What Are You Reading?

[The Hillock]

Almost finished re-reading the second Gaunt omnibus (The Saint I believe). Next up - well, the third one (duh).

[Mossy Toes]

Yeah, I've heard about Stand on Zanzibar too, and it's definitely piqued my interest...

All right, folks. Since this is a new forum, I feel that I just have to throw up a (wholly restructured) review for The Wise Man's Fear. I know that JDD said he'd probably pick up The Name of the Wind, but I feel that I owe it to the rest of you to at least make the pitch (once again, but this time in a slightly more coherent, convincing manner). So:

I am stuck with an issue that merits serious consideration.

Is The Wise man's Fear my favorite fantasy novel--or even book--I've ever read? Definitely not the best-written (those exist, certainly: Dune, Foundation's Edge, The Left Hand of Darkness and similar), but the one that I've enjoyed the most. And let's disregard the internet's obsession with superlatives: this, to me, is a very serious contender for the title.

I don't think I've ever encountered "prophecy" handled as well as Rothfuss presents the Cthaeh's meddling, which leaves me with dire forebodings and the taste of bitter gall in my mouth. In addition, the author's gentle manner in presenting this world he has created and the depth with which he has fleshed it out...is beautiful, pure and simple.

This book was not perfect. There is a minor sense of dislocation and discontinuity between different segments of the plot and cast (though one segue between main plot arcs is particularly a thing of beauty), and the arcs of certain sub-plots appear a bit...overly predictable. The first third of the book is essentially similar in many ways to the second half of the first one, and in it the plot is similarly thin.

As a whole, though, compared to its prequel (which was also Rothfuss's debut), this one meets and surpasses it. The writing improves (as difficult as I thought that would be), the plot drives more firmly, character development is more substantial, and all the pieces really begin to come together. Rothfuss builds on what made The Name of the Wind strong while gently whittling away the few weaknesses of the previous book.

The Wise Man's Fear was certainly no sophomore slump, and the end result easily justifies the four year wait between them. I rest assured that in spite of the fact I might have to wait a handful of years more, the next book will continue not only to impress, but hone Rothfuss's (already prodigious, towering) skills as an author. If you didn't like The Name of the Wind, I can by no means guarantee that you'll enjoy this, either. I, however, loved it.

[Fiorfin]

Speaking of long waits, I've just been on George RR Martin's "Not a Blog" and .... wait for it.... A Dance with Dragons now has an official publication date of 12 July 2011. I can't be bothered to work out how many years that is since A Feast for Crows - hope it's worth it!

[Mossy Toes]

Speaking of long waits, I've just been on George RR Martin's "Not a Blog" and .... wait for it.... A Dance with Dragons now has an official publication date of 12 July 2011. I can't be bothered to work out how many years that is since A Feast for Crows - hope it's worth it!

I'm purposefully keeping my expectations low for that. I am interested, though, seeing as Daenerys is pretty much the sole hope for redemption in the whole series, and the book's supposed to be focusing on her...

[Raven]

Just started to read Savage Scars.

[Insomniac]

"The First Heretic" by ADB and "The Process Church Of The Final Judgment", which is a five-hundred page PDF full of articles, history, and artwork.

I'm about to finish Launcifer's "Give Me Fever" and want to go back and reread the Kossoff saga. Such an interesting cat that Paolo is.

[Laechim]

I recently finished Dan Abnett's Trimuff, and am now working my way through Thunder and Steel interspersed with Deathwing and Broken Honour

[Chun the Unavoidable]

Surface Detail, Iain M (for SF) Banks.

[Princeps Pictsae]

Currently reading 'The Dragons of Autumn Twilight', but I am almost finished with it and have a horrifyingly huge stack of stuff 'To Read' which makes me quake in fear each time I look in its direction.

[Athelassan]

Anyway, I'm still reading The Hunt for Voldemort

Is that really what you meant?

I've nearly finished Sword of Vengeance, I'll be onto Caledor next.

Ath

[Pyroriffic]

I started reading Blood Reaver this morning.

I finished it this afternoon and heartily give it the full Thumbs Up. Next to tackle will be Age of Darkness, methinks.

After I finish this manuscript.

AHAHAHAHAHA

*keels over*

[Diatribe]

Just started book 3 in the Ultramarines Omnibus by McNeill. Been a good read so far (a bit on the "hey, where's my Space Marines? in book 1 and a bit in the 2nd book). Have the 3 Gaunts Ghosts Omnibus (or is it Omnibii?) lined up after this one's done.

[Corrigan Phoenix]

Victories of the Space Marines. I highly recommend Rob Sanders 'The Long Games at Carcharias'. It is a thrilling story and one of the best shorts I've ever read.

Soon to move onto Age of Darkness

[J D Dunsany]

Victories of the Space Marines. I highly recommend Rob Sanders 'The Long Games at Carcharias'. It is a thrilling story and one of the best shorts I've ever read.

Soon to move onto Age of Darkness

At last! Someone else who thinks 'The Long Games at Carcharias' is fab! (It also makes an appearance in 'Hammer and Bolter' issue 3.) And it is fab, isn't it? Jaw-droppingly oh-my-goodness-that's-clever fab.

JDD

[Tyrant]

Still reading Scar Night by Alan Campbell. After that I have Blood Reaver, The Fall of Damnos, Victories of the Space Marines and Savage Scars to get through.

[adam]

i'm currently reading the Hunt for Voldorius, about half way through it.

After that I think I might go for either Savage Scars or Sword of Justice.
AC

[Xisor]

Finished The Hunt for Voldemort (by the rather fun to chat with Andy Hoare, signed "To Frank, Honoured be his name, Andy H.") this morning and read Necessary Evil (by the positively excitement-inducing, so-much-so that Aaron D-B abandoned his signing-post to nip across and ask what we were talking about [though left shortly after as more supplicants arrived], Rob Sanders) on Saturday afternoon whilst in the queue to get Tales of Heresy signed by Jim Swallow (who seemed to like the "Why doesn't the Warhammer World condom machine say 'The Emperor Protects'?" actually-in-toilets toilet-humour quip).

Started Age of Darkness this morning and only a bit into the first story. Graham seems to keep upping his non-Sigmar game; I approve!

[Mob]

Victories of the Space Marines. I highly recommend Rob Sanders 'The Long Games at Carcharias'. It is a thrilling story and one of the best shorts I've ever read.

Soon to move onto Age of Darkness

At last! Someone else who thinks 'The Long Games at Carcharias' is fab! (It also makes an appearance in 'Hammer and Bolter' issue 3.) And it is fab, isn't it? Jaw-droppingly oh-my-goodness-that's-clever fab.

JDD

I'm with you two, that short is proper fantastic.

Almost finished Battle for the Fang (went back on my 'No Space Marine Battles books except the one by ADB' rule as it's 1KSons and Wolves) and it's pretty good, although still feels 'light'. Interesting use of the recent HH fluff for the combatant legions.

Spoiler: I feel weird about saying this as it seems a bit disrespectful to Chris Wraight (and also may show up my own shortcomings) but bits of it kind of carry the tone of other authors to me...some of the Blood Claws and the 'drunk viking-ish' bits seem a bit Bill King, the bits with the female soldier and the dreads are feel a bit Abnett and the bits with the contemplative 1KSons seem a tiny bit McNeil. I'm either lacking imagination and just subconsciously thinking of the other styles when reading these bits (which may be a complement rather than a crit to the author) or they were indeed crafted to be a bit reminiscent of the 'originators' of this kind of material, in which case, good job that man.

But on the whole, I'm enjoyng it.

Also dipping in and out of Age of Darkness and Victories of the Space Marines, got most of them done now. Shame I'd read a bunch of the shorts in Victories already, esp as they are all pretty much the stronger ones in the collection IMHO.

Non 40K, I'm battling with Angels in America. I really want to like it...but I don't.

[Laechim]

Finish the Deathwing anthology and Broken Honour, which to me is an interesting take on prisoner turned soldiers. Getting back to Thunder and Steel

[Eroldren]

Juggling with my latest addition Firedrake (page 189) vs. rereading Soul Hunter to integrate its grim-dark nature of glorious Chaos and the borrowed copy of my pal's Fear the Alien.

Finished the tie-in stories 'Prometheus Requiem' and 'The Core' first, dug the bestial madness of Lucoryphus and his Bleeding Eyes moments now onto 'Gardens of Tycho'. BTW Is there more tales of Valentin Drusher besides that one either from Dark Imperium or Crucible of War to any one's knowledge?