It's November 2018: What fantasy book are you reading?

[Matticus Primal]

Machine Telepathy.

I did open The Poppy War up but am thinking of giving this one up about 10% of the way in. The storytelling is far too direct and the characters are underfleshed. The voice is the best thing about it but its not good enough.

Yeah, I took some time off in the middle of it. I did enjoy the directness to it, but the characters did seem a bit straightforward upon further consideration. Still, a lot better than anything I ever wrote at 22.

I was reading Ben Galley's upcoming Chasing Graves when my kindle got bricked, so I haven't been arsed to put the mobi file back on the new one. I need to, as it was a very interesting intro, but I decided to take a comics break between novels.

Just read the latest Saga graphic novel, and I can't decide if it's great or that I'm just hate-reading it. I've always been intrigued by the author's core concepts, but HATE his execution and have never finished a single series of his. Except Saga. I can't tell if it's the art/ worldbuilding that hooked me, but I keep coming back no matter how I feel about the characters/ plot. It's just absolutely gorgeous and imaginative. At least visually.

 

[ExTended]

I sort of started( re-started) reading Malazan Book of the Fallen by Steven Erikson. I've read part of the series( about book and a half) when I was in high school, like a dozen years back and I've had to stop it due to some personal reasons, which is why I've never got back to it in the first place.

Now re-reading book 1 after so much time... man, it's like reading a new book. I literally remembered nothing from my initial read, except some very vague impressions, and it's only now that I can fully grasp its magnificence and complexity of story-telling. Back then I could too, but I didn't have the capacity to appreciate the authorship of such a work and the immense skills such a tale requires from the author.

And I am thoroughly enjoying it, of course. But I expected nothing less, based on my previous interations with the series, so there's that. The world-building and Erikson's ability to ground you into the now of the story are just beyond words.

To be honest, the book seems more much orderly now than when I was first reading it. Back then I was like... the f*ck is happening here. Probably my ability to follow/expect story lines has improved with time, the one advantage of getting older.

I'm also re-reading The Gentlemen Bastards series and it's a blast. Such a entertaining series, even if the sequels don't quite match the initial book in awesomeness, they're still darn good. I am currently 1/4 through book 3 I think.

I'm reading something from Rachel Aaron too - Forever Fantasy Online, a new LitRPG series from her and her husband. It's not bad, although I am not yet sold on its worldbuilding/tone/characters. It's too middle-grade/young-adultish somehow. But I am open to pleasant surprises from her, considering the immense quality of her Heartstrikers series, and the overall okay to good quality of her Eli Monpress books.

 

[Peat]

Yeah, I took some time off in the middle of it. I did enjoy the directness to it, but the characters did seem a bit straightforward upon further consideration. Still, a lot better than anything I ever wrote at 22.

I wish I'd known he was 22 when buying it, as I wouldn't have. Maybe this is snobbery, but interesting stories are built around interesting viewpoints of the world, and nobody aged 22 who has both that viewpoint and the ability to express it in the form of an interesting story has the time in which to write it.

I guess it is impressive to do as well as he has done at his age, but either it works or it doesn't. And I'm not sure it does.


Anyway, I decided to try and assuage my disappointment at reading an overly simple adventure with an interesting hook by reading Kings of the Wyld which only goes to prove I'm an idiot. Maybe I'll read the finished version of The Empyreus Proof next - that or Tanniel's new book.

 

[Peat]

Rattled through Kings of the Wyld. I see what the fuss is about as its a clever idea with a lively plot and some good lines, but ultimately I didn't find it all that captivating or fulfilling. Not quite sure why.

 

[kenubrion]

I wondered what the fuss was about with Kings until a ways past halfway, when stuff started happening, then I loved it. Can't get on with Bloody Rose though.

I finished City of Kings by Rob Hayes a couple days ago and have been coming back down. Never a bloodier or faster paced siege story than this. It's a siege done right. This guy can really write. Reading his Where Loyalties Lie now and expecting good things as I like pirate grimdark.

 

[Alucard]

Rattled through Kings of the Wyld. I see what the fuss is about as its a clever idea with a lively plot and some good lines, but ultimately I didn't find it all that captivating or fulfilling. Not quite sure why.

Might be high expectations. That happens to me sometimes.

 

[Peat]

Might be high expectations. That happens to me sometimes.

It could be.

I certainly had the wrong expectations. I expected a certain level of grit going from the blurb and opening pages - for bad decisions to hurt - and instead I got invincible heroes. I think if I'd approached it as being somewhere being an Eddings book and one of Pratchett's Rincewind books, I'd have liked it more.

 

[Matticus Primal]

Yeah, I DNF'd KotW 20% in or so. I'm not a huge fan of humor in my books, so the general band conceit got old pretty fast. It's a great concept but got a little one note after a while.

 

[stenney]

Me too Ren. I liked all three books and an aspect of Tower Lord is my favorite situation in a medieval novel. I won't be specific as I don't know where you're at but it's very good storytelling.

i'm done with the trilogy now. i did enjoy it, even though the ending of the 3rd book seemed a bit lacking in something, i can't really put my finger on it. but over all, a very good read.

 

[kenubrion]

i'm done with the trilogy now. i did enjoy it, even though the ending of the 3rd book seemed a bit lacking in something, i can't really put my finger on it. but over all, a very good read.

Yeah that's the general feeling about the end. BTW there is a new novella by Anthony Ryan that is set 10 years before the start of Blood Song called Many Are The Dead 149 pages for $2.99, I haven't read it yet.