Hmm, not sure what to read now - not including Sandman, I seem to have run out of reading material.

Ah well, birthday should bring plenty :)

sandman is awesome :)

Have started Ship of Magic already, hope that I can get Ship of Destiny soon :eek:

Finished reading the Dark Elf trilogy again. Good Stuff.

I'm reading the latest Harry Potter.

I have started on The Shadow of Saganami by David Weber.

It was an interesting decision to move away from focusing on Honor Harrington and instead focus on previously supporting characters but I suppose that H.H. has been promoted a little too high in the ranks for the type of story that Weber appears to be wanting to tell in this book.

The only problem that I see with this is that so far none of the characters appear to be showing any signs of being even half as interesting as H.H. Oh well, I am only about 1/5 of the way through the novel so hopefully the characters will flesh out some more now that the introduction phase is out of the way.

Just finished "The Mad Ship" by Robin Hobb. Brilliant. Just starting the next book in the series "Ship of Destiny". I can't imagine what will happen in this one.

I'm reading the first Robin Hobb book, The Assassins Apprentice. I'm about a third through it and it is certainly a page-turner. It's really well written, I've never really come across this writing style before. It's cool.

Lads / lasses - could someone tell me what the next book in the Farseer Trilogy is?

Cheers.

Barmy - all those Hobb books are faves with many people on SP. The next book is called "Royal Assassin"

Banewreaker - Jacqueline Carey

Pretty good, god-awful title aside. Not quite as strong as her previous work, but meh. Still well worth reading.

Am reading Coraline by Neil Gaimen while waiting for the books I may or may not be getting on my birthday. Also have some short stories thingy, which is quite dull.

@aik

new gaiman fan? ;)

Yeah, definitely love hobb's work. Am now starting Mad Ship. I better get a copy of Ship of Destiny within the next 5 days or I'm going to get pissed off :/

@ Aiky

Coraline is good. Hope you enjoy it...

I guess I have to find these Robin Hobb books all you guys are talking about, since my daughter's taking her time with Harry Potter.

I just finished Dune. It is a good book. The movies were bad, should have none the book wasn't. But c'est la vie.

I started now Tales of the Dying Earth by Jackie Chan... ah Vance.

New Gaimen fan? Not really. I read American Gods and Neverwhere ages ago. My sister has just been going on a 'must get Neil Gaimen stuff!' spree, so consequently I've been reading more of it :)

Coraline was funky - now, to find something else to pass the time with...

ah, i see. well, I'm a gaiman fan :D have you read stardust too? good stuff.

Stardust rocks. I think that might be my favourite book of his, actually.

Thanks for that, Harbs. Methinks Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb will be my next purchase.

Does anyone know if I can get it via SP?

I'm reading:
HP Lovecraft - The Quest for the Unknown Kantath

It's so...so...so... there is no word to descript it!
I only wish I could write stories like this :-/

Barmy Army, you can order anything through SP and still give SP credit for it. Just check this thread (http://www.sorcerers.net/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?/topic/18/666.html) for details.

Eventually, I'll also list those books on SP to make it easier for everyone.

I'm reading:
HP Lovecraft - The Quest for the Unknown Kantath

It's so...so...so... there is no word to descript it!
I only wish I could write stories like this :-You have to read his "In the House of Old Witch". The title is probably wrong, but it is something in the lines.

yeah, stardust rocks. imo, it's because the stuff he uses there is stuff you've always heard of, particularly when you were little, but in such a different manner. he was here a coupla weeks ago, had my BATTERED copy of Neverwhere signed :D

Hmm, I liked Stardust because is had a certain feeling of magicalness ... which is something that I absolutely can't explain beyond that. Sadly, very few books have the 'magical' feel to them.
If you have a clue what I'm talking about and know of any others - feel free to recommend :p

i think i do, because i also can't explain why i like stardust so much :p 'fraid i don't know of any other books like it though..

Sadly, very few books have the 'magical' feel to them. what are some of the others? stardust is the only one that i've run across.

(Yeah, so we've hijacked this thread...)

I would say that Tolkien's work has 'magicalness', and The Last T'En Trilogy by Cory Danniels. But alas, that's about all in the way of books. They're not exactly *like* Stardust at all, but they ... feel magical.
One Hundred Years of Solitude is also worth checking out for this, now that I think of it.

The children's movies Beauty and the Beast and The Swan Princess also have it, as well as a few Nightwish and Within Temptation songs. The movie Big Fish feels magical too.

That's the exhaustive list of all that I've come across. Presently I'm exploring magical realism, which could very well have it. Especially hunting for the book Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin.

Just started in George Martin's "A Clash of Kings" after finishing its prequal "A Game of Thrones".

Just finished the Opal Deception by Eoin CPOifer. A very good book, if not quite on par with the earlier ones... I hope it will not be the last time we see Arty.

Reading the Binding Stone set in Eberron. Not bad.

Reading "The Brave Soldier Shveik"(dunno if that's the correct spelling, it's by Yaroslav Hashek) again. Laughing my lungs out. Continue reading. See second sentence.
And so it goes on...

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon. It's about an autistic boy who discovers a dead dog on his neighbour's lawn. A very good book. It feels good to get away from fantasy.

"Mortalis" by R.A Salvatore. Apparently his very best work, by word of both the author and several others, so i guess it's gonna be great then! Really liked the rest of the Demon Wars, so if this is gonna be better, i can't wait :)

I finished The Shadow of Saganami - it was a bit slow in places during the middle but I liked it. Some things tied themselves up a little too neatly but unlike some complainers I liked the fact that one major plot was never completely resolved.

Also, once the missiles start flying there is no one that I know of who is as good as David Weber at writing interesting space battles and this book is no exception.

Edit: I have started on "make love!*
* the bruce campbell way"

It is by Bruce Campbell obviously. Campbell was in Toronto for a signing while I was out of town and my brother went above and beyond the call of duty and waited in line for over three hours to get me an autographed copy.

It is a fictional account of Bruce's attempt to succeed in an A list film role. So far it has been quite amusing although it is not quite at the same level as his autobiography If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B Movie Actor (which is surprisingly excellent).

[ August 10, 2005, 13:59: Message edited by: JSBB ]

The Briar King - Greg Keyes. This is the first book in the Kingdoms of Thorn and Bone series. The second book - The Charnel Prince - just appeared this month. So far, The Briar King has an "Arthurain" feel to it; steeped in courtly knights, independent, head-strong princesses and high romance, with a Camelot-like kingdom entering its first stages of decline. Its setting is way more medieval than fantasy. But it has a strong mythological, well-developed world, which saves it from becoming too cliched - at least so far...

Just started the Baroque cycle by Neal Stephenson and have no idea what to expect. When I see three immense volumes by the same author in the library's fantasy section I just take em, no question asked. How I discovered Erikson amongst other things. Anyone read this?

Well, I finished reading "making love! the bruce campbell way". Unfortunately it got worse as it went along instead of better.

What started as a somewhat plausible but obviously exaggerated exercise in poking fun at Hollywood ended up going completely off track not to mention the pointless and completely implausible action scenes that Campbell started throwing in.

It is a shame but I wouldn't recommend the book to anyone but a die hard Campbell fan.

Haven't read those - but Neal Stephenson rocks - Find The Diamond Age if you get the chance.

(And if anyone remembers my *****ing about this book from long ago, completely disregard it :p )

Assassin by Ted Bell. Some great elements but this guy is no Michael Connelly. The British slang is very annoying.

A book called Spartan by an italian dude I can't remember the name of (It's a long, italian style one). It's alright but I'm finding it hard to get into it.

I have started on Prophecy by Elizabeth Hayden - I was so bored with it that it just about put me to sleep on the train this morning. I only managed to read about 20 pages which is pretty sad given my normal reading speed.

Oh well, I think I am past the snooze inducing recap of book one so hopefully it should start getting better.

Edit: Thankfully it IS a lot better after the recap finishes - I am about another 150 pages in and it has been decent.

[ August 12, 2005, 05:15: Message edited by: JSBB ]

Hemingway: "The Old Man and the Sea"

"Blood on the Moon" by James Ellroy. Gritty street cop chases down serial killer. Good stuff.

crusader, guy you're thinking of is valerio massimo manfredi i think. i read that too, pretty good imo.

as for me, I've just started on ship of destiny by hobb. good stuff. i'm really PISSED at my bookstore though. i bought fool's errand and fool's fate (parts 1 and 3) from them on the assurance that golden fool (part 2) would be coming soon. now they tell me they have none??? wtF? wth am i supposed to do now :mad:

Just started a reread of The Eternal Enemy by Christopher Pike. Despite their dodginess, I really like his books, and every so often feel the urge to read one.
Need to find myself a copy of The Star Group though...

That's the one Enagonios.

I've since ditched the book though, for Bernard Cornwell's Rebel, which I am enjoying immensely.

hey, christopher pike kicks ass. i used to love his spooksville series ;) :D also his last vampire #6 was really good imo :)

Yeah, Spooksville does rock :) I have vague intentions of starting an RP in a similar genre to that one day :)

Just started reading Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin. Interesting writing style - very poetic.

excellent, that may just be my first RP then :p I'll be Adam :D

just a question, do you know of any complete spookesville listing? all i remember is they were on a number 16 iirc, the time travel thing, then suddenly, it's #25, the witch's gift and last book in the series??

Over the week-end I finished Prophecy - It was decent although the ending just didn't work for me.

MAJOR SPOILER - How on earth can you have an interesting battle against an evil taproot? Hayden was building up the taproot plot but never in a million years did I think that the big show down was going to be a battle against it. She had a perfectly interesting villain's sidekick that would have made for a great final showdown and she writes him off in a couple of pages and ends the book with a battle against an evil taproot? My God, that had to be the most anti-climactic ending I have read in ages. :rolleyes:


I have started on Burning Water by Mercedes Lackey. This rant has some spoilers but unless you are an idiot there is nothing that you wouldn't pick up in reading the first 50 pages.

So far we have a murder mystery where you would have to be an idiot not to figure out who did it as she basically has done everything but tell us the culprits' names. The motive, which I have to assume is supposed to be the big plot twist, has already been given away by the blurb on the back cover of the novel. Then, I get hit with the incredibly stupid twist of one of the main character/good-guy/cop being good friends with the murderer. The two main characters seem interesting enough, it is just a pity that the story they are in is so lame. I can only hope that it gets better but I must admit that I am surprised, Mercedes Lackey is normally much better than this.

Michael Connelly"s "The Poet". His usual yarn.

Reading both Silverfall by Ed Greenwood and Crucible: The Trial of Cyric the Mad by Troy Denning, both great books if your interested in FR.

Just finished Mortalis by Salvatore. My high hopes about it were quite shattered really... I've read several places that this was his best work, but i hardly agree... I read about halfway through it before it finally became remotely interesting, though in the end it was quite enjoyable i think.

So now i've started the next book in the demonwar series, Ascendace. Hopefully this is going to get better. Even though Joacqin so nicely put it in another topic:
the demonwar books turn from decent to utterly horrid crap too vile to burn cause the vapours would wipe out humanity. Thus i also read out of curiousity. Gotta see this :shake:

I finished Burning Water and the plot didn't get much better as it went along. There was a surprising lack of focus on the villains given that we were intended to know who they were right from the beginning. The main characters remained interesting but everything else was a mess. Quite a shame really.


I have started on We Few by David Weber and John Ringo. Unfortunately,it looks like it will be no where near as good as the earlier books in the series.

To tell you the truth, I think it would have been better if the series had ended at the end of the previous book - they could have easily tidied up and ended the series and left out the plot point that set-up We Few.

i prefer prince of lies to crucible as the definitive "cyric" novel :)

just finished Annihilation by Athans and is still continuing to be the best FR series ever, bar none.

going to finally finish off the liveship trilogy with ship of destiny

Just finished the Eye of the World, nice read, the end felt a little lame though :heh:

Now starting on The Da Vinci Code, don't know why I am gonna read it anyway because every tv-show that mentioned the book spoiled the plot...

:nolike: We Few is getting just plain painful to read. I am really wondering if David Weber actually wrote any of this book. So far it is no where near the level of Weber's writing - heck it isn't even up to Ringo's usual level of quality although several of Ringo's irritating writing habits are extremely evident.

Where on Earth was the editor - did he/she think that since this is the fourth book in a series that has sold reasonably well that his/her service were no longer needed?

God am I getting sick and tired of Ringo dreaming up excuses to have female characters with watermelon sized breasts complaining about back pain. I think that this is at least the third seperate book and character that he has used this with. Oh, and the follow up discussion about why men like large breasts is bad about enough to make you either want to vomit or :bang: .

Re-re-re-reading my 'Cat Who' series, my Amanda Quick series, hubby's Terry Pratchett and any misc books floating around. He's got a doctor's appointment tomorrow, maybe I can bum a ride to the library for some fresh pages.

I finished We Few. The second half was much, much better than the first half - I would almost suggest that Ringo wrote the first half and Weber the second half but I somewhat doubt it.

Still, the second half wasn't up to the standards of the first three books in the series. Annoyingly they left things open for them to continue the series. Some authors just don't know when to end a series.

I just started Raymond Feist's Talon of the Sliver Hawk - Conclave of Shadows - Book I.

I read Lord of Snow & Shadows by Sarah Ash (book I of The Tears of Artamon) last week. It was ok, so I bought Prisoner of the Ironsea Tower, the second book in the series today.

I have started on Salvatore's Sea of Swords - pretty standard Salvatore stuff so far.

Edit: I just finished Sea of Swords - it turns out that I have read it before but it was so unmemorable that I didn't realize it until I was about 100 pages in. Oh well, at least it was relatively short so I didn't waste too much time on it.

Edit2: I have started on Homeland (by Salvatore again). So far it has been okay but not particularly noteworthy. Of course that is pretty much to be expected if Salvatore wrote it.

[ August 18, 2005, 14:46: Message edited by: JSBB ]

Well, I never thought I'd buy it...or read it...but I am currently at chapter 20 of 'The Da Vinci Code'. So far it's pretty good. :thumb: :rolling:

I finished Homeland - I would say that it was that it is one of Salvatore's better novels.

I am continuing on with the series so Exile is next up.

Definately one of Salvatore's better novels - though the writing style is crappy. I reread it recently-ish, intending to reread the rest of the Dark Elf Trilogy, but decided that there was a fine place to give up :)

Am still going through Winter's Tale - it's brilliant, but makes for very slow reading. After reading it for a bit my eyes tend to go all blury and I start reading entire paragraphs without absorbing any of it, then have to go back and reread the paragraph.

dark elf trilogy was EASILY salvatore's best work imo. not counting the lone drow though. nealry done with sihp of destiny by hobb. moving in to tawny man next.

Douglas Coupland - Generation X

I just finished _A Storm of Swords_ by G.R.R. Martin. I highly suggest you go to his website and take a look at the man. Was not what I expected, although my girlfriend nailed him spot on.

just finished ship of destiny. bit disappointed in how kennit was handled in the conclusion but still, a very good trilogy. starting fool's errand.

Almost finished Ship of Destiny. Loving this trilogy so far.

Just finished the Eye of the World, nice read, the end felt a little lame thoughThat's because you still have 10 more books to read, my friend...The plot thickens, yet it has no ending in sight!!!!

I have finished Exile and started on Sojourn. I must admit that I am pleasantly surprised at this series - it is quite a bit better than Salvatore's usual stuff.

Alright, been away for a month, sitting my azz down by a pool in Portugal so I've quite the list.

"Deadhouse Gates" by erickson, tale of the malazan

Good but a lot of new characters and an entirely different contintent. The chain of dogs were brillaint though.

"Memories of Ice" by erickson, tale of the malazan

Great, easily the best.

"House of Chains" by erickson, tale of the malazan

Good, especially the chronicles of Karsa and of course fiddler and Kalam.

"CSI: binding ties"

Enjoyable because I love the show

"Pop goes the weasel" James patterson

Very enjoyable read this one within one day.

Finally reading "Midnight tides" also by erickson.

@JSBB

Yeah the dark elf trilogy is easily the best simply because a character is formed which is not Salvatores biggest asset.

Just finished the Da Vinci Code, standard detective story with conspiracious religionistical paganist arguments to tell us that women are equal to men, fah!!
It involved a sex scene, but with two old people... Just one of days that I am not happy with my ability to visualise the story while reading it :(

Now starting with the Dune book.


That's because you still have 10 more books to read, my friend...The plot thickens, yet it has no ending in sight!!!!
Did Jordan start the series with an idea of how it should end? Or will he push the series on and on until he dies and his son will be forced to write the last chapter where everyone will die horrible deaths and fans will rejoice.

[ August 24, 2005, 00:50: Message edited by: Morgoth ]

Finally finished "Siege of Darkness". It took me a while to finish it. Not that is bad though, it is better than Starless Night I guess.
Anyway, although I really liked the intrigue tidbits, I thought the battle descriptions boring and uninspiring.
I will start either one of Pretchetts books or the Potop - The Deluge - trilogy. Whichever I buy first.

just started golden fool by hobb.

I finished Sojourn - it was decent although I didn't think much of the Icewind Dale meetings chunk that was stuck on the end.

I am about to start on Bedlam's Bard by Mercedes Lackey and Ellen Guon. I don't have a clue as to what it is about and I have not heard any reviews/opinions about it so I am really going in blind on this one.

Did Jordan start the series with an idea of how it should end?Yes. But it was vastly more succesful than anyone expected, so he extended it. It's now, I dunno, maybe three or four times the length it was intended to be. And it's not done yet.

Jordan, IMNSHO, doesn't seem up to the task of juggling all the plot threads he's set into motion. Hence the moving-through-molases speed of the past few books.

Finished Winter's Tale and am now starting on Snow Crash by Neal Stephanson.

Thanks to everyone's recommendations on this board, I picked up Robin Hobb's "Assassin's Apprentice". Off to an interesting start.

I just read "Heaven" by V.C Andrews because I was away from home and had nothing better to read. I forgot how depressing her books can be.

"The Reluctant Suitor" by Kathleen Woodiwiss. Tried getting into "Evermeet: Island of the Elves" by Elaine Cunningham, but just couldn't get beyond chapter one.

I finished Bedlam's Bard - it was very good, I am definitely going to be looking for the rest of the series.

I have started on Deathstalker Rebellion by Simon Green. It is about the same as the first Deathstalker book which pretty much slots it in as being quite disappointing compared to Green's Nightside or Hawk and Fisher books.

In all three series, Green's overuse of uber-characters makes Salvatore look quite restrained but at least Green's characters are normally well written, interesting and quirky. The ones in the Deathstalker series just seem overpowered and dull.

starting fool's fate by hobb.

I just started reading The Paradise War written by Stephen Lawhead.

Hyperion by Dan Simmons, it is starting to become quite interesting. It is tittering between "pulp" sci-fi and filosofical sci-fi in a quite intriguing manner.

Demons and Angels by Dan Brown - too Hollywood for my liking

Jules Verne's "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" :book:

Marion Zimmer Bradley's "World Wreckers".

Marion Zimmer Bradley's "World Wreckers". Are her books as boring/crappy as the movie based upon her feminist version of Excalibur?

Count Zero by William Gibson - only read two chapters so far, but I'm really liking his writing style this time. It makes things feel ... exciting ... or something.

just finished all my hobb books. going to start Richard Baker's Farthest Reach, book 2 in the Last Mythal trilogy in the FR setting

Svyatoslav, I've only read Planet Savers before, which was pretty good and Planet Wreckers seems promising. They are both from the Darkover series. Old-school sci-fi. ;)

Just started _War of the Flowers_ by Tad Williams. This was an impulse buy, as I've never read anything by Williams before. I hope it's gets good - sort of strange so far...

@Chandos
i found it pretty good. if you like it you may want to check out tailchaser's song by him also.

Chandos - I bought it as an impulse thing too. Didn't think much of it.

*Arh*

I'm now on the 4th book in the 'The first man in Rome' book series. This one is titled Ceaser's Women.. I just have to get through the last 3 books, so I can buy meself some nice fantasy :book: . Even though this book series is very exciting, my brain could use a bit relaxation from all the history, all the names, places, and especially all the numbers (e.g. anno <xxxx>!)... I'm looking forward to finally put my teeth in a nice 10+ y book like 'Eragon' :D .

Reading the 2nd Robin Hobb book, Royal Assassin. Pretty good so far.

Just finished Robin Hobb's Liveship Traders trilogy. I thought it was even better than the Farseer trilogy.

Now starting 'The Cavern of Black Ice' by J. V. Jones. Ok so far.

I finished Deathstalker Rebellion - what a yawn inducer that was. It did get a bit better towards the end but it was still pretty damned bad.

The main characters make Drizzt and friends look like perfectly normal/reasonable everyday folk - every time you turn around these guys are developing new uber-abilities and single handedly taking down small armies of grunts.

What's the next one on the Farseer Trilogy Gaz?

The third one is Assassin's Quest.

Just finished Robin Hobb's Liveship Traders trilogy. I thought it was even better than the Farseer trilogy. seriously? :eek: less depressing perhaps, but the farseer trilogy really wrenches your heart, Fitz has got to be the most unfortunate protagonist I've ever encountered :/

Hmm, I just thought the Liveship characters were better and the whole arc of the story was more innovative. Fitz got a bit depressing as he went on. Malta is a more interesting character than Fitz any day.

But don't get me wrong, Farseer is still brilliant stuff. I just liked Liveships better.

Just finished In the Realm of the Wolf by Gemmell.

Some very interesting recommendations; thank you all.

I'm currently re-reading Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon, as part of a planned re-read of the extant five volumes in her series; the sixth, A Breath of Snow and Ashes, is due out this fall, and I hope to coerce my library to buy it. ;)

I'm also anticipating the arrival in my postbox of Kushiel's Avatar, by Jacqueline Carey, and Golden Fool and Fool's Fate, both by Robin Hobb. I've read the earlier books in both these series (and the earlier series by Robin Hobb, as well) and enjoyed both immensely.

And, just for the heck of it, I borrowed a book on the Raelian sect from a coworker. Called Raël -- Journal d'une infiltrée, by Brigitte McCann, it was a terrific - and terrifying - account of two journalists who went deep undercover in this sect. A definite recommend for any French readers!

Laid down 'Midnight Tides' by Erickson. I couldn't handle another 50 new characters on a completely new continent in an ongoing saga.

Now Re-re-re-reading 'A game of thrones' well to be honest only the character chapters which will be in the upcoming 'Feast for Crows'

Apeman, I felt the same everytime I started a new book in Erikson's series but then for some reason I found every new book to be the best after I had pushed my way through the chore getting into a whole new setting.

I just started reading a book on Keith Richards called Satisfaction, I don't remember the name of the author though.

I'm reading "The Lone Drow" right now.

Mona Lisa Overdrive for me

Finished Verne's "20,000 Leagues...", which I hadn't read before, and I'm very disappointed.

I'm tackling "Around the World in 80 Days" now.

pyramids by terry pratchett

Orson Scott Card Enders game

Started Animal Farm.

"To ride Hell's Chasm" by Janny Wurts

just finished pratchett's pyramids, 2nd book of his that i've read. he can get pretty wordy but I liked it. Now about to start Maskerade by him as well.

Finally I've reached the 6th book in the book series The first man in Rome by Colleen McCullough.

Started Guards! Guards! from Pratchett. Kind original to me so far.

Just finished The Magician's Nephew by CS Lewis - very funky, though the more blatent of the Christian references were jarring.

Will probably now start of Cryptonomicum by Neal Stephenson.

olimikrig, is the series any good?

Colleen McCulloch? Isn't that Wayne Rooneys woman?

The Brothers Karamazov - Dostoevsky

I also want to read Joyce's "The Dead"

Patriots: The Men Who Started the American Revolution by A.J. Langguth. Excellent historical narrative of the Revolution.

Bernard Cornwell's The Last Kingdom. It's quite a good read, written in the same style as his Warlord Chronicles, but set during the Viking invasion of England.

The Brothers Karamazov - Dostoevsky Excellent picking! Be sure to read "Crime and Punishment" and "The Demons" as well.

Diving into the father's-in-law Nick Ramage series.

Just started in on Conn Iggulden's Emperor: The Gates of Rome, and my instinct is to just chuck the book and go back to Colleen McCullough's Masters of Rome series. I'm sure Mr. Iggulden's series would be plenty good taken by itself, but I got spoiled by Ms. McCullough's intense, six-volume romp, so now almost every novel about Rome I've read since just seems tissue-thin.

Also, just finished 11 volumes of Yureka, a manga by Hee-Joon Son and Youn-Kyung Kim. (That's the French translation title; in English, this will be published as ID_entity.) It's excellent, involving people playing in an MMORPG. By turns exciting, innovative, suspenseful, and just plain funny, I can't recommend it highly enough!

Finished "Enders game" a great book, next Terry Goodkind - Wizard's First Rule

Just about finished "A Cavern of Black Ice" (Book One of the Sword of Shadows) by J. V. Jones. It has been OK and I'll carry on to read the rest of the series but it's not in the same class as Hobb and Erikson.

Didn't see it when I did a search, so I will mention Jack Whyte's Camulod Chronicles. No magic or mythical creatures, but a good human story about the Arthur legend. It starts with Arthur and Merlyn's great grandfathers who are officers in the Roman legions. I have found myself very attached to the characters, feeling sad as they pass from the story. My wife is enjoying the series as well, so it isn't just a guy series.

Pick up or check out the first book, The Skystone, next time you are looking for something new.

The Whell Of Time : The Great Hunt

just finished pratchett's maskerade, my favorite of his so far. i may start a hatful of sky by him as well, but i'm no too sure since i haven't read the wee free men yet..

Reading "Queen of the Depths" by Richard Lee Byers. He is one of the better WOTC writers and this book is quite enjoyable.

decided to start Lords and Ladies by Pratchett.

Currently reading A storm of Sword. Still eagerly awaiting A feast for crows.

Just started "Dissolution" by Richard Lee Byers. Seems to be the usual lightweight Forgotten Realms fare so far.

In addition to Crytonomicon (which is fricking huge, I must say), I'm reading Homage to Catalonia by George Orwell in anticipation of doing my NaNo in that time period.

@HB
keep reading. it may not be the gutwrenching stuff like hobb's or martin's but WotSQ is easily my favorite FR series. can't wait til Ressurection gets into paperback and sent here. Although reviewers in Amazon have slammed it as being the only piece of crap in a great series. what a way to end it.

am nearly done with lords and ladies by pratchett, it's awesome.

just finished Lynn Flewelling Luck in the shadows
a good rogue in a port novel.

Just finished Royal Assassin by Robin Hobb (which proper boshed my head out).
Just started Angels and Demons by Dan Brown.

It boshed your head? Is that good or bad? Hobb rules.

I must be one of the few on this board who really didn't enjoy Hobb's "Assassin' s Apprentice". I found him to be long winded and meticulous to the point of bogging the flow of the story down (What's with all the dogs?). I don't think I will pick up any more of his books. As a result of everyone's glowing recommendation of this guy, I won't even attempt to read any of Erikson's stuff. Am I the only one?

The Assassin's books were some of the most fluid I've read. Page turning material - and the dogs are kinda an important plot element...

Also - no one compares Erikson to Hobb, so I don't see why you're turned off by that. If anything he gets compared to George RR Martin.

I am aware of the importance of the dog in the plot, but why so many? He must go through three dogs in the first book alone - if I was a canine I would be wary of Fitz.

I am not comparing Hobb to Erikson. Everyone likes Hobb so much and then they say Erikson has so many characters and the story is very complex. That sounds kind of like a borefest to me. Hey, to each their own, but the draw to Hobb is not my cup of tea. Erikson sounds even worse.

I just finished reading Chris Pierson's "Blades of the Tiger" set in the Dragonlance setting and found it very enjoyable. I will be tuning in to the Taladas Trilogy.

Now reading "The Runes of Earth - Stephen Donaldson" a book I've been waiting a long time for (about 20 years) since the second chronicles finished. I've re-read all the first and second chronicles in preparation of this I hope I'm not disappointed.

It boshed your head? Is that good or bad? Hobb rules. It was just a strange ending and I didn't fully understand it, it was alo a pretty sad book from start to finish. His woman cheats on him and pisses off somewhere else. He gets thrashed to within an inch of his life when he did nothing wrong. He 'dies' and ends up in the brain of a wolf (!!!). He gets buried, and them exhumed yet is still alive. Then it seems he loses his dog at the end as well.

It was a good book, don't get me wrong, just strange. I'll be getting the next one. Assassins Quest I believe it's called?

Angels and Demons is looking pretty good by the way. But the similarities between this book and Da Vinci Code are ridiculous; it's almost a carbon copy if you ask me.

Oh, and isn't Robin Hobb a she?

Barmy, (as I've mentioned in previous posts), Fitz is the most UNFORTUNATE protagonist EVER. Still a great read and one of my favorites, but depressing.

just finished lords and ladies which is my favorite pratchett book right now.

about to start the rage from the FR series by Richard Lee Byers

Nibbling my way through Black, White and Silver Gryphon books by Mercedes Lackey.

Barmy you're correct Robin Hobb is a she; her real name which she also writes under is Megan Lindholm.

Actually, Margaret Ogden is her real name. Megan Lindholm is another pseudonym.

Bah - I knew Hobb was a she.

Homage to Catalonia was thoroughly depressing (as can be expected of George Orwell - tragically this was history though). Spain was almost a good functioning anarchy before getting thoroughly pwned...

Edit: and bah, I misread my own post - because I never claimed she was a he, I claimed Erikson was :)

Just foinished Pratchett's Going Postal; not bad, definoitely nopt bad but... not as good as I've come to expect from him

I've just bought 8 books (and I mean books not booklets) we have to read this semester. 6 German ones, 2 English ones. And they'll throw in a couple of Dutch ones for good measure no doubt.

I've started reading Die Blechtrommel by Günther Grass now.

And the Academic year hasn't even been officially opened.

Halfway through "Dissolution" by Richard Lee Byers. I have to say, it's a bit lame so far. It's like reading about pro wrestling. The main character comes up against a tough opponent and is almost killed but comes back at the last minute with a killer finishing move and wins. And I can hardly tell that it is not actually written by Salvatore because it seems to be in exactly the same style.

Re-reading Good Omens by messers Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.
Had forgotten how good it is :D

Am reading the second book of the Sword of Truth series , by Terry Goodkind.
I must say its not bad at all.
Read one called Stormlight before that. Forgotten Realms Book by Ed Greenwood. About one of the Seven Sisters. Was quite cool.

actually saw more of pratchett than gaiman in that one ara :)

i'm starting the rite by richard lee byers, book 2 of the year of rogue dragons.

terry goodkind has some good stuff...it gets repetitive by the Pillars of Creation..last book of the series that i can remember...

I'm reading the second book of Salvatores Hunters blades trilogy..the lone drow i think it is...not sure and i dont have it with me atm

The Trilogy of Five, by Douglas Adams.

Re-read Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, now reading the Restaurant at the End of the Universe.

Adams is BRILLIANT. I very rarely smile when I read a book. Here I was laughing out loud, continuously, over several pages.

"So long, and thanks for all the fish..."

One of Robert B Parker's older books "Taming of a Sea Horse". For witty dialogue in a mystery novel, this guy is keen.

[ September 30, 2005, 21:56: Message edited by: Newfie ]

Jeff Grub's Warcraft book - The Last Guardian. Not bad.

98% of what is written today is very ho-hum kind of stuff. The really, really TOP SF writers are/were:

Roger Zelazny, now sadly died, who wrote (along with the Amber series mentioned earlier in this thread) such gems as 'Lord Demon', 'Lord of Light', 'A Night in the Lonesome October' (I think he wrote 'Jack of Shadows' too. Awesome writer.

Steven Brust. Try the first two books of a long series Jhereg, and Yendi. For a somewhat different style of writing set in the same world but an age earlier 'The Phoenix Guards' and 'Five Hundred Years After'. For something different go for the quirky 'To Reign in Hell' a story about the revolt of the angels in heaven.

Barry Hughart. He wrote only 3 books because he was so badly dealt with by his publisher, but they were superb. 'The Bridge of Birds' came from nowhere to win the world Fantasy award for the year. These were followed by 'The Story of the Stone' and 'Eight Skilled Gentlemen' all storis set in a fantastical 8th Century China.

Eric S. Nylund. Seems to have lost the plot recently, but three of his early works are excellent. 'Pawns Dream', 'A Game of Universe', and 'Dry Water' are three gems.

Tim Powers wrote three good ones. 'The Anubis Gates' may be his best, but I also liked 'On Stranger Tides' and 'The Drawing of the Dark'

Some of these books are less easy to get now, but if you look around you can find many of them. Believe me they are worth the effort.

Am I reading anything new now ? Well the children's author Garth Nix is currently writing a series of fantastical books, one for each day of the week - definitely childrens books, but good fun (begin with Mister Monday). He also wrote a less-for-children trilogy. They are 'Sabriel', 'Lirael', 'Abhorsen' - I enjoyed those too, all about magic, a series of waterfalls of death, each taking you deeper into death, and nasty necromancers.

ps. Just Read William Goldmans re-write of the Morgenstern classic 'The Princess Bride' and loved it in it's much condensed form. Recognise the name Morgenstern any of you readers of Zelazny's Amber series ?

woohoo, a fellow Nylund fan! :)

The Horse and his Boy by CS Lewis - Narnia is quite funky

just finished color of magic by pratchett. wasn't expecting it to be too good as it was his first discworld novel but i found it hilarious :D hell of a cliffhanger ending though :bang:

i have one more unread pratchett book but i'm going to temporarily end my 5-book pratchett run for now and start the Drawing of the Dark by Tim Powers.

Just finished "Dissolution: - Part one of the War of the Spider Queen." by Richard Lee Byers It was pretty mediocre so I don't think I'll bother with the rest of the series unless I get really desperate. Reading about drow becomes really boring after a while.

I have finished "Guards! Guards!" by Pratchett. Thanks to the folks who recommended him to me, because I enjoyed the book, and will try something else from him in the future.
Now I started "Strange Confession" Anton Tchekov. Not sure if that is the proper English title though.
EDIT: Harbourboy, I was thinking this trilogy would be any good. I had in mind the kind of conspiracy and double game Bregan Daerthe - sp - constantly partakes in the whole struggle for power. I kind of liked his dialogues with other drow leaders. There is nothing of the sort in the book?

Just finished Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. Typically, for Brown, full of fabricated rubbish, but also a fantastic read. I strongly recommend it. I'm going to seek out more Brown works.

Just started Sharpes Battle by Bernard Cornwell.

Svyatoslav, if you like Drow and their evil schemes and double-crossing then I guess you would like the War of the Spider Queen. I just got a bit sick of having so many genetically evil characters in one book.

Volkhavaar by Tanith Lee. Like Terry Pratchett's Small Gods this book presents the idea that the quality of worship creates the god.

just finished the drawing of the dark by tim powers. awesome book i thought. bit of a lame ending though.

about to start the two swords by salvatore.

King of Foxes - Raymond Feist. This is the second part of the "Conclave of Shadows." So far, it's ok....

. . . and it remains basically ok throughout. Nothing to write home about. I am re-reading The Dark is Rising, by Susan Cooper, one of my absolute all-time favorite books from childhood.

dmc, you legend. That Susan Cooper series was awesome, but I'm too scared to read it again in case I get disappointed.

HB - you won't be, trust me. As soon as I finish the rest of Narnia and Redwall, I intend to read it to my son.

Enagonios,
Glad you liked the Tim Powers 'Drawing of the Dark'. It's not the best written book in the world, nothing like as good as, say, 'A Night in the Lonesome October' (Zelazny).

However it does have plenty of charm, and near the end where Duffy was slowly being 'subsumed' it was powerful stuff imo. There were times when I could see it in my minds eye as I read, which is what the best stuff can do.

ps. Interesting you mentioned 'Weaveworld' by Clive Barker way back on this thread. I have a friend who thinks it is one of the best books he ever read. Liked it myself, too.

[ October 06, 2005, 23:08: Message edited by: Gilden ]

"A Fortress of Grey Ice" Part 2 of the Sword of Shadows, by J. V. Jones.

This is actually looking like a reasonable trilogy. It's a wee bit formulaic, but the writing is such a class above that Forgotten Realms rubbish I was reading before that I'm finding it to be quite good.

'F' is for Fugitive by Sue Grafton. It's very good, color me surprised. I think I'll give this series a read through. It should last me a while since Sue is up to S now.

Anybody here read anything by William Hope Hodgson. He died in the First world War, but wrote several books around the 1910's. Some of his stuff get reprinted every now and again.
Mostly supernatural stuff of one kind or another and well worth hunting for.

Notable stuff includes
The House on the Borderland (spooky)
The Night Land (spooky, hell on 'Earth')
The Boats of Glen Carrig (sp)(shipwrecked on strange dreary land)
Carnacki the ghost hunter (my favourite)

On a completely different tack (pun !) for those that have never read the long Patrick O'Brien series of Aubrey and Maturin. Set largely on warships in the early 1800's, it is a thoroughly researched and relistic look into that period. Start with book 1. 'Master and Commander'. Terrific stuff.

Just finished the first Book of the Malazan the fallen.

Quite amazing, slightly overwhelming and most certainly made not to be rushed through. If it still is, the clarity of what's going on is definitely clouded.


Now, onwards, to devour the second!

The Santaroga Barrier, by Frank Herbert.

Nowhere near as good as Dune, and unfortunately it's hard not to compare because, even though the 2 books have nothing to do with each other at first glance, you can see many similarities eventually. It's still a good book though.

Fallen Hearts - V.C. Andrews. How did I suck myself into reading a V.C Andrews series. These books are seriously morbid.

I read Raymond E. Feist's Exiles Return over the weekend. Part 3 of The Conclave of Shadows series, I thought it was a trilogy but apparently there's at least one more book in the comming. It started out great, but the ending was only average, but I guess that makes it an ok book. ;)

I thought it was a trilogy but apparently there's at least one more book in the comming IIRC it is a trilogy, and the next 2 (or 3?) books are another series that picks off where Exile ends.

I'm reading Frank Herbert's Children of Dune. I'm just wishing that I owned the books that come after this one.

The Year of Rogue Dragons: The Rage By Richard Lee Byers. Looks interesting so far.

@Gilden

yeah, weaveworld was pretty awesome, a number of other SPers also liked it iirc. right now i'm temporarily stopping my fantasy run and going back to the classics with agatha christie's ABC murders, I love Hercule Poirot :D

Storm of Swords part 2:Blood and gold, third in the A song of Ice and Fire series by George RR Martin.

10 more days and it's time for a Feast of Crows. That will be a weekend with the phone unplugged and me in my comfy chair untill I finish it. Than waiting the next 3 (hopefully) years in eager anticipation of A dance with Dragons.

The Jon Shannow books(Wolf in Shadow, The Last Guardian and Bloodstone) by David Gemmel. Really enjoying them.

And still reading Game Of Thrones by G.R.R Martin.

I'm a few chapters through Robert Jordan's The Great Hunt.

I've read up to book four, and I know that they start to get pretty bad a couple of books after that, but I'd like to read my way through them all so far, just for the sake of reading them.

A new one: A Breath of Snow and Ashes, by Diana Gabaldon. It's book six (or should that be brick six?) in her Outlander series, and they are all well worth the read.

(And the first book, Outlander, was just re-released by Seal Books, at a very reasonable price - I think I paid 6.99 CDN$ at Wal*Mart? - so it's a great time to delve into the series if you haven't yet indulged. ;) )

I have just finished Paths Not Taken - Simon Green's latest Nightside novel. It isn't as good as the previous books in the series but it is still decent.

I have started on Drinking Midnight Wine, again by Simon Green. Mr. Green certainly loves writing about uber-characters and this book has them a plenty although making the main character an average guy who is completely out of his league is quite a departure from Green's usual approach

This one started a little slowly but it has really become quite interesting. I really don't have a clue where the plot is going, if it is going anywhere at all.

Lady of the Lake (part of "The Wither") by A. Sapkowski. Also The Masakado Lesson by William Kennedy.

I finished Drinking Midnight Wine. The plot never really amounted to much and the ending resolved itself way to quickly and easily. The sad thing is, I have pretty much come to expect that from Simon Green. The man can create great characters and dialogue but he seems to have real trouble with coming up with a good story to use them in.

I have started on 1632 by Eric Flint. I have barely started but it seems decent (but not great) so far. I picked up the novel mostly because the sequel was co-authored by David Weber so hopefully 1632 will continue to be, at least, decent and then 1633 will be better.

Finished Sharpes Battle by Bernard Cornwell the other day. Quality book, as always. Anyone who hasn't read his stuff, really should do.

Currently reading Deception Point by Dan Brown.

I'm re-reading the entire original nine Dragonlance books. Right now I'm on War of the Twins.

done with abc murders as well as the secret of chimneys also by christie, man i love her books. i was going to start pratchett's monstrous regiment but i'm now thinking whether or not i should re-read one of my agatha christie books..

The Cat Who Went Bananas by Lillian Jackson Braun. Only one other Cat Who book I haven't read and hopefully I'll be getting that one for Christmas. :)

decided to start monstrous regiment

'The Eliza Stories' by Barry Pain.

Guhing at The Hunchback of Notre Dame - which I'm not feeling at all inspired to read and has so far proved quite boring. No doubt it will end up swallowing one of my bookmarks soon and be added to the pile of 'books I can't be bothered finishing'.

Revenge of the Sith - Matther Stover

@ kuemper - You have my condolences. That has to be one of the most poorly written movie adaptations of all time - and movie adaptations normally are pretty bad to begin with.

David Gemmel's Ravenheart...do you think Braveheart gave him any incentive to write this series? I'm at page 10 and they got the kilts, claymores and name already.

Tom Paine: A Political Life by John Keane.

Blindness by Jose Saramago - it is exceptionally funky

Catch a falling star by Ken McCoy

War of the Flowers by Tad Williams. Not bad so far, it almost reads like a Pratchett that's gone serious (not too serious, mind). It's much more entertaining than the quite morose Memory, Sorrow and Thorn. He still has the tendency to torture his main character though...

J.R.R. Tolkien - The Hobbit :D

_The War of the Flowers_ is a pretty good book, overall. Unfortunately, the second part of the book is not as good as the first, IMO.

I'm reading The Idiot by Dostojevsky.

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell

Sun Tzu's 'The Art of War'.

I am in a strange sort of limbo, stuck between The Lord of the Rings (which has been on hold far too long...its embarassing), Bulfinches Mythology and annoying required books for school. I just finished Naked Lunch, which I highly reccomend.

Whee! Reading for midterms. Odd thing is, I'm actually enjoying the reading. Or at least most of it.

Iliad - Lattimore's translation
Herodotus's Histories, Penguin classics edition
Thucydides's History of the Peloponnesian War (penguin)
Plutarch's Rise and fall of Athens (penguin)

The Difference Engine by Willian Gibson and Bruce Sterling - very funky so far

Since the Hobbit is completed time to take LotR now :D :p

I finished 1632 yesterday - it was decent but nothing special.

I have started on Fiddler Fair - a collection of short stories by Mercedes Lackey and Larry Dixon. The ones I have read so far have been okay but not really good enough that I would recommend the book.

about to start going postal by pratchett

Just finished --This Immortal-- by Roger Zelazny. It was quite good and even funny. It could even have been a good repetition for those mythology tests, know this greek name and remember that one too. Besides, I wanted to have a girlfriend called Cassandra too.

Terry Goodkind's "first lesson of a sorcerer" is next.

GTA san andreas walk through guide for the ps2 :lol:

Stoker's Dracula.

And I like it so far. :)

[ October 20, 2005, 20:22: Message edited by: Uytuun ]

Sabriel -Garth Nix

Pretty good so far!

I finished Fiddler Fair - the last few stories were quite disappointing actually. The Holy Grail story seemed pretty much pointless. The Excalibur story was short but o.k. The title story was included (as far as I remember word for word) as part of a novel which Mercedes Lackey wrote after the short story was published - given that I have read that novel it kind of left the largest short story being kind of pointless to read. The next largest was from a shared world series that I had never heard of and found quite dull.

I have just barely started on Watch on the Rhine - by John Ringo and Tom Kratman. I have heard a lot of people complaining about the controversial subject matter of this book but given that none of them appear to have actually read it I am going to give it a fair chance. Basically the concept of the series is that the Earth is being invaded by an alien horde and humanity is greatly outnumbered and in serious need of combat veterans to form the core of its armies. The humans have received alien technology that allows people to be rejuvenated/de-aged. This particular novel deals with the German government and their difficult decision as to whether they should rejuvinate the Waffen SS and use them as cannon fodder/shock troops.

I finished reading 'The Eliza Stories' by Barry Pain, which proved to be a blindingly funny read. I am now about to start 'Mistress of Mistresses' by E.R.Eddison (A somewhat more sombre tome).

I seem to have misplaced Watch on the Rhine over the week-end so I had to grab another book this morning. As a result I have started on Trading in Danger by Elizabeth Moon. So far it has been decent but nothing really special. It is still in the early plot set-up and character establishment phase so I will wait until the plot actually starts rolling before coming to a definite opinion.

'The Third Twin' by Ken Follet.

A Feast for Crows by George RR Martin

Apeman! Don't give away the ending before the rest of us can read it! :D (lucky you :p )

The Charnel Prince by Greg Keyes - awesome - so far.

Amerika by Kafka. In German.

But we've got to stay positive. It's better than die Blechtrommel. then again, everything is better than die Blechtrommel. :shake:

Re-reading the Dark Tower by Stephen King, in anticipation of the final volume in paperback.

I finished Trading in Danger - it was decent but not as good as most of Elizabeth Moon's work. I was impressed that the main character basically dealt with her own small problems while the large scale problems were just a backdrop to the story. It was kind of fun to have a story where the characters don't "save the world" but instead just solve their own lesser problems. In fact, we never really do find out what exactly was going on with the large scale problem - which might infuriate some but I found it quite refreshing.

I have located Watch on the Rhine and continued reading it. So far I would have to say that it would have been much better if there was less combat and more focus on the ethics/politics/personnal reactions of the situation.

Hark by Ed McBain. More story from the Deaf Man.

I finished Watch on the Rhine - after its little lull of being too combat focused in the middle it got much more interesting in focusing on how the characters reacted to facing horrible odds and bad situations.

The end was a real surprise actually. Up to that point the book didn't really change/add to the overall story of the main series - it was just telling the story of an event that had been briefly mentioned as having happened elsewhere during the course of the main story. Then, completely out of the blue, the final pages are a huge reveal.

I have started on The Road to the Rim by A. Bertram Chandler. It looks like it has some potential but it is still a little too early to tell.

Finished LotR, now it's time to read some Discworld books (can't decide which one to read first) :D

@undertaker the first one of course The Colour of Magic.

I'm re-reading the Fionavar Tapestry by Guy Gavriel Kay I needed some light relief from Covenant

going postal was pretty funny :D now reading Fletch by Gregory MacDonald, I love these books :p

I finished The Road to the Rim - it was quite mediocre but at least it was short. Unfortunately that leaves me with another umpteen of the books in the series to read seeing as I bought them in bulk. Oh well, I paid next to nothing for them.

I have started on To Prime the Pump (book 2, still by A Bertram Chandler). So far it is better than The Road to the Rim but not good enough that I would recommend it to anyone.

Still, I have a glimmer of hope for this novel. If the plot goes where the title and early hints lead you to think it will go then the book will rank down in the gutter - however I can't imagine that the author would so badly tip his hand so I am hoping that he came up with something else that is creative and makes sense.

I just finished 'A Fortress of Grey Ice' Book 2 of the Sword of Shadows by J.V. Jones. It was pretty good, I thought, but when I went to look for Book 3 I discovered that it hadn't been written yet. Anyone know when Book 3 is coming out?

A Feast for crows by Martin, finally. Nothing has really happened yet so my judgement is still out even though I have full confidence in Georgie boy.

The Fellowship of The Ring..

After a *very* satisfying Feast for Crows by Martin, I'm now reading Pyramids by Pratchett.

Just started the Summer Tree - book 1 of the Fionavar Tapestry by Guy Gavriel Kay. Not bad so far, but reminds me a bit of the D&D cartoon...

Just finished the Moonshae Trilogy by Douglas Niles. The first book was ok....the second book, Black Wizards, was much better and the third book, Darkwell, was quite excellent. All in all, a very good trilogy -- battling gods is always fun. :D

The Other Wind By Ursula Le Guin.

Magicians Apprentice by R.Feist. My favorite writer is R.A.Salvatore, but Feist is OK too.

After picking it up and putting it down several times I finally abandoned "The Difference Engine" by Gibson and Sterling, 3/4 of the way through. Despite some vivid writing, it just didn't click for me. Disappointing, since I've admired other books by Gibson, particularly "Count Zero".

So I've moved on to the Aubrey/Maturin novels by Patrick O'Brian, partly because they must be really good if the cover quotes were even half-true, and partly because I loved "Master and Commander", the movie. The movie in fact comes close to doing the books justice, and the cover blurbs are not exaggerated. These are very fine novels, with breath-stopping storms, knockout battle scenes, subtle and complex characterizations, and great historical accuracy. I've read the first five with great pleasure: "Master and Commander", "Post Captain", "H.M.S. Surprise", "The Mauritius Command", and, at present, "Desolation Island".

Good Omen by T.Pratchett :D

The Ivanhoe Gambit - Simon Hawke

I am now reading "Magician" by Raymond E Feist because I see that it was on the BBC Top 100 Books of All Time so it must be OK.