What are you reading?

Thrasher said:
@danutz_plusplus You know, I missed that part about the reveal of Ciri's fatherhood. Can you point out the page number, please? Instead I read it was that cursed person in animal form the earlier book?
Click to expand...

I haven't reached the actual book where they confirm that, from what I've read. What lead me down this path, was the point I reached in Time of Contempt, where Geralt hires the services of Codringher and Fenn. And they trace the familly history of the Urcheon/Duny, the one Geralt saved from the curse, and the result of which save granted him Ciri as a Child Surprise. And they can't find confirmation, as to who his father was. So, knowing that, at least in The Witcher 3, Emhyr claims to be her father, I went searching and found confirmation of this on the wiki pages. But I haven't reached that point in the books. Aparently, in might even be in the books that haven't yet been translated into English. But I'm not sure.
 
Joined
Jul 31, 2007
Messages
6,359
Ah, ok, I remember that scene with Codringher and Fenn, but not the full Emhyr reveal. Thanks for the clarification. More is revealed in Baptism of Fire (which is what I am reading now), but it hasn't unravelled completely to point to Emhyr's fatherhood yet.

In an earlier book, Ciri's previously cursed father claimed he was a prince, but it wasn't of Nilfgaard. Geralt's removal of the curse was related to being able to claim the right of surprise (I think…). More of mystery to be hopefully clarified before I turn to the subsequent fan translated novels. :)

Actually, figuring out how Emhyr is involved is a large part of what's motivating me to read the Witcher novels. Witcher 3 really did a favor for Sapkowski even though he doesn't approve apparently. :)
 
Joined
Aug 18, 2008
Messages
15,682
Location
Studio City, CA
I just bought "Last of the Sandwalkers" from Jay Hosler.
Didn't know anything about the autor, just liked the graphics. I've not started to read it yet, so I can't tell if my choice was good or not :p
 
Joined
Sep 26, 2015
Messages
47
Location
France
Hurls said:
Enjoy - NyxVampira!!
In terms of cyberpunk "Neuromancer" is canon. Other excellent books from the 'mists of time' are "Stations of the Tide" - Michael Swanwick, the collections "Mirrorshades" and "Burning Chrome" (with the title story the quintessential cyberpunk for me), "Shockwave Rider" - John Brunner, for me Neal Stephenson's "Snowcrash" is decent but quite derivative (which is heresy to some :) ). Other are "Schismatix" - Bruce Sterling, "When Gravity Fails" - George Alec Effinger, etc. etc. I'm personally not a huge Rucker or Cardigan fan, just don't get the style as they seem too effected, but many people love their work.
Let me know what you like!!

One caveat, Neuromancer (and other books) is over 30 years old so on my last reread some parts were dated/passed by in a technology sense.
Click to expand...

Oh great, thanks a lot for that list! I'll definitely check it out :D
 
Joined
Jan 8, 2014
Messages
474
Location
in a figment of my imagination
I just finished Zoe's tale, 4th book of Old man's war series.So far I like Old man's war most of it is really good, I am having lot of fun with it(with exception of Sagan's diary which was horrible).Zoe's tale itself was ok but not as good the rest.

I also finished Memories of ice, third in Malazan book of fallen series.I really changed opinion of this series, I had mixed fellings after first book but now I beginning to see why so many people think it's great.
 
Joined
May 21, 2012
Messages
1,436
Location
Sto plains
I felt the same way Nameless one about the Malazan series. The first book was somewhat confusing and I really had to focus on all the different characters. As you get farther into the series a bigger and more clear picture starts to emerge. I think the thing that got me the most was all the different races and trying to figure out what was what, incorporate that with the vast history and background and the series epitomizes epic.
 
Joined
May 24, 2013
Messages
161
Location
San Jose, California
I did. And his ShadowRun, vampire, werewolf, revenant, demon, dragon … novels. I also beta-read several of the books.
To get the whole story of the Dwarves, you might also want to read the Älfar books.

EDIT
I forgot to mention his Collector books (more my cup of tea due to the SF setting :p ). Then there are the accompanying Justifiers novels, but those were not written by Markus - each was written by a different author. He did publish them, though, and there was a continuous story in the back which was written by him after all. But I'm afraid those are not available in an English language version, despite the titles.

EDIT II
You migh also want to read his very first fantasy series, Ulldart, though it's not been translated either, I think. While the Ulldart series is a little rougher around the edges, it's also way more innovative than the Dwarves.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Aug 31, 2006
Messages
3,754
Jaz said:
I did. And his ShadowRun, vampire, werewolf, revenant, demon, dragon … novels. I also beta-read several of the books.
To get the whole story of the Dwarves, you might also want to read the Älfar books.

EDIT
I forgot to mention his Collector books (more my cup of tea due to the SF setting :p ). Then there are the accompanying Justifiers novels, but those were not written by Markus - each was written by a different author. He did publish them, though, and there was a continuous story in the back which was written by him after all. But I'm afraid those are not available in an English language version, despite the titles.

EDIT II
You migh also want to read his very first fantasy series, Ulldart, though it's not been translated either, I think. While the Ulldart series is a little rougher around the edges, it's also way more innovative than the Dwarves.
Click to expand...

He is so prolific. Unfortunately most are not translated to english. So far I can find only The Dwarves and the Alfar books. Although just those will keep me going for a while. I had no idea he penned some of the Shadowrun books. Loved the game(s), but have never read the books.
 
Joined
Sep 15, 2015
Messages
66
Location
Australia
There was an all-German ShadowRun series of novels ... I doubt any of those have been translated, but Markus wrote some of them. We had been playing ShadowRun as well so writing the novels came naturally to him.

Justifiers was another p&p RPG; we played that back in the days, too. A few years ago, Markus hunted down and acquired the rights to the franchise :).
 
Joined
Aug 31, 2006
Messages
3,754
Just finished Firestarter, and continuing my Stephen King stint with Pet Sematary now.

Story was good and engaging (though I would rate it a notch below Carrie), but a word of warning for Kindle users: the editing was HORRID. It seemed as if the book was scanned in and then published with ZERO editing, resulting in missing punctuation literally every page, misspelled words and just plain incorrect words leaving you to figure out what it's supposed to be based on context. I found it jarring and distracting, and it detracted from my enjoyment of the actual story.
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
2,378
Location
Leuven, BE
The Chronicles of Athas.

I started with book 2, Darkness Before the Dawn by Ryan Hughes. It's a pretty entertaining story with good survival elements and a very well-done description of psionics. It just felt right as a Dark Sun book.

I'm now reading the first book, The Brazen Gambit by Lynn Abbey. While not badly written, it's simply a detective story in a fantasy world. The characters aren't memorable, endearing or loathable. Plus Athas with its limited resources (and living space) makes those inter-templar quarrels seem petty and irrelevant.
 
Ursusdraconis said:
Btw anybody wanting to read great sci fi,

Hyperion!!! By Dan Simmons

Best sci fi i ever read
Click to expand...

I didn't get far my first attempt of reading this. I guess it was the religious overtones that turned me off. I picked it up again recently and easily finished it. Very good book and am about to start the next one.
 
wiretripped said:
Just finished Firestarter, and continuing my Stephen King stint with Pet Sematary now.

Story was good and engaging (though I would rate it a notch below Carrie),
Click to expand...

Pet Sematary scared the hell out of me when I read it as a teen. I would consider it one of his scariest and one of my favorite King novels.
 
Joined
Jul 18, 2007
Messages
491
I'm bouncing between the Dwarves series ( book four) and Cornwell's Saxon series (book five). Both are very different and enjoyable, but I'm enjoying the Saxon series much more. I really hope they don't much it up for tv, as the casting will be very important for this one.
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2011
Messages
18,994
Location
Holly Hill, FL.
Carnifex said:
I'm bouncing between the Dwarves series ( book four) and Cornwell's Saxon series (book five). Both are very different and enjoyable, but I'm enjoying the Saxon series much more. I really hope they don't much it up for tv, as the casting will be very important for this one.
Click to expand...

The BBC's dramas are often rubbish, these days. If we're really lucky, it'll be treated seriously, and handed to the kind of team that made Wolf Hall, which was a quality production. More than likely it'll be given the Doctor Who/Merlin/Tudors treatment <shudders>.
 
Joined
Nov 8, 2014
Messages
12,085
Wolf Hall was simply amazing. The story has been told a million times, taught at the education levels, and I still was riveted. It is kind of silly how the quality of shows can vary so much.
 
Joined
Oct 18, 2011
Messages
18,994
Location
Holly Hill, FL.
I stumbled over this one while searching for RPG news, maybe some of you'll find it interesting:

The Novel Post: The Witcher: Hour of Glass review:

In House of Glass, Paul Tobin continues to spread his creativity expanding from his early all ages works to the very mature tellings of Geralt, a lone hunter and his estranged wife.

Tobin opens the story the way most of Geralt’s missions begin, random happenstance. Traveling through the dangerous Black Forest, the Witcher comes across a widowed hunter. A man of the land that offers the mutated stranger dinner, which quickly degrades into drink and trading war stories. Melancholy sets in when personal tragedies are exchanged. The hunter remains in the Black Forest to be near his not-so-dead wife, whom was taken by the Bruxae and turned into one of them. As they meander through the Black Forest Geralt’s magical medallion tingles, alerting him to danger. And his mind to intrigue.

Perhaps the most amazing aspect of House of Glass is Tobin’s ability to weave in the world of Geralt of Rivia without the reader needing any back story. Told in the style of Geralt’s introduction to the world via short stories detailing his escapades in The Last Wish, Tobin is able to explain the world and expand on Geralt’s view of it without being hamfisted. There are no flashbacks, retellings or calculated fan references. It’s an all-new tale in the world that Sapkowski created and CD Projekt RED has brought to life. It works. And works well.
[…]
Tobin’s interweaving of deep fantasy and mythological terrors horrifyingly depicted by Joe Querio offer a collection fully capable of standing on its own despite being tied to an intellectual property. If you’re looking for a new world to get addicted to House of Glass is a great starting point before diving into the novels or video games. If you’re already hooked then the weaving story of the Black Forest and its inhabitants shouldn’t be missed.
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom