Another Year of Waiting...

DarkDusk

Hi guys,
So, we all have another year (roughly) of waiting until season 4 comes out. What have ye planned in the meantime in regards to Game of Thrones? I know that I'm going to re-read the whole series, starting in the week or two when I have more free time. Should have the the entire series finished by late August, but chances are it'll be before then because I get so engrossed in them! I've heard many people say before that the second reading is as good as the first and some have even said it is better because you pick up on small details that you would have missed on the first reading. I'll probably watch the 3 seasons again also coming up to season 4.

All I can say is, WAITING IS TORTURE!

If we all sing the song together, we should get through it easier though.

lynski

I am upto halfway in book3, thinking of leaving it for awhile as I have 'The System of the world' to read - put off now for 3 years because of babies and breastfeeding and so little time, but might just start reading on playground visits over the summer.

DarkDusk

lynski wrote: »

I am upto halfway in book3, thinking of leaving it for awhile as I have 'The System of the world' to read - put off now for 3 years because of babies and breastfeeding and so little time, but might just start reading on playground visits over the summer.

I've actually never heard of those series of books or even the author, even though I'm pretty good with the names of Sci-Fi and Fantasy books... Would you recommend it? I understand with having little time, you really have to dedicate a lot of time to ASOIAF to get through them in reasonable time. Have you read the rest already?

EDIT:
Absolutely love the signature btw, one of my favourite quotes of all time (and also so true).

lynski

I love Neal Stephenson, I think Cryptonomicon is my fav book ever, but i might have to read it a fourth time to confirm. His Baroque series is fab, intense, but very very worth it.

Sleepy

Since I knew the Winds of Winter would be a while, I started the Wheel of Time.

johnnysmack

Sleepy wrote: »

Since I knew the Winds of Winter would be a while, I started the Wheel of Time.

Im on book 11 of wheel of time. I actually didnt like the first book but glad i stuck with it cause it does suck you in and like game of thrones there is loads of characters. Definitely worth the read.

Profiler

DarkDusk wrote: »

If we all sing the song together, we should get through it easier though.

All together now...

And who are you, the proud lord said, that I must bow so low? Only a cat of a different coat, that's all the truth I know. In a coat of gold or a coat of red, a lion still has claws, And mine are long and sharp, my lord, as long and sharp as yours.

DarkDusk

Sleepy wrote: »

Since I knew the Winds of Winter would be a while, I started the Wheel of Time.

Yeah, they're on my list also. Jordan, Robin Hobb, Feist and Erikson are all authors that I have planned on reading in the future. We have such a selection!

Mickeroo

DarkDusk wrote: »

Yeah, they're on my list also. Jordan, Robin Hobb, Feist and Erikson are all authors that I have planned on reading in the future. We have such a selection!

Robin Hobb's books are brilliant (I'd rate them a lot higher than GRRM's stuff tbh), have finished the first book of The Tawny Man and I'm holding off on the second and third parts for a little while so I don't rush them. When you do get around to reading them make sure you read The Liveship Traders trilogy after The Farseer Trilogy rather than going straight into The Tawny Man. I know a few people who didn't read Liveship traders because they didn't realise they tie in with the other two trilogies.

MadYaker

I don't actually mind waiting since it didn't end on a massive cliffhanger.

johnnyskeleton

Sleepy wrote: »

Since I knew the Winds of Winter would be a while, I started the Wheel of Time.

Chapter 33 - A Cup of Tea

Sleepy sat by the computer, squinting infinitesimally at the strange magical device he had recently discovered by reading the first page of the first book he found in the public library of the white tower, that no one else in 3,000 years had ever picked up somehow.

He was wearing a sash of many colours, one for every ajah. blue and white and red and green and grey and yellow and something else. Blue was for the fighting ajah, white for the "logic" ajah, red for the ones who hate and mistrust all men on the spurious pretext of preventing the end of the world and/or finding their saviour, green was for, hell I don't know, something general like "missions" or "adventures". And then the others also had some purpose.

He tugged on his braid and remembered what had happened in the last chapter. He had been speaking to his childhood sweetheart who now wants to imprison him, or maybe marry him, or something, whatever, girls are icky, when disposable character 437 suddenly laid out the tea. They had been talking about the significance of what had happened in the last book, in case anyone had forgotten the significance of "significant event" and that now the plot device of male/female magic differences, which has been a central theme for the last 10 books is now irrelevant and let's never mention it again.

Suddenly, Sleepy realized that the tea was poisoned and he had fallen asleep. "Oh no" he said, "this is exactly what happened to my buddy in the middle of the last book and I just managed to save her from the evil, but inept bad guys standing over me".

"Ah ha" said the evil but inept bad guy "you have fallen for my dastardly plot" he said.

Suddenly, as though things weren't sudden enough already, the buddy from the last book, you know the one, kicked in the door and blasted the bad guy with balefire.

"Silly girl" he said, tugging her braid "don't you know normal balefire can't hurt me because I've actually been promoted to super-bad guy"

Suddenly, the buddy invented super-balefire and won the battle, but felt sad about it. The bad guy died but (spoiler: will come back to life in a few chapter time with a new name but otherwise unaffected)

Then she and sleepy talked about how they hated girls/boys/everyone else, the events of the last three books, and planned to meet again for tea the next week.

Meanwhile, Rand fights battles, meets exotic people, performs powerful magic and battles his internal madness, and soon I'll tell you all about Rands adventures.

But first, I should explain again in painful detail the colour pattern and cut of Sleepys dress. Actually that's so important I'll spend the rest of the book comparing and contrasting it with the dresses of other countries in this fascinating world. Rand can wait until book 12.

---

Seriously, you'll be glad that GRRM only

brings half his major characters back to life.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

i dont think I'll ever not be upset at the wheel of time for building me up over the course of seven books and then tying me down and ****ting on my face from books 8-11. fool that i was I kept reading until then.

since this is now a reccomendation thread.. I'll reccomend learning how to spell recommend, and then tad williams - otherland series. the bulk of the story takes place in a very advanced virtual reality world the characters are trapped in so it jumps from fantasy to sci fi to ancient history without ever making you think "well this is all a little unbelievable isn't it"

Son0vagun

I'd recommend The Broken Empire series by Mark Lawrence. Book one is The Prince of Thorns and it's a dark gritty and enjoyable tail. The third book is out in August.

The Kingkiller Chronicles are brilliant too.

As for TV does anyone know when The Vikings start over here?

DarkDusk

Son0vagun wrote: »

The Kingkiller Chronicles are brilliant too.

+1, great filler for GoT fans.

lemon_remon

johnnyskeleton wrote: »

Seriously, you'll be glad that GRRM only ...

Is that a book spoiler....? Tag it please

jebidiah

Agree that it's along wait. Really is a shame that they can't extend the seasons by 5 episodes!!

As others have said there are lots of books to read, the A song of Ice and Fire series, of course is essential reading. You could read up as far as the tv series and maybe a little more to fill in some gaps.

The wheel of time, god, so glad to see it finished! And the poster above was spot on with the dresses excerpt! (is that you Robert Jordan?) I think that series is a great read, a lot lighter than ASOIAF, but still very entertaining. The first 6 books still have me speed reading each time. They are so well written!

The king killer chronicles, another fantastic series, very easy to read and really enjoyable.

I was recently recommend the Earthsea series by Ursula K. Le Guin. It looks like an interesting series!

Discworld? Fantastic. And hilarious.

Branden Sanderson who helped finish Wheel of Time also has a number of books. The Mistborn series is said to be very good!

fitz

Whatever other authors you have on your list, leave Erikson until last.
He'll ruin everything else on you.
It took me a few months before I could read anything else after finishing his Malazan Book of the Fallen series.
Best series I've ever read.

If you thought GRRM was ruthless with his characters, Erikson will leave you in an emotional heap.
He's not for everyone. He just drops you into it without exposition from the beginning of book one, and you pick things up as you figure them out, not as they are conveniently explained by characters...that doesn't happen. Personally, I really enjoyed that aspect of his writing.

You'll know by the end of book two if it's you're thing. If you're not hopelessly hooked by then, you're probably not going to enjoy the rest.

Sleepy

I really liked Mistborn for all it's flaws. Maisie Williams would make an excellent Vin if they ever decided to make them into a film.

The Wheel of Time certainly has it's issues, chiefly among them imo the character of Nynaeve who I just wish was in a GRRM novel so she could die horribly. The constant reminders of past events and re-explanation of things already explained is annoying too but so far (mid-way through book 5), the story has been good enough to keep my interest.

Mr. CooL ICE

I'll do something productive with my Monday mornings

mewso

I'll stop spending my weekends wishing it was monday which is about as perverse as a human being can get.

thegreatiam

Son0vagun wrote: »

As for TV does anyone know when The Vikings start over here?

vikings will be a while too, they were looking for extras last week to film in ireland next month.

series like this in the US are usually seasonal, so they will be on again in a years time for the spring season.

Meathlass

I read Wheel of Time up to Book 11.

Is the series now finished? Is it worth picking up again bearing in mind I'd probably have to start at Book 1 again?

Ardeehey

Wheel of Time....read up to book 9 and then couldn't hack the braid pulling any more. Erikssons books are incredible, liked Hobbs work, think that R Scott Bakkers Prince of Nothing series is good (though not for everyone). Liked Ursala Le Guin's Earthsea trilogy is great, Patrick Rothfus's books are very good (finish to the trilogy hopefully out soon) as is Glen Cooks Black Company series and also enjoyed Sanderson's Mistborn series and the Way of the Kings (not finished yet).

DL Saint

thegreatiam wrote: »

vikings will be a while too, they were looking for extras last week to film in ireland next month.

series like this in the US are usually seasonal, so they will be on again in a years time for the spring season.

They were looking for extras for series two. However RTE are due to start showing series one at some stage this summer.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

Meathlass wrote: »

I read Wheel of Time up to Book 11.

Is the series now finished? Is it worth picking up again bearing in mind I'd probably have to start at Book 1 again?

i'd say no but then i'm still bitter about the wheel of time

people who have read the last few books say it ended quite well and the quality of the books picked up drastically after jordan buggered off this mortal coil

thegreatiam

DL Saint wrote: »

They were looking for extras for series two. However RTE are due to start showing series one at some stage this summer.

but you can watch season 1 whenever you like
http://memegenerator.net/instance/21708044

Meathlass

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar wrote: »

i'd say no but then i'm still bitter about the wheel of time

people who have read the last few books say it ended quite well and the quality of the books picked up drastically after jordan buggered off this mortal coil

I suppose I just want to find out what happened. Might just read the last few books.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

Meathlass wrote: »

I suppose I just want to find out what happened. Might just read the last few books.

i waited till the day after the last book was released and then read some wiki's

Meathlass

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar wrote: »

i waited till the day after the last book was released and then read some wiki's

That's cheating!

DarkDusk

Has anyone read Dwarves by Markus Heitz? I heard it was a great read...

DarkDusk

Also, has anyone read Martin's novellas? There was supposed to be a 4th one in the series bit it has now been confirmed that he is starting a new series of novellas about the Targaryen Civil War.

It blows my mind how he is going to release these BEFORE the Winds of Winter.

Oh, just found this, it's coming out this Decemeber! http://www.georgerrmartin.com/dangerous-women-release/

KJY

I only read the first Robin Hobb book but I thought it was very bland, it's a decent world but very poor characterisation.

Mickeroo

KJY wrote: »

I only read the first Robin Hobb book but I thought it was very bland, it's a decent world but very poor characterisation.

I waited a few years before reading the rest because I thought the first one was only ok. Really improves from the second book onwards though and the live ship traders trilogy is brilliant too.

I've never felt such a profound sense of loss from a book like i did after finishing the Farseer trilogy I had become so attached to the characters. Easily among my favourite books ever.

Thargor

Dont forget Raymond Feists Magician series, its nearly as long as the Wheel of Time but doesnt get so tedious to read, it really is epic fantasy in every way, the world and the characters are excellent.

The Kingkiller Chronicles is amazing, cant wait to get the next one.

If you haven't yet though then read the NightAngel Trilogy, absolutely excellent in every way, the best assassin fantasy you'll ever read.

DarkDusk

Thargor wrote: »

Dont forget Raymond Feists Magician series, its nearly as long as the Wheel of Time but doesnt get so tedious to read, it really is epic fantasy in every way, the world and the characters are excellent.

The Kingkiller Chronicles is amazing, cant wait to get the next one.

If you haven't yet though then read the NightAngel Trilogy, absolutely excellent in every way, the best assassin fantasy you'll ever read.

Ya Feist is on my list, I really can't wait to devour all this fantasy!

Andy-Pandy

If you're new to fantasy you could try some David Gemmel. everything he wrote was great, I should really reread him.

KJY

Mickeroo wrote: »

I waited a few years before reading the rest because I thought the first one was only ok. Really improves from the second book onwards though and the live ship traders trilogy is brilliant too.

I've never felt such a profound sense of loss from a book like i did after finishing the Farseer trilogy I had become so attached to the characters. Easily among my favourite books ever.

Yeah I have the second book but had to stop reading because of exams, but may get back to it after some Pathrick Rothfuss and Joe Abercrombie

sock puppet

Thargor wrote: »

Dont forget Raymond Feists Magician series, its nearly as long as the Wheel of Time but doesnt get so tedious to read, it really is epic fantasy in every way, the world and the characters are excellent.

I've found the last few books a bit shit really. But then I've never really liked Pug and friends as much as the other characters. Also the whole thing where

the bad guy is just a pawn of an even badder guy who in turn is just a tool of some super duper bad guy who's trying to destroy some weird gods or something

gets tiresome.

Anyone

+1 for Feist, although its many years since I read them, enjoyed them all. Start with The Magician and on you go.

Tenger

DarkDusk wrote: »

Has anyone read Dwarves by Markus Heitz? I heard it was a great read...

It was OK. However I wasn't pushed on getting the follow on book.


I would highly recommend "The Lies of Locke Lamora"......however it is book 1 of a 4 book series. Only 2 published so far....book 3 due in Dec 2013.

Son0vagun

Tenger wrote: »

I would highly recommend "The Lies of Locke Lamora"......however it is book 1 of a 4 book series. Only 2 published so far....book 3 due in Dec 2013.

I'm nearly finished this book. It's brilliant. Gonna go straight into the second book when I'm done.

I heard that GRRM has handpicked Scott Lynch to finish ASOIAF if GRRM dies before the series is finished.