Fantasy Book Club discussion

Who will be reading The Black Prism byBrent Weeks?

What are your initial impressions?

(The discussion thread will be opened before the end of the week. )

Starting right now, this will be the first book I've read as part of a group. looking forward to the discussion.

I'm in!
started with it yesterday actually!

I've started too. Loving that (one of?) the main character(s) has some skeletons in the closet.

I've been wanting to start this series, but I can't because it's not complete. So as much as I'd like to read it now, I will have to wait. I don't think there's even a release date for the last book yet.

I'm in! Started a day early (sorry). I love the short chapters and Kip's development so far. Waiting to understand the magic system a little (a lot) more.

I'm in. The magic system is very interesting.

I probably will read it at some point.

I started it. it's really good so far. I did notice the similar magic system here as was used in Warbreaker. I believe I'm going to enjoy this.

I'm in! Starting it today!

The thread title says April... just thought you should know

I'm ready to read it. The book is sitting on my desk.

I've jumped in. Absolutely fantastic and novel (pardon the pun). I'm really enjoying the magic system, both in its elemental and in its physical uses!

heh heh ....***blushes***

In my defense Margret ...March is a difficult month. And I love April.
Thanks. : )

We're not ditching March!!

I'm cheating as I read it in December, but I'm looking forward to hearing what others think about it.

February used to be a tough time for me Brenda so I can relate :) hopefully you can speed through the month or find something to make it easier on you.

I'm about 250 pages in, and I think I missed something. This question involves a major spoiler - don't read if you're not there yet...

(view spoiler)[Gavin and Dazen aren't identical twins. Karris, at the very least, should've been able to spot the switcheroo, but she doesn't. Does Weeks explain that? Did I miss something? (hide spoiler)]

Thanks!

Liam wrote: "I'm about 250 pages in, and I think I missed something. This question involves a major spoiler - don't read if you're not there yet...

[spoilers removed]

Thanks!"

Liam, I noticed this also. Let's just say it does go into a little more detail later on in the book explaining this. Though you may still feel it's a little weak. I did. Don't get me wrong though. This is still a great story.

Liam wrote: "I'm about 250 pages in, and I think I missed something. This question involves a major spoiler - don't read if you're not there yet...

I was confused by this too. But as Tnkw01 says, there is a bit more detail later on. I actually found myself having to go back and forth through the book to work out things that I thought I should know. Perhaps I wasn't paying attention or perhaps some of the hints were a bit too subtle for me to pick up on a first read.

I've read it a couple times already actually, as well as the follow up books in the series. Brent Weeks is one of my favorite authors and I'm looking forward to what you guys think of it.

As for Tnkw01's question: I'm not sure where this is explained in all the books but it's no major spoiler (view spoiler)[the Prism's War was a several years long affair, so Karris hadn't seen either of them in a long while. I'm also pretty sure neither Dazen nor Gavin were fully grown when they went off to war. Add to that the ways experiencing a war changes people, and it's not all that surprising she doesn't notice. Especially since she has no real reason to question his identity. (hide spoiler)]

Just completed today. I enjoyed the banter and witty comebacks. It was a fun read and I look forward to the next book.

I finished it last night. I loved it, but it ended kind of abruptly (I had the e-book, and thought I had 70 more pages - but it was just a list of characters and "stuff" - surprise!).

Is there a discussion thread somewhere?

Now onto the first book in Weeks's first trilogy for a buddy read.

Jessica wrote: "the Prism's War was a several years long affair, so Karris hadn't seen either of them in a long while..."

I'm enjoying the story and especially Kip. Regarding my question about the spoiler: I don't think Jessica's timeline is correct.

(view spoiler)[On page 440-ish of the ebook, Gavin and Kariss are age 16-ish, sleep together and then we're told the battle of Sundered Rock where Gavin and Dazen switch places happened just a 'short while later.' ... Also, I'm a military veteran so am familiar with how war changes people... All that is to say, I'm having a hard time believing this part of the plot. For fun I did some googling - it sounds like even with identical twins, parents and spouses are adept at distinguishing them very early on in relationships. /shrug (hide spoiler)]

I'm most interested in this issue not in terms of trying to decide if this is a fun book or not (I like it!) but in terms of what sorts of things we readers are willing to go along with if a story is delivering other things we really like.

Liam wrote: "Jessica wrote: "the Prism's War was a several years long affair, so Karris hadn't seen either of them in a long while..."

I'm enjoying the story and especially Kip. Regarding my question about the..."

Just my opinion but I was all in. If I'm really enjoying a story, I have a tendency to do that. My only criticism of the book (and it's a really, really small one) (view spoiler)[is the blue pyramid of skulls. Did it have to be children? I just want to leave the kids alone. (hide spoiler)] Anyway, this was a great read so I just bought into it and went with the flow.

Liam wrote: "Jessica wrote: "the Prism's War was a several years long affair, so Karris hadn't seen either of them in a long while..."

I'm enjoying the story and especially Kip. Regarding my question about the..."

Then I guess I remembered the timeline wrong. However, the "war changes people" argument was used in the books. I believe you if you say that's not a valid argument though.

About your remark that "parents and spouses are adept at distinguishing them very early on in relationships", I think Karris can't really count as a spouse at that point. (relatively minor spoiler for The Blood Mirror) (view spoiler)[let's just say Gavin didn't fool everyone as well as he thinks he did (hide spoiler)]

Not reading. I choose not to read a series until it's complete. I am looking forward to it - enjoyed Weeks' Night Angel trilogy immensely, but:
1) some authors take waaaaayyy too long (looking at you Martin and Rothfuss).
2) While Weeks is a consistent writer that wont leave you hanging, I still hate having to wait 1-2 years in between an entry in the story rather than being able to read it all at once.

Speaking of that, I personally feel it would be great if more of the monthly nominations were for series that are complete. May's list is full of book 1's of incomplete series that I wont vote for or read. And Mistborn, that I (incorrectly?) assumed most had already read. Powder Mage - complete trilogy, but read that already, enjoyed it mostly but not enough that I really cared enough to read the next couple... Not sure why.

Liam wrote: "Jessica wrote: "the Prism's War was a several years long affair, so Karris hadn't seen either of them in a long while..."

I'm enjoying the story and especially Kip. Regarding my question about the..."

(view spoiler)[ I do think the explanation is kind of weak, but I feel like there's times when she seems to know something is "off". She is told who he is supposed to be and she seemed to feel something off and explained to herself that the war had changed him, but there was always something. When she had the realization it felt like an oh duh moment and came easily enough I think partly she always knew. It does show the mother always knew. (hide spoiler)]