Post: Reply | Quote

Fiona that sounds very good. Almost like George R.R.Martin meets The DaVinci code. I just finished book eight of Erikson's Malazan series and I am now reading Brandon Sanderson's The Hero of Ages. Tyrant's Blood is up next for me.

-------

It is nice to be important but it is much more important to be nice.

Post: Reply | Quote

I just finished Clive Cussler's latest, The Wrecker written with co-author Justin Scott.  It's quite a departure form his normal formula and a good one.  The writing is much tighter and more precise than his earlier novels, so I think Scott may have put a lot more words on paper than Cussler. Old Clive is getting on and all of his recent work has involved collaborators. Recommended, I'll give a strong 3 1/2 out of 5.

Post: Reply | Quote

Just finished The Tide Lords series.  Great ending that totally helped me get round my earlier problem with one of the plot lines. 

I have started A Princess of Landover by Terry Brooks.  My husband thinks I'm crazy as I haven't read any of the books in the series before it.  But I am finding it okay so far and am into it.

Post: Reply | Quote

Currently reading Night of Knives by Ian C Esslemont. It's the first novel in the Novels of the Malazan Empire, and ties in with Steven Erikson's Malazan novels. I wish I had read this to begin the other series, as it's a much gentler introduction into the complex world. I'm going to tackle Gardens of the Moon after and hope it's much easier to take than the first time I read it. I stopped reading the series after the second novel Deadhouse Gates, and attempted the third. It got a little bit confusing and wasn't exactly the perfect read when trying to unwind at night! Requires a lot of thinking! Sadly my brain shuts down after 10pm

Loving Night of Knives though. It's much smaller than Erikson's novels, and mainly focuses on two characters as opposed to near ten. Getting ready to tackle Gardens soon!

Post: Reply | Quote

Azel,

I know what you mean about Erikson's series. I've read the first eight books and it still is very confusing. Like you said it is a hard read due to the amount of characters. Every book has twenty main characters and they are usually different in each book. I really like some parts of the books but overall it is so frustrating trying to figure out all the different characters that I would not recommend the series to other readers. It takes a lot of effort to read these books because you have to concentrate 24/7 to make sure you are not missing anything. I pushed tyrant's Blood back on my to be read pile because I wanted to save the best for last. I finished Sanderson's Mistborn series and that was pretty good. Next I read books five and six of Butcher's Codex Alera books. I liked those too but they are really for fans of military fantasy. I think Glen Cook Black Company fans would like the Codex Alera books. Michael J. Sullivan has a series called Riyria and I just finished book three Nyphron Rising and it was excellent. Book one in the series is The Crown Conspiracy and the books remind me of Scott Lynch's The Lies of Locke Lamora. This is probably my favorite book that I have read so far this year. Right now I am reading Treason's Shore which is book four of Sherwood Smith's Inda series. Feast of Souls by C.S.Friedman is up next for me and then I think Tyrant's Blood. The Legend of the Seeker television show has got me wanting to do another reading of the eleven volume Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind after that. Here are a few of the other books in my TBR pile. Spirit Lens by Carol Berg, The Steel Remains by Richard Morgan, The Horseman's Gambit by David Coe, Queen of Oblivion by Giles Carwyn, and Dragon Keeper by Robin Hobb. Azel, who are the two main characters in Night of Knives? My favorite Malazan characters were always the Bridgeburners and Mael.

-------

It is nice to be important but it is much more important to be nice.

Post: Reply | Quote

Temper and Siska. Temper is a veteran trying to escape his past, and Siska wants to escape the Isle of Malaz, where the novel is set. It spans over a period of a night, and takes place in the prologue of Gardens of the Moon, so there are a few cameos and names thrown about that you might recognise, but ultimately it just tries to expand upon the prologue of the first novel. I'm a good huge chunk into Gardens of the Moon now, and I must say I am enjoying it a lot more than the first read. Your right that you need to concentrate hard to grasp everything, but in the end I think that's what makes novels fun sometimes, getting that immersed in the world. Another huge problem I have with Erikson's writing, and it may seem small, is that he uses these huge words that I've never heard of in my life! Makes me sound like a little kid again, but some of them had me dumbfounded, but I just went along with it. You can basically work it out if you follow along

Post: Reply | Quote

Ha, that sounds like my experience reading Stephen Donaldsons last two books.  Talk about needing a dictionary by your side!  I enjoy the challenge of learning new words, but sometimes it does detract from the rhythm of the story.

I'm currently reading Digital Fortress by Dan Brown.  My father had thrown it out for us to sell in a garage sale, and having enjoyed his other books, I snapped it up.  Not bad story so far, but I nearly put it down early on due to some awful metaphors describing Air Force One.  This book is my "break from fantasy" as I can't go from one world straight into another.

Any suggestions for my next fantasy reading?  Recently listed reads seem a bit heavy going for me.  I am a huge David Eddings fan, have read Lord of the Rings about three or four times, and love Fiona McIntosh, but want to broaden my reading in this genre.

Happy Valentines everyone!

Liz D

Post: Reply | Quote

Liz,

I have a few suggestions for you. Have you read Jennifer Fallon's Second Sons trilogy? It revolves around a hero that uses his brains instead of magic to solve his problems. I highly recommend the series. It begins with The Lion of Senet.

If you like twists and turns David Coe's Winds of the Forelands series is very good. Book one is The Rules of Ascension.

On the darker side Joe Abercrombie has a series called The First Law. The Blade Itself is the beginning book.   Brent Weeks Night Angel trilogy kicks off with The Way of Shadows. Carol Berg's Rai-Kirah series is also very dark.

Good luck and happy reading!

-------

It is nice to be important but it is much more important to be nice.

Post: Reply | Quote

Just started The Dwarves by Markus Heitz

[IMG]http://i179.photobucket.com/albums/w312/shellsboblog/dwarf.jpg[/IMG]

For countless millennia, the dwarves of the Fifthling Kingdom have defended the stone gateway into Girdlegard. Many and varied foes have hurled themselves against the portal and died attempting to breach it. No man or beast has ever succeeded. Until now...Abandoned as a child, Tungdil the blacksmith labours contentedly in the land of Ionandar, the only dwarf in a kingdom of men. Although he does not want for friends, Tungdil is very much aware that he is alone ? indeed, he has not so much as set eyes on another dwarf. But all that is about to change. Sent out into the world to deliver a message and reacquaint himself with his people, the young foundling finds himself thrust into a battle for which he has not been trained. Not only his own safety, but the life of every man, woman and child in Girdlegard depends upon his ability to embrace his heritage. Although he has many unanswered questions, Tungdil is certain of one thing: no matter where he was raised, he is a true dwarf. And no one has ever questioned the courage of the Dwarves.

Post: Reply | Quote

Shell,

Please let us know about The Dwarves. It sounds good to me.  I just finished Treason's Shore by Sherwood Smith which is the last book in the Inda series. I wish I could recommend it to you since I enjoyed the other books in the series but it was not a very good ending to the story in my opinion. On to better news I am now starting Tyrant's Blood.

-------

It is nice to be important but it is much more important to be nice.

Post: Reply | Quote

Straight into Memories of Ice by Steven Erikson. The third Malazan book, and I must say I really don't know why Deadhouse Gates was in between MoI and GotM. Memories leads straight on from Gardens of the Moon, and I've managed to get into a lot quicker than the second novel, which, whilst continuing the first novel also added a whole lot of new stuff that threw me off completely. It's also good to see my favourite characters like Whiskeyjack and Paran back in it. Not to mention Toc coming back. I'm actually enjoying these books so much more now. I found Ian C Esslemont's Return of the Crimson Guard, so bought it straight away, and will read it after the Bonehunters, I think that's how it goes in chronological order .

Confusing series, but definitly something to immerse yourself in.

Post: Reply | Quote

I was halfway through House of Chains by Steven Erikson when I found both Stormlord Rising by Glenda Larke and Shadowrise by Tad Williams at Dymocks. Steamed through Stormlord Rising - I've only ever read this series by Glenda Larke, her third trilogy, and I am loving her style of writing. It's not dissimilar to Jennifer Fallon, and deals with topical issues, such as climate change, yet adds an interesting and fun twist to it. I am however, incredibly excited about Shadowrise. I am in love with Tad Williams' writing ever since reading Shadowmarch back when it first came out. I then went and found Memory, Sorrow and Thorn (though it took me forever to find Book 3), and my obsession grew. Shadowplay's ending was a bit of a letdown, and I've been waiting years to get my hands on this book. It was pure excitement when I saw it on the shelf, I didn't even care how much it cost, I knew I had to have it there and then! I'll get back to the Malazan books after. I think I needed a break from them. I'm starting to think of the series more as a group of trilogies - Books 1-3 seemed to centre on several of the same elements, plotlines and characters and had an ending which tied up a few things, yet left a hell of a lot of questions. I then started reading book 4, House of Chains, and was thrown off that it was about a completely different character, and a new story which I wasn't seemingly interested in. I mean, the first hundred pages was about three men going around killing and raping people - and were meant to like these characters? It had me thrown off a bit. I'm only about 150 pages into it, but it hasn't grabbed me like the previous three. Hopefully it picks up! But first... Shadowrise

Post: Reply | Quote

Thanks heaps Azel for your last post! It really helps when you go to such detail, especially when you want a book so badly - it must be good!   Will take on board your recs!

Post: Reply | Quote

I know Robin Hobb is doing alot of book signings etc in the USA right now.  If anyone is interested in hearing a recent podcast from Robin Hobb, [url=http://robinhobb.com/]here it is[/url]

Post: Reply | Quote

Currently reading Brent Week's 'The way of Shadows'. It's pretty interesting so far! Hoping to finish the series soon, although uni is killing me

-------

"Freedom is sometimes just simply another perspective away."

Post: Reply | Quote

Thanks for your suggestions, I am looking forward to trying some  of those this year.

Meanwhile, my friend passed on to me a series by Traci Harding - The Mystique Triogy, and I am really enjoying book one - Gene of Isis.  It has a bit of everything in it, set across three different times, gods, ghosts, wars, quests, science and history.  Now if I could just convince my family to leave me alone so I can read the final chapters in peace!!!

Liz D.

Post: Reply | Quote

I'm about to start reading a book by Patricia Cornwall, called 'Portrait of a Killer'. It's an in depth look at the case of Jack the Ripper. I'm not sure if i'll agree with her ultimate thoughts on who he really was (my mam already read it and told me-lol)

but it should certainly make for an interesting read, especially as I saw a programme this evening done from the perspective of the journalists at the time and how the press may have influenced the Ripper's murders.

Post: Reply | Quote

I am doing a second read of Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series. Since it is eleven books long I figure by the time I finish the reread I will be that much closer to Kings Wrath being released. I'm on the second book Stone of Tears now and I am really enjoying myself.

-------

It is nice to be important but it is much more important to be nice.

Post: Reply | Quote

Reading Priestess of the White by Trudi Canavan. It's book 1 of the Age of the Five. I bought it solely on the fact that there was a lot of hype surrounding Canavan's Black Magician Trilogy. I read that trilogy but didn't exactly gel to it, and didn't really see why it was so popular. This one looked a bit more interesting anyway and I'm only about 60 pages in but so far its just seems to be a more mature version of The Magician's Guild (Black Magician bk.1). Auraya, the main character is basically an older version of Sonea. That and there is a lot of characters being introduced so far, not that I don't mind, I just don't see a connection yet. Hopefully it gets better.

I decided to read something smaller in between Steven Erikson's novels. I'm up to Toll the Hounds now, so I've read pretty much the whole series. Whilst it is interesting, I sort of lost interest a few books ago. I have a tendancy to always finish what I start however, so I'll finish the remaining two novels after Priestess, then hope the last novel will be released soon.

Post: Reply | Quote