Nate > Recent Status Updates

Can anyone tell me why the hell the Mysorean army is even bothering to use rockets? They're bright and loud but Cornwell seems to describe them as way less effective than a musket.

This is really fun so far. Man-eating tigers, espionage, floggings, guys in tiger-stripe uniforms riding around stabbing people with lances...great fun. I can already see why Sharpe's such a charismatic and popular character. I'm doing my best not to picture him as Sean Bean.

Man. Hakeswill is fucking vile. I love how easily Cornwell thinks up these reprehensible villains.

"Drunken oblivion was, each time, a small, temporary death. Hood walked where the self once stood, and the wake of the god's passage sickened mortal flesh afterwards." Gamet has the best conception of hangovers ever.

When did moccasins become the fashion among Malazans? I seriously don't remember so many people wearing them in the other books. Sub-question: Why did I notice this/care?

I love how the Bridgeburners are coming off like Navy SEALS with wizards in this passage.

Man, the concept of the Tenescowri is horribly disturbing.

I've been wanting to get back to this series for a long time. Can't wait to see what happens next.

Okay I think the number of character names that start with "Æthel" is seriously reaching critical mass.

Digging the relative change of pace for this series. Seems moodier and creepier for some reason.

Uhtred Uhtredson: Calling bullshit since 857™

Ugh. Ramsay.

Thanks Terri.

I'm not reading this on a fucking Kindle, Goodreads. Why can I not change this?

Good to see that Cornwell still has a way with villains. Only 80 pages in and I already hate like 300 people.

Welp. Just found out my copy of this is missing like 60 pages so this one's gonna go in the on-hold pile.

It's funny how much Cornwell glosses over the sex in these books. There's no shortage of ripped guts and horrible wounds to the throat but the sex scenes basically play out like something from a tame PG-13 movie. For someone who obviously doesn't like Judeo-Christian hangups he certainly seems to have one.

I'm sure the Danes will be perfectly happy with Alfred's peace offering and everyone will live happily ever after.

This one seems to be moving a little faster than Lords of the North‚ I'm enjoying it.

For some reason I'm getting a hunch there's gonna be some kind of argument or conflict regarding London. Just a hunch.

So refreshing to see Uhtred finally developing some kind of moral compass that doesn't solely hinge on the desire to gain stuff for himself.

The dynamic between Uhtred and Arthur is giving this story some nice depth. They could definitely both learn a lot from each other.

Uhh, yeah. That thing that Uhtred just did was pretty reprehensible. And yet, I find a part of myself rooting for him. I think people sometimes write Cornwell off as an adventure writer, but he has some pretty complex characterization going on.

This is engrossing. Cornwell obviously knows what he's writing about and using individual characters as vehicles for exploring history always works well for me.

I can already see why people seem to like Coltaine so much. It's thrilling to see someone react so aggressively against the almost uniform acceptance of apathy that exists in Erikson's world towards murder and rape and all that stuff.

It's fascinating to read Zappa's thoughts on the mechanics of music and his experiences with getting his music played by orchestras. Despite that, I wish I was getting to know the man himself a little better through reading this.

Thank god this book finally got interesting. Hopefully the next one's a little more exciting.

It's sad, but I'm looking forward to finishing this book.

Well, I asked for more Brienne when I was reading Clash of Kings and I got it.