Kevin's Watch

As I gushed about in GD, I'm beta reading a fantasy novel by a former student of mine. So far it is EXCELLENT. I really hope it finishes that way, and that he can find a publisher.

Well, after nearly 2 months of not really reading at all, because of that damn Mists of Avalon hanging over my head, I have given up on it and am re-reading Gaiman's Neverwhere instead.

--A

Alan Moore's Jerusalem. See elsewhere for details, but I'm on pretty safe ground describing it as fantasy to satisfy the requirements of this thread. He'll - it's by Moore! What else could you expect!

(It's genre busting really. )

After several years I'm reading The Fellowship of the Ring again... Lost count of how many times I have read LOTR. It's just as awesome as I forgot it was.

The beta read was fantastic!

Just hearing that you are reading this makes me want to as well deer! I love how TLOTR starts out so simply and just builds in force and richness until the text reaches levels of almost biblical power in places. Rightly does the work rank amongst the greatest achievements of literature and storytelling.

For quite a while I've struggled with mustering the mental energy to read as much as I'd like, so I'm trying out short stories to see if I find them more easily digestible.

Right now I'm dabbling in Into the Shadows, which is a compilation of Shadowrun stories. Cyberpunk plus magic! And the cover shows a dragon breathing fire at a helicopter. Must be good, right?

God damn Cj. Just breezing in here... Nice to see you around man. Come to the virtual E-Fest.

--A

Avatar wrote:God damn Cj. Just breezing in here... Nice to see you around man. Come to the virtual E-Fest.

--A

After your reaction to me casually wandering in a few months back, how could I resist doing it again?

If I went to the e-E-Fest, I don't think anyone would know who I am

You'd be surprised...there's a few of us left y'know.

But if you want pie you have to bring it yourself.

--A

Just finished all 8 books of The Expanse series, now more than half way through N. K. Jemisin's The City We Became

danlo!!!!!!!!

I saw some young kid (okay, he's probably in his 20s) with a Youtube fantasy novels book review channel. He recommended Scott Lynch's LIE OF LOCKE LAMORA, so I though what the heck, I haven't read a fantasy novel in years, I'll get back into it and see what's "new." (It was published in 2006, I believe). Turns out I haven't been missing much. This book was horrible. The main character and his nemisis have exactly the same motivation: revenge for loved ones killed. And we're supposed to care which one wins? Why? Because one has better quips than the other? I don't really care that Locke is a lying, murdering thief. He's too much of a cartoon to take seriously, much less take offense. He and his story are simply too bland to matter.

What exactly makes this fantasy? The fact that they have a few glowing alchemical balls that they use for light instead of electricity? I guess there was one mage, who could confuse you or force you to do things like almost kill your best friend. But this was just about the most boring rendition of magic I've ever read.

The dialog was ok, even funny at times. I liked the cons. I just wish they'd mattered. Locke would have made a good side kick in someone else's story, perhaps.

Forewarned is forearmed Z! Will avoid it like the plague now (for sure I'd have been caught by some fancy artwork cover oy lying blurb comparing it to "Donaldson at his best!")

Good fantasy is a joy to immerse oneself in, but bad fantasy is a blight on the world!

I've started reading Stephen Lawhead's Empyrion. I've read his Pendragon Cycle more than once, but didn't get along with Hood when I tried to read that, so this one could go either way.

So far so fine, though it did make me flinch when he referred to something displaying 'in the corner of the oval screen'. *twitch*

I never could get into his Pendragon books...or anything else by him either IIRC.

I on the other hand am re-visiting the world of the First Law and Logen Ninefingers, in Joe Abercrombie's Before They Are Hanged (having already finished The Blade Itself over the weekend).

Once again I recommend these to everybody for some very atypical fantasy and an unusual anti-hero. Really great books.

--A

Avatar wrote:I never could get into his Pendragon books...or anything else by him either IIRC.

The first one in the series was a struggle. I'm surprised I persisted. It gets much better once Merlin/Myrddin is born. (As an aside, I've been learning Welsh over the last few months, and as a side effect I can now pronounce the various names that are in those books. )

I have strict orders from another absentee member to read His Dark Materials, so that'll be next after Empyrion.

I wasn't that blown away by it to be honest. Good enough, but not planning on reading them again any time soon.

--A

Douglas Adams is both highly entertaining and a rather comforting escape from reality at the moment. I've been re-reading the complete Hitchhiker's series in tandem with The Stand.

Well, that's an interesting juxtaposition.

I'm finishing off Before They Are Hanged, last of the First Law trilogy. (A new trilogy is apparently in the works too!)

Next will be Best Served Cold by the same author, a sorta follow-up set in the same world.

--A

Well, let's see...I finished Best Served Cold, then read Red Country which is kinda a look at how they all ended up, then Sharp Ends which are short stories (sorta) which are also sometimes origin or different POV stories for stuff in the actual series. Very good all of it.

Now, I'm re-reading The Name of the Wind which is a bit annoying, because I don't have Wise Man's Fear, so I will prob have to get that...

--A