More lies!
Damn lies and statistics.
But what did you expect from a capitalist running-dog lackey?
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The Jar Jar Biggs of Wales?Man, Disney sure turned out a lot of crap in the Seventies and Eighties, amirite? Not even John Hurt's villain could save that piece of tripe.
Back on topic, slightly, I haven't reread the Prydain books since high school or so. I also have my doubts they'd hold up well, especially after I read Evangeline Walton's novelizations of the Mabinogion (which were also pretty good).
You would be surprised. I am.
More lies!Damn lies and statistics.
But what did you expect from a capitalist running-dog lackey?
I don't believe a word you say.
Well, I just finished Wise Man's Fear last night.
Rothfuss really does have a very enjoyable, compelling style of writing. I thoroughly enjoy his descriptions and the framework nature of the book. Also, the world he has created seems lived in and believable - and the underlying rules and laws that govern sympathy are fascinating. I am telling you three times. I enjoyed this book.
I loved Kvothe's time with the Adem and his clumsy attempts to learn their culture. Tempi is one of my favorite characters and I hope we get to see more of him down the road, but I'm skeptical. I'm glad Kvothe is back at the university by the end of the book though, as I was starting to get very bored with his time in Severen with the Maer. I really, really enjoy the supporting characters found back at the University - Elodin, Devi, Auri, Simmon, Fela... even Ambrose, though I enjoy him because he just so completely rotten and a good foil for Kvothe. That being said, I'm eager to find out what turned Kvothe from the wide-eyed, clever youth into a resigned, tired, apathetic innkeeper. I'm eager for, as Bast said to Chronicler at one point, Kvothe to remember himself.
However, there are some things I did not enjoy. Foremost in that category is Kvothe's time in the Fae with Felurian. I hated it. Partly because I'm tired of every author seemingly believing that sex has to be included in varying degrees of graphicness to tell a compelling tale. Sex doesn't need to be ignored, but it can certainly happen "off camera", so to speak. Earlier, Rothfuss hand-waved Kvothe's journey away from the University which included a terrible storm, ship wreck, robbery, and several other events. Something similar could have been done with his time in the Fae and the book not lost anything except a quadruple digit page count. Gratuitousness aside, his time in the Fae stretched on for far too long.
The second thing I did not enjoy, and I never have, is Denna. I pretty much hate her. . That's largly due to Rothfuss writing her so well, because she just plain infuriates me. And Kvothe infuriates me for being so smitten with her, too, but he at least has some endearing and redeeming qualities. Denna, not so much. I'm also suspecting at this point that Denna's mysterious benefactor/master is one of the Chandrian. That'll suck if that turns out to be the case.
On the whole, I enjoyed the book a great deal and I'm eager for the final part of the triology.
So, I picked up The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson because a poster on another thread made the contentious contention that Neal kicks William Gibson's ass.
Well, I haven't finished it yet, but I thought it was weird that I had the same reaction to it that I had to Neuromancer all those years ago: The first 75 pages and I was like, "what the hell is he talking about?" and then all of a sudden it clicked and I was like "this is the best book ever!"
Anyway, I'm not quite done yet so I don't know how he's going to bring together all these plot elements he's juggling, but, so far, I'm impressed.
Also reading some John Milton juvenilia.
Well, I just finished Wise Man's Fear last night.
Denna, on her own, doesn't make me mad. Denna and Kvothe together? I think they should see other people...
With The Wise Man's Fear behind me, I'm now reading through a large anthology of H.P. Lovecraft's works. Just started Dunwich Horror - and I've enjoyed what I've read so far a great deal.
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So, I picked up The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson because a poster on another thread made the contentious contention that Neal kicks William Gibson's ass.
Well, I haven't finished it yet, but I thought it was weird that I had the same reaction to it that I had to Neuromancer all those years ago: The first 75 pages and I was like, "what the hell is he talking about?" and then all of a sudden it clicked and I was like "this is the best book ever!"
Anyway, I'm not quite done yet so I don't know how he's going to bring together all these plot elements he's juggling, but, so far, I'm impressed.
Also reading some John Milton juvenilia.
For my tastes, Stephenson only has a problem with endings--his early books especially (Snow Crash, Diamond Age, Cryptonomicon, Zodiac) seemed to sort-of lurch to a halt with a lot of threads left in disarray. OTOH, it does contribute to a feel of in medias res in a backhanded way. Normally, writers trying to evoke that will drop you into the middle of the situation and expect you to fill in the background as you go. Stephenson does that to some extent, but he also pulls you out of the setting once the parts he thinks are important have been resolved. Both ways of storytelling contribute to the feeling that the story world has an existence apart from the reader--that the characters were doing things before the reader showed up, and they'll continue to do things after the book's been closed. It's still a bit frustrating not to know whether Uncle Enzo {spoiler deleted}, or what Randy and his friends do with {spoiler deleted}, etc.
Just started wading into Thomas Cahill's Mysteries of the Middle Ages. It can be hard going since Cahill is a devout Catholic, and I am...not.
However, his theories and discussions are intriguing, and no matter what I might think of the Catholic Church at this juncture of history, it did a lot to help preserve knowledge and learning through some pretty rough times back in the day. And the echoes of its work still reverberate in our Western culture to this day, even the secular bits.
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Just started wading into Thomas Cahill's Mysteries of the Middle Ages. It can be hard going since Cahill is a devout Catholic, and I am...not.
However, his theories and discussions are intriguing, and no matter what I might think of the Catholic Church at this juncture of history, it did a lot to help preserve knowledge and learning through some pretty rough times back in the day. And the echoes of its work still reverberate in our Western culture to this day, even the secular bits.
"Big Russ & Me" by Tim Russert.
Just started wading into Thomas Cahill's Mysteries of the Middle Ages....
However, his theories and discussions are intriguing,
C'mon, don't tease, give us some mysteries!
C'mon, don't tease, give us some mysteries!Just started wading into Thomas Cahill's Mysteries of the Middle Ages....
However, his theories and discussions are intriguing,
Well, lesse. He argues that the syncretization of traditional Greco-Roman philosophy (Plato, et. al) with the traditional Judaeo-Christian mores (every human has intrinsic value, all things come from the Supreme God as the fountainhead, yadda yadda) that went on in the later Antiquity era led the Roman Catholic Church (and its cousin the Greek Orthodox Chhurch) to become a counterweight to the temporal powers of the day, basically representing a 'higher power' that could say no to kings and emperors. He also argues that by trying to explain the mysteries of faith in a 'scientific' manner (best illustrated by St. Thomas Aquinas) the Church set the stage for genuine scientific inquiry. Basically the church helped to preserve and expand upon Classical knowledge/civilization and pave the way for the Renaissance and true scientific experimentation as well as the ideas of dissent and democractic government.
*pant*
That's pretty much it. I don't agree with a lot of his conclusions, but he does make a good case for some of his arguments.
Man, that's boring.
I thought it was going to be about something cool like alien influence on the Hussite rebellion, or Robin Hood was gay!, or the location of the tomb of Alaric with the treasures of Jerusalem, or, maybe, the TRUE story of Dante and Beatrice...
20 years ago, I read John Jakes' Witch of the Dark Gate and was entralled; I couldn't wait to read Master of the Dark Gate, the first book of the two, but couldn't find it. I'd been searching through moldering stacks of paperbacks in used book stores ever since.
After all these years, I finally found a copy! Greedily, I opened it to start reading on Sunday... and the damn thing disnitegrated -- it was published in 1970, and not very well-preserved. I now have a collection of individual pages.
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After all these years, I finally found a copy! Greedily, I opened it to start reading on Sunday... and the damn thing disnitegrated -- it was published in 1970, and not very well-preserved. I now have a collection of individual pages.
Man, that sucks! Can you read it anyway?
As for myself, I'm afraid that I've been too busy trying to meet hot socialist chicks and playing D&D to have gotten any further on The Diamond Age. Maybe today...
hot chicks and D&D
Hugh Jackman would have trouble selling this.
Man, that's boring.
I thought it was going to be about something cool like alien influence on the Hussite rebellion, or Robin Hood was gay!, or the location of the tomb of Alaric with the treasures of Jerusalem, or, maybe, the TRUE story of Dante and Beatrice...
I think you want the History Channel, not a history book.... =P
But, yeah it is kinda boring, and I dip into it and out. Great foundation for running medieval-type games. The syncretization of diffferent cultures into a hybridized whole is fascinating.
Anyway, for kicks I am also reading Omnitopia Dawn, but I haven't gotten very far into it. A treatment of futuristic MMORPGs? Sign me up.
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After burning through the Darkwar Saga by Raymond Feist (Wow, what an ending! Good stuff, though nothing for newcomers, new readers please start with Magician) I read In Gallant Company by Alexander Kent (A Richard Bolitho novel, marine historical) and "Dragon Emperor" (in German Drachenkaiser) by Markus Heitz. Both novels are brimming with action and adventure, but not so far above standard entertainment to be recommended wholeheartedly.
And now I have begun Sabriel by Garth Nix (first book of the Abhorsen trilogy). I like this book. It has some very good twists about how magic works and the separation of living and dead. It has great action sequences and the inexperience of the protagonist is pictured perfectly. But I am reluctant to break into overenthusiasm... yet. I will read on...
I am currently re-reading Game set and match, by Len Deighton. Such good spy novels, but distinctly of another time, even more so than they where when I first read them, in the late nineties.
Nights of Villjamur by Mark Charan Newton.
Supposedly it's China Mieville-esque, but so far the only similarity are they both have garudas.
I am currently re-reading Game set and match, by Len Deighton. Such good spy novels, but distinctly of another time, even more so than they where when I first read them, in the late nineties.
I liked his cookbook. ;)
And yes, great spy novels.
just finished the runestaff series by michael moorcock. i found nothing particularly notable about it.
on the other hand, "open," andre agassi's autobiography, was outstanding. highly recommended.
Started reading The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson. Only 40 pp. into it, so too early to say anything.One of my faves. Interesting the way society morphs after being freed of the industial age axis of factories and transport.
Feed vs. Seed!
It is only within the last session or two that this made any sense to me. Just got to the big reveal between Dr. X and Hackworth which took place in a McDonald's!
I couldn't help but have freshman anthropology flashbacks! Aaargh!
just finished the runestaff series by michael moorcock. i found nothing particularly notable about it.
Aargh! Kirth, do you see this?!?
Huillaim d'Averc will have your head, cur!
Aargh! Kirth, do you see this?!?
I was pointedly ignoring it until you dragged me back into the thread, Comrade.
A pox on both your houses!
So, The Diamond Age was pretty awesome, although, unfortunately I took 2 or so weeks off from reading it and I wish I hadn't. Killed the momentum, to say the least. After finishing it, I wanted to immediately re-read it, but life is too short to spend all your time reading books you've already read.
Waiting for the library to locate a copy of my next choice, in the meantime I have a hankering to revisit Neuromancer to test the whole Gibson vs. Stephenson theory, or to go on ahead to S.M. Stirling's The Peshawar Lancers because a) Stirling was also on the Gibson-hater's list; and b) Comrade Curtin speaks highly of it.
Also, still working through the Milton a couple of poems a day.
Finished:
Bonhoeffer - Highly recommended. Depressing and unbelievable at times when you realize how many people were simply falling in line and accepting the horrible practices of Nazi Germany. Inspiring when you read about the sacrifices of people who would not give approval or keep silent.
The Last Colony - I am slowly getting annoyed with SCALZI. He might want to switch to third person narrative if he wants to have a big reveal that the reader isn't told about. As it is, the narrator repeatedly gives you the beginning of a scene with a big reveal, then moves on and comes back substantially later to finish the reveal. If it happened once or twice, that would be fun. When you get to three or four or a half dozen times, it just seems manipulative.
A Canticle for Liebowitz - My enjoyment followed the novella order. I enjoyed Brother Francis of Utah's story the most, and the (re)destruction of the world the least. I suppose I ought to have spoilered that. Look, for those who haven't read it, the world gets hosed. Twice.
In process:
Orality and Literacy
Zoo City (although my interest there is waning)
Hunger Games (reading this to my wife each night before we sleep)
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Started reading The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson. Only 40 pp. into it, so too early to say anything.One of my faves. Interesting the way society morphs after being freed of the industial age axis of factories and transport.
Feed vs. Seed!
It is only within the last session or two that this made any sense to me. Just got to the big reveal between Dr. X and Hackworth which took place in a McDonald's!
I couldn't help but have freshman anthropology flashbacks! Aaargh!
What, the Judge's business meeting in the House of the Venerable and Inscrutable Colonel didn't set you off?
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I can't just read a single book at once.
Dwarfs the Omnibus by Nick Kyme and Gav Thorpe. A Warhammer omnibus. Fun if you like dwarfs. The discussion of dwarf language, culture, and general dwarfishness is great for any GM or player wating to better RP a dwarf.
Grey Knights Omnibus by Ben Counter. A Warhammer 40k omnibus. Space paladins.
Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury. A very visceral story about two kids who go to the wrong carnival. Highly recommend.
The Art of War by Sun Tzu. For simplicity's sake, I'll assume you've heard of it.
A Dance with Dragons by George R. R. Martin. I'm actual having to take a break from this one as I sped through the last books too fast and I think the impetus is drying up. Still very good so far, though.
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark: Blackwood's Guide to Dangerous Faeries by Guillermo Del Toro, Christopher Golden, and Troy Nixey. A tie-in prequel to the Del Toro film. If you liked the movie, I highly recommend the book.
Coraline by Neil Gaiman. Scarier than the movie.
The Coming of Conan the Cimmerian by Robert E. Howard. A collection of Howard's Conan stories. Currently on The Frost Giant's Daughter.
The Vampire Lestat by Anne Rice (re-read). Because every time I see something Twilight related I feel the need to read good vampire fiction.
Superheroes and Philosophy by Tom Morris and Matt Morris. A discussion on philosophical concepts and applying to the superhero sub-culture and mythology.
Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury. A very visceral story about two kids who go to the wrong carnival. Highly recommend.
+1. This was the first thing by bradbury I ever read.
Aaargh!What, the Judge's business meeting in the House of the Venerable and Inscrutable Colonel didn't set you off?
Hee hee!
I laughed at that, but my flashbacks weren't kicked off until the Micky D's.
The book through the link was actually interesting, I must admit. One random factoid from the preface: when McDonald's debuted in Russia (Soviet? I can't remember now), management had to hand out fliers to the queued-up customers explaining that if the counterperson smiled at them, they were being friendly, not insulting!
Anyway, that class (Introduction to Cultural Anthropology) was all right, partly because the subject matter was interesting, but mostly because the professor was HAWT!!! If you're going to UMass Boston, see if Prof. LaPorte is still around! (I think she also taught at BU.)
Anyway, my copy of Neuromancer is boxed up in the attic and the local library didn't have a copy of it (or The Satanic Verses either--damn budget cuts!), so it looks like it's The Peshawar Lancers next.
On to the Conan anthology next...
can i recommend this one?
Just started wading into Thomas Cahill's Mysteries of the Middle Ages.
I couldn't let myself be one-upped by CC, so I, too, read a book about the Middle Ages: The Rise of the Feudal Monarchies by Sidney Painter.
Man, feudalism sucked!
Am almost finished with The Harvard Library's Complete Poems in English by John Milton, only one poem ("Comus") to go, but: after you take out Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained and Samson Agonistes, there's only like 80 pages of Milton poetry in English. Does that strike anybody else as strange?
Just started wading into Thomas Cahill's Mysteries of the Middle Ages.I couldn't let myself be one-upped by CC, so I, too, read a book about the Middle Ages: The Rise of the Feudal Monarchies by Sidney Painter.
Man, feudalism sucked!
Am almost finished with The Harvard Library's Complete Poems in English by John Milton, only one poem ("Comus") to go, but: after you take out Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained and Samson Agonistes, there's only like 80 pages of Milton poetry in English. Does that strike anybody else as strange?
Milton has a great poetic voice. I did a course devoted solely to him in college. I should really go back and reread some that stuff.
Feudalism is not a real fun governmental system to live under, but it is our cultural heritage as it were. Heck we're chatting on a site devoted to the faux simulation of pseudo-medieval realities, no?
Anyway, been too busy to read much. A friend donated a few BPRD graphic novels to me, always good for a quick read.
after you take out Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained and Samson Agonistes, there's only like 80 pages of Milton poetry in English. Does that strike anybody else as strange?
Considering this year's Nobel laureate, Tomas Tranströmer's, output could be fitted into one thick paperback, not really.
Considering this year's Nobel laureate, Tomas Tranströmer's, output could be fitted into one thick paperback, not really.
So, according to the wikipedia page, he wrote a lot of his poetry in Latin and Italian. Also, his list of prose works is rather long. Both of these categories were left out of a collection of his poems in English.
Am roughly half way through The Peshawar Lancers and the first two acts of The Two Gentlemen of Verona. After I finish the latter, I will be four plays away from reading every poem and play commonly attributed to Shakespeare! Yay me!
Feudalism is not a real fun governmental system to live under, but it is our cultural heritage as it were. Heck we're chatting on a site devoted to the faux simulation of pseudo-medieval realities, no?
Vive la Galt!
Speaking of which: why is it Vive la France! but Vive le Quebec!? Is Quebec considered masculine, or is this an example of French-Canadians speaking old-school French before the language was simplified?
Feudalism is not a real fun governmental system to live under, but it is our cultural heritage as it were. Heck we're chatting on a site devoted to the faux simulation of pseudo-medieval realities, no?
Vive la Galt!
Speaking of which: why is it Vive la France! but Vive le Quebec!? Is Quebec considered masculine, or is this an example of French-Canadians speaking old-school French before the language was simplified?
IDK. As a linguist, I have always found the gender assignments of objects/places in languages that have them pretty random. Neutral gender for things that don't actually have a gender works much better IMO. Simpler to remember.
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I am reading "Goblin Corps" by Ari Marmell.
It is very entertaining a great mix of humor and adventure, although it is not a d&d/pathfinder book you can see the games influance on it (Ari was a WotC employee for thoses of you who did not know).
I strongly suggest you check it out - it starts a little slow but picks up once the main charatcers are introduced.
Finished The Two Gentlemen of Verona, which wasn't very good, although it had a hilarious urinating dog in it, so, that was cool.
Stopped by one of the cheapo used bookstores and found Heroes in Hell, which I've been thinking of on and off for the past two years. I read a lot of this series when I was prepubescent, and I had to buy it because of the nostalgia.
I'm reading Cascadia's Fault a look at the examination of various fault systems around the world to understand how the Cascadia fault system works and possibly how it might eventually trigger a megathrust earthquake along the Pacific coast of North America - a bit of concern for Oregon, Washington state and British Columbia residents.
I finished The Peshawar Lancers by S.M. Stirling and I found it to be enjoyable, but nowhere near the level of awesomeness of Gibson and Stephenson.
I finished The Peshawar Lancers by S.M. Stirling and I found it to be enjoyable, but nowhere near the level of awesomeness of Gibson and Stephenson.
Stirling is good 'popcorn' reading, but yeah, not quite in the same class
Conquistador is a good one off book from Stirling, about a man who accidentally finds a gate to a parallel universe and starts his own kingdom there
Stirling is good 'popcorn' reading, but yeah, not quite in the same class
Listen, you child of misbelief, Ibrahim Khan was probably my favorite character!
To be honest, it was fun, but the biggest impact the book had on me was a desire to read about the irl British Raj.
And I'm starting to freak out over all the thematic continuity running through my recent reading--Difference Engine, The Diamond Age, The Peshawar Lancers--I think I need to provide a Victorian musical interlude.
Flipped through the first couple pages of The Satanic Verses but it looked like it might be tough--I want to take it easy and am trying to decide between The Walking Dead omnibus I've got and Jack Vance's The Dying Earth.
EDIT: Oh, I also read The Feast of Ravenmoor which was cool. My group is coming towards the end of The Haunting of Harrowstone and they're coming up a little short on xp (they're not very good: they missed almost all of the research and roleplaying awards) and I might need a supplementary module, and this one, with its
So, for the Martin-uninitiated, please:
It goes
Game of Thrones
Clash of Kings
Storm of Swords
Feast of Crows
Dance of Dragons
and then two unwritten ones?
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So, for the Martin-uninitiated, please:
It goes
Game of Thrones
Clash of Kings
Storm of Swords
Feast of Crows
Dance of Dragonsand then two unwritten ones?
Yep, that's basically correct, it's:
A Game of Thrones
A Clash of Kings
A Storm of Swords
A Feast for Crows
A Dance with Dragons
Then the next two will be (as of now):
The Winds of Winter
A Dream of Spring