The Fantasy/Sci-Fi Books Thread Book • Page 114

Started Mistborn today. I haven't read a fantasy epic like this in a long time, should be fun.

 

I love the transparency here

 

Yesssssss! Kharkanas! I legit thought he wasn’t going back and I still haven’t gotten over it (though I did feel better when I saw it was his publishers who pushed him and it wasn’t solely his decision)

like I get that it’s annoying being asked about it, but there’s a reason you’re being asked about it. Its an unfinished story that fans would like an end too. That’s not that insane of an ask.

 

I just finished The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman about 10 minutes ago, and it was absolutely incredible.

 

Been very curious about this one. The final two books of The Magicians trilogy are two of the most devastatingly perfect books I’ve ever read personally.

 

I absolutely recommend it. I'm not even a big King Arthur guy, but I thought it was a very interesting angle to go at the material from, and it was stunningly well written

it's a big, long book, but I was kinda looking for something that wasn't part of a series after struggling to finish a big trilogy right before this

 

I am also quite interested in this! I love Arthuriana and really liked the first Magicians book, but I'm kind of uninterested in the whole retelling/alternate POV/sequel-to-a-classic-work thing, so I wasn't 100% sold on checking it out.

But now I will haha.

 

Quintin Coldwater is the most I’ve ever seen myself in a character.

 

I finished the Shadow and Bone trilogy. I’d give it a 7.5/10. I wanted more world-building and to see more of the other nations and cultures. Still an enjoyable read though! I didn’t realize it was YA going in, but I enjoyed it enough to finish the trilogy. I’m not sure if I’ll continue the other books or move onto something else.

 

I would say give it a try - I reserved it from my library before it even came out, and all I knew about it was that it was a new Lev Grossman book and it was called The Bright Sword. I was honestly slightly disappointed when I found out it was a take on the King Arthur legend, and then when I eventually picked it up and saw it is HUGE I really started having second thoughts. I gave it a try though and I absolutely loved it.

I guess it's a bit of a "sequel" in that it covers a little later than most of the King Arthur stuff I've seen or read (mainly the 1981 movie Excalibur, First Knight, & the Monty Python one) but it also explores some of the "main" King Arthur myths / stories but from and about characters that usually aren't a major part of the story.

I ended up loving the blend of historical accuracy and legend / myth / straight up fantasy

 

Six of Crows/Crooked Kingdom are worth the read imo. Maybe not the other two.

 

I started The Poppy War trilogy and I’m enjoying it so far. Maybe I’ll go back to the series in the future.

 

My ranking so far is the same as yours. Book two just felt like a constant flow of new information and twists, and a full on sprint into the climactic end of the book. Book three was interesting but if it hadn’t been for the payoff of Dalinar realizing he was Odium’s champion, rejecting that, and ascending I would have left that book excited for the next one, but disappointed. I was really hoping Elhokar was going to make it out alive, so him dying was a huge bummer, especially with him so close to reciting the oaths. Looking forward to knocking out book four and leaving Roshar for a bit while I read Mistborn and cleanse my palate a little before reading book five when it releases

 

Does Sanderson's style change at all between series/novels? I've enjoyed the first two books of the first Mistborn trilogy, but I'm really feeling slogged down by the style and pacing in The Hero of Ages.

 

Finished this earlier in the year and enjoyed it

 

Style... not really? he improves as a writer for sure from older to newer books, but he's definitely a set up and pay off writer as far as structure and pacing goes and his prose never takes the breath away (that may vary to some). There's a reason for the Sanderlanche term for the breakneck pace at the end of his books.*

I would say 100% finish Mistborn as the ending of that series is widely and highly regarded due to how everything comes together.

*take this from a I haven't read nearly everything Sanderson fan.

 

Midway through Words Of Radiance and am loving it after having felt Way Of Kings was a bit of a slog for the first half. Finally starting to hit a groove so I’m glad I dove back in since I finished Way Of Kings in 2011 (!!!).

 

I've been in a pretty significant reading slump since May and decided last week to pick up the Dungeon Crawler Carl series since I've heard it's decent for a litRPG series and has great audio. Been pleasantly surprised and just finished book 2. Definitely going to continue the series.

This won't get me to read any other litRPG (Wandering Inn just does not sound like something I'd even remotely enjoy) but it's getting me back into reading and the audio experience is top notch.

 

DCC 4eva

My friend got me into the Ripple System. It’s a pretty fun litrpg. I’m in book 2 right now. Not nearly as funny and unhinged as Carl, but has some truly hilarious moments.

 

I was excited about wandering inn till i found out the length... some series are just gone for me when they're that long especially when often described as slow starts.

 

Honestly, everyone I’ve seen recommend it only talks about how long it is. That’s not a good selling point for me lmao

 

I went on a litRPG kick after reading DCC because I loved that series. I tried He Who Fights with Monsters and Defiance of the Fall, and while I got a decent way into to those series I eventually got frustrated with what I felt was poor editing (some of the passages could have easily been cut in half). Also I find with things like these books is that once they hit a certain “power level” the kind of get written into a corner for challenges they main character hits which feels a little underwhelming.

 

WorldCon starts tomorrow and I cannot wait to see everyone! So many authors/friends etc going. It’ll be good!

 

Been having a tough time getting into anything new lately, but I started Of Blood and Fire by Ryan Cahill last night after seeing him recommended a few times and I haven’t wanted to put it down, really enjoying so far

 

might be my next series