vodkafan Posted July 1, 2012 Share Posted July 1, 2012 So how much did you talk about books, did both of you carry huge notebooks where you jotted down recommendations from the other person? How much did you fight? Well this is breaking the rule of "What happens in Waterstones stays in Waterstones" I would judge we talked about books 50% of the time. I did indeed carry a notebook and write down Steve's recommendations and new books I saw. And we didn't fight at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted July 3, 2012 Author Share Posted July 3, 2012 Well this is breaking the rule of "What happens in Waterstones stays in Waterstones" I would judge we talked about books 50% of the time. I did indeed carry a notebook and write down Steve's recommendations and new books I saw. And we didn't fight at all. Well, there was that lightsaber battle in the middle of Forbidden Planet. Of course, being Forbidden Planet, I don't think anyone actually noticed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted July 3, 2012 Author Share Posted July 3, 2012 (edited) Book #45 : The Algebraist by Iain M. Banks The Blurb: It is 4034 AD. Humanity has made it to the stars. Fassin Taak, a Slow Seer at the Court of the Nasqueron Dwellers, will be fortunate if he makes it to the end of the year. The Nasqueron Dwellers inhabit a gas giant on the outskirts of the galaxy, in a system awaiting its wormhole connection to the rest of civilization. In the meantime, they are dismissed as decadents living in a state of highly developed barbarism, hoarding data without order, hunting their own young and fighting pointless formal wars. Seconded to a military-religious order he's barely heard of - part of the baroque hierarchy of the Mercatoria, the latest galactic hegemony - Fassin Taak has to travel again amongst the Dwellers. He is in search of a secret hidden for half a billion years. But with each day that passes a war draws closer - a war that threatens to overwhelm everything and everyone he's ever known. Thoughts: I can understand anyone developing an aversion to science fiction from reading a book like this. In a lot of ways, this is the sort of novel that gives sf a bad name. The first half of it is so full of jargon and incessant minutiae, and the text so dense on the page, that I would feel I had read about 300 pages, look at the page number and find I'd only read 50! As a result, it took me a long time to read. For the first time in ages, there were times when I just didn't feel like reading it at all. This is the sixth of Banks's M. books that I have read. I've enjoyed the previous five, although I do struggle to see why he's rated quite as highly as he is. I thought, for a long time, that The Algebraist would be the one that put me off his work. My 'placeholder' system (where I happily go along with things I don't understand on the basis that they will become clearer later on) was overworked, to say the least. I think this is largely because, when I'm not enjoying something, I try to read it faster to get it over and done with and then end up not taking things in properly. Fortunately there are events, even in the first half, which kept my attention, and Banks's trademark humour alleviates some of the tedium. The story isn't half as complicated as it thinks it is, buried beneath all the waffle. Basically, Fassin Taak is a Seer. Seers are the rare people who can communicate with the Dwellers, an aloof alien species that lives within the clouds of gas giant planets (imagine a bunch of giant yo-yos living in the red spot on Jupiter and you pretty much get the idea). On one of his trips to commune with a Dweller called Falseir he unknowingly uncovers a clue to a secret which could change the face of the galaxy forever. Now other factions want it, and they're all converging on the planet of Nasqueron to try and get it, by peaceful means or otherwise. Fassin is pressganged into one of these factions and sent back to the planet to try and find out the rest of the secret, and naturally finds himself in great danger. Happily, halfway through the book, things suddenly move up through the gears. It really kicks off with an amazing battle sequence set within the eye of a storm on the gas giant, one of the best action sequences I've read in a long time, and from there Fassin's journey is launched into overdrive, and the book - belatedly - becomes a thoroughly entertaining read. A lot of this is down to the introduction of some very amusing characters, especially the Dweller Y'Sul, and a 'twinned' Dweller, which is basically a Dweller with two brains in one body, and their fast-paced, witty dialogue makes for some genuinely laugh-out-loud moments. Banks also manages to keep the intrigue going and puts to good use the ideas he developed in rather long-winded fashion earlier in the novel. Added to this is a baddie of Darth Vader-eque proportions in the Archimandrite Luseferous, who is so evil it's hilarious, and takes great pleasure in decapitating his victims, keeping their heads alive, and hanging them from the ceiling to use as punchbags ... Throw into the mix other aliens, murder, betrayal, tragedy, and rogue AIs who are hunted as abominations, and it really has the potential to be a heady, thrilling ride. It's such a shame that the first half gets so bogged down in the detail, because the second half is riveting stuff. 7/10 Edited July 3, 2012 by Karsa Orlong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted July 3, 2012 Author Share Posted July 3, 2012 And, after that, a comfort read I think! Ravenheart by David Gemmell, his third 'Rigante' novel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 Book #45 : The Algebraist by Iain M. Banks Thoughts: I can understand anyone developing an aversion to science fiction from reading a book like this. In a lot of ways, this is the sort of novel that gives sf a bad name. The first half of it is so full of jargon and incessant minutiae, and the text so dense on the page, that I would feel I had read about 300 pages, look at the page number and find I'd only read 50! As a result, it took me a long time to read. For the first time in ages, there were times when I just didn't feel like reading it at all. This is the sixth of Banks's M. books that I have read. I've enjoyed the previous five, although I do struggle to see why he's rated quite as highly as he is. I thought, for a long time, that The Algebraist would be the one that put me off his work. My 'placeholder' system (where I happily go along with things I don't understand on the basis that they will become clearer later on) was overworked, to say the least. I think this is largely because, when I'm not enjoying something, I try to read it faster to get it over and done with and then end up not taking things in properly. Fortunately there are events, even in the first half, which kept my attention, and Banks's trademark humour alleviates some of the tedium. The story isn't half as complicated as it thinks it is, buried beneath all the waffle. Basically, Fassin Taak is a Seer. Seers are the rare people who can communicate with the Dwellers, an aloof alien species that lives within the clouds of gas giant planets (imagine a bunch of giant yo-yos living in the red spot on Jupiter and you pretty much get the idea). On one of his trips to commune with a Dweller called Falseir he unknowingly uncovers a clue to a secret which could change the face of the galaxy forever. Now other factions want it, and they're all converging on the planet of Nasqueron to try and get it, by peaceful means or otherwise. Fassin is pressganged into one of these factions and sent back to the planet to try and find out the rest of the secret, and naturally finds himself in great danger. Happily, halfway through the book, things suddenly move up through the gears. It really kicks off with an amazing battle sequence set within the eye of a storm on the gas giant, one of the best action sequences I've read in a long time, and from there Fassin's journey is launched into overdrive, and the book - belatedly - becomes a thoroughly entertaining read. A lot of this is down to the introduction of some very amusing characters, especially the Dweller Y'Sul, and a 'twinned' Dweller, which is basically a Dweller with two brains in one body, and their fast-paced, witty dialogue makes for some genuinely laugh-out-loud moments. Banks also manages to keep the intrigue going and puts to good use the ideas he developed in rather long-winded fashion earlier in the novel. Added to this is a baddie of Darth Vader-eque proportions in the Archimandrite Luseferous, who is so evil it's hilarious, and takes great pleasure in decapitating his victims, keeping their heads alive, and hanging them from the ceiling to use as punchbags ... Throw into the mix other aliens, murder, betrayal, tragedy, and rogue AIs who are hunted as abominations, and it really has the potential to be a heady, thrilling ride. It's such a shame that the first half gets so bogged down in the detail, because the second half is riveting stuff. 7/10 Glad The Algebraist finally got better Steve. I remember you saying how you were struggling with it when we met. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted July 3, 2012 Author Share Posted July 3, 2012 Yeah, cheers James - I really didn't think I was going to finish it for a while there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted July 3, 2012 Share Posted July 3, 2012 I was surprised you rated it 7/10, after reading your review! I would've expected a lower grade... I was reading through my 2009 reading log just now, Mac and I were talking Iain (M.) Banks, I don't know if you were already a member when Mac was still a regular member? Anyhow, I'd written that The Algebraist is (my then) BF's second favorite Banks novel I think it's pretty safe to say you won't be recommending me to just read whatever ex suggested I read, off the sci-fi genre Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted July 4, 2012 Author Share Posted July 4, 2012 I was surprised you rated it 7/10, after reading your review! I would've expected a lower grade... At the halfway point I was thinking it was a 5, but the second half pulled it out of the bag. I almost gave it an 8, but then had to compare it to the other scores I've given. I've been thinking about it a lot since I finished it, which is a surprisingly good sign, meaning I might re-read it at some stage and may get more out of the first half of it knowing what is it follow. I was reading through my 2009 reading log just now, Mac and I were talking Iain (M.) Banks, I don't know if you were already a member when Mac was still a regular member? Anyhow, I'd written that The Algebraist is (my then) BF's second favorite Banks novel I think it's pretty safe to say you won't be recommending me to just read whatever ex suggested I read, off the sci-fi genre Well, not The Algebraist, for sure - I suspect you would hate it with a fiery passion. If you were to read any Banks sf novel I'd say go for The Player of Games I don't think I joined until 2010, so I'm not sure if I chatted to Mac or not. Sounds familiar, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 I've been thinking about it a lot since I finished it, which is a surprisingly good sign, meaning I might re-read it at some stage and may get more out of the first half of it knowing what is it follow. It's funny how we initially don't enjoy some books, but they keep resurfacing in the mind every now and then. Coincidentally Banks's Wasp Factory is one of these novels. I thought it was whack when I read it, but then I find myself thinking about the book every now and then and I feel I have a more positive view of the title now than when I'd read it. I've even bought a copy so I could re-read it again some day. Well, not The Algebraist, for sure - I suspect you would hate it with a fiery passion. If you were to read any Banks sf novel I'd say go for The Player of Games But I like writing review of books I hate with a fiery passion! It's a lot of fun I think ex recommended that if I ever read Iain M Banks, TPoG would be a good starting point. That, or another novel, the title of which I can't recall at the moment. I don't think I joined until 2010, so I'm not sure if I chatted to Mac or not. Sounds familiar, though. Rookie! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted July 4, 2012 Author Share Posted July 4, 2012 It's funny how we initially don't enjoy some books, but they keep resurfacing in the mind every now and then. Coincidentally Banks's Wasp Factory is one of these novels. I thought it was whack when I read it, but then I find myself thinking about the book every now and then and I feel I have a more positive view of the title now than when I'd read it. I've even bought a copy so I could re-read it again some day. I definitely wasn't very tolerant with The Algebraist when I was reading the first half of it. I wasn't enjoying it and I wanted to get it done, so I tried to read it faster than I probably should have. It rarely takes me a whole week to read a book these days, and that got on my nerves for some reason. Once the story accelerated I was able to relax and enjoy it a lot more. But I like writing review of books I hate with a fiery passion! It's a lot of fun That's true I think ex recommended that if I ever read Iain M Banks, TPoG would be a good starting point. That, or another novel, the title of which I can't recall at the moment. I just checked back and it seems I only scored TPoG a 7 as well Funny, I thought I liked it a lot more. My scoring system is all over the place I would recommend Feersum Endjinn but we know you wouldn't like that one already At least this hasn't put me off M. Banks completely - I'll be looking for Excession next, which a lot of people voted their favourite over on the SFF Chronicles forum Rookie! I prefer to think of myself as youthful and exuberant ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 I definitely wasn't very tolerant with The Algebraist when I was reading the first half of it. I wasn't enjoying it and I wanted to get it done, so I tried to read it faster than I probably should have. It rarely takes me a whole week to read a book these days, and that got on my nerves for some reason. Once the story accelerated I was able to relax and enjoy it a lot more. It's a shame, the feeling of needing to finish a story in a reasonable, short amount of time. Don't get me wrong, I get frustrated, too, if I don't make as quick progress as I would like to. It's just such a shame, because some books need more time for us to get attached. That's true I'm always right I just checked back and it seems I only scored TPoG a 7 as well. Funny, I thought I liked it a lot more. My scoring system is all over the place This is what I was talking about with Wasp Factory. I gave it a really bad score after having finished it, but everytime I think about the book nowadays, I feel it deserves a better rating. But I shouldn't go changing the rating, because I always rate a book right after reading it. If I change one rating, I should go change all the other, too, otherwise it would be unfair. You know what I mean? Maybe one should quit giving the books a rating of any sort, altogether! :0 I would recommend Feersum Endjinn but we know you wouldn't like that one already Well who knows, give it time, I might change my mind At least this hasn't put me off M. Banks completely - I'll be looking for Excession next, which a lot of people voted their favourite over on the SFF Chronicles forum Mac was a regular M. expert, it's a shame he's not around so you two could chat! I think he would've recommended you read Bad Monkeys by Matt Ruff. He recommended it to pretty much everyone, I think I prefer to think of myself as youthful and exuberant ... Keep on dreaming, Mr Oxygen Tank, keep on dreaming... Edit: Re: scoring system: Or maybe one should keep a whole other score in parenthesis! The score one would give the book NOW. And that could be changed whenever. *ponders* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted July 4, 2012 Author Share Posted July 4, 2012 It's a shame, the feeling of needing to finish a story in a reasonable, short amount of time. Don't get me wrong, I get frustrated, too, if I don't make as quick progress as I would like to. It's just such a shame, because some books need more time for us to get attached. Yeah, i should have taken more time with it, I think. It's that drive to reduce my TBR list in action I'm always right Apart from this This is what I was talking about with Wasp Factory. I gave it a really bad score after having finished it, but everytime I think about the book nowadays, I feel it deserves a better rating. But I shouldn't go changing the rating, because I always rate a book right after reading it. If I change one rating, I should go change all the other, too, otherwise it would be unfair. You know what I mean? Maybe one should quit giving the books a rating of any sort, altogether! :0 Yeah, I was thinking I'd've been better off not giving scores Mac was a regular M. expert, it's a shame he's not around so you two could chat! I think he would've recommended you read Bad Monkeys by Matt Ruff. He recommended it to pretty much everyone, I think Sounds intriguing. I bet the cover put a lot of people off Might have to give it a go ... Keep on dreaming, Mr Oxygen Tank, keep on dreaming... How did you find out my surname?? Edit: Re: scoring system: Or maybe one should keep a whole other score in parenthesis! The score one would give the book NOW. And that could be changed whenever. *ponders* Sounds like a lot of work to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 Yeah, i should have taken more time with it, I think. It's that drive to reduce my TBR list in action Yep, yep, that sounds all too familiar. Quit obsessing about your TBR, man! Buy some more books and let go! Apart from this Once again, you are wrong Sounds intriguing. I bet the cover put a lot of people off Might have to give it a go ... Yep, his original advice was not to look at the cover or read the blurb, because those will put some people off Well after that I couldn't help but google it, of course It's still on my wishlist, should get to ordering the book some day. How did you find out my surname?? Imma smooth stalker Sounds like a lot of work to me I forgot you are as lazy as they come! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted July 4, 2012 Author Share Posted July 4, 2012 Yep, yep, that sounds all too familiar. Quit obsessing about your TBR, man! Buy some more books and let go! I bought one yesterday ... Once again, you are I am wrong Imma smooth stalker I forgot you are as lazy as they come! Who's 'they'? I need a point of reference here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted July 4, 2012 Share Posted July 4, 2012 I bought one yesterday ... Muahahahah C'mon, spill, which one? Oi! That's tampering with an official forum post! Who's 'they'? I need a point of reference here Um, Oxygen Tanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted July 4, 2012 Author Share Posted July 4, 2012 Muahahahah C'mon, spill, which one? Peter F. Hamilton's Manhattan In Reverse I posted it in the Book Activity thread but not here, for some reason (other than to add it to the frelling TBR list ) Oi! That's tampering with an official forum post! I prefer to think of it as 'correcting' an official forum post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted July 7, 2012 Author Share Posted July 7, 2012 (edited) Book #46 : Ravenheart by David Gemmell Blurb: Eight hundred years have passed and the Rigante have lost the freedom and culture so many gave their lives to preserve. Only one woman remains who follows the ancient ways–the Wyrd of Wishing Tree Wood–and she alone knows the nature of the evil soon to be unleashed. But the Wyrd pins her hope on two men: a giant Rigante fighter, a man haunted by his failure to save his best friend from betrayal; and a youth whose deadly talents will earn him the rancor of the brutal Varlish. One will become the Ravenheart, an outlaw leader whose daring exploits will inspire the Rigante. The other will forge a legend–and light the fires of revolution . . . Thoughts: This is the third of Gemmell's Rigante novels. First thing to note: the cover is rubbish! Like Midnight Falcon before it, it's not a typical sequel, in that it doesn't carry on directly from the last book. What Gemmell liked to do was to create a world and then tell different stories about the heroes and villains who made a difference at particular points in time. Jumping forward 800 years he now brings us to what may be the last days of the Rigante, a beleaguered people who have either been subjugated by the Varlish, or who have been pushed so far north that only a few hundred remain living in 'freedom'. It's another story of heroic deeds, sacrifice, and evil. However, it's quite refreshing in some ways. It's a story that is scaled down to just a few characters and how their troubles impact upon the greater picture. There are some typically wonderful characters here, particularly in the shape of Jaim, Kaelin, Chara, Maev and Alterith. They are complex and believable people whose actions make perfect sense. Some of the things that happen to them are uplifting, some heartbreaking. When a young Varlish girl falls in love with Kaelin, a Rigante, there is outrage and bigotry. When she is taken, raped and murdered, the suspicion falls, of course, on the wrong people. Kaelin knows who has committed this foul act and pursues them, killing them with his father's pistols (weaponry has moved on a bit in those 800 years). The Moidart, local ruler of the Varlish, sets his best tracker and assassin to find the killer, leading Kaelin to escape to the north. Gemmell's writing, by this stage, was honed to perfection for the genre. He had me hanging on every plot and sub-plot, building suspense masterfully. And, even if you think you can predict what's going to happen, he always throws in a twist, some spark of originality which sets his tales apart. The final pages contain some of his most emotive writing that I have encountered to date, and genuinely brought tears to my eyes. I have only one book left to read in his Rigante series, now, and I really don't want it to end. 8/10 Edited July 7, 2012 by Karsa Orlong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 Peter F. Hamilton's Manhattan In Reverse I posted it in the Book Activity thread but not here, for some reason (other than to add it to the frelling TBR list ) *Trying to remember what's been said of Hamilton by one certain sci-fi fanatic...* I prefer to think of it as 'correcting' an official forum post ,,,,,, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted July 8, 2012 Author Share Posted July 8, 2012 *Trying to remember what's been said of Hamilton by one certain sci-fi fanatic...* Who's that then? His Night's Dawn trilogy are my favourite sf books, and his Greg Mandel trilogy was great, too - but he kinda lost me with the Commonwealth Saga. I'm hoping Manhattan in Reverse will get me back into him, cos I've got another trilogy of his that I've not yet read ,,,,,, You're such a charmer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 Who's that then? *Points at Karsa Orlong. With Mr Pointy* His Night's Dawn trilogy are my favourite sf books, and his Greg Mandel trilogy was great, too - but he kinda lost me with the Commonwealth Saga. I'm hoping Manhattan in Reverse will get me back into him, cos I've got another trilogy of his that I've not yet read I was also trying to remember whether he was one of those authors you were thinking about adding on 'the list'. You're such a charmer I know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted July 8, 2012 Author Share Posted July 8, 2012 *Points at Karsa Orlong. With Mr Pointy* Oh okay, I thought you meant Mac or someone I was also trying to remember whether he was one of those authors you were thinking about adding on 'the list'. Yeah, I was going to put The Reality Dysfunction on there, but it is HUGE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 Oh okay, I thought you meant Mac or someone ,,,,, Yeah, I was going to put The Reality Dysfunction on there, but it is HUGE. I'm grateful that you resisted the urge. Huge = intimidating! Frankie eeek. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted July 9, 2012 Author Share Posted July 9, 2012 I'm grateful that you resisted the urge. Huge = intimidating! Frankie eeek. Frankie might have been surprised ... or not, who knows? On a total whim, I just bought Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey. For some reason Amazon took me to it whilst I was browsing the Penguin Modern Classics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted July 11, 2012 Author Share Posted July 11, 2012 Book #47: Persuader by Lee Child Blurb: Jack Reacher. The ultimate loner. An elite ex-military cop who left the service years ago, he’s moved from place to place…without family…without possessions…without commitments. And without fear. Which is good, because trouble—big, violent, complicated trouble—finds Reacher wherever he goes. And when trouble finds him, Reacher does not quit, not once…not ever. But some unfinished business has now found Reacher. And Reacher is a man who hates unfinished business. Ten years ago, a key investigation went sour and someone got away with murder. Now a chance encounter brings it all back. Now Reacher sees his one last shot. Some would call it vengeance. Some would call it redemption. Reacher would call it…justice. Thoughts: Crikey, that blurb is dreadful Ahem, anyway, it's been a while since I read a Reacher novel (I tend to spread them far apart because I can only take so much testosterone-driven nonsense ) and I picked this one because it is, I think, one of the highest - if not the highest - rated ones on Amazon. It starts - as all good thrillers should, imo - by throwing the protagonist into the middle of a dangerous situation, the right man in the wrong place at the wrong time (I should write the blurb for these things!). It is a quite thrilling, shocking beginning and - for once - leads to Reacher having a genuine, and quite clever, reason for being involved at all. The blurb above says enough about the story. I don't want to spoil it any further. It twists and turns, and it's gritty and somewhat unpredictable, and - even though I thought I knew how it would end - it did manage to throw in a quite surprising and satisfying finale. Child's writing won't win any awards. I'd be surprised if he used many words longer than two syllables in the whole book. I was in shock when I read the word 'acquiesce' within its pages But what you get with Child, and Reacher, is usually fun, and this one manages to rise above the visceral and evoke a geniune connection with the character. Reacher's the star of the show, as always, and here he's still got the smarts but he's not quite as omniscient as in some of the later novels. He makes mistakes - big mistakes - and gets outsmarted and beaten and is frequently in scary situations. It's told in first person, and it works well. On the down side, the bad guys are just shadows in the background who don't really make an appearance until the finale, and are never fleshed out. They're bad, that's all Child feels you need to know. 8/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted July 11, 2012 Share Posted July 11, 2012 Great review Steve, Killing Floor has been on my TBR pile for a while now, but like you I don't read many thrillers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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