Re: The Official Book Thread

[stevieg8]

Absolutely loved both 1984 and A Brave New World. Distopian literature is probably my favorite at this point.

About to start Douglas Adam's classic Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy followed the Restaurant at the End of the Universe and finally Life, the Universe and Everything.

Great books, plowed through them numerous times when I was younger. Had me rolling on the floor laughing. You should know there are 5 in the trilogy though (I know, I know, it's Douglas Adams and he did it on purpose).

[Guest]

Say nothing please. I don't want spoilers. He just told me once I start it and get into I'll have it read in a day or two.

You sound just like me; whether it's a television show, movie, or book, I prefer to take a recommendation and just jump into it knowing as little as possible. Although with this method, you must insure that you only take recommendations from people who you can "rely" on.

[CBarca]

My brother got me Nineteen Eighty-four for Christmas. I want to start it but I'm re-reading A Song of Ice and Fire and it is too addicting to leave down.

You will be shaking halfway through 1984 lol.

Say nothing please. I don't want spoilers. He just told me once I start it and get into I'll have it read in a day or two.

He's right, that's what happened to me. Nobody spoil this- first time reading 1984 is a very special thing. What a book

[Kaladin]

Any fantasy books that mimic The Dark Tower? I hear Brandon Sanderson has some books that offer the same sense of "Journey" that is in Stephen's masterpiece

[CBarca]

On the subject of 1984, can I ask if anyone has read the book IQ84? By Haruki Murakami?

[Die Borussen]

currently reading 'when nietzsche wept'

[McLewis]

Absolutely loved both 1984 and A Brave New World. Distopian literature is probably my favorite at this point.

About to start Douglas Adam's classic Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy followed the Restaurant at the End of the Universe and finally Life, the Universe and Everything.

Great books, plowed through them numerous times when I was younger. Had me rolling on the floor laughing. You should know there are 5 in the trilogy though (I know, I know, it's Douglas Adams and he did it on purpose).

Ehh I'm aware of the last 2 and I have read them....they were rather "meh" honestly which is why I didn't really mention them.

[TheRedStag]

Still havent started 1984 despite it sitting beside me everyday.

[CBarca]

Still havent started 1984 despite it sitting beside me everyday.

Start it. Now. I am only adamant because it is the right decision.

And when you're done 2 days later please let me know how you feel. I've never been more emotionally attached to a book aside from Catcher in the Rye.

[Bellabong]

Am I really the only one on here who has read Malazan Book of the Fallen? Despite seeing multiple instances of A Song of Fire and Ice and even Children of Hurin...

[Kaladin]

Am I really the only one on here who has read Malazan Book of the Fallen? Despite seeing multiple instances of A Song of Fire and Ice and even Children of Hurin...

btw is it any good? my bro is currently reading it and he says its intriguing

[McLewis]

Am I really the only one on here who has read Malazan Book of the Fallen? Despite seeing multiple instances of A Song of Fire and Ice and even Children of Hurin...

Began the first one and it was actually really good. Didn't have much time though so I had to return it to the library. Will definitely pick it up again sometime this year though.

[Bellabong]

It's better for a serious reader than LotR or A Song of Fire Ice.

It's an intense read and I wouldn't recommend it for casual readers but if you like one book I guarantee you'll love them all. If I had to pick just one quality that steals the show for me it has to be the thesis-worthy philosophical dialogue.

I'll leave some quotes:

'Children are dying.'

Lull nodded. 'That's a succinct summary of humankind, I'd say. Who needs tomes and volumes of history? Children are dying. The injustices of the world hide in those three words. Quote me, Duiker, and your work's done.'

The bastard's right. Economics, ethics, the games of the gods - all within that single, tragic statement. I'll quote you, soldier. Be assured of that.

"I must perforce make the linkage plain, of sufficient simplicity to permit youruneducated mind to grasp all manner of significance. Desire for goodness, Mister Reese, leads to earnestness. Earnestness in turn leads to sanctimonious self-righteousness, which breeds intolerance, upon which harsh judgment quickly follows, yielding dire punishment, inflicting general terror and paranoia, eventually culminating in revolt, leading to chaos, then dissolution, and thus, the end of civilisation."

He slowly turned, looked down upon Emancipor.

"And we are creatures dependent upon civilisation. It is the only environment inwhich we can thrive."

Emancipor frowned. "The desire for goodness leads to the end of civilisation?"

"Precisely, Mister Reese."

"But if the principal aim is to achieve good living and health among the populace, what is the harm in that?"

Bauchelain sighed. "Very well, I shall try again. Good living and health, as you say, yielding well-being. But well-being is a contextual notion, a relative notion. Perceived benefits are measured by way of contrast. In any case, the result is smugness, and from that an overwhelming desire to deliver conformity among those perceived as less pure, less fortunate—the unenlightened, if you will. But conformity leads to ennui, and then indifference. From indifference, Mister Reese, dissolution follows as a natural course, and with it, once again, theend of civilisation."

"Allright all right, Master, we are faced with the noble task of confounding the end of civilisation."

"Well said, Mister Reese. I admit I find the ethical aspects of our mission surprisingly . . . refreshing."

Samar Dev saw Rhulad Sengar bare his teeth in an ugly smile. 'Another giant,' he said. 'How many times shall you kill me? You, with the blood of my kin already on your hands. Twice? Three times? It will not matter. It will not matter! '

Karsa Orlong, bold with his claims, brazen in his arrogance, uttered but five words in reply: 'I will kill you . . . once.'

"Kallor said: 'I walked this land when the T'lan Imass were but children. I have commanded armies a hundred thousand strong. I have spread the fire of my wrath across entire continents, and sat alone upon tall thrones. Do you grasp the meaning of this?'
Yes,' said Caladan Brood, 'you never learn."

"Well, where are all our weapons?"
"We don't have any weapons, master."
"None? Did we ever?"
"No. Some wooden spoons..."
"And are you adept with them?"
"Very."

Tehol and Bugg

[CBarca]

Has anybody read Lolita?

I've heard it's a classic and I'm thinking about reading it next.

[BarrileteCosmico]

Am I really the only one on here who has read Malazan Book of the Fallen? Despite seeing multiple instances of A Song of Fire and Ice and even Children of Hurin...

A quick google search revealed that it has 10 books in the series.

How many of them are actually good?

Also on the subject of fantasy, I read Blood Song by Anthony Ryan and it's damn good.

[Die Borussen]

anyone here likes schopenhauer?

[Firenze]

Am I really the only one on here who has read Malazan Book of the Fallen? Despite seeing multiple instances of A Song of Fire and Ice and even Children of Hurin...

I've read all books and novellas for Malazan (and the recent Rake book) . It's better than A Song of Ice and Fire in my opinion. The books are incredibly dense though and the philosophical stuff is borderline pretentious at times, more than a few people I've recommended it to have been put off by it, but I'm pretty much convinced that Steven Erikson, the author of the main sequence, is a genius. Churning out 1000 page books of that quality nigh yearly. You read them all?

I was meaning to look for a book thread around here so I could bring it up.

Am I really the only one on here who has read Malazan Book of the Fallen? Despite seeing multiple instances of A Song of Fire and Ice and even Children of Hurin...

Began the first one and it was actually really good. Didn't have much time though so I had to return it to the library. Will definitely pick it up again sometime this year though.

Most people struggle to get past the first and fans usually say it's the weakest..I enjoyed it, but I agree with them. If you can make it past that first story, or even come out liking it, you will love what's to come next.

Am I really the only one on here who has read Malazan Book of the Fallen? Despite seeing multiple instances of A Song of Fire and Ice and even Children of Hurin...

A quick google search revealed that it has 10 books in the series.

How many of them are actually good?

Also on the subject of fantasy, I read Blood Song by Anthony Ryan and it's damn good.

The third installment, Memories of Ice, is hands down the best fantasy book I've ever read.

Brah's, I won't lie. I'm a manly man, but this series brought out EVERY emotion from me. More than once.

[CBarca]

Over the summer I've gone through To Kill A Mockingbird by Lee Harper, and The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck.

To Kill A Mockingbird was simply amazing. Such a great book, I sped through it in about a week, maybe a week and a half. Goes in immediately as one of my favorites. Pretty powerful as well.

The Grapes of Wrath started off incredibly slow. It took me as long to get through the first 120 pages as it did the next 350. After it takes off, the book gets very interesting. The greatest American novel I've read to date, and one of my favorite books of all time probably. Certainly is right up there with 1984 in terms of how powerful it was. I'd probably say The Grapes of Wrath was more powerful. I look forward to reading more Steinbeck.

I'm trying to get into As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner, but with my high school footy season starting, actual footy starting, and everything else, I've hardly touched it! I hope to read it this year though, I've heard good things about it.

[Kaladin]

Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time is the best Fantasy epic ever. Better than SoFaI and even Tolkien. yes, i just said that

[CBarca]

Seeing my earlier comment, I didn't get to read As I Lay Dying over the summer, but we're reading it for AP English now so I get to read it

Will detail my thoughts on the book and Faulkner afterwards. We just finished Brave New World, although I've read it before. Brave New World is easily one of my favorite books though, what a novel. Just as good as 1984 for me, I can't distinguish one love over the other in terms of those two dystopian novels (which are the best I've read in terms of dystopian novels).

[Firenze]

Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time is the best Fantasy epic ever. Better than SoFaI and even Tolkien. yes, i just said that

lol pls. Read Malazan, start with the second book, though.

[BarrileteCosmico]

Why start with the second book?

[Firenze]

A large number of people say they quit reading the first halfway through and what not. It was being shopped around as a movie script originally I believe and was written quite some time before the others, it's the weakest in the entire series by far, and although there are a few characters that make appearances in the second it's relatively self contained plotlines. The first is pretty hard to understand, dense reading, a mess in places. You kind of just get dumped into the world with no explanation and people throwing around names like you should know who/what they are.

Obviously go back and read the first if you enjoy the second, but yeah, sounds stupid but it's often recommended by fans. Personally I enjoyed the first. The second is incredible though and much more accessible for new readers.

Underrated series and I think the first book is a big reason for it.

[M99]

What Firenze said. Malazan>>>>>

[Kaladin]

Malazan can smd

[Kaladin]

But to be completely serious, i jumped into Malazan a few years back and i felt as if it was too slow and things weren't picking up on the speed that i want them. Though, i might give it a try after WoT

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