Janet Posted October 14, 2013 Posted October 14, 2013 (edited) Whether they get the science right or not, if Sandra Bullock's in it it's bound to be rubbish Harsh! I'm not sure I've ever seen a Sandra Bullock film... ETA: According to Wikipedia I haven't! Edited October 14, 2013 by Janet Quote
poppyshake Posted October 14, 2013 Posted October 14, 2013 Whether they get the science right or not, if Sandra Bullock's in it it's bound to be rubbish It might be good but the trailer for it had me curling my toes in embarrassment Quote
Timstar Posted October 14, 2013 Posted October 14, 2013 Whether they get the science right or not, if Sandra Bullock's in it it's bound to be rubbish I was thinking it might be good until I saw she was in it. I'm not sure I've ever seen a Sandra Bullock film... ETA: According to Wikipedia I haven't! Is there anything Wikipedia doesn't know!? Quote
Karsa Orlong Posted October 16, 2013 Author Posted October 16, 2013 Feeling vaguely tempted by the Booker Prize winner, The Luminaries. Middling comments on Amazon, but then Wolf Hall had those, too. Another doorstopper, though. Not sure I can handle another 800 page novel at the moment Quote
bobblybear Posted October 17, 2013 Posted October 17, 2013 I'm vaguely tempted by The Luminaries as well, but for now I've settled with adding it to my wishlist. The story sounds interesting, but some of the comments of reviewers put me off a bit. Quote
poppyshake Posted October 17, 2013 Posted October 17, 2013 Feeling vaguely tempted by the Booker Prize winner, The Luminaries. Middling comments on Amazon, but then Wolf Hall had those, too. Another doorstopper, though. Not sure I can handle another 800 page novel at the moment 800 pages!! It does sound intriguing but then I've still got The Finkler Question sitting on my shelves reminding me that I shouldn't be tempted by Booker Prize winners (I haven't read it actually .. somehow it's just got less and less appealing ) Quote
Karsa Orlong Posted October 18, 2013 Author Posted October 18, 2013 I've still got The Finkler Question sitting on my shelves I've still got The White Tiger sitting on mine, and I doubt I'll ever read it, so I empathise! Quote
Karsa Orlong Posted October 18, 2013 Author Posted October 18, 2013 Book #60: Emperor of Thorns (Broken Empire Book 3) by Mark Lawrence From Amazon: The path to the throne is broken – only the broken can walk it. The world is cracked and time has run through, leaving us clutching at the end days. These are the days that have waited for us all our lives. These are my days. I will stand before the Hundred and they will listen. I will take the throne no matter who stands against me, living or dead, and if I must be the last emperor then I will make of it such an ending. This is where the wise man turns away. This is where the holy kneel and call on God. These are the last miles, my brothers. Don't look to me to save you. Run if you have the wit. Pray if you have the soul. Stand your ground if courage is yours. But don't follow me. Follow me, and I will break your heart. Thoughts: Not a lot to say about this one that I didn't say about the previous two books. It follows the same template, picking up a few years after King of Thorns and filling in the gaps with various intermingled plot strands. Lawrence's writing is strong and his tone is relentlessly consistent. Jorg continues to develop as a character. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that this is one of the most character-driven series that I have read in a long time. There is action, and it's ferocious, but Jorg stands front and centre all the time. As a result, one of the plot strands didn't quite work for me this time, as it is told from a different point of view. When it got to those sections I tended to feel a bit disappointed. However, another strand, told in flashback and winding its way to the desert, is superb and was easily my favourite part of the book, filled with vivid characters and some nice set-ups and pay-offs (much better at this than the previous book!), and a real sense of place brought about through the atmosphere Lawrence creates. Strangely, I guessed pretty early on what was going to happen at the end. I don't usually spot these things, which leads me to believe that this is what Lawrence intended, that he wanted the reader to figure it out. So it robbed the ending of surprise, but it did create an element of tension throughout the second half of the book, wondering when Jorg was going to figure it out as well. Another aspect that is so refreshing is that this is the end. In a brief afterword, Lawrence states that there will be no book 4, 5, 6 etc. This is a book of endings and although it's not quite as spectacular as you might expect - he goes for the personal rather than the epic - it is one of the best endings to a series that I've read in a while. I think the emotional impact of the final pages might have been greater had the element of surprise been there, but it doesn't detract from the story at all. Lawrence has created a truly memorable set of characters, placed them in a world with which the reader can identify, and told a story that never once deviates from its purpose. As far as I can remember, there is no padding whatsoever over the course of the three books. It's not often you can say that. Just to note: I read this one on Kindle, and the different typefaces for each plot line have been maintained, so it works just as well. 8/10 Quote
Signor Finzione Posted October 18, 2013 Posted October 18, 2013 Great review of Emperor, Steve! You seem to have enjoyed it for more or less the same reasons I did. I also figured out the identity of the Dead King really early on in the book (which almost disappointed me), but the actual ending took me completely by surprise. I agree with what you say about it being personal rather than epic, and I think that's why it made me so emotional! I also agree with you about Lawrence knowing when to call it a day . . . but are you not just a little bit sad that you'll never get to read any more about little Jorgy? What did you think about the 'grimdark' elements? Worse than, or just as hard to read as the stuff in KoT? Quote
Karsa Orlong Posted October 18, 2013 Author Posted October 18, 2013 I also agree with you about Lawrence knowing when to call it a day . . . but are you not just a little bit sad that you'll never get to read any more about little Jorgy? Not even slightly I like that ML thinks enough's enough, and I am in agreement with him. If only some of these other fantasy authors would take the hint Of course, if ML ever goes back on this I will hunt him down What did you think about the 'grimdark' elements? Worse than, or just as hard to read as the stuff in KoT? To be honest, I didn't find anything in it as distressing as 'that scene' in KoT. There were a couple of shocks, but nothing on that scale for me Quote
Karsa Orlong Posted October 18, 2013 Author Posted October 18, 2013 Plan: Emperor of Thorns by Mark Lawrence - started 14/10/13, finished 17/10/13 Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch Desolation Island by Patrick O'Brian - started 18/10/13 The Lords of the North by Bernard Cornwell Imperium by Robert Harris The Legend of Deathwalker by David Gemmell The Lamp of the Wicked by Phil Rickman Caliban's War by James S.A. Corey Quote
poppyshake Posted October 18, 2013 Posted October 18, 2013 What? .. where's the one we can't see coming? .. do you need suggestions? Quote
poppyshake Posted October 18, 2013 Posted October 18, 2013 No thanks! Blunt but polite and to the point Quote
Karsa Orlong Posted October 18, 2013 Author Posted October 18, 2013 This plan is just to get my TBR down to 50, then I'll think about doing another one . . . with one that nobody saw coming. Maybe. Having said that, I am on the verge of buying three or four Vernor Vinge books, which will bump up the TBR again Quote
Athena Posted October 18, 2013 Posted October 18, 2013 Having said that, I am on the verge of buying three or four Vernor Vinge books, which will bump up the TBR again x I see what you did there . Quote
Karsa Orlong Posted October 19, 2013 Author Posted October 19, 2013 Aaaaaaaand bought . . . Tatja Grimm's World by Vernor Vinge The Witling by Vernor Vinge The Peace War by Vernor Vinge Marooned in Realtime by Vernor Vinge So much for getting the TBR list down to 50 And now I'm really wanting to re-read Julian May's 'Saga of the Exiles', too, which'll mean buying them again Will it never end??? Quote
frankie Posted October 19, 2013 Posted October 19, 2013 Aaaaaaaand bought . . . Tatja Grimm's World by Vernor Vinge The Witling by Vernor Vinge The Peace War by Vernor Vinge Marooned in Realtime by Vernor Vinge Hehe, great haul I've not hear of those titles, are they recent? (I don't even know if Vinge is still dead. I just know ex hasn't mentioned those.) Will it never end??? Nope. Quote
Karsa Orlong Posted October 19, 2013 Author Posted October 19, 2013 Hehe, great haul I've not hear of those titles, are they recent? (I don't even know if Vinge is still dead. I just know ex hasn't mentioned those.) I think he is still dead, but he's got a ghostwriter They're his older books, though - pre A Fire Upon the Deep Quote
frankie Posted October 19, 2013 Posted October 19, 2013 I think he is still dead, but he's got a ghostwriter Or maybe he is just replaying? They're his older books, though - pre A Fire Upon the Deep Ah, okay Quote
Timstar Posted October 19, 2013 Posted October 19, 2013 So much for getting the TBR list down to 50 And now I'm really wanting to re-read Julian May's 'Saga of the Exiles', too, which'll mean buying them again Oh well... maybe next year I have Exiles on my wishlist, they look great! Quote
Athena Posted October 19, 2013 Posted October 19, 2013 Great haul ! I hope you enjoy the books. Quote
Karsa Orlong Posted October 19, 2013 Author Posted October 19, 2013 I have Exiles on my wishlist, they look great! I was intending to get them on Kindle, but the new covers are so nice it makes me want to get them all in paperback Quote
Karsa Orlong Posted October 21, 2013 Author Posted October 21, 2013 Ooh! Publication date for Mark Lawrence's next book, Prince of Fools (Red Queen's War Book 1) Oh wait, June 2014. can't he write any faster?? Quote
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