July's Joyous Jousting at Stories and other generally non-Journalistic offerings

[Grunkins]

Im thinking about right now which i should read first Best Served Cold or The Heroes. I do hope he can repeat the storytelling,characters of First Law.

Right now im wondering if he can finish First Law series well in book 3. Alot of wars,story-lines to finish in the last book.

What do you think Sharpe's Tiger? My first Sharpe read and only read of that series so far. I like the Indian setting, seeing the Napoleonic era from the foot soldiers, the people who fights wars on land. Not just read naval fiction about that historical era. I should read more of the series soon.

In my opinion Abercrombie's writing steadily improves from book to book. Best Served Cold and The Heroes are very different than The First Law trilogy. Best Served Cold is a revenge travelogue, and The Heroes is entirely concerned with the events of a single three day battle. I also have high hopes for Last Arguments of Kings.

Sharpe's Tiger was a fun book. I think I read it in three sittings. Very fast moving, fun story, engaging characters, and solid historical basis. It's the second book of Cornwell's I've read (the first was Azincourt, or Agincourt depending on which version you find, and that was an excellent book). I am excited to read his Saxon Chronicles books. He has an old school, straight-to-the-point style which is a nice change of pace from the more meandering work of most of the current batch of authors. I am also convinced he knows everything about everything.

 

[nomadman]

Just finished Journey into Fear by Eric Ambler, the first of five Ambler books I'm looking to read in the coming weeks. In this one a British weapons-engineer stationed in Turkey at the turn of the Second World War finds himself forced to flee the country after an attempt is made on his life by a professional hitman. That's the plot in a nutshell, though it doesn't begin to describe the terrifying crescendo of emotions this book evokes.

Because much of the story takes place aboard a small passenger ship, Ambler is able to really focus and distill the fear which Graham, the engineer in question, comes to experience once he realizes that the killer is aboard the very ship that is his means of escape. In this cramped and queasy environment with its simmering tensions, mock pleasantries and endless rituals of drinking and card games the book begins to achieve something of a nightmare quality from which it seems escape is impossible. The final, when it comes, is almost heart-stopping in its intensity.

Eric Ambler is often credited as being the grandfather of 20th century thrillers/spy fiction. He was one of Ian Fleming's favorite writers, and there are certainly similarities in both men's writing styles, their focus on inner states of mind and the sorts of doubts and second guesses that paralyze and confound you in the heart of fear. Unlike Fleming's Bond, however, Ambler's main character is a thoroughly ordinary individual put into a horrifying situation through nothing more than the fact that his job makes him a hindrance to the German war effort. Much of the power of this book stems from this emotional disconnection. His killers are professionals with no more interest in him as an individual than a spider has for a fly. There's a stunning lack of empathy present in all but a few of the characters, and that's truly chilling.

 

[Rodders]

Reading Jack Campbell's "The Lost Fleet: Beyond The Frontier: Invincible at the moment.

 

[Connavar]

Just finished Journey into Fear by Eric Ambler, the first of five Ambler books I'm looking to read in the coming weeks. In this one a British weapons-engineer stationed in Turkey at the turn of the Second World War finds himself forced to flee the country after an attempt is made on his life by a professional hitman. That's the plot in a nutshell, though it doesn't begin to describe the terrifying crescendo of emotions this book evokes.

Because much of the story takes place aboard a small passenger ship, Ambler is able to really focus and distill the fear which Graham, the engineer in question, comes to experience once he realizes that the killer is aboard the very ship that is his means of escape. In this cramped and queasy environment with its simmering tensions, mock pleasantries and endless rituals of drinking and card games the book begins to achieve something of a nightmare quality from which it seems escape is impossible. The final, when it comes, is almost heart-stopping in its intensity.

Eric Ambler is often credited as being the grandfather of 20th century thrillers/spy fiction. He was one of Ian Fleming's favorite writers, and there are certainly similarities in both men's writing styles, their focus on inner states of mind and the sorts of doubts and second guesses that paralyze and confound you in the heart of fear. Unlike Fleming's Bond, however, Ambler's main character is a thoroughly ordinary individual put into a horrifying situation through nothing more than the fact that his job makes him a hindrance to the German war effort. Much of the power of this book stems from this emotional disconnection. His killers are professionals with no more interest in him as an individual than a spider has for a fly. There's a stunning lack of empathy present in all but a few of the characters, and that's truly chilling.

Sounds like exactly what a spy fan like me hopes for, i have been looking for comments,thoughts of this author. He sounds like Fleming with John Le Carre character, which i like both the hardcore,larger than life Bond type and the ordinary main character in spooks world like The Spy who Came in from the Cold.

I never knew what this author was famous for, the covers of his spy books looked more Agatha Christie books than spy story.

 

[Vertigo]

Im thinking about right now which i should read first Best Served Cold or The Heroes. I do hope he can repeat the storytelling,characters of First Law.

Right now im wondering if he can finish First Law series well in book 3. Alot of wars,story-lines to finish in the last book.

Sadly I felt the ending of the First Law trilogy was a weak point; all a bit rushed. I felt like he had a tick list of loose ends to tie off and the last few chapters consisted of him going, "That's that one done, and that one, and that one..."

I enjoyed the trilogy but was a little disappointed by the ending.

 

[Connavar]

Sadly I felt the ending of the First Law trilogy was a weak point; all a bit rushed. I felt like he had a tick list of loose ends to tie off and the last few chapters consisted of him going, "That's that one done, and that one, and that one..."

I enjoyed the trilogy but was a little disappointed by the ending.

I see what you mean,i have read 440 pages so of 600 something and the changes of POV between the character groups isnt as smooth as the first 300 or so pages. There is too much he must finish at once in part of Jezal,Bayaz and co in Adua. Not the same thrilling,edge of your seat pace to reading 20 pages of Logen,Dogman and co then suddenly you change to other characters and so on.

Its understandable and still very enjoyable series if he doesn't fail epically with the ending. I havent been able to put down book 2 and book 3. Thats very rare feeling for me with this kind of epic fantasy.

 

[Vertigo]

Oh I certainly wouldn't call the ending a failure. I thoroughly enjoyed the series but just felt the ending to be a little rushed and disappointing. But no more than that.

 

[Jo Zebedee]

£3.99 choice of books in Sainsbury's - King's 11.22.63 or Shades of grey. Choices, choices. I am now the proud owner of - King, of course, and looking forward to it, I've been planning to get round to it for a while...

 

[Juliana]

I had a mixed reaction to that, I loved the academic stuff and the fact it had a realistic description of a special library, very close in type to the one I work in, but I could have done without some of the romance. I'll be interested to read the second one though, the time-travelling aspect could take it in a totally different direction.

Just finished the second book - I thought it was much better than the first; she seems to have got the pacing right this time round so the story doesn't keep stopping and starting like it does in the first book.

 

[Randy M.]

Monday I finished The Grin of the Dark by Ramsey Campbell, a smart, troubling tribute to the power of silent movie comedies underpinned by Campbell's appreciation of the weird, the outre and the Lovecraftian. I was a bit worried, coming off the full-frontal assault of Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian that maybe I was doing Ramsey a disservice by going almost directly into his novel, but no, it holds up just fine.

Next: Dipped into Shadow Show: All-new Stories in Celebration of Ray Bradbury, though I doubt I'll read it cover to cover just now. The first story, Neil Gaiman's "The Man Who Forgot Bradbury," is good and does have a Bradbury tang to it. Margaret Atwood's story is a bit odd, not as textured as I'd have expected, though the satire made me grin a bit. Just started Tim Powers' The Stress of Her Regard last night.


Randy M.

 

[Connavar]

Im reading The Eye of the Cricket by James Sallis

As a novel its much closer to Proust first book about Swann than regular hardboiled PI. There is very non-linear story and he plays so much with chronology,memory of Lew Griffin, confusing sometimes and great writing other times. Other writer would look pretentious but Sallis make it look easy.

 

[j d worthington]

Im reading The Eye of the Cricket by James Sallis

As a novel its much closer to Proust first book about Swann than regular hardboiled PI. There is very non-linear story and he plays so much with chronology,memory of Lew Griffin, confusing sometimes and great writing other times. Other writer would look pretentious but Sallis make it look easy.

I wasn't even aware of this one, and now I'm curious. Sallis also wrote a story about Moorcock's Jerry Cornelius, titled "The Anxiety in the Eyes of the Cricket" (one of my favorite of the non-Moorcock JC stories), originally published in Langdon Jones' anthology The New SF, and I think I may have to look this one up to see if there are any connections....

 

[Connavar]

I wasn't even aware of this one, and now I'm curious. Sallis also wrote a story about Moorcock's Jerry Cornelius, titled "The Anxiety in the Eyes of the Cricket" (one of my favorite of the non-Moorcock JC stories), originally published in Langdon Jones' anthology The New SF, and I think I may have to look this one up to see if there are any connections....

Sallis was a friend of Moorcock in that 60s,70s era when there was important SF anthlogies, he still writes SF criticism. He started as SF author and became poet,poetic PI writer,translator. He is expert review,essays wise i think on french like Raymond Queneau and Proust is referenced often in his fiction.

He has fascinating backround, he is a great writer. Cult writer who feeds on critical acclaim and doesnt sell alot because he is an author interested in exploring characters,memories,other issues more important than plot.

Start with the first book about Lew Griffin, his history,city. The Long Legged Fly. This last book was interesting but weakest in the series because of the other books high quality. He made me almost want to go on Proust,Queneau,other french authors reading spree because of this book....

 

[Extollager]

Yesterday I read Madison Jones's short novel An Exile, a compelling work of rural Southern noir if that is a possible category. A small-town sheriff remarkable for his integrity is picked on by his socially dissatisfied wife and discovers how terribly vulnerable he is to the temptation offered by the daughter of a a cunning and violent moonshiner. It's a downward spiral all the way for Hank Tawes, with plenty of suspense for the reader. The literary quality is high and I have no doubt I'll want to read it again before too long. A great followup to this author's excellent novel A Cry of Silence.

Critic Allan Tate:

"Madison Jones is our Southern Thomas Hardy: his small-town and backwoods characters are Everyman and Everywoman. I find in Sheriff Tawes both the dignity and the human weakness of the Mayor of Casterbridge. The plot of An Exile has a classical simplicity; Mr Jones develops it with great skill. I consider Madison Jones one of the most important contemporary American writers."

 

[Perpetual Man]

Finished Quantum Leap Obsessions by Carol Davis, only a thin little thing (The book not the author), but it's taken me ages to get through it.

And am about to start Mage Guard of Hamor by L E Modesitt Jr.

 

[Lord Soth]

Right, I tried reading Bitter Seeds by Ian Tregillis, but to be brutally honest the plot, character and writing just wasn't good enough and ruined what was a brilliant premise. Quit half way though...

Anyway wanted something a little different and have just finished Caliban's War by James S. A. Corey - its okay, nothing special but i'll pick up the third in the series when it comes out. Anyway back on to my Malazan re-read, I 'think' I may be able to squeeze in Midnight Tides before the new Erikson is released. From memory I believe this was one of my least favourite of the series, but that (for me) still means he is head and shoulders above his peers...

After that, I may start to track down some of the books by the visitors of this forum, Toby Frost, Anne Lyle etc, its only polite afterall

 

[Grunkins]

Finished Sailing to Sarantium by Guy Gavriel Kay last night. He's simply beautiful. He gets my vote for greatest living English language writer.

Tough to follow a Kay book with anything else, but I got a chapter into Bujold's second omnibus, Young Miles.

 

[Rodders]

I just finished The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier: Invincible. I really enjoyed it, although I must confess that I'm glad to see the series wrapped up. Looking forward to reading the Syndics side of things though.

Now on to Calibans War by James S. A. Corey.

 

[purple_kathryn]

Nova War by Gary Gibson

Which is the sequel to Stealing Light

About half way through already and I quite enjoy it

 

[Althain's Warden]

Its been over a year since i last posted here Couldn't get the website past the work firewall, which for some reason has changed again
In that time i've finished reading the Malazan Book of the Fallen which was spectacular ! I've read A Dance with Dragons which left me a touch dissapointed, not a bad book but after 6/7? years of waiting i wanted more.
I've re read all of Abercrombie's work and am still very impressed by him as an author.
About to start Brandon Sanderson's trilogy and after reading his work on A Wheel of Time am pretty excited for what it will bring.
Hope everyone is well and enjoying their reading time !