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| Thread: What books do you read? |  This thread is pages long: 1 2 3 4 · NEXT» |
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HappySkeleton
Adventuring Hero
Dead happy
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posted July 17, 2011 03:25 PM |
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What books do you read?
Don´t be shy. Tell what books you read and something you like/hate about them etc.
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Duke_Falcon
Disgraceful
Supreme Hero
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posted July 17, 2011 05:50 PM |
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It will be a really long list of books so I mention only a few...
One of my favourites is Frank Herbert's Dune, R. A. Salvatore's Dark Elf Trilogy, the BattleTech series, Strugatskys' novells, the Robots and Empire and so on...
But don't be misunderstand I read mythical and historycal books to as weel as zoology books (but I quite good in high-level physic)... I just love read books more than do (almost) anything else...
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Warmonger
Promising
Legendary Hero
fallen artist
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posted July 17, 2011 05:55 PM |
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I'm getting a Kindle tommorow. Then I will read them all! Can you hear me? ALL OF THEM! Haha! 
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DagothGares
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
No gods or kings
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posted July 17, 2011 06:06 PM |
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Currently, I'm ploughing through Chuck Palahniuk's oeuvre and reading Dutch poetry, more specifically, Lucebert's psychotic, complex, nigh-incomprehensible and beautiful poetry in an ill-fated attempt to understand modern poetry.
I have Fitzgerald, Wilde and Rand on my shelves, for when that is over.
Quote:
I'm getting a Kindle tommorow.
You terrible human being.
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If you have any more questions, go to Dagoth Cares.
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darkshadow
Legendary Hero
Cerise Princess
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posted July 17, 2011 06:14 PM |
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Books about politics, philosophy, warfare and history.
Not a big fan of "story" books to be honest 
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JoonasTo
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
What if Elvin was female?
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posted July 17, 2011 06:15 PM |
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Palahniuk....
Try to stay alive till august DG. 
Last books I got were some scientific ones, one on desgartes' theorem, one on memory coding and Andrew Robert's "The Storm Of A War - A New History Of The Second World War". Haven't been able to touch the Robert's yet, lack of time.
I read pretty much everything that interests me.
Fantasy is number one.
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DON'T BE A NOOB, JOIN A.D.V.E.N.T.U.R.E.
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DagothGares
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
No gods or kings
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posted July 17, 2011 06:54 PM |
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Quote:
Palahniuk....
Try to stay alive till august DG.
Bah, it seems survivor and fight club were his existentialist peak, the rest is either average (lullaby was very average to me) or a protracted writing exercise (snuff) to see what he could get away with. I'm hoping I find some new breath in Rant, Haunted and invisible monsters.
Also, the main character frequently seems to be the same guy with a slight twist (like in choke, he's a sex-addict, instead of some guy without a purpose, in survivor he was raised in a cult, etc.)
Though, it's probably due to his tendency to philosophise about something, while speaking as a autodiegetic narrator.
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xerox
Promising
Undefeatable Hero
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posted July 17, 2011 10:34 PM |
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Book series I have read: Harry Potter in both Swedish and English (imo the english version is far better, though the Swedish covers look awesome and not so childish).
Eragon. Most generic, non-original fanasy series ever but I enjoy it and anticipate the next book.
I also really like Dan Browns books, though they were very forgetable for me.
Warcraft books. Richard. A. Knaaks books seriously sucks and I am so happy his stupid dragon mage Krasus dies in the latest book, "Twilight of the Aspects."
Christie Golden is amazing though. I pretty much cried in "Lord of the Clans" which is about Thrall's youth.
Arthas: Rise of the Lich King was also pretty good but Elune, why did she make Arthas a whiny emo snow? And what's up with the horseophilia in that book?
The Shattering: Prelude to Cataclysm was an AMAZING Warcraft novel with lots of politics which I love. I do not get why the Forsaken weren't included though, sicne Sylvanas is becoming more like the old Lich King every day...
I have ordered the newest novel, THRALL: Twiight of the Aspects and the reviews basically says that it is the best one yet and of, I have already read the MAJOR LORE SPOILERS in that book.
I am SO EXCITED that there might exist an alternate timeline where the Scourge never happened and Arthas and Jaian became King and Queen and got a son.
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Over himself, over his own
body and
mind, the individual is
sovereign.
- John Stuart Mill
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Lexxan
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Unimpressed by your logic
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posted July 17, 2011 10:37 PM |
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Lol Xerox. Dan Brown is utter gutter trash and a disgrace to the Literal Universe.
If you want to read something epic switch to Paradise Lost, the Edda, Hemingway, Orwell or Steinbeck <3
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Coincidence? I think not!!!!
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DagothGares
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
No gods or kings
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posted July 17, 2011 10:39 PM |
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I'd prefer Dan Brown over writings that are a thousand years old, sorry to say. 
EDIT: Paradise lost is an incredibly boring read is what I mean. Haven't read any eddas but then again, my medieval Norse ain't what it used to be.
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Lexxan
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Unimpressed by your logic
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posted July 17, 2011 10:41 PM |
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Get out of my sight.
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Coincidence? I think not!!!!
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DagothGares
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
No gods or kings
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posted July 17, 2011 10:43 PM |
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Lexxan, don't act high and mighty, John Milton isn't the highest point of English literature and he definitely doesn't come close to stylistic masters, like Wilde or, well, most modern writers, because he wrote in a dead language. The language is deader than Dickensian English. And it has nothing to do with age, since Shakespeare pretty much stayed fresh in his English, yo, and he's a century over Milton.
Maybe you can explain the appeal to a modern reader, but I doubt you can explain it.
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Cepheus
Honorable
Legendary Hero
Far-flung Keeper
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posted July 17, 2011 10:56 PM |
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Quote:
Maybe you can explain the appeal to a modern reader, but I doubt you can explain it.
?
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"Those who forget their history are inevitably doomed to repeat it." —Proverb, Might and Magic VIII
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DagothGares
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
No gods or kings
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posted July 17, 2011 11:04 PM |
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Okay, basically I was expressing myself in a very stupid and arrogant way. The last line expresses me being baffled as to why anyone thinks this:
Quote:
WHen I beheld the Poet blind, yet bold,
In slender Book his vast Design unfold,
Messiah Crown'd, Gods Reconcil'd Decree,
Rebelling Angels, the Forbidden Tree,
Heav'n, Hell, Earth, Chaos, All; the Argument [ 5 ]
Held me a while misdoubting his Intent,
That he would ruine (for I saw him strong)
The sacred Truths to Fable and old Song
(So Sampson groap'd the Temples Posts in spight)
The World o'rewhelming to revenge his sight.
Is good literature. Because I find it rather boring and frustrating to read. Maybe it's just me and maybe good literature needn't be enjoyable. I apologise for stupidly expressing myself this way, got a bit irrationally mad (in both meanings of the word) when I saw Lexxan post for some reason.
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Lexxan
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
Unimpressed by your logic
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posted July 17, 2011 11:06 PM |
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I love Milton's work because I love the English language and I love mythological stories.
The appeal lies in how the languare evolved, which is something I find fascinating. It also lies in the story which is interesting and never bores.
Honestly, if you think a book sucks just because it is old (or old-fashioned), then you aren't thinking straight.
(bonus points for liking Oscar Wilde though <3)
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Coincidence? I think not!!!!
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DagothGares
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
No gods or kings
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posted July 17, 2011 11:11 PM |
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Well, no, it isn't like that, exactly. Shakespeare aged really well (and yeah, I can't name too many other writers which I find enjoyable that pre-date 1800's) for example and he played with the language (and he was all about the sex and violence and sexy violence.) And I honestly don't think Milton wrote organic English, he uses all these romance words and you can't convince me that even the most lyrical peasant spoke like this:
Quote:
Pardon me, Mighty Poet, nor despise
My causeless, yet not impious, surmise.
But I am now convinc'd, and none will dare [ 25 ]
Within thy labours to pretend a share
I hardly understand what he's trying to convey here ("and I refuse to believe it's just because I'm thick" said a certain man, once). It's an artificial language is what I'm saying here.
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Cepheus
Honorable
Legendary Hero
Far-flung Keeper
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posted July 17, 2011 11:15 PM |
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What's your opinion on Joyce, then?
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"Those who forget their history are inevitably doomed to repeat it." —Proverb, Might and Magic VIII
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tsar-ivor
Promising
Legendary Hero
Scourge of God
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posted July 17, 2011 11:21 PM |
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I'm currently reading Homer's Illiad, also I am a fan of the works of Tolkien ( ) and also I love reading good ol' english literature just for the fun of trying to understand it, personally i find shakespear's works fascinating, because he captures human nature so well. (as always in my opinion of course  )
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"No laughs were had. There is only shame and sadness." Jenny
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DagothGares
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
No gods or kings
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posted July 17, 2011 11:25 PM |
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Ah, good point. I guess I have to show my populist and simplistic colours in this case, which means I don't get to sit at the cool kid's table of the literary and intellectual elite any more. I haven't read "Ulysses," but I have taken a gander at "Portrait of the artist as a young man" and I have to admit that I wasn't exactly washed away by it. I remember being moved at certain parts and I definitely get his stream-of-consciousness style (of course I do, every literary student gets Joyce as an example when they eventually learn about that term,) but I found it very hard to read at places and thus I haven't even finished it, despite two attempts at it (both stopping around page 50 of 250.)
And I don't know, I am quite comfortable with calling Milton outdated and a terrible read, but calling a modernist outdated is wrong and calling Joyce a terrible read is something my conscience wouldn't allow.
So putting it bluntly: no I find Joyce not very enjoyable and I am quite conflicted on whether it is "good literature," whatever that means. Maybe Ulysses is different, though I wouldn't know.
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Cepheus
Honorable
Legendary Hero
Far-flung Keeper
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posted July 17, 2011 11:39 PM |
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Edited by Cepheus at 23:42, 17 Jul 2011.
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Good man 
That question was a terribly sloppy way to gauge your constancy, but I vaguely remembered you mentioning you admired him at some point - I was probably mistaken or drunk, I don't know.
Now it would be totally hypocritical of me to pass any elitist judgment on your actual taste since my own literary palate is full of heresy as well. It's crap, actually. I never could touch Mark Twain's work to save my life for instance. It's pretty telling that I can't stand humourists in general.
I'm not even going to start on what I think of Ulysses - what I had in mind was Finnegan's Wake.
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"Those who forget their history are inevitably doomed to repeat it." —Proverb, Might and Magic VIII
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