I am in a conference and then travelling a bit so most likely won't be able to start it until 15th of December. You cnuts will have finished it by then.
You should get on this quickly. I've read half this is as good as Nemesis Games.
Books Fantasy Reads
- Thread starter Alock1
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You should get on this quickly. I've read half this is as good as Nemesis Games.
Got it today. Hope my lady Chrisjen is kicking all kinds of asses in this.
You'd be surprised...in more ways than one! RAFO
I take it that the Strange Dogs novella, which is supposed to be set after Babylon's Ashes, is not a required reading before starting this.
Never even heard of it. going by what I read so far, there are no gaps in history, so I presume no.
Excellent!
Finished Persepolis Rising. Loved it. I rate this as good as Nemesis Games, probably the best two books in whole series.
I'm surprised at the plot and the authors abilities to take this away from expected and keep it interesting. I thought store may get a bit stale, but here I am .... Cursing the wait till next book.
I'll discuss plot spoilers once some of you also finish this...
I'm surprised at the plot and the authors abilities to take this away from expected and keep it interesting. I thought store may get a bit stale, but here I am .... Cursing the wait till next book.
I'll discuss plot spoilers once some of you also finish this...
Finished Persepolis Rising - Book 7 of the Expanse Series. Fecking love this series.
Initially, I was skeptical of how the 3 decade long time jump will hamper the narrative. But on completion I kinda get why they had to show such a long time jump.
Also, missed that the kid of Dr. Elvi Okaye met Drummer early in the books. Wonder if its the same research that his mom was doing.
Kinda feel like I have to read the earlier books again or the relevant part from Cibola Burn and Abbadon's Gate.
Also, missed that the kid of Dr. Elvi Okaye met Drummer early in the books. Wonder if its the same research that his mom was doing.
Kinda feel like I have to read the earlier books again or the relevant part from Cibola Burn and Abbadon's Gate.
I still wait for a slight discount on Persepolis Rising.
Another 2 days of waiting for me. Will get this on Friday, and considering the jet lag, I will get Friday off work and just read this. Yipes!
I was kinda expecting this. The last book tied things a bit too nicely and I was wondering how it'd go forward.
I like it that James Holden is more like a side story and appears more vulnerable than heroic. The mind workings of Amos and Bobby are fascinating and quite novel.
Can't wait for the next one.
I like it that James Holden is more like a side story and appears more vulnerable than heroic. The mind workings of Amos and Bobby are fascinating and quite novel.
Can't wait for the next one.
Starting Hyperion.
Should I be reading all the books? or like Dune I should stick to the first book only?
Should I be reading all the books? or like Dune I should stick to the first book only?
Finished Persepolis Rising. It is the best book after Nemesis Games and probably Caliban's War.
The three decade jump was necessary, but I felt that the characters looked exactly the same as they were 3 decades ago, which IMO isn't a sign of good writing. It almost looked that nothing has changed.
How is the deal with people's age? They looked physically fit, especially Bobbie and Amos who should be in their sixties. Alex should be eighty or so, but his age didn't seem a problem. Do humans live significantly longer and are far fitter than they are now? If so, how did Frank Johnson died from a heart attack last book? Didn't he had medicine like the rest of people?
It would be very interesting to see how will the time jump affect the TV show.
I miss Avasarela. She is my favorite character and her role was so small on this. On the other hand, this was the only role she could have had in the book.
I like where this is going. Always wanted for this to end with a clash against the destroyers of the proto-molecule masters, and it looks that the final two books will be all about that. The Duarte-Holden epilogue was really great.
Talking about Holden, I am hoping that he will have a bigger role in the next book.
Duarte doesn't look that bad. We still don't know much of him, but he looks more like a benevolent dictator who is doing all of this to save humanity (of course, the costs on doing that are terrible), rather than a power-hungry tyrant like the antagonist of the last two books. Of course, him actually unleashing/helping Inaros which resulted in a few billion deaths taints his character, but we will see how things go. If this was the only way to save humanity, then it is an interesting moral dilemma.
Singh was the typical scared little man who is in a position way higher than he should be, and who does wrong after wrong decision. It is probably the type of characters I despise most, and really overused in fantasy/sci-fi saga.
A fit ending for Clarissa.
How is the deal with people's age? They looked physically fit, especially Bobbie and Amos who should be in their sixties. Alex should be eighty or so, but his age didn't seem a problem. Do humans live significantly longer and are far fitter than they are now? If so, how did Frank Johnson died from a heart attack last book? Didn't he had medicine like the rest of people?
It would be very interesting to see how will the time jump affect the TV show.
I miss Avasarela. She is my favorite character and her role was so small on this. On the other hand, this was the only role she could have had in the book.
I like where this is going. Always wanted for this to end with a clash against the destroyers of the proto-molecule masters, and it looks that the final two books will be all about that. The Duarte-Holden epilogue was really great.
Talking about Holden, I am hoping that he will have a bigger role in the next book.
Duarte doesn't look that bad. We still don't know much of him, but he looks more like a benevolent dictator who is doing all of this to save humanity (of course, the costs on doing that are terrible), rather than a power-hungry tyrant like the antagonist of the last two books. Of course, him actually unleashing/helping Inaros which resulted in a few billion deaths taints his character, but we will see how things go. If this was the only way to save humanity, then it is an interesting moral dilemma.
Singh was the typical scared little man who is in a position way higher than he should be, and who does wrong after wrong decision. It is probably the type of characters I despise most, and really overused in fantasy/sci-fi saga.
A fit ending for Clarissa.
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The second book is a must, cause the first book doesn't finish its story.
The third and fourth book (Endyminion saga) have a new (though very related) story, taking place several centuries later. I think that the final book of the saga (Rise of Endyminon) is fantastic and has the best ever climax in any book I have ever read, but I think that most of people are divided in this, and a lot of them don't really like it.
I would recommend to read all four books (third book is a bit boring though), but at the very least, you should read the first two.
Like Revan said, you need to read book 2 if you read book 1.
The same goes for books 3 and 4.
@Revan
I felt otherwise. For me, the characters felt more matured and tired/weary. Holden and Naomi making plans for sunset, Bobby wanting to be captain. Amos's lot more mercurial than he ever was. Only Alex kinda felt the same, but then I expect his character to be the same flight jockey even if he dies of old age in the cockpit. The spark that was Hodlen felt extinguished.
Agree on Avasarala. Drummer feels a very weak character to replace the stalwart.
The book felt like a scene setter, building foundation for the events to come. Now I get a strong feeling that Holden/Naomi will die at the end. Maybe Amos too. Bobby and Alex will survive.
I felt otherwise. For me, the characters felt more matured and tired/weary. Holden and Naomi making plans for sunset, Bobby wanting to be captain. Amos's lot more mercurial than he ever was. Only Alex kinda felt the same, but then I expect his character to be the same flight jockey even if he dies of old age in the cockpit. The spark that was Hodlen felt extinguished.
Agree on Avasarala. Drummer feels a very weak character to replace the stalwart.
The book felt like a scene setter, building foundation for the events to come. Now I get a strong feeling that Holden/Naomi will die at the end. Maybe Amos too. Bobby and Alex will survive.
The first book is an all time great, the second book is worth reading just to tie up the plot. Personally I thought the quality really dropped with books 3 and 4, I wouldn't recommend them unless you're desperate for more of the same universe.
Re: The bolded bit in the spoiler
Yes. Medical advancement seems to help people live longer. Avasarala herself is over 100 years and she mentions getting a new lung or liver (cant remember which it was).
Started Name of the Wind off the back of this thread. Well I say started, I'm 80% of the way through it already. Really good read so far - especially the first half. The current love story angle is tiring a bit.
I have. It was an enjoyable read. Not as good as the original trilogy of course (though I must have been younger than 13/14 when I first read those so hardly an objective view)
@The Bloody-Nine Any recommendation for gritty books centering around a war, in the style of Watson or Abercrombie? Lesser-known authors would be good.
Funny you should ask. That's the kind of thing I've been on the look out for. I was looking for a while yesterday and found some titles, though I haven't read them yet. My search parameters were Abercrombie / grim dark.
Herald of the Storm (Steelhaven: Book One)
The Braided Path: The Weavers Of Saramyr
Malice (The Faithful and The Fallen Series Book 1)
If anyone else has read them maybe they could chip in?
Yesterday I bought Kingkiller 2 and Kings of the Wylde.
Herald of the Storm (Steelhaven: Book One)
The Braided Path: The Weavers Of Saramyr
Malice (The Faithful and The Fallen Series Book 1)
If anyone else has read them maybe they could chip in?
Yesterday I bought Kingkiller 2 and Kings of the Wylde.
Unfortunately it's the same sort of thing in the second book. Still a top read though.
That's a great list, I think I have recommended most of those books in this thread, but no one has read them AFAIK. It's a shame because outside of Sanderson et al there are a lot of very good, lesser known fantasy authors. The only book I didn't like on your list was Malice. I just couldn't get into it.
TBP and Steelhaven are trilogies and I think you will like them. You will definitely like Steelhaven.
Kings of the Wyld was one of my favourite books of 2017, I recommended it to all my friends but not one of them liked to. So I guess it's the marmite of books. Would be interested to see what you think. The second comes out next year (about the same time as the sequel to You Die When You Die if I remember correctly. Should be a good month).
I decided to read Blackwing in he end. Tried to read it a while a go but couldn't get into it, but I'll give it a second shot.
I still haven't read You Die When You Die. Keep meaning to. Right, that's it, I'm off to buy it now, no more faffing.
I honestly think I preferred it to the Age or Iron books. It was a bit of a slow starter (and actually took me a while to realise where it was set) but by the end I didn't want to put it down. The second book should be absolutely fantastic.
Chronicles of the Raven
Powder Mage trilogy
are good war themed books.
Powder Mage trilogy
are good war themed books.
I was going to suggest The Powdermage Trilogy but I'm not sure it's what Smashed is after. Also, I read the newest one and didn't really like it which has made me doubt my opinion on the original trilogy, which I thought was very good at the time.
I've read Powedermage, I liked it. But I'm not sure how I feel about James Barclay. I read a short of his once (from the Legends: Stories in Honour of David Gemmell book) and I thought Barclay's stood out as the worst in a whole collection of bad stories. I really didn't enjoy it. It kinda read like Neverwinter fanfiction from someone who spends far too long playing Bioware games.
EDIT: Just looked up the short and apparently it's actually a story telling the 'origins of the Raven', which I guess is the basis for Chronicles of the Raven books, so his books are probably not for me.
EDIT: Just looked up the short and apparently it's actually a story telling the 'origins of the Raven', which I guess is the basis for Chronicles of the Raven books, so his books are probably not for me.
If you like Steampunk war books, Aeronaut's Windlass is a good one. Just first book of trilogy...but very good as a standalone too.
Black Company is another obvious choice.
Black Company is another obvious choice.
I've only ever read one steampunk series, Tales of Ketty Jay by Chris Wooding (who wrote The Braided Path). I enjoyed it, even though it's not a genre I would usually seek out.
Oh Black Company is a good shout, I've been meaning to check out those books for a long time.
Oh Black Company is a good shout, I've been meaning to check out those books for a long time.
Same here. Although someone put me off them in this thread. I can't recall why.
I liked it too. Not really the pinnacle of the series, but nevertheless a good read.
As to Black Company, Books of North are very good, drags slightly in South and picks up pace in Glittering Stones. I think it has one of my favourite finales in fantasy!
Yep, agree with this. It is an amazing saga to be fair, must read.
I finished reading Blood Song the other day. For a book of it's length it surprisingly lacked a hell of the lot of depth. All these things happened and you're just there thinking why. Weird book - not sure I'll bother with the rest of the series unfortunately.
Luckily though Oathbreaker has been released so I've got that beast to chug through next.
Luckily though Oathbreaker has been released so I've got that beast to chug through next.
I tried The Way of Kings. Gave up yesterday after 150 pages or so. I have decided that I don't like Sanderson.
Read all 3. Loved them.
I'm with you on that. For me he's great at creating stories, just not telling them.
The Mistborn ones I enjoyed.
How can one not like classic Epic fantasy? 