[Abyss]

You're punishing me for directing Macros to the Belgariad, by reco'ing a Malazan-like series....




Oh, the humanity.

[polishgenius]

To be fair it's not you I'm punishing so much as your TRP.


Just, if you do take it up, bear in mind that some (well, me) found the beginning a little slow as the author shows off what he knows about medieval warfare down to the littlest detail, but that's a worthy investment because what he knows about medieval warfare gets used in awesome ways as things move on.


ps: also a slight note on the Malazan comparison - it's not exact. It's not one of those series clearly inspired by Malazan. But the scale of it, the big-ass battles, the use of magic and how powers in that world operate, and the feeling that the world is utterly huge - it's got those.

This post has been edited by polishgenius: 30 March 2016 - 07:42 PM

[Mentalist]

3 chapters into FoD, I'm beginning to realize how much I rushed my first read.
It's doubly fascinating to me, as it's turning into a study of a civil war, which I can compare to real life example of a recent revolution that I followed extremely closely.

"Revolution Trade" is so good I've decided to forego dozing on the morning subway to read more.

Also making steady progress in "Gunslinger" as my French study book. I think I'll soon be able to establish a solid pace of 20pgs/week at least.

[Baco Xtath]

Definitely seconding the Red Knight. Love this series. So much so that I may check out his other books in historical fiction and I rarely ever venture out of the Science Fiction/Fantasy genres.

I just started Lock In after finishing the Spider's War which wasn't great but still, I enjoyed it well enough. Also just finished the Last Mortal Bond. Another good but not great ending.

[Macros]

On ti the final book of the belgariad.

Meh, yes there's a nostalgia hit, and some stuff I forgot,but its cheesy and stilted as hell.
Dialogue is childish in places (makes me think if sanderson studied under eddings for a major in "Cringe worthy banter"

[Abyss]

Macros, on 31 March 2016 - 07:19 AM, said:

On ti the final book of the belgariad.

Meh, yes there's a nostalgia hit, and some stuff I forgot,but its cheesy and stilted as hell.
Dialogue is childish in places (makes me think if sanderson studied under eddings for a major in "Cringe worthy banter"

And on the other hand you have Silk.

[Maark Abbott]

Abyss, on 31 March 2016 - 01:52 PM, said:

Macros, on 31 March 2016 - 07:19 AM, said:

On ti the final book of the belgariad.

Meh, yes there's a nostalgia hit, and some stuff I forgot,but its cheesy and stilted as hell.
Dialogue is childish in places (makes me think if sanderson studied under eddings for a major in "Cringe worthy banter"

And on the other hand you have Silk.

I actually liked your Belgariad better, Abyss.

[JPK]

I finally finished SWORD AND CITADEL last night, and with it tBotNS for the first time. At this point, I feel like I'm falling into the "didn't really get it the first time, but will adore it on a re-read" category. Especially with how much I enjoyed re-reading the first half beforehand.

I'm also about to finish up THE FIFTH SEASON by N.K. Jemisin on audio. I'm really happy that I jumped into this one. I suspect there will be much more of her work in my future.

I'm swapping MEN AT ARMS from by kobo read to my paperback read now that I'm finished with tBotNS. It's just easier to catch the footnotes this way since the kobo doesn't really like the little asterisk links. I think The Watch is finally sinking in for me with this one. I just finished up

Spoiler

the funeral of Beano the Clown

and I was laughing so hard I was nearly crying.

[Macros]

Men at Arms is fantastic, the original 3 watch books are my favourite prachetts outside of small gods.

[Macros]

Abyss, on 31 March 2016 - 01:52 PM, said:

Macros, on 31 March 2016 - 07:19 AM, said:

On ti the final book of the belgariad.

Meh, yes there's a nostalgia hit, and some stuff I forgot,but its cheesy and stilted as hell.
Dialogue is childish in places (makes me think if sanderson studied under eddings for a major in "Cringe worthy banter"

And on the other hand you have Silk.

Silk is an irritating tool and needs to be dick punched until he shuts his fucking mouth. <---- that's a fullstop after that sentence.

[Tiste Simeon]

Macros, on 31 March 2016 - 09:14 PM, said:

Abyss, on 31 March 2016 - 01:52 PM, said:

Macros, on 31 March 2016 - 07:19 AM, said:

On ti the final book of the belgariad.

Meh, yes there's a nostalgia hit, and some stuff I forgot,but its cheesy and stilted as hell.
Dialogue is childish in places (makes me think if sanderson studied under eddings for a major in "Cringe worthy banter"

And on the other hand you have Silk.

Silk is an irritating tool and needs to be dick punched until he shuts his fucking mouth. <---- that's a fullstop after that sentence.

He wasn't as cool as the Hettar/Barak/Mandorallen team up...

[Mentalist]

Ok, holeee shit, Stross just turned it up another 5 notches. Tomorrow when I get home I'm gonna cave and finish it even though it's supposed to be a commute only book.

unless this seriously fucks up the ending, this book is gonna become one of my "everyone should read this NAO" recommendations.

Why aren't more of you people reading "Merchant Princes"???

Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE who likes SE owes it to themselves to at least read the last book in the trilo (of the omnibuses). There's enough background given to fill (most) of the blanks. Not saying the rest isn't good, but this is like going from Book 2-3 of HoC straight to reading DoD + TCG back to back.

[Andorion]

Mentalist, on 01 April 2016 - 12:21 AM, said:

Ok, holeee shit, Stross just turned it up another 5 notches. Tomorrow when I get home I'm gonna cave and finish it even though it's supposed to be a commute only book.

unless this seriously fucks up the ending, this book is gonna become one of my "everyone should read this NAO" recommendations.

Why aren't more of you people reading "Merchant Princes"???

Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE who likes SE owes it to themselves to at least read the last book in the trilo (of the omnibuses). There's enough background given to fill (most) of the blanks. Not saying the rest isn't good, but this is like going from Book 2-3 of HoC straight to reading DoD + TCG back to back.

To be honest I had no idea Merchant Princes was good. I thought it was some interstellar trade and politics thingy and stuck to his Laundry books.

[Mentalist]

Andorion, on 01 April 2016 - 01:22 AM, said:

Mentalist, on 01 April 2016 - 12:21 AM, said:

Ok, holeee shit, Stross just turned it up another 5 notches. Tomorrow when I get home I'm gonna cave and finish it even though it's supposed to be a commute only book.

unless this seriously fucks up the ending, this book is gonna become one of my "everyone should read this NAO" recommendations.

Why aren't more of you people reading "Merchant Princes"???

Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE who likes SE owes it to themselves to at least read the last book in the trilo (of the omnibuses). There's enough background given to fill (most) of the blanks. Not saying the rest isn't good, but this is like going from Book 2-3 of HoC straight to reading DoD + TCG back to back.

To be honest I had no idea Merchant Princes was good. I thought it was some interstellar trade and politics thingy and stuck to his Laundry books.

not "interstellar" Inter-dimensional
with one "dimension" being USA in 2003.

And yeah, there's a ton of politics. But action in spades. Drug trafficking, tech smuggling, revolutions, (did I mention INTERDEMENSIONAL NUKES?), enough plotting and counter-plotting to make your head spin.

Omnibus 1 (each omnibus is 2 volumes from the 6 books it was originally written and published as) is intro first, then action
Omnibus 2 is slower, and a LOT of set up.
Omnibus 3 is (so far) all payoff. Sweet, holyshitdidijustreadthat and ohmygodwhatsnexthowcanthisgetanycrazierohgod, non-stop payoff.

This post has been edited by Mentalist: 01 April 2016 - 01:39 AM

[Andorion]

Mentalist, on 01 April 2016 - 01:36 AM, said:

Andorion, on 01 April 2016 - 01:22 AM, said:

Mentalist, on 01 April 2016 - 12:21 AM, said:

Ok, holeee shit, Stross just turned it up another 5 notches. Tomorrow when I get home I'm gonna cave and finish it even though it's supposed to be a commute only book.

unless this seriously fucks up the ending, this book is gonna become one of my "everyone should read this NAO" recommendations.

Why aren't more of you people reading "Merchant Princes"???

Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE who likes SE owes it to themselves to at least read the last book in the trilo (of the omnibuses). There's enough background given to fill (most) of the blanks. Not saying the rest isn't good, but this is like going from Book 2-3 of HoC straight to reading DoD + TCG back to back.

To be honest I had no idea Merchant Princes was good. I thought it was some interstellar trade and politics thingy and stuck to his Laundry books.

not "interstellar" Inter-dimensional
with one "dimension" being USA in 2003.

And yeah, there's a ton of politics. But action in spades. Drug trafficking, tech smuggling, revolutions, (did I mention INTERDEMENSIONAL NUKES?), enough plotting and counter-plotting to make your head spin.

Omnibus 1 (each omnibus is 2 volumes from the 6 books it was originally written and published as) is intro first, then action
Omnibus 2 is slower, and a LOT of set up.
Omnibus 3 is (so far) all payoff. Sweet, holyshitdidijustreadthat and ohmygodwhatsnexthowcanthisgetanycrazierohgod, non-stop payoff.

...Looks at post.... looks at TBR....sigh..... clicks the Want To Read button..... sigh

I am never going to finish my TBR am I?

[Mentalist]

Andorion, on 01 April 2016 - 01:48 AM, said:

Mentalist, on 01 April 2016 - 01:36 AM, said:

Andorion, on 01 April 2016 - 01:22 AM, said:

Mentalist, on 01 April 2016 - 12:21 AM, said:

Ok, holeee shit, Stross just turned it up another 5 notches. Tomorrow when I get home I'm gonna cave and finish it even though it's supposed to be a commute only book.

unless this seriously fucks up the ending, this book is gonna become one of my "everyone should read this NAO" recommendations.

Why aren't more of you people reading "Merchant Princes"???

Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE who likes SE owes it to themselves to at least read the last book in the trilo (of the omnibuses). There's enough background given to fill (most) of the blanks. Not saying the rest isn't good, but this is like going from Book 2-3 of HoC straight to reading DoD + TCG back to back.

To be honest I had no idea Merchant Princes was good. I thought it was some interstellar trade and politics thingy and stuck to his Laundry books.

not "interstellar" Inter-dimensional
with one "dimension" being USA in 2003.

And yeah, there's a ton of politics. But action in spades. Drug trafficking, tech smuggling, revolutions, (did I mention INTERDEMENSIONAL NUKES?), enough plotting and counter-plotting to make your head spin.

Omnibus 1 (each omnibus is 2 volumes from the 6 books it was originally written and published as) is intro first, then action
Omnibus 2 is slower, and a LOT of set up.
Omnibus 3 is (so far) all payoff. Sweet, holyshitdidijustreadthat and ohmygodwhatsnexthowcanthisgetanycrazierohgod, non-stop payoff.

...Looks at post.... looks at TBR....sigh..... clicks the Want To Read button..... sigh

I am never going to finish my TBR am I?

An empty TBR is merely a Platonic ideal concept.

[Abyss]

Andorion, on 01 April 2016 - 01:48 AM, said:

Mentalist, on 01 April 2016 - 01:36 AM, said:

Andorion, on 01 April 2016 - 01:22 AM, said:

Mentalist, on 01 April 2016 - 12:21 AM, said:

Ok, holeee shit, Stross just turned it up another 5 notches. Tomorrow when I get home I'm gonna cave and finish it even though it's supposed to be a commute only book.

unless this seriously fucks up the ending, this book is gonna become one of my "everyone should read this NAO" recommendations.

Why aren't more of you people reading "Merchant Princes"???

Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE who likes SE owes it to themselves to at least read the last book in the trilo (of the omnibuses). There's enough background given to fill (most) of the blanks. Not saying the rest isn't good, but this is like going from Book 2-3 of HoC straight to reading DoD + TCG back to back.

To be honest I had no idea Merchant Princes was good. I thought it was some interstellar trade and politics thingy and stuck to his Laundry books.

not "interstellar" Inter-dimensional
with one "dimension" being USA in 2003.

And yeah, there's a ton of politics. But action in spades. Drug trafficking, tech smuggling, revolutions, (did I mention INTERDEMENSIONAL NUKES?), enough plotting and counter-plotting to make your head spin.

Omnibus 1 (each omnibus is 2 volumes from the 6 books it was originally written and published as) is intro first, then action
Omnibus 2 is slower, and a LOT of set up.
Omnibus 3 is (so far) all payoff. Sweet, holyshitdidijustreadthat and ohmygodwhatsnexthowcanthisgetanycrazierohgod, non-stop payoff.

...Looks at post.... looks at TBR....sigh..... clicks the Want To Read button..... sigh

I am never going to finish my TBR am I?

Welcome to my world.

[Andorion]

Abyss, on 01 April 2016 - 04:06 AM, said:

Andorion, on 01 April 2016 - 01:48 AM, said:

Mentalist, on 01 April 2016 - 01:36 AM, said:

Andorion, on 01 April 2016 - 01:22 AM, said:

Mentalist, on 01 April 2016 - 12:21 AM, said:

Ok, holeee shit, Stross just turned it up another 5 notches. Tomorrow when I get home I'm gonna cave and finish it even though it's supposed to be a commute only book.

unless this seriously fucks up the ending, this book is gonna become one of my "everyone should read this NAO" recommendations.

Why aren't more of you people reading "Merchant Princes"???

Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE who likes SE owes it to themselves to at least read the last book in the trilo (of the omnibuses). There's enough background given to fill (most) of the blanks. Not saying the rest isn't good, but this is like going from Book 2-3 of HoC straight to reading DoD + TCG back to back.

To be honest I had no idea Merchant Princes was good. I thought it was some interstellar trade and politics thingy and stuck to his Laundry books.

not "interstellar" Inter-dimensional
with one "dimension" being USA in 2003.

And yeah, there's a ton of politics. But action in spades. Drug trafficking, tech smuggling, revolutions, (did I mention INTERDEMENSIONAL NUKES?), enough plotting and counter-plotting to make your head spin.

Omnibus 1 (each omnibus is 2 volumes from the 6 books it was originally written and published as) is intro first, then action
Omnibus 2 is slower, and a LOT of set up.
Omnibus 3 is (so far) all payoff. Sweet, holyshitdidijustreadthat and ohmygodwhatsnexthowcanthisgetanycrazierohgod, non-stop payoff.

...Looks at post.... looks at TBR....sigh..... clicks the Want To Read button..... sigh

I am never going to finish my TBR am I?

Welcome to my world.

Oh don't you start! We both read the Laundry books, but did you read the Merchant Princes?

I am going to be buried alive under books and (indistinct muttering)

[Andorion]

Finished A Cure For Cancer

This book suddenly started making a lot of sense in the second half. Moorcock makes some very prescient, very disturbing points.

I think I will read the English Assassin after Dune Messiah.

[Mentalist]

Andorion, on 01 April 2016 - 04:08 AM, said:

Abyss, on 01 April 2016 - 04:06 AM, said:

Andorion, on 01 April 2016 - 01:48 AM, said:

Mentalist, on 01 April 2016 - 01:36 AM, said:

Andorion, on 01 April 2016 - 01:22 AM, said:

Mentalist, on 01 April 2016 - 12:21 AM, said:

Ok, holeee shit, Stross just turned it up another 5 notches. Tomorrow when I get home I'm gonna cave and finish it even though it's supposed to be a commute only book.

unless this seriously fucks up the ending, this book is gonna become one of my "everyone should read this NAO" recommendations.

Why aren't more of you people reading "Merchant Princes"???

Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE who likes SE owes it to themselves to at least read the last book in the trilo (of the omnibuses). There's enough background given to fill (most) of the blanks. Not saying the rest isn't good, but this is like going from Book 2-3 of HoC straight to reading DoD + TCG back to back.

To be honest I had no idea Merchant Princes was good. I thought it was some interstellar trade and politics thingy and stuck to his Laundry books.

not "interstellar" Inter-dimensional
with one "dimension" being USA in 2003.

And yeah, there's a ton of politics. But action in spades. Drug trafficking, tech smuggling, revolutions, (did I mention INTERDEMENSIONAL NUKES?), enough plotting and counter-plotting to make your head spin.

Omnibus 1 (each omnibus is 2 volumes from the 6 books it was originally written and published as) is intro first, then action
Omnibus 2 is slower, and a LOT of set up.
Omnibus 3 is (so far) all payoff. Sweet, holyshitdidijustreadthat and ohmygodwhatsnexthowcanthisgetanycrazierohgod, non-stop payoff.

...Looks at post.... looks at TBR....sigh..... clicks the Want To Read button..... sigh

I am never going to finish my TBR am I?

Welcome to my world.

Oh don't you start! We both read the Laundry books, but did you read the Merchant Princes?

I am going to be buried alive under books and (indistinct muttering)

No, he has not. BUT HE SHOULD!