53 réponses à ce sujet

[BioFan (Official)]

i greatly enjoyed it. it's a good tie into DA3

[devSin]

Yes, it is worth buying.

It's a more personal story than you may be thinking (there is conflict between mages and templars, and some people have had issue with the characterization, but it's a story about a particular series of events shared among a relatively small group of people that lead to a confrontation—it's not a story about all-out war).

It's the best book that David has written, and it has Shale. Pigeons were undoubtedly harmed in the writing of it, and every single one of their deaths was worth it.

[Renmiri1]

I hope this is not a spoiler to you, but the war doesn't start until the events on the last chapter of Asunder, and even then, it is not certain that a war starts.. To my surprise, Kirkwall's rebellion doesn't seem to have started the war immediately after. Took at least 3 years for things to get going and in that meantime we get Dawn of the Seeker and then Asunder.

[Fisto The Sexbot]

 Judging by his last two books, I think maybe it's best to give that one a pass: http://goldenpigsy.b...eviews: Fiction

[Renmiri1]

simfamSP wrote...

Fisto The Sexbot wrote...

 Judging by his last two books, I think maybe it's best to give that one a pass: http://goldenpigsy.b...eviews: Fiction

So despite the many endorsements, you're going to base the quality from one (albeit elaborate and well written, yet nitpicky) review?

Oh don't even bother with goldenpigs and "the sexbot". Both hate Gaider with the intensity of a thousand suns. If you liked the first 2 books, you will like Asunder. Let the haters read Proust or Kafka if they want high literature 

[Isaidlunch]

Fisto The Sexbot wrote...

 Judging by his last two books, I think maybe it's best to give that one a pass: http://goldenpigsy.b...eviews: Fiction

"David Gaider is a Virgin"

What a mature way to start off a review.

[Kidd]

devSin wrote...

It's the best book that David has written, and it has Shale. Pigeons were undoubtedly harmed in the writing of it, and every single one of their deaths was worth it.

So true! 

[Sylvius the Mad]

Kazanth wrote...

"David Gaider is a Virgin"

What a mature way to start off a review.

And even cursory research would demonstrate how unlikely that is to be true.  Last I checked, David wasn't even single.

[Fisto The Sexbot]

 Come on, just look at this mess: 


“The water was littered with bits of flotsam that pooled at the edges, lapping wetly against the stone…” 

“Maric dug into his stew ravenously. Katriel picked at hers gingerly, sipping on some of the broth. The dwarf all but gulped his down greedily, finishing it long before the others were even half done, and then belching loudly. He wiped his beard with the back of his hand."

This is just bad.

[Das Tentakel]

Fisto The Sexbot wrote...

 Come on, just look at this mess: 


“The water was littered with bits of flotsam that pooled at the edges, lapping wetly against the stone…” 

“Maric dug into his stew ravenously. Katriel picked at hers gingerly, sipping on some of the broth. The dwarf all but gulped his down greedily, finishing it long before the others were even half done, and then belching loudly. He wiped his beard with the back of his hand."

This is just bad.

Wel, it does convey the intention of the author, I think, although I admit it looks as if it was written by an author with a limited vocabulary or more or less deliberately intended for an audience with a limited vocabulary.
I was kind of reminded of the early Dragonlance novels (triple meh) by Margaret Weis* and Tracy Hickman I read in my misspent youth.
But it's a tie-in pulp novel intended to make some additional bucks, what do you expect?
And as such a lot of people do enjoy them.

I did chuckle while reading those excerpts, though.

*Margaret Weis is on record I think for revealing that she didn't read fantasy books. Well, if all fantasy books were like those written by her and the gaming fiction genre she is supposed to have started, I, too, would never read fantasy books.

Modifié par Das Tentakel, 23 août 2012 - 09:59 .

[nightscrawl]

Sylvius the Mad wrote...

Kazanth wrote...

"David Gaider is a Virgin"

What a mature way to start off a review.

And even cursory research would demonstrate how unlikely that is to be true.  Last I checked, David wasn't even single.

I wouldn't have bothered reading it after seeing the title. It's certainly possible to write a negative or critical review without being insulting to the author. So you (general "you," not the quoted people) didn't like it. Fine. But don't be an a-hole about it.

This is the main reason I never read reviews unless I am curious about a specific fact in the material (like with the recent review I read of "The Odd Life of Timothy Green" film.) 90% of the time other people's opinions have nothing whatsoever to do with how I experienced or felt about the content.

[Sejborg]

Fisto The Sexbot wrote...

 Come on, just look at this mess: 


“The water was littered with bits of flotsam that pooled at the edges, lapping wetly against the stone…” 

“Maric dug into his stew ravenously. Katriel picked at hers gingerly, sipping on some of the broth. The dwarf all but gulped his down greedily, finishing it long before the others were even half done, and then belching loudly. He wiped his beard with the back of his hand."

This is just bad.

Since English is not my native language, I don't notice these things as much when I read. If it was translated then it would no doubt stand more out for me. It's a fair critism no doubt, but for me it's the characters and plot that turns me off. I only find Loghain to be an interessting character so far in the books. The other characters are just too cliched and exaggerated. When experiencing these characters in a game it's not as bad, because if there is no auto dialogue then I will be directly involved, but when reading about cardboard characters it quickly becomes boring. 

[Das Tentakel]

Sejborg wrote...

Fisto The Sexbot wrote...

 Come on, just look at this mess: 


“The water was littered with bits of flotsam that pooled at the edges, lapping wetly against the stone…” 

“Maric dug into his stew ravenously. Katriel picked at hers gingerly, sipping on some of the broth. The dwarf all but gulped his down greedily, finishing it long before the others were even half done, and then belching loudly. He wiped his beard with the back of his hand."

This is just bad.

Since English is not my native language, I don't notice these things as much when I read. If it was translated then it would no doubt stand more out for me. It's a fair critism no doubt, but for me it's the characters and plot that turns me off. I only find Loghain to be an interessting character so far in the books. The other characters are just too cliched and exaggerated. When experiencing these characters in a game it's not as bad, because if there is no auto dialogue then I will be directly involved, but when reading about cardboard characters it quickly becomes boring. 

I’ve read enough ‘franchise’ novels and ‘commodified’ fantasy to know that I simply 'read over' or skip stuff like this (and I’m not a native English speaker either). The information in sentences like these is completely superfluous and doesn’t really do anything to build atmosphere, even if that seems the intention.
It’s the kind of writing that allows you to read a 500-page paperback in less than 10 hours, yet not miss anything. You might also call it ‘low-barrier’ fantasy (some people consider novels you have to actually read ‘slow’ and ‘boring’). Of course, that means that you don’t have to expect much in terms of characterization or plot, but that’s part of the recipe. It’s Big Mac literature.
Quite a few people like Big Macs. At least Big Mac literature doesn’t make you fat.

But if you want something more substantial, you have to look elsewhere. If you're not willing to settle for anything less than George Martin, Patrick Rothfuss, Ursula le Guin, Patricia McKillip etc., I don't think any franchise novel is going to satisfy. You either have to like this stuff (at least every now and then, perhaps by turning a switch in your brain, say 'what the hell why not' and go with the flow) or you don't.

[Mr Fixit]

Das Tentakel wrote...

But if you want something more substantial, you have to look elsewhere. If you're not willing to settle for anything less than George Martin, Patrick Rothfuss, Ursula le Guin, Patricia McKillip etc., I don't think any franchise novel is going to satisfy. You either have to like this stuff (at least every now and then, perhaps by turning a switch in your brain, say 'what the hell why not' and go with the flow) or you don't.

The Left Hand of Darkness is without doubt one the best novels I've read. It is simply beautiful.

[Sejborg]

Das Tentakel wrote...

Sejborg wrote...

Fisto The Sexbot wrote...

 Come on, just look at this mess: 


“The water was littered with bits of flotsam that pooled at the edges, lapping wetly against the stone…” 

“Maric dug into his stew ravenously. Katriel picked at hers gingerly, sipping on some of the broth. The dwarf all but gulped his down greedily, finishing it long before the others were even half done, and then belching loudly. He wiped his beard with the back of his hand."

This is just bad.

Since English is not my native language, I don't notice these things as much when I read. If it was translated then it would no doubt stand more out for me. It's a fair critism no doubt, but for me it's the characters and plot that turns me off. I only find Loghain to be an interessting character so far in the books. The other characters are just too cliched and exaggerated. When experiencing these characters in a game it's not as bad, because if there is no auto dialogue then I will be directly involved, but when reading about cardboard characters it quickly becomes boring. 

I’ve read enough ‘franchise’ novels and ‘commodified’ fantasy to know that I simply 'read over' or skip stuff like this (and I’m not a native English speaker either). The information in sentences like these is completely superfluous and doesn’t really do anything to build atmosphere, even if that seems the intention.
It’s the kind of writing that allows you to read a 500-page paperback in less than 10 hours, yet not miss anything. You might also call it ‘low-barrier’ fantasy (some people consider novels you have to actually read ‘slow’ and ‘boring’). Of course, that means that you don’t have to expect much in terms of characterization or plot, but that’s part of the recipe. It’s Big Mac literature.
Quite a few people like Big Macs. At least Big Mac literature doesn’t make you fat.

But if you want something more substantial, you have to look elsewhere. If you're not willing to settle for anything less than George Martin, Patrick Rothfuss, Ursula le Guin, Patricia McKillip etc., I don't think any franchise novel is going to satisfy. You either have to like this stuff (at least every now and then, perhaps by turning a switch in your brain, say 'what the hell why not' and go with the flow) or you don't.

Calling it "Big Mac litterature" just seems like a bad excuse for poor writing. Books like Harry Potter, The Hunger Games and Dan Browns books are also fast reading. But as far as I recall, you don't see examples as to what Fisto The Sexbot has quoted in those books. Or at least I didn't notice it (as I said earlier, I don't always pay as much attention to such things).

My point is. Easy reading don't have to be poorly written. 

[Renmiri1]

Mr Fixit wrote...

Das Tentakel wrote...

But if you want something more substantial, you have to look elsewhere. If you're not willing to settle for anything less than George Martin, Patrick Rothfuss, Ursula le Guin, Patricia McKillip etc., I don't think any franchise novel is going to satisfy. You either have to like this stuff (at least every now and then, perhaps by turning a switch in your brain, say 'what the hell why not' and go with the flow) or you don't.

The Left Hand of Darkness is without doubt one the best novels I've read. It is simply beautiful.

QFT, The Left Hand of Darkness is  a masterpiece

Sejborg wrote...


Calling it "Big Mac litterature" just seems like a bad excuse for poor writing. Books like Harry Potter, The Hunger Games and Dan Browns books are also fast reading. But as far as I recall, you don't see examples as to what Fisto The Sexbot has quoted in those books. Or at least I didn't notice it (as I said earlier, I don't always pay as much attention to such things).

My point is. Easy reading don't have to be poorly written. [smilie]http://social.bioware.com/images/forum/emoticons/smile.png[/smilie]

 
Harry Potter has a lot of those. High literature it is not. Hunger Games and Dan Brown ? Plagiarism is easier to write than original thought  but there are still some whoopers there!

Big Macs are fine when you are in the mood for them, elaborate cuisine is also good.. Same for literature. I read both, depending on my mood and free time for reading.

In the case in point, the OP has stated he liked the first 2 books so he is familiar with the writing style and enjoys it. The 3rd book is as good or bad as the first two, perhaps a little better even. I feel I was accurate in predicting he will like Asunder.

Modifié par Renmiri1, 23 août 2012 - 01:59 .

[Sejborg]

Renmiri1 wrote...

Sejborg wrote...


Calling it "Big Mac litterature" just seems like a bad excuse for poor writing. Books like Harry Potter, The Hunger Games and Dan Browns books are also fast reading. But as far as I recall, you don't see examples as to what Fisto The Sexbot has quoted in those books. Or at least I didn't notice it (as I said earlier, I don't always pay as much attention to such things).

My point is. Easy reading don't have to be poorly written. [smilie]http://social.bioware.com/images/forum/emoticons/smile.png[/smilie]

 
Harry Potter has a lot of those. High literature it is not. Hunger Games and Dan Brown ? Plagiarism is easier to write than original thought  but there are still some whoopers there!

I didn't say any of those where high litterature. I called it easy reading! And even though plagiarism might be easier to write than something original, it can still be quite difficult to write. Just look at the Dragon Age books.  

But anyway. I won't defend any of those books. 

Edit:
But still. I will still say that easy reading don't have to be poorly written.

Modifié par Sejborg, 23 août 2012 - 03:38 .

[Rawgrim]

My only gripe with it was that IF main characters from the games are to be killed off, I would preffer it to happen in the games. Not in the books.

[Reznore57]

I think his books are fine , yeah it's not high litterature so what....
there's an interview on the net when he talks about writing them , and if i remember correctly he only had a few month each times to wrote his books .
I think three months for Asunder while working on the side.
I think he did a great job , besides it's only his third books....

[Dragon_Effect 15511]

It's great. The Best DA novel so far. I would read it just because Cole(he is already rumoured) and other characters in the book are likely to be in DA3 as Companions or NPCs and it's practically a prequel to DA3. It doesn't solely focus around the mage vs Templar war, the book is told from the perspective of several characters including Templars and mages. Also Wynn and Shale make significant appearances in the book. It's a good read I would recommend it to any DA fan.

[Faerloch]

Like everyone else says: yes, buy it.

Personally I didn't think it was the best story of his three books, but I greatly appreciated Gaider's writing style throughout. I had a lot of fun reading this book.

[The_11thDoctor]

MUST BUY. Whats wrong with you even asking?!