Recently Read..

recently read these 2 books Spellfire and Crown of fire. am currently reading book 3 in the saga, hand of fire

Ed Greenwood, top notch authoring :smile:

I'm trying to find that book by Homer about Achilles, it's one of the earliest books or something like that. Anyone know what it's called? I want to read it badly.

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<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting French Toast</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>I'm trying to find that book by Homer about Achilles, it's one of the earliest books or something like that. Anyone know what it's called? I want to read it badly. </DIV></DIV>
this is the only ones i know of.. my knowledge is somewhat limited i am afraid.

Iliad! That's it. I hate it when you have the word right on the tip of your tongue but just can't figure it out.

Anyways thanks Orph, going to the library to see what I can find.

anytime. :smile:

Iliad! That's it. I hate it when you have the word right on the tip of your tongue but just can't figure it out.

Anyways thanks Orph, going to the library to see what I can find.

They have a $20 leather bound edition at Barns and Nobel. It contains the Illiad and The Odyssey :smile:

I'm in the middle of saving up for a snowboard at the moment, which requires a good $600 (canadian), I've got $250 right now, so I can't spend any money. I'm very bad at saving, but I'm out to prove my parents wrong :biggrin:

Thus, because of this situation I am unable to buy anything. That's why a library is so appealing.

bumps

no one but me reading lately?

just completed the Ed Greenwood series that I mentioned a few posts back. Am about to begin his "Elminster" series today :smile:

no one but me reading lately?

I am always reading something.

I just finished Neal Asher's Gridlinked (post-cyberpunk space opera) and I'm now re-reading James White's (excellent) series of Sector General novels (wonderful medical SF).<span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">

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Hitchhiker's guide to the Galaxy.

The book is unbelievably good. It's as good as everyone says it is, and then it's better than that. And better than that too.

bumps again

@monkee.. Did you listen to the audio book piece I sent you yet?

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The best things in life, aren't things.

After a whole frickin' year I FINALLY got 2 books I loaned to a friend.
Porno, by Irvine Welsh, and Dude Wheres MY Country?' by Michael "good
for a while but bores me a bit now" Moore.

Never again shall I let my books leave the house. However, I have more
or less completely forgotten everything in Porno, so I'm currently
re-reading that.

About how long do other people generally leave it before rereading a book (If ever)?

I've currently got too many books so I've never re-read a book. But then again, I don't usually forget what happens, even to specific details.

I've never gotten a hold of such a "great book" that I had to read it over and over again. Once is pretty sufficient.

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Blame it on Microsoft, God does.

Mephs said:
About how long do other people generally leave it before rereading a book (If ever)?

Depends on the book really. 1 year perhaps. less if its extra-ordinarily good.

I read, more than any other time consuming hobby I do. I have read literally 100's, if not 1,000's of books. (if you count each reading of a re-read book as individual events)

The 11 books written by Burroughs "John Carter of Mars" I have read no less than 1 dozen times each. In fact, I once re-read the 11 books 3 times in succession without any other books in between.

Books such as the "Rama" series are also well written enough to read multiple times. I wish I had the inclination to re-read the "Foundation" books once more, but the 1st 3 were.... substandard, and the rest make no sense without them.

I could go on for hours about the satisfaction of reading, but I won't..

/me spares you the boredom.

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The best things in life, aren't things.

A couple years ago I went through this phase where I was rereading a
bunch of stuff I read when I was younger, and remembered liking.
Something like 3 or 4 years had passed since I'd first read Catcher in
the Rye, A Seperate Peace, and Ender's Game, and I went back and reread
them all. Catcher in the Rye and A Seperate Peace were as good as
I remembered them to be. Ender's Game wasn't. I suppose I'm due to read the former two in a couple of years.

Addicted to Morphine said:
Ender's Game wasn't. I suppose I'm due to read the former two in a couple of years.

Enders Game takes a mindset to truly appreciate. If you get time you really need to read/listen to the rest of the series. There are like 8 or 10 books now, the last one every bit as good, or better than the first one was/is.

Also, there is something to be said to older SF books. Heinlein and Clarke wrote some excellent stories. I could make you a list upon request, but truly, grabbing almost anything by either would work just as well. :smile:

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The best things in life, aren't things.

I remember loving Ender's Game
the first time I read it. I started it one summer morning and
didn't put it down until I had finished it. Then I went out and
got the next two in the series. I didn't like them as much... and
I stopped reading Card. So I had high expectations when I went
back and reread Ender's Game, and unfortunately it just didn't capture me the same way on the second reading. I don't exactly know why.

I haven't read Heinlein and Clarke, but on my next trip to the library I'll check them out.

Not science fiction but I was reminded of this anyway:

One of my favorite books is The Things They Carried
by Tim O'brian. I haven't read that in about four years now, so
that's long overdue for a rereading. Although I read it a long
time ago, I would recommend that to anyone.

Edit: Orph, I didn't want to
clutter the movie thread with this but I've never read a Stephen King
novel. If I do, the first will be The Shining.

Addicted to Morphine said:
Edit: Orph, I didn't want to clutter the movie thread with this but I've never read a Stephen King novel. If I do, the first will be The Shining.

I suggest Eyes of the Dragon first then. Its much better for the introductory King reading.

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The best things in life, aren't things.

Or Insomniac.

His Dark Tower series is, by far, his best work. It's just quite an undertaking to read. (Along with the Vampire Chronicles ... ten books ... whew)

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Blame it on Microsoft, God does.

James Frey - A Million Little Pieces.

True to life memoir about a guy who tries to turn around a crack and liquour addiction aged just 23, confronting his own and other peoples demons on the way. Highly recommended, especially to those who glorify illegal (and legal) narcotics and condone their unmetered use.

Bill Bryson - A Short History of Nearly Everything

All those questions about science you always had but were afraid to ask. Bryson covers the very essence of mans physical make up in the tiny atom, right to the explorations by unlucky French explorers trying to measure the Andes. Scientists and non-scientists alike will enjoy this humorous trip through the world of physics, chemistry and biology in terms we can all understand.

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting Gwil</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>

Bill Bryson - A Short History of Nearly Everything

All those questions about science you always had but were afraid to ask. Bryson covers the very essence of mans physical make up in the tiny atom, right to the explorations by unlucky French explorers trying to measure the Andes. Scientists and non-scientists alike will enjoy this humorous trip through the world of physics, chemistry and biology in terms we can all understand.

</DIV></DIV>

Damn Gwil, you sound just like a freakin dust jacket!

I recently listened to an audio of Snow Crash. I loved it. The plot is pretty good, though thin at the end, and most of the characters are pretty well drawn. However, the real reason to read or listen is the sheer hilarity of the similes and the bizarre yet frighteningly plausible view of what I think is an alternate present day, or maybe alternate history. The chronology seems to work out with it being set in the 70's or 80's, but everything else points to a possible future maybe fifty years down the road. However, that is just one of the odd off-kilter things that makes the book so much fun!
Favorite quote (possibly paraphrased): "It was like putting on crampons and trying to walk through a room full of puppies!"

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Some people are like slinkys...

They aren?t really good for anything, but you can't help but laugh when one tumbles down the stairs.

Mephs said:
About how long do other people generally leave it before rereading a book (If ever)?

I only books I reread are my doorstopper fantasy books because by the time the new one's out, I've forgotten who the hell everybody is. Yes, these books often have 25 page appendices just to index their characters and no, that's not enough to run with.

I started reading auto/biographies. I started with Scar Tissue,
about Anthony Kiedis (lead singer of the REd Hot Chili Peppers) then I
read The Long Hard Road out of Hell about Marilyn Manson, then I read
the Led Zeppelin biography, the Barenaked Ladies biography, and the
Kurt Cobain biography. They all rocked. Yar.

I have been given all 5 audio books of the Harry Potter series. I have a question however. The books are the UK version. What is the difference, if any, from the versions I read here in the States?

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The best things in life, aren't things.

Read by Jim Dale? I think there is only one english language version.

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Some people are like slinkys...

They aren?t really good for anything, but you can't help but laugh when one tumbles down the stairs.

Tracer Bullet said:
Read by Jim Dale? I think there is only one english language version.

So... They should listen like when I read them then.. Right?

Coolness.. The damned things are clear full of British slang already, I would hate for them to get worse by being full blown Brit. :rolleyes:

/runs

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The best things in life, aren't things.

Word for word... Those books have actually made me more able to comprehend some of the discourse around here. They are quite the education in light british slang.

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Some people are like slinkys...

They aren?t really good for anything, but you can't help but laugh when one tumbles down the stairs.

Tracer Bullet said:
Word for word... Those books have actually made me more able to comprehend some of the discourse around here. They are quite the education in light british slang.

NO f**kIN s**t!!!

I was actually embarrassed to say that till you pointed it out.

I actually know that "A Row" has nothing to do with nautical terms now and that boogars (most likely spelled incorrectly, but thats how it sounds to me on the movie) are those nasty green things that come out of your nose. :biggrin:

Seriously, I actually can follow conversations better around here because I read Harry potter. :smile:

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The best things in life, aren't things.

I think the american version of harry potter has been... uhm... "simplified" for american children. "Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone" was renamed "Harry Potter and the Sorcerors Stone" for the American audience, I beleive.

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"If you talk at all during this lesson, you have detention. Do you understand?"

• My yr11 Economics teacher

wil5on said:
I think the american version of harry potter has been... uhm... "simplified" for american children. "Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone" was renamed "Harry Potter and the Sorcerors Stone" for the American audience, I beleive.

Cause everyone knows that American children are substandard enough to need a simple version.. right? :rolleyes:

I doubt "simplified" was the word you meant to use. perhaps "localized" is a better choice? American children would never read anything philosophical, but sorcery is another matter entirely.

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The best things in life, aren't things.

I recently read this book called "The Bible" (maybe you've heard of
it?) and found that many of the things stated in there are in
contradiction with eachother.

The difference in UK versus US versions is likely the packaging - who gets to distribute it and make the money on it. In Orph's case, this is likely to be a non-issue.

Cash Car Star said:
The difference in UK versus US versions is likely the packaging - who gets to distribute it and make the money on it. In Orph's case, this is likely to be a non-issue.

I listened to UK version of Harry Potter #1 and there were subtle differences.. Nothing that I could say "THERES ONE" but I thought I detected them cause when they happened I kept saying "I don't remember this part"

My memory however is not something that I would bet money on.

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The best things in life, aren't things.

Humm, read Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk a day or two ago, interesting read as usual. :smile: Lots of very disgusting parts described in entirely too much detail, I was grossed out quite a bit at the beginning but eventually grew more tolerant. It's essentially a bunch of short stories which define how messed up the characters are in the novel part of it... the short stories are re-readable, not so much tne novel, but overall good stuff.

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One day you'll know what you're talking about, I can hardly imagine

Maps! - Audio blog!

Speaking of Chuck, I read Choke and Survivor, and I thought they were both pretty good. Definitely
interesting reads, very funny, and definitely out of the ordinary.

Reading "Moving Pictures" by Terry Pratchett at the moment, almost finished.

My Discworld book collection is soon perfect!

Potters book #6 comes out this month.. /me is in a quandry as to buy the hardback for mucho bucks, or wait for the paperback version.. /me is stupid and will prolly buy the hardback and bitch all the while about the outrageous price..

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The best things in life, aren't things.

I ordered the 5th book from Amazon when it first came out, read about 100
pages and got bored. So I guess I'll wait a while too before buying the
new one.

And while I'm on in, I made a web thingy about books. It's here.

jaardsi said:
I ordered the 5th book from Amazon when it first came out, read about 100 pages and got bored.
.

The fifth book was clearly the best of the lot thus far, so you are in deep s**t if you plan on ever reading the other 4. :/

I have read book five once and listened to the unabridged audio book twice now.. Clearly the champion of the first lot.

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The best things in life, aren't things.

Oh, I've read the previous books all right and liked them. They were all in Finnish, tho.

I'll give it another go once I get these Discworlds done. :smile:

Some stuff I've read recently:

Neuromancer (William Gibson): Really interesting book. I am not used to
this style of writing (cyber punk?) and I think I could like it if I
read more of it. His style is completely unique, to me at least. I
wouldnt call it a must read, but some very nice takes on future
technology and society and suchlike. It lives up to its reputation very
well.

1984 (George Orwell): You americans are already there :wink:

The Holcroft Covenant (Robert Ludlum) - Avoidable. Read it if you're a
fan of his work, but there's not much interesting going on there.
Standard Nazi conspiracy theory stuff. Ludlum's style makes it more
interesting than it is with lots of confusion and whatnot through the
first half of the book.

I'm reading the World According to Garp by John Irving. It's good.

I am weak.. I pre-ordered my copy of the new Harry Potter book.. The sales guy claims that if I didn't, I might not have had a copy by Saturday.

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The best things in life, aren't things.

Harry Potter sucks. Bottom line.

French Toast said:
Harry Potter sucks. Bottom line.

Well "f**kin A".. That means that there will be at least one copy more than there would have been.. :razz:

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The best things in life, aren't things.

Yup, I read the first one and vowed never to pick it, or another one from the seeries, up again.

I had almost the same impression from the first two books... They
didn't pander to my
elitist-twit-who-won't-read-anything-that-others-have-liked tastes, but
the last few books were all fairly good reads. Nothing phenomenal, but
quite well written, and the stories are generally very interesting. I
admit I have not read much of the books they are supposed to borrow
from. I will probably read this new book too, eventually.

Right now I"m reading James Finn Garner's "Politically Correct Bedtime
Stories", and they're frieking hilarious. First time I've ever
laughed my ass off from reading something when noone else was
around. He takes stuff like the three little pigs and snow white
and makes them so wierd and funny.

Great stuff.

French Toast said:
Right now I"m reading James Finn Garner's "Politically Correct Bedtime Stories", and they're frieking hilarious. First time I've ever laughed my ass off from reading something when noone else was around. He takes stuff like the three little pigs and snow white and makes them so wierd and funny.

Great stuff.

Yup, that's a fun little read. There are two: Polticaly Correct Bedtime Stories and Polticaly Correct Fairy Tales. One of them is great, the other one blows in comparision, but I can't remember which is which.

I am also looking forward to the potter book, Orph, but I don't believe in pre-ordering. Last time there were stacks of them EVERYWHERE, and I don't anticipate that this release will be any different.

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Some people are like slinkys...

They aren?t really good for anything, but you can't help but laugh when one tumbles down the stairs.

Tracer Bullet said:
, but I don't believe in pre-ordering. Last time there were stacks of them EVERYWHERE, and I don't anticipate that this release will be any different.

Compare size of Portland to Jonesboro.. Yeah I know you moved but I assume you lived there when #5 arrived.

Jonesboro only has 55,515 pop. at the last survey.. I think I'll play it safe. :smile:

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The best things in life, aren't things.