Twilightpeaks.net
TP.net => The Great Beyond (OOC) => : X-Mhoired (Dan) October 13, 2008, 06:02:01 AM
-
Currently I'm a cross the board from high to lowbrow:
1) The Hero With a Thousand Faces, by Joseph Campbell: Very interesting but slow going. By this point Campbell's points are well known, but it's nice to get it straight from the source.
2) Childhood's End, by Arthur C Clarke: This one's taken me over fifteen years to pick up and finally finish, but I'm glad I did so. Rather than focus on one character, this relatively short novel traces human history over the centuries and creates a truly cosmic epic.
3) All-Star Batman and Robin, Vol.1: Not everything I read can be quite so pretentious. If you liked The Dark Knight movie, check this out ASAP, this feels like what would happen if they added Robin and the rest of the DC characters into the next movie. It also fits in perfectly with the other Frank Miller Batman stories.
Incidentally, this is the first time I've been able to do more than lurk in some time, due to the prep needed for a family gathering this weekend. I hope that everyone is doing well, and am looking forward to begin this game with all of you soon!
-
Well, I was in our spare room a few weeks ago and had a touch of nostalgia while tidying up our book shelves and decided to re-read David Eddings' The Elenium trilogy. One thing led to another, and in the last 3-4 weeks I've ploughed through the Elenium, the Tamuli, the Belgariad and the Mallorean.
Other than that, I'm slowly making my way through Robert Fisk's The Age of the Warrior.
Currently looking for another book or two to read. My wife's got a couple that I might give a go - one on great closing addresses in famous law cases, and another on life during the Renaissance.
-
Currently re-reading The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler. Film Noir is a particular favourite of mine and this book has it all with dead pan delivery. Just thought I should reconnect to the seedy underbelly of life in preperation for the coming game. ;)
-
I am re-reading a couple of dystopian novels, starting with 1984 and Fahrenheit 451. I am thinking of buying and reading Logan's Run as well.
-
I just finished reading "The Sea Wolf", by Jack London. An excellent novel that somehow eluded me all of these years until now. The book's deeply rich characters explore morality, good, evil and what really makes a man a man... at least in the eyes of the lead characters! A definite page turner for me. :)
4 stars (out of 5).
-
Definitely not something I'd put in the recommended reading part, but I'm currently battling my way through "Which contract", an epic tome on English construction conracts and law. I just got my hands on The Shadow Stone, which has been said to orignally written for Birthright, but later changed to Forgotten Realms.
E
-
I'm re-reading G.R.R.Martin's A Feast For Crows.
I'm eagerly waiting for A Dance With Dragons.
Marco G. Fossati
-
Definitely not something I'd put in the recommended reading part, but I'm currently battling my way through "Which contract", an epic tome on English construction conracts and law. I just got my hands on The Shadow Stone, which has been said to orignally written for Birthright, but later changed to Forgotten Realms.
E
LOL. I knew even would find a way to be a pain in my behind.
MOC!!
-
LOL. I knew even would find a way to be a pain in my behind.
MOC!!
Always happy to serve ;)
Just finished the Shadow Stone. Pretty mediocre fantasy literature, but interesting refernces to Birthright.
E
-
I just saw The High King by Lloyd Alexander at the library, and am re-reading it for the fisrt time since grade school. A truly great fantasy and coming of age tale, rooted in Welsh mythology.
I forgot how much I enjoyed the Chronicles of Prydain, and I think Alexander is far too under-rated these days, at least in the US. More personal and accessible then Tolkien, less theological than Lewis, these are simply great stories, with a touching gentleness to them despite some major battle scenes throughout.
If you've never read these before (starting with The Boof of Three, I think you'll like them, and they're light, easy reads, perfect for this colder weather. If you have read them before, i'd be curious to hear/read your thoughts; for me, this last book has been like revisiting an old, well-loved friend.
-
I just picked up a copy of "The Jackal of Nar" by John Marco. Apparently it is a trilogy ("Tyrants and Kings"), so I picked up all three books at the local used book store.
I don't know when I'll actually have time to read it (work, kids, work, wife, work, RoE, work, etc.), but I just started it today and the first 30 pages have grabbed me! :o
-
I've started the Wheel of Time series, which I must confess, kinda disappointed me at first mainly due to its "Gee, I wonder when I'll meet that guy again, oh wow there he suddenly came out of the blue" kinda thing. (In other words, the whole 'talk about the devil' kinda theme, where they talk about the stories of a place, then live the same stories not 10 pages later).
It gets better in the second book though, and I still have a hard time putting the book down, frustrating as some things might be for me.
-
Actually I'm reading Shakespeare's sonnets..
-
History books on ancient greece and ancient rome, some resume of green anarchist movements of the 2001-2008 in quebec, some ethno-linguistic books, my "history of mexico" and some stuff about free universities of mexico, my university course resume on linguistic-theories (a real interesting pain of 1200 pages), some history books of iceland, sweden and brezil (my next possible travel destinations aside from getting back in mexico), some Tchekov (a compilation volume of all his work) with a study of his whole stuff. And I recommand all the above but no one ever want to read my stuff :P.
-
I just picked up a copy of "The Jackal of Nar" by John Marco. Apparently it is a trilogy ("Tyrants and Kings"), so I picked up all three books at the local used book store.
I don't know when I'll actually have time to read it (work, kids, work, wife, work, RoE, work, etc.), but I just started it today and the first 30 pages have grabbed me! :o
I finished "The Jackal of Nar", and I'd give it a 7.8 out of 10. Definitely an enjoyable read with a unique, but believable mixture of medieval and certain aspects of modern warfare. The overall concept and writing was strong enough to grab and keep my attention (and limited reading time), so I would recommend it for anyone interested in a military/fantasy novel. I'll probably start the 2nd book of the Trilogy in April (after I finish my real estate exam).
-
I got this book from my brothe; the Prince of Nothing:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_of_Nothing#Books_in_the_series
I recently finished the trilogy. It was quite nice and I'll recommend it. Fairly well written, if sometimes a little repetitive and long-winded.
What I really didn't like,however, was the fact that this isn't a complete trilogy...it doesn't really provide an ending beyond settng up the next trilogy. Any books two and three could easily have been combined to one, leaving the thrid for the real end of the saga. But I suppose the series sould too well for that - Martin anyone? ;)
-
I've already read the series, and thoroughly enjoyed it so much that now I'm listening to George R.R. Martin's "Game of Thrones" books on CD - as I commute in to and from work each day! The local library has all 4 books of the series, so it's something like 120 CD's before I get thru it all.
I wonder if he will ever write another for the series?
-
Martin?
Oh yes, he's writing - A Dance With Dragons
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Dance_with_Dragons
Unfortunately I think that Martin's books - while still waaay beyond the average fantasy literature - is nowhere near the level they were in the beginning. He's still the same skilled writer, but he's trying to wring too much out of the series, and the result is somewhat lacking IMO. Especially the part about Danerys in the East - lacks the richness of setting that does Westeros. I will ready whatever books he publishes, but I have to say that for part of A Feast for Crows I was actually bored.
Bakker is also releasing the start of a new series:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=the+judging+eye&x=0&y=0
The first book; the Judging Eye is already out.
-
I in my unique way, am reading three books atm, Iain M. Bank's "The Algebraist", Thomas Keneally's "Searching for Schindler" and Frances Hardinge's "Fly By Night"
Frances is a friend of mine and the single most gifted writer I have ever read; her use of language is incredible. I cannot do more than highly recommend all of her work.
-
Martin?
Oh yes, he's writing - A Dance With Dragons
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Dance_with_Dragons
Unfortunately I think that Martin's books - while still waaay beyond the average fantasy literature - is nowhere near the level they were in the beginning. He's still the same skilled writer, but he's trying to wring too much out of the series, and the result is somewhat lacking IMO. Especially the part about Danerys in the East - lacks the richness of setting that does Westeros. I will ready whatever books he publishes, but I have to say that for part of A Feast for Crows I was actually bored.
Maybe the 3 years delay to finish the book could have refreshed his wit...
-
I am reading Good Omens by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
-
I am reading Good Omens by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
What is said about the M25 is all true!
-
I am reading Good Omens by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
What is said about the M25 is all true!
I loved that concept. I wound up incorporating it into a Mage: the Awakening character who worked in the planning department of the city. He wrote runes using residential streets to lay down long-term, wide-impact spells, mainly mind-altering or power-gathering. Never got a chance to play him properly, since I could never get a GM to let the players' goals direct the game instead of a pre-set dramatic story arc. Very sad.
-
I am reading Good Omens by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
What is said about the M25 is all true!
I loved that concept. I wound up incorporating it into a Mage: the Awakening character who worked in the planning department of the city. He wrote runes using residential streets to lay down long-term, wide-impact spells, mainly mind-altering or power-gathering. Never got a chance to play him properly, since I could never get a GM to let the players' goals direct the game instead of a pre-set dramatic story arc. Very sad.
Bad GM!! The best campaigns are those build on the players' goals
-
When not studying, I'm working my way through 'Lone Wolf and Cub' right now. It's a series that I can just read over and over again.