[Abyss]

Abyss, on 18 June 2013 - 02:41 PM, said:

...I will acknowledge that it's a slow build... and Friedman does do the 'gradual build to big finish' thing that irritates me with many authors... but i thought her world was fascinatingly original, and when she finally starts the pay-off for RISING it's pretty damn impressive, albeit more in a dark fantasy characters in conflict sort of way than in a clash of thousands....

Kruppe, on 18 June 2013 - 03:17 PM, said:

I think that's my problem with a lot of books. The prose has to be blowing me away, in order for me to enjoy a "slow build." Otherwise, my brain goes into powersave mode, and I get nothing out of the book from that point on...
...

Yeah, it's a style that rarely works for me and is the main reason i don't love Weis/Hickman and Hobb, among others. I can appreciate a steady build to an impressive finale when the author holds my attention, but otherwise that finale better be DAMN impressive to pay off the read-time.

CSF impressed me with her world-building. To be fair, what she did with BLACK SUN RISING twenty years or so ago was far more original at that time than it might be now. I found it fascinating, but i can see a current reader not being as impressed, in which case you're left with slow build to big finish and fairly unoriginal characters fora big chunk of the story, minus one in particular who happens to remain one of my favorite fantasy lit characters ever
MINOR SPOILER
DON'T READ UNLESS YOU'VE READ THE BOOKS OR
ARE ON THE FENCE ABOUT CONTINUING AND WANT A REASON
SPOILER CHARACTER NAME AND VAGUE DESCRIPTOR SPOILER

Spoiler

Tarrant.... what you get if Jesus Christ became a fear vampire and lived to present day

.

The series has its flaws and the middle book isn't nearly as good as the first and last (tho the last was frikkin amazing). I think it's worthwhile but i can't say i'm surprised others don't.




...even if they are cold and dead inside.

[Serenity]

QuickTidal, on 18 June 2013 - 02:39 PM, said:

Kruppe, on 18 June 2013 - 01:22 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 18 June 2013 - 01:10 PM, said:

BLACK SUN RISING by Friedman...page 125...eh....does anything start to happen?

I'm about ten pages from Lemon Law-ing this book man. I think 100 pages is plenty to give this a chance, but so far not much has happened that keep my interest.

I felt the same way. Loved the prologue, but after that it was a struggle to stay awake. I strongly preferred Feast Of Souls.

Ah okay. Glad to hear I'm not alone.

The writing is fine, and the descriptions are lovely...but the plot is just kind of juddering along.

You're not alone. I bought all three books based on a friend's rec, read the first one and never went back to the others. It really wasn't for me - I just didn't find it engaging. It's a few years since I read it, but I seem to remember thinking it took itself a bit too seriously, and needed some humour or something to pull me along and help me to like the characters.

I'm currently trying to decide whether to start James Ellroy's The Black Dahlia or David Gemmell's The First Chronicles of Druss the Legend. In the meantime I'm reading a bit of Alison Weir's account of Anne Boleyn's downfall, The Lady in the Tower.

[worry]

Haven't read them yet, but my brother's genre of choice tends to be crime novels, and Ellroy's LA Quartet is something he's specifically recommended to me as very high caliber. Obviously Ellroy is very popular in general, so there's that, but in terms of separating the wheat from the chaff in crime fiction his is a word I trust.

I finished American Elsewhere, and enjoyed it quite a bit. Maybe not as much as Salt-Man Z, who put it in the "last great book you read" thread, as it did have one pet peeve of mine (a slow-on-the-uptake protagonist who's surprised by strange events well after she ought not to be), but other than that it was a real page-turner. Very funny, a consistently interesting mystery, and some definite payoff. Also there's a moment in the middle where the title clicks completely and it's wonderful.

Starting Alera #5. Now every time I look at my dog, I see a Canum and growl.

This post has been edited by worry: 19 June 2013 - 08:32 AM

[QuickTidal]

I've gone back to finish up Kearney's THE TEN THOUSAND while I await the release of the latest Rollins Sigma book on Tuesday.

[Lisheo]

I plan to re-read China Mieville's Embassytown, the one book of his that I really didn't enjoy. Other than that, I've been re-reading his book the Scar (the best of his Bas-Lag trilogy; it has pirates), and Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon.

[Serenity]

worry, on 19 June 2013 - 08:26 AM, said:

Haven't read them yet, but my brother's genre of choice tends to be crime novels, and Ellroy's LA Quartet is something he's specifically recommended to me as very high caliber. Obviously Ellroy is very popular in general, so there's that, but in terms of separating the wheat from the chaff in crime fiction his is a word I trust.

Indeed. I've read some of his other books (LA Confidential, American Tabloid, The Cold Six Thousand) and they've all been excellent. Well, that's pretty much made up my mind, thanks!

[Vengeance]

I just finished the KING OF THORNS starting the Emperor later today. Lovely reads just lovely. Martin Lawrence has a nice turn and a proper amount of blood.

[QuickTidal]

Vengeance, on 19 June 2013 - 01:23 PM, said:

I just finished the KING OF THORNS starting the Emperor later today. Lovely reads just lovely. Martin Lawrence has a nice turn and a proper amount of blood.

Martin Lawrence writes books now?


 night24_martin_lawrence.jpg (68.23K)
Number of downloads: 0

[Mentalist]

Kruppe, on 18 June 2013 - 03:17 PM, said:

I think that's my problem with a lot of books. The prose has to be blowing me away, in order for me to enjoy a "slow build." Otherwise, my brain goes into powersave mode, and I get nothing out of the book from that point on...

Anywho...


123. The Half-Made World by Felix Gilman - Someday, steampunk...someday I will enjoy you. But thus far, it seems like you are always narrated by the teacher from Ferris Bueller. My kingdom for some entertaining prose!

Have you read "Whitechapel Gods" yet?

This post has been edited by Mentalist: 19 June 2013 - 06:20 PM

[Abyss]

Mentalist, on 19 June 2013 - 06:19 PM, said:

Kruppe, on 18 June 2013 - 03:17 PM, said:

... Someday, steampunk...someday I will enjoy you. But thus far, it seems like you are always narrated by the teacher from Ferris Bueller. My kingdom for some entertaining prose!

Have you read "Whitechapel Gods" yet?

What he said. Seriously. SM Peters did awesome things with that book and if you're searching for superior steampunk, it's worth your dollars.


I'll also give a semi-nod to Lavie Tidhar's THE BOOKMAN. At 1/2way I haven't quite made up my mind whether it's brilliant or just interesting, but i'm liking it. Turn of the century London with Lizard aristocracy, automatons, dirigibles and Mars probes, plus terrorist bombs, mysterious orphans and a hard partyingTom Thumb. And the odd whale symphony. The pace is slower than perhaps i might like, but the setting holds my attention and when Tidhar gets creative, it's pretty neat. Like Grant Morrison on less drugs.

[Vengeance]

QuickTidal, on 19 June 2013 - 03:33 PM, said:

Vengeance, on 19 June 2013 - 01:23 PM, said:

I just finished the KING OF THORNS starting the Emperor later today. Lovely reads just lovely. Martin Lawrence has a nice turn and a proper amount of blood.

Martin Lawrence writes books now?

Yes and strangely enough they have the same title as Mark Lawrence. Caught me by surprise too.

[Mentalist]

Abyss, on 19 June 2013 - 06:30 PM, said:

Mentalist, on 19 June 2013 - 06:19 PM, said:

Kruppe, on 18 June 2013 - 03:17 PM, said:

... Someday, steampunk...someday I will enjoy you. But thus far, it seems like you are always narrated by the teacher from Ferris Bueller. My kingdom for some entertaining prose!

Have you read "Whitechapel Gods" yet?

What he said. Seriously. SM Peters did awesome things with that book and if you're searching for superior steampunk, it's worth your dollars.


I'll also give a semi-nod to Lavie Tidhar's THE BOOKMAN. At 1/2way I haven't quite made up my mind whether it's brilliant or just interesting, but i'm liking it. Turn of the century London with Lizard aristocracy, automatons, dirigibles and Mars probes, plus terrorist bombs, mysterious orphans and a hard partyingTom Thumb. And the odd whale symphony. The pace is slower than perhaps i might like, but the setting holds my attention and when Tidhar gets creative, it's pretty neat. Like Grant Morrison on less drugs.

You just wait for "Camera Obscura"...

[Orlion]

Kruppe, on 18 June 2013 - 03:17 PM, said:

125. The Magicians by Lev Grossman = Harry Potter + Narnia + adult situations. This one has mixed reviews, but I really enjoyed it.

I read this for a book club a couple years ago. It seems the farther away from it I am, the less I am critical of it. Grossman is very bare-bones, but that also means he does not outstay his welcome in any of the environments we find our characters in. It seems like I have most problems with the execution, but the various critiques of YA fantasy are excellent.

Spoiler

And I hated when the 'Beast' returned as the lost Martin brother or whatever. I would have preferred that it stayed an unknown, shadowy danger of messing with magic... unknowable, unpredictable...

I like that magic in this world is very tough to master and has very dangerous consequences. Often times in books like Harry Potter, a character may be blown to pieces by magic and be just fine after carted off to the nurse's office. Here, you screw up, you do not get another chance, and nothing can save you.

[Ukjent]

3/4 into Heir of Novron, still enjoying as much as the first time.

[Puck]

Question for those who have read King of Thorns: is it better than Prince of Thorns? As in, is it better written/less predictable? I'm very interested in where Lawrence is trying to go with the Broken Empire, but.. I dunno, I guess I need a reason beyond that to read on/am interested in the opinions of people who have actually read it.

[Stalker]

Just finished a reread of Richard Morgan's Altered Carbon, since I have finally have the next two books set to go.

[amphibian]

Puck, on 19 June 2013 - 08:58 PM, said:

Question for those who have read King of Thorns: is it better than Prince of Thorns? As in, is it better written/less predictable? I'm very interested in where Lawrence is trying to go with the Broken Empire, but.. I dunno, I guess I need a reason beyond that to read on/am interested in the opinions of people who have actually read it.

I honestly think at least half of King of Thorns was not predictable. Sure, maybe "Jorg kills a lotta people and somehow comes out as the less evil force" might be predictable, but Lawrence upped his game considerably with this book.

He made me actually care about Jorg - by making Jorg a stubborn jerk about things that are actually nice. Even if they're violence related.

Jorg is like a ta'averen of violence. Except he's way, way better than Rand/Mat/Perrin ever were as characters. He's like mini-Caine. Tiny, but fierce.

[amphibian]

Stalker, on 20 June 2013 - 03:11 AM, said:

Just finished a reread of Richard Morgan's Altered Carbon, since I have finally have the next two books set to go.

Terrific. Be prepared for setting/tonal shifts. Fun, fun books and Woken Furies might be one of my favorite emotional reads of all time.

[Puck]

amphibian, on 20 June 2013 - 04:44 AM, said:

Puck, on 19 June 2013 - 08:58 PM, said:

Question for those who have read King of Thorns: is it better than Prince of Thorns? As in, is it better written/less predictable? I'm very interested in where Lawrence is trying to go with the Broken Empire, but.. I dunno, I guess I need a reason beyond that to read on/am interested in the opinions of people who have actually read it.

I honestly think at least half of King of Thorns was not predictable. Sure, maybe "Jorg kills a lotta people and somehow comes out as the less evil force" might be predictable, but Lawrence upped his game considerably with this book.

He made me actually care about Jorg - by making Jorg a stubborn jerk about things that are actually nice. Even if they're violence related.

Jorg is like a ta'averen of violence. Except he's way, way better than Rand/Mat/Perrin ever were as characters. He's like mini-Caine. Tiny, but fierce.

Tbh, Jorg was the only thing in Prince that kept me going, because everyone else seemed like background extras, while Jorg himself was quite well realized if a bit clumsily written (the prose is my biggest problem with the book, tbh). Hence why I wanted to know if it's worth continuing. Thus, thanks for the feedback, I'll at least give King a try

[QuickTidal]

amphibian, on 20 June 2013 - 04:45 AM, said:

Stalker, on 20 June 2013 - 03:11 AM, said:

Just finished a reread of Richard Morgan's Altered Carbon, since I have finally have the next two books set to go.

Terrific. Be prepared for setting/tonal shifts. Fun, fun books and Woken Furies might be one of my favorite emotional reads of all time.

This is the last Kovac book that I've not read...it sits in my ToRead Pile....maybe it's time to crack that badboy.