I wouldn’t describe the prose as particularly elegant, but the dialogue (both spoken and internal) is really funny. I’m not the kind of person who lols when reading but this got me a whole bunch of times.
I’ve read a tonne of fantasy and this really stands out in the crowd. A less gaudy ASOIAF, and just as brutal. It’s cynical and dark without being overly pretentious. Found a great balance imo
I’m sure in the broader context it blends fine, I’m a King fan and a lot of his work if you were just clip out would come across as abrasive and silly. I just find it humorous that someone picked those two with no context and expects someone to think to themselves that’s the type of writing I need in my life.
Honestly, if you were to put it in greentext form it wouldn’t look out of place on 4chan written by a neckbeard who considers himself an artisan of literature.
I get your point completely - whoever pasted that excerpt was simply trying to give a sense of the tone of the book and the dude’s writing style. It’s very different from your typical fantasy storytelling, with exquisite descriptions of the world etc. It does have that ofc but I’m a huge fan of the scornful, cynical dialogue. It’s not very common and certainly never expressed in such a consistently humorous way. The only rival to it is Scott Lynch’s Gentleman Bastards. Been waiting on the third book for that for bloody ages too, there’s already been an 8 year wait ffs
I’ve been reading Pillars of the Earth recently (in between reading the Book of Malazan, which I have gotten serious fatigue from now - Toll the Hounds was by far the weakest of the series and really fucking drags on), and I have to say it is absolutely incredible.
What an absolute masterpiece of a book. I can understand why everyone raves about it so much because it is a very special piece of literature. The pacing especially is fantastic, and the characters are so well written and fleshed out, I just absolutely love it.
It’s the kind of book where once you pick it up you can’t put it down again. I went to bed at 11pm the other night and decided to read a few pages and ended up reading until 2am lol
Yeah it is mate, I can highly recommend it
I’m reading something by him set in the first ww1 and seen something on his wikipedia page about this.
Just done a search and I’m very intrigued by this. Thanks for responding.
Oooh yeah my mate says that’s a really good read as well, he’s reading that at the moment and he’s really enjoyed it.
Pillars of the Earth are what really put Follet on the map though, so that should definitely be next on your list 
Just ordered. Thanks mate.
Cider with Roadies
Stuart Maconie life as a kid growing up with his music in his pursuit of becoming a journalist at the NME .
Funny throughout and good honest insight into the music scene.
Why is it harrowing? (Without giving anyway any spoilers)
Just what he has been through. He had a traumatic childhood.
Black and Blue
Paul Canonville the first black player to play for Chelsea in the 80s.
Recalls the racist abuse he suffered at the hands of an element of his own fans.
So much more to his story though. Volatile relationship with his mum.
11 kids to ten different women. Injury cutting his career short leading to drug addiction. Rehab and surviving cancer.
Indebted to @JakeyBoy for putting this on here. Plenty of people on here would enjoy this. Top draw read.
The Count of Monte Cristo
A good read, if a little unpalatable in places.
6/10
I loved that tbh. Fictional Alcatraz escape before that became popular.
Have you ever read the book of Beau Geste. If you like that sort of thing it’s a better paced read than this.
Nah, but I’ll definitely give it a read.
The thing that put me off The Count of Monte Cristo was the whole ‘revenge story’ and playing God aspect of it. Not really a fan of those sorts of films, let alone books! I just felt the whole thing was disproportionate, especially when it came to Edward.
Michael Dobbs’ House of Cards trilogy.
House of Cards books > UK House of Cards tv show > US House of Cards.
The UK show broadly follows the books, with some notable exceptions, but the very end of book 3 and series 3 end vwry differently, completely changing the tone of trilogy as a whole. I much preferred the book’s ending, I won’t do spoilers but I think it was far more fitting.
Would definitely recommend.
Did like the series. Interesting take this because I wasn’t keen on couple other books ive read by him.
How many pages a book roughly mate.
Ah, I was considering checking out some of his other books as well. Can you remember which ones you’ve read?
Think they’re all around 300 pages ish, you’ll breeze through them.
