[QuickTidal]

Binder of Demons, on 22 July 2011 - 01:25 AM, said:

Thanks to several of you guys mentioning it, I bought HOUNDED (Book 1 of the Iron Druid Chronicles) by Kevin Hearne. Not quite on a par with (even Early) Dresden Files, but good fun nonetheless. As an Irish person it's always amusing to see the old celtic mytholgy brought into a modern story, if only to see the familiar Irish language names (non-Irish or Scots Gaelic speakers have my sympathies for the pronunciation of the various names).

The story itself was enjoyable, and the main character is likeable which is a good start. There's even a comparison to Mouse from the Dresden Files, in that he has an Irish Wolfhound which he can talk to (their exchanges are amusing). There were several parts of the story that just didn't sit quite right with me, like he was forcing in some particular information, but it never was annoying. As a first novel though it definitely shows promise, and there is scope for a long running series should he choose.

I think I will buy the second book today, since i fancy another light read before tackling ADWD.

I asked Hearne on Twitter and he said that 3 are out now and that he's finishing writing the fourth and that there would be 7 to 9 total. So room, for progress there. I thought it on par with STORM FRONT myself.

[Morgoth]

In my humble opinion, the only sort of fantasy P.I. series that can compare to Dresden in quality is Cook's Garret P.I. books, although the ones with that English exorcist aren't shabby either.

Hm, I guess the Vlad Taltos books sort of fit into the category as well, all depending where you set the parameters.

[amphibian]

There is a single detective book called When Gravity Fails, by George Alec Effinger, that is the sci-fi equivalent of Summer Knight. Unfortunately, Effinger never wrote anything approaching that quality before or after and soon died from illness.

[QuickTidal]

acesn8s, on 20 July 2011 - 12:29 PM, said:

now I'm reading Watership Down.

I've never read this, let me know how it is as I've always been curious about it.

[Rhand]

Finished The Crippled God and How to become an Adventurer by Marcel Gansevoort, started with a reread of Rob Lilwall's brilliant travel book Cycling Home from Siberia.

[polishgenius]

Stands a Shadow, the second book by Col Buchanan (who wrote last year's Farlander), and Supergods: Our World in the Age of the Superhero, a sort of history of superhero comics by Grant Morrison.

[Fist Gamet]

Gave up on the crushingly dissappointing Nights of Villjamur (one review even compares him favourably to Gene Wolfe! WTF!) and am now enjoying Before They Are Hanged instead

[Binder of Demons]

Finished the 2nd book in the Iron Druid Chronicles: HEXED by Kevin Hearne. Pretty similar to the first one (Hounded). Nice easy read, characters are good fun, and a nice set-up for the next book.

Trying to decide whether to read SURFACE DETAIL by Iain M. Banks, or ADWD by George R.R.Martin next.

[Daemonwolf]

Just bought the new Skinner's book. For anyone that hasn't read them, I'll give a quick rundown on what its about.

So the Macus Pelegrimas book series Skinners (First book is Blood Blade) Is about supernatural hunters, with several twists on supernatural entities we are already familiar with. Skinner's being the hunters that keep them all in check. The books follow a video game designer who inadvertently gets sucked into this world of supernatural creatures, when he picks the wrong place to take a vacation. For being a book that deals with supernatural creatures, I have to applaud much of the originality of with which it tackles the delivery of the story, and the progression of the characters. Gamer turned monster hunter, its pretty interesting and not well known.

[POOPOO MCBUMFACE]

Finished Shadow & Claw, first part of the Book of the New Sun. Have to say, I... still don't get it. It's a complex book, and I'm glad I read it. I'm just not entirely sure that there was any real plot, theme, message or point behind the layers of complexity, or what I was supposed to get out of it, and have a faint aggravating feeling that I'm stupid for it. Suppose I'll read the rest of it and see what I think, but as it stands, I'm underwhelmed.

[amphibian]

POOPOO MCBUMFACE, on 24 July 2011 - 01:22 AM, said:

Finished Shadow & Claw, first part of the Book of the New Sun. Have to say, I... still don't get it. It's a complex book, and I'm glad I read it. I'm just not entirely sure that there was any real plot, theme, message or point behind the layers of complexity, or what I was supposed to get out of it, and have a faint aggravating feeling that I'm stupid for it. Suppose I'll read the rest of it and see what I think, but as it stands, I'm underwhelmed.

Keep going. Trust in Wolfe.

[Salt-Man Z]

Yeah, The Book of the New Sun is a single book just like The Lord of the Rings is a single book; you can't give it a fair judgement until you've finished the whole thing. (Heck, a lot of Wolfe's stuff, you don't know what's going on until the very very end.)

This post has been edited by Salt-Man Z: 24 July 2011 - 04:52 AM

[Bauchelain the Evil]

Salt-Man Z, on 24 July 2011 - 04:52 AM, said:

Yeah, The Book of the New Sun is a single book just like The Lord of the Rings is a single book; you can't give it a fair judgement until you've finished the whole thing. (Heck, a lot of Wolfe's stuff, you don't know what's going on until the very very end.)

Frankly I still didn't get most of it,even after finishing it. However I'm planning a re-read one of these days and I was rather amused that Theseus fights the Monitor and that Mowgli founds Rome.

[Ain't_It_Just_]

Just started the first of the Saga of Seven Suns series. Really liking it so far: the sci-fi in this book seems very professional and it reads quite easily.

[Baco Xpuch]

About halfway through Reynolds' Zima Blue and other stories; very good. I was expecting more of a Galactic North, Diamond Dogs, Turqouise Days, set of stories, yet none, so far, are set in the Revelation Space universe. And it's great. Every story I've read thus far has been good, if not great. Though I love the Revelation Space universe, I really enjoy when he deviates into something else, different, yet still epic in scope(i.e. House of Suns, Terminal World, Pushing Ice). The man doesn't do subtle (well, some of the stories are semi-subtle), he's a million years in the future, fight for humanity, as the universe turns, galactic scope type o' guy. Good stuff. Next on to Altered Carbon.

[MWKarsa]

Just finished Vortex a SW book in the Fate of the Jedi series and really enjoyed it as the last 100 pages were chock full of great action. I stopped half-way through to re-read The Deathly Hallows before watching the latest HP movie and still love that series. As always there is soooo much more in the story that a movie just can't portray in the same depth. I really liked the lastest HP moreso than the past couple but IMO you just can't do better than the book when it comes to translating the full story to film.

I think I'll go back to Butcher and book 5 of the Dresdencrack but there are a few darkhorses that might jump up before I select the next the book but I dunno- I'll just grab something from the overcrowded bookshelves and go from there.

[amphibian]

Baco Xpuch, on 25 July 2011 - 01:41 AM, said:

About halfway through Reynolds' Zima Blue and other stories; very good. I was expecting more of a Galactic North, Diamond Dogs, Turqouise Days, set of stories, yet none, so far, are set in the Revelation Space universe. And it's great. Every story I've read thus far has been good, if not great. Though I love the Revelation Space universe, I really enjoy when he deviates into something else, different, yet still epic in scope(i.e. House of Suns, Terminal World, Pushing Ice). The man doesn't do subtle (well, some of the stories are semi-subtle), he's a million years in the future, fight for humanity, as the universe turns, galactic scope type o' guy. Good stuff. Next on to Altered Carbon.

After you get through Altered Carbon, Broken Angels and Woken Furies, you can check out Black Man and The Steel Remains. After you're done with Morgan, try reading one of the following three:

Appleseed by John Clute
A Fire in the Sun by George Alec Effinger
The Quantum Thief by Hannu Rajaniemi

They flow well after Morgan and are all one offs (in my opinion).

[Solidsnape]

Binder of Demons, on 24 July 2011 - 12:19 AM, said:

Finished the 2nd book in the Iron Druid Chronicles: HEXED by Kevin Hearne. Pretty similar to the first one (Hounded). Nice easy read, characters are good fun, and a nice set-up for the next book.

Trying to decide whether to read SURFACE DETAIL by Iain M. Banks, or ADWD by George R.R.Martin next.

I've got surface detail too. Looks good, but I'm about 15 pages in and there's no Warrens!! Haha.
I love Iain M Banks though so I know I'll get into it eventually, even if I can't help thinking about Kamisod!!

[MTS]

Apuleius' The Golden Ass and Jane Austen's Persuasion.

[Use Of Weapons]

_The Midnight Mayor_ by Kate Griffin, sequel to _A Madness Of Angels_. I love the style, though parts of it are very reminiscent (some might say imitative) of its predecessor. Anyone who has lived in London will forgive this though. The author clearly knows and loves London, even its less savoury aspects. There are laugh-out-loud moments in the descriptive prose, and the continuing fascination of the main characters dual nature is an effective story-driving device. The cover blurb features a strong recommendation from Mike Carey: "London's magic has seldom if ever been brought to life so electrifyingly [*snort*] and convincingly." I'd certainly agree with that. London is as much a character in the novel as any of the human and non-humans that populate the city.