The Second Apocalypse

Miscellaneous Chatter => Literature => Topic started by: SilentRoamer on January 11, 2016, 02:56:46 pm

Title: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: SilentRoamer on January 11, 2016, 02:56:46 pm
Happy 2016!

Ok so with it being a New Year I wanted to start a new year long thread.

So would like you to post your personal reading targets:

How many books do you want to read?
Any specific books you want to read?
Any re-reads?

Personally I am going for 20 books (again) in total this year.

I will post individual reading targets on the next post and keep this updated if anyone is interested.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: SilentRoamer on January 11, 2016, 02:58:29 pm
---- SilentRoamer ----

Totals: 16/20
Target Specifics:
Susannah Clarke: Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norell - Try to finish this year although it may put me into a coma.
Finish Dune Series: Frank Herbert: God Emperor of Dune (Completed 19/01/2016) Heretics of Dune Dune: Chapterhouse
Cormac McCarthy: Blood Meridian
Dan Simmons: Endymion Duology
Hugh Howey: Wool
More Abercrombie
Finish James S. A. Corey: The Expanse
Finish Adrian Tchaikovsky: Shadows of the Apt
Dave DeBurgh: Betrayals Shadow Completed
Peter F. Hamilton: Abyss Beyond Dreams - Completed 10/02/2016
Roger Zelazny: Guns of Avalon Completed
Roger Zelazny: Sign of the Unicorn Completed 03/03/2016
Roger Zelazny: The Hand of Oberon Completed 03/2016
Roger Zelazny: The Courts of Chaos Completed
Robin Hobb: Farseer #2: Royal Assassin Completed
Robin Hobb: Farseer #3: Assassins Quest Completed
Robert Heinlein: Starship Troopers Completed
Brandon Sanderson: The Alloy of Law Completed
Robin Hobb: Royal Assassin - Completed
Robin Hobb: Assassin's Quest - Completed
Robert Heinlein: Starship Troopers - Completed
R. Scott Bakker: The Great Ordeal - Completed
Richard Mathieson: The Shrinking Man - Completed
Richard Mathieson: I Am Legend - Completed


---- Madness ----

Totals: 8/25 minimum
Specifics:
Jonathan L. Howard: Johannes Cabal: The Necromancer Completed 11/01/2016
C.J. Cherryh: Gates of Ivrel - Completed 11/01/2016
Daniel Abraham: The Dragon's Path - Completed 23/01/2016
Dan Hurley: Smarter: The New Science of Building Brain Power - Completed 27/01/2016
Mark Lawrence: Prince of Fools - Completed 30/01/2016
Benedict Carey: How We Learn - Completed 03/02/2016
Glen Cook: The Black Company - Completed 10/03/2016
Charles Duhigg: Smarter, Better, Faster - Completed


---- Wilshire ----

Totals: 17/10
Specifics:
R. Scott Bakker: The Great Ordeal - Completed - Reread
Asimov's original foundation trilogy  - Completed
Steven Erikson: The Dust of Dreams - Completed
Steven Erikson: The Crippled God - Completed
Patrick Rothfuss: The Wise Man's Fear - Completed
Startide Rising remains on my bookshelf, unread, so I'd like to get to that.
R. Scott Bakker: The Warrior-Prophet - Completed 04/03/2016
R. Scott Bakker: The Thousandfold Thought - Completed
R. Scott Bakker: The Judging Eye
Terry Brooks: The Sword of Shannara - Completed
Scott Lynch: The Lies of Locke Lamora - Completed
Courtney Schafer: Whitefire Crossing - Completed
Isaac Asimov: Caves of Steel - Completed 13/10/2016
Robert Heinlein: Stranger in a Strange Land - Completed 20/10/2016
Brent Weeks: The Way of Shadows - Completed 22/10/2016
Brian McClellan: Promise of Blood - Completed 08/12/2016


---- Alia ----

Totals: 10/10-15
Specifics:
Yuval Harari Sapiens: a Brief History of Humanity (non-fiction, antropological, started it in January, so far fascinating) - Completed 06/02/2016
Brunner Stand on Zanzibar (there are some classics I sadly missed) - Completed 21/03/2016
Glukhovsky Futu.re and maybe Metro 2035 (His Metro series was translated into English, I'm not sure about this one)
Danielewski House of Leaves (in Polish translation, sometimes I'm lazy, it's due to appear in April)
And some works in Polish, not translated, among them certainly a new novel by my high-school friend, due to appear in March.
Olga i Osty by Agnieszka Hałas - Completed
Czytanie z wnętrzności by Wit Szostak - Completed
Łzy Diabła by Magdalena Kozak (military s-f) - by the way, her first novel, Nighter is available now in English: https://www.amazon.com/Nighter-Vesper-Book-Magdalena-Kozak-ebook/dp/B01H9QOVAC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1475947933&sr=1-1&keywords=nighter - it's about vampires in special forces, fun read. - Completed
Wilki by Adam Wajrak - Completed
Pawel Majka: Pokój światów - Completed
Amy Stewart: Wicked Plants - Completed
Peter Wohlleben: Hidden life of trees - Completed
Brunner: Sheep Look up - Completed


---- mostly.harmless ----

Totals: 5/35
Specifics:
Kieran Shea: Koko the Mighty
Robin Hobb: Fool's Quest
Robert Charles Wilson: Spin
Jenny Lawson: Furiously Happy
Adam Christopher: Made to Kill


---- MSJ ----

Totals: 15/20-25
Specifics:
R. Scott Bakker: The Warrior-Prophet
N.K. Jemisin: The Fifth Season
R. Scott Bakker: The Thousandfold Thought
Daniel Polansky: Low Town - Completed 05/03/2016
R. Scott Bakker: The Judging Eye - Completed
R. Scott Bakker: The White-Luck Warrior - Completed
R. Scott Bakker: The Great Ordeal - Completed
Mark Lawrence: The Prince of Fools - Completed
Mark Lawrence: The Liar's Key - Completed
Ian Esslemont: Dancer's Lament - Completed
Mark Lawrence: The Wheel of Osheim - Completed
Luke Scull: The Grim Company - Completed
Luke Scull: The Sword of the North - Completed
R. Scott Bakker: The Great Ordeal Reread - Completed
Max Gladstone: Three Parts Dead - Completed
N.K. Jemisin: The Obelisk Gate - Completed
Anthony Ryan: Blood Song - Completed


---- Bolivar ----

Totals: 4/13
Specifics:
R. Scott Bakker: Prince of Nothing Completed
R. Scott Bakker: The Judging Eye Completed
R. Scott Bakker: The White-Luck Warrior
R. Scott Bakker: The Great Ordeal
Daniel Abraham: The Spider's War
Maurice Druon: The Lion & The Lily
Maurice Druon: The King Without a Kingdom
Steven Erikson: The Bonehunters
Steven Erikson: Reaper's Gale
Ian C. Esselmont: Night of Knives
Andrzej Sapkowski: The Sword of Destiny


---- rhizome ----

Totals: 4/?
Specifics:
Gene Wolfe: The Book of the New Sun - Completed


---- Redeagl ----

Totals: 3/?
Specifics:
Anthony Ryan: Raven's Shadow Trilogy - Completed


---- H ----

Totals: 8/?
Specifics:
Chuck Palahniuk: Rant: The Oral Biography of Buster Casey - Completed
R. Scott Bakker: The Great Ordeal - Completed
James S. A. Corey: Abaddon's Gate (Expanse Book 3)  - Completed
James S. A. Corey: Cibola Burn (Expanse Book 4) - Completed 31.10.2016
N.K. Jemisin: The Obelisk Gate - Completed
Josiah Bancroft: Senlin Ascends - Completed
Josiah Bancroft: Arm of the Sphinx - Completed
Jonathan Haidt: The righteous mind: Why good people are divided by politics and religion - Completed
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Madness on January 11, 2016, 04:09:33 pm
Just to correct that specifically:

Jonathan L. Howard: Johannes Cabal: The Necromancer
C.J. Cherryh: Gates of Ivrel

EDIT: Also, no real number in mind, but since this is the first time in a couple years that I'll be reading anything but Bakker or textbooks, I'm going to read as many as I can before either Summer semester or Fall Semester, depending on when and if I get back into school.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Wilshire on January 11, 2016, 07:30:41 pm
Oh man, another year already? Thought I was going to take this one off from reading, but maybe I'll get a couple.

Of course I'll be reading TGO when it comes out in July.
Asimov's original foundation trilogy should be accomplish-able
Finish up Malazan with Dust of Dreams and The Crippled God.
The Wise Man's Fear, so I can wait for another book's sequel for an untold number of years.
Startide Rising remains on my bookshelf, unread, so I'd like to get to that.

Maybe a few more laying around on my shelf, unread but forgotten, so lets say 10 again.

If they don't leave me where I lie on the slog, I might continue that and it will be another 4, but I have my doubts that I'll make it though that.

My bid remains at 10. If I finish the slog, I'll probably not read Asimov or Startide Rising, so it'll balance out.

-- Madness, goals should be specific, otherwise they don't really count. Put a number up there, dont be a sucker.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Madness on January 11, 2016, 08:27:32 pm
Lol - yeah, but you know I have almost zero obligations. I'm certain that I'll read my sixteen (counting the separate portions of the two omnibuses) Christmas purchases before the end of March. And I also know that as soon as I get back into school, I'm going to be insanely dedicated towards that - especially this time around - and will go back to reading nothing but textbooks and Bakker.

But to satisfy your arbitrary wants, let us hazard that I'll read twenty-five before May ;).
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Wilshire on January 11, 2016, 08:35:11 pm
Satisfactory, yes.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: SilentRoamer on January 12, 2016, 12:19:31 pm
Nice guys. Updated your totals. Agree with Wilshire and glad Madness has set goals - measure is unceasing.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Alia on January 14, 2016, 04:23:43 pm
I would like to read 10-15 books this year, but it all depends on my work schedule. Until the end of May at least, I will be reading mostly on the underground and at staff meetings, so not much progress there. Then in the summer, maybe a bit more (like last year, when I read the whole Amber). Last year I read 25, but then again, Amber books are rather short by modern standards.
Specific targets:
Yuval Harari Sapiens: a Brief History of Humanity (non-fiction, antropological, started it in January, so far fascinating)
Brunner Stand on Zanzibar (there are some classics I sadly missed)
Glukhovsky Futu.re and maybe Metro 2035 (His Metro series was translated into English, I'm not sure about this one)
Danielewski House of Leaves (in Polish translation, sometimes I'm lazy, it's due to appear in April)
And some works in Polish, not translated, among them certainly a new novel by my high-school friend, due to appear in March.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: SilentRoamer on January 19, 2016, 08:38:49 pm
Finished God Emperor of Dune this morning.

Not what I expected and an odd anti climactic ending that both fulfilled me and left me empty - like a belly full of fast food.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Wilshire on January 20, 2016, 05:51:34 pm
lol, God Emperor is an odd one. It did feel very odd. The last two are worth forging ahead to imo.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: SilentRoamer on January 20, 2016, 07:08:53 pm
Yeah its weird. I can't say I didn't enjoy the book, I mean I really enjoyed it, it was just not what I was expecting. I almost feel like we see Herbert exploring new avenuse and thought processes.

My assumption is the next book is a few thousand years after the death of Leto II with a new cast and possibly gholas or some link to the past somehow. Anyway I am determined to finish them this year but I don't want to forge ahead yet because I think I'll enjoy ruminating on such an odd book.

Started Peter F. Hamiltons: The Abyss Beyond Dreams. Im a Hamilton fan and I have had this and been looking forward to reading it. Sometiems I have a hard time deciding what to read so I just browse through my books and see what grabs me, saw this and thought: yeah - you're next!

Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Madness on January 23, 2016, 02:44:00 am
I'll say again about Herbert - and the conspiracies around God-Emperor: the first three were written serially. God-Emperor is the first written as a complete novel.

Finished Daniel Abraham: The Dragon's Path (I will be purchasing The King's Blood).
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Madness on January 27, 2016, 08:19:41 pm
Finished Dan Hurley: Smarter: The New Science of Building Brain Power

A little disappointed in this one; not exactly ground-breaking, especially for being published in 2014.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Madness on January 30, 2016, 03:47:14 am
Finished Mark Lawrence: Prince of Fools.

After reading this, I'm almost tempted to try the of Thorns trilogy again, if only for the world lore (as, so far as I understand it, Lawrence didn't have this shared vision planned when he started writing what will be three trilogies, I believe). But for now, I'll be picking up The Liar's Key after I finish the initial "Christmas Sixteen" I bought.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Madness on February 03, 2016, 03:43:37 pm
Finished Benedict Carey - How We Learn.

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I have the same problem with it that I do with all pop-science books, in that, there's so much more information than what the author feels they can communicate clearly to a lay audience.

It reminded me of a list I "intended" to accrue during my fourth year at university - stuff that absolutely everyone should know and use to study but without all the explanatory baggage of Carey's book, which is "necessary" to convince people of its validity. Except my list probably had nearer to twenty "study rules of thumb" whereas Carey's has nine. When I reunite with my textbooks, I shall revisit this; though, there is motivation to disseminate with the encroaching exam season.

All in all, worth a (much, more abbreviated) read for anyone interested in learning anything ;)...
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: mostly.harmless on February 04, 2016, 10:24:00 pm
Target: about 35 books
So far have read the following 5:
- Koko the mighty - Kieran Shea: Liked it but didnt love it. No thinking required, fun read. A bit short and the ending leaves too much unresolved.
- Fool's Quest - Robin Hobb: Despite Fitz's occasional dumbass thinking I liked it a lot. It's a good sequel. Looking forward to the final book.
- Spin - Robert Charles Wilson: A different kind of sci-fi, enjoyed it. Built up the suspense rather well and left a door open for a sequel or 2.
- Furiously Happy - Jenny Lawson: A different kind of autobiography. Kind of like a collection of anecdotes, a la Tucker Max, but written by a person who has phobias, depression, and manias. Pretty funny.
- Made to Kill - Adam Christopher: Last robot in existence becomes PI. Starts off really good, but after the midway point becomes a bit silly or underdelivers, I'm not sure. Still entertaining but I'd not recommend it unless it comes cheap :)

Currently reading:
The Thing Itself - Adam Roberts: a tale that discusses the Fermi paradox through it's protagonists. So far I'm liking it, about 30% through.
The power of Now - Eckhart Tolle: stopped reading about 10% in. Was recommended by a colleague, but not my cup of spirituality.
City of Blades - Robert Jackson Bennett; really liked City of Stairs so excited about this sequel, 3% in.
the Warrior-Prophet: Behind on my re-read, but taking it slow in case the Great Ordeal is delayed...
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Alia on February 06, 2016, 06:52:20 pm
Finished reading Harari's Sapiens. A really interesting book, recommended to me by an archeologist friend. It really covers the history of humankind, from its beginnings to present and (tenatively) future, dealing with various topics including agrarian, indurstrial and scientific revolution, religions and ideologies, politics and economy, as well as things such as whether human happiness has increased over time. And even though it covers controversial topics, its tone remains cold, detached - the author presents different theories and different sides of the coin, but mostly without judgment. Definitely worth reading.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: SilentRoamer on February 10, 2016, 11:51:02 am
Good work everyone - I'll spend sometime updating targets and totals.

I finished Hamiltons Abyss of Dreams last week - really good read, I really enjoy Hamilton and this seemed to cut a lot of bloat I have seen in previous novels - it probably helps that as this is the 6th book in the chronology a lot of the tech is already explained.

Currently reading Zelazny Guns of Avalon the 2nd book in the Corwin cycle. I just find Zelazny effortless and so enjoyable. Hard to place my finger on what exactly he does right but he just does it, whatever it is!
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: MSJ on February 11, 2016, 03:46:54 pm
Target- 20-25

What I've read so far- Reread of TWP, The Fifth Season, by N.K. Jemisin and am currently reading Low Town, by Daniel Polanski and TTT.

I've started off kinda slow because of the re-read and various other things in my life at the moment. I plan on giving the sequel to Low Town, Tomorrow the Killing a go next. Never read or even heard of Polansky before, it was rec'd through Kindle. But, I am enjoying it immensely. Its a murder mystery, with magic and all kind of dark demons and secrets. Never read anything like it before. I plan on giving K.J. Parker a go some time in the near future. I've heard a lot of good stuff about his books.

Looking forward to TGO obviously, but one book that really has me foaming at the mouth is Dancer's Lament, by Ian Esslemont. Its supposed to give the back story as to how the Malazan Empire came to be. What's not to like about that, huh?
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Alia on February 13, 2016, 01:40:04 pm
Currently reading Zelazny Guns of Avalon the 2nd book in the Corwin cycle. I just find Zelazny effortless and so enjoyable. Hard to place my finger on what exactly he does right but he just does it, whatever it is!

Yeah, had the same feelings when I did a re-read last year. Maybe it's his putting a whole book with a (sorta) completed plot in just 200-300 pages, not 600+, as it is typical nowadays? As a result, the whole is more packed with action. And then of course, he's famous for his wham lines that make you go: "Wow, you wicked author, how did you do it?"
However, I had several problems with the Merlin cycle. Some things were simply OTT for me, and there were some problems that I noticed only on re-read.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: SilentRoamer on March 03, 2016, 04:51:47 pm
So I finished Sign of the Unicorn on Monday and was really impressed.

Jumped straight into The Hand of Oberon and should have this finished later today which puts me at 5/25 so far for the year - on target.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: MSJ on March 04, 2016, 01:07:24 am
Finished TTT and just started Tomorrow the Killing, by Polansky. After that, I'm gonna delve into some authors I have yet tried. Looking for a good "grimdark" fantasy, if anyone has any suggestions. Oh, I've read Abraham's Long Price Quartet, any thoughts on his Dagger and Coins series?
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Wilshire on March 04, 2016, 06:46:29 pm
Finished TWP finally, trying to finish TTT before next tuesday's cast.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: MSJ on March 05, 2016, 12:40:40 pm
Oh, finished Low Town by Polansky. Was going to start the sequel but ice decided to go with The Mechanical, by Ian Tregellis.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Alia on March 21, 2016, 07:20:21 pm
Finished reading Brunner's Stand on Zanzibar. Written almost 50 years ago and set in 2010, the book contains a fascinating futuristic vision. Brunner did not predict Internet and almost ubiquitous mobiles (but then again, nobody did) but he did predict total information overload that everyone faces nowadays. He also got some other things very well, like random acts of violence and racial unrest in the US - and he even predicted that Poland would be part of the EU. In late 1960s. And then there is the structure of the book, which mixes two main story lines tracking two main characters with episodes devoted to other people and the world in general. Chapters are very short and dynamic, there are some interesting narrative tricks - in short, highly recommended.

I've started on a book that will not be translated into English. It's a fantasy/horror story written by my high school friend (who published her first short stories in a magazine before she was 18 - and I was one of the people who encouraged her to send the stories in the first place) and it's set in my home town, which gives me additional fun, as I recognize some places very well. It's much shorter than Brunner so maybe it won't take that long to read, especially as Easter break is coming.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Madness on March 24, 2016, 03:17:48 pm
I finished Glen Cook: The Black Company about a week or so back.

I've basically stalled on my reading since mid-February. Not good. Must finish books.

EDIT:

Updated SilentRoamer's second post score-sheet for everyone as they've posted. Sorry about that delay.

Let me know if we've missed anyone or counts are wrong. Some books on people's lists have books that aren't marked as complete as no date was given.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Wilshire on April 07, 2016, 06:49:33 pm
Well I did finish TTT, on to TJE.

Also started DoD, hopefully I'll work my way through that one quickly, though it is a hulk of a book.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Bolivar on April 07, 2016, 07:31:39 pm
Only a few books I hope to get to this year outside of the slog and The Great Ordeal:

Daniel Abraham - The Spider's War
Maurice Druon - The Lion & The Lily and The King Without a Kingdom
Steven Erikson - The Bonehunters and possibly Reaper's Gale
Ian C. Esselmont - Night of Knives
Andrzej Sapkowski - The Sword of Destiny

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk

Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: SilentRoamer on April 08, 2016, 03:44:11 pm
Thanks for posting everyone. Hopefully I'll be about more in the near future. Since last posting I have finished Hand of Oberon and also Amber Chronicles #5: Courts of Chaos which is the last book in the Corwin cycle. I really recommend Zelazny to those who haven't read him, I find him effortless and the prose gorgeous.

Recently finished Dave De Burghs@ Betrayals Shadow which is book 1 in the Mahaelian Cycle. This is a new author with TicketyBooPress (a small publishing house) and I expect this to do really well. In terms of tone and style it reminded me of Sanderson. Definitely worth a read and if the series keeps the quality it could be a very good epic.

Due to start book 8 this evening just not sure what to read.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Alia on April 12, 2016, 10:17:57 am
Since I spent most of the weekend on the train or standing in lines (reading - I went to the biggest s-f convention in Poland), I finished reading the book by my high-school friend. It's really strange - a bit of fantasy, a bit of horror, a bit of magical realism - and a lot of truth about depression and all those little hurts that we carry on from our childhood and that influence our lives, unless we finally come to terms with them.
I had one small problem with the book. It's written mostly from the protagonist's PoV and in first person - and I couldn't help but see my friend in those parts, so many things about her life that I know of overlapped. Still, a very good book.

I've already started another one, a novel by a Polish philosopher, who started out writing folklore-based fantasy and now writes something I have no name for. It's not realistic prose, although actually there are no fantastic elements in it. But the language, the language is beautiful and captivating. So captivating that in fact after reading each of his novels so far I had bouts of thinking in his phrases.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: SilentRoamer on April 15, 2016, 10:54:40 am
Finished Brandon Sanderson's The Alloy of Law yesterday.

Usual Sanderson - quick paced and refreshing, never boring and some great visuals.

The whole Allomantic and Feruchemical systems were really good in Mistborn and Alloy expands on that with the introduction of the Twinborn - both Allomantic and Feruchemical practitioners.

Ill have a review up on SFFDen in the next few days.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Alia on April 16, 2016, 07:19:55 pm
Alloy of Law is fine, but the next two are even better. Shadows of Self has such a great deconstruction of western tropes in the introduction, it made me laugh. And Bands of Mourning are incredibly fast-paced.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: SilentRoamer on April 17, 2016, 06:52:24 pm
Strange you posted this - I saw both in Waterstones today not knowing they were out. Hardcover and the same cover types as the ones I need. If I wasn't going away in a few weeks and needed all of my available pennies I would have bought them both!

Looking forward to reading them.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Alia on April 19, 2016, 07:04:35 pm
Well, Sanderson did his thing again - he wrote a book and a few years later decided to write a sequel, which turned to be two books - and that's still not the end, as there is book four planned for sometime next year or later. But "Wax and Wayne" books are still much shorter and lighter than the rest of his stuff. And he's got much better as a writer in those years between Alloy of Law and Shadows of Self.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Alia on April 24, 2016, 06:28:26 pm
Finished reading the book by the Polish philosopher, which means I've already read for books this year. Not bad for me, although the last two were rather shortish.
It was totally strange. No fantastic elements whatsoever, but a complicated family story, even more complicated by the absolutely unreliable first-person narration, so that I had to piece all the elements of the puzzle together on my own. Language still enchanting and on the whole fully satisfying.

Now I'm at a bit of a loss what to read - another Brunner, this time Sheep Look Up, a Polish military s-f by a writer who has also spent some time as a doctor in Afghanistan, Glukhovsky's FUTU.RE or maybe non-fiction about wolves (although this one I should be reading on a computer, as it has coloured photos).
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: MSJ on May 05, 2016, 01:11:06 am
So I finished the Slog, needless to say. Now I've started Lawrence's Prince of Fools. About 100 pages in and the action is just getting started. I think it's going to be a good one. I have the second book also. That should hold me off til TGO, with the Atrocity Tales thrown in there.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Bolivar on May 06, 2016, 06:56:13 pm
I might unwind from the Slog with a reread of Lord of the Rings.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: MSJ on May 06, 2016, 06:59:20 pm
I might unwind from the Slog with a reread of Lord of the Rings.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

That's unwinding? Phew, your a special kinda soul. That was one of the harder books I've had to push through. Hated the names with a passion.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Bolivar on May 06, 2016, 11:24:16 pm
Well at least it's shorter than TSA!

It's admittedly not easier reading. I actually had to read other stuff to get my reading level up before I could truly enjoy it. But the last time I finished the Aspect-Emperor, it made me want to pick up LotR again. They both have a similar sense of scope and geography and a kind of sad reminiscence of old and mysterious things.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: MSJ on May 07, 2016, 12:16:42 am
Well at least it's shorter than TSA!

It's admittedly not easier reading. I actually had to read other stuff to get my reading level up before I could truly enjoy it. But the last time I finished the Aspect-Emperor, it made me want to pick up LotR again. They both have a similar sense of scope and geography and a kind of sad reminiscence of old and mysterious things.

Maybe I should give it another go sometime and see if it has The Same effect on me. My reading has increased dramtically in the genre over the last few years. I'm sort of a connoisseur, I must say. ;D
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: mrganondorf on May 07, 2016, 04:45:27 pm
I might unwind from the Slog with a reread of Lord of the Rings.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk



that might be a good idea since it seems that Bakker is not yet done with Tolkein...TEASING EXECUTED
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: SilentRoamer on May 09, 2016, 11:43:31 am
Finished Farseer #2 on Friday. I must say it was a lot better than the first and I am going to start on the third soon.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Wilshire on June 03, 2016, 03:30:15 pm
Well I did finish TTT, on to TJE.

Also started DoD, hopefully I'll work my way through that one quickly, though it is a hulk of a book.
Well, it wasn't quick, but I finished it.


Also, I've technically read TGO so put that one up there as well. I think thats 5(?) 4 for the year.

Started Wise Man's Fear, which is great so far.
Half way through TJE, maybe I'll finish that first?
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: MSJ on June 03, 2016, 07:25:05 pm
Prince of Fools and The Liars Key, by Mark Lawrence. Very good books, 3 1/2 out of 5 stars. I hope the The Wheel of Osheim is a great finale.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: rhizome on June 05, 2016, 09:54:07 pm
Gene Wolfe - Book of the New Sun...

Has anyone read it?  Thinking of doing a re-read pre-TGO...

It sets a really high standard for fantasy literature, IMO.  One of the best. 
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Madness on June 05, 2016, 10:11:15 pm
Gene Wolfe - Book of the New Sun...

Has anyone read it?  Thinking of doing a re-read pre-TGO...

It sets a really high standard for fantasy literature, IMO.  One of the best. 

Yikes - I can already feel the groaning gears of not having to source threads for people for a couple years.

But I figured we had a Wolfe thread (http://www.second-apocalypse.com/index.php?topic=1027.0). I believe a couple of people who participated in the thread then might have read some of it since.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: rhizome on June 05, 2016, 11:22:00 pm
Measure is unceasing...  :-[
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Madness on June 06, 2016, 11:48:39 am
Yikes was totally directed at me, rhizome.

I mean, I know we have something like a thousand topics but previously I was good at remember them when my associations are pinged ;).
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: SilentRoamer on June 06, 2016, 12:39:11 pm
Forgive my rubbish updating - Ok so I finished Farseer #3 which I actually really enjoyed - I think with Hobb it just took me a while to get used to her style.

Reading epic fantasy in the first person is still quite odd for me but I got inside Fitz mind a lot more with books 2 and 3.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: SilentRoamer on June 06, 2016, 12:39:35 pm
Started Heinlein's Starship Troopers recently.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Madness on June 06, 2016, 12:54:53 pm
I'm a big fan of Heinlein, though I believe most classic SF skates through because I read so much of it as a child and a teenager.

The movie is very well done for that medium and for the specific feel that the director wanted - but the book is way better.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Wilshire on June 06, 2016, 12:58:29 pm
Gene Wolfe - Book of the New Sun...

Has anyone read it?  Thinking of doing a re-read pre-TGO...

It sets a really high standard for fantasy literature, IMO.  One of the best. 
I shouldnt judge it too harshly because I never read it through, but it wasn't to my liking. Though I know there are those around here who did very much like it.


Hey SR/anyone, did you read Night's Dawn by Peter F Hamilton? I think it starts with The Reality Dysfunction.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: rhizome on June 10, 2016, 12:05:00 am
Yikes was totally directed at me, rhizome.

I mean, I know we have something like a thousand topics but previously I was good at remember them when my associations are pinged ;).

Yeah, I got that -- sorry if I implied otherwise.

There are a lot of similarities between Bakker & Wolfe:  really good writing, weird books, heavy theological undertones...
(click to show/hide)

So, I'm not surprised by the reaction in that thread.  I had a really hard time with it the first time through, and I certainly see how it's not to all tastes... much more so than Bakker, actually.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: rhizome on June 10, 2016, 12:11:12 am
Gene Wolfe - Book of the New Sun...

Has anyone read it?  Thinking of doing a re-read pre-TGO...

It sets a really high standard for fantasy literature, IMO.  One of the best. 
I shouldnt judge it too harshly because I never read it through, but it wasn't to my liking. Though I know there are those around here who did very much like it.


Hey SR/anyone, did you read Night's Dawn by Peter F Hamilton? I think it starts with The Reality Dysfunction.

Have you read anything else Hamilton? If you have, chances are you'll really like it.

If not... be warned that like everything else of his I've read, it takes a while to get going and is *very* long.  The ideas are really interesting once you're far enough in that things start taking shape.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Madness on June 10, 2016, 01:58:32 am
I really feel I should try Wolfe again but sadly the omnibus editions I have of BOTNS are up north in storage :(.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: SilentRoamer on June 10, 2016, 11:54:31 pm
Finished Heinleins Starship Troopers.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Madness on June 11, 2016, 12:37:14 am
Reviewing it, SR?

EDIT: I'll have to update later but I finished The King's Blood in the second of five in The Dagger and the Coin series by Daniel Abraham.

Burned through, actually.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Wilshire on June 14, 2016, 06:27:16 pm
Finished The Wise Man's Fear. Another brilliant installment from Rothfuss. Highly recommended.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: MSJ on June 17, 2016, 02:07:16 am
Oh, SR don't forget I was part of the slog and The Afflicted Few. So add 6 on to my count. :)

Almost done with Dancer's Lament, and if you're a fan of Malazan, then you'll love, love, love this. I give a good review of it when I'm done. But, it starts with the very first time Dancer met Kellanved. Awesome.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: MSJ on June 17, 2016, 02:08:47 am
Reviewing it, SR?

EDIT: I'll have to update later but I finished The King's Blood in the second of five in The Dagger and the Coin series by Daniel Abraham.

Burned through, actually.

I've got Dagger and Coin, and something always comes up and I never get to them. Should I quit putting them off?
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: SilentRoamer on June 17, 2016, 11:55:20 am
Reviewing it, SR?

Yes definitely giving this one a review. Been working on a lot of site redesign stuff but starting to get the reviews back up to date soon.

Hey SR/anyone, did you read Night's Dawn by Peter F Hamilton? I think it starts with The Reality Dysfunction.
I read Nights Dawn a while back. I really enjoyed it when I first read it as it was the First Hamilton I read. I think its the weakest of the larger series though (although the Void series lost its way in the second trilogy).

I wouldn't say it's essential reading but as with most Hamilton it does really well with big ideas.


Ok so I have been and updated my own reads. 11/20 so far so looks like I *might* make my target. I'll try and update everyone else's totals when I get home this evening.

Great participation from everyone :)
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Wilshire on June 17, 2016, 12:54:04 pm
I should be at 5. TWP, TTT, TGO, Dust of Dreams, and The Wise Man's Fear. Closer to my target 10 than I expected.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Madness on June 17, 2016, 03:02:47 pm
Reviewing it, SR?

EDIT: I'll have to update later but I finished The King's Blood in the second of five in The Dagger and the Coin series by Daniel Abraham.

Burned through, actually.

I've got Dagger and Coin, and something always comes up and I never get to them. Should I quit putting them off?

They're supposed to be Abraham's attempt at full-on generic fantasy; not tweaking the tropes but embracing them. I like them, they're easy reads. A little episodic but I'm excited for the third volume.

Reviewing it, SR?

Yes definitely giving this one a review. Been working on a lot of site redesign stuff but starting to get the reviews back up to date soon.

Sweet. Heinlein is perfect fit for that classics theme you've had going.

Oh, SR don't forget I was part of the slog and The Afflicted Few. So add 6 on to my count. :)

Ok so I have been and updated my own reads. 11/20 so far so looks like I *might* make my target. I'll try and update everyone else's totals when I get home this evening.

Great participation from everyone :)

Yeah, sorry, MSJ. Hopefully, SR and I get it together ;).
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Onrack on June 17, 2016, 04:31:35 pm
For my money, the Dagger and Coin gets better with each successive volume. The setting is underdeveloped at times, but my god does he know how to write a character arc. Have yet to read the final book, though I can't imagine it all crashing down. Particularly since he nailed the ending of The Long Price.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: MSJ on June 17, 2016, 04:40:25 pm
Finished Dancer's Lament, and it is all that I thought it would be. There wasn't any grand ending to this book, but I expected that. Its the first leg of a trilogy, and I don't see how this story fleshes out in just 3 books. I won't spoil, but the story is set in Li Heng and follows Dorin (Dancer) and Wu (Kellanved). The way they meet is really neat and shows their immaturity at their ages. Also, we get POV's from Iko, a Itko Kan Sword Dancer and Silk a city Mage of Li Heng. A couple others thrown in there too. Classic Malazan.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: MSJ on June 17, 2016, 04:45:27 pm
For my money, the Dagger and Coin gets better with each successive volume. The setting is underdeveloped at times, but my god does he know how to write a character arc. Have yet to read the final book, though I can't imagine it all crashing down. Particularly since he nailed the ending of The Long Price.

I've read TLPQ and really enjoyed it. Getting ready to start The Wheel of Osheim, and hopefully TGO will be out and I can take my time with it on a re-read. When I'm done with those, I'm gonna give Dagger&Coin a go.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Onrack on June 17, 2016, 08:44:02 pm
For my money, the Dagger and Coin gets better with each successive volume. The setting is underdeveloped at times, but my god does he know how to write a character arc. Have yet to read the final book, though I can't imagine it all crashing down. Particularly since he nailed the ending of The Long Price.

I've read TLPQ and really enjoyed it. Getting ready to start The Wheel of Osheim, and hopefully TGO will be out and I can take my time with it on a re-read. When I'm done with those, I'm gonna give Dagger&Coin a go.
How is that new Lawrence series so far? I quite liked the Broken Empire, even if I found ending disappointing and rushed.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: MSJ on June 17, 2016, 09:01:48 pm
The first two were good, not groundbreaking or anything. Don't get me wrong, I liked them a lot. But, is it anything compared to TSA? No, no it isn't. Quick, fun reads.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Madness on June 18, 2016, 02:19:20 am
Yeah, I just started and might get half-way through The Liar's Key tonight.

Lol - I just read an interview with Lawrence. Hilarious (http://www.scififantasynetwork.com/writers-fantasy-mark-lawrence-interview/). Blessed with skills - and a lifetime of narrative practice.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Alia on June 18, 2016, 06:18:54 pm
I'm at 4 completed books now, as in addition to Harari and Brunner I've read two Polish novels (among them one by my high-school friend).
At the moment I am reading Polish military s-f written by an army doctor who spent some time in Afghanistan (and it shows). The book is very entertaining, has several likeable characters (bonus points for the fact that they are on different sides) but it's quite long and I'm halfway through.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: MSJ on June 28, 2016, 02:10:22 am
Finished The Wheel of Osheim last night. Great book. Really enjoyed this the whole way through. The pacing was great and I was glued the entire time. Good ending, and still leaves the possibility for further storylines.

Just starting The Grim Company. 3 or 4 chapters in and I'm liking it. Has a lot of potential, but you can tell this is his first book. Prose isn't too great, isn't bad enough to kill my interest though.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: SilentRoamer on July 05, 2016, 11:48:18 pm
So I finished The Great Ordeal ARC last week. I really liked this book, this may even be topping my favourite of the series (previously TWP). I can't really go into details here but this was a great book.

Currently rattling through Brian Aldiss Hothouse which is proving very weird, I know some of the science is off but it's all based on realistic principles. I'm quite enjoying this and I haven't read Aldiss before. He has a style of putting you in a definite god position, to paraphrase; "the plants are so large now because of x but of course character y does not know this as she walks along..." that sort of odd style.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Alia on July 09, 2016, 04:34:54 pm
While on holiday, I finished the military s-f novel I was reading (the "Afghanistan in space" one). I really enjoyed it, it was fast-paced, with likeable characters and some nice twists in the plot - and the fact that I know the author and heard some of her stories from her stay in Afghanistan only added to the fun factor.

Now I'm reading an urban fantasy by another friend of mine, so far I'm enjoying it.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: MSJ on July 10, 2016, 12:07:54 pm
Finished Grim Company. Started The Sword of the North, the sequel by Luke Scull.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Alia on July 13, 2016, 07:03:08 pm
Now that was fast. I finished the urban fantasy novel over the weekend. It was definitely helped by the fact that, firstly, the book is rather short, and secondly, I had a bit of a hangover on Sunday and I didn't feel like doing much apart from lying on the sofa with my kindle and reading. Which makes it 6 books so far this year.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: MSJ on July 24, 2016, 03:39:42 am
Finished Sword of the North about a week ago. These are decent books and keep you interested. I've heard Scull compared to Abercrombie but with real Magic. Yea, he's not in the same level as Abercrombie, but he's not too bad either. If your looking for some light, fun reading I would suggest them.

Doing a re-read of TGO. Do rereads count towards our yearly totals?
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Madness on July 25, 2016, 03:26:39 pm
Doing a re-read of TGO. Do rereads count towards our yearly totals?

Clearly, SR and I have trouble keeping up with this thread ;).

I think rereads could count... or at least be a modifier to your overall score ;)?
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Alia on July 31, 2016, 06:04:31 pm
Taking a short break from fantasy and s-f, today I read a short non-fiction book about wolves. On my computer, as an exception, as it had a lot of colour photos. I've always thought that wolves are fascinating animals and the book was a really interesting insight in their lives, hunting and feeding patterns, as well as history of their extermination in most of Europe.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: MSJ on August 10, 2016, 12:13:14 am
Finished my reread of TGO. Do rereads go towards our yearly total?
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Madness on August 10, 2016, 03:24:17 pm
SR is the final arbiter of that such decision, MSJ. I'd imagine not, unless you just want to have it for your personal count ;). And, you know, that SR or I actually take the time to moderate his count post.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: MSJ on August 24, 2016, 01:08:23 am
Just finished Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone. Really great book, with a lot of stuff I've never encountered before in my reading. Vampires, gargoyles, the Undead and all the rest. Really neat. Focuses on a firm that help out entities that have trouble with Gods and the like. Tara Abernathy, the main character, is really fun to follow with her cynicism and what not. Great ending, great middle and was really interested from the get go. Not a TSA type of series, but a fun read that keeps you guessing the entire time. Check it out.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Wilshire on August 24, 2016, 01:49:05 pm
Finished my reread of TGO. Do rereads go towards our yearly total?
lol. It's your total, so your call. I say sure, as long as you read the whole thing and not skip over a bunch of stuff.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: MSJ on August 24, 2016, 03:51:05 pm
I was just asking what SR takes intro account when coming up the end of the year totals, like he did last year. No big deal either way. I was just curious.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Wilshire on August 24, 2016, 05:59:16 pm
If SR even checks :P . He (or the mods if he doesn't) will put in anything you want to call a book.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: SilentRoamer on August 25, 2016, 12:31:47 pm
Hey guys,

Sorry for my poor showing here lately. I have been having a lot of trouble with my mum who had a stroke and is very poorly in hospital at the moment so had very little time to do anything outside of work and those commitments to family.

Anyway to answer your question MSJ - the goals and targets are meant for your own personal achievement, so with that being the case I am happy for people to define what counts as a book to them. For me a re-read is definitely something I would count towards my own book total. I had this same conundrum last year with a few shorts I read and decided that I wouldn't include shorts in my total but I would include short novels (especially as I have been reading a lot of older Sci-Fi which tends to be more succinct.)

So if you want to include it then by all means include it as this is your personal reading goal and achievements!

Anyway I am hoping to get back onto the site a bit more now and have been typing out my reviews so there should be a flurry of posting on SFFDen.

Again apologies guys and I hope I can speak with some of you soon.

Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: MSJ on August 26, 2016, 12:27:14 am
Thanks, SR. Appreciate you taking the time to answer my question.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Alia on August 28, 2016, 02:43:12 pm
In the meantime I've finished reading a collection of short stories nominated for our biggest sf-f/fantasy awards (they were really good) and now I'm reading a collection of s-f retellings of popular legends, written by well-known Polish writers. It's OK, but as for retellings, I very much prefer the darker style of Angela Carter for example.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: MSJ on September 10, 2016, 02:01:00 am
Finished N.K. Jemisin's The Obelisk Gate. Good book, not as great as the first, but still worth the read. Would recommend the series to any and everyone. Lot of mystery and dots that need to be connect2.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: MSJ on September 15, 2016, 02:13:08 am
About halfway through Two Serpents Rise by Gladstone. I'm putting it down for now and just started ICE's Orb, Sceptre, Tnrone. Then onto Blood and Bone and Assail. Was going over the Malazan thread at Westeros and just got a hankering to finish up ICE's novels. I've always wanted to read them, just when I finished up Erickson's Malazan Book of the Fallen, I needed a break. But, Dancer's Lament got the Malazan juices flowing again.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Doubt on September 15, 2016, 02:38:30 am
Not to preemptively ruin your experience, but B&B and Assail are ICE's poorest books imo. Assail had so much hype it was nothing near as badass or terrifying as implied by Erikson. Blood and Bone wasn't as disappointing because you know nothing about the land you're being thrown into but it's still not a memorable book.

Am reading Dancer's Lament atm though, nice to see the man come into his own again. These are his stories and he's made a great start at telling them.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Wilshire on September 16, 2016, 01:58:40 am
The Wise Man's Fear (total: 4)
Dust of Dreams (total: 5)
The Crippled God (total: 6)
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Wilshire on September 27, 2016, 01:14:07 pm
The Sword of Shannara (Total: 7) - I was not a fan of this book.

The Lies of Locke Lamora (Total: 8 ) - This, on the other hand, was an incredible book. Great read.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Madness on September 28, 2016, 02:41:25 pm
K, I've updated the second post in the thread to include everything up til now.

MSJ, you're a reading machine :).

Everyone check your counts, titles, etc, etc.

Alia, you mentioned a couple title-less books. I realize they are probably in Polish but what are the titles, if you can share?
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: MSJ on September 28, 2016, 08:02:11 pm
I've hit a road block though, Madness. Havent really started anything new in a couple weeks. Was gonna start some Malazan of Esslemont I hadn't gotten around too, and it didn't hit the spot. Two Serpents Rise, by Gladstone is just the same as the first book, nothing exciting and I stopped reading both. I've since been skimming some TSA, just putting pieces together.

I've been on a fantasy kick for a while, and I've read a whole lot of the genre looking for something comparable to Bakker and Jemisin is the closest in terms of my interest. I like a lot of it, but nothing really out there that makes me want to discuss it when I'm done reading it. Some people criticize Bakker for being vague and open-ended on his material, it's what interests me so much. I want something else that has that same feel.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Madness on September 29, 2016, 01:27:51 pm
I want something else that has that same feel.

Lol - more Bakker?
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Wilshire on October 01, 2016, 03:56:50 pm
I've hit a road block though, Madness. Havent really started anything new in a couple weeks. Was gonna start some Malazan of Esslemont I hadn't gotten around too, and it didn't hit the spot. Two Serpents Rise, by Gladstone is just the same as the first book, nothing exciting and I stopped reading both. I've since been skimming some TSA, just putting pieces together.

I've been on a fantasy kick for a while, and I've read a whole lot of the genre looking for something comparable to Bakker and Jemisin is the closest in terms of my interest. I like a lot of it, but nothing really out there that makes me want to discuss it when I'm done reading it. Some people criticize Bakker for being vague and open-ended on his material, it's what interests me so much. I want something else that has that same feel.

Who has the time to discuss more than one author/series :P . The stuff I've read outside of TSA has been lighter fare now that I'm done with Malazan. Gotta have something to break up the bleak.

Currently reading Whitefire Crossing, seems really interesting, and the magic system I've heard is great - which makes me excited.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: MSJ on October 01, 2016, 11:51:06 pm
Whitefir Crossing, ill check that out.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Wilshire on October 03, 2016, 01:08:46 am
Whitefir Crossing, ill check that out.
I'm only like 25% of the way through, so if you don't like it its not my fault ;)
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: MSJ on October 03, 2016, 02:03:07 am
Whitefir Crossing, ill check that out.
I'm only like 25% of the way through, so if you don't like it its not my fault ;)

Lol.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Madness on October 03, 2016, 12:38:00 pm
Wilshire's Questionable Quality Book Bindery, Honey, and Reading Recommendations: 25% of the time the recs are great everytime.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Wilshire on October 05, 2016, 03:01:16 am
Finished Whitefire Crossing (total: 9)

 Pretty good, exciting to read, though maybe lacking in some worldbuilding and character development. Not as good as some ive read this year, but I'm not disappointed.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Alia on October 08, 2016, 05:33:05 pm
OK, so these are the titles:
Olga i Osty by Agnieszka Hałas (my high school friend)
Czytanie z wnętrzności by Wit Szostak (philosopher)
Łzy Diabła by Magdalena Kozak (military s-f) - by the way, her first novel, Nighter is available now in English: https://www.amazon.com/Nighter-Vesper-Book-Magdalena-Kozak-ebook/dp/B01H9QOVAC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1475947933&sr=1-1&keywords=nighter (https://www.amazon.com/Nighter-Vesper-Book-Magdalena-Kozak-ebook/dp/B01H9QOVAC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1475947933&sr=1-1&keywords=nighter) - it's about vampires in special forces, fun read.
Wilki by Adam Wajrak - about wolves
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Madness on October 09, 2016, 04:52:20 pm
Thanks, Alia :).

Just as I'd hoped one is available in English... for us poor, simple monolinguists ;).
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Alia on October 09, 2016, 05:22:03 pm
The book that is available in English is not the military s-f I read on holiday - it's the author's first book, a totally different story in a totally different setting.
I recently finished a collection of short stories that are retellings of Polish legends and folk tales, called Legendy polskie. It's available free of charge as it is sponsored by one of our online auction sites, there are also films and music videos. The films are directed by Tomasz Bagiński, who in 2002 was nominated to Oscar for his short film "The Cathedral". If you're interested, you can watch the films on youtube with English subtitles, although I'm not really sure what you would make of them without cultural background:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1J_Y12RqeLM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1J_Y12RqeLM)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRdYz8cnOW4 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRdYz8cnOW4)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-skpeuYmfE (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-skpeuYmfE)

And at the moment I am reading yet another Polish novel, Pokój światów by Paweł Majka, which is his take on War of the Worlds. I have a problem with this book, because the story is less interesting than the background, the creation of the world.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Wilshire on October 10, 2016, 03:47:41 am
TGO reread complete

Total: 10 books on the year.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Redeagl on October 11, 2016, 06:55:17 pm
I have finished a trilogy called "Raven's Shadow"  by Anthony Ryan,pretty awesome stuff. I think the first book is a total masterpiece, the second is not as good but still very awesome and the same with the third.I recommend this series.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: MSJ on October 11, 2016, 11:44:49 pm
I have finished a trilogy called "Raven's Shadow"  by Anthony Ryan,pretty awesome stuff. I think the first book is a total masterpiece, the second is not as good but still very awesome and the same with the third.I recommend this series.

Can you give me a spoiler free review of those books? Not the first time I've heard of them.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Redeagl on October 12, 2016, 01:29:05 pm
I have finished a trilogy called "Raven's Shadow"  by Anthony Ryan,pretty awesome stuff. I think the first book is a total masterpiece, the second is not as good but still very awesome and the same with the third.I recommend this series.

Can you give me a spoiler free review of those books? Not the first time I've heard of them.
The first one is a coming of age book. Imagine Harry Potter but Hogwarts is a military school, the teachers are harsh and students can die during tests. Then when you have completed your training you get send to wars and random battles to defend the main religion of the continent.The first one is pretty neat, many fight scenes and mysteries of the world. Awesome and very adult character development.At times the book can get quite touching. The second was also a very good book but different from the fist in many things. Some people didn't like the second and the third but I did. Just don't expect more of the same.Also the author said that there will be more books in the world with the surviving characters.Overall I can say give it a shot. It is worth it.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: MSJ on October 13, 2016, 12:59:42 am
I have finished a trilogy called "Raven's Shadow"  by Anthony Ryan,pretty awesome stuff. I think the first book is a total masterpiece, the second is not as good but still very awesome and the same with the third.I recommend this series.

Can you give me a spoiler free review of those books? Not the first time I've heard of them.
The first one is a coming of age book. Imagine Harry Potter but Hogwarts is a military school, the teachers are harsh and students can die during tests. Then when you have completed your training you get send to wars and random battles to defend the main religion of the continent.The first one is pretty neat, many fight scenes and mysteries of the world. Awesome and very adult character development.At times the book can get quite touching. The second was also a very good book but different from the fist in many things. Some people didn't like the second and the third but I did. Just don't expect more of the same.Also the author said that there will be more books in the world with the surviving characters.Overall I can say give it a shot. It is worth it.

Thank you, Redeagl! I'll have to check them out, sounds very interesting.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Wilshire on October 13, 2016, 01:54:34 pm
Couldn't find anything in my haste so I ended up listening to Caves of Steel by Asimov. If I knew it was a murder mystery, I wouldn't have read it as I don't tend to like them, but it was interesting enough. That's 11 for the year.

I started Stranger in a Strange Land, which has been really great so far.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: H on October 17, 2016, 04:06:34 pm
Looking back, I've really been slacking this year, since the first half was all rereads of tSA, I definitely need to pick it up in these last few months.

This year I read:
Rant: The Oral Biography of Buster Casey, by Chuck Palahniuk
The Great Ordeal, by R. Scott Bakker
Abaddon's Gate (Expanse Book 3), by James S. A. Corey
The Obelisk Gate, by N. K. Jemisin
Senlin Ascends, by Josiah Bancroft
Arm of the Sphinx, by Josiah Bancroft

Going to try to get 6 more read in the next couple of months, to at least have 12 read for the year.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Wilshire on October 17, 2016, 04:51:11 pm
I was only up to 6 before last month. I'm only nearing 12 because of the increase in work travel. Don't beat yourself up too much H :P. 6 seems like a respectable number to me.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: H on October 17, 2016, 05:50:01 pm
I was only up to 6 before last month. I'm only nearing 12 because of the increase in work travel. Don't beat yourself up too much H :P. 6 seems like a respectable number to me.

Yeah, considering how the first part of the year was all re-reads, I could consider myself to have read a book a month (or so) but I would rather only count new reads for the purpose of determining how much I am actually reading.

This month still has a decent amount of time left, but I'm unsure what I want to go at next.  I feel like another Expanse book is a real easy target, so I might go that route until I figure what I really want to aim at.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Wilshire on October 20, 2016, 02:52:18 pm
Finished Stranger in a Strange Land. Good book. Gets a little weird but overall very entertaining. 12

Started The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks. So far, a good, quick read. Lots of action, not a lot of philosophical musings.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Redeagl on October 20, 2016, 03:29:19 pm
Finished Stranger in a Strange Land. Good book. Gets a little weird but overall very entertaining. 12

Started The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks. So far, a good, quick read. Lots of action, not a lot of philosophical musings.
I don't think you would find much philosophical musings outside of Bakker or Erikson... Sadly.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Wilshire on October 20, 2016, 03:36:13 pm
There's lots in scifi if you go looking for it. Stranger in a Strange Land is an excellent example.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Redeagl on October 20, 2016, 04:13:28 pm
There's lots in scifi if you go looking for it. Stranger in a Strange Land is an excellent example.
Yup I agree with you but there is not much in fantasy.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: MSJ on October 22, 2016, 12:56:49 am
Started Raven's Shadow, really liking it so far. Thanks for the rec @Redeagl!
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Wilshire on October 22, 2016, 12:29:09 pm
Finished The Way of Shadows. That was pretty good. It had a bit more to it than i expected. Hopefully I get around to the sequals some day.

13

Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Alia on October 22, 2016, 04:44:25 pm
Finished Pokój Światów - it got more gripping in the second half but still, I did not feel I could really empathise with the main characters. But great worldbuilding.
Now I'm starting another non-fiction book, The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben. The original is German, I'm reading it in Polish but it is also availabe in English. I'm kinda botanist-amateur and I like to read something like this from time to time.
BTW, in the meantime I let Pokój Światów rest for a while and read Wicked Plants by Amy Stewart. This is a very small but fascinating book about the world's most dangerous plants. Really fascinating read - although I had to read it with my Google ready because I read it in English and sometimes I did not know the Polish names of plants (although the Latin ones often helped - I'm strange this way).

[EDIT Madness: For italics tag.]
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Madness on October 24, 2016, 12:23:30 pm
Updated. Except for mine own undocumented finished reads... I'll have to sort that out.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: H on October 31, 2016, 12:45:51 pm
Jut finished off Cibola Burn by James S. A. Cory, the 4th Expanse novel.  Was OK, the series does tend to feel a bit repetitive to me sometimes, but it was a decent read.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Alia on November 06, 2016, 06:10:52 pm
Finished reading Hidden Life of Trees, started John Brunner's Sheep Look Up. I've read about the third over the last two days and it's a really fascinating. I also had a very strong feeling it must've been influenced by U Thant Report - and I checked, the report came out three years before the book so it's highly possible. Again, like Stand on Zanzibar, many points of view and characters, whose paths cross at one point or another, very short chapters interspersed with excerpts of news, adverts, TV programmes, etc. And I must admit I am grateful for the search function on my Kindle, because I have to check the names from time to time, to see in what context they've appeared before.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: SilentRoamer on November 11, 2016, 10:09:49 am
Hey guys,

If everyone can post me their updated totals then I will get this thread updated and back on track!

For my part I have recently finished Richard Mathiesons: The Shrinking Man which I found hugely enjoyable - especially the portions where the MC is not super small but doll sized - heart wrenching and surprisingly philosophically subtle.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: SilentRoamer on November 11, 2016, 10:10:39 am
Also - if you don't have time to collate your reads I will be going through the thread this evening and updating what everyone has posted.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Wilshire on November 11, 2016, 12:58:06 pm
SR, I believe Madness collected the reads recently and updated the initial post, that was around October 24.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: SilentRoamer on November 11, 2016, 01:03:57 pm
Strange date as that was my birthday!

Cool well I will have a poke through later but I'm sure Madness was on top of it :)
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Madness on November 11, 2016, 02:40:35 pm
On top of it, not at all.

I started trying to catch up on due diligence somewhere around the end of the summer and, as Wilshire wrote, am caught up until like a page or ago, probably.

Thanks, SR. Doing due diligence has inspired me to make the most of the lifetime-reading years I have left.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Alia on November 16, 2016, 06:12:38 pm
Finished reading Brunner's Sheep Look Up, which is my 10th book this year. It's really good, but also terrifying, terribly realistic and up-to-date. It's set sometime in late 1970s (near future, as it was published in 1972) but many things are all too familiar - terrorism, pollution, bacteria that are immune to all know antibiotics, social unrest, big corporations doing whatever they want for profit, American interventions in other countries - as well President Prexy, who sounds very much like Trump. It's not very long but demands concetration, because there is at least a dozen major characters and even more minor ones, everything is connected and sometimes it's like the butterfly that causes a tornado. Or a complicated tapestry. All in all, certainly worth reading, it did not age a day.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: MSJ on November 28, 2016, 10:43:04 pm
Finished Blood Song by Anthony Ryan. Thanks Redeagl, really enjoyed it. Starting the sequel now, Tower Lord.

With added responsibility at work my reading has slowed down considerably.....can't wait til the new year and all these audits are over with so I can be paid I read. :)
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Alia on December 03, 2016, 06:05:06 pm
In the meantime I've read Brandon Sanderson's Legion and Legion: Skin Deep. The first is a longish short story, the second is a novella, all in all something to read between some other lenghty works and to lighten up mood. I liked it a lot, it's fun read on pretty serious topics - and also in the second story there appears a (deceased) character who seems to be a true nerd and being a nerd myself, I had a laugh while reading the descriptions.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: H on December 07, 2016, 01:11:21 pm
Just finished The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion by Jonathan Haidt.  Was good, interesting, if you've been reading Bakker's blog, you are pretty set to understand what he is talking about really.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Wilshire on December 08, 2016, 08:34:44 pm
Promise of Blood, book 1 of the Powder Mage trilogy, by Brian McClellan. Guess that makes 14 books this year.

Great book, great cast of characters, unique take on magic in a pre-industrial world. Definitely recommended
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Wilshire on December 14, 2016, 01:35:24 pm
17 books.
Just finished the Foundation 'trilogy' . The series has more than 3 books I  it now, but I read the original 3.

Fun books. You can tell Asimov  was a writer of short stories, most of them read like serials.

TSA seems to have some similarities. The Mule and Kellhus, Second Foundation and Dunyain, the whole Seldon Plan vs TTT, etc. 

Also, one of the final lines, they call the Second Foundation "The Cognisati", which I think is brilliant.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: SilentRoamer on December 15, 2016, 03:12:36 pm
Ok well I have updated the original post to account for everyones reads so far - if anyone has any I haven't included just let me know.

Well done to those who have hit their targets.

Wilshire has done a very respectable amount compared to his target - needs less of a weak sauce target last year.

For my part I am going to really push my reading over the next few weeks to ty my very best to hit my reading target.

Had a big gap of not reading late in the year which has affected my totals.

Currently reading Mathesons I Am Legend.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Wilshire on December 15, 2016, 07:42:14 pm
I was behind until work decided id be traveling 80% Q4 lol. I don't feel bad :D
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Wilshire on December 22, 2016, 06:30:44 pm
The Magicians by Lev Grossman (18)
This was an incredible book. Really got sucked into the world and cared a lot about the characters. Probably best described as a cross between Harry Potter and Narnia, except the characters are in college and the world is far more Real and this book is far superior to those two.

Blindsight by Peter Watts (19)
Holy hell, what a journey this one was. Definitely worth the read for those who like scifi, and/or anyone interesting in neurology and consciousness. Amazing book.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: MSJ on December 23, 2016, 03:08:49 am
Just finished The Tower Lord by Anthony Ryan. Great book. Redeagl felt I might it the same a the first of the Trilogy, but I loved it. I highly recommend Ryan for anyone looking for a epic fantasy, full of magic, poltical intrigue and the fight that lies in mankind. And the ending, has me wanting to jump right into the next one.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: MSJ on December 24, 2016, 12:12:10 pm
I have finally relented and started Dune last night. Sorta like TDTCB, where very early you're presented with a lot of names, places and words you've no idea what that mean. Going with the flow, just landed on the planet that produces Spice (excuse my ignorance of not remebering name of said planet.). So far, it's really easy reading and just getting to learn the moving parts. I think I'm gonna like it.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Wilshire on December 24, 2016, 04:44:12 pm
Nice. Great to hear MSJ. Herbert is one of the old names, but Dune has lost nothing with age. You'll enjoy it ;) .
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: MSJ on December 24, 2016, 07:52:39 pm
Nice. Great to hear MSJ. Herbert is one of the old names, but Dune has lost nothing with age. You'll enjoy it ;) .

Wilshire, that's funny. Because it being an older fantasy, I though certain elements (what, I don't know) would be missing. So far, it reads like any other fantasy. I like his writing so far also.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Alia on December 25, 2016, 10:38:54 am
If you add Sanderson's Arcanum Unbounded and Legion to my list, it seems I've read 13 books this year. Might go up to 14 if I manage to finish yet another Polish novel I am currently reading. Not bad, for my limited free time.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Wilshire on December 27, 2016, 02:39:39 pm
Dude, its scifi, not fantasy. Wayyy different. ;)
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: MSJ on December 27, 2016, 04:41:31 pm
Dude, its scifi, not fantasy. Wayyy different. ;)

Lol. Yea, it all feels the same to me. I guess when you have talk about leaping from planet to planet, it becomes Sci-fi.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Alia on December 27, 2016, 07:33:31 pm
Dude, its scifi, not fantasy. Wayyy different. ;)

Lol. Yea, it all feels the same to me. I guess when you have talk about leaping from planet to planet, it becomes Sci-fi.

Remember, any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. And when you throw powerful religion into the mix, it becomes even more complicated. But yes, by the virtue of happening in the future (very well defined, with timelines, etc.), it's sci-fi.

BTW, blurring the lines between sci-fi and fantasy is a good way to keep your audience guessing and deliver a twist that turns the story on its head. A good example is Morgan's Land Fit for Heroes.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: SilentRoamer on December 31, 2016, 12:12:50 pm
Dude, its scifi, not fantasy. Wayyy different. ;)

I would argue it's a little mix of both. Dune is pretty much the poster child for a Space Opera or Space Fantasy which I think has become a fairly well developed sub genre.

I would agree that Dune is mostly SF though - it deals a lot with climatology etc. but that pseudo religious mythical feel gives it a real fantasy feeling IMO.

So glad you guys got me to read Dune!
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: SilentRoamer on December 31, 2016, 12:19:22 pm
Hey all,

I will collate all of the totals in the next few days although they are fairly up to date. Once the totals are finished I will close the thread and start a new one for next year as I found this to be a great way to keep track of my books and try to keep my reading going (even if I dropped off towards the end of the year.)

So I finished Richard Matheson: I Am Legend a few days ago. Really enjoyed this as a book and now looking back on the film (recent Will Smith version which I had already seen) I think they really missed a trick with the ending. The book ending is superior in almost everyway and is pretty much crucial in the point of the story; I Am Legend. I never understood the title of the film until I read the book. Weak Hollywood ending.

That brings my total to 17/20 which means I have 3 more to read next year Grrrr!
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: MSJ on December 31, 2016, 02:43:40 pm
Dude, its scifi, not fantasy. Wayyy different. ;)

I would argue it's a little mix of both. Dune is pretty much the poster child for a Space Opera or Space Fantasy which I think has become a fairly well developed sub genre.

I would agree that Dune is mostly SF though - it deals a lot with climatology etc. but that pseudo religious mythical feel gives it a real fantasy feeling IMO.

So glad you guys got me to read Dune!

Dune is the first Sci-fi I've ever read, I believe, unless TSA turns out to be part Sci-fi (as I've come to understand the definition. In the future, advance technology, and stuff scientists totally get off on, amirite?). Its really good, I'm well over half way through. I find I can't put it down at night. But, it reads no different than any Fantasy I've ever read. So, the distinction is small in Dune at least. Maybe, there is other sci-fi out there that totally gets off on the Terra-forming a planet. Goes into every little subtle detail, I dunno. But, Sci-fi/Fantasy is connected for a reason, it's all still fiction of the highest order.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Alia on December 31, 2016, 04:08:51 pm
Maybe, there is other sci-fi out there that totally gets off on the Terra-forming a planet. Goes into every little subtle detail, I dunno.

Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy probably fits the description.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Wilshire on December 31, 2016, 06:53:40 pm
I agree, the distinctions are sometimes small, but imo they are still unique genres. Plenty of cross over though depending on how you look at it.

Dune is a great place to start with Scifi :), as it is pretty much where it began
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Redeagl on January 02, 2017, 02:32:00 am
Dude, its scifi, not fantasy. Wayyy different. ;)

I would argue it's a little mix of both. Dune is pretty much the poster child for a Space Opera or Space Fantasy which I think has become a fairly well developed sub genre.

I would agree that Dune is mostly SF though - it deals a lot with climatology etc. but that pseudo religious mythical feel gives it a real fantasy feeling IMO.

So glad you guys got me to read Dune!

Dune is the first Sci-fi I've ever read, I believe, unless TSA turns out to be part Sci-fi (as I've come to understand the definition. In the future, advance technology, and stuff scientists totally get off on, amirite?). Its really good, I'm well over half way through. I find I can't put it down at night. But, it reads no different than any Fantasy I've ever read. So, the distinction is small in Dune at least. Maybe, there is other sci-fi out there that totally gets off on the Terra-forming a planet. Goes into every little subtle detail, I dunno. But, Sci-fi/Fantasy is connected for a reason, it's all still fiction of the highest order.
I have been wanting to get into more Sci Fi lately, I have read a few Sci fi books but it is mostly unexplored territory for me.So how is Dune for you ? Since you are in the same boat as I
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: MSJ on January 02, 2017, 03:24:54 pm
Same boat, Redeagl. Except, I officially finished Dune last night and jumped right into Dune Messiah. Its really good.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Wilshire on January 02, 2017, 03:56:00 pm
All time favorite scifi has gotta be Dan Simmons' Hyperion Cantos. Its 4 books, the first two are a must read. Hyperion and The Fall of Hyperion.

Dune is probably a close #2 for me. Frank Herbert is a master craftsman.

Ender's Game and Speaker for the Dead by Orson Scott Card.

There's a lot of great stuff out there. Plenty of 'classics' that are likely worth reading.

This list: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_joint_winners_of_the_Hugo_and_Nebula_awards
is a list of scifi books that have won both the hugo and nebula awards - which is pretty prestigious. If you're looking for scifi suggestions, take a look at that list. People will be referring you to books on that list, or at least the authors that wrote them.

There's plenty of great stuff that isn't on that list, mind you, but its at least a jumping off point.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Alia on January 02, 2017, 07:54:43 pm
Off the cuff and in no particular order, authors in sci-fi (broadly taken) that I would recommend:
- classics: Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, Ray Bradbury, Ursula LeGuin;
- cyberpunk and relatives: William Gibson, Walter Jon Williams, Richard Morgan;
- other/undefined - Iain M. Banks (one of my favourite writers ever), Ian McDonald, Michael Swanwick.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Somnambulist on January 02, 2017, 07:58:54 pm
Off the cuff and in no particular order, authors in sci-fi (broadly taken) that I would recommend:
- classics: Isaac Asimov, Arthur C. Clarke, Ray Bradbury, Ursula LeGuin;
- cyberpunk and relatives: William Gibson, Walter Jon Williams, Richard Morgan;
- other/undefined - Iain M. Banks (one of my favourite writers ever), Ian McDonald, Michael Swanwick.

Alia, you reminded me of one of my favorite fucked up books, The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks.  Fans of Bakker should read this book.
Title: Re: Yearly Targets (2016) - Totals and Specifics
Post by: Alia on January 03, 2017, 06:38:14 am
Alia, you reminded me of one of my favorite fucked up books, The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks.  Fans of Bakker should read this book.

The one book that literally made me feel sick for a few days. But, for the sake of this discussion, it has virtually no fantastic elements whatsoever. (Banks wrote sci-fi as Iain M. and mainstream/crime/thriller/whatever as Iain).