frankie Posted August 27, 2012 Share Posted August 27, 2012 Nothing to be upset about! That's my plan as well Oh, but you are a lot younger than I am! Hm, although you are a male and you shall die younger than me... I think that ought to even things up for me I know! I was going to post a photo of my copy, but the battery in my camera's dead You know, Steve, that you can re-charge them? Oooh, which ones? I was too busy to take a closer look I think I was rather dehydrated at that point as well, the 2-3 last hours are quite hazy... Hm. I'm wondering if a novella would be an easy start with Erikson...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted August 27, 2012 Author Share Posted August 27, 2012 You know, Steve, that you can re-charge them? You can?? Damn, I wish I hadn't thrown it away now Hm. I'm wondering if a novella would be an easy start with Erikson...? Hmm. That's possible, I suppose. The first one's called Blood Follows - it's more likely available in an omnibus edition with The Healthy Dead and The Lees of Laughter's End, but you can probably find it individually on Ebay. I'd still start Gardens of the Moon, though. You just have to keep the placeholders handy. I'm planning on doing a re-read next year, if anyone wants to tag along Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted August 29, 2012 Author Share Posted August 29, 2012 Book #59: Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey Blurb: `With searching eyes he studied the beautiful purple, barren waste of sage. Here was the unknown and the perilous.' The novel that set the pattern for the modern Western, Riders of the Purple Sage was first published in 1912, immediately selling over a million copies. In the remote border country of South Utah, a man is about to be whipped by the Mormons in order to pressure Jane Withersteen into marrying against her will. The punishment is halted by the arrival of the hero, Lassiter, a gunman in black leather, who routs the persecutors and then gradually recounts his own history of an endless search for a woman abducted long ago by the Mormons. Secrecy, seduction, captivity, and escape: out of these elements Zane Grey built his acclaimed story of the American West. Thoughts: A little while ago I was in the mood for a Western, so I picked this one up. This is a classic of the genre, apparently. I probably should've gone with my initial instinct and got Lonesome Dove instead. Riders of the Purple Sage isn't a bad book, as such - it's just not very good. My overriding feeling towards it is that there was a lot of tell but not much show. Everything that happens in the novel seems to happen 'off screen'. The mysterious gunslinger - who is, let's face it, not quite Shane - seems to slope around the place and say more than he should but, when it comes to doing what he's renowned for (and this, not to mince words, is killing Mormons - obviously something to do with the time), you never witness it first-hand. Usually, it seems, the character of Jane faints at the thought of him shooting someone, then wakes up to have one of the ranch hands tell her what happened. And it's so patently obvious how their relationship is going to go that all the hand-wringing, drawn-out, bash-your-head-against-the-wall internal monologues made me want to, well, bash my head against the wall. I hate this kind of writing. And, even moreso, I hate it when characters wonder round talking to themselves, with copious exclamation marks (which just makes me think they're shouting). Who does this in real life? Aaargh! Anyway, in a subplot that seems to take up most of the book, one of Jane's ranch hands, a Gentile (or non-Mormon), goes off in search of one of her herds of cattle, which has been rustled for nefarious reasons. In the process he finds a woman in a pseudo-Garden of Eden load of old tosh. Ooh, guess what's going to happen? Yawn. Character development is virtually non-existent. The contrived plot is so convenient in its 'twists' that it beggars belief. The dialogue is either unintentionally hilarious or just plain awful. The women are just there to get in trouble and be rescued by the men. The bad guys get no attention at all, they're just bad and forever in the background - there's no sense of menace or tension at all. And the end - bloody hell, the title of the last chapter gives away exactly what is going to happen, even if you were too dense to have worked it out beforehand (which I wasn't, for a change). I'm sure this was all fine at the time - the novel is a century old, after all - but it near bored me to tears! Fortunately it's less than 300 pages long! It could've been less than 30 pages long and still told the same story, and I'd've liked a whole heck of a lot more! But -- oh my! He couldn't do that, could he? That'd be right improper, I'd say! My heavens, I might've died! Feck me. 3/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 Hmm. That's possible, I suppose. The first one's called Blood Follows - it's more likely available in an omnibus edition with The Healthy Dead and The Lees of Laughter's End, but you can probably find it individually on Ebay. I'd still start Gardens of the Moon, though. You just have to keep the placeholders handy. I'm planning on doing a re-read next year, if anyone wants to tag along I'll keep all of that in mind, thanks for the info Unfortunately there are no copies of any Erikson novels at the library, even in Finnish. The mysterious gunslinger ... I never knew 'gunslinger' was a real word, I always thought it was a word invented by Stephen King I'm sure this was all fine at the time - the novel is a century old, after all - but it near bored me to tears! Fortunately it's less than 300 pages long! It could've been less than 30 pages long and still told the same story, and I'd've liked a whole heck of a lot more! But -- oh my! He couldn't do that, could he? That'd be right improper, I'd say! My heavens, I might've died! Feck me. 3/10 Maybe westerns just aren't your thing? On a more serious note: Sorry to hear it bored you to near death Better luck with your next literary endeavour! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 Ah interesting Steve, I haven't read any Zane Grey but I heard he was supposed to be the Dog's wotsits. So this is rather a shock. So I can cross him off my list then ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted August 30, 2012 Author Share Posted August 30, 2012 ^^ Personally, I wouldn't just cross him off - I'd obliterate him But hey, other people seem to like the book, and it is a freebie on Kindle, so . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted August 31, 2012 Author Share Posted August 31, 2012 Book #60: Manhattan in Reverse by Peter F. Hamilton Blurb: In 1998 Peter F. Hamilton, the master of space opera and top ten bestselling author, published his first collection of short stories in A Second Chance at Eden. Thirteen years later he returns to short fiction with a new collection. This includes ‘Manhattan in Reverse,’ an original story featuring Hamilton’s popular detective Paula Myo, from his bestselling Commonwealth series. From ‘Watching Trees Grow’ and a murder mystery set in an alternative Oxford in the 1800s, to ‘The Forever Kitten’ and the questions of eternal youth and the sacrifice required to pursue this, these stories deal with intricate themes and sociological issues. They take an intriguing look at what it is it that makes us enduringly human. With all his usual wonderfully imagined futuristic technology, complex characters and brilliantly conceived storytelling, Peter F. Hamilton shows yet again what makes him Britain’s number one science fiction writer. Thoughts: There are seven short stories in this book, varying from about 80 pages long to just 4. I didn't find any of them particularly outstanding, but they are diverting enough. I think, perhaps, a little humour might've improved them, but they are all fairly serious. All are based within his Commonwealth universe, even going back so far as the 1800's to tell of the beginnings of the elongation of the human life-span, and a resulting murder investigation that lasts for centuries. Elsewhere, we see some of the first people leaving Earth via the newly opened wormhole terminals, and in two stories the detective Paula Myo turns up. She was easily the most intriguing character in his Commonwealth Saga, so it was good to read about her again. Hamilton's writing is, as ever, full of new and weird technologies, and people who use and abuse them, or simply oppose them, and this is probably the most interesting aspect of these tales. As a place to start with Hamilton I'd say this is not the book - the Commonwealth novels that I have read so far have not really impressed me the way his earlier work did, and this is no exception. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that, if you haven't read at least Pandora's Star then most of the stories on show here will be a bit of a waste of time. Far better to dive into his magnificent 'Night's Dawn' trilogy (still my favourite sf trilogy, despite Patrick Lee's efforts) or the even earlier Greg Mandel books. Hard to believe it's nearly 20 years since I first read A Quantum Murder 6/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted August 31, 2012 Author Share Posted August 31, 2012 I'll keep all of that in mind, thanks for the info Unfortunately there are no copies of any Erikson novels at the library, even in Finnish. Well, you know who to call No, not the Ghostbusters I never knew 'gunslinger' was a real word, I always thought it was a word invented by Stephen King 'fraid not I can't remember the first time I heard it. Prob'ly a John Wayne movie Maybe westerns just aren't your thing? Whoah! Deja vu! On a more serious note: Sorry to hear it bored you to near death Better luck with your next literary endeavour! Or the next one, perhaps. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted September 3, 2012 Author Share Posted September 3, 2012 (edited) Book #61: Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke Blurb: The Overlords appeared suddenly over every city--intellectually, technologically, and militarily superior to humankind. Benevolent, they made few demands: unify earth, eliminate poverty, and end war. With little rebellion, humankind agreed, and a golden age began. But at what cost? Thoughts: I can't think what to say about this book without spoiling it in one way or another. Even the various blurbs I looked at gave something or other away. In fact, the one on Amazon, for the edition of the book that I have, gave the whole plot away, including the ending! Worse than this - and in what seems to be a disturbing trend for some SF Masterworks editions - the newly written foreword also contains a multitude of spoilers. Fortunately, I didn't read either it or the blurb before reading the novel itself . . . Anyway, in a 1950s sf movie stylee, spaceships appear in the skies above many cities around the world (anyone thinking 'Independence Day', leave now) and bring to an abrupt halt man's quest to set foot on Mars. The Overlords have arrived, and they set about bringing peace and prosperity to Earth. But why are the doing this? This is one of the major questions the book poses, and it's one that is gradually answered over its course, and would ruin the novel to discuss in any detail at all. Another is: what do the Overlords look like? Again, this is another mystery that would be incredibly spoilery to discuss. Crikey, this is difficult What can I say? Well, I haven't read a lot of Clarke. For me, he's an ideas writer - and his ideas are incredible (bear in mind, this was written before we'd even put a satellite into orbit) - but I tend to find his characters a little sterile, for want of a better word. The best character in this book, for me, is Stormgren, an ageing diplomat who is chosen as the Overlords' mouthpiece on Earth. He, at least, has something of a sense of humour, and gets into some interesting situations, and Clarke did a good job of getting me inside his head. But the other characters, perhaps with the exception of Jan, didn't really grab me. I think this is because the novel covers a span of over a century in its relatively brief 230-odd pages, so there really isn't time for Clarke to do characterisation at the same time as conveying all his ideas. There's a lot of tell in this book, but not an awful lot of show. This doesn't mean I think it's a bad book - I enjoyed it a lot - but I would have engaged with it more fully had there been more characters like Stormgren. Thankfully, having not read the disastrous blurb - I had no idea why the Overlords were here, or what was going to happen, so the story's progression was fresh and full of suprises, right until the end. I could be wrong, but believe that Clarke himself was childless. If so, his observations herein take on a whole new level of meaning, for which I can only applaud him. 8/10 Edited September 3, 2012 by Karsa Orlong Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 Wow there really isn't much you can say is there! I do love Clarke and glad you enjoyed it too. This and Rendezvous with Rama are the next Clarke's on my list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted September 3, 2012 Author Share Posted September 3, 2012 Wow there really isn't much you can say is there! The cheek! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 I definitely agree that Clarke focuses more on ideas than characters, but that's OK for me (for this author, anyway) because his ideas are so wonderful. My tattered copy of his collected short stories is one of my favourite books. So many exciting stories in one volume! I really recommend it. His earlier stories were surprisingly funny. If I had first read Clarke's stories when I was younger, I think I would have been inspired to become an astronaut. Seriously. I remember enjoying Childhood's End but I can't really remember any of it, including the answers to the big questions. It must be due for a re-read. Have you read The City and the Stars? I think it's one of Clarke's most underrated novels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
~Andrea~ Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 I read Childhood's End years ago and loved it. I'm now quite intrigued to read it again to see what I would think of it as a more discerning reader, given some of your comments (e.g. lack of characterisation and lots of tell not much show). I think you're a lot more forgiving of books when you're younger and I was pretty young when I read it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 Hmm sounds interesting. I never read this one might give it a go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted September 4, 2012 Author Share Posted September 4, 2012 Have you read The City and the Stars? I think it's one of Clarke's most underrated novels. Funnily enough it was a toss-up between buying that one or Childhood's End. I'll get to it eventually I read Childhood's End years ago and loved it. I'm now quite intrigued to read it again to see what I would think of it as a more discerning reader, given some of your comments (e.g. lack of characterisation and lots of tell not much show). I think you're a lot more forgiving of books when you're younger and I was pretty young when I read it. I think it's just personal taste, really. The book covers a long period of time, so there are quite a few info dumps in it, necessarily. The only alternative, I guess, would be for it to have been a much longer book, but I actually appreciated its brevity Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted September 6, 2012 Author Share Posted September 6, 2012 Book #62: Rivers of London by Ben Aaranovitch Blurb: My name is Peter Grant and until January I was just probationary constable in that mighty army for justice known to all right-thinking people as the Metropolitan Police Service (and as the Filth to everybody else). My only concerns in life were how to avoid a transfer to the Case Progression Unit - we do paperwork so real coppers don't have to - and finding a way to climb into the panties of the outrageously perky WPC Leslie May. Then one night, in pursuance of a murder inquiry, I tried to take a witness statement from someone who was dead but disturbingly voluable, and that brought me to the attention of Inspector Nightingale, the last wizard in England. Now I'm a Detective Constable and my world has become somewhat more complicated: the spirit of riot and rebellion has awakened in the city, and it's falling to me to bring order out of chaos - or die trying. Thoughts: Constable Peter Grant is standing guard over a headless corpse found in Covent Garden, when he is approached by someone who witnessed the whole crime. The problem is, that witness is a ghost. This leads Peter, naturally, to discover a whole new world lurking in the corners and shadows of London. It's not a complex plot but it moves at such a cracking pace that, I think, to say anything more about it would be wrong. Peter's a very likeable character, with a winning line in self-deprecating humour, and the people who gravitate towards him, particularly Nightingale, Beverley and Lesley are also very likeable (although my favourite was Molly, and she barely says a word!). There's a quote on the front of the book that says something like "What would happen if Harry Potter grew up and joined the police". That's the weakest thing about the book, imo - that quote, it's shameless, hoping the Harry Potter fans will jump onboard. If it is a grown up Harry Potter, then he's an occasionally foul-mouthed one, too. It reminded me a whole lot more of Jim Butcher's 'Dresden Files' series in so many ways, just that it's set in London, not Chicago. That's not to say that Butcher's work is original, either, but it's got a very similar feel to it, without even mentioning the supernatural elements. You can tell that Aaranovitch lives and works in London because the geography of the city comes across really well and if, like me, you spend a lot of time here, you'll be able to see the locations quite clearly as he strings them together through various chase scenes etc (there's one particular bit that went right past my office ). In fact, a couple of times I thought maybe he over-egged it with the street names and such, but that is a really minor point. His writing style is fluid, fast-moving and very easy to read. Rivers of London is, I think (given the way the Dresden books I've read so far have developed the mythos), a great start to a series that has a huge amount of potential. Looking forward to reading Moon Over Soho. 8/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 (edited) Steve Sorry you had such a struggle with the Zane Grey book . I haven't read any of him myself . It seems that he's pretty popular in our neck of the woods. Could be because he was from Ohio . I've always wondered how an Ohioan could write Westerns . I'm assuming he moved out there someplace to live,or how in the heck would he know anything about the cowboy life ? Maybe he doesn't ,maybe that's why the book was so bad . Next time you're in the mood for a Western go for Lonesome Dove or Zeke & Ned ( also a McMurtry book) . You won't be disappointed . Thanks for the writeup on the Rivers of London book . I've heard several of you in here mention it and meant to look it up on Amazon to see more about it . Sounds like it was very good ! Another to add to my ever-growing list . Edited September 6, 2012 by julie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted September 6, 2012 Author Share Posted September 6, 2012 Steve Sorry you had such a struggle with the Zane Grey book . I haven't read any of him myself . It seems that he's pretty popular in our neck of the woods. Could be because he was from Ohio . I've always wondered how an Ohioan could write Westerns . I'm assuming he moved out there someplace to live,or how in the heck would he know anything about the cowboy life ? Maybe he doesn't ,maybe that's why the book was so bad . I think it just wasn't for me, Julie - a lot of other people seem to like it a lot. There wasn't much in the way of cowboy life in the book, really, so that's probably how he got away with it Next time you're in the mood for a Western go for Lonesome Dove or Zeke & Ned ( also a McMurtry book) . You won't be disappointed . Yes, Lonesome Dove is definitely at the top of the list, when I get my TBR pile down a bit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 Steve Yep, it's a whopper of a book,so one that will take quite awhile to complete . If you are able, try watching the movie after the book. It is amazing how close the 2 are . I remember watching it and thinking "That exact line was in the book ,and that,and that ! " It was quite a nice surprise,after making the mistake of watching The Prince of Tides movie. My gosh,they butchered it . I think it all must be how the contract is signed with the author as to how much input he/she has in the screenplay or in the creative process. I think McMurtry had a hand in everything ,even who to choose for the parts . I'm not a movie fan and never have been,but those 2 were ones I wanted to see,since both books were so very good . The characters in LD were perfect. It was funny, right after the movie was on tv, I went to the bookstore to get a copy of the book to re-read ,and several people were gathered around,also getting the book. We all stood around talking about the movie and which character we liked best . Poor Pat Conroy,I'm not sure what happened to him when he allowed them to choose Barbra Streisand and Nick Nolte as the main 2 people in the story. BAD Choice . Plus they chopped the book up,left out a major scene ,it was just totally botched . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 Yay .. you liked Rivers of London In defence of the 'Harry Potter' quote though .. there IS a slight similarity .. not in plotline or anything like that but just in the mix of the familiar world with the magical world .. and of course Peter does make more than one or two Potter jokes (and he makes them because his situation is turning strangely Potteresque). It's one of the things I liked about it actually, that it gave me the same sense of having one foot here and one in magic (which I like better than having both feet on planet Zog ) and both authors use humour (though yes, this is a bit lot more adult) and both protagonists are apprentice wizards (without previous knowledge of magic). Peter doesn't remind me of Harry at all .. but I did get Potter jabs every now and then. I'm sure you'll enjoy the rest .. I'm on the last one now (that is, the third one .. it's not a trilogy .. he's going to write some more after all). I haven't written a review for Rivers of London yet and, seeing as I agree with you nearly 100%, I might just copy up yours and change a few words .. leave out the scathing bit about poor little Harry.. add another 5,000 words .. make some attempts at jokes and we're done. In other words ... great review Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted September 8, 2012 Author Share Posted September 8, 2012 .. leave out the scathing bit about poor little Harry.. add another 5,000 words .. make some attempts at jokes and we're done. In other words ... great review Steve Thanks Kay Although I wasn't being scathing about anything, especially not Harry Potter - I think maybe you've read something into my post that wasn't intended. I love the HP books I just think the quote on the front of the book (from Diana Gabaldon?) is a bit unnecessary. It's like the way they plonked stickers on the covers of Jo Nesbo's books to say he's 'the new Stieg Larsson'. Er, no he's not, he's Jo Nesbo, simple as that Have you read any of the Dresden books? It does bear more similarities to those, imo, but obviously that won't grab people's attention like Harry Potter will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppyshake Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 Thanks Kay Although I wasn't being scathing about anything, especially not Harry Potter - I think maybe you've read something into my post that wasn't intended. I love the HP books I wasn't for one minute thinking you were scathing .. I was just joshing. I just think the quote on the front of the book (from Diana Gabaldon?) is a bit unnecessary. It's like the way they plonked stickers on the covers of Jo Nesbo's books to say he's 'the new Stieg Larsson'. Er, no he's not, he's Jo Nesbo, simple as that I agree and I've read the 'Harry Potter' comparison on a 1,000 book covers .. one rather ridiculously on Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell which .. apart from having magic in it .. bore no resemblance at all. That book nods more to Austen & Dickens than to Rowling. Also China Mieville's Un Lun Dun .. no comparison either. It's all very tiresome. I very nearly put my head in a bucket when I read the sticker on the Twilight books promoting Wuthering Heights but you know .. they must say something .. they must try and point you to similar books I guess .. even if they're entirely wrong. Nesbo can't be the new Stieg Larsson because I heard it was Sofi Oksanen Have you read any of the Dresden books? It does bear more similarities to those, imo, but obviously that won't grab people's attention like Harry Potter will. I haven't .. I haven't even heard of them .. I will rectify it pronto. (though how will that help me with mount Virginia? .. oh goodness, that was only an ing away from being ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted September 8, 2012 Author Share Posted September 8, 2012 I haven't .. I haven't even heard of them .. I will rectify it pronto. (though how will that help me with mount Virginia? .. oh goodness, that was only an ing away from being ) Mount Virginia-ing? You can read samples and stuff from the Dresden books here: http://www.jim-butch...m/books/dresden Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chesilbeach Posted September 9, 2012 Share Posted September 9, 2012 I've just finished Rivers of London too, Steve, and your review sums up most of what I loved about it! I've had the Dresden books on my wishlist since you reviewed one ages ago and I looked them up. Hoping to get round to starting them soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted September 9, 2012 Author Share Posted September 9, 2012 Yay, hope you enjoy them, too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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