December's Diabolical Deviations (what are you currently reading?)

[Red 13]

I just finished reading The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson. After the dissapointment of Warbreaker i thought that Sanderson wasn't going to write any thing as good as The Misborn trilogy.I was wrong!The Way of Kings is awesome!By far the best book i read this year and i'm eagerly awaiting the second book.Its gonna be a long wait.

 

[Lord Soth]

Just finished The Madness Season by C.S. Friedman - really enjoyed it. has a similar premise to the recent Out of the Dark by Weber, but in actuality they are handled completely differently and I must admit I prefer Friedman's take.

Now after many recommendations by friends have started Red Storm Rising by Clancy - something completely different for me but i fancied a change...

 

[jojajihisc]

OH good. I have this one, I've most of Vandermeer's work, so reading your comments will be of great interest to me. It may help me decide where in the TBR pile to place it....

I've finished nine of the fourteen stories in the book and I'll just say you should have this very near the top of your pile. I'll be buying more of his books real soon.

 

[Jayaprakash Satyamurthy]

Finished Timescape by Gregory Benford. I thought it was a fascinating and gripping novel, full of ideas, expressed lyrically but with precision and peopled with well-rounded characters whose personal and inner lives are not merely dimension-lending addenda to the story.

It falls apart a bit because there are maybe too many ideas, too many strands of thought and speculation - time travel, time paradoxes, multiple universes, the nature of time, of reality, of causation, unpredictable outcomes, environmental myopia and so forth. These are all interesting elements, dealt with intelligently, but it's all a bit too much for even this relatively lengthy novel (around 400 pages in trade paperback) and as a result some of the themes seem insufficiently explored or resolved.

Still, a good novel, both as science fiction and as fiction, and it gives me more reason to explore Benford's work than the first of his novels that I tried, 'Against Infinity'.

 

[biodroid]

Almost done with BTAH - Joe Abercrombie then was thinking of Tad Williams The War of the Flowers. What do you think?

 

[AE35Unit]

Finished Timescape by Gregory Benford. I thought it was a fascinating and gripping novel, full of ideas, expressed lyrically but with precision and peopled with well-rounded characters whose personal and inner lives are not merely dimension-lending addenda to the story.

It falls apart a bit because there are maybe too many ideas, too many strands of thought and speculation - time travel, time paradoxes, multiple universes, the nature of time, of reality, of causation, unpredictable outcomes, environmental myopia and so forth. These are all interesting elements, dealt with intelligently, but it's all a bit too much for even this relatively lengthy novel (around 400 pages in trade paperback) and as a result some of the themes seem insufficiently explored or resolved.

Still, a good novel, both as science fiction and as fiction, and it gives me more reason to explore Benford's work than the first of his novels that I tried, 'Against Infinity'.

Not read this one but i do like Benford's stuff. My favourite of his was Great Sky River, part of the Galactic Centre Series. The earlier two aren't too noteworthy and i prefer to start the series from this book. (The main character in those 2 early books, Nigel Walmsey, doesn't show up until much later in the series)
Also try COSM. A book about a mini universe discovered in a lab.

 

[Jayaprakash Satyamurthy]

Thanks, I'd almost settled on either COSM or Great Sky River as the next Benford novel to try, so this confirms it!

 

[AE35Unit]

Thanks, I'd almost settled on either COSM or Great Sky River as the next Benford novel to try, so this confirms it!

No problem!

I just read an odd little story in a collection i have (Alfred Hitchcock Presents): Lukundoo by Edward Lucas White. Never heard of this author and I found the writing style odd in places but a creepy little tale!

 

[AE35Unit]

Now reading Vertigo by Bob Shaw, my third book by him.

 

[Talysia]

Moving on to the final book of Robim Hobb's Farseer Trilogy: Assassin's Quest.

 

[Diggler]

I've been reading The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. Very enjoyable and light adventure read. I really should be getting into these types of books more often as most of my reading has a tendency to be trudging experience.

 

[GOLLUM]

I've finished nine of the fourteen stories in the book and I'll just say you should have this very near the top of your pile. I'll be buying more of his books real soon.

I will definitely promote this book in my TBR pile following your encouraging report.

If you are planning to get more of Jeff Vandermeers work, I would recommend City of Saints and Madmen and the short but amazing read in Veniss Undeground, currently the book I view as his greatest work to date and a genuine masterpeice...

 

[Jayaprakash Satyamurthy]

I concur with GOLLUM in ranking Veniss Underground as VanderMeer's best.

Now reading The Child Garden by Geoff Ryman which is very strange and very interestingly written.

 

[j d worthington]

No problem!

I just read an odd little story in a collection i have (Alfred Hitchcock Presents): Lukundoo by Edward Lucas White. Never heard of this author and I found the writing style odd in places but a creepy little tale!

Yes, "Lukundoo" is a classic of its kind, frequently anthologized. You might follow it up by reading H. G. Wells' "Pollock and the Porroh Man", as the two have some striking similarities, yet are nonetheless quite distinctive.

Incidentally, "Lukundoo", as with several of his other tales, is largely taken from a dream which White had. His work isn't nearly as often read these days as at least some of it deserves, but there have been some collections of it in recent years, nonetheless....

Well, I have read all but a very few remaining pieces by Poe, and may finish those tonight. Then to the appendixes of Mabbott's edition of Poe's poems, which includes things by his siblings, collaborations, etc., and a lengthy "Annals" section which serves as a reasonably detailed brief (relatively speaking) biography....

 

[Jayaprakash Satyamurthy]

Did you read 'Eureka'?

 

[j d worthington]

Did you read 'Eureka'?

Indeed I did. I won't post links to all the places I've mentioned it since, but this should give you a hint of my reaction:

http://www.sffchronicles.co.uk/forum/1448607-post34.html

 

[Jayaprakash Satyamurthy]

oops, sorry I missed that. I agree with your impressions and wish more Poe fans would read Eureka.

 

[nomadman]

Finished reading Black Easter last night. Pretty good little novel, all told, though played rather too much for laughs at times. Have restarted Fifth Business by Robertson Davies, which I began reading last month but put down due to various reasons totally unrelated to the quality of the book. Was pleased to find myself slipping easily into Davies' easy storyteller's prose. Really excellent stuff so far.

 

[Michael01]

Reading The Bone Sword by Walter Rhein. Not bad.

 

[GOLLUM]

Have restarted Fifth Business by Robertson Davies, which I began reading last month but put down due to various reasons totally unrelated to the quality of the book. Was pleased to find myself slipping easily into Davies' easy storyteller's prose. Really excellent stuff so far.

I have several of the Robertson Davies series. That is the start of the Deptford Trilogy for anyone else who is reading this post. I also have the Cornish and Slaterton trilogies by him. He was an excellent Canadian novelist and someone who should be getting more airplay on this forum I think.

Let me know if you decide to read the remaining 2 books in that series.

Cheers....