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Whats everyone reading?

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

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Colin YNWA

Must admit I've never read an Burroughs but this conversation has left me tempted. The question is will I remember after I wade through my X-mas pile?

locustsofdeath!

Quote from: Colin_YNWA on 04 January, 2010, 08:29:41 AM
Must admit I've never read an Burroughs but this conversation has left me tempted. The question is will I remember after I wade through my X-mas pile?

As stated, I'm a huge John Carter fan. Read both the books and the comics if possible (there is a Barnes & Nobles HB edition collecting the first three novel which I just bought used for 1.99). The books are quite good - full of adventure, action, savagery - and the Marvel comics start off pretty nicely and boast some great Gil Kane art and remain pretty fun throughout the entire run. They're getting tougher to find not though; maybe because of the upcoming film, people are paying more attention to them. The older series (Gold Key) are even more difficult to get your hands on, but the word is that Dark Horse will be collecting these. Check them out Colin, books and comics - they're well worth it. Best Sword & Planet out there along with REH's Almaric.

Colin YNWA

Well the Gil Kane art is certainly a selling point for the comcis. Reckon I'll go for the Tarzan books first. We'll see. I have pirates ahead me for the time being though...

satchmo

Read Batman-The Black Casebook over the weekend, my girlfriend got me it for Christmas. And Mega Shark Versus Giant Octopus, God I love her :)

It's a great book, Robin Dies At Dawn was my favourite, just for the bit where Batman fights a Triffid. As a companion piece to Batman RIP I can't recommend it highly enough.

And I'm nearly finished The Bloody Red Baron by Kim Newman, already my thoughts are gravitating to Dracula Cha Cha Cha...

Keef Monkey

Been reading World War Z for what seems like an age right now, it's good and all but I just can't seem to get into it properly. It's really staccato, just as you're getting into someone's story you're onto another one, and there's not nearly enough variety in the accounts for me. It's been relegated to bog book so I can get a chapter per poo until it's done, because I want to get onto my xmas books. Got the Nick Cave novels to look forward to and started Pride&Prejudice&Zombies last night which is good fun so far!

Emperor

Quote from: Colin_YNWA on 04 January, 2010, 08:29:41 AMMust admit I've never read an Burroughs but this conversation has left me tempted. The question is will I remember after I wade through my X-mas pile?

Too much meat and not enough veg = Xmas pile.

Anyway it is worth giving them a spin. I read them as a pre-teen and loved all the derring-do, but I am unsure how it'd measure up if I read them now. I reckon they'd still be OK - there is a lot of good stuff from the pre-Golden Era of sci-fi which got a slating at the time and has been partly forgotten (ERB is the main one form the early 20th Century who made it through). The great thing is the bulk of it is public domain and usually free to read online or collected in cheap volumes. You'll find Alan Moore has mined a lot of it for LoEG (like Gullivar Jones) so it won't be as unfamiliar as it once was and I think Jess Nevins next book is on the pulp fiction of the time which should be good (if heavy going by his Fantastic Victoriana).

If the sword and planet genre tickles your fancy then check out some of the others - I moved on to the Dray Prescott series after reading the John Carter books (as a small mountain of books will attest to). Just steer clear of the Gor series unless... "that kind of thing" is your bag.
if I went 'round saying I was an Emperor just because some moistened bint had lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away!

Fractal Friction | Tumblr | Google+

locustsofdeath!

I remember liking the Gor...er...what are there, twenty-some books? ...series. But I read those when I was 12...

Emperor

Quote from: locustsofdeath! on 04 January, 2010, 06:44:10 PM
I remember liking the Gor...er...what are there, twenty-some books? ...series. But I read those when I was 12...

I read the first one or two but there was definitely something wrong and I didn't read any more. It was only much later that the Gorean subculture became better known and it all clickkd into place:

http://www.salon.com/books/feature/2000/05/18/gor/
http://old.disinfo.com/archive/pages/dossier/id432/pg1/index.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4996410.stm
http://tammy212.livejournal.com/18112.html
if I went 'round saying I was an Emperor just because some moistened bint had lobbed a scimitar at me, they'd put me away!

Fractal Friction | Tumblr | Google+

locustsofdeath!

Right before I left PA to move to England the local library had a book sale - I think they get rid of everything not checked out in maybe 3 or 4 years - and on the last day they had a dollar bag sale, as in bring a bag and whatever you can fit in it is a dollar. There were say 10 or more of the Gor paperbacks, and a bunch of other S&S/S&P stuff, so I filled probably 3 bags full of the stuff. That was three years ago and I haven't even gone through any of it - but I will, someday, I will, ha.

I remember Gor being pretty well-researched as far as real historical elements being written in. As a kid, I liked the series. I was a Conan/REH nut and once i read all of those, the pastiches and then the John Carter series, I really wanted anything I could get. I was reading a book a day!

Roger Godpleton

Beckett's Trilogy which is the fucking bomb. According to the blurb on the back it's the fourth most important work of literature in the twentieth century so I reckon I'm Kafka away from being an expert on 20th century literature
He's only trying to be what following how his dreams make you wanna be, man!

JayzusB.Christ

#880
QuoteBeckett's Trilogy which is the fucking bomb

That should be the blurb on the cover.  Always meant to get round to reading Beckett but haven't managed it yet, unless you count watching Krapp's Last Tape on Youtube. Which you couldn't really count.

Two people have told me that Beckett looks like an older version of me.  Although he's becoming a less older version all the time.


"Men will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest"

Mikey

QuoteBeen reading World War Z

I really enjoyed that, even though I didn't really expect to - although I read it on holiday, between naps on the sun lounger. I read 'The Stars My Destination' on the same holiday and it's fantastic...

Just finished 'Mockingbird' by Walter Tevis. I must admit I'd never heard of him before Mrs Mikey bought me it, but it was good read, if a bit obvious in places IMO. Some sections I really enjoyed, possibly because it reminded me of other things I enjoyed more.

Now onto Alan Moore Swamp Thing bk2 - and can't get enough of it. Definately recommended for those like me who had always wanted to get round to it.

M.
To tell the truth, you can all get screwed.

Dandontdare

Quote from: Mikey on 08 January, 2010, 01:17:21 PM
Now onto Alan Moore Swamp Thing bk2 - and can't get enough of it. Definately recommended for those like me who had always wanted to get round to it.

I read these (off a mate) about 18 years ago, and just before christmas I treated myself to all 5 books of the Moore Swampies - pure class!

locustsofdeath!

Was it Alan Moore that wrote the story arch about the other Swamp Things? Only they turned out to be baddies? I remember something like that, and it was a very melancholy, spooky story.

Dandontdare

He wrote about previous inacrnations, such as the chinese "ghost in the reeds" or somesuch, and one in the British fens - don't remember them being baddies as such. I think later wtiters may have brought them back so this may be what you're thinking of. How often has Moore created a cool caharcter or event for a single issue only to have this rich seam of creativity mined (and sometimes ruined) by people who take over his books later?