December's Deliciously Delirifacient Dabblings Into Fictional Diversions

[David B]

Originally Posted by GOLLUM

Have you read Morgan's novel Altered Carbon? It's something of an SF classic and similarly good like The Steel Remains. SF has been Morgan's main forte to date.

I've not read it yet but will now. Thanks.

[D_Davis]

Every Shallow Cut, by Tom Piccirilli

Another cool little novella from CZP. It's come to the point now that if I even see the CZP imprint on a book's spine I'll just pick it up and buy it.

[Connavar]

Originally Posted by D_Davis

Every Shallow Cut, by Tom Piccirilli

Another cool little novella from CZP. It's come to the point now that if I even see the CZP imprint on a book's spine I'll just pick it up and buy it.

CZP? I bought because Piccirilli is one of my new fav younger Noir writers. Every Shallow Cut was his darkest,meanest story and the noir fan in me found very cool, yummy. Let me know if you see similar novellas in paperbook form by these publisher.

Do you like heist films ? He has a very cool criminal noir series about getaway driver. Not as bleak as this novella but similar.

[Hilarious Joke]

I'm reading:

- The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
- Lord of the Shadows by Jennifer Fallon
- Hidden Empire by Kevin Anderson

[Rodders]

I've just finished Neal Asher's Brass Man. Enjoyable enough but not his best IMO.

Now on to Cowl. (Also by Neal.)

[JLawrenceDavis]

Originally Posted by Hilarious Joke

I'm reading:

- The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie
- Lord of the Shadows by Jennifer Fallon
- Hidden Empire by Kevin Anderson

I really enjoyed the Saga of Seven Suns series; hope you do as well

[D_Davis]

Originally Posted by Connavar

CZP? Let me know if you see similar novellas in paperbook form by these publisher.

Chizine Publications.

They have a whole series of novella publications. I read Chasing the Dragon this year, an amazing little book. Almost made my top 10.

I've tried to read a couple of Piccirilli books before, but never really got into his writing. What do you suggest?

[j. d. worthington]

As part of that reading listed above, I've now dipped into my collection of stories by W. C. Morrow, The Monster-Maker and Other Stories -- which I am reading in order of their original publication, rather than their assemblage here -- with "A Glimpse of the Unusual", which is the sort of story I have difficulty believing would see publication today. It is simply a type of tale that I don't think editors would even give a second thought to... but it's a rather effective handling of the concept, even if bizarre; and at the end one is left with more questions than answers, and unsure even whether the entire thing (that is, the narrator's story) is a joke in bad taste, a fabrication, a madman's maunderings, or a straightforward account of a lunatic situation... though I incline toward the idea that it is a picture of a disturbed mind, save that he is so coherent and able to extricate himself from situations so handily.

I've also read a fair amount of Sterling's fantastic poetry by this point, and am quite impressed. I think that, save for Smith's own The Star-Treader or The Hashish-Eater, I've never encountered such a concentrated bit of cosmicism as I see in some of Sterling's works, such as The Testimony of the Suns, among others. Sheer genius here, and exquisitely expressed. Also a few more of CAS's poems, which run the gamut from such cosmic visions to delicate mood-pieces expressing some of those very fleeting impressions which come to a person only a handful of times in a life, yet which can exalt the spirit more than perhaps anything else I know....

[Connavar]

Originally Posted by D_Davis

Chizine Publications.

They have a whole series of novella publications. I read Chasing the Dragon this year, an amazing little book. Almost made my top 10.

I've tried to read a couple of Piccirilli books before, but never really got into his writing. What do you suggest?

Chasing the Dragon sounds good, did you order it directly from them ? Is that realiable?I didnt know these publishers of interesting novellas because Piccirilli for example have written many good noir novellas but they are realesed by e-book as those small press publishers he use.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2....The_Cold_Spot

The Cold Spot is the best place to start reading his noir,crime writing. Its also first book of a series. I havent tried his horror,weird stories yet.

[Adasunshine]

Have just embarked upon The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.

Have been looking forward to this one for a while!

xx

[Mouse]

Originally Posted by Adasunshine

Have just embarked upon The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.

Have been looking forward to this one for a while!

xx

One of my friends has just finished this and he raves about it all the time now. Says I should read it.

[JLawrenceDavis]

I finished Fable: Blood Ties by Peter David today and really enjoyed it. Resumed reading The Lost Gate by Orson Scott Card but getting annoyed with some things about it. Probably will give it a few more chapters before dropping it.

[J-Sun]

Read The Book of Fritz Leiber. (I discuss it a little more on the short story thread but, long story short: nothing much bad; nothing much great - it can be skipped.)

[Adasunshine]

Originally Posted by Mouse

One of my friends has just finished this and he raves about it all the time now. Says I should read it.

I shall certainly give you my feedback O' Squeaky One!

Started it last night and so far so good, quite dark... having trouble putting it down!

xx

[D_Davis]

Episode 9 of the Merkabah Rider saga, "The Long Sabbath," raises the bar of gruesome action to a level I've never encountered before. We're talking lawnmower scene from Dead Alive levels of gore, multiplied. The surmounting tension and the evolving, epic nature of the main action set piece is absolutely jaw dropping. It also includes the nastiest stampede I've ever witnessed. Just brutal. And all so, so, SO good.

If you like horror, westerns, folklore, and the Cthulhu mythos, and you're not reading the Merkabah Rider saga, you're reading the wrong books.