Sixteen books over the past 12 days, with 10 of them being review copies and the remaining 6 being purchases. Have read or am in the middle of reading 5 of them, with mostly positive impressions so far.
Top: Michael Moorcock, The Laughter of Carthage (second volume in his Pyat Quartet, which got off to a great start with Byzantium Endures. Will be reading this one shortly); Evelio Rosero, Los ejércitos (powerful yet uneven novel that I will re-read in the near future to see if my opinions change in either direction); Mike Allen (ed.), Clockword Phoenix 2 (original anthology containing several authors that I enjoy. Will be reading and reviewing it shortly before its July release); Stephen Baxter, Flood (American release of a 2008 UK edition that garnered some interesting press. Might read this once the school year ends next month).
Top: Italo Calvino, Le Cittá Invisibili (Italian original for Invisible Cities. Enjoyed it, naturally); Tad Williams, Shadowplay (second volume in his latest trilogy, now appearing in MMPB format. Haven't read the first, so uncertain when I'll read this one); Jean Rabe and Martin H. Greenberg (eds.), Terribly Twisted Tales (another entry in DAW's monthly themed anthologies. Uncertain again if I'll read this one); Edward Willett, Terra Insegura (I believe this SF novel is part of a series that I haven't read. Again, very hard to consider reviewing books when I don't have the first volume).
Top: Kage Baker, The Hotel Under the Sand (not for sure, but this might be Baker's first YA novel. Will be reading this in a month or so, closer to its summer release date); C.E. Murphy, The Pretender's Crown (Renaissance-type setting, sequel to The Queen's Bastard, which I have but have yet to read); Laini Taylor, Dreamdark: Blackbringer (2007 debut YA novel that was touted to me by her editor recently. I agreed to read it and its upcoming sequel to see if the editor's comparisons to D.M. Cornish's Monster Blood Tattoo are apt. Will read and likely review in the next 2-3 weeks); Laini Taylor, Dreamdark: Silksinger (see my comments above).
Top: Guillermo Arriaga, El búfalo de la noche (bought this after seeing M. John Harrison praising it on his blog last week. Read it and I agree with the high praise. Will review in the near future, time/energy permitting); Ernesto Cardenal, Poesía Completa: Tomo 1 (first volume of the Nicaraguan priest/poet's poetry, containing "Oración por Marilyn Monroe," which is moving on many levels. The other poems are almost equally as good and I will translate 1-2 of them later this month or next); Tobias Buckell, Tides from the New Worlds (Buckell's first short fiction collection, issued in a signed, limited-edition hardcover by Wyrm Publishing. Almost done with it and I had positive reactions to virtually every story); Lane Robins, Kings and Assassins (this is the second volume of a multi-volume fantasy and while I've heard positive things about his work, I'll have to get around to buying the first volume before reading this one).
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3 comments:
I just bought Flood by Stephen Baxter as a gift for my wife on our 18th wedding anniversary next in May. She likes this kind of books.
I read most of the stories from the first Clockwork Phoenix anthology (it'd gathered some impressively glowing reviews) - and they are quite fantastic. I'm looking forward to see what you think of v2.
I meant to read the PDF for the first CP but I got caught up with the job changeover (something that is happening again, alas, next month) and it slipped out of sight and mind until it was too late in the year. This time, I have a bound copy and I plan on reviewing it in late June. I have high hopes for this considering the wealth of talent in this volume.
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