EntropySink
Entertainment & Artistry => Words => Topic started by: Jake on March 01, 2007, 10:32:30 AM
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to get back into reading. Lately, every single book I begin reading bores me to death. I haven't picked up a book I really enjoyed in quite a while - I seem to find something wrong with everything I pick up.
I even tried reading one of my favorites - that did not do the trick either.
What can you guys recommend? I need something fresh; something that would get back into reading. Maybe a new genre?
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Maybe a new genre?
what was your old genre?
i generally don't read non-fiction but when i do, I prefer a good Techno-Thriller (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Techno-thriller)
i really enjoyed State of Fear (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_of_fear). its a few years old now, but still relevant what with all the global warming bull thats the sucking up the drive-by media the last few months.
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Papillon (note: movie sucked)
http://www.amazon.com/Papillon-Henri-Charriere/dp/0060934794/sr=1-2/qid=1172773500/ref=pd_bbs_2/102-8782111-4961746?ie=UTF8&s=books
Chronicles of Amber
http://www.amazon.com/Great-Book-Amber-Complete-Chronicles/dp/0380809060/sr=1-1/qid=1172773455/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-8782111-4961746?ie=UTF8&s=books
Intensity
http://www.amazon.com/Intensity-Dean-Koontz/dp/0553582917/sr=1-1/qid=1172773415/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-8782111-4961746?ie=UTF8&s=books
I would follow Intensity with Tick Tock
Tick Tock
http://www.amazon.com/Ticktock-Dean-Koontz/dp/0553582925/sr=1-1/qid=1172773360/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-8782111-4961746?ie=UTF8&s=books
Old Mans War
http://www.amazon.com/Old-Mans-War-John-Scalzi/dp/0765309408
Point of Impact
http://www.amazon.com/Point-Impact-Stephen-Hunter/dp/0099453452/sr=1-1/qid=1172773587/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-8782111-4961746?ie=UTF8&s=books
The Sword of Shanara Trillogy (with particular interest in the second book)
http://www.amazon.com/Sword-Shannara-Trilogy-Terry-Brooks/dp/0345453751/sr=8-2/qid=1172773746/ref=pd_bbs_2/102-8782111-4961746?ie=UTF8&s=books
Whaddya think?
Anyone else read any of these?
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I've read the Shannara books and the Koontz books. Koontz is entertaining, but once you realize that every single book of his is the same, it's not as fun. Intensity and Dark Rivers of the Heart are his best, IMO. I didn't like Tick Tock.
Shannara's classic fantasy - some of his other books are really good, too.
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At the moment I'm thumbing my way through Bob Dylan's Chronicles Volume One, Pegasus Bridge by Stephen E. Ambrose, Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand and Weapons of Choice World War 2.1 by John Birmingham and Nick Mason's biography of Pink Floyd.
You really can't go wrong with Nick Hornby. Or try just reading a magazine (Playboy for one) to wet your..um..intellect-thing.
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But yeah, I reckon read some trash and just enjoy it's crapness.
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thanks guys. Intensity looks good - I'll check it out, along with the others at Borders tomorrow - see if I get attached to one and buy it :)
>>what was your old genre?
Mostly classic lit. Upto several months ago I would consume books; I would read daily - and then, in the middle of rereading the invisible man for the nteenth time...I stopped. I also read a lot of philosophy and history books. My favorite author is Dostoevsky.
>>Or try just reading a magazine
I read several magazines. But its not the same :(
>>But yeah, I reckon read some trash and just enjoy it's crapness.
I think you're right stealth - Dan Brown, here I come!!! ;)
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>>The Sword of Shanara Trillogy<<
Utter rubbish, unless you like ponderous, predictable derivative trash. If you're going for US fantasy read Stephen Donaldson's Chronicles of Thomas Covenant or even The Mirror of Her Dreams (stay away from his science-fiction, though, it's awful); despite his US-American's predilection for a monotonous, prosaic style, he uses fantasy archetypes very cleverly and his Covenant books have a surprising depth of literary content.
Or Kurt Vonnegut - his earlier stuff is good satire, light enough to devour in a couple of hours but deep enough to keep you thinking for a wee while longer.
Of course, for the ultimate in US pulp, go for the giants: RE Howard's Conan for that - WTF? LOL - 1930's-depression escapism, overloaded with carnal violence and racist/eugenicist world-view, and H.P. Lovecraft for an hallucinatory experience without having to resort to the abuse of psychoactive substances.
Anything by Ian Banks is worth a look - The Wasp Factory was his first contemporary novel and it's short enough to give you a feel for his narrative style. He writes extraordinarily good science fiction under the name Ian M. Banks which are worth a peek.
I have to confess to not reading much in the way of books these days, either - it's all journals and technical papers, unfortunately. :(
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I hated the Thomas Covenant stuff SO depressing SO boring.
Loved Elfstones. The other two were ok but man I liked the battle scenes in the stones. Would have made a neat movie I think.
So what did it for ya in the TC books?
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>>So what did it for ya in the TC books?<<
Probably the fact that Donaldson knows his craft, which pretty much starts with the title(s) - (doubting - ie biblical reference)Thomas Covenant (pact) the Unbeliever(hammers it home) and carries through into the narrative. Compare that with The Elfstones of Shannara - not really much happening there that's different to, say 'Conan the Librarian'; and that, too, carries through into the narrative with all the superficiality implied. It's been many, many years since I read either but the only thing I recall about the Shannara books is that the were a shameless and dumbed down rip of the Lord of the Rings, a view that seems be vindicated by some Amazon reviewers (http://www.amazon.com/Sword-Shannara-Terry-Brooks/dp/customer-reviews/0345314255).
By the way the depression and much of the 'boredom' you refer to in The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant are deliberate literary devices, although I do admit I could have easily lived with less of it ;)
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Thought I'd mention Jennifer Government (from which the online game came); it has good pace, the satire's respectable enough but unfortunately the author craps out towards the end.
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btw do any esinkers still play in the world we made?
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Right now im reading pet semetary by stephen king...so far a family has moved into a house near a pet cemetary. I hope it gets better.
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Good book as far as King goes. When you finish reading the book watch the movie. Interesting combo.
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You know I'm just going to agree with Fitlike and tell you to reach for the Vonnegut. I also enjoyed Nick Hornby's A Long Way Down. Hmmm...what else have I read recently? Hemingway, obviously, but I'm about halfway into "On The Road," too. Kerouac's great, but you know that already. I don't know, I'm never at a loss for books to read, but I always buy more than one every time I go to the book store.
Actually, I picked up this trashy-looking paperback on the boat back from the Bahamas the other week called "Transgressions." It's three novellas in a collection of novellas written by famous authors. The one I have, I picked up because it had Joyce Carol Oates in it. The first story was a pretty decent, suspenseful story about the Irish protestant-catholic conflict. The Oates story, which I'm reading now, is pretty entertaining, too. I guess the point of the series is that they're all suspenseful sort of novellas. Anyway, it's worth a read, honestly. I didn't think I would ever say that, but there I go.
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so are you reading again axon?
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i am. Thanks to cheez I am really enjoying "into the wild" - it really hits home. I also picked up a book of poetry by a lesser known poet - Gary Snyder; the book is called "Earth House Hold" and is written in a journal kind of way. Look him up if you're interested. I'm also reading "Examples" by Ansel Adams - it is a study of 100 of his photos and how he took them - really interesting and informative.
I've also started to write again. Thanks guys.
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Nick Mason's biography of Pink Floyd.
So what did you think? I was a touch :dunno:, disappointed I guess. A bit flat.
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Nick Mason's biography of Pink Floyd.
So what did you think? I was a touch :dunno:, disappointed I guess. A bit flat.
It was good, but a bit bland. I assume this is because other members of the band didn't want anything damaging written about them. I don't doubt the band was into drugs at some point, other than Syd. And I also wouldn't doubt that David is actually a bit of a humourless twat and that Roger isn't actually as big an arsehole as he's portrayed. But I digress, it was a good insight into the band, but very much kept the audience at arms length.
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Weeell, I thought it was a good insight into Nick Mason, but not much else. It came across like he really didn't know what was going on most of the time.
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Into The Wild is great. Another great book by the same guy is Under The Banner Of Heaven, about some fundamentalist Mormon killers.
Confederancy of Dunces is one of the best books of all time. Great literature, easy to read, but with a lot to say.
Most Vonnegut is good, not all. Like Hemingway - try the Nick Adams short stories if you don't like the novels.
Schrodinger's Cat trilogy & it's predecessor trilogy Illuminatus.
Shakespeare. Nothing can beat Shakespeare when he's on his mark. Not saying this is an example of it, but I like it:
GLENDOWER
I can call spirits from the vasty deep.
HOTSPUR
Why, so can I, or so can any man;
But will they come when you do call for them?
GLENDOWER
Why, I can teach you, cousin, to command
The devil.
HOTSPUR
And I can teach thee, coz, to shame the devil
By telling truth: tell truth and shame the devil.