I think it's worth finishing, nothing groundbreaking, but it's a good book. Although after finishing it I didn't feel compelled to read the rest of the series, I'm still glad I read it. It does pick up as it goes along, it didn't grip me much at first either, but gets better. I got them all for £1 too.
Books Fantasy Reads
- Thread starter Alock1
- Start date
I never knew Jack Reacher had fantastical elements having never read one. I am surprised.
Past Tense - Lee Child
Latest in Jack Reacher novels and one of the worst to boot. Uninspiring and predictable plot, no surprises and inane writing to boot. Pave is dead slow, few action scenes...can't really think of anything positive about this book.
1/10
It doesn't. Thread is mostly for fantasy, but we have occasionally sci-fi and other genres too.Thanks to you all for your thoughts on Final Empire.
I'll try one more time!
I'll try one more time!
Just ordered The Seraphim Trilogy by Dalglish, Chronicles of the Raven by Braclay and the first three books from the Gentleman Bastard by Lynch.
Got most of them second hand in (supposedly) great condition. Will share my thoughts after i finish each series
Got most of them second hand in (supposedly) great condition. Will share my thoughts after i finish each series
Blast from the past. One of the earliest book, I've read in fantasy and though I don't remember the plot...have good memories about the series.
Iirc, it was a bit of raw work with plot not being too complex and made up for in non-stop sword and sorcery action sequences. Fast paced, though a bit unidimensional. Very entertaining though. Perhaps I'll give this a read again later.
Exactly what I was advised and what i need atm but the books will arrive in 2-3 weeks. I recently started the Liveship Traders by Hobb, so I`ll finish it first.
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Gil's All Fright Diner
- A Lee Martinez
Supposed to be like Hitchhiker Guide and Ghostbusters combined, but sadly disappointing.
A friendly duo of a vampire and werewolf decide to help a diner fight off zombies and ghouls and a dark God. Predictable story and not funny dialogue take away from what could have been an entertaining story. Was so bland that I had to skim read.
Don't bother.
Bloody hell that sounds awful from your brief description alone.
It turns out that Theft of Swords is two books that make up the first Riyria Revelations book, which I didn't know when I started it as I'd bought it ages ago. I kept thinking it felt like the end of a book when I was about midway through and then it turned out it was the end of the first story. I have to say it was pretty damn good, I enjoyed it a lot but found the few fights there were a bit hard to follow in my head they just sounded awkward. It reminded me a bit of David Gemmell and I think I'll finish the series if the quality keeps up. On to the second story in the first book now.
It turns out that Theft of Swords is two books that make up the first Riyria Revelations book, which I didn't know when I started it as I'd bought it ages ago. I kept thinking it felt like the end of a book when I was about midway through and then it turned out it was the end of the first story. I have to say it was pretty damn good, I enjoyed it a lot but found the few fights there were a bit hard to follow in my head they just sounded awkward. It reminded me a bit of David Gemmell and I think I'll finish the series if the quality keeps up. On to the second story in the first book now.
Damn it. Jack Reacher: The Sword of Xandarth sounded fabulous too.
Jut finished the trilogy. Was rewarding he's a good writer I also enjoyed the Thorns series.
Red Sister
- Mark Lawrence
Very good read. A story of a convent which trains "sisters" who are deadly in combat and versatile in magic and feared everywhere. A very refreshing read though book 1 is more on the 'training' part. The pace is a bit uneven and drops for a page and then sweeps through in the next, but that only a minor criticism in a otherwise a very good book. Could have been 25 pages shorter to make it ,more crisp but still makes me want to five into the next book immediately.
8/10
Writing is very juvenile, and some things don't make sense, but still loved the series. The first book is the best one in the saga.
Finished Senlin Ascends, it is more a book about someone not likely to be the hero of a fantasy and maybe more a kind of puzzle. It was ok, the end was a bit too frantic and too graphic. I am not sure if I want to read the rest or not.
Now I want to read something short or more light-hearted, so maybe a Frances Hardinge book (even if one of her books was the wiping of a village with colonization).
Now I want to read something short or more light-hearted, so maybe a Frances Hardinge book (even if one of her books was the wiping of a village with colonization).
Can recommend Quill by AC Cobble (The Cartographer #1).
Unlike his previous YA series about Benjamin Ashwood(which was an easy and enjoyable series), this is more for adults with graphic descriptions about grown up stuff. Decent worldbuilding, drinking, humor and shiet.
8/10
Unlike his previous YA series about Benjamin Ashwood(which was an easy and enjoyable series), this is more for adults with graphic descriptions about grown up stuff. Decent worldbuilding, drinking, humor and shiet.
8/10
Finished first half of Ririya Revelations. Nice going till now. I was put off initially by how easy the Riyria were conned into the trap, but the book picked up and delivered. Off to more reading....
Finished Theft of Swords Book 1 in Riyria Revelations
From avery mundane start, it picked up pace and built up the story nicely. Enough twists to keep the plot from being predictable and two protagonists that are exciting to follow.
From avery mundane start, it picked up pace and built up the story nicely. Enough twists to keep the plot from being predictable and two protagonists that are exciting to follow.
Though nearing the end, I get a feeling that Royce and Hadarian are not really two casual thieves. Royce's elvish history and Hadarian's medallion are getting singled out which kinda makes me think they have some hidden past/heritage. Would be disappointed if one of them turned out to be the Heir of Novron. Fingers crossed.
Finished The Subtle Knife (#2 of His Dark Materials)
Really enjoyable read and even better than the Golden Compass.
Really enjoyable read and even better than the Golden Compass.
Very good book. The last book has one of the best endings I have read.
So, who here is excited for Dark age by Pierce Brown? Less than 10 days!
I totally endorse this post. One of the best endings of a fantasy series, right there with Liveship Traders in that aspect.
Are you reading the First Empire saga from him (prequels set 3000 years before)? It connects many dots in a very good way, and shows that the history is full of shit.
Is the series any good?
Glad you liked it, I wasn't sure if it was genuinely that good or I was just thrilled by the pace after Lord of Chaos. I just started the second story.
I picked up on that too, at first I was worried that maybe they were a bit Mary Sue-ish with Hadrian shooting a rope with an arrow and being a ridiculously good swordsman and Royce having several instances of almost super powers in the first story, but by the end and when Esrahaddon showed up I started to suspect there was something else going on. Even more so when they hear Thrace's tale.
First 3 are good. Not read the fourth.
I am usually not a fan of prequels. But I will probably read it somewhere down the line.
About the history part,
I thought it was established that the church hated that they were ruled by the elves, that is why they destroyed the capital, right? Does the prequel go into detail about how this resentment started?
Did you figure out before that the advisor was the old god who appeared every now and then to help the people, as his penance? I loved how the author connected the ending with a piece of information he wrote a few books before. Totally blew me away.
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The first book is a bit like Hunger Games, and the rest of the books morph into sci-fi/space opera. Very entertaining. Not a fan of the 4th book, but the ending promised big things for the 5th, so there is that.
Dresden Files Author Jim Butcher Finally Completes Peace Talks
http://epicstream.com/news/JakeVype...tes-Peace-Talks-Live-Action-Trailer-is-Coming
Yay!
http://epicstream.com/news/JakeVype...tes-Peace-Talks-Live-Action-Trailer-is-Coming
Yay!
Good news!
Rise of Empire (Riyria Revelations #2)
Will spoiler it since some are reading it now....
Will spoiler it since some are reading it now....
Good crisp action continues, but this probably a step down from Book 1 as it fails to advance the plot in any significant manner. The issue of Hadarian as the protector also seems to be insignificant in the plot till now, other than to get him on the journey. Certain events are very contrived and obvious to just move the plot forward.
Plot also seems all over the place jumping from Melengar to Ratoibor to Calais to Drumindor with multiple sub plots muddying the field..the books are a hodge podge of events.
The only plus point is development of Arista as a character which again gets diluted by the unnecessary romantic interludes with Emery/Hilfred. Hilfred as a character is completely wasted after getting page time in Book 1 and 2. I was expecting him have more weight.
The twist at the end is unexpected and refreshing and scrambles to save an otherwise mediocre book.
Plot also seems all over the place jumping from Melengar to Ratoibor to Calais to Drumindor with multiple sub plots muddying the field..the books are a hodge podge of events.
The only plus point is development of Arista as a character which again gets diluted by the unnecessary romantic interludes with Emery/Hilfred. Hilfred as a character is completely wasted after getting page time in Book 1 and 2. I was expecting him have more weight.
The twist at the end is unexpected and refreshing and scrambles to save an otherwise mediocre book.
Yes, there is seeing that the history is bullshit, and then there is going to see who Nephron, his wife, the Patriarch really were. It is quite a bit different to what you would imagine at the end of the original series. You realize at the end of the series that Nephron was an elf, but in the other saga, you really get to see him. Quite a bit different from what you would imagine.
Yes, I realized quite a bit earlier that he is the main mentioned God. Thing is - something yet to be really discovered in the new saga - who is him, really? Like I said before, the prequels kind of turn the world outside down, and everything you think you know turns out to be different. The conflict between the Invinsible hand (the old god/servent) and the Ezra's teacher seem to have been going forever and pretty much everything that has happened is because of that. But still I have no idea what are there, Gods, or just extremely old mages predating the other civilizations.
Will check it out then.
Finished the series. Couple of things I didn't understand....
@Revan @VJ1762
Arcadius willing to hand over Mercedes to the Church as successor. Why would he hand over the actual heir to an institution dedicated to killing the lineage? And in such a obvious way (refused to teach any other girls) thereby announcing something was special with this girl. Sounds very stupid for a master manipulator like him.
And Merrick trying to copy the medallion. Surely you just can't copy a powerful magical item? Presume only another magic user can create one.
And Merrick trying to copy the medallion. Surely you just can't copy a powerful magical item? Presume only another magic user can create one.
@Revan @VJ1762
Not sure I remember exactly but:
Pretty sure that Arcadius was manipulated all along from Yolric (there is the tiny possibility that Arcadius is Yolric and just faked his death at the hands of Guy), so the idea must have come from Yolric. Which kind of makes sense, cause it sets other events, like Royce going to take the throne, with the help of 'the invisible hand'. Yolric is fixated with the Gods, and all he does is setting the world into chaos, in order to observe 'the invisible hand' putting it back into 'peace'. He claims to be older than Gods, being the most powerful creature alive, he gave the magic to the Elfs, allowed the fall of the Empire among many other things, while still not managing to find Nimbus/Kile/Turin.
Not sure about the second point, I guess that Merrick just had an inflated opinion about himself.
While Yolric and Turin are peripherical characters, almost everything is set as a game between them. It is right there with Sanderson's Battle of Gods which happens at the periphery of each book. Quite complex and deep.
Not sure about the second point, I guess that Merrick just had an inflated opinion about himself.
While Yolric and Turin are peripherical characters, almost everything is set as a game between them. It is right there with Sanderson's Battle of Gods which happens at the periphery of each book. Quite complex and deep.
I finished Theft of Swords, I haven't finished the whole series yet because I'm not a cyborg. I very much liked what I read though and will happily read the rest of the series. One thing I noticed is that I saw a lot of the plot elements and twists coming a mile away. I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing. If it's because it's all a bit simplistic and easy to predict or if it's just very good foreshadowing. I'm not complaining, I'm just still trying to make up my mind on which it is.
I'm going to read the third Gentleman Bastards book before carrying on with the series anyway as I have that on my Kindle and I've had a nice break since finishing the second.
I'm going to read the third Gentleman Bastards book before carrying on with the series anyway as I have that on my Kindle and I've had a nice break since finishing the second.
Did it ever get explained on who Yolric was?
I'm just starting to read Age of Myth and get a feeling that the Trilos character is same as Yolric.
I just had a quick Google as I do every month for news of Book 4 or the next Rothfuss one.
Not a suggestion of any new info anywhere I can find.
There was a tweet that book is done, at least the writing part of it. Probably with the editors by now.
Thanks have been away so probably missed that.
Yeah, Yolric and Trilos have to be the same one. Trilos might or might not be 'The Ancient One', but considering that he game the magic to Elfs out of spite of dwarfs, I think he is the same.
Not sure what is his end goal, bar finding the Gods. But then, he claims to be older than Gods.
[\spoiler]
Not sure what is his end goal, bar finding the Gods. But then, he claims to be older than Gods.
[\spoiler]
Man, just finished 'Dark Age' , book 5 of the Red Rising series...and it is probably the darkest novel I have read for sometime. When you are reading a fantasy novel, you want to have parts of the book where the people you are rooting for win, and barring 20% of the book in the beginning, the rest is the author systematically tearing down everything he built over the course of the previous 4 books. In the end, the situation becomes even more hopeless than in the beginning of the 1st book, and I guess I should have known this would happen from the title of the book. The author's writing has improved by leaps since the first novel, so that is a positive I suppose.
On the whole, a solid 3.5 out of 5.
Time to fire up Friends and watch an episode or two.
Can Mustang and Darrow please have a happy ending? They have suffered enough already. And I hope Lysander dies in the next book. Fecking self-righteous prick. I still can't believe a brilliant strategist like Darrow was outsmarted by him.
On the whole, a solid 3.5 out of 5.
Time to fire up Friends and watch an episode or two.
Being a big fan of The Witcher games I finally got around to starting the books. I finished Blood of Elves the other day. It's kind of shitty. Very little happens and Geralt is barely in it. Don't think I'll continue with the series.