I am skeptical about the new hitchhikers book since Douglas Adams is well.. dead. As someone who has interned where most of these awesome SF books are made (Tor/Forge) I still don't understand how they expect to fill the same void. I understand that series= cash cow and it's a win-win for fans but that's only if the next person to take up the writing is good.
Maybe they should take the Doctor approach and just assume that the series will keep being written and that every so often the author will regenerate into someone else.
[QUOTE] it works best as a young-adult novel and there's nothing at all wrong with grownups reading kids' books ;-)[/QUOTE]
As for the new Hitch-hikers Guide book, I'm not sure I can really bring myself to read it. No matter how good it is (or isn't) it would never be quite the same in my mind and that puts me off.
Worf
Biggles<font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
I can't find the exact quote, but Neil Gaiman (who is writing an increasingly-large number of children's books) said that he thinks the whole concept of adults not being allowed to have an imagination like kids are is wrong.
-- What the Dog Saw (Gladwell)
-- My boring-ass life (Kevin Smith's Diary)
-- Makers (Doctorow)
I've read all of Gladwell's other books (Tipping Point, Blink and Outliers) and enjoyed them. I've met Cory Doctorow (pic below) and I saw Kevin Smith in Vancouver last year.
Well, I read through "The Gathering Storm" in a coupe of days of reading fervor. It was written by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson, though I believe this book was mostly Jordan, with Sanderson doing most of the editorial work, I cant wait for the final two books.
It was actually quite awesome. I have given up on the series twice over. A couple of the middle books are quite slow, but the last three picked up the pace, and the world is ending [i]soon[/i].
ShadowDancerWhen I say, "Why aye, gadgie," in my heart I say, "Och aye, laddie."London, UK
The world ending is always fun.
I havent had much time to read lately, but when I do I'm re-reading Dune again. When I've finished that tho, I dont have anything else lined up at the moment, so thats a good excuse to go into a book store and spend some money! :)
I recently read all of Bloom County because I just happened to see one of the collections while at the library and figured I'd read it all. It was really funny. It and Calvin and Hobbes are the best comics to ever appear in newspapers. Hell, they're way too good for the newspapers they appear in.
And while I'm talking about newspaper comics, am I the only one who thinks that Peanuts sucks?
Right now I'm reading the original Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs. This is really cool and not what I was expecting. The style really reminds me of Robert E. Howard's which I like since he's one of my favorite writers. Maybe I'll have to read more from Burroughs. I really don't know where the hell the people who made the movies got those stupid ideas like Tarzan living in some treehouse with a monkey. It's like they had to pussy him up for no reason. The real Tarzan's a badass.
[QUOTE=Messiah;185304]Well, I read through "The Gathering Storm" in a coupe of days of reading fervor. It was written by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson, though I believe this book was mostly Jordan, with Sanderson doing most of the editorial work, I cant wait for the final two books.
It was actually quite awesome. I have given up on the series twice over. A couple of the middle books are quite slow, but the last three picked up the pace, and the world is ending [i]soon[/i].[/QUOTE]
last three? I'm sorry, I'll beg to differ. last TWO, yes. but book 10 was worse than book 9. Those two books together could have been done in a single chapter. Nothing happened. Perrin ditched his Axe. Equene rallied some troops, and Elayne did....well...she arrived in Camlyn. Mat had a couple token appearances, and they were all that made those books readable.
But yes. Book 12 kicked ass. 10 more months until book 13! :D
Recent Reads:
Everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody want's to die (Or the Eschatology of bluegrass): good book, mostly dealing with death and what not. But enjoyable - though I had no idea what to expect going into it.
Moribito: Guardian of Darkness:
Quick read, all of 4 hours. But enjoyable. (Technically a children's book from Japan, but good characters and enjoyable story, sequel to Gaurdian of the Sacred Spirit)
Wrapping up:
They like Jesus but Hate the Church:
A look at the general outcry against the church, both among atheist, agnostics, and religious followers. Written with a Christian audience in mind.
Biggles<font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
[QUOTE=A2597;186238]Moribito: Guardian of Darkness:
Quick read, all of 4 hours. But enjoyable. (Technically a children's book from Japan, but good characters and enjoyable story, sequel to Gaurdian of the Sacred Spirit)[/QUOTE]
Practicing your Japanese? Or is there a translation now?
The first book is entertaining and very well written, with an interesting fantasy world. I haven't read any of the rest, though.
Biggles<font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
I discovered Japan's most awesome second-hand English-language bookshop recently. Their science fiction collection is impressive, although it's intermingled with the fantasy section, which has been polluted by too much modern fantasy of the crap kind. I found a copy of [i]The White Mountains[/i], as well as a copy of [i]Godspeed[/i].
Not sure if this exactly fits the topic, but I'm reading the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics right now. These are pretty funny, though I envy the people who got to read them originally just as they are instead of colored by my own personal memories of them. I think the humor of it is more about how it's a ridiculous premise but it's all delivered as if it was something serious, like something Frank Miller would create.
Biggles<font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
I found a copy of [i]Arthur C. Clarke: The Collected Stories[/i] in a bookshop in Brussels. 1000 pages of science fiction goodness.
ShadowDancerWhen I say, "Why aye, gadgie," in my heart I say, "Och aye, laddie."London, UK
They dont write them like that any more Biggles.
Last week I finished reading the Dune books again; every time I do I appreciate the genius of Frank Herbert more and more. His son and Kevin J Anderson did a good job carrying on, but once he died it just wasnt the same.
Somewhat at a loss for what to read next tho. I'm tempted to go back and read the X-Wing books again, as I havent done so for a couple of years now. I also want to read the B5 books again, but first I need to watch the show again to reaquaint myself I think
Biggles<font color=#AAFFAA>The Man Without a Face</font>
Do what I do: work through the list of Hugo and Nebula award winners.
ShadowDancerWhen I say, "Why aye, gadgie," in my heart I say, "Och aye, laddie."London, UK
Comments
Maybe they should take the Doctor approach and just assume that the series will keep being written and that every so often the author will regenerate into someone else.
I am taking suggestions on what to read now, I am bone dry.
Worf
So far the book is good, but not great. the words are right, but the feeling isn't quite right.
Worf
[QUOTE] it works best as a young-adult novel and there's nothing at all wrong with grownups reading kids' books ;-)[/QUOTE]
As for the new Hitch-hikers Guide book, I'm not sure I can really bring myself to read it. No matter how good it is (or isn't) it would never be quite the same in my mind and that puts me off.
Worf
-- What the Dog Saw (Gladwell)
-- My boring-ass life (Kevin Smith's Diary)
-- Makers (Doctorow)
I've read all of Gladwell's other books (Tipping Point, Blink and Outliers) and enjoyed them. I've met Cory Doctorow (pic below) and I saw Kevin Smith in Vancouver last year.
[IMG]http://photos-h.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v74/223/100/132700201/n132700201_30635371_8401.jpg[/IMG]
Also: the not so happy people in the picture are Patrick and Teresa Nielsen-Hayden, 2 award winning SF editors at Tor Books.
It was actually quite awesome. I have given up on the series twice over. A couple of the middle books are quite slow, but the last three picked up the pace, and the world is ending [i]soon[/i].
I havent had much time to read lately, but when I do I'm re-reading Dune again. When I've finished that tho, I dont have anything else lined up at the moment, so thats a good excuse to go into a book store and spend some money! :)
And while I'm talking about newspaper comics, am I the only one who thinks that Peanuts sucks?
It was actually quite awesome. I have given up on the series twice over. A couple of the middle books are quite slow, but the last three picked up the pace, and the world is ending [i]soon[/i].[/QUOTE]
last three? I'm sorry, I'll beg to differ. last TWO, yes. but book 10 was worse than book 9. Those two books together could have been done in a single chapter. Nothing happened. Perrin ditched his Axe. Equene rallied some troops, and Elayne did....well...she arrived in Camlyn. Mat had a couple token appearances, and they were all that made those books readable.
But yes. Book 12 kicked ass. 10 more months until book 13! :D
Recent Reads:
Everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody want's to die (Or the Eschatology of bluegrass): good book, mostly dealing with death and what not. But enjoyable - though I had no idea what to expect going into it.
Moribito: Guardian of Darkness:
Quick read, all of 4 hours. But enjoyable. (Technically a children's book from Japan, but good characters and enjoyable story, sequel to Gaurdian of the Sacred Spirit)
Wrapping up:
They like Jesus but Hate the Church:
A look at the general outcry against the church, both among atheist, agnostics, and religious followers. Written with a Christian audience in mind.
Quick read, all of 4 hours. But enjoyable. (Technically a children's book from Japan, but good characters and enjoyable story, sequel to Gaurdian of the Sacred Spirit)[/QUOTE]
Practicing your Japanese? Or is there a translation now?
The first book is entertaining and very well written, with an interesting fantasy world. I haven't read any of the rest, though.
Last week I finished reading the Dune books again; every time I do I appreciate the genius of Frank Herbert more and more. His son and Kevin J Anderson did a good job carrying on, but once he died it just wasnt the same.
Somewhat at a loss for what to read next tho. I'm tempted to go back and read the X-Wing books again, as I havent done so for a couple of years now. I also want to read the B5 books again, but first I need to watch the show again to reaquaint myself I think
After that I'll be reading A Thousand Sons : All is Dust.
And moving on to Soul Drinkers omnibus.