Yossarian_42
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I question the humanity of anybody who likes Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy.
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I even suggested this snooze fest to people based on the overwhelming hype. I have never come across less likable character, less suspense, less plot or more drudgery anywhere.
After book one took me eleven days (I average 3-4 for a book that length) I put the series down and only just now came back to it. 150 pages in to book two I'm so bored I'm going to read something else and possibly postpone this indefinitely. I suppose from a technical standpoint it is well written, it is just the polar opposite of engaging.
If you loved this series what did you see in it? Because I only see a glacier of a plot that I feel no investment in and a bunch of character I mostly dislike. It isn't like Jordan where the book is long because of the great depth of detail and the many different plots. This thing has 2-3 plot lines, little detail and a whole hell of a lot of drawn out scenes.
Abercrombie took the writing maxim, "late in, early out" and decided to adopt the polar opposite. He also spends a LOT of time getting to know these characters I would just assume see dead. I think that is the overwhelming problem for me- terrible characters. The only ones I don't hate are out and out boring.
I suppose I can partially blame the fast pace and cheap suspense of urban fantasy for smothering my ability to enjoy a drawn out epic fantasy plot- but Jesus this is dull.
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Agonderae
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I question the humanity of anybody who likes Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy.
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I got the trilogy for a Christmas present, read like the first 15 pages of the first book and immediately didn't like the character. I read a bit more and then realized I had also gotten several volumes of Erikson's "Malazan Book of the Fallen". I put it down and haven't been back since, although I'm about to finish "Dust of Dreams" so I may wind up giving them another go here shortly.
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Agonderae L2, Daoc, WoW, RFO, UO, GW, etc. http://www.equalitynow.org "I had a dream last night that I was watching one of those surgery shows on tv and they went into great detail about--get this--why ovaries smell like pine trees." -Amanda
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JoobeiBrandybuck
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I question the humanity of anybody who likes Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy.
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You like Terry Goodkind's lame series but not the awesomness that is the First Law trilogy, wow that's unfathomable!
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"And out of good still to find means of evil." -John Milton
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JoobeiBrandybuck
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I question the humanity of anybody who likes Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy.
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Oh nevermind i just read another thread were you confess your disgust at Terry Goodkinds series i thought you had mentioned you like it back on the outpost a while back nvm still how can you not like Fist Law trilogy its so awesome.
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"And out of good still to find means of evil." -John Milton
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Yossarian_42
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I question the humanity of anybody who likes Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy.
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Me? I think Terry Goodkind is the worst author to ever be published....
Sword of Truth is arguably the biggest piece of hack trash I've ever read. I've written some pretty lengthy posts on this board reviling Goodkind.
The series got better, but never good. The characters actually become increasingly unlikable as the series progresses. 2 > 3 >> 1.
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If I have burnt my bridges I will walk on water.
If you're on the shore, then you're sure not me, oh
My seething wrath and urge for blood is fueled by searing hate.
I'm X X X bitch, triple X rated.
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JoobeiBrandybuck
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I question the humanity of anybody who likes Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy.
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I came off as the biggest asshole to a real life co-worker of mine when he confessed that he was a big fan of Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth Series, i just could not understand why a grown man would enjoy that crap. It's beyond linear, i wanted to scoop my eyes out with a rusty spoon because of how boring and linear it was, and many people complain about violence in fantasy like in Martin's books but it usually serves a purpose and goes well with the content, on the other hand the rape and violence in Goodkind's series is a text-book example of gratuitous violence. How did you even get pass the first 100 pages? It reads like a 4 year old wrote it.
On another note though i'm thinking about getting Jim Butcher's Codex Alera or Sanderson's Mistborn i read his Elantris and it was alright, i'm also thinking about getting Lies of Lake Lasomething or other what do you recommend Yoss?
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"And out of good still to find means of evil." -John Milton
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Yossarian_42
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I question the humanity of anybody who likes Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy.
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I am a huge Brandon Sanderson fan. Elantris is his weakest book because it was his first. I wouldn't call Mistborn one of the greatest series or anything but it was very good. I think Sanderson's stand alone Warbreaker is his best work to date (it is also free on his website if you don't mind reading through the computer). What I appreciate most about Sanderson is his ability to construct a novel. His plot progression, reveals, set-ups, foreshadowing, etc. is all very well executed. Perhaps he doesn't grab you like the masters of prose or characterization but he does nothing poorly.
I loved the Codex Alera as well. I thought it started off very slow, trite and unoriginal but it picked up remarkably well and other than a lull or two I barely put them down. I posted about it on this board somewhere when it was fresh in my mind, I started off very skeptical because I really was not impressed with book one but the series turns around so much I thought maybe he wrote book one a while back when he was starting out and then wrote the rest with the benefit of his experience.
The Lies of Locke Lamora is on my series to watch list. I have not picked it up because I want to let the series finish, or at least develop, before I do. I'm tired of starting series from unproven authors that take forever to finish.
-----signature-----
If I have burnt my bridges I will walk on water.
If you're on the shore, then you're sure not me, oh
My seething wrath and urge for blood is fueled by searing hate.
I'm X X X bitch, triple X rated.
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Caoilin
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I question the humanity of anybody who likes Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy.
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JoobeiBrandybuck posted:
Oh nevermind i just read another thread were you confess your disgust at Terry Goodkinds series i thought you had mentioned you like it back on the outpost a while back nvm still how can you not like Fist Law trilogy its so awesome.
punctuation: the practice or system of using certain conventional marks or characters
in writing or printing in order to separate elements and make the
meaning clear, as in ending a sentence or separating clauses.
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"i'll be your dirty ignorant redneck if you will be my drugged out cripple bitch" - shaggynuts24
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Yossarian_42
Title: RUSH > ALL
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I question the humanity of anybody who likes Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy.
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He also doesn't capitalize his 'I's.
-----signature-----
If I have burnt my bridges I will walk on water.
If you're on the shore, then you're sure not me, oh
My seething wrath and urge for blood is fueled by searing hate.
I'm X X X bitch, triple X rated.
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Caoilin
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I question the humanity of anybody who likes Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy.
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neither do i, but jesus man. don't string like 5 sentences together and pretend they're one.
-----signature-----
"Cao is really an asexual cricket from outer space" - Bernion
"I just wish you had man bits" - ShalisR
"i'll be your dirty ignorant redneck if you will be my drugged out cripple bitch" - shaggynuts24
"again, I'm stupid" - Brandun
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Yossarian_42
Title: RUSH > ALL
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Subject:
I question the humanity of anybody who likes Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy.
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I know you don't.
-----signature-----
If I have burnt my bridges I will walk on water.
If you're on the shore, then you're sure not me, oh
My seething wrath and urge for blood is fueled by searing hate.
I'm X X X bitch, triple X rated.
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JoobeiBrandybuck
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I question the humanity of anybody who likes Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy.
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Yeah i have poor grammatical skills, and to think i'd like to write as a profession one day. It's not so much that i can't write it's more that i won't, specially not at 1 in the morning. I would be more apathetic if i wasn't so lethargic.
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"And out of good still to find means of evil." -John Milton
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Yossarian_42
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I question the humanity of anybody who likes Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy.
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Once you make proper writing a habit it takes no extra effort!
-----signature-----
If I have burnt my bridges I will walk on water.
If you're on the shore, then you're sure not me, oh
My seething wrath and urge for blood is fueled by searing hate.
I'm X X X bitch, triple X rated.
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Caoilin
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I question the humanity of anybody who likes Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy.
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what's funny is that i have absolutely no trouble switching from this writing style to a proper writing style when i'm doing business or school crap.
-----signature-----
"Cao is really an asexual cricket from outer space" - Bernion
"I just wish you had man bits" - ShalisR
"i'll be your dirty ignorant redneck if you will be my drugged out cripple bitch" - shaggynuts24
"again, I'm stupid" - Brandun
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Raiztlin
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Subject:
I question the humanity of anybody who likes Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy.
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Eh, you're arguing taste here. Taste is different from person to person. You say yourself that the books are well written, so it must be the story and / or the characters you don't like. Both matters of personal opinion.
So if you can't fathom that others like the books, you need to chalk that up to your own lack of empathy 
I, for one, find how the characters struggle with themselves, and in Abacrombies case, often lose, interesting. If you don't that's on you, not the author.
We're not all meant to like all the same stuff, that's why we have so many different pasta sauces 
Anyway, I liked his first trilogy, but disliked the last one (Best served Cold) which in my opinion matches your original post, according to my tastes.
oh, and also:
You posted:
The Lies of Locke Lamora is on my series to watch list. I have not picked it up because I want to let the series finish, or at least develop, before I do. I'm tired of starting series from unproven authors that take forever to finish.
The Lies of Locke Lamora is a great book, in my opinion, but the sequel is basically the same book, just more boring. I'm still waiting for the third book, but I don't have high hopes for it.
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Yossarian_42
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I question the humanity of anybody who likes Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy.
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I said I supposed it was well written, I was throwing Abercrombie lovers a bone. In reality it was averagely written.
Of course this is my opinion. I've read enough imperfect characters that this isn't new to me. An entire book of unlikable bastards is a mistake and it isn't interesting to see them be assholes then get the opposite of what they deserve at the end.
It isn't the authors fault, it is the people who hyped the books up fault. If I went in expecting another average, derivative epic fantasy I wouldn't have bothered to even post about it.
-----signature-----
If I have burnt my bridges I will walk on water.
If you're on the shore, then you're sure not me, oh
My seething wrath and urge for blood is fueled by searing hate.
I'm X X X bitch, triple X rated.
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Raiztlin
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I question the humanity of anybody who likes Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy.
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Then, in the future, I suggest you saying what you mean, so it is possible to have a decent conversation
And I agree, the books are far from spectacular, and probably don't deserve all the hype. I liked them though (And I actually really liked quite a few of the characters.)
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CC always welcome.
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Yossarian_42
Title: RUSH > ALL
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Subject:
I question the humanity of anybody who likes Abercrombie's First Law Trilogy.
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I don't see how you could like any of the main characters. Perhaps you could like characters like Dogman or Marshall Burr but every single primary character is an unlikable bastard. The fact that there was zero character development made it even worse, you can say it was a theme of the book but that doesn't make it interesting to read; a couple of them wanted to change but throughout the entire book all they did was think about it, repeatedly and at length while still being complete bastards.
Even the characters you were supposed to empathize with like Ardee were utterly unlikable and flawed beyond my ability to care what happened to them.
the entire premise of the series was good guys that aren't necessarily good and bad guys who weren't necessarily the bad guys (as much of 'not the bad guys' as you can get in a world where every single person is a sonofabitch). Something zillions of other series have used without bashing the reading over the head with the concept. When 100% of the plot and 100% of the characters follow the same model it becomes trite and contrived to the point that I can't take it seriously.
The ending was exactly what I expected, the undeserving get everything and everyone else gets screwed.
-----signature-----
If I have burnt my bridges I will walk on water.
If you're on the shore, then you're sure not me, oh
My seething wrath and urge for blood is fueled by searing hate.
I'm X X X bitch, triple X rated.
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