September 2008 Reads

[gyrehead]

Just finished [i]Gears of the City[/i] by Felix Gilman. A bit better than Thunderer but still a bit too disconnected for me to really say I liked the book. I did not dislike it. But I think Gilman's style is a bit too affected for me. The actual plot elements are very interesting and keep me engaged enough to continue. However Gilman is still one of those authors that seem to go too strong on style without a balance of actual substance. At certain points, certain elements just seem to falter and never seem to fulfill the potential that is hinted at early on. Overall I found it very readable and yet still disappointing. Sort of like being drawn into a bakery with great sweet rich buttery smells only to befind nothing left but a Pillsbury Crescent roll.

Still, I find Gilman along the same vein as Steph Swainston. An author who's creativity is just enough to keep me curious despite the stumbling blocks of less than stellar storytelling; all without actually sucking at storytelling.

[Calibandar]

Lupigis

There is such a book, link here:

[url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Winter-Book-Selected-Stories-Jansson/dp/0954899520/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222725021&sr=1-1"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Winter-Book-Select...5021&sr=1-1[/url]

[kli]

Russell Hoban's [i][url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riddley_Walker"]Riddley Walker[/url][/i]. I had to use [url="http://www.graphesthesia.com/rw/"]annotations [/url]because I'm stupid and sleep deprived right now and I kept getting two-thirds of each ellision (e.g., "sarvering gallack seas"-> "sovereign galaxies" and "sharna pax" -> "sharpen axe"). But it was still pretty damn brilliant and a great read, and I loved the way my mind shifted as it got used to the "dialect."

[casrot]

I'm working my way through the last book in [b]Toll the Hounds[/b]. The subtle, poignant exchanges between characters and small glimpses into the past have really hooked me in. Kallor's arc, in particular, I've enjoyed.

I've got Joe Abercrombie's [i]First Law Trilogy[/i] on deck. I read an extended excerpt of [b]The Blade Itself[/b] yesterday, and I was drawn in by the strong characterization. Definitely looking forward to it after dealing with the ambition and vast scope of Erikson.

[Ser Sean]

[quote name='Isis' post='1535258' date='Sep 29 2008, 15.44']But what are you reading, Sean? I mean, what have you finished, Sean?

I have not yet finished, but am about 2/3 through, [i]The Winter Book[/i] by Tove Jansson. Yes, that's the really cool woman who wrote the Moomin books. I read [i]The Summer Book[/i] a couple of years ago so I knew what to expect. These are very short stories taken from numerous collections of her work, mainly based on her own childhood experiences growing up in Finland. It's an enchanting book. :)[/quote]

How dare you mention an unfinished book!! Do you know who I am?

[Isis]

[quote name='Lupigis' post='1535336' date='Sep 29 2008, 16.20']This makes me a bit confused, because I don't recognise this title from any of Jansson's books in Swedish. Is it perhaps a collection of stories made especially for the English speaking market (i.e. a set of stories that have never been published as a collection in Swedish)?[/quote]Yes, that's right. It is a book of short stories taken from existing collections of her writing. And it's a joy to read. Makes me want to read the Moomin books all over again. :)

*raises hand*

I've finished a book!11 Can I be allowed to post now?

[Isis]

[quote name='kli' post='1536493' date='Sep 30 2008, 02.44']Russell Hoban's [i][url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riddley_Walker"]Riddley Walker[/url][/i]. I had to use [url="http://www.graphesthesia.com/rw/"]annotations [/url]because I'm stupid and sleep deprived right now and I kept getting two-thirds of each ellision (e.g., "sarvering gallack seas"-> "sovereign galaxies" and "sharna pax" -> "sharpen axe"). But it was still pretty damn brilliant and a great read, and I loved the way my mind shifted as it got used to the "dialect."[/quote]Yes, it's pretty cool the way your brain gets used to it so quickly. I found it really hard to put down once I got into it.

[Astra]

I gave up on [i]Catch-22[/i]. I didn't delete it from the reader yet, maybe once a week I will read another chapter or two but....utterly boring.

Started [i]A Sundial in a Grave[/i] by [b]Mary Gentle[/b]
It started well but then the perverts' scenes are disgusting...I hope the whole book is [b]not[/b] going to be about it.

[pat5150]

Just finished Paul Kearney's excellent [b]The Ten Thousand[/b].

Good pace, grim setting, superior characterization, bloody battles -- [b]The Ten Thousand[/b] is Paul Kearney writing at the top of his game.

The novel is a brutal and uncompromising tale of warfare and survival written by one of the most underrated talents in the fantasy genre.

Check the blog for the full review. :)

Patrick

[beniowa]

[quote name='Isis' post='1536736' date='Sep 30 2008, 02.34']I've finished a book!11 Can I be allowed to post now?[/quote]
No, you need to start your own message board.

[Deornoth]

I've just finished reading Graham Joyce's 'The Tooth Fairy', the story of a boy who grows up in the shadow of an extremely volatile tooth fairy... Confusing yet compelling reading at the same time, I'm glad that I never stayed awake for the the tooth fairy... My full review is just over [url="http://www.graemesfantasybookreview.com"]Here[/url].
I'm now reading John Scalzi's 'The Last Colony' (finally!)

[Bellis]

I have finished the first 300 pages of Mahfouz' multigenerational [b]Cairo Trilogy[/b]. Although there isn't much in the way of action, the characters are quite compelling. Although this takes place in the early 20th century, I would recommend this to lovers of 19th century family drama (you all know who you are).

[Peadar]

I've just started Jeremy de Quidt's début children's novel, [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Toymaker-Jeremy-Quidt/dp/038561358X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222802315&sr=1-1"]The Toymaker[/url]. So far, so lovely. I've met Jeremy a few times, but it looks like I'll have a lot of nice things to say to him on the next occasion :read:

[Ser Barry]

Neuropath by Scott Bakker

To my shock this is a good read. I think the switch of genres to thriller has reined in his most rambling tendencies and out of the need to keep the pace up, his lectures are limited to paragraphs rather than chapters long. Raises some interesting points and enough twists and turns to keep you in his grip and the underlying message does much to hide the flaws.

[Lupigis]

[quote name='Isis' post='1536736' date='Sep 30 2008, 09.34']Yes, that's right. It is a book of short stories taken from existing collections of her writing. And it's a joy to read. Makes me want to read the Moomin books all over again. :)[/quote]

OK, thanks!

[nextread]

[quote name='Deornoth' post='1537181' date='Sep 30 2008, 17.33']I'm now reading John Scalzi's 'The Last Colony' (finally!)[/quote]

John Scalzi is one of those surprise finds. I'm looking forward to getting to The Last Colony - it's lined up just after The Temporal Void so it might be a while!