slortar, I’m with you on The Anubis Gates. That’s one of my two favorite books by Powers. It’s a tie with Dinner at Deviant’s Palace, which doesn’t fit with the style of his other books at all, but I liked it. I’m working through all his books as I find them - besides the ones I’ve mentioned here, I also have The Stress of Her Regard and On Stranger Tides.
Drawing of the Dark was pretty good - lots of action, they don’t telegraph the ending, but he doesn’t pull a lot of surprises, either, in that the people that show up and the events that happen are properly foreshadowed early on. He has some good descriptions of the siege of Vienna, and the main character (Brian Duffy) is kept mysterious but likeable at the same time.
CrankyAsAnOldMan, thanks for the offer, but you’re too late - I was in a bookstore and picked up the second book. I plan to have it read by the time the third one is out in mass market paperback (it’s in hardcover right now). [sub]Besides, you don’t know the look I got from my wife last time when the book came in the mail.[/sub] You and me both, about Finbar, by the way. Though if we had known about the original myth, we would have expected that. As a matter of fact, I was describing the book to my wife to recommend it, and she had heard of the myth - and what it implied for one of the characters (in this case, Finbar).
I’m intrigued, though - what GQ thread would make you look to Soldier for a reference?
Cranky, if the offer’s still good, I’ll take you up on the offer of the Daughter of the Forest sequel! Ever since receiving the original (thank you!) I’ve been haunting the library and they just don’t seem to have it. I’ve put in requests for inter-library loans a number of time. <fume>
dwyer I’ll keep your suggestions in mind! Thank you!
I haven’t made it to the library yet; it’ll probably have to wait until Saturday. I’m now a library felon; the emails on the overdues have begun! :o
I’ve been working my way through the library’s collection of Sara Paretsky’s V.I. Warshawski. I’m a big fan of detective fiction, it’s mostly all I read these days, well, that and police procedurals. Anyway, I’ve read 4 or 5 of them in the past few months and, I must say, I’m getting a little tired of them. Warshawski is such an unpleasant person. She’s grumpy and irritable and so fiercely independent she gets herself in trouble. The plots have involved greedy corporations or shady local government figures (all men) on the take or bad cops. All the men in the books are pigs. If they’re not greedy and ambitious and controlling, they’re greedy and ambitious and condescending. And I’m not enamoured with her politics.
Other than that, though, I enjoy them. I’ll finish the ones I have, but I don’t know if I’ll get more.
I’m currently reading a lot of fantasy, some romance, and mystery - I’m trying to re-read (or read for the first time) Agatha Christie. I’m especially looking for the last Tommy and Tuppence novel. I have all the rest, and I thought I had them all until I got a new copy of Labours of Hercules, which mentioned T&T Postern of Fate (I think that was the title.) I’m also trying to read some of the classics. Swiss Family Robinson was good, didn’t think much of Catcher in the Rye, but now I’m onto Captains Courageous and The Clockwork Orange.
NE Texan, someone was asking what the name was for the guy who beats the drum on a ship where oarers row in a rhythym. I thought there might be such a guy on the ship in the book, because I had run across a title for a character that I didn’t get. But apparently that word means “pilot” in Greek and the ship didn’t actually have a drummer. I think they just yelled at the rowers.
I wasn’t familiar with the legend, but I was told that the Marillier book was based on it. I think I bawled over the Finbar thing.
Ellen, I’d be happy to send it. And I’ve got the third one, too. I forgot I’d also sent you the Marillier. I remembered mailing you “Plainsong” which you had already read–just last week I picked up yet another copy at a garage sale so I could reread it and lend it.
I am reading Jane Smiley’s Horse Heaven right now. I loved her book Moo, so decided to buy this one too. Recently, my hubby has gotten me hooked!! on Tom Clancy. Judith Tarr is my newest discovery in historical fiction. Her time frames range from pre-historical nomadic tribes in Asia to Alexander the Great to the Crusades. Very nice mix of historical basis, intrigue, magic, and a little romance in every book. Pretty much fluff, but good story-telling and fast-paced.
Right now I’m working on “The Magnificent Wilf” by Gordon Dickson. Though I am thoroughly unimpressed
I just finished “Reunion” by Alan Dean Foster. One of the Pip and Flinx novels based in his Commonwealth.
Before that a quick ReReading of “the Hobbit” and “God Emporer of Dune” by Frank Herbert
Right now I’m working on “The Magnificent Wilf” by Gordon Dickson. Though I am thoroughly unimpressed
I just finished “Reunion” by Alan Dean Foster. One of the Pip and Flinx novels based in his Commonwealth.
Before that a quick ReReading of “the Hobbit” and “God Emporer of Dune” by Frank Herbert
Unlike past summers when I’ve tried to branch out, I decided to go for comfort and reread some favorites this time around. The original “Book Of Lists” is still endlessly fascinating and perfect for summer scanning. A lot of still relevant stuff, and also a good study on what was going down in the mid-70s when it was published. The entertainment stuff is dated, but it’s still a lot of fun.
Also, I’d recommend any South Pole/Antarctic exploration stuff. I’ve restarted “Cherry” by Sara Wheeler and have also gone back into Cherry Garrard’s wonderful “The Worst Journey In The World.”
Hi Thunderclap Monolith! Welcome to the boards! Like cherries? I still have my 1970s, original Book of Lists and crack it open from time to time, for just the same reasons! I can’t remember how old I was when I got it, but I used to love reading it and marveling at how much there was in the world I didn’t know.
Selected Stories from Phillip K. Dick - Very enjoyable short story collection, including some of the best and some of the famous (Minority Report, etc). It’s a very good collection that’ll make you think, especially in some of the stories where Dick looks at what it means to be human!
I’m reading “I, Robot” by Asimov, and “The Plague” by Camus.
It’s nice to go to the International Fountain at Seattle Center Park on these warm/hot summer afternoons and watch the children play in the water while I read my books.
But I guess most of you here don’t know what I’m referring to.
Thanks for the welcome, Ellen Cherry ! I’ve long been addicted to list books, including Dave Marsh’s “Rock Book Of Lists,” and various movie list books. It’s nice to get all that info into easy-to-digest blurbs. I suppose that’s a good and bad thing.
Wow! You’re the first person I “know” who has also read that series. It took me forever to track down the third book- The Reckoning. I’m actually re-reading While Christ and his Saints Slept (about Maude and Stephen, set about a century before the series you’re reading) because I just got the follow up to it, Time and Chance. I hope the third and final book will be out in the near future.
Other than those two (what, not at least read the beginning of Time and Chance?) I’m also reading Good Omens by Gaiman and Pratchett, Once… by James Herbert, Another Fine Myth (I think, the first book anyway) by Robert Asprin and re-reading ** Harry Potter Goblet of Fire**. I don’t think I ever read less than two books at a time…which explains why my updates to the 50 book challenge community are usually on a pair of books at a time:D
The Great Book of Amber by Roger Zelazny
I used to have all the individual books, but lost them.
Finally all of them are mine!!!
After that… I’ll probably go looking for good
Speculative fiction again.
I still have my 1970s, original Book of Lists and crack it open from time to time, for just the same reasons! I can’t remember how old I was when I got it, but I used to love reading it and marveling at how much there was in the world I didn’t know.