Reading at t'moment?

#6661 QuickTidal

Lord of the Waters

Group: Team Quick Ben
Posts: 21,371
Joined: 05-November 05
Location:At Sea?
Interests:DoubleStamping. Movies. Reading.

Posted 31 May 2011 - 04:52 PM

Rhand, on 31 May 2011 - 06:02 AM, said:

Finished Reaper's Gale last night, tremendous book. Continuing with Erikson's Toll the Hounds.

Sigh. This totally makes me want to do a full series re-read.

I don't have that kinda time! LOL Blerg!

Perhaps in the waning weeks of this summer I'll have time to go back and revisit the whole series.

"When the last tree has fallen, and the rivers are poisoned, you cannot eat money, oh no." ~Aurora

"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon

#6662 ansible

Group: High House Mafia
Posts: 449
Joined: 20-January 10
Location:Location:Location

Posted 31 May 2011 - 06:25 PM

I put book 2 of The Prince of Nothing on hold to read a few other things:

Camus's The Fall - Brilliant. I already have a fondness for Camus but this little book was so satisfying. A good entry point to his work, I'd think.

The Hunger Games - I've got a little brother who I've been attempting to foist books onto for awhile (most recent attempt: The Belgariad), but this one he found and read on his own. So I picked it up so we could talk about it. Not a bad read at all; fairly predictable but also entertaining. Ripped off from Battle Royale but, hey, that's kids these days.

The Prestige - I bought this awhile back intending to read it but never got around to it. I read Wert's blog a good amount and I find his reviews dependable, and after reading his comments on Priest's books, I finally picked this up (actually that goes for The Hunger Games too). Started yesterday; halfway through; loving it. I've seen the film so the suspense of the twist is not as great as it could be, but it's still there. I really, REALLY want to read some of his other books but Borders doesn't even carry them? Bullshit. I guess I'm going hunting.

We sail in and out of Time, then back again. There is only one ship, the captain says. All the ships we hail between the galaxies or suns are this ship.

#6663 Salt-Man Z

My pen halts, though I do not

Group: Malaz Regular
Posts: 4,166
Joined: 07-February 08
Location:Apple Valley, MN

Posted 02 June 2011 - 02:35 AM

About 100 pages into The Raw Shark Texts and sh*** be gettin' real. I fully expect this book to get even weirder from here out, and it hardly seems possible.

"Here is light. You will say that it is not a living entity, but you miss the point that it is more, not less. Without occupying space, it fills the universe. It nourishes everything, yet itself feeds upon destruction. We claim to control it, but does it not perhaps cultivate us as a source of food? May it not be that all wood grows so that it can be set ablaze, and that men and women are born to kindle fires?"
―Gene Wolfe, The Citadel of the Autarch

#6664 Use Of Weapons

Soletaken

Group: Malaz Regular
Posts: 2,237
Joined: 06-May 03
Location:Manchester, UK
Interests:Writing. Martial arts. Sport. Music, playing and singing, composition.

Posted 02 June 2011 - 09:15 AM

Finished Daniel Abraham's _The Dragon's Path_ last night. Loving the slow build, feeling really attached to three of the main characters (and liking the development of the other, Geder, even while abhorring the direction he's being taken in). There weren't too many surprises, and I'm enjoying the subtle intrusion of magic.

Some of the elements smack of, if not quite cliché, then at the very least well-trodden and potentially over-familiar turf. Dragon emperors? I've been quite attached to Michelle Sagara [West]'s _Cast In <Something>_ series, where there are four races in a city state ruled by a Dragon Court, and the rules for living while rules by dragons are fraught with day-to-day peril, as well as the less, um, normal peril that you find when a fantasy novel ramps up the tension. So far, so familiar. The creation and manipulation of human and humanoid races from a base stock -- check, thank you Mercedes Lackey, who explored those themes in her Valdemar novels of the Black Gryphon.

Like one review some time ago, the principal joy in this is seeing the female protagonist, Cithrin, develop a spine, take control of her destiny, and enter the world of commerce and banking with a deft touch. I loved the initial scene of her advice to the merchant in Porte Olivia -- great character mini MOA. And Geder takes a lot of our sympathy from the off, though it's clear he is being led into temptation. In fact, I am somewhat invested in all the POV characters. A slow-burner, possibly, but one whose next installment I shall certainly be picking up in HB.

It is perfectly monstrous the way people go about nowadays saying things against one, behind one's back, that are absolutely and entirely true.
-- Oscar Wilde

#6665 QuickTidal

Lord of the Waters

Group: Team Quick Ben
Posts: 21,371
Joined: 05-November 05
Location:At Sea?
Interests:DoubleStamping. Movies. Reading.

Posted 02 June 2011 - 12:42 PM

Reading the eBook exclusive short story THE SKELETON KEY by James Rollins starring Sigma character Seichan.

...I'm about 30% done and holy shit...if I thought Rollins could write great thriller novels...his short stories are effing amazing. It's also really great to have Seichan be the main character, as we not only get more insight into her as a character, but because of who she is she has little compunction about pulling the trigger when the time calls for it.

Anyways, it's badass and is totally priming me for the June 21st release of the latest Sigma book THE DEVIL COLONY.

Woot!

"When the last tree has fallen, and the rivers are poisoned, you cannot eat money, oh no." ~Aurora

"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon

#6666 Cyphon

Cagey Bastard of TQB

Group: Team Quick Ben
Posts: 1,155
Joined: 15-July 10

Posted 02 June 2011 - 01:04 PM

Past few days I read the first two volumes of Stephen King's Dark Tower series. Very good, I'll be looking out for the rest of them.

I also popped my Mieville cherry and read 'The city & the city' which was a very good read too.

I would of got the first of te Jim Butcher series, but in the store where 3 for 2 was on, they had the entire series, except the first book.

Para todos todo, para nosotros nada.

MottI'd always pegged you as more of an Ublala

#6667 Abyss

abyssus abyssum invocat

Group: Administrators
Posts: 21,996
Joined: 22-May 03
Location:The call is coming from inside the house!!!!
Interests:Interesting.

Posted 02 June 2011 - 02:40 PM

Salt-Man Z, on 31 May 2011 - 04:42 PM, said:

Just finished Patrick Lee's Ghost Country. Not quite up to the bar set by The Breach, but a great sci-fi thriller regardless. ...

Tell me you wetren't on the edge of your seat (or whatever) at the climax and i'll call you a bloody lying liar full of lies.

Salt-Man Z, on 02 June 2011 - 02:35 AM, said:

About 100 pages into The Raw Shark Texts and sh*** be gettin' real. I fully expect this book to get even weirder from here out, and it hardly seems possible.

It does not dissappoint.

QuickTidal, on 02 June 2011 - 12:42 PM, said:

Reading the eBook exclusive short story THE SKELETON KEY ...it's badass and is totally priming me for the June 21st release of the latest Sigma book THE DEVIL COLONY....

I really need to get on with reading the rets of those.

The TRP, it towers...

Cyphon, on 02 June 2011 - 01:04 PM, said:

...I would of got the first of te Jim Butcher series, but in the store where 3 for 2 was on, they had the entire series, except the first book.

Dresden or Alara?
Regardless, if you see adeal, grab them and order or find the first one elsewhere. You won't be dissappointed.

As for moi, after TCG, THE HEROES and ASPECT-EMPEROR, i'm a bit epic'd out and now meandering through Cliver Barker's demon auto-biography/possessed book MISTER B GONE. Good fun so far, fairly light stuff as Barker goes... likely going to keep it light until DwD and GHOST STORY arrive.

THIS IS YOUR REMINDER THAT THERE IS A
'VIEW NEW CONTENT' BUTTON THAT
ALLOWS YOU TO VIEW NEW CONTENT

#6668 QuickTidal

Lord of the Waters

Group: Team Quick Ben
Posts: 21,371
Joined: 05-November 05
Location:At Sea?
Interests:DoubleStamping. Movies. Reading.

Posted 02 June 2011 - 02:47 PM

Abyss, on 02 June 2011 - 02:40 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 02 June 2011 - 12:42 PM, said:

Reading the eBook exclusive short story THE SKELETON KEY ...it's badass and is totally priming me for the June 21st release of the latest Sigma book THE DEVIL COLONY....

I really need to get on with reading the rets of those.

The TRP, it towers...

Dude. Seriously. At this point the man's writing and ideas are just whomping my ass with goodness.

"When the last tree has fallen, and the rivers are poisoned, you cannot eat money, oh no." ~Aurora

"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon

#6669 QuickTidal

Lord of the Waters

Group: Team Quick Ben
Posts: 21,371
Joined: 05-November 05
Location:At Sea?
Interests:DoubleStamping. Movies. Reading.

Posted 02 June 2011 - 02:49 PM

Abyss, on 02 June 2011 - 02:40 PM, said:

As for moi, after TCG, THE HEROES and ASPECT-EMPEROR, i'm a bit epic'd out and now meandering through Cliver Barker's demon auto-biography/possessed book MISTER B GONE. Good fun so far, fairly light stuff as Barker goes... likely going to keep it light until DwD and GHOST STORY arrive.

Rollins is light.

Methinks you should do up some more Sigma sir.

"When the last tree has fallen, and the rivers are poisoned, you cannot eat money, oh no." ~Aurora

"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon

#6670 QuickTidal

Lord of the Waters

Group: Team Quick Ben
Posts: 21,371
Joined: 05-November 05
Location:At Sea?
Interests:DoubleStamping. Movies. Reading.

Posted 03 June 2011 - 01:18 PM

Finished with THE SKELETON KEY by Rollins, and went right into GHOST COUNTRY by Patrick Lee...and already enjoying it.

Sometimes you GOTTA love a thriller.

"When the last tree has fallen, and the rivers are poisoned, you cannot eat money, oh no." ~Aurora

"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon

#6671 Bauchelain the Evil

Greatest necromancer ever

Group: Team Quick Ben
Posts: 1,859
Joined: 15-March 08
Location:Italy
Not much

Posted 03 June 2011 - 03:47 PM

Finished Shadow and Betrayal the omnibus edition of the first two books in The Long Price Quartet by Daniel Abrahams. I'm impressed. The worldbuilding was top notch, you could really immerse yourself in the atmosphere and the concept of andat was quite original and efficient. Also, the characters were well depicted, even the minor ones and they matured a lot. I'm looking forward to the next two.

Adept of Team Quick Ben

I greet you as guests and so will not crush the life from you and devour your soul with peals of laughter. No, instead, I will make tea-Gothos

#6672 worry

Master of the Deck

Group: Malaz Regular
Posts: 14,694
Joined: 24-February 10
Location:the buried west

Posted 04 June 2011 - 07:44 PM

I'm reading Redwall for some reason. Never read it before, and it was 25 cents. And I wanted some light reading after just finishing The Crossroads, a pretty depressing Italian novel from the same guy who wrote I'm Not Scared (which I haven't read, but saw the movie). I think I was under the impression that Redwall was an "all ages" book but so far it's been decidedly kid fare, not really transcending that label like, say, Lloyd Alexander's books. I'll finish it, but I don't think I'll read any more of the series.

They came with white hands and left with red hands.

#6673 Illuyankas

Retro Classic

Group: The Hateocracy of Truth
Posts: 7,254
Joined: 28-September 04
Will cluck you up

Posted 04 June 2011 - 08:54 PM

It's definitely kids fare, and the first was probably the best out of them, as far as I remember.

Hello, soldiers, look at your mage, now back to me, now back at your mage, now back to me. Sadly, he isn’t me, but if he stopped being an unascended mortal and switched to Sole Spice, he could smell like he’s me. Look down, back up, where are you? You’re in a warren with the High Mage your cadre mage could smell like. What’s in your hand, back at me. I have it, it’s an acorn with two gates to that realm you love. Look again, the acorn is now otataral. Anything is possible when your mage smells like Sole Spice and not a Bole brother. I’m on a quorl.

#6674 amphibian

Ribbit

Group: Malaz Regular
Posts: 8,003
Joined: 28-September 06
Location:Upstate NY
Interests:Hopping around

Posted 04 June 2011 - 10:16 PM

worrywort, on 04 June 2011 - 07:44 PM, said:

The Outcast of Redwall is worth reading. The rest... naaaah.

I survived the Permian and all I got was this t-shirt.

#6675 Mentalist

Martyr of High House Mafia

Group: High House Mafia
Posts: 9,622
Joined: 06-June 07
Location:'sauga/GTA, City of the Lion
Interests:Soccer, Chess, swimming, books, misc
Junior Mafia Mod

Posted 05 June 2011 - 02:57 AM

Finished the Mistborn trilogy today.

great series, although book 2 dragged at parts. too much "teenage romance/angst" for my liking.

Sanderson knows how to throw good curveballs, though. and a VERY though out universe--I am impresssed.

now gonna read volume 2 of Glenda Larke's "Stormlord" trilogy. then probably gonna read the last 2 volumes of Coldfire.

The problem with the gene pool is that there's no lifeguard
THE CONTESTtm WINNER--чемпіон самоконтролю

Jump Around, on 23 October 2011 - 11:04 AM, said:

And I want to state that Ment has out-weaseled me by far in this game.

#6676 worry

Master of the Deck

Group: Malaz Regular
Posts: 14,694
Joined: 24-February 10
Location:the buried west

Posted 05 June 2011 - 04:06 AM

Thanks for the info, pals.

They came with white hands and left with red hands.

#6677 Salt-Man Z

My pen halts, though I do not

Group: Malaz Regular
Posts: 4,166
Joined: 07-February 08
Location:Apple Valley, MN

Posted 05 June 2011 - 04:22 PM

Finished The Raw Shark Texts last night, and it was awesome. It honestly didn't get as weird as I was expecting (though it was plenty weird, don't get me wrong) and in fact I thought the last third or so was downright straightforward. That said, on the last page he throws a very Gene Wolfeian ending at you that makes you potentially rethink everything you just read. Actually, the whole thing reads almost like if Gene Wolfe tried to write a Hollywood script. Great book.

Starting in on E. R. Eddison's The Worm Ouroboros.

This post has been edited by Salt-Man Z: 05 June 2011 - 04:22 PM

#6678 King Bear

Furry

Group: Team Quick Ben
Posts: 798
Joined: 08-February 11

Posted 05 June 2011 - 04:24 PM

Salt-Man Z, on 05 June 2011 - 04:22 PM, said:

Finished The Raw Shark Texts last night, and it was awesome.

It's going on my to read list.

#6679 Gust Hubb

Necromancer Extraordinaire

Group: High House Mafia
Posts: 1,488
Joined: 19-May 11
Location:Northern Hemisphere
Interests:Glass slides with entrapped bits of colored tissue
Around, just quiet....er

Posted 06 June 2011 - 02:53 AM

Just about to start The Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever Lord Foul's Bane after finishing NoK (rest of ICE's novels are on order)

"You don't clean u other peoples messes.... You roll in them like a dog on leftover smoked whitefish torn out f the trash by raccoons after Sunday brunch on a hot day."
~Abyss