March's Manic Marauding of Maverick Meanderings

[HoopyFrood]

Originally Posted by D_Davis

Well, hey...it must be doing something right to get such polarizing opinions. I'd much rather read something like that than something that everything thinks is OK.

There are moments, characters, and situations from the book that will be forever imprinted on my mind. The entirely thing is relentlessly inventive and creative, and entirely otherworldly; in other words, it possesses every quality that I desire in a work of fantastic fiction.

Well, 130 pages in and I've very much enjoying it. A mix of normal, fantastic and then downright creepy.

And the characters really are (so far) treading that oh-so-demanding line that I mentioned I have very nicely! Well done them.

Barker is also very good at just releasing the right amount of information to keep you intrigued, but not enough to give you the full picture so you just have to carry on...

[Connavar]

Originally Posted by Randy M.

I read a few John D. MacDonald's back when I was a teen and easier to impress, but they seemed awfully repetitious and his friend (Meyer?) grew a bit annoying.

I went through two months about 12 years ago where I read one after another of Ross Macdonald's Lew Archer novels and was consistently entertained and even edified. The Zebra-Striped Hearse, The Goodbye Look, Black Money, The Far Side of the Dollar and The Underground Man were all excellent. That last is a favorite, though, because I particularly enjoyed the way Macdonald merged the mystery with a somewhat more personal story for Archer. Macdonald had a real skill for writing about children, in particular.

The Chill, which gets a fair amount of attention from mystery readers, is also good, but Macdonald puts so much effort into orchestrating the plot so all is revealed only in the last lines of the novel, that I think the characterization suffers some. Even so, it's entertaining.

Randy M.

I have read the first Travis McGee book and never went back for another JDM book. It had aged much worse than Lew Archer books,RM. I have got the second Travis McGee as second hand just because many of fav authors sees to rate John D.Macdonald. Block,Westlake etc

I dig Lew Archer books, near perfect hardboiled PI series. They deal with more real issues, regular characters than most detective stories. I look forward to read much more of Ross Macdonald.

[gully_foyle]

Now reading On the Beach by Nevil Shute. I've never seen the movie unfortunately. It has often been claimed that Ava Gardner described Melbourne as "the perfect place to make a film about the end of the world." How could someone say that?

[elvet]

I'm reading the House on Durrow Street by Galen Beckett. It's Jane Austen with a little magic. I think it's better that it's predecessor, The Magicians and Mrs.Quent.

[Vertigo]

Originally Posted by gully_foyle

Now reading On the Beach by Nevil Shute. I've never seen the movie unfortunately. It has often been claimed that Ava Gardner described Melbourne as "the perfect place to make a film about the end of the world." How could someone say that?

I've still got my original copy of that book knocking around somewhere. I devoured Shute's books when I was younger. I keep on wondering about a nostalgic re-read.

[Rosemary]

I've spent the last few months re-reading all of my fantasy books!

Just now re-reading all of the wonderful Sara Douglass trilogies.

[Grunkins]

I started Iain M Banks' Consider Phlebas last night. I've been wanting to read his Culture novels for a while now. This book reads (so far) very much like a Jack Vance book. Really enjoying it.

[Lord Soth]

Originally Posted by Grunkins

I started Iain M Banks' Consider Phlebas last night. I've been wanting to read his Culture novels for a while now. This book reads (so far) very much like a Jack Vance book. Really enjoying it.

Its a good introduction, but the best Culture novels are mid series (in my opinion) so I am really quite jealous of now, you are at the start of a great series with the best to come!

[Warren_Paul]

Originally Posted by Rosemary

Just now re-reading all of the wonderful Sara Douglass trilogies.

Great books. Now there is an author who will be missed.

[Vertigo]

Originally Posted by Lord Soth

Its a good introduction, but the best Culture novels are mid series (in my opinion) so I am really quite jealous of now, you are at the start of a great series with the best to come!

Although interestingly enough there are quite a lot of readers who like the Culture books but not this one. I would say, Grunkins, that if you are enjoying Consider Phlebas (which I also loved by the way) then you are in for a great ride.

[Grunkins]

Originally Posted by Lord Soth

Its a good introduction, but the best Culture novels are mid series (in my opinion) so I am really quite jealous of now, you are at the start of a great series with the best to come!

Originally Posted by Vertigo

Although interestingly enough there are quite a lot of readers who like the Culture books but not this one. I would say, Grunkins, that if you are enjoying Consider Phlebas (which I also loved by the way) then you are in for a great ride.

I'm pretty pumped. I have Player of Games, Use of Weapons, and Excession in my TBR stacks ready to go. I also heard some mixed reviews about Consider Phlebas and it put me off from reading it for a while, but I'm a bit over 100 pages in and it's great.

[elvet]

Originally Posted by Grunkins

I started Iain M Banks' Consider Phlebas last night. I've been wanting to read his Culture novels for a while now. This book reads (so far) very much like a Jack Vance book. Really enjoying it.

Consider Phlebas was one of the first non-fantasy books I've read and I got hooked on Culture. I've read them all. I'd have to say that the latest, Surface Detail is one of my favorites.

[J-Sun]

Originally Posted by Vertigo

Although interestingly enough there are quite a lot of readers who like the Culture books but not this one. I would say, Grunkins, that if you are enjoying Consider Phlebas (which I also loved by the way) then you are in for a great ride.

Yep - I've heard a bunch of negativity towards it, too - being elliptical here and not spoilery - perhaps mainly for its unconventional protagonist and what that does to the reader's orientation to the universe but I actually really liked that aspect - maybe the best part. It was just that revolting "Eaters" chapter that had me almost put the book down. But it recovered nicely and, while I'm kind of mixed on it, I picked up some more and will read them soon. So, yeah, it seems like its a book many people would enjoy and makes a good start (it IS how it started, after all, and the series became a success) but, if it doesn't work for some reason, maybe those readers should give it a second try with another book.

[Vertigo]

Bizarrely it was one of the last Culture books I read. When I started reading them it really was in no particular order, which, for the most part, is fine. My first Culture was Player of Games which I loved. Actually I have loved them all with the possible exception of Inversions which I just couldn't really get absorbed in. It didn't know whether it wanted to be SF or F. I haven't got around to getting Surface Detail yet so I still have that to look forward too!

[Lord Soth]

Originally Posted by Vertigo

Bizarrely it was one of the last Culture books I read. When I started reading them it really was in no particular order, which, for the most part, is fine. My first Culture was Player of Games which I loved. Actually I have loved them all with the possible exception of Inversions which I just couldn't really get absorbed in. It didn't know whether it wanted to be SF or F. I haven't got around to getting Surface Detail yet so I still have that to look forward too!

I didn't like Surface Detail the first time round, second was much better though for some reason.

Just started a re-read of Gardens of the Moon, have been promising this to myself for ages and have finally taken the plunge!