March Reading Thread

[RaceBannon42]

I'm still reading Magic for Beginners by Kelly Link. It's alright, but most of the stories seem incomplete, and end in a WTF! manner. I'm a little disappointed after all of the good reviews I've seen. Should finish it tomorrow. I think I'll read Anno Dracula by Kim Newman next.

Link is really out there. I think she has a very love it or hate it style. I think she is brilliant. I understand your point about the WTF endings, but I think that they work.

I was having a hard time getting into Little Big, so I set it aside yesterday when I received an ARC for Brasyl by Ian McDonald. I loved River of Gods, so I'm really looking forward to this one. Its started off pretty good. I'll get back top Little Big when I finish

[Bellis]

I had this sudden urge to read The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant.

So last week I had this dream that I was playing Linden Avery in an HBO mini-series of Thomas Covenant, despite not having ever gotten around to read the books.

I liked the original chronicles fine, especially the parts set in the real world. The Land had too many overt echoes to Tolkein (phrase courtesy of Inchoatus). So far, this series is darker, which already makes it better as far as I'm concerned, but still somewhat slow moving and skim-worthy. I like Linden, though

[Yrael]

Aarrgghh...I wanted to buy Dark Angels but after The Lies of Locke Lamora and The God Delusion I didn't want to buy a hardcover. Alice is so cool...I am definately interested in her story.

Does Dark Angels mention Roger Montgeoffrey? He is a major player in this book.

Dark Angels does not mention Roger Montgeoffrey at all, I don't remember the surname being even mentioned. But (don't despair!) there's a sequel to TaGD, and it's called Now Face to Face . You might want to check it out.

-Yrael...to address your questions: no, no, no, no, and no. At least not yet!

You've given me hope! Now I'm sure there'll be a sequel to Dark Angels. I just wish I won't have to wait too long...

[Turinqui-Calima]

I just finnished The Complete: Maus by Art Spiegelman for the first time. It was better than I expected because it hadsomething more than the survivor story I expected.

Before this I read All quiet on the western front so now I'm done with depressing books about war for a while (I think).

So, Thursday I started The Lies of Locke Lamora and I love it so far.

[MinDonner]

I had this sudden urge to read The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant.

So last week I had this dream that I was playing Linden Avery in an HBO mini-series of Thomas Covenant, despite not having ever gotten around to read the books.

I liked the original chronicles fine, especially the parts set in the real world. The Land had too many overt echoes to Tolkein (phrase courtesy of Inchoatus). So far, this series is darker, which already makes it better as far as I'm concerned, but still somewhat slow moving and skim-worthy. I like Linden, though

I reckon the Second Chronicles pisses all over the First; there are still some wooly and boring bits but otherwise it's much, much better.

[nobodymN]

Finished Lane Robin's Maledicte - a rather intriguing debut that is standalone but is a potential series opener as well. Review a little closer to publication date (Mid-May).

It's got some bumps, but I can't say I didn't enjoy it.

[Gigei]

Finished Guy Gabriev Kay's Lions of Al-Rassan. Reading Kay's books gives me this annoying "wtf" feeling at the end. Same thing with Song for Arbonne, Sailing to Sarantium and I forgot the next book in the Sarantium duology....anyway those gave me the same feeling.

Alright, Kay did well with good prose and atmospheric scenery and mood. The rest is very unsatisfying, especially major characters. Ironically minor characters come off well since Kay doesn't attempt to get inside their heads much so we are just left with a few cool images of their history.

This one was annoying because of the whole "yeah they were madly in love" thing where I am just supposed to accept that they are in true, mad lurvvee, baby! :bs:Has anyone ever told Kay you have to SHOW it, not tell?

Don't get me started on the incredibly amateurish and annoying writing technique of constantly referring to something without saying wth it is. Yeah "what had been done" "when the fourth child was born" "what Almalik had done to her father" "what had been done to her father when Almalik's fourth child was born" "before the fourth child of Almalik had been born her father ..." on and on ...until I want to scream.

Then there's the duel where the reader has no idea who won and who lost. Then there is the whole decades after thing where a character constantly refers to his wife - who we are left to assume is the only woman he is associated with (apart from his mother). Nope, it's not her it's some woman the reader has never heard of before.

Sigh. Predictably, everyone is in love with the main Kay character. It's just like those bad Mary Sue fanfics all over the net.

I think what really annoys me the most is that Kay could be a great writer if he could get a handle on real emotions and characterization.

[Caine]

I felt the same way on the first Kay book I read - TIGANA. I was wondering if the rest of his books were like that, because TIGANA has to be the most unsatisfying, uninspiring and just plain emotionally draining book I've ever read. Emotional angst to the extreme. Kay is enjoyable when he isn't trying to teach lessons and TIGANA was just one lesson after another. The 2 major perspectives comprising the bulk of TIGANA - Dianora & Devin - have to be the most frustrating and weakest characters I've ever read. Devin serves as our eyes and ears to Alessan, nothing more, nothing less. And Dianora, lord almighty (besides serving as our eyes and ears to Brandin), I could hardly stand the repetitive emotional angst and merciless jargon over her divided heart and divided loyalties. And at the end of the day, we learn that love isn't enough. Kay even uses those exact words: "Love isn't enough.".

:sick:

[Ormond]

We had a snowstorm in Omaha last Thursday so I got much more reading done than usual this weekend.

First, I finished Gustave Flaubert's Madame Bovary. I didn't exactly choose to read this myself; a faculty group at my university get together several times a year to discuss either a film or a book, and it was decided we'd read Madame Bovary for our discussion next month. On the one hand, I think Flaubert was a good writer and had some good insight into the motivations of a young woman who ends up as a serial adultress. But the story did seem like a rather bleak view of the human condition in general. It will be interesting to see what the other faculty think.

Second, I read Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. My habit with the Potter series up until now has been to read books in the series just before the film based on them comes out; I'm actually quite a bit ahead of myself by reading this one four and a half months before the movie is released. I must say that I really loved this book. I think it was the best of the Potter books I've read so far, and I found myself not wanting it to end, which is a feeling I have only very rarely about books I'm reading. I think Rowling does a great job of making her characters typical teenagers in a fantastic setting. There were lots of wonderful one-liners, and a villain I think I detested more than an fictional villain in years. (And it wasn't Voldemort.) I'm afraid I am one of those adults who thinks Rowling deserves most of the acclaim she's gotten. I loved Order of the Phoenix so much I might even read Half-Blood Prince before the Phoenix film comes out in July.

Third, I read King Rat by China Mieville. This was Mieville's first novel, and is also the first thing by him I've read. He is an excellent writer. I am not a superfan of "contemporary" fantasy, and I found the aspects of the book that dealt with the modern music scene in London to be rather boring, and I also tend to dislike the "gross out" aspects of the rats and spiders in the tale. But in spite of that the story certainly kept my interest and I think it was well worth my time.

Fourth, I am now halfway through Leaving Tabasco, a novel by the Mexican writer Carmen Boullosa. It's a first person story told by a young girl who lives with a strict grandmother and over-sexed mother, (no father is in evidence) and there are lots of "magic realism" aspects to the tale. One knows from the prologue to the story that the narrator eventually ends up living in Germany; it will be interesting to see how the author gets her there.

[Alaerien]

I'm just beginning Lynn Flewelling's The Bone Doll's Twin, which is currently reading like the bastard child of R Scott Bakker's The Darkness That Comes Before and Stephen King's Pet Sematary - shaken, stirred and mixed with a little awesome.

[Bellis]

I reckon the Second Chronicles pisses all over the First; there are still some wooly and boring bits but otherwise it's much, much better.

I think I liked the First Chronicles better, more memorable bits, but the Second Chronicles are thematically more interesting. Although Linden and Thomas are probably the "squickiest" couple since... well... since those ASOIAF shipping threads.

I got my Amazon order of Ink in!! Happy Dance! I'm going to re-read Vellum next week followed by Ink

[lokisnow]

The Wisdom of the Crowds - James Surowiecki

Great, great book. debunks a lot of myths about group think and (unintentionally) the cult of personality. in some ways counterintuitive and in some ways a complete duh it's nevertheless a superb and thoughtful examination of multilateral complex world and how multiple independent decisions are aggregated and adjusted to achieve a subconscious crowd consensus much smarter than any individual choice (most of the time).

[pat5150]

Finished Joe Abercrombie's Before They Are Hanged last night, and I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. Check the blog for the full review.

My current "commute" novel is Carrie Vaughn's third Kitty book, Kitty Takes a Holiday. So far it's pretty good. At home, I'm savoring Steven Erikson's Reaper's Gale.

Patrick

[Stubby]

I'm just about to finish Sergei Lukyanenko's The Night Watch. Very entertaining stuff and 3 stories for the price of one.

The main character Anton is an interesting bloke and I love his reliance on street smarts and good old fashioned brains to solve problems, rather than any real power. I'm looking forward to The Day Watch, which is in my bag in anticipation of finishing The Night Watch at lunchtime.

Lady Stubby has already finished The Day Watch and is on tenterhooks for the third instalment, The Inquisition.

[MinDonner]

Just finished Novik's Black Powder War - much more interesting than Throne of Jade, as the political machinations are over with quickly and we get straight into the land-war in Europe, with the Prussians valiantly trying to hold off Napoleon's forces; the character of Tharkay (not a dragon) was also very good.

Now reading the Glorifying Terrorism anthology; stories very high quality so far, much better than your usual themed anthology where semi-famous authors churn out some tripe to order.

[Lord Dracarys]

Decided to re-read my Max Brooks books (World War Z, and Zombie Survival Guide).

Both books are great in my opinion and work well together if you read them one after the other. World War Z is very good and all should give it a chance.

[kcf]

I just finished Sagramanda by Alan Dean Foster (review). I'd call it an average techno-thriller but a fascinating portrayal of near-future India.

[Jaxom 1974]

Just started Children of Men by PD James. Yeah, I know I should have either read it before I saw the movie or not read it at all, but I was intrigued and wanted to see how the movie shaped up from it's original material. One chapter in, and it's already very different. Not in a bad way though.

(X-Ray, any commentary on that Planetary volume you read?)

[Higravity]

Just finshed You Suck by Christopher Moore and it had me laughing quite often. He does a good job mixing in current street lingo of about 5-6 years ago with some present talk when giving the POV of a new young character; she provides a great deal of hilarity and allowed the novel to remain soft despite the hardness of the action taking place. Lots of humor and some moral points make this a good quick read and follow up to Blood Sucking Fiend, although I have a feeling that there will be a book #3.

I will try to get through the God Delusion, Son of a Witch, Time Traveler's Wife, Mortified, and if I get time the last two books in the Ender-verse of Card.

[Gigei]

I just finished Sagramanda by Alan Dean Foster (review). I'd call it an average techno-thriller but a fascinating portrayal of near-future India.

Ah the ending. *cough* I have problems with that but many are Kay fans so you won't be alone if you do like it. Let's just say the same complaints I have for Al-Rassan characters and love affairs also applies.