|
SFL Archives 1997 is where die-hard Star Trek fans turn en masse against Majel Barrett Roddenberry for heavily promoting the upcoming 1997 premiere of Earth Final Conflict; a not-Star Trek science-fiction tv series. Even the person that wrote 9000 words back in March 1997 melting the gently caress down over Lee Goldberg's Beyond the Beyond sff novel taking liberties with Gene Roddenberry/Majel Barrett/the feelings of hardcore Star Trek fans does a complete 180 degree attitude change and now agrees heavily with things in Beyond the Beyond they spent 9000 words screaming madly about 4 months ago. SFL Archives 1997 is also when book 2 of Phil Pullman's Golden Compass series comes out, and the Subtle Knife has started to melt the minds of the people discussing it. Ever since Volume 1 SFLer's have always loved discussing YA stories/children's movies and SFLer's who discussed the Narnia series managed to have some weird takes; however Pullmans mix of scifi and technology AND Narnia elements in the Golden Compass series are something certain people can't handle and are growing extremely verbose about. Only 3.5 years left to go in the SFL Archives readthrough. Think I've been able to remain pretty neutral on stuff in my recap summaries, even though it's getting harder and harder to read certain authors getting religiously worshipped anytime they come up.
|
#
?
Jul 30, 2021 20:06
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 31, 2024 18:21 |
|
|
quantumfoam posted:SFL Archives 1997 is also when book 2 of Phil Pullman's Golden Compass series comes out, and the Subtle Knife has started to melt the minds of the people discussing it. Ever since Volume 1 SFLer's have always loved discussing YA stories/children's movies and SFLer's who discussed the Narnia series managed to have some weird takes; however Pullmans mix of scifi and technology AND Narnia elements in the Golden Compass series are something certain people can't handle and are growing extremely verbose about. This is really funny to me since I remember reading these as a kid and thought the technology/magic mix was pretty cool. But given that I was a child (like 10 or so?) I'm sure I had few-to-no preconceived notions regarding genre conventions. I wanted my own daemon so bad though.
|
|
#
?
Jul 30, 2021 20:31
|
|
|
Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City by KJ Parker - $2.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078W5M7DB/
|
|
#
?
Jul 30, 2021 22:49
|
|
|
DurianGray posted:This is really funny to me since I remember reading these as a kid and thought the technology/magic mix was pretty cool. But given that I was a child (like 10 or so?) I'm sure I had few-to-no preconceived notions regarding genre conventions. I wanted my own daemon so bad though. I'm in my 30's and I still want my own daemon.
|
|
#
?
Jul 31, 2021 01:26
|
|
|
Khizan posted:I'm in my 30's and I still want my own daemon. 
|
|
#
?
Jul 31, 2021 13:08
|
|
|
Khizan posted:I'm in my 30's and I still want my own daemon. Yep
|
|
#
?
Aug 1, 2021 04:00
|
|
|
SimonChris posted:I read the first Prince of Nothing book, and there was indeed some cool stuff in there, but holy poo poo what a bunch of irredeemable assholes that I absolutely did not want to hang out with for any more books. When the insane rapist barbarian is the most sympathetic person in your book, something has clearly gone wrong. It's interesting (but not surprising) to see Bakker's books slowly growing to an archvillain in the modern fantasy canon. I mean, there is something for everyone to hate about this series, whether you bounced off the first one for one of the 13 million reasons people have outlined in this thread or if you slogged it out to the final chapter in hope of pulling a diamond from the rough only to realise everyone's hosed and the world has been irreversibly doomed from page 1 of the first novel, oh and to get to this point you had to read through 500k words containing some of the most uncomfortable rape/torture/other weird poo poo scenes in fantasy! It is a series that despises it's reader no matter how much effort you pile into understanding it or enjoying it. I think what's interesting is that the Prince of Nothing series remains slightly more relevant than other bad or generally disliked fantasy. Woven into the absurdity, the insanity, the unnecessary focus on rape, irredeemable characters, pretentiousness, yada yada, there are the shards of some really interesting ideas that in the right concoction could have been assembled into something far better. My personal favourite was Bakkers 'elves' (ie Nonmen), which lived forever and were powerful magic users, capable of holding off the main baddies for a while before being beaten back by a fertility plague. When our 'heroes' go to recruit them to help with the current crisis, it turns out that immortality isn't such a great thing, and they have all gone more or less insane and / or are trapped in memories and sorrows from their past and are just as prone to wanting to kill off humanity as the current bad-guy threat. I'll always have a personal soft spot for the series just for being so far out there, even though I know it hates me and wants me to suffer.
|
|
#
?
Aug 1, 2021 10:01
|
|
|
Read a couple of fantasy books this week. Mike Brooks the god king chronicles. Very generic low epic fantasy that stands apart for some very progressive gender and sexual politics. Also knights ride dinosaurs. Not bad, not overly memorable. The coward by Steven Aryan. Kind of liked this one. Read the new Becky chambers too. She's really mastered the art of books where nothing happens but you just enjoy the space.
|
|
#
?
Aug 1, 2021 10:53
|
|
|
Sheriff Falc posted:
Which is funny because that bit is a complete rip off of Viriconium.
|
|
#
?
Aug 1, 2021 15:09
|
|
|
Red Moon by Kim Stanley Robinson - $2.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079L5PTZS/ The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms (Inheritance #1) by NK Jemisin - $2.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002ZDJZO2/ Wireless by Charles Stross - $4.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002AU7MEK/ Night Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko - $1.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DB3FSNW/ Space Opera by Catherynne M Valente - $1.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074ZJQT6P/ The Grace of Kings (Dandelion Dynasty #1) by Ken Liu - $1.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KU4O1CY/ Dragon Keeper (Rain Wilds Chronicles #1) by Robin Hobb - $1.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00338QEUG/ Sharp Ends (First Law) by Joe Abercrombie - $2.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013HA6W92/ pradmer fucked around with this message at 17:22 on Aug 1, 2021 |
|
#
?
Aug 1, 2021 17:16
|
|
|
Sheriff Falc posted:It's interesting (but not surprising) to see Bakker's books slowly growing to an archvillain in the modern fantasy canon. Well put. For good and bad, Bakker wrote a pretty unique story. For me, the series is insane and absurd and following the series was like watching a train crash in slow motion where you absolutely had to know how it ended. I would read a new series if it ever appears, but I guess that has the same chance as GRRM finishing Asoiaf.
|
|
#
?
Aug 1, 2021 18:04
|
|
|
I enjoyed the descriptions of the different factions of the crusade (especially that first big engagement), the fake romans and different schools of magic but that was about it.
|
|
#
?
Aug 2, 2021 19:02
|
|
|
I just finished She Who Became the Sun and it's probably the best fantasy book I've read in the past years. Just very well executed, combining a fast pace with good character development. Let me just quote a bit from James Davis Nicoli's review: https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/this-glorious-quest quote:Among many details marking this as fantasy, elements that in our world are generally considered figures of speech are observable phenomena in Sun. The evidence in the book says the Prince of Radiance is exactly who he claims to be and when the text asserts this person or that person has the Mandate of Heaven, it is because they can manifest the Mandate as a supernatural aura, rather than leaving observers to deduce it from their military and political victories.
|
|
#
?
Aug 2, 2021 22:00
|
|
|
The Powder Mage Trilogy: Promise of Blood, The Crimson Campaign, The Autumn Republic by Brian McClellan - $6.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NZNTK6V/ Germline (Subterrene War #1) by TC McCarthy - $0.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0047Y16NU/ Countdown City (Last Policeman #2) by Ben H Winters - $2.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B6OV90E/ World of Trouble (Last Policeman #3) by Ben H Winters - $2.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HXYHVNU/ Another big KJ Parker sale. Shadow (Scavenger #1) - $2.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B3VX3TA/ Pattern (Scavenger #2) - $1.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B3VX3Y0/ Memory (Scavenger #3) - $1.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B3VX3T0/ The Two of Swords: Volume Two - $1.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06Y5685GX/ The Folding Knife - $1.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0035IICZO/ The Hammer - $1.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0047Y0FDM/ Sharps - $1.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005WK2ZXS/
|
|
#
?
Aug 2, 2021 22:35
|
|
|
Walh Hara posted:I just finished She Who Became the Sun and it's probably the best fantasy book I've read in the past years. Just very well executed, combining a fast pace with good character development. Finished this last night and also enjoyed it a lot. Ouyang was the standout character for me, but there wasn't a single POV I disliked.
|
|
#
?
Aug 2, 2021 23:36
|
|
|
pradmer posted:
|
|
#
?
Aug 3, 2021 10:32
|
|
|
anilEhilated posted:So, Parker's heavily-thread-recommended short story collections are not on Amazon? of course they are
|
|
#
?
Aug 3, 2021 10:40
|
|
|
Maybe not on the US one or Kindle, then.
|
|
#
?
Aug 3, 2021 11:15
|
|
|
anilEhilated posted:So, Parker's heavily-thread-recommended short story collections are not on Amazon? I don't think it's how you meant it but I love the irritation that comes through in this post. YOU PEOPLE recommended something and it isn't even ON AMAZON?!
|
|
#
?
Aug 3, 2021 12:32
|
|
|
Weird, I own kindle versions of both of Parker’s short story collections but searching at the moment I can only find the Subterranean press hardcovers of his collections. I wonder if my copies have disappeared from kindle or this is just a temporary Amazon glitch? Edit: The versions on my Kindle still exist but when I click the “See in store” button nothing happens. Weird. Ccs fucked around with this message at 13:54 on Aug 3, 2021 |
|
#
?
Aug 3, 2021 13:49
|
|
|
Works for me. https://www.amazon.com/Father-Lies-K-J-Parker/dp/1596068523 This link doesn't work for you?
|
|
#
?
Aug 3, 2021 14:38
|
|
|
A Proper Uppercut posted:Works for me. The only format that's showing up on that link is the hardcover special edition for $44, not the Kindle one. In other Parker news I finished Devices and Desires, the first in the Engineer trilogy. It's good! It's better than the first Fencer book, and a lot more captivating than the first book in Scavengers, which I didn't even bother to finish. It's Parker's last big trilogy that started his career in grim fantasy, so it makes sense it would be the strongest. After that he started writing a bunch of shorter self contained books until The Two of Swords. I hear the second book suffers a bit from slowdown but I'm invested enough in the world and the characters that I'm going to finish the trilogy.
|
|
#
?
Aug 3, 2021 14:59
|
|
|
Ccs posted:The only format that's showing up on that link is the hardcover special edition for $44, not the Kindle one. Kindle edition shows up fine for me. Maybe they implemented some “don’t show the option to buy on Kindle a Kindle book the person already owns” logic?
|
|
#
?
Aug 3, 2021 16:49
|
|
|
Kalman posted:Kindle edition shows up fine for me. Maybe they implemented some “don’t show the option to buy on Kindle a Kindle book the person already owns” logic? I don't own the Parker book and can see the Kindle option. I checked the pages for some other stuff I already own and the kindle options are still there but it has a green "read now" button instead of "buy now." (In the US fwiw)
|
|
#
?
Aug 3, 2021 16:56
|
|
|
This sucks, Daw (or Penguin) has dropped Michelle West and won't be publishing the rest of her Essalieyan series. She's been my favorite author since I read the Broken Crown years ago, and while the last two House War books were a bit bloated I was looking forward to seeing where she went with the story. Sounds like she has set up a Patreon to see if she can self publish the remaining books. https://michellesagara.com/state-of-the-author-july-2021-edition-ending-an-era/
|
|
#
?
Aug 3, 2021 17:25
|
|
|
Kalman posted:Kindle edition shows up fine for me. Maybe they implemented some “don’t show the option to buy on Kindle a Kindle book the person already owns” logic? I don't think so, I logged out and it still only shows hardcover. Must be an amazon glitch. This happened a month or so ago to all the books listed through KDP, 90% of self published books disappeared from the store for 48 hours. Guessing this is happening to other books in other territories too and Amazon should fix it fairly soon as it'll be impacting their revenue. I can find the second short story collection through a google search, but I can't find Academic Exercises. If I try to copy the naming convention by added "-ebook" to the end of the Academic Exercises page, I get a notice that its out of stock. https://www.amazon.com/Father-Lies-K-J-Parker-ebook/dp/B0789SY9MR Ccs fucked around with this message at 17:43 on Aug 3, 2021 |
|
#
?
Aug 3, 2021 17:40
|
|
|
A Proper Uppercut posted:Works for me. I own that book on Kindle, but the link above works for me, and I see it listed as $6.99 for the Kindle edition. This link shows me Academic Exercises for Kindle (which I also own, also at $6.99): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00M6BXQVQ/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_448KP15R5Y47NCJ2RYAG Strongly recommend both, if anyone is interested in reading Parker. I've liked these best of the things I've read by him.
|
|
#
?
Aug 3, 2021 18:21
|
|
|
I don't have either and the links only show very expensive hardcovers, so results may vary.
anilEhilated fucked around with this message at 18:31 on Aug 3, 2021 |
|
#
?
Aug 3, 2021 18:29
|
|
|
anilEhilated posted:I don't have either and the links only show very expensive hardcovers, so results may vary. https://www.amazon.com/Father-Lies-K-J-Parker-ebook/dp/B0789SY9MR/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= That should be only a link to the ebook. See if that works.
|
|
#
?
Aug 3, 2021 18:51
|
|
|
Nope, $45 hardcover.
|
|
#
?
Aug 3, 2021 19:39
|
|
|
tiniestacorn posted:Finished this last night and also enjoyed it a lot. Ouyang was the standout character for me, but there wasn't a single POV I disliked. Yeah, but I especially liked his interactions with Lord Wang. I actually found it quite impressive how she wrote Lord Wang: every POV around him hates him and he's always described negatively, but he's still a sympathetic character and you can totally understand why he's such a prick.
|
|
#
?
Aug 3, 2021 19:41
|
|
|
anilEhilated posted:Nope, $45 hardcover. Something weird on your end. US?
|
|
#
?
Aug 3, 2021 19:53
|
|
|
torgeaux posted:Something weird on your end. US?
|
|
#
?
Aug 3, 2021 20:24
|
|
|
Finished Savages late last night and then promptly dreamed an alternate ending - Orsella had forged all the information on the Goida attack on the vesani and in fact the Goida didn't exist. Spent at least quarter of an hour convinced that was how the book had ended until i had to go and check because it didn't quite make sense. So I think that's every Parker novel done now over the last halfyear - quite a ride. The feverdream effect of reusing countries and places and cultures over and over really grew on me, it started growing into the same feeling I get when I pick random history books from the shelf and discover a new period in some real-world country I hadn't encountered before. I'm about 90% sure now that there is no coherent timeline or map to be picked out from the books and there are deliberate contradictions.
|
|
#
?
Aug 3, 2021 21:34
|
|
|
gently caress!  Now I look like an even bigger dummy.
|
|
#
?
Aug 3, 2021 21:37
|
|
|
xiw posted:Finished Savages late last night and then promptly dreamed an alternate ending - Orsella had forged all the information on the Goida attack on the vesani and in fact the Goida didn't exist. Yeah I thought Savages and The Folding Knife were both set in the same world but it's unclear. Savages is like a greatest hits of reused place names. Even Perimadeia gets a small shout out, which isn't usually referenced in later Parker. I like your alternate take. Orsella was ridiculously competent and there was something off about the Goida, were they horse archers or seafaring raiders? Different groups seemed to have different ideas about them, the only consistent being that they were a threat. Ccs fucked around with this message at 21:50 on Aug 3, 2021 |
|
#
?
Aug 3, 2021 21:48
|
|
|
Any recommendations for Fantasy-Horror novels or series that ebb more on the fantasy side than the horror side? To phrase myself a little more clearly I guess I am looking for fantasy (sword and sorcery) with generally horrific themes rather than horror novels which also involve themes of magical realism or magic in the everyday. I guess a good (but not ironclad) dividing line would be works which are set entirely in a fictional universe or alternate history as opposed to ones set in our universe. Stuff similar in terms of mood to the Dark Tower series and Between Two Fires is what I think I'm looking for. Also keen to hear your takes on sci fi similar to the above, though it's less difficult to find sci fi that fits this specific niche. I thought Carrier Wave was great, for example - at least I think that counts as sci fi.
|
|
#
?
Aug 4, 2021 10:55
|
|
|
Sheriff Falc posted:Any recommendations for Fantasy-Horror novels or series that ebb more on the fantasy side than the horror side? Hmm. Have you tried Bakker? 
|
|
#
?
Aug 4, 2021 13:48
|
|
|
Sheriff Falc posted:Any recommendations for Fantasy-Horror novels or series that ebb more on the fantasy side than the horror side? Hmm. If you haven't read it yet, the Coldfire Trilogy seems pretty close to this.
|
|
#
?
Aug 4, 2021 14:24
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 31, 2024 18:21 |
|
|
Gideon the Ninth is kinda fantasy/scifi/horror all mixed together. Tim Powers' stuff would fit in the alt history/horror category I think. A Proper Uppercut fucked around with this message at 14:31 on Aug 4, 2021 |
|
#
?
Aug 4, 2021 14:29
|
|