Macdoc, looked up Assassins Apprentice and realised I’d read the trilogy a few years ago. Reading Semiosis by Sue Burke. A really good call. Not what I’d expect from a first contact story. She seems to know a lot about chemistry yet there’s nothing in her bio that explains it.

The Assassin Trilogy is only one part of about 15 books in the series.

Thanks for Sue Burke tip

Yep, I remember reading the first trilogy then deciding enough is enough, at least give it a break.
I’m having second thoughts about I Will Find You. I’ve read the free sample on kindle and gone to the beginning to see if it is a self publish, nope. All reviews give it 5 stars. Can’t figure it at all. Will put it aside for a while anyway.
I’ve been nibbling away at The Art of War by Sun Tzu for a year now and have finally finished it. All I can say is that if anyone wants me as a General they’ll find me hiding under the bed listening to Leonard Cohen.

Hobb is a chore taking it all but she breaks it into trilogies which are self contained tho related to the others in the world building. I find myself hooked immediately on all her reads.

Live Ship Traders is one such set and you don't really see the implications till well down the road with Rain Wilds. Only side referals

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liveship_Traders_Trilogy

Just now doing Fionavar Tapestry by Guy Gabriel Kay ....the Canadian Tolkien that starts quite innocently at the university of Toronto and soars to new magical worlds in a similar arc to LoTR.

The Fionavar Tapestry is a trilogy of fantasy novels by Canadian author Guy Gavriel Kay, published between 1984 and 1986. The novels are partly set in our own contemporary world, but mostly in the fictional world of Fionavar. It is the story of five University of Toronto senior law and medical students, who are drawn into the 'first world of the Tapestry' by the mage Loren Silvercloak. Once there, each discovers his or her own role and destiny in the framework of an epic conflict.

Fionavar has many similarities to Tolkien's Middle-earth, and seems to be directly influenced by it (perhaps not surprising, since Kay worked with Christopher Tolkien to edit The Silmarillion and prepare it for publication).

I like the way Kay incorporates myths we know into a new weave. Recommended.
All of his books have a familiar feel but from a different world.
Lovely stuff

Guy Gavriel Kay CM (born November 7, 1954) is a Canadian writer of fantasy fiction. The majority of his novels take place in fictional settings that resemble real places during real historical periods, such as Constantinople during the reign of Justinian I or Spain during the time of El Cid. Kay has expressed a preference to avoid genre categorization of these works as historical fantasy. As of 2016, Kay has published 13 novels and a book of poetry. As of 2018, his fiction has been translated into more than 30 languages.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Gavriel_Kay

Brilliant Father’s Day present. An examination of what’s under our feet basically. Macfarlane goes underground in the north east saltmine, the Mendips, the Paris Catacombs the caves and underground rivers of the Trieste area as a starter.The most fascinating bit so far was about mushrooms. In Oregons Blue Mountains lives a honey fungus, armillaria soldipes, covering an area of four sq miles. Scientists recon it’s between 1900 and 8650 years old. Fine threads of melanized fungi laced the concrete of Chernobyls reactor housing and is thriving due to high levels of ionising radiation.
I used to think cockroaches would inherit the earth but now I know it’s mushrooms.

Ah! I got that for himself for his birthday, had seen Macfarlane interviewed on the news. Sounds fascinating.

crazyfitter wrote:

AB26748E-EBC9-43DB-A7B5-AB4E5A78C76C.jpeg

Brilliant Father’s Day present. An examination of what’s under our feet basically. Macfarlane goes underground in the north east saltmine, the Mendips, the Paris Catacombs the caves and underground rivers of the Trieste area as a starter.The most fascinating bit so far was about mushrooms. In Oregons Blue Mountains lives a honey fungus, armillaria soldipes, covering an area of four sq miles. Scientists recon it’s between 1900 and 8650 years old. Fine threads of melanized fungi laced the concrete of Chernobyls reactor housing and is thriving due to high levels of ionising radiation.
I used to think cockroaches would inherit the earth but now I know it’s mushrooms.

just started reading this - totally hooked after the introduction...underground fascinates me...i like his writing style as well

I went to this meeting, about 30 of us crammed into the book shop (with glass of wine) and a very interesting hour it was too. He is currently writing the screenplay for this book, or, how to convert 125000 words into 25000. He joked that we got in an hour the condensed version of the £450 Guardian Masterclass.

He described the two basic types of fiction books. One has lots of plot and little character the other lots of character with little plot. Jayne Austin and Dan Brown were given as classic examples of each. Lumpiness was another topic. Not to do a chapter all character, realise it so do the next chapter all action. Rinse and repeat.

Anyway I’m going to try and use what I’ve learned to have another look at my blog and another go at the children’s story I’ve started.

Let Go My Hand isn’t the sort of book I’d normally buy but having got it I’m about to give it a go.

Children of Ruin...the companion to the award winning Children of Time whew- what a trip.

Micheal J Sullivan

Really easy to read and I find it highly entertaining. Classic adventure fantasy. Not very heavy. I appreciate that he finishes his series before he publishes. Not like some other writers I could mention...

Started with the Riyria Revelations trilogy.

Now busy with The First Empire series.

Mr Rothfuss I presume.... and GoT series amongst others

Was talking about GOT more than anything but you've just reminded me of Mr Rothfuss again aahhhgggg - I was upset about that for months when he started missing his deadlines and then you'd see "reviews" on some sites like Goodreads and get excited just to find out it's not real It's been so built up now, I wonder if I'll enjoy the series conclusions from either of those 2 authors.

And the irony ....Rothfuss has the series in production without a final book ...FFS

Wish our hero would just ravish Denna and be done with it.... ..he was willing enough with the fey

Thanks for tip - just starting Age of Myth ...love the humour.

Yeah the fey, that was totally unexpected for me

I'm more interested in seeing him getting his powers back and kicking some serious ass. It's like we still have no idea just how powerful he actually is, it's just alluded to and his buddy the wolfman (forget his name) is a badass himself but treats him with a LOT of respect. Oh, there's so much actually that we still don't know.

Macdoc wrote:Thanks for tip - just starting Age of Myth ...love the humour.

Great humour and he's got such an easy style. The Riyria Chronicles is actually even more humorous, but I like where this Legends of the First Empire series is going so far. Just good, uncomplicated entertainment.

Very enjoyable but don't think I will continue the series just now. Fascinatinating author tho.

About Michael J. Sullivan
After finding a manual typewriter in the basement of a friend's house, Michael J. Sullivan inserted a blank piece of paper and typed: It was a dark and stormy night. He was just ten years old and mimicking the only writer he knew at the time...Snoopy. That spark ignited a flame and Michael's desire to fill blank pages would become a life-long obsession. As an adult, Michael spent more than ten years developing his craft by studying authors such as Stephen King, Ernest Hemingway, and John Steinbeck. During that time, he wrote thirteen novels without finding any traction in publishing. Since insanity is repeating the same act but expecting a different result, he did the only sane thing he could think of and quit, vowing never to write creatively again.

Never

more

https://www.amazon.com/Michael-J-Sulliv ... t_ebooks_1

Children of Ruin...the companion to the award winning Children of Time whew- what a trip.

partner is hooked ....she's got a biology masters.....not surprising

Nebula Winner The Calculating Stars ,...wow what an attention grabber..

realllllly good

AudioBooks this time.

2:50 AM

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow - Book Review
https://www.commonsensemedia.org

Kids will hide under the covers with a flashlight long after bedtime -- one more page! -- to read this highly satisfying and engrossing new fantasy. With its page-turning plot, offbeat humor, quirkily colorful characters, and richly imagined fantasy world, Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow has all the earmarks of a classic.

Fox has tapped “The Martian” screenwriter Drew Goddard to adapt and produce fantasy story “Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow” as a movie.

Very engaging.

Finished Perdido Station on Audible and in some ways better than the ground breaking book.

It was an interesting pairing as both have steampunk elements tho China Mielville's book far darker. While Nevermoor begs for a movie Perdido may be be a huge challenge and might be better left to the imagination....my daughter and I both had flashbacks for years after first read.

•••

Reading this now

Blackfish City has the same potential for some nightmares tho I think it could be made into a series. Some visuals are astonishing.
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-revi ... ty-miller/
Nebula award finalist this year.



Next up


and then



https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-revi ... york-2140/

Love long weekends and to a lesser degree long flights. Fewer distractions in getting the imagination fully engaged