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Militant Liberal Badass
Joined:
2/3/2003
Total Posts:
5,502
5
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RE: What are you reading now?
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Posted:
6/25/2010 10:38:22 AM
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I must confess I've never heard of this group, even though I live in the midwest. I would be rather difficult for them to realistically portray Wagon Peoples, I would think - herding large animals, living in huge wagons, riding horses, skilled with lance and throwing knives, but maybe I don't give this enough credit. I have nothing against the SCA or similar groups, I've just never had the time to pursue such a thing myself. I suppose it could be a lot of fun.
Originally the Tuchux took their name from the Gor novels, but they evolved into a group that has no ties or resemblance to the wagon people. They are a group of rustic barbarians with scantily clad women and they fight in minimum armor on the field. It's fun group of people to be at an event with and they always stay in character. Incidently, for as barbaric as they act, it is a group made up of attorneys, judges, college professors, public officials, politicians and here and there a few exotic dancers.
"Those that live by the sword are often shot by those of us that don't."
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Joined:
6/16/2010
Total Posts:
136
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RE: What are you reading now?
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Posted:
6/25/2010 12:05:29 PM
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Incidently, for as barbaric as they act, it is a group made up of attorneys,
I can believe it. I'm a paralegal, and I've worked with some real barbarian lawyers. 
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Bush League Critic
Joined:
3/15/2007
Total Posts:
4,169
12
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RE: What are you reading now?
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Posted:
6/29/2010 4:16:42 PM
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I finished River of Blue Fire - Volume 2 of Tad Williams' Otherland series. This book was strictly setup material for the rest of the series. Necessary... but still a little annoying in its non-progress. I'm still intrigued enough by the characters and the overall story to continue on to the third Volume - Mountain of Black Glass.
As always, I've posted a few thoughts on the book on my blog if interested.
- Doug
"Philosophy does not promise to secure anything external for man, otherwise it would be admitting something that lies beyond its proper subject-matter. For as the material of the carpenter is wood, and that of statuary bronze, so the subject-matter of the art of living is each person's own life."
The Bush League Critic - Speculative Fiction News and Reviews
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Forum Man Wh0re, Mostly Harmless & Trustworthy Clown
Joined:
7/7/2004
Total Posts:
45,362
7
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RE: What are you reading now?
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Posted:
6/30/2010 9:37:29 AM
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working on the second of the Codex Alera series by Jim Butcher.
Sexy
Harmless
And
Zany
No time for love, Dr. Jones.
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Joined:
6/16/2010
Total Posts:
136
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RE: What are you reading now?
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Posted:
6/30/2010 10:23:55 AM
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I'm reading the latest Gaunt's Ghosts Warhammer 40K omnibus by Dan Abnett. Great bang for your buck - four novels in a trade paperback for fifteen bucks.
Abnett is really putting his heroes through the ringer in this arc. If you like military science fiction, Abnett is tough to beat.
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Joined:
11/11/2007
Total Posts:
385
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RE: What are you reading now?
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Posted:
7/2/2010 2:11:00 PM
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Finished Pump Six and Other Stories by Paolo Bacigalupi. Most of the stories in this collection take place in dark future dystopian versions of our world, while at the same time touching upon current social and environmental issues. As such, the commentary in the tales is always relevant and thought-provoking. The best aspect of Bacigalupi's fiction is probably the worldbuilding, which manages to be credible and very original at the same time. Coupled with the author's strong prose, this makes for some good reading. I only had one small gripe with some of the stories: Bacigalupi's strong focus on worldbuilding and social commentary tends to overshadow the actual plot. I sometimes had the impression that the plot was only there as a means of conveying the author's ideas and concepts. That said, I really enjoyed the collection and I have already ordered Bacigalupi's two novels. His writing often reminded me of Ian McDonald, which is praise enough.
Life is so simple...Press the button and watch the robot jump. But I'm not a robot. I'm a freak of the universe...a thinking animal. - The Stars my Destination by Alfred Bester.
Bow down: I am the emperor of dreams;
I crown me with the million-colored sun
Of secret worlds incredible, and take
Their trailing skies for vestment when I soar,
Throned on the mounting zenith, and illume
The spaceward-flown horizons infinite.
- From The Hashish Eater by Clark Ashton Smith
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Joined:
6/16/2010
Total Posts:
136
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RE: What are you reading now?
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Posted:
7/2/2010 2:29:50 PM
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Waylander, I just recently read Ship Breaker, Bacigalupi's YA dystopia sf novel. It was pretty good, and as you say, strong on world-building.
I wish I knew how to pronounce the author's last name, though. That sort of thing bugs me. 
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Joined:
11/11/2007
Total Posts:
385
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RE: What are you reading now?
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Posted:
7/2/2010 5:28:08 PM
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Kamchak, is Ship Breaker very much a YA novel? What I mean is, the tales in Pump Six are pretty dark and brutal at times. I like this, as it gives the stories more impact. I fear, though, that due to Ship Breaker being YA, the darker elements are toned down too much. I certainly hope they aren't.
Oh, and I sympathize with your pronunciation frustration.
Life is so simple...Press the button and watch the robot jump. But I'm not a robot. I'm a freak of the universe...a thinking animal. - The Stars my Destination by Alfred Bester.
Bow down: I am the emperor of dreams;
I crown me with the million-colored sun
Of secret worlds incredible, and take
Their trailing skies for vestment when I soar,
Throned on the mounting zenith, and illume
The spaceward-flown horizons infinite.
- From The Hashish Eater by Clark Ashton Smith
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Joined:
6/16/2010
Total Posts:
136
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RE: What are you reading now?
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Posted:
7/7/2010 6:43:08 AM
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Kamchak, is Ship Breaker very much a YA novel? What I mean is, the tales in Pump Six are pretty dark and brutal at times. I like this, as it gives the stories more impact. I fear, though, that due to Ship Breaker being YA, the darker elements are toned down too much. I certainly hope they aren't.
Waylander, good question. Ship Breaker is certainly YA, in the sense that the protagonists are teens, and the violence is toned down, there is no sex and very little profanity, except slang which is meant to represent our more vulgar terms.
However, it's a dark world, a dystopia where the vast majority of the remaining population of the United States are "have-nots," struggling just to survive under very harsh conditions. Also, the protagonist's father is a real evil guy. I would say it's similar to another YA novel I read, Hunger Games. YA, but very dark YA.
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Bush League Critic
Joined:
3/15/2007
Total Posts:
4,169
12
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RE: What are you reading now?
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Posted:
7/7/2010 12:50:13 PM
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I finished Mountain of Black Glass: Volume Three of Otherland by Tad Williams. The third time's obviously a charm, because this book was everything that I wanted the the first two novels to be. Williams set a little faster pace with this third installment - a pace that would have made the first two books much more enjoyable. This one just felt better to me. You can check out my not-so-much-a-review-as-a-quick-impression if you like.
I'm planning a review of the entire Otherland series after I complete Sea of Silver Light... or not. We'll see. 
- Doug
"Philosophy does not promise to secure anything external for man, otherwise it would be admitting something that lies beyond its proper subject-matter. For as the material of the carpenter is wood, and that of statuary bronze, so the subject-matter of the art of living is each person's own life."
The Bush League Critic - Speculative Fiction News and Reviews
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Joined:
6/16/2010
Total Posts:
136
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RE: What are you reading now?
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Posted:
7/7/2010 2:35:56 PM
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A few years ago, I made it to around page 300 of the first volume of Otherland, but called it quits. Too slow-paced and ponderous for me.
I liked the concept, and Williams writes good prose, but it was just taking forever for something significant to happen. And as I recall, I wasn't blown away by any of the characters, either.
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It is true: Man IS the microcosm: I am my world.
Joined:
1/31/2003
Total Posts:
1,708
3
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RE: What are you reading now?
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Posted:
7/7/2010 3:44:48 PM
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I am re-reading Dante's Commedia.
So, so unimpressed. I put it down to my inability to read Italian, though.
EDIT: That and my ignorance of his contemporary politics.
"************ set itself the goal of fulfilling man’s unattainable desires, but for that very reason ignored his attainable desires. By promising man eternal life, it deprived him of temporal life, by teaching him to trust in God’s help it took away his trust in his own powers; by giving him faith in a better life in heaven, it destroyed his faith in a better life on earth and his striving to attain such a life. ************ gave man what his imagination desires, but for that very reason failed to give him what he really and truly desires."
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Joined:
11/11/2007
Total Posts:
385
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RE: What are you reading now?
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Posted:
7/7/2010 6:01:45 PM
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However, it's a dark world, a dystopia where the vast majority of the remaining population of the United States are "have-nots," struggling just to survive under very harsh conditions. Also, the protagonist's father is a real evil guy. I would say it's similar to another YA novel I read, Hunger Games. YA, but very dark YA.
Nice. I'm looking forward to reading it.
Life is so simple...Press the button and watch the robot jump. But I'm not a robot. I'm a freak of the universe...a thinking animal. - The Stars my Destination by Alfred Bester.
Bow down: I am the emperor of dreams;
I crown me with the million-colored sun
Of secret worlds incredible, and take
Their trailing skies for vestment when I soar,
Throned on the mounting zenith, and illume
The spaceward-flown horizons infinite.
- From The Hashish Eater by Clark Ashton Smith
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Bush League Critic
Joined:
3/15/2007
Total Posts:
4,169
12
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RE: What are you reading now?
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Posted:
7/8/2010 8:42:32 AM
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A few years ago, I made it to around page 300 of the first volume of Otherland, but called it quits. Too slow-paced and ponderous for me.
Can't say that I disagree with you. I'm just terribly stubborn when it comes to finishing books/series. If I'd have been reading these as they were published, I probably would have forgotten about/given up on this series while waiting on book three to be released.
Book three was a bit of a reprieve, but book four (so far) is right back to ponderous.
- Doug
"Philosophy does not promise to secure anything external for man, otherwise it would be admitting something that lies beyond its proper subject-matter. For as the material of the carpenter is wood, and that of statuary bronze, so the subject-matter of the art of living is each person's own life."
The Bush League Critic - Speculative Fiction News and Reviews
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Joined:
11/11/2007
Total Posts:
385
0
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RE: What are you reading now?
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Posted:
7/10/2010 10:13:34 AM
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Finished Iron Council by China Miéville. I don't understand why so many people dislike this novel. Although it's a bit overlong in places, IC still features all the things that make Miéville's works so great: weirdness coupled with original descriptions, strong and varied prose, interesting characters in unique settings, etc. The only thing I thought was missing was a sense of mystery: the two previous Bas-Lag novels both had unknown factors which kept me wanting to read further in order to learn the answers (e.g. what is dreamshit?; what are slakemoths?; what's the avanc?; what's the Scar?; etc). IC has the Iron Council itself, but this doesn't remain a mystery for long. Nonetheless, I enjoyed Iron Council from start to finish. Miéville was already one of my favourite authors, and IC only served to increase my respect for him.
On a side note, the novel could really have done with a map. This wasn't much of an issue in PSS and The Scar, but the extensive travelling across across the continent in IC had me confused at times.
Life is so simple...Press the button and watch the robot jump. But I'm not a robot. I'm a freak of the universe...a thinking animal. - The Stars my Destination by Alfred Bester.
Bow down: I am the emperor of dreams;
I crown me with the million-colored sun
Of secret worlds incredible, and take
Their trailing skies for vestment when I soar,
Throned on the mounting zenith, and illume
The spaceward-flown horizons infinite.
- From The Hashish Eater by Clark Ashton Smith
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Joined:
11/11/2007
Total Posts:
385
0
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RE: What are you reading now?
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Posted:
7/11/2010 4:00:08 PM
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Finished The Shadow Year by Jeffrey Ford. It's a coming-of-age tale about children in smalltown America whose lives are disturbed when something evil comes to town and starts killing people. It's written in the vein of Stephen King's It, but clocks in at about 300 pages. As was the case with King's novel, the most interesting part about The Shadow Year was Ford's portrayal of childhood in a small town in the sixties. I loved the novel and intend to read more of Ford's works.
Life is so simple...Press the button and watch the robot jump. But I'm not a robot. I'm a freak of the universe...a thinking animal. - The Stars my Destination by Alfred Bester.
Bow down: I am the emperor of dreams;
I crown me with the million-colored sun
Of secret worlds incredible, and take
Their trailing skies for vestment when I soar,
Throned on the mounting zenith, and illume
The spaceward-flown horizons infinite.
- From The Hashish Eater by Clark Ashton Smith
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Bush League Critic
Joined:
3/15/2007
Total Posts:
4,169
12
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RE: What are you reading now?
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Posted:
7/11/2010 6:09:37 PM
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I finally finished the Otherland series by Tad Williams. I wish I could say it was worth the slog, but I can't. It had moments of greatness, but not nearly enough. Details on my blog if interested.
Time for something completely different... I'm starting Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey.
- Doug
"Philosophy does not promise to secure anything external for man, otherwise it would be admitting something that lies beyond its proper subject-matter. For as the material of the carpenter is wood, and that of statuary bronze, so the subject-matter of the art of living is each person's own life."
The Bush League Critic - Speculative Fiction News and Reviews
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For Cats Sake!
Joined:
8/2/2004
Total Posts:
564
3
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RE: What are you reading now?
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Posted:
7/11/2010 8:12:47 PM
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Finally reading "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss. Very good so far. Getting ready for the BOTBS in August!
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Joined:
6/16/2010
Total Posts:
136
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RE: What are you reading now?
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Posted:
7/12/2010 6:28:26 AM
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I need to read Iron Council. I've owned it for years, but keep putting it off. Mieville is wonderful, but for me, he's not what I would call an easy read.
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Joined:
11/11/2007
Total Posts:
385
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RE: What are you reading now?
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Posted:
7/12/2010 11:09:44 AM
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I need to read Iron Council. I've owned it for years, but keep putting it off. Mieville is wonderful, but for me, he's not what I would call an easy read.
Miéville isn't the easiest to read, but I really like his prose style. Once you start Iron Council, I'm sure you'll enjoy it
Life is so simple...Press the button and watch the robot jump. But I'm not a robot. I'm a freak of the universe...a thinking animal. - The Stars my Destination by Alfred Bester.
Bow down: I am the emperor of dreams;
I crown me with the million-colored sun
Of secret worlds incredible, and take
Their trailing skies for vestment when I soar,
Throned on the mounting zenith, and illume
The spaceward-flown horizons infinite.
- From The Hashish Eater by Clark Ashton Smith
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First in, last out...
Joined:
7/13/2005
Total Posts:
1,003
1
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RE: What are you reading now?
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Posted:
7/13/2010 6:23:19 AM
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Just finished reading J.L Bourne's 'Day by Day Armageddon', a diary account of a zombie apocalypse. The diary format doesn't really let us get to know the main character, as well as we could do, but Bourne has the grim post apocalyptic atmosphere spot on and gives his readers plenty of obstacles to wonder at and work our way round. My full review is over Here. I'm now finishing off Kage Baker's 'The Bird of the River'...
"By Hood's Balls, if it isn't rough, it ain't right. " - Join the Cadre of the Fallen
www.graemesfantasybookreview.com
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Joined:
6/16/2010
Total Posts:
136
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RE: What are you reading now?
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Posted:
7/13/2010 10:12:43 AM
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I've just started John Birmingham's Without Warning. A wild premise - on the eve of Gulf War II, everyone in the continental United States (except Seattle), plus parts of Mexico and Canada, just vanish when some unexplained "wave" strikes. The story concerns the aftermath to the few remaining Americans, and the world's reactions to no America left.
I really like Birmingham's style so far, with a clever bit of dialogue or grimly humorous turn of phrase on almost every page.
I hope he can keep it up. Apocalypse ain't easy to write. 
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For Cats Sake!
Joined:
8/2/2004
Total Posts:
564
3
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RE: What are you reading now?
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Posted:
7/13/2010 11:00:09 AM
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Why does only Seattle survive? Is this another prequel to Shannara??
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Soylent Green is people!
Joined:
1/12/2009
Total Posts:
937
2
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RE: What are you reading now?
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Posted:
7/13/2010 11:05:56 AM
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I just started the long journey towards the Dark Tower. I'm halfway through The Gunslinger.
No matter how cold the Winter, there's a Springtime ahead.
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Bush League Critic
Joined:
3/15/2007
Total Posts:
4,169
12
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RE: What are you reading now?
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Posted:
7/13/2010 1:51:57 PM
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I just finished Richard Kadrey's Sandman Slim. I loved every second of it. Harry Dresden wishes he was as cool as James Stark. Can't wait until the next installment this fall. 
I'm starting Patient Zero by Jonathan Maberry.
- Doug
"Philosophy does not promise to secure anything external for man, otherwise it would be admitting something that lies beyond its proper subject-matter. For as the material of the carpenter is wood, and that of statuary bronze, so the subject-matter of the art of living is each person's own life."
The Bush League Critic - Speculative Fiction News and Reviews
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