James Barclay

Drizzt · Joined: 07 Mar 2005 Posts: 1081 Location: Easington, UK

Currently reading 'The Name of the Wind' by Patrick Rothfuss. I took a risk when I bought this as my brain normally doesn't like first-person narratives but this has, thus far, been a pleasant surprise. It's full of humour, likeable (and dislikeable) characters and, because of how it's written at the start, you know it's building towards something which will hopefully be fun to read!

If there is a gripe, it can be a tad slow at times but mostly the humour and characters can carry you through those bits... about 2/3s of the way through now.
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Pagan Music

Mark D · Joined: 23 Nov 2006 Posts: 171 Location: Yeovil, Somerset

OLD NEW GUY · Joined: 10 Dec 2007 Posts: 129

Just finished the below book, and really enjoyed it, lots of content to get your teeth into, lots of information for those wanting to learn more latin terms for things (and a glossary for idiots like me).
Im not going to spoil any of the plot etc... but the characters really grow as the book progresses...i give it a 3.5/5

Fire in the East
(The first book in the Warrior of Rome series)
(2008)
A novel by

Harry Sidebottom

AD 255 - the Roman Imperium is stretched to breaking point, its authority and might challenged throughout the territories and along every border. Yet the most lethal threat lurks far to the east in Persia, where the massing forces of the Sassanid Empire loom with fiery menace. The far-flung and isolated citadel of Arete faces out across the wasteland, awaiting the inevitable invasion. One man is sent to marshall the defences of this lonely city - one man to shore up the crumbling walls of a once indomitable symbol of Roman power - a man whose name itself means war, a man called Ballista. Alone, Ballista is called to muster the forces and the courage to stand first and to stand hard against the greatest enemy ever to confront the Imperium. In the bestselling tradition of Bernard Cornwell and Conn Iggulden, comes a block-busting voice in historical adventure fiction.

Deornoth · Joined: 08 Oct 2007 Posts: 446

Just finished reading Brian Keene's 'Ghost Walk', the sequel to 'Dark Hollow'. While it doesn't hit the same heights as 'Dark Hollow', 'Ghost Walk' is still a really creepy read that will go down well with fans, of Keene, and anyone who's a fan of the genre. My full review is over Here.
I'm now switching back and forth between KJ Parker's 'The Company' and Peter David's 'Tigerheart'...
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Graeme's Fantasy Book Review

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Deornoth · Joined: 08 Oct 2007 Posts: 446

I've just finished reading 'Tigerheart', Peter David's re-telling of 'Peter Pan'. It's an entertaining read on the surface (loads of swashbuckling stuff about Red Indians and Pirates) but tries to say too much when there's not enough space to say it all in. Instead of making a few points, the book tries to make loads and the impact of each is lessened. Like I said, it's an entertaining read but also one that can become frustrating when you see what could have been? My full review is over Here
I'm now back onto KJ Parker's 'The Company'...
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Graeme's Fantasy Book Review

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Kerela · Joined: 10 Sep 2005 Posts: 372 Location: Germany

Elizabeth George - Careless in Red

This womam is completely insane, but I live her books Laughing

(well, most of them)
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The question that sometimes drives me hazy: Am I, or the others crazy?
Albert Einstein

Deornoth · Joined: 08 Oct 2007 Posts: 446

I've just finished reading an advance copy of K.J Parker's 'The Company', a tale of war veterans seeking to begin a new life (founding an island colony) but who are unable to leave their past behind them...
I've had trouble with K.J Parker's books before, the tone is a little too dry and 'matter of fact' for my tastes while the constant talk of 'how things are put together' gets in the way of the story itself. This is exactly the case with 'The Company' and what makes it doubly annoying is that there's a really good story (a fascinating character study of the aftermath of war) being smothered by negative stuff... One for the fans but maybe not for someone picking up a K.J Parker book for the first time. My full review is over Here.
I'm finishing off 'The Last Vampire' (Patricia Rosemoor & Marc Paoletti) and then it's onto Paul Kearney's 'The Ten Thousand'...
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Graeme's Fantasy Book Review

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skandranon · Joined: 25 Feb 2008 Posts: 147 Location: north east England

I agree with you Deornoth, Ive found K J Parkers books sometimes hard going but i also think they are quite thought provoking, a bit like a work out for the brain. Confused

Deornoth · Joined: 08 Oct 2007 Posts: 446

'The Company' was certainly thought provoking, I just wish it hadn't been quite so hard going... Sad

I've just finished reading 'The Last Vampire' by Patricia Rosemoor & Marc Paoletti, a tale of the last vampire (funnily enough!) and his quest to get his soul back. It's also got zombies, a giant crocodile and a team of Black Ops soldiers with supernatural powers taken from vampire DNA...
Although it felt like I'd read this story before (in any number of different books) it was still good fun and a decent light read for the train to work. It doesn't do anything new but I've got a feeling that I'd probably pick up a sequel... My full review is over Here.
I'm now reading Paul Kearney's 'The Ten Thousand' and Kay Kenyon's 'A World Too Near'.
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Graeme's Fantasy Book Review

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Deornoth · Joined: 08 Oct 2007 Posts: 446

Ive just finished reading an arc of Paul Kearney's 'The Ten Thousand', a tale of (guess how many) mercenaries having to find their way out of enemy territory when their employer is killed in battle. It's a lot more than that though with intricate worldbuilding that I could get lost in for hours. Fans of Paul Kearney will love it, if you're a fan of epic/military fantasy then I reckon you'll love it too. My full review is over Here.
It's time for some urban fantasy next so I'm reading Kelley Armstrong's 'The Summoning'.
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Graeme's Fantasy Book Review

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OLD NEW GUY · Joined: 10 Dec 2007 Posts: 129

is this based on the 10,000 greeks who had to fight their way back out of persia??

OLD NEW GUY · Joined: 10 Dec 2007 Posts: 129

is this based on the 10,000 greeks who had to fight their way back out of persia??

Deornoth · Joined: 08 Oct 2007 Posts: 446

I wasn't aware of it at the time but apparently so Very Happy

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Graeme's Fantasy Book Review

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Alia · Joined: 17 Sep 2007 Posts: 246

I've just finished Kay's "Ysabel". It's his young adult novel, written as a gift for his children, and you can feel it very well, especially as the protagonist is a fifteen-year-old boy from Canada. But still it's a well-written story with nicely portrayed characters. I had fun reading it, although it's certainly not the best Kay's work.

Deornoth · Joined: 08 Oct 2007 Posts: 446

Just finished reading Gord Rollo's 'Jigsaw Man', a tale of a man who accepts a two million dollar deal for his right arm only to find there's more to the deal than he thought. It's not just the fact that he is losing more limbs than he bargained for, it's what they're being replaced with...
A lack of room in the novel means the two main villains almost become pantomime in their cruel excesses (that didn't seem to have any foundation) but, this aside, 'Jigsaw Man' is a genuinely scary read that kept my attention the whole way through. I'll be looking out for more books by Gord Rollo and my full review is over Here.
I'm now reading Patricia Briggs' 'Blood Bound'...
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Graeme's Fantasy Book Review

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