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

[Dngrsone]

Finished The Raven Tower by Ann Leckie. The narration was a bit off-putting, to be honest, but once I got over it, a good story.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by orlok

Wow! Really? I've been a long-time Tom Holt fan and I had no idea he'd written under another name (pseudonym?). Thanks for this.

I've not read any of his work under his real name, so I have no idea what kind of culture shock you may or may not be in for. Parker's work can be a bit bleak (but full of black humor) and often focuses on the ridiculousness and futility of war. Tragically flawed yet brilliant characters abound.

There's a large collection of his short-stories and novellas (The Father of Lies) that's reasonably priced if you're looking for a sampling before committing. The Fencer Trilogy and the Engineer Trilogy are also some of my favorite longer works.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I've not read any of his work under his real name, so I have no idea what kind of culture shock you may or may not be in for. Parker's work can be a bit bleak (but full of black humor) and often focuses on the ridiculousness and futility of war. Tragically flawed yet brilliant characters abound.

There's a large collection of his short-stories and novellas (The Father of Lies) that's reasonably priced if you're looking for a sampling before committing. The Fencer Trilogy and the Engineer Trilogy are also some of my favorite longer works.

His Tom Holt books are lighthearted and funny (think terry Pratchett or Robert Rankin), so I'm beginning to understand why he used a pseudonym. Expecting Someone Taller was the first one I read, a hundred years ago, and I was hooked.

Thanks for the suggestion - I've been struggling to decide where to start, as there's quite a range of choices.

EDIT: Hmmmm. Can only locate The Father of Lies on Amazon (Hardback) for £17.85. That's a bit rich for a punt, and I hardly read pbooks anymore, not if I can avoid. Might have to start with one of the trilogies.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by orlok

EDIT: Hmmmm. Can only locate The Father of Lies on Amazon (Hardback) for £17.85. That's a bit rich for a punt, and I hardly read pbooks anymore, not if I can avoid. Might have to start with one of the trilogies.

Sorry about that. Father of Lies is available as a Kindlebook for $6.99 in the U.S. Almost all of the content in that omnibus can be found in other anthologies and publications, but they'd probably be harder to track down that way.

There's a pretty good where-to-start article on Tor.com by Jared Shurin (half of the team that used to do the speculative fiction book-blog, Pornokitsch.com), if you're looking for some extra input.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Sorry about that. Father of Lies is available as a Kindlebook for $6.99 in the U.S. Almost all of the content in that omnibus can be found in other anthologies and publications, but they'd probably be harder to track down that way.

There's a pretty good where-to-start article on Tor.com by Jared Shurin (half of the team that used to do the speculative fiction book-blog, Pornokitsch.com), if you're looking for some extra input.

Thanks v. much for that. Based on the article, I've decided to go for Colours In The Steel: Fencer Trilogy volume 1 ("For those who enjoy grimness, darkness, moral ambiguity and terrifying acts of violence. Possibly featuring a grizzled veteran"). How could I refuse...?

[silverraven]

Originally Posted by orlok

His Tom Holt books are lighthearted and funny (think terry Pratchett or Robert Rankin), so I'm beginning to understand why he used a pseudonym. Expecting Someone Taller was the first one I read, a hundred years ago, and I was hooked.

Thanks for the suggestion - I've been struggling to decide where to start, as there's quite a range of choices.

EDIT: Hmmmm. Can only locate The Father of Lies on Amazon (Hardback) for £17.85. That's a bit rich for a punt, and I hardly read pbooks anymore, not if I can avoid. Might have to start with one of the trilogies.

As someone that loves Terry Pratchett, any suggestions on a good starting book?
S

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by orlok

Thanks v. much for that. Based on the article, I've decided to go for Colours In The Steel: Fencer Trilogy volume 1 ("For those who enjoy grimness, darkness, moral ambiguity and terrifying acts of violence. Possibly featuring a grizzled veteran"). How could I refuse...?

Ah... Bardas Loredan: fencer-at-law. Good times. Hope you enjoy it!

I'm currently reading Chuck Wendig's Wanderers.

Shana wakes up one morning to discover her little sister in the grip of a strange malady. She appears to be sleepwalking. She cannot talk and cannot be woken up. And she is heading with inexorable determination to a destination that only she knows. But Shana and her sister are not alone. Soon they are joined by a flock of sleepwalkers from across America, on the same mysterious journey. And like Shana, there are other “shepherds” who follow the flock to protect their friends and family on the long dark road ahead.

[Rev. Bob]

Originally Posted by silverraven

As someone that loves Terry Pratchett, any suggestions on a good starting book?

For Tom Holt? Expecting Someone Taller is an early book, his first IIRC, and works much better if you’re familiar with the Ring Cycle. The Portable Door is the first book in a series, and pretty much anything published before then can be read as a standalone (although one, dealing with Jesus’s younger brother Kevin, has since acquired a sequel).

For my money, as long as you don’t jump into the middle of a series, you really can’t go wrong.

Oh, and don’t confuse “Tom Holt” with “Thomas Holt.” Same guy, but Tom does comic fantasy and Thomas is more serious historical fare.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Next up: Grantville Gazette #84

Which was good, but not very long.

Next I read Crisis by Felix Francis. Which was very good indeed. It kept me reading, and was quickly finished.

Next up: Consider Phlebas by Ian M. Banks. Another recent purchase.

[CRussel]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Next I read Crisis by Felix Francis. Which was very good indeed. It kept me reading, and was quickly finished.

This was really the first of his that I thought was up to his father's level. I listened to it and quite raced through it.

[silverraven]

Originally Posted by Rev. Bob

For Tom Holt? Expecting Someone Taller is an early book, his first IIRC, and works much better if you’re familiar with the Ring Cycle. The Portable Door is the first book in a series, and pretty much anything published before then can be read as a standalone (although one, dealing with Jesus’s younger brother Kevin, has since acquired a sequel).

For my money, as long as you don’t jump into the middle of a series, you really can’t go wrong.

Oh, and don’t confuse “Tom Holt” with “Thomas Holt.” Same guy, but Tom does comic fantasy and Thomas is more serious historical fare.

Thanks! Appreciate the advice! I'll have to check the library and see what is available. I need something funny.
S

[MickeyC]

Originally Posted by CRussel

This was really the first of his that I thought was up to his father's level. I listened to it and quite raced through it.

Very much agree. I just finished Felix Francis’ Front Runner and although it was good, I also didn’t think it was up to his father’s level either. So will have to try Crisis next

[orlok]

Originally Posted by silverraven

Thanks! Appreciate the advice! I'll have to check the library and see what is available. I need something funny.
S

Don't think I can add much to Rev. Bob's advice. I remember loving Expecting Someone Taller, but that was probably 30 years ago when I read it, so I don't know how I'd feel about it today. They don't have recurring characters like Pratchett (except the series, but they are all fairly short runs). I'd just dip in anywhere and see how you get on.

[haertig]

I'm 2/3 of the way through Michael McBride's "Burial Ground". I'm really liking it. It is action/adventure in the Peruvian rain forest.

[Rev. Bob]

Originally Posted by silverraven

Thanks! Appreciate the advice! I'll have to check the library and see what is available. I need something funny.

I will note that quite a lot of Holt’s fiction reminds me of Douglas Adams, in that it starts with a hapless Brit, confronts him with something impossible, and proceeds to make sure he’s completely out of his depth but comes through on top in the end.

As for me, it looks like I might start Garth Ennis’s The Boys soon, as the entire run (and several other volumes) are currently on offer in a Humble Bundle.

ETA: I’m going to suggest Little People or Barking, as I just saw that they’re 99¢ each on Amazon US. Hard to beat that deal, and several other books from his backlist are only $2.99 each.