The Fantasy/Sci-Fi Books Thread Book • Page 81

I think about it often. Specifically the final march which is about the most gut wrenching sequence this side of Memories of Ice.

 

Has anyone read the Second Apocalypse books? Just picked up Prince of Nothing in a charity shop

 

Haha that's what @Vivatoto and @yeknom were just talking about!

 

I'm currently on White-Luck Warrior and HIGHLY recommend the series. I also have a group of friends who love Bakker. It's just an insanely epic dark fantasy with lots of great philosophy, insane action, and great characters. The last chunk of Judging Eye has some of my favorite stuff ever.

 

Some prized possessions in my collection. Finding a matching set of this full series is quite the task. Bakker has a pretty terrible relationship with Overlook so it's hard to find his stuff. I do wish I had a hardcover collection and will attempt to at some point.

 

In my head I knew it was spoken about but didn’t want to go back pages. Should have just looked up hahaha!

 

17 Malazan books are on Humble Bundle right now for $18

 

Hell yeah, love HB.

 

That is a phenomenal deal. Alas, I am overdrafted right now so I'm dead in the water, but still thanks for the heads up.

 

sorry I'm dumb, are these ebooks? Would totally get it for the Kharkanas and Witness books

 

Yep! Humble Bundle is a charitable organization that bundles digital copies (usually of videogames, but also books and other stuff) and has a pay-what-you-want model, with a minimum to cover costs. So right now you can grab a bunch of Malazan stuff for a minimum of $18.

Looks like it's got The God Is Not Willing and the two Kharkanas books, so not a bad price even if those are the only three of the collection you want.

Humble Book Bundle: Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen by TOR Publishing Group (pay what you want and help charity)

 

Yeah I mean that's nuts because The God is Not Willing is fairly recent, I wouldn't have guessed that'd be in there.

I've gotten so many Warhammer 40k and D&D novels so cheap there.

 

Yeah I was surprised at the price. Getting the 10 main books is one thing, but then 4 novellas and 3 of the more recent/ongoing series is pretty crazy.

Haha same, I've got dozens of Forgotten Realms and D&D stuff via HB that I have yet to read.

 

Hoping that this is Erickson pushing a bit before a sequel announcement for the next Witness book. Or, the insanely optimistic take that he's getting more eyes on Kharkanas so he can finish that motherfucker.

 

I've stalled out on The Wheel of Time again. I read the prologue and first chapter of Lord of Chaos and then just found myself not reading and not really wanting to pick it back up. The story is at a very exciting point and the book is well written. I can't really explain what the hang-up is.

I was at the library with my kids and picked up A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine. I flew through that book in two days off from work and absolutely loved it, and then went back and picked up the sequel, A Desolation Called Peace, and read that almost as quickly and enjoyed it possibly just as much.

I do not think very long series are for me. I think a trilogy is as long as I tend to enjoy. A good trilogy is awesome. Honestly though, the thought of a single, perfect, standalone novel that tells a satisfying story and actually finishes it is so exciting to me. I feel like those tend to be rare, at least in fantasy. The only recent ones I had read that I could even think of would be The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon and Ordinary Monsters by J.M. Miro - but I know Samantha Shannon released a prequel to Priory, and my wife told me that there is a sequel to Ordinary Monsters coming out in the near-ish future.

Does anyone else feel this way about long series, or is it just 'the more the merrier' when you love a fictional universe and an author's writing...?

 

My buddy @Nick told me about those Arkady novels last year. I've had them on my Audible list ever since waiting for a sale. Cool to see another endorsement.

I find Priory to be extremely over-hyped and that it desperately needed fleshing out, haha. I needed more time to feel emotions that they wanted me to feel. I just bought Ordinary Monsters, so can't speak to that one yet.

I much prefer longer series... if they're well-written/I'm invested. I want the stories being told to be told in the way they need to be for maximum effort. I do think some series are too long, but some people also think those same ones aren't long enough.

Lord of Chaos is probably the second best WoT book gun to my head, so I hope you can get back to it, though!

 

I am still listening to the Michael Kramer / Kate Reading audiobook sometimes in the car on my commute, but I have a handful of podcasts I listen to regularly as well, and also sometimes at night before bed.

 

Arkady rules. I've got a good stand alone for you, Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay. It's beautiful.

 

Started The Pariah by Anthony Ryan this week and I've been pleasantly surprised. Definitely will be reading this series (The Covenant of Steel) through.

 

I feel like that's been on my recommendations on amazon for years.

 

I just picked this one up at the library when we were dropping off my kids' summer reading books -->


I've read that this is the first novel of a trilogy and that this one is pretty highly regarded but that the next two in the trilogy are both somewhat disappointing.

 

Just about finished with Demon in White and whilst the first half to 2/3 was slow in my opinion, the back part has definitely made up for it. What the hell is going on?!

 

It’s like 4 books in one. I’m surprised you felt it was slow. What he does in that book is insane

 

I don’t much care for the politics side but it’s really vamped up now. Think I’ll get it finished today