Kevin's Watch

The Princess Bride by William Goldman.

1/3 of the way through now.
Loved the film when I was a kid (saw it at the cinema too), but the book has got loads more fun and games in it!

Just started The Thousandfold Thought (finished re-reading the first two books).

Just finished up with Neil Gaiman - American Gods (brilliant), Neverwhere (enjoyed very much but lacked the depth and history that i wanted!), and Anansi Boys (great, not sure about the ending)

Now, after lots of long hard thought, I've decided to take the plunge and see what all the fuss was about - just started The Da Vinci Code.

I am re-reading "Drawing of the Three".

The Da Vinci Code is pretty much just page fodder. Nice book, but nothing worth the fuss. If you want to try a more involved book in the same line, read Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco.

--A

Just finished Ted Chiang's "Stories of Yourself and Others". An excellent thought provoking collection of short stories. Very cerebral stuff! I recommend it highly.

Don't know if it qualifies as fantasy but I'm reading a fictionalized account of Alexander the Great's campaign in Afghanistan told from a soldier's point of view. The book is written by "Gates of Fire" author Steven Pressfield and is aptly titled "The Afghan Campaign".

I have "Harrowing the Dragon" by Patricia McKillip in my backpack, but I haven't yet started reading it. I discovered that our library has many of her books, so I'm working my way through 'em. Good stuff -- SRD was right! I *really* liked "Song for the Basilisk".

Just finished homecoming series by orson scott card.

Pratchett's Thud.

--A

And today I'm reading Feist's Krondor: The Assassins.

(See, a new book lasts me a day or two, tops. )

--A

Finished Look To Windward (great book, by the way) and my audio re-read of A Game Of Thrones. So I started a paper re-read of Excession and an audio re-read of A Clash Of Kings. I still like Martin, though I must say he's much too focused on what people are wearing. Not every person's description needs to start with the colour of doublet they're wearing, come on.
But the ending of A Game Of Thrones is fantastic.

Oh and I just received word that Latro In The Mist is on its way, yay!

I just finished Steven Erikson's Reaper's Gale, and it should rank among this year's best fantasy books, if not the very best of the bunch!

One word of advice, though: Expect the unexpected! This one is packed with surprises!

Check out the blog for a spoiler-free review...

Patrick
www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com

Aargh I can't wait for that book! I'm expecting an awesome Rhulad vs Karsa Rumble in the Jungle of Lether.

Just finished the da vinci code. Glad I read it. Won't shout about it!

Just started (and am already halfway through!) The Real Story. I'm a Gap virgin - so hopefully I've got an exciting month or so ahead of me!

Avatar wrote:Pratchett's Thud.

--A

Quite good, although I'm a bit Pratchetted out.

Spiral Jacobs wrote:Finished Look To Windward (great book, by the way) and my audio re-read of A Game Of Thrones. So I started a paper re-read of Excession and an audio re-read of A Clash Of Kings. I still like Martin, though I must say he's much too focused on what people are wearing. Not every person's description needs to start with the colour of doublet they're wearing, come on.
But the ending of A Game Of Thrones is fantastic.

Oh and I just received word that Latro In The Mist is on its way, yay!

Look to Windward - superb.

I used to use "O you who turn the wheel and look to windward, consider Phlebus, who was once handsome and tall as you." as a signature on a forum I belonged to.

OK, that was from another book, but still relevant.

Currently reading "Guardians of the lost", book 2 in the sovereign stone trilogy by Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman.

I enjoyed the Dragonlance series years ago, and was at a loss for something to read lately, and picked up the first book in the series at the library recently.

Not mind bogglingly fantastic, but enjoyable reading nevertheless.

Phantasm wrote:

Avatar wrote:Pratchett's Thud.

--A

Quite good, although I'm a bit Pratchetted out.

Nice to see you around Phantasm. I enjoyed it, but it wasn't among his best. Certainly not as good as Night Watch. About the same level as 5th Elephant IMO.

--A

Just finished up reading Shadowplay, major disappointment, i enjoyed Shadowmarch so much more. Will probably start working on the Legend of Drizzt stuff, really like Salvatore, so stoked for the Orc King in the fall.

Phantasm wrote:
Look to Windward - superb.

I used to use "O you who turn the wheel and look to windward, consider Phlebus, who was once handsome and tall as you." as a signature on a forum I belonged to.

OK, that was from another book, but still relevant.

That quote made me think that maybe Banks won't be writing any more Culture novels, as it's at the beginning of Consider Phlebas as well. I had thought that they could go on indefinitely, as he can practically come up with any premise and insert Special Circumstances as appropriate, though he might feel he was reworking an old idea. Certainly, The Algebraist was very good indeed, so maybe it is time to put the Culture down for a bit.

I've been dipping into Bill King's first Gotrek and Felix omnibus for a while now. I remember loving the extracts from these stories when they were published in White Dwarf about twelve years ago. They do lack depth, but it's nice to get reacquainted with the Empire of Man which, unusually for Fantasy I think, is outwardly Germanic. Gotrek and Felix themselves are steeped in cliche, but likeable nonetheless and the cowardly Grey Seer Thanquol is a lot of fun. Where King was bound to a certain extent to what had previously been written about the Empire, it seems like he was able to let his imagination run wild with the Skaven. He fleshes out their underworld of power, intrigue, invention and cowardice very well and with wry humour evident throughout (a Skaven leader's "position of honour" in the rear of any troop formation still makes me chuckle).