Signor Finzione Posted January 11, 2015 Author Share Posted January 11, 2015 Oops! I may have just accidentally spent most of what remained of my Christmas money. I've ordered the following books off Amazon: The Shattered Crown by Richard Ford Mage's Blood by David Hair Traitor's Blade by Sebastien de Castell Age of Iron by Angus Watson I've also pre-ordered Half the World by Joe Abercrombie, as well as the paperback version of The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison. Can't wait till they all arrive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 I think you said something similar about the first Dagger and Coin book too, if I remember right? Hehe, yeah I think I did, it doesn't happen very often though. But with so many fantasy series to read and re-read I don't want to force myself to carry on with another that I have little interest in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Oops! I may have just accidentally spent most of what remained of my Christmas money. I've ordered the following books off Amazon: The Shattered Crown by Richard Ford Mage's Blood by David Hair Traitor's Blade by Sebastien de Castell Age of Iron by Angus Watson I've also pre-ordered Half the World by Joe Abercrombie, as well as the paperback version of The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison. Wish I still had some left Are they all part of on-going series? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted January 12, 2015 Share Posted January 12, 2015 Oops! I may have just accidentally spent most of what remained of my Christmas money. I've ordered the following books off Amazon: The Shattered Crown by Richard Ford Mage's Blood by David Hair Traitor's Blade by Sebastien de Castell Age of Iron by Angus Watson I've also pre-ordered Half the World by Joe Abercrombie, as well as the paperback version of The Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison. Can't wait till they all arrive! I hope you enjoy all your new books ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 Hehe, yeah I think I did, it doesn't happen very often though. But with so many fantasy series to read and re-read I don't want to force myself to carry on with another that I have little interest in Fair enough. Admittedly the first couple of books in the series are fairly average, and it didn't really pick up until about book 3. I think I only persisted the series at the time because my TBR wasn't as big as it is now; I reckon if I started it now I probably wouldn't have bothered to carry on with it either. Wish I still had some left Are they all part of on-going series? I think so. Why, what have you spent your Christmas money on? I hope you enjoy all your new books ! Thanks Gaia! Hopefully I will get around to reading them at some point this year . . . if I ever manage to finish Magician. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 Thanks Gaia! Hopefully I will get around to reading them at some point this year . . . if I ever manage to finish Magician. Haha! How far are you? Are you enjoying it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted January 13, 2015 Author Share Posted January 13, 2015 Haha! How far are you? Are you enjoying it? I'm actually really near the end now! It's a re-read for me - the first in my 'BIg Feist Read/Re-read' (that will probably last for 50 years) - and it's a lot more long-winded than I remember it being. There's a lot of repetition, travelling from place to place, and entire conversations relayed in detail, etc. That said, I'm still rather enjoying it. I've just read the bit at the Imperial Games, where Pug/Milamber finally loses his rag and destroys the arena with his magic. Epic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted January 13, 2015 Share Posted January 13, 2015 It's a shame there's some repetition and such, but I am glad you're enjoying it. Will you be writing a review once you've finished it? I'd be interested in your thoughts . I do hope to read Feist's work eventually.. just like some other famous fantasy authors I've got a lot of books of but I haven't yet tried. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted January 13, 2015 Author Share Posted January 13, 2015 It's a shame there's some repetition and such, but I am glad you're enjoying it. Will you be writing a review once you've finished it? I'd be interested in your thoughts . I do hope to read Feist's work eventually.. just like some other famous fantasy authors I've got a lot of books of but I haven't yet tried. Oh, I thought you'd said before that you'd already read Magician? Silly me!! In that case, please ignore the minor spoiler. I've just finished reading it, so will be posting a review in the next couple of days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted January 13, 2015 Author Share Posted January 13, 2015 Review: 'Magician' by Raymond E. Feist At Crydee, a frontier outpost in the tranquil Kingdom of the Isles, an orphan boy, Pug, is apprenticed to a master magician—and the destinies of two worlds are changed forever.Suddenly the peace of the Kingdom is destroyed as mysterious alien invaders swarm the land. Pug is swept up into the conflict but for him and his warrior friend, Tomas, an odyssey into the unknown has only just begun.Tomas will inherit a legacy of savage power from an ancient civilization. Pug’s destiny is to lead him through a rift in the fabric of space and time to the mastery of the unimaginable powers of a strange new magic. I first discovered ‘grown up’ fantasy fiction at the age of twelve, when I first read Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. However, it wasn’t until I was seventeen that I realised – shock horror! – that there were authors other than Tolkien writing for this genre; this is when a friend introduced me to the works of Raymond E. Feist. For several months I proceeded to chain-read most of the then-published novels in his Riftwar cycle – beginning, of course, with Magician – before moving on to discover other authors. Since then I seem to have more or less left Feist behind me. It’s now been more than eight years since I first read Magician, and with the entire Riftwar cycle finally coming to an end I’ve decided it’s time for me to revisit the worlds of Midkemia and Kelewan, and to embark on – drumroll, please – The Big Feist Read/Re-Read. As with my ongoing Malazan re-read, I’m really keen to revisit a series of which I have so many fond memories, and which captivated my imagination at a time when elves and dwarves and magic were still relatively new to me. So, without further ado, here are my thoughts on Magician, book one of the Riftwar Saga. Magician is ultimately a tale of two boys, Pug and Tomas, as the war in their kingdom forces them to leave their humble beginnings and embark on adventures that will change them both forever. Tomas follows a dark path in an attempt to become a warrior of legend, while Pug is, of course, the eponymous magician. As the title would suggest, there is a much heftier focus on Pug, with Tomas’ storyline relegated to more of a side quest. Pug is a likeable and sympathetic protagonist – despite the distractingly ridiculous name – and his journey is full of twists and turns and is a lot of fun to follow. We see him grow from orphaned keep boy to court squire, and from there to a dedicated student of magic, if only an average one; we then follow him in his misfortunes as he is made a slave in an alien land, and finally have the satisfaction of seeing him rise and embrace the role of master magician. But the story is not entirely about Pug; the narrative follows many other characters in order to explore the physical and political impact of the war on both the societies involved, and the plot is as much driven by events as it is by characters. Magician rather ambitiously spans a timeline of just over a decade, and the author smoothly segues between time frames of months and sometimes years. However, there are times when it can feel as though those months have been spent reading the book in real time: many minor or inconsequential parts of the story are narrated in great detail when they could have been omitted altogether, and there are a great many scenes involving travelling – either by boat or horse – that become something of a chore to read. The prose is frequently laborious and somewhat repetitive, particularly in the early stages of the book, and the narrative favours a ‘tell’ rather than ‘show’ type of storytelling that occasionally had me muttering, Monty Python-style, “get on with it!!!”. Despite this, there are more than enough redeeming features to make Magician worth toiling through. As I’ve already mentioned, most of the characters are likeable (I myself am particularly fond of Arutha and Laurie), and the world is immersive and three-dimensional. I particularly enjoyed all the references to nuances of the Tsurani homeworld, which Feist later covered in much greater detail in the sequel trilogy titled Empire. Amidst all the rambling lies a story that is hopeful and compelling, and which contains one of my favourite scenes ever (two words: arena destruction); and although I’m a little disappointed that Magician’s narrative is slower and denser than I remember, I’m excited to have delved back into the series. Oh, Pug, I’ve missed you! 4/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 Oh, I thought you'd said before that you'd already read Magician? Silly me!! In that case, please ignore the minor spoiler. I think I read the book in the library when I was about 15 (in Dutch), but I don't remember any of it. So I'm kind of considering it as "not read" . Sorry though if I confused you, don't worry about the minor spoiler . Great review ! It's a shame about the minor points but I am glad you enjoyed re-reading the book overall. Good luck (re)reading all of them! I do hope to do so one day, too. P.S. My cover is kind of golden looking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devi Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 (edited) I've read every Raymond E. Feist book ever released to date, might you have been thinking of me? Empire Trilogy is my favourite of all the books though. Edit: I've always had a soft spot for Jimmy the hand, and Arutha. Edited January 14, 2015 by Devi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted January 14, 2015 Share Posted January 14, 2015 However, there are times when it can feel as though those months have been spent reading the book in real time: many minor or inconsequential parts of the story are narrated in great detail when they could have been omitted altogether, and there are a great many scenes involving travelling – either by boat or horse – that become something of a chore to read. The prose is frequently laborious and somewhat repetitive, particularly in the early stages of the book, and the narrative favours a ‘tell’ rather than ‘show’ type of storytelling that occasionally had me muttering, Monty Python-style, “get on with it!!!”. Much of this all applies to just about every fantasy series out there Including Erikson. And Tolkien. I'm glad I read Magician when I did, i.e. after Tolkien and Eddings but before practically everyone else. I tried to read Silverthorn a while later, after having read a lot more fantasy, and hated it, and have never been near Feist again. Life's too short. I do have the Empire trilogy on my Kindle, though, at your recommendation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 I think I read the book in the library when I was about 15 (in Dutch), but I don't remember any of it. So I'm kind of considering it as "not read" . Sorry though if I confused you, don't worry about the minor spoiler. Great review! It's a shame about the minor points but I am glad you enjoyed re-reading the book overall. Good luck (re)reading all of them! I do hope to do so one day, too. P.S. My cover is kind of golden looking. Thanks Gaia! It all makes sense now. I prefer the golden cover to the one I have (even though it reminds me of Robin Hobb's books!); there's also a black one which is quite nice, if a bit bland. I've read every Raymond E. Feist book ever released to date, might you have been thinking of me? Empire Trilogy is my favourite of all the books though. Edit: I've always had a soft spot for Jimmy the hand, and Arutha. No, I must have remembered Gaia saying she'd read it when she was a teenager. I knew you'd read them all - you're waaaay ahead of all of us, Devi! I'm surprised by how little Jimmy featured in Magician; I thought I remembered him playing a larger role. I must have got mixed up with Silverthorn. Much of this all applies to just about every fantasy series out there Including Erikson. And Tolkien. I'm glad I read Magician when I did, i.e. after Tolkien and Eddings but before practically everyone else. I tried to read Silverthorn a while later, after having read a lot more fantasy, and hated it, and have never been near Feist again. Life's too short. I do have the Empire trilogy on my Kindle, though, at your recommendation Yeah, I reckon if this had been the first time I'd tried Feist I probably wouldn't go back for more. Which would be a shame, since the Empire trilogy is one of my favourite series of all time (have I mentioned that before? ). I'm so glad you're going to read it . . . some day. And yeah, Erikson definitely has his fair share of waffle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted January 15, 2015 Author Share Posted January 15, 2015 Review: 'The Slow Regard of Silent Things' by Patrick Rothfuss Deep below the University, there is a dark place. Few people know of it: a broken web of ancient passageways and abandoned rooms. A young woman lives there, tucked among the sprawling tunnels of the Underthing, snug in the heart of this forgotten place.Her name is Auri, and she is full of mysteries. I’m not usually someone who enjoys novellas and short stories and the like, and would never normally consider purchasing either in any format, let alone hardback. However, Rothfuss’ first novel, The Name of the Wind, is somewhere near the top of my hypothetical ‘Best Books Ever Read’ list, and its sequel, The Wise Man’s Fear, was also thoroughly enjoyable. There are very few authors whose work I’d willingly buy simply because it has their name on the front cover, but Rothfuss is definitely one of them. The Slow Regard of Silent Things is really a 150-page exploration of Auri, a minor character from the ongoing Kingkiller Chronicles. We’ve learned relatively little about her so far in the main series, aside from the fact that she’s been lurking in the tunnels beneath the university (which she refers to as the ‘Underthing’) for years and that she refuses to speak to anyone, or even let them approach her. However, from what little we see of her it’s clear that she is fragile and broken and ephemeral and unique. She is one of the series’ greatest mysteries, and it’s exciting to finally get to know a little bit more about her. At its heart, The Slow Regard of Silent Things is a sweet narrative that gives great insight into the way in which Auri’s mind works. To Auri, everything is alive, and throughout the novella we see how she personifies her entire world. For instance, there’s Foxen, the tiny brave alchemical light who is her oldest friend; Fulcrum, a newly-acquired brass gear that is brazen yet full of love; the ungrateful blanket, who is afraid of the floor; and too many others to name. I found this, along with Auri’s half-invented names for the places she visits – such as Tumbrel, Ninewise, Mantle, Crumbledon, Annulet, Billows and Tenance – thoroughly enchanting. As an added bonus the sketchy illustrations complement the story nicely, and despite their simplicity their black silhouette-ish style really conveys a sense of the darkness and claustrophobia of the Underthing. The Slow Regard of Silent Things is a strange one, however, in that there isn’t really a plot: it’s essentially a week in the life of Auri as she wanders the Underthing, picking things up and putting them down again in different places. I have to admit that this did get just the tiniest bit tedious towards the end, but the book is short enough and the writing beautiful enough that I poured through most of the story before I even began to think, “Wait - what story?” Rothfuss is one of those rare authors whose prose flows like poetry, and his ability to make even the most trivial of things sound magical and exciting is probably the only reason this novella works as well as it does. It’s easy to see why the book has so many one-star ratings on Goodreads, but it’s also just as easy to see why it has so many five-star reviews from others. I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s ‘love it or hate it’, but it’s certainly one of the strangest, most exquisite and oddly hypnotizing stories I’ve ever read. It’s lovely. 4/5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Great review, Laura. I'll have to go back and find your reviews of Patrick Rothfuss' other books. I've been seeing his name around a bit lately and have been slowly getting interested (I'm always a bit late to the party!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devi Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 I almost picked up this book yesterday. Our local bookstore is moving and they want to get rid of as many books as they can before they move. They have 50% off! I tell you what, it was so hard to just walk out of there and not buy ONE book... We are trying to save for a holiday away, so every penny has to be saved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Wow, that's some serious willpower, Devi! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devi Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Wow, that's some serious willpower, Devi! Especially with the cost of books here in Aus, the place was Collins too! I think they overcharge personally, and I find dymocks to be cheaper in most cases. They also have a better variety of books in my opinion. Just sucks we don't have one near me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted January 16, 2015 Author Share Posted January 16, 2015 Great review, Laura. I'll have to go back and find your reviews of Patrick Rothfuss' other books. I've been seeing his name around a bit lately and have been slowly getting interested (I'm always a bit late to the party!) Cheers Kylie. I'd definitely recommend him: The Name of the Wind is one of the most enjoyable books I've ever read. Here's my reviews of the first and second books in the main series (it was easier to track them down on my blog than my old BCF reading log). They're some of the first reviews I ever wrote so please excuse their shoddiness! Just a warning, though: the projected release date for the third and final book is 2017 (it was originally 2013!). Rothfuss seems to be taking a leaf out of GRRM's book, and it's very annoying. I almost picked up this book yesterday. Our local bookstore is moving and they want to get rid of as many books as they can before they move. They have 50% off! I tell you what, it was so hard to just walk out of there and not buy ONE book... We are trying to save for a holiday away, so every penny has to be saved. Wow, congratulations on your force of will! Good luck with your saving. Have you read anything else by Rothfuss? I'd probably only recommend this one if you've already read the main series. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted January 16, 2015 Author Share Posted January 16, 2015 New books! New books! New books! Rather oddly, they were delivered at 8.30 last night, when both me and the hubby were in our PJs. It was a pleasant surprise, though the delivery guy looked rather askance at Daniel's TMNT pyjama bottoms (he must have been jealous). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devi Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 No I haven't, where do you recommend I start? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted January 17, 2015 Author Share Posted January 17, 2015 No I haven't, where do you recommend I start? The Name of the Wind is the first book. Though I warn you, it's quite long! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted January 17, 2015 Author Share Posted January 17, 2015 I've officially just spent the very last dregs of my Christmas money by pre-ordering The Autumn Republic by Brian McClellan, which is the final book in the Powder Mage trilogy. It's out next month so I don't have too long to wait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 New books! New books! New books! Rather oddly, they were delivered at 8.30 last night, when both me and the hubby were in our PJs. It was a pleasant surprise, though the delivery guy looked rather askance at Daniel's TMNT pyjama bottoms (he must have been jealous). Oh God, the dreaded 'If you like Game of Thrones' sticker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.