[Chance]

Finished up the Expeditionary Force books there are some brilliant nuggets in the series but basically an sf action adventure with some decent humor element.

Started a re-read of A Deadly Education since I wanted to go for the Golden Enclaves as my new next book.

This post has been edited by Chance: 01 November 2022 - 02:39 PM

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

Listening to Schwab's A Conjuring Of Light, reading Lyons' The Ruin Of Kings.

Recently finished Nayler's The Mountain In The Sea.

[QuickTidal]

MAGIC'S PAWN by Mercedes Lackey. Halfway through. It's really good. You can tell she's learned to hone her writing since the initial trilogy, there's much more finely tuned stuff here in plotting and character work.

It's also impressive to read a book from 1989 with such a strong and viable LGBTQ relationship in it that so naturally approaches the whole thing. It's not a perfect representation mind you, but the fact that Misty was doing this in the 80's is a good thing.

This series walked so others could run.

[Abyss]

Halfway thru Jen Lyon's Chorus of Dragons bk 5 THE DISCORD OF GODS, am enjoying it. Bk 4 THE HOUSE OF ALWAYS was a kind of 'pause' focusing somewhat more on the characters' interweaving histories and less on where they were going next, and we're seeing the payoff to that now in a headlong rush to a finale or three. Also have to give the author credit for having introduced a fairly large cast and using all of them effectively. She also kept the 'story within a story' narrative device, but unlike previous books where different narrators rarely interacted, the current two are actively bouncing off each other (that's not a metaphor... mostly), which the earbook narrators are using to great effect. I don't know whether they were in the same room when they recorded their parts but it certainly sounds like they were.

Good book, so far good end to series and hope the author can stick the landing. With Jemisin's next CITY novel just arrived in the TRP i debated delaying this, am happy i didn't.

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

Whisperzzzzzzz, on 03 November 2022 - 02:47 AM, said:

Listening to Schwab's A Conjuring Of Light, reading Lyons' The Ruin Of Kings.

Recently finished Nayler's The Mountain In The Sea.

I'm really enjoying The Ruin of Kings so far. I am entranced by the worldbuilding!

[Macros]

Miles Camerons Cold Iron, about.... halfway through.

engaging enough so far, likeable cast

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

The Once and Future King by T H White (actually five books in one). It's the version of the King Arthur story that Disney's Sword in the Stone is based on.

It's bonkers, but predominantly in a very charming way. Shows its age occasionally (first book, The Sword in the Stone, was first published in 1938) but mostly it's rather sweet and often very funny. The frequent "I'm not describing this, Mallory already did" nods to Le Morte d'Arthur keep tickling me.

This post has been edited by TheRetiredBridgeburner: 08 November 2022 - 09:38 AM

[QuickTidal]

TheRetiredBridgeburner, on 08 November 2022 - 09:38 AM, said:

The Once and Future King by T H White (actually five books in one). It's the version of the King Arthur story that Disney's Sword in the Stone is based on.

It's bonkers, but predominantly in a very charming way. Shows its age occasionally (first book, The Sword in the Stone, was first published in 1938) but mostly it's rather sweet and often very funny. The frequent "I'm not describing this, Mallory already did" nods to Le Morte d'Arthur keep tickling me.

I have the eBook version of this and have never gotten round to it yet, but I'm excited to. Let me know how it is when you are done!

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

QuickTidal, on 08 November 2022 - 03:54 PM, said:

TheRetiredBridgeburner, on 08 November 2022 - 09:38 AM, said:

The Once and Future King by T H White (actually five books in one). It's the version of the King Arthur story that Disney's Sword in the Stone is based on.

It's bonkers, but predominantly in a very charming way. Shows its age occasionally (first book, The Sword in the Stone, was first published in 1938) but mostly it's rather sweet and often very funny. The frequent "I'm not describing this, Mallory already did" nods to Le Morte d'Arthur keep tickling me.

I have the eBook version of this and have never gotten round to it yet, but I'm excited to. Let me know how it is when you are done!

Will do! They've just finished the quest for the Holy Grail and Mordred is very much on the scene, so I suspect I don't have too much left!

[Abyss]

TheRetiredBridgeburner, on 09 November 2022 - 08:00 AM, said:

QuickTidal, on 08 November 2022 - 03:54 PM, said:

TheRetiredBridgeburner, on 08 November 2022 - 09:38 AM, said:

The Once and Future King by T H White (actually five books in one). It's the version of the King Arthur story that Disney's Sword in the Stone is based on.

It's bonkers, but predominantly in a very charming way. Shows its age occasionally (first book, The Sword in the Stone, was first published in 1938) but mostly it's rather sweet and often very funny. The frequent "I'm not describing this, Mallory already did" nods to Le Morte d'Arthur keep tickling me.

I have the eBook version of this and have never gotten round to it yet, but I'm excited to. Let me know how it is when you are done!

Will do! They've just finished the quest for the Holy Grail and Mordred is very much on the scene, so I suspect I don't have too much left!

Have they met the rabbit yet?
What about the Frenchmen catapulting cows?

[Macros]

Finished book 3 of the masters and mages trilogy by Miles Cameron.

Quite sweary for him, and he does love a technical sword fight. But we knew the sword bit from traitor son.

Fun overall, a bit rapid over power through the end of book 2 and through 3, but I'd say 7 or 8 dancing circles out of 10


He says they're different universes buuuuuuuuuutttt

[Tiste Simeon]

Abyss, on 09 November 2022 - 02:29 PM, said:

TheRetiredBridgeburner, on 09 November 2022 - 08:00 AM, said:

QuickTidal, on 08 November 2022 - 03:54 PM, said:

TheRetiredBridgeburner, on 08 November 2022 - 09:38 AM, said:

The Once and Future King by T H White (actually five books in one). It's the version of the King Arthur story that Disney's Sword in the Stone is based on.

It's bonkers, but predominantly in a very charming way. Shows its age occasionally (first book, The Sword in the Stone, was first published in 1938) but mostly it's rather sweet and often very funny. The frequent "I'm not describing this, Mallory already did" nods to Le Morte d'Arthur keep tickling me.

I have the eBook version of this and have never gotten round to it yet, but I'm excited to. Let me know how it is when you are done!

Will do! They've just finished the quest for the Holy Grail and Mordred is very much on the scene, so I suspect I don't have too much left!

Have they met the rabbit yet?
What about the Frenchmen catapulting cows?

If these books don't have the phrase "your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries" I don't want to know about them.

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Sadly none of the above, but it's every bit as bonkers as Python in its own way

Example: knight spends entire life following Questing Beast. He and his friend then make a Questing Beast costume to try and impress a lady, whereupon the actual Questing Beast who's been feeling a bit neglected turns up, promptly falls in love with its costumed twin, and besieges the castle until its "mate" comes out.

This post has been edited by TheRetiredBridgeburner: 10 November 2022 - 09:09 AM

[amphibian]

On recco from QuickTidal, I am reading The Hidden City by Michelle West. I'm 60% into the book. It's goddamn incredible. It's like better-to-me Mercedes Lackey while being very focused on the children characters in a way that's terrific.

West has these little sentences that catch my breath with how well turned they are. Beautiful writing, great characters, a story that might bore me in other hands is scintillating here. It works and I am already hungry for more.

This post has been edited by amphibian: 10 November 2022 - 05:48 PM

[Macros]

I think it's QT who is a big fan of Leigh bardugo, Wifey wants to read some shadow and bone (off the back of watching the TV series)
I read the six of crows I think and was underwhelmed, is there a better start point for the universe?

This post has been edited by Macros: 10 November 2022 - 06:27 PM

[QuickTidal]

amphibian, on 10 November 2022 - 05:45 PM, said:

On recco from QuickTidal, I am reading The Hidden City by Michelle West. I'm 60% into the book. It's goddamn incredible. It's like better-to-me Mercedes Lackey while being very focused on the children characters in a way that's terrific.

West has these little sentences that catch my breath with how well turned they are. Beautiful writing, great characters, a story that might bore me in other hands is scintillating here. It works and I am already hungry for more.

Oh I'm so pleased that you're enjoying it. And if you're enjoying it already in THE HIDDEN CITY, then the later books will blow you away. Recall when you told me that the Pre-Grand Line parts of One Piece were mostly table setting, and the real show was beyond that? Same thing. This is setup for the real show later on.

Macros, on 10 November 2022 - 06:25 PM, said:

I think it's QT who is a big fan of Leigh bardugo, Wifey wants to read some shadow and bone (off the back of watching the TV series)
I read the six of crows I think and was underwhelmed, is there a better start point for the universe?

Well, there's SIX OF CROWS/CROOKED KINGDOM duology (which I liked a lot)....to be fair she got a large chunk of (between 1/2 and 3/4) SIX OF CROWS on the TV series already, but the only other Duology is KING OF SCARS and RULE OF WOLVES, but they concern a Shadow & Bone character that hasn't shown up on the TV series yet and would spoil a pretty big big reveal.

The only other book in world is a collection of short "in-world" fairytales called THE LANGUAGE OF THORNS, and it's really good.

So really other than the main Shadow & Bone trilogy (which is her earliest and therefore weakest work and one I've not revisited), only really SIX OF CROWS and CROOKED KINGDOM or the LANGUAGE OF THORNS fit the bill to avoid spoilers from the tv show's next season...

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 10 November 2022 - 06:47 PM

[Macros]

Eh, not worried about Spoilers (interesting study done a few years ago, Spoilers don't spoil us for the main, need to dig it up but anticipation isn't decreased by knowing an outcome)

She wants to pick a book for her book club and mentioned that.

I was more thinking is the trilo essential to read six of crows dualology?

[QuickTidal]

Macros, on 10 November 2022 - 07:22 PM, said:

Eh, not worried about Spoilers (interesting study done a few years ago, Spoilers don't spoil us for the main, need to dig it up but anticipation isn't decreased by knowing an outcome)

She wants to pick a book for her book club and mentioned that.

I was more thinking is the trilo essential to read six of crows dualology?

Oh, not really. The events happen sidelong in the timeline just in a different place, and one character crosses over between the two IIRC...I got more basic info about the world by reading the trilogy first, but you would not be lost if you only read SIX OF CROWS duology either.

The trilogy is just weaker stuff overall.

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

amphibian, on 10 November 2022 - 05:45 PM, said:

On recco from QuickTidal, I am reading The Hidden City by Michelle West. I'm 60% into the book. It's goddamn incredible. It's like better-to-me Mercedes Lackey while being very focused on the children characters in a way that's terrific.

West has these little sentences that catch my breath with how well turned they are. Beautiful writing, great characters, a story that might bore me in other hands is scintillating here. It works and I am already hungry for more.

Good,these books are so good and so underrated. Michelle West has a Patreon for people to support her wrapping up the series, as her publisher dropped her.

[Macros]

QuickTidal, on 10 November 2022 - 07:34 PM, said:

Macros, on 10 November 2022 - 07:22 PM, said:

Eh, not worried about Spoilers (interesting study done a few years ago, Spoilers don't spoil us for the main, need to dig it up but anticipation isn't decreased by knowing an outcome)

She wants to pick a book for her book club and mentioned that.

I was more thinking is the trilo essential to read six of crows dualology?

Oh, not really. The events happen sidelong in the timeline just in a different place, and one character crosses over between the two IIRC...I got more basic info about the world by reading the trilogy first, but you would not be lost if you only read SIX OF CROWS duology either.

The trilogy is just weaker stuff overall.

Cheers, I think my copy of six went to the charity shop but I'll source one for her