[pat5150]

What I love about Scott is that he isn't trying to re-invent the wheel. As he told me, he's just trying to write "kick-in-the-ass" fun book. So I'm persuaded that there will be many more entertaining novels coming from him.

Patrick
www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com

[Mithfanion]

Paran

Quote

Agree with you Pat - taking it for what it is, tLoLL is a pretty cool caper novel along the lines of Ocean's 11, Lock, Stock & 2 Smoking Barrells, etc with a historical/fantasy setting. It isn't in the same league as MBotF or aSoIaF, and I did find some annoying bits in it - the end fight for instance.

Well the thing about Lynch is not just that he is writing a different sort of Fantasy than Erikson, he also does what he does much better, simply because his writing style is already mileas ahead of Erikson's.

I realize that being where I am, this is not a popular statement, but as far as I am concerned Lynch has a way with characters, dialogue and writing style than completely overwhelms the rather stumbling, haphazardly written characters and especially dialogue by Erikson.

[Obdigore]

Mith, i dont agree with you, but thats ok, hence that whole individual thing...

anyway

Picked up lies of blah blah.. Good, fun read, although it was missing... something (i know, vague right?). It seemed almost like Bakker's books, the characters are pretty good, as is the plot... but there was really no URGE to pick it up after i put it down for an hour or two. (Although i did like Locke better than bakker's drivel).

Maybe I have been spoiled by Erikson, but im getting to the point that if it isnt epic fantasy, it feels like it is missing something.

Also, the world he created is really nifty, hopefully he will stay in the world for a while. Bondsmen and Undamageable 'glass' structures. And Wraithstones!

One more thing, he writes about gelding WAY too much. Seriously, re-read lies, it is mentioned at least 20 times.

Edit: because i cant sepll. (yes, deliberate).

[caladanbrood]

Mithfanion;138483 said:

I realize that being where I am, this is not a popular statement, but as far as I am concerned Lynch has a way with characters, dialogue and writing style than completely overwhelms the rather stumbling, haphazardly written characters and especially dialogue by Erikson.

Yeah, it's probably fair to say his dialogue is better than Erikson's. At least not all his characters pretend to be philosophy majors - I will admit to skimming chunks of conversation in Bonehunters for that exact reason;) The plot and world-building wasn't anywhere near as strongly written as Erikson's though.

[Werthead]

Lokivorous;142371 said:

Yeah, it's probably fair to say his dialogue is better than Erikson's. At least not all his characters pretend to be philosophy majors - I will admit to skimming chunks of conversation in Bonehunters for that exact reason;) The plot and world-building wasn't anywhere near as strongly written as Erikson's though.

I'm not so sure. We haven't seen much of the world so far. If you compare Camorr to Darujhistan, for example, than Camorr leaps off the page far more vividly, almost to the extent that it becomes a character in its own right. You don't get that from Darujhistan or Capustan or Malaz City, for example. The only other author I've encountered with that skill is Mieville, who similarly (probably even more successfully than Lynch) brought New Crobuzon to life and made it a central character in Perdido Street Station. As for the plot, it's a different focus. LLL did put me in mind of Crokus' thieving adventures in Darujhistan. I think Lynch is starting fairly small and bigger stuff will be happening later.

[caladanbrood]

Oh, he's undoubtably up with Mieville on city-writing. But you got King Rat, Perdido Street Station and The Scar, which were all confined (more or less) to one city. The Iron Council comes along, with a more rural setting, and it's nowhere near the quality of PSS or The Scar, plot-wise, atmosphere-wise.
I'm not saying that Lynch will be the same - he's a different author, so of course he won't. But it's worth keeping in mind. We haven't seen Lynch's world yet, so we can't say he's up on a level with Erikson, who is top of the worldbuilding pile at the moment, I think - by quite a distance:)

[Falco]

Just picked this up today, based mainly on the good vibes off this board. Saw 'Stormcaller' next to it, but wasn't going to risk buying two unknowns.

(i'm just a poor uni student...)

Edit: Superb. Brilliant. Buy this book, FFS. Do it now, read it now! Absolutely brilliant.

[pat5150]

Ah... Another satisfied customer!

Patrick
www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com

[QuickTidal]

pat5150;145734 said:

Ah... Another satisfied customer!

Patrick
www.fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com

You gotta love that eh? I am gonna re-read it prior to RSURS coming out. Sigh...so very very good!!

[Falco]

On second reading, I'm spotting a few flaws- Ibelius was too convenient, too contrived an introduction and a character. Better to have set him up beforehand. Almost similarly with the Grey King...something about the way he was introduced wasn't right. It was too sudden, too quick.

Still an excellent read.

[airheadgreg]

well i bought the book last week but need to finish my current book first...anyway really glad i got it with so many good reviews!

-Greg

[sinag55]

Finished reading last night. I agree with Falco the Gray King's identity should have been foreshadowed earlier. Besides that, it was a great read.

[Paran]

Mithfanion;138483 said:

Paran



Well the thing about Lynch is not just that he is writing a different sort of Fantasy than Erikson, he also does what he does much better, simply because his writing style is already mileas ahead of Erikson's.

I realize that being where I am, this is not a popular statement, but as far as I am concerned Lynch has a way with characters, dialogue and writing style than completely overwhelms the rather stumbling, haphazardly written characters and especially dialogue by Erikson.

Different strokes... while I'm sure that the characters are more fleshed, the story as a whole is not tight. It is a great caper, but the twists aren't as polished and the threads aren't as finely interwoven as they could be. It's fair enough to say he does his things well, but I doubt the arguement that he does his thing better than Erikson does his goes very far. Different styles. Lynch is writing a kick-ar$e lark, while SE is writing something entirely different.

From my point of view, while it was an entertaining read, I don't have the compunction to re-read it, nor do I think that I would get far greater insight from doing so. With SE, GRRM, RSB it's otherwise. As I said, it's the complexities and inferences that come from reading these guys many times that I enjoy, while with tLoLL I pretty much feel I got it in one.

[Aimless]

I am STILL waiting for this those whores LIED to me about the delivery date

[Oceao]

Just finished this yesterday then read through this thread. I don't know, I liked it overall but there were parts where I was already tired of the story/style, I think around the middle. If you break it up into fourths, I thought the first and last were great. Something seemed to happen in the middle where I stopped caring up until

Spoiler

the deaths and the take over

I agree with whoever mentioned similarities to Brust, especially regarding the rapid give and take dialogue dueling.

Also agree that its fresh, original, witty etc.

[Reborn]

I enjoyed the book but, unlike Erikson, Bakker and Martin, I would consider it to be temporary entertainment. A great, original and frequently funny book, somewhat similar to Feist (although immensely more entertaining). I am looking forward to Red Seas Under Red Skies

[McLovin]

I'm about halfway through this, and am considering giving up. I'm just not finding myself that interested in what's going on. The author is competent, clearly, but the story just isn't grabbing. Waaaaaaaaaaaay overhyped, IMO.

[Mentalist]

Well, all right, im convinced... once midterms are done and im through my current pile, that's the first next book on the list

[Mort]

Read this based on the recommendations from the forum. Had to go out the next day and pick up Red Seas....

I agree with the mention of Brust - the Taltos series and not the Phoenix Guards series. The con-man concept was delightful and the oliver twist meets harry potter meets china mieville scenes of his childhood were very cool.

Lynch does the characterisation very well, but the King did seem a little jarring/abrupt.

Well worth the read though.