Comments on: Short Subjects: SF mini reviews

By: Dan O'Halloran

Dan O'Halloran — Wed, 07 May 2008 00:08:48 +0000

I’m currently working my way through Jim Butcher’s Harry Dresden series now and enjoying it immensely. I used to enjoy High Fantasy, but have been drawn to Urban Fantasy the last few years. Didn’t like Simon Green’s Nightside series at all and have to be careful to avoid the Laurell K. Hamilton supernatural romance clones. Not sure what I’m going to read after I’m done with the Dresden books, but it will probably be from the YA section of the bookstore.

By: Tipa

Tipa — Tue, 06 May 2008 10:12:37 +0000

I have 33 books on my Reader :)

By: mbp

mbp — Tue, 06 May 2008 08:21:45 +0000

You have whetted my appetite for Banks’ “Matter” Tipa but I am putting off buying it until it comes out in regular paperback. I don’t know how it works in the US but over here novels first come out in hardback, then in a kind of oversize paperback and finally in a regular paperback. “Matter” is currently at the oversize paperback stage and I try to avoid these when possible. They have all the disadvantages of hardback (big, heavy and pricey) and none of the advantages. I like a book that will fit in an overcoat pocket.

Sounds like I may have to invest in one of those electronic readers!

By: Relmstein

Relmstein — Tue, 06 May 2008 00:38:38 +0000

I’m enjoying the fantasy of Jim Butcher though his Harry Dresden series is more urban fantasy then classic high fantasy. I’ve found all the John Scalzi books are pretty good though the first book Old Man’s War was the best. He’s writes a lot like John Ringo except his characters are better developed and he doesn’t depend on military stereotypes. His next best book was probably The Android’s Dream but its based in another universe.

If you like high fantasy then “Summoner” and “The Blood King” by Gail Z Martin are proving to be decent reads though no where near as good as some of the early Robert Jordan/Terry Goodkind novels.

By: Tipa

Tipa — Mon, 05 May 2008 22:38:10 +0000

Yeah, he and Cory Doctorow over in boingboing are both pointing that out. Best fantasy I read last year was His Dark Materials and guess where THAT lives? It’s definitely a good time for SF… if you know where to look. Who was it that said the Golden Age of science fiction is twelve?

By: Dan O'Halloran

Dan O'Halloran — Mon, 05 May 2008 22:32:16 +0000

It’s funny you should mention John Scalzi as I just discovered his website, Whatever, yesterday. I found it through a link that led to an article he wrote about how YA scifi/fantasy is currently outselling Adult scifi/fantasy two to one. Its a wonderful piece that points out that the current generation of teenagers are falling in love with scifi/fantasy just like we did oh so many years ago (“The Hobbit” for me, a Christmas gift from an uncle.)

John recommends “Uglies” as a great example of the best of YA scifi on the market. I picked it up this morning at Barnes and Nobles and will be giving it a read next week while on vacation (where, sadly, most of my reading gets done these days.)

-DanO’