[QuickTidal]

HoosierDaddy, on 03 April 2011 - 08:02 PM, said:

About The Dark Tower, you'll want to finish the second book before deciding whether the series is for you. Treat it like Codex Alera and it'll reward you.

I've heard this same advice from 3 different folk, so I am going to take it and push through to the 3rd one.

[Mentalist]

Yesterday night I read a tie-in novel for the upcoming Deus Ex 3 game.
The novel's called "The Icarus Effect", written by James Swallow.

it wasn't bad. nothing groundbreakng, with a lot of stuff thrown in to cater to the fans of the original Deus Ex, so I wouldn't go as far as recommend it to everyone. But it was an allright read.

next i'll probably read Under Heaven" by GGKAy.

[caladanbrood]

I got half way through the second Dark Tower book and gave up, I admit. Maybe one day I'll give it another go, but I really don't like King's writing at all - not just in Dark Tower, but anything he's written.

Almost finished Jennifer Government, it was just as good as I remembered - next onto The Prefect, one of the very few Al Reynolds books I haven't yet read. Hoping it's as good as the others!

[Yellow]

I also gave up on the Dark Tower after the first one... currently reading "When God Was A Rabbit" by Sarah Winman. It's nicely written but not a lot happens, which seems to be the trend with mainstream/lit fiction.

Just got to wait for White Luck Warrior, which is coming over from .com in the next couple of weeks...

[Mott]

Finally finished Bleak House which I really enjoyed, think I might read a Diana Wynne Jones that had been sitting in my pile for well over a year next, kinda feel like re-reading Whisky Galore though.

[King Bear]

About to start 'Dawnthief' by Barclay. It's been laying around unread for months, the victim of being the least interesting seeming novel in a big pile of books by my bed. Finally decided to give it a try (well at the moment it's Dawnthief or nothing).

Hope it's alright.

[Astra]

QuickTidal, on 03 April 2011 - 08:11 PM, said:

HoosierDaddy, on 03 April 2011 - 08:02 PM, said:

About The Dark Tower, you'll want to finish the second book before deciding whether the series is for you. Treat it like Codex Alera and it'll reward you.

I've heard this same advice from 3 different folk, so I am going to take it and push through to the 3rd one.

I join the crowd and say push it

The Gunslinger is unusual

[acesn8s]

I also gave up after the second Dark Tower novel.

I was cleaning up our spare room this weekend and took some time to reorganize the book shelf in there. Found a bunch of books I've been meaning to reread. Last night I started Heroes Die. I can't belive it's been 12 years since I read it. I blame Abyss for knocking me off the wagon.

[Use Of Weapons]

Finished: Off Armageddon Reef by David Weber -- and then rushed out and bought the two sequels By Schism Torn Asunder and By Heresies Distressed, because, bloody hell, if these books aren't the most addictive SF I've read in years then I want to know what is! I've not been so captivated by an SF premise, nor had that captivation repaid so well, since...well, I can't actually think of anything that comes close. Weber's previous novels (the Honor Harrington series and sundry others) never hit the depth of emotion that these manage to -- I think the religious aspect (which the Harrington novels touch on, but nowhere as heartfelt as here) really brings some excellent writing out of him.

Actually, I do know what to compare it to in terms of immediately thinking, "Wow, what a great premise" -- Neal Asher's Polity Sequence. Which is not to say that they are in any way similar in subject matter at all, I hasten to say. Just that immediately on reading the set-up and learning about the milieu, you have the same impression: there are some stunning stories waiting to be written in this universe.

Waiting for: A Mighty Fortress, the next in the series.

Also finished: The Man With The Golden Torc by Simon R Green. Good fun, very similar to his writing in the Nightside novels, same SRG imagination. Will check out the sequels soon.

Currently reading: Orphaned Worlds, Michael Cobley's sequel to Seeds of Earth.

[caladanbrood]

jitsukerr, on 04 April 2011 - 12:40 PM, said:

Currently reading: Orphaned Worlds, Michael Cobley's sequel to Seeds of Earth.

Was the first one any good? I have it, because it was on a 3-for-2 offer when I got a few others... worth reading? I read some of his fantasy and it was pretty poor.

[QuickTidal]

Bombur, on 04 April 2011 - 12:03 PM, said:

About to start 'Dawnthief' by Barclay. It's been laying around unread for months, the victim of being the least interesting seeming novel in a big pile of books by my bed. Finally decided to give it a try (well at the moment it's Dawnthief or nothing).

Hope it's alright.

I hated it. But that's just me. Lot's of people like Barclay.

[Slow Ben]

QuickTidal, on 03 April 2011 - 08:11 PM, said:

HoosierDaddy, on 03 April 2011 - 08:02 PM, said:

About The Dark Tower, you'll want to finish the second book before deciding whether the series is for you. Treat it like Codex Alera and it'll reward you.

I've heard this same advice from 3 different folk, so I am going to take it and push through to the 3rd one.

Make it 5 and you'll say thankee sai.


I'm in the mood for a reread. Its either gonna be Codex Alera, Dresden Files, Dark Tower or Black Company. Hmmmmmm

[Abyss]

Dutch, on 03 April 2011 - 10:26 AM, said:

...Just doubting where to put in the three K&B novellas...

I'd go with after MoI... chronologically they come before, but in terms of the actual characters you get more B&KB in MoI and the novellas are a nice build on that.

Salt-Man Z, on 03 April 2011 - 03:54 PM, said:

...Trying to get into Matthew Stover's Heart of Bronze (omnibus of Iron Dawn and Jericho Moon) ...

Get back to us on that. I haven't read any of his pre-CAINE stuff and i'm (fucking) curious.

acesn8s, on 04 April 2011 - 12:38 PM, said:

...I was cleaning up our spare room this weekend and took some time to reorganize the book shelf in there. Found a bunch of books I've been meaning to reread. Last night I started Heroes Die. I can't belive it's been 12 years since I read it. I blame Abyss for knocking me off the wagon.

You're (fucking) welcome.

FastBen, on 03 April 2011 - 07:28 PM, said:

I'm about halfway through Michael Chabon's The Yiddish Policeman's Union and the guy is a fantastic writer. ...

LOVED this book. Completely original detective/alt.hist story.

Bombur, on 04 April 2011 - 12:03 PM, said:

About to start 'Dawnthief' by Barclay. ...Hope it's alright.

Opinions vary on Barclay's RAVEN series. I liked it. You have to dial the SE-level expectations way way down and take it for what it is, a by-the-numbers sword and sorcery anti-evil widgit quest series with some fun characters and generally good action scenes.

Astra, on 04 April 2011 - 12:21 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 03 April 2011 - 08:11 PM, said:

HoosierDaddy, on 03 April 2011 - 08:02 PM, said:

About The Dark Tower, you'll want to finish the second book before deciding ...

I've heard this same advice from 3 different folk, so I am going to take it and push through to the 3rd one.

I join the crowd and say push it ...

Sixth'd.

Abyss, on 03 April 2011 - 04:46 AM, said:

Abyss, on 30 March 2011 - 06:20 PM, said:

Working my way through the WARRIORS ANTHOLOGY...

...And the there's David Weber... the man writes great great military sci fi... even in short form. ...

jitsukerr, on 04 April 2011 - 12:40 PM, said:

Finished: Off Armageddon Reef by David Weber -- and then rushed out and bought the two sequels By Schism Torn Asunder and By Heresies Distressed, because, bloody hell, if these books aren't the most addictive SF I've read in years then I want to know what is! ...

Yeah, i wrote the above comment only halfway through the short story... having now finished it, i have to upgrade: WEBER RAWKS. He takes his classic 'US forces stand bravely against alien invaders' formula, writes the fuck out of it, and throws in a twist that, while predictable, is just so awesomely done that it's just sick. Seriously, no one does does 'valiant last stands' in the sf world like Weber.

jitsukerr, on 04 April 2011 - 12:40 PM, said:

...Also finished: The Man With The Golden Torc by Simon R Green. Good fun, very similar to his writing in the Nightside novels, same SRG imagination. Will check out the sequels soon....

Seconded - i have DAEMONS ARE FOREVER and THE SPY WHO HAUNTED ME sitting in the TRP. I liked this way more than his NIGHTSIDE stuff.

[Use Of Weapons]

Abyss, on 04 April 2011 - 02:08 PM, said:

Seconded - i have DAEMONS ARE FOREVER and THE SPY WHO HAUNTED ME sitting in the TRP. I liked this way more than his NIGHTSIDE stuff.

Have you read his Deathstalker sequence? IMO it's the best thing he's ever done, his imagination gets free reign. Some genuinely chilling aliens, and his Hadenmen and AI cyborgs are gruesome. If Laseen has any rival in the bitch empress stakes, it's Empress Lionstone from the Deathstalker series. Who would also kick Glen Cook's Lady's arse.

Also try his Twilight of the Empire series (prequel novels to the Deathstalker sequence), especially Mistworld.

[Tapper]

FastBen, on 03 April 2011 - 07:28 PM, said:

I'm about halfway through Michael Chabon's The Yiddish Policeman's Union and the guy is a fantastic writer. Excellent alternative history noir/hard boiled detective story - I've also heard some talk about an adaptation by the Coen brothers - It definitely has their name all over it.

It is an awesome book. The movie plans are on wiki, they were supposed to go and shoot it after A Serious Man. Most of the news surrounding it is from early 2008, though.

[busy monster]

Wise Mans Fear, The Heroes, Alastair Reynold's Chasm City, and The Crippled God.

The fourth book in that list got bumped up to the "must read now" spot...

[Dutch]

To be honest, the Gunslinger felt like a waste of time after I finished it, I kept on to see if there was anything at the end that would get me into the Dark Tower series, but it didn't happen.

The book felt really meh for me.

[QuickTidal]

Dutch, on 04 April 2011 - 03:20 PM, said:

To be honest, the Gunslinger felt like a waste of time after I finished it, I kept on to see if there was anything at the end that would get me into the Dark Tower series, but it didn't happen.

The book felt really meh for me.

I think I am enjoying it so far because of the whole Lone wandering Samurai-style gunslinger with pistols and awesome crazy gun fighting skillz instead of a sword.

That and the art in the graphic novels I perused in the stores is gorgeous!

[amphibian]

Tapper, on 04 April 2011 - 02:22 PM, said:

FastBen, on 03 April 2011 - 07:28 PM, said:

I'm about halfway through Michael Chabon's The Yiddish Policeman's Union and the guy is a fantastic writer. Excellent alternative history noir/hard boiled detective story - I've also heard some talk about an adaptation by the Coen brothers - It definitely has their name all over it.

It is an awesome book. The movie plans are on wiki, they were supposed to go and shoot it after A Serious Man. Most of the news surrounding it is from early 2008, though.

It's a great book. It may be one of the more difficult books to capture on-screen though. So much of it depends on a slow-developing mood.

Kavalier and Clay may be a more film-adaptable book.

The Dark Tower books are all pretty damned good up until Wolves of the Calla and Song of Susannah. I didn't actually mind the authorial appearance, but the writing was rushed and the story suffered as a result. Give the books more of a shot, peeps. They'll treat you well.

[Puck]

QuickTidal, on 04 April 2011 - 03:27 PM, said:

I think I am enjoying it so far because of the whole Lone wandering Samurai-style gunslinger with pistols and awesome crazy gun fighting skillz instead of a sword.

That and the art in the graphic novels I perused in the stores is gorgeous!

I'm with those who say to push on. It gets better starting in book 2.

And yes, Jae Lee and Richard Isanove did an amazing job with the art in the DT graphic novels. Robin Furth with the story - not so much, at least starting from the part that's not in the books. Gods, how I hate her for what she did. But I love the art.


Anyway, just powered through Butcher's Storm Front. I hear it gets better [not that SF is bad, it's good, just not amazing so far, but good enough to let me want more]? If so, consider me hooked. Now, how to get my hands on further Dresden stuff fast..