Laozi Posted September 17, 2008 Posted September 17, 2008 Has anyone read the Artemis Fowl novels? Is he up to Douglas Adams' standard? Or more to the point, can anyone think of an instance where someone substituting for the original author didn't produce utter crap? People laugh when I say that I think a jellyfish is one of the most beautiful things in the world. What they don't understand is, I mean a jellyfish with long, blond hair.
Hurlshort Posted September 17, 2008 Posted September 17, 2008 A Series of Unfortunate Events is well written. The humor is very dry. It's difficult to judge fully, given that he's been writing for children, but I think it will be serviceable at worst. That being said, you really can't replace an author. But I don't think that's the goal here, it's probably more of a tribute.
Trenitay Posted September 17, 2008 Posted September 17, 2008 The Hunt for Red October is an excellent book. Hey now, my mother is huge and don't you forget it. The drunk can't even get off the couch to make herself a vodka drenched sandwich. Octopus suck.
Walsingham Posted September 17, 2008 Posted September 17, 2008 Has anyone read the Artemis Fowl novels? Is he up to Douglas Adams' standard? Or more to the point, can anyone think of an instance where someone substituting for the original author didn't produce utter crap? Jesus. New Testament ftw! "It wasn't lies. It was just... bull****"." -Elwood Blues tarna's dead; processing... complete. Disappointed by Universe. RIP Hades/Sand/etc. Here's hoping your next alt has a harp.
Enoch Posted September 17, 2008 Posted September 17, 2008 Has anyone read the Artemis Fowl novels? Is he up to Douglas Adams' standard? Or more to the point, can anyone think of an instance where someone substituting for the original author didn't produce utter crap? Jesus. New Testament ftw! Well, there are theological arguments that he was not technically a new author "substituting" for the original (holy trinity and all that).
Walsingham Posted September 17, 2008 Posted September 17, 2008 Then I stand corrected. There are no examples in all creation. Excluding Buffy and Evil Vampire Willow fanfiction. "It wasn't lies. It was just... bull****"." -Elwood Blues tarna's dead; processing... complete. Disappointed by Universe. RIP Hades/Sand/etc. Here's hoping your next alt has a harp.
Shryke Posted September 17, 2008 Posted September 17, 2008 New Hitchhiker's author announced. Children's author Eoin Colfer has been commissioned to write a sixth instalment of the Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy series. Mostly Harmless, the last Hitchhiker book, was written by its creator, the late Douglas Adams, 16 years ago. Now Adams's widow, Jane Belson, has given her approval to bring back the hapless Arthur Dent in a new book entitled And Another Thing... Eoin Colfer, 43, is best known for the best-selling Artemis Fowl novels. Has anyone read the Artemis Fowl novels? Is he up to Douglas Adams' standard? i've read the first one wasn't all that great to be honest, but i've heard the series gets better as it goes on when your mind works against you - fight back with substance abuse!
Guard Dog Posted September 20, 2008 Posted September 20, 2008 Now reading The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski. At first I thought it was a rip off of Hamlet, but now I must say it is bloody brilliant and the best book I've read in a long time. I really reccomend this to anyone. "While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before" Thomas Sowell
Bartimaeus Posted September 21, 2008 Posted September 21, 2008 Promise of the Witch-King by R.A. Salvatore. Streams of Silver by R.A. Salvatore. Quote How I have existed fills me with horror. For I have failed in everything - spelling, arithmetic, riding, tennis, golf; dancing, singing, acting; wife, mistress, whore, friend. Even cooking. And I do not excuse myself with the usual escape of 'not trying'. I tried with all my heart. In my dreams, I am not crippled. In my dreams, I dance.
I want teh kotor 3 Posted September 21, 2008 Posted September 21, 2008 Promise of the Witch-King by R.A. Salvatore. Streams of Silver by R.A. Salvatore. Great stuff. In 7th grade, I teach the students how Chuck Norris took down the Roman Empire, so it is good that you are starting early on this curriculum. R.I.P. KOTOR 2003-2008 KILLED BY THOSE GREEDY MONEY-HOARDING ************* AND THEIR *****-*** MMOS
Blarghagh Posted September 21, 2008 Posted September 21, 2008 New Hitchhiker's author announced. Children's author Eoin Colfer has been commissioned to write a sixth instalment of the Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy series. Mostly Harmless, the last Hitchhiker book, was written by its creator, the late Douglas Adams, 16 years ago. Now Adams's widow, Jane Belson, has given her approval to bring back the hapless Arthur Dent in a new book entitled And Another Thing... Eoin Colfer, 43, is best known for the best-selling Artemis Fowl novels. Has anyone read the Artemis Fowl novels? Is he up to Douglas Adams' standard? Well, I bet he can do the goofball humor because that isn't too hard. In fact, every now and again I read the Hitchhiker's series and suddenly I'm spouting off the same goofball stuff all over the place. What the hard thing is about Douglas Adams standard is making plots that make sense and characters that you care about while doing the goofball thing.
Walsingham Posted September 21, 2008 Posted September 21, 2008 Dunkirk by Simon Sebag Montefiore. Awesome account of how Britain bravely ran away. Hildegaarde would love it. "It wasn't lies. It was just... bull****"." -Elwood Blues tarna's dead; processing... complete. Disappointed by Universe. RIP Hades/Sand/etc. Here's hoping your next alt has a harp.
Fionavar Posted October 10, 2008 Posted October 10, 2008 Arendt, Hannah. On Violence. The universe is change; your life is what our thoughts make it - Marcus Aurelius (161)
Calax Posted October 10, 2008 Posted October 10, 2008 Ultramarines Omnibus by Graham McNeill interesting to say the least, it really grips you but the author likes to detach the stories so no real reoccuring characters are possible. Victor of the 5 year fan fic competition! Kevin Butler will awesome your face off.
Aristes Posted October 11, 2008 Posted October 11, 2008 Not recently, but a few months ago I read Pride and Prejudice. Typical Novel from Tsarist Russia, as if Tolstoy could be typical. It was good, but I prefer his shorter works. I still prefer Dostoyevsky, but both are truly masterful authors. I've more recently read Founding Brothers. Excellent book about key historical figures in the post-revolution/early republic era. It kind of gave the false impression it would feature a larger number of bios, and I completely disagree with the author's forward regarding the so called "short-lived" Roman Republic, but the work itself is quite good. Around the same time, I read War Letters. Good read. The letters are remarkable and presented without any edits. Finally, I re-read the Chronicles of Amber. Well.... I re-read the Big Book of Amber or some such. I much prefer the original, flaws in continuity and all, because the Merlin stories really don't succeed in paving over the mistakes of the first, but lack the magic. Still, a good read. RIP Zelazny.
UnknownRegions Posted October 11, 2008 Posted October 11, 2008 (edited) Not recently, but a few months ago I read Pride and Prejudice. Typical Novel from Tsarist Russia, as if Tolstoy could be typical. It was good, but I prefer his shorter works. I still prefer Dostoyevsky, but both are truly masterful authors. I've more recently read Founding Brothers. Excellent book about key historical figures in the post-revolution/early republic era. It kind of gave the false impression it would feature a larger number of bios, and I completely disagree with the author's forward regarding the so called "short-lived" Roman Republic, but the work itself is quite good. Around the same time, I read War Letters. Good read. The letters are remarkable and presented without any edits. Finally, I re-read the Chronicles of Amber. Well.... I re-read the Big Book of Amber or some such. I much prefer the original, flaws in continuity and all, because the Merlin stories really don't succeed in paving over the mistakes of the first, but lack the magic. Still, a good read. RIP Zelazny. I like Leo Tolstoy as an author because he understands the hearts of men so well. Although I have read some of his longer works, I find his short stories far more interesting. Edited October 11, 2008 by UnknownRegions The lesser of two evils is still evil.
UnknownRegions Posted October 11, 2008 Posted October 11, 2008 (edited) New Hitchhiker's author announced. Children's author Eoin Colfer has been commissioned to write a sixth instalment of the Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy series. Mostly Harmless, the last Hitchhiker book, was written by its creator, the late Douglas Adams, 16 years ago. Now Adams's widow, Jane Belson, has given her approval to bring back the hapless Arthur Dent in a new book entitled And Another Thing... Eoin Colfer, 43, is best known for the best-selling Artemis Fowl novels. Has anyone read the Artemis Fowl novels? Is he up to Douglas Adams' standard? Well, I bet he can do the goofball humor because that isn't too hard. In fact, every now and again I read the Hitchhiker's series and suddenly I'm spouting off the same goofball stuff all over the place. What the hard thing is about Douglas Adams standard is making plots that make sense and characters that you care about while doing the goofball thing. Personally, I didn't like the Artemis Fowl series. It was silly and stupid. The only good character worth reading about was Butler. The idea of a boy genius chasing little people around made me want to kill myself. No!!! He's not up to Douglas Adams' standard (at least not in my opinion)!!!! Edited October 11, 2008 by UnknownRegions The lesser of two evils is still evil.
Fionavar Posted October 11, 2008 Posted October 11, 2008 Macfarlane, Julie. Dispute Resolution: Readings and Case Studies. The universe is change; your life is what our thoughts make it - Marcus Aurelius (161)
Guard Dog Posted January 7, 2009 Posted January 7, 2009 Peace by Richard Bausch. If you are a fan of WW2 history or just great writing, buy this book. "While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before" Thomas Sowell
Slowtrain Posted January 7, 2009 Posted January 7, 2009 Just finished Lord of the Silent Kingdom by Glen Cook. 2nd book of The Instrumentalities of Night. I'm not much of a fan of high fantasy anymore, but Glen Cook has come a long way since his Black Company days. His current stuff is pretty good. Having my enjoyment of High Fantasy reawakened, I'm trying for the fourth or fifth time to read GRRM A Game of Thrones. As usual I am having a horrible time getting into it. I am up to around page 100 again and have totally stalled. Again. I may reread Moor****'s Swords Trilogy instead. If anyone has any high fantasy recommendations that aren't Mercedes Lackey, RA Salvatore, Weis/Hickman, Raymond Feist, David Eddings, Robert Jordan or Terry Brooks, I wouldn't mind hearing them. Notice how I can belittle your beliefs without calling you names. It's a useful skill to have particularly where you aren't allowed to call people names. It's a mistake to get too drawn in/worked up. I mean it's not life or death, it's just two guys posting their thoughts on a message board. If it were personal or face to face all the usual restraints would be in place, and we would never have reached this place in the first place. Try to remember that.
Guard Dog Posted January 7, 2009 Posted January 7, 2009 (edited) If anyone has any high fantasy recommendations that aren't Mercedes Lackey, RA Salvatore, Weis/Hickman, Raymond Feist, David Eddings, Robert Jordan or Terry Brooks, I wouldn't mind hearing them. I read this a few months ago. I really enjoyed it. I haven't picked up the next book in the series yet but I definitely will. The Name of the Wind Edited January 7, 2009 by Guard Dog "While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before" Thomas Sowell
Tigranes Posted January 7, 2009 Posted January 7, 2009 Just ordered a couple of lecture collections, Michel Foucault at the College de France. "Abnormal" (74-75) and "Society Must be Defended" (75-76). Amazon will take up to mid-February to get all the way here, but what can you do (besides pay extortionate prices to upgrade shipping). Dead twenty years ago (under... interesting circumstances), with a pathological aversion to a discussion of contemporary events and history when alive, and yet still more relevant than half the academics out there who make a living participating in pointless scholar slapfights about obscure definitions or writing a load of whatever's in fashion. On a lighter note, recently re-read Norwich's abridged version of the History of Byzantium. Damn thing gets me in a Total War fixation every time. Quite clearly biased, he is, but that dosen't hurt the reading. Let's Play: Icewind Dale Ironman (Complete) Let's Play: Icewind Dale II Ironman (Complete) Let's Play: Divinity II (Complete) Let's Play: Baldur's Gate Trilogy Ironman - BG1 (Complete) Let's Play: Baldur's Gate Trilogy Ironman - BG2 (In Progress)
Slowtrain Posted January 7, 2009 Posted January 7, 2009 (edited) If anyone has any high fantasy recommendations that aren't Mercedes Lackey, RA Salvatore, Weis/Hickman, Raymond Feist, David Eddings, Robert Jordan or Terry Brooks, I wouldn't mind hearing them. I read this a few months ago. I really enjoyed it. I haven't picked up the next book in the series yet but I definitely will. The Name of the Wind The Amazon text mentions Harry Potter. Is that an accurate comparison, do you think? Assuming you have read any HP, that is. On a lighter note, recently re-read Norwich's abridged version of the History of Byzantium. Damn thing gets me in a Total War fixation every time. Quite clearly biased, he is, but that dosen't hurt the reading. heh. On my lighter note I am reading a Hellboy collection. I guess there is a lighter note and then a really really lighter note. lol Edited January 7, 2009 by CrashGirl Notice how I can belittle your beliefs without calling you names. It's a useful skill to have particularly where you aren't allowed to call people names. It's a mistake to get too drawn in/worked up. I mean it's not life or death, it's just two guys posting their thoughts on a message board. If it were personal or face to face all the usual restraints would be in place, and we would never have reached this place in the first place. Try to remember that.
Guard Dog Posted January 7, 2009 Posted January 7, 2009 The Amazon text mentions Harry Potter. Is that an accurate comparison, do you think? Assuming you have read any HP, that is Never read HP, saw one of the movies though. It's not heavy reading by any means but I would put it on par with Terry Brooks or Robert Jordan. It does not rise to George RR Martins level of plot intricacies or character development but it is very well done. It's a little like Heart of Darkness meets Lord of the Rings. "While it is true you learn with age, the down side is what you often learn is what a damn fool you were before" Thomas Sowell
Hurlshort Posted January 7, 2009 Posted January 7, 2009 David Gemmel, may he rest in peace, is a fantastic fantasy author.
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