[Tiste Simeon]

Salt-Man Z, on 31 December 2021 - 05:49 PM, said:

Macros, on 31 December 2021 - 07:59 AM, said:

I'm on a book buying ban Salt man, don't do this!

I mean, you should just be buying all of Claire North's stuff anyway!

Yes come on Macros get your priorities in order!

[worry]

I just bought three of her books used on Thriftbooks, they were all under $5.

[QuickTidal]

2021 was a shit year so I’m starting 2022 out right and re-reading SHOGUN, as I got a new copy of it over Christmas.

[Macros]

wow wow buddy

drop a line into the book club, that was touted as potential first read!

[Azath Vitr (D'ivers]

Finished listening to The Empire's Ruin. Good 'realistic' characterization for the PoV characters. One of the main protagonists had almost been a quasi-stereotypical (but unfunny and arguably sexist) caricature in the first two books of the previous trilogy, with some improvement in book three, and their characterization in this book is a huge improvement. Good plot, pacing, and parallelism. Prose is mostly transparent, not bad but not as poetic as some of the previous books, with some memorable images. Philosophical / Buddhistic ideas are relatively well-presented for a fantasy novel. Having one performer per PoV character worked well; the voices and accents of the two different males fit their characters well (hard to tell how much of that is acting---iirc the male performers were a bit restrained about doing voices). The female performer was especially good and memorable, and excellent at doing a range of voices. Part of the ending seemed a little too on the nose, but overall it's very good.

Also finished listening to Leviathan's Fall. Probably the best of the series---or at least my favorite. The prose was a step up from previous books, with some nice metaphors, better (and wittier) dialogue, even some experimental poetry that was surprisingly good and (comprehensibly, ultimately) relevant to the plot. Thankfully the ending was *not* too much like

Spoiler

BSG

after all. Sounded like the performer might have gotten a better microphone, though I still dislike his style.

#TeamProtomolecule

Currently about a third of the way through The Fall of Babel. Very good, and unexpected. Bit of a slow start---quick summary of prior events was helpful---but picked up quickly enough.

[JPK]

Glad to hear you enjoyed LEVIATHAN FALLS more than I did Azath. I really wanted to enjoy that book.

I do agree with you on THE FALL OF BABEL though. That was a very good book and I'm particularly curious about your thoughts at the end as we don't seem to align on things very often.

[QuickTidal]

Macros, on 01 January 2022 - 02:43 PM, said:

wow wow buddy

drop a line into the book club, that was touted as potential first read!

Ha! Was it? I’d forgotten it was suggested even though it was only like two weeks ago. I’ll definitely join.

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 01 January 2022 - 06:15 PM

[JPK]

As a companion to the book club book I'm reading, I'm now working on what I believe to be the oldest book on my trp Sean Russell's THE ONE KINGDOM. I remember getting the book for super cheap like 15 years ago and being intrigued by the blurb but its just never found it's way to the top of the pile. This is a rare situation where I'm going into a book pretty much completely blind, so I'm hoping it's going to pay off.

[Cyphon]

Finished NECROPOLIS in thre Gaunts Ghosts series. Enjoyed the book from the change of scenery. Preferred the last third as it got past the bickering. I can understand this as a recurring theme throughout the book and I have faith that Abnett will do in sufficiently novel ways that it won't get formulaic.

Onto a Wheel of Time TV series inspired reread of the Eye of the World.

[Macros]

The internal politics of the ghosts develops in (imo) very good ways as the series progresses.
The bitter spite seen in the first few novels is explored, explained and (again imo) necessary to set up the rest of the series

[JPK]

(BK), on 04 January 2022 - 02:47 AM, said:

Amazon comes through yet again…both Under Heaven and River of Stars are fucked up in some way. Two separate packages.

May start Under Heaven tonight.

I hope you like Under Heaven. I really loved that book.

[amphibian]

Lions is a much better book.

[JPK]

amphibian, on 04 January 2022 - 03:43 AM, said:

Lions is a much better book.

I agree. It's one of the few GGK that I grabbed a hardcover for. I haven't really disliked any GGK that I've read so far, though to be fair I haven't touched the more controversial books of his yet. I should really try to circle back around to him again soon.

[Abyss]

JPK, on 04 January 2022 - 04:07 AM, said:

amphibian, on 04 January 2022 - 03:43 AM, said:

Lions is a much better book.

I agree. It's one of the few GGK that I grabbed a hardcover for. I haven't really disliked any GGK that I've read so far, though to be fair I haven't touched the more controversial books of his yet. I should really try to circle back around to him again soon.

To be fair, even for GGK, LIONS is exceptional.

[amphibian]

Under Heaven is decent, but it's not Lions good.

I think Under Heaven gets the raves it does from people who don't read Asian fiction writers.

[Morgoth]

Cyphon, on 30 December 2021 - 09:32 PM, said:

Just finished HANDS OF THE EMPEROR by Victoria Goddard and I'm think I'm a little more mixed than the glowing praise had so far.

No doubt it's competency porn and an interesting character study. I just found it a bit too much wish fulfilment. I like what it did as is definitely one for for people who liked the Goblin Emperor but the main character is too wholesome and almost dare I say it Mary Sue to the extent that it's almost jarring. Yet I really enjoyed it as a cosy read that pushed a lot of my buttons. Perfect for betwixstmas with all its niceness.

I very much disagree with the Mary Sue angel. The main character is exceptionally competent at his job, but struggles with numerous other aspects of his life in ways that are both flawed and very human.

[Maark Abbott]

I had forgotten that one of the characters in Licanius is called Arcane David.

[Cyphon]

Morgoth, on 04 January 2022 - 07:12 AM, said:

Cyphon, on 30 December 2021 - 09:32 PM, said:

Just finished HANDS OF THE EMPEROR by Victoria Goddard and I'm think I'm a little more mixed than the glowing praise had so far.

No doubt it's competency porn and an interesting character study. I just found it a bit too much wish fulfilment. I like what it did as is definitely one for for people who liked the Goblin Emperor but the main character is too wholesome and almost dare I say it Mary Sue to the extent that it's almost jarring. Yet I really enjoyed it as a cosy read that pushed a lot of my buttons. Perfect for betwixstmas with all its niceness.

I very much disagree with the Mary Sue angel. The main character is exceptionally competent at his job, but struggles with numerous other aspects of his life in ways that are both flawed and very human.

I guess I struggled with the how of that competence was demonstrated. Probably because it wasn't the focus of the book and the timing of the present tense so it reads different. Plus it doesnt focus on that rather than dealing with those other aspects you mention. So fair comment on your part and I'm probably being overly harsh.

This post has been edited by Cyphon: 04 January 2022 - 10:12 AM

[Aptorian]

I'm about 200 pages into Elantris by Brandon Sanderson.

I think this is a pretty solid book so far. The characters are well fleshed out, if perhaps a bit stereotype-y, the plot is straight forward and clever in the way it's unfolding.

But it's also very slow going. I feel like I've read 500 pages already. I think that what is throwing me off is that there's little to no action so far. It's all religious machinations and court intrigue, instead of black magic and sword fights.

I guess that's actually impressive, in that Sanderson has the confidence to write a big fantasy book and not rely on action and violence to entertain the reader.

[QuickTidal]

Aptorian, on 04 January 2022 - 08:09 PM, said:

I'm about 200 pages into Elantris by Brandon Sanderson.
I think that what is throwing me off is that there's little to no action so far. It's all religious machinations and court intrigue,

Aside from some of the revelations that occur, this is all it really will be.

I like Elantris, but it's a slow burn all the way to the end.