tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6617677799085549365.post1311126462789977853..comments2024-03-12T22:45:16.936+01:00Comments on The Disoriented Ranger: Is it Appendix N worthy material? The Sword Itself by Joe Abercrombie (Review & my Appendix N)Jens D.http://www.blogger.com/profile/18394303166081684904noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6617677799085549365.post-52624989742022949132023-05-09T09:56:45.189+02:002023-05-09T09:56:45.189+02:00Thanks for the nice comment, Nathan! Yes, taste is...Thanks for the nice comment, Nathan! Yes, taste is a thing, and it is hard to account for. I think two aspects made go as hard here as I did: (1) reading it with a review in mind always makes you look harder, so shortcomings become obvious faster, and (2) the hype surrounding this book is VERY unjustified. So I switch from talking taste to talking "I have read a lot, I have learned to read books as a job, I know what's good, and this ain't it ..." kind of approach. But one has to be a sport about those things, and that you are! <br /><br />As for the character development ... he takes too much time while not showcasing somehow that it might happen. I'm pretty sure there happens no development at all in the first book. Anyway, it is what it is, and it can be read, but there is no way it is even on eye level with other established authors of that genre.<br /><br />There's no ranking here, the order is alphabetical. If I were to rank, Zelazny would be high up there with Pratchett, Cook and Erikson :)<br /><br />And while you are reading the response: Did you like all the Chronicles of Amber books? What's your take on the Merlin cycle? Any good? I've read bad reviews about those :DJens D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/18394303166081684904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6617677799085549365.post-24886955674776423912023-05-09T01:20:19.927+02:002023-05-09T01:20:19.927+02:00Tastes differ. I've read many of your Appendix...Tastes differ. I've read many of your Appendix N, but would absolutely rank them differently (Abhorsen trilogy was fine, but Nix completely dropped the ball in Book 3 - it was awful. Zelazny is AMAZING. I'd read his grocery list. Rosenberg is underrated; we agree there.) Abercrombie absolutely develops characters, but that's part of it - they're not full-fledged in the beginning. There's more to all of them than is apparent, and Logen Ninefingers is just excellent. He's a tragic character. Still, everyone likes different things and it's fun to see!Nathan Irvinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10748510598803702118noreply@blogger.com