The Sword and Laser discussion
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What Else Are You Reading?
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What Else Are You Reading - February 2015
Chakara, I've read 3 books in the dresden files, and so far I don't feel like it has gotten any better when it comes to the sexism. (I almost feel like it got worse in the 3rd book) And if it was just Harry being sexist it would only be a problem with him, not every single female character so far, so it's definitely the author that has some problems there. Which is fine, as long as he doesn't write female characters. (I don't care much if a book doesn't feature any women actually, I prefer that to badly written female characters anyday)
Chakara wrote: "finally finished Storm Front I gave it two stars. I can not recommend this book to any of my friends sadly. I found myself confused because I couldn't tell if Dresden was the sexist on..."I felt the same way and I haven't continued the series. There are so many other books to read instead of "oh, you have to get to the 5th book to be good!" I don't want to invest my time in something hoping that it gets better. I didn't like the casual sexism in the book and ended up lemming Fool Moon.
Alice wrote: "Chakara, I've read 3 books in the dresden files, and so far I don't feel like it has gotten any better when it comes to the sexism. (I almost feel like it got worse in the 3rd book) And if it was j..."I think Butcher's treatment of gender roles in the early books is more juvenile than sexist. He was trying to write strong female characters and stumbled, sometimes badly. He's been called out on it a lot and has responded by improving in some of the areas that were bugging readers but ... there are a LOT of Dresden books by now and I can't say for sure when the sexual attitudes start improving. If you've read the first 3, I'd guess that there are some more books with issues still in your future (I can't remember which book first focused on the White Vampires but that one might end up being your least favorite ...)
Chakara wrote: "finally finished Storm Front I gave it two stars. I can not recommend this book to any of my friends sadly. I found myself confused because I couldn't tell if Dresden was the sexist on..."I think it comes across clearly in later books that it's Dresden not the author. But it does stick around, I was not a fan of the first two books and can say the series does indeed start getting better on the 3rd book.
I flipped though my ratings.
book 1: 2 stars
book 2: 1 star
book 3: 3 stars
book 4+: 4 stars with an occasional 5.
Rob wrote: "Murphy stops getting Damseled eventually. To be fair, Harry is a wizard and Murphy is a cop whose not used to fighting the supernatural. It just takes her a bit to get up to speed.She's downright..."
I could see if that was the only problem with Murphy but its not.
Dara wrote: "Chakara wrote: "finally finished Storm Front I gave it two stars. I can not recommend this book to any of my friends sadly. I found myself confused because I couldn't tell if Dresden w..."Yeah I probably wont return to the series but I do have his Codex Alera Series which I think he wrote first so it will be interesting to see how he does female characters in a more traditional fantasy setting.
Aaron wrote: "Chakara wrote: "finally finished Storm Front I gave it two stars. I can not recommend this book to any of my friends sadly. I found myself confused because I couldn't tell if Dresden w..."It's good to know that its not the author as I have invested in his other series already that would be a shame if he was sexist. I do think sometimes its just the setting and the characters.
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The women in Codex Alera definitely run the gammit. There are definitely strong independent women there though. I think you'll like them a lot more. Amara and Isana especially. One other that I won't mention by name for reasons that will make sense by the end of the first book.
And Lady Acquitaine reminds me a lot of Cersei Lanister, though far less obnoxious and probably far more cunning/capable.
I'm reading The Guns of August for my f2f book club. It's actually the March pick but I'd read the Feb pick and its long and slow going. It's good, don't get me wrong, but I'll still be lucky to finish it by the end of March. Learning a lot though and didn't realize what a careful prose stylist she was.
Chakara wrote: "Dara wrote: "Chakara wrote: "finally finished Storm Front I gave it two stars. I can not recommend this book to any of my friends sadly. I found myself confused because I couldn't tell..."Nope, Codex Alera was started later (first book was 2004). You see this once Butcher starts adding the "end note" at the end of his Dresden books promoting it. Haha. I must've read his author's note at the end of those books for years before I finally picked up Furies of Calderon. Loved 'em.
Dara wrote: "I felt the same way and I haven't continued the series. There are so many other books to read instead of "oh, you have to get to the 5th book to be good!" I don't want to invest my time in something hoping that it gets better. I didn't like the casual sexism in the book and ended up lemming Fool Moon."I can totally understand that and through reading all of the threads was a bit dismayed that Murphy is still around for the whole of the series. I barely managed to finish Fool Moon and I remember hating Murphy with a vengeance. The story claims that she's intelligent and tough but actions speak louder than words and I thought of her more of a stupid brute with a nonexistent chip on her shoulder. Her character frustrated me so much that I really was hoping that she'd die. In fact, it was probably the reason why I continued. Alas, she didn't.
I keep hearing the same about the books being better and although I have the first seven books (through an Amazon Daily Deal), I was burned so badly in this second book that I have yet to pick up the next one. I don't feel like being angry while I'm reading yet and I have a pile of other more awesome books to read in the meantime.
Finished Annihilation. It was just ok. I didn't mind the vague ending but the style was a bit too vague overall for me. Maybe a grudging 3 stars. But I do have the urge to go play some Arkham Horror now...Starting Bloodlines by Karen Traviss.
Just finished Annihilation (loved it) and I'm picking away at Summer Knight. I've been enjoying the Dresden books as some light wizardy entertainment but this fourth book is getting really good. Starting to see what all the hype is about.
Also finishing up Watchmen.
Next will be either The Mirror Empire or At the Mountains of Madness. I feel like I should be checking out possible Hugo nominations but I'm also really feeling the Weird after Annihilation.
Also finishing up Watchmen.
Next will be either The Mirror Empire or At the Mountains of Madness. I feel like I should be checking out possible Hugo nominations but I'm also really feeling the Weird after Annihilation.
Just finished Spell or High Water (Magic 2.0 #2). It was hilarious. Still working through How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading (ironically by listening to the audio book version). I've also started Saga, Volume 1 that I got in the last Humble Comic Book Bundle.Starting the monthly pick Annihilation next and then on to An Unwelcome Quest (Magic 2.0 book 3) and The Autumn Republic, which both come out Feb 10. I might try to squeeze a few short stories in between since Annihilation appears to be a quick read.
Hi,This is my first post. I just finished Dameon recently. And Dameon 2 came out! Nice timing.
Daeon was on my list and on my Kindle for sometime. Now, I wished I had read it sooner.
I just can't put it down.
Paresh wrote: "Hi,This is my first post. I just finished Dameon recently. And Dameon 2 came out! Nice timing.
Daeon was on my list and on my Kindle for sometime. Now, I wished I had read it sooner.
I jus..."
Congrats on the first post!
I assume you are talking about the Daniel Suarez novels? I haven't read them yet, but they are on my list.
Finished up Fool Moon and agree that it's not up to par with the first book of the series. I'm not a big fan of werewolves so that had a lot to do with my rating. On audible, James master's narration is very good and that got me through it.
Sticking with the theme of "people going into strange and dangerous places for dubious reasons" established by the pick, I'm also reading Roadside Picnic, which also happens to be short. I'm about 2/3rds through right now, and it's not terrible, but not what I expected either.After that, I'm getting back to moving along in series I've already started (sort of a New Year's resolution) and reading The Book of Athyra.
I finished up The Tyrant's Law. I think the series is getting better! Makes me excited for the The Widow's House, which I have just started. I am experiencing a touch of the Joffries (or in other words, there is at least one character that I'm really hoping gets the fate he deserves).I've been needing to escape lately - nothing bad, just enough stress in the daily life that I've been wanting to be in familiar universes. I think this explains having finished Broken Homes (verdict: OMG! The ending!) and immediately launching into Foxglove Summer.
Working through the rest of the Southern Reach trilogy, but it's a bit of a slog. After this I'm gonna seek out some good ol' hard sf, maybe even "technical manual" science fiction as someone in the group hilariously called it a while back. Filling in with a stack of comics as I've recently discovered my local library has a good selection of trades.
I'm so far behind on my reading. I'm just finishing up The Sparrow so I'll be starting Annihilation next. I'm also reading The Long-Legged Fly and Anomaly. After reading some of the comments, I think I might pick up a copy of Dhalgren. It sounds...interesting.
I'm working my way up to Dhalgren, not sure I'm ready for it yet.
Brendan wrote: "I'm working my way up to Dhalgren, not sure I'm ready for it yet."Someday I need to try Delany again. But I'll probably do something a little more accessible like Tales of Nevèrÿon.
Ty wrote: "After reading some of the comments, I think I might pick up a copy of Dhalgren. It sounds...interesting. "It is... interesting. But if you are frustrated by a lack of answers in Area X, I'm not sure I'd bother. The words are beautiful but nothing is ever explained, exactly.
I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. I finished tonight but haven't yet written a review.
Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "Ty wrote: "After reading some of the comments, I think I might pick up a copy of Dhalgren. It sounds...interesting. "It is... interesting. But if you are frustrated by a lack of answers in Area X..."
I'm not one to get hung up on needing the answers. For me the journey is far more important than the destination. I look forward to your review and perhaps hearing about it on your podcast.
These descriptions are kind of reminding me of Swanwick's Stations of the Tide with all the sex and surrealism, except if I recall correctly most of it gets explained by the end in that book.
Finally finished Oscar Wilde. Almost 600 pages of dense, scholarly prose. Most interesting part, as one can imagine, was the section that dealt with his libel suit against the Marquess of Queensbury (who had accused Wilde of 'posing as a sodomite') and the subsequent trials. Alfred Douglas (the Marquess's son and Wilde's lifelong obsession) was a proper little monster, and in the end the greatest contributing factor to Wilde's fall (outside of Wilde himself).Now reading Annihilation which, in addition to being the BotM, also happens to be on my TR list, so it's a twofer.
Ty wrote: "I'm not one to get hung up on needing the answers. For me the journey is far more important than the destination. I look forward to your review and perhaps hearing about it on your podcast. "Then you are likely to enjoy it. I was mistakenly looking for clues. Oh and episode 23, upcoming, I'm recording with others who have been reading it. :)
Btw Jo Walton gives a good non spoilery overview of what makes Dhalgren unique.
Jenny (Reading Envy) wrote: "Then you are likely to enjoy it. I was mistakenly looking for clues. Oh and episode 23, upcoming, I'm recording with others who have been reading it. :)Btw Jo Walton gives a good non spoilery overview of what makes Dhalgren unique.."
Sweet! I look forward to it. Thanks for the link to the Walton piece, too. It just makes me even more curious about it.
Blasted through the Muirwood trilogy by Jeff Wheeler and really liked it. It had a very classic fantasy feel to it, but fresh enough, and a great female MC who was very feisty. The Wretched of Muirwood
The Blight of Muirwood
The Scourge of Muirwood.
And now I'm charging right through the Ben Aaronovich urban fantasy series, which I'm loving - just started book 4.
Midnight Riot
Moon Over Soho
Whispers Under Ground
I think I'm burnt out on the grimdark stuff - both of these series have dark happeneings, but the overall tone is just less bleak and I'm enjoying having good guys and women to root for :)
After a couple decades of hearing good things about RA Salvatore, I dove into The Companions last month and eventually liked it. So i went to the beginning with The Crystal Shard and now Streams of Silver.
I just finished Annihilation. I suppose I was expecting more weird given all the talk of the new weird, but having read Perdido Street Station recently and having grown up reading books by Robert Anton Wilson and books like Naked Lunch, I found it only mildly weird. Entertaining enough to go on and read the next two books in the series since they are so short, but I'd only give the first book 3 stars.Still working on How to Read a Book: The Classic Guide to Intelligent Reading. Reading some short stories from Rogues while I wait for The Autumn Republicto be delivered to my Kindle at 9pm PST tonight :)
Finished up the Percepliquis very good ending to a series. Blew though Steelheart and Mitosis, working on FireFight now. Sanderson is so consistently good.No idea what's next so I might look back at one of the series I stalled on since I'm wayyyy ahead of my goal for reading this year.
Just finished The Great Stone of Sardis. Interesting enough, but not so I'm looking for more by Stockton. This is the 2nd book I've read this year that has comets as diamonds. Their tails are just the light from the Sun passing through the crystal. Seems to have been a rather common theory.
Just started The Romance of Morien. The introduction can be skipped. Just mining the story for sources. But the story is another great tale of the Knights of the Round Table. It's one I'd not encounter before, and Morien, I don't recall ever even being mentioned in other King Arthur stories. Great stuff.
Just started The Romance of Morien. The introduction can be skipped. Just mining the story for sources. But the story is another great tale of the Knights of the Round Table. It's one I'd not encounter before, and Morien, I don't recall ever even being mentioned in other King Arthur stories. Great stuff.
Kurt wrote: "Also received a ARC for Operation Arcana anthology edited by John Joseph Adams which is the first anthology I've read since the 1990s. "Wait, what? But, but... short stories are the bomb.
Chakara wrote: "finally finished Storm Front I gave it two stars. I can not recommend this book to any of my friends sadly. I found myself confused because I couldn't tell if Dresden was the sexist on..."Yeah, it's weird how bad The Dresden Files is on so many levels yet gets this enormous amount of outsized praise. I don't get it.
What's also strange is that Butcher himself is thoughtful and funny and insightful about Fantasy... yet absolutely zero of that comes across in the books of his I've read.
I'm reading Blood Rites currently and enjoying it. I like the Dresden books-I tend to fit them in between bigger reads or whenever I'm in the mood for something quick/fun. Like a piece of candy between meals. I get annoyed with him doing stupid things in the name of chivalry... but his smart mouth and other antics are entertaining enough to keep me hooked.
Have any Dresden fans read any book by Ben Aaronovitch? I have read that they are similar in style but set in London.
@AndrewP - See the thread about being a fan - several of us seem to love themhttps://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
I wouldn't say they are much like the Dresden Files except very superficially - detective and magic. Plus Harry ditches the detective stuff pretty much.
Peter Grant (the MC in Aaronovitch's series) is a cop. He stays a cop, though he starts working the weird cases. And he's just learning magic, so it's all new and crazy for him. And Peter's a very engaging character - great "voice", mixed race, average young guy, total geek (lots of SF/F references). These are a lot of fun.
The Londoner slang can be a bit confusing at times, but I haven't had any real problems getting the idea.
Finished up The Lives of Tao over the weekend. It was super fun! I'm excited to read the sequel but first I'm going to tackle Proven Guilty. This afternoon, I finally downloaded Southern Reach Trilogy from Audible so I'll start listening to this month's pick soon.
I've only read one Butcher book, but all of the Rivers of London. I'd say they're similar in tone that they're both urban fantasy and funny -- but not really just Butcher in London, if that makes sense. But! To repeat Michele, I totally recommend them.
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Rob wrote: "The Deaths of Tao ends on a horrible cliffhanger, so you might want to hold off until closer to April when The Rebirths of Tao comes out."Ah! At least, the wait isn't too long.
Rob wrote: "closer to April when The Rebirths of Tao comes out."To which there's still no cover, whats up with that?
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The Sword and Laser
Books mentioned in this topic
The Providence of Fire (other topics)Saga, Volume 4 (other topics)
The Emperor's Blades (other topics)
The Goblin Emperor (other topics)
Deadhouse Gates (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Sharon Lynn Fisher (other topics)Melinda Salisbury (other topics)
Becky Chambers (other topics)
Harry Connolly (other topics)
H.P. Lovecraft (other topics)
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She's downright awesome in the later books, especially Changes.