Recent Reads
Jan. 11th, 2009 02:07 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
connaticIan McDonald, Brasyl. I put this down multiple times and it took me several months to finish. I'm not sure why this didn't appeal to me - it's clearly of on Ian McDonald's better books. Some of the main characters just didn't work for me. The central idea of the world being a simulation in a quantum computer at the end of the universe also doesn't appear fresh anymore.
KJ Parker, The Company. I really wanted to like this, as much of Parker's previous work is brilliant and I like the dark humor and dark fantasy backgrounds of his (her?) books. Two things held this book back: Parker didn't pull off having many distinct characters (they sort of blurred into each other) and the backflashes were more interesting than the main story line. Still, having pretty much all the main characters have a monstrous past is a good idea.
James Blaylock, The Knights of the Cornerstone. Loved it - quirky characters, a town full of Knight Templars, a hidden silver mine subsidizing the town for half a century without anyone appearing rich - just great. Blaylock is not as well known as he should be and I've been enjoying his books for over 15 years.
David Riggs, The World of Christopher Marlowe. A good biography and history, if maybe a bit dry.
Various, Seeds of Change. A nice collection of short stories. Ken MacLeod and Tobias Buckell are great as always, and I really liked Ted Kosmatka's story. There were two weak stories out of nine - not bad at all.
David Anthony, The Horse, the Wheel and Language. A good update on the state of research into Proto Indo European. I read the books by Mallory and Bellwood a few years ago, and clearly the subject is still actively being researched and debated. I'll keep reading the books as they come along.
KJ Parker, The Company. I really wanted to like this, as much of Parker's previous work is brilliant and I like the dark humor and dark fantasy backgrounds of his (her?) books. Two things held this book back: Parker didn't pull off having many distinct characters (they sort of blurred into each other) and the backflashes were more interesting than the main story line. Still, having pretty much all the main characters have a monstrous past is a good idea.
James Blaylock, The Knights of the Cornerstone. Loved it - quirky characters, a town full of Knight Templars, a hidden silver mine subsidizing the town for half a century without anyone appearing rich - just great. Blaylock is not as well known as he should be and I've been enjoying his books for over 15 years.
David Riggs, The World of Christopher Marlowe. A good biography and history, if maybe a bit dry.
Various, Seeds of Change. A nice collection of short stories. Ken MacLeod and Tobias Buckell are great as always, and I really liked Ted Kosmatka's story. There were two weak stories out of nine - not bad at all.
David Anthony, The Horse, the Wheel and Language. A good update on the state of research into Proto Indo European. I read the books by Mallory and Bellwood a few years ago, and clearly the subject is still actively being researched and debated. I'll keep reading the books as they come along.
