[Macros]

Finished the shattered sea trilogy.
A pretty solid ending, yarvi turning into a bayaz character almost.
Overall it's a quick and easy trilogy to read, no massive twists or turns, a few surprises and some excellent characters.

Next....I might take a day or two off, see what books arrive tomorrow or Monday.

[acesn8s]

Almost done with the Heretic Kings. I can tell I'll be jumping into book 3 right after.

[Abyss]

Chance, on 16 September 2016 - 11:12 AM, said:

Started up the Nightmare Stacks and it is a step up from the last one so far.

HUGE step up.

You're in for a treat.

[Andorion]

Finished Theft of Swords - the first omnibus of the Riyria. Liked it. Good light fantasy.

Also reading Inda by Sherwood Smith. Too soon to form an impression on that one.

My attempted Gravity's Rainbow read is on the verge of derailing. I can't seem to keep reading this incoherent book. 30% in and no salvation in sight.

Considering picking up either Dark Matter or Gone Girl

[Abyss]

Andorion, on 16 September 2016 - 05:19 PM, said:

Finished Theft of Swords - the first omnibus of the Riyria. Liked it. Good light fantasy.

I enjoyed the series. It is light, but fun. Good pace, engaging characters, not strikingly original fantasy, but makes good use of the tropes.




Started KETTY JAY bk 3 but stalled fast... wasn't quite feeling the frivolous after the epic that was THE GREAT ORDEAL.

[amphibian]

Andorion, on 16 September 2016 - 05:19 PM, said:

Finished Theft of Swords - the first omnibus of the Riyria. Liked it. Good light fantasy.

Also reading Inda by Sherwood Smith. Too soon to form an impression on that one.

My attempted Gravity's Rainbow read is on the verge of derailing. I can't seem to keep reading this incoherent book. 30% in and no salvation in sight.

Considering picking up either Dark Matter or Gone Girl

If you want closer to coherent with Pynchon, either pick up Mason & Dixon (my pick for his best book) or Inherent Vice. Gravity's Rainbow... isn't that nor is Against the Day, although I liked the latter very much.

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

I'm starting Vinge's Rainbow's End today.

[Chance]

Abyss, on 16 September 2016 - 05:11 PM, said:

Chance, on 16 September 2016 - 11:12 AM, said:

Started up the Nightmare Stacks and it is a step up from the last one so far.

HUGE step up.

You're in for a treat.

No shit might well be a high point for the series so far.

This post has been edited by Chance: 16 September 2016 - 09:57 PM

[Andorion]

Read Dark Matter. Fun fast read.

Highly recommended if you liked The Breach by Patrick Lee or Fold by Peter Clines

[JPK]

Andorion, on 17 September 2016 - 12:22 PM, said:

Read Dark Matter. Fun fast read.

Highly recommended if you liked The Breach by Patrick Lee or Fold by Peter Clines

Who is the author on that one Ando?

[Andorion]

JPK, on 17 September 2016 - 03:15 PM, said:

Andorion, on 17 September 2016 - 12:22 PM, said:

Read Dark Matter. Fun fast read.

Highly recommended if you liked The Breach by Patrick Lee or Fold by Peter Clines

Who is the author on that one Ando?

Its Blake Crouch

[JPK]

Andorion, on 17 September 2016 - 04:12 PM, said:

JPK, on 17 September 2016 - 03:15 PM, said:

Andorion, on 17 September 2016 - 12:22 PM, said:

Read Dark Matter. Fun fast read.

Highly recommended if you liked The Breach by Patrick Lee or Fold by Peter Clines

Who is the author on that one Ando?

Its Blake Crouch

Just popped an audible credit for it. Thanks!

I'm currently about halfway through MoI on audio. On, on a re-read/listen this has managed to top DG for me. I have never seen a book reward a re-read as much as this one does.

[Andorion]

Finished Gone Girl. A screwed up book about screwed up people. I am bit sceptical whether a couple of points would have held up under scrutiny. Enjoyable if you are in the mood

[worry]

The book is an A+. Riveting from start to finish, even if you've seen the miniseries. It's like the Chain of Dogs if most people were cows.

[Abyss]

worry, on 18 September 2016 - 06:30 AM, said:

The book is an A+. Riveting from start to finish, even if you've seen the miniseries. It's like the Chain of Dogs if most people were cows.

CHAIN OF COWS!!!!!!!!

[amphibian]

worry, on 18 September 2016 - 06:30 AM, said:

The book is an A+. Riveting from start to finish, even if you've seen the miniseries. It's like the Chain of Dogs if most people were cows.

This is entirely accurate. McMurtry is an author BK would like too. Read all his books.

[polishgenius]

I read Lonesome Dove and liked it a lot, though there were a few irritating faults that held me back from super-loving it, but when I looked up the sequel and how it began I was like 'Fuck you McMurtry' and didn't bother.

I finished Library at Mount Char. Good stuff. Some parts about it were weird, and not the actual weird stuff but for example

Spoiler

how a point is made about how out-of-touch the twelve are from the real world and yet their colloquialisms, style of talking, all of that are identical to regular modern people. There were a few things like that that drew me out of the book, like the author could have paid more attention to the little details. The author describes in an interview I read how he usually starts with a few scenes that eventually knit together into a story, and this does feel that way in places. A bit patched-together

But the overall story was very solid and many individual scenes were fantastically written. Quite funny, too. It reminded me a bit of American Elsewhere by Robert Jackson Bennett. That was better overall but this, I think, had a more memorable ending.

[Macros]

Red Wolf Conspiracy, just started it

[worry]

Finished New Spring.

Spoiler

Definitely at the bottom of the totem pole for me, and imo largely a wasted opportunity. Like I said before, if you're going to write a prequel to the WoT, this is among the least necessary stories to expand on in all the history/lore.

It wasn't 100% irredeemable. Siuan and Moiraine have a well drawn friendship, and Lan's segments are generally interesting. It also does a good job explaining why the Black Ajah become more proactive -- I mean it's kind of obvious already, but it was depicted sensibly. And lastly, the finale of this one was actually a bit better than average for the series. Bad guys kill "good guys" and otherwise innocent people, on screen, and it affects the story directly!

But on the whole, the book was just boring. Lots of minutiae, lots of Day One At Hogwarts stuff (11 books in!), and some pretty lame loose ends e.g. the Cairienin assassin who's supposed to be hunting Moiraine. I know I don't know what happens in Knife of Dreams yet, and I also know this started as a much shorter novella in Legends, but I kinda get the feeling that RJ was planning to write a whole side-series of prequels, w/ at least a few more early adventures.

I'd also like to single out the worst thing in this book by faaaaaaaaar, and probably the whole series. There's this incredibly repugnant scene in the last third where Moiraine deliberately leaves a drugged innkeeper to be raped (perhaps to death) by a roomful of men. There's no lesson involved, she doesn't think about it later, and it's played as justice w/o dissent from any quarter. I know depiction isn't endorsement, but this scene stands out as particularly approving. Really lowered my estimation of RJ, to be frank.

Ultimately I agree with BK and whoever else has said it that it would have been a better, slightly less boring read if people tackle it earlier. I don't think people have to wait until Cadsuane appears in the main series, since it'd be a surprise either way, and the implanting of the thought that she might be Black Ajah actually might add tension to the series. I'd put it between book 4 and 5, so it comes directly before the book where Moiraine sacrifices herself/disappears.

[acesn8s]

Abyss, on 18 September 2016 - 07:01 AM, said:

worry, on 18 September 2016 - 06:30 AM, said:

The book is an A+. Riveting from start to finish, even if you've seen the miniseries. It's like the Chain of Dogs if most people were cows.

CHAIN OF Dragon COWS!!!!!!!!

FTFY