April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Reading

[Tillane]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

This guy write some long books!

I am curious...because they look interesting...

Does he justify the length?

Is he really saying that much?

He probably averages around 450-500 pages per novel, and - in my entirely biased opinion - he more than justifies the length. For my money, he's the best "big idea" writer out there at the moment. The Revelation Space books are brilliant (and the Inhibitors are a fantastic creation), as are both Century Rain and The Prefect. Reynolds is probably my favourite writer on current form (it was Banks, but...well, he's slipping in my opinion).

And I agree with clovis-man on Hamilton. Long books, short on point. A man in desperate need of an strong editor.

 

[Connavar]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

I didn't mean that, Connavar. I haven't seen descriptions of space battle this good since Heinlein.

I know Heinlein is pure class, this guy is the first to even come close in years.

Then i understand what you mean.


When i hear someone is a new Heinlein i expect that person to the best writer of Hard SF and political stories in the world.

 

[D_Davis]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

He probably averages around 450-500 pages per novel, and - in my entirely biased opinion - he more than justifies the length. For my money, he's the best "big idea" writer out there at the moment. The Revelation Space books are brilliant (and the Inhibitors are a fantastic creation), as are both Century Rain and The Prefect. Reynolds is probably my favourite writer on current form (it was Banks, but...well, he's slipping in my opinion).

Good to hear.

I want to check his stuff out, it all sounds pretty fascinating and I don't read a lot of new SF.

Where should I start?

 

[D_Davis]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

Reading some non-fiction now...

E. O. Wilson's The Creation. It is quite good.

The Creation is really good.

It is reminding me of the parts I've read of David Suzuki's The Sacred Balance.

Given Wilson's pedigree, I'm sure Suzuki has been greatly influenced.

I believe in the sacred connection of spirituality and nature, and I have often wondered why there aren't more religious folks fighting for the environment. After all, if this is a god's creation, shouldn't the god's followers, more than anything, want to protect it as its stewards?

Unfortunately, especiall...mo
It is reminding me of the parts I've read of David Suzuki's The Sacred Balance.

Given Wilson's pedigree, I'm sure Suzuki has been greatly influenced.

I believe in the sacred connection of spirituality and nature, and I have often wondered why there aren't more religious folks fighting for the environment. After all, if this is a god's creation, shouldn't the god's followers, more than anything, want to protect it as its stewards?

Unfortunately, especially in modern western religions, it seems as though religious people have taken a blank-check approach to God's creation - it's ours, it was made for us, we'll do what we damn well please with it.

Screw off!

I look outside of my window (living in Seattle is pretty damn beautiful) and I see the creation all around me, and it fills me awe and humbleness. I need to do more to protect it.

 

[ladyflorange]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

I'm reading The Novice, the second book of Trudi Canavan's Black Magician Trilogy. Really enjoyed the first one and this one's shaping up to be great too

 

[D_Davis]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

Sorry for the strange double post thing above...

Very strange.

Computer glitch or something...

Especially with that anomalous link to my Goodreads write up.

Very odd.

Please ignore, or mods, delete!

Thanks!

 

[Tillane]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

Good to hear.

I want to check his stuff out, it all sounds pretty fascinating and I don't read a lot of new SF.

Where should I start?

Well, Revelation Space was his first novel, but while it can be read independently of the others it is part of a trilogy. If you want to start with a standalone novel, try Chasm City or Century Rain - Chasm City is an early novel set in the Revelation Space universe but is aside from the trilogy; Century Rain is entirely separate and possibly Reynolds' most easily accessible novel.

 

[purple_kathryn]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

Just finished Blood & Gold the 2nd part of A Storm of Swords which is part 3 of the Song of Ice and Fire by George R R Martin

I nearly cheered at what happened at the wedding feast, really surprised by the epilogue. Vague but spoiler free I feel

Next up is Small Favour the next Dresden Files book by Jim Butcher

 

[D_Davis]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

Well, Revelation Space was his first novel, but while it can be read independently of the others it is part of a trilogy. If you want to start with a standalone novel, try Chasm City or Century Rain - Chasm City is an early novel set in the Revelation Space universe but is aside from the trilogy; Century Rain is entirely separate and possibly Reynolds' most easily accessible novel.

Awesome, thanks for the recs.

I will add them to "the list" and check them out at some point.

 

[Connavar]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

Shon'jir by CJ Cherryh

Im enjoying this series so much. I cant wait to see how things end up.

Its a nice change reading an omnibus that contains all the books of a series in your hands.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

Even after all of these years, I think that series is one of Cherryh's best.

 

[D_Davis]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

Even after all of these years, I think that series is one of Cherryh's best.

I need to read this.

I've heard great things.

 

[Zubi-Ondo]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

Shon'jir by CJ Cherryh

Connavar - You seem to be quite the CJ Cherryh fan. Have you read Hammerfall? It was in the SF section (Library) but it seems more like alternate world/fantasy so far.

- Z.

 

[Ian Whates]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

Have you read Hammerfall? It was in the SF section (Library) but it seems more like alternate world/fantasy so far.

- Z.

I've got that one, and the sequel, Forge of Heaven, but I haven't read either of them yet, so I'd be interested to hear what anyone who has read them thought as well.

 

[Thadlerian]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb.

Update on this one:
For Fantasy, this is really good stuff. Especially the characterization and the character intrigue. If it keeps the style of the first five chapters up for the rest of the book, then Robin Hobb will easily appear on my top five Fantasy writers list, probably outclassing George R. R. Martin.

 

[Lady of Winterfell]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

Well, I finished The Name of the Wind, and I really enjoyed it. The further I read the more I liked the book. Now I am bummed that I have to wait until April 2009 for the next book.

Moved on to Legends 2 with stories by Terry Brooks, GRRM, and Anne McCaffrey. Picked up this book for The Hedge Knight, but am a big McCaffrey fan as well, so it works out perfect.

 

[murphy]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

In the middle of Jim Butcher's Small Favor, the tenth book in the life and times of Harry Dresden. The man writes better and better and I'm enjoying it.

 

[Connavar]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

Even after all of these years, I think that series is one of Cherryh's best.

I have only read this series and Downbelow station so far but i dont think i agree with the others that said in CJ's thread that its not of her best.

The excitement i have over reading the story about Mri,reguls has been a long while since i felt for other SF books. Last time was when i discovered, RAH,PKD,Vance.

The way she writes the mir,regul culture is so very interesting and why i like so much reading stories about alien cultures done in a complex way.

 

[Marky Lazer]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

As I said, I'm reading more books at once usually, here's the complete list:

Calder, George. A Gaelic Grammar, containing the General Principles of Phonology and Etymology, with a Chapter on Proper and Place Names. Glasgow: MacLaren & Sons, 1923.

Meshtrie et al. Introducing Sociolinguistics. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press, 2000.

More, Thomas (sir). Utopia. New York: Dover Publications, 1997.

Pullum, Geoffrey K. The Great Eskimo Vocabulary Hoax and Other Irreverent Essays on the Study of Language. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1991.

Tolkien, J.R.R. The Book of Lost Tales Part I. Ed. Christopher Tolkien. New York: Del Rey Books, 1992.

Welsh, Irvine. If you liked school, you'll love work. London: Jonathan Cape, 2007.

West-Bulford, Simon. The Beasts of Upton Puddle. Not yet published.

 

[clovis-man]

Re: April's Astonishing, Astounding (and Sometimes Overpowering) Adventures in Readin

I have only read this series and Downbelow station so far but i dont think i agree with the others that said in CJ's thread that its not of her best.

I'm sure I've said it before, but I consider Cherryh's earlier works to be some of her best. The Faded Sun trilogy is certainly one of them. Some of her more recent efforts have not been as enjoyable to me.