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Post by Slam_Bradley on Jun 2, 2021 10:24:16 GMT -5
Bridge of Birds by Barry HughartWhat a delightful surprising book. This came out in 1984 when I was probably at my peak of reading fantasy. Somehow, despite winning the World Fantasy Award and the Mythopoeic Award, it completely flew under my radar. At the time (and maybe for now, for all I know) it was groundbreaking. A fantasy set in an ancient China (that never was) instead the standard medieval Europesque setting. And a book that is almost equal parts fantasy and mystery. We'd had a handful of SF-mysteries at that point, but I can't think of another fantasy-mystery off the top of my head (I'm unqualified to talk about what may have happened since). The children of a small Chinese village have been stricken with a mysterious illness and Number Ten Ox is sent with most of the town's wealth to find a scholar to cure them. In a rundown room on a bad street he finds Master Li, a wiseman with "a slight flaw in his character" who agrees to diagnose and try to cure them. This leads to the two going on a quest to find the cure through an ancient China that never was and encounters with spirits, bandits and an evil Duke. They evade nefarious traps, assist in the redemption of others and right ancient wrongs. All while remaining humble and extremely well written characters who are genuinely good people...despite small flaws in character. This is just a lovely little fantasy with the minor flaw that it does tend to meander a bit at times. But if you're looking for something different in your fantasy it's a great place to start.
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Post by EdoBosnar on Jun 2, 2021 13:05:04 GMT -5
Bridge of Birds by Barry Hughart(...) Sounds interesting - I'll very likely put it on my list of books to look out for.
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Post by wildfire2099 on Jun 2, 2021 20:54:30 GMT -5
That one's definitely on my list.... I don't remember if someone here posted about it previously or it popped up on my good reads feed, but sounded unique.. good to know it's decent too
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Post by wildfire2099 on Jun 5, 2021 16:53:56 GMT -5
Lies of Locke Lamora Scott Lynch
re-reading this for book club... I didn't remember a huge amount of it (just weird bits of detail, not really the ending), so that was good.
I think it was a bit too long... there was at least 100 pages of flowery description that was pretty unnecesssary that didn't really do much to add to the book. I LOVED the capers the Bastards come up with.. that's by far the highlight.
The main double scam the come up with... genius! Even the flashback sequences of some of the things Locke came up with as a youth in training were great. I also love Jean, one of the more unique and interesting characters out there. He COULD just have been a thug, but instead he's awesome.
I also love the 'lawyering' the characters do amongst themselves to get around seemingly impossible situations, far better than clever people get foiled by someone with a more clever idea than the usual coincidences that tend to occur.
There are definitely some issues... Locke and Jean definitely have superhero syndrome.. they get beat to near death several times and recover and are ready for more in just a couple days. Then there's the basic premise... the Bastard's hideout is so amazing no one scopes it out for years... except when they do.
I remember being really disappointed in the 2nd book, but I don't really remember why (too dark maybe, but then, this book is pretty dark, so...) not sure if I'll re-read that too.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 5, 2021 20:31:34 GMT -5
Lies of Locke Lamora Scott Lynch re-reading this for book club... I didn't remember a huge amount of it (just weird bits of detail, not really the ending), so that was good. I think it was a bit too long... there was at least 100 pages of flowery description that was pretty unnecesssary that didn't really do much to add to the book. I LOVED the capers the Bastards come up with.. that's by far the highlight. The main double scam the come up with... genius! Even the flashback sequences of some of the things Locke came up with as a youth in training were great. I also love Jean, one of the more unique and interesting characters out there. He COULD just have been a thug, but instead he's awesome. I also love the 'lawyering' the characters do amongst themselves to get around seemingly impossible situations, far better than clever people get foiled by someone with a more clever idea than the usual coincidences that tend to occur. There are definitely some issues... Locke and Jean definitely have superhero syndrome.. they get beat to near death several times and recover and are ready for more in just a couple days. Then there's the basic premise... the Bastard's hideout is so amazing no one scopes it out for years... except when they do. I remember being really disappointed in the 2nd book, but I don't really remember why (too dark maybe, but then, this book is pretty dark, so...) not sure if I'll re-read that too. I'm kind of the same way. I liked, but didn't love the first book, but I got bogged down and didn't finish the second book and not sure I will ever circle back to it. -M
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Post by berkley on Jun 6, 2021 11:26:15 GMT -5
Bridge of Birds by Barry HughartWhat a delightful surprising book. This came out in 1984 when I was probably at my peak of reading fantasy. Somehow, despite winning the World Fantasy Award and the Mythopoeic Award, it completely flew under my radar. At the time (and maybe for now, for all I know) it was groundbreaking. A fantasy set in an ancient China (that never was) instead the standard medieval Europesque setting. And a book that is almost equal parts fantasy and mystery. We'd had a handful of SF-mysteries at that point, but I can't think of another fantasy-mystery off the top of my head (I'm unqualified to talk about what may have happened since). The children of a small Chinese village have been stricken with a mysterious illness and Number Ten Ox is sent with most of the town's wealth to find a scholar to cure them. In a rundown room on a bad street he finds Master Li, a wiseman with "a slight flaw in his character" who agrees to diagnose and try to cure them. This leads to the two going on a quest to find the cure through an ancient China that never was and encounters with spirits, bandits and an evil Duke. They evade nefarious traps, assist in the redemption of others and right ancient wrongs. All while remaining humble and extremely well written characters who are genuinely good people...despite small flaws in character. This is just a lovely little fantasy with the minor flaw that it does tend to meander a bit at times. But if you're looking for something different in your fantasy it's a great place to start.
I've had this on my list for some time but still haven't gotten to it yet. One of the few modern or post-Tolkien fantasy books I'm looking forward to, though. I'm curious about Hughart's influences or inspiration for it - if he's based it on any actual Chinese legends, history, or fiction. For example, I wonder if any of the Four Classic Novels of Chinese literature might have played any part in Hughart's research for his own book.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Jun 6, 2021 17:12:07 GMT -5
Bridge of Birds by Barry HughartWhat a delightful surprising book. This came out in 1984 when I was probably at my peak of reading fantasy. Somehow, despite winning the World Fantasy Award and the Mythopoeic Award, it completely flew under my radar. At the time (and maybe for now, for all I know) it was groundbreaking. A fantasy set in an ancient China (that never was) instead the standard medieval Europesque setting. And a book that is almost equal parts fantasy and mystery. We'd had a handful of SF-mysteries at that point, but I can't think of another fantasy-mystery off the top of my head (I'm unqualified to talk about what may have happened since). The children of a small Chinese village have been stricken with a mysterious illness and Number Ten Ox is sent with most of the town's wealth to find a scholar to cure them. In a rundown room on a bad street he finds Master Li, a wiseman with "a slight flaw in his character" who agrees to diagnose and try to cure them. This leads to the two going on a quest to find the cure through an ancient China that never was and encounters with spirits, bandits and an evil Duke. They evade nefarious traps, assist in the redemption of others and right ancient wrongs. All while remaining humble and extremely well written characters who are genuinely good people...despite small flaws in character. This is just a lovely little fantasy with the minor flaw that it does tend to meander a bit at times. But if you're looking for something different in your fantasy it's a great place to start.
I've had this on my list for some time but still haven't gotten to it yet. One of the few modern or post-Tolkien fantasy books I'm looking forward to, though. I'm curious about Hughart's influences or inspiration for it - if he's based it on any actual Chinese legends, history, or fiction. For example, I wonder if any of the Four Classic Novels of Chinese literature might have played any part in Hughart's research for his own book. My understanding is that Hughart developed an interest in China while serving in the Army in Korea. He then worked for a military surplus company in Asia for a number of years. He definitely cited "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" as an influence as well as "The Arabian Nights."
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Post by wildfire2099 on Jun 6, 2021 20:09:02 GMT -5
I love me some Romance of the Three Kingdoms! I should re-read that one of these days.
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Post by berkley on Jun 6, 2021 22:41:47 GMT -5
I love me some Romance of the Three Kingdoms! I should re-read that one of these days.
Yeah, me too. I started off reading the Brewitt-Taylor translation online back in the early 2000s or late 90s, and then ordered the books - but somehow ended up with a different version. I'd have to dig out the books to check, but I thnk I read around 150-200 pages or so of Brewitt-Taylor and the rest (total 2000+ pp) in the Moss Roberts. When I re-read it, I plan to do the whole thing in the Brewitt-Taylor, which I thought was better written, though possibly less accurate than the Roberts.
Just had a look on amazon and looks like there are one or more new translations of the complete work, and also a new Penguin abridgement of 670 pages. I can't recommend an abridgement, myself - I can't remember anything I'd want to leave out! Besides, anyone who reads modern fantasy should be used to long, bulky trilogies or series.
Outlaws of the Marsh aka Water Margin aka All Men are Brothers is another one of the four Classics that might conceivably influence anyone writing Chinese-flavoured fantasy; and of course Journey to the West, the most fantastic (in the sense of fantasy) of them all, with the famous Monkey, partially adapted in the 70s Heavy Metal by Manara.
Before I re-read anything along these lines, though, I'm going to try one I only heard about recently: The Seven Heroes And Five Gallants. It was published in China in the late 19th-century and I happen to be reading other stuff from that era so it fits in nicely.
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Jun 7, 2021 12:05:01 GMT -5
The Nonborn King by Julian MayThe penultimate book in May's Pliocene Earth Epic picks up in the aftermath of the deluge (another echo memory for later humans) that closed out "The Golden Torc." With the death of most of the high ranking Tanu, Aiken Drum moves quickly to fill the power vacuum. Not that there aren't Tanu who are opposed to him. Opposing him is the newly re-moralized Firvulag and a strengthened human Lowlife community that has a tentative alliance with the Howler community. Coming on scene in this book are a group of operant human exiles who had been hinted at earlier. May gives us a lot more information about the Galactic Milieu that the humans were leaving to enter Pliocene Earth. Included in that is Marc Remillard a paramount Grandmaster metapsychic who incited a rebellion against the Galactic government. There are still quite a few things here that are problematic in retrospect, but were somewhat ground-breaking at the time. Ultimately where May truly excels in in her world-building. And this book sets in to motion worlds that will echo into her later series'.
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Post by wildfire2099 on Jun 7, 2021 21:40:10 GMT -5
I love me some Romance of the Three Kingdoms! I should re-read that one of these days.
Yeah, me too. I started off reading the Brewitt-Taylor translation online back in the early 2000s or late 90s, and then ordered the books - but somehow ended up with a different version. I'd have to dig out the books to check, but I thnk I read around 150-200 pages or so of Brewitt-Taylor and the rest (total 2000+ pp) in the Moss Roberts. When I re-read it, I plan to do the whole thing in the Brewitt-Taylor, which I thought was better written, though possibly less accurate than the Roberts.
Just had a look on amazon and looks like there are one or more new translations of the complete work, and also a new Penguin abridgement of 670 pages. I can't recommend an abridgement, myself - I can't remember anything I'd want to leave out! Besides, anyone who reads modern fantasy should be used to long, bulky trilogies or series.
Outlaws of the Marsh aka Water Margin aka All Men are Brothers is another one of the four Classics that might conceivably influence anyone writing Chinese-flavoured fantasy; and of course Journey to the West, the most fantastic (in the sense of fantasy) of them all, with the famous Monkey, partially adapted in the 70s Heavy Metal by Manara.
Before I re-read anything along these lines, though, I'm going to try one I only heard about recently: The Seven Heroes And Five Gallants. It was published in China in the late 19th-century and I happen to be reading other stuff from that era so it fits in nicely.
I first read what I think was the Brewitt-Taylot transalation online... I remember finding it on a free web site a fellow Koei game enthusiast showed me. I own a two volume set of the Moss Roberts translation printed by the University of California....the internet tells me the ones i have were published in 2004. (The 1st one has a green cover, the 2nd blue. Amazon shows a new one by Ronald Iverson that's in 3 volumes... wonder if that's any good. I've not read the others, though I've certainly read manga based on them... one of these days.
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Post by wildfire2099 on Jun 14, 2021 7:25:28 GMT -5
The Last Wish by Andrzej Sapkowski
I've been wanting to read this since watching the netflix show, and kept forgetting to figure out what book was first... definitely not disappointed now that I have.
One doesn't usually see fantasy in short story format, but it's actually quite good in that format, with bridging sequences that do a great job of world building and character development.
I really like Geralt as a character... he's got a logical code of honor and leads to some really interesting discussions in what is evil, and who the good guys and bad guys really are. The effect is enhanced because the reader (as Geralt does) doesn't KNOW for sure which character is telling the truth, and which is lying to get Geralt's help, making it unclear exactly who the 'lesser evil' really is.
Also, Dandilion is WAY better a character here than in the netflix show, where he was at best comic relief but more often annoying. I'll definitely be reading the more of the series.. the video game may be in my future as well.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2021 2:26:52 GMT -5
A few weeks ago I watched my first episode of Critical Role on youtube and became enamored with it, and then found this volume available at my local library: The World of Critical Role: The History Behind the Epic Fantasy by Liz Marsham and the cast of Critical Role. It purports to be a deep dive into the world of critical role, and it does dive into it, but at times too deeply to be a good introduction to newcomers to Critical Role and at others too shallowly to offer anything new to those already immersed in that world, so kind of falls between two worlds satisfying none. However, it is a gorgeous book, lavishly illustrated with tons of photographs, and is well organized and designed. It does offer a balance between the players and their characters, and does a good job of exploring the community that has grown up around the show. However, if you watch some of the ancillary programs that surround the show like Talks Machine or the interview series Between the Sheets, you aren't going to learn anything from the book you didn't already know from watching them, and if you aren't current with the stream (and I am nowhere near current-I am 18 episodes of over 100 in the first campaign, which I am watching on my own, and 5 episodes (of 150ish) in to the second campaign that my wife and I are watching together), the book spoils major plot points, outcomes, and character developments from the stories of the games taking most of the sense of discovery away from a reader who is still exploring the world. So in the end it serves nether the new fan or the hardcore fan very well, but is still a good read and a visual treat. -M
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Post by Slam_Bradley on Jun 16, 2021 11:51:15 GMT -5
On Desperate Ground: The Marines at The Reservoir, the Korean War's Greatest Battle by Hampton SidesDespite a pretty solid grounding in U.S. history of all eras I really only knew the broad strokes of the Korean War. While this book didn't completely change that, it certainly helped with the early days of the War and the Chosin Reservoir Campaign. Sides starts the book at the point where the South Korean Army and what U.S. forces were on the peninsula had been pushed in to the Pusan Perimeter. He spends time on the Inchon landing and the push to the Yalu. Throughout this though the focus is on the 1st Marine Division commanded by Oliver P. Smith and when the Chinese army enters the war the book almost completely focuses on the fight in eastern North Korea and the Chosin Reservoir Campaign. This is high quality narrative non-fiction and Sides tells us the story of the campaign through the lives and actions of the men who were there, mostly Marines, but also U.S. Army units that were part of the X Corps commanded by General Ned Almond. Sides gives us the stories behind the various Medal of Honor winners from the battle. And a number of other participants. We get the broad strokes of heroism in the face of a seemingly overwhelmingly large enemy force and horrific weather. And the utter incompetence of an incredibly out of touch high command in the personage of Douglas MacArthur. General Smith's fighting withdrawal is a textbook of planning, insight and heroism. The focus here is certainly on the Marines. But I feel that Sides does do as good a job as could be expected, within the parameters of the book, of giving some kind of face to the Chinese soldiers who were sent in wave after wave, under-equipped, untrained and often unarmed to attempt to overwhelm Americans by sheer numbers. This is the story of the men who fought. It's not about the Order of Battle or the ebb and flow of the tactics. It's about the individuals and their stories and it's all the richer for that.
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Post by Rob Allen on Jun 16, 2021 13:10:48 GMT -5
My father was a Marine. He served in WWII and they called him back in for Korea. He was based at an air base in Japan but his squad's job was to go to wherever one of their squadron's planes was stuck and do what was needed to get the plane back in the air and back to the base in Japan. The only time he ever faced enemy fire was at an air base in Korea when they were attacked just before taking off.
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