Tassie Dave’s Comments (group member since Mar 27, 2011)

Tassie Dave’s comments from the The Sword and Laser group.

Being written in the 80s is irrelevant to the discussion. Fantasy (and Sci-Fi) has not got better or worse in the, (only), near 40 years since then.

Relative to the genre, It's either good or it isn't. I wouldn't put it in the top echelon of Fantasy titles, but it is far from the worse.

Yes it is derivative. At least in the first half of the book "Pug and Tomas" (The half we are reading as the Book pick.) I did find the second half "Milamber and Valheru" was more original.

I was an adult when I read it back in 1983. Well, as adult as I was ever going to get. Only girls mature, Boys just get bigger ;-)

If it makes the story better, anything goes. But it needs to be more than just gratuitous violence.

There is a simple reason why Vader doesn't recognise C3PO.

Lucas had no idea, while making the original trilogy, that he was going to have Anakin build C3PO in the Prequels. Retconning a reason, is just putting sticky tape over the major cracks and plot holes that Lucas created when he made that fateful decision to make 1, 2 & 3.

But I like your attempt ;-)

It is still classed as a trilogy, even though Magician was split into 2 books for the US. They are 2 half books, not 2 Books.

Many are finding out, (and will find out), that Magician: Apprentice is only half a story.

Iain wrote: "Tassie Dave wrote: "Actually marmite isn't too bad. Vegemite is better though ;-)"

There was an amusing Vegemite/Marmite battle during the Ashes last summer (in England). https://www.famouscampaig..."

I doubt many others here will get the cricket references ;-)

Trike wrote: "What’s 31 extra books? Add ‘em!."

Wow, I didn't realise it had got that big :-? I've read 9 or 10 of them.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rif...

The Riftwar Saga trilogy and The Empire Trilogy are both great.

Actually marmite isn't too bad. Vegemite is better though ;-)

For those of us outside the US who have the full sized novel Magician it is quite obvious where the delineation is between the split US versions.

Magician has 2 parts:
Book 1: Pug and Tomas. Which is Magician: Apprentice
Book 2: Milamber and the Valheru. Which is Magician: Master

The version available outside the US is the updated 10 year anniversary version. It contains everything that was in the original version plus extra material that Feist wanted put back in.

I'm not sure if the US Book(s) have the added material, but everything else should be exactly the same.

I love the Riftwar Saga series

This isn't available as a separate book outside the US.

Magician was split for the US market into
Magician: Apprentice and Magician: Master

Luckily the eBook of Magician is only $2.99 (In Oz), so I will re-read the "full" book.

We may have a similar problem with a future book pick.

What if we read books that when I read them 35+ years ago was 1 volume, but now is 2 books.

Do I read the single Volume I still own and mark it as 2 books for the challenge, or do I mark them as 1 book :-?

Lance Roberts wrote: "Infants. I'm surrounded by infants."

If anyone asks me how old I am, my answer is that I'm a 57, (soon to be 58), year old teenager :-)

It was definitely an improvement over reading by flaming torch.

You old guys had it tough back then ;-)

I'm sorry it didn't click with you. I love the writing style.

I found Dune back in 1979 when I was 17 (yes I'm that old ;-) ) and absolutely loved it and since then have rated it my favourite sci-fi book.

I should have known that. I actually sign into Comixology with my Amazon sign-in.

Doh ;-)

Those titles are free on Comixology (as you mention). I prefer getting them there, to Amazon. It's a better reading experience in the Comixology app.

There are many free comics worth checking out there

https://www.comixology.com/free-comics

Trike wrote: "Tassie Dave wrote: "

Basements are rare in Oz"

If Kansas had more basements back in the day, Dorothy wouldn’t have ended up in Oz."

lol ;-)

My observation was based on TV and Movies, which here is mostly US, British and Australian.

So very 'scientific' ;-) and subject to confirmation bias.

Basements are rare in Oz

I'd say it a coincidence. A cool one.

The boys used their middle names and the initials of one of their children.

After the original 3 books, it was diminishing returns for me.

God Emperor was ok, Heretics meh and I don't think I made it to Chapterhouse.

Anything not done by Frank Herbert is not Dune IMHO, so they don't count.