What Are You Reading?

Dan_Solo

keane2097 wrote: »

Also, finally got around to finishing the second Black Company book Shadows Linger by Glenn Cook. It's pretty damn superb.

I've been eyeing up these books, and I was wondering if they're a bit like Joe Abercrombie? I could certainly do with some more of that!

ixoy

keane2097 wrote: »

Also, finally got around to finishing the second Black Company book Shadows Linger by Glenn Cook. It's pretty damn superb.

I began this but put it down after a bit and haven't gone back. I've never really been able to get into the Black Company books despite being a big fan of the likes of Erikson and Abercrombie.

keane2097

Dan_Solo wrote: »

I've been eyeing up these books, and I was wondering if they're a bit like Joe Abercrombie? I could certainly do with some more of that!

I've not read any Joe Abercrombie I don't think. He's very like Erikson but not as tough going.

growler

ixoy wrote: »

I began this but put it down after a bit and haven't gone back. I've never really been able to get into the Black Company books despite being a big fan of the likes of Erikson and Abercrombie.

same here, about 100 pages in to Black Company and I feel like it should have been 7 Erikson books already, it just flies along, almost too fast to keep up with, which is so radically different to most books in this genre that my brain is rejecting in. Its almost like reading a book through twitter or something.

giftgrub

keane2097 wrote: »

Finished The Player of Games by Iain Banks, thought it was good, borderline very good. Looking forward to reading more Culture stuff having only read Consider Phlebas up to now.
.

I'd recommend Use of Weapons, best Culture novel in my opinion.

Ronanc1

Currently reading Richard k Morgans Altered carbon and enjoying it immensely! Certainly look forward more

ixoy

growler wrote: »

same here, about 100 pages in to Black Company and I feel like it should have been 7 Erikson books already, it just flies along, almost too fast to keep up with, which is so radically different to most books in this genre that my brain is rejecting in. Its almost like reading a book through twitter or something.

Actually, you've summed it up well there. In the first book I felt that events - battles or a confrontational scene - seemed to be skimmed over really quickly before racing on to the next one. I didn't get time to feel depth in it before we moved on, almost a series of set piece that were being summarised.

Playboy

I have started the Black company series and am a couple of hundred pages into it so far. It hasn't hooked me yet and I feel there hasn't been enough context given to any of the places, events or peoples. I feel like I have been dropped into the middle of something and no one has bothered explaining what the hell is going on! Will stick with it but if it hasnt improved by the end of the first book then I wont be reading the rest of it. Hope it improves as it seems to be really highly rated by some.

Valaquenta

Was a toss up between the Black Company and NK Jemison's Inheritance Trilogy. Went with the latter. Anyone familiar. Not far into it but not mad about the writing style thus far. We'll see how it goes....

jcrowbar

A little over halfway though Nod by Adrian Barnes.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17348100-nod

It's on the short list for the Arthur C. Clarke award this year and I can see why. It's well worth a look.

http://www.clarkeaward.com/2013-clarke-award/2013-shortlist/

Dan_Solo

Playboy wrote: »

I have started the Black company series and am a couple of hundred pages into it so far. It hasn't hooked me yet and I feel there hasn't been enough context given to any of the places, events or peoples. I feel like I have been dropped into the middle of something and no one has bothered explaining what the hell is going on! Will stick with it but if it hasnt improved by the end of the first book then I wont be reading the rest of it. Hope it improves as it seems to be really highly rated by some.

Synchronise watches.... now.
I just started book one myself, and I'm getting exactly this. TBH it reads like a Dungeons and Dragons game transcript . All the characters are doing this that and the other already but I've still pretty much no image in my head what any of them look like. Abercrombie it ain't.

Daroxtar

After ploughing through the first 6 books of Wheel of Time , taking a break from them for a few weeks (Until book 7 comes back into the library anyway). So I started on Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's Good Omens today.
What a great change. Love it already

fenris

I am reading "14" by Peter Clines at the moment, nicely enjoyable lightweight read so far, I am definitely feeling the Malazan urge again, as the latest season of GoT hasn't triggered a desire for a full reread yet, but I know it will as soon as I get stuck into Gardens of the Moon again!

bonkey

Coming to the end of reading the Foreworld stuff…have read the Mongoliad, and am about to finish the last of he (currently published) "side quests"

Not sure what's next.

ixoy

Reading "Tigana" by Guy Gavriel Kay, my first exposure to his work. At 26% in I'm very much enjoying it, reminding me most of Daniel Abraham's Long Price quartet series in tone: interesting characters, twisting plots, low-key magic, etc. Certainly an encouraging sign to read more of his works.

Raif Severance

ixoy wrote: »

Reading "Tigana" by Guy Gavriel Kay, my first exposure to his work. At 26% in I'm very much enjoying it, reminding me most of Daniel Abraham's Long Price quartet series in tone: interesting characters, twisting plots, low-key magic, etc. Certainly an encouraging sign to read more of his works.

Excellent Choice! One of the Best Fantasy Books for me.

I also suggest reading his A Song for Arbonne and The Lions of Al-Rassan.

Dan_Solo

ixoy wrote: »

Reading "Tigana" by Guy Gavriel Kay, my first exposure to his work. At 26% in I'm very much enjoying it, reminding me most of Daniel Abraham's Long Price quartet series in tone: interesting characters, twisting plots, low-key magic, etc. Certainly an encouraging sign to read more of his works.

That is a great book, one of the best I've read in the last few years. Much better than the Fionavar Tapestry trilogy, which was an bit overblown on the "emotional" side and I don't think the earth/Fionavar transition was particularly credible. Mild spoiler, nothing specific...

I didn't find the magic particularly low-key myself, just that there weren't many wizards about. Some of the ones that are in it are immensely powerful, as important in their own right as entire nations.

growler

Finally found the required 45 minutes to read and finish the Black Company (don't think I'll be coming back for more of it either) and starting in to Ian Esselmont's Blood and Bone, what a pleasant change :-)

mcgovern

Finished Feersum Endjinn, didn't find it near as good as some of his culture novels, but it wasn't bad. About 15% in to Last Argument of Kings, pretty good so far.

Dan_Solo

growler wrote: »

Finally found the required 45 minutes to read and finish the Black Company (don't think I'll be coming back for more of it either) and starting in to Ian Esselmont's Blood and Bone, what a pleasant change :-)

Same here. I'm a good bit into the first book and I always finish them no matter how bad. I can't believe he got another 9 books off the back of this mess...

old hippy

Game of Thrones. Meant to be quite good, apparently

bradyle

I just finished The first Malazan book and am wondering where to go next.

Options:

• Finish WoT series (Finished up to book 10)
• Read more Discworld (Witches Abroad is next)
• Start the Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
• Start Micheal J Sullivan's first series Theft of Swords
• Continue Malazan (dont have any more at the moment though)

Any thoughts or advice?

Valaquenta

bradyle wrote: »

I just finished The first Malazan book and am wondering where to go next.

Options:

• Finish WoT series (Finished up to book 10)
• Read more Discworld (Witches Abroad is next)
• Start the Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
• Start Micheal J Sullivan's first series Theft of Swords
• Continue Malazan (dont have any more at the moment though)

Any thoughts or advice?

Did book 1 of Malazan not inspire you to continue? It didn't for me anyhow. If you're that far into WoT I'd prob try and see that out

Arawn

I quite liked the theft of swords

OwaynOTT

Lies of Locke lamora, do it!

keane2097

bradyle wrote: »

I just finished The first Malazan book and am wondering where to go next.

Options:

• Finish WoT series (Finished up to book 10)
• Read more Discworld (Witches Abroad is next)
• Start the Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
• Start Micheal J Sullivan's first series Theft of Swords
• Continue Malazan (dont have any more at the moment though)

Any thoughts or advice?

Carry on with Erikson IMO. On book 6 now and it's the best yet, which is saying a lot.

bradyle

Valaquenta wrote: »

If you're that far into WoT I'd prob try and see that out

Arawn wrote: »

I quite liked the theft of swords

OwaynOTT wrote: »

Lies of Locke lamora, do it!

keane2097 wrote: »

Carry on with Erikson IMO. On book 6 now and it's the best yet, which is saying a lot.

Any one wanna go for Discworld just to complete the series :P

Thanks though!

@keane2097 is it true that the 2nd book has none of the same characters as the first?

keane2097

bradyle wrote: »

Any one wanna go for Discworld just to complete the series :P

Thanks though!

@keane2097 is it true that the 2nd book has none of the same characters as the first?

Not a spoiler beyond page one of Book 2 but just in case,

Kalam, Fiddler, Crokus and Apsalar

are in it. Think that's all, but there are a few people you'll have heard about before as well.

You will be routinely pissed off at the start of books as you go along the series that he's switched to a different branch of the story when all you want is to carry on with the crowd you spent the last book, but it will fade quickly.

Book 2 has some characters that will make you fistpump massively.

bradyle

keane2097 wrote: »

Not a spoiler beyond page one of Book 2 but just in case,

Kalam, Fiddler, Crokus and Apsalar

are in it. Think that's all, but there are a few people you'll have heard about before as well.

You will be routinely pissed off at the start of books as you go along the series that he's switched to a different branch of the story when all you want is to carry on with the crowd you spent the last book, but it will fade quickly.

Book 2 has some characters that will make you fistpump massively.

And Malazan is back in contention...they're the ones I am most curious about

I dont have the book yet though so might launch into WoT till I can get them

PADRAGON

bradyle wrote: »

And Malazan is back in contention...they're the ones I am most curious about

I dont have the book yet though so might launch into WoT till I can get them

I would go with Malazan
Its like a rollercoaster that keeps jumping tracks
But he always makes the corners