# What Are You Reading? (March 2005)



## Cthulhu's Librarian (Mar 3, 2005)

Nobody's started this yet? Guess it's up to me then. 

_The Necronomicon_ edited by Robert M. Price-stories & essays about the Necronomicon, including works by Wellman, Pohl, Silverberg, deCamp, Long, Carter, Lovecraft, and Price (among others)

Rereading Alan Moore's run on _Swamp Thing_

That's about it right now. Slow start to the month.


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## Ankh-Morpork Guard (Mar 3, 2005)

Just finished the Revenge of the Sith lead in novel, Labyrinth of Evil. Very, very good book...surprised me, as I haven't liked the prequel novels that much. May needs to get here...

Trying to decide what to read next. Either going to go through my Pratchett books again or post-Return of the Jedi books.


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## Wombat (Mar 3, 2005)

Chewing my way through the O'Brian books still -- on _Nutmeg of Cosolation_ (#13)at the moment.  

At this rate I should be through with the series in April


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## Palaner (Mar 4, 2005)

I'm trying to get through The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand by April.  They have an essay contest that I'd like to get in.


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## Shag (Mar 4, 2005)

Just finished The Mammoth Book of Roman Whodunits and now about a 3rd of the way through The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane.


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## jaerdaph (Mar 4, 2005)

Almost done with _White House Horrors_, (one of those paperback short story collections edited by Martin H. Greenberg) and moving on to _Jack the Ripper _ (another of those paperback short story collections edited by Martin H. Greenberg).


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## jonesy (Mar 4, 2005)

Travelling through the Hitchhikers Guide trilogy once again.

Also reading _The Virtual Community_ by Howard Rheingold, and _Being Digital_ by Nicholas Negroponte


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## Cthulhu's Librarian (Mar 4, 2005)

jaerdaph said:
			
		

> Almost done with _White House Horrors_, (one of those paperback short story collections edited by Martin H. Greenberg) and moving on to _Jack the Ripper _ (another of those paperback short story collections edited by Martin H. Greenberg).




You know, I don't think there is another editor out there who has edited anywhere near the number of collections MHG has. It's amazing the number of books he puts out each year. Nice guy, too. I've met him on multiple occasions.


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## Nifft (Mar 4, 2005)

Just finished Tad Williams' _City of Golden Shadow_, now in the middle of Malcolm Gladwell's _Blink_.

 -- N


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## Hand of Evil (Mar 4, 2005)

Warcraft: War of the Ancients - I am a big fan of Richard Knaak but I am having a hard time getting into this book at this time.


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## WayneLigon (Mar 4, 2005)

Just finished _Through Wolf's Eyes_, by Jane Lindskold, which is the first part of at least a three part series, maybe more. The first book, at least, is self-contained. Most of the plot points are wrapped up and though there is obvious a lot of ground left to cover you're not left going 'aaagh'. 

Don't be fooled by the cover. The main character is smart, interesting, and very keen. 

A noble has gone across the great mountains with a small group of people looking for the son of the king, who came this way many years ago to found a colony in the remote wilderness after the king disowned him. All that they find, though is the tough, savage Firekeeper. She has been raised by the intelligent 'Royal' wolves of the area after being rescued from the devestating fire that killed all the other members of the colony (it is presumed). Believing her to the prince's daughter the ambitious noble takes the curious Firekeeper back to civilization, along with her friends Blind Seer the great wolf and the royal peregrine Elation. There she has to grow up quickly and learn the ways of humans. She becomes involved in the various intrigues of court and finds that humans and wolves are not really all that different.

The wolves are not mindspeakers, but they are much more intelligent than normal wolves (which they call The Cousins, and pity). Firekeeper communicates with them through body language, sounds, postures, etc; they can understand spoken human language fairly well as well since once their kind roamed with the humans on the other side of the mountains a few generations ago. This is also why Firekeeper knows a little about being human, and still has the ability to gain language later. 

The plot is interesting, with many twists and turns though not so many as to be headache inducing. When you think you know a character or think you know what they are going to do, they usually surprise you. I'll probably pick up the other books in the series, but like I said before it's not a compelling point. You could leave off after this book and be fine.

Right now, I'm a few pages into _The Wayfarer Redemption_, unsure if I'm going to go on with it. It's OK, but nothing is dragging me along saying 'just one more chapter'.


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## Wormwood (Mar 4, 2005)

Pratchett. Pratchett. Pratchett.

Prior to last month, the only book of Pratchett's I'd read was _Good Omens_. 

Last month _The Light Fantastic_, and instantly got hooked. So I did what every good geek would do---I immediately ran out and bought the entire series. 

In February I read Discword novels #1 through #5.

March 1-2 was occupied by _Wyrd Sisters_ (which I devoured). I had to skip _Pyramids_, because it hasn't arrived from Amazon yet, so I started _Guards! Guards!_ today. 

Each book is better than the last. I'll keep y'all posted.


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## Wormwood (Mar 4, 2005)

Shag said:
			
		

> ...now about a 3rd of the way through The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane.



...also known as, "Wormwood's Guide to Paladins"


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## Crothian (Mar 4, 2005)

Thieves' World Enemies of Fortune


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## DonAdam (Mar 4, 2005)

At the moment, lots and lots of Chinese philosophy. Midterm tomorrow. I really dig reading the heavy hitters (Kong fu zi, Lao z), but all the minor guys that just copy what the big guys say are becoming a jumble pretty quickly... Everybody Wang Chung tonight.

Then catching up on Kierkegaard, Mill, and Avicebron for other classes.

Probably some Aquinas for a Medieval philosophy paper and some Kant, Mises, and Hoppe for a Recent philosophy paper over spring break, which is non-existent (thanks to philosophy papers).

Hopefully I'll get to read some more Howard Conan stuff again soon, if time permits.


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## Pozatronic (Mar 4, 2005)

Patricia A. McKillip's "Song For The Basilisk". It's good so far, very nice. There's  a few things that remind me of Guy Gavriel Kay's "Tigana", which is a good thing.

I don't know what to read after that. Anybody got any suggestions?


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## diaglo (Mar 4, 2005)

slogging my way thru _Pandemic_ by Daniel Kalla. it is so full of errors and misinformation it is really hard to want to finish, but i'm still trying.


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## DragonSword (Mar 4, 2005)

The Teeth of the Tiger by Tom Clancy. Not bad book. Good to pick up and read when I feel like it. Chapters are a bit long though.


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## nakia (Mar 4, 2005)

DonAdam said:
			
		

> At the moment, lots and lots of Chinese philosophy. Midterm tomorrow. I really dig reading the heavy hitters (Kong fu zi, Lao z), but all the minor guys that just copy what the big guys say are becoming a jumble pretty quickly... Everybody Wang Chung tonight.
> 
> Then catching up on Kierkegaard, Mill, and Avicebron for other classes.
> 
> ...




Kant is Recent philosophy?  Are you at Oxford circa 1800?   

I kid because I've been there.  Good luck on your mid term.

I've just started Erikson's _ Guardians of the Moon_, so now I am on the Malazan bandwagon.  I also just got Alton Brown's cookbook _It's All About the Food_, which I am working my way through.  It's a great cookbook if you want to learn how to really cook and not just follow recipies.


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## howandwhy99 (Mar 4, 2005)

Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community by Robert D. Putnam


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## ShadowDenizen (Mar 4, 2005)

FInishing the "Dark Tower" series: midway through Book VII as we speak!    

Next up?
The one-volume "Bone" collection, the "Y: THe Last Man" collection, and then on to "Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell." (Assuming "Traitor's Knot", the new Janny Wurts books doesn't arrive before then!!)

Also waiting in the wings are the Howard Conan and SOlomon Kane books, and a re-read of the Fafhrd & the Grey Mouser series, as well as the "Obsidian" trilogy.


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## Gomez (Mar 4, 2005)

Just finishing _"Gods of Mars"... _ by ERB.

After that I have _"Scramble for Africa"... _ by Thomas Pakenham.


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## Phoenix8008 (Mar 4, 2005)

Starting book 3 of 5 in the 'Knights of the Silver Dragon' series. Good series of kids books in the D&D universe. I like the use of known classes, spells, and such straight from the rulebooks.

After that, I'll get into the 'Labyrinth of Evil' Star Wars III prequel.


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## A2Z (Mar 4, 2005)

Oryx and Crake - Margaret Atwood. Good stuff, I'm on the last chapter now.


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## Kiln Publications (Mar 4, 2005)

I Am Legend by R Matherson and after that I am reading some R E Howard Conan...


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## jester47 (Mar 4, 2005)

Just finished up the second Cugel book.  Now starting Rhialto the Magnificant.  Then it will be on to "The Alphabet vs. the Goddess" then on to Blood Meridian, then the rest of Best of the Realms Vol 1

Aaron.


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## DaveStebbins (Mar 6, 2005)

Just today (well, yesterday as it is past midnight EST) I finished listening to the unabridged audiobook of Dan Brown's _The DaVinci Code_, which I enjoyed quite a bit. However, since I have been listening to it on my MP3 player when I work out, and my workout schedule has gone to heck lately, it took me forever to read it.

I spent 18+ hours in the car last weekend, so I listened to the audiobook of _The Pleasure of My Company_ by Steve Martin which was a very engaging and entertaining first person look at the life of an obsessive compulsive. I also heard a forgettable self-help book, and am now about three-quarters of the way through _Cerulean Sins_, an Anita Blake vampire/werewolf book by Laurell K. Hamilton. Not as good as the book of hers that I listened to several months ago (title escapes me at the moment), but still quite good enough to keep me awake through an overnight trip home and during the commute this past week.

Not reading much actual hardcopy right now. Have the latest Dungeon Magazine on my nightstand and the updated Caverns of Thracia is there as well.


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## demiurge1138 (Mar 6, 2005)

Rereading Heir to the Empire, the first of the best series of Star Wars novels. Before that, Hitchhiker's Guide again.

Demiurge out.


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## Cassiel (Mar 6, 2005)

DonAdam said:
			
		

> Probably some Aquinas for a Medieval philosophy paper and some Kant, Mises, and Hoppe for a Recent philosophy paper over spring break, which is non-existent (thanks to philosophy papers).




Sounds fun. I've also got my hands in Aquinas, Augustine and some lesser-knowns on theories of hypostasis and consubstantiality as (a small) part of a paper on Joyce (I'm reading them in postmodern contexts, so more time is given to the larger projects of hermeneutics in Nietzsche, Heidegger, Gadamer and such). I'm sure my Spring Break will also be sacrificed, to another chapter of this project in fact. Good luck!


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## Whizbang Dustyboots (Mar 6, 2005)

"Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell."


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## Aris Dragonborn (Mar 6, 2005)

Chainfire, by Terry Goodkind.
Frankenstein, by Dean Koontz.
Teeth of the Tiger, by Tom Clancy.
Fellowship of the Ring, by Tolkien.
The Bear and the Dragon, by Tom Clancy.

Finished City of Towers, by Keith Baker, and hopefully Marked for Death, by Matt Forbeck, will be here Monday. Also finished Odd Thomas, by Dean Koontz.

And yes, I really am reading five books at once (though I should probably wait on Teeth of the Tiger, because it takes place after The Bear and the Dragon)


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## Rabelais (Mar 6, 2005)

*Ancient Greece*

The Illiad, Homer
The Histories, Herodotus
History of the Peloponesian War, Thyudices

oh, and North America:  The historical geography of a changing continent.

Reading for pleasure?  Feh.


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## LizardWizard (Mar 6, 2005)

As usual, I read three or four books at once...
Namely:
_ Wuthering Heights _ by Emily Bronte
_ The Scarlet Letter_ by Nathaniel Hawthorne 
(these are for the Foreign Literature course at the Moscow State University)
_ The Castle of Iron_ by L Sprague de Camp
_ The Gates of Noon_ by Michael Scott Rohan 
(these are for entertainment purposes   )


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## Macbeth (Mar 7, 2005)

Whizbang Dustyboots said:
			
		

> "Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell."



How is that? I've read the first couple of chapters, and it just didn't draw me in as much as I'd like. Maybe I'm just too used to the short, abrut prose of some of my favorite authors...

which brings us to what I'm reading. I'm hoping to finish Bret Easton  Ellis' "The Rules of Attraction" before Che Guerva's "Global Justice" arrives from Amazon. Never read Che before, but I've been wanting something political to read, and the movie "The Motercycle Diaries" peaked my interests.

After that, I find something to fill my reading until May when Chuck Palahniuk's new book, "Ghosts" come out. I've devoured every other book Palahniuk wrote (and he's probably my favorite author), so I can't wait for his new book.


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## Jdvn1 (Mar 7, 2005)

Recently finished Orson Scott Card's _Xenocide_, and now to read the last of the 'Ender Quartet'.

_Xenocide_ started off as a really slow book, but the last third of the book was _amazingly awesome_.  Probably has something to do with the fact that he wrote the second half of the book separately.  I'm really looking for to _Children of the Mind_.


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## Macbeth (Mar 7, 2005)

I read all of the Ender books except Children of the Mind. Got a little tired towards the middle of Xenocide, and even though it picked up near the end, I still wasn't too motivated to read Children of the Mind. I may have to get around to that someday.


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## Jdvn1 (Mar 7, 2005)

Yeah, I was very disappointed with the first half of _Xenocide_.  I put it down for about a month and then decided to go back to it so I could finish the series.  Starting the second half fresh, it was easy to get excited in the last parts of the book.  Have you seen the beginning of _Children of the Mind_.  Starts off with some of the end of _Xenocide_.  Pretty interesting.


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## demiurge1138 (Mar 7, 2005)

I hate to disappoint you all... but Children of the Mind is really not very good at all. No, really. There's some good ideas, and an interesting secondary character, but the plot isn't captivating at all. You'd be better served by reading the Ender's Shadow series.

Demiurge out.


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## ddvmor (Mar 7, 2005)

Predator's Gold by Phillip Reeve.  It's a sequel to Mortal Engines.  It's a kids book, but it's got some nice, relatively original concepts in it.  Just begging for a movie.


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## Viking Bastard (Mar 7, 2005)

demiurge1138 said:
			
		

> You'd be better served by reading the Ender's Shadow series.



...aaaand on the topic of Orson Scott Card, I just finished reading his _Ultimate Iron Man #1_.

Pretty good. Of his work I've only read the first Ender book (Ender's Game?) and it 
didn't really catch my fancy. But I quite liked UIM, even though he seems to recycle
his Ender material a bit (I've heard that he has a tendancy to do that, is that true?).


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## MonsterMash (Mar 7, 2005)

Still digging through _Quicksilver_ by Neal Stephenson

Also for work reading _The Unified Modelling Language Reference Manual_


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## Klaus (Mar 7, 2005)

Just finished Three Hearts And Three Lions, by Poul Anderson, my very first experience into the D&D-inspiring literature apart from LotR.

Just started City of Towers, by Keith Baker. Seems OK so far, but I only read, like, three chapters.

Apart from that I'm juggling theEberron Campaign Setting, the three published Eberron adventures, Sharn: City of Towers sourcebook and the DC Comics Guide to Coloring and Lettering Comics.


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## Hand of Evil (Mar 7, 2005)

Just started *Inheritance: Book One of the Keys of Power* by Simon Brown - so far a good read and getting into the story.


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## Berandor (Mar 7, 2005)

Just finished the Farseer trilogy and Daniel Pennac's Reads Like a Novel.

On my slate right now is:
The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
"The Swarm" by Frank Schätzing (a German Ecothriller)
House of God by Samuel Shem
A Heartbreaking World of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers (in English)


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## Berandor (Mar 7, 2005)

Macbeth said:
			
		

> How is that? I've read the first couple of chapters, and it just didn't draw me in as much as I'd like. Maybe I'm just too used to the short, abrut prose of some of my favorite authors...



I liked it fine enough. I enjoyed the portrayal of Victorian Wizardry a lot. If there's one thing I would hold against it, it'd be its moderation. There's no real tension, the funny moments make you smile, not laugh, etc. But very well written, I thought. 
8/10 to me.


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## Macbeth (Mar 7, 2005)

demiurge1138 said:
			
		

> I hate to disappoint you all... but Children of the Mind is really not very good at all. No, really. There's some good ideas, and an interesting secondary character, but the plot isn't captivating at all. You'd be better served by reading the Ender's Shadow series.
> 
> Demiurge out.



Yeah, I really like the Shadow series, and I think of them as the 'real' sequels to Ender's Game.


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## Jdvn1 (Mar 7, 2005)

demiurge1138 said:
			
		

> I hate to disappoint you all... but Children of the Mind is really not very good at all. No, really. There's some good ideas, and an interesting secondary character, but the plot isn't captivating at all. You'd be better served by reading the Ender's Shadow series.



I plan on reading those later, though.  I don't really expect _Children of the Mind_ to be that good, because I can kind of guess how everything is going to resolve.  Most of the problems laid forth in _Speaker of the Dead_ were resolved in the closing chapters of _Xenocide_, and the rest seems kind of bleh.  Just want to finish the series, though.  Then I'll take a break from Card to read the _Triangle_ trilogy, then on to the _Shadow_ books.


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## ragboy (Mar 7, 2005)

Fic: _The Sailor on the Seas of Fate_, Moorcock. It's on hold at the moment. Elric-fatigue. 
Nonfic: Nothing...need something. History or political science...anyone?
Comics: Conan 13, Ultimate FF (ug), some other random stuff
Gaming: Grim Tales, Stack of Dungeon magazines for the kids' new campaign. 

Waiting: Forbeck's Eberron book. Need to go pick that up tonight.

I really liked_ Ender's Game_, thought the _Speaker for the Dead_ was good, and couldn't finish _Xenocide_. My wife has read everything he's ever written, but she's a Mormon, so it's probably compulsory.


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## Jdvn1 (Mar 7, 2005)

ragboy said:
			
		

> My wife has read everything he's ever written, but she's a Mormon, so it's probably compulsory.



That reasoning is hilarious.


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## Andrew D. Gable (Mar 8, 2005)

_Stonehenge_ by Bernard Cornwell


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## replicant2 (Mar 8, 2005)

Klaus said:
			
		

> Just finished Three Hearts And Three Lions, by Poul Anderson, my very first experience into the D&D-inspiring literature apart from LotR.




If you liked *Three Hearts and Three Lions* -- heck, even if you _didn't_ like it -- I urge you to find a copy of Anderson's *The Broken Sword*. It's fantastic epic fantasy that combines Norse mythology, inexorable tragic fate, races of faerie vs. encroaching humanity, and Christianity vs. paganism. 

Cursed re-forged sword? Check.

Changelings and trolls? Check.

Journey to the ice lands of Jotunheim? Check. 

Sprawling, long-winded and thick as a telephone book? Nope. It's downright short (206 pages) by today's standards, and loaded with enough stuff to spark a whole campaign.


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## Draken (Mar 8, 2005)

Currently reading The Dying Earth, by Jack Vance, stuck at "The Eyes of the Overworld".  Not falling in love with it actually...

After that, Terry Pratchet's Soul Music.  I'm really looking forward to that.

Also, reading Complete Adventurer.


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## Pielorinho (Mar 8, 2005)

Berandor said:
			
		

> I liked it fine enough. I enjoyed the portrayal of Victorian Wizardry a lot. If there's one thing I would hold against it, it'd be its moderation. There's no real tension, the funny moments make you smile, not laugh, etc. But very well written, I thought.
> 8/10 to me.




Interesting!  I found it the best fantasy I've read since _Perdido Street Stations_, and before that, _The Golden Compass_.  I was constantly laughing while reading it:  her dry-as-dust wit is far more appealing to me than Pratchett's absurdism.  And I definitely thought there were moments of great tension in it, although they mostly come in the second half of the book.  If I were to level a criticism against it, it'd be that the book takes too long to get started.  But once it does, it's superb, in my opinion.

Currently I'm reading _Tigana_, and loving it:  it'll probably go up with _Sailing to Sarantium_ as one of my favorites of Kay's works.  I definitely understand its popularity (unlike the whole Fionavar tapestry trilogy, which I hated).

And my wife and I are reading _A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court_ together.  It's very funny, even if all the characters are kind of loathsome.

Daniel


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## Berandor (Mar 8, 2005)

Pielorinho said:
			
		

> Interesting!  I found it the best fantasy I've read since _Perdido Street Stations_, and before that, _The Golden Compass_.  I was constantly laughing while reading it:  her dry-as-dust wit is far more appealing to me than Pratchett's absurdism.  And I definitely thought there were moments of great tension in it, although they mostly come in the second half of the book.  If I were to level a criticism against it, it'd be that the book takes too long to get started.  But once it does, it's superb, in my opinion.
> 
> Currently I'm reading _Tigana_, and loving it:  it'll probably go up with _Sailing to Sarantium_ as one of my favorites of Kay's works.  I definitely understand its popularity (unlike the whole Fionavar tapestry trilogy, which I hated).
> 
> ...



Hey, 8/10 is a very good grade in my book! I didn't rate it among fantasy novels only, and I actually recommended the book to all my friends.

That said, I still thought the wit detracted from the tension somewhat, especially in the scenes with Stephen Black and the Elf - but I don't think the scenes were meant to be full of tension, anyway. I'd agree with you that the book picks up steam, but to me only after 



Spoiler



Mrs. Strange dies


. But that _might_ have something to do with the translation, I'm not sure.

But I found Strange & Norrell a delightful read, indeed


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## Pielorinho (Mar 8, 2005)

Berandor said:
			
		

> Hey, 8/10 is a very good grade in my book!




Fair enough--and the translation issue didn't even occur to me.  I'm guessing her wit translates well (especially into German), but I don't know for sure.

Daniel


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## Berandor (Mar 8, 2005)

It's more a case of whether they used a good translator or not. Neil Gaiman, for example, seems to be known for having bad translations in Germany.

Anyway, I think the translation was well enough.


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## Erekose13 (Mar 8, 2005)

Just started into R. Scott Bakker's _The Warrior Prophet_.  It's the second book in his Prince of Nothing series.  The first book - The Darkness that comes Before - was excellent and I am really looking forward to this one, just wish I had more time to read.


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## merztrumpet (Mar 25, 2005)

It's nearing the end of March and I'm finishing up Mumbo Jumbo written by Ishmael Reed. How'd everyone else fare this March?


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## Jdvn1 (Mar 25, 2005)

Started _Children of the Mind_ and so far it's not as bad as I thought.  At least, I'm not disappointed, but maybe my hopes were too low?


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## Tetsubo (Mar 25, 2005)

Technics and Civilization by Lewis Mumford


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## Nighthawk (Mar 26, 2005)

I finished Matt Forbeck's "Marked for Death" Eberron book. I am now reading E.E. Knight's "Tale of the Thunderbolt."


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## Vonlok The Bold (Mar 26, 2005)

I'm reading the One Kingdom of the Swan War series.  I hadn't heard much about it, don't see it discussed much, but it was what was available while I was out of the country.  I'm actually enjoying it.  It isn't the best of the best, but it is better than a ton of the fantasy novels that are out there.


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## TheAuldGrump (Mar 26, 2005)

This week I finished rereading _De Re Metallica_ by Georgeous Agricola, translated by Herbert Hoover; and the _Scepter of Mercy_ trilogy by Dan Chernenko.

The first is a very dry, but heavily illustrated period book on Renaissance mining techniques. If you want to know what makes dwarfs so serious read this book.

The _Scepter of Mercy_ series is a very good fantasy novel involving politics, war, usurpers of the throne, political mistakes, and a demon/god. Only one dissapointing scene in the series, and one of the best endings I have seen in a while, as the last book continues for a while after the climax.

The Auld Grump


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## Cthulhu's Librarian (Mar 26, 2005)

Nighthawk said:
			
		

> I finished Matt Forbeck's "Marked for Death" Eberron book.




What did you think of it? I've got it on order, but haven't received it yet.


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## Crothian (Mar 26, 2005)

Finished Dragons of Light, a short story antholgy about dragons.  There were some relly good stories in there and some stinkers.  Next up is the follow up anthology, Dragons of Darkness.


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## Angel Tarragon (Mar 27, 2005)

I started reading the Rising Tide Forgotten Realms novel anthology earlier this week. When I'm done with book 4 I'm going to move on to the Thieves World series of novels.


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## Snotlord (Mar 27, 2005)

Just finished:
Elminster's Daughter, by Ed Greenwood
Che Guevara, by Andrew Sinclair
Return to Lankhmar, by Fritz Leiber

Next up:
Stalingrad, by Anthony Beevor
The Rite, by Richard Lee Byers
Spellfire, by Ed Greenwood (second time around)
A small death in Lisbon, Robert Wilson


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## DaveStebbins (Mar 27, 2005)

I just finished _Cerulean Sins_ an Anita Blake vampire hunter novel by Laurell K. Hamilton, which was OK, but nothing amazing. Certainly not up to the standard of _Seduced by Moonlight_, which is from a different series of hers.

My workout schedule has gotten better, so I just finished _Matchstick Men_, which was good, but not exactly my type of book. When matched with _The Pleasure of My Company_ by Steve Martin, which I read a few weeks ago I guess this was 'novels about obsessive compulsives' month for me.

Currently my MP3 player has most of an Amelia Peabody mystery in it. The title escapes me, but any Elizabeth Peters archaeology mystery set in early 20th century Egypt is probably good enough to get me through my work out.

Towards the end of this coming week I'll be visiting my daughter, which means I'll have about 18 hours in the car to listen to a couple more audio books. I'll have to see what the local library has that looks interesting.

Again, no real time to invest in hardcopy books, as evidenced by the fact that I spent ten hours at work today and will be headed back in tomorrow.

-Dave


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## Undead Pete (Mar 27, 2005)

Just got all of Steven Brust's _*Taltos*_ novels in omnibus edition off half.com.  I'm about to finish _*Jhereg*_.  Pretty damn good so far.  I'll probably switch back and forth between this series and my 1100 page _*Great Book of Amber*_ (another omnibus edition) by Roger Zelazny.


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## Captain NeMo (Mar 29, 2005)

I'm an incredibly lazy reader, but I'm like half way through the Catcher in the Rye. Loving it, although J.D Salinger's writing style can be somewhat tiresome at times.


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## Greylock (Mar 29, 2005)

About halfway through "Guns, Germs and Steel" by Jared Diamond. Not quite living up to the hype, yet, but enjoyable. I'm about to put this one in high gear. Got a little stack of fantasy books to take a gander at, and I haven't read fantasy in ages.  Then probably some Arabian, Crusader history for April.


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## Insight (Mar 29, 2005)

Just finished *Under the Black Flag: The Romance and the Reality of Life among the Pirates* by David Cordingly, compulsory reading for anyone working on pirates roleplaying supplements (along with _Skull & Bones_, of course!).

About halfway through *Elric of Melnibone* by Michael Moorcock.  These Elric novels are quite small in terms of page count, so I'm aiming to finish the Elric series by summer.


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## RichGreen (Mar 29, 2005)

Hi,

Currently reading Monstrous Regiment by Terry Pratchett. Before that, I read The Last Light of the Sun by Guy Gavriel Kay (which took a while to get into but was worth it in the end!)

I'm also reading the last part of Cerebus the Aardvark "Latter Days"

Cheers


Richard


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## Pants (Mar 29, 2005)

Reading _City of Towers_ by Keith Baker at the moment.

I put aside _The Dragonbone Chair_ a while ago because it's so bloody hard to get into.

I also have _The Silver Spike_, _Slaughterhouse Five_, _A Brave New World_, and _Cryptonomicon_ waiting to be read/finished.  Should keep me occupied until either _The Bonehunters_ by Erikson or _A Feast for Crows_ by Martin comes out.


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## Flexor the Mighty! (Mar 29, 2005)

I'm reading "The Years Best Fantasy Stories 12" from 1986, particularly Harlan Ellison's "Paladin Of The Lost Hour".


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## GrendelKhan (Mar 29, 2005)

Re-reading "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman.


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## Nighthawk (Mar 29, 2005)

Cthulhu's Librarian said:
			
		

> What did you think of it? I've got it on order, but haven't received it yet.





Possible Spoilers!








It was an ok read. It is the first time I have read any fictional work by the author (Matt Forbeck). At this time, I have no major complaints or issues as it is the first book in a trilogy (AFAICT). 

I like a character (Kandler, flaws and all), dislike a character (Te'oma, who is not a pure villain, IMO), and I am intrigued by the concept of the Mark of Death. I consider the Warforged to be nicely introduced and well handled.

Some of the pacing was off in my eyes, and I cannot understand the "why" of some events, but that is cool. As the books progress, that may change. I can also be quite dense.

I will be purchasing the second book when it is released.


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## Pants (Mar 30, 2005)

GrendelKhan said:
			
		

> Re-reading "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman.



Good book. 
I'm looking forward to his _Anansi Boys_ book that is coming out... sometime during the next year.


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## Wereserpent (Mar 30, 2005)

"A Short History of Biology" by Issac Asimov.


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## Queen_Dopplepopolis (Mar 30, 2005)

"Turbulant Souls" by Stephen Dubner - the book is the story of a young man whose Jewish parents become Catholics before marrying... it is only after he graduates college that he truly comes to understand what Judaism/Jewish is and, eventually, returns to his Jewish roots... a good read, if a bit surreal to read about conversion OUT of your faith.


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## The_Universe (Mar 30, 2005)

I'm reading "A Secret Atlas" by Michael Stackpole, and just finished "The Black Company" by Glen Cook.  Before that, I read the last "Shadow of _____" book (the Ender's Game companions) by Orson Scott Card.  

So far, all three have been immensely pleasing, but Stackpole's new world is a bit dense (but I'm getting the hang of it, now).


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## Aris Dragonborn (Mar 30, 2005)

Finished:
Frankenstein, Dean Koontz (great book, though now I have to wait for the next book)
Marked For Death, Matt Forbeck (another great read, does a good job in capturing some of the feel for Eberron)
The Good, The Bad, and The Undead, Kim Harrison (picked it up on a lark, and I'm glad I did)

Still going through Chainfire and The Bear and the Dragon. After that, maybe I'll re-read Starship Troopers and Ender's Game. And pick up Kim Harrison's first book, Dead Witch Walking.


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