|
General Battuta posted:The Library at Mount Char is real good. If you've ever wanted to read a book about posthuman Elder Gods dropping the hammer and going to war over the universe while tiny humans scramble around underfoot, this is for you. It's rough around the edges (mostly pacing wise) but the sense of escalation is awesome. I'm reading it right now - I'm about three-quarters of the way through it - and it is real good. There are chapters in which I am horrified beyond words, and chapters in which I can't stop laughing. This is his first book, right? I haven't been able to find anything else by him.
|
#
?
Aug 19, 2015 19:59
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 25, 2024 17:38 |
|
|
Cpt. Mahatma Gandhi posted:
Also be aware that the author apparently suffers from months-long bouts of crippling depression that make his work schedule kind of unpredictable.
|
|
#
?
Aug 19, 2015 21:10
|
|
|
johnsonrod posted:Thanks to whoever recommended "The Southern Reach" trilogy about a month ago. I was sick a from work on Friday and decided to give Annihilation a try. I couldn't put it down and ended up buying the other 2 and finishing the last book this morning. It's been a long time since I've read something that I just absolutely could not put down. I'd highly recommend it for anyone looking for a horror / sci fi mix. Very loving eerie trilogy. If he had managed to stick the landing I would have put it maybe in my lifetime best of, but the third book is just such a loving wreck.
|
|
#
?
Aug 19, 2015 22:22
|
|
|
^burtle posted:If he had managed to stick the landing I would have put it maybe in my lifetime best of, but the third book is just such a loving wreck. ....Are you referring to Aurora or Southern Reach here?
|
|
#
?
Aug 19, 2015 22:24
|
|
|
Southern Reach. Aurora is stand alone.
|
|
#
?
Aug 19, 2015 22:29
|
|
|
The last book's the best one 
|
|
#
?
Aug 19, 2015 22:36
|
|
|
Leather Bear posted:Oh god there's gonna be seven Locke Lamora books? That's gotta suck. Being tied to the same world for so many years. I actually tend to prefer long series, gives you more time with a world and/or characters. An author being obligated to continue with a series against his will isn't a good sign for quality though.
|
|
#
?
Aug 20, 2015 00:06
|
|
|
Wolpertinger posted:I actually tend to prefer long series, gives you more time with a world and/or characters. An author being obligated to continue with a series against his will isn't a good sign for quality though. Against his will? It's not like the publisher said "Write seven books or we shoot your dog!" He/his agent had to have told the publisher "I have seven books planned. Here are the titles." for them to consider a large-multi book deal.
|
|
#
?
Aug 20, 2015 00:45
|
|
|
So how does he get paid? Or any author on a contract to write out a series? Is there a time constraint like all five books delivered in eight years? I'm genuinely curious. Because I can only imagine how lovely being three books in a seven book series and knowing you gotta deliver four more right after another.
|
|
#
?
Aug 20, 2015 00:51
|
|
|
Leather Bear posted:So how does he get paid? Or any author on a contract to write out a series? Is there a time constraint like all five books delivered in eight years? I'm genuinely curious. Because I can only imagine how lovely being three books in a seven book series and knowing you gotta deliver four more right after another. That would be negotiated and put into the contract before it's signed. Hopefully the author has a real good agent.
|
|
#
?
Aug 20, 2015 00:54
|
|
|
General Battuta posted:The last book's the best one I'm willing to hear why.
|
|
#
?
Aug 20, 2015 01:12
|
|
|
^burtle posted:If he had managed to stick the landing I would have put it maybe in my lifetime best of, but the third book is just such a loving wreck. General Battuta posted:The last book's the best one Authority was hands down my favourite of the three, but I really enjoyed all of them. When I looked around online after I'd finished Acceptance, I was honestly surprised to see the mixed reactions some people had had with it. What exactly about it did you not like? I've read some of the complaints people have had with it and there's definitely some common themes but I'd be curious to hear your take on it. Personally I loved it. It answered just enough questions to satisfy yet kept the idea that Area X is just too alien for a human intelligence to possibly comprehend. I don't need to know what happened to Control or Grace and Ghost Bird or the rest of the world. The mystery fits much better with the whole "acceptance" theme of the book instead of some over explanation. Also, every Saul chapter was loving gold. Getting to know him and then watching his slow decent into madness was done perfectly. The scene where he falls asleep on the top step then transitions into some insane super apocalyptic dream was the highlight of the whole trilogy.
|
|
#
?
Aug 20, 2015 02:21
|
|
|
taser rates posted:TDF was written in 2008, before bin Laden was killed. Chavez being succeeded by someone reasonably competent is still a hilarious failure of prediction, though.
|
|
#
?
Aug 20, 2015 03:35
|
|
|
flosofl posted:Against his will? It's not like the publisher said "Write seven books or we shoot your dog!" He/his agent had to have told the publisher "I have seven books planned. Here are the titles." for them to consider a large-multi book deal. I don't mean like literal coercion but if he's lost any enjoyment out of writing halfway through the series and would really rather be writing something else then that can't be good for book quality.
|
|
#
?
Aug 20, 2015 05:10
|
|
|
Not sure if anyone else here reads these but the new Harrison Peel Files book is out now. I love this series. It's sort of like James Bond meets Lovecraft. Sorta. Anyway, just placed the pre order for the book and boom, showed up in my kindle to read about 2 mins later. http://www.amazon.com/Temporal-Deception-Harrison-Peel-Files-ebook/dp/B00YX9CHFK It's book 5, so if you haven't read any of the others you are gonna be kinda lost. I think the first one is on sale for 99 cents though.
|
|
#
?
Aug 20, 2015 05:59
|
|
|
Stupid_Sexy_Flander posted:I love this series. It's sort of like James Bond meets Lovecraft. Sorta. So it's just American Laundry files, without the Nerd jokes?
|
|
#
?
Aug 20, 2015 11:49
|
|
|
johnsonrod posted:Authority was hands down my favourite of the three, but I really enjoyed all of them. When I looked around online after I'd finished Acceptance, I was honestly surprised to see the mixed reactions some people had had with it. What exactly about it did you not like? I've read some of the complaints people have had with it and there's definitely some common themes but I'd be curious to hear your take on it. I feel if he was going for that end it would have worked better as one book. When there are multiple books I expect conclusions to narrative arcs or better answers than oh yeah it's some terraforming poo poo. And yes, I understand the lack of cogent answers was part of the point, but that doesn't make it enjoyable to read. I did like Annihilation quite a bit but didn't think that much of the other two. I want more Ambergris books.
|
|
#
?
Aug 20, 2015 11:51
|
|
|
Neurosis posted:And yes, I understand the lack of cogent answers was part of the point, but that doesn't make it enjoyable to read. Authority is still the best book of the three, though. Shame it seems to promise more than Acceptance could deliver.
|
|
#
?
Aug 20, 2015 11:55
|
|
|
Funny, Authority was by far my least favourite, although I appreciated it more after Acceptance.
|
|
#
?
Aug 20, 2015 12:59
|
|
|
ArchangeI posted:So it's just American Laundry files, without the Nerd jokes? With less optimism as well. I really like Conyers' concept of the shoggoth and there's definitely some interesting stuff in there. I'll have to pick this one up next.
|
|
#
?
Aug 20, 2015 13:10
|
|
|
flosofl posted:With less optimism as well. Less optimism than the Laundry files? That's hard to believe. But I'll definitely pick up the first book, sounds like a good recommendation.
|
|
#
?
Aug 20, 2015 13:18
|
|
|
PINING 4 PORKINS posted:Less optimism than the Laundry files? That's hard to believe. I've found while there are dark and moody parts, there's a current of optimism in the Laundry Files.
|
|
#
?
Aug 20, 2015 13:20
|
|
|
If anyone's looking for some SF mil-fic, I've just finished (and been impressed by) The Red: First Light. Power armour, brain interfaces, GIs; that kind of thing. It also has a publisher I didn't recognise. Turns out Saga Press is Simon & Schuster's new SF imprint. This and Grace of Kings makes for a good start, so I'll be keeping an eye on them in future. coffeetable fucked around with this message at 14:08 on Aug 20, 2015 |
|
#
?
Aug 20, 2015 14:06
|
|
|
coffeetable posted:If anyone's looking for some SF mil-fic, I've just finished (and been impressed by) The Red: First Light. Power armour, brain interfaces, GIs; that kind of thing. The sequel to First Light, 'The Trials', came out on Tuesday. I enjoyed both.
|
|
#
?
Aug 20, 2015 15:19
|
|
|
Kesper North posted:The sequel to First Light, 'The Trials', came out on Tuesday. I enjoyed both. Oh snap, I liked First Light a ton as well. It's fairly believable SpecMilFic from an author who has a background about as far from the military as you can get (Degree in I think, Zoology?) thetechnoloser fucked around with this message at 15:49 on Aug 20, 2015 |
|
#
?
Aug 20, 2015 15:45
|
|
|
thetechnoloser posted:Oh snap, I liked First Light a ton as well. It's fairly believable SpecMilFic from an author who has a background about as far from the military as you can get (Degree in I think, Zoology?) I liked First Light enough that I went back and read her earlier books. They're mostly pretty out-there posthumanist space opera, and while normally I'd be all over that, they're not as good. But The Trials was consistent in quality with First Light, so I think she's really grown as an author.
|
|
#
?
Aug 20, 2015 21:35
|
|
|
Just finished listening to Rainbows End. Really enjoyed it. Do any of Vinge's other novels pick up where it left off? I really want to know who Rabbit really was and what happened to Vas, if anything. Started on Red Mars. Bit dense to start but it seems good so far.
|
|
#
?
Aug 20, 2015 22:06
|
|
|
Hahah, Dinosaur Lords opens strong. Dinosaur armies clash! Treachery! AMNESIA this book has everything
|
|
#
?
Aug 21, 2015 04:57
|
|
|
Just read The God Makers by good ol' Franky Herbert. Found it in a pile of old books; the binding was ruined and all the pages were falling out. It may be the best book I've ever read. Short, sweet, better than Dune.
|
|
#
?
Aug 21, 2015 05:02
|
|
|
if you like non-dune herbert books destination void is also really good.
|
|
#
?
Aug 21, 2015 05:27
|
|
|
Hieronymous Alloy posted:Hahah, Dinosaur Lords opens strong. Dinosaur armies clash! Treachery! AMNESIA From the Bowels of Christ I Beseech You to put it down and slowly walk away.
|
|
#
?
Aug 21, 2015 07:19
|
|
|
Hieronymous Alloy posted:Hahah, Dinosaur Lords opens strong. Dinosaur armies clash! Treachery! AMNESIA I beg of you, do not do this to yourself. You will regret it.
|
|
#
?
Aug 21, 2015 07:36
|
|
|
andrew smash posted:if you like non-dune herbert books destination void is also really good. Has anyone read The Jesus Incident? Was thinking about picking up something after reading Dune for the first time.
|
|
#
?
Aug 21, 2015 12:53
|
|
|
Khizan posted:I beg of you, do not do this to yourself. Oh this hadrosaur has no brakes
|
|
#
?
Aug 21, 2015 14:00
|
|
|
Kampfy Von Wafflehaus posted:Has anyone read The Jesus Incident? The Jesus Incident is part of the series that starts with Destination Void. And yes, and it's also really good.
|
|
#
?
Aug 21, 2015 14:21
|
|
|
andrew smash posted:if you like non-dune herbert books destination void is also really good. The Dosadi Experiment is also really good. Especially if you like frogs and/or legal proceedings.
|
|
#
?
Aug 21, 2015 15:25
|
|
|
quote:Frank Herbert I had a good haul at the dirty* second-hand bookshop with very few English books. Along with a Heinlein collection and an interesting-ish essay collection called Asimov on Science Fiction, I found a copy of Dune:  Then I noticed something a little odd about it:  It's a "1500 word" edition, for people who only know that much English, although my first thought was "Hmm, I wonder if you could retell Dune in a short story..." Looks about a third the length of the original, and surprisingly faithful to the original from what I could tell. Pretty neat. *I look carefully before I even touch the drat books.
|
|
#
?
Aug 21, 2015 16:12
|
|
|
Kampfy Von Wafflehaus posted:Has anyone read The Jesus Incident? ...Except I still found TJI too weird to understand, so I don't really recall if it was any good. But D:V I really enjoyed. 
|
|
#
?
Aug 21, 2015 23:07
|
|
|
When was that published? That thing in the background looks suspiciously like the Death Star.
|
|
#
?
Aug 21, 2015 23:46
|
|
|
|
| # ? Jun 25, 2024 17:38 |
|
|
It's a large moon being orbited by a smaller one. Look at the sides of them that are shadowed.
|
|
#
?
Aug 21, 2015 23:56
|
|