Idris2002
Stay Alive in '25
The worst of it was, it was one of those cases where you want to give it a chance, you want it to be good - but alas, it was the other way.
crappiest fantasy books?
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DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
Idris2002
Stay Alive in '25
IIRC CS Lewis did have some sense of the mundanity of everyday life in his world building, but it was all very much part of his medievalist conception of the good society as being an essentially feudal one, in which the majority of persons would be relegated to the role of forelock-tuggers.
Mungy
i haz boobz
I loved the Belgariad and the Mallorean and re-read them several times. I find them tedious now, the characters are very cardboard cut-outs for most of the story. I like the simplicity of the fight scenes. Not the crappiest, just a clumsy telling of a good story. They would make a good film 
I have to defend the Stephen King's Darktower series, just a little bit. The worlds are good, especially in the later books. The characters are quite real, with depth and backstory. The thing that lets it down for me is the end. I do rate SK as a story teller, but he is crap at endings. Though to be fair, I wouldn't have a clue how to end it better. This leads me on to:
Stephen King, Dreamcatcher. I read it. I was waiting for the story to happen, then the book ended. Badly.
I have to defend the Stephen King's Darktower series, just a little bit. The worlds are good, especially in the later books. The characters are quite real, with depth and backstory. The thing that lets it down for me is the end. I do rate SK as a story teller, but he is crap at endings. Though to be fair, I wouldn't have a clue how to end it better. This leads me on to:
Stephen King, Dreamcatcher. I read it. I was waiting for the story to happen, then the book ended. Badly.
Dark Tower; I've read first 4 - all bought for next to nothing at various charity stores here and in Ireland. Have got book 6 and just trawling the stores for 5. I don't do shame much these days but I recognise them for what they are. Be interesting (or maybe not) to see what the big screen treatment will do for them.
I have most of Erikson's series (again culled from charity stores) and am just waiting for a moment when I'm in the mood to start. Also, have 4 of the Joe Abercrombie books, which a mate recommended...
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
Joe's easier going but then its not got the texture of eriksons malazan either. Erikson tells you poems and histories and works through a characters head and world view. Its tbh the first time in years and years I had been completely baffled by a fantasy book till I worked out the mythos (gardens of the moon. Hadn't 100% nailed the mythic structure and how it relates to humans till Chain of Dogs). Last book to do that to me was Worm Ourobous when I read it as a kid, had no fucking clue what was going on
oh, btw - anyone read these? Saw a load of them in Forbidden Planet a while back; looked fun
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
the first couple were good enough, but i still think his philosophical strangler the best thing he's written.oh, btw - anyone read these? Saw a load of them in Forbidden Planet a while back; looked fun
ViolentPanda
Hardly getting over it.
ViolentPanda
Hardly getting over it.
I tried that series, and the WW2 one, but they were both "meh".
The only series of Turtledove's that I really enjoyed was his "Legion of Videssos" series, which is basically a Roman legion (plus a single ginger Celtic warrior) cast into another world when the swords of the Roman commander and the Celtic warrior clash.
Roman tactics give them an advantage, and they're able to slowly - over 4 books - carve themselves a niche in the new world.
Idris2002
Stay Alive in '25
A ginger warrior, you say?
hot air baboon
Well-Known Member
...it was all down-hill after 1066 for Tolkien...
ViolentPanda
Hardly getting over it.
Much is made of his flowing red hair and 'tache, and the unpronouncability of his name (Viridovox) for any non-Celt.
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wobbly
The lizard-king with two penises being a particular nadir.
idk the author, but i reckon you've just told me everything i need to know.
I loved the Belgariad and the Mallorean and re-read them several times. I find them tedious now, the characters are very cardboard cut-outs for most of the story. I like the simplicity of the fight scenes. Not the crappiest, just a clumsy telling of a good story. They would make a good film
I have to defend the Stephen King's Darktower series, just a little bit. The worlds are good, especially in the later books. The characters are quite real, with depth and backstory. The thing that lets it down for me is the end. I do rate SK as a story teller, but he is crap at endings. Though to be fair, I wouldn't have a clue how to end it better. This leads me on to:
Stephen King, Dreamcatcher. I read it. I was waiting for the story to happen, then the book ended. Badly.
even ignoring the books where he was so fucked up, he dosen't remember writing them, i reckon that he suffers badly from too many books. like pratchett.
Chz
Stark Raving Sane
Once a very good author and widely regarded as the Next Big Thing in SF+F circles (he has a story in Dangerous Visions). Then money came around and had a word and he's been writing the same trash every time ever since.
InfoBurner
Deep fried chip butty.
Another vote for Eddings here, loved those books when I was 12, but those characters, that historical plundering, casual racism and rehashing the whole thing again for 'The Mallorean'...sigh!
Raymond E Feist however had some interesting concepts, his influences are painfully obvious to my wizened, older self, I wonder if they'd stand up to a re-read?
Raymond E Feist however had some interesting concepts, his influences are painfully obvious to my wizened, older self, I wonder if they'd stand up to a re-read?
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
i think most authors can sustain a series for 3 books. some - i'm thinking particularly of leiber's 'swords' series - can manage longer. but these are the exception. many authors have good initial ideas, but they then go on and on and on with them. feist's 'magician' was a good book. but 20 books later the good idea has really disappeared and you start noticing things like the first sentence of every chapter being e.g. santino farted.
OK, I hold my hands up to those Harry Harrison 'Eden' books (West of Eden, Winter in Eden and Return to Eden)...so much that I have attempted to foist them on other (unwilling) readers. Far, far better than the Stainless Steel Rat stuff. I may even drag them out for a summer reread (I recall some interesting linguistic touches and infinitely more satisfying than many human vs lizard tropes - although that is exactly what they are).
Pickman's model
Starry Wisdom
anyone interested in doing research on j.r.r. tolkein might be interested in this round-up of Bibliographic Resources for Literature Searches on J.R.R. Tolkein
Artaxerxes
Look out, he's got a gnu!
oh, btw - anyone read these? Saw a load of them in Forbidden Planet a while back; looked fun
No, terrible. Liberal rednecks take over Europe and lead it to democratic utopia.
cro magnon Mary Sue gets orphaned then teaches Neanderthals how to be more blonde and blue-eyed,expressive, sensitive, and smart and less stocky and dark,dour, plodding, and cold.
admittedly i only heard a random except on audiobook, it could get better it could,i dont think it does
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
is it poor mans David Gemmel? cos Bane the Bastard and Waylander can never be defeated in terms of swords and sorcery bollocks thats cool for the fights
Yuwipi Woman
Whack-A-Mole Queen
Another romance author tries to cash in on the popularity of Fantasy and SF.
Yuwipi Woman
Whack-A-Mole Queen
If there's wings on the cover avoid like the plague.
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
I liked how his warriors were always gentle souls deep down who just happened to be really really good at killing people. And the laughable debates had between a priesty/pacifist character and the ubermensch warrior in which they acknowledge each others viewpoints but the warrior ruefully realises that its his arms that allow such pacifist flowers to blossom.
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
also the utter shameless nicking of entire historical conflicts wrt peoples to fuel the conflict.
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wobbly
If there's wings on the cover avoid like the plague.
the first positive cover review is anne mcaffrey. and they claim it's award winning, but don't say what award.
