What we're reading, the SFF edition

Bolero

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I've finished Cherryh's Chanur novels.
Unfortunate as it may be, I think this is one of those series that I liked out all the way through . . . until the end.
The ending(s) leave me just so . . . meh. This is very disappointing to me.

Ah. I just re-read book 1 and decided to buy 2 and 3 which are on my to-read pile.

Currently on a re-read of Kate Elliot's Jaran series. Other than book 1 (which I've re-read twice now) it is my first re-read. Enjoying it both as a reader and a writer. It is interesting to see how she picks new point of view characters in each book, as well as continuing some of the old ones. The story telling stays fresh with the new characters and of course they give totally new angles to the story, go where the original characters would have no reason to go. For anyone who has not read it - it is science fiction but an interesting mix of futuristic and past, as a lot of the action takes place on an interdicted world where the level of development is Medieval. Can be read just as an adventure story or you can also enjoy the complexities of interaction of both people and very different cultures.
One of the interesting parts with the new PoV characters in some places, is having several different cultures represented - so you are getting views on each other which are enlightening regarding both what is seen and how it is seen. Not cumbersome and info dumpy either.
 

ULTRAGOTHA

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Just got Lock In by John Scalzi at the Library.
 

Bolero

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Yes.
I just did a search and turned up a blog post of Kate Elliot's from 2009.
http://kateelliott.livejournal.com/111533.html

and there would be another four.
Here are the (working) titles of the as yet unwritten Jaran books:

#4 Eternal Blue Heaven
#5 The Golden Road
#6 Sorrowing Tower (possibly so long it would be published in two parts)
#7 The World She Knew

Then she explains what else she is working on and why she can't give the Jaran time at the moment.
 
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asnys

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I'm reading Yesterday's Tomorrows: Past Visions of the American Future by Joseph J. Corn and Brian Horrigan, and Riddlin Rising by Jeff Judkins and Roy Ashcraft.
 

BethS

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Yes.
I just did a search and turned up a blog post of Kate Elliot's from 2009.
http://kateelliott.livejournal.com/111533.html

and there would be another four.
Here are the (working) titles of the as yet unwritten Jaran books:

#4 Eternal Blue Heaven
#5 The Golden Road
#6 Sorrowing Tower (possibly so long it would be published in two parts)
#7 The World She Knew

Then she explains what else she is working on and why she can't give the Jaran time at the moment.

And still can't, apparently. She's starting another new fantasy series.
 

rwm4768

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Finished Trapped by Kevin Hearne. Another great entry in the Iron Druid Chronicles. I just love this series so much. It's fun, action-packed, and funny. It's everything I look for in urban fantasy, and it's inching closer and closer to Dresden.

About my only complaint is that it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. At this point, though, I'm fine with that. It just makes me want to read the next book.

But what am I going to do when I run out of books in the series?
 

WriteMinded

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Downloaded King of Thorns by Mark Lawrence. Yeah, gonna read some more Jorg. :) Also just started The Prince of Lies by AWer Anne Lyle, the third in the trilogy.
Finished Trapped by Kevin Hearne. Another great entry in the Iron Druid Chronicles. . .

But what am I going to do when I run out of books in the series?
Get some more writing done?
 

rwm4768

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Finished Malice by John Gwynne. It took me a while to get into this one, but I persevered because I saw that it gets generally good reviews. The first half of the book was slow, but the second half was very good. Lots of action.

I had some minor quibbles with the writing, and I didn't like some of the POV characters as much as others, but I enjoyed it overall. I'm definitely interested to see where it's going.
 

asnys

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Am reading Flying Saucers - Serious Business by Frank Edwards, and am about to start Star Warriors: A Penetrating Look into the Lives of the Young Scientists Behind Our Space Age Weaponry, by William J. Broad, and Darklost, by Mick Farren.
 

Reziac

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rwm4768

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Finished Best Served Cold by Joe Abercrombie. I actually liked this better than the First Law trilogy, probably because it was a standalone and the pacing never lagged (like it sometimes did in the trilogy). I can't say I liked the characters, but they were interesting, and I wanted to know what was going to happen.
 

BethS

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Reading Blood Song by Anthony Ryan. Enjoying it so far. I like the writing, except for a lamentable tendency toward comma splices and run-on sentences. Where was the copy editor on this???
 

rwm4768

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Finished Retribution Falls by Chris Wooding. I was completely blown away by this book. It was nothing but fun. My favorite steampunk book I've ever read. There was so much action and adventure in it. It's nothing deep, though I think the characters still got some time to shine, but it's just plain fun.
 

PandaMan

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Reading Blood Song by Anthony Ryan. Enjoying it so far. I like the writing, except for a lamentable tendency toward comma splices and run-on sentences. Where was the copy editor on this???

Hey, I'm also reading Blood Song. I've gotten through the first three chapters so far. I got the strange feeling I've read it before though, esp. the scenes in the forest. Perhaps the rite-of-passage via survival in the forest is a common fantasy troupe, or something.

Wasn't the novel first self published? That may explain the comma splices and run-on sentences.

I've enjoyed it so far. I think the sequel came out recently too.
 

rwm4768

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And I've finished another book: Sworn in Steel by Douglas Hulick (the sequel to Among Thieves). I liked Among Thieves, but I really loved this one. Another action-packed read. Gritty without overdoing it. Characters you want to root for even though they're not always so nice.
 

K. Q. Watson

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I'm reading Seraphim Ascent, which, full disclosure, was written by a friend of mine. Even if I didn't know the author I would say it's quite enjoyable. It's good for getting my feet wet back in sci-fi. I'm more of an fantasy/horror girl.
 

BethS

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Hey, I'm also reading Blood Song. I've gotten through the first three chapters so far. I got the strange feeling I've read it before though, esp. the scenes in the forest. Perhaps the rite-of-passage via survival in the forest is a common fantasy troupe, or something.

Wasn't the novel first self published? That may explain the comma splices and run-on sentences.

I've enjoyed it so far. I think the sequel came out recently too.

It was originally self-published, but then was picked up by a trade publisher, who should certainly have dealt with the punctuation issues.

Really liking the story, though. I just started Part II.
 

phantasy

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I tried Blood Song too. I couldn't get past the beginning–it is too trope-y. Plus, I'm not a fan of stories of big manly men in a ruthless world setting with lots of war and so on. It's why I couldn't finish Lord of the Rings. Are there any women in this tale at all?

The last book I finished was Everything's Eventual by King. Most of the shorts were great.

Other than that, I can't seem to finish a book lately. I'm a little annoyed with myself because I feel like I should like many of these books. I'm not brilliant, I don't know any better as a writer or plotter. It's like when a person complains and another person asks if you can do any better. Well, I certainly cannot. But many popular books lose my interest.

Here are my attempts:

Perdido Street Station by China Mieville.
Pacing is way too slow. It's a interesting setting and the writing can be great, but the pacing is killing me. Plus I don't care about the projects the characters are working on. And I'm an artist so I should get it. The characters aren't too interesting either. All I can tell from this book is the author is a super smart guy and could probably run rings around me in a conversation. I'll try to finish this, but it's a book easily forgotten.

Small Gods by Terry Prachett
Funny at times, but I simply don't care about the characters or the situation. Plus he has this mocking tone I don't care for. I mean, I love the Princess Bride and anything by Douglas Adams, but I get the feeling he's trying to prove something in a mean way. I can see why the internet loves him. Again, it's probably the pacing and not caring about the characters killing it for me.

The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch
Can't get into it. Skipped ahead...but can't get into it. I know it's very popular and I want to like it, but...it's easily forgettable. The characters aren't particularly special nor is his writing. The capers haven't intrigued me either. I feel like I should read the sequel, maybe it gets better?

The Stand by King
I've gone back and forth with this book. I'm reading it again because finally, finally, I've gotten to where King decided to focus on only a few characters. I don't like it when he writes the different POVs of the whole society. But...his writing is amazing. I love how he describes emotions and actions and characters. The authors I mentioned before just don't have his charm.

I really, really, want to read IT. But I'm scared I'll be scared. Lol.
 
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Bolero

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re Terry Pratchett - I've read Small Gods but only once or twice, years ago. Didn't grab me.
Try Weird Sisters - MacBeth re-write.

That said at one level TP is writing social satire - so he may just not be your bag. In the Ankh-Morpork world (starts with Guards, Guards) the klacks is developed - a semaphore system. And that starts to change the world. In one of the later books, it has developed to tiny klacks in restaurants and people jumping up to get their messages in the middle of dinner - that came out round about the time mobile phones were really taking off.
But there are plenty of people who like some of TPs books and not others. Try some from other threads before you give him up entirely.