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Post by thedarkman on Feb 22, 2016 21:49:35 GMT -5
Just got my copy of Barbarian Crowns II. Been looking forward to this one for quite a while!
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Post by deuce on Feb 23, 2016 12:58:40 GMT -5
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Post by deuce on Feb 25, 2016 8:33:22 GMT -5
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Post by televiper on Feb 25, 2016 11:12:43 GMT -5
Am finally sitting down to read CL Moore's Jirel stories. So far, so good...
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Post by andys on Feb 29, 2016 16:13:41 GMT -5
Let us know what you think of Seven Princes. Fultz is a Howard/CAS fan, from what I have read. A few early reviewers who like epic fantasy complained Fultz's prose was too old-fashioned and "purple". This is one of the few modern fantasy trilogies I might actually consider reading! Ehhhh, I hate to say it but I'm a little over 200 pages into it and I'm really wondering if I'm going to finish it. It has a great opening (undead sorcerer walks into a kingdom and sacks the capital city with an army of mummies) and then it's okay for a few chapters, and then the plot starts stalling. 200 pages later, I feel like it's still in "set-up mode". Lot of walking and talking. I think the problem is that Fultz split his narrative into three sections, so everything's progressing much more slowly than if he'd stuck with the prince of the ruined city and focused only on his POV. It has its moments - there's a cute homage to The Frost Giant's Daughter. I was just hoping for more a propulsive, pulpy experience and instead it's, I dunno, kind of ordinary. Maybe my standards are unreasonable. As far as the prose, I would argue it's actually not purple enough  I appreciate that he's trying to go with some more colorful language but I'm not sure he has the vocabulary to pull it off. A lot of his similes and metaphors are based on jewelry - blood like rubies, tears like diamonds, eyes like emeralds, etc. Kind of repetitive. The dialogue is also fairly conventional for a modern fantasy novel. |
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Post by thedarkman on Feb 29, 2016 16:58:30 GMT -5
Ehhhh, I hate to say it but I'm a little over 200 pages into it and I'm really wondering if I'm going to finish it. It has a great opening (undead sorcerer walks into a kingdom and sacks the capital city with an army of mummies) and then it's okay for a few chapters, and then the plot starts stalling. 200 pages later, I feel like it's still in "set-up mode". Lot of walking and talking. I think the problem is that Fultz split his narrative into three sections, so everything's progressing much more slowly than if he'd stuck with the prince of the ruined city and focused only on his POV. It has its moments - there's a cute homage to The Frost Giant's Daughter. I was just hoping for more a propulsive, pulpy experience and instead it's, I dunno, kind of ordinary. Maybe my standards are unreasonable. As far as the prose, I would argue it's actually not purple enough I appreciate that he's trying to go with some more colorful language but I'm not sure he has the vocabulary to pull it off. A lot of his similes and metaphors are based on jewelry - blood like rubies, tears like diamonds, eyes like emeralds, etc. Kind of repetitive. The dialogue is also fairly conventional for a modern fantasy novel. Fair enough. I still want to give it a go, I like his style. I read the opening chapter last year, and it moved well, for sure. Just digging into Waters of Darkness right now; I really like the groove of these 150-200 page pulp adventures. Lean and fat-free! |
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Post by deuce on Feb 29, 2016 17:01:23 GMT -5
Love that book. I just read Blood of Elves by Andrzej Sapkowski. I need to read the short story collections, but this held my attention pretty well as an introductory chapter to a longer saga. It helps that I've played the Witcher games, so I know a bit about the world and characters. Right now I'm reading Seven Princes by John Fultz. Let us know what you think of Seven Princes. Fultz is a Howard/CAS fan, from what I have read. A few early reviewers who like epic fantasy complained Fultz's prose was too old-fashioned and "purple". This is one of the few modern fantasy trilogies I might actually consider reading! Hate to say this, TDM (and Andy), but I wouldn't bother. I was really looking forward to that book. To me, it drags in spots, the plot doesn't always hold up and the world-building isn't that good. Another who's opinion I respect (his name starts with "doc" and ends in "pod") feels the same way. |
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Post by deuce on Feb 29, 2016 17:05:01 GMT -5
Ehhhh, I hate to say it but I'm a little over 200 pages into it and I'm really wondering if I'm going to finish it. It has a great opening (undead sorcerer walks into a kingdom and sacks the capital city with an army of mummies) and then it's okay for a few chapters, and then the plot starts stalling. 200 pages later, I feel like it's still in "set-up mode". Lot of walking and talking. I think the problem is that Fultz split his narrative into three sections, so everything's progressing much more slowly than if he'd stuck with the prince of the ruined city and focused only on his POV. It has its moments - there's a cute homage to The Frost Giant's Daughter. I was just hoping for more a propulsive, pulpy experience and instead it's, I dunno, kind of ordinary. Maybe my standards are unreasonable. As far as the prose, I would argue it's actually not purple enough I appreciate that he's trying to go with some more colorful language but I'm not sure he has the vocabulary to pull it off. A lot of his similes and metaphors are based on jewelry - blood like rubies, tears like diamonds, eyes like emeralds, etc. Kind of repetitive. The dialogue is also fairly conventional for a modern fantasy novel. Oops! Talk about synchronicity. I'd meant to comment several days ago and didn't. I had a few minutes and replied to the original post from TDM (without checking new posts). I pretty much agree with everything you said. I know what Fultz was trying to pull off. He just didn't do it, IMO. |
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Post by deuce on Feb 29, 2016 17:06:51 GMT -5
Ehhhh, I hate to say it but I'm a little over 200 pages into it and I'm really wondering if I'm going to finish it. It has a great opening (undead sorcerer walks into a kingdom and sacks the capital city with an army of mummies) and then it's okay for a few chapters, and then the plot starts stalling. 200 pages later, I feel like it's still in "set-up mode". Lot of walking and talking. I think the problem is that Fultz split his narrative into three sections, so everything's progressing much more slowly than if he'd stuck with the prince of the ruined city and focused only on his POV. It has its moments - there's a cute homage to The Frost Giant's Daughter. I was just hoping for more a propulsive, pulpy experience and instead it's, I dunno, kind of ordinary. Maybe my standards are unreasonable. As far as the prose, I would argue it's actually not purple enough I appreciate that he's trying to go with some more colorful language but I'm not sure he has the vocabulary to pull it off. A lot of his similes and metaphors are based on jewelry - blood like rubies, tears like diamonds, eyes like emeralds, etc. Kind of repetitive. The dialogue is also fairly conventional for a modern fantasy novel. It starts off well, but it ends up being unsatisfying. There are better newish books to read. |
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Post by thedarkman on Feb 29, 2016 23:02:31 GMT -5
Fair enough. I still want to give it a go, I like his style. I read the opening chapter last year, and it moved well, for sure. It starts off well, but it ends up being unsatisfying. There are better newish books to read. Thanks deuce! I really want to find some modern heroic fantasy that I can get behind and promote, but it's gotta push certain buttons for me. I'm spoiled by the old school pulp S&S and adventure fiction of the past. I guess I'm saying I need more Taylor, Hocking, JM Roberts, Oden and the like! Or write my own... |
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Post by deuce on Mar 1, 2016 9:46:37 GMT -5
It starts off well, but it ends up being unsatisfying. There are better newish books to read. Thanks deuce! I really want to find some modern heroic fantasy that I can get behind and promote, but it's gotta push certain buttons for me. I'm spoiled by the old school pulp S&S and adventure fiction of the past. I guess I'm saying I need more Taylor, Hocking, JM Roberts, Oden and the like! Or write my own... There are several books on this thread I'm pretty sure you haven't read: swordsofreh.proboards.com/thread/71/sword-sorcery-fiction-general-discussionThere's also this: www.williammeikle.com/aboutseton.htmlThe character is inspired by Solomon Kane and Jon Shannow. Meikle is a huge fan of REH, HRH, Merritt and ERB. See? A fair amount of classic-style stuff out there.  |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2016 12:41:13 GMT -5
"Life short, Rytkönen Long" by Arto Paasilinna It tells about an old man who has desided to settle the scores with society, by destroying everything he owns! (a sort-of personal end of the world-thing) The officials of Ordnance Survey are trying to stop him! It's fairly aloof, easy and humorous reading, but sneakily gets to deeper level and opens up a lot of philosophic views for the reader. It's about general unhappiness and reasons behind it, longing to the past and incapability of getting a hold on today, about gaps between generations and gaps between a man and the society and gaps and bonds between other men. The storytelling is casual and the text is easy to read. Puts a smile on my lips. Not overworldly great so far, but nice pass-time and relaxation. I haven't got to the end yet.  |
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Post by deuce on Mar 5, 2016 9:17:21 GMT -5
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Post by deuce on Mar 11, 2016 13:12:56 GMT -5
Howard Andrew Jones reviews Balchin's The Borgia Testament: www.howardandrewjones.com/reviews/the-borgia-testamentAnother book featuring Cesare Borgia (and Machiavelli and da Vinci) is Michael Ennis' The Malice of Fortune. This is a great "secret history" novel that somehow reminds me of Willocks' The Religion.  |
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Post by KiramidHead on Mar 11, 2016 19:24:39 GMT -5
I think I'll be giving Koji Suzuki's Ring series another read after finally push my way through this long as hell El Borak book.
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I appreciate that he's trying to go with some more colorful language but I'm not sure he has the vocabulary to pull it off. A lot of his similes and metaphors are based on jewelry - blood like rubies, tears like diamonds, eyes like emeralds, etc. Kind of repetitive. The dialogue is also fairly conventional for a modern fantasy novel.
