The Fantasy/Sci-Fi Books Thread Book • Page 24

I'd be curious to know what you didn't like about it. I was under the impression it wasn't ground-breaking but was universally accepted as a good start to a series.

 

I found the book to be, at best, generic. The entire thing is propped up by a semi-interesting magic system, which is ultimately why I read to the end. But a magic system can't make up for poor prose, weak characters, and a paper thin plot.

 

Someone recommended the Legend of Drizzt series to me, but it’s like 30 books. Are they worth the read?

 

So I've just finished The Ember Blade by Chris Wooding and it was actually a great read. The characters can be pretty flat at points but Grub is hilarious. The story can be full of tropes; prophecy for a chosen one, murdered father etc but Wooding handles it quite well. Can't see any updates on the next book but excited to see where it goes.

 

Never even heard of these, sorry

 

Drizzt is the Forgotten Realms books, I think. I never read them.

 

I just remembered The Gentlemen Bastard series recently and thought there must be a new book by now, nope. Between that and Kingkiller Chronicle they're really making us wait a long time.

 

I saw your message and meant to check back a day or two later to see if anyone replied but then I forgot, sorry.

I figured I wouldn't be the best person to answer this, since I've only read a few of the Drizzt books and it was a long time ago, but if no one else has read them I guess I'm the spokesman.

Short answer is yes, I think they're worth the read.

I've read the Icewind Dale Trilogy and the Dark Elf Trilogy, which to my understanding are the main two series for Drizzt and are pretty widely liked. There are, as you noted, a bunch of Drizzt novels (and other Forgotten Realms novels, of course), and I haven't read any of the others yet. (I picked up a huge collection of them on Humble Bundle the other month, so I've got them waiting on my Kindle for me...someday.)

Anyway. I've read six Drizzt books and I really enjoyed them. They're pretty similar to Dragonlance and other D&D-inspired novels, so if that's your thing I bet you'd enjoy them; and even if it's not, they might be worth a try. I remember really enjoying Drizzt's characterization and development, and I thought the worldbuilding of the drow and other civilizations was fascinating. This was 15+ years ago, but from what I've heard from other readers the novels more or less hold up, and I'm definitely planning to revisit them myself.

So yeah, from one random internet guy, I'd say give them a shot.

 

The rest of this year is absolutely stacked. I don't know how I'm going to be able to read everything I wanted to.

 

What all is coming out? I know stormlight

 

August 25: The Memory of Souls by Jenn Lyons
September 1: Thrawn Ascendancy by Timothy Zahn
September 15: To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini
October 6: The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue VE Schwab
November 10: The Fires of Vengeance by Evan Winter

Obviously, mileage may vary for all the the above but I can't recommend the Chorus of Dragons series by Jenn Lyons enough. She's been releasing one a year and they've all been top quality in my opinion. I'm excited to see Paolini venture into sci-fi - I didn't really like the last few Eragon books but this one has been getting some good reviews including from Sanderson. I feel like Invisible Life could end up being my favorite book of the year.

I'm also currently finishing The Shadow of Kyoshi by FC Yee and trying to go through The Wheel of Time. Not to mention, video games have been taking a huge chunk of what would normally be my reading time.

 

I think I need to reread the first Jenn Lyons. I remember nothing about it.

 

There's also a new ICE Malazan, new Abercrombie and the last Baru Cormorant

 

not to poke the bear on this one, but poke?

 

Well, talking about TBRs..... I'm gonna get right on that. Should be finished with The Blade Itself in the next few days then i'll do yours next

 

I'm sorry, it has been a weird and strangely busy time, but I will try to get to it

 

no worries. 2020 is weird. I was just thinking about it a bit more this weekend.

 

got it on my Kindle for an upcoming flight

 

I've been able to read bits and pieces here and there, I'd like to find time for a more prolonged read because I'm less scatterbrained

 

Finally finished The Blade Itself. Honestly? I wasn't really feeling it up until the action started in the last hundred or so pagesand even then i was getting a little bored.

The only real criticism I have is the lack of a female character with any forward agenda of their own. Abercrombie proved he can write crisp and clean female characters but they exist only as a means for motivating the males and merely as a plot device. I do hope this changes in future books. Abercrombie does add excellent characterisation and world-building when he can but I feel this was a slow burn that only really kicked off in the last hundred or so pages. It was definitely enough to keep me interested in picking up future books but not enough to do it immediately.

Gonna read @Garrett 's now in conjunction with Tom Lloyd's The Stormcaller. Not sure about Lloyds but i'll give it a go.

 

That's how I felt about Evan Winters except he can't write a female character for shit. I think there's like one or two in the book.

 

Yeah, I think I'd need to look back on Rage of Dragons but I cannot remember any female characters from that at all. At least I remember Ardee and Ferro from First Law quite explicity!

 

What's the general consensus on the Red Rising series? I bought the first book because my best friend is pregnant and her husband wants to name their son Pax. Now we are all starting the series, haha.

 

I love the first trilogy. The second is good, but doesn’t grip me quite the same way.

 

Just finished The Bonehunters (Malazan series). Damn that was a good one.