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Archive [Retired Book Clubs] > RETIRED THREAD: Vagabond Treehouse Book Club

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message 251: by Timelord Iain, Tech Support (new)

Timelord Iain | 36268 comments Mod
Gonna try The Tome of Bill - Volume 1... sounds like Fred the Vampire Accountant, crossed with something like the premise of Chicagoland Vampires...

Only $2 with KU + Whispersync, for 33hrs of audio... found out about it through the existence of the sequel series Strange Days, #1 in Bill of the Dead... of course, it means I have a pretty big spoiler for the first series, as a result... (view spoiler)

Hopefully this is better than Quincy Harker turned out... or has more mass appeal than the Time Traveling Taxman books I'm still planning to continue...


message 252: by Soo (new)

Soo (silverlyn) | 6898 comments Think it's worth the $2? The reviews for those series are terrible. lol

I saw that one a while back but decided against trying it because of what the negative reviews say.


message 253: by Soo (new)

Soo (silverlyn) | 6898 comments I got Battle Mage audio for $7.49. Borrowed book on KU and bought the audio.

I think I tried Forging Hephaestus and didn't like the intro or maybe I mixed it up with another UF that has a similar cover. Hm. I love Drew Hayes though. So when it came up as a Daily Deal, I got it. Figure I'll enjoy it even if it's not as awesome as Superpowereds.


message 254: by Choko (new)

Choko (chokog) | 12600 comments I never finished the last superpowerds! I really need to start finishing series...


message 255: by Soo (new)

Soo (silverlyn) | 6898 comments Superpowereds is great! I've held off reading Corpsies because I don't want to read the last book written in the world. The author said there will be more written in the world setting but who knows when it'll happen.


message 256: by Choko (new)

Choko (chokog) | 12600 comments I was in love with the books in the series that I read! But that is exactly why I never read the last books in beloved series - I don't want them to end!


message 257: by Soo (new)

Soo (silverlyn) | 6898 comments It's ok. You can totally finish Superpowereds Year 4 and then hold off on reading Corpies. Corpies is the standalone and has Titan as the MC. We get to know him in Superpowereds a little bit.


message 258: by Timelord Iain, Tech Support (new)

Timelord Iain | 36268 comments Mod
@Soo: not sure where we're supposed to be reading it, but I hope to get to Time of Contempt soon... now that I have a chance to BR it, I'm having a hard time jumping in... finishing Shadow & Flame right now, then I'll probably read Ballistic...

Read Aftershocks and Hell's Super in between finishing Shadow & Flame this weekend...

Re: Dresden: Butcher has released 90% of his short stories in 2 anthologies: Side Jobs & Brief Cases... all that's missing is the new Flash Fiction coming out this year for the Dresden 20th Anniversary, and a story from last Christmas, I think, that takes place after Peace Talks and maybe before Battle Ground... it's about Harry & Maggie's first Christmas together...


message 259: by Soo (new)

Soo (silverlyn) | 6898 comments Thanks! Aw, Harry and Maggie's first Christmas. Bet that's cute.


message 260: by Timelord Iain, Tech Support (last edited Jun 21, 2020 02:52PM) (new)

Timelord Iain | 36268 comments Mod
Soo wrote: "Thanks! Aw, Harry and Maggie's first Christmas. Bet that's cute."

Molly, Mab, and Santa show up :D (And we all know who Santa is in the Dresdenverse)


message 261: by lorii (Loriidae) (last edited Jun 26, 2020 03:23PM) (new)

lorii (Loriidae) | 325 comments Choko wrote: "I still have never read Dresden, but I have never been able to catch a BR for that series to do it...."

Choko. we talked about starting Dresden in July, I am still in...

If you are still interested...
when in July?
are we using this thread or asking for a new thread to be set up?


message 262: by Choko (new)

Choko (chokog) | 12600 comments I am totally in. You can choose when to start and yeah, we can use this thread to discuss. (+_+)


message 263: by Narilka (new)

Narilka | 5814 comments I have 1 hour to go on Joe Ledger #1. It's official. I'm hooked. It's going into my series rotation.


message 264: by Choko (new)

Choko (chokog) | 12600 comments Second to next book I read will be Joe Ledger #1! That's it! No more procrastination...


message 265: by Brian (new)

Brian | 1681 comments Choko...when we starting Dresden? I’m also down to start Ledger books too. Lemme know


message 266: by Timelord Iain, Tech Support (new)

Timelord Iain | 36268 comments Mod
After 3 months, all I have left of Joe Ledger are some short stories, some non-canon stuff, and the first book in the sequel series...


message 267: by Choko (new)

Choko (chokog) | 12600 comments Anytime guys. Just tell me when you all can start!


message 268: by Soo (new)

Soo (silverlyn) | 6898 comments I just finished Lexicon by Max Barry. It's good! Action packed & thought provoking. If any of ya'll read it and want to discuss here, I'm down. Cool things about language, ads, behavioral studies, etc. Book if full of action, tiny bit of awkward romance and ideas/concepts that are good to think about.

I actually borrowed it from the library but you can buy the audio in US Audible's 2-for-1 Credit sale. Stand-a-alone.

Yeah, so that Audible Member's Sale selection has refreshed but I'm holding off on getting anything. I either already have it or lucked out and found it at my library or it's on KU Read & Listen.


message 269: by Choko (new)

Choko (chokog) | 12600 comments I just started Joe Ledger! About 20% in. It is much more realistic than I expected, but I am not complaining. I am very intrigued to see where it goes.


message 270: by Soo (new)

Soo (silverlyn) | 6898 comments I love Joe! I think you will too. =)


message 271: by Soo (new)

Soo (silverlyn) | 6898 comments The Turn: The Hollows Begins with Death - Woah. This book is kinda terrible. If this was my intro to the Hollows, I would have never read the rest. The writing comes across as simple and there's a negative YA tone. Cause and affect/effect of events are day-time soap opera cheesy.

I think I'm about 75% into the book now. I was told that this has direct connections in the new American Demon book. I'm kinda sorry I'm listening to it.


message 272: by Choko (new)

Choko (chokog) | 12600 comments I need to read this one too... You are saying it is kind of terrible? Darn...


message 273: by Soo (last edited Jun 28, 2020 09:15PM) (new)

Soo (silverlyn) | 6898 comments I didn't care for it much. It was a little confusing in how the story takes place. Which is ironic considering that we already know about some of it from reading the series. We, the readers, are already familiar with what's happening in the book and it still comes across as a foggy deal. Lame.

Trisk and Kal (Trent Kalamack) are not good people. The only highlight were Quen, Orchid the pixie and David. Oh and the demons. They were the only interesting bits and they're minor characters.

AND the magic. What I remember and what happened in this book were at odds. I kept thinking that Trisk and Kal made loads of stupid decisions for petty reasons.


message 274: by Soo (new)

Soo (silverlyn) | 6898 comments The Dirty South #18 Latest Charlie Parker is coming out on Tuesday. =D

Followed by the release of the latest System Apocalypse: Stars Asunder #9.

Yay! *happy dance*


message 275: by Choko (new)

Choko (chokog) | 12600 comments Soo wrote: "The Dirty South #18 Latest Charlie Parker is coming out on Tuesday. =D

Followed by the release of the latest System Apocalypse: Stars Asunder #9.

Yay! *happy dance*"


You are so good with all this good book series info:):):)!!!!


message 276: by Soo (new)

Soo (silverlyn) | 6898 comments Iain is the best at knowing when books are released. =)

I only know about those two because I like the series and setup a calendar notification to remind me. Woo!


message 277: by Choko (new)

Choko (chokog) | 12600 comments That means I have to read them! I already own the series of both, just have never gotten to them...


message 278: by Choko (new)

Choko (chokog) | 12600 comments I read the short story for Joe Ledger 0.5 and then I noticed it was pretty much included in the beginning of the book 01. I loved the way it was set up. Joe Ledger is definitely a very macho dude, but a likable one. I really like Church too, but he is a bit of a dark unknown card in the deck right now. (view spoiler)

Overall, I had fun reading this and I am excited to see where the series goes from here!


message 279: by Soo (new)

Soo (silverlyn) | 6898 comments Choko, you'll love Charlie Parker. He's a character you can totally root for. Though the stories are a bit dark.

System Apocalypse is lighter than Charlie Parker and different take of how it would be like if the world was turned into a game system and you can only learn the rules as you go along.

Yay! Glad to see you like Joe & gang. =D
Joe isn't the kind of guy to fall in love easily. I think it's all or nothing for him. So, it makes sense to me that he would feel strong passion/etc and go directly into it.


message 280: by Choko (new)

Choko (chokog) | 12600 comments Yeah, Joe seems to be very no nonsense dude and honestly, even I might fall for Grace the way she has been written. A chick who can kick ass and has a British accent? What is not to love?! (✷‿✷)


message 281: by Choko (new)

Choko (chokog) | 12600 comments Also, I forgot to mention how any prion disease scares the hell out of me! They are a family of weird pathogens which make a healthy protein fold in weird ways and attack the brain and nervous system. No DNA and smaller than a virus. No cure and always deadly... Makes me want to give up eating meat just thinking about them... *shudder*


message 282: by Soo (new)

Soo (silverlyn) | 6898 comments I love that there's a wikipedia page for Joe Ledger. lol
Hollows has one too.

Heck both of them have a regular wiki and a fandom wiki. lol

I'm with you about that disease. Damage to the body can happen in so many different ways. Scary stuff!


message 283: by Soo (new)

Soo (silverlyn) | 6898 comments The Last Hour of Gann turned out to be a cool first contact & learn to survive on an alien planet story. It does have a love story but that's not the part that stands out. I was taken back by the amount of brutality that was thrown in towards the last 1/3 of the book. Super cool detail on the alien culture, religion and history. A lot of things were well done in the story. I really liked the main characters and pretty much couldn't stand some of the "bad people".

Gotta say, I did enjoy the climatic moment in the plot. That was great. lol Didn't quite expect that. I could have done with a little more happy in the story towards the end. I feel like the author packed a crapton of awful in the last bit and that was emotionally trying to read about because the author kept it mostly realistic.


message 284: by Timelord Iain, Tech Support (new)

Timelord Iain | 36268 comments Mod
Most big series have wikis, if they have the fanbase... I'm pampered by some really big fandoms, tho... it sucks when the wiki for the book you're reading is lacking...


message 285: by Timelord Iain, Tech Support (new)

Timelord Iain | 36268 comments Mod
Speaking of wikis, somehow I've found myself doing a Wheel of Time re-read (which I insisted would never happen)...

Wheel of Time not only has a number of wikis, but an actual online encyclopedia: http://encyclopaedia-wot.org/books/in...

Some superfans have documented and cross-referenced basically everything from the books... seems like an awesome resource...


message 286: by Soo (new)

Soo (silverlyn) | 6898 comments Ha! I may indulge once I finish. Did you ever finish WoT?

I find it ironic that I'm finding the audios more and more work to listen to for WoT because of Kramer's inconsistent narration. Whereas Malazan has good narrators and so it's easier to listen and take in. The things that annoy me in Malazan are consistent. I rather like that over not knowing when Kramer AND Reading will make WoT more whiny/depressing/juvenile than it actually is.


message 287: by Soo (new)

Soo (silverlyn) | 6898 comments The new Charlie Parker book I was excited about was bumped to October release.

August 25th is going to have 2 books I want!

Ballistic Kiss #11 - Sandman Slim
Woo! New one! Can't wait.

Emerald Blaze #5 - Hidden Legacy
This should be fun. =) Or aggravating, funny and fun for me.


message 288: by Timelord Iain, Tech Support (new)

Timelord Iain | 36268 comments Mod
Soo wrote: "Ha! I may indulge once I finish. Did you ever finish WoT?

I find it ironic that I'm finding the audios more and more work to listen to for WoT because of Kramer's inconsistent narration. Whereas ..."


I read WoT 1-6 in early college, around 2005... I picked the series back up after college, around 209, and read the rest of the Jordan books 7-11... then sometime after, I kept up with the Sanderson books & was left waiting for the final book to come out in 2013...

After reading the first 6 books in under 6 months (in college, I wasn't quite the voracious reader I am, now... part of the reason I got the books were the good value of 1000 page books) I needed a break... coming back and continuing from book 7 was a bit of a chore... but the ending was solid... I swore the series was worth reading, but I'd never re-read... the option of audio definitely makes re-reading easier...

The first thing I notice, tho, was that Kramer seems younger and faster... in his newer stuff he seems to have a deeper voice and speak slower... he also definitely gives characters distinct voices... some that seem more indicative of what the characters become, rather than what they are when they first appear (weasely Padan Fain, anyone?)

We'll see how I feel, when I get deeper... near the end of book 1 now, after a long day of listening... The first 10hrs also left me wondering when Kate Reading was going to start narrating... since the first book is Rand-heavy... the first trilogy is, really, if memory serves...

That encyclopedia and wiki are a rabbithole... just spent 90 minutes on there... trip down memory lane...


message 289: by Timelord Iain, Tech Support (new)

Timelord Iain | 36268 comments Mod
Soo wrote: "Iain is the best at knowing when books are released. =)

I only know about those two because I like the series and setup a calendar notification to remind me. Woo!"


I try to compile a New Release list each year around New Years... I'm not very good at updating tho: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

It's a mix of books I care about, and books someone else compiled for UF/PNR...

I haven't updated in months, tho... so it's missing books and delays haven't been accounted for...


message 290: by Timelord Iain, Tech Support (new)

Timelord Iain | 36268 comments Mod
Soo wrote: "The new Charlie Parker book I was excited about was bumped to October release.

August 25th is going to have 2 books I want!

Ballistic Kiss #11 - Sandman Slim
Woo! New one! Can'..."


I'm waiting for these, too


message 291: by Timelord Iain, Tech Support (new)

Timelord Iain | 36268 comments Mod
Choko wrote: "That means I have to read them! I already own the series of both, just have never gotten to them..."

I read Charlie Parker #1 a couple months ago... still haven't gotten to Charlie Parker #2... it's on my TBR, just got sidetracked with Joe Ledger & Pendergast...


message 292: by Narilka (new)

Narilka | 5814 comments Choko wrote: "Also, I forgot to mention how any prion disease scares the hell out of me! They are a family of weird pathogens which make a healthy protein fold in weird ways and attack the brain and nervous syst..."

So glad you enjoyed the book :) yeah, it's scary that prion diseases are for real! I had to look that up after finishing and I was done after reading a couple web pages. Fingers crossed that never becomes a pandemic.


message 293: by Narilka (new)

Narilka | 5814 comments Timelord Iain wrote: "Speaking of wikis, somehow I've found myself doing a Wheel of Time re-read (which I insisted would never happen)...

Wheel of Time not only has a number of wikis, but an actual online encyclopedia:..."


I cant tell from your response. Are you enjoying the reread?


message 294: by Timelord Iain, Tech Support (new)

Timelord Iain | 36268 comments Mod
Looks like a bunch of stuff has been delayed... Return of the Thief has been pushed from August 25th to October 6th...

Forged has been pushed to December 3rd

Still no news on when Agatha H. and the Siege of Mechanicsburg will get the audio it deserves (since it's been like 6 years since the last novelization, it's probably a matter of making time with Angela Daw and Brilliance Audio...

A Killing Frost is about the only on-time thing I see for the Fall, right now, and that's because Seanan McGuire is a year ahead on writing everything, basically... September 1st...

Craig Schaefer is doing pretty good, too, with The Insider July 7th, Ghosts of Gotham #2 (A Time for Witches) October 31st, and work starting on Daniel Faust #10... but then I read his blog post about depression, and having to go back on meds for the first time in a decade, thanks to Corona Stress: http://craig-schaefer-v2.squarespace....

So I dunno what that means for his writing... like he says in his blog, he writes ALL THE TIME, generally... I mean, he wrote a good 20 book mega-series in about 5 years... and I liked 90% of it, and buy everything he publishes, as he's started branching out...


message 295: by Timelord Iain, Tech Support (new)

Timelord Iain | 36268 comments Mod
Narilka wrote: "Timelord Iain wrote: "Speaking of wikis, somehow I've found myself doing a Wheel of Time re-read (which I insisted would never happen)...

Wheel of Time not only has a number of wikis, but an actua..."


Yes... it's early going tho... I remember the first 3 books are pretty solid, then things start opening up and expanding... evil can't stay dead... each main character has a book they're not in... books 9-10 or 10-11 split the cast in 2 basically, because it got too big and unwieldy to have 1 megabook... Sanderson knocked the conclusion out of the part tho...

And even through the middle, I remember some big events...

What got me to do a re-read was the discussion in generalities over the last couple years here... a couple video reviews I stumbled into on youtube... and then skimming friend reviews on here... and just a general desire to do some re-reads that aren't the same UF series I've read 5x... I'm struggling to find new things I want to read, right now...

Em's reviews as she learned why people love Matrim & Egwene towards the end of the series, are pretty great...


message 296: by Narilka (new)

Narilka | 5814 comments I gave up on WOT around book 8 or 9. Sometimes I get the itch to try again and then that urge dies when I remember just how long each volume is. Think I could do internet spoilers and then just read the Sanderson ones to see how it all ends?


message 297: by Timelord Iain, Tech Support (new)

Timelord Iain | 36268 comments Mod
Narilka wrote: "I gave up on WOT around book 8 or 9. Sometimes I get the itch to try again and then that urge dies when I remember just how long each volume is. Think I could do internet spoilers and then just rea..."

Tor has done a bunch of WoT reads/re-reads... you can get a chapter-by-chapter discussion/summary... probably still take awhile to read, but quicker than the actual books :D... or the Encyclopedia WoT, which picks out the important bits of each chapter, and has footnotes for relevant Q&As from Robert Jordan...

That or audiobooks are probably your best bet...


message 298: by Soo (new)

Soo (silverlyn) | 6898 comments I don't see the point of reading just the last books to wrap up the series. I'm not eager to read where Sanderson picks up because I'm more about continuity of characters, setting and author's writing style. Sanderson is not going to write like Jordan. There will be differences in how the characters and setting are portrayed because the writing styles are different. I'm sure the concepts will be more or less the same but delivery will be different.

I grew up reading WoT and used to love the series before it became bloated. I find that I still love the world and characters but I do not enjoy the audio experience. I'll probably end up reading more vs listening.


message 299: by Narilka (new)

Narilka | 5814 comments Eye of the World is on sale for Kindle US today again.


message 300: by Timelord Iain, Tech Support (new)

Timelord Iain | 36268 comments Mod
Most people feel like the Sanderson books retain the Jordan style (trimmed down a bit of that bloat)...

Jordan had the rest of the series outlined, and Sanderson made sure to maintain important Jordanisms, like the opening chapter thing with the wind...


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