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Tim's Tremendous Tomes


Timstar

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I went to the Gollancz festival on 17th Oct and really enjoyed it (sorry Laura), there were six 30 minute discussion panels all with 5 or 6 different authors followed by a mass signing.

 

Before going I was interested in seeing: Joe Abercrombie, Joe Hill, Brandon Sanderson, Ben Aaronovitch and Chris Wooding. Whilst there I also bought books by Pat Cadigan, Stephen Hunt and Paul Cornell (who wrote my favourite Doctor Who Episodes 'The Family of Blood'). And ended up buying a few more on kindle the next day.

 

Apart from Brandon Sanderson none of the authors tables were busy by the time I got there and I managed to have a nice chat with Chris Wooding and Joe Hill as well as getting all my books signed (12 books by 8 different authors).

 

Apart from carrying all those books back from London (most of which are Epic Fantasy!) I had a great time. Highlight of the evening was Joe Abercrombie stating "My books are just like David Eddings'... only with looser bowel control" :lol:

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Wow- I'd love to meet Joe Hill.   Have you seen the books he is doing... Locke and Key?

 

He's a really nice guy, and very funny.

 

Yeah, reading the second volume at the moment, it's incredible! Also got an extract from his new book coming next year.

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He's a really nice guy, and very funny.

 

Yeah, reading the second volume at the moment, it's incredible! Also got an extract from his new book coming next year.

Oh ya- The Fireman, right? First time I think I've ever seen a TV/ movie looking trailer for a book :D Does he really look like King?

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Belated happy birthday, Tim  :smile:

 

The B&N Jules Verne hardback is gorgeous and it's lovely to have on the shelf, but it's a real pain in the bum to read - massive, heavy, small text - gaaaagh! 

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img_3485.jpg The Aeronaut's Windlass - Jim Butcher

 

 

Synopsis

 

Since time immemorial, the Spires have sheltered humanity, towering for miles over the mist-shrouded surface of the world. Within their halls, aristocratic houses have ruled for generations, developing scientific marvels, fostering trade alliances, and building fleets of airships to keep the peace.

Captain Grimm commands the merchant ship, Predator. Fiercely loyal to Spire Albion, he has taken their side in the cold war with Spire Aurora, disrupting the enemy's shipping lines by attacking their cargo vessels. But when the Predator is severely damaged in combat, leaving captain and crew grounded, Grimm is offered a proposition from the Spirearch of Albion-to join a team of agents on a vital mission in exchange for fully restoring Predator to its fighting glory.

And even as Grimm undertakes this dangerous task, he will learn that the conflict between the Spires is merely a premonition of things to come. Humanity's ancient enemy, silent for more than ten thousand years, has begun to stir once more. And death will follow in its wake.

 

Review

 

Unlike a lot of people coming to this novel, I don't have a history with Jim Butcher's books. I started his Codex Alera series but lost interest after the second book (despite enjoying them somewhat) and I haven't even started on the Dresden Files, it's always been one of those 'someday' series for me, especially it is 15+ books and growing fairly fast. However, when I saw he is starting a brand new series with a steampunk feel, I jumped at the chance to read it. I have been looking for something to rival the Ketty Jay books by Chris Wooding and this series may just do it.

 

After the surface becomes inhabitable the worlds population are living in enormous spires, travelling around in airships powered by both magic and steam. When a petty conflict between two towers erupts into war, Captain Grimm of the Predator is caught in the middle.

 

There is a host of supporting characters too numerous to mention including one particularly menacing cat that Butcher appears to have lifted straight out of the Ketty Jay by giving him his own POV chapters. He does, however, take the whole cat idea a few steps further, giving them warring clans and fierce combat skills.

 

The action is frequent and very well written, the humour keeps the book to a light tone that suits it perfectly and the characters are believable and not stereotypes. A couple of downsides, I feel it lacked some of the charm that I felt strongly with the Ketty Jay books particularly from the characters and the I struggled to understand the magic involved. But with a 9 book series planned there will be plenty more time for it to be explained in full and grow to love the characters more.

 

I am keen to start the Dresden Files now :)

 

Overall 9/10

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  • 2 weeks later...

Finished Only to Die Again by Patrick Lee, the follow-up novel to the brilliant Runner last year. Really enjoyed it again, there were times when I was glued to the page for hours, always a good sign. Didn't enjoy it quite as much as Runner though, I found it didn't really leave me quite as breathless, I also think the technology/SF element of it wasn't used to it's full potential, I was expecting something to shock and amaze me in a 'I never thought of that!' sort of way but it didn't. There was a few times when I was ahead of the characters in understanding the implications of events.

 

Still though, a fantastic read!

 

Overall 9/10

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  • 4 weeks later...

Finished a few books lately:

 

Shadows of Self - Brandon Sanderson - 8/10

Small Gods - Terry Pratchett - 7/10

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms - George R.R. Martin - 9/10

The Golem and the Djinni - Helene Wecker - 8/10

Under the Skin - Micheal Faber - 9/10

 

Which has taken my total for the year to over 100 for the first time ever!

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Congratulations on reading over 100 books :exc:!

 

I'm looking forward to reading Shadows of Self when the medium sized paperback is out. I'm glad you liked it. I liked Small Gods but it wasn't one of my favourite Discworld books. I read the first one of the three books of Dunk and Egg (by George R. R. Martin), in Dutch, but it wasn't totally to my liking. It might have been the translation in part, but I wasn't a fan at all. I'm glad you enjoyed the books though :). I've heard good things about The Golem and the Djinni, might have to look that one up in the library, same with Under the Skin.

 

Good to see you again, Tim :).

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Congratulations on reading over 100 books :exc:!

 

Good to see you again, Tim :).

 

Thanks! Been busy in my 'sort of' new job and also went to Amsterdam for 3 nights!

 

The Dunk and Egg tales were enjoyable but not to the same level as the normal books. I felt the same about Small Gods, there was only so many times he can say "I'm a god... but I'm also a tortoise" and it be funny. Under the Skin is very weird but much better than and nothing like the film. The good writing was compelling but the focus on her breasts did get a bit tedious.

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The Michael Faber is always described as so dark and the cover is creepy, it keeps putting me off!  I don't know why.  It was listed as one of the most disturbing reads in a thread.  Have you read The Crimson Petal and the White

 

And Sanderson's Calamity will be out February 16th... although with the mess that was Firefight...

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The Michael Faber is always described as so dark and the cover is creepy, it keeps putting me off!  I don't know why.  It was listed as one of the most disturbing reads in a thread.  Have you read The Crimson Petal and the White

 

And Sanderson's Calamity will be out February 16th... although with the mess that was Firefight...

 

I haven't read any other Faber, would you recommend it?

 

Firefight wasn't as good but I still enjoyed it, I just hope the series has a satisfactory conclusion, it might be the first of his own series he has properly finished :lol:

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Thanks! Been busy in my 'sort of' new job and also went to Amsterdam for 3 nights!

 

The Dunk and Egg tales were enjoyable but not to the same level as the normal books. I felt the same about Small Gods, there was only so many times he can say "I'm a god... but I'm also a tortoise" and it be funny. Under the Skin is very weird but much better than and nothing like the film. The good writing was compelling but the focus on her breasts did get a bit tedious.

That's so nice :)!

 

I fully agree. And good to know about the focus on breasts, that would annoy me. 

 

I haven't read any other Faber, would you recommend it?

 

Firefight wasn't as good but I still enjoyed it, I just hope the series has a satisfactory conclusion, it might be the first of his own series he has properly finished :lol:

I can't speak for Anna, but I would recommend The Crimson Petal and the White if you like historical fiction taking place in Victorian times. The book really gives a nice feel for those times. There is sex in the book, those were my least favourite scenes as I don't like reading about such things, but other than that I thought the book was really good.

 

I hope Calamity will be good too. I thought The Hero of Ages wrapped everything up nicely in the original trilogy (except for one spoilery thing), but then Sanderson wrote two more books in the Mistborn world..

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I haven't read any other Faber, would you recommend it?

 

Firefight wasn't as good but I still enjoyed it, I just hope the series has a satisfactory conclusion, it might be the first of his own series he has properly finished :lol:

I haven't read The Crimson Petal... but hear such good things from here.  It's on the list for next year (at 920 pages).

I wonder if The Reckoners will end up a trilogy?  Or has it aimed to be all along?

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