I have started reading the Expanse series.

Very good read so far.  I am about halfway through the first book.  

What IS that mutation thing going on?  (Rhetorical question, don't tell me...)

In reply to Noddaz :

I think I'm going there next, but it will be a while before I get there.  I'm about 10% of the way through Stephenson's Baroque Cycle.

In reply to Noddaz :

It will explain about 2/3 way through the book.

I restarted the series of books last week. I'm alost done with book 1.

I just finished the last book in the entire series. Read them all back-to-back. Hell of a universe that that writer created and a very enjoyable series. I put it right up there with the destroyermen series and The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy as incredible works of fiction

Duke said:

In reply to Noddaz :

I think I'm going there next, but it will be a while before I get there.  I'm about 10% of the way through Stephenson's Baroque Cycle.

 

I used to have a baroque cycle.  It was a Honda.

Terrific series. One of the few where the book/ screen versions compliment each other, despite their differences.

I love how there really aren't any "good" groups, but in a realistic way, not a dark and edgy one. Lots of selfish factions, unscrupulous people who think they know best for everyone, and idealistic idiots.

Miller is a real piece of work.  Good thing Julie is there to keep him sane. lol

And how about that mutation thing.  Ew...

Re-finished book one. Starting 2 tonight.

In reply to bobzilla :

I am close to finishing book 1.  I need to head to the library to order book 2.

Just finished Stephen King's Dark Tower series and have been aimlessly adrift with nothing to replace it. Sounds like I need to give the Expanse a go.

gearheadE30 said:

Just finished Stephen King's Dark Tower series and have been aimlessly adrift with nothing to replace it. Sounds like I need to give the Expanse a go.

I was 'meh' about the end of the Dark Tower series. First couple were great, but he clearly struggled to wrap things up. Watched a class (I think given by Sanderson) where he was talking about 'planning' authors vs. 'discovery' authors, and Stephen King is a classic 'discovery' author. Great mood, feeling, and characters, but a tendency to write into a corner and have trouble wrapping things up.

The authors of The Expanse are clearly planning authors, and it shows. Much more satisfying later in the series as you see payoffs for things planted earlier.

Beer Baron said:

I was 'meh' about the end of the Dark Tower series. First couple were great, but he clearly struggled to wrap things up. Watched a class (I think given by Sanderson) where he was talking about 'planning' authors vs. 'discovery' authors, and Stephen King is a classic 'discovery' author. Great mood, feeling, and characters, but a tendency to write into a corner and have trouble wrapping things up.

The authors of The Expanse are clearly planning authors, and it shows. Much more satisfying later in the series as you see payoffs for things planted earlier.

I did not care for the ending either, and I agree that he did a lot of wandering thought he story that was great for characterization and visualization but not so great for a complex storyline. That said, I honestly enjoyed it up until the end. I've heard that King's writing style is something you either like or hate, and I fall into the like category.

It will be interesting to see what I think of The Expanse to compare to planning authors then. Time to go buy some books.

I actually love the ending of the Dark Tower series. I did not like the author insertion but I could be convinced otherwise. The ending, though, it was a gut punch after having read that series over 20+ years (started in the early 90s, finished when the last book came out), it hurt and yet seemed perfect. The Gunslinger suffers for eternity. Rough stuff but it fits the story. Maybe on the next wheel he'll hold on to Jake.

Noddaz said:

Duke said:

In reply to Noddaz :

I think I'm going there next, but it will be a while before I get there.  I'm about 10% of the way through Stephenson's Baroque Cycle.

 

I used to have a baroque cycle.  It was a Honda.

I could see why. A Japanese motorcycle built in the 1600s  in Europe must be very hard to find parts for these days. All the artisans are long dead.

dculberson said:

I actually love the ending of the Dark Tower series. I did not like the author insertion but I could be convinced otherwise. The ending, though, it was a gut punch after having read that series over 20+ years (started in the early 90s, finished when the last book came out), it hurt and yet seemed perfect. The Gunslinger suffers for eternity. Rough stuff but it fits the story. Maybe on the next wheel he'll hold on to Jake.

That sort of epilogue was fine by me. The deus-ex-ma-Kid-na to resolve all the loose ends of the final book was the part that bugged me.

The Dark Tower series is now on my regular reading list.  I probably re-read the series every couple of years.  Just enjoy getting lost in the story.  The Expanse series, now that it's complete, has been added to my regularly reading list.  Totally different subjects, but very detailed and easy to get lost in the environment and kinda forget the rest of the world for a while.

With all of the voracious readers on this board, I wonder if a book club would be cool to start?  I'd enjoy talking about these books with people and learn different perspectives on the storyline and things that I may have missed, but someone else has picked up on. 

-Rob

Beer Baron said:

dculberson said:

I actually love the ending of the Dark Tower series. I did not like the author insertion but I could be convinced otherwise.

That sort of epilogue was fine by me. The deus-ex-ma-Kid-na to resolve all the loose ends of the final book was the part that bugged me.

King is often a deus ex machina author, though.  I read The Stand and enjoyed it right up until the literal Hand Of God came down in the last 20 pages or so.  It really smacked of hatchet editing.  Then when the "director's cut" of the book came out, I thought to myself, great, now he can stretch out that terrible ending the way he originally intended.  Noooope.  He added an extra 250 pages of potato chip writing in the middle, and ended on the same stupid "get me out of here" note.

Same with The Dome, among others.  King has a fun writing style and good characterization, but absolutely zero strategic thinking.

You have intrigued this science fiction fan into researching the Expanse.  Also being a cheap GRM guy, I found the books at my local (North Carolina) online library for download.  Available in ebook and audio book.  Yeah! 

I have reserved a spot on the waiting list for Book one, Leviathan Wakes.  I am #55 of 2 copies.  At two weeks per person, I should get my shot in about a year!  Sucks to be cheap!

Duke said:

... King has a fun writing style and good characterization, but absolutely zero strategic thinking.

Classic Discovery Writer traits. I'll try to find that video where Sanderson talks about that...

rob_lewis said:

With all of the voracious readers on this board, I wonder if a book club would be cool to start?  I'd enjoy talking about these books with people and learn different perspectives on the storyline and things that I may have missed, but someone else has picked up on. 

I would be intrigued by this. I'm not interested in organizing it though...

In reply to trucke :

If you are the kind of person that rereads books just buy the box set on Amazon. I have read the entire series twice. 
 

another question I have , how many of us are re-readers and what's your most read book? For me it was Phantoms by Koontz for a long time, but I'm pretty sure Max Brooks World War Z has replaced it for sheer number of reads. 

In reply to bobzilla :

I'm not much of a rereader, though I have a few favorites I revisit now and then.

But once I own a book it's mine forever.

So I love my library card.

bobzilla said:

In reply to trucke :

another question I have , how many of us are re-readers and what's your most read book? For me it was Phantoms by Koontz for a long time, but I'm pretty sure Max Brooks World War Z has replaced it for sheer number of reads. 

Me.

'Good Omens' by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. Although I may have given away copies as often as I've read it. I swear I buy a copy. Read it once. Give it away. Want to read it again. Buy another copy... repeat.