What Are You Reading?

Nody

Not posted an update in a while but I've finished The Draconis Memoria trilogy by Anthony Ryan. Great series, action packed but the biggest issue I have would be the number of different main characters to keep track off on three different continents at the same time. It felt Wheel of Timeish with the number of characters but less badly handled in the jumping. Overall I'd recommend it; very different fantasy/steampunk world based on the use on imbuing dragon blood to gain certain temporary powers and no elves, dwarfs etc.

Also listening to the Dresden files (up to Death Masks atm) on the phone when I'm out and about.

Will have to check through my backlog of paperbacks what I'll read next.

Igotadose

The Traitor Baru Cormorant was grand, different, interesting.

Now working on The Monster Baru Cormorant. About 50% through. Not nearly as good, perhaps it improves later.

cdgalwegian

Just finished reading Charles Stross' "Accelerando". It's kinda hard to read, but it's got ideas bursting out all over the place; the first part seemed familiar to me- I think I must have tried it years ago, but put it down because it was too hard/directionless to get into. This is concrete or solid steel sci-fi, concerning trans-humanism, a bit pre-, but mostly post-singularity (of consciousness uploading). This doesn't contain sci-fi gadgets, apart from mention of the odd wormhole or two :pac: - it's more a weird but interesting take on the economics of information and computing power, where personalities pre-singularity have to cope with post-singularity through augmentation (from birth), but some time in the far future have to deal with possible extinction. It's got a lot going on, and can be a bit confusing, but I had to persevere to see how Stross dealt with it all. I think I quite liked it.
I chose it coz a review ages ago said it was hard sci-fi with lots of great ideas, and found out that it was a standalone, so thought it might be a good taster, before trying his Laundry Series.

Thargor

Igotadose wrote: »

The Traitor Baru Cormorant was grand, different, interesting.

Now working on The Monster Baru Cormorant. About 50% through. Not nearly as good, perhaps it improves later.

No its not as good, nowhere near, a decent world with decent ideas but now she's just an irrelevant character reacting to external events, a total 180 from the first book, I didnt understand it. What killed it for me though was the way book 1 was a seriously fascinating look at the grinding bureaucracy of the Masquerade taking over the world and all its parallels with the British empire and others but then book 2 just seemed to forget about all that, it lost its way, hopefully it finds it again in book 3... Which Ill definitely read btw, its still better than most new fantasy stuff.

ixoy

cdgalwegian wrote: »

Just finished reading Charles Stross' "Accelerando". It's kinda hard to read, but it's got ideas bursting out all over the place; the first part seemed familiar to me- I think I must have tried it years ago, but put it down because it was too hard/directionless to get into.

That's probably because it was originally a series of short stories that he tied together loosely into a novel. It's fiercely imaginative. I'd recommend his 'Glasshouse' if you like this.

so thought it might be a good taster, before trying his Laundry Series.

They're not really similar. The Laundry series is a more geeky version of 'Rivers of London' by way of Cthulu. There's little in the way of hard sci-fi here - the nerdy elements, as such, come from lots of IT-based humour. They're good fun though (I've read the first five and some of the shorts).

shrapnel222

Thargor wrote: »

No its not as good, nowhere near, a decent world with decent ideas but now she's just an irrelevant character reacting to external events, a total 180 from the first book, I didnt understand it. What killed it for me though was the way book 1 was a seriously fascinating look at the grinding bureaucracy of the Masquerade taking over the world and all its parallels with the British empire and others but then book 2 just seemed to forget about all that, it lost its way, hopefully it finds it again in book 3... Which Ill definitely read btw, its still better than most new fantasy stuff.

i thought it was great personally, and certainly agree it's very different to book 1.

It gives us a fantastic glimpse into other parts of the empire and the masquerade, but it really is just setting up book 3 and what i hope will be a fantastic finish.

Thargor

shrapnel222 wrote: »

i thought it was great personally, and certainly agree it's very different to book 1.

It gives us a fantastic glimpse into other parts of the empire and the masquerade, but it really is just setting up book 3 and what i hope will be a fantastic finish.

Yeah I might have been a bit harsh there, I still devoured it and will be straight on to the third one when its out.

Im reading The Institute at the minute and liking it a lot, feels a lot more like the classic King of my youth.

I also read Rejoice: A Knife to the Heart by Stephen Erikson, was looking forward to seeing how the Malazan author tackled sci-fi but I didnt like it:

Imagine a First Contact without contact, and an alien arrival where no aliens show up. Imagine the sudden appearance of exclusion zones all over the planet, into which no humans are allowed. Imagine an end to all violence, from the schoolyard bully to nations at war. Imagine an end to borders, an end to all crime. Imagine a world where hate has no outlet and the only harm one can do is to oneself. Imagine a world transformed, but with no guidance and no hint of what’s coming next. What would you do? How would you feel? What questions can you ask – what questions dare you ask – when the only possible answers come from the all-too-human face in your mirror?

It was way too simplistic, female writers and politicians noble and forward-thinking, male politicians cheesy backwards Trump or Rupert Murdoch rip-offs. The aliens were way overpowered aswell, no real potential for any drama. It was absolutely full of good ideas, if he'd applied the way he writes amazing unforgettable characters and subplots from Malazan to this it would have been a classic but it just felt rushed and simplistic, I did fairly tear through it though because you definitely didnt know what was coming next chapter to chapter.

Thargor

The Institute is brilliant!

cdgalwegian

In a rush last week, and popped into library for some hard sci-fi 5 mins before closing; not wanting to delay staff, Iain M Bank's 'The Algebraist' was handed to me to try: I have found IMB hit and miss, but had nothing else. So, 95 pages in, out of 500+ pages, and still nothing has really kicked in for me; I've read some reviews- apparently it's a bit bloated, but has overall is pretty good sci-fi. But is just pretty good 'standard' sci-fi, with lots of familiar tropes- or as a standalone, does it push the boat with lots of hard sci-fi inventive ideas not really done before?

ixoy

cdgalwegian wrote: »

is just pretty good 'standard' sci-fi, with lots of familiar tropes- or as a standalone, does it push the boat with lots of hard sci-fi inventive ideas not really done before?

I don't really recall it.. which is hardly a resounding recommendation. Of his non-Culture works, 'Feersum Endjiin' is the most unusual, if primarily for the language used and 'Against a Dark Background' was the enjoyable one.

Banks is generally very reliable and witty although not necessarily who you'd go to for hard sci-fi. If you really want hard sci-fi, try Greg Egan if you haven't already. Pick up one of his short story collections, such as Oceanic, to get a taste. The sci-fi is so hard, he publishes papers afterwards based on the theories in some of the works - it's the XXX-rated of hard sci-fi!

cdgalwegian

ixoy wrote: »

Banks is generally very reliable and witty although not necessarily who you'd go to for hard sci-fi. If you really want hard sci-fi, try Greg Egan if you haven't already. Pick up one of his short story collections, such as Oceanic, to get a taste. The sci-fi is so hard, he publishes papers afterwards based on the theories in some of the works - it's the XXX-rated of hard sci-fi!

Thanks for that.
Egan sounds pretty interesting, even if a little daunting. I'll duckduckgo his work to see if it piques my interest.

Manach

Re-listening to Steelheart / Reckoners I by Brandon Sanderson. An excellent YA.

shrapnel222

cdgalwegian wrote: »

In a rush last week, and popped into library for some hard sci-fi 5 mins before closing; not wanting to delay staff, Iain M Bank's 'The Algebraist' was handed to me to try: I have found IMB hit and miss, but had nothing else. So, 95 pages in, out of 500+ pages, and still nothing has really kicked in for me; I've read some reviews- apparently it's a bit bloated, but has overall is pretty good sci-fi. But is just pretty good 'standard' sci-fi, with lots of familiar tropes- or as a standalone, does it push the boat with lots of hard sci-fi inventive ideas not really done before?

i got through it but it was very forced, didn't enjoy it at all. nowadays i would've given up after 150 pages. The ending was very predictable also i felt.

cdgalwegian

shrapnel222 wrote: »

i got through it but it was very forced, didn't enjoy it at all. nowadays i would've given up after 150 pages. The ending was very predictable also i felt.

Yeah, kinda got that feeling. I've started another (fiction) book that was at hand, so I'll ditch The Algebraist, thanks.
Just had a look at Ixoy's Greg Egan recommendation; ordered Diaspora after reading Goodreads reviews.

Trojan

I was never able to read Feersum Endjiin, the phonetics killed every attempt.

Lady Haywire

I've lost my reading mojo. Trying to read the Malazan books and finding it difficult to get into them. Same for the Wheel of Time series, have never read either but they sound like I should love them!

Nody

Lady Haywire wrote: »

I've lost my reading mojo. Trying to read the Malazan books and finding it difficult to get into them. Same for the Wheel of Time series, have never read either but they sound like I should love them!

The wheel of time tends to kill anyone's reading mojo around book 10 anyway so no loss there; why not go for something more focused and not necessary the most complex series out there (Malzan) or the most annoying repeating fluff filled series to date making G.R.R.R. Martin's fluff seems light (Wheel of times)? Plenty of good fantasy that will grip you quicker such as Kings of the Wyld and the follow up Bloody Rose, Prince of thorns trilogy or the powder mage trilogy. All will grab you early on and are quick series to get your mojo back while offering new unique worlds.

Igotadose

Nody wrote: »

The wheel of time tends to kill anyone's reading mojo around book 10 anyway so no loss there; why not go for something more focused and not necessary the most complex series out there (Malzan) or the most annoying repeating fluff filled series to date making G.R.R.R. Martin's fluff seems light (Wheel of times)? Plenty of good fantasy that will grip you quicker such as Kings of the Wyld and the follow up Bloody Rose, Prince of thorns trilogy or the powder mage trilogy. All will grab you early on and are quick series to get your mojo back while offering new unique worlds.

I got through 2 books of Mazalan, it was enough. Made it through 4 Wheel of Time books before my wheels fell off. Powder mage, got through about 1/3 the first book and it all blew up for me. It's why The Traitor Baru Cormorant was such a welcome breath of fresh air, and I'm getting through the sequel, about 75% done and my interest is piquing.

Next up The Aeronaut's Windlass by Jim Butcher. Butcher's stuff is usually quick and mindless.

Lady Haywire

Nody wrote: »

The wheel of time tends to kill anyone's reading mojo around book 10 anyway so no loss there; why not go for something more focused and not necessary the most complex series out there (Malzan) or the most annoying repeating fluff filled series to date making G.R.R.R. Martin's fluff seems light (Wheel of times)? Plenty of good fantasy that will grip you quicker such as Kings of the Wyld and the follow up Bloody Rose, Prince of thorns trilogy or the powder mage trilogy. All will grab you early on and are quick series to get your mojo back while offering new unique worlds.

Unfortunately read those latter two but yes, that's the type of thing I like! Haven't read Kings of the Wyld, might give that a whirl instead. Specifically as I just read the quote "Among them is a renegade king, he who sired five royal heirs without ever unzipping his pants." from it :pac:
Thanks!

Thargor

Have you ever heard of the Prince of Nothing series? I think its pretty much the best thing Ive ever read:

Nody

Thargor wrote: »

Have you ever heard of the Prince of Nothing series? I think its pretty much the best thing Ive ever read:

Nice world but I got sooo bored with the never ending gazillion named characters and the need to repeat everything over and over again (and let's not even get started on the fight scenes). Finished the first trilogy and dropped it somewhere during the second or third book in the second trilogy simply because I could not be bothered to continue.

Thargor

Nody wrote: »

Nice world but I got sooo bored with the never ending gazillion named characters and the need to repeat everything over and over again (and let's not even get started on the fight scenes). Finished the first trilogy and dropped it somewhere during the second or third book in the second trilogy simply because I could not be bothered to continue.

What about the fight scenes? Some of the most brutal and disturbing slaughters in fantasy fiction? Or the amazing screaming/singing/chanting/mathematical magic system that makes all other fantasy look like childrens fairy tales?

Nobody on this forum seemed to like it for some reason but I was always blown away by it (and the amount of wikis and subreddits and other forums it has implies a lot of others agree). It's my go to secret emergency Christmas gift for people who read because nobody has heard of it and whoever reads it loves it.

The writing is something else aswell, like when you're reading Cormac McCarthy or Jonathan Franzen and you just have to go back and reread sections to experience the insane writing quality again.

Lady Haywire

Thargor wrote: »

Have you ever heard of the Prince of Nothing series? I think its pretty much the best thing Ive ever read:

It does look interesting! Reviews are good too. Is it like LoTR though, set aside 3/4 months to read & immerse yourself in?

Thargor

Lady Haywire wrote: »

It does look interesting! Reviews are good too. Is it like LoTR though, set aside 3/4 months to read & immerse yourself in?

I use the phrase devoured a lot in this thread but I genuinely devoured it, I don't think the seven books lasted me 3/4 weeks!

Lady Haywire

Thargor wrote: »

I use the phrase devoured a lot in this thread but I genuinely devoured it, I don't think the seven books lasted me 3/4 weeks!

I'll put then on my Goodreads list anyway

Widdershins

Aprons & silver spoons (memoir of a wartime kitchen maid).
White goats & black bees (diary of American self sufficiency types in W. Cork).
The wartime Kitchen & Garden.

shrapnel222

Widdershins wrote: »

Aprons & silver spoons (memoir of a wartime kitchen maid).
White goats & black bees (diary of American self sufficiency types in W. Cork).
The wartime Kitchen & Garden.

i think you're lost :pac:

ixoy

Thargor wrote: »

Nobody on this forum seemed to like it for some reason.

Hey, I like it! Kellhus is an awesome protagonist, one of the most intelligent committed to paper / e-ink. The series occasionally got mired in some philosophy and but, aside from one book, never overtly so. Some of the turns of phrases are great - the sense of grime and bleakness at times is intense (this is *not* a happy series).

I only hope he comes back and finishes the full story out.

ixoy

Recently finished "Raven Stratagem" by Yoon Ha Lee, the second book in his Machineries of Empire trilogy. The book is a good bit more straight forward than the second (Lee also thoughtfully does some nice, well woven recaps), with enjoyable characters, humour and the same inventive sci-fi world with mathematically driven magic based on calendars. It's a bridging book for the trilogy and it sets up the next one well while still managing to tell its own story. Happy with how the trilogy is progressing.

Also read "The Furthest Station" by Ben Aarvonitch, a PC Grant novella. If you like the series, it'll be pleasing. Not a huge amount of meat to it, but a good diversion.

Now 34% into "The Nightmare Stacks" by Charles Stross, the seventh book in the Laundry series. Again, like the previous "Annihilation Score" we've got a different protagonist than Bob but this time they're much more enjoyable - far less world weary cynicism giving it a jolt of energy. The plot's better too with a good look at alien mindsets. And of course there's the usual nerd humour here, although it's more math focused than the IT-focus of Bob's novels.

Sleepy

Picked up the Prince of Nothing trilogy by R Scott Bakker in a second hand store at lunchtime (based entirely on a Steven Erikson quote on the cover!) and started into the prologue.