[polishgenius]

I read Sea and Stone, the latest Peter Grant book by Aaronovitch.



It's... fine? I mean, it's a Peter Grant book, it wasn't gonna be bad. But it's a little weaker than the best ones, in large part because it's 50% an Abigail book. Which hurts it for two reasons: one, I hadn't considered that I was supposed to be reading the Abigail novellas as main adventures, so, well, I haven't yet. But her story here begins with a major emotional beat that presumably comes directly out of those stories but which I have no idea about. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, it all just leaves the book a bit divided. The Peter sections and Abigail sections do end up dovetailing, of course, it'd be wild if they didn't, but they each have separate local (Scottish) supporting cast, separate investigative arcs, and related-but-essentially-separate denouments. That's a lot to squeeze in to a 270 page book. It ends up feeling a bit scattered.

But... ya know. It's still a fun book.

[JPK]

Finished up THE WARM HANDS OF GHOSTS over the weekend and was just blown away by the novel. Arden is really a treasure and I can't wait to see what comes next from them.

Next up I'm starting NECESSARY EVIL (Milkweed Tryptich #3). I can't wait to see how this one goes sideways after the explosive ending of book 2.

[Tiste Simeon]

JPK, on 07 July 2025 - 03:06 PM, said:

Next up I'm starting NECESSARY EVIL (Milkweed Tryptich #3). I can't wait to see how this one goes sideways after the explosive ending of book 2.

Hmm a lot of you have mentioned this one and I see the whole trilogy is a tenner on Kindle in the UK right now. So my trip grows again...

[JPK]

Tiste Simeon, on 07 July 2025 - 03:08 PM, said:

JPK, on 07 July 2025 - 03:06 PM, said:

Next up I'm starting NECESSARY EVIL (Milkweed Tryptich #3). I can't wait to see how this one goes sideways after the explosive ending of book 2.

Hmm a lot of you have mentioned this one and I see the whole trilogy is a tenner on Kindle in the UK right now. So my trip grows again...

If you weren't already sold let me put it this way: Nazi X-Men vs Allied Eldritch Warlocks and the spy agency that has no fucking idea what it's playing with.

[Abyss]

JPK, on 07 July 2025 - 03:28 PM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 07 July 2025 - 03:08 PM, said:

JPK, on 07 July 2025 - 03:06 PM, said:

Next up I'm starting NECESSARY EVIL (Milkweed Tryptich #3). I can't wait to see how this one goes sideways after the explosive ending of book 2.

Hmm a lot of you have mentioned this one and I see the whole trilogy is a tenner on Kindle in the UK right now. So my trip grows again...

If you weren't already sold let me put it this way: Nazi X-Men vs Allied Eldritch Warlocks and the spy agency that has no fucking idea what it's playing with.

...also, great books.

[Abyss]

polishgenius, on 06 July 2025 - 09:41 PM, said:

I read Sea and Stone, the latest Peter Grant book by Aaronovitch.



It's... fine? I mean, it's a Peter Grant book, it wasn't gonna be bad. But it's a little weaker than the best ones, in large part because it's 50% an Abigail book. Which hurts it for two reasons: one, I hadn't considered that I was supposed to be reading the Abigail novellas as main adventures, so, well, I haven't yet. But her story here begins with a major emotional beat that presumably comes directly out of those stories but which I have no idea about. Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, it all just leaves the book a bit divided. The Peter sections and Abigail sections do end up dovetailing, of course, it'd be wild if they didn't, but they each have separate local (Scottish) supporting cast, separate investigative arcs, and related-but-essentially-separate denouments. That's a lot to squeeze in to a 270 page book. It ends up feeling a bit scattered.

But... ya know. It's still a fun book.

Earbook drops tomorrow, am pairing it w the MASQUERADES OF SPRING novella, so looking fwd to 15hrs of Peter Grantiness. I enjoyed the Abigail novella, but admit i'm a little skeptical at the author's decision to make her co-lead vs keeping her off in her own little YA corner.

[JPK]

Abyss, on 07 July 2025 - 04:44 PM, said:

JPK, on 07 July 2025 - 03:28 PM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 07 July 2025 - 03:08 PM, said:

JPK, on 07 July 2025 - 03:06 PM, said:

Next up I'm starting NECESSARY EVIL (Milkweed Tryptich #3). I can't wait to see how this one goes sideways after the explosive ending of book 2.

Hmm a lot of you have mentioned this one and I see the whole trilogy is a tenner on Kindle in the UK right now. So my trip grows again...

If you weren't already sold let me put it this way: Nazi X-Men vs Allied Eldritch Warlocks and the spy agency that has no fucking idea what it's playing with.

...also, great books.

They are so much better than they really have any right to be.

[Tiste Simeon]

JPK, on 07 July 2025 - 08:08 PM, said:

Abyss, on 07 July 2025 - 04:44 PM, said:

JPK, on 07 July 2025 - 03:28 PM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 07 July 2025 - 03:08 PM, said:

JPK, on 07 July 2025 - 03:06 PM, said:

Next up I'm starting NECESSARY EVIL (Milkweed Tryptich #3). I can't wait to see how this one goes sideways after the explosive ending of book 2.

Hmm a lot of you have mentioned this one and I see the whole trilogy is a tenner on Kindle in the UK right now. So my trip grows again...

If you weren't already sold let me put it this way: Nazi X-Men vs Allied Eldritch Warlocks and the spy agency that has no fucking idea what it's playing with.

...also, great books.

They are so much better than they really have any right to be.

Wow they've jumped up the trp a few levels!

[QuickTidal]

QuickTidal, on 03 July 2025 - 04:58 PM, said:

Got about 100 pages left in re-read of GREATCOATS 1...still a phenomenal book.

After that I'm going to take a side finally in a longtime massive forum dispute...

I know you all know what I'm going to say....

I'm going to finally read TIGANA


And we see if I come down on the side of Abyss and hate it with a visceral fire...OR I like it and side with PG and it will get the double stamp...


Note: I was tweaked to finally pull it out of the TBR as GGK has announced on social media the other day that he's working with a small indie specialty publisher to do an anniversary edition for it with a bunch of cool ass art.

I was like, maybe it's time to choose a faction. I'll be honest, I'm rooting for the double stamp...it's such a rare occurrence and would really send the forum dispute into overdrive.

Well, I made it 150 pages.

Spoiler

Am I supposed to have SYMPATHY for this Brandin dude? Is that what GGK expects of me? Cause fuck that. Also, Dianora can eat a bag of soggy rotten cucumbers.

Like I've read some middling GGK...but that book is like the nadir of his work...I gave up, and he's lucky I don't throw the book against the wall.

[QuickTidal]

Tiste Simeon, on 07 July 2025 - 08:11 PM, said:

JPK, on 07 July 2025 - 08:08 PM, said:

Abyss, on 07 July 2025 - 04:44 PM, said:

JPK, on 07 July 2025 - 03:28 PM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 07 July 2025 - 03:08 PM, said:

JPK, on 07 July 2025 - 03:06 PM, said:

Next up I'm starting NECESSARY EVIL (Milkweed Tryptich #3). I can't wait to see how this one goes sideways after the explosive ending of book 2.

Hmm a lot of you have mentioned this one and I see the whole trilogy is a tenner on Kindle in the UK right now. So my trip grows again...

If you weren't already sold let me put it this way: Nazi X-Men vs Allied Eldritch Warlocks and the spy agency that has no fucking idea what it's playing with.

...also, great books.

They are so much better than they really have any right to be.

Wow they've jumped up the trp a few levels!

Throwing my two cents in, I loved that trilogy start to finish. Just really compelling stuff with deep character work and massively entertaining mysteries and powers and shit.

[Tiste Simeon]

O dang

[Abyss]

Abyss, on 02 July 2025 - 07:09 PM, said:

Meanwhile, in the Department of Just Finished... I was jonesing for something whimsical after THE DEVILS, and a brush through my earbook library/TRP brought me to THE THIRTEENTH PALADIN, by Torsten Weitz, specifically an Audible compilation of books 1-3 of the 13 book series.

It's cheesy and predictable and derivative and just barely original, and i'm thoroughly enjoying it. The narrator Gildart Jackson, just sells it so earnestly that even where i predict what's going to happen, his voices are so well done that i'm still into the story.

There's a chosen one, a crusty old ranger mentor, elves are delicate magical forest dwellers and dwarves are rough underground little people, every female character is graceful and mysterious, the Big Bad is called 'The Adversary' and his borderline idiot servants are 'Dark Ones'... the MC is a plucky village boy torn from obscurity and destined to save the world, FFS the dwarf warrior just used the words "joie de vivre" so apparently someone somewhere in this totally fictional world speaks French.... it's all very very basic but damn if books 1 and 2 didn't yank me right in and hold my attention. Starting bk 3 now.

Well into bk 3 and still enjoying but some of the wording was starting to annoy me.... some strange word choices like 'red alert' and 'attack mode' in a very medieval set fantasy. Also, two more 'joie de vivre's. Also also a sword that two different people are apparently carrying at the same time in two different places.

A brief google reveals that the german to english translator was either not very good at their job, not a fantasy lit fan, or so underpaid as not to care... they evidently missed that the sword was a type of blade, not a name. Thankfully, 'transformer' was replaced by 'doppelganger' quickly enough so i stopped expecting Megatron to show up.

To be clear, i am still very much enjoying this. The overall story is benefitting from becoming a little more complex and the characters obtaining a little more depth. The author is slow to unpeel the onions but as he does the characters and their situation become progressively more engaging. In a more or less stock 'chosen one must level up, assemble allies, challenge the Big Bad' story, the author to his credit isn't afraid to be clear that he's playing a long game.

[Macros]

QuickTidal, on 08 July 2025 - 11:53 AM, said:

QuickTidal, on 03 July 2025 - 04:58 PM, said:

Got about 100 pages left in re-read of GREATCOATS 1...still a phenomenal book.

After that I'm going to take a side finally in a longtime massive forum dispute...

I know you all know what I'm going to say....

I'm going to finally read TIGANA


And we see if I come down on the side of Abyss and hate it with a visceral fire...OR I like it and side with PG and it will get the double stamp...


Note: I was tweaked to finally pull it out of the TBR as GGK has announced on social media the other day that he's working with a small indie specialty publisher to do an anniversary edition for it with a bunch of cool ass art.

I was like, maybe it's time to choose a faction. I'll be honest, I'm rooting for the double stamp...it's such a rare occurrence and would really send the forum dispute into overdrive.

Well, I made it 150 pages.

Spoiler

Am I supposed to have SYMPATHY for this Brandin dude? Is that what GGK expects of me? Cause fuck that. Also, Dianora can eat a bag of soggy rotten cucumbers.

Like I've read some middling GGK...but that book is like the nadir of his work...I gave up, and he's lucky I don't throw the book against the wall.

Yes
Yes

Give in to the hate!

[Macros]

Macros, on 01 July 2025 - 02:29 PM, said:

Here's a quandary for the forum.

Have made an agreement with a friend, that I would read the first 2 crown of Thorns and roses books, the trade of was that I could give her 2 books to read.
(She then insisted one was the book I am forever writting(read not))

What books to issue?
Do I go for something epic and classic like magician? straightforward like Legend? Grubby and fun like Low town? Dark and a great into like the Blade itself?

Gave her The Blade Itself

[Abyss]

Macros, on 08 July 2025 - 03:43 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 08 July 2025 - 11:53 AM, said:

QuickTidal, on 03 July 2025 - 04:58 PM, said:

Got about 100 pages left in re-read of GREATCOATS 1...still a phenomenal book.

After that I'm going to take a side finally in a longtime massive forum dispute...

I know you all know what I'm going to say....

I'm going to finally read TIGANA


And we see if I come down on the side of Abyss and hate it with a visceral fire...OR I like it and side with PG and it will get the double stamp...


Note: I was tweaked to finally pull it out of the TBR as GGK has announced on social media the other day that he's working with a small indie specialty publisher to do an anniversary edition for it with a bunch of cool ass art.

I was like, maybe it's time to choose a faction. I'll be honest, I'm rooting for the double stamp...it's such a rare occurrence and would really send the forum dispute into overdrive.

Well, I made it 150 pages.

Spoiler

Am I supposed to have SYMPATHY for this Brandin dude? Is that what GGK expects of me? Cause fuck that. Also, Dianora can eat a bag of soggy rotten cucumbers.

Like I've read some middling GGK...but that book is like the nadir of his work...I gave up, and he's lucky I don't throw the book against the wall.

Yes
Yes

Give in to the hate!

I WIN

[Abyss]

Macros, on 08 July 2025 - 03:43 PM, said:

Macros, on 01 July 2025 - 02:29 PM, said:

Here's a quandary for the forum.

Have made an agreement with a friend, that I would read the first 2 crown of Thorns and roses books, the trade of was that I could give her 2 books to read.
(She then insisted one was the book I am forever writting(read not))

What books to issue?
Do I go for something epic and classic like magician? straightforward like Legend? Grubby and fun like Low town? Dark and a great into like the Blade itself?

Gave her The Blade Itself

See i knew this was a sex thing Interesting choice, not JAs best work, but a decent grim n gritty intro level book. I found it took til well into bk 2 for that series to really kick off but BLADE ITSELF does have enough going to draw a reader in that was not a sex thing comment.

[QuickTidal]

Abyss, on 08 July 2025 - 04:30 PM, said:

Macros, on 08 July 2025 - 03:43 PM, said:

Macros, on 01 July 2025 - 02:29 PM, said:

Here's a quandary for the forum.

Have made an agreement with a friend, that I would read the first 2 crown of Thorns and roses books, the trade of was that I could give her 2 books to read.
(She then insisted one was the book I am forever writting(read not))

What books to issue?
Do I go for something epic and classic like magician? straightforward like Legend? Grubby and fun like Low town? Dark and a great into like the Blade itself?

Gave her The Blade Itself

See i knew this was a sex thing Interesting choice, not JAs best work, but a decent grim n gritty intro level book. I found it took til well into bk 2 for that series to really kick off but BLADE ITSELF does have enough going to draw a reader in that was not a sex thing comment.

There's some dark shit in that book too, so it will be a good litmus for what level of grimdark she likes.

[JPK]

I finished up the earbook for EYES OF THE VOID by Tchaikovsky over the weekend. It's the second book in his THE FINAL ARCHITECTURE trilogy. I've read a good bit of his work now, and it's amazing to me how he can continue to surprise me with his genre shifts. This one leans outside the hard sci-fi and firmly into space opera with a dash of science fantasy and a strong amount of found family.

I keep thinking of what spot it's filling for me and while it's not perfect I think I've finally settled on THE EXPANSE. It has a heavy focus on characterization (as found family tends to) for the crew of a smaller spacecraft while they're investing rumors of the return of a threat that wipes out civilizations. Meanwhile several human and human adjacent groups are engaging in brink-of-war politics in the backdrop. This has more aliens though, and as per Tchaikovsky the aliens are truly alien and some very intriguing.


Sorry I'm not more coherent, this one has been playing in my brain space.

[Macros]

I finished the series not long ago.

I enjoy how he is able to shift styles and genres so competently.
I found the final book of the architecture weaker than book 2 but over all an enjoyable series

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

QuickTidal, on 08 July 2025 - 05:57 PM, said:

Abyss, on 08 July 2025 - 04:30 PM, said:

Macros, on 08 July 2025 - 03:43 PM, said:

Macros, on 01 July 2025 - 02:29 PM, said:

Here's a quandary for the forum.

Have made an agreement with a friend, that I would read the first 2 crown of Thorns and roses books, the trade of was that I could give her 2 books to read.
(She then insisted one was the book I am forever writting(read not))

What books to issue?
Do I go for something epic and classic like magician? straightforward like Legend? Grubby and fun like Low town? Dark and a great into like the Blade itself?

Gave her The Blade Itself

See i knew this was a sex thing Interesting choice, not JAs best work, but a decent grim n gritty intro level book. I found it took til well into bk 2 for that series to really kick off but BLADE ITSELF does have enough going to draw a reader in that was not a sex thing comment.

There's some dark shit in that book too, so it will be a good litmus for what level of grimdark she likes.

Maybe this and Legend for some difference?