[Abyss]

Getting to the end of OATHBRINGER.

Still enjoying it.

Fight me, haters.

[Chance]

Abyss, on 29 January 2018 - 04:26 PM, said:

Getting to the end of OATHBRINGER.

Still enjoying it.

Fight me, haters.

Anyday!

Still when following others reading it I've realized there are a lot of scenes that work very well in the book there is just way to much slog in between. There is just so much much of the book that could have been side stories or simply be cut with little to no work or effect on the whole.

This post has been edited by Chance: 29 January 2018 - 04:40 PM

[acesn8s]

Started Half a King by Abercrombie.

[QuickTidal]

acesn8s, on 29 January 2018 - 05:33 PM, said:

Started Half a King by Abercrombie.

I'm reading it now, and REALLY enjoying it!

[Aptorian]

Finally finished Incarnate. That felt like a long slog. My overall impressions is that the series has potential, I'd like to see where book 2 goes, but I didn't really like the first book at all.

I'm also half way into Richard Kadre's Sandman Slim. Next to Incarnate this book just goes. The eyes just run down the page. Kadre can certainly write a good yarn.

As positive as I was with the introduction I am starting to question the books storyline. What started out as a super scary anti-hero on a tear has turned into a floundering "ex-con just out of jail" story where our hero is sort of just going from A to B to C with little plan. Feels like the plot lacks focus. It's not very satisfying but it is interesting.

I feel like Kadre is doing a bit too much building a new Urban fantasy book series-ground work. He's introducing people and places in a way that my meta-observation of the writing finds un-organic. Harry Dresden slowly picked up new friends and foes over the course of many books but the character Stark seems to just be in a rush. Or maybe he's just that much more of an asshole than Dresden.

What ever, the book is fun if dumb.

[Maark Abbott]

Chance, on 29 January 2018 - 04:39 PM, said:

Abyss, on 29 January 2018 - 04:26 PM, said:

Getting to the end of OATHBRINGER.

Still enjoying it.

Fight me, haters.

Anyday!

Still when following others reading it I've realized there are a lot of scenes that work very well in the book there is just way to much slog in between. There is just so much much of the book that could have been side stories or simply be cut with little to no work or effect on the whole.

*suplexes Abyss* let's fuckin do it hoe

Alternative Goose, on 29 January 2018 - 07:17 PM, said:

Finally finished Incarnate. That felt like a long slog. My overall impressions is that the series has potential, I'd like to see where book 2 goes, but I didn't really like the first book at all.

That's actually the first generally negative reaction I've had to Incarnate. It's valuable because obviously you need to have thick skin with writing (hell, look at me and Old Sandy) - sometimes people just won't like it. I appreciate you having taken the time to see it through to the end at least!

For my part, I'm still moving through Deadhouse Landing. It's starting to pick up a bit, things are happening.

[Aptorian]

Maark Abbott, on 29 January 2018 - 07:41 PM, said:

Alternative Goose, on 29 January 2018 - 07:17 PM, said:

Finally finished Incarnate. That felt like a long slog. My overall impressions is that the series has potential, I'd like to see where book 2 goes, but I didn't really like the first book at all.

That's actually the first generally negative reaction I've had to Incarnate. It's valuable because obviously you need to have thick skin with writing (hell, look at me and Old Sandy) - sometimes people just won't like it. I appreciate you having taken the time to see it through to the end at least!

For my part, I'm still moving through Deadhouse Landing. It's starting to pick up a bit, things are happening.

I'm writing up my major gripes with the book but it's a long spiel. Will probably post something in the dedicated thread tomorrow or the coming week.

Like I've said, you can definitely write and the universe has potential. I just think your characters are a big problem and I think you could have been A LOT more ambitious in the telling of the story. Felt like you pulled your narrative punches right up till the book just ended.

I'll elaborate in the Incarnate thread.

[Aptorian]

Decided to read a bit of Jeff VanderMeer's Annihilation before going to bed.

Quickly decided that was a bad idea. That book is eerie. Feels like walking into a Lovecraft or Stephen King story. Everything is "normal" but you just know something sinister is lurking inside the book.

Nope. Not reading more of that before I fall asleep.

[Abyss]

Alternative Goose, on 29 January 2018 - 09:16 PM, said:

Decided to read a bit of Jeff VanderMeer's Annihilation before going to bed.

Quickly decided that was a bad idea. That book is eerie. Feels like walking into a Lovecraft or Stephen King story. Everything is "normal" but you just know something sinister is lurking inside the book.

Nope. Not reading more of that before I fall asleep.

Too late.

Far, far too late.




...you can't see it but I'm wiggling my fingers in creepy ways that suggest tentacles...

[Chance]

Alternative Goose, on 29 January 2018 - 07:17 PM, said:

Or maybe he's just that much more of an asshole than Dresden.

Dresden is a paladin compared to Stark.

But the series is really fairly rediculous but also very much fun.

[Mentalist]

Finished Judas Unchained . Pacing is much improved, much more action. Having less of the Ozzie & Orion travelogue helped, I suspect.

so, next in commute, Magic Binds the last (so far) Kate Daniels book.

This post has been edited by Mentalist: 30 January 2018 - 05:13 AM

[Mentalist]

amphibian, on 27 January 2018 - 04:08 AM, said:

Marshall's trilogy is amazing. It's a much tighter, meaner, and funnier Malazan marines campaign run all the way through a war. The philosophy is much less prevalent, the epic scope isn't that epic, but the character work (due to a much smaller cast) is superb. Basically like an Abercrombie book with less focus on warfare and more on crazy magic shit.

If that sounds appealing, this will do the job. If that doesn't, then it's fine too.

I thought each book was a range from very good to extremely good without any dropoff.

Maroto is one of the greatest bandits ever written.

Tsundoku, on 27 January 2018 - 05:06 AM, said:

Pretty much in agreement with Amph so far, although I'm only about halfway through Black Steel as I went back to work recently and the accompanying headaches drastically curtails my reading pace.

Love the villains, what a real piece of work each one is. Everyone has their reasons for doing what they do, not Just Because.

Maroto is like that person you've known for years and prefer to avoid but can't, who somehow sort of succeeds in a half-arsed way in spite of themselves. The one everyone ruefully shakes their head about whenever the subject comes up, with accompanying dark humour. "He's STILL alive/out of jail?" sort of thing.

Chance, on 27 January 2018 - 06:55 AM, said:

amphibian, on 27 January 2018 - 04:08 AM, said:

Marshall's trilogy is amazing...

I thought each book was a range from very good to extremely good without any dropoff.

Maroto is one of the greatest bandits ever written.

Don't listen to any haters on The Crimson Empire Amp is so right, its one of the most entertaining trilogies the last few years but its not one of those books everyone will like.

Ended up ignoring Warmaster and starting up Raven Strategem and its awesome in a way very few SF authors ever accomplish and imaginative beyond pretty much anything.

Dunno how I missed this convo, but chalk me up as another fan.
Bk 3 is insta-buy in June when it goes TPB (so that all I have all 3 in same format on my shelf).

Super-fun books. Apparently, there's a bunch of metal references (which I don't get), but it's a very fun series- like "Best Served Cold" with more epic globe-trotting and wider cast.

This post has been edited by Mentalist: 30 January 2018 - 05:38 AM

[Aptorian]

What is this series you are on about? Is it called Crimson Empire?

[acesn8s]

Mentalist, on 30 January 2018 - 05:37 AM, said:

...Super-fun books. Apparently, there's a bunch of metal references (which I don't get)...

There's a couple of references in the map that I picked up on.

Lemi = Lemmy
The Panteran Wastes = Pantera
Meshugg = Meshuggah
Witchfinder Plains = Witchfinder General

[Abyss]

Mentalist, on 30 January 2018 - 05:37 AM, said:

... it's a very fun series- like "Best Served Cold" with more epic globe-trotting and wider cast.

SOLD.

[QuickTidal]

Abyss, on 30 January 2018 - 06:28 PM, said:

Mentalist, on 30 January 2018 - 05:37 AM, said:

... it's a very fun series- like "Best Served Cold" with more epic globe-trotting and wider cast.

SOLD.

Yeah, this gets me in for at least one book in the series.

[Aptorian]

Another evening and again, like a fool, I find myself reading Annihilation even though I really shouldn't. This book is so unnerving.

This is not Stephen King. This is modern day Lovecraft. Everything is so god damn unsettling. What's in that damn hole/reverse tower? Why are these people going down there?! DON'T THEY KNOW THE BAD THINGS LIVE IN DARKNESS?!

Ugh. I don't like horror but I can't stop reading. I didn't know what this book was before starting it. I just saw the movie trailer and thought this looks like a neat sci-fi thriller. It's not. This is modern eldritch horror gone camping.

Every page I turn I expect them to come face to face with something from beyond the stars. There's a giant slug monster that writes religious scripture with mushrooms down there. I just know it!

I need to go watch some youtubes about kittens before I fall asleep.

This post has been edited by Alternative Goose: 30 January 2018 - 10:03 PM

[amphibian]

Acceptance is key to Vandermeer. Dream with Authority.

[JPK]

The best part of reading this for me is that I just bought Annihilation for my wife. It's loaded up on her Kindle and she's set to start it before bed tonight. Like Apt before her, she suspects nothing.

[amphibian]

Briar King, on 30 January 2018 - 11:26 PM, said:

Should I try it?

I think you might enjoy it. The weird stuff mostly happens around the periphery (they are very weird though) and the story sticks close to a "people who work for a post America collapse X Files like organization trues to figure out what the hell happened to Florida after The Mysterious Event".

The books are short and highly readable.