[pat5150]

Tsundoku, on 25 August 2023 - 10:11 PM, said:

Nice flex there Pat.

[pat5150]

So about 250 pages into Oracle and it's more of the same, I'm afraid. As the title implies, Jewel finally embarks on the quest that we always knew she'd have to go through at some point.

Problem is, this only takes about 20 pages or so, right at the beginning. The next 160 pages follows Jester delivering three messages for Finch and an incident at the Merchants' Guild. House business and commercial ventures and unending conversations meant for the younger ATerafin to be brought up to speed by more experienced people got so boring that I considered skipping whatever had to do with them. Not there yet, but I might start to skim certain scenes.

Back to Jewel and her companions around page 180 and it's quite fascinating. According to the blurb, this might be the book in which we learn the most about gods, Firstborn, immortals, etc. Looking forward to that.

Here's the hoping that like in the Sun Sword, big chunks of House stuff occurred in the first half of the novel and then we moves on to bigger and better things. Not holding my breath, though. . .

[Abyss]

Tsundoku, on 25 August 2023 - 10:11 PM, said:

pat5150, on 25 August 2023 - 01:58 PM, said:

Will start West's Firstborn today. Wanted to dive into Jim Butcher's The Olympian Affair, but I need to get back into the House War since it's been over a month since I read the last one.

Nice flex there Pat.

I hate you Pat.

[Geoffray]

Slow Ben, on 24 August 2023 - 04:19 PM, said:

Alright, I’m jumping in. Hidden City came in the mail today.

Let’s goooooooo

Same, i've started last week. I'm hooked ^^!

[pat5150]

Abyss, on 30 August 2023 - 05:34 AM, said:

I hate you Pat.

Now, now, I bet you can't wait for me to tell you about the talking cats!

[pat5150]

About 400 pages into Oracle and things are looking up. Jester's POV took an unexpected turn for the better and Jewel's quest continues to be fascinating.

[Abyss]

pat5150, on 30 August 2023 - 08:12 PM, said:

Abyss, on 30 August 2023 - 05:34 AM, said:

I hate you Pat.

Now, now, I bet you can't wait for me to tell you about the talking cats!

Die.


...but first, BRAAAIIIIIIIINNNZZZZ.

[pat5150]

500 pages into Oracle and along with Sea of Sorrows this just might be the book in which we learn the most about everything. Less House business makes for good reading!

[pat5150]

About 650 pages into Oracle and it continues to be quite good. If not for the Finch/Teller/House business chapters, it would be as good as the Sun Sword books.

Two new POVs, that of Jester and another one which must remain anonymous for the time being, add new layers to what is already an extremely convoluted plot.

Less than a hundred pages to go and Michelle West has proven that she knows just how to close the show with style. Looking forward to the finale!

This post has been edited by pat5150: 03 September 2023 - 10:18 PM

[pat5150]

Abyss, on 02 September 2023 - 01:44 PM, said:

Die.


...but first, BRAAAIIIIIIIINNNZZZZ.

Just so you know, there are also talking cats in the House War books. . .

[pat5150]

Finished Oracle yesterday and it's the best one of the House War bunch thus far (not counting the first 3, of course). At this juncture, I can safely say that you truly don't need to read the first 3 volumes to follow/enjoy the aftermath of the Sun Sword.

I've been saying that I believed that Jewel would replace Evayne when all is said and done. Well, I was wrong. It was revealed what she is slowly becoming and it's something else! The rationale behind spending so many pages (in both series) elaborating on House Terafin business/members/what not is that Jewel will need something she loves and cannot stand to lose to stand up against the forces of evil that will try to destroy the capital and the rest of the world. We've known this since forever, so I'm wondering why Michelle West feels the need to "waste" hundreds and hundreds of pages over the course of numerous books just to hammer this into readers' mind. We get it.

Though House business remains as boring as in previous books, in Oracle Finch and Teller, though part of the storylines, don't take center stage. This allows Jester and another character that must remain anonymous, as well as a few others, to come into their own and make things more interesting.

Jewel's quest is great, all the more so since a good chunk of it it seen through the eyes of her companions and not just herself. The problem with Jewel is that there is very little character-growth as far as she is concerned. Though all the other characters change and evolve, regardless of what she's been through (and yes, I understand that Jewel likely grows in the first 3 books, given that she starts out as a child, etc), the Jewel in Oracle is pretty much the same young woman we saw early on in the Sun Sword books. Based on the importance of what she has done and what she must yet do, this is a disappointment. Reading her POV remains as annoying now as it was then.

But yes, Oracle moves the storylines forward more than any of the other House War installments.

Hopefully, the next volume will continue to further the overall plot in much the same way. But since Firstborn is essentially the first half of War, which grew too big to be published as a single novel (this is a recurring problem for West, it seems), I'm concerned as to how well it will stand on its own.

[QuickTidal]

pat5150, on 06 September 2023 - 03:14 PM, said:

Finished Oracle yesterday and it's the best one of the House War bunch thus far (not counting the first 3, of course). At this juncture, I can safely say that you truly don't need to read the first 3 volumes to follow/enjoy the aftermath of the Sun Sword.

This is such a weird little crusade you've embarked on man....you can't say any of the without having read them. And quite frankly I'll thank you not to say that. Like come on, it's comical at this point Pat.

[pat5150]

QuickTidal, on 06 September 2023 - 03:19 PM, said:

This is such a weird little crusade you've embarked on man....you can't say any of the without having read them. And quite frankly I'll thank you not to say that. Like come on, it's comical at this point Pat.

Fandom seems split 50-50, QT. When I was asking about this, I got basically the same amount of yay/nay replies. So it's not just me.

Thus far, everything with Skirmish going forward has been about the aftermath of the Sun Sword series. Sure, there is plenty of stuff pertaining to Jewel and her den's past, but it's more or less the same as it was in the previous series.

I'm sure I'm missing some nuances and that's as it should be. All the major plot points have to do with the Sun Sword, not Jewel's past and origin story.

As you say, I'll know for sure when I read the first three books. But for anyone excited about experiencing the aftermath of the Sun Sword right off the bat, I can say that you can jump to volume 4 without missing a beat in the greater scheme of things.

[QuickTidal]

pat5150, on 06 September 2023 - 03:14 PM, said:

At this juncture, I can safely say that you truly don't need to read the first 3 volumes to follow/enjoy the aftermath of the Sun Sword.

Then don't say irresponsible stuff like this. The books exist for a reason, and West intends them as such. Just because you skipped them doesn't mean you can safely say everyone should.

[pat5150]

QT, I'm not saying everyone should.

Just that everyone who wants to skip the origin story and jump to the aftermath of the previous series could.

Sure, these books exist for a reason. And based on fans opinions, it appears that the first three just might be better than the rest of the House War series. I'm looking forward to reading them, myself. I simply couldn't wait to find out what happened next.

Until you read the last 5 books and until I read the first 3 books, there's no way to know who's right. Does it even matter?

Until then, we'll just have to agree to disagree.

[JPK]

With the three of you actively reading again, you've inspired me to start Sea of Sorrows. I might finally start my own thread tonight. Maybe.

Probably not.

[pat5150]

Sea of Sorrows is the best of the bunch! You're in for a treat!

[champ]

I cannot wait to get back into this series and the discussion but my mood phase at the moment just doesn't allow me to sit, chill and read. Hopefully soon though!

[Abyss]

Apparently the latest book lands Monday.

[pat5150]

The one that she's self-publishing or something else?