[Aptorian]

Finished At the mountains of madness by HP Lovecraft.

Didn't like it much. Maybe because it's so long. I don't remember any of his other stories being half as long and it hurts the story. Lovecraft is best when he insinuates and shows small glimpses of the horror. But this story does an incredible amount of showing and telling. It's a big lore dump of Lovecraftian cosmology which doesn't serve to create the feeling of dread and mystery I normally crave from such a tale.

Also finished Baptism of Fire, the fifth Witcher book (third in the Pentalogy). Liked it more than book three and four, mainly because it's much more Geralt focused, but still, like the others, I just don't like the story Sapkowski is telling. A lot happens but little to progress the story. And I hate the way he constantly switches POVs and the presentation of that perspective. Why is there suddenly an unknown story teller in the future telling the story of the present day storylines to a bunch of kids? It takes you out of the moment. And why am I supposed to care about Ciri who at this point, in my eyes, has turned into an irredeemable murderer?

Two books left. I'll finish the series but if anyone asked me, I'd tell them to play the games instead.

[Aptorian]

Nooooo! I was sure we were going to beat BK to the ending of TCG.

[Tiste Simeon]

Abyss, on 01 February 2020 - 11:15 PM, said:

Macros, on 01 February 2020 - 02:36 PM, said:

Just realised that the guy playing Richelieus bulldog (Rochefort) also plays Nottingham's bulldog (Gisborne) in the best version of robin hood (Costner version, again the casting, especially the Villain makes this film the best and most fun Hood)

Agreed re Costner Hood.
AWESOME.

"With a spoon!"

Ahem. Cary Elwes is the one true Hood.

[Macros]

We're running out of air!!!

[QuickTidal]

Finished DRAGON WING by Weis and Hickman. It's solid, but I argue that it's largely boring until Haplo shows up, then it's off like a rocket. Will definitely be reading ELVEN STAR soon.

------

Finally got my hands on ANARCH by Abnett (finally came out in paperback), and started it.

If you had told me that Dan Abnett (an author I love) could start the final Gaunt's Ghosts book (is it still the final one?) with a fist-pump scene that resolves the biggest cliffhanger of the previous volume I would have believed you, but I never though it would be so badass.

Spoiler

Damogaur: Are you a Ghost?

MKoll: I'm not a Ghost. I am Death.

*Slices everything in the room open.*

Fuck me that was fantastic!

I'm going to be sad to finish it, and I could not wait to read it so I'll need to come up with another vacation beach read, but Feth it, I could not wait.

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 03 February 2020 - 01:41 PM

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Tiste Simeon, on 02 February 2020 - 07:38 AM, said:

Abyss, on 01 February 2020 - 11:15 PM, said:

Macros, on 01 February 2020 - 02:36 PM, said:

Just realised that the guy playing Richelieus bulldog (Rochefort) also plays Nottingham's bulldog (Gisborne) in the best version of robin hood (Costner version, again the casting, especially the Villain makes this film the best and most fun Hood)

Agreed re Costner Hood.
AWESOME.

"With a spoon!"

Ahem. Cary Elwes is the one true Hood.

"Unlike some Robin Hoods, I can speak with an English accent!"

[Macros]

QuickTidal, on 03 February 2020 - 01:41 PM, said:

Finished DRAGON WING by Weis and Hickman. It's solid, but I argue that it's largely boring until Haplo shows up, then it's off like a rocket. Will definitely be reading ELVEN STAR soon.

------

Finally got my hands on ANARCH by Abnett (finally came out in paperback), and started it.

If you had told me that Dan Abnett (an author I love) could start the final Gaunt's Ghosts book (is it still the final one?) with a fist-pump scene that resolves the biggest cliffhanger of the previous volume I would have believed you, but I never though it would be so badass.

Spoiler

Damogaur: Are you a Ghost?

MKoll: I'm not a Ghost. I am Death.

*Slices everything in the room open.*

Fuck me that was fantastic!

I'm going to be sad to finish it, and I could not wait to read it so I'll need to come up with another vacation beach read, but Feth it, I could not wait.

It's just non stop man.

I heard a rumour it's not the last but if it is what a finish, and probably will set a reread in motion if I can find my damn Kobo

[QuickTidal]

Macros, on 03 February 2020 - 02:51 PM, said:

It's just non stop man.

I heard a rumour it's not the last but if it is what a finish, and probably will set a reread in motion if I can find my damn Kobo

Yeah, it certainly seems so. I'm thrilled with it so far.

If Abnett writes more Ghosts down the road, I'm there.

[Macros]

From an interview last year just after Anarch publication::


Track of Words: What’s the elevator pitch summary for Anarch?

Dan Abnett: This is the climax of the fourth arc – The Victory – and the culmination of the battle for Urdesh (and the fight against the archenemy Magister, Sek). It’s not the last book in the series, but it’s a very major piece of punctuation, completing some story strands that have been running for years. A very ‘big’ book (incidentally, the longest novel I’ve written, but that’s not what I mean by big). Essential reading for any Ghosts fan.

[QuickTidal]

Macros, on 03 February 2020 - 03:11 PM, said:

From an interview last year just after Anarch publication::


Track of Words: What’s the elevator pitch summary for Anarch?

Dan Abnett: This is the climax of the fourth arc – The Victory – and the culmination of the battle for Urdesh (and the fight against the archenemy Magister, Sek). It’s not the last book in the series, but it’s a very major piece of punctuation, completing some story strands that have been running for years. A very ‘big’ book (incidentally, the longest novel I’ve written, but that’s not what I mean by big). Essential reading for any Ghosts fan.

Whoa. That's exciting!

[Abyss]

QuickTidal, on 03 February 2020 - 01:41 PM, said:

Finished DRAGON WING by Weis and Hickman. It's solid, but I argue that it's largely boring until Haplo shows up, then it's off like a rocket. Will definitely be reading ELVEN STAR soon.
...

The pace definitely picks up, the creativity of the worlds and the characters are enough to keep things moving and engaging, and it's not as tho there is no action at all, but Weis/Hickman are ('were', i suppose) very very rooted in a 'slow build to single big finish action scene' per book style that bugged me even on the reread. If you look at the entire series as a a whole tho, that gives you no less than seven absolutely epic fantasy finales.

Even with that entirely subjective foible, it's a great series ...at the same time classic fantasy and taking some daring swerves that would work even now 20+ years later.



Also, there's a great dog.

[Abyss]

Those of you who are into Peter Clines' THRESHOLD universe (14, THE FOLD, DEAD MOON, arguably PARADOX BOUND) really, really, need to get into his latest, TERMINUS.
It's audible.com exclusive at the moment, there will be an ebook and dead tree eventually, but holy tentaclfuck, at the 1/3rd point he is killing it with this book.

[Aptorian]

Just finished KJ Parker's new? novella "Prosper's Demon". It's an fun little story.

It's about a sadistic excorsist who gets wind of a demon possessing a royal baby and how he goes about fixing the problem.

It's great. Sorta like John Constantine in Renaissance Italy. I hope Parker writes more of this.

[Abyss]

Aptorian, on 03 February 2020 - 04:36 PM, said:

Just finished KJ Parker's new? novella "Prosper's Demon"....

Sorta like John Constantine in Renaissance Italy....

That is STRONG reco Apt.

[Aptorian]

It's more stripped down and focused on his life and his relationship to demons than the richer DC world but the protagonist is instead perhaps an even bigger dick than Constantine which is impressive.

[T77]

Abyss, on 03 February 2020 - 04:09 PM, said:

Those of you who are into Peter Clines' THRESHOLD universe (14, THE FOLD, DEAD MOON, arguably PARADOX BOUND) really, really, need to get into his latest, TERMINUS.
It's audible.com exclusive at the moment, there will be an ebook and dead tree eventually, but holy tentaclfuck, at the 1/3rd point he is killing it with this book.

Since Terminus just came out, I decided to listen to 14 over the weekend. I loved it. A real page turner that held my interest throughout. Didn't realize that I bought The Fold on Kindle years ago, and I still have a few Audible credits, so I will finish Threshold soon. Clines is rising on my favorite authors list.

[Abyss]

T77, on 04 February 2020 - 01:59 PM, said:

Abyss, on 03 February 2020 - 04:09 PM, said:

Those of you who are into Peter Clines' THRESHOLD universe (14, THE FOLD, DEAD MOON, arguably PARADOX BOUND) really, really, need to get into his latest, TERMINUS.
It's audible.com exclusive at the moment, there will be an ebook and dead tree eventually, but holy tentaclfuck, at the 1/3rd point he is killing it with this book.

Since Terminus just came out, I decided to listen to 14 over the weekend. I loved it. A real page turner that held my interest throughout. Didn't realize that I bought The Fold on Kindle years ago, and I still have a few Audible credits, so I will finish Threshold soon. Clines is rising on my favorite authors list.

I actually envy you the opportunity to marathon these books because TERMINUS is making me want to so much reread.

Further in now, Clines isn't just killing it, he's mass murdering it.

[T77]

Abyss, on 04 February 2020 - 03:27 PM, said:

T77, on 04 February 2020 - 01:59 PM, said:

Abyss, on 03 February 2020 - 04:09 PM, said:

Those of you who are into Peter Clines' THRESHOLD universe (14, THE FOLD, DEAD MOON, arguably PARADOX BOUND) really, really, need to get into his latest, TERMINUS.
It's audible.com exclusive at the moment, there will be an ebook and dead tree eventually, but holy tentaclfuck, at the 1/3rd point he is killing it with this book.

Since Terminus just came out, I decided to listen to 14 over the weekend. I loved it. A real page turner that held my interest throughout. Didn't realize that I bought The Fold on Kindle years ago, and I still have a few Audible credits, so I will finish Threshold soon. Clines is rising on my favorite authors list.

I actually envy you the opportunity to marathon these books because TERMINUS is making me want to so much reread.

Further in now, Clines isn't just killing it, he's mass murdering it.

The Audible reviews agree with you. Going to read The Fold this weekend and Terminus next week. Looking forward to it. Holding off on Dead Moon as I heard it can be skipped, I'll get to it later.

[Abyss]

T77, on 04 February 2020 - 05:18 PM, said:

Abyss, on 04 February 2020 - 03:27 PM, said:

T77, on 04 February 2020 - 01:59 PM, said:

Abyss, on 03 February 2020 - 04:09 PM, said:

Those of you who are into Peter Clines' THRESHOLD universe (14, THE FOLD, DEAD MOON, arguably PARADOX BOUND) really, really, need to get into his latest, TERMINUS.
It's audible.com exclusive at the moment, there will be an ebook and dead tree eventually, but holy tentaclfuck, at the 1/3rd point he is killing it with this book.

Since Terminus just came out, I decided to listen to 14 over the weekend. I loved it. A real page turner that held my interest throughout. Didn't realize that I bought The Fold on Kindle years ago, and I still have a few Audible credits, so I will finish Threshold soon. Clines is rising on my favorite authors list.

I actually envy you the opportunity to marathon these books because TERMINUS is making me want to so much reread.

Further in now, Clines isn't just killing it, he's mass murdering it.

The Audible reviews agree with you. Going to read The Fold this weekend and Terminus next week. Looking forward to it. Holding off on Dead Moon as I heard it can be skipped, I'll get to it later.

DEAD MOON can be skipped. Worth reading, great fun, but you want 14 and FOLD in you before TERMINUS.
...and PARADOX is just a brilliant book. Peripheral at best to THRESHOLD, but arguably his best book... tho i may revise that after TERMINUS.

[T77]

Abyss, on 04 February 2020 - 05:56 PM, said:

T77, on 04 February 2020 - 05:18 PM, said:

Abyss, on 04 February 2020 - 03:27 PM, said:

T77, on 04 February 2020 - 01:59 PM, said:

Abyss, on 03 February 2020 - 04:09 PM, said:

Those of you who are into Peter Clines' THRESHOLD universe (14, THE FOLD, DEAD MOON, arguably PARADOX BOUND) really, really, need to get into his latest, TERMINUS.
It's audible.com exclusive at the moment, there will be an ebook and dead tree eventually, but holy tentaclfuck, at the 1/3rd point he is killing it with this book.

Since Terminus just came out, I decided to listen to 14 over the weekend. I loved it. A real page turner that held my interest throughout. Didn't realize that I bought The Fold on Kindle years ago, and I still have a few Audible credits, so I will finish Threshold soon. Clines is rising on my favorite authors list.

I actually envy you the opportunity to marathon these books because TERMINUS is making me want to so much reread.

Further in now, Clines isn't just killing it, he's mass murdering it.

The Audible reviews agree with you. Going to read The Fold this weekend and Terminus next week. Looking forward to it. Holding off on Dead Moon as I heard it can be skipped, I'll get to it later.

DEAD MOON can be skipped. Worth reading, great fun, but you want 14 and FOLD in you before TERMINUS.
...and PARADOX is just a brilliant book. Peripheral at best to THRESHOLD, but arguably his best book... tho i may revise that after TERMINUS.

I'll read Paradox too. Luckily Audible just offered me 3 credits for $30.