December 2017: Reading thread

[kythe]

I hope Dracula picks up. It got interesting when the guy was held captive in the castle but then got boring with all the letters back and forth. Nice to see mention of Whitby tho (although I couldn't understand a word the old guy was talking about!)

I found the story of Dracula captivating, but the pacing is rather stop-and-start. I think the descriptions of communication and places are so lengthy because it is so old. It wasn't "made for movie", or for an audience who can easily Google background information or places if they wanted to.

I don't know if that is the real reason for the pacing, that is just my idea. I found both Frankenstein and Dracula to have far more description than what is necessary to tell the story.

 

[Victoria Silverwolf]

I haven't read that one. I'll be interested in hearing what you think.

So far it's quite intense. Basic plot: Man driven insane with grief by the death of the woman he loves tracks down the men he blames (for a completely irrational reason) and kills the person each one loves the most. I'm up to the second "rendezvous" (each murder given that name in the chapter headings) and that section could stand alone as a brilliant suspense story. As the murders continue, they are investigated by a seemingly inept policeman who turns out to have a knack for noticing important little details -- shades of Lieutenant Columbo!

 

[Fedos]

I just finished The Magician's Nephew the first book in The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis. I found the book a wonderful Christian allegory detailing the beginnings of the world of Narnia and how that world is tied to this one. It was interesting to pick up on the Christian symbolism weaved into the heart of the tale; and as someone who aspires to be a Christian author I suppose you can't go wrong with Lewis. Now I'm on to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

 

[Thomas Storm]

I would recommend Steven Erikson's epic military fantasy series Malazan Book of the Fallen starting with Gardens of the Moon. Be aware that some people find it a difficult read because of the way Erikson thrusts you into the middle of things without any real explanation, but as you persist in your reading the answers will come. I personally had no trouble with this technique and Eriskon is currently right now unrivaled in my reading heart. It's a ten book series so that gives you plenty of reading with several sub series (Tales of Bauchlain and Korbal Brouch and his co-writer Ian Cameron Esselmont's Novels of the Malazan Empire which is six books). In whatever direction you decide to go, happy reading!

Thanks for the suggestion! Weirdly enough I think I have a copy of Gardens of the Moon lying around somewhere and just never got around to it, but maybe this is a sign. Have a great weekend and happy reading.

 

[Danny McG]

This morning I'm making a start on Confessor by John Gardner.

I think it's the last of his Herbie Kruger spy stories (or maybe not, can't be bothered checking )

 

[HareBrain]

Just started Never Had It So Good, Dominic Sandbrook's popular history of Britain 1956-1963. Quite comforting, in a way, to know that our governments have always been terrible.

 

[Steve S]

Reading Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco - a complex, challenging read but I am enjoying it so far

 

[tobl]

Sigh! Yea, I was a part of that conversation. (Or did I just lurk?) anyway that doesn't fill me with joy. I believe that there are 3 more books planned before the "Safeholdians" move out into space and eventually take on the Gbaba, which is the story I'd like to read. ---- in at least half the size book that Weber is now putting out. My son's words keep ringing in my ears.... "What are you reading? A dictionary?"

yeah, but.... look The name of the wind and the wiseman's fear are enormous books but they are brilliant. size doesn't matter.... cof cof

 

[williamjm]

I finished Max Gladstone's Four Roads Cross. I thought it was a good book, bringing together the various plot threads from the previous four Craft Cycle books (although given the series' odd chronology it's still set before the third book). The pacing did get a little bit interrupted when the protagonist had to fly to the opposite side of the continent to meet up with the characters from Two Serpents Rise. I thought it came to a strong conclusion, Gladstone does seem to like the slow build-up to a confrontation in the final part of the story. I'm interested in seeing where the series goes from here.

I've now started Ian Esslemont's Deadhouse Landing, which is entertaining so far. Plenty of familiar names from the (chronologically) later Malazan books. Plot is relatively slow at the moment, but the Malazan books like the build up to a final confrontation even more than Gladstone does, so I'm sure that will change.

 

[The Big Peat]

I've recently finished reading Mythago Wood by Robert Holdstock. Great story with some fascinating ideas that deserved to be more influential on the genre than they probably are. It suffers slightly for a change of tone and focus about halfway through but not enough to dent my enthusiasm for it.


I'm now currently alternating between Jade City by Fonda Lee and Snakewood by Adrian Selby. I'm not enjoying either as whole heartedly as I like, which is a shame as there's a lot of awesome ideas and moments in both. To a certain extent, I think both books are trying to do too much too quick - they each cover a tremendous range of ground in terms of characters and world building. Lee's explanations are a little too frequent and artless; Selby seems more of the Malazan "They'll figure it out" school. Which is a tad annoying because while it is making sense, I suspect showing more of how the world works would have been really interesting.

But I think that with time I'll get sucked into both properly.

But I might just go and read Small Gods before I do.

 

[hitmouse]

I just finished The Magician's Nephew the first book in The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis. I found the book a wonderful Christian allegory detailing the beginnings of the world of Narnia and how that world is tied to this one. It was interesting to pick up on the Christian symbolism weaved into the heart of the tale; and as someone who aspires to be a Christian author I suppose you can't go wrong with Lewis. Now I'm on to The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

I think this has been my favourite Narnia since I was little. Genuinely creepy in places. I have never really thought of it as Christian allegory, unlike the sometimes rather leaden allegory and sanctimoniousness found in some of the other books.

 

[Paul_C]

Reading Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco - a complex, challenging read but I am enjoying it so far

I read it ages ago. I remember enjoying it to begin with and getting bored by the end, but I still have it so I ought to give it another read and see what I make of it now.

Last night I finished Little Green Men - Peter Cawdron, picked up when there were a lot of free downloads a little while ago. I really liked it and for once it didn't build slowly and rush to a conclusion

 

[hitmouse]

I read it ages ago. I remember enjoying it to begin with and getting bored by the end, but I still have it so I ought to give it another read and see what I make of it now.

I remember getting progressively frustrated and annoyed with this, and coming away with the feeling that it was bloated and self-indulgent.

 

[Vertigo]

Sigh! Yea, I was a part of that conversation. (Or did I just lurk?) anyway that doesn't fill me with joy. I believe that there are 3 more books planned before the "Safeholdians" move out into space and eventually take on the Gbaba, which is the story I'd like to read. ---- in at least half the size book that Weber is now putting out. My son's words keep ringing in my ears.... "What are you reading? A dictionary?"

Five before they get into space I'm afraid!

 

[Vertigo]

The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell - almost my favourite book of the year and probably would have been if it hadn't lost its way a couple of times. More here.

 

[AE35Unit]

I found the story of Dracula captivating, but the pacing is rather stop-and-start. I think the descriptions of communication and places are so lengthy because it is so old. It wasn't "made for movie", or for an audience who can easily Google background information or places if they wanted to.

I don't know if that is the real reason for the pacing, that is just my idea. I found both Frankenstein and Dracula to have far more description than what is necessary to tell the story.

Stoker was no poet thats for sure! Still it has its moments ..

 

[Perpetual Man]

I've finished The Road to Dune, which was a lot better than I thought it was going to be. Review here

Next I return to the comics.

 

[Fedos]

I just completed reading The Dark Eidolon and Other Fantasies by Clark Ashton Smith, a collection of short stories and poems put together by ST Joshi. I must say, I was very much enthralled with the writing of Smith throughout, and as I did with a previous collection of his--The Return of the Sorcerer--I found him to be a very capable dark fantasist of the highest order. In fact, I'd say he's right up there with HP Lovecraft for me in terms of evoking that sense of the unknown and ultimate dread, and I'm very happy I stumbled upon him by way of Lovecraft.

Next up I will continue journeying down the Clark Ashton Smith lane with The End of the Story, Collected Fantasies Volume One in an effort to read the complete collection of his tales.

 

[The Big Peat]

Finished Jade City. Got sucked into wanting to see how the plot ended. But, at the end of things, it just felt a little unsatisfying. One of those dishes that promises great things but the depth of flavour never really arrives. Too many characters, too many events, in too short a period.

I also think the book suffers for there being no real dilemmas. The characters face troubles and events force their hands. As such, we get no real sense of them losing things or succeeding.

I liked Jade City. I think I recommend it. I'm not sure I'm looking forwards to the next one though, if that makes sense.

 

[Randy M.]

So far it's quite intense. Basic plot: Man driven insane with grief by the death of the woman he loves tracks down the men he blames (for a completely irrational reason) and kills the person each one loves the most. I'm up to the second "rendezvous" (each murder given that name in the chapter headings) and that section could stand alone as a brilliant suspense story. As the murders continue, they are investigated by a seemingly inept policeman who turns out to have a knack for noticing important little details -- shades of Lieutenant Columbo!

Your summary reminded me that l've heard Rendezvous in Black was a variation on Woolrich's better known first novel, The Bride Wore Black. Have you read much Woolrich? He has a knack for set pieces in his novels that are in and of themselves terrifically suspenseful no matter how illogical -- one scene on a landing for an el train in The Phantom Lady and, even moreso, a scene of a young girl going to the store for her father's dinner in Black Alibi are extraordinarily tense. There's a nightmarish quality to quite a bit of his work.

Randy M.