READERS UNITE

Book reading absorbs far more of my time than even gaming does, i was curious many moons ago about books and so we made a thread containing titles of books we liked.

well i am re-opening the topic now that we have a polling system to guage it by.. what is your favorite type of story?

if perchance it is "other" please take a moment to name a title, who knows, you might just entice us into a whole new path.

I don't think this quite fits into one of those categories, but I mostly read (and write) semi-fictional stories... ie, it's realistic in setting and emotion, but didn't actually happen.

Cassius said:
I don't think this quite fits into one of those categories, but I mostly read (and write) semi-fictional stories... ie, it's realistic in setting and emotion, but didn't actually happen.

cass, isn't that why they have a non-fiction style?

true, i don't read non-fiction much, but it was my understanding thats what it was, say for instance, "Walton's Mountain" it was a story about a family named Spencer, and originally it was called "Spencer's Mountain" a fake book about a real setting... non-fiction.

course, i could be wrong again :/

[EDIT] I can always edit the list before anyone votes????

non-fiction does not apply to those stories. Fiction is the broad terms that covers any story regardless of setting that did not (or mostly did not) occur. Non-fiction covers events that did in fact happen.

"Modern fiction" could be one category for such stories as Cass mentioned, as could "historical fiction," depending on the time frame. Any number of words could be used to describe fiction, but in the end, as long as it didn't really happen, it's fiction.

KungFuSquirrel said:
non-fiction does not apply to those stories. Fiction is the broad terms that covers any story regardless of setting that did not (or mostly did not) occur. Non-fiction covers events that did in fact happen.

"Modern fiction" could be one category for such stories as Cass mentioned, as could "historical fiction," depending on the time frame. Any number of words could be used to describe fiction, but in the end, as long as it didn't really happen, it's fiction.

OK, but we have 6 options andrew :biggrin:

and how is my example not considered non-fiction? it falls well within your criteria? Spencers Mountain is a real place, or at least thats my understanding.

in any event, people.. use andrews example, at least in so far as fiction, and non-fiction

I accidentally miscast my vote, but for the most part I read historical non-fiction books like A Bridge Too Far or Black Hawk Down.

Yak_Fighter said:
I accidentally miscast my vote, but for the most part I read historical non-fiction books like A Bridge Too Far or Black Hawk Down.

which was the miscast bud? it won't make a difference, but i am curious.

fantasy (lotr) or ww2 based stories.

Fantasy/SciFi are by far my favorites, but I'll read anything if it contains interesting characters and the authors style is palitable.

and how is my example not considered non-fiction? it falls well within your criteria? Spencers Mountain is a real place, or at least thats my understanding.

That may be, but if the story didn't really happen, that doesn't make it non-fiction. :smile: I helped my roommate from last year as he wrote a story about New York City for his writing of fiction class. New York City is very real, and it actually had references to 9-11 and all that, but that didn't make the story real. Thus, fiction.

KungFuSquirrel said:

and how is my example not considered non-fiction? it falls well within your criteria? Spencer's Mountain is a real place, or at least thats my understanding.

That may be, but if the story didn't really happen, that doesn't make it non-fiction. :smile: I helped my roommate from last year as he wrote a story about New York City for his writing of fiction class. New York City is very real, and it actually had references to 9-11 and all that, but that didn't make the story real. Thus, fiction.

ok that sorta makes sense... i must be confused cause as i said, the story was based on real events..

anywhos, since i voted sci-fi/fan its all moot to me..

i have however read all 11 books by Laura Ingalls Wilder.. the little house series.. a very good read if you are into such.

thanx andrew, just because i don't get it, does not reflect on your accuracy :biggrin:

Tom Clancy!! The only books I've read on my own.

Rainbow Six was the best. Followed by Sum of all Fears.

Wild Card said:
Tom Clancy!! The only books I've read on my own.

Rainbow Six was the best. Followed by Sum of all Fears.

eeeww, yuk, i think i'll wait for those two to come out in film.

Sum of all Fears has been out almost 2 years:P

I think the options are a little 'flawed' taking that option 1 covers far too much of the novel realm. In all actuality, 3 falls under number 1. The only difference is one has picture and one doesn't.

By the way, The Sum of All Fears is a movie, and it sucks donkey nuts.

Anyway, Science Fiction/Fantasy Adventure, would be highest up on my list. Just because almost every book I've ever read falls under that massivly large catagory.

I like 'Space operas'- Peter F Hamilton's 'Nights Dawn' series, David Brin's 'Uplift' series, Isaac Asimov's 'Foundation' series (and the 2nd foundation trilogy), and Alastair Reynold's 'Revelation Space' books are all pretty awesome. Robert Reed is also pretty good for random settings, and I'd highly recommend Neal Asher to anyone who likes sci-fi, about to start his latest book 'Cowl'.

As for 'real' books, I think "The Forgotten Soldier" by Guy Sajer is the best thing I've read recently, lovely account about a Russian conscript in WW2.

reminds my short memoried companions..

my sense of humor is lacking, but its there.. i know its a movie

shall i post my movie list again? :heee:

and i personally loved the movie.

crono, i realize scifi/fan is a rather large categorie, but here again we have only 6 slots.. the choices are as devided as i saw necessary for the poll.

and although i consider comics as literature, many would not even consider them in the same light as scifi/fan.. and neither do i :/

Crono said:
By the way, The Sum of All Fears is a movie, and it sucks donkey nuts.

The movie does suck, but the book is great. Its totally different.

reminds my short memoried companions..

my sense of humor is lacking, but its there.. i know its a movie

shall i post my movie list again? :heee:

and i personally loved the movie.

crono, i realize scifi/fan is a rather large categorie, but here again we have only 6 slots.. the choices are as devided as i saw necessary for the poll.

and although i consider comics as literature, many would not even consider them in the same light as scifi/fan.. and neither do i :/

Sadly, the Pulizter Prize Commitie doesn't even see them as literature. After Sandman won a coulpe years ago or so, they made a rule that no form of graphic novel or comic book can enter.

Also, I see comics in that light, simply because their stories don't need pictures to be entertaining :smile:
Take the Dark Night series for example, they're novels, no pictures which were then turned into comics.

Anyway, I suppose it doesn't matter, but that's my view on it.

I suppose your catagories are more defined then book stores which have "Fiction" and then sub-divisions of Fiction.

However, maybe I should have marked Other, being that most of the books I've read recently are Computer Architecture and Programming books ... or would that fall under non-fiction, Orph?

iv just finished reading "stupid white men"
other books that are on my bed-side desk are Sun Tzu's art of war, Tom Clancy's red rabbit and a book about body language, cant recall the name at the mo.
i never have time to read them :sad:

I think a thriller such as "thriller" or something should have been used in place of horror - thriller could perhaps include horror, and it could also encompass books by people such as Grisham, Clancy, etc...

I'm not a big reader personally, though some I've enjoyed are Clancy's work, Tolkien's work (particularly LOTR and The Silmarillion), and The Romance of the Three Kingdoms... though admittedly that last one does get a bit heavy going at times.

The book I have coming up next is "If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B Movie Actor" By Bruce Campbell. From what I've read so far, it's hillarious, and it has great insight for individuals who plan on being in the entertainment biz.

I'm interested in it myself for some ideas on how to organize shoot times and get the most bang for your buck as a director, independant or not.

I just read non-fiction that relates to my course or anything that is of interest to me.

i am really surprised we have no horror fans.. my wife loves king and his ilk :smile:

I used to read a few Stephen King novels, but not in the past 5 or 6 years. Certainly not my favourite style of book.

I dont really like horror. I'm more into war/WW2 type senarios.

Horror novels seem to be more of a femanine read really... they get scared really easily :razz:

Oh yer! Double post! I know how to do them now :razz:

Myrk- said:
Horror novels seem to be more of a femanine read really... they get scared really easily :razz:

a double post, 2 minutes apart?

Yer I made my post, clicked submit, chatted to some people then when I can back it was still loading it, so I clicked submit again and it did a double post :biggrin:

lame!

Wild Card said:
Tom Clancy!! The only books I've read on my own.

Rainbow Six was the best. Followed by Sum of all Fears.

Rainbow six was his last decent book, and it was nothing compared to his earlier work. Sum Of All Fears is great though! have you read Without Remorse? that is my all time favorite Clancy book.

Leperous said:
I like 'Space operas'- Peter F Hamilton's 'Nights Dawn' series, David Brin's 'Uplift' series, Isaac Asimov's 'Foundation' series (and the 2nd foundation trilogy), and Alastair Reynold's 'Revelation Space' books are all pretty awesome. Robert Reed is also pretty good for random settings, and I'd highly recommend Neal Asher to anyone who likes sci-fi, about to start his latest book 'Cowl'.

As for 'real' books, I think "The Forgotten Soldier" by Guy Sajer is the best thing I've read recently, lovely account about a Russian conscript in WW2.

Have you read any of the Honor Harington serries by David Webber? Great stuff.

I used to read a few Stephen King novels, but not in the past 5 or 6 years. Certainly not my favourite style of book.

Yeah, I tend to hate s**tty plots and dialog as well.

HARRY POTTER!!!!...no seriously those books are great! :biggrin:

Myrk, you've made several double-posts today. I'm gonna have to say...

You're fired.

I don't like any specific genre of books, TBH. I just like individual ones and they come from everywhere... For example, I really liked Is Paris Burning By Simon Collins and Dominicque Lapierre, which would come under Historical or something, but I also really liked Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand (Fiction-Philosophy?). Not to mention my recent fascination for the Foundation series by Asimov. I marked "Other".

I like Dean Koontz, as From the Corner of His Eye is simply an epic story, although the ending is so terribly lacking. Well, not the ending ending, but what ends up happening when the hero and the antihero finally meet up. It's just... so fake. Rest of the story is gold though.

I've always liked anything by J. D. Salinger, The Great Gatsby, The Angle Quickest for Flight, Flatland... I think that sums up my top 7 or so books... pretty genre spanning, I think.

God, I hated the Great Gatsby. I don't know if it was the flat, dimensionless characters, or the terrible plot. Or maybe it was the over indulgence of symbolism. I just didn't care for it.

However, Salinger is alright, wasn't too crazy about Catcher in the Rye though ... I think it's a bit (like most older books) over rated. But then so are newer books too ... cough Twelve cough

Harry Potter is a good idea, but the books are seriously overrated. They just aren't written well at all, and it seems that people think it doesn't matter too much as long as it's creative and exciting. It does matter, and while they are average books, there are better.

They're just the average kids fantasy book. Makes sure that none of the people reading it engages in that very destructive activity called "thinking".

Just saw the "I, Robot" trailer- looks like it's loosely based on Asimov's book rather than retelling it, but could be quite a good film (hopefully with some book magic working on it preventing it from being a mindless romp)

http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/i_robot/

<!-- ZoneLabs Popup Blocking Insertion -->I saw the trailer for Harry Potter and the prisoner of Askaban yesturday when i went to see Scooby Doo 2 :biggrin: , its looks way better than the first 2, mabe because it is directed by someone different.

books into movies... usually a poor outcome, and thats sad.

books i would love to see made into movies.

1) Ringworld
2) anything Aurthur C. Clarke
3) the Shanarra series
4) anything Alan Dean Foster
5) anything Heinlein
6) Elminster
7) more Marvel comics
:cool: Forge of God and Anvil of the Stars
9) Anything Darksun

jeez i honestly couldn't write a whole list, cause i just have to many... but those 9 would do for starters :biggrin:

ReNo said:
I think a thriller such as "thriller" or something should have been used in place of horror - thriller could perhaps include horror, and it could also encompass books by people such as Grisham, Clancy, etc...

thriller duncan, you mean suspence?

is this a word across the pond issue?

when i watch movies, thriller doesn't come to mind, in fact i haven't even heard the word applied to a flick in years..

i have to ask this though, does snarkpit truly only have 27 readers among our membership? i would have thought the number much higher, considering our school age roster :/

Is it me, or is the fact that Disney is making the Hitch HIker's Guide To The Galaxy movie scary?

Kage_Prototype said:
Is it me, or is the fact that Disney is making the Hitch HIker's Guide To The Galaxy movie scary?

read the screen, next time jaws aires.. it says disney as well

thriller duncan, you mean suspence?

is this a word across the pond issue?

when i watch movies, thriller doesn't come to mind, in fact i haven't even heard the word applied to a flick in years..

I guess it must be, thriller seems to be a pretty common term to apply to films and books over here anyway, though suspence could certainly work too. I guess thriller kinda works as a genre as it includes anything that could be construed as thrilling, which is anything that is mainly about a threat to the main characters.

well, i do understand the term thriller, i just have not applied it to a movie in a while..

i just finished "runaway jury" recently.. that would be a suspence/drama IMO.. "phonebooth" would be a thriller..

is this what you mean?

Yeah that sounds like it makes sense to me :smile:

sillay huh-manz!11 Vash r no read book. Look vash. He no read bookz. He turns out smart.

Hayuck.