November Reading Thread

[kcf]

I finished up The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapowski yesterday. This is a very nice mosaic novel. I haven't yet decided what to read next.

Garalt is a Witcher – a man for hire dedicated to ridding the world of monsters, while through his own training, he has become both more and less than human. Told as a mosaic of short stories framed by sequence where Garalt recovers from injuries, The Last Wish is reflection on recent events in his life, providing a perfect and stand-alone introduction to Sapowski’s Witcher Saga. (full review)

[IheartTesla]

Having just finished Name of the Rose (including the afterword by the author), I got started on Foucault's Pendulum also by Umberto Eco. Also, being a physicist by training I decided to look into the actual Pendulum itself having no knowledge about it. So I guess my November reading includes reading interesting websites about the Pendulum and how it was unveiled! The Pendulum had a stylus on it that would make traces in sand placed below it I believe, thus mapping out its period.

But back to the book. I have to say that Foucault's Pendulum is a bit harder to get into than Name of the Rose . The latter had a linear storytelling style with some kind of plot, while I am struggling with the nature of the former book. Added to that all the references to Judeo-Christian lore are way above my head.

[Arbor Gold]

I just bought and will start Half of a Yellow Sun - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.

The book is based loosely on the political events in Eastern Nigeria in the 1960's. The Publisher's Weekly review sold me on it, in particular:

This is a transcendent novel of many descriptive triumphs, most notably its depiction of the impact of war's brutalities on peasants and intellectuals alike. It's a searing history lesson in fictional form, intensely evocative and immensely absorbing.

I'm looking forward to learning about a subject about which I currently know nothing. Like cyrano and Foucault's Pendulum, this book has already inspired background research.

[Arbor Gold]

Finished Edward P. Jones's Pulitzer Prize-winning The Known World. It's powerful, but I read most of it today during a bad mood/time, so it'll be a while before I can process it adequately, but it certainly is a multi-faceted and thoughtful story of the effects of African slavery in 1840s-50s America.

I apologize for the sinful double post, but I just had to comment...The Known World is one of my favorite books and an important one I feel everybody should read.

ETA: Edward P. Jones's collection of short stories Lost in the City, about different people living in Washington D.C. during different times, is also well worth the read.

[oneeye]

oh I almost forgot, Confessor will be out this month p

[bossfan2000]

I finished reading Dzur (review in sig). It was excellent. Although i hadnt read the last 5 books, i was able to follow most of the story, and quickly remembered how much fun the dialogue and Vlad's character is. Here is hoping that we dont have to wait 5 years for the next Vlad book.

Not sure what to read next..leaning toward either A Shadow In Summer or A Cavern of Black Ice.

[Talyn]

I just finished reading Reap The Wild Wind by Julie E. Czerneda. It is the first book in a new series that is going to be the prequel series of her Trade Pact Universe trilogy. Having never read the previous series I found myself enjoying this book. I was especially intrigued by the world that it is set on and hope to learn more about it in future books.

[Herbie of High Heart]

Finished Fatal Revenant the other day. Started Vinge's Rainbow's End. Switching gears from fantasy to heavy sci-fi

[add-on]

If I get the time to read anything for leisure, this thread will be the first to know. Until then, back to the course books!

lol. You and me both.

[Stubby]

I'm just about to finish the Stephen R Lawhead novel, Hood. I'm enjoying the different take on the whole Robin Hood legend and I'm seeing it as somewhat like the story told by the Clive Owen film about the "origins" of the Arthurian legend.

Its a bit annoying that the central character spends so much time off camera, but tis still a pretty good yarn.

[Deornoth]

Just finished reading 'True Colours' (Karen Traviss), the latest installment in the 'Republic Commando' series. I went off Star Wars novels a long time ago (they all seemed to merge into one big 'oh look, the Empire has developed yet another superweapon' scenario, this being the case why didn't the Empire deploy all their superweapons at once?) but I thought I'd give this one a go and am really glad I did. It's got a really gritty feel to it (that I haven't seen in other Star Wars books) and it was good to see a book that concentrated on supporting characters and barely mentioned main characters (if at all). I also liked the way that the clones were portrayed (they may look the same but they're not at all) and I really hope that some of the questions raised about the war made George Lucas go all red faced! My full review is Here.

I'm now finishing off Alan Dean Foster's 'Patrimony' (a strong candidate for 'dullest sc-fi ever') and will then be starting on Charles de Lint's 'The Ivory and the Horn'.

[Lawrence]

Finished reading and (re)writing my review of The Electric Church by Jeff Somers. As I noted in the other topic I was not impressed by this novel, it did not live up to expectations at all. In short, a poor execution of what could have been an interesting cyberpunk novel in a dystopian setting. Although the cover art of the Digital Plague was nice enough, I do not think I will be picking up this second novel of the Avery Cates saga, coming our way soon..

I already finished up Midnight's Mask by Paul S. Kemp, still pondering my thoughts on that one.. Meanwhile I do need something to read, so I picked up Dubliners by James Joyce, the start of my Joycean campaign! The ultimate goal will be to read Vellum, and discover the Joycean elements in the novel. Of course, I will have to read Ulysses and Finnegan's Wake first..

And, apart from my little lit-adventure, I am reading Ragamuffin by Tobias S. Buckell too. That one is even better than Crystal Rain was, I love Space Opera's! Hopefully it as good untill the end as it is right now.

[Peadar]

Just finished reading Before I die by Jenny Downham. Beautifully written, but so sad, I desperately need an episode of South Park right now. I might read Un Lun Dun next, but only if the blurb promises me laughs!

[gyrehead]

Finished reading and (re)writing my review of The Electric Church by Jeff Somers. As I noted in the other topic I was not impressed by this novel, it did not live up to expectations at all. In short, a poor execution of what could have been an interesting cyberpunk novel in a dystopian setting. Although the cover art of the Digital Plague was nice enough, I do not think I will be picking up this second novel of the Avery Cates saga, coming our way soon...

This was one of those books that had I paid for it, I would have been seriously put out. I'm still wondering why they didn't have an editor have a go at it.

And then there was the silly main character that Somers started out as one thing and I felt really undermined by the end of the book. Avery Cates came off as incredibly trite by the end and when wrapped in poor storytelling and shaky plotting, I too will be passing on his next adventures even if the second book is free as well.

[williamjm]

I'm currently reading A Sword From Red Ice by JV Jones. It's good so far, although I'm glad there was a synopsis at the start since I seem to have forgotten large parts of what happened in the previous book.

[Lawrence]

This was one of those books that had I paid for it, I would have been seriously put out. I'm still wondering why they didn't have an editor have a go at it.

And then there was the silly main character that Somers started out as one thing and I felt really undermined by the end of the book. Avery Cates came off as incredibly trite by the end and when wrapped in poor storytelling and shaky plotting, I too will be passing on his next adventures even if the second book is free as well.

Agreed, with some decent editing the book could have been so much better. The text felt 'raw' in the sense that it did not appear to be polished much, I bet that after a few rewriting sessions the quality would raise to higher level. If The Electric Church was meant to represent the Sci-Fi part of Orbit's US invasion, they chose a rather weak effort..

[Maia]

Iron Council is definitely underrated- its better than Perdido Street Station, though not the Scar, despite having the a stronger plot. The 150 page section in the middle, involving Judah Lowe and the Iron Council's history, is probably the strongest piece of writing Mieville's done- that said, it does start slowly and lose some momentum during the Iron Council's journey back (they almost die but don't, they almost die but don't, then they almost die.. but don't) but comes back for a great climax. And criticisms of Mieville as social propoganda seem more off than ever; if anything, Iron Council is just as critical of social revolutions and honest about their failures as it is about the evils of capitalism and government (if not more so, since the revolution is shown in some detail, whereas the New Crobuzon government is essentially a caricature).

Couldn't agree more. I am one of the minority who actually likes "The Iron Council" best of all Mieville's novels. His other books may have some very imaginative parts, but for me they fall apart towards the end. As much as the author seems critical and gritty re: his society, the endings of PS and Scar are still romantic and implausible. "The Iron Council" is consistent from the beginning to the end and refreshingly it sheds the simplistic, romantic, wish-fulfillment view of the social upheavals propagated throughout fantasy and SF. Here, Mieville provides a honest and poignant look at the revolutionaries and revolutions at their best and at their worst. And the characters are so much more vibrant and real to me as well. There aren't any wish-fulfillment demi-god badasses, everybody is fragile, vulnerable and mortal. And I agree that sections devoted to Judah's and IC's history are amazingly beautiful and deeply haunting.

[oneeye]

I'm reading the bone dolls twin now by lynn flewelling

It's starts off disapointingly with self spoilerish prophecies but when we start with the story of tobin and her weird brother it gets real good.

[beniowa]

I just finished House of Chains by Steven Erikson. Lacking the timbre and emotion of Deadhouse Gates and Memories of Ice, House of Chains suffers from being a middle book. It continues events from the earlier books as well as setting the stage for further stories without anything really happening. The climax had a nice buildup but ultimately dropped a little flat. Nevertheless I did enjoy this book and, as always, the world building was superb. The next book supposedly features a whole new setting and characters which should be fun to read even if it means leaving the “main†body of the tale. Full review here.

Next up, Midnight Tides.

[Calibandar]

Peadar

Just finished reading Before I die by Jenny Downham

That sounds like a very interesting book.