good books

[Campbell]

i'd say 'the naked and the dead'


and for the record, i'm all for the free expression of subjective artistic taste, but anyone who likes dan brown is

a) a fucking idiot
b) a fucking idiot

[flarewearer]

Quoting Bitterandtwisted from 13:55, 10th May 2006

Day of the Triffids

Absolutely!
Might I also add;

Fahrenheit 451 - Ray Bradbury

[hr]

[Bitterandtwisted]

Quoting Telinar from 13:59, 10th May 2006
I agree that there are several archetypes within these books that reoccur but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Like I said, it makes it accessible as there are easily identifiable characters. While not high class literature, it is a good start to the genre as Lord of the Rings can be a bit heavy.

[hr]

http://telinar-beln.deviantart.com or http://standrews.facebook.com/profile.php?id=37105240

Perhaps. They are certainly entertaining enough (or I wouldn't have read the whole lot of them). If you like that sort of thing, I would recommend Raymond E Feist or Terry Brooks.

[hr]

Look at that. Look at that. "Accident Blackspot"? These aren't accidents. They're throwing themselves into the road gladly. Throwing themselves into the road to escape all this hideousness. Throw yourself into the road, darling - you haven't got a chance.

[beeny]

Quoting campbell from 14:04, 10th May 2006
i'd say 'the naked and the dead'


and for the record, i'm all for the free expression of subjective artistic taste, but anyone who likes dan brown is

a) a fucking idiot
b) a fucking idiot

Damn right campbell. I remember starting to read 'Da Vinci Code' (pure shiiiiiite btw) and thinking 'hmm the writing seems a little forced but maybe, maybe its hard to start a story like this off.'

7 chapters in, not only had i guessed the inevitable and tedious ending but I had also discovered that Dan Brown cannot write. His plots are contrived, his dialogue stilted, forced and completely clumsy and is descriptions read more like itineraries than carefully crafted images. And to add insult to injury, he thinks this style of writing is so good that he uses the EXACT same formula in every book.

Now, no more 'ooooh isn't the Da Vinci Cde good. ooooh really made me think'. No-one cares about your silly, infantile opinions.

[hr]

'But what do I know? I'm a bear; I suck the heads off fish.'

[Bitterandtwisted]

Incidently, has anyone read John Wyndhams Triffids and seen 28 days later? When I first saw that film, I thought this is exactly how I immagined the start of the book. Waking up in hospital to find a completely silent London.

[hr]

Look at that. Look at that. "Accident Blackspot"? These aren't accidents. They're throwing themselves into the road gladly. Throwing themselves into the road to escape all this hideousness. Throw yourself into the road, darling - you haven't got a chance.

[beeny]

Oooops, realised I hadn't been helpful, just ranted.

Anyway, I would recommend anything by Bill Bryson if you want a laugh.

Also, 'Blink' by Malcolm Gladwell (Glidewell?) is really good. Looks at how people's first impressions can often be their most correct.

[hr]

'But what do I know? I'm a bear; I suck the heads off fish.'

[rubberjohnny]

Ken Kesey - One flew over the Cuckoo's nest

Check out some of Philip K Dicks stuff if you like mindbending plots.

[flarewearer]

Quoting Bitterandtwisted from 14:13, 10th May 2006
Incidently, has anyone read John Wyndhams Triffids and seen 28 days later? When I first saw that film, I thought this is exactly how I immagined the start of the book. Waking up in hospital to find a completely silent London.

I thought EXACTLY the same thing. Got the book and the film, and the similarities are uncanny, perhaps one of the reasons I love the film so much, despite the fact it loses the plot in the middle (and the totally awesome postrock-esque soundtrack).

[hr]

[Campbell]

thanks beeny

[Campbell]

thanks beeny

[lauraelizabeth]

The count of monte cristo. It took me a while to read, but it's amazing. There is danger, deception, intrigue, murder, romance, everything you could ever wish for!!

[Jen the Phantom Hobbit of]

The Falco series by Lindsey Davis are very good.
As is Lord of the Rings!
Also higly recommended by me and the voices that live in my head are The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux and War of the Worlds by H G Wells.
Failing that try Homer!

[hr]

The voices in my head tell me I'm not insane ... but everyone else does.

[Jen the Phantom Hobbit of]

The Falco series by Lindsey Davis are very good.
As is Lord of the Rings!
Also higly recommended by me and the voices that live in my head are The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux and War of the Worlds by H G Wells.
Failing that try Homer!

[hr]

The voices in my head tell me I'm not insane ... but everyone else does.

[Magus]

Quoting Jen the Phantom Hobbit of the Opera from 15:29, 10th May 2006
The Falco series by Lindsey Davis are very good.

Steven Saylor's Gordianus series is far superior. And Republican - hurrah!
Agree on Phantom, and Hugo's Les Miserables is excellent. Forget all you ever knew about the musicals, read the originals!

[hr]

When I would pray and think, I think and pray to several subjects.

[Jubilee]

'Sabriel', 'Lirael' and 'Abhorsen' by Garth Nix.

Or if you're not into fantasy 'Hotel New Hampshire' by John Irving or 'The Virgin Suicides' by Jeffrey Eugenides.

[iab2]

Read the Simon Scarrow books on Macro and Cato. They are fictional stories set in the Roman army. Brilliant if you like adventure. They all have "Eagle" in the title if you are looking for them

[hr]

IMAGE:x2.putfile.com/2/3511253355.jpg

[novium]

I wouldn't go quite that far, but mostly because, despite everything, he as become so freaking popular, I loathe dan brown from the very bottom of my heart.

Quoting campbell from 14:04, 10th May 2006
i'd say 'the naked and the dead'


and for the record, i'm all for the free expression of subjective artistic taste, but anyone who likes dan brown is

a) a fucking idiot
b) a fucking idiot

[hr]

sed tamen ira procul absit, cum qua nihil recte fieri, nihil considerate potest.

[novium]

Not to mention that he says it's true, and that he's done his research. hah. I'm not even talking about the larger stuff, but even small details were wrong, wrong, wrong, and at best popular misconceptions. And then, to tell people that it is true...that is the great sin against history in my mind.

Quoting beeny from 14:13, 10th May 2006

Quoting campbell from 14:04, 10th May 2006
i'd say 'the naked and the dead'


and for the record, i'm all for the free expression of subjective artistic taste, but anyone who likes dan brown is

a) a fucking idiot
b) a fucking idiot

Damn right campbell. I remember starting to read 'Da Vinci Code' (pure shiiiiiite btw) and thinking 'hmm the writing seems a little forced but maybe, maybe its hard to start a story like this off.'

7 chapters in, not only had i guessed the inevitable and tedious ending but I had also discovered that Dan Brown cannot write. His plots are contrived, his dialogue stilted, forced and completely clumsy and is descriptions read more like itineraries than carefully crafted images. And to add insult to injury, he thinks this style of writing is so good that he uses the EXACT same formula in every book.

Now, no more 'ooooh isn't the Da Vinci Cde good. ooooh really made me think'. No-one cares about your silly, infantile opinions.

[hr]

'But what do I know? I'm a bear; I suck the heads off fish.'

[hr]

sed tamen ira procul absit, cum qua nihil recte fieri, nihil considerate potest.

[novium]

I must recommend Gillian Bradshaw's novels. The only one set during the republic, though, was mostly told from Syracuse's point of view. Nevertheless, they are good books.

Quoting Magus from 16:14, 10th May 2006

Quoting Jen the Phantom Hobbit of the Opera from 15:29, 10th May 2006
The Falco series by Lindsey Davis are very good.

Steven Saylor's Gordianus series is far superior. And Republican - hurrah!
Agree on Phantom, and Hugo's Les Miserables is excellent. Forget all you ever knew about the musicals, read the originals!

[hr]

When I would pray and think, I think and pray to several subjects.

[hr]

sed tamen ira procul absit, cum qua nihil recte fieri, nihil considerate potest.

[sparkler]

Dune by Frank Herbert, I think no one did any justice to it with the films. Read it! And if you want more science fiction, read Chasm City by Alistair Reynolds, great book.

[hr]

Woah lads!