Books / Literature
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McIcy said:
A girl I know from work is reading the same thing (I bought her a professional photo of her favourite celebrity for Christmas). Thought I'd share that!
Along with Next, I'm reading Incompetence by Rob Grant (he of Red Dwarf fame). First comedy novel I've ever read and though I appreciate it, I'm finding the intentional comedy writings of it quite hard to digest.
Still, I'll presevere seeing as the concept and ideas behind it are sound.
Just started The Difference Engine by William Gibson & Bruce Sterling.
I also have Mindstar Rising by Peter Hamilton waiting to be read, this is the first in the Greg Mandel series and with this one I'll have managed to read the three books in reverse order - The Nano Flower, A Quantum Murder & now Mindstar Rising :?
Anybody read Steven Kings Dark Tower series? Any good!?
I also have Mindstar Rising by Peter Hamilton waiting to be read, this is the first in the Greg Mandel series and with this one I'll have managed to read the three books in reverse order - The Nano Flower, A Quantum Murder & now Mindstar Rising :?
Anybody read Steven Kings Dark Tower series? Any good!?
Along with Next and Incompetence I'm reading a non-fiction book that my eldest brother bought me called Big Babies. Its about how politicians, corporations and / or businesses and establishments of all kinds talk down to us as if were "Big Babies".
Its interesting and often very funny, though I do disagree with a lot of what the author - Michael Bywater - has to say about certain "things" (though there's just as much if not more that I do agree with him about).
Its hilarious too. Comedy in non-fiction is a lot easier for me to enjoy than intentionally written fiction comedy.
Thought I'd, like, share that (agaian!).
Its interesting and often very funny, though I do disagree with a lot of what the author - Michael Bywater - has to say about certain "things" (though there's just as much if not more that I do agree with him about).
Its hilarious too. Comedy in non-fiction is a lot easier for me to enjoy than intentionally written fiction comedy.
Thought I'd, like, share that (agaian!).
Charter_Mage
Pokémon Master
Man, wasn't that film cack, worst book adaption i've seen in a long time, still at least the books good. Unfortunately i don't think my friend will ever read the book now.Shades said:
Should get around to reading Eldest myself though soon, why haven't i read it yet
Ploughed my way through the 900+ pages of John Irving’s last novel Until I Find You – not his best in short - main problem I think is simply its length, it could possibly read much better if it was about a third shorter.
There are some trademark-Irving themes to this story; it was on the release of this book that he finally came to admit (even to his own wife!) that a lot of these that appear throughout his books are actually semi-autobiographical.
It’s hard to know how much closely it mirrors the author’s own life since it’s dressed as a fictional story, but apparently after finishing the book he had to re-write it all changing from the first-person to the third-person perspective because he felt it was just too personal.
It could be this personal nature that results in too much of the book reading like a linear catalogue of events – perhaps crucial to the person involved but not necessarily so compelling for the reading.
There are however some entertaining sections/passages and you are rewarded with a satisfying conclusion when you finally get there but I’d probably only recommended it for any hard-core Irving fans with the speed and/or stamina to get through the length of it.
There are some trademark-Irving themes to this story; it was on the release of this book that he finally came to admit (even to his own wife!) that a lot of these that appear throughout his books are actually semi-autobiographical.
It’s hard to know how much closely it mirrors the author’s own life since it’s dressed as a fictional story, but apparently after finishing the book he had to re-write it all changing from the first-person to the third-person perspective because he felt it was just too personal.
It could be this personal nature that results in too much of the book reading like a linear catalogue of events – perhaps crucial to the person involved but not necessarily so compelling for the reading.
There are however some entertaining sections/passages and you are rewarded with a satisfying conclusion when you finally get there but I’d probably only recommended it for any hard-core Irving fans with the speed and/or stamina to get through the length of it.
Charter_Mage
Pokémon Master
I don't have the foggiest idea when the last book will be released, just heard that it might be called Empire, havn't looked into it though.Shades said:
Still havn't read Eldest, whats wrong with me, I've started reading Jane Eyre instead. Still you can only read what your heart wants
Finally got around to Science of Discworld 3: - Darwin's Watch, by Terry Pratchett, Ian Stewart and Jack Cohen, all capable writers in their own ways.
For anyone who hasn't read any in the series, the books are written in 2 parts almost, chapters alternating between a discworld story and short expositions on some popular science or other, explained in simple terms (i.e. the interesting stuff, no z-transforms, reciprocal lattice vectors or wave equations).
Ultimately your enjoyment will depend entirely on how interesting you find science - personally I seem to spend a disproportionate amount of time doing the less fun bits, so it's quite a breath of fresh air reading the series.
For anyone who hasn't read any in the series, the books are written in 2 parts almost, chapters alternating between a discworld story and short expositions on some popular science or other, explained in simple terms (i.e. the interesting stuff, no z-transforms, reciprocal lattice vectors or wave equations).
Ultimately your enjoyment will depend entirely on how interesting you find science - personally I seem to spend a disproportionate amount of time doing the less fun bits, so it's quite a breath of fresh air reading the series.
Still reading Big Babies, but once finished I'm on to '25 Big Ideas' (subtitled 'The Science That's Changing Our World) by Robert Matthews.
As the book's title suggests, it covers 25 big movements in the field of science and how its effecting our very lives. Looking forward to this.
As the book's title suggests, it covers 25 big movements in the field of science and how its effecting our very lives. Looking forward to this.
I recommend Robert Rankin, who sounds suitably odd and might be what you're looking for. I'm still going through a Neil Gaiman phase myself (just bought Fragile Things in hardback, which is proving to be an excellent read) - he has collaborated with Pratchett in the past but his own style is fantastic.McIcy said:
fineshed both Eragon and Eldest, Just finished Belgarath the sorcerer and pissed to discover its only half the story and ive gota buy the next part to see how the story ends, Currently reading Under the eagle which weirdly enough is written by my Uncle (maried to my Aunt), but ive never met this particular aunt so no chance off some signed copies 8)
Charter_Mage
Pokémon Master
I finished reading Jane Eyre last night, i havn't got the foggiest what time it was when i finished it, but i kept reading until i did.
The book was better than i ever imagined it could be, i had always hated the Jane Eyre story until i watched the recent BBC adaption, i must have just watched a whole bunch of cruddy adaptions.
I cried for the entirety of the last chapter, and i don't even know why, it was really happy...maybe they were happy tears, though i don't remember feeling quite that happy, lol
The book was better than i ever imagined it could be, i had always hated the Jane Eyre story until i watched the recent BBC adaption, i must have just watched a whole bunch of cruddy adaptions.
I cried for the entirety of the last chapter, and i don't even know why, it was really happy...maybe they were happy tears, though i don't remember feeling quite that happy, lol
Charter_Mage
Pokémon Master
Thanks for the suggestion, i will look it upMcIcy said: