[worry]

Here's a refresher:

A ship is a type of rectangle with roughly four sides: port, starboard, bow, and I wanna say the ass? It can have between 0 and 20 sails. There's a wheel on top (the ship's 'brain') and an anchor on bottom (the ship's 'genitals'), and as with most folks, one rules over the other. A ship's kitchen is called a galley, but there's also a whole ship called a galley, named so because it's the only kind that doesn't have a kitchen so it is in itself the kitchen. You're allowed to eat anywhere on one, even the captain can't stop you.


Also, not for nothing, I learned in a game of Trivial Pursuit this week that Charles Darwin ate a bunch of the animals he was studying.

[QuickTidal]

Finished MASTER & COMMANDER by Patrick O'Brian, and there advice to push through the Nautical terms and get to the second half was right. ALL the greatest bits happen in that second half. I have some minor issues with the book, but not enough to prevent me from reading the rest of the series. I have POST CAPTAIN and HMS SURPRISE shipping to me as we speak.

----------


In the meantime I'm back into THE BROKEN CROWN by Michelle West...and I thought the HOUSE WAR books were good. This is excellent! I really do feel like West will stand with Erikson as my two fave Canadian Fantasy writers. They are kind of unequaled in how much they suck me into their books and complex worlds.

Oh, and I can now see why the order to read them in has you start with the first 3 HOUSE WAR books, and then the SUN SWORD series before going back into the rest of HOUSE WAR....there are people who show up in SUN SWORD (which takes place largely in the Annagar Dominion south of the Empire from the HOUSE WAR books; think Feudal Japan mixed with India) like:

Spoiler

Kallandras the Bard, Jewel, Eyayne, ect.

And I was cheering to see them because I knew them from the 3 HOUSE WAR books.

So yeah, safe to say I'm REALLY enjoying this series. Still have quite a few of them to go.

[Abyss]

Abyss, on 31 May 2021 - 04:50 PM, said:

Ack Ack Macaque bk 2 HIVE MONKEY delivery. Hell of a big finish that repeatedly twists on the reader. Great fun. Objectively i know action scenes involving a gun toting cigar smoking cussing perpetually pissed off and/or intoxicated uplifted monkey can only ever possibly be awesome, but even knowing that, damn, that monkey rocks.


If i were going to be critical, one new character's POV isn't even close to as interesting as that of the characters from bk 1 who survived to bk 2, but that's a minor point.

Earbook narrator kills it.

This series is bananas and i want more, thus, on to book 3, MACAQUE ATTACK.

And so, Just Finished.

Bk3 went way more sf than i was expecting. The steampunk elements were all there, the monkey still chews scenery and faces, but there were some added elements that really threw things sideways.
Great fun, the mostest monkey action yet. Arguably lacks some of the sheer novelty of the earlier books... Ack Ack's familiar now so to the extent that a foul mouthed cigar smoking two-guns-and-a-chainsaw armed leather jacket wearing uplifted monkey can be said to oh who am i kidding he's great.
It's a fun book ending a fun trilogy, worth a look.

And now for something completely different, Adrian Tchaikovsky's CHILDREN OF TIME

[worry]

Finished Mexican Gothic, a pretty solid gothic horror novel set in (you guessed it) Mexico at the remote family mansion of an English silver magnate. As far as 'haunted houses' go, this one aims more for creepiness than outright scares, and it folds colonialism and eugenics into its themes in interesting ways. It's kind of on the wavelength of Crimson Peak (which I thought was pretty rad), but if Guillermo del Toro had psychically waited to adapt this instead it could have been even better. It really does balance the traditional elements of gothic romance/horror with some sharper, more resonant themes.

Now I'm reading Monsters, this beast of a graphic novel by Barry Windsor-Smith. Anyone else take a crack at this yet? From what I've read it started (decades ago, mid-80s) as an Incredible Hulk story but ultimately became its own thing, a mishmash of the Hulk, Frankenstein, military experiments, and the horrors that men do. I'm still in the first quarter and a little bit of gruesome and tragic has already happened, so I'm expecting a lot more of each.

[Salt-Man Z]

worry, on 20 June 2021 - 01:37 AM, said:

Finished Mexican Gothic, a pretty solid gothic horror novel set in (you guessed it) Mexico at the remote family mansion of an English silver magnate. As far as 'haunted houses' go, this one aims more for creepiness than outright scares, and it folds colonialism and eugenics into its themes in interesting ways. It's kind of on the wavelength of Crimson Peak (which I thought was pretty rad), but if Guillermo del Toro had psychically waited to adapt this instead it could have been even better. It really does balance the traditional elements of gothic romance/horror with some sharper, more resonant themes.

Check out Moreno-Garcia's UNTAMED SHORE if you can track it down. Very similar vibes to MEXICAN GOTHIC, but a purely mundane (non-fantastical) setting. Both are fantastic.

[worry]

Will do, just placed a hold at my library! Thank you! Definitely a writer I plan to return to multiple times. I appreciate a skilled genre-hopper.

[Morgoth]

I never managed to get into Mexican Gothic. It has lots of elements I typically enjoy in a story, but it just fell flat for me. Might be something about the prose that didn't work for me, maybe.

[worry]

Finished Monsters. In one respect it wasn't what I was expecting. General spoiler about what didn't happen:

Spoiler

There was never any Hulk-like You Wouldn't Like Me When I'm Angry action climax. Takes an entirely different approach to its main 'monster'.

But in terms of the horrors intrinsic in its themes, it very much lived up to my expectations. I suppose it's a little predictable in that way, what with the title and the Nazi scientists, but the artwork is effective and visceral, while the writing and plotting (which involves a nesting doll of flashbacks, and some interesting serendipity) is really solid. Good book!

Now I'm starting The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi because I want to get extremely depressed I suppose. What am I doing?! But I've wanted to read it for a while now, and I guess I figure fitting it in before The God Is Not Willing will at least give me something to look forward to on the horizon instead of just -- you know -- the open abyss.

[James Hutton]

worry, on 24 June 2021 - 04:00 AM, said:

Now I'm starting The Water Knife by Paolo Bacigalupi because I want to get extremely depressed I suppose. What am I doing?! But I've wanted to read it for a while now, and I guess I figure fitting it in before The God Is Not Willing will at least give me something to look forward to on the horizon instead of just -- you know -- the open abyss.

That book I'll always remember: I was physically nauseated when I finished it. Superb craftsmanship to make me feel that ill with just letters on a some paper, but still, not an experience I'd like to repeat.

[Tiste Simeon]

Finished reading the Book of the Ancestor trilogy by Mark Lawrence (Red/Grey/Holy Sister) thoroughly enjoyed it and I just love the idea of badass nuns that can kill you in a split second. So cool. Love the great blend of sci-fi and fantasy. Really intense ending too!

Moving onto Naomi Novik's A DEADLY EDUCATION which I'm quite excited to start. Love the idea of a school that rotates downwards and the graduation being a massive free for all.

[Cyphon]

After finishing the reread Tales from the Folly which is a perfect gear change from FOL before the God is not willing. I can't remember all the timings implications but they're enjoyable little peaks into the everyday of the folly and police work.

This is basically what I imagine Tiste does.

[Chance]

Nearly done with We ride the Storm and it isn't a bad book but way too tryhard grimdark. Don't think I'll try book two for a while but might eventually since there are parts of it that are intriguing. It got one rather fun assassin I want to read more about for one eventually.

Need something upbeat and/or action filled next.

This post has been edited by Chance: 29 June 2021 - 11:26 AM

[polishgenius]

Haven't read much new for a while but recently I started The Black Coast by Mike Brooks, a debut from earlier in the year. Enjoying it so far- smoothly written, mostly-classic-but-intriguing world, one of those toeing the line between 80s charm and more modern sensibilities- but it does have one bad habit of repeated and very obvious as-you-knowing. The opening chapter for example has a sister explaining to her brother the details of assassination attempts that she'd acknowledged in-narration the line before that he already knew about.

Still, hopefully once the story settles in there'll be less of that and I can enjoy the world and characters.

[Tiste Simeon]

Cyphon, on 29 June 2021 - 05:28 AM, said:

After finishing the reread Tales from the Folly which is a perfect gear change from FOL before the God is not willing. I can't remember all the timings implications but they're enjoyable little peaks into the everyday of the folly and police work.

This is basically what I imagine Tiste does.

I've not read it but if it is mostly stressing about workloads and dealing with utter nonsense then yeah that's more or less it!

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Reading a history book by Hayley Nolan - Anne Boleyn: 500 Years of Lies

Thoughts that are very clear from the get go:

1. Hayley Nolan doesn't think much of men.
2. Hayley Nolan thinks even less of men who write history.
3. She is going to spend the entire book drowning her otherwise interesting and well thought out points in teenage level sass.

Sort of finishing it out of sheer bloody-mindedness now. For the love of all that's holy woman, stop filling the prose with hashtags!

This post has been edited by TheRetiredBridgeburner: 29 June 2021 - 02:15 PM

[Abyss]

Abyss, on 18 June 2021 - 03:56 AM, said:

...

And now for something completely different, Adrian Tchaikovsky's CHILDREN OF TIME

Just finished CHILDREN OF TIME. And... Well that was STUNNING.
If you've read this book - as i think most of you have - you know the amazing job the author does in depicting the viewpoint of a not human species. It's brilliant, truly, managing to be at once alien yet familiar. He also does the human perspective really really well, without trying to force parallels between the species where there aren't. They, are not like us, which makes the inevitable meeting al the more interesting and gripping when it happens.

Fantastic read, loved it, so much so that i allowed audible to immediately sell me the sequel, CHILDREN OF RUIN, which i am now about 2hrs into and enjoying muchly.

Salt-Man Z, on 20 June 2021 - 05:26 PM, said:

worry, on 20 June 2021 - 01:37 AM, said:

Finished Mexican Gothic, a pretty solid gothic horror novel set in (you guessed it) Mexico at the remote family mansion of an English silver magnate. As far as 'haunted houses' go, this one aims more for creepiness than outright scares, and it folds colonialism and eugenics into its themes in interesting ways. It's kind of on the wavelength of Crimson Peak (which I thought was pretty rad), but if Guillermo del Toro had psychically waited to adapt this instead it could have been even better. It really does balance the traditional elements of gothic romance/horror with some sharper, more resonant themes.

Check out Moreno-Garcia's UNTAMED SHORE if you can track it down. Very similar vibes to MEXICAN GOTHIC, but a purely mundane (non-fantastical) setting. Both are fantastic.

I have both of these in the eTRP... the author was so earnest and approachable when she talked them up online that i couldn't help wanting to support her. Bought one, library'd the other. UNTAMED is more tempting, as it's a murder mystery that involved great white shark tours in Mexico and that's just too many layers i like to ignore. GOTHIC... honestly i have never loved the genre but the library was free and the comments and reviews are fairly glowing.

Tiste Simeon, on 28 June 2021 - 02:56 PM, said:

Finished reading the Book of the Ancestor trilogy by Mark Lawrence (Red/Grey/Holy Sister) thoroughly enjoyed it and I just love the idea of badass nuns that can kill you in a split second. So cool. Love the great blend of sci-fi and fantasy. Really intense ending too!
...

This is the next Mark Lawrence trilo i have lined up and am VERY the psyched for it. Whether it can match RED QUEEN'S WAR i need to find out.

Chance, on 29 June 2021 - 11:08 AM, said:

Nearly done with We ride the Storm and it isn't a bad book but way too tryhard grimdark. Don't think I'll try book two for a while but might eventually since there are parts of it that are intriguing. It got one rather fun assassin I want to read more about for one eventually.
...

I keep almost buying this... the hype was/is HUGE but a few reviewers i trust were less impressed.

polishgenius, on 29 June 2021 - 12:03 PM, said:

Haven't read much new for a while but recently I started The Black Coast by Mike Brooks, a debut from earlier in the year. Enjoying it so far- smoothly written, mostly-classic-but-intriguing world, one of those toeing the line between 80s charm and more modern sensibilities- but it does have one bad habit of repeated and very obvious as-you-knowing. The opening chapter for example has a sister explaining to her brother the details of assassination attempts that she'd acknowledged in-narration the line before that he already knew about.

Still, hopefully once the story settles in there'll be less of that and I can enjoy the world and characters.

I have not read a thing by this author, but i follow him on twitbirdhellapp because his commentary is very entertaining. My only hesitation with this book was it's 1 of yet another series of unknown length.

Tiste Simeon, on 29 June 2021 - 02:08 PM, said:

Cyphon, on 29 June 2021 - 05:28 AM, said:

After finishing the reread Tales from the Folly which is a perfect gear change from FOL before the God is not willing. I can't remember all the timings implications but they're enjoyable little peaks into the everyday of the folly and police work.

This is basically what I imagine Tiste does.

I've not read it but if it is mostly stressing about workloads and dealing with utter nonsense then yeah that's more or less it!

Yes, but with more ninja demon maids.
It's a great read for fans of the PETER GRANT series. Every story is just so damn charming.

[worry]

Abyss, on 20 June 2021 - 05:26 PM, said:

I have both of these in the eTRP... the author was so earnest and approachable when she talked them up online that i couldn't help wanting to support her. Bought one, library'd the other. UNTAMED is more tempting, as it's a murder mystery that involved great white shark tours in Mexico and that's just too many layers i like to ignore. GOTHIC... honestly i have never loved the genre but the library was free and the comments and reviews are fairly glowing.

For MG, I suppose it'll depend on if you bounce off the prose or not. It's not like a huge linguistic throwback or anything (like Strange & Norrell) and it's not stodgy (even if some of its characters are), but it's definitely going for mood over thrills for much of its run, and there's at least a little old-fashioned-ness to it inherent in being a period piece in a certain deliberate mode. But overall, it tends towards the proto-weird fic end of gothic, imo.

[worry]

Long-winded way of saying 'you might like it if you're in the right mood', so, you know, duh.

[amphibian]

Abyss, on 29 June 2021 - 04:09 PM, said:

Abyss, on 18 June 2021 - 03:56 AM, said:

...

And now for something completely different, Adrian Tchaikovsky's CHILDREN OF TIME

Just finished CHILDREN OF TIME. And... Well that was STUNNING.
If you've read this book - as i think most of you have - you know the amazing job the author does in depicting the viewpoint of a not human species. It's brilliant, truly, managing to be at once alien yet familiar. He also does the human perspective really really well, without trying to force parallels between the species where there aren't. They, are not like us, which makes the inevitable meeting al the more interesting and gripping when it happens.

Fantastic read, loved it, so much so that i allowed audible to immediately sell me the sequel, CHILDREN OF RUIN, which i am now about 2hrs into and enjoying muchly.

As good as CoT was, I got the impression that CoR was what Tchaikovsky wanted to be writing and he back tracked to add CoT in order to make this series come together more.

I very much enjoyed them. I don't know if future books are coming, but I'd at least read them.

[Abyss]

worry, on 29 June 2021 - 09:04 PM, said:

Abyss, on 20 June 2021 - 05:26 PM, said:

I have both of these in the eTRP... the author was so earnest and approachable when she talked them up online that i couldn't help wanting to support her. Bought one, library'd the other. UNTAMED is more tempting, as it's a murder mystery that involved great white shark tours in Mexico and that's just too many layers i like to ignore. GOTHIC... honestly i have never loved the genre but the library was free and the comments and reviews are fairly glowing.

For MG, I suppose it'll depend on if you bounce off the prose or not. It's not like a huge linguistic throwback or anything (like Strange & Norrell) and it's not stodgy (even if some of its characters are), but it's definitely going for mood over thrills for much of its run, and there's at least a little old-fashioned-ness to it inherent in being a period piece in a certain deliberate mode. But overall, it tends towards the proto-weird fic end of gothic, imo.

worry, on 29 June 2021 - 09:25 PM, said:

Long-winded way of saying 'you might like it if you're in the right mood', so, you know, duh.

You lost me at 'prose', my eyes glazed over around 'linguistic', i may have actually slept with eyes open by the time i got to 'stodgy', certainly there as some drool around 'period piece', possibly light snoring.