Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

Starting August 12th, I'm in.

I'll follow along with discussion.

So as I appear to be a party of one I'm probably going to move this up to somewhere around July 19-20th when I'm done with both House of Chains and Shadow Throne. It will make August easier for some of the other group reads I'm doing. I may move up book 3 as well.

I'm in. Let me know when you start

Margret wrote: "I'm in. Let me know when you start"

Sweet. I'll finish House of Chains tomorrow so let's plan on Friday.

My copy will be here sometime next week so I'll be close behind you

Let me know. I'll be reading Shadow Throne so I can put off starting it for a few days more.

It doesn't matter to me, I've got a newborn and a 3 year old so you'll likely leave me in the dust regardless..

Margret wrote: "It doesn't matter to me, I've got a newborn and a 3 year old so you'll likely leave me in the dust regardless.."

I'm sure they would sleep better hearing tales of Father Chains. :)

I'll finish the Shadow Throne a Malazan short and see where you're at.

Scott wrote: "I'm sure they would sleep better hearing tales of Father Chains. :)..."

Yes, and the oh so appropriate language of the Gentleman Bastards will just be the perfect lullaby.

I jist finished this recently, but I'll definitely be interested to see what others make of it!

I'm going to start this tomorrow.

10% in. So far so good. Without giving anything away of substance they're in another location and other authors need to note how Lynch integrates world building with the story line with action and finally with humor. I wish he wrote quicker but hard to argue with the finished product.

I don't really consider this a spoiler but I'll tag it for people who don't want any insight.

(view spoiler)[
Sadly at least for this book it would appear flashbacks to Father Chains are over. :( I LOVE Father Chains. If Lynch wrote a prequel just on the early years I'd buy the advanced copy now just to make sure he did it.
(hide spoiler)]

Scott wrote: "10% in. So far so good. Without giving anything away of substance they're in another location and other authors need to note how Lynch integrates world building with the story line with action and ..."

Yeah, not so much of him anymore, but there will be other characters who show up in his past :)

Also, the Reminiscince chapters became, for me, even more enjoyable than the Interludes in book one. It's such an excellent way if fleshing out both characters and the world!

Chapter 4

(view spoiler)[
So the board game with the poor where they call for a default and do heinous things to the "board pieces" is the darkest thing from this series yet. Letting your children dole out the punishments is pretty vulgar as well.

Looking forward to this comeuppance.
(hide spoiler)]

Chapter 5

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Certainly didn't see the pirate thing coming.
(hide spoiler)]

Scott wrote: "Chapter 5
"

You and me both! The book nearly lost me here, but go with it. Looking forward to hearing your reaction after another two chapters :)

Sean wrote: "."

Can you remove the spoiler? TX

Scott wrote: "Sean wrote: "."

Can you remove the spoiler? TX"

My bad - using my phone and didn't realise quoting loses the spoiler tag.

No worries. It didn't lose me but I did roll my eyes in a WTF moment.

So I'm 72% done or page 401 of 562. It's funny because I've completely enjoyed the book but there isn't a lot to write about because there haven't been enough meaningful clues, to me at least, to figure out how they're going to work things out. Lynch is such a fluid and brilliant writer. Just based on the prose and flow he's much better than some other story tellers I love like Erikson, Abercrombie, Martin and others.

His descriptions flow so painlessly setting the scene.

I have to constantly remind myself to trust that Lynch will get the job done and things will come together. I feel that the way the story flows it's in great danger of just falling apart, but Lynch has repeatedly proven that he has complete control over his writing. It certainly is very impressive!

I never have that feeling that the story is failing it just comes in a continuous steam where as other authors their tends to be a build and release.

Finished up this morning. Really good but still not as good as the first.

(view spoiler)[
I kept thinking Ezri is a goner from the second her and Jean showed interest but I'll admit I didn't see her sacrificing herself with a academical heat globe.

I like that they left Locke's fate open and that they got out tricked with the art work.
(hide spoiler)]

Still waiting for my copy :)

You'll enjoy it.

First chapter in. Damn he's good at world building. I seriously love these books. Love the premise of the Sinspire (view spoiler)[ and how they were able to win at the carousel game, typical of Locke and Jean to pick the most difficult scheme possible. Not sold yet on the whole "return of the Bondsmagi" thing yet. I was hoping for that to come back to haunt them at a later time (hide spoiler)]

I agree. Lynch world builds while still entertaining like no other.

I can't comment on your spoiler without giving things away. Read the spoiler only if you don't care about the basic direction of it.

(view spoiler)[
They're the catalyst for a lot of what's heading the GB's way in this book but don't take direction action.
(hide spoiler)]

When writers change up the setting from book to book, I think it's usually very hard to get into the new story because you already know the characters so it is usually a lot of setting description. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but Lynch does it so well. At the end of a book, I'm always sad to leave a place, but the beginning of the next one is so fantastic that I love the new setting just as much as those before it.

150ish pages in. Having logistical difficulties reading.. My son keeps taking my book and saying it's his Iron Man book

Margret wrote: "150ish pages in. Having logistical difficulties reading.. My son keeps taking my book and saying it's his Iron Man book"

LOL just make sure he doesn't open it up, start reading it and repeating what he reads to you! Both for language and spoilers! (if he is at a reading age)

(view spoiler)[ just finished up. Definitely liked the pirate theme to the book, just another way for Locke and Jean to be educated. Spent a good part of the book hoping Chains had faked his death years ago and would somehow be pirate captain of a ship when they docked in Port Prodigal.
Yes Ezri was definitely doomed, but I did like the romantic interlude with Jean, it wasn't annoying to me like most romance.
They will for sure find a way to get an antidote, or else the alchemist was a hack like I thought the whole entire book and Locke will be fine (hide spoiler)]

Are you hopping into the next one? Chains flashbacks are in book 3.

Gonna read that Tchaikovsky book and the Prince of Nothing book first, that'll take me a while. Plus I have just 2 books left on the A-Z and I really wanna complete that before the end of the year. Who knows though I'm pretty flaky about a reading schedule

Margret wrote: "Gonna read that Tchaikovsky book ."

Which one he has so many?

I started it already... The Tiger and the Wolf.

I'm only on page 5 but I'm intrigued cause usually shape shifting is more of an Urban Fantasy kinda thing but this has kind of like a tribal/Native American type vibe to it

I'll be interested to see how you like it. I haven't read him yet but have been considering many of his works which seem interesting.

He seems to be quite prolific, which is good for people like us

I would like to read this if anyone is doing another buddy read for it.

You read my mind today! Artistes and I are just working on a date for May if you are interested?

Darn autocorrect Aristea I meant.

you bet i'm interested. But would it be ok to fix the date after 18th of may? I have Black Prism on the 15th and i don't think i would be able to double read these 2 books.

That works for me. Aristea 18th work for you?

Confirming that a new buddy read will be starting on this book May 18th. Looking forward to continuing the series.

great. I'll add it on my list. :)

New Buddy Read starts for this book 18th May.

I'm probably going to be a week late to this one Laura and Aristea due to other reads.

honestly, that's great Angela! 😁 this way I will also be able to finish Tad Williams before.

Aristea are you okay to change this buddy read by a week as well? Start date 25th?