Just started The Hydrogen Sonata today. 2 questions.
1. This is my first Iain Banks book and I am LOVING it. Which one should I get next?
Can't help you with 2 - sorry, but WRT 1., I'm partial to Use of Weapons, which is amazing every time i read it, or Player of Games, which is as clever, intelligent and accessible, but perhaps less...relentless.
Just started The Hydrogen Sonata today. 2 questions.
1. This is my first Iain Banks book and I am LOVING it. Which one should I get next?
2. Very slight spoiler from like 1/3 of the way through.
The whole element of "Composer who wrote a musical piece out of spite and sarcasm for his peers' music without any love for the piece, ends up being best known for said piece" thing sounds really familiar. I could swear it happened to someone in real life. Anyone know who?
In my opinion Look to Windward and Excession are the closest to Hydrogen Sonata in tone. The others can get hyper violent or pessimistic. Not bad per we but very different despite similar back drops.
Just started The Hydrogen Sonata today. 2 questions.
1. This is my first Iain Banks book and I am LOVING it. Which one should I get next?
2. Very slight spoiler from like 1/3 of the way through.
The whole element of "Composer who wrote a musical piece out of spite and sarcasm for his peers' music without any love for the piece, ends up being best known for said piece" thing sounds really familiar. I could swear it happened to someone in real life. Anyone know who?
It has happened to authors too; see Anthony Burgess and Clockwork Orange.
The Culture book you should read next is Player Of Games.
Hammet's The Maltese Falcon. Put me in the mood to rewatch the Bogart version, which is still an outstanding piece of work. Finding out recently that Orson Welles wanted to make Batman way back then made me realise you could take the four main cast members of The Maltese Falcon and make yourself a pretty amazing Batman rogue's gallery. Sydney Greenstreet as the Penguin, Mary Astor as Catwoman, Peter Lorre as the Riddler and Bogart as Two-Face. Grab Conrad Veidt for the Joker and you're done.
A trap is for fish: when you've got the fish, you can forget the trap. A snare is for rabbits: when you've got the rabbit, you can forget the snare. Words are for meaning: when you've got the meaning, you can forget the words.
Just started The Hydrogen Sonata today. 2 questions.
1. This is my first Iain Banks book and I am LOVING it. Which one should I get next?
2. Very slight spoiler from like 1/3 of the way through.
The whole element of "Composer who wrote a musical piece out of spite and sarcasm for his peers' music without any love for the piece, ends up being best known for said piece" thing sounds really familiar. I could swear it happened to someone in real life. Anyone know who?
It has happened to authors too; see Anthony Burgess and Clockwork Orange.
The Culture book you should read next is Player Of Games.
I'm partial to Consider Phlebas, which I know some people don't care for. I just like the angle it has on the Culture.
Consider Phlebas was the first Culture book I read and is a good introduction to the series. Especially since the viewpoints are largely from outside the Culture rather than from within.
Consider Phlebas was the first Culture book I read and is a good introduction to the series. Especially since the viewpoints are largely from outside the Culture rather than from within.
I knew lots about the Culture thanks to Wikipedia before I ever read any of the novels, so Consider Phlebas felt really weird to me, with the way the protagonist is set up.
I find it a very good sign that I ask "This series is great, what should I read next?" and get 5 different answers.
There are plenty of options.
I'd go with Consider Phlebas or Player of Games. The former I personally didn't like that much, but its probably a good idea to read that one before some of the rest of the books set in that universe. Excession as well I really enjoyed for its space opera style, but it is quite complicated as well.
Its pretty hard to go wrong. I even really liked Inversions, though I wouldn't recommend that as your next read.
It's about a five year old boy who was born to a mother being held captive in an 11' square room, and who has never seen the outside world, told from his point of view. The book does a pretty great job at balancing a convincing 5-year-old voice and some compelling prose, even if some of it stretches credulity a bit. And everything is passed through the lens of a small child who has never seen anything beyond those four walls and a tiny square skylight in the ceiling, and everything is anthropomorphized. He walks on Rug, he eats dinner with Spoon, his best friend is Remote Control. Anything that doesn't really exist is "TV". Dora the Explorer is "TV", and so are monsters, and so is grass, and so is snow, and so are other people.
Just so, so good.
I submitted an entry to Lego Ideas, and if 10,000 people support me, it'll be turned into an actual Lego set!If you'd like to see and support my submission, follow this link.
It's about a five year old boy who was born to a mother being held captive in an 11' square room, and who has never seen the outside world, told from his point of view. The book does a pretty great job at balancing a convincing 5-year-old voice and some compelling prose, even if some of it stretches credulity a bit. And everything is passed through the lens of a small child who has never seen anything beyond those four walls and a tiny square skylight in the ceiling, and everything is anthropomorphized. He walks on Rug, he eats dinner with Spoon, his best friend is Remote Control. Anything that doesn't really exist is "TV". Dora the Explorer is "TV", and so are monsters, and so is grass, and so is snow, and so are other people.
It's about a five year old boy who was born to a mother being held captive in an 11' square room, and who has never seen the outside world, told from his point of view. The book does a pretty great job at balancing a convincing 5-year-old voice and some compelling prose, even if some of it stretches credulity a bit. And everything is passed through the lens of a small child who has never seen anything beyond those four walls and a tiny square skylight in the ceiling, and everything is anthropomorphized. He walks on Rug, he eats dinner with Spoon, his best friend is Remote Control. Anything that doesn't really exist is "TV". Dora the Explorer is "TV", and so are monsters, and so is grass, and so is snow, and so are other people.
Just so, so good.
Reading your summary made me incredibly sad
I'm holding out for a happy ending.
I submitted an entry to Lego Ideas, and if 10,000 people support me, it'll be turned into an actual Lego set!If you'd like to see and support my submission, follow this link.
a few chapters in, it appears to be fantasy a la ancient egypt, with a magic system powered by dreams
Jemisin does good, even excellent work. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, which I think was the author's debut, is..well, for one thing unique, for another, quite clever. It has...Things, to say about the positions of humanity and divinity, of ownership and mastery, ad a whole host of other stuff. It's "One of them there literary things", that rewards careful, or at least attentive reading.
Killing Moon is on my list, but I've been distracted by Daniel Abraham's Dragons Path stuff, and Peter Hamilton's Pandora's Star. Courtesy of some inconvenient roadworks, it is taking me 2 hours to get home ever day, so his brick thick novels seem rather appropriate.
Oh, just wrapped up the third Mongoliad...some nice conclusions, it's an action-movie book really. Clearly, clearly wants or needs someone to do some follow up material. Good though, if you liked the last two, and were on the fence - that said, it is *800 pages*, to the 3-400 of the last two, so again, bit of a doorstop.
I want to remind everyone that we have a Goodreads group, and we keep track of our group reads there. Kind of wish I haven't been away so long so I could get this closer to the OP in the new thread.
That being said, I also want to apologize that, in my absence, I really dropped the ball in getting a new group read together, if people are actually doing those. I've been kind of busy, what with getting married soon and all. So I guess we'll take this quarter off.
Currently, I'm working on Argo. About a quarter of the way through and it's kind of repetitive. It goes through the same moments repeatedly but from different perspectives. Not like a movie where it jumps back and forth, but large sections being repeated over and over in the timeline of events. It's actually kind of disconcerting. I haven't seen the movie yet, but I wanted to get through the book before seeing the movie. I'm not that impressed right now, but I'll hold off judgment until I read more.
I finished the second book in Weeks' Night Angel trilogy last night. I'm still really enjoying it, though it's definitely reminding me more and more of a less-awesome Mistborn.
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Mojo_JojoWe are only now beginning to understand the full power and ramifications of sexual intercourseRegistered Userregular
Both Mistborn and the Night Angel books have the same trashy, but really easy to read, styles. I think the key difference is that one clinically tries to define the magic system and the other just goes "Magic. WOO!"
Homogeneous distribution of your varieties of amuse-gueule
Eh, I read Consider Phlebas and only finished it out of spite. All of the characters were incredibly uninteresting and the book plodded along in a confused manner to kaput in the end with something you had seen coming many pages prior. While I'll give Banks credit for making a uniqueish world, that was really the only notable point to the book.
I was less than thrilled with Player of Games when I read it, but it's been over a month, and I can still remember exact lines of prose, so I guess it's resonated... I've decided to skip Consider Phlebas since if it's not your introduction to the world, it's a little lackluster (damn you infowebs for screwing all the good introductory exposition. ).
Reading so many people read Hydrogen Sonata and go, "Wow, Iain M. Banks can write, what else is good in this series?" has made me decide that one might just be the next one I pick up.. It's hard for me to choose between going down the Gibson path or Banks when I reach for SciFi at the moment.
Just barely started Under Heaven, and haven't even read enough to really say much.
Eh, I read Consider Phlebas and only finished it out of spite. All of the characters were incredibly uninteresting and the book plodded along in a confused manner to kaput in the end with something you had seen coming many pages prior. While I'll give Banks credit for making a uniqueish world, that was really the only notable point to the book.
Opinions are pretty divided on this one. I didn't like it much myself, either. Player of Games is so much better in my opinion. Far more lean, as far as the story goes, which in my mind is a good thing.
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jakobaggerLO THY DREAD EMPIRE CHAOS IS RESTOREDRegistered Userregular
The argument for starting with Consider Phlebas is that it will feel inferior if you read it after the other Culture stuff. Because well, it is. As space opera goes it's alright though.
I picked up Banks' Excession, Corey's Leviathan Wakes, Harrison's Ever After, and have Aaronovich's Whispers Underground coming in the mail. Then I started another editing pass on one of my novels, so haven't actually started any of the ones I've got on hand. Probably will take an editing break when the Aaronovich book comes in the mail.
Can anyone recommend me some UK-authored urban fantasy? I've already read Aaronovich, Carey, O'Malley, Green, Gaiman, and Shevdon. I'm willing to import from amazon.co.uk if necessary. I'm looking for something with a strong British voice, but will settle for things set in the UK written by someone with enough first-hand experience to make it feel authentic.
Finished off The Maltese Falcon and zipped through The Glass Key over the weekend. I knew the Coen brothers took a lot of cues from Hammet's style for Miller's Crossing, but didn't realise how much they got from The Glass Key. It's not an adaptation or anything, but you can see where they lifted details, set-ups and a couple of great lines.
I picked up Banks' Excession, Corey's Leviathan Wakes, Harrison's Ever After, and have Aaronovich's Whispers Underground coming in the mail. Then I started another editing pass on one of my novels, so haven't actually started any of the ones I've got on hand. Probably will take an editing break when the Aaronovich book comes in the mail.
Can anyone recommend me some UK-authored urban fantasy? I've already read Aaronovich, Carey, O'Malley, Green, Gaiman, and Shevdon. I'm willing to import from amazon.co.uk if necessary. I'm looking for something with a strong British voice, but will settle for things set in the UK written by someone with enough first-hand experience to make it feel authentic.
I picked up Banks' Excession, Corey's Leviathan Wakes, Harrison's Ever After, and have Aaronovich's Whispers Underground coming in the mail. Then I started another editing pass on one of my novels, so haven't actually started any of the ones I've got on hand. Probably will take an editing break when the Aaronovich book comes in the mail.
Can anyone recommend me some UK-authored urban fantasy? I've already read Aaronovich, Carey, O'Malley, Green, Gaiman, and Shevdon. I'm willing to import from amazon.co.uk if necessary. I'm looking for something with a strong British voice, but will settle for things set in the UK written by someone with enough first-hand experience to make it feel authentic.
China Meiville springs to mind here.
I've read some Meiville. The various Bas-Lag stuff is probably the closest he gets to what I'm talking about and I can't stand his writing. Pratchett's recent Dodger, despite being not what I'd normally term Fantasy, is closer to what I'm looking for. Actually, if anyone can recommend some good UK mystery thriller types that would also be good. Like Aaronovich's Rivers of London stuff without the magic.
Huh you probably wouldn't like Michael Moorcock's stuff either then, but I was actually thinking of Meiville's Kraken not his Bas-Lag books.
I've not read Kraken. I have his Embassytown which I haven't read yet. I'm hoping it's more palatable than the other stuff; if so then maybe I'll give Kraken a shot.
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Can't help you with 2 - sorry, but WRT 1., I'm partial to Use of Weapons, which is amazing every time i read it, or Player of Games, which is as clever, intelligent and accessible, but perhaps less...relentless.
Goodreads
SF&F Reviews blog
there is some good writing in there
it ends kinda abruptly and I don't really get why it's titled as it is
I will have to check out the second one
In my opinion Look to Windward and Excession are the closest to Hydrogen Sonata in tone. The others can get hyper violent or pessimistic. Not bad per we but very different despite similar back drops.
It has happened to authors too; see Anthony Burgess and Clockwork Orange.
The Culture book you should read next is Player Of Games.
Choose Your Own Chat 1 Choose Your Own Chat 2 Choose Your Own Chat 3
Unless you've heard differently, I believe that this turned out to be some sort of troll promulgated by Mark Millar.
Another crime to add to his name.
Choose Your Own Chat 1 Choose Your Own Chat 2 Choose Your Own Chat 3
I'm partial to Consider Phlebas, which I know some people don't care for. I just like the angle it has on the Culture.
I knew lots about the Culture thanks to Wikipedia before I ever read any of the novels, so Consider Phlebas felt really weird to me, with the way the protagonist is set up.
There are plenty of options.
I'd go with Consider Phlebas or Player of Games. The former I personally didn't like that much, but its probably a good idea to read that one before some of the rest of the books set in that universe. Excession as well I really enjoyed for its space opera style, but it is quite complicated as well.
Its pretty hard to go wrong. I even really liked Inversions, though I wouldn't recommend that as your next read.
Room is a goddamn fantastic book.
It's about a five year old boy who was born to a mother being held captive in an 11' square room, and who has never seen the outside world, told from his point of view. The book does a pretty great job at balancing a convincing 5-year-old voice and some compelling prose, even if some of it stretches credulity a bit. And everything is passed through the lens of a small child who has never seen anything beyond those four walls and a tiny square skylight in the ceiling, and everything is anthropomorphized. He walks on Rug, he eats dinner with Spoon, his best friend is Remote Control. Anything that doesn't really exist is "TV". Dora the Explorer is "TV", and so are monsters, and so is grass, and so is snow, and so are other people.
Just so, so good.
Reading your summary made me incredibly sad
p legit so far
a few chapters in, it appears to be fantasy a la ancient egypt, with a magic system powered by dreams
I'm holding out for a happy ending.
Jemisin does good, even excellent work. The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms, which I think was the author's debut, is..well, for one thing unique, for another, quite clever. It has...Things, to say about the positions of humanity and divinity, of ownership and mastery, ad a whole host of other stuff. It's "One of them there literary things", that rewards careful, or at least attentive reading.
Killing Moon is on my list, but I've been distracted by Daniel Abraham's Dragons Path stuff, and Peter Hamilton's Pandora's Star. Courtesy of some inconvenient roadworks, it is taking me 2 hours to get home ever day, so his brick thick novels seem rather appropriate.
Oh, just wrapped up the third Mongoliad...some nice conclusions, it's an action-movie book really. Clearly, clearly wants or needs someone to do some follow up material. Good though, if you liked the last two, and were on the fence - that said, it is *800 pages*, to the 3-400 of the last two, so again, bit of a doorstop.
Goodreads
SF&F Reviews blog
That being said, I also want to apologize that, in my absence, I really dropped the ball in getting a new group read together, if people are actually doing those. I've been kind of busy, what with getting married soon and all. So I guess we'll take this quarter off.
Currently, I'm working on Argo. About a quarter of the way through and it's kind of repetitive. It goes through the same moments repeatedly but from different perspectives. Not like a movie where it jumps back and forth, but large sections being repeated over and over in the timeline of events. It's actually kind of disconcerting. I haven't seen the movie yet, but I wanted to get through the book before seeing the movie. I'm not that impressed right now, but I'll hold off judgment until I read more.
yesssss
That book goes places about half way though.
reminded me of mistborn, actually
Reading so many people read Hydrogen Sonata and go, "Wow, Iain M. Banks can write, what else is good in this series?" has made me decide that one might just be the next one I pick up.. It's hard for me to choose between going down the Gibson path or Banks when I reach for SciFi at the moment.
Just barely started Under Heaven, and haven't even read enough to really say much.
Opinions are pretty divided on this one. I didn't like it much myself, either. Player of Games is so much better in my opinion. Far more lean, as far as the story goes, which in my mind is a good thing.
http://www.npr.org/2012/12/12/166947763/now-youre-talking-the-years-best-book-club-reads
I want to pick one for my newly formed book club to read
or you could make another suggestion for a group of educated 30 something ladies
I heard good things about wild, despite being an oprah pick
i bought it for my wife for christmas but she hasnt read it yet
Can anyone recommend me some UK-authored urban fantasy? I've already read Aaronovich, Carey, O'Malley, Green, Gaiman, and Shevdon. I'm willing to import from amazon.co.uk if necessary. I'm looking for something with a strong British voice, but will settle for things set in the UK written by someone with enough first-hand experience to make it feel authentic.
Choose Your Own Chat 1 Choose Your Own Chat 2 Choose Your Own Chat 3
China Meiville springs to mind here.
I've read some Meiville. The various Bas-Lag stuff is probably the closest he gets to what I'm talking about and I can't stand his writing. Pratchett's recent Dodger, despite being not what I'd normally term Fantasy, is closer to what I'm looking for. Actually, if anyone can recommend some good UK mystery thriller types that would also be good. Like Aaronovich's Rivers of London stuff without the magic.
I've not read Kraken. I have his Embassytown which I haven't read yet. I'm hoping it's more palatable than the other stuff; if so then maybe I'll give Kraken a shot.