Argent Posted April 15, 2016 Report Share Posted April 15, 2016 (edited) I would stay away from the Recluse books, even though they're his most famous, because the first ones are written SO badly, and they don't follow a continuing plot. Think I've shared this story in this thread before, but it bears repeating because I like whining. I started with Recluse because my best friend recommended them. Read most of them, maybe 70-80%, and I can't bring myself to finish them or try anything else by him. He has interesting ideas (though I found the magic system there no particularly interesting), but the writing felt atrocious. One of the very few authors I just can't read... Edit: Look at what you've done, I came here to give an update of my reading progress, and instead I ranted about Modesitt Jr... again. I finished Thief of Time, the book I consider to be the end of the Pratchett reread I vowed to do about a year ago, soon after his death. I expected it to be good (it was actually the only Death book I hadn't read back in middle school), and was definitely not disappointed - it was great. Everything I could ask from it. Fantastic book, fantastic end of its series, and a fantastic end of my reread. I'll probably go back and finish the short stories and Tiffany Aching sometime, but for now I'll go back to epic fantasy for while. Edited April 15, 2016 by Argent 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Left Posted April 15, 2016 Report Share Posted April 15, 2016 I just realized I got so caught up in commenting on other things that I haven't updated what I've been reading. I've finished the re-read of D.Gray-Man, and am almost finished with the new chapters I've never read. I'm almost done with Blood of Tyrants. It's gotten SO much better than the middling Temeraire books, although it's still not quite as good as the first two. I went ahead and read the first chapter of Otherland, and it was interesting. I'm looking forward to actually starting it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Invested Beard Posted April 15, 2016 Report Share Posted April 15, 2016 I just realized I got so caught up in commenting on other things that I haven't updated what I've been reading. I've finished the re-read of D.Gray-Man, and am almost finished with the new chapters I've never read. I'm almost done with Blood of Tyrants. It's gotten SO much better than the middling Temeraire books, although it's still not quite as good as the first two. I went ahead and read the first chapter of Otherland, and it was interesting. I'm looking forward to actually starting it. The Otherland series by Tad Williams? Goooooood series. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briar King Posted April 15, 2016 Report Share Posted April 15, 2016 Bk 2 of Dresden is the lowest point in series. Bk 3 is going to ramp it in overdrive halfway in then bk 4 starts the awesome sauce from beginning to end for the rest of current bks. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zathoth Posted April 15, 2016 Report Share Posted April 15, 2016 I know I am in the minority, but I actually like Fool Moon. I think it is better than Storm Front. I just finished Promise of Blood. I didnt love it but it was good. I shall still finish the series. I decided to take a break from Perdido Street Station to read either The Wise Mans Fear or The Blinding Knife, but I cant make up my mind on which I want to read... Perdido Street Station is great by the way. I recommend it. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StormingTexan Posted April 15, 2016 Report Share Posted April 15, 2016 I finished Heir of Novron which concluded the Riyria Revelations. Really liked the series. Will probably read the prequels. Started The Magicians the TV show made me want to re-read the series. Forgot how depressing this series is. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxal Posted April 15, 2016 Report Share Posted April 15, 2016 The Otherland series by Tad Williams? Goooooood series. I tried it several years ago, but it didn't do it for me. I drop it halfway through. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briar King Posted April 15, 2016 Report Share Posted April 15, 2016 The 1st bk is really really good then it starts dipping on 2. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orlion Blight Posted April 15, 2016 Report Share Posted April 15, 2016 Currently making my way through Foundation and enjoying it. Each novel convinces me that Asimov never really left short stories behind. I like the serialized nature of the novels, though.That's because the original trilogy was serialized in magazines 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunkum Posted April 15, 2016 Report Share Posted April 15, 2016 Think I've shared this story in this thread before, but it bears repeating because I like whining. I started with Recluse because my best friend recommended them. Read most of them, maybe 70-80%, and I can't bring myself to finish them or try anything else by him. He has interesting ideas (though I found the magic system there no particularly interesting), but the writing felt atrocious. One of the very few authors I just can't read... Edit: Look at what you've done, I came here to give an update of my reading progress, and instead I ranted about Modesitt Jr... again. I don't remember Recluse being that bad, but it has been years since I read them, and the few things I've reread from that time have generally not aged well, so I won't actually try to refute that. that said, to ScottLeft's point, the fact that Recluse skips around mean the poor writing at the beginning generally matters less, not more. you can skip to 3 or 4 books in and you aren't really missing anything simply because there isn't a single overarching narrative. I always kind of liked that about them: some of the books take place centuries apart from each other, giving glimpses into the history of the world. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Invested Beard Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 I tried it several years ago, but it didn't do it for me. I drop it halfway through. That's too bad, one of the best endings I've ever read in a fiction series. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunbird Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 So I finished The Infinite Sea today, and I thought it was just kinda meh. Although I liked the portion of the story that centered on Ringer, I didn't like that her storyline eclipsed that of the other characters. Also, too much death. Also read through the first few chapters of Flamecaster, and after I finished chapter 2 these were my thoughts toward Cinda Chima: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trizee Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 I finished A Blade Itself and its sequel Before they Are Hanged. Both are good solid books, but nothing amazing. I made an attempt at Jack Vance's Lyonesse and discovered that it is totally lacking in plot and character and stopped. Currently reading the third book in the First Law series, Last Argument of Kings. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orlion Blight Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 I finished A Blade Itself and its sequel Before they Are Hanged. Both are good solid books, but nothing amazing. I made an attempt at Jack Vance's Lyonesse and discovered that it is totally lacking in plot and character and stopped. Currently reading the third book in the First Law series, Last Argument of Kings. How so? I'd say Lyonesse had too much plot and character! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Left Posted April 16, 2016 Report Share Posted April 16, 2016 I finally finished Blood of Tyrants. Shwoo, I maybe should have paced myself better. I took the last third of the book at a sprint, which really doesn't work well with Noviks writing, so it kinda wore my brain out. It was good, but I think I'll be glad when I've finished this series, it's gone on long enough. I only have a very few chapters left in the manga series I'm reading, which is very sad. It's been very confusing though, which is also sad I'm going to jump into Otherland tonight, and I'm going to read some Modesitt afterwards. I might read Good Omens at the same time as I read Otherland, because I think I'm going to need a smaller book to help pace. Otherland is about 800 pages, and I'll just end up quitting if it's the only thing I try to read. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argent Posted April 18, 2016 Report Share Posted April 18, 2016 I finally started reading Brandon's White Sand manuscript. I've been putting this one off for practically as long as I've been reading him (not sure why, to be honest), but decided that I need to be able to feel smug about having read the prose when the graphic novels start coming out, and I am having a convenient gap in my reading schedule. I am maybe 15-20% and loving it so far. I can see the quality is not quite there, the character dialogue is... a little cringeworthy at times. The worldbuilding is obviously still there and good, but the way it's presented is a little confusing at times. All in all, I still think I would pay money for it, but I can definitely see why he felt it needed serious revision. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zathoth Posted April 19, 2016 Report Share Posted April 19, 2016 The Wise Mans Fear is so good. Im going to hate myself when I finish it... You just couldn't go with your original plan and wait until Day 3 had a release date, could you? You just had to read it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunbird Posted April 20, 2016 Report Share Posted April 20, 2016 (edited) So I finished The Infinite Sea today, and I thought it was just kinda meh. Although I liked the portion of the story that centered on Ringer, I didn't like that her storyline eclipsed that of the other characters. Also, too much death. Also read through the first few chapters of Flamecaster, and after I finished chapter 2 these were my thoughts toward Cinda Chima: This post got a downvote? Did I say something offensive, or did somebody's finger slip on their mouse? And now for the reason I originally came in here: I finished Flamecaster and thought it was pretty awesome. The end had a few twists that caught me by surprise. I'm now about 60% into Truthwitch by Susan Dennard, since it seems to be getting a lot of hype. I'm enjoying it (thought the sea foxes were super cool creatures), but it hasn't AMAZED me yet. Edited April 24, 2016 by Sunbird 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunbird Posted April 24, 2016 Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 Read a really awesome book today: "Got Luck" by Michael Darling. It kind of feels like a mix of the Dresden Files and the Iron Druid Chronicles, but cleaner than either of them. The main character, Goethe Luck, is really funny and uses "curse words" like "Son of a poodle" and "Nuggets!" Here's one of my favorite quotes from his inner monologue: "The Robaccio Restaurant was one of those places that sounded like a nice Italian trattoria--and it was. The funny thing about the place was the name: a blend of two Italian words. The word "robaccia" meant "trash" in Italian and "bacio" was "kiss." Putting the two words together was like naming a British pub the Rubbish Smooch, which someone in London really needs to do." 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briar King Posted April 24, 2016 Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 Reading Safehold 1 along with Hyperion a bit each day. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IndigoAjah Posted April 24, 2016 Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 Just finished Warbreaker About to start Kafka on the Shore by Murakami 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zathoth Posted April 24, 2016 Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 About to start Kafka on the Shore by Murakami I liked that one. It is weird as hell, but I liked it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kestrel Posted April 24, 2016 Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 Book 7 of the Wheel of Time. I've been working on it for... too long. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Briar King Posted April 24, 2016 Report Share Posted April 24, 2016 I actually really liked that one. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Argent Posted April 25, 2016 Report Share Posted April 25, 2016 So, White Sand has been a fun experience. On one hand, yay for Cosmere and a flashy magic system. On the other, the characters can be downright abysmal at times. If there is one thing Brandon must've learned since he wrote this, it's how to write characters, character arcs, and dialogue. That, and foreshadowing - I saw some of the reveals coming from a mile away, and I am notoriously bad at spotting those things. Still, overall I enjoyed it. I am now reading Empire Ascendant and am a little concerned I'll be lost for more than half of the book. It hasn't been that long since I read the first book in the series, but it was not a book I remember very well, so after a couple of hours of reading, I am more than a little confused about who exactly everyone is, and what they have been doing all of the first book. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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