March 2010 Reading

[Guinevere Seaworth]

My library hold for Forest Mage, the second book of Soldier Son, finally came in last week. If you recall, I wasn't so gripped by the first volume, but I am really happy I stuck with this series. This middle volume is one of Hobb's best books, imho up there with the middle volume of Liveships, very sensitively written, and you come to care so much for the characters and the situations that at times I felt like I should set this down because it was getting so intense. Poor Nevare. Yeah, his situation seems a bit like Fitz, but I trust Hobb to go somewhere different with it.

Taking a break before the next installment of Soldier Son, I read The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert Heinlein. I didn't think this was a great book, but it was especially useful as a political contrast to Le Guin's lunar utopia in The Dispossessed.

That is exactly how I felt.

The ending in Renegade's Magic was very Hobb-esque and yet I still felt a little let down as it just seems too pat. I'm curious on your thoughts once you finish since you are much more eloquent than I can ever be!

I'll be finishing up Dragonfly Falling today by Adrian Tchaikovsky(only 50 pages to go). I agree with the other boarders that is writing has improved in this novel. There is alot of action going on if you like battles. I thought his best parts were the parts that have no action (ie Stenwold's musings, Balkus' and Tynisa's conversations about renegade ants, Totho's anguish, Salma's thoughts about leadership). Totho's and Thalric's growth as characters were awesome. I like what the author has done with those guys. There is some great character development and insights. I felt he could've done so much more with that. There are so many good themes explored here such as racial prejudice, the cost of war on a human soul even though you are doing the right thing and the cost of technological advancement on societies. I also liked the nod toward the USS Hunley in the seige of the Collegium. Up next is Blood of the Mantis by Adrian Tchaikovsky.

[Peadar]

Started issue 14 of Black Gate magazine. It's a bit of a monster this one, clocking in at nearly 400 pages. Should be fun.

[bossfan2000]

I'll be finishing up Dragonfly Falling today by Adrian Tchaikovsky(only 50 pages to go). I agree with the other boarders that is writing has improved in this novel. There is alot of action going on if you like battles. I thought his best parts were the parts that have no action (ie Stenwold's musings, Balkus' and Tynisa's conversations about renegade ants, Totho's anguish, Salma's thoughts about leadership). Totho's and Thalric's growth as characters were awesome. I like what the author has done with those guys. There is some great character development and insights. I felt he could've done so much more with that. There are so many good themes explored here such as racial prejudice, the cost of war on a human soul even though you are doing the right thing and the cost of technological advancement on societies. I also liked the nod toward the USS Hunley in the seige of the Collegium. Up next is Blood of the Mantis by Adrian Tchaikovsky.

I wish I could really get started on Dragonfly Falling, especially after your comments. And even though I know I will like it, I'm still struggling a bit trying to read any fantasy. Guess my fantasy "burn out" isn't quite over yet. Luckily I've found some good espionage books to fill my time.

[BookWyrm]

I've picked The Silmarillion back up and I'm enjoying it supremely.

Also, I've started Lloyd Alexander's The High King, and so far it's wonderful.

More when I've read more...

[Wormwood]

I am about two thirds into Charles Bukowski's "Ham on rye". Damn what a book! It's my first time reading Bukowski and I love it so far. :smoking:

[Guinevere Seaworth]

I wish I could really get started on Dragonfly Falling, especially after your comments. And even though I know I will like it, I'm still struggling a bit trying to read any fantasy. Guess my fantasy "burn out" isn't quite over yet. Luckily I've found some good espionage books to fill my time.

Take your time! I've got books on my to be read shelf that I'll read when I'm in the right frame of mind and as a result, some have been sitting there for over a year. Reading is no fun trying to force your way through something. That being said, I know you will enjoy Dragonfly Falling when you get around to it.

[Astra]

My next book will be The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

One of the best books I have read in the last....many years.

[Quarterman]

Finished Four Past Midnight and was sorely disappointed. The Langoliers was an interesting concept and had a nice Twilight Zoney appeal. But once the langoliers themselves enter the picture the story went down hill from there. Secret Windows was okay, but like similarly plotted The Dark Half, I don't care for these kind of stories though King showed plenty more restraint with this story than he did with that POS The Dark Half.

I didn't like either The Library Policeman

the pedophile rape was tasteless and disgusting

and The Sundog was lame too. 4/10

[The Evil Hat]

I don't remember much about the others, but I remember loving the Langoliers in that one.

[Seak]

On a similar vein, I recently finished The Gunslinger and I'm excited for the rest of the series.

I gave up on The Stand, so I was surprised to like something by King.

[Quarterman]

I don't remember much about the others, but I remember loving the Langoliers in that one.

The Langoliers is the only story I enjoyed in Four Past Midnight, his worst collection I have read of King's to date and the only story worth reading. The rest are forgettable.

[The Evil Hat]

Have you read Everything's Eventual? It was awful. But, seeing as that and Four Past Midnight are the only collections I've read, and seeing as you seem to have read quite a few by now, what's King's best collection? I probably won't get to it for a bit, but I feel I should give his short fiction another chance.

[Quarterman]

Have you read Everything's Eventual? It was awful. But, seeing as that and Four Past Midnight are the only collections I've read, and seeing as you seem to have read quite a few by now, what's King's best collection? I probably won't get to it for a bit, but I feel I should give his short fiction another chance.

So far, I liked Different Seasons (tho, the Darabont and Reiner adaptations of "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption" and "The Body" respectively were better than the King original stories). Apt Pupil was the worst of the bunch it is a bit difficult. Breathing Method is delightfully twisted imo. 7/10

And Night Shift, I can't say there was a single bad story in the collection, I actually enjoyed them all. Tho they weren't any masterpieces by any means either. Just fun. 7/10

Skeleton Crew was meh, I loved The Mist and there were a couple of other gems like The Jaunt, Mrs Todd's Shortcut, and Gramma. But overall most of the stories bored me with their unoriginality there was something all too familiar about them. They simply weren't fun like those in Night Shift collection. 5/10

I am about 200 pages into Nightmares and Dreamscapes, and this might the best collection I've read yet. Won't know until I finish it tho.

Thanks for the heads up on Everythings Eventual collection I had that in my hand yesterday at Borders. I will check it out of the library instead.

[Max the Mostly Mediocre]

Dust by Elizabeth Bear: Quite enjoyed this one as well.