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In audio form I’m reading (and thoroughly enjoying) Consider Phlebas, by Iain M Banks. It’s kind of a wild ride, but at the same time, kind of contemplative. Pain’s writing is both action packed yet somehow slow and descriptive at the same time.
In dead tree form I’m reading The Space Between Worlds by Micaiah Johnson a sort of portal fantasy that’s a melancholy and also contemplative read.
How are you liking Consider Phlebas? I had heard a lot about Culture series, but couldn't get into the book, though that was a long time ago, maybe I should give it another try.
The Space Between Worlds sounds interesting, how are you liking it?
Honestly, I’m having kind of a hard time with Consider Phlebas. It has elements I really enjoy, but these elements keep getting bogged down in (imo) clumsy writing and kind of awful dialog.
There have been really stellar scenes. Like the opening scene that introduces Horza, and a later scene with Horza on an island. But largely I’m just finding it okay.
I’m powering through because I’ve heard really good things about the Culture series, and I hope the subsequent books get better for me, but it may just be that Iain M. Banks is not for me.
As for The Space Between Worlds, I’m really enjoying it. It’s a portal fantasy, which I generally enjoy anyway, but this one has a sense of melancholy desperation that is working really well for me. It’s also dystopian, which is pretty topical considering, y’know, everything.
The premise is also pretty cool, in that you can’t travel to another dimension/earth where your alternate self is still alive, and you can’t travel to dimensions/earths that are too divergent from the “prime” earth that the story takes place in.
I would wait for you to read more books in Culture series and share your opinion about them.
Yeah, I read the synopsis and really like the concept. Going to give it a try.
I just finished Consider Phlebas, and I gotta say it was kind of a letdown. The whole third act was a slog. I’m gonna give book two (The Player of Games) a go, but I’m gonna wait a bit and read something else first. (After I finish Space Between Worlds)
Good luck, and keep us posted!
Pynchon's Against the Day. It becomes brilliant once you endure the first N pages.
In fact, Pynchon is now one of my favourite authors.
Nice. If someone doesn't know anything about Pynchon, what would you suggest as the first book?
I don't know - I was unfamiliar with Pynchon before starting Against the Day. I had a list of his books to look into: the choice of my first one was random.
It's going unexpectedly well for me so far - but such things depend on the reader as much as on the book.
I've seen other people recommend The Crying a Lot 49 for that purpose though, probably because it's much shorter.
Thanks for the info, will check it out.
Thursday Murder Club (Richard Osman) - started reading but i don't know if it's for me.
Chasing the Dime (Michael Connelly)
I just read Thursday Murder Club a week or two back. I really liked the book. I don't usually read crime novels, mainly focusing on fantasy and sci-fi, so can't say if it's a good book in it's genre or not, but it was a fun read, I enjoyed it.
How are you liking Chasing the Dime? I haven't read anything by Michael Connelly. Recently got "The Black Echo", but haven't read it yet.
I got into Connelly books because of his Lincoln Lawyer books I like courtroom drama. I've read all of them and decided to read the rest of his books in order because i like his writing style.
Most of them are about Harry Bosch, a detective. Some of them, including Chasing The Dime have a different protagonist. I am only now getting into it, but it's not as good as the Bosch series. It's rather OK.
Usually if you start reading a Connelly book you know pretty early if you'll like it or not. He doesn't beat around the bush and you have a murder victim right away in the first chapter.
Yeah, I didn't know he has written Lincoln Lawyer books until I looked him recently. The Black Echo is his first book I think. Harry Bosch series # 1. If I like it, will get his next books.
For what it's worth I liked The Black Echo, yes it's his first book.
Just finished the first book in Dresden Files. Now I'm back into Robin Hobbs assassin's apprentice book two. I forgot the name of it because this series is nothing but a slog so far.
I remember liking the Farseer trilogy, but they aren't cheery books. Which is probably why I still haven't started the next trilogy after so many years.
How did you like Storm Front? Going to continue with Dresden Files?
It's not so much the tone of Hobb books thst gets to me, it's just the arduous pacing. I don't think I've ever encountered anything that goes this slow before.
Yeah, I quite enjoyed Stormfront. It feels weird with the absolute need to write about the breasts and looks of every woman in the book, and it makes it feel fairly shallow. But there's something that feels like it will become a really good series in there too, so I'm inclined to try a few more.
Yeah, I quite enjoyed Stormfront. It feels weird with the absolute need to write about the breasts and looks of every woman in the book, and it makes it feel fairly shallow. But there's something that feels like it will become a really good series in there too, so I'm inclined to try a few more.
There are in universe and out of universe reasons for the general tendency of Harry to be the a benevolent sexist in the books. Out of universe, it’s playing on many of the tropes of classic noir stories and that was a really common one. There’s a longer story behind us that I can write out if you care, but basically this first one was written in protest by the author to include as many tropes and clichés to try and prove a point and he failed successfully. In universe, you learn a bit in this one and more over the next few books, but Dresden grew up without a female presence in his life, and really did not learn much beyond what was written in early sci-fi, and fantasy novels, and then, when he was a teenager in a extremely unhealthy relationship.
That said, it is never treated virtuously in any of the books. It gets him in trouble many times, other women in the books call him on it, and he does recognize that it is something he needs to change in himself. And it isn’t a perspective that is shared by the author, in so far as it doesn’t appear when he writes other characters.
That is very reassuring, and thanks for the big writeup! I'll definitely continue to the next one, so thank you!
I need to revisit King. Like many, I gobbled up his books when I was younger and then moved on, but it’s been a long time since I’ve read anything by him and I’ve been hearing good things about his more recent books
Well, I don't know about his other work, but I am liking Sleeping Beauties. I don't know how I will feel the book when I finish it, but right now I am thinking about getting a couple more of his books.
I’ve been meaning to read Fairy Tale. I started it awhile ago and was enjoying it, but then had to put it down and haven’t been able to get back to it. (Doesn’t help that my read list just keeps growing)
Haven't heard of Fairy Tale before (which isn't surprising since I haven't been keeping up with King's work), but the concept sounds good. Not to mention I am enjoying Sleeping Beauties so going to look up more of his work.
I was looking at Sleeping Beauties as well. Be curious to hear your thoughts. I also just got my hands on Holly in audiobook, but I think I’m gonna give Fairy Tale a listen as my next audiobook.
Well, I have mentioned a bit in this week's weekly thread, but basically I thought the book was going to be more about what happened with the world when all women fell asleep, and maybe some kind of quest to wake them or something, but it turned out to be more about how things went down when women started falling asleep. I haven't read any of King's books lately so can't compare it with anything, but he takes time setting everything up and wonderfully builds the environment. Not a big fan of ending, but it's good enough.
There's also the supernatural element, which I think all/most of King's books have, though in post-Covid world, a story like this with medical / unknown elements instead of supernatural might have been a lot more scary.
Overall it was a good book and it has convinced me try few more of King's work. I would recommend it.