[worry]

Crown of Stars starts out a bit dry for my taste -- the medieval Europe parallels are painstaking but felt too mundane to me at the time -- then book two gets real dark, if still relatively mundane. And then after that KE lets her freak flag fly. Series gets weirder and more unpredictable as it goes imo. I mean, I've read weirder and more original things and so have you guys (being here at the Malazan Empire) but compared to how it starts KE does some bold, wild things with this world and her characters. It's kinda like if a traditionalist like Tad Williams suddenly turned out to be a real weirdo (in a good way).

[Andorion]

worry, on 13 September 2018 - 07:57 PM, said:

Crown of Stars starts out a bit dry for my taste -- the medieval Europe parallels are painstaking but felt too mundane to me at the time -- then book two gets real dark, if still relatively mundane. And then after that KE lets her freak flag fly. Series gets weirder and more unpredictable as it goes imo. I mean, I've read weirder and more original things and so have you guys (being here at the Malazan Empire) but compared to how it starts KE does some bold, wild things with this world and her characters. It's kinda like if a traditionalist like Tad Williams suddenly turned out to be a real weirdo (in a good way).

I dropped this series after 2 books principally because the Europe parallel was a bit too detailed, and I simply could not tolerate two young naive protagonists at the same time. So you are saying that it gets better?

[worry]

I think so! YMMV.

[Macros]

Abyss, on 13 September 2018 - 06:23 PM, said:

Macros, on 13 September 2018 - 05:26 PM, said:

Finished Davinci Code.
What a load of pants.

Incorrect.
Jesus never wore pants.

That's what the Vatican WANT you to think

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

Polished off Gemmell's Waylander.

On to Cook's Port of Shadows!

[Macros]

Waylander is probably my second/third favourite drenai novel.

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Macros, on 14 September 2018 - 12:41 PM, said:

Waylander is probably my second/third favourite drenai novel.

It's up there for me - though interestingly, it's my Mum's favourite of them all by far (both parents have borrowed all my Gemmell at various points). Dad is more of a Skilgannon person.

This post has been edited by TheRetiredBridgeburner: 14 September 2018 - 02:00 PM

[Andorion]

Read Grisha 1 - Shadow and Bone. Had high expectations after Six of Crows, but this was really a rather weak book.

[Macros]

Skillgannon is one of my lesser loves, above Jon Shannow for sure, but I have only reread them once. Compare that to waylander, Troy or ,obviously, Legend....

[End of Disc One]

I'm on my second Gemmell book, Sword in the Storm (book 1 of Rigante). It was on sale so I picked it up. It's pretty good. Certainly slower than Legend and I don't know where it's going at this point, but I enjoy the writing.

[QuickTidal]

Andorion, on 14 September 2018 - 02:21 PM, said:

Read Grisha 1 - Shadow and Bone. Had high expectations after Six of Crows, but this was really a rather weak book.

Totally different style of series. Much more in the vein of Twilight (just better written) story-wise.

I stuck with it because the world building was GREAT, and one of the secondary characters is also great...who I don't THINK you meet in Book 1?

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Macros, on 14 September 2018 - 04:26 PM, said:

obviously, Legend....

Going on holiday with me next week. I've got one new book to take, but the rest of the book packing will be the old faithfuls!

This post has been edited by TheRetiredBridgeburner: 14 September 2018 - 04:59 PM

[HoosierDaddy]

Macros, on 24 August 2018 - 06:47 AM, said:

Starting Nemisis (Horus 40k book...13?) Today at some stage.

Read the blurb, not sure if I'm gonna like this one.

Stalled out a bit on Vellum already

Vellum. Sooo promising! Then splat.

[Mentalist]

Finished Surrender to the Will of Night it's a frigging amazing book. Even though it ends on a cliffhanger of sorts, it's bloody sublime.

I'm angry that I need to search high and dry for Vol 4 now. At least I don't have to worry about my next commute read, because the next Laundry book, "Delirium Brief" finally arrived.

I suspect next weekend I'm gonna venture out to the city bookstores again on a book-buying spree.

[Andorion]

QuickTidal, on 14 September 2018 - 04:54 PM, said:

Andorion, on 14 September 2018 - 02:21 PM, said:

Read Grisha 1 - Shadow and Bone. Had high expectations after Six of Crows, but this was really a rather weak book.

Totally different style of series. Much more in the vein of Twilight (just better written) story-wise.

I stuck with it because the world building was GREAT, and one of the secondary characters is also great...who I don't THINK you meet in Book 1?

Well I certainly hope there is a good secondary character because the primary protagonist is utterly weak. The main romance lacked chemistry, and a lot of the plot made no sense. I mean

Spoiler

she could have finished everything by taking out the Darkling when her powers boosted. But she ran way.

[Mentalist]

Finished the re-read of "The Two Towers". Part II was certainly weaker, though it does pick up for the last 2 chapters.

Moving on to "Return of the King", naturally.

[Chance]

Currently going through the October Daye series and its nice and harmless urban fantasy with a nice fey theme but I kind of get annoyed sometimes especially in the current novel (A Red Rose Chain). The main character and her allies takes too much shit without acting even when there is no reason what so ever to not play as rough as the opposition does. This is likely why for me Dresden is such satisfying urban fantasy lead he throws down when the opposition does random evil actions not caring at all about the consequences most of the time, more passive leads really are a chore to read sometimes as they fumble their way between the evil guys attempting to harm them until they pass into the third act and suddenly its ok to throw down.

Just had to rant a bit...but unless the close of the novel isn't very badass I'll problably read something else next.

[Tiste Simeon]

Finished listening to The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August and oh my what a story. Can't remember who first recommended it but thank you! What a great tale and the narrator is superb. Will no doubt listen to The Sudden Appearance of Hope, also by Claire North, starting tomorrow!

[worry]

Finished The White Luck Warrior. This series is starting to feel like an indictment of something.
For now, I'm putting off the Endymion books and will jump on the Harry August bandwagon. Hoping it's lighter fare.

[Salt-Man Z]

Tiste Simeon, on 16 September 2018 - 09:02 PM, said:

Finished listening to The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August and oh my what a story. Can't remember who first recommended it but thank you! What a great tale and the narrator is superb. Will no doubt listen to The Sudden Appearance of Hope, also by Claire North, starting tomorrow!

You're welcome! I grabbed The Sudden Appearance of Hope as well, and "hope" to start it soon.

worry, on 17 September 2018 - 02:55 AM, said:

will jump on the Harry August bandwagon. Hoping it's lighter fare.

Yes, no "worries" there.

This post has been edited by Salt-Man Z: 17 September 2018 - 04:01 AM