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IRL (In Real Life) => Books & Reading => Topic started by: undercovergeek on August 09, 2012, 03:21:03 AM

Title: Bummer, finally caught up on my reading...........
Post by: undercovergeek on August 09, 2012, 03:21:03 AM
I personally dont know how those people that got in on the ground floor have managed to wait so patiently for the GRR Martin books to come round year after year. I happened upon the series when then the list looks like it does now and then bought them all, now i, like the rest must play the waiting game for the last ones.................... sigh

Is there anything akin to this series that might see me through the next 5 years whist George does his best?

I really enjoyed the Brandon Sanderson Mistborn trilogy and ive nearly finished that too, my only hope is the long stretch of WH40k books ahead of me
Title: Re: Bummer, finally caught up on my reading...........
Post by: bayonetbrant on August 09, 2012, 05:52:31 AM
Katherine Kurtz's Deryni series?

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=a9_sc_1?rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aderyni&keywords=deryni&ie=UTF8&qid=1344509515
Title: Re: Bummer, finally caught up on my reading...........
Post by: Greybriar on August 09, 2012, 05:29:42 PM
I believe I read the entire Wheel of Time series while waiting for an upcoming George R.R. Martin book to come out. Someone shared that every time a new book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series was released, he read all the previous novels of the series again in order to refresh his memory. This is a rather harsh thing to say, but I'm beginning to think that younger readers might be better off waiting for Martin to die so they won't have to wait years for his next book.
Title: Re: Bummer, finally caught up on my reading...........
Post by: TheCommandTent on August 09, 2012, 09:00:35 PM
Quote from: Greybriar on August 09, 2012, 05:29:42 PM
This is a rather harsh thing to say, but I'm beginning to think that younger readers might be better off waiting for Martin to die so they won't have to wait years for his next book.

I didn't think of it quite like that but thats basically my plan.  ::)
Title: Re: Bummer, finally caught up on my reading...........
Post by: bayonetbrant on August 09, 2012, 09:28:17 PM
I'm just watching it all on HBO.  It's not 100% canon, but I'm not losing 27 years of my life to reading them either, and the TV show is perfectly entertaining.
Title: Re: Bummer, finally caught up on my reading...........
Post by: undercovergeek on August 10, 2012, 03:58:32 AM
Quote from: bayonetbrant on August 09, 2012, 05:52:31 AM
Katherine Kurtz's Deryni series?

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=a9_sc_1?rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aderyni&keywords=deryni&ie=UTF8&qid=1344509515

ill have a look, thanks brant - the wheel ones look interesting too
Title: Re: Bummer, finally caught up on my reading...........
Post by: TheCommandTent on August 10, 2012, 07:13:55 AM
Quote from: undercovergeek on August 10, 2012, 03:58:32 AM
Quote from: bayonetbrant on August 09, 2012, 05:52:31 AM
Katherine Kurtz's Deryni series?

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=a9_sc_1?rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aderyni&keywords=deryni&ie=UTF8&qid=1344509515

ill have a look, thanks brant - the wheel ones look interesting too

I am only two books in to the Wheel of Times series and about to start the third.  I was warned so I thought I would pass it on to you.  You have to get through the first book as it drags on quite slowly but the second book pays off.
Title: Re: Bummer, finally caught up on my reading...........
Post by: bob48 on August 10, 2012, 11:15:34 AM
Check out the books by R.Scott. Bakker - 'The Prince of Nothing' series. Very meaty, epic stuff.
Title: Re: Bummer, finally caught up on my reading...........
Post by: Toonces on August 10, 2012, 12:20:11 PM
I started a three-book trilogy called Shadowmarch by Tad Williams (actually, it looks like it's 4 books, not 3).  I almost finished the first book before I had to take it back to the library, but I liked what I read.  It is similar to Game of Thrones but with a little bit more of a fantasy bent.  Not a lot, but a bit more- one of the main characters is a halfling and there are some monsters that are similar to the others in GoT.

I'm considering starting the series again.  It was good and there's really no good reason why I stopped reading it.  Just distracted by some other book I guess.
Title: Re: Bummer, finally caught up on my reading...........
Post by: Martok on August 12, 2012, 08:11:22 AM
Quote from: undercovergeek on August 09, 2012, 03:21:03 AM

Is there anything akin to this series that might see me through the next 5 years whist George does his best?

I really enjoyed the Brandon Sanderson Mistborn trilogy and ive nearly finished that too,
I recommend the Wheel of Time series, but with a note of caution:  Some of the books drag a bit. 

Specifically, the 1st book (Eye of the World), plus books 7-10 (Crown of Swords, Path of Daggers, Winter's Heart, and Crossroads of Twilight).  They're still worth reading IMHO, and they do still advance the story, but I won't deny the pacing in those five books leaves something to be desired when compared to the rest of the series. 


Incidentally, I too enjoyed Sanderson's Mistborn trilogy -- enough so that I'm now very excited to read the last three Wheel of Time novels (once he completes the final one)! 




Quote from: bayonetbrant on August 09, 2012, 09:28:17 PM
I'm just watching it all on HBO.  It's not 100% canon, but I'm not losing 27 years of my life to reading them either, and the TV show is perfectly entertaining.
I find the TV series to actually be somewhat entertaining as well...which only leads me to believe that Martin himself has no hand in writing the episodes.  :P 





Quote from: TheCommandTent on August 10, 2012, 07:13:55 AM
I am only two books in to the Wheel of Times series and about to start the third.  I was warned so I thought I would pass it on to you.  You have to get through the first book as it drags on quite slowly but the second book pays off.
Glad you're enjoying them now!  I'd hate to have unwittingly led you astray.  :) 


Title: Re: Bummer, finally caught up on my reading...........
Post by: TheCommandTent on August 12, 2012, 08:46:15 AM
Quote from: Martok on August 12, 2012, 08:11:22 AM

Quote from: TheCommandTent on August 10, 2012, 07:13:55 AM
I am only two books in to the Wheel of Times series and about to start the third.  I was warned so I thought I would pass it on to you.  You have to get through the first book as it drags on quite slowly but the second book pays off.
Glad you're enjoying them now!  I'd hate to have unwittingly led you astray.  :)

I appreciate you telling me to stick with the series.  I really enjoyed the 2nd book and am looking forward to the 3rd ... as soon as I find time to read it that is.  :D
Title: Re: Bummer, finally caught up on my reading...........
Post by: undercovergeek on August 12, 2012, 09:23:15 AM
thanks for all advice - i think ill give the wheel of time ones a bash

has anyone read 'pillars of the earth' by the way - it keeps coming up on amazon with the 'customers also bought' section
Title: Re: Bummer, finally caught up on my reading...........
Post by: Martok on August 12, 2012, 03:12:06 PM
Quote from: undercovergeek on August 12, 2012, 09:23:15 AM
has anyone read 'pillars of the earth' by the way - it keeps coming up on amazon with the 'customers also bought' section
I read it after my aunt recommended it to me, and have since heard other people praise it a fair bit. 

I wasn't blown away, but it's a decent enough read.  If you're at all interested in 12th-century England, odds are good you'd enjoy it. 


Title: Re: Bummer, finally caught up on my reading...........
Post by: MetalDog on August 12, 2012, 03:18:53 PM
I read Pillars Of The Earth.  I enjoyed it.  It's straight historical fiction, no fantasy elements.

I would strongly try to dissuade you from Wheel Of Time.  When it's said that pacing is an issue, that's an understatement.  Times a million.  Followed by infinity.  You'd be better off waiting for the monkeys to finish typing Shakespeare before you attempted any of those books.

On the other hand, the R. Scott Bakker books I can't recommend highly enough.

And pray that Martin finishes the series in something less than an epoch.
Title: Re: Bummer, finally caught up on my reading...........
Post by: bob48 on August 13, 2012, 01:14:44 PM
^+10 on the R.Scott. Bakker books.
Title: Re: Bummer, finally caught up on my reading...........
Post by: bayonetbrant on August 13, 2012, 01:44:00 PM
FWIW, the original Swords trilogy by Fred Saberhagen isn't a bad read either.  Fantasy, not historical, but quite entertaining.
Title: Re: Bummer, finally caught up on my reading...........
Post by: bob48 on August 13, 2012, 02:05:51 PM
His 'Berserker' series is good as well.
Title: Re: Bummer, finally caught up on my reading...........
Post by: Staggerwing on August 13, 2012, 06:37:51 PM
^
True! And several other writers have written stories in the Bersekerverse as well. Also, many of the Keith Laumer 'Bolo' stories are great reads as well.
Title: Re: Bummer, finally caught up on my reading...........
Post by: TheCommandTent on August 13, 2012, 09:24:03 PM
You guys are killing me with all these book recommendations.  How in the world am I suppose to read all of this.  :)  My list of books to read keeps growing exponentially.
Title: Re: Bummer, finally caught up on my reading...........
Post by: Staggerwing on August 13, 2012, 09:35:52 PM
Quote from: TheCommandTent on August 13, 2012, 09:24:03 PM
You guys are killing me with all these book recommendations.  How in the world am I suppose to read all of this.  :)  My list of books to read keeps growing exponentially.

It helps when you started back in the seventies and eighties... ;) Of course, the corollary to that is I've probably forgotten enough of the scifi I've read that it'd all seem new again if I read it now...
Title: Re: Bummer, finally caught up on my reading...........
Post by: TheCommandTent on August 14, 2012, 08:51:27 AM
It does help that most of you have a big head start on me.  It wasn't until after graduating college that I really began to appreciate reading.  It also doesn't help that I am such a slow reader.
Title: Re: Bummer, finally caught up on my reading...........
Post by: Shelldrake on August 14, 2012, 12:14:10 PM
Quote from: TheCommandTent on August 13, 2012, 09:24:03 PM
You guys are killing me with all these book recommendations.  How in the world am I suppose to read all of this.  :)  My list of books to read keeps growing exponentially.

Kind of like my list of games that I have to play!  ;D
Title: Re: Bummer, finally caught up on my reading...........
Post by: bob48 on August 14, 2012, 01:16:09 PM
Quote from: Staggerwing on August 13, 2012, 09:35:52 PM
Quote from: TheCommandTent on August 13, 2012, 09:24:03 PM
You guys are killing me with all these book recommendations.  How in the world am I suppose to read all of this.  :)  My list of books to read keeps growing exponentially.

It helps when you started back in the seventies and eighties... ;) Of course, the corollary to that is I've probably forgotten enough of the scifi I've read that it'd all seem new again if I read it now...

True dat...although some of the real classics, such as Dune and Foundation Trilogy, I have read several times over the years and still enjoy them.

One series both I and Mrs bob are hooked on is the Foriegner series by C.J.Cherryh, and you can't go wrong with Iain.M.Banks' Culture books :-)