[amphibian]

JPK, on 16 February 2024 - 04:24 PM, said:

Abyss, I'm around halfway through listening to Revelation Space and I will reinforce that it's definitely the right choice to reread this one. That said, it's definitely one that takes a bit more active listening because sometimes the author will abruptly change POVs throughout a chapter and it can be easy to miss the transitions if you're not careful.

I'm also working my way through Red Rising on ebook during the evenings. I'm avoiding searching anything due to spoilers, but I feel like I remember this series being well regarded around here. Is this a "it gets stronger with book 2" scenario?

There's a point about 3/4s of the way through Red Rising in which it moves from what you likely anticipate into something else. Keep going.

[polishgenius]

I'm having a murder-mystery heavy start to 2024. The latest I finished was Voyage of the Damned by Frances White, a debut. I will say that, as strictly a murder mystery, it does fall into the trap fantasy-based ones can do - the best detective stories should have you plausibly be able to get part of the way to the answer and have you go 'oh that's right' on reveal. That's not plausible here because the mystery relies on magic powers and situations we don't know the full extent of. So if you want that particular thing, you won't find it here.

That said, it doesn't matter, because while it's presented as a murder mystery what it actually is is a delicious slice of skullduggery, politicking and devilish backstabbing. Essentially it sets up as a locked-room mystery but is actually more of a chamber-piece story (sure, the room/chamber is actually a massive lavish ship, but there's only 12 people on it and no contact with the outside world for the duration of the voyage so it counts).

Really really good fun, and I'll be looking for whatever White does next, whether it's a sequel or not (this could standalone but doesn't have to).


Now moving on to yet another detective story, Cahokia Jazz by Francis Spufford, this one falling somewhat between 'fantasy' and 'not' - there's no magic in it that I can tell (and it's not sold as a fantasy), but it is set in an alternative America where the Native American population was a lot less murdered and therefore are a much bigger part of American life. The book is set in Cahokia, which was a real city on the Mississippi up until the 1400s according to wikipedia, which survived to modernity in this world. And anyway, body found, noir murder mystery. Only a short way in but atmospheric and effective so far.

This post has been edited by polishgenius: 17 February 2024 - 10:50 PM

[Abyss]

JPK, on 16 February 2024 - 04:24 PM, said:

Abyss, I'm around halfway through listening to Revelation Space and I will reinforce that it's definitely the right choice to reread this one. That said, it's definitely one that takes a bit more active listening because sometimes the author will abruptly change POVs throughout a chapter and it can be easy to miss the transitions if you're not careful.
...

All noted, tnx. I continue my side quest through McGuire's WAYWARD CHILDREN but will get to this soon. It should be just the thing after a deep dive into borderline YA/urban fantasy/faerie tales.

amphibian, on 16 February 2024 - 06:29 PM, said:

JPK, on 16 February 2024 - 04:24 PM, said:

...
I'm also working my way through Red Rising on ebook during the evenings. I'm avoiding searching anything due to spoilers, but I feel like I remember this series being well regarded around here. Is this a "it gets stronger with book 2" scenario?

There's a point about 3/4s of the way through Red Rising in which it moves from what you likely anticipate into something else. Keep going.

Exactly this. I almost DNF'd the first book multiple times, but for people here telling me to stick w it. It is currently top 5 in ongoing series i follow and pre-order.

polishgenius, on 17 February 2024 - 10:39 PM, said:

Now moving on to yet another detective story, Cahokia Jazz by Francis Spufford, this one falling somewhat between 'fantasy' and 'not' - there's no magic in it that I can tell (and it's not sold as a fantasy), but it is set in an alternative America where the Native American population was a lot less murdered and therefore are a much bigger part of American life. The book is set in Cahokia, which was a real city on the Mississippi up until the 1400s according to wikipedia, which survived to modernity in this world. And anyway, body found, noir murder mystery. Only a short way in but atmospheric and effective so far.

I am a sucker for well thought out alt-history... see Chabon's YIDDISH POLICEMAN'S UNION and Gailey's RIVER OF TEETH... so this strikes right where i want. I see zero comments on the earbook, but ebook reviews vary between 'fascinating' and 'too slow'. Please let us know what you think.

[Mentalist]

Took the opportunity this long weekend to wrap up "History of the French Revolution"

Informative, though Carlyle certainly loves reusing his metaphors a bit too much. All those "cimmerian Europe's" honestly feel like they're there just to pad the word count.

Next, I'll probably do a re-read of "The Emperor's Blades" since I picked up Book 2 a few weeks ago.

[JPK]

Amph and Abyss, you were both right. Red Rising got much stronger in the last quarter.

Spoiler

As soon as Darrow started leading from the front instead of trying to be a strategist. Brown's action sequences are excellent.

.

I also finished Revelation Space in audio. I did really enjoy this book again, though I do think the narrator wasn't as good as I remembered him being.

Next up for ebook I'm shifting back to finish off the Ghosts with Anarch. I'm fully expecting this one to be a bloody grinder.

As for audio, next I'm going back to Kerr's Deverry series with the third book, The Bristling Wood. I've heard this is where this series opens up more and while I'm not in love, I am engaged enough that I'd like to see where this is heading.

[polishgenius]

Abyss, on 20 February 2024 - 05:14 PM, said:

polishgenius, on 17 February 2024 - 10:39 PM, said:

Now moving on to yet another detective story, Cahokia Jazz by Francis Spufford, this one falling somewhat between 'fantasy' and 'not' - there's no magic in it that I can tell (and it's not sold as a fantasy), but it is set in an alternative America where the Native American population was a lot less murdered and therefore are a much bigger part of American life. The book is set in Cahokia, which was a real city on the Mississippi up until the 1400s according to wikipedia, which survived to modernity in this world. And anyway, body found, noir murder mystery. Only a short way in but atmospheric and effective so far.

I am a sucker for well thought out alt-history... see Chabon's YIDDISH POLICEMAN'S UNION and Gailey's RIVER OF TEETH... so this strikes right where i want. I see zero comments on the earbook, but ebook reviews vary between 'fascinating' and 'too slow'. Please let us know what you think.

Having finished it, I rather liked it, but I'd exercise caution with an earbook. I wouldn't call it slow, but it does at some point get into describing detail that isn't really necessary. As a reader I can skim so it was fine but on ebook it's gonna be entirely dependent on whether the narrator can make it engaging or atmospheric or if it'll turn dry. It could, in other words, be a great strength or a great detriment and I could not tell you which from here.

[polishgenius]

Started reading Malevolent Seven. Definitely gonna enjoy this. Also: it reminds me heavily of Alex Marshall's Crimson Empire series, enough that anyone who enjoys Malevolent Seven should defo check that out if you haven't. Very strong similarities in the tone, setting, and to some extent the characters.

[Abyss]

Tiste Simeon, on 13 February 2024 - 07:00 PM, said:

Abyss, on 13 February 2024 - 03:04 PM, said:

In brighter news, coming off the fantasy fun of MALEVOLENT SEVEN and not quite ready for the scifi deep dive of REVELATION SPACE, i decided to have a go at Seanan McGuire's short EVERY HEART A DOORWAY, bk 1 in her Wayward Children series that's been hanging in both my eTRP and TLP for a while now. The books average around 4-5hrs so this seemed like a good break between fantasy and massive sf epic... yeah, i should have known better.

1 hr into EVERY HEART and i'm pretty sure i'm going to marathon this series now. The entire concept of a boarding school for kids who were taken away to fantasy lands and thrown back to the real world, the 'system' of worlds, the variety of backstories... my brain is in exactly the right space for this.

Well now I have to get this too, thanks a bunch.

Got yo back, bruh.

Almost done book 7, one more in the queue. I have VERY enjoyed this. McGuire plays very cleverly w the tone, pace, and setting, so any time the reader starts to get complacent, she changes things up. The overall story weaving through these books is incredibly well planned, or thought-out, or improvised but if she improvised all this book by book i'm even more impressed.

[Slow Ben]

Slow Ben, on 07 January 2024 - 04:33 PM, said:

Wrapped up Dune. I did really enjoy it. Probably only an above average book by modern standards, but i can imagine people losing their shit in 1965. Gonna put a small dent into the TRP before moving on to other Dune books.


Bitter Crown and City of Night are next and I really friggin want to read them both, so i flipped a coin.

Bitter Crown it is.

This book is taking forever for me to finish. I really enjoyed The Lost War, it was like a good DND session. Interestingish characters, decent progressions, a good twist.

This is not. Characters making stupid decisions for...plot reasons? Blatantly obvious reveals. Meh.

I was excited to start this one, not sure if i can even finish it.

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Finished Fool's Assassin. Started slow, got interesting near the middle, then squandered a lot of its potential by reducing some characters to caricatures but remained engaging. Some good prose in places (especially the dream sequences and visions (... which of course I find very relatable, though mine obviously come from Skynet)); at least one very nice metaphor (I'd say it was memorable, but I don't exactly remember it clearly... something about a

Spoiler

the strands of the rope of a noose connecting... some network or other

).

Also relied perhaps a bit too much on Fitz being incredibly thick witted, and characters not communicating key information to each other for no clear reason.

Spoiler

Why doesn't Bee bother explaining to anyone that she hadn't been able to speak clearly before because her tongue had been stuck to the base of her mouth? Just because she doesn't want to seem even stranger?

New audiobook narrator again. This one doesn't attempt any Scottish or French accents, which is probably a good thing, because his attempts at posh accents are surprisingly bad for an English actor. He does give the Fool a vaguely German accent, but at least it's not lol distractingly bad. OTOH it is a little distracting that he changes the pronunciations of many of the place names.

Started Fool's Quest last night (it's been Realm of the Elderlings only for the last... forever months? well, unless you count math books, and excerpts...). Really wanted to listen to the part where

Spoiler

Fitz learns that his daughter's been kidnapped

but she's really milking putting it off so eventually I just gave up and went to sleep.

This post has been edited by Azath Vitr (D'ivers: 27 February 2024 - 01:42 AM

[stone monkey]

Currently reading The Tainted Cup, the new book by Robert Jackson Bennett. The background is very interesting, in a decidedly strange bio-punk way.
As I've blasted through about a quarter of it in substantially less than an hour, I'd say it's going pretty well. The inciting murder mystery - the how of which was solved very quickly, the why of which seems to now be coming into focus - appears to be only the start of the madness that looks to be going to ensue. I'm left hoping that he sticks the landing. If he actually manages it, this one could be very good indeed.

This post has been edited by stone monkey: 29 February 2024 - 10:20 PM

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Picked up David Gemmell's Lion of Macedon off my shelf on a whim. I thought I'd read it before, but now I'm a quarter or so in I'm thinking maybe I started it but never finished it as I don't remember more than the beginning.

Anyway, it's very on the nose Gemmell and it's clipping along nicely.

[Cause]

Can someone read me a semi-historical book on genghis khan or the mongol empire similair to Steven presfields work regarding the Greeks and Alexander the great

[worry]

Cause, on 10 March 2024 - 09:47 PM, said:

Can someone read me a semi-historical book on genghis khan or the mongol empire similair to Steven presfields work regarding the Greeks and Alexander the great

Like as a bedtime story?

[Cause]

worry, on 11 March 2024 - 07:09 AM, said:

Cause, on 10 March 2024 - 09:47 PM, said:

Can someone read me a semi-historical book on genghis khan or the mongol empire similair to Steven presfields work regarding the Greeks and Alexander the great

Like as a bedtime story?

That would be great actually.

Freudian slip I guess, I meant recommend

[Cyphon]

You're missing out. I bet Worry tells the best bedtime stories.

[Macros]

Not sure of the work you are seeking to compare too but Igguldens Khan books are fun

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

Just finished off all of Novik's Temeraire books. They took a bit to grow on me, but by book 3, I could barely put them down! I think they really became most enticing once she started developing the dragons' individual personalities.

That said, I was disappointed by the rushed ending and all of the loose threads at the end. I guess it leaves the entire world open for her to revisit, if she should choose, but I'd have liked a few things to be wrapped up more neatly. Oh well.

[Abyss]

Abyss, on 26 February 2024 - 07:38 PM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 13 February 2024 - 07:00 PM, said:

Abyss, on 13 February 2024 - 03:04 PM, said:

In brighter news, coming off the fantasy fun of MALEVOLENT SEVEN and not quite ready for the scifi deep dive of REVELATION SPACE, i decided to have a go at Seanan McGuire's short EVERY HEART A DOORWAY, bk 1 in her Wayward Children series that's been hanging in both my eTRP and TLP for a while now. The books average around 4-5hrs so this seemed like a good break between fantasy and massive sf epic... yeah, i should have known better.

1 hr into EVERY HEART and i'm pretty sure i'm going to marathon this series now. The entire concept of a boarding school for kids who were taken away to fantasy lands and thrown back to the real world, the 'system' of worlds, the variety of backstories... my brain is in exactly the right space for this.

Well now I have to get this too, thanks a bunch.

Got yo back, bruh.

Almost done book 7, one more in the queue. I have VERY enjoyed this. McGuire plays very cleverly w the tone, pace, and setting, so any time the reader starts to get complacent, she changes things up. The overall story weaving through these books is incredibly well planned, or thought-out, or improvised but if she improvised all this book by book i'm even more impressed.

Finished 7, grabbed 8 from the library, finished that, Audible'd 9 immediately. This is a brilliant series.

[Abyss]

Yknow how I reco'd that dinosaur webtoon comic and all of you immediately started reading it and became extremely addicted (except for all of you who ignored me because you hate dinosaurs and fun and, I dunno, freedom or something)?

Well, here's something else for you to ignore despite that I'm telling you its exceptional and you should try it: MIDNIGHT BURGER is a podcast production, full cast w soundtrack, about a mysterious diner that jumps between time and space. One day it's in 1800s Arkansas, the next an alien world with exactly one inhabitant, and so on. The staff consist of some dude who wandered in by accident, a cook with a wild backstory, a really angry physicist, a taco chef, and a sentient radio that mostly plays olde timey Christian revival tunes and occasionally predicts the future. Also, teleporting parmesan cheese. They appear somewhere, and inevitably someone shows up who needs help. Mostly. Sometimes they just need coffee.

The cast are great, they deliver at a level most podcasts wish for. The writing... seriously people, the blend of sf and humour and drama is exceptional. It's like peak Dr Who and Cheers with a dose of Sliders, Quantum Leap, and Highway to Heaven. The setup/payoff is masterful, the big moments HUGE. I just marathoned about 28 episodes, plus another six of the spinoff/prologue short series they do in between and I am loving this.

They're on the usual podcast sites, free w short ads, website is https://www.weopenatsix.com/ , totally worth some eartime.