What fantasy/science fiction book are you reading RIGHT NOW?

[Hiro]

Children of Time, Adrian Tchaikovsky

[Avatar]

Since I just read the Void trilogy, that pushed me to Hamilton's Reality Dysfunction.

--A

[Avatar]

The Neutronium Alchemist, book 2 of the Nights Dawn trilogy.

--A

[StevieG]

Picked up a nice little stash from a school fair - all these books for $5!!

Pandora's Star - Peter F Hamilton
Excession - Iain M Banks
The Many Coloured Land - Julian May
Dead Air - Iain Banks
The War of the Worlds - HG Wells
Anvil of Stars - Greg Bear
Revelation Space - Alastair Reynolds
To Your Scattered Bodies Go - Philip Jose Farmer
Neverness - David Zindell
The Long Dark Tea-time of The Soul - Douglas Adams

I can't believe I found such treasure at a school fair!

Currently reading Anvil of Stars, which is a sequel to Forge of God. Intense, and technical - not entirely my cup of tea, but still very interesting.

[Fist and Faith]

That's amazing! What a great find!

[wayfriend]

Pandora's Star - Peter F Hamilton
Excession - Iain M Banks
The Many Coloured Land - Julian May
Dead Air - Iain Banks
The War of the Worlds - HG Wells
Anvil of Stars - Greg Bear
Revelation Space - Alastair Reynolds
To Your Scattered Bodies Go - Philip Jose Farmer
Neverness - David Zindell
The Long Dark Tea-time of The Soul - Douglas Adams

I have read 8 of those 10. Only Revelation Space was disappointing (to me). If you haven't read any of those, you are in for a long treat. 4 of those begin great serieses.

[StevieG]

I've been trying to find Neverness locally for a long time (I have never read Zindell) - never found it, so I was very pleased to stumble across it ... That's the way it goes isn't it - stumble across something that you've specifically sought elsewhere, and then when you're not actually looking for it...

[wayfriend]

Since I just read the Void trilogy, that pushed me to Hamilton's Reality Dysfunction.

What did you think of the Void trilogy? Hamilton has series that begin with a great premise, take you on a great ride, and then kind of dump you in wtf-land. Not that it's not worth reading, just that you wish it ended better. Oddly, this is true of both Void and Night's Dawn. The one you missed, which is my favorite Hamilton series, is the one which avoids this problem, and which ends quite well - Pandora's Star+Judas Unchained. Which Void is actually a spin-off from. I would look that up if you like his writing and his mileau.

That's the way it goes isn't it

Absolutely. The best things are the things you didn't expect, but always hoped you'd find.

[Orlion]

Finished Oathbringer by Brandon Sanderson. Will update when I finish other books!

[Avatar]

What did you think of the Void trilogy? Hamilton has series that begin with a great premise, take you on a great ride, and then kind of dump you in wtf-land. Not that it's not worth reading, just that you wish it ended better. Oddly, this is true of both Void and Night's Dawn.

I find it worse in Nights Dawn than the Void, but yeah, overall good, but a bit let down by the endings. Lot of potential in both, just not really realised all that well in general I feel.

Of course, my real problem with Night's Dawn is well documented...

Spoiler

THE GHOST OF AL CAPONE! WTF?

Otherwise, I mostly enjoy the books, those big sweeping and convoluted epics are fun for me. I've seen Pandora's Star etc. around. Will certainly pick it up at some point.

I did like the whole Waterwalker storyline in the Void books, once I figured out its "chronology" and it was interesting to see how that worked out.

But as with the ND books, it feels like an annoying amount of Deus ex machina is standard in his books.

--A

[wayfriend]

(The first pages of Pandora's Star are available on-line. Anyone who reads the seven page prologue will be hooked. 50 Page Fridays: Peter F. Hamilton)

[Vraith]

I mostly enjoy the books, those big sweeping and convoluted epics are fun for me.


it feels like an annoying amount of Deus ex machina is standard in his books.

--A

yea, on those things.
My position on him has evolved to:

Roughly speaking, enjoy him, but don't respect him.

[[that's not entirely true, but fun to say...even if it IS too Deus, weaving the complicated webs he does is fucking HARD...and unlike "Wheel of Time," for example, at least his characters don't just say variations of the same shit over and over, twenty or infinitely many times per book]]

[Avatar]

Yeah, as I've said before, if your world building is good, I'm generally not too critical. But sometimes there are things that bother me.

About halfway through book 2. Once I finish this series I'll have to re-read Seven Suns, and by then the sequel series to that should have arrived.

--A

[Skyweir]

StevieG I enjoyed Neverness and enjoyed all Julian May.

[StevieG]

I'm thinking I might have a crack at Neverness after Anvil of Stars.

[Horrim Carabal]

The Long Dark Tea-time of The Soul - Douglas Adams

It's weird how "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency" is awful but "The Long Dark Tea-Time Of The Soul" is fantastic.

[Skyweir]

Its so often the case, not all books translate that well to telly. Zindell has written a few nice series. Definitely worth checking ng out.

[Skyweir]

Actually Stevie G have you read many Aussie scifi fantasy works, there are some worthwhile works Canavan, Garth Nix, that woman that wrote with Feist. whatever her name is .. shes really good.

Caravan has a crap editor .. great worlds but you have to grimace through typos and odd grammar. Otherwise, worth a read

[Fist and Faith]

I'm thinking I might have a crack at Neverness after Anvil of Stars.

I love me some Neverness!!!!

[Avatar]

It's weird how "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency" is awful but "The Long Dark Tea-Time Of The Soul" is fantastic.

You mean the book is awful? I didn't think it was that bad...

...that woman that wrote with Feist. whatever her name is .. shes really good.

Janny Wurts. Never read any of her standalone stuff, just the (brilliant) Empire books she wrote with Feist.

--A