Books.

[kyrielle]

I have read, and re-read, Jim Butcher's Cursor's Fury. This is the third book in the series, and I will not comment on any details of it because I don't want to spoiler it. Just, seriously, if you like fantasy / high fantasy, this series is worth checking out. It starts with Furies of Calderon and I adore it. I also want the next book NOW. This is a pity because as far as I know, Captain's Fury is not due to be released until December of this year. *dances about impatiently* GOOD series. Really, really good series.

I've also been re-reading Patricia Briggs's books Moon Called and Blood Bound. No more of that world for me yet. There's an anthology due out with a short story in the world (but not about Mercy) in August, On the Prowl. The next Mercy book, Iron Kissed, is listed for January 2008 right now. But I don't WANT to wait! Oh well.

And I am a sad, sad Lackey junkie (even as I sometimes mock the books I read, I still mostly enjoy them). I want the next Elemental Masters (Reserved for the Cat, due out in October - the cover fascinates me). I'm also curious about Phoenix Unchained which is the start of another trilogy in the same world as the Obsidian Trilogy, with James Mallory again. That series was really good, so I will give this one a chance in spite of the book description at Amazon sounding somewhat overblown and also spoilery.

Comments

[kfrye.livejournal.com]

I love all those books.. except maybe Mercedes Lackey. I used to like her, and I still think some of her stuff is good, but it's pretty hit and miss... mostly miss. Most of the Elemental Masters books that I've read have been okay. Besides that.. teen drama! angst!

[kyrielle]

"teen drama! angst!" You left out the "continuity goes splat!"

I still enjoy them, pathetically enough. But if you haven't checked out the one with James Mallory that's already in print...it has some Lackey tropes in it, but it is (IMO) a much better book than her normal. I'm not sure how much of it he wrote, but his influence/writing makes a real difference, IMO. That's one I feel okay recommending to others whereas, when it comes down to cases, I read all the Valdemar books but I don't recommend the newer ones.

[kfrye.livejournal.com]

I got the feeling at some point that she started just churning out books to pay the bills. That's when I stopped being a big fan. But I'll have to check out the James Mallory book.

[kyrielle]

I think she probably did. And I would not care in the least if she could churn the books out at the same quality as the ones pre-churn, but it's not there, and no one's editing her hard enough. I still enjoy them enough to keep reading, but I no longer say she's excellent and recommend her left and right to people as I did early on when new series were still, well, new.

It's a pity, too - the quality issues in her Alta books keep me from recommending them. And the setting and basic premise are lovely. Though the most recent disappointed me by veering off into a different feel/focus/setting abruptly as a deus ex machina kind of thing. I am not so very fond of that. Still a neat setting and cast of characters, but....