nav[aria-label="Primary Navigation"] { padding: 0; & ul { list-style: none; width: 100%; display: flex; flex-direction: row; justify-content: start; align-items: start; gap: 30px; padding: 0; & li { margin: 0; } & ul li { list-style: none; } } }

Child Item

What Are You Reading?

eVeNtInE

This post has been deleted.

Find more posts tagged with

Quick Links

Comments

Blackhorse Slim

ednwireland wrote: »

thieves world , bought the 3rd book many many years ago just had 1 and 2 delivered 2nd hand from USA

How are they? I've never read any of them, but heard about them... being a big fan of Asprin's MYTH series. Wondering if these are worthwhile... thanks.

ednwireland

Blackhorse Slim wrote: »

How are they? I've never read any of them, but heard about them... being a big fan of Asprin's MYTH series. Wondering if these are worthwhile... thanks.

well i love shadows of sanctuary! think the different perspectives form different authors is great which is why i got the first two 2nd hand form the states. i think theres 8 original ones.

Never realised theres a whole RPG /D&D type thing around them just had an old 2nd hand book i bought 30 years ago on the shelf (didnt realise it was a series until a couple of years ago

)

RMDrive

On the last book of the Lightbringer Series by Brent Weeks (book 5). I'm listening to it on Audible and I'm really enjoying it. He writes very witty characters and I regularly find myself chuckling while on my commute. One of the most enjoyable series I've read in years.

Also reading the Demon Cycle by Peter Brett - currently on book 3. Enjoyed the first couple but finding that this one is dragging a lot. Will battle through.

Jayd0g

RMDrive wrote: »

On the last book of the Lightbringer Series by Brent Weeks (book 5). I'm listening to it on Audible and I'm really enjoying it. He writes very witty characters and I regularly find myself chuckling while on my commute. One of the most enjoyable series I've read in years.

Also reading the Demon Cycle by Peter Brett - currently on book 3. Enjoyed the first couple but finding that this one is dragging a lot. Will battle through.

Similar experience with the Demon Cycle.

Introducing new character viewpoints and delaying plot progress to flesh out their history is a bit frustrating.

I've finished book 4 and will stick with it as I'm curious to see how it ends.

Lady Haywire

^ Same as above. Reckon it would have been a good trilogy as it just seemed a bit too padded out in places. I did enjoy it as a series though, just felt it'd have made a more exciting read if the filler was removed.

lordgoat

finish windup girl. Really enjoyed the ending.

Went back to Sanderson - Mistborn - book 4, was hoping he'd have this series finished by the time I started but I guess I'll have to wait for the last one.

Conall Cernach

I'm re-reading some of the classics after spending longer than I'd like finishing the dire Witcher series. I finished Lord Valentine's Castle the other night. I hadn't read it in over 30 years, it's still damn good but the final third is a bit dull. I then started The Chronicles of Amber which I hadn't read in 20 years. It's still great as ever.

ixoy

* 'The Monster Baru Cormorant' by Seth Dickinson, the second book in his Masquerade series. I knew this one was considered flawed going in so it wasn't quite as poor as I feared but still a very different beast to the first one. The cold calculations and manipulations are gone. The politics are shoved aside for an adventure quest almost and emotions, hidden before, are much more openly displayed on all characters. It's quite jarring and it doesn't really help that it feels very much like half a book, with just a cliffhanger.
There's some good bits in it - the leman character of Tau is interesting and Dickinson has done some interesting work with the cultures which, if anything, might draw a bit from African lore. The viewpoint of those cultures is an interesting comparison to the sterile, rule driven, hygienic Baru is fighting against. It just still feels like a different beast but, I'm encouraged to see, that the third book looks like it shifts it all back into place.

* 'Rogue Protocol' by Matha Wells, the third book in her Murderbot series. For me, it was the weakest so far. I think it's because the plot was a little bland, feeling a bit like a filler and that's even with it being a novella. The character of Miki definitely helped and I was never bored but wasn't fully drawn in either. Perfectly happy to read more though as I know Wells can deliver better.

Jayd0g

ixoy wrote: »

* '

* 'Rogue Protocol' by Matha Wells, the third book in her Murderbot series. For me, it was the weakest so far. I think it's because the plot was a little bland, feeling a bit like a filler and that's even with it being a novella. The character of Miki definitely helped and I was never bored but wasn't fully drawn in either. Perfectly happy to read more though as I know Wells can deliver better.

Have just finished this too, and agree 100%. It was entertaining enough though.

I'm tempted to try one of Martha Wells other series based on enjoying the Murderbot Diaries.

Any recommendations on where to start?

ixoy

* 'Skysworn' by Will Wight, the fourth book in his 'Cradle' series. Very easy to read, a lot of fun (again). It also more firmly set up the scale of the series and the stakes at play in some very satisfying action pieces.

* 'The Crystal Shard' by R.A. Salvatore, the first book in his Icewind Dale trilogy. This is "old school" fantasy and it really showed. Found it a bit of a slog - stodgy writing, cardboard characters, a terrible villain (he actually does manic laughing) and a bland plot. It's his first published book and, having read the chronologically previous trilogy, I know he can write better. Very bland.

[Deleted User]

Carrion Comfort by Dan Simmons. I googled scariest books and it came up on a lot of lists. Took ages to find it somewhere online the wasn't bookdepository or amazon. Couldn't find anywhere in Ireland

Gonna start reading tonight. Hopefully it'll frighten the life out of me

Beanstalk

Back reading the Sparhawk novels by David Eddings. They're not bad, a good page turner. Really struggling to find new fantasy that I like these days.

Blackhorse Slim

Beanstalk wrote: »

Back reading the Sparhawk novels by David Eddings. They're not bad, a good page turner. Really struggling to find new fantasy that I like these days.

If you haven't already, check out the Riyria Revelations by Michael J Sullivan. Although new, this is very much classic fantasy in the old style. Also worth looking at Kings of the Wyld by Nicholas Eames.

lordgoat

lordgoat wrote: »

finish windup girl. Really enjoyed the ending.

Went back to Sanderson - Mistborn - book 4, was hoping he'd have this series finished by the time I started but I guess I'll have to wait for the last one.

Had to go back to Mistborn 1-3 as I had forgotten the magic system so enjoying these again before Mistborn book 5!

Beanstalk wrote: »

Back reading the Sparhawk novels by David Eddings. They're not bad, a good page turner. Really struggling to find new fantasy that I like these days.

Feist! If you haven't read him. Or Sanderson - Mistborn. Or Joe Abercrombie.

Igotadose

Just finished "The Windup Girl." Interesting read and the ending was a bit of a surprise. Now onto "Vicious" by V. E. Schwab. Yet another 'super abilities revealed while at University to attractive students." Hopefully it improves.

For those looking for great vintage. Saberhagen's "Books of Lost Swords" are fantastic. They're from the mid/late 80's/early 90's, which I suppose makes them vintage though I remember eagerly buying them when they were new!

The White Feather

The White Feather wrote: »

Still working away on the Malazan Book of the Fallen series.

Finished both The Bonehunters and Reapers Gale. Long but fun reads!

Next up is the 8th book "Toll the Hounds" *Deep breath* :pac:

Finished Toll the Hounds and Dust of Dreams. I didn't like the first but loved the second!

Now onto the final book in the series. "The Crippled God"

Glebee

Glebee wrote: »

Still on House of Chains, 60% through.:(
Definitely not as baffling as previous books but I still have those wtf was that moments as the book progressed. I keep saying "thats it, im finished with malazan after this one', but Midnight Tides was 99p on Amazon last week so I bought it. I think they really need to be read one after the other as I usually end up breaking and find myself forgetting sections of the previous book when I go back again. Im guessing if I have an 90% idea of whats going on over the entire series so far im doing well.

Eventually got finished with House of Chains. What started off as a great read turned into a bit of a slog for me and ended on a whimper I felt. So far my least favourite Malazan book. Even though I have next one ready to go I am defo taking a break from Malazan and im not sure if ill return for a while, if ever.

alchemist33

Finished the first Expanse novel, Leviathan Awakes. Halfway through I thought it was the best SF I'd read in years, than it went all aimless for a long while until a decent ending. It redeemed itself enough to make me read the second at some point.

Now on the last of Hamilton's Salvation novels. Not his best by any means but still good.

Gary kk

Finished, The Holes in the Sky by Peter F Hamilton.

It definitely had holes in it maybe the second book will fill in some story lines. But it feels like there was not enough time hashing it out.

Don't get me wrong it is enjoyable just don't over think it.

Paddy Samurai

The Ghost Dance Judgement (Golgotha Book 4) by RS Belcher

About 20% in and loving it. A real page turner for me. Belcher has some crazy imagination but its a highly entertaining fun read.

ixoy

* 'Falling Free' by Lois McMaster Bujold, another entry in the Vorkosigan Saga. This one doesn't feature the Vorkosigan family, and is set prior to the main saga and it's the weakest installment. The lead character doesn't have any of the witty humour of Miles (and even Ehtan in 'Ethan of Athos' was more interesting).
The villain in this is almost comical which disengages me as Bujold is very well able to write three dimensional characters. The plot itself does show more of her hallmarks - clever innovative solutions to problems. It just feels like a weak knock off of her work (and it doesn't help the last book I read by her was the superb 'Memory').

* 'Blackwing' by Ed McDonald, the first book in 'The Raven's Wing' trilogy. Very much enjoyed this one. It's grimdark but done quite well - the setting is pretty interesting, the stakes are high, and it's fairly breezy at 360 pages. It also wraps up its main plot in the one book with threads left for the sequels.

The White Feather

I have just finished "The Actuality" by Paul Braddon. A debut Sci Fi novel that I really liked. Set in the future in England about a sentient robot when they have been banned. Reminded me of the movie Ex Machina if you have seen that.

Now reading the latest one from Andy Weir. "Project Hail Mary" It seems like "The Martian" with a guy in space on his own. Enjoying it so far.

Paddy Samurai

ixoy wrote: »

* 'Blackwing' by Ed McDonald, the first book in 'The Raven's Wing' trilogy. Very much enjoyed this one. It's grimdark but done quite well - the setting is pretty interesting, the stakes are high, and it's fairly breezy at 360 pages. It also wraps up its main plot in the one book with threads left for the sequels.

Thanks for the reminder I have it sitting on my shelf since he wrote it , along with 2 & 3.

Hope to start it next.Hopefully.....

Glebee

I know its not really sci fi/fantasy but really enjoying The Pillars of the Earth. Getting a game of thrones vibe off it without the dragons or zombies...

Dades

Just finished Dark Matter (Blake Crouch).

First book I've gotten into in a while. Really enjoyed it.
Excited to see it's likely to get developed for TV, too. It's a story that could really make the jump.

Fian

Glebee wrote: »

I know its not really sci fi/fantasy but really enjoying The Pillars of the Earth. Getting a game of thrones vibe off it without the dragons or zombies...

I find a lot of overlap between historical fiction and fantasy. Guy gavriel Kay is the most obvious overlap I suppose. But if you want historical fiction with "game of throne" vibes have a look at bernard cornwell and especially his Saxon stories - which were the basis for "the last kingdom" on Netflix.

[Deleted User]

Kate elliott's crown of stars series has a lot of clear historical research in there as well.

ixoy

coffee_cake wrote: »

Kate elliott's crown of stars series has a lot of clear historical research in there as well.

As an aside, she did an AMA on /r/fantasy yesterday and I asked her a question about the series and she came back with detail on the elements of history she modeled the religion on.

Igotadose

As I've been kind of disappointed by my last sequence of more recent writers, I went back to an oldie-but-goodie, Raymond Feist, one of his Riftwar saga stuff. Simple, action packed, well known characters (and it's been decades since I last read one.) Onto "Into a Dark Realm" where they chase the bad guy around Kelewan

ixoy

* 'A Plague of Swords' by Miles Cameron, the fourth book in his 'The Traitor Son' cycle. Split into five parts, the first of which I found kind of slow, I enjoyed a welcome change of pace from the many military battles to a greater focus on powerful magic forces. It really helped ramp up the scale, even if it felt a little bit like a set up for the final book. Still could be edited down a bit and there's no need to introduce every knight and his page by name..

* 'Ravencry' by Ed McDonald, the second book in the 'Raven's Mark' trilogy. Picking up a few years after the previous installment, it works well enough as a standalone but benefits more from building on the characters set up from the previous. I don't think the stakes felt quite as high at the end but the character arcs were probably stronger. It's first-person grimdark but the lead is one of those where he's not nearly as bad as he wants to think he is. Fairly breezy clocking in under 400 pages.