[Mentalist]

Finished Stross' first "Merchant Princes" omnibus last night.

Abyss asked for an opinion. It's a very interesting take on the "average person goes to another world" trope with a healthy dose of political and social commentary (themes include: political economy, democracy, war on drugs, womens' rights). I never felt it got preachy but YMMV.

Pacing was generally pretty good. There's one main PoV character, but others get "interludes". Overall, it maintains a good mix of exposition, action and info-dumps--much better balance than, say, Stephenson.

Setting + world-building is cool, but I think it mostly works by playing off contrasts between the world's. There are some decent steampunk vibes in there in places, and that I felt was a really cool thing.

I probably should mention that most (though not all) important characters are female. I mention that since it's a tad unusual for sff, in case someone has an issue with that. I didn't though I felt at places that character development went a bit schizophrenic. Didn't really detract from my enjoyment. Will probably grab Volume 2 and 3 when I next see them.

Having finished that, I figured I may as well finish Codex Alera. "First Lord's Fury" is my new commute book.

[Baco Xtath]

Baco Xtath, on 15 July 2015 - 09:16 PM, said:

Oh well, I went ahead and bought and started listening to Armada. Yeah, it's hokey and predictable and his characters are the same as the ones in RPO (same nerd lingo and humor, not the same actual people) but I have to say it is fun. It's not going to win any awards or be remembered as some grand epic but it keeps me entertained. And sometimes, that's good enough.

Overall, Armada was pretty lame. Very predictable, very ridiculous, extremely nerdy, and such a step down from RPO that it's amazing. Not recommending this one.

[Baco Xtath]

After reading a bunch of shitty reviews for Queen of Fire, I returned it (audible is awesome) and bought When the Heavens Fall. I still think it was sock-puppet pushed but it's gotten some good reviews by people whose opinions I respect, so I'll bite. Also returned Armada (did I mention audible is awesome) and bought the Shadow of What was Lost; another epic fantasy that has damn good reviews. I've been military space opera-ing it for a while and need to flip a bit. Also listening to Alex Verus #2 - loving this series.

[Mezla PigDog]

I read the latest Demon Cycle book by Peter V Brett last weekend - The Skull Throne. I wanted some brain candy and found the first 3 books over the years were fun simple reads with some good ideas but mostly 2 dimensional characters. The first 75% of the latest book was utter dross (it reminded me of the Wheel of Time filler books and even approached braid tugging lows with the female characters) and the final 25% read like someone made an executive decision to try to emulate GRRM and failed with the exception of

Spoiler

surprise killing off of a bunch of characters

. So I'm kind of glad I read it and I'll read the next book in the hope that it's going to finally come to an end but I really wish this had been the final installment!

[amphibian]

I finished Queen of Fire.

There is a tonal shift to the book, as it stops being a male/slightly grimmer Paksenarrion and moves to an end game.

I liked the book quite a bit, but I can see why the hoi polloi are giving it bad reviews.

The main reason is that we spend less time with Vaelin and more time with Lyrna, Frentis, and Frentis's insane lady. These are grimmer, far more wounded people and the book reflects that.

I think Ryan wrote well and that he did provide a good bunch of answers to questions we've had from the beginning, while not making this book an info dump.

There's strong similarity to the Malazan marine attack on Lether here (without Hellian's humor) and if you liked that, you'll like the book.

[acesn8s]

Working my way through it now.

[QuickTidal]

I'm afraid to read it now, cause I enjoyed the first two so much. I don't mind focusing on other characters than Vaelin for lots of the running time...but I want it to solidly finish the trilogy and most of what I hear says that it doesn't exactly do that well.

[Andorion]

I had this really strange experience with a book called Quarter Share Book 1 of the Golden Age of the Solar Clipper. Its the only book that i have read so far about which I can say that nothing happens. Absolutely nothing happens. The book and everything in it is utterly mundane. and vanilla. You can use it to flavour ice cream its so vanilla.

Then I read and finished In the Company of Ogres. .Fun light read.

[Salt-Man Z]

Reading a review copy of Salman Rushdie's Two Years Eight Months and Twenty-Eight Nights (out in September) and digging it so far. Sometime in the near future, a huge storm hits New York, and in the aftermath people start experiencing "strangenesses" which are actually due to djinn returning to our world from Fairyland after a long absence. So far it seems to hold to a pattern of a short(ish) chapter giving the background behind events involving the djinn alternating with a longer chapter focusing on a particular individual affected by a strangeness. The long chapters (or at least the first one) meander, delving into backstory and moving between times and characters on tangents, eventually looping around to tie things up, and it's all very hypnotizing and enjoyable. Or at least the first chapter ("Mr. Geronimo") was. Not so sure about this next character, he annoys me already, but it's really good thus far.

[amphibian]

QuickTidal, on 20 July 2015 - 01:13 PM, said:

I'm afraid to read it now, cause I enjoyed the first two so much. I don't mind focusing on other characters than Vaelin for lots of the running time...but I want it to solidly finish the trilogy and most of what I hear says that it doesn't exactly do that well.

I think Queen of Fire does finish the trilogy well.

There's not a LOST-style shittastic ending here.

[Macros]

REread Legend yet again yesterday.
its just so frigging awesome.

But need something new, not warhammer, taking a break from 40k for a few weeks........

[QuickTidal]

amphibian, on 20 July 2015 - 03:15 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 20 July 2015 - 01:13 PM, said:

I'm afraid to read it now, cause I enjoyed the first two so much. I don't mind focusing on other characters than Vaelin for lots of the running time...but I want it to solidly finish the trilogy and most of what I hear says that it doesn't exactly do that well.

I think Queen of Fire does finish the trilogy well.

There's not a LOST-style shittastic ending here.

Hey, I liked the LOST ending! LOL

[JPK]

amphibian, on 20 July 2015 - 03:15 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 20 July 2015 - 01:13 PM, said:

I'm afraid to read it now, cause I enjoyed the first two so much. I don't mind focusing on other characters than Vaelin for lots of the running time...but I want it to solidly finish the trilogy and most of what I hear says that it doesn't exactly do that well.

I think Queen of Fire does finish the trilogy well.

There's not a LOST-style shittastic ending here.

This is enough of an endorsement for me. I know it's been getting chewed up in reviews, but I tend to trust the members of this board more than most other reviews anyways. Is rare someone here steers me wrong.

[Andorion]

So I am once again stuck for a reading choice:

The new Django Wexler book is here, but I am in one of book-mood swings and don't want to read it anymore.

There's Alastair Reynolds Poseidon trilogy

There's Iain M Banks lat two Culture books, Surface Detail and Hydrogen Sonata,

Theres the Gaunts Ghosts omnibus.

And then there's Glen Cooks everything.

Its a really tough call to make and I san't amke up my mind at all

[amphibian]

The Incredible Kitsu, on 20 July 2015 - 04:47 PM, said:

This is enough of an endorsement for me. I know it's been getting chewed up in reviews, but I tend to trust the members of this board more than most other reviews anyways. Is rare someone here steers me wrong.

I've read about 25 reviews between GoodReads and Amazon. Most of them are from people who are projecting what they want onto the books, rather than seeing what is there. They are the disappointed fanboys who hate any version of [comic book character] that is different from their favorite one.

The best review I saw was from http://fantasybookcr...n-reviewed.html

What that review does well is the acceptance of the tonal shift and the realization that Ryan was not interested in repeating Blood Song twice, but pushing the characters through as much as he could possibly do, and seeing what happened to them as a result.

(Not a spoiler to say the following, but the mystical stuff in the trilogy does get mostly explained in a way that shows just how clearly LOST punted the answers-football onwards).

[QuickTidal]

Andorion, on 20 July 2015 - 04:50 PM, said:

So I am once again stuck for a reading choice:

The new Django Wexler book is here, but I am in one of book-mood swings and don't want to read it anymore.

There's Alastair Reynolds Poseidon trilogy

There's Iain M Banks lat two Culture books, Surface Detail and Hydrogen Sonata,

Theres the Gaunts Ghosts omnibus.

And then there's Glen Cooks everything.

Its a really tough call to make and I san't amke up my mind at all

I'd say if Wexler's stuff (which is Fantasy right?) isn't doing it for you, go for Reynolds or Banks sci-fi stuff?

[Andorion]

QuickTidal, on 20 July 2015 - 06:05 PM, said:

Andorion, on 20 July 2015 - 04:50 PM, said:

So I am once again stuck for a reading choice:

The new Django Wexler book is here, but I am in one of book-mood swings and don't want to read it anymore.

There's Alastair Reynolds Poseidon trilogy

There's Iain M Banks lat two Culture books, Surface Detail and Hydrogen Sonata,

Theres the Gaunts Ghosts omnibus.

And then there's Glen Cooks everything.

Its a really tough call to make and I san't amke up my mind at all

I'd say if Wexler's stuff (which is Fantasy right?) isn't doing it for you, go for Reynolds or Banks sci-fi stuff?

Yeah, Wexler is flintlock fantasy. If you have read Brian Mclellan, its a bit like that though with more subtle magic.

Sci-fi...mmm Should probably take on Surface Detail then. That book has been staring me in the face forever.

And eventually I will have to decide what Cook to read. I have Black Company, Dread Empire, Instrumentalities, as well as Garrett PI.

[Macros]

I enjoyed Wexlers stuff. Nothing earth shattering but well paced and entertaining, you wont realise how quickly you're reading it till its gone.

Gaunts shosts are awesome
The Black Company, just start there, the first few are fantastic.

Now quickjly, im in my kobo bookstore, recommend me something to read. fantasy, epic or not i dont care, jsut off some gemmell, something akin would be grear

[QuickTidal]

Macros, on 20 July 2015 - 06:35 PM, said:

I enjoyed Wexlers stuff. Nothing earth shattering but well paced and entertaining, you wont realise how quickly you're reading it till its gone.

Gaunts shosts are awesome
The Black Company, just start there, the first few are fantastic.

Now quickjly, im in my kobo bookstore, recommend me something to read. fantasy, epic or not i dont care, jsut off some gemmell, something akin would be grear

Have you read Sebastien De Castel's TRAITOR'S BLADE yet? Swashbuckly/magic-infused, Musketeer-ish fantasy. Short. Enjoyable.

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 20 July 2015 - 06:47 PM

[Andorion]

QuickTidal, on 20 July 2015 - 06:47 PM, said:

Macros, on 20 July 2015 - 06:35 PM, said:

I enjoyed Wexlers stuff. Nothing earth shattering but well paced and entertaining, you wont realise how quickly you're reading it till its gone.

Gaunts shosts are awesome
The Black Company, just start there, the first few are fantastic.

Now quickjly, im in my kobo bookstore, recommend me something to read. fantasy, epic or not i dont care, jsut off some gemmell, something akin would be grear

Have you read Sebastien De Castel's TRAITOR'S BLADE yet? Swashbuckly/magic-infused, Musketeer-ish fantasy. Short. Enjoyable.

Yes, first book done. Absolutely excellent. Second book is on my list.