Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

Buddy Read starts 1st October.

I've already read His Majesty's Dragon, so this is where I'll join the buddy read for the series.

Same

So excited to continue this series. First impressions, we're dumped straight into the action! No messing about here.

FYI this is the start of Temeraire's trek around the globe, a trend for the next seven novels. Beware of travelogue.

I quit another book I was listening to last night at work instead of finishing it, and didn't have this loaded up yet, so I started On Basilisk Station... looks like I'll be a day or 2 behind on this... I'll catch up...

I'm either gonna be running ahead or behind all month I think, my schedule has gotten a bit heavy towards the end so need to make it work somehow. It'll be fiiiiiine...

I'll also be a bit late Iain. Still reading Battleaxe by Sara Douglass as the copy became available at the library.
Will have to catch up with you Siobhan.

is On Basilisk Station nice Iain? I've been having that series on my shelves for ages but didn't quite get myself to start it.

It's a bit heavy on details sometimes, like the math of space travel and limitations of FTL (faster-than-light travel) nodes, but I'm really liking it so far... needed a new Sci-fi series... read back in May and finished catching up on Expanse last month...

Only thing that's really annoyed me is (view spoiler)[ the repitition on how unpretty Honor finds herself and how nobody would believe her new CO tried to rape someone like her in basic training years ago (hide spoiler)]

Thanks Iain. I'll wait and see your final thoughts on it and then decide on starting. Meanwhile I added the first of the series you suggested to my TBR. Expanse will be my first Sci-fi read with this group. I love Star Wars, Star Trek and Star Gate and have watched all the series and movies, but didn't read any books of this genre till now. Perhaps I'll like them too.

I'll be starting Throne of Jade in a few hours. And since most of us here seem to be late with it, perhaps we could fix the date for the next book 3 or 4 days later? Most of us are either on the monthly read or another big read on the first of every month (some of us on both) so perhaps it would be better to straight off fix the start date for this on say the 5th of every month?

I was going to suggest something similar since I'm usually reading the book club book on the 1st and plan on catching up for the 3rd book of this read. :)

That's fine by me if we change the date by a few days in November and onwards :)

I'm on to chapter eight now, think I'm about half way through. I'm not so sure how I feel about this one as I was with the first. (view spoiler)[ there's a lot of being on a ship travelling around, whining about it and falling out with different people. Temeraire is in a mood too. I'm not finding their relationship as cute as in book one. (hide spoiler)]

Sounds good to me... I'd probably be more willing/able to participate in more BRs in general if they were spread out a bit more on the 1/5/9/13/17/21/25 than I do currently on 1/8/15/22

On Honor Harrington... I really liked it... would probably have given 4.5-5 stars if those 3 big infodumps about space travel had been appendices instead of in the main story...

Chapter 10 (view spoiler)[ Pretty cool to see a wild sea serpent! I feel like I'm reading one of the Natural History of Dragons books again, expecting Lady Trent to rock up and study it XD (hide spoiler)]

Not sure if anyone has managed to start yet, but if so, how are you all finding it?

Just finished chapter 6

(view spoiler)[I was expecting the Chinese trying to get Temeraire back so the first chapters were according to that. But then the battle at sea came and Temerarire is getting close to the prince....
He reads him poetry from China and talks with him about classics and art, is all gentleness and care - just as we would normally do with a child to win him over. I can see the gap between Temeraire and Laurence growing bigger day by day because of this alone. And then came the harsh words Laurence shouted! And I cannot keep thinking he shouldn't have done that. I understand he was angry and Temeraire may have hurt himself and the ship but still...he shouldn't have done it. I have a strong feeling Temeraire will turn away from Laurence at one time. Hope I'm wrong but I sort of see it coming. (hide spoiler)]

While this book didn't grab me from the very first as the previous one, I still love it. I'll go on reading and try to catch up with you today Siobhan.

Siobhan wrote: "That's fine by me if we change the date by a few days in November and onwards :)

I'm on to chapter eight now, think I'm about half way through. I'm not so sure how I feel about this one as I was w..."

I agree on this point. I don't mind the sea voyage part a lot as I like sea adventures but I wish (view spoiler)[the relationship between Temeraire and Laurence would be ....more. (hide spoiler)]

At least my previous fear from chapter 6 has been proven irrelevant as(view spoiler)[Temeraire seems bent on keeping Laurence anyway. This I like. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

Siobhan wrote: "Chapter 10 [spoilers removed]"

Same here!!!

And I was wondering (view spoiler)[The Chinese made such a fuss about Laurence's family tree and afterwards the servant tried to kill him. It crossed my mind that perhaps Laurence, being related to the British royal family, would be actually entitled to possess Temeraire according to the Chinese law. That is why they would want Laurence to disappear, so he cannot officially claim Temeraire. (hide spoiler)]
I wonder if anyone else feels the same?

Laura wrote: "Just finished chapter 6

I was expecting the Chinese"

(view spoiler)[I was really worried about the Chinese winning Temeraire over with poetry and new food etc too. Glad he is still attached to Lawrence, but I still feel there's something slightly lacking in their relationship this time! (hide spoiler)]

I'm definitely enjoying the book more now that I'm into the story.

Laura wrote: "Siobhan wrote: "Chapter 10 [spoilers removed]"

Same here!!!

And I was wondering [spoilers removed]
I wonder if anyone else feels the same?"

I was wondering about that too... (view spoiler)[ I was thinking, I wonder if they're so obsessed with his family tree, thinking that if he's royalty they could perhaps hold him to ransom to make the government give them Temeraire? Then I thought that was a bit daft, so I'm really not sure why they were so obsessed. Maybe it is because they are scared he could rightfully be Temeraire's owner. (hide spoiler)]

Chapter 13 - (view spoiler)[ Temeraire's met his mother!! I hadn't even considered that for some reason! (hide spoiler)]

Siobhan wrote: "Laura wrote: "Just finished chapter 6

I was expecting the Chinese"

[spoilers removed]

I'm definitely enjoying the book more now that I'm into the story."

Same here.

Siobhan wrote: "Laura wrote: "Siobhan wrote: "Chapter 10 [spoilers removed]"

Same here!!!

And I was wondering [spoilers removed]
I wonder if anyone else feels the same?"

I was wondering about that too... [spoi..."

I'm thinking the latter. As (view spoiler)[Celestials are dragons meant only for royalty. and there would be no sense in keeping Laurence hostage when the British government wanted to throw himinto jail. They wouldn't give a damn if he were held by the Chinese. (hide spoiler)]

I'm still at the beginning of Chapter 11 but I'll pick it up again in an hour or so. I am curious how things will continue and will give a break for Song for Arbonne tonight. This evening belongs to Temeraire. :)

I'll be starting very soon... got 30 minutes left of The Honor of the Queen... I listened to the first 2 back-to-back since I liked the first one so much, and we pushed this read back a few days... sounds like I have some catching up to do...

Laura wrote: "Siobhan wrote: "Laura wrote: "Siobhan wrote: "Chapter 10 [spoilers removed]"

Same here!!!

And I was wondering [spoilers removed]
I wonder if anyone else feels the same?"

I was wondering about t..."

Yeah that's true, I think you're right!
My evening belongs to Temeraire too, just got in from work so that's me settled for the night! :)

Iain wrote: "I'll be starting very soon... got 30 minutes left of The Honor of the Queen... I listened to the first 2 back-to-back since I liked the first one so much, and we pushed this read back ..."

Are you doing audio for this one Iain?
I couldn't really delay starting this month as I have a tight schedule, but hopefully people will be discussing it all month like the last one xD

I'm going to adjust the schedule for the rest of the reads today. I think either the 3rd or the 5th of each month would work. Any preferences?

Iain wrote: "It's a bit heavy on details sometimes, like the math of space travel and limitations of FTL (faster-than-light travel) nodes, but I'm really liking it so far... needed a new Sci-fi series... read [..."

Have you done [book:Grimspace|1828067] or Perdition? I also loved Beholder's Eye and Survival. :D
I read Jean Johnson's Seven Brothers series and thought it was delightfully cheese. Is her space one similar?

I'm behind too, thanks to some holds from my library coming in rather unexpectedly. Probably not going to get to it before the weekend.

Niki Hawkes wrote: "I'm going to adjust the schedule for the rest of the reads today. I think either the 3rd or the 5th of each month would work. Any preferences?"

Maybe the 5th? Its a few days into the month but not too far.

Niki Hawkes wrote: "I'm going to adjust the schedule for the rest of the reads today. I think either the 3rd or the 5th of each month would work. Any preferences?"

Either works fine for me :) maybe 5th to give people a bit longer with the book club read?

Makes sense to me :)

@Niki: I read Grimspace, but it seemed some people were unhappy with the direction the series went later on, so I haven't continued with it since everything past the first book has cliffhangers I hear... I never liked her Corine Solomon books much...

Haven't tried Perdition since it's connected to Grimspace... never heard of the others before... I'll have to look into reading them later when I need my next sci-fi series...

Their's Not To Reason Why is a 5-part story kinda like Fever is by Karen Marie Moning ... It's about a girl who sees the extinction of the human race and finds the only way to stop it is to join the military and shape the future 300 years past her own death... everything builds from there...

I enjoyed the whole thing... read it in under 2 weeks... there was a bit of excessive detail on guns in Basic Training... and some people didn't like how OP she became thanks to her seer powers later on, but I liked it, and the ending really surprised me (view spoiler)[ altho I suppose it shouldn't have... you just grow to expect happy endings and this one didn't really have one for the MC (hide spoiler)]... Just because she could see the future for the most part didn't mean it was all smooth sailing...

On Throne of Jade... I should get some reading done and have thoughts to share tonight and tomorrow... yes, Siobhan, I'm listening to audio... that's how I did the first book earlier this year...

Siobhan wrote: "Chapter 13 - [spoilers removed]"

Me neither. But this is the chapter where I'm giving it a small break. Song for Arbonne today.

I like this book but don't find it as great as the first. That was one of those books I couldn't put down but this one I can safely set aside in favour of another read. I'll try to finish it by tomorrow though.

That's kind of why I signed up for this Buddy Read... I started His Majesty's Dragon early this year, and something distracted me, probably the new release flood at the beginning of March, and I never went back and finished it until late May...

I'm on chapter 6 now, didn't get as much read as I hoped to last night... but my workweek starts tonight, so I should get more read and be done by Saturday morning...

(view spoiler)[The beginning didn't quite hook me... I didn't know what to expect because it's been awhile, but it "got fun" once the party shipped out... got a good laugh when Temeraire wanted to piss the delegation off enough to be left alone... (hide spoiler)]

I read all the blurbs for the series... they're pretty spoiler-y... but (view spoiler)[ Silvana wasn't kidding... these middle books could just be called "Temeraire in... China/Prussia/Africa/England/Australia/South America/Japan/Russia/France"... not that their actual title don't contain hints... Jade/Ivory/etc (hide spoiler)]

Iain wrote: "That's kind of why I signed up for this Buddy Read... I started His Majesty's Dragon early this year, and something distracted me, probably the new release flood at the beginning of March, and I ne..."

Yeah I agree about the beginning. But I definitely found myself getting more into it as the story progresses.

For some reason I didn't put Jade and China together in my mind, I really should have haha.

@Laura, I totally agree, I couldn't put the first one down. But this one I was more scared to put it down in case I didn't pick it up again... Until the last 100 pages or so then I was pretty excited to keep reading!

scared to put it down in case I didn't pick it up again... sounds just about right Siobhan. I still haven't crossed chapter 14 and I'll do that only after finishing A Song for Arbone, which will probably be by tomorrow. That book is a killer (the forget all your work and keep reading only me type)!

Iain wrote: "That's kind of why I signed up for this Buddy Read... I started His Majesty's Dragon early this year, and something distracted me, probably the new release flood at the beginning of March, and I ne..."

That was pretty funny Iain. But I honestly hope the next books will be able to match the first one and not continue in the same manner as Throne of Jade.

Based on Silvana's reviews, books 1/5/9 are most important to the Napoleonic War efforts... with the rest of the middle focusing on globe-spanning distractions for Lawrence and Temeraire like this one does...

I'm on chapter 9 now: (view spoiler)[ I'm surprised nobody suspects the servant of trying to kill Lawrence with the topple down the stairs... and that Temeraire didn't think of swimming sooner... (hide spoiler)]

Iain wrote: "Based on Silvana's reviews, books 1/5/9 are most important to the Napoleonic War efforts... with the rest of the middle focusing on globe-spanning distractions for Lawrence and Temeraire like this ..."

Haha yeah I was surprised by that too...!

I'm on chapter 15 now:

(view spoiler)[I was expecting more draconic aerial combat... books almost over and it was basically just one big boat trip... with one aerial battle at the start, the sea serpent fight... and tons of Hammond being annoying...

I assume the 100 vs 8 fight with the gang + ninja is the last of the book and it winds down from here... I only have about an hour left.. (hide spoiler)]

EDIT: More remembered thoughts:

(view spoiler)[ I got a good laugh from Temeraire preening for the chinese women offering up their babies for blessings... and when the Temeraire-reality version of the Mulan story came up I was like OF COURSE... why didn't I realize this would be relevant sooner...

I feel like this series is going to spend so much time exploring the world so we can see how each country treats their dragons differently... and Temeraire and maybe Lawrence's world-wise views on the topic are going to cause friction at home in England... which struggled a bit in book 1 with the harness removal and bathing/cleaning, never mind more drastic ideas like civil rights... (hide spoiler)]

Iain wrote: "I'm on chapter 15 now:


(view spoiler)[ I'm really interested to see how England will react to the idea of civil rights for dragons! They way they are treated in China is so different, the whole infrastructure of the country is built around them pretty much. And like you said, there was already some shock/resistance to the idea of bathing them etc.
Temeraire will be campaigning for dragons to have the right to vote soon haha.

I liked the Mulan bit, that made me smile! (hide spoiler)]

Iain wrote: "Based on Silvana's reviews, books 1/5/9 are most important to the Napoleonic War efforts... with the rest of the middle focusing on globe-spanning distractions for Lawrence and Temeraire like this ..."

Well, they must have been to scared of (view spoiler)[the ghosts that came to wreak havoc on the ship! :) Being to preoccupied with keeping safe from ghosts and frightened out of their breeches by the dark and what may lurk in it..... They didn't really get to think clearly.
Ha!!! I never thought men can be really that superstitions! Though it seems to be a pretty common theme in sea adventure novels. With Lynch it was the lack of cats and women aboard, here it seems to be with the presence of women aboard. (hide spoiler)]

Siobhan wrote: "Iain wrote: "I'm on chapter 15 now:


I'm really interested to see how England will react to the idea of civil rights for dragons! They way they are treated in China is so different, the whole in..."

Even I found the way the different way the dragons are treated in China intriguing. And (view spoiler)[I felt like laughing at Temeraire's shyness when all the other dragons were gawking at him that way. He was so cute when he practically hurried to go and drink water so the rest would stop bowing and staring. (hide spoiler)]

Laura wrote: "Siobhan wrote: "Iain wrote: "I'm on chapter 15 now:


I'm really interested to see how England will react to the idea of civil rights for dragons! They way they are treated in China is so differe..."

Aww that was so cute!

A little late, but getting started today!

Sarah wrote: "A little late, but getting started today!"

Hope you enjoy it Sarah!

Finished... a lot happened in that last hour actually... (view spoiler)[ Looks like I was right about Temeraire becoming a dragon rights activist :)... this should be fun...

I think there will be more battles in the next book based on the blurb... Temeraire and company take the Silk Road to Istanbul and then back to England, and assist in the fight between the Prussians and Napolean along the way... (hide spoiler)]

Iain wrote: "Finished... a lot happened in that last hour actually...."

I thought the end of the book was really good, a lot more action than expected.
The next book sounds interesting from that blurb, I hadn't bothered reading them!

What did you think of this one overall then? I went for a 4 star rating in the end.