February: What are you reading?

[ggroy]

I've been reading "A Princess of Mars" by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

It is the granddaddy novel of numerous modern sf and fantasy tropes.

Even though it was written 100 years ago (1911), it is still fresh.

 

[nerfherder]

I've been reading "A Princess of Mars" by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

It is the granddaddy novel of numerous modern sf and fantasy tropes.

Even though it was written 100 years ago (1911), it is still fresh.

It's on my list of books downloaded from Gutenberg.org to watch on my Kindle

 

[ggroy]

It's on my list of books downloaded from Gutenberg.org to watch on my Kindle

I also initially downloaded it from gutenberg.org and tried reading it on the computer screen for the first few chapters. But I found it annoying to read on a desktop computer screen after 15-20 minutes. So I just picked up the book from a nearby bookstore, and have been reading it since.

How I came across "A Princess of Mars" initially, was that I recently saw a comic book titled "Warlord of Mars" (by Dynamite Entertainment) which I thought had really cool artwork. So I picked up the first issue which was for $1.

I did some googling online about this comic title, and found out that it was a 12-issue mini series adaptation of "A Princess of Mars". Previously, I didn't pay much attention at all to any of Edgar Rice Burroughs' other work besides Tarzan.

Nevertheless, I'm glad I did come across "A Princess of Mars" in a roundabout way recently. Just from what I've read so far, I can see how huge of an influence this book had on 20th century modern science fiction and fantasy writing (and other media). I can see hints of where Superman, Han Solo, orcs, Elric, Conan, Kull, D&D, the Warlord (1970's -> 1980's DC comic series), etc ... were possibly influenced by.

 

[darjr]

I'm in the midst of my Appendix N reading. Currently I'm in some huge book of every HPLovecraft story and listening along to the HPPodcraft podcast. Also reading the Hobbit to my daughter, we are where Bilbo meets the Dragon for the second time.

Finished all the stories of Dying earth published before D&D and will move on to the newer ones and hopefully Songs soon.

Also on the list are a collection of Paizo Pathfinder and Golarian books.

 

[nerfherder]

I also initially downloaded it from gutenberg.org and tried reading it on the computer screen for the first few chapters. But I found it annoying to read on a desktop computer screen after 15-20 minutes. So I just picked up the book from a nearby bookstore, and have been reading it since.

No, I could never read a novel on a PC screen either. I'm finding the Kindle a completely different experience, though.

How I came across "A Princess of Mars" initially, was that I recently saw a comic book titled "Warlord of Mars" (by Dynamite Entertainment) which I thought had really cool artwork. So I picked up the first issue which was for $1.

I did some googling online about this comic title, and found out that it was a 12-issue mini series adaptation of "A Princess of Mars". Previously, I didn't pay much attention at all to any of Edgar Rice Burroughs' other work besides Tarzan.

Nevertheless, I'm glad I did come across "A Princess of Mars" in a roundabout way recently. Just from what I've read so far, I can see how huge of an influence this book had on 20th century modern science fiction and fantasy writing (and other media). I can see hints of where Superman, Han Solo, orcs, Elric, Conan, Kull, D&D, the Warlord (1970's -> 1980's DC comic series), etc ... were possibly influenced by.

Hmm, it just got bumped up my "to-read" list

 

[Jared Rascher]

I just gave up on reading The Dragonbone Chair, by Tad Williams, which is odd, because I normally don't give up on books, especially since I was already about halfway through, but I just kept thinking that the book was going in circles and halfway through the book I still didn't like the protagonist at all.

Will probably be starting up the Black Company books again, since I started and then got distracted before I could finish the first one.

 

[Starman]

I just gave up on reading The Dragonbone Chair, by Tad Williams, which is odd, because I normally don't give up on books, especially since I was already about halfway through, but I just kept thinking that the book was going in circles and halfway through the book I still didn't like the protagonist at all.

The book certainly takes awhile to get going, but I found the books to be well worth it. It's one of my favorite series, in fact.

 

[Jhaelen]

I just gave up on reading The Dragonbone Chair, by Tad Williams, which is odd, because I normally don't give up on books, especially since I was already about halfway through, but I just kept thinking that the book was going in circles and halfway through the book I still didn't like the protagonist at all.

Good choice! Imho, the book (and series) is utterly terrible!

Back in the days I bought them all based on a glowing recommendation by a friend. Boy, did I regret this! I did read them all, hoping against reason there might be a miraculous turn for the better.

It's one of the worst offenders of derivative fantasy fiction. There's not a single original idea in those books! It's like amateurish fan fiction from a Tolkien devotee, who just doesn't get what makes the Lord of the Rings a great book.

There aren't many books I consider worse (though there are some, e.g. the Necroscope series which I found so intolerably bad I threw them in the waste bin, partially unread - normally something I'd consider a sacrilege, being the bibliophile I am).

Sorry for the rant and my apologies to those out there who (wrongly ) believe the books are any good.

 

[Jared Rascher]

The "trap" I fell into was reading someone classify it and A Song of Ice and Fire as similar "types" of fantasy, with a lot of emphasis on courtly intrigue and life at castle, etc.

Eventually I came to the conclusion that if Arya Stark and Simon were working in the same castle, she probably would have shived him.

 

[Mallus]

I'm on a nonfiction kick. Just started Michael Lewis's The Big Short and just downloaded Robert Wright's The Evolution of God.