• Literary Discussion: Lets chat about books!
    194 replies, posted
We should make a recommendation list in the OP with different genres, via a vote or something.
[QUOTE=Virtanen;45282425]I've been meaning to read that for years[/QUOTE] Once you've read it there's 'The Decameron' too which is essentially the Italian version that pre-dates (and is said to have maybe influenced) the Canterbury Tales.
[QUOTE=Simples;45282535]Once you've read it there's 'The Decameron' too which is essentially the Italian version that pre-dates (and is said to have maybe influenced) the Canterbury Tales.[/QUOTE] The Decameron had some pretty weird shit in it at times, but it was a good read, personally speaking. From a local perspective, the story of King Vikram and the Vampire is recommended on a similar note.
The discworld series is great, but if you're looking for something along the same vein (action, bit of comedy), I can recommend the Dresden Files. it's about a wizard in chicago who does PI work. I just finished reading Winter Knight, and I must say. It's really good.
[QUOTE=matt000024;45271507]Philip K. Dick is an amazing author and you all should read his stuff.[/QUOTE] [I]Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?[/I] was an excellent book. Agreed.
[QUOTE=Monkah;45283940][I]Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?[/I] was an excellent book. Agreed.[/QUOTE] You should also check out some of his other works too though. -VALIS -A Scanner Darkly (His best IMO) -A Maze of Death -Martian Time Slip
[QUOTE=Monkah;45283940][I]Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?[/I] was an excellent book. Agreed.[/QUOTE] Recently bought and queued up in the list - "to read books"
This is a really enjoyable book [img]http://images.darkhorse.com/covers/300/15/15647.jpg[/img] I haven't finished it yet, but I'm diggin it so far.
I am writing a book. Don't know if anyone here is interested. I also read not too long ago Mark Twain's "Mysterious Stranger" If anyone is curious about my book, I had a preview written sometime ago and posted on writing.com; [url]http://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1997074-Detective-Lowe-Preview[/url]
I saw this cool-looking book about these american soldiers who fought with the ss after germany surrendered to defend this castle in the alps that was filled with french pows or something from the german army but didn't bother with it does that count
I'm required to read the following books: The King Must Die, by Mary Renault and The Memoirs of Helen of Troy, by Amanda Elyot These books good? Bad?
So I was a bit through Metro 2033 (Dmitry Glukhovsky) But I've put that to the side and I'm now a good way into Glue (Irvine Welsh) and I gotta say, these books are really great. I would recommend them to anyone who is into post-apocalyptic worlds (Metro) and anyone who thinks they can handle the Scottish dialect (Glue). To be honest, even though I live in Scotland, people who aren't familiar with Scots and those who enjoy black humour should enjoy Glue. Metro is good even though I'm not far through it. Glue is written by the writer of Trainspotting and various other books, also. “You fucking knew that fucking cunt would fuck some cunt.” ― Irvine Welsh, Trainspotting
^^I was like 70% through the [B]Metro 2033[/B]. Need to resume it. Started [B]Trainspotting [/B]earlier. Scottish dialect takes some time to getting used to. Will pick it up later.
[QUOTE=TheNerdPest14;45285960]I am writing a book. Don't know if anyone here is interested. I also read not too long ago Mark Twain's "Mysterious Stranger" If anyone is curious about my book, I had a preview written sometime ago and posted on writing.com; [url]http://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1997074-Detective-Lowe-Preview[/url][/QUOTE] Interesting premise, although you need to work on showing rather than telling. I personally have a trilogy roughly planned out, but I don't know how to start it :(
[QUOTE=Novangel;45287585]Interesting premise, although you need to work on showing rather than telling. I personally have a trilogy roughly planned out, but I don't know how to start it :([/QUOTE] Go on.
[QUOTE=eurocracy;45271439][IMG]http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51RAD0RMBQL.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE] Wasn't he planning to write a third one in that series before killing himself? Do you know if it's out yet? Also, my personal favourite series, though it's been a few years since I read them, would have to be the Belgariad and Malloreon series by David Eddings, as well as their "prequel" books Belagarath the Sorcerer and Polagara the Sorceress. [img]http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kYHD5sEU_iE/T_3RGSo0bKI/AAAAAAAAAhQ/3v09nUsY_bU/s1600/Belgariad-Mallorean.jpg[/img] [img]http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8bYiKU77OGM/TAKptQJrp_I/AAAAAAAAAHw/3EESi7f6UN4/s320/Prequels.jpg[/img] They're a medieval fantasy series, and I quite enjoyed them.
So I recently finished a book called "Pilgrim at Tinker Creek". Holy shit, absolutely [I]nothing[/I] happened in that book. It's supposed to be a modern Walden, but it just didn't have the same feeling that Thoreau had. Also, for anyone interested in Native American history, the wild west, or frontier settings I would definitely recommend Empire of the Summer Moon. It's one of my favorite books. Currently reading The Last Camel Charge. About a hundred pages in, and it's okay.
[QUOTE=TheNerdPest14;45285960]I am writing a book. Don't know if anyone here is interested. I also read not too long ago Mark Twain's "Mysterious Stranger" If anyone is curious about my book, I had a preview written sometime ago and posted on writing.com; [url]http://www.writing.com/main/view_item/item_id/1997074-Detective-Lowe-Preview[/url][/QUOTE] May I shamelessly prostitute my own writing? [URL="http://www.writerscafe.org/The_J_Hat/writing/"]It's only one Lovecraftian short story and a poem.[/URL]
[QUOTE=matt000024;45284402]You should also check out some of his other works too though. -VALIS -A Scanner Darkly (His best IMO) -A Maze of Death -Martian Time Slip[/QUOTE] He's a good writer in small doses but the themes of his writing (or should I say, theme) are pretty one dimensional. A Scanner Darkly was easily his best because of how personal and autobiographical it was, but his other books fade together quite a bit. [editline]4th July 2014[/editline] The Man in the High Castle is also worth mentioning, I thought it was a nice departure from his typical futuristic-dystopia theme. [editline]4th July 2014[/editline] [QUOTE=cqbcat;45270049]Are there any good superhero books? Not like comic books or adaptations of thereof, but rather wholly original stories about super powered beings in a contemporary setting?[/QUOTE] Sorry, can't think of anything exactly like what you're describing, but what's wrong with comic books? There are a lot of great works of literature out there that happen to be in graphic novel form. On top of that, text alone can be pretty underwhelming in an action setting with superpowers etc like what you're describing. I'd recommend Sandman. It's a 10 part graphic novel written by Neil Gaiman. Like many of his other works, it deals with gods: the plot centers around the Lord of Dreams. He's also written a few regular novels with similar themes. American Gods and Anansi Boys have both won several awards. Sandman is also the first graphic novel series to ever win a prose fiction award. That's the closest I can think of to what you're asking for.
[QUOTE=Guy Mannly;45288509]He's a good writer in small doses but the themes of his writing (or should I say, theme) are pretty one dimensional. A Scanner Darkly was easily his best because of how personal and autobiographical it was, but his other books fade together quite a bit.[/QUOTE] I know his books are almost all very similar, but I still love his books. A Scanner Darkly was also great because it seems he departed a lot from his comfort zone and seemed to leave out a lot of reoccurring stuff from previous books.
I actually myself finished a Lovecraft short story a while ago, funny story behind me actually managing to read it; I was in the library in SS13 and one of the books was Herbert West Reanimator, I was bored in SS13 so I actually went and read the whole thing online. I am enjoying your short story thus far, I also wrote a screenplay not long ago...
[QUOTE=The_J_Hat;45287968]May I shamelessly prostitute my own writing? [URL="http://www.writerscafe.org/The_J_Hat/writing/"]It's only one Lovecraftian short story and a poem.[/URL][/QUOTE] It's great! Although fun fact, that's technically a novelette since it's above 7500 words. Anything Lovecraft gets a big plus from me though. [editline]5th July 2014[/editline] [QUOTE=TheNerdPest14;45287592]Go on.[/QUOTE] Mostly getting off my ass :v:
[QUOTE=Novangel;45290980]It's great! Although fun fact, that's technically a novelette since it's above 7500 words. Anything Lovecraft gets a big plus from me though. [editline]5th July 2014[/editline] Mostly getting off my ass :v:[/QUOTE] I meant about my Detective Lowe one.
What do you mean, the showing than telling?
Anyone read the two Kingkiller Chronicles books by Patrick Rothfuss?
[QUOTE=Novangel;45291305]What do you mean, the showing than telling?[/QUOTE] Yes. What do you mean by that?
[t]http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_k7n_46ebBAA/TEHmObOjMvI/AAAAAAAABMs/QmxAl5QRrhU/s1600/hesse_narcissus.jpg[/t] it good
[QUOTE=cqbcat;45270049] Are there any good superhero books? Not like comic books or adaptations of thereof, but rather wholly original stories about super powered beings in a contemporary setting?[/QUOTE] I would recommend the Ex-Heroes series by Peter Clines. It's about a group of heroes who help rebuild society after a zombie apocalypse. I loved it so much I had read the whole series in about a week.
I know it's probably a bit past all our age groups, but how about the Alex Rider series? Or Maximum Ride? Ironically, Maximum Ride was adapted into a manga recently.
Finished [B]The Road[/B] - It's a difficult read not because the language is complicated but the writer uses "He" so many times. I already watched the movie before. Movie is as closer to book as it can be. So that reduced the appeal of book to me. But still a good read. Realistic handling of the plot. I did not cry at the end but in between there are moments where your eyes will get brimmed. Next read is [B]Startdust[/B] or [B]Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?[/B] [QUOTE=Kommodore;45293060][t]http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_k7n_46ebBAA/TEHmObOjMvI/AAAAAAAABMs/QmxAl5QRrhU/s1600/hesse_narcissus.jpg[/t] it good[/QUOTE] I read [B]Siddhartha[/B] by same writer.
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