What Are You Reading?

ferrigan101

OwaynOTT wrote: »

Really? It wasn't got from Amazon though, got it as a present and it was bought in Dixons.

Have to +1 to all the advice. Contact Amazon through the chat feature on the website and just tell them the truth. The better half dropped hers onto the pavement at a bus stop and broke the screen. I got onto them asking how much for a repair and they sent us out a new one for nothing, even paid for postage to return the old one.

I'd bought it as a present for her from pc world, but that wasn't an issue.

OwaynOTT

thanks guys

Thargor

Thargor wrote: »

... but refresh my memory please what bit is that?

The Yawning Angel has been (uneventfully) shadowing the Sleeper Service for some time, but is lulled into a false sense of security, giving "shore leave" to most of its passengers/crew. The Sleeper Service then departs the system unexpectedly, and the Yawning Angel has to recall its passengers and drones, and chase after the Sleeper Service. It sends a Cliff class ship, the Charitable View, in pursuit, but unknown to anyone else, the Sleeper Service has converted its storage bays into engines, and escapes.

It's the language and the writing that I found so evocative - and the rising sense of panic that the Yawning Angel experiences as it realises the Sleeper Service has outfoxed it. But then, I'm a little boy at heart!

OwaynOTT

Dades wrote: »

Call Amazon anyway. You might get lucky - they go to great lengths to ensure that people have Kindles so they will buy their books!

They replaced two for me free of charge.

ferrigan101 wrote: »

Have to +1 to all the advice. Contact Amazon through the chat feature on the website and just tell them the truth. The better half dropped hers onto the pavement at a bus stop and broke the screen. I got onto them asking how much for a repair and they sent us out a new one for nothing, even paid for postage to return the old one.

I'd bought it as a present for her from pc world, but that wasn't an issue.

Looks like it's a no go. They just gave me a list of refurbished devices.

ronoc 1

just read among thieves tales of the kin,its about a thief named droethe who comes across a coded message that put his and his friends lives at risk.dont want to say too much because its quite a twisty and layered plot but its very good.if you enjoy the gentleman bastards books you should enjoy this.

Just finished book one of Mistborn and really like it. A simple tale, told brilliantly. One could argue that there's not a whole lot of plot to it and you could easily condense it down to a third the length but Sanderson's characters are so well formed that I could have spent twice as long with them. Keisler is one of fantasy most interesting characters

and I'd love to see more of him though that's unlikely given the events of the novel.

What I loved most was the magic system. It was simple, it made sense and there were no surprises or sudden changes to how it worked. Sanderson made it incredibly easy to grasp which is something that so few manage. He never wrote himself into a corner or used some cheap trick to get out of a situation.

shootermacg

Deleted User wrote: »

Sanderson's characters are so well formed...

I stopped reading after that.

shootermacg

shootermacg wrote: »

I stopped reading after that.

They're not the most compelling or unique but sometimes they don't have to be in order to be well formed. We know everything we need to about them and what motivates them without page after page of inner monologues or any such fare. They are simple and all the better for it.

OwaynOTT

Deleted User wrote: »

They're not the most compelling or unique but sometimes they don't have to be in order to be well formed. We know everything we need to about them and what motivates them without page after page of inner monologues or any such fare. They are simple and all the better for it.

The majority of the characters in the mistborn books are bland, one dimensional and under developed.

OwaynOTT

OwaynOTT wrote: »

The majority of the characters in the mistborn books are bland, one dimensional and under developed.

As I posted above, sometimes one dimensional isn't necessarily a bad thing.

OwaynOTT

Deleted User wrote: »

As I posted above, sometimes one dimensional isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Sanderson's always are though.

OwaynOTT

OwaynOTT wrote: »

Sanderson's always are though.

And there's nothing wrong with that, especially when you consider how quickly Sanderson is as a writer. His work is rather impressive for someone who doesn't take years between installments, can't think of another fantasy author whose work is so consistent and doesn't spend decades dragging a series out

Raif Severance

Deleted User wrote: »

And there's nothing wrong with that, especially when you consider how quickly Sanderson is as a writer. His work is rather impressive for someone who doesn't take years between installments, can't think of another fantasy author whose work is so consistent and doesn't spend decades dragging a series out

LE Modesitt Jr.

Raif Severance

Raif Severance wrote: »

LE Modesitt Jr.

He'd be the closest in terms of consistency and if I recall correctly the latest Saga of Recluce book is out next month.

Raif Severance

Deleted User wrote: »

He'd be the closest in terms of consistency and if I recall correctly the latest Saga of Recluce book is out next month.

Closest? Nah, he's better.

But then again, I'm Boards' Biggest Modesitt Fan, so there's probably a bit of Bias in there.

shootermacg

Deleted User wrote: »

They're not the most compelling or unique but sometimes they don't have to be in order to be well formed. We know everything we need to about them and what motivates them without page after page of inner monologues or any such fare. They are simple and all the better for it.

To be honest his characters underwent vast personality changes in the book to progress the plot, which itself was contrived.

The books weren't bad, its just they weren't really good either. Go read the Prince of Nothing trilogy if you would like to see well developed characters warts and all.

Raif Severance

Raif Severance wrote: »

Closest? Nah, he's better.

But then again, I'm Boards' Biggest Modesitt Fan, so there's probably a bit of Bias in there.

I wasn't comparing their work but rather the consistency they have in delivering good work and not taking years to do so. Look at something like The Wheel of Time and Game of Thrones series and they took/take decades to tell their story. Granted there's a lot more to them than Sanderson or Modesitt but still it does get a little tiresome waiting years for a book. I think I was 8 when I first picked up the Wheel of time and was 28 before it was finished. So much time passed that I had to start it all over again.

shootermacg

shootermacg wrote: »

To be honest his characters underwent vast personality changes in the book to progress the plot, which itself was contrived.

The books weren't bad, its just they weren't really good either. Go read the Prince of Nothing trilogy if you would like to see well developed characters warts and all.

Read the Prince of Nothing series, honestly I've read so many fantasy novels that Sanderson's are just a nice change of pace. There's nothing strikingly original to them but a simplicity that's refreshing.

keane2097

I can honestly say I've never heard one dimensional characters being passed off as a literary positive before.

shootermacg

Deleted User wrote: »

Read the Prince of Nothing series, honestly I've read so many fantasy novels that Sanderson's are just a nice change of pace. There's nothing strikingly original to them but a simplicity that's refreshing.

If you want a good easy to read, pulp book with marginally better developed characters, I highly recommend the vampire earth series by E.E. Knight. I enjoyed them a lot more than I should have!

The same author wrote books from a dragon's perspective (The Age of Fire series) which I also enjoyed.

keane2097

keane2097 wrote: »

I can honestly say I've never heard one dimensional characters being passed off as a literary positive before.

They're not as one dimensional as you'd find, in say the works of James Patterson. Sanderson has never been one for layered characters but calling them one dimensional isn't entirely fair. The characters are somewhat plain, Vin in particular feels like a dozen others and her journey is predictable but very well handled. Kelsier and Sazed are both very strong characters and far more interesting than Vin. The Lord Ruler is the most interesting character by far in the novel and the subtle way in which he is built up is impressive, really wish that we had seen more of him.

shootermacg

shootermacg wrote: »

If you want a good easy to read, pulp book with marginally better developed characters, I highly recommend the vampire earth series by E.E. Knight. I enjoyed them a lot more than I should have!

The same author wrote books from a dragon's perspective (The Age of Fire series) which I also enjoyed.

I read Way of the Wolf and enjoyed it and have Choice of the Cat on my kindle. For me it's the kind of series that I read when I want a break from more highbrow fare. It reminds me a bit of Jim Butcher's the Dresden Files in that it can be picked up and read in a sitting or two.

ixoy

Over halfway through "Heirs of the Blade" by Adrian Tchaikovsky, the seventh book in his "Shadows of the Apt" series. Started off a little slow but things are picking up nicely, following on from plot lines established in the fifth book and setting up, presumably, for the final three.

Thargor

Love Shadows of the Apt, chose it at random once without reading any reviews because I had nothing else and was hooked straight away, last book is out this July. Love every one of the different societies, he captured the different species really well, especially the Wasps.

Raging_Ninja

Just finished "King David's Spaceship" by Jerry Pournelle, about to start "Rendezvous with Rama" by Arthur C. Clarke.

Rory28

Words of Radiance. Really good series the Stormlight archive.

pinkstars

Love from heaven I think it's called. Lorna Byrne

Markcheese

Just started the first game of thrones ,I'm 100 pages in and can see why it's a massive hit... I'll probably become a recluse for the next few months so,

Dan_Solo

About 1/3 into The Great North Road. It's just too bloody long for the amount that seems to actually happen in it. Plus, besides the Stargates (yeah, that's what they are really) it doesn't feel like it's anywhere near as far in the future as it's supposed to be.
The story itself is OK though and well written, I'll be finishing it for sure.

Bits_n_Bobs

James S.A. Corey's Expanse (1-3) about halfway through the third. I've mixed feelings on this, it ticks a lot of my space opera buttons, however it's all a bit predictable and the lead characters are poorly realised. Nevertheless the central plot is ok thus far and I'm curious enough about the ending to stick with it.