[worry]

Hey I've been saving that one for a Friday for a reason.

[QuickTidal]

Serenity, on 13 November 2015 - 07:30 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 13 November 2015 - 07:22 PM, said:

worry, on 13 November 2015 - 05:59 PM, said:

The guy sounds well corny.

Judges?

3.5

Generous!

3.5 out of 10.



EDIT: Still generous.

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 13 November 2015 - 08:05 PM

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Serenity, on 13 November 2015 - 10:24 AM, said:

The Warlord Chronicles, aka his Arthurian trilogy: The Winter King, Enemy of God, and Excalibur.

Totally agreed!

[polishgenius]

I've only read one Cornwell, Agincourt, and didn't like it very much at all.


However I have got the first of his Arthurian series in the queue to read soon. Hopefully, it's closer to what I actually expect from his reputation.





Currently, I'm reading Wake of Vultures by Lila Bowen, a debut fantasy Western. It's pretty excellent so far. It's a good job I started it before I saw Patrick Rothfuss' incredibly patronising Goodreads review, though, because that would have put me right off even though he gave it five stars.

[Macros]

I didn't really enjoy Agincourt that much and really didn't like Arthur books that much either.
His Uthred books are ace and Sharpe novels are excellent popcorn stuff

[QuickTidal]

Briar King, on 15 November 2015 - 01:03 AM, said:

Hmm I'm seriously considering passing on Outlander 2 in a few days for awhile. Idk if I can take anymore of Jamie and Claire fucking so soon. I'm hoping the newlyweds syndrome calms down so I can read actual story. I don't want to burn out cause the setting is fantastic but if that stays the same in bk 2 every 3-5 pgs it's going to get to me.

It's not. Book 2 is more politicking than anything. Still some sex, but toned down compared to book 1

[Mentalist]

Finished "Prince of Fools" on Friday.

it picked up towards the middle. Still not caring much for either Jal or Snorri.
My copy had a prologue for "Liar's Key", and that was... intriguing.

I'll get back to the series, but probablty not any time soon, as I have to make a bigger dent in my TRP first.

Speaking of which, it's about time I got back to my Moorcock reads. next on the suggesting reading order are the 2 of the 3 novels in the "Dancers at the end of time" omnibus. SO that's the next commute read.

At home, finishing up OST in the Malaz read. going slowly, cuz it's been a busy weekend.

[Macros]

War masters gate.
Finished Air war late last night, definitely his strongest book yet.

[Baco Xtath]

polishgenius, on 13 November 2015 - 09:37 PM, said:

Currently, I'm reading Wake of Vultures by Lila Bowen, a debut fantasy Western. It's pretty excellent so far.

2.5 hours into listening to this one. You had me at "fantasy Western." After the Gunslinger, the Half-Made World (and sequel) and Six Gun Tarot (and sequel), I'm always on the lookout for a good fantasy Western. Any other good fantasy Westerns y'all can recommend?

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

I just finished Otherland, Book 3. I know it's just a "trilogy", but I feel like it ended on a massive cliffhanger. How can I not read Book 4? Is it really that bad?

[QuickTidal]

After binge-watching all of JONATHAN STRANGE & MR. NORRELL last week, I'm reading Clarke's short fiction anthology (set in the same universe) THE LADIES OF GRACE ADIEU.

[Tiste Simeon]

Whisperzzzzzzz, on 16 November 2015 - 06:54 PM, said:

I just finished Otherland, Book 3. I know it's just a "trilogy", but I feel like it ended on a massive cliffhanger. How can I not read Book 4? Is it really that bad?

You have to. I always said that there was just too much bumph. Like, not get rid of a whole book but cut a whole bunch from all the books in order to shorten the series as a whole. Read it though you kind of need to!

[Mentalist]

I wouldn't say it's bad. The "trilo" comment is basically about how much stuff in 2+3 and bits of 4 is padding, and how it could have easily been condensed into a single volume w/o losing any of its impact.

The ending is fine. Wraps up rather nicely, I thought. Not the greatest series out there, but imaginative enough to be (mostly) worth the time.

This post has been edited by Mentalist: 16 November 2015 - 07:16 PM

[QuickTidal]

And that padding in the 3-4th book is typical of Williams work. The end of the MS&T series is padded out into two books when it arguably could have been one...same with his Shadowmarch series.

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

Okay, I was under the impression that the 4th book was dreck. I'll give it a try.

[Macros]

Just starting Seal of the Worm, to wrap up the Apt series.

[polishgenius]

Baco Xtath, on 16 November 2015 - 12:29 PM, said:

polishgenius, on 13 November 2015 - 09:37 PM, said:

Currently, I'm reading Wake of Vultures by Lila Bowen, a debut fantasy Western. It's pretty excellent so far.

2.5 hours into listening to this one. You had me at "fantasy Western." After the Gunslinger, the Half-Made World (and sequel) and Six Gun Tarot (and sequel), I'm always on the lookout for a good fantasy Western. Any other good fantasy Westerns y'all can recommend?

Finished it now. Kind of funny, I was reading it thinking 'this is basically Lonesome Dove crossed with Buffy the Vampire Slayer' and in the author interview at the end she says that's exactly what she was thinking too while writing it. So job done I guess.

My only real issue with it is not with the book itself really; the author states that the main character self-identifies as male, but the text doesn't actually reflect this very well; she insists on not being called a girl but that's about as far as it goes on that front and the narrative (third person but entirely from her PoV) never stops using 'her' and 'Nettie' rather than her assumed name. This wouldn't have been an issue at all if the author hadn't said she identified as male, but since she did, I can't help but feel she got it wrong in the depiction.

Other than that, very good book. It kind of has a similar vibe to the Golgotha series in its mythology but a lot more focused on the one plot at a time. It's better written than those books, tbh; and I like those.


Other fantasy westerns: The Incorruptibles by John Hornor Jacobs is pretty good. Weirdly, it's a mashup of western with the Roman Empire. That's all I can think of off the top of my head...

[Imperial Historian]

Just finished 'who fears death' nnedi okarafor after polish's recommendation. Really enjoyed this one, very different african post apocalyptic fantasy, recommended.

Picking up miles camerons new one next.

[worry]

One of the post-First Law tril Abercrombie books is a fantasy Western. I think it was the third of the stand-alones. Of course none of the books are actually truly stand-alone, so you can take that to mean book 6.

[Baco Xtath]

worry, on 16 November 2015 - 10:29 PM, said:

One of the post-First Law tril Abercrombie books is a fantasy Western. I think it was the third of the stand-alones. Of course none of the books are actually truly stand-alone, so you can take that to mean book 6.

Forgot about Red Country. Yeah, loved that one too.

And Miles Cameron's new book, the Dread Wyrm, is really freak'n good so far (65% through). Out of the newest fantasy authors, he, Brian Staveley, Anthony Ryan, Brian McClellan, Django Wexler, John Gwynne, and Mark Lawrence, he's probably my favorite. However, that could just be because I'm currently reading him and loving it. And, to be fair, Mark Lawrence's style is completely different.