2016 books: Where Wolves Run, Hyperion, The Fur Trader

[thistlechaser]

Three abandoned books in a row:

Where Wolves Run by Jason Parent
Rating: Okay (Hated-Disliked-Okay-Liked-Loved)


I love werewolves. Have since I was a little kid, still do. I've been on a wolf/werewolf kick lately, and this one was recommended, so I gave it a try.

Plot was pretty generic (when a man was a little kid, his family was killed by werewolves, so he grew up to be a werewolf hunter, only to have werewolves kill his wife and almost kill his kid while he was out hunting. Raises kid to be a werewolf hunter, too). Writing was fine. Story was fine. Just didn't really hook me or interest me.

Abandoned a third into it.

Hyperion by Dan Simmons
Rating: Disliked (Hated-Disliked-Okay-Liked-Loved)


I heard good things about this book. Dark scifi. However, his writing was a poor match for me (I think he swallowed a thesaurus), plus even though it was only published in 1989, it felt oddly dated.

Abandoned after the first chapter.

The Fur Trader by Sam Ferguson
Rating: Okay (Hated-Disliked-Okay-Liked-Loved)


Now and then, I let a cool cover influence me more than I should. This was one of those times. I probably would have picked up the book anyway (set on another planet, it follows a retired military man settling into his life as a fur trapper out in the wilds), but the cover sealed the deal.

The story and the writing weren't bad, but I suspected things would go bad soon. The ex-military man was too cool for school and rather perfect at living out in the wilds alone, including facing down bears and driving them off with his voice alone, then peeing on trees to mark his land as his own. Add on top of that that he had two "pets," creatures that were basically giant wolves with deadly cougar-like paws. No one else was brave enough to keep them as pets other than him... I think I dodged a bullet by abandoning this one.

Abandoned 10% in.


Currently reading: Dog Country by Malcolm F. Cross. Though both self-published and a furry novel, I'm enjoying it so far. The "Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought..." section of that page makes me a tad uncomfortable though, heh. I suppose I should have realized there would be (self-)published furry erotic novels out there...

Comments

[tersa.livejournal.com]

even though it was only published in 1989

'only' is still 27 years ago. :D

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I was being grumpy about that after I wrote that. That still feels like just a couple years ago! Grump grump. :P

By the way, I love that lighter cat litter! Sadly Ellie isn't a fan though (I think because it has a scent). I'm slowly using the box up, mixing it with her normal stuff. Once I'm out of it, I'm going to see if I can find an unscented version of it (quick googling tells me there's no unscented light. Hm, odd).

[adam-0oo.livejournal.com]

I love reading your reviews, you like a lot of genre's that I do but have SUCH different taste! I love reading reviews of people whose opinion I trust who have different taste than mine.

I have read all of the Hyperion series and loved it and am about to re-read it.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

I always worry that it might not be the book's fault when it doesn't work for me. Right now I'm in a horrible mood (both work and non-work life are stressing me out), so books might have more of a challenge than usual when it comes to having me like them. However, since we have a history of our tastes not matching, I suppose that's a sign that perhaps this book really didn't work for me. :)

I'm glad you enjoyed it though! And it's nice to hear that you like my reviews. I always worry I post too many of them for people.

[adam-0oo.livejournal.com]

If you think it is your mood at the moment, I would balance that against say, reviews or awards it might have won. If everybody else thinks/says it is amazing, it might be worth a second look at a later time. Otherwise, give it the heave ho, there are too many books and not enough time as it is.

People posting too much of something is why god invented the scroll wheel on my mouse.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

People posting too much of something is why god invented the scroll wheel on my mouse.

Ha! Yes indeed.

Lots of other people seem to like it, so I'm going to give it another try at some future point.

[your-insomnia.livejournal.com]

It took me about 40 pages to really get into Hyperion but I totally get it when the language doesn't work or feels outdated. That's why I avoid most of Heinlein's stuff.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

That's two votes for it, I feel like I should give it another try. Maybe at some future point!

[voidmagus.livejournal.com]

On the SciFi note, I finished a series recently that was good (first book great, liked each subsequent a bit less). Ann Leckie's Ancillary Justice. Really interesting protagonist - without spoiling too much, written from the POV of a hive mind. Might be worth trying.

[thistle-chaser.livejournal.com]

*googles* Huh, that does look interesting. Thanks! I'm adding it to my list of books to grab. :)