[Macros]

when did you get a job with Murdoch, such editing skills!!

[QuickTidal]

Macros, on 17 April 2020 - 08:06 PM, said:

yep

tiste is wrong on many things, particularly dead people, but not this, Gemmells TRoy trilogy is fucking superb

Easily in my top 3 fave historical fiction series of all time. It’s incredible.

[Tsundoku]

I went to an author Q&A with Colleen McCullough many years ago (for "Caesar's Women", I believe) and it was excellent. I do recall her saying she wanted to try as many different styles and genres of writing as she could, so that may explain The Song of Troy.
I didn't mind it, but maybe that's because I liked the "slightly more logical but boring story behind the myth" approach she took. I can't recall much aside from that as it's been way too long since I read it.

But The Masters of Rome is hands-down among the best series I've ever read. Top 3 easy.
BTW other things I learned about her at that Q&A was that she was a neurophysiologist that taught at ... Yale I think, and that her Roman Studies skills and library were apparently quite highly rated. You can see why when you read the books.
Agreed you need to read the series with only small breaks in between because keeping the cast of characters straight can be a struggle. Nicknames like "Piggle wiggle" help though.

This post has been edited by Tsundoku: 18 April 2020 - 03:20 AM

[Mentalist]

"The Forgetting Moon" is picking up. Getting strong overtones of both "Unhewn Throne" and "Psalms of Isaac" in the themes.

Very interesting mythology that Durfee's building up here.

[Cyphon]

Finished First and Only and I can already see why Gaunts Ghosts is so well regarded. Maybe its 40k fatigue but I'm finding action scenes in general less of interest, I'm more drawn by the plot-y so what around it. It could also be wh40k war fatigue. Possible as I recently found the description of Karsa suplexing a degatroth as brilliant. Will certainly continue the series.

Enjoying Gideon the Ninth. Listening on ear book though which means I'm struggling to hold in my head the various houses and characters, would of been helpful if that had been to hand for me I think. Lots of tasty loose ends and I'm intrigued as to where it will end up.

Onto The Hod King by Josiah Bancroft.

This post has been edited by Cyphon: 19 April 2020 - 08:26 AM

[Macros]

I find with 40K I need breaks from Space Marine combat as they're just so super powered, the threat level to them never feels amped up, bar red shirts.
With Imperial Guard they're meat bags that can hurt and die so much easier

This post has been edited by Macros: 20 April 2020 - 07:24 AM

[Mercury]

I am currently in the middle my last garage sale buy that now seems so long ago. John Grisham’s The Client It has thus far been worth every single penny of the $0.25 price tag. After this I will go straight to his A Time To Kill

[Mentalist]

Finished "Forgetting Moon".

Not the greatest book, as there were some momentous character fails in there you could see coming from a mile away, and those always frustrate me- when a character is obtuse beyond all common sense " became it's their destiny", that always passes me off.

With the whole "time for a prophecy to be fulfilled" theme, yeah, this is VERY reminiscent of "Psalms of Isaac" in themes and tropes.

Still, as I've said, there's a really neat mythos behind all of this; having a conflict based on differing interpretations of a founding religious doctrine is a pretty fresh idea, and the overall yarn is quite decent, even if characters are... meh at best.

If this lockdown persists I'll be ordering Book 2 sooner rather than later.

[QuickTidal]

I'm getting infinitely more from a re-read of DUNE than I ever did in my initial read (which I still enjoyed)...knowing what all the things are, and the machinations at play really lets you sink into the details.

[Mentalist]

Before jumping into another fantasy doorstop, gonna get back to Reynolds for a bit.

"Pushing Ice" is next.

[Cyphon]

Having finished Gideon the Ninth I've moved onto the Ninefox gambit on earbook. Finding it hard to get into straightaway, but willing to give it some time and sit how it unfolds and makes sense/fits together.

This post has been edited by Cyphon: 22 April 2020 - 09:06 PM

[Maark Abbott]

Macros, on 20 April 2020 - 07:23 AM, said:

With Imperial Guard they're meat bags that can hurt and die so much easier

You realise it's HERESY to not want to fight and die for DA EMPRAH I hope.

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Re-reading Robin Hobb's first three Farseer books.

Finished two in a week, started Assassin's Fate last night. It's nice having time to read leisurely again, I was pretty much reduced to snatching a few pages on the bus to work and then reading in bed on a night (and I never manage much then).
It's been long enough since I read them that it's almost like reading them fresh again - most enjoyable

[Tiste Simeon]

Have finished the Red Rising Trilogy on earbook and was monumentally blown away. I will get to the second trilogy soon (though book 6 isn't out so I'm hesitant...)

Having a pallette cleanser in the form of the earbook of WORLD WAR Z and oh my days the cast on this is fantastic. I've read it a couple of times before but hearing it acted out brings a new dimension to it.

That being said... It starts with a mysterious virus coming out of China that they try to cover up.

Little bit apprehensive I'll be honest...

[Aptorian]

I remember one of the freakier stories in World War Z was how the North Koreans just vanished. The retreated into underground bunkers and nobody knows what happened to them. Perhaps there were millions of zombies locked away that at any moment could escape and start a new "war".

[Tiste Simeon]

Yeah they were never sure if they were all dead, all surviving in some cave system or what. That and a few of the other stories really stuck with me. It's good going through it again!

[Abyss]

WWZ is a treat of a book and earbook.
The NK story was particularly disturbing... all that it leaves to the reader to speculate on...

[QuickTidal]

Tiste Simeon, on 23 April 2020 - 11:22 AM, said:

Having a pallette cleanser in the form of the earbook of WORLD WAR Z and oh my days the cast on this is fantastic. I've read it a couple of times before but hearing it acted out brings a new dimension to it.

That being said... It starts with a mysterious virus coming out of China that they try to cover up.

Little bit apprehensive I'll be honest...

I've never read WWZ and I have an audible credit. You've sold me on grabbing this.

[Tiste Simeon]

Oh man you're in for a treat.

[Abyss]

QuickTidal, on 23 April 2020 - 03:52 PM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 23 April 2020 - 11:22 AM, said:

Having a pallette cleanser in the form of the earbook of WORLD WAR Z and oh my days the cast on this is fantastic. I've read it a couple of times before but hearing it acted out brings a new dimension to it.

That being said... It starts with a mysterious virus coming out of China that they try to cover up.

Little bit apprehensive I'll be honest...

I've never read WWZ and I have an audible credit. You've sold me on grabbing this.

Tiste Simeon, on 23 April 2020 - 05:09 PM, said:

Oh man you're in for a treat.

Seconded without hesitation.