[Cause]

Reading Artemis by Andy Weir.

I love the Martian book and movie. Amazing story and funny. This book is meh in every way and category. I am bored. Very disappointed

[Tiste Simeon]

Abyss, on 11 April 2023 - 02:18 AM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 06 April 2023 - 05:04 PM, said:

...and 2) I've not actually read Kellanveds Reach!

Who are you and what have you done w Tiste and how much are you going to pay me not to report you to the authorities?

I'm the older, more tired Tiste with way more kids. The other Tiste has been replaced. And I can't afford to pay you anything due to the aforementioned kids.

[champ]

Cause, on 11 April 2023 - 04:08 AM, said:

Reading Artemis by Andy Weir.

I love the Martian book and movie. Amazing story and funny. This book is meh in every way and category. I am bored. Very disappointed

I felt the same but Project Hail Mary was a return to form.

[Abyss]

Tiste Simeon, on 11 April 2023 - 07:47 AM, said:

Abyss, on 11 April 2023 - 02:18 AM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 06 April 2023 - 05:04 PM, said:

...and 2) I've not actually read Kellanveds Reach!

Who are you and what have you done w Tiste and how much are you going to pay me not to report you to the authorities?

I'm the older, more tired Tiste with way more kids. The other Tiste has been replaced. And I can't afford to pay you anything due to the aforementioned kids.

You have more kidneys than you require.

[QuickTidal]

Finished my first of the Star Wars PHASE 2 High Republic books I own, and first chronologically, PATH OF DECEIT by Tessa Gratton & Justina Ireland. Thoughts on it in ded-thread.

[Salt-Man Z]

My son (17) and I proposed a 3-book swap last summer. I'm reading his favorite trilogy (MISTBORN) while he reads 3 of my favorites: Michael Crichton's SPHERE, Richard Adams' SHARDIK, and Wolfe's BOOK OF THE NEW SUN. I got a late start on account of needing to finish the omnibus I was in the middle of, while he only has half of BotNS left.

I just finished the first Mistborn book last night. Perfectly enjoyable, but with a niggling feeling of sterility/artificiality that I'm not sure whence it comes. Perhaps it's in the way Sanderson's magic systems are so tightly constructed that they're essentially a science (and thus I'm functionally reading sci-fi, not fantasy.) His characters and dialogue also feel kind of shallow, like there's an implied depth that isn't actually there. This is not me trying to knock on Sanderson; it's a fun, gripping story, but really nothing more than that. And that's fine. On to THE WELL OF ASCENSION...

[Tiste Simeon]

I finished reading THE CHILDREN OF HÚRIN by Tolkien and an thoroughly depressed by it haha, it was a very sad tale.

So for a complete change of pace I am reading THE GREY BASTARDS book one of The Lot Lands series by Jonathan French. Only about 4 chapters in and I'm loving it.

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Tiste Simeon, on 18 April 2023 - 12:31 PM, said:

I finished reading THE CHILDREN OF HÚRIN by Tolkien and an thoroughly depressed by it haha, it was a very sad tale.

I think it's one of the single saddest stories in The Silmarillion - and that's not a happy book!

[QuickTidal]

TheRetiredBridgeburner, on 18 April 2023 - 12:34 PM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 18 April 2023 - 12:31 PM, said:

I finished reading THE CHILDREN OF HÚRIN by Tolkien and an thoroughly depressed by it haha, it was a very sad tale.

I think it's one of the single saddest stories in The Silmarillion - and that's not a happy book!

Yep. I'm trying to think of a sadder one in there, but I feel like it's definitely the saddest....any of the other sad ones have some heroics to kind of push them up a bit lighter...but Hurin is just bleak. Not that it's bad mind you, it's very good...just bleak.

[Tiste Simeon]

QuickTidal, on 18 April 2023 - 12:54 PM, said:

TheRetiredBridgeburner, on 18 April 2023 - 12:34 PM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 18 April 2023 - 12:31 PM, said:

I finished reading THE CHILDREN OF HÚRIN by Tolkien and an thoroughly depressed by it haha, it was a very sad tale.

I think it's one of the single saddest stories in The Silmarillion - and that's not a happy book!

Yep. I'm trying to think of a sadder one in there, but I feel like it's definitely the saddest....any of the other sad ones have some heroics to kind of push them up a bit lighter...but Hurin is just bleak. Not that it's bad mind you, it's very good...just bleak.

Yup, the doom of Morgoth just affected every area of his life!

Spoiler

Bit grossed out by the whole bit where he accidentally marries his own sister. I know it's not like ASOIAF level or anything and certainly not done to titillate, but still I was a bit like "oh no, that's not good"

[Abyss]

Tiste Simeon, on 18 April 2023 - 12:31 PM, said:

...

So for a complete change of pace I am reading THE GREY BASTARDS book one of The Lot Lands series by Jonathan French. Only about 4 chapters in and I'm loving it.

this trilo was so so much fun, i hope you enjoy it.

Me, i Just Finished Esslemont's FORGE OF THE HIGH MAGE. Comments in the ded-thread once i've done my selective rereads (selective = most of the book w x-refs to previous books).

[Tiste Simeon]

Abyss, on 18 April 2023 - 05:01 PM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 18 April 2023 - 12:31 PM, said:

...

So for a complete change of pace I am reading THE GREY BASTARDS book one of The Lot Lands series by Jonathan French. Only about 4 chapters in and I'm loving it.

this trilo was so so much fun, i hope you enjoy it.

Yes I'm loving the fact that they're hog riders! The background and setting to this world is fantastic.

[pat5150]

Halfway through Michelle West's Sea of Sorrows, 4th volume in the Sun Sword series, and it's the shit!

I've said it before and I'll say it again, guys. Read these books!

[Tiste Simeon]

pat5150, on 18 April 2023 - 07:48 PM, said:

Halfway through Michelle West's Sea of Sorrows, 4th volume in the Sun Sword series, and it's the shit!

I've said it before and I'll say it again, guys. Read these books!

I'm a few hours into the first one and it's quite interesting. Still not sure I love it but I think it's so big it's mostly just setup still.

[pat5150]

Tiste Simeon, on 18 April 2023 - 07:56 PM, said:

I'm a few hours into the first one and it's quite interesting. Still not sure I love it but I think it's so big it's mostly just setup still.

Looking back, it's obvious that The Broken Crown is mostly setup until the last 100-200 pages. But don't worry, for there is a payoff at the end! And everything that comes after is as good or better!

[QuickTidal]

pat5150, on 18 April 2023 - 11:13 PM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 18 April 2023 - 07:56 PM, said:

I'm a few hours into the first one and it's quite interesting. Still not sure I love it but I think it's so big it's mostly just setup still.

Looking back, it's obvious that The Broken Crown is mostly setup until the last 100-200 pages. But don't worry, for there is a payoff at the end! And everything that comes after is as good or better!

100%. Lots of table setting for a STELLAR last few hundy pages.

[Tiste Simeon]

QuickTidal, on 19 April 2023 - 01:01 AM, said:

pat5150, on 18 April 2023 - 11:13 PM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 18 April 2023 - 07:56 PM, said:

I'm a few hours into the first one and it's quite interesting. Still not sure I love it but I think it's so big it's mostly just setup still.

Looking back, it's obvious that The Broken Crown is mostly setup until the last 100-200 pages. But don't worry, for there is a payoff at the end! And everything that comes after is as good or better!

100%. Lots of table setting for a STELLAR last few hundy pages.

I have realised over the past few days that actually I haven't read/listened to a new epic fantasy series for a really long time. I've read some great fantasy but much of it has been trilogies, mostly fast paced and only reaching about 1200 pages all told. So I'm having to readjust for this. Hence why I've been a bit hesitant about it.

But then I recall the numerous times I've advised people to stick with it when it comes to Malazan and have basically given myself the same advice. I'm definitely in it for the long haul because I want to enjoy a huge series again.

I think the last new truly epic series I went through was Memory Sorrow Thorn and I ended up hating that so I want this one to be a success. (I've not counted the Rothfuss books as there are only 2 of them and I can't really call it an epic fantasy series...)

[Abyss]

Tiste Simeon, on 19 April 2023 - 12:41 PM, said:

...
I have realised over the past few days that actually I haven't read/listened to a new epic fantasy series for a really long time. I've read some great fantasy but much of it has been trilogies, mostly fast paced and only reaching about 1200 pages all told. So I'm having to readjust for this. Hence why I've been a bit hesitant about it.

But then I recall the numerous times I've advised people to stick with it when it comes to Malazan and have basically given myself the same advice. I'm definitely in it for the long haul because I want to enjoy a huge series again.

I think the last new truly epic series I went through was Memory Sorrow Thorn and I ended up hating that so I want this one to be a success. (I've not counted the Rothfuss books as there are only 2 of them and I can't really call it an epic fantasy series...)

Yeah, an 'epic' in the multiple doorstoppers sense is a commitment, so to speak, and i find at this age/stage of reading i'm slower to make that commitment (esp if the series isn't finished yet but that's a separate issue).
Lyons' CHORUS OF DRAGONS was my last epic read, five books, each 800ish+ pages. Totally paid off but the sheer amount of time committed to a single story was borderline intimidating.

Looking thru my reads of the last couple of years, as far as 'epic fantasy series' went i see Belcher's GOLGOTHA and Charkaborty's DAEVABAD, both 3-4 books, both completed within 3 years (ish... Belcher waited a while for bk 2 but then sped along) neither massive.... in essence neither required the level of (possible) commitment that SUN SWORD will.

Positive forum buzz totally helps tho. I suspect i'll need an urbfant or milsSF chaser once i'm done niticking FotHM, but then SUN SWORD is right there ready to go and i'm feeling it.

[pat5150]

I totally get you guys. Like you, I've become reticent to start epic series of doorstoppers, especially if I know that it will take years to get done.

With West, the good thing is that they're all out already. So I don't have to wait to jump into the next one if I want to.

And that's the problem. Now I'm having a hard time not reading anything else. The new Jacqueline Carey book made it easier to do so, and so will the new Mark Lawrence. But other than that, there's nothing coming out soon that should make me skip the next Sun Sword installment. . .

[QuickTidal]

pat5150, on 19 April 2023 - 02:38 PM, said:

I totally get you guys. Like you, I've become reticent to start epic series of doorstoppers, especially if I know that it will take years to get done.

With West, the good thing is that they're all out already. So I don't have to wait to jump into the next one if I want to.

To be ENTIRELY fair, while the whole SUN SWORD is out, as is the whole HOUSE WAR series, the final trilogy of entire Essalieyan series is being written now (we support her through Patreon for it; so I get updates) so not completely finished, but from what I understand SUN SWORD and HOUSE WAR both have endings on their own, while being part of the overall series which will end with the trilogy she's currently writing (It's called, THE BURNING CROWN, and she's finished Book 1 [HUNTER'S REDOUBT] now and is editing it).


So yeah SUN SWORD is finished, but the Essalieyan series is not QUITE done yet, but she's not had any issue writing the new books as she's pumped out the first in about a year.

So in the end it will be (in timeline/chronological order):

THE HIDDEN CITY (House War #1)
CITY OF NIGHT (House War #2)
HOUSE NAME (House War #3) & THE SACRED HUNT (Duology that covers much of the same events as HOUSE NAME, but from other character angles)
THE BROKEN CROWN (Sun Sword #1)
THE UNCROWNED KING (Sun Sword #2)
THE SHINING COURT (Sun Sword #3)
SEA OF SORROWS (Sun Sword #4)
THE RIVEN SHIELD (Sun Sword #5)
THE SUN SWORD (Sun Sword #6)
SKIRMISH (House War #4)
BATTLE (House War #5)
ORACLE (House War #6)
FIRSTBORN (House War #7)
WAR (House War #8)

Not released yet
HUNTER'S REDOUBT (The Burning Crown #1)
UNTITLED (The Burning Crown #2)
UNTITLED (The Burning Crown #3)

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 19 April 2023 - 03:10 PM