Grailknight Posted January 9, 2013 Report Share Posted January 9, 2013 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... 2/3's done but giving up for the night. If you were on the fence about this one, jump over and get it. Already better than any book except maybe 3 and 4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grailknight Posted January 9, 2013 Report Share Posted January 9, 2013 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Just finished A Memory of Light. As the finale of a 14 book, 20 year series this book has been the subject of a great deal of anticipation, trepidation and apathy. I fall in the 1st two camps and have been secluded with it since yesterday. First off, this is a long book, coming in at over 900 pages. It has to be to wrap up all the plots and conflicts still dangling from the previous volumes. Secondly, this book and the two previous were completed posthumously, using Jordan's notes and input from his wife. From the start, it jumps into action with the battle for Camelyn and the action is mostly nonstop from there. There are very few long descriptive passages and none after the first quarter of the book. The pacing is fast with a few hitches and the plot points are resolved naturally in the flow of the story. And it's a great story. You can cheer honestly for the heroes and hate on the villains. There are noble death's, subterfuge from both sides and excellent character progression. The resolution of final battle does not dissappoint. The book in not without flaws. Faile's segments still drag somewhat and the characters drop out of voice in a few conversations. (They never lose the feel of the character but the word and phrase choices are off. ) Overall, I'll rate this 9.5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southern Cross Posted January 15, 2013 Report Share Posted January 15, 2013 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... I've recently read Crown of Vengeance, the first book in the Dragon Prophecy trilogy, by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory. This book is a prequel to two trilogies set in the same world, detailing the rise of the Elven Queen Vieliessar of Farcarinon, the first to lead the Light against the Endarkened (which is the true names for the demonic villains in the first trilogy). The book starts with the origin of the Endarkened in the prologue, with the vast majority of the book detailing Vielessar's transformation from a despised outcast to overthrowing the Hundred noble Houses and becoming the High King. a great story, but I'm assuming that it's a trilogy, not just because it's a tradition in fantasy literature, but the two authors have written two different trilogies set in the same world, and there are too many plot points not completed for it to be a stand-alone novel. well Worth reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southern Cross Posted January 15, 2013 Report Share Posted January 15, 2013 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... I've recently read Crown of Vengeance, the first book in the Dragon Prophecy trilogy, by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory. This book is a prequel to two trilogies set in the same world, detailing the rise of the Elven Queen Vieliessar of Farcarinon, the first to lead the Light against the Endarkened (which is the true names for the demonic villains in the first trilogy). The book starts with the origin of the Endarkened in the prologue, with the vast majority of the book detailing Vielessar's transformation from a despised outcast to overthrowing the Hundred noble Houses and becoming the High King. It's a great story, but I'm assuming that it's a trilogy, not just because it's a tradition in fantasy literature, but the two authors have written two different trilogies set in the same world, and there are too many plot points not completed for it to be a stand-alone novel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csyphrett Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Read Cold Days by Jim Butcher. i am not sure I am comfortable with the metaphysical gate at the edge of the universe but it is a typical escalating Dresden File. First it starts with something simple, then the fate of the world comes into question. CES Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
"V" Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Just finished the audiobook of Neil Gaiman's "Anansi Boys" - read by British actor/comedian Lenny Henry. Young man discovers that his late father was Anansi the trickster god of West African tradition. Magical and supernatural fun ensues. Excellent book with some memorable characters. One thing I noticed, which was not spotlighted at all, but when I noticed it made me grin, was that the only time a character is described by their skin colour is if they are caucasian - a nice reversal of the usual assumptions in most literature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MisterVimes Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Just finished "Cold Days" by Jim Butcher. This was not my favorite book by him. I will admit that I have never been a fan of the Fey Court stories and this one was about as Fey as they get. I found myself skimming pages and that's rare for me when it comes to Dresden. The next book is supposed to be a Black Denarius story and I usually like those. As csyphrett stated, it escalates in typical Dresden fashion, but the series has been escalating since the first book and I'm not sure how I feel about that. We started with sorcerers and ghosts and now we're have drinks with Gods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casualplayer Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Just finished the audiobook of Neil Gaiman's "Anansi Boys" - read by British actor/comedian Lenny Henry. Young man discovers that his late father was Anansi the trickster god of West African tradition. Magical and supernatural fun ensues. Excellent book with some memorable characters. One thing I noticed' date=' which was not spotlighted at all, but when I noticed it made me grin, was that the only time a character is described by their skin colour is if they are caucasian - a nice reversal of the usual assumptions in most literature.[/quote'] Did you read/listen "American Gods" by Gaiman, where you first get to meet Mr. Nancy. Also enjoyable. I finished up "The Wise Man's Fear" by Patrick Rothfuss, the second of The Kingkiller Trilogy. Devoured it, like I haven't a series in a very long time. I very much like reading about Kvothe and his friends, how the man became a legend became an innkeeper. The first book, "The Name of the Wind," starts confusingly and slow but gets going after 75 pages and doesn't let up from then on. I like a protagonist that makes mistakes and non-optimal choices because of his character. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L. Marcus Posted February 2, 2013 Report Share Posted February 2, 2013 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... "I am frightened of nothing." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted February 26, 2013 Report Share Posted February 26, 2013 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... The Silmarillion I found it fairly easy to read. It's also incredibly epic in scale and in the deeds performed by both Elves and Men. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clonus Posted February 26, 2013 Report Share Posted February 26, 2013 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Crown of Vengeance. It's interesting to come to realize that there isn't a single human character in all 550 pages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
st barbara Posted February 27, 2013 Report Share Posted February 27, 2013 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Wearing the Cape. Best superhero novel I've read so far. Reconstructs the genre. Have you tried the sequel "Villains Inc" ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teh bunneh Posted February 27, 2013 Report Share Posted February 27, 2013 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... The Year's Best Dark Fantasy and Horror 2010, edited by Paula Gunan. I used to get The Year's Best Fantasy and Horror collection, edited by Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling, every year since the early 90s. I really liked this collection, as it was a mix of the fantastic and the horrific, ranging from light children's fantasies to splatterpunk to psychological horror to swords-and-sorcery fare. But a few years ago, they stopped publishing them. So when I spotted this book in the bookstore a couple of months ago, I had to get it to check it out. It isn't quite the same -- there's a lot more focus on the dark and horror aspects. There's no sword-and-sorcery or light fantasy fare here. Still, it's a solid collection of horror stories, ranging from the mundane (child abuse and its long-term effects) to the truly bizarre. There are some horror genres that are left unfilled (no splatterpunk, no action-horror), but if you like short stories and dark fiction, it's worth a look. I believe I will pick up the 2011 and 2012 volumes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southern Cross Posted February 27, 2013 Report Share Posted February 27, 2013 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... I finished reading the Alloy of Law by Brandon Sanderson yesterday. An interesting twist on both the western and fantasy genres as it is set in the world of the Mistborn trilogy, but three centuries later, when the world has evolved into a pseudo 19th century, with the addition of Allomancers and Ferruchemists. Since the major villain escaped capture, I suspect that this will be the first book in a new trilogy. Kaze9999 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southern Cross Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 How do you delete a duplicate post on these new forums? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
st barbara Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 I've just finished "Ghosts Of Manhatten" by George Mann. It is described as "Steampunk" but, apart from a few cosmetic details I would describe it as a "Pulp" (or at least "Neopulp") story. I know there is at least one sequel and I enjoyed this one enough (the hero is a "Shadow" like dark avenger, with a few more gadgets) to read more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csyphrett Posted March 1, 2013 Report Share Posted March 1, 2013 I've just finished "Ghosts Of Manhatten" by George Mann. It is described as "Steampunk" but' date=' apart from a few cosmetic details I would describe it as a "Pulp" (or at least "Neopulp") story. I know there is at least one sequel and I enjoyed this one enough (the hero is a "Shadow" like dark avenger, with a few more gadgets) to read more.[/quote'] The Ghosts of War was also pretty good. It shows the villain wanting to use the creatures from the first book as a weapon to wipe out England. CES Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
death tribble Posted March 11, 2013 Report Share Posted March 11, 2013 The collected Alex Ross Justice book whicj I never got when issued as seperate comics. Very good and the artwork is exquisite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bozimus Posted March 20, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2013 This is my review of a book I just finished this morning..."The Long Run" by Daniel Keyes Moran. Part two in "Tales of the Continuing Time" series. (This first paragraph was written almost a year ago and posted on Goodreads) My rating (5 out of 5 stars) is based upon having read this book for the first time (on or about) the year 1989. I remember eagerly turning pages as Trent escaped one hair-raising action sequence before entering another. This book was for me like crack is to a crack addict. I am tempted, oh so tempted, to read it again. 3-20-2013 UPDATE: Having just completed a re-read, I find that my previously high regard for this book has diminished over the last 20 odd years. I no longer consider this book to be one of my "all time favorites". The "Long run is still a good book, IMO, but no longer a "GREAT" book. The book is unchanged since my first reading, so the reason for my re-evaluation is a change in the reader...yours truly. I am a different person than I was in 1989. A lot of books have been read since 1989. The "Long Run" has suffered in comparison. IMO, in the year of 2013, the "Long Run" deserves 3 stars. SPOILER ALERT****** For certain types of adventure literature to be enjoyable (for me), the contests between protagonist(s) and antagonist(s) need to provide a certain amount of tension. The bad guy needs to come close to killing/defeating the good guy. There needs to be a real question concerning the outcome. If your protagonist is freakishly smart and the antagonists are bureaucratic simpletons, there will not be any doubt as to the outcome. No doubt, no tension. Trent the Uncatchable is this story's protagonist and resident super genius. The PKF (Peace Keeping Force) are the story's simpleton antagonists. Time and time again, Trent effortlessly eludes or evades or outthinks these petty bureaucrats who are collectively the baddest of the bad in our Solar System. Yawn…after a while, I stopped buying the BS that Trent was in any danger of getting caught or killed. Once that happened, I lost interest and finishing the book began to feel like a chore. It is a shame really, because I had such fond memories.. END SPOILER******* How in the world did I ever consider this book to be among my “all time favorites”? Maybe I am too jaded to enjoy a story of this type any longer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clonus Posted April 1, 2013 Report Share Posted April 1, 2013 Born of Silence. Resistance leader looking to overthrow the government doesn't know that her lover and second in command is the heir to the throne and her underlings kidnap him and torture him...without her noticing, so he goes kind of crazy starts hunting them down and putting their heads on spikes in front of his palace, along with his brutal uncle and a bunch of his guards and generally adopting a leadership style flavoured with Caligula and Vlad the Impaler until she's brought back from having been sold into slavery to turn him around with the power of luuuuve. I kept being reminding of Dickens...because the alternate title that kept running through my head was "A Tale of Two Idiots". Bozimus 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
death tribble Posted April 13, 2013 Report Share Posted April 13, 2013 The Gathering Storm by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson. Things are coming to a head. And another one of the Chosen bites the dust. That and the Aes Sedai are reunited and Faile is back with Perrin. I am looking forward to the end positively. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhostDancer Posted April 13, 2013 Report Share Posted April 13, 2013 Patience, please scroll down.... [/url=http://sbrb.ent.sirsi.net/client/rsv/search/results.displaypanel.displaycell.detailclick/0/ent:$002f$002fSD_ILS$002f1337$002fSD_ILS:1337734/0/0?qu=stormdancer&d=ent%3A%2F%2FSD_ILS%2F1337%2FSD_ ILS%3A1337734%7EILS%7E0%7E5] Stormdancer[/url=http://sbrb.ent.sirsi.net/client/rsv/search/results?qu=stormdancer&te=#] byKristoff, Jay. Publication Date 2012...Japanese-inspired steampunk, strong teen female protagonist, civil war, mythological creatures, slow (but not tedious IMO) start, good descriptions and story, 9 out of 10. And now the rant- I saw mostly positive reviews of this book, and several bloggers who were offended that the author was not Asian - he's an Aussie. I feel this is an over-reaction, esp. since he's not writing about a version of *any* actual Asians, or even a version of actual Asia. He doesn't use the term Japan or Nippon or the like. While I generally prefer authentic experiences, some tributes are worthy. Of course, we all draw the line differently- here's my preferences; Genghis Khan movie lead actor: Chow Yun-Fat or a talented Mongol or other talented Asian, not Mickey Rourke. Asian restaurants well attended by Asian clientele, regardless of the cook's heritage. I make a renowned (by local Mongols) huurhog, authentic Mongol-style bbq, which uses a pressure cooker, not like U.S. restaurants, even though I'm western euro + Swedish heritage. Most cosplay by most people, including the African Americans from late, lamented Chou Anime Cafe in Detroit, MI. [url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2012-10-14/detroit-maid-cafe-chou-anime-closes-its-doors]http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2012-10-14/detroit-maid-cafe-chou-anime-closes-its-doors[/url=http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2012-10-14/detroit-maid-cafe-chou-anime-closes-its-doors] One Love! What do you think about works inspired by other cultures? Where do you draw the line? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bozimus Posted April 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2013 I just finished "Clementine" by Cherie Priest. This is the second book of "Clockwork Century" series that I have read. Not really a book, more of a novella. This was a light, fun read. Nothing stupendous, just a good story with lots of steampunk elements I have come to enjoy. Thus far, Ms. Priest has exhibited a style of writing I find very agreeable. Her characters are neither saintly nor are they evil incarnate...they come across as real people with both good and bad qualities. I look forward to reading the next book... "Dreadnought". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
st barbara Posted May 2, 2013 Report Share Posted May 2, 2013 I've just read "Playing For Keeps" by Mur Lafferty., a superhero story in the tradition of "Mystery Men" (at least the movie) with a bunch of characters with seemingly useless "superpowers" have to save the day. I really enjoyed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaze9999 Posted May 4, 2013 Report Share Posted May 4, 2013 Katherine Kurtz... did she write the Deryni series? Yes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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