I forgot to mention in the video: I'm one day into Wind and Truth and really enjoying it. It's such a fast read after Toll the Hounds 😂 I'm also two chapters into Too Like the Lightning and I'm going to be honest, I'm not sure I'll make it very far into this book 😅
I also tried Too Like the Lightning because I saw you were reading it. I didn't make it halfway either... I'd be curious to hear why you DNF if you don't make it!
I was listening to the audiobook out loud on my back deck, and I actually stopped it to go get my headphones because I was paranoid that the neighbours would call the cops or something 😂
The layers of humor in Fforde's books make them so rereadable! I've read the series 3 or 4 times and every time I'm catching things I've never caught before. He's currently working on #8 which is supposed to be the last so I will definitely reread them again this year
It's supposed to come out November 4th next year, but I'll believe it when it's actually out. 😅 I sure hope it's the last one, since I don't want to wait 13 more years, ye gods.
Lowry is indeed so insufferable but the audiobook narrator was giving such an incredible performance that it made the experience much more enjoyable. It was SO. INTENSE.
I've had that thing where I am so hyped for a book to come out and then when it does I'm not ready to break the anticipation... And I start it a year later.
You're in for such a wild ride with the Thursday Next books. They just keep getting more and more layered and run on that Hitchhiker's style nonsense logic. I hope you like them just as much as the first book, and maybe check out Jasper Fforde's other books in the future, too. 😁
I love it haha you did exactly the same I did with Absolution. I read the first 2 or 3 chapters with Lowry and I couldn't stand it any longer. I went to the Southern Reach sub and went to look for similar opinion and found a few and started commenting on some posts. I spent probably 2 or 3 hours there and gave it a chance with the audiobook and it was a little better since the performance is really good. Once Lowry stops saying "fuck" every other word I actually started to enjoy it, and even felt bad for him. On re-read I'm totally gonna skip half his chapters though
Also strongly recommend The Eyre Affair in physical format. It’s been a while since I’ve read it but I do remember thinking that so much would be lost on audio. He plays with sentence structure in a way that’s better experienced written. The series is just a delight. I loved how clever and often silly it was.
Exactly how I felt about Absolution. I was so into it until Part 3 and then I was like what the actual hell is going on. Sped through that last part without enjoying it just to finish.
don't feel bad about the habit of not continuing series right away. Last year I started a bunch of first books to series and didn't contiue them but I plan to this year, at least for some of them. Two of them are buddy reads so I'm saving those for that. But the rest I do need to continue and it's part of my plan to fix my "Too many in my TBR" issue and goal in going through.
I read a book by Jasper Fforde but I don't remember which one. Anyway, something about it creeped me out and I haven't read another one. After listening to your review of The Eyre Affair I decided to give it a try. Especially since I saw it at the library book sale! Yay Thanks for all your reviews and I've discovered new authors from you, too. Thanks 😊
I think it's a great number of books read. There is too much of emphasis on numbers recently. We should all more focus on quality rather than quantity! I will try to make it my new year resolution 😅
Happy New Year - hope you're still meeting on 01/10 for Crichton's Sphere. On the one hand I think that I enjoyed the movie more but on the other hand there was someone who recognized how and why this source makes a great movie. I finished Klara and the Sun yesterday and today will begin either It Can't Happen Here (Sinclair Lewis) or Time Line (Michael Crichton). Thanks - enjoyed!
Totally recommend getting the actual books for the Thursday Next series. I don't know how they would work as an audiobook. The book "extras", think DVD extras, but for physical books, all add to the humour. But what he does with the prose layout, especially in later books and say the footnotes (trying to avoid spoilers) not only have to be read to be seen, but only work on the printed page. Maybe in a TV/Movie adaptation if the adapters were clever enough.
Will admit, I'm bummed you've stopped your Discworld journey. :( Glad you're enjoying so many other wonderful books but Granny, Sam and DEATH are waiting for you to return... (and some other fantastic characters you haven't yet met)
Going through Days of Shattered Faith rn (35% in), and it's certainly engaging. On the whole... A. Tchaikovsky is probably one of my favourite authors rn; not everything is a hit - I just cannot get onboard with Alien Clay - but he's like 75% solid, and he can do really engaging, modern Space Opera (Final Architecture trilogy, Children of ... trilogy) and modern Fantasy (Tyrant Phylosophers) which is pretty uncommon. It tbh also helps that his works are NOT all set in the same universe (unlike Sanderson's Cosmere), so you do not need to have read 30+ books before pickup up the latest just to not miss out on vital context...
Couldn’t make it through Part 3 of Absolution. And I wish I could have. It seemed like the story would’ve been fantastic but I just couldn’t do it I’m disappointed. I almost never DNF books. 😞 -T
The Eyre Affair is on audio now, starting it. Let’s see what got 5 stars finally. Toll the Hounds is an absolute masterpiece. Teller of Small Fortunes seems interesting but maybe for a subs audio not to buy it. Vandermeer👏 I should read it in English too.
I feel exactly the same about Absolution! I was so curious how others felt about this book. Loved parts 1 and 2, and almost quit at the start of part 3 because it was so abrasive. Worst narrator ever. But like you said, everything happening around Lowry was excellent, so it was still worth pushing through. I hope Vandermeer explains his thinking with Lowry someday because that was definitely a choice.
Yeah, the Lowrey expression started getting old. Overall it is the least of the 4 books. I did laugh out loud though when: SPOILER > > > > > > > > > > > All hell breaks loose and they start running and Lowrey turns back to the person carrying his drugs, "Save the drugs!"
I forgot to mention in the video:
I'm one day into Wind and Truth and really enjoying it. It's such a fast read after Toll the Hounds 😂
I'm also two chapters into Too Like the Lightning and I'm going to be honest, I'm not sure I'll make it very far into this book 😅
Day one is the weakest, it only gets better!!!!!
I also tried Too Like the Lightning because I saw you were reading it. I didn't make it halfway either... I'd be curious to hear why you DNF if you don't make it!
Merphy, do you need to read classics to enjoy The Eyre affair? I'm not well-read on classics but the book sounds fun
To whoever is listening to the Absolution review and thinking "it can't be that bad": my kindle says it the word shows up 1028 times lmao
1028 times seems low haha
I was listening to the audiobook out loud on my back deck, and I actually stopped it to go get my headphones because I was paranoid that the neighbours would call the cops or something 😂
The layers of humor in Fforde's books make them so rereadable! I've read the series 3 or 4 times and every time I'm catching things I've never caught before. He's currently working on #8 which is supposed to be the last so I will definitely reread them again this year
It's supposed to come out November 4th next year, but I'll believe it when it's actually out. 😅 I sure hope it's the last one, since I don't want to wait 13 more years, ye gods.
I love the Eyre Affair. That whole series is sooo good
Lowry is indeed so insufferable but the audiobook narrator was giving such an incredible performance that it made the experience much more enjoyable. It was SO. INTENSE.
yup, I changed to the audiobook after having to take a break from reading and his performance was so good that it was way less annoying
I've had that thing where I am so hyped for a book to come out and then when it does I'm not ready to break the anticipation... And I start it a year later.
You're in for such a wild ride with the Thursday Next books. They just keep getting more and more layered and run on that Hitchhiker's style nonsense logic. I hope you like them just as much as the first book, and maybe check out Jasper Fforde's other books in the future, too. 😁
I've only read 2 of them. I look forward to continuing in the series.
I love it haha you did exactly the same I did with Absolution. I read the first 2 or 3 chapters with Lowry and I couldn't stand it any longer. I went to the Southern Reach sub and went to look for similar opinion and found a few and started commenting on some posts. I spent probably 2 or 3 hours there and gave it a chance with the audiobook and it was a little better since the performance is really good. Once Lowry stops saying "fuck" every other word I actually started to enjoy it, and even felt bad for him. On re-read I'm totally gonna skip half his chapters though
Also strongly recommend The Eyre Affair in physical format. It’s been a while since I’ve read it but I do remember thinking that so much would be lost on audio. He plays with sentence structure in a way that’s better experienced written. The series is just a delight. I loved how clever and often silly it was.
Getting very close to the end of Malazan!
Exactly how I felt about Absolution. I was so into it until Part 3 and then I was like what the actual hell is going on. Sped through that last part without enjoying it just to finish.
The Thursday Next by Jasper Fforde get better as the series continues. Such a wonderful absurd series for book lovers.
Congrats on finishing Toll the hounds. I actually need to finish Malazan, Toll was the last one I read.
don't feel bad about the habit of not continuing series right away. Last year I started a bunch of first books to series and didn't contiue them but I plan to this year, at least for some of them. Two of them are buddy reads so I'm saving those for that. But the rest I do need to continue and it's part of my plan to fix my "Too many in my TBR" issue and goal in going through.
I read a book by Jasper Fforde but I don't remember which one. Anyway, something about it creeped me out and I haven't read another one. After listening to your review of The Eyre Affair I decided to give it a try. Especially since I saw it at the library book sale! Yay
Thanks for all your reviews and I've discovered new authors from you, too. Thanks 😊
I think it's a great number of books read. There is too much of emphasis on numbers recently. We should all more focus on quality rather than quantity! I will try to make it my new year resolution 😅
Happy New Year - hope you're still meeting on 01/10 for Crichton's Sphere. On the one hand I think that I enjoyed the movie more but on the other hand there was someone who recognized how and why this source makes a great movie. I finished Klara and the Sun yesterday and today will begin either It Can't Happen Here (Sinclair Lewis) or Time Line (Michael Crichton). Thanks - enjoyed!
Totally recommend getting the actual books for the Thursday Next series. I don't know how they would work as an audiobook.
The book "extras", think DVD extras, but for physical books, all add to the humour. But what he does with the prose layout, especially in later books and say the footnotes (trying to avoid spoilers) not only have to be read to be seen, but only work on the printed page. Maybe in a TV/Movie adaptation if the adapters were clever enough.
As someone who hasn't been very into cozy fantasy either I may actually give The Teller of Small Fortunes ago. Also intrigued by The Eyre Affair!
I really need to read The Tyrant Philosophers series and the rest of Tchaikovsky's fantasy stuff, I've only heard very positive things about them
20:01 💯 I flipped through it at the store and saw the same thing, put it down 💔 and quietly grieved that I wouldn't be finishing the series.
Aww yeah!! Days of shattered faith gets 4 stars!!!
Merphy: "Absolution", the 4th book in a trilogy.
Me: um... what?
Ordering Annihilation as my first Vandermeer book.
Yay for finishing absolution!
Will admit, I'm bummed you've stopped your Discworld journey. :( Glad you're enjoying so many other wonderful books but Granny, Sam and DEATH are waiting for you to return... (and some other fantastic characters you haven't yet met)
Dust of Dreams!
I liked Toll the Hounds, but Bonehunters is still my favorite MBotF book.
Going through Days of Shattered Faith rn (35% in), and it's certainly engaging. On the whole... A. Tchaikovsky is probably one of my favourite authors rn; not everything is a hit - I just cannot get onboard with Alien Clay - but he's like 75% solid, and he can do really engaging, modern Space Opera (Final Architecture trilogy, Children of ... trilogy) and modern Fantasy (Tyrant Phylosophers) which is pretty uncommon.
It tbh also helps that his works are NOT all set in the same universe (unlike Sanderson's Cosmere), so you do not need to have read 30+ books before pickup up the latest just to not miss out on vital context...
Anyone else here obsessed with Hidden Signs of the Universe by Olivia Cooper?
When are you going to finish the Dresden Files?
I skipped over the absolution section because I've only read book one so far
Couldn’t make it through Part 3 of Absolution. And I wish I could have. It seemed like the story would’ve been fantastic but I just couldn’t do it I’m disappointed. I almost never DNF books. 😞
-T
The Eyre Affair is on audio now, starting it. Let’s see what got 5 stars finally.
Toll the Hounds is an absolute masterpiece.
Teller of Small Fortunes seems interesting but maybe for a subs audio not to buy it.
Vandermeer👏 I should read it in English too.
Hot take: Discworld is just the earlier/previous generation of "Cozy Fantasy".
I feel exactly the same about Absolution! I was so curious how others felt about this book. Loved parts 1 and 2, and almost quit at the start of part 3 because it was so abrasive. Worst narrator ever. But like you said, everything happening around Lowry was excellent, so it was still worth pushing through. I hope Vandermeer explains his thinking with Lowry someday because that was definitely a choice.
I just read Annihilation and now I'm hooked on the series, so I was glad to see your review of Absolution.
Quality is better than quantity
Would rather read only 4-5 great books then 10 terrible or just so so books
Yeah, the Lowrey expression started getting old. Overall it is the least of the 4 books. I did laugh out loud though when:
SPOILER
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
All hell breaks loose and they start running and Lowrey turns back to the person carrying his drugs, "Save the drugs!"
I just read Toni Shiloh’s newest Christmas novella… The Christmas Catch and I liked it so much!!