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    chrono_travellerchrono_traveller Registered User regular
    Finished Leviathan Wakes:

    (ending spoilers)
    After the third or fourth time he was ready to die but didn't, I really thought Miller had equipped plot armor +9000. Though I guess in a way, he's just been "absorbed"/lives on as part of the Venus/proto-molecule. It was a really great read, and I've already started on Caliban's War.

    I was a little put off by how long it took for them to figure out that they could have just activated the transponders on the ships to track Eros. I mean, they were just talking to Miller right before. And the whole "can't be tracked by radar" think was a bit far fetched, since Eros can be seen from earth. I didn't see why they needed (except for "reasons") to try for the Rocinante to keep within visual sight of it.

    The narrator has been excellent as well.

    The trouble with having an open mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it. ~ Terry Pratchett
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    LoisLaneLoisLane Registered User regular
    Quid wrote: »
    I do not like Ready Player One. Intensely.

    Ready Player One read like the author copy pasted Wikipedia sections into his work. Like what? Why? The premise was great but he went too hard too fast on the nostalgia references.

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    shrykeshryke Member of the Beast Registered User regular
    LoisLane wrote: »
    Quid wrote: »
    I do not like Ready Player One. Intensely.

    Ready Player One read like the author copy pasted Wikipedia sections into his work. Like what? Why? The premise was great but he went too hard too fast on the nostalgia references.

    Cause that kind of shit sells?

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    skippydumptruckskippydumptruck begin again Registered User regular
    I went and bought sunshine because of you nerds

    it is okay so far

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    webguy20webguy20 I spend too much time on the Internet Registered User regular
    edited April 2016
    Started the third book in the Southern Reach series. The series has been an odd ride so far. I've been really enjoying it though.

    webguy20 on
    Steam ID: Webguy20
    Origin ID: Discgolfer27
    Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
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    AstharielAsthariel The Book Eater Registered User regular
    I should get first 2 books of Southern Reach next week, i assume i have to read it immediately, if everyone praises it so much?

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    DoodmannDoodmann Registered User regular
    I'm about to finish "Men At Arms"

    I've read enough Diskworld at this point I can see how he became a better writer over the years.

    Whippy wrote: »
    nope nope nope nope abort abort talk about anime
    I like to ART
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    QuidQuid Definitely not a banana Registered User regular
    Asthariel wrote: »
    I should get first 2 books of Southern Reach next week, i assume i have to read it immediately, if everyone praises it so much?

    I don't think it'll provide many answers as to what the hell is going on yet I'm perfectly okay with that.

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    skippydumptruckskippydumptruck begin again Registered User regular
    I went and bought sunshine because of you nerds

    it is okay so far

    finished it

    pretty good, very similar to the dresden files if you like those

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    CroakerBCCroakerBC TorontoRegistered User regular
    I went and bought sunshine because of you nerds

    it is okay so far

    finished it

    pretty good, very similar to the dresden files if you like those

    I know I'm the only one, but I'd love to find another series like the early Dresden Files - Storm Front in particular. I really like the supernatural private eye schtick, and those early books, where Dresden was a detective who happened to be a wizard, were great for me. The later ones, which were more about him being a wizard who happened to be a detective, I found less engrossing. But if anyone can recommend something similar to the early books, I'd snap it up

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    Redcoat-13Redcoat-13 Registered User regular
    Doodmann wrote: »
    I'm about to finish "Men At Arms"

    I've read enough Diskworld at this point I can see how he became a better writer over the years.

    I think the City Guard books illustrate this; l might be making a bit of a faux pas, but I've only read Guards! Guards! once or twice and don't feel an inclination to read it again. However Feet of Clay, Night Watch and Thud! make me well-up whenever I re-read them (I don't know if perhaps being a dad has made me more of a big old crybaby).

    Minor Thud! spoiler
    I read to my daughter every night as well, unless she has fallen asleep when we've been out late

    PSN Fleety2009
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    PhillisherePhillishere Registered User regular
    CroakerBC wrote: »
    I went and bought sunshine because of you nerds

    it is okay so far

    finished it

    pretty good, very similar to the dresden files if you like those

    I know I'm the only one, but I'd love to find another series like the early Dresden Files - Storm Front in particular. I really like the supernatural private eye schtick, and those early books, where Dresden was a detective who happened to be a wizard, were great for me. The later ones, which were more about him being a wizard who happened to be a detective, I found less engrossing. But if anyone can recommend something similar to the early books, I'd snap it up

    Have you tried the Rivers of London series? It's set in a lower-key supernatural universe than Dresden's, and it keeps the action squarely on the main character's role as one of the London police force's secret wizards.

    There's a pleasant lack of scope creep. Even as the world gets filled out, the main character doesn't level up to match each threat.

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    nexuscrawlernexuscrawler Registered User regular
    Men at Arms still has opne of Pratchetts best lines

    "The Ramkins were more highly bred than a hilltop bakery, whereas Corporal Nobbs had been disqualified from the human race for shoving."

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    V1mV1m Registered User regular
    Redcoat-13 wrote: »
    Doodmann wrote: »
    I'm about to finish "Men At Arms"

    I've read enough Diskworld at this point I can see how he became a better writer over the years.

    I think the City Guard books illustrate this; l might be making a bit of a faux pas, but I've only read Guards! Guards! once or twice and don't feel an inclination to read it again. However Feet of Clay, Night Watch and Thud! make me well-up whenever I re-read them (I don't know if perhaps being a dad has made me more of a big old crybaby).

    Minor Thud! spoiler
    I read to my daughter every night as well, unless she has fallen asleep when we've been out late

    Night Watch.


    "They rise up, they rise up..."


    'scuse me

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    CroakerBCCroakerBC TorontoRegistered User regular
    CroakerBC wrote: »
    I went and bought sunshine because of you nerds

    it is okay so far

    finished it

    pretty good, very similar to the dresden files if you like those

    I know I'm the only one, but I'd love to find another series like the early Dresden Files - Storm Front in particular. I really like the supernatural private eye schtick, and those early books, where Dresden was a detective who happened to be a wizard, were great for me. The later ones, which were more about him being a wizard who happened to be a detective, I found less engrossing. But if anyone can recommend something similar to the early books, I'd snap it up

    Have you tried the Rivers of London series? It's set in a lower-key supernatural universe than Dresden's, and it keeps the action squarely on the main character's role as one of the London police force's secret wizards.

    There's a pleasant lack of scope creep. Even as the world gets filled out, the main character doesn't level up to match each threat.

    I have, and I would quite happily kill a man to get an early release of the next book.
    More like that would be ideal.

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    HefflingHeffling No Pic EverRegistered User regular
    Please continue to suggest good urban fantasy novels and series!

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    credeikicredeiki Registered User regular
    I went and bought sunshine because of you nerds

    it is okay so far

    finished it

    pretty good, very similar to the dresden files if you like those

    no
    NO!
    NOOOOOOOO

    Sunshine is amazing and I hate Dresden Files and think it is bad. Would not compare the two in tone or subject matter or themes or anything other than that they are both urban fantasy.

    Steam, LoL: credeiki
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    skippydumptruckskippydumptruck begin again Registered User regular
    credeiki wrote: »
    I went and bought sunshine because of you nerds

    it is okay so far

    finished it

    pretty good, very similar to the dresden files if you like those

    no
    NO!
    NOOOOOOOO

    Sunshine is amazing and I hate Dresden Files and think it is bad. Would not compare the two in tone or subject matter or themes or anything other than that they are both urban fantasy.

    so we're in agreement, they're exactly the same

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    credeikicredeiki Registered User regular
    Heffling wrote: »
    Please continue to suggest good urban fantasy novels and series!

    NIght Watch--not Terry Pratchett, but Sergei Lukyanenko. Fun, dark, urban fantasy set in Moscow.

    Steam, LoL: credeiki
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    japanjapan Registered User regular
    credeiki wrote: »
    I went and bought sunshine because of you nerds

    it is okay so far

    finished it

    pretty good, very similar to the dresden files if you like those

    no
    NO!
    NOOOOOOOO

    Sunshine is amazing and I hate Dresden Files and think it is bad. Would not compare the two in tone or subject matter or themes or anything other than that they are both urban fantasy.

    so we're in agreement, they're exactly the same

    It was you that wrote the goodreads recommendation engine, wasn't it

    I'm on to you

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    V1mV1m Registered User regular
    credeiki wrote: »
    Heffling wrote: »
    Please continue to suggest good urban fantasy novels and series!

    NIght Watch--not Terry Pratchett, but Sergei Lukyanenko. Fun, dark, urban fantasy set in Moscow.

    I saw a film of that name and I swear to god after it was over I could not tell if I was high or not.

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    credeikicredeiki Registered User regular
    V1m wrote: »
    credeiki wrote: »
    Heffling wrote: »
    Please continue to suggest good urban fantasy novels and series!

    NIght Watch--not Terry Pratchett, but Sergei Lukyanenko. Fun, dark, urban fantasy set in Moscow.

    I saw a film of that name and I swear to god after it was over I could not tell if I was high or not.

    hahaha yes; I kinda love the movie. The movie of Day Watch is also crazy (and diverges even more from the book than the Night Watch movie does from Night Watch.)

    Steam, LoL: credeiki
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    ShadowhopeShadowhope Baa. Registered User regular

    Urban fantasy is a genre wherein most of the best novels are really slightly disguised romance novels, replacing Greek Billionaire or Cowboy or Highland Scot with vampire or werewolf or demon or weredemonpire, while providing the heroine with significantly more agency than a typical romance novel. With that said, Carrie Vaughn's Kitty series and Kelly Armstrong's Women of the Underworld series are generally worth reading.

    Max Gladstone's Craft Sequence is urban fantasy; it's set in a fantasy world that appears to be our world with the series numbers scraped off and a bunch of bizarre gods shoved in. The first book is Three Parts Dead; was th that said, Last First Snow is the first one chronologically, and if you read the series in the order written you'll go into Last First Snow knowing who lives, and basically what happens.


    Civics is not a consumer product that you can ignore because you don’t like the options presented.
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    PhillisherePhillishere Registered User regular
    Heffling wrote: »
    Please continue to suggest good urban fantasy novels and series!

    The Rook - Amnesiac psychic badass struggles to discover who "murdered" her former identity. Sequel comes out next month.

    And if you like that one, I'd also suggest Stross's Laundry series - Cold War spy agencies fighting the Lovecraftian apocalypse.

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    skippydumptruckskippydumptruck begin again Registered User regular
    Shadowhope wrote: »
    Urban fantasy is a genre wherein most of the best novels are really slightly disguised romance novels, replacing Greek Billionaire or Cowboy or Highland Scot with vampire or werewolf or demon or weredemonpire, while providing the heroine with significantly more agency than a typical romance novel. With that said, Carrie Vaughn's Kitty series and Kelly Armstrong's Women of the Underworld series are generally worth reading.

    Max Gladstone's Craft Sequence is urban fantasy; it's set in a fantasy world that appears to be our world with the series numbers scraped off and a bunch of bizarre gods shoved in. The first book is Three Parts Dead; was th that said, Last First Snow is the first one chronologically, and if you read the series in the order written you'll go into Last First Snow knowing who lives, and basically what happens.


    thunderer by felix gilman is great urban fantasy

    also ambergis stuff by jeff vandermeer

    and ofc perdido st station by china mieville

    I don't think any of those are romance novels

    although they aren't urban fantasy in the sense that they're not set in worlds very close to our own + magic, but they're fantasies in which the city itself seems like a major part of the story

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    PhillisherePhillishere Registered User regular
    Shadowhope wrote: »
    Urban fantasy is a genre wherein most of the best novels are really slightly disguised romance novels, replacing Greek Billionaire or Cowboy or Highland Scot with vampire or werewolf or demon or weredemonpire, while providing the heroine with significantly more agency than a typical romance novel. With that said, Carrie Vaughn's Kitty series and Kelly Armstrong's Women of the Underworld series are generally worth reading.

    Max Gladstone's Craft Sequence is urban fantasy; it's set in a fantasy world that appears to be our world with the series numbers scraped off and a bunch of bizarre gods shoved in. The first book is Three Parts Dead; was th that said, Last First Snow is the first one chronologically, and if you read the series in the order written you'll go into Last First Snow knowing who lives, and basically what happens.


    thunderer by felix gilman is great urban fantasy

    also ambergis stuff by jeff vandermeer

    and ofc perdido st station by china mieville

    I don't think any of those are romance novels

    although they aren't urban fantasy in the sense that they're not set in worlds very close to our own + magic, but they're fantasies in which the city itself seems like a major part of the story

    China Mieville's Kraken is a pretty decent Neverwhere-style urban fantasy set in London.

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    webguy20webguy20 I spend too much time on the Internet Registered User regular
    Heffling wrote: »
    Please continue to suggest good urban fantasy novels and series!

    The Rook - Amnesiac psychic badass struggles to discover who "murdered" her former identity. Sequel comes out next month.

    And if you like that one, I'd also suggest Stross's Laundry series - Cold War spy agencies fighting the Lovecraftian apocalypse.

    Both of these are totally bad ass. can't wait for the next rook book, also the next laundry book, as the last one was a bit weak.

    Steam ID: Webguy20
    Origin ID: Discgolfer27
    Untappd ID: Discgolfer1981
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    KrieghundKrieghund Registered User regular
    Just found out a friend that is really into rabbits has never read Watership Down. Had never even heard of it. And she's a reader. I'm like, how do you manage that? So I got her set up with the audiobook, better than nothing. Though I have no idea how they are going to pronounce some of that rabbit stuff.

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    ShadowhopeShadowhope Baa. Registered User regular

    I loved the Rook, and wholeheartedly second that recommendation.

    I have hated everything that I've read by China Mievelle. He's one of those creators whose virtues entirely escape me. I think that Perdido St. Station might be the most unenjoyable book that I've ever finished.

    Civics is not a consumer product that you can ignore because you don’t like the options presented.
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    Harry DresdenHarry Dresden Registered User regular
    Heffling wrote: »
    Please continue to suggest good urban fantasy novels and series!

    The Rook - Amnesiac psychic badass struggles to discover who "murdered" her former identity. Sequel comes out next month.

    And if you like that one, I'd also suggest Stross's Laundry series - Cold War spy agencies fighting the Lovecraftian apocalypse.

    The bad news is that it's getting a tv adaption and they've bought in - Stephanie Meyer. I guess the lesson here for authors is not to sell options of urban fantasy to Summit Entertainment.

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    skippydumptruckskippydumptruck begin again Registered User regular
    Shadowhope wrote: »
    I loved the Rook, and wholeheartedly second that recommendation.

    I have hated everything that I've read by China Mievelle. He's one of those creators whose virtues entirely escape me. I think that Perdido St. Station might be the most unenjoyable book that I've ever finished.

    his book embassytown is rull good

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    PhillisherePhillishere Registered User regular
    Shadowhope wrote: »
    I loved the Rook, and wholeheartedly second that recommendation.

    I have hated everything that I've read by China Mievelle. He's one of those creators whose virtues entirely escape me. I think that Perdido St. Station might be the most unenjoyable book that I've ever finished.

    Give Kraken a try. It's straight Gaiman-esque urban fantasy.

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    PhillisherePhillishere Registered User regular
    Oh yeah, I forgot to mention the Joe Pitt books. Cynical noir about an ex-punk toughguy enforcer who happens to be a vampire. Great stuff, although it is deeply dark.

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    knitdanknitdan In ur base Killin ur guysRegistered User regular
    I enjoyed the first few of Mike Carey's Felix Castor series, but I think they're kind of tough to find in the States due to publisher shenanigans.

    “I was quick when I came in here, I’m twice as quick now”
    -Indiana Solo, runner of blades
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    PhillisherePhillishere Registered User regular
    It's not modern urban fantasy (set about 1800 or so), but Darker Shade of Magic tickled that itch for me. It's about a magician who can travel to three alternate versions of London (White London, Red London, and Gray London being King George III's London) involved in a plot that revolves around the existence of a fourth, lost London - Black London.

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    Moridin889Moridin889 Registered User regular
    Urban Fantasy? Detective stuff? Like the Dresden Files?

    Alex Verus

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    shrykeshryke Member of the Beast Registered User regular
    Shadowhope wrote: »
    Urban fantasy is a genre wherein most of the best novels are really slightly disguised romance novels, replacing Greek Billionaire or Cowboy or Highland Scot with vampire or werewolf or demon or weredemonpire, while providing the heroine with significantly more agency than a typical romance novel. With that said, Carrie Vaughn's Kitty series and Kelly Armstrong's Women of the Underworld series are generally worth reading.

    Max Gladstone's Craft Sequence is urban fantasy; it's set in a fantasy world that appears to be our world with the series numbers scraped off and a bunch of bizarre gods shoved in. The first book is Three Parts Dead; was th that said, Last First Snow is the first one chronologically, and if you read the series in the order written you'll go into Last First Snow knowing who lives, and basically what happens.


    thunderer by felix gilman is great urban fantasy

    also ambergis stuff by jeff vandermeer

    and ofc perdido st station by china mieville

    I don't think any of those are romance novels

    although they aren't urban fantasy in the sense that they're not set in worlds very close to our own + magic, but they're fantasies in which the city itself seems like a major part of the story

    No one said Urban Fantasy that isn't just Paranormal Romance doesn't exist. But just straight up, Urban Fantasy is almost entirely Paranormal Romance by numbers. Both published and sold. It's a goddamn big seller afaik.

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    AstharielAsthariel The Book Eater Registered User regular
    Heffling wrote: »
    Please continue to suggest good urban fantasy novels and series!

    I have one, that seems to be awfully underpraised around on the internet:

    Matthew Swift series by Kate Griffin. First book, called A Madness of Angels, is about dead sorcerer in London who cames back to life by merging with anthropomorphic personifications of electricity, Blue Electric Angels, and then goes on a mission to have revenge on his murderers.

    None other urban fantasy have a magic so connected with a present day motives like ths day.

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    MorranMorran Registered User regular
    Shadowhope wrote: »
    I loved the Rook, and wholeheartedly second that recommendation.

    I have hated everything that I've read by China Mievelle. He's one of those creators whose virtues entirely escape me. I think that Perdido St. Station might be the most unenjoyable book that I've ever finished.

    Which books have you read, and which aspects of his writing did you not like? I like his books very much, but I often read about people who have very negative feelings towards them.

    Case in point: https://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2012/05/14/the-verge

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    Redcoat-13Redcoat-13 Registered User regular
    CroakerBC wrote: »
    CroakerBC wrote: »
    I went and bought sunshine because of you nerds

    it is okay so far

    finished it

    pretty good, very similar to the dresden files if you like those

    I know I'm the only one, but I'd love to find another series like the early Dresden Files - Storm Front in particular. I really like the supernatural private eye schtick, and those early books, where Dresden was a detective who happened to be a wizard, were great for me. The later ones, which were more about him being a wizard who happened to be a detective, I found less engrossing. But if anyone can recommend something similar to the early books, I'd snap it up

    Have you tried the Rivers of London series? It's set in a lower-key supernatural universe than Dresden's, and it keeps the action squarely on the main character's role as one of the London police force's secret wizards.

    There's a pleasant lack of scope creep. Even as the world gets filled out, the main character doesn't level up to match each threat.

    I have, and I would quite happily kill a man to get an early release of the next book.
    More like that would be ideal.

    I wasn't aware of this until recently, but when I was in the bookshop the other day, I noticed that there is at least one Rivers of London comic. I don't know if it might be worth checking out.

    PSN Fleety2009
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