Tim > Recent Status Updates

ja, het wordt spannender en spannender. En ergens had ik al door dat Joe Black geen zuivere kerel was. Het frusterende is nu wel - en da's wellicht de truc - dat Alex Kava precies halve hoofdstukken schrijft. En zo maak je het wel spannend uiteraard. :P

en er zijn al een hele tris personages bijgekomen. Maar ergens mis ik soms samenhang,waarom die of die personages zoveel aandacht krijgen. Precies twee boeken door elkaar. Maar bon, het leest vlot.

eerste kennismaking met Kava. Boek leest vlot, doch soms rare vertalingen. Nuja, is NL, geen Belgisch NL.

3) Kender Stew: about a half-kender training to be a solamnic knight, yet typically kender, it doesn't really work, though the others do learn & realize what the oath and the measure are and stand for. However, Moran (trainer) gets boycotted by his friend (of the dark side), but think of an alternative way to get back at him. All in all, ok story. It's got humour & it was a little like Tas was in the story.

8 stories in total: 1) songs by Michael Williams. As before, I don't like these kinds of "stories", so I didn't read it. 2) a Solamnic Knight in Istar, sees that it's not Paladine who's worshipped, that justice is taken into own hands. He gets accused of a crime (though is innocent), has to fight his way out. Is saved by a dark elf. Fun story, nothing super.

Zeer spannend geschreven. Je moet wel je hoofd erbij houden met de verschillende personages die ten tonele verschijnen/verdwijnen en wat er zich allemaal afspeelt op =/= fronten. Ook: niet voor zwakzinnigen bij momenten. En ergens ben ik ervan overtuigd dat bepaalde handelingen al hedentendage worden uitgevoerd of geoefend. Maar we mogen het niet weten.

reading is going veeeery slow since many months. But I'm going to press on and hope to finish it before the summer of 2013. :P

first: a sorceress from a past aeon coming to the present to convert the wizards and thus restore her power. But she's again stopped by her former enemy (a good guy, obviously). Nice chapter, but it's in the next that you get to know the crew. A tale of jealousy and envy, but what goes around, comes around.

ready to read the final book, Rhialto The Marvellous.

Ofwel ligt aan m'n gemoed ofwel aan de vertaling of aan Johns manier van voorstellen, maar zo makkelijk leest het nu ook weer niet.

... or, don't seek personal revenge, because that is not going to end the circle. On the contrary, it might get worse. All in all, another nice read, though less exciting (and more nerve-wrecking) than "The Dying Earth", hence only 7/10.

Book 2 is done, "The Eyes Of The Overworld". Like I said before, I feel like kicking Cugel's ass, for everywhere he comes, he leaves a path of destruction, death, ... has no respect for customs, profites from others' actions, and yet, one can't help feel to choose his side too when he's cornered. On the other hand, in the end you sort of get the message: what goes around, comes around...

I'm now at chapter 5 of "The Eyes Of The Overworld", the second book in this omnibus. And somehow I feel like kicking Cugel's ass, for everywhere he comes, he leaves a path of destruction, death, ... and yet, one can't help feel to choose his side too when he's cornered. A strange phenomenon.

Part 1 is done: The Dying Earth. Very nice stories with almost unearthly scenes. But what did please me the most was the writing style. Very lyric, very... refreshing, one could say, in this day and age. Points of the Belgian jury: a solid 8/10.

Now onto part 2: The Eyes Of The Overworld.

to bring the old gods back, abuses Merlin, puts a curse on Ceinwyn (Derfel's wife), all to have Gwydre (Arthur's son) & Excalibur to perform the final rites. Derfel must execute those orders. No one can lift the curse, except Morgan (Merlin's former assistant). But for that Derfel has to be converted to christianity... and give up his left hand (which binds him to Nimue by a scar). Creepy stuff these final pages.

3rd part: Nimue's curse. Battle at Mynyd Baddon: Cuneglas gets killed by Liofa. Derfel, Arthur & co. defeat the Saxons, but to what cost? Arthur retires in Gwent (King Meurig), but can't get out, Meurig won't let him, wants peace in his land. King Mordred spreads rumour of his death, but assembles new army to slay the unfaithful (Arthur's gang). Derfel & Sansum are captured, can escape. Nimue wants...

1st part: The Fires of Mai Dun = basically about Merlin trying to call upon the gods of old through a ritual that involves big fires and offering of young souls. This gets prevented largely by Arthur & co. as his son is involved. Nimue is furious, vows to avenge this preventing. Part 2: Mynyd Baddon = battle of Aelle/Cerdic/Lancelot vs Arthur/Derfel/Culwch/... where only late in the story Arthur comes to the rescue.

Merlin gets humiliated by Cerdic while having found his 12th treasure of 13. He has to abandon it, as the trick failed. That night lightning strikes and all treasures he collected are gone, incl. the cauldron. He's devastated, lacks power to look for it again. Arthur wants peace between everyone and the Brotherhood is established, during which everyone must put aside quarrels with the other, incl. Lancelot & Derfel.

a wussy, afraid to fight, spoilt. Sets a deal with Cedric (peace for his/lancelot own kingdom, etc.). Arthur had not intentions for that, has to make a crude peace, though arranging things with both brothers, esp. Aelle is Cedric becomes too powerful. Lots of praise (Arthur) for the Roman skills. So far very nice writing style, choice of word, descriptions. Made me laugh a few times. :-)

Arthur heads out to war with Aelle & Cedric (Saxons). While travelling, Lancelot & co. arrive and Lancelot gets baptized so he "escapes" being ridiculed for not being a Mithras warrior. That alone is strange, the baptizing. Bishop Sansum is there too. It is then decided that Lancelot tries to slay Cedric, Arthur & Derfel go for Aelle. Bloody battle and what not, but Aelle gets beaten. Cedric not, as Lancelot is...

Derfel & Ceinwyn happily together, not Lancelot. Guinevere angry since Derfel didn't marry her sister. Anyway, he, Merlin, Nimue, Ceinwyn & some soldiers go for the sacred Cauldron. Dangerous undertaking, Dirwnach (king) threatening them, but they find it, can escape. Once back, Arthur wants Derfel to fight again.

so Palin travels back to save Steel's life. Palin gets imprisoned, robbed of his staff. All the while the Nightlord wants him & Steel dead, is better for the knighthood. Pailin did tell Ariakan about the gods fighting Chaos, doom is nigh for all. It isn't until doom indeed is there that everyone joins forces, good & evil. Meanwhile back on the island of the Irda, to which Usha, Tas & Palin went, these 3 see that all