I started reading the Thomas Harris books a while back, but had just watched all of the films beforehand so felt I needed to put a little bit of time between them. As usual I never went back to them.
I too mostly read theology and religion books. Currently, I'm investigating Evolutionary Witchcraft by T. Thorn Coyle, and I've got a couple of others on my list once I'm finished with this one.
I started reading the Thomas Harris books a while back, but had just watched all of the films beforehand so felt I needed to put a little bit of time between them. As usual I never went back to them.
I confess that I have not watched the movie yet, but I have found the book very entertaining.
Viravain, Lady of the Thorns shouts, "And You would seize Me? Fool! I am the Glomdoring! I am the Wyrd, and beneath the cloak of Night, the shadows of the Silent stir!"
I'm currently working my way through the Dresden Files for the first time (no, I'm not sure how I hadn't read it either, I love the Codex Alera). You can definitely tell that his writing gets more practised as you go through. They're fun reads, but a few things niggle at me now and then, like the fact that he repeats some things constantly (which I know is meant to be so you can read them as standalones but who really does that) and some of his descriptions of women (which I know are meant to be sexist because it's first person and very into bias and stereotypes but that doesn't make it any the less irritating).
Welcome to one of the best fantasy series I've read. I'm actually working my way through Alera; my interest in it deflated somewhat when I heard it was started as a joke (Butcher claims that a friend told him he couldn't possibly make a good story/series out of Pokemon + Lost Roman Legion).
Still, they're good. I'll probably get back in as soon as I finish Book 7 of the Discworld series. (I alternate - read a book in one series, then read a Discworld book. This has gone on for months).
The Necromentate's mind opens to you, and a grotesque, demonic figure appears in your mind's eye, screaming in torment: "THE DEMON LORDS CAN NEVER TRULY BE KILLED - GREAT IS THEIR POWER."
You shock a platinum-coloured geomycus with tales of terror bestowed on villages who don't follow Magnagora. A platinum-coloured geomycus slaps her knee and declares that, by the gods, Ptoma Hive should follow the Grand Empire of Magnagora after all! Shouts rise up from Ptoma Hive, as its denizens loudly pledge themselves to the Grand Empire of Magnagora.
As for me, I'm reading this one book. It's written by a doctor and it's about fish. One or two of them swimming around together, and then there's a red one, and a blue one.
Started reading Glen Cook's The Black Company series a couple days ago.
I've been meaning to try that series out.
It was Akyaevin who told me about the Codex Alera series and I decided to pick the books up and loved the series. He is supposedly planning on returning to that world one day, which I cannot wait for. Dresden Files is hands down one of my favorite series ever. The jokes, the actions, the characters, all of it is awesome and really, the books continuously improve as things go on.
I am a little suprised no one on this forum has mentioned Tanith Lee's Tales of a Flat Earth series specifically given how she writes the characters sexuality. The first book, Night's Master was nominated for a World Fantasy Award for Best Novel in 1979. The second, Death's Master won the British Fantasy Award for Best Novel in 1980.
The series is sort of Tanith Lee riffing off of Arabian Nights with grand fantasy themes, truly exotic places and plenty of face time with Divine things. It is good and better yet it is original. As you might guess by the nature of the titles the books have a heady dose of adult sexuality, but in comparison to Boardwalk Empire Season 3, which I just finished, nothing is really that tittilating or too shocking anymore. If memory serves there are still a couple 'holy shit' moments wih the sexuality magic but that's just because Tanith Lee is a master storyteller and knows how to unnerve.
Incidently if you are familiar with the White Wolf game company, the 'Demons' (Yozi) in the Exalted game line are a direct adaptation of the demons in this series.
Upon recommendation I read American Elsewhere by Robert Jackson Bennett. Recently it was nominated for a 2013 Shirley Jackson Award.
It starts out as an urban noir story then ramps up into the heights of Lovecraftian cosmic horror. What held my interest is that there is a very interesting whodunit with very peculiar suspects. And all the weird bullshit you think the author is throwing at you to make atmosphere in the first half IS ACTUALLY EXPLAINED and explained well if you stick with it.
Very intricate book and worth studying if you write at all.
I generally just read news but I also just managed to get my hands on what appears to be an original copy from 1950 of The Case for Christianity by C.S. Lewis. I'll let you know how it is but I've heard that it's really good.
Where the Negroes Are Masters: An African Port in the Era of the Slave Trade by Randy J. Sparks
I'm really impressed with it, it's a very new book which was only published a couple of months ago. It deals with the port of Annamaboe (Anomabu) on the Gold Coast (Ghana) and its time as the leading slave trading outpost on the Gold Coast in the 18th century. It's fascinating because the Gold Coast region was one of the few areas on the west coast of Africa that imported slaves from other regions to work in their (the Fante) gold mines. This went on until about 1700-1725 when the economy completely flipped and it became a major exporter of enslaved Africans (the book doesn't deal with this portion of Anomabu's history). It's a really well written book - if you're interested in the history of Africa and the slave trade in general I'd definitely recommend it.
Who We Are: A Citizen's Manifesto by Rudyard Griffiths.
This is originally a book that I was obligated to read as a part of a first year university course I had to take, for Political Science. As a result, rather than assigning us the entire book, we were told to read just a few chapters. It delves into the fact that Canadians don't have a particular civic identity to Canada, but rather their community, and the book proposes steps to take to help address this, such as changing citizenship tests to revoking citizenship for those who don't spend a certain amount of time in the country.
All in all, it's an interesting read for someone who says they're Canadian, but doesn't really know what it means, other than saying "Sorry!" multiple times over.
I read the entire run of the Malazan Book of the Fallen and they were pretty enjoyable but I did find myself skimming them a fair bit towards the end. Haven't looked at any of the extra stuff Erikson or that other bloke have published yet but I'll probably get round to it at some point.
For mind numbing hack and slash reading (I'm not calling the Malazan Books mind numbing ) I'm probably going to take a look at Anthony Ryan's Tower Lord next. It's Book 2 of the Raven's Shadow series, I found the first one pretty enjoyable to read.
What I'm really looking forwards to is Patrick Rothfuss' next book. I'm hoping it's as good as Name of the Wind - he kind of shot himself in the foot for Wise Man's Fear since he gave most of the major plot points away in the first book, it was still great just not quite as good as NotW.
Oh and Mark Lawrence's next series, The Broken Empire books were great - I love a good antihero.
Regarding Rothfuss, he revealed recently that a new Kingkiller book is coming out I think this fall. Not part three of the trilogy, sadly, but IIRC it's going to be (related to) Auri and her background.
I just got my hands on hard bound copy of HP Lovecraft's The Necronomicon! Squeeeeee. It's a 50th anniversary edition, too.
Viravain, Lady of the Thorns shouts, "And You would seize Me? Fool! I am the Glomdoring! I am the Wyrd, and beneath the cloak of Night, the shadows of the Silent stir!"
Regarding Rothfuss, he revealed recently that a new Kingkiller book is coming out I think this fall. Not part three of the trilogy, sadly, but IIRC it's going to be (related to) Auri and her background.
Oo, hadn't seen this. I'll make sure to grab it when it comes out.
Oh a related note, I read the Prince of Fools by Mark Lawrence last night. It was pretty good but I don't like Jal as much as Jorg. Still definitely worth picking up, but if you've not read anything by Lawrence take a look at the Broken Empire Trilogy first.
I...read too much for my own good. Last few series I've read include, but are not limited to: The Mortal Instruments, The League series by Sherilyn Kenyon, the Ender's Game series, and The Last Rune series by Mark Anthony, which I am about to buy the last one of so I can have something to do while having to be at my Aunt's house for 2 days...not of my own volition. Grandpa wants to go see her, and I'm the only one who can apparently take him to Missouri...Any good fantasy reads out there? I'm prolly going to need to get something else to read while I'm down there!
I don't know if this will interest anyone, but I found this website of scripts for TV shows and I find it really fascinating. My favorites so far have been reading the pilots for "Once Upon a Time" and "American Horror Story: Murder House".
I don't know if this will interest anyone, but I found this website of scripts for TV shows and I find it really fascinating. My favorites so far have been reading the pilots for "Once Upon a Time" and "American Horror Story: Murder House".
OMG! Thanks!
Viravain, Lady of the Thorns shouts, "And You would seize Me? Fool! I am the Glomdoring! I am the Wyrd, and beneath the cloak of Night, the shadows of the Silent stir!"
2nd attempt at the Malazan books has gotten me into them. Finding them quite a slow grind, which is odd for me as I usually destroy books in a matter of hours, but not in the soul-destroying way that I did last time.
Finished 'Do androids dream of electric sheep' recently. Now reading Cloud Atlas.
You have received a new honour! Congratulations! On this day, you have shown your willingness to ensure a bug-free Lusternia for everyone to enjoy. The face of Iosai the Anomaly unfolds before you, and within you grows the knowledge that you have earned the elusive and rare honour of membership in Her Order. Curio Exchange - A website to help with the trading of curio pieces in Lusternia.
Kruppe is great. I just got to Midnight Tides, and the total lack of connection to any previous characters is a drag. I would have put the books down if I didn't enjoy Tehol and Bugg so much.
Jadice, the Frost Queen says to you, "Constant vigilance."
I started reading/listening to Mike/M.R. Carey's new novel, The Girl With All The Gifts. The thing is, I can't tell you anything about the book because I don't want to spoil it for you, even though the real twist/premise of the story is revealed within the first few chapters. If you are into post-apocalyptic fiction that only slightly borders on sci-fi, you'll want to give it a try.
Currently reading Book of the Crowman, the second novel in the duology of Black Dawn. First novel is Black Feathers.
Not sure I recommend it as I find it a slow read, but for Glomdoritos and their admirers, it is about Crow and his Dark Messiah and returning to nature and battling civilization. It's a dark fantasy set in the present day during an environmental collapse.
Comments
it's a good thing to drift off to at night before sleep
"THE DEMON LORDS CAN NEVER TRULY BE KILLED - GREAT IS THEIR POWER."
You shock a platinum-coloured geomycus with tales of terror bestowed on villages who don't follow Magnagora.
A platinum-coloured geomycus slaps her knee and declares that, by the gods, Ptoma Hive should follow the Grand Empire of Magnagora after all!
Shouts rise up from Ptoma Hive, as its denizens loudly pledge themselves to the Grand Empire of Magnagora.
It was Akyaevin who told me about the Codex Alera series and I decided to pick the books up and loved the series. He is supposedly planning on returning to that world one day, which I cannot wait for. Dresden Files is hands down one of my favorite series ever. The jokes, the actions, the characters, all of it is awesome and really, the books continuously improve as things go on.
Signature!
It starts out as an urban noir story then ramps up into the heights of Lovecraftian cosmic horror. What held my interest is that there is a very interesting whodunit with very peculiar suspects. And all the weird bullshit you think the author is throwing at you to make atmosphere in the first half IS ACTUALLY EXPLAINED and explained well if you stick with it.
Very intricate book and worth studying if you write at all.
Who We Are: A Citizen's Manifesto by Rudyard Griffiths.
Avatar by the most wondrous Feyrll
Signature!
You have received a new honour! Congratulations! On this day, you have shown your willingness to ensure a bug-free Lusternia for everyone to enjoy. The face of Iosai the Anomaly unfolds before you, and within you grows the knowledge that you have earned the elusive and rare honour of membership in Her Order.
Curio Exchange - A website to help with the trading of curio pieces in Lusternia.
Not sure I recommend it as I find it a slow read, but for Glomdoritos and their admirers, it is about Crow and his Dark Messiah and returning to nature and battling civilization. It's a dark fantasy set in the present day during an environmental collapse.