Just finished "Leviathan Wakes" the first book in The Expanse series, needless to say after reading this book I don't think I'll be checking out the others. A mediocre book through and through with nothing even lose to interesting or new being explored, the fact that the book has a blurb by GRRM plastered on the front praising the book actually upsets me.
Just finished "Leviathan Wakes" the first book in The Expanse series, needless to say after reading this book I don't think I'll be checking out the others. A mediocre book through and through with nothing even lose to interesting or new being explored, the fact that the book has a blurb by GRRM plastered on the front praising the book actually upsets me.
I've realized that my favorite genre of story is what I like to call "coherent nonsense."
I like when, on the surface, a story is incredibly stupid, but the author takes everything very seriously. All the stupid elements have explanations for them. There are rules for how the world works that are followed pretty strictly, etc...
For example One Piece has a man who fights using three swords, one in each hand and the third one in his mouth. In one scene he uses his friend as the third sword because he needs to fight a giraffe man. It has plenty of moments like that. Almost always things are so well established that it doesn't even register how weird the situation is.
Metal Gear Solid 3 has a man who shoots bees at you, a 100+ year old sniper who uses his parrot as his spotter, a ladder that won't end until the theme song has finished playing...and IMO the best story that has ever been in a videogame.
I have zero book examples for this genre. Any recommendations? Is Discworld what I'm looking for?
Hitchhikers is also a good choice if you haven't read it, but disxworld has its own logic underlying the apparent nonsense that makes it so much better.
Actually, dirk gently is probably better than hitchhikers insofar as an underlying logic goes
Hitchhikers is also a good choice if you haven't read it, but disxworld has its own logic underlying the apparent nonsense that makes it so much better.
Actually, dirk gently is probably better than hitchhikers insofar as an underlying logic goes
I've read Hitchhikers Guide and it sure gets the nonsense part right, but the story itself seems to be just a delivery vehicle for more nonsense, instead of telling a great story using the nonsense elements.
Just finished "Leviathan Wakes" the first book in The Expanse series, needless to say after reading this book I don't think I'll be checking out the others. A mediocre book through and through with nothing even lose to interesting or new being explored, the fact that the book has a blurb by GRRM plastered on the front praising the book actually upsets me.
While I enjoyed it and I definitely don't like to push stuff on people if they genuinely don't like it, I will say the sequel books improve on this book greatly. I'm reading the fourth book now and both the second and third improve on this one greatly. Like most "firsts" of many sci-fi/space opera things, this one is setting the table for better things later.
Leviathan Wakes was okay for a scifi blockbuster style novel. About the norm for something like Mass Effect or Abram's Star Trek in novel form. The second book is more interesting because there are more characters and the premise is a bit more involving, but it's still filled with the lazy genre conventions and cliched type of characters. The third book was just awful in terms of how contrived it got. Dropped the series after that. Interesting ideas in terms of worldbuilding, but the authors simply aren't good at writing engaging characters or narrative. Every page feels like they're trying too hard to write a concept script for Hollywood as a novel instead. Reminds me of Crichton's Timeline in that aspect.
While I enjoyed it and I definitely don't like to push stuff on people if they genuinely don't like it, I will say the sequel books improve on this book greatly. I'm reading the fourth book now and both the second and third improve on this one greatly. Like most "firsts" of many sci-fi/space opera things, this one is setting the table for better things later.
Ugh, I really don't see myself continuing with the series that first book was so generic and medicore replete with generic caricature like characters. Tell me what's the point of POV chapters if both characters read almost entirely the same and also end up meeting like a quarter of the way through and then never really leaving each other's side? Holden and Miller are practically the same character despite the book constantly telling me how they are different, Miller just washes everything over in cliche noir tropes. It's actually amazing how much better something like the Mass Effect novels are, well not really Drew Karpyshyn is darn good. Why you leave before ME3 Karpyshyn?!
Fished 'The Hot Zone' the other week. Terrifying in places, a bit plodding in others, but glad I read it all the same. some of the descriptions, oh my god. Seriously shit your pants stuff.
Reading Mike Tysons Undisputed Truth now, which as you can imagine, is bloody good. Not the most highbrow book ive ever read but fucking entertaining
I've realized that my favorite genre of story is what I like to call "coherent nonsense."
I like when, on the surface, a story is incredibly stupid, but the author takes everything very seriously. All the stupid elements have explanations for them. There are rules for how the world works that are followed pretty strictly, etc...
Nick Harkaway's Gone Away World might be up your alley. From the Publisher's Weekly review on Amazon:
This unclassifiable debut from the son of legendary thriller author John le Carré is simultaneously a cautionary tale about the absurdity of war; a sardonic science fiction romp through Armageddon; a conspiracy-fueled mystery replete with ninjas, mimes and cannibal dogs; and a horrifying glimpse of a Lovecraftian near-future. Go Away bombs have erased entire sections of reality from the face of the Earth. A nameless soldier and his heroic best friend witness firsthand the unimaginable aftermath outside the Livable Zone, finding that the world has unraveled and is home to an assortment of nightmarish mutations. With the fate of humankind in the balance, the pair become involved in an unlikely and potentially catastrophic love triangle.
Ugh, I really don't see myself continuing with the series that first book was so generic and medicore replete with generic caricature like characters. Tell me what's the point of POV chapters if both characters read almost entirely the same and also end up meeting like a quarter of the way through and then never really leaving each other's side? Holden and Miller are practically the same character despite the book constantly telling me how they are different, Miller just washes everything over in cliche noir tropes. It's actually amazing how much better something like the Mass Effect novels are, well not really Drew Karpyshyn is darn good. Why you leave before ME3 Karpyshyn?!
I had the same issue, that's why I preferred the other books. There's four POV characters in them, rather than just rotating between two. To me, the pace of the books improves because of it. I was halfway through the second book before I knew it. But yeah, the "style" of the books are similar, so if you just didn't like the vibe and style of it, you probably won't like the rest. I mildly enjoyed the first book, that's why I picked up the second. That one was much better. Now I'm into the series.
And duckroll is not wrong about the books, they're ultimately silly and summer blockbuster-y. I was in the mood for that, though. I wouldn't call The Expanse books deep by any means.
I had the same issue, that's why I preferred the other books. There's four POV characters in them, rather than just rotating between two. To me, the pace of the books improves because of it. I was halfway through the second book before I knew it. But yeah, the "style" of the books are similar, so if you just didn't like the vibe and style of it, you probably won't like the rest. I mildly enjoyed the first book, that's why I picked up the second. That one was much better. Now I'm into the series.
And duckroll is not wrong about the books, they're ultimately silly and summer blockbuster-y. I was in the mood for that, though. I wouldn't call The Expanse books deep by any means.
Yeah i think mood factors into that too. I was actually much more positive about the first two books when I read them, but reflecting on it after being soured by the third book, the writing really doesn't hold up well. While the writing isn't engaging in a sense that I think it's hard to really care for the characters or situations in a meaningful way, some of the scenes can be pretty exciting if you're just reading it as disposable "fun" stuff.
Finished The Rise of Endymion and with it, the whole Hyperion Cantos by Dan Simmons.
Oh man... What a series. I'm still awestruck. I was planning to write a LTTP but there's so much I want to talk about that in the end I just gave up. One of the best books I've read in my life.
Started The Road by Cormac McCarthy today. I love post-apocalyptic settings. First impressions are really good.
Yeah i think mood factors into that too. I was actually much more positive about the first two books when I read them, but reflecting on it after being soured by the third book, the writing really doesn't hold up well. While the writing isn't engaging in a sense that I think it's hard to really care for the characters or situations in a meaningful way, some of the scenes can be pretty exciting if you're just reading it as disposable "fun" stuff.
Absolutely agree. I'm on Cibola Burn and I'm starting to get your feel, where I don't seem to care much about what happens. I've been skimming this book more than the others but I'm still able to keep up with the major story beats and still keep up with the few characters I do care about (mainly Holden's crew, probably because they're the only characters that travel through the series).
They're quick reads, enjoyable and hitting my space opera spot that I need fed now. For that, I'm enjoying them.
Leviathan Wakes was okay for a scifi blockbuster style novel. About the norm for something like Mass Effect or Abram's Star Trek in novel form. The second book is more interesting because there are more characters and the premise is a bit more involving, but it's still filled with the lazy genre conventions and cliched type of characters. The third book was just awful in terms of how contrived it got. Dropped the series after that. Interesting ideas in terms of worldbuilding, but the authors simply aren't good at writing engaging characters or narrative. Every page feels like they're trying too hard to write a concept script for Hollywood as a novel instead. Reminds me of Crichton's Timeline in that aspect.
I actually loved Leviathan Wakes. Just a fun book to me and I enjoyed the setting. Caliban's War wasn't bad either and still enjoyed the setting quite a bit, but the third book is where I stopped. Didn't get too far into it before I was bored.
Ah yes, I remember this was mentioned before after reading the blurb for it. Defintely sounded like something I would like, so thanks for the mention again!
Very enjoyable series so far. I've read the first seven. I will say that as I've gotten deeper into it, I need some time away from it between books because the protagonist can be grating.
I'm done! Now I can go through this thread and take up the book club and all of that. Maybe that's not the immediate impression I should have after finishing, but there's a rather long denouement here and the climax/revelation is what took up most of my attention. Speaking of which:
The revelation/explanation was... sufficient? I know that doesn't sound like praise, but considering how a lot of these turn out(I'm looking at you True Detective's boogeyman), I thought it was really cool. It wasn't much of a surprise, not a moment where previously nebulous pieces of a jigsaw puzzle suddenly slip into place. What it did was open up a whole host of possibilities,
imagine if he wrote more books in the same universe, combining more sci fi elements with this kind of preternatural entity he's developed so well. What an interesting "first contact" it all makes, a lot more interesting than the usual The War of The Worlds type scenario.
So, that's a success, which goes a long way, but there are other things that worked as well.
I liked the decision to shift perspective again, now following multiple characters separately. A lot of the creepiness, or the horror elements of the first book were missing, maybe I've grown so used to Area X by now it doesn't unnerve me as much as say
Control uncovering those words for the first time in the director's office.
I have to mention this again, Vandermeer doesn't seem able to write very good characters. What worked best were the very basic roles of the original four from the first book and their various reactions to Area X, almost how you would feel a hypothetical reaction of a character type would unfold. When we get to actual people, things start to feel a lot more shallow and downright empty.
A good series of three, and the final book was a lot of fun. Interesting to see where things go from here,
maybe this depends on the sales, but there's definitely room to expand.
I got about ten pages into it, got bored, and set it aside for possible future reading. Gathering some of the responses here, I'm not sure I'll ever get back to it.
Finished Drood today. Loved it. I highly recommend it for anyone looking for horror or mystery. I started The Mystery of Edwin Drood as soon as I was done.
I got about ten pages into it, got bored, and set it aside for possible future reading. Gathering some of the responses here, I'm not sure I'll ever get back to it.
Totally unrelated, but I'd also like to take this opportunity to thank you, besada, for indirectly introducing me to Soul Coughing. I googled one of your older tags and got blown away by Ruby Vroom. It almost topped David Bowie in my rather unexciting personal chart:
Currently a good way in to this and still not sure what to think. The highlights of the book seem to be the terrible things that happen to the village, I can see the idea of history repeating itself slowly appearing. I don't think the language is particularly impressive either except the odd scent description.
I read Altered Carbon last month and loved it. Tried to read Redshirts and Star Wars: Spector of the Past earlier this month and didn't care for them at all, so I went back to Richard K. Morgan for a decent read. I'm enjoying it, although the setup isn't quite as catching as the neo-noir feel of Altered Carbon.
Picked this up from the library, mostly because of the Le Guin quote on the back.
“We haven't read anything like this novel. Ever. South America gave us magical realism—what is Taiwan giving us? A new way of telling our new reality, beautiful, entertaining, frightening, preposterous, true. Completely unsentimental but never brutal, Wu Ming-Yi treats human vulnerability and the world's vulnerability with fearless tenderness.” —Ursula K. Le Guin
The last time I picked up a novel on an impulse because of a review blurb was The People in the Trees, and that was one of my favorite novels this year. I'm hoping I like this one half as much.
I've realized that my favorite genre of story is what I like to call "coherent nonsense."
I like when, on the surface, a story is incredibly stupid, but the author takes everything very seriously. All the stupid elements have explanations for them. There are rules for how the world works that are followed pretty strictly, etc...
For example One Piece has a man who fights using three swords, one in each hand and the third one in his mouth. In one scene he uses his friend as the third sword because he needs to fight a giraffe man. It has plenty of moments like that. Almost always things are so well established that it doesn't even register how weird the situation is.
Metal Gear Solid 3 has a man who shoots bees at you, a 100+ year old sniper who uses his parrot as his spotter, a ladder that won't end until the theme song has finished playing...and IMO the best story that has ever been in a videogame.
I have zero book examples for this genre. Any recommendations? Is Discworld what I'm looking for?
The blurb does sound interesting, but... is it as Young Adult as it sounds? What I hate about YA is how condescending it is at times. Is that the case with this book?
The blurb does sound interesting, but... is it as Young Adult as it sounds? What I hate about YA is how condescending it is at times. Is that the case with this book?
The blurb does sound interesting, but... is it as Young Adult as it sounds? What I hate about YA is how condescending it is at times. Is that the case with this book?
I like to think of it as a children's book (middle school-ish), for children who happen to be somewhat advanced readers. I think it's more difficult than what you normally see called young adult literature, though. Anyway, as far as condescension goes: I don't think so. It makes use of the omniscient narrator (very Victorian), and this narrator regularly addresses the reader directly, comments on what is happening, and so forth. But the narrator speaks to the audience as if the audience is intelligent, and a lot of the commentary is deconstructive or wry commentary about genre conventions that won't make sense unless you make the connections yourself.
Another book by the same author that isn't written for a younger set is The Habitation of the Blessed, and is just as good and even more wonderfully bizarre.
Finished Heart-Shaped Box. Not sure where I rank it vs NOS4A2, but I think I'll be thinking of NOS more over time, whereas HSB was a more trite ghost story. Good, though. Actual spoiler:
Angus/Bon ;_;
Starting The Long Earth by Pratchett/Baxter now, saw a few people reading that in one of these threads and thought I'd give it a whirl.
Finished Elantris by Brandon Sanderson, after starting off kind of rocky with me, I felt that it got a lot better. The ending felt a little rushed or at least when
Raoden figures out how to fix the Dor
, all that build, it felt anti-climactic.
Started Dracula by Bram Stoker. Enjoying it so far, though I haven't made it too far yet.
The blurb does sound interesting, but... is it as Young Adult as it sounds? What I hate about YA is how condescending it is at times. Is that the case with this book?
Another book by the same author that isn't written for a younger set is The Habitation of the Blessed, and is just as good and even more wonderfully bizarre.
Ohh. I need to check that out. I loved her fairyland books because of how wonderfully bizarre they were. Would love to see how that works in a more "adult" setting.
I read the first two books of the series, debating whether to move onto the third. The story moves... slowly. It's like there's a lot of effort put into building the world, but there's no real strong narrative bringing you through it. I don't know, maybe you'll enjoy it more than I did, but I felt a little frustrated as it's not got the hooks that I've felt from Pratchett's work in the past. His collaboration with Neil Gaiman on Good Omens (which is getting an audio play adaptation from the BBC in the same style as their HHGTTG and Neverwhere adaptations, by the way) is one of my favourite ever books. I guess this is less of a humourous piece and more of a "sense of exploration" sort of thing. A little more serious.
I read the first two books of the series, debating whether to move onto the third. The story moves... slowly. It's like there's a lot of effort put into building the world, but there's no real strong narrative bringing you through it. I don't know, maybe you'll enjoy it more than I did, but I felt a little frustrated as it's not got the hooks that I've felt from Pratchett's work in the past. His collaboration with Neil Gaiman on Good Omens (which is getting an audio play adaptation from the BBC in the same style as their HHGTTG and Neverwhere adaptations, by the way) is one of my favourite ever books. I guess this is less of a humourous piece and more of a "sense of exploration" sort of thing. A little more serious.
