[Mezla PigDog]

Fantasy books I recently read are the first two of The Demon Trilogy by Peter V Brett, The Painted Man and The Desert Spear. Anyone else read them? They have a very traditional fantasy setting and feel but quite an original premise. There is the usual start with innocent children getting on with stuff, then there's a tragedy that sets one of them on a quest for revenge. It begins like a cross between a typical Gemmel book and A Game of Thrones (which I hesitate to say since I hated that book) but just as you start thinking it is going to be predictable, it takes a dark or interesting turn. Outwardly the characters are typical fantasy bores but they are self aware enough to keep you onside.

Basically, if David Gemmel books are a guilty pleasure, you might want to give this series a go. It's brain candy, not a challenging read but I read them in a weekend each and couldn't put them down. Can't wait for the third.

[AlanH]

I'm currently on the second book of Peter V Brett's trilogy and so far I've found them to be very enjoyable - as said above, not the most complex thing you're ever going to read but the characters seem real and the story is original. Also a nice level of planning with the first 3rd of the second book tying in with the 1st book and what came before it very well - I found the fact that we are given a scene from the 1st book almost verbatim in the 2nd but from the other characters point me view to be a nice touch. All in all some very good, intelligent, well planned out writing. Well worth a read.

This post has been edited by AlanH: 28 November 2010 - 02:19 PM

[QuickTidal]

Finished THE PATH OF DAGGERS by Jordan...which was the first WOT book I didn't really get into. It was good, not great IMHO.

I also bought and read A Christmas Carol & Other Christmas Writings by Charles Dickens...just to change the pace...

Starting WINTERS HEART by Jordan tonight. Hoping it goes better than TPOD for me. We shall see.

[Salt-Man Z]

 Slow Ben, on 25 November 2010 - 05:04 PM, said:

Finished the first Garret book last night. Glen Cook just writes damn good stories.

Amen to that. I read through the first six Garrett books during the past couple months, and they were great. I need to track down the seventh before I can continue, though. (I think so far my favorite is Old Tin Sorrows.)

 Mezla PigDog, on 27 November 2010 - 05:18 PM, said:

Fantasy books I recently read are the first two of The Demon Trilogy by Peter V Brett, The Painted Man and The Desert Spear. Anyone else read them?

I read The Warded Man almost two years ago. I was initially disappointed when it appeared to be a cliche-ridden "traditional" story, but it got better quickly. I like how Arlen's maturation occurred mostly offscreen; the reader is able to get his motivations as a child, so he's a more fully-fleshed hero when he makes his reappearance in the second half of the book. Still, I was gripped enough to track down the second book, though I'll pick it up if I find it cheap sometime.

[Salt-Man Z]

As for me: over the weekend I finished Caine Black Knife which was (of course) fantastic, though the events-behind-the-plot were still mystifying the second time through, though it all made sense in the end once it was laid out for you. That confusion/obfuscation is enough to keep me from giving the book a full 5 stars like its predecessors, though.

Currently finishing up the Swords & Dark Magic anthology, with nothing really worth mentioning since my last comment. Though Scott Lynch's story was pretty good, I think I still like Erikson's and Wolfe's the best.

Coming up, I'll be starting Deadhouse Gates for the third time, for the Tor.com reread, and on Wednesday I'll start my annual December reread of The Book of the New Sun. This will be my third time through, and I'll be reading The Urth of the New Sun, which I skipped last time. And I'm armed with the Lexicon Urthus for the first time.

[Use Of Weapons]

Finished Stonewielder on the train to work this morning. Hmm. Esslemont's certainly improved as a writer, but I still had a number of concerns about plot points.

Much better than RotCG though.

Back to Infinite Jest.

[Astra]

 QuickTidal, on 28 November 2010 - 09:42 PM, said:

Finished THE PATH OF DAGGERS by Jordan...which was the first WOT book I didn't really get into. It was good, not great IMHO

That's how I felt when I read the first 8 books in 1999.

[QuickTidal]

 Salt-Man Z, on 29 November 2010 - 02:51 AM, said:

Currently finishing up the Swords & Dark Magic anthology, with nothing really worth mentioning since my last comment. Though Scott Lynch's story was pretty good, I think I still like Erikson's and Wolfe's the best.

The Abercrombie one at the end...FOOL JOBS...that's the best. It's made the whole anthology worth buying for me!

[T77]

The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, well color me unimpressed. The beginning and end were okay at best and the larger middle portion was long and boring. I do not think that he is that that great of a writer. I will not read the next one. Currently reading The Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb.

[kcf]

Well, life kicked me in the balls this month, but I did get in some reading time as a result. I've read several books that I still need to finish up reviews for, but I did get one done for The Last Page by Anthony Huso. It's a very promising debut that I enjoyed with only a few reservations. Good stuff. Full Review.

I'm currently reading Antiphon by Ken Scholes.

[Ain't_It_Just_]

Finally, FINALLY landed a copy of Last Argument of Kings. It is shaping up to be the best of the trilogy.

[MTS]

Hyperion by Dan Simmons. It's pretty kickass so far.

[Astra]

I finished The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Millennium #1) by Stieg Larsson
The book is OK. Good detective story, but nothing exceptional. I do sympathize with the girl, though. It is sad that she distances herself even from those few who care about her. I hope she overcomes it some time in the future. This free-to-sleep-with-the-best-friend-when-married concept is alien to me, but I accept it as different mentality/culture
I might read the other two books later.

Currently reading Politically Correct Bedtime Stories by James Finn Garner.
So far, so so.

[Obdigore]

Surrender to the Will of the Night.

Just finished Gilded Latten Bones.

Oh Cook, how are you so good?

Next is Stoneguyuserwielderperson.

[Abyss]

STONEWIELDER. yaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh

[Puck]

What Abyss said.

[Primateus]

Now reading "The Bonehunters"

I'm procrastinating at MAXIMUM power!

[cerveza_fiesta]

 MTS, on 01 December 2010 - 06:36 AM, said:

Hyperion by Dan Simmons. It's pretty kickass so far.

YES.

That book is insanely good. I loved every second of it. So weird, but so awesome at the same time.

I might read that again actually.

EDIT...progressing still on A Storm of Swords. Gods this book is great. I've been up an hour past normal sleepy-time the last 3 nights chomping down chapter after chapter. Fantastic story in every way. I'm starting to finally see some major threads weave together after being strung apart for so long...

Spoiler

Bran and Jojen etc.... finally getting to the Wall and the 3-eyed crow
Jon making it back to Castle Black
Wildlings getting over the wall in mass numbers
Jaime inching closer to Kings Landing....I'm so stoked for this part
Arya meeting up with her mommy again possibly
Robb heading back north to retake it from the stupid ironmen

I'm only about halfway through so careful of full /spoilers on the above. I can see now what everybody's been raving about. The end of this book is shaping up to be pretty frickin epic.

This post has been edited by cerveza_fiesta: 02 December 2010 - 02:56 PM

[T77]

Finally finished Memories of Ice after starting it many months ago and putting it down multiple times, not because i did not like it, mainly because of its length. I only started reading fantasy a few years ago and I like to knock off a smaller book as to try other authors. Well after sampling a bunch of other authors I realize how much above the rest Erikson is and I will now focus more on his works. I really enjoyed MOI, to me no one else I've read so far does fantasy like Erikson. I think Gene Wolfe is a better writer, but he's more Sci-Fi/Fantasy and I think his novels are more general literature with a sprinkling of fantasy. I would also put Glen Cook as an equal to SE, I actually prefer his less confusing and shorter writing style. On to House of Chains.

[QuickTidal]

 cerveza_fiesta, on 02 December 2010 - 02:51 PM, said:

 MTS, on 01 December 2010 - 06:36 AM, said:

Hyperion by Dan Simmons. It's pretty kickass so far.

YES.

That book is insanely good. I loved every second of it. So weird, but so awesome at the same time.

I might read that again actually.

EDIT...progressing still on A Storm of Swords. Gods this book is great. I've been up an hour past normal sleepy-time the last 3 nights chomping down chapter after chapter. Fantastic story in every way. I'm starting to finally see some major threads weave together after being strung apart for so long...

Spoiler

Bran and Jojen etc.... finally getting to the Wall and the 3-eyed crow
Jon making it back to Castle Black
Wildlings getting over the wall in mass numbers
Jaime inching closer to Kings Landing....I'm so stoked for this part
Arya meeting up with her mommy again possibly
Robb heading back north to retake it from the stupid ironmen

I'm only about halfway through so careful of full /spoilers on the above. I can see now what everybody's been raving about. The end of this book is shaping up to be pretty frickin epic.

Oh man....you are about to embark on the best part. The latter half of that book is awesome scene connected to awesome scene connected to awesome scene. Prepare thyself the for best goddamned stuff that has happened in the series thusfar!

What I wouldn't give to be back reading that book for the first time again.