Hey!! Let's get some action going! What are we reading?

[HomeInMyShoes]

^There's a lot of just social commentary satire in Pratchett as well, but the earlier ones might be harder to get as much humour out of them without a few fantasy novels under ones belt. Tolkien won't help as much, but Jordan definitely would.

[BenG]

Pratchett wasn't directly parodying Jordan since Jordan hadn't written anything yet. Terry Brooks would be more like it. Not that I would ever encourage anyone to read Terry Brooks.

[HomeInMyShoes]

^Wait, if Pratchett was parodying Brooks, then is Jordan parodying Pratchett parodying Brooks?

Brooks had only written two books of the original Shannara series when The Color of Magic came out so I'd say doubtful on that parodying option. I was more saying that Jordan's characters read like what Pratchett is parodying. Although I only managed two Jordan books and way too many Brooks books.

[BenG]

Those two books provide more than enough material for parodying. But I was only using him as an example. The late 70s and early eighties were just the beginning of the fantasy boom. I read Brooks because there wasn't a whole lot of new fantasy to read. It was only when I tried to re-read them in the 90s that I realized how badly they were written, though there was a noticeable improvement in the second book. I haven't read anything other than the first trilogy and Magic Kingdom for Sale.

[carld]

Originally Posted by BearMountainBooks

Don't get me wrong--it's VERY readable. There were just a couple of things in the first 6 that set off warning bells of things I'm particular about. Had this been a kindle book at $2.99, I'd have bought it. But it was competing with 4 other 8 dollar books I wanted!!!

I finished Hounded: The Iron Druid Chronicles, and I can definitely see what you're saying. There are a few times when the main character comes off badly. The ambulance scene sticks out in particular. Still, it's a good book, especially if you're into Modern Fantasy. Overall very enjoyable.

Spoiler:

The main character has been shot through the chest, nearly killed (he saves himself by pulling healing magic from the earth), and is on his way to the hospital. Nevertheless he uses some of the remaining dregs of his magical power to play a sophomoric prank on his EMT, not once but twice? I think his editor should have seriously rethought that.

[melaniejaxn]

I've gone old school-- Alistair MacLean's When Eight Bells Toll.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by maianhvk

Oh! I think I should delay Discworld since I haven't read Tolkien, Jordan, Erikson

Not at all. Most of the parody (or, perhaps, tributes) happens in The Colour of Magic and as with such things, it's funnier if you know the original.

But you'll probably enjoy The Colour of Magic even without that. And most of the rest of the books are a lot lighter on references to other fantasy stories and a lot better for it, IMO.

There's an excellent reading order guide here: http://www.lspace.org/books/reading-order-guides/

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by BenG

Pratchett wasn't directly parodying Jordan since Jordan hadn't written anything yet. Terry Brooks would be more like it. Not that I would ever encourage anyone to read Terry Brooks.

One of the plainest ones is Fritz Leiber's Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser characters, who appear in The Colour of Magic as Bravd and the Weasel.

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by Fbone

My ILLs came in so next up is Poul Anderson's Ensign Flandry. This will be my first Anderson book. Time to give him a try. I thought, however, this was the first in the series but I seem to be wrong.

Ditched after 15 pages. Very political with too many people and places with weird unpronounceable names. Also, some people spoke using strange contractions like: reach'll, better'n, y', d', talking'd.

Another 60s sci-fi on my list is The Genocides by Thomas M. Disch. I'll read this next.

[BearMountainBooks]

Originally Posted by carld

I finished Hounded: The Iron Druid Chronicles, and I can definitely see what you're saying. There are a few times when the main character comes off badly. The ambulance scene sticks out in particular. Still, it's a good book, especially if you're into Modern Fantasy. Overall very enjoyable.

Spoiler:

The main character has been shot through the chest, nearly killed (he saves himself by pulling healing magic from the earth), and is on his way to the hospital. Nevertheless he uses some of the remaining dregs of his magical power to play a sophomoric prank on his EMT, not once but twice? I think his editor should have seriously rethought that.

Yeah, after I had doubts I cheated and read a few reviews. From what I could tell that nagging feeling was only going to get worse because there were enough TRULY juvenile things mentioned in reviews, I felt it would annoy me to smithereens.

It's really a shame because the writing was quite strong and I really enjoyed some of the little digs and jokes, but the more reviews I read...I think I'm probably going to pass unless I get it from the library.

Glad you came back to tell me what you thought. Always helpful.

[travger]

I'm on the Poul Anderson binge.
Finished High Crusade (still enjoyed it), turned to Technic Civilization series. Van Rijn Method was ok, but I look forward to stories without him. Luckily, next is David Falkayn: Star Trader.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by travger

I'm on the Poul Anderson binge.
Finished High Crusade (still enjoyed it)

The High Crusade is simply wonderful. I can't recommend it enough.

[MickeyC]

Just finished Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes. Extraordinary book about the Marines in Vietnam. Scary and depressing but powerfully written.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Rihannsu: The Empty Chair by Diane Duane

A good wrap-up of the story. An excellent series.

Next up: Asimov's SF, September 2011 by Dell Magazine Authors

[Namekuseijin]

Rereading Neuromancer on dead trees and going ahead with "The Hound of Baskervillers" mobile...