How can it be July already? What we're reading this month...

[Lady of Winterfell]

It's not typical of the series, being the first one he wrote, of course - IMHO, I'd skip forward a few, and read Mort, or Guards! Guards!.

Is this a series where you can read them out of order? I generally like to try and read a series in the order they were written, but if they don't play off each other, maybe its not that important. Of course, if they're not as good, that would be a good reason to skip as well.

I finished The Universe in a Nutshell. I didn't enjoy it nearly as much as A Briefer History of Time, but it did cover different topics.

Now I'm reading The Dragon Reborn by Robert Jordan. It's been sitting on my shelf for awhile, and I felt I needed to read one of the books that have been sitting around. I'm also reading a book about dark matter and dark energy called Dark Cosmos by Dan Hooper.

 

[Pyan]

Is this a series where you can read them out of order? I generally like to try and read a series in the order they were written, but if they don't play off each other, maybe its not that important.

Generally speaking, I'd read them in published order: but TP didn't really get into his stride until the fourth or fifth book, so it makes more sense to read the earlier ones after you've tried the "real" Discworld.

I'd be sorry if anyone missed out on the series because they were put off by the non-representative first few...

I've posted this before, but it's worth re-posting - gives a good idea of how the series fits together. It needs Making Money added with a direct link to Going Postal, but it's otherwise complete.

 

[j d worthington]

Having finished Huysmans' À rebours (which, in this translation, was titled "Against Nature"... a much more fitting title, I think, than "Against the Grain", though either certainly applies), have moved on to Là-Bas (translated here as "Down There", but the alternate title of "The Damned" would also seem to fit).

Not really read that much of Huysmans before... a few snippets, an excerpt of a chapter or two, but not a complete novel. Must say I quite like the style and the acerbic commentary, while quite a lot of the (often somewhat fantastical) pensées and/or reveries, which sometimes border on the nightmarish as well as the metaphysical, are fascinating excursions into odd aspects of human thought. I can easily see where he had his influence on Lovecraft, both in tone and in certain incidents, during the latter's "decadent" period....

 

[AE35Unit]

About to finish Emphyrio by Jack Vance,a so called SF masterpiece thats on every SF reader's TBR pile but left me unimpressed and confused. Its not SF its fantasy with the odd SF element. Its not bad,had enjoyable moments if a little slow,and the blurb on the back is at odds with what actually happens! Now its listed on Bookmooch.com and someone's taking it off my hands. (I have too many books and not enough space!)
Gonna read some Arthur C Clarke next,get back in space,where I belong•••

 

[J-Sun]

I haven't read enough Vance but I wasn't overwhelmed with Emphyrio, either. Kind of like you say: not awful; not great. I actually preferred The Languages of Pao and like a bit of his short fiction. I'll get around to reading more eventually, though. But, AFAIK, he's never ever hard SF and not often even solidly into general SF, though he does have some space books and even wrote the literally titled Space Opera (opera in space) - he's more of a borderlands-to-fantasy author.

 

[murphy]

It seems to me the Cadwal Chronicles, starting with Arminta Station, would be more SF.

 

[AE35Unit]

It seems to me the Cadwal Chronicles, starting with Arminta Station, would be more SF.

Or maybe the Planet of Adventure series,of which I have the first 3.

 

[Connavar]

Planet of Adventure is like a sword and planet type story. Araminta Station is more sf.

Its really bit much to hear you diss one of the greatest sf writers of alltime as not SF enough.

All sf his books are light on technical sf,more focused on human condition in alien worlds. Just because its not technical to max doesnt mean its 100% SF.

Imo if you dont like the next sf book of his you read he will never be to your taste. Try The Demon Princes first book next if you want his most SF book, Its a famous Space Opera. It wont focus on space travel like Emphyrio but there is alot travel from planet to planet,new worlds,alien,human cultures,revenge,action.

He is far from Hard SF,dont expect that. Imo knowing your taste Vance wont be for you. He is a literary fantasy and sf author. His style,ideas are not for everyone. Thats why he isnt as famous as writers much weaker than him.

 

[AE35Unit]

But Con i'm not dissing the author or the book, i was just expecting it to be more SF and it wasn't. The first half of the book is like pure fantasy then the event depicted on the back of the book finally happens,tho not as its written,and it suddenly becomes an SF adventure story but its all too little too late for me. The book's nearly over and still no sign of Emphyrio. Its a good story no doubt and Vance can certainly tell a tale but it was just not what I was expecting.

 

[Connavar]

But Con i'm not dissing the author or the book, i was just expecting it to be more SF and it wasn't. The first half of the book is like pure fantasy then the event depicted on the back of the book finally happens,tho not as its written,and it suddenly becomes an SF adventure story but its all too little too late for me. The book's nearly over and still no sign of Emphyrio. Its a good story no doubt and Vance can certainly tell a tale but it was just not what I was expecting.

Thats why im saying its important to expect the right thing. When i tried Vance i knew what he was famous for and Emphyrio wasnt a surprise.

SF is much more than space,science. There is no fantasy about Emphyrio. The controlled,totallieran society of the world the book is set in appear in many sf books. He just dont care for science oriented details. Its like calling PKD a fantasy writer.....
Many SF writers use only SF settings and have their own type stories.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/19/magazine/19Vance-t.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2

A LIFE'S WORK With an emphasis on language instead of plot and spectacle, Vance's stories seem to defy the hallmarks of science fiction and fantasy to fall into a genre of their own: the Jack Vance story.

Thats from a New York Times article hailing Vance from 15 july.

 

[AE35Unit]

I still say Emphyrio is more fantasy than SF. It reads almost like David Eddings' Belgariad at the start. There are small SF elements in it,the mention of Space ships for example,but they're mentioned in a way that a fantasy writer would talk about them. Space yachts. Like he was anti SF almost.

 

[Lioness]

Rereading Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, then I'm on to Celia Freidman's new book.

 

[dask]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/19/magazine/19Vance-t.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2

Thank you for the link. Good article!

 

[Connavar]

Thank you for the link. Good article!

I found it so randomly i was reading some JV message board and saw a thread about this. I got to learn even more about Vance personal history and it was interesting reading how many famous authors first read him.

The writer of the article was much more knowledgeable about Vance,his works that you would expect. Although it sounded alittle like Vance was totally out of print,forgotten. He has so many works in print that's a gift to me.

 

[AE35Unit]

And so i turn the last page of Emphyrio. Good story if at times a little confusing. Now can someone explain the very beginning when Ghyl is being interrogated? There is no mention in the rest of the book of that incident so I can't work out if it was done after his great announcement at the end as the book just ends. I'd love to discuss this book further but don't want to give out spoilers!

 

[AE35Unit]

Now going to read Islands in the Sky,an early Space adventure by Arthur C Clarke.

 

[ktabic]

Finished off The Kingdom Beyond the Waves last night. Rocking stuff. Now finally onto The Anubis Gates.

 

[elvet]

I'm still on my reread of the Malazan books. I fully intended to take a break in between them and play catch up with my to be read pile, but the Erikson's books are too good. The reread is much more interesting and enlightening. I'm in the middle of House of Chains. The story is so detailed; and now that things are familiar, I'm noticing a myriad of connections and nuances that I missed before.

 

[ratsy]

I finished Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb.....great book!

Now I am back to Magician: Master by Raymond Feist

 

[Lady of Winterfell]

Generally speaking, I'd read them in published order: but TP didn't really get into his stride until the fourth or fifth book, so it makes more sense to read the earlier ones after you've tried the "real" Discworld.

I'd be sorry if anyone missed out on the series because they were put off by the non-representative first few...

I've posted this before, but it's worth re-posting - gives a good idea of how the series fits together. It needs Making Money added with a direct link to Going Postal, but it's otherwise complete.

Thanks for posting this Py! I'll take your advice, the next time I pick up a Pratchett book I'll try Guards! Guards! or Mort.