Kevin's Watch

I've enjoyed this book, but not as a complete story (of course). I'm looking forward to the next one. Have to find something good to read when I get done with this one.

Here are some reccomendations for you from me:

1. Robin Hobb's Assasin series (Farseer trilogy) - a WONDERFUL trilogy that also has a second trilogy, and an interim (LiveShip Traders that occurs on the same world. I cannot reccomend these enough.

2. LE Modesitt's Chaos and Order series. I forget the first book's name, but it is a long (13 volumes now I think) series, and is very unique in the magic system ans well as the narrative; some are from the good perspective, some from the bad, which is done so that you both sympathize with them as well as read the same story from another perspective. awesome.

3. The Eyes if Light and Darkness by Ivan Cat - this might be hard to find, but it was for me a great book which I have read many times.

Thanks! I will check at least one of these out.

iquestor wrote:Here are some reccomendations for you from me:

1. Robin Hobb's Assasin series (Farseer trilogy) - a WONDERFUL trilogy that also has a second trilogy, and an interim (LiveShip Traders that occurs on the same world. I cannot reccomend these enough.

.

What's the jist of it?

The Assasin series is about a boy, the illegitimate son of a prince of the farseer line who rule the Six Duchies; He is dropped off at the castle gates, a note saying they were too poor to care or feed the child; The child is taken into the care of the stable master, a rough but kind man who was also the squire of the prince that fathered the boy. There are many characters that interact iwth the child, who eventually becomes an apprentice ot the King's assasin, partly to protect him form elements who fear he may one day try to claim the throne. Many seek to use or destroy the child as he grows.

The magic system comprises of the Wit, an ability to mentally commune and bond with animals (a skill that is shunned and hidden and never openly displayed or admitted to;), and the Skill, the ability to see and interact at a great distance with others (among other things), who are not aware of the intrusion.

I cannot say more without doing major spoiling, but I promise you the characterization, the prose, the story is incredible and it is the kind of book you would want to forget so you could read it for the first time agaim..

I hate to say it, but I found that Assassin's series to be thoroughly unrewarding. It's like all the things I hated about the first two Gap books without all of the nice touches that redeemed the series in the last three.

If you haven't read anything by Gene Wolfe, now would be a good time to grab something by him.

Well since we are recommending books;

All the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher - Not very deep but fun reading

I also thoroughly enjoyed Odd Thomas by Dean Koontz (who I don't usually read or enjoy)

Callback wrote:

I hate to say it, but I found that Assassin's series to be thoroughly unrewarding. It's like all the things I hated about the first two Gap books without all of the nice touches that redeemed the series in the last three.

wow. that is the first negative comment I have heard on that series, but then again, I couldnt even read the Gap books, and have been mediocre on some others people rave about. I guess we all have different tastes and likes.

I'm a bit jaded on book recommendations right now. I've tried two different series based on members' recommendations, and been disappointed both times. I guess even within this site we're going to find a wide variety of tastes. We even like Donaldson for different reasons.

I think the Gap series is just about the best fiction I've ever read. I've never read anything with characters this real, this vivid. Every sentence just bleeds significance and emotion. I have no idea how SRD sustained such a high level of tension for 5 books. I've never seen such an intricate plot--which is intricate based on the needs of the characters, not merely complex for the sake of complexity.

I'd love to read something good, something new. But it's going to take more than just a unique magic system to interest me in a series.

Malik, would you share the books you tried to read?

Yes, I agree we all have different tastes. Have you tried Amazon's site where you can read the first few pages of a book to decide if you like it first?

Malik23 wrote:
I think the Gap series is just about the best fiction I've ever read. I've never read anything with characters this real, this vivid. Every sentence just bleeds significance and emotion. I have no idea how SRD sustained such a high level of tension for 5 books. I've never seen such an intricate plot--which is intricate based on the needs of the characters, not merely complex for the sake of complexity.

The space battle where

Spoiler

Nick Finally meets a well-deserved end

is some of the best crafted fiction I have ever read!

iQuestor wrote:Malik, would you share the books you tried to read?

Yes, I agree we all have different tastes. Have you tried Amazon's site where you can read the first few pages of a book to decide if you like it first?

Ah, I think the people who recommended them have heard me complain enough. I won't add to their pain.

To be fair, I found things to like about both of them, and I liked the first one much better than the second (just in case you're reading, Danlo ).

I'm very critical of things I read. Like Donaldson, I find it impossible to just read a book without analysing it in terms of the craft of writing. I think about each sentence, and whether or not it is contributing to the whole, or if it could have been left out, written better, etc. I've even been known to be hard on Mr. Donaldson's writings--his use of simile in the 1st chrons, for instance. This is one of the reasons I liked Gap so much; every sentence was indeed "aimed like a laser at the climax," as SRD has described it. And it's one of the reasons I'm so excited about the LC. His mastery of the craft has deepened.

Malik,

If I could force the entire world to read one book it would be "Gates of Fire" by Steven Pressfield. It's a single volume historical fiction about the epic Spartan battle at Thermopylae. Nothing has moved me more, before or since. Try it. It's a quick read. If you don't like it I'll personally send you the cost of the book. Seriously.

If you are looking for Fantasy try "The Prince of Nothing" Series by Bakker. Excellent adult fantasy. Best Fantasy I've read since Song of Ice and Fire.

Brinn, that's an amazing endorsement. I'll have to look into them. Since SoIaF is the best new fantasy I've read, that is indeed high praise.

Go for "Gates" first as it's a quick read and is only one volume. Let me know what you think...and if need be, send me your address in case I have to back up my guarantee!

I'd never hold you to that promise. The day I start demanding my money back for books is the day I piss Karma off so bad that I'll NEVER see my novel published. Besides, there's always the library.

The Hyperion series by Dan Simmons is pretty good, although I've only read the first two. If you like vampire stories I recommend Carrion Comfort by the same author.

[Moved to GenSciFi]

A Song of Ice and Fire is usually a win-win situation (unless Martin botches book 5).

The Earthsea Cycle also kicks A.

David Zindell's Neverness series.

Le Guin's Earthsea series.

Dune. Even if you never go on to the other books, that, the first in the series, is among the most extraordinary things I've ever read.

And, as Brinn says: kevinswatch.ihugny.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1922