Fantasy Aficionados discussion
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What Are You Currently Reading?
I just got the new Drizzt, book Neverwinter, can't wait to start reading tonight.
I hate it when I've decided on a book to read, but I've to wait for another 10 hours before I actually get to start. Maybe I'll start bringing ebooks to work :P
Soan wrote: "I really liked Farseer Trilogy, So I have few expectations from this series :) (When will I learn not to expect anything from any book? :) )How was Kushiel's Legend? After Tawny series, Even I pl..."
What I meant was Fool's Errand is a little different than Hobb's other books. The next two are more her style.
The first Kushiel trilogy was my favorite but I liked the second one too, especially the last.
I have read the first three Malazan books this year and loved them, but I waited too long between three and four and just couldn't get back into it. So I'm starting again and not breaking until I'm done. My advice on the first book is to just go with it. It throws you in without much explaination. I really liked it but it can be confusing, in a crazy way.
I'm currently reading the first book in the Dragonlance Chronicles, Dragons of Autumn Twilight, by Margaret Weis. Does anyone know if there was another series before this one with the same characters and world in it? There seems to be a lot of backstory that might have occurred in other books.
No. There are short stories that fill in some of the back story but I'm not sure if they were writen before or after. Test of the Twins is the most important of these, there's a book by the same name, it tells of Raistlin's test. There's also books published later that go before. The next series is my favorites if you continue. If you like Raistlin I especially recommend them.
Traci wrote: "No. There are short stories that fill in some of the back story but I'm not sure if they were writen before or after. Test of the Twins is the most important of these, there's a book by the same na..."Thanks, Traci. I'll keep those in mind.
I've been rereading Janny Wurts Wars of Light and Shadow in preparation for the release of her newest installment and I got an email that it's on its way! So I got on Kobo and they had it for now! So I downloaded Initiate's Trial last night and am reading it!Squee!
Shannon wrote: "Hi Dustin, how are you liking it? This is actually a re-read for me but I read it so long ago I can barely remember anything about it."Me, too, Shannon.:) This will be my first re-read of the series.
Sandra aka Sleo wrote: "I've been rereading Janny Wurts Wars of Light and Shadow in preparation for the release of her newest installment and I got an email that it's on its way! So I got on Kobo and they had it for now!..."Cool! How is it? I've been meaning to start that series but it looked a little intimidating... (not as bad as malazan)
MrsJoseph wrote: "Sandra aka Sleo wrote: "I've been rereading Janny Wurts Wars of Light and Shadow in preparation for the release of her newest installment and I got an email that it's on its way! So I got on Kobo ..."Well, no doubt about it, it's a big commitment. But such an enthralling story. And so beautifully written. It's my favorite fantasy series.
Blowing through Moon Called right now, since it just came in the mail. Am I missing something? The book just doesn't have great flow, does the series get better?
I'm still reading The Wise Man's Fear but the book is just too big and heavy for some of my usual reading places (especially for reading in the bathtub, my favourite reading place!)So I decided to make a start on NK Jemisin's second book, The Broken Kingdoms. Just a few pages in, and finding it very intriguing!
Do you like how in The Broken Kingdoms Jemisin writes a blind character? I was impressed by the way she wrote it. Our narrator is almost blind so we are too. And as far as I remember she keeps it up. Also how she made me love a character I hated, really hated, in the first book. In some ways I liked the second better.
Traci wrote: "Do you like how in The Broken Kingdoms Jemisin writes a blind character? I was impressed by the way she wrote it. Our narrator is almost blind so we are too. And as far as I remember she keeps it u..."I'm listening to Broken Kingdoms and I think it's awesome. She's got a new trilogy coming out next year that I am literally salivating to get my hands on. I definitely think she could be one of the next big authors.
Chelsea wrote: "Blowing through Moon Called right now, since it just came in the mail. Am I missing something? The book just doesn't have great flow, does the series get better?"You think so? I enjoyed it... I guess some of the other books are more streamlined. But I think the next couple are similar in structure.
I finished Fool's Errand. Plan was to read it slowly, few chapters a night. But I couldn't stop last night and ended up reading half the night. I really liked it. Fitz is not someone I would normally root for, But somehow I always end up on his side.
Now the wait for next one. (My library branch doesn't have it right now, so few days wait)
In between, I started with A Spell for Chameleon. I've read next ones in Xanth series and I like it. It's simple and interesting.
I'm also planning to start with The Baker's Boy tonight
Can't wait to see your reaction to the rest of the series, Soan. Hope you get them soon. :)Starting Deadhouse Gates tomorrow.
I'm reading The City of Ember and Hatchet...
Carol wrote: "Chelsea wrote: "Blowing through Moon Called right now, since it just came in the mail. Am I missing something? The book just doesn't have great flow, does the series get better?"Yo..."
I think my problem was that the plot just kinda skipped from point to point without any real reflection on the part of the characters. It's hard to articulate. It was fun though and I'll read the second since it sounds more complicated!
Carol wrote: "Chelsea wrote: "Blowing through Moon Called right now, since it just came in the mail. Am I missing something? The book just doesn't have great flow, does the series get better?""
I don't know that I would say they get better. I read the first three and didn't go any further. Not bad but not anything that really set it apart from half a dozen other urban fantasy/vampire/werewolf series. I think my biggest objection to it was that I couldn't seem to get over the feeling I was reading about Joanne Walker in Urban Shaman, also a female mechanic. In Shaman, she's the mechanic for a police department. Maybe Briggs never read Urban Shaman in her life, no clue, but it was published the year before Moon Called and the similarities intruded.
One of the issues for me I'm sure was that I liked the characters in Urban Shaman better than I liked the ones in Moon Called ... well, after she got through whining about her situation, anyway.
Sharon, I really liked Urban Shaman and Moon Called. I honestly don't think they are that similar at all, other than both characters being half-Native American and mechanics. Joanne isn't a shifter and this book is more grounded in Celtic mythology. Mercy is a coyote shifter and Moon Called is grounded in werewolf lore. I think we all have different ways of looking at books, so I'm not saying you're wrong. I just didn't see it that way.Besides, it can happen that people will have ideas that seem similar on first glance, but it's all in how they get from point A to point Z.
Regarding Briggs' writing style. I like how simple her native is. Her writing speaks to me. But I have heard others didn't like Moon Called.
Lady Danielle "The Book Huntress" wrote: "Sharon, I really liked Urban Shaman and Moon Called. I honestly don't think they are that similar at all, other than both characters being half-Native American and mechanics. Joanne isn't a shifte..."I agree, I don't think there was a lot of similarity other than the Native American/mechanic thing, but that was the thing that did tend to throw me out of the Moon Called Book. If I'd read them in reverse order, I might well have felt the same way about Urban Shaman.
I liked both series, just personal preference that I liked the characters (not just the lead character) in Urban Shaman better than those in Moon Called.
Lady Danielle "The Book Huntress" wrote: "Sharon, I really liked Urban Shaman and Moon Called. I honestly don't think they are that similar at all, other than both characters being half-Native American and mechanics. Joanne isn't a shifte..."I really liked the Native American background, and all the invented history of the fae invading North America, so I think I'll give the second book a shot.
Funny that you say that about the Native/mechanic thing, Sharon, because I had read Mercy long before Joanne Walker, my references went the other direction. :) What really kept throwing me out of the Shaman books though were the police part-as a daughter of two cops from two different departments, and who dated cops, it didn't ring true at all. Not in the least, so that was my stumbling block to the series.
Carol wrote: " What really kept throwing me out of the Shaman books though were the police part-as a daughter of two cops from two different departments, and who dated cops, it didn't ring true at all. Not in the least, so that was my stumbling block to the series. ..."I was a police dispatcher and married for years to a police officer and I agree that it wasn't particularly realistic but I guess with fantasy I don't take it very seriously, don't expect it to necessarily ring true.
I've started reading another series that starts with
First Grave on the Rightand that isn't particularly realistic either but I'm enjoying it anyway.
I'm not sure just why I don't require as much realism with police department detail as some other things ... now just let an author make mistakes related to horses and I'm likely to toss the book out the window!
I am currently reading Dead Iron by Devon Monk which is really good so far.
Susan wrote: "I am currently reading Dead Iron by Devon Monk which is really good so far."Looks interesting, may give it a try.
Started The Desert Spear. The first book in the series was one of those 'can't put down' books for me, just raced through it. This is a slower read for me and I definitely don't like the characters here as well, though I am now at the point where this character and the one from the Warded Man meet, so am hoping it will pick up at this point.
Shannon wrote: "Reading The Waste Lands by Stephen King."Hi again, Shannon!
You're ahead of me now. I'm only about 30% into The Drawing of The Three.
Amanda wrote: "Kim Harrison is a far better and more consistent writer thank LKH! Definitely give her a shot. The plot, characters and settings are all original takes and the books haven't devolved into bad porn ..."I agree I have read all of them up to date so far..that I know of.. and enjoy them alot. LKH does do the same plot lines alittle too much but I do enjoy them. Kim Harrison gives more different plots and just keeps adding more on. You really should give them a try
I am 46 pages from finishing Summer Knight. I can't wait to start on Death Masks. It is very easy to get hooked on Dresden. I am loving him!
Carmen wrote: "trying to make up my mind between The Witcher, and Hounded."I'd go with Hounded. I love the dog.
Dustin wrote: "Shannon wrote: "Reading The Waste Lands by Stephen King."Hi again, Shannon!
You're ahead of me now. I'm only about 30% into The Drawing of The Three."
I know, I'm ripping through them...but I'm wondering if I need a bit of a break after this before I move on to the rest of the series. Starting with the next book, they'll all be new reads for me, but I guess I'll need to see if I'm still enjoying the story by the end of this one.
Finished Initiate's Trial, another AWESOME installment in the Wars of Light and Shadow. Also finished a reread of The Honor of the Queen, and will probably not continue that series. Not very good.Started Among Others in audio and The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet.
Shannon wrote: "Dustin wrote: "Shannon wrote: "Reading The Waste Lands by Stephen King."Hi again, Shannon!
You're ahead of me now. I'm only about 30% into The Drawing of The Three."
I know..."
Oh, I wouldn't worry about not enjoying DT after you're done with The Wastelands, Shannon. IMO, the series only gets better.
Just finished the last of the Black Magician trilogy by Trudi Canavan. They were very good, great characters, tension, suspense. Definitely suspected these were going to stay on my bookshelves to re-read ... until about the last half of the third book and then it just kind of fell apart for me.Author did a complete turnaround on a couple of characters, went kind of an odd place with a couple of others and I absolutely hated the ending, which I didn't think was necessary except for shock value. I know a big part of that is simply personal preference in my case, but this isn't a series I will re-read.
That sucks. A book or series that almost becomes a favorite is worse than being disappointed in the first few chapters. Maybe when some time has passed it won't be so bad...But, dang it. Now you have me curious what the end is.
Is there some way I can detail it without spoiling it for someone else? I kind of hate to do that because someone else might not react as strongly as I did. If it's acceptable, I'll do the details ... not quite sure of the protocol on this as I'm relatively new here.
The first two books really did not lay the foundation for what happened in the third book. It just seemed like the author suddenly decided she had to finish the trilogy and had not really thought it out. The last book seemed unfinished ... which actually may have been deliberate, as I see there are other books in the series now. (view spoiler)
Sharon wrote: "Susan wrote: "I am currently reading Dead Iron by Devon Monk which is really good so far."Looks interesting, may give it a try."
I really enjoyed it.
Done with The Baker's Boy. Wondering if I should start Golden Fool or take a break from fantasy for a bit. All my concurrent books (to read on tram etc) are also fantasy right now. I think change is in order.
Well, my high school education is coming to a close and I have enough time to start reading again!Just finished Shadow's Edge. Loved it and I can't wait to read the third book.
I've started The Bloody Cup to finish off M. K. Hume's Arthurian legend :)
Sharon wrote: "The first two books really did not lay the foundation for what happened in the third book. It just seemed like the author suddenly decided she had to finish the trilogy and had not really thought i..."Hmpf, glad I decided not to continue this series after the first book. That first book I found to be extremely predictable, simplistic and boring. And it seems I guessed most of the plot for the rest of the trilogy right too ...
Soan wrote: "Done with The Baker's Boy. Wondering if I should start Golden Fool or take a break from fantasy for a bit. All my concurrent books (to read on tram etc) are also fantasy r..."Finish the tawny man series first. :) Okay, so I'm pushing it because it's a favorite. But you probably will want a break when you finish...
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Fantasy Aficionados
Books mentioned in this topic
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Authors mentioned in this topic
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Pamela Dean (other topics)
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How was Kushiel's Legend? After Tawny series, Even I plan to start with Malazan.