Action/Adventure Aficionados discussion

I've finished The list of Seven. I might get my review up tonight. Certainly by this weekend.

I've picked up Courageouswhich is #3 of the Lost Fleet Series by Jack Campbell. I read some reviews that sugguested this one isn't as good as the others, but, I am finding it just as good.

I'm finishing up Courageous now. This one is better than I remember the first two being. Less action, but then, it is Military Sci-fi/Military Space Opera. I enjoy this series. It realy takes me back to my days in CIC/CEC (Combat information Center/Strike) on the Battleship Wisconsin (BB64) in the Persian gulf, with lots of ships everywhere.

It's very realistic book as far as how military people act and operate. (not perfectly realistic, but realistic)

I love the idea of "Honoring our Ancestors with our behavior." It's a good read.

At the end of The Monkey's Raincoat, then I'm going to start The List of Seven. Today I'm excited about starting The Night Eternal.

Wow, Eileen. You are reading like crazy!

Finished The Magicians, massive disappointment for me, and The Next Always, which just hit the spot.

I have The List of Seven to read and Cloud Atlas to finish.

Sorry to hear you were disappointed with The Magicians, Alice. But at least you finished it, and are able to move on.

True. There were so many things I did like, but in the end it just left a sour feeling in my stomach. I've thought a lot about it the past few days and I don't think I'm going to read Magician King. Too many other great books out there to waste my time with mediocre.

I think it's wise to move on if you're not happy with a series.

Agreed. I know it's bad of me too, but a part of me is glad to not have another series to add to my list. Years ago it was all I wanted- people to write more series. Now, please stop.

Kidding. Mostly. So many books...

I agree. Reading, unless your doing it for a class or for an "I'll get money for this" project is supposed to be fun.

If you aren't enjoying a series, set it aside. Maybe it's time will come later?

Lady Danielle "The Book Huntress" wrote: "Wow, Eileen. You are reading like crazy!"

I find lately I like to listen to a audio book when I can't sit down and read. I can't do more then 2 books at a time or it makes me crazy.

I am currently reading Eragon which is fantasy and adventure at the same time. I am enjoying the story a lot. I hope that the sequel is just as good as the first one.

I feel a sense of relief when I can strike another series off my list as well, Alice.

I'm getting series fatigue, to be honest.

Eileen wrote: "Lady Danielle "The Book Huntress" wrote: "Wow, Eileen. You are reading like crazy!"

I find lately I like to listen to a audio book when I can't sit down and read. I can't do more then 2 books at a..."

Eileen, I am so glad that I started doing audiobooks from the library!

I'm currently reading "The Shroud of Heaven" by Sean Ellis and I'm struggling. I just read about ten pages of one extended chase scene and then another extended fight scene... It's just taking so long to get back to the story :(

Almost finished with The Bricklayer A new author for me via the local library, with a second one in the series also in my book bag.

Interesting characters, interesting plot twists. Nothing earth shaking, but an entertaining, readable book and I'm anxious to find out if the second in the series is just as good.

I've finished 1984, and "The list of Seven" and I'm starting a clive Cussler book (cause it's an audio book and I want to try it out on my Kindle Fire).

Sharon wrote: "Almost finished with The Bricklayer A new author for me via the local library, with a second one in the series also in my book bag.

Interesting characters, interesting plot twists. ..."

I've read both of these and thoroughly enjoyed them. As you say, it's an entertaining read, and I really liked the main character (whose name escapes me at the moment LOL)

Kyle wrote: "1984 was a book ahead of it's time."

1984 is an all time favorite. To think that the first time I read it I was mad about it because it was an "assignment."

Splitter

I find that it's a shockingly accurate depection of what happens in a scociety at war (and other things)-a little deja vous.

Very different from "Day of the Triffids" which I thought was great, darker.

I definately enjoyed it.

Now I'm reading Spartan Gold by Clive Cussler. So far it's a good read (well, listen, audio booking it). Nice to have a hero/heroine team that's not a college something and married.

I still have Cloud Atlas staring at me. I've also picked up Damaged and Before Midnight: A Retelling of "Cinderella".

I just got my first e-book reader, the Amazon Fire. And have now discovered all the free goodies. It's so pretty and all I want to do is play with it endlessly.

Guess I should do some work first, huh?

I just got my Fire the Day before Yesterday too. The free goodies are nice. I like that I can watch Dr. Who from show one, season one. The video is very clear HD quality.

And of course, now my internets out. (sigh) if it doesn't rain, it pours.

Hugh (A.K.A. Hermit the Curmudgeon) wrote: "I just got my Fire the Day before Yesterday too. The free goodies are nice. And of course, now my internets out. (sigh) if it doesn't rain, it pours. "

Oh, bummer. My computer crashed and was gone for two weeks. Just got it back and my 'new' Kindle died, wouldn't connect to download. (Tech support diagnosed a charging problem and my replacement should be here today.)

Technology is wonderful ... when it works!

Hugh (A.K.A. Hermit the Curmudgeon) wrote: "I just got my Fire the Day before Yesterday too. The free goodies are nice. I like that I can watch Dr. Who from show one, season one. The video is very clear HD quality.

And of course, now..."

Need details about the new Kindle Fire, Hugh. What do you think?

Want 'em here, or in PM?

Here! Somewhere here publically at least. I would find it valuable.

Splitter

I'm typing it now...(my excuse to "look" like I'm working through lunch) I'll post it as a "my writing" thing and put a link here for those interested.

I tend to be thurough (if you like what I'm saying) or long-winded (if you don't like it).

Yes, here. Thanks. I'll check it out.

Okay, here. I hope this is helpful.

http://www.goodreads.com/story/show/2...

This is my Kindle review.

I've just finished audiobooking Spartan Goldby Clive Cussler. I enjoyed it. It seemed more adventure and treasure hunter than it did Action, but it certainly fits in with his other books.

I liked Remi and Sam, though they kind of reminded me of the old Robert Wagner/Stephanie Powers Tv show: Heart to Heart. I also don't think they felt as challenged as they should have felt. They just sort of brushed aside a lot of the big villains threats and actions. It was all too business like for them IMO. Having said that, it's nice having a husband and wife team as the stars and Remi makes a good strong female heroine that doesn't sacrafice her femininity in the name of kicking bad guy's butts.

It's a three star read for me. Not as much fun as Dirk Pitt, for some reason, even though the writing was a lot cleaner and smoother. It was worth my time and despite the above criticism, I did enjoy it.

The History-Mystery was well done and intriguing. I like that stuff. It could have been more complicated but, hey, sometime straight foreward isn't so bad.

Not sure where I'm going next, but I have to drive home and it's a long weekend. I need to settle on something.

Wow. Thanks for the heads up on the Kindle Fire, Hugh!

Your welcome, and if your getting a kindle fire, you need to print up a sticker for it that says "Warning, Angry Birds is an addictive Game."

Next year, it will be mine. I hope!

I hope so too. I like my fire. It's also great for audio books. (But doesn't do text to speech.)

Finally into Event. Some quibbles but not bad so far.

A few days early, but I just finished one up tonight. So, thought this would be a good time to start...

Finished another installment of Stalking the Angel the Elvis Cole series. What can I say...I'm hooked.

Then I picked up The Reluctant and finished that, too. The book had a great first couple of chapters, so I didn't want to stop reading.

Not sure what I feel like reading next.

Did you really? I am honored any time someone reads one of my books, so TANK YOU. I would be interested in hearing your thoughts if you are so inclined.

I honestly thought about moving the first chapter for a while. People who read mostly fantasy seemed to think it was too much too soon. Now that some A/A readers have started reading it, they seem to like it the way it is.

Splitter

Eileen wrote: "Then I picked up The Reluctant and finished that, too. The book had a great first couple of chapters, so I didn't want to stop reading."

Read the synopsis/reviews on this and put it on my wish list. Sounds like it could be fun.

I hope you do, Sharon. I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed reading The Reluctant.

Eileen wrote: "I hope you do, Sharon. I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed reading The Reluctant."

I'm a fast reader and usually limited to one trip to the local library (45 mile round trip) a month. As a relatively new Kindle owner, I'm having a great time working through the 'free' Kindle book lists, it's like having days to browse in a library. And so far I've found three new-to-me authors with series I like very much this way ... authors I would definitely not have discovered otherwise.

Hoping "The Reluctant" will be in this category as well.

<---------Bites nails.

Seriously, you have no idea how much authors (the ones who are not NY Times bestsellers) want people to like their work. We are like puppies at the pound hopping up and down to get noticed. Pathetic really lol.

Enough people have read my work that I should be over it, but I am not. I await my first bad review with full bottle of pills and hose ready to be hooked up to the exhaust pipe.

j/k :).

I LOVE eReading now. I use my laptop and iPhone since my mother-in-law stole/borrowed my Kindle. I am working my way through classics when I should be becoming familiar with other authors in my genre.

I continue to be impressed with the free or low cost indie and self pubbed work I have found. A number of people now want me to beta read their work and I must say that what I am finding is not very different (in most cases) from well known authors published by Big Six houses.

Kindle and Nook (plus others) have opened up a whole new world. Once you get over not having the "smell" of a real book made from dead trees, I think you will fall in love with your Kindle! (I miss the smell of a real book, dangit)

Splitter

C.S. Splitter wrote: "<---------Bites nails.

Seriously, you have no idea how much authors (the ones who are not NY Times bestsellers) want people to like their work. We are like puppies at the pound hopping up and dow..."

Oh, yes ... I can relate. I'm an artist (or was) and did a lot of art shows. I'm sure waiting for/ reading reviews on your books is very much like sitting and listening to people critique my artwork!

I'm already in love with my Kindle and I'm definitely not a technology-loving person. However, because of various limitations including the distance from a library, I'm absolutely delighted with the ability to literally 'browse through the library' daily via the free books lists. I've re-read some of the classics I enjoyed when I was still in my pre-teens and teens and found at least three series by authors I'd never have discovered otherwise.

And I won't even mention the fact that I had run out of places to build new bookcases!

Everyone knows I'm a well known Kindle pusher. I love mine, both the Fire and my Kindle 3. I also read on the computer and such. Audio books are getting cheaper there is a list of 4.95 Audio books at Audibile.com that will down load to a kindle (among other things). If found Dresden Files #2 there for less than 5 so i bought it.

I'm currently reading Stirredby J.A. Konrath(Who is Kilborn) and Crouch (who may also be Konrath and Kilborn but I'm not sure about that one).

It's one of the first books I've read that has completely embraced the Indie publishing market. Konrath/crouch have even indcluded hyperlinks with a "where we first talked about this guy" explaination (which is part helpful, part a heck of a neat advertising gimick for eachother's books.)

Stirred is the end of the Jack Daniels Series, and Konrath doesn't want to write any more since he's focusing on his Horror Genre books. I think the same may be true for Crouch's Luther character but we'll see.

Anyway, it's more of a police procedural than "Action Adventure" but it's better than "Shaken" (the last one) and different from any of the other Jack daniels books.

And I now have The Reluctant in my kindle and on my TBR for reading soon.

Konrath has turned into a real advocate for indie/self pub. He is rather forceful about it and does a lot of posts/guest posts advancing the concept. I like his books. I like him because he is tough on publishers, who are behind on this whole phenomenon, and he is tough on indie/self pubbers because they put out a lot of trash.

That "trash" label is often self-inflicted. My ilk DOES put out a lot of trash because of lack of editing, lack of cover artwork, and plain old lack of talent and methodology. The good news is that anyone can now publish a book, the bad news is that anyone can publish a book lol.

Publishing today is like the Wild West. There are no rules.

The hyperlink thing is one o the next great things to happen in eBooks. It makes perfect sense.

Here is one that I found that I really liked: Killer . I don't know if this guy is indie or traditionally published, but the book is intriguing. The very style of the book is jarring because much of it is in present tense. Once you get used to that, it works. He took some big chances so it may not be everyone's cup of tea. More suspense than A/A, but there is some A/A.

For once, I did not figure out the ending too far beforehand lol. As a matter of fact, my brain was on the wrong track for most of the book.

Splitter

Thanks C.S. The Hyperlinks were useful in Stirred because it involved a character that I had never read before from a different series.

I'm looking into "Killer" it sounds good. Another indie pub book that I enjoyed was

Plain Jane: Brunettes Bewareby Cristyn West I enjoyed it, it has a racy side that had me wondering.

I'm also a big fan of (and everyone in this group (and others) has heard me plug this one a bunch) Bubba and the Dead Woman by C.L. Bevill. It's more humor/suspense/who-done-it but it had me laughing and it's all "indie pub."

I hope the "industry" doesn't figure out how to stiffle the Indie Pub Market (how could you?) I just wished they had turned thier "machine" into something that could help polish up any book rather than reject them. How much butter could Indie Published books be if they had a team of editors and proof readers going over them? (It's not like I don't understand why they do not help works they don't want to sell, but the more I learn about how Publishers work, the less I like them...save I like reading books and at one time they were kind of the only reasonable game in town.)

I think Indie pubs open a door to creative ideas that, if left up to publishers, nobody would ever get to read.

Hugh (A.K.A. Hermit the Curmudgeon) wrote: "I'm also a big fan of (and everyone in this group (and others) has heard me plug this one a bunch) Bubba and the Dead Woman by C.L. Bevill. It's more humor/suspense/who-done-it but it had me laughing and it's all "indie pub."

I read this and it's definitely not something I'd have read except as a free Kindle (with a recommendation) Probably would not have taken it off the library shelf to try even.

As it turned out, it's not something I would purchase, but then I'm not a fan of 'slapstick' humor ... pie-in-the-face, Three Stooges movies, etc. But I can also see it's appeal to people that appreciate that kind of humor.

Personally, I really like the advent of the paranormal/ghost links into mystery and that is a type of book that rarely gets into my local library (again, Bible belt country and somewhat limited purchase funds as well). Thanks to the Indie pubs, I've found two (maybe even three) authors/series I will be following with enjoyment I'd never have found otherwise.

However, as the daughter of a schoolteacher and a literature major in college myself, I do cringe at the lack of editing! I can get past it for the most part, but it's a bit like fingernails on the blackboard occasionally.

There are some exciting business models coming out, Hugh. The Big Boys are going to have to adapt. Their royalty model will have to change and their whole model will have to change.

A self pubber keeps 70% of their sales price on an eBook. From a Bix Six, it's under 20% (17.5%). There are obvious ego and exposure advantages to being with a Big Six, but a lot of the "known" authors there are dropping back to self pub. Conversely, some self pubbers/indies are getting picked up by Big Six publishers IF they already have a following.

To me, I just think whatever an individual author feels is right for them is the way they should go.

There are a bunch of small, independent presses out there who are offering the same services as the Big Six but for a far smaller share. One publisher that I know does editing, covers, and promotion for 30% of the author's cut. If you do the math, that means that the author would keep 49% of their sale price on each ebook. That is very attractive because it is MUCH better than the industry traditionally offered. For the reader, they know they are getting a book that has been edited and has gone through some quality control. Those small presses work with authors in whom they believe.

People like me are putting together our own teams. My editor and artist get a cut of my royalties. My beta readers get a free read of an early version. They, in turn, can have a stable of authors with whom they work. Within a few years, my editor will have 20+ authors in her stable and will be making a decent income.

Hey, if the right publisher emailed me tomorrow, I would go with them. The problem is that there are comparatively FEW A/A focused indie publishers. Lots of small publishers will happily accept your book under a very restrictive contract but there are few "good" small presses will liberal terms.

I sent my first book to one agent on a lark. He asked for a sample, then more, and finally the whole thing. Then he asked me if I could make the main character a vampire or otherwise supernatural lol. I said no and the conversation ended.

The things publishers and agents are looking for these days are horror, "chick lit", fantasy or speculative fiction, and such. There is little market for A/A outside of the well known authors.

Maybe, someday, people will get tired of sparkly vampires and the pendulum will swing toward A/A. I'm not holding my breath for it lol.

My guess is that small publishers taking around 30% of royalties will start making a big impact on the industry. Large publishers will be forced to follow suit. The advantage to readers is in the quality control department.

Self pubbers will still be around, but the stigma attached to the label will make it hard to succeed without already having a big name that sells itself. Too many readers are getting burned too often by "bad" self pubbed books.

So, I think the middle will expand while the upper level gets smaller. The bottom will always be the bottom. The net result will be more authors making a "living" and fewer stars.

Just my guesses, I am no expert.

Splitter

I started Chasing Darkness on audio, and I'm enjoying it alot. Pike shows up enough to keep my happy, but I really like Elvis as a main character to. And Carol Starkey from Demolition Angel is in it too.