The Fantasy/Sci-Fi Books Thread Book • Page 35

Hyperion is on my to read list so while I skimmed over these comments to avoid spoilers (thanks for using tags), I may move it up a little bit. I was going to make Malazan my next big series, but maybe this first? I have a friend who already recommended them but whenever I see praise for a series already on my list, I start shuffling things around. I probably spend too much time thinking about what to read next, instead of enjoying what I'm reading now... Having said that:

I am absolutely tearing through Fools Assassin by Robin Hobb. If anyone else reads her books, why is she so cruel sometimes? Her books just tear me apart emotionally and I am absolutely dreading what's coming the last 2 books. I was okay when I finished the wheel of time, and wasn't that sad about it (still loved it), but I think I'll be a mess when I finish the realm of the elderlings and realize I've concluded the journey. I wish I got into them earlier when Robin Hobb was younger and a) read along with the fandom and b) went to a con to meet her since she doesn't travel much now.

 

Good old Rhadamanth Nemes, haha. Yeah the introduction of Nemes in Endymion was awesome. She kind of paralleled the Shrike from the Hyperion books in that it's this crazy OP villain/monster that you absolutely can't fathom how the characters will defeat/avoid/survive, but with Nemes we get to see her POV and actions more closely, which was really satisfying.
I just appreciate that I have someone to talk to about the books, haha.

I haven't read that GRRM book—any of his novels, actually; I've only read a couple of his shorter works, which is kinda funny—so I'll add that to my list, thanks for the recommendation. I'll prioritize Dan Simmons though, as you suggested.

As a side note, I might finally be in a place by the end of the year to continue with Malazan, haha. I read and loved the first book a couple years ago, but I've gotten sidetracked by so many other things since then and I've been itching to get back.

 

Ahh, Nemes that's it. I also knew her first name was bad ass as fuck but had no chance of remembering that. Totally agree with the Shrike comparison. I think it's the horror fan in me that likes that so much, the unseen stalker that could destroy you any moment in a million different ways. So tense. And when you do that, you better have a satisfying way for your heroes to beat them and not take some easy way out. I remember the fight on the river definitely fulfilling the promise.

GRRM also has an incredible vampire novel called Fevre Dream, if you're in the mood for some epic, historical horror fiction.

Fuck yeah on Malazan, you gotttta go all in though and read the ICE books as well. Can't stress enough. There's nothing better and I know you'll appreciate it.

 

I know this was directed at someone else, but is Malazan as daunting and confusing as I've been led to believe? I am not sure how i feel about starting a series where nothing makes sense for a while, and it being on purpose. I want to think that a lot of the complexity is overblown and as a pretty avid fantasy reader, I won't feel too lost, because to be honest, I don't want to read half a book just being like wtf is going on?

 

The first Malazan book is hella confusing AND pretty bad writing. It improves drastically in writing after that, but I've not read past the second book to know about the confusing aspects. You can still follow it if you're well-versed in fantasy, but it does zero hand-holding.

 

I mean yes it's complex and yes you'll be confused, especially in the first book, but if you're an avid fantasy reader and are willing to check out online malazan resources when you're lost then it's not so bad. I just finished book 9, giving my brain a little break and then it's on to the final book.

 

Nah, you'll be totally fine, especially if you're an avid fantasy reader. It's not necessarily that nothing makes sense it's just that a lot is thrown at you very quickly. You just have to go with the flow for a little bit, accept the answers will come in time. I don't think it's that much more complex than like ASOIAF, at least on a surface level. I've seen a lot of people start the series on here and very rarely did I see problems where people felt overly confused.

There's also a pretty vast wiki online, but of course you have to be careful for spoilers.

But I think if you like fantasy you owe it to yourself to at least give it a try. It's far and away my favorite series of all time.

I'll also add having read all of the books in the Malazan world, I have a better understanding of it than any other fantasy world, so the answers are all there. Once you acclimate and learn some big reveals I think it goes down easier than comparable series.

 

The final book is really something else. (it's still killing me how much you're missing not reading ICE, lol, but I get it)

 

Speaking of Malazan, I finished The God is Not Willing last night. So I loved it, couldn't be happier to be back in the world, there were some expectations that weren't met, the book definitely feels like the first of a trilogy and that's really tough when coming off of his unfinished Kharkanas trilogy where we were right up to the climax. My other complaint is that there are very few BIG characters, like Rake (or the entire cast of Kharkanas), or any of the other characters that speak extremely well. It's almost all soldier banter, which just isn't as compelling.

But that's to focus on the negative. It was fucking great and I want more already.

 

Well you'll be happy to hear that I picked up the first 2 ICE books just yesterday actually.

 

Hell yeah!

 

It's daunting if you're not into high fantasy basically. It's got a HUGE cast with incredible world building and a history of hundreds of thousands of years. It's intense. But there's lots of resources out there, and I ALWAYS recommend the Malazan Reread of the Fallen. It's basically a chapter by chapter discussion. Sure it's double the reading but it's totally worth it, and the author pops up in the discussion from time to time to answer questions.

Still the best series I've read by far

 

You get God is Not Willing yet?

 

Thanks for all the comments. I am burned out by long series so it may be a little while but I will certainly not be intimidated . My biggest concern with the complexity comments is not being able to read anything in between for fear of forgetting things. I was able to skip back and forth between wheel of time books though I did reread the first 8 before pushing through the final. I don't like to push through just 1 series until I'm at a point where momentum demands it and I like visiting different worlds and styles. It sounds like malazan though may feature multiple worlds as books change, keeping it fresh but i won't know till i start.

Either way, no harm starting and finding for myself if it's for me. Appreciate it all.

 

No because I'm terrible at reading more than one book at a time and I took a break from fantasy for the moment lol

 

I missed this conversation and have only read the first book, so I don't have a ton to add, but: I found claims of the first book's complexity to be largely overstated. Granted, I have read a lot of fantasy, so I'm sure that helps; but I had zero trouble following what was happening in the first book on its own. That leads me to believe that I'll be fine with the rest of the series, assuming I'm paying attention while reading (which is the case with all long series anyway), and it's nice to know there are resources to check out if necessary. I think you've got the right attitude!

I always compare it to walking into a movie halfway through, and having somebody pause and tell you, "Okay, see this guy, he's the bad guy, and these guys, they're trying to pull off a heist, and she's into this guy but might also betray him..." Like, I've seen movies before, I think I can catch up pretty quickly. It's not that I perfectly understood everything in Gardens of the Moon and the larger context within the overall plot of the series; it's that I wasn't confused because I've read books before and I know that when I don't understand a reference I'll likely figure it out later on as intended. I'm not going to panic every time I see a name I haven't heard before.

Buuuuut that's a lot of talk for a guy who's only read one of the books, haha, so I should probably get on that.

 

The step up in quality in Deadhouse Gates from the first book is incredible, almost a different writer

 

Make sure to post when you do! I was completely wrong about a character theory and I'm curious if you saw the same signs.

 

The Poppy War is 2 bucks on Kindle

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072L58JW6/?tag=absolutepunk-20

 

I don't really know how I feel about this. It somehow looks good and bad at the same time. Also, it's a pretty bold move to want to make a TV show out of such a long series.

I'm definitely going to watch it though.

 

Yeah it looks like it has a high potential for corniness. Still gonna watch, obviously

 

I'm so pumped for it. Looks great.

Has anyone read Adrian Tchaikovsky? Looks like he works sometimes in fantasy but primarily in sci fi. I'm reading Children of Time now and it's tremendous. (Besides Rovers and obviously Malazan) I've been in a bit of a reading rut since I finished Thomas Covenant and this is turning it around.

 

I've heard nothing but praise for his books, I've got a couple of them waiting in the wings, but you know how many series I'm still working on first, haha. That reminds me: have you read any Janny Wurts?

I was thrilled with the teaser for Wheel of Time. I thought it looked fantastic, couldn't be more excited.

 

Yeah I read all of The War of Light and Shadow. It's pretty spectacular, though at times can be pretty tough to get through, it's incredibly dense. Like a spell can take 30 pages. It's about as High as High fantasy gets. I saw a crazy deal for her first trilogy for 2.99 and didn't jump on it, so I added it to my wishlist to keep an eye on it and grab it next time it gets low. TWOLAS is suppose to have a final book eventually too.

 

Huh...Not totally sure how to feel about Abercrombie's latest trilogy. Certainly his weakest work. Some truly incredible moments but I gave the first two books a lot of leeway because I figured it was all building to an epic conclusion...But honestly it just feels like a bridge series to get to the good stuff, and that's a tough sell when it's a trilogy. I'm super excited for whatever is next. Think this one would have just made a better novel, like the third book started with Part 7 so technically it is one big novel, but I don't know, it just never felt like it had the weight/stakes it needed.

He's still a blast to read. Just a matter of expectations I think, and that's on me.