T Kingfisher, Summer in Orcus. A rather inventive take on the classic fantasy quest, but with plenty of innovation and it starts with Baba Yaga. It is not a comedy, but there are moments of humour. I particularly like it, that having started with Baba Yaga's mobile house on giant hens legs, that there is a passing mention later on of herds of wild houses out on the plain, and house hunters going after them.... Handled with a light touch.
May Reading Thread
- Thread starter The Judge
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I've read a handful of books by Kingfisher, some of which I like a lot better than others. Which is to say that sometimes her books hit the sort of thing (well, one of the kinds of things) I am looking for, and others not so much. Summer in Orcus sounds like it might fall under the first category; I'll have to take a look at it.
Right at the moment I am working my way through Jill Paton Walsh's original mysteries (original in the sense that they are about her own characters, not the Lord Peter Wimsey continuations). There are only four of them, they are none of them long books, and I am now reading the last, so I may be ready to read some fantasy very soon.
Right at the moment I am working my way through Jill Paton Walsh's original mysteries (original in the sense that they are about her own characters, not the Lord Peter Wimsey continuations). There are only four of them, they are none of them long books, and I am now reading the last, so I may be ready to read some fantasy very soon.
I haven't read them all. Lots of times I start on a series, but after I catch up to the most recent one I stop never to think of it again. No matter how well I liked the series. The only real exception to this is the Honor Harrington series, which I waited with bated breath until the next installment showed up. (but somewhat less bated toward the end) When I finished my Ell Dorsaii run I might shamble over and consider again. But 8 or 9 dollars a book puts a serious damper on my enthusiasm.
On the Ell Donsaii front, I've finished Impact, DNA, and have begun Dioterror! It's been a long time since I've enjoyed rereading books so much.
Extollager
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Whoa -- Coleridge!
The Holmes 2-volume biography is very readable. I would deduct points here and there; on the one hand, I recall him making more of a to-do than perhaps he needed to about an incident in which Coleridge imagined he saw Wordsworth cuddling with W's wife's sister, and, on the other, he has almost nothing to say about one or two late books by Coleridge that deal with Coleridge's Christian faith: you can see what interests Holmes more, what less. But I did enjoy them.
See if you think Coleridge's Christabel -- even though it's unfinished -- is almost the founding text of modern weird fantasy.
Prompted by a passing remark of Hugh's, I'm rereading (after 40+ years) Cohen's biography of Rider Haggard. I'd forgotten how adventurous Haggard's early years in Africa were.
The Holmes 2-volume biography is very readable. I would deduct points here and there; on the one hand, I recall him making more of a to-do than perhaps he needed to about an incident in which Coleridge imagined he saw Wordsworth cuddling with W's wife's sister, and, on the other, he has almost nothing to say about one or two late books by Coleridge that deal with Coleridge's Christian faith: you can see what interests Holmes more, what less. But I did enjoy them.
See if you think Coleridge's Christabel -- even though it's unfinished -- is almost the founding text of modern weird fantasy.
Prompted by a passing remark of Hugh's, I'm rereading (after 40+ years) Cohen's biography of Rider Haggard. I'd forgotten how adventurous Haggard's early years in Africa were.
Danny McG
"Uroshnor!"
I'm starting this morning with a horror book set right here in my hometown of Whitehaven.
The blurb says it's about some kind of creature infiltrating the local call centre (built on the shore beside our local pebble beach) - intriguing because I'm friends with four people who work or have worked at that place.
Book title The thing on the shore by Tom Fletcher.
Note: it seems there are two writers of a similar age who are both named Tom Fletcher, one writes horror and the other (who is also a musician) writes dystopian sci-fi with his wife. This thread shows my confusion...
www.sffchronicles.com
The blurb says it's about some kind of creature infiltrating the local call centre (built on the shore beside our local pebble beach) - intriguing because I'm friends with four people who work or have worked at that place.
Book title The thing on the shore by Tom Fletcher.
Note: it seems there are two writers of a similar age who are both named Tom Fletcher, one writes horror and the other (who is also a musician) writes dystopian sci-fi with his wife. This thread shows my confusion...
Tom Fletcher books query
Tom Fletcher: Thomas Michael Fletcher (born 17 July 1985) Is with the group McFly but, I've recently learned, is also an author of horror books. I've looked at the blurbs for his novels and he has four of them set in my area, North West Cumbria, with one actually set in my hometown Whitehaven...
www.sffchronicles.com
Finished T Kingfisher Summer in Orcus - held up well and had some really amusing bits and a credible ending.
Started T KIngfisher The Raven and the Reindeer - her take on the Snow Queen.
Started T KIngfisher The Raven and the Reindeer - her take on the Snow Queen.
Elckerlyc
"Philosophy will clip an angel's wings."
Started reading In a dark Wood Wandering by Hella S. Haasse.
It being a bit slow, I decided to allow for a short break by reading something light. That something turned out to be Alistair's MacLean's Golden Rendezvous. After nearly 50 years I still found it a fun and, like I said, light read.
Next I thought I might as well try Night Without End, but found it not half as good and entertaining as Golden Rendezvous.
Before returning to Haasse I decided to read Jo Walton's My Real Children first. About 25% in I must confess I like it so far and am curious where it is leading to.
It being a bit slow, I decided to allow for a short break by reading something light. That something turned out to be Alistair's MacLean's Golden Rendezvous. After nearly 50 years I still found it a fun and, like I said, light read.
Next I thought I might as well try Night Without End, but found it not half as good and entertaining as Golden Rendezvous.
Before returning to Haasse I decided to read Jo Walton's My Real Children first. About 25% in I must confess I like it so far and am curious where it is leading to.
Danny McG
"Uroshnor!"
Load of old twonk, DNF for this book - and probably this author.I'm starting this morning with a horror book set right here in my hometown of Whitehaven.
The blurb says it's about some kind of creature infiltrating the local call centre (built on the shore beside our local pebble beach) - intriguing because I'm friends with four people who work or have worked at that place.
Book title The thing on the shore by Tom Fletcher.
Note: it seems there are two writers of a similar age who are both named Tom Fletcher, one writes horror and the other (who is also a musician) writes dystopian sci-fi with his wife. This thread shows my confusion...
Tom Fletcher books query
Tom Fletcher: Thomas Michael Fletcher (born 17 July 1985) Is with the group McFly but, I've recently learned, is also an author of horror books. I've looked at the blurbs for his novels and he has four of them set in my area, North West Cumbria, with one actually set in my hometown Whitehaven...
I'm dithering now what to read next:-
Sci fi?
Crime thriller?
Spy novel?
Adventure?
I've unread books in all those genres, or maybe I should go for a trusted old reread?
Danny McG
"Uroshnor!"
I'm making a start on Firewalkers by Adrian Tchaikovsky, here's hoping 
and if you don't like it you can always light a fire with itI'm making a start on Firewalkers by Adrian Tchaikovsky, here's hoping
Starting Footfall by Niven and Pournelle.
Classics & Contemporaries by S. T. Joshi
A collection of Joshi's reviews from the 1980s into the early 2000s, mainly dealing with Lovecraft related fiction and literary criticism. Joshi is a sharp, erudite and insightful critic, though he can be controversial because he has the tendency to make good/bad judgments on works that don't entertain him. Thus he's harsh on most Cthulhu Mythos works not written by HPL. Not that most of it is undeserving of that harshness, but it's really not hard to imagine that some readers crave variations on stories and are satisfied with that. His implicit -- and sometimes more than implicit -- condemnation of that readership is a bit overboard.
What's good about the reviews is that he eschews most of the critical vocabulary that can make some of his books a bit of a slog, while giving a representative idea of the basis for his commentary and criticism. This is a n intriguing, thought-provoking read, and probably a good introduction for anyone interested in following up on his scholarly and critical works.
Randy M.
A collection of Joshi's reviews from the 1980s into the early 2000s, mainly dealing with Lovecraft related fiction and literary criticism. Joshi is a sharp, erudite and insightful critic, though he can be controversial because he has the tendency to make good/bad judgments on works that don't entertain him. Thus he's harsh on most Cthulhu Mythos works not written by HPL. Not that most of it is undeserving of that harshness, but it's really not hard to imagine that some readers crave variations on stories and are satisfied with that. His implicit -- and sometimes more than implicit -- condemnation of that readership is a bit overboard.
What's good about the reviews is that he eschews most of the critical vocabulary that can make some of his books a bit of a slog, while giving a representative idea of the basis for his commentary and criticism. This is a n intriguing, thought-provoking read, and probably a good introduction for anyone interested in following up on his scholarly and critical works.
Randy M.
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2016
- Messages
- 2,212
"A Death in the House and Other Stories. The Complete Short fiction of Clifford D. Simak Volume 7"
Another excellent collection. 8 SF stories plus (sigh) a Western and a WWII Air warfare yarn.
The SF stories contain some gems. I always love Simak's aliens in small town settings: here we have "Operation Stinky" (alien looking exactly like a skunk adopts the local drunk). "The Sitters" (three aliens living in a small town, one of Simak's personal favourites), "Green Thumb" & "A Death in the House" both feature dying aliens rescued by local men. The others are also all well worth reading.
For me personally, a joy.
Another excellent collection. 8 SF stories plus (sigh) a Western and a WWII Air warfare yarn.
The SF stories contain some gems. I always love Simak's aliens in small town settings: here we have "Operation Stinky" (alien looking exactly like a skunk adopts the local drunk). "The Sitters" (three aliens living in a small town, one of Simak's personal favourites), "Green Thumb" & "A Death in the House" both feature dying aliens rescued by local men. The others are also all well worth reading.
For me personally, a joy.
I'll be interested to hear what you thought of this. I felt it was worth the read, but somewhat less than their usual yarn.
----
Finishing my Ell Donsaii re-run. I finished Bioterror and Terraform and then wonder of wonders! There's a new one Transporter which I will finish today. Then we'll see where I go.
Dragonlady
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 4, 2007
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- 407
@dannymcg that's interesting, I work in a big open plan office on the phones (or did before lockdown, now i'm working at home round a 5year old ) and often mused about setting a story in that environment, it would probably be in the vein of Tom Holt of John Wymondham.
I've just finished children of blood and bone by Tomi Adeyemi, a superb, poweful and intense African inspired young adult fantasy. I'm waiting before getting the sequel as i won't get anything else done while reading it.
I've just finished children of blood and bone by Tomi Adeyemi, a superb, poweful and intense African inspired young adult fantasy. I'm waiting before getting the sequel as i won't get anything else done while reading it.
I'm re-reading The Second Coming, Andrew Collins's follow up to The Black Alchemist. Interesting enough so far, but risks being "more of the same" unless it reaches some firm conclusions. (I can't recall if it does or not, but I'm not holding out much hope.)
Danny McG
"Uroshnor!"
It wasn't actually that bad a story, but not my kind of thing, it was a bit too much psychological suspense and "is he dreaming this bit?"
That's why I DNF it - not my taste
biodroid
A.D.D.
Is that the one where alien elephants attack earth?
Danny McG
"Uroshnor!"
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