2970 replies to this topic

[PaulMc]

I have just read Monster Hunter Vendetta by Larry Correia – Owen Zastava Pitt, former accountant turned professional monster hunter finds himself battling a sinister dark cult who want to sacrifice him to the old ones. Much like the first in the series this is a cracking read, loaded with great ideas and over the top action. Correia seems to be more assured with his writing here and delivers the horror goods in truckloads. Don’t be put off by the size of these novels as they thump along at a terrific pace and still leave you wanting more.

You've got me intrigued, Mark

So it's a series, right? What's the first book called and is it the best place to start? And more importantly, are any of them on the Kindle?

Trade secret - you can get Baen ebooks at the Baen website. http://www.baen.com

I believe all the Monster Hunter titles are available. Larry Correia e-list. I think "International" was the first.

[RJMooreII]

I am 2/3rds into The Slithering Shadow. After this, I think I'm going to grab The Last King.

[Dark Mark]

So it's a series, right? What's the first book called and is it the best place to start? And more importantly, are any of them on the Kindle?

Three books in the series so far, I have only read two of them but I will get to the third. It is essential that you begin with Monster Hunter International. If it is available on Kindle then it isn't to Australian users...I'm finding that with quite a few titles recently even ones I had bought previously. I buy mine from the aptly named Brisbane store Pulp Fiction having heard very good things I took the chance on the first.

Edit: It seems you can get it emailed to your account reading Baen's instructions which I will try...and it worked. I actually wasn't aware that some publishers sell Kindle (and other formats) directly. A fraction of the price of an imported paperback.

Edited by Dark Mark, 17 April 2012 - 11:43 PM.

[Alien]

The Hobbit 'bout time.

[RJMooreII]

I'm about a quarter into Darkness Weaves by Karl E. Wagner. Kane's savage self-aggrandizement reminds me of nothing so much as Might is Right or The Survival of the Fittest by 'Ragnar Redbeard', which was later plagiarized by Anton LaVey for the Satanic Bible.

[Ironhand]

The Saga of Seven Suns, by Kevin J. Anderson. This is a seven-book set of novels, a septology (heptology?).

Humanity has interstellar FTL transportation, which is dependant on allotropic hydrogen which can be harvested from gas giant planets. But they have discovered an ancient method for igniting gas giant planets and converting them into small stars, which would in turn enable them to terraform the moons of said planets. Although there is no pressing need for extra inhabitable worlds, the humans try out the technique on one gas giant, as an experiment. And it works, as predicted.

But it turns out that a large number of gas giant planets are inhabited by an ancient, technologically highly advanced race of hydrogen breathers, called the Hydrogues. And they are pi$$ed when the humans destroy one of their worlds. They embargo their worlds, and destroy any human attempt to harvest the all-important allotropic hydrogen from any gas giant, which threatens to destroy human interstellar civilization..

Anderson has spun this out into a seven-book series. I have just finished the first in the series, Hidden Empire. The overarching plot is both complex and grand. But, although he gives a game try at characterization, both the characterization and the dialog seem to me to be somewhat simplistic, or maybe it's just the way he uses language.

I am trying to decide whether to invest in the rest of the series. Has anyone read all 7 books? Could you make a recommendation?

Edited by Ironhand, 21 April 2012 - 07:34 AM.

[Almuric]

Anderson is very hit-and-miss for me. I really like some of his stuff like his Captain Nemo novel, and I thought his Terra Incognita series was decent. But his writing sometimes gets sketchy and a bit rushed.

[Almuric]

Earthblood and Other Stories, by Keith Laumer and Rosel George Brown. Far in the distant future, Roan is a human raised by aliens. As he grows up, he begins seeking other humans and the lost planet of Earth, trying to discover the truth about humanity and his own origins. Wow. One of the best SF novels I've read in a long time. How did a book this good get forgotten for so long? Bravo to Baen for reprinting this.

[RJMooreII]

I finished Darkness Weaves and am now reading a collection of Harold Lamb's 'Cossack' tales, entitled Riders of the Steppes.

From the forward to the book:

It was during these final years of Lamb’s Cossack saga that Robert E. Howard was regularly reading Adventure. In a letter to H. P. Lovecraft, Howard named Lamb as one of his favorite writers, adding later that he had both respect and keen admiration for him. Patrice Louinet’s excellent introduction to Lord of Samarcand already noted the similarity in tone and theme between Lamb and Howard, and in that collection Patrice introduced Howard’s outline of Lamb’s story “The Wolf Chaser.”

Patrice kindly shared another unpublished Howard document with me, rightly suspecting it was somehow connected to Lamb. It consisted of a long list of names and terms, mostly Cossack and Mongolian. A search through Lamb texts showed us that Howard had apparently gone through a stack of Lamb stories, writing down foreign terms and phrases in the same order that they appeared in Lamb’s fiction, probably planning to use them in his own historicals. “Bogatyr,” in this volume, is one of those Howard studied. If, then, you find yourself enjoying “Bogatyr” and others collected here, consider yourself in good company.

[PaulMc]

The Gods Return by David Drake. The final story in his Isles series.

[El Borak's Li'l Brother]

Been a while since I posted here...

I'm reading The Spider Strikes.

[THE KID]

Deathwalker by Edwin Becker who wrote the scariest story (True) I've ever read called True Haunting!!

Ted Scott is a successful journalist who has decided to concentrate on his life goal--writing his own novel. A moonlit walk in Minnesota quickly turns deadly when he comes face-to-face with a nightmare of epic proportions--a real vampire! Afraid to admit what he has actually encountered and intent on finding the truth, he begins exploring recent deaths, missing persons cases, and even local Indian legends. In the end, he cannot deny the proof that keeps building in front of his eyes--proof that leaves him facing the battle of his life.

Edited by Richard, 24 April 2012 - 01:00 AM.

[MaxTheSilent]

Just downloaded King's new DARK TOWER book THE WIND THROUGH THE KEYHOLE onto my Kindle and have been reading for about an hour.

And it's good. I'm flying through the pages and I think I could easily sit up all night reading it.

Being back with Roland and the Ka-Tet is like wrapping yourself in your favourite blanky.

[Kane]

Just picked up the new edition of Kim Newman's Anno Dracula.For those who have not read it, it is an alternate fiction where Dracula defeats Van Helsing and the others. He then goes take over England and bring vampires out into the public eye.
There is a lot of name dropping in the book. Vampires and other fictional characters alike.
This is the first of the series to be re-printed in new editions.
The prime story is a member of the Diogenes Club being sent to track down the White Chapel killer who is killing vampires.

[thedarkman]

Still working on Imaro, 40 pages to go, and with Oron, by David Smith waiting in the wings. Loving Imaro a lot, solid 70's S&S with an ancient African flavour. Having a tough time reading right now, what with the Stanley Cup play-offs in full swing. Know what I mean, eh!

Edited by thedarkman, 26 April 2012 - 03:16 AM.

[Almuric]

Holy Warrior, by Angus Donald. Sequel to Outlaw. Continues Donald's revisionist take on Robin Hood. Now that Robin is a noble again, he is obligated to follow Richard the Lionheart on crusade, and Alan Dale, narrator of the series, follows both of them. Like the original, a very solid historical.

[EM Erdelac]

I'm reading Corrupts Absolutely, an anthology of dark superhero fiction which I have a story in, while I'm waiting for the first book in Fraser's 'Flashman' series to come in the mail. Tim Marquitz opened it with a cool story about an American who loses his family in the World Trade Center and volunteers for an experimental treatment that grants him the power to detonate his body and reform. Sort of a super-suicide-bomber. Very interesting.

I've actually got Imaro waiting in the wings so I'm glad to hear it's good. Probably gonna read it after Flashman.

Edited by EM Erdelac, 27 April 2012 - 04:47 PM.

[THE KID]

DeathWalker II - A Vampire to Fear!
This continues the DeathWalker series. Pursued by a professor
that knows that vampires exist in our modern society, Christian the 100 year
old vampire and his new mate Katherine decide to relocate. Their choice?
Branson, Missouri, a thriving city in the middle of wilderness surrounded by
mountain caves and a rotating daily population that makes feeding easy.

[thedarkman]

Just finished Imaro, and it was very good! Starting Oron now, and I have Bard II up next.

I will post more about Imaro on the proper thread soon, as I feel compelled to spread the good word about this neglected S&S master!

[Dark Mark]

Just picked up the new edition of Kim Newman's Anno Dracula.

It is one of my favourite books a brilliant mash-up before it became an annoying trend.

I have finished Zippered Flesh: Tales of Body Enhancements Gone Bad edited by Weldon Burge – I don't read a lot of anthologies as often I find the quality of stories vary dramatically with only one or two really good ones. This though is an exceptional collection.

I have also finished Pontypool Changes Everything by Tony Burgess – If you come to this expecting it to be anything like the film for which Burgess also wrote the script you may find yourself disappointed. I found this novel to be beautiful, infuriating and at times incomprehensible. It confounded and amazed my senses with equal measure. A challenging read, though I found it hard to put down, I cannot say I enjoyed the book so much as experienced it.

Now reading Ladies Night by Jack Ketchum – Ketchum’s books get right under my skin and burrow there. He has yet to disappoint me and I approach this which is actually a reworking of his second unpublished novel with a mixture of eager anticipation and apprehension.