Now Reading...

[Tess]

The last book I read was:

Now I am reading:

I just started it yesterday and I am sure I will finish it today. I love it!

I should be reading:

so I will probably start that one tomorrow! I am sure my husband is reading this and will make sure I stick to it

 

[Jax]

A History of Pagan Europe

and Ogam: Weaving Word Wisdom

 

[Pellaz]

Awwww! I was hoping her new books would be just as good! I'm getting Kushiel's Justice after I read my current book (Blasphemy by Douglas Preston). I'm not really enjoying the Imriel books as much as the Phaedre ones. I just love her style so much I can't stop reading them...

Not to worry; her new ones ARE worth reading....just not as compelling as the first trilogy. As great as those three books were to begin with, that's really not a drawback to getting the newer ones.

GAH!!!!!! Thinking of high fantasy now makes me want more Jacqueline Carey and Storm Constantine! Must....buy...more....books....

I wish more of Storm's stuff were available over here in the States at more-reasonable prices. I've read almost all of her output (gee, looking at my nickname that would tend to follow, nyet? ), but I have a lot of friends over here who would really like to 'dig deeper' into Storm's works but simply can't afford it.

 

[Harvester]

If you are interested in a good source for new releases of all genres, head over to http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/

 

[Pellaz]

If you are interested in a good source for new releases of all genres, head over to http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/

Very useful site.

I'll need to let them know to update their bio for Storm C. (or write them a new one); it's a few years old now.

A bit humorous that they list her Wraeththu: From Enchantments to Fulfilment as a fiction omnibus, as it was originally written as a D20 role-play game. But, since it SUCKS as a game but has good background source material, it's probably safer being listed as it is.

 

[Yippee38]

I'm annoyed....

Yesterday I installed new firmware in my Blackberry and reformatted my SD card. Unfortunately, I forgot to backup my e-book ("The Gathering Storm" by Winston Churchill). So I went to the store from which I purchased it. While there I figured I'd check out the fantasy section to see if they have anything I want to read (it's great for when I'm stuck in an airport somewhere). Anyway, the part that annoys me is when I selected the "Fantasy" genre, at least 2/3 of the books are romance novels. WTF?

 

[OrbWeaver]

I'm annoyed....

Yesterday I installed new firmware in my Blackberry and reformatted my SD card. Unfortunately, I forgot to backup my e-book ("The Gathering Storm" by Winston Churchill). So I went to the store from which I purchased it. While there I figured I'd check out the fantasy section to see if they have anything I want to read (it's great for when I'm stuck in an airport somewhere). Anyway, the part that annoys me is when I selected the "Fantasy" genre, at least 2/3 of the books are romance novels. WTF?

Eeeew! At least you know they're romance novels. The worst is when you purchase what looks like a promising fantasy novel about dragons, and it turns out to be a romance novel in disguise. And one that smacks of author wish-fullfillment, at that. uke:

 

[Yippee38]

Eeeew! At least you know they're romance novels. The worst is when you purchase what looks like a promising fantasy novel about dragons, and it turns out to be a romance novel in disguise. And one that smacks of author wish-fullfillment, at that. uke:

That's what these looked like. It's kinda like that one author who does vampire novels that are just romance novels with a vampire theme. That's why I was so annoyed. Here's the link: http://www.mobipocket.com/en/eBooks/Category.asp?Language=EN&categoryId=69&Name=Fantasy. Check it out yourself. Hell, just look at the covers and the titles.

 

[OrbWeaver]

That's what these looked like. It's kinda like that one author who does vampire novels that are just romance novels with a vampire theme. That's why I was so annoyed. Here's the link: http://www.mobipocket.com/en/eBooks/Category.asp?Language=EN&categoryId=69&Name=Fantasy. Check it out yourself. Hell, just look at the covers and the titles.

Wow. There are some definite romance/fantasy in there. But they aren't as well disguised as a book series I (unfortunately) purchased.

It was a series by Elizabeth Kerner. Basically, girl meets dragon. Girl and dragon fall in love. A bunch of stuff happens. Love, love, love, mushylovelovelove. and they all live happily ever after.

 

[Pellaz]

That's what these looked like. It's kinda like that one author who does vampire novels that are just romance novels with a vampire theme. That's why I was so annoyed. Here's the link: http://www.mobipocket.com/en/eBooks/Category.asp?Language=EN&categoryId=69&Name=Fantasy. Check it out yourself. Hell, just look at the covers and the titles.

Yep, they sort on "bestselling," so several of the first few books shown will be paranormal romance or whatever; no surprise there since they really DO sell. Along with Pratchett, George RR Martin, etc.

(I'll let Derek tackle the ins-and-outs of the PR genre and whether those books should be categorized under the Fantasy monicker. )

 

[grogg]

The Riftwar Saga by Raymond E. Feist

 

[Pellaz]

Great books! Also be sure to get the three "Empire" books by Ray Feist and Janny Wurts....I'd read them after the first three Riftwar books.

 

[grogg]

Actually, I've finished the first 3 and the 3 Empire books and have moved on to the Prince Of The Blood. This is a great series and I'm surprised I didn't know about these years ago. At least with about 20 books written so far, his series will keep me busy for a while.

 

[metalprof]

The Riftwar Saga by Raymond E. Feist

I'm rereading these right now! I'm in the second one, Magician: Master.

Even though the series goes on and on, it wore out its welcome for me after the first 6 or 7. I liked the first 4, was OK with the next couple, but gave up after that. I do agree with Pellaz that you should also read the Empire books by Feist and Wurts; I thought that trilogy was much better than anything in the original Riftwar books.

Ken

 

[Pellaz]

I've liked all of the books in that series up until the last couple of years, when I might have missed new output. (Wasn't totally sure if Feist was still writing them or if it had been hired out due to the gaming tie-in, etc.)
The one exception was the book (I forget which one now) where a major, well-liked character is killed, "off-camera" so to speak. THAT annoyed the crap out of me.

 

[LunaTEKKE]

Read "Odd Hours" by Dean Koontz while on a trip to Charlotte. I love “Odd’s” wry sense of humor! The only downside is that they used to be more “stand-alone” books, and now Koontz is heading towards more of a “series” format (along the lines of Harry Potter). Grrr.

Also finished the "Dreamers" series by David Eddings. The 4 books did make for entertaining reading while travelling, but DAMN the ending was crappy!

Now reading “A Death in Vienna” by Frank Tallis. I'd never heard of him, but the book caught my eye at B&N because I loved Vienna when I was in Europe last summer and would like to return someday. It's a murder mystery, but the author has inserted actual historical figures into the story. Pretty interesting so far.

 

[Rakosh]

Pariah - Bob Fingerman

Ok, I usually don't like to post about books that won't be out for a long time, but I had to say something about this one...

Pariah is one of the best zombie novels I've read! I read and really liked World War Z and thought it was a high water mark for the genre, but where that book looked at the zombie apocalypse on the macro level, Pariah takes it to the micro level. It's all about the characters, their interactions (as the apocalypse is a given) and what motivates people when everything else in life is gone. The best and worst of people is on display here, a la McCarthy's The Road, and the depths to which some will sink while others find hope amidst the suffering make up the core of the story. Then, when all seems lost, a mysterious girl shows up who seems to be invisible to the hordes of undead outside the apartment complex in which our cast is trapped...

It's one to keep on your radar if you like this sort of thing...

Tor Books, trade paperback original, August 2010.
:zombie:

 

[ALowerDeep]

World War Z was very cool.

I'm rereading the entire Malazan Books of the Fallen series by Steven Erikson to get ready for Dust of Dreams in January. The re-reads are even better than the first run throughs which I didn't think was possible to get better than that. Erikson has upsurped George RR Martin as my favorite modern author. One because I do love the books, and two because Martin may never publish another novel at the rate he is going.

 

[OrbWeaver]

Still reading Dracula. I've come to the conclusion that Bram Stoker didn't think too highly of women.

 

[Diabolik]

I am reading "Killer Germs" a book about different virus's and "Cults: Secret Sects and Religion", a kind of big info book on different famous cults and different profiles of each.....

along with that I am reading lots of trade paperbacks of comics I like...
- Nova
- Astro City
- Walking Dead