November's Nascent Nurturing of Novelistic Nexuses

[Mark_Lawrence]

Re: November's Nascent Nurturing of Novelisitc Nexuses

Does this mean that The Broken Empire is based in some sort of alternative Earth? Post-apocalyptic, maybe? Or is it truly a completely imaginary world, but one where Lawrence has decided, for convenience and perhaps realism, to share Earth's past with? I suppose we'll have a better idea as the series progresses.

Perhaps naively I had never imagined that at the end of the book anyone would think other than that it was set in our future.

It's certainly an education reading interpretations on one's work. I saw a 5* review the other day that went to town mapping the USA and world politics onto the children Jorg named Gog and Magog - linking this through the 'end days' biblical associations.

 

[dask]

Re: November's Nascent Nurturing of Novelisitc Nexuses

You reminded to call my book pusher...

Conn's coined a new phrase. I like it.

 

[j d worthington]

Re: November's Nascent Nurturing of Novelisitc Nexuses

Which one is the first one? I got the impression the order wasn't all that critical for them, kind of like Chandler. I haven't really had a chance to start yet, so maybe I'll put it on hold to read them in order.

There is a certain degree of importance, yes, though it isn't necessary to read them in their original order. The differences are that there are internal references, and you get to see the growth of Archer as a person and how his philosophy of life changes due to his experiences; but they can be read as individual stories just for the crime/mystery aspects of the series.

The complete series (including short stories) is listed here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lew_Archer#Books

though I would add that Strangers in Town is not really a necessary book save for completists, as the author later reworked these into other forms for the set, or for use elsewhere....

 

[D_Davis]

I'm going to call in sick to read on Wednesday.

I haven't done that in a few years - since the last Dark Tower novel. Makes sense that I'll do it again for a new King book.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I started Ink and Steel by Elizabeth Bear last night. Since I had just taken a couple of antihistamines, I didn't get very far before turning out the light and going to sleep. I have a vague impression that I am going to enjoy it if I pick it up again when I am not drugged.

 

[D_Davis]

Reading may be the only form of media that cannot be made more enjoyable with the use of drugs.

 

[Connavar]

Re: November's Nascent Nurturing of Novelisitc Nexuses

Which one is the first one? I got the impression the order wasn't all that critical for them, kind of like Chandler. I haven't really had a chance to start yet, so maybe I'll put it on hold to read them in order.

Its not really important which order you read like Chandler but The Moving Target is best example of what Archer,Macdonald is about.

Bigger chance you will see why its a classic PI series.

 

[Connavar]

Re: November's Nascent Nurturing of Novelisitc Nexuses

Conn's coined a new phrase. I like it.

The phone number to local fav bookstore is listed as "Book Pusher" in my cellphone hehe!

I wish i could take credit for book pusher as a phrase but its from my fav contemporary Irish Ken Bruen's best work/series. Bruen use it as what his main character calls his fav bookstore he goes to. Like that main character in a poetic noir series im seriously addicted to my fav bookstore. I buy books there even when online is cheaper. Loyalty to people who has recommended great books to me.

I feel guilty when i buy swedish books from other stores because my Book Pusher is only english language books, translations to english books

 

[Rodders]

I've just finished Germline by T.C. McCarthy and it was very good. I've read quite a bit of Military SF and this one was a little different. It was brutal, but it seemed a bit more honest. Anyway, this one says that it's book one of the subterrene war so i'm looking forward to the rest.

Now on to American Gods by Neil Gaimen.

 

[thatollie]

When I have finished writing for the day I'm definitely going to read The Big Time by Fritz Leiber.

 

[Connavar]

I read Red Harvest for the second time and i saw things i missed the first time. Some nuances of the characters,dialouge,the authors world view. I dont re-read ever but i should re-read this every two years when i forgot little of the mystery,the work The OP is doing in Posionville.

I cant stop thinking about the novel, Hammett style because i must write 25 pages literary science paper about his novel, writing. Its feel weird like mixing buisness with pleasure

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Re: November's Nascent Nurturing of Novelisitc Nexuses

Perhaps naively I had never imagined that at the end of the book anyone would think other than that it was set in our future.

The thought did occur to me, but there seemed to me there were plenty of 'non-Earthly' things that made me doubt it was truly our own world.

Beyond that, the blame can likely be placed more on my own startling thickness. I frequently have trouble understanding things that aren't being beaten into me with a scalding poker.


Oh, look: this is post #666 for me. Scary...

 

[soulsinging]

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking Glass - Lewis Carroll

 

[CyBeR]

Started on the Malazan series of books with Gardens of the moon. I'm about a hundred pages in and I quite enjoy it so far. Being dropped into the thick of things is not a bad way to start off a series.

 

[GOLLUM]

Started on the Malazan series of books with Gardens of the moon. I'm about a hundred pages in and I quite enjoy it so far. Being dropped into the thick of things is not a bad way to start off a series.

Right on...

Various stands do begin to tie in during the last 200 odd pages, which I can only describe a a 'machine-gun finish'. GOTM is possibly the weakest book in the entire series and in part that's not surprising as it is a 'set-up' book with the quality of the storyline and descriptive prose rising markedly in books 2 & 3 and the series IMO never really wavering too much in maintaining a relatively high standard to the end, as on the whole it manages to avoid the worst of the so-called 'middle book(s)' syndrome a lot of EPIC works can suffer from.

Cheers.

 

[Spade]

11/22/63 by Stephen King dropped today. I'm gonna stop everything I'm doing in order to read it. Been waiting on it all year!

 

[D_Davis]

11/22/63 by Stephen King dropped today. I'm gonna stop everything I'm doing in order to read it. Been waiting on it all year!

Just got my copy. Smells great!

Gotta finish 1Q84 first, though.

But then I'm not sure if I'm going to read The Exegesis of Philip K. Dick, or the King book first.

Three ~1000 page books in a row....

 

[CyBeR]

Right on...

Various stands do begin to tie in during the last 200 odd pages, which I can only describe a a 'machine-gun finish'. GOTM is possibly the weakest book in the entire series and in part that's not surprising as it is a 'set-up' book with the quality of the storyline and descriptive prose rising markedly in books 2 & 3 and the series IMO never really wavering too much in maintaining a relatively high standard to the end, as on the whole it manages to avoid the worst of the so-called 'middle book(s)' syndrome a lot of EPIC works can suffer from.

Cheers.

Steven Erikson did go pretty much overboard with how many things he introduced right off the bat. When I first loaded the book and saw that I had quite a few pages of characters listed by their allegiances, I admit I got rather worried.
So far I'm enjoying the book and it's not extremely hard to follow. I can't make heads or tails of that whole Deck of Dragons gimmick, but I'm sure it'll eventually become more clear.
Finished the first "book" and on to the second. Rather gripping and I'm starting to enjoy characters, though I was actually worried for the fate of one that I quite enjoy.

 

[thatollie]

I may have to read Gardens of the Moon tonight, it's one of those books I've been looking at and going . . . if only my schedule would let me have some time.

 

[J-Sun]

Finished The Worlds of Theodore Sturgeon (generally excellent with story-by-story notes in the story thread) and have started on the last unread PKD novel I currently have, Our Friends from Frolix 8.