Welcome to Top Ten Tuesday! This is a weekly feature hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl, where a new top ten list hits the web every week!
The topic this time out is: Books To Read on Vacation!
Yes, I am actually going on vacation. Family is ripping me away from work to go pay for them to have fun. (Joking!) I’ll try to have some fun too.
I’m mentioning this because I am here to ask for your help. Instead of just putting a list together on this topic, I’ve decided to pick a few books from my tbr pile and ask for your input on which ones I should give a try. So please stick around for the poll at the end of the post and be sure to vote!
Oh, I couldn’t weed my list to just ten, so I’m do twenty this week!
20. Shadowline – I love Glen Cook, but I have to admit not being as enamored of his science fiction offerings as I have his fantasy.
19. Dune: House_Atreides – I love Dune, but I have had only so-so feelings about all the novels penned by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson.
18. Rogue Planet – I have to admit owning almost ever EU novel ever published. I haven’t read them all though, but I’d like to give the decent ones a go.
17. Murder In LaMut – I’ve generally stayed away from Riftwar books for years, but after enjoying Honored Enemy, I’m thinking this light fantasy story might be a great vaca book.
16. The King Beyond the Gate – Some rousing fantasy adventure in the standard David Gemmell style might be exactly what I’m looking for.
15. The Runelords – This one sounds like a light Terry Brooks-esque fantasy. Not sure if it is worth giving a try though.
14. Lord of the Isles – The reviews are all over the place with this one, so much so that I have no idea if this a novel I’ll love or hate.
13. The Dragonstone – Classic fantasy is comfort food for me, so anything by McKiernan would seem like it couldn’t go wrong.
12. The Dark Glory War – A prequel story to the author’s DragonCrown War Cycle which I’ve been toying with starting.
11. A Cavern of Black Ice – Never having read anything by Jones, I’m a bit worried by review comparisons to Tad Williams, who has always bored me to tears.
10. Imager – The premise looks interesting, but I’m not sure if Modesitt can develop the cool ideas into a great story.
9. The Eyes of God – As a big fan of Marco’s Tyrants and Kings Series, I’ve always wanted to read this, but every time I start it doesn’t grab my attention.
8. Kull: Exile of Atlantis – Robert E. Howard is always a fun, easy read, but I’m not sure if this collection of stories is right for relaxation or not.
7. Blood Song – Others have called this one of the best fantasy debuts ever. Can’t go wrong with that, right? Now, I’m scared.
6. Wizard’s First Rule – I’ve been putting off reading Terry Goodkind for decades. Should I get it over already or not?
5. The Red Knight – Cameron’s background in medieval history and reenactment makes me curious how historically accurate this story is. But is it exciting?
4. Before They Are Hanged – I’m asking myself why I’m even putting this novel here. Abercrombie and I haven’t been great for one another. Should I try again?
3. The Way of Shadows – I’ve never read Brent Weeks. Everyone I know recommends I give this one a go, but I’m unsure due to reviews saying it’s juvenile.
2. The Well of Ascension – This is the book I’m leaning toward reading. The first installment in the series was well done,and I generally enjoy Sanderson.
1. Gardens of the Moon – I’m putting this one because I really, really need to give it a try. I’m not sure sitting beside the pool is the best place to read this book though.
So what do you guys think I should read? Vote in the poll!
SO MANY GOOD BOOKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Obviously, I think Gardens of the Moon should top your list. Even if you hate it, at least you’ll know to weed out the Malazan books from any future reading.
Wizards First Rule is a great standalone. Seriously. I loved it, own a first edition and all. But while the successive books tell a massive story, it really gets bogged down in masochism/sadism/torture and Goodkind’s soapbox preaching on his Determinism philosophy. He’s a disciple of Ayn Rand and he outdoes her in using his books to preach at the reader 😦
Dark Glory War. It’s been a LONG time since I read it but I remember loving it. The sequel series, not so much though.
Lord of the Isles. Very formulaic but I had boatloads of fun reading and re-reading it.
Way of Shadows. I’m a huge Weeks fan, so anything of his gets a vote from me. It’s his debut, so it doesn’t have the depth of some of his later stuff, but I wouldn’t qualify it as juvenile.
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“But is it exciting?”
Whew boy, you have no idea. Miles Cameron writes some incredible battle set pieces, and lots of them. I am a huge, huge fan of this series. He has a historical fiction background, but the fantasy worldbuilding is crazy and interesting too.
If you pick The Well of Ascension, bring The Hero of the Ages too. The Well of Ascension is one heck of a downer.
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Oh my word, some great choices in there! Weeks, Abercrombie AND Gemmell?! That’s a guaranteed awesome holiday!!!!
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No matter what you will choose…. just stay away from the Dune prequels!!!! On that road lies only madness… (((ominous music)))
😀 😀
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Lol!
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I stopped at page 400 of the Dragonstone.
I voted for Way of the Shadow. I think Gardens of the Moon is more of a winter read.
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Went with King Beyond the Gate (loved Gemmell’s books) and Way of Shadow’s. Got problems with Wizard’s First Rule – I mean, how much can someone bleed without being dead?
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Reblogged this on Archer's Aim and commented:
Which way would you vote on this list? I like Gemmell and Weeks myself…
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