What Are You Reading Right Now 2.0

[Vendetta]

Currently reading If on a Winter's Night a Traveller. I haven't read a lot of Calvino, just Invisible Cities, but it's a good book about the nature of books and reading.

[JME2]

Finally finished The Key to Creation.

Overall, a decent finale to the Terra Incognita trilogy -- though Book 2 is still my favorite entry. The ending is admittedly a bit of a dues ex machina...
Spoiler

...but the intervention of the creator god Ondun and his emissary Holy Joron was, from a dramatic standpoint, the only real way to stop a war of mutual annihilation.

To his credit, KJA at least makes it atypical in that Ondun is not really a god, but a powerful being higher up on the evolutionary food chain. He also doesn't like posing a god, but has no choice since it's the only way to force a peace between Tierra and Uraba.

That having been said, I love Holy Joron's reaction when he reveals his divine presence during the finale battle at Ishalem -- and the two armies STILL want to go at it. It essentially amounts to, "We gave you love, peace, and understanding -- and THIS is what you do with it?!"

Even Ondun does the equivalent of a facepalm when he sits them down at the peace table -- and they immediate start up on the "They were the ones who started the War" argument.

Of course, that exasperation is reciprocated as neither Queen Anjine or Soldan-Shah Omra can understand why their creator god is telling them to knock this shit off and make peace. They were understandably expecting him to spite the opposing nation and they're having trouble grasping why's not throwing lightning bolts.

But the recipient of the Rejection of Reality Award unsurprisingly goes to the one and only Prester Hannes when the Dyscovera finally reaches Terravite. There, they uncover the preserved body of their nation and religion's founder -- and that of his supposedly treacherous brother. They uncover irrefutable proof that the brothers were not enemies as gospel dictates, but sailed together...

...and Hannes STILL can't accept the reality in front of him. He can't accept that the Book of Aiden is factually incorrect or that the early followers either misunderstood the teachings or deliberate rewrote their history (KJA correctly leaves this ambiguous). Hannes flips the fuck out and secretly returns to the shrine intending to destroy the evidence because if the revelation were made public, it would undermine the Church of Aiden.

And I love how fitting is it that the fanatic gets taken out by another fanatic -- or at least an ex-fanatic. He rightfully gets called out on his hypocrisy. Hannes has hated the Ureci for so long that he doesn't realize that what he thinks of as devout faith in Aidenism is in fact hatred of anything that doesn't conform to his beloved Church.

[The Romulan Republic]

I'm reading The Ocean At The End Of The Lane, by Neil Gaiman.

[JME2]

I'm reading The Ocean At The End Of The Lane, by Neil Gaiman.

I read that about a month ago.

A nice spiritual successor to Coraline.

[The Romulan Republic]

I wouldn't know. This is the first time I've read one of his novels, though I liked some of his work on Doctor Who.

[Ahriman238]

Read a different Jim Butcher book, Furies of Calderon. Have Summer Knight and Death Masks to tide me over for the flight home.

[Ahriman238]

Finished Summer Knight, moving on to Death Masks and Michael is acting a bit out of character by trying to intimidate Harry off the case.

[Crazedwraith]

There's a reason for that.

how did you like Summer Knight?

[Ahriman238]

I liked it well. With Fool Moon I had a good guess as to the killers through their behavior, after stepping back from the story a bit with the first book I had an idea there was a connection between the two cases. This one? Came out of left field, yet makes perfect sense in hindsight. I can't remember the last time I was so surprised by a mystery novel.

I had a bit of spoiler and knew going in
Spoiler

That Harry at some point or other becomes the Winter Knight. I didn't think it would happen this book, but my mind kept going to the possibility. Particularly when the treachery of the present Knight is revealed. I cracked up at the new Lady and Knight, too.

And as a transplanted Irishman, I loved all the faerie lore. Food and drink, changelings, salt and cold iron, mortal champions, etc. Billy and crew were awesome, as was actually seeing a meeting of the White Council, their politics, and news of the wider war.

And poor Morgan, though he doesn't know it-
Spoiler

Has handed Harry a perfect out with regards to Elaine. "Well, I tried to report the survival of a human wizard, another of DuMorne's apprentices, to a senior Warden, along with how urgent the situation with the Sidhe was. He didn't seem very interested."

So, Elaine is alive and Harry has two old flames out there who may or may not try to kill him when they meet again.

[Ahriman238]

And done with Death Masks.
Spoiler

The last minute nature of the drive-by coining felt... off somehow. Also that Harry took the coin all the way home and buried it in his basement instead of going to Michael and Sanya who have a more immediate way of containing it. Don't tell me he thought they'd chop his block off, not after they were willing to walk away from the other Denarian once he surrendered. Okay, bad example since they left him with Harry.

So what, did he think he oculd keep the coin safer than they could? Is he really okay with Lansciel being there every time he fires up the old ritual circle?

Also, really humanizing Marcone at the end there. Doesn't change anything, but it really is easy to sympathize with him.

[Crazedwraith]

I'm going to spoil what they say in future books in tags below, but suffice to say that issue bothered me as well. But more or less that is what Harry thinks. considering Harry's backstory, he is not a real trusting fellow and half expects everyone and anyone to betray him. With very few exceptions.
Spoiler

Once Harry picks up the coin, the denarius is linked to him permantly. He buries it (in a separate circle from his regular one) but that only cuts off its influence from him.(cuts down as it turns out later) it doesn't break the link. In a later book, it turns out Micheal knows about the coin all along. And tells Harry how to get rid of it. Once the demon's in; it's in and the only way to get it out is for him to give up his wizard powers as his link to the coin would atrophy with it. Harry naturally refuses.

No, I never figured out how this tallies with Cassius just being able to give up the coin instantly in this book but there you go.

[PainRack]

And done with Death Masks.
Spoiler

The last minute nature of the drive-by coining felt... off somehow. Also that Harry took the coin all the way home and buried it in his basement instead of going to Michael and Sanya who have a more immediate way of containing it. Don't tell me he thought they'd chop his block off, not after they were willing to walk away from the other Denarian once he surrendered. Okay, bad example since they left him with Harry.

So what, did he think he oculd keep the coin safer than they could? Is he really okay with Lansciel being there every time he fires up the old ritual circle?

Also, really humanizing Marcone at the end there. Doesn't change anything, but it really is easy to sympathize with him.

Spoiler

I can't remember which book it is, but essentially, Michael good opinion of him is so important that he can't risk losing it. Its an irrational fear of loss to the only good human being who viewed him as a decent guy, well, as of Death Masks anyway....... And of course, Michael as a good person automatically disproves it.

Also, Harry himself has a debate with himself over why he picked up the coin, attributing it to his own darker, baser desires. How much of this is true is up for debate.

I'm going to spoil what they say in future books in tags below, but suffice to say that issue bothered me as well. But more or less that is what Harry thinks. considering Harry's backstory, he is not a real trusting fellow and half expects everyone and anyone to betray him. With very few exceptions.
Spoiler

Once Harry picks up the coin, the denarius is linked to him permantly. He buries it (in a separate circle from his regular one) but that only cuts off its influence from him.(cuts down as it turns out later) it doesn't break the link. In a later book, it turns out Micheal knows about the coin all along. And tells Harry how to get rid of it. Once the demon's in; it's in and the only way to get it out is for him to give up his wizard powers as his link to the coin would atrophy with it. Harry naturally refuses.

No, I never figured out how this tallies with Cassius just being able to give up the coin instantly in this book but there you go.

Spoiler

There's another intrepretation. What Michael said was that if you haven't taken up the coin, the only way to do so would be to abandon the coin and magic or its influence would still be on him. it really depends on how you parse the paragraphs.....

[Ralin]

Spoiler

Maybe Jesus loved Cassius and gave him the chance to renounce the coin.

[JME2]

Currently working on Patrick Bishop's The Hunt for Hitler's Warship. Fascinating account of the Royal Navy's attempts to sink the Tirpitz during WWII.

[Ahriman238]

Well I already the next book, that was the out-of-order one so I already saw-
Spoiler

Harry's hand get burned except for a small coin-sized patch of flesh with Lansciel's sigil. That and Harry's newfound ability to wield hellfire.

[JME2]

Just finished Deadlocked, the penultimate novel of the Southern Vampire Mysteries.

The end is nigh and it's a good thing since Catherine Harris has been running out of steam over the last few books.

[Crazedwraith]

So I read Fields Of Dishonor on a friend's kindle. And am part way through a dead tree copy of Cold Days.

[Ahriman238]

So I read Fields Of Dishonor on a friend's kindle. And am part way through a dead tree copy of Cold Days.

Thoughts? Can't say I didn't warn you.

Actually, while FoD is my least favorite of the series and nearly turned me off the books altogether, the next one, Flag in Exile, is actually really good. Still, I consider FoD to be the last 'early Honor' book.

Right now I'm also re-reading Fields as a prelude to mining for quotes for my thread. Got the kindle version of the Name of the Wind, but haven't had time yet to sit down with it.

[JME2]

Working on Dan Brown's Inferno.

Don't know why I'm indulging my inner masochist given I despise the Robert Langdon series, but eh.

[Crazedwraith]

So I read Fields Of Dishonor on a friend's kindle. And am part way through a dead tree copy of Cold Days.

Thoughts? Can't say I didn't warn you.

Actually, while FoD is my least favorite of the series and nearly turned me off the books altogether, the next one, Flag in Exile, is actually really good. Still, I consider FoD to be the last 'early Honor' book.

Right now I'm also re-reading Fields as a prelude to mining for quotes for my thread. Got the kindle version of the Name of the Wind, but haven't had time yet to sit down with it.

Lol. I had read those spoilers you put up in the thread and I'm not quite sure if my dissatisfaction with the narrative is the result of its badness or just knowing whats coming ahead of time.
Spoiler

But it seems obvious that everything seeming so good and happy with Paul and all Honor's friends in the first half is just to twist the knife when Honor loses him afterwards.

The book did not play to Weber's strengths, I don't want to downgrade it because it has no space battles. And The Court Martial thing is a staple of naval fiction thought its most often the Hero on trial (and often just the standard 'you lost your ship' one.) So having one is fine.

But seriously? Cutting out honor on the stand and going straight to the deliberations is a big mistake. Demonstrate the split perspective of the panel by their questions and attitude towards Honor on the stand. Have White Haven unwitting demonstrate his own partiality by reigning in anti-Honor people!

And the honorverse house of Lords is weird. All peerages automatically get a seat? Couldn't Beth give her prime minister a majority but just upjumping a whole bunch of people who will vote his way in gratitude?

the ending, ugh, is one of thise things that push Honor towards the mary sue thing. We have vitually every authority figure we know personally concerned about Honor's doings. Not too mention she gets super special dispensation for her Grayson armed guard.

[Ahriman238]

Oh, it really is the weakest book in the series. The Grayson stuff was decent but we get Manticoran politics crammed down our throat in this book, then they vanish for, what, four or five books? Before becoming all-important again.

Naturally, there are limits to how many people the Crown can ennoble in a given period of time.

[Ahriman238]

Started Dead Beat this afternoon.
Spoiler

Evil Bob is very scary, almost as much as the idea of Murphy and Kincaid.

[Crazedwraith]

Despite the lack of Murphy, Dead Beat is a pretty good installment of the series.

Still plodding through Cold Days, I shan't spoil much but suffice to say the 12th Book of the series 'Changes' is aptly named and I keep on see-sawing on the new direction between 'this is awful' and 'this rocks'.

[StarSword]

Andrzej Sapkowski's The Witcher series. Only the first three are available in English but #4 is supposed to come out in June.

Ian Douglas' Star Carrier series. Mil-SF series that does a good job at creating a reasonably hard science space fighter story (roughly Honor Harrington level of hard: one big lie with rules that are applied consistently). I've been considering trying to do an analysis thread on it.

Also picked up a couple Timothy Zahn novels at the library: The Icarus Hunt, one of his original 'verse works, and Star Wars: Scoundrels, which has been mentioned in this thread previously.

[Ahriman238]

Most of the way through Dead Beat.
Spoiler

Michael is still cool and all, but I'm afraid Sue has a MASSIVE natural edge in any competition for the most awesome character in this series.

So Harry has been avoiding Michael specifically because he's been afraid Mike would recognize the connection to Lasciel? Makes a lot more sense than what he said in the last book.

I was sure something was off about Sheila, particularly after Bock mentions Harry speaking to air. But I figured she was a pawn or trick of the Necromancers, not Lasciel. Points to the series again for catching me off-guard.

Hey, I remember that guy! Cassius doesn't seem to have done well. The man is clearly deranged, but I still wonder at his certainty that the coin would be on or in Harry.

Also, Thomas and Bob's reactions to Harry as a Warden were priceless.