Return of the Book Thread

[Ingmar]

I would just read them in order of release, not try to stick with one particular "series". It makes for a better overall experience since it shakes up the type of book you're reading from volume to volume and you get a better sense for his development as an author etc.

EDIT: Although I would probably never tell someone to start with The Colour of Magic (you left out the U, Yankee) - I'd have them read the first Vimes or Witches book to get a taste for what it is like when it really gets good, and then go back and start from the beginning.

[Ingmar]

My main problem with it was it wasn't funny.

At any point.

Yeah I think I mostly agree. I would have liked to see what he would have done going full-bore into the Jane Austen satire he touched on in a couple spots instead of where he ended up, but maybe Vimes wouldn't have been the best character for that anyway.

[Samwise]

I'm most of the way through Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell.  The Jane-Austen-y bits kind of drag on, but I like the magicky bits, so I'm conflicted on whether or not I like it.

It's awful.  I was the same as you, not sure all the way through if I liked it or not.  Then I finished it.

Awful.

I finished it last night so I could see for myself.  Yeah, I'm with you.  Letdown.

[ghost]

My first was Wee Free Men.  It was very good.  I have to admit that I'm cheating a little and listening to the books on the way to and from work.  I'm putting off starting the witch part because apparently the reader is a particularly screechy female. 

[Sjofn]

That's a shame, because the Witch ones are my personal favorites (although Equal Rites is kinda meh).

My first was Small Gods, which is a stand alone one, and thought it was okay. I think after that I read the Hogfather, which I really, REALLY liked, then I started at the beginning. I almost universally hate the Rincewind ones, for some reason. I don't mind when he has cameos or anything, but I loathe when he's the main dude.

[ghost]

I actually like Rimnewind.  The story in Sourcery is just shit though.  My next will be Equal Rites.  I'll see how good the narrator is.

[Ironwood]

Just finished The Cold Commands by Morgan.

Urg.  More of the same.  Tripe.

Totally loses you in a dream sequence half way through and never really rebuilds.  Steals from his other books for a major scene and finally finishes it off with poop.

So, just the same as Steel Remains, pretty much.

Avoid.

[ghost]

I just picked up something called Currency Wars by a guy named James Rickard.  It's absolutely not something that I would typically read and I'm not sure why I got it but it's interesting so far.  The introductory bit is a lot about war games involving currency manipulation. 

[Ironwood]

Currently reading Reamde by Stephenson.  Only about 150 pages in, but it's absolutely grabbed me by the balls.  A really good read.

[Xilren's Twin]

Finishing up the Instrumentality of Night series by some guy who wrote books about a darker than grey company....

BTW, in the latest issue of Game Informer i found an article on future of media by Brandon Sanderson.  He's an author that look as video games clearly as the future of media and thinks authors needs to get over themselves that being involved in a video game project is somehow "selling out".  Can't find a link for the online version yet, but it clearly seems that as a younger author who grew up with video games, he sees the future potential for storytelling of this medium to be hughe.
Neat little article i wasnt expecting.

[Paelos]

Currently I'm reading The Wasteland Books 3 Dark Tower Series. I'm blowing through these things. They are really good.

[Morfiend]

I am on a Urben Fantasy kick right now. But I seem to have finished all the current series I was reading, and was hoping you guys could recommend some more. I guess when I say Urben Fantasy I mean magic and stuff in a current setting, I hope I am using the term correctly. I like stuff that is like the following series.

Dresden Files
Felix Castor
Midnight Riot + Moon Over Soho
Sixty One Nails series

I am currently reading The Skin Map, its ok, but not really what I was looking for.

[bhodi]

Look back a few pages for chat about that. Add Simon Green's Nightside books if you like over the top noir.

[Mosesandstick]

My Mom read ASOIAF after seeing GOT on tv and I'd like to get her something similar. Any recommendations?

[Morfiend]

Look back a few pages for chat about that. Add Simon Green's Nightside books if you like over the top nior.

I think I must be blind as I went back 6 pages and didnt see anything except a quick mention of Dresden, and more talk of Black Company again. Is that any good btw? 

I read the first few Nightside books and I just cant handle Simon Green's style of writing any more. The Deathstalker, and Hawk and Fisher series have done me in on him.

I also recently read a few of the Cal Landros books. The first few where ok-ish, but then it devolved in to emo drivel and I had to stop reading.

[ghost]

My Mom read ASOIAF after seeing GOT on tv and I'd like to get her something similar. Any recommendations?

Anything by Lois McMaster Bujold?  Or maybe Wheel of Time or Terry Goodkind?

[Mosesandstick]

I was definitely thinking of something heavy on the political intrigue and light on the fantasy, Bujold could be interesting. Never read the Wheel of Time so I have no clue what it's like.

[Viin]

If she likes S&M  she might like Kushiel's Dart - lots of politics and, uh, other fun things.

Other recommendation: Queen of the Darkness - Anne Bishop

[ghost]

I was definitely thinking of something heavy on the political intrigue and light on the fantasy, Bujold could be interesting. Never read the Wheel of Time so I have no clue what it's like.

Something else to consider is the Baroque Cycle (Quicksilver, The Confusion and System of the World) by Neal Stephenson.  It's got a lot of political intrigue, is quite funny in some places and is a nice historical fiction read.  

Also the Foreigner Universe by CJ Cherryh has a lot of political intrigue, but it's more of a sci-fi read.  I don't love these books, but it might fit what you're looking form. 

[bhodi]

Look back a few pages for chat about that. Add Simon Green's Nightside books if you like over the top nior.

I think I must be blind as I went back 6 pages and didnt see anything except a quick mention of Dresden, and more talk of Black Company again. Is that any good btw? 

I read the first few Nightside books and I just cant handle Simon Green's style of writing any more. The Deathstalker, and Hawk and Fisher series have done me in on him.

I also recently read a few of the Cal Landros books. The first few where ok-ish, but then it devolved in to emo drivel and I had to stop reading.

Start here:

http://forums.f13.net/index.php?topic=7548.msg916367#msg916367

[Johny Cee]

If she likes S&M   she might like Kushiel's Dart - lots of politics and, uh, other fun things.

Other recommendation: Queen of the Darkness - Anne Bishop

You are fucking evil.

Carey's first Kushiel trilogy is pretty good, made the NPR top 100 list, and deals with spycraft and politics in what is basically an alt-history and a grand romance.  There are some supernatural/theological touches, but it's pretty minor.  There is a shitload of sex.  Some homosexual, some straight, a fair amount of S&M/bondage.  

The Anne Bishop trilogy I also liked, but there is even more bizarre sex shit.  That would be the series with the magical male controlling cock rings, and I think almost every major character was the victim of some kind of sexual predator.

Basically, if you don't have a problem with skim reading some parts, I think both are pretty good reads.... but you might not want to be the one who recommends them to your mom.


Maybe something like Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell?  Or even the Temeraire books, which are kind of Horatio Hornblower with dragons, but there are other things going on that get repeatedly touched on like gender roles.

Edit:

Bujold's The Curse of Chalion and Paladin of Souls could both be pretty good picks, as they read like alt-historical fiction with touches of supernatural happenings, and each has a major romance plot or two.  The next book in that loose series (same world, different story and characters each book, maybe a character or two overlapping) is (Hallowed Hunt?) is really pretty mediocre and skippable.

[Johny Cee]

I am on a Urben Fantasy kick right now. But I seem to have finished all the current series I was reading, and was hoping you guys could recommend some more. I guess when I say Urben Fantasy I mean magic and stuff in a current setting, I hope I am using the term correctly. I like stuff that is like the following series.

Dresden Files
Felix Castor
Midnight Riot + Moon Over Soho
Sixty One Nails series

I am currently reading The Skin Map, its ok, but not really what I was looking for.

Charlie Huston, Joe Pitt novels.  Dark noir with vampires, sympathetic asshole protagonist.  Huston's crime novels are all really good as well.
Harry Connolly, Twenty Palaces series. 
Night Watch books.  First three are great.  Fourth isn't bad, but doesn't feel necessary.
Neverwhere by Neal Gaiman.
The first bunch of Anita Blake books are actually decent actiony UF.  The usual spot where people say it goes off the rails is Obsidian Butterfly....  after that, it's mostly softcore porn by a woman with issues (or, it's rumored, at that point the author started farming out the writing duties Tom Clancy style).

I always recommend Glen Cook's Garrett books here, too.  It's hard-boiled detective in a more traditional fantasy world, and very obviously an influence on the Dresden books.


I'd really recommend that you go outside the UF box and look into some of the '30s hard-boiled writers.  I loved almost all of Chandler's books.

[Mosesandstick]

Thanks for the recommendations guys. Think I'll definitely go through the suggestions carefully before I get anything for my Mom...

[Sheepherder]

Never read the Wheel of Time so I have no clue what it's like.

Long.

[Chimpy]

Never read the Wheel of Time so I have no clue what it's like.

Long.

With a bit of Amish bondage porn mixed in.

[Murgos]

I was definitely thinking of something heavy on the political intrigue and light on the fantasy.

Dune.

[Abagadro]

Gap Cycle would fit that too if you can get past all the rape and torture.

[Ironwood]

It's great, but in fairness, there's an awful lot of rape.

Like, non stop. 

[Morat20]

Charlie Huston, Joe Pitt novels.  Dark noir with vampires, sympathetic asshole protagonist.  Huston's crime novels are all really good as well.
Harry Connolly, Twenty Palaces series. 
Night Watch books.  First three are great.  Fourth isn't bad, but doesn't feel necessary.
Neverwhere by Neal Gaiman.
The first bunch of Anita Blake books are actually decent actiony UF.  The usual spot where people say it goes off the rails is Obsidian Butterfly....  after that, it's mostly softcore porn by a woman with issues (or, it's rumored, at that point the author started farming out the writing duties Tom Clancy style).

I always recommend Glen Cook's Garrett books here, too.  It's hard-boiled detective in a more traditional fantasy world, and very obviously an influence on the Dresden books.


I'd really recommend that you go outside the UF box and look into some of the '30s hard-boiled writers.  I loved almost all of Chandler's books.

My wife stands by the Rachel Morgan books -- the ones that start with Dead Witch Walking. She says they're like early Anita Blake and says they're a bit like a female Dresden.

[Ironwood]

Currently reading Reamde by Stephenson.  Only about 150 pages in, but it's absolutely grabbed me by the balls.  A really good read.

You Need To Read This.

It's great.

[Morfiend]

Thanks guys. I actually read most of those suggestions, but I did add the Dead Witch Walking.

For you guys, something that you might like if you liked the Joe Pitt stuff, check out the series that starts with The Nymphos of Rocky Flats.

I think I like supernatural detective novels now that I think about it.

[WayAbvPar]

Currently reading Reamde by Stephenson.  Only about 150 pages in, but it's absolutely grabbed me by the balls.  A really good read.

You Need To Read This.

It's great.

I enjoyed it. Didn't feel like classic Stephenson to me, but it was a fun read.

[Ironwood]

Dude, he actually FINISHED a story.

Amazing.

[Samwise]

I swear he's slowly been getting better at that.  The Baroque Cycle had an ending (okay, it took him FOREVER, but he did end it instead of just running out of pages).  And Anathem wrapped up pretty well.

I almost put Reamde on the Christmas list my one aunt always insists on shopping for me from, but nnnngh so little bookshelf space for massive hardcovers.  Need to hold out for the paperback.

[Morat20]

I finally got around to How to Live Safely in Science Fictional Universe -- I finished it a bit ago, but don't think I mentioned it here.

It was...not what I expected, and very, very good. Especially once I started focusing on what looked like techno-babble but wasn't, and realized what the author was doing.

It's not a happy book, by any means, but not entirely a sad one either. It's only science fiction by chance. It's incredibly good.