[Black Wolf]

Just finished 2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson. It was... okay. The worldbuilding was sensible and coherent, and I never had too much trouble following what was going on. But most of the characters were pretty boring and not very memorable, and the plotline itself just wasn't very exciting. I never felt any sense of tension, or really that anything major had been resolved at the end. So, I guess it's probably mostly a book for his fans, of which I wasn't going in. Not sure if his more well known stuff is worth a look or not.

[Mongoose]

Now I'm rapidly approaching a quandary.  Next up will be Chapterhouse: Dune which is the last written before Frank Herbert's passing.  Now from what I understand the general consensus is the original works of KJA and Brian Herbert deserve only to be translated within the internal fires of Shai-Hulud.  That said, supposedly the two books they wrote to complete the main Dune story line were based on Frank Herbert's outline for Dune VII.  Is it worth forging ahead after Chaperthouse or should I slip my maker hooks and call an end to my time as a sand rider?

I've heard to kill those with fiyah too, but it is kind of lame to see the story go unfinished so abruptly, so I'm not really sure the best way to go there.

Speaking of, what did you think of Frank's later books in the series?  I've read only the original and generally loved it, but when I did a bit of glancing over some of the general plot points later on, what I read seems like things wind up getting rather...weird.

[watsisname]

Just finished 2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson. It was... okay.  Not sure if his more well known stuff is worth a look or not.

I didn't read that one, but I thought the Red Mars and 40 Signs of Rain series were outstanding.  I also started The Years of Rice and Salt but haven't finished it.  Has the typical highly developed world setting and characters, but I couldn't maintain an interest in the plot.

edit:  Ooh, his new book Shaman is coming out soon.  It looks intriguing, even if not the standard sci-fi fare.

[Nakura]

Thoroughly enjoyed the first two Resident Evil books, which I finished a few weeks ago. I started reading OceanSpace a few days ago, which was a gift from my uncle. I'm only about 60 pages in so far, but so far it's caught my interest; there was a stretch earlier where I just couldn't put it down.

Recently Read:
Resident Evil: Caliban Cove by S.D. Perry
Resident Evil: The Umbrella Conspiracy by S.D. Perry

Currently Reading:
OceanSpace by Allen Steele
Neon Genesis Evangelion, Vol #1 by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto

[NGTM-1R]

The Perfect Machine, the story of the construction of Palomar Observatory. I should probably have read it earlier considering I give tours.

[Scourge of Ages]

Oh cool, it's this thread again!

I finally finished With Fire and Sword; it really picked up toward the end.

Now reading Rx by Robert Brockway. At least until I can find a full pdf of Eleven by Mark Watson.

[The E]

Based on tutta's recommendation, I recently got myself Scott Westerfelds' Succession books.

Really really good Space Opera that defies genre conventions and is really well written.

Seriously, Westerfeld gets something right that people like David Weber seem to miss and that Charlie Stross used in Singularity Sky, that technology is not a straight line everyone moves parallel to at different speeds, but rather a cornucopia of differing approaches, leading to some very interesting asymmetries, and it all culminates in one of the best endings I have ever read.

[FireSpawn]

Septimus Heap -Book 6: Darke by Angie Sage. I picked the first book up on a whim back at school and got hooked. Now every other volume is floating around my house, and I had forgotten about this little gem long enough ago that I can't remember where I was.

I'm also thinking about rereading Sabriel, Lireal and Abhorsen by Garth Nix along with the Bartimeaus trilogy by J. Straud over the next couple of months.

[headdie]

Now I'm rapidly approaching a quandary.  Next up will be Chapterhouse: Dune which is the last written before Frank Herbert's passing.  Now from what I understand the general consensus is the original works of KJA and Brian Herbert deserve only to be translated within the internal fires of Shai-Hulud.  That said, supposedly the two books they wrote to complete the main Dune story line were based on Frank Herbert's outline for Dune VII.  Is it worth forging ahead after Chaperthouse or should I slip my maker hooks and call an end to my time as a sand rider?

I've heard to kill those with fiyah too, but it is kind of lame to see the story go unfinished so abruptly, so I'm not really sure the best way to go there.

Speaking of, what did you think of Frank's later books in the series?  I've read only the original and generally loved it, but when I did a bit of glancing over some of the general plot points later on, what I read seems like things wind up getting rather...weird.

yer God Emperor of Dune onwards got a little trippy but were enjoyable all the same, by Chapter House though things were much more coherent in my view (or perhaps I had adapted to the weirdness I dont know), the main thing with Chapterhouse is that it is clearly setting up for events down the line which Frank didnt get chance to write.

as for the books by brian and KJA, I only read as far as the prequel books before losing time/interest in reading but I found them enjoyable enough

[Mongoose]

I'm also thinking about rereading Sabriel, Lireal and Abhorsen by Garth Nix

Oh man, I loved the **** out of those.  They'd make for really kickass movies if done right, too.

And hmm, maybe I will give the later Dune stuff a shot at some point.

[ssmit132]

My friend bought me 1984 and A Clockwork Orange for my birthday last month, and I've started the former today.

[StarSlayer]

Based on tutta's recommendation, I recently got myself Scott Westerfelds' Succession books.

Really really good Space Opera that defies genre conventions and is really well written.

Seriously, Westerfeld gets something right that people like David Weber seem to miss and that Charlie Stross used in Singularity Sky, that technology is not a straight line everyone moves parallel to at different speeds, but rather a cornucopia of differing approaches, leading to some very interesting asymmetries, and it all culminates in one of the best endings I have ever read.

Wow yeah I zoomed through the two novels of the series after wrapping up Heretics of Dune.  Give them a read, I advoate it most earnestly.  It's not often you get invested in a character that is a house, and such things should be savoured.

[The E]

Wow yeah I zoomed through the two novels of the series after wrapping up Heretics of Dune.  Give them a read, I advoate it most earnestly.  It's not often you get invested in a character that is a house, and such things should be savoured.

Oh yeah, the House was awesome. But still, I cannot praise the plotting and especially the ending of this book enough. I won't spoil it, but the last line of the book? Pure awesome.

It was one of those books for me where after finishing, I knew why I love SF and Space Opera so goddamn much.

[qazwsx]

Consider Phlebas

[NGTM-1R]

Inheiritance by Christopher Paolini

The last book of the Eragon series, very good book with 800 pages of epicness. 

Get out.

[AdmiralRalwood]

Inheiritance by Christopher Paolini

The last book of the Eragon series, very good book with 800 pages of epicness. 

Get out.

Why did you reply to something from January 9th, 2012?

...Oh. Yeah, there is no statute of limitations on that.

[Beskargam]

Gotta agree though. The first one was good, the second was decent, the third was meh, and the fourth was rubbish.

[Lorric]

Gotta agree though. The first one was good, the second was decent, the third was meh, and the fourth was rubbish.

Interesting. I've read the first three and liked them very much. I wonder if I shouldn't get the fourth. I'd forgotten about it to be honest.

[Beskargam]

After they second one they are utterly predictable.

I disliked how the writing style changed every time.

[Lorric]

After they second one they are utterly predictable.

I disliked how the writing style changed every time.

I don't think I ever really noticed, though it's been a long time since I read them, I don't remember much about them, only that I liked them. Certainly it would have been far enough apart between each book not to remember the writing style with them 3 years apart. I bought 2 and 3 on release and Brisingr was released 5 years ago.

It's quite strange that (at least for you) the quality deteriorates book by book when he was 15 when he wrote the first one.