[Binder of Demons]

UseOfWeapons, on 27 February 2012 - 06:40 PM, said:

Finished _The Hunger Games_ last night -- interesting, and I liked it, but I'm not sure if I liked it enough to get the next book.
Now onto _Theft of Swords_, and...it's not grabbing me :-(

Theft of Swords won't win any literary awards but it is a nice intro to a good series. I personally found it to be the perfect light fare I needed at the time. The next 2 omnibuses (omnibui??) were a definite improvement and there is a good long story that gets underway in the first few books that you are currently reading.

[worry]

I read all three Hunger Games books in January, and I thought they improved with each volume, and got much more grim and cynical than I ever expected from such a popular YA series. I'm glad I read them for sure. I wouldn't necessarily recommend to a stranger that they buy them, but I can say that subsequent books build naturally on the previous ones to an actual definitive conclusion, rather than merely repeating the formula with diminishing returns.

[QuickTidal]

worrywort, on 27 February 2012 - 08:12 PM, said:

I read all three Hunger Games books in January, and I thought they improved with each volume, and got much more grim and cynical than I ever expected from such a popular YA series. I'm glad I read them for sure. I wouldn't necessarily recommend to a stranger that they buy them, but I can say that subsequent books build naturally on the previous ones to an actual definitive conclusion, rather than merely repeating the formula with diminishing returns.

These were my thoughts as well. In fact the reason so many of the demographic (young adults) were disappointed by the final book was seemingly because of all the curve balls and "I was NOT expecting that" like stuff Collin's throws at you in the latter half of that book. she does things people aren't expecting and makes choices for her characters and narrative that are uncomfortable, but realistic. YA readers aren't used to that, but I applauded it.

[acesn8s]

Abyss, on 24 February 2012 - 07:21 PM, said:

acesn8s, on 24 February 2012 - 06:36 PM, said:

Finished Altered Carbon and have moved on to Broken Angels (Takashi Kovacs book 2). Really like Altered Carbon.

You won't be dissappointed. BA is somewhat different in tone but totally enjoyable. You might as well line up WOKEN FURIES now and save yourself some time.

Picked it up. Morgan has delayed my reading of Cornwell's latest Uhtred book. Bittersweet.

[polishgenius]

I could have sworn I made this post already but:

Finished Benedict Jacka's Fated, the first in the Alex Verus sequence. Well worth the read for anyone looking for help in their wait for the next Dresdenfix- I liked it better than the other recent London-set series of this type, Moon over Soho, and indeed probably more than the first two Dresdens. The plot itself is slight, though entertaining, but making the main character low on genuine magical might but instead a seer who can see futures and uses that to get by gives it an original slant, and where Jacka does really well is in the supporting cast, which I reckon is already better than any I've read in series like this since Dresden itself.

[Kruppe's snacky cakes]

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Tough crowd today.

I know you're all smart enough to realize that the my previous post was a joke, so I won't bother rebutting.

And yes, I'm still on the cold medicine. Someone grab the imp if you see him run by.

And to appease any hurt feelings, real or pretend, let me make it clear that my only-half-serious rant was technically against the internet in general, and had nothing to do with the "type of culture" in this forum. I am a fan of this forum...you know...what with being a member and all.


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[Baco Xtath]

That fucking cat is enormous! And deadly serious.

[Morgoth]

I give up.

[Tapper]

amphibian, on 24 February 2012 - 08:14 PM, said:

Tapper, on 23 February 2012 - 04:25 PM, said:

Finished Ilium. What started great ended with a bit of an expected deus ex-machina with both Prospero and the rockvec coming up to save the day, even if Prospero and Caliban apparently have a part to play in the sequel.

However... Hock-en-bear-eeeee getting his brains screwed out by Helen was quite a bit too much wishful thinking on the author's behalf to be even remotely entertaining. If she straight away noticed he wasn't Paris, if she did know he wasn't a god parading as Paris, why would she still bed him if she could conjure that knife at will? It can't just be curiosity whether unknown person X offers the women a chance to end the war, nor curiosity in how he is in bed.
Most certainly not since Simmons went with the overly romantic components of the Iliad instead of the gritty versions that are just as easily conjured. Andromache being such a wilfull woman was awesome.

I will pick up the next book but I just don't think I finished a true classic. Too many elements that just didn't quite get there or were plain and unexplained odd.

Actually, I think the wishful thinking on Simmons' part is thinking that a big portion of his audience cared about Proust.

Oh, I agree, and not having read Proust nor much of Shakespeare I still enjoyed the discussoion the Moravecs had.

Quote

Hockenberry's relationship with Helen was kinda a nice way to introduce how sex is a tool to her and explained her bed-hopping in a way that made more sense than simply "fell in love with Paris".

Not sure, it seemed that the beauty-contest between Athena, Aphrodite and Hera still happened, in which Helen was Aphrodite's bribe (her reference to the comb of Aphrodite did include that bit). I'm not saying that Helen isn't using sex as a weapon, because she is, but neither am I sure that this is all there is to it - her backstory and her being Zeus' daughter (with him being a swan during the insemination) are dug up as truth, too. How Aphrodite then made her in fall in love with Paris is unknown, but probably some more of that nano/ pheromone stuff would be expected.

Quote

Olympos is a decent book - although I think Simmons has a real problem with endings (outside of The Terror). Pick it up, forgive him for going too heavy on the Shakespeare and enjoy the Odysseus moments.

Picked it up, haven't started yet. I hope that the earth storyline will be decent enough to grasp my attention this time around.

[Serenity]

I'm about halfway through Replay by Ken Grimwood. It's very good so far.

[QuickTidal]

Halfway through Feist's MAGICIAN: APPRENTICE....I'd forgotten just how great and classic-style this series is. Wonderful read!

[McLovin]

McLovin, on 21 February 2012 - 12:43 PM, said:

Saw the first four RIFTWAR books (MAGICIAN: APPRENTICE etc.) by Raymond Feist there and almost got those too, just for the hell of it. May go back and get them for a re-read.

QuickTidal, on 29 February 2012 - 04:06 PM, said:

Halfway through Feist's MAGICIAN: APPRENTICE....I'd forgotten just how great and classic-style this series is. Wonderful read!

Well, that settles it. Now I'm going back to get them...

[Kruppe's snacky cakes]

Morgoth, on 29 February 2012 - 10:40 AM, said:

I give up.

Morgoth, you can't give up. I already surrendered to you. Now a third party is going to come along and gut us both.

To be fair, my username is a fictional pastry and my avatar is Wizard Cartman levitating said pastry. That's called truth in advertising. You all know what you're dealing with when you engage the King of High House Smartass. Contrast that with the Dark Lord of Middle-Earth / Champion of Social Justice whom I picture tripping over his iron crown as he scurries to his soapbox whenever I mention an author who's ever espoused a backwards social theory. That image makes me giggle like a little girl. Release the imp!

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[Salt-Man Z]

Kruppe, I like you, but dude you're trying too hard.

I'm getting back into Wolfe's Urth of the New Sun, and am really enjoying it this time around.

Also, on my Kindle I'm reading a novel-length piece of late-90s Transformers fanfic by Belinda Kelly called Andraxus; despite a fair amount of typos, it was a revelation when I read it back then, and it's just as amazing now.

[rhulad]

^^ Nerd.

At the moment I just started (about 3 pages in) "The Blade Itself" by Abercrombie.

[worry]

3 pages?? Oh man you won't believe what's on the fourth and fifth pages, it's mindblowing stuff.

[Morgoth]

There's a pronounced drop in quality from page 7 to 9 though. I never could make myself start on page 10. Life is too short, you know.

[rhulad]

But 11 is incredible! Get back at it Morgoth. Also I started it without realizing that my lunch break was already over. Got a dirty look from my boss.

[Gander]

Just finished Ernest Cline's Ready Player One the other night. Awesome, awesome stuff. If you're anywhere near 30-45 years old, or simply have an affinity for the 80s and/or video games in general, this should put a smile on your face.

I think I'll start Desert Spear by Peter Brett next. First one was pretty good.


ETA: 4, not 3.

This post has been edited by Gander: 01 March 2012 - 05:24 AM

[Morgoth]

Gander, on 01 March 2012 - 03:52 AM, said:

Just finished Ernest Cline's Ready Player One the other night. Awesome, awesome stuff. If you're anywhere near 30-45 years old, or simply have an affinity for the 80s and/or video games in general, this should put a smile on your face.

I think I'll start Desert Spear by Peter Brett next. First one was pretty good.


ETA: 4, not 3.

Unless you enjoy rape as the basis for character development I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. I thought the book was painful, and I quite enjoyed the first book although I did get annoyed at yet another reincarnation of Evil Muslims!!!!11