June 2009 Reads

[K_P]

Finished with Scott Westerfield's The Risen Empire and starting the sequel - The Killing of Worlds. Good, solid hard SF story.

[Deornoth]

Finished reading the ARC of F.G. Cottam's 'The House of Lost Souls', where dark magic spawned in the nineteen twenties reaches out into present day London... This was a genuinely scary book that was spoilt only by the author waxing overly lyrical about student life in eighties London. There's only so much scene that needs to be set! My full review is over Here. The plan now is to finish Chris Wooding's 'Retribution Falls' over the weekend...

[Datepalm]

SPOILER: The City and the City

That was my thought too. I noticed that Mieville never actually describes the border between the cities, only other people's reaction to it. It's very likely that the residents have completely deluded themselves into thinking they can actually see it.

SPOILER: The City and the City

I'm somewhat past half way, and i'm fairly certain there is no physical border - and moreover, the citizens aren't deluding themselves at all - they know exactly what the physical reality is. They choose to perpetuate it, or are forced by Breach, but its a political reality, and they accept it that way, not a mass delusion of some physical border.

[VarysTheSpider]

Good to know - i've seen it about but avoided picking it up because I figured it would be annoying.

Nah man, not at all. While still being an explanation of how the boy became the man and showing a fascinating psychological profile, the countless anecdotes make it quite an entertaining read.

[williamjm]

I finished The Dreaming Void by Peter Hamilton. It was decent, but I think I made a big mistake in not reading the Commonwealth trilogy first because I was lost for a while, and it took some effort to get a basic understanding of his universe.

Yes, even if the book are fairly loosely connected I'd definitely recommend reading the two Commonwealth books before the Void Trilogy, especially since there are so many characters that return (the number of returning characters is actually a bit implausible given how many centuries are between the series) and perhaps aren't properly introduced in the second series. I'd say the Space Opera bits were better in the Commonwealth books as well, I thought in the Void books the Epic Fantasy plotline of Edeard's story was more compelling than the bits outside the Void.

[delete this account pls]

Yes, even if the book are fairly loosely connected I'd definitely recommend reading the two Commonwealth books before the Void Trilogy, especially since there are so many characters that return (the number of returning characters is actually a bit implausible given how many centuries are between the series) and perhaps aren't properly introduced in the second series. I'd say the Space Opera bits were better in the Commonwealth books as well, I thought in the Void books the Epic Fantasy plotline of Edeard's story was more compelling than the bits outside the Void.

Yeah, the Edeard sections were definitely the best parts, probably followed by the Aaron sections (though giving that name to a badass assassin kind of detracted from his coolness factor a bit).

The thing that probably bugged me most was all the mentions of 'Ozzy' and the way they invoked his name like he was a prophet or something. It took me half the book to realize Ozzy was an actual character from the Commonwealth books, and even then it never really explained who he was and why he was viewed as a pseudo-religious figure. Adding to the confusion is the Oscar character, who is also apparently famous, but isn't THE Ozzy.

It's my own fault though. I figured the books weren't so much sequels, as simply set in the same universe. I certainly didn't think they'd share the same characters, being set 1500 years apart and all.

[williamjm]

The thing that probably bugged me most was all the mentions of 'Ozzy' and the way they invoked his name like he was a prophet or something. It took me half the book to realize Ozzy was an actual character from the Commonwealth books, and even then it never really explained who he was and why he was viewed as a pseudo-religious figure.

Ozzy was one of the two inventors (with Nigel Sheldon) of the wormhole technology which allowed mankind to originally colonise the stars. While Sheldon built upon his invention to earn a huge fortune from his massively profitable corporation which monopolised interstellar travel, Ozzy (who would have perfectly at home as a hippy in the 1960s) preferred to just wander around the Commonwealth generally having a good time, becoming something of a folk hero in the process. At the time of the Starflyer War Ozzy made an important contribution to the fight, mostly through wandering off into the forest looking for space-travelling elves (that is actually quite an accurate summary of his main plotline). In the timeline in the Void trilogy it is also implied that he was closely involved in developing the telepathic technology the Living Dream movement uses.

It's my own fault though. I figured the books weren't so much sequels, as simply set in the same universe. I certainly didn't think they'd share the same characters, being set 1500 years apart and all.

It is an easy mistake to make, given the time gap it should have been relatively safe but there are a lot of returning characters whose background you don't fully know (Paula Myo, Justine and Gore Burnelli, Oscar Monroe, The Cat).

[delete this account pls]

Thanks williamjm, that helps a lot. I probably would have clued in to Araminta's storyline a lot quicker with that information about Ozzy. I think I'll check out the Commonwealth series before picking up The Dreaming Void.

[beniowa]

SPOILER: The City and the City

I'm somewhat past half way, and i'm fairly certain there is no physical border - and moreover, the citizens aren't deluding themselves at all - they know exactly what the physical reality is. They choose to perpetuate it, or are forced by Breach, but its a political reality, and they accept it that way, not a mass delusion of some physical border.

SPOILER: The City and the City

You make a very good point. Now that I think about it, I think you're right it's more a social conditioning. Something that is taught early on and becomes ingrained.

[Procrastimancer]

I've just finished Smoking Poppy by Graham Joyce. Instead of a review (or mini review), because I am tired and lazy, I will sum it up with this: :thumbsup:

The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon is next.

[Isis]

Still can't kick the habit of reading more than one book at a time. I've finished with Wyndham's The Midwich Cuckoos, which I think might be my favourite of his novels. Goddamn, but those children are a creepy concept. I think the story holds up really well even today. Geographically, I think that Midwich could well be based on King's Lynn and those creepy inbred places up there - if you're from that area and take offence at this: bring it on. :)

I'm still going along with Abraham's A Betrayal in Winter - Maid Sansa was right to say that the two volume edition is too heavy to lug around, hence it's taking me a while to read.

I'm also about a third of the way into The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King. Now, I've heard people talk very highly of this and a recent comment prompted me to get the copy I've had for years off the bookshelf. But it's doing absolutely nothing for me so far. I haven't read anything by King in years (excluding DT) and his lack of subtely is irritating me. I shall skim...

[Larry.]

Been fairly busy the past couple of weeks, so I won't bother to detail the books I've read then. Will note, however, that I will be reading Ildefonso Falcones' just-released La mano de Fátima, an historical novel set in 16th century southern Spain that deals with the 1568 Moorish uprising and their subsequent expulsion in 1608. I'm 160 pages into this mammoth 950 page novel and it is very good so far, better than his The Cathedral by the Sea, which I liked but didn't think was the best I've read in a while. Plans are for me to translate an interview of Falcones this weekend and the review to be done by early next week at the latest for possible publication elsewhere.

Second book that I might read/finish this weekend is the just-arrived Narrenturm (in Spanish translation) by Andrzej Sapkowski. Very curious to see how his humor and satire carry over into the 15th century Hussite Wars setting. This book is 525 pages, much larger than his Geralt books that I've read so far (but I believe the last one is supposed to be about this size, but it hasn't been released yet in Spanish or English translation).

[VarysTheSpider]

It is an easy mistake to make, given the time gap it should have been relatively safe but there are a lot of returning characters whose background you don't fully know (Paula Myo, Justine and Gore Burnelli, Oscar Monroe, The Cat).

A shame boring Paula's back, but good to know that Gore and The Cat return. I loved reading any scene they were in. I'll have to start The Dreaming Void soon, but need a little break after just finishing the Commonwealth Saga.

I'm also about a third of the way into The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King. Now, I've heard people talk very highly of this and a recent comment prompted me to get the copy I've had for years off the bookshelf. But it's doing absolutely nothing for me so far. I haven't read anything by King in years (excluding DT) and his lack of subtely is irritating me. I shall skim...

I read this when it first came out (fucking hell, that was 10 years ago....). At the time I was devouring anything by Stephen King I could get my hands on, and that was the first of his books that left absolutely no impression on me whatsoever. The most impressive thing about it was the cover art - the old NEL ones, that is, not the hideous new Hodder monstrosities. Maybe you will have better luck.

[Guinevere Seaworth]

I finished Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. It was a charming story, but there were parts that felt too preachy for me. I think I would have enjoyed it more when I was much younger.

Up next is a historical fiction called Tyrant by Christian Cameron that takes place in the Black Sea region during the time of Alexander the Great.

[K_P]

Finished Scott Westerfield's The Killing of Worlds. Quite the page turner with plenty of space battle action - a good finish the The Risen Empire.

Now on to Joe Abercrombie's Best Served Cold. :fence:

[duchess of malfi]

I read A Disobedient Girl by Sri Lankan writer Ru Freeman. It interweaves the stories of two women in alternating chapters. One story begins with that main character as a little girl held in virtual slavery as a servant in a wealthy household, and details her life up into her thirties. The other story follows a woman who has packed up her three children and is fleeing an abusive husband. I really wanted to like this book, but had issues with it. One problem is timing - decades go by in the one storyline, while only a few days (at most) go by in the other, so it crawls in comparison. Another is the two main characters themselves. The servant woman keeps making the exact same huge mistakes with huge disastrous consequences again and again and never seems to learn from them at all. Which was very frustrating for me as a reader. The other main character, the mother, was more likable, but she made mistakes out of naivety that also had disastrous consequences. Which was also frustrating for me as a reader.

A book I just finished that I liked much better was the beautifully written The Calligrapher's Daughter by Korean-American author Eugenia Kim. It is the fictionalized retelling of her mother's life as a girl and a young woman in occupied Korea between the world wars. Najin Han was born to the noble class to a somewhat progressive mother (who is a pillar of strength throughout the story) and a very conservative father, who is desperate to protect traditional Korean ways in the face of Japanese occupation. The mother encourages Najin to further her education at every opportunity, and sends her away to serve as a companion to the royal princess at court when her father tries to arrange a marriage for her at age fourteen. The family suffers greatly during the turbulant war years, and Najin becomes a pillar of strength herself. It is a largely quiet story, but with great characters (while her parents want very different things for her, it is clear that they both want what each thinks is the best so neither is villanized) all doing the best they can to survive and help out their family during impossibly hard times.

I also read the long poem novel Sharp Teeth by Toby Barlow, about a dog catcher who unknowingly falls in love with a werewolf bitch. Very different, and I really liked it.

[Zach H]

Right now I'm on Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Aurthur's Court. Very interesting thus far in its ability to switch between lighthearted hilarity and frank deconstructions of monarchic romanticism, often at a moment's notice. Coincidentally, this book nicely complements some of the debate that has recently been going on in the Moorcock and company Vs. Tolkien thread.

[Jon Targaryen]

I just finished Falls the Shadow by Sharon Kay Penman. Pretty damn enjoyable read and covered a LONG period of time (something like 40 years).

I'm moving The Blade Itself into that slot giving me Gardens of the Moon, AFFC, and The Darkness that Comes Before in my rotation.

[Trinuviel]

What I'm reading:

Naamah's Kiss by Jacqueline Carey.

- A delightful and entertaining heroic fantasy set in the lush world of Terre d'Ange. Though not quite as good as the original three novels about Phèdre, Naamah's Kiss is nonetheless a joy to read and constitutes a promising set-up for what looks to be a very intriguing storyline. I am eager to see where Carey will take Moirin next.

Palimpsest by Catherynne M. Valente

- I feel that I have no eords to adequately describe this book and my reading experience other than this: strange, surreal, grotesque, wonderful, intoxicating, spell-binding, beautiful and very very weird. A tale of lyrical beauty, composed of so many layers and resonanting images that it will take many re-readings to puzzle out its narrative plenitude.

[dalThor]

I finished Pratchett's Making Money. True Pratchett and therefore excellent. Fearing it may be one of the last books by him I read I tried to savor each page.

I'm now reading Already Dead by Charlie Huston. The wife handed me the second book in the series and I had gotten into that one a bit prior to realizing it wasn't likely the first in the series. So far, so good. Interesting reading.