Fantasy Book Club discussion

Scott, let me know what you think of the Judging Eye. I keep hearing good things about Scott Bakker, and am wondering if I should pick it up.

I'm reading a couple of books this month. It's spring break! xD I'm actually waiting for a couple of books in the mail off PBS and eBay.

Warprize and Dagger-Star by Elizabeth Vaughan.
Raven's Shadow and Raven's Strike by Patricia Briggs.
Bad to the Bone ARC by Jeri Smith-Ready.
The Killing Dance and Burnt Offerings by Laurell K. Hamilton.

Just finished C. S. Friedman's The Wilding.

Janny wrote: "Just finished C. S. Friedman's The Wilding."

That's the one that's a sort-of sequel to In Conquest Born, isn't it? C.S. Friedman is one of my favorite, if most frustrating authors. She's just released the second book of her latest trilogy and I'm refusing to read anything in that series until it's done. She just takes too long between books. I've loved everything else she's written though. The Coldfire Trilogy is absolutely amazing.

I'm reading Alphabet of Thorn which is beautifully written (i.e. some nice turn of phrase in the prose). Initially it was not "grabbing" me but it is getting a bit better now.

Right now I'm reading the lightening thief. So far it's kind of weird. But I just finished reading the Kingdom Keepers by Ridly Pearson. And yes the concept of kids trapped in a dark and silly but it actually was really really good. I mean I wish I knew where this book was when I was in highschool. I would of read this intead of Baby Sitters CLub any day. But it's a lot like Harry Potter. It's one those kid or adult books and it is pretty aazing. I reconmend it to any one who likes fantasy


P.S. check out my book website at http://www.freewebs.com/lelue

Sandi wrote: "Janny wrote: "Just finished C. S. Friedman's The Wilding."

That's the one that's a sort-of sequel to [b:In Co..."

Sandi, yes that's the one. This author does very sharp work. If the topics are sometimes tough, she's often exceptional at plotting. I guess I don't mind the wait, when the work is that startling or extremely well thought out.

Samie wrote: "Right now I'm reading the lightening thief. So far it's kind of weird. But I just finished reading the Kingdom Keepers by Ridly Pearson. And yes the concept of kids trapped in a dark and silly bu..."

I liked Lighting thief - I like YA and I felt this was a bit "too YA" which I didn't think was possible but that is my best way to describe it. Still it was an enjoyable time reading it and my son LOVES it (He is 14)

Twilight series.
Twilight was good and I enjoyed it.
By the end of New Moon, I wanted to slap Bella for her selfishness. Just started Eclipse and she's still showing her selfishness and immaturity. I hope she grows up because I don't think I can stand another book with her the way she is right now.

I finished up Alphabet of Thorns and picked up...

Griffin's Shadow
World War Z An Oral History of the Zombie War

Leslie, I only read the Prologue but I really enjoyed it. It has a great begining!!

Thanks, Robin. I'm eager to find out what you think of the rest of it. I'm also chomping at the bit to get my copy of Avempartha!

We are getting our copies of Avempartha on Monday so it will be going out then ;-)

I'm now reading City of Saints and Madmen by Jeff VanderMeer and The Flame in the Bowl: Unbinding the Stone by our own Marc Vun Kannon.

I'm still working on Quicksilver by Neal Stephenson. It's soooooo slooooooow.

I hit a dense 700-pager that took me FOREVER to get through, so A Clash of Kings is going to have to wait a while. I need a break. Instead, I picked up some lighter fantasy. I just finished A Great and Terrible Beauty, Heir to the Shadows, and Artemis Fowl The Arctic Incident. I enjoyed all of them, but I am really enjoying Anne Bishop's Black Jewels trilogy (Heir is the second in the trilogy). I might pick up His Majesty's Dragon next.

JG--His Majesty's Dragon is available as a free download. I got it a few weeks ago, and here's the annoying part for you--I can't remember where!! BUT--someone here in the Fantasy discussion group posted the link to where to get it, and it's all legal, don't worry. I'm pretty sure it was a site associated with the book's publisher, Del Rey.

So, whoever posted that link, can you please post it again so JG can get His Majesty's Dragon?

Thanks, but I have it already. I guess I didn't make that clear, did I? I told my mom to buy it for my sister for Christmas, and then it got passed on to me. I love it when a plan comes together! :-)

So I discovered someone new - I'm so excited!! I stumbled over...The Wheel of Nuldoid by Russ Woody. I read the first part from the Kindle download (via iphone - thank you MAC) It is charming. I've contacted the author to get a signed copy and can't wait until it comes in.

Here it is, Leslie:

http://www.suvudu.com/freelibrary/

I see that he got it, but someone else might need the link again......

Thanks, Chris! Like JG says, and he's quoting the leader of the A-Team, whose name I'm blanking out on right now--I love it when a plan comes together, also!

Hannibal Smith, wasn't it? George Peppard acting like George Peppard with a different name.

March has been a very, very good month for reading (unlike February, which had too many duds):

I decided to focus on fiction this month so only finished two nonfiction works: Joseph Williams' Style and Thomas Burns' Rome and the Barbarians.

Figures of Earth a Comedy of Appearances, James Branch Cabell - the best Cabell work I've read so far (4 stars)
The Born Queen, Greg Keyes - a decent wrap up of the series
The Third Man, Graham Greene - the author's novelization of his and Carol Reed's movie script
Strange Cargo, Jeffrey Barlough - third in The Western Lights series; not as grim as The House in the High Wood but a good entry in the series
Three Bags Full, Leonie Swann - the best sheep detective novel in the genre; great fun (4 stars)
The Lemon Table, Julian Barnes - fictive reflections about death; not as depressing as you might think
The Scarlet Pimpernel, Baroness Orczy

Next month I look forward to Liz Williams' Snake Agent: A Detective Inspector Chen Novel Detective Inspector Chen Novels - finally, one of my groups' monthly selections matches up with my reading schedule - Eve: A Novel of the First Woman, Elissa Elliot; King Jesus: A Novel, Robert Graves; and beginning to reread R. Scott Bakker's Prince of Nothing series in anticipation of The Judging Eye.

How in the WORLD do you find the time to read so many books, Terence?! Ye gods, man, do you ever sleep?!

I'm going to start Watchmen tonight, I think. I just bought it yesterday, and even though there are a few others ahead of it, I simply can't wait.