[Traveller]

QuickTidal, on 03 November 2020 - 04:43 PM, said:

Salt-Man Z, on 03 November 2020 - 04:42 PM, said:

Traveller, on 03 November 2020 - 02:55 PM, said:

Finished Revelation Space.

Not bad, I enjoyed a lot of it, found the writing a bit clunky in places. Not sure I want to jump into book 2 unless it gets better?

You can try Chasm City (which is technically the 2nd book, but also not really part of the trilogy made from books 1/3/4.) It's a much different animal than the rest of the series. Or if you want a little less commitment I recommend his Diamond Dogs/Turquoise Days omnibus collecting two unrelated novellas set in the same universe.

Seconding all this.

Thanks! Will Chasm City spoil the 2nd two in the main trilogy, or does it just fit in there as a side story?

This post has been edited by Traveller: 03 November 2020 - 06:36 PM

[Salt-Man Z]

Traveller, on 03 November 2020 - 06:34 PM, said:

Thanks! Will Chasm City spoil the 2nd two in the main trilogy, or does it just fit in there as a side story?

No, it was just published second, and is completely unrelated, plot-wise. If I recall, it takes place (flashbacks notwithstanding) in a period of time that Revelation Space skipped over, shortly after Yellowstone was hit with the Melding Plague.

This post has been edited by Salt-Man Z: 03 November 2020 - 06:51 PM

[Tiste Simeon]

Salt-Man Z, on 03 November 2020 - 05:03 PM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 03 November 2020 - 06:37 AM, said:

Salt-Man Z, on 03 November 2020 - 04:47 AM, said:

Read the first third of Claire North's SWEET HARMONY last night, which is utterly terrifying in its plausibility.

Ooh forgot to mention I've started reading this too and yeah I can definitely see

Spoiler

companies promoting nanos to help make people feel more beautiful etc. and then decommissioning them when payments aren't made.

I'm only about 3 chapters in but once again I'm very much drawn into the world she has created.

Finished it last night. It was very good, but then I expected nothing less. Once again, North writes a very moving, compelling, human character in Harmony. I can't say I was entirely satisfied with how the story ended, but at the same time I'm not sure it could have ended any other way.

Sweet. I'm on night shift tonight I'm going to try and get it read. Will let you know. I already really like her as a character, as you say she feels real and human.

[QuickTidal]

Traveller, on 03 November 2020 - 06:34 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 03 November 2020 - 04:43 PM, said:

Salt-Man Z, on 03 November 2020 - 04:42 PM, said:

Traveller, on 03 November 2020 - 02:55 PM, said:

Finished Revelation Space.

Not bad, I enjoyed a lot of it, found the writing a bit clunky in places. Not sure I want to jump into book 2 unless it gets better?

You can try Chasm City (which is technically the 2nd book, but also not really part of the trilogy made from books 1/3/4.) It's a much different animal than the rest of the series. Or if you want a little less commitment I recommend his Diamond Dogs/Turquoise Days omnibus collecting two unrelated novellas set in the same universe.

Seconding all this.

Thanks! Will Chasm City spoil the 2nd two in the main trilogy, or does it just fit in there as a side story?

CHASM CITY takes place earlier in the timeline (2510), during the/around the time of the Melding plague you've heard about in REVELATION SPACE (2551), which is why people usually fit it in between book 1 and book 2 of the trilogy. So no spoilers, and if anything, it gives you a better positioning as understanding why the universe is how it is in the RS time.

[Macros]

Damnit Saltman!

Im trying NOT to buy books but Claire Norths work is must read.

[Macros]

blargh, only available on kindle, poo poo to that

[Traveller]

QuickTidal, on 03 November 2020 - 06:53 PM, said:

Traveller, on 03 November 2020 - 06:34 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 03 November 2020 - 04:43 PM, said:

Salt-Man Z, on 03 November 2020 - 04:42 PM, said:

Traveller, on 03 November 2020 - 02:55 PM, said:

Finished Revelation Space.

Not bad, I enjoyed a lot of it, found the writing a bit clunky in places. Not sure I want to jump into book 2 unless it gets better?

You can try Chasm City (which is technically the 2nd book, but also not really part of the trilogy made from books 1/3/4.) It's a much different animal than the rest of the series. Or if you want a little less commitment I recommend his Diamond Dogs/Turquoise Days omnibus collecting two unrelated novellas set in the same universe.

Seconding all this.

Thanks! Will Chasm City spoil the 2nd two in the main trilogy, or does it just fit in there as a side story?

CHASM CITY takes place earlier in the timeline (2510), during the/around the time of the Melding plague you've heard about in REVELATION SPACE (2551), which is why people usually fit it in between book 1 and book 2 of the trilogy. So no spoilers, and if anything, it gives you a better positioning as understanding why the universe is how it is in the RS time.

Thanks QT, that's decided that for me then!

I hate that feeling of not knowing what to read next. I'm on a sci fi roll now though; working my way through The Expanse, playing Rebel Galaxy, and reading Reynolds. It's just awesome, the 3 have
some harmonious cross-over points, and go really well together.

This post has been edited by Traveller: 03 November 2020 - 08:17 PM

[Tiste Simeon]

Finished the audiobook of Harrow the Ninth, put a couple of thoughts in the dedthread.

Just deciding what to listen to next.

[Tiste Simeon]

Going to listen to The House of Earth and Blood which is the first in the Crescent City series.

[Tiste Simeon]

Tiste Simeon, on 03 November 2020 - 06:51 PM, said:

Salt-Man Z, on 03 November 2020 - 05:03 PM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 03 November 2020 - 06:37 AM, said:

Salt-Man Z, on 03 November 2020 - 04:47 AM, said:

Read the first third of Claire North's SWEET HARMONY last night, which is utterly terrifying in its plausibility.

Ooh forgot to mention I've started reading this too and yeah I can definitely see

Spoiler

companies promoting nanos to help make people feel more beautiful etc. and then decommissioning them when payments aren't made.

I'm only about 3 chapters in but once again I'm very much drawn into the world she has created.

Finished it last night. It was very good, but then I expected nothing less. Once again, North writes a very moving, compelling, human character in Harmony. I can't say I was entirely satisfied with how the story ended, but at the same time I'm not sure it could have ended any other way.

Sweet. I'm on night shift tonight I'm going to try and get it read. Will let you know. I already really like her as a character, as you say she feels real and human.

Man. Quite harrowing but not quite as depressing as 84K. Very quick and easy read really but there's a lot packed in there.

Also the bit that made me giggle in a somewhat disturbed way was the

Spoiler

Haggis orgy thing that they end up at! Bizarre!

All in all a solid effort and I could easily have read more of Harmony. I think my running Claire North rankings are:

Touch
Harry August
Hope
Harmony
84K

Not read William Abbey or the Gameshouse novellas.

This post has been edited by Tiste Simeon: 04 November 2020 - 03:21 AM

[Zeto Demerzel]

Traveller, on 03 November 2020 - 08:11 PM, said:

Thanks QT, that's decided that for me then!

I hate that feeling of not knowing what to read next. I'm on a sci fi roll now though; working my way through The Expanse, playing Rebel Galaxy, and reading Reynolds. It's just awesome, the 3 have
some harmonious cross-over points, and go really well together.

Chasm City was a tough read for me compared to, say, Revelation Space and Redemption Ark. Characters from Chasm City appear - not in major roles decidedly - in Redemption Ark but, as others have said, the book more or less stands alone.

This post has been edited by Zeto Demerzel: 04 November 2020 - 05:39 AM

[Tsundoku]

Macros, on 03 November 2020 - 07:40 PM, said:

blargh, only available on kindle, poo poo to that

So get Calibre for your tablet. Reads all ebook formats and a few others. Can convert some formats as well.

[Abyss]

Zeto Demerzel, on 04 November 2020 - 05:39 AM, said:

Traveller, on 03 November 2020 - 08:11 PM, said:

Thanks QT, that's decided that for me then!

I hate that feeling of not knowing what to read next. I'm on a sci fi roll now though; working my way through The Expanse, playing Rebel Galaxy, and reading Reynolds. It's just awesome, the 3 have
some harmonious cross-over points, and go really well together.

Chasm City was a tough read for me compared to, say, Revelation Space and Redemption Ark. Characters from Chasm City appear - not in major roles decidedly - in Redemption Ark but, as others have said, the book more or less stands alone.

Agreed, did not love. I adored the setting, but compared to the complexity and sheer wtf of REVSPACE, CHASM was trope heavy urban fantasy as far as characters, plot, action, etc.

I am overdue to resume that series but part of me wants to reread Revspace first and part of me doesn't have the patience when i have so much new stuff to read.

[Zeto Demerzel]

Abyss, on 04 November 2020 - 02:36 PM, said:

Agreed, did not love. I adored the setting, but compared to the complexity and sheer wtf of REVSPACE, CHASM was trope heavy urban fantasy as far as characters, plot, action, etc.

I am overdue to resume that series but part of me wants to reread Revspace first and part of me doesn't have the patience when i have so much new stuff to read.

Pretty much my reaction to Chasm City too. Galactic North is a great collection set in the same series with shorts that intertwine with the main novels. Diamond Dogs and Turquoise Days are also set in the same universe although they are mostly stand-alones.

[amphibian]

Would not read Galactic North until after done with the main series. There's a story in it that is a sort of ending to the whole thing.

[QuickTidal]

amphibian, on 05 November 2020 - 01:17 PM, said:

Would not read Galactic North until after done with the main series. There's a story in it that is a sort of ending to the whole thing.

But they could technically read 90% of it safely as I think it's only the last story that is the spoiler for the end?

The first story in that, The Great Wall of Mars is my favourite piece of Reynolds fiction ever.

[amphibian]

I think Great Wall works best as an "after series" find. Makes Clavain all that much better.

[QuickTidal]

amphibian, on 05 November 2020 - 02:29 PM, said:

I think Great Wall works best as an "after series" find. Makes Clavain all that much better.

Maybe. It was my first Reynolds-verse read and I did okay though.

[Salt-Man Z]

I am currently reading Tanith Lee's SECRET BOOKS OF PARADYS series, starting with THE BOOK OF THE DAMNED. I'm amazed at how much I'm loving her prose.

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Starting Stephen Fry's Troy this weekend. I loved Mythos and Heroes so very much hoping for more of the same!