Fourth time's the charm...?

[Culhwch]

Or is it the fifth? I can't quite remember. But anyway, it's that time again when I try to get through Steven Erikson's much-lauded Gardens of the Moon. I'm about eighty pages in, just hitting the living puppet scene. I know this is a point at which I've jumped ship before, but I'm detemined to grit my teeth and get through it. Hey, I got through what-his-name's channelling of 'Mockra power', which put me in mind of crappy Japanese cartoons of the Yu-Gi-Oh ilk, surely I can get through a little Pinocchio action....

Expect updates. I'm determined to finish this sucker.

 

[Green]

Meh. I say give up.

 

[Culhwch]

I'm curious as to what all the fuss is about. Plus it can't hurt to scout another facet of the market...

 

[iansales]

I don't understand. You've tried four times and failed to finish the book. So why bother trying again? If you don't like it, you don't like it. I'll admit I read Gardens of the Moon and was supremely unimpressed. I couldn't find any gardens on any moons in it, either.

 

[Culhwch]

Well, it's not that I hate it, it's more that it didn't engage me enough to continue reading at the time. There were other books that captured my attention, and pulled me away. Right now, not so much - I've tried a pile of the 'great new fantasy!'s and been very much underwhelmed by them all, save maybe Lynch and Lies. I certainly think that Erikson is a skilled writer, and the book is miles ahead of some of those others I tried. So many people speak so highly of the series as a whole, I'm curious to see if it does get better once you get past the first book, as everyone has told me. I guess I'm placing my trust in them - folks like Gollum and Rane, amongst others on this site - rather than in Erikson. Besides, I've got past experience in the turn-around. I tried to get into Hobb's Farseer books two or three times without success, but persevered on the advice of a friend and wound up loving them...

 

[iansales]

I tend to finish novels once I've started them. No maater how bad they are. It's a rare book that I give up without finishing.

At this point in time, my to-be-read pile is embarrassingly large. Since I wasn't impressed with Gardens of the Moon, and I have so many others books I want to read, I've no plans to continue with the series.

 

[Nesacat]

I think you might like it if you manage to finish it. I certainly hope you do. I recently read these books and love them. It takes a while to sink into the story and pull all the many threads together but for me at least it was worth it. He's a good world builder Erikson.

 

[Culhwch]

I tend to finish novels once I've started them. No maater how bad they are. It's a rare book that I give up without finishing.

At this point in time, my to-be-read pile is embarrassingly large. Since I wasn't impressed with Gardens of the Moon, and I have so many others books I want to read, I've no plans to continue with the series.

Fair enough. I have no issues with ditching books if they're not doing it for me, even if I'm a fair chunk of the way in. But lately I'm not that fast of a reader, so finishing books I don't like would take up far too much time - especially as I'd slow down with the lack of enthusiasm. So far so good on Gardens, though, going at a fair clip at the moment.

 

[Nesacat]

Am very glad to hear that. It's odd when you care about books they become precious to you and you'd like others to read them and like them too. Am keeping my tail crossed here.

 

[Connavar]

I give any book two chances but not a third chance. Specially since i almost buy more books than i read these days. My TBR pile is too big with too many good books to waste effort and time on less good books.


About this one i think you will like it if you can get through the first half which is very poor compared second half of the book.

Speaking about this series, i gave up on the second book Deadhouse Gates. I will give it a second and final chance in a month or so.

 

[Rane Longfox]

Hope you do get through it, I'm honoured you trust my judgement that much

I generally think that there's not normally a whole lot of point in trying books too many times if you've never enjoyed it or finished it in the past. Personally I've never understood the problems that a lot of people have with Gardens though.


Incidentally, I'm assuming it was a joke, but I think

I couldn't find any gardens on any moons in it, either.

is the most hilarious reason I've ever seen for not liking a book It's like saying you weren't impressed by Lord of the Rings because it was about only one ring...

 

[nixie]

All I can say is persevere, the series gets better with each book. Things to start to come together.

Mind you I was hooked from the first

 

[iansales]

Incidentally, I'm assuming it was a joke, but I think is the most hilarious reason I've ever seen for not liking a book It's like saying you weren't impressed by Lord of the Rings because it was about only one ring...

I didn't like the book, although not just for that reason. Oh, and there was more than one ring in LotR, although only one is left buy the time the story starts. It's explained in the story, though.

 

[Rane Longfox]

Yes, I have read it, thanks

 

[Ursa major]

I'll admit I read Gardens of the Moon and was supremely unimpressed. I couldn't find any gardens on any moons in it, either.

This reminds me of the (probably apocryphal) story, which I heard on the radio a long time ago, about the author who couldn't think of a title for his book. His editor asked him if there were any drums in it? There weren't. What about trumpets? None of them either. 'So,' said the editor, 'why not call it "No Drums, No Trumpets"?'

 

[Green]

As much as I love the series, I've always thought the title for Gardens of the Moon was complete garbage.

It comes from one throw-away sentence 4/5 of the way through the book, that has no bearing on the plot or the themes. It seems to have just been thrown in there.

Memories of Ice, on the other hand...

 

[Rane Longfox]

I think it's actually quite a significant title. The moon is mentioned a few times as being an important magical place... there's more of that later on in the series too.

 

[Green]

It comes in later in the series (also poorly), but its value in the first book is virtually non-existant.

 

[Culhwch]

Here I was thinking it refered to Moon's Spawn. Surely there's a few gardens on that thing?

 

[JDP]

Yeah, there was that whacking great moon that floated round, wasn't there? I read GotM straight through, but won't be continuing with the series any time soon.