Main Menu

Whats everyone reading?

Started by Paul faplad Finch, 30 March, 2009, 10:04:36 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

lborl

QuoteStephen Donaldson. I could never get into his so called classic fantasies - I gave up on Thomas Covenant after the third attempt saw me slipping into a coma

Faplad, did you get as far as the second book though - THE ILLEARTH WAR?  The Covenant series escalates *significantly* from that point on.

My most recent novels were THE FOREVER WAR (Joe Haldeman) and I AM LEGEND, which were both excellent, but still overshadowed by THE STARS MY DESTINATION by Alfred Bester, which I read in between. THE STARS MY DESTINATION is the *best* thing I have read since GORMENGHAST. I am tempted to go all Steven Wells about it here, but probably should just leave it at that.

Comics-wise, SKYSCRAPERS OF THE MIDWEST by Joshua W Cotter. It was *beautiful*.

I, Cosh

Quote from: "lborl"
QuoteStephen Donaldson. I could never get into his so called classic fantasies - I gave up on Thomas Covenant after the third attempt saw me slipping into a coma
Faplad, did you get as far as the second book though - THE ILLEARTH WAR?  The Covenant series escalates *significantly* from that point on.

My most recent novels were THE FOREVER WAR (Joe Haldeman) and I AM LEGEND, which were both excellent, but still overshadowed by THE STARS MY DESTINATION by Alfred Bester, which I read in between. THE STARS MY DESTINATION is the *best* thing I have read since GORMENGHAST. I am tempted to go all Steven Wells about it here, but probably should just leave it at that.

Comics-wise, SKYSCRAPERS OF THE MIDWEST by Joshua W Cotter. It was *beautiful*.
Donaldson is one of those folk, much like Frank Herbert, whose writing I think is pretty dreadful but once you get far enough in to get caught up in the story and the world I can leave that behind. Even with that, the Covenant books do go on a bit. I've never read any of his later stuff.

Stars My Destination is one of the best sci-fi books ever.
We never really die.

Kerrin

Let's jaunt!

Great book. Gully Foyle is a brilliant character. I've thought for a while that this would make a good film.

Ignatzmonster

Stars Are My Destination is fantastic. I read it because of the (earned) effusive praise on this board. And damned glad I did. Demolished Man is good too. I've never had any problem with Martin Amis (though he's a pompous twat now and again, though who isn't) until I read a dismissive comment from him on Bester. Now I feel nothing but grudge.

Quote from: "Kerrin"Let's jaunt!

Great book. Gully Foyle is a brilliant character. I've thought for a while that this would make a good film.

Will Smith seems to have taken it on his shoulders to make mediocre action flicks of SF masterpieces so you may get your wish yet.

mogzilla

besides case files 12 which i eventually tracked down....
just got "hater" by dave moody. not started yet but just started two weeks off so catching up with stuff
(also got about 7 hours of family guy and scarface  on sky plus to catch up with ! )

TordelBack

Recently persuaded my fictionally-picky wife to read Stars my Destination, and she's hardly shut up about how brilliant it is since.  Gives one a warm glow, Spreading The Word.

Wake

I've just started reading a new book written by a good friend of mine: The Adamantine Palace by Stephen Deas.

I'm not normally a fan of books with lots of unusual names but this one starts with some family trees and has short chapters each focussing on a small number of characters so I'm getting on pretty well with it so far.

Basically it's about dragon riders and rival royal houses.

JayzusB.Christ

QuoteRecently persuaded my fictionally-picky wife to read Stars my Destination, and she's hardly shut up about how brilliant it is since. Gives one a warm glow, Spreading The Word.

Yep, apart from a couple of Arthur C. Clarke / Philip K Dick novels I'm not normally a huge reader of sci-fi myself (2000ad aside), but a friend of mine gave me that one a few years ago and by Jesus it's good, very difficult to believe it's about 50 years old.
By the way, if anyone hasn't read Cormac McCarthy's The Road yet, do so as soon as possible.
"Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest"

Kerrin

Knights of the Old Republic vol.1 and  Aldebaran vol.1 turned up today so I'll be tucking in to them soon along with the Zarjaz issues I've got left to read and about another 40 or so Megs till I'm up to date. Plus Paul Auster's 'New York trilogy' should turn up in the next couple of days so I'm sorted for reading material for a little while.

Roger Godpleton

Greg Bear is doing some Halo novels. Should this come as a surprise?
He's only trying to be what following how his dreams make you wanna be, man!

I, Cosh

Quote from: "Godpleton"Greg Bear is doing some Halo novels. Should this come as a surprise?
It's a bit of a comedown, but maybe he's run out of Arthur C Clarke novels to update.

I met Greg Bear once. He was pleasant and tall.
We never really die.

The Enigmatic Dr X

Greg Bear's The Forge of God is great.

I'm just about half way through Neal Stephenson's The System of the World, which is tops.
Lock up your spoons!

TordelBack

QuoteGreg Bear's The Forge of God is great.

It really is, and the sequel is even better.

QuoteI'm just about half way through Neal Stephenson's The System of the World, which is tops.

Also awesome beyond adjectives.  Stephenson generally is the absolute business, not least because he affords me the greatest pleasure imaginable by writing really, really long books, so that when I'm about 100 pages in and loving it, I can heft the volume and know there's 100s and 100s of pages left... mmmm, niiiice.

mogzilla

For a bit of light easy reading pick up "prisoner of the daleks" a new doctor who novel...its rather good feels like a mix of old and new who and daleks a plenty and they also speak in the old dalek tv 21 style font which i liked.


and silverfin. the young james bond graphic novel by charlie higson and illustrated by non other than kev the walker! avoided it at first as i thught it was a "teen bond" style 90210 thing ....but it aint its period ,and just darn fun ....

satchmo

I loved The Forge of God, and Eon too.

I've finished Anno Dracula, it was superb from start to finish, and it had a cheeky Dark Shadows reference in it which made me smile too.

Next up is To Your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip Jose Farmer, I've been meaning to read the Riverworld series for years. It's a shame it took him passing away to get my arse in gear though, but I'm excited about starting it.