[tiam]

worrywort, on 10 January 2012 - 10:36 PM, said:

Yah, the ending definitely fits in the series' focus on meta-fiction. Anyone complaining that it's a copout or an arbitrary left turn to what came before has missed the point. That said, it's still not particularly satisfying.

The worst stuff in the final books isn't the meta stuff to me, since that was developed all along. It's

Spoiler

Mordred (as yet another giant spider) and especially how Flagg ultimately ends up.

Its not a copout and does fit with the themes of the series but is still very unsatisfying. The first time I read it I

Spoiler

Thought that TDT itself as an entity forced Roland to keep going through his trials to sustain its own existence from the Breakers. This came from the fact that with the top of the Tower being empty, of a sorts, and the Tower itself having a voice why did it let itself get in such disrepair?.

Unless ofc the Tower itself is subconsciously designed/sustained by Roland, to reflect his own guilt,his own journey and the consequences of such. If you interpret it like that, as the Tower as simply Roland honest opinion of himself and how, on this go round of his quest, he tried to save Jake and actually felt some remorse thus gaining the Horn of Eld, its actually a pretty good ending. That way its all about redemption and when Roland finally reaches the Tower, either with his Ka Tet or after finally letting them leave in a manner similar to Susannah, he will find a place for his own soul, possibly at Gans side at the top of the Tower itself.

Also I didnt mind Mordred and quite liked how Flagg died handing his own eyeballs to Mordred

[Abyss]

tiam, on 11 January 2012 - 06:36 PM, said:

worrywort, on 10 January 2012 - 10:36 PM, said:

Yah, the ending definitely fits in the series' focus on meta-fiction. Anyone complaining that it's a copout or an arbitrary left turn to what came before has missed the point. That said, it's still not particularly satisfying.

The worst stuff in the final books isn't the meta stuff to me, since that was developed all along. It's

Spoiler

Mordred (as yet another giant spider) and especially how Flagg ultimately ends up.

Its not a copout and does fit with the themes of the series but is still very unsatisfying. The first time I read it I

Spoiler

Thought that TDT itself as an entity forced Roland to keep going through his trials to sustain its own existence from the Breakers. This came from the fact that with the top of the Tower being empty, of a sorts, and the Tower itself having a voice why did it let itself get in such disrepair?.

Unless ofc the Tower itself is subconsciously designed/sustained by Roland, to reflect his own guilt,his own journey and the consequences of such. If you interpret it like that, as the Tower as simply Roland honest opinion of himself and how, on this go round of his quest, he tried to save Jake and actually felt some remorse thus gaining the Horn of Eld, its actually a pretty good ending. That way its all about redemption and when Roland finally reaches the Tower, either with his Ka Tet or after finally letting them leave in a manner similar to Susannah, he will find a place for his own soul, possibly at Gans side at the top of the Tower itself.

Also I didnt mind Mordred and quite liked how Flagg died handing his own eyeballs to Mordred

The way those characters end up was by far my main and to an extent, only major issue with TDT...

Spoiler

Mordred, Flagg and even the Red King. Flagg and the King went by way of lame plot device that had little to do with Roland, and Mordred, for all the hype, went for a last ditch charge and got taken out by a talking racoon.

The only instance in the last book where the bad guys were taken out in what i truly thought was worthy of the series was in the raid on the Breakers town.

Otherwise the end of WOLVES was by far the best fight scene in the book and made a lot of what came after look weak.

[/spoiler]

[pat5150]

Just finished Saladin Ahmed's Throne of the Crescent Moon. It's good and entertaining sword and sorcery fare.

Check out the Hotlist for the full review.

Cheers from Belize!

Patrick

[QuickTidal]

So I got too bogged down in the density of the tale last night and put the book down. Not because I wasn't enjoying, but I could feel it not going into my brainz at all...so I've put Wolfe down for a mo' and have picked back up my Abnett Gaunt's Omnibus to finally read NECROPOLIS which ought to serve me well for the interim and afterwards I'll get back into Wolfe and Severian.

[McLovin]

About two-thirds through CONSIDER PHLEBAS.

Also, just started CASTLE OF WIZARDRY (Belgariad #4).

[Abyss]

QuickTidal, on 10 January 2012 - 03:01 PM, said:

Abyss, on 10 January 2012 - 02:53 PM, said:

...Going to take a break from fantasy after this and maybe dig out something from the action/thriller/shooty/'sploody side of the TRP... it's pretty top heavy with Rollins and Silva but i also have some guy called Gibbins (Atlantis, Tiger Warrior ... anyone know this guy?) standing by. Plus some Reynolds and Asher if i want to go sf. Oh, decisions decisions...

THE JUDAS STRAIN

that is all.

read it


read it now.

It callz....it callz....

It's on. Started it this am.
First five pages and i'm hooked. Hell, the author's pre-amble hooked me...

[QuickTidal]

Abyss, on 12 January 2012 - 02:56 PM, said:

It's on. Started it this am.
First five pages and i'm hooked. Hell, the author's pre-amble hooked me...

Oh just wait. Seriously, TJS gives MAP OF BONES a run for its money for balls out insanity and being my fave of the wHole series.

[Baco Xtath]

I'm about halfway through the Half-Made World by Felix Gilman and thus far I'm really enjoying it. Finished Woken Furies two nights ago and it was kickass. I've got Thirte3n on my iphone so I'll be listening to that over the next little while. Also, I've got the Way of Kings on my MP3 player, so I'll be listening to it as well. My bedside book is Red Wolf Conspiracy, I had to take a break from Book of the Long Sun. Also finished Veniss Underground and other stories -doesn't exactly leave you feeling good, but still, it was a good book, and some of his prose was excellent ex. "blue like you want the sea to be" - just good stuff. Next up, I'll give Name of the Wind or The Steel Remains a shot (I need more fantasy - I've been heavy on sci-fi, steampunk, and new weird here lately and I need to get back to my roots)

[D'rek]

Getting near the end of Claw of the Conciliator and extremely underwhelmed so far. I understand that it's styled like a memoir but it'd be nice if there was a single character worth caring about (the closest so far being the one-legged dog who had about 4 pages of screen-time). Unreliable narrator and cryptic post-apocalyptic time travelling references or no, you have to have characterization and some form of plot to keep me interested.

I do like trying to picture every scene being all red from a dying sun, though.

[Abyss]

Baco Xtath, on 12 January 2012 - 07:58 PM, said:

... Finished Woken Furies two nights ago and it was kickass. ...Next up, I'll give ...The Steel Remains a shot ...

^ this.
Followed by THE COLD COMMANDS.

Trust me.

[Salt-Man Z]

D, on 12 January 2012 - 09:40 PM, said:

Getting near the end of Claw of the Conciliator and extremely underwhelmed so far. I understand that it's styled like a memoir but it'd be nice if there was a single character worth caring about (the closest so far being the one-legged dog who had about 4 pages of screen-time).

I love Jonas; he's probably my favorite BotNS character, but he's mostly around for only part of one book. Dr. Talos very much amuses me. And Dorcas is surely worthy of pity, if nothing else.

In the end, though, it's Severian's tale, and all of the other characters--even those who reappear with some frequency--are only there to propel his story. In some sense, Severian is the only actual character in TBotNS, the others being just projections/extensions of him; certainly his presentation of most female characters is suspect--unless they all really did fall in love with and want to sleep with him.

[Ulrik]

Kearney´s Ten Thousand, because dont remember much about characters and want to read Corvus

[QuickTidal]

Ulrik, on 13 January 2012 - 04:56 PM, said:

Kearney´s Ten Thousand, because dont remember much about characters and want to read Corvus

I had started this book and then went on to other things, but I'd like to hear what you think of it.

[QuickTidal]

I'm about 30 pages into Dan Abnett's W40K NECROPOLIS and already it is badass. It feels like the two books that came before REALLY prepared me for this where the author is firing on all pistons.

Fething LOVING it!

[kcf]

After quite a while I finally got a review up for Blackdog by K.V. Johansen. It was good, but I had a few issues. I still have reviews in the works for The Whitefire Crossing by Courtney Schafer and Moon Over Soho by Been Aaronovitch.

I'm currently reading and enjoying Hammered by Kevin Hearne. I should finish tonight. I am anxiously awaiting my copy of Orb, Sceptre, Throne by Ian C. Esslemont. I had hoped to receive it by now - hopefully I won't need to start another book before it comes.

[Slow Ben]

Thinking about starting reading some Discworld books since so many on here seem to love them.

Do i need to start at the beginning with "The Colour of Magic"? Or can i just pick up the few my local B&N has?

Thanks all!

[QuickTidal]

Slow Ben, on 13 January 2012 - 07:58 PM, said:

Thinking about starting reading some Discworld books since so many on here seem to love them.

Do i need to start at the beginning with "The Colour of Magic"? Or can i just pick up the few my local B&N has?

Thanks all!

There are a few "arcs" Like the Witches books, the Night Watch Books, The Postal Books ect.

I started with the Watch books first (GUARDS, GUARDS being he first of those) and it gave me a fair idea of the world, and I have since gone on to read other "arcs".

Up to you, but just know that they all won't star the same characters unless part of those "arcs" with a few exceptions (like Death, the Orangutan Librarian), and like a few Watchmen make cameo's in non-Watch books.

[worry]

Discworld reading order chart:

http://www.lspace.or...er-guide-20.jpg

This post has been edited by worrywort: 14 January 2012 - 12:33 AM

[Fist Gamet]

Ulrik, on 13 January 2012 - 04:56 PM, said:

Kearney´s Ten Thousand, because dont remember much about characters and want to read Corvus

I've always thought that Kearney's greatest strength was his ability to create solid and believable characters that you really want to read about.

And, enjoying a cheeky and unplanned re-read of Deadhouse Gates - first in a while and I continue to be amazed by the sheer depth of planning that went into the entire series. Some of the stuff hinted at and introduced here doesn't bear fruit until much, much later. Brilliant.

[Kruppe's snacky cakes]

Slow Ben, on 13 January 2012 - 07:58 PM, said:

Thinking about starting reading some Discworld books since so many on here seem to love them.

Do i need to start at the beginning with "The Colour of Magic"? Or can i just pick up the few my local B&N has?

Thanks all!

I've read maybe a dozen or so of these, and my impression is that the reading order is not particularly important. I'd recommend reading the back cover blurbs and just picking up whatever sounds entertaining to you. Unfortunately for me, the only ones I really enjoyed were Reaper Man and the Tiffany Aching YA books. British literary humor must be over my head, because I never "got" the Hitchhiker's books either...