My 2011 Reading Challenge

[glenatron]

Inspired by wldhrsjen3's reading challenges over the last few years, I'd like to try something similar. But I'm going to need you all to help for this one.

Basically, you're all interesting, smart, literate people and so the idea I have is that I'd like to have one book per month recommended by you guys.

If I get twelve interesting recommendations for books I haven't read already, I'll try to get hold of and read one every month then report back on how I liked it or otherwise.

I read a lot of fantasy, some sci-fi, a bit of travel literature, sometimes something literaturey, particularly if it intersects with one of the others. I've read very few classics but that doesn't mean I wouldn't enjoy them if I did read them. In the last couple of years I have really enjoyed books including The Raw Shark Texts, Anathem, The Wizard Knight, The Lions Of Al Rassan, Illium/Olympos, A Horse's Thought, The Fabric Of Sin and The Name Of The Wind which may give a general guide to the kinds of thing I quite like.

Things that make me angry with books include vampires ( they have never been anything but dull, if one vampire book was to exist Fevre Dream is it, no more needed or wanted ) badly built worlds that don't make sense, predictable "twists" that aren't actually twists at all and glacial slowness- Gormenghast is one of the few books I ever gave up on.

So, if you're inclined to play along, why not suggest me a book and if it looks like I might vaguely enjoy it, I'll add it to the list.

Happy New Year, one and all!

Comments

[tadeous.livejournal.com]

Nicolo Rising by Dorothy Dunnet. Epic historic story.

[flax.livejournal.com]

I read a lot of fantasy, some sci-fi, a bit of travel literature, sometimes something literaturey, particularly if it intersects with one of the others.

The City of Dreaming Books by Walter Moers is all of the above!

Well, maybe not literaturey, but it's about literature.

[harnessphoto.livejournal.com]

Please tell me you've read the Hitchhiker's Guide books....

[buymeaclue.livejournal.com]

What qualities do you like in a book?

[makoiyi.livejournal.com]

As I said in my review at the bottom, the blurb does not do this book justice. It doesn't even mention the horses who are all main characters.




To Ride Hell's Chasm by Janny Wurts (Goodreads Author)
To Ride Hell's Chasm 3.98 · rating details · 127 ratings · 30 reviews
When Princess Anja fails to appear at her betrothal banquet, the tiny, peaceful kingdom of Sessalie is plunged into intrigue. Two warriors are charged with recovering the distraught king's beloved daughter. Taskin, Commander of the Royal Guard, whose icy competence and impressive life-term as the Crown's right-hand man command the kingdom's deep-seated respect; and Mykkael...moreWhen Princess Anja fails to appear at her betrothal banquet, the tiny, peaceful kingdom of Sessalie is plunged into intrigue. Two warriors are charged with recovering the distraught king's beloved daughter. Taskin, Commander of the Royal Guard, whose icy competence and impressive life-term as the Crown's right-hand man command the kingdom's deep-seated respect; and Mykkael, the rough-hewn newcomer who has won the post of Captain of the Garrison - a scarred veteran with a deadly record of field warfare, whose "interesting" background and foreign breeding are held in contempt by court society. As the princess's trail vanishes outside the citadel's gates, anxiety and tension escalate. Mykkael's investigations lead him to a radical explanation for the mystery, but he finds himself under suspicion from the court factions. Will Commander Taskin's famous fair-mindedness be enough to unravel the truth behind the garrison captain's dramatic theory: that the resourceful, high-spirited princess was not taken by force, but fled the palace to escape a demonic evil?(less)
Paperback, 672 pages
Published July 4th 2005 by Meisha Merlin Publishing, Inc. (first published 2002)


status Read in January, 2007
review If I listed all the books I have read the comp would collapse. Suffice it to say I have read all of Janny's barring her short stories. I loved the Mistwraith stories but this one stood out for me. Characterization was superb. The story gripped from start to finish and it made me cry in several places. The blurb on the book jacket btw does *not* do this book justice. Whoever wrote it should be shot. Loved the book in spades.

[skiesfirepaved.livejournal.com]

Have you actually read The Sea Wolf? Because, as you know, I adore it beyond words; however, as I am aware that the book has faults and the only reason I love it so is because of the incredibly portrayed, antagonistic character of Wolf, perhaps you ought to add it towards the end of your book list. :P

Another book that means a lot to me, and one I think you'd enjoy if you've not already read it, is Moonfleet by John Meade Faulkner. It was published in 1898 (though the story is set in 1757) and is an absoloute joy to read - I adore 19th and early 20th century lit, people don't write 'em like that anymore. :( It's an adventure story, about smuggling and ghouls and cursed jewels and things like that - but what I like best about it is the relationship between the narrator, orphaned teenager John, and the unlikely father figure he finds in the landlord of the local pub. It's incredibly touching. Oh: and the ending is your sort of ending, in that things come good but at a price.

Another favourite book of mine, also following the seafaring genre, is the travel writing account The Last Grain Race, published 1956. 18-year-old Eric Newby ships out on the breathtaking four-masted barque, Moshulu, to take part in what turns out to be the last grain trade voyage of this majestic ship. Eric Newby has a fantastic way of writing that makes you feel as though he's telling you the story down the pub or something. His shipmates are brilliant characters, too - made all the better when you realise they actually existed, hehe.

Then there's Neverwhere, a modern fantasy by Neil Gaiman. Here he plays with the concepts of the names given to the Underground stations - there really are Black Friars, and the terrible Night at Knightsbridge, and an Earl at Earl's Court. He also supplies the two best villains EVER in the odious Mr Croup and Mr Vandemar. And the Marquis de Carabas? One of my all time favourite characters.

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

A great recommendation, but already a favourite.

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

Naturally.

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

I'm fairly open minded but I get irritated by lazy worldbuilding and when the story or setting isn't consistent with itself. also when fantasy writers tangle themselves up in the same tolkien races and stylings.

Many of my favourite books create a feeling of "if this could happen, this is how it would happen." One thing I liked about The Name Of The wind was the way that magic has a kind of science to it that really makes sense.

Also, as someone who could pass as a weapons inspector for Checkov's rifles I love it when a book can surprise me. If it can do that with a perspective shift so much the better.

I've listed a lot lt things I don't like because I like most other things and qualities like "original" and "interesting" tend to the subjective.

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

Neverwhere I have. The others I've not read.

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

Its on the list!

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

On the list!

[life-of-tom.livejournal.com]

If you're counting comics, I'm slowly working my way through Sandman (by which I mean buying a new one every couple of months when I feel like treating myself) and they're well worth it- I'm up to 'Dream Country' and loving it.

I've also absolutely adored the Graveyard book. It's really warm and human and brilliant, and the sort of thing which has somehow insinuated itself into the canon of classic children's books I've always loved without any sort of fuss, as if I actually read it a long time ago. There are passages in it which are just beautiful beyond belief.

Also, 'A Spot of Bother,' Mark Hadden's sequel to 'The Curious Case of the Dog in the Night-time,' is a brilliant non-fantasy read. It's the sort of well-observed English story that Richard Curtis thinks he's telling, but isn't quite.

Ooh! And for some unexpected Sci-Fi, try 'Making History,' by one Stephen Fry. The best time-travel novel you've probably never heard of.

Oh, and I got you a book for Christmas which you aren't allowed to buy before I give it to you. So make sure you don't do that, ok?

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

I'll be careful!

[gnapp.livejournal.com]

Have you read Guy Gavriel Key? Historical fiction meets fantasy. (I'm allergic to historical fiction and still likes these a lot.) A Song for Arbonne is lovely, or perhaps the Sarantie Mosaic.

I second all the Gaiman suggestions too. Sandman in particular. And Coraline, of course.

If you want something non-fantasy: Atonement, by Ian McEwan. Starts in WWII Britain. Great book.

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

I'm currently reading Ysabel and I think only have A Song For Arbonne, Under Heaven and The Last Light Of The Sun remaining.

Hoping to spread out a bit from things I would otherwise read so I might put the Ian McEwan one on the list.

[stu-the-elder.livejournal.com]

Riddley Walker, by Russell Hoban.

[dancing-crow.livejournal.com]

Have you read Jane Smiley's horse books? She has one fiction and one non-fict that feel very similar.

The non-fict is A Year at the Races, and I loved it because I'd read the fiction first and I could see where many pieces came from. The fiction is Horse Heaven - basically a couple years in the lives of 4 race horses, and how they thrive, or fail to. There is a good deal of graceful resolution that feels unlikely but comforting. I like the individuality of the horse protagonists.

[dancing-crow.livejournal.com]

Or you could skip all the horse stuff and go straight to Moo which is a satire of life at a large American state university with agricultural roots, hitting home for me because of where I went to grad school (Ag college/UMass - Ag roots in a tiny industrial state - kind of contradictory).

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

I've read neither. I'll choose one of those for the list.

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

Looks intriguing.

[velessa.livejournal.com]

The Safehold series by David Weber; first book is called Off Armageddon Reef. If you like sci-fi and fantasy, you'll love this.

My favorite fantasy series is the Belgariad, but that's old and everyone's read it, and Robin Hobb's Liveship triology.

[buymeaclue.livejournal.com]

So this is the book that came to mind and has stubbornly stuck: http://buymeaclue.livejournal.com/729750.html

Ha! And I was going to say, "But I'm not sure it's your kind of thing at all," but then just reread that post, and there you are in the comments at least thinking it might not totally suck.

So. If you haven't read it yet, maybe give that one a try.

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

Sounds awesome!

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

On the list!

[lizzy (from livejournal.com)]

Surface detail by iain banks; my fav culture book to date.
Wolfsangel by m d lachlan; dark and original, gore Viking, sinister magic and Norse gods

[wldhrsjen3.livejournal.com]

Oh, glad you reminded me. Been meaning to chime in with a few suggestions.

Horse related: Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson. Literary fiction with crisp, clean prose and beautiful imagery. I didn't expect to love this as much as I did. Highly recommended, though it's the sort of thing you might have to be in the right mood for.

Fantasy: The Blade Itself, Before They Are Hanged, The Last Argument of Kings by Joe Abercrombie. Gritty, slightly sardonic political fantasy. By the third book I found some of his characterizations slightly repetitive, but overall I liked this trilogy.

The Engineer Trilogy by K. J. Parker: Devices and Desires, Evil for Evil, and The Last Escapement. Full disclosure: I've only read the first because I haven't been in the right mood for the last two, but I love the complexity, the technological framework, and the cynical perspective of the main character. Beautifully written, tightly plotted - but also kind of grim.

I've just now picked up a copy of Greg Bear's City at the End of Time, which looks like it might be something that would interest you if you haven't already read it, too.

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

Good call.

I will see where I'm at and maybe go with the Per Petterson one. I have read The Blade Itself and it annoyed me by a) Not having an ending and b) having a place called Carleon. Carleon is a real place. Are you set in something based on the real world or aren't you? Don't just jam it in there because you like the name! The setting bothered me less than him not bothering to have an ending on his book. That was irritating.

I haven't read that series by K J Parker but I have read the Scavenger trilogy and the mostly neepery about making stuff with an occasional hint of plot trilogy, both of which were very enjoyably twisty. I thought Parker is a bit like fantasy by Iain M Banks would read.

[glenatron.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Wolfsangel it is!

[lizzy (from livejournal.com)]

I was very annoyed by the non ending of the Blade itself. Let me know if you like Wolsangel.