[Lost Marine]

polishgenius;283619 said:

I thought Bakker's stuff was okay. Heehee.

I didn't I thought it was drek, pure unadulterated shit. Bakker will never ever make my list of top anythings except for people who have wasted 20 dollars of my money.

[Slum]

I'm not a Bakker fanatic; I read "The Darkness...' and found it alternately annoying and cool in parts. I've not read the rest...too many others have come up that seem to be more my cup of tea.

What I am interested in, however, is reading some of Bakker's criticism of Goodkind...I hear he really rips him a new asshole. Does anybody know of a linky? Wert?

[Optimus Prime]

http://www.gamerswit...s.com/node/3123

Here's a link with Goodkind ripping Bakker I think...and being his usual Jackassian self...

I love Bakker. His first book was hard to get into...but after you do...the following novels are brilliant IMO.

[Slum]

Wow, that is particularly douchish (not surprising), but I didn't see any mention of Bakker. One thing is immediately apparent when comparing the two, though: Bakker is far more intelligent. And I'm sure his comments on TG are dead on.

[Optimus Prime]

TG takes a shot at worldbuilders, aka Martin, Erikson, Bakker...it's subtle (for TG) but yeah...it's there.

I can't find the Bakker comment...anybody else know of it?

[Aimless]

Charles de Lint, and I want to say Dave Duncan, but dunno if I should...

Gene Wolfe is a fantastic writer. Even when I've found his work difficult to get into, I've had this feeling that what I'm reading is, actually, really really good.

[Optimus Prime]

I get the same feeling Aimless. I'm started reading the torturer story and felt like I was reading something awesome...but I had to work my way up to understanding it.

[Ammanas]

Xander;283759 said:

http://www.gamerswit...s.com/node/3123

Here's a link with Goodkind ripping Bakker I think...and being his usual Jackassian self...

I love Bakker. His first book was hard to get into...but after you do...the following novels are brilliant IMO.

I can't believe that Terry "I'm gonna read the Wheel of Time, copy it and change the character names to protect those guilty of copyright infringement" Goodkind has the basis for ripping anyone except himself. What a fuckhead. Same goes for his publisher.

[Ammanas]

I have a question for anyone who has read Steph Swainston. Can I start with the Year of Our War or is it necessary to read them in order?

[polishgenius]

The Year of Our War is the first one anyway.

The books probably could be read out of order, but it's best not to.

[polishgenius]

On Bakker v Goodkind quick search on google turns up this on Pat's site a couple years back:
http://fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com/2005/12...-interview.html

Fourth question down.
I'm sure it's not the only one, but there you have it.

[Dave]

Just stopping lurking to post this, as I thought someone else would've done so by now, but one of Bakker's best shots at GK that I know of comes from the Wotmania interview with him:

If you were to own several monkeys and/or midgets, how many would you own, and what would you name them?

I would have to go with monkeys, because dwarves are no longer cool in fantasy. One I'd name Clint, and I'd train him to chew cigars and watch the saloon doors with a steely gaze. The second I'd call Terry, and I'd forbid him from making things up about philosophers he's never read, and I'd try not to look at him, for fear he might be masturbating. Another I'd call Shakespeare, and I'd turn questions regarding his sexual orientation into a morbid fascination. Then there would be Gwynneth, whom I would woo with critcisms of Troy, shaving cream, and very, very dim lights. I'd call one Bush, and when he got a rash, I'd call him 'burning' and listen with awe and reverence to what he had to say. The last one I would call Nietzsche, and I would teach him to repeat, as well as he could, these words of wisdom: 'There is no one smarter than Jack Handey. There is no one smarter than Jack Handey.'

http://www.wotmania.com/fantasymessageboar...MessageID=99970

[Slum]

polishgenius;283956 said:

On Bakker v Goodkind quick search on google turns up this on Pat's site a couple years back:
http://fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com/2005/12...-interview.html

Fourth question down.
I'm sure it's not the only one, but there you have it.

Hahaha - Thanks for that, polishgenius.

[RangerFish]

For fantasy (in no particular order):

Steven Erikson
Scott Lynch
Joe Abercrombie (just finishing up Last Argument of Kings)
Tad Williams (Shadowmarch trilogy and War of The Flowers - not read Memory, Sorrow and Thorn)


I want to put Scott Bakker, James Barclay and James Clemens in there as well, but Barclay I think can be a little shallow at times despite being an enjoyable read, Clemens just bored me by the end of the Wi'tch Fire series (even though it started out well - felt like the publisher had told him to tack another two books onto a trilogy to make more money), and Bakker can be overly pretentious.


For Sci Fi:

Iain M Banks
Tad Williams (Otherland)
Alastair Reynolds
Gary Gibson


I'm kind of struggling to find really good Sci Fi at the moment, though I am a little fussy

[paladin]

RangerFish;289686 said:

and Bakker can be overly pretentious.

Now that's one way to put it

[ch'arlz]

RangerFish;289686 said:

I'm kind of struggling to find really good Sci Fi at the moment, though I am a little fussy

have you read *all* of iain m banks? if so, give peter f. hamilton a try, starting with "The Reality Dysfunction - Part 1: Emergence".

[Aptorian]

Yeah, but if you give Reality Dysfunction a try, be prepared for a long run.

It a somewhat cool sci'fi series that's essentially... longwinded. It's looooooong. LOOOOOOONG. But it's also clever and sometimes good.

I loved the bad guy.

Also Al Capone comes to life in this series. He kills people with a bat... in the future... IN THE FUTURE AL CAPONE KILLS YOU WITH A BAT!!!

[Abyss]

ALWAYS PRE-ORDERED, HARDBACK, MUST OWN ASAP

Erikson
Martin
Mieville
Butcher (because i need my big Hollywood style urban fantasy actioner fix)

PRE-ORDERED BUT ONLY AT TPB PRICES

Abercrombie
Lynch
Bakker
Esslemont (may move up depending on RotCG)
Ellis
Jordan/Sanderson (if only to finish the WoT)

MMPB AS AVAILABLE/CONVENIENT BUT INEVITABLY PURCHASED

Kay
Reynolds
Gaiman

MAKES MY EYES BLEED

Goodkind



- Abyss, practical.

[Werthead]

Aptorian;289776 said:

IN THE FUTURE AL CAPONE KILLS YOU WITH A BAT!!!

And that is why it is made of win.

[Ammanas]

Abyss;290472 said:

ALWAYS PRE-ORDERED, HARDBACK, MUST OWN ASAP

Erikson
Martin
Mieville
Butcher (because i need my big Hollywood style urban fantasy actioner fix)

PRE-ORDERED BUT ONLY AT TPB PRICES

Abercrombie
Lynch
Bakker
Esslemont (may move up depending on RotCG)
Ellis
Jordan/Sanderson (if only to finish the WoT)

MMPB AS AVAILABLE/CONVENIENT BUT INEVITABLY PURCHASED

Kay
Reynolds
Gaiman

MAKES MY EYES BLEED

Goodkind



- Abyss, practical.

Wow, this looks my list, only different. I'd drop Martin cuz he never has time to write but if you look at his website, he has all the time to go to an endless stream of conventions. In my world, Bakker takes his place. Esslemont is top tier cuz NOK was a worthy first effort and I'm a Malazan addict.

I'm always looking for fresh talent--Who are Ellis and Reynolds?