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Re: What Are You Reading?

Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2022 10:35 pm
by Talanall
It was deliberate. Erikson worked on this in chunks, covering a swath of action that took place with the Bridgeburners, then some stuff that happened simultaneously on a different continent, and then a third set of events that was happening at the same time as the first two, but which is being told as a flashback. And then he came in and started drawing all three of these disparate plot threads together for the denouement.

He does not provide much in the way of scaffolding to help put any of this stuff in context. He makes some very serious demands of his readers, by the standards of fantasy novelists.

Re: What Are You Reading?

Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2022 1:54 am
by Darker
I started reading or listening to ARCs and after I got a decent amount of sources secured, I typically don't get books anywhere else. Nothing cheaper than free after all. It's been interesting because I've been sent stuff that I normally wouldn't take a second look at and have found some gems that were really great that aren't well known. And most of my favorite authors will send me stuff before or right when it's published to read, so its a good mix of favorite and new stuff.

Re: What Are You Reading?

Posted: Fri Apr 22, 2022 8:19 pm
by catalyst
I'm fortunate to live within walking distance of our local library. Most of my books come from there these days (need space on the bookshelves for Board Games!)

Re: What Are You Reading?

Posted: Mon May 02, 2022 8:42 pm
by catalyst
I have started reading Black Leopard Red Wolf for the second time. The first time, I quit before finishing. Why is this book such a struggle?

Re: What Are You Reading?

Posted: Fri May 06, 2022 6:34 pm
by Talanall
Black Leopard Red Wolf is on my to-read list. I'll be interested to hear your impressions, if you make it through.

Re: What Are You Reading?

Posted: Sun May 08, 2022 4:14 am
by catalyst
I didn't finish, it went back to the library. This book is hard to read. I believe intentionally so. The story meanders all over the place, and it's mostly told through conversations, with little description to help you place the characters in the scenes. It's also incredibly sexually graphic, but not in a fun, sexy way. More in a "ew, who thought this shit up?" sort of way. Anyway, it's queer afro-fantasy, and I'm sure it gets a lot of points for that, but I did not find it enjoyable enough to keep reading.

Re: What Are You Reading?

Posted: Thu May 12, 2022 8:48 pm
by catalyst
Just finished Children of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky. Great read. Without giving too much away, the book has two main storylines, which meet a few times: one, a crew of humans on a colony ship who travel for hundreds of years at a time in stasis pods, and the second, a race of uplifted spiders accidentally created during a terraforming project. The storyline follows the evolution of the spiders from primitive hunters into an advanced civilization, while the humans struggle to find a place to live. I highly recommend it.

Re: What Are You Reading?

Posted: Fri May 13, 2022 12:01 pm
by Talanall
I have yet to read anything by that guy that hasn't been stunning. There's a very loose sequel to it that follows the uplift of a planet of octopuses.

Re: What Are You Reading?

Posted: Tue May 17, 2022 2:54 am
by HVB
I spent this past year reading all of the Malazan books. I enjoyed them up until the ending which I could not quite wrap my head around, so that was a bit unfulfilling...I tried reading the Ian Esslemont books also set in the same world, but gave up partway through the 2nd one.

I am a fan of the First Law series and recently found out that there is another trilogy which I have yet to read, so I am excited to check those out.

I have a background in anthropology and sociology, so books along those lines interest me. On that note, anytime I can find a book from the perspective of someone who has managed to escape from North Korea, I always pick it up.

Re: What Are You Reading?

Posted: Tue May 17, 2022 3:55 pm
by Talanall
Autobiography from North Korean defector/survivors sounds like something that might be of interest to my wife. Do you have any recommendations in particular, along those lines?