[June] What are you reading?

[Pants]

I highly recommend this series. For those wondering how high-magic, epic level storylines could evolve - this series is for you. The plot is well thought out and coherent focusing on the expansion of an empire (like the the Roman Empire) in a world where magic and gods exist. I found the characterization to be supurb (perhaps not George R. R. Martin supurb, but pretty damn good) with lots of shades of grey.

I really can't recommend this book enough. I think it is book one of (so far) a 5 book series. I haven't had a chance to read beyond book one yet so I can't comment on how the rest of the series is.

I just finished it

 

[JoeBlank]

Just started Idlewild by Nick Sagan, for the EN World Book Club.

Next up is Wolves of the Calla by Stephen King.

In between books I am reading a story or two from Wildcards, edited by George R. R. Martin.

 

[Michael Tree]

I'm currently reading my double post. :\

 

[Michael Tree]

I'm currently reading Seamus Heany's translation of Bewoulf.

I really like Seamus Heany's prose style.

It really is quite good. If you can, get a copy of the CD or book on tape of Seamus Heany reading it. It's abridged, but it's wonderful to hear the cadence of his storytelling, and his voice and accent fit it perfectly.


I'm currently reading Grendel by John Gardener. (Plus Eberron, law texts, and several law articles about Brown v. Board of Education). Next up is the Canadian case that made gay marriage legal, and probably Sailing to Sarantium by Guy Gavriel Kay.

 

[Michael Tree]

The Book of Jhereg comprises the first three Vlad Taltos novels, and I was pretty disappointed in them. It seems that it really was the florid writing style that made me love The Phoenix Guards so much; these were written in a pedestrian, clumsy fashion that did very little for me.

I had much the same reaction to them when I first read them. However, once I got over the shock of them not being written in the same style as The Phoneix Guards I began to enjoy them on their own rights.

They are his first books, so the writing is a bit crude, but they get better IMO. Yendi is Brust's least favorite book.

Have you read Gypsy? It has a similar tone to Agyar, but slightly more mythological.

 

[Welverin]

Unfortunately, I'm one of those dummies who has to finish a book once he starts it.

You too, eh? I can only think of two books I've ever started reading and not finished.

As for what I'm reading now, I think I'll go with Manta's Gift By Zahn, now that I've finished the Exalted novels.

 

[jester47]

I am still reading the Vol 2 of Tales of Lankhmar by Fantasy Masterworks. I will stay with that until I finish Rime Isle. Then its on to the WW edition of Farewell to Lankhmar. However as Fritz ages (that is as the stories become more recent), Fafhrd and the GM are suffering due to his change in style.
I am also reading Mozarts Brain and the Fighter Pilot.

I blew through Ill Met in Lankhmar no prob (favs: Ill Met, Thieves House, Claws, Price of Pain Ease, Bazzar of the Bizarre)
Was eating through Lean Times in Lankmar really well until I got to Adepts Gambit (the middle was good but overall the story really draggen in places). (favs: Cloud of Hate, Lean Times, Witches Tent, Stardock, Two Best Thieves, Quarmall)
Even though I am reading the FM version I am about finished with Return to Lankhmar. OMFG "The Swords of Lankhmar" rules. (Favs: Swords, Sadness, Beauty, The Bait, Under the Thumbs)

After that I am not too crazy about the stories centering around the cosmology of Nehwon and the stories involving Rime Isle. But I will finish them eventually.

Then its on to the Color of Magic, Hunters Blades Trilogy, The Black Company, and possibly Gardens of the Moon.

Aaron.

 

[Desdichado]

I finished what I put up earlier, and am now reading Jhereg by Stephen Brust and The Winter King by Bernard Cornwell. Actually, the second is by Books on Tape.

 

[Iron_Chef]

I'm reading Mickey Spillane's Mike Hammer novels... first person private eye thrillers. Mike Hammer is not the world's greatest detective; he uses his fists more than his brain. He often simply kills criminals in cold blood rather than turn them over to the cops. A one man judge, jury and executioner --- hard drinking, hard loving and always in trouble with the law and the underworld.

Just read THE GIRL HUNTERS (1962) and am finishing up its sequel, THE SNAKE (1964). These books are astonishingly violent, sleazy and cruel for their time (1950s/60s), but written so well as to be compulsively page-turning. I went out and bought almost the entire series at my used bookstore for a couple bucks each.

Am noticing that with some obvious tweaking, these books might translate well to a medieval fantasy game, particularly one concerned with politics, corruption and crime...

Mickey Spillane's MIKE HAMMER series
I, THE JURY (1947)
MY GUN IS QUICK (1950)
VENGEANCE IS MINE (1950)
ONE LONELY NIGHT (1951)
THE BIG KILL (1951)
KISS ME DEADLY (1952)
THE GIRL HUNTERS (1962)
THE SNAKE (1964)
THE TWISTED THING (1966)
THE BODY LOVERS (1967)
SURVIVAL... ZERO (1970)
THE KILLING MAN (1989)
BLACK ALLEY (1996)

 

[janta]

I'm slogging hastily (or is that an oxymoron?) through Killing Time by Caleb Carr. Next up is a re-read of A Civil Campaign by Bujold, because I'm currently obsessed with Miles Vorkosigan.

There's a sequel to The Wee Free Men ? Outstanding! I think Pratchett is my absolute favorite author; his command of the language is just brilliant.

--Janta