By the way, have you read Greer Gilman's recently-released Cloud of Ashes? Her first novel-length book in almost 20 years. Going to be reading that in the next few days. From what I've read about this book, I think it'd be something that might appeal to you.
Professional education takes priority on weekdays, and on weekends I simply take something from my bookshelves which are 50% filled with yet-unread books. If I do buy something new, it has to be a book that I know I'll love - either a new release from a favorite author, or a strong recommendation from someone whose readings tastes are aligned with my own. For example, I read Fire by Kristin Cashore today, based on the rec. by Kristen of fantasycafe. But otherwise, I gotta focus on what's on my shelves already. And there's lots of good, yet untouched.
I'm beginning to run low on unread books, it seems, no matter how many books I acquire via trades or purchases. But in Gilman's case, her first book, Moonwise, has been praised as being one of the best books of the 1990s and that her second, the above-mentioned Cloud & Ashes, might make several year-end lists. The little I've read so far, I've loved, perhaps to the point where I'll write a formal review. I don't write many of those these days and only for books that I think deserve extra attention.
Illusions fall like the husk of a fruit, one after another, and the fruit is experience. - Narrator, Sylvie
Je suis méchant.
Je suis méchant.
Six best fantasy novels?
- 04/12/2009 05:54:54 AM
2042 Views
Best fantasy authors
- 04/12/2009 07:01:48 AM
1741 Views
Have you read Robin Hobb? *NM*
- 04/12/2009 04:01:23 PM
875 Views
I have, and wasn't really impressed
- 04/12/2009 10:08:25 PM
1558 Views
Only read two. Book of the New Sun definitely deserves that spot. Mieville, not so much.
- 04/12/2009 08:06:45 AM
1711 Views
Interesting.
- 04/12/2009 05:21:04 PM
1586 Views
Why Mieville, if I may ask? *NM*
- 04/12/2009 08:33:43 PM
883 Views
I didn't mean that to be a reply to you, but still
- 05/12/2009 03:15:36 AM
1713 Views
- 05/12/2009 03:15:36 AM
1713 Views
No worries.
- 05/12/2009 03:52:11 AM
1590 Views
- 05/12/2009 03:52:11 AM
1590 Views
But the list was for favorite books, not favorite or most important authors
- 05/12/2009 10:25:13 AM
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- 05/12/2009 10:25:13 AM
1519 Views
It was for "best" books. I realize that has a lot of meanings, though. *NM*
- 05/12/2009 08:37:01 PM
714 Views
Glen Cook is radically overrated.
- 05/12/2009 04:09:07 PM
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Well, he's at least part of the wave that humanized fantasy.
- 05/12/2009 08:36:29 PM
1444 Views
In the US, yes. Elsewhere, no, because they didn't know about him.
- 06/12/2009 04:36:31 PM
1538 Views
You know I directly added almost all of those Wolfe quotes there, right?
- 06/12/2009 05:26:40 AM
1564 Views
- 06/12/2009 05:26:40 AM
1564 Views
I just find Mieville's prose exceptionally standard.
- 06/12/2009 07:25:05 AM
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Isn't that almost a contradiction of terms there?
- 06/12/2009 07:45:47 AM
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- 06/12/2009 07:45:47 AM
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It's remarkable for its normalcy because so many people praise it?
- 06/12/2009 09:11:18 AM
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Who the heck are these people? *NM*
- 04/12/2009 12:46:48 PM
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Literati
- 06/12/2009 05:27:28 AM
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Yeah you're so much better than us
*NM*
- 06/12/2009 12:00:27 PM
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*NM*
- 06/12/2009 12:00:27 PM
797 Views
Well, you can hardly expect a group to go around calling themselves "elitist snobs."
*NM*
- 07/12/2009 02:16:16 AM
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*NM*
- 07/12/2009 02:16:16 AM
754 Views
Is he trying to be cool by listing stuff that 90% of fantasy readers have never heard of?
- 04/12/2009 04:05:46 PM
1481 Views
Actually, several of those books have been bestsellers and/or won several genre awards
- 06/12/2009 05:28:18 AM
1476 Views
My Best Six best fantasy novels
- 04/12/2009 07:44:12 PM
1225 Views
Re: Six best fantasy novels?
- 04/12/2009 09:06:18 PM
1582 Views
I really need to get around to reading Mists of Avalon.
- 04/12/2009 09:50:54 PM
1387 Views
Calenture
- 05/12/2009 12:44:14 AM
1343 Views
That... sounds so cool. I'm going to check it out as soon as I get home.
- 05/12/2009 03:53:55 AM
1427 Views
I'll eventually get to those in the near future
- 06/12/2009 05:31:29 AM
1478 Views
I don't read or buy books anymore.
- 06/12/2009 11:45:33 PM
1462 Views
I understand that
- 07/12/2009 12:55:46 AM
1536 Views
Okay, I'll give it a shot
- 04/12/2009 10:12:47 PM
1565 Views
You might more mythopoeic material in your fantasies, don't you?
*NM*
- 04/12/2009 11:22:33 PM
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*NM*
- 04/12/2009 11:22:33 PM
797 Views
The Blogger Seems to Agree With You.
- 05/12/2009 10:10:07 PM
1509 Views
Book of the New Sun is very early 80's and is almost inarguably a classic of the genre.
- 06/12/2009 12:26:55 AM
1532 Views
Here are mine, but I probably haven't really read enough fantasy to have a top 5
- 05/12/2009 12:16:13 AM
1364 Views
Have you tried any standalones recently?
- 06/12/2009 05:33:41 AM
1488 Views
I always end up wanting more
- 06/12/2009 05:53:11 AM
1442 Views
What if there were 50 more standalones that you could read that likely would be quite good?
- 06/12/2009 06:12:53 AM
1548 Views
The only one on his list I would think about agreeing with is Meiville.
- 05/12/2009 03:11:25 AM
1511 Views
No list is complete without Goodkind *NM*
- 05/12/2009 07:59:22 AM
810 Views
Sorry, I can't help it- no *porn* list is complete without Goodkind... *NM*
- 06/12/2009 02:21:22 AM
641 Views

*NM*