Books you're currently reading???

[DanaC]

I recently finished a truly awesome fantasy book - got on a whim via Kindle lending - then discovered it was a recently published book and the sequel isn't due until some time next year. Boooo.

Anyway - really worth it for any fantasy fans - it's called The Shadow of What was Lost. Very original concept of magic, really good characters, a world that feels like it breathes and a story that keeps you turning the pages.

Now am reading the first in another fantasy series, by Joe Abercrombie. I loved his first trilogy (The First Law) and found his standalone novels to also be very entertaining. Well, he's done it again: The Shattered Sea trilogy, beginning with Half a King. Seriously, anybody who likes good fantasy needs to read this guy's work. His world building is really wonderful. You get a real sense of the cultures and histories, but done with such a light touch, you almost don't realise he's doing it.

He's a wonderful writer, with a beautiful turn of phrase, underscored with savagery and humour. His characters are complex and human.