|
| Thread: inspiring literature |  This thread is pages long: 1 2 · NEXT» |
|
bixie
Promising
Legendary Hero
my common sense is tingling!
|
posted May 23, 2007 01:52 PM |
|
Edited by bixie at 13:58, 23 May 2007.
|
inspiring literature
what books have you really enjoyed, and you have read again.
basically, say what your favourite book is, why you like it and why you recommend it so someone.
for me, it has to be watership down, and i still cry when hazel dies. it is such a good book, because it is full of stories, interesting characters, the rabbits have there own universe and society, and language! its a really good read, and i recommend it.
another book is Mattimeo, from the Redwall series. it has a real contrast with villians, the cruel, cunning and treacherous Slagar and the brutish Malkariss, lord of the blackrobes! it is a very good book (As brian jaques books often are) and i recommend it.
____________
Love, Laugh, Learn, Live.
|
|
TitaniumAlloy
Honorable
Legendary Hero
Professional
|
posted May 23, 2007 02:41 PM |
|
|
Nice thread.. :)
Ender's Game  + the rest of the series by Orson Scott Card
I just really like the way Card writes and a great storyline
Another great one which I recommend to any fantasy fan is
The Redemption of Althalus by David and Leigh Eddings
I started reading some other David and Leigh Eddings books after that but I found they had too much stupid dialogue, anyone who has read some of their books like The Elder Gods and that series will know what I'm talking about, and too little action.
This one has some great battle scenes and a really immersive world.
The book I'm reading at the moment is Pandora's Star by Peter Hamilton, it's a little hard to get into but has some really good ideas if you're into science fiction and technology.
Also The Earthsea Quartet by Ursula Le Guin, a classic fantasy book, original take on mages and dragons  they made a double length movie out of the first one, A Wizard of Earthsea just called 'Earthsea' and it was pretty dodgy 
and yea I always see Jaques' books in the bookstore but I've never read one actually..
____________
John says to live above hell.
|
|
Colonel_here
Adventuring Hero
Descendant of Ghengis Khan
|
|
posted May 23, 2007 04:23 PM |
|
|
I would say Lord of the Rings series as very powerful in their depiction of Good vs Evil battles and the world that the author created is huge and complicated.
The movies are not the books because a lot was left out in the movies that was in the books, but the movies were still good.
Dune series by Frank Herbet are also very good as one could see the play of politics demonstrated. They are very realistic in terms of social and political factors and much less in terms of technology and economy.
Black Company series are also good as they demonstrate some of good vs evil philosophy from the eyes of the soldiers/mercenaries in that war. It also good because it shows reality of war and life of a soldier. Once again there is some political interplay is involved.
If you want to read something fun and well written than I would say Alexander Duma is best for you. Three Musketeers series and Count of Monte Cristo are great. I would suggest however to get aquented with politics of the period before reading the Three Musketeers and the economcis of the period before reading Count of Monte Cristo.
And if you want a book with huge universe and large number of characters War and Peace should be your choice.
____________
"The job of saving the lives of those who are sinking is the task of those who are sinking" - Ostap Bender
"Only a fool fights a battle he knows he can not win" - Ghengiz Khan
|
|
Corribus
Hero of Order
The Abyss Staring Back at You
|
|
posted May 23, 2007 05:49 PM |
|
|
|
Too many to say, but my most recent treasure is East of Eden by John Steinbeck.
|
|
Spectrum
Famous Hero
Plan B
|
|
posted May 23, 2007 08:02 PM |
|
Edited by Spectrum at 20:03, 23 May 2007.
|
Redwall was good, Bixie!
Also, a great book from a finnish author is Sinuhe. It is also available in many other languages than finnish...One of my favourites.
And Death Gate Cycle-books by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman are very good
I like so many books...
Yes, I loved Lord Of The Rings I'm currently reading Silmarillion, veeery intesesting
What else is there... Can't come up with anything right now but I just love so many books...
Nice thread btw
____________
Aculias is like the male nipple of HC, TNT being the other one -Baklava
|
|
Card_Ximinez
Famous Hero
no
|
|
posted May 23, 2007 08:06 PM |
|
|
Redwall books are awesome! LOTR and the Hobbit and Silmarillion are also good.
____________
wtf this still exists
|
|
homam
Known Hero
Sailor of the open seas
|
|
posted May 23, 2007 09:17 PM |
|
|
I really enjoyed Irvim's Yalom one psychologic book.I don't know the title in english but in this book Irvim is speaking about 10 cases (real stories) with some of his patients.He explains his point of view about his patients and all the therapy he followed.Great book
____________
I think we aren't in Kansas anymore Toto
|
|
Spectrum
Famous Hero
Plan B
|
|
posted May 23, 2007 09:26 PM |
|
Edited by Spectrum at 21:32, 23 May 2007.
|
I don't know if this is offopic, but...
How can he tell about his patients' cases in public? Doctor-patient confidentiality and all that...
____________
Aculias is like the male nipple of HC, TNT being the other one -Baklava
|
|
Doomforge
Admirable
Undefeatable Hero
Retired Hero
|
|
posted May 23, 2007 09:36 PM |
|
|
too many to mention tt although as a kid, I was a huge fan of winnetou 
|
|
GenieLord
Honorable
Legendary Hero
|
|
posted May 23, 2007 09:57 PM |
|
|
Quote:
Ender's Game + the rest of the series by Orson Scott Card
I just really like the way Card writes and a great storyline
Definitely. Excellent author.
Ender's Game has quite depressive end. But it's a great book.
Lord of the Rings is pretty nice, but sometimes too heavy.
The Hobbit is lighter. It's mostly the "introduction" to Lord of the Rings.
|
|
alcibiades
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
of Gold Dragons
|
|
posted May 23, 2007 10:06 PM |
|
|
Quote:
Another great one which I recommend to any fantasy fan is
The Redemption of Althalus by David and Leigh Eddings
I started reading some other David and Leigh Eddings books after that but I found they had too much stupid dialogue, anyone who has read some of their books like The Elder Gods and that series will know what I'm talking about, and too little action.
This one has some great battle scenes and a really immersive world.
Funny that you mention this book, because I'm a huge fan of the Eddings' previous works - especially their Elenium and Tamuli trilogies are amazing, but also the latter works on the Belgariad work - but Redemption dissapointed me utterly. The characters and the story was a complete repeat of all they'd done before. 
For me, inspirational books would be:
- Anything by Steven Pressfield - particularly Gates of Fire and (of course) Tides of War (if you read / have read it, you'll now why I say of course).
- Anything by Robin Hobb - particularly Live Ship trilogy.
- Marion Zimmer-Bradley - Mists Of Avalon, probably my favorite book.
____________
What will happen now?
|
|
Daystar
Honorable
Legendary Hero
Back from the Dead
|
|
posted May 23, 2007 11:18 PM |
|
|
I'm a big fan of the Bartimaeus Trilogy books. No one else seems to notice them though, execpt for this nerd in my class.
Other books: Eragon, (duh) Harry Potter (07/07/07!!!!!!!) Charlie Bone, Anything by Dianna Wynne Jones or Scott&Borgman.
I really love these two companion books, The Sight and Fire Bringer. They are both rediculously good anthropomorphic books on the border of fantasy. If you read redwall these are more grown up versions of said books.
____________
How exactly is luck a skill?
|
|
Gnoll_Mage
Responsible
Supreme Hero
|
|
posted May 23, 2007 11:26 PM |
|
|
I thought they'd scrapped that 777 thing (but who knows why)
For me my favourite series is Terry Pratchett's Discworld, particularly the earlier ones. I like his view on life and some of the situations he puts his characters in, such as Rincewind and the wizards when they go back in time in The Science of the Discworld 2 (I think).
I also like various other `classics` of that genre, Harry Potter of course, His Dark Materials, The Hobbit, Wheel of Time ... nothing too sophisticated.
None of these really count as inspiring though, the only books that have inspired me to do something are programming books!
|
|
TitaniumAlloy
Honorable
Legendary Hero
Professional
|
|
posted May 24, 2007 10:02 AM |
|
|
@GL:
Quote:
Definitely. Excellent author.
Ender's Game has quite depressive end. But it's a great book.
Yeah, have you read the others? (Speaker for the Dead, Xenocide, Children of the Mind)
They're pretty good as well, carries on from the depressing ending of Ender's Game which is good but then again there's some not too cheery moments thrown in there as well
Some people criticise the series though..
@Alc:
Quote:
Funny that you mention this book, because I'm a huge fan of the Eddings' previous works - especially their Elenium and Tamuli trilogies are amazing, but also the latter works on the Belgariad work - but Redemption dissapointed me utterly. The characters and the story was a complete repeat of all they'd done before.
Hmm.. maybe I liked it because it was my first Eddings book, so I didn't notice the repeat
What did you think of The Elder Gods series? Have you read it?
@Daystar:
Quote:
I'm a big fan of the Bartimaeus Trilogy books. No one else seems to notice them though, execpt for this nerd in my class.
Yeah I read the first one and I thought it was really cool. Then I started reading the second one and I got a few pages in and then thought...
Why am I reading a kids book? lol
I dno, was just something about the second one.
Well... it beats Harry Potter any day
____________
John says to live above hell.
|
|
alcibiades
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
of Gold Dragons
|
|
posted May 24, 2007 10:25 AM |
|
|
Quote:
What did you think of The Elder Gods series? Have you read it?
Not yet. I have the first three volumes standing on my shelf (will there be more?), but I haven't started them yet. I guess I'm half fearing that they'll dissapoint me like the other one did. 
____________
What will happen now?
|
|
TitaniumAlloy
Honorable
Legendary Hero
Professional
|
|
posted May 24, 2007 10:41 AM |
|
|
I think there's 4... I have 3, could be wrong.
The characters aren't all that similar to Redemption of Althalus if that's what you're worried about, maybe some but then they're just your generic fantasy personalities, not too bad and the theme of gods carries over.
But that's not what stopped me reading... it was the stupid idle chit-chat that went on. It's not that it's idle or that it's chit chat.. but just their conversations used to annoy me. So I stopped.
____________
John says to live above hell.
|
|
bixie
Promising
Legendary Hero
my common sense is tingling!
|
|
posted May 24, 2007 12:23 PM |
|
|
Quote:
I'm a big fan of the Bartimaeus Trilogy books. No one else seems to notice them though, execpt for this nerd in my class.
Bartimaeus is a good trilogy. it shows that not all demons are towering beings of fire and darkness, but just want to laugh at humanity.
other good books include basically anything written by darren shan.
____________
Love, Laugh, Learn, Live.
|
|
homam
Known Hero
Sailor of the open seas
|
|
posted May 24, 2007 01:05 PM |
|
|
Quote:
How can he tell about his patients' cases in public? Doctor-patient confidentiality and all that...
i have had this question too.But in his book he explains that all the names he is refering in his book are fake and for him there is no chance for someone to figure out someone else the true names of his patients.Also berore he publiced the book he gave it to all oh his patients he was refering to give him "OK" (except one that he died)and they agreed.
____________
I think we aren't in Kansas anymore Toto
|
|
baklava
Honorable
Legendary Hero
Mostly harmless
|
|
posted May 24, 2007 02:03 PM |
|
|
Quote:
I'm a big fan of the Bartimaeus Trilogy books. No one else seems to notice them though, execpt for this nerd in my class.
My friend loves those too, though she's also a bit nerdy... Just a bit
LotR is just perfect, except it was a little boring at times... Hard to read and stuff. Terry Pratchett's books are great, one of my favourite series; but I've noticed no one mentioned the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which is my DEFINITELY MOST FAVOURITE book EVER EVER EVER. Nothing more to say...
____________
"Let me tell you what the blues
is. When you ain't got no
money,
you got the blues."
Howlin Wolf
|
|
Tenaka
Famous Hero
Makes sense
|
|
posted May 24, 2007 06:18 PM |
|
|
Quote:
- Anything by Robin Hobb - particularly Live Ship trilogy.
Robin Hobb's got to be one of the best fantasy writers these days! Although I personally prefered the Farseer Trilogy.
Other good books I enjoyed:
Elisabeth Haydon- The Symphony of ages (5 books)
Martin Scott - Thraxas (8 books, hilarious)
David Gemmel - The Chronicles of thet Drenai (... a lot of books...)
Terry Pratchett - The discworld books (again, a lot of them)
...There are many more, but those are the ones that have a special place in my heart...
|
|
|
|
