# [September] What Are You Reading?



## Andrew D. Gable (Sep 2, 2003)

Since no one else has put it up, I will.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: _Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Novels and Stories, Vol. 1_

That's right NOT Romance of the Three Kingdoms!  I finally finished!  Yay!


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## Enforcer (Sep 2, 2003)

Red Storm Rising by Tom Clancy

The Legends anthology, edited by Robert Silverberg. From this, I've only read New Spring by Robert Jordan, The Hedge Knight is next.


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## Liminal Syzygy (Sep 2, 2003)

The Light Ages, by Ian R. MacLeod.

Next on deck probably On Blue's Waters by Gene Wolfe.


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## Eternalknight (Sep 2, 2003)

*Rage of a Demon King *by _Raymon E Feist._


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## Kesh (Sep 2, 2003)

Haven't started yet, but likely the _Moreau Omnibus_ (really three books in one), followed by _Fearful Symmetries_, both by S. Andrew Swann. These are the inspiration for d20 Modern's moreaus.


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## Hand of Evil (Sep 2, 2003)

*A Dragon at Worlds' End* by Christopher Rowley book 4 of Relkin and Bazil Brokentail.  Been very happy with the books, lite reads but vry detailed world and very good dialog.  

If you have never read them, Relkin is a Dragon boy, who takes care of the battle dragon Bazil as they defend their world from the forces of evil.  A battle dragon is a land based dragon trained for war, fighting in the army fighting with sword and shield.  Dragon boys make sure they are fed, armor is in shape and in battle prevent them from getting hamstrung.


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## CCamfield (Sep 2, 2003)

It's kind of dull that I just started reading a great big book of Islamic history again (got it out from the library for a second time) that I've mentioned a number of times here.

I did however just finish reading _Combat Sports in the Ancient World_, by Michael Poliakoff, about boxing, wrestling, pankration ("ultimate fighting") and stick (staff) fighting in the ancient world.  Pretty good read, although I wished there'd been more about the Egyptian stick fighting.

I just got out another book which looks like it'll be interesting (in its own right, and as campaign inspiration material): _Samarkand and byond: a history of desert caravans_, by James Wellard.  Looks really neat... it's got maps with the main caravan routes (the Silk Road, the salt caravans across the Sahara, into Arabia for spices, etc).


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## KnowTheToe (Sep 2, 2003)

Enforcer said:
			
		

> Red Storm Rising by Tom Clancy




Good Book.


I am reading the 3.5 DM Guide and should soon pick up the third Harry Potter book to read during lunches.


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## JoeBlank (Sep 3, 2003)

Dragondoom by Denis L. McKiernan, of course.

It's the current selection in the EN World Book Club (see .sig)


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## Cthulhu's Librarian (Sep 3, 2003)

JoeBlank said:
			
		

> Dragondoom by Denis L. McKiernan, of course.
> 
> It's the current selection in the EN World Book Club




What he said.


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## ergeheilalt (Sep 3, 2003)

This month I am reading the new Shannara book: High Druid of Shannara: Jarka Ruus; Sir Apropos of Nothing and the Woad to Wuin.

Ergeheilalt


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## NiTessine (Sep 3, 2003)

I recently completed Koushun Takami's _Battle Royale_, for a school presentation.

Just started on Neil Gaiman's _Smoke and Mirrors_. I also have to read Machiavelli's _The Prince_ soon, also for school. After that, the next one on the list is the complete Amber series.


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## WayneLigon (Sep 5, 2003)

I finished J. V. Jones' _A Cavern of Black Ice_, one of the best fantasies I've read in quite some time. It's a huge, thick, exhausting book thought, so I making time before picking up the second in the series. Definately a major improvement over The Baker's Boy trilogy which, while good, was not on par with this most recent work. 

I picked up _Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix_ and almost considered calling in sick to work so I could finish it. Very engrossing. 

I picked up all six of the Harry Dresden books at DragonCon and got them signed by the author. Now, I'm about half way through _Storm Front_, the first book. I read it before, liked it, now I'm going to re-acquaint myself with it before I go on


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## Michael Tree (Sep 5, 2003)

I'm currently reading The Lord of Castle Black by Steven Brust, as well as an ungodly number of law school books and articles.

Next up... who knows.  If I finish my current readings soon, I'll read Dragondoom.  Otherwise, probably The Waiting Years by Fumiko Enchi.


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## Liminal Syzygy (Sep 5, 2003)

WayneLigon said:
			
		

> I finished J. V. Jones' _A Cavern of Black Ice_, one of the best fantasies I've read in quite some time. It's a huge, thick, exhausting book thought, so I making time before picking up the second in the series.



Hi Wayne, I've been thinking of picking this up. Can you let me know some more info? Maybe on your personal tastes as well...


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## Mean Eyed Cat (Sep 5, 2003)

I just finished reading _Perdido Street Station_ by China Mieville (can't decide if I like it), _Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal_ by Christopher Moore (loved it), and quickly read _The Field Guide-The Spiderwick Chronicles, Book 1_ by Black and DiTerlizzi (fun book - it was my son's).

Currently, I am in the middle of another Christoper Moore book, _The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove_ and am enjoying it.  I just went to the bookstore and picked up _The Prince of Shadow_ by Curt Benjamin and _The Initiate Brother_ by Sean Russel after reading the "Any one know of some fantasy/fiction set in an orient setting?" thread.  They both sounded interesting-


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## Holy Bovine (Sep 5, 2003)

I've started to read an introduction to philosophy text book.  It's a collection of important philosophical works through out history.  Not exactly light reading but it is interesting.

I am also starting a book called Circumnavigators.  History book about those who have sailed around the world but didn't really get the recognition of Magellean, Cooke etc.

Would also love to find a good book about pirates (preferably a fictionalized story - I read Under the Black Flag, which is excellent, but if anyone has a suggestion for a salty old sea dog of a tale...)


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## WayneLigon (Sep 5, 2003)

Cordo said:
			
		

> Hi Wayne, I've been thinking of picking this up. Can you let me know some more info? Maybe on your personal tastes as well...



It's an epic fantasy, that's for sure, with an ensemble cast. Threads of their stories weave in and out, usually changing per chapter but sometimes not. 

The setting is the extreme northlands of a continent. Trust me, by the time the book is over, you'll know more than you wanted to about frostbite and it's effects on human flesh.  There are the clanholds (basically hunter/gatherers with some herding and farming thrown in). There are cities carved out of the wilderness. There are the Sull, a private people who live in the rich coastal regions and let no-one near their land. 

Magic is known, but not well. The clans forbid it, the cities don't like it, and it seems the Sull care less. 

It's a story about ambition, mostly, and what people will do to acheive that. It's a story about survival, as well. And to what lengths a person will go to fullfil his oaths. 

Characters. 

Raif Sevrance: Raven Born, Oathbreaker, Warrior of Clan Blackhail and Watcher of the Dead. 
Ash March: Foundling, left outside of Vaingate to die. A terrible destiny awaits her in a dead and voided land.
Vaylo Bludd: The Dog Lord, chief of Clan Bludd. Vaylo is the greatest chief in the Clanholds, terrible to behold, fierce beyond knowing, yet he loves two things above all others: his dogs and his grandchildren.
Effie Sevrance:Wearer of the Stone Lore, able to see the future in small glimpses; a maiden of Clan Blackhail.
Penthero Iss: Surlord of Spire Vanis, sorcerer and keeper of a terrible, dread secret.
Angus Lok: Ranger, member of the mysterious "Phage" of which little is known, and uncle to Raif Sevrance.
Sarga Veys: The Phage's greatest find in over a decade. A powerful sorcerer and a man who nurses his slights.
Marafice Eye: The Knife. Protector General of the Rive Watch and Penthero Iss' right hand.
Mace Blackhail: The Hail Wolf. 
Cluff Drybannock: A Trenchborn bastard, part-Sull.
Raina Blackhail: Wife of the Blackhail chief.
Drey Sevrance: Brother to Raif, warrior of Clan Blackhail and wearer of the Bear Lore.
Heritas Cant: Sorcerer, broken on the wheel. 

Raif and Drey survive a raid on their clansmen, who are out hunting for the winter stock-up. Mace also survives and brings back the other warriors of Clan Blackhail but his story doesn't match the two boys'. Raif is suspicious that Mace had something to do with things, but cannot prove anything. Mace is a master at honeyed words and politics, and soon maneuvers himself into the cheiftainship of the clan. Clan is pitted against clan, and full-scale war erupts. Mace maneuvers the warriors of Blackhail into a dishonorable fight, which Raif refuses to take part in; thus shamed, he leaves the clan with his uncle Angus and journeys south. Poor Effie sees some of the terrible things Mace does, but who beleives a mere child? 

Ash March was a foundling, found in the snow outside Spire Vanis by Iss. He raises her as his daughter, but as she grows older, she finds that he has interests in her that have sinister purposes, and plans that include locking her away forever. So she flees, and is found by Raif and his Uncle Angus. They get caught up in her story, and take her to Heritas, who pronounces that she must go to the Cavern of Black Ice to unshoulder the sorcerous burden she bears before it either kills her or plunges the world into oblivion. 

That's about as quick a synopsis I can make, without undue spoilage. There is a LOT more that happens, but trying to write a summary would be several thousand words long 

The Author's Web Site has some excepts.


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## Hand of Evil (Sep 5, 2003)

WayneLigon said:
			
		

> I finished J. V. Jones' _A Cavern of Black Ice_, one of the best fantasies I've read in quite some time. It's a huge, thick, exhausting book thought, so I making time before picking up the second in the series. Definately a major improvement over The Baker's Boy trilogy which, while good, was not on par with this most recent work.




I have enjoyed her books and felt she has become a better storyteller in this series, you know Fortress (the next book) is out in hardback.


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## Cthulhu's Librarian (Sep 5, 2003)

Holy Bovine said:
			
		

> Would also love to find a good book about pirates (preferably a fictionalized story - I read Under the Black Flag, which is excellent, but if anyone has a suggestion for a salty old sea dog of a tale...)




Best pirate novel I've ever read is _On Stranger Tides _by Tim Powers. If you can find it (it is sadly out of print), by all means PICK IT UP! 
It shows up occasionally in used book shops, but if you look for it online, it's usually pretty expensive. Try your library as well.


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## Heretic Apostate (Sep 6, 2003)

I just received _At Dawn We Slept_ and _Miracle at Midway_ in the mail today.  So that's what I'll probably spend this month reading.  Miracle at Midway is an old favorite of mine, and I dug a tattered copy out of storage after watching the movie about the battle of Midway.  (The naval battles of WW2, especially in the Pacific, are a favorite of mine...)


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## Richards (Sep 6, 2003)

I'm currently reading a collection of short science fiction stories by Connie Willis entitled _Impossible Things._  Yesterday, I finished up a Star Trek: Voyager book (in the "Section 31" line) called _Shadow_.  The day before that, I finished another Star Trek book, _The Lives of Dax_, a short story collection with a story of each of Dax's hosts.

Gotta love business trips -- nothing to do but read during breaks and at the hotel at night.  

Johnathan


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## Aaron L (Sep 6, 2003)

Just finished the Foundation Trilogy.  
Started the Belgariad again.  
Started Dune again.  
Just finished the old Elric series, need to pick up the new ones.  
Been reading the Infinity Gauntlet graphic novel over and over again . Going to pick up the X-tinction Agenda soon.


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## JoeGKushner (Sep 6, 2003)

Just read Four Winds book Three, Wind of Justice. Wasn't bad. Sets up a pretty interesting stoyr line.


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## Holy Bovine (Sep 6, 2003)

Cthulhu's Librarian said:
			
		

> Best pirate novel I've ever read is _On Stranger Tides _by Tim Powers. If you can find it (it is sadly out of print), by all means PICK IT UP!
> It shows up occasionally in used book shops, but if you look for it online, it's usually pretty expensive. Try your library as well.




Thanks for the advice.  I will keep an eye out for it (we have several excellent used bookshops here so there is hope to find it). 

The missus and I also picked up a book about the 100 years war and the RAF in WWI.  Just short histories with a nice overview of what happened - enough to get us started on more in depth reading.


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## Gizzard (Sep 8, 2003)

I finished _The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay_ over my vacation.  I picked it up because people were talking about Chabon's other books and because this one won the Pulitzer Prize.  He's an excellent writer, very vivid prose and the ability to shift style gears when called for (or was it just my imagination that the wartime chapters were much more _Catch 22_ absurdist surrealism than any other part of the book?)  Anyway, it traces the lives of two young men who form produce comic books during the golden age of pulps.  It's an interesting time and an interesting book.

In other book news, I went to the Hugo awards as part of my vacation.  _Hominids_ by Robert Sawyer won the best novel.  Personally, I can't stand Sawyers work (and I thought it was ironic that GRR Martin - who got jacked out of a well deserved Hugo last year by _Harry Potter #4_ - presented this years equally mistaken award) but a significant number of voters liked the book so it's obviously some people's cup of tea even if it's not mine.  

I also finished the Robert Silverberg _Best of Science Fiction..._ anthology on the plane.  As always some hits and some misses.  I believe this is the last year this anthology is going to be published - it only lasted two years going head-to-head with the more established Hartwell and Dozios anthologies.


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## blindrage (Sep 8, 2003)

I'm reading the new Clancy Hardback.  It's okay.  Not as good as I hoped but it's okay.


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## Psychotic Dreamer (Sep 8, 2003)

I've decided to go back and reread The Great War series by Harry Turtledove.  I literally just dug the book out today and haven't even gotten started back on it yet.  Hopefully later tonight at work I will have some time.


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## Pants (Sep 8, 2003)

I'm reading through the first Dragonlance books right now.  I must say, I'm really enjoying them


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## Green Knight (Sep 8, 2003)

> Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Novels and Stories, Vol. 1




I used to be the biggest Sherlock Holmes fan when I was little. Read those stories voraciously. I've since bought those Complete Novels and Stories books. 

Anyway, not reading anything, right now, though I've got a shelf full of R.A. Salvatore books which've been staring at me for a while. I've had them for a couple months, but haven't actually read any of them, yet (I read some of the other books I got with them, but not them). I've got* The Cleric Quintet*,* The Icewind Dale Trilogy*,* The Dark Elf Trilogy*,* The Legacy of the Drow*,* The Silent Blade*,* The Spine of the World*,* The Crystal Shard*,* The Sea of Swords*, and* The Thousand Orcs*. 

I'll probably start reading The Cleric Quintet or The Icewind Dale Trilogy one of these days. Yep. I'll get to them any minute. Any minute now...


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## Warehawk (Sep 8, 2003)

Holy Bovine said:
			
		

> Would also love to find a good book about pirates (preferably a fictionalized story - I read Under the Black Flag, which is excellent, but if anyone has a suggestion for a salty old sea dog of a tale...)




Here are a couple I've read in recent years:

_Mad Morgan_ by Kerry Newcomb

and

_The Requiem Shark_ by Nicholas Griffin


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## Liminal Syzygy (Sep 10, 2003)

WayneLigon said:
			
		

> It's an epic fantasy, that's for sure, with an ensemble cast. Threads of their stories weave in and out, usually changing per chapter but sometimes not.



Thanks Wayne!


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## d4 (Sep 10, 2003)

i finished _Dune_ just a while back. hard to believe i've never read Dune before; finally figured it was about time. 

more recently, i just finished Daniel Keys Moran's _Emerald Eyes_ and _The Long Run_ and am about to dive into _The Last Dancer_. these three books make up the beginning of his "Continuing Time" series, which IMO is one of the most interesting and innovative SF universes in print. i read "Dancer" about 8 or 9 years back without realizing it was the third book in the series. i was only recently able to pick up the earlier two.

after that, i'll most likely move on to the second Dune novel. which one is that? Children of Dune?

i'll agree with the Mean Eyed Cat's opinion of _Perdido Street Station_ -- i read that back in January and although i still think about it on occasion, i can't really make up my mind one way or the other on it. i guess that means it was a good book.


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## drnuncheon (Sep 10, 2003)

Just finished _Falling Sideways_ by Tom Holt, and was kind of underwhelmed.  It seems that you can't have a humorous British writer without comparing him to Douglas Adams, so maybe my expectations were too high - I was hoping for another Adams or Pratchett.  Is his other stuff better?

Also re-read John Steakley's _Vampire$_.

On the list:
_Guns, Germs and Steel_
_Anvil of the World_ by Kage Baker

and anxiously awaiting
_Monstrous Regiment_ by Terry Pratchett

J


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## Zaukrie (Sep 11, 2003)

Liars' Oath by Elizabeth Moon.  Not sure how I missed this when it came out a long time ago.  I enjoy her Gird/Paks (not going to try to spell it) books.

Waiting for Lord of Castle Black by Brust to get into the library.  Then, I'll read that.  Though, I could use with a little less of the annoying language use.  Some is good, as much as the last book was annoying, but the stories are so good I gotta read them.


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## Liminal Syzygy (Sep 11, 2003)

I just finished The Light Ages, which I throughly enjoyed. I'd recommend it to fans of non-traditional fantasy such as China Mieville's books, or to alternate history fans who don't mind a bit of fantasy mixed in.

The sterling review of this book on SF Weekly by Paul DiFillipo (an accomplished SF writer himself) is what motivated me to pick it up.
http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue318/books2.html

SF Site just put up a review as well: http://www.sfsite.com/09a/la159.htm

Internet reviewer dkennedy says "Ridiculously heady, raises the bar for the entire Fantasy genre; A+":
http://www.dkennedy.org/C2025243227/E1398891952/index.html


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## JediSoth (Sep 11, 2003)

I just finished _The Deed of Paksenarrion_ (a trilogy comprised of _Sheepfarmer's Daughter_, _Divided Allegiance_ and _Oath of Gold_), a most excellent set of fantasy novels about a young girl who becomes a mercenary to avoid an arranged marriage and eventually becomes a paladin.

I am now engrossed in my 4th or 5th reading of _The Lord of the Rings_. It gets better every time I read it, though there are still some chapters in _Fellowship_ that I tend to rush through *COUGH*Bombadil*COUGH*.

JediSoth


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## Justinian (Sep 12, 2003)

drnuncheon said:
			
		

> Just finished _Falling Sideways_ by Tom Holt, and was kind of underwhelmed. It seems that you can't have a humorous British writer without comparing him to Douglas Adams, so maybe my expectations were too high - I was hoping for another Adams or Pratchett. Is his other stuff better?



The best Tom Holt, in my opinion, is _Expecting Someone Taller_. It helps if you understand Wagner's Ring cycle, though. Holt is kind of hit-or-miss overall, I think.

I'm currently in the middle of _Fortress of Grey Ice_, the second J.V. Jones book mentioned upthread a ways, and it's good so far. I'm probably going to break down and order the third book from the UK when it comes out this fall, rather than waiting for Tor to get it, likely next year. _Edit: This has been postponed until April 2004._

Upcoming this month: _Tong Lashing_, the third Apropos book by Peter David, _Monstrous Regiment_, _Paladin of Souls_ (the sequel to _Curse of Chalion_), and simply for the sake of completeness, _Hybrids_. Only some of those are published so far, the others coming out in the last week of September. Until then, I'm killing time rereading the Covenant books by Stephen R. Donaldson.


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## Ruined (Sep 12, 2003)

I've been trudging through 'Lord of Chaos' by Robert Jordan, trying to get back into the Wheel of Time series since so many of my friends follow it. I can knock out a chapter or two a day while at work, so it will get done this way.

Think I'll look into the Black Ice books mentioned above. They look promising.


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## javapadawan (Sep 12, 2003)

Currently I'm having a hard time putting down the second book of the Ice and Fire series. I bought them after hearing so much praise for them here on the boards, and only recently got a chance to start reading them.

Egads, they're good. (<- Understatement.)

Now I'm torn between devouring them as quickly as possible so I can finally read all those old threads about them with *Spoiler* in the title, or trying to enjoy them as slowly as possible, knowing I still have to wait for the fourth book...


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## tetsujin28 (Sep 12, 2003)

I have to admit, I've completely lost interest in the Martin books.

Right now, I'm in the midst of:
Elizabeth O'Brien: _Post-Roman Britain to Anglo-Saxon England: Burial Practices Reviewed_;
re-reading Dunsany's _The King of Elfland's Daughter_;
Paula Gooder: _The Pentateuch: A Story of Beginnings_;
Barker's _The Great and Secret Show_ (so-so so far);
Lots of stuff for Exalted


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## CCamfield (Sep 13, 2003)

I was at the cottage most of the past week and relaxed by reading some novels...

_Stormrider_, by David Gemmell, is the third book in his Rigante world/loose series.  This one, interestingly, takes place in an analogue of the English Civil War.  I thought it was pretty good.

_Ilium_, by Dan Simmons, on the other hand, is absolutely incredible.  I am biased since I am a classics fan myself.  Highly recommended to anyone likes the Iliad or Greek mythology, or Roger Zelazny's books.  I wouldn't say it has the same setup as any of his books, but it's got beings which may or may not be the Greek gods.... whose Mt. Olympus is the 24km high Mons Olympus on _Mars_...


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