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The Desert Spear
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I hit speedbumps because of the issues you mention, but I liked it enough to continue. The third book flips everything on its ear as we get the same story from Inerva's POV. She not only gives better than she gets, one could argue she's one of the most powerful people in the world. She's certainly the most devious and easily one of the most dangerous. Without getting too spoilery, her acolytes change everything. Leesha comes into her own later, too.It kind of feels like Brett sets up the typical hyper-male Fantasy world only to subvert it later on.
But if you're not enjoying the journey, there's no reason to keep reading. I'd wager I've bailed on a hundred series for every one I've stuck with, so it's not like you have to hang in there just because others like it.
Thanks, Trike. I'm 25% in now, and I'm enjoying it much more. I think it'll be better when the POV finally changes though. I am VERY interested in reading about Inerva's POV after getting farther into this story now, so I'll probably keep on going after this book too.It is very, very difficult for me to stop a series without finishing. It makes me itchy. I'm not as bad as I used to be (I finally quit torturing myself with Anita Blake, for instance), but it usually has to be pretty bad for me to give up. I just set aside a book the other day because it was so poorly edited, and even that is still bothering me!
I feel your pain. Once I got over my completionist compulsion, though, I was so much happier.Just repeat to yourself, "So many books, so little time."
I have the same problem as you Amber, and could NOT make myself finish the Anita Blake series. That series just got messed the hell up.And also, so sick of hearing what colour swosh her Nikes had on them.
I was reading (and enjoying) the first book in the series. I was rather upset by the sexual abuse you mentioned. I also felt it was poorly treated...but the response of the author made it much, much worse for me. I ended up quitting the series.
Trike wrote: "I feel your pain. Once I got over my completionist compulsion, though, I was so much happier.Just repeat to yourself, "So many books, so little time.""
I was the same way until I did the math on how many books I could read in my lifetime... Now I give books 20% to grab me. ;)
Candice wrote: "I have the same problem as you Amber, and could NOT make myself finish the Anita Blake series. That series just got messed the hell up."When you hit that point where it becomes more written porn than paranormal investigation...
I loved the first book but could only get half way through T he Desert Spear before giving up. Too much else to read!
I had issues with the first two books (like the sexual abuse stuff), but I enjoyed them well enough. The third book is where I quit the series. I didn't feel Inerva's POV really added anything. Plus, there was hardly any plot development in the book despite being over 600 pages long.
So I just finished it, and I'm actually SO happy I did. I've decided that Peter Brett may just be a genius, and I almost feel silly for doubting him. As far as the sexual abuse goes...there's a lot. But unlike the scene in the first book, I felt like there was more of a point in including it here. And I actually felt like I got a little more closure on what happened in the first book. I have no idea what's going to happen, but it seems now that something is unfolding rather than an author just trying to spice up his book with a little rape. In fact, a lot of the issues I had with the first book are starting to make more sense. We'll see how book 3 goes!And I could probably spend days complaining about Anita Blake without running out of things to say. When I get bored, I like to read the 1 star reviews on those books.
Amber wrote: "So I just finished it, and I'm actually SO happy I did. I've decided that Peter Brett may just be a genius, and I almost feel silly for doubting him. As far as the sexual abuse goes...there's a lot..."I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Trike wrote: "I hit speedbumps because of the issues you mention, but I liked it enough to continue. The third book flips everything on its ear as we get the same story from Inerva's POV. She not only gives bett..."This is all good to know, just like Amber, I made it through the first book fine but the end didn't make me want to pick up the next book. I find series that you appreciate better after getting to the end can be more rewarding than others. I might have to put this back on my series to finish list.
First book was good ...second give me some hard time...so little Arlene part.. so I gave up on series. I had so much hopes for this one..
I was exactly the same Tejas! I loved the first one, only got about halfway through the second..I almost couldn't believe the same author could have written these...
So Amber, yes, I I found the same thing about this series
It does get better, especially the third book, but if you don't like it, you don't like it.
This sounds a bit stupid but what if I skip the second book?
Hank wrote: "This sounds a bit stupid but what if I skip the second book?"Stupid? That sounds like a solid plan to me.
Hank wrote: "This sounds a bit stupid but what if I skip the second book?"I think you could.
Basically Brett tells the same story three different times from six different POVs. The third one with Inerva was more interesting to me than Desert Spear. The end of each book moves into "present day" but you can skip the second one without losing too much.
I'm about 7% into The Desert Spear, and I keep asking myself why I'm reading it at all. For starters, I'm trapped in this brand new POV that apparently takes up nearly 1/3 of the book, and I'm not really enjoying this character. Well, I guess it isn't so much the character as it is his story that just isn't grabbing me. I've also read that the sexual abuse in this book is worse than in the first book, and I'm not sure I can stomach it if it that is the case, especially if the aftermath is as dismissive as it was in the first book
DId ANYONE else struggle with this series like this? Those of you who love this series, can you tell me what it was that hooked you? I can't decide if this is one of those cases where I should push through for a rewarding end or if this just isn't suited to my tastes at all and I should let it go.