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I haven't read it, but I plan to read all of Wells eventually.
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Soliloquy
I've only read The Time Machine and War of the Worlds. I own The Invisible Man, but haven't read through it yet.
You've got to admire HG Wells. He's the first science fiction author to just make stuff up without doing loads of research ahead of time.
You've got to admire HG Wells. He's the first science fiction author to just make stuff up without doing loads of research ahead of time.
As do I. I managed to luck into a beautiful leather bound volume of seven of his books at a used book store last year for only five dollars. It contains The Time Machine, The Island of Dr. Moreau, The Invisible Man, The First Men in the Moon, The Food of the Gods, In the Days of the Comet, and The War of the Worlds
So far I've only read The Time Machine, The First Men in the Moon and The War of the Worlds. Maybe I should get on that ...
---------- Post added at 08:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:41 PM ----------
So far I've only read The Time Machine, The First Men in the Moon and The War of the Worlds. Maybe I should get on that ...
---------- Post added at 08:44 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:41 PM ----------
Reminds me of this comic from Hark, A Vagrant (also, I must make a note here about just how much I love Kate Beaton).
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Philosopher B.
Wells is awesome. I have read The Island of Dr. Moreau 8 times.
'Prendick be damned! Shut Up - that's your name. Mister Shut up.'
'Prendick be damned! Shut Up - that's your name. Mister Shut up.'
Reading that quote in english makes me realise how much I need to start reading these novels I love in english... finding good translations of them is difficult, as they usually are in children's books collections and their translators fail miserably sometimes.
But, of course, I've also reread (in the past few days) I am legend, in the extra-fancy edition of Spain's most important science fiction publisher... and it was still an awful translation full of strange sounding things and typos.
But, of course, I've also reread (in the past few days) I am legend, in the extra-fancy edition of Spain's most important science fiction publisher... and it was still an awful translation full of strange sounding things and typos.
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Wyrminarrd
I long since gave up reading anything sci-fi or fantasy in my local language, the only books that have been translated really well are the Lord of the Rings books.
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Philosopher B.
Finished Harry Harrison's Return To Eden. The climax, when it came, was a little less grandiose than the action that had gone on in the previous two books, but it was very fitting somehow. I thought it was a satisfying conclusion to the series, overall. The path that the main character (Kerrick) took had a great arc.
I also read:
I kind of just chose it out of my stash randomly. As far as King goes, I've already read Under the Dome, Salem's Lot, The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger, and Cell. This story felt a lot different, obviously, as for one thing it was much shorter.
It was told competently, and you got a real sense of the main character's indomitable spirit, but to tell the truth, I never really got close to feeling creeped out or anxious or anything. Then again, it takes a hell of a lot for a book to do that to me. Cell might have managed to build that kind of atmosphere, but this didn't quite cut it.
Overall, it was decent, but I don't feel as if I ever need to read it a second time.
I also read:
I kind of just chose it out of my stash randomly. As far as King goes, I've already read Under the Dome, Salem's Lot, The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger, and Cell. This story felt a lot different, obviously, as for one thing it was much shorter.
It was told competently, and you got a real sense of the main character's indomitable spirit, but to tell the truth, I never really got close to feeling creeped out or anxious or anything. Then again, it takes a hell of a lot for a book to do that to me. Cell might have managed to build that kind of atmosphere, but this didn't quite cut it.
Overall, it was decent, but I don't feel as if I ever need to read it a second time.
Currently reading Peter Hopkirk's book The Great Game: The Struggle for Empire in Central Asia. It's actually fascinating. I just finished the section on the first Anglo-Afghan War, and am about to get into the Crimean War. It's really well written, and I feel like I've got a good understanding of the various characters and factors that were involved in the rivalry between Great Britain and Russia.
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Wyrminarrd
Finished reading "Soldiers Son" trilogy by Robin Hobb. While I found this series to be not as good as her previous work it was still a good read and easily recommendable if you've liked any of her other works.
Next on the reading list is a short story compilation by Lawrence Watt-Evans called "Crosstime traffic" that has been sitting in my book collection for so long that I'd forgotten that I owned it.
Next on the reading list is a short story compilation by Lawrence Watt-Evans called "Crosstime traffic" that has been sitting in my book collection for so long that I'd forgotten that I owned it.
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Philosopher B.
Just started Starstrike by W. Michael Gear. Never heard of him before I picked this book up, so hopefully it'll be good.
figmentPez
Staff member
Reading David Brin's short story "Thor Meets Captain America". Damn I love this story. It is all sorts of awesome stuffed into a very small package. If it weren't for a Marvel Thor movie coming out, I'd love to see it made into a film.
So I just finished The Last Battle, and thus all of Narnia. I kinda sorta get the controversy/problem people have with Susan no longer being a friend of Narnia, because it looks like Lewis is commenting that womanly things are inherently bad. But I think the role of "lost friend to Narnia" sort of falls to Susan more by accident than anything else.
I mean, one of the themes that kept coming through in these books (and in a lot of Lewis' thought, to be fair) is that growing up shouldn't mean the end of childlike wonder and play and all of that. I don't remember what the context is (perhaps he was discussing Narnia), but I remember him being quoted somewhere as saying something along the lines of "When I grew up I put away childish things, including the fear of appearing childish." which one might notice is a modification of a quote from the bible.
Anyhow, Susan. Clearly Lewis wanted to illustrate this using one of the four Pevensie children, but as I see it, the way the story went left his hands tied as to who it could be. Peter is High King, so it really couldn't be him. Edmund is the reformed traitor: nobody owes Aslan more than he does. That only really leaves the two girls, and Lucy has been the faithful one all through the series, so it could only really be Susan who turned her back on Narnia and those 'childish things.'
A little bit of reading on the subject further convinces me. They talk about how Susan is only interested in makeup and boys and all that, and is no longer interested in Narnia in The Last Battle. But it's not her interest in makeup and boys and womanly things that precludes her presence in Narnia, it's her disinterest in Narnia. After all, it has been pointed out to me that Susan's femininity is a major (positive) point in The Horse and His Boy.
I wish that the child who had been lost to Narnia could have been a boy, because it would have avoided what seems to be the most-criticized aspect of the Narnia series I've seen, the question of whether it carries sexist undertones. But from the beginning it was Susan who bore the title "Most Likely to be Lost."
Those are some thoughts of mine. I'm glad I finally finished this. I've got a few other books on my docket for the next few weeks, but I'm thinking I might finally get into The Lord of the Rings afterward.
I mean, one of the themes that kept coming through in these books (and in a lot of Lewis' thought, to be fair) is that growing up shouldn't mean the end of childlike wonder and play and all of that. I don't remember what the context is (perhaps he was discussing Narnia), but I remember him being quoted somewhere as saying something along the lines of "When I grew up I put away childish things, including the fear of appearing childish." which one might notice is a modification of a quote from the bible.
Anyhow, Susan. Clearly Lewis wanted to illustrate this using one of the four Pevensie children, but as I see it, the way the story went left his hands tied as to who it could be. Peter is High King, so it really couldn't be him. Edmund is the reformed traitor: nobody owes Aslan more than he does. That only really leaves the two girls, and Lucy has been the faithful one all through the series, so it could only really be Susan who turned her back on Narnia and those 'childish things.'
A little bit of reading on the subject further convinces me. They talk about how Susan is only interested in makeup and boys and all that, and is no longer interested in Narnia in The Last Battle. But it's not her interest in makeup and boys and womanly things that precludes her presence in Narnia, it's her disinterest in Narnia. After all, it has been pointed out to me that Susan's femininity is a major (positive) point in The Horse and His Boy.
I wish that the child who had been lost to Narnia could have been a boy, because it would have avoided what seems to be the most-criticized aspect of the Narnia series I've seen, the question of whether it carries sexist undertones. But from the beginning it was Susan who bore the title "Most Likely to be Lost."
Those are some thoughts of mine. I'm glad I finally finished this. I've got a few other books on my docket for the next few weeks, but I'm thinking I might finally get into The Lord of the Rings afterward.
The Lord of the Rings is going to feel like a mighty slog after the quick reading nature of Narnia.
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Chazwozel
Just read Pygmy by chuck palahniuk. fucking amazing.
Maybe not The Hobbit though... it was written to be read to children, and flows much faster than the other books in my opinion.
Maybe not The Hobbit though... it was written to be read to children, and flows much faster than the other books in my opinion.[/QUOTE]
I'm under no illusion there, believe me.
Maybe not The Hobbit though... it was written to be read to children, and flows much faster than the other books in my opinion.[/QUOTE]
I'm under no illusion there, believe me.[/QUOTE]
In my opinion, it's a better book than LOTR, which spends way too much time detailing swamps, and I can see that being where Robert Jordan got his inspiration.
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Philosopher B.
I just finished reading Philip Muthacluckin' Pullman's Northern Lights, or rather The Golden Compass. I had already seen the movie, but it's been a while, and what actually went on has since blurred somewhat, but I still remembered enough to realize why the movie made an ass out of itself:
Firstly, the ending (of the movie) sucked because it wasn't the real gatdamn climax.
Secondly, I remember bears slapping each other about, but I'm fairly certain no one ripped anyone's gory, still-beating heart out and made a meal out of it. I don't care if the movie was for all ages. I CAN'T HELP LIKING COOL THINGS.
Thirdly, I got such a terrific sense of the bond between humans and their daemons in the book, that I'm tempted to go back and watch the movie again, because I don't remember getting that sense of caring and love at all.
It seems as though the pooch was screwed harder and more vigorously than I had previously thought, because I considered the movie okay at the time (despite my being annoyingly confused during a few bits), but clearly, the book was pretty damn entertaining.
The biggest flaw I can think of was that the alethiometer made shit a little too damn easy sometimes, but what ya gonna do. I didn't really think about that until after I was finished reading, though, so I guess Philip Pullman did his job, that tricky dick!
I shall now pursue the sequels. They'd better be pretty ding-danged blasphemous, for all I've heard!
Firstly, the ending (of the movie) sucked because it wasn't the real gatdamn climax.
Secondly, I remember bears slapping each other about, but I'm fairly certain no one ripped anyone's gory, still-beating heart out and made a meal out of it. I don't care if the movie was for all ages. I CAN'T HELP LIKING COOL THINGS.
Thirdly, I got such a terrific sense of the bond between humans and their daemons in the book, that I'm tempted to go back and watch the movie again, because I don't remember getting that sense of caring and love at all.
It seems as though the pooch was screwed harder and more vigorously than I had previously thought, because I considered the movie okay at the time (despite my being annoyingly confused during a few bits), but clearly, the book was pretty damn entertaining.
The biggest flaw I can think of was that the alethiometer made shit a little too damn easy sometimes, but what ya gonna do. I didn't really think about that until after I was finished reading, though, so I guess Philip Pullman did his job, that tricky dick!
I shall now pursue the sequels. They'd better be pretty ding-danged blasphemous, for all I've heard!
Read the sequels. It becomes apparent that the alethiometer wasn't making things easy for them and may have actually made things worse.
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Philosopher B.
Ooh! I am intrigued.
Ripping the other bear's jaw off was more than I expected from what was supposed to be a kid's movie. It was easily my favorite part of that entire film.
The books have been way sensationalized. Phillip Pullman tries too hard, but that's not to say that the process isn't entertaining.
Have you read other books by him, and if so, how does this one compare? I read Haunted, which was pretty well the book that proved the flaw in my "If I start it, I'm going to finish it" rule. I got about half way through Fight Club and decided that he was the first author I had read whose work was better as a movie. I'm always willing to give someone another chance though.
Right now I'm reading ghost stories by Algernon Blackwood on my iPhone and Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norris in dead tree form. I'm also waiting with baited breath for the library to cough up my copies of The Goon and Scott Pilgrim, which I'll work into the mix somehow.
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Wyrminarrd
Been reading a bunch of books lately.
"Childhoods End" by Arthur C. Clarke which was pretty good though as usual his characters were rather flat and secondary to the story.
"Jupiter Project" By Gregory Benford. He wrote this novel back in the 70's and he clearly wasnðt optimistic about the near future as he was predicting that the Earth would start facing major problems as early as the 90's
"Denners Wreck" by Lawrance Watt-Evans. This was an ok book though I prefer his fantasy books to his sci-fi stuff.
Currently reading "Noonshade" by James Barclay which is the first book that is number two in a series that I have read without first reading the first book. My sister gave it to me as a christmas present about 5-6 years ago and it took till now for me to read it, so far it's actually been pretty good and I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to pick up the story from the first book.
"Childhoods End" by Arthur C. Clarke which was pretty good though as usual his characters were rather flat and secondary to the story.
"Jupiter Project" By Gregory Benford. He wrote this novel back in the 70's and he clearly wasnðt optimistic about the near future as he was predicting that the Earth would start facing major problems as early as the 90's
"Denners Wreck" by Lawrance Watt-Evans. This was an ok book though I prefer his fantasy books to his sci-fi stuff.
Currently reading "Noonshade" by James Barclay which is the first book that is number two in a series that I have read without first reading the first book. My sister gave it to me as a christmas present about 5-6 years ago and it took till now for me to read it, so far it's actually been pretty good and I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to pick up the story from the first book.
Just finished The Bookseller of Kabul last night. It's the story of an Afghan family over the course of three months in 2001/2002ish. The author, Anse Seierstad, is a journalist who embedded herself with the Northern Alliance during the march on Kabul. When in Kabul she met a man she names Sultan Kahn, who owns a series of booshops in Kabul (tititular character). She asks and is given permission to live with his family for three months, in order to produce an account of life in Afghanistan.
It's fascinating. I'd encourage everyone to read this. I'm loaning this out to a friend tomorrow, and already have two or three others interested in borrowing it. I realize nobody in the west is under any illusions about the status of women in Afghanistan, but to be given a work that places the status of women in a social context is something new. Besides that, it's incredible just to meet with the life and attitudes of Afghan individuals in this narrative.
Check. It. Out.
It's fascinating. I'd encourage everyone to read this. I'm loaning this out to a friend tomorrow, and already have two or three others interested in borrowing it. I realize nobody in the west is under any illusions about the status of women in Afghanistan, but to be given a work that places the status of women in a social context is something new. Besides that, it's incredible just to meet with the life and attitudes of Afghan individuals in this narrative.
Check. It. Out.
After long delay, I've been reading the Ciaphas Cain Omnibus (Warhammer 40,000) by Sandy Mitchell. It's everything that was missing from every other W40k book/story I'd read. I'm glad the people in the Dark Millennium Online topic got me off my ass to read it. I'm still early in the first book, but I'm loving it.
That book was awesome. SPOILERS:
Also I was beginning to watch LOST when I read it, and found that the kid with his dog hearing strange voices in an island populated by a group of people isolated from the world to make scientific (and artistic) progress was familiar.
I haven't finished Lost yet, and I know this doesn't fit the series ending (as far as my vage knowledge of it goes), but it was a very interesting filter to invent theories about the series while I was watching it.
I recently re-read Ubik, by Philip K. Dick. It was a good read, but not as good as the first time.
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Wyrminarrd
Finished reading "Noonshade" by James Barclay, pretty good book and I definitely will have to try to get my hands on the third book in the series.
Currently reading "Rendezvous with Rama" by Arthur C. Clarke and so far I'm really liking it a lot.
Currently reading "Rendezvous with Rama" by Arthur C. Clarke and so far I'm really liking it a lot.
Currently reading The Prince by Machiavelli
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Rereading for the first time in 20 years my leather bound edition of the More Than Complete Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
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