[Tes'thesula]

i take it obseleteresolve that you didn't like the fourth one...overall i would have to agree with you, although as a read it was quite enjoyable, if not ridiculous (talking about the extent of Gaborn's powers). I liked the third and fourth mainly for the continuation of Raj Ahtans story, as he was the best character by far...his end was pretty stupid though, and i can see the need for a fifth book ,which i will probably buy..

On another note, thank you all for the book suggestions. I have never heard of Bakker outside this forum, but i would be interested in his books if he is similar to erikson
Which of Hobbs books is her first in the universe she has created, i.e which will leave me the least confused
And i have read GRRM up to his latest book THankyou

cheeers

[cauthon]

I read the first two, then I gave up. The writing is not special, neither is the setting. The idea about preying on other people to get stronger is not bad, but it's a bit overdone. Come on, a thousand people maimed for their lord. It was getting ridiculous toward then end.

[Tes'thesula]

He wrote the Runelords series.

I was wondering if anyone else had read his series, starting with the Sum of All men.
I thought it was very good, with interesting new concepts. To be more precise, i started very well and then got weaker and slightly more ridiculous as new books appeared...still enjoyable, but ridiculous...

any other opinions on the books?

and as an aside...im looking for a new series...is hobbs worth a try?

[Kimpo]

wow, didn't know 4 was out, will have to see if I can find it somewhere then. can see why they'd make a movie, they're fairly short books, action, a little drama. don't recognize the makers so maybe they'll surprise and do a good fantasy movie

[Valgard]

I thought book one was good an interesting idea thought through really quite cool. I got a hundred pages into book 2 and had to give up I found it so much worse than the first one really terrible. Hobb is much better read the farseer trilogy her best work in my opinion. If you haven't already tried them then Martins song of ice and fire is excellent one of the best out there, also R. Scott Bakker a new author who is very liked by many that also like Erikson.

[gyrehead]

quote:

Originally posted by Edge:
Yeah, good ideas (like the Sum of All Men) but spoiled by bad writing.

This sums it up perfectly. And to be honest there weren't even that many good ideas. A few. But way too few even if his writing had been good. All everyone did was rush all over the place and watch hundreds of thousands of people die (Farland's concept of crowds and armies was so horrifically unrealistic, even for fantasy, it turned into a bit of a joke).

[Abyss]

Cool ideas, wildly inconsistent writing.

I genuinely thought some of his ideas were some of the most original i had read in ages, but it really seemed as though he was rushing parts, hammering plot lines in for no apparent reason, and often just letting things meander off in nor particular direction for a few chapters.

It was good airport reading - which is to say, trapped in a asirport with nothing else to read, I picked up his books and don't regret it, but generally, the weak overshadowed the strong bits.


- Abyss, wants a few of those memory dedicates.

[McLovin]

Agree with cauthon - the idea of using runes to make oneself stronger/faster/whatever at another's expense was cool, and if Farland had really focused on mining the vast potential of themes that idea suggests, Runelords would have been awesome. Instead, we got reavers and that Earth King storyline that was so bolted-on you could almost see Frankensteinian stitching on the page. I quit after book one...

[ObsoleteResolve]

I thought the first two were good. The third started to go downhill. And The Lair of Bones, for stylistic, quality, and sheer **** quality of the ending, was a ****ing travesty. I loved the first two, thought the universe was pretty interesting, the third started to weaken "Ohnoes, the One True Master" and then the fourth... Gack. Let's tack "OFF EVUL" to the "One True Master" part.

Started good, had alot of promise, and went down the ****ter.

And, ohdeargod,thepainthepain: http://www.runelords....com/index.html

Yes. There's going to be a movie. Because, you know, there aren't any more worthy fantasy novels within the entire annals of fantasy...

.david
-Wait.Wait. WHAT?!? WHAATT?!? There's going to be a BOOK FIVE. I had the impression, from FOUR, that Farland was getting tired of the universe- thus the horribly rushed ending to Lair of Bones. Apparently, no. It's continuing. Deargodinheaven...

[Kimpo]

I liked his books, bought all three, have to admit the later books are weaker than the first, a shame since it's a quite original and interesting world