|
Megasabin posted:I just finished Assassin's Apprentice. I picked it up because I had heard good things about Hobb. Yeah it seems like a lot of people are fans of Hobb and one of my favorite books, The Scar (by the Dyachenkos, not Mieville) was compared by the publisher to Hobb's work. But I tried to read Assassin's Apprentice from the library and got bored.
|
#
?
Jun 3, 2021 15:28
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 31, 2024 21:18 |
|
|
Finished The Apocalypse Seven by Gene Doucette, and it was definitely weird. Fun, but weird. It's a great story, and all the plot points make sense, but still, it just "feels" strange. I honestly can't think of a better way to phrase it. Maybe after some cayenne I'll edit the post for some clarity. Worth a read though. Interesting view of the world after it "ends". There's a few small things I'd complain about, but nothing really stands out as horrible or immersion breaking. I'd give it a 4 outta 5. Maybe a 3.5. It's not his best work but it's far from his worst.
|
|
#
?
Jun 3, 2021 15:49
|
|
|
Megasabin posted:I just finished Assassin's Apprentice. I picked it up because I had heard good things about Hobb. The narrative definitely goes places and the fantastic elements become more prominent as the series goes on and the much higher fantasy ancient history of the world is explored, but it never stops being a very languidly paced series either. If Fitz spending 150+ pages treking across the country getting into richly described misadventures to go on an even longer and more richly described trek into lands forgotten by time sounds like a dealbreaker to you then you probably won't get much out of the Fitz series. The Liveship Traders is a snappier series, but it greatly benefits from being read alongside the Fitz novels as they all brush up against each other in their characters and world-building
|
|
#
?
Jun 3, 2021 16:11
|
|
|
branedotorg posted:He wrote a occult parlour alt history after that that I never got around to, I don't think Felix Gilman is still writing though
|
|
#
?
Jun 3, 2021 16:11
|
|
|
branedotorg posted:I loved the half made world but thought the rise of ransom city was big average. He also is/was a goon, I believe.
|
|
#
?
Jun 3, 2021 16:30
|
|
|
multijoe posted:The narrative definitely goes places and the fantastic elements become more prominent as the series goes on and the much higher fantasy ancient history of the world is explored, but it never stops being a very languidly paced series either. If Fitz spending 150+ pages treking across the country getting into richly described misadventures to go on an even longer and more richly described trek into lands forgotten by time sounds like a dealbreaker to you then you probably won't get much out of the Fitz series. The Liveship Traders is a snappier series, but it greatly benefits from being read alongside the Fitz novels as they all brush up against each other in their characters and world-building How much do you enjoy misery, and in particular repeated misery being inflicted on the protagonist? I wouldn’t recommend those books to anyone with even a modicum of depressive tendencies.
|
|
#
?
Jun 3, 2021 16:51
|
|
|
Velius posted:How much do you enjoy misery, and in particular repeated misery being inflicted on the protagonist? I wouldn’t recommend those books to anyone with even a modicum of depressive tendencies. Fitz repeatedly loving up in the stupidest ways possible owns. Not enough failguy protagonists in fiction imo
|
|
#
?
Jun 3, 2021 16:54
|
|
|
I loved the Assassin trilogy when I was a teenager, and I recently picked it up for a reread. I’m pretty sure he loses two loving dogs between the first and second books. Like, it’s almost comical. But I love Hobbe’s attention to detail and the lazy pace of the books. I think it’s the salient details she chooses to focus on that make her style work for me. It feels more grounded than a lot of fantasy does.
|
|
#
?
Jun 3, 2021 17:02
|
|
|
anilEhilated posted:The Revolutions. It was pretty weak, in my opinion. Agreed.
|
|
#
?
Jun 3, 2021 17:11
|
|
|
multijoe posted:Fitz repeatedly loving up in the stupidest ways possible owns. Not enough failguy protagonists in fiction imo I didn't mention this when I was talking about it above, but that was actually an aspect of the book I really enjoyed. Fitz hosed up and actually suffered impactful consequences, which is rare to see in a lot of fantasy. If she continues with this trend that is an element that could push me to keep reading for sure.
|
|
#
?
Jun 3, 2021 17:27
|
|
|
Ccs posted:Yeah it seems like a lot of people are fans of Hobb and one of my favorite books, The Scar (by the Dyachenkos, not Mieville) was compared by the publisher to Hobb's work. But I tried to read Assassin's Apprentice from the library and got bored. gotta put it in historical context, at the time i think it was really doing its own thing compared to all the other fantasy out there circa '95 like i'd say i'm a fan of Hobb but i also would not go back and re-read that lol
|
|
#
?
Jun 3, 2021 17:34
|
|
|
Megasabin posted:I didn't mention this when I was talking about it above, but that was actually an aspect of the book I really enjoyed. Fitz hosed up and actually suffered impactful consequences, which is rare to see in a lot of fantasy. If she continues with this trend that is an element that could push me to keep reading for sure. You are in for a treat at the conclusion of the first trilogy then. A veritable feast infact.
|
|
#
?
Jun 3, 2021 17:45
|
|
|
Liveship Traders is good as well after the first 100 or so pages, which might be the worst pages in any of Hobb's books set in that world. It's just mutliple chapters of wanting to choke everyone for being bigger and dumber assholes then... things start happening and while some characters still suck the story gets much better.
|
|
#
?
Jun 3, 2021 18:24
|
|
|
Evil Fluffy posted:Liveship Traders is good as well after the first 100 or so pages, which might be the worst pages in any of Hobb's books set in that world. It's just mutliple chapters of wanting to choke everyone for being bigger and dumber assholes then... things start happening and while some characters still suck the story gets much better. it's been a long time but isn't that series basically a less problematic version of the Pern books, only instead of magical dragons everyone has psychic talking boats?
|
|
#
?
Jun 3, 2021 18:43
|
|
|
buffalo all day posted:it's been a long time but isn't that series basically a less problematic version of the Pern books, only instead of magical dragons everyone has psychic talking boats? Not really. There exist boats that come to life after a certain number of people die on their decks. There also exist dragons and sea serpents and things. It's not much like Pern that I remember.
|
|
#
?
Jun 3, 2021 18:53
|
|
|
buffalo all day posted:it's been a long time but isn't that series basically a less problematic version of the Pern books, only instead of magical dragons everyone has psychic talking boats? I think ASOIAF has more in common with the Pern books than Liveship Traders does.
|
|
#
?
Jun 3, 2021 20:12
|
|
|
buffalo all day posted:it's been a long time but isn't that series basically a less problematic version of the Pern books, only instead of magical dragons everyone has psychic talking boats? lol it has both!!
|
|
#
?
Jun 3, 2021 20:20
|
|
|
Deathless by Catherynne M Valente - $2.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004H1TQGC/ The Labyrinth Index (Laundry Files #9) by Charles Stross - $2.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0769XMXV8/ 2312 by Kim Stanley Robinson - $2.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004RD8544/ Godsgrave (Nevernight #2) by Jay Kristoff - $1.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06X3VBJ21/ Ghosts of Gotham by Craig Schaefer - $0.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GZGXP13/
|
|
#
?
Jun 3, 2021 22:18
|
|
|
pradmer posted:Deathless by Catherynne M Valente - $2.99 I liked her Space Opera, how's this one?
|
|
#
?
Jun 3, 2021 23:41
|
|
|
I had mixed feelings about Deathless. I loved it about a quarter of the time, felt underwhelmed about half the time, and hated it all the rest. The writing walked a really fine line between lush and overwrought, and I just couldn't get over the feeling that she just wanted everyone to acknowledge how clever and knowledgeable about Russia she was. I also hated Space Opera, so maybe I just don't like her novels (Killswitch is still one of my favourite short stories though).
|
|
#
?
Jun 3, 2021 23:51
|
|
|
genericnick posted:Finished it, for what it's worth. And what it's worth is not much. I don't think it's much of an exaggeration to say that all POVs he ever wrote are the same and while his shtick kind of fit in Altered Carbon, if you take the same POV, split it in three characters and drop them into a fantasy setting it gets much more grating. If you'd cut every interaction that was a character being needlessly insufferable until they get a rise out of their opposition, only to make them back down with their badass staring technique you'd safe half the weight. Morgan turned out to have a big issue with transgender people too. One less reason to read the guy!
|
|
#
?
Jun 4, 2021 01:54
|
|
|
Ah yes Richard the sex I write is the sex I've had Morgan.
|
|
#
?
Jun 4, 2021 02:42
|
|
|
Evil Fluffy posted:Liveship Traders is good as well after the first 100 or so pages, which might be the worst pages in any of Hobb's books set in that world. It's just mutliple chapters of wanting to choke everyone for being bigger and dumber assholes then... things start happening and while some characters still suck the story gets much better. Captain Kennit is a fantastic character, easily Hobb's best. He's great in the prologue and remains great for the until the end.
|
|
#
?
Jun 4, 2021 06:56
|
|
|
BurningBeard posted:Ah yes Richard the sex I write is the sex I've had Morgan. They do say "write what you know".
|
|
#
?
Jun 4, 2021 11:43
|
|
|
Two of the recently released Penguin Sci Fi series are 99p on UK Amazon today: Driftglass by Samuel R Delaney, and Robot by Adam Wisniewski-Snerg. Has anyone read either of them? Are they worth picking up? Will probably grab the Delaney stories to try but I've never heard of the other.
|
|
#
?
Jun 4, 2021 12:12
|
|
|
High Warlord Zog posted:Captain Kennit is a fantastic character, easily Hobb's best. He's great in the prologue and remains great for the until the end. I can think of at least one particular incident that makes Kennit anything but a "great" character.
|
|
#
?
Jun 4, 2021 15:46
|
|
|
BurningBeard posted:Ah yes Richard the sex I write is the sex I've had Morgan. I pity his partners.
|
|
#
?
Jun 4, 2021 16:12
|
|
|
Evil Fluffy posted:I can think of at least one particular incident that makes Kennit anything but a "great" character. He's anything but a good person but a very well written character, the two things aren't synonymous
|
|
#
?
Jun 4, 2021 16:42
|
|
|
The Sweet Hereafter posted:Two of the recently released Penguin Sci Fi series are 99p on UK Amazon today: Driftglass by Samuel R Delaney, and Robot by Adam Wisniewski-Snerg. Has anyone read either of them? Are they worth picking up? Will probably grab the Delaney stories to try but I've never heard of the other. Oooo thanks for the headsup, I'll grab these I think. I've only read Delaney here and there. So many authors, when I think back, I realised I've only read them in short story collections, which is still my favourite way to consume science fiction to be honest. It's a bit like how horror is more effective to me in short fiction. Get in, deliver the idea, get out. I've never been scared by a horror novel but horror short stories freak me out on the regular. You don't see as many fantasy short stories, I feel like. Are there some good collections anyone knows that I could pick up?
|
|
#
?
Jun 4, 2021 17:36
|
|
|
HopperUK posted:Oooo thanks for the headsup, I'll grab these I think. I've only read Delaney here and there. So many authors, when I think back, I realised I've only read them in short story collections, which is still my favourite way to consume science fiction to be honest. It's a bit like how horror is more effective to me in short fiction. Get in, deliver the idea, get out. I've never been scared by a horror novel but horror short stories freak me out on the regular. The only collections I've read are Rogues, which is an anthology, NK Jemisin's How Long Til Black Future Month, and both KJ Parker's collections of short stories. And both GRRM short story collections way back.
|
|
#
?
Jun 4, 2021 17:42
|
|
|
Ccs posted:The only collections I've read are Rogues, which is an anthology, NK Jemisin's How Long Til Black Future Month, and both KJ Parker's collections of short stories. And both GRRM short story collections way back. I feel like I have one of those 'best fantasy short stories of Whatever Decade' around here somewhere but god knows where. Cheers anyway.
|
|
#
?
Jun 4, 2021 18:31
|
|
|
HopperUK posted:Oooo thanks for the headsup, I'll grab these I think. I've only read Delaney here and there. So many authors, when I think back, I realised I've only read them in short story collections, which is still my favourite way to consume science fiction to be honest. It's a bit like how horror is more effective to me in short fiction. Get in, deliver the idea, get out. I've never been scared by a horror novel but horror short stories freak me out on the regular. If you like that style, the New Weird collections by Ann and Jeff Vandermeer have a lot of good stuff
|
|
#
?
Jun 4, 2021 19:15
|
|
|
HopperUK posted:I feel like I have one of those 'best fantasy short stories of Whatever Decade' around here somewhere but god knows where. Cheers anyway. As mentioned, the GRRM collections Dreamsongs Vol 1 and 2 are really good (at least that's how I remember). Off the top of my head, there was one called Warriors I liked, and one where they all take place in Vance's Dying Earth setting. Those are anthologies but same idea. Edit: Songs of the Dying Earth
|
|
#
?
Jun 4, 2021 19:26
|
|
|
Thanks friends! I think I actually have one of the New Weird collections. I have an excellent friend who buys me books all the time that I didn't know existed.
|
|
#
?
Jun 4, 2021 19:28
|
|
|
Ccs posted:The only collections I've read are Rogues, which is an anthology, NK Jemisin's How Long Til Black Future Month, and both KJ Parker's collections of short stories. And both GRRM short story collections way back. How is Rogues? It’s been on my to-read pile for ages.
|
|
#
?
Jun 4, 2021 19:28
|
|
|
HopperUK posted:You don't see as many fantasy short stories, I feel like. Are there some good collections anyone knows that I could pick up? Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling edited a series of fairy-tale influenced anthologies that had a good number of hits for me, and Datlow's done some fantasy anthologies by herself too.
|
|
#
?
Jun 4, 2021 19:42
|
|
|
Gats Akimbo posted:Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling edited a series of fairy-tale influenced anthologies that had a good number of hits for me, and Datlow's done some fantasy anthologies by herself too. Ooh thank you, good tip.
|
|
#
?
Jun 4, 2021 19:56
|
|
|
BurningBeard posted:How is Rogues? It’s been on my to-read pile for ages. It's alright, pretty easy to get through. There's a cringy Rothfuss story about his sex pest faerie man, but there's also a decent Abercrombie story, a cool Gillian Flynn story, a good Scott Lynch story, and a really really boring GRRM story that's like the proving ground for his history textbook about his fantasy kingdom.
|
|
#
?
Jun 4, 2021 20:12
|
|
|
The Once and Future King by TH White - $1.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AEDDSQG/ The Red Knight (Traitor Son #1) by Miles Cameron - $2.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007ZFPUL2/ The Troupe by Robert Jackson Bennett - $1.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004RD854O/ The Company Man by Robert Jackson Bennett - $1.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0047Y0FIM/ The Long Way Down (Daniel Faust #1) by Craig Schaefer - $0.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JYIUH8O/
|
|
#
?
Jun 4, 2021 22:01
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 31, 2024 21:18 |
|
|
pradmer posted:The Once and Future King by TH White - $1.99 Hard for me to imagine but if anyone ITT hasn't read this then $1.99 is simply a must, this is an absolute classic. And if you haven't read it since you were 12, it's amazing to re-read as an adult.
|
|
#
?
Jun 5, 2021 03:52
|
|