December 2015 Book Club Book: Off to Be the Wizard by Scott Meyer

Discussion in 'TMB Book Club' started by LKRFN88jp, Nov 28, 2015.

  1. Lorne Malvo

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    YOLO. I know it was never ultimately decided on but let's just do this one.

    http://www.amazon.com/Off-Be-Wizard-Magic-2-0/dp/1612184715
    https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18616975-off-to-be-the-wizard

    RonBurgundy The Blackfish Truman Arkie Proud KJROD20 @etc

    Haven't had a book with a ton of discussion in a while. Hopefully that can change in December.

    #2. Spell or High Water: http://www.the-mainboard.com/index....cott-meyer-book-2-of-magic-2-0-series.161137/
    #3. An Unwelcome Quest: http://www.the-mainboard.com/index....cott-meyer-book-3-of-magic-2-0-series.162259/
     
    #1 Lorne Malvo, Nov 28, 2015
    Last edited: Feb 16, 2016
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  2. Truman

    Truman Well-Known Member
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    Just started the second Kingkiller Chronicle book. So I'll probably get to this in fucking February.
     
  3. Lorne Malvo

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    I have already read like 20 pages with football on in the background. I think people will love it. It's nerdy and fun and the premise is cool as hell.
     
  4. Lorne Malvo

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    Have continued to read between watching CFB the last hour. 60 pages in, so like 16% in for kindle people.
    I am really liking it. Main character is funny. Premise is awesome. I like that it's nerdy but not overly complicated. Stuff is explained but not in a way that's annoying.

    Cop scene was fantastic. The back and forth was pretty good. Humor has definitely been there so far, which is something I've enjoyed.

    Interested in how he will assimilate within the culture of many many years ago now that he's there. And are we sure his app will work? There's no internet around. He never mentioned this so I wonder how much he'll shit the bed when this comes up.

    Fiancée is out with the girls so I am going to read until I have to pick her up. Big fan so far though.
     
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  5. The Blackfish

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    Will start when I finish Shadows of Self
     
  6. KJROD20

    KJROD20 the ends will justify the means.
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    Finishing something first but will get to after.
     
  7. Lorne Malvo

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    Read a bit more last night and got to page 123/33%. My goal is to not read much more today and tomorrow so I can at least get to December but we'll see how that goes because I'm enjoying it quite a bit.
    Felt early on that the second wizard was going to be from the present as well. Was happy to see that to be the case, but I thought learning about him and what is happening with this time period was awesome.

    The "rules" of the file are going to be cool as hell to learn about. Not being able to go forward in time, even if you meet someone from the future in your present, is interesting as hell to me. That said I do feel like they're going to try to go to Martin's time period at some point. Whether or not that'll kill others is something idk.

    I think the chick, Gwen iirc (don't have my book near me), is also from the future as well.

    Can't wait to explore more of this world. Been an easy read so far.
     
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  8. Blackterno

    Blackterno Well-Known Member
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    I'll start when I finish Eye of Minds.
     
  9. Lorne Malvo

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    BUMP FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER!

    Didn't read at all today and only read ten pages last night so let's do this!
     
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  10. laxjoe

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    Just finished American Gods last night and didn't have anything else lined up. Will do this now LKRFN88jp
     
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  11. Gonff

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    This looks interesting. When I finish War and Peace I might read this before I jump into Malazan. Probably be several weeks since W&P is 500k words.
     
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  12. RonBurgundy

    RonBurgundy Well-Known Member

    75% of the way through, I started last night and read during my slow morning and at noon. It's a very fun, very fast, very unique, very nerdy read that I have really, really enjoyed. It's atleast a 7-8/10 so far as long as he doesn't mess up the ending. Will give thoughts later.
     
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  13. Lorne Malvo

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    Holy hell.
     
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  14. RonBurgundy

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    FYI - I heard of this book through the Brandon Sanderson and friends podcast "Writing Excuses", which I've mentioned before, as it was their book of the week for their Audible promotion. Again I recommend the pod as its only 15 minutes long each week and is a nice "How do you write a book" for dummies. Like a TV cooking show but for books IMO



    Thoughts on pre wizard era

    I think this was the weaker, but funnier part of the book. Weaker because of lack of exposition. I mean, we basically get The File dropped on us without much warmup, which isn't bad, just makes the file discovery a little lame, considering it's the focal point of the whole book.

    I really did enjoy the humor in this section though, and it went fast, so it wasn't like we were slogging through any exposition.

    Funny author, chuckled at several places.

    Apprentice Wizard Era through 70ish%
    I, unlike lkrfn above, did not even consider Gwen to be a time traveler, so we'll see if that ends up being true or not (haven't gotten to anything that hints 1 way or another).

    Haven't gotten to why one of the Wizards gets lost, but I have a weird suspicion that he's being controlled through the file by that psycho wizard Todd(?) that they mentioned early on who they banished who then is enacting revenge through the lost wizard. Huge stretch, I know. Maybe the lost wizard just went off and is murdering people out of cold blood. Idk. We'll see.
     
  15. RonBurgundy

    RonBurgundy Well-Known Member

    Through 82%
    Fuck me, yep Gwen is a wizard. Not a time traveler it appears though...

    Thought that conflict resolution was kinda half-assed, big reveal was Gwen also a witch, then held a dude upside down. Fits with the feel of the book and the idea of not hurting other people but still weak.

    Book's humor is still solid at least.

    When they go up to Phillip's room, reminded me a ton of Ernest Cline and RPO.
    84%
    goddammit ok she is from the future, should have seen that coming.
     
    #15 RonBurgundy, Dec 2, 2015
    Last edited: Dec 2, 2015
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  16. Lorne Malvo

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    Page 213/57%
    So it's obvious that we're building towards something and I'm very curious to see what exactly that is. There's demon boy's "friends", if you can call the thugs that. But gosh that feels so much less than what it should be.

    Then you have Merlin, who we just met for the first time. Phillip's jims were all sorts of rustled when he showed up.

    Kinda hoping for a third "event", but I imagine the two I mentioned will be what is solved. Just feels like something bigger is lurking right now.

    Enjoying the hell out of it still. Bringing the new computer back made me laugh. Also, him going back in time to his parents house is never not really engaging/funny.
     
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  17. RonBurgundy

    RonBurgundy Well-Known Member

    Finished. 7/10. I enjoyed it a lot. Very easy and fast read.
     
  18. Lorne Malvo

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    Apparently there are two more in the series. You gonna read those too?
     
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  19. RonBurgundy

    RonBurgundy Well-Known Member

    I'd strongly consider this after I go back and finish shadows of self which I put on hold to read this, if someone had them/shared them.
     
  20. Lorne Malvo

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    249/66%.
    I cannot wait to see what happens in Camelot/London. Jimmy is a phenomenal heel in this book and him and Phillip going back and forth is really good. When I started a chapter earlier tonight where they were preparing for the trials, I got super excited. I'm interesting to see what Martin's macro is and I want to see where things lead with Jimmy.

    Also, the shit falling on the statue legit made me laugh. Well done.
     
  21. laxjoe

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    Finally started tonight. Through 34% (chapter 14). Really enjoying it so far. Don't have much else to add other than thanks for suggesting it LKRFN88jp
     
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  22. RonBurgundy

    RonBurgundy Well-Known Member

    [​IMG]
     
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  23. Lorne Malvo

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    You're welcome and fuck RonBurgundy
     
  24. KJROD20

    KJROD20 the ends will justify the means.
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    Started it on the train this morning and already dig it. I'm such a sucker for time travel stuff. Looper, Predestination, Primer, etc. Give it all to me.
     
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  25. Truman

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    Started this morning as well. Quick fun read.

    half way through CH 7

    Just a guess, but this wizard Martin runs into at the tavern is another dude that did the same thing he did
     
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  26. Lorne Malvo

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    Staying in tonight so if I am expecting to finish it. Looking forward to the final third of the book.
     
  27. Truman

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    PS- I just realized this just first in a (second and third books are published)4pt series. Fuck whoever picked this. Last thing I need is to catch up on another series.

    At least very early on its fun and quick. Hopefully they all are
     
  28. Lorne Malvo

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    I didn't realize it either but they're so fast and easy to read that it doesn't bug me. Didn't know there would be four total. Looking forward to two and three once I finish this one.
     
  29. Truman

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    Nailed it

    [​IMG]
     
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  30. Truman

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    Im liking this. I dont really have much to add. Im a little over halfway through.

    I DLd the other books if anyone wants them, or if youre looking for them the series is called Magic 2.0
     
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  31. Truman

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    BTW- Whoever just got a random friend request on Goodreads, it's me. I saw The Blackfish like someone's status of reading this, and assumed it's a TMBer.
     
  32. Lorne Malvo

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    Sup.
     
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  33. Lorne Malvo

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    299/80%
    So Gwen is a wizard too. I wonder what time period she's from? Looking forward to finding that out.

    And now not only is Tyler gone, but so is Phillip? I thought this book was going to build towards the trials and now it's building towards something else entirely with this dead town and missing wizards. Looking forward to finding out what happened.
     
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  34. RonBurgundy

    RonBurgundy Well-Known Member

    You will enjoy what the final conflict is.
     
  35. RonBurgundy

    RonBurgundy Well-Known Member

    Hi yes, I would like to subscribe to your newsletter
     
  36. Truman

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    Finished. Liked it. Fun, light story. 3.5/5

    Good choice.
     
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  37. RonBurgundy

    RonBurgundy Well-Known Member

    Shortest/Fastest book club book to date?
     
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  38. Lorne Malvo

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    Done
    I didn't think book 1 would lead towards the conflict w/Jimmy, thought that would come later. Was kind of bummed that after everything, the fight ended because of a hot sauce. Loved the way they got back into the city though, good stuff.

    It's funny because Jimmy wasn't totally off on his opinions. If what they do doesn't affect the future, why not try to make it better + more fun? That said, killing people obviously took it too far.

    Saw some reviews on Goodreads comparing it to RPO. Definitely see that, but I thought this was well done. Missing a couple things to make it as good as that, but the end of the book certainly has me intrigued for the next books + what Jimmy's endgame will be.

    I hope we learn more about the file in general. That sounds interesting to me.
    Gave it a 4/5 on Goodreads, but that was rounding up from a 3.5/5 or a 7/10 if we could do a 10 star system, so I'm right in line w/the two other people itt who read it. Hope other people do too. It's fun.
     
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  39. RonBurgundy

    RonBurgundy Well-Known Member

    Yeah plot was immensely lacking compared to RPO but there are similarities for sure.
     
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  40. Truman

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  41. laxjoe

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    i would agree with almost everything here (i also gave it a 4/5 but felt that was rounding up slightly. i had to take the weekend off (down in indy for the b1g championship) so i essentially read the book in 2 days, but i did that because it was a fun and quick read.

    i too was a bit disappointed when he was taken down by the hot sauce. i guess looking back the "final battle" was really martin vs. jimmy, but i was expecting more when phillip, gwen, etc came in.

    i don't remember if someone in here mentioned that they thought gwen was a wizard or not, but i wasn't surprised when that ended up as the case. even still, i enjoyed the reveal and that it was her that was the first person in town (something phillip had casually mentioned at the beginning of the book).

    and of course he set up it up nicely with the last section. wonder how it is that jimmy makes his way back. will be reading the other 2 soon (probably when i'm back at my parents for chirstmas
     
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  42. Lorne Malvo

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    No one else is reading this and it makes me sad!
     
  43. KJROD20

    KJROD20 the ends will justify the means.
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    I'm about 100 pages in, starting to learn to be a wizard, just met a group of other ones. I like it so far, definitely my kind of story aka as nerdy as possible.
     
  44. laxjoe

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    its a fun, quick story people. join in on the fun!
     
  45. The Blackfish

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    I have the audiobook downloaded. Starting when I finish the Dresden book I'm listening to
     
  46. Gonff

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    Got my hard copy in the mail yesterday. 60% through War and Peace. Should start this one about a week from now.
     
  47. Blackterno

    Blackterno Well-Known Member
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    I'm starting it tonight. Just finished the Dashner trilogy.
     
  48. Gin Buckets

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    Which book are you on for Dresden? The reader does a solid job with Off to be the Wizard once you get used to his voices for the main character.

    Btw, finished this book. This is a nerdier version of Ready Player One. Well, it's also more of a comedy whereas RPO is actually a very interesting story with a decent plot.

    I don't even know what to type about it. I laughed. I enjoyed it. However, it wasn't a fulfilling read and I'll probably not read the 2nd book of this theory. Entertaining, but nothing that made be like "damn, that really made me think about it after I was done." I don't want to take too many points off because it's just a genre I don't typically enjoy, but 6.5/10
     
  49. The Blackfish

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    #8 Proven Guilty
     
  50. Blackterno

    Blackterno Well-Known Member
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    I'm 30% through and really enjoying this. As many have said its a fun, light read.
     
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