Nathan Caroland
08-26-2006, 12:16 PM
Well as most of you probably know, I'm a HUGE fan of books. Read them all the time, particularly on breaks at work as that's pretty much the only place I get time to devour one as otherwise, wife, kids, life and Wyrd get in the way.
I used to be a huge fantasy reader and that is all I would read. Then it got to the point where every story was practically the same and more to the point, I was getting tired of hobbits and the like, though never of magic. My tastes have also gotten a bit darker and a touch more sci-fi I think.
So, these are what I've been reading of late:
http://ec3.images-amazon.com/images/P/0451460936.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_V62064035_.jpg
Touch the Dark by Karen Chance. A great book and one that I would recommend you pick up. Basically, the woman is able to see/speak/somewhat control spiirits and the Vampire Council wants her working for them as there is a large and very bloody secret war being touched off. Has a different take on a few things, is set in the modern world and overall was enjoyable and I'm looking forward to the next release in April of next year called 'Claimed by Shadow'.
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0441013813.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_V54571606_.jpg
Moon Called by Patricia Briggs. Okay, I admit it, I bought this one soley on the cover and really encourage companies out there to pay the right money to get good artwork on the covers that snatches a persons attention. Regardless, this was another fun read. Essentially about a Skinwalker (that's her) that can turn into a Coyote and she's caught right smack in the middle of Werewolf politics. I liked it, and again, a new take on an old topic and set in the modern world which appeals to me. Not sure if she will do another novel in this series, but I certainly hope so.
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0060788194.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_V53945402_.jpg
A Fistful of Charms by Kim Harrison. I CANNOT get enough of this series and really hope that it just keeps churning along at full steam. Essentially its following the adventures/misadventures of a spunky red haired Witch with a Vampire and a Pixie for a partner in a detective agency, with a Werewolf that she's signed on with to be part of his 'pack' for the insurance break and ... well, its just a damn good series. Read the first three of this one and then get into this fourth one. Good, good, good stuff and I expect there will be a follow up.
http://ec3.images-amazon.com/images/P/0441014259.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_V56609324_.jpg
Web Mage by Kelly McCullough. I bought this one on a whim and I'm damn pleased I did. Takes the Fates, Furies, Order, Chaos and magic of the greek myths and brings it into todays 'modern' world where spells are done through webgoblins and trolls, coding viruses can trigger spells and I know I'm not doing it justice in the least bit, but simply to say, it really takes an old idea and twists the living hell out of it and that makes it all the much more enjoyable for me. Pick it up, read it. And please oh please more of this type of book.
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/045146091X.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
Dead Beat by Jim Butcher. If you've never read any of the Dresden File series, you are seriously missing out and I would say run out and pick up all seven paperbacks right now - there is actually an eighth out and a ninth coming in April of next year, but I have a hard time paying for hardback books. Anyhow, damn good series, again, set in the modern world, and this one finds Dresden having to cope with a fallen demon mark, learning to cope with it and even use it to his peril, and fighting off a quartet of really nasty necromancers. Good, good, good stuff.
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1844162745.01._PE20_OU02_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg
Operation Vampyr by David Bishop. Well, let me just say don't waste your money on this one. I almost picked up the whole series in one swoop when I saw it as I'm prone to do that, but I stopped at the last moment and I'm glad I did. If you want this one, give me postage and its yours. Very amatuer writting here. Don't get me wrong, way better than what I could do I expect, but everything was very predictable and in a way, slightly campy and it just didn't appeal to me. Basically its set in 1940ish something with Hitler attacking Russia and Vampires helping out. Really, not worth the trouble and can't say more about it.
http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/045146057X.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_V58509667_.jpg
Weather Warden Series by Rachel Caine. I actually have read all four of these books here, though I'm just showing the one picture of the last one out, though the latest, Firestorm, comes out next month. Fantastic series, once again set in the modern world (trend here?) where there are individuals that can control the weather, earth, air, fire ...come to think of it, I don't think there is a water witch of any type in there .. hrmm. Anyhow, a really good series that starts out just a touch confusing and aggrivating, but once you make it through half the book, you forget that, and even then, it might have just been me as I more or less 'knew' what happened, just wanted to hear it so to speak. Anyhow, four books, fifth coming out, follows the trail of a Weather Warden that seems to have all the cards against her and she usually manages to come out of it, though not in good ways at times. Book features Djinn heavily, and in a cool way.
I know there are a few more that I've read as I've got them laying about somewhere, but I can't quite find them right now. Needless to say, if your in the mood for some new books, have at and enjoy. Books that I've got in my Amazon shopping cart right now and am looking forward to getting are: Firestorm, Glass Houses: The Morganville Vampires, Bloodring, The Awakening: A Vampire Huntress Legend, Minion: A Vampire Huntress Legend, Staying Dead, Thunderbird Falls, Urban Shaman, Carpe Demon: The Adventures of a Demon Hunting Soccor Mom, My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding, A Walk on the Nightside, Hell to Pay, Haunted, Industrial Magic: Women of the Otherworld.
I used to be a huge fantasy reader and that is all I would read. Then it got to the point where every story was practically the same and more to the point, I was getting tired of hobbits and the like, though never of magic. My tastes have also gotten a bit darker and a touch more sci-fi I think.
So, these are what I've been reading of late:
http://ec3.images-amazon.com/images/P/0451460936.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_V62064035_.jpg
Touch the Dark by Karen Chance. A great book and one that I would recommend you pick up. Basically, the woman is able to see/speak/somewhat control spiirits and the Vampire Council wants her working for them as there is a large and very bloody secret war being touched off. Has a different take on a few things, is set in the modern world and overall was enjoyable and I'm looking forward to the next release in April of next year called 'Claimed by Shadow'.
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0441013813.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_V54571606_.jpg
Moon Called by Patricia Briggs. Okay, I admit it, I bought this one soley on the cover and really encourage companies out there to pay the right money to get good artwork on the covers that snatches a persons attention. Regardless, this was another fun read. Essentially about a Skinwalker (that's her) that can turn into a Coyote and she's caught right smack in the middle of Werewolf politics. I liked it, and again, a new take on an old topic and set in the modern world which appeals to me. Not sure if she will do another novel in this series, but I certainly hope so.
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0060788194.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_V53945402_.jpg
A Fistful of Charms by Kim Harrison. I CANNOT get enough of this series and really hope that it just keeps churning along at full steam. Essentially its following the adventures/misadventures of a spunky red haired Witch with a Vampire and a Pixie for a partner in a detective agency, with a Werewolf that she's signed on with to be part of his 'pack' for the insurance break and ... well, its just a damn good series. Read the first three of this one and then get into this fourth one. Good, good, good stuff and I expect there will be a follow up.
http://ec3.images-amazon.com/images/P/0441014259.01._AA240_SCLZZZZZZZ_V56609324_.jpg
Web Mage by Kelly McCullough. I bought this one on a whim and I'm damn pleased I did. Takes the Fates, Furies, Order, Chaos and magic of the greek myths and brings it into todays 'modern' world where spells are done through webgoblins and trolls, coding viruses can trigger spells and I know I'm not doing it justice in the least bit, but simply to say, it really takes an old idea and twists the living hell out of it and that makes it all the much more enjoyable for me. Pick it up, read it. And please oh please more of this type of book.
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/045146091X.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg
Dead Beat by Jim Butcher. If you've never read any of the Dresden File series, you are seriously missing out and I would say run out and pick up all seven paperbacks right now - there is actually an eighth out and a ninth coming in April of next year, but I have a hard time paying for hardback books. Anyhow, damn good series, again, set in the modern world, and this one finds Dresden having to cope with a fallen demon mark, learning to cope with it and even use it to his peril, and fighting off a quartet of really nasty necromancers. Good, good, good stuff.
http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1844162745.01._PE20_OU02_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg
Operation Vampyr by David Bishop. Well, let me just say don't waste your money on this one. I almost picked up the whole series in one swoop when I saw it as I'm prone to do that, but I stopped at the last moment and I'm glad I did. If you want this one, give me postage and its yours. Very amatuer writting here. Don't get me wrong, way better than what I could do I expect, but everything was very predictable and in a way, slightly campy and it just didn't appeal to me. Basically its set in 1940ish something with Hitler attacking Russia and Vampires helping out. Really, not worth the trouble and can't say more about it.
http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/045146057X.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_V58509667_.jpg
Weather Warden Series by Rachel Caine. I actually have read all four of these books here, though I'm just showing the one picture of the last one out, though the latest, Firestorm, comes out next month. Fantastic series, once again set in the modern world (trend here?) where there are individuals that can control the weather, earth, air, fire ...come to think of it, I don't think there is a water witch of any type in there .. hrmm. Anyhow, a really good series that starts out just a touch confusing and aggrivating, but once you make it through half the book, you forget that, and even then, it might have just been me as I more or less 'knew' what happened, just wanted to hear it so to speak. Anyhow, four books, fifth coming out, follows the trail of a Weather Warden that seems to have all the cards against her and she usually manages to come out of it, though not in good ways at times. Book features Djinn heavily, and in a cool way.
I know there are a few more that I've read as I've got them laying about somewhere, but I can't quite find them right now. Needless to say, if your in the mood for some new books, have at and enjoy. Books that I've got in my Amazon shopping cart right now and am looking forward to getting are: Firestorm, Glass Houses: The Morganville Vampires, Bloodring, The Awakening: A Vampire Huntress Legend, Minion: A Vampire Huntress Legend, Staying Dead, Thunderbird Falls, Urban Shaman, Carpe Demon: The Adventures of a Demon Hunting Soccor Mom, My Big Fat Supernatural Wedding, A Walk on the Nightside, Hell to Pay, Haunted, Industrial Magic: Women of the Otherworld.