So, I don't seem to be posting on here as much as I used too.  Part of that is because this was mostly going to be a game design blog, and I haven't done much game design in a while.  I am going to remedy that soon.  Secondly is the fact that I use Facebook more than LJ (btw you can find me on facebook under Stacey Chancellor) at this point. 

So a few things I have done lately.

-Got completely addicted to Fallout 3 on my ps3.
-Took a week off work and spent some time running around nyc and playing the before mentioned Fallout 3.
-Met a few people online for dating like purposes.  Remembered why being single can be so frustrating.
-Watched my NY Yankees win 3 games in their final at bat over the weekend.
-Watched my Chicago Blackhawks get drilled by the damn Red Wings, yesterday.
-Have read the following books.  The Difference Engine (book club) by William Gibson and Bruce Stirling.  5 out of 10.  Dark Rain by Tony Richards 6.5 out of 10. 
-Have watched the first season (disc 1 and 2) of How I Met your Mother.  God that show is funny.  Was dissapointed in both The Spirit and The tale of Despereaux.
-Ordered Swashbuckler's of the Seven Seas and will have a review of the game when i have read it.  Although I am very excited at the thought of getting to play a sky pirate

So, some of you may know I am part of a science fiction/fantasy book club for the last 4 and a half years.  It is truly one of the better things in my life and the people in the group are dear to me in a low of ways.  So we get together every two weeks and discuss the next "book". 

So this last time it was my turn to choose.  Now I had this stack of fantasy novels that I have not read yet, and thought this would be a good time to read one.  The problem is that we have a 600 page limit on the books or we bump the meeting two three weeks, instead of two.  I like to avoid this if I can, but it has happened quite a few times in the past. 

So I stood there looking at my stack of books, I want to read, and chose the one that was closest to 600 pages.  Mostly so we would not have to bump the meeting back a week.  The book I chose was Across the Face of the World by Russell Kirkpatrick. 

Oh my god.  What a mistake.  What a huge, awful, mistake.  

I am a fan of epic fantasy.  I love the good vs evil aspect of it, and especially how good usually triumphs.  It appeals to my optomistic nature and is my favorite genre to read.

This novel?  It sucked on so many levels.  The only good thing i could say about it was the fact that it was at least a quick read.  I have met people that have have not read fantasy, and they tend to have made assumptions about how the novels in the genre are.  Especially, how poorly written and cliched they think the genre is.  Well, this books was everything those people thought the genre would be and more. 

This book angered me.  It actually left such a bad taste in my mouth, that I don't want to read fantasy for a bit.  It was THAT bad.  I mean this novel was so bad, the genre may not recover.  It forced me to buy a really awful looking horror/dark fantasy novel called Dark Rain by Tony Richards, just to get the taste out o my mouth.

Ok, I exaggerate (only a little though), but that is how bad this book. 

Key points.
1.  Fantasy pet peeve #1.  Cliched villian.  Name of the Undying Man.  God, how boring is that?  Nothing original about the villian, he is just EVIL.  That is how the book started.
2.  Fantasy pet peeve #2.  Authors feeling like they need to be creative and create their own words for things.  This is an actual list of names from the book.  Aigelstrommen, Haufuth, Fanajokull, Mjolkbridge, Torrelstrommen, Fernthicket, Derkskogen, Drozzakalvan, Geotakalvan, Nordviken.   Are you kidding me?  
3.  Spent more time on the maps of the world than the writing.  Found out later he was a cartographer, and can only hope he goes back to doing that soon.
4.  I have never come across a band of heroes that I cared less about their plight.  I seriously hoped they would get killed by an avalanche or something, just so I could stop reading.  Horrible characerization.
5.  Also no plot.  They started out having to "warn" those on high about an invasion, and instead went chasing after their parents that were kidnapped.  I get that, but it was long and tedious.  Not to mention when they finally  rescued their parents, one of the children god kidnapped by a different group and that sent the book on a second rescue attempt.  So, first 2/3 of book was resucing parents, then last 1/3 was rescuing Leith.  Great movement of plot there.
6.  Token female in party.  Nothing interesting about her.  Really selfish and very annoying.  But then she all of a sudden gets very brave and nice.  Didn't make sense.  That is just one example of how most of the characters were.  Also, I wish someone would have killed Farr.  He was verry annoying. 
7.  Awful writing.  God, awful writing.\
8.  Setting was not intersesting.  Only thought there could be a few ways to describe snow.  Appararently I was wrong.  This author did it about 24 different ways.  
9.  So, to date.  No characterization or mentiionable dialogue, bad and boring plot, awful writing, no setting, and just general disinterest about their plight.  It take a special kind of writing to be this bad at everything.  

There you go.  The worst novel in the history of fantasy. 
 

The Knife of Dreams by Robert Jordan
Fantasy

Reviewing Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series is not an easy thing to do for a lot of reasons.  First of all, they are huge.  They probably average 800 pages or so and that makes getting through the books a battle of attrition.  2nd of all, I am biased becuase of how much I love them.  This is not a universal feeling since most people either really like, or really dislike the series.  It seems the most angst I have heard about the novels come from women.  Not really sure there is any correlation to that, but it is worth noting.  Lastly, he has passed away and the last book is being written by an author named Brandon Sanderson (I have not read anything of his yet. 

I did just find out that the last novel is being split up into three novels.  The first one, The Gathering Storm is coming out this November and the last two are coming out in Nov of 2011 and 2012.  Hmmmm. 

Anyways, on to the book!

( Review WITH SPOILERS. Beware! )

Turn Coat Book 11 of the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
Fantasy-418 pages



My reviews are not always spoiler free, and this will be no exception.  But I will put it behind a LJ cut so those of you that want to see the spoilers can.

I love this series.  Anyone that knows me, already know that.  But Jim Butchers writing has really improved over the years.  No, he will not be winning any awards for the caliber of his writing, but it has really gotten better over time.  What more can you ask from an author? 

This one starts with Morgan (one of the White Council Wardens that really hates Harry) shows up at Harry's doorstep.  A senior member of the Council has been murdered and Morgan is on the run.  This is a problem for Harry, since he has a very rocky past (to say the least) with Morgan. 

( Major spoilers!!!!!!!!!! )

It has been a while since I have talked about what I am reading.  Orginally, my goal was to review each book that I read, and I hope to get back on that track.  The problem is I tend to read some of the same series over and over again.  Mostly due to the fact that  a new book will come out and I re-read the prior ones.  A prime example of this is the fact that I am reading the Dresden Files by Jim Butcher.  I am on book 8, Proven Guilty and the next one comes out in a few days (Turn Coat). 

A few other things I am reading (or going to read). 

I am on book 8 of The Wheel of Time, Heart of Winter.  I have read these before, but I got a co-worker into the series and after discussing the books, i got the itch.

The Way of Shadows by Brent Weeks.  This is for my book club and I have to finish it by next Tuesday, so it is taking most importance in my queue. 

As I mentioned, Proven Guilty by Jim Butcher.

The next book for my book club is Across the Face of the World by Russell Kirkpatrick.  I am hearing a lot of LOTR references, and that usually annoys me.  We will see.

The Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erickson.  A co-worker suggested this one.  So, that should be interesting.

The Terror by Dan Simmons.  I really want to get this soon.