[Andorion]

Abyss, on 06 May 2019 - 02:14 PM, said:

Chance, on 05 May 2019 - 10:35 AM, said:

...Started Tiamat's Wrath it wasn't very awesome until the badguys started being extinction level stupid. At the same time it is a bit farfetched that the idiots in charge would be that poke god in the eye stupid but maybe they got a plan

response SPOILERS

Spoiler

Yes/no. They explain why they're doing that, the whole 'prisoner's dilemma' thing that comes up a few times in the book. Duarte was utterly prepared to take losses in order to reach detente with the aliens (or whatever they are). Where he misjudged was underestimating their weapons, or that they would be prepared to take losses too. I suppose we could say that having made himself over with alien tech, he should have realized he would be screwed, but hey, look how THAT turned out. Mental shutdown. And superpowers.

I take your point about Laconia's plan being a bad idea, Evie says so more than once, but the reasoning behind it from a military megalomaniac who has just conquered the known universe with one ship standpoint isn't ridiculous.

Chance, on 06 May 2019 - 05:29 PM, said:

Abyss, on 06 May 2019 - 02:14 PM, said:

Chance, on 05 May 2019 - 10:35 AM, said:

...Started Tiamat's Wrath it wasn't very awesome until the badguys started being extinction level stupid. At the same time it is a bit farfetched that the idiots in charge would be that poke god in the eye stupid but maybe they got a plan

response SPOILERS

Spoiler

Yes/no. They explain why they're doing that, the whole 'prisoner's dilemma' thing that comes up a few times in the book. Duarte was utterly prepared to take losses in order to reach detente with the aliens (or whatever they are). Where he misjudged was underestimating their weapons, or that they would be prepared to take losses too. I suppose we could say that having made himself over with alien tech, he should have realized he would be screwed, but hey, look how THAT turned out. Mental shutdown. And superpowers.

I take your point about Laconia's plan being a bad idea, Evie says so more than once, but the reasoning behind it from a military megalomaniac who has just conquered the known universe with one ship standpoint isn't ridiculous.

Spoiler

Maybe I'm a bit harsh but I'm hoping it will make more sense later but so far prisoner's dilemma idea they have is just stupid when played against someone who might just decide to break the rules and can do so at will with any repercussions their alien mind find appropriate. I'm getting the idea however reading about the biological experiments they have conducted and other stuff that the leadership of Laconia are stark raving mad in a nazi bond villain way.

Either way I'm enjoying it even if it feels a bit stupid, that stupidity turned over the anthill in a good way for the story.

Finished Tiamat's Wrath. Absolutely phenomenal read, and one of the best books of the series quite easily.

What I loved about this book was that so much happened, and everything happened very fast. This book has basically altered everything and set up what ought to be a cracking finale.

Spoiler

Also Bobby....but she went out in a very very awesomely Bobby way.

Regarding the above comments about Duarte's actions:

Spoiler

I thought it was idiotic as well. The "tit for tat" plan was utterly suicidal. They had no way to know how the enemy would react, and how damaging that reaction could be. I mean, if you fire a flaming projectile from a trebuchet, you are going to do damage. But if the enemy responds with a hundred cruise missiles, you are finished. They had no realistic chance at all. It was like throwing pebbles at a Balrog.

But I think this can to an extent be chalked up to Duarte's general weirdness which itself is probably the result of Cortazar's esoteric experimentation.

I loved all the PoVs, especially Teresa and Elvi. I could do with a lot more of Elvi to be honest.

[Andorion]

JPK, on 25 May 2019 - 03:01 PM, said:

Andorion, on 25 May 2019 - 12:19 PM, said:

Holy shit people Tiamat's Wrath is utterly mindblowing.

I am at chapter 22 and the sheer scope of events is just shocking.

Between the reactions of you and Abyss I'm now dropping my current transit book and starting this today.

Without spoilers, are we talking the big event of Babylon's Ashes level of shocking?

I think in terms of scope, this equals or outclasses any event in the series. This is the setup for the finale. And it is stunning.

[End of Disc One]

JPK, on 25 May 2019 - 03:01 PM, said:

Andorion, on 25 May 2019 - 12:19 PM, said:

Holy shit people Tiamat's Wrath is utterly mindblowing.

I am at chapter 22 and the sheer scope of events is just shocking.

Between the reactions of you and Abyss I'm now dropping my current transit book and starting this today.

Without spoilers, are we talking the big event of Babylon's Ashes level of shocking?

Do you mean Nemesis Games? I don’t remember many big events in Babylon’s Ashes.

[JPK]

End of Disc One, on 26 May 2019 - 02:43 AM, said:

JPK, on 25 May 2019 - 03:01 PM, said:

Andorion, on 25 May 2019 - 12:19 PM, said:

Holy shit people Tiamat's Wrath is utterly mindblowing.

I am at chapter 22 and the sheer scope of events is just shocking.

Between the reactions of you and Abyss I'm now dropping my current transit book and starting this today.

Without spoilers, are we talking the big event of Babylon's Ashes level of shocking?

Do you mean Nemesis Games? I don’t remember many big events in Babylon’s Ashes.

Yeah, I think you're right and I got them out of order a bit.

[Aptorian]

A little over 200 pages into Tigana.

This is a very slow book. I guess when you've got 800 pages that's affordable but it sure is a snail of a tale.

I like the writing and storytelling a lot. I love when fantasy characters are written in this romantic, honorable fashion. It makes villains stand out as even more villainous.

But so little is happening. And also this is a very meager fantasy story. So far the only fantastic element is a couple demonstrations of magic.

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Half way through Dragons of a Lost Star, book two of the War of Souls Dragonlance trilogy.

I still think I have read these before (I remember vaguely how this one ends) but I suspect I never got round to the last one, Dragons of a Vanished Moon, because I genuinely can't remember a thing about how the overall story ends.

So far so good though, entertaining popcorn reading

This post has been edited by TheRetiredBridgeburner: 26 May 2019 - 06:14 PM

[Abyss]

Aptorian, on 26 May 2019 - 02:00 PM, said:

A little over 200 pages into Tigana.

This is a very slow book. I guess when you've got 800 pages that's affordable but it sure is a snail of a tale.

I like the writing and storytelling a lot. I love when fantasy characters are written in this romantic, honorable fashion. It makes villains stand out as even more villainous.

But so little is happening. And also this is a very meager fantasy story. So far the only fantastic element is a couple demonstrations of magic.

Lackluster Bachelorette, on 26 May 2019 - 05:06 PM, said:

He got some skills laying words down.

Agreed there.
This just isn't the best example of that.

[Aptorian]

Another 100 pages into Tigana. I just spent a hundred pages reading about a courtesans life at the court of Brandin. It was insightful but God damn. Well at least the story is back to the peninsula and people getting murdered a lot.

[champ]

MoI reread... hello old friend...

[amphibian]

Esslemont has improved massively as a writer. Deadhouse Landing was an extremely fun read. There's a little forced bit about two Azath guardians who keep things in, but everything else works great.

Very pleased, very ready to read Kell and ved's Reach.

[Macros]

Finished War of the Wolf on Sunday. Another solid Uthred entry.

About 120 pages into Blackdog now. By K.V Johansen.

Pretty good so far

[Tiste Simeon]

Macros do you think there will be any more Uthred books?

[Abyss]

Lackluster Bachelorette, on 27 May 2019 - 03:22 AM, said:

Have been skim reading Tigana. Fucking fantastic!

Admit it... when you reread this book you skip entirely over everything to do with

Spoiler

lost princes, dream demon invasions, incest, and the logistics of the spell that makes everyone forget Tigana.

[Macros]

Tiste Simeon, on 28 May 2019 - 12:16 PM, said:

Macros do you think there will be any more Uthred books?

Next one is out in October/November so I'll say a tentative yes?

[Aptorian]

450ish pages into Tigana.

I'm leaning towards Abyss here. It's a well written take, I like the characters... It's just a really dull fantasy book. Nothing much ever happens.

Tigana is actually an example of my least favorite kind of fantasy. A world that is sort of like our ancient/medieval past with a sprinkling of mildly magical or mythical stuff that is so minimal in the tale that you could remove the magic and nothing about the story really changes.

This post has been edited by Aptorian: 28 May 2019 - 05:41 PM

[Abyss]

Aptorian, on 28 May 2019 - 05:41 PM, said:

450ish pages into Tigana.

I'm leaning towards Abyss here. It's a well written take, I like the characters... It's just a really dull fantasy book. Nothing much ever happens.

Tigana is actually an example of my least favorite kind of fantasy. A world that is sort of like our ancient/medieval past with a sprinkling of mildly magical or mythical stuff that is so minimal in the tale that you could remove the magic and nothing about the story really changes.

I WI.... sorry, got carried away there. Continue reading.

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Macros, on 28 May 2019 - 05:00 PM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 28 May 2019 - 12:16 PM, said:

Macros do you think there will be any more Uthred books?

Next one is out in October/November so I'll say a tentative yes?

That.... and series four of the TV show is in production too. All hail Uhtred of Bebbanburg!

[Tiste Simeon]

I didn't know there was a next one coming haha

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

It's been about one a year I think for a bit

[Grief]

In this ongoing forum divide I remain firmly on the side of Tigana being a good book. Unfortunately it's been a decade since I read it now, so I can't exactly remember why.