What book are you reading...

[jumpy]

^^

It's different to how the films are for sure - they were wonderfully visualised, but different. You have to remember that it has been stereotyped an awful lot over the years.
Once you have read it a few of times over it might feel a bit different once you have left everyone else's ideas about it behind.
That's what I found anyway.

 

[Dano]

I read it well before the films were made and have absolutely no intention of ever reading it again.

 

[johnyccc]

I'm re-reading the Enders Gate books. Also, I see that there's been a new book from the Bean side just been released

 

[NinetyOne]

Man's search for meaning by Viktor Frankl.

 

[strumpusplunket]

The Sweet Forever by George Pelecanos.

Love this DC trilogy of his. It's all written with great affection for the city, the period, the music, the scene, even at it holds a light up to all the rotten decay. Brilliant urban drama/crime writing.

 

[j.col]

An oldy but goody.
The Odessa File by Frederick Forsyth, its set in 1963 and was wrote in 1972.
Its quite good, might just re-read The Day of the Jackal after this.

 

[j.col]

I'm 82% through red storm rising according to my Kindle.

One of my favourite authors. Red Storm Rising is a good read.
Have you tried Without Remorse? its very very good.

 

[Edinho]

I'm finally reading The Lord Of The Rings.

I'm about 150 pages in; the edition I have is about 1000 pages, before the appendices.

The pacing is vastly different to the films.

I hated it. I really struggled with Tolkiens prose, I couldn't get into any rhythm at all. In fact he came across as just rambling to me. Far better fantasy fiction out there imo.

At the time it was written it was unique, but I think its aged badly; mainly be because other authors have taken Tolkien ideas and made it a good readable story.

 

[THMRK]

I hated it. I really struggled with Tolkiens prose, I couldn't get into any rhythm at all. In fact he came across as just rambling to me. Far better fantasy fiction out there imo.

At the time it was written it was unique, but I think its aged badly; mainly be because other authors have taken Tolkien ideas and made it a good readable story.

At the time it was written many people held the opinion that it was terrible. Perhaps time hasn't been kind, I dunno, but I guess the context of literature in the period is required to really understand the reasons why he, and authors of the time, favoured a highly descriptive prose style.

In fact, I'm pretty sure one critic said that The Lord of the Rings was "death to literature itself". From a critical perspective though, time really has been kind to the novel. Which is why it's slowly becoming recognised as a great work of fiction.

 

[Vonhelmet]

I'm about 200 pages in. I'm really enjoying it. It's slow, but it doesn't matter because it's well written, to my eyes at least.

To be honest, I think it's beyond criticism. Whether it's good or bad is essentially irrelevant. It's become important, whatever that means, and that elevates it beyond being merely good or bad.

 

[Punt]

Just finished 'The Hunger Games' and very much enjoyed it. Much better than I expected.

Now starting 'The Forever War' by Joe Haldeman.

 

[WYNIR0]

Reading Life by Keith Richards.

Pretty good, but clearly dictated to a ghost writer.

 

[checjb]

At the time it was written many people held the opinion that it was terrible. Perhaps time hasn't been kind, I dunno, but I guess the context of literature in the period is required to really understand the reasons why he, and authors of the time, favoured a highly descriptive prose style.

In fact, I'm pretty sure one critic said that The Lord of the Rings was "death to literature itself". From a critical perspective though, time really has been kind to the novel. Which is why it's slowly becoming recognised as a great work of fiction.

I have reservations about the writing style etc but my main "issue" with it is all the singing Aragorn does. If it filmed exactly as in the books it would have been closer to a musical. *shudder*

 

[Vonhelmet]

Just finished 'The Hunger Games' and very much enjoyed it. Much better than I expected.

My wife is just reading that, and is very keen to see the film when it comes out. It sounds a lot like Battle Royale.

 

[Tummy]

Currently reading;

• The Etymologicon
• How to Teach Quantum Physics to Your Dog

Currently re reading;

• A short history of nearly everything
• God is not Great
• The Girl who Played with Fire

 

[Punt]

It sounds a lot like Battle Royale.

Yep, pretty much the same idea.

 

[Father Ted]

I have reservations about the writing style etc but my main "issue" with it is all the singing Aragorn does. If it filmed exactly as in the books it would have been closer to a musical. *shudder*

Especially if they'd put Tom Bombadil in there, I always cringe when I get to that part of the book.

Reading Dickens' Great Expectations, I just love his use of language, superb!

 

[setter]

One of my favourite authors. Red Storm Rising is a good read.
Have you tried Without Remorse? its very very good.

Must get a full copy of without remorse. I read a condensed readers digest copy a few years ago. Really enjoyed it.

 

[PermaBanned]

Finished The Fault in Our Stars last night, i was only about two thirds of the way through but i soon realized that i wasn't going to sleep until i'd finished it. I hadn't read properly in a while, and it was the perfect book to get back into it. Lots of emotional drama but at the same time there's something happening on every page, at times it seems like too much. You never get a rest. But i do wonder if that was intentional...

Anyway, putting the rest of his books on my to buy list and now i have to decide what to read next. Dragons of Eden, Time Enough for Love, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Red Plenty or some Isaac Asimov? I have The Grand Design and Why Does E=mc^2 but i'm not sure how i'll get round to them. It's not like they're going to be bedtime reads.

 

[Tibbz2]

The Quantum Universe: Everything that can happen, does happen!

By Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw

Damn awesome so far