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[gmw]

Re: The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever, by Stephen Donaldson.

Originally Posted by caleb72

I loved these as well - first two trilogies. I haven't read the last one.

The last (third) chronicles are going to be four books, as you probably know.

I've read the first two of the set and have the third on my shelf (yes, as hardcovers - hope that's not considered sacrilege here .). I've put off reading the third, decided to wait until the last comes out (when I'll probably go back to the start). I thought the first of these new chronicles ("The Runes of the Earth") was very good, although it seemed to get a little lost for while, but the second left me with more questions than answers (eg: the newcomers, the Insequent, that don't seem to make much sense yet with respect to what has gone before).

I'm wondering if he's written these last chronicles like he did The Gap series, more as one big story rather than the well defined parts of the earlier chronicles. I know with The Gap series I was tempted to stop after the first book, it was just so ... ugly, is the best I can come up with. But what came after made sense of it. With The Gap series (Sci-Fi for those that don't know about it) I think you really need to read all five books as a single story (like it was one big book) to really get it, and it's now firmly entrenched among my favourites.

[kennyc]

I've not read Gap, but thanks for the info/suggestion.

full disclosure I have the book club editions of the first trilogy and the publisher hardbacks of the second

I've not read the 'last chronicles' but I guess that 4th book in that set is coming out this year.

[Apache]

Originally Posted by bcgirl

I was born one year before JFK's death, it really took me back to the times how simple life was.

I was living in Japan when JFK was assassinated. It still amazes me how much the assassination affected the Japanese people at the time. There were long lines of crying Japanese at the temples paying their respects. And then Robert Kennedy came and dedicated a memorial to JFK right in front of my house. You could not move around with all of the people there to witness the event.
Apache

[Dr. Drib]

Over one million hits!

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Don
(Moderator)

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

Over one million hits!

What are YOU reading today?

Wow. That really is rather impressive. Congratulations on such a successful thread, Don.

[Nyssa]

Originally Posted by gmw

Depends what definition you use for "Literary Fiction". If you take the view that it means "something written explicitly to show how clever the writer is"(1), then no, I don't think they count, I don't think that was ever her aim. But you if take the view that it means "something where the style itself imparts its own charm to the story"(2) then I think, yes, they certainly count.


(1) This seems to be a common view, particularly when applied to more modern work.

(2) Seems to be how much "classic" fiction is categorised - it's a charm pretty much built-in to much older fiction by its nature, rather than (necessarily) something the writer deliberately added.

Originally Posted by HarryT

To my mind, no it doesn't. I'd classify "literary fiction" as fiction that is deliberately written to be "art", rather than popular entertainment. I'd consider the work of authors like James Joyce or Virginia Woolf to be literary fiction. Jane Austen was writing novels purely as popular entertainment, as were later 19th century authors such as Dickens, Trollope, Eliot, etc. None of them literary fiction.

Thank you both! That helps!

Originally Posted by Billi

Is this important? Just read and enjoy (or not)!

Yes, Billi it is important, to me. I am working on a genre challenge this year. See my 2012 progress post, linked in my signature, if you're at all curious. One of the genres listed is "Literary Fiction" and as I've never personally sought out that type of work before, I wanted to know what it entailed, and to possibly get a few examples. My personal google searches came up empty or unhelpful so I thought I'd ask in a place where I was sure to get answers that makes sense. Which I did!

Originally Posted by pdurrant

Maianhvk is right, I'm afraid. The writing is only adequate, and I just can't believe the setup. I'm half way through and I'm going to abandon it.

Oh, thats a shame! It sounded interesting. Well, thank you, Paul and Maianhvk for the warning.

[Joan M]

Originally Posted by bcgirl

...I was born one year before JFK's death, it really took me back to the times how simple life was....

Ah yes, I remember it well. Father worked, mother stayed home, we practiced duck and cover in the hall outside of our classrooms so that we would be protected when the expected nuclear strike occurred.

As a great timing, I just got the book from public library "50 shades of fray" ....

At first, I thought this was one of those parody books, but now I'm assuming that's just a typo.

I started The Hunger Games without realizing it was a trilogy and then bullheadedly slogged through to the end, even though the sheen had kind of worn off after the first volume. Followed it with Life of Pi for a real change of pace. I hadn't read any book reviews before or after. Was at first entranced and then rather dragged down by the violence.

I've set myself a goal of familiarizing myself with some good science fiction, so am open to all suggestions. I can't think of a single title I've read in my lifetime up until now. Odd, since I recall being hooked on Twilight Zone and Outer Limits TV shows. Anyway, I've just finished Psion by Joan Vinge. Not much character development, especially of the main villain. Maybe I'll give Vernor Vinge a try next. It's kind of overwhelming trying to set a course.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by Joan M

....
I've set myself a goal of familiarizing myself with some good science fiction, so am open to all suggestions. I can't think of a single title I've read in my lifetime up until now. Odd, since I recall being hooked on Twilight Zone and Outer Limits TV shows. Anyway, I've just finished Psion by Joan Vinge. Not much character development, especially of the main villain. Maybe I'll give Vernor Vinge a try next. It's kind of overwhelming trying to set a course.

There are a ton of recommendations in several threads in this section of the forum.

Three I recommend here: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...4&postcount=25

and this is one summation of readers favorites: http://scifilists.sffjazz.com/lists_books_rank1.html

[orlok]

Originally Posted by HomeInMyShoes

I finished Aravind Adiga's The White Tiger. Definitely recommended. An entertaining read.

Agreed. l read it in 2011 and gave it a solid 4 stars.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Nyssa

Yes, Billi it is important, to me. I am working on a genre challenge this year. See my 2012 progress post, linked in my signature, if you're at all curious. One of the genres listed is "Literary Fiction" and as I've never personally sought out that type of work before, I wanted to know what it entailed, and to possibly get a few examples.

Try something like Joyce's "Ulysses", or Virginia Woolf's "To the Lighthouse". But I warn you - they're hard going. They weren't written to be light reading. They were written for you to appreciate the "cleverness" of the author.

[Quake1028]

Originally Posted by Quake1028

I've been sick and unable to read so I still haven't polished off the last 50 pages of Casino Royale. Tonight it shall be done.

Finished it a few nights ago and moved onto Hugh Laurie's The Gun Seller.

[NickyWithNook]

I'm reading The Middlesteins by Jamie Attenberg because someone told me it was good. It's OK but not a favorite. I'm also reading Brideshead Revisited because someone told me it was her favorite book ever. I like that better. I'm about half-way through each. I should probably read one at a time, but I'm not.

[Quake1028]

Originally Posted by gmw

I don't post here about every book I read, but having spent three weeks getting through "A Game of Thrones" by George R. R. Martin I thought I'd share my reaction...

That has to be the longest introduction to a story that I've ever read. The end arrived just as I was thinking the real story was about to start. I was disappointed that the book resolves very little of what it starts, despite its length. I thought I had read that there was supposed to be some sort of surprise or twist at the end, but maybe that comes in a later book.

It wasn't boring, but I found it hard to get involved. I'd just start to get (re)interested in what was happening to a character and the chapter would end, and since it was going to be another hundred pages before I saw that character again (or so it seemed), I'd put the book down to go on with something else.

It is a beautifully crafted story, I can see that, but there was too much distance between the threads for me to care much when GRRM started to get careless with his characters (whoops! there goes another one). I can see how it might work as a TV series, a sort of "Days of our Lives" in a fantasy world.

Are the next books done the same way? Or do they start to get better?

I put some thoughts in spoilers, just in case.

Spoiler:

1.There is a huge twist/shock/surprise in AGoT. Think about it. You sure you don't remember anything? If not, the book wasn't for you and I would abandon the series, because the characters obviously didn't resonate with you.

2.Starting with A Feast For Crows, the focus gets a bit narrower (longer chapters, less characters).

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by Quake1028

Finished it a few nights ago and moved onto Hugh Laurie's The Gun Seller.

The guy the played Dr House writes books?

BOb

[pdurrant]

Originally Posted by pilotbob

The guy the played Dr House writes books?

Well, a book, so far. He sings the blues too (his album reached no.2 in the UK charts).

I remember him fondly as Bertie Wooster, and, of course, as The Prince Regent in Blackadder the Third.