Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

Buddy Read starts 5th February.

That was fast. Thanks, Angela!

I'm just hanging around ;-).

I own a copy of this book. I'll try to join in, although I'm getting nervous about how many books I'm committing to reading months in advance...

You're not alone in that, Andrew. I think that's a concern voiced by almost everyone in this group at one time or another. I'm a visual person so I had to start putting my BR on monthly calendar so I could see at a glance how much "space" i had in between each BR. I can comfortably do 2-3 BRs a month and still have a good amount of time to get some non-BR books read.

I hope you'll be able to join us.

Hope you enjoy this one - it's one my favourite series right now.

I'll hop on on this - I've the first three books sitting on my shelf so may as well get started with them!

Is there a plan to continue the series, or are we just reading the first book together? I believe the series finale is set to be released sometime around December/January timeframe.

I wouldn't mind continuing the series.

Going to try and join this one.

I'd like to continue with the series too.

I'll be continuing assuming the first one's decent.

Going to try and join as well.

I'm earmarking this as a maybe. Been wanting to get to it and had to skip all 1000 times it's come around on GR as a group read.

Didn't think I had this, but it's just turned up in a box when I was looking for another book (isn't it great when that happens?), so I'd like to join, time permitting!

Definitely will have to read this after everyone's been gushing about it.

Gonna try to fit this one into my schedule.

Was planning to, but then The Tower Lord landed on top of it...

I'm pushing this one back to April. If anyone else has overbooked and wants to wait and read it with me, feel free. :D I had too much planned for February.

C.P. wrote: "I'm pushing this one back to April. If anyone else has overbooked and wants to wait and read it with me, feel free. :D I had too much planned for February."

Ha ha! I know that feeling, C.P.!

I think most people here know the feeling.

Is anyone starting this now?

Made a start on this and I'm afraid my first impressions aren't good; the author seems to be doing a lot of telling rather than showing (to the point of writing 'the first soldier's name was...') which is one of my pet hates. It always strikes me as incredibly lazy writing.

I’ll forgive a lot in a first book. Let’s see how bothered I am going to be by what you mentioned. I’m just finishing Iron Gold and then will start this.

I started yesterday, about 25% in on the audiobook. I'm feeling a little incredulous at Winter's storyline so far.

I was planning to push this one back, but depending on my other reading I may get to it this month.

Finishing up a book first and will start this in the next day or two

I'm through chapter 17, about 56% through. (view spoiler)[It sure is convenient that Feor has some magic that can save Bobby from a gunshot wound to the abdomen...and that it will ONLY work on a female. (hide spoiler)]

12 chapters in and I'm enjoying it more now that the battles have started.

Yes, the battles are cool. I know battles aren't everyone's cup of tea but I like them. :-)

Up to chapter 11 and have enjoyed the book so far. I liked how the POVs are in several different ranks within the military and the battles scenes have definately ramped up the pacing.

Ctgt wrote: "Up to chapter 11 and have enjoyed the book so far. I liked how the POVs are in several different ranks within the military and the battles scenes have definately ramped up the pacing."

As obvious as that is, I hadn't really considered it. You're right, it is pretty cool to see how things affect soldiers of varying ranks.

I'm reading chapter 28, so almost finished. Things definitely got more complicated but in interesting ways. It strikes me that the author has readers rooting for a group of characters who are essentially the invaders to another country, one that I objectively can't see they have any real business being in.

I've read the prologue and really enjoyed it. I haven't yet dived into chapter 1, I hope to dedicate a few of my weekend hours to this one.

Take your time, Olivia. I look forward to seeing what you think of it.

Veronica wrote: "I'm through chapter 17, about 56% through. [spoilers removed]"

Yeah that whole sequence was kind of odd. (view spoiler)[ first the revelation about Bobby and then the limitations of Foer's power. I'm assuming(hoping)we'll get an explanation of that later as we learn more about Foer. (hide spoiler)]

I finished last night. Some thoughts....

(view spoiler)[I've now read quite a bit of books in this genre and I'm a lot more wary now of magical M&Ms used to halt certain death, reverse death, render speedy healing and other things that render a character practically impervious to any sort of physical harm. There's no real tension if there are no real consequences IMO. First Bobbie and now it seems that Winter has the biggest, baddest nath (or however it's spelled) in her and she'll now also be near indestructible.

I knew I never fully trusted Jennifer. She sure played Marcus. I really hope he was holding vigil at her bedside in the end because he wanted to be there when she woke up in order to grill her about her comment about him not knowing everything about his family's death...and not because he still feels anything for her. Toss her overboard, I say! (hide spoiler)]

Anyway, I'm curious enough to read the next book. (view spoiler)[ I'd like to see the Vordanai Empire homeland. (hide spoiler)]

Veronica wrote: "I finished last night. Some thoughts...."

(view spoiler)[ Good point about the magic stepping in to save the day. It's not quite to the level of comic books but there does seem to be reliance on Deus Ex Machina. I will say that Winter ending up with the power surprised me, I assumed that Bobby would be the one who stepped in with her new connection to the naath.

I never trusted Jen either, (way too predictable)not sure why he fell for it......although stuck in the desert for years may have had something to do with it.

A friend of mine has been pushing me to read this series for a while and he says that the next book is more political then this one so it sounds like what you are looking for:) (hide spoiler)]

I like stories with complicated politics but I'll miss the battles. :-)

I'll have to push it back, though April is about as booked as Feb.

I'm stuck on Tower Lord and mired in a reading slump, so yeah....

I’m about 20% and so far it’s quite slow. The prologue was the most intriguing part... waiting for the battles to start.

Chris wrote: "I'll have to push it back, though April is about as booked as Feb.

I'm stuck on Tower Lord and mired in a reading slump, so yeah...."

I hope you're out of your reading slump soon, Chris.

Olivia wrote: "I’m about 20% and so far it’s quite slow. The prologue was the most intriguing part... waiting for the battles to start."

It should be soon, I think.

Thanks, Veronica. I might do some audiobooks in the meantime, which should help.

Chris wrote: "Thanks, Veronica. I might do some audiobooks in the meantime, which should help."

Good luck! I hate reading slumps. It's why I've found that I have to switch up my genres every few books. If I read too many books in a row from the same genre I find that I start to get more critical of that genre's tropes so maintaining a variety works for me. :-)

I was actually thinking of trying a Western or Thriller, and bought Gangster last night :)

Chris wrote: "I was actually thinking of trying a Western or Thriller, and bought Gangster last night :)"

Western is one literary genre I have never tried. :-)

Ooh, Gangster is by the same author who wrote Sleepers. I never read the book but I saw the movie. It stuck with me for a long time after watching it.

Olivia wrote: "I’m about 20% and so far it’s quite slow. The prologue was the most intriguing part... waiting for the battles to start."

I'm about the same place. It's kinda slow. I'm really interested in seeing how winter does being in charge.

I finally have this and will start today or tomorrow.

Look forward to your thoughts, CP!

Finally started this. Only read the prologue so far, but it seems promising.