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James Barclay Welcome to the forum for the author James Barclay.
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Wulfa_Coldheart
Joined: 27 Aug 2004 Posts: 97 Location: United Kingdom
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Posted: Wed Aug 29, 2007 10:48 pm Post subject: |
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I'm currently reading Winterbirth by Brian Ruckley.
It's okay... I took a little while to get into it and it's still not really coming along as I'd hoped.
Too many characters and not enough development in my opinion! _________________ "You know what Jack Burton always says... what the hell?" |
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Kerela
Joined: 10 Sep 2005 Posts: 372 Location: Germany
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Posted: Thu Aug 30, 2007 2:05 pm Post subject: |
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Frank McCourt - Teacher Man
I LOVE it _________________ The question that sometimes drives me hazy: Am I, or the others crazy?
Albert Einstein |
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Mantyluoto
Joined: 21 Sep 2005 Posts: 573 Location: Somerset, UK
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Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 3:17 pm Post subject: |
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just finished "The Diamond throne" now reading "the Ruby Knight" both by Eddings |
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Futre4
Joined: 27 May 2006 Posts: 274 Location: Jong-he, New Taipei City.
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Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 4:49 am Post subject: |
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Cold Moon - Jeffery Deaver - again not fantasy but i am buying second hand books and my choice is limited!. _________________ I always knew Chang was Chinese Intelligence.
http://richardpmurfin.wordpress.com/ |
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Parmenion
Joined: 06 Oct 2006 Posts: 584
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Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 8:36 am Post subject: |
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Deaths Head by David Gunn...any one else read this?? |
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Wulfa_Coldheart
Joined: 27 Aug 2004 Posts: 97 Location: United Kingdom
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Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 9:23 am Post subject: |
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Quote: | Deaths Head by David Gunn...any one else read this?? |
I've heard the title and the author's name a few times on other fantasy forums but never read it. I hear it's a pretty graphic action sci-fi story?
Having given up on Ruckley's Winterbirth I've picked up the second Hawkwood novel by James McGee. They aren't fantasy novels, but kinda thriller/crime novels that follow a 18th century police officer. The character is essentially Richard Sharpe, an ex-rifles officer who after the war ended up becoming an officer of the law. The first book was called Ratcatcher and the second is Resurrectionist.
They aren't literary masterpeices, but good, fun reads. _________________ "You know what Jack Burton always says... what the hell?" |
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Parmenion
Joined: 06 Oct 2006 Posts: 584
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Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 3:30 pm Post subject: |
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you gave up on winterbirth...shame on you!!
As to Deaths head...yes viloent, graphic...at times almost pornographic, but quite fun, i fould myself liking the main character Sven. He is sort of how i would expect Hirad would be if he was in a scifi novel.
BTW I hate scifi, but you really dont have to deal with much in the way of scifi.
I think it has a huge body count and some of the goriest slaying around...im sure most of you will love it....oh but its not a literary masterpiece...just fun!! |
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Wulfa_Coldheart
Joined: 27 Aug 2004 Posts: 97 Location: United Kingdom
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Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2007 3:39 pm Post subject: |
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Quote: | you gave up on winterbirth...shame on you!! |
I tried, I really did! I just couldn't get into it... I reached the halfway point and it was sat by the side of my bed and I just wasn't interested in picking it up. I might go back to it once I've finished my current book. _________________ "You know what Jack Burton always says... what the hell?" |
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Parmenion
Joined: 06 Oct 2006 Posts: 584
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Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 9:00 am Post subject: |
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For a fun read i suggest you try Deaths head...i just finished and have to say i flew throught he book its a bit silly in a couple of places, but when the main guy Sven creates the Aux then its like the raven in space.....just a little more...extreme..the body count is high, the blood is plentyful...some of the sexual content could probably have been omited but it does fit with the book and there isnt too much of it.
look forward to talking to someone else who has read it. |
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Kerela
Joined: 10 Sep 2005 Posts: 372 Location: Germany
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Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 10:03 am Post subject: |
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Vor der Elfend?mmerung bei Jean Louis Feltjane, a great Fantasy-book. Yes there are elves, dwarfes and a cruel dark ruler (in fact he si so cruel, that nobody wants to call him by his real name) but it doesn't seem like a Lord of the Rings-copy _________________ The question that sometimes drives me hazy: Am I, or the others crazy?
Albert Einstein |
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Parmenion
Joined: 06 Oct 2006 Posts: 584
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Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 11:39 am Post subject: |
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i FOUND THIS, IT SAVES ME DOING A WRITE UP ON THE BOOK...IT SUMS UP PRETTY MUCH WHAT I THINK
Death's Head is the debut novel of author David Gunn, both an apt name and title. First time authors can often fall into the trap of trying to make their work too encompassing in order to appeal to as many people as possible, David Gunn has cleverly avoided this problem. Death's Head is an unashamed, balls-to-the-wall science fiction/action book that makes no apologies for being violent, graphic and at times a little crazy.
The book?s unabashed journey, from a far flung corner of the galaxy to pivotal events at its very heart, is driven by protagonist Sven Tveskoeg. Sven is the classical anti-hero soldier whose dogged determination, willingness to kill anyone or thing and well-hidden intelligence make him prime clich? material. Thankfully, Sven also has charisma and likable qualities in the vein of John McClane, where they're simply the wrong guy in the wrong place who ends up making it out despite the odds.
The plot is character-driven and revolves around Sven, who we first encounter on a ?worthless piece of rock?, a wild, dead-beat legionnaire on a nothing planet suffering for his dislike of authority. The introduction is brief and brutal, an encapsulation of the book in its entirety. What follows is a sequence of battles and struggles as Sven is co-opted into the titular Death?s Head, the obligatory special-forces group of heartbreakers and life-takers popular culture is filled with. Given a dire assignment that rapidly spirals out of control, Sven must form a disparate group of green recruits into a single fighting unit and do the one thing he hates most, take charge.
It is through this group of wet-behind-the-ears soldiers that Death?s Head comes into its own. After the establishment of Sven as protagonist and all-round tough nut, the author could quite easily have been satisfied with throwing this one-man wrecking crew into any number of dangerous situations alone. Instead Gunn wisely chooses to introduce a small group of grunts that Sven appropriates during a landing gone wrong on his first genuine mission. The conscripts serve the purpose of taking pressure off the narrative?s reliance on Sven, adding a touch of humour and broadening the storyline to show more of the world outside Sven?s bubble.
The conscripted group, consisting of brother-sister pairing Neen and Shil, Franc, a crazy female soldier and Haze, a fat male who isn?t what he seems, add some levity to the proceedings ? their bickering and backgrounds round out what is, for the most part, an under-developed setting. The history between Haze and Franc, which I won?t spoil here, and the sibling sparring of Neen and Shil show brief sparks of what could have been a strong group dynamic, were it not for the book charging headlong down the barrel of Sven?s gun. Funnily enough, the gun is probably the most entertaining character in the book: an A.I-based weapon, not dissimilar to Judge Dredd?s Lawgiver, that not only fires multiple different types of bullet but keeps up a running commentary, including several silly one-liners that you can?t help but chuckle at.
Unfortunately Death?s Head main strength is also its biggest weakness, the book is something of a one trick pony. There are only so many times Sven and company can kill innumerable amounts of enemies before it becomes repetitive and the danger they face unthreatening. The invincible protagonist is such an oft-used character that it?s hard not to get frustrated and disappointed when yet another one appears, especially when there are superior examples out there for a reader to invest their time in.
Death?s Head is also graphic. Clearly marked with the tag-line ?the violence is extreme, the death toll monumental and the sex dirty,? the descriptions are blunt and detailed, the violence and sex dealt with regularly ? from the difficulty of decapitation to the easiest means of achieving anal sex. At times, the unashamed revelry in its own use of these topics hinders the story, explaining every death when the body count comfortably reaches into hundreds is unnecessary and spoils the fast paced storyline. There is also no let-up from the all too familiar machismo that permeates a large percentage of war stories, this is a Man?s world ? whether intentional or tongue-in-cheek ? and the ?tough? dialogue occasionally detracts from interest in the group dynamic.
The ending is both set-up for what I assume will be more books and revelations about Sven?s character. It is a little bit of a let down, being too convenient in its sudden discovery of certain facts and going overboard with the nature of what Sven is. Belatedly it introduces the main underpinnings of Gunn?s universe, the Uplifted, OctoV and the U/Free but only the barest details of how they fit together. That said, as a first novel these flaws are understandable given the nature of the story and can be easily improved for the undoubted future tales of Sven Tveskoeg.
And that's what you get from Death's Head; it isn't subtle or particularly smart, many of the situations and ideas you meet along the way will be very familiar to any science fiction fan, but the book isn't trying to prove how clever it can be. Instead it's dedicated to being a fun ride, making a flimsy plot hang on an enjoyable central character placed in increasingly difficult situations. |
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Rudaras Stronghelm
Joined: 03 Sep 2007 Posts: 17
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Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 2:25 pm Post subject: |
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Forest Gump again _________________ "HEY LOOK! DENSERS KISSING UNKNOWN!" Hirad, shortly after Erriene died.
If you enjoy roleplays, add me on msn. my addy is battlefieldscars@hotmail.co.uk |
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Grace
Joined: 28 May 2006 Posts: 302 Location: Bristol
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Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 8:34 pm Post subject: |
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Harry Potter et la Chambre de Secrets, par J.K.Rowling. _________________ Taking off is optional, landing is mandatory. |
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Tk421
Joined: 06 Jan 2005 Posts: 275 Location: United Kingdom
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Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2007 9:11 pm Post subject: |
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The Sum of All Men by David Farland. Tis very good actually. _________________ "Right so we're going to steal a bomb that can be remote detonated, take it back to our base and then huddle around it? That sounds like a great plan." |
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Lizzy
Joined: 02 May 2005 Posts: 674 Location: the wilds of the West
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Posted: Wed Sep 19, 2007 1:20 pm Post subject: |
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Just finished The Wishlist by Eoin Colfer, yet another fun little read by this author. _________________
Listen to Lizzy, she's always right! as said by Jovial |
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