Karsa Orlong

LOL, weird, my opinion of it's gone in totally the opposite direction

Nothing like resurrecting an old thread, lol. I've become a fan of this show. I didn't know what to make of it in the first season, cos it seemed like little more than an X-Files rip-off, but I think it's found its own identity quite nicely since then. I'm not a big fan, but I make sure I watch it. Until last week I'd never rewatched a single episode, but a friend of mine had never seen it, so we watched the very first episode. I was surprised, going back to it after this long, how enjoyable it was, and how different the characters were. Given the dearth of good sf/fantasy series these days (this one, Supernatural, Game of Thrones are the only ones I go out of my way to watch) it's a bit of a shame that Fringe always seems to be on the brink of cancellation.

Apparently renewal/cancellation is to be confirmed later in January ...

Dream Theater - Under A Glass Moon

Porcupine Tree - In Absentia

Yes, it's because e-ink screens are designed to be as easy on the eye as reading from paper. If there was a backlight the screen would have to be like a mobile phone or iPad or computer screen - and extended reading sessions would ruin your eyes. That won't happen with the Kindle screen. After all, hardbacks and paperbacks don't come with a backlight My primary reason for wanting a Kindle - other than it being shiny - was to save shelf space. I was getting fed up with regularly having to go through my books and decide on which ones I felt I could part with. I can't tell you the number of times I have subsequently had to re-buy a book because I suddenly got the urge to re-read it. The Kindle saves me that hassle, which is great. Regarding the pricing of the books, if it's something I want to read but is not a series/author I am collecting, I'll buy it for the Kindle regardless, so it's not taking up shelf space. There have been a couple of books that are part of series that I'm collecting (Steven Erikson's The Crippled God and George RR Martin's A Dance with Dragons) where I've paid hardback prices for Kindle editions - £10 - £12 - because I couldn't wait for the paperbacks. The hardback editions of those novels are huge, would take up too much shelf space and would be a real chore to carry around and read. I just wouldn't do it, but the Kindle versions are light as a feather ... I've found that the Kindle has made me try books and authors I probably wouldn't even have considered beforehand, which is great, purely because of not having to worry about that precious, limited shelf space of mine. I do still like the feel of treebooks, though, and with paperbacks I will always buy the series/authors I collect (and will inevitably buy the paperbacks of the 'hardback' versions I've got on Kindle, like the two books mentioned above).

Great review Ooshie! Lonesome Dove is now on my 'want' list.

Yeah, Lee Child, definitely. Try The Killing Floor or Die Trying. Funnily enough, Simon Kernick's The Last Ten Seconds was the first book I read on my Kindle. It was pretty good. You could also try CJ Box's Blue Heaven, Sebastian Fitzek's Splinter, Bob Shepherd's The Infidel. I'd recommend Jo Nesbo's 'Harry Hole' books to anyone, too. Scott Mariani's 'Ben Hope' books seem to crop up a lot in relation to Dan Brown, but I haven't read any of them myself ... yet. Edit: Just got the first one for 49p for the Kindle.

So it actually got quite good in the end. Some intriguing developments in the last few episodes. It's not going to win any awards but I'm glad I stuck with it

Thought it was excellent! Some terrific characterisation and dialogue in there. Loved the ending. Happily banishing the memories of the awful Downey/Law movie I saw (I've only seen the first one - that was enough!) ...

2010 list: http://www.bookclubf...post__p__231754 2011 list: http://www.bookclubf...post__p__242642 TBR List Read: 70 Abandoned: 2 Remaining: 56 Treebooks: Best Served Cold - Joe Abercrombie The Heroes - Joe Abercrombie The White Tiger - Aravind Adiga Non-Stop - Brian Aldiss Shadow of the Scorpion - Neal Asher Cowl - Neal Asher The Algebraist - Iain M. Banks Dawnthief - James Barclay Something Wicked This Way Comes - Ray Bradbury Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury The Desert Spear - Peter V. Brett Persuader - Lee Child Childhood's End - Arthur C. Clarke Revenger - Rory Clements Prince - Rory Clements A Cruel Wind - Glen Cook The White Rose - Glen Cook The Books of the South - Glen Cook The Return of the Black Company - Glen Cook The Many Deaths of the Black Company - Glen Cook Shadowline - Glen Cook Harlequin - Bernard Cornwell Vagabond - Bernard Cornwell Heretic - Bernard Cornwell The Last Kingdom - Bernard Cornwell The Wurms of Blearmouth - Steven Erikson Stonewielder - Ian C. Esslemont Silverthorn - Raymond E. Feist Sword in the Storm - David Gemmell Hero in the Shadows - David Gemmell Stormrider - David Gemmell Midnight Falcon - David Gemmell Ravenheart - David Gemmell The First Chronicles of Druss the Legend - David Gemmell The Legend of Deathwalker - David Gemmell Dark Moon - David Gemmell Echoes of the Great Song - David Gemmell White Wolf - David Gemmell The Swords of Night and Day - David Gemmell Troy: Shield of Thunder - David Gemmell Troy: Fall of Kings - David Gemmell Winter Warriors - David Gemmell Lord of the Silver Bow - David Gemmell Knights of Dark Renown - David Gemmell Replay - Ken Grimwood Manhattan In Reverse - Peter F. Hamilton Imperium - Robert Harris The Mad Ship - Robin Hobb Ship of Destiny - Robin Hobb The Gates of Rome - Conn Iggulden The Eye of the World - Robert Jordan The Great Hunt - Robert Jordan Hannibal: Enemy of Rome - Ben Kane The Last Light of the Sun - Guy Gavriel Kay Under Heaven - Guy Gavriel Kay The Lies of Locke Lamora - Scott Lynch The Many-Coloured Land - Julian May Dragonquest - Anne McCaffrey The White Dragon - Anne McCaffrey The Engines of God - Jack McDevitt The Dancers at the End of Time - Michael Moorcock Elric - Michael Moorcock Apartment 13 - Adam Nevill Master and Commander - Patrick O'Brian Post Captain - Patrick O'Brian Heresy - S J Parris Gates of Fire - Steven Pressfield The Impossible Dead - Ian Rankin House of Suns - Alastair Reynolds Terminal World - Alastair Reynolds The Interpretation of Murder - Jed Rubenfeld Heroes Die - Matthew Woodring Stover Grass - Sheri S. Tepper Mockingbird - Walter Tevis Bitter Seeds - Ian Tregillis The Dying Earth - Jack Vance The Eyes of the Overworld - Jack Vance A Deepness in the Sky - Vernor Vinge Fingersmith - Sarah Waters The Island of Doctor Moreau - H. G. Wells The Skystone - Jack Whyte The Dragonbone Chair - Tad Williams Lord of Light - Roger Zelazny Chronicles of Amber - Roger Zelazny The Book Thief - Markus Zusak Total: 85 Read: 47 Abandoned: 2 Kindle: Rivers of London - Ben Aaronovitch Zero Day - David Baldacci Weaveworld - Clive Barker Summer Knight - Jim Butcher Death Masks - Jim Butcher The Crucifix Killer - Chris Carter Safe House - Chris Ewan The Crimson Petal and the White - Michel Faber The Mall - S.L. Grey Riders of the Purple Sage - Zane Grey Pompeii - Robert Harris The Chicago Way - Michael Harvey The Strain - Chuck Hogan & Guillermo del Toro Conan the Reaver - Robert E. Howard The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest - Stieg Larsson The Girl Who Played with Fire - Stieg Larsson Hard Landing - Stephen Leather The Breach - Patrick Lee Ghost Country - Patrick Lee Deep Sky - Patrick Lee The Long Way Home - John McCallum The Owl Killers - Karen Maitland The Alchemist's Secret - Scott Mariani The Kinshield Legacy - K.C. May Remote Control - Andy McNab The Stress of Her Regard - Tim Powers The Wine of Angels - Phil Rickman Midwinter of the Spirit - Phil Rickman A Crown of Lights - Phil Rickman The Cure of Souls - Phil Rickman The Lamp of the Wicked - Phil Rickman The Prayer of the Night Shepherd - Phil Rickman Curfew - Phil Rickman The Name of the Wind - Patrick Rothfuss Adrift on the Sea of Rains - Ian Sales The Way of Kings - Brandon Sanderson Kidnapped - Robert Louis Stevenson Gulliver's Travels - Jonathan Swift Suldrun's Garden - Jack Vance The Green Pearl - Jack Vance Madouc - Jack Vance The Emperor's Gold - Robert Wilton The Shadow of the Torturer - Gene Wolfe Total: 43 Read: 23 Wishlist: Habibi - Craig Thompson Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury Master & Commander - Patrick O'Brian Lonesome Dove - Larry McMurtry Revenger - Rory Clements The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood Oryx & Crake - Margaret Atwood Harlequin - Bernard Cornwell Hothouse - Brian Aldiss Chronicles of Amber - Roger Zelazny Leviathan Wakes - James S. A. Corey Sacred Treason - James Forrester Prophecy - S. J. Parris World War Z - Max Brooks The Reapers Are the Angels - Alden Bell More Robert Silverberg Altered Carbon - Richard Morgan The Steel Remains - Richard Morgan Faith - John Love Beowulf - Seamus Heaney translation Shadow And Betrayal: Book One of The Long Price - Daniel Abraham Old Man's War - John Scalzi Absorption - John Meaney The Kings of Eternity - Eric Brown Something (anything!) by Ian Rankin Prince of Thorns - Mark Lawrence The Island of Doctor Moreau - H G Wells Ancient Blades trilogy - David Chandler Stormlord Trilogy - Glenda Larke Rebels and Traitors - Lindsey Davis Gates of Fire - Steven Pressfield Camulod Chronicles - Jack Whyte K J Parker The Braided Path - Chris Wooding King of Ithaca - Glen Iliffe A Place Called Armageddon - C C Humphreys Among Others - Jo Walton The Quantum Thief - Hannu Rajaniemi The Somme Stations - Andrew Martin Bitter Seeds - Ian Tregillis All Hell Let Loose - Max Hastings The Star Fraction by Ken McLeod The Fallen Blade by Jon Courtenay Grimwood The Dispossessed by Ursula Le Guin Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner Where Late the Sweet Birds Sing by Kate Wilhelm Unquenchable Fire by Rachel Pollack The First Men in the Moon by H. G. Wells Slow River by Nicola Griffith Wasp by Eric Frank Russell The Continuous Katherine Mortenhoe by D. G. Compton Ammonite by Nicola Griffith Doomsday Book by Connie Willis Synners by Pat Cadigan Sarah Canary by Karen Joy Fowler Son of Heaven by David Wingrove Jack Glass by Adam Roberts A Madness of Angels by Kate Griffin The Age of Ra by James Lovegrove Riddley Walker by Russell Hoban Bought: 14

January 01. Lord of Emperors by Guy Gavriel Kay 9/10 review 02. The Stand by Stephen King (re-read) 8/10 review 03. Martyr by Rory Clements 8/10 review 04. Before I Go To Sleep by S J Watson 6/10 review 05. The White Rose by Glen Cook 7/10 review 06. Non-Stop by Brian Aldiss 7/10 review February 07. The Dying Earth by Jack Vance 8/10 review 08. The Eyes of the Overworld by Jack Vance 6/10 review 09. Grass by Sheri S. Tepper 7/10 review 10. Lord of Light by Roger Zelazny 9/10 review 11. Grendel by John Gardner 7/10 review 12. Habibi by Craig Thompson 8/10 review 13. Summer Knight by Jim Butcher 7/10 review 14. The Wine of Angels by Phil Rickman 8/10 review 15. Silverthorn by Raymond E. Feist 3/10 (did not finish) March 16. Replay by Ken Grimwood 10/10 review 17. Cowl by Neal Asher 8/10 review 18. Harlequin by Bernard Cornwell 8/10 review 19. The Crucifix Killer by Chris Carter 4/10 review 20. Revenger by Rory Clements 9/10 review 21. Knights of Dark Renown by David Gemmell 9/10 review 22. House of Suns by Alastair Reynolds 7/10 review 23. Vagabond by Bernard Cornwell 8/10 review April 24. Midwinter of the Spirit by Phil Rickman 8/10 review 25. Winter Warriors by David Gemmell 9/10 review 26. Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield 10/10 review 27. Hannibal: Enemy of Rome by Ben Kane 5/10 review 28. The Alchemist's Secret by Scott Mariani 7/10 review 29. Sword in the Storm by David Gemmell 9/10 review 30. Death Masks by Jim Butcher 8/10 review 31. Heretic by Bernard Cornwell 7/10 review May 32. Remote Control by Andy McNab 5/10 review 33. Midnight Falcon by David Gemmell 9/10 review 34. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak 9/10 review 35. Weaveworld by Clive Barker 7/10 review 36. Shadow of the Torturer by Gene Wolfe 7/10 review 37. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon 10/10 review June 38. Old Man's War by John Scalzi 7/10 review 39. The Skystone (A Dream of Eagles book 1) by Jack Whyte 8/10 review 40. Mockingbird by Walter Tevis 7/10 review 41. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury 9/10 review 42. Suldrun's Garden by Jack Vance 6/10 review 43. Prince by Rory Clements 9/10 review 44. A Crown of Lights by Phil Rickman 8/10 review July 45. The Algebraist by Iain M. Banks 7/10 review 46. Ravenheart by David Gemmell 8/10 review 47. Persuader by Lee Child 8/10 review 48. Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury 8/10 review 49. Under Heaven by Guy Gavriel Kay 6/10 review 50. The Breach by Patrick Lee 8/10 review 51. Adrift on the Sea of Rains by Ian Sales 7/10 review 52. Ghost Country by Patrick Lee 8/10 review August 53. Forge of Darkness by Steven Erikson 6/10 review 54. The Impossible Dead by Ian Rankin 7/10 review 55. The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie 10/10 review 56. Deep Sky by Patrick Lee 8/10 review 57. The Island of Doctor Moreau by H.G. Wells 10/10 review 58. The Wurms of Blearmouth by Steven Erikson 9/10 review 59. Riders of the Purple Sage by Zane Grey 3/10 review 60. Manhattan in Reverse by Peter F. Hamilton 6/10 review September 61. Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke 8/10 review 62. Rivers of London by Ben Aaranovitch 8/10 review 63. The Engines of God by Jack McDevitt 7/10 review 64. Hard Landing by Stephen Leather 6/10 review 65. Stormrider by David Gemmell 7/10 review October 66. The Owl Killers by Karen Maitland 8/10 review 67. Shadow of the Scorpion by Neal Asher 8/10 review 68. The Interpretation of Murder by Jed Rubenfeld 7/10 review 69. Apartment 16 by Adam Nevill 5/10 review 70. Fingersmith by Sarah Waters 7/10 review 71. Master & Commander by Patrick O'Brian 8/10 review November 72. The Chicago Way by Michael Harvey 8/10 review 73. Heroes Die by Matthew Woodring Stover (did not finish) 74. Bitter Seeds by Ian Tregillis 8/10 review 75. Safe House by Chris Ewan 6/10 review 76. Lord of the Silver Bow (Troy Trilogy Book 1) by David Gemmell 10/10 review 77. Shield of Thunder (Troy Trilogy Book 2) by David Gemmell 8/10 review 78. Fall of Kings (Troy Trilogy Book 3) by David & Stella Gemmell 9/10 review December 79. The Long Way Home by John McCallum 7/10 review 80. The Stress of Her Regard by Tim Powers 7/10 review 81. The Man in the Snow by Rory Clements 8/10 review 82. Nine Princes in Amber (Chronicles of Amber Book 1) by Roger Zelazny 5/10 review 83. Shadow Games (The Books of the South - Tales of the Black Company) by Glen Cook 9/10 review 84. Dreams of Steel (The Books of the South - Tales of the Black Company) by Glen Cook 9/10 review 85. Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne 9/10 review 86. The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells 10/10 review Books started in 2012: 86 Books finished in 2012: 84

Oh jolly good! I haven't read Headhunters yet, have you? Off to start my 2012 thread ... http://www.bookclubforum.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/9623-steves-bookshelf-2012/page__gopid__282073

260 ... Wow! Well done

Funnily enough, I was thinking of maybe reading less fantasy myself this coming year. I think the problem with fantasy is that the genre is flooded and probably 80 or 90% of the books that get published are just poorly written rip-offs of what has gone before. Some of the books I've read, I'm amazed that publishers have gone anywhere near them. I can't recommend Guy Gavriel Kay enough, though. Ooshie, I haven't read it but, from what I understand, Fionovar Tapestry is more traditional fantasy than the ones I have read, which have been historical fantasy. Maybe you'd like something like A Song for Arbonne or The Lions of Al-Rassan more?

I am reading Lord of Emperors by Guy Gavriel Kay, which'll take me a few days into the new year to finish. I'm thinking of doing a fairly hefty Stephen King re-read in 2012, so my next book will almost definitely be The Stand.

I watched How to Train Your Dragon again. I love that film

Yes, me too. I think you and I actually commented on it at the time My first memory of my mate, mentioned above (the one who raves about Thomas Covenant), was when I was reading one of the Mallorean books and he walked up to me and told me what a pile of poo it was (he hadn't read it) and that I should be reading TC instead. Book snobbery - it's the worst kind of snobbery I reckon! I finished Sailing to Sarantium a couple of days ago (the first in Guy Gavriel Kay's 'Sarantine Mosaic' two-parter) and have now started the second, Lord of Emperors. No way I'll finish it before 2012, so I'll review them in one go when I start my thread for next year

My mum bought me the 'ELO Classic Albums Collection' box set for Christmas. I was a big fan when I was 11 or 12 years old, back in the late 70s. For the past few days I've been listening to On the Third Day, Eldorado, Face the Music - I'd forgotten what great albums they are. And A New World Record and Out of the Blue are just marvellous

It was a bundle of laughs, wasn't it? I enjoyed it a lot. I haven't read the book but shall endeavour to do so now. I thought Gillian Anderson was very good but, obviously, I have nothing to compare her performance to. It was nice to see Harry Lloyd playing decent sort, though, after he was so nasty in Game of Thrones.

That's interesting! I guess I might have felt a lot different about it if I'd read it when I was younger. When I was 15 I was reading David Eddings' Belgariad. That was my introduction to fantasy, and I'm a little scared to go back to them now, 30 years later, in case it ruins my memories of them

Just had a bumper shopping spree on Amazon, as all the SF Gateway books are £2.99 at the moment. So I got: The Lyonesse trilogy - Suldrun's Garden / The Green Pearl / Madouc by Jack Vance (thanks VF!) The Book of the New Sun - The Shadow of the Torturer / The Claw of the Conciliator / The Sword of the Lictor / The Citadel of the Autarch by Gene Wolfe All of which I have been tempted by for quite a while, so now seemed like a good time to take the plunge!

Thanks Ooshie The rape was distasteful, but it wasn't the only problem for me. I think my friend has built these books up to such an extent that I was expecting to be amazed, but I've read so many fantasy books in recent years which I think are better than this that it was never going to happen. I just don't like Donaldson's writing, I guess. I think, for me, the book was pretty soulless. I couldn't sympathise with any of the characters (apart from the victim of the rape, obviously), it lacked heart, and the quest itself was tedious. I felt the story was crying out for a character with a sense of humour, but they all take themselves so seriously. Any fantasy novel that lacks humour is asking for trouble. All my opinion, of course - I know a lot of people rate these books very highly.

Over the last week I have read: Lord Foul's Bane by Stephen Donaldson A friend of mine has raved at me for over 20 years about this book, saying it's the best fantasy book ever and he couldn't see the point in reading any other fantasy after this as it wouldn't match up. Well, it's his loss. I thought I was really going to enjoy it at the start. It's the first of Donaldson's Thomas Covenant books. Thomas Covenant is a leper, outcast and feared, who gets thrown into a fantasy world where he suddenly finds that everyone believes him to be the second coming who will save their world. I thought this was a great idea, but it soon develops into a bog-standard quest (think LotR with added misery) which quickly began to bore me. I had trouble getting into the characters at all, especially Covenant, who spends the entire book feeling sorry for himself and snarling at people. At one point, early on, he even rapes a young girl. Donaldson apologists would probably say that this is part of the daring that sets these books on a different level. I would say that it's the second of Donaldson's books that I've read (after his first GAP book, The Real Story), and both have involved rape. The author seems to have some serious issues, to me. To top it all, his writing style is so dense and overly-verbose that it soon becomes the literary equivalent of wading through treacle. I'm not sure why I stuck with it to the end, but I doubt very much that I'll be reading any of the subsequent books. 3/10 A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens I don't think I really need to say anything about this. We all know the story, what happens, how it ends. It's a wonderfully uplifting Christmas story, beautifully written. 8/10 And now I'm halfway through Guy Gavriel Kay's Sailing to Sarantium, which I had been saving and saving as a treat for myself as he is such a marvellous writer. And it's my 77th book of the year, which means I've topped last year's total

On Planet Rock just now, as I was making breadcrumbs for the stuffing Thin Lizzy - Whiskey In The Jar Muse - Stockholm Syndrome Alice Cooper - Million Dollar Babies AC/DC - You Shook Me All Night Long Yes - Going For The One U2 - Sunday Bloody Sunday Cracking