[Abyss]

That too.
Or something.
Starting MAGIC BITES in earbook based on the strong recos the series has had around here.

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Gave up on the Dark Tower. If that's King's "masterpiece" as the covers claim I certainly won't be reading any more of it. Also, someone revealed he turns up in his own book later. Thank Christ I didn't get that far, I think I'd have thrown the book across the room.

[QuickTidal]

Abyss, on 17 June 2016 - 02:26 AM, said:

Starting MAGIC BITES in earbook based on the strong recos the series has had around here.

Remember, it's weaker than the rest of the series, but is still QUITE entertaining...and the series just ramps the fuck up from there on out. Hopefully you'll enjoy. Andrews is my second fave UrbFant author(s) after Butcher.

For me, I'm continuing my Sapkowski Witcher journey by finally cracking into BLOOD OF ELVES. About 100 pages in and I gotta say that all the people who swore up and down that LAST WISH and SWORD OF DESTINY should definitely be read before this one are bang on correct! While those two volumes are pretty much short stories linked together by a few disparate things...knowing who everyone is, where they've been up to this point, and the beginning of Ciri's story especially (not to mention Geralt, Yennefer, and Dandelion) makes BLOOD OF ELVES basically a lot better than it might be if you read it without having prefaced it with those two volumes. Loving this so far!

[Slow Ben]

Finished up Spiders War, by far the weakest book in the series, but enjoyed the Dagger and Coin all in all.

Onto a reread of FoD before FoL.

[HiddenOne]

TheRetiredBridgeburner, on 17 June 2016 - 08:19 AM, said:

Gave up on the Dark Tower. If that's King's "masterpiece" as the covers claim I certainly won't be reading any more of it. Also, someone revealed he turns up in his own book later. Thank Christ I didn't get that far, I think I'd have thrown the book across the room.

What book did you quit on? Seems like he took a hiatus from the series after Bk 3, and came back strong with Wizard in Glass.

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

The Wastelands. His style of writing just isn't for me - really interesting ideas rendered dull by the writing for me. Gave it a good go though.

[Abyss]

QuickTidal, on 17 June 2016 - 11:49 AM, said:

Abyss, on 17 June 2016 - 02:26 AM, said:

Starting MAGIC BITES in earbook based on the strong recos the series has had around here.

Remember, it's weaker than the rest of the series, but is still QUITE entertaining...and the series just ramps the fuck up from there on out. Hopefully you'll enjoy. Andrews is my second fave UrbFant author(s) after Butcher.

Yeah, I think a few people had posted that qualifier. Good thing because after what happened to Thurman's Cal&Nik series I may have otherwise fled about 20min in.

Quote

For me, I'm continuing my Sapkowski Witcher journey by finally cracking into BLOOD OF ELVES. About 100 pages in and I gotta say that all the people who swore up and down that LAST WISH and SWORD OF DESTINY should definitely be read before this one are bang on correct! While those two volumes are pretty much short stories linked together by a few disparate things...knowing who everyone is, where they've been up to this point, and the beginning of Ciri's story especially (not to mention Geralt, Yennefer, and Dandelion) makes BLOOD OF ELVES basically a lot better than it might be if you read it without having prefaced it with those two volumes. Loving this so far!

I found going from LAST (which i really enjoyed) to BLOOD (which I the opposite`d) was disappointing.

[acesn8s]

Finished Duncan Hamilton's The First Blade of Ostia. It was a fun read had a very Three Musketeers/Count of Monte Cristo (movie) vibe going on. The characters suffered from lack of development, especially the women. I thought the ending was a bit rushed as well. I'll give one of his other books a shot though.

[Baco Xtath]

A little over halfway through the Sudden Appearance of Hope by Claire North. Again, she's a fantastic author. This book reminds me a lot of Chuck Palahniuk in a good way. As young as she, Catherine Webb/Claire North/Kate Griffin, is, I'm excited about her future. She's phenomenal and only getting better.

Eyebook-wise, I'm 95% through Merrimack #3. Love this series. I'll probably take a break after this one and read Company Town next.

[Abyss]

Baco Xtath, on 18 June 2016 - 11:53 PM, said:

Eyebook-wise, I'm 95% through Merrimack #3. Love this series. I'll probably take a break after this one...

Thats what you think now.

[worry]

Finished A Crown of Swords.

Spoiler

I don't know if I have much more to say about it. I liked it, found it a relatively quick read, it's in my top three of the series so far (of seven), and I'm not detecting any particular dip in quality. Nor any rise in quality for that matter. It's more of the same. I guess it's a bit more muddled than previous books -- I have no idea what Rand's plans are because he never tells anybody, even himself. But that's almost a plus, since it makes not caring what his plans are that much easier. It's like looking at an ugly person through a foggy window. What's to complain about? I will say that was one the weirdest most abrupt finales in the series so far (to jog anyone's memory, it's Rand leaping into Illian, then following Sammael to Shadar Logoth where all kinds of random things happen, and none of it seems to be what Rand thinks is happening). Anyway, it's all inconclusive, and it feels less like an ending -- less like even a cliffhanger -- than it just does a stopping place. Like if you had to go to the bathroom and needed a convenient moment to pause.

[Abyss]

worry, on 19 June 2016 - 11:49 AM, said:

Finished A Crown of Swords.

Spoiler

I don't know if I have much more to say about it. I liked it, found it a relatively quick read, it's in my top three of the series so far (of seven), and I'm not detecting any particular dip in quality. Nor any rise in quality for that matter. It's more of the same. I guess it's a bit more muddled than previous books -- I have no idea what Rand's plans are because he never tells anybody, even himself. But that's almost a plus, since it makes not caring what his plans are that much easier. It's like looking at an ugly person through a foggy window. What's to complain about? I will say that was one the weirdest most abrupt finales in the series so far (to jog anyone's memory, it's Rand leaping into Illian, then following Sammael to Shadar Logoth where all kinds of random things happen, and none of it seems to be what Rand thinks is happening). Anyway, it's all inconclusive, and it feels less like an ending -- less like even a cliffhanger -- than it just does a stopping place. Like if you had to go to the bathroom and needed a convenient moment to pause.

I found CROWN frustrating for that reason.

Spoiler

each previous book had a distinct build to a big finish. Crown's felt thrown in and incomplete. Thematically it made sense as its the point in the story where things start going sideways for the heroes, but its also the point where i think RJ starts to lose his way.

[worry]

Here's the thing:

Spoiler

It makes sense from Rand's POV generally....just not necessarily for this book, in which he doesn't mention (or barely mentions) his plans at all, let alone Sammael being the crux of them. I mean Rand has had Illian on his mind the past few books, Sammael in particular was likely the next to go, etc...it's just that like zero of this particular book was dedicated to priming this confrontation. Rand did just barely escaped death and is of course going insane in a distinctly megamaniacal way right now, so in that sense there are enough pieces to justify a sudden impulsive act from him, but it's presented as a plan set in motion (w/ what seems like a strategic role for the Ashaman, at least).

On the other hand, Sammael is clearly weaving his own schemes all book long w/ Graendel, among the Shaido Aiel. On top of that, he's been scheming the past few books w/ all the other Forsaken, to various degrees. All of them are supposed to have plots within plots simmering now. But Sammael seems to come on call to protect his like Prime Minister status or whatever he has in this one country. Being Prime Minister can't be his goal though, so being so protective of it is either a feint or even the smarter Forsaken are actually all dumb as rocks. It's just so Pavlovian a response, on the surface, so I'm hoping there's more to it. And I'm not saying that's unlikely, since there's hints to that effect too in Rand's cracked POV. But these morons becoming very basic mustache-twirlers for the finale time and again is disappointing.

ALL THAT SAID, I don't really think it's a downward trajectory -- it's par for the course. Book 4 had a cool ending, and book 6 had a decent battle as the capper, but I haven't found any of the finales to be their book's high point. And I found this book at least as readable as the rest of them. I found the idea of the entire second major plotline being stuck in one city searching for a bowl to be rather hilarious. I'm actually looking forward to 8, 9, and especially 10 more than the other books combined, because their reps actually pique my curiosity.

But next I'm reading Ghost Story by Peter Straub.

[HiddenOne]

I'm so glad I never have to read that series again. This brief discussion is all I need to remind me of how that fell in to a time waster of epic proportions. Just like Sword of Truth, in retrospect. The best part I can recall is that I had a good time sitting outside in the fresh air, getting stoned while reading. Maybe that's how I managed to keep going.



On a positive note, I finished Dancer's Lament last night, after ignoring my family for a good part of the day with a book in my hand. I really enjoyed it, both for the events on screen and the tying up of details from other books. Now I am going to work up my courage to assault the shores of FoL.

[QuickTidal]

Nearing the halfway point in BLOOD OF ELVES, and really really enjoying it! This really is a great series.

[Maark Abbott]

Finished 'The Judging Eye' earlier. Easily my top book out of the ones I've read this year.

[acesn8s]

Picked up Purge of Ashes today!

[Nicodimas]

The summer dragon almost done now..

Got a new room mate who wakes up at 4 so to be noise compliant lots of reading in my future

This post has been edited by Nicodimas: 20 June 2016 - 09:14 PM

[End of Disc One]

Nicodimas, on 20 June 2016 - 09:13 PM, said:

The summer dragon almost done now..

Got a new room mate who wakes up at 4 so to be noise compliant lots of reading in my future

The Todd Lockwood book? How is it? I seem to be one of the few here who really liked his Malazan covers (except The Bonehunters).

[worry]

Are the dragons smart or dumb?

You ever notice how when fantasies have smart dragons there tends to only be one, or if there's more than one they are always geographically separated so they never meet? Malazan has a cool explanation for that AND still has smart dragons interact with each other on occasion too. What other series have smart dragons that actually interact with each other? I guess there's some of that kind of stuff in Robin Hobb's work.