The Omen Machine - Anyone here going to read it?

**Karyle** · August 2nd, 2011, 10:54 AM

Thank you! I'll likely be finishing up Ghost Story this week, and then I've got to finish a reading of the Hyperion Cantos I was in the middle of when Ghost Story showed up on my doorstep, and by that time I'll probably have The Omen Machine in hand. (I think it comes out on the 16 of this month, right?)

I'll be sure to post impressions as I read it. I might even try to slam through Law of Nines beforehand, but I'm afraid it will put such a bad taste in my mouth that it will suck any enjoyment I could otherwise get from The Omen Machine right out of it.

**Heather Myst** · August 2nd, 2011, 03:28 PM

Mark,

I own all the Sword of Truth books and I have the Omen Machine on order. Even though I love the series I can't really defend Goodkind because every interview I have read by him he comes across the kind of person you would want to hookup with your ex. The shock for me is that I never though you could get a funnier picture of him than the pony tail masterpiece inside the previous books but this new mug shot is a gem. Is it just me or does he look like he has a turd in his mouth?

**Karyle** · August 2nd, 2011, 03:44 PM

Oh man, he really does! I wish the guy were more likeable, but I guess not everyone can be a Brandon Sanderson, eh?

**Hobbit** · August 2nd, 2011, 05:45 PM

I own all the Sword of Truth books and I have the Omen Machine on order. Even though I love the series I can't really defend Goodkind because every interview I have read by him he comes across the kind of person you would want to hookup with your ex.

LOL. Not even my ex....

But this does tie in with how far you go with this. Does a good book make a bad person acceptable?

Neil Gaiman always says 'trust the tale, even when you can't trust the teller' or words to that effect.

And it is a discussion we've had on here before, when dealing with authors whose books we like but whose background we are less happy about. Heinlein and L. Ron Hubbard are two, for example, off the top of my head.

Sounds like you're going to read it, though, Heather: and why shouldn't you? You've paid for it and you hope to be entertained by it. Isn't that all a book (not necessarily an author!) is supposed to do?

Hmmm.

Mark

**Werthead** · August 2nd, 2011, 07:19 PM

I read Wizards' First Rule in 1997 a few months after it came out in UK paperback and about eight years before I ever read a single interview with the guy. Until about 2005 I had no idea at all he was this controversial figure in the genre. At the time I read WFR I thought it was one of the worst novels I'd ever read in my entire life up to that point (not as bad as Kevin J. Anderson, obviously, but in that ballpark), and gave up on the series a bit into the second novel. And this was back when my tolerance for bad fantasy was much higher than it was now.

So I certainly don't dislike his books because it's the zeitgeisty and cool thing to do. I just thought the first one was so fricking horrendous that I was not moved to read on into the series. This, "The first one or two are okay then it goes downhill," viewpoint I've seen commonly expressed was really not my experience at all (but then again my views of opening novels in series rarely match the common experience; I think Gardens of the Moon is one of the best books in that series and it took me a long time to warm to A Game of Thrones, which I was much more meh about the first time I read it, though I enjoy it much more now).

**PeterWilliam** · August 2nd, 2011, 08:05 PM

I've read Eddings, Feist and Brooks. I've read the criticism concerning these works as being standard fair, cliched, stereotype fantasy fiction. Perhaps they are. I still found something, undefinable for me, to like about them. I read WFR after coming to SFFWorld. Partially because it was a large selling series, and part because of everything I had seen written negatively about Goodkind. I tend to distrust the mob, and so I chose to read WFR thinking I might actually like it. I did not.

**murf99** · August 2nd, 2011, 09:22 PM

I have it pre-ordered. Along with Shannara, SoT is nostalgic for me. I broke into the fantasy genre when I was a teen reading Brooks and Goodkind, and have always looked forward to the next book in the series. Believe it or not I've actually really enjoyed them all. Well not so much Law of Nines

**imaster** · August 3rd, 2011, 05:01 PM

Originally Posted by Grim

I'm feeling slightly traumatized. Ender's Game is one of my favourite novels; I've read it a dozen times or more. I knew nothing about OSC so I did a quick search. I was stunned at what I read. I'll be avoiding his works in the future.

What did he do that´s so horrendous?

**Spears&Buckler** · August 3rd, 2011, 07:19 PM

Originally Posted by imaster

What did he do that´s so horrendous?

It's more than likely his strong opinions on same-sex marriage. He's pretty extreme regarding that issue.

**Loerwyn** · August 4th, 2011, 02:16 AM

Originally Posted by Spears&Buckler

It's more than likely his strong opinions on same-sex marriage. He's pretty extreme regarding that issue.

And he actively tries to prevent laws for same-sex people, and he donates money to organisations which rally against same-sex laws.

**Contrarius** · August 5th, 2011, 12:27 PM

Originally Posted by Grim

I'm feeling slightly traumatized. Ender's Game is one of my favourite novels; I've read it a dozen times or more. I knew nothing about OSC so I did a quick search. I was stunned at what I read. I'll be avoiding his works in the future.

I know exactly how you feel. Card was one of my favorite authors in my adolescence/young adulthood -- and then I heard him speak in person. He is not a guy whose personal beliefs I agree with. Nonetheless, I still think that many of his books are very good -- and I'm still willing to purchase them in many cases. If I did some sort of litmus test on authors to make sure I agreed with everything they believed before I read them, I wouldn't be reading very much!

**Namel** · August 11th, 2011, 06:08 AM

I try to avoid reading about authors. I like their books, I don't care about their lives.

I actually like Sword of Truth a lot, specially the start. Last few books weren't that good. I really thought series was done and he would start something new so I was kind of disappointed when new book came out and not very interested of it.

**Karyle** · August 11th, 2011, 06:36 AM

I have to say I agree. I read each installment of the Sword of Truth series excitedly, and while I didn't love them all, they still hold a fond place in my heart. I don't mind his Ayn Rand way of thinking, really, but I think it's more because I have an extreme level of empathy to ideologies as long as it doesn't involve pointedly hurting women or children, or overt sexual judgement.

I also tend to try to stay away from things like interviews with him, though, after what happened with Orson Scott Card. I read Ender's Game when I was younger, and I loved it. I read the Ultimate Iron Man comics he did, and while not amazing, I didn't hate them. I was quasi-excited to someday move onto his other Enderverse books. And then I saw an interview with him. I cannot stand bigots, I cannot stand overly righteous individuals, and I absolutely cannot stand when anyone judges a person's life because of who they decide to love and/or have sex with. So now, I can't see his name without a welling sense of disdain, I gave away my copy of Ender's Game, and I refuse to support that man in any way, shape, or form. I really wish I hadn't ever found out what kind of person he is.

**Karyle** · August 16th, 2011, 12:44 PM

Well, the book is out as of today (at least here in the USA, I didn't check for international), and Amazon shows that it should be on my doorstep when I get home. I'll likely start it tonight and might be able to get some impressions up, too.

Did anyone else pick it up yet/is going to soon?

**Mekrath** · August 16th, 2011, 12:50 PM

I ordered a copy and should have it tomorrow. I'm halfway through Clash of Kings right now and plan to read Omen Machine afterward as a break from the series.