Myshkin Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 I know this doesn't get released until next month but I just finished it and I figure some of you bloggers must have received ARCs. Anyway, early buzz has it that this should be one of the big debuts of the year, and in my opinion it definitely deserves it. The world, the history, the politics, and the characters and character development were all done very well. And the biggie: Scholes can write. It's somewhat different in the level of technology, with actual robots and the like, but they are not the prevalent level of tech in the world and are explained well, leaving this novel to be firmly rooted in epic fantasy rather than science fantasy or steampunk. The glimpses of the history we get are facinating and should lead to a lot of material to explore in further novels, while leaving this novel pretty much self contained. I'm not all that sure why but I think this novel will appeal to fans of Scott Bakker and Daniel Abraham. Anyway, I'm pretty stoked on this novel and author, and can't wait for the second book in the series, [i]Canticle[/i], which should be released latter this year. So, anyone else here read it? What did you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calibandar Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 I bought an ARC off the net a while ago but haven't really gotten aroudn to reading more than a few chapters. I've been really impressed by what I read though and I think the hype machine is deserved in this case. I wanted to wait with reading further when I decided I would be buying the hardcover in February anyway because of the gorgeous cover. [url="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/0765321270/sr=1-2/qid=1232192997/ref=dp_image_text_0?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books&qid=1232192997&sr=1-2"]http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/07...2997&sr=1-2[/url] It's not a big book in epic Fantasy standards at 360 pages, more like Abraham in that regard. Jonathan Strahan was one of the first people to really plug this book last year and he has now read the second book due in October, [b]Canticle[/b], and thought it was significantly better still. The third one, [b]Antiphon[/b], is due in Spring 2010. I have his short story collection "[b]Long Walks, Last Flights [/b]"as well which is really very good. It shows that purely as a writer this man has got superb skills. Writes with such ease, pretty cool that he's doing epic Fantasy ( with cool SF elements to boot). I'm noting an unusually high amount of Amazon pre-publication reviews as well, further indicating TOR's massive push for this author. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat5150 Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 I've been waiting for my fucking ARC since last fall. . . Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aidan Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 Hmm... I hope I get an ARC of this one, too. Sounds intriguing enough that I'd probably bump it to the top of my reading list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dits Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 Been hearing some buzz about this book. A reviewer in Amazon even described the book somewhat like a combination of A Game of Thrones and The Lions of Al-Rassan. Is that a fair description? Coz if it is, I'm preordering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myshkin Posted January 18, 2009 Author Share Posted January 18, 2009 [quote name='dits' post='1652750' date='Jan 17 2009, 16.51']Been hearing some buzz about this book. A reviewer in Amazon even described the book somewhat like a combination of A Game of Thrones and The Lions of Al-Rassan. Is that a fair description? Coz if it is, I'm preordering.[/quote] Haven't read [i]The Lions of Al-Rassan[/i], but I have read [i]Tigana[/i] and I think it's probably fair to say that Scholes writing would appeal to both Martin and Kay fans. His prose more resembles Kay's, but not as emotionaly manipulating; while the politics more resemble Martin's style. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delete this account pls Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 I'm certainly interested. Could we get a little info on the book itself? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myshkin Posted January 18, 2009 Author Share Posted January 18, 2009 The book opens with the complete destruction of the city of Windwir and the greater part of the religious organization which ruled the city, and by proxy most of the rest of the known world. What follows is the political maneuverings of the various nations now left without a central rule, the attempts at justice and retribution for the horrible crime committed, and the attempts to reclaim what was lost in the destruction, as seen through the viewpoints of various players. Through it all we get glimpses of an apocalyptic past and hints of a larger story to come. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calibandar Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 Here's the product description in case you hadn't seen it: [i]An ancient weapon has completely destroyed the city of Windwir. From many miles away, Rudolfo, Lord of the Nine Forest Houses, sees the horrifying column of smoke rising. He knows that war is coming to the Named Lands. Nearer to the Devastation, a young apprentice is the only survivor of the city – he sat waiting for his father outside the walls, and was transformed as he watched everyone he knew die in an instant. Soon all the Kingdoms of the Named Lands will be at each others' throats, as alliances are challenged and hidden plots are uncovered. This remarkable first novel from an award-winning short fiction writer will take readers away to a new world – an Earth so far in the distant future that our time is not even a memory; a world where magick is commonplace and great areas of the planet are impassable wastes. But human nature hasn’t changed through the ages: War and faith and love still move princes and nations. [/i] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedEyedGhost Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 [quote name='Myshkin' post='1652230' date='Jan 16 2009, 22.53']I'm not all that sure why but I think this novel will appeal to fans of Scott Bakker and Daniel Abraham.[/quote] Then I will definitely be ordering it! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob B Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 [quote name='pat5150' post='1652486' date='Jan 17 2009, 11.15']I've been waiting for my fucking ARC since last fall. . . Patrick[/quote] aawww poor Pat didn't get an ARC. :cry: J/K! I've got an ARC :leer: Seriously though, I read the story upon which the novel is based/extrapolated from and really enjoyed it so I'll be getting to this soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat5150 Posted January 20, 2009 Share Posted January 20, 2009 Rob, I got three words for you: Tor publicity department. . . So read the damned thing and let me know if it's good! :P Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry. Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Speaking of which, I hope all of them managed to keep their jobs, considering the gutting that's taken place in other parts of Pan Macmillan over the past 3 months :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcf Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 [quote name='pat5150' post='1655925' date='Jan 20 2009, 16.38']Rob, I got three words for you: Tor publicity department. . . So read the damned thing and let me know if it's good! :P Patrick[/quote] I've got an ARC of this one too :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob B Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 [quote name='Dylanfanatic' post='1656155' date='Jan 20 2009, 22.03']Speaking of which, I hope all of them managed to keep their jobs, considering the gutting that's taken place in other parts of Pan Macmillan over the past 3 months :([/quote] All of the major US publishers (aside from Hachette USA which is the parent of Orbit; Little, Brown; Grand Central) were hit big time with staffing cuts over the past month or two, so in all seriousness I think we can cut some slack here. Longtime SFF editor Liz Scheier was recently let go from Random House, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcf Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 [quote name='Rob B' post='1657178' date='Jan 21 2009, 13.24']All of the major US publishers (aside from Hachette USA which is the parent of Orbit; Little, Brown; Grand Central) were hit big time with staffing cuts over the past month or two, so in all seriousness I think we can cut some slack here. Longtime SFF editor Liz Scheier was recently let go from Random House, too.[/quote] Hasn't Tor been relatively immune so far though? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gyrehead Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 I read this the end of last year. I liked the book but wasn't blown away by it. It is very accessible and fast paced. The worldbuilding for me was a bit wonky and the characters don't have too much depth. Reminds me in some ways of early Gemmell in that area. Plotting is a bit more complex and Scholes does have some worldbuilding elements that are interesting and help maintain the pace with enough detail. I can see this being a favorite of many readers simply because it is an easy read due to Scholes writing skills and the sparse elements in the story itself. As Daniel Abraham has proven, this can be a very, very good thing. Overall I'd say Scholes reminds me the most of Tobias S. Buckell; particularly with the Buckell's third book being so action-adventure driven. Scholes captures that singular sensibility of old serials and refines it with modern dash and wit. It's not a book I was stunned by or had itchy fingers from next book DTs. But I will be picking up Canticle when it comes out if I don't get an arc or promo copy. It was definitely good enough for that. And Scholes is an author I can easily see rocketing in my estimation with the second work of the series much like Buckell did with his work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob B Posted January 22, 2009 Share Posted January 22, 2009 [quote name='kcf' post='1657186' date='Jan 21 2009, 15.27']Hasn't Tor been relatively immune so far though?[/quote] I think Tor was hit the least from with Macmillan, but I'm sure they're feeling something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat5150 Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 I think that every single publisher in North America will be hit to one degree or another. . . Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob B Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 Got that right, well, except for Hachette (Orbit and more importatnly Little, Brown which publishes Stephenie Meyer). DC Comics just cut one of their long time editors, too. Back to Lamentation, though. I hope to get to it in the next couple of weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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