zippitydoda
Bronze Knight of the Realm
- 135
- 12
What did you just read?
- Thread starter Fippy Darkpaw
- Start date
-
Guest, it's time once again for the massively important and exciting FoH Asshat Tournament!
Go here and give us your nominations!Who's been the biggest Asshat in the last year? Give us your worst ones!
Intrinsic
Person of Whiteness
- 15,054
- 13,179
Yeah I would agree. Just up through the first five books on Audible and can't help but think that it is enjoyable to listen too (as sort of a radio serial / story) mostly because of RC Bray, but I'd likely not enjoy reading it. Otherwise, yeah, not really bad at all. Think book 7 isn't out on Audiobook format yet so might find something to swap to. That Six of Crows one sounded fun.
Campbell1oo4
Ahn'Qiraj Raider
- 1,930
- 6,137
The Crossing by Cormac McCarthy.
A sixteen year old cowboy ventures into Mexico three times. Each time he is going there for something, or trying to bring something back home. Each time something goes wrong. Mexico is a wild land from which the protagonist has to retreat when he fails. His brother is the true hero of the book. He's smarter, more courageous and more resourceful. But just like the real world that doesn't really matter. Things still go wrong.
It's a powerful book and I recommend it. It feels more real than anything else I have ever read.
A sixteen year old cowboy ventures into Mexico three times. Each time he is going there for something, or trying to bring something back home. Each time something goes wrong. Mexico is a wild land from which the protagonist has to retreat when he fails. His brother is the true hero of the book. He's smarter, more courageous and more resourceful. But just like the real world that doesn't really matter. Things still go wrong.
It's a powerful book and I recommend it. It feels more real than anything else I have ever read.
Randin
Trakanon Raider
- 1,932
- 891
The New Knighthood: A History of the Order of the Temple by Malcolm Barber. Yeah, I like history. I picked this one up after seeing it described as essentially being the gold standard of history books on the Templars, and after reading it, I'd say it probably deserves that reputation. It's probably not a book for someone that's starting from zero on the subject--you likely want to go into it with a decent working knowledge on the Crusades in general--but it's a good read, and a great source on the subject. Recommended for any fellow history nerds.
Empire of Ivory by Naomi Novik. Book 4 of the Temeraire series, a historical fantasy series set during the Napoleonic Wars, but in a world where dragons exist, and nations have air forces of dragon riders. The books are decent enough reads, although not anything that's going to set the world on fire; worth picking up when you've got a gap in book releases from bigger authors. That being said, someone needs to hand this woman a guide on punctuation use. I do editing, so God knows I've seen plenty of writing that plays fast and loose with this sort of thing, but I honestly don't know if I've ever seen it to this degree in an actual published book.
Empire of Ivory by Naomi Novik. Book 4 of the Temeraire series, a historical fantasy series set during the Napoleonic Wars, but in a world where dragons exist, and nations have air forces of dragon riders. The books are decent enough reads, although not anything that's going to set the world on fire; worth picking up when you've got a gap in book releases from bigger authors. That being said, someone needs to hand this woman a guide on punctuation use. I do editing, so God knows I've seen plenty of writing that plays fast and loose with this sort of thing, but I honestly don't know if I've ever seen it to this degree in an actual published book.
- 1
Ukerric
Bearded Ape
- 8,320
- 10,296
The first books of the series were ok/good, but the series dragged on, and I didn't even finish book 6. Novik pretty much stopped the series after that anyway.
zzeris
King Turd of Shit Hill
- 20,332
- 86,425
Yep, boring as hell after Book 2. Series like this remind me it's a business instead of a work of love and art lol. You look at Salvatore and realize the ideas were gone ages ago but what else are you going to do the rest of your life?
Kovaks
Mr. Poopybutthole
- 2,358
- 3,147
Just read/listened to David Goggins You can't hurt me, was interesting to hear all the stuff he did and what he went through, the the hell week and race stuff was good for runs. If you didn't hear him talk other places it might sound a lot like humble bragging especially with the guy who co wrote and read it kissing his ass.
TrollfaceDeux
Pronouns: zie/zhem/zer
- 19,577
- 3,743
I go on a Murakami reread binge every couple years and the mood of NW gets me every time. I fucking love it.
Valorath
Blackwing Lair Raider
- 1,043
- 1,872
I’m just finishing up a book called Malice by John Gwynne. It’s the first book in a trilogy. Not the best fantasy I’ve ever read, but it’s not bad either. Was a Christmas gift. Going to pick up the second one later this afternoon.
Some of the plots seem somewhat transparent. I won’t go into it here but I think there’s a “plot twist” coming that I’ve seen coming since about half way through this book.
Edit: looks like a 4-part series, not 3.
Some of the plots seem somewhat transparent. I won’t go into it here but I think there’s a “plot twist” coming that I’ve seen coming since about half way through this book.
Edit: looks like a 4-part series, not 3.
Last edited:
Discord's Apple - Carrie Vaughn
I got this one ages ago and only just got around to it. It's setup is actually kind of like warehouse 13, where a storeroom of legendary items is kept by some particular guardians. Although, in this case, they are keeping the items for some specific time when they are needed. Cut a lot between different timelines with histories of the guardians and items. I liked it, but it was not Vaughn's best work.
The Sky is Yours - Chandler Smith
This one is hard to categorise - it's futuristic, set in a city that has been overrun by two gigantic, and seemingly invulnerable dragons. The dragons just fly around in circles, seemingly randomly setting things on fire. The city is mostly deserted, with only the very rich ( they live in estates outside the dragon's range ) and the very poor ( they can't afford to live anywhere else ) left. It had an interesting setting, plot and characters, but the writing style bugged me a bit. Reminded me of older English literature - almost certainly deliberate but the effect didn't work for me.
A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe - Alex White
Another fairly unique setting - this is futuristic space travel, but with the technology based on magic. Almost everyone has magic, not having it is seen as a disability, but individual practitioners are very weak - being able to throw a fireball is seen as hardcore powerful. Their tech is built on many small devices working together. The story has a crew of misfits tracking down rumors and stories to try and find a legendary dreadnought that vanished at the end of the last major war, and the mysterious enemy that shows up to try and stop their search.
I liked this one a lot, and have added the sequel to my to read list.
We Could Be Villains - Missy Meyer
Ordinary graphic designer is saved from being collateral damage to a 'heroic' rescue by one of her colleagues, who turns out to work for a notorious supervillain. She finds their recruitment pitch surprisingly reasonable and convincing.
This was good lightweight fun, and I have to agree with the main character - the heroes in this one are a bunch of dickheads ;p
Run Like Hell - Elliot Kay
This is basically an RPG campaign from the point of view of some of the low level monsters. It starts with them recovering from being roflstomped by the adventurers and deciding that they aren't getting paid enough for this shit, and trying to make an escape from the evil wizard's castle that they have been defending.
This one was great fun, and I will definitely get any sequels that show up. I lol'ed several times; one death was particularly hilarious for the type of RPG players I have played with in the past, I wish I could have done that as a GM ;p
The Gone World - Tom Sweterlitsch
Agents in a special division of NCIS investigate crimes by time traveling to the future, and then looking up if anyone worked out what happened in the past. This is pretty much the least responsible use of time travel since the Harry Potter timeturners, although it's mitigated a bit here because the future ceases to exist when the agent returns to the present. This traffic is causing an increasingly high degree of technological advancements, but travel is also revealing a far-future apocalypse that is growing uncomfortably closer every time they jump.
This one reminded me of Annihilation a bit - it wasn't quite as weird, but the same kind of feel. I liked it overall.
The Oracle Year - Charles Soule
Aspiring musician in new york wakes up one day, remembering a set of 108 predictions about the future. After finding them come true, one after the other, he gets talked into an elaborate plan to get super rich by one of his friends. Seeing how the predictions begin to play out when widely and publicly known causes him to question a lot of things.
I really liked this one. Coach was kind of implausible, but this was a great story that kept me up to see how it turned out.
Circe - Madeleine Miller
Point of view of one of the random villains in the Odyssey. ( The witch who turns Odysseus' men into pigs when they land on her island ).
I was a bit leery of this one, as some other attempts at redeeming historical villains have been pretty cringeworthy. This one was good though.
Vengeful - V.E. Scwab
Sequel to Vicious - sort of an anti-superhero setting - in this universe, people gain superpowers from near-death experiences, but the superpowers seem to always come with an effect that destroys empathy and inhibitions. In this one, the villain mastermind Victor searches for a remedy to some of the fallout from the first book, while Eli, the regenerating serial killer, helps track down EOs ( Supers ) from maximum security prison. It also adds some point of view from a shapeshifting assassin and a mob bosses' wife who gains the ability to disintegrate things with a touch.
This was excellent. You really need to read the first one before this though. Many spoilers.
Sourdough - Robin Sloan
Middle-aged software engineer has a midlife crisis and decides to become a baker after receiving a very unusual sourdough culture.
This wasn't great, but it was, mm, nice I guess ? Feelgood story, kind of like the Modern Witch books, recommended if you are sick of dark and depressing ;p
Ascendant - Craig Alanson
Generally mediocre 'chosen one' fantasy. Nowhere near as good as his Expeditionary Force series, but readable.
I got this one ages ago and only just got around to it. It's setup is actually kind of like warehouse 13, where a storeroom of legendary items is kept by some particular guardians. Although, in this case, they are keeping the items for some specific time when they are needed. Cut a lot between different timelines with histories of the guardians and items. I liked it, but it was not Vaughn's best work.
The Sky is Yours - Chandler Smith
This one is hard to categorise - it's futuristic, set in a city that has been overrun by two gigantic, and seemingly invulnerable dragons. The dragons just fly around in circles, seemingly randomly setting things on fire. The city is mostly deserted, with only the very rich ( they live in estates outside the dragon's range ) and the very poor ( they can't afford to live anywhere else ) left. It had an interesting setting, plot and characters, but the writing style bugged me a bit. Reminded me of older English literature - almost certainly deliberate but the effect didn't work for me.
A Big Ship at the Edge of the Universe - Alex White
Another fairly unique setting - this is futuristic space travel, but with the technology based on magic. Almost everyone has magic, not having it is seen as a disability, but individual practitioners are very weak - being able to throw a fireball is seen as hardcore powerful. Their tech is built on many small devices working together. The story has a crew of misfits tracking down rumors and stories to try and find a legendary dreadnought that vanished at the end of the last major war, and the mysterious enemy that shows up to try and stop their search.
I liked this one a lot, and have added the sequel to my to read list.
We Could Be Villains - Missy Meyer
Ordinary graphic designer is saved from being collateral damage to a 'heroic' rescue by one of her colleagues, who turns out to work for a notorious supervillain. She finds their recruitment pitch surprisingly reasonable and convincing.
This was good lightweight fun, and I have to agree with the main character - the heroes in this one are a bunch of dickheads ;p
Run Like Hell - Elliot Kay
This is basically an RPG campaign from the point of view of some of the low level monsters. It starts with them recovering from being roflstomped by the adventurers and deciding that they aren't getting paid enough for this shit, and trying to make an escape from the evil wizard's castle that they have been defending.
This one was great fun, and I will definitely get any sequels that show up. I lol'ed several times; one death was particularly hilarious for the type of RPG players I have played with in the past, I wish I could have done that as a GM ;p
The Gone World - Tom Sweterlitsch
Agents in a special division of NCIS investigate crimes by time traveling to the future, and then looking up if anyone worked out what happened in the past. This is pretty much the least responsible use of time travel since the Harry Potter timeturners, although it's mitigated a bit here because the future ceases to exist when the agent returns to the present. This traffic is causing an increasingly high degree of technological advancements, but travel is also revealing a far-future apocalypse that is growing uncomfortably closer every time they jump.
This one reminded me of Annihilation a bit - it wasn't quite as weird, but the same kind of feel. I liked it overall.
The Oracle Year - Charles Soule
Aspiring musician in new york wakes up one day, remembering a set of 108 predictions about the future. After finding them come true, one after the other, he gets talked into an elaborate plan to get super rich by one of his friends. Seeing how the predictions begin to play out when widely and publicly known causes him to question a lot of things.
I really liked this one. Coach was kind of implausible, but this was a great story that kept me up to see how it turned out.
Circe - Madeleine Miller
Point of view of one of the random villains in the Odyssey. ( The witch who turns Odysseus' men into pigs when they land on her island ).
I was a bit leery of this one, as some other attempts at redeeming historical villains have been pretty cringeworthy. This one was good though.
Vengeful - V.E. Scwab
Sequel to Vicious - sort of an anti-superhero setting - in this universe, people gain superpowers from near-death experiences, but the superpowers seem to always come with an effect that destroys empathy and inhibitions. In this one, the villain mastermind Victor searches for a remedy to some of the fallout from the first book, while Eli, the regenerating serial killer, helps track down EOs ( Supers ) from maximum security prison. It also adds some point of view from a shapeshifting assassin and a mob bosses' wife who gains the ability to disintegrate things with a touch.
This was excellent. You really need to read the first one before this though. Many spoilers.
Sourdough - Robin Sloan
Middle-aged software engineer has a midlife crisis and decides to become a baker after receiving a very unusual sourdough culture.
This wasn't great, but it was, mm, nice I guess ? Feelgood story, kind of like the Modern Witch books, recommended if you are sick of dark and depressing ;p
Ascendant - Craig Alanson
Generally mediocre 'chosen one' fantasy. Nowhere near as good as his Expeditionary Force series, but readable.
- 3
Ukerric
Bearded Ape
- 8,320
- 10,296
Started my new goodreads challenge of 140 books (did 150 last year).
Finished Nuttall's latest (after he had to take a break due to cancer/chemo), The Alchemist's Apprentice which is a stand-alone in his Zero universe. The basic premise is a classic: everyone does magic with varying levels of power, and the latest daughter from one of the biggest magical family in town seems to have little/none at all. The twist on this is special and kind of unexpected. The series has a trilogy, then a spin-off and this stand-alone, and they're well written as usual from Nuttall. I just wish he did different characters, all his fantasy heroines are variants of each other.
Also finished Huesca's Abominable Creatures which is litrpg/dungeon series that's relatively ok. I think I reviewed the first of the series here; basically the Light decided to enlist the help of Heroes in their fight against the darkness and made Ivalis Online, a MMO in which the players, unbeknownst to them, really kill the bad guys. The main Dark god decides to strike back by recruiting on of those players to become one of his Dungeon Lords and pit him against his former players. The guy is trying to be the best Dungeon Lord he can, without falling prey to the perils of absolute power (which absolutely corrupts). The book here basically wraps the original series (so a trilogy) while, of course, setting up the next stage.
Finally unpacked and finished Scalzi's The Consuming Fire, second book of a trilogy. Basically, the Interdependency is a space empire built around a scam and legalized monopolies in which every world is dependent on imports... which is an absolute disaster when the FTL "rivers" that interconnect them start to disappear (and no one wants to ear about that, so the researchers are discredited/exiled). It's a good Scalzi... but a Scalzi (expects major progressive plot points and characters if you're turned off by that). This middle book drops some interesting bombshells on your expectations from book 1.
Finished Nuttall's latest (after he had to take a break due to cancer/chemo), The Alchemist's Apprentice which is a stand-alone in his Zero universe. The basic premise is a classic: everyone does magic with varying levels of power, and the latest daughter from one of the biggest magical family in town seems to have little/none at all. The twist on this is special and kind of unexpected. The series has a trilogy, then a spin-off and this stand-alone, and they're well written as usual from Nuttall. I just wish he did different characters, all his fantasy heroines are variants of each other.
Also finished Huesca's Abominable Creatures which is litrpg/dungeon series that's relatively ok. I think I reviewed the first of the series here; basically the Light decided to enlist the help of Heroes in their fight against the darkness and made Ivalis Online, a MMO in which the players, unbeknownst to them, really kill the bad guys. The main Dark god decides to strike back by recruiting on of those players to become one of his Dungeon Lords and pit him against his former players. The guy is trying to be the best Dungeon Lord he can, without falling prey to the perils of absolute power (which absolutely corrupts). The book here basically wraps the original series (so a trilogy) while, of course, setting up the next stage.
Finally unpacked and finished Scalzi's The Consuming Fire, second book of a trilogy. Basically, the Interdependency is a space empire built around a scam and legalized monopolies in which every world is dependent on imports... which is an absolute disaster when the FTL "rivers" that interconnect them start to disappear (and no one wants to ear about that, so the researchers are discredited/exiled). It's a good Scalzi... but a Scalzi (expects major progressive plot points and characters if you're turned off by that). This middle book drops some interesting bombshells on your expectations from book 1.
- 2
Void
BAU BAU
- 9,836
- 11,787
I literally finished up a book last night, and thought "Man, I hope Velk posted recently, I can't decide what to read next." It's a Kwanzaa miracle!
- 3
- 1
Hatorade
A nice asshole.
- 8,465
- 7,209
Just picked this up, it is beefy. I am liking it so far, the take on dragons is pretty cool.
sleevedraw
Revolver Ocelot
- 1,982
- 5,588
NN's not the most technically skilled writer ever (he said wistfully), but I forgive her because (a) it's obvious she is a huge Napoleonic history geek and her enthusiasm rubs off in her writing, and (b) she seems like a pretty decent person (fanfic writer who went pro, is super-chill about letting other people fanfic her work, and was one of the founders of a nonprof that helps support fanfics).
I liked the series overall.
Currently reading:
Last edited:
- 1
Ukerric
Bearded Ape
- 8,320
- 10,296
Just finished Weber's latest Safehold Through Fiery Trials. It's a transitional volume; it covers 20 years (earth time) and shuffles the board for the next arc. After the World War (two, complete with concentration camps), it has a focus on two specific equivalent-periods (USA pre-WW2, China's civil war post-WW2), plus full steam on Industrial Revolution. Fun bit is that, with 20 years, more main characters die than died during the war
It's good Weber. He plays with your anticipation, seeds the various crisis potentials letting you guess until the last moment which one will really blow up, and the last chapter does a double flip-flop on your expectations. But I can expect the old saying to apply on the next volumes: "War never changes"
You need to have read the series though. It's impossible to enjoy if you're not on par with the Safehold setting.
It's good Weber. He plays with your anticipation, seeds the various crisis potentials letting you guess until the last moment which one will really blow up, and the last chapter does a double flip-flop on your expectations. But I can expect the old saying to apply on the next volumes: "War never changes"
You need to have read the series though. It's impossible to enjoy if you're not on par with the Safehold setting.
Arbitrary
Tranny Chaser
- 29,123
- 80,154
I finished Fire and Blood, the history book that George RR Martin put out last year. I like A Song of Ice and Fire quite a bit, I reread all the books last year, and I like the show. Fire and Blood was competently written but it was just not interesting to me at all. There's a couple very small spots in which I was engaged but overall it was just busywork to get through.
- 1
