What Are You Reading?

Ave Sodalis

The slog happens around book 7. They do pick up again though!

Nody

Ave Sodalis wrote: »

The slog happens around book 7. They do pick up again though!

Book 10 or 11; they do a whole book of 1 chapter per person basically and literally nothing happens to move the plot forward.

Ave Sodalis

Nody wrote:

Book 10 or 11; they do a whole book of 1 chapter per person basically and literally nothing happens to move the plot forward.

Oh yeah, the slog spans several books, not just book 7.

smacl

You're not selling it to me guys, 11 books at least two of which appear tedious and some of the others are hit and miss.

Haven't been reading as much sci-fi of late but finished 'A Closed and Common Orbit' which I thoroughly enjoyed and have started 'Record of a Spaceborn Few'. The first two books were quite different from one another, same universe with very few common characters and I'm hoping this keeps up for the third which is looking to be the case. I do enjoy the warmth in Becky Chambers writing even though her critics think it unbearably smug, each to their own I guess.

Nody

smacl wrote: »

You're not selling it to me guys, 11 books at least two of which appear tedious and some of the others are hit and miss.

Well we're simply warning you of what's to come; if you think now is bad it is not going to get better basically. The only saving grace is that there is an actual ending but once again you're not going to walk away and go "Wow, best series / ending ever!" (and excluding a ton of sub plots which are simply dropped along the way) and about the only reason to complete it is because a) you're invested previously by reading majority of it or b) want to read the longest fantasy series. It's not a defining book like LoTR or Dune or a amazing series like Dune (original).

coffee_cake

I honestly loved it overall, serious world building etc

Ave Sodalis

smacl wrote: »

You're not selling it to me guys, 11 books at least two of which appear tedious and some of the others are hit and miss.

It's one of the greatest fantasy series ever put down on paper. At the end of it, I felt lost and empty because there were no more pages left. Mat becomes my favourite character out of any book. Sanderson takes over for the last 3 books, after Jordan's death and it divided fans a bit, but I enjoyed his contribution.

Buford T. Justice XIX

bluewolf wrote: »

I honestly loved it overall, serious world building etc

It's a fantastic world alright and would love to read something based there again.

But the characters reached a certain point at about book 5 or 6 and never developed beyond that, I felt. I have find memories of the books but I doubt I'd ever read them again.

Thargor

I'm definitely enjoying it anyway, I have a few days coming up due to a production shutdown at work and I always absolutely chew through books on those days.

divide_by_zero

Nody wrote: »

Book 10 or 11; they do a whole book of 1 chapter per person basically and literally nothing happens to move the plot forward.

It's book 11, I'm just reading it.

keane2097

Wheel of Time is so bad

Trojan

It's all about context. When it came out, those first few books were some of the most amazing stuff on the market. Now in hindsight and with the context of the later books, investing time into reading it is a different call.

I still reckon you're missing out if you're a fan of fantasy and haven't read it.

shootermacg

On the last book of The Red Queen's War trilogy: The Wheel of Osheim. I wouldn't bother starting the series, book one was good but it's been pretty much down hill from there. It's not terrible, but starts to drag as it goes on.

On the other hand his Book of the Ancestor series is very good, a real page turner as is the The Broken Empire trilogy once it gets to book two.

Nody

shootermacg wrote: »

On the last book of The Red Queen's War trilogy: The Wheel of Osheim. I wouldn't bother starting the series, book one was good but it's been pretty much down hill from there. It's not terrible, but starts to drag as it goes on.

On the other hand his Book of the Ancestor series is very good, a real page turner as is the The Broken Empire trilogy once it gets to book two.

I think my summary at the time was that it was only worth it if you wanted more world information; you'll find in book 3 a lot more background information to how the world became what it is but it's definitely weaker than The Broken Empire trilogy.

batgoat

So, on Morning Star of The Red Rising series. Just past halfway and the series just feels like it's beginning to drag at this point.

Really beginning to see the complaint about Darrow being perfection. Eg being trapped in a table for a year is an optimal moment to drag him down. Instead it became a moment where he rebuilds himself within 30 seconds.

I'm doubtful on if I'll bother with the fourth one.

shootermacg

batgoat wrote: »

So, on Morning Star of The Red Rising series. Just past halfway and the series just feels like it's beginning to drag at this point.

Really beginning to see the complaint about Darrow being perfection. Eg being trapped in a table for a year is an optimal moment to drag him down. Instead it became a moment where he rebuilds himself within 30 seconds.

I'm doubtful on if I'll bother with the fourth one.

I enjoyed all the books.

nhur

Trojan wrote: »

It's all about context. When it came out, those first few books were some of the most amazing stuff on the market. Now in hindsight and with the context of the later books, investing time into reading it is a different call.

I still reckon you're missing out if you're a fan of fantasy and haven't read it.

100% agree with this

Reading Ancillary Justice atm. Pretty good so far (about 80% in)... Sci-fi focusing on empire and cultures with a good main thread following several solid characters

lordgoat

divide_by_zero wrote: »

It's book 11, I'm just reading it.

Is that Path of Daggers? I stopped here and have never gone back. Great start and then went off the rails. got very boring imo. No inclination ever to go back.

nhur wrote: »

100% agree with this

Reading Ancillary Justice atm. Pretty good so far (about 80% in)... Sci-fi focusing on empire and cultures with a good main thread following several solid characters

I loved this series. Really enjoyed it once I got into it.

Sleepy

Currently reading The Magicians' Guild by Trudi Canavan.

I enjoyed the prequel "The Magician's Apprentice" last year and finally got around to getting the main series a few weeks back. Good so far.

Thargor

Sleepy wrote: »

Currently reading The Magicians' Guild by Trudi Canavan.

I enjoyed the prequel "The Magician's Apprentice" last year and finally got around to getting the main series a few weeks back. Good so far.

I thought they were just the most bland fantasy I'd ever read and dropped them after one book. Generic Magicians guild, generic thieves guild, generic fantasy town, generic fantasy plot, nothing new or interesting whatsoever.

wyrn

Sleepy wrote: »

Currently reading The Magicians' Guild by Trudi Canavan.

I enjoyed the prequel "The Magician's Apprentice" last year and finally got around to getting the main series a few weeks back. Good so far.

Loved the main series absolutely hated the sequel. Hated what Trudi did to the characters.

Sleepy

Thargor wrote: »

I thought they were just the most bland fantasy I'd ever read and dropped them after one book. Generic Magicians guild, generic thieves guild, generic fantasy town, generic fantasy plot, nothing new or interesting whatsoever.

A fair criticism of what I've seen so far...

Not everything has to be innovative and different though, sometimes it's nice to read the equivalent of a "popcorn movie".

Paddy Samurai

Thargor wrote: »

I thought they were just the most bland fantasy I'd ever read and dropped them after one book. Generic Magicians guild, generic thieves guild, generic fantasy town, generic fantasy plot, nothing new or interesting whatsoever.

Same here ,read book one when it came out and never went back.

pixelburp

pixelburp wrote: »

Started Becky Chambers' latest, "Record of a Spaceborn Few"; like the previous follow-up it's only tangential to "A Long Way to a Small Angry Planet", this time set aboard the Exodan Fleet (think Battlestar Galactica, if they weren't being hounded and never found a 'home' planet).

As with her other work, there's a deep humanity and gentle heart at the centre of Chambers' writing that sets it apart, I don't think there's a cynical bone in her stories at all. There is a slightly more bittersweet, contemplative tone this time mind you, being as it is set within a fleet of dwindling migrant ships, and one of the main characters being an 'archivist' (in effect an undertaker who takes care of, and composts, the remains of loved ones)

Making heavy weather of this, and TBH had to put it down for a while in favour of something with more drive: while all of the above I mentioned remains true in the book's tone, it's a much more aimless and unstructured novel than the last two. The first had a definite, literal journey onboard the Wayfarer, ditto the second coupled with the emotional journey of Lovelace the AI; this third book doesn't seem to be going anywhere, with no sign of any arc or plot that might drive its ensemble forward.

kirk buttercup

The Name of the wind

shrapnel222

kirk buttercup wrote: »

The Name of the wind

that's just mean!

pretty sure almost everyone in this thread has read it and is still waiting for the 3rd instalment 10 years on.

thanks for reminding us! :pac::(

lordgoat

kirk buttercup wrote: »

The Name of the wind

Enjoy the wait for the end of this story.

Finished Book 1 of the Malazan, third time trying to finish it. Loved it. Smashing end to it.

Thargor

lordgoat wrote: »

Enjoy the wait for the end of this story.

Finished Book 1 of the Malazan, third time trying to finish it. Loved it. Smashing end to it.

Book 1 is the veg you have to eat to get to the meat

You have some great moments ahead of you, must force myself to reread it soon, Ive forgotten more than I remember.

lordgoat

Thargor wrote: »

Book 1 is the veg you have to eat to get to the meat

You have some great moments ahead of you, must force myself to reread it soon, Ive forgotten more than I remember.

Already onto book 2, only annoying this is these books are so long my target of 25 for 2019 is in doubt!

smacl

pixelburp wrote: »

Making heavy weather of this, and TBH had to put it down for a while in favour of something with more drive: while all of the above I mentioned remains true in the book's tone, it's a much more aimless and unstructured novel than the last two. The first had a definite, literal journey onboard the Wayfarer, ditto the second coupled with the emotional journey of Lovelace the AI; this third book doesn't seem to be going anywhere, with no sign of any arc or plot that might drive its ensemble forward.

Very much the same. About a third of the way in and finding it all a bit dull, having loved the first two books. Hoping it will improve, but picked up a copy of 'How Long 'til Black Future Month?' as something to read in between if it becomes too much of a slog.