[amphibian]

I've read Who Fears Death and moderately liked it. I didn't think her vision of Afro Futurism was simplistic, although she does love to write extremely stubborn characters managing to sway others to their viewpoint.

[Aptorian]

Okorafor's vision is in no way simple but I was surprised at how few positive aspects of African culture you can derive from the books. Even when Binti takes comfort in her old habits and traditions they feel more like shackles than strength.

Polish is of course right, western sci-fi is often one accusation or criticism of our society after another, yet I'm still surprised at the telling of the Binti series because from Binti's perspective there's little criticism of her people and mostly personal shame and fear derived from growing out of her clans traditional life and persuing her own needs over the roles her people grow into.

Edit: Also the three stories are garbage.

This post has been edited by Aptorian: 09 September 2020 - 02:44 PM

[JPK]

I finished up Stonewielder last night. Thoughts on the reread thread.

Now that that's done, I've two books that I'm focusing on and trying to finish before Battle Ground hits. The first is Parker's Sixteen Ways to Defend a Walled City. I'm about 10% into this one now and really enjoying it. There were some members that had dropped positive remarks about it a while ago and I'd picked it up on sale because of that. I also appreciated The Engineer Trilogy and The Company so this was something I was bound to crack into eventually.

The other one is Harrow the Ninth. I finally broke and bought three more credits so I didn't have to wait until Jan for this.

[Imperial Historian]

I just finished 16 ways to defend a walled city to which I thought was brilliant.

[Tiste Simeon]

Imperial Historian, on 10 September 2020 - 07:48 PM, said:

I just finished 16 ways to defend a walled city to which I thought was brilliant.

Indeed, very enjoyable.

[Tsundoku]

Shittest ending though. Typical Parker.

I'll probably read the next one though.

[End of Disc One]

As someone who's only read Parker's first 2 published books, does he just like to troll people with endings? Do any of his books have a satisfying ending?

[Macros]

I've only read 16 ways and how to rule an empire

Both have smash cut endings in a sense, but I liked both endings, I found them quite fitting for the narrative. And if anything the ending of 16 ways and where it picks up in how rule is a part of the underlying tone and story of the books.
History is not what we read.

[Tsundoku]

I meant that the ones I have read (16 ways and the Fencer trilo) very much do NOT follow what one might call a "classical" structure or even have necessarily likeable characters. Although as you may see in my autosig below I DO like the Colonel Orhan character from 16 ways.

And Maccy has it right by saying the endings are "smash cut". A part of me understands why it was done that way and even appreciates how well it was done, but the more traditionalist part of me desires a more traditional ending or at least a traditional ending format, hence enjoying the books but being about the endings.

This post has been edited by Tsundoku: 12 September 2020 - 12:19 PM

[Aptorian]

In general I hate stories where the resolution to the story/conflict/adventure is on the last couple of pages.

I prefer that there's a tapering off, like a down slope on the tension/drama scale, where there's time to do a debrief between characters and the author and reader.

[Tiste Simeon]

Finished Small Favor! Onto Turn Coat!

[polishgenius]

End of Disc One, on 11 September 2020 - 01:14 PM, said:

As someone who's only read Parker's first 2 published books, does he just like to troll people with endings? Do any of his books have a satisfying ending?

Sharps is kinda satisfying (and I think the one of his books that has some wind-down). It's also, just generally, his best book that I've read- just a really tight setup and structure and really driven by character.

That said for most of his books that I've read I don't think a different ending from the one they have would necessarily work, however weird they feel. They're just weird stories anyway, like Tsundoku says.

[QuickTidal]

I'm about 25% into THE CURSE OF THE MISTWRAITH by Janny Wurts...and I feel like you all have been holding out a big secret from me.

This book is stunning. Like the characters, the prose, the setting, the world building, the slow burn nature of the story all great...It feels like this is one of those big Fantasy authors I should have already read at this point.

I was so impressed that I've gone ALL IN. I found MOST of the rest existing series on used-book sites and ordered every one of them.

Ando, hopefully I'll catch up to your read-through at some point and I can join in the thread you started.

So yeah, really impressed.

[QuickTidal]

Briar King, on 14 September 2020 - 02:56 PM, said:

Plan on heading to Half Price Books today. I want the Lonesome Dove set(again), Harrow black, some Warhammer 40K things finally, Debbie Does Dallas, Masters of Rome 3-5/Outlander 1-3/ICE water damage replacements.

I should totally use this experience and finally get an e reader do hickey thing.

Yeah, if you get one, you can get in on all these kindle sales...I get MOST of the ebook content I have from sales of $2-3 a book. You just keep a daily eye on them.

[Macros]

god damnit BK

we just bought a new fucking couch!

[Macros]

QuickTidal, on 14 September 2020 - 01:08 PM, said:

I'm about 25% into THE CURSE OF THE MISTWRAITH by Janny Wurts...and I feel like you all have been holding out a big secret from me.

This book is stunning. Like the characters, the prose, the setting, the world building, the slow burn nature of the story all great...It feels like this is one of those big Fantasy authors I should have already read at this point.

I was so impressed that I've gone ALL IN. I found MOST of the rest existing series on used-book sites and ordered every one of them.

Ando, hopefully I'll catch up to your read-through at some point and I can join in the thread you started.

So yeah, really impressed.

I've been dodging around this series for years, I love Empire trilogy and I've always wondered how much of that was Wurts and how much feist.

Keep me posted on this, there have been decided mixed reviews on forum

[QuickTidal]

Macros, on 14 September 2020 - 08:15 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 14 September 2020 - 01:08 PM, said:

I'm about 25% into THE CURSE OF THE MISTWRAITH by Janny Wurts...and I feel like you all have been holding out a big secret from me.

This book is stunning. Like the characters, the prose, the setting, the world building, the slow burn nature of the story all great...It feels like this is one of those big Fantasy authors I should have already read at this point.

I was so impressed that I've gone ALL IN. I found MOST of the rest existing series on used-book sites and ordered every one of them.

Ando, hopefully I'll catch up to your read-through at some point and I can join in the thread you started.

So yeah, really impressed.

I've been dodging around this series for years, I love Empire trilogy and I've always wondered how much of that was Wurts and how much feist.

Keep me posted on this, there have been decided mixed reviews on forum

Sure thing. I'll let you know.

[Tsundoku]

QuickTidal, on 14 September 2020 - 01:08 PM, said:

I'm about 25% into THE CURSE OF THE MISTWRAITH by Janny Wurts...and I feel like you all have been holding out a big secret from me.

This book is stunning. Like the characters, the prose, the setting, the world building, the slow burn nature of the story all great...It feels like this is one of those big Fantasy authors I should have already read at this point.

I was so impressed that I've gone ALL IN. I found MOST of the rest existing series on used-book sites and ordered every one of them.

Ando, hopefully I'll catch up to your read-through at some point and I can join in the thread you started.

So yeah, really impressed.

Ahem:

YOUR OWN THREAD

https://forum.malaza...__1#entry846405

This post has been edited by Tsundoku: 15 September 2020 - 10:07 AM

[Traveller]

Finished Dust of Dreams.

That ending is... awesome. I think I've only read it once before, there was a lot I'd forgotten.

I've looked at the dramatis personae at the beginning of The CG - and under 'the Khundryl' there is now only one name...
man that was harsh.

This post has been edited by Traveller: 15 September 2020 - 04:15 PM

[QuickTidal]

Tsundoku, on 15 September 2020 - 10:07 AM, said:

QuickTidal, on 14 September 2020 - 01:08 PM, said:

I'm about 25% into THE CURSE OF THE MISTWRAITH by Janny Wurts...and I feel like you all have been holding out a big secret from me.

This book is stunning. Like the characters, the prose, the setting, the world building, the slow burn nature of the story all great...It feels like this is one of those big Fantasy authors I should have already read at this point.

I was so impressed that I've gone ALL IN. I found MOST of the rest existing series on used-book sites and ordered every one of them.

Ando, hopefully I'll catch up to your read-through at some point and I can join in the thread you started.

So yeah, really impressed.

Ahem:

YOUR OWN THREAD

https://forum.malaza...__1#entry846405

2011?!

Holy crapsnacks. Turns out, I never tried the sample chapters at the time when I said I was gonna. I have absolutely no memory of every creating a thread when I first heard of the series all those years ago. Should have searched I guess...

Well, I take back the 'you've been holding out on me part'...still, really enjoying.

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 15 September 2020 - 09:14 PM