Advice followed and appreciated as it grew into an excellent book. On the second book now and enjoying it. Once you wrap your head around the setting and world building of this "universe" the series becomes quite an enjoyable read.
Books Fantasy Reads
- Thread starter Alock1
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Advice followed and appreciated as it grew into an excellent book. On the second book now and enjoying it. Once you wrap your head around the setting and world building of this "universe" the series becomes quite an enjoyable read.
ALL THE FECKING YES. Seriously, get it, people
Seconded but just pretend it's a standalone because the sequel was super meh (at least the hundred pages I could stomach before quitting)
It's different and it takes longer to get into the meat of things but once it does it's spectacular. Personally i enjoyed all of it though
It's one of my favorite series all time!
you were bang on with City of Stairs so I might need to give it another go. I just really didn’t like Harrow (the character) which made it hard to enjoy.
I didn't like Harrow either. The "reveal" took 80% to get to what I already had guessed.
But that last 20% had so much to unpack and just upped the ante quite a lot!
I like Harrow and so i liked the build up, but as @Edgar Allan Pillow said, even if you didn't, the finale alone is worth everything that came before
So i finally got around to reading the wisdom of crowds. As always with Abercrombie, it's a fantastic book which i enjoyed immensely but the finale makes me want to both punch him in the face really hard AND beg him for a sequel 
Just finished City of Blades and it was fantastic. Kinda sad I only have one more book left with these characters as The main 3 are amazingly written. Also, the author wrote a situation common in fantasy that usually does my head in, but then did this (the actual, sensible thing) and is in my good graces forever.
Into City of Miracles right now and this might be in my top 5 favorite exchanges ever:
Mulagesh: Now, if I give you the name of the town are you going to blow up her damn house too?
Sigrud: I guarantee nothing.
Mulagesh: You know, you don’t exactly inspire confidence Sigurd.
Sigrud: I’m just being honest, but I will try.
Sigrud: I guarantee nothing.
Mulagesh: You know, you don’t exactly inspire confidence Sigurd.
Sigrud: I’m just being honest, but I will try.
Finished the Widsom of Crowds, the last book of Abercrombie. Spoilers below:
Overall, a pretty nice book. However, I was expecting this to be the final book in the saga, while instead it turns out to be the middle act and setting the scene for the next trilogy or so.
I did not see Leo's betrayal coming. The fecker.
I also did not see Rikke's final betrayal coming, though from her PoV it totally made sense, considering that she was the owl eat the lamb.
Rikke's parts were very nicely done.
King Orso dying was not nice. Probably the most decent person in the entire trilogy.
Glokta was the MVP of the book. I started thinking that he is the real mastermind behind the uprising at around middle of the book. Pike definitely did not have the intellect for that.
RIP Sulfur. The moment he entered the room, I knew that Glokta was prepared for that.
Finally a massive defeat for Bayaz, with Rikke rejecting his help, and Glokta getting the Union outside of his grip. Still think that he has a couple of tricks left, and he looked completely unphased about it and was already preparing the new pawns.
No idea about the last vision in the book. I assume one of the demons (Euz or something) returning.
I also did not see Rikke's final betrayal coming, though from her PoV it totally made sense, considering that she was the owl eat the lamb.
Rikke's parts were very nicely done.
King Orso dying was not nice. Probably the most decent person in the entire trilogy.
Glokta was the MVP of the book. I started thinking that he is the real mastermind behind the uprising at around middle of the book. Pike definitely did not have the intellect for that.
RIP Sulfur. The moment he entered the room, I knew that Glokta was prepared for that.
Finally a massive defeat for Bayaz, with Rikke rejecting his help, and Glokta getting the Union outside of his grip. Still think that he has a couple of tricks left, and he looked completely unphased about it and was already preparing the new pawns.
No idea about the last vision in the book. I assume one of the demons (Euz or something) returning.
Overall, a pretty nice book. However, I was expecting this to be the final book in the saga, while instead it turns out to be the middle act and setting the scene for the next trilogy or so.
Agree with your points. I really enojoyed the trilogy overall and, when you think he never let's the readers down when it comes to getting these books out at a decent pace, for me he's up there with the very best in the business.
I've loved everything he's ever written to be honest.
Just finished City of Miracles. My goodness what phenomenal book and trilogy. Easily jumps into my top 5, if not higher, series.
I am glad you enjoyed it. The author is writing another fantasy trilogy, The Founders Trilogy. It is good but not as good The Divine Cities.
I read The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik. It was a fun read and I feel a little bad I DNFed the second book of her Temeraire series.
I read Sunreach Skyward Flight a novella in the Skyward series by not having a clue who the MC was. It is an ok reading and I wonder how much I will miss if I skip the second novella.
Fair enough - I liked the 3rd book as it closed the story thread (satisfactorily?) and made up for the "bloody mess" of book 2. I'd give it a go mate - especially as you seem to be able to read a whole book in under an hour!
I don’t think I even finished the first one when:
she gave up her life’s goal for a quickie after being so very careful
I stopped. I felt it was a clumsy plot device to move the story in a direction it’s characters would never have gone. I have a lot of patience with authors, but very little when they override their characters established core self to correct lazy plot development.
Nice. It's in my top reads too!
I was just expecting a side story, but
surprisingly It moved the plot quite a bit. The next book ReDawn is out in next couple of days. Will let you know once in read it.
It has been on my Kindle forever I have been meaning to dig into this series I am going to for the holidays for sure.
Enjoyed every one of them. First one was the best but I don't agree with the criticism of the others.
Monster Hunter International by Larry Correia
Monsters are real. But Monster Hunting is [semi] privatized. Enter Monster Hunter International (MHI)!
This was first introduced to me as ‘pulp fantasy’. Not all plots need to be complex. Not all worlds need to be rich and fancy. Sometimes the solution is as simplistically elegant as picking up a gun and shooting a monster in the head. The author describes this as “a conglomeration of B-Movie stereotypes but tackled from the perspective tactical realism” and it’s just that.
Lots of monsters, lots of guns, lots of shooting. That's it. Popcorn fantasy! I liked it.
Nice thing is that he is gonna follow the same path as for the first trilogy. Three standalone books followed by a final trilogy.So i finally got around to reading the wisdom of crowds. As always with Abercrombie, it's a fantastic book which i enjoyed immensely but the finale makes me want to both punch him in the face really hard AND beg him for a sequel
I am totally expecting for Bayaz to ultimately win. Although with Euz returning, shit will get real and all bets are off.
These are really fun, and there's quite a few of them. Bombastic, American filled with guns and despite all that I really like them. Hard to explain!
Monster Hunter International by Larry Correia
Monsters are real. But Monster Hunting is [semi] privatized. Enter Monster Hunter International (MHI)!
This was first introduced to me as ‘pulp fantasy’. Not all plots need to be complex. Not all worlds need to be rich and fancy. Sometimes the solution is as simplistically elegant as picking up a gun and shooting a monster in the head. The author describes this as “a conglomeration of B-Movie stereotypes but tackled from the perspective tactical realism” and it’s just that.
Lots of monsters, lots of guns, lots of shooting. That's it. Popcorn fantasy! I liked it.
For Cradle fans, Reaper is out today.
Finished the Paternus trilogy. Most impressive was how he managed to tell an epic fantasy story in an urban fantasy setting,, and how he managed to weave into the supernatural mythologies from just about every past and current civilization on earth. I did find one instance* where he borrowed incorrectly from African mythology, but on the whole the trilogy was quite engaging and came to a satisfying conclusion. For those who like action, the third book (War of Gods) was very much like the final book of the Wheel of Time; almost the entire book was an epic battle between two factions of Gods. Highly recommended.
*
*
One of the supernatural beings in the 'bad' faction were Sasabonsam, which he said were vampires in African mythology. Incorrect. Sasabonsam are demons not vampires. In fact, there are no vampires at all in any African mythology
Yeah, cracking trilogy. Loved it.
Finally got around to The God is Not Willing. Feck sake, i'm broken
Erikson once again proves he's really is the best fantasy writer out there, by far
Erikson once again proves he's really is the best fantasy writer out there, by far
Just started book 3 of "The Old Kingdom" by Garth Nix and quite enjoying the series so far. Surely not as epic as many other series but quite easy to read, with nice pace and interesting enough story. Will surely finish all books.
Please tell me it is, at least somewhat, effortless experience to read than his previous Malazan works? I love his works but they are quite taxing on the mind, especially after a long day at work.
Finally got around to The God is Not Willing. Feck sake, i'm broken
Erikson once again proves he's really is the best fantasy writer out there, by far
Please tell me it is, at least somewhat, effortless experience to read than his previous Malazan works? I love his works but they are quite taxing on the mind, especially after a long day at work.
Nope. It's heartbreaking
It is however half the usual length and more fast paced. Plus the marines are awesome, Stillwater is a character for the ages, and Rant...it's impossible not to love Rant
Certainly a easier read than his earlier works but still as hard hitting.
Just starting it myself...having to get back into Malazan reading mode.
Finished the Tower of Babel series - it was pretty good. Feels like it's going to end up being a tv show one day.
Finished the Tower of Babel series - it was pretty good. Feels like it's going to end up being a tv show one day.
Yes. Need for people to read it so we can turn this into the "Stillwater appreciation thread"
How do they compare (in terms of fan appeal) to Anomander Rake and Fiddler in the original series?Stillwater is a character for the ages, and Rant...it's impossible not to love Rant
Stillwater is awesome, think she's going to be a big fan favourite. Think Smiles crossed with Iskaral Pust with big Hellian energy
Rant is one of those characters where every bad thing that happens to him feels like a knife to the heart
just, generally, you want him to be happy.So yeah, i'd say they carry quite a bit of fan appeal. Plus, for your Fiddler needs there is Spindle!
Well damn that was amazing as always. What a wonderful book, reminded me why this series remains - imo - the most impressive fantasy (or non?) work ever written.
Lads.
Consumed all the Dresden Files in the last few weeks - highly enjoyable. Liked the magician meets film noir setting quite a lot, good mix of gripping action and humour and got quite invested in a few very good characters. Flew through one after another.
This week I started and finished The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie and am nearly finished Before They Are Hanged.
Found them to be exceptional, switching character POVs seamlessly and each feels completely different in tone, not a single character that isn’t top class. Really really good so far.
Consumed all the Dresden Files in the last few weeks - highly enjoyable. Liked the magician meets film noir setting quite a lot, good mix of gripping action and humour and got quite invested in a few very good characters. Flew through one after another.
This week I started and finished The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie and am nearly finished Before They Are Hanged.
Found them to be exceptional, switching character POVs seamlessly and each feels completely different in tone, not a single character that isn’t top class. Really really good so far.
I have been re-reading the Farseer books by Robin Hobb and they are still quite fantastic. I don't think anyone else in the genre writes loneliness and depression quite as beautifully as Hobb.
For those who are interested, Leviathan Falls, the final Expanse book is out today.
Cheers!
Finished Dune.
Was a good story and well written for its time. Though I couldn't help but feel that if the story was written in POV format, it would have been a much better story to read.
Was a good story and well written for its time. Though I couldn't help but feel that if the story was written in POV format, it would have been a much better story to read.
Any idea if it lines up with the final TV season which I think also starts soon? They did an amazing job on that imo.