What I am Reading in Urban Fantasy ~ Science Fiction ~ Fantasy

[Sarah Simpson-Weiss]

Use this thread to discuss urban fantasies, science fictions, or fantasy book by other authors.

[crossfox]

New Ilona Andrews BLOOD HEIR is out! Spinoff from the Kate Daniels series featuring Julie, Derek, and Ascanio. I just started it, and it’s just what the doctor ordered.

[Charlaine]

I’m always excited when I get a new Ilona Andrews book.

[Bigmama]

I really enjoyed the online discussion with Gordon and Ilona about Blood Heir. I first met Ilona at RT in Daytona when she was there after the first Kate Daniels book was released. I thought she was a hilarious person and subsequent meetings just reinforced that impression. I remember the Charlatans had a party at Charlaines rented condo when we were at RT at Orlando, I think, and Ilona came with a group of other authors. We had such a wonderful time-one of my favorite memories!

[crossfox21]

Naomi Novik’s new Scholomance book, THE LAST GRADUATE, is out today! If you haven’t yet read A DEADLY EDUCATION, you will definitely need to read that one first. There’s a huge but necessary info dump in the beginning of ADE. TLG, on the other hand, jumps right in where ADE left off. I’ve only read the first couple of pages, and have to leave the rest for later tonight and (if I have enough self-control to quit reading at a reasonable hour) tomorrow. I feel this is the new generation’s spiritual successor to Harry Potter, in its ideas and writing. Whether it will be as madly successful is another story, but if life were fair it would be.

[crossfox21]

Finished Ilona Andrews FATED BLADES, a new Kinsmen Universe short novel (200+ pages). It’s the first thing I’ve ever preordered. Only available from Amazon, sorry to say. It was just what the doctor ordered though.

I have in my head that there’s a new Anne Bishop Others novel out, but haven’t checked yet.

[audiobooklover]

I just started listening to Network Effect by Martha Wells, which is the first novel in the Murderbot series after 4 novellas. So far so good.

I’ve liked the Scholomance books but haven’t quite loved them, as much as you seemed to crossfox. I’m looking forward to see where the third goes, though.

[crossfox21]

I love all the Murderbot series. So much fun!

With all of Naomi Novik’s books, it’s almost as much about the subtext as the story for me. Like Harry Potter, they’re social commentary underneath all the other layers. So I appreciate looking at them from that angle as well.

[aquasam]

THE LAST GRADUATE was very good. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next one.

[crossfox21]

I want to recommend a self-published author that I learned about on Ilona Andrews’ page, Honor Raconteur. The Case Files of Henri Davenforth is the series of hers that I’ve enjoyed. It’s a charming urban detective fantasy. She has others that are more epic and traditional fantasy; the one I started did not really resonate with me, but others may enjoy it.

Also, for anyone who hasn’t been haunting their blog, Ilona Andrews has started a new Innkeeper serial, yet another reason to look forward to Fridays.

[crossfox21]

RUBY FEVER snippet up on Ilona Andrews’ blog today, and it is awesome! As is the cover reveal. And Innkeeper chapter due up tomorrow! Life is good. I’m currently rereading THE ANGEL OF THE CROWS by Katherine Addison, an alternate-universe steampunk take on Sherlock Holmes. It goes off in very unexpected directions, and there is a brief, hilarious jab at J. K. Rowling. I hope she writes more, or else goes back to the GOBLIN EMPEROR universe.

[audiobooklover]

I recently listened to Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie for a book group coming up. I found it a little hard to keep track of things including jumps between the current time and flashbacks and characters since the names sounded odd. I’m wondering if I would have caught more of it if I had read the book rather than listening, but these days I listen MUCH more than I read. I finished my first actual book this evening, :-O but I’ve completed 32 audiobooks since Jan 1. I’m hoping that the discussion on Thursday will help me clear things up in my mind.

I’ve also completed the Harper Hall trilogy of the Pern series by Anne McCaffrey (so I’ve read/listened to a total of 6 Pern books). And, I listened to Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb and hope to move on to the next in the Liveships trilogy soon. I’ve read/listened to all of the RH books that focus on Fitz and the Fool, but I had skipped over the non-Farseer books, so now I’ve started them. I really like RH’s writing and world-building.

ETA: And, I re-listened to The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss for a book group in January and loved it all over again.

• This reply was modified 3 weeks, 1 day ago by Sarah Simpson-Weiss.

[crossfox21]

Loved TNOTW. What a great book. If he never wrote another, that would have to be enough.

[crossfox21]

Ilona Andrews has posted a long, deleted scene from RUBY FEVER on the blog and it is EPIC!!!

[crossfox21]

Just a reminder: new Innkeeper chapters on Fridays!

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