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Heroes Community > Tavern of the Rising Sun > Thread: Favourite Books ...
Thread: Favourite Books ... This thread is 8 pages long: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 · «PREV
Wolfman
Wolfman


Responsible
Supreme Hero
Insomniac
posted December 04, 2004 03:36 AM

My favorite book is not a fantasy like most of yours.  Fantasy just doesn't have the action that I like.  my favorite book is The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas.
That story just rocks, it even says right on the back: "Most exciting adventure story ever told"  I'd say that's right.
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Khaelo
Khaelo


Honorable
Supreme Hero
Underwater
posted June 01, 2005 11:58 PM
Edited By: Khaelo on 2 Jun 2005

Quote:
This might be a good place to ask this question then.
A few years back I got 2 books from my library, the books were all about Gods like Time and War etc.
It's been so long that I can't remember what happened in the story, but the books were the same series of events from the different Gods perspectives. There were more as well but the library never had them.
Now I can't even remember who wrote them/what they were called.
Anyone know?

This is a bit late, but...
Are you thinking of the Incarnations of Immortality series by Piers Anthony?  On a Pale Horse (Death); Bearing an Hourglass (Time); With a Tangled Skein (Fate); Wielding a Red Sword (War); Being a Green Mother (Nature); For the Love of Evil (Satan); And Eternity (God).  The "gods" are mortals dragged into or selected for "offices."  They're set in a modern magic world (except for Love of Evil).  Sound familiar?

Anyway, new recommendations (which, by the way, Incarnations of Immortality is not): Curse of Chalion and Paladin of Souls by Lois McMaster Bujold.  Great characterizations, plus court politics and a very intriguing theology.    Paladin is better but is enhanced by the first book.  Bujold has done sci-fi as well, which I haven't read.

Edit:  Anyone else tried out http://www.bookcrossing.com?  I just signed up.  
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terje_the_ma...
terje_the_mad_wizard


Responsible
Supreme Hero
Disciple of Herodotus
posted June 02, 2005 01:56 AM

Quote:
My favorite book is not a fantasy like most of yours.  Fantasy just doesn't have the action that I like.  my favorite book is The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas.
That story just rocks, it even says right on the back: "Most exciting adventure story ever told"  I'd say that's right.

Yeah, that book's a real thrill. One of the 10 best non-fantasy books I've ever read.

Also, Harper Lee's "To Kill A Mockingbird" is just awsome. Somehow, the experiences of Jem and Scout make me remember my own childhood. Not to mention that the descriptions are almost too good to be true. Maybe the best book I've ever read...
____________
"Sometimes I think everyone's just pretending to be brave, and none of us really are. Maybe pretending to be brave is how you get brave, I don't know."
- Grenn, A Storm of Swords.

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Jebus
Jebus


Promising
Supreme Hero
TheJester akaJeebs akaJebfoo
posted June 02, 2005 06:58 PM

Quote:

Also, Harper Lee's "To Kill A Mockingbird" is just awsome. Somehow, the experiences of Jem and Scout make me remember my own childhood. Not to mention that the descriptions are almost too good to be true. Maybe the best book I've ever read...


Are you referring to your childhood friend "Boo"
that was up for the death penalty??  Man that can be tough for a kid.

J
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terje_the_ma...
terje_the_mad_wizard


Responsible
Supreme Hero
Disciple of Herodotus
posted June 02, 2005 07:02 PM

Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

You did not just tell me the ending, did you?
____________
"Sometimes I think everyone's just pretending to be brave, and none of us really are. Maybe pretending to be brave is how you get brave, I don't know."
- Grenn, A Storm of Swords.

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Jebus
Jebus


Promising
Supreme Hero
TheJester akaJeebs akaJebfoo
posted June 02, 2005 07:06 PM

Quote:
Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

You did not just tell me the ending, did you?


hehe.. nice try...

Quote:
Maybe the best book I've ever read...


didn't give away any ending... you learn that in the first chapter!!  (or second.... anyways!)

I was talking about YOUR childhood memories remember??
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terje_the_ma...
terje_the_mad_wizard


Responsible
Supreme Hero
Disciple of Herodotus
posted June 02, 2005 07:19 PM

I actually haven't finished it, and I don't have the memory to remember such things as what's mentioned on the first page in a book.

Ah, yes. My childhood.
I remember Bu very well. He raped that Samii girl, one night he had broken out of his jordgamme.
____________
"Sometimes I think everyone's just pretending to be brave, and none of us really are. Maybe pretending to be brave is how you get brave, I don't know."
- Grenn, A Storm of Swords.

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Jebus
Jebus


Promising
Supreme Hero
TheJester akaJeebs akaJebfoo
posted June 02, 2005 07:30 PM

Quote:
I actually haven't finished it, and I don't have the memory to remember such things as what's mentioned on the first page in a book.
Ah, yes. My childhood.
I remember Bu very well. He raped that Samii girl, one night he had broken out of his jordgamme.


Ive tried to supress most of my own...  I do remember this one time though.....(blank)  oops!! maybe I don't...

ok no more spamming from me!
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Blackdragon
Blackdragon


Adventuring Hero
posted July 04, 2005 02:48 AM
Edited By: Blackdragon on 3 Jul 2005

I'm  more  into  whodunit. Agatha  Christy (have  full  collection), Alexandra  Marinina (she's  really  good),  and of  course  Iain  Pears!
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friendofgunnar
friendofgunnar


Honorable
Legendary Hero
able to speed up time
posted July 25, 2006 02:12 PM

I didn't see a general books thread anywhere so I'm going to spam this one.

MAN

Am I the only one who thinks that Neil Gaiman is over-rated? I'm trying to slog through his so-called masterpiece "American Gods" and I finally decided to give up half way through.  

"Neverwhere" was interesting but forgettable.  Is Neil Gaiman a product of publicity, because I don't really don't see a lot of talent here.




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Gom_Jabbar
Gom_Jabbar


Promising
Famous Hero
Revealer of Truth
posted July 25, 2006 02:24 PM

Foggie, Foggie you little spammer. You should be ashame of yourself.

Anyway... my favorite book... hmmmm... what should it be... you should all ask Leggie about it

Lets cheer up this thread with a question: how many of you read "The DaVinci Code" and what is your oppinon about it?
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Khaelo
Khaelo


Honorable
Supreme Hero
Underwater
posted August 21, 2006 01:03 AM
Edited by Khaelo at 04:51, 21 Aug 2006.

book thread update

FoG:  Hmm, I loved American Gods and couldn't stand Neverwhere.  American Gods is chock-full of mythology references which I enjoyed catching and tracking down.    Neverwhere reminded me of Alice in Wonderland and Wizard of Oz, and that's a very bad thing (to me).  Gaiman's newest is Anansi Boys, a sequel to American Gods.  It's nothing great, certainly not worth the hardcover price.    Gaiman's reputation was built on the Sandman comics (now collected into graphic novels), and he's a prolific short story writer as well.
---

Gom Jabbar:  The Da Vinci Code?  It seemed like an average thriller to me.  It was a VERY quick read --- good summer fluff, but nothing special.  What's the big deal about it?  It was interesting to see religious ideas tied up into a puzzle-box plot, but they weren't shocking as *ideas.*  One needn't delve too deeply into feminine spiritual topics to discover Mary Magdelene, the Grail as sacred feminine, apples and five pointed stars, etc.  They're not secrets.  Conspiracy theories about the Knights Templar are pretty common (did the book talk about Freemasons too?  I don't recall).  And it's certainly not news that the Catholic Church has some issues with women that it still needs to sort out.    I guess I was more surprised by the fuzz over The Da Vinci Code than by the book itself.
---

Since my list post a page back, I've finished Robin Hobb's "Tawny Man" trilogy, re-read "Farseer" trilogy, and recommended "Liveship" trilogy to my bookgroup.  The books just get better with subsequent readings as you catch subtleties you missed the first time around.  She's my all-time favorite author.    There's a copy of her newest, Shaman's Crossing, on my shelf, but I haven't gotten around to it yet.

The bookgroup, by the way, is focused on science-fiction and fantasy by women authors.  Most of the books are good.  The most recent selection was Foreigner by C.J. Cherryh -- Cherryh's writing is difficult, but her ideas are intriguing, and her society-building is excellent.  The "Foreigner" series explores social/psychological differences between species with particular emphasis on linguistics and translation (the main character is an interpreter/diplomat).  I'm currently halfway through the third book, Inheritor, and the series gets better as it goes along as you slowly grasp more about the alien species's motivations.  

Sherri S. Tepper's Gate to Women's Country and Family Tree:  Avoid, avoid, avoid!  The former is anti-male, the latter anti-human to put it nicely, and Tepper is quite heavy-handed with her views.  This would be somewhat tolerable if there were interesting characters or plots to make up for it...but there aren't.  Blech.

Octavia Butler's Wild Seed:  Orson Scott Card cites Wild Seed in his reference book, How to Write Science Fiction & Fantasy, as a superb example of exposition done right.  It is so much more than that.  It's an involving story with fascinating characters, and a nuanced exploration of power relations.  When Butler's name comes up in recommendation lists, the titles mentioned are usually The Parable of the Sower, The Parable of the Talents, or Kindred.  If those books are half as good as Wild Seed, I will be very happy.  Also, Butler's books are short, which is a nice change of pace from the usual sci-fi/fantasy roster.  
---

Questions!
*  Has anyone here read Charles de Lint?  Someone recommended him to me, but she didn't mention a title.  What is the best introduction?

*As mentioned, my bookgroup reads sci-fi and fantasy by women authors, and we're always looking for suggestions, especially new authors.  They've already found Ursula Le Guin, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Butler, Katherine Kerr, J.K. Rowling, etc.  (I have a lot of back reading to do!)  Anyone have any ideas I could pass along?  
---

Stealth Edit:  Added forgotten section, added formatting.
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friendofgunnar
friendofgunnar


Honorable
Legendary Hero
able to speed up time
posted August 21, 2006 07:08 AM
Edited by friendofgunnar at 07:14, 21 Aug 2006.

There's a couple of books which have made a big impression on me.  Both are sci-fi books by Vernor Vinge.

A Fire Upon the Deep

and

A Deepness in the Sky

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