The Sword and Laser discussion

I liked how you call printed books, dead trees. LOL!

Right now I decided to dive into Atlas Shrugged. Always been a little hesitant of getting into such a big book but I heard so many good things about it and I saw that it looks like they are doing a movie (well actually looks like 2 parts) so I hope I enjoy it.

I started The Night Angel Trilogy on the recommendation of an S&L listener. I'm not that far into it, but it's interesting so far.

Well, as the first week of March has turned into a series of minor disasters I've decided that I don't need to be reading anything "hard" for the moment. To that end I'm putting off my planned reads (Permutation City and Shadow & Claw) to drown my brain in the Star Wars Universe with Vector Prime. I wanted to read 50 books this year (4 so far so I got some work to do) and there are 19 in the New Jedi Order series which is what I was reading when stopped collecting Star Wars novels (I have 8 of the 19). Time to catch up and Star Wars is so familiar that my brain can read it asleep.

Michael wrote: Time to catch up and Star Wars is so familiar that my brain can read it asleep.

I'm reading the NJO series as well right now. They're like potato chips, aren't they? :)

I am reading Little Fuzzy and it is great!!

Finished Cat's Cradle a few days ago and it did indeed live up to my admittedly limited memories of it from high school. Right now, I am reading Boneshaker and The Lathe of Heaven -- both of which seem promising early on.

Joe wrote: "Finished Cat's Cradle a few days ago and it did indeed live up to my admittedly limited memories of it from high school. Right now, I am reading Boneshaker and [book:T..."

I just read Lathe of Heaven and Cat's Cradle, the last two I read. What's up with that?

Just finished Directive 51 and starting Daybreak Zero. really good post apocalyptic fiction

I've finished Speaker for the Dead, and I am reading Peter F. Hamilton's "Fall of the Dragon". I am about finished - so the next one will be Xenocide.

kate wrote: "I'm reading the NJO series as well right now. They're like potato chips, aren't they? :)"

Until the end of the first book. NooooOOOooooOOOoooo! Having not heard any of the hype I didn't know that was coming and it was like being punched repeatedly in the childhood memories (which are soft and vulnerable)

I've just started The Curse of Chalion from Audible. And just finished A Different Hunger which was really good - something a bit different for me as I haven't read vampire fiction since early Anne Rice material. A lot of it was based in Auckland, New Zealand and it was really cool to get a feel for the old city.

Michael wrote: "Having not heard any of the hype I didn't know that was coming and it was like being punched repeatedly in the childhood memories (which are soft and vulnerable)"

Ah, I wonder how I would have reacted if hadn't already known the ending. Even though I'd read spoilers before starting the series, I still found that ending a tough read.

I hadn't heard spoilers of it before reading it. My inner child committed suicide at that point.

It was not the author's idea. Please don't send him any more death threats.

Oops, too late

I am reading Swords & Dark Magic: The New Sword and Sorcery, which is a Swords and Sorcery anthology that includes Joe Abercrombie, Gene Wolfe, Stephen Erickson, Garth Nix, et al., and I'm quite enjoying it. I didn't hate the Gene Wolfe short story as much I hated Shadow of the Torturer, so there's that. I haven't reached the Abercrombie story yet (which is apparently a prequel of sorts to Heroes) but that's the reason I bought the book.

I read Wise Man's Fear through the day it came out, and I thought it was better than The Name of the Wind by a country mile. Also this month I've reread The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London, a perennial favorite of mine, and I read Packing For Mars by Mary Roach and the aforementioned Heroes by Abercrombie. (Last month I reread the previous four books in the First Law universe).

Hey, just found out both The Wise Man's Fear and The Crippled God are both going to be on this weeks New York Time Bestselling List at #1 and #12. Here is the news http://www.tor.com/blogs/2011/03/fant...

I'm still listening to Pandora's Star, but the narrator is still so boring I need to intersperse. I just finished listening to Swamplandia! and decided to download The Name of the Wind audiobook at the same time I downloaded The Wise Man's Fear. I read The Name of the Wind a couple of years ago and really liked it. I think the audiobook may be even better. The narrator is great.

In print, I'm still reading Off Armageddon Reef and enjoying it enough that other books are taking a back seat.

Sandi wrote: "I'm still listening to Pandora's Star, but the narrator is still so boring I need to intersperse. I just finished listening to Swamplandia! and decided to download [boo..."

One of my friend read off armageddon reef, liked the first and second book, but hated the third book.

I'm listening to the 1st Dresden Files book on audio (Storm Front). It's voiced by Spike from Buffy, but it sounds nothing like him, and perfect for the character.

I am reading Revelation Space by Alastair Reynolds and when I finish reading that, tomorrow, I will start reading Name of the Wind.

I'm halfway through Pandora's Star. I am really impressed with the story and writing. For those of you that are TWIT network fans this was a Brian Brushwood recommendation. Thanks Brian!

Jim wrote: "I'm halfway through Pandora's Star. I am really impressed with the story and writing. For those of you that are TWIT network fans this was a Brian Brushwood recommendation. Thanks Brian!"

That's why the book is on my "to read" list too. And why I started reading The Hunger Games.

-David

Jim wrote: "I'm halfway through Pandora's Star. I am really impressed with the story and writing. For those of you that are TWIT network fans this was a Brian Brushwood recommendation. Thanks Brian!"

Are your reading a text version or audio? I'm really dragging through the audio. It seems like a good book, just listening to it is boring.

Peter Hamilton is pretty dense, like Gene Wolfe. Reading might be better than audio, so you can backtrack a little, more easily.

I just finished the new Brent Weeks novel "The Black Prism." I really enjoyed it. Week's books use the standard young man with unknown extrodinary powers plot line, but he throws in so many plot twists that the story seems new and fresh. The book is also a very fast read with enjoyable characters that pull you through the story. I highly recommend this one to anybody that loves hard edged fantasy. I'm going to start "The Wise Man's Fear" tonight.

Sandi wrote: "Jim wrote: "I'm halfway through Pandora's Star. I am really impressed with the story and writing. For those of you that are TWIT network fans this was a Brian Brushwood recommendation. Thanks Br..."

I was sorry to read your post that the audio version isn't that compelling. I am reading it. There are definitely a lot of moving parts, but the pacing is good and I am not finding it hard to follow. I find myself totally engrossed in the plot. It is interesting how the format can have such a dramatic impact on the content.

A narrator can make such a difference on an audio book. I'm also listening to The Name of the Wind and I'm actually picking up on a lot more than I did when I read it in print. The narrator really brings some emotion to the work and he does a great job of using voice to distinguish characters without getting cheesy. I'm glad I decided to listen to it before delving into The Wise Man's Fear.

John Lee and Simon Vance are two of the most popular audiobook narrators and I can't stand either one of them because they are just too monotone.

Scott wrote: "I just finished the new Brent Weeks novel "The Black Prism." I really enjoyed it. Week's books use the standard young man with unknown extrodinary powers plot line, but he throws in so many plot ..."

I have The Black Prism on order at the Library. I'm glad to hear you liked it, I'm really looking forward to reading it. If it's half as good as The Night Angel Trilogy then it's well worth reading.

I just finished The Crippled Godthe last book Steven's Erikson's series, and I still want more.

Now, starting Wise Man's Fear and listening to Snow Crash.

Stephen wrote: "I'm trying to read Boneshaker at home but I just can't get into it. I either fall asleep or get distracted by pie. I started Law of Nines at work and am making a bit more progress on that."

Don't feel bad...I read all of Boneshaker, but it wasn't one of those "get swallowed up" type of books. I kinda floated along the top of it throughout...

I'm rereading The Name of the Wind before going on to The Wise Man's Fear. I read the first one in the library and loved it so much, that when the second one came out, I bought both in hardcover!
Also reading The Silmarillion and listening to the podcasts from Corey Olsen, The Tolkien Professor http://www.tolkienprofessor.com/
In the car I'm listening to American Gods, but don't know how I feel about it. I'm about halfway through, and feel like too many secrets are being hinted at but not revealed to keep the story rolling.

Mlybrand wrote: "I am reading Little Fuzzy and it is great!!"

Oh my gosh! I didn't know anyone still read those books :)

Mlybrand wrote: "I am reading Little Fuzzy and it is great!!"

Oh my gosh! I didn't know anyone still read those books :)

John Scalzi is doing a Little Fuzzy book: Fuzzy Nation

Tamahome wrote: "John Scalzi is doing a Little Fuzzy book: Fuzzy Nation"

Hahahahaha. That's why I went looking. Little Fuzzy is public domain, so I slapped it on the Kindle. Now I am waiting for a copy of Fuzzy Sapiens. Love me some fuzzy goodness :)

I stayed up late finishing Blackout by Connie Willis, and it really just moves right into All Clear so I'm starting into that this morning. So far, a pretty amazing combination of time travel and historical fiction. I'm learning a lot about the Blitz. The first book leaves a lot of unanswered questions about the time travel bit, so I'm hopeful the second will wrap everything up.

Jenny wrote: "I stayed up late finishing Blackout by Connie Willis, and it really just moves right into All Clear so I'm starting into that this morning. So far, a pretty amazing combination of time travel and historical fiction. I'm learning a lot about the Blitz.."

Take it with a huge grain of salt. I've read a number of reviews by Britons who say that Willis gets major details wrong -- she doesn't understand British pre-decimal currency; she doesn't understand British social stratification; she has people take shelter in tube stations that didn't exist until the 1960s and then puts them in the wrong place; she has the Underground require tokens when there should've been conductors collecting tickets by hand; and she routinely gets distances and directions wrong, sometimes having people walk three miles to find a working tube station when their destination was less than half a mile away.

I heard there's a lot of frustrating scenes where the phones stop working.

Sandi wrote: "A narrator can make such a difference on an audio book. I'm also listening to The Name of the Wind and I'm actually picking up on a lot more than I did when I read it in print.The narrator really brings some emotion to the work and he does a great job of using voice to distinguish characters without getting cheesy.

John Lee and Simon Vance are two of the most popular audiobook narrators and I can't stand either one of them because they are just too monotone. "


Nick Podehl did a great job narrating The Name of the Wind.

Funny you don't like Simon Vance, he's one of my favorite narrators. I get you not liking him, though. Scott Brick is arguably the most popular SFF narrator and I don't care for his style much, which is a below average feeling since he does darn near every book in the Dune saga.

Currently about 40% of the way through "Name of the wind" after hearing soooo much about it, and i'm loving it!!

I'm in the same boat as Sandi, every preview I've listened to with Simon Vance has turned me sour. I am curious to try The Name of the Wind as an audiobook. The narrator seems very suited to the story.

Finished Before They Are Hanged and The Shadow of the Torturer. Started Last Argument of Kings and The Name of the Wind.

Now that I have finished Little Fuzzy and I have to wait for Fuzzy Sapiens, I will now allow myself to read Zoe's Tale and close out the Old Man's War -verse. Man, I'm gonna miss it. Good thing I got the whole Vorkosigan on my Kindle (mostly for free, but I purchased the missing one as my small way of thanking Baen) as I hope that will give me some good far space romp to make me happy.

Darrin wrote: "just finished the 14th novel in that series. I thought it was the best one yet. only five more to go..."

Don't spoil it for me. I only own the first 8 and that's all I've ever read. I need to order a stack of them from Amazon now so that they arrive by the time I catch up.

Before that though, I really should read the copy of Permutation City that my friend lent me ;)

I just joined, and reviewed the last book I read, The Electric Church. I started the second novel in the Avery Cates series, The Digital Plague. It's in the CyberNoir genre.

Mlybrand wrote: "I am reading Little Fuzzy and it is great!!"

I enjoyed this H. Beam Piper classic as well. Look for
Fuzzy Sapiens and Fuzzy Bones

A new volume in the series, Fuzzy Ergo Sum by Wolfgang Diehr, is forthcoming in Spring 2011 from Pequod Press

Just finished Fury the Star Wars book by Aaron Allston. Now working on Kris Longknife:Intrepid by Mike Shepherd. If you like military SF space opera, the Longknife series is great. After that, time to start catching up on 8 years of comic books from DC.

Bruce wrote: "Mlybrand wrote: "I am reading Little Fuzzy and it is great!!"

I enjoyed this H. Beam Piper classic as well. Look for
Fuzzy Sapiens and Fuzzy Bones

A new volume in th..."

Fuzzy Sapiens is on its way :) Fuzzy Bones is on my list. Thanks for the Fuzzy Ergo Sum hint.

Mark :)