Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

March 20th

Just bought my copy of Waylander. I'm excited to get back to Drenai!

Ordered mine in kindle today!

I started this this morning... nearing the end now... more of the same really... this has been a pretty middle-of-the-road series for me...

It definitely has the same pattern as his earlier books. However, I kind of like the simple to follow action packed style that Gemmell uses. It’s a nice change after some heavier Fantasy novels.

I'm probably being a bit more critical of my simple books since this isn't the only one I've been reading... also doing Legend of Drizzt and the Sookie Stackhouse series...

Your a reading machine Lain!!!! 😂

It's iain... and it's my night merchandising job being so favorable to me listening to a 300-400pg book a day on-the-clock...

I finished earlier: I liked (view spoiler)[ the backstory on the Inception of The Thirty... and did the Cyclops have 2 eyes in one middle socket? (hide spoiler)]

I started last night right before bed and read the first 10% or so. It does feel like it will follow the same formula, which is both good and bad depending on perspective.

For me, this is easily my lightest read each month so it's a fun escapist mental break. Since I'm reading Drenai in 2018, I've essentially put on hold my other "wash, rinse, repeat" series that I enjoy: James Bond, Jack Reacher, and Saxon Tales. But I can see how it would be tiring and monotonous if you have a couple other light reads already planned.

I might be dropping this series in April... undecided...

I'm a little behind on Jack Reacher now... at least 1 book, if not 2-3... I haven't kept up with a lot of things I read pre-Urban-Fantasy... like Harry Bosch/Lincoln Lawyer...

I'm about 40% in. It's been a slow reading week for me.

I like that this book gives us background info on (view spoiler)[how the tradition of the 30 Source Priests was created (hide spoiler)]. That's a fun piece of Drenai history that I wasn't expecting to be divulged this book, so it's a pleasant surprise.

It does appear that interest in this series is waning though. And honestly, since this series has a fairly low level of continuity between books, it's a series that I'd prefer to read once every three or four months rather than every single month. I'd be OK if the general consensus is to disband the Buddy Read. I'd probably find it more enjoyable to read the remaining books on a whim rather than a specific schedule.

I'm finishing the Scorpio Races (meh) tonight and then onto Waylander. My expectations are low but I'm not considering dropping the series yet. But I don't have to read it every month. On the other hand, these books read fast.

I'm joining next month (or the next) if you need more people. :)

I’m still enjoying the series. The books are super easy and short. Gemmell likes to stick to the same style of story but I have not tired of it as of yet.

Didn't realise this was set before the previous books until the Thirty were mentioned, and Waylander's thought that the Nadir were scattered tribes incapable of ever being united.

I'm beginning to think the Drenai are the most useless nation ever - how many times do you have to be invaded and almost conquered before you decide to maintain a decent sized army?

Shaitarn wrote: "Didn't realise this was set before the previous books until the Thirty were mentioned, and Waylander's thought that the Nadir were scattered tribes incapable of ever being united.

I'm beginning to..."

:D

I finished Waylander last night. I liked it, especially some of the backstory that I wasn't expecting Gemmell to directly explain in a novel. But I do think that the redundancy of the stories is more pronounced by reading an entry every month. I'll see how I'm feeling next month, but I might start skipping books every now and again and saving them for later (which seems very doable given the low level of continuity between books).

Depending on how many people keep up with the Buddy Read, I will likely either:
a) skip specific books (most likely the rest of the books that occur post-Legend) and save them for later, or
b) drop the Buddy Read (gasp!) so that I can keep reading in publication order, but do so on my own slower-paced schedule. That would probably mean one book every three or four months.

I’m running behind on life in general, but will for sure be back on track for next month

Margret wrote: "I’m running behind on life in general, but will for sure be back on track for next month"

Same here!

I have finished the book (finally!) and I liked it more than the revious one so I don't have the need to abandon the series yet.

I liked it better as well.