[QuickTidal]

Andorion, on 25 August 2015 - 06:58 AM, said:

2 books, 1 show

, I have read the first few chapters of a Game of Thrones a few years before, about 30% or so. So if I read book 1 first, then stopped, watched seasons 1-3 and then got back to the books? Does this sound feasible? Or just seasons1-2?

Edit: BK sent you a PM

I agree with Amph and say go with Show first. As good as the first three books are...the show REALLY does focus down on the good stuff and does away with the fluff (like Martin spending a page describing a group of people's doublets or the the feast on the table in the minutest of detail). The good part about that would be that you'll not get spoiled, and if when the show is done you feel you want to know how the series differs, you can dive in.

[acesn8s]

Show first. Hopefully this way you'll think it is a great show and then read the books and be even more impressed with how more detailed they are. Plus it will help to manage your expectations when the show spoils the larger ending in a few years.

[acesn8s]

Gabriele, on 24 August 2015 - 03:17 PM, said:

acesn8s, on 23 August 2015 - 08:55 PM, said:

Gabriele, on 23 August 2015 - 07:05 PM, said:

Abyss, on 23 August 2015 - 05:15 PM, said:

Gabriele, on 23 August 2015 - 01:58 PM, said:

Nynaeve, Egwene, that princess with E.. who appears later in the book if my memory serves me right. The only tolerable one is Moiriane so far. And the way the boys react to the girls doesn't help, either. Ignore the silly gits and get a life.

Elayne.

A fair chunk of the boy/girl stuff in the early books is very YA to just irritating, but aside from as a motivator it's fairly inconsequential. There's enough good stuff to carry you to books 4-6 where the shit truly hits the Wheel. In a good way.Books 7-10 can be read with a fair amount of skimming. Without the five year wait between they aren't nearly as annoying I'm told. And the last few books are pure epic fantasy goodness.
All of which is to say, it's worth the read.

So far, the motivator seems to be that the girls say "men" a lot, the boys don't 'get' girls, and no one really talks with each other about the things that matter, causing most of the troubles the travellers encounter in the first place.

Kinda like kids in high school and college...

That being said, I do understand your criticism and agree with it. I believe the series offers a lot and it is worth putting the time in.

I suppose part of the problem is that started WoT after having read GRRM, Kearney, Erikson and a bunch of other authors who took Fantasy to a new level. Right after Eddings, Feist and even Tad Williams (whose Memory, Sorrow and Thorn trilogy is still one of my favourites) I might have been bothered less by some of the characters - geez, Ce'nedra was one silly girl, too, and Polgara bitching about Belgarad drinking too much got old pretty fast.

I can see how The Wheel of Time would bug you. At least try the first 3 books. There is some mighty cool stuff packed into all those pages.

This post has been edited by acesn8s: 25 August 2015 - 02:06 PM

[Andorion]

I am slowly edging towards show now. Thanks for all the responses people!

Of course knowing me I'll probably start reading the first book as well. But Season 1 first. Definitely

[End of Disc One]

Crazy how different peoples' opinions are. It's one of my rules, just like "Publication Order Always." If the books were written first, I think they should be read first. Unless the books are widely considered to be inferior, which is not the case here. The show is an adaptation, and I would think that one would want to experience the source material first.

This post has been edited by End of Disc One: 25 August 2015 - 02:26 PM

[Andorion]

End of Disc One, on 25 August 2015 - 02:25 PM, said:

Crazy how different peoples' opinions are. It's one of my rules, just like "Publication Order Always." If the books were written first, I think they should be read first. Unless the books are widely considered to be inferior, which is not the case here. The show is an adaptation, and I would think that one would want to experience the source material first.

thats usually what I do as well. But thats mainly because I have usually red the book long before anyone has made a movie of it. In this case I want to get the shows done so I can savour the books better. Besides my experience has always been that the book is better than the movie. no exceptions. So I don't think I will be missing out

[Salt-Man Z]

I'll second that books 1-3 are amazing; just read them for the first time a couple years back (haven't gotten to 4-5 yet.) As for the show, mileage may vary. I watched about a season and a half before just kinda losing interest. It's well done, but it's just not my thing. Gratuitous nudity/sex in a book is one thing, on a big-screen TV it's something else entirely.

[Nicodimas]

Read A darker Shade of Shadows by Victoria Schwab..Really good reads.

I hope she continue's to keep putting out this level content with her books. She definitely has a certain way of describing things in her world that is really quite enjoyable, anyone pick up on that? I had to go back and re-read pages based off this..feels unique to me.

[Baco Xtath]

Finished the Never Hero. A lot like the anime Gantz mixed with geeky banter and weak boy turned badass. Not gonna recommend this one. It was alright but not worth it with the plethora of better stuff out there.

[worry]

Finished Go Set A Watchman. It's hard to gauge. It's almost entirely plotless in a conventional sense. It's also a bit messy, with odd detours that may or may not hit on important themes as Lee winds through them. But it does have a number of powerful scenes after the revelation. Scout's rage and disappointment are palpable and nicely drawn. But the conclusions are a bit murky by the end. Can't tell if bets were hedged or it's just an acknowledgement of the complications of the time. Ultimately it feels unfinished rather than merely unpolished, which I suppose is natural, but it's not nearly as alien to TKAM as some would suggest, and much of the feeling comes from Scout's legit alienation anyway.

I'm giving it 3 ham costumes.

[Slow Ben]

im baffled that it's even a discussion whether you read the book or watch the show first.

I feel like I don't even know know half of you.

This post has been edited by Slow Ben: 26 August 2015 - 12:33 PM

[Maark Abbott]

So I'm really enjoying Scott Lynch. All through the scene with the sharks I was thinking 'NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM' and it seems that when you mention certain things being put together, the inevitable will (inevitably) happen. NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM!

Though to be fair, he had me at the first usage of the term 'bum-fuckery'. It's like reading a fantasy version of 1800s London crossed with Venice's canals.

[acesn8s]

I'm a little more than 80% of the way through Heirs of the Blade. Not going to be my favorite book in the series, not by a long shot.

[Mentalist]

"Air War" is much, much better.

Chugging along in my commute read of "Kraken"... this books seriously weirds me out sometimes. It's the language I think- I'm not a native English speaker, I had very little exposure to British English, and when Mieville turns on the local linguistics, it just reads... eerie especially whenever I read Goss talk.

[End of Disc One]

Interesting, it seems like I've seen more positive opinions for Heirs of the Blade than for Air War. But I'm not that far in the series yet so I can't comment.

[acesn8s]

End of Disc One, on 27 August 2015 - 03:34 PM, said:

Interesting, it seems like I've seen more positive opinions for Heirs of the Blade than for Air War. But I'm not that far in the series yet so I can't comment.

I'm not a big fan of Che and Tynisa, they feature heavily in this book.

[Mentalist]

Heirs is a personal story and a "transition book"- just like 5 and 6. It's tightly focused on one setting and if you don't like it much, you won't enjoy the book.

Air War goes back to being properly epic, with action taking place in multiple places, and massive amounts of fighting an other war-related stuff.

[acesn8s]

Does anyone know why Air War is not available on the Amazon Kindle store?

[Andorion]

You do realise you people are pure evil by tempting me with snippets from another huge series, when I haven't even gotten around to starting GoT yet?

[Abyss]

Mentalist, on 27 August 2015 - 01:59 PM, said:

Chugging along in my commute read of "Kraken"... this books seriously weirds me out sometimes. It's the language I think- I'm not a native English speaker, I had very little exposure to British English, and when Mieville turns on the local linguistics, it just reads... eerie especially whenever I read Goss talk.

Respect the Squid Book, or there will be consequences.
Inky consequences.