I’m really struggling with my fantasy reading (aside from a foul-mouthed, hilarious comedy fantasy series, I have zero enthusiasm for the genre at present). With that in mind, I’ve decided to go for a few things outside of the fantasy genre to try and keep my reading up even if it I can’t enjoy a bit of swords and sorcery.
There is one book on this list, from the aforementioned comedy series, as it seems to be the only fantasy thing I can really get excited about sinking my teeth into. Yet even that is progressing far slower than I would like.
I’m somewhat late to the party with a couple of these, what with their authors having passed away some years back. Cannot wait, though.
Without further ramblings, here is a brief list of the things I’m looking forward to reading and listening to over the coming weeks:
Physical/Ebooks
Master & Commander by Patrick O’Brian
Genre: Historical Fiction
Master and Commander is the first of Patrick O’Brian’s now famous Aubrey/Maturin novels, regarded by many as the greatest series of historical novels ever written. It establishes the friendship between Captain Jack Aubrey RN and Stephen Maturin, who becomes his secretive ship’s surgeon and an intelligence agent. It contains all the action and excitement which could possibly be hoped for in a historical novel, but it also displays the qualities which have put O’Brian far ahead of any of his competitors: his depiction of the detail of life aboard a Nelsonic man-of-war, of weapons, food, conversation and ambience, of the landscape and of the sea. O’Brian’s portrayal of each of these is faultless and the sense of period throughout is acute. His power of characterisation is above all masterly.
Critical Failures 6 by Robert Bevan
Genre: Comedy/Fantasy
In the wake of their recent loss, the Caverns & Creatures gang are left hanging. Do their choices amount to more than waiting around to die of thirst and leaping to a quicker death? Probably, or else this would have been a much shorter book.
Audio Books
Caves of Ice by Sandy Mitchell
Genre: Science Fiction/Warhammer 40k
On the ice world of Simia Orichalcae a spate of mysterious disappearances is causing unrest amongst the mine workers, and, as senior officer of the Astra Militarum, Commissar Ciaphas Cain is nominated to investigate. Unbeknownst to him, the planet is right in the path of a major ork incursion, and, as the savage greenskins attack, a malevolent evil begins to stir deep in the ice caves.
Something Fresh by P.G. Wodehouse
Genre: Historical Fiction/Comedy
This is the first Blandings novel, in which P.G. Wodehouse introduces us to the delightfully dotty Lord Emsworth, his bone-headed younger son, the Hon. Freddie Threepwood, his log-suffering secretary, the Efficient Baxter, and Beach the Blandings butler.
As Wodehouse wrote, ‘without at least one imposter on the premises, Blandings Castle is never itself’. In Something Fresh there are two, each with an eye on a valuable Egyptian amulet which Lord Emsworth has acquired without quite realizing how it came into his pocket. But of course things get a lot more complicated than this…
The Rats by James Herbert
Genre: Horror
The terror begins. London is struck by an invasion. Women, children, old and young, none are safe from the deadly menace. The attacks are swift and sure, escape is impossible. A state of emergency is declared. Evacuation seems the only solution in the face of a growing panic and mounting death toll. War is declared on the public enemy number one. The Rats!
I wouldn’t sweat not being into fantasy too much right now. Just read other genres until you feel like it again. And maybe deliberately read enough other genres so you don’t burn out on fantasy again. This is exactly why I’m reading non-fiction, some Shakespeare, some Dickens and some Max Brand (western) in my reading rotation.
I’m almost done with Jeeves and Wooster (well, 3 more books to go) and my next Wodehouse are the Blandings novels. I’m already anticipating them 😀 😀 😀
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I’m totally with you on the burnout issue. I’ve been enjoying my non-fantasy reads.
I have the review of Something Fresh written. Hoping to get it out this week
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I’m looking forward to that master & commander review. The series was highly recommended to me by a bunch of people, and I have the first book in my TBR, but still haven’t started it.
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I can’t wait to read it. I have one book to finish then an ARC before I can get to it. Stupidly bought it the other day. My will power needs to be strong to resist.
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Yay! Something Fresh! Sounds like you have some great books to read. And I shouldn’t worry too much; if you’re not enjoying something, there’s no point in reading it (yet)!
Have you read any of C.J. Sansom’s Matthew Shardlake books?
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Have you read Something Fresh? It’s not quite as good as the Jeeves & Wooster stuff for me but I think its intriguing enough to carry on with 🙂
I’ve never heard of the Matthew Shardlake books. What are they about?
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I have! I love the Blandings novels – I’ve just finished the eleventh one. They’re just so lighthearted that they always make me smile!
The Matthew Shardlake books are historical crime fiction set in the Tudor period. They’re actually some of the best books I’ve read and I’d class C.J. Sansom as my favourite author outside of fantasy! I highly recommend! The first book in the series is Dissolution 😀
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That sounds like the sort of series for me! I’ll make a note of that for the future 🙂
Have you read the Jeeves & Wooster series by Wodehouse?
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I’ve just started it! 😀 I read The Inimitable Jeeves last week and really enjoyed it.
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Haven’t read any of these, but I remember watching that Master & Commander movie as a kid and liking it.
Also, that guy on the Warhammer 40K cover looks fierce. I like the M. Bison look.
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He’s an interesting character. Somewhat of a ‘will do anything to avoid danger but always ends up in the thick of it anyway’ type.
I haven’t seen the film. So I’m going into the book without any knowledge other than its nautical 🙂
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I know how a fantasy burnout feels especially when you have no compulsion whatsoever to want to pick up a book in the genre. At some point, it’ll pass and you’ll find your love for it again. In the meantime, just enjoy reading other genres and hopefully, you’ll enjoy the books too. 😉
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Yea, I thought of you as soon as my fantasy love started to dwindle. I think, when I do get back to them, I’ll read more sparingly.
Just thankful, like yourself, it is just a genre burnout rather than a complete lack of interest in reading.
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I hope you end up enjoying all of these!
(www.evelynreads.com)
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I had burnout earlier this year. So I mostly used my reading time to play video games. Now I’m experiencing video game burnout and using it to read more. These things happen, you’ll get past it. Life is strange sometimes. It’d be stranger if it didn’t happen occasionally.
As a side note, I hated Master & Commander. I hope you like it better!
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Ahh, really? You’re the first I’ve heard who’s not liked it. Looking forward to it as I love anything nautical.
Yea … I’ve churned about 300 hours into gaming over the past few months 😂
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Yeaaah, that’s impressive 😂
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Changing genres, from time to time, or adding a new one just to “spice up” the mix is always a good policy: it keeps the… reading drive fresh and interesting. That said, I had to shudder at your last addition, which I’m sure I read a long time ago and – given the subject matter – clearly preferred to forget, to preserve my mental health… 😀
But I will welcome your review of that rat-infested (EEEEKK!!!) novel!
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So far I’ve found Herbert a bit hit and miss. But, with ‘The Rats’ being lauded as one of his best, I look forward to it.
Not a fan of rats then, I assume?
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LOL Not exactly, no… 😀
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I’ll be looking forward to your review of Master and Commander! I’ve read my first Jeeves this year and enjoyed it quite a lot, so good luck with your change of diet! 😀
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Jeeves is such a treasure 😍
I look forward to getting to Master and Commander. I’ve just started an my last ARC then I’ll be getting on to it.
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Great haul! I hope you will enjoy all of these.
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The only solution I know is to mix genres… and Patrick O’Brian is an excellent choice, the movie was great, but the books are even better. And there’s plenty of them! Great characters, sea battles, good bit of history… I cannot recommend it enough 🙂
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I’m currently partway through my last ARC but, after that, Master & Commander is my next read. Love all things nautical and have been looking forward to this for so long.
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There is also Forester and his Hornblower series, that I haven’t read, but O’Brian is really great. And then there’s Weber with his Honor H., sailing in space 😉
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Not heard of Honor H but have heard wonderful things about Hornblower.
The closest to naval books I’ve read is ‘Sharpe’s Trafalgar’. Absolutely adored that book.
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I really enjoyed TV series with Sean Bean, but haven’t read the Sharpe novels yet – I have them all, and one day I will 😉
Check out “Weber” tag on Re-E, I write about my complicated feelings towards David Weber’s Honor Harrington series. He doesn’t really try any more, but early books are some of the most interesting space operas I’ve ever read, wonderful space battles and clearly inspired by the likes of Forester and O’Brian 🙂
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Hope you enjoy the Sharpe series when you get to it. I need to get back into them. Got about halfway through.
Will have a look if I can find it
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