[Tsundoku]

Andorion, on 19 October 2019 - 02:09 AM, said:

Did anyone find Salem's Lot scary? To be honest I found the short stories Jerusalem's Lot and One For the Road far scarier.

Context probably helps. I had just moved out of home and was alone in the house on a dark, extremely cold night.

You can be damn sure I checked the locks and windows a dozen times before I went to bed and stayed under the covers all night.

[Andorion]

Tsundoku, on 20 October 2019 - 12:48 AM, said:

Andorion, on 19 October 2019 - 02:09 AM, said:

Did anyone find Salem's Lot scary? To be honest I found the short stories Jerusalem's Lot and One For the Road far scarier.

Context probably helps. I had just moved out of home and was alone in the house on a dark, extremely cold night.

You can be damn sure I checked the locks and windows a dozen times before I went to bed and stayed under the covers all night.

IDK somehow vampires as King wrote them - out and blatant just don't convey terror for me anymore. I would argue Stoker's original was better because he was better at creating an atmosphere of horror.

And, Kostova's Historian was better because of the very slow gradual reveal and because how the terror was always lurking under the surface. It was always an implication that let your mind fill in the blanks.

[Cyphon]

Just finished Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor which was great. I've seem some recos elsewhere on the forum that say this is the most accessible of her books, and on that basis I'm keen to try more.

The book is set in Lagos and the premise is what if first contact happened there. Apparently the book was provoked by District 9 and how that was handled. It's dark, funny in parts and evocative while being sparse in imagery. There are tonnes of different ideas and perspectives packed into this, but very much embedded in what I imagine the reality of Lagos is like. I think this is the first African SF book I've read, it read differently and the difference was good.

[Salt-Man Z]

worry, on 19 October 2019 - 02:20 AM, said:

I bought Ninefox Gambit, I just didn't read it. That's gotta count for somethin!

I think I've got the whole trilogy, just a case of too many books too little time at this point.

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

Whisperzzzzzzz, on 19 October 2019 - 07:42 PM, said:

Lawrence's Prince Of Fools. He has a real knack for writing characters I hate to love.

I plowed through this in under 18 hours. A fun travelogue, and I liked the bits that overlapped with JORG.

[Morgoth]

polishgenius, on 19 October 2019 - 01:04 AM, said:

worry, on 18 October 2019 - 07:17 PM, said:

Finished Gideon the Ninth. is it the next out of left field must-read? I dunno. It's not nearly as good as Library at Mount Char, which has been the recent gold standard for these things.

Well that's just coz y'all won't listen to my suggestions* so hardly anyone's bothered reading Ninefox Gambit.


*Okay this isn't actually true.

Ninefox Gambit was amazing! I loved that book. Dunno if it was you whom recommended it to me, but a great recommendation all the same.

[Andorion]

Has anyone here read 10K Doors of January? I have yet to encounter a negative review of it
I already got the book, I have only read the opening 2 pages but the writing seems to be really good.

[Abyss]

Cyphon, on 20 October 2019 - 09:26 AM, said:

Just finished Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor which was great. ... I think this is the first African SF book I've read, it read differently and the difference was good.

Noted. Always into trying genre from a different country from the usual.

Salt-Man Z, on 20 October 2019 - 03:13 PM, said:

worry, on 19 October 2019 - 02:20 AM, said:

I bought Ninefox Gambit, I just didn't read it. That's gotta count for somethin!

I think I've got the whole trilogy, just a case of too many books too little time at this point.

Same same.

Whisperzzzzzzz, on 20 October 2019 - 09:29 PM, said:

Whisperzzzzzzz, on 19 October 2019 - 07:42 PM, said:

Lawrence's Prince Of Fools. He has a real knack for writing characters I hate to love.

I plowed through this in under 18 hours. A fun travelogue, and I liked the bits that overlapped with JORG.

I LOVED Red Queen's War. Just a great read bks 1-3. I liked the overlapp with Thorns but honestly found it to the the better series of the two.

Andorion, on 22 October 2019 - 04:34 AM, said:

Has anyone here read 10K Doors of January? I have yet to encounter a negative review of it
I already got the book, I have only read the opening 2 pages but the writing seems to be really good.

Haven't read it but am seeing a similar positive trend.


Currently still in Alex Verus 6 HIDDEN, depending on how it ends i may go straight to 7 or try one of the above. Or French's TRUE BASTARDS because Orcs On War Boars MC.

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

The Girl in the Tower, sequel to The Bear and the Nightingale. I've got book three as well and then I may get round to The Secret Commonwealth!

[QuickTidal]

TheRetiredBridgeburner, on 22 October 2019 - 02:24 PM, said:

The Girl in the Tower, sequel to The Bear and the Nightingale. I've got book three as well and then I may get round to The Secret Commonwealth!

I got both of these books for my sister-in-law a while back and she's going to lend them to me. Glad to hear they are pleasing you!

Man, I won't get to Secret Commonwealth till X-mas time likely.

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

QuickTidal, on 22 October 2019 - 02:32 PM, said:

TheRetiredBridgeburner, on 22 October 2019 - 02:24 PM, said:

The Girl in the Tower, sequel to The Bear and the Nightingale. I've got book three as well and then I may get round to The Secret Commonwealth!

I got both of these books for my sister-in-law a while back and she's going to lend them to me. Glad to hear they are pleasing you!

Man, I won't get to Secret Commonwealth till X-mas time likely.

You're in for a treat, they're lovely!

I'm in two minds whether to leave it for Christmas actually. It's a massive hardback to carry around and I've got nearly two weeks off for Christmas, so could just read it at home at my leisure! We'll see if I last that long though.... it's debatable!

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

Islington's The Shadow Of What Was Lost while I wait for Red Queen's War book 2 to arrive.

EDIT: I can't pinpoint exactly why, but I'm getting real WoT vibes from this (only 15 pages in). Good vibes (though I haven't read any WoT in like 15+ years).

This post has been edited by Whisperzzzzzzz: 23 October 2019 - 01:29 AM

[Andorion]

I finished The Seven last night and with that, Peter Newman's Vagrant Trilogy.

I have to say, I really really like this trilogy and its going to be one of my favourites for many years to come.

The first book is superb.

The second is good, but could be better.

The third is excellent, a dual toned novel that calls back to the first and yet also raises its own standard.

I think Newman is often overlooked and he deserves a lot more credit than he gets.

[Mentalist]

Wrapped up book 6 of "Godsdoom-2". Sounds like this is actually end-game. Which is impressive.

350 pages to go in Book 7. Is this actually the last one? I'll need to check afterwards

[amphibian]

Mentalist, on 23 October 2019 - 03:39 AM, said:

Wrapped up book 6 of "Godsdoom-2". Sounds like this is actually end-game. Which is impressive.

350 pages to go in Book 7. Is this actually the last one? I'll need to check afterwards

I remain so mad that there's no English translations available. Even a fan done over would satisfy what I need after reading Godsdoom.

[Macros]

I feel like I'm going to have to give book 2 of Newman's grill a go at some point. One left me a little underwhelmed, but it's gotten nothing but praise here since

[Andorion]

Several chapters into The Shining. Now this I like. Superb atmosphere creation.

[QuickTidal]

Kickstart backers of the latest of Michael J. Sullivan's First Empire series AGE OF DEATH (Book 5) got their ebooks yesterday, so I plugged that into my kindle this morning and jumped right in! The Authors Note says that we will also be getting AGE OF EMPYRE in Feb. I also noticed that there is a forthcoming books section for the "bridging series" between First Empire and Riyria Revelations called "The Rise & The Fall", and two of the books already have titles ARROW OF DEATH, and FAIRLANE, with book 3 in that series Untiled.

Anyways, I'm only 2 chapters in, but I'm already enjoying!

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

Whisperzzzzzzz, on 23 October 2019 - 01:08 AM, said:

Islington's The Shadow Of What Was Lost while I wait for Red Queen's War book 2 to arrive.

EDIT: I can't pinpoint exactly why, but I'm getting real WoT vibes from this (only 15 pages in). Good vibes (though I haven't read any WoT in like 15+ years).

This is so good! Constant "oh wow!"s and "no way!"s.

[QuickTidal]

Whisperzzzzzzz, on 25 October 2019 - 01:45 PM, said:

Whisperzzzzzzz, on 23 October 2019 - 01:08 AM, said:

Islington's The Shadow Of What Was Lost while I wait for Red Queen's War book 2 to arrive.

EDIT: I can't pinpoint exactly why, but I'm getting real WoT vibes from this (only 15 pages in). Good vibes (though I haven't read any WoT in like 15+ years).

This is so good! Constant "oh wow!"s and "no way!"s.

Oh boy, if you like the first book, you're going to LOVE the second. Such a great series. Very WOT-like but without the extra fluff. Ilsington does a great job at subverting expectations and replacing them with even more complex and interesting revelations.