Hugo & Nebula Awards: Best Novels discussion

This is a tricky one to figure out for those who are not familiar with the series. There's plenty of praise for the original trilogy all over the net, but somehow the award-winning titles are #4 and #6.

Does anybody have any idea as to how we approach this series?

Actually, Before I've checked here on GR, I thought it was a trilogy, which seemed quite complete. Maybe it is like Lord of the Rings and Silmarion?

Well that is exactly the thing, I am not entirely sure how much sense it would make for us to read these books without reading the original trilogy. So far I haven't found any posts stating whether all the books should be read in sequence or not.

Let's see, maybe somebody else knows a thing or two about it.

The first three books are short, and I think the first one is the best. I would read two of them a month. That's how quick they are. Like almost short enough to be novellas.

So 1-2
Then 3-4
Then 5-6

Having said that, I read the original 3 years ago and loved them (though the first was best.) I bought copies and reread them several times. I think I read 4 much later and didn't like it as much, but I really can't remember except I was disappointed that it wasn't as good as the others. IMHO. And you say it is on our list. Hmm . . . interesting.

Disclaimer: I just realized I don't know how long 4-6 are, so maybe this can't work.

re what the 1-3 are about, #1 is the youth, and #2&3 are the adult adventures of a guy named Sparrowhawk. He's kind of a Merlinesque guy.

If I recall correctly, I think #4 is about him, too, but it must be a flashback, occurring before #3. I can't remember it, but I feel sure it is about him.

Art, if you want me to research this more to find out if they are all about him, let me know. Maybe there's a chronology out there and we should read them in that order.

Kateblue wrote: "re what the 1-3 are about, #1 is the youth, and #2&3 are the adult adventures of a guy named Sparrowhawk. He's kind of a Merlinesque guy.

If I recall correctly, I think #4 is about him, too, but ..."

Well you see Kate, that is exactly the thing. I do not know whether we require the background of the original trilogy in order for 4th and 6th volumes make any sense to us.

Are you saying it's advised to read the whole shebang?

Is this the series where the author just past away like last month? If it is, I have a friend I think has read them all and his memory is pretty scary good. I'll ask him about it.

Bryan wrote: "Is this the series where the author just past away like last month? If it is, I have a friend I think has read them all and his memory is pretty scary good. I'll ask him about it."

Yes, sadly she did passed away recently

I just liked the first three books very much. But not being that familiar with 4-6, I can't say . . . sorry, I know I am not helping.

Now, I could read 4 and 6 and probably get away with it :-)

Well, I talked to my friend and he isn't sure either. But he did come up with a pretty good idea.

As a group we could vote to read just the books on the list and with cases like this, we would schedule to read it a few months in advance which would give people who want to read the whole series a chance to do so without it having to be a group thing.

What do you think?

Bryan wrote: "What do you think? ."

I planned to re-read the trilogy for ages, so why not a few more books. I'm in.

Sounds like a plan.

Art and Bryan, why don't you just discuss and schedule 4 and 6, perhaps with a month in between them for book 5. Say for next fall at the soonest? But the first three really are fast. Once you start reading these, I think you won't want to stop.

All of the suggestions sound great, I will just have to see how many pagea we are looking at so that it is easier to plan the time frame for a challenge or a 4-5 month marathon.

Alright, added it to miniseries for now. Apparently the books are extremely short, six volumes make up for mere 1000+ pages which is pretty much the same as one WoT book.

Marking this one as resolved, thanks everyone.

The first one might be considered YA, which is probably why they are all so short. The first three are all that short.