Books

[laurencn106]

Sounds interesting, I am reading Gone with the Wind book 1.

[WILL THE ALMIGHTY]

"Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrel"

 

 

Amazing book... as long as you don't mind it being 1000 pages long and the abundance of 19th century british aristocracy (had to skip a few paragraphs there...). Fun to read anyway, especially near the end.

 

Also, not to diminish the book, but I don't think I'll ever be able to read the whole thing again. I have the time and I loved the book, but it's like eating a whole sugar pie... you're full for the next two years.

Edited May 10, 2008 by WILL THE ALMIGHTY

[Gorth]

And yet, I can't stop reading them...

*sigh*

 

I know how it feels. They are the junk food of literature. I just wish I had stopped reading any Eddings after "The Belgariad", as I really did like that one. "The Malloreon" is just a rehash of the same story and I made the mistake of reading "The Dreamers" while flying (picked up the books at the airport bookstore) which is... almost just a cut and paste job of previous characters and story bits. Way past it's "Best by" date.

[Guard Dog]

Now reading The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell. Kudos to Hurlshot & Musopticon for the reccomendation it is pretty good.

 

Also reading Dog Man and the Akita about the Japanese farmer who single handedly saved the Akita breed from extinction. This one is a little slow going.

[Walsingham]

How to Kill

 

Kris Hollington

 

Without doubt one of the coolest books I've read in a long time, as well as packed with good stuff about murder.

[Hurlshort]

I've started on Robert Howard's Conan books. I think the first is Conan the Conquerer, which is basically a collection of short stories. They are organized by the date he wrote them, rather than chronologically, but it's easy enough to follow.

[Shryke]

^^ didn't Robert Jordan write a few Conan books also?

[Xard]

Dear god, I hope not

[Zoma]

Crest of the Stars novel.

 

Far more in depth and detailed than the anime counter part, but again the anime were based on the novels in the first place.

 

Unfortunately, the translation quality by Tokyopop can be at times so disappointing as they deliver the conversations by the characters with current generation's english slang. Worse, those sentences are delivered by the Abh! Ugh.

 

Dammit Delray, translate the books instead.

[LadyCrimson]

I am reading Gone with the Wind book 1.

"book1?"

There's only one Gone w/the Wind book. That Scarlet 'sequel' should never have been written.

 

I've been re-reading the Northern Frights anthologies (edited by Don Hutchison), a decent dark fantasy short story collection series. Some of the tales give me pretty creepy mental images that stick for a long time.

Edited May 13, 2008 by LadyCrimson

[Musopticon?]

Dear god, I hope not

He did a couple. I read the translations and the characters were as inconsistent as heck. Pretty much the only feature of Conan Jordan got right was that he was a mad swordsman.

 

For Hurlie, if you are looking for some chronology in your reading, you'll find that this is a decent one. However, it's a good rule of thumb, if the link was tl.dr, to start with anything where Conan is a young thief, like Tower of the Elephant, proceed to stories about the South and piracy, then read all the tomb-raiding and pioneering and end with his latter days as the king of Aquilonia, in Hour of the Dragon.

[Hurlshort]

I'm a bit worried that trying to put them in chronological order when Howard himself wrote them somewhat randomly will take away from the experience. According to the introduction, Howard himself recommended not putting them chronologically.

 

It's been pretty easy to follow regardless. I'm about halfway through the first of three books, and I really like how most of the stories can be completed in a brief sitting.

[Musopticon?]

Yeah, I like Lovecraft's little circle(Howard, Derleth, Lovecraft, etc) for that same thing - they are great for reading on the hurry or just spending that odd hour, but they'll swallow you if you let them.

 

Don't mind the chronologies, or any of my posts for that matter. I'm a nut when it comes to old pulp lit of the period. Just enjoy.

[Zoma]

I had just read/listened(?) finish to Key's translated Kinetic novel, Planetarian ~The Reverie of a Little Planet~ .

 

Kinetic Novel

 

Planetarian

 

Story

 

 

Review:

 

Do not let the anime cuteness posters, background and characters mislead you or go biase with your first impression. This is because I feel the visual novel is excellent on its own with the visuals added to capture further expression and the excellent music to heighten the drama scenes.

 

Like all stories from Key, they emphasis on themes we are all familiar of. The story of "Air" on the relationship between mother and daughter. The story of "Clannad" on the relationship of father and son. The story of Planetarian this time touches on a different aspect this time that is familiar and yet new to everyone: Innocence of humanity through the exchange between a man and a machine. Ironically, the machine being the one that reminded the man of the innocence he lost as well as bringing hope. As the story of Planetarian progressed, I felt many kind of emotions stirr within me that is quite rare just by from reading novels. The strongest emotion I could express with words would be nostalgia.

 

The setting of the story takes place in the future, thirty years later of a great war that left the planet earth in ruins. Even after the war, the remnants of the war's legacy in forms of warmachine robots remained active. The protaganist is a junker who salvages pre-war relics to sell in the market with items like cigerrates and alcohol capable of fetching high prices. The tale begins when the protagonist stumbles upon a ruined planetarium where he he encounters the heroine known as "Reverie".

 

Like all visual/kinetic novels, this is an extremely linear novel that simply leads the reader from start to finish through the story similar to how CD or Radio story series do. So just sit back, relax, and get immersed into a bitter sweet tale.

 

The novel lasts about roughly 4 hours if you set the mode on Auto where there is Japanese track accompanied to read the story.

 

A fan-made music of the story's theme:

Edited May 14, 2008 by Zoma

[Spider]

 

I know how it feels. They are the junk food of literature. I just wish I had stopped reading any Eddings after "The Belgariad", as I really did like that one. "The Malloreon" is just a rehash of the same story and I made the mistake of reading "The Dreamers" while flying (picked up the books at the airport bookstore) which is... almost just a cut and paste job of previous characters and story bits. Way past it's "Best by" date.

 

I managed to get out after the Malloreon. Well, that nad the Belgarath and Polgara books. But none of his other series, and for that I am grateful. And while you're absolutely correct about the Malloreon, I will say that I find it to have some redeeming qualities over the first series. Specifically Mallorea is a much more interesting nation than the rest, and the books aren't as blatantly racist (and at least somewhat less sexist).

 

Only a couple of hundred pages to go...

[Musopticon?]

I have to say that I actually liked the Belgarath book somewhat, even though I read it years after the two trilogies. Althalus was actually pretty good, which surprised me.

 

That new series however...I think I made 40 pages into the first book and then woke up an hour later.

 

Fortunately I've never actually bought any Eddings books.

[Gorth]

That new series however...I think I made 40 pages into the first book and then woke up an hour later.

They are bad, very bad. Now that the bush fire season is over, I am considering burning them (in a ritual, to ward off bad books).

 

Last two books read...

 

Simon Spurrier: "Lord of the Night" - What a pleasant surprise. Interesting story, interesting characters and plenty of twists and turns that keeps you guessing who the true villain is, right until the end. And then you guessed wrong after all

 

Graham McNeill: "Time of Legends: Heldenhammer" - Just about the opposite. Predictable, protracted, repetitive, uninteresting and... it's just there. He can do so much better... I know because I've read plenty of his books before >_

[astr0creep]

I'm also reading The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian by R.E. Howard.

 

Totally awesome writings.

[Musopticon?]

Howard is a maestro, definitely.

 

 

I just finished Feist's Magician:Apprentice, revised edition, it was pretty solid, considering he wrote it back in 77. I'll probably buy the rest of the Riftwar books as well, since I've only read Serpentwar cycle and a couple of stand alone books from him.

[Pidesco]

Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman.

 

I haven't finished it yet, but so far it isn't particularly good. Very predictable, and the writing seems generally uninspired.

[Walsingham]

John Wyndham, The Midwich Cuckoos. More resonant than ever. One of those classics that deserves its chops.

[Blarghagh]

Treasure Island.

[Brdavs]

Skipping throuigh The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy this past few weeks... after a few years on the shelve it`s still hits the spot heh

 

Looking forward to Scott McClellan - What Happened thoe lol

Edited May 29, 2008 by Brdavs

[Humodour]

Hmm looks like an excellent bunch of books referenced here. I'll have to trawl through it later on to re-ignite my reading career.

 

Skipping throuigh The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy this past few weeks... after a few years on the shelve it`s still hits the spot heh

 

It's so excellent like that. I have to buy a new copy I think... one of my friends seems to have nicked off with my old blue and gold 4 part trilogy.

[Guard Dog]

Re-reading Winterdance by Gary Paulsen. I have a whole stack of new books waiting to be read but I'm re-reading this one for the 5th time. My copy is all beaten up but I can't help it. I just love this book.