[Whisperzzzzzzz]

About 2/3 of the way through Islington's The Will Of The Many. This is really, surprisingly good. It may be my favorite "dangerous school" book yet (topping The Scholomance books, and looking like it will edge out Lawrence's Sister books [the Labyrinth in Will sort of reminds me of the ropes course thingy in Lawrence's books]). I am enthralled and have no clue where this is going or what the answers to any of the mysteries are.

He's built a novel and interesting world, and I'm enjoying the ride.

This post has been edited by Whisperzzzzzzz: 06 August 2025 - 05:55 AM

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

QuickTidal, on 05 August 2025 - 12:51 PM, said:

TheRetiredBridgeburner, on 05 August 2025 - 12:25 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 05 August 2025 - 11:38 AM, said:

THE SILMARILLION. Every now and again I get the itch for a re-read.

I listened to the Andy Serkis audiobook again recently. I recognise that itch!

I'm SOOOOO tempted to get audible for another three month stint to listen to it with his narration. He's such a great narrator.

EDIT: And I did it. I can listen on my way to and from work.

It's wonderful. His LOTR and Hobbit are brilliant, but there's something about the mythological nature of Sil that really lends itself to the fireside mythmonger vibe he goes for with the reading. Just be prepared to turn the volume down when you get to anything involving Glaurung - for some reason, Serkis seems to feel the dragon has one volume and it's shouting

[QuickTidal]

TheRetiredBridgeburner, on 06 August 2025 - 07:19 AM, said:

QuickTidal, on 05 August 2025 - 12:51 PM, said:

TheRetiredBridgeburner, on 05 August 2025 - 12:25 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 05 August 2025 - 11:38 AM, said:

THE SILMARILLION. Every now and again I get the itch for a re-read.

I listened to the Andy Serkis audiobook again recently. I recognise that itch!

I'm SOOOOO tempted to get audible for another three month stint to listen to it with his narration. He's such a great narrator.

EDIT: And I did it. I can listen on my way to and from work.

It's wonderful. His LOTR and Hobbit are brilliant, but there's something about the mythological nature of Sil that really lends itself to the fireside mythmonger vibe he goes for with the reading. Just be prepared to turn the volume down when you get to anything involving Glaurung - for some reason, Serkis seems to feel the dragon has one volume and it's shouting

Up to Chapter 9 already (Noldor skipping town after the trees were darkened), and it's been wonderful. I'm very picky about audiobooks and narrators, but Serkis is great. His pronunciation of Ilúvatar alone is worth the price of admission, but even his distinct voices for the Valar are awesome.

Also Noted about Glarung.

Also, do you think that Beleg will save Turin this time? I always cross my fingers....LOL. Maybe it will turn out differently this time?

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 06 August 2025 - 11:19 AM

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

We can live in hope

Popping this in spoilers for those who haven't read it and may want to:

Spoiler

There's a passage late on in the book that begins "There came a night of autumn, and when it grew late one came and smote upon the doors of Menegroth, demanding admittance to the King" when the Silmaril is returned to Dior because Beren and Luthien have died, that I'm really fond of. I think it's one of the most lyrical, beautiful bits of prose in the whole thing. Serkis' delivery made me well up, he nails it perfeclty. Same again for the closing bit right at the end after the Fall of Numenor "Thus ends the tales of the Elder Days", somehow he gets all the sadness of the stories into that ending passage. Such an absolute treasure of an audiobook.

[QuickTidal]

TheRetiredBridgeburner, on 06 August 2025 - 12:17 PM, said:

We can live in hope

Popping this in spoilers for those who haven't read it and may want to:

Spoiler

There's a passage late on in the book that begins "There came a night of autumn, and when it grew late one came and smote upon the doors of Menegroth, demanding admittance to the King" when the Silmaril is returned to Dior because Beren and Luthien have died, that I'm really fond of. I think it's one of the most lyrical, beautiful bits of prose in the whole thing. Serkis' delivery made me well up, he nails it perfeclty. Same again for the closing bit right at the end after the Fall of Numenor "Thus ends the tales of the Elder Days", somehow he gets all the sadness of the stories into that ending passage. Such an absolute treasure of an audiobook.

So far it's batting for one of my fave audiobooks. You're bang on with the "fireside storyteller" nature of the book and Serkis. Combined with Tolkien's prose, it's a joy to listen to.

[Tiste Simeon]

Oh great now thanks to you two I'm going to have to insert another listen to the Silmarillion into my ever expanding pile!

Thanks a bunch.

[QuickTidal]

Tiste Simeon, on 06 August 2025 - 02:20 PM, said:

Oh great now thanks to you two I'm going to have to insert another listen to the Silmarillion into my ever expanding pile!

Thanks a bunch.

[Mentalist]

Wrapped up "Bands of Mourning" re-read yest.

Moving on to "the Lost Metal", which was the whole point of the exercise.

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

 Whisperzzzzzzz, on 06 August 2025 - 05:55 AM, said:

About 2/3 of the way through Islington's The Will Of The Many. This is really, surprisingly good. It may be my favorite "dangerous school" book yet (topping The Scholomance books, and looking like it will edge out Lawrence's Sister books [the Labyrinth in Will sort of reminds me of the ropes course thingy in Lawrence's books]). I am enthralled and have no clue where this is going or what the answers to any of the mysteries are.

He's built a novel and interesting world, and I'm enjoying the ride.

I stayed up until 4 AM finishing this one off. It's so darn good! What a set of twists at the end.

Unfortunately, book 2 doesn't release until November.

[Abyss]

Just Finished The 13th Paladin bk 6 THE BATTLE FOR HJALGAR. It's more of the same, still enjoying despite 'the flying arrows flying overhead' and 'he was all sixes and sevens'. The cast has expanded a LOT and to the author's credit he keeps the focus on key characters and lets the rest weave in and out of the MC's story in a way that suggests other important things are happening, we're just seeing one part. The book is essentially two big action sequences, one a fun castle intrigue/stop the evil necromancer thing, the other the titular battle, more of a seige really, w the always enjoyable twist of one side being beasties and monsters instead of people. Book ends w a solid game changer for bk 7.

I may take a break from the series before continuing, Rivers of London are calling me.

[Briar King]

 Briar King, on 03 August 2025 - 06:37 AM, said:

Finished Exodus. What a fun ride and yeah I’m definitely eagerly awaiting bk2 and the game one day.

My plan was to go straight to a reread of the Commonwealth bks but I just learned about Dresden 18 coming in January and the call to pick back up my reread of that that I had paused to reread WoT shortly before Wheel of PRIME S1 aired so grabbed Death Mask and knocked it out in 3 days. I’m now 3 chapters into Blood Rites. So fun to go through again.

HOLYSHIT I’m already on pg 180 of DEADBEAT! This is even faster than my reread of Mistborn Era 2 1-3 so I could finally read Lost Metal all while still being on the same page of Queef and Beans(SLA5).

[Tsundoku]

Briar King, on 08 August 2025 - 05:59 AM, said:

Queef and Beans(SLA5).

OK, I actually just laughed out loud.

[Briar King]

I got the trademarks on Slogbringer, Rhythm of Ass and that. Might be my best yet.

[Macros]

Grrr, thanks a lot YRB and QT.
I'm going to try audiobook of silmarilion

[Tiste Simeon]

Have paused SLA and other reading activities because I went to my local library picked up Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett - a book I've been wanting to read for a while. It's a chunky boi though so I'll have to make it priority!

[JPK]

 Macros, on 11 August 2025 - 03:35 PM, said:

Grrr, thanks a lot YRB and QT.
I'm going to try audiobook of silmarilion

I don't think you'll regret it. I always struggled with this one in print but Serkis' narration absolutely gripped me. It's just a top tier gorgeous audiobook.

[QuickTidal]

JPK, on 11 August 2025 - 05:14 PM, said:

Macros, on 11 August 2025 - 03:35 PM, said:

Grrr, thanks a lot YRB and QT.
I'm going to try audiobook of silmarilion

I don't think you'll regret it. I always struggled with this one in print but Serkis' narration absolutely gripped me. It's just a top tier gorgeous audiobook.

The Chapters that are and always have been intensely boring (Of Beleriand & It's Realms...AKA the Geography Chapter that is Nigh Unreadable, and Of the Coming of Men into the West...AKA a million human names to try to catch up a lineage for men to be as deep as the elves) are still boring as fuck, but Serkis manages to make them at least palatable...the rest of the book reads like a dream under him, and parts of it come across as more enthralling and epic with his narration.

[Abyss]

Abyss, on 07 August 2025 - 01:27 PM, said:

...
I may take a break from the series before continuing, Rivers of London are calling me.

Got sidetracked into SURELY YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS: THE TRUE STORY OF AIRPLANE! by Jim Abrahams and the Zucker Bros. The authors narrate the earbook and they brought in a tonne of cast, crew, execs, to tell their stories, and modern comedians and talent to add comments about how they remember seeing the movie for the first time... this is such a glorious nostalgia trip. They spend a chapter explaining how they did 'the shit hits the fan'. A chapter on Kareem Abdul Jabbar. I am near dead from laughing at the commentary around the inflatable auto-pilot.

[Tiste Simeon]

 QuickTidal, on 11 August 2025 - 05:44 PM, said:

 JPK, on 11 August 2025 - 05:14 PM, said:

 Macros, on 11 August 2025 - 03:35 PM, said:

Grrr, thanks a lot YRB and QT.
I'm going to try audiobook of silmarilion

I don't think you'll regret it. I always struggled with this one in print but Serkis' narration absolutely gripped me. It's just a top tier gorgeous audiobook.

The Chapters that are and always have been intensely boring (Of Beleriand & It's Realms...AKA the Geography Chapter that is Nigh Unreadable, and Of the Coming of Men into the West...AKA a million human names to try to catch up a lineage for men to be as deep as the elves) are still boring as fuck, but Serkis manages to make them at least palatable...the rest of the book reads like a dream under him, and parts of it come across as more enthralling and epic with his narration.

100% agree! I was gripped by a load of names that I'll never remember and couldn't tell you whose side they were on, but Serkis brings it to life!

[Tiste Simeon]

 Abyss, on 11 August 2025 - 05:49 PM, said:

 Abyss, on 07 August 2025 - 01:27 PM, said:

...
I may take a break from the series before continuing, Rivers of London are calling me.

Got sidetracked into SURELY YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS: THE TRUE STORY OF AIRPLANE! by Jim Abrahams and the Zucker Bros. The authors narrate the earbook and they brought in a tonne of cast, crew, execs, to tell their stories, and modern comedians and talent to add comments about how they remember seeing the movie for the first time... this is such a glorious nostalgia trip. They spend a chapter explaining how they did 'the shit hits the fan'. A chapter on Kareem Abdul Jabbar. I am near dead from laughing at the commentary around the inflatable auto-pilot.

Dang it I'm nearly ready to start the new Rivers of London book but now I want to listen to this too! I need to stop hanging with you horrible people, I'm trying to cut down dagnabit!