What are you Reading Now?

[Geo]

I've been thinking of looking into those...What are they like? Are they overly disturbing or anything? I want to read Weird Fiction cuz that's kinda what I'm turning into.

I have his book on writing, WonderBook, and I really appreciate the weirdness.

Hi there DragonOfTheAerie,
Weird, yes. Awesome, also. The atmosphere VanderMeer creates is just fantastic. I literally could not put the first book down until I finished it (my students had a very sleep deprived teacher for 3 days) . The second book took me by surprise because the theme continues but is at the same time totally different and the third book is just written with mastery, hard to find other words. It's been long since an author surprises me , and these books have weird and great surprises in every turn of the page. Honestly, if you want to read good fiction speculative that happens to be eerie and weird, this is it.

 

[Brian Scott Allen]

I've read that one multiple times

Currently reading Devices and Desires, by KJ Parker.

Gardens of the Moon or Black Prism?

 

[Steerpike]

Gardens of the Moon or Black Prism?

Gardens of the Moon. Great series of books

 

[Russ]

Gardens of the Moon. Great series of books

Second that, with the same analysis. Well worth the time reading those.

 

[Steerpike]

Second that, with the same analysis. Well worth the time reading those.

Has to be the high point of world-building in modern epic fantasy. I like Esslemont's contributions as well.

 

[Demesnedenoir]

I can't get into Gardens of the Moon at all, and I've tried several times now. I've made it further in Name of the Wind than Gardens of the Moon, and that's saying something... because I'm not fond of the writing there either.

Both of these are on my list of "force myself to read" books to see if I can figure out why people like them, heh heh. I read the first Mistborn book recently and it was... okay, I get the attraction, but I won't read the rest of the series. I might read Way of Kings to see how Sanderson matured in his writing.

 

[Mythopoet]

I can't get into Gardens of the Moon at all, and I've tried several times now. I've made it further in Name of the Wind than Gardens of the Moon, and that's saying something... because I'm not fond of the writing there either.

Both of these are on my list of "force myself to read" books to see if I can figure out why people like them, heh heh. I read the first Mistborn book recently and it was... okay, I get the attraction, but I won't read the rest of the series. I might read Way of Kings to see how Sanderson matured in his writing.

I managed to finish Gardens of the Moon, but the second book, Deadhouse Gates, totally defeated me. I just could not stand it.

As for Sanderson, I read Elantris, and it was ok. Tried to read The Way of Kings and gave up again in despair. Just not at all a compelling book to me. It's strange because I like a lot of what Sanderson says about writing on the Writing Excuses podcast. But his actual books fail to engage me.

 

[Steerpike]

I can't get into Gardens of the Moon at all, and I've tried several times now. I've made it further in Name of the Wind than Gardens of the Moon, and that's saying something... because I'm not fond of the writing there either.

Both of these are on my list of "force myself to read" books to see if I can figure out why people like them, heh heh. I read the first Mistborn book recently and it was... okay, I get the attraction, but I won't read the rest of the series. I might read Way of Kings to see how Sanderson matured in his writing.

It's a great series, IMO. But you're looking at ten books, some of which push 1200 pages. If you don't like Erikson's writing, may as well read something you like. The series is complicated and doesn't become easier to read.

 

[Demesnedenoir]

Complicated is good, and huge books are fine, and I doubt he can be more difficult to read than Chaucer in its original Middle English, but not sure his writing and story will engage me. The setting feels so D&D (or generic RPG) it bugs me... but if I recall correctly, it should feel that way since that was its genesis. That would've appealed to me in '99 (maybe, I was already trending low magic with plumes of high) but now, it's more iffy. Now, in '92 I probably would've been into this book... although I was stuck reading Chaucer about then, LOL.

I also have editor brain (although I've managed to suppress it) and Rothfuss and Erickson both try to make my inner editor scream on numerous occassions. I am going to take a run at reading Gardens and Name of the Wind over the next year, as a study of writers rather than entertainment, then I'll see if they're interesting enough to continue with.

It's a great series, IMO. But you're looking at ten books, some of which push 1200 pages. If you don't like Erikson's writing, may as well read something you like. The series is complicated and doesn't become easier to read.

 

[Demesnedenoir]

Yeah, I love Brandon as Brandon, and as a writer, he is just fine, just so far he hasn't excited me. But in all fairness, I haven't found an exciting writer in a very long time. I just started rereading The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco the other day, and I was shocked at how quickly I fell back into that story and the narrator's voice. And hell, that was originally in Italian! The English translation is better than most English writers manage. Go figure. Not all of Eco's stories are great, but the dude was a helluva writer, his passing was a literary loss for sure.

I managed to finish Gardens of the Moon, but the second book, Deadhouse Gates, totally defeated me. I just could not stand it.

As for Sanderson, I read Elantris, and it was ok. Tried to read The Way of Kings and gave up again in despair. Just not at all a compelling book to me. It's strange because I like a lot of what Sanderson says about writing on the Writing Excuses podcast. But his actual books fail to engage me.

 

[skip.knox]

Shards of a Broken Sword by W.R. Gingell. I read the sample and it hooked me. Normally I shy away from stories about the Fae, especially when it's capitalized. But this story starts with a cursed prince, his kindly and sympathetic father, and a strong and intriguing enchantress. By the time I learned it was going to be about Faery, I liked the lead characters so well, I was willing to follow them into Trite Land, trusting the author will come through.

That's a pretty good accomplishment for a sample!

 

[DragonOfTheAerie]

especially when it's capitalized.

Heehee... XD

 

[Geo]

I just finished They Mostly Come at Night, by Benedict Patrick. I think is his first book, is YA and it made me cringe because of the horrible misappropriation of the Native American voice and their legends/stories, but the format is interesting, the writing fluid and some of the interloping stories have a naive kind of charm. I got it as part of my effort to read new authors trying to set themselves apart from the classic Eurocentric type of fantasy. And Benedict tried, but in my opinion did not succeed.

 

[Mythopoet]

I finished reading The High House and found it a great ride and very satisfying. It's essentially about the transfer of power between the old Master of the High House, who has been missing for 10 years, and whoever will become his heir, the House chooses. But while the players are trying to figure things out, they are under attack by a group that wants to completely undermine the power of the House, which seems to be linked to the universe itself. Highly recommended.

I'm continuing my reread of The Night Land while taking notes. It makes me feel sorry for William Hope Hodgson. This books is an incredible, stunning work of imagination, but the really unfortunate choice of prose style he made means that few people read it anymore. It had such a huge influence on many of the other influential writers of weird fantasy (Lovecraft, Ashton Smith, etc) but its legacy is fading because most people just don't want to read a huge book written this way. And I can't fault them. The prose is really tiresome and often absurd. I have no idea why he chose to write it like this. But for me at least, the story behind the prose is well worth the effort. There is an amazing world here and also a very personal story of love and sacrifice.

There is also a "retold" version of the book which sticks to the original as closely as possible, but updates the prose and structure of the writing. It's by James Stoddard and I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in The Night Land.

I've also started reading Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner. Not sure what I think of it so far. It appears to be one of those fantasy stories with zero fantastical elements, more like historical fiction but set in an imaginary place. In general, I don't favor those types of fantasy books, but I'll see how this one plays out.

 

[DragonOfTheAerie]

I finished reading The High House and found it a great ride and very satisfying. It's essentially about the transfer of power between the old Master of the High House, who has been missing for 10 years, and whoever will become his heir, the House chooses. But while the players are trying to figure things out, they are under attack by a group that wants to completely undermine the power of the House, which seems to be linked to the universe itself. Highly recommended.

I'm continuing my reread of The Night Land while taking notes. It makes me feel sorry for William Hope Hodgson. This books is an incredible, stunning work of imagination, but the really unfortunate choice of prose style he made means that few people read it anymore. It had such a huge influence on many of the other influential writers of weird fantasy (Lovecraft, Ashton Smith, etc) but its legacy is fading because most people just don't want to read a huge book written this way. And I can't fault them. The prose is really tiresome and often absurd. I have no idea why he chose to write it like this. But for me at least, the story behind the prose is well worth the effort. There is an amazing world here and also a very personal story of love and sacrifice.

There is also a "retold" version of the book which sticks to the original as closely as possible, but updates the prose and structure of the writing. It's by James Stoddard and I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in The Night Land.

I've also started reading Swordspoint by Ellen Kushner. Not sure what I think of it so far. It appears to be one of those fantasy stories with zero fantastical elements, more like historical fiction but set in an imaginary place. In general, I don't favor those types of fantasy books, but I'll see how this one plays out.

What's the Night Land about? And why is the prose weird?

 

[Steerpike]

What's the Night Land about? And why is the prose weird?

It's a far-future story where the sun has been extinguished, as I recall. I remember thinking it was very cool story when I read it, which was some time ago. Worth checking out.

Also, all of the Ellen Kushner books set in the "Riverside" are are excellent, which includes Swordspoint, Privilege of the Sword, and The Fall of the Kings (which does have some magical elements).

 

[Mythopoet]

What's the Night Land about? And why is the prose weird?

The Night Land is about a very, very distant future (many millions of years) in which the sun has been completely dark for millions of years and humanity exists only in a gigantic pyramid structure called the Great Redoubt which they never leave. The Redoubt is surrounded on all sides by monstrous enemies, but is sustained from within by the "earth current". The main character, who is never named and tells the story in the first person, is a youth of the Great Redoubt who has "night hearing" (a kind of telepathy) and receives a telepathic call from another, smaller redoubt somewhere out there in the Night Land where a small number of humans are in great trouble for their earth current is failing. The MC discovers that the girl he makes contact with is essentially the reincarnation of his wife from a previous life. When he looses contact with her, knowing her Redoubt is in grave danger, he braves a journey through the Night Land to save her.

The descriptions of the Land and the hints at the history of humanity up to that point are strikingly imaginative. It's a sci fi novel, but it was written in 1912 so the science is quite old. But here's an example of the prose:

And as I did begin to return, it was to me as that all my senses were newly awake; for I had a sudden knowing that I was within the atmosphere, should I not call it, of the Monster. And I gat an abrupt and horrid shaking of the spirit; for I did feel in verity that my soul had come too anigh; and that the Beast had a sure knowledge concerning me; yet did make to my destruction with no haste; but after that way and fashion that did seem proper unto it. And this feeling you shall understand the better, maybe, when I do tell that it was of a quiet and steadfast life and keen intelligence that I did believe to come forth from the Watcher on every side; so that I did feel as one already within the gaze of some Great and Evil Power.

 

[DragonOfTheAerie]

The Night Land is about a very, very distant future (many millions of years) in which the sun has been completely dark for millions of years and humanity exists only in a gigantic pyramid structure called the Great Redoubt which they never leave. The Redoubt is surrounded on all sides by monstrous enemies, but is sustained from within by the "earth current". The main character, who is never named and tells the story in the first person, is a youth of the Great Redoubt who has "night hearing" (a kind of telepathy) and receives a telepathic call from another, smaller redoubt somewhere out there in the Night Land where a small number of humans are in great trouble for their earth current is failing. The MC discovers that the girl he makes contact with is essentially the reincarnation of his wife from a previous life. When he looses contact with her, knowing her Redoubt is in grave danger, he braves a journey through the Night Land to save her.

The descriptions of the Land and the hints at the history of humanity up to that point are strikingly imaginative. It's a sci fi novel, but it was written in 1912 so the science is quite old. But here's an example of the prose:

Yikes. I can barely make it through that example. Reading a whole book like that sounds incredibly tedious.

 

[Demesnedenoir]

It's the sort of prose you can get used to. But then I've read plenty of old stuff, including the Canterbury Tales in ME... so, LOL. That sort of thing is a put off for the modern reader, no doubt. I doubt I'd be patient enough these days.

 

[DragonOfTheAerie]

It's the sort of prose you can get used to. But then I've read plenty of old stuff, including the Canterbury Tales in ME... so, LOL. That sort of thing is a put off for the modern reader, no doubt. I doubt I'd be patient enough these days.

I hate the Canterbury Tales in modern English. XD Can some one tell me what the point of all that absurdly perverted crud is?