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Whats everyone reading?

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

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Odd_Bloke

Quote from: Dandontdare on 18 August, 2009, 07:44:31 PM
Quote from: Odd_Bloke on 18 August, 2009, 07:38:42 PM
Currently reading 'Marvel Platinum: The Definitive Incredible Hulk'.
oooh, I bought that a few weeks ago. It's a pretty good selection, but I would have liked to see it extend to Planet Hulk / World War Hulk. I didn't remember those 'Maestro' stories at all, but I now know how to torture the Hulk - just break his neck and then force him to have quadraplegic sex with half a dozen Betty clones. Simple!
I've also borrowed World War Hulk from the library, so that'll be read in the near future.

IAMTHESYSTEM

#346
Hard Boiled Cthulu. Good stuff but there is a tale that's got nothing to do with Noir more a fantasy tale. If you like short horror stories then this collection may be for you.

Available at amazon. I won't put a link 'cause I'm too stupido to do it.
"You may live to see man-made horrors beyond your comprehension."

http://artriad.deviantart.com/
― Nikola Tesla

House of Usher

I've just read Marvel's Civil War. I wanted to share my impressions of it, but I've been reading what people have said on here first to see what everyone else had to say. Interesting. I think I agree with a bit of everything said.

I found it really gripping. Firstly, I've waited more than 2 years to read it. Secondly, I hardly read any Marvel comics these days, so I barely have a clue who's who and what's going on in it, so it may have had a greater impact on me because there's less chance of familiarity breeds contempt.

I meant to read a chapter or two before bed, but I ended up reading 6 chapters in a row before my eyes protested too much for me to read on. It made me care what happened, so score one for Mark Millar there. I didn't care much for the artwork. There are some nice poster pieces and splash pages, but a lot of the storytelling frames are quite workmanlike.

Despite the actions of the characters being forced to fit what the plot demanded of them, for the most part their dialogue was characteristic even if their actions weren't. The same can't be said of Reed Richards and She-Hulk, who are really, really badly written. I've never read either of them written worse. The super-villains, where they appeared in walk-on roles, were mere cardboard cut-outs, and I don't recognize most of them.

The political agenda, the violence and the reliance on big science and almost insuperable technology all conspired to suggest this was the Ultimates universe spilling over into the Marvel mainstream. I like the brutality in The Ultimates, but I don't want to see it in The Avengers. I found it a really depressing read, although the effects are quite fleeting because I have had little investment in the Marvel Universe for the past 20 years or more. The deaths are horribly casual and needless, and I was sorry to see one of my old favourite characters killed off. Having said that, I was surprised to see he was still around, because I don't think he was when I stopped reading Marvel! As it goes, that character's death had a big shock impact, so it's probably justified where the others weren't.

I'm rambling now. I've not quite recovered from my jaw-dropping read yet. It was big, exciting, violent and frequently illogical. I liked where the Marvel Universe ended up when it was all over, but I hated how it got there. Most of all, I wanted to see Tony Stark's head just smashed right in.
STRIKE !!!

TordelBack

QuoteI've also borrowed World War Hulk from the library, so that'll be read in the near future.

Definitely the best crossover epic thing I've read in years.  Great fun.  Be sure to follow on into The Incredible Hercules - a good fun read.

Inspired to give DC a go by the excellent Wednesday Comics, I'm currently picking at the New Krypton stuff over in the Superman books- it's surprisingly entertaining, except for the Supergirl segments, which must be the most unfocussed flip-flopping mess I've ever seen in an ongoing comic. 

Richmond Clements

Quote from: Kerrin on 18 August, 2009, 07:34:45 PM
New M.Banks? WOO-HOO!

I wasn't too sure about "Matter", I enjoyed it but, I dunno, it just seemed a bit, off target somehow. Is the new one a Culture novel?

I'm going to definitely give those "Viriconium books" a look Emp'and I thought "The Prefect" was excellent.

The new one is a non-M, although it is apparently a kind of sci-fi tale... from what I hear it's in the Walking on Glass/ The Bridge mold... in fact it's being published as an Iain M Banks in the States.

Odd_Bloke

Have finished The Definitive Incredible Hulk and am now reading The Batman Chronicles, Volume 3.  I've really enjoyed the first couple of volumes (and have volumes 4 and 5 lined up to read in the near future), as it's interesting to see how Batman has evolved over the years, and how he was actually quite gritty and dark before the TV series came along.

brendan1

'One' by Conrad Williams, which is a bit like a slightly lower-rent, horror film version of Cormac Macarthy's 'The Road'

Also recommend 'The Unblemished' by the same author

And as a final treat, if it hasn't been mentioned yet, you should treat yourself to 'Stone Junction' by Jim Dodge

Simply wonderful, thrilling and joyful storytelling, and a quite superb intro by Thomas Pynchon too


Odd_Bloke

Finished The Batman Chronicles, Volume 3.  More old Batman goodness, with a weird foray into a fairy tale kingdom and the Joker 'dying' about three times.  I enjoy the structure of the books, as you get to the Batman issues every so often and get a Joker story and a couple of others.

I've now moved on to All Star Superman, Volume 1 though I'll probably interleave episodes of that with stories from The Batman Chronicles, Volume 4.

starscape

Captain America has been the best book on the shelves for the last two years or so. Shame Steve Rogers is just about back but what can you do.

Kerrin

As hell will freeze over well before I ever get round to digging my old progs out of storage I got "Satan's Island" for some lovely Wagner/Walker goodness with added Willsher and Kennedy. Nice.

Also got the latest Neal Asher, "Shadow of the Scorpion", always good for a bit of Culture-lite fun, lots of giant AIs, ships, cyborgs and alien stuff.

Gavin_Leahy_Block

Quote from: His Lordship rac on 19 August, 2009, 09:27:18 AM
Quote from: Kerrin on 18 August, 2009, 07:34:45 PM
New M.Banks? WOO-HOO!

I wasn't too sure about "Matter", I enjoyed it but, I dunno, it just seemed a bit, off target somehow. Is the new one a Culture novel?

I'm going to definitely give those "Viriconium books" a look Emp'and I thought "The Prefect" was excellent.

The new one is a non-M, although it is apparently a kind of sci-fi tale... from what I hear it's in the Walking on Glass/ The Bridge mold... in fact it's being published as an Iain M Banks in the States.

Fantastic news, I a big Iain Banks fan but I haven't ever been able to get into any of his Iain M Banks books. Maybe its about time i gave them another try?

Kerrin

Absolutely Gav. If I was going to recommend one to start with it wouldn't necessarily be the first "Culture" book "Consider Phlebas", I'd go for "Use of Weapons" or maybe even "Excession". The non "Culture" books are all good as well, "Feersum Endjinn" is great fun, and "The Algebraist" is a fantastic story. I prefer his SF stuff but then I'm a science fiction fan. Geek, I believe the modern term is.

Emperor

Quote from: Kerrin on 20 August, 2009, 11:29:04 PM
Absolutely Gav. If I was going to recommend one to start with it wouldn't necessarily be the first "Culture" book "Consider Phlebas", I'd go for "Use of Weapons" or maybe even "Excession". The non "Culture" books are all good as well, "Feersum Endjinn" is great fun, and "The Algebraist" is a fantastic story. I prefer his SF stuff but then I'm a science fiction fan. Geek, I believe the modern term is.

In the Culture novels I tend to hit people with "Player of Games" and "Use of Weapons" first. That tends to work for all but the sci-fiphobic and should ease people into the Culture so the other books will make more sense.

With the non-Culture books "Feersum Endjinn"'s language can put people off, so I used to go for "Against a Dark Background" but "The Algebraist" is a damn fine novel (and AaDB is now falling apart it has been read by so many people) but I'd need to find more people annoy before I can use that as my non-Culture introduction.

Iain M. Banks is a great "gateway" author. If folks enjoy that and want something a little harder then I point them to the slabs of Alastair Reynold's (pretty much everything in chronological order) and if they are looking for something a bit more space operay then it is over to Peter F. Hamilton (Night's Dawn and then The Commonwealth Saga). If they were looking for something smaller scale and more personal then they could try Ken MacLeod.

Of course, if they don't like M. Banks' books despite my best efforts then you have to get creative. Despite my enthusiasm China Miéville's Bas-Lag books can be a tricky sell to your average 'civilian' with its mix of sci-fi, fantasy and horror but if you are reading this then I think you'll like them if you haven't tried them already (which reminds me that I should get The City & the City now I'm working through my backlog - it sounds great). If all else fails Tim Powers usually works - my Dad enjoyed Declare and I can't think I've convinced him of anything else.
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!

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TordelBack

QuoteIn the Culture novels I tend to hit people with "Player of Games" and "Use of Weapons" first. That tends to work for all but the sci-fiphobic and should ease people into the Culture so the other books will make more sense.

Yeah, Player of Games is definitely the place to start with the Culture, very self-contained, followed by the rather chilling Use of Weapons.   If you don't like those, give up.  Consider Phlebas is a a much more rewarding read as a second or third Culture novel, followed by Look to Windward.  Inversions and Matter are very good stories, but leave them until you've read most of the others as they come at the Culture from a very different angle.  I never really liked Excession despite its epic scope, but plenty of wise folk love it.  Avoid State of the Art completely. In fact pretend it doesn't exist.

As to the non-Culture SF stuff: The Algebraist I thought was a terrific read right up until a disappointing ending.  Against A Dark Background is a very interesting premise.  Song of Stone is pretty poor fare.

I, Cosh

I find Banks' sci-fi a bit like blancmange. I enjoy it while I'm reading it, but the soothing prose slips down so quickly and easily that I can barely remember anything about it the next day. I like the backdrop of The Culture but the stories generally seem very slight. Excession's probably my favourite and the only one I can actually remember the plot of this morning.

Probably an easy step for anyone who's read The Wasp Factory to make though.
We never really die.