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
2092 Views
Best fantasy authors
- 04/12/2009 07:01:48 AM
1803 Views
Have you read Robin Hobb? *NM*
- 04/12/2009 04:01:23 PM
909 Views
I have, and wasn't really impressed
- 04/12/2009 10:08:25 PM
1614 Views
Only read two. Book of the New Sun definitely deserves that spot. Mieville, not so much.
- 04/12/2009 08:06:45 AM
1766 Views
Interesting.
- 04/12/2009 05:21:04 PM
1641 Views
Why Mieville, if I may ask? *NM*
- 04/12/2009 08:33:43 PM
921 Views
I didn't mean that to be a reply to you, but still
- 05/12/2009 03:15:36 AM
1768 Views
- 05/12/2009 03:15:36 AM
1768 Views
No worries.
- 05/12/2009 03:52:11 AM
1652 Views
- 05/12/2009 03:52:11 AM
1652 Views
But the list was for favorite books, not favorite or most important authors
- 05/12/2009 10:25:13 AM
1579 Views
- 05/12/2009 10:25:13 AM
1579 Views
It was for "best" books. I realize that has a lot of meanings, though. *NM*
- 05/12/2009 08:37:01 PM
748 Views
Glen Cook is radically overrated.
- 05/12/2009 04:09:07 PM
1714 Views
Well, he's at least part of the wave that humanized fantasy.
- 05/12/2009 08:36:29 PM
1504 Views
In the US, yes. Elsewhere, no, because they didn't know about him.
- 06/12/2009 04:36:31 PM
1599 Views
You know I directly added almost all of those Wolfe quotes there, right?
- 06/12/2009 05:26:40 AM
1619 Views
- 06/12/2009 05:26:40 AM
1619 Views
I just find Mieville's prose exceptionally standard.
- 06/12/2009 07:25:05 AM
1659 Views
Isn't that almost a contradiction of terms there?
- 06/12/2009 07:45:47 AM
1538 Views
- 06/12/2009 07:45:47 AM
1538 Views
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
885 Views
Literati
- 06/12/2009 05:27:28 AM
1509 Views
Yeah you're so much better than us
*NM*
- 06/12/2009 12:00:27 PM
835 Views
*NM*
- 06/12/2009 12:00:27 PM
835 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
792 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
1550 Views
Actually, several of those books have been bestsellers and/or won several genre awards
- 06/12/2009 05:28:18 AM
1529 Views
My Best Six best fantasy novels
- 04/12/2009 07:44:12 PM
1279 Views
Re: Six best fantasy novels?
- 04/12/2009 09:06:18 PM
1634 Views
I really need to get around to reading Mists of Avalon.
- 04/12/2009 09:50:54 PM
1440 Views
Calenture
- 05/12/2009 12:44:14 AM
1398 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
1482 Views
I'll eventually get to those in the near future
- 06/12/2009 05:31:29 AM
1522 Views
I don't read or buy books anymore.
- 06/12/2009 11:45:33 PM
1523 Views
I understand that
- 07/12/2009 12:55:46 AM
1588 Views
Okay, I'll give it a shot
- 04/12/2009 10:12:47 PM
1634 Views
You might more mythopoeic material in your fantasies, don't you?
*NM*
- 04/12/2009 11:22:33 PM
829 Views
*NM*
- 04/12/2009 11:22:33 PM
829 Views
The Blogger Seems to Agree With You.
- 05/12/2009 10:10:07 PM
1561 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
1587 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
1416 Views
Have you tried any standalones recently?
- 06/12/2009 05:33:41 AM
1548 Views
I always end up wanting more
- 06/12/2009 05:53:11 AM
1496 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
1608 Views
The only one on his list I would think about agreeing with is Meiville.
- 05/12/2009 03:11:25 AM
1568 Views
No list is complete without Goodkind *NM*
- 05/12/2009 07:59:22 AM
843 Views
Sorry, I can't help it- no *porn* list is complete without Goodkind... *NM*
- 06/12/2009 02:21:22 AM
675 Views

*NM*