What Are You Reading, Part 2

[Sunbird she/her]

Currently working on A Conjuring of Light by V.E. Schwab, which just came out recently. Very awesome so far.

[AerionBFII he/him]

I'm incredibly slow about learning this but i just found out you can mash up 'A feast for Crows' & 'A Dance With Dragons' and put the chapters in chronological order... I thought it would be amazing to try and i've just got all the chapters lined up and now i'm too scared to start XD It's Huge!!

Edited March 9, 2017 by AerionBFII

[Dunkum he/him]

8 hours ago, AerionBFII said:

I'm incredibly slow about learning this but i just found out you can mash up 'A feast for Crows' & 'A Dance With Dragons' and put the chapters in chronological order... I thought it would be amazing to try and i've just got all the chapters lined up and now i'm too scared to start XD It's Huge!!

I did that a while back when I last read through the series.  i'm honestly not sure it is worth it, in part because the resulting megabook is something like 2000+ pages, but also because the gaps between a given character's POV chapters gets even longer.   though there is a neat bit where you get to see the same scene from 2 different perspectives, separated by almost no time.  I don't think I had even noticed that both books contained it when I read them separately.

[Guest]

19 hours ago, AngelEy3 said:

I read the trilogy last week (disclaimer: I get to read at work) and had a blast with it. Valyn also reminded me of Adolin. Finishing up the first in lightbringer tonight. 

Yeah, Valyn makes me think of a darker, broken down Adolin. Both characters do have a few things in common, though I am still puzzling about how old is everyone. The book seems to contradict itself on numerous occasions. Still, I find it a very pleasing and entertaining read. 

Next, I'll jump into Brent Weeks, so looks like we are just a few weeks apart with our reading, though I cannot read at work, so my progress is slower.

May I ask what you do for work which allows you so much reading time?

[Sunbird she/her]

@maxal What do you wanna bet he's a hotel desk clerk on the graveyard shift like Brandon was? XD

In other news, I finished A Conjuring of Light and very much enjoyed it. I'm now about 80 pages into Duskfall by Christopher Husberg and already super excited about the rest.

[AngelEy3 he/him]

On 3/9/2017 at 7:27 PM, maxal said:

Yeah, Valyn makes me think of a darker, broken down Adolin. Both characters do have a few things in common, though I am still puzzling about how old is everyone. The book seems to contradict itself on numerous occasions. Still, I find it a very pleasing and entertaining read. 

Next, I'll jump into Brent Weeks, so looks like we are just a few weeks apart with our reading, though I cannot read at work, so my progress is slower.

May I ask what you do for work which allows you so much reading time?

I work overnights at a group home. After everyone is in bed and I'm finished cleaning the house I get about 5 hours of down time before I start the morning routine, but I have to be awake. It's really the perfect storm for books, because I can still hear if anyone gets out of bed or needs help. 

From what I can tell it's Adare>Valyn>Kaden. But the books seem to swap the ages of Valyn and Kaden a couple times. An important point that's made at one point was that Valyn is older but Kaden is the heir because he has the eyes. 

I'm enjoying Lightbringer a lot more than I did Unhewn Throne, and I thought Unhewn Throne was a good ride. So you've got that to look forward to as well. 

[AngelEy3 he/him]

3 minutes ago, Sunbird said:

@maxal What do you wanna bet he's a hotel desk clerk on the graveyard shift like Brandon was? XD

In other news, I finished A Conjuring of Light and very much enjoyed it. I'm now about 80 pages into Duskfall by Christopher Husberg and already super excited about the rest.

I've also had that job in the past. Good guess! It was pretty close. 

[AngelEy3 he/him]

And for the Hat Trick.... 

I decided to take stock off the top of my head of what I've read in the last year. I know there's some titles I missed, but this is pretty close. 

Does anyone have any suggestions for what other books/series to read that jive with this list? Although enjoyable, the Shannara books left me the most unsatisfied out of what is listed here. 

[Dunkum he/him]

the first 2 Shannara books are easily the worst, at least of the ones i've read.   sword is a blatant Lord of the Rings knockoff, and elfstones is just sort of generic.  Wishsong is much better than both, though still not up there at the level of Tolkein or Sanderson or Rothfuss

[Guest]

7 hours ago, AngelEy3 said:

I work overnights at a group home. After everyone is in bed and I'm finished cleaning the house I get about 5 hours of down time before I start the morning routine, but I have to be awake. It's really the perfect storm for books, because I can still hear if anyone gets out of bed or needs help. 

From what I can tell it's Adare>Valyn>Kaden. But the books seem to swap the ages of Valyn and Kaden a couple times. An important point that's made at one point was that Valyn is older but Kaden is the heir because he has the eyes. 

I'm enjoying Lightbringer a lot more than I did Unhewn Throne, and I thought Unhewn Throne was a good ride. So you've got that to look forward to as well. 

Each jobs has its perks 

I am currently in book 2 and they say Adare is 3 years older than Kaden while they said she was 2 years older than him in book 1. They never mention Valyn's age except they say, in book 1, he arrived at the Kettral island at 8 and he was there 8 years. Given how both brothers spoke about each other, I took him for the older sibling, but I never was really sure. Then it seems he was a bit younger... The prologue of book 2, just reading the scene and not getting the ages, I would think he was the youngest given how he behaves and speaks (he's the one who clings to his mother the most, there is a childish naivety to him when he is convinced the people will be saved, etc).

At one point, I even wondered if they were twins... Anyway, I got they are very close in age, about a year apart. I also thought Adare was much older, but no, she is just 3 years older which means Valyn as to fit in between. So if Kaden is 17 (as they say in book 1), Adare is 20, then Valyn is about 18-19. Probably 18, but I'll keep reading. This is confusing!

Good. Glad to know I have something good to look forward to. I have decided 2017 would be a great reading years, its crowning moment certainly being Oathbringer in late November. Finally. 

I can't believe how many books you have read last year!

So far this year, I have read:

1) Powder Mage trilogy (3 books) started in December

2) Elantris

3) Emperors Blades (1st book, currently reading book 2)

[A Budgie she/her]

I just finished rereading The Rithmatist. Now I want the second book...

[Guest]

2 hours ago, A Budgie said:

I just finished rereading The Rithmatist. Now I want the second book...

I am really fond of the Rithmatist: I think it gets much less hype than Brandon's other books. I thought it was an intelligent well-thought YA story with an intriguing magic system. I found myself looking at those pictures rather intensely. Also, it avoided everything I disliked about the Reckoners. 

[Left he/him]

11 minutes ago, maxal said:

I am really fond of the Rithmatist: I think it gets much less hype than Brandon's other books. I thought it was an intelligent well-thought YA story with an intriguing magic system. I found myself looking at those pictures rather intensely. Also, it avoided everything I disliked about the Reckoners. 

It is a good book, but unlike Alcatraz, it lacks appeal for a lot of older readers. Out of all of Sanderson's books it is the most kid targeted. So since most of the sharders are older people we don't pay as much attention to it. 

 

What im currently reading: Chapterhouse Dune, book two of earthsea, and I just finished re reading Morning Star. I bought my own copy so I could ink out the f bombs, I'm still don't understand why he put those in, they feel really off with all the other in world curses. 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Left said:

It is a good book, but unlike Alcatraz, it lacks appeal for a lot of older readers. Out of all of Sanderson's books it is the most kid targeted. So since most of the sharders are older people we don't pay as much attention to it. 

I haven't read Alcatraz and I definitely am one of the older readers, yet, I did enjoy the Rithmatist. Immensely so. I felt it was refreshing to read a YA book which did not revolve around romance in between its main protagonists. The contest, at the end, even if predictable was thoroughly enjoying to read. I thought the story was much smarter than several other stories targeted at younger audience in the sense it avoided implausibilities such as having a physically weak girl morphed into a badass warrior in the matter of six weeks (I am looking at you Divergence).... 

Alcatraz, however, based on the extracts I have read seems too young for my personal tastes. 

[+Slowswift]

On Friday, I finished up my reread of the Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan. I was excited, because that meant I could start work on this one library book and The Eye of the World.

Then, on Saturday, my aunt lent me Jhereg by Steven Brust.

Help.

[Mr. Staccato he/him]

Does anybody here know of the Riyria Revelations? I've stopped reading it for a while now in favor of writing fanfiction and I was contemplating whether or not to finish it because of certain things that's been bothering me about the series and I was just going to ask - does the story get better after Theft of Swords? Because I'd really like to focus in on Glenn Cook after I'm done but if some of you sharders think it's a good enough read then maybe just maybe I'll keep at it.

[StormingTexan he/him]

2 hours ago, Mr. Staccato said:

Does anybody here know of the Riyria Revelations? I've stopped reading it for a while now in favor of writing fanfiction and I was contemplating whether or not to finish it because of certain things that's been bothering me about the series and I was just going to ask - does the story get better after Theft of Swords? Because I'd really like to focus in on Glenn Cook after I'm done but if some of you sharders think it's a good enough read then maybe just maybe I'll keep at it.

I really liked the series. Not sure what it was that you didn't completely like about the first book. Maybe if you can elaborate a little I can tell you if your objections get resolved.

[Mr. Staccato he/him]

15 minutes ago, StormingTexan said:

I really liked the series. Not sure what it was that you didn't completely like about the first book. Maybe if you can elaborate a little I can tell you if your objections get resolved.

The pace, I guess? Or maybe I'm just getting jaded with epic fantasy books that aren't Sanderson but I hope that isn't the case because the last thing I want to happen is for me to become a literary snob.

I guess it has more to do with personal taste but I guess it also has to do with the fight scenes and the reveals? Man I don't know I can't think of an explanation for my wariness to the series that wouldn't make me sound like someone nitpicking at the most inconsequential of things. So I'd rather not get into too much about it.

What about you @StormingTexan? What did you really like about the series? Maybe your appreciation for the books would rub off on mine.

Edited March 13, 2017 by Mr. Staccato

[StormingTexan he/him]

@Mr. Staccato Ah ok this helps! Don't feel bad about being jaded. Brandon has severely spoiled us all or we wouldn't be here right. So by far the thing I liked about the books the most was the characters Hadrian and Royce. Of course I like the "heist" type of books like The Lies of Locke Lamora and The Final Empire so I had a predisposition to like these as well to an extent. I also found the world very interesting. I am scared to say much because I read all three books back to back and cannot remember what was reviled in which at the moment. I think I can safely say I found the different races and their interaction with each other very interesting. There is some mystery and intrigue but I will admit the reveals are no where near Sanderson quality. The fight scenes too but these actually get better in my opinion but again not Brandon's caliber. Brandon has a way of describing fight scenes that play out like a movie in my head. I have not found many authors that do it as well. 

All in all a good series especially if you like character driven stories. 

[Briar King]

He wrote 6 more that are being published now as well. I've not read any but it gets love on Malazan boards

[StrikerEZ he/him]

I just finished Ghostly Echoes by William Ritter, which I've been meaning to read for a long time now. It was absolutely amazing. Maybe if I were a better detective myself, I could've seen the obvious hints towards the big plot twist at the end (which had been hinted since the first book), but I'm not. I also tend not to worry too much about that stuff while I'm reading books. I tend to just read as if I'm the character, figuring out everything along with them.

But I really recommend anyone read the first book, Jackaby, if you like the idea of Sherlock Holmes meets fantasy (fairies, underworld, etc.) and lots and lots of mystery (plus a little bit of tasteful romance). And William Ritter is just marvelous with his writing. So simplistic, yet so amazingly beautiful.

Edited March 20, 2017 by StrikerEZ

[Yas she/her]

Currently I'm reading A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro. It's an interesting take on a modern day Sherlock and Watson duo. It's about Sherlock's great-great-great granddaughter and Watson's great-great-great grandson solving a murder at their boarding school. So far, it's enjoyable!

[Sunbird she/her]

On 3/15/2017 at 10:06 PM, StrikerEZ said:

I just finished Ghostly Echoes by William Ritt, which I've been meaning to read for a long time now. It was absolutely amazing. Maybe if I were a better detective myself, I could've seen the obvious hints towards the big plot twist at the end (which had been hinted since the first book), but I'm not. I also tend not to worry too much about that stuff while I'm reading books. I tend to just read as if I'm the character, figuring out everything along with them.

But I really recommend anyone read the first book, Jackaby, if you like the idea of Sherlock Holmes meets fantasy (fairies, underworld, etc.) and lots and lots of mystery (plus a little bit of tasteful romance). And William Ritter is just marvelous with his writing. So simplistic, yet so amazingly beautiful.

I looooove this series! I've saved so many funny quotes from it.

[Orlion Blight he/him]

I finished Hearing Secret Harmonies, bringing my reading of A Dance to the Music of Time by Anthony Powell to a close. This must be what Harold Bloom meant when he referred to the "sublime." It's been a few years since I've been left dazed by the conclusion of a series. (The last being The Prince of Nothing series for non-sublime reasons, and then the Aegypt cycle by John Crowley before that).

Now to read The Dark Forest by Cixin Liu for Book Club next week.

[Djarskublar he/him]

I recently read Half Upon a Time, and it is perhaps the most amusing thing I've ever read. The main character lives in a village where everyone is training to become heroes to rescue princesses, but the MC is totally disillusioned with the likelihood and reasonability of it ever happening. Of course, a damsel in distress does appear, and he is the only one smart enough to help her. The first 20 pages or so made my sides ache with how much the MC mocked the tropes of fairytales.

The third book floored me. It referenced Norse mythology so seamlessly in a book that was a Snow White remake that it took me a minute to fully realize what happened. It was an obvious reference to me, but I can see it would be impossible to catch if you don't know what was going on. It wasn't necessary to understand the plot, but it was a really interesting touch, and made this series one of my new favorites.