The Jim Butcher Files: Dresden . Codex Alera . Cinder Spires & More - Page 397

Nyssa · 05-27-2015, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alansplace

Steampunk: check! Magic: check! Sci-Fi: check!

These are a few of my favorite things..... [melody from the Sound of Music (also one of my favorite things!)]

Toxaris · 05-27-2015, 10:27 AM

Still undecided about the steampunk. From what I have seen so far, I am not impressed. But I will read the book anyway. For me it is not about the genre, but the storytelling. That is what is needed for me.

Just finished the second Alex Verus book. A big improvement over the first one, better storytelling and no real Deus Ex Machina this time (well, perhaps one). Certain things were too obvious, but hey, his storytelling is improving a lot. I am looking forward to reading book three.

red_phoenix · 05-27-2015, 12:51 PM

Sometimes it takes those first 3 books for an author to really find his voice with a series. I am really glad I didn't give up on The Dresden Files after the first book.

Toxaris · 05-27-2015, 01:26 PM

Exactly my point. I almost never judge a writer on his/hers first book.

Melon Soda · 05-27-2015, 09:41 PM

Unfortunately, there are a few books where I've given up after the first 3 chapters. LOL. Not so for the Dresden files fortunately, since I got hooked within the first 3 paragraphs. But then again, I didn't read Dresden files in order since I first came across it at the library.

Toxaris · 05-28-2015, 02:59 AM

Yes, there have been books like that as well... One series that I never can seem to get through is the Thomas Covenant by Donaldson. I read the first book and even that was struggling. The story did not catch my interest and the way of writing did not click at all. I did not have a problem with the protagonist, which most people seem to have. I was just apathetic to the story.

alansplace · 05-28-2015, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alansplace

Al...Try reading Chris Wooding's series, Tales of the Ketty Jay.

Retribution Falls
The Black Lung Captain
The Iron Jackal
The Ace of Skulls

This series has introduced me to SteamPunk favorably.

Quote:

Originally Posted by alansplace

Yesterday I began reading...

The Ace Of Skulls (Tales of the Ketty Jay #4) by Chris Wooding. This is the last book (at least so far) in Chris Wooding's SteamPunk series Tales of the Ketty Jay. This series has been my introduction to SteamPunk along with a free standing SteamPunk novel...

Ticker by Lisa Mantchev that I got a few months ago as my monthly freebie in the:

program. Anyway these books have gotten me at least somewhat familiar with the SteamPunk genre.

Now all I need to do is finish reading The Ace Of Skulls and then just wait for the release of Jim Butcher's new SteamPunk series, The Cinder Spires, which debuts on September 29th with...

The Aeronaut's Windlass (The Cinder Spires #1) by Jim Butcher!

I finished reading The Ace Of Skulls last evening. Sadly, this book was the last of the series, a series that I thoroughly enjoyed.

Quote:

All good things come to an end. And this is it: the last stand of the Ketty Jay and her intrepid crew. The Ace of Skulls is the last in the Tales Of The Ketty Jay series. It’s been quite a ride with the guys and girls of the Ketty Jay. I’m sad to wave them off. But I’ll have fond memories of them – as, I hope, will the readers that followed the series – and that, to me, is what counts.

Chris Wooding

BuyMore · 05-28-2015, 07:08 PM

^ I think it's good to end a series nicely when it's still strong and good. I hate to see a good series going bad simply because the author wants to drag out a few more books without a solid plot, or with unnecessary twists.

But then again, 4 books is kind of few for a good series.

Melon Soda · 05-28-2015, 09:40 PM

^ Yeah, when a series end when the plot still strong you'd tend to remember it more even years down the road! But then again, on the other hand, I wouldn't want it to end too fast either... Dilemma...

red_phoenix · 05-29-2015, 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alansplace

Quoted from patrickrothfuss.com

Wow...cool idea. I hope it works out.

Toxaris · 05-29-2015, 01:41 PM

Just finished 'Taken' from the Alex Verus series. Absolutely the best book of the series!

FizzyWater · 05-29-2015, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toxaris

Just finished 'Taken' from the Alex Verus series. Absolutely the best book of the series!

This series is on my TBR pile....I need to get back to it and the Dresden books. Does this guy get tortured as much as poor Harry? One of the reasons I stopped ready the Dresden Files was that it just got more and more dark.

Toxaris · 05-30-2015, 03:52 AM

No, he does not get the amount of physical damage as Harry. In magical power (I mean raw, forceful power) he is a wimp. Most other mages should be able to wipe the floor with him based on force. He is a divination mage and uses that very smart. It is not really dark, at least not yet. There are of course Light and Dark mages, but that distinction is not always clear...

DuckieTigger · 05-30-2015, 11:30 AM

Just checked today on my pre-order of Aeronaut's Windlass, and the price got jacked up. If you pre-order right now the price would be $13.99 - but since I put the pre-order in on March 5th it will be $11.84. Sometimes it pays to pre-order early.

alansplace · 05-30-2015, 03:31 PM

05-30-2015, 03:31 PM	#5955
alansplace Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,897 Karma: 464403178 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: 33.9388° N, 117.2716° W Device: Kindles K-2, K-KB, PW 1 & 2, Voyage, Fire 2, 5 & HD 8, Surface 3, iPad	Hrothbert of Bainbridge - by Priscilla Spencer Last edited by alansplace; 05-30-2015 at 08:51 PM.

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05-27-2015, 10:27 AM	#5942
Toxaris Wizard Posts: 4,520 Karma: 121692313 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Heemskerk, NL Device: PRS-T1, Kobo Touch, Kobo Aura	Still undecided about the steampunk. From what I have seen so far, I am not impressed. But I will read the book anyway. For me it is not about the genre, but the storytelling. That is what is needed for me. Just finished the second Alex Verus book. A big improvement over the first one, better storytelling and no real Deus Ex Machina this time (well, perhaps one). Certain things were too obvious, but hey, his storytelling is improving a lot. I am looking forward to reading book three.

05-27-2015, 12:51 PM	#5943
red_phoenix Grand Sorcerer Posts: 18,417 Karma: 445850508 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: Sony PRS-T1	Sometimes it takes those first 3 books for an author to really find his voice with a series. I am really glad I didn't give up on The Dresden Files after the first book.

05-27-2015, 01:26 PM	#5944
Toxaris Wizard Posts: 4,520 Karma: 121692313 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Heemskerk, NL Device: PRS-T1, Kobo Touch, Kobo Aura	Exactly my point. I almost never judge a writer on his/hers first book.

05-27-2015, 09:41 PM	#5945
Melon Soda ★ Enjoy Your Reads! ★ Posts: 947 Karma: 412746862 Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Sunny Island Singapore Device: iPhone, Desktop	Unfortunately, there are a few books where I've given up after the first 3 chapters. LOL. Not so for the Dresden files fortunately, since I got hooked within the first 3 paragraphs. But then again, I didn't read Dresden files in order since I first came across it at the library.

05-28-2015, 02:59 AM	#5946
Toxaris Wizard Posts: 4,520 Karma: 121692313 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Heemskerk, NL Device: PRS-T1, Kobo Touch, Kobo Aura	Yes, there have been books like that as well... One series that I never can seem to get through is the Thomas Covenant by Donaldson. I read the first book and even that was struggling. The story did not catch my interest and the way of writing did not click at all. I did not have a problem with the protagonist, which most people seem to have. I was just apathetic to the story.

05-28-2015, 07:08 PM	#5948
BuyMore Lurker extraordinaire Posts: 4,264 Karma: 555971070 Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: GMT +8 Device: iPad 3, iPad Mini 4	^ I think it's good to end a series nicely when it's still strong and good. I hate to see a good series going bad simply because the author wants to drag out a few more books without a solid plot, or with unnecessary twists. But then again, 4 books is kind of few for a good series.

05-28-2015, 09:40 PM	#5949
Melon Soda ★ Enjoy Your Reads! ★ Posts: 947 Karma: 412746862 Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Sunny Island Singapore Device: iPhone, Desktop	^ Yeah, when a series end when the plot still strong you'd tend to remember it more even years down the road! But then again, on the other hand, I wouldn't want it to end too fast either... Dilemma...

05-29-2015, 01:41 PM	#5951
Toxaris Wizard Posts: 4,520 Karma: 121692313 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Heemskerk, NL Device: PRS-T1, Kobo Touch, Kobo Aura	Just finished 'Taken' from the Alex Verus series. Absolutely the best book of the series!

05-30-2015, 03:52 AM	#5953
Toxaris Wizard Posts: 4,520 Karma: 121692313 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Heemskerk, NL Device: PRS-T1, Kobo Touch, Kobo Aura	No, he does not get the amount of physical damage as Harry. In magical power (I mean raw, forceful power) he is a wimp. Most other mages should be able to wipe the floor with him based on force. He is a divination mage and uses that very smart. It is not really dark, at least not yet. There are of course Light and Dark mages, but that distinction is not always clear...

05-30-2015, 11:30 AM	#5954
DuckieTigger Wizard Posts: 4,764 Karma: 246906703 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: USA Device: Oasis 3, Oasis 2, PW3, PW1, KT	Just checked today on my pre-order of Aeronaut's Windlass, and the price got jacked up. If you pre-order right now the price would be $13.99 - but since I put the pre-order in on March 5th it will be $11.84. Sometimes it pays to pre-order early.