Thread: What are you reading?

Good series, reminded me of my experience with TLotR (with the difference that by the time I was an adult and read it I knew whom Zahn is. ) I read 'em, thought they were great, and expected the rest of the Star Wars books to be written by similarly good authors and consequently be similarly good. Unfortunately, the likes of Terrys Brooks and Goodkind followed in the wake of the Professor (actually Goodkind followed in the wake of Robert Jordan, almost verbatim, but that's another rant... ) and a similar phenomenon lay in wait for Star Wars.

Continuing that analogy, I think what's keeping me from really getting into the Star Wars universe is that the backstory is so vast and convoluted it makes the Silmarillion (or, more properly, HoME) seem primitive. It's a good thing (or not... ) for Lucas that he was willing to license so many people to play with his creation and make him money, while J.R.R. and later Chris Tolkien were a lot more protective. Huh, I just realized I joined the Forum the same month Jordan died; how depressing....

Ok...haven't had time to go through this entire thread...but I just picked up Stuart Woods: "Santa Fe Dead" and Lisa Scottoline: Lady Killer....anyone read these? I picked them up on CD since I have a long drive to Montana ahead this memorial day weekend. (about an 8-9 hour drive one way...)

i just finished you suck by christopher moore-- it's the sequel to bloodsucking fiends: a love story. . . .


moore just may be the funniest writer that i've ever read, although hunter thompson certainly gives him a run for his money-- that literal laugh-out-loud kind of funny. . . his books are pure joyrides, every one of them-- light-hearted romps through the supernatural, with a good helping of social mockery on the side. . . if you enjoy laughter, his books are for you!

I just finished a cheesy chick lit book... pretty lame, but I REALLY needed something mindless.

I'm about to get ready to go looking for something else soon, though...

My Kindle awaits, I just need to find something.

Any suggestions?

Originally Posted by Nurse Red

I just finished a cheesy chick lit book... pretty lame, but I REALLY needed something mindless.

I'm about to get ready to go looking for something else soon, though...

My Kindle awaits, I just need to find something.

Any suggestions?

what are you looking for?

Originally Posted by dogfish

what are you looking for?

I was hoping you were still around

Looking for fiction, definitely, and deeper than the crap I just read...

Realistic fiction, though... can't stand fantasy or sci fi.

The problem is that my mental list is so long I don't even know where to begin

I know you have a brilliant idea for me, though, dog... you always do.

Lay it on me...

Originally Posted by Nurse Red

I was hoping you were still around

Looking for fiction, definitely, and deeper than the crap I just read...

Realistic fiction, though... can't stand fantasy or sci fi.

The problem is that my mental list is so long I don't even know where to begin

I know you have a brilliant idea for me, though, dog... you always do.

Lay it on me...

glad to, gimme a minute. . . .


how about some examples of authors you like? "realistic fiction" is a pretty broad genre. . . .

Originally Posted by dogfish

glad to, gimme a minute. . . .


how about some examples of authors you like? "realistic fiction" is a pretty broad genre. . . .

Um... some of my favorites are thriller types, though I don't think that's what I'm looking for right now, either.
Iris Johanssen, Greg Iles, Stephen King (only some, though), James Patterson... those types.

Looking for more of a drama right now, I'm thinking, but not sure where to look.

Originally Posted by Nurse Red

Um... some of my favorites are thriller types, though I don't think that's what I'm looking for right now, either.
Iris Johanssen, Greg Iles, Stephen King (only some, though), James Patterson... those types.

Looking for more of a drama right now, I'm thinking, but not sure where to look.

are you familiar with russell banks? rule of the bone is my favorite of his books-- it's a coming-of-age story, critically hailed as "the best since catcher in the rye"-- but you might be more interested in affliction or continental drift. . . a book that i know i mentioned earlier in this thread is the sicilian by mario puzo (the author of the godfather). . . if you're looking for a fast-paced page-turner, you can't go wrong with puzo. . . .

a fantastic book that i think everyone should read is the bonfire of the vanities by tom wolfe. . . if you're looking for a spy novel, you can't go wrong with john le carre. . .

i'd say all of those could be classified as drama. . .

Originally Posted by dogfish

are you familiar with russell banks? rule of the bone is my favorite of his books-- it's a coming-of-age story, critically hailed as "the best since catcher in the rye"-- but you might be more interested in affliction or continental drift. . . a book that i know i mentioned earlier in this thread is the sicilian by mario puzo (the author of the godfather). . . if you're looking for a fast-paced page-turner, you can't go wrong with puzo. . . .

a fantastic book that i think everyone should read is the bonfire of the vanities by tom wolfe. . . if you're looking for a spy novel, you can't go wrong with john le carre. . .

i'd say all of those could be classified as drama. . .

You're awesome... I think I'll go look up Banks right now.

Originally Posted by Nurse Red

You're awesome... I think I'll go look up Banks right now.

cool. . . let me know if you decide to read anything by him. . .

Originally Posted by dogfish

cool. . . let me know if you decide to read anything by him. . .

DRAT!

None of Banks' stuff is available for Kindle yet... but I'm going to download the first chapter of The Sicilian and see what I think...

Thank you

Originally Posted by Nurse Red

DRAT!

None of Banks' stuff is available for Kindle yet... but I'm going to download the first chapter of The Sicilian and see what I think...

Thank you

you're welcome. . .




uhh, what is kindle?

Originally Posted by dogfish

you're welcome. . .




uhh, what is kindle?

BEST THING EVER.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...pf_rd_i=507846

The best description I've heard... my mom says this... it's like an IPod for books.

Downloads books directly (through a wireless connection) from Amazon.com (and some other sources), and then stores them in its memory... you turn pages by clicking a button... the screen's 'electronic paper', so there's little to no glare. You can take notes, etc... it's got a dictionary, and you can automatically look up any words you don't know. You can adjust font size...

Expensive, but I bought it for myself w/ my stimulus check money.

Books are cheaper when you buy them this way than if you were to buy a real copy (even paperback), and there's no bookshelf issues.

If I go on a trip, there's no running into the airport bookstore, or packing 5 different books... I just take this with me, and then connect up when I need something new.

It's crazyamazing, and you would love it.

ahh, very cool. . . . but for me, nothing will ever replace the feel of having a book in my hand. . . i spend too much time starting at a screen as it is. . .


i can certainly see why you'd like it, though. . . .