[amphibian]

Remember the car crash in 1999 though? King really rushed to get the Dark Tower story together and out after that happened. Took him a few years and kind of became the way he poured his fears and pain into better things.

It kind of overwhelmed the Dark Tower story in a few spots, but he's gotten to be a better technical writer than he used to be. I don't wish that kind of constant pain on anyone though. Glad he's kept going.

[Andorion]

Briar King, on 03 August 2016 - 03:00 AM, said:

It wasn't that big a wait when 5-7 came atleast. I think they all released within a yr 1/2 of 5 to 7?

Ed. Nov 02, June 03,& Sept 03

amphibian, on 03 August 2016 - 03:48 AM, said:

Remember the car crash in 1999 though? King really rushed to get the Dark Tower story together and out after that happened. Took him a few years and kind of became the way he poured his fears and pain into better things.

It kind of overwhelmed the Dark Tower story in a few spots, but he's gotten to be a better technical writer than he used to be. I don't wish that kind of constant pain on anyone though. Glad he's kept going.

How would you guys rate the Darktower? Does it qualify as epic fantasy? How does it compare to series like WoT, ASOIAF, Malazan, or what Sanderson is doing?

I am considering picking it up later this year, and I have heard some mixed reviews.

[Abyss]

TDT is one of those series you have to make up your own mind about. On its face its a well written seven book series with some neat action, characters you come to care about, interesting backstory and an ending that leaves most people satisfied.

Dig a little tho, and you can't help it because of the way its written, and you realize that Evry Single Thing the author has written in the last three decades or so is tied to TDT. Also, a chunk of the author's own life. And some comics. Possibly a movie or two, its not really clear.

Do you need to have read thirty or so other books to enjoy TDT? No, absolutely not. Most things are explained in the seven books and if anything isn't clear sixty google seconds on the internet will do you. The depth and scope of what King has done is malazanesque plus and you can take it as far as you care to. But its offputting to some readers, as are the tie-ins to King's supposed drug problems and ugly car accident.

Still, like WoT, SIF and the coCaine, it's real 'make up your own mind' stuff.
I say go for it.

[T77]

Briar King, on 03 August 2016 - 06:01 AM, said:

I personally loved 1-4. 4 is one of the best bks in any series I've read imo. It's beautiful. 5-7 declined for me with each one till I was groaning at parts in 7.

I say go for it though and read more King as he has DT seeds sprinkled in most bks like San does Cosmere.

To offer an opposing point of view, I almost didn't read the series after seeing many comments like this. I decided to anyway and I loved the entire series. I thought books 5-7 were the strongest, with 2 and 4 being the weakest. He did a great job mixing SciFi, fantasy, horror, alternate universes, zombies and vampires and making it all work. I think it ranks up there with the greatest SciFi and fantasy series ever written. One thing I've learned over the years is to find out for yourself if you'll like a series, and unless it's disliked by the majority, take the negative reviews with a grain of salt. I almost didn't read WoT too and I loved that series, even the books that were disliked by most.

[Macros]

not sure where to head now, finished Coldfire 1, and it was ok, I didn't love it.
I have several other options sitting on the trp of amazon splurges before trying coldfire 2. abercrombies half a king or simon scarrows hearts of stone are jumping out at me.

Maybe go for hearts of stone, step out of fantasy for a book or two

[QuickTidal]

Try that Wallace Breem Roman book...it might be a good fantasy palate cleanser.

[Macros]

wallace breem, looking it up nao. is this something you possibly recommended for me before? I dont think i purchased it, unless i kobo'd it. must look

cheers

[QuickTidal]

Macros, on 03 August 2016 - 04:56 PM, said:

wallace breem, looking it up nao. is this something you possibly recommended for me before? I dont think i purchased it, unless i kobo'd it. must look

cheers

I THINK you purchased it off my recco (and stated that I'd hear form you if it wasn't good)

EAGLE IN THE SNOW.

Was probably a Kobo purchase as it's hard to find in physical form.

[Macros]

didn't purchase but I remember making note that I should on my next splurge. note clearly got lost.
have found it and the legates daughter for 1p each on amazon used books, both from world of books so its a combined postage, at those prices I felt compelled to hunt further, picked up the third war of the roses books for 1p as well.
£2.83 for 3 books delivered? madness not to.

continuing the search to see what else I can find from world of books

[QuickTidal]

I can't vouch for Legate's Daughter as I've not read that one, but I truly enjoyed EAGLE.

[Macros]

i might only be going for eagle in the snow, they're trying to charge me delivery on each book, makes no sense as they've doubled up on books for single delivery before from world of books.
bastards.
still, £2.81 delivered isn't bad

eta - went for te 2 of them, its my birthday next week when they're due to arrive, why not.

decided to start on Simon Scarrows, Hearts of Stone in the meantime. Greek resistance during WW2.

This post has been edited by Macros: 03 August 2016 - 05:38 PM

[Tatterdemalion]

Currently reading WHAT REMAINS OF HEROES by David Benem.

Guy came 4th in last year's SPFBO competition, but was chosen as best by two blogs. I picked his to read because it seemed likely to fit me best. It's going well so far! One character is seriously channeling some Karsa bad-assitude in an excellent way.

[Macros]

wholly expensive batman! 17 bucks for the paperback?

[worry]

Like I told someone else here a few weeks ago, I wasn't in love with Coldfire book 1 either, but books 2 and 3 surpass it handily in just about every way down the checklist. So, you know, don't feel super dissuaded from finishing just cuz book 1 is a big fat nothingburger.

[Macros]

Ok, good to know, I have the other two books here so will read them at some point, I felt, given how often it was reco'd here, that Black Sun rising was fairly.....meh.
I depending on delivery times and the like I may start book 2 after hearts of stone

[Abyss]

Kanyemander West, on 03 August 2016 - 06:38 PM, said:

Like I told someone else here a few weeks ago, I wasn't in love with Coldfire book 1 either, but books 2 and 3 surpass it handily in just about every way down the checklist. So, you know, don't feel super dissuaded from finishing just cuz book 1 is a big fat nothingburger.

Macros, on 03 August 2016 - 06:48 PM, said:

Ok, good to know, I have the other two books here so will read them at some point, I felt, given how often it was reco'd here, that Black Sun rising was fairly.....meh.
I depending on delivery times and the like I may start book 2 after hearts of stone

Seconding.

Book 2 makes things more interesting. Book 3 is just amazing.

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

I'm reading A Fire Upon The Deep. Goodness, why did I wait so long before starting this?

[Tatterdemalion]

Whisperzzzzzzz, on 04 August 2016 - 01:20 AM, said:

I'm reading A Fire Upon The Deep. Goodness, why did I wait so long before starting this?

Distracted by chumps?

[JPK]

Aaand IRON COUNCIL is finished. I will agree with the majority here and say that I believe it's the weakest of the Bas-Lag trilogy. Now that I've said that, Mieville at his weakest is still far more engrossing that so much other stuff that's out that that it's really unfair.

Apt, I have to agree that he did a better job with the train environment in Rail Sea.

Spoiler

There were a couple of ideas he put out in this one that really caught me off my guard. The sheer concept of incorporeal golems is fantastic. Especially the time golem. I also didn't see what he was up to with Spiral until it was laid out right in my face. The thing that I feel he had the greatest strenght with in this book was by having a gay character that was just gay. He wasn't gay as a plot point, or in a way that screamed "Hey look people, my main character is gay!!!1!" He was just a main character that happened to be completely in love with another man. Props for that. One final thought: the way that he killed off the Machine Collective in this one with little more than a sidenote really really bugged me.

I think I'm going to follow up on my goal to finish another series by making my next earbook QUEEN OF FIRE by Anthony Ryan.

[Mentalist]

Wrapping up "Black Man". As it's summer and I'm outside playing sports after work a lot, this one is taking way longer than it should have, given how much I like it.

In commute, likewise chuggin through the monstrously thick "Cornelius Calendar". Currently on "The Alchemist's Question", which attempts to tie everything Cornelius back to "The Final Programme". I feel like I'll need to re-read the 2nd Von Bek novel after this- too much alchemy and symbolism for me to keep track of easily. "Great Rock and Roll Swindle" was really fun, though. "Entropy Tango" also tries to link up with the Quartet. The first book was too chaotic to really make much of an impression- just a cyclical story, mostly about Una's soul-searching and Catherine's weird depravities.