No, but seriously, Lord Dice, I was actually wondering if there were any Alan Moore books that I haven't mentioned that you could recommend?
EDIT: And, seriously to you as well, Kirth, you probably are already familiar with the concept behind League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (heroes from different turn of the 20th century genre fictions in a shared universe), but in the comic something like EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER is ripped from some book. It's kind of fun, like playing Where's Waldo for people who've spent too much time reading H.G. Wells and Jules Verne.
You didn't mention League, but I won't insult your intelligence by mentioning it (too late!).
A Small Killing by Moore and Oscar Zarate get overlooked now that he's popular, as does Brought to Light (that one's political, and should be loved by an avowed pinko such as yourself); Also, if you're looking for early stuff there's a bunch of UK stuff he did (Captain Britain, Ballad of Halo Jones and (of course) Miracleman spring to mind); The Bojefferies Saga is fun and funny; And if you haven't yet, read his Swamp Thing, totally worth it.
Ugh, he's written to much, can't think of anything else.
And look, don't call me Lord Dice; at first I was flattered, but then I realized: when an avowed pinko such as yourself gives someone a noble title, they're just setting up a fall guy!
JUST KIDDING!
It's kind of fun, like playing Where's Waldo for people who've spent too much time reading H.G. Wells and Jules Verne.
Having read Moore for awhile now, I would submit: that's not what it's like, that's what it is.
And Doodle, you know Moore's gone half-crazy and spends most of his time doing magick-with-k-style magickal ceremonies now, right? (True story.)
EDIT: And, seriously to you as well, Kirth, you probably are already familiar with the concept behind League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (heroes from different turn of the 20th century genre fictions in a shared universe), but in the comic something like EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER is ripped from some book.
I had the sad misfurtune of seeing the movie, and just kept thinking, "well, at least I'm not having to read the comic book." The only comics I really like are Calvin & Hobbes (and I LOVE those!)
I'm currently reading "What the night knows" by Dean Koontz, and I'm planning on reading "Voice of the gods" by Trudi Canavan after that, finishing the "Age of the Five" series (which I seriously recommend btw).
I'm currently reading "What the night knows" by Dean Koontz.
Twilight Eyes was freaking awesome, but man, has that guy written a lot of crap. And I stopped reading his stuff sometime ca. 1989.
No, Kirth, wait!
The movie is terrible; like terrible terrible, and no one will argue with you on that.
The comic is very, very good, I promise.
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The comic is very, very good, I promise.
The thing is, I don't need the pictures. When my lips get tired from reading, I just put a book down and take a break, that's all.
Hitdice, it is time for us to stop casting our pearls before Kirth.
It's kind of fun, like playing Where's Waldo for people who've spent too much time reading H.G. Wells and Jules Verne.Having read Moore for awhile now, I would submit: that's not what it's like, that's what it is.
And Doodle, you know Moore's gone half-crazy and spends most of his time doing magick-with-k-style magickal ceremonies now, right? (True story.)
He also worships a sock puppet. Except for the sock part, that's not just my description. Moore's quite honest about it.
...I was actually wondering if there were any Alan Moore books that I haven't mentioned that you could recommend?
I would second the "Swamp Thing" stuff. I was also impressed with "Batman: The Killing Joke". I liked his work in "WildC.A.T.s" too.
And I MUST mention my first-ever exposure to Moore, "Superman: Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?" Reading it in my early teens, I was deeply impressed with it, particularly the...
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@Samnell--Yes and not just any sock puppet, but one he read about in the ancient Roman satirist Lucan! EDIT: Who, IIRC, makes a memorable appearance in Promethea See, it's that kind of erudition and attention to detail that makes me believe Alan Moore is God.
Also, I used to hang out at a comic book store with hot chicks and get high all day while reading his comics and flirting, so, I'm predisposed to like him.
@Lord Dice and Aaron--Thank you for the recommendations.
@Samnell--Yes and not just any sock puppet, but one he read about in the ancient Roman satirist Lucan! EDIT: Who, IIRC, makes a memorable appearance in Promethea See, it's that kind of erudition and attention to detail that makes me believe Alan Moore is God.
Also, I used to hang out at a comic book store with hot chicks and get high all day while reading his comics and flirting, so, I'm predisposed to like him.
It took me quite a while to warm to him, actually. I got into comics in 1999 and by the time I got around to Watchmen I expected something really revolutionary and found something that I'd largely already read enough to be slightly sick of it. It took a fair bit of reading of comics that antedate it, a few more years, and skipping the Black Freighter stuff to really appreciate it. I got what he was trying to do with it the first time around, but the way he used it just wrecked the pacing for me.
I still haven't read a lot aside Watchmen, the first few issues of Promethea, and a little bit of his work on Supreme. ("I'm Grim 90s Antihero Supreme!") I couldn't get through V for Vendetta, but I think that's largely due to hating the art.
We finished The Two Towers last night, Precious! We read the first page of The Return of the King.
Rereading LOTR has reminded me how much I love these stories and the style they were written in. It has also reminded me why I don't watch the films of them anymore. The books are so much better.
Just finished Deadhouse Gates in Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen series. Looking forward to picking up Chains of Ice (I think that's the title anyhow) and getting back to the rest of the Bridgeburners.
Sidenote: I hated Felisin. Whoa momma did I hate her.
Double sidenote: Kalam was awesome. Though not as much as Felisin was irritating and obnoxious.
Rereading LOTR has reminded me how much I love these stories and the style they were written in. It has also reminded me why I don't watch the films of them anymore. The books are so much better.
That, and the fact that you can read the entire series in the time it takes to sit through one of the movies...
Rereading LOTR has reminded me how much I love these stories and the style they were written in. It has also reminded me why I don't watch the films of them anymore. The books are so much better.That, and the fact that you can read the entire series in the time it takes to sit through one of the movies...
First you impugn my comic books, and now this? You dare?!
Seriously though, first time in my life I've seen someone complain about the movies being slower than the books.
Always weird for me reading the books. My parents read them to me when i was a tyke and a rereading does bring back memories. That's right folks, generational nerd here.
Look, whatever, if it wasn't for those Irish monks who just kept copying books without even knowing what they meant, the dark ages just would have kept on going. Nerds saved civilization, jocks burnt the Library of Alexandria...
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You dare?!
I'm trying to think of what book or movie it was in which the immediate reply was "I dare anything!"
Or maybe Kingsley's "Westward Ho!" -- which is arguably equally goofy. Unfortunately, I have no recollection of ever seeing that movie or reading that book -- but that's OK -- sometimes I'd tear through a new Robert Parker novel and then re-read it again a week later because I'd have forgotten what it was about.
Just finished Deadhouse Gates in Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen series. Looking forward to picking up Chains of Ice (I think that's the title anyhow) and getting back to the rest of the Bridgeburners.
Sidenote: I hated Felisin. Whoa momma did I hate her.
Double sidenote: Kalam was awesome. Though not as much as Felisin was irritating and obnoxious.
Kalam is always awesome. And Felisin? It won't surprise me if Erikson hates her too.
Kalam is always awesome.
It makes me happy to know this. I liked Quick Ben an awful lot in Gardens of the Moon, so I'm hoping he has more than the 2 paragraph cameo he had in Deadhouse Gates in this next book.
Rereading LOTR has reminded me how much I love these stories and the style they were written in. It has also reminded me why I don't watch the films of them anymore. The books are so much better.That, and the fact that you can read the entire series in the time it takes to sit through one of the movies...
And still, they didn't make time for Middle-Earth's coolest pimp, Tom Bombadil.
Nerds saved civilization, jocks burnt the Library of Alexandria...
Yeah, but the louts got laid more.
"There's more to life than books, you know, but not much more."
--Morrissey
I think these posts need to be split up on an annual basis.
I just read the Griffin's Daughter trilogy. I'll admit I picked them up because they were cheap for Kindle, but I really enjoyed them. Nothing earth shattering, mind, but a nice fantasy romance. Pick them up if that's your thing.
We finished The Two Towers last night, Precious! We read the first page of The Return of the King.
Rereading LOTR has reminded me how much I love these stories and the style they were written in. It has also reminded me why I don't watch the films of them anymore. The books are so much better.
[confession]I've hated Tolkien's style for quite a while. I tried some Dunsany a few weeks ago and loathed him with the first sentence. Tolkien only went to ten. Dunsany did 11.[/confession]
But how do you feel about Tom Bombadil, the Mack Daddy of Middle-Earth?
And still, they didn't make time for Middle-Earth's coolest pimp, Tom Bombadil.
Who was it who linked an essay here, not too long ago, explaining how Bombnadil was the most evil guy on Middle-Earth (look at his demesnes, at what lived there!) and was just helping the hobbits knock off Sauron so that he could take over after all the elves then said "cool, job done" and left the world undefended.
Tom Bombadil is a living force that touches us all.
EDIT: John Woodford, and it's on the previous page.
Yeah! Thanks. Cool essay, too.
But how do you feel about Tom Bombadil, the Mack Daddy of Middle-Earth?
I think he's probably the worst bit of LotR from a narrative perspective. I loathe the entire Shire for other reasons, which I'm sure you can guess.
I loathe the entire Shire for other reasons, which I'm sure you can guess.
"Epic Pooh."
I loathe the entire Shire for other reasons, which I'm sure you can guess."Epic Pooh."
Pretty close, yeah. There's a fair bit of epic fantasy I can enjoy despite its sharing some of those same traits, but not Tolkien.
Nerds saved civilization, jocks burnt the Library of Alexandria...Yeah, but the louts got laid more.
"There's more to life than books, you know, but not much more."
--Morrissey
Did you hear that song on a DUKE-BOX or something?
/wink
But how do you feel about Tom Bombadil, the Mack Daddy of Middle-Earth?I think he's probably the worst bit of LotR from a narrative perspective.
You better not let Tom hear you say that! He's been known to cut people!
Also, I finished Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed by Jared Diamond.
Neither of these chapters support my catastrophist commie worldview, so I skipped them! Hee hee!
Anyway, as a layman when it comes to all things scientific, it's definitely worth reading (or at least, skimming), but I liked Guns, Germs and Steel better.
Melmoth the Wanderer I started over.
Speaking of Jack Vance, a copy of Tales of Dying Earth arrived via Amazon and the fine, hard-working, union employees of the United States Postal Service. I am impatient to resume reading about Cugel's deliciously CE behavior.
More on From Hell
Anyway, haven't finished the book or the movie yet, so that's just for now.
Don Juan de Doodlebug Addendum
Goblins do it in the street!
Oh, one more thing, since you guys are talking "Epic Pooh."
Has anyone had an opportunity to read his Wild Romance and Wizardry(?) book?
You better not let Tom hear you say that! He's been known to cut people!But how do you feel about Tom Bombadil, the Mack Daddy of Middle-Earth?I think he's probably the worst bit of LotR from a narrative perspective.
Dude, he really hasn't; I saw him yell at tree one time though...
i just read "true grit", which was pretty good. i didn't think i liked westerns, but adventure is adventure, regardless of the setting, right?
now i'm reading "if the buddha dated".
"Driven to Distraction" by Hallowell and Ratey.
Don't be afraid to get some sleep somewhere in there, it's not a sign of weakness.
Start the Alliance-Union stuff with Downbelow Station; after that you can (sort of) bounce around from whichever book to whichever, but I read DbS four or five books in and felt like I'd discovered the Rosetta Stone.
Glad to hear you enjoyed the Chanur series :)
Jack Vance, Cugel's Saga
So,
"Cugel was momentarily taken aback. The plan had been insolent beyond his suspicions. He feigned easy carelessness of manner. 'No great difference. From the first I sensed that we were not sailing new water, and indeed it caused me a moment or two of bafflement--until I noticed the sorry state of the worms, and all became clear. Still, I tolerated your mischief; such melodramatic efforts amused me! And meanwhile I enjoyed my rest, the ocean air, meals of fine quality--'
"Meadhre interjected a comment. "I, Tabazinth, Salasser--we spat in every dish. Mama sometimes stepped into the galley. I do not know what she did.'
"With an effort Cugel retained his aplomb. 'At night I was entertained by games and antics, and here at least I have no complaint.'
"Salasser said: 'The reverse is not true. Your fumbling and groping with cold hands has bored us all.'
"Tabazinth said, 'I am not naturally unkind but the truth must be told. Your natural characteristics are really inadequate and, also, your habit of whistling between your teeth should be corrected.'
"Meadhre began to giggle. 'Cugel is innocently proud of his innovations,'" (they're still talking about sex) "'but I have heard small children exchanging theories of more compelling interest.'"
Hee hee!
Jack Vance, Cugel's Saga
I'll admit that I had exactly that part in mind when I recommended it to you -- glad you liked it!
I'm not done quite yet, but thank you--your recommendation bumped the rest of the series from "on-the-list" used shopping to direct Amazon purchase!
Back to From Hell
While pondering why the scriptwriters decided to combine Abberline and Lees (and made Johnny Depp a lotus-eater) it occurred to me that, actually, the protagonist of the book is actually Sir Gull. Stripped of Gull's Masonic mumbo-speak, his out-of-body travels through time and space (Blake, Stevenson, various British serial killers), and his lectures on London architecture, the story is pretty much indistinguishable from an epidose of Criminal Minds.
Tell me when you get to Rhialto the Marvellous and read the part about