Ahira's Hangar

New on the Shelves:

The Hallowed Hunt, a stand alone novel by by multi-Hugo winner Lois McMaster Bujold

The Tyranny of the Night, first in a new series called The Instrumentalities of the Night by Glen Cook, author of the Black Company series

Od Magic a stand alone novel by Patricia McKillip

due out this month:
Black Jade by David Zindell, third book of the Ea Cycle

due out in July, 2005:
Across the Wall, A Tale of the Abhorsen and Other Stories by Garth Nix

due in September. 2005:
Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman, a stand alone book set in the universe of American Gods

Shaman's Crossing: Book One Of The Soldier Son Trilogy (Soldier Son Trilogy) by Robin Hobb, first book in a new trilogy


due out in October, 2005:
Knife of Dreams by Robert Jordan, promised to be the second to last Wheel of Time book

due out in November, 2005:
A Feast For Crows by George R R Martin, latest book in A Song of Ice and Fire

if anyone knows of any others, please chime in! ******************************************************

Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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Aside from RJ that's enough to keep me occupied! (there's got to be some "North" in Crows [if it's going to be split up now]...how can you have Crows without crows? How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?!!! ) *****
Before, you are wise; after, you are wise. In between you are otherwise.
Fravashi saying (from the formularies of Osho the Fool) <i></i>

How could I forget the next Harry Potter book? It will be out in July, 2005.

If anyone hasn't already been reading Jordan & is thinking about starting -- I would really advise them to wait at this point unti lthe series is done.

I will miss Dany and the North in AFFC -- but think of how fantastic A Dance with Dragons will be! <i></i>

Dany I can wait for! Huge logistics for the voyage west(ish) it's going to be a massive, monumental undertaking! *****
Before, you are wise; after, you are wise. In between you are otherwise.
Fravashi saying (from the formularies of Osho the Fool) <i></i>

This week marks the release of Garth Nix's short story collection Across the Wall. I've never read any of his short stories, but I know that his novels are quite good.

Some of the other new releases previously mentioned:

David Zindell's Black Jade was wonderful, but my mouth is shut until Danlo gets a chance to read it.

I am in the middle of Lois McMaster Bujold's The Hallowed Hunt, and am finding it to be quiet, intelligent character driven fantasy, like her other loosely related Chalion books. All three of her Chalion books could be very easily read as stand-alones. This one deals with people who are possessed by animal spirits...and political manipulation for the throne of a country near Chalion...

Later this month -- Harry Potter book 6!!!!! ******************************************************

Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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Garth Nix's Across the Wall came in the mail today. I was delighted to discover that it includes a novella continuing the story of his Abhorsen trilogy. I will be reading it very soon. ******************************************************

Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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Picked up Od Magic by McKillip and Trader, a trade paperback by de Lint today at the library. ________________
I wanna feel the metamorphosis and cleansing I've endured within my shadow. Change is coming. Now is my time. Listen to my muscle memory. Contemplate what I've been clinging to. -Tool, "Forty-Six & Two" <i></i>

McKillip and de Lint are both favorites of mine. Please let me know how those two books are.

The thing with de Lint is that there is something...dense...about his books. As much as I enjoy reading them, I don't think I could ever sit down and read two of his back to back. It's hard to describe, and I am not sure if I am even clearly describing what I mean.

If there are any R. Scott Bakker fans here, supposedly the third book in his Prince of Nothing Trilogy will be released in January, 2006. Its title is The Thousandfold Thought. I haven't tried Bakker yet, but I've heard good things. ******************************************************

Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
<i>Edited by: Duchess of Malfi at: 7/9/05 12:29 pm
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I haven't got to McKillip yet, but I'm mostly done with de Lint. It's not a bad book, I enjoy it, but... It's really hollow in some areas. He's not familiar with today's teenagers, drugs, etc. and it shows. All but the main characters come off a little two-dimensional. It could've used a more thorough editor, as well. There's a couple times where a phrase is used by a character and then later in the narrative. Takes you right out of it. ________________
I wanna feel the metamorphosis and cleansing I've endured within my shadow. Change is coming. Now is my time. Listen to my muscle memory. Contemplate what I've been clinging to. -Tool, "Forty-Six & Two" <i></i>

Very much looking forward to the new Bakker, btw. ________________
I wanna feel the metamorphosis and cleansing I've endured within my shadow. Change is coming. Now is my time. Listen to my muscle memory. Contemplate what I've been clinging to. -Tool, "Forty-Six & Two" <i></i>

Sounds like a change of pace for the more traditional sorts of de Lint fantasy books I've read. I'm always glad to see a writer stretch his/her wings, though, even if the experiment might not fully work.

I actually wish a lot more fantasy books were heavily edited. I'm not sure where this trend of longer and longer and longer books come from (Jordan, perhaps?) but a lot of them could use some really serious pruning. (the last several books of Jordan's could be seriously condensed and nothing would be lost...)

I put down the Robin Hobb book I started. She is a talented writer, and I was actually liking (thoug not loving) the story. I hope to get back to it someday. But the book is 800 pages long, and the other two books in the trilogy are just as hefty. Someone gave me all four books in Tad Williams's Otherland series -- and I just look at those huge books and can't bring myself to pick up the first one and start reading it -- and I like Tad Williams's writing a lot.

I just do not have the time right now to commit myself to reading these huge books...either that or I am getting some nasty burnout. Could be either.

I have been in the mood for short stories or novellas lately. ******************************************************

Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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I did manage to finish that series by Robin Hobb, and did end up enjoying it. I guess I really was burned out for awhile there. My vacation did help a lot.

Orson Scott Card has a new fantasy book out, Magic Street, which is reputedly modern urban fantasy with an African-American cast of characters. As I said with de Lint, it is always good to see an author stretch out a bit, and it sounds like Card is doing so with this book. ******************************************************

Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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This year's Hugo winner for best novel, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke will be out in paperback early in September, 2005.

I enjoyed McKillip's Od Magic a great deal, by the way. It had a nice message about not closing yourself off to new experiences, and that is something that I need to hear occasionally. ******************************************************

Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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China Mieville's new collection, Looking for Jake & other stories came out at the start of this month.
Anansi Boys (which you listed in your first post) is out tomorrow. ------------------

" 'You see, I don't believe in Todd. I think Todd exists only in your minds.'
'You take that back!'
'Where is your Todd now?' *laughs evilly*"<i></i>

In what might be the first highly anticipated major fantasy release of 2006, R. Scott Bakker's The Thousandfold Thought, which will complete his Prince of Nothing trilogy, will be released on Jan. 19, 2006.

Since I have been trying to not start any new series until they are completed (which still leaves me in the middle of a great many series ) that will be my signal to try to read Bakker.

I am looking forward to it. I have been told by people whose opinions I highly respect (such as Syl) that his writing is very intelligent and well crafted. ******************************************************

Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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