Whats everyone reading?

[von Boom]

I wish.

Love it. But shouldn't that read Le visage étreindre.

[sheldipez]

I just finished reading the first Lone Wolf and Cub omnibus and thought it was brilliant. Seemed a bit repetitive at first but I soon got into the swing and it took some nasty turns at times. Some chunky dialogue here and there, but the art is just superb, so full of movement, subtley and energy so I'm looking forward to the next volume.

I've never seen any other art that has the same feeling of movement and energy than Kojima's stuff through LW&C. It really is stunning stuff. I wish Dark Horse had taken the opportunity for these re-releases to drop the Frank Miller cover art for these new omnibus, they really are terrible. His version of Daigoro is cringe inducing on later volumes.

[Dark Jimbo]

Yeah, nice review there Cosh. For my money, The Confusion is the best of the trilogy and it's split into more manageable chunks.

Interestingly, I found Confusion the worst of the three (although with books of this quality, 'least best' seems a more apposite description.) Very meandering, lots of discurssions and navel-gazing without much of a forward-driving plot emerging until right at the very end - all charges that can be laid at the door of Quicksilver, too, but often even more annoying here. I loved Eliza's Versailles shenanigans with Rossignol and company, but Jack's storyline really started to try my patience. I think I was perhaps just missing Waterhouse, Newton and the London crowd.

For me, System of the World was by far and away the best of the cycle (and I include Cryptonomicon in this). It was the point where Stephenson achieves a near-perfect balance between the demands of plot, insights of character and his own need to digress. I don't know if perhaps the imminent end of the trilogy focused his mind somewhat, but there's a very definite plot driving the narrative forward at all times (as opposed to earlier books where you sometimes wondered where certain sections were going, or if they were even strictly necessary). It's the paciest of the books, the most exciting, and also the funniest. And it has one of his best characters in Peter Hoxton, horologist extraordinnaire.

[Mikey]

See, I really liked Jack's story, Jimbo. We're all kinds of different! And yeah sheldipez, the cover art was definitely the worst part of the book...

M.

[TordelBack]

On a related note, I think Anathem is his best, closely followed by The Diamond Age and Cryptonomicon.

I really loved Anathem (one of the cleverest SF books I've read), but I'd probably tie it for first with Quicksilver, or indeed the Baroque Cycle as a whole.  Agree with Mikey about Diamond Age and Cryptonomicon in the ranking.  He has an amazing body of work behind him at this stage.  He writes books you can dive into and swim about for ages without fear of running out of air.  I hope his Kickstarter stuff isn't distracting him from writing!

[Dark Jimbo]

The Baroque Cycle's all I've read and I should really rectify that.

[Zarjazzer]

A dungeons and dragons Dark Sun trade good fun so far.A bit different characters with the grim setting and all but most enjoyable.

Who shouted nerd?

[Tombo]

I just finished reading the first Lone Wolf and Cub omnibus and thought it was brilliant. Seemed a bit repetitive at first but I soon got into the swing and it took some nasty turns at times. Some chunky dialogue here and there, but the art is just superb, so full of movement, subtley and energy so I'm looking forward to the next volume.

M.

I thought that at first - fella with a pram shows up, kills people, takes money, lather, rinse repeat.  And then a few volumes in you start to learn the back story of the Ogami's and all the politics and in-fighting and it becomes a gripping thriller (with lots and lots and lots of limb hackings, head chopping-offs and gut slicing-open).

[Simon Beigh]

Polished off The Extinction Parade #1 written by Max Brooks and drawn by Raulo Caceres. Very much an introduction, but am intrigued by how it will develop. Basic premise is that there had been a zombie outbreak which seems to be escalating quickly, observed through the eyes of three vampires.

I'm afraid I'm not loving the artwork though...

I'll give #2 a go...

[sheldipez]

Polished off The Extinction Parade #1 written by Max Brooks and drawn by Raulo Caceres. Very much an introduction, but am intrigued by how it will develop. Basic premise is that there had been a zombie outbreak which seems to be escalating quickly, observed through the eyes of three vampires.

I'm afraid I'm not loving the artwork though...

I'll give #2 a go...

I never did like the Extinction Parade story from his "Closure, Limited and other Zombie Tales" book so was on the fence about the comic until I saw the art from the preview which just put me off altogether. I might still pick it up if hits TPB cheap. I wish Max Brooks would get his next proper novel out!

[Simon Beigh]

Polished off The Extinction Parade #1 written by Max Brooks and drawn by Raulo Caceres.

I'll give #2 a go...

I never did like the Extinction Parade story from his "Closure, Limited and other Zombie Tales" book so was on the fence about the comic until I saw the art from the preview which just put me off altogether. I might still pick it up if hits TPB cheap. I wish Max Brooks would get his next proper novel out!

It's weird because I read the first two stories in that collection, then promptly lost my copy of the book! So I haven't read the original short. I liked "Steve and Fred" the best (I think that was the title - the 2nd story). Don't know when Mr Brooks will write another novel. Probably busy with other projects like this.

I'll give #2 a go and report back, but I wouldn't recommend buying #1 at the moment.

[Spikes]

I wish.

Me too.

[TordelBack]

ABC Warriors Vol 1: The Meknificent Seven.  As the weather has permitted the Boy to be outside playing right past his bedtime, I've been trimming the bedtime story routine down so he gets something, without it being the usual almost-an-hour long session.  Ideal in this respect has been an episode a night of the original ABC Warriors, each taking only a few minutes.  We read all of Ro-Busters and the original Mars stuff and their Nemesis appearances last year, but due to my Titan Vol 1 going mysteriously missing, we'd never actually read the origin stories.  It's a joy to see just how excited he is as each Warrior is introduced, especially Steelhorn ('Who's Steelhorn?  I don't remember him. When are they going to meet the Mess?') - the episode pacing is perfect for stringing out the story night by night.  These are just top comics for kids, full of juicy war-tech factoids, crazy designs, atrocities and betrayals, with a strong core of morality running beneath.  Pat Mills really is at his very best here, although sad to note that the repro on some of this (the Rebellion) volume is very poor, which I presume can be ascribed to the reduction of some insanely dense art and greyscaling of the colour spreads.  Alas for my missing Titan!

Continuing the nostalgia theme, I've been re-reading V for Vendetta for the umpteenth time.  Most interesting is how Moore's writing evolves from the very device-heavy first book on through to the more subtle open third book, while still holding together as a single work that actually uses this transition as a theme.  Lloyd's art is still astonishing in both in how unique and how perfectly appropriate it is.  I do wish a vocal section of the adopters of the Fawkes mask would actually read this book, it has a great deal of relevance to say to them. 

[Mabs]

I'm attempting a second reading of Neonomicon, and I must say I'm finding it more accessible, and even palatable than the first reading! Its probably down to the fact I'm more versed in the world of H.P Lovecraft, than I was when I first read it a couple of years ago. The rape scene however still remains quite shocking, not to mention very graphic. Probably the most sexually graphic comic I've picked up from my library. Just a tad worried about the idea of a young 'un coming across this title,  as there's no age recommendation on the cover. 

And TordelBack, your son is really lucky to have a father like you!

[Simon Beigh]

Probably the most sexually graphic comic I've picked up from my library. Just a tad worried about the idea of a young 'un coming across this title,  as there's no age recommendation on the cover. 

Tricky one, Mabs, because we don't want it banned from your library. Likewise, I know I wouldn't want my boy to pick it up and have a flick through it! Does you local library have an 'adult' comics section (I don't mean pornographic, I mean comics for adults  ) and did you get it from there? There is a 'comic friendly' librarian in my local, so if it were me, I'd have a chat to him. If you have an equally nice chap or lady at yours, maybe approach them and see what they say?