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> What are you reading?
Alexander
post Jan 11 2009, 02:46 AM
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QUOTE(Burnt Sierra @ Jan 10 2009, 04:04 PM) *

QUOTE(BSD-IES @ Dec 21 2008, 12:17 AM) *

I don't think that I have ever recommended a fantasy trilogy before, yet the best books I've read in 2008 have been just that. Step forward newcomer Brent Weeks and his "Night Angel" trilogy - "The Way of the Shadows" "Shadows Edge" and "Beyond The Shadows". They've all come out in the last 2 months, and I highly recommend them. Best fantasy series I've ever read. Ever. I've never felt more inspired to get writing again, they've reminded me of just how entertaining a really good fantasy series can be.


Okay, note to self. Never, ever post a comment like this up anywhere again, straight after finishing a series.

QUOTE(BSD-IES @ Dec 21 2008, 12:17 AM) *
Best fantasy series I've ever read. Ever.


Oh good lord. There's no objectivity at all present there, just excitement from having put the final book down about 15 minutes before posting that comment. Lets try to give a more balanced comment shall we?

It’s bloody good. There’s the simple truth. It's not the best fantasy trilogy ever written, but it is bloody good. It’s very much in the style of George R.R. Martin – smaller in scale though obviously – with a very gritty feel to the world. Like Martin it uses a technique I’m not usually fond of, multiple 3rd person viewpoints, each chapter from one of the characters eyes – which drives me insane sometimes, I have to fight the urge to skip over several chapters to find out what happens next with the current character.

It's very exciting (he knows how to write action sequences, I'll give him that), very inventive and very ambitious. Which is staggering considering they are the author’s debut novels.

So, to sum up. Whilst it’s not quite as inventive as Tim Powers or Neil Gaiman, not quite as beautifully realised a world as Bujold or Martin and not quite as well written as Gene Wolfe, it’s still a superb work, that impressed me no end – and by far the best new fantasy series that I've read in the last few years. I feel confident that fans of “A Song Of Ice and Fire” won’t be disappointed. For what it’s worth I highly recommend it.

That's a bit better isn't it?


So, basically what you're saying is, me ordering three different collectors editions versions based on your rave review earlier, might not have been the best course of action? ohmy.gif


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Ramirez
post Jan 11 2009, 04:25 AM
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Started reading The Colour of Magic. I've been putting Discworld off for far too long, and I have no excuse for it.


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Burnt Sierra
post Jan 11 2009, 12:31 PM
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QUOTE(Alexander @ Jan 11 2009, 01:46 AM) *

So, basically what you're saying is, me ordering three different collectors editions versions based on your rave review earlier, might not have been the best course of action? ohmy.gif


Gulp. blink.gif

Erm...

Well. Three different collector's editions????

I am 100% convinced you will really like the series. You especially Al. They're your kind of books, and I think you'll love them.

But three different collector's editions? I don't think I've ever liked a book enough to do that!!

My rave review still stands though, even though I tempered it a little. I still called it the best new fantasy series of the last several years and compared it favourably to A Song Of Ice and Fire. I think that's pretty high praise to be honest...

Put it this way, in my opinion it's better than anything I've read of Eddings, Feist, Gemmell, Canavan, Hobb, Goodkind, McCaffrey, J.V. Jones, Brooks etc etc
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Alexander
post Jan 11 2009, 12:58 PM
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QUOTE(Burnt Sierra @ Jan 11 2009, 12:31 PM) *

QUOTE(Alexander @ Jan 11 2009, 01:46 AM) *

So, basically what you're saying is, me ordering three different collectors editions versions based on your rave review earlier, might not have been the best course of action? ohmy.gif


Gulp. blink.gif

Erm...

Well. Three different collector's editions????

I am 100% convinced you will really like the series. You especially Al. They're your kind of books, and I think you'll love them.

But three different collector's editions? I don't think I've ever liked a book enough to do that!!

My rave review still stands though, even though I tempered it a little. I still called it the best new fantasy series of the last several years and compared it favourably to A Song Of Ice and Fire. I think that's pretty high praise to be honest...

Put it this way, in my opinion it's better than anything I've read of Eddings, Feist, Gemmell, Canavan, Hobb, Goodkind, McCaffrey, J.V. Jones, Brooks etc etc


hehe, well I'll definitely have to look for the books the next time I'm in the local bookstore then wink.gif


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Alexander
post Feb 1 2009, 09:59 PM
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QUOTE(BSD-IES @ Dec 21 2008, 01:17 AM) *

I don't think that I have ever recommended a fantasy trilogy before, yet the best books I've read in 2008 have been just that. Step forward newcomer Brent Weeks and his "Night Angel" trilogy - "The Way of the Shadows" "Shadows Edge" and "Beyond The Shadows". They've all come out in the last 2 months, and I highly recommend them. Best fantasy series I've ever read. Ever. I've never felt more inspired to get writing again, they've reminded me of just how entertaining a really good fantasy series can be.


Well, I got around to picking up the first part of the trilogy, and I'm liking it so far. A good mix of action and drama and I like the way the characters are built, they really seem lifelike.


On a different note in the past few weeks I've read several books I can recommend, the 6th and seventh parts of the Runelords by David Farland, and both books of the chronicles of the Necromancer by Gail Z. Martin.


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Wolfie
post Feb 1 2009, 11:32 PM
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QUOTE(Burnt Sierra @ Jan 11 2009, 11:31 AM) *

Put it this way, in my opinion it's better than anything I've read of Eddings, Feist, Gemmell, Canavan, Hobb, Goodkind, McCaffrey, J.V. Jones, Brooks etc etc

Better than Feist??? BLASPHEMY!!!

More in keeping with the thread, I'm currently reading Guns of Tanith, a Gaunt's Ghosts novel by Dan Abnett.


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The Metal Mallet
post Feb 2 2009, 11:18 PM
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Almost finished "Catch As Catch Can" which is basically a collection of Joseph Heller's short stories before he got the prestige garnered from "Catch-22" as well as some stories after he wrote that book and some non-fiction articles of him reflecting on the movie project for the book and his life on Coney Island and his bombardier experience in the war.

After that I'm re-reading "Ender's Game" and then moving on to "Speaker For The Dead". Obviously I plan to buy the other books in the series after finishing "Speaker".


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Alexander
post Feb 8 2009, 09:45 PM
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Well, the Night Angel trilogy was definitely fun. After having finished the first book on thursday, I couldn't wait to see how it ended so I got the two other parts and spent most of my weekend reading them. It was a lot of fun and I have to echo Burnt's sentiments; for a debuting author this is quite something.

This of course leaves me with a small problem though, now what do I read. smile.gif


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Burnt Sierra
post Mar 11 2009, 08:20 AM
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QUOTE(Alexander @ Feb 8 2009, 08:45 PM) *

Well, the Night Angel trilogy was definitely fun. After having finished the first book on thursday, I couldn't wait to see how it ended so I got the two other parts and spent most of my weekend reading them. It was a lot of fun and I have to echo Burnt's sentiments; for a debuting author this is quite something.

This of course leaves me with a small problem though, now what do I read. smile.gif


Glad you enjoyed it. Even if you did make me panic earlier tongue.gif

I've just finished book three of Greg Keyes "Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone" quartet. Only "The Born Queen" left to go now, which I picked up in hardback yesterday.

For some reason, most people I know give me book vouchers for my birthday. Wonder why...

Can't remember who recommended Greg Keyes to me, must have been a very wise person indeed tongue.gif
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Dantrag
post Mar 11 2009, 01:19 PM
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I'm reading a collection of short stories by HP Lovecraft called The Call of Cthulhu and other Weird Tales. As the title suggests, the stories are all very strange, and so far, each has had its own wild twists. They are all horror stories, (at least what I've read up to this point) written in such a way that the reader is in the dark until the very end, when everything suddenly makes sense. (or not-- sometimes I've had to go back and reread the entire story to figure out what happened at the end. Lovecraft is good at making you think.) The writing style is difficult to read sometimes since the stories were written in the early 1900s, but that's part of the charm for me.

Even though I haven't finished reading them, I've liked every story in the book so far.

This post has been edited by Dantrag: Mar 11 2009, 01:23 PM


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Alexander
post Mar 11 2009, 05:55 PM
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QUOTE(Burnt Sierra @ Mar 11 2009, 08:20 AM) *


Can't remember who recommended Greg Keyes to me, must have been a very wise person indeed tongue.gif


Nah, wise-nose more likely wink.gif


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redsrock
post Mar 12 2009, 03:26 AM
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I'm currently reading The Dark Tower: The Waste Lands by Stephen King (for fun) and Oedipus (for my Lit class).

This post has been edited by redsrock: Mar 12 2009, 03:27 AM


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Colonel Mustard
post Mar 12 2009, 10:03 PM
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I've just finished The Dance of the Voodoo Handbag, an interesting, philosophical and downright hilarious book that explores the meaning of life, the origins of the universe and the mind of God (literally!). While very, very funny, the book has multiple switches between 3rd and 1st person meaning that the plot, already dizzyingly complex, gets even harder to comprehend. However, once you do work out what the hell is going on it is well worth the read, and it's very good nonetheless.
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Wolfie
post Mar 13 2009, 04:20 AM
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I just finished reading Orson Scott Card's "Ender's Game"..... which I opnly started reading about 3 hours ago XD. The ability to read fast without skimming can be a curse sometimes. But yeah, awesome book... too bad the sequels weren't all that great.
Also, currently reading The Stand by Stephen King... again. Must be the 4th or 5th time by now, at least. Great book though.


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redsrock
post Mar 13 2009, 03:49 PM
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QUOTE(Wolfie @ Mar 12 2009, 11:20 PM) *
Also, currently reading The Stand by Stephen King... again. Must be the 4th or 5th time by now, at least. Great book though.


I think I already asked you this before, but I'll ask again. So it's a good book?

This post has been edited by redsrock: Mar 13 2009, 03:49 PM


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Wolfie
post Mar 13 2009, 03:53 PM
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QUOTE(redsrock @ Mar 13 2009, 02:49 PM) *

QUOTE(Wolfie @ Mar 12 2009, 11:20 PM) *
Also, currently reading The Stand by Stephen King... again. Must be the 4th or 5th time by now, at least. Great book though.


I think I already asked you this before, but I'll ask again. So it's a good book?

Haha, that it is. Takes a bit to really get going, but most novels do. Don't like the ending though, but then again, it's a King book.... the man never learned to write endings. Instead he just stops XD


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D�anaim smaoineamh, d� bhr� sin, t�im ann - Descartes

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redsrock
post Mar 13 2009, 05:02 PM
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It's still on my list to read after I'm done with The Dark Tower. I think that's what I'll pull from my bookshelf first.


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Ramirez
post Mar 13 2009, 10:21 PM
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We by Yevgeny Zamyatin.

Like 1984, a great Dystopian themed novel.


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Olen
post Mar 15 2009, 06:25 PM
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QUOTE(redsrock @ Mar 13 2009, 02:49 PM) *

QUOTE(Wolfie @ Mar 12 2009, 11:20 PM) *
Also, currently reading The Stand by Stephen King... again. Must be the 4th or 5th time by now, at least. Great book though.


I think I already asked you this before, but I'll ask again. So it's a good book?


I'm still reading The Stand, I'm not sure a book's ever taken me this long to read. I got the uncut version though which was a fatal mistake. There was a reason some parts were cut out because King can certainly ramble which at times just dodn't add anything and makes it drag.

Having said that it is a very good book, very good. Just don't get the uncut version unless you're a quick reader and like rambles, or have lots of time.


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Alexander
post Mar 15 2009, 06:34 PM
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QUOTE(Olen @ Mar 15 2009, 06:25 PM) *

I'm still reading The Stand, I'm not sure a book's ever taken me this long to read. I got the uncut version though which was a fatal mistake. There was a reason some parts were cut out because King can certainly ramble which at times just dodn't add anything and makes it drag.

Having said that it is a very good book, very good. Just don't get the uncut version unless you're a quick reader and like rambles, or have lots of time.


Same as Wolfie, I've too read the uncut unabidged version 4-5 times and loved it every time and every step of the way, all 1000+ pages of it smile.gif


I'm currently reading Rides a Dread Legion, the latest Feist book. I guess I'm nearing halfway and I feel a bit conflicted about it, at one point I guess I'm enjoying it a bit better then the last one which really changed some of the lore from some of the past books, at the same time I can't help but get the feeling that he somehow isn't into the series as much as he once was and is copying things from earlier books simply to get to the end quicker.


The book also really emanates the sense of nearing the end of the line as we get quite a few references to moments and people past.

All in all, I am enjoying it, but I'd rather the series end with another book or two that are really great, then is drawn out in 4 more books as he's planned but all somewhat repetitive of earlier ones.

I'll likely mention more after I finish it. smile.gif


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