|
Olesh posted:It really strongly reminded me of the earlier portions of Gideon the Ninth. I picked it up a couple of hours ago on the basis of this recommendation and I'll be keeping an eye out for the sequel. It also reminded me a little bit of Sunshine by Robin McKinley in a good way.
|
#
?
Oct 10, 2020 15:42
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 29, 2024 07:48 |
|
|
Aurora by Kim Stanley Robinson - $2.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NERQRPI/ Theft of Swords (Riyria Revelations #1) by Michael J Sullivan - $2.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004XWBUKK/
|
|
#
?
Oct 10, 2020 18:52
|
|
|
The second Baru Cormorant book is really hard to get into. I'm half way through it and it's just washing over me and through me.
|
|
#
?
Oct 11, 2020 05:37
|
|
|
Lpzie posted:The second Baru Cormorant book is really hard to get into. I'm half way through it and it's just washing over me and through me. Same but its apparently worth it according to the thread so I am pushing through.
|
|
#
?
Oct 11, 2020 05:57
|
|
|
It kind of sucks imo, structural and pacing mess.
|
|
#
?
Oct 11, 2020 05:59
|
|
|
I'm packing the house for moving and I found my old copy of Last of The Sky Pirates, one of the Edge Chronicle books. Did anyone else read these as a child? I think they were one of the founding influences of my love of fantasy and flicking through them now and seeing the illustrations gave me such a vivid jolt of nostalgia. I don't think I have the rest of them any more but I'm sort of tempted to buy the full set again since they're definitely going to be better in physical copies due to the illustrations. Just such an inventive and we'll realised world.
|
|
#
?
Oct 11, 2020 19:07
|
|
|
Lpzie posted:The second Baru Cormorant book is really hard to get into. I'm half way through it and it's just washing over me and through me. The same happened to me, I guess yo may have started it right after the first one, which makes the differencs even more stark. There are some good passages, but yeah, it may be the rougher of the three. The meandering flashbacks and other parts make it drag. BUT it's totally worth it!
|
|
#
?
Oct 11, 2020 21:52
|
|
|
General Battuta posted:It kind of sucks imo, structural and pacing mess. Your problem is that you put all the best stuff in the second half. The book's problem is that the second half is now known as "volume 3". This was not foreseeable, though, so don't beat yourself over the head with a big stick.
|
|
#
?
Oct 11, 2020 22:02
|
|
|
I liked Baru 2: hot dates. It flows better if you read it with book 3 for sure, I have reread it just before 3 and it was a pretty good build up.
|
|
#
?
Oct 11, 2020 22:19
|
|
|
I'm still in the middle of my re-read, but the "Baru ruins the Llosydanes' day" segment is one of my favourite bits in any fantasy novel. General B posted:By sundown she owned a restaurant and a flophouse, the Fiat Bank branch by the docks was on fire, and two pirate captains were dueling for her hand as she sold prostitutes in lots of half a hundred.
|
|
#
?
Oct 11, 2020 22:28
|
|
|
cptn_dr posted:I'm still in the middle of my re-read, but the "Baru ruins the Llosydanes' day" segment is one of my favourite bits in any fantasy novel. Middle books often lag, but at least Baru 2 is better than The Two Towers.
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2020 00:52
|
|
|
mllaneza posted:Middle books often lag, but at least Baru 2 is better than The Two Towers. I'm still a bit upset Tom Bombadil was left out of Baru 1.
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2020 01:38
|
|
|
cptn_dr posted:I'm still in the middle of my re-read, but the "Baru ruins the Llosydanes' day" segment is one of my favourite bits in any fantasy novel. That is hands-down the best part of the book IMO, because we get to see Baru doing the thing we - or at least I - expected and wanted from her in books 2 and 3, but get precious little of. Which I suppose means my expectations for the series were unrealistic, or intentionally subverted. They're very good books, I just still wonder what the series would look like if everything after book 1 took place in Falcrest instead of the extended seagoing field trip.
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2020 01:52
|
|
|
Baru 2 begins and ends well which, in my opinion, is the most important thing. The middle dragged a little but there were enough fun or interesting bits through out that my attention never quite waned. Baru 1 and Baru 3 are much better, however.
|
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2020 01:54
|
|
|
minema posted:I'm packing the house for moving and I found my old copy of Last of The Sky Pirates, one of the Edge Chronicle books. Did anyone else read these as a child? I think they were one of the founding influences of my love of fantasy and flicking through them now and seeing the illustrations gave me such a vivid jolt of nostalgia. I don't think I have the rest of them any more but I'm sort of tempted to buy the full set again since they're definitely going to be better in physical copies due to the illustrations. Just such an inventive and we'll realised world. Yeah I loved those! Such a vivid and cool setting. I loved how horrifying and hosed up everything was.
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2020 02:05
|
|
|
I've been reading a lot of bad books lately. Thread, recommend me your best or favorites in SF/F. I'm not going to list what I like because I wouldn't mind going outside my comfort zone or usual suggestions.
|
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2020 02:14
|
|
|
Milkfred E. Moore posted:I've been reading a lot of bad books lately. Thread, recommend me your best or favorites in SF/F. I'm not going to list what I like because I wouldn't mind going outside my comfort zone or usual suggestions. Janny Wurts To Ride Hell's Chasm (fantasy; princess goes missing night before a betrothal announcement, thriller stuff ensues) CJ Cherryh's Pride of Chanur (sci-fi; alien lion merchants wind up with a stowaway alien and alien politics ensue) Julie E Czerneda's Survival (sci-fi; salmon researcher is kidnapped from her salmon job to find out why alien worlds are going extinct randomly) Phyllis Gotlieb's A Judgement of Dragons (sci-fi; linked anthology of short stories about space cats trying to convince the human federation to take them in so they'll have food imports) Andrew Skinner's Steel Frame (giant robots in space) Kristine Smith's Code of Conduct (sci-fi; fugitive lady is brought back to earth to solve a murder, is drawn back into space politics and revolves about human integration with an alien species maybe) Michelle Sagara's Cast in Shadow (fantasy; lady cop in a city ruled by a dragon has to solve serial murders of children)
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2020 02:27
|
|
|
Milkfred E. Moore posted:I've been reading a lot of bad books lately. Thread, recommend me your best or favorites in SF/F. I'm not going to list what I like because I wouldn't mind going outside my comfort zone or usual suggestions. All of Joe Abercrombie and Susanna Clarke’s books (she only has three). After that things get harder to recommend. I liked KJ Parker’s short story collections a lot, especially Academic Exercises. I also enjoyed Lev Grossmans Magicians trilogy, though the second one has some distasteful decisions. And the Baru books.
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2020 02:46
|
|
|
Milkfred E. Moore posted:I've been reading a lot of bad books lately. Thread, recommend me your best or favorites in SF/F. I'm not going to list what I like because I wouldn't mind going outside my comfort zone or usual suggestions. "new" authors I like the most include Hannu Rajenami, Joe Abercrombie, Ted Chiang, and KJ Parker.
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2020 02:53
|
|
|
StrixNebulosa posted:Andrew Skinner's Steel Frame (giant robots in space) I had major issues putting this book down it was so good, the atmosphere of the story, even the chain-gang at the start of the book was amazing. StrixNebulosa posted:Kristine Smith's Code of Conduct (sci-fi; fugitive lady is brought back to earth to solve a murder, is drawn back into space politics and revolves about human integration with an alien species maybe) The first book of this series appears to be on sale (0.99). https://www.amazon.com/Code-Conduct-Jani-Kilian-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B0188C70P4
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2020 03:18
|
|
|
Considering starting Ninefox Gambit tonight. Can anyone swat my hand real quick if this is a bad idea?
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2020 03:55
|
|
|
I think the general consensus is that it's good. Haven't read it yet myself though.
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2020 04:04
|
|
|
cptn_dr posted:I'm still in the middle of my re-read, but the "Baru ruins the Llosydanes' day" segment is one of my favourite bits in any fantasy novel. I've forgotten most of Baru 2 and I'm currently reading Baru 3 but yeah I agree that was a wonderful part of 2's story
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2020 04:10
|
|
|
^burtle posted:Considering starting Ninefox Gambit tonight. Can anyone swat my hand real quick if this is a bad idea? I personally didn't much care for it, but it at least starts interesting. So start reading it and if you don't like it you can always stop.
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2020 04:11
|
|
|
mewse posted:I've forgotten most of Baru 2 and I'm currently reading Baru 3 but yeah I agree that was a wonderful part of 2's story IMO "Baru and Tau-indi escape a sinking ship" is one of the single best scenes in the series, but yeah the Llosydanes arc is a lot of fun.
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2020 04:20
|
|
|
Milkfred E. Moore posted:I've been reading a lot of bad books lately. Thread, recommend me your best or favorites in SF/F. I'm not going to list what I like because I wouldn't mind going outside my comfort zone or usual suggestions. Fun/rollicking/page-turning adventures: - The Golden Globe by John Varley - The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell - The Railhead trilogy by Philip Reeve (YA) - House of Suns and Pushing Ice by Alastair Reynolds - Replay by Ken Grimwood - The Magicians trilogy by Lev Grossman - The First 15 Lives of Harry August by Claire North Serious, thoughtful literature (not that the above isn't that also, necessarily; I guess these are just "slower" books?): - Aurora by Kim Stanley Robinson - Eifelheim by Michael Flynn - Riddley Walker by Russell Hoban - Dark Eden by Chris Beckett - Under the Skin by Michel Faber
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2020 04:41
|
|
|
Pervis posted:
I didn't mind the first one and second was ok but the series becomes a bureaucratic who-dunnit about alien document certification. Which i did like but the other major theme is about human alien hybridisation and consent. which actually i liked too. Somehow though i started to hate the series somewhere around book three, i think i read them all but it's been awhile.
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2020 05:11
|
|
|
^burtle posted:Considering starting Ninefox Gambit tonight. Can anyone swat my hand real quick if this is a bad idea? Ninefox Gambit is good, read it. You should know going in that this is a fantasy book that happens to involve spaceships. The tech is effectively magic.
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2020 05:17
|
|
|
Urcher posted:Ninefox Gambit is good, read it. You should know going in that this is a fantasy book that happens to involve spaceships. The tech is effectively magic. Also, an important characters reputation being based on winning a battle despite being grossly outnumbered... is toned down from an actual naval battle in Korean history. It has spaceships and a cool "magic" system, plus lots of plotting and intrigue. What's not to like ?
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2020 06:05
|
|
|
tiniestacorn posted:IMO "Baru and Tau-indi escape a sinking ship" is one of the single best scenes in the series, but yeah the Llosydanes arc is a lot of fun. I'm rereading Monster before I start Tyrant and this is where I am right now. The whole Llosydanes section feels like it could work in another universe as a fun, light-hearted heist novel. Right until the attack on the Morrow Ministry station starts and "Faham" decides he needs to execute the prisoners. Definitely worth rereading for me. There's so much going on that it's hard to pick it all up the first time through. It's fun to think about all the other people who have their own plans. Every pawn in someone's game is a king/queen in their own game.
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2020 06:23
|
|
|
mllaneza posted:Also, an important characters reputation being based on winning a battle despite being grossly outnumbered... is toned down from an actual naval battle in Korean history. It has spaceships and a cool "magic" system, plus lots of plotting and intrigue. What's not to like ? Oh, so what's the battle/character in the book based on, in Korean history IRL? Just curious about that now that you've mentioned it, is all! I'll have to take a look at some of the other books on the lists provided too, since I'm in a similar situation to Milkfred
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2020 06:33
|
|
|
The naval battle between Korea and Japan that Korea won despite being heavily outnumbered is Myeongnyang.
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2020 07:07
|
|
|
Milkfred E. Moore posted:I've been reading a lot of bad books lately. Thread, recommend me your best or favorites in SF/F. I'm not going to list what I like because I wouldn't mind going outside my comfort zone or usual suggestions. ^burtle posted:Considering starting Ninefox Gambit tonight. Can anyone swat my hand real quick if this is a bad idea? It’s a good book!
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2020 07:26
|
|
|
Ok Piranesi is a perfect little gem of a book, polished like a shell on the sand
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2020 07:41
|
|
|
Shout out to whoever recommended Spiderlight by Adrian Tchaikovsky ages ago, it’s really good. Incidentally I once wrote AT a brief fan message along the lines of “I liked your books and well done for getting out of lawyering”, back when he was profiled in The Lawyer magazine and he sent a nice message back. So a good guy all around as far as I can tell.
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2020 10:06
|
|
|
tildes posted:Anne Leckie’s Ancillary series is super good. Avoid Provenance though, which is a standalone set in a different part of the same universe. Incredibly boring and pointless.
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2020 10:14
|
|
|
Most writers are pretty good about responding to a nice email - I had an exchange with Alastair Reynolds a decade ago when he was writing the Revelation Space books
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2020 11:33
|
|
|
Milkfred E. Moore posted:I've been reading a lot of bad books lately. Thread, recommend me your best or favorites in SF/F. I'm not going to list what I like because I wouldn't mind going outside my comfort zone or usual suggestions. Finity's End by CJ Cherryh Watership Down by Richard Adams Always Coming Home by Ursula K LeGuin The Dark Tower by Stephen King - first 3 books are the best
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2020 12:40
|
|
|
Angrymog posted:Avoid Provenance though, which is a standalone set in a different part of the same universe. Incredibly boring and pointless. It's definitely not as good as the Ancillary trilogy but I didn't regret reading it, personally. I thought it was sort of a cozy/charming heist-y story, and I liked the worldbuilding (the culture(s) in it are totally different from the Radch). I think it's worth checking out if you REALLY dig the Radch books, but yeah, it's definitely not the same.
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2020 13:31
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 29, 2024 07:48 |
|
|
HopperUK posted:The Dark Tower by Stephen King - first 3 books are the best Gosh I remember the end of the Waste Land being so good. Also amazing he wrote Eight Books before he resolved it.
|
|
#
?
Oct 12, 2020 13:35
|
|