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

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by drjd

Thanks, eschwartz, for the opinion. Actually the reviews available on various websites regarding Simon R. Green and Peter Brett are biased on the praise side and somewhat appear like sponsored type. We might have to wait for the unbiased reviews of other members who actually have read them, before going ahead.

Originally Posted by drjd

Great, thanks DuckieTigger! Well, Alan's opinion is quite enough for me to abandon the Iron Druid series from my TBR. I was just asking more opinions about the Secret Histories by Simon R Green, and the Demon Wars Cycle by Peter Brett.

In fact I'm in process of reducing my scary TBR list of 1400+ books, and any negative opinions about them are more than welcome.

What, my opinion isn't good/unbiased enough?

I'll repeat: Simon R. Green's books are awesome and I liked them a lot. They play around with classic stereotypes in a very fun way. (e.g. the Secret histories books are very like James Bond even down to the titles... until you factor in the magic and super-science and aliens of course. Saving the world ends up being rather more literal!)

"not entirely sure how particularly Dresden-like they are" == "I'm not great at evaluating whether other people will like a specific book just because they liked another specific book". However, I can say that anyone who likes the type of books I like will like his books.

I promise you, this isn't a sponsored review! (I wish I could get paid for mentioning the books I like...)

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

What, my opinion isn't good/unbiased enough?

I am sorry for not mentioning you. I read it that there is the original Iron Druid Chronicles and there is fan fiction and or shared world in the same universe.

I'll repeat: Simon R. Green's books are awesome and I liked them a lot. They play around with classic stereotypes in a very fun way. (e.g. the Secret histories books are very like James Bond even down to the titles... until you factor in the magic and super-science and aliens of course. Saving the world ends up being rather more literal!)

So you are saying that Simon R. Green is NOT suffering from martysueism - wasn't clear to me. Since you didn't contradict what you said about the chronicles I was under the wrong impression it still had bad / faulty characters. Just now you have some good characters making up for it.

Is it necessary to have knowledge od the Iron Druid Chronicles to understand Simon R. Green's work? (similarly to how HPMOR is not fully appreciated unless you have fairly deep knowledge about the original - I very much enjoyed all the flaws it pointed out. But, there was so much stuff left out that sometimes it was necessary for me to fill in the blanks from Rowling's work)

"not entirely sure how particularly Dresden-like they are" == "I'm not great at evaluating whether other people will like a specific book just because they liked another specific book". However, I can say that anyone who likes the type of books I like will like his books.

I promise you, this isn't a sponsored review! (I wish I could get paid for mentioning the books I like...)

I see, I can never tell what needs to be done to fall into the "dresden-like" category. For some it is Butcher making up his own genres - e.g. steam opera for Aeronaut's Windlass. Yes sure they didn't let that fly, but some were critical about it not being real steam punk (in reviews). I enjoyed it because it is Butcher for being Butcher simply in a different world. There is fans of Butcher that like his books for good in the genre, and won't like every series. For me they are all the same with different character, different point of view (1st person for Harry, 3rd for the other two series).

It is very hard to put in words. Protagonist(s) always fighting someone stronger, very snarky, very powerful in their own right (moreso than they should be, maybe an extraordinary amount of courage including to know when to retreat and fight another day). Maybe you somehow be able to try to explain what makes the characters good in Simon R. Green's work that pushes them toward Butcher chracters?

[drjd]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

What, my opinion isn't good/unbiased enough?

I didn't meant your opinion was bad or biased.
It was just my wicked wish to gather more negative views about some good writers whom I wanted to get off from my pile of TBR, without taking trouble to read them.

Originally Posted by eschwartz

I promise you, this isn't a sponsored review! (I wish I could get paid for mentioning the books I like...)

:sigh: I too wish to get paid for it, but all I ever get is the free copies of the books I had already bought.

[eschwartz]

@DuckieTigger,

Wait, what?

Simon R. Green's tradpub Secret Histories, Nightside, etc. books have nothing to do with Kevin Hearne's tradpub The Iron Druid Chronicles. Other than the fact that both are "books", written by "authors".
And they were both mentioned in this thread, maybe because they share the "fantasy" genre.

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

@DuckieTigger,

Wait, what?

Simon R. Green's tradpub Secret Histories, Nightside, etc. books have nothing to do with Kevin Hearne's tradpub The Iron Druid Chronicles.

My mistake was to read your next (earlier) post wrong.

Originally Posted by eschwartz

for the status update re: short stories!

On the topic of Dresden-like books, the Iron Druid Chronicles aren't bad but it is definitely true they suffer from Marty Sue-ism.
Simon R. Green on the other hand (all his books -- they are set in the same universe) has some awesome characters and is definitely worth a read. Mind you, I am not entirely sure how particularly Dresden-like they are, but they are definitely good books.

See, I read that all of Simon R. Green's books are set in the same universe as Iron Druid Chronicles. Even though they are in the Iron Druid universe they are actually good. Apparently I have to read it that all his books are in the same universe seperate from the Iron Druid universe.

[alansplace]

[drjd]

Originally Posted by alansplace

Thought of the Day!

[Toxaris]

Well, when I read I literally have a visual of what is happening in my mind. I think that this is partially the reason why I enjoy reading so much. However, I know several people that don't have that, they just read words and don't have a mental picture. For those people reading will be boring I guess.

[alansplace]

August 15, 2016

Jim Butcher was the guest of honor this year. I really enjoy the Dresden Files series (in many ways I think he has redefined the urban fantasy genre). It was fantastic to listen to him talk about what he has coming next and being on a panel with him was fantastic (standing room only, too, I wish they’d put us in a bigger room). I know that panel in particular was recorded, I’ll have to see if I can find the link.

ka1spriggs

[Apache]

Originally Posted by alansplace

August 15, 2016

It was fantastic to listen to him talk about what he has coming next

I just wish that he would write what he has coming next.
Apache

[FizzyWater]

Originally Posted by Apache

I just wish that he would write what he has coming next.
Apache

I have to say - it seems like he's been doing a lot of "playing" since he got divorced. Maybe his ex-wife was able to keep him at the keyboard, and now he's acting like a big kid.

I thought he made a crack in one of his Q-and-A sessions, something like "what keeps you at the keyboard when your muse has left you?" and his answer had something to do with the ex (maybe "alimony" or "Shannon cracked the whip" or "it was more interesting than spending time with the ex")....I just remember thinking it was a rather bitter-sounding comment.

[Toxaris]

Originally Posted by FizzyWater

I have to say - it seems like he's been doing a lot of "playing" since he got divorced. Maybe his ex-wife was able to keep him at the keyboard, and now he's acting like a big kid.

I thought he made a crack in one of his Q-and-A sessions, something like "what keeps you at the keyboard when your muse has left you?" and his answer had something to do with the ex (maybe "alimony" or "Shannon cracked the whip" or "it was more interesting than spending time with the ex")....I just remember thinking it was a rather bitter-sounding comment.

I do remember an answer to a question during a Q&A. Butcher had indicated in the past that he would not write two series simultaneously again after the Codex Alera. So, when he was asked about that with regards to the Cinder Spires his answer was 'alimony'.

[eschwartz]

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

My mistake was to read your next (earlier) post wrong.

See, I read that all of Simon R. Green's books are set in the same universe as Iron Druid Chronicles. Even though they are in the Iron Druid universe they are actually good. Apparently I have to read it that all his books are in the same universe seperate from the Iron Druid universe.

Ah, I see where your confusion came from. I should have been more clear to begin with -- Simon R. Green writes his own universe, which is shared between all his own series' despite that some are in the far future and others run the gamut of super-science, psychics, wizards, ye olden dayes...

[DuckieTigger]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Ah, I see where your confusion came from. I should have been more clear to begin with -- Simon R. Green writes his own universe, which is shared between all his own series' despite that some are in the far future and others run the gamut of super-science, psychics, wizards, ye olden dayes...

Now, it does sound interesting. Is there any recurring people throughout the history? Not far fetched if some time travel, some immortality, some resurrection, or maybe a petrock is involved.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by Toxaris

Well, when I read I literally have a visual of what is happening in my mind. I think that this is partially the reason why I enjoy reading so much. However, I know several people that don't have that, they just read words and don't have a mental picture. For those people reading will be boring I guess.

You'd be wrong (well maybe, since I don't know "those" particular people). I've never found reading to be remotely boring (except when the book itself is boring), even without a movie playing in my head.