[theocean]

It reminds me already of a couple other series, but really I guess most of those series remind me of this, I just read those first. The series starts at a decent pace too.

[worry]

I like Fitz moping (but then again, one of my favorite novels is The Sorrows of Young Werther, so different strokes) and I found the repetition was Fitz being Fitz...I can entirely relate to this return to thought patterns. Anyway, none of that is to say I don't understand other people's reactions.
The things about The Tawny Man issues you and BK have referenced -- hard to talk about without spoilers, since this final trilogy is comprehensive about addressing everything that came before. All I can say is I was satisfied with the conclusion, and I'm super curious about what you both think by the end (agree or disagree).

[Puck]

I am truly sorry to harp on that again, I just want to make a final statement about this regarding the ending of Tawny Man. Feel free to skip this. I highly suspect that my issues with it are very personal, stemming from the fact that I am and have always been asexual and Hobb pounding the message home left right and centre that the only true way to happiness is a heterosexual marriage with kids, a house and a dog or three, and that's AFTER having spent an entire trilogy on discussing the idea that love does not have to equal sex. I was eh about it in the two previous trilogies because that's the norm in fiction (and reality) and I don't mind but the ending of Tawny Man just took the cake and threw it down the drain. On a very personal level, despite my dislike of Fitz, I was very happy to see a friendship/partnership in fiction like that between Fitz and the Fool, one that was not treated as trite, and I loved Hobb for that despite my other issues with her series. And even if she addresses the issue that she baits with non-heteronormative content only to shove the opposite in the reader's face in this last trilogy it's not really going to change anything for me. I cannot help but feel like this whole thing with Fitz and the Fool is a farce she keep writing because she knows it draws people in.

This post has been edited by Puck: 12 July 2018 - 07:07 PM

[Abyss]

Could someone who likes Hobb please just start a damn dedthread.

[Puck]

I went ahead and made one, sorry: https://forum.malaza...in-hobb-thread/

The only other one I could find is in the reviews section and I don't think we should discuss spoilers in there.

This post has been edited by Puck: 12 July 2018 - 07:11 PM

[worry]

Not any direct spoilers, but since a few people are currently mid-series I'll hide this.@Puck:

Spoiler

Again I don't want to get into spoilers, and it's been years since I read Tawny Man, but my takeaway from those moments wasn't an assertion of heteronormativity from an authorial standpoint, but a tragic one from a character standpoint, and essentially a wistful and knowing critique from Hobb of what people are willing to accept about themselves and others. That said, I get your POV and even from my POV I definitely see why that would be a brutal letdown if you thought Tawny Man 3 was the last Fitz/Fool book we ever got. Drawing the curtains closed there is bleak, at best. Fortunately it wasn't the last book. And I wouldn't say she "addresses it" in the final tril so much as it's 100% integral to every moment. But I'll leave it at that for now, and you may still disagree with me by the end anyway.

[Tiste Simeon]

QuickTidal, on 12 July 2018 - 05:36 PM, said:

Briar King, on 12 July 2018 - 05:18 PM, said:

MS&T is a fun read

One of my all time favourites in fact!

I'm sure I read them about 15-20 years ago by for the life of me I can't remember if I did, though I remember thinking that Tad Williams was an established and good author when I came round to reading Otherland and I just have got that idea from somewhere...

I think I'll see if I can find them somewhere for cheap and have a read of the series. For books right?

[Mentalist]

Finished the 1st "Void" book re-read. Honestly, I remembered nothing except for who'd end up being the Waterwalker.

Stuff deffo makes more sense having read the earlier Commonwealth books first.

Starting next book on Tue. As I'm camping this weekend and so away from most tech, I'll try to finally finish "Ink" .

[Tiste Simeon]

Ment are you like me on that I enjoyed the "Fantasy" side of the story a whole lot more? I could have read a while series just set in that world...

[Mentalist]

Tiste Simeon, on 12 July 2018 - 11:31 PM, said:

Ment are you like me on that I enjoyed the "Fantasy" side of the story a whole lot more? I could have read a while series just set in that world...

Nah, I like reading about societies facing fundamental changes- that's basically my personal definition of "epic". So the Commonwealth and its various development paths are pretty fascinating, if somewhat discouraging in that "the more things change, the more they stay the same" way.
Edeard's story is nice, but pretty formulaic. imho

[Maark Abbott]

Abyss, on 11 July 2018 - 02:46 AM, said:

Maark, if you hate KINGS and love RED SKIES we can't be friends and/or I may have to send assassins at you.The black semen poisoning kind.

I've actually started a Malazan re-read. We cool.

See, Locke Lamora 1 was a caper done right. Kings had several glaring issues for me in that the pace was too fast, it was generally very sparse on the detail and if there's one thing I hate in books, it's feeling like the book is trying to rush me along.

[Gabriele]

Luv2B_Sassy, on 12 July 2018 - 06:45 PM, said:

I like Fitz moping (but then again, one of my favorite novels is The Sorrows of Young Werther, so different strokes)

Different strokes indeed. That one has been foisted upon generations of German high school kinds and is the synonym for a boring book here.

I don't mind introspective and 'slow' books myself; I'm the sort who rereads The Magic Mountain, but I never liked Werther. Or Goethe's Wahlverwandschaften, for that matter. Haven't tackled Hobbs yet, though I do have the first Fitz trilogy and those magic ship books on my shelves.

[polishgenius]

Mentalist, on 13 July 2018 - 04:20 AM, said:

Nah, I like reading about societies facing fundamental changes-

Somewhat of a topic swerve, but are you familiar with Patrick Wyman and his podcast Tides of History? Neither reading nor fiction, of course, but it's a series he does breaking down moments in history about precisely that - times when civilisations have faced fundamental changes and turning points in the course they take. I don't listen that often coz I just don't listen to podcasts that often, but it's really good.

[acesn8s]

Maark Abbott, on 13 July 2018 - 07:55 AM, said:

Abyss, on 11 July 2018 - 02:46 AM, said:

Maark, if you hate KINGS and love RED SKIES we can't be friends and/or I may have to send assassins at you.The black semen poisoning kind.

I've actually started a Malazan re-read. We cool.

See, Locke Lamora 1 was a caper done right. Kings had several glaring issues for me in that the pace was too fast, it was generally very sparse on the detail and if there's one thing I hate in books, it's feeling like the book is trying to rush me along.

Have you read any Tad Williams? Seeing Tiste posting about starting The Dragonbone Chair made me think his pacing might be right up your alley.

[Tiste Simeon]

acesn8s, on 13 July 2018 - 12:27 PM, said:

Maark Abbott, on 13 July 2018 - 07:55 AM, said:

Abyss, on 11 July 2018 - 02:46 AM, said:

Maark, if you hate KINGS and love RED SKIES we can't be friends and/or I may have to send assassins at you.The black semen poisoning kind.

I've actually started a Malazan re-read. We cool.

See, Locke Lamora 1 was a caper done right. Kings had several glaring issues for me in that the pace was too fast, it was generally very sparse on the detail and if there's one thing I hate in books, it's feeling like the book is trying to rush me along.

Have you read any Tad Williams? Seeing Tiste posting about starting The Dragonbone Chair made me think his pacing might be right up your alley.

Yeah Otherland can be slow, cumbersome and overly complicated at times you'd probably love it.

[amphibian]

polishgenius, on 13 July 2018 - 12:24 PM, said:

Mentalist, on 13 July 2018 - 04:20 AM, said:

Nah, I like reading about societies facing fundamental changes-

Somewhat of a topic swerve, but are you familiar with Patrick Wyman and his podcast Tides of History? Neither reading nor fiction, of course, but it's a series he does breaking down moments in history about precisely that - times when civilisations have faced fundamental changes and turning points in the course they take. I don't listen that often coz I just don't listen to podcasts that often, but it's really good.

It's awesome to read this pitch for Wyman. He's been a friend for years and I'm so, so happy that his podcast has taken off. The work that he put into his PhD and constant research for every topic he talks about really shows, doesn't it?

We bonded over MMA stuff and now we both mostly do other things. He's absolutely worth a listen.

[polishgenius]

amphibian, on 13 July 2018 - 08:44 PM, said:

We bonded over MMA stuff and now we both mostly do other things.

As someone who first came across him via his work on the MMA podcast he did with Conor Reubusch that he just left last week, I was sad that he did so, but yeah, his hard work absolutely shows and he seems like a top chap.

[polishgenius]

QuickTidal, on 18 June 2018 - 04:46 PM, said:

Andorion, on 18 June 2018 - 04:43 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 18 June 2018 - 04:39 PM, said:

Andorion, on 18 June 2018 - 04:37 PM, said:

I need something like Dresden or Kate Daniels - action-packed, snarky and sharp.

Well, BRIEF CASES Dresden shorts just came out...can you not get your hands on that?

I...um .....finished that on release day. Stayed up a bit late in fact.

I absolutely adore it - Zoo Day is such an awesome story, also Jury Duty and that small story about Harry training junior mages. I did not much care for the Molly or Marcone ones though.

Ah. Well that's your fault for devouring it too fast! LOL

New Kate Daniels isn't out till end of August.

Not sure what to suggest then.

Also I know I'm late to the party because Andorion's long since broken said slump, but back when this conversation was happening I knew I was forgetting something and couldn't for the life of me remember what it was. But now I remembered, so for next time you want something snappy and snarky and urban-fantasyish, if you haven't already, read Generation V by ML Brennan.

[Maark Abbott]

acesn8s, on 13 July 2018 - 12:27 PM, said:

Maark Abbott, on 13 July 2018 - 07:55 AM, said:

Abyss, on 11 July 2018 - 02:46 AM, said:

Maark, if you hate KINGS and love RED SKIES we can't be friends and/or I may have to send assassins at you.The black semen poisoning kind.

I've actually started a Malazan re-read. We cool.

See, Locke Lamora 1 was a caper done right. Kings had several glaring issues for me in that the pace was too fast, it was generally very sparse on the detail and if there's one thing I hate in books, it's feeling like the book is trying to rush me along.

Have you read any Tad Williams? Seeing Tiste posting about starting The Dragonbone Chair made me think his pacing might be right up your alley.

I have a MASSIVE (I think 8x6x4") Dragonbone Chair that I inherited from my granddad upstairs, but I'm yet to try it... The thing is so big that Pie Esu Domine would be instantly fatal.

Tiste Simeon, on 13 July 2018 - 05:22 PM, said:

acesn8s, on 13 July 2018 - 12:27 PM, said:

Maark Abbott, on 13 July 2018 - 07:55 AM, said:

Abyss, on 11 July 2018 - 02:46 AM, said:

Maark, if you hate KINGS and love RED SKIES we can't be friends and/or I may have to send assassins at you.The black semen poisoning kind.

I've actually started a Malazan re-read. We cool.

See, Locke Lamora 1 was a caper done right. Kings had several glaring issues for me in that the pace was too fast, it was generally very sparse on the detail and if there's one thing I hate in books, it's feeling like the book is trying to rush me along.

Have you read any Tad Williams? Seeing Tiste posting about starting The Dragonbone Chair made me think his pacing might be right up your alley.

Yeah Otherland can be slow, cumbersome and overly complicated at times you'd probably love it.

An analogy I think fits books is the Mars Bar Quandary. They've been getting smaller (and more expensive) for years but people just say "hey, it's a Mars bar". Let's make books THICC again. Thicker than Trump's thought process, crass though the analogy may be.

[Abyss]

QuickTidal, on 18 June 2018 - 04:39 PM, said:

...

New Kate Daniels isn't out till end of August.

The same world Hugh Dambry book just came out.