I’ve recently gotten into reading. I realised how much I love fiction, and a couple of tropes. So I’m here asking maybe some of you know any books that have them.
I love it when the story focuses more on world building rather than character. The theory crafting I can do in my head, or just before I sleep, is priceless.
Here I’ll contradict myself by saying a character development related point, but the more important one. I’d like to read more works that show some mysterious big-bad first as a rivalry, later as a friend. They soften up with the MC and we they become friends or allies or whatever. We get to see a BBEG of sorts’s friendly and weak side. I get that it’s a bit childish, but I lost my mind of how cool of a character they made the first time I read it. Now, it was in a manga, so I’d love to read an example that made this best or first.
Thank you in advance, even if you just name some genres or authors.
Hello, it’s me again. With a book club-like update. Just finished the 2nd book, Predator’s Gold. However I’ll just say it straight on, it was bad. The plot armor driven plot didn’t subside. I remember you saying that you liked the 2nd least, so I guess… same. I honestly don’t feel like reading the next two.
I don’t think I’ll over-analyze this one, but I’ll just say that it was so uninteresting and boring that I’ve put off the last chapters for days, read them one by one. And the big drop at the end, the climax, was, again, complete nonsense. >!Tom survived getting shot point blank in the chest. The stalker 2.0 got autobalanced (tf2 reference) in the middle of killing the MCs. Hester did something so unreasonable that it is in no way justifiable as a tantrum. One of the most feared predator cities just killed themselves. And the drop of Hester being pregnant is irritating, very “book end” of it, but also let’s think about it. For the 2nd half of the book they weren’t even close to each other, except for when They came back from the “prison” and when Tom was dying. So there are two options: Hester had intercourse with a dying(unconscious) guy (peak fiction?), or they tried for baby when they were speeding back to the city, when it was clearly uncomfortable for the both of them. I won’t read back, but IIRC they were both filled with guilt and barely talked. Or did they have fun in the early chapters? In that case, good to know a city can move half a world’s length within a couple of months (before pregnancy is noticeable or a hindrance)! !<
I’ll think this is the end of my journey with this one, overall it wasn’t bad, I’m just disappointed a bit. And definitely not interested enough to continue. However, if you say that the next two books are good (AKA way better), I can imagine myself reading them and writing up the first two as setup.
Hello, thank you for the update!
Oh boy I didn’t even notice the pregnancy plot hole you pointed out. I read the second book once as a kid and never again.
I’m really sorry to have put you through that D=
The third and fourth books are indeed completely different, but I hesitate to suggest reading them because of your experience so far. My personal ranking is 4 > 1 > 3 > 2. I do think they go interesting places as they have more traditional fantasy scope and characters, so the world is fleshed out a lot. But it is still more of the same…
Anyway, thank you so much for the time taken to review them. I liked your analysis. Do you have a favorite book to recommend?
I’m really sorry to have put you through that D=
haha, don’t be :D I’m happy that I met this world. It’s just not that good.
I don’t have a favorite book. I’m very new to reading books. 21st century childhood got to me as well. But I’m enjoying it so far. Might even me a better form of media than series. While I’m also not native, and for whatever reason I don’t read in my mother tongue, but english. For that reason I struggle with vocabulary. One good thing I can definitely say about Mortal Engines is that the language is simple, I barely had to look stuff up.
I can tell you manga or smth tho.
I’m not much of a manga reader, but I never say no to recommendations.
I’m amazed you’re getting into reading the way you are. Props to you.
