Tuesday 10 March 2009

What should I read this weekend?

One of my Year's Resolutions is to work my way through as many hardbacks, that are sat in my 'to read pile', as I possibly can. I'm away this weekend (I've scheduled stuff to appear on the blog though!) and as we all know, a long train journey is just the right situation to get through big fat book! What do I read though? I'm hoping you can help me out here...



The original plan was to read Steven Erikson's 'Toll the Hounds', a book that has been sat on the pile for almost a year now. As a Malazan fan I really should have read this by now but its size makes an impractical read for the tube. Funnily enough, it was on a similar train journey last year that I attempted to tackle this book the first time. Could now be the time when I finally finish 'Toll the Hounds' (especially with 'Dust of Dreams' coming out in the not too distant future)? I was all set to pack the book until I thought...



What about 'Best Served Cold'? Joe Abercrombie hasn't let me down yet (something Erikson did, slightly, with 'Midnight Tides') with his books and my advance copy of 'Best Served Cold' turned up a couple of days ago... It has the 'good cover' as well :o) Should I pack this or 'Toll the Hounds'? I thought it was going to be a straight choice between two books until I thought...



What about 'Return of the Crimson Guard'? Another Malazan book that I shamefully haven't got around to reading yet. I gave it a bloody good go over Christmas but, it was Christmas and I ended up sleeping off all the drink that I'd had... It's another book that is awkward to read on the tube but it could be good for a longer train journey...

So, what do I take to read on the train? You tell me! Leave a comment, next to this post, telling me what you think I should take to read (you only get to choose one book...) The plan is for me to have read whatever book gets the most votes in time for a review on Monday...

14 comments:

Donna said...

I'm voting for Joe Abercrombie's Best Served Cold.

Neil Richard said...

Best Served Cold. I'd like to see if it lives up to (and where it fits in with) his debut series.

Anrake said...

Best Served Cold is not readily available yet. Get moving on something from Malazan before you get even farther behind. You can put a review of Best Served Cold out shortly before it's released so it's in people's minds when they do their book shopping/ordering.

Anonymous said...

Defintely Best Served Cold.

Peta said...

Best Served Cold!

Unknown said...

Well I'll vote for Best Served Cold as well. My reasons...

I enjoyed Toll the Hounds but not as much as I had hoped, the difference in style between this and earlier books was quite pronounced and I'm not sure it worked for me. Good read though and you certainly need to read it before the Dust oF dreams appears.

Return of the Crimson Guard, well it is Malazan but I was disappointed by it. Its more of a generic fantasy doorstop than any of Erikson's. Take that as you will...

Abercrombies books were all quite fantastic and his new one would jump straight to the top of my pile!

The Doctor said...

Yeah, gotta vote Best Served Cold as well.

BTW, when are we next going to see a horror review? ;)

ediFanoB said...

Best Served Cold! I'm really nosey after Listening to Joe Abercrombie interview.
I really like Malazan Book of the Fallen series. One of my current reads is Deadhouse Gates.
So it will take some time until I will start to read Toll the Hounds and Return of the Crimson Guard.

sbp said...

Joe Abercrombie for the win!

Anonymous said...

Abrecrombie!

Anonymous said...

I like Abercrombie and it looks like this will easily win the vote, but c'mon you have to read RotCG and then TtH. Guard is definitely not generic fantasy - a great read! how can you call yourself a malazan fan! For shame ;-)

Anonymous said...

Malazan double-dose: Toll the Hounds & Return of the Crimson Guard! :-)

Graeme Flory said...

The vote looks pretty one sided to me... Guess what I'll be taking with me tomorrow? ;o)

The Doctor - There should be a horror review in the next week or so ;o)

Marduk - I know, I know... *hangs head*

Afront said...

Yep - if I too were a lucky dog with this ARC, I'd unplug my twitter stream for Joe Abercrombie's Best Served Cold.