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August 2014 reads


farseer2

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Answering my own question:



Finished The Red Wolf Conspiracy, by Robert V.S. Redick. Excellent start to an epic fantasy tetralogy (The Chathrand Voyage). The characters are appealing, the worldbuilding is complex and interesting, in a way that affects the plot. It's a fat fantasy (560 pages), but it does not get boring. I'm now starting the second book The Ruling Sea. Mgambino mentioned in the July 2014 thread that the series fell apart in the last two books. I'm hoping that when I get there I'll find that it works for me. We'll see.



I'm also reading the stories in The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, volume 1, edited by Robert Silverberg, a selection of some of the best and most famous science fiction stories published before 1964. Very enjoyable, and it's a must for any reader interested in classic science fiction or the history of the genre. Some readers will already be familiar with many of these stories, though, as they have often been included in anthologies.


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Continuing with The Dragon's Path at the moment. It's enjoyable but kind of slow. I love the worldbuilding and the different races of humanity. The characters are good, but I'm incredibly bias towards Marcus and Dawson. The other ones are great aswell, but I just get more excited once one of those two appear

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Started Fall of Hyperion a few days ago. Really enjoying the switch in PoV and fleshing out some of the back story. Really enjoying this series.



After this I am going to take a break from SF and finish Adrian Tchaikovskys Heirs of the Blade and then probably next in the series (Air War?)



Then back onto SF and either Endymion or Dune.


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I'm a quarter of the way through His Conquering Sword, the third book in Kate Elliott's Jaran series. I really like it so far and the only quibble I have is the pace. It can be really slow with little plot moving.

I have no idea what read after the Jaran series is done but it will not be science fiction.

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I tried Kate Elliots Crossroads series but gave up halfway through the 2nd book. The world and characters all seemed very good but the pacing killed the story for me. I don't mind slow pacing but if the pacing is slow everything else needs to be that much better so I can quickly build a world around a slow moving plot.


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I tried Kate Elliots Crossroads series but gave up halfway through the 2nd book. The world and characters all seemed very good but the pacing killed the story for me. I don't mind slow pacing but if the pacing is slow everything else needs to be that much better so I can quickly build a world around a slow moving plot.

That was next on my TBR pile too. I love Kate Elliot, so I'll probably still give a chance later. I'm in the midst of reading the Edge Chronicles series to my son (he loves them, he'll let me read almost 100 pages before he starts to get antsy). On my own, I'm about start The Lensman Series.

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Answering my own question:

Finished The Red Wolf Conspiracy, by Robert V.S. Redick. Excellent start to an epic fantasy tetralogy (The Chathrand Voyage). The characters are appealing, the worldbuilding is complex and interesting, in a way that affects the plot. It's a fat fantasy (560 pages), but it does not get boring. I'm now starting the second book The Ruling Sea. Mgambino mentioned in the July 2014 thread that the series fell apart in the last two books. I'm hoping that when I get there I'll find that it works for me. We'll see.

One quick note... the series falls apart in the 3rd and 4th book, but the actually ending itself is wonderful.

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Finished Django Wexler's 'The Shadow Throne' last night, enjoying it greatly. It was a second book but didn't feel like a middle book; had a long game story in the background but focused on a self contained plotline.

Now reading 'The Widow's House' by Daniel Abraham.

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Started Fall of Hyperion a few days ago. Really enjoying the switch in PoV and fleshing out some of the back story. Really enjoying this series.

I'm over halfway through Hyperion and loving it. First book I've read in several months that I can't wait to pick back up whenever I have a spare moment.

I intend to read Fall of Hyperion next and then keep the sci-fi groove going with Leviathan Wakes.

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I finished Paladin of Souls by Bujold early today and just like the first Chalion book, it was excellent.



Right after finishing the above, I started reading Infinity Gauntlet by Jim Starlin which is basically the concept that the Marvel Cinematic Universe is building up to in "Phase 3".



Year-long readings update:



The Bible: As of the end of July I am through Romans.



The Complete Works of William Shakespeare: Finished Measure for Measure yesterday and it was an interesting play, obviously not a comedy nor tragedy. I guess one could call it a morality play of sorts, I loved the overall concept and execution of the Duke-turned-Friar observing Vienna to see how things are run in his absence as well as the Angelo absolute power corruption arc. Today I'm starting Othello.


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I'm over halfway through Hyperion and loving it. First book I've read in several months that I can't wait to pick back up whenever I have a spare moment.

I intend to read Fall of Hyperion next and then keep the sci-fi groove going with Leviathan Wakes.

Leviathan Wakes is on my hit list so let me know how it goes.

Fall picks up right where Hyperion leaves off in both the story and the quality of writing.

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I finished the second Kate Daniels book by Ilona Andrews yesterday, so far it's easily the best "typical" urban fantasy series I've read. Great stuff. I hope the rest of the series remains just as good.

Now I am reading Blindsight by Peter Watts, I was in the mood for some well written hard SF, so far it's been really good.

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I finished Paladin of Souls by Bujold early today and just like the first Chalion book, it was excellent.

I read Chalion about a decade ago in my teens and it left a lasting impression on me as a very original and creative book. I remember at the time reading a lot of "heroic" fantasy and this novel really disabused some of my beliefs in what constitued a great main character.

Think I will add Paladin of Souls to my TBR pile.

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I read Chalion about a decade ago in my teens and it left a lasting impression on me as a very original and creative book. I remember at the time reading a lot of "heroic" fantasy and this novel really disabused some of my beliefs in what constitued a great main character.

Think I will add Paladin of Souls to my TBR pile.

Paladin of Souls is also good in that regard, there aren't many epic fantasies where the protagonist is a middle-aged woman. Both the Chalion books I've read (I've not read the third one in that world) had very good characterisation.

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