Fantasy Book Club discussion
Archived threads
>
What are you reading in August?
Getting started on Chronicles of The Black Company (Almost through the first book) and will be moving on to either Swordmage or Hood.
I'm about half finished with The Martian Chronicles and not really enjoying it. In fact, I'm taking a break today to start Bright of the Sky, which I've been wanting to read for a couple of months. I'm also listening to Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets while driving around in my car. As for the rest of August, it's pretty busy: http://www.goodreads.com/event/show/4...
Just finished The Lies of Locke Lamora and Courtney Crumrin's Monstrous Holiday, Volume 4 today, and I think A Kiss Before the Apocalypse looks good for being next on the agenda.
Has anyone read Winterbirth by Brian Ruckley? Is it any good? I saw it at Barnes and Noble today and was so close to buying it!
Working on Sabriel (good so far); also The Fox by Sherwood Smith. This is the second book in the series that began with Inda. Inda was in impulse buy that really panned out...
I just started The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson the other day. And I just found out a little bit ago that I won Nyphron Rising by Michael J. Sullivan as a First Reads here on GR, so that will shoot up the TBR order list. Hot damn...
Finished Neverwhere yesterday. I liked it. I would say 7 our of 10.Some people compared Neverwhere to The Secret History of Moscow by Ekaterina Sedia and I was worrying about it because I really disliked the latter. However, Neverwhere has a clearly defined storyline, beginning, well written ending, while The Secret History of Moscow was just a delirious essay. I am glad I read Neverwhere :) Weird stuff but original.
I think I am going to start The Tawny Man trilogy by Robin Hobb today.
Chris wrote: "I just started The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson the other day. And I just found out a little bit ago that I won Nyphron Rising by [author:Michae..."I read Mistborn, thought it a solid "B" but wasn't inspired to read the next book. Is "Well" the second or third?
...hmmm...I have a feeling I will have to give it a try...
...hmmm...I have a feeling I will have to give it a try...
Chris wrote: "I just started The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson the other day. And I just found out a little bit ago that I won Nyphron Rising by [author:Michae..."I'm jealous.
I'm currently reading Equal Rites, World War Z An Oral History of the Zombie War, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, and Bleak House.
I'm reading Oath of the Renunciates by Marion Zimmer Bradley <3I've got to get around to reading World War Z sometime; people keep saying it's good.
Z was a great read. Lots of fun, lots of interesting quirks. One of the most fun books I've read this year.
Elise wrote: "Just started Legend by David Gemmell."Great book, a bit rough compared to his later books, but still awesome!
Reading Elantris, and Assassin's Apprentice. Not liking how the latter of the two is starting...
Jon - Martian Chronicles was my first SF read! Still a great book, imho. I'm now reading Fast Forward 1 - it's taking a while as some great new DVDs came in at the library that I just had to see.
Zachary wrote: "Has anyone read Winterbirth by Brian Ruckley? Is it any good? I saw it at Barnes and Noble today and was so close to buying it!"I enjoyed it. It tweaks the usual stereotypes in interesting ways, and the characters were interesting. If you like Winterbirth, the second in the series is Bloodheir The Godless World Book 2. The third book, Fall of Thanes is due out soon (but I can't remember the date).
I'm going to be heavily into Fantasy in the foreseeable future:I have to finish The Master and Margarita by Bulgakov (hope to by the weekend). Then I'll get around to Jeffrey Barlough's Bertram of Butter Cross.
Then...oh, then...the big project begins!
I have a copy of the UK edition of Ian Esslemont's Return of the Crimson Guard and I've preordered the UK edition of Steven Erikson's Dust of Dreams. The former is Book 2 of Esslemont's Malazan Empire series; the latter is Book 9 of Erikson's. Both necessitate a complete rereading of the entire series so I'm looking forward to rereading Night of Knives and all eight books of The Malazan Book of the Fallen, starting with Gardens of the Moon :-)
Obviously (unless I discover a heretofore unknown ability to manipulate time), this will carry me well into September, if not October as well.
Cameron wrote: "Reading Elantris, and Assassin's Apprentice. Not liking how the latter of the two is starting..."Don't give up on Hobb. The book is good! I didn't like how it started either, but once you get into the flow of the book, it becomes addicting. I may become a Hobb addict.
Terence wrote: "I enjoyed it. It tweaks the usual stereotypes in interesting ways, and the characters were interesting. If you like Winterbirth, the second in the series is Bloodheir The Godless World Book 2. The third book, Fall of Thanes is due out soon (but I can't remember the date). Thank you. Your favorable opinion might just push me to go buy it tomorrow.]
I'm still working my way through The Curse of the Mistwraith. Hopefully members will forgive my resurrecting discussion threads when I finish...I picked up Tigana and Good Omens The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch last weekend, so they're probably next on the block. Also The Turn of the Screw by Henry James.
Shannon wrote: "I'm still working my way through The Curse of the Mistwraith. Hopefully members will forgive my resurrecting discussion threads when I finish...I picked up Tigana and ..."
Shannon - I'll be there for you - there are still others reading, too, so you are not alone - the journey through that book is not formulaic, so it's quite understandable it may take extra time.
I'm working my way through some older stuff...this seems to be my year of nostalgia. A lot of it has to do with good deals on the Kindle - older stuff can be found for free or companies put everything by the author in one huge file that they sell for the price of one book. This month I started the Tarzan series by Edgar Rice Burroughs. Pulp fiction at it's finest.
I loved (when I read them twenty years ago) ERBs Barsoom adventures with John Carter. I wonder if they'd hold the appeal if I dug them up and did a re-read......probably not.
I re-read those last year - the Science Fiction Book Club put them out in a collection of three books. I admit that ERB's books(both Barsoom and Tarzan) have lost some of the appeal they had for me as a teen. And there are legitimate criticisms to be made of the writing. And the "feisty, always needs rescuing heroine" stereotype drives me a bit crazy. Yet, despite all that, I still can't help but enjoy them.
Just started The Sorcerer of the North by John Flanagan. This series has yet to let me down, and even though I've just started, it's going well so far.Next on the plate, I think, will be Swordspoint.
I picked up Glen Cook's The Black Company today (inspired by the thread in General Fantasy). It'll be something I look forward to getting into towards the end of the month.
I don't usually post in these threads, but I recently finished Palimpsest by Catherynne M. Valente, and it was so stunningly gorgeous and unique that I wanted to proselytize a bit. Highly recommended!
Almost finished with Royal Assassin. Will probably read Assassin's Quest next. Have to finish the Mistborn trilogy by Brandon Sanderson as well.
Zachary wrote: "Getting started on Chronicles of The Black Company (Almost through the first book) ...What did you think of Black Company. I have the SFBC omnibus editions and tried reading the 1st book a few years ago, but got stuck near the beginning. Is it worth the effort?
I'm just staring the 3rd book of Harry Harryson's Eden trilogy: Return to Eden. Great writer, he.
I just finished The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare. Overall the series was terribly written. The editor did a poor job. There was even a point where they called a main character by the wrong name (Alex instead of Alec) The story line in theory would have been great but the author doesn't know how to write in a desirable manner. The story was at a constant peak. When you thought the character had finally caught a break, they were slammed with another problem. Very tiring to read. Through all the bad I still loved the book series. Somehow it kept my attention. I did fall in love with the characters even though they were poorly structured and their personalities were completely different by the end of the series. I personally would not recommend this book if you are picky about the way an author writes. Otherwise it is worth a read. Most people either absolutely hate it or completely love it.Now I am currently reading Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr. So far I am only in about a hundred pages but the story is captivating and much better written that anything Clare produced. I will write a review on this book when I finish.
I just started Michael Sullivan's Avempartha and am already enjoying it very much.
Chris wrote: "I just started The Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson the other day. And I just found out a little bit ago that I won Nyphron Rising by... I am soooo jealous Regardless I have to order one from Robin at the release date anyway. I want to have all 6 signed copies if I can help it.
I'm working on just about anything related to Harry Dresden lately. I have Turn Coat left to read that I just got in the mail. I am also reading
book:The Prophecy of the Kings Trilogy] by GR author David Burrows, which I won in a First Reads drawing. I will plan to post a review when I'm finished, if anyone is interested.
After I'm done with my current adventure, I'm not sure where I will go. It depends on when publication for Nyphron Rising is (ahem)! I may put off WoT for Christmas since I still haven't started the series over again.
I started reading Vicki Petterson's The Scent of the Shadows: The First Sign of the Zodiac. I am sucker for anything superheroish! :-)
I just started The Crown Conspiracy by Michael J. Sullivan and have found it a good read so far - certainly straight into the action.
Finished Bright of the Sky last night - http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/.... Started Young Miles before I went to bed.
Was The Time Traveler's Wife more of a romance than fantasy fiction? I'm debating 1) to read the book and/or 2) to see the movie.
Kathy wrote: "Was The Time Traveler's Wife more of a romance than fantasy fiction? I'm debating 1) to read the book and/or 2) to see the movie."Kathy - more a mainstream, modern day romance. The fantasy element was almost downplayed, and fitted into modern paradigms (science based).
The tension in the story is drawn between the characters, and deals with the scrambled timeline on which they must base their lives more than on the fantastic. This is my take. Someone else may have a different view.
Kathy, I agree with Janny. Having said that, if you are debating, I would read the book. It really is beautifully done.
I went to the movie and was really disappointed...it's really just a romance with a bit of time travel thrown in. Many people have told me the book is great, but I don't think I'll read it now that I know the ending etc.
Fantasy Book Club
Books mentioned in this topic
The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane (other topics)World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War (other topics)
Mister Monday (other topics)
Sabriel (other topics)
Across the Wall: A Tale of the Abhorsen and Other Stories (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Michael J. Sullivan (other topics)Brandon Sanderson (other topics)
Brandon Sanderson (other topics)
Catherynne M. Valente (other topics)
Brian Ruckley (other topics)
More...
I was surprised by how good it was. And I really needed something that ended on a positive note after all the depressing reads I had in July.