Kevin's Watch

I have a difficult choice to make, and as it's partially this forum's fault, I thought I'd ask for some help.

What am I going to read next? Thanks to recommendations in here, I have on my bookshelf R. Scott Bakker's "The Darkness That Comes Before" and Robert Jordan's "The Eye of The World". I also have a friend's recommendation, Neil Gaiman's "American Gods".

This wouldn't normally pose a problem and I'd get through all 3 in a few weeks, but at the moment I'm not reading as much, because reading makes me want to smoke and I'm trying to stay off the smokes. At current rate, I have about a week left of Mr Norrell and Jonathan Strange, so you have that long to persuade me!

Anything but Jordan??

Voted for Bakker, because I have that one on my to-read pile as well (also thanks to the Watch) and so... yeah. That's why.

Lemme know how it is!!

I haven't seen The Eye of the World mentioned around here in ages. In any case, it's the weakest of the three, so toss a coin between Bakker and Gaiman; they're both worth reading, and without knowing your personal tastes I won't pick between the two.

TDTCB is on my TBR list...and I have an interest in American Gods.

meh, read one Gaiman, you've read 'em all.

go for the Bakker!

Bakker in a landslide. Right up there with Donaldson and G.R.R. Martin at the top of the pantheon. Gaiman is good, not great. Eye of the World is pablum. Just my $.02.

whass 'pablum' mean??????

OK I may not have seen the Jordan book recommended on here, but I am SURE I've seen the series recommended - and 'eye of the world' is book one (I think?).

Looks like Bakker's well in the lead so far.

Stonemaybe wrote:whass 'pablum' mean??????

OK I may not have seen the Jordan book recommended on here, but I am SURE I've seen the series recommended - and 'eye of the world' is book one (I think?).

Yes, Eye of the World is book one. And it ain't half bad, either. Neither is the second one... it won't be until book 6 or so that you realize the series is horrible and will never end, all the female characters are exactly the same characters (even the one character that you totally loved at first has become just as unrealistc, whiny, petulant and one dimentional as the rest,) and each book begins to crawl at a slower and slower pace until finally you reach a book that is 800 pages long and covers one day. And then it's too late. You're stuck. You've been sucked in. You don't want to stop reading, because you've already invested so much time, but you don't want to continue reading because... well, they're just not good books any more.

The best thing to do? Save yourself while you still can. Don't even bother reading them. Grab some Martin, and you'll be all the happier for it.

Waddley Hasselhoff wrote: Grab some Martin, and you'll be all the happier for it.

What about reading his books, as well?

Hmmm...I never bothered with Jordan and haven't started Bakker yet, although he is on my to read list. I have read American Gods and definitely recommend it.

Neverness and those that follow.
Gates of Fire
The Earthsea books.
The Sparrow and Children of God, by Mary Doria Russell.

My advice would be to go with Gaiman first, then Bakker. I havent read either of them, but shorter books are read more easily and quickly.

As for Jordan... I'm waiting until he finishes the story before deciding whether to start it. Starting an 11+ book series and knowing the end isnt written yet...thats too daunting for me.

My 20 cents (with a platypus on it!)

I voted for Jordan because I'm a contrary and sadistic person.

Everything said about it so far is true...good to start with, Bk 7-10 slow and terrible, Bk 11 much better, but almost too fast.

Like Waddley said...I'm sucked in. No way have I invested all this in this damn series to quit now. But he better hurry up and write the next (supposedly last) book. (If he can...please...)

--A

Waddley wrote:

Grab some Martin, and you'll be all the happier for it.

Just read fire and ice thing up to fifth(?) book just before christmas.

It had it's moments, but I was a wee bit disappointed, to tell you the truth! (possibly cos 'Fevre Dream' is one of my faves from teenage years, and I got FAR too excited when I found out on here that he had a fantasy series.)

It took me only half of the 1st Jordon book to realize he was a hack. No way I'll ever go back to that series.

I definitely recommend Bakker. But that's largely based on one character. I love Kellhus so much that for me, the rest of the book is just a stage to see him work his magic. If you don't like him as much, you might wonder what all the fuss is about. So many recommendations might cause you to have unrealistic expectations.

If Kellhus weren't in this book, it would still be good. Better than Jordon. But it wouldnt' be awe-inspiring. Actually, it would be a lot like the Chronicles without Covenant. Hmmm . . . is that Runes?