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spootime posted:Anyone read The Magicians Land yet? I just finished it but I'm not sure how I feel about it. Whatd you guys think? I had pretty high expectations going in, and they were met. It wrapped up everything in ways I found very pleasing, and while towards the end I was feeling a little bad at the prospect of the whole trilogy being over, by the last page I was entirely happy with where everyone ended up. I'm still processing it and mulling it over after having finished it last night, but those are my initial thoughts -- namely, Grossman delivered.
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Aug 9, 2014 15:04
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The Magician's Land was a great end to the series. We'll probably never get it, but I could go for a spinoff about Dean Fogg and the rest of the Brakebills staff.
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Aug 9, 2014 15:18
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For someone who hasn't read any of that series, is it worth getting into? I've heard great things about it from some people, but also quite a few people who don't recommend it.
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Aug 9, 2014 15:56
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From what the thread has said so far, it's a bit too well-written for its own good - it evokes the spirit of a bunch of world-weary, bored rich losers so successfully that you get bored out of your skull as well.
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Aug 9, 2014 16:00
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Xandu posted:For someone who hasn't read any of that series, is it worth getting into? I've heard great things about it from some people, but also quite a few people who don't recommend it. Best advice is to try the first book - it seems to be very binary whether people enjoy the tone or not. Ive enjoyed the series so far although haven't read the last book yet. It was interesting because it starts off with many of the trappings of a standard teen / urban fantasy. Kid hates his life, trips across magical school, yada yada but then takes a different spin on it. Also takes a direct poke at the Chronicles of Narnia so if you've read that there's a bunch of references.
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Aug 9, 2014 18:24
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I just finished The Magician's Land. I didn't like it. It felt like Grossman came up with a bunch of ideas for stories in the Fillory/Brakebills universe and just decided to staple them all together without any real consideration for plotting - as a result, it has some moments of brightness (the chapters with Rupert Chatwin's diary is some of the best stuff in the whole trilogy) but on the whole it falls flat. I really don't think The Magicians should have been turned into a trilogy. On a different note, has anyone here read A Door Into Ocean by Joan Slonczewski? I found it at a thrift store yesterday and it looks weird as hell, in a good way. Was wondering if anyone had read it and what they thought about it. Popular Human fucked around with this message at 22:10 on Aug 9, 2014 |
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Aug 9, 2014 22:07
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Popular Human posted:I just finished The Magician's Land. I didn't like it. It felt like Grossman came up with a bunch of ideas for stories in the Fillory/Brakebills universe and just decided to staple them all together without any real consideration for plotting - as a result, it has some moments of brightness (the chapters with Rupert Chatwin's diary is some of the best stuff in the whole trilogy) but on the whole it falls flat. I really don't think The Magicians should have been turned into a trilogy. mystes fucked around with this message at 01:13 on Aug 10, 2014 |
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Aug 10, 2014 01:04
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Cardiac posted:Maybe, but this doesn't explain the lava people, the lizard men, the dragons and the undead. I haven't read the unreleased book, but Dakovash is one of the things running around with meat puppet avatars and hasn't done any gay stuff. Anyway, sentiments similar to yours have been expressed, too!
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Aug 10, 2014 01:33
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Is there anything out there that's a good read and similar in tone to the near future sci-fi like Interstellar? Pretty much humans are just now capable of exploring space beyond our own background? Basically I am way too loving excited for Interstellar. It would be a nice break from the Farseer Trilogy (which is good so far).
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Aug 10, 2014 02:23
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 Cover for book 5 (of loving 9 now)
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Aug 10, 2014 14:10
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Hedrigall posted:
Any idea about the plot? I hope it will go back on track with the main history arc...
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Aug 10, 2014 14:15
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Hedrigall posted:
Don't jinx it. In the time it took to post this, those dudes could have decided to go to 12 books.
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Aug 10, 2014 15:34
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Speaking of The Magician's Land, the first two books are currently 3 bucks each on Kobo and Amazon.
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Aug 10, 2014 16:47
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Hedrigall posted:
Love the George R R Martin quote in the context of this turning into a never-ending series where each new book does little to move the plot along
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Aug 10, 2014 16:57
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Soviet Canuckistan posted:Speaking of The Magician's Land, the first two books are currently 3 bucks each on Kobo and Amazon. Got a promotional credit that applies to four books I've never heard of, two of which sound like schlocky crap, but I figure I might as well ask if either Indexing by Seanan McGuire or Gooseberry Bluff Community College of Magic: The Thirteenth Rib by David J. Schwartz are any good? For two bucks, I'll settle for "meh".
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Aug 10, 2014 18:20
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GENDERWEIRD GREEDO posted:Love the George R R Martin quote in the context of this turning into a never-ending series where each new book does little to move the plot along It is pretty obvious where he gets inspiration for that. Abraham (one of the authors behind the name Corey) is pretty longwinded in his other series. Also, anyone want to bet that Corey will finish his series before Grrm publishes his next book.
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Aug 10, 2014 19:10
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GENDERWEIRD GREEDO posted:Love the George R R Martin quote in the context of this turning into a never-ending series where each new book does little to move the plot along I gave up on this series after book three. If someone is looking for a series in the same vein but, you know, good, I would recommend Bujold's Vorkosigan saga.
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Aug 10, 2014 19:43
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Is the Samuil Petrovitch trilogy worth finishing? I'm most of the way done with the first book after picking it up on a whim. I'm not overly impressed with the writing or story telling. The first book was only ok. Also, could anyone recommend any good Fantasy/Scifi blends? My Dad recommended the Darkover series by Marion Zimmer Bradley, but he also said he hadn't read it in about 30 years.
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Aug 10, 2014 20:38
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Syle187 posted:Is the Samuil Petrovitch trilogy worth finishing? I'm most of the way done with the first book after picking it up on a whim. I'm not overly impressed with the writing or story telling. The first book was only ok. I finished it. It wasn't terrible, and I enjoyed the near future ideas thrown out there, but I don't see myself reading it again. IIRC the last one was kind of weak.
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Aug 10, 2014 20:56
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Syle187 posted:Is the Samuil Petrovitch trilogy worth finishing? I'm most of the way done with the first book after picking it up on a whim. I'm not overly impressed with the writing or story telling. The first book was only ok. The fourth book, which came out half a year ago, got a bit long in the tooth, though.
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Aug 10, 2014 20:57
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Just discovered there's an A. Lee Martinez short story collection called Robots vs Slime Monsters, and it is AWESOME!!!! It's short stories he wrote based on each of the books he wrote, and other than one being kinda "meh", it's pretty great. Currently 2.99 on amazon.
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Aug 10, 2014 21:07
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Syle187 posted:Also, could anyone recommend any good Fantasy/Scifi blends? My Dad recommended the Darkover series by Marion Zimmer Bradley, but he also said he hadn't read it in about 30 years. If you want to play a fun drinking game while reading it, take a shot every time something shows up that the creators of Dungeons and Dragons straight-up stole and added to their game. Depending on how fast you read, you may need a new liver by the time you finish reading.
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Aug 10, 2014 21:07
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Bradley is a literal child molester and also a bad writer, I wouldn't recommend her. The classic of the genre is Jack Vance, so you might want to check him out. It's old-fashioned, but actually pretty good. Roger Zelazny is another big name. Mixing Sci-fi and Fantasy is pretty much his trademark. Creatures of Light and Darkness, Lord of Light, the Changeling series, Jack of Shadows... Most of his work, really. It's all very good, too. His short stories are also fun. Dragonriders of Pern also fits the genre. I don't think it's very good, though. The Acts of Caine series by Matt Stover has two parallel worlds as a setting, one scifi, the other fantasy. Some people like it a lot, but I've never read it, so I have no strong opinions. The Dark Sword tri/quadrilogy by Weis and Hickman mixes scifi and magic in a very effective fashion and I actually like it quite a lot. It has very entertaining characters and is light on the fantasy technobabble while still making you feel you have a grasp of what people can do. The Death Gate Cycle, also Weis and Hickman, is more fantasy than scifi, but it's pretty cool and a good read.
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Aug 10, 2014 21:14
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Fart of Presto posted:I enjoyed them well enough to finish them all. Writing-wise, nothing really changes between the books: They are all fun and faced paced but it's not high literature. Perfect for a lazy Sunday, I would say. Hmm. I'll try another book for now and see how I feel about them afterwards. Thanks. Azathoth posted:Jack Vance's Dying Earth stuff is amazing. Sounds exactly like what I was looking for, thanks!
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Aug 10, 2014 21:16
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Syle187 posted:Also, could anyone recommend any good Fantasy/Scifi blends? My Dad recommended the Darkover series by Marion Zimmer Bradley, but he also said he hadn't read it in about 30 years. The Coldfire trilogy by C.S. Friedman. I just read it (finished the third book yesterday) and loved it. The Cycle of Fire by Janny Wurts was also decent, but her prose is rather purple and it dragged a lot at points, even though I read it when I had much more patience for those things.
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Aug 10, 2014 22:23
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GENDERWEIRD GREEDO posted:Love the George R R Martin quote in the context of this turning into a never-ending series where each new book does little to move the plot along Yeah I think Cibola Burn really suffered from them extending what was originally intended as a trilogy. Like the stakes keep escalating through the first three books until it's literally the possible destruction of all mankind, and then since Book 4 can't really go beyond that you have to try to care about a few hundred people fighting... poisonous slugs and algae 
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Aug 10, 2014 23:37
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colonel_korn posted:Yeah I think Cibola Burn really suffered from them extending what was originally intended as a trilogy. Like the stakes keep escalating through the first three books until it's literally the possible destruction of all mankind, and then since Book 4 can't really go beyond that you have to try to care about a few hundred people fighting... poisonous slugs and algae I'd believe it if somebody told me it was going to be a standalone novel and got the series-relevant stuff shoehorned in after the fact.
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Aug 11, 2014 00:33
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Are there any books that focus on a space outlaw/pirate? I'm imagining something that involves travel across the universe, strange locals, and some focus on spaceships. I'd prefer as little fake jargon as possible unless it's meaningful. Also, the longer the book/series is the better. I did some searching but there doesn't seem to be much in the way of space outlaws/pirates except for in comic books or based on Firefly. Thanks.
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Aug 11, 2014 02:21
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Stainless Steel Rat series by Harry Harrison. They're 70's pulp SF though and not, like, "good" by modern standards.
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Aug 11, 2014 02:36
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Tenacious J posted:Are there any books that focus on a space outlaw/pirate? I'm imagining something that involves travel across the universe, strange locals, and some focus on spaceships. I'd prefer as little fake jargon as possible unless it's meaningful. Also, the longer the book/series is the better. Try The Icarus Hunt by Timothy Zahn. It's about two Han Solo types (one human, one an awesome alien) who get caught up in a murder mystery, conspiracy and spaceship chase in a Star-Wars like universe. The main plot revolves around the ship they're on, too. It's a barrel of fun! Always my go-to recommendation for books like that.
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Aug 11, 2014 03:04
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Maybe try Phillip Palmer's Debatable Space palmer's pretty polarizing (often relies on stylistic gimmicks and quip-based writing) but it certainly fits the Space Outlaws bill. PupsOfWar fucked around with this message at 03:51 on Aug 11, 2014 |
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Aug 11, 2014 03:37
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Seeing as we are all fans of sci-fi here, I thought I might throw out a project I have been working on. I recently started up a SF imprint called Fantastica with a friend and we have released our first book. I'm now offering to you, dear forummers of SA, a free copy. mobi: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9738220/Livid-UK_2014-07-22_19-00-43.mobi epub: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/9738220/Livid-UK.epub All I ask in exchange, if you choose to read it, is maybe a Goodreads review/rating, or on Amazon. A bit about the book... quote:Livid is a cyberpunk adventure through a trash-ruined world touching on themes of transhumanism, consumerism and what it means to be human when half of you is machine. A bit on topic: it is surprisingly difficult to find good out of print titles that haven't been snapped up by Tor/Gollancz/etc. The hunt continues though as it is a great way to build a backlist. Oh yeah, and if any of you are writers, feel free to submit your brilliant manuscripts. If this is against SA rules or something, please remove this post. I'm the publisher giving out free copies and hoping to maybe get some discussion around SF publishing.
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Aug 11, 2014 04:55
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thehomemaster posted:A bit on topic: it is surprisingly difficult to find good out of print titles that haven't been snapped up by Tor/Gollancz/etc. The hunt continues though as it is a great way to build a backlist. I know nothing about the publishing industry but I can think of a few good titles that are currently out of (accessible price point/ ebook, anyway) print. Karl Edward Wagner's Kane books are one. http://www.amazon.com/Gods-Darkness-Complete-Novels-Kane/dp/189238924X Fake Edit: actually that's the only series I can think of, at least in a quick search. You're right, a couple of things that were completely unavailable as recently as a few years ago (Lud in the Mist, The Dark World by Henry Kuttner. etc.) all seem to have been snapped up and republished for kindle. AS to posting freebies or promotions, I'm not going to complain about free books!(for now) (thanks!). For now I only care if it's painfully spammy (i.e., first-post registering just to post your promotion) or if it gets disruptive (clogging threads or the report queue).
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Aug 11, 2014 05:21
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Tenacious J posted:Are there any books that focus on a space outlaw/pirate? I'm imagining something that involves travel across the universe, strange locals, and some focus on spaceships. I'd prefer as little fake jargon as possible unless it's meaningful. Also, the longer the book/series is the better. Gary Gibson's Shoal Sequence has a main character that's a smuggler/outlaw and a good amount of it features her traveling all over the place in her customized ship. It's a pretty good series. I've never gotten around to reading the whole thing but Steven Donaldson's Gap Cycle has a space pirate main character and people seem to like it a lot.
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Aug 11, 2014 07:43
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General Battuta posted:GRRM is an interesting case in fantasy names because within the space of the same world he manages to be both really good and really bad at it.
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Aug 11, 2014 08:20
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Yeah I think when people talk about Tolkien relative to other writers who have constructed languages and fantasy names, we often forget to note that Tolkien was really uniquely qualified in that area. As a philologist, Tolkien was an expert in the way languages develop and function. The conlangs he made were fully-realized from the morphemes up, with a lot of well-informed and deliberate thought put into how they would work, how they came to be and how they would sound. Whereas most fantasy writers (even the good ones) just throw some words and apostrophes together in such a way as to make them look suitably exotic. Saying "Tolkien created X language" is a very different proposition than saying that of most other fantasists, considering that those guys probably don't even know what that means. Even a really well-known example like Klingon does not have a very extensive vocabulary or fully-functioning grammar. It's not surprising that most made-up fantasy names/words/phrases are silly, because many of them are done by people who are emulating Tolkien but do not have his expertise in the matter. PupsOfWar fucked around with this message at 08:58 on Aug 11, 2014 |
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Aug 11, 2014 08:56
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savinhill posted:I've never gotten around to reading the whole thing but Steven Donaldson's Gap Cycle has a space pirate main character and people seem to like it a lot. You're going to make that recommendation on this forum? You're a brave, brave man/woman/eldritch thing.
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Aug 11, 2014 10:01
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Syle187 posted:Also, could anyone recommend any good Fantasy/Scifi blends? My Dad recommended the Darkover series by Marion Zimmer Bradley, but he also said he hadn't read it in about 30 years. The Morgaine series by CJ Cherryh would fit nicely into that. Technically part of the A-U Universe, but with lots of swords and hyper-musculated heroes.
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Aug 11, 2014 10:07
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Hey does Magician's Land have one of Lev's trademark yiff scenes? (got an hour left on the Magician King audiobook, can't wait to get to the new book!)
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Aug 11, 2014 10:30
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Hieronymous Alloy posted:Stainless Steel Rat series by Harry Harrison. They're 70's pulp SF though and not, like, "good" by modern standards. And you really can't read more than two in a row because they tend to be a bit same-y and will get old quickly.
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