[Abyss]

QuickTidal, on 21 November 2025 - 05:05 PM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 21 November 2025 - 04:05 PM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 19 November 2025 - 01:32 PM, said:

So I found Edgedancer in a local library which means I'll be reading that shortly before I get to Oathbringer.

Oh cool, this book follows the character from the best of the "interludes" in the main series. I'm very pleased that we get more about her and her food related Stormlight shenanigans.

She's easily the best character in the series as far as I was concerned (before I put it down). Abyss likes her too.

HUGE fan, wish we had gotten more of her in the last book but what we got was pretty epic (and better than large chunks of the rest of the book).

[Tiste Simeon]

Abyss, on 21 November 2025 - 06:59 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 21 November 2025 - 05:05 PM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 21 November 2025 - 04:05 PM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 19 November 2025 - 01:32 PM, said:

So I found Edgedancer in a local library which means I'll be reading that shortly before I get to Oathbringer.

Oh cool, this book follows the character from the best of the "interludes" in the main series. I'm very pleased that we get more about her and her food related Stormlight shenanigans.

She's easily the best character in the series as far as I was concerned (before I put it down). Abyss likes her too.

HUGE fan, wish we had gotten more of her in the last book but what we got was pretty epic (and better than large chunks of the rest of the book).

Yeah I'm really liking her. And the fast pace of the novella is fun too, compared to the main series.

[Tiste Simeon]

Tiste Simeon, on 21 November 2025 - 08:02 PM, said:

Abyss, on 21 November 2025 - 06:59 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 21 November 2025 - 05:05 PM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 21 November 2025 - 04:05 PM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 19 November 2025 - 01:32 PM, said:

So I found Edgedancer in a local library which means I'll be reading that shortly before I get to Oathbringer.

Oh cool, this book follows the character from the best of the "interludes" in the main series. I'm very pleased that we get more about her and her food related Stormlight shenanigans.

She's easily the best character in the series as far as I was concerned (before I put it down). Abyss likes her too.

HUGE fan, wish we had gotten more of her in the last book but what we got was pretty epic (and better than large chunks of the rest of the book).

Yeah I'm really liking her. And the fast pace of the novella is fun too, compared to the main series.

What a great little novella. I look forward to seeing more of Lift in the future.

Will be starting Oathbringer soon.

[Cause]

A friend recommended the will of the many by James Islington. Anyone read it and can say if its any good? Also when did Kidnle books cost 17 dollars?

Also is Atlas six worth a read?

[Macros]

Listening to Feists Magician at work.

Some....interesting choices for voices and accents.

Aaron Cook as a proper boerman South Africian is definitely a choice.


Kulgan and Hopecha being totally indistinguishable from each other I suppose thematically works, deliver mentor status

[QuickTidal]

 Cause, on 25 November 2025 - 03:58 AM, said:

A friend recommended the will of the many by James Islington. Anyone read it and can say if its any good? Also when did Kidnle books cost 17 dollars?

It's um....good. It's an interesting concept. It gets very muddled about midway thorough when it kind of becomes "Attends magic school" for lack of a better phrase...and the ending is messy (but it's Islington, so that's normal)...but overall I liked it. I'm hearing mixed reviews of the second book (like really mixed, ppl either adore it and give it 6 out of 5 stars, or they are DNFing it.

-----------------------


I finally decided (after years of it sitting on my digital ToReadPile) to give RED RISING a chance...the whole opening section was kind of meh (when they don't know what's going on...cause you can tell shit is going on but the characters can't for some reason?)...but once it opens up and turns a bit cyberpunky I started to enjoy it more....and quite frankly, just like Dresden, I love an underdog character who has the kitchen sink thrown at him and still gets up and spits in the face of his enemy...so it's safe to say I like Darrow.

Be honest people who have read this series....what am I in for?

[Tiste Simeon]

 QuickTidal, on 25 November 2025 - 12:38 PM, said:

 Cause, on 25 November 2025 - 03:58 AM, said:

A friend recommended the will of the many by James Islington. Anyone read it and can say if its any good? Also when did Kidnle books cost 17 dollars?

It's um....good. It's an interesting concept. It gets very muddled about midway thorough when it kind of becomes "Attends magic school" for lack of a better phrase...and the ending is messy (but it's Islington, so that's normal)...but overall I liked it. I'm hearing mixed reviews of the second book (like really mixed, ppl either adore it and give it 6 out of 5 stars, or they are DNFing it.

-----------------------


I finally decided (after years of it sitting on my digital ToReadPile) to give RED RISING a chance...the whole opening section was kind of meh (when they don't know what's going on...cause you can tell shit is going on but the characters can't for some reason?)...but once it opens up and turns a bit cyberpunky I started to enjoy it more....and quite frankly, just like Dresden, I love an underdog character who has the kitchen sink thrown at him and still gets up and spits in the face of his enemy...so it's safe to say I like Darrow.

Be honest people who have read this series....what am I in for?

Every time you think it can't get more unhinged it absolutely does. Like, it soon stops feeling like a plucky underdog YA story. I really liked the first trilogy (which is a complete story, you don't need to read the follow up series) but hated the second series and haven't read the latest.

It's a pretty insane series but I enjoyed it a lot. Sevro is a great character.

[Tiste Simeon]

 Macros, on 25 November 2025 - 12:35 PM, said:

Listening to Feists Magician at work.

Some....interesting choices for voices and accents.

Aaron Cook as a proper boerman South Africian is definitely a choice.


Kulgan and Hopecha being totally indistinguishable from each other I suppose thematically works, deliver mentor status

This is why I am not fully enjoying the Malazan audiobooks. Obviously the story of god but the narrators are very meh.

[amphibian]

 Cause, on 25 November 2025 - 03:58 AM, said:

A friend recommended the will of the many by James Islington. Anyone read it and can say if its any good? Also when did Kidnle books cost 17 dollars?

Also is Atlas six worth a read?

I read Islington's Licanius books and they just didn't get over the top in terms of delivering an epic story.

I dunno about Atlas 6.

Red Rising is absolutely worth reading. It starts off as something familiar (underdog going to an academy) then moves into something better within the first book, then the rest fuel a violent rocket ride into a ton of fun and interesting bits to consider for a stratified society with incredible wealth disparities.

[worry]

I've only read the first trilogy, but as I recall: the first book is largely an R-rated riff on the YA dystopian trend, with a space opera backdrop. Books 2 and 3 are much more directly space opera, but still brutally violent and pretty cleverly plotted. Good characters, lots of twists and turns, consistently exciting action scenes. Summer blockbuster stuff but surrounded by smart drama rather than schlock. You never really have to turn your brain off between the action.

[QuickTidal]

Thanks all!

[T77]

Recently I did a reread of the Black Comapany by Glen Cook in preperation for Lies Weeping. LW did not disappoint. My book-of-the-year!

[Abyss]

 Tiste Simeon, on 25 November 2025 - 01:36 PM, said:

 QuickTidal, on 25 November 2025 - 12:38 PM, said:

...


I finally decided (after years of it sitting on my digital ToReadPile) to give RED RISING a chance...the whole opening section was kind of meh (when they don't know what's going on...cause you can tell shit is going on but the characters can't for some reason?)...but once it opens up and turns a bit cyberpunky I started to enjoy it more....and quite frankly, just like Dresden, I love an underdog character who has the kitchen sink thrown at him and still gets up and spits in the face of his enemy...so it's safe to say I like Darrow.

Be honest people who have read this series....what am I in for?

Every time you think it can't get more unhinged it absolutely does. Like, it soon stops feeling like a plucky underdog YA story. I really liked the first trilogy (which is a complete story, you don't need to read the follow up series) but hated the second series and haven't read the latest.

It's a pretty insane series but I enjoyed it a lot. Sevro is a great character.

 amphibian, on 25 November 2025 - 01:40 PM, said:

...

Red Rising is absolutely worth reading. It starts off as something familiar (underdog going to an academy) then moves into something better within the first book, then the rest fuel a violent rocket ride into a ton of fun and interesting bits to consider for a stratified society with incredible wealth disparities.

 worry, on 25 November 2025 - 01:41 PM, said:

I've only read the first trilogy, but as I recall: the first book is largely an R-rated riff on the YA dystopian trend, with a space opera backdrop. Books 2 and 3 are much more directly space opera, but still brutally violent and pretty cleverly plotted. Good characters, lots of twists and turns, consistently exciting action scenes. Summer blockbuster stuff but surrounded by smart drama rather than schlock. You never really have to turn your brain off between the action.

i'll chime in bcs RED RISING is a current fave of mine... bk 1, the first half, is just meh. Predictable by the numbers YA sf. I would have dropped the series right there but for a number of people here and elsewhere absolutely swearing to me on the blood of their ancestors that it gets better. And it does, the back half of bk 1 is like a whole other book, still reads YA, but gets a bit subversive and a lot uglier. Then bks 2 onwards go full adult SF, at times mil/SF, and the author really starts to hit his stride. Bk 4 is setup for the rest of the series and doesn't so much dip as catch its breath for 5 and 6 which just went more and more insane. 7 will be a guaranteed pre-order/day of arrival read for me. Excellent characters, interesting villains, fun tech without going hard sf, reasonable setting similar to the Expanse in scope but very different in feel.

[QuickTidal]

 Abyss, on 25 November 2025 - 02:53 PM, said:

i'll chime in bcs RED RISING is a current fave of mine... bk 1, the first half, is just meh. Predictable by the numbers YA sf. I would have dropped the series right there but for a number of people here and elsewhere absolutely swearing to me on the blood of their ancestors that it gets better. And it does, the back half of bk 1 is like a whole other book, still reads YA, but gets a bit subversive and a lot uglier. Then bks 2 onwards go full adult SF, at times mil/SF, and the author really starts to hit his stride. Bk 4 is setup for the rest of the series and doesn't so much dip as catch its breath for 5 and 6 which just went more and more insane. 7 will be a guaranteed pre-order/day of arrival read for me. Excellent characters, interesting villains, fun tech without going hard sf, reasonable setting similar to the Expanse in scope but very different in feel.

I know someone asked Pierce Brown what song goes best with RED GOD (which is the last book in the whole series right?) and he didn't hesitate and immediately said "Hurt by NIN"

So....sounds like shit gets real.

[JPK]

I think this may be a know your audience moment though. I don't see certain events involving a tree in Dark Age going over well with QT. Not in the slightest.

[QuickTidal]

 JPK, on 25 November 2025 - 04:33 PM, said:

I think this may be a know your audience moment though. I don't see certain events involving a tree in Dark Age going over well with QT. Not in the slightest.

Oooooo, now I'm super curious.

[Tiste Simeon]

 QuickTidal, on 25 November 2025 - 05:03 PM, said:

 JPK, on 25 November 2025 - 04:33 PM, said:

I think this may be a know your audience moment though. I don't see certain events involving a tree in Dark Age going over well with QT. Not in the slightest.

Oooooo, now I'm super curious.

If it's the part I'm thinking of, that's when I decided I was done. I finished the book and then didn't go for Lightbringer when it came out. It became a bit too "how disturbing can I make this for the sake of it being disturbing?"

[JPK]

 Tiste Simeon, on 25 November 2025 - 05:40 PM, said:

 QuickTidal, on 25 November 2025 - 05:03 PM, said:

 JPK, on 25 November 2025 - 04:33 PM, said:

I think this may be a know your audience moment though. I don't see certain events involving a tree in Dark Age going over well with QT. Not in the slightest.

Oooooo, now I'm super curious.

If it's the part I'm thinking of, that's when I decided I was done. I finished the book and then didn't go for Lightbringer when it came out. It became a bit too "how disturbing can I make this for the sake of it being disturbing?"

It was extremely disturbing, yes, but I can also follow the path of events that led to this happening. I don't think it was disturbing just for the sake of being disturbing. I can get into more detail but that's gonna require more depth.

For QT - this is book 6 spoiler territory but is a very important trigger warning. I tried to be detailed about the situation without giving away who is involved.

Spoiler

Events happen where a very pregnant character is on the run and gives birth while being hunted by people that hate her family in specific due to slave conditions in which they were treated that led to a lot of deaths. They capture her directly after giving birth and then proceed to crucify the newborn on a tree. You don't see the violence itself on page but the remains are found by another pov character. The people that do this aren't shown to be heroes, nor are they painted in a good light at any point. IMO it's more of an attempted critique on generational systemic violence that is extremely disturbing and crosses a line for a lot of people (reasonably so).

[Tiste Simeon]

Yeah that's the bit. I was already getting frustrated with the series and that sold it to me that I was done with it.

[QuickTidal]

JPK, on 25 November 2025 - 06:53 PM, said:

Tiste Simeon, on 25 November 2025 - 05:40 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 25 November 2025 - 05:03 PM, said:

JPK, on 25 November 2025 - 04:33 PM, said:

I think this may be a know your audience moment though. I don't see certain events involving a tree in Dark Age going over well with QT. Not in the slightest.

Oooooo, now I'm super curious.

If it's the part I'm thinking of, that's when I decided I was done. I finished the book and then didn't go for Lightbringer when it came out. It became a bit too "how disturbing can I make this for the sake of it being disturbing?"

It was extremely disturbing, yes, but I can also follow the path of events that led to this happening. I don't think it was disturbing just for the sake of being disturbing. I can get into more detail but that's gonna require more depth.

For QT - this is book 6 spoiler territory but is a very important trigger warning. I tried to be detailed about the situation without giving away who is involved.

Spoiler

Events happen where a very pregnant character is on the run and gives birth while being hunted by people that hate her family in specific due to slave conditions in which they were treated that led to a lot of deaths. They capture her directly after giving birth and then proceed to crucify the newborn on a tree. You don't see the violence itself on page but the remains are found by another pov character. The people that do this aren't shown to be heroes, nor are they painted in a good light at any point. IMO it's more of an attempted critique on generational systemic violence that is extremely disturbing and crosses a line for a lot of people (reasonably so).

Oooh, yeah that's rough. I guess it would depend on the execution of the scene...but yeah I admit that might turn me off. And Brown has already shown some amateurish chops when he started his series off by

Spoiler

fridging the protagonists wife to give said protagonist the impetus to angrily go forward (a fridging that needn't have happened).

so I suppose I'm prepared for other shit that will seem off kilter. Perhaps I'll stick to the first trilogy and stop.

I have also warned my buddy who is JUST about to start that book.

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 26 November 2025 - 12:58 PM