[Use Of Weapons]

Finished New Model Army (excellent book, well worth checking out for fans of literate SF that makes you think), and embarked on The Quantum Thief, which is ace so far. Am just enjoying the ride at the moment.

[Abyss]

PETER AND MAX, an entirely enjoyable novel addition to Wilingham's FABLES comics series.

The TRP is high and wide now but i have some beach reading time coming up so trying to be strategic about reading choices.

Ain, on 10 January 2011 - 01:23 AM, said:

Reading Hemingway's Farewell to Arms apart from the fact that he seems to have no knowledge of a comma it is strangely compelling to read.

Fixed.

- Abyss couldn't resist.

[cerveza_fiesta]

Finally finished that weird "eternity" book by Greg Bear.

It actually delivered in the end despite the slow start. The stuff it alludes to in its predecessor "Eon" (since eternity is the sequel novel) actually makes me want to pick that up too.

Neat concepts, cool world, terrific sci-fi enemies, decent characters. Not much more to look for in pop fiction really.

I'd recommend eternity to anybody with a taste for hardcore sci-fi.

[Mentalist]

MTS, on 09 January 2011 - 08:33 AM, said:

Re-reading the Monarchies of God, just to see if Kearney managed to fix the godawful ending. About halfway through Hawkwood's Voyage at the moment.

I'm actually reading this for the first time right now. Stayed up all night reading, as a matter of fact.

After reading the Ten Thousand and now this, I can safely say, Kearney's not so great with subtlety and foreshadowing. A few of the turns and twists were fairly predictable.

The man has great worldbuilding, though, I have to admit. I think that's what kept me turning page after page last night.

[kcf]

As I've said elsewhere, life has simply been kicking me in the balls repeatedly for a few months now. Hopefully it'll be back to a sense of normal soon. Anyway, I've had some decent amount of time for reading, but not for writing reviews. I'll slowly catch up (I hope).

Anyway, here is my review for Stonewielder by Ian C. Esslemont. I enjoyed it - it's a solid effort in the Malazn world, but a few flaws hold it back a bit.

I've read but not yet reviewed Antiphon by Ken Scholes, The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie, and The Dark Griffin by K.J. Taylor. I'm not reading The Fallen Blade by Jon Courtenay Grimwood.

[Ain't_It_Just_]

Abyss, on 10 January 2011 - 03:14 PM, said:

PETER AND MAX, an entirely enjoyable novel addition to Wilingham's FABLES comics series.

The TRP is high and wide now but i have some beach reading time coming up so trying to be strategic about reading choices.

Ain, on 10 January 2011 - 01:23 AM, said:

Reading Hemingway's Farewell to Arms apart from the fact that he seems to have no knowledge of a comma it is strangely compelling to read.

Fixed.

- Abyss couldn't resist.

wat

[Salt-Man Z]

Currently reading Orson Scott Card's The Lost Gate. Though it's not a return to the high quality of his work in the 70s and 80s, it might just be the best book he's written this millennium. Not a great book by any stretch, but surprisingly enjoyable so far.

[Use Of Weapons]

Picked up China Mieville's Kraken and Mercedes Lackey's Foundations (I know, I know) last night. Zipped through Foundations, easy read as all Lackey's works are, and I wanted something light and easy while I was away from home. Main character Mags is a typical Valdemar protagonist, downtrodden if not abused teenager adopted by magical horse Companion, uncovering diabolical plots and saving the country. The setting is post-Vanyel Valdemar, but earlier than any other post-Vanyel stories and deals with the founding of the Heralds Collegium (with which Valdemar fans will be intimately familiar from pretty much every other Valdemar series). I love Valdemar, and make no excuses for the fact that I can happily lose myself in a Lackey story. Foundations was just what I needed last night.

Anyway, back to The Quantum Thief, which is really ramping up the weird now.

[Harvester]

Just finished Gilman's Thunderer, a very good book indeed, the best I have read in a while. Gears of City is already waiting on my shelf.

[Abyss]

Ain, on 11 January 2011 - 05:30 AM, said:

...

Quote

- Abyss couldn't resist.

wat

Check: the, punctuation.

jitsukerr, on 11 January 2011 - 09:54 AM, said:

Picked up China Mieville's Kraken ...

Loved LOVED that book.
SO much fun, SO MUCH Mieville mindfuck.
Arguably his 'real world' stuff is way better than his (already strong) New Crobuzon stuff.

[QuickTidal]

Finished up with KNIFE OF DREAMS, and the latest SW book BACKLASH...so tonight (granting that the shipment of review copy books from Pyr hasn't come yet) I will start either the next SW FotJ book ALLIES, or I will begin the end of the WoT series and read THE GATHERING STORM.

Only time will tell.

TOWERS Of MIDNIGHT has been burning a hole in my shelf since I got it for Christmas....begging me to catch up and read it.

[QuickTidal]

Briar King, on 11 January 2011 - 06:39 PM, said:

Yeah SW is good Quick but I think Id go ahead and hit WoT where I you! lol

Keep your eyes peeled to my site tomorrow, I am going to post my review for BACKLASH. This series is getting hot!

Yeah, I agree, I am more than likely going to start TGS tonight. LOL, WoT calls to me.

[Yellow]

Abyss, on 11 January 2011 - 03:51 PM, said:

Ain, on 11 January 2011 - 05:30 AM, said:

...

Quote

- Abyss couldn't resist.

wat

Check: the, punctuation.

jitsukerr, on 11 January 2011 - 09:54 AM, said:

Picked up China Mieville's Kraken ...

Loved LOVED that book.
SO much fun, SO MUCH Mieville mindfuck.
Arguably his 'real world' stuff is way better than his (already strong) New Crobuzon stuff.

Had never heard of Kraken, but just checked it out and added it to my wishlist. Wasn't a huge fan of perdido and never finished it, but it may be time to give it another try.

This post has been edited by Yellow: 11 January 2011 - 07:46 PM

[Ain't_It_Just_]

Abyss, on 11 January 2011 - 03:51 PM, said:

Ain, on 11 January 2011 - 05:30 AM, said:

...

Quote

- Abyss couldn't resist.

wat

Check: the, punctuation.

BAHAHAHAHAAH well played 'byss.

[QuickTidal]

Prologue and two chapters into THE GATHERING STORM by Jordan and Sanderson...and so far....awesomeness again. Woot!

[QuickTidal]

Briar King, on 13 January 2011 - 03:33 AM, said:

TGS is good Quick, my only complaint on it is my fav. character Mat. You can tell that he is being written by a diff author and at times it is down right fusterating! But BS is a hell of a writer so I turned my head alot cause it is just fucking such a great book. Then you will get a real fucking treat going from TGS to ToM cause you can tell that he found his "groove". Fucking EPIC!!

Anyway seeing as how you are a fellow Star Wars fan like myself are you a user at theforce.net? That is my main message board and Ive been there since 01 or 02 and Id really like to see you go there. Im "JEDI-SOLO" in caps.

Yep, I figure I am a pretty solid Sanderson fan so I am loving this book...

Not a user at theforce.net, if I do go over there I'll look you up brotha.

[Mentalist]

I've finshed 4/5 books in "Monarchies of God". second night in a row I stayed up till 4 AM reading.
Seriously, this series is way up there with the best of them. so far.

Not sure if i'll like what the ending is shaping up to be, but Corfe's storyline in books 3-4 is friggin' EPIC.

[HoosierDaddy]

I really enjoyed them for the most part too, Ment.

Ships From the West....



Finished Side Jobs by Butcher. Fun reads, but I think the stories highlight some of the formulaic writing of the Dresden Files.

Beginning The Passage.

This post has been edited by HoosierDaddy: 13 January 2011 - 11:00 PM

[Abyss]

HoosierDaddy, on 13 January 2011 - 10:51 PM, said:

...
Finished Side Jobs by Butcher. Fun reads, but I think the stories highlight some of the formulaic writing of the Dresden Files....

BACKUP and AFTERMATH being the notable exceptions, imnsho.

[MTS]

I'm inclined to agree with you guys here, although Backup and Aftermath are unusual in both character POV and plot points, so likely to differ from the usual formulaic Dresden perspective.

Anyway, delving into American Gods at the moment. Fantastic so far. Also powering through a SW re-read for the TCG wiki-entry contest.

Speaking of Malazan books, was in Borders today and was pleasantly surprised to find Gardens of the Moon in the recommended section, under 'cult classics', right next to the Gormenghast trilogy and the Black Company Books of the North omnibus. Haven't seen it in that section before. Goodkind usually graces that section too (not under 'cult classics' though), and he wasn't there, instead replaced by Mistborn. Common sense prevailing at last. Also managed to get someone to purchase GotM. Also also was elated to see that where the Malazan books usually are, the shelf was empty except for NoK and the 10th anniversary hardcover edition of GotM (which is fair enough, it was $61 ffs). Asked the guy there if they had any others in stock, and he said no, they sold a ton of 'em over the holidays, and have ordered a fair few copies of TCG as a result.

All in all, a rather enjoyable visit to the book store.