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inulro51. The Hot Zone by Richard Preston
The story of the emergence of Marburg and Ebola viruses (and, to a lesser extent, AIDS) in Africa and of the outbreak of Ebola in monkeys in Reston, VA in 1993, presented as a mainstream thriller. Despite some stylistic annoyingness and levels of simplification of the science that were unnecessary even for me, it's a definite Go Away I'm Reading number. Got through it in four days.
Thanks to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
zotz for lending it to me.
52. A Darkness at Sethanon by Raymond E Feist
This, OTOH, was hard work. Ray Feist was a guest at last year's Fantasycon and was a witty and entertaining speaker, to the point where I thought "I should check out some of his stuff". That may sound a stupid way to choose reading material, but it also served as my introduction to Ramsey Campbell, which was an unequivocal win. Fortuitously, a copy of this book was included in my delegates' freebie pack.
Disclaimer: High Fantasy is Not My Thing.
There is no doubt that Feist is a superior writer, and I've certainly read this kind of thing that is far worse. There's two strands to this novel (the last of a trilogy, but enough of a back story is provided that I didn't find this a problem) - the cod-medieval adventure, and the high magic stuff. I really enjoyed the first. I liked the characters, even though they're a bit predictable, and the world, and it's all a Jolly Good Adventure. Unfortunately I really struggled with the magicians and high magic segments (talking dragons - they make me want to throw books across the room[1].) The ending kind of blew because all of the efforts of the armies would have been futile without the High Magic Dudes coming in to save the day, and that kind of bugs me on a moral level.
I'm glad I read it, and if he ever wrote anything without the High Magic & talking dragons crap I'd totally read it, but I'm not about to run out and read the entire (23 volumes and rising) series.
PS - I don't want to keep it, and it's worth nothing on Amazon, so if anyone wants it, it's yours.
[1] Non-talking dragons, OTOH, are just a nifty evolutionary alternative.
The story of the emergence of Marburg and Ebola viruses (and, to a lesser extent, AIDS) in Africa and of the outbreak of Ebola in monkeys in Reston, VA in 1993, presented as a mainstream thriller. Despite some stylistic annoyingness and levels of simplification of the science that were unnecessary even for me, it's a definite Go Away I'm Reading number. Got through it in four days.
Thanks to
zotz for lending it to me.52. A Darkness at Sethanon by Raymond E Feist
This, OTOH, was hard work. Ray Feist was a guest at last year's Fantasycon and was a witty and entertaining speaker, to the point where I thought "I should check out some of his stuff". That may sound a stupid way to choose reading material, but it also served as my introduction to Ramsey Campbell, which was an unequivocal win. Fortuitously, a copy of this book was included in my delegates' freebie pack.
Disclaimer: High Fantasy is Not My Thing.
There is no doubt that Feist is a superior writer, and I've certainly read this kind of thing that is far worse. There's two strands to this novel (the last of a trilogy, but enough of a back story is provided that I didn't find this a problem) - the cod-medieval adventure, and the high magic stuff. I really enjoyed the first. I liked the characters, even though they're a bit predictable, and the world, and it's all a Jolly Good Adventure. Unfortunately I really struggled with the magicians and high magic segments (talking dragons - they make me want to throw books across the room[1].) The ending kind of blew because all of the efforts of the armies would have been futile without the High Magic Dudes coming in to save the day, and that kind of bugs me on a moral level.
I'm glad I read it, and if he ever wrote anything without the High Magic & talking dragons crap I'd totally read it, but I'm not about to run out and read the entire (23 volumes and rising) series.
PS - I don't want to keep it, and it's worth nothing on Amazon, so if anyone wants it, it's yours.
[1] Non-talking dragons, OTOH, are just a nifty evolutionary alternative.
