Books you're currently reading??? - Page 6

russotto · 02-16-2004, 07:47 PM

I just read "Probability Moon". Seemed pretty good, but I remember how Kress totally messed up the Sleeper trilogy after a good start and I can't say I'm so sure I should go on to "Sun" and "Stars".

Also finished "The Silmarillion", which (along with the included notes) made me realize that Tolkein was totally obsessed. The "Vivian Girls" guy had nothing on him in that category.

undone · 02-16-2004, 08:28 PM

Perth,
I read to escape reality. I am around bitchy women all day. Give me some peace!
I thought of another author I liked on my 45 minute drive home....Tim Dorsey, I think the first in the series is Florida RoadKill.

wolf · 02-16-2004, 08:39 PM

I'm continuing my Nordic explorations and chewing my way through Futhark by Edred Thorsson. The clear jabs at Ralph Blum (who made a bucketload of money off a less authentic but more accesible runelore system) are pretty amusing ...

OnyxCougar · 02-16-2004, 11:02 PM

I just got done with "The Crystal Shard" by RA Salvatore, at the insistance of my husband. I'm currently working on "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Garcia. I was all excited to read it, supposed to be the best thing since sliced bread, and .... I'm on page 250 and get my Jose Arcadio, Arcadio and Arcadio Jose's mixed up. It's pretty surreal. I guess I don't see the big deal. This is his best work and he won a nobel prize?? Perhaps I'm just too simple to understand the intricacies.

I stopped reading wheel of time at book 6.

My favorite author is David and Leigh Eddings. Specifically, the Belgariad and Mallorean (and Belgarath, Polgara and Rivan Codex).

I have yet to read the Redemption of Althalus, or the new one still in hardback. I won't buy in hardback.

Also...never, ever, ever read Stephen R. Donaldson's Thomas Convenant the Unbeliever series. Please. Complete and total waste of time. Like 20 books of WoT. Yes. That bad.

Cam · 02-16-2004, 11:03 PM

Anything by David & Leigh Eddings, I'm especially fond of Belgarath the Sorcerer , and Polgara the Sorceres

Oh and if you can find a copy of it I recommend Leonard Wibberly's The Mouse That Roared.

Cam · 02-16-2004, 11:04 PM

Ok that's going to bother me, I swear I didn't read OnyxCougar's' post until after I hit submit

The Redemtion of Althalus is just as excellent as their other books Onyx, in fact it's almost too similiar considering it's set in a different world. But still excellent.

Happy Monkey · 02-16-2004, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by OnyxCougar
Also...never, ever, ever read Stephen R. Donaldson's Thomas Convenant the Unbeliever series. Please. Complete and total waste of time. Like 20 books of WoT. Yes. That bad.

Heh. I love that series. To each their own, I guess. But I suspect you probably want to avoid Donaldson's "Gap" series if you don't like "Covenant".

OnyxCougar · 02-16-2004, 11:22 PM

I really liked the two books Donaldson wrote about the mirrors... "Mirror of her Dreams" and the sequel... those were really good. Just...I read all 6 books of Covenant and was pissed I wasted that time. I could have done something more interesting, like.. watch icicles melt.

Torrere · 02-16-2004, 11:41 PM

I read all of the epic fantasy tome series that I could find when I was thirteen or so. I do not intend to read any again -- except Melanie Rawn's books.

I feel morally obligated to prevent people from reading the Wheel of Time.

richlevy · 02-17-2004, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by OnyxCougar

My favorite author is David and Leigh Eddings. Specifically, the Belgariad and Mallorean (and Belgarath, Polgara and Rivan Codex).

Also...never, ever, ever read Stephen R. Donaldson's Thomas Convenant the Unbeliever series. Please. Complete and total waste of time. Like 20 books of WoT. Yes. That bad.

Ugh, I bailed after book two or three of Thomas Covenant. Eddings other series, the Sapphire Rose, is pretty good. It's sort of a fantasy version of the Three Musketeers. For those who have seen the Xmen movies, picture Rogue as a young princess who inherits an unstable throne, and Wolverine as her knight protector.

For anyone who likes hard science fiction, great action, and strong female characters, the Honor Harrington series by David Weber. You can view a free copy of one of the earlier books at the David Weber section of Baen Books Free Library Weber puts C.S. Lewis' Horatio Hornblower into a slightly awkward female ensign instead of the cocky Captain Kirk we all know.

I liked the Miles Vorkosigan saga by Lois McMaster Bujold. There isn't a free copy, but you can look at some sample chapters at
Baen Books

John Ringo started two good series, one about a shipwrecked prince and his escort, and another about an alien invasion of earth. The first books of both series are in the Baen Free Library

I downloaded the books to my PDA.

However, I still reread the Belgariad from time to time. I love the dialog between the characters. I think that Eddings writes witty banter better than any other author, although Tolkien had his moments, when he wasn't be overly ponderous or pedantic.

BTW, isn't it striking that the RIAA is raiding the homes of 12-year-old girls over copyright and a book publisher is giving away free samples over the Internet (and CD-ROMS with the same free library in the back of hardback editions).

perth · 02-17-2004, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by undone
Perth,
I read to escape reality. I am around bitchy women all day. Give me some peace!

Which is why you would hate The Wheel of Time.

I've mentioned them before, but the Shanarra books, by Terry Brooks, are a fantasy series I've really enjoyed, even if they get a bit wordy too.

undone · 02-17-2004, 12:15 PM

My favorite authors of all time have to be Tom Robbins and John Irving. John hasn't written a new one in a long while. His last was "Widow for One Year"; I think anyway, Anyone remember? Is that the one about the guy who gets his hand bitten off by a lion? Tom Robbins' latest is "Villa Incognito" I just love his writing. His use of the language and viewpoint of the world. I re-read "Still life with woodpecker" a couple of months ago. It is still as great as the first time. Anyone else out there a Robbins fan?

Quote:

I found Jesus, He was behind the sofa the whole time

Slartibartfast · 02-17-2004, 12:56 PM

I went on a CS Lewis kick and am going through his Chronicles of Narnia. I'm on the third of them. They are a very light read, but good kids book stuff. And recently I hear they are making a movie of them!

I hooked a speech therapist co-worker of mine onto the Narnia books. I later found out she was Jewish. I wounder if I should mention to her that those books can be read as a Christian allegory... I mean, if someone gave me some books that later turned out to be, say, a Hindu allegory, I really wouldn't mind, I actually might find it more interesting. But I wonder if some people would consider it an attack on their faith, or a sly attempt at proselytizing or something.

I'm slogging through Mission of Gravity - a hard sci-fi book by Hal Clement. Imagine a super-large and dense planet with a gravity hundreds of times that of earth, yet spinning so fast that at the equator the gravity is only about 4 or 5 G's. Hal Clement's stuff is like reading a great physics book with a plot!

Oh, and I just finished reading 'Anti-Abortionist at Large: How to Argue Intelligently about Abortion and Live to Tell About It'

It's about a pro-life philosophy professor (and I think priest) that was into public debate on the abortion issue.

Happy Monkey · 02-17-2004, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Slartibartfast
Oh, and I just finished reading 'Anti-Abortionist at Large: How to Argue Intelligently about Abortion and Live to Tell About It' It's about a pro-life philosophy professor (and I think priest) that was into public debate on the abortion issue.

Huh. As if the anti-abortionists are the ones whose lives are at risk.

mrnoodle · 02-17-2004, 02:25 PM

nope, just "unviable fetal tissue"

02-16-2004, 08:39 PM	#78
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	I'm continuing my Nordic explorations and chewing my way through Futhark by Edred Thorsson. The clear jabs at Ralph Blum (who made a bucketload of money off a less authentic but more accesible runelore system) are pretty amusing ... __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

02-16-2004, 11:03 PM	#80
Cam dripping with ignorance Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Grand Forks ND Posts: 642	Anything by David & Leigh Eddings, I'm especially fond of Belgarath the Sorcerer , and Polgara the Sorceres Oh and if you can find a copy of it I recommend Leonard Wibberly's The Mouse That Roared. __________________ After the seventh beer I generally try and stay away from the keyboard, I apologize for what happens when I fail.

02-16-2004, 11:04 PM	#81
Cam dripping with ignorance Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Grand Forks ND Posts: 642	Ok that's going to bother me, I swear I didn't read OnyxCougar's' post until after I hit submit The Redemtion of Althalus is just as excellent as their other books Onyx, in fact it's almost too similiar considering it's set in a different world. But still excellent. __________________ After the seventh beer I generally try and stay away from the keyboard, I apologize for what happens when I fail.

02-17-2004, 12:56 PM	#88
Slartibartfast \|-0-\| <-0-> \|-0-\| Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: New Jersey Posts: 516	Re: books you are currently reading I went on a CS Lewis kick and am going through his Chronicles of Narnia. I'm on the third of them. They are a very light read, but good kids book stuff. And recently I hear they are making a movie of them! I hooked a speech therapist co-worker of mine onto the Narnia books. I later found out she was Jewish. I wounder if I should mention to her that those books can be read as a Christian allegory... I mean, if someone gave me some books that later turned out to be, say, a Hindu allegory, I really wouldn't mind, I actually might find it more interesting. But I wonder if some people would consider it an attack on their faith, or a sly attempt at proselytizing or something. I'm slogging through Mission of Gravity - a hard sci-fi book by Hal Clement. Imagine a super-large and dense planet with a gravity hundreds of times that of earth, yet spinning so fast that at the equator the gravity is only about 4 or 5 G's. Hal Clement's stuff is like reading a great physics book with a plot! Oh, and I just finished reading 'Anti-Abortionist at Large: How to Argue Intelligently about Abortion and Live to Tell About It' It's about a pro-life philosophy professor (and I think priest) that was into public debate on the abortion issue.

02-17-2004, 02:25 PM	#90
mrnoodle bent Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: under the weather Posts: 2,656	nope, just "unviable fetal tissue" __________________ Sìn a nall na cuaranan sin. -- Cha mhór is fheairrde thu iad, tha iad coltach ri cat air a dhathadh

02-16-2004, 07:47 PM	#76
russotto Professor Join Date: Jan 2001 Posts: 1,788	I just read "Probability Moon". Seemed pretty good, but I remember how Kress totally messed up the Sleeper trilogy after a good start and I can't say I'm so sure I should go on to "Sun" and "Stars". Also finished "The Silmarillion", which (along with the included notes) made me realize that Tolkein was totally obsessed. The "Vivian Girls" guy had nothing on him in that category.

02-16-2004, 08:28 PM	#77
undone work in progess Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 100	Perth, I read to escape reality. I am around bitchy women all day. Give me some peace! I thought of another author I liked on my 45 minute drive home....Tim Dorsey, I think the first in the series is Florida RoadKill.

02-16-2004, 11:02 PM	#79
OnyxCougar Junior Master Dwellar Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Kingdom of Atlantia Posts: 2,979	I just got done with "The Crystal Shard" by RA Salvatore, at the insistance of my husband. I'm currently working on "One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Garcia. I was all excited to read it, supposed to be the best thing since sliced bread, and .... I'm on page 250 and get my Jose Arcadio, Arcadio and Arcadio Jose's mixed up. It's pretty surreal. I guess I don't see the big deal. This is his best work and he won a nobel prize?? Perhaps I'm just too simple to understand the intricacies. I stopped reading wheel of time at book 6. My favorite author is David and Leigh Eddings. Specifically, the Belgariad and Mallorean (and Belgarath, Polgara and Rivan Codex). I have yet to read the Redemption of Althalus, or the new one still in hardback. I won't buy in hardback. Also...never, ever, ever read Stephen R. Donaldson's Thomas Convenant the Unbeliever series. Please. Complete and total waste of time. Like 20 books of WoT. Yes. That bad.

02-16-2004, 11:22 PM	#83
OnyxCougar Junior Master Dwellar Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Kingdom of Atlantia Posts: 2,979	I really liked the two books Donaldson wrote about the mirrors... "Mirror of her Dreams" and the sequel... those were really good. Just...I read all 6 books of Covenant and was pissed I wasted that time. I could have done something more interesting, like.. watch icicles melt.

02-16-2004, 11:41 PM	#84
Torrere a real smartass Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Kirkland, WA Posts: 1,121	I read all of the epic fantasy tome series that I could find when I was thirteen or so. I do not intend to read any again -- except Melanie Rawn's books. I feel morally obligated to prevent people from reading the Wheel of Time.

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