Recreational Literary Endeavors
- Thread starter Luthorne
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Just finished "A Maddness of Angels: The Ressurection of Mathew Swift" by Kate Griffen.
It's a story about a wizard who returns 2 years after his demise to find that the world and friends he knew are gone. I really like how the author handled the world building, the characters and the pacing and would easily reccommend this to others.
It's a story about a wizard who returns 2 years after his demise to find that the world and friends he knew are gone. I really like how the author handled the world building, the characters and the pacing and would easily reccommend this to others.
Just have to insert a comment... the series is good so far (Just finished book 3), but I have a pair of comments about the main character.
He wins the award for Most Clueless MC Ever, at least as far as I know. I mean, c'mon, we figured it out in chapter 1. Or shortly thereafter, it was pretty damn obvious. I've heard of Dramatic Irony, but all the way through book 3...? I don't know that the story would work otherwise, but it's a little hard to believe no one but the various Gods and whatnot have put it all together.
The second comment is that he should write a book. "How to Deal With your Tsundere Bride To Be."
Because he's doing fucking awesome.
EDIT: OH, and check out 'The Redemption of Althalus' which is somewhat Mary Sueish, but funny as hell. Also 'Regina's Song' is interesting and spooky. Both are Eddings'.
He wins the award for Most Clueless MC Ever, at least as far as I know. I mean, c'mon, we figured it out in chapter 1. Or shortly thereafter, it was pretty damn obvious. I've heard of Dramatic Irony, but all the way through book 3...? I don't know that the story would work otherwise, but it's a little hard to believe no one but the various Gods and whatnot have put it all together.
The second comment is that he should write a book. "How to Deal With your Tsundere Bride To Be."
Because he's doing fucking awesome.
EDIT: OH, and check out 'The Redemption of Althalus' which is somewhat Mary Sueish, but funny as hell. Also 'Regina's Song' is interesting and spooky. Both are Eddings'.
Started the Wheel of Time series. I like it so far.
I've read the first two books and am the middle of the third. So far I'm liking the characters.
I only have a problem with Egwene and Mat. For some odd reason, the characters piss me off. Maybe it's their motivations or maybe its because they get too much screen time, but I'm liking the insane(?? seems that way right now...) Rand way more then their characters.
Nynaeve's motivations are pretty dumb as well, but it makes sense. Her hatred of the Aes Sedai and Moiraine is, while not really justified from what I know now is, still kind of understandable.
Egwene's torture and captivity was bad, but reading "I won't be bond! Not again!' written every time she fights is quite annoying.
I'm pretty sure Mat and Egwene won't die anytime soon from where I'm at currently, but do they have less screen time?
I've read the first two books and am the middle of the third. So far I'm liking the characters.
I only have a problem with Egwene and Mat. For some odd reason, the characters piss me off. Maybe it's their motivations or maybe its because they get too much screen time, but I'm liking the insane(?? seems that way right now...) Rand way more then their characters.
Nynaeve's motivations are pretty dumb as well, but it makes sense. Her hatred of the Aes Sedai and Moiraine is, while not really justified from what I know now is, still kind of understandable.
Egwene's torture and captivity was bad, but reading "I won't be bond! Not again!' written every time she fights is quite annoying.
I'm pretty sure Mat and Egwene won't die anytime soon from where I'm at currently, but do they have less screen time?
Well. Thanks for the advanced warning. I hope when they do have character development, its not going to be worse.
Edit: Book 6 now. It has gotten worse. I'm really beginning to not like most of the Aes Sedai. Mat has gotten better, but Nynaeve and Egwene have gotten progressively more irritating. Perrin is as awesome as always. Min and Aviendha are interesting to read, while Elayne is pretty bland... like a watered-down mix of Egwene and Nynaeve with a dash of Morgase. The plot has really been slowing down and the charm of the first couple of books are wearing off.
Edit: Book 6 now. It has gotten worse. I'm really beginning to not like most of the Aes Sedai. Mat has gotten better, but Nynaeve and Egwene have gotten progressively more irritating. Perrin is as awesome as always. Min and Aviendha are interesting to read, while Elayne is pretty bland... like a watered-down mix of Egwene and Nynaeve with a dash of Morgase. The plot has really been slowing down and the charm of the first couple of books are wearing off.
I've been reading the original Conan short stories on Project Gutenberg Australia (scroll down to R.E. Howard). He's 110% badass.
Torch of Freedom.
Eh.
Conveniently, Super Spies and Co. will be stuck at the amusement park while Oyster Bay goes down.
There was a lot of info dumps and briefings in this book. Good enough to give some background but I really want to read Mission of Honor instead -- not only because Honor is IMO still a more compelling character but because big plot points will be advanced there. This book is more like set up.
I did find it hilarious that Ruth apparently knows an absurd amount of information regarding People In Astropolitics ... which of course means she gets all the references completely wrong. :lol:
Eh.
Conveniently, Super Spies and Co. will be stuck at the amusement park while Oyster Bay goes down.
There was a lot of info dumps and briefings in this book. Good enough to give some background but I really want to read Mission of Honor instead -- not only because Honor is IMO still a more compelling character but because big plot points will be advanced there. This book is more like set up.
I did find it hilarious that Ruth apparently knows an absurd amount of information regarding People In Astropolitics ... which of course means she gets all the references completely wrong. :lol:
Discworld binging...
... I'm only reading the 'Watch' books, but somehow, I've read them all out of order. Well, at least I read 'Guards, Guards' and 'Men At Arms' first.
Willikins is awesome, Vimes is badass, and Carrot... is Carrot.
Vetinari is ... I'm never sure whether to say he trusts Vimes alot, or has off moments. Particularily in Men at Arms where he gets shot.
Still, my favorite non-main character has to be Detritus and his 'PieceMaker'.
... I'm only reading the 'Watch' books, but somehow, I've read them all out of order. Well, at least I read 'Guards, Guards' and 'Men At Arms' first.
Willikins is awesome, Vimes is badass, and Carrot... is Carrot.
Vetinari is ... I'm never sure whether to say he trusts Vimes alot, or has off moments. Particularily in Men at Arms where he gets shot.
Still, my favorite non-main character has to be Detritus and his 'PieceMaker'.
Hahahaha, don't feel bad; I read them BACKWARDS. :lol:
Moist is epically awesome. I recommend Going Postal as an example of everything Tery Prachett does right with fantasy.
Anyway, I got bored the other night and downloaded the first few Miles Vorkosigan adventures.
I had forgotten how AWESOME the first few are. Despite having read the series in 8th grade, and being it's champion ever since--somehow, I let myself be tricked into thinking that it was all like A Civil Campaign. :sick3:
Long story short: Miles is a horribly crippled super-genius on a planet with a feudal aristocracy that until about one hundred or so years ago was completely feudal and murdered any children who were less than perfect which in the "present" is still a military aristocracy to which Miles is conceivably the heir to despite hating the throne. *whew* At age seventeen, Miles washes out of military school (horrifically crippled, right?), takes a vacation and ends up with his own Space Marines mercenary fleet.
SO. AWESOME. Start with The Warrior's Apprentice, go from there.
Also downloaded The Dresden Files. :yay: That's for the next few weeks though, I have tons and tons of in-class reading to do.
Moist is epically awesome. I recommend Going Postal as an example of everything Tery Prachett does right with fantasy.
Anyway, I got bored the other night and downloaded the first few Miles Vorkosigan adventures.
I had forgotten how AWESOME the first few are. Despite having read the series in 8th grade, and being it's champion ever since--somehow, I let myself be tricked into thinking that it was all like A Civil Campaign. :sick3:
Long story short: Miles is a horribly crippled super-genius on a planet with a feudal aristocracy that until about one hundred or so years ago was completely feudal and murdered any children who were less than perfect which in the "present" is still a military aristocracy to which Miles is conceivably the heir to despite hating the throne. *whew* At age seventeen, Miles washes out of military school (horrifically crippled, right?), takes a vacation and ends up with his own Space Marines mercenary fleet.
SO. AWESOME. Start with The Warrior's Apprentice, go from there.
Also downloaded The Dresden Files. :yay: That's for the next few weeks though, I have tons and tons of in-class reading to do.
I finished Joe Abercrombie's The First Law Trilogy a few weeks ago, it was a very, very twisted take on the fantasy genre. There's some very nasty and realistic stuff there in tome its similar to some noir-ish stuff. Fantasy-noir is more like it. If you can deal with nasty things happening to some nice and some understandably nasty people, I'd suggest it.
Also, if you want to see spectacular Xanatos gambits, check it out.
I also finished up a great crime novel called The Shotgun Rule by Charlie Huston. Set in Northern California during the 80's, the characters and details feel vividly real. It's like if Stand By Me was really fucked up and involved meth labs and murder.
Also, if you want to see spectacular Xanatos gambits, check it out.
I also finished up a great crime novel called The Shotgun Rule by Charlie Huston. Set in Northern California during the 80's, the characters and details feel vividly real. It's like if Stand By Me was really fucked up and involved meth labs and murder.
Just picked up And Another Thing... , Eoin Colfer's take on Book Six of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. So far I am terribly torn, but this just doesn't feel right, at all.
Not having read anything by Colfer previously I can't judge him solely on this work, and I shall finish it before I give my full verdict, but I do hope it gets better. Or else, there will be letters. Angry ones.
Not having read anything by Colfer previously I can't judge him solely on this work, and I shall finish it before I give my full verdict, but I do hope it gets better. Or else, there will be letters. Angry ones.
MANLY TEARS.
I've actually been reading my class books for fun. >.>
Not the textbooks, but my required reading books. One of my classes had us read Vermeer's Hat, which is a history of globalization in the 1600s. Very interesting. Also reading my Intro to World Religions text--lots of good myths in it. And speaking of myths, one of my birthday presents was a set of mythology collections. I'm eagerly awaiting their arrival; I love mythology.
I've actually been reading my class books for fun. >.>
Not the textbooks, but my required reading books. One of my classes had us read Vermeer's Hat, which is a history of globalization in the 1600s. Very interesting. Also reading my Intro to World Religions text--lots of good myths in it. And speaking of myths, one of my birthday presents was a set of mythology collections. I'm eagerly awaiting their arrival; I love mythology.
I've been on a bit of a 40K kick, read Red Fury by James Swallow, Descent of Angels by Mitchell Scanlon, coming to the end of the Soul Drinkers Omnibus and just starting the second book of the Eisenhorn Omnibus.
Swallow's books seem a bit short, but they are impressively action-packed. Ben Counter is solid, as always, and Abnett's doing well, although I preferred the Ravenor trilogy and Brothers of the Snake.
Swallow's books seem a bit short, but they are impressively action-packed. Ben Counter is solid, as always, and Abnett's doing well, although I preferred the Ravenor trilogy and Brothers of the Snake.
Ben Counter is a hero.
Daemon World and the Grey Knights trilogy, four of my top ten 40k books.
And I guess Soul Drinkers too (blegh, don't like 'em.)
Personally, I've been re-reading the Ultramarines Omnibus. Say what you want about the smurfs, but they're Space Marines alright.
Plus, one man and his meltabomb vs. Death. 1:0
Daemon World and the Grey Knights trilogy, four of my top ten 40k books.
And I guess Soul Drinkers too (blegh, don't like 'em.)
Personally, I've been re-reading the Ultramarines Omnibus. Say what you want about the smurfs, but they're Space Marines alright.
Plus, one man and his meltabomb vs. Death. 1:0
Eddings: Yeah. The Elenium is like the Belgariad with all the boring bits ripped out. It's a much tighter, better-focused story, and the protagonist is an experienced soldier-mage instead of a whiny teenager. (There's still a whiny teenager, but he's not the protagonist, so they can slap him down when he gets annoying.)
Lisa Shearin's Magic Lost, Trouble Found - Raine Benares is a successful thief and a rather middling mage. So when she gets her hands on the McGuffin of the Week, everyone wants her. Including the disturbingly dark and handsome goblin sorceror. ('goblin' in this world seems to be more of the local version of 'dark elf' with a bit of orcish overtones...)
Charles Stross, The Atrocity Archive and The Jennifer Morgue - Imagine an elite, ultra-top-secret spy agency that deals with the Lovecraftian Mythos. Now imagine the ultimate bureaucratic nightmare: You're their IT Department.
And yes, Bob Howard's middle names are Oscar Frank.
Dresden Files - I used to MUSH with Jim. Great guy. Great stories. I like 'em.
Clive Cussler - Dirk Pitt was around when Jack Ryan was only a gleam in Tom Clancy's eye. Cussler pretty much invented the technothriller. I powered through most of these in the last month - they're pretty formulaic, but it's a fun formula, and the mix of history, archaeology, and high-tech underwater exploration is nifty. And I've loved Raise the Titanic! since I was a kid.
Lisa Shearin's Magic Lost, Trouble Found - Raine Benares is a successful thief and a rather middling mage. So when she gets her hands on the McGuffin of the Week, everyone wants her. Including the disturbingly dark and handsome goblin sorceror. ('goblin' in this world seems to be more of the local version of 'dark elf' with a bit of orcish overtones...)
Charles Stross, The Atrocity Archive and The Jennifer Morgue - Imagine an elite, ultra-top-secret spy agency that deals with the Lovecraftian Mythos. Now imagine the ultimate bureaucratic nightmare: You're their IT Department.
And yes, Bob Howard's middle names are Oscar Frank.
Dresden Files - I used to MUSH with Jim. Great guy. Great stories. I like 'em.
Clive Cussler - Dirk Pitt was around when Jack Ryan was only a gleam in Tom Clancy's eye. Cussler pretty much invented the technothriller. I powered through most of these in the last month - they're pretty formulaic, but it's a fun formula, and the mix of history, archaeology, and high-tech underwater exploration is nifty. And I've loved Raise the Titanic! since I was a kid.
