What are you currently reading?

[cupiscent]

Finally getting started on Anna Smith Spark's Court of Broken Knives, huzzah.

Well, that book was certainly... a thing that I just finished reading. Huh. Definitely not bad, very thoughtful, and downright beautiful in places, but... decisions were made in the making of it and I am very perplexed.

Once I've scraped my thoughts together into an actual review, I'll be moving on to Helen Corcoran's Queen of Coin and Whispers which by title alone is about 150proof My Thing.

[Lady Ty]

Started Lies Sleeping, so after that it's the October Man, @Elfy.

I hope you haven't missed out The Hanging Tree?  That is absolutely terribly amazingly wonderfully important because it stars...........

Spoiler for Hiden:

Lady Ty  (and her very naughty teenage daughter)

Please read now, straightaway, immediately.

[S. K. Inkslinger]

Finished Priest of Bones. It's really like fantasy Peaky Blinders with some name changes, hahah. For the ending I'd give it 5/5 stars. On to the next book, Priest of Lies.

[Peat]

Finally getting started on Anna Smith Spark's Court of Broken Knives, huzzah.

Well, that book was certainly... a thing that I just finished reading. Huh. Definitely not bad, very thoughtful, and downright beautiful in places, but... decisions were made in the making of it and I am very perplexed.

Once I've scraped my thoughts together into an actual review, I'll be moving on to Helen Corcoran's Queen of Coin and Whispers which by title alone is about 150proof My Thing.

*casually moves CoBK down the TBR pile*

I'm reading Nasomi's Quest, a SP book by some guy in Zambia. I picked it up because I loved the voice of the first chapter but guess who's three chapters in and struggling to get engaged.

[xiagan]

Started Lies Sleeping, so after that it's the October Man, @Elfy.

I hope you haven't missed out The Hanging Tree?  That is absolutely terribly amazingly wonderfully important because it stars...........

Spoiler for Hiden:

Lady Ty  (and her very naughty teenage daughter)

Please read now, straightaway, immediately.

Started _ _ _  _ _ _ _ _ _ _  _ _ _ _. 

[cupiscent]

Finally getting started on Anna Smith Spark's Court of Broken Knives, huzzah.

Well, that book was certainly... a thing that I just finished reading. Huh. Definitely not bad, very thoughtful, and downright beautiful in places, but... decisions were made in the making of it and I am very perplexed.

*casually moves CoBK down the TBR pile*

Great review from Mark Lawrence on goodreads over here. Basically, if you've ever wondered what "literary grimdark" might look like, this book is the answer. It's "good" grimdark inasmuch as it's unflinching about the self-perpetuating toxicity of violence, and it's "good" litfic inasmuch as it uses language to evoke and provoke and counterpoint itself, and observes humanity in full array of weakness and strength. But despite hitting some genre tropes from a new angle, it is quite far from standard genre fare and that was quite baffling in places. (Also, finding out the author was totally goth was the least surprising thing.)

[Elfy]

Started Lies Sleeping, so after that it's the October Man, @Elfy.

I hope you haven't missed out The Hanging Tree?  That is absolutely terribly amazingly wonderfully important because it stars...........

Spoiler for Hiden:

Lady Ty  (and her very naughty teenage daughter)

Please read now, straightaway, immediately.

Started _ _ _  _ _ _ _ _ _ _  _ _ _ _. 

Clever @xiagan very clever.

[Peat]

Finally getting started on Anna Smith Spark's Court of Broken Knives, huzzah.

Well, that book was certainly... a thing that I just finished reading. Huh. Definitely not bad, very thoughtful, and downright beautiful in places, but... decisions were made in the making of it and I am very perplexed.

*casually moves CoBK down the TBR pile*

Great review from Mark Lawrence on goodreads over here. Basically, if you've ever wondered what "literary grimdark" might look like, this book is the answer. It's "good" grimdark inasmuch as it's unflinching about the self-perpetuating toxicity of violence, and it's "good" litfic inasmuch as it uses language to evoke and provoke and counterpoint itself, and observes humanity in full array of weakness and strength. But despite hitting some genre tropes from a new angle, it is quite far from standard genre fare and that was quite baffling in places. (Also, finding out the author was totally goth was the least surprising thing.)

*pushes it down further*

I want to like it. I really do. Anna Smith Sparks comes across as a cool and smart person, and it was an interview with her that I read that prompted me to buy this. I want to read her ideas. But I've got to be reading a story I like first, and for me story comes from voice and character. I don't hate the voice, but it doesn't let me read fast (which is part of the literary thing) and doesn't hook me (which isn't). I haven't formed strong opinions about the characters, but everything I read about them says I will and they'll be DNF opinions.

Maybe I'll read it at some point and be all "Oh wow, what was the fuss about". But I'm in zero rush.

[Lady Ty]

Started Lies Sleeping, so after that it's the October Man, @Elfy.

I hope you haven't missed out The Hanging Tree?  That is absolutely terribly amazingly wonderfully important because it stars...........

Spoiler for Hiden:

Lady Ty  (and her very naughty teenage daughter)

Please read now, straightaway, immediately.

Started _ _ _  _ _ _ _ _ _ _  _ _ _ _. 

Clever @xiagan very clever.

My grovelling apologies for doubting, xiagan. I even 'liked' your original post. Very glad you have become a Rivers fan😁

[Rostum]

Read Norse Mythology. Less dark and nasty than I was expecting.

[Ned Marcus]

Read Norse Mythology. Less dark and nasty than I was expecting.

Was this Neil Gaiman's book? I've been thinking of buying that one.

[Peat]

Currently alternating between Nasomi's Quest, an occult adventure by Enock I. Simbaya who's from Zambia, and The Curse of Chalion by Lois McMaster Bujold.

Nasomi's Quest is full of atmosphere and dramatic scenes but it lacks narrative momentum for me.

The Curse of Chalion by contrast has a real pull there, and fantastic voice.

[Ned Marcus]

The Curse of Chalion by contrast has a real pull there, and fantastic voice.

It's been a while since I read this. Perhaps time to reread—I really enjoyed it at the time.

[Peat]

I have finished Curse of Chalion and have a mini review

Pros: Its perfect

Cons: There are two. One, it may not be as perfect to someone else. I have sorrow for those people.

Two, this is a book I have long wanted to write, and someone else has gone and done it first and far better than I could hope to. Which is frankly just rude and, when I come to power, shall be a crime leading to a long prison stay.

That is all.

[cupiscent]

I am told that the sequel - Paladin of Souls - is even better. I have such trouble believing this, due to The Curse of Chalion's perfection, that I have yet to read it despite having had it on my ereader for about ten years now. Though, I mean, if anyone can manage it, it's Lois McMaster Bujold.