Ammanas

If you know who Dennison Crestmar is.

So are you starting Fall of Light next @hoiditthroughthegrapevine? The Kharkanus books were a shock for just about everyone I think! Most of us were expecting the adventures of a young Rake but instead he’s not really present and it much more of a dark contemplative book. I honestly have no idea how the editors and publishers approved it. I have come to appreciate it but I think that anyone could know it wouldn’t sell well. It’s kind of for diehard fans only. In juxtaposition I think anyone could pick up Esslemonts early Empire books and have fun with it.

So I just finished the audiobook again and unfortunately don’t have a specific chapter to reference. But at one time during the book Spensa hears Dvorak’s new world Symphony playing from M-Bot. Has anyone asked Sanderson or has he revealed what movement Spensa heard? Or in any way narrow down what clip she was able to hear. I realize this question probably won’t have a answer but wanted to put it out there just in case.

Every true Coca Cola fan has to visit the official museum in Atlanta (The World of Coca-Cola ). It goes through the history, how it’s produced, a movie theatre that shows coke commercials and, of course, (the best part) Coke flavors from around the world. Sodas that the Coca Cola company only produces in certain countries and you can sample them! Unlimited refills! I’ve been twice!

Claymore and Code Geass were both fun to watch. To be fair though I am not well versed in anime but if you like Deathnote then I think you will like them!

Kimmalyn probably. Suzy Jackson does a great job with her voice as well. The characters is just so...quirky. Love her optimism a kind nature as well. I can’t get enough of the Saint!

Can you imagine more of a jerk face? I can’t. To be honest physical descriptions of characters are not really important to me and are always very vague in my minds eye as I read; to each their own though...

I’ve found Jerk Face in real life! Exactly how I picture him! edit: Perhaps a few details are off like skin color etc. I’m talking about facial structure and general vibe

Thankful for prophetic direction in my life during these times https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2020/04/the-future-of-the-church-preparing-the-world-for-the-saviors-second-coming?lang=eng A hopeful message https://www.thechurchnews.com/leaders-and-ministry/2020-03-26/coronavirus-covid-19-president-ballard-hope-encouragement-latter-day-saints-178413?fbclid=IwAR1pXwdBxUCHekisXNBqJ_9NNYz8fd5gNBfSaEvH9CoMo3Q-2-8hrTHh13E

Maybe it’s time to join the e-reader cult? I fought against it for a long time but the screen really does look a lot like paper and is very different than a phone or computer.

Nothing Sanderson related, but after reading 3 Nephi 23:1 (Where Christ gives the people a commandment to search diligently the words of Isaiah) I decided to really take it seriously. Two times I’ve gone through the Isaiah chapters in the B.o.M (of course they are mainly in 1st and 2nd Nephi) with different translations and commentary. I think finally understand it. In a way most of it is kind of simple. People make it more complex than it needs to be with interpretations that are dubious at best. Also the King James Translation is just not very good at places. My views on the Book of Mormon translation are best expressed by Brigham Young, “There has not been a perfect revelation given, because we cannot understand it. Yet we receive a little here and a little there. I should not be stumbled if the prophet should translate the Bible 40,000 times over and yet it should be different in some places every time. Because when God speaks it is always according to the capacity of the people.” I think people were used to the King James so we got King James Isaiah chapters with a few changes of course. These chapters are usually confusing for people so feel free send a private message or even on this page. I plan on reading the entire book of Isaiah sometime.

Sorry @Briar King but I’m having a hard time following most of your last post. If you were talking about the “special arrows” the biggest clue was when he throws all of his forge making materials into the ocean afterwards and it mentions something like a “creaking of wheels and a rattling of chains” that strikes terror in the witnesses heart. That description always refers to that sword. Sorry it’s been a little while. There were a few smaller clues I think but this was the biggest one and the only one I could recall.

I really liked the jungle setting and the humor in this book. It’s really unique in a lot of ways. It was shaping up to be one of Esslemonts best but unfortunately he drop the ball on the ending in my opinion Despite this I would still rank it third best of the original six Esslemont book (Behind Stonewielder and Orb, Scepter, Throne). I’m afraid to say more for fear of spoilers though. By the way concerning Orb Sceptre Throne I’m currently halfway through Dragonfly Falling. I think it’s even better than Empire of Black and Gold!

The Bone omnibus by Jeff Smith. It’s a graphic novel, but imagine a cross of LOTR with Calvin and Hobbes. Im currently reading the Shadows of the Apt series by Adrian Tchaikovsky. It’s absolutely epic and the content is probably even with WoT maturity wise. The first is called a Empire of Black and Gold Im also a big Ray Bradbury fan. I actually enjoy his short stories more than his novels though. Check out “The Stories of Ray Bradbury” published by Everyman’s library. It collects 100 of his best stories. Also check out “Bradbury Stories 100 of his most celebrated Tales” for another great collection. There is no overlap between the two so 200 stories with no duplicates

Empire of Black and Gold by Adrian Tchaikovsky. I’m really liking it so far. It kind of reminds me of Malazan with its vast panorama of cultures and empires. But is a much easier read with less puzzles and a more workmanlike prose. I’ve actually tried to read this in the past but the books were large paperbacks with tiny print and it made me kind of dizzy to read. I’m using the e-reader this time and it’s a game changer. Best part is if it continues being this great there’s a lot to look forward to. It’s a completed ten book series. Heading back to read it some more now!

New Esslemont book this year! At least in the UK...it seems like the Esslemont books are sometimes delayed 2-3 months for United States readers. Still great news! https://thewertzone.blogspot.com/2020/02/new-malazan-novel-confirmed-for-this.html?m=1

Hah yes my humor can come across as very dry

I’m thinking about getting my wife a ring for Valentine's Day but only if she refers to me for the rest of the month as "Annatar the Lord of Gifts."

Well it seems that fifth times the charm with the Silmarillion. I have tried to read this book before because like many around here LOTR is dear to me. I have always been bored to tears and unable to finish. I am enthralled by everything this time around. It all started to click. I’m reading it very slowly and constantly checking the index and genealogy lines but I love the brutality and the beauty of this book.

When I want to see evil win I read a author like Joe Abercrombie. When I want to read about soft magic I read Riftwar. I love many authors and when I’m in the mood for a particular style I read them. I enjoy what Brandon brings to the table. Every author has something to nitpick about though. To answer the original post: for me I would like to see him tighten up the Stormlight Archives. I really started to notice this in Oathbringer but it’s starting to feel a bit bloated.

That’s the only thing I can think of but perhaps Bill (from Tor has some thoughts) if you want to look up the specific chapter. https://www.tor.com/series/malazan-reread-of-the-fallen/ I’m excited for the Karsa trilogy as well! Thanks for all your thoughts.

In no particular order: 1. Crowfall by Ed McDonald. Less humor than the previous books but a fitting conclusion 2. A memory Called Empire-Martine. Not a lot of action but really focused on politics, and the semantics of language in a fun scifi setting 3. The Ravens Tower- Leckie. Really unique. Told half in second point of view. Didn’t see the ending coming 4. Witchwood Crown and Empire of Grass by Williams. The author writes beautifully. Love the world he writes about 5. Seven blades in black by Sykes. What a wild ride! A mashup of weird west, a Clinton Eastwood film, final fantasy and a revenge thriller. 6. The burning white by Weeks. Very impressive conclusion to the series 7. Dark Age by Brown. Thes best Red Rising book yet 8. Iron Codex by Mack. This series is turning out to be a lot of fun! 9. The Hod King by Bancroft. Can’t wait to see what happens next! 10. Embers of War by Powell. I preferred the first book but still really enjoyed this middle book which sets up what looks to be a really interesting conclusion

We finally got a firm release date next year. I think it’s June 20th. I think they could of released it earlier but they wanted the 20th anniversary of Storm Front to coincide. From what I understand is life is now in order and he can churn out books more frequently now. To everyone else. A great series...It really caught my attention in book 4. I thought books 1 and three were ok; book two I thought was pretty subpar.

I’m about a third of a way through Fall of Light which is one of the longest audiobooks in my library clocking in a about 44 hours. I’m going to finish it. At one point of this prequel trilogy I just embraced the endless monologues and thought streams and I find them almost relaxing now. I used to rail against them, but my thoughts and feelings now echo Hood in Fall of Light where he says, “I am now scoured of vengeance and made hollow like a bronze urn.” I still don’t think I would be able to read them but there’s almost something relaxing to the audiobook. If he wants to spend 20 minutes giving a parable about the slow death of a fishing village by starvation (and how the fish relatives return to the lake magically gains legs and goes on a revenge trip on other humans) I am now down with it. A Dragons thoughts (also in Fall of Light) summarize the two books so far, “These words...these endless words” Hopefully he will one day return to this trilogy after the Karsa books. I still believe they are the least enjoyable of all of the malazan books and a towering monument of author hubris, but I see the mad genius of it and recognize it’s deserved place in malazan canon.

I just got done watching the newest King Arthur movie and while I know it didn’t do well at the box office I just love the directors (Guy Ritchie’s) style! I think it would be so much fun for him to direct the Stormlight movies! How he integrates flashbacks and potential future scenarios into the present with unique film scores is absolutely marvelous. His actions scenes with Excalibur would also translate well to potential Stormlight powers too.