Fantasy Book Club Series discussion

How did you feel about the way these books were written and constructed, by the finish of Arc III. Did the structure make sense to you? Did the read get easier with familiarity?

Well, yes. A rhythm develops as one is gradually immersed in the story. I suppose it's like a new language -- the more one listens and speaks, the easier it gets until a veil is torn away and all is clear.

By the time I got to Stormed Fortress, I was very comfortable with the style. Then I started reading other books again and was amazed how hard it was to transition back into the simpler style of most books.

I had a similar experience to Amelia's. I'm dreading picking up another book because it won't be Janny. :(

Familiarity definitely helped - I was a little lost in the first few books and gradually started to "get it" more easily as I read more. The changing rhythm as the arcs interweave also helps to keep a reader engaged - it's a bit like peristalsis, always pushing one in the appropriate direction, but with varying intensity =) If it were all as intense as the end of arc III, it would be too much!

I loved the language and the fact that I had to pick up a dictionary more than once - so few writers challenge a reader to learn more about their language. Definitely a strong counter-example to Strunk & White's advice in favor of using simple Anglo-Saxon words rather than complex Latin or Greek derived language - this story could not have unfolded as it has using only simple words!