Gooberlx2
Lifer
- May 4, 2001
- 15,381
- 6
- 91
Just watched the first season on streaming Netflix, and the wife and I liked it. Certainly not as good as Firefly, but still enjoyable. It got better as it went on, though the finale was way rushed. The whole jumping to the future thing could have been an entire season itself.
Starts back up in November IIRC.
Starts back up in November IIRC.
I guess I can see how someone could like this show... if they knew nothing of the books/story etc.. maybe..
Originally posted by: jonks
Book for book, GRRM writes the best stuff out there, but it takes him 5-6 years to get one out
Erikson is my current favorite. I'm spreading out my reading so I finish book 9 shortly before book 10 comes out. The malazan series has redefined what I thought was possible in fantasy.
Goodkind started off strong. Books 1-4 or so were good, self-contained adult leaning fantasy novels. A little deus ex machina at the end of each, but forgivable. Then Goodkind ripped off his mask to reveal he was really Ayn Rand and the series went down the tubes. The characters became completely different people with different personalities. The final trilogy wrapping up the series was meh, and the final book was bleh. He either needs to learn to separate his politics/philosophy from his books or at least keep it subtle as he somehow did in the first handful of books in the series.
I'll dvr saturday's 2 hr premiere, I'm willing to give it a shot. I don't expect much.
If you like Erickson you can also read Glen Cook's Black Company novels while waiting for more quality writing from Erickson & Martin. This TV series looks terrible and while SoT started out well, Confessor has been sitting on my shelf for 3 months and I haven't even opened it.
Addendum: Thank God someone else doesn't like Donaldson. Thomas Covenent is nothing but a whining bitch; I empathize more with the vampire huntress / quasi-romance protagonists (whom I can't empathize with at all).
Cogman
Lifer
- Sep 19, 2000
- 10,286
- 145
- 106
books 1-3 where decent. I haven't read the rest of the series (though from reviews, It sounds like from 4 on it goes down the crapper fast).
The first season was pretty bad. Storyline wise it was very much a "Villan of the day" sort of thing with only brief mentions of the main underlying plot line.
I saw the show first, read the books second, and was shocked at how different the two were.
The first season was pretty bad. Storyline wise it was very much a "Villan of the day" sort of thing with only brief mentions of the main underlying plot line.
I saw the show first, read the books second, and was shocked at how different the two were.
jonks
Lifer
- Feb 7, 2005
- 13,918
- 20
- 81
I read the Black Company: Books of the North trilogy, I have the Books of the South on my shelf, and the final 4 are being re-released in 2 omnibus editions this September and January.
I feel like Cook started the ball rolling with his style of storytelling, and then Erikson took the reigns like a bat out of hell.
You know, now that you mention it, I've never read the books of the south, so I'll have to watch for those.
I highly recommend Robin Hobb's Farseer trilogy (as well as the sequels) though I'm not crazy about her Soldier's Son stuff.
I highly recommend Robin Hobb's Farseer trilogy (as well as the sequels) though I'm not crazy about her Soldier's Son stuff.
- Jun 23, 2001
- 27,730
- 8
- 0
While I found the SoT TV series to be disappointing, I'll be watching the second season eps. If you haven't read the books, its a decent show. However, if you've read the books, the show is a major let down. The casting was decent, but the main story line was barely touched and important characters did get the focus they needed, Denna, for example.
The Ayn Rand-isms did indeed get a bit heavy-handed starting at around (I think) book five or so. I made it to Naked Empire, but haven't read it or any of the following novels. Might work my way through the remainder of the series at some point, but haven't had the time lately.
The first three or four books were pretty great, though.
Dorkenstein
Diamond Member
- Jul 23, 2004
- 3,554
- 0
- 0
Made it to the third book and I put up the surrender flag. Met Terry G. once, seemed like either a complete weirdo or an insufferable pompous ass, or a mix.
I basically rank this series a notch above Wheel of Time, which isn't saying much, and a handful of notches above George R.R. Martin's soul crushing novels. Seriously, read his stuff if you fancy dying of heart disease.
I basically rank this series a notch above Wheel of Time, which isn't saying much, and a handful of notches above George R.R. Martin's soul crushing novels. Seriously, read his stuff if you fancy dying of heart disease.
I roughed it through the third and fourth books and after that the series picked back up. The end of the series was awesome.
This show was absolutely terrible, and I usually love b-movie style stuff like Hercules, Zena, and pretty much everything else Raimi does (especially when it involves Bruce Campbell). The stories really don't make any sense and the characters and world are inconsistent. I watched the entire first season and the finale was the probably the worst episode of any show I have ever seen. It was just 45 minutes of shark jumping, but with none of Fonzie's awesomeness. Really, the whole series was just one big shark jump, every episode felt like the filler episodes that longer running series usually have when they start running out of ideas (memory loss/recap episode, stuck in somebody else's body, etc.).
I read the books and really enjoyed the first few, and then they became 700 page Ayn Rand infomercials. I dealt with it up until the Chainfire books, but I couldn't finish three whole books worth of "Oh no! Nobody remembers who Khalan is!" so I gave up on it. It's hard to believe it was the same guy writing the whole thing. Did anybody else notice he seemed to be incapable of finishing a chapter without someone being raped or almost raped? It's a little bit off putting.
I second whoever mentioned Robin Hobb's Farseer Trilogy, it's some really fun and original stuff.
I read the books and really enjoyed the first few, and then they became 700 page Ayn Rand infomercials. I dealt with it up until the Chainfire books, but I couldn't finish three whole books worth of "Oh no! Nobody remembers who Khalan is!" so I gave up on it. It's hard to believe it was the same guy writing the whole thing. Did anybody else notice he seemed to be incapable of finishing a chapter without someone being raped or almost raped? It's a little bit off putting.
I second whoever mentioned Robin Hobb's Farseer Trilogy, it's some really fun and original stuff.
Muadib
Lifer
- May 30, 2000
- 18,124
- 912
- 126
I never heard of this, but I saw this movie just last weekend. Is this series a continuation of the movie, or do they have nothing to do with each other?
dainthomas
Lifer
- Dec 7, 2004
- 14,935
- 3,914
- 136
Originally posted by: zebano
Originally posted by: jonks
Book for book, GRRM writes the best stuff out there, but it takes him 5-6 years to get one out
Erikson is my current favorite. I'm spreading out my reading so I finish book 9 shortly before book 10 comes out. The malazan series has redefined what I thought was possible in fantasy.
Goodkind started off strong. Books 1-4 or so were good, self-contained adult leaning fantasy novels. A little deus ex machina at the end of each, but forgivable. Then Goodkind ripped off his mask to reveal he was really Ayn Rand and the series went down the tubes. The characters became completely different people with different personalities. The final trilogy wrapping up the series was meh, and the final book was bleh. He either needs to learn to separate his politics/philosophy from his books or at least keep it subtle as he somehow did in the first handful of books in the series.
I'll dvr saturday's 2 hr premiere, I'm willing to give it a shot. I don't expect much.
If you like Erickson you can also read Glen Cook's Black Company novels while waiting for more quality writing from Erickson & Martin. This TV series looks terrible and while SoT started out well, Confessor has been sitting on my shelf for 3 months and I haven't even opened it.
Addendum: Thank God someone else doesn't like Donaldson. Thomas Covenent is nothing but a whining bitch; I empathize more with the vampire huntress / quasi-romance protagonists (whom I can't empathize with at all).
I've had Confessor sitting on my shelf for at least six months. As soon as I picked it up I discovered Erikson, and it's been collecting dust ever since. I might read it when I finish book 10 of Malazan if I still care.
And nobody likes Covenant, that's the whole point. But Donaldson is still one of the most skilled writers out there.
This is my biggest problem too. It looks like they've totally ditched the whole premise of him being Lord Rahl. I'll probably keep watching the second season just to see if they manage to get on track somehow.
Originally posted by: dainthomas
Originally posted by: zebano
Originally posted by: jonks
Book for book, GRRM writes the best stuff out there, but it takes him 5-6 years to get one out
Erikson is my current favorite. I'm spreading out my reading so I finish book 9 shortly before book 10 comes out. The malazan series has redefined what I thought was possible in fantasy.
Goodkind started off strong. Books 1-4 or so were good, self-contained adult leaning fantasy novels. A little deus ex machina at the end of each, but forgivable. Then Goodkind ripped off his mask to reveal he was really Ayn Rand and the series went down the tubes. The characters became completely different people with different personalities. The final trilogy wrapping up the series was meh, and the final book was bleh. He either needs to learn to separate his politics/philosophy from his books or at least keep it subtle as he somehow did in the first handful of books in the series.
I'll dvr saturday's 2 hr premiere, I'm willing to give it a shot. I don't expect much.
If you like Erickson you can also read Glen Cook's Black Company novels while waiting for more quality writing from Erickson & Martin. This TV series looks terrible and while SoT started out well, Confessor has been sitting on my shelf for 3 months and I haven't even opened it.
Addendum: Thank God someone else doesn't like Donaldson. Thomas Covenent is nothing but a whining bitch; I empathize more with the vampire huntress / quasi-romance protagonists (whom I can't empathize with at all).
I've had Confessor sitting on my shelf for at least six months. As soon as I picked it up I discovered Erikson, and it's been collecting dust ever since. I might read it when I finish book 10 of Malazan if I still care.
And nobody likes Covenant, that's the whole point. But Donaldson is still one of the most skilled writers out there.
I've got to disagree, I've read 1.5 of the Covenant books, and I simply cannot read any more. What is the nature of his skill? A fictional book must give me some reason to care, if not the protagonist, then the "land" but they are simply two-dimensional caricatures of people who cannot help themselves.
jonks
Lifer
- Feb 7, 2005
- 13,918
- 20
- 81
No relation, it's based off a 5-book YA fantasy series by Susan Cooper: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T...ark_Is_Rising_Sequence
I've read all her novels. She's so hard on her protaganists though. My take on Soldier's Son is don't read it unless you are a Hobb completist. It's ok, but ultimately not very rewarding, and book 2 is one of those "worst day ever" type movies where a main character just keeps getting kicked in the nuts over and over. So hard to slog through and depressing.
I was in sweden last month and saw the first of her new novels in the Elderlings series, in English no less, in a sci-fi bookstore, and was looking forward to picking it up when I got back home. Come to find out the US release date isn't until next year. Damnit.
dainthomas
Lifer
- Dec 7, 2004
- 14,935
- 3,914
- 136
Originally posted by: zebano
Originally posted by: dainthomas
Originally posted by: zebano
Originally posted by: jonks
Book for book, GRRM writes the best stuff out there, but it takes him 5-6 years to get one out
Erikson is my current favorite. I'm spreading out my reading so I finish book 9 shortly before book 10 comes out. The malazan series has redefined what I thought was possible in fantasy.
Goodkind started off strong. Books 1-4 or so were good, self-contained adult leaning fantasy novels. A little deus ex machina at the end of each, but forgivable. Then Goodkind ripped off his mask to reveal he was really Ayn Rand and the series went down the tubes. The characters became completely different people with different personalities. The final trilogy wrapping up the series was meh, and the final book was bleh. He either needs to learn to separate his politics/philosophy from his books or at least keep it subtle as he somehow did in the first handful of books in the series.
I'll dvr saturday's 2 hr premiere, I'm willing to give it a shot. I don't expect much.
If you like Erickson you can also read Glen Cook's Black Company novels while waiting for more quality writing from Erickson & Martin. This TV series looks terrible and while SoT started out well, Confessor has been sitting on my shelf for 3 months and I haven't even opened it.
Addendum: Thank God someone else doesn't like Donaldson. Thomas Covenent is nothing but a whining bitch; I empathize more with the vampire huntress / quasi-romance protagonists (whom I can't empathize with at all).
I've had Confessor sitting on my shelf for at least six months. As soon as I picked it up I discovered Erikson, and it's been collecting dust ever since. I might read it when I finish book 10 of Malazan if I still care.
And nobody likes Covenant, that's the whole point. But Donaldson is still one of the most skilled writers out there.
I've got to disagree, I've read 1.5 of the Covenant books, and I simply cannot read any more. What is the nature of his skill? A fictional book must give me some reason to care, if not the protagonist, then the "land" but they are simply two-dimensional caricatures of people who cannot help themselves.
I'd say his skill lies in his ability to get full use from the english language. Much like CS Lewis the plots and characters are fairly simplistic (almost superfluous), but you're really able to see them and their surroundings through his creative use of language. He kind of flaunts it in the latest books through unnecessary use of "ten dollar words", but the original series was quite good.
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