The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie. Fine book. First in a trilogy.
The Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie. Fine book. First in a trilogy.
Trilogy is good too, but not for everyone, but too full on for some.
Despite being reasonably unimpressed with the first book of the said Expanse series (Leviathan Wakes was solidly competent and thoroughly uninspiring to my mind - just a standard sci fi/detective story with some vaguely interesting space-set racial issues in the mix) and have jumped into and am devouring the second one. And I've ordered the third. There must be some kind of memetic crack woven into the words.Interested to see the tv show though, even if the Belters won’t all be weirdly thin.
I only found out yesterday that ‘James S A Corey’ is really 2 authors.
And one of them is GRRMartin’s personal assistant or some such. Which no doubt helps getting a deal to publish.
Quoted PostGo larping and use foam swords?What? Do people want to see my dagger?I’ll take a photo.
Do it.
Quoted PostThe Blade Itself by Joe Abercrombie. Fine book. First in a trilogy.Trilogy is good too, but not for everyone, but too full on for some.
Its quite grim at times!
I have just started the lies of Lockie Lamore. I have a feeling I am going to like it, I like the writing style. It reminds me of the kingkiller chronicles by rothfuss which if anyone hasnt read and likes fantasy books, give it a look.
I have just started the lies of Lockie Lamore. I have a feeling I am going to like it, I like the writing style. It reminds me of the kingkiller chronicles by rothfuss which if anyone hasnt read and likes fantasy books, give it a look.
I really like the low-level scrambling non-epic-quest heist-movie vibe of the Locke Lamora books. Latest one has maybe a bit too much flashback at the expense of what’s going on now for my taste, but still a good read, though (full disclosure!) I knew the author reasonably well back Before He Was Famous. Lost touch since though.
The Kingkiller Chronicles and Abercrombie both rubbed me the wrong way, though for completely opposite reasons. Kingkiller just seemed like a bog-standard 80s Special Redheaded Orphan With Special Powers Becomes Awesome While Piles Of Women Fight Over Him wish-fulfillment yarn updated for modern tastes with more GRRMesque pooh, blood, rats, rape, and squalour. At the other end of the scale, Abercrombie just tends to wallow in misery and grimdark so enthusiastically that he’s actively rigging the story in favour of the most evil and ■■■■■■ characters, and that’s just not the sort of thing I want to spend my time reading.
Some maybe lesser-known fantasy recs: The Initiate Brother duology by Sean Russell, the Chathrand series by Robert Redick, the Eternal Sky series by Elizabeth Bear, the Necromancer Chronicles by Amanda Downum.
The Kingkiller Chronicles and Abercrombie both rubbed me the wrong way, though for completely opposite reasons. Kingkiller just seemed like a bog-standard 80s Special Redheaded Orphan With Special Powers Becomes Awesome While Piles Of Women Fight Over Him wish-fulfillment yarn updated for modern tastes with more GRRMesque pooh, blood, rats, rape, and squalour. At the other end of the scale, Abercrombie just tends to wallow in misery and grimdark so enthusiastically that he’s actively rigging the story in favour of the most evil and ■■■■■■ characters, and that’s just not the sort of thing I want to spend my time reading.
This and this x 1000. Rothfuss especially gave me the megashits with his awkward romance ■■■■■, scrabbling for money to pay tuition plotlines, playing music blah blahfuckingblah. Abercrombie is a nice guy; I met him at a con once. Wouldn’t give me any spoilers though.
I don’t spend a lot of time reading fantasy anymore - it’s either gods awful special-kid-with-a-destiny/quest bollocks or authors trying to redefine the genre and out grimdark each other (looking at you Lawrence and Morgan). But I do like the stuff Mark T Barnes and Alan Campbell have released over the last couple of years. Although that wasn’t strictly your high fantasy thing.
Got a lot of books for Christmas. Some good, some gross.Just read Wilbur Smith; Desert God in a day or so. He used to write a good yatn, but now just lives on his name and puts out a book for Christmas to rake in the money I reckon. Very light weight read and very predicable story. It will make a good Disney Animated Movie.
I started reading him when I was about 10, my grandfather was a huge fan and introduced me, then left me his collection when he passed. Never great literature but yes, ripping yarns, boy’s own adventure type stuff.
I was saddened to read recently that as part of a new publishing deal, he now works with a team of authors, he outlines the plot and they fill it in. I think Desert God was the first release using this method.
It disgusted me when I read about it and the end result was just… pffft.
The last two with Hector Cross were a bit crap too, I reckon. Just seemed rushed.
It’s a pity when great authors start to sense their mortality and think that pumping out substandard pulp in a hurry before they shuffle off (read: Bryce Courtney) is the way to go.
A really good read is a book called “The Cuckoo’s Calling” by Robert Galbraith.
Robert Galbraith is actually J K Rowling’s pen name and her first crime fiction novel, centering on an English private detective. I have never read any of the Harry Potter stuff but I have always assumed that they were well written. This crime novel is extremely well written. I have read a headline somewhere that she says that there will be more sequels to Cuckoo’s Calling than the Harry Potter series. Really really good.
A person might be able to get hold of an ebook copy via PM.
A really good read is a book called "The Cuckoo's Calling" by Robert Galbraith.Robert Galbraith is actually J K Rowling’s pen name and her first crime fiction novel, centering on an English private detective. I have never read any of the Harry Potter stuff but I have always assumed that they were well written. This crime novel is extremely well written. I have read a headline somewhere that she says that there will be more sequels to Cuckoo’s Calling than the Harry Potter series. Really really good.
A person might be able to get hold of an ebook copy via PM.
Some friends of mine told me these were good.
Quoted PostThe Kingkiller Chronicles and Abercrombie both rubbed me the wrong way, though for completely opposite reasons. Kingkiller just seemed like a bog-standard 80s Special Redheaded Orphan With Special Powers Becomes Awesome While Piles Of Women Fight Over Him wish-fulfillment yarn updated for modern tastes with more GRRMesque pooh, blood, rats, rape, and squalour. At the other end of the scale, Abercrombie just tends to wallow in misery and grimdark so enthusiastically that he’s actively rigging the story in favour of the most evil and ■■■■■■ characters, and that’s just not the sort of thing I want to spend my time reading.
This and this x 1000. Rothfuss especially gave me the megashits with his awkward romance ■■■■■, scrabbling for money to pay tuition plotlines, playing music blah blahfuckingblah. Abercrombie is a nice guy; I met him at a con once. Wouldn’t give me any spoilers though.
I don’t spend a lot of time reading fantasy anymore - it’s either gods awful special-kid-with-a-destiny/quest bollocks or authors trying to redefine the genre and out grimdark each other (looking at you Lawrence and Morgan). But I do like the stuff Mark T Barnes and Alan Campbell have released over the last couple of years. Although that wasn’t strictly your high fantasy thing.
Funny thing about the evolution of ‘high’ fantasy over the past couple of decades. Back in the 80s especially, the special-kid-with-destiny always ended up being a king/ruler, or at least a respected archwizard, , archdruid, knight, king’s champion, advisor to kings or similar. Part of the power structure, recognised and respected. The list of stuff like this is as long as your arm, Wizard’s First Rule, Tad Williams, Kay’s Fionavar, anything Shannara, etc etc etc etc.
Nowadays the kid-with-destiny always seems to end up as a lone-wolf assassin. Kingkiller. Fitzchivalry. And several other series I’ve started reading but have never bothered finishing and have erased from my brain cos they all seem the same after a while. Independent of, if not completely opposed to, the social structure. Power explicitly without respect, recognition, or responsibility.
There’s probably a PhD topic on the sociology of fantasy literature there, if anyone has a burning urge to render themselves completely unemployable.
It’s that whole antihero thing seeping in. We all apparently love the not-quite-good-guy-but-who-lives-by-a-code who can go out there and do the slaughtering we all wish we could. Your Logan Ninefingers, the dude from Prince/King/Ubergod of Thorns, Ringil from Richard Morgan’s stuff, the Scott Lynch Gentlemen ■■■■■■■…
Also, if you want some grimdark from Ye Olde Days read The Children of Hurin by Tolkien. There’s some dark ■■■■■ in that. Or the more modern Prince of Nothing books by R. Scott Bakker.
I’ m going to recommend The Foundation by Steve P Vincent. Only available as an e-book for about $4.
Rattling good yarn.
You’re a tool of the Vincents.
You're a tool of the Vincents.
I would have thought you are since that’s where you buy your clothes.
Or the online equivalents.
Anyway, I too can wholeheartedly recommend the Foundation.
Just started book 5 in GRR’s infamous series. Started them about 2 months ago and have been reading them on the train ride to and from work.
Once I started moving past where the TV Series is up to, it felt as if I was getting a glimpse of something I shouldn’t. Its amazing how influenced I am by the visuals of the TV series though: a still can’t reconcile the highly colourful world as described by GRR and the more… dirty(?) world as depicted in the TV series.
I have just started the lies of Lockie Lamore. I have a feeling I am going to like it, I like the writing style. It reminds me of the kingkiller chronicles by rothfuss which if anyone hasnt read and likes fantasy books, give it a look.LOL I started the first Locke Lamora book around the same time it seems. Finished last week and yep, was a good read. Will move onto the others shortly.
Currently 30% through Blood Meridian by Cormac McCartney. He’s one cheerful ****
Quoted PostGot a lot of books for Christmas. Some good, some gross.Just read Wilbur Smith; Desert God in a day or so. He used to write a good yatn, but now just lives on his name and puts out a book for Christmas to rake in the money I reckon. Very light weight read and very predicable story. It will make a good Disney Animated Movie.
I started reading him when I was about 10, my grandfather was a huge fan and introduced me, then left me his collection when he passed. Never great literature but yes, ripping yarns, boy’s own adventure type stuff.
I was saddened to read recently that as part of a new publishing deal, he now works with a team of authors, he outlines the plot and they fill it in. I think Desert God was the first release using this method.
It disgusted me when I read about it and the end result was just… pffft.
The last two with Hector Cross were a bit crap too, I reckon. Just seemed rushed.
It’s a pity when great authors start to sense their mortality and think that pumping out substandard pulp in a hurry before they shuffle off (read: Bryce Courtney) is the way to go.
Is that right Ding ?? Well his books and now these Clancy and Ludlum knock-offs are all the same. Pity as I really liked the read in all of them.