Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

September 15th.

I'm still reading Empire of Storms so going to be a bit late with this one I think.

I've started 'Empire of storms' now. Fashionably late, but speeding ahead.

I'm actually afraid to start this! Considering how EoS ended.

Anyone ready to start? I'm thinking tonight might be the night!

Normally starting somewhere this week.

Brilliant! I'm really looking forward to it!

I'm 13 chapters in and really enjoying it so far. I wasn't expecting to. I don't like Chaol, at all. His actions in previous books are pretty inexcusable honestly. So I didn't think I'd like this. However (view spoiler)[ The healer's perspective is great! I like her a lot and this new city is fascinating. I'm enjoying learning about the royal children and their place in this land. It's cool to see another continent, it really helps bring perspective to the world. (hide spoiler)]

I'm still reading the previous one. I've ahd a bad week and not enough time to read, sorry. It seems that Chaol hasn't got improved...

@Saar No worries, I'm reading other books too so take your time. I really dislike Chaol, if something were to happen to him I wouldn't mind...

180 pages in (view spoiler)[ Chaol's healing is awful. I don't like him but I wouldn't wish this pain on him.

So it seems the Valg have infiltrated this continent and are up to no good. I hope this convinces the royal family to help Aelin's cause. (hide spoiler)]

240 pages in (view spoiler)[ So it looks like Chaol and Nesryn are not going to be a thing. It looks like Chaol and Yrene and going to be together and Nesryn is going to be with the prince.

I've noticed this is something Sarah J Mass does in all her books; she presents a relationship, gets you invested in it, ruins it, presents a new relationship and convinces you the first one wasn't quite right all along and the new version is a much better fit. I mean it's realistic I guess, in real life people fall in and out of love all the time. But it is becoming a tad predictable and it makes me weary of any relationship she presents. (hide spoiler)]

295 pages in (view spoiler)[ Yeah I think we can safely say Chaol and Nesryn are dead. I didn't feel any chemistry between them anyway so it;s not a big deal, but still.

I am loving Yrene's character though. I'd happily read a book all about her. (hide spoiler)]

I've started and now finished chapter 3:
(view spoiler)[I think this will be my least favorit book. I have to get used to it that Chaol is now the main character and it's a bit annoying. Also, I don't trust the khagal and his sons and daughter. Maybe Kashin is okay, but I don't know. (hide spoiler)]

Saar The Book owl wrote: "I've started and now finished chapter 3:
[spoilers removed]"

I agree. I don;t like Chaol so considering this book is about him, so far, it's my least favourite to date. Sarah J Maas did too good a job of making me hate him in the previous two books.

I don't trust (view spoiler)[ the Khagal either or his kids either. They seem ruthless and smart, I don't think Chaol will be able to keep up with the scheming, he's a simple guy. (hide spoiler)]

I need to start this one asap !

Argh, this is going so slow at the moment...A bit frustrated, just a bit...

Still reading, but being in a reading slump, busy at work and having a massive cold, it goes slow.
But (view spoiler)[The attack on Yrene at the library was creepy! Is there something growing between Sadiq and the prince with the rukh? Also, Chaol and Yrene, hm... (hide spoiler)]

Saar The Book owl wrote: "Still reading, but being in a reading slump, busy at work and having a massive cold, it goes slow.
But [spoilers removed]"

I've not been reaching much for this book lately so don't worry about going slow. The (view spoiler)[ attack was creepy! I think Nesryn and the prince are definitely going to have a thing. I don;t like Chaol and Yrene together but I do love Yrene in her own right. (hide spoiler)]

Might try and start this one in December ^^

We'll likely still be reading it Katie so you're welcome to join us!

I'm over halfway, but I don't think that (view spoiler)[the second attack was a Valg. It doesn't feel like it. And I find it curious that they have Yrene in their mind to attack her. I wonder why. It can't be because she opened a sort of portal healing Chaol's wound? (hide spoiler)]

Charlie wrote: "Saar The Book owl wrote: "I've started and now finished chapter 3:
[spoilers removed]"

I agree. I don;t like Chaol so considering this book is about him, so far, it's my least favourite to date. S..."

I think that they're (view spoiler)[not so honest as they pretend. Their khaganat is okay at first, but if you read about how the way they took over the rest of the realms...They seem unbeatable. (hide spoiler)]

I haven't read any of this in ages. I do intend to finish it, I just don't have the motivation right now.

Me too. It just goes slow, especially this one.

I still need to pick mine up from the library ^^;

I'm over page 400 and it's picking up a bit of pace:
(view spoiler)[I wonder when the khagan will finally decide to join with their armies. Right now he lets his children take the lead, but they're doing nothing except gossiping, starting rumors. I hope that Kashin will take action before Erawan stands there. I begin to like the story between Chaol and Yrene. I think in a way she can change his view on some things. I've got the feeling that the khagan and his wife and children are living the luxuory life and let the others fight the battle, but that doens't work this way. I can see no other choice than that they must join. (hide spoiler)]

And Falkan is (view spoiler)[apparently a shape shifter from the book about the story of the red desert, but I can't place him in that? (hide spoiler)]

I loved the scene where (view spoiler)[Falkan waved as a centipede with all his little feet at Borte and the rest. I would have laughed too. Maybe the kharangui are working with the Valg to get them ruckh - chickens for Erawan? (hide spoiler)]

I've finally finished! *Doing a happy dance*

Well done! I still haven't read any more. This is all Chaol's fault.

Yes, it is. He doesn't have any backbone :p He's such a softy!

This is why I hate Chaol and this is why I hate this gods damned book. Be warned, lots of cursing and frustration ahead (view spoiler)[

In the middle of chapter 36, Chaol finally has the chance to rally this dictator to his side but he can't do it, instead he's going on and on about how he can't trust Aelin, how she's too powerful, how there's no checks on her power, blah blah blah. How she did 'terrible things', how she 'gutted Archer Finn in cold blood', how she 'butchered men like cattle in Endovier', how 'unfeeling and brutal she can turn', how he wasn't sure if her friends could 'keep her in line'. Who the actual fuck does he think he is?! He's so hateful and delusional, it's pathetic and I hate him with every fibre of my being. I want to say to hell with this fucking book.

First of all, Aelin doesn't need checks on her power, she has insane control, control she's gained through her own fucking blood and pain. He would know that if he could stop being a biggoted prick and get the fuck over the idea she has magic and he doesn't.

She didn't kill Archer in cold blood, Archer was a traitor and a gods damned murderer. He murdered Nehemia, the only true friend Aelin had in the world and an insanely valuable rebel, all so he could manipulate Aelin and turn her against Chaol. Is Chaol just pretending none of that happened?! That traitorous bastard deserved a far worse fate, Aelin was merciful!

As for the overseers in Endovier, I had no fucking words. How dare he, how fucking dare he defend them. Those psychos tortured, raped and murdered slaves for fun. Men, women and children, innocent people, thousands of them. They tortured them for years and he's crying that Aelin snapped one day and killed some of them. Fucking really?! Why the ever loving fuck Dorian puts his trust in this hateful piece of shit is beyond me. If Chaol cares so much for the slavers in Endovier he can go and live with them, good fucking riddance.

He thinks Rowan, Aedion and Lysandra need to 'keep her in line"?! Hasn't she been abused enough!? Hasn't she proven over and over that she's the better man?! That she'll give and give of herself until she had nothing left, just to protect innocent people, because that's the kind of person she is. She's not a gods damned slave he can lock away and control, not anymore.

This is why it's taken me months to read this bastard book. Every time I pick it back up and give it another chance I come across more of this shit. Chaol is a disgusting human being. He's a vile, hateful shit and I'm done with him. He doesn't deserve to have his spine healed. He should rot in that chair forever and it'll be karma. He can go back to serving the Valg. He did it for years and never once protested at Adarland's brutality. He fucking enabled it! And he thinks, for some unknown reason that Aelin is the problem?!

I don't think I can finish this book if there's gonna be another 10 hours of this hateful bullshit spewing from Chaol. (hide spoiler)]

In finished!! I'm so glad I pushed through it. I nearly gave up so many times thanks to Chaol and his hateful whining but the two big reveals were worth it!!!

Anyone up to reading Kingdom of Ash on the 10th?

I'm happy you've finished it, Charlie! It was getting better when Sartaq and Nesryn got to action. I had the feeling that it was all about being a man for Chaol. He couldn't deal with it that normal weapons weren't enough and that Aelin was so powerful. Maybe he didn't got over it that it became nothing between them. I don't know, but I still don't like him. He had so much negativity that he didn't really contribute to the story.

I think I can join for the 10th.

Yeah his negative attitude ruined it fr me but I enjoyed the bits with Nesryn and Sartaq, Yrene was the standout character for me in this book. I really loved everything about her.

Yes, Yrene is a fighter, but she's so composed. That's what I love about her.

Same! She's got a great spirit and is altogether a good person. Asking the king for his healers was a gutsy move!

I'm just going to use this thread for my late thoughts to the series ^^; Elinor, if you're out there you're welcome to join in ^^

So I'm almost done with Chapter 8 at the moment. And I have to say I'm surprisingly liking this book so far. Yes, Chaol is a butt, however there is something about this installment that I like.

Maybe it's the connection between (view spoiler)[Yrene and Chaol? I'm just always so interested in their connection. The hate that Yrene has for Chaol and people who followed the old king. But having the profession of a healer you can't let the past get in the way of who you help >_<

Also this magic is very intriguing. I can't believe they would be able to cure someone with a broken spine like that!! I really like how we get to see a healer in action. (hide spoiler)]

At the same time I kind of wish there were consequences to our heroes? (view spoiler)[Like they aren't just magically cured and can walk again? ^^; I dunno, maybe it's just because I've seen a lot of tv recently handle people with disabilities very well. And others where it's not done so well ^^; I really like shows like the "Dragon Prince" where we see Amaya as such a strong woman. And people treat her as such even though she cannot speak verbally.

I dunno. Just an interesting thought. What do you think of more representation of such kind of characters in books and or shows? (hide spoiler)]

Unpopular opinion here, I love this book and the character development it brought ^~^ 5 stars for me Chaol and all. While this book didn't further the main plot much we got some much needed character development. That and some lore in the end to lead up to the next book ^^

Ending Thoughts
(view spoiler)[I have to say. This is my favorite book in the series thus far. I love how we get to see the broken character of Chaol learn and grow throughout the pages. For as it turns out the injury in his spine hungers for all of that negativity he bears. As someone who is a tad...nay, a big pessimist I appreciated that. He is so hard on himself for all that he did. When ruling under the king, letting his fellow guards down, letting his prince down, even letting his father down. The one that surprised me the most was of Aelin. Her rejection of him apparently is what made him a super asshole? He couldn't accept it? To be lied to and discarded? I don't know if I'm okay with that. But I'm glad he sees how wrong it was of him to be that way to her.

Feelings aside I was very much interested in Chaol's injury. We don't see many novels with a person with a disability. Someone who is learning to live a different way after a terrible event cost them such a thing. It bugged me that there was magic to fix a broken back though ^^; People in our world aren't so lucky. Despite the fantasy twist I think there were a lot of good message towards people with a disability. Especially when he found people who just looked at him for him and not the chair ~<3

And that brings me to Yrene Towers. Oh. My. Gosh. She is my favorite favorite part of this book. Probably my favorite character of the series. This kindhearted healer with a terrible past. She is forced to heal one who would be her enemy. And of course they fall in love~ But to me the relationship between Yrene and Chaol was so much more than just attraction. They both changed one another. Bettering themselves and helped each other overcome their darkest fears. It takes a lot to own up to those things...I'm glad they did so.

Nesyrn and Sariq (pardon the spellings) were where I fell behind in the story. While there was more action I couldn't keep attention to their plot. I was happy Nesyrn felt more free and awake when discovering this new land and the ruks...but I didn't connect to them as much.

And then we have the lore drop. Healers can defeat the valg parasite?! gasp! And all of the symbols of the owl revealed. And valg princesses invading the space?! Tons and tons of exciting things yet to come. (hide spoiler)]

I am truly excited to see where the story will lead next after that rollercoaster of an ending ^^

Also, good point Charlie in that Maas likes to (view spoiler)[match up her characters. Especially after they've had a previous relationship. I didn't catch that before. But I suppose only having read ACOTAR before I didn't notice. It seems to be a trend. I hope she doesn't exploit it too much. But I do like the realism if not the now predictability ^^ (hide spoiler)]

@Katie I'm so glad you loved it! Onward to Kingdom of Ash!