[opiate taylor]

It seems to me that the split opinions here are due to her writing style. She seems to focus more on characterization than plot, which is fine with me, but many readers (especially of fantasy) don't like that approach. I personally think her books are very well done and I have liked all that I have read. I have not read The Liveship Traders trilogy yet. One great thing about her is the fact that she releases a book every year almost like clockwork. It's nice to have an author I enjoy who meets her deadlines. It is a rarity.

[Werthead]

opiate taylor, on Oct 5 2008, 09:32 PM, said:

It seems to me that the split opinions here are due to her writing style. She seems to focus more on characterization than plot, which is fine with me, but many readers (especially of fantasy) don't like that approach. I personally think her books are very well done and I have liked all that I have read. I have not read The Liveship Traders trilogy yet.

The problem is that there are many writers who focus on characterization who are better than she is, with probably the most notable example being Guy Gavriel Kay (who also gets points for conciseness). Because Hobb is neither particularly disciplined about her word-count, nor are her worldbuilding and plotting skills strong IMO, that does negate her abilities with character-building, which are pretty good.

[polishgenius]

My only real problem with the Farseer and Tawny Man trilogies is the completely obtuse and really quite needless quest both final books involve. I liked the characters enough to get past that though.

I've never tried the Liveship books though, and I found the first book of Soldier Son to be offputting enough that I'm wary of trying much else by her.

The Kay comparison is a good one, it's gotta be said. Quality author.

[Traveller]

I read The Farseer trilogy, The Liveship trilogy, and the Tawny Man trilogy, pretty much consecutively.

I liked the Assassin books... they seemed to start well, but never really delivered - I remember enjoying the first one, anyway. I just got a bit irritated after Fitz made a hash of his first job, and, well, never really became an assassin at all.

The liveships... well, I read 'em, but I wouldn't read them again. Again, they just didn't really go anywhere interesting. But because I'd read them, I thought I should read the last three, to (optimistically) see if something would happen!

It didn't. Really.

I'd probably have more to say if I'd read them more recently, but I can really only remember feeling let down after reading all... nine.

[Gothmog]

I wanted to strangle her main character in Farseer, and I promised myself not to read her again when I was done.. Same with Donaldson, and Thomas Covenant..

I think I may have grown since that though, the writing was good, just loathed the character :-p

[opiate taylor]

Werthead, on Oct 5 2008, 08:40 PM, said:

opiate taylor, on Oct 5 2008, 09:32 PM, said:

It seems to me that the split opinions here are due to her writing style. She seems to focus more on characterization than plot, which is fine with me, but many readers (especially of fantasy) don't like that approach. I personally think her books are very well done and I have liked all that I have read. I have not read The Liveship Traders trilogy yet.

The problem is that there are many writers who focus on characterization who are better than she is, with probably the most notable example being Guy Gavriel Kay (who also gets points for conciseness). Because Hobb is neither particularly disciplined about her word-count, nor are her worldbuilding and plotting skills strong IMO, that does negate her abilities with character-building, which are pretty good.

Of course there are writers who are better than she is, and probably at a lot more than just one area, too. I was speaking only of her. I just meant that she focuses on the characters more than the majority of fantasy writers and less on other details. Some people dislike her because of that very reason, many friends and acquaintances of mine included. G.G. Kay is an excellent writer, and he probably is superior to Hobb in about every way imaginable, but I have a hard time comparing authors for the purpose of determining who is better, as it is a matter of opinion. Hell there are many people who feel that Robert Jordan is a better writer than Gene Wolfe, or that Scott Lynch is better than Jack Vance. There is no accounting for taste.

This post has been edited by opiate taylor: 07 October 2008 - 03:35 PM