[End of Disc One]

Mentalist, on 03 November 2016 - 08:01 PM, said:

Andorion, on 03 November 2016 - 03:53 PM, said:

Mentalist, on 03 November 2016 - 02:58 PM, said:

Andorion, on 03 November 2016 - 01:24 PM, said:

Started Janny Wurts' Curse of the Mistwraith. Anyone else here read this?

We talked about this earlier. I read the first 3, need to find time to get back to it. It's a good, but VERY slow-burning series

Oh yeah I remember. I just started it, and its giving off an extremely epic feel in a rather oldish style - like pre-Wheel of Time almost. That is not a bad thing at all though. I quite like it so far.

It's got a similar whimsical tone to the original Thomas Covenant (without the angst). It gets very "epic-tragic" in parts, and the premise of the world is engrossing.

But it's very much one of the "must make brain work to enjoy" books for me, which is why I still haven't started the 3rd arc.

Would you say it's more mentally or emotionally draining than Erikson's Malazan books?

[Macros]

Forced myself to finish A Crown of Cold Silver.

a solid solid nope from me, have no intention of reading anything else in this series, abyssmal.



Going for a dead tree book next just because I like holding a real book over the kobo.

Either Jonathan Strange and Mr.Norrel by Susanna Clarke or The Free by Brian Rcukley

coin toss gives me The Free.

[Mentalist]

End of Disc One, on 03 November 2016 - 08:31 PM, said:

Mentalist, on 03 November 2016 - 08:01 PM, said:

Andorion, on 03 November 2016 - 03:53 PM, said:

Mentalist, on 03 November 2016 - 02:58 PM, said:

Andorion, on 03 November 2016 - 01:24 PM, said:

Started Janny Wurts' Curse of the Mistwraith. Anyone else here read this?

We talked about this earlier. I read the first 3, need to find time to get back to it. It's a good, but VERY slow-burning series

Oh yeah I remember. I just started it, and its giving off an extremely epic feel in a rather oldish style - like pre-Wheel of Time almost. That is not a bad thing at all though. I quite like it so far.

It's got a similar whimsical tone to the original Thomas Covenant (without the angst). It gets very "epic-tragic" in parts, and the premise of the world is engrossing.

But it's very much one of the "must make brain work to enjoy" books for me, which is why I still haven't started the 3rd arc.

Would you say it's more mentally or emotionally draining than Erikson's Malazan books?

Mentally, more. But I actually dreamed of being an archeologist as a kid, love everything myth-related, and consider reading about history and political science hobbies, so SE was a dream fit for me.

Wurts is completely different, in her prose, delivery style, and emphasis. She does also have interconnecting tidbits and elements of bigger picture lore and a history loose spanning thousands of years, but her focus is on a different type of story.

It's hard to describe it beyond that. I think everyone that liked SE should try it, but it's one of the more "challenging" authors for me.

[Andorion]

Mentalist, on 03 November 2016 - 10:14 PM, said:

End of Disc One, on 03 November 2016 - 08:31 PM, said:

Mentalist, on 03 November 2016 - 08:01 PM, said:

Andorion, on 03 November 2016 - 03:53 PM, said:

Mentalist, on 03 November 2016 - 02:58 PM, said:

Andorion, on 03 November 2016 - 01:24 PM, said:

Started Janny Wurts' Curse of the Mistwraith. Anyone else here read this?

We talked about this earlier. I read the first 3, need to find time to get back to it. It's a good, but VERY slow-burning series

Oh yeah I remember. I just started it, and its giving off an extremely epic feel in a rather oldish style - like pre-Wheel of Time almost. That is not a bad thing at all though. I quite like it so far.

It's got a similar whimsical tone to the original Thomas Covenant (without the angst). It gets very "epic-tragic" in parts, and the premise of the world is engrossing.

But it's very much one of the "must make brain work to enjoy" books for me, which is why I still haven't started the 3rd arc.

Would you say it's more mentally or emotionally draining than Erikson's Malazan books?

Mentally, more. But I actually dreamed of being an archeologist as a kid, love everything myth-related, and consider reading about history and political science hobbies, so SE was a dream fit for me.

Wurts is completely different, in her prose, delivery style, and emphasis. She does also have interconnecting tidbits and elements of bigger picture lore and a history loose spanning thousands of years, but her focus is on a different type of story.

It's hard to describe it beyond that. I think everyone that liked SE should try it, but it's one of the more "challenging" authors for me.

Good I like the challenging part. Very few authors give readers some work to do about figuring out the story and the world. I think SE is a bit of an exception in this respect.

[Mentalist]

Macros, on 03 November 2016 - 08:39 PM, said:

Forced myself to finish A Crown of Cold Silver.

a solid solid nope from me, have no intention of reading anything else in this series, abyssmal.



Going for a dead tree book next just because I like holding a real book over the kobo.

Either Jonathan Strange and Mr.Norrel by Susanna Clarke or The Free by Brian Rcukley

coin toss gives me The Free.

Sad to hear that, Maccy. Crown for Cold Silver was the first book I read this year, and I still think it's phenomenal, one of the best out of the 40-odd I read this year.

In other news, I've finally made some progress into War of the Flowers - passed the 200 page mark. I really don't get Abyss calling this "Urban fantasy" - so far it's a pretty-straight up portal fantasy. Quite well done, original, with signs of epicness to come, but unmistakably portal fantasy nonetheless. Not a bad thing, at all, I just find the UrbF moniker odd... and misleading, in this case.

In commute, I'm tearing through Crimson Campaign , it is a very fun book, I'll probably finish it tomorrow (only got about 90 pgs to go). I've been wary about it since a convo I had 2 years ago in this thread with MTS, wherein he advised me that McLellan was using the "took a level in bad-ass" trope in a way which I found annoying when Butcher did it in both Dresden and Alera. But I'm close to the end now, and unless McLellan fucks up the ending royally, I'll probably be buying Bk 3 with my next paycheck, and nothing here jumps out at me as contrived and/or annoying. it's quite possible that mcLellan just does it better than Butcher, in which case, good on him!

This post has been edited by Mentalist: 04 November 2016 - 03:26 AM

[amphibian]

Yeah, Marshall did a terrific job with Crown for Cold Silver and A Blade of Black Steel. His physical comedy bits are genuinely funny (mostly involving Maroto) and the layering of the past wrongs onto the current savage landscape of his world is tremendous.

But, it's not for everyone.

[Andorion]

Mentalist, on 04 November 2016 - 03:17 AM, said:

Macros, on 03 November 2016 - 08:39 PM, said:

Forced myself to finish A Crown of Cold Silver.

a solid solid nope from me, have no intention of reading anything else in this series, abyssmal.



Going for a dead tree book next just because I like holding a real book over the kobo.

Either Jonathan Strange and Mr.Norrel by Susanna Clarke or The Free by Brian Rcukley

coin toss gives me The Free.

Sad to hear that, Maccy. Crown for Cold Silver was the first book I read this year, and I still think it's phenomenal, one of the best out of the 40-odd I read this year.

In other news, I've finally made some progress into War of the Flowers - passed the 200 page mark. I really don't get Abyss calling this "Urban fantasy" - so far it's a pretty-straight up portal fantasy. Quite well done, original, with signs of epicness to come, but unmistakably portal fantasy nonetheless. Not a bad thing, at all, I just find the UrbF moniker odd... and misleading, in this case.

In commute, I'm tearing through Crimson Campaign , it is a very fun book, I'll probably finish it tomorrow (only got about 90 pgs to go). I've been wary about it since a convo I had 2 years ago in this thread with MTS, wherein he advised me that McLellan was using the "took a level in bad-ass" trope in a way which I found annoying when Butcher did it in both Dresden and Alera. But I'm close to the end now, and unless McLellan fucks up the ending royally, I'll probably be buying Bk 3 with my next paycheck, and nothing here jumps out at me as contrived and/or annoying. it's quite possible that mcLellan just does it better than Butcher, in which case, good on him!

Oddly enough I stopped midway into Crown for Cold Silver and never picked it up again. For some reason it didn't really click at all.

Powdermage books are solid though. And extremely entertaining.

[Tattersail_]

Currently reading The Wolves of Calla, The Dark Tower volume V and oh my fucking God! This series, this read, is fucking epic. The characters are fantastic, and there is nothing at all I can say bad about it. I am glad I bought the second book, I did find the first one tough, but from there, fantastic and looking back, the first book needed to be what it was. Fantastic.

[acesn8s]

I'm about 80% through Wexler's The Price of Valor. Excellent series.

Spoiler

I love that Winter now has doubts about Janus. I'm having First Law flashbacks in regards to Bayaz.

[Andorion]

acesn8s, on 04 November 2016 - 12:00 PM, said:

I'm about 80% through Wexler's The Price of Valor. Excellent series.

Spoiler

I love that Winter now has doubts about Janus. I'm having First Law flashbacks in regards to Bayaz.

Well, considering the meaning of his name, I would say having doubts is the recommended course

[QuickTidal]

AHSOKA by E.K. Johnston... page 115....oh my gods, if you are a fan of Ahsoka, READ THIS BOOK.

In fact, if you can manage it, get the audiobook (I'm reading the dead tree variety myself as I didn't know this when preordering it) as Ashley Eckstein herself reads it!

Anyways. What a fantastic bridging novel about Ahsoka post-Order 66, pre-REBELS...

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 04 November 2016 - 12:51 PM

[Abyss]

QuickTidal, on 04 November 2016 - 12:50 PM, said:

AHSOKA by E.K. Johnston... page 115....oh my gods, if you are a fan of Ahsoka, READ THIS BOOK.

In fact, if you can manage it, get the audiobook (I'm reading the dead tree variety myself as I didn't know this when preordering it) as Ashley Eckstein herself reads it!

Anyways. What a fantastic bridging novel about Ahsoka post-Order 66, pre-REBELS...

Damn you QT.
DAMN YOU.

*sighs, opens audible*

[QuickTidal]

Abyss, on 04 November 2016 - 05:34 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 04 November 2016 - 12:50 PM, said:

AHSOKA by E.K. Johnston... page 115....oh my gods, if you are a fan of Ahsoka, READ THIS BOOK.

In fact, if you can manage it, get the audiobook (I'm reading the dead tree variety myself as I didn't know this when preordering it) as Ashley Eckstein herself reads it!

Anyways. What a fantastic bridging novel about Ahsoka post-Order 66, pre-REBELS...

Damn you QT.
DAMN YOU.

*sighs, opens audible*

The sample on Audible shows me that Eckstein does a great job!

[Mentalist]

As expected, finished up Crimson Campaign today.

As expected, buying Autumn Republic next weekend.

Solid book from start to finish. The preview chapter is making me expect some cringe-worthy plot stupidity, because certain characters are TRAGICALLY FLAWED and one-dimensional to the point of being obtuse, but I think I can handle that.

Next in commute will be Lovegrove's "Age of Godpunk", which is a collection of novellas dealing with Anansi, Satan and Gaia.

[Baco Xtath]

I just finished listening to A Grace of Kings. Excellent book. Reminded my of Kay's Asian inspired works and just as good imo.

[JPK]

I should finish the audiobook for Dresden #11 on my drive home tonight. I'd really been looking forward to this one since it was the last one I hadn't read more than once. I'll share full thoughts on it in spoilers after I finish.

I'm torn deciding between Seveneves by Stephensen and The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu next. Any advice to help me choose?

[Mentalist]

Baco Xtath, on 04 November 2016 - 11:23 PM, said:

I just finished listening to A Grace of Kings. Excellent book. Reminded my of Kay's Asian inspired works and just as good imo.

Yeah, Liu got the same melancholy tragedy tone to his story. I also really enjoyed it, but apparently we're in the minority here.

[Tiste Simeon]

Onto the second Mistborn book, I enjoyed the first and I'm still loving the magic system. Don't know where they're going to go from here now the Lord Ruler is dead but the second one has started right in the middle of a war between father and son do that's nice. Going to miss Kelsier I think...

[polishgenius]

JPK, on 05 November 2016 - 01:28 AM, said:

I'm torn deciding between Seveneves by Stephensen and The Three-Body Problem by Cixin Liu next. Any advice to help me choose?

Seveneves has an awesome start but a slightly disappointing end. The Three-Body Problem is a parade of inexcusably stupid ideas which really put me off it.


That said, our Baco really likes Three-Body, and if you have a higher tolerance for scientific inaccuracy than me you might too because there is fun to be had in it, I just couldn't look past the casual disregard for fundamentals in a book that was pretending to be hard-SF (the writing style of the translated Liu is actually quite similar to Stephenson in the way it's constantly diving into exploration of ideas).

[Macros]

Half way through The Free by Brian Ruckley, quite a page turner so far, despite very little action happening on the page so to speak, but its building forward quite nicely.
about the 50% mark