What are you currently reading?

[Alex Hormann]

Finsihed We Are The Dead. I enjoyed it, although it did feel dark for dark's sake at times. Still, it's nice to have started a series where I'm actually excited to pick up the next book. Those have been few and far between recently.

Next I'm onto Cauldron of Ghosts, and am very nearly at the end of the Honor Harrington series.

[Bender]

I've been slowly re-reading the Dresden Files. And when I say slowly, I picked up Storm Front for the 2nd time in 2015 (I had to check Goodsreads!) and I'm up to Cold Days.

I've just recently finished Cold Days as well. What do you think about the book? Personally, I still prefer the pre-Changes Dresden Files all the way.

The character would become stale soon without undergoing maturity/development. Cold Days wasn't really a good novel, Skin Game is better. We see him maturing with his powers, as a dad. Now there's a whole slew of stuff about Dresden that aren't  known (his mom, birth, the walker problem etc) and I don't mind the new Dresden at all.

[Bender]

After high recommendations from Xiagan and Inky, I'm some way through Nevernight and it's cracking. Really fun read.

[Cherie]

I've been slowly re-reading the Dresden Files. And when I say slowly, I picked up Storm Front for the 2nd time in 2015 (I had to check Goodsreads!) and I'm up to Cold Days.

I've just recently finished Cold Days as well. What do you think about the book? Personally, I still prefer the pre-Changes Dresden Files all the way.

I like it. I like all of them. I don't really have a preference, as it's an ongoing evolution of the character. There's still the snark and sarcasm, but Dresden has grown in knowledge, power, experience and pain. His friends and allies have also suffered. No-one could go through that and come out exactly the same as they started out.

I would be more disappointed if the dynamics and feel of the books hadn't evolved.

[Elfy]

I've been slowly re-reading the Dresden Files. And when I say slowly, I picked up Storm Front for the 2nd time in 2015 (I had to check Goodsreads!) and I'm up to Cold Days.

I've just recently finished Cold Days as well. What do you think about the book? Personally, I still prefer the pre-Changes Dresden Files all the way.

I like it. I like all of them. I don't really have a preference, as it's an ongoing evolution of the character. There's still the snark and sarcasm, but Dresden has grown in knowledge, power, experience and pain. His friends and allies have also suffered. No-one could go through that and come out exactly the same as they started out.

I would be more disappointed if the dynamics and feel of the books hadn't evolved.

For me Changes was the high point of the series, and while I don’t get the hate on Ghost Story or Cold Days, I do think the story has struggled to reach the levels it did earlier. I am very much looking forward to Peace Talks and Battle Ground and maybe the hiatus has helped Harry and Jim get their mojo back.

[Bender]

Thanks to Hurricane Fay, a whole day of indoors and I'm done with Nevernight. What a book. I liked it as much as Red Sister and anyone who liked Ancestors trilogy should love this too.



Nevernight
- Jay Kristoff

Overall: +9


Cracking read. from the start, it keeps you interested all the way to an epic climax with a twist I didn't see coming. There's some explicit sex content that honestly didn't add anything to the book, but apart from that, it's been brilliant. Looking to dive into book 2 straight away....

Writing/Plot/Pace: +9

The plot is woven brilliantly between a university/teaching type and still gives a hint of the macro. The sub-plot makes it much of interesting and we get a balance of learning/skills upgrade and good development of overall plot.

As said before, the explicit sex scenes don't add value but they are only a couple of pages, so nothing too detrimental. The romance is very understated (which is good as I hate romance in stories) and kept very realistic. I certainly isn't grimdark, but it has some bloody scenes which fall under "gritty realism" better.

Characters: +9

Story is told from pov of protagonist, but the supporting cast is interesting and influential. They all play a key part in the book which makes it all the more colorful.

[DCuervonegro]

Nice review. Thank for the heads up. I had no idea this had come out and certainly seems interesting. What kind of setting is it? Is it high fantasy?

[Bender]

Nice review. Thank for the heads up. I had no idea this had come out and certainly seems interesting. What kind of setting is it? Is it high fantasy?

Similar to Mark Lawrence Red Sister. It's got a church, Roman sounding names, gladiator type pits, faith based magic system etc etc.