[Maark Abbott]

Aptorian, on 22 February 2021 - 05:19 PM, said:

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.

I like it when the red water comes out... Oh!

[QuickTidal]

amphibian, on 23 February 2021 - 03:29 AM, said:

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.

Ah okay, noted. I have not gotten to them in the HH yet, but I'll make sure to look into it when the time comes.

[Aptorian]

Finished the second Red Queen's War book, The Liar's Key by Mark Lawrence.

Despite loooathing the protagonist in this book I liked the book well enough. I barely recall the telling of The Broken Empire trilogy but I feel like this series is much more forthcoming about lore and showing the real power players at work.

Very curious to see what happens in book three but I'll read the second Willful Child book, Wrath of Betty in between.

[Abyss]

Part of what i love about RED QUEEN'S WAR is exactly how Jal develops (or doesn't). It's just such a well done swerve from the usual 'spoiled noble becomes hero, good person, saves puppies'.

[Aptorian]

Fair enough but normally there's some kind of balance in this kind of character but Jal doesn't have any redeeming qualities or strengths. He's not a fighter, he's not intelligent or a planner, he's not a good talker or able to socialize (ignorantly thinking he is), he has no moral compass - His only shield is his birthright and when ever that's ignored, he crumbles under pressure. And he doesn't learn every time he fucks up.

God I hate that piece of shit. I hope he dies an ignoble death in book 3.

Well written though.

This post has been edited by Aptorian: 23 February 2021 - 08:57 PM

[Morgoth]

I'd say that Jal is fairly intelligent, he's just never had to face any struggle, or suffer any consequence at any point in his life. So why apply himself intellectually when it's never necessary to. He is, as Matt mentioned above, a very believable youngest son of the queen.

He does grow quite a bit though, but not in the typical fantasy way. My impression is that Jal grows to understand who and what he is, and what he isn't. Instead of learning to be a better person, he learns that he isn't and that he's perfectly fine with it.

This post has been edited by Morgoth: 24 February 2021 - 06:26 AM

[Aptorian]

You're right saying he's unintelligent is perhaps unfair and yet, so many of his choices and lack thereof, suggests that he just not that smart.

Some of this can be attributed to his underachieving nature and laziness, like not studying, not learning the history of the place he lives in, the people he surrounds himself with but there's other stuff that just can't be explained in any other way than that he's an idiot. Like he has this spiel about cowards never thinking about the past because they're too busy worried about the future - But then he does no thinking about the future other than what his next game is going to be.

Some of this can of course also be attributed to his youth but boy us he thick sometimes.

[Abyss]

keep reading.

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Jal seems largely satirical, though he's ultimately a bit more substantial than a simplistic caricature. RQW is more of a comedy... even the name 'Snorri' is humorous in English, especially when applied to a large Viking.

[Macros]

Finished the Elements of Eloquence by Mark Forsyth.

Fun little book, I enjoy his works, a fun look at rhetoric tricks through out the ages and how they work etc. Not really sure what comparison I can give it as a base point, if you like his other stuff you'll be happy?

Starting Simon Scarrows, The Emperor's Exile

[Aptorian]

Finished Wrath of Betty, the second Willful Child book by Steven Erikson.

Good book but not quite as novel after reading the first book. Wrath of Betty seems to just build on the established characters and gags of the first book and not introduce much that seems new. It doesn't have the same energy I feel.

Might be because I don't remember a damn thing about Wrath of Khan and the rest of the Star Trek films.

On to the third Red Queen's War book, The Wheel of Osheim.

[Macros]

A proper laugh out loud to myself there.
A real knowing wink from Scarrow on the Mary Sue nature of the series

"What words could convey the adventures we have lived through?"
"True," Macro reflected. "If some fruitloop wrote it all down, who would ever believe it?"

[JPK]

I'm delighted and greatly saddened all at once. After reading Apt's quotes from the John Dies at the End books, I bought all three in audio and burned through them very quickly. I believe Abyss put it best when he/she/it mentioned a disproportional love for these books. Now I'm feeling hollow because I want another one and it just isn't here yet. I need more Soy Sauce in my life.

[QuickTidal]

Aptorian, on 24 February 2021 - 10:07 PM, said:

On to the third Red Queen's War book, The Wheel of Osheim.

I'll be curious how long it takes you to figure out what the "Wheel" is in our real world. Cause it exists right now in that region.

[Aptorian]

I believe it was also mentioned in The Broken Empire trilogy. From the description in The Liar's Key it's probably:

Spoiler

The CERN Particle Accelerator or a bigger version.


Though from what little I recall of the ending of the third Broken Empire book, it's also something else than just s burried tunnel system.

This post has been edited by Aptorian: 25 February 2021 - 02:25 PM

[Aptorian]

115 p. into Wheel of Osheim.

Jal finally paid off some debt. In full. Very satisfying. Maybe he is learning.

[champ]

Aptorian, on 27 February 2021 - 10:43 AM, said:

115 p. into Wheel of Osheim.

Jal finally paid off some debt. In full. Very satisfying. Maybe he is learning.

I'm looking forward to seeing your final opinion of the books.

If you are where I think you are you will have read one of my favourite scenes, the rooftop meeting in the desert between two wayward souls.

You've got some good reading ahead of you.

Also you reminded me that I haven't read the third Willful Child book so I've just ordered that.

This post has been edited by champ: 27 February 2021 - 11:19 AM

[worry]

Finally finished Kushiel's Dart. Like I said before, it's a long and heavy read, so it took me months in my current mind state. YMMV. The writing is of a pristine old-fashioned style that I think some here would really dig and others would find a trial, but in my opinion it rewards patience. Not by doing much that's hugely novel plot-wise, but just by doing what it does (however familiar) very well. There's a certain charm, it's a very adult-oriented story, and it doesn't ever talk down to you. Ultimately, I might fall more in the "I appreciate why other people love it" camp and am not sure when I'll get back to the series.

After that I did a quickie read of A Study In Emerald, a short graphic novel by Neil Gaiman that combines Sherlock Holmes and Lovecraftian Old Ones. It's my understanding it was originally a short prose story, but I haven't read that. The graphic novel is pretty good but quite short, and if there's going to be no more stories set in this backdrop, I'd find that unfortunate. I'd like something meatier for sure.

[Aptorian]

I'm impressed, Kushiel'd Dart has one of the worst covers ive seen:

 41FyoL29TAL._AC_SY400_.jpg (19.56K)
Number of downloads: 6

Still reading Wheel of Osheim.

Jal just met Count Isen for the second time. I love that little gnome.

This post has been edited by Aptorian: 28 February 2021 - 05:49 PM

[Macros]

Thousands