James Barclay Forum Index James Barclay
Welcome to the forum for the author James Barclay.
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Currently reading <cont 3>
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10  Next
 
Post new topic   This topic is locked: you cannot edit posts or make replies.    James Barclay Forum Index -> Books
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Lizzy



Joined: 02 May 2005
Posts: 674
Location: the wilds of the West

PostPosted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 7:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Before they are hanged, Joe Abercrombie. The second book in the First Law trilogy. Basically picks up where the first book finishes and is three different stories intermingled. Inquisitor Glokta has to find a traitor and defend a city from an attack; Ninefingers, Ferro, Jezal and Bayaz go on a quest; and Dogman, Threetress and West have to fight Bethod's army.

It all works well and the style of writing (third person limited) allows you to get right inside the character's head.

Ferro and Ninefingers are probably my favourite characters now.

I look forward to reading the final book later this month.
_________________

Listen to Lizzy, she's always right! Laughing as said by Jovial
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Alia



Joined: 17 Sep 2007
Posts: 246

PostPosted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 3:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Have just finished book two of the Polish fantasy series that I've been reading, and now I'm probably going to move on to Pratchett's "Night watch". Or perhaps Kay's "Song for Arbonne".
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
TheJovialGnome



Joined: 05 Jan 2005
Posts: 295
Location: Boston

PostPosted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 7:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lizzy wrote:
Before they are hanged, Joe Abercrombie. The second book in the First Law trilogy. Basically picks up where the first book finishes and is three different stories intermingled. Inquisitor Glokta has to find a traitor and defend a city from an attack; Ninefingers, Ferro, Jezal and Bayaz go on a quest; and Dogman, Threetress and West have to fight Bethod's army.

It all works well and the style of writing (third person limited) allows you to get right inside the character's head.

Ferro and Ninefingers are probably my favourite characters now.

I look forward to reading the final book later this month.


I read this a couple of months ago and totally forgot to post how good it was! Laughing

Needn't have worried, Lizzy has summed it all up very nicely though I was also impressed with West! Very Happy
_________________
"Constant Vigilance!"
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Alia



Joined: 17 Sep 2007
Posts: 246

PostPosted: Wed Mar 05, 2008 7:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

There is also one book that I really want to read, and I even have it on my shelf. It's "L?d" by Jacek Dukaj, probably the best contemporary s-f writer in Poland. The problem is, it's hardcover and about 1600 pages long, so it would be difficult to put it in my bag and read on the bus. So it will probably wait until my holidays.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Deornoth



Joined: 08 Oct 2007
Posts: 446

PostPosted: Thu Mar 06, 2008 5:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Just finished reading Russell Whitfield's 'Gladiatrix', the book version of 'Gladiator' but with women in it! It's a very entertaining read although some of the fight scenes (of which there are loads) did drag on a bit and become almost cartoonish. There's also a heavy emphasis on women... err... spending quality time in the company of other women and this really detracts from the story itself, almost to the point where I was wondering what kind of book I was reading... Still worth checking out though if you're a fan of historical fiction from authors such as Simon Scarrow or Conn Iggulden. My full review is over Here.
I fancy something quick and easy next so it's Derek Gunn's 'Vampire Apocalypse, A World Torn Asunder' up next, weighs in at 215 pages although I'm really not sure about the name... Dunno what to read after that, Joel Shepherd's 'Breakaway' looks good but so does Brian Ruckley's 'Bloodheir'...
_________________
Graeme's Fantasy Book Review

Does exactly what it says on the tin!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Wulfa_Coldheart



Joined: 27 Aug 2004
Posts: 97
Location: United Kingdom

PostPosted: Thu Mar 06, 2008 11:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Really loving Mark Chadbourn's Age of Misrule. In to the second book now and can't put it down for long.

Just off to read a chapter or two now before bed in fact!
_________________
"You know what Jack Burton always says... what the hell?"
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message MSN Messenger
Deornoth



Joined: 08 Oct 2007
Posts: 446

PostPosted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 3:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've just finished reading Kelley Armstrong's 'Personal Demon'; a tale of revenge, supernatural gang warfare and a half-demon's attempts to make sense of it all. I found this to be really engaging stuff with plenty to think about and an ending that caught me by surprise. Having said that though, the switching between character perspectives could be confusing at times and I did feel that the author missed a trick by choosing not to stretch the main character and take the story off in different directions... Have a look at my review over Here. I had a great time reading Joel Shepherd's 'Crossover' so 'Breakaway' (the sequel) is up next.
_________________
Graeme's Fantasy Book Review

Does exactly what it says on the tin!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Mark D



Joined: 23 Nov 2006
Posts: 171
Location: Yeovil, Somerset

PostPosted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 6:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The High Lord - Trudi Canavan

The first two were brilliant and i'm completely hooked on this book now. I've resorted to reading it in my English lessons!
_________________
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website MSN Messenger
Lizzy



Joined: 02 May 2005
Posts: 674
Location: the wilds of the West

PostPosted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 8:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wulfa - glad you are enjoying AoM, you've just over a month to read the Dark Age trilogy and Jack of Ravens before his next in the sequence comes out - The Burning Man is due out on 17th April.

Mark D - The High Lord is an excellent book in an excellent trilogy. Akkarin is just brilliant in it.

Sadly I didn't rate her Priestess of the White books nearly so highly, in fact I still have the last book in that series to read.

Currently I'm reading Red seas under red skies by Scott Lynch. It's started off at a fine pace and I'm really enjoying it.
_________________

Listen to Lizzy, she's always right! Laughing as said by Jovial
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
TheJovialGnome



Joined: 05 Jan 2005
Posts: 295
Location: Boston

PostPosted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 9:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Glad to hear Red Seas under Red Skies is good, it's next on my list! Laughing

Currently reading The Crow Road by Iain Banks - it hasn't grabbed me quite as I'd hoped it would, finding it quite disjointed and thus slow going but I will persevere as it comes highly recommended! Laughing
_________________
"Constant Vigilance!"
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail Visit poster's website
Selik



Joined: 20 Jan 2005
Posts: 1524
Location: South Shields

PostPosted: Tue Mar 11, 2008 9:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've never managed to get into Iain Banks (or M. Banks for that matter). The Wasp Factory was the exception, but remains the only one of his books i've ever really managed to keep an interest in.
_________________
"I sit on my arse, not my head." - Baron Gresse.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Alia



Joined: 17 Sep 2007
Posts: 246

PostPosted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 6:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I really loved "The Crow Road" (but then, I'm a fan of Banks, with or without M.). The first sentence just grabbed me and before I really learnt what it meant, the book had me hooked. "Complicity" is another of his so-to-say crime novels that I would recommend. As for s-f, "Use of Weapons" and "Feersum Endjinn" are my favourites.
After reading "The Wasp Factory", I felt physically sick for a couple of days.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Mark D



Joined: 23 Nov 2006
Posts: 171
Location: Yeovil, Somerset

PostPosted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 8:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Lizzy wrote:


Mark D - The High Lord is an excellent book in an excellent trilogy. Akkarin is just brilliant in it.

Sadly I didn't rate her Priestess of the White books nearly so highly, in fact I still have the last book in that series to read.



I love it! the twists and turns the novel takes just makes it a brilliant read.

I must say im a little put off by your dislike for the Priestess books, but i guess the only way to find out myself is to read them.
_________________
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website MSN Messenger
Kerela



Joined: 10 Sep 2005
Posts: 372
Location: Germany

PostPosted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 9:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I never really got into the Trudi Cavanan-books Confused

Kai Meyer - Traumvater
_________________
The question that sometimes drives me hazy: Am I, or the others crazy?
Albert Einstein
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Visit poster's website Yahoo Messenger MSN Messenger
Deornoth



Joined: 08 Oct 2007
Posts: 446

PostPosted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 3:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

For some reason I woke up at 4am this morning, and couldn't get back to sleep (grumblegrumble), so I ended up finishing off Joel Shepherd's 'Breakaway'. It's very much a 'middle book in a trilogy' and as a result it does feel like there's a lot of stuff left hanging and unanswered. Still good fun to read though and I'm looking forward to picking up 'Killswitch' (the last book in the series) very soon. A full review is over Here.
In the meantime, I'm reading Mark Henry's 'Happy Hour of the Damned'...
_________________
Graeme's Fantasy Book Review

Does exactly what it says on the tin!
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message Send e-mail
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   This topic is locked: you cannot edit posts or make replies.    James Barclay Forum Index -> Books All times are GMT
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10  Next
Page 9 of 10

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group