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Finally got myself some Glen Cook, bought the Chronicles of the Black Company (the compendium of the first three books).
The Book I bought today is...
#1401
Thelomen Toblerone 
- Ascendant
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Posted 27 June 2010 - 11:01 AM
#1402
acesn8s
- Soletaken
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- Group: Malaz Regular
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- Location:Northampton, PA USA
- Interests:Reading, video games, role playing games, Fountain Pens, journals...
Posted 27 June 2010 - 06:35 PM
HiddenOne, on 26 June 2010 - 12:30 PM, said:
Following some recommendations I picked up a few as follows:
. . .
5. Paths of the Dead - Brust
Read the series about Vlad, got this one for $1.25 I'll take my chances
. . .
5. Paths of the Dead - Brust
Read the series about Vlad, got this one for $1.25 I'll take my chances
That is book 3 of 6 in the Khaavren Romances series. Book 1 is The Phoenix Guards and book 2 is Five Hundred Years After.
“The others followed, and found themselves in a small, stuffy basement, which would have been damp, smelly, close, and dark, were it not, in fact, well-lit, which prevented it from being dark.”
― Steven Brust, The Phoenix Guards
― Steven Brust, The Phoenix Guards
#1404
spiral
- Recruit
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Posted 29 June 2010 - 05:41 PM
ansible, on 27 June 2010 - 04:44 AM, said:
spiral, on 26 June 2010 - 06:18 PM, said:
The Passage, I'm intrigued and have probably been affected by all the hype.
Hard - boiled wonderland and the end of the world, one of the best authors around. Positively surreal, a bit of thought generally required. Just a wonderfull author.
Hard - boiled wonderland and the end of the world, one of the best authors around. Positively surreal, a bit of thought generally required. Just a wonderfull author.
Didn't see if you mentioned his name; the author is Haruki Murakami. He is my favorite author, and Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World might be my favorite book.
apologies I should have been clearer. Yes Haruki Murakami is the author of Hard-boiled wonderland and the end of the world. Murakami is now one of my favourte authors, if not my favourite. Since reading The wind-up bird chronicle I have been hooked.
The opassage is by Justin cronin and I am really enjoying it. I'm only 200 pages in but its going very well. I think it could be a few pages shorter though! Cronin has dragged out a few bits when its a little obvious what will happen. Still its written quite well, the plot looks good and the pace is not so bad.
#1405
D'rek
- Consort of High House Mafia
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Posted 29 June 2010 - 07:05 PM
Got Alan Campbell's God of Clocks (the 3rd of the Deepgate trilogy) and the first Dresden book. Since I don't want to humour you weird forumites and your Dresdobsession, I'm reading God of Clocks first 
worrywort, on 14 September 2012 - 08:07 PM, said:
I kinda love it when D'rek unleashes her nerd wrath, as I knew she would here. Sorry innocent bystanders, but someone's gotta be the kindling.
#1406
QuickTidal
- Lord of the Waters
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Posted 03 July 2010 - 06:35 PM
Picked up some books that seem to be long time faves of people:
Legend - David Gemmell (my first foray into Gemmells work)
Ratcatcher - James McGee (looks like fun dirty regency London cop and robbers)
Kiss The Girls - James Patterson (I've not even seen the film based on this one, so I am fresh on it)
Legend - David Gemmell (my first foray into Gemmells work)
Ratcatcher - James McGee (looks like fun dirty regency London cop and robbers)
Kiss The Girls - James Patterson (I've not even seen the film based on this one, so I am fresh on it)
"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
"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon
#1407
Tapper
- Lover of High House Mafia
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Posted 10 July 2010 - 11:41 AM
The Cardinal's Blades - Pierre Pevel
Perdido Street Station, The City & The City & Kraken - China Mieville
The Lions of al-Rassan & Tigana - Guy Gavriel Kay
Finch - Jeff Vandermeer
Plenty of readage for weekends at the beach
Perdido Street Station, The City & The City & Kraken - China Mieville
The Lions of al-Rassan & Tigana - Guy Gavriel Kay
Finch - Jeff Vandermeer
Plenty of readage for weekends at the beach
Everyone is entitled to his own wrong opinion. - Lizrad
#1408
Slow Ben
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Posted 10 July 2010 - 02:13 PM
Picked up The Many Deaths of the Black Company @ B&N the other day. It has Water Sleeps and Soldiers Live in it so i can finally finish the Black Company series.
Until hopefully he writes more.
Until hopefully he writes more.
I've always been crazy but its kept me from going insane.
#1409
HiddenOne
- Mortal Sword
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Posted 10 July 2010 - 05:02 PM
Just finished "Changes," the latest Dresden book. Man, it was good! This series continues to get better with each new volume.
HiddenOne. You son of a bitch. You slimy, skulking, low-posting scumbag. You knew it would come to this. Roundabout, maybe. Tortuous, certainly. But here we are, you and me again. I started the train on you so many many hours ago, and now I'm going to finish it. Die HO. Die. This is for last time, and this is for this game too. This is for all the people who died to your backstabbing, treacherous, "I sure don't know what's going on around here" filthy lying, deceitful ways. You son of a bitch. Whatever happens, this is justice. For me, this is justice. Vote HiddenOne Finally, I am at peace.
#1410
Abyss
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Posted 20 July 2010 - 06:00 PM
Elatris - Brandon Sanderson
Subterranean - James Rollins
The Fires of Midnight - Jon Land
The Kill Artist, and, The Secret Servant - Dan Silva
Elantris because i'm overdue to read this already and at $2 i have no excuse.
Others, heavy on the spyguys but the SHB had a sale on and i like those authors for a quick dirty pass the book onwards after read.
Subterranean - James Rollins
The Fires of Midnight - Jon Land
The Kill Artist, and, The Secret Servant - Dan Silva
Elantris because i'm overdue to read this already and at $2 i have no excuse.
Others, heavy on the spyguys but the SHB had a sale on and i like those authors for a quick dirty pass the book onwards after read.
THIS IS YOUR REMINDER THAT THERE IS A
'VIEW NEW CONTENT' BUTTON THAT
ALLOWS YOU TO VIEW NEW CONTENT
'VIEW NEW CONTENT' BUTTON THAT
ALLOWS YOU TO VIEW NEW CONTENT
#1411
amphibian
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Posted 22 July 2010 - 06:33 AM
Over the last two months, I've gone over an enormous chunk of Alastair Reynolds' oeuvre, starting with Terminal World. He's an amazing writer, but I wish he'd not written certain books. The following is a quick list of what I've read and my short thoughts on it. Really recommend his works.
The RS stuff:
Revelation Space - fantastically inventive. Immediately grabbed me with the excellent characters, amazing story and high stakes the characters work for. Packs an amazing amount of "spin-off" ideas within it, yet never ever seems like it's info dumping or setting future pieces up for later. Reynolds presents a Malazan-style history, with fragments, references, lies and misrememberings mixed in with the truth, trusting that the reader will work the pieces into a coherent world within the mind.
Chasm City. - Perhaps his best book. A gripping detective story alongside a space horror opera becomes a profoundly moving examination of identity and redemption for horrible things. Amazing book and amazing central characters.
Redemption Ark - The true sequel to Revelation Space (but you should read Chasm City in between), picks up where RS left off and continues the awesomeness. Nevil Clavain is a great Bruce Willis "pure will" style hero.
Absolution Gap - this one felt a bit off for me, as it was tough to sympathize with the main characters in the beginning, as Quaiche is a scumbag, Scorpio was a surly, but compentent sidekick in Redemption Ark and Rashmika never really develops - she just goes somewhere and we follow. It pays off in the end, but honestly, getting through the first half of the book was tough, because of my reaction to the characters. It felt much like Gene Wolfe's Book of the Long Sun to me, with Silk being the comparable unlikable character. The very end has me questioning something.
The Prefect - I really liked this book. Thalia, I didn't like, but we did need a character within a habitat under siege in order to ratchet up the personal stakes. It's really cool how Reynolds is so comfortable hopping around times within the RS universe. Those who read his other books are rewarded by seeing the intense connections between them, but those who've only picked up one or two can read them just fine as stories on their own. It's a testament to his writing that he can pull both off well.
Other
Century Rain - didn't like this book. Wondered why he spent so long turning it into a full length book.
Pushing Ice - Loved the beginning and the end. Didn't like the personal drama in the middle, as I felt that it fundamentally didn't make sense. My personal sense of leeway for emotional stuff and grudges extends to a point, and the main characters went over that point fairly often.
Terminal World - Faaaaaantastic. Steampunk done very, very well. Maybe my fourth favorite Reynolds book (CC, RS, RA, TW, TP, AG).
Novellas
Great Wall of Mars - now I understand why Clavain and Galiana's story was so important.
Glacial - short murder mystery, that explains why certain strategies of colonization aren't used in the main novels.
Weather - Really good.
A Spy on Europa - It was ok, a bit stronger on the wonder/horror than the actual story, but ok.
Grafenwalder's Bestiary - Same as the previous.
Nightingale - Very strong piece, mostly adventure/horror. I wasn't expecting the ending at all.
Dilation Sleep - Felt like a writing exercise, but well done.
Galactic North - Man, Veda's crazy. What an incredible scope this story has - and ties in with the main RS books.
Diamond Dogs - Creepy. Highly recommend this one.
Turquoise Days - Alright. It was cool to learn a bit more about the Jugglers.
Other
Minla's Flowers - Very good story. Felt very close to the RS canon.
The Six Directions of Space - I didn't like this one. Felt a bit too "what-if" to me.
Digital to Analogue - Ehhh... Felt like an early work by an author trying out his muscles. Didn't like it.
Spirey and the Queen - Liked this one.
Beyond the Aquila Rift - What a story. Man, this one had me from the get go and affected me at the end.
Merlin's Gun - A much later continuation of the main character from Minla's Flowers. Cool story. Wish we found out what happened after it ends.
Zima Blue - Far out story. Really good.
Feeling Rejected - Really short piece about an Ivory Tower academic/Cosmic snob.
Tiger, Burning - Reminded me of Egan's Diaspora (one of the most difficult reads I can remember), but this is better and a great short story.
The Sledge-Maker's Daughter - Cool story.
The Star-Surgeon's Apprentice - This was awesome.
The RS stuff:
Revelation Space - fantastically inventive. Immediately grabbed me with the excellent characters, amazing story and high stakes the characters work for. Packs an amazing amount of "spin-off" ideas within it, yet never ever seems like it's info dumping or setting future pieces up for later. Reynolds presents a Malazan-style history, with fragments, references, lies and misrememberings mixed in with the truth, trusting that the reader will work the pieces into a coherent world within the mind.
Chasm City. - Perhaps his best book. A gripping detective story alongside a space horror opera becomes a profoundly moving examination of identity and redemption for horrible things. Amazing book and amazing central characters.
Redemption Ark - The true sequel to Revelation Space (but you should read Chasm City in between), picks up where RS left off and continues the awesomeness. Nevil Clavain is a great Bruce Willis "pure will" style hero.
Absolution Gap - this one felt a bit off for me, as it was tough to sympathize with the main characters in the beginning, as Quaiche is a scumbag, Scorpio was a surly, but compentent sidekick in Redemption Ark and Rashmika never really develops - she just goes somewhere and we follow. It pays off in the end, but honestly, getting through the first half of the book was tough, because of my reaction to the characters. It felt much like Gene Wolfe's Book of the Long Sun to me, with Silk being the comparable unlikable character. The very end has me questioning something.
Spoiler
The Prefect - I really liked this book. Thalia, I didn't like, but we did need a character within a habitat under siege in order to ratchet up the personal stakes. It's really cool how Reynolds is so comfortable hopping around times within the RS universe. Those who read his other books are rewarded by seeing the intense connections between them, but those who've only picked up one or two can read them just fine as stories on their own. It's a testament to his writing that he can pull both off well.
Other
Century Rain - didn't like this book. Wondered why he spent so long turning it into a full length book.
Pushing Ice - Loved the beginning and the end. Didn't like the personal drama in the middle, as I felt that it fundamentally didn't make sense. My personal sense of leeway for emotional stuff and grudges extends to a point, and the main characters went over that point fairly often.
Terminal World - Faaaaaantastic. Steampunk done very, very well. Maybe my fourth favorite Reynolds book (CC, RS, RA, TW, TP, AG).
Novellas
Great Wall of Mars - now I understand why Clavain and Galiana's story was so important.
Glacial - short murder mystery, that explains why certain strategies of colonization aren't used in the main novels.
Weather - Really good.
A Spy on Europa - It was ok, a bit stronger on the wonder/horror than the actual story, but ok.
Grafenwalder's Bestiary - Same as the previous.
Nightingale - Very strong piece, mostly adventure/horror. I wasn't expecting the ending at all.
Dilation Sleep - Felt like a writing exercise, but well done.
Galactic North - Man, Veda's crazy. What an incredible scope this story has - and ties in with the main RS books.
Diamond Dogs - Creepy. Highly recommend this one.
Turquoise Days - Alright. It was cool to learn a bit more about the Jugglers.
Other
Minla's Flowers - Very good story. Felt very close to the RS canon.
The Six Directions of Space - I didn't like this one. Felt a bit too "what-if" to me.
Digital to Analogue - Ehhh... Felt like an early work by an author trying out his muscles. Didn't like it.
Spirey and the Queen - Liked this one.
Beyond the Aquila Rift - What a story. Man, this one had me from the get go and affected me at the end.
Merlin's Gun - A much later continuation of the main character from Minla's Flowers. Cool story. Wish we found out what happened after it ends.
Zima Blue - Far out story. Really good.
Feeling Rejected - Really short piece about an Ivory Tower academic/Cosmic snob.
Tiger, Burning - Reminded me of Egan's Diaspora (one of the most difficult reads I can remember), but this is better and a great short story.
The Sledge-Maker's Daughter - Cool story.
The Star-Surgeon's Apprentice - This was awesome.
I survived the Permian and all I got was this t-shirt.
#1412
Morgoth
- executor emeritus
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Posted 23 July 2010 - 08:56 AM
Bought and is currently reading Latro in the Mist. Brilliant so far.
Take good care to keep relations civil
It's decent in the first of gentlemen
To speak friendly, Even to the devil
It's decent in the first of gentlemen
To speak friendly, Even to the devil
#1413
Tsundoku
- A what?
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- Group: Malaz Regular
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- Location:Maison de merde
Posted 23 July 2010 - 01:30 PM
Recent cheap and/or secondhand purchases:
Jim Butcher - first 3 Codex Alera books
RA Salvatore - Road of the Patriarch and Promise of the Witch King (OK I still have the RAS love, so sue me)
James Barclay - Cry of the Newborn (intrigued at the blurb, couldn't go wrong at the price)
Harry Turtledove - Jaws of Darkness (can't recall if I have it back at home, but it's been ages since I read the first 4 in the series of a magical alternate WW2)
GRRM - Fevre Dream (always been interested, and it finally found its way into the cheap pile)
Walter Jon Williams - This Is Not A Game (looked interesting)
I'm now basically finishing 1 book for about every 8-10 I buy. I start heaps but lose focus and have trouble finishing books these days. The 'To Read' pile on my dining table is now out past 40 books. I wonder if it's some sort of OCD, or just sheer mental laziness? Sometimes it seems like ... hard work ... to pick one up and continue with it, but my love of browsing and buying new books is unaffected. I once used to smash through books at a frightening rate, but can't seem to manage these days, maybe it's an age thing, or the interwebz, or maybe I'm too mentally wrecked after work too often these days and just sack out when I get home? Or maybe I just overthink it?
Intend to get:
Jasper Kent - Twelve
Daniel Abrahams - Long Price quartet
Justin Cronin - The Passage
Peter F Hamilton - The Evolutionary Void
Chris Wooding - Tales of the Ketty Jay series
Adam Roberts - New Model Army
GGK - Under Heaven
Brandon Sanderson - Mistborn trilogy
Charles Stross - Bob Howard books
Ben Stover - Caine books
John Birmingham - After America
Plus whatever else takes my fancy, either by finding it's way to the cheap pile and thus overcoming my reluctance to buy it at full price, or if it has a cool blurb and/or strong recommendations here.
I'll get to them, I swear.
Jim Butcher - first 3 Codex Alera books
RA Salvatore - Road of the Patriarch and Promise of the Witch King (OK I still have the RAS love, so sue me)
James Barclay - Cry of the Newborn (intrigued at the blurb, couldn't go wrong at the price)
Harry Turtledove - Jaws of Darkness (can't recall if I have it back at home, but it's been ages since I read the first 4 in the series of a magical alternate WW2)
GRRM - Fevre Dream (always been interested, and it finally found its way into the cheap pile)
Walter Jon Williams - This Is Not A Game (looked interesting)
I'm now basically finishing 1 book for about every 8-10 I buy. I start heaps but lose focus and have trouble finishing books these days. The 'To Read' pile on my dining table is now out past 40 books. I wonder if it's some sort of OCD, or just sheer mental laziness? Sometimes it seems like ... hard work ... to pick one up and continue with it, but my love of browsing and buying new books is unaffected. I once used to smash through books at a frightening rate, but can't seem to manage these days, maybe it's an age thing, or the interwebz, or maybe I'm too mentally wrecked after work too often these days and just sack out when I get home? Or maybe I just overthink it?
Intend to get:
Jasper Kent - Twelve
Daniel Abrahams - Long Price quartet
Justin Cronin - The Passage
Peter F Hamilton - The Evolutionary Void
Chris Wooding - Tales of the Ketty Jay series
Adam Roberts - New Model Army
GGK - Under Heaven
Brandon Sanderson - Mistborn trilogy
Charles Stross - Bob Howard books
Ben Stover - Caine books
John Birmingham - After America
Plus whatever else takes my fancy, either by finding it's way to the cheap pile and thus overcoming my reluctance to buy it at full price, or if it has a cool blurb and/or strong recommendations here.
I'll get to them, I swear.
This post has been edited by Sombra: 23 July 2010 - 01:43 PM
"Fortune favors the bold, though statistics favor the cautious." - Indomitable Courteous (Icy) Fist, The Palace Job - Patrick Weekes
"Well well well ... if it ain't The Invisible C**t." - Billy Butcher, The Boys
"I have strong views about not tempting providence and, as a wise man once said, the difference between luck and a wheelbarrow is, luck doesn’t work if you push it." - Colonel Orhan, Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City - KJ Parker
"Well well well ... if it ain't The Invisible C**t." - Billy Butcher, The Boys
"I have strong views about not tempting providence and, as a wise man once said, the difference between luck and a wheelbarrow is, luck doesn’t work if you push it." - Colonel Orhan, Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City - KJ Parker
#1414
Fist Gamet
- Mortal Sword
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- Interests:Writing, reading, writing, climbing, writing, scuba diving and writing (not at the same time)
Posted 24 July 2010 - 09:19 PM
Morgoth, on 23 July 2010 - 08:56 AM, said:
Bought and is currently reading Latro in the Mist. Brilliant so far.
Yes, it surely is. Classic Wolfe and I loved it. Do you have the edition with Soldier of Sidon?Anyhoo, most recent purchase inspired by the Hugo Award Winner thread.
The Curse of Chalion, Bujold
A Fire upon the Deep, Vinge
Rashomon, Kurosawa (ok, not a book)
Victory is mine!
#1415
Aptorian
- How 'bout a hug?
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- Joined: 22-May 06
Posted 25 July 2010 - 02:26 PM
Retribution Falls - Chris Wooding
Werthead gave it a glowing review and I love the setting so I had to buy it. A hundred pages in and I am in no way regretting this purchase, It is firefly meets Locke Lamora.
Werthead gave it a glowing review and I love the setting so I had to buy it. A hundred pages in and I am in no way regretting this purchase, It is firefly meets Locke Lamora.
#1416
Abyss
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Posted 26 July 2010 - 02:57 PM
Aptorian, on 25 July 2010 - 02:26 PM, said:
Retribution Falls - Chris Wooding
Werthead gave it a glowing review and I love the setting so I had to buy it. A hundred pages in and I am in no way regretting this purchase, It is firefly meets Locke Lamora.
Werthead gave it a glowing review and I love the setting so I had to buy it. A hundred pages in and I am in no way regretting this purchase, It is firefly meets Locke Lamora.
I thoroughly enjoyed his Braided Path series and the only reason i'm stalling on Ketty Jay is to buy/read at least three of them in one fell swoop.
I finally found and ordered the mmpb Stross' The Fuller Memorandum. It's on the way. Psyched for more Laundry greatness!!!
THIS IS YOUR REMINDER THAT THERE IS A
'VIEW NEW CONTENT' BUTTON THAT
ALLOWS YOU TO VIEW NEW CONTENT
'VIEW NEW CONTENT' BUTTON THAT
ALLOWS YOU TO VIEW NEW CONTENT
#1417
Use Of Weapons
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Posted 27 July 2010 - 11:12 AM
Bought at the weekend:
_The Ethos Effect_ by L.E. Modesitt. I've really enjoyed his SF in the past (_Adiamante_ and _The Parafaith War_ are both excellent), so I'm looking forward to trying this out. Must get the latest Recluce novel too.
_The Ethos Effect_ by L.E. Modesitt. I've really enjoyed his SF in the past (_Adiamante_ and _The Parafaith War_ are both excellent), so I'm looking forward to trying this out. Must get the latest Recluce novel too.
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
-- Oscar Wilde
#1420
QuickTidal
- Lord of the Waters
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- Group: Team Quick Ben
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- Location:At Sea?
- Interests:DoubleStamping. Movies. Reading.
Posted 21 August 2010 - 02:09 AM
picked up BEARERS OF THE BLACK STAFF - Terry Brooks (this is the next duology in his connecting the Word/Void series to prehistory Shannara)
"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
"Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone." ~Ursula Vernon
