Re: The book thread

by **Zouyo** Tue Nov 29, 2011 10:51 am

Anyone here read the Magician series (series, ha! its like 20 books long so far XD ) by Raymond E. Feist, or the Chronicles/Legends of the Raven bunch by James Barclay, or the Silmarillion by Tolkein, or the Dragonriders of Pern series by Anne McCaffery, or anything by Anne?
Ooh, Thelos, if you want a bunch of Arthurian style books, might I recommend the Dark is Rising Sequence bunch of books by Susan Cooper? If anyone here judges the Dark is Rising books by the Dark is Rising movie, I will (insert overly insane dramatic method of brutal killing that will no doubt be anatomically impossible but will be very painful in the attempt, here)!!

In a state of waiting at the moment for me for my next book...just finished off the Elves: Once walked with Gods book by James Barclay. Very good read imo, then again I may slightly biased cus I love my fantasy novels XD

by **Saevir** Tue Nov 29, 2011 10:53 am

I used to eat up any book written by Alistair MacLean. Also read 1984 while still in elementary school, though I can't remember where exactly I got my hands on it. It wasn't part of the schoolwork at least. Gave me the chills however. Latest books I've read have been mostly HGttG and Terry Pratchett's work.

by **Jeanpierre** Tue Nov 29, 2011 11:03 am

Mandui wrote:Finishing Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse. For the 3rd time.

Loved the book as well... Considering buying the book (borrowed it the first time). My only problem with the dude and their view is that I disagree with him in many ways. But it's a book with a very... deep... meaning if you let it be.

In similar way, I would heartily recommend "Alchemist" from Paulo Coelho. It's a very different approach to a similar spiritual quest.

As for reading... I just finished the Farseer Trilogy and the first book of Dune. I'm reading "Pandora's Star" right now with the "Dwarven" series from Markus Heitz, the remaining 4 books of the "Dune" series, and the Liveship Trilogy in queue.

@Grekthar: yeah, I have the the riftwar saga and Krondor's sons saga. I'm not too impressed actually. There's a lot of ideas, but I feel he took it too far. When you create characters that start walking on the fibers of space and reality, one can wonder if you're still writing fantasy (in the traditional genre) or mythology. Some scenes felt like a DB-Z powerup. I'm glad he lowered that a bit in the subsequent books but he struggles to balance his main characters. The only times I felt he succeed in that was in Silverthorn and Price of the Blood. He doesn't force his supporting characters in such odd positions as often, which is probably why some of those turn out so well that they become an inspiration for new books where they are the main characters.

I'll ask 1984 for Christmas... if I've been a good boy.

Thank you for mentioning Don Quichot, Thelos. I always forget to buy that one. I'll note it down somewhere... I might charge a second hands book store one of these days.

by **Guldujenu** Tue Nov 29, 2011 11:04 am

Eowale wrote:David Eddings.

/bow, reason why i ever started reading fantasy books! Smile

by **Thelos** Tue Nov 29, 2011 11:11 am

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. I ordered A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court this morning because well, its Mark Twain, and you can hardly go wrong with Twain. Why did I have to loose my copy of Huckleberry Finn?

Don Quixote is also considerably funnier when you're familiar with Arthurian and the medieval knightly / courtship genre it parodies, but even if you are not it is still pretty hilarious - And strangely heartfelt and sad at times, too!

by **Mandui** Tue Nov 29, 2011 11:28 am

Jeanpierre/Ragnilde wrote:In similar way, I would heartily recommend "Alchemist" from Paulo Coelho. It's a very different approach to a similar spiritual quest.

I first read that when I was 16. And then again many years later. It's amusing to see how differently I perceived the same book each time.

by **Jeanpierre** Tue Nov 29, 2011 11:33 am

Mandui wrote:
Jeanpierre/Ragnilde wrote:In similar way, I would heartily recommend "Alchemist" from Paulo Coelho. It's a very different approach to a similar spiritual quest.
I first read that when I was 16. And then again many years later. It's amusing to see how differently I perceived the same book each time.

Aye... aye. I believe that is the magic of the author.

by **Grufftoof** Tue Nov 29, 2011 12:05 pm

It touched me when I first read it at 18 or so. I've re-read it a couple of times (it always seems like a very short story).

I also wanted to say, that I cannot recommend strongly enough the wonderful, amazing, swashbuckling, sad and uplifting at the same time, book that is....

The Count of Monte Cristo.

As for Huck Finn and Twain's genius. Well, Huck Finn when I read it eventually (didn't as a child, only as an adult) I was blown away by the book. Because it wasn't really what I expected. Brilliant. It is genius, really. To me anyway.

by **Thelos** Tue Nov 29, 2011 12:18 pm

grufftoof wrote:

As for Huck Finn and Twain's genius. Well, Huck Finn when I read it eventually (didn't as a child, only as an adult) I was blown away by the book. Because it wasn't really what I expected. Brilliant. It is genius, really. To me anyway.

Apperantly the good man also happened to be the best of friends with Tesla

Talk about a friendship that sparks the imagination.

by **Shaelyssa** Tue Nov 29, 2011 1:03 pm

I finished reading The Picture of Dorian Gray last week, was an OK book, not as great as I expected it to be. Now I'm reading Madame Bovary which started off a bit dull but I'm really starting to enjoy it now Very Happy

.

And Lily, you should read Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy!!!! One of my favourite books, if not my favourite Very Happy

by **Shaelyssa** Tue Nov 29, 2011 1:19 pm

grufftoof wrote:"I'm re-reading Jane Eyre, V for Vendetta and just picked up Rebels and Traitors (Lindsey Davis).

Oh I've read Jane Eyre and I didn't think it was all that great of a book honestly... I might be a little bit biased though cause I've had a thing for Hardy ever since I read Tess :p. Some of my favourite novels were written by him (The Mayor of Casterbridge and Jude the Obscure)!!!

by **Morinth** Tue Nov 29, 2011 1:45 pm

The Thirteen and a Half Lives of Captain Bluebear. Read it Shae. Read it now.

by **Thelos** Tue Nov 29, 2011 1:54 pm

Maybe we should start compiling a list of "Books of Defias Brotherhood", since there are so many suggestions flying around in here. Might be nice to compile them for future reference.

by **Grufftoof** Tue Nov 29, 2011 2:03 pm

Just edit the first post to include a list (alphabetical, hidden by spoilers because it could end up quite large)?

by **Shaelyssa** Tue Nov 29, 2011 2:05 pm

Domovoi wrote:Just finished reading Inheritance, the final part to the Eragon series. A brilliant book, I must admit :)

Oh god ... Sorry, but I remember reading Eragon, Brisingr and that other book ... god that series is just awful.

by **Shaelyssa** Tue Nov 29, 2011 2:33 pm

LOL if wikipedia is anything to go by, that book sounds pretty cool Morinth Razz

by **Morinth** Tue Nov 29, 2011 2:51 pm

Shaelyssa wrote:LOL if wikipedia is anything to go by, that book sounds pretty cool Morinth

It's fucking legendary. XD It's sitting beside me right now. Read it countless times, and it never gets boring.

by **Eowale** Tue Nov 29, 2011 3:28 pm

Ragaresh wrote:
Eowale wrote:David Eddings.

/bow, reason why i ever started reading fantasy books!

I know right? At first I was sorta "meh" about it (Mainly cause I find reading in Swedish boring and silly) but then when I read the first book again, but on English, I was like "MUST READ MORE!"

by **Lyv** Wed Nov 30, 2011 7:21 am

Thelos wrote:
When it comes to poetry I tend to enjoy poems in my own native language more than the poems in foreign languages, which is why I tend to only read Dutch poetry, though I am a firm believer that poetry is better listened to and read out loud by the poet in a small audience rather than read by one guy in his armchair at the fireplace.

Faverey.

by **Kristeas Sunbinder** Wed Nov 30, 2011 12:01 pm

Happy Mark Twain's day?

by **Lyniath** Wed Nov 30, 2011 1:00 pm

Shaelyssa wrote:
And Lily, you should read Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy!!!! One of my favourite books, if not my favourite

Talking to me yeh?

And maybe :3 but i don't go to the library much

by **Guldujenu** Thu Dec 01, 2011 9:58 am

Eowale wrote:
Ragaresh wrote:
Eowale wrote:David Eddings.

/bow, reason why i ever started reading fantasy books!

I know right? At first I was sorta "meh" about it (Mainly cause I find reading in Swedish boring and silly) but then when I read the first book again, but on English, I was like "MUST READ MORE!"

Indeed, you should try to read books in their intented laguage, things might seem different due to the translations. A few years back i stopped reading in Finnish unless it's from a Finnish author.

by **Thelos** Thu Dec 01, 2011 10:22 am

Ragaresh wrote:

Indeed, you should try to read books in their intented laguage, things might seem different due to the translations. A few years back i stopped reading in Finnish unless it's from a Finnish author.

Well that's fine and all but you shouldn't let this prevent you from reading the greats from world Literature in a language utterly alien to you. I'm not going to learn Spanish just so I can read Don Quixote, thank you very much.

by **Grufftoof** Thu Dec 01, 2011 10:29 am

Don Quixote has suffered terribly from some atrocious translations though. I've almost thrown (not really, I couldn't do that to a book) away 3 versions of the book at least. Eventually I found a good few years ago a lovely copy in a second hand shop in Holmfirth (I think).

I've a friend who is a Spanish translator and he says it's notoriously badly translated, possibly because it's so popular - many people have tried, few have succeeded.

It's definitely worth reading though. Some things are worth the wait!

by **Amaryl** Thu Dec 01, 2011 11:05 am

gruff can you link to a decently translated copy then?

I remember reading it ~7 years ago in dutch, and was both amused but not impressed. so i've been more entertained by the idea of Don Quixote then the actual tale. so i wouldn't mind having another crack at it.

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