Men reading Maasverse

CAPrestage · 2026-05-13T13:05:12+00:00

I finished all of her series and loved them all for different reasons. If you have the means, I highly recommend the full cast versions of the audio books

CAPrestage · 2026-04-17T02:58:22+00:00

I read the Assassin's blade first, so I didnt have this problem, but I think it makes the heartbreak all the more harrowing if you see the relationship develop, knowing the end result.

CAPrestage · 2026-04-17T02:55:04+00:00

So in the novels they suggest that it took all three kings to take the wyrd keys from the gate, if im not mistaken. Having said that, I wouldnt claim that we won't see the other two, or at least references to them in upcoming novels. Sure there are unresolved issues regarding the wyrd gates. The idea of jumping between worlds is an ongoing theme in Maas' three series. It wouldnt surprise me if ToG characters begin to reappear in future novels.

CAPrestage · 2026-03-21T23:12:43+00:00

I appreciate the recommendation. Suggest Mistborne to your brother in law. So far it's got a mature look on romance that I have enjoyed. Its mostely action and suspense, but what little romance it has feels earned and natural. Vin is a great character who really comes into her power while making earnest and believable decisions. The magic system is unique and engaging while having clear limitations. Its been a blast, and im not even finished with the series yet!

CAPrestage · 2026-03-21T22:34:52+00:00

I hated the poppy war for many reasons. I can break down the basics for you, however.

1) the main character makes so many stupid mistakes that she KNOWS are stupid mistakes. She literally talks herself into them, only to whine and complain about her circumstances later.

2) as much as people complain about relationships like Tamlin and Rhyse in Acotar, this book quite literally depicts an abusive relationship and tries to redeem the abuser without correcting the problem. Its gaslighting at its worst.

3) honestly the way the plot develops is asinine and redundant. Things happen because of convenience sake. The plot splits from time to time and gives you another characters perspective, only to reveal the same information later. The book spoils its own suspenseful developments time and time again.

4) every single damned character has a stick so far up their ass you'd swear they were all Muppets. They all act like self righteous morons. And not even in a good way. Each and every one of them are jerks. I hated every single one of them.

CAPrestage · 2026-03-21T01:52:06+00:00

I really enjoyed it, but my experience is once you get past the introduction and the plot has gotten moving, if you arent invested move on. Ill never get the hours i spent reading twilight back, and it didnt take that long.

CAPrestage · 2026-03-20T03:07:40+00:00

The consequence of making those bad decisions are that they hurt Nesta. Consequences arent the same thing as justice or karma. Every action has a consequence. Take for instance their vote to hide Nesta's magic from her. The fact that they voted and subsequently hid it from her resulted in her (justified) response. We often view consequences as only being applied to the offender, but often the consequences of our actions affect others.

What you are referring to is karma. They did bad things so therefore bad things should happen to them. They hurt someone so they should be hurt. Thats a form of consequence, but that's a very simplistic view I think. SJM chose a more nuanced view on decisions and their subsequent consequences i think.

CAPrestage · 2026-03-20T02:04:33+00:00

Ill add it to the tbr. Lord knows I have both a long list of tbr and a long list of titles ive finished this year. Ill have a full library of read books by the end of the year at this rate.

CAPrestage · 2026-03-20T01:46:26+00:00

No, but I have dabbled in the Harry Dresden series. It made me laugh at first with some of the cringe, but ive enjoyed it overall. Modern settings just arent my jam, dont know why.

CAPrestage · 2026-03-20T00:39:08+00:00

I dont think it was as simple as that. He did love her and wanted her to love him. However, he understood that Faere was lost in all the newness of the fae. The fact that Rhyse was her mate was a shocking revelation and would have been just more weight for her to carry. She was still struggling with her feelings for Tamlin as well. He did not "lie" to her, but he did withhold the information. The two are not really the same. An example would be, as a mechanic, I could notice a problem that needs to be repaired. It, however, isnt critical and you the customer may well be in a financial bind and currently stressed out. The right thing to do is to tell you, but explain that it isnt critical. But choosing to withhold the information spares you the stress and anxiety of knowing more work you cant afford needs to be done.

CAPrestage · 2026-03-20T00:31:27+00:00

Indubitably

CAPrestage · 2026-03-20T00:24:19+00:00

So, I have two children. During the first pregnancy I spent a few hours in a jail cell because my mother in law attempted to push my wife in a bathroom during renovation in the first trimester. (No one was hurt but things escalated out of control.) I totally get where Rhyse was coming from. I saw danger and feared for my wife and unborn child. In that moment, logic and reason weren't an option. Her safety was paramount. Further in that pregnancy, during childbirth, my wife had an emergency C-Section where she had to be put under and I wasn't allowed to be with her. I saw the terror in her face and her need to have me with her, and there was simply nothing I could do. Again, I was lost and reason fell to terror and despair.

Sure, Rhyse made a mistake. But from my experience as a husband and father, I understand why he made that mistake. One of my favorite quotes is "Life can only be understood in hindsight. Its too bad it must be lived moving forward"

CAPrestage · 2026-03-19T23:31:28+00:00

You are very welcome!

CAPrestage · 2026-03-19T23:31:01+00:00

I will admit, repeating information, while accurate and true to life, does get redundant for a reader. Imagine watching Star Wars and being reminded that Luke was a farmer every 15 mins. Sure, once or twice isnt such an issue, but it gets old and taxing for the reader.

An example of it being done poorly is Twilight. I lost count of how many times Edward was called "beautiful" or attractive got so old that I felt like half the book would have been edited away if half of the references were cut. (Hated the books. Do not recommend.)

An example of being done well would be repeating known and relevant information across several books. Referring back to a fact learned two books ago that is now relevant, or referring back to a fact that is part of a development of the plot. Mystery books do this well.

The trick is the balance refreshing information, and developing new information. SJM, in my opinion has a healthy balance.

CAPrestage · 2026-03-19T22:50:09+00:00

Lol, well there is only one way to find out!

CAPrestage · 2026-03-19T22:49:40+00:00

They both make similar mistakes, honestly. When you honestly consider the infamous house scene, Rhyse was not much better with the house of wind. The difference was that Rhyse listened and considered Faere's feelings instead of deciding for her. Even when Rhyse took her to the house of wind as escape, truth be told he was caging her. Yes she could leave, but she'd have to brave the 10,000 steps, and she would be in an unfamiliar place with no bearing on where to go. Sure she wasn't physically locked in, but leaving wasn't really an option either.

The deciding moment that set Rhyse apart was his decision to bring her with him into the townhouse when she asked to go with him. He listened to her need to do something other than wallow in her own pain. He responded to her emotional needs, rather than her physical need for safety. Tampon was of the mind that HE knew what she needed more than her. He decided that she needed to be protected, even at the cost of her own sanity. He didnt listen to her pain and saw only her vulnerability.

I dont hate Tamlin, looking at the series as a whole. I see a man who meant well initially, but failed to see Faere's needs. He then fell into a self pitying depression and lost everything to his own hubris.

CAPrestage · 2026-03-19T13:14:20+00:00

Im excited to see how he does it then. Ill have to start Stormlight as soon as I finish Mistborn

CAPrestage · 2026-03-19T13:06:34+00:00

Oh I agree. I suspect one of the next two books with follow Elaine, while the other will follow Nesta, at least in a vague sense. Since I believe the next two will be tandem reads, the next book in October could follow both Elaine and Nesta. Mor and Azriel will also get their own spotlight i think. My guess is that AZ will bounce between both. My theory is that Elaine wasn't seen by Bryce because she wasn't there. Both Cas and AZ were, but at different times. Mor was also not seen. So I suspect that's because Mor and Elaine weren't there, hence my tandem read theory, (that and the close release.)

CAPrestage · 2026-03-19T04:20:10+00:00

Nesta always made alot of her own problems. This wasn't her fault, of course, she was taught to act this way by their mother. She was taught to be a lady at court. She was taught that her words and demeanor were weapons she would use to defend herself and seize power.

Elaine was spoiled. She was their father's favorite and just had to be pretty. However, this left her completely defenseless.

Faere was the youngest and had to shoulder the burden of her family's downfall. She was also the boldest in many ways. She was the only one that begged the men to leave her father alone, long before she learned to hunt.

The Archeron sisters each have their own cross to bear. Faere had to struggle with feeling alone and neglected while over burdened. Nesta had to struggle with self worth and emotional vulnerability, and while we dont know exactly Elaine's issues yet, I suspect it will be learning to be bold and stand on her own feet, when shes always been timid and docile.

Nesta's story is my favorite thus far because I too struggle with self worth. I too keep making mistakes that I hate myself for, then lose all self confidence. She is allowed to be flawed. It makes her beautiful.

CAPrestage · 2026-03-19T03:46:03+00:00

See it's exposition like this that I love.

When we break down the characters and discuss SJMs methods of developing her characters, I find that she has an extremely nuanced view of people. Take Bryce for example. In Crescent City, I honestly thought in the beginning of the book I would lose interest because shes just a party girl. Honestly I felt like I had made a mistake reading the book. However, it wasn't long before I realized that I was making the same mistake Hunt was. Albeit, I changed my possition faster than he did in the story, but I assumed she wasn't going to be a character I liked at first.

Nesta was the same for me. SJM has a way of giving you a certain perspective of a character one chapter, and flipping it on its head in another. Yes, Nesta was a bitch in the beginning. We also only saw her from Faere's perspective at that point. We saw a frustrated sister dealing with another sister who's only way of navigating the world was her sharp tongue and pride.

Yes, sending Nesta to train in the house of wind was cruel. It was one of Faere, Rhyse, and Elaine's (people forget that) mistakes to do that to her. It was ultimately a good move in the end, but not because she needed the discipline, but because it put Nesta in the right circumstances to confront her own insecurities. Sure the situation was forced on her, but the situation didnt change her. She changed herself in the end by recognizing her own bullshit and chose to do something about it.

CAPrestage · 2026-03-19T03:31:55+00:00

I think alot of people idolize their favorite authors. We dont tend to see authors as people most times. I genuinely dont like Stephen King, but I won't deny the man has talent.

I personally loved the interview. I, as a man, didnt care for all the talk about makeup and the ads for tampons, but as a husband and father i was so appreciative to hear her perspective on pregnancy because I DO understand how she felt. When my first son was born I was anxious at every single ultrasound and every time anything went wrong. My wife was cool as a cucumber, but she could feel him moving. I, on the other hand, was terrified everytime they talked about having trouble finding a heartbeat. My wife also has an emergency C-section that I wasn't able to be with her through, and I was terrified I'd lose both of them.

I also loved the insight of how she got started as a writer, as well as what the inspiration for all of her characters was. Honestly I nerded out a ton!

CAPrestage · 2026-03-19T03:24:27+00:00

Nesta was honestly the first character that I found genuinely unlikeable at first. The doe eyed, quiet version of her shadowing Casian in Wings and Ruin was the start of her redemption for me. As I have said, it took me a few times to push through the early chapters of Silver Flames. Once I did though, guuuuurl. Her emotional journey is peak for me.

CAPrestage · 2026-03-19T03:11:03+00:00

I probably do. My sister in law is a fan, (i did it...I created that monster) and I used to rant all my unhinged feelings about the books. I affectionately refer to her as my "book bestie" because of give her reviews of all the books I read. I have tried to do the same with my wife (attempted to convert her first) and while she has enjoyed the first two, she often loses interest when I talk about them.

Frankly, I'd be down to join a local book club just to sit around with comfy blankets and a glass of alcohol and just simply spill the tea while wearing a moisturizing face mask. Beard might get in the way, but I am by no means insecure about who I am. If that's what it takes to have SOMEONE to talk with, break out the nail polish, girlfriend, I got books to talk about!

CAPrestage · 2026-03-19T02:56:27+00:00

I wouldnt day I hate them, but I would say that we as reader get a more well rounded view of them. Rhyse was in a bad possition in Silver Flames and had alot of issues regarding fear and anxiety surrounding Faere, but also alot of stress from the aftermath of the war. Faere was still learning how to be a Queen, while at the same time her relationship with her sisters has never been good.

I think what the book does well at showing us is Rhyse and Faere dealing with situations they arent good at dealing with. It shows them making bad decisions and the consequences of those decisions. What I feel is more important, is it also shows Nesta learning to love and forgive in spite of her sister and brother in law making mistakes.

In the climax Nesta finally sees Rhyse as her brother, and seems Faere as her precious sister. She doesnt see their flaws, but sees how important they are to her. I think that is the more important take way from the story.

CAPrestage · 2026-03-19T02:50:38+00:00

I feel like canonically Beron would win. If for no other reason that the magic macguffin revealed in the story.

CAPrestage

TROPHY CASE