[profgrape]

These are Pat's observations posted to Westros during his ARC read of TGO.  Adding them here so folks can talk amongst themselves...

4/30/16 10:08 PM

There is a 27-page "What has gone before" section, which I really needed given the years between books.

The prologue takes place in Momemn and begins right where TWLW left off, right after Maithanet's murder. Though the Fanim are at the gates, Esmenet goes batshit crazy and can only focus on trying to find Kelmomas.

In the first chapter, we see the soldiers of the Great Ordeal now forced to eat Sranc in order to survive. And it appears that Kellhus must now break Proyas to send him on a different path.

And the second chapter chronicles the last leg of Sorweel, Serwa, and her brother's journey to Ishterebinth.

I never read extracts, so I'm not sure about this. But I flipped through the pages and the first Achamian doesn't show up until page 140. This might be the chapter from which the first extract posted so long ago was taken. . .

Too early to say just how good the book will be. In style, tone, and pacing, it is more akin to TWLW than TJE.

5/1/16 2:39 AM

Read an extra 60 pages before calling it a night. Shit has started to happen.

Shit is good!

Patrick

5/01/16 10:21 PM

Well, there's been one thus far. And it was good!

Had a crazy day at work, so I've only read a single chapter, the first Achamian chapter. And if Scott provides the entire second portion of the chapter for that extract, you guys will be exposed to the second "fuck me" moment of the novel.

There's also some fucked up shit going on between Kellhus and Proyas. I'm also curious as to what Kelmomas' agenda truly is. . .

Now 170 pages into it and I'm hoping to read a few chapters tonight. My main concern is that, given that this was meant to be a single novel, the ending will be arbitrary and won't offer anything in terms of resolution. Which would suck big time. My hope is that it took so long for TGO to be released because chapters were reshuffled and rewritten in order to give it a true ending, and certain storylines will be brought to a close in TUC.

Otherwise, if TGO ends with nothing really happening, it would be a major disappointment. Especially since we'll have to wait for at least a year before TUC is published.

Still, so far, so good!

Patrick

5/02/16 1:51 AM

Another two chapters in, one focusing on the events taking place in Momemn and the other focusing on what is happening in Ishterebinth. Good stuff all around, especially in Ishterebinth.

Flipped through the pages to see what's coming and there are a lot of Ishterebinth chapters coming up. Of the next three, one will focus on Achamian and Mimara in Ishuäl, the other one on Ishterebinth, and the third one will be the first that has to do with the Dagliash storyline.

Now 212 pages into the book and I'm totally into it!

Patrick

5/02/16 4:13 AM

The ARC is 504 pages long while the finished copy consist of 512 pages. There's a 3-page character index and glossary.

As far as pace is concerned, it's more akin to TWLW.

By the way, I sent Scott the interview questions. . .

Patrick

5/02/16 7:10 PM

As far as I know, this is the official cover. When it's not, the publisher usually mentions that the cover art is not final on the advance reading copies.

Read another 2 chapters and I'm beyond the halfway point of the book. Good stuff, lots of revelations, which makes this a compelling read thus far.

There is a fascinating never-before-seen POV that offers a perspective. Serwa also has occasionl POV sections, which if I remember correctly is new. Lots of shit going down, especially in the Ishterebinth chapters. It appears that Bakker has a lot in store for Sorweel. Revelations about Ishuäl, the Nonmen, the No-God, etc.

Onward to the first Dagliash chapter.

Regarding the Ishuäl chapters, it appears that there are only two within the pages of TGO. . .

Patrick

5/03/16 2:21 AM

Okay, 333 pages into the book and I'm calling it a night.

My biggest concern has just been proven true. Chapters and storylines were not reshuffled and/or rewritten to help TGO stand well on its own. Indeed, it appears that the novel is indeed "part 1" of what was meant to be TUC.

The shit has hit the fan in the  Ishterebinth chapters, but this was the last chapter focusing on the NonMen storyline. And, of course, it ends in a cliffhanger. I hope that the other plotlines won't end in cliffhangers as well, for that would be frustrating.

There are 5 chapters left. Two focusing on the Great Ordeal, one on Momemn, and two focusing on Achamian and Mimara.

So it looks as though there won't be much in terms of resolution when we reach the last page. Which sucks.

The upside is that everything is setting the stage for what should be a great finale!

No sign of the Consult yet, though. . .

5/03/16 7:24 PM

Death came swirling down.

Yeah! My favorite sentence of the series is back! When death comes swirling down, you know the jig is up!

Almost done with the battle of Dagliash and it's the best battle sequence since TTT. And it's not even the last battle! It's seen through multiple POVs and is quite awesome!

As far as the chapter breakdown is concerned:

- Momemn: Prologue and 4 chapters

- The Great Ordeal: 5 chapters

- Ishterebinth: 4 chapters

- Achamian and Mimara: 4 chapters

Still have about 20 pages to go (the battle of Dagliash chapter is 49 pages long), but even though the Great Ordeal storyline probably won't offer any kind of resolution either, it sure looks as though it will end with a bang! There is another chapter coming up before the end, though. . .

It will be interesting to see how the 3 remaining arcs (Momemn, the Great Ordeal, and Achamian/Mimara) will be brought to a close. Because a lack of resolution doesn't necessarily mean a lack of excitement. I just hope it won't be cliffhangers for each plotline, as that would just plain suck.

About 132 pages to go. . .

5/04/16 5:25 PM

Okay, just finished the book. . .

Now I need some time to let it all sink in before I can write a review.

As expected, this is only part 1 of 2, so it offers little in terms of resolution. Only the Great Ordeal storyline has what can be considered some kind of ending. Even if that ending marks a new beginning.

I thought that the Ishterebinth storyline ended in a cliffhanger, but the Momemn arc ends in an even bigger one. A number of important characters are presumed dead (spread across all the arcs), though I figure this won't be the case. But you never know.

The Achamian/Mimara storyline is more of a "to be continued" kind of thing.

So yeah, exactly what I was fearing. A lot of good set-up material, but everything will have to wait for TUC. Which, unfortunately, will put off a chunk of Bakker's readership. Especially given the fact that we have been waiting so long for the continuation of this tale.

And yet, there's nevertheless a lot of good stuff within the pages of TGO. The Ishterebinth arc was quite interesting and I'm looking forward to see where it will take us. The Dagliash plotline offers us an excellent battle and an unexpected ending. The Momemn arc, though it is the one that progresses the least, ends with a big "fuck me" moment.

Speaking of "fuck me" moments, the Achamian/Mimara storyline offers two important ones, the biggest of which coming near the end of the book. It catches you like an uppercut and knocks you down on your ass.

And for all that it doesn't really stand well on its own, TGO sets the stage for what should be an amazing grand finale in TUC. I can't wait to find out what happens next!

I just wish we didn't have to wait at least a year to sink our teeth into that one. . .

Patrick

[Blackstone]

I appreciate you compiling all this into one place. I'm so stoked to read TGO.

[Bolivar]

Man I hope Akka and Mimara's lives aren't in danger for this volume otherwise I'm gonna be reading them with plot armor the whole time.

Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk

[Redeagl]

AKKA WON'T DIE.

[MSJ]

I wish the book was never split. It was almost a forgone conclusion that there is gonna be cliffhangers.

[profgrape]

Anyone care to speculate on said uppercut?  A couple of options:

1. Cnaiur emerges from the shadows to present the Heron Spear. 

2. Akka is salted.

[mrganondorf]

Anyone care to speculate on said uppercut?  A couple of options:

1. Cnaiur emerges from the shadows to present the Heron Spear. 

2. Akka is salted.

DUDES!  IT'S LEWETH!  Just kidding.  It's not Leweth.  OR IS IT???

[Redeagl]

Anyone care to speculate on said uppercut?  A couple of options:

1. Cnaiur emerges from the shadows to present the Heron Spear. 

2. Akka is salted.

DUDES!  IT'S LEWETH!  Just kidding.  It's not Leweth.  OR IS IT???

You have finished the book,MG??

[mrganondorf]

Anyone care to speculate on said uppercut?  A couple of options:

1. Cnaiur emerges from the shadows to present the Heron Spear. 

2. Akka is salted.

DUDES!  IT'S LEWETH!  Just kidding.  It's not Leweth.  OR IS IT???

You have finishes the book,MG??

FINISHED

this is why i weep

[SilentRoamer]

Hey MG,

If you have any sway with the man I would love an ARC to review on SFFDen.

I cannot read spoilers - all or nothing for me. A thimble sip does nothing but remind a dehydrated man that HE MUST DRINK.

[Somnambulist]

Anyone care to speculate on said uppercut?  A couple of options:

1. Cnaiur emerges from the shadows to present the Heron Spear. 

2. Akka is salted.

DUDES!  IT'S LEWETH!  Just kidding.  It's not Leweth.  OR IS IT???

You have finishes the book,MG??

FINISHED

this is why i weep

commiserations

[Blackstone]

I have a feeling that the super uppercut has something to do with Dunyain using some sort of Inchoroi tech for their breeding program down in the TT halls.

My initial thought was that the Dunyain would all be dead, but I kind of expect that, so I don't think it would be a KO blow for me.

[profgrape]

I have a feeling that the super uppercut has something to do with Dunyain using some sort of Inchoroi tech for their breeding program down in the TT halls.

My initial thought was that the Dunyain would all be dead, but I kind of expect that, so I don't think it would be a KO blow for me.

I had a similar thought initially.  But given the number of chapters that seem to be devoted to Akka and Mimara, I'd be surprised if they were all spent in TTT.  I suspect that the breeding program might be the discovery in the second half of the preview chapter.

Given the number of chapters devoted to Akka and Mimara, I'd be surprised if they spent the whole thing in TTT.

[profgrape]

I'm also kind of amazed that so much of the book is spent in Ishteribinth.  My mental picture is a huge-ass creepy-ass place with a few equally creepy-ass Nonmen walking around and being weird.  But in RSB we trust, right?

[Aural]

FINISHED

this is why i weep

So what did you think?

My guess is the super uppercut is something that changes the way we thought about the story entirely... I can't think of anything, though.