Ahira's Hangar

I've been fighting off a bad cold the last few days and have not been reading very much as a result of the sinus headaches.

I've been trying to read Erikson's Gardens of the Moon, but cannot read more than a few pages at a tiem due to an inability to concentrate. I think I will put it down for a few days until I feel better, then start over. It certainly seems very promising, and worth reading as soon as I feel a bit better and can concentrate on it.

I did a book a friend lent me, called Eragon. I probably should not say anything, as I have so little to say that is good, though my impressions are probably unpleasantly flavored by sinus headaches. But it did seem to be very derivative to me, in addition to needing some extremely serious editing.

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Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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I finished up Gardens of the Moon this morning. I enjoyed it enough to go on to Deadhouse Gates as soon as I have a bit more time.

Erikson has put a lot of time and effort into creating this world, and it shows. He is quite a world builder, and I also really like a lot of his characters, such as the Bridgeburners and Tattersail. They are world weary characters who have been around the block a few times and feel regrets over some of the things they have done. Very human. And I like how Erikson knitted together all of those plot strands by the end. He did that well.

I did not care as much for the active gods and demons (I have never likes those elements in fantasy stories - I prefer stories driven by human or humanlike characters). I also do not like so much powerful magic and magic users in a story - I never have - it is a matter of personal taste.

And there was this one character named Kruppe who I found to be extremely irritating.

But there was a lot to like in Gardens of the Moon and I am very willing to go on with the story. ******************************************************

Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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I have moved on to the second book in Erikson's series, Deadhouse Gates as of this morning. The prologue was quite gripping; the first chapter felt like it was setting up one or more story lines.

Gardens of the Moon, the first book had multiple story lines that Erikson wove together as things went on. Looks liek this novel will as well.

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Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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Erikson's Deadhouse Gates featured one plot line called the Chain of Dogs that filled me with awe because it was so well written. The other plotlines were interesting, but paled in comparison to Coltaine and the Imperial Historian and the Chain. That was just so well written and moving...

As of this morning, I have moved on to the third book, Memories of Ice. This book is huge; a true door stopper. I hope that the writing is as good as Deadhouse. If it is, it will move right along despite its huge size.

I am also rereading an old favorite from many years ago - the little and beautiful and profound fable called The Little Prince. ******************************************************

Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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gasp...gasp...gasp...pant...pant...pant...I have finally reached the finish line. I have finally finished the marathon known as Memories of Ice.

Luckily the writing was good enough that the 700+ pages went by fairly quickly. ******************************************************

Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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Duchess wrote:Quote:I did a book a friend lent me, called Eragon. I probably should not say anything, as I have so little to say that is good, though my impressions are probably unpleasantly flavored by sinus headaches. But it did seem to be very derivative to me, in addition to needing some extremely serious editing.

The book is notable since the author was like 16 yrs. old when he wrote it. His family self published it (not a vanity press AFAIK), it became a sales buster and attracted attention from a mainstream publisher. That publisher reprints it and then the author has a multi-book publishing deal. However, many people who have been involved with SF and F publishing for many years (for example, Sharyn November, Gardner Dozois, Jim Frenkel) all say the same thing "It's nothing new, what's all the fuss about?"

taraswizard
Allan Rosewarne N9SQT/WDX6HQV
Chicago area
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Right now I'm reading Jeffrey Ford's second collection Empire of Ice Cream which is thus far magnificent, and finishing up Stephen Baxter's Emperor (which will be out in July) which a really nice Baxter project, from a writer who usually delivers with either brilliance, or is a bit uneven (even with his collaborations with Arthur C. Clarke).





My interview this week: [url=http://www.fantasybookspot.com/node/1057]Jeff Vandermeer
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I've begun reading Bernard Cornwell's The Winter King, first volume of a trilogy called The Warlord Chronicles. This is a story of Arthur, and Arthur's Britain, in the dark Ages, some 1500 years ago.

Arthur's Britain is a terrifying and very dark place. It is divided into numerous petty kingdoms, most of them at constant war with each other. It is being invaded by the Saxons on one side, the Irish on the other, and being raided from Scotland to the north. Many of the British in the petty kingdoms which have been overrun by the Saxons have settled down in Brittany in France, but are being pressed by Franks there.

On top of everything else, there are religious differences riping through what remains of society. The Romans did their best to destroy the native religion and the Druids, but those ways are still followed by many, particularly countryside peasants. And when the Romans withdrew from Britain, they left behind many of their religions, particularly Mithraism and Christianity. All of these religions, alongside the Druids, vie for followers and power.

No one is ever safe.

In retelling his grim and gritty story, Cornwell goes back to the earliest legends of Arthur, often associated with the stories of obscure Celtic saints, where Arthur is called a War Leader (but never called a King) and where is portrayed as the enemy of the Christian God.

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Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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I have moved on to the second book of Cornwell's trilogy, The Enemy of God. Much of the internal warring between the petty kings of Britain has finally ended; but peace in the face of all of the external enemeies and with the competing religions is only a dream...

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Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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I have finished up Enemy of God and as soon as I can I will be starting the third book in Cornwell's trilogy, Excalibur. Arthur's marriage is a shambles and so is the kingdom he had sworn to protect. The Saxons are still a huge threat, and religious differences have heated up to the point where killings are starting to occur... ******************************************************

Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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I am now reading Cornwell's Excalibur, and thus far it is every bit as good as the the first two books. Gritty, realistic depiction of a doomed world, and how that doom is not only brought about by invasion by others, but also (perhaps primarily) from within.

While these books were in the fantasy section, I am not really sure why, as they read much more like gritty historical fiction? Good stuff!!! ******************************************************

Our lives are the songs that sing the universe into existence.~David Zindell
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Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold. taraswizard
Allan Rosewarne N9SQT/WDX6HQV
Chicago area
W/T forever, always
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Curse of Chalion. OMG, I'm now within pages (<30 to go) of finishing this book. I'm so impressed that it is a little daunted and intimadated to explain. It seems to be having a HEA, for Lady Betriz and Castillar Lupe dy Cazarill (BTW, why did it take Cazarill so long to get it), and a HEA for the Royina of Chalion and the Royse of Ibra. I'm such a sucker for HEAs. I laughed and cried during reading the book. taraswizard
Allan Rosewarne N9SQT/WDX6HQV
Chicago area
W/T forever, always
Plan C - http://planc.bravepages.com/main.html
Buff_fans_Chicago http://tv.groups.yahoo.com/group/buffy_fans_chicago/
live journal http://taras-wizard.livejournal.com<i></i>