Q&A with Josh Lanyon discussion
note: This topic has been closed to new comments.
ARCHIVE (General Topics)
>
What else are you reading? (June 2010 - May 2013) *closed*
:) i find the Psycop series a very good and fun distraction. Right now i'm trying to keep myself from reading the ending of The Charioteer which i got today... i will be strong and not do that ;)Johanna wrote: "KC wrote: "Hi everyone,
reading now through the Psycop series, i'm on to the 3rd and really enjoying it (it's not as scary as i expected it to be which is good :)) and braving The Year of the Flood..."
I still prefer novels to novellas, generally. Some writers (Josh) are masters of writing properly structured, complete, novellas but many are not - they have a plot which could be longer and often they feel incomplete, with the solution too rushed. And even when a novella is well-written etc., or perhaps because of that fact, I often wish it were longer because I've fallen for the characters and want to see their interaction continue!All that said, I'm not a fan of blockbusters, doorstoppers, or whatever you call them. About 300 pages of decent font size is enough for me.
Hj wrote: "I still prefer novels to novellas, generally. Some writers (Josh) are masters of writing properly structured, complete, novellas but many are not - they have a plot which could be longer and often..."Same here. I prefer novels. But I don't mind novellas from certain authors, like Aleksandr.
Lou wrote: "I've read all those I've never thought of them as long books. They are full of action. However, I though the last few Harry Potter books were crying out for an editor with an axe. ..."YES! After book 4 I sort of lost interest. I read the others but they were not as good as the first 4.
Na - yeah, but sacrifice all the money for it? M/m is a tiny niche still and the sales potential here is relatively small. What's a raging run-away success in this genre is a "kind of nice but by no mean spectacular" mid-list performance in the mainstream.
I like some doorstoppers - handy for long train journeys :) The Nights Dawn trilogy by Peter F Hamilton is a series I really enjoyed, and have read more than once - The Reality Dysfunction is the first part. It does seem to be a love it or hate it set of books though - and ~ 3000 pages is a lot if you come out hating it in the end.I've really learnt to appreciate short, well written works - both short stories & novellas. And a shorter, but well written & edited novel does trump a sprawling, poorly edited doorstopper any day :)
I did give up on The Wheel of Time and Terry Goodkind - too many pages that were just padding not plot. Saying that I've read most of the J R Ward books so far, just Lover Reborn to go, and I'll probably get Lover At Last :)
RE: long books. The last long ones in the genre I can remember that I enjoyed were Rachel Haimowitz's Songs of the Fallen: Counterpoint and Crescendo. Though I was wary of the first one as she was a new-to-me author and I have this thing about doorstoppers. GRR Martin lost me in the middle of book 1, Robert Jordan lost me in the first third of book 2. Terry Brooks's voice turns me off something fierce. I have some hope for Erickson, but I haven't managed yet to actually crack the book open. Is there such a thing as doorstopper-phobia?
Aleksandr wrote: "Is there such a thing as doorstopper-phobia? "Maybe :) I'm pretty sure if I stacked all the fantasy & sci-fi doorstoppers I've got together they'd reach the ceiling - might get a couple of stacks out of it.
And these days nothing makes me avoid a series more than finding out that each book is huge and there's more than 4 or 5 books in the series...my mind just flashes to all the Wheel of Time books I have (I quit ~ book 8 I think) and the scary pile of LKH Anita Blake books (I made it to book 14 or so).
I have got book 1 by Erickson but it's been sitting on the bookshelf for years - I'm still working up to that one.
My partner and I are reading The Killer Wore Leather by Laura Antinou aloud to each other, and we love it. The characters are rich, funny and in depth. We care for so many of the characters that we don't want any of them to be the killer and it's very reminiscent of people in the scene. There have been times where we say loudly, "oh I know who that is." It's very believable and accurate. If you are in the scene great, if you aren't and are curious great. She treats each of the kinks with a kid glove so to speak, in that you understand more fully who and why people do these things. I can't spoil the ending because we are reading the book slowly, savoring each word and scene. We hope that Laura continues writing more mysteries, we don't want the book to end, but we so desperately want to find out who did the deed.
Sarah - WE couldf psych each other up for the Erickson.
The book length (or better the length/content ratio - I don't mind long books so much if the length is warranted...) was what turned me off Harry Potter about 10 years ago. I liked the first three volumes well enough, but the fourth and then the fifth felt only like bloated, giant balloons of hot air to me. Far too long for the story they contained in my opinion. I actually dnf'd both (the fifth I only started because I had it already and hoped for the best). I very much enjoyed Tad William's Shadowmarch books, though (all four volumes which basically make up one giant book were about 3000 pages); it could have been shorter, obviously, but there was enough going on to make me want to read on.
Aleksandr wrote: "Sarah - WE couldf psych each other up for the Erickson."That might work :) Maybe aim for before the UK Meet - or will that interfere with your writing? (and I definitely don't want to delay any of your books!)
Sarah - I could get the ebook and just read it on the train.
Sarah wrote: "Aleksandr wrote: "Sarah - WE couldf psych each other up for the Erickson."That might work :) Maybe aim for before the UK Meet - or will that interfere with your writing? (and I definitely don't w..."
Wot Uk meet lol "sticking my nose in"
Aleksandr wrote: "Sarah - WE couldf psych each other up for the Erickson."I bought the first two Erickson's on sale recently. Got'em for 1.99 each on Amazon. I'll join. :)
lol - well I've retrieved my copy from the bookcase...paperback is only 700 odd pages :)Although last time I tried anything like this was quite funny - my now ex wanted me to read The Dragonbone Chair and I wasn't that keen; in the end I agreed as long as he read Rats and Gargoyles. I enjoyed The Dragonbone Chair enough that I read the whole series, whilst my ex hated Rats and Gargoyles :)
figuranta wrote: "Sarah wrote: "Aleksandr wrote: "Sarah - WE couldf psych each other up for the Erickson."That might work :) Maybe aim for before the UK Meet - or will that interfere with your writing? (and I defi..."
The UK GLBTQ Fiction Meet - the group page is http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/9...
Sarah wrote: "I like some doorstoppers - handy for long train journeys :) The Nights Dawn trilogy by Peter F Hamilton is a series I really enjoyed, and have read more than once - The Reality Dysfunction is the f..."Sarah if u get Lover at last from whsmith u can get it with in 2 days at the store near you, like this i got mine as well i go to picked up 2morrow and it under £11 and you dont have to pay postage either
Sarah wrote: "figuranta wrote: "Sarah wrote: "Aleksandr wrote: "Sarah - WE couldf psych each other up for the Erickson."That might work :) Maybe aim for before the UK Meet - or will that interfere with your w..."
OMG i have to book hols at work I AM SO IN :))
I'll probably go with the kindle version, even if I am cringing at the price :)
Sarah wrote: "I'll probably go with the kindle version, even if I am cringing at the price :)"AMAZON really pissed me off lately, i try not 2 buy any books from them anymore and they more expensive than any other place.
They annoy me a lot of the time, but it's pretty much them or kobo for the ebook, and kobo books can be just a bit tricky to add to the kindle (I hate DRM).
Joe wrote: "My partner and I are reading The Killer Wore Leather by Laura Antinou aloud to each other, and we love it. The characters are rich, funny and in depth. We care for so many of the characters that ..."What a great idea, sounds fun. A fun interactive alternative to TV. Around here we are always curious as to the beverages that accompany such things. ;-D
that's true, that's the reason i got a samsung tab and i can read in any format i want with out having to think about DRM or from were i buy them cause i have all type of apps for books
figuranta wrote: "that's true, that's the reason i got a samsung tab and i can read in any format i want with out having to think about DRM or from were i buy them cause i have all type of apps for books"I recently bought a Samsung Galaxy 10. I'm very happy with it!
Susinok wrote: "figuranta wrote: "that's true, that's the reason i got a samsung tab and i can read in any format i want with out having to think about DRM or from were i buy them cause i have all type of apps fo..."same here, i love it i have my fb, twitter, Gr, my apps to read it's all i need
I was reading books on my phone (which was handy as it allowed any format) but I was given a kindle at Christmas and I do like reading on that - I just get annoyed if I have to mess about with the file to be able to read it on the kindle
are many programs out there sarah to remove DRM from books and quite easy to use as well
figuranta wrote: "are many programs out there sarah to remove DRM from books and quite easy to use as well"yep, I do use them - I just prefer to buy a non-DRM version - so usually direct from the publisher. Unfortunately there are a few authors where I have to use amazon - I've tried using ARe/OmniLit but get that annoying message about not available in my location (I'm in the UK). Took me a while to find a way to clear DRM from kobo books and I'm still annoyed enough that I'm avoiding them for a bit.
I've had my keyboard kindle for a few years now but I've really been wanting to upgrade to a Kindle Paperwhite. I was hoping I'd get one for Christmas and that didn't happen. Aleksandr you have one of those right? How are you liking it?
Charlinda wrote: "I've had my keyboard kindle for a few years now but I've really been wanting to upgrade to a Kindle Paperwhite. I was hoping I'd get one for Christmas and that didn't happen. Aleksandr you have one..."I heard they very good one of my friends from GR has it and she is very pleased with it
Charlinda - Loving the Paperwhite. My old Kindle Keybosard died (stopped charging), so that's now the only I have. It's a good little gadget. :)
figuranta wrote: "Charlinda wrote: "I've had my keyboard kindle for a few years now but I've really been wanting to upgrade to a Kindle Paperwhite. I was hoping I'd get one for Christmas and that didn't happen. Alek..."Okay great! Well I didn't get it for Christmans but my birthday's coming up in a couple of months....lol
I've got the Paperwhite - I love it; I had to turn the brightness down a bit, but having a touch screen is great - I'm used to reading on my phone & prefer to swipe/tap to change page.I don't think it holds as many books as the keyboard kindles, but I've got several hundred on there at the mo and still have space. And a touch screen does mean a shorter battery life than the other kindles but I'm not having to charge that often & it recharges quickly.
I would love to attend the UK GLBTQ Fiction Meet but i am so rubbish at this kind of things with bookings, and coming on my own it's scary, i been here for 5 years and left London once for the day with some friends, and none of my "friends" wouldn't want to come with me not they sort of things i am so gutted :((
figuranta wrote: "I would love to attend the UK GLBTQ Fiction Meet but i am so rubbish at this kind of things with bookings, and coming on my own it's scary, i been here for 5 years and left London once for the day ..."You'll see if you read the various threads in the UK Meet group that lots of people go on their own and have a good time (I haven't been yet so can't say from personal experience). It's a direct train journey from London to Manchester! And you'll see lots of countryside from the train.
I'm just a teeensy bit obsessive. I have 2 Kindle Keyboards (I was afraid my older one would die), and a Kindle DX, and now a Galaxy Tablet. I also have Kindle for Android on my phone and Montano reader for my non-Kindle books.I am never without my phone and at least one of the other readers. It's a sickness, I swear.
figuranta wrote: "I would love to attend the UK GLBTQ Fiction Meet but i am so rubbish at this kind of things with bookings, and coming on my own it's scary, i been here for 5 years and left London once for the day ..."Hugs. I went to it last year (my partner took me, but didn't come to the event itself) - that was in Brighton - and was really nervous; I have depression and really struggle with meeting people and new places. Everyone was really lovely and I had a great time.
I'm coming with both partners this year although neither of them are coming to the event (I feel better knowing they'll be together though) - public transport is definitely not something I can cope with at the mo.
But if you're ok getting there, then I'm sure you'll be fine - I'll be the mad blonde with a pile of knitting if you want to meet up :)
Susinok wrote: "I'm just a teeensy bit obsessive. I have 2 Kindle Keyboards (I was afraid my older one would die), and a Kindle DX, and now a Galaxy Tablet. I also have Kindle for Android on my phone and Montano r..."lol - if it's a sickness then I have the same complaint :)
were do u live if u don't mind me asking i really need to look into this and book a hotel near there. Couple of months ago i split up with my bf he was english so he used to do everything 4 me but now i am kind of stuck afraid to do stuff on my own not very adventurous
I'm in Long Eaton (near Nottingham). There's at least one thread on the group page about accommodation - I think it covers a range of prices- some very organised people on there :)
Sarah wrote: "I'm in Long Eaton (near Nottingham). There's at least one thread on the group page about accommodation - I think it covers a range of prices- some very organised people on there :)"
Have u booked your trip for this yr?
Not got the ticket for the event yet - hopefully sort that over the weekend, but someone was sorting the hotel booking (not sure if it's a partner or friend - poly relationship...can get a bit confusing, but they're much more organised than me).
Sarah wrote: "Not got the ticket for the event yet - hopefully sort that over the weekend, but someone was sorting the hotel booking (not sure if it's a partner or friend - poly relationship...can get a bit conf..."So you going to attend on ur own the meeting would u mind letting me know wot hotel u booking so i can book there as well so we can hang out 2gether than and i will get my ticket for the whole weekend cuz its a special offer atm?
Should be the Macdonald, although not sure when we'll get there on the friday - won't be leaving here until everyone has finished work. Will check with the others over the weekend to make sure the booking is ok and sort out booking for the meet itself :)
Josh wrote: "Becky wrote: "Josh wrote: "Susinok wrote: ":::raises hand:::: I like raisins. I love cinnamon raisin bread though I rarely get it, and I love oatmeal raisin cookies."I do love cinnamon raisin bre..."
Raisins are yummy. :)
I only like raisins if they're covered in chocolate or in raisin bread spread with butter..ooo or my mom's bread pudding...basically I don't like to eat them plain lol
Hmmm raisins in couscous? Sounds interesting. I'd give it a try. I like to put golden raisins in my oatmeal.
Oh I haven't heard of that trick. I like that.
This topic has been frozen by the moderator. No new comments can be posted.
Q&A with Josh Lanyon
Books mentioned in this topic
Chained Melody (other topics)The Far Pavilions (other topics)
Death in Kashmir (other topics)
The Flame Trees of Thika: Memories of an African Childhood (other topics)
Mistress of the Art of Death (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
M.M. Kaye (other topics)Elspeth Huxley (other topics)
Lauren Willig (other topics)
Charlie Cochet (other topics)
Damon Suede (other topics)
More...
I recently read and enjoyed Jane Davitt's Laying a Ghost, which GR says is 220 pages, but in reality, is over 100k words. (Not sure how it got so mislabeled...) Fave online reads like The God Eaters, The Student Prince, and Close Protection are all way over 300 pages too.
And also just recently read and very much enjoyed Josh's Strange Fortune, which I thought was a very good (longer) read. :D
In the right hands, a long book can feel delicious, like you're falling into something deep and developed, just as in the wrong hands, a short work can feel glacial and painful to plod through, with your only saving grace that "at least it's short..."
Which means I'm glad we're blessed with so many talented writers who can handle both the short taut sprint and the long marathon.