Karsa Orlong

The Well of Ascension - Mistborn Book Two by Brandon Sanderson I won't post the Amazon blurb as it's a bit spoilery. Suffice to say that this follows on one year after the events of The Final Empire, which I reviewed a couple of posts above. In that review I said I hoped that the next two books would kick things up a level or two. Well this one didn't. I guess it's that awkward 'second book in a trilogy' issue, where he had a beginning and an end but the middle was just an excuse to get from point A to point B. Most of this story takes place in a city under siege - and yet it doesn't really feel like a city under siege at all, mainly because he chooses to concentrate on the neverending angst of his two lead characters. And it's not angst about the siege, either, but angst about their relationship and how they fit into the grand scheme (which really isn't as grand or as epic as Sanderson thinks it is). So basically, you get a long drawn out Mistborn fight scene, then a lot of soul-searching, then another long drawn out Mistborn fight scene, then some more soul-searching etc. This goes on for four or five hundred pages of the novel's excessive 760-page length. Things do improve towards the end, with a neat little twist cropping up, but the book is waaaaay too long for its own good. And this is coming from a Steven Erikson fan I think my biggest problem was with the characters, though. I found it hard to care about any of them, and when Sanderson started killing them off my reaction was more 'ho hum' than 'oh no', which is a shame. I think a lot of it is down to the repetetive nature of his storytelling - if a character has doubts he feels the need to describe them at every opportunity, and it felt like I was reading the same thing over and over. The strange thing is, though, that the ending did leave me wanting to find out what happens next, so I guess this rambling, almost plotless bridging story between point A and point B served its purpose in the end. I have got the final part of the trilogy on the shelf, and I will read it. Just not straight away. 6/10 Now it's time for something completely different

I'm up to the end of season 3 of The Big Bang Theory and loving it. Watched the flashback episode last night when Leonard first met Sheldon and had to sign roommate agreement

Hi Hyzenthlay Not long now until things start to get really interesting

Noooooooo! [Joffrey mode ON] "Off with his head!" [/Joffrey mode OFF]

The Disappearance of Alice Creed. Strange film. I didn't particularly enjoy it yet I felt compelled to watch it up to the wholly predictable ending

I think it's actually a bit shorter than A Storm of Swords. Mind you, if he cuts out all the endless descriptions of what people are wearing or eating he could probably halve the length of the series I must admit, I do prefer trilogies to series. I can't think of one series that I've read that hasn't overstayed its welcome in one way or another.

He's been drawing it out ever since it started as a trilogy and then became a seven book series

It's definitely not for kids Having rewatched the first episode a couple of times I'd started to have some misgivings about the show. The pacing was all wrong, they've added scenes that were totally unnecessary, the consummation of Dany and Drogo's marriage was just wrong the way they filmed it. Possibly just 'pilot episode syndrome', possibly just seeing one of my favourite books interpreted by someone else, possibly just that they tried to cover too much ground to get to that scene at the end. I dunno. Anyway, I thought episode two was much, much better. The pacing felt more natural and the atmosphere was better as a result. I have renewed faith after this ep

I've lost count now of how many times I've watched the opening credits. I didn't notice at first that the appropriate house banner comes up beside each actor's name. I'm also wondering if the map will change to reflect the locations in each episode. And I love the theme tune. HBO are the masters of opening title sequences Also (obviously don't watch either of these if you want to stay completely spoiler free!): Edit: I've just finished re-reading the book and reviewed it here

A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin So I had been planning to re-read this marvellous book alongside the new tv show based on it (which started this week) but, after watching a preview of the show on the HBO website about two weeks ago, I decided to re-read the prologue - just for comparison purposes, you understand ... Anyway, it's one of those books that once you've started it's almost impossible to stop. Martin chose to write each chapter from the point of view of a different character, and each chapter is headed by the character's name. He switches back and forth between them, and has this downright evil habit of ending chapters on cliffhangers, just to make sure you keep turning those pages. The story, for those who don't know, is set in a medieval fantasy world called Westeros and the country most of this book takes place on is called The Seven Kingdoms, once divided but subsequently united by Aegon Targaryen, otherwise known as Aegon the Dragon and who himself was fleeing troubles in his homeland of Valyria. To cut a long story short, he was then ousted from the throne and replaced by Robert Baratheon, and the story begins several years after this event. The King's Hand, John Arryn, has been murdered, and Robert travels north to Winterfell to enlist the services of his old friend, Eddard Stark. Trouble is brewing between the Great Houses and, reluctantly, Ned agrees to help. Meanwhile, to the north and beyond The Wall (a 700 foot tall barrier made of ice) a supernatural threat is growing, and to the east beyond The Narrow Sea the descendants of Aegon Targaryen are plotting to take back their throne. People hear the word 'fantasy' and they conjure up twee images of hobbits and elves and dwarves and wizards throwing magic around and they think it's all for kids. Well, this isn't. This is a fantasy story, yes, but it's most definitely for adults. There are no orcs or goblins. All of the characters are human, all of them are painted in shades of grey. It's dark and twisted and completely uncompromising. This is a book that redefines fantasy and sets a trend which other authors have been trying to follow ever since. Some people might not like that, which is fair enough. Speaking as someone who's read maybe too much fantasy, I thought - and still think - this was the sort of kick up the bum that the genre needed. For this book Martin uses Eddard as his main protagonist. Other chapters use the viewpoints of his children - Bran, Jon, Sansa and (my favourite) Arya - and his wife, Catelyn, plus Tyrion of the House Lannister, and Daenerys Targaryen. At first, some of them are more interesting than others. For much of the book Sansa's chapters I find extremely irritating. But here's the thing: once certain events kick into motion her story becomes quite heartbreaking. All the irritation was forgotten and I started to feel very sorry for her. I think the problem is that, compared to Arya, she's just not much fun. Arya and Tyrion are the real stars of the show, for me. Tyrion's chapters are written with a dark wit and cynicism, whilst Arya's give her tomboy nature a charm and heart that just sucks you into her world. Martin's writing style flows really well. If I have a problem with him it's his tendency to over-describe how everyone (and I mean everyone) is dressed, or what they're eating, and he reels out names of background characters like there's no tomorrow, and inevitably they all start to sound the same. He loses points from me for this, and could maybe do with editing some of that material out (he doesn't in subsequent books - in fact, in places, it only gets worse). But, ultimately, it's a minor gripe - this book, and the series as a whole, is top drawer. He's not as wildly inventive as Steven Erikson, or as eloquent as Guy Gavriel Kay, but it doesn't matter. A Game of Thrones is thrilling, moving, dark beyond belief, throws twist after twist at you in ways that make perfect sense. It's full of action, drama, suspense, sex and murder and - above all else - it is about the characters, and they are so beautifully realised that they will come alive in your imagination. And it's not even the best book in the series. Read it, love it. 9/10

They showed an interview with him on Sky Atlantic before the first episode which was quite interesting. He did admit that he's always been a very slow writer. Apparently it was only after he went on his website and apologised for it taking so long that people started throwing vitriol his way Anyway, I started a thread in the tv section so we can discuss the show: http://www.bookclubforum.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/8272-game-of-thrones/ Come and join in!

http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/04/19/game-of-thrones-season-two-2/

Wheeeeeeeee! They must have really liked the following episodes to have done that so fast. I hope the show keeps/builds its audience, rather than losing it. There's bound to be a bit of a drop-off in viewers next week, given some of the complaints I've been reading about the sex/nudity, and it's one of those shows where - if you miss an episode or come to it later on - you'd be totally lost. I wonder what the budget will be like for subsequent seasons. This one cost about $50 million, I believe, and the settings/action only get bigger in the following books. HBO will have to be very brave to keep making it if it's not a big hit - they dumped Rome because it cost too much, didn't they?

I think I'm probably a bit too much of a fan of the books to be objective about it - but I thought it was brilliant Oh yes, I had a few minor gripes (small things that seemed to have been changed for no reason, and Arya didn't seem tomboy-ish enough to me, but maybe that'll change), but the acting was actually pretty good (you could almost feel the actors settling into the roles as it went on), it looks fabulous and the opening titles and theme tune were marvellous. I thought the actor playing Jon Snow was terrific, and Peter Dinklage was spot on as Tyrion. I suppose some might have found it a bit slow, and I had guessed a while ago exactly where it would end (it was just as much a gasp-in-shock moment as it was in the book ), but blimey, this was just the first episode. Knowing what happens from now on (assuming they don't mess it up!) it can only get better and better Quite enjoyed the programme about George Martin that was on before it, too (and the fact that it was Joe Abercrombie interviewing him!) I hope it'll get more people to go out and buy the books

Yes, I have. It's very good, but I did prefer Voyage, which is one of my favourite 'hard' sf novels. It's about what might have happened to NASA's space programme had JFK not been assassinated, and the first manned-mission to Mars that came about as a result. I'm into all Apollo era stuff, so I was like a pig in the proverbial when I read it

Tonight, then I'm excited but slightly worried - I really hope they don't mess it up. For me, a lot of its success or failure is going to rest on the younger actors, particularly the one playing Arya. She and Tyrion are my favourite characters in the books so they'd better get them right!

The Lions of Al-Rassan by Guy Gavriel Kay From the back of the book: "The ruling Asharites of Al-Rassan have come from the desert sands, but over centuries, seduced by sensuous pleasures of their new land, their stern piety has eroded. The Asharite empire has splintered into decadent city-states led by warring petty kings. King Almalik of Cartada is on the ascendancy, aided always by his friend and advisor, the notorious Ammar ibn Khairan - poet, diplomat, soldier - until a summer afternoon of savage brutality changes their relationship forever. Meanwhile, in the north, the conquered Jaddites' most celebrated - and feared - military leader, Rodrigo Belmonte, driven into exile, leads his mercenary company south. In the dangerous lands of Al-Rassan, these two men from different worlds meet and serve - for a time - the same master. Sharing their interwoven fate - and increasingly torn by her feelings - is Jehane, the accomplished court physician, whose own skills play an increasing role as Al-Rassan is swept to the brink of holy war, and beyond. Hauntingly evocative of medieval Spain, The Lions of Al-Rassan is both a brilliant adventure and a deeply compelling story of love, divided loyalties, and what happens to men and women when hardening beliefs begin to remake - or destroy - a world." This is the second of Kay's novels that I've read. The first was Tigana which, although based on medieval Italy, still qualified as 'high fantasy'. The Lions of Al-Rassan moves away from that territory. Although it is still set in a world of Kay's creation, it reads more as a historical novel than fantasy, and uses reconquista Spain as the building blocks for a sweeping adventure. There are no fantastic creatures or magic, it is very much a story about people, places, race and religion. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that this is the novel that Tim Willocks' The Religion should have been, rather than the crass mess that it is. There are three religions involved in The Lions of Al-Rassan: the Kindath - a parallel of the Jews; the Asharites - a parallel of the Moors; and the Jaddites - a parallel of the Christians. The novel's three main characters, as detailed in the blurb above, come from each of those religions: Jehane is the Kindath, Ammar ibn Khairan the Asharite, and Rodrigo Belmonte the Jaddite (and a parallel to El-Cid). There are lots of other wonderful characters, too. Alvar, a youthful soldier who grows immensely during the course of the book, is one of my favourites, along with Husari, the Asharite merchant, and Miranda Belmonte, Rodrigo's strong-willed wife. The story is very much about these characters, and how situations forced upon them make them work together, dealing with a lot of political backstabbing and religious intolerance. Naturally there is a lot of disagreement, humour, romance and heartbreak along the way. The action is handled deftly - there is not a huge amount of violence in the book, but what there is has a much greater impact for its scarcity. There are some scenes of a sexual nature, nothing too explicit, though. The prologue, set fifteen years before the main story, sees Ammar sent to assassinate the last of the Khalifs at the instruction of his king. Then, at the beginning of the novel, he is betrayed by the same king on a day that sees many die in the city of Fezana. This brings Ammar into contact with Jehane, as she helps someone escape the killings, and the story spirals outward from there. Many of the major events are used as a backdrop - GGK keeps everything on a personal level, and the characters are so beautifully written that I couldn't help getting caught up in their troubles. They are all given equal space to breathe, both male and female. In fact the female characters are marvellous - none of them get in peril and stand around waiting to be saved - they are all strong, determined, fully realised people, and more than a match for the men. Kay has such a lyrical style that it's hard not to keep stopping and re-reading passages just to savour his use of language. It took me a few pages to get my head around it, having just come off the back of authors who are maybe not quite so eloquent, but once I was into it I was hooked. I found it had great depth, was exciting, dark and deeply moving in places. For those looking for traditional fantasy I would still say Tigana is a better starting point for Kay's work, but for anyone else I can't recommend The Lions of Al-Rassan highly enough. 10/10

I can't remember now But if I didn't I should have - Perdido Street Station is fantastic. I inevitably mentioned George RR Martin, Tim Powers, Glenn Cook and Steven Erikson (although I know he's an 'acquired taste'). And I'd add Guy Gavriel Kay to that list now, too. I finished GGK's The Lions of Al-Rassan yesterday. I didn't want it to end, I got quite choked up Wonderful, wonderful novel I was deciding which book to read next. I had a choice of four: the second Mistborn book, Arms of Nemesis by Steven Saylor, Under Heaven by GGK, or The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch. Then on a whim I read the first few pages of A Game of Thrones. Big mistake - it sucked me in once again. Might have to force myself to read some of those other books before I start re-reading it properly, but it's just sooo good.

I've only read Cross Country and I think that was a huge mistake, as it was so dreadful that it's put me off reading any of his other books. Truly one of the worst novels I've ever read. From what I can gather, it was a gross misuse of the Alex Cross character, and a story that would have been better told with a completely new protagonist. A really bad one for me to start with, I guess (it came free with an e-reader).

Yay, someone else who has read his work! Come and help me out in my thread pleeeeeease http://www.bookclubforum.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/8303-guy-gavriel-kay/page__pid__253720#entry253720 I've got about 60 pages of The Lions of Al-Rassan left to read - I don't want it to end We discussed it at the time I made a few suggestions to you in another thread for decent fantasy novels - you obviously ignored me

You can find excerpts from most of his books at his authorised website, here: http://www.brightweavings.com/passages/index.htm

I'd highly recommend giving Tigana a try, Ooshie, especially as it was re-issued (finally!) in the UK in February. Here's the blurb for it: http://www.guygavrielkay.ca/books.html

That's good to know! They were kind of last on my list because they sounded like more conventional fantasy, but I'll definitely give them a look when I've finished the ones I've just bought Following on from our GRRM comments, in a way, but one thing I like is that most of Kay's books are one-offs. No need to wait years for that next book to find out what happens. Although ... (Tigana spoiler follows)

In some ways I agree, in some ways I don't. The penalty readers pay for an author 'working hard' to get his or her books out in quick succession is often a decline in quality, which was certainly true of the Potter books (in my opinion, obviously) and also of my favourite series, the Malazan books (the finale excluded). I wholeheartedly agree that people are upset because they love his books, but I must admit I haven't been desperate for the next book, mainly because the last one was a shadow of the previous entries. As you say, there are other authors out there - and better ones, too. Edit: Having said that, I do remember, admittedly a long time ago, having to wait for what seemed like ages between David Eddings' Belgariad books, and how annoyed I got about it

As usual, I seem to pick authors nobody else I know has read. Well, in Kay's case that's not strictly true - I know one person who's read one of his novels (Tigana) and loaned it to me, which is now causing me to start this thread. So blame my friend Anyhoo ... Guy Gavriel Kay is a Canadian author who has written something like ten novels. I'm only on my second of his books but I'm quickly becoming a fan. For those who want to pigeonhole authors, he writes historical fantasy, taking real-world history and depositing it into fantasy settings created by Kay based on various cultures at various points in time. Hmm, I really haven't described that very well Anyway, some of his books/settings include: Tigana - Medieval Italy The Last Light of the Sun - the Vikings Under Heaven - Tang Dynasty China The Lions of Al-Rassan - Medieval Spain The Sarantine Mosaic - Byzantium Anyone else here read his books? The Lions of Al-Rassan excerpt Tigana excerpt