Israel SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

Here you can post the books that you're currently reading.

I started the year with Danse Macabre by Laura Hughes, who's known for her articles in Fantasy-Faction (if you're not familiar with them then you should check them out). Unfortunately, it appears like more horror story than a fantasy, which is not exactly my cup of tea. Plus, I'm not that fond of the writing style.

I haven't decided yet what to read after I finish Danse Macbre, though it would probably be one of the following : Theft of Swords, Prince of Thorns or Control Point

I am currently reading book nine of Malazan, in the hope of finishing the series finally this year (I have been reading it on and off over four years already)
The book until now is pretty good, as was all the series so far so no surprise here. There is a bit lack of action but I guess it will change toward the mid-end of the book.

Ninth book, impressive. You're very close to finish reading the whole series. I should try Gardens of the moon. Does it have a satisfying ending or it ends with a cliffhanger ?

Considering you're an avid reader of the series then you may be interested in checking out Dancer's Lament by Esslemont. It's the first book of a new prequel trilogy. I've heard it's probably his best novel.

Every book in the core series of Malazan was, so far, with satisfying ending. Moreover, book 2 is not even a direct continue of book 1, it is set in different place with (mostly) different character. So you definitely can read gardens of the Moon without fear of cliffhanger. Keep in mind though that book 1 is probably the weakest book in the core series, which get much better, much like what happens with dresden files.

As to the side series in the Malazan world, I have not decided yet from where to start and when. But it probably going to be pretty long journey.

Yeah, I know the first is the weakest. A long time ago I listened to the first two hours or so and it was great, so as for the narrator. Anyway, good to know the first book can be read as a standalone.

Shlomo wrote: "I am currently reading book nine of Malazan, in the hope of finishing the series finally this year (I have been reading it on and off over four years already)
The book until now is pretty good, as..."

Gardens of the Moon was one of the most challenging fantasy books that I ever read. I think it took me about 3 or 4 tries until I finally read the whole thing. After which I didn't have the energy to try the sequel. I'm very impressed that you made it to book nine!

I am reading Postcards from the Edge not scifi but in memory of Princess Leia.

thanks Simcha. It is indeed a very challenging series, and it took me a very long time to read it (compared with the time I need usually to finish a series) However this series really worth the efforts imo.

I didn't know Carrie Fisher published a few books.

I finished Danse Macabre. I had to force myself a few times to read a 56 pages story!! I thought it would be more fantasy than horror, but unfortunately it's exactly the opposite.

Am I the only one here who doesn't like horror stories ?

Nimrod wrote: "I didn't know Carrie Fisher published a few books."

Postcards from the Edge was also made into a film and Carrie Fisher wrote the screenplay.
I have just ordered The Princess Diarist which are based on diaries she wrote while filming Star Wars. She rediscovered them after cleaning out her basement and in them she 'dishes the dirt' on her affair with Harrison Ford.

I started reading The Crown Conspiracy by Michael J. Sullivan. It's the first book in the Theft of Swords omnibus. That's pure fun! exactly as I thought it would be. The writing is good, the pace is great and Royce and Hadrian are Hilarious :)

If you want to read a short story set in the same world then I'd recommend on The Viscount and the Witch which takes place about 10 years prior to the events in The Crown Conspiracy. I really enjoyed reading it, it really made me laugh a few times.

My TRB list is very long, getting longer every time I come here... I'll probly will read Dust and The Kingdom of Gods, and finish the seiries. I what to read The Invisible Library and Snow Crash for years. Maby 2017 is the year!

Efrat wrote: "My TRB list is very long, getting longer every time I come here... "

Haha, I'm familiar with this problem :)

Efrat wrote: "My TRB list is very long, getting longer every time I come here... I'll probly will read Dust and The Kingdom of Gods, and finish the seiries. I what to read [book:Th..."

That is the danger of GR :)

A blessing in disguise

Weekend is here! What are you reading this weekend ?

I'm currently reading The Crown Conspiracy which is the first book in the Theft of Swords omnibus. So far I enjoy reading it - it has some fantasy tropes but it's pure fun :)
I believe this series can grow and become very interesting as you go further.

I finished reading The Crown conspiracy and it was great! The writing, the characterisation, the plot and pace are really good. It's pure fun. Avempartha is next.

Rereading the The Wheel Of Time for nth time, currently at A Memory of Light

I have made a head start on Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? and now I an reading The Complete Maus - historical memoir not scifi but an unusual use of a graphic novel.

THE BLACK PRISM the begining was boring but is sarting to get more intersteing.

Hi, I'he finished Consider Phlebas which was very good. Now I'm starting Warbreaker

Tamar wrote: "THE BLACK PRISM the begining was boring but is sarting to get more intersteing."

Keep on, it's a realy nice story

Efrat wrote: "Hi, I'he finished Consider Phlebas which was very good. Now I'm starting Warbreaker"

I liked the writing in Consider Phlebas but felt the author did too. In fact too much, he seemed unable to 'kill his darlings' which made the story drag. I have been told that later books are better so I will continue the series at some point.

Efrat wrote: "Hi, I'he finished Consider Phlebas which was very good. Now I'm starting Warbreaker"

warbreaker was my first SANDERSON book and it was love at first letter :)

Tamar wrote: "Efrat wrote: "Hi, I'he finished Consider Phlebas which was very good. Now I'm starting Warbreaker"

warbreaker was my first SANDERSON book and it was love at first let..."

Sanderson is a brilliant author, I'm glad to know you liked it. For anyone who's not familiar with his works I suggest to start with The Final Empire. Anyway, now you've been converted to Sandersonism, so it's all good :)

Esther wrote: "Efrat wrote: "Hi, I'he finished Consider Phlebas which was very good. Now I'm starting Warbreaker"

I liked the writing in Consider Phlebas but felt the author did too..."

I have Player in hebrew so I'll try it

Efrat wrote: "I have Player in hebrew so I'll try it ..."

I was told I should have started with Player as it is one of the best.

I finished reading Theft of Swords, and it very enjoyable. The Crown Conspiracy was a bit better than Avempartha. The series has a place to grow and become epic on the following books.

What are you reading ?

Nimrod wrote: "Tamar wrote: "Efrat wrote: "Hi, I'he finished Consider Phlebas which was very good. Now I'm starting Warbreaker"

warbreaker was my first SANDERSON book and it was lov..."

The The Final Empire is a great book, but subsequent books in Mistborn series were pretty awful. Somehow Sanderson isn't good in endings and resolving his plotlines. The Stormlight Archive series is even better written, but still the endings of each individual book isn't good enough.

Simcha wrote: "Shlomo wrote: "I am currently reading book nine of Malazan, in the hope of finishing the series finally this year (I have been reading it on and off over four years already)
The book until now is ..."

I am now listening to the Gardens of the Moon, so far not really engaged by it.

The lloy of Law was great. Not as epic as the original trilogy, but it was not planned to be epic. It was a very enjoyable read, I liked it.

I listened to the first hour or two of Gardens of The Moon. The narrator is great, and Erikson's story-telling craft is great as well.

Nimrod wrote: "The lloy of Law was great. Not as epic as the original trilogy, but it was not planned to be epic. It was a very enjoyable read, I liked it."

I have read only the original trilogy so far.

Nimrod wrote: "I listened to the first hour or two of Gardens of The Moon. The narrator is great, and Erikson's story-telling craft is great as well."

Why only first two hours? :)

I think the original trilogy was truly a masterpiece :)

I had in mind just to "sample" Gardens of the Moon's audiobook, 1-2 hours was much more than I intended. I'm planning on reading the book rather than listening to it.

As for Sanderson's endings - they're brilliant :)
it's really odd you didn't like that, because most readers find his endings brilliant and very sophisticated.

Are they?
That's really strange, he is getting better, but still.

Finished Warbreaker, which was fun,and starting The Invisible Library

I'm about halfway though The Blood-Tainted Winter. It has a nice start, though when you're about 30% through it gets better and more captivating.

A topical question for St Valentine's Day!
Has anyone ever read scifi-romance? Does it even exist?
In scifi TV shows characters like Star Trek's Riker seem to have an endless series of romances but what about in books?
Classic scifi has mostly patronising and/or sexist portrayals of women and in modern scifi the only significant relationship I have encountered is between John and Jane in Old Man's War

Fantasy is totally different. True Blood and Twilight have made vampires and even werewolves sexy. but where are all the erotic aliens?
I must admit that I am not the greatest devotee of paranormal romance/urban fantasy though the Sookie Stackhouse books are where I turn when I need a little fun.

Fantasy gives a wide berth to romance because anything is possible. Even male relations can turn out to be good fantasy without prejudice that you can read without feeling pervert. Authors like Sara Luddington, Gin Hale, Lyn flewelling and others create astounding and original works that sometimes involve history scales. I think romance gener in the normal sense can be a bit borring if not developed beyond its usual scope. But taking into consideration romance plus historical fantasy or romance plus epic fantasy you can put hands on really wonderful staff.

In Vorkosigan series A Civil Campaign is sort of scifi-romance, one of the major themes of this book is a relationship between Miles and Ekaterin. (Well I wouldn't call the book a romance, but it's close :))
Another Bujold book however can be described as romance, The Sharing Knife, but it's Fantasy of course.

OK, so I disappeared for quite a long time due to a big exam I had, sorry about that.
In the last two days I finished Neuromancer, which was interesting but not very enjoyable (much less than I expected) both due to aging (it was written in the eighties and the technology since then changed big time and not in ways the author predicted) and due to complexity. This book is just hard to read. The writing itself, the descriptions and the plot- it really not easy to read.
Now I guess I will continue my journey with Malazan...
Ah, btw I have read Neuromancer for a book club meeting and it was very nice and a lot of fun (Rachel is organizing the meeting, she wrote something on it somewhere here) so...yes, come too :)

Shlomo wrote: "OK, so I disappeared for quite a long time due to a big exam I had, sorry about that.
In the last two days I finished Neuromancer, which was interesting but not very enjoyable (much less than I ex..."

I hope the exam went well.
I had heard so much about Neuromancer that I found the book a bit of an anti-climax.
I expected it to be new and surprising but it was a bit of a drag. As you said Shlomo just 'not very enjoyable'. And the end seemed to get so lost in itself I didn't quite get the point.
I have read a few stories that try to challenge the meaning of consciousness and they never seem to quite hit the mark.

The exam was OK, I'm not sure yet if OK good or OK not so good ..anyway thank you.
And yes, Neuromancer was really anti climax. It supposed to be, like, 'the father of cyberpunk', a real classic and all that...well, idk. Maybe it really was thirty years ago. Today there are more relevant and fun to read books

I read Neuromancer 10 times at least. It's get better everytime.

Efrat wrote: "I read Neuromancer 10 times at least. It's get better everytime."

Wow I am not sure my brain could handle 10 times! :0)

I thought about reading sometime Neuromancer before Snow Crash, but maybe it's totally redundant ?

After finishing The Blood-Tainted Winter I read Snapshot by Brandon Sanderson which was really great. Soon I'll get to The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks, but before that I'll read a few short stories.