yeah, that house of leaves is definitely worth a read. odd, but interesting. i don't know what i'm going to read next; i feel like something good.

you arthurian legend folk; what is this warlord business i see above? how would it compare, say, to mary stewart's merlin trilogy? i'm sure its not like a de troyes or mallory gig, and probably not a t.h. white thing if its a trilogy. just curious if i need to actually read it; is it like a dragon lance thing with arthurian knights?

I know this post is from half a year ago, but I just read this (in one four hour sitting :crazy: ) after not having read any books when I wasn't on a plane (I can usually finish one on an average 3 hour flight) in almost two years. Not a bad story, but pretty blah literature...his interactions with his Asian mom were interesting, but I just didn't engage with them/him like I do with some of my favorite books.

I used to read ALLLL the time, but have gotten out of it. I tore up the science fiction aisle at the library something fierce...well crafted alternate futures, specifically Robert Heinlein or James P. Hogan, make me happy.

Any recomendations for some delicious fictional booky morsels, with a leaning towards scifi or anything to do with clever (Sherlock Holmes, etc) main characters?

I do the same. It used to be Mary Stewart's Arthurian Trilogy (Crystal Cave, Hollow Hills. Last Enchantment), but I think Cornwall has absolutely the best. Try his Grail series as well. Just as good.

On to another series, I am actually reading the Harry Potter series. I always refused to read them, but man, they are hard to put down. I read the 3rd book in about 3 days, (every waking moment) and have started on Goblet of Fire. My 10 year old daughter started reading the 1st one, and kept telling me it was better than the movie, and she was right.

I read "Choke" by Chuck Pahluniak on my flight to Amsterdam. One of my favorites by him so far

The Once and Future King
 

I've heard that One and Future King is, basically, THE definitive King Arthur book and I'd always felt guilty for not having read it. I finally picked it up because I was there buying Mists of Avalon and I thought I should have "the original" also.

I'm utterly shocked. It's a children's book. What the?!? I was expecting some Tolkienesque grand legend, perhaps written in that odd celtic style I have such a hard time reading through, but... it's just goofy. Arthur is a little boy named "The Wart". Merlin has worms and mice living in his hair. Sir Ector is a joke. Everyone sort of is. I'm torn as to whether or not to like this book. It doesn't make any sense, but I feel like its a parody of the King Arthur sagas I've always loved so much.

And yet, Goddess help me, I can't help but like dear King Pellinore.

hmm... in my very first week as a member here, I came across a thread in which someone had compiled a very thorough list of books that were recommended by their fellow members here on the boards, but I have not been able to locate it since. :(

Could someone who knows what I am talking about please point me in the right direction to obtain said list(I believe it was an outside link to a text format or something similar). Any help at all would be most appreciative on my part. :)

Does anyone here read Sharyn McCrumb? Specifically the Ballad Books? I've read them all

The Ballad of Frankie Silver (based on a true story)
The Songcatcher
Ghost Riders (based on true story)
The Rosewood Casket
She Walks These Hills
The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter (havent been able to find this one yet)
If ever I Return Pretty Peggy-O (havent found this one either)

They are making a movie out of The Rosewood Casket, and while this is my least fav of the set I still thoroughly enjoyed it.

I can never decide which is my absolute favorite, but as I am on a "civil war in the north carolina mountains" kick Ghost Riders (about one of the few female disguised as a male soldiers) in the war.

Sharyn has a way of weaving history and present day in such a way that makes the books really hard to put down for me. Each book has two stories going on at once, one in the past and one in the present and somewhere in there they tie together.

Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams

I've been trying to get into this book for about 5 years now and every time I try I just lose interest for some reason. This time I'm determined to finish, and I'm actually enjoying it.

A compilation of 76 Short Stories by Saki. I love his works, they're a lot like the ones Oscar Wilde used to pen down. Oddly, many animals and formidable aunts play a role in his stories.

I'm about to star [U]American Gods[U]. I've heard great things about it.

Scratch that, it wasn't that great.

I disagree. It isn't Gaiman's best work (personally I found Stardust and Neverwhere to be better) but it is really quite good.

Anyway, what I'm reading right now is Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman.

It's a slight interlude for me. I've been re-reading the Ian Flemming Bond books. I read Casino Royale, Live and Let Die, Moonraker and Diamonds Are Forever on my vacation up at the cottage and just finished From Russia with Love. Basically I have to wait until I get paid next week so I can pick up the next batch.

I was actually very pleasantly impressed with The Quickie by James Patterson.

I do adore a book that proves my detective skills very screwed up and makes you forget why you are suspicious of someone then remind you with a slap in the face. The ending is sure to suprise you!

This book has more twists and turns than any other book I have ever read.

holy crap... you read James Patterson? woah... ive never encountered someone that could relate to my Alex Cross addiction.... if you like him, have you ever read James Lee Burke? - I've only read Dixie City Jam, but if you like James Patterson, you'll love James Lee Burke.

Is it just me or was the end of Cross a complete cop out? Do not fret, however, for I can not wait for Double Cross to come out.

lol i havent read it yet. i read so fast that i wait for a few books to come out at once and read them one right after the other

Starting to read Ender's Game tonight. anyone have any good things to say about that serie? how are the 2nd and 3rd book in the serie? worth buying? (i'll decide if i want to buy up to 7 or 8 after the first 3).

Welcome to the fold they're very good. It really doesn't get much better than Ender's game but you'll probably still enjoy them a lot. I also really liked Ender's Shadow.

as anyone read the gun seller by star of NBC's house, Hugh Laurie?

i just finished it, it's pretty funny, and i can't help but hear his voice when i read it, making it that much funnier. guy can write...

I loved Choke. I've been saying "for serious" ever since..

I just finished Lullaby last night. I can't really talk about it without spoiling it but I didn't really like the ending. It felt rushed and.. I dunno.. Maybe I misinterpreted some of the characters.. but it just didn't feel right. I still enjoyed the book though.

I also downloaded and listened to Survivor from iTunes. I loved the Narrator's voice. The story was also excellent.

redundancy....

Reading A Clockwork Orange. It is a challenge to sort through the made up language in this book.

I really enjoyed the Road, although, I kept wondering where the child got his compassion from, that most likely means I didn't understand the book, and that may be the case. I enjoyed it none the less. It never really says exactly what the cause of the world being in the state it was....Volcanos? or??

I finished Ender's game. it was good. not as great as I imagined but still good.
i would give it a 9/10 for writting and characters. but a 6/10 for story. i mean, it doesn't really move too fast. so 7.5/10 overall.

I'm gonna start 2 others soon. Lamb and The road after xmas.

Anyone ever read Sophie's World or The Solitaire Mystery by Jostein Gaarder?

I read Sophie's World back in high school. I didn't think too much of it, frankly. Interesting subject, but it seemed like Gardner was just looking for a way to make a textbook that was more interesting to read. Also, that ending was just strange, and not in a good way.

it doesn't seem like this topic gets much activity and is just a dumping ground for a book comment here or there. how about we turn this topic into an actual book club type thing? like vote on books to read, read them, then discuss them. i think it's an interesting idea and could be fun if enough people are interested...

if it's stupid, feel free to call me an idiot

Just Finished Terry Brooks Sword of Shannara Trilogy, Which was alright... And now I am reading... Harry Potter ( The First book anyways... my son wanted me to start reading it to him but I want to read it first to see if it is alright to read him. I've heard the books can get kinda dark and violent. So far the first is a suprisingly good read.

Don

I think it's a good idea. Many of us seem to have such different tastes though.

I just heard about a newer book series from Russia that is becoming quite popular. In fact I had to order the first 2 used from Amazon because they were out of stock on the new ones. It's called The Ringing Cedars series by Vladimir Megre.
My friend went on and on about how this series has been raging like a wildfire from west to east. I'm really looking forward to starting it and I will let you guys know how it is.
Has anyone ever heard of it?

Lolita. Lo.Lee.Ta.

This is the 3rd time I'm reading that book, and I must say, I actually root for Humbert Humbert. Way before I read it, I imagined Lolita to be an innocent, clueless child, and Humbert Humbert to be a glowering, evil villain. The author, Vladimir Nabokov sure knows how to win over readers. And, his power over English is remarkable.

Call me creepy, but I'd do anything to have a passionate lover like HH. (Sans the sick obsession). Oscar Wilde once said, "There is no such thing as a moral or an immoral book. Books are well written or badly written", and it's true in this case.

I got into the the first few chapters of the Drums of Autumn (i think?) and couldn't do it. Her style just doesn't lend itself to my kind of reading. Searching for some old Asimov to read.

I just finished reading "The Catcher in the Rye" this evening. I always suspected that my inner voice would have taken something from Holden Caulfield, and so it was.

One of the best books I've read, simply because so much of it resonated.

The uncomfortable mix between hero worship and contempt, the desire to be drunk most the time, the helpless urge to keep starting fights you know that you'll lose, the heightened sense of prudishness fighting against the desire to get laid, the desire always to be on the side of the outsider, the rejection of hypocrisy, the almost automatic contempt of anything that you find yourself wanting too much, the painful self awareness, the lack of concentration....

So much of it rang true.

I just finished the last book in Terry Goodkinds Sword of Truth Series.
Been reading the series over the last 5 years as the books come out. Definitely enjoyed it.

Before That I read George R.R. Martins A song of Ice and Fire series... waiting for the next book to come out! Definitely enjoyed it. a bit slower paced then I'm used to but very enjoyable.


need to find another fantasy book to read... its a bummer not having a book to pickup at the moment... anyone that enjoyed those series have any suggestions?

I just finished Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore.

I find Moore to be hit and miss. Sometimes I find myself laughing out loud constantly other times I'm bored reading him. I enjoyed Lamb, it was a fun read and full of puns galore and but I found it did drag around the middle of the book.

I just read "America's most notorious author"'s new book, BRight Shiny Morning (by James Frey). I enjoyed it a lot. A bit of it is redundant and a few good characters were hardly seen, while other ridiculous ones were over used. Over all I'd give it a 7.2/10.

Other book/essays I've read lately:

Blood Meridian By Cormac McCarthy 8.7/10
A Man Without A Country by Kurt Vonnegut 9/10
In Defense Of Atheism by Michael Onfray 7/10

Since I've been on vacation since the 4th I've finished 3 books.

The Bell Jar- Silvia Plath
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest-Ken Kesey

and my new favorite:
Female Chauvinist Pigs: Women and the Rise of Raunch Culture- Ariel Levy

On the first two, I just like reading what I consider classics and iconic

On FCP; This was the first book I've ever read that dealt with feminism today and it's completely changed my views. I recommend it to ANYONE. It has literally changed my life.

I would like to recommend The Trial by Franz Kafka. It's one of my favourite novels.

Without any ideas what else you have read, I'd recommend looking up David Gemmell. Most of his books are standalone, though there are some 'related' books. My favourite is called "Knights of Dark Renown"...just leaning over in my office, I can see it is Copyright 1989 - so not that new :), but still a good read.

Also a big fan of RA Salvatore - the Dark Elf books and others.

Finished "Haunted" by Chuck Palahniuk, moved on to "Diary" by him, and I just won "Choke" on Ebay. I love his twisted way of describing shit.

Just re-read Christopher Moore's Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal. This is like the fifth or sixth time I've read it, and I laughed every time.

Also just finished all of Robin Hobb's "Farseer" books. Her first trilogy, the "Assassin" books were freaking brilliant, and I adored them. I liked her second trilogy, the "Liveship" books a little less, but still enjoyed them. The third trilogy was better-- the "Golden Fool" books-- and pleased me. I read the two books of her new "forest mage" trilogy that have been released so far, and they were OK, but nowhere near as good as the others.

Recently re-read Ursula K. LeGuin's original "Earthsea" trilogy. She wrote a couple of follow-up books to that trilogy that I thought really sucked, so I hadn't read the original three in years. I forgot how good they were! They were just fantastic! What amazing pieces of work! No clue what happened to her talent as she got older....