[Melnibonean Wanderer]

JPK, on 05 January 2017 - 05:14 AM, said:

I finally finished The Dark Tower today. I first read The Gunslinger 15 years ago and though my journey to the Tower wasn't as long as Roland's, it sure as hell felt like it at times. I firmly fall into the "this wasn't the best ending I've ever seen, but this was the right ending" camp. I think this is one of those series that I'll end up revisiting about every 10 years as it is a stories that I believe will mean different things to me at different stages of my life.

I think it's going to take me a couple days to really absorb that it's over and be able to really invest into a new book, so I'm just going to relax and keep chipping away at my bed-time book Bleak Seasons by Cook until I pull through it.

I finished The Dark Tower back in 07. It was my real gateway into fantasy, after having grown up with the Potter YA stuff. My thoughts in spoilers, comparing how I felt then to how I feel now about it:

Spoiler

At first I hated Mordred, hated all the crazy SF stuff...but after reading Moorcock's Elric/Eternal Champion stuff, I came to enjoy the crazy science-fantasy approach to Mordred's conception. In Mordred, now, I almost see all the values that Roland held at the beginning of his journey in The Gunslinger: a single-mindedness, the willingness to use others to further his goals and the sense of loneliness that hovered about Roland pre TDOTT. I've warmed up to Mordered a great deal.




I'm still miffed about the lack of Insomnia/Black House ties to the Dark Tower.

Crimson King was still kind of a letdown.


I've accepted that Flagg's ultimate fate ties in well to the Wizard motif King used in Wizard and Glass.


The last bit of Roland's journey in The Dark Tower is still some of the most emotionally powerful reading I've encountered. It is one of the few stories that made me shed a tear for the character's plight.

"Aye, Ake." Bye Jake, or 'I ache', it came to the same still fucking kills me. Right through the heart.

[Abyss]

BABYLONS ASHES. Couldnt wait, had to start this, about 30% in and damn this is so very very good.Abraham and that guy who gets GRRM coffee are utterly nailing what makes this series great. Complex Space opera, fallible yet likeable human characters, and Avasarala swearing like a sailor from the 1800s. Also, Amos killing people.

Almost done Gaiman's TRIGGER WARNINGS in earbook.
I want to eat this man's brains so So Much.

[Macros]

Tiste Simeon, on 04 January 2017 - 08:18 PM, said:

Finally started reading the Gemmell Troy books. They better be as good as Macros said they are...

if you don't enjoy Troy.

go join Apt in the pit of bad taste

This post has been edited by Macros: 05 January 2017 - 12:54 PM

[End of Disc One]

Still savoring Fall of Light; about halfway through now.

These books may or may not be retconning a few things from the original series (I don't know for sure, you guys would know better) as I always felt that SE never sat down to outline the history of the Malazan world so he gets things wrong. However, he definitely remembers characters and events from the main series. This book has so much fan service, I love it.

[acesn8s]

Been in a rut. Tried reading Zane Grey's Raiders of the Spanish Peaks, just didn't like it. Couldn't really get into 18 Wheels of Horror either.

I saw Kushiel's Dart ebook on sale for $2.99 so I picked it up. If this doesn't pan out, I'll read the last Uhtred book and then start in on some long over due rereads.

[worry]

Finished Wrath of Betty, and my opinion is basically the same as with the first one. It took a few chapters to warm up to it. I only got like half the jokes, but a lot of those were funny, while others were half-baked or too on the nose. They come a mile a minute though, so whatever. These don't seem like labors of love so much as exercises in maximum geekery, and they're more successful than not.

Now I'm reading The Girl With All the Gifts by M.R. Carey, an Xmas gift I received. It's dystopian fic w/ a young protagonist, but not YA. Only a few chapters in, but the writing is good so far.

[End of Disc One]

Briar King, on 05 January 2017 - 11:42 PM, said:

Reading EmperorsSoul in Arcanum. I LOVED the Sel summary. I'm having to stop myself from just reading each planets now. Hmm Silverlight huh? Interesting indeed.

If you read Brandon's recent State of the Sanderson, he announced that there will be a Silverlight novella. Can't wait.

[Andorion]

General question:

What is the forum opinion on Brent Weeks?

I started but never finished his Night Angel books. Far too YA for me, and really hated the principal protagonist.

But I hear a lot of praise for Lightbringer.

[EmperorMagus]

Andorion, on 06 January 2017 - 03:39 AM, said:

General question:

What is the forum opinion on Brent Weeks?

I started but never finished his Night Angel books. Far too YA for me, and really hated the principal protagonist.

But I hear a lot of praise for Lightbringer.

I believe the general consensus is that he writes books with good action and acceptable world building, but he lacks depth. His books are page turners.

[amphibian]

Andorion, on 06 January 2017 - 03:39 AM, said:

General question:

What is the forum opinion on Brent Weeks?

I started but never finished his Night Angel books. Far too YA for me, and really hated the principal protagonist.

But I hear a lot of praise for Lightbringer.

Lightbringer is much more mature, features fairly good "magic geopolitics", and really has terrific action with very deep and interesting characters.

The series gets better as it goes and never gets ya like Night Angel.

[Tatterdemalion]

TIGANA is next for me in physical book. I hope my reading pace does it justice.
I am still reading Fae: the Wild Hunt on ebook.

[polishgenius]

Briar King, on 06 January 2017 - 04:24 AM, said:

Do it. Simple as that. He became a much better author between the 2 and LB is filled with "oh shit" moments. It's popcorn but it's covered in sweet caramel.

Caramel-covered popcorn is an abomination.

[Tiste Simeon]

Macros, on 05 January 2017 - 12:54 PM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 04 January 2017 - 08:18 PM, said:

Finally started reading the Gemmell Troy books. They better be as good as Macros said they are...

if you don't enjoy Troy.

go join Apt in the pit of bad taste

Wow that's heavy. Thankfully I'm really liking it so far.

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

Currently have two or three stories left in Reynolds' Galactic North. I really wish some of these plots had been further developed into longer standalones. Some of them really drew me in, especially the early ones with Clavain and Felka. And then the mid-book one with Inigo!

EDIT: Just finished the story Nightingale. Creepy!

This post has been edited by Whisperzzzzzzz: 06 January 2017 - 01:55 PM

[QuickTidal]

Tad Williams/ MS&T fans...I'm only about 25 pages into THE HEART OF WHAT WAS LOST so far..but oh my gods...it's already SOOOOOOO good.

Being back in Osten Ard is like some delicious warm hug!

In the introduction Tad mentions that at the back of the book is an "Explanation of the Sithi, and their cousins the Norns, and their sometime Servants, the Ocean Children"...and that those new to the series might want to read it first (I read it first just because I was curious)...and it's written by none other than (major spoiler for the first series):

Spoiler

TIAMAK! Who is now Counselor to High King Seoman and Queen Miriamele!

And the most interesting bit...there are two spots where the text stops and it simply says "Material Excised"...I gotta know what of Tiamak's writings have been classified and why!

[acesn8s]

I've only read a few chapters of Kushiel's Dart, but I like it. Carey does a nice job of providing world building back story and plot advancement.

[amphibian]

acesn8s, on 06 January 2017 - 04:30 PM, said:

I've only read a few chapters of Kushiel's Dart, but I like it. Carey does a nice job of providing world building back story and plot advancement.

The whole series does a profoundly good job of this. It's very odd as I was prepared to dislike this series at the drop of a hat, but she kept doing brilliant things and being terrific to the real people and history she weaves into the fantasy world too.

She's a very, very good writer. You'll have fun if you're already enjoying it.

[acesn8s]

No porn yet, but I'm only 10% in (Uh huh, huh huh).

[End of Disc One]

I'm also reading Kushiel's Dart and it's great. I put off reading for a while because of the covers. But this is epic fantasy with no more sex than ASoIaF.

[Macros]