# [August] What are you reading?



## Krug (Aug 1, 2004)

Starting on Chabon's <i>Adventures of Kavalier and Clay</i>. 

Also read this, one of the best Sept 11 stories ever: 
Apologue by James Morrow.


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## RaceBannon42 (Aug 1, 2004)

Well, as someone who considers himself a serious Fantasy reader, there are a few gaping holes in my library. I thought it would be nice to fill some in, so I just got Tales of a Dying Earth by Jack Vance. Its past time I read those books.


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## mmu1 (Aug 1, 2004)

"To Say Nothing of the Dog" by Connie Willis, "Sharpe's Rifles" by Bernard Cornwell, a collection of Howard's Conan stories in their original version and chronological order and his Samuel Kane stories, "Gatherer of Clouds" by Sean Russel... I'm probably forgetting something. Oh yeah, "The Witcher" (Wiedzmin) by Andrzej Sapkowski.


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## JoeGKushner (Aug 1, 2004)

I started in late July Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb, finished it, and am now working on Mad Ship (by the same author.) I enjoy the writing but I can 'see' a little too easily where the author is going too often.

There are some things I'll be interested to see though. For example, the woodcarver Amber reminds me so much of the Fool, that I'd be very surprised were she not the Fool. I'm also sure that the Liveships are the memory stores of the sea serpents who are in fact dragons. 

Well, time will tell.


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## Pants (Aug 2, 2004)

_The Scar_ by China Mieville


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## jhallum (Aug 2, 2004)

Midnight Tides by Steven Erikson --Finally got around to ordering this from out country.  Should be here in about a week.  Yay!

from the library:

Moonfall by Jack McDevitt.  Enh.  Not great.  Fairly standard disaster book.   
Gardens of the Moon and..
Deadhouse Gates by Steven Erikson (re read before book 5 comes in)

The Butlerian Jihad by Anderson and Herbert (thank God for the library...never would have paid for this book...no doubt Herbert Sr is spinning so fast in his grave that he's powering the entire East Coast).
Pandora's Star by Peter Hamilton
Ilium by Dan Simmons (both book one of dualogies that I didn't know of.  Both very excellent books in their own right.  I recommend these).
finally...
Marathoning by Hal Higdon (can never know too little about Marathoning even after running a couple).


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## Barendd Nobeard (Aug 2, 2004)

Stephen King's *Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger (revised & expanded edition)*.  Just got it, and books 5 & 6 for my birthday.  I probably won't get to 5 & 6 for a while, since I'll re-read 2 - 4 before I read the new ones.


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## Wombat (Aug 2, 2004)

I've read the first three Phil Rickman "Merrily Watkins Mysteries" -- _Wine of Angels_, _Midwinter of the Spirit_, _A Crown of Lights_.  Fantastic characters!  

Also read through Michael Wood's _Conquistadors _ -- highly mediocre, terribly one-sided, not the best place to start on the topic.  I need to follow this up with something a bit more balanced.  

I'll probably dip into _American Gods _ for a second time, but there is a new Harry Dresden book out calling my name, so...


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## Viking Bastard (Aug 2, 2004)

Alternating between 'The History of Time' by Stephen Hawkings and 
 'The Toys of Boredom' by Guðbergur Bergsson. I don't expect anyone 
 to know him.


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## DanMcS (Aug 2, 2004)

Just finished Ringworld, which seemed like it wrapped up kinda fast.  Lots of journeying around and exploring, followed by 5 or 10 pages of, oh yeah, I just had a brilliant idea how to wrap this book up real fast.  It seemed oddly paced.

Reading a couple books on home-buying.

Going to get back into the new dune series, with House Harkonnen and Corrino probably.  When does the third book in the machine war trilogy come out?  Have to check that.

I'm desperately behind on my Harry Turtledove, that man writes too many darn books.  Spotted a new series on the shelf saturday, a fantasy world civil war series.  His fantasy world WWII series was not so good, so maybe I'll give the civil war one a pass and stick to his alternate history stories.


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## Sir Brennen (Aug 2, 2004)

Since the SciFi channel is going to make them into a mini-series in Dec., though I'd start the EarthSea books by Ursula K LeGuin.


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## Pielorinho (Aug 2, 2004)

Last Wednesday I had a lousy day, so my sweet wife took me out for fish and chips and good local beer, the ultimate in comfort food.

Afterward we walked down to a local bookstore, where I was doing my usual sneering at their crappy fantasy section, only I was tipsier than normal.  "Pah!" I said.  "Two dozen books by Orson Scott Card, yet they don't even have China Mieville's new novel!"

"Yeah they do," said my sweet wife, pointing.

"YEAH!!!" I hissed, snatched it off the shelf, and took that bad boy up to the checkout counter.

I'm almost done with _Iron Council_.  It's flippin' fantastic.

Daniel


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## Desdichado (Aug 2, 2004)

_Aliens vs. Predator: Prey_ by Steve Perry.  So far, it's pretty bad, but I'll probably finish it anyway.  Also, the _Iron Kingdoms Character Guide: Full Metal Fantasy Volume I_, which is quite a mouthful.  After that, I might read the _Alien_ trilogy also by Steve Perry, but I'm not sure.  I have them from the library, in any case.

For what it's worth, he should have stuck to his rock music career...


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## Shallown (Aug 2, 2004)

I'm rereading MIcheal Reaves _Shattered World_ Novel. It an the sequel _Burning Realm_ I always thought of is how I picture Magic being done. I like the fact that Mages are usually in excellent health since magic is physically and mentally draining. Not weakling sickly poeple locked up in libraries. I really think this is a setof novels that should have had thier own RPG game. The fragments and such floating through the air would be an interesting place. Cloak fighters and Adepts traveling about with Werecreatures and such. A well written and interesting world, one of my favorites.

Later


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## Olive (Aug 3, 2004)

Pielorinho said:
			
		

> I'm almost done with _Iron Council_.  It's flippin' fantastic.




So, tell us more!!!

I'm just finishing _The Second ldest Profession: Espionage in the 20th Century_ by Philip Knightly. It's ok, but kinda irritating at times.

Next... I'm not sure actually. I'e got a bunch of things beside the bed, but nothing that makes me go 'yes!'. Maybe I'll buy the new Meiville? Sell it to me Pielorinho!


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## barsoomcore (Aug 3, 2004)

Just finished Erikson's _Midnight Tides_ -- which reassured me as to his genius after _House of Chains_ made me worry. Immediately went back and re-read HoC, which seemed much better after having read the latter one. Halfway through, now, and Erikson's got a heck of a job to do bringing this massive story together in some sort of coherent order.

Am receiving _The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian_ this week and yay yay yay. After _The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane_ I'm jumping on the Howard bandwagon. Fine stuff, this.

I also bought _Shadow and Claw_, a omnibus edition of Gene Wolfe's first two Book of the New Sun series. Steven Brust speaks very highly of Mr. Wolfe, and Steven Brust is never, ever wrong. So I'm curious.

I'm also poking at John Keegan's _The First World War_. Very good.


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## Krug (Aug 3, 2004)

Gene Wolfe is fantastic. You won't regret it.


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## mmu1 (Aug 3, 2004)

barsoomcore said:
			
		

> Am receiving _The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian_ this week and yay yay yay. After _The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane_ I'm jumping on the Howard bandwagon. Fine stuff, this.
> 
> I also bought _Shadow and Claw_, a omnibus edition of Gene Wolfe's first two Book of the New Sun series. Steven Brust speaks very highly of Mr. Wolfe, and Steven Brust is never, ever wrong. So I'm curious.




Hey, that's exactly what I'm reading.

Steven Brust is one of my all-time favorite authors - but I found Gene Wolfe's books impossible. (or the Shadow and Claw, anyway. I read his latest... _The Knight_, was it? and enjoyed it) They were extremely dark, depressing and slow paced... The writing was certainly good enough that I thought about going back and trying again, (got stuck halfway through the second one) but so far, I haven't gotten around to it.


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## Panthanas (Aug 3, 2004)

Just finished Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb, and started its sequel, Royal Assassin.  It's a pretty dang good series so far.  I just need more time to read!!


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## Pielorinho (Aug 3, 2004)

Funny, I was just thinking of picking up some Gene Wolfe based on Mieville's recommendation.  Synchrofreakinnicity, don'tcha know.

*Olive*, I just finished _Iron Council_.  My thoughts, without giving too much away:
-Of the three Crobuzon books, this one is far and away the most political.  That's something that I enjoy a lot, but other folks may not like so much; be aware when you read it that you're going to be reading, not a didactic work, but a work that offers a grim and thoughtful treatment of social upheaval in a fantasy world.
-_Perdido Street Station_ made me gasp on just about every other page with some bizarre new idea.  This one didn't quite do that, but it still had a fair share of breathtaking scenes.
-I think the characters are better drawn in this one than in his previous books, and the language is the same surefooted baroquery that you'll either love or you'll hate.  Obviously it works well for me.

Afterwards, I'm wanting to go back and start the three books all over again.  That's gotta be a good sign.  His next book is going to leave Crobuzon, be all about something new; I'm already looking forward to it.

Daniel


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## vtaltos (Aug 3, 2004)

WOOT Brust fans!
I am currently reading The Ten Thousand by Michael Curtis Ford. 
After that i will dive into books two and three of The Viscount of Adrilankha by Steven K. Zoltan Brust, pjf.


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## Olive (Aug 3, 2004)

Pielorinho said:
			
		

> *Olive*, I just finished _Iron Council_.  My thoughts, without giving too much away:
> -Of the three Crobuzon books, this one is far and away the most political.  That's something that I enjoy a lot, but other folks may not like so much; be aware when you read it that you're going to be reading, not a didactic work, but a work that offers a grim and thoughtful treatment of social upheaval in a fantasy world.
> -_Perdido Street Station_ made me gasp on just about every other page with some bizarre new idea.  This one didn't quite do that, but it still had a fair share of breathtaking scenes.
> -I think the characters are better drawn in this one than in his previous books, and the language is the same surefooted baroquery that you'll either love or you'll hate.  Obviously it works well for me.




AWESOME

Maybe I'll try to find it int he way overpriced scifi bookshop that seems to get stuff earlier than general release next week...

So where did you hear about his next and his Wolfe recomendation?


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## JoeGKushner (Aug 3, 2004)

Well, just finished Mad Ship by Robin Hobb and am working on the last book in this trilogy, Ship of Destiny. Solid writing and this book actually had a few surprises for me. For example, I didn't suspect that there would still be a serepent, "She Who Remembers".


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## Tetsubo (Aug 3, 2004)

The History of Civilizations, by Fernand Braudel. A must read for any fan of history.


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## mmu1 (Aug 3, 2004)

Pielorinho said:
			
		

> Funny, I was just thinking of picking up some Gene Wolfe based on Mieville's recommendation.  Synchrofreakinnicity, don'tcha know.




Hmm. Two recommendations for Wolfe, one from an author I like, another from one I hate. 

My problem with Mieville is that I don't like his style (He's got some very good ideas, but there's too much weird stuff that's just there for the sake of being weird and exotic, and no real internal consistency - his books just remind me of a Final Fantasy game), and that he injects way too much of his own personal politics into his books, which I don't care for at all.


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## Pielorinho (Aug 3, 2004)

Yeah, I can understand folks not liking his politics; without discussing the particulars, I'll just say that his politics inform his books as heavily as, say, Heinlein, and if you find his politics disagreeable, his books might be similarly disagreeable.  I enjoy that aspect of them.

As for the weirdness, he does sort of hint at its explanation--not so much in _Perdido Street Station_ as in _The Scar _and_ Iron Council_.  There's an energy called Torque that's responsible for a lot of what's going on, and it's tied to two landscape features:  the Cacotopic Stain, and The Scar itself.  

I don't find it weird for the sake of weirdness, any more than Conan is violent for the sake of violence.  The weirdness really adds to the storytelling for me.

But it's a matter of individual taste, of course, and de gustibus etc.

*Olive*, I forget where I heard about his next book--it was an interview somewhere online.  Same thing for his Gene Wolfe recommendation:  I was looking up a Mieville quote about Weird Fiction to answer someone's query about the topic, and ran across the recommendation in which he said Wolfe was one of the greatest living authors.  Figured I'd check it out.

Daniel


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## Desdichado (Aug 3, 2004)

Pielorinho said:
			
		

> I don't find it weird for the sake of weirdness, any more than Conan is violent for the sake of violence.  The weirdness really adds to the storytelling for me.



He does seem to occasionally wander off in weirdness that serves no purpose whatsoever.  The entire handlinger sequence in _Perdido Street_ was just to show off "hey, look, here's a really weird, grotesque element of my aw3some 53tting, d00ds" kinda moment.  It didn't further the storytelling at all; in fact, it interrupted the momentum of the story for no apparent reason.  Which was unfortunate, as it took at least 200 pages to build up any momentum to begin with.


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## Pielorinho (Aug 3, 2004)

Huh.  I only vaguely remember the handlinger segment from _PSS_.  Maybe so.
Daniel


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## Laurel (Aug 3, 2004)

Someone loaned me 'Kingdom of the Grail' by Judith Tarr, so starting that one.  I think there is one more after this, but not sure.
Anyone else read this? What did you think?


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## myrdden (Aug 3, 2004)

I've finally started _Deadhouse Gates_ by Steven Erickson.  I am so looking forward to this one.  150 pages in and I can barely set it down.


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## Olive (Aug 4, 2004)

Joshua Dyal said:
			
		

> He does seem to occasionally wander off in weirdness that serves no purpose whatsoever.  The entire handlinger sequence in _Perdido Street_ was just to show off "hey, look, here's a really weird, grotesque element of my aw3some 53tting, d00ds" kinda moment.  It didn't further the storytelling at all; in fact, it interrupted the momentum of the story for no apparent reason.  Which was unfortunate, as it took at least 200 pages to build up any momentum to begin with.




While I disagree about the first 200 pages, I do agree about the handlingers. But the scar had less of that in there, so I suspect as his writing matures the needless wierdness will get less and less.

On the politics thing, basically he's a very political person. I'd imagine that he would be unable to write these books without his politics.

Though to be honest, as a very political person with views not dissimilar to Meiville's, I don't find that he IS that political. But I guess that's just me. Ken MacLeod is a much more political writer, where as Iain M Banks, who is a very political person, is very rarely described as a political writer of fiction. But I have no doubt what Bank's politics are upon reading his work. Meiville's books remind me of Banks's in terms of their political-ness. Smilarly with Ursela LeGuin, with the notable exception of two books and a short story, she doesn't have much overt politics in her writing. But she is also a very political person whose politics informs her work. Moorcock as well.

This is probably a dangerous line of discussion tho. I'm pretty sure I'm sailing as close to the wind as I can without being specific and breaking the rules.


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## mmu1 (Aug 4, 2004)

The point I decided never to spend any more money on him was when I came across his "LotR is a festering boil on the ass of fantasy writing" interview. Politics and my opinion of his talent as a writer aside, the man is an insufferable pompous ass.


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## barsoomcore (Aug 4, 2004)

mmu1 said:
			
		

> My problem with Mieville is that I don't like his style (snip), and that he injects way too much of his own personal politics into his books, which I don't care for at all.



Huh. My problem with Mieville is that he writes dull books. On like, page 6700 of _Perdido Street Station_ I asked myself, "Why am I reading this?"

Still wondering what the answer to that question would be.


			
				myrdden said:
			
		

> I've finally started Deadhouse Gates by Steven Erickson.



Some people say it's the best of the series. I say it's the pitch that _Memories of Ice_ knocks out of the frickin' park. The Chain of Dogs will haunt your dreams, but the Pannion Seer will keep you up at night.


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## Darth K'Trava (Aug 4, 2004)

_The King Of Torts_ by John Grisham

Took a break from reading any fantasy/sci-fi....


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## Desdichado (Aug 4, 2004)

barsoomcore said:
			
		

> Huh. My problem with Mieville is that he writes dull books. On like, page 6700 of _Perdido Street Station_ I asked myself, "Why am I reading this?"
> 
> Still wondering what the answer to that question would be.



That's what I said up 'til about page 200.  Then, when the section called Metamorphosis started, I thought the book got quite a bit better.  I'll probably give _The Scar_ a chance based on the recovery he made for _PSS_ finally.  In fact, based on the pretty stupid books I'm reading right now, I might just drop them and try it this month...


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## myrdden (Aug 4, 2004)

barsoomcore said:
			
		

> Some people say it's the best of the series. I say it's the pitch that _Memories of Ice_ knocks out of the frickin' park. The Chain of Dogs will haunt your dreams, but the Pannion Seer will keep you up at night.




I hope that's a good thing!


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## Pants (Aug 4, 2004)

Joshua Dyal said:
			
		

> That's what I said up 'til about page 200.  Then, when the section called Metamorphosis started, I thought the book got quite a bit better.  I'll probably give _The Scar_ a chance based on the recovery he made for _PSS_ finally.  In fact, based on the pretty stupid books I'm reading right now, I might just drop them and try it this month...



_The Scar_ picks up a lot quicker than PSS did and is, so far, much better, although the 'point' of the book has yet to be revealed yet (I'm 300 pages in).  Still good though.


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## Pielorinho (Aug 4, 2004)

Very interesting.  I liked _The Scar_, but not nearly as much as _PSS_.  The first book (_PSS_) was utterly engrossing for me, one of the least boring books I've read in years; it felt like someone was transcribing my nightmares and giving them to me awake.  _The Scar_ didn't have that effect on me; nor did _Iron Council_.  Tey both very good IMO, but not as raw as _PSS_ was.

He does wait awhile in all the books before developing the "main" plot, inasmuch as there is a main plot.

Daniel


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## Andrew D. Gable (Aug 5, 2004)

*The Diamond Age* by Neal Stephenson
Yeah, I'm behind the times a little bit.  Just started it today, so I'm not really into it yet.


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## Uzumaki (Aug 5, 2004)

Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz. First Koontz novel I've read. I'm not a big fan of Stephen King, so someone suggested I try Koontz. I sorta like it sofar, Odd's narrative is entertaining if somewhat unlike that of a 20-year-old.


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## Pants (Aug 5, 2004)

Pielorinho said:
			
		

> Very interesting.  I liked _The Scar_, but not nearly as much as _PSS_.  The first book (_PSS_) was utterly engrossing for me, one of the least boring books I've read in years; it felt like someone was transcribing my nightmares and giving them to me awake.  _The Scar_ didn't have that effect on me; nor did _Iron Council_.  Tey both very good IMO, but not as raw as _PSS_ was.
> 
> He does wait awhile in all the books before developing the "main" plot, inasmuch as there is a main plot.
> 
> Daniel



Keep in mind that I haven't finished _The Scar_ yet and that while I thought Mieville could've trimmed off some pages from PSS, I LOVED the last half of book (after the moths are introduced).


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## Olive (Aug 5, 2004)

Pielorinho said:
			
		

> Very interesting.  I liked _The Scar_, but not nearly as much as _PSS_.  The first book (_PSS_) was utterly engrossing for me, one of the least boring books I've read in years; it felt like someone was transcribing my nightmares and giving them to me awake.  _The Scar_ didn't have that effect on me; nor did _Iron Council_.  Tey both very good IMO, but not as raw as _PSS_ was.




This is kinda the same for me... reading PSS was like reading my favourite author for the first time... the scar was probably less polished but not as exciting for me.


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## AuroraGyps (Aug 7, 2004)

Right now I'm reading Spike & Dru: Pretty Maids All in a Row which is very good, but I never knew Spike went blonde so early on. 

Before that was Grave Peril by Jim Butcher (I'm still waiting for books 4 & 5 from the library) & the Fray graphic novel.  Plus, in between I've looking through The Draconomicon, which looks really nice.


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## Mean Eyed Cat (Aug 8, 2004)

I'm currently reading Mojo: Conjure Stories edited by Nalo Hopkinson

Good vódu stuff!


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## Elodan (Aug 8, 2004)

So far this month,

_Infinity Beach_, Jack McDevitt
_Blood Rites_, Jim Butcher

 Picked up and put down _Cryptonomicon_ by Neal Stephenson a few times.  I'm having trouble getting into it.

 Next up, _Devlin's Justice_ by Patricia Bray.


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## JoeGKushner (Aug 9, 2004)

While waiting for my Tawny Man series to come from the SFBC, I'm still trying to finish off Legends and the Wind Walker, a FR book. The former is going a little better than the latter.


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## RaceBannon42 (Aug 9, 2004)

Legends II showed up on Friday so I took a break from Vance, which is going a bit slow, to Read the Sworn Sword and get a George RR Martin fix.


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## Darth K'Trava (Aug 10, 2004)

Finished "King of Torts", now reading "Conquistadors" by S.M. Stirling.


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## barsoomcore (Aug 11, 2004)

Just finished Fatema Mernissi's _Scheherazade Goes West: Different Cultures, Different Harems_ -- highly recommended if you want to get an outsider's view of Western (Christian) culture. Mernissi's a great writer and her notion -- how the idea of a harem as a care-free sexual playground for the man who owns it became so prevalent in the West -- is a fascinating one.

I greatly enjoyed it. I also finished Howard's _The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian_ and LOVED it. And I'm carrying Strunk & White's _The Elements of Style_ around and re-reading it because you need to do that every so often if you want to write gooder.


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## Olive (Aug 12, 2004)

Well, I started reading _The Iron Council_...

It's ggreat, but if you found his other work too political, you'll hate this. Over all, he's developing more and more as an author.


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## Rabelais (Aug 13, 2004)

*Red Thunder by John Varley*

Great, breezy summer reading.  Fun, not at all realistic.  Like a Boy's own trip to Mars.  

Afterwards, 

The Incredible Book of Vatican Facts and Papal Curiosities by Nino Lo Bello


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## Chaos Drake (Aug 13, 2004)

The Rule of Four. So far it's better than the Da Vinci Code.


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## ddvmor (Aug 13, 2004)

I'm about half way through The Gunslinger (first part of Stephen King's Dark Tower series).  I was expecting it to be a bit pants, but so far, I'm hooked.


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## PieAndDragon (Aug 16, 2004)

The King's War by C.V. WedgeWood, about the English Civil War. Dry, but interesting.


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## JoeGKushner (Aug 17, 2004)

In preperation of Gen Con this week, I took the whole week off and have just finished the Tawny Man trilogy. I enjoyed it more than the Liveship Traders, but not as much as the first trilogy, the Fareers. Good stuff all around though.


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## Pielorinho (Aug 18, 2004)

*Olive*, how's _Iron Council_ going?  My wife finished it last night, and loved it about as much as I did; I'm interested in seeing other folks' reactions.

Daniel


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## Pants (Aug 18, 2004)

Finished _The Scar_.  Very good, not as good as _Perdido_ but still very enjoyable.

Started Neal Stephenson's _Cryptonomicon_.  Very funny so far.


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## Tetsubo (Aug 18, 2004)

The Morality Maze: An Introduction to Moral Ecology by Neil M. Daniels


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## WayneLigon (Aug 18, 2004)

SFBC's collection _Dead in Dixie_, which contains the first three Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris. 

_Young Wizards,_ first five Nita/Kit books by Diane Duane.


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## Olive (Aug 19, 2004)

Pielorinho said:
			
		

> *Olive*, how's _Iron Council_ going?  My wife finished it last night, and loved it about as much as I did; I'm interested in seeing other folks' reactions.




It's going great. It's a much less convoluted read than any of his previous work, which I think helps. I'm not sure he got to the same sublime level of the grotesque that he did earlier though. I've got about 80 pages to go, so I'll post my final reactions when it's over.


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## driver8 (Aug 19, 2004)

Im reading the Icewind Dale Trilogy. Funny thing is, Im not really a fantasy fan when it comes to books. I play DnD and related video games, and I like the FR setting, but ive never cracked a FR novel.

However with all the 30th anniversary stuff and with RA Salvatore linked with the Demonstone PS2 game coming out next month, thought Id give it a try. Its ok, not bad, but doesnt set the world on fire for me.


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## EricNoah (Aug 19, 2004)

I just finished the Arthur C. Clarke/Stephen Baxter collaboration, _Time's Eye_.

Just started Robert Charles Wilson's _Bios_.

Will follow that up with another Clarke/Baxter collaboration, _The Light of Other Days_.

I got part way through Greg Keyes' _Briar King_ and will probably pick it up again, but fantasy fiction's just not doing it for me these days.


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## MonsterMash (Aug 19, 2004)

Fiction:

Finished Lord Dunsany's _King of Elflands Daughter_ and reread Patrick O'Brien's _Master and Commander_ 

Non-fiction:
Lots of half read books I'm trying to finish!


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## Banshee16 (Aug 21, 2004)

Pants said:
			
		

> _The Scar_ by China Mieville




What's it like?  I just picked up Perdido Street Station a week ago, and I think it comes first.  Just finishing Children of Dune, and then I'll get started.

Banshee


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## Pielorinho (Aug 21, 2004)

Banshee16 said:
			
		

> What's it like? I just picked up Perdido Street Station a week ago, and I think it comes first.



Yep!  I'm a huge Mieville fanboy, and of the three books I've read by him (I've not read _King Rat_), _Perdido Street Station_ is my favorite.

It's a little hard to get into for some folks:  the prologue was very difficult for me to follow, and some people think the story doesn't really develop for 100 pages or so.  But if you can groove on his baroque world and writing, he's absolutely fantastic.

He used to be a gamer, incidentally, and it shows:  there's a scene in the book that's gonna make you grin with delight.

_The Scar_ is good, too, as is _Iron Council_ (his latest book, released last month), but nothing stands up to _Perdido Street Station_ IMO.

Daniel


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## CCamfield (Aug 21, 2004)

"The Odyssey Re-formed", Ahl and Roisman
"Ancient Egyptian Literature", Lichtheim

No novels right now.  I was thinking of starting my copy of Midnight Tides, but I think I'm going to re-read the Odyssey next, along with The Odyssey Re-formed.


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## Olive (Aug 22, 2004)

Pielorinho said:
			
		

> (I've not read _King Rat_)




I wouldn't bother. It's not very good. There are some interestng ideas, but over all it is wierdly written, and the whole thing is set over a strange back drop of the london drum and bass scene. I LIKE drum and bass, and still found it all fairly annoying. (although it's possible that some one not into that music might find it less annoying than someone who is).

Over all his bas lag stuff is much much better.


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## Pants (Aug 23, 2004)

Banshee16 said:
			
		

> What's it like?  I just picked up Perdido Street Station a week ago, and I think it comes first.  Just finishing Children of Dune, and then I'll get started.
> 
> Banshee



Excellent book.  Not as good as Perdido Street Station, but it picks up much quicker.  If you liked PSS, then you'll no doubt like The Scar.


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## Laurel (Aug 24, 2004)

I am on to the second book of the _Deathstalker Series_ by Simon R. Green

The first book in the series started almost jumbled instead of building, he seemed to quickly switch from action to talking to fighting to politics.  Towards the end of the first book and start of the second, though, the pace and plot have picked up and have just continued a steady snowball.  
the books follow a group of characters all playing different roles through out the Universe.  This gives the reader a great vision of all aspects of his universe.


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## Krug (Aug 29, 2004)

Finished Chabon's _Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay_, which was exhausting but brilliant. Right now moving to lighter fare; _Riders of the Dead_, a *Warhammer* novel by Dan Abnett.


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## DMScott (Aug 29, 2004)

I picked up S.M. Stirling's _Dies the Fire_ yesterday, and am about halfway through - it's a pretty quick read. Good gaming fodder, like a lot of Stirling's work.

I also have Mark Budz' _Clade_ on the go, and for non-fiction Noam Chomsky's _Hegemony or Survival_.


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## Ibram (Aug 29, 2004)

Just finished up "The Burning Shore" by Robert Earl... which is full of great imagry about the exploration of a jungle.

Right now I'm eagerly awaiting "Brilliance Under the Moon" by Leam Hearn.  its the last in the "Tales of the Otori" series, and if its anything like the first it should be a wonderfull book.


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## mojo1701 (Aug 29, 2004)

_The Lives of Dax_. Right now, I'm on Torias.

Pretty good, it's got a few hints here and there about certain parts of Trek history 



Spoiler



A young Leonard McCoy (still at the academy, even before he wanted to be a doctor) met Emony Dax (the gymnast) and had a date with her


.


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## Andrew D. Gable (Aug 30, 2004)

In a very retro mood, I am now reading *The First Men in the Moon* by H.G. Wells.


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## Gomez (Aug 30, 2004)

I am also in a retro mood. I am reading *Triplanetary* by E.E. Doc Smith and *Hiero's Journey* by Sterling E. Lanier. This is about the fourth or fifth times for me to read them each!


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## Pants (Aug 31, 2004)

I am putting down Neal Stephenson's _Cryptonomicon_ in favor of Steve Erikson's _Deadhouse Gates_.

So far I've read 10 pages and I prefer the writing style in _Garden's of the Moon_.


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## Krug (Aug 31, 2004)

Finished _Riders of the Dead_ which was quite good but had a very rushed ending. So much build up and the final battle ends in a whimper. Lots of nice cultural bits though, and Abnett's descriptions of battles are always vivid.


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## Pielorinho (Aug 31, 2004)

Andrew D. Gable said:
			
		

> In a very retro mood, I am now reading *The First Men in the Moon* by H.G. Wells.



I'll out-retro you with my _The Three Musketeers_.  I've never read it before, and in a perverse twist, I'm reading it due to the interest sparked by reading Brust's _The Phoenix Guards_.

It's great!
Daniel


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## nikolai (Aug 31, 2004)

Pielorinho said:
			
		

> I'll out-retro you with my _The Three Musketeers_.  I've never read it before... It's great!




When you've finished why not try *The Club Dumas* by *Arturo Perez-Reverte*. It's very closely plotted around _The Three Musketeers_. And it happens to be the EnWorld Book Club's next selection.

Puting Book Club promotion to one side... I'm currently trying to force my way into _Tigana_ by _Guy Gavriel Kay_. Has anyone else found the first three-or-so-hundred pages very slow? By all accounts the book is brilliant, and I appreciate what he's trying to do, but it seems to to be taking a while for the plot to build up momentum.


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## Olive (Sep 1, 2004)

Pants said:
			
		

> I am putting down Neal Stephenson's _Cryptonomicon_ in favor of Steve Erikson's _Deadhouse Gates_.
> 
> So far I've read 10 pages and I prefer the writing style in _Garden's of the Moon_.




I've never read Erikson, but _Cryptonomicon_ is well worth stickign with.


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## Andrew D. Gable (Sep 1, 2004)

On a sudden whim, I decided to read *The Island of Dr. Moreau*, still Wells, instead.  One of my favorite books ever.  I think I've read it 20-some times.


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## Liminal Syzygy (Sep 1, 2004)

_Iron Council_ by China Mieville.


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## Pants (Sep 1, 2004)

Olive said:
			
		

> I've never read Erikson, but _Cryptonomicon_ is well worth stickign with.



It is good so far, but _Deadhouse Gates_ is far more important.


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