The Unremembered

[Sci-2]

I'm having a hard time with this book. It's something I want to get into, but there is something about it that jars my sensibilities. I think the dialogue might be stronger, but it feels like the cosmic aspect of this fantasy feels painfully mundane. Can't find better words than that at the moment...

[jdiddyesquire]

I'm having a hard time with this book. It's something I want to get into, but there is something about it that jars my sensibilities. I think the dialogue might be stronger, but it feels like the cosmic aspect of this fantasy feels painfully mundane. Can't find better words than that at the moment...

I've seen a lot of bad reviews that have steered me away from giving it a go myself.

[henderson]

Yes, I have steered away from this book because of the reviews, especially after I read the prologue and a few more excerpts. Tor has marketed him as the up and coming author in epic fantasy.

I've seen his interviews with Patrick Rothfuss and he seems like a nice guy. I am going to wait until his next novel is reviewed before I might give him a try.

I

[gyrehead]

It's easily the worst book I've read in quite some time. Definitely the crap meister brew of 2011.

The guy takes Robert Jordan's The Eye of the World. Puts in new names and cuts one or two characters. But lifts the exact plotline pretty much, pulls it apart to slide in a few "unique" scenes (but those feel borrowed from other works as well). Then purples the prose out it. I mean we're talking literary bruises like Orullian is a drunken trailer park piece of trash letting loose in fury on his woman. It actually left me disgusted that this is what Tor thinks is worth huge outlay in PR and worth a hardcover. The fact that it is so blatant and so poorly done ripoff of Jordan puts to rest any notion that the company has any regard for Jordan other than his ability to make them the US juggernaut of speculative fiction. Sure Sanderson proved that to me but I think Orullian will convince many still holding out.

Even if it wasn't such a ripoff the plotting and characterizations are cloying and lack any depth or logical motivation. The fight scenes, of which there are many, make no sense logistically as characters seem to always be huge distances away when they have to fight their way to a friends aid. Despite the fact that the fights take place in limited area places for the most part, like their campground or even inside a building. Orullian jams every trite little action movie sequences within his theft of Jordan as he can. The guy can't write. No surprise I guess he is a published author thanks to Tor.

[RedEyedGhost]

I've seen a lot of bad reviews that have steered me away from giving it a go myself.

This.

It upsets me that this book is getting almost universally bad reviews AND a large marketing push by Tor, yet Tor never gave Daniel Abraham's series even half the push this seems to be receiving.

[jdiddyesquire]

This.

It upsets me that this book is getting almost universally bad reviews AND a large marketing push by Tor, yet Tor never gave Daniel Abraham's series even half the push this seems to be receiving.

What really surprises me is that in the film industry when something like this happens the studios pump tons of money into advertising, but don't let anyone see the film.

In this case, Tor sent out a bunch of review copies as well (at least to my knowledge). So someone over there thought it was good or they would have kept better control of it.

[Sci-2]

It's easily the worst book I've read in quite some time. Definitely the crap meister brew of 2011.

The guy takes Robert Jordan's The Eye of the World. Puts in new names and cuts one or two characters. But lifts the exact plotline pretty much, pulls it apart to slide in a few "unique" scenes (but those feel borrowed from other works as well). Then purples the prose out it. I mean we're talking literary bruises like Orullian is a drunken trailer park piece of trash letting loose in fury on his woman. It actually left me disgusted that this is what Tor thinks is worth huge outlay in PR and worth a hardcover. The fact that it is so blatant and so poorly done ripoff of Jordan puts to rest any notion that the company has any regard for Jordan other than his ability to make them the US juggernaut of speculative fiction. Sure Sanderson proved that to me but I think Orullian will convince many still holding out.

Even if it wasn't such a ripoff the plotting and characterizations are cloying and lack any depth or logical motivation. The fight scenes, of which there are many, make no sense logistically as characters seem to always be huge distances away when they have to fight their way to a friends aid. Despite the fact that the fights take place in limited area places for the most part, like their campground or even inside a building. Orullian jams every trite little action movie sequences within his theft of Jordan as he can. The guy can't write. No surprise I guess he is a published author thanks to Tor.

Yeah, so I guess it isn't just me. I can't get past the prologue of The Unremembered. I feel like there are things that almost work, but the gods seem more like bored city councilors. There are interesting ideas here, but it just feels forced. I hate to be mean, but I'm surprised this got published in all honesty.

I have to say I find it odd that on amazon and goodreads there are a lot of five star reviews.

[Switchback]

i haven't read it, but i did see it in the bookstore the other day. the map is BADASS! and i'm a sucker for a good map, so i'll probably pick this one up at some point.

[jdiddyesquire]

i haven't read it, but i did see it in the bookstore the other day. the map is BADASS! and i'm a sucker for a good map, so i'll probably pick this one up at some point.

Tor does have a rep for putting together a beautiful book (see Way of Kings).

[aidan]

Tor does have a rep for putting together a beautiful book (see Way of Kings).

To give credit where it's due, Sanderson himself paid for all the interior artwork out of his own pocket.

[Myshkin]

I have to say I find it odd that on amazon and goodreads there are a lot of five star reviews.

This. I thought of buying the book, but the amazon reviews seemed very shady.

[Grack21]

Sounds like David Bilsborough part II. Except Peter doesn't sound like a complete jackass mcfuck in his interviews.

I got it on sale. Probably wont get to it for a while though.

[Sci-2]

Sounds like David Bilsborough part II. Except Peter doesn't sound like a complete jackass mcfuck in his interviews.

I got it on sale. Probably wont get to it for a while though.

Yeah, IF something's going on I don't think it was him - he doesn't seem like the type. Just a lot of new reviewers popping up at both sites to review the book, having other reviews that same day.

I think the sad thing about this book is the potential feels like its there in my reading different sections. The divine aspect just needed to be more abstract, more reminiscent of the architect angels in the Silver City from Gaiman's Murder Mystery or the unkin in Hal Duncan's Vellum. It just felt like politicians squabbling instead of gods battling each other.

The prose definitely could use work, but I think the dialogue was the major issue.

[Grack21]

Yeah I had no idea David Bilsborough was such a giant shithead til today when Pat posted an old interview. I mean, wow, I've seen Goodkind be more humble. Guess Bilsborough won't be publishing those other "annuals" huh?

[kuenjato]

Yeah, IF something's going on I don't think it was him - he doesn't seem like the type. Just a lot of new reviewers popping up at both sites to review the book, having other reviews that same day.

I think the sad thing about this book is the potential feels like its there in my reading different sections. The divine aspect just needed to be more abstract, more reminiscent of the architect angels in the Silver City from Gaiman's Murder Mystery or the unkin in Hal Duncan's Vellum. It just felt like politicians squabbling instead of gods battling each other.

The prose definitely could use work, but I think the dialogue was the major issue.

I suspect Amazon is a publicity testing-ground for many new releases. It comes as no surprise that every time a negative review for a big seller pops up, 5-10 positive one-timer revewers emerge to praise the book to high heaven. This happens frequently. The publishers have learned well from Stanek.

As for this book--nice cover, nice map, but the prose ranges from pretty mediocre to downright shit, judging by the free excerpts on the guy's page. The fact that he wholesale rips from RJ and is promoted/edited by Frankle (he of "early Goodkind fame!") just adds to the hilarity of it all. The big publishers seem so damn desperate these days to manufacture the next big thing in the wake of RJ, Harry Potter and Twilight, despite the fact that you'll usually generate limited returns on artificial hype (a la Newcombe)

[Nebuchadnezzar]

On Amazon they claim to be the author's "friends". Three weeks ago there was a huge posting of 5 star reviews, downrating of negative reviews, and nasty comments as well. It got so bad Amazon users called them on it and some of the "reviews" disappeared and things quieted down. Started back up again this week.

Really embarrassing for the author and for Tor.

[RedEyedGhost]

On Amazon they claim to be the author's "friends". Three weeks ago there was a huge posting of 5 star reviews, downrating of negative reviews, and nasty comments as well. It got so bad Amazon users called them on it and some of the "reviews" disappeared and things quieted down. Started back up again this week.

Really embarrassing for the author and for Tor.

I checked out amazon yesterday and it was really hilarious with all the down rating of negative reviews, the 5 star reviewers that haven't reviewed anything else, the up rating of any positive reviews, and commentors calling each other out.

Tor really should be embarrassed, that shit's straight out of the St@neck Manifesto.

[Sci-2]

I checked out amazon yesterday and it was really hilarious with all the down rating of negative reviews, the 5 star reviewers that haven't reviewed anything else, the up rating of any positive reviews, and commentors calling each other out.

Tor really should be embarrassed, that shit's straight out of the St@neck Manifesto.

Yeah, that was my suspicion as well. The author seems like a nice guy, and I think with some work this could have been a decent to good novel. Hopefully he ultimately takes the good criticism to heart and polishes the second book.

[polishgenius]

I really wanted this to be good, because it's a good concept, and much as I enjoy the weirder stuff and the lower-magic trend I do like a traditional, old-school epic fantasy now and then, and not being that big a fan of Sanderson or Weeks, have found the well a little dry in recent years. But I tried the short story prequel and the prologue and while the prologue was a bit better than the short (I finished it, which I didn't the short) I just didn't get the hype at all.

This review stuff is odd. The author does come off as a genuinely nice bloke and though Tor make some questionable decisions about who to market (imo), they're not idiots, so I suspect it might actually be overzealous friends of Orullian. But you never know.

[Grack21]

I hate it when authors/publishers pull this amazon shit. Knowing this now I probably wouldn't have picked the book up on sale like I did, although its not always the author, sometimes agents can go a little batshit.