Now Reading...

[Cheiron]

Well, unfortunately that group is now disbanded, as Robert Jordan died last night.

That is truly sad news. I know there are many readers mourning. Not just for him, but for that they'll never really know how things were to end. I can't think of another circumstance like this in fantasy/sci-fi literature. I admittedly stopped a couple books ago, but planned to return to them when the series was finished... just so I could know how it ended.

I wonder what they are going to do. I wonder if he left enough notes behind that somebody could pick it up and finish or something....

 

[ashaman7122]

I can't think of another circumstance like this in fantasy/sci-fi literature.

Um...like Frank Herbert?

 

[Ruthven]

I wonder what they are going to do. I wonder if he left enough notes behind that somebody could pick it up and finish or something....

I read that he did; he probably took steps since he knew this was coming.

People have had various opinions about the guy's character. I have never read any of his books, but when I met him years and years ago, he was very friendly to me. So that's how I'll remember the guy.

 

[OrbWeaver]

Hmm. It's been a while since I read the last one, but I thought I remember reading in his Afterword that he wrote the whole book and it was massive, so he decided to split the two books based upon characters. That would imply that it was already written.

He did. AND it said A Dance of Dragons would be released in 2006.

 

[Cheiron]

Um...like Frank Herbert?

Sort of. But his Dune writings and his plans for Dune seem a bit different from a 12-book series such as Wheel of Time.

 

[Chai]

Less Than Zero - Bret Easton Ellis

I've found myself longing to read more Ellis recently. I read America Psycho in High School, and thought it fantastically written. However, I started Glamorama and could never get very far into it. From what I understand, Less Than Zero has a lot of the same grittiness AP has. Thoughts?

Oh, and currently reading:

The God Delusion - Dawkins
Return of the Solider - Rebecca West
The Prince - Machiavelli
Book of the Courtier

(Last three are because I made the mistake of being an English Major )

 

[Yippee38]

Sort of. But his Dune writings and his plans for Dune seem a bit different from a 12-book series such as Wheel of Time.

Sure they seem different. The Dune books are actually good.

 

[Pellaz]

I read that he did; he probably took steps since he knew this was coming.

I understand that his wife Harriet and a few others have enough to work with to 'see the series through.' I have a feeling that a lot of things will get missed, since there's a lot to wrap up, large and small.

People have had various opinions about the guy's character. I have never read any of his books, but when I met him years and years ago, he was very friendly to me. So that's how I'll remember the guy.

Yeah, I'm on the fence m'self. When I met JR at a book-signing here many years ago, he was quite cool in person......but then again, there are the tales of the infamous panel at Dragon*Con he did with Storm Constantine. I'll remember the good times, since I wasn't at the panel and sadly, it wasn't recorded. (Storm made a lot of female friends that day. )

Missing THAT panel because I had to go check out of the hotel was the original impetus for staying an extra day now, and checking out on Tuesday, when things are more civilized.

 

[rockyracoon]

I've found myself longing to read more Ellis recently. I read America Psycho in High School, and thought it fantastically written. However, I started Glamorama and could never get very far into it. From what I understand, Less Than Zero has a lot of the same grittiness AP has. Thoughts?

I've read American Psycho a few times now, and I don't think Less Than Zero is nearly as gritty. There are some definite parallels between the two regarding content and writing style, though LTZ doesn't read quite as erratically. Just picked up Glamorama, hopefully I'll get further than you did.

 

[PurpleCrayonWriter]

Currently reading...

My Side of the Mountain by Jean George. It's a children's book that I've read every few years since the late 1960s.

Something Wicked This Way Comes by Ray Bradbury. This book I read yearly, every October. It's my favorite book of all time.

A Purple Place For Dying by John D. MacDonald. This is book three in the incomparable Travis McGee mystery series.

Plus numerous magazines such as Scr(i)pt, Creative Screenwriting, Shambhala Sun, Tricyle, Buddhadharma, AdAge, DM News, and whatever I can get my hands on in the check-out lane while I wait.

 

[Wandrail]

He did. AND it said A Dance of Dragons would be released in 2006.

I wish he would finish that god damn book already. A Song of Ice and Fire is the best fantasy series I have read in years...and with how long this one is taking, it better be good...or else...I will complain...on the internet.

I recently have been trying to get into these post-apocalyptic books by SM Sterling...I just started reading Dies the Fire. I'm a sucker for the post-apoc stuff but so far this book is only mildly keeping my interest.

I am also reading yet another compendium of Robert E Howard stories. Its a compilation called Crimson Shadows that actually only has one or two Conan stories. It has a ton of the Bran Mak Morn and other Celtic oriented stories he did, and some other characters. Howard is one of my favorite authors.

 

[OrbWeaver]

Went with Monsterous Regiment by Terry Pratchett.

 

[Pellaz]

You should love it.

 

[OrbWeaver]

I am already. This quote had me rolling:

"Think young male, that was the thing. Fart loudly and with self-satisfaction at a job well done, walk like a puppet that'd had a couple of random strings cut, never hug anyone, and, if you meet a friend, punch them."

 

[AngraRULES]

A Walk in the Woods

by Bill Bryson

 

[Ruthven]

I just finished Simon R. Green's "Agents of Light and Darkness" in a couple of hours. This book is part of his "Nightside" series, which take place in a mystical London netherworld. The first book in the series was no great shakes, but if you want fast-paced pulp action with everything including the kitchen sink thrown in, I'd recommend this one as a starting point.

 

[Pellaz]

I noticed there was a new Discworld book out, yay!

 

[LunaTEKKE]

Lol.....alas, I think I'm a member of all of the above....as well as the Where-the-hell-is-the-allegedly-coming-soon-Elric-movie club, the Hurry-up-David-and-give-us-another-Honor-Harrington-novel club, and -- skipping over toward the TV -- the Can't-friggin-wait-for-Season-3-of-The-Venture-Bros club.

A couple of years ago, I finally swore off all "series" books -- as well as TV shows that have cliffhanger endings every week. I get WAY too obsessed with wanting to know what happens.

I did grandfather in Harry Potter and the Katherine Kurtz Deryni books, though. I started on the Kurtz books when I was in high school...and I turned 40 this year. (Sheesh...finish the story already!)

 

[Harvester]

NR- Everybody Wants Some: The Van Halen Saga by I. Christie

 

[ConnieOH]

Heavy Metal: The Music And Its Culture by Deena Weinstein

Quite interesting so far...