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
1936 Views
Best fantasy authors
- 04/12/2009 07:01:48 AM
1629 Views
Have you read Robin Hobb? *NM*
- 04/12/2009 04:01:23 PM
815 Views
I have, and wasn't really impressed
- 04/12/2009 10:08:25 PM
1445 Views
Only read two. Book of the New Sun definitely deserves that spot. Mieville, not so much.
- 04/12/2009 08:06:45 AM
1618 Views
Interesting.
- 04/12/2009 05:21:04 PM
1477 Views
Why Mieville, if I may ask? *NM*
- 04/12/2009 08:33:43 PM
820 Views
I didn't mean that to be a reply to you, but still
- 05/12/2009 03:15:36 AM
1604 Views
- 05/12/2009 03:15:36 AM
1604 Views
No worries.
- 05/12/2009 03:52:11 AM
1501 Views
- 05/12/2009 03:52:11 AM
1501 Views
But the list was for favorite books, not favorite or most important authors
- 05/12/2009 10:25:13 AM
1429 Views
- 05/12/2009 10:25:13 AM
1429 Views
It was for "best" books. I realize that has a lot of meanings, though. *NM*
- 05/12/2009 08:37:01 PM
662 Views
Glen Cook is radically overrated.
- 05/12/2009 04:09:07 PM
1569 Views
Well, he's at least part of the wave that humanized fantasy.
- 05/12/2009 08:36:29 PM
1349 Views
In the US, yes. Elsewhere, no, because they didn't know about him.
- 06/12/2009 04:36:31 PM
1435 Views
You know I directly added almost all of those Wolfe quotes there, right?
- 06/12/2009 05:26:40 AM
1459 Views
- 06/12/2009 05:26:40 AM
1459 Views
I just find Mieville's prose exceptionally standard.
- 06/12/2009 07:25:05 AM
1476 Views
Isn't that almost a contradiction of terms there?
- 06/12/2009 07:45:47 AM
1392 Views
- 06/12/2009 07:45:47 AM
1392 Views
It's remarkable for its normalcy because so many people praise it?
- 06/12/2009 09:11:18 AM
1309 Views
Who the heck are these people? *NM*
- 04/12/2009 12:46:48 PM
799 Views
Literati
- 06/12/2009 05:27:28 AM
1327 Views
Yeah you're so much better than us
*NM*
- 06/12/2009 12:00:27 PM
728 Views
*NM*
- 06/12/2009 12:00:27 PM
728 Views
Well, you can hardly expect a group to go around calling themselves "elitist snobs."
*NM*
- 07/12/2009 02:16:16 AM
705 Views
*NM*
- 07/12/2009 02:16:16 AM
705 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
1386 Views
Actually, several of those books have been bestsellers and/or won several genre awards
- 06/12/2009 05:28:18 AM
1378 Views
My Best Six best fantasy novels
- 04/12/2009 07:44:12 PM
1117 Views
Re: Six best fantasy novels?
- 04/12/2009 09:06:18 PM
1486 Views
I really need to get around to reading Mists of Avalon.
- 04/12/2009 09:50:54 PM
1284 Views
Calenture
- 05/12/2009 12:44:14 AM
1240 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
1335 Views
I'll eventually get to those in the near future
- 06/12/2009 05:31:29 AM
1382 Views
I don't read or buy books anymore.
- 06/12/2009 11:45:33 PM
1380 Views
I understand that
- 07/12/2009 12:55:46 AM
1429 Views
Okay, I'll give it a shot
- 04/12/2009 10:12:47 PM
1474 Views
You might more mythopoeic material in your fantasies, don't you?
*NM*
- 04/12/2009 11:22:33 PM
754 Views
*NM*
- 04/12/2009 11:22:33 PM
754 Views
The Blogger Seems to Agree With You.
- 05/12/2009 10:10:07 PM
1412 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
1431 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
1271 Views
Have you tried any standalones recently?
- 06/12/2009 05:33:41 AM
1365 Views
I always end up wanting more
- 06/12/2009 05:53:11 AM
1356 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
1448 Views
The only one on his list I would think about agreeing with is Meiville.
- 05/12/2009 03:11:25 AM
1423 Views
No list is complete without Goodkind *NM*
- 05/12/2009 07:59:22 AM
763 Views
Sorry, I can't help it- no *porn* list is complete without Goodkind... *NM*
- 06/12/2009 02:21:22 AM
599 Views

*NM*