Monthly Group Reads: Reading the Poll Losers Instead?

[Bryn]

Three stars for me too, and that's not because of story but for writing I enjoyed. Snap.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Hahaha! :D

[Bryn]

I'll be hanging out in the loser's thread this month, where I belong. With The Religion

Glad I went for this cover, I like it in person; that old-paper look

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I am jealous, a little, Bryn. I have it not far from where I sit right now. Calling to me. But heavens knows when I shall fit it in. In the next couple months for sure.

[Bryn]

I'll see what I can do to make you jealous, then. You already have me, with the Hangman's Daughter.

[Anne]

I'm starting tonight. This is the cover I have.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Bryn wrote: "I'll see what I can do to make you jealous, then. You already have me, with the Hangman's Daughter."

Good. I am loving it. :-)

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Anne wrote: "I'm starting tonight. This is the cover I have."

I do think that cover is beautiful. It always attracted me...and yet something about it kept holding me back.
Perhaps that cover makes me feel like the book would be drudgery. I am thinking the colours create that feeling in me.

[Bryn]

The Religion I must have skipped the step of sampling this (how reckless) but that's a piece of luck. Because I found the prologue unpromising. But with Part 1 I'm straight away into this. Reminds me of old adventure books, crowded with the exotic and romantic characters with romantic names -- noms de guerre or not. I like how it's written too. My only negative is, do I need to know every thought Tannhauser has about sex?

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Egad, not another author who lives out his sexual fantasy in his books. Oh well, I bought it, I will have to deal I suppose.

[Anne]

I am having a bit of trouble getting into "The Religion." Will plod on for a bit.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

How far in are you, Anne?

[Anne]

page 73. Not my usual speed.

[Bryn]

I'm p.140 and going strong, and only wish he'd left out the romance. :)

[Bryn]

p.280 of 'The Religion'... I like this a war tale. It works for me. I haven't been bored, I haven't found him sensational...

Still a funny book. A while back I thought, this is 80% swashbuckler and 20% romance -- swoony, steamy romance, you know? but I like the swashbuckler.

I guess it's more of a war novel now. So far, the type of war novel I look for...

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Hmmm....now I am intrigued.....

[Bryn]

Terri wrote: "Hmmm....now I am intrigued....."

p.396... it's been getting fantastic...

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Curiouser and curiouser......so maybe when i get to it I should expect nothing and just roll with it..because it will be many things throughout...

[Bryn]

Terribly curious what you'll make of it.
The Big Siege is my idea of war poetry. Cut Tannhauser's interludes with women out of this book, I'd be a total fan.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

The romance is daunting for me. But I kind of expected it. It mentions romance in the blurb. I was hoping because it is a big book that it might be 90% non romance and the other percentage easier to cope with because...well...because the book is long. Lots of pages there and I figured surely the author cannot fill them all with blah blah my heart, my love, blah, blah, touch her breast, lift her skirt, blah blah...

[Anne]

I dropped "The Religion" last night after 130+- pages. I will not go into it more than to say that if you love dogs, this book is not for you. I was in tears when I closed it for good.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I do love dogs. :(
Sounds like I may have to skip over something then....when I get to it....which chapter should I look out for, Anne?

[Anne]

Around page 90-100 or so.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Okay. I will keep that in my memory bank. To expect something bad.

[Bryn]

p.450. I am devoted to this now. Moved by Carla in the hospital.

[Bryn]

15 pages later, a descent into bathos as he writes a love & jealousy scene. What a frustrating book.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

ah..that old love and jealousy kernel...

[Bryn]

Finished The Religion. Never had a book bounce between 5 stars and 1.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

And where doth it land?

[Bryn]

I was definite on four, but the last hundred pages leant or slouched to melodrama. Dunno.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Sounds like you might have to meet in the middle and give it an average rating.

[Simona]

Bryn wrote: "I was definite on four, but the last hundred pages leant or slouched to melodrama. Dunno."

Maybe a book able to inspire such dramatic passions should have earned a bit more than average...or not?

[Bryn]

I reckon you're right with that, Simona. I quickly settled on four.

[Simona]

Now I really want to read it! Thank you Bryn

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Can't wait to read it...not that I assume we will be agreeing on rating, because who knows what will happen there, but just that it seems hard to define. And I like to read books after hearing that kind of feedback.

[Michael]

Terri wrote: "Can't wait to read it...not that I assume we will be agreeing on rating, because who knows what will happen there, but just that it seems hard to define. And I like to read books after hearing that..."

I just put up a comment somewhere else asking if anyone had read it! I've just finished Tim's GREEN RIVER RISING, which is a really visceral read - a bit like Iain Banks at his best. It certainly wasn't an easy read. Lots of it was very hard indeed, but I'd still recommend it. THE RELIGION is a different book, I guess. I'm looking forward to it, though. Just got to finish Harvest Home first. My 'To Read' piles are growing alarmingly just now!

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

The romance and love story and 'author living out his sexual fantasies' scenes that I have heard The Religion contains, may put me off. But I bought the book and I am willing to go for it....in a month or so. Depending what my June schedule is. Maybe June.

[Jane]

I enjoyed . I liked the hero, Jonas, who was apparently based on an actual historian of that period. I liked the descriptions of the Huns and Hunnish life; the author did a good job piecing together what fragmentary information we have on them, of course with a big dollop of imagination! The Battle of Châlons was described vividly but only took up a relatively small part of the novel!! I didn't realize its importance. I thought the romance was a little annoying and was disappointed the book took up so much time with it. It is a quick read. I kept comparing the novel in my mind with , which emphasized Aetius's life and the Battle of Châlons, which I read awhile back and enjoyed more.

[Darcy]

Just finished The Iron King and will get the next one. Obviously based on real historical characters so there is little in the way of surprises when it comes to who dies or why, but it's the intrigue that is fascinating. Also, there is no historical note per se but little notes like in an academic text. I like these as they explain little things a bit more, which I appreciate.
This isn't a period I'm familiar with, though having watched that She-Wolves show, I recognise a couple.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

Thanks for the feedback, Darcy.

[Lia]

I finished The Iron King. It is a 5 stars book for me. The writing style feels different compared to what I usually encountered.
Mr. Maurice Druon's Iron King gave me the impression that the book is heavy in substance but delivered very lightly. I did not realized that I reached the last chapter until I am about 15-20 pages left.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I had a similar experience with Insurrection so can understand exactly what you mean.
Over 600 pages seemed to fly by with that book.

Thanks for getting back to us with your thoughts on Iron King.

[Lia]

Terri wrote: "... Thanks for getting back to us with your thoughts on Iron King."

You're welcome Terri. But now, I have to wait until November 12, 2013 for the sequel :(

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

oh, boo. :(

[Simona]

I'm reading it in French, but I'm going slow. It has been a long time since the last time I read something in French and I have lost fluency.

[Terri, Wyrd bið ful aræd]

You are so multi lingual Simona. I wish I could speak a second language. You don't only speak another language, you speak two! Or can you speak more than two?

[Simona]

No, unfortunately. Just Italian, French (they say: " comme une vache espagnole - as a Spanish cow), English: but when I grow up I want to learn German.

[Dawn]

Simona wrote: "Just Italian, French, English....."

I like how you say just....like speaking 3 languages isn't an achievement at all. :)

[Simona]

It would be if I spoke these languages perfectly! :)

[Jane]

I plan to read Last of the Amazons. My first excursion into Steven Pressfield
was his classic Gates of Fire. I have high expectations for this book; I really liked Pressfield's style.