Now Reading...

[Justin G]

 

[metalprof]

 

[Justin G]

 

[TheLongshot]

I haven't read many full length novels lately, mostly going through copies of Asimov and Analog reading shorter fiction. But, I have been going through a cheap collection of indie novels (FIERCE: Sixteen Authors Of Fantasy) that I got for cheap from Amazon, and I'll talk about these.

It starts off ok as generic fantasy, but suffers heavily by characters who behave like idiots, including the main baddie of the novel. I'm also not a fan of showing a bad guy is bad by having him threaten to rape someone close to the hero.

This, on the other hand, was quite good. While the author's history seems to be mostly in the realm of romance novels (and is kinda obvious from reading) this manages to not cross the line into that territory. I'd be interested to read the next one.

 

[Yippee38]

This, on the other hand, was quite good. While the author's history seems to be mostly in the realm of romance novels (and is kinda obvious from reading) this manages to not cross the line into that territory. I'd be interested to read the next one.

I'm shocked that the writer's history is mostly romance novels. Really shocked.

I see a cover like that and I think, "Why is this even in fantasy? It should be in romance." But that's what booksellers are going for now; they try to package romance novels as fantasy by wrapping a romance novel in a fantasy milieu It irks the shit out of me (if you couldn't tell).

Though, to be honest, that cover is actually better than most of them. I'm glad that it mostly avoids the romance novel aspects.

 

[Aussie_Metalchild]

Physics Impossible by Michio Kaku

 

[The Colorado Kid]

How is it? I just finished Skeleton Crew, and Joyland. The last story in SC is awesome, and Joyland was quite good.


I'm currently reading Scott Sigler's Infected (enjoy the story, but hate the way the ebook was formatted), and Annie Jacobsen's Area 51: An uncensored history (the first half has consisted of the history of the U2, atomic bomb tests, etc..)

 

[jaimek]

I'm shocked that the writer's history is mostly romance novels. Really shocked.

I see a cover like that and I think, "Why is this even in fantasy? It should be in romance." But that's what booksellers are going for now; they try to package romance novels as fantasy by wrapping a romance novel in a fantasy milieu It irks the shit out of me (if you couldn't tell).

It doesn't irk me that they exist, it irks me that they're marketed in with more standard sci-fi and fantasy. There's so many of them - give them their own damn section so I can browse the bookshelf without a 50% chance of picking up something with a plucky heroine with tattoos and tight pants and an alpha male sidepiece.

 

[metalprof]

give them their own damn section so I can browse the bookshelf without a 50% chance of picking up something with a plucky heroine with tattoos and tight pants and an alpha male sidepiece.

You mean like this?

 

[jaimek]

Yeah, that. Blech. Just move it to a shelf with a sign that says Urban Fantasy, not Science Fiction - there's enough of it to justify its own section!

 

[Justin G]

How is it? I just finished Skeleton Crew, and Joyland. The last story in SC is awesome, and Joyland was quite good.


I'm currently reading Scott Sigler's Infected (enjoy the story, but hate the way the ebook was formatted), and Annie Jacobsen's Area 51: An uncensored history (the first half has consisted of the history of the U2, atomic bomb tests, etc..)

I'm about halfway through. Not seeing the larger story yet, but as with just about every Stephen King book it's so readable that I don't mind.

 

[TheLongshot]

It doesn't irk me that they exist, it irks me that they're marketed in with more standard sci-fi and fantasy. There's so many of them - give them their own damn section so I can browse the bookshelf without a 50% chance of picking up something with a plucky heroine with tattoos and tight pants and an alpha male sidepiece.

The good thing is that stuff is usually easy to recognize a mile away. That being said, even tho the romance trappings are there (and stretched out to cover a series of books), I felt in general it was well written and had more going on than just that.

 

[Harvester]

 

[Yippee38]

It doesn't irk me that they exist, it irks me that they're marketed in with more standard sci-fi and fantasy. There's so many of them - give them their own damn section so I can browse the bookshelf without a 50% chance of picking up something with a plucky heroine with tattoos and tight pants and an alpha male sidepiece.

Exactly. I made my point poorly. I was trying to say basically what you said. It's great that people are reading, but don't try to sell that stuff as "Sci-Fi/Fantasy". It's not. It doesn't belong in that section, and I believe it will turn people off to actual Sci-Fi/Fantasy.

 

[Yippee38]

Hey all. I'm looking for some help. Over the holidays Audible had a deal going on 3 months for $2/month. I signed up and listened to a couple of pretty good books. However, now that deal is done, and I'm paying $15 per month. I don't want to keep paying that. If they had a deal for $15 per audio book, I would be in. The problem is that it takes me too long to get through one audio book for this to be a good deal for me. Anyway, I want to cancel my membership, but I've got 4 credits (basically 4 books that I've already paid for) that I will lose if I don't purchase the books before I cancel. Once I purchase the books, I can still access them whenever I want. So I'm looking for some recommendations for books to listen to.

I'm in to fantasy, but not sci-fi (not much at least). My favorite authors are Glenn Cook (The Black Company), Steven Erikson (The Malazan Books of the Fallen), Stephen Brust (Jhereg and the Vlad Taltos books). I like The Locke Lamora series. I like The Name of the Wind series. I like the first couple of books in GoT until I realize it was a formulaic, soap opera. I don't like Robert Jordan for much the same reason. Although I prefer complex, dark fantasy (Cook and Erikson), I like some high fantasy too (like the Drizzt books).

I'd also like to listen to some historical, non-fiction about the founding of the U.S.A., but that's not a high priority.

Again, I have 4 credits. I don't want to listen to 4 books out of a series of 10 books, and have 4 on audio and 6 in print. So if it's part of a series, it would have to be 4 books or less.

Any suggestions?

 

[King Lek]

I have always found that for reading, I never seem to have the time.
Always has been that if I have time to sit and read, I have time to work, work on the house, play hockey, watch hockey, watch a show...well....and so it goes.
So ultimately I have read very little for most of my life aside from when traveling...and a lot of what I have read has been started never to be finished.
Trav got me interested in audio books with Name of the Wind while we drove to Seattle moving him there for grad school, almost two years ago.
Took a good six months before I joined Audible and figured that I could listen everyday in the truck instead of NPR or tunes.
Do a book a month at least, depending on lengths (most i seem to listen too are 14 - 46 hours)
However, with sales and such I usually do have a few credits accumulated at any given time.

I think you can pause the subscription when you need to....should look into it.

Now, as for what I have listened to....not great depth yet to the library as it has only been 15-16 months of listening.

I enjoyed Locke Lamora series. Michael Page is a fantastic narrator.

Also listened to another series because he was narrating it. The Bridei Trilogy...which was supposed to be more than three books but was not picked up when she switched publishers. Still, entertaining enough and finishes well despite being cut to a trilogy. I could see more books but am content. I enjoyed the listen though nothing complicated here. The narration though was spectacular and that can make an average book great..and a great book average and it is why I have started following narrators as well as story.

Kingiller Chronicles is a great listen even if you have read them. Nick Podhel does a wonderful job, another one of my favorites though he has quite the odd body of work. Have another book he has narrated called Tales from the Radiation Age which looks interesting....just have not gotten to it yet.

I like historical fiction and have enjoyed the Matthew Shardlake Mystery Series. Takes place during the Tudor Reign. Just released the fifth book which was good, yet this is enjoyable no matter where you end as it is episodic in nature. First book is my least favorite, but like so many of these silly series, sets much that is referenced in later books. Narration here again is stellar.

Also enjoyed Spandau Phoenix...and older book...WWII alternate history revolving around Rudolph Hess...a bit over the top in areas but a fun listen for change of pace.

Just started the Farseer Trilogy. Took a few chapters to get into rhythm with the narrator Paul Boehmer, but have come to like him doing this book.
This is another one of those series I have been harped on by family to read for too many years now (think i read a few chapters way back and just stopped)....so since it was a buy one get the second book free....figured why not. Slow, but enjoyable so far.

Not much more interesting other than the first three books of the Imager Portfolio which is where the trilogy ends with current characters. The rest of the series being a prequel of sorts from what I read/gather. Good premise I guess....entertaining enough...average at best.....too many times I felt it was aimed a "young adults".

So much on my wish list....

 

[jhallum]

Hey all. I'm looking for some help. Over the holidays Audible had a deal going on 3 months for $2/month. I signed up and listened to a couple of pretty good books. However, now that deal is done, and I'm paying $15 per month. I don't want to keep paying that. If they had a deal for $15 per audio book, I would be in. The problem is that it takes me too long to get through one audio book for this to be a good deal for me. Anyway, I want to cancel my membership, but I've got 4 credits (basically 4 books that I've already paid for) that I will lose if I don't purchase the books before I cancel. Once I purchase the books, I can still access them whenever I want. So I'm looking for some recommendations for books to listen to.

I'm in to fantasy, but not sci-fi (not much at least). My favorite authors are Glenn Cook (The Black Company), Steven Erikson (The Malazan Books of the Fallen), Stephen Brust (Jhereg and the Vlad Taltos books). I like The Locke Lamora series. I like The Name of the Wind series. I like the first couple of books in GoT until I realize it was a formulaic, soap opera. I don't like Robert Jordan for much the same reason. Although I prefer complex, dark fantasy (Cook and Erikson), I like some high fantasy too (like the Drizzt books).

I'd also like to listen to some historical, non-fiction about the founding of the U.S.A., but that's not a high priority.

Again, I have 4 credits. I don't want to listen to 4 books out of a series of 10 books, and have 4 on audio and 6 in print. So if it's part of a series, it would have to be 4 books or less.

Any suggestions?

Try the Powder Mage Trilogy by Brian McClellan? Not super dark, but the magic system is very cool.
Of Bone and Thunder by Chris Evans is a really dark fantasy standalone novel. I hope he writes others in the world. Throw the Black Company in Vietnam, is kind of the plot.
Have you read anything by Joe Abercrombie? You should read everything he's ever done, even the YA stuff he's doing now. Doomy dark, but a wide variety of setpieces. Everything from high fantasy, to revenge killings, Killer Angels in fantasy setting, to a very high western feel. He's probably my current favorite fantasy author right now.
Also anything by Mark Lawrence. He's got two trilogies: The Broken Empire, which is done, and the Red Queen's War, which just started with the first book last fall. Doomy Dark, and the main characters are all insane.
The Dagger and the Dark books by Daniel Abraham are pretty good. (4 books are out of a 5 book series, starts with the Dragon's Path).
Peter Brett is halfway through a sextet called the Demon Cycle, high fantasy and dark.

 

[King Lek]

Have Power Mage and Demon Cycle in wish list.
The Chris Evans book looks cool...added that....nice to have something that is not a series.
Joe Abercrombie....hmmm...have yet to go do a novel, but the few short stories I have listened too or read, have done little for me.....but will eventually get there too.

 

[MeTuLHeD]

Any good? The last Preston/Child collaboration was pretty good. Pretty much a return to form for them.

Did you ever get around to reading 'The Black'? If so, what were your thoughts?

 

[Harvester]

I'm the wrong one to ask. There has never been a bad Pendergast novel in my eyes. I'm an fanboy. I have also enjoyed all of their solo works except for "Utopia" (and that was because of the subject matter). I haven't finished the new one yet.

As for "The Black," it as average. I can give you a ton more recommendations that are better in the similar genre.