So read any good books recently
Tags:
- Book
- King
Last response: in News & Leisure
Lieutenant JAK
March 10, 2010 5:06:55 AM
strangestranger
March 10, 2010 2:49:34 PM
Lieutenant JAK
March 10, 2010 2:56:48 PM
Related resources
- Good books to read - Forum
- I have an Acer laptop which until recently was able to read and download my pics and videos and also my cameras (Nikon and Sam - Forum
- For years my cottage has had good cell signal from Rogers. Now recently Bell built a tower much closer to my cottage and in li - Forum
- Do I need to read all the books in URU? - Forum
- Myst Newbie - Which books to read for backstory of Revelat.. - Forum
fazers_on_stun
March 11, 2010 8:39:35 PM
I can heartily NOT recommend Dan Brown's latest - The Lost Symbol. First of all, some moron in Sam's Club (where I bought it) ripped out a page in the middle of the book, then put it back & I happened to be the unlucky person buying that copy. But my daughter got a Kindle for Christmas and this was one of the e-books she ordered, so I skimmed over the missing page - didn't add much value to a trite, predictable and ridiculous premise story that I could see.
Spoiler warning...
The "Lost Symbol" turns out to be the Bible, probably King James version, that the Masons buried in the cornerstone of the Washington Monument. I guess after hiding all that accumulated wealth from Egypt & the middle ages in the church on the corner of Wall Street in NYC, as in "National Treasure", them pesky Masons were due for a letdown & all they could come up with was a copy of the Bible to stick under George's pyramid-shaped monument.
Now as to why the Masons would go to all the trouble of creating tons of hints, magic decoder boxes, etc etc etc just to lead to a Bible, is something only they or Dan Brown would know... His work has been steadily declining ever since he wrote The Da Vince Code. I just bought the BD version of Angels & Demons, and while watching the extra features, had to laugh when director Ron Howard said that they had to write out of the script the scene where Prof. Langdon jumps into the helicopter piloted by the Pope wannabe character, to keep the movie believable...
Spoiler warning...
The "Lost Symbol" turns out to be the Bible, probably King James version, that the Masons buried in the cornerstone of the Washington Monument. I guess after hiding all that accumulated wealth from Egypt & the middle ages in the church on the corner of Wall Street in NYC, as in "National Treasure", them pesky Masons were due for a letdown & all they could come up with was a copy of the Bible to stick under George's pyramid-shaped monument.
Now as to why the Masons would go to all the trouble of creating tons of hints, magic decoder boxes, etc etc etc just to lead to a Bible, is something only they or Dan Brown would know... His work has been steadily declining ever since he wrote The Da Vince Code. I just bought the BD version of Angels & Demons, and while watching the extra features, had to laugh when director Ron Howard said that they had to write out of the script the scene where Prof. Langdon jumps into the helicopter piloted by the Pope wannabe character, to keep the movie believable...
fazers_on_stun
March 11, 2010 8:46:49 PM
refugeesus
August 31, 2010 11:17:34 PM
I would recommend Christopher Brookmyre's latest (or any of them really) offering Pandaemonium.
A lot of his books make reference to computers and gaming (Doom seems to be there a lot), and playing music or being in a band and a healthy dose of God and how woeful it can be for some people.
They are crime novels and he is a Scottish author so be prepared to read in an accent!
A lot of his books make reference to computers and gaming (Doom seems to be there a lot), and playing music or being in a band and a healthy dose of God and how woeful it can be for some people.
They are crime novels and he is a Scottish author so be prepared to read in an accent!
badge
September 1, 2010 7:41:41 AM
productofchina
September 2, 2010 4:54:08 AM
Shadow703793
September 3, 2010 2:12:43 AM
Like said, I too have read Lost Symbols and though of it as not that great compared to his other books like Angels & Daemons,etc.
I've been reading a bunch of random books from A.C. Clark, and currently reading Rendezvous with Rama. Read Sun Tzu's Art of War translation for like the 10th time a while back.
I've been reading a bunch of random books from A.C. Clark, and currently reading Rendezvous with Rama. Read Sun Tzu's Art of War translation for like the 10th time a while back.
Books?
I remember hearing about those. Thats how knowledge was passed around be DVDs and thumb drives;)
Edit: Along that note some of you might like this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQfmYBIYfi0
I remember hearing about those. Thats how knowledge was passed around be DVDs and thumb drives;)
Edit: Along that note some of you might like this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KQfmYBIYfi0
It was a good movie, but having just watched the entire extended edition set of Lord of the Rings (again), I've started rereading the trilogy again to re-experience the story "done right." The barrow wights are an important part of the story, and the Scouring of the Shire was one of my favorite chapters. I also much prefer Faramir portrayed as noble from square one.
badge
September 6, 2010 12:25:32 AM
Shadow703793
September 6, 2010 11:02:29 PM
jsc said:
Some books are worth rereading. I reread Samuel Huntington's A Clash of Civilizations every couple years.My favorite Arthur Clarke short story collection is Tales from the White Hart.
You should check out:
Guns, Germs & Steel
Collapse (by the same author, J. Diamond)
Moby Dick (If you have never read it or read it a long time ago, read the original text not some of the new "translations")
Art of War (Has any one here read it at all? Many politicians, business men, leaders,etc have claimed to have read it)
I will check out The Clash of Civilizations, seems like a good read.
refugeesus
September 7, 2010 12:48:17 AM
Wow, all you guys appear to be a lot more high brow than myself. My recommendation is filled with fart jokes, murder and dismemberment. Ahh well, each to their own!
EDIT: On the Lord of the Rings book, I tried (and i mean really tried) to read it, but the language was way too complicated for me (I'm no idiot by any means, but my concentration wavers fairly easily), so I found the movies to be a godsend (Heresy! Burn the heathen!) and they did allow me to enjoy Tolkien's world (as i then went on the get the Battle for middle earth series, I found them quite enjoyable.) And Raymond Fiest's trilogy "Mistress of the Empire/Servant of the Empire/Daughter of the Empire" is a very good series (You should read Magician prior, just to give you some background, but is not essential)
EDIT: On the Lord of the Rings book, I tried (and i mean really tried) to read it, but the language was way too complicated for me (I'm no idiot by any means, but my concentration wavers fairly easily), so I found the movies to be a godsend (Heresy! Burn the heathen!) and they did allow me to enjoy Tolkien's world (as i then went on the get the Battle for middle earth series, I found them quite enjoyable.) And Raymond Fiest's trilogy "Mistress of the Empire/Servant of the Empire/Daughter of the Empire" is a very good series (You should read Magician prior, just to give you some background, but is not essential)
It took me 4 tries to read the first Rings books. Boring. Nothing much happens in the first half of the book except character introduction. The pacing in the second book is about average. The third book rocks.
That's what I liked about the movies. They didn't suffer from that problem.
Shadow, I am working through Guns, Germ, and Steel. Good content. Don't like Diamond's writing style.
The P.I.G. books (Politically Incorrect Guide to ...) are kind of fun also. I have three: U.S. Constitution, U.S. History, and Islam.
Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything is also very good.
That's what I liked about the movies. They didn't suffer from that problem.
Shadow, I am working through Guns, Germ, and Steel. Good content. Don't like Diamond's writing style.
The P.I.G. books (Politically Incorrect Guide to ...) are kind of fun also. I have three: U.S. Constitution, U.S. History, and Islam.
Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything is also very good.
strangestranger
September 8, 2010 2:46:50 PM
Shadow703793
September 8, 2010 8:13:30 PM
fazers_on_stun
September 11, 2010 1:37:44 PM
I tried reading a Harry Potter book. Once. Waded through about 20 pages before I gave it up as a lost cause, despite my then-young daughter's hearty recommendations. So yes the movie versions were a good deal for me as I didn't have to wade through clumsy prose and obscure references, plus I could nod off during the boring parts
.
.
Shadow703793
September 11, 2010 4:59:57 PM
badge
September 11, 2010 5:14:38 PM
The Role of Postnatal Growth Pattern in the Production of Facial Morphology. J. K. Rowling. A powerful read involving a collection of sacred scripture of Judaism and Christianity. This is the first tale in the ongoing series picturizing the powerful drama that won the coveted Pulitzer Prize in 1937. The story is set in Clayton County, Georgia and Atlanta, Georgia during the American Civil War and Reconstruction and depicts the experiences of Scarlett O'Hara, the spoiled daughter of a well-to-do plantation owner. The novel is the source of the extremely popular 1939 film of the same name.
If you are into natural disaster type novels, I just read "The Rift" by Walter Williams. It is a novel about a massive 8.9 earthquake that hits the American midwest and the resulting anarchy, racism, and other societal oddities that occur in its wake. It is incredibly well researched scientific wise and even though it is roughly 930 pages, it is a fast, exhilarating read.
The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind by Dr. Julian Jaynes might be suitable if you are looking for something more intellectual but still very interesting.
How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World by Harry Browne is very relevant to today's "pay the parasites" world, but the mostly off-grid lifestyle he discusses probably would not appeal to many technophiles.
The somewhat older "Psychology of ..." books by Nathaniel Branden may not teach you anything, but will give you the words to go with the thoughts you already have; you'll find yourself thinking "Ah ha, no wonder I feel that way when..."
How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World by Harry Browne is very relevant to today's "pay the parasites" world, but the mostly off-grid lifestyle he discusses probably would not appeal to many technophiles.
The somewhat older "Psychology of ..." books by Nathaniel Branden may not teach you anything, but will give you the words to go with the thoughts you already have; you'll find yourself thinking "Ah ha, no wonder I feel that way when..."
First I have to say I am one of those rare people who actually read. Also I hate that technology is trying to take my paper books away from me. If I want to read a book I want it on paper not on the LCD screen of a mobile device.
If you liked "The Stand" ( one of my all time favorites BTW ) try "The Passage" by Justin Cronin.
Pretty much all Stephen King before the mid 90s is awesome as is some after that but it is not quite as good as the older stuff IMO.
If you can still find his books Robert R. McCammon is amazing with a book called "Swan Song" on a level with "The Stand".
If you like techno thrillers then all of Tom Clancy's books are still great with "Red Storm Rising" being another of my all time favorites. Harold Coyle and Larry Bond are also good.
If you like high fantasy then the "A Song Of Ice and Fire" series by George R.R. Martin is god tier.
Also Terry Goodkind's books although they get a bit preachy and Robert Jordan's and ( after he died) Brandan Sanderson's "Wheel Of Time" are all great.
Refugeesus mentioned Raymond E. Feist but you really have to read them in order to really get the most from his books. He has long been a favorite.
If you liked "The Stand" ( one of my all time favorites BTW ) try "The Passage" by Justin Cronin.
Pretty much all Stephen King before the mid 90s is awesome as is some after that but it is not quite as good as the older stuff IMO.
If you can still find his books Robert R. McCammon is amazing with a book called "Swan Song" on a level with "The Stand".
If you like techno thrillers then all of Tom Clancy's books are still great with "Red Storm Rising" being another of my all time favorites. Harold Coyle and Larry Bond are also good.
If you like high fantasy then the "A Song Of Ice and Fire" series by George R.R. Martin is god tier.
Also Terry Goodkind's books although they get a bit preachy and Robert Jordan's and ( after he died) Brandan Sanderson's "Wheel Of Time" are all great.
Refugeesus mentioned Raymond E. Feist but you really have to read them in order to really get the most from his books. He has long been a favorite.
chedderslam1976
September 13, 2010 5:26:00 AM
I enjoyed Dean Koontz's "A Big Little Life". You can read my mom's review.
badge
September 13, 2010 6:17:33 AM
I'm a published author too. For my next book, I'm thinking of a Zane Gray type spaghetti western with a Pam Anderson-like heroine posing as a cleverly implanted hat-held-high-aganist-her-chest former dance hall bouncer forced to go back to her centerfold days where she brought about law and order by causing even the most hardened cowboys to take up an interest in reading.
Shadow703793
September 13, 2010 8:34:58 PM
buwish said:
If you are into natural disaster type novels, I just read "The Rift" by Walter Williams. It is a novel about a massive 8.9 earthquake that hits the American midwest and the resulting anarchy, racism, and other societal oddities that occur in its wake. It is incredibly well researched scientific wise and even though it is roughly 930 pages, it is a fast, exhilarating read.If you liked that, consider reading "Richter 10" by A. C. Clerk.
fazers_on_stun
September 13, 2010 11:06:44 PM
Hmm, I liked his The Bad Place and a few other stories, but he seems pretty formulaic nowadays, with good plot ideas few and far-between. Guess success spoiled him. but I haven't read anything new by him in a few years now - he seems to pump 'em out quickly.
fazers_on_stun
September 13, 2010 11:09:06 PM
badge said:
I'm a published author too. For my next book, I'm thinking of a Zane Gray type spaghetti western with a Pam Anderson-like heroine posing as a cleverly implanted hat-held-high-aganist-her-chest former dance hall bouncer forced to go back to her centerfold days where she brought about law and order by causing even the most hardened cowboys to take up an interest in reading.LOL - just don't put her in any gunfights - she has a couple large impediments to a quick draw
. Or maybe write her with a couple of bra-machineguns, like in the old Redneck Rampage games
.
badge
September 13, 2010 11:14:37 PM
LOL. I was just thinking about this thread and my mail box got your 'hit'. There some useful entry's so far. But, I wanted to suggest 'today's literary best selection'.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0867196041?ie=UTF8&tag...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0867196041?ie=UTF8&tag...
badge said:
LOL. I was just thinking about this thread and my mail box got your 'hit'. There some useful entry's so far. But, I wanted to suggest 'today's literary best selection'. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0867196041?ie=UTF8&tag...
LOL I am not sure if I should laugh or cry on this one.
Even better is here: What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?
http://www.amazon.com/Big-Coloring-Book-Vaginas/dp/B000... I sure didn't have this one as a kid!
nativeson8803
September 14, 2010 3:45:23 PM
steadfast1984
September 20, 2010 9:09:29 PM
I got an Author for you to try. Lee Child. read the, "a Reacher novel" by him there are a few. they are great. check out books by the co-authers, Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child. you will LOVE there stuff, all the books are stand alone story's but they do sutly relate. you can read them in any order, Try starting with the book called, Brimstone.
have a good night
Steadfast1984
have a good night
Steadfast1984
refugeesus
September 22, 2010 10:38:28 PM
anort3 said:
Also Terry Goodkind's books although they get a bit preachy...I whole heartedly agree, they are a good read, however avoid "The rule of nines", because...
Spoiler
it does mix with the Sword Of Truth series, but in a lame Richard meets Kahlan kind of way.
I still thoroughly endorse Christopher Brookmyre and his American counterpart, Carl Hiassen (remember that crap movie with Demi Moore, Striptease? Well he wrote the book and it was funny, unlike the movie).
buzznut
September 23, 2010 4:48:59 AM
Lieutenant JAK said:
So I was just wondering if any of you had read anything you found immensely interesting recently...For instance, today I finished reading The Stand by Stephen King.
Long book+Good book= 5 days of entertainment.
boobs? Oh boods. No I haven't read any boobs lately, but I've been using my wife's for a pillow.
The Stand remains one of my all time favorites. I haven't read it in about 10 years or so, maybe I'll pick it up again as I can't remember all the details but I do remember that was one amazing book.
nativeson8803
September 23, 2010 8:20:23 AM
EnderWiggin
September 23, 2010 5:01:37 PM
reconviperone1
September 24, 2010 12:46:49 AM
jonpaul37
September 24, 2010 12:29:21 PM
fazers_on_stun
September 24, 2010 10:37:23 PM
jsc said:
Isaac Asimov, like George Herbert and his Dune books, should have stopped at three.Yeah, I tend to agree. While Foundation, Foundation & Empire, and Second Foundation were pretty good (still waiting for those atomic ashtrays that distintegrate stuff dropped in them down to their atoms), the pre-prequels & se-sequels left something to be desired, esp. when he tried to harmonize the I, Robot universe with the Foundation universe. IIRC Daneel Olivaw (original robot) turned out to be the 2nd Foundation mastermind, steering humanity on its ultimate course based on the zeroth law. If he had included any hint of that in either of the original series, it would have come off much better.
He was my second favorite classic sci-fi author, after Arthur C. Clarke. While Asimov told his stories mainly through character interactions & dialog, Clarke could paint you a picture and immerse you headfirst into his alien worlds through sheer imagery.
However Asimov's Nightfall, End of Eternity, The Gods Themselves and I forget the title of what I believe is one of the shortest sci-fi short stories ever (where as the last star in the universe burns out, the final human programs the ultimate computer to reverse entropy, the computer computes for endless millenia and then finally outputs "Let there be light!"), arguably place him as #1.
And Robert Heinlein (before he started writing about sex with his mother) was excellent too, particularly the time-travel story where the protagonist meets himself about half a dozen times, beating himself up several times, etc..
On a more recent note, I can recommend the Gaea trilogy by John Varley - Titan, Wizard & Demon.
nativeson8803
September 26, 2010 7:50:45 AM
- 1 / 2
- 2
- Newest
Related resources
- [Mage] Which books to read for sphere understanding ? Forum
- SolvedPlease Read! Building a gaming PC, I need some opinions if it will work and How good it will be. Forum
- SolvedRecently purchased 6850's, is PSU good enough? Forum
- SolvedGood solutions for internal instant messaging, with "seen" or "read" time stamps? Forum
- SolvedIs this good PSU for My GPU ?Please read and suggest! Forum
- SolvedNeed good UPS for my build , Please Read :) ? Forum
- Reading E-Books on an iTouch Forum
- SolvedIs This a Good Gaming AMD PC? Please Read!!! Forum
- SolvedLooking for suggestions on a good, stable wireless router with features- Read on Forum
- Please read is this a good gaming pc for the price?!!! Forum
- BSOD I may have fixed it! so far so good, read what was happening to me. Forum
- SolvedGood enough for Recent, heavy graphic-wise PC Games? Forum
- Need Advice on Gaming computer i recently built, is it good and what else do i n Forum
- SolvedLooking for good SSD for my rig , please read ! Forum
- SolvedGood looking case ? Please read :D ! Forum
- More resources
Read discussions in other News & Leisure categories
!