Fantasy Buddy Reads discussion

This is a Buddy Read for A Little Hatred by Joe Abercrombie starting on August 17, 2023.


Happy Reading

thank you!

Definitely spot

Ooo, let me see if I can grab this one real quick.

Now that I'm caught up, cannot wait for this one! :D

I'll be ready. Just waiting until the 10th so I can start early and still get BR points in the challenge

Tonari no Emily wrote: "Now that I'm caught up, cannot wait for this one! :D"

Chris wrote: "I'll be ready. Just waiting until the 10th so I can start early and still get BR points in the challenge"

The kids! Very excited to start this lol

I need to get back to this world and I am quite excited to see a buddy read (it has been forever since I did a buddy read and more so one here!). Ready, set, go!

Whoo! Welcome back Solseit!

Nirkatze wrote: "Whoo! Welcome back Solseit!"

Thank you! Your message just put a big smile on my face and I needed a win today - so double thank you!

Awww, happy to do so! I think I must've joined the group since you last read with us, but I've come to learn that FBR folks are some of the best folks out there. Excited to meet a new person, and the more the merrier, always, with BRs!

Dittoing Nirkatze here! Excited to have you with us :D

Thank you guys! Even bigger smile on my face!
Yes, I completely agree with you; I joined a few years ago because of the love the group had for the Malazan Book of the Fallen; what impressed me the most is the supportive enviornment and the love for the genre that shows at every single read!

I will be starting the book a few days earlier - apologies for that but I need a book that will be a great distraction and will keep me engaged for a long time without demanding anything else than my attention! I have missed this world!

I tend to go overboard when I have time to read and I just finished part I.

Next to continous quotable gems (view spoiler)[ "who comes up with these ridiculous names?" "Writers. I daresay(...)" (hide spoiler)] that keep me making me crack, the story is absolutely stunning as usual.

I truly enjoy the cast of characters that we are getting to know (view spoiler)[ next to the characters that we already knew, like Caul Shivers (hide spoiler)]; they are one better than the other.
I love the setting (view spoiler)[ an industrial revolution type of scenario and a failing monarchy (hide spoiler)] and the plot overall. I see how we are getting three of these books; there cannot be anything less than this!

Also, I love the addition re magic system (view spoiler)[ I do not remember the Long Eye to be part of the other 6 books in this world and this makes me enjoy the story even more; what to do with such visions of the future? with an author like Abercrombie, the sky is the limit here! (hide spoiler)] and I cannot wait to see how the magi will get their grubby little fingers entangled here.

My favorite character, and she was in my first read too, is Savine, closely followed by Rikke. Yet, I cannot wait to see how the others level up to their levels (view spoiler)[ and Gunnar has incredible potential, as Orso does! (hide spoiler)].

Genuinely, a magnetic book!

I'll be along in a week or so, looking forward to those spoiler tags! Abercrombie does have such great quotes...

I may be a bit late depending on how my reading goes this week. I have 3 in front of this, one of which is for my in-person book club so that one has to get done! But I am very much looking forward to revisiting Abercrombie <3

Will be late joining.

Are you guys also planning to finish the rest of the series?

Barry wrote: "Will be late joining.

Are you guys also planning to finish the rest of the series?"

All the series is planned out, one book a month, starting more or less in the middle of the month each month!

I might even be a bit early--I used a July Hoopla credit on this, so I have to finish by the 20th. ^^ Looking forward to it!

Nirkatze wrote: "I might even be a bit early--I used a July Hoopla credit on this, so I have to finish by the 20th. ^^ Looking forward to it!"
Nice! I have been making very slow progress in the last couple of days but I plan to finish by Friday at the latest (as I have a pretty long train ride!).

Solseit wrote: "Nirkatze wrote: "I might even be a bit early--I used a July Hoopla credit on this, so I have to finish by the 20th. ^^ Looking forward to it!"
Nice! I have been making very slow progress in the las..."

LOL and I realized I said that about the wrong book... it was Crossed Blades I borrowed, in a different BR. That's what happens when you have too many tabs open at once!

I'll probably be a little late, and slow and normal here... I haven't decided if I want to do eyebook or earbook--it'll depend on where I am with my list of reads...

Nirkatze wrote: "Solseit wrote: "Nirkatze wrote: "I might even be a bit early--I used a July Hoopla credit on this, so I have to finish by the 20th. ^^ Looking forward to it!"
Nice! I have been making very slow pro..."

No worries at all! Yes, the beauty is having multiple reads ongoing at the same time, just great!

I will most likely be able to start this later today, tomorrow at the latest. I have to finish Kaiju Preservation for irl book club Friday night then I get to revisit Abercrombie and his morally grey characters <3

Ann-Marie wrote: "I will most likely be able to start this later today, tomorrow at the latest. I have to finish Kaiju Preservation for irl book club Friday night then I get to revisit Abercrombie and his morally gr..."

Nice! Looking foward to hearing your thoughs!

I started a little early, but I've only gotten about 4 hours into the audiobook

Solseit wrote: "I need to get back to this world and I am quite excited to see a buddy read (it has been forever since I did a buddy read and more so one here!). Ready, set, go!"

Welcome back🎉

Started a bit ago, through The Breakers (view spoiler)[so glad to see familiar faces and the children of familiar faces! Setting up for some major fighting with the poor rising up against the rich and you just know Bayez is going to pop up at some point. I will be extremely disappointed if he is still in power at the end of this trilogy....I like that there are all new POVs but there are a lot of new people, so many that as good as Pacey is with narrating I may try to read as much as I can. Absolutely loving it so far! (hide spoiler)]

Chris wrote: "Solseit wrote: "I need to get back to this world and I am quite excited to see a buddy read (it has been forever since I did a buddy read and more so one here!). Ready, set, go!"

Welcome back🎉"

Thank you! I have been missing buddy reading here and all interacions I had, confirmed my wanting!

Ann-Marie wrote: "Started a bit ago, through The Breakers [spoilers removed]"

Yes, absolutely yes to all you said! The experience reading this book is that is familiar (for a number of reasons, including those you mention) and novel at the same time! I cannot wait to see how this trilogy spins!

Starting! Work is just starting up again (students arrive today >.<) so I'm betting I wont have the brain cells to comment much. But looking forward to reading everyone's spoilers!

Nirkatze wrote: "Starting! Work is just starting up again (students arrive today >.<) so I'm betting I wont have the brain cells to comment much. But looking forward to reading everyone's spoilers!"

(view spoiler)[The love child of Logen & Ferro hasn't made an appearance yet :( (hide spoiler)]

Through Knowing the Arrow (view spoiler)[how did I know effing Shivers would show up again? I am still bitter about the end of Red Country, hate him. Also I am not sure what was up with my brain but I just realized Savine and Orso are having sex and they are half siblings???? *gag*

I loved the two Fencing with Father chapters, Orso letting his father win in the first and Glotka "training" Savine and eventually allowing Bremer to knock her on her ass in the second was an interesting comparison about the father/child relationships.

I am liking the shorter chapters that hop around to the various spots/POVs in the story. Very much enjoying this which is absolutely no surprise! (hide spoiler)]

Through "Young Heroes".. (view spoiler)[Is Orso Jezal's kid? because that would make Savine his sister. ick.
(hide spoiler)]

Tonari no Emily wrote: "Through "Young Heroes"..
"

YES! And ick is right lol

I am unfortunately on the go right now, so I am struggling to include all the information and spoiler warnings. So I will keep it high level: such a good book, familiar and unique at the same time, great dialogues (I think Abercrombie is the master of sarcasm and dialogue in fantasy!).
I cannot wait to go to book 2! In a couple of days, I will be able to share more details!

Through Part 3 (view spoiler)[ I am loving the structure of the book, all of the jumping around and different POVs plus there is a lot happening! Revolution all around, whether it is Stour versus Leo in the North or the Breakers in Valbeck. I lol'd when Yoru was like I need to stick to a specific diet - yeah, human flesh! I loved the moment Savine and Ardee had when Srdee was like All that was left were evil masterminds or something, like awwwww.

So back to it, Stour & Leo are going to fight in the circle soon and that is likely to be a shitshow, I definitely want Leo to win because of the Dogman!!! (hide spoiler)]

I got a little grumpy with Abercrombie during the standalones, for some reason...

My ratings for the First Law World megaseries, are 5/5/4/4/3/3/forgot to rate, not sure if I read Sharp Ends/5/4/5...

The 2nd trilogy really reinvigorated my love of the series/author, after a nice long break... so good...

Definitely feeling Ann-Marie's comments about Bayaz :D ... (view spoiler)[I'd been waiting for him to get his comeuppance since the end of the first trilogy, by the time this trilogy started releasing... (hide spoiler)]

THrough "All Equal" which is about the half way point... Some random thoughts (view spoiler)[
-So the Gurkish emperor fell with rumors of a "devil" killing him. Our girl Ferro finally did the thing? I hope we get that story!
-I didn't feel very bad when the initial part of the revolution was happening given the horrible conditions, but of course shitty people took it too far.. Mob mentality is a helluva thing..
-The Long Eye with Rikka is very cool. I wonder who the mother is? I don't think we saw the Dogman with another woman since OG trilogy
-Glad to see all the woman POVs in this one! Also that society is doing a tad bit of advancing in favor of women too. But the industrial-revolution like setting is for sure not good for most of the people
-Loved the parallels of Fencing with Father chapters
-Orso and Savine is major ICK
-Jezal for sure knows Savine is his child.. Guess that one is kind of obvious... Wondering who else knows that one? (hide spoiler)]

I finished this last night, (view spoiler)[what an ending, hoping that Dogman isn't also among the dead leaders! And poor Wonderful, I liked her a lot!

Since we are doing random points now (which I kind of love btw lol)
- Savine finally found out about her parentage and rejected Orso's marriage proposal without telling him why which I feel like was not the best idea.
- When Leo was arguing to go into the circle and was like I want to do this because of the stories Dogman told me and Dogman was like Those weren't inspiration they were warnings!
- I was sad for Orso when Pike killed the rebels after they had made an agreement
- I think Rikke is awesome, my favorite of the new characters as of now, I wonder how her long eye will play into the plot in the next book
- When Savine walked into the mill and saw those children working, that was rough
- the fight in the circle, the first time Stour let Leo live rather than kill him I knew he was going to lose\\I am sure I am forgetting things, looking forward to other comments. (hide spoiler)]

I loved this, it was so much fun to go back to this terrible, graphically violent world.

Tonari no Emily wrote: "THrough "All Equal" which is about the half way point... Some random thoughts..."

(view spoiler)[It may not have been confirmed but I absolutely believe Ferro finally got her revenge! (hide spoiler)]

Timelord Iain wrote: "I got a little grumpy with Abercrombie during the standalones, for some reason...

My ratings for the First Law World megaseries, are 5/5/4/4/3/3/forgot to rate, not sure if I read Sharp Ends/5/4/5..."

I don't know, after reading this I have fears that I am setting myself up for disappointment about Bayez, I hope I am wrong but man, Abercrombie is twisted and who knows what he will do...

I read this over the past couple days--sadly, too exhausted to comment or think properly, but I had all of the same thoughts!

@Solseit, re: Part I--I love the little tidbits you remembered and shared! One of my favorites, linewise, is every time someone says a Logen-ism... (view spoiler)[and Rikke seems to have inherited a lot of them, via Dogman... "You've got to be realistic" was one, and I can't remember the others off the top of my head. Also, Sabine is totally my favorite right from the start. And I absolutely love how the narrator has turned Glokta's accent feminine in her, emphasizing the power of Nurture over Nature... she is her father's daughter, and her father is Glokta, regardless of blood...

I also just love stories that show the loving bond parents forge with their non-blood children--seems to happen more for fathers (because of obvious biological reasons) but foster families and adopted families too, and it adds extra drama in when the child doesn't know... which is tough... (hide spoiler)]

@Ann-Marie, re: The Breakers--Also really loved (view spoiler)[seeing all the familiar faces, but especially THE CHILDREN!! I'm also really glad that we read the standalones, because there are just as many connections to those as to the OG trilogy--even though I do agree with Iain that none of the standalones quite lived up to trilogy level of excellence. Having a harder time keeping track of the new characters that aren't related... (hide spoiler)]

@Ann-Marie, re: Love Child... I'm not so sure about that... through the End thoughts... (view spoiler)[The way the book kept emphasizing Rikke's eyes... and the fact that we don't know who Rikke's mother is. Ferro's eyes were the aspect of her that showed her Demon blood, and the way Bayaz looked at Rikke, and mentioned that the Long Eye is a very rare talent... and that BOTH Logen and Ferro had talents that Bayaz needed... I have to wonder if Rikke isn't another adopted child, that maybe Ferro dropped her with Dogman and went off to kill more Ghurkish... The timing probably isn't right though, because Rikke would have to be the same age as Sabine, and there was an age-difference of about 10 years mentioned between Sabine & Leo, but not for Rikke & Leo, and she does seem pretty young. But still--Rikke definitely has some Other Side blood in her. (hide spoiler)]

@Emily & Ann-Marie re: Young Heroes--(view spoiler)[LOL I love how it all took us a minute or two of being wait... what...? is that...? No...? Yes! OMG... ICK! There was a lot of denial going on in that chapter, for me...

Though it also made me think of an episode of House M.D. which had a similar situation--neighbors who were told that they weren't allowed to play together as kids (racist neighborhood) or having anything to do with each other, ran away from their families to have a relationship and both had the same medical issue... turned out it wasn't something they gave each other, but a genetic issue... they had the same father... I remember the doctors talking to them about how the likelihood of genetic issues was actually fairly low, and if they weren't planning on having children it really wasn't a problem... but they couldn't get over the fact that they had an incestual relationship.

This scene definitely made me look forward to when the reveal comes, and wonder from which side it would be--Sabine, or Orso? (hide spoiler)]

@Ann-Marie, re: Knowing the Arrow--(view spoiler)[I also really liked the Fencing chapters. There's a lot of great parallels in here, reminds me of the battle scenes in the Heroes, where it would flow across battles in what seemed like the same sword-stroke... and I also like how it emphasized the parenting methods... I think Glokta's is better... Jezal still needs his ego groomed... but it's good to think that Orso is smart, probably gets it from his mother. (hide spoiler)]

Yoru--part @Ann-Marie re: Part III, but also not sure when some of this stuff was mentioned, so probably through ending. (view spoiler)[I find it so interesting how EVERY SINGLE TIME we see Yoru, his eyes are mentioned. Every. Single. Time. It was a subtle hint at that being him in different faces in the first book, but now it's just like rubbing it in. But we also get a lot of focus on his teeth.

Also laughed at the "specific diet" comment! And then when Sabine (I think?) noticed him later eating an apple and was like "I guess his diet allows fruit" and I was wondering... are we sure that's an apple?

I'm wondering if Sabine's maid might not be an Eater too. She's got a very self-assured attitude... though I'd need to pay better attention. It just makes me think of how Glokta's maid in book 2 turned out to be the Eater who had disposed of his predecessor... part spy, part bodyguard... (hide spoiler)]

@Emily, re: All Equal--(view spoiler)[Also really loving all the female POVs--there is a line somewhere about "if that happens the two biggest armies on the continent will be led by women" (I think referring to Monza & Lady dan Brock) and I was like, yeah!! I also love how Sabine is just as wily as Glokta... (hide spoiler)]

Nirkatze wrote: "I read this over the past couple days--sadly, too exhausted to comment or think properly, but I had all of the same thoughts!

@Solseit, re: Part I--I love the little tidbits you remembered and sha..."

Regarding Zuri (view spoiler)[she is absolutely an eater!And there is no chance her brothers are her brothers, they made a point to describe their appearance and how they look nothing alike. (hide spoiler)]

Ann-Marie wrote: "Timelord Iain wrote: "I got a little grumpy with Abercrombie during the standalones, for some reason...

My ratings for the First Law World megaseries, are 5/5/4/4/3/3/forgot to rate, not sure if I..."

I don't want to spoil too much... but I think First Law World has at least one more trilogy in it...

Considering the way this trilogy explores the industrial revolution, basically, I almost view it like Mistborn's shifting eras...

Abercrombie is working on his new series right now, so i don't know when he'd revisit, but (getting into spoiler territory now) (view spoiler)[I feel like the next trilogy could go either way... either Bayaz is finally taken out, once and for all... or it shows how, times change, but people stay the same... anger and revenge repeat, Bayaz manipulates the angry, and meets his goals... (view spoiler)[losing Yuru Sulfur should be a big blow... that dude has been his right hand man, since book 1, all the way back at the beginning, before we knew ANYTHING about the deeper workings of this world... (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

Nirkatze wrote: "I read this over the past couple days--sadly, too exhausted to comment or think properly, but I had all of the same thoughts!

@Solseit, re: Part I--I love the little tidbits you remembered and sha..."

Replied about Zuri from my tablet but wanted to add about Rikke (view spoiler)[the way I took it the different color eyes are a sign of the long eye. The only reference to her mother from what I remember is just that she was not part of her life so who knows? She could be Dogman's daughter by blood or adoption. Sadly I don't think she is the love child or Logen & Ferro but I would absolutely love it if she is!!! (hide spoiler)]

Regarding Savine & Glotka (view spoiler)[honestly I was a bit disappointed how she reacted to the news. I mean she does have PTSD from the rebellion and she just found out she had sex with her half-brother so I guess I understand but I like Glotka and he treated her like his own, not badly because she wasn't his. I hope they reconcile a bit in the next book. (hide spoiler)]

Ann-Marie wrote: "Nirkatze wrote: "I read this over the past couple days--sadly, too exhausted to comment or think properly, but I had all of the same thoughts!

@Solseit, re: Part I--I love the little tidbits you r..."

re: Zuri! (view spoiler)[Hah! So glad I'm not the only one who was thinking that! Bayaz really does have his fingers in everywhere... (hide spoiler)]

re: Rikke--(view spoiler)[I remember thinking in the opening scene, that her accent reminded me a little bit of Ferro... but yeah, I think that was just wishful thinking.

I do think her eyes are potentially a sign of a bloodline of magic--that her Long Eye isn't entirely chance, but is a trace of Other Side lineage, or whatever Logen's spirit-seeing thing was. Could be lines like that still exist in the North... (hide spoiler)]

re: Savine & Glokta--(view spoiler)[Yeah, I was also disappointed in that... I also remember Savine thinking somewhere early on, that sometimes she felt like she was the only thing her father loved, and sometimes Glokta looked at her like she was his rival...

And after what Savine went through, I would think that Glokta would be one of the few people who would understand having to crawl yourself back up to the top from a broken body...dittoing the hope that they reconcile...

And as much as Savine & Orso was ick... I feel really bad for them. It seems like they did honestly love each other, and had found an intellectual match as well. (hide spoiler)]

Bayaz, through ending... (view spoiler)[Definitely want him to get his comeuppance/downfall... but I don't see it happening... he is like... the immortal boogey man for the series... for him to be taken down, he'd have to be in the story a lot more than just the mythological being pulling strings behind the scenes...

Super ominous how he's showing interest in Rikke, Savine... and now Orso. Long live the king, indeed. Poor Jezal... Bayaz threatened that things would go this way long ago... once an heir of proper temperament was of age, he didn't have long to survive...

So Bayaz is starting to keep a more active hand in... but I still don't see him being brought down this series... the characters are too wrapped up in their own problems to see the danger he poses...and the parents are too afraid to tell them. (hide spoiler)]

Nirkatze wrote: "Ann-Marie wrote: "Nirkatze wrote: "I read this over the past couple days--sadly, too exhausted to comment or think properly, but I had all of the same thoughts!

@Solseit, re: Part I--I love the li..."

Regarding Bayez and the new generation (view spoiler)[Didn't all 3 of the parents warn the children about staying away from Bayez? Also who killed Jezal? Bayez was in town, do you think he caused it? (hide spoiler)]

I love all of your clever notes and comments all across the book!

So, (view spoiler)[ Bayaz is going to be a problem and I also hope that Dogman survived. He deserves to make it out alive.
I wonder why Bayaz is now more active; I think this is partially due to a comment Sulfur made on machines, as they are more efficient than men on some aspects. I wonder if now it's the time for magi to take over all industry and then dominate the world. But how would this help him against the eaters? I just want to know more about why he is back in the picture!

Savine finding out she is related to Orso was brutal; even more so for her. Eventually, I assume, he will also find out. I think Ardee is clever to tell Savine not to share this information, as she is the first born of Jezal. Which might be interesting for Bayaz - a coup? - and for others politically.

Rikke is also my favorite character; she is just clever and her mentor is the top! I loved her at every moment, probably she has some of the best one lines of the entire series!

I am not sure how I feel about Leo; and yet, I wonder if he is supposed to be a young and cocky version of Glokta! Let's see what his destiny has to show! (hide spoiler)]

Solseit wrote: "I love all of your clever notes and comments all across the book!"

Regarding Bayez (view spoiler)[he has been the problem since the beginning. He was the one who had the royals killed to get Jezal on the throne in the first trilogy as well as having Jezal and Glotka working on his behalf as the trilogy ended. He had his hands in the standalones as well, he ended up helping Black Calder being established as a behind the throne rule and his associate Yoru was around working on his behalf the entire time. Also at the end of The Heroes we found out Bayez may be an eater as well. And since he controls Valint & Balk who knows who else he controls? I hate him lol (hide spoiler)]