Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

A Darker Shade of Magic
House of Chains
The Healthy Dead
The Shadow Throne
The Price of Valour

Continuing with the Malazan recommended reading order and the Shadow Campaigns series as well. We'll see if I sneak anything else in.

I am not sure what I'll be reading yet as I am currently participating in a reading challenge in another group that has certain demands for my book choices - and much of it probably won't be fantasy.

But I will definitely do The Thousand Names for the buddy read once I get it from the library.

I also just picked up The Colour of Magic.

And hopefully I can squeeze in Queen of Fire to finish off the Raven's Shadow trilogy.

Eli wrote: "I am not sure what I'll be reading yet as I am currently participating in a reading challenge in another group that has certain demands for my book choices - and much of it probably won't be fantas..."

Just warning you, Queen of Fire was not as good as the first two... :(

Jenna wrote: "Just warning you, Queen of Fire was not as good as the first two... :( "

Yes, I have gathered that from the reviews. That is also why it is not my top priority. But I do need that closure, don't I?

Eli wrote: "Jenna wrote: "Just warning you, Queen of Fire was not as good as the first two... :( "

Yes, I have gathered that from the reviews. That is also why it is not my top priority. But I do need that cl..."

That's exactly why I read it too after seeing a lot of bad to mediocre reviews.

Well, I was just starting on Ready Player One, but now that I've joined this group I believe I'll be starting on The Shadow Campaigns with you guys! That should keep me busy for the whole month as I'm not the fastest of the readers. I've got a movies and a gaming hobby as well competing for my time with reading!

I just caught up to the ultimate Malazan reading order and read #3 and #5 in the Bauchelain and Korbal Broach Tales. Fun, but not quite on the scale of the main series.

I just started reading Age of Myth and will be reading A Gathering of Shadows (sequel to A Darker Shade of Magic), Flamecaster and The Winner's Kiss . Those are the only fantasy books I know for sure I will be reading.

Dan wrote: "Well, I was just starting on Ready Player One, but now that I've joined this group I believe I'll be starting on The Shadow Campaigns with you guys! That should keep me busy for the whole month as ..."

Funny. I am actually starting Ready Player One for my reading challenge today ;)

Jenna wrote: "I just caught up to the ultimate Malazan reading order and read #3 and #5 in the Bauchelain and Korbal Broach Tales. Fun, but not quite on the scale of the main series."

Nice. Yes they're just ok.

I'm still working on Deadhouse Gates (not for lack of wanting to, been busy + less opportunities to grab an actual book compared to my phone) and I just finished The 5th Wave (really was not a fan of that one) and picked up The American Heiress, both on Kindle.

Probably picking up Age of Myth after I finish Deadhouse though. Seen good things about it :)

Generally try to go one fantasy and one non-fantasy book at a time. Also, one Kindle book and one actual book. Which is which depends on the month and how much time I have.

Eli wrote: Funny. I am actually starting Ready Player One for my reading challenge today ;)


Oh, is it as good as they say it is? I've started on The Thousand Names now but I'm considering reading both of them sorta at the same time, should I?

I'm reading Half a War and really enjoying it; I thought it would be cheesy since it's a YA trilogy, but fortunately Abercrombie managed to make it gritty (not as dark as his First Law trilogy, but close enough).

Dan wrote: Oh, is it as good as they say it is? I've started on The Thousand Names now but I'm considering reading both of them sorta at the same time, should I?

I loved Ready Player One! I wouldn't say it's brilliant but it's extremely fun, especially if you grew up during the 80s or the early 90s. I totally recommend the audiobook version narrated by Will Wheaton :)

José wrote: "I'm reading Half a War and really enjoying it; I thought it would be cheesy since it's a YA trilogy, but fortunately Abercrombie managed to make it gritty (not as dark as his First ..."

Will Weathon narrates it?! Crap, if I knew I wouldn't have bought a physical version of it! Alas, it's too late now...

Grace wrote: "I'm still working on Deadhouse Gates (not for lack of wanting to, been busy + less opportunities to grab an actual book compared to my phone) and I just finished [book: The 5th Wave|1..."

Yeah, I didn't hear good things about The 5th Wave from other people either.

Jenna wrote: "Yeah, I didn't hear good things about The 5th Wave from other people either."

I'm working on getting my thoughts together for a review of it soonish on it. There's a lot to complain about though. Would not recommend. And is why these days I generally have two books on the go so that when I get annoyed, I switch to calm myself. Makes me able to make time for reading easier and not get discouraged by any particular book. :)

Grace wrote: "Jenna wrote: "Yeah, I didn't hear good things about The 5th Wave from other people either."

I'm working on getting my thoughts together for a review of it soonish on it. There's a lot to complain ..."

Yeah, I like reading two books at once as well and if possible, one in print and one on my computer.

Dan wrote: "Oh, is it as good as they say it is? I've started on The Thousand Names now but I'm considering reading both of them sorta at the same time, should I?"

I think you should. I am about halfway through and loving it. I am also doing the audiobook with Will Wheaton, which is awesome. I think it reads pretty fast in any case.

I'm reading elantris and finishing Memories of Ice. How was healthy dead Scott? I think I remember reading that that one is a weird one that's not really a story in the usual sense.

Eric wrote: "I'm reading elantris and finishing Memories of Ice. How was healthy dead Scott? I think I remember reading that that one is a weird one that's not really a story in the usual sense."

I'll read healthy dead sometime between HOC and Midnight Tides.

Oh OK yea that one is after on the reading order. And i was wondering. How do you go about reading so many different books? Do you rotate them like a hundred pages each? Or do you just read whichever one you are interested in at the moment.

Eric wrote: "Oh OK yea that one is after on the reading order. And i was wondering. How do you go about reading so many different books? Do you rotate them like a hundred pages each? Or do you just read whichev..."

When I'm reading Malazan I need something easier to go with it. I only read Malazan when I'm focused. Beyond Redemption is actually a lot more thought provoking than I thought going in so that's been tough to balance the two. A lot of times my second book is a YA read with my 11 year old. My third book is audio which is when I'm commuting or walking the dog. So I'm really only reading two and listening to one at a given time.

I'm reading Veil of the Deserters at the moment. Book #2 of Bloodsounder's Arc. It really has the feel of a middle of trilogy book, where it seems like not much has happen by midway through the book. It's taking me a while to read as there hasn't been much reading time lately.

Angela wrote: "I'm reading Veil of the Deserters at the moment. Book #2 of Bloodsounder's Arc. It really has the feel of a middle of trilogy book, where it seems like not much has happen by midway..."

I really want to continue this series too.

I'm reading The Blade Itself. Honestly, I don't know how I haven't read it yet, but it is way overdue.

Scott wrote: "Eric wrote: "Oh OK yea that one is after on the reading order. And i was wondering. How do you go about reading so many different books? Do you rotate them like a hundred pages each? Or do you just..."

I like your reading balancing act. I have a similar one. I usually have between 3 and 4 books on the go. A big epic fantasy or more 'dense' volume, a middle weight, a lighter weight, plus an audio (or sometimes the epic is on audio). The lightest read is for the hour or so before bed. :)

Jenna wrote: "I'm reading The Blade Itself. Honestly, I don't know how I haven't read it yet, but it is way overdue."

This is a great book and series.

Emma wrote: "Jenna wrote: "I'm reading The Blade Itself. Honestly, I don't know how I haven't read it yet, but it is way overdue."

This is a great book and series."

I've heard a lot of great things about it so I'm pretty excited.

Jenna wrote: "I'm reading The Blade Itself. Honestly, I don't know how I haven't read it yet, but it is way overdue."

One of my favorite series.

Emma wrote: "I like your reading balancing act. I have a similar one. I usually have between 3 and 4 books on the go. A big epic fantasy or more 'dense' volume, a middle weight, a lighter weight, plus an audio (or sometimes the epic is on audio). The lightest read is for the hour or so before bed. :) "

Very similar.

Finished Veil of the Deserters by Jeff Salyards. I really enjoyed it. It did take a while to get going, but by the end I was very satisfied with how it turned out. I plan to read the last book by the end of the year.

Next up I'm reading Saint's Blood by Sebastien de Castell. The Greatcoats series is one of my favourite finds thanks to another group I'm in. Real swashbuckling fantasy reading.

I started reading Malice and it is really good. Currently I am about 60% in and it takes a lot of will to put the book down. If life was not in the way (!!!!), I would have not stopped reading since I started it. I truly hope to finish the book in a couple of days and then move to the following books of the series!

There is also another couple of books I am trying to read (trying because I keep being side tracked by other books!) which are The Liar's Key and The Blinding Knife; this last one in particular is so good that I want to pace myself to truly get the most out of it but I will tackle it right after I finish Malice.

Aristea wrote: "I started reading Malice and it is really good. Currently I am about 60% in and it takes a lot of will to put the book down. If life was not in the way (!!!!), I would have not stop..."

For one second I thought you were talking about The Malice, the second book of the trilogy that started with the most interesting book I've read this year, The Vagrant. If any of you guys are in need of reading something quite different from the usual in a fantasy setting, I highly recommend that you try this one. You can read my review of it for more non-spoilery details.

Suffice to say the best characters in this book are a few-months-old baby and a goat. A simple, non-magical goat. And it's awesome.

You've sold the book to me Dan. I had to add it to my TBR.

Angela wrote: "You've sold the book to me Dan. I had to add it to my TBR."

I did too :)

It was the goat right? I need to read about a non-magical goat.

Angela wrote: "It was the goat right? I need to read about a non-magical goat."

It was definitely the goat.

You girls have made the right choice - The goat shall not disappoint you.

I added the book as well to the "to-read" list!

A Darker Shade of Magic
House of Chains
The Healthy Dead
The Shadow Throne
The Price of Valour

In addition to what I planned above:

I finished up on audio from June

Tower Lord

Plus read or will finish before the end of the month.

Beyond Redemption
Winter Sky
New Spring
Crown of Midnight

Aristea wrote: "I added the book as well to the "to-read" list!"

The cult of the goat welcomes thee.

Scott wrote: "A Darker Shade of Magic
House of Chains
The Healthy Dead
The Shadow Throne
The Price of Valour

In addition to what I plann..."

Wow, you don't mess around, do you? I'm quite envious of your reading output.

Incidentally, I have a question about one of those books: Is Throne of Glass actually any good? I mean, I've been turned off by the YA genre for a while already, specially the one that tends to focus more on girls, such as this one, as I feel like the writing in them tends to be overly simplistic and full of plot-holes and cliches.
What usually happens with me reading them is that I tend to give up on them half-way through a book after one too many stupid plot conveniences that just felt shoved down our throats to make the story work, you know?
Don't even get me start on the romances in these books - they tend to feel specially stupid, like fan-service to keep girls engaged.

This one earns a lot of praise around here though so, well, do you mind giving me your honest opinion of it? I know you read it cause of your daughter, I saw your review, but would you recommend it to someone like me?

Dan wrote: "Is Throne of Glass actually any good? ."

Yes but probably not for everyone. If you don't mind some teenage angst and romance the magic is good and the plot although mostly simplistic does have some good surprises. It is well written.

Of the members here:

5* - 4 people
4* - Me
1* - 1

My daughter is through book three and it's funny because book two took her forever and then she was begging for book three which she read in a few days. So I finally got around to book two and I almost quit after 70-80 pages. The plot was going nowhere and I was bored. Then it really picked up and I have high expectations for the last 75-ish pages I have left. Talking to her she completely agreed and said the ending was a complete shocker and then book three blew the first two out of the water.

So we'll see.

OOOPS, my stats were for book two. Book one is similar but a three thrown in by Jenna and one of the people who gave book 2 a 5*only gave book 1 a 4*.

Dan wrote: "Scott wrote: "A Darker Shade of Magic
House of Chains
The Healthy Dead
The Shadow Throne
The Price of Valour

In addition t..."

Hi Dan! I recently read Throne of Glass and I have to say that it is not bad but it is not a masterpiece either.

The world and the story has potential but the characters are a bit flat (not to mention a love triangle and I cannot tell you how bored I am of obvious love triangles); I really liked some side characters though and I thought the villains were quite decent.
In my opinion, it is a good book for a read in between high/epic fantasy books I would say.

What I am enjoying in the YA fantasy world is the The Demon King and the Seven Realms series. It is nice, I am liking it more than Throne of Glass at this moment in time!

7 Realms is on my to read list.

Throne of Glass was quite similar to about every other YA out there right now. It was enjoyable when I read it because it was so easy to read, but I had a couple major problems. The first being the main character who was seemingly perfect at everything because she's a "strong female character." The other was the love triangle because...well, that one explains itself.

The Golden Compass
The Subtle Knife
The Amber Spyglass

Pullman's dark materials is the best YA I've read. I do think of it more as an alternative to dogmatic religions so I probably like it more than most.

I read The Golden Compass a long time ago and liked it. Meant to read the other two as well but couldn't get into The Subtle Knife at all (don't recall why) so left it hanging there.
Would you say it's worth it to give it another try?

Dani wrote: "Would you say it's worth it to give it another try? "

I loved them so I'd say yes but I also read them back in the 90's when they came out so my perspective now might be different. As I said I liked a lot of the alternatives to religion which may not speak to others. From a pure fantasy story it was so long ago it's hard to gauge vs something I've read more recently. But especially the 3rd book there were some parts that I found to be spiritually enticing in the universe perspective.