February's Fortuitous Following Of Fabulous Fiction

[Jayaprakash Satyamurthy]

Sampled The Compleat Enchanter. Somewhat nauseated by the banter in the opening pages.

 

[GOLLUM]

Sampled The Compleat Enchanter. Somewhat nauseated by the banter in the opening pages.

HMMM..I'm a little surprised by your response. I really quite enjoyed De Camp and Pratt's collaborative work but then it's an awful long time since I read these stories. You're also only a littel way in, so hopefully it picks up for you....

Is that the Masterwork edn?

 

[Rane Longfox]

The Crippled God. Nine chapters in, it's pure awesome in book form

 

[Daisy-Boo]

Finished Joe Hills'-Horns last night... god aweful

I read it about two months ago. I didn't like it. There were passages that were good but overall, it was plodding and dense and I couldn't muster up much sympathy for the protagonist, whose name I can't even remember.

 

[Daisy-Boo]

Just finished book one of Y: The Last Man a graphic novel by Brian K. Vaughan and Pia Guerra. I liked it but not as much as I thought I would. I felt that too much happened with too little background and explanation. I would've preferred a slower pace with more details about what happened immediately after the die-out. However, I liked it enough to have made a note to order book two in the coming months.

Am dipping into Stiff: The Secret Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach, whenever I have a chance. Roach has a clear, concise and witty style of writing. I'm enchanted by her sense of humour as well as her eye for detail. You know someone is a good writer when she makes you enjoy reading a book about cadavers.

I started reading The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot but I got diverted from it for a while. It's a non-fiction about the woman who was the source of the HeLa cells now used in laboratories across the world. I was drawn in by the first few pages and will get back to the book as soon as I can put a chunk of time aside to give it the attention it deserves (this weekend!).

My "bag book", so dubbed because it's small enough to slip into my handbag without weighing me down, is Wolf to the Slaughter, an Inspector Wexford novel by Ruth Rendell. The familiar team of Wexford and Burden doesn't disappoint. Wexford is still the gruff philosopher policeman and Burden still his staunchly conservative, rather prissy, but nevertheless dedicated partner. The book makes for an entertaining undemanding read that still manages to make me pause and think a bit.

I'm also dipping into Prince of Stories: The Many Worlds of Neil Gaiman by Hank Wagner, Christopher Golden and Stephen R. Bissette. It's a hefty book that explores in detail, the many works of Neil Gaiman.

 

[Daisy-Boo]

Also forgot to mention that I also just finished the graphic novel of The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien. Beautifully illustrated and lettered and a lovely adaption of the book.

 

[elvet]

I started the The Complete Lyonesse. It is my first Jack Vance book, and I think it's marvelous. It reminds me of Gene Wolfe and Patricia McKillip.

 

[Hober Mallow]

Finished reading Altered Carbon, by Richard Morgan...excellent novel.
Started reading The Fabulous Riverboat, by Philip Jose Farmer...2nd in the Riverworld series.

 

[Fried Egg]

I started the The Complete Lyonesse. It is my first Jack Vance book, and I think it's marvelous. It reminds me of Gene Wolfe and Patricia McKillip.

Yes, it's great, isn't it? I don't think his prose is quite as oblique as either of those two authors but in terms of quality, it's definitely up there.

 

[Menion]

So far in Feb I have found Ken Follet after watching the TV adaptation of his novel, James Jackson couldn't resist I just saw his book Pilgrim poking out on a shelf at a book store, Giles Kristian found two of his books at a charity store.
Also took the plunge into the worlds of Robert A Heinlen, L Ron Hubbard, Ian M Banks.
Also Paul Stewert & Chris Riddles Edge chronicles 11th book (yes I know it has pictures in and it is for children of 9 to 13, but I read them when I was young so I don't care!)

 

[neuroticdog]

Finished my first Lovecraft collection The Dreams in the Witch House and was mightly impressed to say the least. I understand that this collection had the largest Dunsanian influence/dreamland stories in it, and that might have been the reason I enjoyed it so much. Having recently read most of Dunsany's short stories, seeing similar styles and concepts tackled by HPL was an interesting compare and contrast exercise.

Don't get me wrong though, I certainly didn't feel like it was an "exercise" reading HPL. It took me a few short stories to acclimate myself into his world, but once there I was felt like I was off to the races. There are so many qualities to this man's writing, but, if I had to pick one that stands out, it would be his ability to vividly bring across a sense of immense scope...hell, in cosmic proportions. I actually felt winded after several of these pieces, specifically, "Dreamquest of the Unknown Kaddath" and "Shadow out of Time" especially gave me a feeling of...being a tiny droplet of water engulfed in a beyond massive ocean.

I'm about ready to jump into my second HPL Penguin collection, The Call of Cthulhu and other Weird Stories but have decided to take a slight, and short detour and read a few Thomas Ligotti stories from Teatro Grottesco. Having read two so far from that collection, all I can say is (in a sing song voice) DISTURBED!!

best
Michael

 

[dask]

There are so many qualities to this man's writing, but, if I had to pick one that stands out, it would be his ability to vividly bring across a sense of immense scope...hell, in cosmic proportions.

Another quality, one deemed very important by critic Michael Dirda, "is that Lovecraft possosses the storyteller's greatest gift, the one that Nabokov called shamanstvo, the 'enchanter quality.' Before his visions we shudder and believe."

I'm about ready to jump into my second HPL Penguin collection, The Call of Cthulhu and other Weird Stories

I'm reading this right now off and on between other books. The stories are great.

 

[fitzchivalry]

I have just ordered four more books to read, and am now anxiously awaiting their arrival.

Robin Hobb-The Golden fool

Steven Erikson-Gardens of the moon

Peter V.Brett-The painted man

Maria V.Snyder-Magic study

Never read Erikson, but have heard he is good so looking forward to a new author. As with The painted man, I have only heard good things about it. I hope they live up to the reviews.

 

[Menion]

As with The painted man, I have only heard good things about it. I hope they live up to the reviews.

Th Painted Man will!


200th post Ding Ding!

 

[Fried Egg]

I'm about ready to jump into my second HPL Penguin collection, The Call of Cthulhu and other Weird Stories but have decided to take a slight, and short detour and read a few Thomas Ligotti stories from Teatro Grottesco. Having read two so far from that collection, all I can say is (in a sing song voice) DISTURBED!!

Two great collections!

 

[Tansy]

Just finished Heroes by Joe Abercrombie - a thoroughly enjoyable romp and loved the scene with Shivers and Gorst near the end

 

[purple_kathryn]

I finished Stone of Tears and while I know from the first book that it's more adult than the tv series

What the heck is with all the women getting gang raped? It just seemed to jar with the pretty family friendly Richard/Kahlan romance. Perhaps it was supposed to I don't know


Anyhow - next up is something called Kethani by Eric Brown. WHich was leant to me probably over a year ago by a friend.

I don't know if anyone here on facebook used the "reading"thing? but when I put on that he comes off with "so that's where my copy went". Well yes, because you kept lending me books which I didn't ask you to lend me, which I felt compelled to read first to get back to you, which made you lend me more and i wasn't getting to read the mountain of my own damn books. So I started just adding yours to the bottom of the to read pile & guess what! You stopped lending me books that I hadn't asked for a lend of (some I do want to borrow like the Dresden files). So .

Which is is really what I wanted to say on facebook but couldn't.

Honestly who forces books on people?

 

[Ian Whates]

Anyhow - next up is something called Kethani by Eric Brown.

Ah yes, the book in which Eric explores all of his favourite hobbies: Timothy Taylors beer, Yorkshire pubs, friendship... and aliens.

 

[CyBeR]

Finished reading Altered Carbon, by Richard Morgan...excellent novel.
Started reading The Fabulous Riverboat, by Philip Jose Farmer...2nd in the Riverworld series.

Looking forward to opinions on the second. I've read the first one last year and I'm aching to start on the next...just need a little incentive.

I'm halfway through A talent for war by Jack McDevitt.
Mister McDevitt is rapidly becoming one of my favorite sci-fi writers. His mysteries are pretty darn good and his writing is really enjoyable. His are the sort of books that I enjoy reading just to unwind and spend a nice evening with.
So far Seeker has been the better novel in the Alex Benedict series, but I do believe that's because the narrator was the sassy Chase and not the indecisive Alex.

 

[purple_kathryn]

Ah yes, the book in which Eric explores all of his favourite hobbies: Timothy Taylors beer, Yorkshire pubs, friendship... and aliens.

Nowt wrong with that