A "What's so special about" thread - Page 3

HoopyFrood · 02-16-2012, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Neither does the author! *rimshot noise*

ProfCrash · 02-16-2012, 11:11 AM

I have never understood why so many people like Neal Stephenson's Quicksilver and the other books in that series. I tried to make myself read Quicksilver. I am half way through it, for the third time, and still bored stiff. Yet most people I know loved it.

Harry Potter is pretty easy read, especially the first few books, and good for escaping. Books four through seven do a really impressive job of presenting a much darker, more sinister world. I liked the politics, the manipulation, and the overall manuevering in the book. I thought she did a good job developing deep characters and not just the primary characters.

Over all, I really liked the series. I don't think that it is greatliterature but it is a good read.

I don't get Twilight. I would not have gotten it when I was a teenage girl but I am not a normal teenage girl.

I guess I figure I should enjoy reading what I enjoy reading and let other folks enjoy what they enjoy.

DiapDealer · 02-16-2012, 11:24 AM

Quote:

I guess I figure I should enjoy reading what I enjoy reading and let other folks enjoy what they enjoy.

Much more productive that way (says the huge Neal Stephenson Fan).

speakingtohe · 02-16-2012, 11:34 AM

Quote:

guess I figure I should enjoy reading what I enjoy reading and let other folks enjoy what they enjoy

Indeed!

I do enjoy people's comments and descriptions of books they enjoy (rather than a review) and will often react to them by trying a book. Sometimes I am disappointed, but what is life without a disappointment or two.

cjr72 · 02-16-2012, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HoopyFrood

I'm also in the process of slogging through "Game of Thrones" and it is pretty slow going. I don't know whether I'll have the intestinal fortitude to finish the series.

Yeah book 4 was a long hard slog for me. I'm in no hurry to start book 5. If he ever writes the final book I may just skip to that and see if it makes a difference.

HoopyFrood · 02-16-2012, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cjr72

Yeah book 4 was a long hard slog for me. I'm in no hurry to start book 5. If he ever writes the final book I may just skip to that and see if it makes a difference.

Oh. My. Gawd. I thought there were only 3 of the bloomin' things! I may give the second one a shot, but unless it improves mightily over the first, I'm done with 'em.

ProfCrash · 02-16-2012, 02:09 PM

I have not bothered reading book 4, I heard it was awful, and have not purchased book 5. I am seriously considering not completing the series, if Martin ever writes the entire thing, because the man needs to be working with a stronger editor.

AndrewH · 02-16-2012, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HoopyFrood

Oh. My. Gawd. I thought there were only 3 of the bloomin' things! I may give the second one a shot, but unless it improves mightily over the first, I'm done with 'em.

I loved the first three, I thought they were incredible. I didn't find book 4 to be quite as bad as everyone said, but I thought book 5 was complete crap.

So if you don't like a Game of Thrones, then you certainly won't like the rest.

jgaiser · 02-16-2012, 03:17 PM

Continuing the Epic Fantasy thread...

I'm slogging my way through book 2 of Joe Abercrombie's First Law Series (Before They Are Hanged). I really enjoyed the first book. The second book is good, but it hasn't captured me in the same way. As there is only three books in the series I'll probably finish it off, but I suspect it's going to take me a while.

DiapDealer · 02-16-2012, 03:25 PM

Quote:

As there is only three books in the series I'll probably finish it off, but I suspect it's going to take me a while.

Three in the series... followed by 2 (soon to be three) stand alone novels (followed by another proposed series) in the same "universe" with some of the same characters.

Not that I'm keeping track or anything.

Daithi · 02-16-2012, 03:34 PM

Lord of the Rings. I found it really long and quite monotonous after awhile. I actually preferred both Harry Potter and Twilight over LOTR.

jgaiser · 02-16-2012, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Three in the series... followed by 2 (soon to be three) stand alone novels (followed by another proposed series) in the same "universe" with some of the same characters.

Yabut... Only three in the original story arc. I can ignore those standalones.
.
.
.
Can't I?

jgaiser · 02-16-2012, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daithi

Lord of the Rings. I found it really long and quite monotonous after awhile. I actually preferred both Harry Potter and Twilight over LOTR.

Sheesh... Blasphemy. Saying nasty things about the LOTR will get you ejected from the Fantasy Club.

Loved it. Working my way through the book(s) for the third time.

DiapDealer · 02-16-2012, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgaiser

Yabut... Only three in the original story arc. I can ignore those standalones.
.
.
.
Can't I?

Oh absolutely.
But that's a decision you don't have to make until after you've finished with the First Law series.

DrNefario · 02-16-2012, 05:54 PM

The middle of the First Law series did slump a bit, but it picks up again in book 3. I loved the characters. The two standalone novels are also great. Maybe The Heroes tries to stretch a fairly short timespan over too many words, but plenty happens in Best Served Cold.

There are two popular fantasy series I recently tried to start, which both left me cold:

Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen. I read Gardens of the Moon, and I just don't get it. Characters I couldn't care less about. Over-topping nuclear arms-race of godlike beings. Motivations that make no sense. Events that seem to be retrospectively made important some time after they've happened. I thought it was a mess, and have no intention of reading any more of the series.

Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth. I battled my way through the tedium that was Wizard's First Rule on the rabid recommendation of a friend. It didn't seem to have much going for it. I had to read something else when I was half way through it, to recharge myself enough to make it to the end.

02-16-2012, 03:17 PM	#39
jgaiser Omnivorous Posts: 3,283 Karma: 27978909 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Rural NW Oregon Device: Kindle Voyage, Kindle Fire HD, Kindle 3, KPW1	Continuing the Epic Fantasy thread... I'm slogging my way through book 2 of Joe Abercrombie's First Law Series (Before They Are Hanged). I really enjoyed the first book. The second book is good, but it hasn't captured me in the same way. As there is only three books in the series I'll probably finish it off, but I suspect it's going to take me a while. Last edited by jgaiser; 02-16-2012 at 03:22 PM. Reason: Removed URLs. Worked in preview. You can find them. :)

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02-16-2012, 11:11 AM	#32
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	I have never understood why so many people like Neal Stephenson's Quicksilver and the other books in that series. I tried to make myself read Quicksilver. I am half way through it, for the third time, and still bored stiff. Yet most people I know loved it. Harry Potter is pretty easy read, especially the first few books, and good for escaping. Books four through seven do a really impressive job of presenting a much darker, more sinister world. I liked the politics, the manipulation, and the overall manuevering in the book. I thought she did a good job developing deep characters and not just the primary characters. Over all, I really liked the series. I don't think that it is greatliterature but it is a good read. I don't get Twilight. I would not have gotten it when I was a teenage girl but I am not a normal teenage girl. I guess I figure I should enjoy reading what I enjoy reading and let other folks enjoy what they enjoy.

02-16-2012, 02:09 PM	#37
ProfCrash Tea Enthusiast Posts: 8,554 Karma: 75384937 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Somewhere in the USA Device: Kindle1, Kindle DX Graphite, K3 3G, IPad 3, PW2	I have not bothered reading book 4, I heard it was awful, and have not purchased book 5. I am seriously considering not completing the series, if Martin ever writes the entire thing, because the man needs to be working with a stronger editor.

02-16-2012, 03:34 PM	#41
Daithi Publishers are evil! Posts: 2,418 Karma: 36205264 Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Rhode Island Device: Various Kindles	Lord of the Rings. I found it really long and quite monotonous after awhile. I actually preferred both Harry Potter and Twilight over LOTR.

02-16-2012, 05:54 PM	#45
DrNefario Wizard Posts: 2,189 Karma: 12000000 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: UK Device: Kindle, Kobo Touch, Nook SimpleTouch	The middle of the First Law series did slump a bit, but it picks up again in book 3. I loved the characters. The two standalone novels are also great. Maybe The Heroes tries to stretch a fairly short timespan over too many words, but plenty happens in Best Served Cold. There are two popular fantasy series I recently tried to start, which both left me cold: Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen. I read Gardens of the Moon, and I just don't get it. Characters I couldn't care less about. Over-topping nuclear arms-race of godlike beings. Motivations that make no sense. Events that seem to be retrospectively made important some time after they've happened. I thought it was a mess, and have no intention of reading any more of the series. Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth. I battled my way through the tedium that was Wizard's First Rule on the rabid recommendation of a friend. It didn't seem to have much going for it. I had to read something else when I was half way through it, to recharge myself enough to make it to the end.