What book are you reading?

**Myrddraal** · 07-07-2010, 21:43

I think the problem with Flashman is he is too black and white. Just as it's annoying when a character is predictably good all the time, it's equally annoying to me when a character is consistently bad/lucky. Let's face it, there's never any doubt about the ending of Flashman, from the very beginning of the book you know how he'll turn out. There's no tension when he is taken prisoner, no character development. His personal plot is simply very poor.

On the other hand, the atmosphere of the books is great, and he really immerses you in the world that Flashman lives in. It's just Flashman himself that I found a bore.

**Crazed Rabbit** · 07-10-2010, 07:12

Reading A Storm of Swords. The third book in the Song of Ice and Fire series.

Martin has built an extraordinarily complex world in terms of myth, history, characters, and plots.

One thing that peeves me is how it seems like every woman who fights (and the books being relatively realistically set (aside from the magic and whatnot) in medieval times, this is a small number) being described as ugly. Not fair or average, but ugly.

CR

**Ja'chyra** · 07-10-2010, 08:42

The Martin books are good but I don't think the world he has built is as deep or engrossing as other series, like Eriksson or Jordan. A good series but by no means the best, the characters are all black and white as well with, maybe, the sole excpetion of Tyrion, who I really dislike.

I have just reread the Raven series from Barcaly while waiting for my Amazon order, a fun series but not too heavy.

I don't know whether to reread the Martin series next in preparation for his next book or start on the bundle of new ones I just bought.

**Lord Winter** · 07-11-2010, 17:19

Originally Posted by Ja'chyra

The Martin books are good but I don't think the world he has built is as deep or engrossing as other series, like Eriksson or Jordan. A good series but by no means the best, the characters are all black and white as well with, maybe, the sole excpetion of Tyrion, who I really dislike.

Really? I found the characters much more round and complex then your typical fantasty or even most modern fiction in general. Sure there are some one sided characters like Dany, but those are balanced out by people like the hound.

Currently finishing up the Martian Chronicles by Bradbury. It takes the form of a series of interconnected short stories outlining the colonization of Mars and the effects that it has on that world. The thing that I enjoyed about it the most is the strong characterization that Bradbury manages to achieve in such a short space. There are few recurring characters but few if any feel like filler or one dimensional.

**Cyclops** · 07-12-2010, 03:51

Re-reading the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayam.

Wake! for Morning in the bowl of night
Has flung the stone that puts the stars to flight
And Lo! the hunter of the East
Has caught the Sultan's turret in a noose of light.

I'm trying to memorise a little poetry now and then, I have 1/5th of Horatius Holds the Bridge by TBabs locked down but its boring as hell, aside from a couple of great moments.

**CountArach** · 07-12-2010, 15:55

Originally Posted by Ja'chyra

A good series but by no means the best, the characters are all black and white as well with, maybe, the sole excpetion of Tyrion, who I really dislike.

I'm about half way through the second book and I don't see how people could dislike Tyrion. The constant height puns iritate me, but I can look past that to see a character who is deeply flawed, but largely due to his physical problems.

Originally Posted by Lord Winter

Really? I found the characters much more round and complex then your typical fantasty or even most modern fiction in general. Sure there are some one sided characters like Dany, but those are balanced out by people like the hound.

Yeah I have to agree - I think Martin creates a world with many shades of grey.

**Xiahou** · 07-12-2010, 03:57

Originally Posted by Crazed Rabbit

Reading A Storm of Swords. The third book in the Song of Ice and Fire series.

Martin has built an extraordinarily complex world in terms of myth, history, characters, and plots.

Pity that he'll probably never finish the series..... I thought the first three were fantastic.

I recently purchased a Nook and have been doing alot more reading lately as a result. I just finished "Surviving the Fog" and am well into "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter"- you can watch the trailer for it here.... yes, it has a trailer.

**Lemur** · 07-12-2010, 16:00

Originally Posted by Xiahou

Pity that he'll probably never finish the series..... I thought the first three were fantastic.

Linky? Article? Last I heard Mr. Martin was in excellent health and still writing. Did I miss some major literary news?

**Xiahou** · 07-12-2010, 17:07

Originally Posted by Lemur

Linky? Article? Last I heard Mr. Martin was in excellent health and still writing. Did I miss some major literary news?

It's based on the fact that it's been 5 years since the the last volume was published. Originally, Feast for Crows was huge and the publisher balked at printing it so the plan was to split the manuscript in two. The first part came out in 2005. The second part still has no release date. I think he's lost interest.

**Ja'chyra** · 07-12-2010, 20:13

I don't know I just couldn't really empathise with most of them although he left it well with Jaime (?) for the next book if he bothers writing it.

Out of all the one's I've read I think Steven Erikson is my favourite, I still like Gemmel for some light heroic fantasy and Brooks and Feist are good too, Brooks seems to get better whereas Feist seems to get worse as the publish more.

Martin is good but just not up there for me.

Scott Lynch is a good read as well, for something a bit different just don't look at his picture on amazon.