Kevin's Watch

I've only read...Ghost Dancer? Something like that...Neandertal type story IIRC.

--A

Hi there,

I just finished Steven Erikson's newest novella, the third volume in A Tale of Beauchelain and Korbal Broach. In terms of chronology, The Lees of Laughter's End occurs in between Blood Follows and The Healthy Dead, but I'm told that each reads as a stand-alone.

This was my first experience with Erikson's short fiction, and this novella proved to be an hilarious Malazan interlude. We follow the misadventures of the two necromancers introduced in Memories of Ice, as well as those of their poor manservant Emancipor Reese, along with the rest of the hapless crew aboard the Suncurl.

Although the author drops a few hints pertaining to the Malazan series, this novella is, for the most part, an entertaining episode taking place before Beauchelain and Korbal Broach's arrival on Genabackis. This work demonstrates just how funny Steven Erikson can be when he's working outside of the parameters associated with the main sequence.

Given the fact that the Malazan world is so vast, I found it interesting to have the action taking place in a locale we haven't seen before. Information about Lamentable Moll, Toll's City and the rest of the continent of Stratem, as well as the temporary presence of the Crimson Guard, was sort of neat. Hints pertaining to the Jhorligg appear to confirm new information regarding the K'Chain Che'Malle from Reaper's Gale.

All in all, an extremely fun read that should get more than a few chuckles out of you. If you're a big fan of the Malazan saga, you will not be disappointed.

Patrick
www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com

Just picked up Eriksons "Deadhouse Gates" from the library today, so going to get stuck into it tonight.

"Eifelheim" by Michael Flynn.

Have finished Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Even though the element of surprise was gone second time around, I still laughed in many places and was thoroughly entertained. One thing that stood out is Rowling's clever and appropriate use of names (Felix Felicis, Slughorn, Half-blood Prince etc etc choose your personal favourite). Wonderful.

My only quibble (pun intended!) is,

Spoiler

what on earth does Hermione see in Ron???

Anyways, I feel ready for Potter 7.

Back into The Waste Lands on my journey with Roland and crew to the Dark Tower.

Ringworld by Larry Niven. I'm having just as much trouble as the characters dealing with the immensity of Ringworld.

Balon wrote:Ringworld by Larry Niven. I'm having just as much trouble as the characters dealing with the immensity of Ringworld.

I found it to be an average book.

Me, I am reading Judas Unchained, by Peter F. Hamilton. It's good, but at the same time I'm a little disappointed that, 200 pages into the book, there is nothing about the Primes. Instead we get pages and pages of average plot (conspiracy investigations, sex, socialites, etc).

Lore wrote:I found it an average book.

I found it very good, I also find Lore to be snooty, at times...

danlo wrote:

Lore wrote:I found it an average book.

I found it very good, I also find Lore to be snooty, at times...

I guess that is the price one must pay for having fine taste.

Ringworld didn't do a whole helluva lot for me. I think I tried to read the second one (Engineers), but gave up.

I'm liking it. About 3/4 of the way through. I really dig the whole inbred luck thing. A cool idea.

Just finished Weis and Hickman's Dragons of the Dwarven Depths.

Their last Dragonlance offering, The War of Souls trilogy, was a far cry from their popular Dragonlance Chronicles and Legends. This new series, The Lost Chronicles, will explore some of the storylines that were not part of the narrative of the original main sequence. Hence, it boded well for fans eager to see Weis and Hickman recapture their erstwhile excellence. After all, they were going back to their old stomping grounds, the world of Krynn, during the War of the Lance.

The predominant problem with Dragons of the Dwarven Depths lies in the fact that there's nowhere near enough material to make a full-length novel. At best, this should have been a novella. Personally, I believe it would have worked best as a short story such as the ones Weis and Hickman came up with for the Tales trilogy.

There is so much "filler" in this book. . . I couldn't quite believe it. There are unnecessary portions filling us in on the back story. Given the fact that one needs to have read the original Dragonlance Chronicles, these parts of the narrative are totally obsolete. Add to that the inordinate amount of time spent journeying and I estimate that a good 50% of the novel could be excised without readers losing much of the story.

The second shortcoming of this book lies in the selection of the plotline that would serve as its backdrop. The search for the Hammer of Kharas was not part of the original saga, and there's a good reason why it was only alluded to in Dragons of Winter Night. It was only part of the Dragonlance roleplaying modules because the storyline wasn't that interesting to begin with. As I mentioned, not enough material. . .

Hence, as fun as it is to go back in time and return to the events that marked the beginning of the War of the Lance, Dragons of the Dwarven Depths is a disappointing effort.

Check the blog for the full review!

Patrick
www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com

On a third re-read of Lord Foul's Bane. Chewing on it till Fatal Revenant washes along.

I'm reading - actually rereading before I give the book to my wife - Perdido Street Station by China Mieville.

Mieville is a genius, literally, incredibly creative with creatures and places and scenes and ideas, and what looks unrelated all ties together into the finale of the plot.

The Scar, the second book that takes place on the same world, is also wonderfully inventive.

Both books held my interest and made me lose a lot of sleep - reading late at night.

I'd hate to ruin either book by saying a word about what they are about! so you don't have much to go on. Maybe someone else can add something to interest others.

I haven't got Iron Council yet.

duke wrote:
Back into The Waste Lands on my journey with Roland and crew to the Dark Tower.

I began reading the series when it first came out and waited, and waited, and waited as the first three were agonizingly finished and published over about a 10 year span. When he finished the series in the last few years I couldn't bring myself to believe they'd be any good after taking 20 years to finish!

Is the series worth reading?

Maybe it is better to wait until an entire series is completed before reading book 1. At one point King had said that he was abandoning the series!

Hey Frank, long time no see. It's a matter of opinion. The series is worth reading, you just might love it or hate it. (Those are about the only options.)

I was disappointed myself, but it was still a great series. And no, the last 3 are not as good. *sigh*

--A

Hi Frank, Avatar is spot on, its a matter of opinion. As I'm still 100 pages away from the end of The Waste Lands, you'll have to rely on others opinions as to whether finishing the journey to the Dark Tower is worthwhile.

FWIW, here's my quick thoughts on the Journey so far. "The Gunslinger" is an intruiging introduction, "The Drawing of the Three" is gripping, tense, cinematic even, and so far "The Waste Lands" is a disappointment.

I think The Gunslinger was the best of them, closely followed by Wizard and Glass.

Join us in the King forum when you're done.

--A

duke wrote: FWIW, here's my quick thoughts on the Journey so far. "The Gunslinger" is an intruiging introduction, "The Drawing of the Three" is gripping, tense, cinematic even, and so far "The Waste Lands" is a disappointment.

Personally I though the series was good until the last three books. Wizard and Glass is great, good old-fashioned King storytelling.

I just finished Sergei Lukyanenko's The Night Watch and loved it!

Having heard so many good things about Sergei Lukyanenko's Night Watch series last year, my curiosity was piqued in such a way that I couldn't not buy the first two volumes. And although my expectations were high for this book, I was truly impressed by The Night Watch. It's no wonder this urban fantasy trilogy made Lukyanenko the bestselling speculative fiction author in Russia. Hopefully reviews like these will help generate interest for this imaginative series.

The Night Watch is comprised of three different parts. Although they're related, the three parts read like distinct novellas, each with its own storylines. And yet, each part is a thread in a vaster tale.

Sergei Lukyanenko's writing style could be qualified as "minimalist." Nothing is overwritten, no words or sentences are wasted -- you won't find flowery prose in this book. The author's concise style makes for a brisk pace, and the novella-type format turns this novel into a real page-turner.

Had I read this book last year as I intended, The Night Watch would certainly have ended up in my Top 10 of 2006. I can't wait to read both sequels, The Day Watch and The Twilight Watch.

Highly recommended. . .

Check the blog for the full review!

Patrick
www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com