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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High

Australia
31799 Posts

Posted - 27 Mar 2011 :  14:30:05  Show Profile Send The Sage a Private Message
I like historical twists like that. Kinda reminds me of the "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" comic novel. Cool stuff!

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Edited by - The Sage on 27 Mar 2011 14:30:54
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Firestorm
Senior Scribe

Canada
826 Posts

Posted - 27 Mar 2011 :  18:22:37  Show Profile Send Firestorm a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Alystra Illianniis

Files! Crap, I knew that looked wrong. I think I was mixing it up with the Jonathan Barret books- her other(and related) vamp series. Romkey's Vampire Papers trilogy was pretty interesting too. Motzart and Da Vinci as undead? I could see it. Puts the Illuminati in a WHOLE new light!!



Glad to see others read Romkey :)
Although the first 3 books were the best, his others are not bad.

The Vampire Papers was my favorite. JWB was such a Dexter like Sociopath.

I, Vampire was excellent too.

Other than the first 3 books, I like how the series has little to do with each other book by book, but follows the same world rules well.

Edited by - Firestorm on 27 Mar 2011 18:24:25
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DragonReader
Senior Scribe

USA
371 Posts

Posted - 28 Mar 2011 :  02:33:47  Show Profile  Visit DragonReader's Homepage Send DragonReader a Private Message
Currently reading The Warlord's Legacy by Ari Marmell and am really enjoying. I am also reading a bunch of Ultimate Spider-Man comics.

Got alot of FR novels waiting for me on my shelf and can't decide what to read next.
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Alystra Illianniis
Great Reader

USA
3750 Posts

Posted - 28 Mar 2011 :  02:51:57  Show Profile Send Alystra Illianniis a Private Message
Firestorm- I did not know there were more than three books in that series. I only read the first three, apparently. And yes, JWB was a pretty awesome character in that book, twisted as he was. Now it appears I'll have to hunt down the rest of the books! Thanks for the tip!

Sage- I just saw that book in my library recently. Any good? I wanted to check it out, but it is always gone when I look for it.

Hmmm, Ultimate Spidey- meh, I'll stick with main-line Spidey. The Ultimate line took so many liberties with the lore (especially with Gwen) that I could not really enjoy it. Guess I'm sort of a purist when it comes to my Spidey comics, lol!

The Goddess is alive, and magic is afoot.

"Where Science ends, Magic begins" -Spiral, Uncanny X-Men #491

"You idiots! You've captured their STUNT doubles!" -Spaceballs

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Fellfire
Master of Realmslore

1965 Posts

Posted - 28 Mar 2011 :  03:00:33  Show Profile Send Fellfire a Private Message
Just finishing the Erevis Cale trilogy and I've got to say it is some of the best FR I've ever read. I very much enjoyed the earlier Drizzt books and I love everything Elaine has written, but this is the best "new" series that I have come across. I love the characters, especially the all-rogue party that Cale travels with. The Sojourner is very mysterious. As a gamer I try to steer away from uber-powerful Sorcerer types, but I can't wait to see how it ends. Also really good to see some unusual villains like the Slaad. All in all, a thoroughly entertaining read and heartily recommended.

Misanthorpe

Love is a lie. Only hate endures. Light is blinding. Only in darkness do we see clearly.

"Oh, you think darkness is your ally? You merely adopted the dark. I was born in it, molded by it. I didn't see the light until I was already a man, by then it was nothing to me but.. blinding. The shadows betray you because they belong to me." - Bane The Dark Knight Rises

Green Dragonscale Dice Bag by Crystalsidyll - check it out


Edited by - Fellfire on 28 Mar 2011 03:01:55
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Dennis
Great Reader

9933 Posts

Posted - 28 Mar 2011 :  03:23:05  Show Profile Send Dennis a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by DragonReader

Currently reading The Warlord's Legacy by Ari Marmell and am really enjoying.



I enjoyed his Agents of Artifice, so I was inclined to buy The Warlord's Legacy but didn't do so at my first visit at Fully Booked. When I came back, it's already sold out. Well, the shipment is next month; and it's in my to-buy list now.

Every beginning has an end.

Edited by - Dennis on 28 Mar 2011 03:24:44
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High

Australia
31799 Posts

Posted - 28 Mar 2011 :  03:45:31  Show Profile Send The Sage a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Alystra Illianniis

Sage- I just saw that book in my library recently. Any good? I wanted to check it out, but it is always gone when I look for it.
If you like alternate historical fiction with vampires and a very significant change to a prominent person of history, then you'll definitely enjoy this.
quote:
Hmmm, Ultimate Spidey- meh, I'll stick with main-line Spidey. The Ultimate line took so many liberties with the lore (especially with Gwen) that I could not really enjoy it. Guess I'm sort of a purist when it comes to my Spidey comics, lol!
I kinda like Ultimate Spider-Man. It's like an on-going "What If" series, which I've always loved.

My only problem is that Bendis tends to inject far too much "uncertainty" in his portrayal of the regular cast of Spidey-characters. Its rather distracting.

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skychrome
Senior Scribe

713 Posts

Posted - 28 Mar 2011 :  03:56:14  Show Profile  Visit skychrome's Homepage Send skychrome a Private Message
Currently I am reading book 2 of Frank Herbert's "Dune" series. Sensational stuff, how did I not read this earlier? Unfortunately progress is relatively slow, too much wordly stuff to do lately.

This is also the reason why my other parallel reads with lesser priority advance only very slowly: Realms of Valor and -something completely different- an Introduction to Kant's Categorical Imperative.

On my list for this year is some more old stuff from the Realms, more Dune, some more Terry Pratchett, some Gord the Rogue and several non-fiction books, mainly philosophy and travel.

"You make an intriguing offer, one that is very tempting. It would seem that I have little alternative than to answer thusly: DISINTEGRATE!" Vaarsuvius, Order of the Stick 625
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High

Australia
31799 Posts

Posted - 28 Mar 2011 :  04:06:58  Show Profile Send The Sage a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by skychrome

... -something completely different- an Introduction to Kant's Categorical Imperative.
I hope it's not the second-edition. That version is riddled with errors.

Candlekeep Forums Moderator

Candlekeep - The Library of Forgotten Realms Lore
http://www.candlekeep.com
-- Candlekeep Forum Code of Conduct

Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)

"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood

Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage
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skychrome
Senior Scribe

713 Posts

Posted - 28 Mar 2011 :  05:56:52  Show Profile  Visit skychrome's Homepage Send skychrome a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage
I hope it's not the second-edition. That version is riddled with errors.


No, it is not Kant himself, it is an introduction and interpretation by another author to get a better start on the original works. It is quite well done actually.

"You make an intriguing offer, one that is very tempting. It would seem that I have little alternative than to answer thusly: DISINTEGRATE!" Vaarsuvius, Order of the Stick 625
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Firestorm
Senior Scribe

Canada
826 Posts

Posted - 28 Mar 2011 :  14:42:33  Show Profile Send Firestorm a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Alystra Illianniis

Firestorm- I did not know there were more than three books in that series. I only read the first three, apparently. And yes, JWB was a pretty awesome character in that book, twisted as he was. Now it appears I'll have to hunt down the rest of the books! Thanks for the tip!

Sage- I just saw that book in my library recently. Any good? I wanted to check it out, but it is always gone when I look for it.

Hmmm, Ultimate Spidey- meh, I'll stick with main-line Spidey. The Ultimate line took so many liberties with the lore (especially with Gwen) that I could not really enjoy it. Guess I'm sort of a purist when it comes to my Spidey comics, lol!



The thing is, Romkey writes his books based on his passions. His books after the first 3(I, Vampire, The Vampire Papers, and the Vampire Princess) have little to do with each other, but follow his personal interests.
For instance, we know he loves Serial Killers, which is why we had some great ones in the first few books), and Music and that he has a fascination with history.

The mortals of the story often run the books, with the vampires being background characters. If you have not read the first 3 books, the mechanics of the world may confuse you since Romkey seems to write assuming everyone has read the first book.


The next book after this is the Vampire Virus. Set in South America. A mysterious virus is killing people, and a doctor goes to investigate. Little does she know the guy running that area is a 500 year old vampire. Not sure on his alignment when you first read the book, and neither is the Illuminati, who dispatch an agent to check it out :)
This book focuses much on history of Inca.

After that was the Vampire Hunter. A crew drudging the Titanic awaken an ancient presence who was frozen and torpid amidst the wreckage. The vampire reacts completely on instinct at this point and needs to feed, killing everyone. But the husband of one of one of the victims will stop at nothing to find the killer.

"The London Vampire Panic" was an excellent read for me. Set a bit further back in time, a committee, including Van Helsing and several notable citizens hunt the supposed vampire killing people on the streets. Loved this book so much.

"The Vampire Violin" was another one. Focuses much on his love for music and instruments.

"American Gothic" was the last book. Enjoyed it like I enjoyed them all. But the books after the first 3 seemed to lack the kick the first 3 had.

Since then 2004, he has not written anything. I spoke to him via Email in 2007 at one point to converse about the books and ask if he was writing another. To my surprise, he answered lol. He told me he was writing a book called "The Napoleon list" and to keep an eye out.

There was also a small short at what seemed to be the start of another David Parker book on his website. But his website does not seem to have much in the way of upkeep. Many links are now dead. If you want, I am sure I saved that excerpt and can post it.

Edit: Make that 2 shorts. David Parker did seem to be a character on the Napoleon list.

Edit: holy crap, I just found a few chapters worth of the book that never came out on his blog. All David parker stuff. *runs to read

Edited by - Firestorm on 28 Mar 2011 14:57:21
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Firestorm
Senior Scribe

Canada
826 Posts

Posted - 28 Mar 2011 :  14:49:08  Show Profile Send Firestorm a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Fellfire

Just finishing the Erevis Cale trilogy and I've got to say it is some of the best FR I've ever read. I very much enjoyed the earlier Drizzt books and I love everything Elaine has written, but this is the best "new" series that I have come across. I love the characters, especially the all-rogue party that Cale travels with. The Sojourner is very mysterious. As a gamer I try to steer away from uber-powerful Sorcerer types, but I can't wait to see how it ends. Also really good to see some unusual villains like the Slaad. All in all, a thoroughly entertaining read and heartily recommended.



Yes, Erevis Cale + Twilight war are my favorite Forgotten realms series now. Not sure if I would call it an all rogue party though. Cale and Riven certainly, but Jak Fleet is more of a Thief/Priest with his own specialties and Magadon Kest is a combination Ranger(woodsman)/Mindmage who is not quite so good with a sword, or at keeping to the shadows. But all in all, they compliment each other so well.

It was very nice to see a psionicist who was not the cut and paste "Shoots mental blast" or "turns incorporeal". Mags actually used many of the powers I often wanted to see in books, such as enhancing his arrows like Gambit enhances cards, Mindlinks and Psionic barriers. Not to mention the attuning body to air so they can run on air. Mwahaha
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Dennis
Great Reader

9933 Posts

Posted - 29 Mar 2011 :  01:25:53  Show Profile Send Dennis a Private Message
SPOILERS:

While I find Mags's powers interesting, his personality always makes me want to see him dead instead of Jak.

Every beginning has an end.

Edited by - Dennis on 29 Mar 2011 03:54:39
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Kilvan
Senior Scribe

Canada
894 Posts

Posted - 29 Mar 2011 :  01:53:58  Show Profile Send Kilvan a Private Message


*cough* spoilers *cough*





EDIT: thanks Dennis

Edited by - Kilvan on 29 Mar 2011 13:36:31
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Dennis
Great Reader

9933 Posts

Posted - 29 Mar 2011 :  03:51:53  Show Profile Send Dennis a Private Message

Kilvan, you might want to delete my statement that you quoted. I already edited my post.

I often presume those who stumble upon these halls [NOVELS] have either already read the novels or don't mind seeing spoilers.

Every beginning has an end.
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Ayrik
Great Reader

Canada
7989 Posts

Posted - 29 Mar 2011 :  14:10:54  Show Profile Send Ayrik a Private Message
quote:
Dennis
SPOILERS: While I find Mags's powers interesting, his personality always makes me want to see him dead instead of Jak.
Dennis — Twilight War spoiler (Magadon does get screwed over relentlessly, by the Shadovar, by Mephistopheles, even by Cale. Which is sorta fine by me, he's a borderline munchkin character. But I'd personally prefer to keep Jakk dead, halflings are just annoying vermin, doubly so in the novels where everyone always pretends halflings are important ... even in death the little thief managed to steal pages that I feel would've been better served writing about Drasek or Telamont.), still the novels were among my faves even though I object to certain characters.

[/Ayrik]

Edited by - Ayrik on 29 Mar 2011 14:14:37
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Christopher_Rowe
Forgotten Realms Author

USA
879 Posts

Posted - 29 Mar 2011 :  16:13:18  Show Profile  Visit Christopher_Rowe's Homepage Send Christopher_Rowe a Private Message
Now that they're all out I've decided to have a go at reading all ten of Steve Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen novels one right after the other. I met Erikson and Stephen R. Donaldson at an event a couple of weekends ago down in Florida and they were both great guys, and it made me want to read both of their uber-long series, so maybe I'll go after Thomas Covenant when I'm done with the Malazans.

Or to put it another way, I'll see you all in 2015!
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Hawkins
Great Reader

USA
2131 Posts

Posted - 29 Mar 2011 :  16:39:22  Show Profile  Visit Hawkins's Homepage Send Hawkins a Private Message
Just a warning on the Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever series, it is good writing, but kind of depressing (at least the first two trilogies). So, if you are a person that gets catharsis from depressing novels, then go ahead and read them. If you are someone who gets depressed by reading depressing novels (like myself), then read with caution. This evaluation is based solely on my reading experience, others may have (and probably have) had different experiences.

Errant d20 Designer - My Blog (last updated January 06, 2016)

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He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back. --Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking-Glass

"Mmm, not the darkness," Myrin murmured. "Don't cast it there." --Erik Scott de Bie, Shadowbane

* My character sheets (PFRPG, 3.5, and AE versions; not viewable in Internet Explorer)
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Ayrik
Great Reader

Canada
7989 Posts

Posted - 29 Mar 2011 :  16:55:57  Show Profile Send Ayrik a Private Message
I'll look into this Unbeliever series. I actually rather like darkly dystopian and anti-utopian settings, sorta my thing.

[/Ayrik]
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Tyrant
Senior Scribe

USA
586 Posts

Posted - 30 Mar 2011 :  00:14:46  Show Profile  Visit Tyrant's Homepage Send Tyrant a Private Message
I just finished Paul S Kemp's newest Star Wars book, Deceived. It was nice to see him get a hard back book, though this book was kind of short. I thought it was decent. I'm guessing it's easier to transition to SW from a fantay setting than it would be to go into a setting that focused more on the first half of "Sci-Fi". Prior to that I finally finished The Prism Pentad for Dark Sun.

The Borders nearest to me is closing down so I bought some books recently at a decent discount that I might not have bought otherwise. So, I'm trying to decide on either reading one of those books or one of the books I have had sitting around for months, or if I should keep going with FR books. It's a toss up between starting the Shadows of the Apt series, a zombie book called Dust that takes place here in Indiana and features zombies as characters, finish A Game of Thrones (that I started over a year ago and then stopped for some reason I can't recall), or keep going with FR.

As far as FR, I have been buying up older books on Ebay that I have not yet read so I have a pretty big stack of unread books. I finally got a complete set of The Harpers series and I want to get into it in the near future.

Beyond that I am very slowly working my way through War and Peace, I am about 1/4th of the way through The Battle of Gaul, and I will probably finish Merchant of Death in the next few days if I don't start up any other books.

Peace is a lie, there is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken. The Force shall free me.
-The Sith Code

Teenage Sith zombies, Tulkh thought-how in the moons of Bogden had it all started? Every so often, the universe must just get bored and decide to really cut loose. -Star Wars: Red Harvest
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The Sage
Procrastinator Most High

Australia
31799 Posts

Posted - 30 Mar 2011 :  01:40:47  Show Profile Send The Sage a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Christopher_Rowe

Now that they're all out I've decided to have a go at reading all ten of Steve Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen novels one right after the other. I met Erikson and Stephen R. Donaldson at an event a couple of weekends ago down in Florida and they were both great guys, and it made me want to read both of their uber-long series, so maybe I'll go after Thomas Covenant when I'm done with the Malazans.

Or to put it another way, I'll see you all in 2015!


I keep saying that I'm going to get into the "Malazan" books, but every time I visit the book store, they're almost always sold out of the complete series.

Have the books been converted to e-tech? Because I'm thinking that e-books of the "Malazan" saga are probably the only way I'm going to get to read them.

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Scribe for the Candlekeep Compendium -- Volume IX now available (Oct 2007)

"So Saith Ed" -- the collected Candlekeep replies of Ed Greenwood

Zhoth'ilam Folio -- The Electronic Misadventures of a Rambling Sage

Edited by - The Sage on 30 Mar 2011 01:41:43
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Dennis
Great Reader

9933 Posts

Posted - 30 Mar 2011 :  02:36:55  Show Profile Send Dennis a Private Message

I found out long ago that Stephen Donaldson's novels and sleeping pills are hardly different.

Every beginning has an end.
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swifty
Senior Scribe

United Kingdom
517 Posts

Posted - 30 Mar 2011 :  09:47:20  Show Profile  Visit swifty's Homepage Send swifty a Private Message
i really tried to get into steven donaldson but just couldnt do it.much preferred david eddings.

go back to sleep america.everything is under control.heres american gladiators.watch this.shuttup. BILL HICKS.
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Lily M Green
Learned Scribe

Australia
115 Posts

Posted - 30 Mar 2011 :  12:52:59  Show Profile  Visit Lily M Green's Homepage Send Lily M Green a Private Message
I recently finished listening to 'The Graveyard Book' by Neil Gaiman, which I can highly recommend in audiobook form. The story itself is very engaging and Neil Gaiman's reading made it utterly charming. In fact my only minor complaint is that it did have to end, and that in attempting to give the story definite finality (as in, there absolutely-positively-will-not-be-a-sequel-to-this) it seemed a little anti-climactic.

Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy, and taste good with ketchup.

A Dark Alliance - Beyond Baldur's Gate
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Steven Schend
Forgotten Realms Designer & Author

USA
1727 Posts

Posted - 30 Mar 2011 :  14:23:48  Show Profile  Visit Steven Schend's Homepage Send Steven Schend a Private Message
I'll second Lily's recommend of THE GRAVEYARD BOOK by Gaiman; I got that on Christmas two years ago, and both my wife and I read it cover to cover within 24 hours, enjoying it immensely.

As for what I'm reading right now, it's a lot of books on design, layout, and book publication with which I won't bore y'all. The fun stuff I'm reading (or rereading, to be proper) is Katherine Kurtz's CAMBER OF CULDI, SAINT CAMBER, and CAMBER THE HERETIC; I first discovered these thanks to DRAGON magazine way back around 1983 and have loved nearly every book she's written in the Gwynnedd world of hers (now up to 15 or so). If I had to give a simple Hollywood-style pitch to it, I'd say "Think of the paranoia and prejudice of the X-Men but put it in a medieval/magical context."

For current projects and general natter, see www.steveneschend.com
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Ayrik
Great Reader

Canada
7989 Posts

Posted - 30 Mar 2011 :  15:03:50  Show Profile Send Ayrik a Private Message
I don't see a whole lot of difference between Donaldson and Eddings. Both are windy and repetitive to the point of doldrums.

[/Ayrik]
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Hawkins
Great Reader

USA
2131 Posts

Posted - 30 Mar 2011 :  15:29:25  Show Profile  Visit Hawkins's Homepage Send Hawkins a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Arik

I'll look into this Unbeliever series. I actually rather like darkly dystopian and anti-utopian settings, sorta my thing.
quote:
Originally posted by Arik

I don't see a whole lot of difference between Donaldson and Eddings. Both are windy and repetitive to the point of doldrums.
Wait, you said that you haven't even read the Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever series (top quote) and you are already comparing him to Eddings (bottom quote)? Plus, their settings and writing styles are very different. Please do not use this thread to make generalization comments about authors. In my opinion, that is not helpful.

On a different note, while reading the Pathfinder Campaign Setting: Inner Sea World Guide, I have been having a very similar experience to when I first read the [i]Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting, 3rd Edition[i/], which was my first introduction to the Forgotten Realms as a D&D campaign setting (before that I had just been reading the novels).

Errant d20 Designer - My Blog (last updated January 06, 2016)

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back. --Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking-Glass

"Mmm, not the darkness," Myrin murmured. "Don't cast it there." --Erik Scott de Bie, Shadowbane

* My character sheets (PFRPG, 3.5, and AE versions; not viewable in Internet Explorer)
* Pathfinder Roleplaying Game Reference Document (PFRPG OGL Rules)
* The Hypertext d20 SRD (3.5 OGL Rules)
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My game design work:
* Heroes of the Jade Oath (PFRPG, conversion; Rite Publishing)
* Compendium Arcanum Volume 1: Cantrips & Orisons (PFRPG, designer; d20pfsrd.com Publishing)
* Compendium Arcanum Volume 2: 1st-Level Spells (PFRPG, designer; d20pfsrd.com Publishing)
* Martial Arts Guidebook (forthcoming) (PFRPG, designer; Rite Publishing)
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Ayrik
Great Reader

Canada
7989 Posts

Posted - 30 Mar 2011 :  15:57:35  Show Profile Send Ayrik a Private Message
I have not read the Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever series. I also didn't make the connection until you pointed it out, but if this is the same Stephen R Donaldson who wrote those Chaos & Order books then I'm not interested. As with all the Eddings I've read, these books contained far too many pages of repetitious monotony for my liking. 'Tis a shame, since they're actually fine tales ... but they'd be finer still after massively edited into concise and compressed forms (single novel, trilogy max). These fellows seem to be perfect wordfluffery examples; they really shoulda properly learned how to write shorts before launching into novels. But hey, their books keep selling so who am I to talk? The best I can do is not become an accomplice by buying into (what I consider to be) bad books by bad authors.

[/Ayrik]

Edited by - Ayrik on 30 Mar 2011 16:03:09
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Christopher_Rowe
Forgotten Realms Author

USA
879 Posts

Posted - 30 Mar 2011 :  20:22:05  Show Profile  Visit Christopher_Rowe's Homepage Send Christopher_Rowe a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by The Sage


I keep saying that I'm going to get into the "Malazan" books, but every time I visit the book store, they're almost always sold out of the complete series.

Have the books been converted to e-tech? Because I'm thinking that e-books of the "Malazan" saga are probably the only way I'm going to get to read them.



I'm positive they have. The first time I came across them was when a student recommended them and he had them on his phone.

My Realms novel, Sandstorm, is now available for ordering.
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GMWestermeyer
Learned Scribe

USA
215 Posts

Posted - 30 Mar 2011 :  21:47:41  Show Profile  Visit GMWestermeyer's Homepage Send GMWestermeyer a Private Message
quote:
Originally posted by Arik

I have not read the Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever series. I also didn't make the connection until you pointed it out, but if this is the same Stephen R Donaldson who wrote those Chaos & Order books then I'm not interested. As with all the Eddings I've read, these books contained far too many pages of repetitious monotony for my liking. 'Tis a shame, since they're actually fine tales ... but they'd be finer still after massively edited into concise and compressed forms (single novel, trilogy max). These fellows seem to be perfect wordfluffery examples; they really shoulda properly learned how to write shorts before launching into novels. But hey, their books keep selling so who am I to talk? The best I can do is not become an accomplice by buying into (what I consider to be) bad books by bad authors.



Don't buy what you don't like, I agree. If you don't know if you might like it we have these wonderful things called libraries. :)

Donaldson is a very good writer, IMO and that of many others, but his work is very, very dark. I don't like visiting his world, but I'll always be grateful for the insights into leprosy.

Eddings is a good writer, but he is repetitive. If you love his characters, that's a plus, since the dialogue is the big culprit. Beyond that, the repetition is part of the mega-plot. For FR fans I highly recommend the books about Belgarath and Polgara if you want to get a better sense of Mystra's Chosen.

Edit:

I'm continuing my return to the Forgotten Realms by rereading Elaine Cunningham's Daughter of the Drow, which is pretty awesome. I love that it shows the day to day life of drow. The practical details are pretty cool.

I just started a classic from my childhood, We were there at the Normandy Invasion by Clayton Knight. I haven't read this historical fiction in over thirty years but wow, it really lives up to my memory. It's about a young French boy who witnesses the invasion, starting with some 82nd Airborne soldiers using his family's farmhouse for a headquarters.

At work, on my breaks I'm reading E.B. Sledge's With the Old Breed. Very different in tone and style from Leckie's Helmet for my Pillow. And I think the producers of The Pacific may have very well done Sledge a disservice, protraying some people from his memoir in ways he would not have approved.

For my audiobook during my work commute I'm listening to Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone. Rowling's prose is always excellent, but its lyrical character really pops when Jim Dale reads it. These are real 'comfort food' books for me. And the best description of a wizard's school to date, IMO. And yes, I include LeGuin in that as well, much as I love her work.

"Facts are meaningless. You can use facts to prove anything that is even remotely true."
Homer Simpson, _The Simspons_

Edited by - GMWestermeyer on 03 Apr 2011 00:23:33
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