I don't know what the heck to call this thread!

**Slam_Bradley** · 01-26-2013, 01:20 PM

The Cutie by Donald Westlake

The first novel by Westlake published under his own name, this is a good if somewhat confused effort. The protagonist, Clay, is he right-hand man of an "organization" boss. However, he is working in this plot as something of a detective to find out who killed a number of people. Clay is no Parker (who would hit the scene a couple years later). And Westlake's immaturity as a writer is evident in a number of places. But it's a decent read and is interesting to compare to The Hunter.

**Moriarty** · 01-27-2013, 05:21 PM

Star Wars Agents of Chaos II: Jedi Eclipse by James Luceno

**Sheldon** · 01-28-2013, 04:55 AM

Last week read Hyperion and Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons. Lived up to the hype, really great stuff. I'm debating on whether or not I read the other 2 books, I've read they aren't as good, and I may prefer to leave that world on a high note.

**Roquefort Raider** · 01-28-2013, 01:00 PM

Shambleau, by Catherine L. Moore.

It's a compendium of two old SF books: Shambleau and others and Northwest of Earth. Golden age space opera, back when spacemen still dressed like World War I aeroplane pilots. It has an innocence and a freshness typical of a genre that's just being born.

**Roquefort Raider** · 01-28-2013, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by Sheldon

Last week read Hyperion and Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons. Lived up to the hype, really great stuff. I'm debating on whether or not I read the other 2 books, I've read they aren't as good, and I may prefer to leave that world on a high note.

They are definitely not as ambitious as the first two, but I liked them fine. Taken as Hyperion sequels, they disappoint a little. Taken as a new series, they're okay; they're just not Hugo material. I'd wait a while before starting on them.

**Moriarty** · 01-31-2013, 02:51 PM

Taft 2012 by Jason Heller

**Slam_Bradley** · 02-04-2013, 09:15 AM

Maskerade by Terry Pratchett. The Phantom and opera in general hit Discworld and The Witches are there to deal with it. Decent Pratchett that seemed a tad weak until a decent ending.

The Score by Richard Stark. Probably the best Parker novel thus far, certainly up there with The Hunter. Parker and crew take on an impossible job.

**Libaax** · 02-04-2013, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by Roquefort Raider

Shambleau, by Catherine L. Moore.

It's a compendium of two old SF books: Shambleau and others and Northwest of Earth. Golden age space opera, back when spacemen still dressed like World War I aeroplane pilots. It has an innocence and a freshness typical of a genre that's just being born.

I liked that story and i have Complete Northwest of Earth collection,stories by Planet Stories. CL Moore is not as strong as science fantasy writer as Leigh Brackett and her hardcore hero John Eric Stark but Shamleau and the other stories are more creepy,S&S stories in Space. Weird Tales in space. I like that feel, atmosphere of her stories.

Have you Brackett Science fantasy series? I think she is the best the sword planet has ever seen. Stark beat out John Carter books recently as my fav in the genre.

**Moriarty** · 02-04-2013, 08:05 PM

Star Wars Death Troopers by Joe Schreiber

**DavidB.** · 02-05-2013, 04:27 AM

What did you think of it Moriarty?
I always wanted to read it based on the cover art alone, is it any good though?

**David Walton** · 02-05-2013, 03:00 PM

Robert Ludlum's The Bourne Identity. It's such a radically different experience than the movies. The reason why Bourne is who he is makes a lot more sense: spoilers:

he was never an assassin but was posing as one to trap Carlos the Jackal.

end of spoilers In spite of being written in 1980, it doesn't feel dated at all. Loved it so much I picked up The Bourne Supremacy.

**jesse_custer** · 02-06-2013, 06:48 AM

The Complete Stories of Truman Capote. This book collects Capote's short stories chronologically. His earlier stuff is extremely well-written from a technical standpoint, but they are emotionally empty, or at the very least, I felt pretty empty after reading them and started to wonder whether Capote was just a waste of immense talent. Then you get into his later stuff, like "Children on Their Birthdays," "A Christmas Memory," and "One Christmas," and his work becomes even more technically brilliant and, finally, emotionally resonant. I'm not exaggerating when I say I can't think of another short story writer who packs so much rewarding sentimentality into their short stories. His phrasing at times is startling effective and original. Truly brilliant stuff.