November 2017 - Age of Assassins by R.J. Barker

[Margret, Caladan Brood Face]

Reading the top reviews I feel like I’m reading a different book altogether. This is something I’d give to my son when he’s about 10 years old to read.

[Samir]

I've only read the prologue so I don't really have any opinion about this book but I do have a couple of questions. Does it suck big time or is it just meh? Did you find anything to your liking?

[Veronica]

I'd go with just "meh". I didn't pick it up all weekend.

[Margret, Caladan Brood Face]

Meh is the best way to describe it. There’s nothing new here

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

Meh.

[Chris]

I'm finding that it's a very average book that reads like a YA novel. I'm still waiting for the "hook". And that opening action scene with the shower would have been alright, but it felt pointless and inconsequential to the overall plot. But we'll see...pushing through.

[Shaitarn]

9 chapters in, and I'm struggling not to list this as DNF and toss it aside. If I can put a book down mid-chapter, it's a sign of a book that's not working for me.

[Danielle]

I'm finding that things are picking up a bit in the second half of the book (I'm through chapter 20) but it is still more of a mystery than an assassin story.

[Shaitarn]

I'm sorry - I've hit chapter 10 and can't do this to myself anymore. I'm declaring this a DNF and moving on.

[Samir]

I'm through chapter 2. I already can't stand the constant repetition of the word master. I don't understand why was club foot necessary. I googled it and after seeing all those images, I find it hard to believe that someone with that condition could be capable of fighting and doing all those moves like Girton.

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

Shaitarn wrote: "I'm sorry - I've hit chapter 10 and can't do this to myself anymore. I'm declaring this a DNF and moving on."

You should give it the 1* rating. I think many books get a higher rating than they deserve because people don't rate their DNFs. If it sucked so bad you couldn't finish it that's an auto 1* for me. I'm going to limp through and give this 2*'s.

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

I finished this morning. 2.5*'s. The ending was better but overall the book just dragged for me and really didn't offer anything new or exciting.

[Petrik]

I was surprised to see this book's low rating popping up. Turns out you guys are doing a BR for it xD was it that bad that everyone disliked it???

Somehow, despite the high ratings, I have no idea why but something in my guts told me not to read this book.

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

Petrik wrote: "I was surprised to see this book's low rating popping up. Turns out you guys are doing a BR for it xD was it that bad that everyone disliked it???

Somehow, despite the high ratings, I have no idea..."

It was far too simplistic in nearly every facet and I think we all hated the "my master" repetition.

[Veronica]

Samir wrote: "I'm through chapter 2. I already can't stand the constant repetition of the word master. I don't understand why was club foot necessary. I googled it and after seeing all those images, I find it ha..."

I did the same...and also find it hard to believe Girton can do all that he does.

This is definitely heading for a 2 star rating for me unless something changes drastically.

[Petrik]

LOL My master xD

[Shaitarn]

Petrik wrote: "I was surprised to see this book's low rating popping up. Turns out you guys are doing a BR for it xD was it that bad that everyone disliked it???

Somehow, despite the high ratings, I have no idea..."

Your guts are wiser than I am, Petrik - or perhaps they have better taste! :)

With regard to the club foot - maybe the author felt it was important for his character to have a disability but decided to ignore any limitations it might have placed on him when they got in the way of the story?

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

There is an explanation for how he overcomes his disability if you read a bit further.

[Samir]

Scott wrote: "There is an explanation for how he overcomes his disability if you read a bit further."

Good to know.

[Chris]

Scott wrote: "Chapter 7

[spoilers removed]"

It's cool reading your insights, now that I'm up to chapter 20! I'll get back to you on my thoughts.
(view spoiler)[ I'm pretty much thinking the same as everyone else. How can he be a disabled rogue? It just doesn't work for me, especially when he's climbing along the side of the wall hanging on to edges and lips. The "Master" seems to have such a small role that she's being out shone by Heamus and Nywulf, pretty much everybody to be honest. It reads more of a mystery than a typical fantasy novel and pacing is a major issue. It was nice when Kyle was killed (I think that was his name) because I thought that it was going to be a launch pad into a race to find out who done it, but the effect was left to linger and dissipate into nothingness. Instead the whole book has been just constant suggestion and guessing without intrigue or suspense. Even the beating by the pig sty didn't really lead anywhere. Anyways, I think I'll finish it but I'm not going to read the next one. (hide spoiler)]

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

Did everybody else give up?

[Samir]

Scott wrote: "Did everybody else give up?"

Still at 31%. I'm focused on finishing WoR first.

[EchoBaz(Unofficial World's Fastest Reader)]

lol, jesus christ does it sound shit!

[Chris]

Scott wrote: "There is an explanation for how he overcomes his disability if you read a bit further."

I actually just got to that part last night, I don't understand why he didn't mention it earlier!

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

Chris wrote: "Scott wrote: "There is an explanation for how he overcomes his disability if you read a bit further."

I actually just got to that part last night, I don't understand why he didn't mention it earlier!"

That's one of the things I actually liked about the book.

[Chris]

Scott wrote: "Chris wrote: "Scott wrote: "There is an explanation for how he overcomes his disability if you read a bit further."

I actually just got to that part last night, I don't understand why he didn't me..."

So you liked that he kept you wondering how the character could do the things that he does?

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

Chris wrote: "Scott wrote: "Chris wrote: "Scott wrote: "There is an explanation for how he overcomes his disability if you read a bit further."

I actually just got to that part last night, I don't understand wh..."

I liked that he had an answer for it and that answer being a mystery didn't bother me like it did others doing this read.

[Samir]

I'm finally done. This was a struggle. 2 stars and I'm not going to continue with the series.

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

Samir wrote: "I'm finally done. This was a struggle. 2 stars and I'm not going to continue with the series."

Damn this was an epic failure.

[Chris]

Scott wrote: "Chris wrote: "Scott wrote: "Chris wrote: "Scott wrote: "There is an explanation for how he overcomes his disability if you read a bit further."

I actually just got to that part last night, I don't..."

Wow, my initial response to you sounded snotty, my bad😦

As I was reading the story, I just felt that the timing of explanation could have been earlier instead of allowing me to guess the explanation through a story that wasn't very strong. Because, I then assumed that the author forgot to explain a disability. And this read immediately followed Joe Abercrombie's The Blade Itself where Glokta's physical impairments were described early in the book. So it was hard to not compare the two reads.

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

Chris wrote: "Wow, my initial response to you sounded snotty, my bad ..."

Honestly I didn't take it that way so no harm no foul. Glotka is such an iconic character I understand your POV even more now. I thought you were just surprised by my interpretation. Which in the end we all have different ones because of our life experiences and sometimes just our moods when reading.

[Chris]

Scott wrote: "Chris wrote: "Wow, my initial response to you sounded snotty, my bad ..."

Honestly I didn't take it that way so no harm no foul. Glotka is such an iconic character I understand your POV even more ..."

Not so much surprised, more like enlightened because I reacted negatively and you positively to that portion of the read. Therefore, our discussion made me think about how it was placed and written. In my opinion, it still would have served better to reveal the how's sooner, but it was great to get your thoughts on that as well.

[K]

I've been pushing to finish this (was last in my list for readings this month) and I kept thinking I must be missing something if its so highly rated. Glad to see people here feel similarly. I'm at ~75% through, and I'll likely finish it tonight/tomorrow. Just... not as interesting as I had hoped. Should have audiobook'ed it.

[Scott , Karsa Orlong]

Kelsey Karin wrote: "Should have audiobook'ed it."

I don't think Michael Kramer could have bailed it out.

[Margret, Caladan Brood Face]

The narrator was ok, but the story was still not good