Just remembered my password...bought a new PC a few weeks back...
I just finished James Clemens' "Banned and The Banished" series and The first book of his "Godslayer Chrons" Shadowfall...I loved 'em.
I'm about 250 pages into Jordan's "Eye of the World"
What fantasy/science fiction book are you reading RIGHT NOW?
Moderator: I'm Murrin
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Luke The Unbeliever
- Elohim
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Brian: Who cured you?
Ex-Leper: Jesus did, sir. I was hopping along, minding my own business, all of a sudden, up he comes, cures me! One minute I'm a leper with a trade, next minute my livelihood's gone. Not so much as a by-your-leave! "You're cured, mate." Bloody do-gooder.
Brian: Well, why don't you go and tell him you want to be a leper again?
Ex-Leper: Uh, I could do that sir, yeah. Yeah, I could do that I suppose. What I was thinking was I was going to ask him if he could make me a bit lame in one leg during the middle of the week. You know, something beggable, but not leprosy, which is a pain in the @$$ to be blunt and excuse my French, sir.
Ex-Leper: Jesus did, sir. I was hopping along, minding my own business, all of a sudden, up he comes, cures me! One minute I'm a leper with a trade, next minute my livelihood's gone. Not so much as a by-your-leave! "You're cured, mate." Bloody do-gooder.
Brian: Well, why don't you go and tell him you want to be a leper again?
Ex-Leper: Uh, I could do that sir, yeah. Yeah, I could do that I suppose. What I was thinking was I was going to ask him if he could make me a bit lame in one leg during the middle of the week. You know, something beggable, but not leprosy, which is a pain in the @$$ to be blunt and excuse my French, sir.
I've now finished The Gunslinger and have started Dark Tower book 2, "The Drawing of the Three".
Loved The Gunslinger. For many reasons, a few are - punchy prose, the myriad of ideas and concepts thrown together and only partially revealed, and an imposing and stolidly charismatic lead character. I forgot how well King does "menacing" and the action in the Gunslinger had me reading just as fast as I could.
Not many authors get me doing that.
I hope the rest of the series can live up to "The Gunslinger"
Loved The Gunslinger. For many reasons, a few are - punchy prose, the myriad of ideas and concepts thrown together and only partially revealed, and an imposing and stolidly charismatic lead character. I forgot how well King does "menacing" and the action in the Gunslinger had me reading just as fast as I could.
Not many authors get me doing that.
I hope the rest of the series can live up to "The Gunslinger"
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CovenantJr
- Lord
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I thought The Drawing of the Three was far superior to The Gunslinger. Unfortunately, that's as far as I've read; Stephen King's writing style gives me a headache.duke wrote:I've now finished The Gunslinger and have started Dark Tower book 2, "The Drawing of the Three".
Loved The Gunslinger. For many reasons, a few are - punchy prose, the myriad of ideas and concepts thrown together and only partially revealed, and an imposing and stolidly charismatic lead character. I forgot how well King does "menacing" and the action in the Gunslinger had me reading just as fast as I could.
Not many authors get me doing that.
I hope the rest of the series can live up to "The Gunslinger"
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I'm Murrin
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Finished Ink by Hal Duncan. The book is good, no doubt about that, but for some reason I didn't feel as engaged as inthe previous volume, and so didn't really get the same satisfaction from seeing it play out. I don't know if it was the book or just me.
I'm now reading Tim Pratt's The Strange Adventures of Rangergirl.
I'm now reading Tim Pratt's The Strange Adventures of Rangergirl.
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Phantasm
- The Gap Into Spam
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Syl wrote:Ok, as I've previously mentioned, I'm re-reading The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe. I've gathered that most here haven't read it, but if you have, please show your support of or dissent to my rant.
Wolfe is a freakin' genius. I cannot currently consider myself skilled, insightful, or even worthy enough to write something of this level. Sure, Donaldson and other such masters have daunted me, but I've never experienced the complete sensation of dread in comparing myself, comparing my works in their utmost fantistical potential, to his writing. The most simple examples of his prose are more brilliantly crafted than the few shining lines of poetry I've slogged out. I've compared Wolfe to James Joyce in the past, but I believe Dylan Thomas might be more appropriate. This is not prose as we know it.
My eyes have been opened in a way they weren't the first time I encountered this work. In the way I've grown and learned in the six years between readings, I realize that it will probably take me another six years at least to fully appreciate New Sun.
I can't compare Wolfe to Donaldson. It is almost literally like comparing night to day. All I can say is that I'm feeling the same amount of awe in this reading as I did the second time I read the chronicles. Both are too intricate and potent to fully sink in at first exposure, but after it gets under your skin...
Fanboy moment over.
I remember reading this years ago, but don't recall too much about the story to be honest. I do remember thinking it was great though.
I might just pop round to my local library on Monday and see if I can pick this up for a re read.
Quote - John Smeaton (Terrorists take note)
"This is Glasgow- we'll just set aboot ye"
"This is Glasgow- we'll just set aboot ye"
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stonemaybe
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Ok, as I've previously mentioned, I'm re-reading The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe. I've gathered that most here haven't read it, but if you have, please show your support of or dissent to my rant.
Wolfe is a freakin' genius. I cannot currently consider myself skilled, insightful, or even worthy enough to write something of this level. Sure, Donaldson and other such masters have daunted me, but I've never experienced the complete sensation of dread in comparing myself, comparing my works in their utmost fantistical potential, to his writing. The most simple examples of his prose are more brilliantly crafted than the few shining lines of poetry I've slogged out. I've compared Wolfe to James Joyce in the past, but I believe Dylan Thomas might be more appropriate. This is not prose as we know it.
My eyes have been opened in a way they weren't the first time I encountered this work. In the way I've grown and learned in the six years between readings, I realize that it will probably take me another six years at least to fully appreciate New Sun.
I can't compare Wolfe to Donaldson. It is almost literally like comparing night to day. All I can say is that I'm feeling the same amount of awe in this reading as I did the second time I read the chronicles. Both are too intricate and potent to fully sink in at first exposure, but after it gets under your skin...
Fanboy moment over.
Wow that's praise! (but are you saying that the Welsh guy is better than the Irish, or just different? 
)Aglithophile and conniptionist and spectacular moonbow beholder 16Jul11
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Hi there,
Joel Shepherd's scifi debut, Crossover, took me by complete surprise last fall. To say that I wasn't expecting to enjoy the novel to such a degree would be quite an understatement. Crossover ended up in my Top 10 of 2006, so I had high hopes for its sequel, Breakaway.
At times a political thriller and at times an action-packed scifi yarn, Breakaway makes for a very satisfying read. My sole complaint would have to do with the relative lack of closure at the end. Okay, so sue me for not wanting to wait to see what happens next!
The Pyr logo continues to be associated with quality reads!
Check the blog for the full review. . .
Patrick
www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com
Joel Shepherd's scifi debut, Crossover, took me by complete surprise last fall. To say that I wasn't expecting to enjoy the novel to such a degree would be quite an understatement. Crossover ended up in my Top 10 of 2006, so I had high hopes for its sequel, Breakaway.
At times a political thriller and at times an action-packed scifi yarn, Breakaway makes for a very satisfying read. My sole complaint would have to do with the relative lack of closure at the end. Okay, so sue me for not wanting to wait to see what happens next!
The Pyr logo continues to be associated with quality reads!
Check the blog for the full review. . .
Patrick
www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com
Took a little detour on the road to the Tower. "The Eyes of the Dragon". A little fairy-tale style fantasy story from King, quite simple and straightforward. I read this once when I was 13 or so. Not really worth reading twice, but since I'm almost finished I'll polish it off.
I've gotta remind myself that I'm reading King, as it doesnt "feel" like a Stephen King novel to me.
I've gotta remind myself that I'm reading King, as it doesnt "feel" like a Stephen King novel to me.
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SothuTheUnfetterdOne.
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Spiral Jacobs
- Giantfriend
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Finished my audio re-read of A Clash Of Kings and started on A Storm Of Swords. Man, there was a lot I didn't remember but it's all coming back to me now. I feel so bad for Tyrion - I remember what's going to happen at the end of this book, but you can feel the frustration building. Can't wait to start on Feast For Crows...
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CovenantJr
- Lord
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Oh dear god. The Book of the New Sun is such hard work.Phantasm wrote:Syl wrote:Ok, as I've previously mentioned, I'm re-reading The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe. I've gathered that most here haven't read it, but if you have, please show your support of or dissent to my rant.
Wolfe is a freakin' genius. I cannot currently consider myself skilled, insightful, or even worthy enough to write something of this level. Sure, Donaldson and other such masters have daunted me, but I've never experienced the complete sensation of dread in comparing myself, comparing my works in their utmost fantistical potential, to his writing. The most simple examples of his prose are more brilliantly crafted than the few shining lines of poetry I've slogged out. I've compared Wolfe to James Joyce in the past, but I believe Dylan Thomas might be more appropriate. This is not prose as we know it.
My eyes have been opened in a way they weren't the first time I encountered this work. In the way I've grown and learned in the six years between readings, I realize that it will probably take me another six years at least to fully appreciate New Sun.
I can't compare Wolfe to Donaldson. It is almost literally like comparing night to day. All I can say is that I'm feeling the same amount of awe in this reading as I did the second time I read the chronicles. Both are too intricate and potent to fully sink in at first exposure, but after it gets under your skin...
Fanboy moment over.
I remember reading this years ago, but don't recall too much about the story to be honest. I do remember thinking it was great though.
I might just pop round to my local library on Monday and see if I can pick this up for a re read.
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stonemaybe
- The Gap Into Spam
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- Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2006 9:37 am
- Location: Wallowing in the Zider Zee
Ashok K. Banker's 2nd Ramayana novel - 'The Siege of Mithila'.
Enjoying it quite a bit. Maybe I've got used to his writing, but there doesn't seem to be as many frustrating "He strange-hindu-verbed his strange-hindu-noun" as in the first one, 'Prince of Arodhya'.
It is, as described on the cover, 'A refreshing change from generic fantasyland'.
And I've also learnt something Donaldsonian that I didn't know before (but have searched in KW for and someone commented on it back in 2002), which is the meaning of Samadhi...
Enjoying it quite a bit. Maybe I've got used to his writing, but there doesn't seem to be as many frustrating "He strange-hindu-verbed his strange-hindu-noun" as in the first one, 'Prince of Arodhya'.
It is, as described on the cover, 'A refreshing change from generic fantasyland'.
And I've also learnt something Donaldsonian that I didn't know before (but have searched in KW for and someone commented on it back in 2002), which is the meaning of Samadhi...
Rama spoke. 'Guru-dev, by your admission, the maharishi took samadhi. Is that not the same as leaving the mortal plane?'
'Nearly so, Rama. Yet not quite. Samadhi is the ultimate penance. A total surrendering of one's physical body in order to immerse oneself completely in the flow of brahman. When a mortal undertakes it, it is equivalent to fasting unto death. But the Seven Seers may sustain themselves on brahman itself, eschewing mortal necessities such as food and air indefinitely. Gautama remains alive within.....
Aglithophile and conniptionist and spectacular moonbow beholder 16Jul11
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Hi!
Just finished Ian McDonald's Brasyl and it blew my mind! Even better than River of Gods, which, for me, is saying something!
Hands down one of the best SFF novels of the year!
Check the blog for the full review...
Patrick
www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com
Just finished Ian McDonald's Brasyl and it blew my mind! Even better than River of Gods, which, for me, is saying something!
Hands down one of the best SFF novels of the year!
Check the blog for the full review...
Patrick
www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com
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Spiral Jacobs
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Worm of Despite
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Avatar
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I'm reading Philip K Dick's Radio Free Albemuth. It's pretty weird, as it seems to be written from the first-person perspective of the author.
As if it were really autobiographical. Correct time period (late 50's - early 60's so far), the narrator is a full-time sci-fi writer, and references books that P.K Dick has written.
Very odd.
--A
As if it were really autobiographical. Correct time period (late 50's - early 60's so far), the narrator is a full-time sci-fi writer, and references books that P.K Dick has written.
Very odd.
--A