Yeh I quite enjoyed Prince of Thorns becuase of that. It was a nice shift away from your typical lead character. Other books in the series are fairly decent as well, though not without flaws.
I'm currently taking a break between book 9 and 10 of The Wheel of Time, and am currently reading The Broken Eye, which is the third book in the Lightbringer series, by the same author as the Night Angel Trilogy recommended earlier in the thread.
Highly recommend Peter V. Brett's Demon Cycle trilogy. Although the fourth book isn't out until next year. Is there anything more painful than waiting for the next book installment of a series you're heavily into?
Highly recommend Peter V. Brett's Demon Cycle trilogy. Although the fourth book isn't out until next year. Is there anything more painful than waiting for the next book installment of a series you're heavily into?
That fell apart, horribly. I had all of my stuff stolen and had to return home before I even started. Lost a small fortune! Saving up for round two now, hopefully I can get out there for Christmas but it doesn't look promising. I lost everything. Still, I've had plenty of time to read at least!
That fell apart, horribly. I had all of my stuff stolen and had to return home before I even started. Lost a small fortune! Saving up for round two now, hopefully I can get out there for Christmas but it doesn't look promising. I lost everything. Still, I've had plenty of time to read at least!
I have finished Words of Radiance. Pleasant reading though I forgot lot of the first book. At least the 3rd book is suposed to be out next year. But I found the conversations between the two main characters not really natural.
I have finished too Throne of glass, a YA fantasy book. Terrible writing, one of the worst written YA I have read.
I'm about half way through the 4th book (Shadow Rising). Did anyone else get annoyed at the number of times Jordan repeats certain descriptions? It's doing my head in. I know Rand thinks Mat and Perrin are better with girls and that Perrin thinks Mat and Rand are better with girls. There's no need no repeat this virtually every time they have a PoV chapter! And Nynaeve repeatedly tugging her braid! It's wonder she hasn't pulled her hair out.
That aside I'm liking the series so far. The world building, the scale, characters and the different PoV's are all great even if the plot is on the slower side. I hope books 7-10 are not as terrible as many insist they are
I'm about half way through the 4th book (Shadow Rising). Did anyone else get annoyed at the number of times Jordan repeats certain descriptions? It's doing my head in. I know Rand thinks Mat and Perrin are better with girls and that Perrin thinks Mat and Rand are better with girls. There's no need no repeat this virtually every time they have a PoV chapter! And Nynaeve repeatedly tugging her braid! It's wonder she hasn't pulled her hair out.
That aside I'm liking the series so far. The world building, the scale, characters and the different PoV's are all great even if the plot is on the slower side. I hope books 7-10 are not as terrible as many insist they are
Thanks to Alock1 (or is it now @Warlock1) fore recommending me to read A Raven's Shadow books. I read them during the end of July. And I loved them.
Blood Song is a fantastic book in every aspect. It is the closest thing I have ever seen to Name of The Wind (although Ryan says that he hasn't read Name of The Wind), although there are many differences. The protagonist, Vaelin Al Sorna is a great protagonist, and is as good as Kvothe. Even better, he doesn't have Kvothe's arrogance, so he's a better boy. Similarity to A Name of The Wind, the book is written using only a POV and follows Vaelin's life from his early age until he is an adult and becomes the biggest hero, most fearsome warrior and arguably the greatest swordmaster in the history of his country. As I said, the book has a similar structure to Rothfuss' book, with Vaelin telling his story to a chronicler, and by the end of the book his story reaches the time when he is telling it. It also has one of the best ending in any book I have ever read. And boy, there are a lot of fantasy moments in this book.
Question: Why Vaelin always talks bad words for the princess? I didn't fully understood that. Is that a way of protecting himself for not falling in love with her or what? She is manipulative, but also she has her people's interest on heart, which is also what Vaelin wants. Also, her sacrificing Vaelin for her brother – the new king – and thousands or prisoners is totally fine for Vaelin.
Rating: 8 out of 10
Tower Lord is the second book on the trilogy and the story is set immediately after the end of the first book. However the book is very different, having another three points of view (one of them a new character). The main topic is again the same (the fight against the bad forces of that world which is advanced even further) however the battles are again a new Empire that is barely mentioned on the first book. While the book isn't as good as the first one, on a few elements, the book is even better than the first one and is definitely even more epic. Again, the ending is spectacular though probably a bit unbelievable.
Rating: 7 out of 10
Waiting eagerly for the third book (hopefully on next summer).
Everybody who loves the genre has heard about The Wheel of Time and in my opinion should read it. I started reading it 3 weeks ago and currently I am at the beginning of the sixth book. Following is a short review of the first five books, and except for the first book I will use spoilers for most of the stuff.
The Eye of the World. The first book on the series and every bit as good as the legend says. It starts with the best prologue I have ever read and then continues from there, never looking back. There is a saying that if you have read The Fellowship of the Ring, you have read this book too, and I agree with that. However, this book is on every aspect much better than The Fellowship of the Ring. Still, it is clear (and also Jordan said that too) that it is very inspired from LOTR.
Some of the most clear similarities:
Trollocs are the Orks of this world.
Fade are the Witch Kings of this book (at-least early on the book).
Perrin and Mat are based on Frodo's hobbit friends.
Shai'tan is Sauron.
Also, the story is very similar.
It starts with a peaceful village before things go batshit crazy. 3 guys and 2 girls are on a run helped by a mysterious Aes Sedai (the Jedi knights – all female of this world) and her warder. A lot of surprises and clashes, until finally the protagonist Rand al'Thor starts fulfilling his destiny, defeating Ba'alzaman.
Question: Why does Nynaeve hates that much Moiraine. If it wasn't for her, everyone on her village would have been killed from Trollocks. Yes, she may be trying to manipulate Rand and co, but also she is the reason why they're alive.
Rating: 9 out of 10 (1 star removed for the plagiary)
The Great Hunt.
It follows the story immediately from the first book. Moiraine tries to convince Rand that he's the Dragon Reborn, the only hope of the mankind to survive the clash with the Dark One, but he doesn't want to accept it (Dragon Reborn will save the mankind, but will also do many bad things, including going crazy and probably killing all his love ones – like he did on the previous incarnation). A big part of the story is regarding the hunt for a Horne, which will call the heroes of the past to help the person who uses it. On this book, a mysterious character, called Selene makes her first appearance. While the protagonists go in different ways, on the end they are brought together, and Rand almost destroys a city trying to save Egwene (his love interest, a girl learning to become Aes Sedai who is from the same village as him and with whom he is almost betrothed). It ends, with an epic clash of Rand and Ba'alzaman.
Rating: 8 out of 10
Dragon Reborn.
Rand nows has realized that he is the Dragon Reborn but is still very unfamiliar with his role. He is afraid to stay near the people he loves (Egwene, Elayne, Min, Mat, Perrin and Nynaeve) because he doesn't trust himself. An interesting thing is that only around 2% of the book is told from his POV (compared to the 75% on the first book and more than 30% on the second book) so most of the time we see Rand only from POV of other people. Some didn't liked that, but I liked the idea, it was very different to the other books. An important note, is that Egwene and Elayne become Accepted and during the trial Egwene see in her three versions that she has to betray Rand on each of them. Like usual, the book ends with a fight between Rand and Ba'alzaman with Rand killing him. And he turns out to be not Shai'tan but Ishamael, the most powerful of the 13 Forsakeen, evil creatures who once were Aes Sedai. And Selene turns out to be Lanfaer, the second most powerful Forsaken.
Rating: 8 out of 10
The Shadow Rising.
Rand has now fully accepted his destiny and doesn't try to leave everything behind. He's going to become the Dragon and prepare for the new Battle. He is now a king of a country and wants to get the Aiel (the most powerful fighting society) on his side. I think that this book is defined on 4 things, 2 of them were realized good but 2 other were poor IMO.
The past of Aiel – good
Perrin's development from a blacksmith to a lord. His struggle with Faile, him returning to his country and finding that his family has been killed. The highlight of the book, it couldn't have done better.
Egwene realizing that she doesn't love Rand, with Rand realizing the same for Egwene (and that he loves Elayne and Min). It was done poorly and without development, especially considering that in last book Egwene saw the visions with him (ie she was loving him) while Rand on the first book removed the fatigue from her horse without even knowing what he is doing, for the fear that she will be left behind, while on the second going full warrior to save her.
The removal and stilling of the Siuan Sanche from Elaida. It was done poorly, it didn't show how Elaida managed it. And it was far more important than to give it only a single chapter.
Question: How/why Egwene and Rand realized that they love each other only as brother/sister after all that time. I was expecting a platonic but cannot happen love story (Kvothe-Denna, Lee Adama – Kara Thrace) and I am sure that it would have been much better than this shit. Also, why Moiraine tells Egwene all the time that she can't have Rand, but doesn't say the same to Elayne? And how did Egwene accepted it. I think that R.Jordan wasn't planning this to happen, until in this book and then decided to it probbaly because he wanted Rand to go with a few women at the same time, which wouldn't be possible if Egwene was one of them.
Rating: 8 out of 10
The Fires of Heaven.
No Perrin on this book (shame) but Mat completes his transformation from the most annoying character ever to a great character. On other news, all protagonists continue becoming extremely powerful, with Moiraine now being relegated in a complete Obi-Wan figure (supporting character). She started becoming from the person which decides, to the person who actually serves (literally) on the fourth book, but now she leaves Rand take full control. That doesn't mean that she is less awesome than in other books though. It is also the book when a lot of characters die. The entire end is spectacular (as good as the 200 last pages of A Storm of Swords) with a shitload of things happening. Lanfaer fighting Egwene, Aviendha and Rand at the same time. She actually almost kills the first two and gives Rand a hard time. At the end, he can kill her but refuses to kill her (a girl) likely motivated from the terror of his past life by killing Ilyane. When Lanfaer is going to kill him, Moiraine saves the day by killing her, in process sacrificing herself.
Strangely, Moiraine has known that this will happen. She leaves an emotional letter to Rand and an another for Thom. Rand being very sad for the situation goes on a witch hunt against an another Forsaken – Rahvin – and kills him (only after significant help from Nynaeve) saving his other friends.
An other interesting thing, is how Siuan despite now not being powerful and having any authority, manipulates the rebel Aes Sedai and prepares the platform for Moiraine to be chosen as their Amyrlin Seat. If only she had known that Moiraine will die.
Moiraine Damodred – she has become my favorite character on any fantasy book. I literally love her. Badass, beautiful, smart, manipulative, mentor of the protagonist, always for the greater good. It reminds me a lot of Obi-Wan Kenobi which is my favorite character on Star Wars. I managed to spoil myself a few things for the later books, including that she will return. Needless to say, for the first time I am happy that I read some things that turned out to be spoilers. Unfortunately, I have to read another 7 books until she returns. Well, something to keep me reading if the books become as bad as legend say.
Rand al'Thor – mediocre. His development
The Eye of The World – Where are we going. I am scared. I hope that Moiraine saves my arse. Again!
The Great Hunt – nah, I am not Dragon Reborn. Moiraine and Siuan just are using me.
Dragon Reborn – it turns out that I am. Well, lets run.
The Shadow Rising – no running anymore. Now I am a king. And I don't love Egwene, but I love all three of Elayne, Min and Aviedha. And I think that I am smart.
The Fires of Heaven – I don't give a shit what Moiraine says regardless that he is 100 time smarter and more experienced than me. I am Lews Therin – sorry, Rand al'Thor – I do what I want. Except killing woman, even if they are killing me and my love, mentor and childhood friends. Rahviiiiiin!
Perrin – awesome supporting character. From the beginning was the best of the hobbits. Sorry, Emond Field-ers
Mat – annoying on the first three books, better on the fourth one, excellent on the fifth book.
Egwene and Elayne – they are basically the same person. Elayne is just the highborn version of Egwene. I like both of them. Egwene has a temper but is good, Elayne is funny at times.
Lan – cool though very underdeveloped.
Min – cool but very underdeveloped
Nynaeve and Aviendha – annoying bitches.
Siuan Sanche – great character. Being Moiraine's friend apparently increases cool points.
Elaida – idiot.
Verin – it looks that she is a Black Ajah (I think that Moiraine definitely meant that in her letter). Wasn't expecting that. Good character.
Thom – great character. Like him very much.
Gawyn and his brother: Idiots of the highest order
All Whitecloacks – Idiots of the highest order.
The Forsaken – great, especially Lanfaer who is a fantastic antagonist.
Do not open this, unless you have read the entire saga:
Other than Moiraine not being dead, I managed to spoil myself that Egwene dies in the end. I am a fool. Very unhappy for this spoiler but I'll manage. I'll need to be extra cautious to not spoil other things to myself.
How fast do you fecking read? I started well before you and I'm still just half way through book 4 (I read about 2 chapters a day on weekdays).
I pointed out the similarities between the Fellowship and Eye of the world. I think what makes the latter better is that the "fellowship" breaks very early on in the books before reforming late in the book. That made for much better reading and better character development.
On Nynaeve and Moiraine, a lot of the dislike is irrational on Nynaeve's part but It also has to do with Lan being Moirraine's warder. And I suspect finding out she was Aes Sedai and not actually a genius at healing must have stung as well.
Your ratings for the 5th book in encouraging. I also ordered the 6th-9th books today (60% off on Amazon!)
How fast do you fecking read? I started well before you and I'm still just half way through book 4 (I read about 2 chapters a day on weekdays).
I pointed out the similarities between the Fellowship and Eye of the world. I think what makes the latter better is that the "fellowship" breaks very early on in the books before reforming late in the book. That made for much better reading and better character development.
On Nynaeve and Moiraine, a lot of the dislike is irrational on Nynaeve's part but It also has to do with Lan being Moirraine's warder. And I suspect finding out she was Aes Sedai and not actually a genius at healing must have stung as well.
Your ratings for the 5th book in encouraging. I also ordered the 6th-9th books today (60% off on Amazon!)
Fast when I like the books. I started them 25 days ago, and now I am at around 15% of the sixth book.
I loved the fifth book, the best one so far.
Agree about your point on Nynaeve and Moiraine, but it is very stupid when you hear her saying the same even in the fifth or sixth book. It is as ridiculous as
Rand: Perrin and Mat are good with girls
Perrin: Mat and Rand are good with girls
Mat (actually he says only a single time): Rand and Perrin are good with girls.
It is funny for the first 5 times, but after that becomes boring.
Fast when I like the books. I started them 25 days ago, and now I am at around 15% of the sixth book.
I loved the fifth book, the best one so far.
Agree about your point on Nynaeve and Moiraine, but it is very stupid when you hear her saying the same even in the fifth or sixth book. It is as ridiculous as
Rand: Perrin and Mat are good with girls
Perrin: Mat and Rand are good with girls
Mat (actually he says only a single time): Rand and Perrin are good with girls.
It is funny for the first 5 times, but after that becomes boring.
I'm about half way through the 4th book (Shadow Rising). Did anyone else get annoyed at the number of times Jordan repeats certain descriptions? It's doing my head in. I know Rand thinks Mat and Perrin are better with girls and that Perrin thinks Mat and Rand are better with girls. There's no need no repeat this virtually every time they have a PoV chapter! And Nynaeve repeatedly tugging her braid! It's wonder she hasn't pulled her hair out.
That aside I'm liking the series so far. The world building, the scale, characters and the different PoV's are all great even if the plot is on the slower side. I hope books 7-10 are not as terrible as many insist they are
I want to but there's just too many! Final year of uni and I'm already concerned about fitting in the podcast, games, tele and books aswel without starting a series like WoT. Already decided to just feck off the social life.
I finished Princess Bride. Just watch the movie. Aside from 1 or 2 scenes, it's almost verbatim the same. It's still good but I was hoping there'd be more to the story. The frame story is pretty interesting as well.
I got Mistborn for $2.99 on Amazon the other day for my Kindle. I guess that'll come after I read a biography of Teddy Roosevelt and the third Gentleman Bastards book.
WoT is classic fantasy at it's best. Language is easy to read though bulky, yet I think it's worth the time.
I read the whole series in 2 months Literally funny times.. The pub near my home had a table near a wall charging socket and I occupied it full time on weekends with my iPad. Used to get there by about 11am, order a cofffee and start reading, order lunch and a beer by 1:00pm and continue reading, one more coffee by 3:30 and continue reading and by the time my mates arrived by around 6:00 PM you have made some serious progress. Repeat next weekend and on till I finished the 11th book and then had to wait till the finale was out.
Never touched another book for about 3 months after I finished this, though! And for those 2 months, I was the alcoholic weirdo of the pub.
WoT is classic fantasy at it's best. Language is easy to read though bulky, yet I think it's worth the time.
I read the whole series in 2 months Literally funny times.. The pub near my home had a table near a wall charging socket and I occupied it full time on weekends with my iPad. Used to get there by about 11am, order a cofffee and start reading, order lunch and a beer by 1:00pm and continue reading, one more coffee by 3:30 and continue reading and by the time my mates arrived by around 6:00 PM you have made some serious progress. Repeat next weekend and on till I finished the 11th book and then had to wait till the finale was out.
Never touched another book for about 3 months after I finished this, though! And for those 2 months, I was the alcoholic weirdo of the pub.
The plan for me was to read only when I am on train (I spend two hours a day there) but I am reading a lot also when I am at home. I have difficulties not addicting myself to things that I like, be it a game, book, TV show etc. With this speed, I'll read them within the next 6 weeks, but I hope to slow down a bit.
The plan for me was to read only when I am on train (I spend two hours a day there) but I am reading a lot also when I am at home. I have difficulties not addicting myself to things that I like, be it a game, book, TV show etc. With this speed, I'll read them within the next 6 weeks, but I hope to slow down a bit.
This is how I read it also. With close to 3 hours while travelling to and from work. And an hour before sleeping. The pace does drop off in between but I think if you are a fast reader you don't feel it that much. Must have been nightmarish for people who followed the series through the 90s and early 00s with a book coming out every two years or so and the series not progressing as much.
This is how I read it also. With close to 3 hours while travelling to and from work. And an hour before sleeping. The pace does drop off in between but I think if you are a fast reader you don't feel it that much. Must have been nightmarish for people who followed the series through the 90s and early 00s with a book coming out every two years or so and the series not progressing as much.
What gives me hope is that G. R.R. Martin said a few months ago that he won't be involved as much in GoT anymore and will concentrate on Winds of Winter.
Thanks to Alock1 (or is it now @Warlock1) fore recommending me to read A Raven's Shadow books. I read them during the end of July. And I loved them.
Blood Song is a fantastic book in every aspect. It is the closest thing I have ever seen to Name of The Wind (although Ryan says that he hasn't read Name of The Wind), although there are many differences. The protagonist, Vaelin Al Sorna is a great protagonist, and is as good as Kvothe. Even better, he doesn't have Kvothe's arrogance, so he's a better boy. Similarity to A Name of The Wind, the book is written using only a POV and follows Vaelin's life from his early age until he is an adult and becomes the biggest hero, most fearsome warrior and arguably the greatest swordmaster in the history of his country. As I said, the book has a similar structure to Rothfuss' book, with Vaelin telling his story to a chronicler, and by the end of the book his story reaches the time when he is telling it. It also has one of the best ending in any book I have ever read. And boy, there are a lot of fantasy moments in this book.
Question: Why Vaelin always talks bad words for the princess? I didn't fully understood that. Is that a way of protecting himself for not falling in love with her or what? She is manipulative, but also she has her people's interest on heart, which is also what Vaelin wants. Also, her sacrificing Vaelin for her brother – the new king – and thousands or prisoners is totally fine for Vaelin.
Rating: 8 out of 10
Tower Lord is the second book on the trilogy and the story is set immediately after the end of the first book. However the book is very different, having another three points of view (one of them a new character). The main topic is again the same (the fight against the bad forces of that world which is advanced even further) however the battles are again a new Empire that is barely mentioned on the first book. While the book isn't as good as the first one, on a few elements, the book is even better than the first one and is definitely even more epic. Again, the ending is spectacular though probably a bit unbelievable.
Rating: 7 out of 10
Waiting eagerly for the third book (hopefully on next summer).
Did you really think Tower Lord is a 7/10? Meaning almost as good as the first one which you gave a 8/10 (a rating I'd agree with).
I thought the first one was a lot better. For reasons read my old post below.
I can't agree with Raven's Shadow 2 being very good.
I thought it was a huge let-down. The first book was a 4 out of 5 for me, meaning I'd recommend it to any fantasy lover to read it. The 2nd a 2 out of 5, maybe 2.5/5 if I'm being generous. It was as average as Valencia in the last 2 seasons.
Some things I didn't like:
The Frentis chapters are way too long and nothing really happens. In the first book the assassinations would have been one short chapter or a flashback.
Reva is a cheap female copy of Vaelin in the end and her transition from hateful zealot to powerful hero with unbelievable fighting skills (which she developed miraculously in a short time) is just too hard to believe.
The Lyrna chapters are okay...nothing more.
Vaelin is nothing like the character at the end of book 1. At the end of book 1 he was a man with a purpose (he had several goals actually), in book 2 he abandons all that goals and becomes a pacifist who probably wants to sit at a warm chimney and wait until he dies.
The characters basically walk/ride from one place to the other for 90% of the book with a few meaningless fights in-between.
The One Who Waits / The Ally / The 7th Order and the magic system in general were interesting in the 1st book but he doesn't advance those plots and mysteries in any meaningful way.
In the end it almost felt like the author forgot that he had already written Blood Song. Apart from a few names (Vaelin, Lyrna, the other brothers) and the world/setting which get recycled it read like it had no real connection to the first book.
