Enforcer84 Posted June 6, 2010 Report Share Posted June 6, 2010 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Is that a sexual reference? actually it was an overweight comedian talking about his dance style. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Obvious Posted June 6, 2010 Report Share Posted June 6, 2010 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Not an actual "story" story, but I just finished reading Green Ronin's "Damnation Decade", and now I want to play. The game's got a little bit of "Stepford Wives", "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", "Every Which Way But Loose", "Jaws"...hell, more than can be easily listed. It's a great view of urban fantasy as seen through the pop culture of the '70s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curufea Posted June 7, 2010 Report Share Posted June 7, 2010 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Just finished "Feet of Clay" again, I'd forgotten the Robocop hommages I'm now starting Marsden's "Tomorrow, When the War Began" as the movie is out soon, and it is classic Aussie Lit that many, many YA have read already - so I'm thinking I've missed out on it when it came out (but when it came out I wasn't really into YA fiction, I was all into big fantasy novels). It's written in the style of first person, the main character (Ellie) writing it after the fact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L. Marcus Posted June 7, 2010 Report Share Posted June 7, 2010 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... "We can rebuild him. We have the pottery." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghost-angel Posted June 21, 2010 Report Share Posted June 21, 2010 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Death's Daughter - Amber Benson Urban Fantasy, pretty standard issue for the genre of the day - tough heroine in over her head with the supernatural. Not typical is that this heroine is the daughter of death, is a pretty whiny little brat too. Instead of the heroine who is hell bent on finding whomever is behind the whatever (in this case Death and the Board Of Executives of Death, Inc. are kidnapped) and being all tough as nails about anything in her way, the main character Calliope cries, whines, cajoles, stumbles and complains her way through. Somewhere around the back third of the novel she finally grows a spine and gets with the program. A very slow start, I think I was about 1/2 way through before I really got into the book, which normally isn't a good sign. But I really liked the main characters name (Calliope Reaper-Jones is by far the coolest Urban Fantasy Heroine name out there), and the support characters are actually pretty interesting. The story really picks up towards the end, tipping from mediocre to good. Overall, it's not a bad read, certainly good for an afternoon or two of entertainment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Escafarc Posted June 21, 2010 Report Share Posted June 21, 2010 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Naamah's Kiss by Jaacqueline Carey Another well written book in the series if you are a fan you won't be disapointed. My one gripe has to do with the "Preview" chapter at the back. All it is is a "Review" of the book I just finished and absolutely nothing about the next book in the series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csyphrett Posted June 22, 2010 Report Share Posted June 22, 2010 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... read Blockade Billy by Stephen King at the library. It's all about baseball and the player who was erased from the records for not being the right man.CES Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Man Posted June 22, 2010 Report Share Posted June 22, 2010 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Mistborn by Brandon Sanderson. A solid, unconventional, medium-weight fantasy novel that revolves around an unusual magic system.* First of a trilogy, but a standalone book in its own right. The ending comes surprisingly quickly. I get the impression that Sanderson is of the damn-the-torpedoes school of writing, as opposed to the outline-everything-first technique. But here, at least, the resulting story is pretty tight, with most major loose ends sewn up (the others presumably being left for the sequels). Characterization is pretty good, at least for a limited number of main characters. Definitely recommended; looking forward to the next two books (which are already out). *Based on the ingestion and use of metals as fuel for different magical abilities. This is one magic system that should be pretty easy to model in Hero, especially with its limited range of powers, so far anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xavier Onassiss Posted July 8, 2010 Report Share Posted July 8, 2010 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Currently reading, and almost finished with: The Fuller Memorandum, by Charles Stross, the third Laundry Files novel. It stands on its own quite well -- there are a few references to events in the other two books, but not so you'd have to read them to understand the new one. It's got all the usual Laundry Files stuff: eldritch horrors, inane bureaucracy, and high-tech magic. Bob Howard names his new iPhone the NecronomiPod, at his wife's suggestion. For those just tuning in, Bob's wife also works for the Laundry, as a 'combat epistemologist'; the violin she carries bears an inscription which reads THIS MACHINE KILLS DEMONS. In this volume: the latest from R&D would seem to indicate that the End of the World is coming sooner than expected. (And not just because Bob caved in and bought an iPhone.) This information causes a group of Cultists to Behave Badly (errr... Worse Than Usual) and Bob's boss is missing, along with an ultra-secret file the Cultists would love to get their hands on. His wife is on the verge of a breakdown, and there's a board of inquiry trying to decide if Bob's too much of a screw-up to keep his job. And it gets worse.... Why in the name of all that's holy are you reading my inane blathering on the interwebs instead of the new Charles Stross novel? It came out yesterday! What are you waiting for, the paperback? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted July 8, 2010 Report Share Posted July 8, 2010 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... I just finished The Passage in which the vampire myth seems to be rooted in the actions of a rare virus. After the US military gets a sample, they start to experiment and... it doesn't end well. While I finished the book, I was fairly underwhelmed. For starters, the book is obviously the start of a series (apparently a trilogy) and thus ends with many things unresolved (so it doesn't exactly stand alone well.) In addition, the "world ends due to plague" was done really, really well in The Strand, while the world is overrun by an unstoppable monster plot was done really well in World War Z. As for the vampire aspects... 'Salem's Lot is still one of, if not the best, vampire novel around. And then there's the vampires themselves, which would be right at home in Will Smith's I Am Legend. So, basically (for me anyway) The Passage didn't bring anything new to the table, but felt a lot like a kludge of different elements. I also felt some of the suspense was lost when you read material that's being presented at a conference being held around 1005 AV (after virus), which would be around 3020 CE, which seems to indicate the vampires are eventually eradicated (the question is, how?) Also, the writer seemingly killed a character—and then didn't—far too many times. Basically, anyone who wasn't 'somebody' could die at any time, but the core characters seemed to survive a lot of cliffhangers (although notes from the aforementioned conference seems to indicate at least one group does get killed.) I also read Ringworld Throne, which is the sequel to Ringworld's Children, which is a sequel to The Ringworld Engineers, whcih is a sequel to Ringworld. I originally thought Children was horrible, but now accept it as part one of a two-part novel. To sum up quickly, the two books (Children and Throne) occur about a decade after Engineers, and explore exactly what Hindmost was up to, who's running the Repair Center, and what happens with the rest of Known Space find the Ringworld. The two books are crawling with protectors, insane high-technology, and non-stop action. However, a lot of Children seems (IMO) wasted with the eradication of a vampire nest, and a lot of the action is from the POV of Louis Wu, and he spends a lot of time either observing and/or reacting to things, as opposed to being a protagonist. It's not a bad way to end the series, but I realized that while Louis Wu is supposed to be the main character, many of the secondary characters were far more interesting. I also think I'm done with Known Space. I no longer own most of the novels set in it and am not exactly enthused about reading the Fleet of World series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clsage Posted July 8, 2010 Report Share Posted July 8, 2010 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Why in the name of all that's holy are you reading my inane blathering on the interwebs instead of the new Charles Stross novel? It came out yesterday! What are you waiting for, the paperback? Yes...or access to a better stocked public library. -Carl- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawnmower Boy Posted July 8, 2010 Report Share Posted July 8, 2010 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... "International fantasy bestseller" The Dwarves, by Markus Heitz. As the tag suggests, this is a foreign language book, translated. Heitz published in German in 2003, and here's the translation, by Sally-Ann Spencer, published in 2009. Like all modern "international fantasy bestsellers," this is a heckuvalump of book --725 pages in translation, which usually adds about 20% to the bulk of the book. So what I am saying is that Sally-Ann had a tough job to do. Translating is hard, and she had to do a great deal of it, very fast. So I don't begrudge her the occasional "take that, you traitor!" That said, while this is a fun book, it is probably not worth the effort. I have no idea why I read this, (and Juggler of Worlds, for Pete's sake!) instead of starting a book that I'm really excited about, Connie Willis, Blackout, except that I'm being a little lazy with my brain. Speaking of which, gotta go read about the Southeastern Ceremonial Complex on the porch till the sun comes up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
death tribble Posted July 8, 2010 Report Share Posted July 8, 2010 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Harlequin by L Hamilton. Anita Blake, Jean Claude and Richard come up against a vampire police hit squad who are then tied up to Mother Darkness. The book brings back Edward and Anita contracts Tiger Lycanthropy. More plot than of late which is good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southern Cross Posted July 8, 2010 Report Share Posted July 8, 2010 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Flinx Transcendent by Alan Dean Foster,the last book in the Flinx series,it ties up all the remaining plot threads (including Clarity Held, Flinx's true love, whom he marries at the end of the book). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Checkmate Posted July 9, 2010 Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... I finished Turn Coat in the Harry Desden series. I was less annoyed than usual (Jim Butcher must have read this thread and my complaints about explaining everything every time it happens), and was definitely one of my favorites of the series. I find myself of mixed feelings on the series of late. I like seeing Harry get more powerful and learning from his mistakes (and triumphs), I sort of miss the destitute P.I sitting in his office hoping for a PAYING client to walk in. The episodic aspect of the books are getting to me too. I wouldn't mind if one of his cases lasted 2 books or even 3 just to make the intrigue a little deeper. Part of my problem may be that I've only recently gotten into the books so I've read the entire series almost back to back. If I had read them when they first came out and had to wait for the next, it may not be as bothersome to me. P.S. Murphy STILL doesn't have the damn sword. Just give it to her already Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hermit Posted July 9, 2010 Report Share Posted July 9, 2010 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... The trilogy has already been mentioned in this thread, but thus far I am enjoying The Obsidian Trilogy by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory quite a great deal. I'm near the end of Book 2 ("To Light a Candle") and it has been a while since I've devoured one novel after the other like this. I find myself hoping Cilnaren will be okay at the end of all this given what was done to him. Kellen is a likable hero, and snarky unicorns are pretty awesome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Checkmate Posted July 10, 2010 Report Share Posted July 10, 2010 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... The trilogy has already been mentioned in this thread' date=' but thus far I am enjoying [i']The Obsidian Trilogy[/i] by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory quite a great deal. I'm near the end of Book 2 ("To Light a Candle") and it has been a while since I've devoured one novel after the other like this. I find myself hoping Cilnaren will be okay at the end of all this given what was done to him. Kellen is a likable hero, and snarky unicorns are pretty awesome I read the first book of the trilogy that comes after The Obsidian Trilogy (the Phoenix something or other I think it is), and thoroughly enjoyed that book. It wasn't until I was looking for the second book of that series that I realized there was a series before it so I read the first book of The Obsidian Trilogy, and enjoyed that one too. I haven't had the time to sit down and finish the series (I can tear through a Dresden Files book in short order) but those will definitely be my next stop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
csyphrett Posted July 10, 2010 Report Share Posted July 10, 2010 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... I have some blatant spam here. I used Create Space to publish a fantasy western called Gunfighter's Ride under my real name Carl Syphrett. It's listed at Amazon and B&N CES Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vondy Posted August 30, 2010 Report Share Posted August 30, 2010 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Not fantasy. Its historical, but.... SPQR I: The King's Gambit, by John Maddox Roberts. Its a historical mystery set in the roman republic (caius julius caesar is still a young man), and follows Senator Decius Caecilius Metellus as he investigates a murder that may have geopolitical reprecussions for the Republic. Its the first in an ongoing series. Its well written. Decius is a believable-enough Roman, albeit tailored to be sympathetic to a modern reader. Maddox has the milueu and hisoty essentially correct. I heartily recommend it. My only gripe is that he can't make up his mind about using latin terms for things, which, in my mind, is inconsistent and sometimes jars one out of the milieu. For instance, he uses many latin terms with descriptions slid in, but then turns around and calls the main character a "commissioner" on the "council of twenty six." I understand not calling it the Vigintisexviri, which is hard to pronounce, but it translates as the college of twenty six, and it wasn't populated by commissioners, but by magistratus minores - ergo, magistrates. The magistrates responsible for polcing were called tresviri capitales or nocturni. This is a nitpick, really, but it was occassionally jolting. Commisioner sounds like a modern police muckety-muck, which doesn't fit ancient rome very well. Still, great book. I'm looking forward to reading the next one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddHat Posted August 30, 2010 Report Share Posted August 30, 2010 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Just re-read "Soon I Will Be Invincible". I know it has been talked about on the board before, but I thought I'd plug it again. A very good Superhero novel, a Silver/Bronze Age Villain facing a team of Iron Age Heroes in a Superhero world that as a Champions GM I'm tempted to stat out. Villain as angry, bullied nerd; Heroes as the popular kids with their own less obvious pain. Some bits of the world background were excellent, some of the themes explored didn't work for me. Still consider it well worth reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted August 30, 2010 Report Share Posted August 30, 2010 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Just re-read "Soon I Will Be Invincible". I know it has been talked about on the board before' date=' but I thought I'd plug it again. A very good Superhero novel, a Silver/Bronze Age Villain facing a team of Iron Age Heroes in a Superhero world that as a Champions GM I'm tempted to stat out. Villain as angry, bullied nerd; Heroes as the popular kids with their own less obvious pain. Some bits of the world background were excellent, some of the themes explored didn't work for me. Still consider it well worth reading.[/quote'] I still think the villain's name for his condition that gives him a 300 IQ is great... if I recall what it is. I'll use that in any future superhero gaming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OddHat Posted August 30, 2010 Report Share Posted August 30, 2010 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... I still think the villain's name for his condition that gives him a 300 IQ is great... if I recall what it is. I'll use that in any future superhero gaming. Malign Hypercognition Disorder; true Super Geniuses tend to become Evil, presumably because they can't stand the thought of being told what to do by monkeys. Sort of the reaction every kid with a 150+ IQ has the first time he sees his own test results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susano Posted August 30, 2010 Report Share Posted August 30, 2010 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... That's it! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RexMundi Posted August 30, 2010 Report Share Posted August 30, 2010 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Just bulled through the Cobra Trilogy and the Blackcollar books by Timothy Zahn .......Shame the dudes Starwars Stuff isn't written at this level, heh. ~Rex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirgos Posted August 30, 2010 Report Share Posted August 30, 2010 Re: What Fantasy/Sci-Fi book have you just finished? Please rate it... Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist - absolutely superb! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.