# [July] What are you reading?



## Krug (Jul 1, 2004)

Reading lotsa manga. _Helsing, Full Metal Alchemist_. Also working on _A Small Killing_ by Alan Moore as well as _Daredevil: Yellow_.


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## Enchantress (Jul 1, 2004)

I am currently rereading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.  I've read most of it before, but I didn't finish the last five chapters.  Hey, tell me how Helsing is Krug, I've been thinking about trying it out myself.


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## Desdichado (Jul 1, 2004)

It's bad enough that you always start a movie poll about a week before movies are released, but now you're starting a monthly what are you reading thread before the month starts!  

But, to answer the question, I'm reading some non-fiction about the Dark Ages: _In Search of the Dark Ages_ by Michael Wood, _The World of the Celts_ by Simon James, _King Arthur: the True Story_ by Graham Phillips and Martin Keatman and _Quest for Arthur's Britain_ by Geoffrey Ashe.

For fiction, I'm reading _The Winter King_ again, by Bernard Cornwell, soon to be followed by the follow-ups to that novel, _The Enemy of God_ and _Excalibur_.  I'm also still mired in _Jhereg_, for whatever that's worth.


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## EricNoah (Jul 1, 2004)

"Hard" sci-fi novel _Spin State_.  by (apparently) new-ish author Chris Moriarty.  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0553382136/102-9900179-8375323?v=glance

Good stuff so far.  The teleportation technology of the story is very compelling -- you're not really teleported, you're destroyed and recreated at the quantum level.  This can wreak havoc on a person if it's done too many times, particularly on one's mind as a few memories are wiped out each time you do it.  Makes me want to make a house rule for D&D.


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

_Tigana_ by Guy Gavriel Kay (still)


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## Pants (Jul 1, 2004)

Still reading _The Stand_


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## Wyn A'rienh (Jul 1, 2004)

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy


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## Barendd Nobeard (Jul 1, 2004)

"A Girl of the Limberlost" by Gene Stratton-Porter


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## Wombat (Jul 1, 2004)

Let's see.

Several Osprey/Men-at-Arms books (_Aztec, Mixtec & Zapotec Armies_; _Border Reivers_; _Matchlock Musketeer_; _Landsknechts_; _Buccaneers_; _French Religious Wars_).  Along the same line Michael Wood's _Conquistadors_.  

The five Harry Dresden books; just started Elizabeth Peters _He Shall Thunder in the Sky _ (yeah, Amelia!).

After that, probably some more Arthurian material, to prepare for the film, including Morris' _Age of Arthur_.


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## Pielorinho (Jul 1, 2004)

Nonfiction:  _An Unexpected Light_, an account of an Englishman's travels in Afghanistan in the eighties and nineties.  Riveting.
Fiction:  _Absolute Friends_, John LeCarre's latest spy novel.  I'm only just starting it, but apparently it was at the center of a lot of controversy.  So far it's just very beautifully written, with an elegance unusual for the genre.

Daniel


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## Desdichado (Jul 1, 2004)

Wombat said:
			
		

> Several Osprey/Men-at-Arms books (_Aztec, Mixtec & Zapotec Armies_; _Border Reivers_; _Matchlock Musketeer_; _Landsknechts_; _Buccaneers_; _French Religious Wars_).



Ooh, I forgot those.  I've picked up _The Mamluks_ and one on the Byzantine Army (can't remember the time frame, but it's a later Byzantine army book.  There's more than one.)  I really enjoy Osprey.


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## Pielorinho (Jul 1, 2004)

Oh, and I was looking at picking up one of the _Black Company_ novels, but the library didn't have the first one in the (newer) series.  How important is it to read them in order?

Daniel


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## Krug (Jul 2, 2004)

Enchantress said:
			
		

> I am currently rereading Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.  I've read most of it before, but I didn't finish the last five chapters.  Hey, tell me how Helsing is Krug, I've been thinking about trying it out myself.




Helsing isn't too bad. There seem to be a lot of rules establishing what vampires can or can't do though.


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## Enforcer (Jul 2, 2004)

Mad Ship by Robin Hobb.


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## Datt (Jul 2, 2004)

Still reading the Saga of Reculce books.  My reading time has been cut back so I am just now half way through book 6.


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## ikazuchi (Jul 2, 2004)

I Find myself in the midst of a few books right now:
Magician: Apprentice by Feist (gods I love this series)
Sounds of the Beast: A History of Heavy Metal
The Dresden Files Series


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## Sir Whiskers (Jul 2, 2004)

I'm in retro mode, re-reading Jack Chalker's first Well World series. Bizarre stuff, but some great ideas for gaming.


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## DanMcS (Jul 2, 2004)

Just reread Neverwhere and American Gods by Neil Gaiman, while on vacation.

Currently rereading A Game of Thrones (GRRM), and going to hit the next two next (Clash of Kings and Storm of Swords).

Browsing through a book on the boxer rebellion whose name I can't recall.

Going to read "Salt: A World History".  Probably should hit "Guns, Germs and Steel" while I'm on a history of stuff kick.

Playing with Bill Severn's Magic Money: Tricks with Coins and Bills, because I like coin tricks.

Need to reread the Worldwar tetrology by Turtledove, in preparation for getting back into the Colonization tetrology, which I never finished.  Tetrology?  Trilogy?  I thought there were four books planned for it, but only three have been published, in 99, 2000, and '01, apparently).  There's something called "Homeword Bound", planned for December of this year, which seems to be in the same series.  Maybe if I finish the trilogy I'll be able to figure out what's going on.  Hmph.  Darn you, Harry Turtledove, and your prolific writing of series that I all want to read!


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## myrdden (Jul 2, 2004)

Andrew D. Gable said:
			
		

> _Tigana_ by Guy Gavriel Kay (still)




How is it?  I've read his _Fionavar Tapestry_ and thought it was just ok, although the author seemed to have a lot of potential.


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## Klaus (Jul 2, 2004)

_The Avenger_ , by espionage master Frederick Forsythe. And it's been great (it's been too long since Forsythe wrote one of these, ever since _The Deceiver_ ...


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## Pielorinho (Jul 2, 2004)

myrdden said:
			
		

> How is it? I've read his _Fionavar Tapestry_ and thought it was just ok, although the author seemed to have a lot of potential.



I've read a bit by Guy Gavriel Kay, and _Fionavar_ was far and away my least favorite.  Although I've not read _Tigana_, I can recommend _A Song for Sorbonne, The Lions of Al-Rassan,_ and the duology _Sailing to Sarantium_ and _Lord of Emperors_, in increasing order (i.e., I liked the _Sarantium_ books best).

Daniel


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## qstor (Jul 2, 2004)

For Non-fiction Gettysburg by Stephan Sears

Fiction Elminster in Myth Drannor by Greenwood


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## Red Wyrmling (Jul 2, 2004)

Eberron the campaign setting and The Lost Library of Cormanthyr.


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## myrdden (Jul 2, 2004)

Pielorinho said:
			
		

> I've read a bit by Guy Gavriel Kay, and _Fionavar_ was far and away my least favorite.  Although I've not read _Tigana_, I can recommend _A Song for Sorbonne, The Lions of Al-Rassan,_ and the duology _Sailing to Sarantium_ and _Lord of Emperors_, in increasing order (i.e., I liked the _Sarantium_ books best).
> 
> Daniel




Thanks!


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## Viking Bastard (Jul 3, 2004)

Just started on 'The Wee Free Men' by Terry Prachett.

 Read the entire season one of Ed Brubaker's Sleeper last night and Rucka's Death & the Maidens.


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## Nellisir (Jul 3, 2004)

Pielorinho said:
			
		

> I can recommend _A Song for Sorbonne, _



_

A Song for Arbonne

 

I like all of GGK's works, but Tigana is especially good.

Re: The Black Company -- You can skip the first 4 books (The Black Company, Shadows Linger, The White Rose, and The Silver Spike and probably not miss too much, but I'm not sure about jumping in with Bleak Seasons or She is the Darkness.  If I recall, they're pretty closely tied together.  If you can't get the initial trilogy (Silver Spike can be skipped), try for Shadow Games and Dreams of Steel first -- they lead into the later books.

I'll look into it a little more this afternoon.
Cheers
Nell._


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## drothgery (Jul 3, 2004)

Tad Williams' _The War of the Flowers_, the second edition of Steve McConnell's _Code Complete_, and Terry Pratchett's _Witches Abroad_ currently have bookmarks in them. I'll probably be done with those by the end of the weekend though, and I'm not sure I want to keep re-reading Witch books (I'd only re-started on them to avoid my latest stack of purchases until a flying cross-country and back last weekend) until I think of something else to get (there's a lot of stuff coming out this fall that I'm definitely picking up, but in the short run, not so much).


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## Krug (Jul 3, 2004)

Book 3 of Swamp Thing: The Curse. Part of Alan Moore's 'American Gothic' storyline.


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## Andrew D. Gable (Jul 3, 2004)

myrdden said:
			
		

> How is it?  I've read his _Fionavar Tapestry_ and thought it was just ok, although the author seemed to have a lot of potential.



Having read a few of Kay's (Al-Rassan, Sarantium, and now this) I can see a sort of evolution in his books.  I haven't read Fionavar, but I think in a lot of ways it's typical fantasy.  In Tigana, he's moving towards the low-magic, political of, say, Martin (there's a few powerful sorcerers) and then by Al-Rassan and Sarantium has practically obliterated magic (Al-Rassan had one seer kid and Sarantium had a necromancer/alchemist).  

All that said, Tigana is quite good so far.


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## WmRAllen67 (Jul 4, 2004)

Just read _Sandstorm_ by James Rollins...

Now it's back to classwork-- _The Indian Ocean in World History_ by Milo Kearney and _In the Beginning_ by Brian Fagan (for archaeology...)


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## Korgan26 (Jul 4, 2004)

Band of brothers by Stephen Ambrose


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## Pielorinho (Jul 5, 2004)

Nellisir said:
			
		

> _A Song for Arbonne_





D'oh!  Thanks for the correction.



> Re: The Black Company -- You can skip the first 4 books (_The Black Company, Shadows Linger, The White Rose,_ and _The Silver Spike_ and probably not miss too much, but I'm not sure about jumping in with _Bleak Seasons_ or _She is the Darkness_. If I recall, they're pretty closely tied together. If you can't get the initial trilogy (Silver Spike can be skipped), try for _Shadow Games_ and _Dreams of Steel_ first -- they lead into the later books.



And many thanks for this; I'll keep it in mind next time I'm at the library.

Just finished _Absolute Friends_, by the way.  I'm typing this from under my bed, and have been hiding here ever since finishing the book.

Daniel


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

Wading my way through _The Great New England Sea Serpent_ by J.P. O'Neill.  About all the sightings of sea monsters off Massachusetts and Maine and such (the Gloucester sea serpent of 1817, ferrinstance).


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## Khayman (Jul 5, 2004)

Non-fiction:  _Murder on the Plains_ (an old chapbook on crime in Western Canada); and _Developmental Juvenile Osteology_ by Schuer and Black --- a right ripper that is.

Fiction: _Imajica_ by Clive Barker; and _Ficciones_ by Jorge Luis Borges.

By the way, it's nice to see people reading Guy Gavriel Kay --- I wasn't sure if he was read much outside Canada.


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## NiTessine (Jul 5, 2004)

After reading four books in two days on my Copenhagen vacation (it rained a lot), I'm now wading through _The Mammoth Book of Future Cops_. Then I've got the last two books of Robin Hobb's Liveship Traders to tackle. After that, there's the Birthright novel _Greatheart_ and _Dissolution_, the first part of the War of the Spider Queen.


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## haiiro (Jul 6, 2004)

I'm nearly done with The Descent, by Jeff Long -- and it's really good. Riveting, actually. I'd never heard of him or the book, which is always kind of fun.

The premise can be summed up quickly in two words: Hell exists. Not quite in the Biblical form, but right under our feet and very real -- The Descent is about what humanity does about it.

If you're at loose ends, go read this book! 

(Edit: finished it last night, and it's good all the way through.)


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## AuroraGyps (Jul 6, 2004)

DanMcS said:
			
		

> Currently rereading A Game of Thrones (GRRM), and going to hit the next two next (Clash of Kings and Storm of Swords).




Same thing I'm reading.  I managed to pick up the 2nd & 3rd books 1/2 price while my mother was up.   I love this series and it kills me that I have to wait for the next 3 books to come out (well, the forth comes out soon, but I still hate waiting).
As for what's next, I have no idea, but I certainly have enough to choose from.  I must have gotten about 100 books while visiting with my mom.  We hit 2 book sales, one discount book place,a flea market, and I checked out what's she's gotten for me while I visited back home.   Plus, I joined her helping out her library with a sale...she get's gets 1st pick at stuff while  putting stuff out.   I've said it before and I'll say it again... my mom rocks.  She even remembered that G.R.R. Martin edited the Wild Cards series when I asked her if she knew what else he's done.


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## JoeGKushner (Jul 6, 2004)

I finally started reading my hardcover copy of Legends that I bought many moons ago! Only took a few years to break down and start reading it!

I wonder if all of these little stories will make it into other sources though. For example, Robert Jordan turned his story into a full novel.


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## MonsterMash (Jul 7, 2004)

Recently - _King of Elflands Daughter_ by Lord Dunsay, _Call of the Wild_ by Jack London and non fiction _Year 1000_ by Robert Lacey and Danny Danziger. Rules: PHB, DMG (3.5)


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## Enchantress (Jul 8, 2004)

Krug said:
			
		

> Helsing isn't too bad. There seem to be a lot of rules establishing what vampires can or can't do though.




Unlike LXG, in which it seems like vampires have no limits.


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## Kanegrundar (Jul 8, 2004)

_Wolves of the Calla_ by Stephen King.  I've ordered the next book in the series _Song of Susannah_, and I really want to get both read by Spet 21st when the last book in the series, _The Dark Tower_ comes out.  Hands down, King's Dark Tower series is the best and most imaginative fantasy series I've ever read.

Kane


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## ShadowX (Jul 8, 2004)

Guy Gavriel Kay has recently become a favorite of mine.  I have only read Tigana, Lions of Al-Rassan, and Last Light of the Sun.  The first two are among the finest fantasy novels I have read and the last one is merely great.

As for what I have read, am reading, and soon will be reading:

The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant in preparation for the release of the Last Chronicles.

Light Ages by Ian Macleod

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter Miller, I can't believe I never read this before.

A Fire Upon the Deep and it's sequel by Vernor Vinge


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## AuroraGyps (Jul 9, 2004)

JoeGKushner said:
			
		

> I finally started reading my hardcover copy of Legends that I bought many moons ago! Only took a few years to break down and start reading it!
> 
> I wonder if all of these little stories will make it into other sources though. For example, Robert Jordan turned his story into a full novel.




I think I saw something about a comic book on G. R. R. Martin's website and it might be based on the Legends I & II short stories.  It had something to with hedge knights.


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## ragboy (Jul 9, 2004)

*Books...*

_Quicksilver_ by Neal Stephenson (prequel to _Cryptonomicon_). 

*Comics*
Dark Horse's _Conan_
Dark Horse's Star Wars (Clone Wars)
CrossGen's _The Path_
And something called _Sleeper_, but I don't know who puts that out. (good d20 Modern or Supers inspiration)

*Gaming*
Star Wars d20 _Coruscant and the Core Worlds_
Eberron Campaign Setting (blarg). 

*Cereal Boxes*
Captain Crunch's _Peanut Butter Crunch _ (enrapturing from the first spoonful).


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## nikolai (Jul 9, 2004)

AuroraGyps said:
			
		

> I think I saw something about a comic book on G. R. R. Martin's website and it might be based on the Legends I & II short stories.  It had something to with hedge knights.




That's the Hedge Knight graphic novel based on his short story (just from Legends I). It's a compliation of the 6? comics in books form. The same people are going to do the Sworn Sword (from Legends II), but it'll take a while before this comes out as a comic. GRRM plans more Egg and Dunk short stories, once the cycle ends (after 6 or 7 short stories, I think), they'll most likely all be published together in a book.


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## Rabelais (Jul 10, 2004)

Just started book 3 of Kushiel's Legacy trilogy.  Definately rated R for Mature Language, Nudity, and Sexual Situations.  Children Under 17 not admited without a Parent.

After this, I'm going to work on a book called the Eyes of God by John Marco.  Pretty hefty tome, that one... kinda looking forward to it.


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## JoeGKushner (Jul 12, 2004)

I took a break from reading Legends over the weekend to read Assassin's Apprentice and Royal Assassin and have started Assassin's Quest. Robin Hobb did some good work here. The length of the books is killing me though! I'm not used to reading so much at one time.


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## WayneLigon (Jul 12, 2004)

Just finished the two Nifft books, _The Incomplete Nifft_ (includes Nifft the Lean and The Mines of Baramor) and _The A'rak_.


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## Pants (Jul 12, 2004)

JoeGKushner said:
			
		

> I took a break from reading Legends over the weekend to read Assassin's Apprentice and Royal Assassin and have started Assassin's Quest. Robin Hobb did some good work here. The length of the books is killing me though! I'm not used to reading so much at one time.



Royal Assassin = One of the best books I've ever read. Bar none.


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## RaceBannon42 (Jul 12, 2004)

*trying to decide*

I just finished up Robin Hobb's Farseer Trilogy last week, and I rather enjoyed it. I have been trying several new authors recently as  many of my old favorites dont seem to be turning out the same quality as they used to. I've been disapointed by the latest stuff by  Jordan, Goodkind, Eddings, Brooks, and Feist.  So while I'm eagerly waiting for a Feast for Crows. I've read the Briar King by Greg Keyes, and A Cavern of Black Ice by JV Jones, Both were good enough to keep me reading  the next books in the series. I also picked up a book by David Gemmel, I believe its called the Sword in the Storm, the first book of the Rigante. I just started it last night  its outstanding so far.


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## JoeGKushner (Jul 12, 2004)

*Robin Hobb?*

Ah, I see I'm not the only one of the boards whose read the books. I tend to buy books in series so that when I do get around to it, I have the whole thing at once. With some books, like Wheel of Time or Clash of Kings, that's not possible.

Has anyone read the second series? I'm really enjoying the first series. The only thing bugging me so far is Molly. I don't want to sound stupid, and perhaps I'm wrong, but if she isn't pregnant by the Fitz and devoting herself to that child, I'd be very surprised. I'd also be surprised if the Fool doesn't have a little Elder blood (or some other type of blood!) in him.

Overall very good though. I tend to enjoy 1st person stories as it's easier to get into the character's head. Amber did a real god job with this style too.


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## Pants (Jul 12, 2004)

JoeGKushner said:
			
		

> Has anyone read the second series? I'm really enjoying the first series. The only thing bugging me so far is Molly. I don't want to sound stupid, and perhaps I'm wrong, but if she isn't pregnant by the Fitz and devoting herself to that child, I'd be very surprised. I'd also be surprised if the Fool doesn't have a little Elder blood (or some other type of blood!) in him.



First question, what book are you on?   

As for the Tawny Man Series, I haven't read it yet.  I've heard that the LiveShip Traders should be read before that, but I'm loathe to make the plunge.  The sample chapter from the first Liveship book irritated the hell out of me.


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## drothgery (Jul 13, 2004)

Pants said:
			
		

> First question, what book are you on?
> 
> As for the Tawny Man Series, I haven't read it yet. I've heard that the LiveShip Traders should be read before that, but I'm loathe to make the plunge. The sample chapter from the first Liveship book irritated the hell out of me.



I haven't read _Fool's Fate_ yet, as it's not in paperback until December (if I'm really attached to a series, I'll buy hardcovers, but Hobb's not quite like that for me), but I'm pretty sure you could get by without reading the Liveship Traders books if you really wanted to; I think Hobb gives you enough info to puzzle out the rest. But I'd give the first one a shot before I made that decision.


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## ironmani (Jul 13, 2004)

I just finished reading _Witchhunter_ by C. L. Werner. It wasnt too bad. A good "Action Movie" read. I'm still plowing thru _Vampireslayer_, but I just cant seem to get into it. *shrug* It seem thou that every book I pick up is linked in a trilogy! So no getting off with just spending 7 bucks for a one off book!


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## JoeGKushner (Jul 13, 2004)

Pants said:
			
		

> First question, what book are you on?
> 
> As for the Tawny Man Series, I haven't read it yet.  I've heard that the LiveShip Traders should be read before that, but I'm loathe to make the plunge.  The sample chapter from the first Liveship book irritated the hell out of me.




Well, I found out I was right about the one thing (Molly). I'm on book three, about page 300. I have this feeling that Burrich and Molly are going to wind up together. A strange thing that, but maybe I'm misreading the foreshadowing here.

So far, so good. Still, I wish authors could make books similiar in length to the old days. Heck, I remember the old Moorcoock books and hardly any of them were over a few hundred pages.


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## Pielorinho (Jul 13, 2004)

I'm now reading _Thraxas_, a World Fantasy Award winner.  And I gotta say, I'm a bit disappointed:  it's nowhere near as good as the other WFAs I've read, not even as good as your average Robert Asprin MYTH-ing book.

Daniel


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## Krug (Jul 13, 2004)

*Life After God* by Douglas Coupland which even has a D&D reference.


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## AuroraGyps (Jul 14, 2004)

I'm in the middle of The Serpent's Shadow by Lackey and I'm enjoying it alot.  It a different take on Snow White.

Next is the third, forth, and fifth Harry Dresden books that I reserved at the library.  I also reserved Whedon's Fray graphic novel, 3.5 DMG & 3.5 PHB, the Draconomicon, & something else I can't remember.  Yay, Buffalo library system!!


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## JoeGKushner (Jul 14, 2004)

Well, just finished Assassin's Quest. A very long (almost 800 page paperback) and see that I was right about a few things. A few things surprised me at the end there.

One thing I didn't like about the book was how it resolved the conflict of the raiders with the main character tending to not really be there (at that point he wasn't really needed though no?).


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## Pants (Jul 14, 2004)

JoeGKushner said:
			
		

> One thing I didn't like about the book was how it resolved the conflict of the raiders with the main character tending to not really be there (at that point he wasn't really needed though no?).



Totally agree.  That was one of my initial complaints about the book.  Plus, Kettle annoyed the hell out of me.


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## JoeGKushner (Jul 15, 2004)

Don't know if it counts as it's Manga as opposed to fiction, but Berserk #4. The anime did a very good job of following most of the manga in this but there were several things that came out about Guts past that were pretty terrible. 

The artists does a better job of showing everyone looking young too, much better than the anime did.


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## Wombat (Jul 15, 2004)

Due to a friend's recommendation, I am now 2/3 of the way through a great book:  _The Wine of Angels_ by Phil Rickman.  Thick book, full of detailed characters, twisting plots, and an occult overtone, yet so far everything can be explained away as dreams, lack of sleep, or other such matters.  Creepy, but taking the time to set tone, rather than just splattering blood and bodies everywhere.  Great stuff!


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## Express (Jul 15, 2004)

Fiction: The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane, by REH Howard. Pretty good.

Nonfiction: Stalin: Court of the Red Czar by Simon Sebag Montefiore


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## Viking Bastard (Jul 15, 2004)

ragboy said:
			
		

> And something called _Sleeper_, but I don't know who puts that out. (good d20 Modern or Supers inspiration)



DC/Wildstorm. Takes place in the Wildstorm universe which emcompasses 
 such titles as WildCats, Stormwatch, Planetary and The Authority.

 It's quite possibly the best comic currently coming out.

 Are you readin' it in trade form? Did you read the prequal 'Point Blank'?


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## Viking Bastard (Jul 15, 2004)

JoeGKushner said:
			
		

> Don't know if it counts as it's Manga as opposed to fiction, but Berserk #4.



 I think it counts as both.


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## Darth K'Trava (Jul 16, 2004)

Just finished *Tymora's Luck* by Jeff Grubb & Kate Novak.

Will be reading *The Cat Who Brought Down The House* by Lilian Jackson Braun.

After that.... who knows....?

Up on the list:

*Annihlation* *Book V of the War of the Spider Queen
*The Lone Drow* by Robert Salvatore


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## Galethorn (Jul 18, 2004)

Just finished *Fluke* by Christopher Moore,

About half-way through *The Lust Lizard of Meloncholy Cove* by Christopher Moor,

Constantly reading over the current draft of the as yet unnamed novel I'm writing.


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## drnuncheon (Jul 18, 2004)

Just finished Caleb Carr's _The Alienist_ - wonderful.  Unfortunately, his talent doesn't seem to extend to science fiction, as I couldn't get very far into _Killing Time_.  Also on the historical fiction front, _Sharpe's Eagle_ by Bernard Cornwell, for which I blame Sean Bean.  I've got a Sharpe movie on my Netflix queue and happened across the books at the library, and, well...

On the genre portion of the list, I've got S.L. Viehl's _Blade Dancer_, set in the _Stardoc_ universe, the latest of the Dresden Files, and the _Budayeen Nights_ collection by the late (and sorely missed) George Alec Effinger.  Plus all the _Astro City_ trades that the EIN library network can get ahold of.

I almost picked up one of the "Vampire Huntress" books at the library - anyone read them?  Are they decent, or is it a second-generation Buffy knockoff by way of Anita Blake?

J


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## Andrew D. Gable (Jul 18, 2004)

Beginning *The Scar* by China Mieville.


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## barsoomcore (Jul 18, 2004)

_The Savage Tales of Solomon Kane_. Loving it. Brilliant. Exactly my kind of thing -- very well-crafted stupid adventure/supernatural tales. Awesome stuff.

_The First World War_ by John Keegan. Keegan's a genius.

I'm reading some stuff on the Italian campaign of World War 2 for a game I'm planning.

_Midnight Tides_ by Steven Erikson is sitting on my shelf calling to me.

_Megatoykyo Vol 1_. Yay.


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## Pants (Jul 19, 2004)

Andrew D. Gable said:
			
		

> Beginning *The Scar* by China Mieville.



Ditto.  I'm putting down _The Stand_ in favor of _The Scar_.


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## Tewligan (Jul 23, 2004)

EricNoah said:
			
		

> Good stuff so far.  The teleportation technology of the story is very compelling -- you're not really teleported, you're destroyed and recreated at the quantum level.  This can wreak havoc on a person if it's done too many times, particularly on one's mind as a few memories are wiped out each time you do it.  Makes me want to make a house rule for D&D.



Hmm - that might just cure PC's of their annoying habit of teleporting absolutely everywhere, thus avoiding any complications betwixt points A and B. Yoink!

Anyway, as to what I'm reading. I am once again trying to wade through _The Silmarillion_. Every few years I take it into my head to try to finish the damn thing, and every time I fail. It doesn't look like 2004 is going to be any different - maybe I'll go ahead and accept defeat early, and start training for 2007. I'm itching to reread the Thomas Covenant and Elric series - maybe I'll swing by the bookstore at lunchtime tomorrow to see if I can find shiny new copies. If I can then find the TIME to read them, I'll be golden.


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## Welverin (Jul 23, 2004)

I finished Manta's Gift, by Timothy Zahn, which was rather good and have started Angelmass, also by Zahn.



			
				Tewligan said:
			
		

> Anyway, as to what I'm reading. I am once again trying to wade through _The Silmarillion_. Every few years I take it into my head to try to finish the damn thing, and every time I fail. It doesn't look like 2004 is going to be any different - maybe I'll go ahead and accept defeat early, and start training for 2007. I'm itching to reread the Thomas Covenant and Elric series - maybe I'll swing by the bookstore at lunchtime tomorrow to see if I can find shiny new copies. If I can then find the TIME to read them, I'll be golden.




Why don't try breaking it up, reading a section or two at a time in between things you don't have as much trouble with, i.e. sips instead of gulps?


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## Mallus (Jul 23, 2004)

Right now I'm trying _not_ to read *House of Chains* by Steven Erikson. I bought the US edition of *Gardens of the Moon*, devoured it, then ordered the rest used from Amazon, all from different sellers. Of course they didn't have the decency to arrive in order...

So I grabbed two collections of short stories from my bookshelf in an attempt to distract myself... Flannery O'Conners *A Good Man is Hard to Find* --see current sig-- and Denis Johnson's *Jesus's Son*. Two classics, one old, one new-ish. 

If you have any appreciation, at all, for the short story, I truly, madly, deeply recommend trying *Jesus's Son*. Find a nice bookstore, one with seating, and read the first story "Car Crash While Hitchhiking". It's a revelation...


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## Sir Brennen (Jul 23, 2004)

> Beginning The Scar by China Mieville



Me too.  I find it a quicker read than the Dickens-esque first novel, _Perido St. Station_, though that novel was amazing, too.  Maybe I'm just getting use to his style, which is very literary, reminding me of Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun series, in more ways than one.

Anyone interested in steampunk fantasy should read Mieville - though I would put the "mundane" tech level at around American Civil War era.  Some of the other concepts seem to harken to more hard-core cyberpunk, with the same so-many-ideas-per-page imagination associated with the best writers in that genre.


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## Silver Moon (Jul 24, 2004)

Reading the "Op-Center" series by Tom Clancy and Steve Pieczenik.


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## Pielorinho (Jul 24, 2004)

I adore China Mieville, and would bear his children if I could.  Once y'all finish _The Scar_, you lucky tweakers, you'll be just in time for his new book The Iron Council.  Me, I've had to wait over a year for it, gleaning my Mieville fix through the odd short story.

He does seem to be an author you either love or hate.  Other than Le Guin, there's no other living author I'd rather read.

Daniel


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## Sir Brennen (Jul 24, 2004)

Pielorinho said:
			
		

> Once y'all finish _The Scar_, you lucky tweakers, you'll be just in time for his new book _The Iron Council_.



 Then just to rub it in, since I picked up _The Scar_ in paperback, there's a sneak preview excerpt from _The Iron Council_ at the back of the book.   



> Me, I've had to wait over a year for it, gleaning my Mieville fix through the odd short story.



Where has he published short works?  Are they set in the same world as the novels?  While I love the setting, I'd be curious to see what else he's got up his sleeve.


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## Pielorinho (Jul 24, 2004)

My lovely wife just picked up The Thackery P. Lambshead Pocket Guide to Eccentric and Discredited Diseases, a delightful book in which authors like Neil Gaiman, Michael Moorcock, Alan Moore, and China Mieville write up synopses of diseases like Ballistic Organ Syndrome (exactly what it sounds like), Espectare Necrosis (in which the anticipation of gangrene causes its inset, even in other people), Mongolian Death Worm Infestation, and Hsing's Spontaneous Self-Flaying Sarcoma, just for a few examples.  It's grim and hilarious and weird, and is where I've gotten my latest China Mieville fix.

Daniel


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## Valanthe the Sleepless (Jul 25, 2004)

Just finished devouring 2 books.

The first was Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris. It her 4th Sookie Stackhouse book. I really enjoyed it, and I love the character of Sookie. I have already read the previous 3 novels and can't wait until Harris writes another.

And then I just finished Just a Geek by Wil Wheaton. It's really great read about his struggles with the decisions he made along the way since leaving Star Trek. Lots of little stories about then and the years inbetween. I really enjoyed it, and really related to a lot of it. Most of it is taken right from the stuff he has been posting on his blog at wilwheaton.net since the beginning in 2001.


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## gregweller (Jul 25, 2004)

I just finished reading The Skinner  by Neal Asher and it's one of the best sci-fi books I've read in an age. If Clive Barker wrote sci-fi this is what it would be like. It's also got a little edge of China Mielville in it. The only downside is it's awful cover, but since it's a Tor book, I've become sort of used to that.


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## Darth K'Trava (Jul 26, 2004)

Reading *Annihilation* by Phillip Athans, Book V of the War of the Spider Queen.


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## Welverin (Jul 27, 2004)

I finished Angelmass (good) and froesee myself reading Dragon adn Issola by Brust next, once I get Dragon from my friend, that is.


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## Krug (Jul 28, 2004)

*Shampoo Planet* by Douglas Coupland. Spotted yet another D&D reference.


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## Pielorinho (Jul 29, 2004)

Sir Brennen said:
			
		

> Then just to rub it in, since I picked up _The Scar_ in paperback, there's a sneak preview excerpt from _The Iron Council_ at the back of the book.



Mock me, will you?  I just picked up my copy of _The Iron Council_ last night, brand spankin' new, and I even bragged on China Mieville to the bookstore's owner while I was at it.

Very enjoyable so far.  I'm so gonna put a throngbear in my D&D game!

Daniel


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## JoeGKushner (Jul 29, 2004)

Well, after much thinking, I started reading Ship of Magic. Boy, that daughter of the head of the ship is a whinner. I suspect it's probably deliberate so that we can see her growth and all that but...

I'm also reading the Wind Walker. It's okay and not one of the authors best novels. I need a big bag of popcorn.

In Manga, I started Hellsing. After watching the anime, I had to read the manga.


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