PoN and AE Re-Read

[Steve 7,527]

Thinking of doing a re-read for the Prince of Nothing and Aspect-Emperor series, maybe starting in August or so. If anyone is interested in joining let me know, not sure about reading pace just yet but I would like to discuss specific topics from each book as I go.

edit: added a poll, it is multiple choice

[Paromita Mukherjee 1,659]

Hesitatingly raises hand.

Caveats: I'm a quitter and I scare easy. 😄

If you're still okay with me reading along, I would very much like to retry the series. 

[Susana Imaginário 431]

I'm in!  

[Steve 7,527]

8 hours ago, Paromita Mukherjee said:

Hesitatingly raises hand.

Caveats: I'm a quitter and I scare easy. 😄

If you're still okay with me reading along, I would very much like to retry the series. 

 

7 hours ago, Susana Imaginário said:

I'm in!  

Sounds good!

I'll be creating sections for the series today. Let me know if you'd like to discuss just here on the forum or more in depth on the channel/podcast.

[Varsha 664]

I'm in, and I'd love to do it podcast style. I'm so glad you're starting a re-read I was lowkey disappointed I discovered your channel/this forum when you were well into the read along already If you don't mind having me along for *yet another series*, I'd love to read a few chapters at a time for discussion  

[do unicorns read 116]

Heard a lot about this series and I'm very curious. Also, having a group to help when the going gets tough sounds like a good idea. So count me in and hopefully I'll be a bit better organized for this than for the Wars of Light and Shadow read along.🫣

[Paromita Mukherjee 1,659]

I'm really bad at handling dark stuff. (ASOIAF is my upper limit so far and even that I skip certain parts on rereads 🤭)

So many wonderful people joining, hopefully I can request someone to send me some virtual cookies or "skip this part Paromita" alerts when things get difficult. 😄

P.S. Am I allowed to tease some of you who will seemingly be doing Malazan, WoLaS, Aspect Emperor or at least 2 out of the 3 together? Mind = blown! 😁

[Steve 7,527]

5 hours ago, Varsha said:

I'm in, and I'd love to do it podcast style. I'm so glad you're starting a re-read I was lowkey disappointed I discovered your channel/this forum when you were well into the read along already If you don't mind having me along for *yet another series*, I'd love to read a few chapters at a time for discussion  

This makes me happy! Although we're setting ourselves up for a busy schedule it will be a relaxed reading pace for both series.

 

3 hours ago, do unicorns read said:

Heard a lot about this series and I'm very curious. Also, having a group to help when the going gets tough sounds like a good idea. So count me in and hopefully I'll be a bit better organized for this than for the Wars of Light and Shadow read along.🫣

I almost think a group is a necessity for this series, so much happens!

 

1 hour ago, Paromita Mukherjee said:

I'm really bad at handling dark stuff. (ASOIAF is my upper limit so far and even that I skip certain parts on rereads 🤭)

So many wonderful people joining, hopefully I can request someone to send me some virtual cookies or "skip this part Paromita" alerts when things get difficult. 😄

P.S. Am I allowed to tease some of you who will seemingly be doing Malazan, WoLaS, Aspect Emperor or at least 2 out of the 3 together? Mind = blown! 😁

It's a low stress type of situation, no pressure!

[do unicorns read 116]

10 hours ago, Paromita Mukherjee said:

I'm really bad at handling dark stuff. (ASOIAF is my upper limit so far and even that I skip certain parts on rereads 🤭)

So many wonderful people joining, hopefully I can request someone to send me some virtual cookies or "skip this part Paromita" alerts when things get difficult. 😄

P.S. Am I allowed to tease some of you who will seemingly be doing Malazan, WoLaS, Aspect Emperor or at least 2 out of the 3 together? Mind = blown! 😁

No, you're certainly not allowed to tease people who put out a video three weeks ago saying they have too many series on the go. And I'm so not that person who made that video and is now happily adding another series.😁🤣🤣

I admit I'm a bit conflicted about this. Yes, I have way too much stuff on the go. But from what I know about PoN and AE it definitely has some themes that interest me in general. I've also heard that it's awfully bleak. So I think, that to at least sample this (if I really don't like it and dnf that's ok), my best chance is to join a group read. And like you, Paromita, I'm hoping for some virtual shoulder to cry on.😁 Cookies are always good!🍪😁

[Paromita Mukherjee 1,659]

2 hours ago, do unicorns read said:

And like you, Paromita, I'm hoping for some virtual shoulder to cry on.😁

We got this, right? 

I'm with you, group read is the best way to sample this bleak stories.

@Steve you are in charge of warning me when things get really bad (unless it's all the time 🤣). 

[Steve 7,527]

2 hours ago, Paromita Mukherjee said:

We got this, right? 

I'm with you, group read is the best way to sample this bleak stories.

@Steve you are in charge of warning me when things get really bad (unless it's all the time 🤣). 

Things get pretty bleak pretty fast, @Paromita Mukherjee 😅

[Jolien Reads 811]

I am reading the original trilogy at least this year, so I'll try to start when all of you guys are. As we all know I cannot be trusted to actually keep up but at the very least I can do my best and discuss/chat about the books here  

[Steve 7,527]

2 hours ago, Jolien Reads said:

I am reading the original trilogy at least this year, so I'll try to start when all of you guys are. As we all know I cannot be trusted to actually keep up but at the very least I can do my best and discuss/chat about the books here  

It's always a pleasure interacting with you, Jolien! 

[Black&BlueCollarReader 72]

I'm just so ready to restart this series. I like the chapter by chapter discussion because I really want to take my time with this re-read. Maybe 3 chapters a week? If that's what's decided. 

[Steve 7,527]

20 minutes ago, Black&BlueCollarReader said:

I'm just so ready to restart this series. I like the chapter by chapter discussion because I really want to take my time with this re-read. Maybe 3 chapters a week? If that's what's decided. 

That's kind of what I'm thinking, similar to our first read. About 100 pages a week or so

[Ctharsis 20]

I've been start and stopping my reread of Pon this year, so joining in a group reread sounds like just what I need! I'll definitely be taking part! 

[Katerina 94]

You’re already organizing another readalong, @Steve?! You’re a beast 😁

[Paromita Mukherjee 1,659]

People who have read the series once, any chance of some bright moments like the Hobbits walking through the fields in Fellowship in LOTR? 🤞Maybe a nice mentor like Gandalf somewhere along the way? 🤞

I have read The Darkness That Comes Before thrice (it was very difficult) and quit 50% through The Warrior Prophet so I guess I am asking beyond that. The answer upto where I read was a firm NO. 🤭

[Katerina 94]

2 hours ago, Paromita Mukherjee said:

People who have read the series once, any chance of some bright moments like the Hobbits walking through the fields in Fellowship in LOTR? 🤞Maybe a nice mentor like Gandalf somewhere along the way? 🤞

I have read The Darkness That Comes Before thrice (it was very difficult) and quit 50% through The Warrior Prophet so I guess I am asking beyond that. The answer upto where I read was a firm NO. 🤭

 

I’m afraid I might have to disappoint you. These books are pretty consistent in their tone. Bakkers throws in a joke here and their, but he’s not known for incorporating comedic interludes to lighten the mood.

Most of the humor in these books comes from the absurdity of the situations the characters find themselves in. There are a few tender moments between the characters but if you’ve read through the first half of TWP, I think you’ve pretty much exhausted those. Things increasingly bleak from there on. 🫤

[Paromita Mukherjee 1,659]

@Katerina thank you so much for your honest and detailed response.

If its okay, may I please ask a follow-up question? I really struggle with graphic violence and gore in fiction, including but not limited to sexual violence. My upper limit for this is A Song of Ice and Fire and even there, I skip certain sections on rereads. 

I am keen to retry Aspect Emperor because of the tonal responses to LOTR and Dune but themes only emerge if I can actually get through the text. In your opinion, might this be too much for me? 

[Steve 7,527]

5 hours ago, Katerina said:

You’re already organizing another readalong, @Steve?! You’re a beast 😁

Does this mean you're up for another round?

[do unicorns read 116]

11 hours ago, Paromita Mukherjee said:

@Katerina thank you so much for your honest and detailed response.

If its okay, may I please ask a follow-up question? I really struggle with graphic violence and gore in fiction, including but not limited to sexual violence. My upper limit for this is A Song of Ice and Fire and even there, I skip certain sections on rereads. 

I am keen to retry Aspect Emperor because of the tonal responses to LOTR and Dune but themes only emerge if I can actually get through the text. In your opinion, might this be too much for me? 

I think it will be difficult for other people to really advise you on this @Paromita Mukherjee. How we react to violence is very much an individual thing depending on a lot of factors like or cultural background, socio-economic status or historical issues. For myself I decided that I will treat this like an academic read, so something I might read for a research paper, and not a text I will be fully emotionally emersed in. Why would I even bother if I don't want to engage with a text fully on all levels? As I do a lot of more analytical videos on my channel and some of them deal with questions of violence I find it important to have some first hand experience of a series that is seen as a milestone of the genre. But that is my individual decision to deal with it like that. Additionally hearing other people's perspective and thoughts on aspects that I find more challenging will hopefully provide more context for me and help me further to get to grips with that. I know this is not really an answer to your question but maybe it provides you with some ideas on how you might approach those books. 

[Katerina 94]

I believe that @do unicorns read makes a valid point. Our reactions to depictions of violence are highly subjective. Personally, I'm not usually bothered by violence in books, so I may not be the best person to answer your question.

I would say that, as things get increasingly more meta in Aspect Emperor, one side effect of this is that Bakker keeps a greater distance from the characters and, as a result of that, the violence seems somewhat less explicit and less personal. (I’d even say that I found the the violence in the first trilogy more devastating  precisely because I felt a stronger connection to the characters. But I’m in the minority, most readers seem to think the later books are some of the darkest stuff out there.)

I having no way of gauging how it would affect you, but yes, there is gore, violence and depravity in Aspect Emperor. I’d never want to discourage anyone from reading the series, but I also think it’s fair to say that there’ll probably be a number of scenes in each book you might want to skip.

[Katerina 94]

19 hours ago, Steve said:

Does this mean you're up for another round?

Maybe... in a few months....☺️

[Steve 7,527]

1 hour ago, Katerina said:

Maybe... in a few months....☺️

August! You almost have to join, it wouldn't be right without you and @drpuffnstuff