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Comment by FajitaNachos | Hacker News Reader

I also read Ready Player One this year and thought it was excellent. Since then I've been searching for more books that pull me in like that one did. Way of Kings is pretty good so far.

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I tried to read it a couple of years ago and was unimpressed by the long lists of 'references' to 80's pop culture. I only made it about half way through before I abandoned it. Is it worth going back to finish it if I didn't enjoy the first half?

I also found them a bit annoying but yes, it's worth going back to it.

It's worth finishing I think — I enjoyed it, but that's not much to go on — but it is definitely the type of book that should remain unique in your collection. The eighties pop reference angle is interesting for those of us who had parts of their childhood in the eighties, but it is not something you would want to see repeated in a second or third book. A gimmick that works well once.

Reminds me of House of Leaves (Danielewski), which employs typography and layered (fictional) authors in a very compelling and unique manner. I can't imagine ever reading another book like that though (although I know I'll enjoy rereading it in the future). Any copy-cat would seem like cheap clone compared to the original.

There's less of it in the second half, but really at this point I'd just say wait for the movie to come out, which will likely do a better job of telling the story anyway (I say that mainly because I was thinking the entire time "I hate this guy's writing style, but this would probably make a fun movie").

I loved Way of Kings. Definitely recommend reading the second book in the series as well, 'Words of Radiance'

something similar would be "Off to be a Wizard" - would absolutely recommend it

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