These arrived a couple of weeks ago, I just didn’t post about them.

Who cares about the books I’m buying? I know, I know. But it’s useful to keep track of things for me, and always very good suggestions for potential readers.

Lexicon Urthus – Michael Andre-Driussi
This is actually a book about a book, re-released recently. Specifically the series of two(four) books by Gene Wolfe (+ Urh of the New Sun). The series known under the name of “The Book of the New Sun”, and whose first chapter I already read and commented.

This book was recommended on some forums and I absolutely love when a book goes outside its boundaries and creates its own mythology and speculation. While I don’t exactly like the style of this one (as these speculations aren’t so significant and mostly an exercise in wit and knowledge) I’m still curious to follow all the tracks. I’m only slightly deluded because I’m more interested in some critical thoughts and flowing commentary, while this is mostly a dictionary (as it says) that doesn’t really go too deep. It just stays on the level of what’s explicit in the book, without adding speculations or hypothesis. There are also another couple of books similar to this one, so there may be something closer to what I want. Still, it makes for an useful guide when I’ll have time to continue my reading.

Cordelia’s Honor – Lois McMaster Bujold
I don’t know much about this series, nor the author. I know that it is another recommended read, in the non-hard science fiction, and considered a classic. The Vorkosigan Saga, another huge one, spanning a number of books and with a not so easy to follow continuity. This book is the one suggested to start with but things are mixed up as the publication order doesn’t follow at all the continuity. The stories themselves should be readable as standalone, but readers will always try to find the ideal reading order.

The wikipedia can help to get oriented. This one is an omnibus containing two stories, Shards of Honor and Barrayar. Published by Baen it has 600 pages in total and densely written, with afterwords from the author and an useful chronology of events at the end. While it is suggested to start the saga with those and read them in order, it is interesting to consider that the first of the two stories included was published in 1986 and the second in 1991 and even won the Hugo. With more books being published between those years but that do not fit chronologically in there.

If you want a huge space-opera, well written and with wars and romance mixed together, this may be a good choice.

Kushiel’s Dart – Jacqueline Carey
Another one to go in the reading pile and that is rather well known. Two trilogies set in the same world, with more to follow. This one is the first, considered the best, but also all the other books have a very good reputation and keep the quality all about the same level.

Far from traditional fantasy, this is a secondary world modeled after medieval Europe. A mix of political intrigue, romance and eroticism that received a lot of praises and one of the very few that isn’t considered junk despite those traits usually lead to no good. From the few pages I read it seem to have a beautiful, flowing prose, written in first person, and it surely tries to charm right away. In its own sub-genre this is probably the best by a fair margin.

The Warrior-Prophet – R. Scott Bakker
The Thousandfold Thought – R. Scott Bakker
These to complete my collection, as I was able to buy the first one, used, a while ago. This time I went for the hard to find US Hardcover because they have those beautiful covers that the new edition have replaced with much less inspired versions. The books actually look lovely without the jackets. Solid books looking like books. Well crafted. I’m happy to finally have all three of them in the format I wanted.

Last two volumes in the Prince of Nothing trilogy. Scott Bakker is right next to Erikson as the current most relevant and ambitious writer in the epic fantasy genre and truly deserving the title. Those who do not like Erikson’s writing style usually love Bakker and the series is considered one of the very best, beautifully written and for adults instead of teenagers, as long you can digest the philosophizing. I’ve also read that the series has some of the best badass villains ever.

The author is currently at work on a tetralogy set in the same world, whose first book should be out sometime next year and has one of the very best covers I’ve ever seen. I simply love a cover of a book that looks like a *book*. Without the usual stupid image of a character striking a pose targeted at teenagers. This one looks magnificent, included the colors. I worry that from now to release someone complains and gets to change it.

I’ve read some comments saying that it doesn’t stand out on a bookshop shelve and I *completely* disagree. It stands apart by having a wonderful art direction and being different from 99% of the ugly stuff there’s on the shelves. It’s intriguing, in the worse case. That’s a book that I take in my hands even if I have no idea what it is about.

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In the meantime I continue reading The Steel Remains, about halfway through it. There were some scenes that got an impact on me, so I’m digging it more and more. Keep turning the pages.

Just a random quote:

At his side, Milacar sighed. ‘The Committee for Public Morals is not dependent on Kaad for its venom, nor was it ever. There’s a general hate in the hearts of men. You went to war, Gil, you should know that better than anyone. It’s like the heat of the sun. Men like Kaad are just the focal figures, like lenses to gather the sun’s rays on kindling. You can smash a lens, but that won’t put out the sun.’
‘No. Makes it a lot harder to start the next fire, though.’
‘For a little while, yes. Until the next lens, or the next hard summer, and then the fires begin again.’
‘Getting a bit fucking fatalistic in your old age, aren’t you?’ Ringil nodded out over the mansion lights. ‘Or does that just come with the move upriver?’
‘No, it comes with living long enough to appreciate the value of the time you’ve got left. Long enough to recognize the fallacy of a crusade when you’re called to one. Hoiran’s teeth, Gil, you’re the last person I should need to be telling this to. Have you forgotten what they did with your victory?’

I’m enjoying a lot the book. Not for any particular new idea or approach, but it’s just fun to read and makes you want keep turning the pages and go on.

Got the book in my mail today. Hardcover, 340 pages probably going to be around 400 in standard mass market. Almost a “short” book compared to fantasy standards ;)

This one is going to be next in my reading queue after I’m done with Erikson’s last two novellas. After Richard Morgan I’ll probably go back and start Memories of Ice. Then Abercrombie again, most likely.

Waiting for more books to arrive before the end of the month…

But only from amazon.co.uk, as the american release is still to come (January, next year).

I just got confirmation on my mail that my order was shipped, so the book is out and in stock.

For those who have no idea about who he is, he mostly wrote edgy, contemporary sci-fi. This is his first foray into epic fantasy, still edgy.

It looks to be a good read, if you can stomach it.

Since it’s coming, new and without requiring to read previous installments, for once I’ll try and comment while it’s fresh. So I guess I’ll start reading it when I’m done with Erikson’s novellas (I’m a few pages onto the second of the three).

Some old time readers of this blog may find amusing what I’m writing here. But it isn’t a second-thought. I just believe that criticism is useful, but only useful when it is motivated. No matter what I wrote about these years, I hope that I always explained the best I could those motivations, and avoided gratuitous attacks.

This is just a post from the forums where I was defending Erikson from some criticism, but it makes sense on a general level.

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Erikson himself has explained that he doesn’t know how much the books sold, nor he really cares. He is interested in the possibility of writing them and being paid so he can continue, and the new contract for six more books confirms that things aren’t going so bad.

GotM is some sort of selective process. He’s not writing something for the commercial success, and he is content enough if some of the people make through it and love it for what it is. It is about building your niche of passionate readers and know that at least some of them appreciate what you are doing, the way you’re doing it. If not everyone loves it, it doesn’t really matter as long you can still connect to some readers.

On these forums there are multiple threads just dedicated to mock some writer. And that writer is one of the most successful commercially. Does this mean that commercial success univocally defines quality? If that was true one of the best new writers would be Stephanie Meyer, who already has her own mocking thread.

Every time a writer reaches some level of exposition all kind of readers try the books. More readers also brings more naysayers, especially on forums. What is silly is the obstinacy. If you don’t like the books, then read something else, as the market isn’t so shallow to not present good alternatives. But do not pretend to be the ultimate judge and that your idea of quality is absolute.

Confrontation is always good, but it’s ultimately the writer who decides what to do with it. If embody it in the work as an attempt to improve, or just discard it. Erikson especially is one who was always open to criticism in his interviews, but in many cases he explained his choices and confirmed they were deliberate and that, even with the possibility of going back, he wouldn’t change them.

That’s authorship, and it deserves some respect. Not unanimous consensus, just respect.