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Post by insanepurpleone on Jun 17, 2009 21:59:44 GMT -5
Some of my favorite books to read are random old sci-fi books that are older than I am that I find at used bookstores. Right now I'm about halfway through one called The Planet Masters, by Allen Wold. It's pretty good, and really interesting. I have to say, I'm not entirely sure where exactly the book is going at this moment, but I'm eager to see. I'm not very good at summaries/descriptions of books, but I shall try with some help from the dust jacket:
The Planet Masters is about a traveler named Larson McCade who goes to a planet called Seltique, which has been basically culturally isolated from all of the other planets in the galaxy for two thousand years. McCade claims to be researching the Core, a pro-galaxy group that is not well-liked by most of the people on Seltique, while he secretly searches for the Book of Aradka, something that could make him very wealthy. To do so, however, he will have to learn the lost secrets of the Planet Masters. The culture of Seltique is rigidly based in class and rank, and ritual murder is not only commonplace, but perfectly acceptable. As an outsider, McCade is unfamiliar with many of the customs and laws that govern Seltique, which could make his mission that much more dangerous.
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Post by ♥ Lulu on Jun 20, 2009 11:44:13 GMT -5
The other day I finished a delightful book called Roverandom written by famed author J.R.R. Tolkien. It began with a historical introduction to the piece and ended with a glossary of the many allusions in it, and I greatly enjoyed reading both of these--not only did they provide insight into the author's life and the story's background and how it became a starting point for many themes in the Lord of the Rings, it also showed how clever and concise a writer Tolkien is, and I could truly appreciate that. The true gem came in the story itself. Though a bit slow to start and in some places a touch heavy on the details and tangents (all key components of Tolkien's trademark style), I quickly fell in tow with the story of a small dog turned into a toy and his quest to become real again. From a small backyard to a toy shop, from the beach to the moon, and from there to the bottom of the sea and back again, the tale was one vividly full of humour, wit, and wonderful scenes of adventure and interaction. My favorite part came when Rover ventured into the deep in search of the antidote to becoming his old self again. In this chapter, I felt the humour was most evident and the story most uplifting. It truly became a cherished tale for me then. Originally written for his son Michael, whose toy dog had been lost on the beach one vacation, Roverandom is not only suitable for a child's bedtime story (for which I can't wait to have my own children to share this with), but also as a perfectly light and lighthearted tale for audiences of any age. Whether you're familiar with Tolkien or not--perhaps even more so if you aren't--I highly recommend reading this book. Eee! I doubted anyone else would have this on their reading list, since it's such an obscure little tale. I was read to me when I was young, in school, but I never learnt the name of it. It wasn't until a few months ago, after years of searching for it, I finally gave in, asked on the NaNo forums, and couldn't resist buying it. I've been putting off reading it, since I was a bit worried it wouldn't live up to all that it was when I was young, so this has restored confidence, and I will probably have to read it now <3 Also, since I've had a lot of free time now, I'm going to start a Neopian Times reading list. ^_^
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Post by Deleted on Jun 20, 2009 21:25:13 GMT -5
The other day I finished a delightful book called Roverandom written by famed author J.R.R. Tolkien. It began with a historical introduction to the piece and ended with a glossary of the many allusions in it, and I greatly enjoyed reading both of these--not only did they provide insight into the author's life and the story's background and how it became a starting point for many themes in the Lord of the Rings, it also showed how clever and concise a writer Tolkien is, and I could truly appreciate that. The true gem came in the story itself. Though a bit slow to start and in some places a touch heavy on the details and tangents (all key components of Tolkien's trademark style), I quickly fell in tow with the story of a small dog turned into a toy and his quest to become real again. From a small backyard to a toy shop, from the beach to the moon, and from there to the bottom of the sea and back again, the tale was one vividly full of humour, wit, and wonderful scenes of adventure and interaction. My favorite part came when Rover ventured into the deep in search of the antidote to becoming his old self again. In this chapter, I felt the humour was most evident and the story most uplifting. It truly became a cherished tale for me then. Originally written for his son Michael, whose toy dog had been lost on the beach one vacation, Roverandom is not only suitable for a child's bedtime story (for which I can't wait to have my own children to share this with), but also as a perfectly light and lighthearted tale for audiences of any age. Whether you're familiar with Tolkien or not--perhaps even more so if you aren't--I highly recommend reading this book. Eee! I doubted anyone else would have this on their reading list, since it's such an obscure little tale. I was read to me when I was young, in school, but I never learnt the name of it. It wasn't until a few months ago, after years of searching for it, I finally gave in, asked on the NaNo forums, and couldn't resist buying it. I've been putting off reading it, since I was a bit worried it wouldn't live up to all that it was when I was young, so this has restored confidence, and I will probably have to read it now <3 That's so incredible! I'm glad you found the book after looking for so long, and I'm sure it'll live up to all you remember it being. ^_^ On that note, I shall prod my signature and reiterate the fact that I will be out of the country from this coming Tuesday until the end of the first week of August and, ergo, off the forum as well. I don't think this thread will suffer from my absence (I'll simply add new readers, if there are any, to the list when I get back), but if for some reason you need any extra help with the thread, contact your local friendly moderate and ask for assistance. On the topic of "is this book allowed or not" questions, I advise looking back through the thread (I can't imagine many more scenarios coming up) since it's probably been answered already. If not, just use your better judgment--like NaNoWriMo, the reward of this challenge is having done it, not the fine details of what was done, so if you honestly feel reading book A, B...or Z would make you feel accomplished with the win, go for it! Happy reading everyone! I've got The Left Hand of Darkness, Digital Fortress, and MYST ready to be packed, so I think I'm set. I just hope I actually read them all. xD Good luck! *waves*
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Post by Bianca <3 on Jun 25, 2009 15:16:48 GMT -5
Dead Connection - Charlie Price
This was definitely an interesting book. Plot-wise, it's about a boy who hangs out in cemeteries and has conversations with the dead, usually the young ones. And then he starts hearing a new voice crying out for help, and he thinks it's the local cheerleader who has gone missing. Basically the book revolved around him, a girl, the police, and schizophrenic, and a few other people trying to find the murderer.
The writing style of this book was pretty different. Not a lot of fancy description. More of straightforward sentences, and lots of different chapters from the different characters POV. Plot-wise, however, it seemed almost to drag, since it's not that hard to find out who killed her since the main character can simply talk to the dead girl. -_- However, I thought it was entertaining, and a cool twist about death and talking to dead people. The book was pretty short (I finished it in about three days), and it was a nice quick read, if not a bit odd.
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Post by Avery on Jun 25, 2009 16:30:13 GMT -5
I tried reading Dead Connection about six months ago... couldn't get through it. I tried, but it just didn't hold my attention. The plot was okay, but the writing style just wasn't my cup of tea.
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Post by M is for Morphine on Jun 26, 2009 13:55:22 GMT -5
Oh boy, I should have looked at this sooner. Time to go through my bookshelf and figure out what I've read this year.
A - A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore B - Brave New World by Aldous Huxley C - Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole D - Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Phillip K Dick E - Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card F - G - The Great God Pan by Arthur Machen H - Her Smoke Rose Up Forever by James Tiptree Jr. I - Interzone by William S. Burroughs J - Junkie - William S. Burroughs K - L - Laughter in the Dark by Vladmir Nabokov M - The Machineries of Joy by Ray Bradbury N - Notes From Underground by Fyodor Dostoevsky O - One Human Minute by Stanislaw Lem P - Planet of the Apes by Pierre Boulle Q - R - S - Slapstick (aka Lonesome No More!) by Kurt Vonnegut T- The Third Policemen by Flann O'Brian U - Up the Walls of the World by James Tiptree Jr. V - Valis by Phillip K Dick W - X - Y - Z -
And many redundant books as well. :x I keep picking up Ss and Ps.
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Post by Ilona on Jun 29, 2009 11:19:43 GMT -5
Does "Quidditch Through The Ages" count? I know that it's quite thin, more a booklet than a book, but I don't know what else to read that begins with Q.
I think I'm going to have to hurry if I want to finish the challenge. All of the unread books I own start with letters that are already on my list, so I'll have to look for something new. It's not exactly easy, with me having to open each book first to see if the English title is printed on the first pages, because it's usually different from the German one.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 1, 2009 7:32:58 GMT -5
Does "Quidditch Through The Ages" count? I know that it's quite thin, more a booklet than a book, but I don't know what else to read that begins with Q. I think I'm going to have to hurry if I want to finish the challenge. All of the unread books I own start with letters that are already on my list, so I'll have to look for something new. It's not exactly easy, with me having to open each book first to see if the English title is printed on the first pages, because it's usually different from the German one. Yeah, absolutely. That book definitely counts. Delightful read, too. I don't think I'll be able to finish this one either, just because I have almost no time to read here in Israel at all (I could make time, yeah, I know, but socialising is a whole lot more fun, and it's not like I'll get the chance to do that again anyways), so I've only read one chapter of one of the three books I brought with me to read. D: Anyways, I might "cheat." See, as part of our curiculum, we've got to read selections from certain books, like Night and Dawn, both by Elie Wiesel, or The Source by James Michener, but I don't think I'll really count them. I'd rather lose honorably than win dishonestly. At which, The Source is an incredible book. I read it years ago, when I was maybe fourteen before I could appreciate either good writing or history, but if you can make it through the first chapter, you're in for an amazing ride. I definitely suggest everyone looking at it. It really is worth the time it takes to read.
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Post by Jayeee on Jul 2, 2009 17:19:17 GMT -5
So, I finished After Dark by Haruki Murakami the other day. It was a really interesting read to say the least. I was very surprised by the style, and it did take a little getting used to, but overall I really did enjoy it. I've never read a book that was written in the present tense before, and I was quite shocked at how quickly I adjusted to it. Plus it was rather cryptic; I think i'll have to give it another read sometime before I really understand everything that happened. Also, it had short chapters, which I am always thankful for, since shorter chapters tend to make me read more, and I hate stopping halfway through a chapter. Overall, a very unique read, and i'll definitely want to look at more by this author. I read this book recently too - and I loved it. Though I have read one or two things in present before, nothing quite like this. After reading it, I even forgot how to write in past tense! It is indeed very confusing, but I think it's worth all the confusion XD I've been meaning to buy more books by him, but I'm never sure which - people say Norwegian Wood in good, so I might try that ^_^ I have however, picked up his running memoir thing - What I Talk About When I Talk About Running. I've read a bit of it, but I'm leaving it for now. (See below XD It's not because it's bad; it's a thoroughly enjoyable and light read :3) Eep, sorry I didn't reply to this sooner, it completely slipped my mind. I actually decided to read After Dark when I was browsing through this thread and looked at everyone elses lists. I saw After Dark on yours, looked into it a little and decided to buy it. So really, I have you to thank for reading it Lulu . I really want to read another of his books. I've heard good things about Kafka on the shore (And I need something for K, so I might get that ). --- So, I finished The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker yesterday. It certainly was...different! I've never read a horror book before, so I was completely unsure of what to expect from it. I'm absolutely awful with horror films; i'm always scared when watching them, but I wasn't too worried about a horror book, because I didn't see it how it could affect me like a film could =3 Some of the chapters were a little creepy, but it was a good read. The only thing I thought it lacked a bit of, was common-place description. Having read Abarat, which was filled with descriptions and vivid images, this one just seemed to lack it a little. Barker is excellent with his descriptions of the more gruesome parts of the book, but some of the normal descriptions weren't there, and that did make it a little hard to picture what was happening. Next up is Marley and Me, which i'll be starting tonight. Hopefully i'll be able to hold myself together through the read (which I doubt, since I cried my eyes out when watching the film).
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Post by Ilona on Jul 4, 2009 1:59:06 GMT -5
Does "Quidditch Through The Ages" count? I know that it's quite thin, more a booklet than a book, but I don't know what else to read that begins with Q. I think I'm going to have to hurry if I want to finish the challenge. All of the unread books I own start with letters that are already on my list, so I'll have to look for something new. It's not exactly easy, with me having to open each book first to see if the English title is printed on the first pages, because it's usually different from the German one. Yeah, absolutely. That book definitely counts. Delightful read, too. Awesome! Thanks! *adds Quidditch Through the Ages to list* You're right, the book was great to read. I also have Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, which I should be able to finish today or tomorrow. Once I've added that to my list, I only need thirteen more books. It finally feels like I'm making some progress. Plus, in two weeks I'll be home with my parents. They own a lot of books (I'd guess a few hundred), so it shouldn't be too hard to find some for the letters that I'm still missing.
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Post by Bianca <3 on Jul 5, 2009 21:34:07 GMT -5
Nobody's Prize - Esther Friesner This is the second book in what I believe in either a trilogy or a series. (The first one is "Nobody's Princess.") Basically, it's the author's version of Helen of Troy as she travels throughout Greece and grows up. I really like the writing, however the big downside is that there is no plot... it's basically her life leading up to her infamous role in the Trojan War (which isn't even reached in the book). However, despite this, it's nice to see how the author interprets imfamous Greecian legends (such as the search for the Golden Fleece) and takes out the fantasy elements so that you could see a possible root for where those myths came from. Anyway, basically I liked this book, and if you don't mind the fact that there is no plot, it's a nice read.
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Post by Tiger on Jul 8, 2009 22:02:03 GMT -5
Finished City of Bones yesterday =) Very cool story, and I liked the plot and characters very much. The only thing that bugged me were bits of the author's writing style; when describing stuff, she could be very awkward about it, repeating "The X" for a couple sentence beginnings in a row. But for the most part, it was easy to ignore. Thank you for the summary, and recommendation, Bianca =)
Ender's Game was absolutly amazing! The psychology in it is so fascinating, and I'm totally in awe of Orson Scott Card now. The whole story sounds very simple as a summary, but what goes in the minds of these kids makes the book absolutely amazing.
And...I had to stop reading Prince of Dogs. There is one character I really, really loved, but in the many, many parts where the story doesn't focus on him, it's for the most part rather boring. Hitting four or five pages of boys in a monastary talking about some higher-ranked kid and all his hierarchy, with a million names I don't think I'll ever need to see again was the final straw.
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Post by Bianca <3 on Jul 11, 2009 7:54:58 GMT -5
Finished City of Bones yesterday =) Very cool story, and I liked the plot and characters very much. The only thing that bugged me were bits of the author's writing style; when describing stuff, she could be very awkward about it, repeating "The X" for a couple sentence beginnings in a row. But for the most part, it was easy to ignore. Thank you for the summary, and recommendation, Bianca =) Glad you liked it! It's a good trilogy! Hmm... ok, does anyone have any good suggestions for U, Y, and Z books?
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Post by Tiger on Jul 12, 2009 8:06:10 GMT -5
I'm still looking for U and Y books...but I found out my library has The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks. It's novel-length, and apparently, really funny.
Also, really popular. There's only one copy at my library, and I'm the third person requesting it...I might not get to it for a while XD
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Post by Bianca <3 on Jul 15, 2009 21:20:52 GMT -5
Ooh the Zombie one sounds good... and actually Tiger, I was once the 30-something on wait for a book. That took a good three months... Ok, now to a review: Pendragon: The Soldiers of Halla - DJ MacHaleOk, I read my "P" book already, but I'd been waiting for this for forever, so it doesn't matter that I re-read a letter. Basically, this was the final book in the Pendragon series. I'm not going to go into plot, since basically you NEED to read the nine others first. But this book, I'm warning you, is a bit more cosmic than the rest. A lot of the questions throughout the series are finally answered, and it gets a bit strange. Since this is the final book, it was written slightly differently. And the ending kind of has me iffy... even though I understand why the author chose it. But on the whole, I've always enjoyed this series. Even though the final book wasn't my fav, I would recommend the series to anyone in the mood for a good fantasy read.
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