Now Reading, pt 2

[thirdsystem]

The Neutronium Alchemist - Peter F Hamilton

Half way through this rather large, epic, book 2 of the Nights Dawn trilogy. Intergalactic, mind bending, space Sci Fi of gargantuan proportions.

[chris23]

Just finished Hugh Howley's, Sand, which was a lot of fun (thanks Dave). I enjoyed it a lot, but, like the Silo series, I felt that it lost its fizzle about 3/4 of the way in. A great premise, but then a less than stellar story evolves from it.

[APK]

Reading the final Ian Banks novel :: The Hydrogen Sonata
Great stuff.

[jkn]

Been reading this one...

[Seren]

Reading the final Ian Banks novel :: The Hydrogen Sonata
Great stuff.

How does it compare to 'The Algabraist'?

[Seren]

Not yet finished this yet but really enjoying the imagination and story telling

[APK]

Reading the final Ian Banks novel :: The Hydrogen Sonata
Great stuff.

How does it compare to 'The Algabraist'?

Too long since I read the Algebraist, though I remember that being a good one too.
The Hydrogen Sonata is in the Culture series, so helps if you have read some of them before. It's very good, but as with other Banks sci fi it is complex and curious.

[mgriffin]

I love Iain M. Banks. We lost him too early... at least he still has lots of books I haven't read yet.

Also, Erin Morgenstern's THE NIGHT CIRCUS was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed that.

[mgriffin]

I just finished reading a book I really enjoyed. I wouldn't normally mention it, because it's the first story collection by a friend of mine, but it's receiving such unanimous praise and acclaim, I'm reassured that my appreciation for this book is not influenced by my friendship with the writer.

It's ANA KAI TANGATA by Scott Nicolay.


 

It's very dark and weird, cosmic horror along the lines of Laird Barron or the like. Here's what I wrote about it on Goodreads.com:

Scott Nicolay is a friend of mine, so I already knew the man could really write. But seeing several familiar stories together like this, along with others I hadn't read previously, I come from ANA KAI TANGATA away very, very impressed with his skill and talent. These stories overflow with invention and intelligence, and comprise what might well end up being the book of the year. Certainly it's one of the best debut collections I've ever read, and promises great things to come. Anyone interested in horror or weird fiction, or just dark and disturbing stories of troubled and broken people, will want to check this out.

I'll write a more comprehensive review later, but for now I'll just say this book is the "can't miss" collection of the year.

Here's a link to the book on Amazon in case anyone's interested:
http://www.amazon.com/Ana-Kai-Tangata-Scott-Nicolay/dp/1878252089

[mgriffin]

One last thing... Some of you know I also do some fiction writing. I don't normally want to push that on this forum, which is mostly an ambient music message board, but since we're talking about stories, I thought it wouldn't hurt to mention a few things. Some of my recent and coming-soon stories are as follows.

"No Mask to Conceal Her Voice" appeared in the special King in Yellow themed issue of Lovecraft eZine. You can read that story free online here: http://lovecraftzine.com/magazine/issues/2014-2/issue-30-april-2014/

I have a short piece "May Dawn Redeem What Night Destroys" in the Current 93 tribute anthology MIGHTY IN SORROW, available here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00J8MWE2S

My limited edition novella "Far From Streets" is very nearly sold out, here: http://dynatox.storenvy.com/collections/240632-all-products/products/7045832-far-from-streets-by-michael-griffin

I also have a story "Firedancing" in the upcoming Laird Barron tribute anthology THE CHILDREN OF OLD LEECH, which can be preordered here: http://wordhorde.com/now-available-for-pre-order-the-children-of-old-leech/

Lastly, a story I wrote last year, "Diamond Dust" in the Thomas Ligotti tribute anthology THE GRIMSCRIBE'S PUPPETS, made the short list for the 2013 BEST WEIRD FICTION OF THE YEAR. Here's that list: http://lairdbarron.wordpress.com/2014/05/05/honorable-mentions-for-the-years-best-weird-fiction/ Also, that book THE GRIMSCRIBE'S PUPPETS has been nominated for Best Anthology for the two major horror genre awards this year, the Bram Stoker Award and the Shirley Jackson Award. 

[chris23]

Blake Crouch - Pines
Pretty neat book about a secret service agent who visits a small, mountain town to track down two agents who are missing. Shortly after his arrival, he gets in a car accident and has a profound bout of amnesia. The remainder of the novel is about him re-discovering who he is, why he is in Wayward Pines, and why he can't leave. This book is part thriller, part horror, and part sci-fi--a mix of all my favorite genres.

Mike: I pre-ordered Far From Streets and am looking forward to reading it!

[mgriffin]

Thanks, I appreciate the support!

I've heard of Black Crouch but haven't read him. Pines sounds kind of cool.

[mgriffin]

I just finished reading Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer, the first book in his Southern Reach Trilogy.



VanderMeer's publisher is putting out the entire trilogy within a year, which I think is kind of a cool idea. I hate waiting years between installments in a series.

Anyway,  Annihilation  was really good, slightly weird but also very accessible and straightforward.

Here's the link on Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Annihilation-Novel-Southern-Reach-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00EGJ32A6

[Matthew Florianz]

About halfway through The Stand which also happens to be my first Stephen King read.

I cannot believe how crappy films and series in the 80's and his own public disliking of The Shining have casted me against this author. My (stupid) reasoning being that if he speaks out against The Shining, a better film than most others in my opinion, he's probably not a man of taste. A misguided fan boy-ism if ever there was one!

Such an amazing read, such great characters.. so good to be wrong : - )

[Dave Michuda]

Mike,

Thanks for the heads up on Annihilation, I just bought it & am looking forward to reading it right after I finish Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie.

[mgriffin]

Matthew:

I can't really blame you for thinking you wouldn't enjoy King based on the MANY bad TV shows and films of his work. I believe his dislike for the film of The Shining was not so much because he judged it a poor film, but because it changed several central aspects of the story and especially the main character, whom King has since admitted includes many aspects or elements of himself.

The Stand is a great read, and if you want to pursue more of King's work after that, you'll find no shortage of great books. Some of the mid-period work is of mixed quality, like The Tommyknockers and that kind of thing, but his early work is all great up through Christine or Cujo, and his later work improved a lot after he cleaned up his substance abuse problems. Later books like Bag of Bones and Lisey's Story and 11/22/63 are very worthwhile. Also, there's the massive Dark Tower series!

Dave:

Hope you'll enjoy Annihilation.. let me know what you think. I'm curious about Ancillary Justice, too. It just won the Nebula award for "best novel" yesterday. I've heard very good things about it and I love the idea of a writer tackling a big, traditional space opera with their first novel.
 

[mgriffin]

One last time, I'll mention my novella 'Far From Streets,' as it's about to go out of print  in pre-order. Just three copies left at the publisher.



Far From Streets

Modern life constricts. The swarming city, homogenous suburbs. Overscheduled lives accumulate layers of obligation. We add more, more of what we think life should contain, until we can't stand any more. The clutter starts grinding us away. We dream of escape, a simplier life among open spaces. Forests and rivers. Mountain wilderness.

Reverence for nature balances against the terror of isolation. Mutual dependency leads to resentment. Our fondest dreams drag us toward places that threaten our very survival. When the last remaining tether is cut, time spins away. We no longer recognize ourselves in the mirror. Our surroundings become strange. The end comes rushing.

Far From Streets combines influences such as Von Trier's "Antichrist" and Blackwood's "The Willows" into a confrontational psychodrama of craving and repulsion, emotional drift and dislocation, set deep in the Cascade Mountain forests of Oregon.

It's $7 plus shipping here:
http://dynatox.storenvy.com/collections/240632-all-products/products/7045832-far-from-streets-by-michael-griffin

--
Edited to add... the book is now sold out.

[Altus]

Congratulations on selling out . . . no, wait. That's not what I meant. 

Seriously though, that's great news.

[mgriffin]

Thanks, Mike.

I should end up having some copies of my own before too long, so if anybody encounters this thread later and is dying for a copy of this book, I'll probably have some available.

[hjalmer]

m

i collect first editions signed
for many years–big collection

possible to get a signed first when you get more copies?


h