Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

Discussion for The Blade Itself. I am reading it now (only a couple chapters in), if anyone would like to join or just talk about it.

Glotka has to be one of the best anti-heroes ever. I just love when he injects his caustic thoughts while sneering at people.

Scott wrote: "Glotka has to be one of the best anti-heroes ever. I just love when he injects his caustic thoughts while sneering at people."

I laughed in his first chapter POV when he was saying he wanted to kill the inventor of stairs and shake hands with the inventor of chairs. Or something like that.

There s more of those in the whole trilogy and yes...glokta is THE MAN!:) I really loved these books. As for logen....if there's one thing to say about logen nine fingers....well just keep that little sentence in mind;) you LL know what I mean;)

Jarek wrote: "There s more of those in the whole trilogy and yes...glokta is THE MAN!:) I really loved these books. As for logen....if there's one thing to say about logen nine fingers....well just keep that lit..."

Is it the fact that he only has nine fingers? I kind of got that already ;)

Nope:) its a great thing Abercrombie does in this series. At least I liked it. That sentence occurs many times in the series...say one thing for....( hec uses this for more characters) I don't know its just something I liked that gave the writing a special style.

I liked that too, Jarek. It gave the characters a great sense of consistency throughout the entire series. And I remember being really impressed at how he managed to create a distinct voice for each of his POV characters.

Like glokta chewing on his gums. That was as menacing as heath ledgers joker licking his lips all the time

Besides Glokta and Logen i very much liked Northmen characters.

I started this book at the wrong point in time - right before a super busy weekend with family and a stressful time for me for finishing a course and applying for grad school and jobs. On top of that, a buddy read for Riyria right now so this book will just have to wait its turn. Since I only read two chapters and it's the first one, I'm not as curious as I am with Heir of Novron.

If all goes well Jenna we can finish the riyria early August. I don't know about you but I think ill jump right into the riyria chronicles after.

Jarek wrote: "If all goes well Jenna we can finish the riyria early August. I don't know about you but I think ill jump right into the riyria chronicles after."

I've read the first riyria chronicle so I have time to catch up on other reading. :)

Jarek wrote: "If all goes well Jenna we can finish the riyria early August. I don't know about you but I think ill jump right into the riyria chronicles after."

I'll maybe take a week or so away from Ryria, but will happily jump into Chronicles after that.

As for the First Law - it's a series I am definitely interested in, but think that the next month is full enough that I'll be waiting till closer to October to get started with it.

Let me know what month you plan to read Last Argument of Kings if you've enjoyed book one. I would love to join you in a buddy read. Yet another series where I haven't read the third book.

Angela wrote: "Let me know what month you plan to read Last Argument of Kings if you've enjoyed book one. I would love to join you in a buddy read. Yet another series where I haven't read the third ..."

I've put The Blade Itself on hold for now, but I'll let you know when I get to book 3 :)

BTW the opening of the book explains the origin of the phrase the last argument of kings which I didn't know and found fascinating.

I started reading The Blade Itself yesterday. Is anyone else doing the audio book? The voice the reader uses for Glokta has a lisp. I think it's brilliant.

Dani wrote: "I started reading The Blade Itself yesterday. Is anyone else doing the audio book? The voice the reader uses for Glokta has a lisp. I think it's brilliant."

I'm not reading the audio book and I have it on hold right now because of Midnight Tides.

Dani wrote: "I started reading The Blade Itself yesterday. Is anyone else doing the audio book? The voice the reader uses for Glokta has a lisp. I think it's brilliant."

That is brilliant. Not the way I read it in my head but all the same brilliant. I had his voice more as a low gravelly rasp.

The gravelly rasp sounds good too.
I don't think I ever would've come up with a lisp in my own head but it really works.

I cannot gush about the narration of this audio version enough, I'm enjoying it immensely and I regret not having more time to read at the moment.

I'm at ch.12 now and so far, the story's pace is a little on the slow side, but it's not bothersome.

Maybe I'll do one of books 4-7 on audio. It's kind of hard to switch mainstream though. I definitely have character voices built in since the characters are so iconic. I know what you mean though. I'm doing Unhewn Throne on audio and cannot imagine not doing so because the narration is so good.

I probably wouldn't want to switch midstream either.

Which narrator appeals to you is very much a personal thing, but for me Steven Pacey just gets it all right, not just Glokta's voice.

The reverse can be true also. I actually quit an audio version two weeks ago and switched to paperback because one of the accents the narrator did seriously grated on me.

The original narrator of The Black Prism ruined the series for me. The worst part is they realized it and the guy who does the Unhewn Throne re-did them but now it's too late. The guy who did Malice was awful too and they haven't released others in the series with him.

Scott wrote: "The original narrator of The Black Prism ruined the series for me. The worst part is they realized it and the guy who does the Unhewn Throne re-did them but now it's too late. The guy who did Malic..."

That's so sad because The Black Prism was great, in my opinion.

That sucks, Scott. For me it's a nice heads up though, cause I still have to read The Black Prism, so thanks.

Dani wrote: "That sucks, Scott. For me it's a nice heads up though, cause I still have to read The Black Prism, so thanks."

They switch the narrator to a guy I love. I was half going to see if they would let me switch and redo the book with the guy I love. The original narrator literally sounded like he should have been doing Bill and Ted's excellent adventure.

Ow, I almost feel your pain :-/

I know there are a lot of people who love this series in the group. Question for all of you: did you have a hard time getting into this book for the first time? I'm having a really hard time with this one so I keep putting it down and reading something else.

Jenna wrote: "I know there are a lot of people who love this series in the group. Question for all of you: did you have a hard time getting into this book for the first time? I'm having a really hard time with t..."

I had problems with Jezal chapters at first because he was annoying but I endured it and it paid off big time. Don't give up, this series is brilliant!

Samir wrote: "Jenna wrote: "I know there are a lot of people who love this series in the group. Question for all of you: did you have a hard time getting into this book for the first time? I'm having a really ha..."

Those are the chapters I am having an especially hard time with, but I can't say I really like anyone very much.

Jenna wrote: "Samir wrote: "Jenna wrote: "I know there are a lot of people who love this series in the group. Question for all of you: did you have a hard time getting into this book for the first time? I'm havi..."

Well, I know a couple of people who had the same problem but when they got to book two they couldn't stop reading it.

Samir wrote: "Jenna wrote: "Samir wrote: "Jenna wrote: "I know there are a lot of people who love this series in the group. Question for all of you: did you have a hard time getting into this book for the first ..."

I'm going to keep reading, I was just wondering if it was normal that I am having a hard time. Thanks for the reassurance!

Jenna wrote: "Samir wrote: "Jenna wrote: "Samir wrote: "Jenna wrote: "I know there are a lot of people who love this series in the group. Question for all of you: did you have a hard time getting into this book ..."

It's perfectly normal. I'm glad you're going to continue, looking forward reading your review :)

I don't think we're supposed to "like" any of the characters. I mean their all scumbags in their own way once you think about it. Or maybe you just need to go more into the books

Sorry to hear you're having a hard time Jenna.

For what it's worth, I didn't immediately warm up to Jezal's and Logen's viewpoint so I think I would have had a much harder time getting into this book had I been reading instead of listening.
Also, I'm now at Ch.15 and still the focus is on talking (politics) rather than (major) action. It doesn't bother me that the plot develops in this fashion, but it's conceivable that it may start to bother me at some point.

Jarek wrote: "I don't think we're supposed to "like" any of the characters. I mean their all scumbags in their own way once you think about it. Or maybe you just need to go more into the books"

Even though they are for the most part anti-heroes, I usually like that sort of thing. It's not that I don't like them because they are doing horrible or selfish things, I don't like them because so far they are all very boring. Really hoping it picks up soon.

Dani wrote: "Sorry to hear you're having a hard time Jenna.

For what it's worth, I didn't immediately warm up to Jezal's and Logen's viewpoint so I think I would have had a much harder time getting into this ..."

Well at least we are suffering together for now. :)

Glad to know I'm not the only one who dislikes Jezal :-)

Misery does love company ;-)

But Samir says it'll all get better. He had better be right!

Or else! :D

Samir wrote: "Or else! :D"

We're holding you accountable!

I liked it from the start. Glotka and the Northmen especially

Jenna wrote: "Samir wrote: "Or else! :D"

We're holding you accountable!"

Exactly! :-)

Scott wrote: "I liked it from the start. Glotka and the Northmen especially"

Glokta is one of the best written characters in fantasy and Northmen are just plain awesome!

I disliked jezal for the whole first book and a half. After that it kicked in. Logen...well he's such a wild card badass but it doesn't show so much in the first book. As for glokta I take off my hat and bow my head. Best character in all the books I've read so far. Fantasy and others. But that's just my humble opinion. Everyone has their own:)

Samir wrote: "Glokta is one of the best written characters in fantasy and Northmen are just plain awesome! "

One of my favorite lines from Last Argument of Kings which I can just feel the malice when he speaks it. I just hear the emperor from Return of the Jedi sneering.

(view spoiler)[
“Chose? If you believe that I chose any part of the pitiful shadow of a life you see before you, you are very much mistaken. I chose glory and success. The box did not contain what was written on the lid.” (hide spoiler)]

For Jenna and Dani :) https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Samir wrote: "For Jenna and Dani :) https://www.goodreads.com/review/show..."

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