Michelle Posted April 19, 2014 Share Posted April 19, 2014 I'm not really sure how to describe it, although it's supposed to be some sort of horror/thriller/SF! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted April 20, 2014 Author Share Posted April 20, 2014 I'm not really sure how to describe it, although it's supposed to be some sort of horror/thriller/SF! Sounds intriguing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted April 20, 2014 Share Posted April 20, 2014 It certainly did, though it has plenty of less-than-glowing reviews on Goodreads so I'm not sure how much anyone else would enjoy it. Well seeing as the rec originally came from people on the Malazan forums, it's probably their opinions I'd listen to more than those on Goodreads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 Great review! Sounds like great fun, I will definitely give it a go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted April 23, 2014 Author Share Posted April 23, 2014 Well seeing as the rec originally came from people on the Malazan forums, it's probably their opinions I'd listen to more than those on Goodreads They do generally have good taste, don't they? Great review! Sounds like great fun, I will definitely give it a go Thanks! You won't be disappointed (I hope!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted April 27, 2014 Author Share Posted April 27, 2014 Review: 'The Tyrant's Law' by Daniel Abraham The great war cannot be stopped. The tyrant Geder Palliako had led his nation to war, but every victory has called forth another conflict. Now the greater war spreads out before him, and he is bent on bringing peace. No matter how many people he has to kill to do it.Cithrin bel Sarcour, rogue banker of the Medean Bank, has returned to the fold. Her apprenticeship has placed her in the path of war, but the greater dangers are the ones in her past and in her soul.Widowed and disgraced at the heart of the Empire, Clara Kalliam has become a loyal traitor, defending her nation against itself. And in the shadows of the world, Captain Marcus Wester tracks an ancient secret that will change the war in ways not even he can foresee. The word I hear used most often to describe Daniel Abraham’s Dagger and Coin series is ‘good’. Looking back on my own reviews of the first two books, The Dragon’s Path and The King’s Blood, I realise how lukewarm they sound, despite the fact that I clearly did enjoy reading them. I think the relative slowness of the story is the main reason many people aren’t exactly blown away by the series. However, I’ve come to find that the series isn’t so much slow as it is slow-burn; and The Tyrant’s Law, the third novel in the quintet, finally begins to set the wheels in motion for the anticipated payoff. The story and the action begin slowly and then build steadily as in the other books, but there’s a turning point around halfway through when a sense of real urgency begins to pulse through. The final quarter of the book began a fantastic sequence of convergence between two of the characters that was just a little bit disappointing, simply because the book ended before the sh*t could really hit the fan. The author’s world-building has always been, in my opinion, one of the strongest aspects of the books: I really like the diversity of the different races, and the sense of culture and history Abraham has created really helps to bring the story to life. This is really emphasised in The Tyrant’s Law, where we get a more in-depth look at the societies of the Timzinae and Haaverkin, and get the sense that all the hints we’ve been given about the role of the various races and the importance of history is about to become integral to the story. The characters are also still as strong as ever. It’s difficult to pick a favourite, and my preferences do actually seem to change from book to book, but I think I’d have to say that this time I most enjoyed reading Geder’s chapters. The tragic-comic story of his unwitting rise to power continues to be fantastically done: his transition from clumsy and loveably inept minor noble into hateful yet well-meaning tyrant has been so subtle and seamless that it remains hard not to feel sympathetic towards him, despite also wanting to smack him round the head with the sharp edge of Marcus’ culling blade. This, along with each of the other major characters’ chapters, really does make for compelling reading once it gets going. I think, for those who have read the first two books in the series and are still unsure whether or not to continue reading, The Tyrant’s Law definitely affirms that you should. The fourth book in the Dagger and Coin series,The Widow’s House, is slated for release in August. Guess what I’ll be pre-ordering come next payday? 5/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 Glad to hear it improves somewhat. That was my general feeling about the first book, good. I need to start on the second soon before I forget everything! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted April 28, 2014 Share Posted April 28, 2014 Great review, I'm glad you enjoyed the third book. You make all books (that you liked) sound really interesting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted May 3, 2014 Author Share Posted May 3, 2014 Glad to hear it improves somewhat. That was my general feeling about the first book, good. I need to start on the second soon before I forget everything! It's definitely shaping up to be a great series. You just have to wade through 2.5 books of 'quite good' before you get there. Great review, I'm glad you enjoyed the third book. You make all books (that you liked) sound really interesting! Aw thanks Gaia! So do you. I think it helps when I write the review straight after finishing the book - I'm more enthusiastic when it's fresh in my mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted May 3, 2014 Author Share Posted May 3, 2014 So, I've acquired some new books! Doctor Sleep, The Three and Anarchy were all sent to me by Hodder. Although I do love free books, I'm not sure whether any of them are really my cup of tea, although I'll probably at least read the Stephen King, and probably the hardback (seems a waste not to!). I had £15 in points on my Waterstones card and finally decided to spend it, so went shopping after work today and bought the other 3. This is my second copy of the GRRM - I lent to someone I used to work with and they never gave it me back (*shakes fist angrily*), and I don't like having an incomplete collection! It was buy one get one half price, so I bought The Wheel of Time #1, which was in the same offer. And then I couldn't resist Perdido Street Station - I've had my eye on it for quite a while, and have had it recommended to me by quite a few people now, including Steve. Also, the spine of the book is lime green, which matched with the dress I'd bought, so I figured it must be fate. Oh, here's my first attempt at taking the picture of my new books. Fili photobombed the pic just as Kili bit my toe (hence the slight blurriness!): Little monsters! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted May 3, 2014 Share Posted May 3, 2014 nawww, cute cat! I really want to get Doctor Sleep, I loved The Shining, bit jealous of your free copy Hope you enjoy the Wheel of Time more than Steve and I did. Some people here really love it though. Have you read any Miéville before? I have Kraken on my TBR pile but that's it. If it matches your dress then you didn't have a choice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted May 4, 2014 Share Posted May 4, 2014 @ Fili Hope you enjoy Perdido Street Station, Laura - it's very different (in a good way) Have you read The Shining? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted May 4, 2014 Share Posted May 4, 2014 My favourite sort of photo - books and a cute cat! You really should read The Shining before Doctor Sleep! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted May 4, 2014 Author Share Posted May 4, 2014 Hope you enjoy the Wheel of Time more than Steve and I did. Some people here really love it though. Have you read any Miéville before? I have Kraken on my TBR pile but that's it. If it matches your dress then you didn't have a choice I've never read anything by either Mieville or Jordan - I hope I enjoy WoT more than you two did too! And yes, I think that's how I'm going to choose my books in the future - only buy ones that match the clothes I'm wearing. @ Fili Hope you enjoy Perdido Street Station, Laura - it's very different (in a good way) Have you read The Shining? No, I've never read it, or seen the film. The only Stephen King I've read are Pet Sematary and Salem's Lot! My favourite sort of photo - books and a cute cat! You really should read The Shining before Doctor Sleep! Yes, they really are the two best things in the world aren't they? Will Doctor Sleep not make sense unless I've read The Shining? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted May 4, 2014 Share Posted May 4, 2014 No, I've never read it, or seen the film. The only Stephen King I've read are Pet Sematary and Salem's Lot! But there are so many more great ones! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted May 4, 2014 Share Posted May 4, 2014 You'd probably understand some of it, but a lot wouldn't make much sense. The Shining is probably my favourite King book, so I'd recommend it. Btw, I LOVED Ex-Heroes, and am onto the next book - he's my new favourite author. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted May 5, 2014 Author Share Posted May 5, 2014 But there are so many more great ones! You'd probably understand some of it, but a lot wouldn't make much sense. The Shining is probably my favourite King book, so I'd recommend it. I know, I think I'm one of the only people in the world that isn't a huge King fan. I don't read much horror at all, really . . . I might try my Joe Hill book soon, though, and then if it has me wanting more I'll go out and acquire The Shining. Btw, I LOVED Ex-Heroes, and am onto the next book - he's my new favourite author. Oh, I'm so glad you enjoyed it! It's a lot of fun isn't it? I put 14 on my wishlist after reading your review, and very nearly bought Ex-Patriots in Waterstones on Saturday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted May 5, 2014 Author Share Posted May 5, 2014 Review: 'The Violent Century' by Lavie Tidhar For seventy years they'd guarded the British Empire. Oblivion and Fogg, inseparable at first, bound together by a shared fate. Until a night in Berlin, in the aftermath of the Second World War, and a secret that tore them apart.But there must always be an account... and the past has a habit of catching up to the present.Recalled to the Retirement Bureau from which no one can retire, Fogg and Oblivion must face up to a past of terrible war and unacknowledged heroism, a life of dusty corridors and secret rooms; of furtive meetings and blood-stained fields, to answer one last, impossible question:What makes a hero? The Violent Century is unlike anything I’ve ever read. A tale of conflict, espionage and superheroes set mainly during the various conflicts of the 20th century, it is most often compared to Alan Moore’s Watchmen. Suffused with the moody intrigue of a John le Carre novel and written in a postmodern style similar to Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, Lavie Tidhar’s standalone novel explores the hypothetical role of superheroes in historical conflicts, focusing in particular on World War II. The majority of the plot takes place at different points in the past, and is framed by a narrative involving the interrogation of one of the central characters. Tidhar’s superheroes, or ‘Ubermenschen’, are an exaggerated and deliberately stereotyped representation of the role and ideologies of their respective countries in each of the conflicts. From Britain there’s Oblivion and Fogg, shadowy and furtive and seemingly innocuous; from the USA there’s Tigerman and Green Gunman, ludicrously costumed and arrogant; from the USSR there’s the Red Sickle, from Transylvania there’s Bloodsucker and Drakul . . . you get the picture. These characters, along with the author’s masterful use of setting and atmosphere, really create a distinctive feel of each historical era, from post-war Berlin to the Eastern Front, the Afghan desert to WWII Transylvania. The Violent Century is definitely not for everyone. The style is very off-putting at first sight, and the time jumps are occasionally disorienting and disruptive; but the concept, and the atmosphere, kept me sufficiently immersed, and I even found that, once accustomed to it, the style actually makes for very fluent reading. My only criticism would be that I didn’t really feel there was enough exploration of Fogg’s motivations, and so the final payoff wasn’t quite as emotionally charged as I imagine it was intended to be. However, overall, the positives far outweigh the negatives. The tone is cynical yet wry, the underlying message - that the world would have turned out in exactly the same way even if superheroes did exist - is depressing yet oddly reassuring, and the finale is sad yet cathartic, and incredibly hopeful. All in all, a memorable story that will probably stay with me for quite some time. Definitely worth a read. 5/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michelle Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 Is there anything in particular you're avoiding when you don't read horror? For me, they tend to fall in gore-horror, or psychological-horror, and The Shining is the latter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 The Shining's one of my faves, too - along with Cujo, The Dead Zone and Salem's Lot. Glad you enjoyed The Violent Century, Laura - it sounds very intriguing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted May 5, 2014 Author Share Posted May 5, 2014 Is there anything in particular you're avoiding when you don't read horror? For me, they tend to fall in gore-horror, or psychological-horror, and The Shining is the latter. I don't avoid it as such, it's just not something that's really interested me very much - I usually read traditional fantasy and not much else. (Although I have been trying to branch out a bit lately!) I do sometimes watch horror films, though - with these I generally avoid gory ones like Saw. The Shining's one of my faves, too - along with Cujo, The Dead Zone and Salem's Lot. Glad you enjoyed The Violent Century, Laura - it sounds very intriguing. Thanks. It's surprising, because it's not the kind of thing I'd usually enjoy - I hated Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy with a passion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 I've been tempted by The Violent Century ever since reading the blurb, moving it up the wishlist now. Also had to buy Ex-Heroes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted May 6, 2014 Share Posted May 6, 2014 Review: 'The Violent Century' by Lavie Tidhar For seventy years they'd guarded the British Empire. Oblivion and Fogg, inseparable at first, bound together by a shared fate. Until a night in Berlin, in the aftermath of the Second World War, and a secret that tore them apart. But there must always be an account... and the past has a habit of catching up to the present. Recalled to the Retirement Bureau from which no one can retire, Fogg and Oblivion must face up to a past of terrible war and unacknowledged heroism, a life of dusty corridors and secret rooms; of furtive meetings and blood-stained fields, to answer one last, impossible question: What makes a hero? The Violent Century is unlike anything I’ve ever read. A tale of conflict, espionage and superheroes set mainly during the various conflicts of the 20th century, it is most often compared to Alan Moore’s Watchmen. Suffused with the moody intrigue of a John le Carre novel and written in a postmodern style similar to Cormac McCarthy’s The Road, Lavie Tidhar’s standalone novel explores the hypothetical role of superheroes in historical conflicts, focusing in particular on World War II. The majority of the plot takes place at different points in the past, and is framed by a narrative involving the interrogation of one of the central characters. Tidhar’s superheroes, or ‘Ubermenschen’, are an exaggerated and deliberately stereotyped representation of the role and ideologies of their respective countries in each of the conflicts. From Britain there’s Oblivion and Fogg, shadowy and furtive and seemingly innocuous; from the USA there’s Tigerman and Green Gunman, ludicrously costumed and arrogant; from the USSR there’s the Red Sickle, from Transylvania there’s Bloodsucker and Drakul . . . you get the picture. These characters, along with the author’s masterful use of setting and atmosphere, really create a distinctive feel of each historical era, from post-war Berlin to the Eastern Front, the Afghan desert to WWII Transylvania. The Violent Century is definitely not for everyone. The style is very off-putting at first sight, and the time jumps are occasionally disorienting and disruptive; but the concept, and the atmosphere, kept me sufficiently immersed, and I even found that, once accustomed to it, the style actually makes for very fluent reading. My only criticism would be that I didn’t really feel there was enough exploration of Fogg’s motivations, and so the final payoff wasn’t quite as emotionally charged as I imagine it was intended to be. However, overall, the positives far outweigh the negatives. The tone is cynical yet wry, the underlying message - that the world would have turned out in exactly the same way even if superheroes did exist - is depressing yet oddly reassuring, and the finale is sad yet cathartic, and incredibly hopeful. All in all, a memorable story that will probably stay with me for quite some time. Definitely worth a read. 5/5 The Violent Century looks amazing Laura! I have to read this book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted May 7, 2014 Author Share Posted May 7, 2014 I've been tempted by The Violent Century ever since reading the blurb, moving it up the wishlist now. Also had to buy Ex-Heroes Brilliant! Hope you enjoy it. The Violent Century looks amazing Laura! I have to read this book. Thanks VF! Hope the writing style doesn't put you off - have a look on Amazon's 'look inside' feature before you get it. I'd hate for you to open it up and think 'eugh, what the hell is this?!' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted May 7, 2014 Share Posted May 7, 2014 Thanks VF! Hope the writing style doesn't put you off - have a look on Amazon's 'look inside' feature before you get it. I'd hate for you to open it up and think 'eugh, what the hell is this?!' I read a couple of reviews that gave an example . I like weird stuff like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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