Fantasy Aficionados discussion
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Achive
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What Are You Currently Reading?
For me not so much the "words" but that whole silly battle of the sexes thing got old fast.The books get slower and slower (moving at the speed of a slow growth glacier). One 800 page book (aprox)covers 3 days and one 800 page book (aprox) actually drops back and covers the same events that were in the book before. He tended to start telling everything over and over from every possibly point of view and letting characters go on and on and on ad nauseam. The last one (by Brandon Sanderson)wasn't as bad, but I thought it still was way too much soap opera.
This is of course, my opinion and in no way reflects the beliefs, opinions or attitudes of Goodreads....
:)
Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "For me not so much the "words" but that whole silly battle of the sexes thing got old fast.The books get slower and slower (moving at the speed of a slow growth glacier). One 800 page book (aprox..."
Yeah, this whole "Bitchy Women Boss Around Stoic Men" thing is getting under my skin.
Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "The books get slower and slower (moving at the speed of a slow growth glacier). One 800 page book (aprox..."
It takes a very good book to keep me involved/reading through 800 pages. The Robert Jordan books were not ones that did.
Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "For me not so much the "words" but that whole silly battle of the sexes thing got old fast.The books get slower and slower (moving at the speed of a slow growth glacier). One 800 page book (aprox..."
I've heard this before. Is it the events from another pov? Or is it two or more seperated groups we're following? Same time, different characters? Could be worse...the books could be 1,000 plus pages I guess.
Word of events travels (or doesn't). We get EVERYBODY'S take on each event...conceptions, misconceptions, worries, thoughts about, attitudes toward. All with the prejudices quirks and foibles of each individual character and class of character included. Details are related and then discussed over and over and over. Some characters are concerned, some are relieved, some are in denial....Also there are repetitive plot points (this happened again?) which I can't be detailed about lest it be a spoiler (view spoiler)
Anyway...on and on and on. As I said the last one wasn't quite as bad I suppose but I think my taste for the series has been ruined. I say that especially because for the first 5 (maybe 6) volumes I thought this could have been one of the best epic fantasies ever written. For some reason it simply seemed to spin out of control....my opinion. Some still love every superfluous word.
Started The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks. I must really be in the mood for fantasy right now because even though I recognize how un-original the setup is, I'm still enjoying it a great deal. Then again, I'm probably one of the few readers out there who actually appreciates an author who can take a tired premise and make us care about the story and the characters anyway.
Masha wrote: "Started The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks. I must really be in the mood for fantasy right now because even though I recognize how un-original the setup is, I'm still enjoying it a great deal. Then ..."Sounds interesting ... put it on my wish list.
Shannon wrote: "Reading "Little, Big" by John Crowley."One of my favorite books. Hope you get all the underline messages in the book.
Kevin wrote: "Shannon wrote: "Reading "Little, Big" by John Crowley."One of my favorite books. Hope you get all the underline messages in the book."
And if your book isn't underlined, well, then, you're just screwed. :)
± Colleen of the Crawling Chaos ± wrote: "Funnily enough, I'm ok with Frey but it's Crake I'd like to shake some sense in to. :>"I can understand what Crake is going through. I think he'll get it together. Frey is very immature, IMO, and he treats women like crap.
Rachel wrote: "LOL";)
***
Danielle -
I agree Frey is immature and that he treats women like crap... but it doesn't frustrate me as much 'cause that's just how he is. I'm hoping he'll grow out of it at some point, but I'm not that attached to him to make me care that much.
I think Jez and Crake are my favorite characters, so I'm more invested in what they do.
I agree with you on being more invested in Jez and Crake.
Happy Thanksgiving to all for whom it's applicable! Hi Masha, I read The Way of Shadows (actually I read the omnibus edition of the trilogy The Night Angel Trilogy) and liked it. Weeks seems to be a pretty good writer...I read the first in his next trilogy, The Black Prism and liked it. Unfortunately it's been over a year now (came out in Aug. 2010) and so far as I can find out the next volume is nowhere in sight. sigh.
Oh well, enjoy.
Thanks Mike, glad to hear you liked the whole thing so I don't have to be afraid of a letdown in the later book.
Not to be maudlin but I read the trilogy during my wife's last stay in the hospital and it (among several other fantasy reads) was an escape for me.
Masha wrote: "Thanks Mike, glad to hear you liked the whole thing so I don't have to be afraid of a letdown in the later book."I just wrapped that one up a few months ago, and it's a great trilogy. I even had a good year between reading books 1 and 2. Enjoy!
=)
Kelly wrote: "just finished two of Catherynne M. Valente;s books. Both Deathless and The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making both reinforced my love of he..."Been wanting to check out her work. Good to hear!
Lady Danielle "The Book Huntress" wrote: "Kelly, I found The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland on audio. Looking forward to it. I agree with you about CV's writing."
Also awesome. May have to check out the audio for upcoming holiday travels.
Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "Not to be maudlin but I read the trilogy during my wife's last stay in the hospital and it (among several other fantasy reads) was an escape for me."I read fantasy mostly during hard times as well, for escape and sometimes to give me hope. I have recently started two realistic fiction thrillers and put them aside for fantasy, which I suppose doesn't speak well for my current mood. But, reading is always better than other forms of escape anyway.
± Colleen of the Crawling Chaos ± wrote: "Kevin wrote: "Shannon wrote: "Reading "Little, Big" by John Crowley."One of my favorite books. Hope you get all the underline messages in the book."
And if your book isn't underli..."
I've heard it's a complex book and it looks fairly lengthy too. I'm barely into yet so we'll see how it goes...
Shannon wrote: "± Colleen of the Crawling Chaos ± wrote: "Kevin wrote: "Shannon wrote: "Reading "Little, Big" by John Crowley."One of my favorite books. Hope you get all the underline messages in ..."
I just hope you finish the book. I had to put the book down about four or five times before I finished the book.
Funny that you say that Kevin, I'm already wondering if I'm going to be able to read it straight through...
I got talked into Black Lung Captain. Hoping to get into it more. Maybe I waited too long between books? Maybe I'm not in the mood?
Wait for the mood. I read most of it with a headache and still enjoyed it a lot. Pacing seems a little more cohesive than the first, and the characters continue to grow...even the cat. Somewhat.
Yeah, wait for the right mood. If you liked the first one, the second one should come off even better.
I think I was having problem remembering who was who and inbetween I watched Firefly for the first time (great show). A little confusing.
Traci wrote: "I got talked into Black Lung Captain. Hoping to get into it more. Maybe I waited too long between books? Maybe I'm not in the mood?"I also had a hard time getting into the second, but I'm about 3/4 through and it's really coming together.
Overall, though, I disagree that the pacing in this one is better. Maybe because I got so wrapped up in the first one I didn't notice much of a pacing issue, but this one's felt rather more draggy to me.
There is a lot of character growth and moments and things to like about it, though.
Well, I felt the first book dragged at the more static scenes--the episode at the monastery and especially the episode at the estate suffered from info-dump and navel gazing. I felt Wooding did a much better job of integrating the two in Black Lung. Since I've never seen Firefly, neither book suffered the comparison to the show for me.
Traci wrote: "I think I was having problem remembering who was who and in between I watched Firefly for the first time (great show). A little confusing."Have you seen the very beginning? Serenity? There were only 14 episodes with that being the premier. It makes sense fairly quick and yes, it IS a great show. I really wish they could have continued with it.
I have seen the first three episodes so far of Firefly. I think that Wooding's books are close enough in spirit to the show that I felt like the two were crossing in my mind.
Traci wrote: "I have seen the first three episodes so far of Firefly. I think that Wooding's books are close enough in spirit to the show that I felt like the two were crossing in my mind."Did you mean Whedon's comics? That's the only print matter I know of. They were his preview of the show. A trilogy and then a second trilogy with more to come.
And to be honest, although I have seen the comics, I haven't read them. But considering the control he had over the show, I imagine they would have been pretty darn close!
I believe Traci is comparing Chris Wooding's Ketty Jay novels/stories to the Firefly series... I haven't gotten to those books myself.
oh Mike, you should! I liked the second a bit more than the first, as we learned more about the characters, but they were both great action adventures in space! Very much an homage to Firefly.
I'm sorry.I was saying that Black Lung Captain was confusing to me at first because in between reading the first and second book, a series with no ties to Firefly but that others have noticed a similiarity to, I had finally watched said show and to me the similiarities were enough to be confusing.
Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "I believe Traci is comparing Chris Wooding's Ketty Jay novels/stories to the Firefly series... I haven't gotten to those books myself."Oh duh, right. The series everyone has been talking about.
I have Retribution Falls but wasn't able to get into it the first time and haven't tried since. I suppose I had better as most people think it's worth reading.
Thanks Laurel...and another series to get to, LOL. I'm like everybody here, literally hundreds of books just waiting on my shelves and library books to get through. I'm sitting here with Firefly on the TV thinking of starting a leather project. Maybe I'll turn on an audio book...I mean after I turn the TV off, not both at once...well, maybe...
Mike (the Paladin) wrote: "Thanks Laurel...and another series to get to, LOL. I'm like everybody here, literally hundreds of books just waiting on my shelves and library books to get through. I'm sitting here with Firefly on..."Good luck with that Mike! I have so many different things going...multiple books, reading my 3 year backlog of Heavy Metal, movies, Xbox 360 AND PS3 games...
Not to mention the illustration I'm supposed to have done for my nephew. It is going to be his left (?) sleeve tattoo besides an illustration that he is ALWAYS bugging me to do for him!
Be cool to see it as a tat though.
So yeah, those are my indoor projects. Won't get started on my jobs in the shop!
My aunt can watch tv and read at the same time. I don't get it. She can't get the full impact of either imo. But she does it.
I can read while there is a hockey game on. Just peak up every once in a while to catch the score...
Traci wrote: "I'm sorry.I was saying that Black Lung Captain was confusing to me at first because in between reading the first and second book, a series with no ties to Firefly but that others have noticed a si..."
I've had that problem both times, actually. I have to keep reminding myself to stop comparing, because while the overall tone and general ideas are similar, the characters do vary.
I can read if I'm not really into the TV program..or sometimes during commercials, but that can break up the book. :) LOL
Comparing anything to Firefly is pretty high praise. I might have to check it out now.
Like Colleen said it's similiar but very different too. But I do think a fan of Firefly would like it. The first one is Retribution Falls.
Thanks Traci, I added it. But so much for trying to keep my TBR under 50...
UNDER 50?!?!?!?! Excuse me as I try to halt my uncontrollable laughter...
You can do what I did when my tbr list was depressing. I broke it down between books I want to read and books I HAVE to read. My second list is a little more comforting.
Nah, I don't HAVE to do anything (when it comes to reading anyway). But come to think of it my list does not include any sequels if the book is first in a series, nor does it have any books from my favorite authors that are due to come out shortly.
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When I first heard about that series a few years ago, I got the first and second books on a 2-for-1 special at a used book store. I thought the first one was ok, and definitely had room to grow, so that's why I'm reading the second one.
I've heard from multiple sources that the series either "really takes off" after the first five books, OR really takes a crap after the first five books. I'm just really getting tired of the words Aes and Sedai.