Kevin's Watch

danlo wrote:

Spoiler

you haven't really tripped until you have

For real?

Mmm...

Just finished Jeff Somers' entertaining The Digital Plague.

If you're looking for a balls to the wall, non-stop action, cyberpunk/noir science fiction adventure with dark humor and a high body count, look no further. Somers' The Digital Plague should definitely scratch that itch!

Check the blog for the full review.

Cheers,

Patrick
www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com

Menolly wrote:I'm starting The Illuminatus! Trilogy, consisting of The Eye in the Pyramid, The Golden Apple, and Leviathan.

Good for you Menolly. As a Wilson fan, I must say this isn't my favorite from him, but it's a good launching point, and his most famous. Sets up a lot of jokes, and is by all means a classic. And, if I'm not mistaken, you'll find me in there.

But I much prefer the Historical Illuminatus series, which sadly he never bothered to finish, although I did hear that Masks of the Illuminati was kind of the sequel to it, but didn't have much continuity with it.

My intro to Robert Anton Wilson was through Illuminatus! Which I love and I used to play Illuminatus!: New World Order way, way more than D & D. "Praise Bob!" But my favorites are the Schrödinger's Cat Trilogy, The Cosmic Trigger and Masks of the Illuminati. You do, however, need to read Illuminatus! before either Masks or Trigger. <back to slacking-winks out >

Yeah, it was the card game that introduced me too. SO much fun and still my favorite of games. Then I got the collectable card game version, and had a deck that could reliably hand all my friends asses to them, and they never wanted to play with me. Which was sad.

Still have it? Let's play in Colo! I want the UFOs!!!

...I so wanna go to Denver...

*pout*

Actually Cag, I think you're in the Historical Chronicles only, but not sure. I loved the stand-alone Historical Illumantus Papers as well. My own intro actually IIRC. Weird-ass stuff.

But I also like the Historical Chrons best. A much better and clearer story-line. But you can't do without the Illuminatus!

--A

I am now totally lost again.
What would be suggested reading order after the Illuminatus!?

Avatar wrote:Actually Cag, I think you're in the Historical Chronicles only, but not sure. I loved the stand-alone Historical Illumantus Papers as well. My own intro actually IIRC. Weird-ass stuff.

But I also like the Historical Chrons best. A much better and clearer story-line. But you can't do without the Illuminatus!

--A

I think Cagliostro appears very briefly (very much a cameo) in either the original Illuminati or the Schrodinger's Cat. Or maybe Masks. I can't remember anymore. But doesn't play any real role in it unlike in the Historical Illuminatus.

Menolly, I'd suggest after reading the original, either reading Historical Illuminatus or Cosmic Trigger. HI is fiction with a lot of fact in there, and the Cosmic Trigger books are "presented as non-fiction." Probably the best way to dance around that. When I used to find his books in book stores, Cosmic Trigger were in the New Age section. They are very deep, moving, and hilarious. The HI books are less funny, but tend to get your brain working overtime. And it is fun to research the characters and events in the books as well.

Oh, and Danlo, I would so love to take some time and play Illuminati. I do still play it occasionally, but I have the feeling nobody else will want to sit around for it. Such a backstabbing game. And so much fun. It really is my favorite game of all time to play.

Hmm, sounds like I'll need to read "Illuminatus" before Seafest. I'll have to hit the used book store this weekend....

Illuminatus!, then the sequal trilogy Schrodinger's Cat, then Historical Chronicles. The historical papers are not a novel at all...a collection of interviews, articles, poetry etc.

--A

Thanks all.

Just finished Midnight Tides, and have got Feists new one "Wrath of a Mad God"

Just stating Deadhouse Gates actually.

Reading House of Suns by Alastair Reynolds, so far it's very good. I was a little disappointed with The Prefect, but now he's gone for a new setting and is back to what he does best.

Just over half way through The Dark Tower, slowly working my way towards the mystical Tower at end-world with Roland and crew. Reading this book is bittersweet for me, I'm looking forward to seeing Roland reach the Tower and the end of the quest, yet I'm sad and disappointed that King wrote himself into the story in the last 3 books in the series - his self-allusions are a major flaw and a real blight on the ending of this (otherwise entertaining) series.

Reading Scar Night by Alastair Campbell. Jury's still out on it. Ideas=good, plotlines so far=intriguing, writing style=annoying the hell out of me.

Edit - the plot's galloping along nicely and I'm getting used to style. It's got me gripped.

Just finished Naomi Novik's Victory of Eagles.

Although Novik's latest is as fun and entertaining as the previous four Temeraire novels, there seems to be a few hints that the series might be losing a little steam. To say that Victory of Eagles is disappointing would be a lie. And yet, with Novik "graduating" to hardcover in North America, I must conceded that I was expecting more. After five volumes, the originality which so took the genre by storm a while back is starting to wear off a bit. Hence, I feel that the author must really kick it into gear and bring the series to a new level. Otherwise, for all its originality, I'm afraid that these books could become more or less formulaic and episodic in style and tone, which is a concern I've had from the start. In addition, the short length of each novel might become an issue now that they will henceforth be published in hardback.

Now, Naomi Novik has demonstrated time and again that she has quite a few surprises up her sleeve. So I'm convinced that she can up her game in the next volume. In all honesty, though, I feel that the sixth installment could make or break the series. Oh, most of us are hooked, and we'll keep on reading regardless. But the next one should tell us if we're looking forward to a proliferation of sequels whose pertinence could be put into question, or if Laurence and Temeraire will remain the most interesting, if unlikely, duo in fantasy.

Check the blog for the full review.

Patrick
www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com

I'll be starting Steven Burst's Brokedown Palace next, week looks fascinating. I've already read the prologue and the map of that world has "that" feel-sort of akin to seeing the map of the Land, Middle Earth, Westeros, Malazan, Earthsea, Ea and McKillup's Riddle Master of Hed world for the first time.

Burst's description of the intonations of the Hungarian language and how it's integrated into this book is intriguing.