[EmperorMagus]

polishgenius, on 10 September 2014 - 10:47 AM, said:

Bakker's the baws. The first trilogy takes some effort to get into but it's worth it, and the first two books of the second trilogy are brilliant.

I had no problem with the first two books of the Bakker trilogy. They are quite awesome. If you don't have a problem with an asshole protagonist.

[Andorion]

By Bakker I mean the first trilogy, beginning with the prince of nothing.
Personally I am inching towards plunging into WoT finally.

[Andorion]

QuickTidal, on 10 September 2014 - 10:38 AM, said:

Andorion, on 10 September 2014 - 05:17 AM, said:

4. Scott Westerfeld who writes books like Leviathan and Behemoth. Bit hazy about the genre but the blurb seems a bit steampunky maybe?

I can chime in here. These are YA, but they are QUITE unique, and decently written. WWI by way of steampunk. It has the added bonus of being filled with great art.

Oh and I'm also in the crowd with Simeon who will tell you to skip Bakker. He's up his own ass, and the books are meh.

What do you think of me keeping the Westerfeld books as interval palate cleansers during an extended WoT read?

[End of Disc One]

I'm a long time Wheel of Time fan, but I worry that if I read the books again they wouldn't hold up.

Bakker is brilliant. I've only read the first two books but I think they're some of the best fantasy out there.

[QuickTidal]

Andorion, on 10 September 2014 - 11:41 AM, said:

QuickTidal, on 10 September 2014 - 10:38 AM, said:

Andorion, on 10 September 2014 - 05:17 AM, said:

4. Scott Westerfeld who writes books like Leviathan and Behemoth. Bit hazy about the genre but the blurb seems a bit steampunky maybe?

I can chime in here. These are YA, but they are QUITE unique, and decently written. WWI by way of steampunk. It has the added bonus of being filled with great art.

Oh and I'm also in the crowd with Simeon who will tell you to skip Bakker. He's up his own ass, and the books are meh.

What do you think of me keeping the Westerfeld books as interval palate cleansers during an extended WoT read?

Since they are YA, this will be a good plan. They are easily digestible reads that can serve well as palate cleansers.

[Serenity]

I finished O'Brian's The Surgeon's Mate over the weekend, thought it was bloody marvellous.

I've just finished Hannibal by Ross Leckie, which is possibly the nastiest (in graphic violence terms) book I've read. I'm not usually bothered by violence in books, but I nearly threw this one across the room in disgust a couple of times. Won't be bothering with the sequels.

This post has been edited by Serenity: 10 September 2014 - 01:00 PM

[Andorion]

Setting myself up for the big WoT read, but first a trip away from fiction, So rereading Max Hastings' old battle narrative Overlord: The Battle For Normandy. More than halfway through. Started reading it on a whim when I was waiting for advice on the board to decide whether to start WoT or not. Should be done by tomorrow.

[Tiste Simeon]

QuickTidal, on 10 September 2014 - 10:38 AM, said:

Andorion, on 10 September 2014 - 05:17 AM, said:

4. Scott Westerfeld who writes books like Leviathan and Behemoth. Bit hazy about the genre but the blurb seems a bit steampunky maybe?

I can chime in here. These are YA, but they are QUITE unique, and decently written. WWI by way of steampunk. It has the added bonus of being filled with great art.

Oh and I'm also in the crowd with Simeon who will tell you to skip Bakker. He's up his own ass, and the books are meh.

I assume you mean Bakker is up his own ass, not Simeon...

[QuickTidal]

Tiste Simeon, on 11 September 2014 - 06:46 AM, said:

QuickTidal, on 10 September 2014 - 10:38 AM, said:

Andorion, on 10 September 2014 - 05:17 AM, said:

4. Scott Westerfeld who writes books like Leviathan and Behemoth. Bit hazy about the genre but the blurb seems a bit steampunky maybe?

I can chime in here. These are YA, but they are QUITE unique, and decently written. WWI by way of steampunk. It has the added bonus of being filled with great art.

Oh and I'm also in the crowd with Simeon who will tell you to skip Bakker. He's up his own ass, and the books are meh.

I assume you mean Bakker is up his own ass, not Simeon...

Well of course.

[Ukjent]

But the whole sentence is wrong, you don't skip Bakker.

[McLovin]

Re: Bakker, I say try the first book. Based on comments of others, most readers of Bakker either quickly fall in love or are quickly repulsed by his writing.

I'm more in the middle - I appreciate what he's trying to do but I can also see the weaknesses.

[Macros]

Didn't like Bakker at all.

Finished up my masters of Rome omnibus today.
Fist 5 books, really want to get the next two right away, excellent books

[Baco Xtath]

Finished the First Fifteen Lives of Harry August by Claire North (Catherine Webb/Kate Griffin). Absolutely phenomenal book. Think Groundhog Day but instead of a single day lived over and over it's a whole life.

Also still loving Ash: A Secret History. A bit in the middle about Brass Man. And hated my listen of Prador Moon. I was about to quit with only an hour left and wouldn't have regretted it if I had.

[Chance]

McLovin, on 11 September 2014 - 04:11 PM, said:

Re: Bakker, I say try the first book. Based on comments of others, most readers of Bakker either quickly fall in love or are quickly repulsed by his writing.

I'm more in the middle - I appreciate what he's trying to do but I can also see the weaknesses.

While Bakker is amongst the authors your least likely to get a consensus over, I'd say avoid the first book...it might give you the impression that what is to come is worth reading.



Finally got through Mistborn and will probably read the rest of the series next, I'm in for some fairly light entertainment. More and more getting the fealing that Sanderson is writing the same book over and over in diffrent mileu and with diffrent powers accomplishing more or less the same purpose.

This post has been edited by Chance: 11 September 2014 - 05:10 PM

[worry]

So you guys love Butcher and hate Bakker, but any thoughts on Candlestickmaker's work?

[Tiste Simeon]

worry, on 11 September 2014 - 09:34 PM, said:

So you guys love Butcher and hate Bakker, but any thoughts on Candlestickmaker's work?

Well there goes tea sprayed all over my phone. Thanks for that.

[Slow Ben]

Chance said:

1410455414[/url]' post='1148369']

McLovin said:

1410451886[/url]' post='1148351']
Re: Bakker, I say try the first book. Based on comments of others, most readers of Bakker either quickly fall in love or are quickly repulsed by his writing.

I'm more in the middle - I appreciate what he's trying to do but I can also see the weaknesses.

I'd say avoid the first book...it might give you the impression that what is to come is worth reading.

Highly seconded.

[Andorion]

Clearly Bakker is as much of a controversy around here as Jordan. Okies.

Anyway, started WoT with the prequel book A New Spring. 50% in, and so far pretty decent. I'll probably start a WoT thread when I start the Eye of the World.

[Andorion]

Serenity, on 10 September 2014 - 01:00 PM, said:

I finished O'Brian's The Surgeon's Mate over the weekend, thought it was bloody marvellous.

I've just finished Hannibal by Ross Leckie, which is possibly the nastiest (in graphic violence terms) book I've read. I'm not usually bothered by violence in books, but I nearly threw this one across the room in disgust a couple of times. Won't be bothering with the sequels.

Regarding Ross Leckie, could you elaborate? I have read several books set in the Roman Empire, and violence was pretty much a staple so I am curious what turned you off.

[JPK]

Finally finished Assail and clocked in at 23 days to finish it. In the end, I liked it and will likely read it again a few years in the future during a full Malazan reread.

Next up is the new one from Carol Berg - Dust and Light.