I miss my book icons

[frith_in_thorns]

I finally got around to reading Tides of the Titans, by Thoraiya Dyer, which is book 3 of her Titan's Forest trilogy. (I just went on Amazon to check the spelling of her name, and found that in the UK at least you can currently buy the three-book set in the kindle store for £1.50, which is a pretty amazing deal!)

I really enjoyed it! I'm useless at book-blogging, but thought I'd give it a shoutout. Although I seriously wish it came with a summary of what happened in the previous two books, because I read them ages ago very spaced out, and even having read book 3 I still can't really remember. (They all have different main characters*, which doesn't help.)

*Book 1 had as its main character a mildly amoral 16-yo girl who thought she was extremely heroic even as she was objectively not, and this was her growth arc, but I am really bad at recognising when not to take protagonists at their word and instead I was mostly stressed out reading. I should probably re-read sometime because I know I'd enjoy it a lot more know with that understanding! Anyway, the other two books didn't have that issue for me. Book 3 has the inverse, actually, with a young man as the protag who considers himself to be a very dark and edgy amoral thief, but actually he was clearly just a disaster (affectionate).

Anyway, it is set in an UNREASONABLY GIANT FOREST with a magic system based around the using and sometimes eating the bones of Old Gods, and the worldbuilding in general is utterly, utterly batshit but in a really entertaining way where it somehow all hangs together (why would baby pterodactyls NOT turn into stars I ask you). Also there are lots of queer people and no homophobia. And the author clearly cares a LOT about trees and giant trees and fantasy ecosystems and I appreciate this level of detail. If you do too then you may enjoy this!

Comments

[sholio]

I've never heard of this series, and it sounds totally up my street! Would you recommend starting with the first book, or could I just dive in and read any of them? Because I like the sound of this one's protag better than the first book's protag.

(Also, hi!!)

[frith_in_thorns]

Hmmmmm, I would say that book 2 relies a lot on book 1. Oddly enough for a trilogy it's book 3 that stands on its own more? Or specifically the first half does, but then actually it all comes together with lots of reliance on the character/emotional bonds from the previous books. (They're very connected characters - they're all family members to each other, about 10 years apart in age each time, and the books have about that much timeskip between each one.) So I think probably no, mainly because otherwise you'll have a lot of "why am I supposed to care about this character I only just met" problems at some of the emotional climaxes.

And also there is SUCH A LOT of worldbuilding that has been living in my head since I read the first one that I would have been very sad to have missed out on.

Also also, I read the first one many years ago so I may not be being entirely fair to it at this distance. I actually think I'm going to read it again next. So my final answer is going to be, start at book 1, if you hate it after a few chapters then skip to book 3? :D

[sholio]

It looks like the entire series is on sale in the US Kindle store as well, so I just bought it and I'll see what I think! :D Thanks for the heads up!

[frith_in_thorns]

Definitely let me know what you think! :D The author is Australian and I think Australian books don't get promoted very much across markets - I honestly can't remember how I ran into them.

Actually, I have thought of my main world building criticism, which is that there is a distinct lack of bugs :P

[umadoshi]

It looks like the entire series is on sale in the US Kindle store as well

And in Canada! Yay for sales being widely available!

[frith_in_thorns]

Yay! And I've actually started rereading the first book, and I think I may have been quite unfair to the protag, she's far more likable than I remembered XD

[umadoshi]

I think I may have been quite unfair to the protag, she's far more likable than I remembered XD

Good to know! ^_^

[rachelmanija]

This sounds GREAT. Possibly except for the first book's protagonist. I don't really like "realizing that you suck" arcs.

[frith_in_thorns]

I am pleased to report that I'm actually rereading the first book now (8 chapters in) and possibly when I read it first I was in a bad mood, because she is much more likable than I remember!

[eirenical]

...ok, you had my attention at "giant trees and unique worldbuilding and magic systems." ^_^ I may have to look into that! Thanks!

[frith_in_thorns]

The worldbuilding is fabulous! And it's one of those series where each book widens the scope, so it just gets more and more weird, in a very good way :D

[eirenical]

OK, that DEFINITELY sounds like something I need to check out. Thank you! ^_^

[elenothar]

Giant trees, you say... That may or may not already be enough to make me read something :D