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What Are You Reading?

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    #2972
    Bits_n_Bobs
    Registered Users Posts: 1,300 ✭✭✭Bits_n_Bobs


    Locke Lamora was grand but the sequels Red Skies - just turgid. I struggled through it in the hope it would somehow redeem itself but it really doesn't.

    Currently muddling my way through fourth book of the Malazan after having made 2 failed attempts to get through the first one.

    Have to say the interwebs was right; the first is worth getting through and the series takes off into a rather huge big bastard of a storyline. I don't think the writing is consistently great, some of the characters are not that well drawn out and it's got lots of other flaws...but jeebus...the storyline!! And the sheer vastness of the thing is, well, epic. Proper epic fantasy :)


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    #2973
    keane2097
    Registered Users Posts: 17,770 ✭✭✭✭keane2097


    Finished Old Man's War. Liked it an awful lot. Anyone read any of the follow ups?


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    #2974
    Thargor
    Registered Users Posts: 17,869 ✭✭✭✭Thargor


    On the last book of Codex Alera now, not the best Ive ever read but doubt any fantasy fans will be disappointed, I fairly ploughed through all the books.


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    #2975
    Raif Severance
    Registered Users Posts: 2,901 ✭✭✭Raif Severance


    Thargor wrote: »
    On the last book of Codex Alera now, not the best Ive ever read but doubt any fantasy fans will be diappointed, I fairly ploughed through all the books.

    Yup.

    Codex Alera for me, is like a Mish-Mash of some of my Favortite Fantasy Series (Belgariad, Riftwar Saga, Wheel of Time).

    It got the Characters and the Readability of Eddings', the Story Sequence of Feist, and the Fight Scenes out of Jordan.

    And just like you, I've devoured the Whole Series, in a fairly short time.

    So Guys, if you want a Straight-forward Fantasy that is fairly enjoyable to read? Go get Codex of Alera. I guarantee, you won't be disappointed. :D


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    #2976
    Nody
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 18,260 CMod ✭✭✭✭Nody


    keane2097 wrote: »
    Finished Old Man's War. Liked it an awful lot. Anyone read any of the follow ups?
    I've read all of them; if you like the first read the rest (the fifth one was only released a day or two ago I believe as my pre ordered copy only was sent out today). The third one is not the strongest one but it's compensated by the fourth book (telling book three from another person's view) and it continues the story well. Also consider Red shirts (stand alone book not connected but the same author).


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    #2977
    keane2097
    Registered Users Posts: 17,770 ✭✭✭✭keane2097


    Nody wrote: »
    I've read all of them; if you like the first read the rest (the fifth one was only released a day or two ago I believe as my pre ordered copy only was sent out today). The third one is not the strongest one but it's compensated by the fourth book (telling book three from another person's view) and it continues the story well. Also consider Red shirts (stand alone book not connected but the same author).

    Is John Perry the star of the second one or does it change focus? Are they all first person?


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    #2978
    Nody
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 18,260 CMod ✭✭✭✭Nody


    keane2097 wrote: »
    Is John Perry the star of the second one or does it change focus? Are they all first person?
    Second one follow the Ghost brigade; so the focus shifts almost completly away from him in that sense but beyond that it follows the same structure (first person view, same universe and attitudes). Third is John Perry and two characters from Ghost brigades developing the general story and book four tells book three from one of the main characters in book 3's personal view (and does it brilliantly). I'm being intentional vague to try to limit the spoiler potential :)


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    #2979
    keane2097
    Registered Users Posts: 17,770 ✭✭✭✭keane2097


    Nody wrote: »
    Second one follow the Ghost brigade; so the focus shifts almost completly away from him in that sense but beyond that it follows the same structure (first person view, same universe and attitudes). Third is John Perry and two characters from Ghost brigades developing the general story and book four tells book three from one of the main characters in book 3's personal view (and does it brilliantly). I'm being intentional vague to try to limit the spoiler potential :)

    I appreciate that, thanks a lot. If they're mostly as good as the first one I'll have to take a look.


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    #2980
    keane2097
    Registered Users Posts: 17,770 ✭✭✭✭keane2097


    Also, Seven Princes in Amber hasn't gotten a mention here in a while - it's claaaaaaaas! Think I'm gonna do a quick re-read of it in the meantime.


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    #2981
    shrapnel222
    Registered Users Posts: 3,118 ✭✭✭shrapnel222


    keane2097 wrote: »
    Also, Seven Princes in Amber hasn't gotten a mention here in a while - it's claaaaaaaas! Think I'm gonna do a quick re-read of it in the meantime.

    the amber series is class. grips you by the balls from the get go, but it definitely loses its way for a while around book 3-4 iirc.

    back in the 90s i remember it being so hard to find the various books, and it took me a good year or so to find book 8 which was the last one i needed as already had all bar that one and wouldn't read 9 and 10 till i found it!!!


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    #2982
    Thargor
    Registered Users Posts: 17,869 ✭✭✭✭Thargor


    Nody wrote: »
    Second one follow the Ghost brigade; so the focus shifts almost completly away from him in that sense but beyond that it follows the same structure (first person view, same universe and attitudes). Third is John Perry and two characters from Ghost brigades developing the general story and book four tells book three from one of the main characters in book 3's personal view (and does it brilliantly). I'm being intentional vague to try to limit the spoiler potential :)
    Something I could never get over in those books was that:
    the population of Earth is ignorant about what all those soldiers do when they get off world? Seriously? It just never made any sense.


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    #2983
    Raging_Ninja
    Registered Users Posts: 1,717 ✭✭✭Raging_Ninja


    Thargor wrote: »
    Something I could never get over in those books was that:
    the population of Earth is ignorant about what all those soldiers do when they get off world? Seriously? It just never made any sense.
    nobody goes back except the most trusted. The govt controls the ships. How would info get back under those circumstances?


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    #2984
    Thargor
    Registered Users Posts: 17,869 ✭✭✭✭Thargor


    Seriously? Millions of soldiers being lifted offworld to fight and nobody on Earth asks how the offworld colonies are getting on, nothing gets dumped on the internet, not a single unauthorised ship goes back even if its just to fly past and leave some evidence online? You couldnt keep it a secret and it felt like lazy writing.


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    #2985
    Nody
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 18,260 CMod ✭✭✭✭Nody


    Thargor wrote: »
    Seriously? Millions of soldiers being lifted offworld to fight and nobody on Earth asks how the offworld colonies are getting on, nothing gets dumped on the internet, not a single unauthorised ship goes back even if its just to fly past and leave some evidence online? You couldnt keep it a secret and it felt like lazy writing.
    Seeing how the space above (inc. space stations etc.) is controlled by the military it's for all intent and purpose a quarantined zone. Anything entering gets blasted away and note the book 3 ending with the difficulty of getting other races there as well (and their general lack of interest in earth as it's to hard to depopulate to populate themselves). With the space commerce controlled and limited number of space ships (and not exactly something you build in your back garage) and no way to send a radio signal (to far away) it should be quite easily to block it. If anything get leaked by a grunt you simply deny it and show pictures of how happy their lives are instead and don't forget the governments don't really WANT to know as it's a population control (third world countries) or dumping cost (elderly people no longer require healthcare) so self interest of not rocking the boat.


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    #2986
    Dades
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,558 Mod ✭✭✭✭Dades


    Just started Redshirts last night - liking it a lot.

    Read the first 3 Old Mans' War books - the last didn't grab me but gonna give the 4th and 5th a go based on what the good folk here have to say. :)

    Oh and just finished Area 51 - can't beat some shlock SF sometimes!


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    #2987
    Nody
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 18,260 CMod ✭✭✭✭Nody


    Dades wrote: »
    Just started Redshirts last night - liking it a lot.

    Read the first 3 Old Mans' War books - the last didn't grab me but gonna give the 4th and 5th a go based on what the good folk here have to say. :)

    Oh and just finished Area 51 - can't beat some shlock SF sometimes!
    Let me know how you find the fourth one; gut feeling is you'll like it. Personally I'm harrassing the mail man every day to see if he got the 5th one for me yet (got a feeling I'll be a bit sleepy at work once it arrives though :( ).


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    #2988
    keane2097
    Registered Users Posts: 17,770 ✭✭✭✭keane2097


    Feck sake, audio version of Nine Princes I downloading turned out to be feckin abridged - over after two hours!


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    #2989
    Sephiroth_dude
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 80,011 Mod ✭✭✭✭Sephiroth_dude


    Gave up on locke lomora and got the 1st mistborn book.


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    #2990
    bradyle
    Registered Users Posts: 353 ✭✭bradyle


    I'm having serious issues reading Jonathon Strange and Mr Norrell. It's an interesting story but just doesnt grab me. Taken me 10 days to get 50% through it.


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    #2991
    fenris
    Registered Users Posts: 3,078 ✭✭✭fenris


    bradyle wrote: »
    I'm having serious issues reading Jonathon Strange and Mr Norrell. It's an interesting story but just doesnt grab me. Taken me 10 days to get 50% through it.

    I was the same, it was readable enough but just didn't really grab me, it became a bit of a chore to read, leaving me with a feeling that a good editor would have really made a difference.

    I am reading the Clockwork Rocket by Greg Egan at the moment, there is a lot of world building going on with alien biology (females divide into 4 sprogs),the social/political aspect of reproduction by division, theorising about funky physics by characters who may be the only ones to see a potential threat etc.
    Hopefully it all leads somewhere and doesn't turn into a literary **** about building a world/magic system, as seems to be a bit of a trend at the moment.


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    #2992
    Dades
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,558 Mod ✭✭✭✭Dades


    About 75% through "Redshirts" and the book has totally changed tack and turned into something different... I'm not liking the change.

    Those who've read it will know - is the rest of the book like this? Really enjoyed the main story - not sure I want to finish this last part.


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    #2993
    old hippy
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 9,441 ✭✭✭old hippy


    bradyle wrote: »
    I'm having serious issues reading Jonathon Strange and Mr Norrell. It's an interesting story but just doesnt grab me. Taken me 10 days to get 50% through it.

    Gosh, I loved it. Just adored it. Be interesting to see the TV adaptation.

    Currently reading RL Stevenson's Dr Jekyl and Mr Hyde. Hyde's a lot smaller than he's been represented in the movies...


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    #2994
    wyrn
    Registered Users Posts: 6,977 ✭✭✭wyrn


    Dades wrote: »
    About 75% through "Redshirts" and the book has totally changed tack and turned into something different... I'm not liking the change.

    Those who've read it will know - is the rest of the book like this? Really enjoyed the main story - not sure I want to finish this last part.

    Shut up shut up shut up! I'm only 33% through and I'm loving it.
    Now all I'm going to think about it some change at 75%.

    Thanks Dades, thanks.


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    #2995
    Nody
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 18,260 CMod ✭✭✭✭Nody


    Dades wrote: »
    About 75% through "Redshirts" and the book has totally changed tack and turned into something different... I'm not liking the change.

    Those who've read it will know - is the rest of the book like this? Really enjoyed the main story - not sure I want to finish this last part.
    It grows on you; I had similar reaction but it gets better and gets explained.


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    #2996
    EGriff
    Registered Users Posts: 1,906 ✭✭✭EGriff


    I just finished the Mistborn series and Alloy of Law. Mistborn was very good, apart from the second book which was a bit dull in parts. Alloy of Law was excellent, nice and short and fast paced.

    Next up either China Miéville's Bas-Lag or David Gemmells Stones of Power books. I read a lot of Gemmells Drenai books when I was younger so I'm leaning towards the stones of power.

    I feel like reading fairly light stuff recently after finishing the Malazon books along with Esslemonts stuff before christmas.


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    #2997
    Dades
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,558 Mod ✭✭✭✭Dades


    wyrn wrote: »
    Shut up shut up shut up! I'm only 33% through and I'm loving it.
    Now all I'm going to think about it some change at 75%.

    Thanks Dades, thanks.
    Heh. It doesn't take away anything from the main story! Just enjoy :)


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    #2998
    Nody
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 18,260 CMod ✭✭✭✭Nody


    About 50 pages into The Human Division (5th book in Old man's war); it's a set of 12 short stories loosly connected (or so it's claimed, I'm still on the first one) set after book 3/4.


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    #2999
    Dades
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,558 Mod ✭✭✭✭Dades


    Finished Redshirts. Would have ditched the last 25% - otherwise excellent.

    Just started The Centauri Device this morning. Mmmmm. Classic SF.


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    #3000
    keane2097
    Registered Users Posts: 17,770 ✭✭✭✭keane2097


    Going through Blood Song at the moment. Took me a few goes to get started as it just seemed so boring and trope-y for the first little bit. And well it is really I suppose, but I'm actually enjoying it.

    I don't really know why, it's totally standard dull fantasy fare but it's keeping me engaged nevertheless.


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    #3001
    mcgovern
    Registered Users Posts: 4,267 ✭✭✭mcgovern


    Finished House of Leaves, probably one of the worst books I've ever read. I can't believe it makes it onto lists as one of the scariest books ever. There is not even one remotely scary piece.
    I've gone back to The Heroes to finish it off next.


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