The Not a Book Club Club discussion

So I learned my lesson with Dangerous Women and decided I'm not going to buy anymore anthologies for only a handful of stories I want to read.

So I got Rogues from the library instead.

I only plan to read the stories by:

Rothfuss
Lynch
Abercrombie
Gaiman
Martin
Abraham

Any others that are really good I should read before returning it? There are a few authors in here that were also in Dangerous Women as well, but the stories I enjoyed in that the most were the ones by authors I already read.

I've got 3 other library books to read, so I'm only going to read the authors I already like and skip the rest unless someone says otherwise.

Thanks.

Currently reading it from front to back, look at my review.

Halfway through and I think the anthology is better than Dangerous Women. I'd recommend
Abercrombie
Gillian Flynn
Swanwick
Lynch
Abraham

Other stories like David Ball's or Bradley Denton's are more a matter of taste and I liked them.

Thanks Andreas. I'll add Flynn to the list. Will probably skip Swanwick as I really don't like zombie stories.

I'll have to check back to see if you've finished before I return my copy.

I wouldn't say that it is a zombie story. Not in the classical, horrific sense. It is more a matter of swallowing a pill if you want to work off a debt for a year or so. You do your job mindlessly and after the term you'll get some special medicine bringing you back. Main story is more about a scam by con-men than anything else.
But what would you do in New Orleans without Zombies, hm?

Ah OK. I'm just immediately put off by the word zombie. Thanks for the clarification. Maybe I'll give that one a go as well.

I thought Lightning Tree was amazing!

Geoff wrote: "I thought Lightning Tree was amazing!"

Yeah, that was the main reason I borrowed it. I really enjoyed it, but I actually liked the Scott Lynch story more.

The Gaiman story also has got zombies in it: Mushroom-zombies :)
Only two stories left to read - Rothfuß and GRRM.

You might want to read the stories from Williams and Eisenstein in addition, but read my reviews because it is highly subjective and don't know if you'd like them as well.

Andreas wrote: "The Gaiman story also has got zombies in it: Mushroom-zombies :)"

Really? Bah. My understanding was it ties into his Neverwhere stuff. I haven't read it, but I watched the BBC mini series from the 90s.

I read 6 stories this past weekend, including that one you recommended. I have the Gaiman one left and whatever else I opt for.

Right now I'm taking a break to read one of the 3 other library books I have right now. I'll get back to this at some point maybe between books.

The Rothfuss one is really good. The GRRM not as much. It's another "history" transcribed by Martin like the one in Dangerous Women.

This one was shorter. I really don't like that style. I wish he'd have just did a 3rd person narrative instead.

Yeah, maybe.

This is called the GRRMarillion btw :)

Finished it, read my review :)
I think it is better than Dangerous Women.

Rob wrote: "So I got Rogues from ..."

You've touched on the top stories. I did finish the book, and can recommend "The Roaring Twenties" by Carrie Vaughn, "The Inn of the Seven Blessings" by Matthews Hughes and "Bent Twig" by Joe R. Lansdale because the writing is fantastic.

My least favorites were the stories by Denton, Priest, Cornell, and Tuttle. Willis's story was a little too clever in playing the pop culture game for me.

How sad... G.R.R.M's story was dry as a stack of old bones.

Hopefully I'll cobble together my review sooner than later.

Of the major genre authors mentioned (Rothfuss, Lynch, Abercrombie, Gaiman, Martin, Abraham), I enjoyed all of them except the GRRM one, which as others pointed out is kind of a dry historical lesson rather than an actual story. It does add to the general lore of ASOIAF if you're a total die hard and looking for that. My favorites among those were probably the Lynch and Rothfuss ones.

Among the other authors: I really enjoyed the Gillian Flynn story. Actually I didn't love the way the story itself developed, but the way she wrote it was really entertaining.

Also, the Carrie Vaughn story was a pleasantly positive surprise for me, given that I usually don't like that brand of urban fantasy.

Best story by an author I had never heard of before: Phyllis Eisenstein's The Caravan to Nowhere.

Biggest disappointment given the author's legendary reputation: Joe R. Lansdale.

Worst story, period: The one by Connie Willis. How in the hell did that one even make the cut and wind up being included?

Picked this up to read the Rothfuss story. Think I am going to read Abercrombie and Lynch as well. Does the Abraham story tie into any of his other work or is it standalone?

It doesn't tie into Dagger and Coin as far as I remember. Not sure about his other story. If so it didn't hurt my enjoyment. Or at least I wasn't lost. For all I know I was missing some tie in stuff to his first series.

I also liked the Neil Gaiman story too. It ties into Neverwhere which I haven't read, but I have watched the BBC Mini series based on it.

Ok cool I will probably check out Abraham too then. Not a Gaiman fan so will skip his.

I have only read American Gods so far, but I liked that. I'm not in love with him like so many others seem to be though.

I liked American Gods, didn't like The Ocean at the End of the Lane. So 1 for 2 but not really into his writing style so don't have any urge to continue with his other work.