What have you been reading lately?
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Agent
Member # 2210
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written Sunday, July 30 2006 17:07
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What have you been reading lately? I have been having a hard time finding good new fantasy books lately other than Jeffrey Ford's short story collections The Fantasy Writer's Assistant and The Empire of Ice Cream. I am looking for some good new science fiction and fantasy books to read. Because there hasn't been a lot of that around I've turned to reading noir books, old fashioned crime novels like Max Allan Collins Two for the Money. http://www.hardcasecrime.com/books_bios.cgi?title=Two%20For%20the%20Money I like the Hard Case Crime novels so far. http://www.hardcasecrime.com -------------------- Wasting your time and mine looking for a good laugh. Star Bright, Star Light, Oh I Wish I May, I Wish Might, Wish For One Star Tonight. Add your one star vote to my tally. Posts: 1084 | Registered: Thursday, November 7 2002 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 6785
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written Sunday, July 30 2006 18:57
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I waiting for September's release of Robert Aspirin's Mis-Gotten Gains. So I was rereading some of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series. For noir mysteries there is nothing like the classics: Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler. I spent a summer reading their novels when I couldn't find anything new. Posts: 4643 | Registered: Friday, February 10 2006 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 6489
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written Sunday, July 30 2006 19:28
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Didn't we just recently have a thread on this, or was that just on Polaris? Anyway, in no particular order, some of my favorite fantasy authors: Stephen R. Donaldson, author of the Thomas Covenant books. (They may have an actual name, but it escapes me at the moment) The first book is Lord Foul's Bane. Donaldson is one of the only authors to successfully use a transplanted person from our world in a serious fantasy setting, as opposed to Terry Brook's Landover novels, which are also quite good, but are very much light fantasy. George R.R. Martin, author of "A Song of Ice and Fire", which is an epic story with incredible character depth. If you like epic fantasy, these books are practically a requirement. The first book is A Game of Thrones. Mercedes Lackey, author of the Valdemar books. Although many people would claim that her books are "for girls", I think she tells a good light fantasy story. The Valdemar series is quite large and branching, but I would suggest starting with Arrows of the Queen. David Eddings, another light fantasy author, sometimes criticized for godlike characters, tells a good tale nonetheless. I think Aran said it best over on Polaris (I think it was Aran anyway). "I like David Eddings, but I wouldn't want to RP with him." His best books are the Garion books, which start with Pawn of Prophecy. Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, specifically the Dragonlance Chronicles. Weis and Hickman write the core books in the Dragonlance world. Many DL books suck out loud, but Weis and Hickman's novels up through Dragons of Summer Flame are quite good. The first book is Dragons of Autumn Twilight. Harry Turtledove, author of the Videssos books. Turtledove started his books set in the world of Videssos with a four-book series about Roman legionaires transported from 1st century BC Gaul to Videssos. With most authors, this would be a pretty corny story, but Turtledove pulls it off quite well. The first book is The Misplaced Legion [ Sunday, July 30, 2006 19:57: Message edited by: Tyranicus ] -------------------- "Dumbledore returns from the dead and declares it to be hammertime, Harry proceeds to break it down, Voldemort is unable to touch this." —Dintiradan Spiderweb Chat Room Avernum RP • Summaries • OoC • Roster Shadow Vale - My site, home of the Spiderweb Chat Database, BoA Scenario Database, & the A1 Quest List, among other things. Posts: 1556 | Registered: Sunday, November 20 2005 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 2984
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written Sunday, July 30 2006 20:51
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I said that, but I can't remember saying it on Polaris. Ah well, maybe I did. -- I just finished reading Louis McMaster Bujold's Cordelia's Honor, which is the first book of the Barrayar Cycle (which I'd read one book of earlier). Space opera, and I rather like it. Partly because its plot manages to avoid being "epic" (as in Star Wars) while still being captivating. -------------------- The Noble and Ancient Order of Polaris - We're Not Yet Dead. Encyclopedia • Blades Forge • Archives • Stats • RSS (This Topic / Forum) • Blog • NaNoWriMo Did-chat thentagoespyet jumund fori is jus, hat onlime gly nertan ne gethen Firyoubbit 'obio.' Decorum deserves a whole line of my signature, and an entry in your bookmarks. Posts: 8752 | Registered: Wednesday, May 14 2003 07:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 5450
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written Sunday, July 30 2006 21:02
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quote:The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. An excellent read, like all of his books. quote:You are talking about The Belgariad and The Mallorean. His better books, yes. Anyway, I'm currently reading Stephen Donaldson's Gap series, specifically The Gap Into Maddness: Chaos And Order. -------------------- I'll put a Spring in your step. :ph34r: Posts: 2396 | Registered: Saturday, January 29 2005 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 6785
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written Sunday, July 30 2006 21:17
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We had some threads on favorite books and authors and a discussion about what would be classics. quote:Not too bad version of Norse mythos and a lot like Geneforge. Everyone is scum. Even the noble appearing characters have a dark scummy side and the scum have some noble characteristics. Aran, the later Miles Vorkosigan books in the series are better. Check the copyright date because the books were written out of sequence in the timeline of events. The Warrior's Apprentice was the first novel and then things jump back and forth with his parents and Miles. The last two are the best. Posts: 4643 | Registered: Friday, February 10 2006 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 6489
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written Sunday, July 30 2006 21:22
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quote:I knew that, but I thought that naming the multiple series would be confusing. Besides, it's not just The Belgariad and The Malloreon (The people are spelled with an A, the five-book series is spelled with an O :P ). The are also the two novels, Belgarath the Sorcerer and Polgara the Sorceress. Do not think to lecture me on the works of what used to be my favorite author ever. :P Not that I don't like him now, but there was a time when I could almost literally recite his books word-for-word. I didn't have much life back then. :rolleyes: -------------------- "Dumbledore returns from the dead and declares it to be hammertime, Harry proceeds to break it down, Voldemort is unable to touch this." —Dintiradan Spiderweb Chat Room Avernum RP • Summaries • OoC • Roster Shadow Vale - My site, home of the Spiderweb Chat Database, BoA Scenario Database, & the A1 Quest List, among other things. Posts: 1556 | Registered: Sunday, November 20 2005 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 2984
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written Sunday, July 30 2006 22:14
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quote:Funny. Because the Warrior's Apprentice was also the first one I read. I'll have to read the entire series though... -------------------- The Noble and Ancient Order of Polaris - We're Not Yet Dead. Encyclopedia • Blades Forge • Archives • Stats • RSS (This Topic / Forum) • Blog • NaNoWriMo Did-chat thentagoespyet jumund fori is jus, hat onlime gly nertan ne gethen Firyoubbit 'obio.' Decorum deserves a whole line of my signature, and an entry in your bookmarks. Posts: 8752 | Registered: Wednesday, May 14 2003 07:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 5450
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written Sunday, July 30 2006 23:02
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quote:Gah. Well, it's been a couple of years, if that is any excuse. :P The book is around here somewhere... :) [ Sunday, July 30, 2006 23:02: Message edited by: Spring ] -------------------- I'll put a Spring in your step. :ph34r: Posts: 2396 | Registered: Saturday, January 29 2005 08:00 |
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Agent
Member # 6581
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written Monday, July 31 2006 00:01
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I just finished reading Spanky, of Christopher Fowler. Good book, a bit fantastic, but a good book. Additional info here. -------------------- Download Geneforge 4: Rebellion You have 6 posts. Nobody cares what you think. - Thuryl Wikipedia may be your friend, but UBB is not. - Dikiyoba Posts: 1310 | Registered: Tuesday, December 20 2005 08:00 |
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Shock Trooper
Member # 1249
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written Monday, July 31 2006 00:23
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What I've been reading lately: Ursula LeGuin's Gifts. Not bad so far. Thought-provoking reading, though it's a "children's book". Stephen King's Desperation. It's been better than I expected, because King wrote it as late as 1996. (His later books that I've read haven't been his best.) I read this half a year ago: Susanna Clarke's Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell. It progressed too slowly to my taste but I found the ending very rewarding. I'm going to return a pile of fantasy and science fiction books to the city library today. I haven't read half of them, so I'll probably borrow some of them again. And some new books. Posts: 259 | Registered: Saturday, June 1 2002 07:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 1092
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written Monday, July 31 2006 00:45
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I like the Cairo Jim series (no relation to my display name). My mother bought me a book titled "Cairo Jim And The Secret Suplchreof the Sphinx" pr something like that, which is part of a "Cairo Jim" series. -------------------- When you think you can't get any lower in life and hit rock bottom, God hands you a shovel. Why should I say somthin intelligent when idiots like you make me look intelligent in the first place. Posts: 615 | Registered: Friday, May 3 2002 07:00 |
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Electric Sheep One
Member # 3431
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written Monday, July 31 2006 01:40
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All the Vorkosigan books are very good. The series focuses on Miles pretty quickly, though his parents of course remain as minor characters, and there are a couple of spin-off books set in the same universe. I'm not sure I'd say the latest ones are the best, though I wouldn't say the series is going downhill either. I do think it is probably winding up, though. The books are remarkable for transcending the traditional limits of traditional space opera, and for convincingly portraying a military genius. I remain extremely impressed, for instance, by this line of Miles's in Brothers in Arms: quote:Such a flippant but perfectly apposite historical allusion, on the spur of the moment in a crisis, is for me a brilliant character detail. -------------------- Listen carefully because some of your options may have changed. Posts: 3335 | Registered: Thursday, September 4 2003 07:00 |
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Dollop of Whipped Cream
Member # 391
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written Monday, July 31 2006 02:44
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quote:Cool. After my friend talking about them non-stop, I decided to start reading them sometime this week, if I get a break from all the studying. Last book I read? The Princess Bride by William Goldman. -------------------- "Tyranicus is about the only one that still posts in the Nethergate Forum." —Randomizer Spiderweb Chat Room Shadow Vale - My site, home of the Spiderweb Chat Database, BoA Scenario Database, & the A1 Quest List, among other things. Posts: 562 | Registered: Friday, December 14 2001 08:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 1092
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written Monday, July 31 2006 03:05
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I also like reading the pre-Episode One book seris of Star Wars. I can;'t exactly remember the name of the series though. -------------------- When you think you can't get any lower in life and hit rock bottom, God hands you a shovel. Why should I say somthin intelligent when idiots like you make me look intelligent in the first place. Posts: 615 | Registered: Friday, May 3 2002 07:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 4248
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written Monday, July 31 2006 04:01
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I just finished Lirael by Garth Nix, and am now reading some Forgotten Ralms trash written by Elaine Cuningham. I also read quite a few of Conan stories some time ago. -------------------- Life is a neverending carneval where everyone has multiple costumes. I just hope mine are pleasing to the eye. Posts: 617 | Registered: Tuesday, April 13 2004 07:00 |
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By Committee
Member # 4233
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written Monday, July 31 2006 05:17
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I've been re-reading books from Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin series in an effort to ease the stress of my summer Property course (which fortunately is now over). I've read the whole series through twice, and I still can't manage to put them down and move on. Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00 |
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Cartographer
Member # 1851
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written Monday, July 31 2006 07:08
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... Now that I come to think about it, I haven't been reading much lately. I finished some books nearly a month ago. :\ Anyway, I read Ilkka Auer's book 'Varjoissa vaeltaja' (I'd translate that as 'Shadow walker', but I've never been that good at translating. Close enough, though) and Philip Ridley's 'Mighty Fizz Chilla', except in Finnish. I HAVE been waiting for this one book for a couple of months now. It's the last book of a trilogy, but the only copy available so far. I reserved it and now I'm finally second in line. There's seven people after me, and you know what? When I get that damn book, finally, I will read it during that same damn day because I'm damn well fast enough and then I will go and return it as soon as I can because I'm bloody well considerate of others! I just want to finish that damn trilogy! :( Also... I did read the sixth Harry Potter book again a couple of weeks ago, because I couldn't really remember what happened in it all in all. Nearly forgot about that. [ Monday, July 31, 2006 07:09: Message edited by: Northern Watchcar ] -------------------- Pannaan kaikki hippulat vinkumaan! ^_^ Ooh! Riibu's Kolo - January Blues - Geneforge, +2, +3 - My Elfwood Gallery and DevArt page So many strange ones around. Don't you think? Posts: 1308 | Registered: Sunday, September 8 2002 07:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 4153
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written Monday, July 31 2006 07:39
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I've been slogging through Karen Armstrong's The Spiral Staircase... on a parental recommendation. It's interesting stuff, about an ex-nun who lived with undiagnosed epilepsy for a while, and about trying to return to secular life... it's just not the kind of reading I've found myself capable of this summer, thus, "slogging". I've been so stressed out that I really, really just need to sink my teeth back into some good sci-fi. If not that, then Three Nights in August. -------------------- TM: "I want BoA to grow. Evolve where the food ladder has rungs to be reached." Gamble with Gaea, and she eats your dice. Posts: 4130 | Registered: Friday, March 26 2004 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 6489
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written Monday, July 31 2006 07:39
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quote:C.S. Forrester's Horatio Hornblower novels were better. -------------------- "Dumbledore returns from the dead and declares it to be hammertime, Harry proceeds to break it down, Voldemort is unable to touch this." —Dintiradan Spiderweb Chat Room Avernum RP • Summaries • OoC • Roster Shadow Vale - My site, home of the Spiderweb Chat Database, BoA Scenario Database, & the A1 Quest List, among other things. Posts: 1556 | Registered: Sunday, November 20 2005 08:00 |
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Electric Sheep One
Member # 3431
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written Monday, July 31 2006 09:38
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quote:Flog that man round the fleet. Hereof nor you nor any of you may fail as you will answer the Contrary at your Peril. And for so doing this shall be your Warrant. Actually the Hornblower books are also great, especially the earlier ones in the series. But they are simpler. -------------------- Listen carefully because some of your options may have changed. Posts: 3335 | Registered: Thursday, September 4 2003 07:00 |
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By Committee
Member # 4233
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written Monday, July 31 2006 10:19
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Which C.S. Forrester's works ain't nearly so well written, cully, nor so witty. [ Monday, July 31, 2006 10:20: Message edited by: Drew ] Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 6489
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written Monday, July 31 2006 10:37
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Don't get me wrong, I like O'Brian's books, but for some reason that I can't explain, I prefer Hornblower to Aubrey. -------------------- "Dumbledore returns from the dead and declares it to be hammertime, Harry proceeds to break it down, Voldemort is unable to touch this." —Dintiradan Spiderweb Chat Room Avernum RP • Summaries • OoC • Roster Shadow Vale - My site, home of the Spiderweb Chat Database, BoA Scenario Database, & the A1 Quest List, among other things. Posts: 1556 | Registered: Sunday, November 20 2005 08:00 |
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Lifecrafter
Member # 6700
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written Monday, July 31 2006 11:23
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Who on earth has time to read?? The last book I managed to foray through was Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire . I read it because my girlfriend recommended it. It wasn't too bad. During the few (rare) times that I actually get the chance to read, I tend to dwell in fiction. Favorite authors include Frank Peretti , the Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child partnership, and Terry Brooks (or at least, what he wrote before Ilse Witch . ugh.) EDIT: wrong button, and ubb woes. -------------------- The Silent Assassin had, at one point, come up with something really witty for my next post. Unfortunately, that was two days ago, and I've since forgotten it. Oh well. [ Monday, July 31, 2006 11:31: Message edited by: Lenar Research Facilites ] -------------------- -Lenar Labs What's Your Destiny? Ushmushmeifa: Lenar's power is almighty and ineffable. I like speaking my mind, when the voices let me hear it. Posts: 735 | Registered: Monday, January 16 2006 08:00 |
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Fire! Fire! Fire! Fire!
Member # 919
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written Monday, July 31 2006 11:33
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I'm reading Aldous Huxley's The Island because I hold that Huxley sucks and my friend disagrees vehemently. Before that I read The Genius and the Goddess, and neither has done much yet to change my mind. EDIT: LeGuin... that reminds me, I was going to start over in the EarthSea series. They're rather short, if I remember correctly... [ Monday, July 31, 2006 11:34: Message edited by: Sir David ] -------------------- And though the musicians would die, the music would live on in the imaginations of all who heard it. -The Last Pendragon Polaris = joy. In case of emergency, break glass. Posts: 3351 | Registered: Saturday, April 6 2002 08:00 |