December 14, 2019, 03:18:40 PM
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Author Topic: City of Stairs:Someone even worse- Unmentionables/ FIRST 20%  (Read 619 times)

Offline Eclipse

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City of Stairs:Someone even worse- Unmentionables/ FIRST 20%
« on: November 15, 2019, 08:44:36 PM »
Post your thoughts on this chapters here.
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According to some,* heroic deaths are admirable things

* Generally those who don't have to do it.Politicians and writers spring to mind

Jonathan Stroud:Ptolmy's Gate

Offline Bender

Re: City of Stairs:Someone even worse- Unmentionables/ FIRST 20%
« Reply #1 on: November 16, 2019, 06:10:40 AM »
It's a re-read, but I'll join.
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"I shall hunt your firstborn children and laugh with glee as I tell them of your death in terrible detail, with many unpleasant adjectives!" - M-Bot

Offline Eclipse

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Re: City of Stairs:Someone even worse- Unmentionables/ FIRST 20%
« Reply #2 on: November 16, 2019, 12:20:11 PM »
Great to have you here  :)

Welcome all !
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According to some,* heroic deaths are admirable things

* Generally those who don't have to do it.Politicians and writers spring to mind

Jonathan Stroud:Ptolmy's Gate

Offline isos81

Re: City of Stairs:Someone even worse- Unmentionables/ FIRST 20%
« Reply #3 on: November 18, 2019, 06:12:21 AM »
I still did not receive my book (hoping to get it today). Meanwhile, I'll finish reading last 30 pages of Shadow's Edge.

We will write in spoiler tags, won't we? And what will we write, opinions, critics, comments, all? :)
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Kallor shrugged. 'I've walked this land when the T'lan Imass were but children. I've commanded armies a hundred thousand strong. I've spread the fire of my wrath across entire continents, and sat alone upon tall thrones. Do you grasp the meaning of this?'

'Yes' said Caladan Brood. 'You never learn'

Offline Eclipse

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Re: City of Stairs:Someone even worse- Unmentionables/ FIRST 20%
« Reply #4 on: November 18, 2019, 06:56:59 AM »
I’ve just started reading the book

Yep you can write options,comment, feelings, criticism ( be polite)

You can write in spoiler tag if you think we need them.

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According to some,* heroic deaths are admirable things

* Generally those who don't have to do it.Politicians and writers spring to mind

Jonathan Stroud:Ptolmy's Gate

Offline Eclipse

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Re: City of Stairs:Someone even worse- Unmentionables/ FIRST 20%
« Reply #5 on: November 18, 2019, 11:22:23 PM »
The novel has a Cold War feel about it with the walls, titles  and  bureaucratic going on

Quite like the court scene at the start of the novel it was a good introduction to the characters.

The blink is fascinating.

Some very quotable lines line like

How can anyone in Bulikov sit next to the city walls or even live with them in sight.

The purpose of an assistant, he has decided , is to have someone upon whom you unload all the deadly little nothings that fill the bureaucratic day.


A bit of humour with Sigurd getting off the train.

A clue in the tie didn’t guess that.

Ohh Shara casts aN illegal miracle/spell to talk to her boss/auntie over long distance.

I think I like Mulaghesh the best so far.

A warehouse hidden amongst warehouses... hehe

Sigrud following the man and woman And lost the man from sight due to an illusion on the buildings?

Is the book pulling you in the story yet? It’s not a page turner for me just yet.



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According to some,* heroic deaths are admirable things

* Generally those who don't have to do it.Politicians and writers spring to mind

Jonathan Stroud:Ptolmy's Gate

Offline Bender

Re: City of Stairs:Someone even worse- Unmentionables/ FIRST 20%
« Reply #6 on: November 19, 2019, 10:09:54 PM »
Quote from: Eclipse on November 18, 2019, 11:22:23 PM
The novel has a Cold War feel about it with the walls, titles  and  bureaucratic going on

Agree. I somehow thought Poland when I read last time and still think same now.
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"I shall hunt your firstborn children and laugh with glee as I tell them of your death in terrible detail, with many unpleasant adjectives!" - M-Bot

Offline isos81

Re: City of Stairs:Someone even worse- Unmentionables/ FIRST 20%
« Reply #7 on: November 23, 2019, 08:00:40 PM »
Just finished first %20 (I'm a slow reader :()

I was very disappointed when I realized this book was not epic fantasy but since I joined the read along, I started reading it anyway.

But, I can clearly say I liked the book, never got bored and that's something.
  • I like the way Shara kicked Troonyi out of his post
  • I hated the pedophile aspect of Troonyi. The Minister knows his tendency and does nothing about it. Interesting.
  • I love magic and gods and this book has both. Can't be a bad book can it :)
  • Sigrud looks interesting. The first encounter was funny
  • A warehouse full of magical items. Well, what can go wrong ;D
  • If the item loses its magical ability when the God dies, then some Gods must still exist. Otherwise, how did Shara connect to her aunt?
  • I really wonder what happened at Blink
  • The names are interesting. No bells ring for the origin of the names, though. Are they Indian or maybe Pakistani?

I gave 8/10 for the first %20. Let's move on to the next chapters :)
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Kallor shrugged. 'I've walked this land when the T'lan Imass were but children. I've commanded armies a hundred thousand strong. I've spread the fire of my wrath across entire continents, and sat alone upon tall thrones. Do you grasp the meaning of this?'

'Yes' said Caladan Brood. 'You never learn'

Offline Eclipse

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Re: City of Stairs:Someone even worse- Unmentionables/ FIRST 20%
« Reply #8 on: November 23, 2019, 08:12:52 PM »
Or I might be a fast reader  :) we all have different paces.

Yeah that was good scene with Shara kicking out Troonyi !

Would you wife like this book as it not epic fantasy?

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According to some,* heroic deaths are admirable things

* Generally those who don't have to do it.Politicians and writers spring to mind

Jonathan Stroud:Ptolmy's Gate

Offline isos81

Re: City of Stairs:Someone even worse- Unmentionables/ FIRST 20%
« Reply #9 on: November 23, 2019, 10:59:57 PM »
Quote from: Eclipse on November 23, 2019, 08:12:52 PM
Or I might be a fast reader  :) we all have different paces.

Yeah that was good scene with Shara kicking out Troonyi !

Would you wife like this book as it not epic fantasy?

I gave her two books I was sure she would love. Both were DNF.

I think she will not even consider reading because I'm the one giving her the book :) Based on her tastes, she will probably drop the book in the first chapters. She is fond of "love, hate, misery, infidelity" involving books.
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Kallor shrugged. 'I've walked this land when the T'lan Imass were but children. I've commanded armies a hundred thousand strong. I've spread the fire of my wrath across entire continents, and sat alone upon tall thrones. Do you grasp the meaning of this?'

'Yes' said Caladan Brood. 'You never learn'

Offline ScarletBea

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Re: City of Stairs:Someone even worse- Unmentionables/ FIRST 20%
« Reply #10 on: December 03, 2019, 05:57:38 PM »
(without reading the previous posts)

What an intriguing and interesting book!
I'm glad you 'convinced' me to read it (I think that @JMack had already mentioned it a couple of years ago...)

The worldbuilding is spectacular, I just want to know more! I had my ideas about the Blink, which were more or less confirmed, and expanded, in the very last bit of this section. I quite like when books have transcripts of other (imagined) books, it makes things feel a lot more real.

I'm loving Shara and want to know lots more about her! And the governor lady (I'm still working on remembering names hehe)

And wow, daily miracles? On things? Nice, to call this 'miracles' instead of 'magic'. The city physically changes???

(after reading the posts)
Yes, super 'Eastern Europe in the 50s' vibe! Even the names sound a bit 'russian'.
And yes, the main wall around the city, which is there but can't be seen or shows things that aren't really there.
« Last Edit: December 03, 2019, 06:01:00 PM by ScarletBea »
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Offline Eclipse

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Re: City of Stairs:Someone even worse- Unmentionables/ FIRST 20%
« Reply #11 on: December 03, 2019, 06:32:55 PM »
I’m reading all the posts which came after mine so don’t think no ones  seeing what you post 😛

Glad you are all enjoying the book.
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According to some,* heroic deaths are admirable things

* Generally those who don't have to do it.Politicians and writers spring to mind

Jonathan Stroud:Ptolmy's Gate

Offline Lanko

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Re: City of Stairs:Someone even worse- Unmentionables/ FIRST 20%
« Reply #12 on: December 05, 2019, 06:57:57 PM »
One of the best books I've read in 2017 or 2018. Begins really well and mysteriously. Bulikov feels like Russia and Shara's homeland is like India.
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Lanko's Year in Books 2019
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