2011-10-07 13:09:08

hi stewie

i know what you mean,   but if you do like reading books that way the choice of books is much more vast with ebooks.

i am currently reading a dance with dragons by george r r martin,    now heres the bug,    as readers go roy de treece,   who reads the books either decided to change the voices of some of the charachters or forgot how he read them in previous books,   example   denearis in books  1 to 4 sounds like a beautiful young woman,   in this book he reads her as an old hag,   which for me spoils the book,   i have other readers do this in other books as well it really is frustrating.

so if you can get on with an artificial voice reading books for you,   you wont get these problems.

2011-10-08 20:25:05

Really? a book series didn't do that for me. and I gave up on a game of thrones got to chapter 12 or so and died of boredom. Probably shouldn't be reading those at an age of 15 anyway but who cares

Deep in the human unconscious is a pervasive need for a logical universe that makes sense. But the real universe is always one step beyond logic.

2011-10-10 16:16:16

hi stewie

being 15 i understand whi you gave up on the a song of ice and fire series,   maybe 1 day you will go back to them because they are really great books.

i really like books in a teenagers bracket,    books like harry potter they are great fun,   stewie have you read  eragon?    or the rift war saga by raymond e fiest?   i think you might really enjoy them.

2011-10-10 23:30:20

I read the eragon series they were good. And I read steven king books so it's not the adultness I don't like the books are just. dull.

I'll look at the rift wars thing though.

Also looking at how people like disturbed stuff you people should read brent week's books

Deep in the human unconscious is a pervasive need for a logical universe that makes sense. But the real universe is always one step beyond logic.

2011-10-13 12:23:40

oKAYSorry for the previous mix up in replying, I'll try and do something better now.

@jayde, as regards king, it's funny you seem to like the King books I don't. Misery I really didn't get on with at all, ---- actually I found the so called "bad and hammy" historical romance bits where you got extracts from the fictional author's novels more interesting than the overarching story big_smile.

Like wise, Bag of bones was okay, but certainly not my favourite King novel, not when compared to hearts in Atlantis, It, Insomnea or yet the Dark tower, I suppose I just tend to enjoy King's more fantasy novels more than his psychological horror.

As regards Potter, well i noticed that the mechanics of the writing and Rowling's ability to describe improve throughout the series, though often they are lacking in the first few books, almost as if the style grows up with the characters. Hp however I regard as good for it's characterization and world rather than it's writing, and I enjoy it as such.

of course for me, as I went to university just as the first potter film was released it comes with lots of good memories too.

As to readers, I'm a litle confused as to what you say about fry being samish. One thing I admire in fry is the character voices are distinguishable, without going over board with crazy accents, overblown emotions or ridiculous comedy that would detract from the overall book. As he said in an interview, he wanted the voices realistic and distinct rather than to treat the books as a show off exercize for how many accents and crazy vocal pyrotechnics he could put in the books, ---- anyone who's seen him in blackadder will know how mad! he can do voice wise, that for me is what shows him as a professional in reading, where as Dale's reading I found as you said Jayde, much more aimed at a child audience, which for me rather detracted from the overall books.

As to faith of the fallen, for me that was the point that the series really went too far into the realms of preaching.

As a story about a man rebelling against an oppressive society and a woman changing her life I could have found it touching, and indeed when not spouting diatribes against the evil comunists some of the characters did show the very appealing emotional quality I really enjoyed in Wizards first rule and earlier books.

For me though, Faith of the fallen utterly failed due to Goodkind trying to write a political fable.

As an example of left wing philosophy, the empire is frankly laughable, ---- where that crazy idea about people only being aloud to do a small amount of work comes from i don't know!

Of course, evil societies can be built on anything, George orwell, himself a socialist proved this by writing 1984 where his own "english socialism" became the totalitarian "ingsoc" of Big brother. But it's as stupid to try and show a philosophical position as evil by constructing what is effectively a parody villain around it as it would be to say all Christians are evil because the Natzis claimed to be christian.

Thus while I wouldn't have minded an evil comunist society, the amount of time Goodkind spends trying to equate! the evil with the comunism just made the hole thing lose all impact for me the way any parody overblown villain would.

It's the difference betwene having a really believeable dark skinned villain, ---- like Mr. big in Live and let die, and having a villain who's held to be evil because! he is black.

I actually haven't read the Omen machine or even the law of nines, sinse I found book eleven of sword of truth really irritating for it's overblown preaching which got unrealistic to the point of insanity, ---- having a twelve year old girl deliver a moralizing lecture while watching the person who once made her life hell be torn to pieces was really the last straw!

I may try the Omen machine at some point, just because I did always like the Mord sith, and there were! occasionally moments in the past where goodkind showed a really beautiful characterization that indeed was touching, ---- like the point where Zed finds his daughters' lost ball while being forced to identify magical artifacts.

Dean Koontz is someone I've read a couple of books of, the first Od Thomas novel and first Christopher snow book. These were fun certainly for the ironical characters and general weerdness, however I did find both books rather too naive.

His characters, while colourful all seem to live very symplistic lives where nothing really goes wrong and they can just swan their way through regardless. Even the death of odd Thomas girlfriend in the end of the book seemed a case of "oh well, not too bad, here's all your jolly chums come to chear you up Thomas old boy!"

It's as if evil characters are just patholotically, psychotically selfish, while good characters are just not bothered by anything and live their happy litle lives free from any sort of trouble even when bad things doo happen.

Speaking of girls that's another thing, Koontz seems to suffer from Robert Jordan syndrome in that all the female characters seem to be beautiful and either happily married off or besotted with whoever the protagonist is.

It probably says something more about me than about Koontz, but personally I prefer heroes to be people who do! get hurt, do! have bad things happen to them, but keep on with their purpose regardless, probably why frodo in Lotr is my architype of a hero, ---- at least in the book (don't get me started on that wining, feeble, pathetic piece of misery in the film).

Of course, I freely admit I've not read many books by Koontz and I probably need to check out some more, ---- actually I was confusing Koontz with another horror writer initially and thus avoiding his stuff, but I realize now I was mistaken.

@Grryf, glad you like the trader books. as regards the falcon banner series, there are actually quite a number of scifi space series. I'd deffinately recommend anything you can find by douglas hill, the single best writer for writing about unarmed and weapon based combat I've ever found, also the Lois Mcmaster Bujolt Vor Kosigan books are good, space empires and political intrague with a very interesting main character.

I'll try and have a think about other good sf I know.

As for Doctor who, there are many books, every tv story has been novelized, and there are many original novels. The best thing though are the dramas from big finish, where the past doctors have been got in to record some fantastic doctor who audio plays. These are great to listen to, particularly sinse they start all the original doctors like Colin baker and give a lot of background to different enemies and adventures of the doctor.

Of course as with any long running series, Doctor who varies in quality according to the writer and what's going on, but most of the dr. who stuff is pretty good.

@anthony I must! read the game of thrones series, it really sounds my sort of thing. Myself, I rarely if ever give up on a book once I've started, but then again growing up in the uk where very few audio books were available I learnt to try and get the most out of even the most dreadful piece of rubbish.

i've read the first riftwar book. it was okay, though really I only started to be interesting when they got away from the rather boring D&D type world and into the alternative dimention where the main character was made a slave. As I said, I love fantasy literature, but I just can't get on with books where the characters are amazingly shallow, and where you can tell everyone's D&D character class at a glance.

For instance in a terry brooks novel I remember one character turns up wearing green clothes and leather and holding a bow and says "I've hunted many more wild things in the forest than you!"

So, he's a ranger then! he did virtually nothing through the rest of the book but woffle on about tracking and the wild, shoot arrows and smack people with a sword.

Female characters do nothing but get captured or occasionally chuck the odd fireball, ---- in fact in the three or four brooks books I read, despite very long and rather irritating explanations of how each magic using character studdied something different, all anyone! seemed to do in terms of magic was chuck fireballs!

Eragon felt just like this, really shallow characters I had no interest in who might've been taken from the example pages of the D&D players guide, a lot of elements that looked as though they'd be knicked hole sale from other fantasy books for instance the 13 forsworn riders (anyone remember the 13 forsaken in Wheel of time?).

Okay, wrant on bad fantasy over! big_smile.

With our dreaming and singing, Ceaseless and sorrowless we! The glory about us clinging Of the glorious futures we see,
Our souls with high music ringing; O men! It must ever be
That we dwell in our dreaming and singing, A little apart from ye. (Arthur O'Shaughnessy 1873.)

2011-10-16 16:04:31

I'm half way or so through the first sword of truth book and haven't noticed any preaching. Maybe it's in the later books.

Deep in the human unconscious is a pervasive need for a logical universe that makes sense. But the real universe is always one step beyond logic.

2011-10-16 20:09:14

Yes, the first books very light on the preaching and so consequently is much better than some of the later books. If your only halfway through you've got quite a surprise coming :d.

I'm reading a very interesting series at the moment, the Maze runner trilogy by James Dashner.

These are really fun weerd sf, about strange experiments in a post apocalyps type world. What's really nice is they have very surprising plot in many places, with some rather disturbing monsters, and interesting situations along the way (pluss some pretty good writing.

They almost seem mystery in a sense in that you don't fuly find out what's going on for a good while, and then only one piece at a time.

the books are the Maze runner, the Scorch trials and the death cure, and I'd deffinately recommend them to anyone who hasn't read them, certainly the best new books I've read in a while.

With our dreaming and singing, Ceaseless and sorrowless we! The glory about us clinging Of the glorious futures we see,
Our souls with high music ringing; O men! It must ever be
That we dwell in our dreaming and singing, A little apart from ye. (Arthur O'Shaughnessy 1873.)

2011-10-16 20:36:45

At jayde, long live frank muller indeed. Fantastic guy who did some great books

2011-10-17 09:53:46

I'm afraid I've never actually heard of him, probably because a lot of audio books that are released in the Us don't make it over here, including the library of congress stuff.

With our dreaming and singing, Ceaseless and sorrowless we! The glory about us clinging Of the glorious futures we see,
Our souls with high music ringing; O men! It must ever be
That we dwell in our dreaming and singing, A little apart from ye. (Arthur O'Shaughnessy 1873.)

2011-10-17 16:27:58

at   dark

i think age and level of reading ability comes into the equasion with some books,   for example i found the eragon books great fun ,  not because i am young but they were first fantasy books i have ever read,   then i came across martin and sanderson who are in a different league all together,   i am looking forward to your review on the sanderson books,   i will be surprised if you dont enjoy them .

at stewie

wizards first rule is a really good book but in my opinion it goes downhill drastically when you reach book 3,    but hey everyones different you might love them.

2011-10-17 16:45:10

To be honest on the age thing, I'm not sure if I agree that much, though if it was the first fantasy you read I can understand.

Apart from Tolkien, the first really major fantasy i read was David eddings. Now, even though I don't really wrate them as epic fantasy due to the fact that the badguys are just too! stupid, I stil find them at least good fun to read for the banter and amusing situations if nothing else.

I'm really looking forward to the Sanderson stuff, and probably will start it when I've finished the maze runner series I mentioned.

With our dreaming and singing, Ceaseless and sorrowless we! The glory about us clinging Of the glorious futures we see,
Our souls with high music ringing; O men! It must ever be
That we dwell in our dreaming and singing, A little apart from ye. (Arthur O'Shaughnessy 1873.)

2011-10-22 02:38:16

I have finished the maze runner books and all I gotta say about those strange experiments is that those strange experiments are not werth the price paid if you get my meaning. for those who haven't read the maze runner books, and want to, I hope you are ready for a shock. OK... not exzackly a shock, but those are some blood thursty scientist. I'm going to have to see how good some of the other listed books that I haven't read.

All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots are not reached by the frost. From the ashes a fire shall be woken, A light from the shadows shall spring; Renewed shall be blade that was broken, The crownless again shall be king.
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2011-10-22 19:45:37

Imho that was one of the nicest things about the maze runner, the "evil" people weren't actually evil, just had their own reasons for doing what they were doing which are left up to you to interpret.

I'm now reading the farseer books by Robin Hobb, starting with the assassin's apprentice.

Thus far I deffinately like, particularly the way "assassin" means rather someone who will do what is necessary for royal diplomacy rather than someone who randomly kills. I've been warned to expect some pretty serious moments in fact a friend of mine recently described the books as down right depressing but thus far they've not been too bad.

then again, I'm not yet halfway through, so we'll just have to see where they go.

With our dreaming and singing, Ceaseless and sorrowless we! The glory about us clinging Of the glorious futures we see,
Our souls with high music ringing; O men! It must ever be
That we dwell in our dreaming and singing, A little apart from ye. (Arthur O'Shaughnessy 1873.)

2011-10-25 19:29:57

hello.
Dark, thanks for the suggestions. I must say though nowadays I can't find new books to read so I go back to reading the old books I've read before.lol. so I decided to search for douglas hill today,and I couldn't find any sort of ebook version of his. what I mean is any readable format txt pdf on and on. I could probably buy the books from amazon or such,but they'd be of no use to me.lol.
I've found the books by Lois McMaster Bujold though. its something called Cryoburn
Ahh,off to reading then!

Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these, ‘It might have been.
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2011-10-25 20:40:20

Not read those grryf, mostly her vokosigan books.

The assassin's apprentice is actually proving awsome, and indeed quite a shock in terms of really dysmal stuff happening to the main character. I'm almost at the end of the first book, and it doesn't look like the ending will be happy. It's a very interesting read though despite being rather grim.

With our dreaming and singing, Ceaseless and sorrowless we! The glory about us clinging Of the glorious futures we see,
Our souls with high music ringing; O men! It must ever be
That we dwell in our dreaming and singing, A little apart from ye. (Arthur O'Shaughnessy 1873.)

2011-10-27 06:45:42

Hmm.
After reading the top of the cryoburn file, I knew that this wasn't what I was looking for.lol.
Anyways, I did found the warrior's apprentice and The_Mountains_of_Mourning
and let me say like all your other suggestions, they were awsome a good read. well? off to find others.lol.
thanks

Of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these, ‘It might have been.
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2011-10-27 09:35:05

yep, the warrior's apprentice is indeed good, i especially rather like the way Miles is just pretty insane in that book.

Talking of apprentices, I finished the assassin's apprentice and now am on the second book royal assassin. The end wasn't quite as dysmal as it could've been though stil pretty grim, however sinse the second book carries streight on, I have a nasty suspicion things are going to get worse, in fact even the start of the second book isn't too cheerful.

Interesting and rather fun though, just not exactly light hearted.

With our dreaming and singing, Ceaseless and sorrowless we! The glory about us clinging Of the glorious futures we see,
Our souls with high music ringing; O men! It must ever be
That we dwell in our dreaming and singing, A little apart from ye. (Arthur O'Shaughnessy 1873.)