[amphibian]

 Macros, on 14 July 2019 - 05:59 PM, said:

I'd say you will, the quality doesn't really dip until the very end (for me)(excepting Monstrous Regiment, which I really didn't enjoy very much) when he was suffering from dementia and had to alter his writing program to dictation, the very last book felt rushed or something.

Going Postal is where the dementia effects really became apparent. That and the later books are still decent books and worth reading, but the meticulous editing and the super sharp wit it produced was no longer possible by then.

He tried so damn hard to give us more books when he could easily have just stopped. I respect his life and works so much that I'm happy more people are finding them, yet still a little sad that this brings up that he's gone all over again for me.

[pat5150]

Finally finished Tad Williams' Empire of Grass and it was another slog of slogs. The book basically suffers from the same shortcomings that sunk The Witchwood Crown and it was a major disappointment.

You can read my review here.

[polishgenius]

 amphibian, on 15 July 2019 - 03:12 AM, said:

Going Postal is where the dementia effects really became apparent.

I don't think that's really the case tbh, Going Postal is one of his best for me and A Hat Full of Sky, same year, even better. In any case he wasn't diagnosed till three years after those books came out so to suggest that anything was 'apparent' by then seems a stretch, he definitely hadn't altered his editing and writing method by then.

It isn't really obvious till the last three books for me, by then it's really clear when you know that he's dictating those books and not writing them, it's all far more sequential/episodic. Potentially back to Unseen Academicals, but I tend to put that book's weakness down as much to him taking on a subject- football fandom- that he didn't really understand that I understand really well as much as anything else.

[Macros]

Started Igguldens 'Falcon of Sparta' last night. Decent set up so far, but not overly far in.
They said the book will have to hit the ground running to get it all told in the pages available

[amphibian]

 polishgenius, on 15 July 2019 - 04:40 AM, said:

 amphibian, on 15 July 2019 - 03:12 AM, said:

Going Postal is where the dementia effects really became apparent.

I don't think that's really the case tbh, Going Postal is one of his best for me and A Hat Full of Sky, same year, even better. In any case he wasn't diagnosed till three years after those books came out so to suggest that anything was 'apparent' by then seems a stretch, he definitely hadn't altered his editing and writing method by then.

It isn't really obvious till the last three books for me, by then it's really clear when you know that he's dictating those books and not writing them, it's all far more sequential/episodic. Potentially back to Unseen Academicals, but I tend to put that book's weakness down as much to him taking on a subject- football fandom- that he didn't really understand that I understand really well as much as anything else.

Oh dang, I swapped Making Money and Going Postal.

[QuickTidal]

 Macros, on 15 July 2019 - 05:03 AM, said:

Started Igguldens 'Falcon of Sparta' last night. Decent set up so far, but not overly far in.
They said the book will have to hit the ground running to get it all told in the pages available

Did you see my post further up about this? It's fine, but there is a jarring POV change mid-book coming up that may bother you.

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

 amphibian, on 15 July 2019 - 07:01 AM, said:

 polishgenius, on 15 July 2019 - 04:40 AM, said:

 amphibian, on 15 July 2019 - 03:12 AM, said:

Going Postal is where the dementia effects really became apparent.

I don't think that's really the case tbh, Going Postal is one of his best for me and A Hat Full of Sky, same year, even better. In any case he wasn't diagnosed till three years after those books came out so to suggest that anything was 'apparent' by then seems a stretch, he definitely hadn't altered his editing and writing method by then.

It isn't really obvious till the last three books for me, by then it's really clear when you know that he's dictating those books and not writing them, it's all far more sequential/episodic. Potentially back to Unseen Academicals, but I tend to put that book's weakness down as much to him taking on a subject- football fandom- that he didn't really understand that I understand really well as much as anything else.

Oh dang, I swapped Making Money and Going Postal.

This post is where the dementia effects really became apparent

[amphibian]

I'm deeply apologetic to mess up a Pratchett related thing. Sorry, it's been a long weekend that included attending a bachelorette party that I didn't get a stellar amount of sleep during.

[End of Disc One]

Started book 8 of The Expanse, Tiamat's Wrath. I've sort of lost interest in the Roci crew over the last few books, but the rest of the story seems pretty interesting.

Also about 2/3 of the way through Tad's The Dragonbone Chair. If I had one complaint, it's that I wish it were more of a multi-POV book. I really like the chapters that cut away to other parts of the world.

[Mentalist]

I finally finished Shantaram

I think i'll make the "Dreamblood" books my next commute read.

[Macros]

 QuickTidal, on 15 July 2019 - 01:12 PM, said:

 Macros, on 15 July 2019 - 05:03 AM, said:

Started Igguldens 'Falcon of Sparta' last night. Decent set up so far, but not overly far in.
They said the book will have to hit the ground running to get it all told in the pages available

Did you see my post further up about this? It's fine, but there is a jarring POV change mid-book coming up that may bother you.

Think it was your post that spurred me to buy it, I didn't know it was out.
I'm mid way.

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Finished The Lies of Locke Lamora. It did improve once everything started to go pear shaped (about half way through the book) - there's something irritating and a bit BBC Robin Hood about the "gang" up to that point (for anyone who didn't see that TV adaption... you're not missing anything, it was rubbish.)

On with Red Seas Under Red Skies now - and I love it again already. This was my favourite of the three by a good stretch on first read.

This post has been edited by TheRetiredBridgeburner: 16 July 2019 - 09:47 AM

[QuickTidal]

 Macros, on 16 July 2019 - 09:21 AM, said:

 QuickTidal, on 15 July 2019 - 01:12 PM, said:

 Macros, on 15 July 2019 - 05:03 AM, said:

Started Igguldens 'Falcon of Sparta' last night. Decent set up so far, but not overly far in.
They said the book will have to hit the ground running to get it all told in the pages available

Did you see my post further up about this? It's fine, but there is a jarring POV change mid-book coming up that may bother you.

Think it was your post that spurred me to buy it, I didn't know it was out.
I'm mid way.

It's just the jump from Cyrus The Younger to Xenophon that I found super jarring.

Let me know what you think of it in the end.

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 16 July 2019 - 12:48 PM

[Aptorian]

What's BAM?

[Abyss]

 BfuckinK, on 16 July 2019 - 08:52 PM, said:

...

Almost bought Lawrence next 3 after Thorns.

If you mean RED QUEENS WAR, you cheated yourself.

[QuickTidal]

 Abyss, on 17 July 2019 - 01:41 AM, said:

 BfuckinK, on 16 July 2019 - 08:52 PM, said:

...

Almost bought Lawrence next 3 after Thorns.

If you mean RED QUEENS WAR, you cheated yourself.

THIS. That series is GLORIOUS.

 BfuckinK, on 17 July 2019 - 02:04 AM, said:

Not for much longer I think. Either getting after Licanus(after Emp, on King) or may just go back so I can have after Emp.

Coincidentally, while returning a book to the library last night, I grabbed LICANIUS Book 2, which I will get into after Crown of Stars 2.

[polishgenius]

I read The Ember Blade, Chris Wooding's tribute to/spin on Tolkienite old-school fantasy, and now I'm nearly done with Redemption's Blade, Adrian Tchaikovsky's tribute to/spin on Tolkienite old-school fantasy. Both are very good.


Ember Blade is very deliberately traditional but it does those traditions very well (including a neat take on the Mines of Moria sequence), has engaging characters, and one thing that I really enjoyed about it is that character motivations and arcs include not just the usual epic fantasy grandoise heroism, trust, betrayal, etc etc, but little human things like a character realising their own racism, a family raising a seemingly autistic child, a fear of heights... just little relatable things that drive or hinder people as much as the flashy stuff.


Redemption's Blade is a bit different in that it's set after the Sauron expy is defeated and is about one of the heroes trying to heal some of the wounds he left in the world. Oddly I get a fairly strong feel of Nicholas Eames' Kings of the Wyld about it despite it not being really a comedy or anything to do with music. Just something about the writing style and the setting. Also Tchaikovsky is a writing monster.

[QuickTidal]

 polishgenius, on 17 July 2019 - 05:33 PM, said:

Redemption's Blade is a bit different in that it's set after the Sauron expy is defeated and is about one of the heroes trying to heal some of the wounds he left in the world. Oddly I get a fairly strong feel of Nicholas Eames' Kings of the Wyld about it despite it not being really a comedy or anything to do with music. Just something about the writing style and the setting. Also Tchaikovsky is a writing monster.

Great to hear! I nabbed this in a kindle sale for $2 a few weeks back.

[Abyss]

 polishgenius, on 17 July 2019 - 05:33 PM, said:

I read The Ember Blade, Chris Wooding's tribute to/spin on Tolkienite old-school fantasy, and now I'm nearly done with Redemption's Blade, Adrian Tchaikovsky's tribute to/spin on Tolkienite old-school fantasy. Both are very good.


Ember Blade is very deliberately traditional but it does those traditions very well (including a neat take on the Mines of Moria sequence), has engaging characters, and one thing that I really enjoyed about it is that character motivations and arcs include not just the usual epic fantasy grandoise heroism, trust, betrayal, etc etc, but little human things like a character realising their own racism, a family raising a seemingly autistic child, a fear of heights... just little relatable things that drive or hinder people as much as the flashy stuff.


Redemption's Blade is a bit different in that it's set after the Sauron expy is defeated and is about one of the heroes trying to heal some of the wounds he left in the world. Oddly I get a fairly strong feel of Nicholas Eames' Kings of the Wyld about it despite it not being really a comedy or anything to do with music. Just something about the writing style and the setting. Also Tchaikovsky is a writing monster.

 QuickTidal, on 17 July 2019 - 05:49 PM, said:

 polishgenius, on 17 July 2019 - 05:33 PM, said:

Redemption's Blade is a bit different in that it's set after the Sauron expy is defeated and is about one of the heroes trying to heal some of the wounds he left in the world. Oddly I get a fairly strong feel of Nicholas Eames' Kings of the Wyld about it despite it not being really a comedy or anything to do with music. Just something about the writing style and the setting. Also Tchaikovsky is a writing monster.

Great to hear! I nabbed this in a kindle sale for $2 a few weeks back.

Relatedly EMBER BLADE is $0.99 on the amazons at the moment.

[QuickTidal]

 Abyss, on 17 July 2019 - 06:10 PM, said:

 polishgenius, on 17 July 2019 - 05:33 PM, said:

I read The Ember Blade, Chris Wooding's tribute to/spin on Tolkienite old-school fantasy, and now I'm nearly done with Redemption's Blade, Adrian Tchaikovsky's tribute to/spin on Tolkienite old-school fantasy. Both are very good.


Ember Blade is very deliberately traditional but it does those traditions very well (including a neat take on the Mines of Moria sequence), has engaging characters, and one thing that I really enjoyed about it is that character motivations and arcs include not just the usual epic fantasy grandoise heroism, trust, betrayal, etc etc, but little human things like a character realising their own racism, a family raising a seemingly autistic child, a fear of heights... just little relatable things that drive or hinder people as much as the flashy stuff.


Redemption's Blade is a bit different in that it's set after the Sauron expy is defeated and is about one of the heroes trying to heal some of the wounds he left in the world. Oddly I get a fairly strong feel of Nicholas Eames' Kings of the Wyld about it despite it not being really a comedy or anything to do with music. Just something about the writing style and the setting. Also Tchaikovsky is a writing monster.

 QuickTidal, on 17 July 2019 - 05:49 PM, said:

 polishgenius, on 17 July 2019 - 05:33 PM, said:

Redemption's Blade is a bit different in that it's set after the Sauron expy is defeated and is about one of the heroes trying to heal some of the wounds he left in the world. Oddly I get a fairly strong feel of Nicholas Eames' Kings of the Wyld about it despite it not being really a comedy or anything to do with music. Just something about the writing style and the setting. Also Tchaikovsky is a writing monster.

Great to hear! I nabbed this in a kindle sale for $2 a few weeks back.

Relatedly EMBER BLADE is $0.99 on the amazons at the moment.

YOINK! Thanks for the heads up. Can't beat a buck!