[Macros]

Ok, I'll bite for book one

[Tiste Simeon]

Yeah that sounds amazing!

Edit hmmm don't appear to be on Kindle, who's the author?

This post has been edited by Tiste Simeon: 16 January 2020 - 03:37 PM

[QuickTidal]

Macros, on 16 January 2020 - 02:55 PM, said:

Ok, I'll bite for book one

On last note. As the books go on, he gets "very explain-y" in each new book about the backstory from the previous books, which can get annoying as it interferes with the main story he's telling and gets repetitive. He should really just have put a "the story up to now" in the beginning of each volume, but instead this happens in story, repeatedly. But if you can stomach that stuff then you'll be fine. I find if I run across shit I already know, I skim and skip those bits and that works for me.

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 16 January 2020 - 03:38 PM

[QuickTidal]

Tiste Simeon, on 16 January 2020 - 03:30 PM, said:

Yeah that sounds amazing!

Edit hmmm don't appear to be on Kindle, who's the author?

S.M. Stirling.

(the same one Abyss crows about for, THE PESHAWAR LANCERS)

[Abyss]

QuickTidal, on 16 January 2020 - 01:20 PM, said:

Macros, on 16 January 2020 - 06:31 AM, said:

Emberverse?
What is this, do I need it in my life?

So....yes and no.

...
Try the first book DIES THE FIRE and see if you like it. If you can get through it and enjoy it, you will most likely dig the series. Also note that there is a companion series that shows the "Change" even from the other side....which I won't explain here....but worth the time too.

Chance, on 15 January 2020 - 11:37 PM, said:

Re-reading The Protectors War and its pretty nice, been thinking of a re-read of the entire Emberverse for a while maybe I'll get to however many books there are now. Edit: Didn't realize the series ended last year with Sky-Blue Wolves so now I'm certainly finishing it .

Holy shit, I didn't know it ended either...I was not finished every book where I last left off...but maybe it's time for a re-read for me as well to finish it up.

Macros, on 16 January 2020 - 02:55 PM, said:

Ok, I'll bite for book one

Tiste Simeon, on 16 January 2020 - 03:30 PM, said:

Yeah that sounds amazing!

This has been sitting in my TRP for-frikkin-ever. I like Stirling, the stall is mostly just that it's dead tree.


Note that the actual trigger 'event' is dealt with in a separate 'Nantucket' series, a trilo related to the Island of nantucket being sent back in time and how its inhabitants survive. You don't need to read one to understand the other but apprently there are some minor bits in Nantucket that are easter eggs in Emberverse.

[QuickTidal]

Abyss, on 16 January 2020 - 03:54 PM, said:

Note that the actual trigger 'event' is dealt with in a separate 'Nantucket' series, a trilo related to the Island of nantucket being sent back in time and how its inhabitants survive. You don't need to read one to understand the other but apprently there are some minor bits in Nantucket that are easter eggs in Emberverse.

Just chiming in to add that in the main series between books 4 and (I THINK) 7 you are given some of the Nantucket info from the Change side directly from the source...so I'd say if that interests you when you get there, to read the companion series too.

I probably won't start a re-read with the Protector's War trilogy, as I've read it complete twice, but I will go back to at least THE SUNRISE LANDS, just to refresh all.

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 16 January 2020 - 04:17 PM

[Vengeance]

RACHEL, on 13 January 2020 - 07:46 PM, said:

Do you know that you need to read the two short story collections first? The Last Wish and then Sword of Destiny and then Blood Of Elves. If you don't read in that order I am not sure how you will be able to get what is all going on without the background provided in the short stories.

Since the short story collections were what the first season of the Witcher covered. I gambled that I would be able to make do. I haven't had a problem so far.

[Tiste Simeon]

There's 15 of them! Might not be reading them yet haha

[QuickTidal]

Tiste Simeon, on 16 January 2020 - 04:39 PM, said:

There's 15 of them! Might not be reading them yet haha

If it helps, they are divided into groups that take place in different era's.


Books 1-3 take place during and right after the change (over the course of about 6-8 years I think?)

Books 4-10 are the next generation as adults, 22 years after The Change.

Books 11-15 are closer to 50-60 years after The Change.

[Chance]

As for Stirling in general his The Peshawar Lancers, Lords of Creation, Nantucket and Draka (at least to the Stone Dogs) are great and shorter indicators of his style.

The Emberverse can also pretty easily be read as just a trilogy which are a pretty self contained storyline setting up for the next set.

Tiste Simeon, on 16 January 2020 - 04:39 PM, said:

There's 15 of them! Might not be reading them yet haha

I'd say 18 because you really should do the nantucket books somewhere in there probably either first or after the first three since they kind of play a part.

This post has been edited by Chance: 16 January 2020 - 07:28 PM

[Abyss]

Chance, on 16 January 2020 - 07:25 PM, said:

As for Stirling in general his The Peshawar Lancers, Lords of Creation, Nantucket and Draka (at least to the Stone Dogs) are great and shorter indicators of his style.

The Emberverse can also pretty easily be read as just a trilogy which are a pretty self contained storyline setting up for the next set.

Tiste Simeon, on 16 January 2020 - 04:39 PM, said:

There's 15 of them! Might not be reading them yet haha

I'd say 18 because you really should do the nantucket books somewhere in there probably either first or after the first three since they kind of play a part.

I adored PESHAWAR LANCERS, and liked CONQUISTADOR well enough.
I'm reasonably certain i'll read the entire EMBER / NANTUCKET thing eventually, just the question of whether i get it in earbook or get around to the ebooks or dead tree.

[Macros]

Stop it, my TRP is fucking horrendous as it is!!

[Cyphon]

Finished Lies Sleeping, which hit that Peter Grant fix nicely. Has Aaronitivitch had an upturn in his personal life, the ending of the booking was all affirming and neatly tied up... it was most disconcerting.

Edit: Now reading Checkmate by Dorothy Dunnett, last of the Lymond chronicles. I love the intricacy of these books but I think I'd need to learn French and have a degree in literature and history to fully get everything going on in them...

This post has been edited by Cyphon: 17 January 2020 - 06:18 PM

[JPK]

Just finished The Jennifer Morgue. Ok, I liked book 1, but I loved every minute of this. I suspect a large number of my audible credits are going to end up being used on this series this year.

Spoiler

I adored the Bond theme, and I called Bob's archetype as the good Bond girl right away.

Next I'm starting Sebastien De Castell's Spellslinger series off the strength of his Greatcoats.

[RACHEL]

Vengeance, on 16 January 2020 - 04:17 PM, said:

RACHEL, on 13 January 2020 - 07:46 PM, said:

Do you know that you need to read the two short story collections first? The Last Wish and then Sword of Destiny and then Blood Of Elves. If you don't read in that order I am not sure how you will be able to get what is all going on without the background provided in the short stories.

Since the short story collections were what the first season of the Witcher covered. I gambled that I would be able to make do. I haven't had a problem so far.

The short story collections and the show are two very different things. I would not recommend using the show as a replacement for the books, but of you look up the Wikipedia synopses of the books you should be fine.

[Macros]

JPK, on 17 January 2020 - 07:35 PM, said:

Just finished The Jennifer Morgue. Ok, I liked book 1, but I loved every minute of this. I suspect a large number of my audible credits are going to end up being used on this series this year.

Spoiler

I adored the Bond theme, and I called Bob's archetype as the good Bond girl right away.

Next I'm starting Sebastien De Castell's Spellslinger series off the strength of his Greatcoats.

It's a lot more YA than greatcoats but still dark in places. Enjoyable enough

[Maark Abbott]

About halfway into Arbonne now.

Do we ever find out

Spoiler

what happened to Aelis?

Or is it left for us to imagine?

[Abyss]

Maark Abbott, on 20 January 2020 - 08:50 AM, said:

About halfway into Arbonne now.

Do we ever find out

Spoiler

what happened to Aelis?

Or is it left for us to imagine?

RAFO.

[Abyss]

On the OLD MAN'S WAR series read, just finished GHOST BRIGADE and THE LOST COLONY. Satisfying. Again, Scalzi doesn't reinvent anything sf or mil sf but he does it well and his characters are engaging. COLONY is more political, less action (but still very good action) and does some serious restructuring to the setting in a good way. I was very tempted to jump straight to the next book, ZOE'S STORY, but have seen Seanan McGuire's MIDDLEGAME in so SO many best of year lists that i decided to break from the OLD MANathon for that.

A few chapters into MIDDLEGAME, very interesting.

My experience with McGuire's books to date are her 'Mira Grant' killer mermaid stories.... this is very different. I have to give her credit for the sheer multitude of bits, clips, and hints, she drops on the reader at the outset without losing us. It's clear everything that's thrown at the reader in the first few pages will be important later, but not frustratingly so.

Also for treading a line between YA fairy tale and modern setting very effectively.

[Andorion]

Abyss, on 20 January 2020 - 04:11 PM, said:

On the OLD MAN'S WAR series read, just finished GHOST BRIGADE and THE LOST COLONY. Satisfying. Again, Scalzi doesn't reinvent anything sf or mil sf but he does it well and his characters are engaging. COLONY is more political, less action (but still very good action) and does some serious restructuring to the setting in a good way. I was very tempted to jump straight to the next book, ZOE'S STORY, but have seen Seanan McGuire's MIDDLEGAME in so SO many best of year lists that i decided to break from the OLD MANathon for that.

A few chapters into MIDDLEGAME, very interesting.

My experience with McGuire's books to date are her 'Mira Grant' killer mermaid stories.... this is very different. I have to give her credit for the sheer multitude of bits, clips, and hints, she drops on the reader at the outset without losing us. It's clear everything that's thrown at the reader in the first few pages will be important later, but not frustratingly so.

Also for treading a line between YA fairy tale and modern setting very effectively.

I loved Middlegame.

Protip: Try out her October Daye books. They start off with the protagonist at absolute rock bottom, and then she starts to rise. Its among my favourite UF series.


Also I am in the last part of Cage of Souls. This has been a wild ride.