Lucky girl! You're gonna love 'em all!
Reading is freedom.
The mind soars, no earthly cares,
no limitations.
A Maggers Haiku, 2005
Years ago my mother used to say to me... "In this world, Elwood, you can be oh so smart or oh so pleasant."
Well, for years I was smart.
I recommend pleasant.
You may quote me.
Elwood P. Dowd
Medusa Wrote:Whoops forgot! I also got Deep as the Marrow. Can you tell I'm trying to complete the collection. I'm weird that way. I even managed to get all 60 or 70 (however many it is so far) Deathlands series by James Axler (even though some of them weren't very good).
You've just recieved "Deep As The Marrow"? Read it and and you'll understand what an Appelton is! That reminds me, I need more apple jack!
KRW- You'll get it when you read the book! Look for the "Legacies tie-in!
Medusa Wrote:I even managed to get all 60 or 70 (however many it is so far) Deathlands series by James Axler (even though some of them weren't very good).Book 69 in the series should be hitting bookstores in the next few weeks. For the Deathlands series, most of the first one was written by Jack Adrian. It was completed by Laurence James, who went on to write the next 32 books. He also wrote the three Earthblood books published under the Axler house name. James' books are pretty good for what they are (formulaic post-apocalyptic pulp fiction). Since he left the series there has been a stable of more than a half dozen other authors, and the quality has more or less been a steady decline since then. There are one or two decent ones in the later books, but most of them pander to the basest of pre-adolescent sex and power fantasies. But they keep selling, so Gold Eagle keeps on cranking them out one every three months.
On the other hand, the Outlanders series also published under the Axler house name is an excellent series primarily written by Mark Ellis. Where Deathlands operates in the complete absence of anything resembling scientific accuracy or deep charactarization, Outlanders features well-researched plot lines and has richly complex characters and continually evolving relationships. There have been a few exceptions when a different author has filled in, but Mark has written 27 out of the current 33 titles in the series and all of his stuff is top-notch.
Lokheed Wrote:Book 69 in the series should be hitting bookstores in the next few weeks. For the Deathlands series, most of the first one was written by Jack Adrian. It was completed by Laurence James, who went on to write the next 32 books. He also wrote the three Earthblood books published under the Axler house name. James' books are pretty good for what they are (formulaic post-apocalyptic pulp fiction). Since he left the series there has been a stable of more than a half dozen other authors, and the quality has more or less been a steady decline since then. There are one or two decent ones in the later books, but most of them pander to the basest of pre-adolescent sex and power fantasies. But they keep selling, so Gold Eagle keeps on cranking them out one every three months.That's what I've heard. I've noticed that I really liked Lawrence James stuff and certain others (Mark Ellis) but most of the other authors really stink.
On the other hand, the Outlanders series also published under the Axler house name is an excellent series primarily written by Mark Ellis. Where Deathlands operates in the complete absence of anything resembling scientific accuracy or deep charactarization, Outlanders features well-researched plot lines and has richly complex characters and continually evolving relationships. There have been a few exceptions when a different author has filled in, but Mark has written 27 out of the current 33 titles in the series and all of his stuff is top-notch.
I've been thinking about starting the Outlanders series but my husband was really good about all the money I've spent getting my books (Deathlands, FPW, J.D. Robb "In Death") I think if I keep getting more, he's going to groan. ha ha
I have several duplicates of the Deathlands books if you are interested in them.
Do yourself a favor and pick up the most recent Outlanders, Evil Abyss. This is actually a very good point to start reading the series. When Mark originally pitched it to GE it was an entirely original idea, but they wanted it to be refashioned into a sequel series set in the same universe as Deathlands. Over the years he has pushed to separate the two series, and with the next one (Children of the Serpent) he breaks the connection entirely.
A few books ago he wrapped up several long-running plot threads, so at this point a new reader can step in and catch up pretty quickly on what is going on.
A few books ago he wrapped up several long-running plot threads, so at this point a new reader can step in and catch up pretty quickly on what is going on.
Lokheed Wrote:Do yourself a favor and pick up the most recent Outlanders, Evil Abyss. This is actually a very good point to start reading the series. When Mark originally pitched it to GE it was an entirely original idea, but they wanted it to be refashioned into a sequel series set in the same universe as Deathlands. Over the years he has pushed to separate the two series, and with the next one (Children of the Serpent) he breaks the connection entirely.Are you the same Lokheed from the Deathlands/James Axler boards? I follow them also.
A few books ago he wrapped up several long-running plot threads, so at this point a new reader can step in and catch up pretty quickly on what is going on.
Guilty.
JamesAxler.com started out as a final project for a college class, back in '97. Over the past seven years it has grown and changed radically, and I am constantly surprised at the number of people who visit the site. As for the two Axler series, I still read every book mostly out of a sense of obligation. I run the website, fer gosh sakes, so I should aughta be up to date with the books.
With Outlanders, it's a real joy. Mark Ellis is a dang good action writer, and clearly spends a great deal of time researching exotic locations as well as ancient history and mythologies from around the world. Although he is writing science fiction, the stories are all strongly character driven. The sci-fi is really only a prop, a backdrop to place the characters into. The science is also very well researched, and everything is based on real-world science and physics.
With Deathlands, not so much. The infamous water beetle people and gasoline powered matter transfer units and the like just don't cut it. Still, most of them are at least decent popcorn entertainment. Only a few have been as completely wretched as Skydark Spawn.
JamesAxler.com started out as a final project for a college class, back in '97. Over the past seven years it has grown and changed radically, and I am constantly surprised at the number of people who visit the site. As for the two Axler series, I still read every book mostly out of a sense of obligation. I run the website, fer gosh sakes, so I should aughta be up to date with the books.
With Outlanders, it's a real joy. Mark Ellis is a dang good action writer, and clearly spends a great deal of time researching exotic locations as well as ancient history and mythologies from around the world. Although he is writing science fiction, the stories are all strongly character driven. The sci-fi is really only a prop, a backdrop to place the characters into. The science is also very well researched, and everything is based on real-world science and physics.
With Deathlands, not so much. The infamous water beetle people and gasoline powered matter transfer units and the like just don't cut it. Still, most of them are at least decent popcorn entertainment. Only a few have been as completely wretched as Skydark Spawn.