[Terez]

I think it was in Apt's WoT thread. Someone gave me a rep for that thread for making the most complicated spoiler tag post they'd ever seen, or something.

[Raymond Luxury Yacht]

That might have been me.

[Use Of Weapons]

frookenhauer;362351 said:

Can't say I actually remember much of feists' books, Magician was awesome and I remember Sethanon being good, but the decline in quality after that was fairly steep except for the serpentwar saga which I liked a lot. Was Sethanon the one with the oracle?

Sethanon is the one where

Spoiler

Macros is trapped in the City of Forever, which exists outside the universe. Tomas and Pug go to rescue him, and get trapped with him, travelling backwards in time. They accelerate the trap, go to the beginning of the universe, accelerate forwards again and get to Sethanon to prevent the Pantathian priests releasing the Valheru from the Lifestone. Meanwhile, Arutha, Jimmy, and co. are travelling to somewhere, trying to stop a moredhel invasion, and end up in Guy du Bas-Tyra's new home, one of the free cities of the west. Guy is the commander, and has taken charge of the city by popular acclaim. The city is put under siege, and they escape through tunnels below it, while booby-trapping the city with naphtha (Keth fire-oil, or something like that). They fall back to Sethanon, whence much fun ensues as the Pantathians and their dupes arrive and try to take it in order to release the Valheru (mainly their 'goddess', Alma-Lodaka). The commander of the moredhel army, Murmandamus, is a Pantathian, and he falls on the Lifestone as he dies, beginning the release process, and consuming the life force of every living thing on Midkemia as he does so. Dragons and Valheru begin to appear in the skies abvoe Sethanon. Tomas stops it by driving his sword through Murmandamus into the Lifestone.

The Oracle of Aal takes the body of Ryath, the dragon, who'd been rendered mindless by Dreadlords, and becomes the protector of the Lifestone and guardian of the secret of Sethanon.

Hmm, I remember more of it than I thought I would.

[acesn8s]

Terez;362328 said:

Spoiler

Well, you have to consider that none of them really wanted to be there except for Cyndane, who had the misfortune of running into Alivia the Walking Arsenal as soon as she got there. But the REASON none of them wanted to be there is because Rand was using the FUCKING CHOEDAN KAL. None of them had a sa'angreal, and even if they did, they still wouldn't have been able to stand up to that. What would be the point in bringing a bunch of fucking TROLLOCS? Jeez. It only would have drawn more attention to them, which would be the last thing any of them wanted with that much power being channeled by the enemy. Anyway, the only reason they were there was because the Nae'blis ordered them to go. Moghedien had the most sense of all of them, showing up and staying as hidden as possible. Mesaana didn't even go, and got punished for it later. Moridin wasn't about to go when he had lackies to order around. Aginor had the best plan next to Moghedien's, trying to sneak up on them, but he didn't count on the crazy Black Ajah bitch being the one controlling Callandor. It seems no one encountered Demandred, which means at least he had the sense to hide until it was all over with, once he figured out he didn't stand a chance of breaking through that ring - he knew Callandor was being used. Most of them probably would have tried to sneak up on him if it weren't for Rand's ring of protection.

I don't think this scene was in any way intended to be a shining moment for any of the Forsaken. It was just a dirty job that none of them wanted to do, but they had no choice but to pretend to try. Cyndane was the only one crazy enough to actually want to go, but that's because she's got a serious rejection complex and wants to kill Rand probably more than she wants to live, in her present circumstances.

Plus, and this is coming from memory - it's been 2 or 3 years since I read it:

Spoiler

I don't think the Forsaken really thought Rand would attempt to cleanse saidin, let alone succeed. So Rand picked the time and place invited all his friends and told them to be ready, then set off the fireworks. I think it was a testament to the Forsaken's power and ability that as many got away after initial contact.

[Terez]

acesn8s;362702 said:

Plus, and this is coming from memory - it's been 2 or 3 years since I read it:

Spoiler

I don't think the Forsaken really thought Rand would attempt to cleanse saidin, let alone succeed. So Rand picked the time and place invited all his friends and told them to be ready, then set off the fireworks. I think it was a testament to the Forsaken's power and ability that as many got away after initial contact.

Spoiler

They all knew he was planning on it, just not when. Demandred figured out what Rand was up to as soon as he figured out WHERE they were, but that didn't help him much, considering that, completely aside from Rand's link, the next strongest sa'angreal known to man was in use. And just to nitpick, it was Cadsuane that invited everyone. Rand was planning on doing it alone with Nynaeve. That's why he went to Far Madding before he did it - so the renegade Asha'man wouldn't sneak up on him while he was doing the job. The Forsaken, he just decided not to think about.

[acesn8s]

Terez;362828 said:

Spoiler

They all knew he was planning on it, just not when. Demandred figured out what Rand was up to as soon as he figured out WHERE they were, but that didn't help him much, considering that, completely aside from Rand's link, the next strongest sa'angreal known to man was in use. And just to nitpick, it was Cadsuane that invited everyone. Rand was planning on doing it alone with Nynaeve. That's why he went to Far Madding before he did it - so the renegade Asha'man wouldn't sneak up on him while he was doing the job. The Forsaken, he just decided not to think about.

Looks like it's time for a re-read!

[Terez]

Re-reads are awesome.

[frookenhauer]

It is time for a re-read...

Spoiler

Nynaeve alive! I had my suspicions, but I thought he might remain mercenary enough to keep her killed off or only reached through dreams or somesuch, bet her butch boyfriends going to be happy

. Has that brandon sanderson finished the set yet? (Wow Rhyming couplets )

Raymond Luxury Yacht;362559 said:

This makes me think of my post to Terez that was filled with spoiler tags. If you didn't read the spoilers, it looked like I was making lewd suggestions to her. With the spoilers, it didn't. I forget where it was. I want to read that post again.

Post the link dude!

jitsukerr;362685 said:

Hmm, I remember more of it than I thought I would.

flippin eck mate, it all comes flooding back...

Spoiler

Talking of macross, I'm not too happy with the way...if you haven't read any of his new books look away now, this is a shocker.

I mean it

Spoiler

Macross is alive, although in another alien type creatures body, but I'm not sure how I feel about it, because the reintroduction was a bit soap TV-esque.

More WAR please!

[Gabriele]

There are some good ones on the list so far - I think Erikson, Cornwell or Gemmell could not write a bad battle even if they tried.

I've got some more I like.

Borodino in War and Peace (Prince Andrej's charge at Austerlitz is a fine scene, too)
The fight in King Etzel's Hall in the Song of the Niblungs

[Gabriele]

bwgan;359914 said:

Some might say that being a girl means that I don't know about battle scenes etc. They might say that and they might even be correct...they might also like hospital food.

And in case someone says women can't write battle scenes, he'll end up served as hospital food.

[Pig Iron]

Did anyone mention the Battle of the Pelennor Fields? JRRT was in WWI and I think it shows. Lots of these young guys never saw a dead body ... Glen Cook is good. Other favourites are not really fantasy, but some great naval battles in Patrick O'Brien or C S Forester (Hornblower).

Oh and Erikson and Cornwell of course.

[Use Of Weapons]

Elizabeth Moon writes good battle scenes. 'Paksenarrion' has some good ones, I recall, though I've not read it for such a long time.

And some of her space battles are good reads, too.

What about David Weber? I like some his early Honor Harrington battles, though the later ones seem to becomes strings of numbers.

[Deornoth]

I don't know if anyone has already mentioned it but the Siege of Naglimund (from 'The Dragonbone Chair') is all good!

[frookenhauer]

Deornoth;363334 said:

I don't know if anyone has already mentioned it but the Siege of Naglimund (from 'The Dragonbone Chair') is all good!

Not yet, It wasn't a bad offering I especially liked

Spoiler

the assasination that is perpetrated during the battle, but cannot remember specifics.

Gabriele;363051 said:

Borodino in War and Peace (Prince Andrej's charge at Austerlitz is a fine scene, too)
The fight in King Etzel's Hall in the Song of the Niblungs

You've actually read war and peace? I get scared every time I look at the book, so, is it worth a look?

[Gabriele]

frookenhauer;363495 said:

You've actually read war and peace? I get scared every time I look at the book, so, is it worth a look?

War and Peace is one of the books I reread every few years. But since I also do that with Lord of the Rings, The Magic Mountain, Daniel Deronda, the Warlord trilogy, First Man of Rome and sequels, Foucault's Pendulum, The Karamassov Brothers, Pride and Prejudice, Waylander, The King Beyond the Gate, Le Père Goriot, A Tale of Old Mortality, the Memory, Sorrow and Thorn trilogy and two score other books (not to mention those I've reread only once or twice) I can't say whether or not you will like it. My taste is a bit eclectic.

Compared to fe. Gemmell, Cornwell or Erikson, Tolstoy's battle scenes are slower, with strategic discussions and character musings mixed in, and last several chapters. But they have some great moments and portray a realistic image of a battle, only in a different way. And there's a lot more going on besides the battles.

[frookenhauer]

Gabriele;363501 said:

War and Peace is one of the books I reread every few years. But since I also do that with Lord of the Rings, The Magic Mountain, Daniel Deronda, the Warlord trilogy, First Man of Rome and sequels, Foucault's Pendulum, The Karamassov Brothers, Pride and Prejudice, Waylander, The King Beyond the Gate, Le Père Goriot, A Tale of Old Mortality, the Memory, Sorrow and Thorn trilogy and two score other books (not to mention those I've reread only once or twice) I can't say whether or not you will like it. My taste is a bit eclectic.

With all this rereading going on, how do you find the time do read any newer books?

Okay, you've convinced me, i'm going to suck it up and finally read the damn thing. After Bakkers "the darkness that comes before", which has finally resurfaced.w00t! and then WoT, followed by MBotF and anything I can lay my hands on...Fine, I admit it, it still scares me!

More War please, Don't hesitate to go into detail, just spoilerise it please for those who haven't read it yet! ty

[Gabriele]

frookenhauer;363693 said:

With all this rereading going on, how do you find the time do read any newer books?

I read a lot.

MBotF will surely end on my reread list as does ASoIaF, but both are still too fresh (and I'm still reading up on Malazan). I usually read a new and an old book parallel. But I realised that I do read a bit less than before since I started writing myself. It's several years already since the last reread of War and Peace and Magic Mountain.

Right now I read MBotF and WoT parallel after Terez convinced me to give the latter a try. It's ok so far, but slower than what I've read recently - actually more like the older books I reread, so it pairs up with the fast paced Malazan books just fine.

Ok, but now I'm off to write a battle scene.

[frookenhauer]

Gabriele;363727 said:

Ok, but now I'm off to write a battle scene.

AWESOME! Will it end up in the competition?

[Gabriele]

frookenhauer;363760 said:

AWESOME! Will it end up in the competition?

I don't think so. The competition asks for stories, not fragments from a novel.

But should I come up with a short story plotbunny in time, I may participate.

[frookenhauer]

One day, when I grow up, I want to be a writer too, just like Roald Dahl. Fast forward twenty years (and then some) and all I'm doing is writing reports, I'm damn good at 'em, but its not the same really

One day I might pick up quill and give it a shot...