Posted on September 11, 2015 Posted by John Scalzi 29 Comments
As we once again head into the weekend, here’s a new stack of book and ARCs that have come to the Scalzi Compound this week. What speaks to you in this stack? Tell me in the comments!
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I just find it interesting that “Soundless” is stacked right on top of “Sound”! Coincidence?
I read Mr McCammon’s “They Thirst” in its original version, long years back, and remember being very impressed. With reworking to bring it up to his current standards, it’s likely excellent-plus.
“What we saw” makes me want to find out what they did see, and “Sleeping Embers of an ordinary Mind” sounds interesting.
Yay Harry Connolly! It is a crime against all that is quality that his Twenty Palaces series didn’t blow up like it deserved to. And a crime against all of us who love our stories noir-influenced since it meant the end to the series after three books. I am totally stoked for this new trilogy.
Don: The Great Way is very interesting, particularly in book one. I’m glad it got picked up by a press for wider distribution.
What We Saw sounds really interesting and I’m kind of jealous that I didn’t write a book with that title first
I just read an amusing review of GameLife: http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/books/2015/09/gamelife_by_michael_clune_reviewed.html
The Harry Connolly books speak to me to say “Transfer your Kickstarter .mobi files to your Kindle so you can read them.” :)
Practically everything … it’s a very chatty stack :) . Connolly, Clune, Charnock and the Nebula collection in particular are very vocal.
What do you do, or are allowed to do, with all these books and ARCs, John? Does a library near you get them? I can’t imagine you having the time to read all of them and still write your own excellent work.
“Sleeping Embers of an Ordinary mind”…what an amazing title.
Been looking forward to Lightless
The Harry Connolly Great Way trilogy is great, fulfilling its promise of “Epic Fantasy with no dull bits.” I was sad when he stopped writing 20 Palaces novels, but pleased that resulted in this instead. It’s a blessing to readers.
That Lightless book by C.A. Higgins looks interesting.
Whoopdedoo! A new Robert McCammon! A vampire horror novel that’s a horror novel. Good stuff, Maynard.
When I win the lottery I am going to pay Harry Connolly to write more 20 Palaces, until then I will have to be satisfied with this very good trilogy and the extraordinary A Key, an Egg, an Unfortunate Remark.
I did happen to read Harry Connolly’s Great Way earlier this year.
Good: Strong, great characters, female and male. Original monsters. Original non-monster intelligent beings. Original magic. A bit to much portals for my taste, but originally used.
Medium: The story starts very spectacular, unluckily it can’t keep the tension that good in the middle, it builds up some tension in volume 3 again but is unfortunately a bit weak in the end.
I’ve put my whole review about the books in a blog post: http://hellasbuecher.blogspot.de/2015/02/the-great-way-harry-connolly.html
Like David Gustafson, I enjoyed the original “They Thirst.” It scared me thoroughly.
>> The Great Way is very interesting, particularly in book one. I’m glad it got picked up by a press for wider distribution.>>
I don’t think it did. Those TPBs look to be from Radar Ave. Press, which is Harry’s self-publishing imprint.
russkirk: http://whatever.scalzi.com/2010/03/08/because-people-ask-book-acquisition-details/
Oh, to be in Ohio during Friend of the Library Sale time….
THEY THIRST. I like that title. With no prior knowledge of that book, I’m picturing something Event Horizonish. I’m probably wrong, but now I want to read it and see.
I’m interested in the “Nebula Awards Showcase, 2015” edited by Greg Bear. Specifically, what role does Mr. Bear play in editing this anthology?
I assume that he doesn’t select the stories, and that these are Nebula nominees and winners, . Does he merely provide a front-piece, an afterword, and perhaps some intros and/or followups? Or does he fulfill a more fundamental role?
I noticed the stacking of Sound and Soundless also. I’m assuming that’s JS having a little fun.
John,
Do you ever recommend any of these books to your followers? Or just post everything and let us see what sticks to the wall?
JR
I added both Walk on Earth a Stranger and Soundless to my buy list last month, jealous that you have them both already.
Another fan of Harry Connolly. I liked the Great Way series; you can tell he has a theory of the magic, I think. As with the Twenty Palaces novels, you get creative and original monsters, you’re thrown into the middle of everything, and you’re left wanting more at the end.
wonderful
Jay Allan, I have read his stuff, is pulp, but its still quite edible if you like military drama. Glad to see he is breaking out of the ebook market and into the “real” world it will give him more exposure.
I’ve been a fan of Jay Allan (and yourself, Mr Scalzi) for some time now, and I’m glad to see he’s in your stack. IMHO, Jay Allen writes good-old-fashioned-guns-aliens-and-glory-but-at-what-cost-to-our-humanity?-military-science-fiction. It’s pulpy, but pulpy like the best orange juice.
Unless you don’t like orange juice. Then it’s pulpy like.. Something pulpy that’s also really good. Okay, I’ll shut up now.