Deliverance Lost down, not a bad book, but not the best Horus Heresy novel to date, a bit simplistic and a little slow so a bit of a slog to get through. Now reading the next Horus Heresy novel, Know No Fear by Dan Abnett, so far a much better read, faster paced, interestingly written, burning through it so far, great stuff.
Have you read the Path of the Eldar trilogy by Gav Thrope? They're actually very amazing, although if you don't like slow books, they won't be for you. The first one, anyways, was more about the psychological and social aspects of the path, rather than actual fighting. Although, the fighting is still very good. They're currently the only 40k books I've ready so far, but I plan on reading Redemption Corp soon, and maybe start the Dark Eldar trilogy.
That's spot on about Orwell. His style has a simple coherence; he's always making logical points but I've never found what he's saying overly dense
Yeah. It's for for that very reason I wish he had written more literary essays like his one on Charles Dickens. It's a very good essay, and he was a very good essayist for this reason. His essay 'Politics and The English Language' is an essay I think everyone should read. If you've not read a good collection of Orwell's essays then you are seriously missing out, I think. Orwell's essays are only of only recently becoming a bigger part of the way we think about him as a writer, and I'm really glad about that. In the same way that you can't really think of Shakespeare, completely, without the sonnets, I honestly can't imagine Orwell without his essays.
His essays are brilliant. I can read him all day because his style is so effortless. He'd write about a bunch of random subjects which I'd have zero interest in and I'd still be entertained. He got me into reading Henry Miller's tropic books. Miller wrote completely unrestrained about the poor man; about drinking, about brothels etc. You should check him out if you're curious about any sort of writing that doesn't hold back. The depraved honesty could shock you. I particularly liked Orwell's essay about the horrible conditions in an old French hospital. He also convinced me Salvador Dali is a pretentious but brilliant arsehole I also liked his essay on Leo Tolstoy and Shakespeare. I haven't read all his essays though.
If you want to get more into 40K fiction, try picking up some of the Ciaphas Cain books by Sandy Mitchell. As for myself, I just finished up the fifth work in a volume of 40K Imperial Guard stories entitled Rebel Winter by Steve Parker. Next up is a short story tie-in to Parker's Rebel Winter, and I've got my eye Michael Cobley's The Orphaned Worlds as my next book.
I am currently reading Tears In The Darkness by Micheal Norman and Elizabeth M. Norman. It's a true WWII story. I am only in the first couple of chapters, but so far it's so far so good. And the book I am going to try reading after Tears In The Darkness is called Band Of Brothers, another true WWII story.
currently have 'Magician' by Raymond E Feist on my bedside to read, been slacking with it a lot mind, the last book i read was 'The Ambassadors Mission' by Trudi Canavan which was a very good book
I too think everyone--especially writers--should read Politics and The English Language...and here it is: https://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/orwell46.htm
I enjoyed, Down and Out in Paris and London. Although, it kept freakin' me out slightly, because the characters in it kept reminding me of people I know. Really...like five or six of them. :O
I'm rereading parts of Martin Amis's The War Against Cliche. Amis has a brilliant style and a razor wit. Write well, people, just in case Amis reviews your book and decides he doesn't like it! This weekend I will be beginning the major reading project that is William Gass's new novel Middle C. I've read Gass before, and he's dazzling, but difficult. He may be the closest thing to an American James Joyce. (I confess I haven't read Pynchon, who I hear may be closer.)
Something Rotten, by Allen Gratz. The Face, by Dean Koontz, MP3 audio. Lords of Corruption, by Kyle Mills on CD. The Grave Tattoo, by Val McDermid, Ebook.
Mystery, by Jonathan Killerman The Grand Design, by Stephen Hawking & Leonard Mlodinow, E-book Paradise Lost, by John Milton, MP3 audio
. Just finished Voltaire's Candide (I wonder where Les Dawson obtained some of his material.) And now thoroughly enjoying The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists by Robert Tressell.
