Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

Nov 1st.

In for this

I’m in

I'll be in this too.

I'll run this along side SE Bonehunters, and JKR The Order of the Phoenix.

I should still have time left over for breathing.

In the first couple of scenes, there's a line describing a city, where "Brave pennants flew from the rooftops..."

Does anyone else find the term 'brave,' used to describe a pennant kinda flowery?

It's not like the pennants are standing in a line facing down a hoard of goblins...

Finding the start a little soppy - glad to see Jimmy the Hand make an appearance.

12% in. I love the character of Jimmy the Hand. That kids got charisma.

It's been a long time since I last read this book, and I'm finding the writing a little flowery - it could be crisper.

Graeme wrote: "In the first couple of scenes, there's a line describing a city, where "Brave pennants flew from the rooftops..."

Does anyone else find the term 'brave,' used to describe a pennant kinda flowery?
..."

Maybe it was a really windy day.

There was so much recap in the first few chapters and not a word on Pug. It was pretty sloppy. Jimmy is definitely the highlight so far.

Hi Bill, good point, where's Pug?

Just finished Magician. Join you in a day or two!

Cool.

At 44% (Chapter Nine)
I agree it felt quite disjointed to begin with. I remarked to my son, that it felt like I was reading three standalones set in the same world. That there wasn't much of a series arc. His reply - "Give it time Mum, you'll see!"

It has picked up with (view spoiler)[the "zombies" and Anita's poisoning (hide spoiler)]

Hi Loriidae. Those events are the key to kicking this book off.

Just started. This is adorably romantic.

The first half of this book really made me question whether Pug was the MC of this "trilogy"... good thing Jimmy the Hand is such a great replacement... I'd also forgetten the blurb of the book until (view spoiler)[the poisoning happened (hide spoiler)]

Milamber: (view spoiler)[When Pug goes back to the other world, he seems to forget the risks of portals really quickly... what happened to keeping the worlds separate to avoid The Enemy (hide spoiler)]

The Enemy: (view spoiler)[talk about an obvious twist... by the time Pug/Milamber, and the Black Robes fessed up to their worries this enemy is The Enemy, I'd been assuming as much for several hundred pages... the only time I faltered was during the interrogation scene, which mirrored the vision, with that Black Robe shadow power guy seeming like he could be The Enemy... (hide spoiler)]

Only a couple chapters left...

I’m on chapter 12. I like how one adventure turns into another and another. I did not like the whole Sleeping Beauty thing, better pathos to keep her awake and struggling to live.

So they just met Gamina, who is seven. Immediately it is remarked by all the men that she is going to be hot someday. I think Feist did this with Anita too in book one. It’s creepy.

I had to think for a bit to remember who Gamina is. I'm not at that point yet.

Just got to Chapter 16.
(view spoiler)[How do you not put up a protection spell as you gab with your old friend in the heart of the place where you are Most Wanted?!?! What happened to that two world magic boost? Dammit Pug that was dumb! (hide spoiler)]

Lena wrote: "Just got to Chapter 16.
[spoilers removed]"

I felt like (view spoiler)[a lot of the Tsurani homeworld plotline was dumb... but was just happy for Pug to get some page time when it arrived... (hide spoiler)]

And for your previous comment... I must have skimmed right over that...

Starting late.

How much of Magician do I need to remember for this? Because I just read the Prologue and had no clue what was going on.

Arkadeb wrote: "Starting late.

How much of Magician do I need to remember for this? Because I just read the Prologue and had no clue what was going on."

Macross or whoever, forced a confrontation at the peace talks so that Pug would shut the rift between worlds so The Enemy couldn't find these worlds and destroy them...

Jimmy the Hand is the little thief child that helped Arutha and the singer escape the city in Magician, with the help of his guild of thieves...

Those are the 2 main points, I think...

I kind of remember the first point but am totally blank on the second

Arkadeb wrote: "I kind of remember the first point but am totally blank on the second"

Remember when Arutha needed to escape the town, and he was led to a thieves hideout, where he met Anita, who was putting on a brave mask and offering the thieves a ton of money to ferret her out of the city?... Arutha and company tag along and they escape and head off somewhere (and fall in love)... Laurel and Pug run into the same thieves crew returning from Tsurani-Land...

It's funny... my descriptions are hardly the full story... maybe Lena can be more help... she just finished Magician: Master much more recently...

Or the Midkemia wiki:

http://midkemia.wikia.com/wiki/Jimmy_...
http://midkemia.wikia.com/wiki/Arutha...

Those Wiki links helped a lot! Thanks Iain.

Thing is I read Magician as the single consolidated book. I am not entirely if that means it was abridged or not.

Arkadeb wrote: "Those Wiki links helped a lot! Thanks Iain.

Thing is I read Magician as the single consolidated book. I am not entirely if that means it was abridged or not."

Nah... I think it was broken in half for reprinting... they added a bit of edited content to the new version, but nothing that changes the outcome of the story... that's what Feist said in the Foreword, and Janny Wurts said when I made a misinformed comment in one of the previous threads...

2 chapters so far.

Mainly preliminaries, but clearly there's stuff going on in the background.

(view spoiler)[ That reference to Goblin bands and a Dark Brotherhood (hide spoiler)] Am I missing a reference?

Arkadeb wrote: "2 chapters so far.

Mainly preliminaries, but clearly there's stuff going on in the background.

[spoilers removed] Am I missing a reference?"

They were briefly mentioned in Magician, but you're not missing much, I don't think...

Dark Brothers are Elven cousins. One of the four kinds of elves.

Finished!
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

I’ll be there for the next book too!

13 chapters done

So far its been pretty good, Lyam is nice straightman to act as foil to the surrounding nuttyness.

My one complaint so far is that to Feist, the Upright Man and the "Righteous Underworld" is a plot device to get his heroes the information they need, rather than being a proper entity on its own.

There's nothing I dislike more than (view spoiler)[an infestation of demonically possessed zombies... (hide spoiler)]

It might be time to nuke the site from orbit.

ch7 complete.

(view spoiler)["...I will find a cure. ..." Arutha sets forth on a desperate quest. While a hellish power moves against him and all he loves. Romance, courage, love, and duty - all writ large in this epic. (hide spoiler)]

I am at Chapter 13. Listened to a couple of chapters tonight. I liked the fight scene at the Abbey.

Loriidae wrote: "I am at Chapter 13. Listened to a couple of chapters tonight. I liked the fight scene at the Abbey."

I'm at the same point. Loved it too.