What Are You Reading? Second Quarter, 2023

[Lord Patrek]

Finished Jacqueline Carey's Cassiel's Servant and enjoyed it. I was afraid that this retelling of Kushiel's Dart from Joscelin's perspective, that of a righteous and unyeilding Cassiline, couldn't be as good as the original. Phèdre has such a singular voice, after all, one that made the first trilogy what it was.

Even though it can't quite compare with the original, this novel made for a totally satisfying reading experience. Kushiel fans will definitely enjoy it.

You can read my review here.

[Kyll.Ing.]

On 5/16/2023 at 12:27 PM, 3CityApache said:

Their name is legion. But if I had to choose but a few, it would be Nightwatch (absolutely the best), The Truth, Men at Arms, Feet of Clay, Jingo (generally the biggest fan of watch series within Discworld) and Going Postal.

Just an addendum to this: Night Watch is very good, but I think it relies on the reader being familiar with the state of the Watch series up to that point, so it's not a book one should start with.

Myself, I'm a fan of Wyrd Sisters, although it may not technically rank among the very best. Soul Music is a nice one too. And even as an early installment, The Light Fantastic is hugely enjoyable, although it relies heavily on the rather middling The Colour of Magic. Or, well, it's not middling, it's just that the middle half of the book goes absolutely nowhere, with two self-contained, "episodic" parts that don't move the plot forward at all. If you were to start anywhere with the series, I think I'd recommend reading the first quarter ofThe Colour of Magic (up until our heroes leave the burning Ankh-Morpork), then skip the next two quarters with Hrun the Barbarian, take it up again where Rincewind and Twoflower are adrift on the sea, then go immediately into The Light Fantastic. 

Edited May 19, 2023 by Kyll.Ing.

[Mlle. Zabzie]

Just finished The Anomaly by Herve Le Tellier. I loved it even though it deeply pissed me off, especially the ending.  

Currently reading Angelmaker by Nick Harkaway.  Late getting on the train, but enjoying it so far.  Looking forward to Anne Leckie’s latest when it comes out.

[Fragile Bird]

You know, if you want to read Terry Pratchett you might want to try reading the Discworld books in order. Just search Discworld reading order and it will be laid out for you, starting with The Colour of Magic.

[dog-days]

I found the earliest Discworld books weaker than the later ones, so wouldn't recommend Colour of Magic/Light Fantastic as a starting point. TBH, I never liked the Rincewind books as much as the rest. 

I think reading the first couple of books in each sub-group could be a good idea, then catching up on the standalones and continuing to the very good but slightly darker/more serious later Discworld books. 

Later on (especially in Lords and Ladies, one of my favourites) the characters tend to crossover more, even if it's just in cameos. 

So:

Mort and Reaper Man (Death books. Though Death might say: EVENTUALLY, YOU KNOW, I CROSSOVER WITH EVERYONE )

Guards! Guards! and Men at Arms (the Watch books)

Wyrd Sisters and Witches Abroad (the Witches books)

Edited May 20, 2023 by dog-days

[Fragile Bird]

There are various reading order lists out there on the internet. Starting with the first book, whether or not it’s weaker than later books, at least launches you into Pratchett’s universe from the beginning, even if you then leap into other branches.

[dog-days]

I'd be worried that starting with the first book could put them off the rest of the series...

[Gaston de Foix]

3 hours ago, dog-days said:

I'd be worried that starting with the first book could put them off the rest of the series...

I think it depends on your level of enthrallment with Pratchett. 

It's very similar to reading PG Wodehouse. 

If I wanted to convert someone to Wodehousism, I'd give them the Best of (introduction by Stephen Fry, natch), or some of the Jeeves short stories. 

I wouldn't do publication order (either earliest or latest) because the best works are in between.  I also wouldn't do whatever passes for chronological order in the Wodehouse universe.  

But I personally started at with an Uncle Fred omnibus and was convinced the Mitching Hill anecdote (Uncle Fred Flits by) about the parrot was just invented backstory.  Finding it, later in life, is one of the happiest (small) moments of my life. 

If you are a true Pratchett afficiondo, there is no wrong answer.  I give copies of the Bromeliad and Maurice out to my pre-teen nieces and nephews.  

[Peadar]

Just about to start Titanium Noir by Nick Harkaway.

[Ser Not Appearing]

Finished the fourth book of Harry Potter with the 10 yr old. We've been reading through then and discussing the stereotypes and problematic language but also the fun and the adventure.

Book 4 really picks up the story.

[A wilding]

Just read Sea of Tranquillity by Emily St. John Mandel. I found her Station Eleven somewhat heavy going, but this one was much lighter, an entertaining jeu d'esprit that nonetheless tackles issues such as the simulation hypothesis and the trolley problem. And there is an amusing self insert of an author on an extended publicity tour following their most recent book, about a pandemic, unexpectedly becoming a best seller. Plus a wry comment about a character lumbered with having "St." in their name.

Also been reading The Death of an Owl, the last book by Paul Torday (of Salmon Fishing in the Yemen fame.) This was generally up to his usual standards, though possibly a little flat in tone, and is a typical uncomfortable read. It is a savage portrait of an ambitious near psychopathic UK Tory politician. The comparison with Boris Johnson is inevitable, except that Torday died in 2013 (the book was tided up and published by his son in 2016). Scarily Torday's fictional politician, despite being a complete scumbag, is in several ways a better person than Johnson.

[Gaston de Foix]

5 minutes ago, A wilding said:

Also been reading The Death of an Owl, the last book by Paul Torday (of Salmon Fishing in the Yemen fame.) This was generally up to his usual standards, though possibly a little flat in tone, and is a typical uncomfortable read. It is a savage portrait of an ambitious near psychopathic UK Tory politician. The comparison with Boris Johnson is inevitable, except that Torday died in 2013 (the book was tided up and published by his son in 2016). Scarily Torday's fictional politician, despite being a complete scumbag, is in several ways a better person than Johnson.

Thanks, I might pick this us up.  I enjoyed Salmon Fishing, although I always wondered what the author thought about the (quite different) movie.  

[A wilding]

13 minutes ago, Gaston de Foix said:

Thanks, I might pick this us up.  I enjoyed Salmon Fishing, although I always wondered what the author thought about the (quite different) movie.  

My favourite Paul Torday is The Girl on the Landing  which is a story about the supernatural that also has something to say about the use of psychoactive drugs.

[Ser Not Appearing]

Finished Foundryside. There's some redeeming stuff here in the world-building but there's a lot I didn't think was of great quality (or at least so divergent from a style I appreciate that I don't see the quality) in the writing.

I'm uncertain if I will continue the series. If I do, it's mainly just to read something with a friend.

[Kyll.Ing.]

On 5/20/2023 at 9:13 AM, dog-days said:

I'd be worried that starting with the first book could put them off the rest of the series...

To be honest, that happened to me when I first picked it up. I liked the writing, but the episodic nature of the plot wasn't too appealing, and I ended up leaving the series for a couple of years before I bought the next book. As I said up above, the middle half of the book essentially goes nowhere. After leaving Ankh-Morpork, there's an interlude, our two heroes enter an ancient temple, meets Hrun, escapes temple, new interlude, nobody speaks of the temple again. Then they go to the dragon mountain, leaves Hrun there, new interlude, nobody speaks of the dragon mountain again. Then the story picks up when they hit the edge of the Disc and go to Krull, but even that is mostly an episodic adventure that gets resolved early in The Light Fantastic, and nobody speaks of Krull again after that. 

Still, the book gives the best introduction to the 'verse and setting. It has that going for it. But I wouldn't recommend starting with it unless you skip some parts then launch immediately into The Light Fantastic, which is much better structured.

[Larry of the Lawn]

On 5/20/2023 at 6:50 AM, Gaston de Foix said:

I think it depends on your level of enthrallment with Pratchett. 

It's very similar to reading PG Wodehouse. 

If I wanted to convert someone to Wodehousism, I'd give them the Best of (introduction by Stephen Fry, natch), or some of the Jeeves short stories. 

I wouldn't do publication order (either earliest or latest) because the best works are in between.  I also wouldn't do whatever passes for chronological order in the Wodehouse universe.  

But I personally started at with an Uncle Fred omnibus and was convinced the Mitching Hill anecdote (Uncle Fred Flits by) about the parrot was just invented backstory.  Finding it, later in life, is one of the happiest (small) moments of my life. 

If you are a true Pratchett afficiondo, there is no wrong answer.  I give copies of the Bromeliad and Maurice out to my pre-teen nieces and nephews.  

With Wodehouse I think you do the immersion technique and just start them off with Code of the Woosters  or Joy in the Morning.  

 

[dog-days]

A boiled egg and reasonably-priced love to anyone marking the Glorious Twenty-Fifth of May. : )

Edited May 25, 2023 by dog-days

[Gaston de Foix]

The scent of lilac is in the air. 

[Peadar]

Nick Harkaway's Titanium Noir was very enjoyable. He's a witty SOB, that's for sure. Not too sure what's next...

[unJon]

On 5/21/2023 at 10:32 AM, Peadar said:

Just about to start Titanium Noir by Nick Harkaway.

I really enjoyed this.