Timstar Posted October 7, 2015 Posted October 7, 2015 I dread to think! I stopped counting at the end of last year Fortunately I can't see it on the Kindle Good idea, I don't count mine either. But I have started getting more library books rather than just buying them, but I do still buy too many though Quote
Karsa Orlong Posted October 7, 2015 Author Posted October 7, 2015 I popped into my nearest library a few weeks back when I was on my way home from jury service. I was thinking of joining, but I wasn't overly impressed with the range of books they had Quote
Little Pixie Posted October 7, 2015 Posted October 7, 2015 Is this something you`d like ? I just got an email from Amazon about the series. Quote
Karsa Orlong Posted October 7, 2015 Author Posted October 7, 2015 Is this something you`d like ? I just got an email from Amazon about the series. I probably would like it, yeah, thanks Curses. Nope, not even going to consider it Quote
Timstar Posted October 7, 2015 Posted October 7, 2015 I popped into my nearest library a few weeks back when I was on my way home from jury service. I was thinking of joining, but I wasn't overly impressed with the range of books they had Luckily I can reserve any book in any Library in Cambridgeshire online and they send it to my nearest one for me to pick up. Without that I wouldn't bother even looking but even with it the range is still what I would call limited. Especially in SF/F and graphic novels. Quote
Little Pixie Posted October 7, 2015 Posted October 7, 2015 I probably would like it, yeah, thanks Curses. Nope, not even going to consider it I`m considering the first in the series - that clicky was for the fifth one - it says it`s similar to the wonderful Lord Peter Wimsey. Quote
Janet Posted October 7, 2015 Posted October 7, 2015 No, it wasn't me - not unless I've put on weight, grown a beard, and walk around looking vague constipated all the time Anyway, he was far too young for a Rush fan - he should be middle-aged and losing his hair, unless the beard was compensating for an unseen bald spot The questions were so easy! Even I could've won that one I missed this post. It made me chuckle! Quote
Signor Finzione Posted October 7, 2015 Posted October 7, 2015 I don't like getting books from the library - I get stressed out about having to return them by a certain date. I read that Mary Stewart series a few years ago. Hope you enjoy The Crystal Cave. *goes off to read some Gemmell* *Maybe* Quote
Karsa Orlong Posted October 7, 2015 Author Posted October 7, 2015 I`m considering the first in the series - that clicky was for the fifth one - it says it`s similar to the wonderful Lord Peter Wimsey. Have to say, this would annoy the hell out of me . . . I missed this post. It made me chuckle! I don't like getting books from the library - I get stressed out about having to return them by a certain date. I read that Mary Stewart series a few years ago. Hope you enjoy The Crystal Cave. Thanks - it was only 99p so worth a punt *goes off to read some Gemmell* *Maybe* Yeah right Quote
Little Pixie Posted October 8, 2015 Posted October 8, 2015 Have to say, this would annoy the hell out of me . . . Hmm, I didn `t see that. I might be moderately miffed... Quote
More reading time required Posted October 9, 2015 Posted October 9, 2015 Hope you enjoy whichever book you read next! Daughter of the Empire, perhaps? Oh you should, it's bloody brilliant! I'm not sure what your relationship is with Feist, but even if you didn't like some of his others, this is in a totally different league! Possibly it's the influence of his co-writer (can't remember her name). Quote
Signor Finzione Posted October 9, 2015 Posted October 9, 2015 Oh you should, it's bloody brilliant! I'm not sure what your relationship is with Feist, but even if you didn't like some of his others, this is in a totally different league! Possibly it's the influence of his co-writer (can't remember her name). Janny Wurts! Quote
Karsa Orlong Posted October 9, 2015 Author Posted October 9, 2015 4:45am Michelle?? Did Ellie give you a wake-up call? Quote
Karsa Orlong Posted October 9, 2015 Author Posted October 9, 2015 I may have bought all of Jack Campbell's Lost Fleet/Beyond the Frontier/Lost Stars books - barring the two I already had - for 99p each in the Kindle Autumn Sale. That was 12 books for the total of £11.88 Hard to pass that sort of offer by, even if I end up not liking them May also have got the second book in Mary Stewart's Arthurian Saga, The Hollow Hills, also for 99p Quote
Timstar Posted October 9, 2015 Posted October 9, 2015 You'd better hide! You're supposed to be the strong one! Quote
Timstar Posted October 9, 2015 Posted October 9, 2015 Since when? Haha you sound so confident when you make new plans/schemes for buying or not buying books. Most of us are just like: "Right this time I'm determined not to buy any more... " Quote
Little Pixie Posted October 9, 2015 Posted October 9, 2015 Haha you sound so confident when you make new plans/schemes for buying or not buying books. Most of us are just like: "Right this time I'm determined not to buy any more... " I just bought 3 books and now I can blame Steve . Huzzah ! A new loophole ! Quote
Karsa Orlong Posted October 9, 2015 Author Posted October 9, 2015 I just bought 3 books and now I can blame Steve . Huzzah ! A new loophole ! What? Wait . . . WHAT? Quote
Little Pixie Posted October 9, 2015 Posted October 9, 2015 What? Wait . . . WHAT? From now on, I can think ` What Would Steve Do ?`. Quote
Karsa Orlong Posted October 9, 2015 Author Posted October 9, 2015 Even I don't know the answer to that question Quote
Little Pixie Posted October 10, 2015 Posted October 10, 2015 Even I don't know the answer to that question So... I should hold off on getting the T-shirts printed up ? Quote
Karsa Orlong Posted October 10, 2015 Author Posted October 10, 2015 The King Must Die by Mary Renault 1958 - Virago ebook - 342 pages Theseus, the boy-king of Eleuisis, is ritually preordained to die after one year of marriage to the sacred Queen, but he defies the Gods' decree and claims his inheritance - the throne of Athens. His friends are the young men and maidens, slaves of the Gods, chosen for death in the Bull Dance. His fabled enemy is the monstrous, half-man, half-bull, Minotaur, devourer of sacrificial human flesh. In her classic re-creation of a myth so powerful that its impact has survived down the centuries, Mary Renault has brought to life the world of ancient Greece. For here is the true Atlantis legend, with its culmination in the terrible, fateful destruction of the great Labyrinth, the palace of the house of Minos. I'm trying desperately to summon up some enthusiasm to write about this book. I've wanted to read it for ages, but Renault's historical novels had been out of print for a while in the UK. Late last year they started to be re-issued, beginning with Fire from Heaven, the first of her trilogy about Alexander the Great. That was the one I really wanted to read but, having also recently bought another book about Alexander, I decided to go for this one instead. This is the sort of historical fiction that takes a well-known myth or legend and turns it into something more believable, that could actually have happened. I've read other historical fiction in this mould and loved it: Cornwell's Arthurian trilogy and Gemmell's Troy trilogy, to name my favourites. So I was really excited about reading Renault's take on Theseus, Ariadne, the minotaur, etc etc. All the elements are there for a truly brilliant story and, judging by all the comments and reviews I've seen, for the majority of people it's a complete success. For the first third of the book I thought it was brilliant. I thought I was going to love it. Young Theseus, growing up in Troezen believing he's the son of Poseidon, proves to be a likeable character in the early stages. His relationship with the King of the horses drew me into his world completely it's so beautifully written. And then, of course, when he turns 16 his mother, Aethra leads him to the stone under which his true father has left a sword and a pair of sandals. If Theseus is strong enough to move the rock then Aethra is to tell him of his father's real identity. Renault's Theseus is a small, wiry boy, and he doesn't have the strength to move the rock. But he is quick and clever and he soon enough works it out, and so begins his journey to find his father, and everything after that is the stuff of legend. So far, so brilliant. But I started to get bogged down around the halfway point. My problem is that I found it all very dry and it takes itself incredibly seriously. It's a tad on the pompous side. I understand that Renault has done a great job of putting the reader completely in those times in terms of setting and attitudes and dialogue, but I can't believe these people were without a sense of humour or a witty turn of phrase. As Theseus heads towards Athens and his future as a bull dancer I started to find him, well, a little tedious. The book is written in the first person, and I found it a tough slog through the inner workings of his mind. By the time I was 80 - 90% of the way through the book I was losing the will to live, struggling to keep my eyes open, and at several points was on the verge of giving up. I really wasn't taking much of it in towards the end. I'd stopped caring. I so wanted to love this book, and I'm really sad that I found it ultimately so disappointing. The worst part is, it's put me off reading any of her other historical fiction in the foreseeable future. Oh, and for the record, this being an attempt to create a more believable version of the legend, there are no mythical creatures - so don't expect and actual minotaur to turn up in a labyrinth, cos you'll be sorely disappointed. Quote
Karsa Orlong Posted October 10, 2015 Author Posted October 10, 2015 I don't have a problem with there being no mythical creatures in it, I just didn't want to mislead anyone into thinking that there might be Quote
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