[Mentalist]

Finished the second Bel Dame Apocrypha book, "Infidel" . Mixed impressions. The action is good, and the character writing was quite good, especially dealing with the people who tried to escape their past and build a new future away from the war. Seeing Nyx and the accompanying violence and political intrigue on a collision course with all that was actually heart-rending.

That being said, I didn't feel the payoff was really there. The ending was quite abrupt, and the third book is set yet another 7 years later, and if Hurley ends up bringing up all of the cast again, I'll start feeling annoyed at her character's stupidity.

Book 3 comes out next Tuesday in mmpb, I'll be trying to pick it up then. Meantime, I'll probably try the third Peter Grant book as my commute read.

[Maark Abbott]

Tattersail_, on 31 October 2018 - 03:28 PM, said:

So that's the Kings of the Wyld read, and Bloody Rose too. Both fantastic books and quite enjoyable. I found myself reading them than watching favourite TV shows or playing computer games. Anybody recommend anything new to read?

Bakker, if only to wash the foul taste from your mouth.

[Chance]

Finished up a lot of books recently a comfortable re-read of the Black Company series which had the highs and lows expected of it. Never been fond of Murgen. I'm also guessing that Cook had a lot of fun with the inconsistencies in Port of Shadow or possibly with untrustworthy narrators in the original.

Currently speeding through Ravencry after really enjoying Blackwing stellar series so far.

This post has been edited by Chance: 01 November 2018 - 01:13 PM

[Andorion]

Just finished Fiends of Nightmaria and Rejoice by SE.

Anyone who has read Malazan should not be surprised at all be Rejoice. This is vintage SE. It has some tonal and thematic similarities with Kharkanas but moreover this is a meta-commentary on some of the core themes of Malazan.

[worry]

Fiends of Nightmaria still ain't available in the US except for a hella expensive hardcover. There's a B&KB Vol. 2 by Bantam, right? But I dunno if/when TOR is doing it.

[Tattersail_]

Started the Broken Earth Trilogy thanks to your reactions.

[Abyss]

Maark Abbott, on 01 November 2018 - 08:24 AM, said:

Tattersail_, on 31 October 2018 - 03:28 PM, said:

So that's the Kings of the Wyld read, and Bloody Rose too. Both fantastic books and quite enjoyable. I found myself reading them than watching favourite TV shows or playing computer games. Anybody recommend anything new to read?

Bakker, if only to wash the foul taste from your mouth.

Heee... you funny.

[Maark Abbott]

Abyss, on 02 November 2018 - 02:20 AM, said:

Maark Abbott, on 01 November 2018 - 08:24 AM, said:

Tattersail_, on 31 October 2018 - 03:28 PM, said:

So that's the Kings of the Wyld read, and Bloody Rose too. Both fartsound books and quite enema inducing. I found myself reading them than watching favourite TV shows or playing computer games. Anybody recommend anything new to read?

Bakker, if only to wash the foul taste from your mouth.

Heee... you funny.

It tastes like treacle!

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Reading Alison Weir's Eleanor of Aquitaine: By the Wrath of God, Queen of England

One of Weir's better books, there isn't the wealth of available information that there is for her Tudor books, so it's flowing a lot better.

Beckett just died, and Eleanor's about hit the point where the whole plot is going "Eleanor, no!" and she runs headlong into open rebellion anyway. Because, badass lady

[Zetubal]

Finished Academ's Fury (aka Alera 2) yesterday and already began the next book in the series this morning. Spoilers for the 2nd book incoming.
Did I like Academ's Fury? Yes. Is it better than the first one? Marginally so, I'd say. Is it grandiose inventive mindblowing fantasy? Nope.

Alera 2 feels like a very traditional kind of sequel. Alera 1 was a well-crafted albeit very archetypical fantasy story, and Alera 2 continues in a fairly similar vein. Many plot elements feel very familiar, to the point of being a little predictable. Some of the antagonists/opponents feel absolutely cartoonish in their one-dimensional villainy. On the other hand, the protagonists are great fun, and the sense of camaraderie that's pervasive through their interaction is wonderfully captured. I even enjoyed the romance bits for what they are. Tavi, though he's a bit whiny at times, also makes nice progress as a hero who gets shit done. Also, he can be pretty reasonable (dare I say: clever) at times, which is always nice in a novel like this. I also really enjoy the political intrigues of Lady Aquitaine and Fidelias. They provide some really refreshing ambiguity to the series.
Alas, I think the vord were a pretty shallow kind of enemy. The concept of insectoid creatures that are divided into mindless drones and a queen that serves some sort of "greater good" has been done to death. Alera 2 really doesn't add anything to the formula here. Not having much of a personality may be in their nature, but it makes for a weak rivalry in the end.

Greatest thing about the novel aside from the characters was easily the superb world-building paired with the bits of Roman lore. Also, Butcher's fantastic prose is a huge plus.

That said, I am really excited about the civil war that is sure to begin in novel 3.

[polishgenius]

I finished Alex Marshall's Crimson Empire series, which was fun though the ending was... kind of weird? It didn't go for necessarily the traditional kind of thing all the way through and that's fine but I think it almost didn't commit enough to that and landed a bit between two stools. Well worth the read, though.



Then I started Sam Sykes' A City Stained Red, and while it's very enjoyable and so far recommended for anyone who likes somewhat light-toned but stabby and murderous fantasy with some twists on the usual tropes I had to take a pause because it pitched almost too quickly into full scale action without any real setup, and coming straight from the similar in tone but more measured Crimson Empire it was a bit of a shock to the system. I'll circle back round, because don't get me wrong it's bigly good fun, but in the meantime got some Cristopher Priest re-reading done.

[Morgoth]

I think my favourite part of the Crimson Empire was how the main character was believable as a terrible person. She didn't torture puppies or anything. She felt genuinely bad about the things she did and wished she could have found a way not to do them, but her need to satiate her ambition/vengeance/anger trumped all her other considerations.

[QuickTidal]

Finished WILD CARDS II: ACES HIGH, and really enjoyed it. It wraps up a main plot line a little too conveniently in the last story...but otherwise it had a great build and crescendo of stories.

Next up, Kristen Britain's HIGH KINGS TOMB in earbook form!

[Abyss]

LABYRINTH INDEX.... about 1/3rd thru... this is very, very, good.

[Mentalist]

Finished "Who Fears Death" last night.

It's got a bad (in a sense of, horrifically unpleasant) setting, and the focus of the book is largely on the main characters overcoming multiple sets of prejudices that shape the society around them.

That being said, aside from the implicit issues the setting has, I didn't feel particularly disturbed by it. I guess I'm too cynical, or read too much about genocidal wars, but while I obviously understand that what's going on is wrong and horrific, the tone of the book manages to convey it in a fairly clinical and detached way. Bakker-like level of visceral unpleasantness this is not.

It's interesting, with a look at a mythology that doesn't often get much attention in mainstream SSF. It's also well-paced, although the beginning was a bit a bit slow. However once it gets past the rocky start, it's pretty solid.

This post has been edited by Mentalist: 07 November 2018 - 07:53 PM

[HoosierDaddy]

Reading The Library At Mt. Char.

Thoroughly entertaining 1/3 way to. Just brutal.

[Tiste Simeon]

HoosierDaddy, on 06 November 2018 - 12:28 AM, said:

Reading The Library At Mt. Char.

Thoroughly entertaining 1/3 way to. Just brutal.

Such a great book!

[Mentalist]

That totally wasn't the plan, but after coming home I ended up finishing the commute book, "Whispers Underground" as well. Bite-sized chapters make a relatively small book difficult to put down once it gets going.


Now I'm confused as to my next read. Gonna try to pick up the third Bel Dame Apocrypha book tomorrow after work for commute, but I need smth to read tomorrow.

Considering starting Arcanum Unbounded. Its mix'n'match nature might be a good fit for episodic reading.

[Mentalist]

Yes, "Emperor's Soul" was quite good. Not worth the 30 odd bucks as a standalone novella, mind, but quite good.

Makes me want to re-read Sarantine Mosaic.

This post has been edited by Mentalist: 07 November 2018 - 12:35 AM

[Nicodimas]

Restarted Dresden files from the beginning ...lets roll