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Post by PoolMan on Sept 22, 2003 14:26:17 GMT -5
Yay, Lexi is ALIVE! <happy dance> Hey Pooly, I'm glad you're giving "Dune" a fair shot. Oh, it's not that I've ever NOT given Dune a fair shot. I've read it before. It's just that the last time I tried (about age 15, I'm guessing) I just didn't have the tools to unravel it all. I read it, but I didn't really understand it. I am much happier with my more deliberate (and better armed) approach this time out. I'm much more in tune with the political and religious aspects now, which is what I wasn't prepared for before. What DOES bake my noodle is that Herbert is absolutely OBSESSED with his overruse of narrative devices. The rate at which the man switches back and forth between characters' thoughts and perceptions is staggering. But lo, I trundle forward.  |
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Post by Lissa on Sept 22, 2003 15:22:34 GMT -5
My only problem with Terry Pratchett is I've read all the Discworld novels. He's one of my all-time favorite authors!
And LOTR is one of the few movies that I truly believe was better than the book.
I'm currently reading "Water Injection Effects on NOx Emissions for Engines Utilizing Diffusion Flame Combustion." But when I get home I'll read the Copper Beech, by Maeve Binchy. Like her stuff.
Liss
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Genetic Mishap
Boomstick Coordinator
I am a South American fish. Surrender your urethra.
Posts: 256
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Post by Genetic Mishap on Sept 22, 2003 16:14:31 GMT -5
I'm curious to hear what you think of "The Scar", GM... Have you read the previous book, "Perdido Street Station"? I was blown away by it. Yep. It was all...*gives thumb up* As of now, I've just barely started. I've just finished the first part with the... *SPOILER* Pirate attack! Wee pirates! *END SPOILER * |
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Post by DarthToad on Sept 22, 2003 20:55:49 GMT -5
I'm currently reading "Water Injection Effects on NOx Emissions for Engines Utilizing Diffusion Flame Combustion." Sounds good, where can I get it? I'm probably going to read a book about the Prague Golem soon (Jewish mysticism, awesome stuff). |
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Post by Al on Sept 22, 2003 22:20:19 GMT -5
I picked this up the other day, and it's definitely worth your hard-earned money: The Zombie Survival Handbook by Max Brooks (son of Mel). Two hundred pages of completely deadpan instructions on how to best prepare yourself against an attack by the legions of the undead. It includes detailed analysis of weapon efficiency, terrain traversing, base camp setup and maintanence, and even a history of famous zombie encounters and how the situations were resolved. The author never breaks character to wink at the reader and, really, the only humor to be found is when you step back and realize just how absurd the entire thing is. Really great stuff and highly reccomended for anyone looking for something a tad different.
Al
-cleaning his shotgun
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Post by PoolMan on Sept 23, 2003 12:28:31 GMT -5
The Zombie Survival Handbook by Max Brooks (son of Mel). That is AWESOME. That's going on my Christmas Wish List right freaking now. |
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Post by DarthToad on Sept 23, 2003 17:12:19 GMT -5
I second what Pooly said.
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Post by dajaymann on Sept 25, 2003 13:00:12 GMT -5
Wifey sprung for the full LOTR trilogy paperback for me last night...and my goal is to get it finished by the release of Return of the King. So far, I've read 100 pages ...so pull for me!
-Jay-
(expecting a bit of free time in the hospital, once all the childbirth action is over and we're all just sitting waiting to go home)
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Post by jenfrazer on Sept 25, 2003 13:52:44 GMT -5
Emboldened by my success reading Join Me, I've borrowed Made in America: An Informal History of the English Language in the United States. So far, it's more straight history than language, but I'm hoping it'll turn.
Yes, I'm a freak. I blame my stint as a copy editor. And possibly also my mother.
A really excellent book on etymology is The Professor and the Madman, which has the subtitle A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of The Oxford English Dictionary. Fascinating.
Jen
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AJWARPED
Boomstick Coordinator
Posts: 112
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Post by AJWARPED on Sept 25, 2003 23:27:02 GMT -5
I just finished one of the best books ever writen, "Under the Skin" by Michel Faber. scary as anything and really makes you think. right now I'm reading Final Victim by Stephen J. Cannel. If you love mindless fun thrillers, and don't mind a bit of language, I would Highly recomand "King Con" by him.
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Post by Al on Sept 26, 2003 15:52:24 GMT -5
For anyone who is a fan of Neil Gaiman, I just picked up his two newest books, Coraline and Wolves in the Walls, and can totally recommend both. Wolves is a twisted little picture book about a girl whose family is kicked out of their house by wolves. Coraline is another sort-of-children's book for slightly older kids about a little girl who discovers a mirror world behind a door in her kitchen full of talking animals and twisted replicas of the people and places she knows. It's very much like Alice In Wonderland, only with less politics and more disembodied hands. Really good stuff.
Al
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Genetic Mishap
Boomstick Coordinator
I am a South American fish. Surrender your urethra.
Posts: 256
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Post by Genetic Mishap on Sept 27, 2003 14:09:09 GMT -5
Coraline is another sort-of-children's book for slightly older kids about a little girl who discovers a mirror world behind a door in her kitchen full of talking animals and twisted replicas of the people and places she knows. It's very much like Alice In Wonderland, only with less politics and more disembodied hands. Really good stuff. Ah, someone else who likes Coraline! I love that book. Apparently, some other people do too- I read in Fangoria a movie's in the works. And Fangoria never lies. EDIT: IMDB link (http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0327597/combined) |
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BDC
Ghostbuster
Posts: 372
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Post by BDC on Sept 27, 2003 22:20:29 GMT -5
I'm working my way through the Wheel of Time series again, waiting for Robert Jordan to put out the next one. *sigh*
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Post by gregslagel on Oct 9, 2003 14:50:52 GMT -5
I wanted to respond to everyone at once:
I liked the first Dune novel. It kept my interest pretty well. However, I thought they REALLY got slow and confusing as the series went on.
Wheel of Time... ugh. I dunno, I gave up on fantasy quite awhile ago. They all seem to be the exact same story; 2 books into Jordan's epic saga I realized I didn't need this again. I do still give Zelazny and Chronicles of Amber some serious points. That stuff was pretty unique and fun.
Terry Pratchet. Read probably 20 different Discworld novels, mostly from my ex's monstrous collection (oh the painful memories!) They get pretty repetitive if you do them one after another without intermission. But anyone Douglas Adams / fantasy buff who hasn't read a Pratchet book is doing themselves a serious disservice.
Someone mentioned Celestine Prophecy. I believe that in many writing class, this book comes up as a joke. Man oh man... I read a couple chapters, and the writing style is simply TERRIBLE! Wow. I couldn't begin to get through it.
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Post by DarthToad on Oct 9, 2003 17:01:44 GMT -5
Just started a book called Life of Pi (I always forget authors names, so sue me). It's pretty good so far. I mean, how couldn't you like a book where the protaginist double majored in Religous Studies and Zoology? (and yes, both animals and religon play a large role in the book)
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