Karsa Orlong

Do they involve the Cheese Man from Restless? Cos that really would be a cause for worry

About 170 pages into Weaveworld. Liking it a lot

What Timstar said. Mistborn fits the criteria and it's an easy read. You could also check out Elizabeth Moon's The Deed of Paksenarrion, which is an omnibus edition: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Deed-Of-Paksenarrion-omnibus/dp/1841498548/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1336998527&sr=8-4

Yes, spot on I reckon. Be interesting to hear what your kids make of it when the time comes

Thanks! So is it really classed as a YA novel, then?

Well I chose Weaveworld this time. I'll read Lyonesse at some point, seeing as it's on my Kindle. The problem for me is that the Tales of the Dying Earth books have left me kind of cold. I enjoyed the first book of short stories, but I found the second book a bit tedious, and I've tried three times now to start Cugel's Saga and given up. I think it's partially because I find the character of Cugel intensely annoying, and partially because I don't like Vance's writing style in those books, so it's put me off a bit for now. I will get to them, though.

Nor me

Making a start on Weaveworld today

How rude. So no preconceptions then, eh?? Well I wasn't thinking about it quite like that. I wasn't looking to challenge or trip you up, so I wouldn't choose hard sf or anything like that, I was just thinking of books that are well written, with great characters and a good plot, and hopefully one that you might like. The fact is, I couldn't ask you to read my favourite book(s) because - almost without fail - they are part of a series. So the challenge for me (not you!) would be to find one that stands alone and is still well written (with great characters and a good plot, and hopefully one that you might like!). I'm open to most genres, although chick lit might be a step too far for me Have a think about it, no rush. Thanks - hope you enjoy it, too! Yes, I undoubtedly will.

Me, I expect Tell you what - I'll read a book of your choosing if you read a book of mine - but you have to go into it with an open mind I think there's a novelisation of the film, but it wasn't actually based on a book. Now, why are you okay with films and not with books? Did you read a particular fantasy book that you didn't like, or are you going on preconceptions? Suffering succotash, you've got me there!

It's a film: http://www.amazon.co...36905207&sr=8-1 You wouldn't like it, it's got fantasy stuff in it Damn, I'll have to put that right

I've never read such a pathetic bunch of lame excuses in my life! Nice to know you keep an open mind, though. Oh, wait ... no you don't

Book # 34: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak Synopsis: Nine-year-old Liesel lives with her foster family on Himmel Street during the dark days of the Third Reich. Her Communist parents have been transported to a concentration camp, and during the funeral for her brother, she manages to steal a macabre book: it is, in fact, a gravediggers’ instruction manual. This is the first of many books which will pass through her hands as the carnage of the Second World War begins to hungrily claim lives. Both Liesel and her fellow inhabitants of Himmel Street will find themselves changed by both words on the printed page and the horrendous events happening around them. Thoughts: Hmm, where to start? Is this really classed as a YA novel? On the Amazon page it says it's Zusak's first novel for adults. I can see how both would apply. Quite frankly, if this is a YA novel then it's a benchmark to which all should aspire. It puts drivel like The Hunger Games (spit) so far in the shade that anyone trying to read that book should be thankful that there won't be enough light by which to see it. But I won't start ranting about that again In some ways this book reminded me of Guillermo del Toro's masterpiece Pan's Labyrinth. Both tales are about little girls coming to live with new parents during a war, and finding escape in books. The Book Thief doesn't quite go as far as PL in having its heroine step literally into a fantasy world, but it does have a certain magical quality amongst all the horrors of war. It's a book about ordinary people trying to get by in a world gone mad, living under a regime of fear. Whilst it's never directly about the war, it is always a shadow hanging over every page. Some of Zusak's descriptions are quite wonderful. In a book where words become so important to its leading characters he fires off sentences that really shouldn't make any sense and yet, within context, get their point across with marvellous assurance and brevity. In a story narrated by Death himself, I found there was a wonderful sense of life. Liesel's story is one of those life-affirming ones, as you grow into the story as she grows, too, and her relationships with those around her develop in unexpected, organic ways - starting with her foster father, Hans, who sits beside her as she endures sleepless, nightmare-ridden nights and gradually teaches her to read and write. Then there's Rudy, the boy next door with the Aryan blond hair and the Jesse Owens fixation, who always seems to be on the wrong side of a beating. And Max - who I don't really want to say anything about for fear of spoilers. My favourite, though, was probably Liesel's foster mother, Rosa, who at first seems such a hard person, but as you get to know her you find there's a huge, unquestioning heart buried somewhere in there. Then there's the books within the book. Liesel steals books, yes (and her relationship with Ilsa Hermann and her library is both sad and charming), but it is the ones that are written for her, and their presentation within the book, that surprised me. Again, they are all about words, and they are very clever and very touching. So, in short, I loved it. I thought maybe it was a little too long - but that could just be down to other things I had going on while I was trying to read it. I'd recommend, to anyone who liked this, to also read Hans Fallada's Alone In Berlin. 9/10 (1 point deducted due to lack of swords and splatty bits)

Yeah, I've read the first Ketty Jay book. It was pretty good - very much like Firefly, but with a plane instead of a spacecraft - but I haven't been back to read the others as yet.

Oh don't be silly Let's examine this. My last science fiction book was Alastair Reynolds' House of Suns. Since then I've read: 23. Vagabond - historical fiction 24. Midwinter of the Spirit - supernatural mystery/thriller 25. Winter Warriors - heroic fantasy 26. Gates of Fire - historical fiction 27. Hannibal: Enemy of Rome - historical fiction 28. The Alchemist's Secret - thriller 29. Sword in the Storm - heroic fantasy 30. Death Masks - contemporary fantasy 31. Heretic - historical fiction 32. Remote Control - thriller 33. Midnight Falcon - heroic fantasy 34. The Book Thief - historical fiction (I guess, although it defies those boundaries) So 12 books, out of which only 4 were fantasy

Strange only in the comparison to Vance, in that it was never going to defeat the mighty Vance for you. It'd be like me comparing other fantasy books to Steven Erikson's - nothing would beat him, cos nothing else comes close, imo Since I finished his series everything else has seemed a bit ordinary (which is probably why I like Kay so much, because it's a different kind of fantasy). I think maybe it's the sub-genre that's the issue - because I'm guessing you were hoping for more traditional fantasy, as opposed to historical fantasy - and whether he should just write straight historical fiction, or pure fantasy instead. I was chatting with a mate who studied Ancient Rome and Byzantium a few months back, soon after I read Kay's Sarantine Mosaic. He'd tried to read them, too, but because he was so well-versed in the actual history of the period he really disliked Kay's work. Personally I like what he does with it, and I love his writing, but I can understand why people who want pure history, or people who want pure fantasy, would be disappointed. I'm guessing you probably won't enjoy his other books, if you didn't like this one. I'm currently weighing up whether to start Weaveworld or Lyonesse ...

Strange review, mate. It's a real shame you've decided to compare Kay and Vance that way, cos I know no-one compares to Vance in your eyes. It feels to me like we read two completely different books. Still, at least you gave it a try.

Shows how much you know - I've hardly read any sf recently (none since March in fact!) Ooh, be interesting to know what you make of that. The Forever War is one of my favourite books, but I've not yet read the sequels.

High time you replied to PMs, missy! Pretty much, yeah. Winter Warriors can be read on its own, and it's probably a good one with which to dip your toe into Gemmell's writing. You might want to consider Legend, as well, as it was his first book and a real classic of the genre. It's just been re-issued with a rather snazzy new cover, too. I haven't read any of Cornwell's Sharpe books yet, no - but I will get to them sooner or later. Going to read his Saxon books next, I think, as I've already got The Last Kingdom. I've just finished The Book Thief, so I'll review it soon. Btw, the cover of Winter Warriors shown up-thread and on Amazon is not the one you're likely to get now. This is the new one:

Hehe, lots of chat, basically. Asher and Reynolds are great, from opposite ends of the spectrum, very different in their approaches to the same genre.

Sir, yes SIR!

Nothing to do with the book. I've had other stuff to sort out over the last couple of days and every time I've tried to read (which has mainly been on trains) I've been a bit distracted.

Yes, they're 'whodunnit' mysteries, usually involving real characters from history. Think C J Sansom or Rory Clements etc, but set in Ancient Rome. They're actually better than C J Sansom, imo.

For anyone who likes historical mystery stories, Steven Saylor's 'Roma Sub Rosa' series is about Gordianus the Finder, essentially a private detective in Ancient Rome. I've read three or four of them so far and they are excellent, beautifully written, very atmospheric and evocative of the time and place, with great characters and twisting stories that merge with real historical events. The first book, Roman Blood, was published in 1991, and there are twelve books (so far) in total. And I just noticed that Roman Blood is currently 85p for the Kindle (http://www.amazon.co...f=pd_sim_kinc_2) - an absolute bargain and well worth taking a chance even if you're only vaguely interested More info on the series here: http://www.stevensay...omaSubRosa.html

Sucker Punch. What a dreadful film.