Donovan’s Comments (group member since Aug 02, 2013)

Donovan’s comments from the Literally Geeky group.

Hi everyone!

Sorry I missed the hangout/discussion, but you know... holidays!

Here's a small review of Fated:

Basically, everything was said in the hangout. Personally, I'm not very keen on urban fantasy, so... this was probably worse for me, than it probably is. Still, here goes:

All of the characters were uninteresting to me. And I know everyone said that Alex (the main character) was a dick, my main problem is that he's a boring dick (cue Aaron's catchphrase).
I've said this before many times, I don't need to relate to the characters, but I do need to find them (or the world, story, etc) interesting and this had nothing. GoT has many evil/dick characters, but they are interesting.

Another problem was the futuresight. It helped when help was needed, it failed, when the book needed it to fail. For me that's very strange. This very powerful skill being at the same time the best plot armour and the best plot hole in the book. You would think if you were being chased, that you would see if there was danger ahead, no?

Plus, doesn't work for gambling in casinos? Because too much variables? That would mean that everything was unpredictable, because someone winning or losing (in said casino) might change your entire future (e.g. wins, buys a porsche, loses control while driving, runs you over... doesn't win, takes a bus, you get to live...)

It was also very, very predictable. On the plus side, I thought the fateweaver was going to take the curse from Luna and they would get together. At least that didn't happen. +1 to that.

The comparison between Dresden files and this is inevitable, and Dresden files, even if urban fantasy isn't my thing, was interesting and the character was interesting and there was humour there.

Although Aaron liked the 1st person narration (in some parts) I didn't enjoy it. Once again, it's poorly used, the narrator has access to information that he shouldn't have and if he has, he should convey it to the reader.
September will bring another 1st person narration, which IMO is a very good use of this type of narration.

Wouldn't mind seeing more of the shop/artifacts.
"the frogurt is also cursed"

TL,DR:
Predictable, uninteresting characters. Poor use of his power.
2 stars. (I'm not a fan of the genre, but I have no problem recommending Dresden files, as opposed to this one)

I can say that the portuguese version of this book has the swear words censored. Or better yet, toned down, by a lot.

Battenburg is indeed a good word to shout. Seems like some sort of warfare thingy.

The battenburg battalion .

The short story I talked about in the hangout is:
Stories of Your Life and Others (actually this book is a collection of short stories, but the one I talked about is in there).

It's not exactly mind blowing literature, but it's quite interesting to see aliens that are truly alien. very different type of language, very different type of time percepertion.

Another great non-anthropormophic aliens is Solaris. Great book.

I'm in. Now, just need to find someone to... err... put some bloodstains on the book.

Because I had some minor technical difficulties during the hangout? During? hahah, that would mean I was in it... anyway, here's a small review on July's book Mistress of the Art of Death

My main problem was with the main character, Adelia, and just like Ez put in the post, above, the anachronistic aspect of it was just too much and it kept shattering the illusion that I was reading a XII century murder mystery. Especially when she went into her deep, modern (very anti-religious) thoughts. And don't take me wrong, I'm not a religious person, but I'd probably be one in the XII century.
Adding to the fact that she was a single, childless, vegetarian, tolerant (towards other religions, races), feminist, lady highly skilled doctor with a mortal fear of germs even though no such theory existed yet, made me just wished she had been a time traveller instead. It wasn't impossible to be any of this (perhaps, the germophobic bit) in the XII, but all of it, just makes it highly improbable and just ruined the experience of reading a XII century murder mystery. And yes, I've read Ez's post on above theory, but for me, this character in the XII century just didn't do it.
Still I can completely understand people that loved this book and loved this character. Unfortunately I'm not one.

There was also very little "detecteving" going on, not to mention very little art of death. Being in a area where one deals with autopsies/medicine I was hoping for a little more. I'd even forgive some anachronistic techniques/metholody/knowledge.
Basically she (they) found chalk on the children's body and that was it. Even the final, where she goes and find the killer is a deus ex machina of mere luck. If the nuns hadn't appear in a punt, she wouldn't have gone there.

And the romance... like I said very little mistery, too much romance. Wish the book had focused more on the XII aspect, the daily life of people, major events on that period. I can't stop making comparisons with Steven Saylor Roma detective Gordianus. Here, even when there's romance, the focus of the book is always the history/event of Ancient Roman. I heartily recommend this series if you like mysteries and/or the Roman period.

But everything wasn't bad. I did enjoy the writing (bit hard for me, at some points, had to google some words, but still felt it was good). Love the bit about the tax-collector recollecting (pun intended) his crusading days, even if they were fictional, it felt real and historically sound.
Also, enjoyed the very final bit where the King shows up, would have liked to read more/know about him.
And I now know, what a punt is.

And because Aaron doesn't like fractions here's my rating of 14/35 stars.

You mean, food that aliens can make with humans? I think that's another book.

This was my pick, and since we were trailing so much on fantasy, I decided to go with a classic scifi for this month. With a very serious (under)theme to it.

I've only read his Rendezvous with Rama, but I absolutely enjoyed it. So, high expectation for this one.

First rule of cake club:
"No fruit in cakes"

The first chapters are the worse and I see why people struggle on it. I'd probably have stopped reading if it weren't for the Literally Geeky whips lashing out at me while shouting "finish it, finish it!"

It does get better... and the worse... and then better... and worse... it's a mix feeling regarding this book. Which is a shame really, because really nice folklore and fantasy and world-building.

Interested to see what everyone thought of it.
On a side note, I've been on a Nebula award-winner binge reading. There are definitely some 5* books in those awards.

disclaimer: No Donovan Sotams are actually hurt during the reading process of the Literally Geeky books... unless you count bad literature as painful.

Like you said, the Woods in Uprooted are by far the most interesting "character" in the book.

The Middle Earth has awesome woods/forest. Many different types too. Dark ones, forbidden ones, peaceful ones. When the hobbits entered Fangorn, that was a relly intense moment.

There's also plenty themed Woods in videogames. For instance the jolly good forest of eternal death of Forbidden Woods in bloodborne.

Kristi wrote: "Any of the Mistress of the Art of Death series by Ariana Franklin. She's a medieval forensic doctor who gets caught up in solving crimes for Henry II. I have loved every book in this series!"

That looks interesting. Are they stand alone? Or do you need to read the whole lot? Any particular one you would recommend?

*puts on a fake moustache and glasses*
Can the beautiful hosts of the show pick a book? I think they should, seeing that they are so amazing and beautiful, especially that portuguese fellow.

Also, be wary of long books.

But what about plants? I vote for February Devonian.
We shall read The Day of the Triffids

Quite eager to try a Nebula award, because the Hugos... well.... I was also thinking of picking a Nebula winner for my next pick, even though it was more scifi than fantasy. Hopefully this one is good and I can pick another.

Most books I want to pick, but don't have to due with being trilogies and too big (waits for Aaron...) A fine example of this would be Dune. I think it would be an awewsome pick for our bookclub, but it's just too massive (waits for Aaron, again...)

No exactly recommended reading for The Palace Job. But, if anyone liked it and like that genre, Asteroid Made of Dragons is probably for you. I've picked it up, because it was described as Pratchett like (it is not) and although I'm still very early on it reminded me a lot of Palace Job.

Is this what we need to read in order to understand Palace Job?

Lies of Locke Lamora is on my reading list. My dangerously long reading list.

Didn't know there was a help line?
I was stuck at hex. Stupid ants.
I still remember fondly of changing the weight of demolition ball with a sticker.


excellent dialogues, great humour.

what's everyone opinion of the movies?

You just need de some Sapient pearwoood.
I agree, and because these characters appear so many times, from protagonists to almost extras in the book, they are very complete.
of course there are less interesting stories with them.
I think the weaker Discworld I've read was Moving Pictures.

I'd prefer to have the Luggage to Back to the Future hoverboards...