Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

This is a Buddy Read for A Shadow in Summer by Daniel Abraham starting February 10, 2018.


Here's a link to a FBR group read for this book in 2017:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

Whoops wrong thread but I MIGHT join this one since Scott really enjoyed this one

Totally in for this =].

I had told myself that for the sake of my sanity I would not plan further out than January.
Oh well, sanity is overrated.
I'm in!

Sarah wrote: "I had told myself that for the sake of my sanity I would not plan further out than January.
Oh well, sanity is overrated.
I'm in!"

I now plan way ahead to reduce my spending of new books and/or starting new series that's not already in my TBR

I may join this read providing I'm in the right mood for it then haha

I'd like to join this, I'll put it on my Chrismas list to make sure I have a copy beforehand xD

Silvana wrote: "Sarah wrote: "I had told myself that for the sake of my sanity I would not plan further out than January.
Oh well, sanity is overrated.
I'm in!"

I now plan way ahead to reduce my spending of new ..."

I'm too much of a mood reader to plan all of it ahead of time

Sarah, that sometimes happens to me too actually. Especially when work is too much to handle and the book I am currently reading is not that engaging I will look for lighter options.

Silvana wrote: "Sarah, that sometimes happens to me too actually. Especially when work is too much to handle and the book I am currently reading is not that engaging I will look for lighter options."

That happens to me a lot.
Or I start reading a book only to realize I'm really not feeling it at that particular moment in time.
Makes it hard to do too much planning.

I'm totally in for this ☺. I have been wanting to read this books since. long time ago!!!!

It's already on my shelf, just waiting to start it with you guys.

I will attempt to join.

I'm very intrigued by this series. Count me in!

This has been recommended to me more times than I care to count. So. I'll be here.

I'm in for this one too.

Here's hoping for discounts for all the books in the series ;p

You guys are in for such an awesome series! I picked the series up without anyone recommending it, and really didn't have super high expectations. Just thought it'd be an average read. But I was blown away! I rated the 4-book series as 3*/5*/5*/5*, but strongly considered going back to Shadow in Summer and bumping it up a star, based on the groundwork that it laid for the rest of the series. Books 2, 3, and 4 are all some of my all-time favorites! The story is fantastic and the world compelling, but what really sets the series apart is that it has the absolute best character development I've ever read. Did I sell it enough yet? GO READ IT!!!

One of a handful of series to get 5* from start to finish for me.

I would never know of some of these books if it wasn't for you guys. But my 2018 is packed with some big series I'm going to work on etc. AND, not buying much so I can actually save money!! 👀

Might join this.

I never finished this series. Time to complete it.

I'll try to join this one. I heard so many praises for this series :)

I'm going to spend my prize for the book buying ban challenge on this one. Here's hoping for a bundle sale for this series soon :D

Oh damn, I missed this when it first went up. Might have to try fit this in, if only to appease Scott :)

I've read the prologue and first two chapters. I'm curious, but I'm not sure that it has completely captured my attention yet.

Just finished chapter 4. (view spoiler)[This sad trade thing makes me rather ill. I wonder what is going to happen with the Maj girl. (hide spoiler)]

Just bought this book - a prize for my series challenge - and starting now!

Seán wrote: "Oh damn, I missed this when it first went up. Might have to try fit this in, if only to appease Scott :)"

Because Manifest Delusions turned out so badly for you. :)

I'm starting today and I'm very excited.

I'm ahead of schedule on Buddy Reads, so I'm going to squeeze this in, like I hoped to... and so I don't start Republic of Thieves too early... once I finish another Nightside story real quick, that is, so later today/tonight...

9 chapters done

(view spoiler)[ The overall impression I get is that this is an intricate and cleverly crafted world. The basic plotline seems simple enough - trick the poet into performing an unwanted abortion to make him lose his balance and loose the Andat, which in turn undermines the entire cotton economy, and obviously the Andat is complicit in this, as he wants to be free. What I don't get is Itani and Amat's role in this. Amat seems to be a competent, well-imagined character, but she seems to be at the fringes of the plot, as is Itani, even though the prologue would suggest that he is the main character (hide spoiler)]

Just finished chapter 5. (view spoiler)[It makes sense that Itani is Otah, though I hadn't considered it. Now I'm really interested to see where this goes. (hide spoiler)]

Starting in on this today. Just finished the first chapter.

After 3 chapters I can say I like it. Mostly because of Amat and Seedless. And I have to say I'm taking the poses as I read. :)

Chapter 5 and I'm officially caught unprepared! (view spoiler)[I thought Otah was the moon faced helper looking for Amat not Liat's lover! (hide spoiler)] bummer!

I think I've read through chapter 8. And I'm really not sure about this one. I'm in a weird reading mood, so maybe that's most of it, but I find certain things interesting but don't really feel connected.

I'm having a bit of a hard time following the names on audio I think... on chapter 5/6 at the moment...

Names are always the hardest thing on audio.

I'm in chapter four. I'm liking it so far (view spoiler)[though I think this sad trade business is a rather convoluted way to get rid of Heshai. It'd be easier to get him drunk and push him off a pier or something. Everyone would just think a sad, drunken accident. Not that I want poor Heshai to die at all. He seems a nice enough man so far. I understand Seedless wanting to be free but he'it comes across as rather heartless.

I hope someone is able to save the girl and her baby. (hide spoiler)]

I slowed it down to 1.25x for awhile until I got a firmer grasp... I think I was only on chapter 4 before... approaching 50% now...

Daniel Abraham seems to like systems of nonverbal communication... Expanse has the spacer gestures...

(view spoiler)[The developments with Grandmother surprised me... guess I just wasn't expecting that in this book...

I can also see why this could be the weakest book in the quartet... between Andrew's comments and the meaning of the series, I assume the "good guys" aren't going to be very successful at stopping whatever is being plotted... but what happens will have unexpected long-term consequences... interested to see where this goes... maybe it's a bit early to be making statements like that, but oh well. (hide spoiler)]

I'm starting today! I have a million other things to read, but I think I have to fit this one in this time because so many people have recommended it. :)

Veronica wrote: "I'm in chapter four. I'm liking it so far though I think "


Good point Veronica, I never thought about it. (view spoiler)[On the other hand, it is rather difficult to assassinate somebody who never leaves the palace complex. The palace complex was described as huge and we can assume that security is tight. Even the warehouses are there - merchants come with their cotton to the poet and the Khai. Simultaneously, the Galt have been described as rather primitively straightforward people relying on brute strength - they would happily lay a siege but not prepare the intrigue. This is the reason why the whole stratagem goes so slowly and not without hurdles. Then I guess, there is the question of Seedless in all of this (and he is more than a willing accomplice!). If you take into consideration his convoluted nature, cruel but in a very sophisticated manner, the whole endeavour starts to make sense. (hide spoiler)]

The goal is more complicated... (view spoiler)[more about destroying the position than the current seatholder... also not making a martyr/rallying cry... (hide spoiler)]

I'm around 60% now, and Amat's storyline is my favorite... can't wait to see this next part...

I finished the story... it didn't resolve as I expected, at all...

I hope this is the last we've seen of (view spoiler)[Liat... I really soured to her over the course of the book... (hide spoiler)]

And I'm interested to see if (view spoiler)[Maj's story is done, or she will be sticking around with Otah for awhile in the next book... (hide spoiler)]

I finished Chapter 4, and am well-drawn into the story now. I'm eager to see what will happen in the next chapter as the two main threads collide before the Khai.

I'm also loving the idea of the different poses. Mayim, I also find myself making different poses. I imagine them to be much like Buddhist mudras, or poses from Indian dance.

Unfortunately, I think this one is going to be a DNF for me. Not enjoying it much.

Is it too late to join?

Nope. Go for it!

OK, I finished chapter 8 (I think) and Veronica, I withdraw my earlier observations (view spoiler)[because obviously everybody can sneak into the palace without any problems. Maybe then the poet relies on the power of the andat to defend him? (hide spoiler)]

Also, I cannot stand the Liat girl, what an idiot she is. Her lover shows her the ultimate trust (view spoiler)[ and all she can think of is that she has landed a titled guy! (hide spoiler)] I really want to slap her.

The thing that I appreciate the most at the moment is the whole Grandmother business. Iain I am with you, I didn't see it evolving this way. Initially, I was disappointed that (view spoiler)[Amat didn't make it with great style and cunning and didn't punish the sadist pimp. In fact, she barely made it through the whole adventure. But then I thought, this is life. Sometimes we scrape the bottom. We navigate among disasters and near misses. And rarely, very rarely we get to play the heroes and the victors and the lucky ones. (hide spoiler)]