What book are you reading?

[Serenegoose]

Still reading The Blade Itself, on account of having not read anything in the last 3 weeks or so, so I've not finished it. It's starting to pick up a bit and I'm interested to read more. More to see what happens, though. I think the only character I'm really interested in is Glokta. Jozal is a twat who isn't even especially funny with it and Logen is ok, but he's not exactly capturing my imagination. It seems to be something I'm reading more for the support characters (Severand, Hoff, Ardee, the magi guy whose name temporarily eludes me) than the main cast.

[Unaco]

Still reading The Blade Itself, on account of having not read anything in the last 3 weeks or so, so I've not finished it. It's starting to pick up a bit and I'm interested to read more. More to see what happens, though. I think the only character I'm really interested in is Glokta. Jozal is a twat who isn't even especially funny with it and Logen is ok, but he's not exactly capturing my imagination. It seems to be something I'm reading more for the support characters (Severand, Hoff, Ardee, the magi guy whose name temporarily eludes me) than the main cast.

I don't want to spoil anything for you, but have you met... the other Logan yet? The character and the whole book is worth it for that chapter and event alone, and it's a major insight and development for his character, I thought. Jezal's redemption, as it were - when he gains some redeeming quality(s) for a reader, not when he becomes a good figure or anything - comes mostly in the 2nd book ("Before They are Hanged"). He is a twat though... selfish, arrogant, naive, pompous... but I quite liked reading him, even from the start, because he was such a twat - not a bad guy, not a villain, but just not what you'd want or expect a 'hero' or main character of a story like this to be like, but still a very believable character. I think that's one of Abercrombie's strengths, writing 'heroes' that shouldn't be heroes, that are flawed, but still are so believable in their role, and are great to read because of that. Also, he's an echo of Glotka... what Jezal is, Glotka was 10 years ago. I would recommend continuing with it, and the whole trilogy, to see how those 3 main characters play out. Also, Nicomo Cosca in the 2nd and 3rd books, along with the genesis of Caul Shivers (I think it was you who said they'd read "Best Served Cold"). Also, more Bayaz (the Magi)... he's quite a surprising character.

I may be biased though... I thought the trilogy (and Abercrombie's other two books) were some of the best things I've read, ever. They really click with me, in their humour and the dark tone (fantasy but nothing is fantastic, magic but it's not magical), the minimal fantasy elements (still present, but rarely shown directly), the characters, his ability to write action sequences (a huge part of fantasy, but so very rarely written so well), his worldbuilding, the drama. Your mileage may vary, but I had a great time with them.

[Vague-rant]

Started reading "The Gun Seller", partly due to a recommendation, mainly because it was written by Hugh Laurie. Sort of a thriller I guess, maybe a hint of Noire thrown into the mix. It seems very much like a book Hugh Laurie would write really. Dry humour scattered throughout. Not really gripping stuff, the more I unravel the big conspiracy the more I'm left less interested, but the main character is decent enough to carry it on his shoulders and keep me reading.

[Xercies]

The first law trilogy: Yeah the characters i feel get a lot better in the second book and it really makes you feel a bit bad about thinking that way in the first book. The trilogy is very interesting with character advancement though.

[westyfield]

I'm halfway the book one of a song of ice and fire.
Now, there is an appendix at the end of the book that describes the different houses. Should I read it now, or after finishing the book? I don't want spoilerific spoilers of spoiling in my book.

The appendix details everything as it is at the start of the book, so by the end of the book it may well be inaccurate as characters are born, die, get married, etc. They're totally spoiler-free though.

[Vague-rant]

The first law trilogy: Yeah the characters i feel get a lot better in the second book and it really makes you feel a bit bad about thinking that way in the first book. The trilogy is very interesting with character advancement though.

Agreed. Curious to see what you think about the ending once you reach there though. Many seem to be happy with it, but it annoyed me that it was left the way it was, especially after having spent so long with the characters. I don't think its a spoiler to say, that while I'm not looking for a "happily ever after", it didn't feel especially fulfilling.

[Serenegoose]

I'm near the end of The Blade itself and found that it's been picking up speed as it goes, now that the plot arcs are beginning to intertwine. I thought Dogman (and that crew) are very interesting sorts, as is Ferro. The more Bayaz does, too, the more I'm enjoying Logen's segments. I guess it was just a bit slower than Best Served Cold because, being a trilogy, it can afford to burn a little slower. Still not anybody who's quite as good as Morveer and Day, though.

I'll likely finish it tomorrow and make a start on the sequel the day after.

[Vexing Vision]

Still not anybody who's quite as good as Morveer and Day, though.

Personally, while I find Logen the most likable character, I think Glotka is one of the best characters ever created by anyone. Also, awesome. I love his dry gallows-humour.

[Similar]

Finished The Horus Heresy. It's quite impressive that so many different authors can manage to write such a series without screwing up (some books are better than others, obviously, but there aren't any which are really bad). Now I wish they'd hurry up and write some more books...

[Vexing Vision]

I have started rereading the Felix & Gotrek omnibus 1+2 because I ran out of books.

I find them midly boring but good enough to provide some background noise while commuting to work. Sadly, I know there are better Warhammer Fantasy books out there, but these are all I could find in my shelf.

[Theblazeuk]

I have to disagree, Gotrek + Felix are the best Warhammer fantasy books. When they're written by William King.

How can you not love a dwarven airship? With gyrocopters! Venturing into the Chaos Wastes....

[Serenegoose]

Personally, while I find Logen the most likable character, I think Glotka is one of the best characters ever created by anyone. Also, awesome. I love his dry gallows-humour.

Having now finished it, I think it's a coin flip between Jezal and Ferro for my favourite, with Vitari being an excellent Dragon (far, far better than the non-character she was in Best Served Cold). Logen is alright and all but he comes across a bit Wolverine, and Wolverine is by some way my least favourite x-man. Guilty by association. The book must have risen in my estimations towards the end because I felt genuinely betrayed by the way West acted. Will start Before They Are Hanged tomorrow.

[Similar]

Started reading another W40K series, Gaunt's Ghosts, by Dan Abnett. The first book was okay-ish, the second was close to being bad, but the third is so far quite decent. The universe is a bit puzzling, what with the Emperor seemingly being worshiped as a god and no one getting killed for it, but maybe that's a change that The Horus Heresy series hasn't got to yet (the only other W40K series I've read).

[Althea]

Started reading another W40K series, Gaunt's Ghosts, by Dan Abnett. The first book was okay-ish, the second was close to being bad, but the third is so far quite decent. The universe is a bit puzzling, what with the Emperor seemingly being worshiped as a god and no one getting killed for it, but maybe that's a change that The Horus Heresy series hasn't got to yet (the only other W40K series I've read).

Horus Heresy isn't 40k as such, it's a prequel. Everything that happens in 40k - and I mean everything - is set after the Heresy.

And if you didn't realise that the Emperor of Mankind was worshipped as a god, you really have a lot to learn about 40k lore. I quote thusly from the Lexicanum:

The Emperor of Mankind is the sovereign of the Imperium of Man, and Father, Guardian, and God of his race. He has sat immobile within the Golden Throne of Terra for ten thousand years. Although once a living man, his shattered body can no longer support life, and remains intact only by a combination of ancient technology and the sheer force of his will, itself sustained by the soul-sacrifice of countless millions of psykers.

[Alex Bakke]

Horus Heresy isn't 40k as such, it's a prequel. Everything that happens in 40k - and I mean everything - is set after the Heresy.

And if you didn't realise that the Emperor of Mankind was worshipped as a god, you really have a lot to learn about 40k lore. I quote thusly from the Lexicanum:

Similar is actually correct - Originally, the canonical direction was that the Emperor went to great lengths to distinguish himself as a man, not a god. It's only after he was interned in the Golden Throne that he was deified.

I quote thusly from the Lexicanum:

In the millennia since his ascension to the Golden Throne, the Emperor has become a god to his people, the worship of him uniting humanity throughout his Imperium, superstition and dogma replacing his doctrine of Imperial Truth.

Imperial Truth.

Please refrain from implying someone's silly before correcting them, next time. Manners etcetcetc

[Althea]

Similar is actually correct - Originally, the canonical direction was that the Emperor went to great lengths to distinguish himself as a man, not a god. It's only after he was interned in the Golden Throne that he was deified.

I quote thusly from the Lexicanum:

Imperial Truth.

Please refrain from implying someone's silly before correcting them, next time. Manners etcetcetc

I read his post as suggesting he didn't realise that in 40k lore (post-Heresy!) the Emperor is basically the God of the Imperium (with the Adeptus Mechanicus worshipping him as the Machine God), which obviously isn't the case before or during the events of the Heresy.

[Alex Bakke]

Oh! I apologise then. I misread his post.

Here is a .gif of anyone looking in on this unfortunate mistake of mine: http://i.imgur.com/Gnzzl.gif

[Jockie]

Quick update on the fiction I'm writing which some of you kindly gave me research suggestions on: I got 87% for the pre-submission assessment, which is essentially a first draft of the first 1000 words, which I'm delighted with.

The book that ended up being most useful to me was actually Them: Conversations with Extremists by Jon Ronson (more famous for The Men Who Stare at Goats and The Psychopath Test). It is a simultaneously humorous/terrifying look at extremism, this is evidenced by the fact that the man who Ronson feels safest with is the leader of the Ku Klux Klan (despite Ronson being Jewish). It helped me in particular because it highlighted the use of reverse rhetoric used by extremists to justify their hate crime I.E. "We don't hate black people, we just love white people and want to protect our right to do that."

I bought a book on whim from the kindle store, where it had some good reviews called Deja-Vu by Ian Hocking. It's a techno-thriller, but has some very sharp pieces of writing. The first 4 chapters in particular are excellent, as a Female intelligence officer realises she's being framed for murder (with a rather unexpected conclusion). For Kindle users out there it can be bought for less than £2.

Currently reading The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, book one in the Kingkiller Chronicles. So far it's actually rather excellent. A dark fantasy with strong mythology and interesting characters.

[squirrel]

Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer by John Grisham

A youth novel in legal genre. I think there has been the third installment of this series, and now I start with the 1st one. It's about Theodore Boon (hence the name), a thirteen year-old legal genius who help to convict a murderer who didnt have any solid evidence against his crime.

Hey, youths here should read more of such readings so that they can score high in TOEFL.

[corbain]

Just finished the first Discworld novel "Colour of Magic", and was thoroughly underwhelmed. I've heard it's one of the weakest of the discworld stories, so I was thinking about giving it the benefit of the doubt and reading the sequel "Light Fantastic" and perhaps "Guards, Guards" as well to get a better idea of Pratchett's Discworld series.