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  What are you reading? (Oct 2009)

  Just finishing up the new Writers of the Future anthology.
  
  Have Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay and House of Suns by Alastair Reynolds coming down the pipes next.
  
  Always looking for a new GOOD book though. Seem to be running into a rash of poor ones lately.
  
  Anyone else having luck? What are you enjoying right now?

  WriterDan started this discussion 3 months ago. ( reply )

• 

  PhoenixFalls (edited)

  Last month's completions:

  Altered Carbon, by Richard K. Morgan. Rated four stars.
  James Tiptree, Jr.: The Double Life of Alice B. Sheldon, by Julie Phillips. Rated four stars.
  Have His Carcase, by Dorothy L. Sayers. Rated four stars.
  Children of the Night, by Mercedes Lackey. Rated three stars.
  Burning Water, by Mercedes Lackey. Rated three stars.
  Jinx High, by Mercedes Lackey. Rated two stars.
  Howl's Moving Castle, by Diana Wynne Jones. Re-read.
  Murder on the Orient Express, by Agatha Christie. Re-read.
  Why Didn't They Ask Evans?, by Agatha Christie. Re-read.
  Three Act Tragedy, by Agatha Christie. Re-read.
  Elemental Magic, by Sharon Shinn, Jean Johnson, Carol Berg, and Rebecca York. Rated four stars (if I throw out the novella by Rebecca York).
  Ilario: The Stone Golem, by Mary Gentle. Rated three stars.
  The Onion Girl, by Charles de Lint. Re-read (though I wasn't sure until 80 pages from the end).
  Widdershins, by Charles de Lint. Rated four stars.

  Lots of urban fantasy for me last month, between the de Lint and the Lackey. . . and a lot of rereads, though that's partly because I'm trying to read every Agatha Christie novel in publication order this year. Not a ton of success however, I'm sad to say -- not a single 5-star book in the whole month. Probably the best book I read was Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan, but I think you mentioned you've already read that.

  Up this month in fantasy:

  Across the Nightingale Floor, by Lian Hearn
  Auralia's Colors, by Jeffrey Overstreet
  The Dragon King Trilogy, by Stephen R. Lawhead
  The Fox Woman and Fudoki, by Kij Johnson
  Ombria in Shadow, by Patricia McKillip
  The Privilege of the Sword, by Ellen Kushner
  The Ropemaker, by Peter Dickinson
  Song for the Basilisk, by Patricia McKillip
  Three Hearts and Three Lions, by Poul Anderson
  Transformation, by Carol Berg
  Whiskey and Water, by Elizabeth Bear
  Wild Seed, by Octavia E. Butler

  Huh. That's WAY too similar to my TBR stack of last month in fantasy; the only one I intended to read that I actually read was Ilario: The Stone Golem by Mary Gentle. I distracted myself with the fairly disappointing urban fantasy. Gotta do better this month! :)

  posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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  Camerron W 

  Well I am still trying to finish up A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin... after that not too sure.

  posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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    Camerron W 

    I finished AFFC last night and I must say I enjoyed this book whether or not key character perspectives was taken out. I enjoy the twists and turns and am among all of the other avid readers now waiting for A Dance With Dragons

    posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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    Camerron W 

    oh i just started Elantris by Brandon Sanderson.

    posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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    carjug B 

    Buy Bone by Jeff Smith, then leave it around the house. Your kid will pick it up and read it in about five years.
    Great Book, and you need a break after Tyrion and Jaime.

    posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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    Camerron W 

    haha thanks carjug, i'll look into that =)

    posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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  Kathleen 

  Just finished Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, which I loved. Right now I am trying to decide between Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson or A fury Upon the Deep by Vernor Vinge. I'm leaning towards Mistborn since I am feeling more like fantasy than sci-fi at the moment.

  posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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    Camerron W (edited)

    let me know how Mistborn is (if you chose it)... its on my TBR list.

    posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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    Kathleen 

    I did choose Mistborn (started last night). I'll let you know. I read his first book, Elantris. I liked that one, but it definitely struck me as a first book. Characterization seemed a bit rough, but mostly Elantris struck me as the first book of a writer with promise. I have heard good and bad about Mistborn, so I guess I will find out. :)

    posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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    WriterDan 

    Funny, that. Elantris was actually the 8th novel that Sanderson finished.

    I liked Mistborn quite a bit, but have to say the "chapter-headings" story really caught me as being more interesting than the main story. Really cool magic system though. Just wow. The trilogy is really worth reading.

    posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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    Tim F 

    Good choice on Mistborn. It is very good in my opinion. I know what you were saying about Elantris feeling like a first book. It was good and showed a lot of promise, but still had a lot of work to do. I feel Mistborn takes the things Sanderson did right with Elantris and improves on the parts where he needed to. If nothing else it is worth reading for the magic system. It is very very impressive and detailed, one of my all time favorite magic systems.

    posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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    udayan 

    Coincidentally, I finished Name of the Wind in September too.

    Vernor Vinge is one my favourite authors, so my vote definitely there. Dont miss the "The Deepness in the Sky", in my opinion better than "Fire Upon the Deep".

    posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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    Kathleen 

    Finished Mistborn, and I wrote a review of it for those of you interested. Now I am moving on to People of the Book, historical fiction for a change.

    posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

• Kathleen removed this reply 3 months ago.

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  Tim F 

  I finished Assassin's Apprentice and enjoyed it, but feel that I need a break from medieval fantasy before I finish the trilogy. I have started The Book Thief and it is very good so far. I think death was an excellent choice for the narrator and it really makes the book.I am going to pick up A Memory of Light when it comes out at the end of the month too, I have been dying to have A Wheel of Time finished and can't wait to get the last three books.

  posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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  Carmen B 

  Just discovered Kristine Smith's Jani Killian series and loving it! A perfect blend of space opera and spy thriller plus kick-ass soldier/secretary heroine.

  posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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  Alexa 

  Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner

  posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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    PhoenixFalls 

    I was really impressed with that novel. I hope you enjoy it!

    posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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    WriterDan 

    Sounds like one I should probably check out too.

    posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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  Cora R 

  I am reading The Black Company by Glen Cook right now. So far I am enjoying it.

  posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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    Seth Merlo (edited)

    Are you reading the Night Shade edition? This is one I've had on my wishlist for ages. How would you describe it so far?

    posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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    Cora R 

    I am not sure about the Night Shade edition, so probably not. I just finished reading the book and it was a little slow moving for me, but I enjoyed the fresh (to me) perspective on a typical fantasy good versus evil confrontation. It was written in first person from one characters point of view, so the reader only knows what the main character knows, therefore there were a lot of holes in the story. I don't see that as a flaw, but as part of what made the book interesting for me to read. Often in fantasy novels it seems that the bad guys have the armies of fighters that are sent out to fight for the evil bad guy, this is the first novel I have read that is from the point of view of one of the previously anonymous fighters thrown at the good guy. Overall I liked it and found it interesting, but I would not describe it as gripping or a can't put down read.

    posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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  Adam 

  Finished reading Shadowmarch/Shadowplay by Tad Williams, and now half way though House of Suns by Alastair Reynolds. Dont have much in the way of fantasy upcoming at the moment, keeping an eye out for the Assassin books by Robin Hobb though.

  posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

• Gummo's Gone (edited)

  Tropic of Capricorn. Delta of Venus. Naked Lunch. Snuff. Porno. Milk Mama.

  posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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  Judith R 

  I'm about halfway through 'Destiny' by Fiona McIntosh. Absolutely loving this trilogy and will be sad when I finish it.

  posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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  TheophileEscargot 

  Finished "Unseen Academicals", the latest Discworld novel. Not his best, but fairly entertaining.

  posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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  udayan 

  This month following's on the list :

  1. Kushiel 4-6
  2. The Song of Kali - Dan Simmons
  3. Joe Abercrombie 1-3

  With my kid / wife away on vacation, plan to pack in a lot of reading over the next few weeks :)

  posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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    Camerron W 

    ooh I'm a fan of Jaqueline Carey! if you liked The first three books you'll enjoy these ^_^

    posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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    Rhiannon G 

    If you like Carey you might also try The Black Jewels trilogy by Anne Bishop. Her Realm of the Blood series is AMAZING!

    posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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  Beth C 

  The Curse of the Blue Tatoo (the sequel to Bloody Jack) by L.A. Meyer , Syren by Angie Sage, Daughter of the Forest by Juliet Marillier and Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

  posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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    Evie ♥ 

    The Bloody Jack series is my favorite YA series. It keeps getting better!

    posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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  Seth Merlo 

  Finished Michael Swanwick's The Iron Dragon's Daughter, which was great. Started R. Scott Bakker's The Warrior-Prophet and will follow that with The Thousandfold Thought.

  posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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  WonderBunny 

  I've been reading mostly Urban Fantasy type stuff.

  So far it has been Hosts followed by The Haunted Air, both by F. Paul Wilson (both were very good, but I liked Hosts more). And today I finished Rosa and the Veil of Gold by Kim Wilkins who is a great slightly dark urban fantasy writer that uses a lot of myth and folklore in her novels. The ones I've been able to find have been pretty wonderful.

  posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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  WriterDan 

  So, I bailed on Tigana after about 250 pages. The first half of those were good, but the second half of them was dedicated to back story. Ugh. I mean, good imagination and story development and all, but man I don't want to be told what has happened. I want to see what's going on in the now! Some history can be good, but ALL history? No thanks. Too bad really, cause the guy can write. Will probably give him another try, and that from something a bit more recent.

  Thus, I'm on to Transformation by Carol Berg. Pretty decent so far. Hoping for good things in this one. Fantasy don't let me down.

  posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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  Robin M 

  Across the Nightingale Floor-Lian Hearn-love it.

  posted 3 months ago. ( reply )

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    Evie ♥ 

    I've had this book f o r e v e r. I really need to read it.

    posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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    Robin M 

    The whole series is soooo good. I've been looking for another like it since I finished them all.

    posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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  Gribshnobler 

  I am working my way through the 6 book Earthsea cycle by Ursula K. LeGuin right now. Currently I'm on the 5th book "Tales From Earthsea", which is basically a gap-filling collection of stories and novellas. LeGuin has a way of creating well-rounded, detailed worlds while still leaving room for more.

  I reccomend this series to anyone who doesn't mind some philosophy and emotion with their fantasy. Some of these works may a little more intimate and "small-scale" than some readers prefer, but LeGuin never fails to stir my mind and heart.

  posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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    Camerron W 

    Were these books made into a mini series on Sci-Fi?

    posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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    Gribshnobler 

    Yes, there is an Earthsea miniseries based very loosely on the first 2 books.

    Some people like it, but I personally wouldn't reccomend it too highly.

    For one thing it's a horrible adaptation of the books, they basically destroyed the unique qualities of the novels and tried to turn it into a mix of Lord of the Rings and harry potter instead.

    You may enjoy it if you haven't read the books, but I saw it before reading any of the series myself and even as a movie on it's own I thought it was pretty bad, but then again, I generally don't care for sci-fi channel movies.

    posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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    Camerron W 

    well i watched it a while ago and thought... "man there must be books that tell this story better" though i enjoyed the mini series. I usually don't care for sci-fi channel movies either... it was one of those days where nothing was on tv. I'll pick up the books though and see what I think. Thanks!

    posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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  Fredrick H 

  I recently finished a gem of a find "Elysium: Dark Secrets" by Rahul Chandel. A number of things that fascinated me regarding this book, notably : to-the-point story, nicely paced, and play-like narration, cool dialogs, characters. No boring twists and turns, that's for sure.

  posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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  Camerron W 

  I went to Borders yesterday and picked up Elantris and Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson, I am close to finishing AFFC by Martin... I just keep getting sidetracked.

  posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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  Tim F 

  I finished The Book Thief over the weekend. It was fantastic. One of the very best books I have ever read. It tells a very powerful story with deep characters and a very good narrator, Death. I'm not sure what is next on the list. I will probably pick up a short book like The Five People You Meet in Heaven because The Gathering storm comes out next week and I don't want to get too engrossed in something that will take me too long to read. I have been waiting a long time for the end of The Wheel of Time and can't wait to pick this book up, and the following two as well.

  posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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  WriterDan 

  Transformation was blah. Nuts. Think I'm going to bail to a sci-fi book next and hope for something better.

  Although, my copy of The Gathering Storm is soon to be in my hands (Monday night! Ha!), and that will suck all of my attention and time beginning the moment that I get it.

  posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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    Tim F 

    I can't wait to get my hands on The Gathering Storm. I have actually postponed reading anything since I finished The Book Thief last weekend because I don't want to get too involved with something and have to put it down for The Gathering Storm.

    posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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  Camerron W 

  I finished AFFC by Martin and I'm excited for the next book to be out whenever it comes out. I enjoyed it put my review on my page.

  I started last night Elantris... interesting so far only a little bit of a ways in.

  posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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    Tim F 

    I enjoyed AFFC. I know many people were upset about the cutting of more popular main characters, like Dany, Jon and Bran, but I still liked the book. I can't wait for A Dance With Dragons

    I also like Elantris. It does have its flaws, but I still enjoyed it. Mistborn is much better in my opinion and the trilogy is very good.

    posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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    Camerron W 

    Mistborn is actually sitting on my table staring at me waiting for me to wrap up Elantris.

    posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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  WriterDan 

  So, partway through House of Suns by Alastair Reynolds. Really good so far. Glad I picked this one up, and hope that it'll continue being good.

  But...HA HA! Got my copy of The Gathering Storm (Jordan & Sanderson) last night...well, early this morning. Reading that now. Really looking forward to this one.

  posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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    Tim F 

    I'm getting my copy tonight and starting it immediately thereafter. I can't wait to start The Gathering Storm. I have been reading The Wheel of Time since I was in grade school and I can't wait to see how it ends up.

    posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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    PhoenixFalls 

    Glad you were enjoying House of Suns (well until you got sidetracked) after all your bad luck. . . I have two Reynolds novels on my TBR stack for the SF Reading Challenge, so I'll be working on those as soon as NaNoWriMo is over. :)

    posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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  Jim K 

  "The Knight" by Gene Wolfe. Not your average genre fantasy, so go into it with an open mind.

  This is my second time reading it (after several years) and I'm enjoying it as much or more than the first time.

  posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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  Calvin M 

  I've been reading the Pendragon series. Right now i'm now book 5 so far its been a pretty good.

  posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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  Cora R 

  I am going classic and reading Dracula.

  posted 2 months ago. ( reply )

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