Jimbo! Fantasy stuff ...

[Perry]

SWEET!
Thanks man

That will help when I hear them come up in the future.

AND WOAH ... just had a deja vu moment ... Have I asked you about Aja's prior to the one above? In relation to you? WOW. That hit me hard just now. Freaky

As for the spoiler, yeah, I'm still mad at myself. I know better 

[Perry]

So I am approaching the halfway mark (of the 26 hours plus long) of book two of Wheel of Time, The Great Hunt, and I am already starting to wonder if I want to go straight into book 3 or not.

I usually try to wash out the taste of these epic reads by listening to something more ... well, actually ... less grand literature feeling  but I have been eyeing that new Joe Abercrombie series The Age of Madness, or more precisely, the first and only book yet released in the series; A Little Hatred. It is getting rave reviews, yet I am not sure if I want to go fantasy again or not and certainly not sure if I want to go epic fantasy back to back.

So hey, Jimmy, and I apologize if I have asked this before OR if you have already voluntarily gave me the information I am going to ask but ... are you a fan of Joe Aborcrobie? If not, you don't feel he is similar to Goodkind do you?

Thanks again for letting me bounce Fantasy stuff off of you, kind sir. Just coming into this for the most part so I do appreciate the thoughts of a veteran such as yourself, Mage Jimbo
  

[Jeff]

I never did finish the first book and now your making me want to get it on audible!

[Perry]

I never did finish the first book and now your making me want to get it on audible!

Ha, well it is a good book, but its also a very slow burn. Very enjoyable, for sure, but if pace was the reason you stopped, I understand why you dropped off the first time. That said, having listened to it twice now (to refresh my old memory so I could more easily enjoy the rest of them), I am only sad that I waited so long to get to the second book. I would be on book three by now 

I guess the best questions, to see if it would be worth trying again are:

Did you "read" it or was it an audiobook the first time around? I ask only because with an audiobook, the great thing, is that you can read while just driving or any other times your hands are busy  ... ya know, times you really couldn't read. To me, audiobooks are amazing in that regard. I am on book two of this humongous story and I wouldn't be past chapter 3 if I had to read it. I would fall asleep all the time. Not due to boredom, things do happen and they are great, but it is very much a character book, although it is a very slow build, but shouldn't it be? I think so. Speaking of "slow" ...


What was the reason you stopped the first time? If it was because nothing happened, I will say that it does take a few chapters for the action to occur and even then ... well ... tell ya what. Here it is a nutshell - The first book is Lord of The Rings. When I say that ... it is more "based on" or an "homage to", but it is certainly in there. Jordan was well aware of it, though I'm not sure if his only reason was to get people in with something they are familiar with or what, but I do know it goes well on its own tale after that first book (and honestly, during). I don't mean to say it is a carbon copy, but it is so much Lord of the Rings in substance, (some) characters and style that you can see LotR in it, but you can also see it isn't just LotR as well

Regardless it is something you need to commit to I think. You really do need to be in that "Epic" mood. If you just want to take a couple hours and re-watch Return of the King (Lord of the Rings part 3) then you take 171 minutes and watch the movie this is not the series for you, but if you want to see the epic that is LORD OF THE RINGS!!! ... you sit your butt down for the 228 minute extended Fellowship of the Rings, the 235 minute Two Towers and the 263 minute Return of the King
 
You don't have to go all in as far as Jimmy did, reading the entire series more than once ... (Kudos on that, buddy), but it is something that demands a lot of time. But if you are just listening to it ... Hell, how long did KotW take you to get through? Well this one will take about three times as long, easily. Not only is it about twice as long (KotW = about 18 hours / EotW = 30 hourse) but the pace moves a lot slower.

But it is still good. Not saying it isn't worth the time, at all (Hell Jimmy and I both read it more than once  ) but it is much, much, much more of an epic as well so it needs more time.

I think, being one of the most appreciated fantasy series of all time, it does deserve a listen, but if you found it too slow the first time you are probably gonna feel the same. However, if you can get past that, man are you in for a grand adventure once all is done. That is my goal. I hope to make it
 

[Jeff]

No, I really enjoyed it but I was reading the hardback and I had that giant backlog of comics looming on me.  Then we sold the house, moved to an apartment, built a new house, moved again....you get the idea.

That’s why I said I should get the audio book.  I’m much more likely to have the time to get through it in the car.   

[Perry]

Yeppers!!!  
(And totally glossed over the audible mention)
DOH

A lot easier for me.

Just keep in mind it is much, much slower than KotW.
But also much, much more epic in scope and story.

Sort of like the first Battlestar Galactica episode compared to the expanded SW universe
 

If you do decide to do it, I look forward to hearing your thoughts as you progress
 
(But let me know a day or two before you buy it ... I may be able to do that Christmas thing  )

[Jimmy T]

Whoops!!

I have not read any Abercrombie fantasy. I know it tends to make Top 25 lists of Fantasy books in the years of his publications. That's all I can say, sorry on that!

And Jeff...I love the Wheel of Time. If the fantasy genre really is a thing you enjoy, and if you love some FAKKIN' AWESOME MOMENTS OF POWER!!! you'll enjoy the series.

Of course, many of the females in this book will make you chafe and hate. A. LOT. LOL!!!

[Perry]

Whoops!!

I have not read any Abercrombie fantasy. I know it tends to make Top 25 lists of Fantasy books in the years of his publications. That's all I can say, sorry on that!

Okay, dang, I was hoping you would know, but you can't have all knowledge ... I guess  . Thanks man.

As for Wheel of Time, I have been enjoying it, for sure, and I am not trying to throw a stick of dynamite in a room, but there are times where it feels, well, almost dated in its style. Now it is not as dated as say Tolkien or the like, not saying that. And I enjoyed reading Tolkien, with its what seemed like Old English sentences from time to time  , but this is also a little ... well ... look, it is an epic story. Ya know? Those tend to go a little slower, which is fine, as it does get you deep into the characters. But, like Jimbo mentioned with the women  , sometime you can get too deep. I will say while the slowness does not bother me ... and I do say this really enjoying my time on this book ... honestly ...  ... but if there is one thing I am tired of it is this -

I am really getting tired of all the damn complaining by the main characters. Oh my god do they bitch and moan ... a lot!!!!

 


Now I know that is also on purpose, to show their growth and yada, yada, but honestly, some of these characters just need to shut the hell up.
I know that sounds bad, but I say that with the best intention. 

I have been trying to put together a way to explain this book, using comic references and I think I have got it. I think 

This series, so far, to me, is like Stan Lee and Brian Bendis got together to write Superman.

No hold on, I know that is not going to make Jimmy happy  , but hang with me ...

It is written like a Superman book in so far that it has that "do goodness", early American vibe to it. Not that it is in that style, but it is, at it's base, a story of the bright/good vs the dark/evil and hey, of course it is. It is an epic fantasy series that is about good, simple folk stopping the evil that ... well I don't want to spoil that ... it is hard for me to explain, but yeah, if this was a DC book, it would be Superman based. If ya get me.

Now, for the Bendis comment ... this book talks a good deal. A lot. Tons of talking. Now it is better than Bendis, for sure, and Robert Jordan can write groups of people much better than Bendis ever has  , but yes, while there is action (and it is good!), there is also a lot of description and people talking. BUT, I want to make this clear, it isn't a bad thing. It is more of a "sitting around a fire hearing a good story" type of talking. It is fine. It is great even. But it is there. And hey, this is also a what 14 or 15 book series? So of course there is going to be a lot of talking. And I also want to say that it isn't talking just to fill out the series. The talking is important, even though it has a crap ton of bitchin' and moanin'  , it is worth it.

For the Lee comment, it, at times, is written in a way that does feel a tad dated to me. It is certainly more modern than the Hobbit or LotR, but there is a style of writing that very much reminds me of early Superman comics. And not those weird ass ones where little Supes fly out of Supe's finger tips, but just not current in it's prose style either.

All of that said, I still say it is a great series and, so far, I have all intentions of finishing it, and that is not something I would say if I was not enjoying what I was reading/listening to. Just know it is a large task to read this series, but I do think it is worth it.

Hell, this morning I was walking my dog in the woods by our house, there is a nice natural bike path back there, and just slowing walking with my dog through the woods listening to this book was a moment of bliss. It honestly felt, for a moment, that I was traveling with these characters ... going through the woods, the remaining rain dropping from trees making such a nice sound, thinking of the journey these characters are taking ...

Yeah man, there are issues, but this series is more than worth the time you will spend on it.

Oh, and Jimmy, I am now at the part where Thom is ... a coded spoiler  ... where he is

surprised in his room by the two guys in the wardrobe

[Jimmy T]

There's a series, by Stephenson Donaldson, long time fantasy writer of the Thomas Covenant works. It was first published in 1977...and the prose can tell. It's just...older/rougher/'handspun'.

Where the writer really just..well, goes 'Tolkien' LOL  wherein you know every curve of the road, every leaf on a tree, geographical ascent of the hill, how much minerals are underground, air quality, and also the spiritual mood of all wind zephyrs and stone spirits..

Right? You know what I'm talking about? 

Donaldson is like that. I keep picking it up and putting it down, because it takes work to read. It takes effort, and well, I believe it will be worth the effort, as I really want to read those 10 books that encompass 25 years, but man...it's hard to get going!

I could see early Jordan being that. I can't 'feel' that right now through memory, but it's certainly there! He certainly tales a lot of time with clothes and food and dress and hair though!!

[Perry]

Ya know, everyone warned me about Jordan's style, where he goes off a little over descriptive at times and while I do see it, it doesn't bother me. At least not yet. Maybe he gets more into that later in the series ... I hope I am not jinxing myself 
I think what helped me with the descriptive aspect and it not getting to me is that I read and listen to a lot of Stephen King and that guy ... jeez ... he also loves to dive into the descriptions. Maybe I am used to that style.
 

And I do want to point out that "Dated" is not truly the word I wanted to use as I don't think it is an accurate description of my feelings on the way this book was written. It is just a different way of writing is all. Again, and I know I am running this word into the ground, but it is a more "epic" style (and please don't confuse my word "epic" with "High" fantasy. Not what I mean, even though the old me would consider this both.
 

But look, if you are looking for a "Game of Thrones" style of fantasy, dark fantasy if you will, this is not the series you should go with. That is more Batman and this Superman  But if you want that epic storytelling in the (another group of words I hate using to describe this) Lord of the Rings style, then you can't go wrong here.

Moving on ...
 

I am about 3/4 of the way through book 2 and I think I will try Joe Abercrombie's "A Little Hatred" next. That is book one of his newest series ... although perhaps I should read his "First Law" trilogy first as I think this book, while the first in a new series, is set in the same world as First Law.
Hmmmm
We shall see. I guess.

[Jeff]

I went “camping” with the guys this weekend down in southeast Texas.  I put it in quotes because we stay in a cabin - not actually roughing it.

Anyway the drive to the cabin is 3 hours and of course another 3 hours back.  So guess what I did for those 6 hours?

Yes!  I’m on Chapter 10 now which is exactly where I left off a few years ago.  I’m at the part where the band has finally left home and they just took the ferry across the water.

[Perry]

Sweet.
 

Not much to say yet, as you are basically where you were before so ... no new stuff yet, but soon, sir, soon
 

And Jimmy, I am at the part where ... well ... what I was spoiled on has just been shown. And I love the idea of ... that connection between the ... man this is hard... hahaha ... between the neck ring and ... if ya get me?
I'm glad that damn spoiler has happened early, it's done now, and not too deep in the story. Not too deep in? I have listened to what? About 50 hours of audio and it is "Not too deep in"?
 
Well, not when the entire thing is 448.8 hours long
 

[Jimmy T]

I don't get you...but I'm glad you are enjoying it!!

[Perry]

I don't get you...

  Trying not to post spoilers that entice Jeff.  In book two, when the four ladies leave the white tower and go through the ... traveling place  and then we find out that thing I was spoiled on, that we spoke about earlier and... oh never mind
 

[Perry]

Hey Jeff ... you get any further along? If not, no worries 
Want to ask you something but want to make sure I know where you are first.

And man, although this second book has been a little bit ... not slower, that is not it at all, but a little less action oriented I guess is what I am trying to say, maybe ... but anyway, I am at the point now where this is like a Hickman book  In so far as there is something really cool (and powerful) brought up early'ish (regarding a boat captain and what he encounters on the way to somewhere) in this book that is not fully explained at the time you first come to it, but then ... now for me ... you get the story behind said thing and it is really cool!!! So Yeah, very Hickman like. Throwing something out there that leaves you questioning at first, only to get more information and enjoyment out of it at a later time in the story.