[September] What are you reading?

[Kramodlog]

I heard these Nancy Drew detective books might be up to your liking.

 

[the Jester]

I'm currently reading Tai-Pan by James Clavell. It's set in 19th century Asia, and is one of his "Europeans meet Asians" novels (see also Shogun). So far, it's pretty good- lots of opium smuggling.

 

[Nellisir]

I enjoyed The Wasp Factory when I read it. Kinda screwy in the head a bit.

Johnny Mnemonic is awesome. Go Molly Millions.

I think Johnny Mnemonic has the same problem The Postman does (except The Postman is much, much worse off) - a great story, but a crummy movie. The book The Postman is excellent. The movie....David Brin should have sued.

Ender's Game is a good book. It didn't click for me as much as it did for many other people, and I didn't get into the later books at all, but it is a good book. Try that, Starship Troopers, and The Forever War to tick a few SF war commentary books off the list.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo felt dated, and like it needed a heavy editing. Still haven't gotten around to the other two (though the movies were good.)

I'd seen similar comments but was hoping otherwise. I picked up the first collected volume as part of reading through Appendix N in the 1e DMG. I've read all of Lovecraft, Conan, Middle Earth, and the Dying Earth books. Any recommendations on which ones to do next?

I enjoy Leigh Brackett. Poul Anderson's Three Hearts and Three Lions is the blatant source of a number of D&D tropes. I recently read something else of Anderson's, but I'm not sure if it was The Broken Sword. The first five books of Amber, by Zelazny. These really should be treated as one novel - don't just read the first one, nothing gets resolved and you miss all the good stuff. (All five together are about the length of a regular novel now anyways.) Jack of Shadows as well. This Immortal. Heck, anything by Zelazny. I would happily read his grocery list. I read a lot of Saberhagen's Swords books when I was a kid, but couldn't get into them again a few years ago. Recently read a few of his Berserker books, but again, didn't really get into them, so I can't really recommend them. Vance...some people love Vance, some people don't comment on the matter. I think Gygax liked a lot of wordy, kinda meandering authors that don't play well in today's market. And a lot of those books are, quite frankly, dated.

 

[Kramodlog]

Johnny Mnemonic is awesome. Go Molly Millions.

I think Johnny Mnemonic has the same problem The Postman does (except The Postman is much, much worse off) - a great story, but a crummy movie. The book The Postman is excellent. The movie....David Brin should have sued.

Gibson said his script for the film (yeah, he wrote that) was butchered by Hollywood producers). For example, the idea of a heroine addicted dolphin was a bit too much for some of them. You do not want to shock the US public.

Ender's Game

is a good book. It didn't click for me as much as it did for many other people, and I didn't get into the later books at all, but it is a good book. Try that, Starship Troopers, and The Forever War to tick a few SF war commentary books off the list.

I was more talking about this critique of the messages and themes of the book. War is good, so are genocide and child soldiers.

I'll try Starship Troopers, even if it seems rather fascistic.

 

[Jhaelen]

I've finished (re)reading everything by H.P. Lovecraft. I plan to tackle Ramsey Campbell next, but before that there are two new Ars Magica supplements I want to read. I just started with 'Tales of Power', which is a collection of five stories intended for experienced magi. I was particularly intrigued by the first one ('A Cardinal Decision'): It's set in Rome shortly after the Pope died, and the Magi are trying to prevent several supernatural factions from influencing the cardinals' votes and may be tempted to try making their own favorite the next Pope...

 

[Zombie_Babies]

Yup, yup and yup. Post Office still is my favorite, cause he does all of what you mentioned while working for the guberment. Somehow it touched a cord.

Well that one is next on my list. I have it already, too, so I won't have to wait.

 

[the Jester]

I usually read exclusively History/ Military History, but my step-mom recently got me into detective books.
Right now I am reading The Drop by Michael Connelly.

I need to make a trip to the discount bookstore and get a few military history books.

If you like Roman history, try Colleen McCullough's Masters of Rome series; they're historical fiction about the last Republic, and follow the history pretty closely.

The first one, focusing on Gaius Marius, is the First Man in Rome. It's followed by the Grass Crown, Fortune's Favorites, Caesar, Caesar's Women, the October Horse and Antony and Cleopatra. They're pretty darn excellent, IMHO.

 

[Kramodlog]

How can I trust a man that has a pug for an avatar?

 

[Robin Hoodlum]

If you like Roman history, try Colleen McCullough's Masters of Rome series; they're historical fiction about the last Republic, and follow the history pretty closely.

The first one, focusing on Gaius Marius, is the First Man in Rome. It's followed by the Grass Crown, Fortune's Favorites, Caesar, Caesar's Women, the October Horse and Antony and Cleopatra. They're pretty darn excellent, IMHO.

Cool, thanks!
I will definitely read them, they sound interesting.

 

[the Jester]

How can I trust a man that has a pug for an avatar?

How can you not?