Kevin's Watch

You are most welcome. I thought you would enjoy that book. For those who do not know, a large portion of it is set in one of the locations where Danlo and my family and I traveled together for Elohimfest - Canyon de Chelly National Park in Arizona. That is a lovely place, in the Navajo Reservation, which in turn straddles northern Arizona and New Mexico. Spider Rock, the real life Kevin's Watch, is located there. When Zelazny wrote the book he travelled through the park to get his descriptions as accurate as he humanly could.

I have finished Lord Dunsany's King of Elfland's Daughter, which was a lovely little book. I am now dithering as to whether begin Bank's The Algebraist, Kay's Song of Arbonne, or Erikson's Gardens of the Moon.

Read Banks first.

--A

Actually, I am. I started reading The Algebraist this morning. So far Ilike it a lot. It is science fiction, but is not part of his Culture series. I am only a chapter in, but it looks like it will have a labyrithian plot, super cool aliens, and some great space opera aspects to it.

He's almost always excellent, Culture or not. Two of my favourites by him are not Culture books at all, Feersum Endjinn and Against a Dark Background.

But the Culture ones are excellent too.

--A

Avatar wrote:He's almost always excellent, Culture or not. Two of my favourites by him are not Culture books at all, Feersum Endjinn and Against a Dark Background.

I love AADB.

I've finished Erikson's The Bonehunters. He gets better with each book. Bring on the Gale.

Loremaster wrote:I love AADB.

The solipsist mercenaries with their psychadelic camo. Priceless.

--A

Sundiver - David Brin.

dANdeLION wrote:Sundiver - David Brin.

Very very very good book.

Hi guys!

I have just finished reading Naomi Novik's Temeraire/His Majesty's Dragon. In this very auspicious debut, Naomi Novik has found a new twist to the eternal dragon story. And she did it with style! Although expectations were high, His Majesty's Dragon was a terrific joyride! Honestly, I was impressed with the author and her creation. In a market where dark and gritty fantasy epics are the norm, Novik has brought some fun back into the genre.

Weighing in at 342 pages, His Majesty's Dragon is a relatively short novel. Novik sets a brisk pace, and you may find yourself going through this book in just a few sittings. But don't let its size deter you. There is not a dull moment in this book, which makes for a very pleasant read.

His Majesty's Dragon is fun and unmistakably original. Moreover, the fact that it's accessible to readers of all ages -- newcomers to the genre and aficionados alike -- makes this book a little gem worth discovering.

Don't expect this novel to challenge you the way works by R. Scott Bakker, Steven Erikson or Kim Stanley Robinson would. This is pure, unadulterated fun! And as such, I think that Naomi Novik provides a much-needed breath of fresh air in a genre which has grown rather dark and violent. Not that I don't enjoy such books/series, but His Majesty's Dragon is a welcome change from that trend.

Give it a shot! You can read the full review on the blog. . .

I'm interested to see if other readers have enjoyed this one as much as I have.

Patrick
www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com

Just finishing up Lord Foul's Bane, the first book in a trilogy of series by this awesome author Stephen R Donaldson. I definitely recommend it!

now, onward to The Illearth War!

Murrin wrote:I've finished Erikson's The Bonehunters. He gets better with each book. Bring on the Gale.

WHAT???? where did you get it??? i hate you.

Air by Geoff Ryman. Winner of the 2005 Triptree award www.triptree.org , nominated for a Hugo award. Over half way through.

Loremaster wrote:It was an excellent series, I will add. I just had major problems with Joshua Calvert as a character.

I'm not a big fan of Calvert I must say, largely due to Hamilton's rather childish approach to sex. I much prefer Syrinx as a character, though it's only a matter of time before she and Joshua shag I'm sure. /yawn

Agreed. And I couldn't believe they killed off that rogue scientist - what's his name? - at the start; he was probably the most intersting character in the series.

Lucimay wrote:

Murrin wrote:I've finished Erikson's The Bonehunters. He gets better with each book. Bring on the Gale.

WHAT???? where did you get it??? i hate you.

Came out in the UK on March 1st. If you want to get it, it can be ordered from Amazon.co.uk. (Comes out in Canada the end of April, I think, and in the US sometime in 2007/8.)

Luci, the Europeans are several books ahead of us in the Erikson series, even though he is Canadian. One of the reasons I've been sort of holding off on starting that series...I keep hoping they will start releasing his books quickly here and letting us catch up. However, Gardens of the Moon has worked its way up to nearly the top of my TBR pile, so I might break down and start it soon. If I like it I might have to head over the River to Canada on a buying expedition.

Right now I am reading a Star Wars book. I had two Star Wars books hidden in the basement from my son, but he found them and insisted I read them next so that he can make off with them. This is the first of two closely related books by Timothy Zahn, called Survivor's Quest. It is set many years after the events of Return of the Jedi. Luke and

Spoiler

his Jedi wife Mara

have been called to the far ends of the galaxy to investigate the wreck of a huge Jedi colony ship from the days of the Old Republic. Now, there are many new factions/governments in the galaxy other than the New Republic, and many of them have also sent representatives on this mission. The Jedi can sense that there is weirdness/offness going on, but cannot pinpoint what it is, or whom is causing it. They are also sure that the Force itself wants them to go on this mission...

The second book, called Outbound Flight will be the next book I read. It is the second book in this two book series/duology/grouping by Zahn. It is set in the days of the Old Republic and tells the story of the aforementioned Jedi colony ship.

I did finish the Iain Banks book, The Algebraist yesterday, and I thought it was very good. Banks's imagination blows me away. He already has one wonderfully developed world (well, galaxy) in his Culture books. Here is another, completely different, and equally well imagined. Fantastic stuff. Banks is one hell of a writer, and I do so wish his books were more readily availble in this country!

duchess of malfi wrote:I did finish the Iain Banks book, The Algebraist yesterday, and I thought it was very good. Banks's imagination blows me away. He already has one wonderfully developed world (well, galaxy) in his Culture books. Here is another, completely different, and equally well imagined. Fantastic stuff. Banks is one hell of a writer, and I do so wish his books were more readily availble in this country!

Well said!

Loremaster wrote:

dANdeLION wrote:Sundiver - David Brin.

Very very very good book.

I don't know about that; it seems to skip a bit like a bad cd. I will finish it, and maybe next time I read it, it'll flow better for me. Oh, and it seems quite obvious to me who the antagonist is, even though I think Brin is trying to make it a surprise. So far, I still think Startide Rising is the high point of this series. Hopefully, the 2nd half of Sundiver will be better.

I'm rereading Wheel of Time...

I begged it not to make me... to spare me from it's meaningless and useless story line... but it took hold of me, and forced me to read it's crappy lines.