Past posts; future posts

While writing these long posts about Beast Player Erin, that recapped whole episodes, I realized that they probably have no meaning. They can only be interesting to someone who watched this anime, likes it and want to have a discussion about it. This came to my mind during third or fourth post, but since I already started it, I decided to finish it. But next post won't be like that: I plan to write more about my personal opinions and revelations during reading/watching, or make complete reviews like last post.

So, about my next post. I will be reading Glen Cooks' "The Return of Black Company", an omnibus edition that covers two books: "Bleak Season" and "She is Darkness". I already own "The Chronicles of The Black Company" and "Books of the South" and I was looking forward reading next installments. I found these books great. Part of reason I bought them was because I've read that they were one of inspirations for Steven Erikson's "Malazan Book of Fallen". And I wasn't disappointed.

These books are not typical fantasy; they are dark and epic fantasy. Characters in this series are bad and ugly, old and weak, mostly men. Few women in these books are even meaner than men. Also, I found books a bit sad, because characters are mostly old and they are aware that that end is near. Also, after they die, there is no one to continue, for they are last of their kind. This are books about great past and bleak future, at least for our characters. But that doesn't crush their spirit, just leaves it deformed. There are jokes about dying and mutilation, and main characters don't have patience to control their rage. Violence, pain and death are on every page of these books; don't expect much romance and classic happy endings.

I plan to write only few posts during reading, maybe one after each half of each book, to document my enjoyment or disappointment while it's still fresh (I hope for former!).

Also, I'm very anxious to start reading. I haven't read any book for about two months. I was in self-proscribed abstinence, because before that, I spent two months rereading last six books of "Wheel of Time", and after that I quickly finished "Hero of the Ages" and "The Name of The Wind". So, since it was close to Christmas, I decided to rest from reading for a while. I ended without books more that I planned because I order books from Amazon, but not directly, but via my domestic book-publisher and book-seller, to avoid paying delivery fee. And they order books on monthly base. So I timed it bad and had to wait more that I hoped. But now book is finally here and I can say I am happy!

Also, I would like to point to the issue of conflict between Tor/Macmillan and Amazon. You can see more about it here and here (post by John Scalzi). I still don't have opinion who is right and who wrong, but I can tell who will suffer for that: reader and writers. I hope they will solve their problems fast, because this situation helps no one