Chompa’s Comments (group member since Feb 16, 2015)

Chompa’s comments from the Grimdark Fantasy group.

Thanks, Tracey. You are the best Lizard Queen.

I found this article interesting. Advice to first time readers of Gardens of the Moon.

http://www.tor.com/2016/09/12/gardens...

Jenna wrote: "Is it spoilers just for GotM or for the whole series? "

I'm really not sure since I only skimmed it and have previously read only part of the book. I like that there are lots of pictures of the characters. I remember there being a lot and this might help me keep them straight.

I have posted the Spoiler and Spoiler Free discussion threads. Let's have at it!

I'm glad this book came up again. I made an effort to read the book last year and it was not successful. So many people have lauded this series as The Best, I really want to give it another try.

October's book is the first of the Malazan series by Steven Erikson

As this is the Spoiler folder, I'm going to add a very neat reference I found and browsed - I fear it is full of spoilers, but might make a neat resource as one read's the series.

http://imgur.com/gallery/M95FK

And to copy what I put earlier (and Silvana shared) here's a link to the free copy plus reasons to read it.

http://www.tor.com/2016/09/06/14-reas...

Echoing Silvana - we are on the last day of Gardens of the Moon being free and some reasons to read it. http://www.tor.com/2016/09/06/14-reas...

I'm nearly ready to make my second attempt at it.

Welcome, Michelle!

I've read some of Cornwell's Sharpe's books. I've heard this other series were good too.

Chris wrote: "I just finished The Ocean at the End of the Lane and OMG what an amazing book! This may be the best one off (non-series) books I've read in years (possibly ever).

Seriously....you..."

Chris, I loved that book. I heartily recommend it too.

I enjoyed the article. I think it is important to acknowledge that dark side and find ways to deal with it. Creativity like writing is certainly a valid way.

Heather wrote: "I've seen that some people think she's bad ass but I was very underwhelmed by her. I mean, she does do that cool thing in book two and form armies and stuff, but ultimately it feels like her lover ..."

Gwenna, Annick and Pyrre are great characters.

Silvana wrote: "Heather wrote: "Typically my experience has been that female, first-person, is never written well by male authors, but I'm open to suggestions. It's either painfully bad or the female is written to..." I'm currently reading the second book of the Unhewn Thrown and I agree that the daughter is a little disappointing. Most of the female characters are quite bad-ass.

I've been pretty busy myself lately. Work, kids, etc. I've been getting some reading in, but seem to be moving slowly on it. That's they way summers go though, right?

This does look like something I'll have to pick up.

Welcome Brad. Your lurking skills and beard are exceptional.

Heather, perhaps not Muslim per se, but the desert dwelling race was heavily influenced by Middle East culture.

I can totally see your point about the women in the book.

Chris wrote: "I skipped some long series when I was younger primarily because I wasn't really sure of the reading order and COULDN'T read it in the wrong order. "

This is the right thing to do!

That is an interesting discussion on the Muslims as bad guys. Sadly, the demonizing of Muslims is a very real thing. That said, I read The Warded Man and didn't view the group in question as "demonized", but I'll honestly say that might be due to not being Islamic myself. I did find them to be a bit stereotyped. Overall I took that group to be superior to the "white" race in that they actually fought the demons instead just hiding from them.

One of the things I've become aware of over the last several years is my cultural/racial/gender perceptions being called into question. That's a GOOD THING. I'm a pretty open-minded guy, but I think we all have preconceptions/biases that are present. Being aware of them helps to examine them and see a different point of view.

Questions like the one from Tilyas are good to see. This board has a great mix of people from different countries and backgrounds.

That all said, I think it is fairly common to pick a race/culture and make them "the bad guys". The more different they are, the easier it is to demonize them. I think this has been done with nearly every culture in some form or another. That doesn't make it right, but I'm not sure if the intent of the authors who do this is to demonize a real world race/culture.

I read this when I finished the Low Town series. I admire that Polansky can mix genres so well. In Low Town it was a sword and sorcery setting with a hard-boiled detective/noir feel.

The Builders is a classic movie western setting with adorable animals murdering each other. It very much works as a short story.