Hey!! Let's get some action going! What are we reading?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by maianhvk

The book was pretty boring at the beginning but by 50% things get better.

The series does get better. Keep up with it.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

^There's a lot of just social commentary satire in Pratchett as well, but the earlier ones might be harder to get as much humour out of them without a few fantasy novels under ones belt. Tolkien won't help as much, but Jordan definitely would.

If you mean Robert Jordan, then no, that won't help. Tolkien would help some. Oh and reading Conan the Barbarian stories would help as well.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by BenG

Pratchett wasn't directly parodying Jordan since Jordan hadn't written anything yet. Terry Brooks would be more like it. Not that I would ever encourage anyone to read Terry Brooks.

I would. I like the Shannara series.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Not at all. Most of the parody (or, perhaps, tributes) happens in The Colour of Magic and as with such things, it's funnier if you know the original.

But you'll probably enjoy The Colour of Magic even without that. And most of the rest of the books are a lot lighter on references to other fantasy stories and a lot better for it, IMO.

There's an excellent reading order guide here: link to god awful and 100% wrong reading order removed

Why the heck did you have to link to that god awful reading order list? It's just so wrong and so bad. Terry Pratchett says the reading order is in the published order. Pratchett does not recap much and if you read out of order, you will get a lot of huh? and a lot of spoiled bits.

[gmw]

Originally Posted by caleb72

[...]I like Neil Gaiman - did you guess?

I am a fan too, although Coraline is not among my favourites, which include Stardust, Neverwhere and The Graveyard Book. The Anansi Boys is pretty good too, but - while it is an impressive book in many respects - I do have a lot of trouble with American Gods. Neil Gaiman is a curious author, when you pick up a new book you never really know what to expect, every one is just so different.

[maianhvk]

Originally Posted by caleb72

How did you like it?

This one is my favourite Gaiman novels. I have two copies, one signed by Gaiman himself.

I think of it as the perfect modern fairytale. Loved it to pieces.

Close behind that is Coraline, of which I also have two copies (one signed by Gaiman).

I like Neil Gaiman - did you guess?

I watched the movie Stardust before reading, the one with Robert De Niro and Michelle Pfeiffer, and was surprised to know that it was quite different from the book. I think both were good from some aspects: the movie with more actions, and the book with a bit more complicated story and lighter ending (nobody died).

But the cartoon Coraline was... awful. I couldn't understand why they could make a cartoon so dark, so horrible, with the sharp edges and raw motions for kids to watch. Children would have nightmares after watching that. And the film got Oscar for Animated Feature!
Their technique might be good, but in my opinion kids are to watch bright movies, like those from Pixar.

Ugh, I'm off topic. On topic, I'm reading The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.

[orlok]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

No argument here. I read them all B.E.

Senior moment here. What does B.E. mean?

Just started listening to "Dark of the Moon"by John Sandford, the first solo outing for Virgil Flowers, a character first introduced in the Lucas Davenport "Prey" novels.

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by orlok

Senior moment here. What does B.E. mean?

Just started listening to "Dark of the Moon"by John Sandford, the first solo outing for Virgil Flowers, a character first introduced in the Lucas Davenport "Prey" novels.

Oh man... You have tapped into some good stuff! I've read and REREAD all of the Virgil Flowers books, and wish Sandford would put out the next one! Wonderful series! Sandford really is a Master!

Stitchawl

[orlok]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

Oh man... You have tapped into some good stuff! I've read and REREAD all of the Virgil Flowers books, and wish Sandford would put out the next one! Wonderful series! Sandford really is a Master!

Stitchawl

I'm enjoying it so far . I have to admit to being a teensy bit bored with Davenport (may coincide with him getting a life...), though still good stuff, and I'll probably return to the Prey series again.

I also really enjoyed the Kidd series - wish he'd publish more of those.

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by orlok

I'm enjoying it so far . I have to admit to being a teensy bit bored with Davenport (may coincide with him getting a life...), though still good stuff, and I'll probably return to the Prey series again.

I also really enjoyed the Kidd series - wish he'd publish more of those.

Kidd is good too, but my money is with Virgil. Kidd is a little to serious (as a character) compared with 'that F*#king Flowers!' Any cop who can stop to go fishing before going to work is OK by me!


Stitchawl

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by caleb72

Hmmm - actually I was thinking this was a novel "based on a true story" which I thought would be a blindingly good read - if written well of course. However, if it's actually released as a non-fiction style, then I'm not quite as interested. But you never know.

I do believe it was released as non-fiction. Near non-fiction was my own term. So don't let that sway your decision. But it's hard to write a factual account of what exactly happened to McCandless when nobody truly knows for sure. Krakauer's speculation is certainly plausible--and even very likely what happened.

Originally Posted by orlok

Senior moment here. What does B.E. mean?

Forgive me, that's my own (senior) terminology that I shouldn't have expected anyone to pick up on: Before Ereader and After Ereader (B.E., A.E.)

[orlok]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Forgive me, that's my own (senior) terminology that I shouldn't have expected anyone to pick up on: Before Ereader and After Ereader (B.E., A.E.)

So obvious when explained

[Fbone]

I'm finishing up the original Tripod series with Pool of Fire by John Christopher.

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pdurrant

A Wizard of Mars.

Which was also very good. Now I have to wait for another volume, or the New Millennium editions of the first three.

So on to a freebie, Footsteps in the Dark by Georgette Heyer. Although since the special offer is geographically restricted, there's less urgency on testing this author than there was. (Sourcebooks, who publishes her books, has a special offer on this week of $1.99/book.)

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

Well, I didn't have my e-reader around, so I started reading James Joyce Ulysses. If the first thirty pages are any indication, this is going to hurt more than Moby Dick.

Why would you want to but yourself through such hell?