Comments | maldoror_gw: Of books, pitfalls, recommendations and an age-old addiction to SF&F

maldoror_gw

Of books, pitfalls, recommendations and an age-old addiction to SF&F

Aug 02, 2010 21:15

Have you ever eaten oysters? Ever had the experience where three bad ones in a row turned you off the species entirely and maybe even permanently?

( General ramble about the death of my book addiction (and not, as the prologue may have suggested, a ramble about oysters) )

Comments 140

tmelange August 3 2010, 03:53:30 UTC

I've read 2 fantasy books lately that I've really liked (or one book and one series). The first is "The Steel Remains" by Richard Morgan, a SF writer of some acclaim from the UK. http://www.richardkmorgan.com/

The second is the "Codex Alera" series by Jim Butcher (of the "Dresden Files" fame). http://www.jim-butcher.com/books/alera/

maldoror_gw August 3 2010, 16:08:57 UTC

Having lived in England for 6 years, I'm a sucker for anything from the UK. I'll grab that Morgan book, thanks!

Is Butcher more careful in the Codex Alera about characterisation and plot than he is in the Dresden files...? As you can see from the rant I linked to, I was not overwhelmed by the latter (just a matter of taste of course. I can imagine a lot of people can overlook those flaws because of the overall story, while for me, sloppiness in the plot and characterisation is a cardinal sin)

tmelange August 3 2010, 18:08:11 UTC

I never read the dresden files. But the fantasy series was good, IMO. I liked it enough to read the whole thing and buy the books.*shrug* I had no problem with characterization or plot. If you'd like me to send you the electronic file of the first book so you can check it out, LMK.

maldoror_gw August 3 2010, 19:20:32 UTC

Sure, if you don't mind (jenn_ange@yahoo.ca is the email). It's a nice way of checking if I'll like the book without plonking down cash. I'm the honest sort; if I like it after the first 4-5 chapters, I'll buy it ^_^ Plus I prefer reading hard copy.

Thread 6

kaigou August 3 2010, 04:01:28 UTC

I just reread the first two in Ludlum's Bourne series (because they were there and I was in the mood for something reliable), and now I'm trying to figure out why it is that I can't have everything: Ludlum does not dumb down his female characters nor over-sexualize them... and then he turns around and is so incredibly race-blind (verging on racism when you pull back and look at the big picture in the 2nd book) that I'm like, can't I have both? So, I wouldn't really recommend him in general, but the first book in the series -- as a standalone -- is pretty awesome. But strictly a thriller (and rather dated by now, seeing how it's set in the mid-70s, so you just have to keep reminding yourself that no one has cellphones, let alone answering machines ( ... )

maldoror_gw August 3 2010, 20:44:41 UTC

'Nine Layers of Sky -- Russian folklore meets post-Communist Soviet Bloc meets definite hard science, and it works'

Lol, I'm so there. I'm the gal who LOVED The Cassini Division (Ken McLeod), a society where communism and anarchy worked, and one of the driving forces behind writing Freeport. I'm definitely going to be getting that book.

dragonpunchi August 3 2010, 04:15:50 UTC

Well, this is a surprise... mainly becuase my reading life went a bit like that as well, only that my returning for the oh-so-loved f&sf happend more or less a year ago ( ... )

maldoror_gw August 3 2010, 20:39:33 UTC

I love several of Sturgeon's short stories, so I'll have to score some of his novels, as well as Bester's. I need to brush up on my classics!

Earthsea is in my Top 10 Forever Favorites list, and has been since I was, damn, 10 :)

And yes, I have read, re-read, re-re-read, re-re (okay, reread a lot) Good Omens :) It's one of those books that I pick up every year like clockwork and reread in a day or two. I can quote some sections of it like poetry.

dragonpunchi August 3 2010, 21:24:58 UTC

Lol, I see xD
I also re-read Good Omens semi-annualy... it's just so damn good i___i

Still, beware of Bester... Golem100 is one of teh worst books I've ever read, so full with unnecessary gore and sex you feel like the pages will start dipping anytime >__

baka_neko August 3 2010, 04:25:05 UTC

Seconding the Vorkosigan rec -- but what I am really cheering on is Miles' Mommy, Cordelia Naismith. I picked up Shards of Honor by sheer accident, then discovered she was pretty darned cool. I adore Cordelia like mad, but sadly Shards of Honor did not sell, whereas Miles did ( ... )

yggidee August 3 2010, 04:25:19 UTC

I'd like to nudge you in the general direction of Terry Pratchett's Discworld books in case nobody else has yet

maldoror_gw August 3 2010, 20:35:49 UTC

It's listed in my list above, as some of the few novels I actually have read in the last 10 years. Sometimes Pratchett ekes out a concept a bit too much, but his stuff is still solid value and I never hesitate to plonk down my cash to buy his latest.