Fantasy Aficionados discussion
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What are you reading? (Reboot 2.0)
I am really enjoying
, the third book of Charles de Lints' Wildling series. It is fast paced, fun and not at all dumbed down although it's YA. The premise of the series is the First Nations-Native American myths of "First People" or "Animal People". Just as in his Adult fiction, De Lint is adept at blending folklore and mythology and putting it in a modern day setting.
I'm working on Ancillary Justice... the holidays interrupted. I feel like I need to pay attention to it. You're right, Leo, that's quite the contrast.Jalilah, I haven't tried any younger-focused deLint. Sounds interesting.
Janice wrote: "I started The Crown Tower today and really enjoying it so far."Have you read the Revelations already ? Because if you have, and if you're like me, you'll oooh and aaaah aplenty :)
Yes, I've read the Revelations. (Loved them!) My 6 hour trip home felt like 3 and I didn't want the drive to be over. I need to work today, and my mind keeps drifting to the story.
Janice wrote: "Yes, I've read the Revelations. (Loved them!) My 6 hour trip home felt like 3 and I didn't want the drive to be over. I need to work today, and my mind keeps drifting to the story."Haha, I can understand that. I started a re-read of the Revelations as soon as I was done with the Chronicles. Now, with all the information I gathered from the Chronicles, I find that the Revelations is way better than the 1st time :)
Carol. wrote: "I'm working on Ancillary Justice... the holidays interrupted. I feel like I need to pay attention to it. You're right, Leo, that's quite the contrast.Jalilah, I haven't tried any younger-focused ..."
Usually if people have never read De Lint before, I recommend NOT starting with his YA novels because his adult novels are simply so much better. The Wildling series is the exception. And of the 3 books, this is the best.
Férial wrote: "Haha, I can understand that. I started a re-read of the Revelations as soon as I was done with the Chronicles. Now, with all the information I gathered from the Chronicles, I find that the Revelations is way better than the 1st time :) "I finished The Crown Tower today. (5 stars) I will do a reread of Revelations at some point. I'm sure there will be lots that I missed the first time around.
Third person pronouns in Ancillary Justice may be some of the most confusing grammatical innovations I've stumbled across, Carol. Definitely echoes C.J. Cherryh. The sarcasm is on point, though, very enjoyable. Leckie has the kind of wit that requires some careful reading and no shortage of double-takes. A goodly ways in, it's starting to build (or maybe I should say converge) pleasantly.
I'm reading
, my first by Terry Goodkind.
Leo (Rahien Sorei) wrote: "Third person pronouns in Ancillary Justice may be some of the most confusing grammatical innovations I've stumbled across, Carol. Definitely echoes C.J. Cherryh. The sarcasm is on point, though"Good to hear!
Oberon is fun, but Kevin Hearne's vernacular is by far the most delightful aspect of the Iron Druid Chronicles. The man knows his audience and caters to them with a cornucopia of modern colloquialisms.
Oh yes, I agree. There are many chuckle worthy phrases.
Just finished
which I was delighted to find as I really liked the Rune Breaker series. Unfortunately, this was somewhat of a disappointment, still like the characters and their continuing development but the very short length (137 pages is a book?) and lack of a real story, rather more of an introduction to the apparently planned series, was a bit annoying.
I do love weird western fiction and this is a great compilation so far (about 3/4 through it). It's also my first attempt to read a full book on my tablet. Next thing you know, I'll be getting a microwave oven and a real cellphone.
Konnie wrote: "Next thing you know, I'll be getting a microwave oven and a real cellphone. "psst. they even have smartphones now that combine the phone with the tablet that has books. ;)
Wow. GR ate my post. :(I'm reading The Big Fat Surprise: Why Butter, Meat and Cheese Belong in a Healthy Diet.
Carol. wrote: "Konnie wrote: "Next thing you know, I'll be getting a microwave oven and a real cellphone. "psst. they even have smartphones now that combine the phone with the tablet that has books. ;)"
No way!
MrsJoseph wrote: "I'm reading The Big Fat Surprise: Why Butter, Meat and Cheese Belong in a Healthy Diet."Are you looking for justifications to eat bacon?
I haven't posted in awhile. Here are some of the books that I've read recently:The Art of Fielding
A Long Strange Trip: The Inside History of the Grateful Dead
Revival
I don't know what to read next.
Welcome back, Scott. I get in a rut sometimes too, and can't find no satisfaction... sometimes that's when I switch genres.
I have wonder at the rising popularity of gender ambiguity in Sci-Fi/Fantasy. And I don't mean role-reversals. Entirely by chance, it's something I've encountered in three consecutive books - Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie, The Mirror Empire by Kameron Hurley and Lock-In by John Scalzi. It's not tangential subject matter either - very important in Scalzi's book, and Hurley's subcultures feature whole new divisions of gender (I think 5 in one society, depending on personality). In all, they seemed like new and peculiar devices for insulting people. Anyone else noticing the trend?
Hmm, I haven't read any of those yet.
Having not read any of these, Leo, I'm not certain how these were devices for insulting people.I love Ann Leckie's work usually, though I haven't yet read Ancillary Justice.
Ursula LeGuinn's Left Hand of Darkness dealt with gender – or the fluctuation thereof – in an intriguing way.
I wasn't specific enough, in that remark - not offensive for readers, but for the characters within the text. The narrators themselves mention the act of using the wrong pronoun to be gauche in social interactions. And frequently, the incorrect application within these books is used as a means to be snidely insulting in a given conversation. I was saying that objectively, in regards to specific scenarios.Personally, I find it very interesting (though perplexing at times), as little things like gender help us as readers form impressions of these characters. However, is that just society telling me what's categorized as male as opposed to female? I mention it because it seems (to me at least) to be a question these authors are slipping into their writings to make us think in new ways.
Carol. wrote: "MrsJoseph wrote: "I'm reading The Big Fat Surprise: Why Butter, Meat and Cheese Belong in a Healthy Diet."Are you looking for justifications to eat bacon?"
:-D
Bacon? Bacon is gooooood.
Leo (Rahien Sorei) wrote: "I wasn't specific enough, in that remark - not offensive for readers, but for the characters within the text. The narrators themselves mention the act of using the wrong pronoun to be gauche in soc..."I've been reading a bit here and there about diversifying books with asexual, aromantic, and other such minority characters, partly to raise awareness that there are many more orientations than we normally think of, and partly so that people who identify as such can find themselves in stories. This may or may not be part of what's going on in the books you mentioned, but it made me think of it and I almost have to believe there's at least some kind of connection.
Thanks to people on this thread I discovered the deverry series and I am very grateful. I highly recommend this series to anyone who's in between books.
Glad to hear it, Spiderlegs. I think it would have a lot of appeal to anyone who enjoys classic epic fantasy.Meanwhile, I just finished a mystery and re-reading The Commons: Book 1: The Journeyman to get inspired for my review.
Lots of good books. I keep planning to reread Deverry, I read the first eight years ago. I'm reading Unfettered. Reading authors that I don't know and do know. Daniel Abraham broke my heart last night. Peter v Brett, Jacqueline Carey and David Hearne were good. It would be nice to know if they are typical of the authors style.
That's definitely one way I used to find new authors to read--short story anthologies and "Best of" annual sci-fi/fantasy publications. Now with GR, it's no problem. And a lot of authors have some of their short-shorts free on their websites.
I've so many anthologies that I will never finish them all... LOL!
Next up: the third book of the Enchantment Emporium series by Tanya Huff
Hm, didn't realize a third was coming out. I really loved the first... Don't be afraid to share an update when you are done.
I recently read and enjoyed City of Masks: by new Aussie author, Ashley Capes - 3.5★s.Here is my review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
I finished Gone Girl. I liked it but I knew one of the key plot point before I started reading it. It would have been more shocking if I wouldn't have known.This morning I started Pet Sematary.
Tackling Will Wight's Traveler's Gate trilogy. Very fun and full of action, but simple fare. Nice break from more complex reads!
Sharon wrote: "Next up: the third book of the Enchantment Emporium series by Tanya Huff "I love this quirky and fun series! I also did not know that a third book had come out! Yes let us know how you like it Sharon!
I've been reading some good fairy tale retellings lately. First Bitter Greens,based on Rapunzel and now The Girls at the Kingfisher Club based on 12 Dancing Princesses.
MrsJoseph wrote: "Carol. wrote: "MrsJoseph wrote: "I'm reading The Big Fat Surprise: Why Butter, Meat and Cheese Belong in a Healthy Diet."Are you looking for justifications to eat bacon?"
:-D
..."
Still reading the same book, lol.
It's been a slow month for me.
Finished the Last Policeman trilogy--really, quite good--and now on to the library to pick up some book o'month--Kraken is one. Plus I did receive ARC of VanEekout's new one Pacific Fire.
Nice!The one I'm reading is a library borrow so I just gave up and bought a personal copy. Now for it to arrive...
Finished
which is a good addition to the series with a few reservations. It answers some of the questions of where/how although that raised my eyebrows just a bit. The 'have to save the world from an extinction event/asteroid' was an interesting plot theme, but I found the journey to get there rather slow and convoluted and I found Charlie and Jack as family-banned lovers rather incomprehensible.Overall, my least favorite of the three books but not a waste of time.
Hmmm. Sounds like a 'pass' for me, Sharon, as I felt the last book was going downhill from the first. I appreciate the update!
There are some books that I find I like better when I re-read them. The second book in this series was like that for me, but I suspect this one may not be. If there are any more in the series, I will wait until they are available through my library before I read.
Scott wrote: "This morning I start..."Ouch. Pet Semetary. That's a book I still have to finish...years after I started it. And I don't think I'll ever finish it. It was too scary for me *shudders*
Fantasy Aficionados
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Also put in some due diligence, finally read Imager by L.E. Modesitt Jr. His stuff is always so thoughtful and chock-full of philosophy surrounding the ethics of morality...