, she's dropped in some info right at the last which blows the story wide open. Love it.

[QuickTidal]

Started RED RISING by Pierce Brown...about 40 pages in so far...ehhhhh

The prose I think WANTS to be something more lyrical (the attempt it certainly there) but it's not really able to get above itself...and that MAY partly be on the present tense first person POV, but overall I feel like the sentences lack a cohesion? It feels choppy I guess?

Also, the naming convention for things is pretty childish. holoCAN, clawDrill...I mean wot?

oh and

Spoiler

Am I mean to buy that these Mars underground miners are stupid enough to not realize that this terraforming they are supposedly doing is bullshit? Up to and including shady caste bitch on the TV telling them their great struggle is worthwhile? I mean if it were me I'd be like "That is some shadySHIT" the moment I learned to read.

It's alright, but I'm non-plussed so far. It's not remotely blowing me away like everyone seems to be by it...maybe that comes later?

[End of Disc One]

QuickTidal, on 27 January 2016 - 02:21 PM, said:

Started RED RISING by Pierce Brown...about 40 pages in so far...ehhhhh

The prose I think WANTS to be something more lyrical (the attempt it certainly there) but it's not really able to get above itself...and that MAY partly be on the present tense first person POV, but overall I feel like the sentences lack a cohesion? It feels choppy I guess?

Also, the naming convention for things is pretty childish. holoCAN, clawDrill...I mean wot?

oh and

Spoiler

Am I mean to buy that these Mars underground miners are stupid enough to not realize that this terraforming they are supposedly doing is bullshit? Up to and including shady caste bitch on the TV telling them their great struggle is worthwhile? I mean if it were me I'd be like "That is some shadySHIT" the moment I learned to read.

It's alright, but I'm non-plussed so far. It's not remotely blowing me away like everyone seems to be by it...maybe that comes later?

I think for me, expectations had a lot to do with it. It's a debut written by a young, good looking guy with his picture on the back of the book. Someone was clearly trying to sell this to the teenage girl crowd. I was expecting it to be on the level of Hunger Games, and while there are a lot of similarities, I found it to be much better.

I just found it hard to put down, and there are moments where you really get behind the character, despite his Gary Stu-ishness. And the set up does take a long time. The books aren't perfect; I just think they're a lot of fun. I also suspect that big sci-fi readers would pick it up and say, "the fuck is this shit?" I doubt the science holds up, but I don't care.

Definitely falls into the popcorn category, IMO.

This post has been edited by End of Disc One: 27 January 2016 - 03:31 PM

[QuickTidal]

Oh yeah, I get that. And I'm not annoyed enough to stop reading at all. Just being nitpicky.

[amphibian]

Serenity, on 27 January 2016 - 08:15 AM, said:

EmperorMagus, on 27 January 2016 - 06:35 AM, said:

I finally finished Absolution Gap. The book was mediocre and the ending was horrible. There is so much wasted potential in this series.

Do you mean the whole seven-book series, or just the trilogy? If you haven't already, try Galactic North. It brings things to a far more satisfactory conclusion, IMO.

I've got one chapter left to read in Cherryh's third Foreigner book, Inheritor. As usual, she's dropped in some info right at the last which blows the story wide open. Love it.

Galactic North is required reading for those who are going through Reynolds, as the ending of Absolution Gap makes more sense. Diamond Dogs, Turquoise Days is not as essential, but still very cool.

[Abyss]

polishgenius, on 26 January 2016 - 06:41 PM, said:

Read Ex-Patriots today. Like the first it's good proper popcorn fun, but it's lacking... I dunno, a little wow-factor?

Have you finished the book?

[Baco Xtath]

QuickTidal, on 27 January 2016 - 02:21 PM, said:

Started RED RISING by Pierce Brown...about 40 pages in so far...ehhhhh

The prose I think WANTS to be something more lyrical (the attempt it certainly there) but it's not really able to get above itself...and that MAY partly be on the present tense first person POV, but overall I feel like the sentences lack a cohesion? It feels choppy I guess?

Also, the naming convention for things is pretty childish. holoCAN, clawDrill...I mean wot?

oh and

Spoiler

Am I mean to buy that these Mars underground miners are stupid enough to not realize that this terraforming they are supposedly doing is bullshit? Up to and including shady caste bitch on the TV telling them their great struggle is worthwhile? I mean if it were me I'd be like "That is some shadySHIT" the moment I learned to read.

It's alright, but I'm non-plussed so far. It's not remotely blowing me away like everyone seems to be by it...maybe that comes later?

I almost quit listening after the first hour because it was so silly but I got into it and ended up absolutely loving it. Plus, it was really well narrated. The emotion it evoked was more than damn near any book I've listened to before. It is YA and it's no literary masterpiece, but it is among my favorite scify books and the last book in the series is probably my most highly anticipated book this year.

[EmperorMagus]

amphibian, on 27 January 2016 - 05:34 PM, said:

Serenity, on 27 January 2016 - 08:15 AM, said:

EmperorMagus, on 27 January 2016 - 06:35 AM, said:

I finally finished Absolution Gap. The book was mediocre and the ending was horrible. There is so much wasted potential in this series.

Do you mean the whole seven-book series, or just the trilogy? If you haven't already, try Galactic North. It brings things to a far more satisfactory conclusion, IMO.

I've got one chapter left to read in Cherryh's third Foreigner book, Inheritor. As usual, she's dropped in some info right at the last which blows the story wide open. Love it.

Galactic North is required reading for those who are going through Reynolds, as the ending of Absolution Gap makes more sense. Diamond Dogs, Turquoise Days is not as essential, but still very cool.

I avoided those because I generally do not enjoy short stories. I guess I gotta read them though.

[Mentalist]

Serenity, on 27 January 2016 - 08:15 AM, said:

EmperorMagus, on 27 January 2016 - 06:35 AM, said:

I finally finished Absolution Gap. The book was mediocre and the ending was horrible. There is so much wasted potential in this series.

Do you mean the whole seven-book series, or just the trilogy? If you haven't already, try Galactic North. It brings things to a far more satisfactory conclusion, IMO.

I've got one chapter left to read in Cherryh's third Foreigner book, Inheritor. As usual, she's dropped in some info right at the last which blows the story wide open. Love it.

SEVEN?????

I only read the trilo + chasm city....

[worry]

EmperorMagus, on 28 January 2016 - 02:06 AM, said:

amphibian, on 27 January 2016 - 05:34 PM, said:

Galactic North is required reading for those who are going through Reynolds, as the ending of Absolution Gap makes more sense. Diamond Dogs, Turquoise Days is not as essential, but still very cool.

I avoided those because I generally do not enjoy short stories. I guess I gotta read them though.

The thing about short stories is even if you don't like them you basically come out on top anyway.

[amphibian]

Mentalist, on 28 January 2016 - 02:17 AM, said:

Serenity, on 27 January 2016 - 08:15 AM, said:

EmperorMagus, on 27 January 2016 - 06:35 AM, said:

I finally finished Absolution Gap. The book was mediocre and the ending was horrible. There is so much wasted potential in this series.

Do you mean the whole seven-book series, or just the trilogy? If you haven't already, try Galactic North. It brings things to a far more satisfactory conclusion, IMO.

I've got one chapter left to read in Cherryh's third Foreigner book, Inheritor. As usual, she's dropped in some info right at the last which blows the story wide open. Love it.

SEVEN?????

I only read the trilo + chasm city....

There is a prequel in the Yellowstone Glitter Band times called The Prefect.

The two short story collections make six and seven. All are worth reading.

I think the only Reynolds book that isn't worth reading is Pushing Ice and that's because of a lackluster ending. It's not a Revelation Space book. Poseidon's Children is a slow burn trilogy and ends up in great places. House of Suns was a fun ride and I've not read the other novel he did.

[Abyss]

Dumbledude, on 28 January 2016 - 02:50 AM, said:

EmperorMagus, on 28 January 2016 - 02:06 AM, said:

amphibian, on 27 January 2016 - 05:34 PM, said:

Galactic North is required reading for those who are going through Reynolds, as the ending of Absolution Gap makes more sense. Diamond Dogs, Turquoise Days is not as essential, but still very cool.

I avoided those because I generally do not enjoy short stories. I guess I gotta read them though.

The thing about short stories is even if you don't like them you basically come out on top anyway.

Unless they suck.

[worry]

Nope. That's when you say "I'm glad that was so short" and your body floods with the pleasure of relief.

[amphibian]

What's your take on The Judge?

[Baco Xtath]

Don't know if I'm just becoming a prude or what but I stopped listening to the Last Werewolf after making it about 60% through. What the fuck? Why this guy has to say "cunt" every fucking time he refers to a vagina, I have no idea but I'm fucking sick of it. Between it and Imajica, I feel like I've been listening to demented porn for the last two weeks. Those two books make Richard K. Morgan and Matthew fucking Stover seem tame. Oh well. I'm now 3 hrs into City of Blades and am getting ready to start Sorcerer to the Crown. Need something to wash this bad taste from my mind.

[Salt-Man Z]

Baco Xtath, on 29 January 2016 - 01:37 AM, said:

Don't know if I'm just becoming a prude or what but I stopped listening to the Last Werewolf after making it about 60% through. What the fuck? Why this guy has to say "cunt" every fucking time he refers to a vagina, I have no idea but I'm fucking sick of it.

If he's from New Zealand/Australia (maybe? [citation needed]) I think it's a fairly casual slang word there. Doesn't really help those of us from a culture that considers it one of the most offensive words possible, though.

[Andorion]

About halfway into Sanderson's Shadows of Self. Humour has eased off, I have gotten into the groove of the story and like all Sanderson, its a fun ride. I do have a few critiques about Sanderson and gender though. I'll comment in my Sanderson thread when I am done.

[Serenity]

amphibian, on 28 January 2016 - 03:06 AM, said:

Mentalist, on 28 January 2016 - 02:17 AM, said:

Serenity, on 27 January 2016 - 08:15 AM, said:

EmperorMagus, on 27 January 2016 - 06:35 AM, said:

I finally finished Absolution Gap. The book was mediocre and the ending was horrible. There is so much wasted potential in this series.

Do you mean the whole seven-book series, or just the trilogy? If you haven't already, try Galactic North. It brings things to a far more satisfactory conclusion, IMO.

I've got one chapter left to read in Cherryh's third Foreigner book, Inheritor. As usual, she's dropped in some info right at the last which blows the story wide open. Love it.

SEVEN?????

I only read the trilo + chasm city....

There is a prequel in the Yellowstone Glitter Band times called The Prefect.

The two short story collections make six and seven. All are worth reading.

I think the only Reynolds book that isn't worth reading is Pushing Ice and that's because of a lackluster ending. It's not a Revelation Space book. Poseidon's Children is a slow burn trilogy and ends up in great places. House of Suns was a fun ride and I've not read the other novel he did.

House of Suns is my favourite, alongside Chasm City. Terminal World wasn't bad but it felt . . . incomplete, somehow. I haven't read Century Rain as yet. Some of his short stories are fantastic, not just the ones set in the Revelation Space universe. Zima Blue is well worth a look.


I finished Cherryh's Inheritor. This series is fast becoming one of my favourites.

Now reading Forester's Lieutenant Hornblower.

[firvulag]

Abyss, on 22 January 2016 - 02:13 PM, said:

acesn8s, on 22 January 2016 - 01:30 PM, said:

firvulag, on 22 January 2016 - 12:42 PM, said:

Near the end of the first Bobby Dollar book, Dirty Streets of Heaven. Really like the setting so far, but feel it's dragging out a bit longer than it needed to. Depending on how the book ends, will look into getting book 2.

Can't be a Tad William's book without an extra book.

ftfy.

I've got about 50 pages left in book 2 and I'm absolutely loving it so far! I've always been fascinated with angels and the afterlife but been quite disappointed with fiction regarding these elements.


I was initially annoyed that there was no real resolution in Book 1 and there doesn't seem to be one coming up for book 2. Seems Tad Williams will be leaving it all til Book 3 but I'm ok with that now