Wandrail
I'm your Huckleberry
Well, if he would not float deadlines he never meets, he would probably not have this problem. Its called "managing expectations."
Now Reading...
- Thread starter Rakosh
- Start date
Well, if he would not float deadlines he never meets, he would probably not have this problem. Its called "managing expectations."
OrbWeaver
BECAUSE FALCONER
I just got finished with the Nightwish biography. It's a really interesting read if you like Nightwish, and I learned that apparently Tuomas and Jukka adore Pantera. And at least half the band is obsessed with Dream Theater. 
However, I did have a couple complaints about the book. Throughout, it was subtly weighted against Tarja. The author was not blatant about it, but it was there. Furthermore, the author felt the need to mention what a nice guy Tuomas is many times each chapter. It almost seemed as if the author was trying to convince the reader how great Tuomas is. In fact, they were trying a bit to hard. If Tuomas is such a great guy, I don't see a need to state this constantly. Some of the metaphores were also a bit much.
The book did help shed some light on the band split, too. But for the most part, it was fun to read about each of the band members and their backgrounds. I also really enjoyed the photos, too. So despite a few minor complaints, this is a book that any Nightwish fan should read.
I am now reading The Living Dead. I'm half-way through the third story. I enjoyed "This Year's Class Photo", but did not quite understand the second short story, "The Zombie Contengiency Plan." "Death and Sufferage" is very entertaining and engaging, and that's the story I'm on currently. So far, this is a very engaging collection of stories.
However, I did have a couple complaints about the book. Throughout, it was subtly weighted against Tarja. The author was not blatant about it, but it was there. Furthermore, the author felt the need to mention what a nice guy Tuomas is many times each chapter. It almost seemed as if the author was trying to convince the reader how great Tuomas is. In fact, they were trying a bit to hard. If Tuomas is such a great guy, I don't see a need to state this constantly. Some of the metaphores were also a bit much.
The book did help shed some light on the band split, too. But for the most part, it was fun to read about each of the band members and their backgrounds. I also really enjoyed the photos, too. So despite a few minor complaints, this is a book that any Nightwish fan should read.
I am now reading The Living Dead. I'm half-way through the third story. I enjoyed "This Year's Class Photo", but did not quite understand the second short story, "The Zombie Contengiency Plan." "Death and Sufferage" is very entertaining and engaging, and that's the story I'm on currently. So far, this is a very engaging collection of stories.
LunaTEKKE
Madness Reigns
- Mar 23, 2006
- 1,220
- 8
- 38
I enjoyed When the Wind Blows and Lake House but did you know that the other series is actually a different set of characters? I read the first book in the new series on a trip (I think it was Maximum Ride) and was really aggravated to find that Patterson had used the same basic plot and same character names, but put them in a slightly different situation. Its like he ripped off his own idea! I havent read any more of the new series.
Harvester
The Promoter
A 704 page beast...
Description:
December 21, 2012. The day time stops. Jed DeLanda, a descendant of the Maya living in the year 2012, is a math prodigy who spends his time playing Go against his computer and raking in profits from online trading. (His secret weapon? A Mayan divination game - once used for predicting corn-harvest cycles, now proving very useful in predicting corn futures - that his mother taught him.) But Jed's life is thrown into chaos when his former mentor, the game theorist Taro, and a mysterious woman named Marena Park, invite him to give his opinion on a newly discovered Mayan codex.
Marena and Taro are looking for a volunteer to travel back to 664 AD to learn more about a 'sacrifice game' described in the codex. Jed leaps at the chance, and soon scientists are replicating his brain waves and sending them through a wormhole, straight into the mind of a Mayan king.
Only something goes wrong. Instead of becoming a king, Jed arrives inside a ballplayer named Chacal who is seconds away from throwing himself down the temple steps as a human sacrifice. If Jed can live through the next few minutes, he might just save the world.
OrbWeaver
BECAUSE FALCONER
Ruthven, I'm wondering if some of the stories in The Living Dead were as touching and profound to you as some of them have been to me? I am far more impressed with this anthology than I expected to be. I was expecting a collection of horror stories. Instead, I have gotten a collection of stories that span genres.
So far, two stories have had a profound impact on me. The first, "Death and Sufferage" is about the dead rising from their graves in order to vote. The author intended it to be a short, humorous story, but it ended up being longer and much more serious than he expected. The following is what stood out to me in the story:
We've all been wounded, every one of us.
And we just can't keep our hands off the scars.
The second story that touched me is titled "Beautiful Things." The author was incredibly pissed off after the events of 9/11, and chose to write a story about what the dead might say about it. In this story, Rusty, one of the revived dead, manages to focus his attention long enough to tell people the truth, something that went against the motives of the political candidate who had hoped to capitalize on the distractable dispositions of the revived dead.
"Look," Rusty said. He let go of Ari's hand and reached around to pull the paperweight out of his pocket. He held it up in front of the crowd. Ari cooed and reached for it, entranced, but Rusty held it above his head. "Look at this! Look at the shiny glass. Look at the flower. It's beautiful. You have all this stuff in your life, all this beautiful stuff. Sunshine and grass and butterfiles. Barrettes. Bandanas. You don't have that when you're dead. That's why dying hurts."
And Rusty shivered, and remembered: he remembered dying, knowing he'd never see trees again, never drink coffee, never smell flowers or see buildings reflected in windows. He remembered that pain, the pain of knowing what he was losing only when it was too late. And he knew that the living wouldn't understand, couldn't understand. Or maybe some of them did, but the others would only make fun of them. He finished his speech lamely, miserably, knowing that everyone would say it was just a cliche. "Enjoy the beautiful stuff while you have it."
These two stories, esepcially the exerpts above, really impacted me. I am suprised and pleased. I can't wait to finish this collection of stories, and at the same time I wish they would not end.
So far, two stories have had a profound impact on me. The first, "Death and Sufferage" is about the dead rising from their graves in order to vote. The author intended it to be a short, humorous story, but it ended up being longer and much more serious than he expected. The following is what stood out to me in the story:
We've all been wounded, every one of us.
And we just can't keep our hands off the scars.
The second story that touched me is titled "Beautiful Things." The author was incredibly pissed off after the events of 9/11, and chose to write a story about what the dead might say about it. In this story, Rusty, one of the revived dead, manages to focus his attention long enough to tell people the truth, something that went against the motives of the political candidate who had hoped to capitalize on the distractable dispositions of the revived dead.
"Look," Rusty said. He let go of Ari's hand and reached around to pull the paperweight out of his pocket. He held it up in front of the crowd. Ari cooed and reached for it, entranced, but Rusty held it above his head. "Look at this! Look at the shiny glass. Look at the flower. It's beautiful. You have all this stuff in your life, all this beautiful stuff. Sunshine and grass and butterfiles. Barrettes. Bandanas. You don't have that when you're dead. That's why dying hurts."
And Rusty shivered, and remembered: he remembered dying, knowing he'd never see trees again, never drink coffee, never smell flowers or see buildings reflected in windows. He remembered that pain, the pain of knowing what he was losing only when it was too late. And he knew that the living wouldn't understand, couldn't understand. Or maybe some of them did, but the others would only make fun of them. He finished his speech lamely, miserably, knowing that everyone would say it was just a cliche. "Enjoy the beautiful stuff while you have it."
These two stories, esepcially the exerpts above, really impacted me. I am suprised and pleased. I can't wait to finish this collection of stories, and at the same time I wish they would not end.
I didn't like "Death and Sufferage" that much. I liked the idea behind "Beautiful Things" quite a bit. I am only about a third of the way through the book, but so far I like it a lot.
Robin Hobb's Renegade's Magic is finally out in paperback, after being delayed for nearly five months. Fortunately, she works in enough backstory that I don't need to reread the first two, because it's slow going. But I was aware of its ponderous pace from the first book and have adjusted my expectations accordingly. As long as it's not BORING, I'll get through it. Eventually.
And then my aunt gave me her copy of the 11th Stephanie Plum book, except I think the last one I read was 9. It's great mindless brain candy, especially if you grew up with the type of New York/New Jersey Italian folks that populate her books.
And then my aunt gave me her copy of the 11th Stephanie Plum book, except I think the last one I read was 9. It's great mindless brain candy, especially if you grew up with the type of New York/New Jersey Italian folks that populate her books.
OrbWeaver
BECAUSE FALCONER
The quote I chose from Death and Sufferage is what really stood out for me. I guess it kind of hit home, as I see it a lot in my day to day life.
Ground Zero - F. Paul Wilson
Yeah, that's right...I got the manuscript of the new Repairman Jack novel coming out in October. Sometimes this job is just too cool...
:Smokin:
Yeah, that's right...I got the manuscript of the new Repairman Jack novel coming out in October. Sometimes this job is just too cool...
:Smokin:
Pellaz
Tigron of Immanion
Awesome, Rakosh! Back when I was doing editing for my author-friend Storm Constantine, getting to proofread her manuscripts loong before publication was an awesome perk. And an honor, too.
And speaking of Honor....and storms, come to think of it....
Now Reading: "Storm From the Shadows" by David Weber. Loooove these books and Weber himself is extremely cool.
And speaking of Honor....and storms, come to think of it....
Now Reading: "Storm From the Shadows" by David Weber. Loooove these books and Weber himself is extremely cool.
Jax
Forum Goddess
'Anatomy and Disease'..one of the program companion books that accompanies the Medical Transcription course I'm taking. I don't have seem to have much spare time to read fun books right now; I've been reading 'Arthur' by Stephen Lawhead forever, it seems.
edgeofthorns
24 Hours Ago...
I just finished reading, "The Van Halen Saga" by Ian Christie. It was an enjoyable read. I'm going to start on the AC/DC story soon.
~Brian~
~Brian~
lady_space
Porno kitty
I hope that's not the same guy (guys? gals?) who writes the Covert One stuff. I read one of those and was most definitely not impressed... full of cliches, and very... "girlie" as in focused on feelings so muhc it makes me want to puke. Maybe if they weren't so cliched, I'd be better with it.
My mom's got about everything Ludlum ever wrote, but I don't think she's read much of the "newer" (i.e., not actually Ludlum) stuff. How is it?
For my part, I am re-reading Flannery O'Connor, Everything That Rises Must Converge. I must pick up something else soon... it's depressing me.
Shaye
VenomGA
At War With Stan
- Jul 28, 2005
- 4,221
- 40
- 48
I am about half way through it. The book is ok so far. His style is different than the 3 Ludlum wrote. We will have to see how it ends to give a true picture of the book.
OrbWeaver
BECAUSE FALCONER
Lonely Werewolf Girl by Martin Millar
Apparently Neil Gaiman is a fan of this author, and I like werewolves, so I thought it might be worth picking up. The story moves right along, and I'm only a few chapters in. My only gripe at the moment is every single female character in the story is "strikingly beautiful" or "otherworldly beautiful" or some other flowery adjective to describe just how hot all the female characters are in this story. It reeks of Mary Sue (or the suitable equivalent for male authors.)
Apparently Neil Gaiman is a fan of this author, and I like werewolves, so I thought it might be worth picking up. The story moves right along, and I'm only a few chapters in. My only gripe at the moment is every single female character in the story is "strikingly beautiful" or "otherworldly beautiful" or some other flowery adjective to describe just how hot all the female characters are in this story. It reeks of Mary Sue (or the suitable equivalent for male authors.)
Makers - Cory Doctorow
Techno-economic novel that questions the way we consume, re-purpose and discard technology...at least so far. Doctorow is so smart, it's scary sometimes.
Techno-economic novel that questions the way we consume, re-purpose and discard technology...at least so far. Doctorow is so smart, it's scary sometimes.
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