[Andorion]

Mentalist, on 06 October 2015 - 11:29 AM, said:

Macros, on 06 October 2015 - 06:26 AM, said:

I had avoided the shadows of the apt series for a long time, reading the blurb for some reason generated a vision of medieval animorphs, which just sounded like dogshit to me.
Also Apt liked the series, and well, apt, taste, you understand.

But I was buying Windlass the other day and the first book of the apt series popped up, I thought, fuck it why not.
Excellent book, well paced and a decent story line, reasonably well realised world and good action sequences.
Have got book 2, and if the quality stays the same I can see me getting the while set.

If you didn't find characterization poor, and none of the characters in Bk 1 grated on you for being emo, then you should like the rest of the series no problem.

A few chapters into Book1 and I am getting a bad feeling about Che

[QuickTidal]

Andorion, on 06 October 2015 - 12:03 PM, said:

Mentalist, on 06 October 2015 - 11:29 AM, said:

Macros, on 06 October 2015 - 06:26 AM, said:

I had avoided the shadows of the apt series for a long time, reading the blurb for some reason generated a vision of medieval animorphs, which just sounded like dogshit to me.
Also Apt liked the series, and well, apt, taste, you understand.

But I was buying Windlass the other day and the first book of the apt series popped up, I thought, fuck it why not.
Excellent book, well paced and a decent story line, reasonably well realised world and good action sequences.
Have got book 2, and if the quality stays the same I can see me getting the while set.

If you didn't find characterization poor, and none of the characters in Bk 1 grated on you for being emo, then you should like the rest of the series no problem.

A few chapters into Book1 and I am getting a bad feeling about Che

Che gets better...slowly...by book 5 she's much better. Tynisa is a better character to enjoy, focus on how cool she is.

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 06 October 2015 - 12:39 PM

[acesn8s]

I still not a big fan of Che or Tynisa. I'm waiting for books 8 & 9 for my Kindle.

[QuickTidal]

I think we all know that this die-hard Sanderson fan here will be reading SHADOWS OF SELF today. I may not have loved ALLOY OF LAW as much as I did the original trilogy, but I'm still pumped to get new Sanderson to devour.

[Mentalist]

Andorion, on 06 October 2015 - 12:03 PM, said:

Mentalist, on 06 October 2015 - 11:29 AM, said:

Macros, on 06 October 2015 - 06:26 AM, said:

I had avoided the shadows of the apt series for a long time, reading the blurb for some reason generated a vision of medieval animorphs, which just sounded like dogshit to me.
Also Apt liked the series, and well, apt, taste, you understand.

But I was buying Windlass the other day and the first book of the apt series popped up, I thought, fuck it why not.
Excellent book, well paced and a decent story line, reasonably well realised world and good action sequences.
Have got book 2, and if the quality stays the same I can see me getting the while set.

If you didn't find characterization poor, and none of the characters in Bk 1 grated on you for being emo, then you should like the rest of the series no problem.

A few chapters into Book1 and I am getting a bad feeling about Che

Che is arguably Tchaikovsky's greatest achievement, in that she has a full character arc. It just takes her forever to make it.

[Andorion]

QuickTidal, on 06 October 2015 - 12:39 PM, said:

Andorion, on 06 October 2015 - 12:03 PM, said:

Mentalist, on 06 October 2015 - 11:29 AM, said:

Macros, on 06 October 2015 - 06:26 AM, said:

I had avoided the shadows of the apt series for a long time, reading the blurb for some reason generated a vision of medieval animorphs, which just sounded like dogshit to me.
Also Apt liked the series, and well, apt, taste, you understand.

But I was buying Windlass the other day and the first book of the apt series popped up, I thought, fuck it why not.
Excellent book, well paced and a decent story line, reasonably well realised world and good action sequences.
Have got book 2, and if the quality stays the same I can see me getting the while set.

If you didn't find characterization poor, and none of the characters in Bk 1 grated on you for being emo, then you should like the rest of the series no problem.

A few chapters into Book1 and I am getting a bad feeling about Che

Che gets better...slowly...by book 5 she's much better. Tynisa is a better character to enjoy, focus on how cool she is.

I'll post some running thoughts on the dedthread

[Andorion]

QuickTidal, on 06 October 2015 - 01:07 PM, said:

I think we all know that this die-hard Sanderson fan here will be reading SHADOWS OF SELF today. I may not have loved ALLOY OF LAW as much as I did the original trilogy, but I'm still pumped to get new Sanderson to devour.

Whoa, you have the new Sanderson? I thought it was the 8th....Anyway Mistborn can take a backseat. Not reading it till I am done with Shadows of the Apt.

[QuickTidal]

Andorion, on 06 October 2015 - 02:46 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 06 October 2015 - 01:07 PM, said:

I think we all know that this die-hard Sanderson fan here will be reading SHADOWS OF SELF today. I may not have loved ALLOY OF LAW as much as I did the original trilogy, but I'm still pumped to get new Sanderson to devour.

Whoa, you have the new Sanderson? I thought it was the 8th....Anyway Mistborn can take a backseat. Not reading it till I am done with Shadows of the Apt.

Tuesday's are release days for books and DVD/BluRays in North America. We do get the ODD book that releases on a Friday, but it's almost always Tuesday.

[polishgenius]

Andorion, on 01 October 2015 - 12:00 PM, said:

BTW looking forward to your thoughts on Baru Cormorant. Heard a lot about that book lately

It's definitely worth a read. It has its flaws - things go a bit too quickly, especially at the start, meaning it doesn't wring the tension it could from the premise- but by the end... well, you'll be talking about the end.

[Andorion]

polishgenius, on 06 October 2015 - 07:06 PM, said:

Andorion, on 01 October 2015 - 12:00 PM, said:

BTW looking forward to your thoughts on Baru Cormorant. Heard a lot about that book lately

It's definitely worth a read. It has its flaws - things go a bit too quickly, especially at the start, meaning it doesn't wring the tension it could from the premise- but by the end... well, you'll be talking about the end.

Excellent. Another one goes into the list!

[Morgoth]

Sicily: A Short History, from the Greeks to Cosa Nostra - by John Julius Norwich. If you're looking for history you should try Norwich, his books are well written, well researched, and filled with a kind of enthusiasm you rarely find in nonfiction I think. He's also has an excellent dry wit in a very upper class English sort of way.

[QuickTidal]

SHADOWS OF SELF is awesome so far!

[Tattersail_]

I'm reading this Jim Butcher new release. I cannot recall what it's called. Cinder Spire. 😀

I caved in to the will of the horde

[Chance]

Finished up Cinder Spires 1 a few days ago, in some ways it is brilliant but really it is brilliant entertainment not really that complex/good a book. The cats and crazy magicians where easily the high point of the book but really he should have put more thought into the physics of his air battles which while hugely entertaining didn't really make sense now and then.

Morgoth, on 07 October 2015 - 05:56 AM, said:

Sicily: A Short History, from the Greeks to Cosa Nostra - by John Julius Norwich. If you're looking for history you should try Norwich, his books are well written, well researched, and filled with a kind of enthusiasm you rarely find in nonfiction I think. He's also has an excellent dry wit in a very upper class English sort of way.

His multiple byzantium/east rome histories are very good.

This post has been edited by Chance: 07 October 2015 - 02:01 PM

[Abyss]

Chance, on 07 October 2015 - 01:53 PM, said:

Finished up Cinder Spires 1... he should have put more thought into the physics of his air battles which while hugely entertaining didn't really make sense now and then.

I don't think we read the same book. I thought that was some of the most well thought out/written airship v airship action i've read.

[QuickTidal]

Abyss, on 07 October 2015 - 02:14 PM, said:

Chance, on 07 October 2015 - 01:53 PM, said:

Finished up Cinder Spires 1... he should have put more thought into the physics of his air battles which while hugely entertaining didn't really make sense now and then.

I don't think we read the same book. I thought that was some of the most well thought out/written airship v airship action i've read.

Agreed. The airship battles was some of my fave stuff.

[Andorion]

QuickTidal, on 07 October 2015 - 02:58 PM, said:

Abyss, on 07 October 2015 - 02:14 PM, said:

Chance, on 07 October 2015 - 01:53 PM, said:

Finished up Cinder Spires 1... he should have put more thought into the physics of his air battles which while hugely entertaining didn't really make sense now and then.

I don't think we read the same book. I thought that was some of the most well thought out/written airship v airship action i've read.

Agreed. The airship battles was some of my fave stuff.

I absolutely loved the battles. I think Butcher gives a lot of space to the physics. He talks about the consequences of a too fast dive, he talks about ascent and speed. Plus you have to consider the energy source. Lift and trim crystals don't have to work in the way we understand physics

[worry]

Sounds like a total nerd fest.

[Morgoth]

Chance, on 07 October 2015 - 01:53 PM, said:

Finished up Cinder Spires 1 a few days ago, in some ways it is brilliant but really it is brilliant entertainment not really that complex/good a book. The cats and crazy magicians where easily the high point of the book but really he should have put more thought into the physics of his air battles which while hugely entertaining didn't really make sense now and then.

Morgoth, on 07 October 2015 - 05:56 AM, said:

Sicily: A Short History, from the Greeks to Cosa Nostra - by John Julius Norwich. If you're looking for history you should try Norwich, his books are well written, well researched, and filled with a kind of enthusiasm you rarely find in nonfiction I think. He's also has an excellent dry wit in a very upper class English sort of way.

His multiple byzantium/east rome histories are very good.

Yeah? That's good to hear. I've been struggling to find those books as they are out of print for some reason. I will stumble upon them eventually though!

This post has been edited by Morgoth: 08 October 2015 - 05:58 AM

[Salt-Man Z]

Finished A Nomad of the Time Streams last night. Decent stuff. The last book was kinda sluggish, but I like how Moorcock worked in the Multiverse angle at the end, there.

I was excited to jump right into the next volume, Elric: Song of the Black Sword, so I started that last night, opening with Elric of Melniboné. Just a couple chapters in, but I'm digging it so far. There's something about Moorcock's high fantasy (like the Erkeose stories) that really grabs me where a lot of his other stuff (Hawkmoon, Bastable, Von Bek) doesn't quite as much. The only Elric I'd read before this was the short story "Red Pearls" which was good enough that I decided to give the rest of his oeuvre a go, such that I now own 30 volumes of his, representing over 50 books (not including short stories)!