What are you reading right now? (possible RotE spoilers)

[redchild]

I have seen trailers and was looking forward to it for quite a while. However after seeing how they've decided to treat the KOTOR franchise, I doubt TOR will rise to my expectations as a worthy successor to KOTOR. I already knew the setting for TOR is a few hundred years forward from the Revan and the Exile's story, but the way the novel handled the bridging was terrible. It seems like they've decided to abruptly abandon KOTOR when it really should be developed with care and devotion, rather than hastily use its namesake for a new project that will likely have nothing to do with the characters or stories that grew out of KOTOR.

The novel was supposed to be the link between the KOTOR and TOR games and to bring some veteran fans into playing TOR. But it's pretty much a train wreck. It's marketing purpose was so blatantly obvious, you can't really take it seriously as an original Star Wars novel. I think it likely alienated many KOTOR fans who were up to now tentatively optimistic about the new game. Maybe I'll be wrong and TOR will actually have good writing. But if the sloppy and hugely disappointing treatment of Revan is any clue, I wouldn't bet on TOR to be anything more than another overly hyped up standard-fare MMO.

['thul]

These beings have not even heard of that book. They are not so sloppy in the integration material on the website though.
Releasing a book for integration purposes before the core story is done and the setting is ready is a bad idea.

[redchild]

I do wonder how far the KOTOR story lines in the MMO have gone. Is it pretty much completed? Or are the writers still making it up?

Either way, I'm still bummed.

['thul]

Considering that 308 years pass between KOTOR2 and SWTOR, many changes have passed.
anyways, if the site had been online and not offline for maintenance, this link might've helped enlighten you somewhat.
http://www.swtor.com/info/holonet/timeline/

These beings can say that it has changed quite a bit. they do not know if the makers are writing still, but they do believe that the story will expand a bit beyond current scope. If the game is a success.

oh, and farseer... maybe this should be split out into a video game thread, since this discussion will continue and is not exactly related to the current thread?

[joost]

Spike: Alone together now

A new Spike graphic novel, where Spike goes to Las Vegas and meets up with some old friends (Betta George and Beck from 'Spike: Asylum', Groosalugg and the dragon (nicknamed Cordelia) from the TV series, and an old friend of Spike who makes a surprise return). So far I've read the first two issues, and it's quite nice. Franco Urru's drawings are very good as usual, and Brian Lynch is a good writer. Enjoyable!

[Valarya]

What an excellent choice. Fool's Errand didn't make me cry (No book ever does), but it came pretty close.

I can't imagine never crying during a book. This time the read-through of Tawny Man was really really rough for me. I cried pretty much through all of Golden Fool and a lot of Fool's Fate.

(Major TM spoilers below - seriously don't click if you haven't read them all.)

Spoiler

When Nighteyes dies at the end of the 1st TM book my entire shirt-front gets wet. It isn't just a simple quiet crying.. oh no. It's large wracking sobs.
When Kettriken shares that grief with Fitz in the 2nd TM book, I sob again.
When Dutiful finds out who Fitz is... I cry. And mostly... anytime a serious something happens between Fitz and Fool, I freaking BAWL. When Fitz is walking through the Pale Woman's ice chambers holding the frozen dead body of the Fool (even when I know he'll be brought back to life), I cry. When they're in the mountains, using the Rooster Crown and Fool is in Fitz's body and vice versa, I bawl.
Oh and Burrich. Poor Burrich. When Fitz stumbles in to the camp after being with the Pale Woman and Burrich folds him up in his arms... oh lawd that's a rough one for me, hah.

Sigh. I love the Fool's character so so much.
And Nighteyes.

I've never been so invested in any other literary characters as much as I am certain ones from this series. Except maybe Harry & Dumbledore.

These beings are going to test a bit on SWTOR sometime, having acquired the ability to beta-test it.

Eeep! Mayhaps you can start a thread for the MMO and let us know what you think. I didn't get in to beta and, honestly, I'm not even that excited about the game as much as I was last year.. but I'm still curious. I'm more looking forward to Guild Wars 2.

[fool-ish]

What an excellent choice. Fool's Errand didn't make me cry (No book ever does), but it came pretty close.

I can't imagine never crying during a book. This time the read-through of Tawny Man was really really rough for me. I cried pretty much through all of Golden Fool and a lot of Fool's Fate.

(Major TM spoilers below - seriously don't click if you haven't read them all.)

Spoiler

When Nighteyes dies at the end of the 1st TM book my entire shirt-front gets wet. It isn't just a simple quiet crying.. oh no. It's large wracking sobs.
When Kettriken shares that grief with Fitz in the 2nd TM book, I sob again.
When Dutiful finds out who Fitz is... I cry. And mostly... anytime a serious something happens between Fitz and Fool, I freaking BAWL. When Fitz is walking through the Pale Woman's ice chambers holding the frozen dead body of the Fool (even when I know he'll be brought back to life), I cry. When they're in the mountains, using the Rooster Crown and Fool is in Fitz's body and vice versa, I bawl.
Oh and Burrich. Poor Burrich. When Fitz stumbles in to the camp after being with the Pale Woman and Burrich folds him up in his arms... oh lawd that's a rough one for me, hah.

Sigh. I love the Fool's character so so much.
And Nighteyes.

I've never been so invested in any other literary characters as much as I am certain ones from this series. Except maybe Harry & Dumbledore.

These beings are going to test a bit on SWTOR sometime, having acquired the ability to beta-test it.

Eeep! Mayhaps you can start a thread for the MMO and let us know what you think. I didn't get in to beta and, honestly, I'm not even that excited about the game as much as I was last year.. but I'm still curious. I'm more looking forward to Guild Wars 2.

I'm so glad it wasn't just me who became an emotional wreck! I started blubbing early on...fruit knife springs to mind.

[Valarya]

I'm so glad it wasn't just me who became an emotional wreck! I started blubbing early on...fruit knife springs to mind.

Oh yeah, hahah. I'm a giant blubbering wreck from the end of the 1st book in TM til the end of the whole trilogy.

[Farseer]

I am having heaps of computer dramas (for something different?! ) but, in case you're interested, here are some other feelings expressed by members as they've made their way through the books...

I put my hand up and happily admit that Farseer + RotE or even SS = Emotional Wreck!

[Farseer]

Actually, if we recall correctly, the post spoke especially of linking to such files and of directing people to places where they can download such things (aside from the odd and occasional free download campaigns by publishers)

Now, let me try posting this for the second time. Yes, you beings are quite correct, we have actually had a number of posts placed throughout the forums relating to the linking of such files, and an outline regarding these is also included in the Forum rulesthread:

4. No uploading of illegal copies of books/short stories or links to them.
Robin's publishers sometimes give away free samples or even whole books to download for a limited time, and linking to these is very much okay as long as the offer stands. Some short stories, such as Cut, have been published online and are free to read. If you're not sure whether an online copy is legal, ask the moderators before posting a link. Please support your favourite author and don't steal. (Try searching your local library for the book instead. If they don't have it, ask if it's available as an interlibrary loan or if they would consider buying a copy. Also, a lot of the older titles are still available in used books stores, both online and in real shops.)

As far as I can tell, Mervi doesn't only include files that may be considered 'illegal' here in this missive but she also adds those 'legal' ones that may have expired or run their course but are still able to be viewed via the link. Despite the fact that it is not so clear, I also believe that she also includes in this the forwarding of any files that have been/haven't been purchased on to others. From memory, this rule #4 was amended/placed there earlier last year after I had directed a new member, Lady Laura, to a link available right here within thePlenty. The link was to a free download of Assassin's Apprentice that had been on offer from Robin's publishers.

I posted it in the introductions thread as Lady Laura had mentioned there that she'd been able to source the second and third Farseer trilogy books but not the first, and so wouldn’t be able to begin reading it anytime soon. As the link to the free download had been placed here within the site for some time, I had simply assumed it was okay to direct Lady Laura to it but Mervi felt that we could be seen to be taking advantage of the publisher’s offer which had apparently kind of run its course. Following this, I deleted the link in my post and Mervi then disabled the link in the original post. These actions were taken despite the fact that Lady Laura would have no doubt later purchased the book also, if only to complete the trilogy for her bookshelf. Hence, I believe that in this rule, Mervi does not only include files that are 'illegal' in the true sense but any files that are not part of a direct publisher offer or that are passed on to someone who hasn't purchased them themselves.

However...

but it is indeed a gray area. The sole reason we even mentioned that we had such file as the one previously mentioned, is so that Albertosaurus might be able to read the book he was missing.

...it actually isn't those posts, or even the ‘rule’ that I quoted above, that I was referring to so much in my earlier post but another post that Mervi had made after someone had very kindly and well-intentionally made me an offer to send pdf files of a series that they had (or so I assume) purchased and I had not yet read. I have a feeling it was also last year sometime and I also had a thought that it may have been the Pern books that were offered to me but no search for 'pdf' or 'Pern' has brought up the post so possibly it was another series altogether.

Either way, I am certain that Mervi stressed very firmly at the time that such offers should not be made here on thePlenty, even if the files have first been purchased by the person making the offer (and are thus considered ‘legal’, if they have come from a legal source), particularly as it placed the person on the receiving end of the offer in an awkward position.

In this, it really is a case of not only should the buyer beware when purchasing or downloading pdf files but so too should the recipient of them as gifts. Though I did not want the files, neither did I want to offend the person who made the offer so I know that I had absolutely no idea what to do about rejecting it without bringing my concerns for the legaltiies of it all to light, and neither did I want to do something that Mervi considered inappropriate for this site...and so I was more than a little relieved when she stepped in and let me know her position on it.

We would not encourage him or anyone else, to download books from the non-store sites out there.

I know...

...but I still had to raise the issue of ‘borrowing’ or ‘offering’ (or whatever I should call it...ah, ‘re-distributing’ is what I was groping for, thanks ‘thul!) pdf files as it has been raised before, and I am quite sure that Mervi was specific on the matter. At the time, as it is now, it was a reminder not only for the benefit of we regulars but for lurkers or new/future members as well...and that’s why I responded, as she had done, within the thread and not just in a PM or something.

If I still can’t find the conversation anytime in the next day or so, I will certainly ask for Mervi to consider adding something to the rules to clearly state it, if she feels it’s warranted. Ah, I also do want to double-check with her on all of this as I’d hate to be placing words in her mouth. I say that realising that I should possibly have checked with her first before jumping in but she is busy and I'd be happier stopping something now rather than later, and then I can apologise/beg forgiveness/give the green light if I have made an error.

I don’t frequent too many other sites so am not sure of ‘the standard’ of such rules regarding pdf files out there in the wider community (maybe it is widely acceptable?) but if Mervi says that we can’t offer them here for whatever reason, I would want to ensure that we refrain from it...it’s much nicer here with all of you than within Lady Patience’s chamber (where I honestly thought Mervi had sent me after my little offer of AA last year, when I suddenly found that I couldn’t log on to thePlenty for many, many weeks...I was horrified...and very glad to discover it was just a glitch with my computer! ).

Sorry to a) have to drag this back up and b) have to quote this entire hulking great post (!!) but just wanted to let you know that Mervi has just confirmed that, yes, what I have placed here reflects her position on the matter. Please let me know if you think this needs to be made clearer in the Forum rules.