Books

[Purkake]

Well, the next one is supposed to come out this summer, no?

 

At least he was kind enough to make the last two books twice as long as any of the earlier ones

 

I'm kind of disappointed that not even the local People's Republic Of Tyranny was atheist, instead apparently everyone spread out to scientology and other lesser-known cults.

Edited January 11, 2010 by Purkake

[I want teh kotor 3]

Atlas Shrugged. I don't know how I have managed to go this long without reading it. Its just downright goddamn great.

[Oblarg]

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is easily my favorite book of all time.

[Raithe]

Just worked my way through the Saltation e-ARC. Pondering on what to hit next, I do have the Mistborn trilogy to try at some point, but not in a fantasy mood at the moment..

[Guard Dog]

what's peoples opinion on Terry Goodkind's Sword of Truth series

 

i read the first book years ago but don't really remember anything about it at all

and recently at a friends place read through the first 60 or so pages of it

 

it seems kinda mediocre, and in no way caught my attention. i was just curious to see if the series got any better and whether it's worth a shot

That man never had an original thought in his life. How he has cobbled together a career with so little ability is certainly a mystery to me.

[Calax]

The Sword of Truth gets better.. then gets .. worse. It starts diverting into some reallly obvious anvil over the head philosophy "lectures". While after hm, book 5 I think it is there are some good points and some nice character development, the story itself seems to go off-track. And the ending is just.. way too much of the deus ex machinae type of hand waving in the last chapter.

I read the first three books (I believe). The first one had some good moments, but everything was so over the top cliche (the villian was effectively the devil in mortal form, the main character was so awesome he could defeat the most powerful magics etc)

 

Overall it became the book version of a tv series. Where every story was self contained and thus the next had to be bigger, stronger, faster, more powerful etc. The main character (richard) is pretty much the hero you think of when you hear the words "fantasy" and "hero" tied together, strong, goodlooking, never wrong, able to cast magics (of the two major types) and is the chosen one who must choose. Literally the guys the first of his "kind" three ways in a long time, First "war-mage" (using both additive and negative magics) first guy to use the sword of truth, and the first guy to love a woman who's from the "confessors" so powerfully their magics don't work on him.

 

And if Tvtropes is to be believed, things become heavily objectivist, and show anyone who isn't pushing their own life as a sniveling brat unable to do anything.

 

...

 

so basically a more cliche fantastic version of orson scott-cards work.

[Purkake]

I finished the Honor Harrington series.

It was pretty sad to see everyone getting manipulated so horribly, but Manticore still mostly comes across as a bunch of arrogant douches, especially the queen. I really wanted the poor Heaven to finally win something, but no, super-Honor just had to save the day once again. Eloise Pritchart is the most sympathetic character in the later books, she is pretty much single-handedly cleaning up all the crap from the previous administration(s), trying to end the senseless war and dealing with her boyfriend's death.

 

I guess it will be Manticore and Heaven against the Solarian League next?

 

[cronicler]

You need to read the Anthologies and then the Crown of Slaves side series too. Once you experience Victor Catchat, you' will never be the same :D

 

Although in general I agree with you, Weber's main story arc has grown so large that he either has to cut something short (which generally becomes the space battles and other action stuff) or the books will get too long and scattered

 

I am still hunting for Survivalist (by Jerry Ahern) and other obscure sci-fi paperbacks through the second (or fifth) hand bookstores. Slow going but it is fun to find small bookstores tucked into invisible nooks and crannies that are home of nice semi retired people that you can chat about books.

Edited February 2, 2010 by cronicler

[Purkake]

I think I'm going for some classic Sci-FI next, I think I've had enough spindles in space for a while

[Raithe]

I think I'm going for some classic Sci-FI next, I think I've had enough spindles in space for a while

 

 

Given any Modesitt sci-fi a try yet?

[Purkake]

Nope, I'll look him up.

 

I was thinking of Gateway by Frederik Pohl or Ringworld by Larry Niven.

[Meshugger]

I have:

 

"Catcher in The Rye" - by Salinger

"Ulysses" - By Joyce

 

Which one should i start with?

[Pidesco]

Catcher In The Rye is easier to take in, so you may want to start with that.

[Blarghagh]

Anyone got any recommendations for someone who likes Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman and Douglas Adams?

 

I don't read a lot of books but I'm slowly getting there.

[Walsingham]

Anyone got any recommendations for someone who likes Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman and Douglas Adams?

 

I don't read a lot of books but I'm slowly getting there.

 

I'm listening to the Brightonomicon, by Robert Rankin on the BBC. This full length adaptation is a credit in the style of all good adaptations. Apparently the cast had a whale of a time.

 

Think a lead character who's a duffer and a time travelling mystic gentleman agent of provocation and legging it from expensive restaurants.

[Maedhros]

Anyone got any recommendations for someone who likes Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman and Douglas Adams?

 

I don't read a lot of books but I'm slowly getting there.

 

I haven't read it yet, but Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norell by Susanna Clarke is supposedly very good. Gaiman himself called it "the finest English novel of the fantastic written in the last seventy years".

[Calax]

Anyone got any recommendations for someone who likes Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman and Douglas Adams?

 

I don't read a lot of books but I'm slowly getting there.

You could try the Instrumentalities of the night series by cook (which I know I'm beating a dead horse that's been rezed, killed rezed again and killed but still). Got the dark parts of his other works, but some humorous looks at the churches and political machinations.

 

If you War40k Anything by Sandy Mitchell would be fantastic. Fairly good sense of humor told in the form of an annotated journal (including annotations like describing a clock the main character hates that has a facsimile of him coming out and beheading orks, the number of which depends on the hour).

[Walsingham]

I agree that the Warhammer 40k novels have really gone from strength to strength over the last few years. I think they deserve far more exposure than they get.

[Calax]

I agree that the Warhammer 40k novels have really gone from strength to strength over the last few years. I think they deserve far more exposure than they get.

It's a LOT like star wars... there are cases where the author just sucks (CS Goto for example) and others where you're wondering about the guys vocab (In the space wolf series, they always use bolter PISTOLS...)

[Walsingham]

I agree that the Warhammer 40k novels have really gone from strength to strength over the last few years. I think they deserve far more exposure than they get.

It's a LOT like star wars... there are cases where the author just sucks (CS Goto for example) and others where you're wondering about the guys vocab (In the space wolf series, they always use bolter PISTOLS...)

 

I'm confused, I thought bolt pistols were standard for assaulty types. Sounds like those damned fools in the Wolves.

 

In any event, you can't possibly tell me that the Gaunt's Ghosts series don't kick the pants off most fiction full stop. It's like military history for the far future with some excellent human elements and mysticism thrown in.

[Oner]

I agree that the Warhammer 40k novels have really gone from strength to strength over the last few years. I think they deserve far more exposure than they get.

It's a LOT like star wars... there are cases where the author just sucks (CS Goto for example) and others where you're wondering about the guys vocab (In the space wolf series, they always use bolter PISTOLS...)

I think one of the SW writers writes/wrote some 40k novels too. The one who salivates after the mandalorians unfortunately.

[Calax]

Well the way it's described in the Wolves vs any other is that in wolves it's more like they're running around with .358 cannons rather than an AR. Most other books I've read describe the Bolters as rifles that are best used with two hands.

 

Yes, Abnett is an AWESOME writer (he does the Ghosts books, as well as a few comic books), other suggestions would be James Swallow, Ghram McNeal, and Sandy Mitchel.

[Gorth]

Well the way it's described in the Wolves vs any other is that in wolves it's more like they're running around with .358 cannons rather than an AR. Most other books I've read describe the Bolters as rifles that are best used with two hands.

 

Yes, Abnett is an AWESOME writer (he does the Ghosts books, as well as a few comic books), other suggestions would be James Swallow, Ghram McNeal, and Sandy Mitchel.

Stay clear of "Lee Lightener" (sp?). It's not even a real writer, but a synonym for a collaboration between multiple individuals and probably some of the crappiest writing I've ever seen published (the recent space wolf books). The new Sandy Mithcel books are great, as are anything by Dan Abnett. Graham McNeal is a bit hit and miss. His Time of Legend books sucks, but his 40k stuff is Ok. Some of the best books out there are "Only in Death" (it's been at least 25 years since a book gave me goosebumps) and "Legion" (about the Alpha Legion).

[cronicler]

There are 2 different weapons, Bolt Pistol and Bolter (Rifle version). And besides, All Space Marine (Loyalist or Traitor doesn't matter) are sub par. You want good WH40k? You read Caiphas Cain!

[Oner]

There are 2 different weapons, Bolt Pistol and Bolter (Rifle version). And besides, All Space Marine (Loyalist or Traitor doesn't matter) are sub par. You want good WH40k? You read Caiphas Cain!

3 actually. Pistol, Bolter and Heavy Bolter (minigun version).

Also, no wonder Dan Abnett books are good, he is one of the founding fathers.