Rothfussians discussion

Anomandar Rake is one of my favorite characters. I actually all the books in the series, the first Kharkaras book and all of Esslemont books. Plus two of the novellas. So there is still some reading ahead ( currently reading Thomas Covenant though).

Already read all of Abercromie work. Dude is amazing, big fan.

I check out the others. Sanderson has already been recommended.

Brent i do not know though.

Nevermind Rake, tehol is by far the best character in those books, its very rare a book makes me laugh but tehol was priceless.

I'll tell you straight out sanderson and weeks are nothing like erikkson or abercrombie, they're a bit more innocent less brutal but good none the less. Sandersons mistborn was good not great, his next mist book was wow!!! basically he went to the typical classical medieval setting from fantasy and the next series is set say around the late 19th century with guns, the way he integrates the magic system with guns\the times tech is impressive. the guy is getting better by each book, same with weeks, liked the night angel but it seemed to centre around 1 character, the prism series has a bigger scope.

Scott R Bakker might be worth a read, read the first of the prince of nothing and i liked it.


Edit: Forgot to ask, in esslemonts stuff do they ever go back to tattersail, she dissapeared with the t'lan imass fairly early on in the series.

Hmm, good to know about Mistborn. I've given Sanderson a couple tries, but I haven't found the same enjoyment in his writing basically everyone I am friends with has. Which makes me sad!!

I've considered the idea that maybe he writes to quickly for my tastes. I've felt like his characters were kinda bland without good pacing and no overall intriguing mystery. (for me)

Was thinking Way of Kings might be more to my taste, but haven't picked it up yet since I want to read Peter Brett's books first.

I do really want to like Sanderson too, so it frustrates me I haven't been drawn into his writing yet. I've seen him talk about writing on a couple of different videos on YouTube and have really liked him as a person. I'm going to give Mistborn another go after I finish what I'm reading now I think.

Way of kings is another step up, he really hit the ball out of the park with it. It'll be an interesting concept, supposedly 10 books set in a different planet but same universe as the mist born. He's thinking of a crossover waay down the line. He'll do more mist born, set in our present time and future, he integrated\evolved the magic with late 19th century very well in the alloy of law so the next will be interesting. I enjoyed the mist born trilogy but I've read better, the books after are much better and he really breathed life into the wot series. He's growing as a writer.

He's finished with Jordan's wot so hopefully he'll be churning out new stuff rarely regularly, he was prolific before but WOT slowed him down on his own stuff.

Haven't Rad war breaker or any of his pre mist born stuff but I intend to.

Brett's not bad, I read the painted man, it was good not great, might start the others sometime. Reading some Russian dude at the moment Alexis Pehov, he's not bad.

I've heard that about Way of Kings and it perked my interest. I like really long books too so it seemed a better fit for my preferences.

Heard a ton of good stuff about Elantris as well.

I think he has a lot of excellent ideas. I heard the same about Mistborn, that it's going to progress into a sort of Sci Fi series in the end.

One Set in Medieval sort of setting, One Set in a more progressive setting, and One Set in the future with technology and all.

I have to admit, this really impressed me as an idea, and maybe I'll be more into mistborn when he finishes up all these especially if I like Way of Kings and the two might eventually have a cross over.

I can't believe nobody has mentioned Joe Abercrombie. The First Law trilogy was brilliant, a new spin on old plots. Talk about character building. The follow ups are spectacular and there is a main plot slowly being brought about in the background. Not to mention he is putting a new book out about every 2 years without giving up the quality.
Scott Lynch is another sleeper that people seem to pass over. Check out The Lies of Locke Lamora, I'm sure you will be impressed. I am currently doing a reread to prep for the release of the third in this series.

@Brandon: While I LOVE Abercrombie's books I haven't found them very re-readable which is the subject of this thread. I tried reading them again, and too much of my enjoyment the first time was the twists and surprises during the read and in the characters. That just isn't as interesting the 2nd time around in the same way the puzzles and mysteries of Rothfuss or the details and politics of G.R.R. Martins and Frank Herberts are.

That "might" be why it hasn't been mentioned. At least by me anyways.

Hey Brando will give Scot Lynch a try in the future. Big fan as well. I love Abercromie novels as well . And while i do agree with what has been written as a criticism towards rereading them i must admit that i still will for the delightfulness of the "dialogue".

Rereading Abercromie is alike to rewatching a great movie to me, moreso then anything else. I am already aware of the plot turns and there not as intricate that they scream put for further study, while the world is rich it isnt as special that it warrants multiple returns and the lore is solid but not grand compare to others. Yet i still come back because the characters are epic, their personalities and dialogue brims with wit,originality and general coolness. Its the literairy equivalent of rewatch and good Tarentino or Coen brothers movie.

So yea for me there up there. Especially the first law trilogie and the Heroes.

Actually the heroes audio is well worth checking to hear the bremer den gorst and shivers accents.

Ancapaillmor wrote: "Actually the heroes audio is well worth checking to hear the bremer den gorst and shivers accents."

Will definitely will. Swamped at work at the moment. But have some more time off this weekend.Might look into that a little.

Felix wrote: "Hey Brando will give Scot Lynch a try in the future. Big fan as well. I love Abercromie novels as well . And while i do agree with what has been written as a criticism towards rereading them i must..."

I've read a lot of critism for Joe's work. Mostly that it reads like a video game or movie.

So, funny that you compare it to rewatching a favorite movie.

I haven't read any of his work yet, but I've seen him on Youtube a couple times and he seems funny.

Who doesn't re-watch their favorite movie? Isn't it all about entertainment? Abercrombie made a huge leap in my personal favorites as an author with Red Country. I have not been so thoroughly entertained by a movie, show, concert, game or anything else I can think of in the last 15 years. I didn't even put the book down before starting my re-read. I read it 2 times in 3 days. I feel strong enough about it that I feel I would be doing the community a disservice if I didn't try to sell it again.

Hmm, I'm going to have to check that out...

ahh, reading list extension....

Also I didn't personally mean that as an insult, though a lot of people do say it as a criticism. I think some video games have amazing writing in them actually. I've played Elder Scrolls since the beginning and I think it has a lot of excellent lore and world building in it. I was actually also really drawn in by the story mode of World at War, just to name a few that stand out to me.

I almost think writing in a video game might be more difficult because you have to be kinda vague so the person playing can customize there character.

I'll chime in with an endorsement of Way of Kings. I read that and just absolutely loved it. I'm not sure how often I'll re-read it since it's a doorstopper. Probably will read it again just before the sequel comes out.

Another series I like, and I'm not sure if I said this above, is the Lensman series from E.E. "Doc" Smith. It's basically the story of a war between two different superhuman powers across galaxies. One side is "good" and uses humans as their instruments of war, whereas the other side uses a series of ever more powerful alien species. The Lensman are essentially the inspiration for Lucas's Jedi.

Way of Kings is way good. Definitely agree.

I'm so sorry, but why does any of the above matter?

I am not one to re-read books, in fact ASOIAF and KKC are really the only books I have really read over. I have reread & re-listened to ASOIAF more times than I can count. Both series' have so many layers, it's like peeling back an onion. I get obsesses with them the second time around and read them and everything I can find about them. I am currently doing this with KKC, I finished the audiobooks last week and immediately started them over, with you guys as my guides.

There are just too many books to read for me to reread too many of them. I always tell people that if I lived to 100 years old, I could never finish just the books I currently own and haven't read. Of course, that doesn't stop me from buying more.

Of the Authors that have been mentioned here, I've listened to Sanderson's Warbreaker and Elantris and really enjoyed them both, especially Warbreaker. When I finished it, I wasn't ready for it to be over. I do not read many standalone books and that may have been the problem.

I recently listened to Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy. I really liked it, but it left me with the strangest feeling. I loved listening it, and normally would have grabbed up the rest an authors books for immediate consumption. But these were different, I felt... I don't know, maybe like I needed a bath. I told my friend that I couldn't bring myself to read another of his books so soon. That was probably in January, I have since bought all three of his other books on audio. My mind processes audio differently than printed word and Abercrombie's books were a lot to absorb. If you like his writing and haven't listened to them, I strongly recommend that you do, the narration was incredible.

I don't know if it is still going on, but I got some really good deals at Audible the other night. I got 13 books for about $130.00. They included Abercrombie's Red Country and Heroes, the first three Malazan books, three of Jim C. Hines' Princess books, the preorder of the next book of Orsen Scott Card's, Mithermages series, Sanderson's, The Emperor's Soul and Stephen King & Peter Straub's, The Tailsman & Black House.

I personally think the prices of audio books are getting into a price range that people can afford to buy them. Some are still way too expensive, but the prices seem to be coming down. Abercrombie's books are very reasonable.

Sorry I got so wordy... I guess I got carried away with my thoughts

I've never bought an audio book, but it seems that a good one might be dangerous to listen to for me if driving. I accidentally zone out and pass up exits on the interstate -- mostly when I'm close no a plot twist in the sequel to Rarity from the Hollow.

Nights Dawn trilogy (actually 6 books) by Peter F Hamilton

Pandora's Star & Judas Unchained also by Peter F Hamilton. Formally my favorite author.

I’ve also reread SOIAF multiple times.

Dresden Files…

And of course NOTW and WMF probably DOS too when the time comes.

Servius Heiner wrote: "Nights Dawn trilogy (actually 6 books) by Peter F Hamilton

Pandora's Star & Judas Unchained also by Peter F Hamilton. Formally my favorite author.

I’ve also reread SOIAF multiple times.

Dresden..."

I loved Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained. Funny story, I didn't realize that Pandora's Star was only the first half of the story, and as I was reading on my kindle and getting near the 90% read mark, I was like, how in the *hell* is he going to tie up the plot in the last 10% of the book.

What a good question! My infallible 'go back to' books would have to be: 'Tigana' and 'The Lions of Al Rasan' by Guy Gavriel Kay. Sanderson's Mistborn trilogy has wormed it's way in there too. Plus 'The Hounds of the Morrigan' by Pat O'Shea. Hmmm. 'Pride and Prejudice' too. O, and Susan Cooper's 'The Dark is Rising' trilogy. A hodgepodge if ever there was one!

It's cliche, but the Harry Potters are my favorites to reread! I plan to reread ASoIaF when the next book is closer to release. I also second the Scott Lynch books. "The Lies of Locke Lamora" was awesome!

Gardens of the Moon (Malazan series book 1). After giving up twice, I finally managed to read third time. The book is awesome, though tough to read. Everyone is a philosopher here. Scenes shift suddenly, therefore concentration is the key. The best part is that the author does not waste paragraphs for extravagant details (like Robert Jordan used to do) and at any point there can be a twist. Even the poems which precede each chapter are also awesome esp. "Pauper's Stone Darujhistan"; the ending surprises us.

The other book is "The Way of Kings". The starting of chapters like ".....8 seconds pre-death subject", and the other ones. One tends to ignore these, but then you see that the second ones are actually notes of Jasnah Kholin. The world setting is awesome. The culture of societies is also amazing. Such was the effect of the book that I read last 615 pages in one day.

Favourite Characters:-
Gardens of the Moon - Just too many
The Way of Kings - Kaladin, for sure. The comes Dalinar Kholin/ Adolin.

Anyways I tried to read "The Lies of Lock Lamora", "Game of Thrones" but left them because I was already reading other novel.

Also, Honourable Mention - The Black Company by Glenn Cook

Akshay! You gotta read Game of Thrones! I think you will love it once you get into it like Malazan.

I always joke with my husband that I married him because he was the first man I met that had just as many books as I did, if not more.

He did me the amazing pleasure of introducing me to Ender's Game which is now one of my all-time favorites, although personally I like subsequent installment Speaker for the Dead the best.

Also introduced to me and now lovingly dog-eared is the phenomenal Foundling, first volume in the Monster-Blood Tattoo saga. Don't let the name fool you. These are dark, beautiful, mysterious and the pen/ink drawings are mind-blowingly beautiful. These I recommend VERY HIGHLY!! (technically classified as YA, but as a reader in my mid-20's, I appreciated them regardless. It's bloody, violent, beautiful, and haunting. Do it already.)

Last, but not least, the very witty steampunk Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld. These are a fun romp...you're bound to enjoy! (once again, very entertaining ink drawings)

Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts is a gripping read and one I will do again. It reminds me of the KKC somehow and is also supposed to be semi-autobiographical, although how much is actually true is not clear. Having travelled there myself, there can be no doubt that the author has been to and knows India, really well. Anyway not the point, it reads like fantasy as India and its underworld is so far removed from what we know in the West. Beautifully crafted book, written with the same obsessive ferocity as the KKC. I read that the author had to rewrite the book more than once as his original manuscripts kept getting stolen or confiscated in prison. Amazing book, amazing story.

Going to go off fantasy which is my favorite to read but for me its anything Louis L'amour and Dean Koontz Lightning/Watchers/Twightlight Eyes