What science fiction/fantasy (if any) are you reading right now?

Sept 15, 2013 | Me

[Kip Russell]

For those who are into this sort of thing...what sfnal or fantasy literature are currently reading or have just finished?

I'm working my way through the series, "The Dresden Files" by Jim Butcher, having read the first 10 novels of the 15 published so far.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dresden_Files

The Dresden Files is a series of contemporary fantasy/mystery novels written by Jim Butcher. He provides a first person narrative of each story from the point of view of the main character, private investigator and wizard Harry Dresden, as he recounts investigations into supernatural disturbances in modern-day Chicago. Butcher's original proposed title for the first novel was Semiautomagic, which sums up the series' balance of fantasy and hard-boiled detective fiction.

In the world of The Dresden Files, magic is real, along with ghouls, vampires, demons, spirits, faeries, werewolves, zombies and other mythical monsters. Harry Dresden works to protect the general public, who are ignorant of magic and the dark forces conspiring against them. This makes it difficult for Harry to get by as a working wizard and private eye. The Chicago PD's Special Investigation unit, when led by Karrin Murphy, regularly employs Dresden as a consultant to help solve cases of a supernatural nature.

The White Council, the recognized governing body of Wizards, has decreed the Seven Laws of Magic, which all magic users are expected to follow. Breaking any of the laws, even without knowing of them, carries a death sentence except under very rare and special circumstances.

In The Dresden Files universe, each species (humans, faeries, vampires, etc.) has its own political and societal rules and organizations. The human wizards depend on the White Council, while faeries may belong to either the Summer or Winter courts, or they may belong to neither court, in which case they are known as Wyldfae. Vampires may belong to any of three vampire Courts, be it the White, Red, or Black Court. There are rumours of a Jade court based in the far east.

I'm enjoying it quite a bit...the main character takes the snark level up to 11, and frequently has to pay the consequences for doing so. Characters grow and change, and one of them is the best portrayal of a (modern-day) paladin I've ever seen.

The author also portrays the faeries of the Seelie and Unseelie Courts as what they should be...downright scary, for which I give him major brownie (sorry) points.

So...what are you reading?

[tanknetter]

Anno Dracula by Kim Newman. Set in a late 1880s where Dracula succeeded in killing Van Helsing and establishing vampire dominance over England.

All sorts of interesting apperances and references to both historic and fictional characters from that time period. The second book in the series is set during WWI and the Third during the late 1950s. The fourth (and last) will range from the 70s through the 90s.

[bravo whiskey]

is the RAMA series. easy to get into?

just finished FARSIDE by ben bova and books 1 and 2 of the FORMIC WARS, the precurser to the 4 book ENDER’S series. will start a rered of ENDER’S GAME this week

[GSWarrior]

I am reading The White Mountains, the first installment in the Tripods series by John Christopher.

[GSWarrior]

Demon Princes is a great series.

[Ransomed]

Yes, and it is criminally underrated/unknown. It’s in my top ten for sure, along with some other Vance.

Freegards

[GSWarrior]

Still looking for #3 and #5....:hard to find.

[Ransomed]

I think I bought my demon princes from abebooks used, a massive book with all five demon prince novels.

Here’s his website if you are into the e-book thing, it should have them for sale.

http://www.jackvance.com/

Freegards

[doorgunner69]

I found Deathworld while searching for free Kindle stuff to read.

What other book is part of the three besides Stainless Steel Rat? I did see that title but did not download.

[doorgunner69]

Oh, yeah, to the original question:

Just finished the first three Ender's Game books. Xenocide got rather strange, don't think I will bother with the last one.

Before that I really got a kick out of the "Old Man's War" series.

[gymbeau]

Stainless Steel Rat is a different Harrison series. It follows “Slippery Jim” Di Griz a.k.a. the Stainless Steel Rat. He’s a secret agent, as opposed to Jason dinAlt’s more “Bart Maverick” type of gambler/soldier of fortune. Same type of guy, though, at heart.

The Deathworld series stories are numbered 1-3. The last one was my favorite, but it was also the one I read first, so that may have something to do with it.

cheers
Jim

[Wurlitzer]

“For those who are into this sort of thing...what sfnal or fantasy literature are currently reading or have just finished?”

---

The Buffalo News!

Same plot! Left out way too much information!

[antidisestablishment]

I love Stephenson, and I was pleasantly surprised when I recently read his Reamde. While one of his lighter tomes, it is filled with bad mooselimbs and very conservative protagonists. With a very pro-gun outlook and self-reliant characters, it may be a bit much for the vox populi.

For me, it was a nice break from many modern SF books that are filled with Goth antiheros saving their hedonist selves in various Malthusian apocalypses, or with the now stereotypical corporate antagonists who are greedily raping mother Gaia to pursue their evil capitalist visions. While it is nowhere near as complex as Cryptonomicon or Anathem, Stephenson moved up the ladder with this one simply for the courage to show a positive image of old-school Americana.

[antidisestablishment]

Anyone who likes Ender's Game should check out the Childe Cycle by Gordon R Dickson. Unfortunately, the author died before completing the series, but it ranks up there with the best in the category. It is more philosophical than hard sci fi, but the military aspects are quite distinctive. With a focus on characterization and plot, it would probably be categorized as YA today—no gratuitous graphic sex and violence. Truly a great read from a terrific author

[antidisestablishment]

Go to Smashwords and check out their library. It's all self-published, but there are a lot of decent reads.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Read the “Ender’s Shadow” series. Much more accessible.

[GeronL]

The first Ender’s Shadow was pretty good

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

I read all of them. They had their ups and downs but overall it was a good series that wound up satisfactorily.

Only two loose threads which might hint at another book coming sometime in the future.

[discostu]

I’ve been enjoying having old Judge Dredd repackaged and republished in America, just finished the 3rd act of the Apocalypse War (aka Day of Chaos). Gotta re-read Radio Free Albemuth because we’re going to be showing the movie at the convention I work. Speaking of the convention I work if Butcher ever gets near you GO TO THAT CONVENTION, he’s a really nice guy, a lot of fun to hang with. I didn’t particularly enjoy Dresden 13, but it was important in the arc, and 14 got back to what I love about the series.

[Tijeras_Slim]

The first and third of the Deathworld series are the best IMO... number 2 not so much.

[doorgunner69]

Thanks for the tip. At least I am using a Kindle now, so the pile of paperbacks is no longer growing.