Since there is a lot of books I read but don't review, I'll say a few words about them here. After all, a lot of them are really good and deserve some kind of mention.

So, what I'm reading today:

Tad Williams: Otherland, book three: Mountain of Black Glass

I'm impressed. I really didn't expect so much from this series - I got used to it being just a couple of books on Thrinidir's bookshelf. They just didn't seem like anything special. I don't even know why I let Thrinidir convince me to read them, but I'm not sorry at all - I love all those weird simulations, the plot itself and the numerous allegories to the various classics like War of the Worlds, Alice in Wonderland (or, rather, Through the Looking Glass, which I always prefered to the first book), Wizard of Oz ... I have a feeling, though, that I'd enjoy it even more if I were a bit younger, but who knows?

Hi Trin,

I read the Otherland series some years ago and I really liked.

I also read Memory, Sorrow and Thorn series. It has been a great read.

The first two books of Shadowmarch are on my shelf but so far unread.

Tad Williams is one of my favorite authors.

To be honest there are books which you can enjoy without regarding age.

So forget your age and read you wil get older sooner as you now can imagine.

Have a terrific day

To tell the truth, I don't really wish to get older anytime soon It's just that Otherland made me think of how I was awed when I first saw The Matrix (I was 13 and just wrapping my head around the subjects of sci-fi, fantasy, paranormal, human personality, things like that), and I'm sure that the concept of Otherland would be completely stunning to my younger self. I've seen and learned some things since I was 13 - now I'm not as easily entranced as I was then, and sometimes, I think it's a shame.

Today's read is Tad Williams: Otherland, book four: Sea of Silver Light

Thrinidir spoiled it a bit, though:

Spoiler:
	(told me that Orlando doesn't die, or at least appears again later on).

Nevertheless, it's still a great book. It'll be a relief to finish it, though; I've been so immersed into it that I've neglected my other duties, and although it's nice to take a day or two off, I really should get back to my studies.

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Carpe Noctem
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Realms of Speculative Fiction

Finished Sea of Silver Light yesterday, was pleased with the ending. ^^

I'm now reading a bunch of articles on various sociological topics (family, institutions, that kind of things). No more fiction until I'm through with the exams. Blargh.

I can finally read fiction again! ^^

So, I guess it's Richard Morgan's The Steel Remains.

My, this book is good. Read 300 pages yesterday evening, and I only stopped when I was so tired I couldn't even see the book clear. I think it's because of all the realism, it's wonderfully refreshing. Plus, Ringil is a great character. And there's gay sex involved. This book is so full of win.

The only problem is that I keep on thinking about Kiriath as Draenei. They are from another planet (*check*), they have crashlanded on this particular world (*check*), they use very sophisticated technology (*check*). Also, they are a different color than the human race (not blue, though) and some people think of them as devils (well, draenei do look a bit devilish with the horns and stuff). Too bad that Draenei didn't go insane from the space travel, that'd be a lot more fun.

Today's read: Sarah Rees Brennan's The Demon's Lexicon.

I find the cover really ugly, but the contents are good! Especially for a debut. Not as much humour as I'd expected, though.

Haven't read a thing for the past two days, and I have nothing planned for today either, but I guess Hal Duncan's Vellum is the next read for me. Tomorrow's, I guess.

I forgot Vellum at home, so it's Michael Chabon's Yiddish Policemen's Union. I find it funny, though, that it won so many sf awards, because it is really more of a detective novel than a sf one (ok, there's the alternate history part, but nothing else). It's great, though.

I started reading Vellum when if was still February, but had to stop since I have an exam coming up. What I'm reading now is a book on poetry with a title I can't accurately translate, since it's supposed to rhyme. The closest I get to it is Form: The Passion of a Language. It's not much fun, I'm afraid, except for the part where the author constantly quotes his own poems because he is the only one who has ever written that kind of poetry forms in our language. Even that is kinda sad, when you think of it ...

LOL, that is kinda sad.

Vellum is now officially on pause - it's too confused, I think I'll try to read it another time when I don't have so many books waiting on my bookshelf. I'm now reading Midwinter by Matthew Sturges; in fact, I'm almost done. It starts really well and I hoped for something like Abercrombie, but sadly, it actually degradess with each chapter. It still runs smoothly (if I weren't so disappointed, I'd probably read it in one sitting), but seems like the author just piled up his ideas and let them be as they were. Uncool.

I can't believe I've only read 9 spec fic books in 2009 up till now. Damn the exams! Usually, I easily read 9 books a month. Blah.

Anyways, I finished Midwinter yesterday and will probably read Shadow of the Wind next.

Read quite a few books in the past week: Shadow of the Wind, Rabies by Borislav Pekić (a great book, the English version can be found here) and The Territory by Emma Bull, which was pretty good, but not exceptional.

The next one is Drood by Dan Simmons - finally!