Ser Scot A Ellison Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 I bought a used but very well maitained copy of GRRM: a RRetrospective a couple of months back and I've been reading it off and one ever since. I'm up to the last section. I liked the The Fortress and particularly enjoyed the abigouous ending. I'm having a hard time getting into The Skin Trade. Does it pick up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JarnJarna Posted November 5, 2007 Share Posted November 5, 2007 I bought this collection, and I was really impressed by Sandkings and the Fortress, i liked the Ice Dragon and a Song for Lya, but most of it I didn't find as consistently good as aSoIaF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peadar Posted November 5, 2007 Share Posted November 5, 2007 What? No votes for "The Monkey Treatment"? I was also more than pleased with "Unsound Variations" and a dozen others. Brilliant collection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LacyinTX Posted November 5, 2007 Share Posted November 5, 2007 It also just came out as an Audiobook. There is an unabridged version on iTunes that is over 51 hours! w00t! I also read that it is availabe on Audible.com. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcelo Rebelo Firqoralas Posted November 5, 2007 Share Posted November 5, 2007 I read about two thirds of it last year and then got sidetracked. My favourite story is Meathouse Man. I think it's a good collection, if perhaps not great. The really interesting thing about it is to se how Martin has developed as a writer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Scot A Ellison Posted November 5, 2007 Share Posted November 5, 2007 firqoret, "Meathouse Man" gives me the shivers. I finished "The Skin Trade" last night. It was excellent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcelo Rebelo Firqoralas Posted November 5, 2007 Share Posted November 5, 2007 firqoret, "Meathouse Man" gives me the shivers. I finished "The Skin Trade" last night. It was excellent. Yes, it's perhaps the nastiest of the stories in Dreamsongs, but I also think it's the best character study and an interesting view into a very dehumanizing future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazzlebane Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 Well, I just read The Way of Cross and Dragon, Bitterblooms, The Lonely Songs of Laren Dorr, and The Ice Dragon today. What a set of stories! Laren Dorr is my favorite in the book so far (I'm reading them in order), it captures melancholy and regret so well, and twists together into a perfect story with the ending. GRRM really does have a feel for the short story form. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Time for Wolves Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 Whoa wait, it's out now? How much does it cost? I'm so getting it!! I'm feeling so excited now! I already have The Ice Dragon (signed!) - I bought it for my little sister. But I want to get Dreamsongs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ran Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 The first volume is out, the second volume will be out by the end of the month. It includes illustrations by Mike Kaluta, which rather makes it even more of a must-have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Time for Wolves Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 Thanks, Ran. The Amazon price looks good. I ordered it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat5150 Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 I'm 3/4 in the first volume and it's a very good read so far. I have a set of ARCs, but I now realize that I will probably end up buying the finished copies! Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazzlebane Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 I've been reading from an ARC. I didn't even realize they had come out. I will definitely be buying Volume II, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Time for Wolves Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 What's an ARC? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazzlebane Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 Advance Reader Copy. A prepublication version w/o all the artwork for reviewers and such. I've had it since the summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronn Stone Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 Of all the tales in RRetrospective, the one that sticks with me the most is Remembering Melody. I have a "Melody" friend in my past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Time for Wolves Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 Advance Reader Copy. A prepublication version w/o all the artwork for reviewers and such. I've had it since the summer. Oh okay. I guess you get those at cons. I'm all impatient for my copy now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazzlebane Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 Oh okay. I guess you get those at cons. I'm all impatient for my copy now. If you'd gone brick and mortar instead of amazon, you'd have it now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Time for Wolves Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 I saved $10, but now I have to wait! Booo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Time for Wolves Posted November 10, 2007 Share Posted November 10, 2007 I just got the book this afternoon! I managed to wolf down some of the stories too, before I had to go out. My favorite so far is A Second Kind of Loneliness - it was depressing and frustrating, but so brilliant too! The ending is not what I expected at all. In fact - hang on, spoiler: SPOILER: The Second Kind of LonelinessI expected the relief ship to be captained by Karen, the girl the main character was obsessing over. But instead it was revealed that the protagonist destroyed the relief ship in a moment of madness! In the end, I just wondered if the entire story was a mad illusion in the nameless protagonist's head, but didn't have time to dwell on it. I want to go back and re-read it, but I have to go get ready to go out in a minute. In any case, I loved how GRRM got inside the main character's head. It felt so incredibly intimate. I read the The Lonely Songs of Laren Dorr (Bazz: it's now one of my faves). One of my first thoughts was, "Damn, I missed this man's prose!" His prose is so delicious! I feel like gorging on it as if it was a feast. It's so evocative and beautiful and lyrical and rich. I sound like such a n00b to GRRM, but I feel like I rediscover his magic each time I read him anew. And tiny spoiler: SPOILER: Laren Dorr Laren Dorr is a guy! That totally took me by surprise. I listened to GRRM's reading of it on Second Life, and somehow the mention of Sharra and the knowledge that Sharra was a girl made me assume Laren Dorr was a girl too. Another interesting thing was about the gods - they're called the Seven. Speaking of which, that ghastly demonic thing in the sky was absolutely creepy. I don't know if I'd have the nerve to try any of GRRM's horror stories yet, if that's the kind of stuff he can pull in fantasy. Also, Laren Dorr's songs are...trippy. Way trippy. It's like something you'd see/hear on acid. But they were so powerful and amazing. A Song for Lya, which I had heard the most of and was really looking forward to, got more a "meh" reaction from me. Aside from the... SPOILER: A Song for LyaThe protagonists are named Lyanna and Robb! That was an exciting discovery, even if I don't like Lyanna Stark! The Way of Cross and Dragon was a really neat and well-written story, but not as amazing as some of his others. I thought his Liars was a very clever and insightful concept, and I couldn't help but laugh at the retelling of the Jesus-and-Judas story. I've already read Sandkings and The Ice Dragon, but I was really excited to finally get my hands on Nightflyers in this book. Did it remind anyone else of the first story from Tuf Voyaging? Just a little bit? In any case, it was pretty sinister, and I really loved it. Nightflyers is one of my faves. I will have to read more tomorrow! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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