What Are You Reading?

smacl

Just finished Fellside by Mike Carey, who wrote The girl with all the gifts. Very entertaining, though more supernatural murder mystery with a bit of orange is the new black thrown in than fantasy or sci fi. Well written though maybe a chapter too long.

ixoy

Like a few others here, currently reading "Assassin's Fate" the final book in Robin Hobb's "The Fitz and the Fool" trilogy. 20% in so far and, as expected, it's excellent. There's a faster pace than the previous novels, a sense of a strong conclusion building. The writing and characters are as wonderful as ever. It's going to be sad to say goodbye to these characters but at least it looks to be set to going out on a high.

shootermacg

Finished the warded man and moved onto the desert spear. Really enjoying the Demon Cycle series at the moment. Real page turners and a great premise.

keane2097

ixoy wrote: »

Like a few others here, currently reading "Assassin's Fate" the final book in Robin Hobb's "The Fitz and the Fool" trilogy. 20% in so far and, as expected, it's excellent. There's a faster pace than the previous novels, a sense of a strong conclusion building. The writing and characters are as wonderful as ever. It's going to be sad to say goodbye to these characters but at least it looks to be set to going out on a high.

I must give these a go again at some stage. I read the Assassin's Apprentice one and thought it wasn't bad but never carried on after.

shrapnel222

keane2097 wrote: »

I must give these a go again at some stage. I read the Assassin's Apprentice one and thought it wasn't bad but never carried on after.

i finished them and found her style a slog at times if i'm perfectly honest. i was happy to finish them although the story was great.

no doubt i'm in a minority here :pac:

keane2097

shrapnel222 wrote: »

i finished them and found her style a slog at times if i'm perfectly honest. i was happy to finish them although the story was great.

no doubt i'm in a minority here :pac:

Maybe I won't bother so. I'm intent on getting onto your Galactic Milieu series soon, have read practically nothing this year so far

Nody

shrapnel222 wrote: »

i finished them and found her style a slog at times if i'm perfectly honest. i was happy to finish them although the story was great.

no doubt i'm in a minority here :pac:

You're not alone; I read the first two shipper series and I really, really was bored with the world and the writing.

smacl

keane2097 wrote: »

I must give these a go again at some stage. I read the Assassin's Apprentice one and thought it wasn't bad but never carried on after.

Just started into the Assassin's Apprentice so I'll see how it goes. Bought the trilogy as a bundle, so hoping I get on with it.

david75

smacl wrote: »

Just started into the Assassin's Apprentice so I'll see how it goes. Bought the trilogy as a bundle, so hoping I get on with it.

Stick with it. She's probably the best out there. Love these books deeply.

keane2097

smacl wrote: »

Just started into the Assassin's Apprentice so I'll see how it goes. Bought the trilogy as a bundle, so hoping I get on with it.

I think I remember saying at the time that I didn't think there was enough assassinations or apprenticing in it.

david75

Both kick up a notch in the following two books but there is loads of apprenticing though:)

She writes so beautifully and the way she's mapped out all the numerous threads over 9 books and extended out into her rain wilds and city of dragons books I'm happy to call her a master world builder.

You can not read those other series and not miss out but if you do it adds so many more layers.

Stick to the farseer/ assassin books to start off with though.

Trojan

I started Girl With All the Gifts but reading interrupted by release of the latest Ishmael Wang - To Fire Called - from the Tales of the Solar Clipper series.

shootermacg

david75 wrote: »

Stick with it. She's probably the best out there. Love these books deeply.

They were fine although, the lead character is bit of a kill joy (which is explained in book 2 or 3), such a doom and gloom type of guy. I did enjoy the fool though. All in all, worth a read, but nowhere near a great read... 6.5 out of 10.

keane2097

david75 wrote: »

Both kick up a notch in the following two books but there is loads of apprenticing though:)

Maybe it was too much apprentice, not enough assassin - something like that anyway!

shootermacg

keane2097 wrote: »

Maybe it was too much apprentice, not enough assassin - something like that anyway!

Very little assassination too.

Trojan

shootermacg wrote: »

They were fine although, the lead character is bit of a kill joy (which is explained in book 2 or 3), such a doom and gloom type of guy. I did enjoy the fool though. All in all, worth a read, but nowhere near a great read... 6.5 out of 10.

You're not the only one, I wasn't crazy about them. First series was ok, but went downhill. As for that Soldier's Son series... horrible.

Maybe I'm too much of a traditionalist.

david75

Thing to remember about fitz in the assassins books. He's a teenager. Who very legitimately feels put upon and hard done by. But he is horribly put upon and hard done by AND illegitimate! And certain members of the Royal family don't let him forget and see him as a threat and treat him abysmally.

I'd ask anyone starting these books to keep at them. It's so worth it by the end. His relationship with nighteyes and the fool have me in tears and laughing out loud at all points.


I might be biased but she dethroned my favourite fantasy authors with these books.

shootermacg

david75 wrote: »

Thing to remember about fitz in the assassins books. He's a teenager. Who very legitimately feels put upon and hard done by. But he is horribly put upon and hard done by AND illegitimate! And certain members of the Royal family don't let him forget and see him as a threat and treat him abysmally.

I'd ask anyone starting these books to keep at them. It's so worth it by the end. His relationship with nighteyes and the fool have me in tears and laughing out loud at all points.


I might be biased but she dethroned my favourite fantasy authors with these books.

The only book that made me laugh was IT by Stephen King.

Buford T. Justice XIX

david75 wrote: »

Thing to remember about fitz in the assassins books. He's a teenager. Who very legitimately feels put upon and hard done by. But he is horribly put upon and hard done by AND illegitimate! And certain members of the Royal family don't let him forget and see him as a threat and treat him abysmally.

I'd ask anyone starting these books to keep at them. It's so worth it by the end. His relationship with nighteyes and the fool have me in tears and laughing out loud at all points.


I might be biased but she dethroned my favourite fantasy authors with these books.

And his character hasn't developed one jot by the time the current series starts. He is EXACTLY the same character he was as a teenager even after decades of life passes, I just found the fact his mentality being the exact same as decades before, despite living a very colourful life, a tad unbelievable. I just left that book down and haven't picked it up again, something I have only done once or twice before.

Doubt I'll change my mind either but that's just me.

Trojan

The thing about the latest series is you could rip the first book in two and chuck away the first part, because absolutely nothing of any import happens. I tried, I really did

Then again, I'm currently reading the latest of Nathan Howell's Ishmael Wang books (which start with Quarter Share, etc), and you'd be right in saying that they're slow. Glacially so! But I love it.

Isn't it great that there's so much diversity in books to meet all our reading tastes?

david75

Buford T. Justice V wrote: »

And his character hasn't developed one jot by the time the current series starts. He is EXACTLY the same character he was as a teenager even after decades of life passes, I just found the fact his mentality being the exact same as decades before, despite living a very colourful life, a tad unbelievable. I just left that book down and haven't picked it up again, something I have only done once or twice before.

Doubt I'll change my mind either but that's just me.

That's not entirely true. He's actually worse. He's a study is depression and self loathing almost but certainly tired of it all and him having to be the catalyst. Him being the catalyst is central to understanding him. He doesn't want it. It's thrust upon him. This final trilogy is him reacting to that once and for all and putting an end to it.

machalla

david75 wrote: »

That's not entirely true. He's actually worse. He's a study is depression and self loathing almost but certainly tired of it all and him having to be the catalyst. Him being the catalyst is central to understanding him. He doesn't want it. It's thrust upon him. This final trilogy is him reacting to that once and for all and putting an end to it.

I've never read these but this sounds entirely like the Thomas Convenant series in terms of a self loathing character who rejects his "destiny".

ixoy

machalla wrote: »

I've never read these but this sounds entirely like the Thomas Convenant series in terms of a self loathing character who rejects his "destiny".

Fitz is nowhere near the level of Covenant's self hatred. I don't think Fitz hates himself but instead is harsh on his actions. He's believably flawed which is one of the reasons I enjoy his character.

Fian

Finished Toll the hounds. Really enjoyed it.

Started "old man's war".

I need a break from erikson between books, they are just so dense/complex.

keane2097

Yeah Assassin's Apprentice wasn't even on the spectrum of 'unreadable' that Thomas Covenant was anyway whatever about the rest of them.

ednwireland

Just got fleet of worlds. Ordered rest of series. Finished protector / ringworld. Bit of a niven reader at the moment.

Buford T. Justice XIX

david75 wrote: »

That's not entirely true. He's actually worse. He's a study is depression and self loathing almost but certainly tired of it all and him having to be the catalyst. Him being the catalyst is central to understanding him. He doesn't want it. It's thrust upon him. This final trilogy is him reacting to that once and for all and putting an end to it.

I won't be finding out, Fitz now tops my list of the most annoying character ever in a novel. And by some distance too.

beauf

saneman wrote: »

After the Expanse series I was struggling to find an author that ticked similar boxes so thanks for putting Marko Kloos on my radar. After the first book I was hooked and I've thoroughly enjoyed the series so far. Will be checking out Fields of Fire asap.

Thanks for this. Just finished the last Frontlines book.

beauf

machalla wrote: »

I finished off Fields of Fire Frontlines 5 the other day. As ever an easy read that mostly kept bouncing along at a decent pace. I would say the first 50% was a bit slower than typical for this series. Not too much navel gazing but still contemplative and the exact opposite of gung-ho military fantasy. I look forward to the story progressing even further. This one has been a milestone in the series in terms of events.

I'm still reading the witcher books (slow going at the moment).

I've noticed The Legends of the First Empire "epic" fantasy series seems to be getting good reviews. Any opinions would be welcome on it before I waste time on it.

I hate these plodding never ending series, with readers needing to take notes to track plot and characters. If its any good I might take the plunge. Thanks.

What I liked about the frontlines. Was that it was simple. Few characters.

I really dislike books that have massive cast.

coffee_cake

I actually felt that fitz had matured a lot with age!