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[OrbWeaver]

You won't be disappointed,then. The way such things are handled in the series is generally very...realistic? A person seeking fulfillment of romantic fantasies would be very hard pressed to get enjoyment out of what is there, since it never becomes the central focus, and plays more with duty and frustration than anything.

I can attest to how gritty and good this series is. I really like it. I especially like how magic is handled. I still have to read Twilight Watch, but the other two were fantastic.


Recently purchased:

There, see? No fantasy here! HAPPY GLENN?

 

[Bamafan]

Continuing the no fantasy theme, I picked up The Bayou Trilogy by Daniel Woodrell after hearing Anthony Bourdain rave about him on No Reservations. I've seen Woodrell's recent work described as "hillbilly noir", but these early short novels center on a gritty policeman in the Louisiana bayous. It has been interesting to see the progression of his writing style as I work my way thru the trilogy. Although his style is more lyrical, and less economical, Woodrell is reminiscent of Hemingway. I'm looking forward to picking up his newer novels, although they are going to have to wait until after ADWD.

 

[Pellaz]

Kay is brilliant. Every bit as intelligent and thought-provoking as Martin, but with an almost poetic style. The Lions of Al-Rassan is one of my all-time favorite books, and is a great single-volume introduction to Kay.

Thanks for that. I'd read the first few Fionavar Tapesty books from Kay and thought they were wonderful, but I lost track of where I'd left off. He DOES have an almost poetic style....a bit like, say, Mervyn Peake, except that things actually HAPPENED in Kay's books. (The giant flood in Gormenghast notwithstanding...)

I remember losing my place when trying to read the Mallorean and not being able to figure out which books I had read and giving up.

That was exactly the problem I had with Terry Goodkind.

This is such a fun series. I bought a boxed set of the first three a few years ago and loved how witty they were, and totally wished they had been around when I was younger.

Same here. I like them in a "they're a lot like the Harry Potter books, but not quite as silly" way. I'll probably slip in a Weber book next and then continue with Olympians, Book 3.

Note to Glenn: those are Young Adult books, NOT fantasy.

 

[Justin G]

Working on this one now. It's a murder mystery set in a city quarantined due to a pandemic.

 

[booB]

I can attest to how gritty and good this series is. I really like it. I especially like how magic is handled. I still have to read Twilight Watch, but the other two were fantastic.

Twilight Watch is my favorite. By contrast, the final book, Last Watch, did not impress me nearly as much.

 

[OrbWeaver]

There's a fourth one? Well crap, I thought there were only three. Now I'll have to get that one, too.

 

[jaimek]

Just because I'm contrary, more fantasy: I picked up Jacqueline Carey - Naamah's Curse (yes, I'm a book behind) and Naomi Novik - Tongue of Serpents today. Will have to wait til Feb for the final Robin Hobb Rain Wilds book, though.

 

[Pellaz]

I'm reading the US hardback, but that UK cover is nicer.

 

[Justin G]

I enjoyed the first book in this self-published series, but am struggling to get into this one. It's getting tossed aside the moment A Dance With Dragons hits the Kindle regardless.

 

[metalprof]

Recently finished: The Heroes, by Joe Abercrombie. I really like his writing (especially dialog), but plot of this last one was pretty flimsy.

Now reading: the last 150 pages of The Crippled God, by Steven Erikson. I still have no idea if I actually like this series or not!

Up next: Terminal World, by Alastair Reynolds.

Ken

 

[Rakosh]

Steering away from fantasy again...here's what I'm reading now. Gritty, dark stuff that's like a shotgun blast to the face. It's practically white trash Appalachian meth cooker poetry. :Smokedev:

...or as a friend of mine described it: "This makes Winter's Bone [the movie] look like Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood!"

 

[Justin G]

Was there any doubt?

 

[Riceloft]

I've recently completed....

Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi - Vortex
Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi - Conviction
Mitchell Smith - Snowfall
Mitchell Smith - Moonrise
Mitchell Smith - Kingdom River
Stephen King - The Dark Tower series

All except Kingdom River were excellent.

 

[Corsair]

There's a fourth one? Well crap, I thought there were only three. Now I'll have to get that one, too.

IMO:

Night Watch>Twilight Watch>Day Watch>Final Watch

That isn't to say that it's bad, but I think it comes across as being a bit rushed to get finished. Things come together a little too conveniently, and Anton behaves very out of character much of the time.

 

[Entrerie]

Just finished "A Dance with Dragons"



George.R.R. Martin is a master troll. While some of it is blatantly obvious you still gotta lol hard.

 

[DuchessOfDork]

Currently reading "The Kid" by Sapphire. It's the sequel to "Push", the book Precious was based on.

Not enjoying it.

Push had hope. It had major suckage, but also HOPE. Precious was strong, she fought back. Her son? You're basically reading the thoughts of a rapist and a sociopath. I do not like it. There's no hope, only insanity. It's interesting, yes, and it's well done, but I can't say I enjoy vivid the descriptions of his sociopathic tendancies.

However, my mom won a Nook at work, so it looks like I'm getting a Nook.

 

[Magius]

Brandon Sanderson - The Well of Ascension

 

[dcowboys311]

 

[Justin G]

Just finished "A Dance with Dragons"



George.R.R. Martin is a master troll. While some of it is blatantly obvious you still gotta lol hard.

I just finished it too. I thought it was brilliant, even if certain parts were...frustrating. Still, it was absolutely worth the 5+ year wait.

 

[Harvester]

If I see any Dance with Dragon spoilers, it's an automatic permanent ban.