May Reading Thread

[williamjm]

I finished Samantha Shannon's The Priory of the Orange Tree. Overall I did enjoy it, although it did have some weaknesses. It is a long book at over 800 pages and although it's nice that it is a standalone that wraps up all its plot threads it did feel like something that might more commonly have been split into multiple books. Mostly the pacing is good but despite the length there were times when the plot felt a bit rushed. I'm sure if this had been published in the 90s it would have been an epic fantasy trilogies. It does have many of the traditional epic fantasy aspects - several quests, court intrigue, a plot that manages to cover the entire map, a coming-of-age story for Tané, a dark lord ("The Nameless One") prophesied to rise again and lots and lots of dragons. Most of the book is spent into 'West' and 'East' sections, the former has the more traditional epic fantasy setting reminiscent of medieval Europe while the 'East' is fairly clearly inspired by Shogunate Japan (complete with traditional Japanese dragons who are the ancient enemies of the western dragons). It's definitely got a more modern outlook than many of the older epic fantasies, one of the cover blurbs describes it as 'a feminist Lord of the Rings' and I think it lives up to the first part of the description although it doesn't have the depth of history or world-building seen in Tolkien.

I liked the characters, I think Sabran probably got the most interesting character development despite not being a point-of-view character - perhaps because it takes some time to really get a good impression of her character. The two protagonists in the East probably have more obvious flaws than Ead and Loth in the West, which gave them a bit more depth. It is one of those fantasy series where the main antagonist is mostly off screen, although out of the supporting cast Kalyba was probably more interesting as someone with more ambiguous intentions towards the protagonists.

It was a consistently entertaining read, and although I think some aspects could have been done better I think I'd probably be interested in reading more by Samantha Shannon in the future.

Now I'm reading something considerably shorter in the form of Lois McMaster Bujold's eighth Penric and Desdemona novella, The Physicians of Vilnoc. Bujold commented last week before publication that it ended up feeling a lot more topical than when she started. I'm not sure a story about an unexplained plague is going to be to everyone's taste right now but there is something comforting about the competence of the characters in dealing with it.

I'm always happy to discover someone else who liked John Buchan.

I read all (or maybe almost all) of the Richard Hannay books when I was at school and enjoyed them a lot at the time. I never really read any of his other series, I'm not sure why now.

 

[The Big Peat]

It's about politics, but the politics of Deverry, which so far do not appear to be a metaphor for the politics of our world and time. I wouldn't call it preachy at all, but the issues are right there on the surface, because they're what the story is about.

Thanks Teresa. I think I'll enjoy this story, but maybe not right now. Maybe its saturation, maybe it's the tale of the times, but I'm not particularly feeling political books right now.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I've got the Bujold lined up to be read next after I finish the Kerr. I wasn't expecting another Penric story quite so soon, so thank you to Montero for mentioning it here.

I've read all the Lady Hardcastle books to date. I agree that they are a quick, fun read. Actually, I read a ton of historical mysteries, but I don't usually mention them here, thinking there won't be many others who are interested. Maybe I've been wrong about that.

 

[Extollager]

Williamjm, I've been reading Buchan off and on for something like 45 years -- lots of rereadings there, but something like 17 different books. if I had to winnow my book collection down to 200 books, I'm not sure any Buchans would make the cut, but he's provided a lot of good reading over the years.

That idea -- what would you keep if you had to reduce your books to 200 -- actually was a thread here a while ago.

Your Nursing Home 200 Books

Around June 2009, I and a couple of friends undertook an exercise that might be practical someday. Each of us owns quite a few books. Very well: Suppose I have to move somewhere, let's say into a nursing home, where I can keep only 200 of them. Which books would I keep? Over several weeks...

www.sffchronicles.com

 

[Parson]

I just got tired of all the weighty stuff and went back to one of my favorites Quicker by Laurence E. Dahners. --- I love this book and this series. I finished Quicker in a short evening (3 hours) and it was so good. A likable, humble hero, an interesting plot, and a desire to read more. I really think I enjoyed it more the second time. I'm going to read Smarter by Laurence E. Dahners next. Sometimes going back to a favorite is really nice.

 

[williamjm]

I've got the Bujold lined up to be read next after I finish the Kerr. I wasn't expecting another Penric story quite so soon, so thank you to Montero for mentioning it here.

It's always a nice surprise when one comes out. I think Bujold usually seems to announce them about a week or two before they get published.

 

[scififan]

There are five novels on my reading list. This month I'm planning to read The Institute by Stephen King, The Unwilling by Kelly Braffet, You by Caroline Kepnes, Imaginary Friend by Stephen Chbosky and The Perfect Girlfriend by Karen Hamilton.

 

[Montero]

I've read all the Lady Hardcastle books to date. I agree that they are a quick, fun read. Actually, I read a ton of historical mysteries, but I don't usually mention them here, thinking there won't be many others who are interested. Maybe I've been wrong about that.

Quite a few sff readers I know are also keen murder mystery of various flavours readers - my theory is that's its the problem solving element that is in common.

I've just read Paladin's Grace by T Kingfisher - excellent fantasy with a romance running through it. In fact it is actually also a murder mystery. Female lead is a perfumer and her skills are important to the story.
Male lead is a paladin of an ex-god - as in the god died a couple of years before the start of the story. He was a holy beserker and now he and his comrades are very carefully trying not to go beserk as they do general guard duties for the Temple of the Rat who provides lawyers and healers for people. Effectively the temple of the underdog.
The romance is delightful as it is two people with low opinions of themselves who can't really believe the other one likes them - but exquisitely well written and amusing. A lovely scene where he gives her socks he knitted himself as a present, and then worries if it was the right present, while she worried what he meant by the present.
There is a serial killer stalking the poor area of town, biting off heads.
There is a royal visit from a neighbouring kingdom.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

I've just read Paladin's Grace by T Kingfisher - excellent fantasy with a romance running through it. In fact it is actually also a murder mystery. Female lead is a perfumer and her skills are important to the story.

I read Paladin's Grace a couple of months ago, and you describe it well. I was hoping her next book would be a sequel to Swordheart, but when this came out instead I was far from disappointed!

 

[Hugh]

"Grotto of the Dancing Deer and Other Stories", Volume IV of the Complete Short Fiction of Clifford D Simak
Best story is of course the title one.

 

[Danny McG]

I started a new one tonight
The Last Human by Zack Jordan

So far we have a massive multi species space station.

This half metal killer spider thing is raising her adopted daughter, the kid is Human but that's a big secret, they lie about her ancestry and claim she's from a really obscure remote world.

If the surrounding aliens ever learn there's a dreaded Human in their midst there'll be a mob attack to kill this deadly dangerous creature.

That's as far as I've got but it's very good so far.

@Parson I recommend!

This was really enjoyable for the first third of the book.
Then it meandered into metaphysical stuff and the nature of consciousness and went on and on and on until I was ready to throw the book out.....if it wasn't for this lockdown limiting my reading I would have done so.
I persevered and it finally concluded, of course leaving a way open for a book two - why do lots of novels do that nowadays?
I like a stand alone book.

Anyways, speaking of lockdowns, I'm now starting Lockdown by Peter May, about a virus and most people have to stay in their home

 

[Paul_C]

Next up three short tales I bought yesterday by P. Djèlí Clark - A Dead Djinn In Cairo, The Haunting Of Tram Car 015 and The Black God's Drums.

I read, and enjoyed the first two, then sneaked in Adrian Tchaikovsky's Made Things, which I liked a lot.

I'm currently leaning towards shorter books, and along with the follow up Precious Little Things, I've the got the following lined up for reading soon:

Adrian Tchaikovsky - Walking To Aldebaran
Benjanun Sriduangkaew - Then Will The Sun Rise Alabaster and After-Swarm
Paul McAuley - A Very British History (a short story collection)

 

[Garfunkel]

I finished Stephen King's 'Salem's Lot. It was an enjoyable reread, although it lacks the polish of his later work and there's a subplot about rats that doesn't go anywhere (the deleted scenes illuminate this aspect). I thought the ending was pretty good too - I haven't loved all of his endings (The Stand's is pretty poor, for one), but I generally find he delivers with them.

I've started King's most recent book, If It Bleeds. I've only read the first story, but it was fantastic - a really strong, heartfelt character piece, which I almost wish had been a novel in its own right. I've also been listening to Joan Samson's The Auctioneer, which is an intriguing horror novel from the 1970s. I struggled a little with the plausibility of the premise early on, but there's lots to admire in the book, particularly how it ratchets up the tension while keeping so much of what's going on (so far) in the background. Interested and nervous to see how it all turns out.

 

[Montero]

Incidentally, I'm another Buchan reader though not that often these days. They make easy listening as audio books when I'm doing something like painting - interesting without complicated prose or overly fast action.

I just read T Kingfishers Seventh Bride. I liked that too. It has an element of horror and fairy tale to it - being sent out each night on tasks. She has a good imagination and writes the people and their interactions very well. Now decided to re-read Paladin's Grace because I feel like it.

 

[Randy M.]

Finished Fer-de-Lance by Rex Stout yesterday. Good fun mystery. Stout's work sits somewhere along the spectrum between the English Golden Age mysteries (Christie, Dorothy L. Sayers, etc.) and the American hard-boiled mysteries. The tone is more the latter, and there's an impish humor in Archie Goodwin that makes him something of a lighter, less cynical Philip Marlowe. Note, Marlowe came somewhat later than did Wolfe and Goodwin.

The tone of the banter makes me wonder if it was just a 1930s thing, or if Stout was one of the writers influencing the light, good-humored back and forth dialog Hollywood used in so many movies.

Started The Eighth Circle by Stanley Ellin, who was best known for his short stories and has become one of the mostly forgotten mystery writers of the 1950s through the 1970s. This was one won an Edgar award.

Randy M.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Back in the early seventies my husband and I were close friends with a couple who lived near to us at the time, and the husband had a large number of Stout's novels, which I routinely borrowed and read. They all sort of blend together in my brain now, so I am not altogether sure which ones Anders had and which ones I read, but I must have liked them a lot to keep reading them. However, I do vaguely remember Fer-de-Lance on account of the titular snake. I also remember Archie drinking a lot of milk throughout the series.

Anders also had a lot of the old Ace Doubles, which I also borrowed. I couldn't tell you which ones, but I know I grabbed anything with one of André Norton's (or Andrew North's, which I believe was her pen name at the time she wrote that particular series) Solar Queen stories.

 

[AE35Unit]

Next up, Thunderball, which will be my second Ian Fleming read (part of triple set I picked up in Waterstones last year)

 

[AE35Unit]

Wow bond really comes across as a sexist, chauvinistic dinosaur in the books!

 

[Ian Fortytwo]

Just started reading King of Ashes, by Raymond E. Feist. Tried to read it last year, this time I will try harder.

 

[Randy M.]

Wow bond really comes across as a sexist, chauvinistic dinosaur in the books!

The trick for the movie-makers has been to alter Bond to fit succeeding generations. I think Connery may have shared some Bondian traits, so you have the Playboy '60s version. George Lazenby wasn't as smooth so we transition to Roger Moore whose skill set leaned toward humor and sending up the image. From there they've floundered a little. Timothy Dalton should have been fine in the role, but for some reason it didn't all mesh. Pierce Brosnan feels like a half-step toward Daniel Craig. Craig feels like the role is his own, a tougher, street-wise Bond, minus some of the chauvinism if not all.

Randy M.