The Reading Vent & Rant Thread

[Uncle Robin]

Originally Posted by andyh2000

I skim the poetry and songs in Lord of the Rings - no-one's got time to read five pages of elves singing about gold.

Andrew

As someone who read LotR 17-18 times (1st at 7yo) and each time spent ~5X as long in the appendices as on the story, I read it rather differently.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

Have you read ack Campbell's Lost Fleet series? I'm not a big space opera fan, but I really enjoyed the battle scenes in the first few of the series for their detailed description of battles fought at relativistic speeds. The physics, and its impact on the planning and execution of space 'naval' encounters was fascinating for me.

I read the first book many years ago. It was not bad, but not engaging enough for me to continue with the series. I must confess a total lack of interest in all military matters, especially battle scenes, no matter how well and competently written; just not my cup of tea at all. I do read military SF occasionally, but for me not to DNF it must have something more fascinating going on than war, battles and action - characters (human or alien), relationships, world building, intrigue etc. If those other elements aren't strong enough, I'll not be able to keep my interest going.

[andyh2000]

Originally Posted by Uncle Robin

Have you read ack Campbell's Lost Fleet series? I'm not a big space opera fan, but I really enjoyed the battle scenes in the first few of the series for their detailed description of battles fought at relativistic speeds. The physics, and its impact on the planning and execution of space 'naval' encounters was fascinating for me.

That sounds like C J Cherryh's space battles in her Alliance/Union universe. Ships and ordnance moving at relativistic speeds, scan data that comes in only slightly faster than the fast moving metal behind it. Everything is based on predictive plots that update as new data comes in or it gets progressively more fuzzy as it gets more out of date. This crossed with submarine warfare as ships are small and space is big.

Oh and for Sirtel, she does have actual characters you care about as well.

Andrew

[Comfy.n]

This book I've read in the 80's had three parts. Today I found the author has added a 4th part, in 2014.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by andyh2000

Oh and for Sirtel, she does have actual characters you care about as well.

Yes, Cherryh is ok, although I prefer those of her books that have no battles I'm reading her Foreigner series at the moment (no battles to speak of by the 5th book, except for a couple of small clashes between a handful of individuals). There may well be battles in later books, but it's good enough that I'll probably be able to swallow them.

[nabsltd]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I agree the Bombadil sequence was pretty pointless,

The big problem with the Bombadil sequence is that it's obvious that Tolkien decided that the character had to go away, or else there wouldn't be a book. Bombadil couldn't carry the ring, but he could have accompanied the ring bearer and been the equivalent of Superman...nothing would have been able to harm the bearer.

So, out went the character, but Tolkien still wanted to use him, so he kept what became a pointless scene.

[HLS]

Originally Posted by DNSB

It's up to you. Skimming through a book is not what I would consider reading.

One friend of mine will read the first chapter and last chapter of a book before deciding whether they want to read it. They mostly read mysteries and claim that they enjoy the mystery more that way since they can watch for the clues as to the identity of the culprit without being thrown off track by red herrings.

God, I am reading HOLLY by Stephen King. I am 40% in and it is a real snoozefest. An absolute disappointment. No character development on the bad guys. So far its 5% what the bad guys are doing and 95% talk about covid, Kings hatred of Trump and random babble by Holly. I am trying to hold out skipping chapters. lol i am almost half way in and there is almost no action of any kind. I advise wait till the ebook price drops before buying. Not worth $14.99

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by HLS

God, I am reading HOLLY by Stephen King. I am 40% in and it is a real snoozefest. An absolute disappointment. No character development on the bad guys. So far its 5% what the bad guys are doing and 95% talk about covid, Kings hatred of Trump and random babble by Holly. I am trying to hold out skipping chapters. lol i am almost half way in and there is almost no action of any kind. I advise wait till the ebook price drops before buying. Not worth $14.99

I'd just DNF it. Why torture yourself It's not as if there aren't any other books to read.

[Sirtel]

I'm reading a thriller/mystery series about haunted houses. There are 6 books and they're pretty formulaic (the protagonists visit an old house in some remote, godforsaken corner of England; meet the local ghosts; unravel their identity and history via various old letters, diaries, newspaper articles etc.), but well written and deliver exactly what I expect a haunted house novel to deliver - chills, thrills and mystery. What bugs me in this series is how easy it is for the characters to learn everything about the various ghosts they meet, to the tiniest details. Everything is always perfectly documented, it seems every person in the past has written letters or kept a diary in which they recorded every relevant detail, as if foreseeing the future ghostbusters needing them. Even murderers wrote down the details of their crimes. That's not even remotely believable. You'd expect at least some details to remain unknown, shrouded in mystery... but nope, not so far (I'm finishing the 4th book). It's all always laid out to the last period and comma.

Oh well. I'm still going to read the last 2 books. The ghosts are quite good and chilling, especially while reading on a dark and windy September night.

[HLS]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

I'd just DNF it. Why torture yourself It's not as if there aren't any other books to read.

LOL. When I am this bored I search online for the Cliff Notes LOL There is none for this book sadly. I may start another book then just casually read HOLLY

[Apache]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

Oh well. I'm still going to read the last 2 books. The ghosts are quite good and chilling, especially while reading on a dark and windy September night.

September here and we are still hitting low 90° f. Nights are a chilly 72° f.
Apache

[Apache]

Originally Posted by HLS

LOL. When I am this bored I search online for the Cliff Notes LOL There is none for this book sadly. I may start another book then just casually read HOLLY

Did Not Finish.
Apache

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Apache

September here and we are still hitting low 90° f. Nights are a chilly 72° f.
Apache

It's been quite warm for a September here as well, but nowhere near your temps, of course. The highest was 25° C on a sunny day, it's been 18-20° C on most days and 10-13° at night. The central heating system has already been switched on on some nights.

[Wiggo]

@Sirtel

I visited your country 2 weeks ago and yes, it was chilly in the evening.
But some of the locals were still walking around in t-shirts, shorts and flip-flops.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by Wiggo

@Sirtel

I visited your country 2 weeks ago and yes, it was chilly in the evening.
But some of the locals were still walking around in t-shirts, shorts and flip-flops.

15° C and higher is considered warm here. I've been wearing t-shirts myself so far, but not at night. And it seems to be getting colder from now on. Time to put those t-shirts away until the next summer...

In some parts of the world spring is just arriving.