Just started Son of the Morning Star: Custer and the Little Bighorn by Evan Connell.

Good read, but a bit annoying. You will quickly learn that the author has no concept of linear time.

I've noticed that. It seems sort of stream-of-consciousness right now.

I have that one around here somewhere. I've heard good things and have been meaning to add it on to my to read stack. Let me know how you like it.

"Guns of the South" was pretty good, but I must say that I really dislike Turtledove's writing. I read a couple of books of his about the aliens invading Earth during WWII, and while I liked the concept, I found myself often getting jolted from the story by the recurring thought of "No one would really say something like that."

No kidding. Wolfe writes for the re-reader. I've been through them a few times and am still puzzling out the "real" story. I got a pretty good grip on it the first time, but it's like archeology.

I've read most of his works. He seems to love to tell you 2/3 or so of a story, and leaves the rest of the story as an exercise for the student.

Ever read his 5th Head of Cerberus? It's basically a murder mystery, where he takes us through the whole investigation with the "detective". He gives the conclusion, but leaves it to you to figure out how the clues lead to that conclusion.

Try the sequel the Book of the Long Sun. His main character Patera Silk is even more intriguing than old Severian. The follow-on the Book of the Short Sun is possibly the most cryptic thing he ever wrote, but again, well worth the effort and a fantastic capstone to the series.

Next up, I'm going to try his "Latro" novels. I'm told they are about a Greek Soldier (400-500 BC or so) who has a peculiar amnesia. Every morning, he reads the scroll he added to the day before to learn who he is and what his life is about.

Wolfe has a serious fetish about memory.

I like some of his work, others not so much. I'll agree that his prose can be clunky, to say the least. I read him more as a literary candy-bar.

In the Darkness cycle, the "fantasy" motif disguises his shortcomings pretty well, and shows a pretty wicked sense of humor (for starters, it's the Blond-Haired Blue Eyed folk being sacrificed to fuel some pretty horrific sorcery).

Guns of the South was very enjoyable. Probably my favorite of his. He wrote it because he was talking to another author (Judith Tarr) who was complaining the cover art for the new novel she wrote was "as anachronistic as Robert E. Lee holding an Uzi". One thought led to another.... ROFL

Just finishing up Effendi : the second arabesk by, Jon Courtenay Grimwood it’s the second book in an offbeat trilogy.

It’s a noir cyberpunk set in an alternate universe where the Ottoman Empire still exists, the first book was called after Pashazade.

In the truck I’m listening to Roving Mars by Steve Squyres. Squyres was the principal scientist on the Mars rover mission. Really interesting to see all of the politics and ups and downs that collimated in the two rovers getting to Mars.

Next on my shelf is Flush by Carl Hiaasen, it’s a juvenile book but my son brought it home and I try and read everything written by this guy.

One of my favorite "beach read" authors as well. I finally convinced my wife to read him, and I took a lot of enjoyment out of listening to her giggle and laugh as she read it next to me at night in bed (and yes, perverts, the book was the source of her humor).

Now she has about a year's worth of reading material, since he's written so many freaking books. I think I may have a couple of his that I haven't read, but I'm pretty close to exhausting the supply. I even read all of his Miami Herald articles that are collected in an anthology.

True dat, on the re-read. I'm re-reading His Wizard Knight novels as we speak, and if you're interested in 'fantasy' these are mo' bettah than the various Urth books. Duty, courage, fidelity are hidden in amongst the knighthood adventures. Wolfe is probably the most 'moral' writer we have these days in any genre. You just don't notice it as you read it, only later when you're thinking, "I wonder if he meant..." yes, he probably did.
I just re-read the Latro books again last month for the umpteenth time, there's a 3rd volume for those due out in October of this year. It'll be called Soldier of Sidon. One tip for you while you read the Latro stories...keep a copy of Herodotus 'the Histories' near by for reference. It won't hurt to have Bullfinch's mythology handy as well. Worth all the effort, they're my alltime favorites of all his books.

Thoughts on memory and how understanding affects it, as well as the 'unreliable narrator' are Wolfe's claim to fame. I saw a recent photo of him, he's no spring chicken. Let's enjoy him while we've got him. A national treasure, even if he can't be everyone's cup of tea.

didn't realize tha reading was high brow, but currently reading Moby Dick, The Big White Lie and the christopher shinn collection of plays.

I've enjoyed the series. However tastes may vary wildly with authors, so I can't swear <b>you'll</b> enjoy the remaining books. I did really enjoy the Dragon on the Border and the Dragon at War. Didn't especially enjoy The Dragon and the Djinn. It had a lot of good parts, but was a little slow in the middle.

Dickson is an acquired taste from what I've seen. I really, REALLY liked his "The Way of the Pilgrim", but even that had some slow spots in it.

Although, for just sheer insanity, "Earthman's Burden" and "Hoka", which he co-wrote with Poul Anderson, are worth the efforts to track down at a used-book store.

Thanks for the tip on Latro. You also might like:

Robert Borski's Solar Laybrinth, and his newer work The Long and Short of It. While I don't agree with all of his conclusions, he has some fascinating idea. He makes a fantastic case the main character of the New Sun isn't really Severian...but Father Inire. :hmmm:

"Attending Daedalus" is also a nice analysis of the Urth cycle, though the author eludes me at this time.

No spring chicken indeed. He's absolutely an acquired taste, but I believe him to be one of the finest authors writing today. Those looking for a quick "kill the bad guy, grab the treasure, and take over the kingdom" book will be disappointed. Thankfully.

Good point about his morality. To borrow a pharse from another author, Wolfe went a long way towards convincing me over the years that Religious Conservatism did not directly equal mean spiritedness. For that, I have a lot of gratitude.

That may be the issue. His Wolf and Iron was in with the books I bought and I only made it half way through before giving up because it was soooo boring. I felt like I was reading a textbook on wolf behavior.

I'll get back to the Dragon series and see how it goes. Thanks.

Im reading a book called Gulag by Anne Applebaum.