mikeck
Junior Member
Posts: 1,662
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Post by mikeck on Dec 13, 2023 21:23:25 GMT
I finally found the time to finish Abercrombie's The First Law trilogy and was blown away. So good. Really drew me into these individual characters that come together for a great adventure changing each of them (or not) and then that journey ultimately only serving as an almost footnote in the whole story. Superbly written, had me caring about characters that I never thought I'd warm too, and wove some really great tales together into one gripping epic.
I then followed this up with the final book of Leo Carew's Under the Northern Sky trilogy (The Cuckoo) and even though it's been a while since reading the first two books I was immediately drawn back into this compelling saga. This series has gone largely under the radar, but if you like battle focused, politically intriguing fantasy epics I cannot recommend this enough. Did not end how I'd expected but was all the better for it.
My pile of shame is no smaller though having just bought Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow as a palette cleanser. Going to take a break from fantasy for a couple of books.
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gamma
New Member
Posts: 88
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Post by gamma on Dec 16, 2023 23:55:15 GMT
The Three Body Problem by Liu Cixin. The first book I picked up after a very long hiatus. I thought it started pretty slow and I am a slow reader so was I was a bit worried I'd grind to a halt. But it picked up after a while and soon got very interesting. Lots of characters in the book and I couldn't really tell them apart because their names didn't stick. But the big ideas in the book made up for it. Can't really talk about it without spoilering it, so I won't. Have ordered the next book in the series (Dark Forest).
I also read All Systems Red, the first of the Murderbot-series by Martha Wells. A robot has managed to hack itself and is forced into a bunch of adventures, but mostly it just wants to sit and watch tv-shows. Had seen it recommended from a bunch of places and it was alright, but it didn't really hook me as I thought it would. Will probably read the second book as well to see if it picks up. They are quite short anyway.
Next was Player of Games by Iain Banks. It's about a man who is very good at playing games, but doesn't get enough satisfaction from them no matter how good he gets. Always chasing the next high, looking to somehow raising the stakes. Also it has aliens in it! I like the Culture-books, but Use of Weapons is still my favourite.
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Post by simple on Dec 17, 2023 19:18:43 GMT
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MolarAm🔵
Full Member
Bad at games
Posts: 6,114
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Post by MolarAm🔵 on Dec 17, 2023 20:17:30 GMT
We have a patron who often requests self published Amazon genre stuff for us to buy, and I can confirm that there is a whole lot of rubbish out there. 22 books in 5 years isn't even that uncommon; I've seen authors with more than a hundred titles in 10 years of doing it.
I don't doubt the popularity, but the standards of these things are not often great. Bad bindings, and when I flick through a few there are grammar and spelling mistakes everywhere.
Anyway, I'm happy for this guy, maybe he's one of the good ones. But getting published by a big house gives you the advantage of having editors to clean up the prose a bit.
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Post by simple on Dec 17, 2023 22:33:25 GMT
We had an informal policy of not purchasing it when I was in libraries. Local history we’d accept as donations once one of our LH staff had checked it over but fiction didn’t get touched.
But hey, if I could make a living like this guy has I’d be into it.
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Post by elstoof on Jan 7, 2024 21:36:56 GMT
Richard Morgan’s Thin Air, the sequel of sorts to Black Man. I had a few mild reservations due to the way the Kovacs sequels dipped quite badly after the first, but this was every bit as good as its predecessor
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mikeck
Junior Member
Posts: 1,662
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Post by mikeck on Jan 8, 2024 16:22:35 GMT
Just finished Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow (Gabrielle Zevin), absolutely fantastic book. Once I actually found some time to read I powered through it. Great tale about love (not romance) within the setting of video games, and whilst has a lot of references they are organic (not shoehorned in like Ready Player One). Really recommend this.
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Post by rhaegyr on Jan 8, 2024 16:28:37 GMT
Just finished Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow (Gabrielle Zevin), absolutely fantastic book. Once I actually found some time to read I powered through it. Great tale about love (not romance) within the setting of video games, and whilst has a lot of references they are organic (not shoehorned in like Ready Player One). Really recommend this. Just about to start this! Bought it for my fiancee who doesn't play games but she really enjoyed it and said I'd love it.
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Post by rhaegyr on Jan 8, 2024 16:30:43 GMT
I finally found the time to finish Abercrombie's The First Law trilogy and was blown away. So good. Really drew me into these individual characters that come together for a great adventure changing each of them (or not) and then that journey ultimately only serving as an almost footnote in the whole story. Superbly written, had me caring about characters that I never thought I'd warm too, and wove some really great tales together into one gripping epic.
I then followed this up with the final book of Leo Carew's Under the Northern Sky trilogy (The Cuckoo) and even though it's been a while since reading the first two books I was immediately drawn back into this compelling saga. This series has gone largely under the radar, but if you like battle focused, politically intriguing fantasy epics I cannot recommend this enough. Did not end how I'd expected but was all the better for it. My pile of shame is no smaller though having just bought Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow as a palette cleanser. Going to take a break from fantasy for a couple of books. Loved this trilogy but I'm still not sure how I feel about how it ended - curious as to what you made of it. I was a bit deflated in all honesty, especially with a few characters (Jezal, Ferro and Logen in particular). I know it's more 'real' but I wish it was a touch more satisfying.
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askew
Full Member
Posts: 5,988
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Post by askew on Jan 8, 2024 16:38:55 GMT
I enjoyed the plot, but listened to the audiobook and bounced off the primary narrator. It seemed to exacerbate the more irritating characters.
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mikeck
Junior Member
Posts: 1,662
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Post by mikeck on Jan 8, 2024 17:54:19 GMT
I finally found the time to finish Abercrombie's The First Law trilogy and was blown away. So good. Really drew me into these individual characters that come together for a great adventure changing each of them (or not) and then that journey ultimately only serving as an almost footnote in the whole story. Superbly written, had me caring about characters that I never thought I'd warm too, and wove some really great tales together into one gripping epic.
I then followed this up with the final book of Leo Carew's Under the Northern Sky trilogy (The Cuckoo) and even though it's been a while since reading the first two books I was immediately drawn back into this compelling saga. This series has gone largely under the radar, but if you like battle focused, politically intriguing fantasy epics I cannot recommend this enough. Did not end how I'd expected but was all the better for it. My pile of shame is no smaller though having just bought Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow as a palette cleanser. Going to take a break from fantasy for a couple of books. Loved this trilogy but I'm still not sure how I feel about how it ended - curious as to what you made of it. I was a bit deflated in all honesty, especially with a few characters (Jezal, Ferro and Logen in particular). I know it's more 'real' but I wish it was a touch more satisfying. Absolutely agree with this, I was disappointed in the way some of their stories ended, but it was realistic and I had no issue with how they ended for them...just wish it was a bit less grim and deflating for some of them.
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MolarAm🔵
Full Member
Bad at games
Posts: 6,114
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Post by MolarAm🔵 on Jan 8, 2024 21:46:50 GMT
I mean, "bad things happen to people" is a pretty consistent hallmark of that series, so I'm not sure what you were expecting for the ending lol.
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Post by Nanocrystal on Jan 8, 2024 22:47:14 GMT
It's a long time since I read it, but wasn't that trilogy basically what if LotR but Gandalf is an arsehole, the fellowship are deeply broken people, and the hero's quest turns out to be a complete waste of time? I remember the characters were very vividly drawn but I also found the story itself quite unsatisfying and that put me off reading his other books.
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MolarAm🔵
Full Member
Bad at games
Posts: 6,114
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Post by MolarAm🔵 on Jan 9, 2024 0:46:44 GMT
Well, that part is exactly what I liked about the books, so... to each their own, I suppose.
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mikeck
Junior Member
Posts: 1,662
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Post by mikeck on Jan 9, 2024 7:47:33 GMT
I get that, and that's what I liked about the series it was grim and realistic, but two separate things can be true. I can absolutely love the series for what it was and enjoy the ending for being what it is (and.not being all shiny and happy), but I can also wish for better for some of my favourite characters.
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Post by rhaegyr on Jan 9, 2024 11:36:07 GMT
mikeck said it best - echoes my thoughts exactly.
Just about to start the sequel trilogy, hope it's as good as the original.
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gamma
New Member
Posts: 88
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Post by gamma on Jan 11, 2024 17:43:41 GMT
Dune - a lot better than I remember from 20 years ago. But that was a different me, and this time I bought one of the posh versions of the book. Everything has already been said, but it really is special. Have Dune Messiah lined up, never read that one before.
Dark Forest, the follow up to Three Body Problem. Some really cool ideas mixed with pretty bad ones. Glad I read it but it was a mixed bag. Will probably read Death's End to finish the trilogy.
Thinking of picking up a Kindle. I am looking at the paperwhite for the bigger screen size but annoyingly it is quite a bit more than the basic version. Are these things ever on sale?
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n0mis
New Member
Posts: 60
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Post by n0mis on Jan 12, 2024 10:56:31 GMT
Thinking of picking up a Kindle. I am looking at the paperwhite for the bigger screen size but annoyingly it is quite a bit more than the basic version. Are these things ever on sale? I picked up a Kindle Paperwhite mid November when it was on sale. I just kept a track of its price via Camel Camel Camel. Can see here how often it goes on sale. Hope that helps.
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Post by dfunked on Jan 12, 2024 12:33:49 GMT
The newish (2022?) basic version is pretty decent imo, but then I've got decent near vision and have it comfortably set to the smallest font size. I've never felt that it needed to be any bigger, but I've never used the paperwhite so don't have that comparison point.
If it's your first kindle I'd just go with the basic one. Perfect weight and size for reading in bed imo.
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Rich
Junior Member
Posts: 1,796
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Post by Rich on Jan 12, 2024 16:48:13 GMT
Joe Abercrombie - Age of Madness trilogy
Great characters and writing marred by being slightly dull compared to everything that came before it. As always, the audiobook features Stephen Pacey's superb narration (and someone's told him how to pronounce grimace correctly!)
7/10
I think Abercrombie's next book is a completely separate offering and not due until 2025, but I do hope there's more to come in this world.
The Sword of Shannara - Terry Brooks
Gave up after about four chapters. It just seemed horribly generic, and may not have been helped by an awful narrator who seemed as bored as I was.
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askew
Full Member
Posts: 5,988
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Post by askew on Jan 16, 2024 11:18:35 GMT
I read The Wager last year and would recommend it as a true story of derring-do. If you care for a truncated version, it was Radio 4’s Book of the Week: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/m001tr2w
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mikeck
Junior Member
Posts: 1,662
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Post by mikeck on Jan 16, 2024 11:58:57 GMT
The Space Between Us - Doug Johnstone
Not a book I was aware of, was a Christmas gift, and I have raced through this. Don't want to say anything not on the blurb but this was his first sci-fi book (usually writes crime) and focuses on three strangers who meet after having a near fatal stroke after a meteor appears over Edinburgh.
Very compelling book, feels like a grown-up E.T. with a good heart and message.
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Post by Dougs on Jan 16, 2024 12:47:41 GMT
The newish (2022?) basic version is pretty decent imo, but then I've got decent near vision and have it comfortably set to the smallest font size. I've never felt that it needed to be any bigger, but I've never used the paperwhite so don't have that comparison point. If it's your first kindle I'd just go with the basic one. Perfect weight and size for reading in bed imo. Bit late to this but where the paperweight shines (lols) is in the dark. So good for late night reading without disturbing someone next to you.
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Post by damagedinc on Jan 16, 2024 13:51:39 GMT
Just finished Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow (Gabrielle Zevin), absolutely fantastic book. Once I actually found some time to read I powered through it. Great tale about love (not romance) within the setting of video games, and whilst has a lot of references they are organic (not shoehorned in like Ready Player One). Really recommend this. Just about to start this! Bought it for my fiancee who doesn't play games but she really enjoyed it and said I'd love it. Just started this. Wonderful so far
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Post by Bill in the rain on Jan 16, 2024 14:28:55 GMT
Paperwhite is really good, though I have one from a couple of years ago so I dunno if they've changed anything. I do keep having to up the font size though. Stupid ageing.
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I have this bad habit of choosing books on a whim, usually based on the cover or the blurb or whatever. Sometimes it works out and I find something cool, sometimes not so much.
It's not at all my usual thing, but for some reason I picked up The Writing on the Wall by Jenny Eclair in the audible sale. (Jenny Eclair the 90s comic) According to the blurb it's about a girl from now who finds a message under the wallpaper from a girl in 1970 and then time travels and has to save her. Which is true. But that makes it sound kinda sci-fi when it's mainly about 2 girls being mates.
It also has a really weird pacing where the first half of the book is basically the 70s girl being a stroppy teenager in the 70s and not really engendering any sypathy from me. It takes til half way through the book before the 2020s girl gets much of a mention, and before the time travel happens, and it takes even longer before any sense of threat happens.
So it's 50% whiny 70s teen. 35% teens from different times hanging out*. 15% trying to stop bad thing happening in a very minimal way. Abrupt ending.
*This is the most interesting bit, because the modern girl is less annoying and makes the 70s girl less annoying too. It's also interesting to see some of their different attitudes to things. Older men make suggestive remarks about teenage girls. 70s girl is really happy, 2020s girl tells them to fuck off and stop being perverts. Etc..
Anyway, it was ok, the middle part at least, but not really sure why I picked it.
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gamma
New Member
Posts: 88
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Post by gamma on Jan 16, 2024 17:14:46 GMT
Thanks for all the Kindle advice! Think I'll hold off until the next sale is on. I have a 10 year old device that will have to do until then.
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Post by damagedinc on Jan 16, 2024 17:28:17 GMT
Damn now I'm looking at kindles
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Post by Bill in the rain on Jan 17, 2024 1:22:45 GMT
The best time to grab them is probably Prime Day or Black Friday as Amazon usually do big discounts on all their own tech. Might be a while to wait though. (keepa or camelcamelcamel or another price tracker is your friend)
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Post by dfunked on Jan 17, 2024 9:10:37 GMT
They also do trade ins for old devices now. Pretty shit value mind you, I just kept my old kindle as a spare rather than try to save £15 (which you'd only get if it's spotless)
Not sure about paperwhites, but keep an eye on HUKD as there are often deals for kindles on there. I got my 2022 version for £52 for the ad version (which I then got removed via a chat support request)
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Post by damagedinc on Jan 22, 2024 17:42:09 GMT
Been hunting on ebay. Found a paperwhite signature edition for 120. paperwhites seem to go for 100ish
Am I better off with the basic for 60?
Paperwhites seem good but not sure worth double the price?
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