[Aptorian]

Are these actual Giants because I love me some giants.

[Mentalist]

Aptorian, on 18 May 2019 - 06:56 AM, said:

Are these actual Giants because I love me some giants.

Nnot really. They fulfill the role of Giants as opposing the Aesir in the Edda analogy, but they seem to pretty humanoid. To be fair, Cook isn't really interested in describing the aliens much so (at least so far)

[Andorion]

Mentalist, on 18 May 2019 - 06:33 AM, said:

Finished Shadowline , the first book in Glen Cook's "Starfishers" space opera trilo.
As the blurb proclaims, it's cribbed from the Eddas. And if you were a fan of all the Greek tragedy pathos SE inserted towards the end of tBH and RG (SPOILER WRITTEN BY ME TIPSY; DO NOT READ IF YOU DID NOT READ RG, FOR THE LOVE OF BURN/GOD/ABYSS?)

Spoiler

RIP Trull, the most meaningless unnecessary death ever

you will ADORE all the fatalism and pre-determination in "Shadowline". It's a Ragnarok in space, with private armies playing the roles of Aesir, and also a humanoid aliens being giants (?). It's weird and also amazing. Too early into Book 2 to be able to assess where the series is going, but super-strong start. Glen Cook remains THE most underrated SFF writer EVER

I find this intriguing. Such a weird premise.

Really have to read more Cook.

[amphibian]

Abyss, on 17 May 2019 - 07:17 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 17 May 2019 - 04:29 PM, said:

Lackluster Bachelorette, on 17 May 2019 - 03:30 PM, said:

Abyss

Abyss's problem with MS&T boiled down to "The Norns/Hikeda'ya have occasional 'magic' that comes from chanting/singing" which occurred in exactly one scene, in one book, at one siege. It's not exactly a complaint that can be levelled at the series as a whole by a long shot.

And quite frankly, the Norns "threat" is so much more than any magic they might possess.

Actually no, that's just the scene where I threw the book away and ignored it for a few days.
Keeping in mind I read the entire series, and much else by this author, my problems with it were...

- travelogues... so many characters spending chapters slogging from point a to b;

- victims... most of the cast are bystanders to more interesting people doing interesting things that don't involve the cast;

- weak, poorly developed baddies who are basically evil for the sake of the baddie being evil;

- very little happens through each doorstopper and then something big happens, the end.

Yeah, this is where I rest on Tad Williams after reading the Otherland books as well.

As cool as Bushmen characters are, I don't dig Tad's writing style.

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

Williams' The Heart Of What Was Lost.

This post has been edited by Whisperzzzzzzz: 18 May 2019 - 05:43 PM

[Abyss]

amphibian, on 18 May 2019 - 12:38 PM, said:

Abyss, on 17 May 2019 - 07:17 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 17 May 2019 - 04:29 PM, said:

Lackluster Bachelorette, on 17 May 2019 - 03:30 PM, said:

Abyss

Abyss's problem with MS&T boiled down to "The Norns/Hikeda'ya have occasional 'magic' that comes from chanting/singing" which occurred in exactly one scene, in one book, at one siege. It's not exactly a complaint that can be levelled at the series as a whole by a long shot.

And quite frankly, the Norns "threat" is so much more than any magic they might possess.

Actually no, that's just the scene where I threw the book away and ignored it for a few days.
Keeping in mind I read the entire series, and much else by this author, my problems with it were...

- travelogues... so many characters spending chapters slogging from point a to b;

- victims... most of the cast are bystanders to more interesting people doing interesting things that don't involve the cast;

- weak, poorly developed baddies who are basically evil for the sake of the baddie being evil;

- very little happens through each doorstopper and then something big happens, the end.

Yeah, this is where I rest on Tad Williams after reading the Otherland books as well.

As cool as Bushmen characters are, I don't dig Tad's writing style.

OTHERLAND (great trilogy) avoided most of these problems most of the time. It’s excessively padded with side quests and b-plots of no particular value to the story, but overall the characters are active participants, the slogging is brief and with purpose, the baddies are mostly well developed, and while Williams does lean towards slow burn to big finish, more ‘events’ happen during the books than just the finales, and the ultimate finale for the series is a hell of a payoff.

[Aptorian]

I remember reading Otherland some time around 2002-2003. Strangely I remember there being three books but I don't remember reading an ending. Actually I don't really remember anything at all besides some Illuminati in animal masks and military vr vats.

In other news I finished Ben Aaronovitch's latest Peter Grant book "Lies Sleeping" a great read with an infuriatingly poor ending. Like, what the fuck was that?

Moving on to the last two Belgariad books while I wait for either Dragonbone Chair or Tigana to arrive.

[Tiste Simeon]

Man I loved Otherland, filler and all. Dunno how it would hold up now a number of years later but those books enthralled me when I was younger. Yes the series could probably have done with a bit of streamlining but I truly enjoyed the whole thing.

[T77]

Loved Otherland too. Also a big fan of MST, Shadowmarch and the Bobby Dollar books.

[Whisperzzzzzzz]

Whisperzzzzzzz, on 18 May 2019 - 05:43 PM, said:

Williams' The Heart Of What Was Lost.

Zipped through this and now starting Williams' The Witchwood Crown. I hope we get to see more of Viyeki and Yaarike.

This post has been edited by Whisperzzzzzzz: 20 May 2019 - 03:07 PM

[Macros]

Read One Word Kill last night / the morning on the train.

Short, enjoyable, nothing earth shattering but enough to keep the pages turning

[amphibian]

Abyss, on 26 April 2019 - 02:26 PM, said:

Abyss, on 25 April 2019 - 02:39 PM, said:

TIAMAT'S WRATH...

...this book is SOOOOOOOOOOOOO good.



Me, the last few chapters:

((( SPOILERS for
first 2/3 of the book,
albeit vague...))))

Spoiler

Holy crap, Amos. Dammit.

HOLY FUCK, AMOS WHAT????!

GO BOBBY!

Oh... Bobby. Crap. Also, wow! ...but, crap.

GO NAOMI!!!

Almost done...

Spoiler

...did NOT see this coming...

HOLY FUCK, DUARTE!!!!


...and expected but loved...

HOLY FUCK, TERESA!!!!!!!!

This book is a masterclass in 'set-up/payoff'.

I think Holden is a lot more like Amos than we think at this stage. Remember the stutter part?

[Mezla PigDog]

I have just purchased The Broken Earth trilogy, on my sisters recommendation. Anyone read these books? The first one is The Fifth Season.

[Aptorian]

Haven't read them but NK Jemisin seems pretty popular at my library.

[Macros]

A lot of people here seemed to really enjoy it. I haven't tried because I disliked 100,000 kingdoms so much.

In other news I finally started War of the Wolf, book 11 of the Uthred saga.

[amphibian]

Mezla PigDog, on 20 May 2019 - 05:28 PM, said:

I have just purchased The Broken Earth trilogy, on my sisters recommendation. Anyone read these books? The first one is The Fifth Season.

Incredibly good writing and one of the most interesting world's and histories I've ever encountered.

[worry]

I finished Apt's whale book. I liked it!

Who would have thought...(spoiler)

Spoiler

the main baddy would turn out to be the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man! Now that's brand synergy.

[Tiste Simeon]

amphibian, on 20 May 2019 - 06:42 PM, said:

Mezla PigDog, on 20 May 2019 - 05:28 PM, said:

I have just purchased The Broken Earth trilogy, on my sisters recommendation. Anyone read these books? The first one is The Fifth Season.

Incredibly good writing and one of the most interesting world's and histories I've ever encountered.

Agreed. Broken Earth is phenomenal. Really Great history and fascinating magic system. Some of the best worldbuilding I've seen recently.

[Chance]

Currently reading the Reluctant Swordsman by Dave Duncan throwing in an unknown among some very good books I've read recently, it is pretty entertaining for a fairly simple story.

Mezla PigDog, on 20 May 2019 - 05:28 PM, said:

I have just purchased The Broken Earth trilogy, on my sisters recommendation. Anyone read these books? The first one is The Fifth Season.

Its good but not as awesome as many think, there are some fairly glaring logic holes in it.

This post has been edited by Chance: 20 May 2019 - 10:51 PM

[worry]

Logic holes huh. Any logicians on the board want to comment?