New to Galaxion? Want to catch up without having to wade through the whole archive? Start reading at Chapter Four and you’ll know what’s going on!
OK, last week I recommended a couple of books. Now it’s your turn! Have you read anything really good recently?
Avoid all contact… right.
Um, you mean, besides Galaxion?
Well, I’ve already recommended The Gathering Storm, but it’s best if new readers started at the beginning, The Eye of the World.
Actually, currently I’m rather–what’s the word–submerged in a great fantasy book series by R. A. Salvatore, the entirety of which is called The Legend of Drizzt–not sure if anyone’s heard of it?
Kylie Chan’s “Earth to Hell” was really good. I don’t know if it’s available outside Australia though… Shadow’s of Ombria by Patricia McKillop was good too, though her stuff is hard to rate.
How about John Wrights Children of Chaos trilogy. Start with Orphans of Chaos, I love the pacing and the characters and the complex intrigue throughout the books and “rules of the land” of this highly imaginative world of the ancient classical gods.
The anthology “Twilight Zone: 19 Original Stories on the 50th Anniversary” had some fun short stories by a number of authors, including Earl Hammer, R. L. Stein, Timothy Zahn, and even an unpublished one by Serling himself
I am telling everyone I know to read The Magicians by Lev Grossman (http://www.amazon.com/Magicians-Novel-Lev-Grossman/dp/0670020559/). Even people who don’t normally read fantasy. Stunningly good. That’s the last book I read, anyway, that blew me out of the water. Before that was The Time Traveler’s Wife.
Hey Nik-Nak,
for a different genre, try Nancy Springer’s Enola Holmes series. Sherlock’s young sister, and I cringed too, but they are really good. Nice sense of the era, good character, great take on btoh the elder Holmes’ and decent mysteries to boot.
Springer is responsible for the Rowan Hood book(s) so no stranger to the new take on old character thang.
“The Hunger Games” and “Catching Fire” were awesome.
@Insectoid– I was working at a sci-fi bookstore back when there were only 3 books out in that series, and I remember how frustrated the fans of it were, waiting for the next book! I swore to myself then that I wouldn’t read any of it until it was all finished. (I felt bad about that decision when Robert Jordan came to the store to do a signing for the 4th book… but I got a pb copy of the 1st book signed anyway, and it’s waiting to be read…) Is it finished yet? I’ve heard of Salvatore but never tried any of his books…
@Paul– I see another series by Chan listed at Amazon, Dark Heavens, but not the one you mention… that will take some further investigating! Of course I’m more intrigued by things I can’t have.
Do you recommend any of those others (if I can find them)? I’m trying to remember if I’ve read the Ombria one…
@Smith– those Children of Chaos books sound a little bit like Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series. I really liked those, so I’m certainly going to give Wright’s books a try!
@Kev– I’m ashamed to admit, I’m not usually a big reader of short stories. But if it’s recommended to me I might pick it up anyway!
@Dierdre– Ha! I’ve got Hunger Games out from the library right now!
I’m working my way through some others first (a whole pile arrived for me at once), but I can’t wait to get to it. Maybe I should just go ahead and place a hold on the sequel straight away…
Tara: Re: Jordan. Brandon Sanderson ought to have the series finished by late next year, if all goes according to plan. So you’ve not got long to wait.
If you’re into fantasy and have not read anything in the Shannara series by Terry Brooks, they are amazing! Really, go out and find them, and even if you’re not that into fantasy, you might consider giving these a try. The only thing is you really need to read them in order or you won’t really understand everything that’s going on.
I rekement “The Consolations of Philosophy”. I´m sorry to say it is nothing as life-chengeing as a fantasy-novel. jost a philosophy base-st book on dealing with ferlings of angst and infereorty, among odters.
in short, Consolation throgh Philosophy.
Aaah, “The Consolation of Philosophy” by the esteemed Boethius. A Latin text translated into English at various times by no less than King Alfred, Chaucer and Queen Elizabeth I. A worthy read certainly if not light or escapist.
i mendt the one by Alain De Botton.
I’m currently reading The Gathering Storm, which has been discussed already. But might I add that I particularly like the toning on this week’s page? I especially like the shadows of the trees in the first panel. It really lends depth to the page. And Scavina looks *so* determined in panel 3. Exhausted, but determined.
Mea culpa for being slow to reply…
Tara, “Earth to Hell” is the latest book in the Dark Heavens Series. The first trilogy ended on a climax and then revealed there was more story to come. They’re all good books. I found them to be particularly unputdownable.
All of Kylie Chan’s books are great reading,and would make great wuxia films.However,Earth to Hell is the first of a new trilogy,and really requires the reader to have read the preceding three books.
I suggest that interested readers check out the Fantastic Fiction website.