Author Topic: I just wanted to thank you for helping - slight spoilers possibly  (Read 6665 times)

The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers

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Re: I just wanted to thank you for helping - slight spoilers possibly
« Reply #30 on: January 18, 2008, 04:12:21 PM »
what about blowing my nose on your shirt sleeve?

Insomnius

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Re: I just wanted to thank you for helping - slight spoilers possibly
« Reply #31 on: January 18, 2008, 04:56:54 PM »
what about blowing my nose on your shirt sleeve?

as enjoyable and as endearing as that sounds, I'm quite certain that I will respectfully decline that most appetizing of offers.

Hero of Ages

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Re: I just wanted to thank you for helping - slight spoilers possibly
« Reply #32 on: February 02, 2008, 08:53:10 AM »
Getting back on track.

I like to read just about anything, but kind myself coming back to the old tried and true.

RA Salvatore:  His novels about a drow ranger named Drizzt really got me hooked (if you don't know the series, shame on you ;D).  His Cleric Quintet series and others are fantastic as well.  Don't forget his other series too.

David Eddings:  All his early stuff is great, I even enjoyed his newest series The Dreamers but not as much.  He has started to recycle characters even more than usual (he's a great author but don't get me started on this topic).

Orson Scott Card:  My Favorite author (sorry Brandon).  He writes fantasy and but mostly sci-fi, even his short stories are awesome (for sure read Maps in a Mirror).  Pick up any of his books and be amazed.  His stories are awesome but his characters are unmatched anywhere.  Try Hart's Hope, Ender's Game (of course) and Enchantment to get a start, then finish off the rest because you will be hooked.

Robert Heinlein:  Sci-fi author extrodinaire.  Starship troopers and Stranger in a Strange Land are where to start, but others are great too.  He tends to be more than a little sexist (sign of the times when they were written) but he still has some great female characters (try Friday on for size).

Ben Bova:  Pure Sci-fi, but our universe and not too distant future.  Good stuff.

Patrick Rothfuss:  I have to add my vote of confidence to this 1st time author, simply couldn't put The Name of the Wind down.

Ted Bell:  He has a great series about a billionaire playboy spy that is great.

Ursula K LeGuin:  The Earthsea Trilogy, need I say more except don't forget about the 3 or 4 new books written about earthsea.

Neil Gaiman:  Neverwhere blew my mind and American Gods did it again.  Stardust was just fun, and Coraline is a great book for older children.

Larry Niven:  The Ringworld series was awesome as was Beowulf's Children (no not that Beowulf) and Destiny's Road.

I also read alot of Dean R Koontz.  He has some great stories and characters and comes out with like 2-3 books a year, so there is always some thing new on tap.

I find it best to look for new authors at the library.  Used bookstores and Goodwill, etc are good places to go too.  You won't (usually) pay a lot for them so you aren't really out much if you pick a real stinker of a book/author.  Plus you can always just redonate or trade/sell the book again.
I must not fear;
Fear is the mind killer;
I will face my fear;
I will let it pass through me;
When the fear is gone, there will be nothing;
Only I will remain.
-Paul Muad'dib Atreides-

Anticipation of death is worse than death itself.
-Me-

Bryant

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Re: I just wanted to thank you for helping - slight spoilers possibly
« Reply #33 on: February 02, 2008, 01:56:37 PM »
1 - Language - the first inconsistency - the world introduced to us  is one where knights refer to each other using the ancient Ser not even Sir. And then they swear in the modern vernacular - f-bombs and other modern swear words in a ancient setting? Utterly ruined the consistency of the world - for me :)
I suppose this comes down to a matter of preference. I don't really mind this at all, and I don't really see why you take issue with it. What's to say that in this world the word "Ser" just stayed in use longer, while the rest of language progressed. Knights, etc, seem very traditional, but there are also very modern aspects to the world. It's also quite apparent in the books that human civilization has existed for tens of thousands of years, so it's not unlikely at all that many things have changed, yet others, while being held more sacred, did not.

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2 - Undead - the second inconsistency - the mother who died and then came back as undead - two complete books and NO MENTION of undead or anything like that and then suddenly, a character comes back from the dead. And interacts with the live characters - in something like Wheel Of Time, the dark lord from the very first book is referred to as the lord of the grave and a number of references to him being able to reach the dead and bring them back allow for the return of a couple of bad guys much later in the series without disturbing the continuity of the world.
Uh, the prologue of book 1 involves undead. The Night's Watch guardsmen are killed by the Others, and they come back from the dead to kill the one companion who had lived until the end of the chapter. Throughout the series, the Jon storyline involves dealing with the Others and their dead, converted minions. Jon saves the Lord Commander one night because he sets the wight on fire. Dany and her unborn child are also involved with necromancy (Albeit gone wrong) very shortly into the story. Beric Dondarrion is referred to as having been killed many times, though I believe Martin intended for the reader to just assume that it was a legend. However, it turned out to be the truth, and Dondarrion gives his life for Catelyn to be ressurected. If you believe that there was no mention of the undead until that point, you really misread quite a bit of the series. I would say it is the only consistently present magic in the entire series

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3 - Religion - the third inconsistency - the system of beliefs presented has no mention of heaven or hell - there is no reference to an afterlife or anything like that - the belief system is based in the current living world - and yet certain characters tell others to, "Go to hell" - perhaps this ties in with the first inconsistency but I isolated this as it refers to a system of religious beliefs that is not part of the world.
There are quite a few various religions in the world. The most common is worship of The Seven, and then there are the Gods of the North, and the gods of the Dothraki, whatever god it is that Stannis Baratheon's witch lady and Thoros of Myr follow, etc. I'm not certain any of them exclude the thought of heaven or hell, but I would find it extremely unlikely that none of them do. I wouldn't say that this is out of the ordinary at all.

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May I suggest Neil Gaiman?
Neil Gaiman is an excellent author. American Gods is one of my favorite novels.
« Last Edit: February 02, 2008, 02:00:15 PM by Bryant »

rtm1981

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Re: I just wanted to thank you for helping - slight spoilers possibly
« Reply #34 on: February 11, 2008, 11:45:49 AM »
I couldn't even get through Shaman's Crosssing. I guess that goes to show the.... everyone likes different books for different reasons.
You couldn't get through it because it sucks :P Read some of the earlier stuff.

I'm stunned that someone didn't like GRRM's work. I'd be hard pressed to find better fantasy. I've read... well a lot, and I have to say that A Song of Ice and Fire is the most wellcrafted epic fantasy ever written.

As to something you would probably like (to original poster): I think Terry Goodkind's "Wizard's First Rule" would be to your liking. Fast paced, very tight, great characters. Books 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 are wonderful in my opinion. The series is called "Sword of Truth".