Kevin's Watch

The nai-spouse and I enjoyed listening to audiobook versions of two novels by Naomi Novik:
Uprooted: TLDR - apprentice to a wizard finds out she is really a druid, with Russian fable-flavored.
Spinning Silver: another Russian fable-flavored story, where a moneylender ends up becoming a Lady of a Faery Court.

I enjoyed the former much more than the latter, but both held our interest during our interstate car trips.

DW, I don't remember seeing your name in a long time! Have you been absent, or have I been oblivious??

No, not oblivious. I'm back after a long, long absence.

Well then welcome back!

Space Opera by Catherynne M Valente was the best book to come out last year in the science fiction genre and should win all the awards.

Ka: Dar Oakley in the Ruins of Ymr by John Crowley was the best book of 2017, but it didn't win awards because people are too busy being oblivious to wonderful literature about immortal, storytelling crows.

I bought Ka. Sadly, I won't get to it for a bit. Too much I must read first. But eventually.

The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. A post apocalyptic story where most of the population has been killed by a mutated flu virus. It's an odd book to read but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

LOL not a completely surprising theme now

SoulBiter wrote:The Dog Stars by Peter Heller. A post apocalyptic story where most of the population has been killed by a mutated flu virus. It's an odd book to read but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I read that for a book club around 6 years ago and loved it, but only earlier this year returned to him for The River. Turns out I liked it just as much. I'll need to read more of his work soon.

I'm just finishing the fourth book of the Sword of Shadows series by J V Jones and am blown away by it. Why is this author not up there along with George R Martin and J K Rowling. These four books have been the best fantasy reading I have engaged in for the last two decades. Each book pulls you along at pace and introduces you to more characters, plot, quest-lines, world-building - and all absolutely engaging to a point where the majority of other writers of the genre should hang their heads in shame. I cannot get how it has taken me so long to discover this author and why she is not a household name. I've picked up the four books on eBay for a song. Best dollars I've spent on books in decades.

But...........


There is a problem. The fifth book has for some reason not been released. There is some talk that Jones has suffered some major personal difficulties in her life that have thrown her writing career off the rails. Word has it that she is however back in the saddle and that the fifth novel is near completion. But true or otherwise, I urge you to read this series. This woman is a major, major fantasy talent. She is woefully under appreciated. Let's change that.

OK see what you did? I had just downloaded a book to start reading but now I went and downloaded book 1 of your recommendation (cause I would forget otherwise). Wonder when the wife will notice I just hit our account for books twice in one day LOL

Oh, gosh, I'm so glad you've picked up on this one and taken it up SoulBiter! Are you in for a treat! I'm happy in the knowledge of what you are going to find and wishing I could again read these books for the first time. Enjoy my friend - enjoy!

Fist and Faith wrote:I bought Ka. Sadly, I won't get to it for a bit. Too much I must read first. But eventually.

Read it. Now. Do not pass Go, do not get sucked into more Malazan. Sooooo good, so memorable, made me love crows like I haven't before.

Fun fact, the crows you often see in movies, with white breasts (looks like they're wearing a wife-beater/singlet) are African. We have many of them here, they are often seen cleaning up the leavings after kids eat lunch outside.

This year I've read the Inheritance Trilogy by A.K. Jemisin (awesome; tentacle-sex warning), re-read The Blasted Ones by Luke Wildman (not published yet), The Arawn Cycle (reread) & Cycle of Galand, by Edward Robertson, Slaughterhouse Five by KV, and The Parable of the Talents. I'm also reading history, biography, and historical fiction books, but those are the Sci fi-Fantasy I've been reading. I recommend all of them.

There is another Malazan book coming out next month. Perhaps I could read Ka before then...

However, I defy anyone to read Malazan and not come away with at least a healthy respect for crows!

Meanwhile, I'm reading Memories of Ice and wishing I hadn't waited so long between Malazans. I might have to read Gardens of the Moon yet again to refresh my memory on where everyone died.

True, crows do figure significantly in Malazan!

MoI is an under-appreciated instalment I've felt, at least, since I started appreciating it more.

--A

peter wrote:Oh, gosh, I'm so glad you've picked up on this one and taken it up SoulBiter! Are you in for a treat! I'm happy in the knowledge of what you are going to find and wishing I could again read these books for the first time. Enjoy my friend - enjoy!

Finally got through the books that were ahead of this. Starting the first book this week. Looking forward to it.

I can recommend Tamsyn Muir's Gideon the Ninth. Foul-mouthed female fighters and necromancers in space.

Good job, deer!!

Avatar wrote:MoI is an under-appreciated instalment I've felt, at least, since I started appreciating it more.

Not sure why you think it's underappreciated. It gets a huge amount of respect in the Malazan FB group. Every book is the favorite in the series of many people, and MoI gets more than it's share. Including me. Absolutely incredible book.

The Malazan FB group is a pretty awesome group, btw. People from every country. Many have read it in English and in their 1st language. Some still waiting for it to be translated into their 1st language. Some excellent artists posting their Malazan art. People posting crazy things that only Malazan people appreciate, like two scorpions dancing. People saying what made then cry, or throw the book across the room.