July '08 Reading Thread

[ThRiNiDiR]

[center][font="Century Gothic"][size=3][b]Gardner Dozois (ed.) - Galileo's Children: Tales Of Science vs. Superstition [/b][/size]
[i]~ [url="http://sf-fantasy-books.blogspot.com/2008/07/galileos-children-tales-of-science-vs.html"][color="#008000"]review[/color][/url] ~[/i][/center]



excerpt:[/font]
[color="#FFFFFF"]---[/color][font="Book Antiqua"]As said, the main theme is the conflict between ratio of science and the intolerance, misapplication of facts, glorification of ignorance and use of all these in propagation of fear and ever increasing control found in every culture known to man. It will not come as a big surprise that the main "bad guy" that embody most of these in many of the tales is (organized) religion. With rampant fundamentalism on all the continents, screaming for return to one kind of so called "true values" or another and seeing science as the root of all evil, that is easy to understand, but nonetheless sometimes hard to swallow. In a way I found it odd. I agree with such a view of the situation, but when faced with such an en-masse finger pointing I can not help myself but to think over some darker aspects of science...[/font]([url="http://sf-fantasy-books.blogspot.com/2008/07/galileos-children-tales-of-science-vs.html"]full review[/url])

[DrBloodmoney]

I've traveled by warren to Malazan again with [b]Toll the Hounds[/b]. I'm reading slowly and just soaking in the wonderfully dense atmosphere.

[Larry.]

Alternating between Kearney's [i]The Ten Thousand[/i], and the just-arrived story collection, [i]In the Palce of Repose[/i], by Holly Phillips.

[williamjm]

[quote name='mashiara' post='1429245' date='Jul 6 2008, 16.49']A couple of days ago I finished[i] The Name of the Wind[/i] by Patrick Rothfuss. I had a hard time getting drawn to the story at first but once I did I didn't want to put it down. Kvothe's tale was captivating. I loved it and can't wait to read the next book.[/quote]

I'm reading this as well at the moment. It is definitely entertaining, although so far it's a very standard fantasy tale - I've read plenty of similar stories to the beginning of Kvothe's tale, most recently it seems fairly similar to Edeard's tale in Peter F Hamilton's [i]The Dreaming Void[/i] and so far I probably prefer Edeard's story although I'm only about 150 pages in so it could get better.

[Cuchulain]

I've recently finished [i]Gardens of the Moon[/i] by Steven Erikson. For the first 200 à 300 pages I wasn't really convinced. The story seemed interesting, but I didn't really care about the characters (probably because of the constant switching without time to settle down and get to know them). After the first 300 pages this started to change, however, and I ended up really enjoying the book. I'm now a Malazan addict :D and about a 140 pages into [i]Deadhouse Gates[/i].

[WhiteQueen]

I have a hard time getting into a book for the past month. I started quite a few and quit. Don't feel like reading -- I need a good book to get out of this midsummer slumber. No sci-fi, no fantasy, no thrillers, something like Michael Chabon, Ian McEwan, Gabriel García Márquez or José Saramago. I hate myself for not being able to read. :(

[Mexal]

[quote name='QueenCersei' post='1431423' date='Jul 8 2008, 09.08']I have a hard time getting into a book for the past month. I started quite a few and quit. Don't feel like reading -- I need a good book to get out of this midsummer slumber. No sci-fi, no fantasy, no thrillers, something like Michael Chabon, Ian McEwan, Gabriel García Márquez or José Saramago. I hate myself for not being able to read. :([/quote]

Read [i]The Road[/i] by Cormac McCarthy :) It's not a happy book but damn good.

[WhiteQueen]

[quote name='pat5150' post='1428204' date='Jul 5 2008, 02.36']Just finished Carlos Ruiz Zafon's [i]The Shadow of the Wind[/i] and I'm speechless. Simply put, this is one of the very best books I have ever read in my life! :D[/quote]
I liked it a lot, too. I thought it would translate into film quite well.

[WhiteQueen]

[quote name='Mexal' post='1431427' date='Jul 8 2008, 09.10']Read [i]The Road[/i] by Cormac McCarthy :) It's not a happy book but damn good.[/quote]
Thanks, I'll try it.

[Mexal]

[quote name='QueenCersei' post='1431435' date='Jul 8 2008, 09.15']I liked it a lot, too. I thought it would translate into film quite well.[/quote]

I just ordered it :)

This is why I like this thread.

[Larry.]

[quote name='QueenCersei' post='1431435' date='Jul 8 2008, 08.15']I liked it a lot, too. I thought it would translate into film quite well.[/quote]

I wouldn't hold your breath in regards to a film being made. Zafón has said in recent interviews that he has no plans for selling option rights to his books.

[Isis]

I have an audiobook version of it. I can't tell you what it's like though - haven't listened to it yet, because I've not got round to reading it yet. One day...

[diabloblanco18]

I just read [i]Thunderer[/i] by Felix Gilman and enjoyed the hell out of it. Well, most of it. I thought the ending was a bit lacking.

[bossfan2000]

i have been reading [b]The Crimson Sword[/b] and after 450 pages and 10 days of reading, decided to put it down for a bit. Reasons and a couple rants [url="http://fantasybookreviewer.blogspot.com/2008/07/couldnt-finish-it-crimson-sword.html"]here[/url].

Not actually sure what i want to read next. Too many options on the shelves to choose from.

[Bellis]

I finished a really good book last night - [b]Air[/b] by Geoff Ryman (one of Peadar's recent reads). It's the story of a middle-aged woman and her village in central Asia, and the coming of globalization, here represented by a near future global communications technology, Air. Cyberpunk for the non-fanboys, those of us who are weary of the ass-kickers of Stephenson, Morgan or Stross. The characterization of the protagonist and the other villagers is well done, as is the balance between the positive and negative aspects of change. There's some questionable biology involved, but I forgive it as more of a literary trick/metaphor. I loved reading this. It's not perfect (there are too many loose ends), but it's highly recommended for thos ewho like their SF slow, contemplative and full of normal people with real lives.

I'm interested in seeing what else Ryman has written, as well as what else Peadar's been reading recently :).


ETA: I think I'd enjoy the Almodovar film version of [b]Shadow of the Wind[/b] better than the book.

[blackwater]

I started Scott Bakker's The Darkness That Comes Before. I'm not quite into it yet.

[Larry.]

Almost done with two books sent to me by Solaris. Paul Kearney's [i]The Ten Thousand[/i] is one of those novels where I recognize its virtues and appeals to others without it moving me as much as it should. Chalking it up more to my personal mood than to any real "flaw" in the book, I'll just note that Kearney's a pretty good writer, albeit one with a style that takes some getting used to at first.

The other book, Adam Roberts' [i]Splinter[/i], began a bit slow but has picked up steam. Quite liking this one and am glad that Mark Newton thought I'd love this one.

[Peadar]

[quote name='Bellis' post='1432214' date='Jul 8 2008, 22.11']I'm interested in seeing what else Ryman has written, as well as what else Peadar's been reading recently :).[/quote]

I'll take that as an undeserved compliment, since I read quite a mixture of cheap thrills and delicate cake. :)

Ryman has written at least one other book in that style called [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Child-Garden-S-F-Masterworks/dp/0575076909/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1215592870&sr=1-1"]The Child Garden[/url]. I read it many years ago and really loved the world building in it. A kind of SF precursor to Miéville IMHO.

[Peadar]

[quote name='Dylanfanatic' post='1432782' date='Jul 9 2008, 09.11']The other book, Adam Roberts' [i]Splinter[/i], began a bit slow but has picked up steam. Quite liking this one and am glad that Mark Newton thought I'd love this one.[/quote]

I think he's right about that :)

[oneeye]

Just finished The Final Sacrifice by Patricia Bray which was pretty good like the rest of the series, maybe the first 2 books were better.

Wonder if there will be a fourth?