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

Post by **[Syl]** » Tue Apr 28, 2015 11:43 pm

Promise of Blood by Brian McClellan. I was looking at the new books in my local library and the last book in the trilogy caught my eye. Actually, it was the cheesy byline (like the one on this cover: "The age of kings is dead... and I have killed it.". Found the first one in the library and gave it a once over. The premise sounded interesting.

It's not bad. Not great literature, but entertaining.

Post by **Avatar** » Fri May 08, 2015 4:37 am

Blood and Bone, Esselmont.

--A

Post by **ussusimiel** » Fri May 08, 2015 6:50 pm

Halfways through Memories of Ice and I'm finally beginning to warm up to this series. At last, we got some of the Bridgeburners' backstory, which helped me a lot. It crystallised something that I hadn't realised up 'til now; there are no 'ordinary' people in these tales. That has been one of my consistent criticisms, that I can't warm to any of the characters. Now I understand why because there aren't any 'human' ones as I was expecting.

I'm also finally coming to terms with the endless magic in the books and the multitude of immortals, ascended, gods, elder gods, demons etc.

Spoiler

The fantasy world being formed of the very body of a god.

Phew, two and a half books before there was some relief. Erikson certainly doesn't mind testing his readers!

u.

[EDIT: to fix typo.]

Post by **Avatar** » Mon May 11, 2015 5:55 am

MoI gets pretty intense. But I disagree that there are no ordinary characters...on the contrary, I think the point is that so many of them are actually ordinary. Well...for a given value of ordinary anyway...

--A

Post by **Holsety** » Tue May 12, 2015 2:00 am

I'm reading Ancillary Justice because I saw it recommended here. I'm pretty pleased with it. I may not be following it well enough though, because I haven't been able to detect anything of major significance arising from the narrator's difficulty with detecting gender (except that this difficulty sometimes draws attention to him/her/it).

I'm also reading Cherryh's Alliance Space omnibus. I finished the first book included, Merchanter's Luck, which I have absolutely no doubt was an influence for Donaldson when he wrote The Real Story. There are a few things I didn't get about it which I don't think will be resolved (because so far the books in this setting are fairly self-contained), but I still thought it was a great read. I'm now working on the other book, 40,000 in Gehenna. I have high expectations because the narrators so far all seem to promise fairly interesting stories.

Post by **Fist and Faith** » Tue May 12, 2015 2:05 am

I thought the whole gender thing in Ancillary was silly. It didn't add anything to the story for me.

Post by **Orlion** » Tue May 12, 2015 2:12 am

Ultimately, the treatment of gender by the narrator is indicative of the AI and the culture she came from. It's also an excuse to use "she" as a generic pronoun instead of "he" and not have grammar obsessed morons moan about it.

So, it's character development and setting... not so much plot related.

Post by **Avatar** » Thu May 14, 2015 4:51 am

Assail, and my complete read of the Malazan Book of the Fallen, and the Tales of the Malazan Empire draws to a close.

--A

Post by **I'm Murrin** » Thu May 14, 2015 6:10 am

Up to Feet of Clay on the Pratchett audiobooks, and reading Kelly Link's collection Get in Trouble.

YouTube · Post by **Menolly** » Mon May 18, 2015 6:51 pm

Having finished my reread and the two newest in the Mercy Thompson and the Alpha and Omega series, I am starting the first in the new dualogy of the ongoing Pipe Woman series by Lynn Cantwell.

Dragon's Web: Book One of the Pipe Woman's Legacy

Post by **Sorus** » Mon May 18, 2015 8:18 pm

I am 90% done with Ancillary Justice, and my friendly neighborhood bookstore is out of the next book. I'm trying to support them instead of using my Kindle because there aren't many bookstores left in this city, and when Borderlands almost went under earlier this year I felt guilty because I haven't given them a whole lot of support lately.

I miss working in a bookstore.

Post by **SoulBiter** » Wed May 20, 2015 1:05 am

Full re-read started this week. Its been a number of years since Ive read through these so I thought I would go back and re-read. 3/4 through the first one and I remember why I love this story so much.

Lord Fouls Bane

Post by **Avatar** » Wed May 20, 2015 5:12 am

The Graveyard Book, Neil Gaiman.

--A

Post by **Avatar** » Thu May 21, 2015 5:08 am

The Ocean At The End Of The Lane, Neil Gaiman.

--A

Post by **Sorus** » Thu May 21, 2015 7:12 pm

Just started Ancillary Sword.

Post by **I'm Murrin** » Thu May 21, 2015 7:53 pm

Started listening to The Hogfather. A little odd, because I already know the plot from the TV adaptation, but I'm only remembering it as I go.

Post by **Avatar** » Fri May 22, 2015 5:03 am

Smoke and Mirrors, ending my little Gaiman jag for now.

--A

Post by **DrPaul** » Fri May 22, 2015 10:03 am

Just finished MaddAddam by Margaret Atwood, thereby completing her speculative fiction trilogy.

Post by **ussusimiel** » Sat May 23, 2015 7:51 pm

Finished Memories of Ice and really enjoyed it. I finally felt that I got a grip on the scope and scale of the series.

Spoiler

Typically, I was just getting to know and like Whiskeyjack and Erikson goes and kills him off. Either GRRM or SRD has a lot to answer for!

I'll take a bit of a break from the series for a while and then I'll get House of Chains.

u.

Post by **Fist and Faith** » Sun May 24, 2015 12:09 am

Memories of Ice...

Memories of Ice...

Memories of Ice...

Memories of Ice...

Memories of Ice...

Memories of Ice...

I get shivers just chanting the title. MoI is my favorite of all of them. But each of the ten is the favorite of many, and deservedly so. Each is incredible in its own way. Such an amazing series. IIRC, House of Chains is Av's favorite.

Kevin's Watch

Kevin's Watch

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