[Nicodimas]

End of Disc One, on 30 September 2015 - 01:40 PM, said:

Briar King, on 30 September 2015 - 02:31 AM, said:

Oh badass! I'm reminded of the Dreamcast game Skies of Arcadia!! I'm only on ch 1 but I hope this style persist.

One of my favorite games ever. IMO it has the most likable full cast in any video game I've played, and I love the feel of sailing through the skies.

Oh Cool!!!! SoA Fans...that game was so awesome ...

I got all sidetracked yesterday and didn't get to the book and crashed early. Will get it hopefully tonight based off this line of thought^

[Maark Abbott]

End of Disc One, on 30 September 2015 - 01:40 PM, said:

Briar King, on 30 September 2015 - 02:31 AM, said:

Oh badass! I'm reminded of the Dreamcast game Skies of Arcadia!! I'm only on ch 1 but I hope this style persist.

One of my favorite games ever. IMO it has the most likable full cast in any video game I've played, and I love the feel of sailing through the skies.

Let's be brothers? I'm seriously considering SoA for my right sleeve...

[QuickTidal]

In a flurry of reading I've finished. My thoughts largely line up with Historians. It's a really solid beginning to a series (and easily the best beginning Butcher has ever done) and it's a great read throughout. I won't post anymore chapter coverage, as I'm done and there is no need with the rest of you lot now reading it. I really enjoyed and I'm in for book 2.

One thing I was disappointed by:

Spoiler

No visit to the surface. I know there's supposed to be not much there ect. But it feels like the world could use some big overarcing asepct of the world that no one has discovered living far above the surface and rhe cloud. I thought it would at least touch on it, and it never does. We are 100% of the time in and around Albion.

One thing I loved:

Spoiler

That Folly's skills are WELL past what anyone thoguht they were. She has the possibility of being more powerful than Ferus methinks. That was really cool, as I love her character.

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 01 October 2015 - 11:03 AM

[Maark Abbott]

Briar King, on 30 September 2015 - 08:07 PM, said:

While Final Fantasy is my fav rpg SERIES, SoA is fav rpg game hands down. If it would have sequels and they were on that lvl FF wouldn't have a chance

That said when I read ch 1 yesterday I was bouncing like a child and said to myself Maark needs to try this fucker out.

And then I went and bought the shit out of it and have been humming the dungeon battle theme ever since.

Going to start verrrrrry shortly :3

[Maark Abbott]

Yeah. On we go.

[End of Disc One]

^Wow, already halfway through!

[Maark Abbott]

Hah, that was just a picture holding it open at a random stage to show Logan I had it.

I'm at chapter 6.

[Andorion]

Upto chapter 6. Like it a lot so far

[Obdigore]

Finished it. Entertaining, not great.

Would read more.

The ending was kind of cheesy, but w/e.

[Andorion]

Not reading any upthread posts. 41 chapters in. Is this set in the same world as Alera?

[Andorion]

Briar King, on 03 October 2015 - 01:00 AM, said:

Oh yeah and just like I predicted this motherfucker is on ch 41 compared to me on 13. I knew I'd be right on the money with that.

Yesterday was a holiday.
You could say I am using my three-day weekend productively

That first chapter was to die for!

[Andorion]

Finished. Thoughts later. I'll read the thread now.

[Andorion]

Ok, so thoughts.

I really loved this book. Really really loved it. Really, really really loved it. It just hit the sweet spot for me. It ticked off all the boxes I love.

Spoiler

Firstly I love military fantasy.
Secondly I love military fantasy which is a bit unconventional in weaponry or tech like gunpowder fantasy or Moranth munitions.
Thirdly I love fantasy with a naval theme which I get precious little off.

And Butcher touched all three of these in chapter 1. I was drooling. My inner naval loving self gave a moan of pleasure when the battlecruiser entered the scenario. I hope Butcher continues this theme. If he does, and sticks to these standards I can die happy.

Cats. Intelligent, arrogant, organized, talking cats. What an idea! My favourite fantasy quote has just become "Follow that cat!"

I didn't like Gwen at first, but her attempts at diplomacy were too hilarious for to continue disliking her.

Bridget and Rowl make this awesome team. Bridget's thoughts and actions are a very good foil to Gwen.

Ferrus and Folly. Ferrus made my jaw drop with his takedown of the Aurorans. Folly is I think going to be a major rising star in the series. I loved her way of conversation.

The library burning was a bit of a wrench. I can't stand reading about books being destroyed. Brings up too many unpleasant associations for me.

I read the last chase and battle while listening to Iron Maiden's Empire of the Clouds.

Sublime. No other word for it.

I am making a prediction about the index plotline. A major etheric power is rising, probably Cavendish's master. The index either contains his name and is the key to his rise to power.

In any other points I agree with QT. Except the Con. I think we have gotten just enough build up about the surface to make a book 2 excursion to the surface exciting. Probably related to salvaging crystals from the downed heavy cruiser.

Regarding the post apocalyptic idea, Yeah probably correct, but, the name Landing gave me another idea. What if this is an alien planet and these are stranded colonies gone wrong?

I want to see a mistmaw in book 2

This post has been edited by Andorion: 03 October 2015 - 05:48 PM

[Coco with marshmallows]

Just adding my approval to the upswell of enjoyment.

cracking book, well worth it.

[Tattersail_]

I enjoyed it. Thoughts later but definitely worth reading.

[polishgenius]

Finally read this. A lot of fun. Has a few flaws, but it's a solid basis for a continuing series and a ripping good yarn on its own, so good work Jim Butcher.

Spoiler

The action - as standard for Butcher- was ace. Well thought out and exciting.
The characters are a huge pile of cliche, and I'm a little worried that we're exchanging the ridiculous Mary-Sue-ing of Tavi in Alera for a whole crew of it in this, but despite their mostly-predictability they're fun so far and I'm down for the ride- just hoping Butcher can avoid hitting my concerns. Especially fond, so far, of Folly and Grimm. And Lady Cavendish, a hugely effective villain (Butcher is very good at these).
The setting is fantastic. We'll have to head down to the surface at some point, and unlike QT I'm glad we didn't yet- it should be built up and savoured. Throw it in now and doing it again won't be as big. There are hints at the end that we might open with it in the next book with the conversation about salvaging the ship that went down, but they might leave that off-screen/to someone else.
Curious to see where the long-term arc goes. The Enemy seems somewhat technological/robotic to me, did anyone else find that?
It amused me that after all the chat he gave it about it being his steampunk series, there's very little actual steampunk. Like, I get that there is steam power in the world for everyday stuff, but not only is the most important and showy stuff replaced by Etherics ie straight magic, but we're conspicuously put on the one ship that doesn't do steam engines and all that stuff. Not that I mind this at all, just found it a bit funny.
The cats are fun, but I wasn't as overwhelmingly taken with them as a lot of you seem to be. Partly coz I quite recently read a book (The Poison Throne by Celine Kiernan) that has a very similar, if slightly more serious, take on cats that is presented excellently, and partly because Rowl is basically Reepicheep but a cat, and as much as I enjoyed him, he was never going to measure up to Reep's place in my head. As much as that statement would offend him.

All in all, well worth it.

[Cause]

Its magitech not steampunk for sure. Its a sub-genre of a sub-genre and i think that more than anything informed his and probably his publishers decision to label it a steampunk during the hype phase.

[Abyss]

Cause, on 26 July 2016 - 03:18 PM, said:

Its magitech not steampunk for sure. Its a sub-genre of a sub-genre and i think that more than anything informed his and probably his publishers decision to label it a steampunk during the hype phase.

Actually, if we're going to be sub-technical about it the series is properly labeled 'catpunk'.

[QuickTidal]

Abyss, on 26 July 2016 - 04:07 PM, said:

Cause, on 26 July 2016 - 03:18 PM, said:

Its magitech not steampunk for sure. Its a sub-genre of a sub-genre and i think that more than anything informed his and probably his publishers decision to label it a steampunk during the hype phase.

Actually, if we're going to be sub-technical about it the series is properly labeled 'catpunk'.

Support of this sub-genre!

[Stormcat]

I am super late to this thread. I read it when it first came out but I have been offline for while. I love how he captured the essence of cat. The first meeting of the cat factions where they see who can ignore each other the longest is such a cat thing to do.