[Abyss]

Andorion, on 28 March 2017 - 05:10 PM, said:

Incidentally, since many of you listen to audio books, can you recommend some fantasy stuff where the narration is good? Zen Cho is making me cringe.

Bakker's Great Ordeal was excellent in earbook.
Anything by Brandon Sanderson.... he gets Kate Reading and Michael Kramer who are both utterly glorious to listen to.




...actually, any fantasy narrated by Kramer is likely to be awesome. The man could make the phonebook sound epic.

[QuickTidal]

Abyss, on 28 March 2017 - 05:18 PM, said:

Andorion, on 28 March 2017 - 05:10 PM, said:

Incidentally, since many of you listen to audio books, can you recommend some fantasy stuff where the narration is good? Zen Cho is making me cringe.

Anything by Brandon Sanderson.... he gets Kate Reading and Michael Kramer who are both utterly glorious to listen to.




...actually, any fantasy narrated by Kramer is likely to be awesome. The man could make the phonebook sound epic.

I will second the recco above.

And add that the Pratchett books are WONDERFUL in audio.

[End of Disc One]

Andorion, on 28 March 2017 - 04:54 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 28 March 2017 - 04:42 PM, said:

Andorion, on 28 March 2017 - 03:45 PM, said:

So I have finished 6 chapters of Shogun - decidedly darker tone, but the world seems pretty rich, lots of politics and characters discussed.

Great book, glad you are enjoying.

It's also fun to keep in mind that Toranaga is essentially the fictional version of Tokugawa (Ieyasu) the first Shogun of that Shogunate (in Edo...modern day Tokyo) and everyone Japanese in the book has a real life counterpart from the era (Clavell just gave them all fictional names). Not sure how much you know about the Tokugawa, but his era is one of the most interesting in feudal Japanese history.

I don't really know Japanese history. Kind of embarassing to admit but I opted for a different special paper in my Masters. Guess I should do some reading up?

Nothing to be embarrassed about IMO. I don't know how everyone around here seems to know so much about world history.

[Abyss]

End of Disc One, on 28 March 2017 - 07:09 PM, said:

... I don't know how everyone around here seems to know so much about world history.

I admit to nothing.





....but maybe i just read fiction that raises historical events and people and then wikigooglepaedia and / or pretend that i know what i'm talking about.

[amphibian]

I majored in Middle Eastern history in college, was born in Nepal, and live in the US. Between that and reading a ton, I got to a surprisingly large chunk of world history.

I freely admit that I have huge holes in my knowledge, but it's not bad for a thirty one year old.

I think English civil wars a la GRRM style is boring and astoundingly small scoped, so I got the bare basics and noped the fuck out of there though.

This post has been edited by amphibian: 28 March 2017 - 07:49 PM

[Mentalist]

End of Disc One, on 28 March 2017 - 07:09 PM, said:

Andorion, on 28 March 2017 - 04:54 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 28 March 2017 - 04:42 PM, said:

Andorion, on 28 March 2017 - 03:45 PM, said:

So I have finished 6 chapters of Shogun - decidedly darker tone, but the world seems pretty rich, lots of politics and characters discussed.

Great book, glad you are enjoying.

It's also fun to keep in mind that Toranaga is essentially the fictional version of Tokugawa (Ieyasu) the first Shogun of that Shogunate (in Edo...modern day Tokyo) and everyone Japanese in the book has a real life counterpart from the era (Clavell just gave them all fictional names). Not sure how much you know about the Tokugawa, but his era is one of the most interesting in feudal Japanese history.

I don't really know Japanese history. Kind of embarassing to admit but I opted for a different special paper in my Masters. Guess I should do some reading up?

Nothing to be embarrassed about IMO. I don't know how everyone around here seems to know so much about world history.

When I was somewhere between 8 and 10 (I think), i randomly stumbled upon a collection of historical atlases for Grade 6-11 world history.

I think eventually when my Professor grandparents saw that I was stubbornly leafing and them and tracing all the arrows and battles for weeks, they threw a few of the accompanying history textbooks my way.

I stopped formally taking history in Grade 7 after 1 quarter, when I came to Canada. I took a few elective courses in undergrad Uni.
But mostly it's been self-study, because I found the topic fascinating.

Beyond the rough overview provided by those outdated textbooks (with a Marxist slant to the interpretation of history, since those were USSR textbooks), I don't have any "systemic" knowledge. It's just stuff I pick up here and there. In Uni, whenever I'd get interested in an area of the world, I'd sttake out a history book in the library and go read it between classes without actually taking the out.

[JPK]

I gave up listening to Something Wicked This Way Comes. I just wasn't feeling it, so I returned it and grabbed Gaiman's Norse Mythology. Which I'm going to go start now.

Ando, the Steven Brust Vlad Taltos books were great on audio.

Edit: The first Witcher book was great too.

This post has been edited by JPK: 29 March 2017 - 12:37 AM

[Andorion]

amphibian, on 28 March 2017 - 07:49 PM, said:

I majored in Middle Eastern history in college, was born in Nepal, and live in the US. Between that and reading a ton, I got to a surprisingly large chunk of world history.

I freely admit that I have huge holes in my knowledge, but it's not bad for a thirty one year old.

I think English civil wars a la GRRM style is boring and astoundingly small scoped, so I got the bare basics and noped the fuck out of there though.

English history is quite fun uptil Edwardd III. Frankly the Wars of the Roses are far too minute to hold my interest. Tudor and Stuart periods are extremely interesting though.

Mentalist, on 28 March 2017 - 11:05 PM, said:

End of Disc One, on 28 March 2017 - 07:09 PM, said:

Andorion, on 28 March 2017 - 04:54 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 28 March 2017 - 04:42 PM, said:

Andorion, on 28 March 2017 - 03:45 PM, said:

So I have finished 6 chapters of Shogun - decidedly darker tone, but the world seems pretty rich, lots of politics and characters discussed.

Great book, glad you are enjoying.

It's also fun to keep in mind that Toranaga is essentially the fictional version of Tokugawa (Ieyasu) the first Shogun of that Shogunate (in Edo...modern day Tokyo) and everyone Japanese in the book has a real life counterpart from the era (Clavell just gave them all fictional names). Not sure how much you know about the Tokugawa, but his era is one of the most interesting in feudal Japanese history.

I don't really know Japanese history. Kind of embarassing to admit but I opted for a different special paper in my Masters. Guess I should do some reading up?

Nothing to be embarrassed about IMO. I don't know how everyone around here seems to know so much about world history.

When I was somewhere between 8 and 10 (I think), i randomly stumbled upon a collection of historical atlases for Grade 6-11 world history.

I think eventually when my Professor grandparents saw that I was stubbornly leafing and them and tracing all the arrows and battles for weeks, they threw a few of the accompanying history textbooks my way.

I stopped formally taking history in Grade 7 after 1 quarter, when I came to Canada. I took a few elective courses in undergrad Uni.
But mostly it's been self-study, because I found the topic fascinating.

Beyond the rough overview provided by those outdated textbooks (with a Marxist slant to the interpretation of history, since those were USSR textbooks), I don't have any "systemic" knowledge. It's just stuff I pick up here and there. In Uni, whenever I'd get interested in an area of the world, I'd sttake out a history book in the library and go read it between classes without actually taking the out.

Briar King, on 29 March 2017 - 12:31 AM, said:

End of Disc One, on 28 March 2017 - 07:09 PM, said:

Andorion, on 28 March 2017 - 04:54 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 28 March 2017 - 04:42 PM, said:

Andorion, on 28 March 2017 - 03:45 PM, said:

So I have finished 6 chapters of Shogun - decidedly darker tone, but the world seems pretty rich, lots of politics and characters discussed.

Great book, glad you are enjoying.

It's also fun to keep in mind that Toranaga is essentially the fictional version of Tokugawa (Ieyasu) the first Shogun of that Shogunate (in Edo...modern day Tokyo) and everyone Japanese in the book has a real life counterpart from the era (Clavell just gave them all fictional names). Not sure how much you know about the Tokugawa, but his era is one of the most interesting in feudal Japanese history.

I don't really know Japanese history. Kind of embarassing to admit but I opted for a different special paper in my Masters. Guess I should do some reading up?

Nothing to be embarrassed about IMO. I don't know how everyone around here seems to know so much about world history.

It's not for everyone but learning about history is can be terrifying or enlightening. I always enjoyed it and still regularly watch the History chan.

Thing is guys, history is kind of my career. So not knowing the history of a major country is a bit of an embarrasment.

[Andorion]

Abyss, on 28 March 2017 - 05:18 PM, said:

Andorion, on 28 March 2017 - 05:10 PM, said:

Incidentally, since many of you listen to audio books, can you recommend some fantasy stuff where the narration is good? Zen Cho is making me cringe.

Bakker's Great Ordeal was excellent in earbook.
Anything by Brandon Sanderson.... he gets Kate Reading and Michael Kramer who are both utterly glorious to listen to.


...actually, any fantasy narrated by Kramer is likely to be awesome. The man could make the phonebook sound epic.

I already own all the Bakker books, Great Ordeal is being delivered today.

QuickTidal, on 28 March 2017 - 05:21 PM, said:

Abyss, on 28 March 2017 - 05:18 PM, said:

Andorion, on 28 March 2017 - 05:10 PM, said:

Incidentally, since many of you listen to audio books, can you recommend some fantasy stuff where the narration is good? Zen Cho is making me cringe.

Anything by Brandon Sanderson.... he gets Kate Reading and Michael Kramer who are both utterly glorious to listen to.


...actually, any fantasy narrated by Kramer is likely to be awesome. The man could make the phonebook sound epic.

I will second the recco above.

And add that the Pratchett books are WONDERFUL in audio.

Thing is I have already read all published Sanderson Mistborn and SLA stuff, also Warbreaker and Elantris. And I have also read all of Discworld

JPK, on 29 March 2017 - 12:35 AM, said:

I gave up listening to Something Wicked This Way Comes. I just wasn't feeling it, so I returned it and grabbed Gaiman's Norse Mythology. Which I'm going to go start now.

Ando, the Steven Brust Vlad Taltos books were great on audio.

Edit: The first Witcher book was great too.

Read some of Brust, not all.

How about GGK, the Riyria books, Cameron's Red Knight books, or China Mieville?

[JPK]

In case you didn't see it, I resurrected my old audiobook thread from a couple years ago for you Ando. There were some great suggestions sent my way at the beginning of it. I responded to your question there, so we hopefully don't derail this thread too far.

I'm looking at you Safeholders.

[Andorion]

Quote

In case you didn't see it, I resurrected my old audiobook thread from a couple years ago for you Ando. There were some great suggestions sent my way at the beginning of it. I responded to your question there, so we hopefully don't derail this thread too far.

Yup, I saw it. Thanks!

Quote

I'm looking at you Safeholders.

whistles innocently

[Abyss]

JPK, on 29 March 2017 - 06:38 AM, said:

In case you didn't see it, I resurrected my old audiobook thread from a couple years ago for you Ando. There were some great suggestions sent my way at the beginning of it. I responded to your question there, so we hopefully don't derail this thread too far.

I'm looking at you Safeholders.

[QuickTidal]

Reading the 3rd Merlin book by Mary Stewart THE LAST ENCHANTMENT...I love these books. But then I love anything Arthurian.

Though I have noted that the Hodder-published 2012 versions/covers that I have collected of the first 3 volumes...the 4th volume of said covers (THE WICKED DAY) has been out of print a while and is a bit more expensive...sigh, and of course I'll need them to match on the shelf, so I'll buy it anyways. There is also a further 5th book called THE PRINCE & THE PILGRIM, which I'm unsure if I'll buy (it seems to take place during the event son the 3rd book and concerns another character?).

Anyways. After this I'll need a new Arthurian series to eventually read (I've read most of them though).

[polishgenius]

QuickTidal, on 29 March 2017 - 02:09 PM, said:

Anyways. After this I'll need a new Arthurian series to eventually read (I've read most of them though).

Read the Red Knight by Miles Cameron. Not actually Arthurian but a lot of the characters are taken/adapted from Arthurian legend so you might enjoy spotting the links.

[amphibian]

On my vacation, I tore through a few books during the traveling and settling down to sleep sections.

Fionavar Tapestry trilogy was terrible. Cardboard characters, tons of "emotional moments" just to have them, and an exploration of sexual assault that's worse than Donaldson's in Covenant and nowhere near explored as deeply or meaningfully. GGK just ain't for me beyond Lions of Al-Rassan.

The Dark Forest by Cixin Liu is brilliant. Absolutely superb writing in the translation and it's somehow more fun and complex than the first one despite a much smaller cast.

Re-read Emperor's Blades by Brian Stavely and Providence of Fire, with The Last Mortal Bond being read right now. Super fun and rollicking at times.

[LadyMTL]

I am reading two books at the moment: on my Kindle I've just started Matt Ruff's "Lovecraft Country", and then I'm also about two-thirds of the way through O'Malley's "The Rook".
The Rook is a fun read, nothing too deep or challenging. I find it a bit annoying that the main character has apparently written a library's worth of information to herself - Character X is unfamiliar to you? Well here's a four page letter giving you their entire backstory! - but aside from that, it's fine. I doubt that I'll buy the sequel, though, or at least not right away.

As for "Lovecraft Country", I am crossing my fingers that it's as good as I've heard. I really enjoyed Ruff's "The Mirage", so my hopes are a wee bit up.

This post has been edited by LadyMTL: 30 March 2017 - 11:19 AM

[Chance]

Currently reading Sword of Destiny and it is weaker then The Last Wish but still entertaining, a bit too disjointed to make me care about the characters however perhaps partially because none of the main characters so far are very likeable which works in the short story format but not as well as part of something greater.

amphibian, on 29 March 2017 - 10:44 PM, said:

Fionavar Tapestry trilogy was terrible. Cardboard characters, tons of "emotional moments" just to have them, and an exploration of sexual assault that's worse than Donaldson's in Covenant and nowhere near explored as deeply or meaningfully. GGK just ain't for me beyond Lions of Al-Rassan.

Writing him off without going into Sailing to Sarantium and Under Heaven seems a waste both are simply brilliant. If you've read them it seems a good place to stop or at least put him on a less priority list. Fionavar Tapesty is way substandard for his top work, but my experience is that he is uneaven from among the best out there to at best average depending on the book but Under Heaven, Lion of Al-Rassan and Sailing to Sarantium are about as good as it gets in fantasy.

This post has been edited by Chance: 30 March 2017 - 01:56 PM

[QuickTidal]

Chance, on 30 March 2017 - 01:46 PM, said:

amphibian, on 29 March 2017 - 10:44 PM, said:

Fionavar Tapestry trilogy was terrible. Cardboard characters, tons of "emotional moments" just to have them, and an exploration of sexual assault that's worse than Donaldson's in Covenant and nowhere near explored as deeply or meaningfully. GGK just ain't for me beyond Lions of Al-Rassan.

Writing him off without going into Sailing to Sarantium and Under Heaven seems a waste both are simply brilliant. If you've read them it seems a good place to stop or at least put him on a less priority list. Fionavar Tapesty is way substandard for his top work, but my experience is that he is uneaven from among the best out there to at best average depending on the book but Under Heaven, Lion of Al-Rassan and Sailing to Sarantium are about as good as it gets in fantasy.

^This.

Fionavar is literally his worst work (and universe)...most of the rest of his stuff that I've read has been spellbinding...ESPECIALLY the SARANTIUM duology. (not read UNDER HEAVEN yet, but it's in the ToRead pile)

[amphibian]

I hated Under Heaven. There's much discussion of it in this thread and the GGK specific one.

[Andorion]

About 1/3rd into the Dark Forest, quite nice so far.

A few chapters more into Shogun. Things are getting interesting.

Finished the Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman. Great little book.