[amphibian]

polishgenius, on 14 March 2018 - 05:00 PM, said:

Morgoth, on 14 March 2018 - 03:01 PM, said:

The answer to that question is always publication order.

The thing is though, not really. The answer to Discworld for example is very rarely publication order. And Banks has a similar thing in that while there's nothing wrong with pub order, the combination of Consider Phlebas being often considered a weaker novel (and I know I personally read it first and took ages to read another Banks) with it not really mattering means I always suggest the more representative Player of Games or Use of Weapons to start.

That said, if you've already read Consider Phlebas, then after that publication order makes sense.

With Discworld, the publication order makes sense if there's no particular storyline that the reader wants to follow specifically.

Banks didn't go for the multiple narratives all happening at roughly the same time, so it's a different dynamic. Most of his stories exist in their own worlds within a shared universe.

[End of Disc One]

If you're going to read all books in a series, publication order is never going to hurt your experience. Anything other order could hurt, potentially.

I fortunate enough to have enjoyed both The Colo(u)r of Magic and Consider Phlebas so I'll continue on in publication order.

[Tiste Simeon]

Abyss, on 14 March 2018 - 06:27 PM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 14 March 2018 - 05:35 PM, said:

I hear if you read the Malazan books in reverse order there's a SINISTER HIDDEN MESSAGE!!

Who told you it was sinister?

I started doing it, I got to a bit about sharpened grapefruit spoons and I had to stop. Too scared.

[Abyss]

Tiste Simeon, on 14 March 2018 - 09:22 PM, said:

Abyss, on 14 March 2018 - 06:27 PM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 14 March 2018 - 05:35 PM, said:

I hear if you read the Malazan books in reverse order there's a SINISTER HIDDEN MESSAGE!!

Who told you it was sinister?

I started doing it, I got to a bit about sharpened grapefruit spoons and I had to stop. Too scared.

Wimp. It's just a cookbook!

[QuickTidal]

DREAMING THE EAGLE by Manda Scott (first in her Boudicca series). REALLY solid so far!

[QuickTidal]

Bachelorluver, on 15 March 2018 - 06:30 PM, said:

The Rome rebellion queen?

That's her.

It tells her life from her youth up till she's fighting the legions in Britain.

And then Manda Scott wrote a follow up Rome series, which features surviving characters from the Boudicca books in small cameo roles...which is kinda cool. But I've not read those yet.

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 15 March 2018 - 06:37 PM

[Aptorian]

Been thinking some more about the Sandman Slim books after I finished the third book last week. After mulling it over I take back what I said, those books are bad and the author should feel bad. Recollecting the events and how the books wrap up I realize they're just utterly unsatisfying.

Anyway, read about 100 pages of The Hanging Tree so far. Really solid. As always I remain fascinated by the quaint british police minutae and Aaronovitch narrative style. I have to say though, there's a bit too much lovey dovey and family drama so far and not enough cops and robbers.

Real reason why I haven't read more Hanging Tree is that I stumbled upon an Omnibus of the original Marvel Infinity Gauntlet story ´+ another Omnibus detailing the aftermath of the Infinity Gauntlet story. I never read that story originally so I thought it would be fun to read before I watch the upcoming Avengers film.

Having finished Infinity Gauntlet I have to wonder how the hell they're going to pull off this story. Considering how little build up they've done of the truly weird cosmic stuff in the Marvel Universe, I imagine the films will be a pale shadow of the Infinity Gauntlet convergence. However, you really do have to wonder where they go in the film. Thanos, even without the Gauntlet, in the comics, is waaaayyy more powerful than the movie characters. I assume they'll neuter him but it still seems like they're never going to come close to how ridiculous those fights between the cosmic powers and Thanos were.

Really enjoyed the ending of the book though. They some how managed to redeem Thanos in the same way Kallor is redeemed in Toll the Hounds. There's no absolution but there is a greater understanding of what kind of character Thanos is.

This post has been edited by Alternative Goose: 15 March 2018 - 07:37 PM

[Andorion]

Alternative Goose, on 15 March 2018 - 07:36 PM, said:

Been thinking some more about the Sandman Slim books after I finished the third book last week. After mulling it over I take back what I said, those books are bad and the author should feel bad. Recollecting the events and how the books wrap up I realize they're just utterly unsatisfying.

Anyway, read about 100 pages of The Hanging Tree so far. Really solid. As always I remain fascinated by the quaint british police minutae and Aaronovitch narrative style. I have to say though, there's a bit too much lovey dovey and family drama so far and not enough cops and robbers.

Real reason why I haven't read more Hanging Tree is that I stumbled upon an Omnibus of the original Marvel Infinity Gauntlet story ´+ another Omnibus detailing the aftermath of the Infinity Gauntlet story. I never read that story originally so I thought it would be fun to read before I watch the upcoming Avengers film.

Having finished Infinity Gauntlet I have to wonder how the hell they're going to pull off this story. Considering how little build up they've done of the truly weird cosmic stuff in the Marvel Universe, I imagine the films will be a pale shadow of the Infinity Gauntlet convergence. However, you really do have to wonder where they go in the film. Thanos, even without the Gauntlet, in the comics, is waaaayyy more powerful than the movie characters. I assume they'll neuter him but it still seems like they're never going to come close to how ridiculous those fights between the cosmic powers and Thanos were.

Really enjoyed the ending of the book though. They some how managed to redeem Thanos in the same way Kallor is redeemed in Toll the Hounds. There's no absolution but there is a greater understanding of what kind of character Thanos is.

I love the minutae of the Grant books, I think they really lend an air of authenticity to the books.

[acesn8s]

Alternative Goose, on 15 March 2018 - 07:36 PM, said:

Been thinking some more about the Sandman Slim books after I finished the third book last week. After mulling it over I take back what I said, those books are bad and the author should feel bad. Recollecting the events and how the books wrap up I realize they're just utterly unsatisfying.

I read the first one a year or so ago. It was okay. Not good enough to make me run out and get book 2. I may revisit when my to be read queue isn't full of heavy hitters.

[QuickTidal]

acesn8s, on 16 March 2018 - 11:47 AM, said:

Alternative Goose, on 15 March 2018 - 07:36 PM, said:

Been thinking some more about the Sandman Slim books after I finished the third book last week. After mulling it over I take back what I said, those books are bad and the author should feel bad. Recollecting the events and how the books wrap up I realize they're just utterly unsatisfying.

I read the first one a year or so ago. It was okay. Not good enough to make me run out and get book 2. I may revisit when my to be read queue isn't full of heavy hitters.

I also read the first one, and I really didn't think much of it at all, and I don't understand the fuss around the author. He's not even a scratch on some of the other UrbanFantasy writers out there.

[Abyss]

QuickTidal, on 16 March 2018 - 12:57 PM, said:

acesn8s, on 16 March 2018 - 11:47 AM, said:

Alternative Goose, on 15 March 2018 - 07:36 PM, said:

Been thinking some more about the Sandman Slim books after I finished the third book last week. After mulling it over I take back what I said, those books are bad and the author should feel bad. Recollecting the events and how the books wrap up I realize they're just utterly unsatisfying.

I read the first one a year or so ago. It was okay. Not good enough to make me run out and get book 2. I may revisit when my to be read queue isn't full of heavy hitters.

I also read the first one, and I really didn't think much of it at all, and I don't understand the fuss around the author. He's not even a scratch on some of the other UrbanFantasy writers out there.

Kadrey's a way better sf author than urbfant. Read his cyberpunk METROPHAGE, or most of the shorts at http://richardkadrey.com/stories-2/ and you see what he can do.

Urbfant is selling, obviously, so authors who do other stuff are jumping on it - SM Stirling comes to mind, among others not using a pseudonym.

[Aptorian]

I feel like I should emphasize that I wasn't saying Kadrey can't write, I think his writing has a great flow and the stories move. My problem is that nothing in those books feel organic and the conclusions feel like an after thought.

From the start it felt like Kadrey was writing an Urban fantasy book from a checklist but he started book 1 where most authors would take 3-9 books to build up to that level of stakes and "crazy revelations".

One of the things that struck me by book 3 was that this "childhood nemesis" of Stark, the great and terrible Mason, is never actually explained as an antagonist. Kadrey never demonstrates why Mason is a potentially world conquering power or intellect, he never shows Mason doing something truly scary. Everything is predicated upon Stark's perception of Mason - What Stark thinks Mason can do, rather than telling us how the hell that is possible. All the while, every time Stark actually fights Mason, nothing particularly exceptional or powerful is ever actually shown.

Mason has to be the worst sold antagonist I've ever seen in a book.

[Abyss]

Abyss, on 12 March 2018 - 03:33 AM, said:

Halfway and a bit into Pierce Brown's IRON GOLD.
Holy crap, he upped his game for this book, and that's saying a lot because the RED RISING trilo was solid.

Just finished.
Great book.
HORRIBLE CLIFFHANGING CLIFFHANGERS HANG SO MUCH CLIFFHANGYNESS AAAAAARGH...

Spoiler

Ok, Darrow and Lysander off to their individual wars i get. Totally appropriate end point for their (great) stories. Lydia kidnapped by Viktra's people, not so much... after all the shit this character was put thru, throwing her back into the fire as the end of her story for this book just seems unnecessary. And Efrom... ending his storyline, arguably the strongest character-wise in the book, just as the plane goes down... seriously? ...that's Saturday am cartoon / floppy comic level storytelling.

Not that i won't be back for the next book. I am absolutely in for the next book.



On to Bennet's AMERICAN ELSEWHERE. This one's been on the e/e/TRPFH for ages.

[Salt-Man Z]

Abyss, on 16 March 2018 - 04:21 PM, said:

On to Bennet's AMERICAN ELSEWHERE. This one's been on the e/e/TRPFH for ages.

I hope you don't plan on sleeping anytime soon.

(Not on account of it being creepy, but the fact that you won't want to put this book down until its done. Okay, maybe a little of it being creepy.)

[JPK]

I finished Kings of the Wyld while I was on my lunch break. That was a rather enjoyable romp that really makes me miss my old DnD group. I'm definitely in for book 2 when it hits.

Now that that's outta my system, I'm jumping back into Ship of Magic and I refuse to stop until it's finished!

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

I'm loving Chambers' The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet.

The slice-of-life vignette style works well for the journey they're on, each chapter adding depth to a different person. The characters feel like subtle caricatures of real people, but in a way that makes them feel more realistic and less shallow. I'm not sure how to explain it. It works for me.

Chambers has also crafted a universe with subtle, somewhat unique worldbuilding and alien cultures throughout. Again, it feels slick but also arts 'n craftsy at the same time. Not sure how to explain it.

it's an easy, fun read. Just ordered book 2!

This post has been edited by Whisperzzzzzzz: 17 March 2018 - 04:47 PM

[QuickTidal]

Bachelorluver, on 15 March 2018 - 06:47 PM, said:

Let me know if it stays strong. I’m always down for Rome shit.

Bailed at the 25% mark. Cool opening followed by a long ass slog where squat happens, crap characters, ect.

Don’t bother.

[Macros]

The Eagle series??
Man do yourself a favour and get the first one at least, it's pure popcorn action set in the empire. First....ten at least are just page turning fun, the later books get a bit Mary Sue but all those types of series end up that way to get the legs for more books

[Macros]

Currently reading the first Caiohas Cain book (For the Emperor) about 30% in.

I can see why people like them, he's a fun protagonist, but it's not grabbing me as much as the ghosts books, but the first few of them we simply superb

[QuickTidal]

Bachelorluver, on 18 March 2018 - 03:00 AM, said:

Noted.

One day I shall have to get the ones Macros talked about.

I stuck with the Rome theme and grabbed Ben Kane’s EAGLES AT WAR, which after the prologue and first two chapters is AWESOME!

Mac may have read that too, not sure,

I’ve only read the first in Scarrow’s series, but I quite enjoyed it too.