[Morgoth]

Raymond Luxury Yacht, on 26 September 2021 - 04:29 AM, said:

Put the shadows of the apt first book on hold. Currently reading mr Borrel and dr strange or whatever it's called, by the same lady who wrote piranesi which I enjoyed.

A very different, but equally fantastic book!

[Macros]

Maybe I should circle back to Strange and Norrel, I managed about 50 pages and dropped it I think

[Tsundoku]

Read Moon Over Soho. Quite good, a bit of a pace improvement over Rivers of London from what I can recall (read the first one a couple of years back).

Eight dead jazz musicians out of 11.

On to Whispers Under Ground.

[Raymond Luxury Yacht]

JPK, on 26 September 2021 - 06:13 AM, said:

Raymond Luxury Yacht, on 26 September 2021 - 04:29 AM, said:

Put the shadows of the apt first book on hold. Currently reading mr Borrel and dr strange or whatever it’s called, by the same lady who wrote piranesi which I enjoyed.

That would be JONATHAN STRANGE & MR NORRELL and a rather excellent book.

I like my title better.

[Raymond Luxury Yacht]

No I just put it on hold at the library based off of this conversation.

[JPK]

Macros, on 26 September 2021 - 09:54 AM, said:

Maybe I should circle back to Strange and Norrel, I managed about 50 pages and dropped it I think

It is a very slow burn in the beginning, but once the antagonist is properly introduced the book really picked up for me and was very compelling.

[JPK]

Raymond Luxury Yacht, on 27 September 2021 - 02:35 AM, said:

No I just put it on hold at the library based off of this conversation.

Don't expect miracles out of the first book, it's decent but very tropey in a lot of ways. It really reads like a coming of age fantasy for a small core cast, and it takes a couple of books for the character work to really start setting in. The things I would say to really pay attention to in the first novel are the world-building and the conflicts between the old world and new. If those aspects appeal to you, push though the first two books and you'll start seeing major improvements in other aspects of the novels around book three.

[QuickTidal]

JPK, on 27 September 2021 - 02:41 AM, said:

Raymond Luxury Yacht, on 27 September 2021 - 02:35 AM, said:

No I just put it on hold at the library based off of this conversation.

Don't expect miracles out of the first book, it's decent but very tropey in a lot of ways. It really reads like a coming of age fantasy for a small core cast, and it takes a couple of books for the character work to really start setting in. The things I would say to really pay attention to in the first novel are the world-building and the conflicts between the old world and new. If those aspects appeal to you, push though the first two books and you'll start seeing major improvements in other aspects of the novels around book three.

This.

Book 2 was better than book 1 for me, and then book 3 solidified it as one of my faves.

[Abyss]

Abyss, on 21 September 2021 - 07:13 PM, said:

Abyss, on 09 December 2019 - 07:15 PM, said:

JPK, on 09 December 2019 - 05:20 PM, said:

Abyss, on 09 December 2019 - 04:36 PM, said:

Aptorian, on 09 December 2019 - 02:36 PM, said:

Maark Abbott, on 09 December 2019 - 08:33 AM, said:

Morgoth, on 25 November 2019 - 11:40 AM, said:

QuickTidal, on 06 November 2019 - 06:45 PM, said:

Grabbed THREE PARTS DEAD by Max Gladstone, based on many recco's here by those I trust and because it was only $3 on Amazon, so I figured I'd take a shot at it. I liked the prologue with the chain-smoking priest dude at any rate.

It's wizard-lawyers throwing spells made out of contract interpretations and powered by faith channeled through shell companies. What's not to love?!

If I was on the Malaz discord right now I would post :peepochrist: in response to that.

Hmmm. 15 USD for the first five books in the series? I mean, I'd practically be losing money if I didn't buy that bundle!

It saddens me that i have owned that ebook for ages but have yet to read it.

I do have the earbook of the first book but i keep procrastinating because i suspect i would want to get the rest immediately and earbook prices are silly if you don't have the audible credits.

I'm 4 books deep and can confirm you'll want to get them all immediately.

NOT HELPING.

Am now approx 1/2way through THREE PARTS DEAD... reading this after INDEXING may have been a tactical error, because despite many glowing forum reco's, it's not grabbing me. Too much talking, too many meetings, too much looking and not enough doing....

Fortunately SANDMAN ACT 2 lands tonight, so i will take a break and come back after Gaiman and his absurdly talented audio cast blow my mind out the backs of my eyes.

THREE PARTS DEAD was not in fact dead. It picked up enough in the last quarter or so that i stuck with it and it nailed the landing even if the journey had some turbulence.
Interesting world and the ending made some neat choices i did not see coming. Also the first instance i have ever read of Checkov's smokes.
Will read the next one in the nearish future.

And now...

Abyss, on 14 September 2021 - 02:21 PM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 14 September 2021 - 02:10 AM, said:

Abyss, on 13 September 2021 - 07:21 PM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 11 September 2021 - 09:43 PM, said:

Abyss, on 10 September 2021 - 07:20 PM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 10 September 2021 - 10:46 AM, said:

... now I am listening to SANDMAN ACT I. Oh my days. They have done a flipping good job on this. It is less of a narrated story and more of a radio drama in style.

I think it was Abyss that recommended it and I'm so glad I took that advice. Will download ACT II to listen to it following this.

It was, glad you did, i am SO psyched for the next one, Sept 22!

Oh man but I'd forgotten how dark this gets on occasion. Listening to the awesome chapter where the group is stuck in the diner by Dr Destiny. I've read it before a number of times but it's been a while. Such a great plot but some of it is pretty brutal.

They went way darker there than i expected, even if they dodged some of the ickier bits from the floppy.

Another surprise for me is that Kat Dennings was actually pretty good as Death! Was not sure she'd do the character justice (and I would not really want her in the live action version) but she is pretty good!

I'd go further and say she nailed it. The entire audio cast is brilliant.
My one criticism was that a couple of the less human voices were either difficult to understand or not inhuman enough, but that's a minor point, nothing was impacted.

THE SANDMAN ACT 2 is brilliant.
Am about 1/2way thru, and it. Is. BRILLIANT.

I had wondered whether this Act, moving into a (slightly) more linear storyline that is Season of Mists might be less engaging than the gloriously turbulent Act 1, but nope.
Far from it. The voicework on the Endless are absolutely perfect, and words fail me at the production of Morpheus' visit with Lucifer as they travel through Hell.

[JPK]

Alright Abyss, I'm starting THE SANDMAN ACT 1 due to your pushing. I just reread ABSOLUTE SANDMAN Volumes 1 & 2 earlier this year, so it's pretty fresh in my memory. I'm hoping this is half as good as you have lead me to believe.

[Tiste Simeon]

I knew Act II would be good. I'll get it on the morrow.

[Abyss]

JPK, on 27 September 2021 - 08:30 PM, said:

Alright Abyss, I'm starting THE SANDMAN ACT 1 due to your pushing. I just reread ABSOLUTE SANDMAN Volumes 1 & 2 earlier this year, so it's pretty fresh in my memory. I'm hoping this is half as good as you have lead me to believe.

I hope so too. I've read the graphics multiple times, the last being a few years ago. This is adapting the story for a different medium. The same but different, so to speak. I'm curious what you think with the comics reasonably recent in your brainz.
For me, it's like experiencing the story again like it's new.


....relatedly, if the Netflix series can generate half this level of feels it will be a glorious thing.

[Abyss]

Abyss, on 28 September 2021 - 04:01 AM, said:

JPK, on 27 September 2021 - 08:30 PM, said:

Alright Abyss, I'm starting THE SANDMAN ACT 1 due to your pushing. I just reread ABSOLUTE SANDMAN Volumes 1 & 2 earlier this year, so it's pretty fresh in my memory. I'm hoping this is half as good as you have lead me to believe.

I hope so too. I've read the graphics multiple times, the last being a few years ago. This is adapting the story for a different medium. The same but different, so to speak. I'm curious what you think with the comics reasonably recent in your brainz.
For me, it's like experiencing the story again like it's new.


....relatedly, if the Netflix series can generate half this level of feels it will be a glorious thing.

Its is 2am
I have been listening for way way too long.
And the Chapter 5 interlude just hit me with omega level nightmare fuel.

Argh.

Seriously... horrified. That was... that may have been worse (in a good way) than anything the floppies ever did.

Gag.


....oh thank gods the Clurucan!

[Tiste Simeon]

Abyss, on 28 September 2021 - 04:01 AM, said:

JPK, on 27 September 2021 - 08:30 PM, said:

Alright Abyss, I'm starting THE SANDMAN ACT 1 due to your pushing. I just reread ABSOLUTE SANDMAN Volumes 1 & 2 earlier this year, so it's pretty fresh in my memory. I'm hoping this is half as good as you have lead me to believe.

I hope so too. I've read the graphics multiple times, the last being a few years ago. This is adapting the story for a different medium. The same but different, so to speak. I'm curious what you think with the comics reasonably recent in your brainz.
For me, it's like experiencing the story again like it's new.


....relatedly, if the Netflix series can generate half this level of feels it will be a glorious thing.

I posted the first look trailer in the TV thread a day or so back. It looks good enough to keep me very interested!

[Tsundoku]

Am I the only person who reads Ben Aaronovitch with a Google map of London at the ready? I quite like maps and it's quite fun to check it zooming in and out, even street view or just the images of the address.

I think somewhere in my recent travels I found a map where someone had handily placed pins for all the locations mentioned in the books, not that I can find it again ...

[Tiste Simeon]

It's a good idea! I always like maps to help me visualise be they fantasy or real.

[Dadding]

Tsundoku, on 28 September 2021 - 07:53 AM, said:

Am I the only person who reads Ben Aaronovitch with a Google map of London at the ready? I quite like maps and it's quite fun to check it zooming in and out, even street view or just the images of the address.

I think somewhere in my recent travels I found a map where someone had handily placed pins for all the locations mentioned in the books, not that I can find it again ...

I'm on Book 3! Is this the map you were talking about?

[JPK]

Abyss, on 28 September 2021 - 04:01 AM, said:

JPK, on 27 September 2021 - 08:30 PM, said:

Alright Abyss, I'm starting THE SANDMAN ACT 1 due to your pushing. I just reread ABSOLUTE SANDMAN Volumes 1 & 2 earlier this year, so it's pretty fresh in my memory. I'm hoping this is half as good as you have lead me to believe.

I hope so too. I've read the graphics multiple times, the last being a few years ago. This is adapting the story for a different medium. The same but different, so to speak. I'm curious what you think with the comics reasonably recent in your brainz.
For me, it's like experiencing the story again like it's new.


....relatedly, if the Netflix series can generate half this level of feels it will be a glorious thing.

Just finished the Diner. That was suitably horrifying. I think the horror aspects really shine though in the audio drama.

[Abyss]

JPK, on 28 September 2021 - 06:41 PM, said:

Abyss, on 28 September 2021 - 04:01 AM, said:

JPK, on 27 September 2021 - 08:30 PM, said:

Alright Abyss, I'm starting THE SANDMAN ACT 1 due to your pushing. I just reread ABSOLUTE SANDMAN Volumes 1 & 2 earlier this year, so it's pretty fresh in my memory. I'm hoping this is half as good as you have lead me to believe.

I hope so too. I've read the graphics multiple times, the last being a few years ago. This is adapting the story for a different medium. The same but different, so to speak. I'm curious what you think with the comics reasonably recent in your brainz.
For me, it's like experiencing the story again like it's new.


....relatedly, if the Netflix series can generate half this level of feels it will be a glorious thing.

Just finished the Diner. That was suitably horrifying. I think the horror aspects really shine though in the audio drama.

I did not think they could pull that off, and if anything they improved on that aspect of the floppies.
Seriously, Act 2 just freaked me right out ....and i KNEW what was going to happen.

[Tiste Simeon]

Abyss, on 28 September 2021 - 06:52 PM, said:

JPK, on 28 September 2021 - 06:41 PM, said:

Abyss, on 28 September 2021 - 04:01 AM, said:

JPK, on 27 September 2021 - 08:30 PM, said:

Alright Abyss, I'm starting THE SANDMAN ACT 1 due to your pushing. I just reread ABSOLUTE SANDMAN Volumes 1 & 2 earlier this year, so it's pretty fresh in my memory. I'm hoping this is half as good as you have lead me to believe.

I hope so too. I've read the graphics multiple times, the last being a few years ago. This is adapting the story for a different medium. The same but different, so to speak. I'm curious what you think with the comics reasonably recent in your brainz.
For me, it's like experiencing the story again like it's new.


....relatedly, if the Netflix series can generate half this level of feels it will be a glorious thing.

Just finished the Diner. That was suitably horrifying. I think the horror aspects really shine though in the audio drama.

I did not think they could pull that off, and if anything they improved on that aspect of the floppies.
Seriously, Act 2 just freaked me right out ....and i KNEW what was going to happen.

Act II loaded and ready to go. It's funny cos I can hardly remember most of the stories, except snippets and vague outlines (oh and the story of Hob Gadling is one that has stuck with me and indeed served as a tiny bit of inspiration for by own novels) but when I get to them it all floods back. After finishing Act I I went back to read the first three books (I have the full set in the ten volumes or whatever it is). Fleshes it out in such a wonderful way.