[Tiste Simeon]

Ooh I must have missed that, thanks! Can't wait to start it.

[Chance]

Aptorian, on 16 February 2021 - 09:26 PM, said:

There is nuance. And explanations for the caste system. But the Nobles still suck and boy does that make it all the more satisfying when Tau starts paying them back.

I'm actually really enjoying the book predictability, a bit of YA and all, by a bit more than halfways into it.

The caste system and the entire people do suck mostly but it ain't unreasonable pretty close to a few systems we humans have had in real life but it really doesn't make you sympathies with people who live by what would be insane social rules for nearly all human societies ever.

This post has been edited by Chance: 18 February 2021 - 12:08 PM

[Aptorian]

About a hundred pages into Prince of Fools by Mark Lawrence.

I'm having some trouble getting into this book. Not that the story isn't interesting or fast moving but I just really don't care for the protagonist, Prince Jal's perspective. I get the charm of this kind of character but not as the leading character. I just don't care for this fruitloop of a human being.

Also looking up a synopsis for the Broken Empire books I realize I've forgotten pretty much everything from that series. Almost tempted to do a reread but I don't ever want to read that dog torture scene again.

This post has been edited by Aptorian: 19 February 2021 - 06:16 PM

[QuickTidal]

Aptorian, on 19 February 2021 - 06:15 PM, said:

About a hundred pages into Prince of Fools by Mark Lawrence.

I'm having some trouble getting into this book. Not that the story isn't interesting or fast moving but I just really don't care for the protagonist, Prince Jal's perspective. I get the charm of this kind of character but not as the leading character. I just don't care for this fruitloop of a human being.

While I've gotten off the Lawrence bandwagon...I would frame it like this:

Jal is essentially Harry Flashman from the Flashman Papers. A completely morally repugnant dude who happens to be rich and from the South of France, and a cad with the ladies and falls as backwards into "adventures" ect....getting magically TIED to a highly moralistic, brutishly large, Good guy Viking from the North...

It's a buddy cop comedy starring two completely at odds characters who are forced to work together. If you can get into that dynamic, you will enjoy this. There's more to it obviously, but that's the gist as I saw it.

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 19 February 2021 - 06:21 PM

[champ]

Aptorian, on 19 February 2021 - 06:15 PM, said:

Also looking up a synopsis for the Broken Empire books I realize I've forgotten pretty much everything from that series. Almost tempted to do a reread but I don't ever want to read that dog torture scene again.

If you have the time then I would do a reread first as reading the Jal books straight after the Broken Empire books adds so much more to the series. There is depth to the books that you can miss if you do not have the BE books knowledge.

I got my sister into the books, she tried reading RQW first and was just lost with some details and finer points.

That's not to say that you cannot enjoy the books without having a refresh but I think you'll enjoy it so much more going back to BE.

I've read the series numerous times but the Justice scene just once...

QuickTidal, on 19 February 2021 - 06:20 PM, said:

Aptorian, on 19 February 2021 - 06:15 PM, said:

About a hundred pages into Prince of Fools by Mark Lawrence.

I'm having some trouble getting into this book. Not that the story isn't interesting or fast moving but I just really don't care for the protagonist, Prince Jal's perspective. I get the charm of this kind of character but not as the leading character. I just don't care for this fruitloop of a human being.

While I've gotten off the Lawrence bandwagon...I would frame it like this:

Jal is essentially Harry Flashman from the Flashman Papers. A completely morally repugnant dude who happens to be rich and from the South of France, and a cad with the ladies and falls as backwards into "adventures" ect....getting magically TIED to a highly moralistic, brutishly large, Good guy Viking from the North...

It's a buddy cop comedy starring two completely at odds characters who are forced to work together. If you can get into that dynamic, you will enjoy this. There's more to it obviously, but that's the gist as I saw it.

Jal is an absolute weasel but he does grow throughout the series (somewhat ha) and by the end of the books I absolutely loved his character. His development, his battle to be brave when he's such a selfish coward and with Snorri and their relationship is what makes these books special. 100 odd pages in you really won't have had the chance to get into their relationship much yet, I would give it time.

This post has been edited by champ: 19 February 2021 - 06:57 PM

[Aptorian]

I can't see myself doing the reread. I wasn't that happy about the third book. Synopsisises will do for now.

[Abyss]

champ, on 19 February 2021 - 06:51 PM, said:

Aptorian, on 19 February 2021 - 06:15 PM, said:

Also looking up a synopsis for the Broken Empire books I realize I've forgotten pretty much everything from that series. Almost tempted to do a reread but I don't ever want to read that dog torture scene again.

If you have the time then I would do a reread first as reading the Jal books straight after the Broken Empire books adds so much more to the series. There is depth to the books that you can miss if you do not have the BE books knowledge.

I got my sister into the books, she tried reading RQW first and was just lost with some details and finer points.

That's not to say that you cannot enjoy the books without having a refresh but I think you'll enjoy it so much more going back to BE.

I've read the series numerous times but the Justice scene just once...

QuickTidal, on 19 February 2021 - 06:20 PM, said:

Aptorian, on 19 February 2021 - 06:15 PM, said:

About a hundred pages into Prince of Fools by Mark Lawrence.

I'm having some trouble getting into this book. Not that the story isn't interesting or fast moving but I just really don't care for the protagonist, Prince Jal's perspective. I get the charm of this kind of character but not as the leading character. I just don't care for this fruitloop of a human being.

While I've gotten off the Lawrence bandwagon...I would frame it like this:

Jal is essentially Harry Flashman from the Flashman Papers. A completely morally repugnant dude who happens to be rich and from the South of France, and a cad with the ladies and falls as backwards into "adventures" ect....getting magically TIED to a highly moralistic, brutishly large, Good guy Viking from the North...

It's a buddy cop comedy starring two completely at odds characters who are forced to work together. If you can get into that dynamic, you will enjoy this. There's more to it obviously, but that's the gist as I saw it.

Jal is an absolute weasel but he does grow throughout the series (somewhat ha) and by the end of the books I absolutely loved his character. His development, his battle to be brave when he's such a selfish coward and with Snorri and their relationship is what makes these books special. 100 odd pages in you really won't have had the chance to get into their relationship much yet, I would give it time.

Aptorian, on 19 February 2021 - 07:43 PM, said:

I can't see myself doing the reread. I wasn't that happy about the third book. Synopsisises will do for now.

You don't need to do a full reread. You'll probably remember the key bits or else synopsis will suffice.

And you should keep reading because this trilo is so very great, imnsho better than EMPIRE by a lot.

[Aptorian]

Finished Prince of Fools by Mark Lawrence. It did indeed get better. The chemistry or antagonistic relationship between Jal and Snorri is fun. The subversion of the clever rogue and dumb barbarian tropes is entertaining. Still wouldn't piss on Jal if he was on fire though.

Before starting Liar's Key I've started Wilful Child by Steven Erikson.

Not quite sure what to think of this after 50 pages. It's blisteringly fast paced and utterly stupid. I can't quite figure out if I find Captain Hadrian incredibly offensive, arrogant and dangerous, smart and even dangerouserer or just insane - Which might mean Erikson is doing something right? What with this being Star Trek satire.

Like I get Captain Kirk was a womanizer but in this day and age, Erikson is brave to write a character like this. If he was more mainstream Twitter would have a meltdown.

I'm not sure if I hate it or love it.

This post has been edited by Aptorian: 20 February 2021 - 08:42 PM

[Aptorian]

Another 50 pages in.

I love this book. It's so dumb.

[Aptorian]

Finished Willful Child by Steven Erikson. An awesome book. If you loved the kind of absurd comedy and clever banter of Tehol and Bugg in the Malazan Books, you'll enjoy this book too.

I'm honestly floored by how much I've enjoyed Rejoice and Willful Child. After becoming disillusioned by Erikson's later Malazan Books, I'm reminded just how much I enjoy Erikson's writing and how much I vibe with his underlying commentary on culture, politics and history.

[Cyphon]

Come back to the reread Apt, we're past the main ten books...

[Aptorian]

I'm worried if I do it'll kill my joy in reading. The books are too damn long!

Edit: I could break the books up. Read 300-500 pages and then reading something else in between. I think I'll try when I've made my way through the books I've planned for the coming month.

This post has been edited by Aptorian: 21 February 2021 - 06:35 PM

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Finished listening to The Burning God. Good, though I think I liked the previous two books better. The prose is generally 'transparent', not bad, but not great. There are a few good images though, and one memorable metaphor. Would have liked more references to Chinese literature as in the first book (though it's possible there were subtle allusions I missed). The world-building also could have been developed a bit more. And while most of the plot twists were foreshadowed well (perhaps a bit too much even), there's one major shift that should have had some obvious warning signs which I don't think were present to any significant extent.

Started listening to The Absolute Book. Slow start, bogged down by mundane details in a present-day universe; perhaps that's why it had trouble finding a US publisher. (Granted, I found it so boring I kept drifting off to think about math, etc.) It gets more interesting as the fantasy elements come into play. The (audio) performance is definitely detracting from it....

[Macros]

Just finished Rejoice.

A wonderful little book, with an excellent ending.

I just love the rage and impotence of the old order

[QuickTidal]

Finished LEGION by Dan Abnett the other day, another Great Horus Heresy entry, and I'm fascinated by the Alpha Legion, and more specifically John Grammaticus and the Cabal. Also, is it me or would a dude like Sonneka be right at home amongst the Belladon's and Ghosts 10,000 years later? Abnett always gets the human-level characters so right!

[Aptorian]

Reading The Liar's Key by Mark Lawrence.

Just read the part that shows how the Red Queen got her title. I understand why the Red Marsh is feared now.

[Aptorian]

Macros, on 22 February 2021 - 10:37 AM, said:

Just finished Rejoice.

A wonderful little book, with an excellent ending.

I just love the rage and impotence of the old order

Yes, the Trump and Rupert Murdoch analogues were fun. I liked that while making fun of these characters, Erikson also still gave them a form of humanity where you understood their point of view, instead of just making them one dimensional power players.

[amphibian]

QuickTidal, on 22 February 2021 - 02:18 PM, said:

Finished LEGION by Dan Abnett the other day, another Great Horus Heresy entry, and I'm fascinated by the Alpha Legion, and more specifically John Grammaticus and the Cabal. Also, is it me or would a dude like Sonneka be right at home amongst the Belladon's and Ghosts 10,000 years later? Abnett always gets the human-level characters so right!

The Vulkan books deal a little with the Grammaticus type stuff.

[Aptorian]

Second half of The Liar's Key is annoying me.

What little fondness I was developing for Jal in the first book is ruined in the later half of this book because he really is just a piece of shit. In a way I can appreciate Lawrence not following the tropes of spoiled, young prince growing into a good man after an adventure and hardships - But that just leaves you with an unsympathetic character I wish would get tortured to death as an example.

I've also got to say, in stories featuring a duo of characters, I don't think I've ever enjoyed it if the author decides to split them up. The magic is in the chemistry, bouncing the characters of one another. Without Snorri, Jal is just a shitty person doing shitty person things.

This post has been edited by Aptorian: 23 February 2021 - 08:25 AM

[Macros]

I think there's a level of realism below it. Shitty spoiled rich people gonna shitty spoil rich. The turning into a good person is the high fantasy bit