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I wanted a story exploring the mysterious and monstrous Drood. The book is actually a very literary piece about Collins' character and his weird obsession with Dickens (and themes about the fictions we create for ourselves and others, artifice and imagination, etc.).
Don't you just hate it when that happens?
Reading The Windup Girl now, @ chapter 7. Im really enjoying this one.
Reading The Windup Girl now, @ chapter 7. Im really enjoying this one.
Glad to hear it! I really enjoyed it myself.
Anybody else read any of Simmon's other horror besides The Terror and Drood? Was going to try Drood next but been persuaded otherwise.
A Winter Haunting?
Carrion Comfort?
I wanted a story exploring the mysterious and monstrous Drood. The book is actually a very literary piece about Collins' character and his weird obsession with Dickens (and themes about the fictions we create for ourselves and others, artifice and imagination, etc.).Don't you just hate it when that happens?
Yeah, because then I feel like a bad reader. Like, you know, if I was a little more highbrow then I would be all over this stuff, but I was just in it for the cannibal soul-suckers. :/
re: Simmons' other horror titles: Carrion Comfort is supposed to be very good, but I haven't read it (keep picking it up at the bookstore, realizing I just can't do vampires anymore, and putting it back down). Summer of Night is pretty great if you want to read Simmons doing Hollywood blockbuster horror. It does bear a lot of resemblance to Stephen King's It, but that didn't bother me much. Lovedeath, a collection of his short stories, has some amazing pieces and some that (IMO) haven't aged too well in a few particulars, but overall I'd recommend it.
Reading The Windup Girl now, @ chapter 7. Im really enjoying this one.Glad to hear it! I really enjoyed it myself.
+2
picked up >Harbinger of the storm< at a Borders blowout, not realizing it was a sequel. However, unlike many sequels, this one is really working for me even though I haven't read the first. I love Aztec stuff, and this book seems to handle their culture and daily living in a very, if not 'historical', then 'versimilitudinal' way. Also, sorcery and divine powers actually work, which is intriguing. I learned a few things about WHY the Aztecs were so focused on ripping hearts out of sacrificial victims, and what the consequence of not doing so would be.
Reading the 'Lost Fleet' Series just now. I find the characters a bit wooden and cliched but the space combat is good
You're your a hard sell on that movie, Kirth. LOL
Don't get me wrong, Paul -- I didn't think it was at all a bad movie -- it was interesting and I was happy to see it -- I just didn't think it was itself better than the source novel (unlike in the case of, say, Michael Mann's Last of the Mohicans vs. the original J.F. Cooper novel (which I loved, but which, frankly, isn't as good as the 1992 film)).
Yes, the movie, Last of the Mohicans is one of my faves too. Not many movies are better than the books. The Silence of the Lambs, No Country for Old Men, We Were Soldiers, The Bourne Identity, and LA Confidential are close though, to name a few I have read.
The Bourne Identity
One of my favorite novels, and least-favorite movies. I would have liked the movie better if they'd had the honesty to name it something else and not pretend it was based on the book. (Compare also Dashiell Hammett's The Glass Key with the Coen Brothers' Miller's Crossing, and Hammett's Red Harvest vs. Leone's Fistful of Dollars -- I loved both novels, and both movies).
LA Confidential
Awesome movie, even better novel. Have read/seen both more than once.
The Bourne IdentityOne of my favorite novels, and least-favorite movies. I would have liked the movie better if they'd had the honesty to name it something else and not pretend it was based on the book. (Compare also Dashiell Hammett's The Glass Key with the Coen Brothers' Miller's Crossing, and Hammett's Red Harvest vs. Leone's Fistful of Dollars -- I loved both novels, and both movies).
LA ConfidentialAwesome movie, even better novel. Have read/seen both more than once.
I recently reread The Bourne Identity and I think they restructured the book into a different type of movie to make it politically correct. I don't know how many times Bourne slapped around Marie St. Jacques. If he did that on the big screen, he certainly wouldn't be a hero anymore. Although it is probably more realistic to assume an assassin would behave closer to the book portrayal than in the screen representation, it's a different form of media. You can get away with a lot more in the book than on the screen. I admit it's a great book, but I think the movie is superior. I feel the second half of the book is weak compared to the first, whereas the movie maintains it's momentum. I feel The Holcroft Convenant is Ludlum's best work, hands down.
I am huge James Ellroy fan, and it's hard to capture on the big screen what the "Demon Dog of American Crime Fiction" manages to portray in his writing. LA Confidential is a superior movie, but the book is better. Along with McCarthy's No Country for Old Men and Harris's Red Dragon and The Silence of the Lambs, it's the cream of the crop of the modern crime genre.
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It's so connfusing, but interestingThe Mote in God's Eye by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. It is the 1974 printing, which I think is the original printing. A good catch at the local GoodWill for under $2.00.
I have the first printing harcover.
Great book.
Good book. My old paperback copy is just about falling apart, I hardly dare read it anymore.
I'm reading, for the first time, Raymond Fiest's Riftwar Saga. Currently on book 2 Magician: Master and am enjoying it so far. Many, many cliched things in it but with enough new twists and turns to make it interesting and enjoyable.
I am huge James Ellroy fan.
Word. I loved all the Dudley Smith ones especially. Didn't care as much for the pseudo-historical Kennedy ones, though.
If you're an Ellroy fan, you might also check out Robert Parker's All Our Yesterdays -- a lot different from his usual breezy throw-away stuff.
And DEFINITELY give Andrew Vachss a chance. The only problem with his Burke series is that he assumes you read them in order, so coming in mid-series is difficult. For an intro, you might instead read his excellent stand-alone novel Shella, or some of the short stories in Born Bad or Everybody Pays.
I have read Vachss stuff, Kirth. I think Flood, the very first book, and Mask Market are my favourites. The guy throws everything but the kitchen sink at you in Flood. He's hard boiled, just like Ellroy. Have you read the guy's background, Kirth? He has had a lifetime and a half of different experiences. He actually wrote a Batman comic too; something about child sexual abuse which was a bit hardcore for the average Batman reader.
I like Robert B Parker's Jesse Stone novels. Tom Selleck portrays him in the made for TV movies. His Spenser novels are not as good, but have great dialogue between Spenser and Hawk. He also wrote Appaloosa, the cowboy flick with Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen.
How about Ed Mcbain, Kirth? His 87th Precint novels are what started me on crime fiction. His 80's writings, topped by Ice, are the cream of the crop.
Carl Hiassen is another favourite. Not hard boiled, but contain so much zippy humour and a wild cast of characters, every book is a treat.
Dennis Lehane's Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro stuff is incredible. Hardcore as they come too. The movie, Gone, Baby, Gone is based on one of Lehane's books about the private investigator team. He also wrote Mystic River and Shutter Island.
James Lee Burke's early Dave Robicheaux stuff is good. The Neon Rain and Heaven's Prisoners were great, the latter a much underrated movie starring Alec Baldwin.
Also Val McDermid's The Distant Echo, Michael Connelly's Echo Park and Robert Crais's LA Requiem are fine books.
I don't think I forgot anyone did I? LOL.
1. I have read Vachss stuff... Have you read the guy's background, Kirth?
2. I like Robert B Parker's Jesse Stone novels.
3. He also wrote Appaloosa, the cowboy flick with Ed Harris and Viggo Mortensen.
4. How about Ed Mcbain, Kirth?
5. Carl Hiassen is another favourite.
6. Dennis Lehane also wrote Mystic River and Shutter Island.
7. James Lee Burke's early Dave Robicheaux stuff is good.
8. Val McDermid's The Distant Echo
9. Michael Connelly's Echo Park
10. Robert Crais's LA Requiem are fine books.I don't think I forgot anyone did I? LOL.
1. Yes, and the Batman novel, and all his essays, and A Bomb Built in Hell. Vachss is one of my favorites.
2. Yes -- although I dislike the Sunny Randall stuff, and was annoyed when the two series got merged. I love the Tom Selleck movies, and got my parents addicted to them as well.3. LOVED it! And loved the movie just as much, if not more. Hope Ed Harris is able to do the rest of the series.
4. Missed him -- will check him out.
5. Meh. I prefer Elmore Leonard; Hiassen always seemed like a second-rate knockoff for some reason.
6. Mystic River was equally as good as the movie. Shutter Island I thought was contrived and annoyingly obvious; I skipped the movie entirely.
7. Will check it out -- have heard good reviews elsewhere as well.
8. Add another one to the list! Thanks!
9. Read one of Connelly's books, and can't even remember which one now, so it must not have left an impression.
10. Crais has gotten a lot better than when he started out as a Robert Parker wanna-be, finally finding his own voice.
Who else?
"One Hundred Thousand Kingdoms" by N.K. Jemisen.
Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games
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On a recent plane trip to New Orleans and back for a conference, I started reading "Empire of the East" by Fred Saberhagen (finished "Broken Lands," the first of three shorter novels combined into EotE), and also continued re-reading "The Diamond Throne" by David Eddings.
Who else?
John D. MacDonald is a long-time favorite, if a bit old-school. Then again, I love Hammett and Chandler. And Alastair MacLean's spy stuff is still awesome.
Baldacci's Absolute Power was a masterpiece, about a zillion times better than the lame movie (which not even Eastwood could salvage). Unfortunately, all his other novels are juvenile, almost as if written by a 13-year-old, so I'd consider him a one-hit wonder. Lee Child is a guilty pleasure, especially The Enemy.
I've been meaning to try MacDonald, especially after reading Stephen King was an avid fan. It was also King who recommended Ed McBain. Also have a few Hammet books, but never gotten around to reading them yet.
I read MacLean's Navarone stuff and Where Eagles Dare. Where Eagles Dare is definitely one of the best WW2 flicks ever. The Navarone movies hold up pretty well too with amazing casts (including an almost inrecognizable young Harrison Ford in Force 10).
Have you tried Ken Follet's Eye of the Needle, Kirth? One of the best spy and assassin novels ever written. Up there with Forsyth's Day of the Jackal, the Bourne stuff and one of my own personal faves, Solo by Jack Higgins. Follet's writing never again touched the greatness he accomplished in this book. Also a movie with Donald Sutherland and Kate Nelligan, but not nearly as great as the novel (as expected).
I'll have to try Absolute Power. There's so much of Baldacci's stuff around, it's hard to know where to start. I own the movie; didn't know Baldacci wrote it.
My father is a huge fan of Lee Child. I'll have to start on his stuff too with two glowing recommendations.
Dry Storeroom No. 1 - The Secret Life of the Natural History Museum by Richard Fortey was a very good read.
Have you tried Ken Follet's Eye of the Needle, Kirth? One of the best spy and assassin novels ever written. Up there with Forsyth's Day of the Jackal, the Bourne stuff and one of my own personal faves, Solo by Jack Higgins.
Yes, and I'm about to finish his Pillars of the Earth (the film adaptation -- again with Donald Sutherland -- seemed to be made solely in order to change a lot of things for no reason other than to change them).
I've read a lot of Forsyth (including DotJ, of course) and some Higgins as well.
If you like the spy/assassin genre, have you read David Morrell's Brotherhood of the Rose? It's one of my all-time favorites, although a lot of his other novels tend to suck (except Assumed Identity, which was also pretty good -- and, surprisingly, First Blood, a decent novel which unfortunately somehow spawned the Stallone Rambo franchise).
Just finished "The Windup Girl". Great read, I can see why this won a Hugo and/or Nebula. Recommended.
On a recent plane trip to New Orleans and back for a conference, I started reading "Empire of the East" by Fred Saberhagen (finished "Broken Lands," the first of three shorter novels combined into EotE)
Great book. Probably one of the best books Saberhagen ever wrote (and I have much love or his Bezerker ones as well). I have yoinked many a concept from that book for games I have run. I also think I might not be alone in that (Archdemon Orcus, anyone??)
"The Child Thief"
it's basically Peter Pan Meets Avalon meets Ravenloft.
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Recently finished:
Fiction:
World Made By Hand by James Howard Kunstler
The Witch of Hebron by James Howard Kunstler
The Brothers' War by Jeff Grubb
Fragment by Warren Fahy
Gideon's Sword by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
The Ice Limit by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
Nonfiction:
Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell
A Devil's Chaplain by Richard Dawkins
Graphic novels:
Map Of My Heart by John Porcellino
The Wild Hunt by Mike Mignola and Duncan Fegredo
Conqueror Worm by Mike Mignola
Currently reading:
Fiction:
The Scar by China Miéville
Up next:
Fiction:
The Heroes by Joe Abercrombie
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Roadside Picnic by Boris and Arkady Strugatsky
Cold Vengeance by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child (upcoming)
Pandemonium by Warren Fahy (upcoming)
Nonfiction:
The Boilerplate Rhino by David Quammen
The Long Emergency by James Howard Kunstler
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Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 4, Legendary Games
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On a recent plane trip to New Orleans and back for a conference, I started reading "Empire of the East" by Fred Saberhagen (finished "Broken Lands," the first of three shorter novels combined into EotE)Great book. Probably one of the best books Saberhagen ever wrote (and I have much love or his Bezerker ones as well). I have yoinked many a concept from that book for games I have run. I also think I might not be alone in that (Archdemon Orcus, anyone??)
His version of elemental summoning was extremely like the 1st Ed AD&D method (including elementals turning on you, not being able to summon them from worked stone, etc.).
I've heard of Saberhagen for ages (lots of guys back in college talked about the Book of Swords) but this is the first of his books I've actually read. As for EotE, I enjoyed it and will be continuing one next time I get some pleasure reading time.
I finished reading The Wise Man's Fear by Patrick Rothfuss the other day. I thought it was pretty great, but rather infuriating.
Oh yeah, and Kvothe finally gets laid.
I mentioned Lost above, but mostly Rothfuss reminds me of Joss Whedon writing Harry Potter. Which probably isn't everybody's cup of tea, but I like it.
I do have to admit, however, that after 1800 pages, the whole Will They/Won't They between Denna and Kvothe is getting puh-retty boring. In Elfland, as in this world, crazy chicks are crazy chicks and are best avoided. Run away, Kvothe, run away! (Although, in the interests of fairness, Kvothe is nothing but trouble, too, as Fela points out.)
One little thing: In both The Wise Man's Fear and Daniel Abraham's Long Price Quartet, we see vaguely Asiatic-themed societies with languages more dependent upon posture and gesticulation than my own whitebread Anglophonic ways. Is this based on something or just synergistic weirdiosity?
Final verdict: Great, but not going to win any new fans. Quite possibly could drive away the not-totally-convinced.
I've also recently read Shakespeare's The Winter Tale (meh) and 2/3rds of Dante's The Divine Comedy. Would've finished it, but damn those interlibrary loans and their "no-renewals" policy! I've got a lot to say about the latter, but I'll wait 'til I finish The Paradiso.
Seems like forever ago, but I recall Tarol Hunt advertising the book The Name of the Wind by by Patrick Rothfuss. I brushed it off when Thunt drew the filler strip pushing the book.
Well last week the dang book showed up in the Recommended For You section in my Nookstore. So I read the reviews, and they all veritably glowed. I then downloaded the sample chapter, my curiosity more than piqued.
After finishing the sample chapter, I immediately purchased the full book and kept on reading.
After reading Cormack McCarthy recently, I'm quite enamored with Mr. Rothfuss' style - as he seems more than adroit at writing with poetic flair while at the same time using complete sentences. McCarthy was poetic enough, but holy cow did he like to use sentence fragments!
Anyway, I'm really enjoying The Name of the Wind.
Stuff about detective books and spy stories
I'm not a big Lehane fan, but being a proud trade unionist and a communistically-inclined ex-Bostonian, I've got to give a shout out for The Given Day.
Random historical stuff from that book that was sure to turn me into a fan:
--John Reed and Eugene O'Neill getting into a bar fight
--Babe Ruth striking during the World Series
--The Great Molasses Explosion
--More examples of Boston's sketchy history with race relations
--Boston Police Strike of 1919
--A "War on Terror" style manhunt for Italian anarchists (although as far as I can tell the characters are fictional, they are depicted as followers of Luigi Galleani, whose other followers Sacco and Vanzetti used to meet in a building down the street from where I lived for 12 years that is now a White Hen convenience store.)
I read a book a long time ago that was a southern detective story that alluded, in fictional form, to both the assassination of Medgar Evars and the history of William S. Burroughs. Is that a Robicheaux book?
And finally, I wanted to drop some love for two other authors (one detective, one spy):
--Walter Mosley's Easy Rawlins books (they made Devil in a Blue Dress into a film with Denzel Washington and an early appearance by Don Cheadle)
--John Le Carre (who's been filmed innumerable times), especially his classic Cold War thrillers. Anyone intrigued by these books (The Honourable School Boy, Smiley's People, The Russia House, etc.) should further look into the real life history of the Cambridge Five, perhaps the most successful spy ring in the history of espionage.
In fact, I'll also recommend two nonfiction spy books: My Five Cambridge Friends by Yuri Modin, their former handler; and Red Orchestra by Gilles Perrault, detailing the very exciting adventures of Leopold Trepper and his network in Nazi Germany.
John Le Carre
Wait... are you the same guy who wouldn't finish The Republic, but you can somehow wade through not one, but multiple Le Carre "thrillers"? My hat is off to you, sir! The Spy Who Came in from the Cold started me cold, and had me asleep by page 50 or so. By page 100 I feared I would become permanently comatose, and gave up -- one of the very few books I've started and not finished.
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John Le CarreWait... are you the same guy who wouldn't finish The Republic, but you can somehow wade through not one, but multiple Le Carre "thrillers"? My hat is off to you, sir! The Spy Who Came in from the Cold started me cold, and had me asleep by page 50 or so. By page 100 I feared I would become permanently comatose, and gave up -- one of the very few books I've started and not finished.
(Semi-successfully fighting the urge to rise to the Plato bait)
I never read The Spy Who..., so I can't comment, but, yeah, I think he's great. I'd recommend giving The Russia House a whirl if you're open to suggestions. If you find that equally soporific, I'll pay your library late fees!
I just started "The Gunslinger" by Stephen King.
I didn't even know the Dark Tower series existed until a few weeks ago.I am starting book II, "The Drawing of the Three".
The Gunslinger rocked!
Now, I am starting book III, "The Waste Lands".Starting Book IV !! "Wizard and Glass"
After a brief hiatus, I am starting Book V, "Wolves of the Calla"
Just finished The Man Eaters of Tsavo and other East African Adventures by Colonel John Henry Patterson. A true story account about the construction of a railroad through East Africa and the author's encounter with two man eating lions. Spawned the movie The Ghost and the Darkness. An fast, great read, picked it off in two sittings. Also some interesting background on his other big game hunting and adventures with African wildlife.
Up next, Joe Hill's Horns.
Thanks's for the Morrell advice, Kirth. Just went to the bookstore and picked up Brotherhood of the Rose.
Doodlebug: Read Cinnamon Kiss, A Little Yellow Dog and Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosely. Enjoyed the books and really enjoyed the movie, DIABD. Don Cheadle was great as Mouse.
Will check out those nonfiction spy books. Sound good.
I think this may have gotten lost, so I'm reposting it over here. A lot of the great stories I've enjoyed lately have been read to me on StarShipSofa, so I'm spreading the word:
Paizonians, attend!
If you know not of The Audio Science Fiction Magazine, I bring you tidings of one of the greatest podcasts ever!
After a brief hiatus, I am starting Book V, "Wolves of the Calla"I just started "The Gunslinger" by Stephen King.
I didn't even know the Dark Tower series existed until a few weeks ago.I am starting book II, "The Drawing of the Three".
The Gunslinger rocked!
Now, I am starting book III, "The Waste Lands".Starting Book IV !! "Wizard and Glass"
Thats OK your Hiatus couldnt be anywhere near as long as Stephen's was between books 4 and 5. I enjoyed 5, 6, & 7 quite a bit so I hope you enjoy.
While waiting for The Divine Comedy to become available, I've been reading Louisa May Alcott's gripping sword-and-sorcery saga Little Women.
Just got to the part where the paladin (Beth) and the barbarian (Jo) have met up with Sir Laurence and they stormed the Moffat Castle to rescue Meg. When Beth rammed the candelabra through Ned Moffat's skull in revenge of his horrendous treatment of Hannah, the loyal family slave, I almost wept. Can't wait to see what they get up to in the Slough of Despond. I bet Mr. Brooke gets his.
I've been reading Louisa May Alcott's gripping sword-and-sorcery saga Little Women...
It's posts like this that make me wish these forums had a "Like" button, the way Facebook does.
I've been reading Louisa May Alcott's gripping sword-and-sorcery saga Little Women...It's posts like this that make me wish these forums had a "Like" button, the way Facebook does.
Thank you for the kind words; I blush.
Finished the first part of Little Women. Since the two parts were published separately, I've decided to read something in between the two books in an attempt to replicate the original presentation of the novel authentically. I do things like this because I am weird.
I chose Julius Caesar's Commentaries on the Gallic War. It's alright, though I'm a little disappointed because it's not as awesome as I had hoped it would be. I'm reading it alongside the appropriate chapter of Michael Grant's biography so that I don't have to take JC's word for things and, frankly, I prefer his account. Also, since I'm monolingual, I can't appreciate the clarity and power of JC's Latin, a problem I also had with Lucretius. But don't get me wrong, it's enjoyable.
Can't wait to get back to Little Women, though. Now that the March Sisterhood has been reunited with the archmage (Father), things are gonna really heat up!
Reading an odd book I got in the great Borders selloff called Yarn. Described as a 'Fashionpunk' novel, it follows the protagonist's journey as he searches for illegal psychedelic yarn to make a coat for a former lover who wishes to die in hallucinogenic bliss. As he sets out he remembers his journey to the top of the fashion world of Seattlehama, a futuristic city set atop Mt Ranier. Very old-school cyberpunk in flow and feeling
My two favorite books of all time are "Master of the Five Magics" and its first sequel, "Secret of the Sixth Magic" by Lyndon Hardy. I read "Master" seven times, and am now reading "Secret" for the seventh time.
I keep raving about these. These books present the coolest magic system I've ever seen. I'm currently on the last part of "Secret," which presents the coolest alien world I've ever seen.
And there are more reasons to like them. Each of Hardy's novels is divided into 4 to 6 parts, and Hardy crams more plot, drama, and action into one part than most authors can manage in an entire NOVEL. And Hardy gets the lingo just right, too. He throws in just enough archaisms to give the novels the right sort of feel for fantasy, without going overboard by using thee's, thou's, or forsooth's. I don't know how he did it.
Thanks for the reference, Aaron, I'll check them out.
Currently reading the horror classic, The Keep by F. Paul Wilson. Very entertaining so far, involving Nazis against a long hidden evil awoken in a keep in Romania. Inspired Michael Mann's 1983 film, The Keep, starring Jurgen Prochnow, Ian McKellan, Gabriel Byrne and Scott Glenn. About halfway through, hope it maintains it's horror goodness.
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I read Master of the Five Magics when I was a teenager - haven't read it since, but the fact I remember it (for the right reasons) twenty-ahem years on is probably a sign of decent quality.
By the way, I'd like to say to everyone on this thread that this is great for keeping up with interesting things to read. So many books, so little time.
Currently reading the horror classic, The Keep by F. Paul Wilson.
Be aware 'The Keep' is only the first book of Wilson's Adversary Cycle and that the other books of the cycle are being re-written. The cycle includes Repairman Jack novels as well as others.
Be aware 'The Keep' is only the first book of Wilson's Adversary Cycle and that the other books of the cycle are being re-written. The cycle includes Repairman Jack novels as well as others.
Why is he rewriting them? To tie them all in?
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After a brief hiatus, I am starting Book V, "Wolves of the Calla"I just started "The Gunslinger" by Stephen King.
I didn't even know the Dark Tower series existed until a few weeks ago.I am starting book II, "The Drawing of the Three".
The Gunslinger rocked!
Now, I am starting book III, "The Waste Lands".Starting Book IV !! "Wizard and Glass"
Starting Book VI, "Song of Susannah"