[Andorion]

I have a friend who lost 80% of his vision at a very young age due to damage to the optic nerve. Thanks to his immense determination and the support of his family he managed to continue his studies and is currently enrolled in a PhD program

I go to him at least twice a week and help out by downloading his mails, reading books and articles to him etc.

He is a total newbie to fantasy, but he really wanted to read Lord of the RIngs. Since he cant really read a book himself he asked me to read to him. Currently we are nearing the end of the Fellowship of the Ring. He is loving the book but is confused about orcs. He keeps on asking are they sentient like Men, Elves dwarfs etc or are they animalistic. I have been trying to explain Tolkiens Malevolent orc trope to him but I don't think I am doing a very good job.

Any idea how to simplify?

[Andorion]

Briar King, on 12 September 2015 - 03:19 AM, said:

Simple way is to tell him it's the ELVES that choose to back Sauron/Morgoth. They were once elves themselves.

I wouldn't say they are mindless just corrupt by evil and are typical baddies meant to be fodder.

I tried the orc/elf binary thing. It didn't work Remmeber he is totally new to fantasy as a genre. He has no idea about the general Tolkien mythos.

I think I could try again by saying they are totally evil, ultra-violent, but still have a type of intelligence

[worry]

I think brutish might be a good word for them, by culture and (by the time of Third Age Middle Earth) by nature.

[worry]

Do any of the people copy stink bugs in those books?

[Andorion]

Briar King, on 12 September 2015 - 03:31 AM, said:

Maybe glance on wiki with him before you start again and read him the info. I think that would be fairly informative for him.

This might actually be a good idea

[Puck]

Andorion, on 07 September 2015 - 03:05 AM, said:

On this topic are there any urban fantasy books out there with strong female charactes (both mental and physical) and where the romance is kept light?

I should say that I have not read it yet, but you could try Rob Thurman's Trickster series. You know Thurman's style, and it's set in the same continuity as the Cal Leandros books (though there are supposed to be no direct connections), except with a female protagonist and a different focus. Knowing Thurman, Trixa probably kicks ass. But again, have to read it yet myself.

[Baco Xtath]

Finished Mieville's Three Moments of an Explosion. It's a collection of short stories that, while maybe not as good as Looking for Jake, is an excellent collection of stories. He has one on space elevators which may be the best exploration of the idea I've ever heard, another on extreme psychiatric help, floating glaciers, and on and on. All are very much Mieville, so if you've enjoyed his other works, you can't go wrong with this.

[acesn8s]

Andorion, on 12 September 2015 - 03:27 AM, said:

Briar King, on 12 September 2015 - 03:19 AM, said:

Simple way is to tell him it's the ELVES that choose to back Sauron/Morgoth. They were once elves themselves.

I wouldn't say they are mindless just corrupt by evil and are typical baddies meant to be fodder.

I tried the orc/elf binary thing. It didn't work Remmeber he is totally new to fantasy as a genre. He has no idea about the general Tolkien mythos.

I think I could try again by saying they are totally evil, ultra-violent, but still have a type of intelligence

neanderthal elves.

[Mentalist]

Briar King, on 12 September 2015 - 03:31 AM, said:

Maybe glance on wiki with him before you start again and read him the info. I think that would be fairly informative for him.

This maybe one of those rare times where a referral to tvtropes may actually be appropriate... Though it may take longer to explain, and you may have to sidetrack to explain the various references.

This post has been edited by Mentalist: 14 September 2015 - 03:06 PM

[Andorion]

Mentalist, on 14 September 2015 - 03:06 PM, said:

Briar King, on 12 September 2015 - 03:31 AM, said:

Maybe glance on wiki with him before you start again and read him the info. I think that would be fairly informative for him.

This maybe one of those rare times where a referral to tvtropes may actually be appropriate... Though it may take longer to explain, and you may have to sidetrack to explain the various references.

I took some time out today to explain, the intelligent but evil and destructive aspect. I think I will leave the meta stuff till later.


On another note reading the Black Company, very different type of book, especially the writing and the narrative. Very short terse sentences, fast change of situation and place and big events summed up in a few words. .

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

Andorion, on 14 September 2015 - 04:46 PM, said:

Mentalist, on 14 September 2015 - 03:06 PM, said:

Briar King, on 12 September 2015 - 03:31 AM, said:

Maybe glance on wiki with him before you start again and read him the info. I think that would be fairly informative for him.

This maybe one of those rare times where a referral to tvtropes may actually be appropriate... Though it may take longer to explain, and you may have to sidetrack to explain the various references.

I took some time out today to explain, the intelligent but evil and destructive aspect. I think I will leave the meta stuff till later.


On another note reading the Black Company, very different type of book, especially the writing and the narrative. Very short terse sentences, fast change of situation and place and big events summed up in a few words. .

You're in for a good time with the BC books!

[Tiste Simeon]

Andorion, on 14 September 2015 - 04:46 PM, said:

Mentalist, on 14 September 2015 - 03:06 PM, said:

Briar King, on 12 September 2015 - 03:31 AM, said:

Maybe glance on wiki with him before you start again and read him the info. I think that would be fairly informative for him.

This maybe one of those rare times where a referral to tvtropes may actually be appropriate... Though it may take longer to explain, and you may have to sidetrack to explain the various references.

I took some time out today to explain, the intelligent but evil and destructive aspect. I think I will leave the meta stuff till later.


On another note reading the Black Company, very different type of book, especially the writing and the narrative. Very short terse sentences, fast change of situation and place and big events summed up in a few words. .

I'd suggest your friend isn't ready for Malazan just yet.

[Andorion]

Tiste Simeon, on 15 September 2015 - 04:19 AM, said:

Andorion, on 14 September 2015 - 04:46 PM, said:

Mentalist, on 14 September 2015 - 03:06 PM, said:

Briar King, on 12 September 2015 - 03:31 AM, said:

Maybe glance on wiki with him before you start again and read him the info. I think that would be fairly informative for him.

This maybe one of those rare times where a referral to tvtropes may actually be appropriate... Though it may take longer to explain, and you may have to sidetrack to explain the various references.

I took some time out today to explain, the intelligent but evil and destructive aspect. I think I will leave the meta stuff till later.


On another note reading the Black Company, very different type of book, especially the writing and the narrative. Very short terse sentences, fast change of situation and place and big events summed up in a few words. .

I'd suggest your friend isn't ready for Malazan just yet.

Nowhere close. LotR is his first ever fantasy. Ever. Let me finish it, get his reactions then maybe move on to something more recent. But Malazan is not even on the horizon. I chose LotR because apart from Harry Potter that was my first fantasy and was really eager about it.

[amphibian]

The Mahabharata and Ramayana are fantasies straight up.

If your friend can deal with Ravana's demons and Shikandini, they can deal with orcs and Orfantal.

[Maark Abbott]

Finished up TLoLL. Really enjoyed that. Onto Blackveil.

[HiddenOne]

reading Wells of Ascension - I keep thinking it's kind of slow and putting it down, then 3 minutes later I'm holding it in my hands again.

[QuickTidal]

HiddenOne, on 15 September 2015 - 12:19 PM, said:

reading Wells of Ascension - I keep thinking it's kind of slow and putting it down, then 3 minutes later I'm holding it in my hands again.

It suffers from ALL the middle book woes..and takes a little while to get back up to pace as a result, but it finishes VERY strongly. Stick with it if you can.

[acesn8s]

About 3/4 through The Forever War. I love it. A couple of mind blown moments.

[amphibian]

Kai Ashante Wilson's The Sorcerer of the Wildeeps is incredible.

Flat out fuckin' amazing.

But it's short at 224 pages. I honestly think this book would be one of the all time best novel debuts if it were 400 some pages because 224 feels like the first half of clear, impactful greatness. As it is, it's pretty great and the characters and action are so vivid. It's a very well written "caravan guard has immense depths to him that few others know and has to get everyone safely to the next destination" story.

I first heard about it from Saladin Ahmed and I was a little hesitant because Ahmed doesn't have the same tastes I do (our Venn diagrams in reading/media consumption do not overlap much), but I took a chance. It paid off gloriously.

Those looking for exquisitely written, non-white, non-cookie cutter characters will get them here.

[Serenity]

I've got about 40 pages left to go in the 20th and final completed novel in Patrick O'Brian's 'Aubrey/Maturin' series, Blue at the Mizzen. I'm feeling quite sad to be finishing it, although I suppose there's still the Final Unfinished Journey of Jack Aubrey to look through. I'll probably console myself by turning (finally!) to Cornwell's Sharpe books for my Napoleonic fix.