Books 4 and 5 are way too long. Too many POVs of characters I am not interested in. Nothing happens, good characters are about to come to some place... just a bit more... they are so close... A huge bunch of boring characters. Too many long descriptions of some crap. I found myself skipping chapters, just to read about people I am interested in. Narrative pace is slowed to practically non-existent. Both books are huge, and it became a real chore to finish them. It seems that Martin does not have an editor, or anybody who would tell him to shorten everything, make things tighter. Make a single book of about 700-750 pages out of two last books, and it would be so much better.
After reading some of Hapgood's, it's actually quite good. Isabel Hapgood was a fine writer, an American from Boston and a specialist in Slavic more than French literature. Her translations of Victor Hugo preserve Hugo's trademark deadpan and are entertaining to read.cmdrsilverbolt said:
Admittedly I have only read the start of book 5 so far, but I quite liked book 4 too. Not as much huge stuff happens, fair enough, but it's still a great book that adds depth to a pile of characters and moves the story forward. I assume book 5 does the same. I think to call these books "bad" is an overstatement. Like some of the criticism of the TV series, it probably gives the wrong impression for 'outsiders'.
I didn't start the 5th book yet. But stuff happen in the 4rth, quite important developments and revelations.
That said, I love the 4rth primarily for the Cersei and Jaime pov, as well as Arianne Martell. Also the political developments in the Iron Islands, it was only until the 4rth book that I cared about and liked House Greyjoy.
That said, I love the 4rth primarily for the Cersei and Jaime pov, as well as Arianne Martell. Also the political developments in the Iron Islands, it was only until the 4rth book that I cared about and liked House Greyjoy.
Same situation I'm facing and it wouldn't be a big problem if the saga was finished. I find none of the over arching problems are ever being resolved and that's frustrating to me as a reader. I like the universe Martin's created but I can't help but think he needs an editor who'll cut out a lot of the fluff in his books. There are a few characters I actually like reading (like Jon Snow...I guess I'm a sucker for the misfits and someone who potentially has this great history buried beneath the word "bastard."). I think the TV series is doing a really good job with keeping the pace moving forward relative to Martin. I find reading from the wiki about my favorites is far more interesting....vivaxardas said:
Sounds like I'm in the minority again then (which I'm well used to, unfortunately), because I quite like all the extra depth that is added in book 4. We get to know other houses better, their history and culture, and I'm pretty sure they'll come more to the fore in later books. I find much of the intrigue very interesting too, and book 4 ended with quite the cliffhanger.
As everybody else I'm dying to learn what happens with the overarching conflict, but I'm sure that will come in time. Everything can't revolve around that. I'm not a big fan of going back and forth between characters all the time, but I guess it's Martin's way of saying all this stuff happens simultaneously.
The biggest problem by far is that book 6 is probably years away, and with ill luck book 7 could be around 2020+
There is an even worse scenario, but let's not think about that...
As everybody else I'm dying to learn what happens with the overarching conflict, but I'm sure that will come in time. Everything can't revolve around that. I'm not a big fan of going back and forth between characters all the time, but I guess it's Martin's way of saying all this stuff happens simultaneously.
The biggest problem by far is that book 6 is probably years away, and with ill luck book 7 could be around 2020+
There is an even worse scenario, but let's not think about that...I don't think you're in the minority. At least, I totally agree with you. I'm all for more depth. But, while the recent books are still very good (as I said before), I think they're not AS GOOD AS the first three. Part of that is due to wrong expectations. But I also find it unfortunate to add all the depth and details on different places and houses at once - it might have been better to distribute it more evenly over these two and earlier books. It just feels kinda awkward to start new plots and introduce tons of new characters / put focus on minor characters, while everyone's waiting for all the exciting stuff to happen, that still is due.Pangaea said:Sounds like I'm in the minority again then (which I'm well used to, unfortunately), because I quite like all the extra depth that is added in book 4. We get to know other houses better, their history and culture, and I'm pretty sure they'll come more to the fore in later books. I find much of the intrigue very interesting too, and book 4 ended with quite the cliffhanger.
As everybody else I'm dying to learn what happens with the overarching conflict, but I'm sure that will come in time. Everything can't revolve around that. I'm not a big fan of going back and forth between characters all the time, but I guess it's Martin's way of saying all this stuff happens simultaneously.
The biggest problem by far is that book 6 is probably years away, and with ill luck book 7 could be around 2020+
I honestly hope that he'll finish it around 2020. It would roughly fit his rhythm and waiting even longer would be quite a PITA. Besides, the TV series can only be stretched so long (let's say two seasons per book, which would mean we'd have another 7 seasons ahead of us until book 6 is finished (that is rather pessimistic - I don't think they aim for a total of 12 seasons. 10 is probably the max you can go for a plot-driven series). And thus the first season of book 7 would have to be written, filmed and produced throughout 2020 to air in Spring 2021. So, either they rely on sketches and notes from Martin for the last seasons, or he's finished by then.
I never read the graphic novel, but I remember vividly the comic strip (1972, in Funny Aminals) where Spiegelman first surfaced his story. There's a fine Maus resource page here: http://www.history.ucsb.edu/faculty/marcuse/classes/33d/33dTexts/maus/MausResources.htm (Prof. Harold Marcuse, whose site this is, is the grandson of philosopher Herbert Marcuse.)Dona said:
I've started reading Tai-Pan by James Clavell, an "indirect sequel" to Shogun. It sounds really good so far, Dirk Struan intrigues me.
Reading Sword of Destiny. Really damn good, especially the dialog and snippets of philosophy/morality Sapkowski throws in. I kinda wish he'd flesh out the setting a bit more though.
I finished Tai-Pan by James Clavell. Oh man, I think I am captivated by his Asian Saga, I'm going to read all of them.
Although I didn't like Tai-Pan as much as Shogun, I still enjoyed it very much. Its protagonist, Dirk Struan, is a pretty compelling, multi-faceted character, a magnificent bastard with a heart of gold. His romance with Mai-Mai was imo good, albeit Mai-Mai was not as strong a character as Mariko, the lead female of Shogun. I was particularly entertained by Struan's rivalry with Tyler Brock, his cruel yet sympathetic nemesis. I enjoyed the interactions between the two.
And as in Shogun, James Clavell demonstrates a strong understanding of the economic, political, and geo-strategic factors and trends at play in 19th century East Asia and indeed the world in general. I was particularly intrigued by the minor yet important role of the Russian Empire, seen through Archduke Zergeyev (kinda reminds me of Shilard), and its growing rivalry with the British Empire. Through the book, we also see the rise of the Triads in Hong Kong, and the deployment of Britain's first steamed iron warship, the infamous HMS Nemesis which was involved in the Opium War (when the novel takes place).
Despite liking it, I preferred Shogun in part because it was more balanced when it came to Asian and European perspectives. Tai-Pan is undoubtedly Anglo-Saxon centric, whereas Shogun was more balanced and as such explored Samurai elite culture much more than Tai-Pan explored Chinese culture(s) which is a shame (although I seem to understand that Clavell is much more versed in Japan than China).
Overall, I like it a lot and Dirk Struan definitely established himself as one of my favorite protagonists.
Although I didn't like Tai-Pan as much as Shogun, I still enjoyed it very much. Its protagonist, Dirk Struan, is a pretty compelling, multi-faceted character, a magnificent bastard with a heart of gold. His romance with Mai-Mai was imo good, albeit Mai-Mai was not as strong a character as Mariko, the lead female of Shogun. I was particularly entertained by Struan's rivalry with Tyler Brock, his cruel yet sympathetic nemesis. I enjoyed the interactions between the two.
And as in Shogun, James Clavell demonstrates a strong understanding of the economic, political, and geo-strategic factors and trends at play in 19th century East Asia and indeed the world in general. I was particularly intrigued by the minor yet important role of the Russian Empire, seen through Archduke Zergeyev (kinda reminds me of Shilard), and its growing rivalry with the British Empire. Through the book, we also see the rise of the Triads in Hong Kong, and the deployment of Britain's first steamed iron warship, the infamous HMS Nemesis which was involved in the Opium War (when the novel takes place).
Despite liking it, I preferred Shogun in part because it was more balanced when it came to Asian and European perspectives. Tai-Pan is undoubtedly Anglo-Saxon centric, whereas Shogun was more balanced and as such explored Samurai elite culture much more than Tai-Pan explored Chinese culture(s) which is a shame (although I seem to understand that Clavell is much more versed in Japan than China).
Overall, I like it a lot and Dirk Struan definitely established himself as one of my favorite protagonists.
Just recently finished A Feast for Crows and I must say, I found it to be one of my favorites in the ASoIaF series.
While personally the book felt a tad bit different than the other three, I found that a certain part of the revelations and developments that were introduced in the book (particularly the ones covering Dorne and the Iron Islands) were an intriguing aspect to (finally) discover and I grew a lot more attached to the Iron Islanders, which I had not previously cared about at all.
I can understand why people felt A Feast for Crows didn't rise to the standard of the series, considering the exclusion of certain major POVs and the introduction of new POVs--although engaging--didn't manage to yet take on their full significance in the story. In my opinion this wasn't a bother, since I am very interested in what role they will play (everything from the inclusion of the Sparrows as possible major political players to the implied motivations of the masters in Oldtown). And finally getting to see from Cersei's POV was a very warm welcome and more Jaime POV increased my love for him tenfold.
Had intended to push A Dance with Dragons until later, but I am currently too into the series that I can't find it in myself to do so. So ADwD next!
While personally the book felt a tad bit different than the other three, I found that a certain part of the revelations and developments that were introduced in the book (particularly the ones covering Dorne and the Iron Islands) were an intriguing aspect to (finally) discover and I grew a lot more attached to the Iron Islanders, which I had not previously cared about at all.
I can understand why people felt A Feast for Crows didn't rise to the standard of the series, considering the exclusion of certain major POVs and the introduction of new POVs--although engaging--didn't manage to yet take on their full significance in the story. In my opinion this wasn't a bother, since I am very interested in what role they will play (everything from the inclusion of the Sparrows as possible major political players to the implied motivations of the masters in Oldtown). And finally getting to see from Cersei's POV was a very warm welcome and more Jaime POV increased my love for him tenfold.
Had intended to push A Dance with Dragons until later, but I am currently too into the series that I can't find it in myself to do so. So ADwD next!
Reading the first of a series of sci-fi books by Stephen Donaldson (author of the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant,) called the Gap series. This first book, the real story, deals with a disgustingly amoral pirate villain by the name of Angus Thermopylae, his victim and the rescuing hero. As the title hints however these positions aren't quite so simple as they seem, and the world created around them is quite nicely done in my opinion.
It's fairly raw in terms of content however, and the bad guys are just that.
It's fairly raw in terms of content however, and the bad guys are just that.
Any opinions on Metro 2033 and sequels?
Just finished playing the games (awesome! Last Light more so than 2033, extra budget helped a lot, I guess) and I'm intrigued by the Metro and its social structures. Do the books elaborate on post-apocalyptic life and the society it gives birth to? Or is it more like a straightforward 'adventure' that doesn't care much about going into detail about the world it's set in?
Just finished playing the games (awesome! Last Light more so than 2033, extra budget helped a lot, I guess) and I'm intrigued by the Metro and its social structures. Do the books elaborate on post-apocalyptic life and the society it gives birth to? Or is it more like a straightforward 'adventure' that doesn't care much about going into detail about the world it's set in?
Just finished reading The History of Love by Nicole Krauss. It is a great novel not only for the story it tells, but also for its fluid, organic, and irresistible style. In that sense, it reminded me a lot of Waterland by Graham Swift.
The story follows the perspective of Leo Gurksy (who in my opinion is the main character), Alma Singer, and an omniscient narrator recounting the life of Zvi Litvinoff. What Nicole Krauss does brilliantly is employ a different style for each perspective, which serves in and of itself as characterization. The writing is fluid, enjoyable, and hilarious (esp from Leo's perspective). The story's themes are very poignant, dealing with recognition, identity, the fear of death and non-existence, and of course love.
The History of Love is simply heart wrenching, that when I finished I cried. And yet. I still found it an optimistic story about love and its importance in avoiding one's non-existence. I'll limit myself to this very short review to avoid spoilers, but it gets a strong recommendation from me!
The story follows the perspective of Leo Gurksy (who in my opinion is the main character), Alma Singer, and an omniscient narrator recounting the life of Zvi Litvinoff. What Nicole Krauss does brilliantly is employ a different style for each perspective, which serves in and of itself as characterization. The writing is fluid, enjoyable, and hilarious (esp from Leo's perspective). The story's themes are very poignant, dealing with recognition, identity, the fear of death and non-existence, and of course love.
The History of Love is simply heart wrenching, that when I finished I cried. And yet. I still found it an optimistic story about love and its importance in avoiding one's non-existence. I'll limit myself to this very short review to avoid spoilers, but it gets a strong recommendation from me!
Anyone here read The Vampire Chronicles? I recently saw Interview with the Vampire and got very fascinated by the universe and noticed there's a whole lot of books. But I just wanted to know whether they are good or not and worth the read.
Just started "The Crown Tower" by Michael J. Sullivan, it's a prequel to the Riyria Revelations books. I really like this author. The books are pretty standard fantasy; the heroes are heroic, the villains are villainous, no moral complexity or grimdark stuff here. But as a writer, he knows his craft-the plots move along briskly, the characters are well developed and most importantly, he brings the story to a satisfying conclusion. While I enjoy a deep, dense read, sometimes its nice to just breeze through a simpler but well told story.
Also about half way through "The Golem and the Jinni" by Helene Wecker. A very enjoyable urban fantasy about two other worldly creatures trying to find their way in 1899 New York city. She does a masterful job of bringing the Jewish and Syrian immigrant communities to life. Its a welcome change from the moody vampires, sexy werewolves, snarky demons and so on that overrun most urban fantasy these days. Recommended.
Finished up "Wolfhound Century" by Peter Higgens a couple of weeks ago. A bit darker mix of steampunk, Russian mythology, Soviet history and a dash of Terry Gilliam's Brazil. Got a bit muddled at times but it was an interesting read. I look forward to the next book, its definitely going to be a series.
Also about half way through "The Golem and the Jinni" by Helene Wecker. A very enjoyable urban fantasy about two other worldly creatures trying to find their way in 1899 New York city. She does a masterful job of bringing the Jewish and Syrian immigrant communities to life. Its a welcome change from the moody vampires, sexy werewolves, snarky demons and so on that overrun most urban fantasy these days. Recommended.
Finished up "Wolfhound Century" by Peter Higgens a couple of weeks ago. A bit darker mix of steampunk, Russian mythology, Soviet history and a dash of Terry Gilliam's Brazil. Got a bit muddled at times but it was an interesting read. I look forward to the next book, its definitely going to be a series.