[Gabriele]

Tsundoku, on 14 August 2022 - 07:49 AM, said:

I have tried numerous times and never got any further than around page 150. Boring as batshit. Just a bunch of upper-crust Russians speaking French (many "bon mots" or whatever they're called left untranslated in my old edition, completely defeating the purpose of having an English version) to each other at boring soirees.

Maybe I need to get a fully translated version. Maybe I need to push past the WTF stuff to get to the good stuff which I am assured is later on (I guess a Malazan fan should be able to). Couldn't be bothered, did not hold my interest at all.

I love the novel. But it is titled War and Peace for a reason. There are a lot of chapters set in peace (either before the war reaches Russia or in places far away from the frontline - until the French reach Moscow; those scenes like the flight of the Rostov family are some of the peaks) and those are basically a Russian Jane Austen without the sarcasm. There is also a good deal of philosophical musings about war in the war chapters. Some stuff should be great even for non-fans, though, like Pjort Besukhov bumbling around in Moscow, trying to assassinate Napoleon. The war scenes are very realistic.

The characters are more 'normal' than those of Dostoyevskij (whose entire cast should see a shrink ).

[Abyss]

Humble Bundle has the first 29 VAMPIRE HUNTER D novels for $20ish.
Anyone have an opinion?

[Salt-Man Z]

Abyss, on 18 October 2022 - 07:42 PM, said:

Humble Bundle has the first 29 VAMPIRE HUNTER D novels for $20ish.
Anyone have an opinion?

About 10 years ago, I saw the first dozen or so books on clearance for maybe $1 each, so I grabbed the first three. Only got through two. The only way I can describe the writing is very anime with a narrator that casually describes how over-the-top-awesome the protagonist is. Some might find it a kind of pulpy fun, but I found the prose way too pedestrian to get into. Not sure if it's the fault of the translator or what. (I will say, I'm still half-tempted to slide that charity slider all the way to the right and pick up the full bundle...)

[Aptorian]

Anyone read the Gray Man novels by Mark Greaney?

I thought the Netflix movie was pretty weak but I guess the book series must be popular for a reason?

[Macros]

Ken Follets Pillars of the Earth series?

Book one is war and peace size, guy at work trying to push it on me...

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Macros, on 24 January 2023 - 06:11 AM, said:

Ken Follets Pillars of the Earth series?

Book one is war and peace size, guy at work trying to push it on me...

I've got the first one but haven't read it yet. Friend who read the series said the first one is faintly ridiculous at times but that the series improved as it went on.

[Salt-Man Z]

I read PILLARS OF THE EARTH back in 2005 before there were sequels and loved it at the time, despite its issues. When I started cataloging my library/reading, it was an easy 5-star choice for me. I don't think I ever read a Follett book I didn't really enjoy, but then it's been almost 2 decades since I've read any of his stuff...

[Macros]

That's a big reco then, will add it to the list

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Salt-Man Z, on 24 January 2023 - 11:38 PM, said:

I read PILLARS OF THE EARTH back in 2005 before there were sequels and loved it at the time, despite its issues. When I started cataloging my library/reading, it was an easy 5-star choice for me. I don't think I ever read a Follett book I didn't really enjoy, but then it's been almost 2 decades since I've read any of his stuff...

Thanks. Shall shift it up the list

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

Molly Gloss' The Dazzle of Day or Harry Martinson's Aniara?

Le Guin recommends them in the foreword to her anthology, The Birthday of the World.

[Chance]

Whisperzzzzzzz, on 25 February 2023 - 06:22 PM, said:

Harry Martinson's Aniara?

Personally I find it wonderful but its probably not for everyone but I think if one likes Le Guin I can certainly see a certain old school similarity between them or stuff like Asimov.

Might be even better dramatized now that I think about it, absolutely loved it as a theater piece.

This post has been edited by Chance: 26 February 2023 - 01:40 PM

[stone monkey]

Tsundoku, on 14 August 2022 - 07:49 AM, said:

I have tried numerous times and never got any further than around page 150. Boring as batshit. Just a bunch of upper-crust Russians speaking French (many "bon mots" or whatever they're called left untranslated in my old edition, completely defeating the purpose of having an English version) to each other at boring soirees.

Maybe I need to get a fully translated version. Maybe I need to push past the WTF stuff to get to the good stuff which I am assured is later on (I guess a Malazan fan should be able to). Couldn't be bothered, did not hold my interest at all.

The, soi-disant imo, bon mots are in untranslated French because Tolstoy assumed that every educated person would have some French. And the Russian aristocracy were kind of obsessed with France at the time; the centre of culture and all that folderol.

This post has been edited by stone monkey: 26 February 2023 - 11:30 PM

[worry]

Sacré bleu!

[Tsundoku]

stone monkey, on 26 February 2023 - 11:30 PM, said:

Tsundoku, on 14 August 2022 - 07:49 AM, said:

I have tried numerous times and never got any further than around page 150. Boring as batshit. Just a bunch of upper-crust Russians speaking French (many "bon mots" or whatever they're called left untranslated in my old edition, completely defeating the purpose of having an English version) to each other at boring soirees.Maybe I need to get a fully translated version. Maybe I need to push past the WTF stuff to get to the good stuff which I am assured is later on (I guess a Malazan fan should be able to). Couldn't be bothered, did not hold my interest at all.

The, soi-disant imo, bon mots are in untranslated French because Tolstoy assumed that every educated person would have some French. And the Russian aristocracy were kind of obsessed with France at the time; the centre of culture and all that folderol.

worry, on 27 February 2023 - 01:19 AM, said:

Sacré bleu!

[Gorefest]

Trottoir! Et portefeuille!

This post has been edited by Gorefest: 27 February 2023 - 12:32 PM

[RealGatekeeper1]

No.

[Chance]

Anyone tested Will of the Many by James Islington?

[QuickTidal]

Chance, on 19 June 2023 - 04:58 PM, said:

Anyone tested Will of the Many by James Islington?

Not yet. Got very tempted by the hardcover in the store though, it's got a LOVELY cover...For what it's worth a few people I trust have read it and enjoyed it a LOT and felt like it was more focused and honed at the writing craft than Licanius.

[Macros]

Clickbait silly grumble grumble 7 fantasy books I "need" to read bla bla bla

from that, has anyone read, and what did we think of:

Illborn by Daniel Jackson
Eleventh Cycle by Kain Ardalan
The Ember Blade by Chris Wooding

[Chance]

Macros, on 30 June 2023 - 07:05 AM, said:

The Ember Blade by Chris Wooding

There it is very much a basic troupe ladden fantasy. There are hints that there is more to the world but you the reader doesn't to know much about it by the end of book 1. Not bad but not particularly outstanding in any way either. Personally I might get to book two sometime but probably not until the series is finished.

This post has been edited by Chance: 30 June 2023 - 09:24 AM