[Aptorian]

Oh, there's clearly all kinds of timey wimey extra dimensional magic stuff going on behind the scenes.

Book 1 spoilers.

Spoiler

I am pretty sure Dorcas was dead/in a coma and floating in that corpse moat. And I get the feeling she already knew Severian. Leading me to think she's either from a past time that Severian may have visited or from the future.

Wolfe already dropped plenty of hints about some religious/mythical dude existing in any time he wants.

Plus the mirror travel/time displacement/dimensional skipping in the green house.

And there's the dreams and Narrator Severians own hints.

It's all very interesting in passing but I'd like some more info on the present.

This post has been edited by Aptorian: 19 April 2019 - 07:12 PM

[Mentalist]

started "Blood Meridian". This way of writing dialogue without any extra punctuations is throwing me off.

[Tiste Simeon]

Finished The Great North Road on Earbook and I flipping loved it. Possibly my favourite one I've heard since getting Audible. Really Great narrator and once again, a fantastic story by Hamilton. Hugely recommended and it cements Hamilton as one of my top 3 authors.

Finished reading 84K by Claire North on Kindle. As I mentioned previously, it is a disturbingly bleak novel and while I was enthralled the whole way through I can't say I enjoyed it massively. If that makes sense. It isn't a nice light-hearted read, and it's written in quite a strange disjointed manner which adds to the sense of unease. Not as good as Harry August or Appearance of Hope but I'm glad I read it. North is definitely also one of my favourites.

Started a book called Tavern by a dude who posted about it on Reddit and it was quite cheap on Kindle. Obviously hugely influenced by WoW and also other quite generic fantasy but quite entertaining nonetheless. I feel like it's very obviously a first novel and I'm not sure if it's self published or not but it feels like it needs a bit of fine tuning. Going to keep reading but it's quite trope ridden at the moment.

Finally, started an audiobook called Awaken Online which kind of feels like the author is trying to cash in on the success of Ready Player One but nonetheless it's quick paced and entertaining enough to keep me going for the time being but Generic Bullied Outcast White Teen Boy, the main character, is a bit annoying so I'm not sure how long I'll last and at the moment I don't think I'll get the rest of the series. Also the narrator has a voice that kind of winds me up a bit though I can't work out why...

[Aptorian]

I am losing patience with the second Book of the New Sun.

It's not going anywhere. Severian is going in circles and keeps partaking in meaningless stories. Is there some hidden significance to that travelling circus act? Why is he so attached to these meaningless people and their contrived lives.

I thought this was meant to be a big sci-fi adventure. This is like if Lord of the Rings never left the Shire.

God, just fucking travel to Thrax!

Edit: Okay I am reading that long-ass play. It puts all the past events into a new context... But it's still loathsome and slow!

This post has been edited by Aptorian: 20 April 2019 - 06:53 PM

[Salt-Man Z]

Aptorian, on 20 April 2019 - 05:41 PM, said:

This is like if Lord of the Rings never left the Shire.

I mean, Severian already left the Citadel. And then he left Nessus. He's not going to get to Mordor in book two.

[Aptorian]

On a cosmic scale he only just got out of bed but I'm starting to see what role Severian is playing.

[Aptorian]

Finished The Claw of the Conciliator.

Not happy with this book. I think the description of the series and the first book has thrown me for a loop. I was expecting something very grand in scope, a mix of epic fantasy and hard sci-fi. Instead this Book of the New Sun reads as Stranger in a strange land mixed with a sorta YA character growth.

The books aren't bad, far from it, but they're not a very satisfying read I think. There's this dream like quality to them, like a sci-fi Alice in Wonderland, that makes the characters feel lost or meandering. As a reader I'm very focused on the stated mission of Severian, get to Thrax, but Wolfe, or should I say the narrator, seems focused on anything else but Thrax. Made worse by the litterary detours into Severian philosophising about all the women he loves, bla, bla, bla.

Severian is actually a bit of a fruitloop.

It's frustrating though I understand that Severian is playing a role in a larger, older, weirder tapestry of events.

I'm gonna take a break from the Book of New Sun and do some work related reading. I've got some children's books lined up:

The first two Taynikma books by Jan Kjær and Merlin P. Mann. It's a Manga-like mix of writing and cartoons.

Jeff Kinney's first "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" book.

Astrid Lindgrens collected stories about "All of us children in Bulderby".

This post has been edited by Aptorian: 21 April 2019 - 07:23 AM

[Zetubal]

The Library at Mount Char was utterly phenomenal and easily one of the best books I've read in years. It's really, really rare for me to find a book that emotionally resonates with me to the point where I both laugh out loud and find myself suppressing a little sob. But that's just how good this one is. I love pretty much everything about the book: the lore is fascinating, the characters of Carolyn and Steve are really well-rounded, the plot makes sense, it's exciting and suspenseful, keeping you guessing in all the right ways (you can actually foresee quite a couple things if you pay close attention, but there're still surprises), the multi-faceted look at the theme of abuse - it's all so well-done.
Y'all know how much I love to rant about the bad stuff, but this book is just kind of perfect the way it is. Last time I read a book this tight might've been Midnight Tides...I think you really start to appreciate how perfectly laid out the story is towards the finale, when you get to all of the re-incorporations of themes and quotes from the first half.

Only thing that deserves to be mentioned is that it's very bizarre and features some really heavy explicit violence and abuse. If you're someone who can't stomach this, avoid this book. Otherwise, damn, go read this.


On a sidenote: Recently, someone here commented about Foundryside that RJB writes the way Brandon Sanderson wishes he could write. Reading Mount Char, I felt like this is how Neil Gaiman wishes he could write.




At this point, I probably need a day or two to let this book sink in. Afterwards I might go for First Fifteen Lives of Harry August. Or Perdido Street Station. Or Throne of the Crescent Moon. Or ...

[Tiste Simeon]

There's quite a bunch of us on here who love Mount Char, you're in good company - it's an astonishing book! I'm fact your post makes me want to read it again!

Now read Harry August, it's also excellent though not at all like Mount Char.

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Re-reading The Dragonlance Chronicles. Read them when I was maybe 13/14?

Have they aged well? Not at all. Is it the perfect sort of shallow nonsense I need when I don't want my brain to have to work hard? You betcha.

[Aptorian]

I bounced off the first book in the Dragonlance Chronicles for the reasons you mention, yet now that I'm reading the Belgariad, I wonder if I should give them another try. There's something about shuffling easy reads in between more complex stories that works well for me.

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Aptorian, on 21 April 2019 - 04:00 PM, said:

I bounced off the first book in the Dragonlance Chronicles for the reasons you mention, yet now that I'm reading the Belgariad, I wonder if I should give them another try. There's something about shuffling easy reads in between more complex stories that works well for me.

I re-read Eddings' Sparhawk series (Elenium and Tamuli) to do much the same job - I wouldn't rule them out completely on that basis I'm half way through the first one and enjoying it enough as an easy going read.

Briar King, on 21 April 2019 - 04:02 PM, said:

It's perfect old school fantasy

Yes, agreed. It's doing a perfect job for me in terms of being an easy read between heavier/more involved books - think I'm finding the same thing Apt mentioned, it does work to let my brain rest.

[Abyss]

W

QuickTidal, on 18 April 2019 - 01:57 PM, said:

Whisperzzzzzzz, on 18 April 2019 - 01:48 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 18 April 2019 - 01:34 PM, said:

Aptorian, on 18 April 2019 - 01:31 PM, said:

People who live in Star Wars 8 glass pot houses should not throw Stormlight archive stone kettles.

The difference is that I only bring up my dislike of a certain SW film when it's relevant to the conversation at hand (like when we are talking about SW)...not on random threads where no one is talking SW.

Maark is presumably reading Stormlight Archives.

That would astonish me since I think he read the first and loathed it more than anything else he's read...if he is reading it, I take back what I said, but I gotta wonder why he went back after hating it so much?

After his third Bakker reread he developed a taste for self-flaggelation.

Also, lepersex.

Tiste Simeon, on 20 April 2019 - 12:51 PM, said:

Finished The Great North Road on Earbook and I flipping loved it. Possibly my favourite one I've heard since getting Audible. Really Great narrator and once again, a fantastic story by Hamilton. Hugely recommended and it cements Hamilton as one of my top 3 authors.
...

Just picked it up on an audible 2 4 1 sale, so glad to read this.

Zetubal, on 21 April 2019 - 11:53 AM, said:

The Library at Mount Char was utterly phenomenal and easily one of the best books I've read in years. It's really, really rare for me to find a book that emotionally resonates with me to the point where I both laugh out loud and find myself suppressing a little sob.... or two to let this book sink in. ...

Tiste Simeon, on 21 April 2019 - 01:50 PM, said:

There's quite a bunch of us on here who love Mount Char, you're in good company - it's an astonishing book! I'm fact your post makes me want to read it again!...

Heh, I think there was a point last year or the year before where approx a dozen forumites were all reading this around the same time and just freaking out at how good it was.

TheRetiredBridgeburner, on 21 April 2019 - 04:24 PM, said:

Aptorian, on 21 April 2019 - 04:00 PM, said:

I bounced off the first book in the Dragonlance Chronicles for the reasons you mention, yet now that I'm reading the Belgariad, I wonder if I should give them another try. There's something about shuffling easy reads in between more complex stories that works well for me.

I re-read Eddings' Sparhawk series (Elenium and Tamuli) to do much the same job - I wouldn't rule them out completely on that basis I'm half way through the first one and enjoying it enough as an easy going read.

Briar King, on 21 April 2019 - 04:02 PM, said:

It's perfect old school fantasy

Yes, agreed. It's doing a perfect job for me in terms of being an easy read between heavier/more involved books - think I'm finding the same thing Apt mentioned, it does work to let my brain rest.

I always thought Eddings properly YA, but not Dragonlance.
Agreed re alternating heavy and easy reads. I do the same mostly, barring something I just MUST read immediately ie Malazan or new dresdencrack.

[Tiste Simeon]

Abyss, on 21 April 2019 - 05:02 PM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 20 April 2019 - 12:51 PM, said:

Finished The Great North Road on Earbook and I flipping loved it. Possibly my favourite one I've heard since getting Audible. Really Great narrator and once again, a fantastic story by Hamilton. Hugely recommended and it cements Hamilton as one of my top 3 authors.
...

Just picked it up on an audible 2 4 1 sale, so glad to read this.

Yes! Hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.

Quote

Zetubal, on 21 April 2019 - 11:53 AM, said:

The Library at Mount Char was utterly phenomenal and easily one of the best books I've read in years. It's really, really rare for me to find a book that emotionally resonates with me to the point where I both laugh out loud and find myself suppressing a little sob.... or two to let this book sink in. ...

Tiste Simeon, on 21 April 2019 - 01:50 PM, said:

There's quite a bunch of us on here who love Mount Char, you're in good company - it's an astonishing book! I'm fact your post makes me want to read it again!...

Heh, I think there was a point last year or the year before where approx a dozen forumites were all reading this around the same time and just freaking out at how good it was.

Yeah I was part of that wave IIRC. Fun fact: it is thought to be pure coincidence but at the same time there was a sharp rise in sales of tutus and novelty shaped BBQ's...

[Andorion]

Feeling happy to see all the Hamilton and Hawkins love.

Peter Hamilton was initially very weird, as anyone who has read his earlier books can confirm. This extended to the Reality Dysfunction series. But post that, he has been overall excellent.

Library at Mount Char is a singular phenomenon. I have yet to come across anything that is quite like it, especially that ending. It takes a lot of guts to write an ending like that.



Just finished rereading Toll the Hounds. This is the single most beautiful thing SE has written and I really wish he revisited this style. This is what he can do when he wants to overawe and no one else even approaches close to his narrative power. The amount of emotional power he can sink into a few words defies belief.

[Aptorian]

I read the Reality Dysfunction series by Peter F Hamilton and never read any of his books since. Are there a handful any of you would call must reads post Reality Dysfunction?

[Andorion]

Aptorian, on 22 April 2019 - 05:42 AM, said:

I read the Reality Dysfunction series by Peter F Hamilton and never read any of his books since. Are there a handful any of you would call must reads post Reality Dysfunction?

Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained.

The Void series opens very strong, unfortunately I felt that the last book was a bit anticlimactic.

Great North Road as stated above is excellent.

His latest book - Salvation, came out last year is the beginning of a new series and pretty good.

[Aptorian]

Ugh, Great North Road is over a thousand pages. I need more hours in the day and more days in the year.

That goes towards the bottom of the to read list.

The Commonwealth books could be interesting. Been ages since I read any Space opera.

This post has been edited by Aptorian: 22 April 2019 - 06:11 AM

[Tiste Simeon]

IMO Night's Dawn (the first book of which is Reality Dysfunction) is Hamilton's best work.

The Commonwealth Saga is also good, but he really ramps up that set of stories with the Void trilogy, which is nearly on a par with Night's Dawn but as Ando said it slightly loses its way towards the end (and Hamilton does tend to suffer a little bit from Deus ex machina in his endings).

Great North Road is long but the plot strands come together marvellously and I was left very satisfied.

I also agree with Ando about TTH. It truly is a masterpiece and very much my favourite in the series.

[Zetubal]

Andorion, on 22 April 2019 - 01:50 AM, said:

Library at Mount Char is a singular phenomenon. I have yet to come across anything that is quite like it, especially that ending. It takes a lot of guts to write an ending like that.

Which part of the ending are your referring to?