B3D Book Club

[eloic]

and quite Christian (well, quite Church of England,) in spite of mechanically being based upon the European mythologies of yore.

I know what you mean, but in my previous posts I mention why I think these stories aren't truly Christian. Otherwise, you could put a Christian label on anything: there's always a way to interpret anything as a message compatible with Christianism, but I don't think you truly can in the most orthodox sense of the word.

So funny!

 

[eloic]

I just read a big spoiler in the back cover of the book, which I read by chance:

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Seriously, WTF!! I'm so pissed off! How come they put a spoiler such as this in the back cover of the first volume? I'm into book II and I couldn't even imagine that Gandalf has or will have a ring.

I'm a true spoilerfobic, as some of you may know. Heck, this is the reason why I don't usually read book covers, and some people thought I was exaggerating. Well, there you have it!

Needless to say, I stopped reading at once and I will NEVER read a book cover again, ever (I was right, fuck yeah!)!

 

[Deleted member 11852]

Unless I am hugely misremembering the novel of The Lord of the Rings, this 'spoiler' is utterly irrelevant. I don't even remember it in the book. There are a bunch of rings of power but few were powerful enough to impact the storyGandalf probably use the ring of fire to heat the pan to cook his pancake.

 

[eloic]

There are a bunch of rings of power but few were powerful enough to impact the story

That is another spoiler, you know? I don't want to know if the other rings are powerful enough to fight the ring that rules them all! I just want to find out myself.

Spoiler

I told you, I'm a spoilerfobic

 

[Silent_Buddha]

I just read a big spoiler in the back cover of the book, which I read by chance:

View attachment 3293​

Seriously, WTF!! I'm so pissed off! How come they put a spoiler such as this in the back cover of the first volume? I'm into book II and I couldn't even imagine that Gandalf has or will have a ring.

I'm a true spoilerfobic, as some of you may know. Heck, this is the reason why I don't usually read book covers, and some people thought I was exaggerating. Well, there you have it!

Needless to say, I stopped reading at once and I will NEVER read a book cover again, ever (I was right, fuck yeah!)!

IIRC, Narya is never mentioned in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, so it isn't really a spoiler. It does, however come into play in one of the other books written by Tolkien. I won't say which so as to avoid spoilers.

I need to read the series again. I haven't read it in about a decade now. Strange how things I did when I was younger have fallen by the wayside. Still have fond memories of reading the series once a year every year for a long long time.

Regards,
SB

 

[Tkumpathenurpahl]

Yeah, it's not a spoiler. It's more like describing him as wearing a Gucci cloak.

 

[Deleted member 11852]

That is another spoiler, you know? I don't want to know if the other rings are powerful enough to fight the ring that rules them all! I just want to find out myself.

Apologies, I mis-read your earlier post - I thought you'd read The Fellowship of the Ring, but you've only read book I.

 

[hoom]

Narya is mentioned in LoTR but pretty much just in passing.
For the moment just consider the basic context that Gandalf is a wizard: he has a magic staff & other magical items also mainly only mentioned in passing because thats wizard things.

Tom Bombadil says "hey, come back here" and that's it.

Tom Bombadil is a special case & an ongoing enigma exactly what or who he actually is. (there's a Tolkien quote that its 'important to have enigmas' specifically when he was refusing to explain Bombadil)
There are more appropriate reactions later.

 

[eloic]

Yeah, it's not a spoiler. It's more like describing him as wearing a Gucci cloak.

Lol!

Narya is mentioned in LoTR but pretty much just in passing.
For the moment just consider the basic context that Gandalf is a wizard: he has a magic staff & other magical items also mainly only mentioned in passing because thats wizard things.

But again, my point is that I don't want to know beforehand if something will be important or not. I want to know it once I read it myself. Of course I assume that Gandalf can/will use magic items, but I'm reading a book called The Lord of the Rings, so I expect rings to be very important. And if some ring isn't that important at the end, I prefer to know that at the right time, not before.

Tom Bombadil is a special case & an ongoing enigma exactly what or who he actually is. (there's a Tolkien quote that its 'important to have enigmas' specifically when he was refusing to explain Bombadil)
There are more appropriate reactions later.

But my comment wasn't referring to Tom's reaction. I understand he's a badass and that he could see Frodo, so his reaction was fine and coherent to me. It was Frodo's that didn't seem too consistent with the past... or the narrator's way to describe it, at least. Thanks anyway for the reply. :smile2:

In a few days I will finish The Fellowship of the Ring and I don't know if I should go for the second volume right away... I don't want this to end soon!

 

[Silent_Buddha]

But my comment wasn't referring to Tom's reaction. I understand he's a badass and that he could see Frodo, so his reaction was fine and coherent to me. It was Frodo's that didn't seem too consistent with the past... or the narrator's way to describe it, at least.

It is unfortunate that this isn't something that can be addressed without going into spoilers. It'll hopefully make more sense as you get through the other two books.

Glad to see you enjoying the journey so much. IMO, reading Tolkien is one of the most magical experiences you can have.

Regards,
SB

 

[eloic]

Last week I finished the books. I liked the story a lot, even though some things didn't seem to make sense, the wording was a bit confusing sometimes and some parts were veeeeeeeeeery boring.

I'm happy because I feel that I did something I've been wanting to do for many, many years, and also I finally know that some stories I created before reading these books are not similar (or way too similar, duh... there are elves and that's it).

I've watched all the animated movies (ooooold) and I want to watch both trilogies soon.

 

[iroboto]

For those of you that follow Brandon Sandersons Stormlight Archives: book 4 has a launch date of Nov 2020. So definitely looking forward to that after Oathbringer.
Anyone into high fantasy; I recommend the Stormlight Archives. Book 1 is: The Way of Kings.

also on the game of thrones front; reading whispers on forums that Winds of Winter will be finally released somewhere this winter. Not holding my breath though.

also finished the entire Three Body Problem trilogy. It didn’t end the way I thought it would. Lol.

 

[Rodéric]

Read Brandon Sanderson's Skyward & Starlight, 3rd not yet published ^^
Also waiting for his Stormlight Archives 4th book...

 

[eloic]

The Eyes of the Dragon. I like it. Not the usual stuff from King.

However, the slight "hey, wasssup, I'm the narrator and I'm from your world and age" tone for the narrator displeases me a bit.

I haven't finished, yet.

 

[hoom]

Last week I finished the books. I liked the story a lot, even though some things didn't seem to make sense, the wording was a bit confusing sometimes and some parts were veeeeeeeeeery boring.

A pretty good summary!

What bits didn't make much sense?

Next the Silmarillion!

 

[eloic]

What bits didn't make much sense?

Besides the occasional confusing wording, there were things like Frodo and Sam falling on top of a bush which had thorns as long as knives, but they were not hurt. Then, Gandalf disappearing without an explanation, when he perfectly could, wasn't cool, but annoying and indeed it didn't make sense. Also, Mordor being practically empty in VERY important places, was not very realistic. Etc.

Yes, you can find an explanation to everything if you want to, but that doesn't necessarily make the explanation a very convincing one.

Next the Silmarillion!

Yes.

 

[iroboto]

Read Brandon Sanderson's Skyward & Starlight, 3rd not yet published ^^
Also waiting for his Stormlight Archives 4th book...

I just got Edgedancer. Is Skyward & Starlight in the cosmere universe as well? mist born was pretty good series. But I stopped after the 3rd book. I didn't go into the post main series novels.

Could you give me a mini review of Skyward and Starlight so far?
Where would you sort of place it? Typical Brandon Sanderson style of writing, huge tome novels that go on forever? Or to expect something shorter like a 3 novel series?

 

[Rodéric]

I just got Edgedancer. Is Skyward & Starlight in the cosmere universe as well? mist born was pretty good series. But I stopped after the 3rd book. I didn't go into the post main series novels.

Could you give me a mini review of Skyward and Starlight so far?
Where would you sort of place it? Typical Brandon Sanderson style of writing, huge tome novels that go on forever? Or to expect something shorter like a 3 novel series?

It's not part of the Cosmere, it is atypical since there's no magic system to discover and use/abuse though there are discoveries.
It's space opera I suppose, worth the read, interesting setting that you learn more about as the heroin discovers it. The books aren't long like the Stormlight archives, they would be more like Mistborn in length.
I also tried the second Mistborn trilogy without success either, just couldn't get into it, to me the story of that world was complete, there was nothing more to explore.
I like Skyward & Starlight and am waiting for the next (final I assume) book.
It's nearly impossible to say much about the book without revealing the content or spoiling a surprise, it's good and different from other books yet very Brandon Sanderson ^^
A journey in a universe with space ships, humans and a variety of life forms.

 

[Mariner]

Next the Silmarillion!

I was a very big afficionado of LoTR and Middle Earth through my MERP days when I was (a lot) younger but have to admit that the Silmarillion bored me to tears when I read it a few decades ago. Good luck to anybody wading their way through it.

 

[AlNom]

Picked up both of the NieR Automata books (Long Story Short & Short Story Long). I just found the game story to be so fascinating with the lore. SSL gives a handful of short background stories. LSS is seemingly a retelling of the game, but with more details on character thoughts.


I’ve been sidetracked as I was in the middle of Anno Dracula 1999: Daikaiju.