The Book Thread

[Matt79]

I think we're actually in agreement, I think Martin at least as good as early Jordan and obviously in a different league to late Jordan.

I have a terrible suspicion with Jordan that having set up the central dilemma of the series - what do you do when you find out you're prophecised to be the saviour of the world, and confront the Lord of all Evil in the ultimate fight to the death, a fight you know will cost you your own life - he now has absolutely no idea how to fulfil that prophecy while bring the story to a satisfactory conclusion. He started this story, and he doesn't know how to end it. That's why he resorted to writing prequels and new installments with no plot development...

[Matt79]

Spoiler Alert:


I love how Martin, at the point when it was becoming almost unbearable because everyone likeable in the story was dying managed to turn Jaime Lannister from utter villian to admirable hero on quest for redemption, in a plausible manner. Just an example of how he DOES have an understanding of the arc of his series and is prepared to make things happen.

[Beleg]

A Princess of Roumania - Paul Park
Veniss Underground - Jeff Vandermeer
The Prestige - Christopher Priest

[Beleg]

Martin is about 1000000000000000000000000 times as good as early Jordan and infinitely better then late Jordan.

[Jungle Jumbo]

Suketu Mehta's Maximum City: Bombay, Lost & Found

Probably the best non-fiction I've ever read. A mix of spine-chilling journalism into the shadows of Bombay and a philosophical deconstruction of both an Indian city and the human metropolis of the world. Stunning.

[sledger]

The Algebraist by Iain M Banks.

Pretty good i thought, currently reading against a dark background by the same author, anyone else read either of these?

[Samuel_Vimes]

Originally Posted by sledger

The Algebraist by Iain M Banks.

Pretty good i thought, currently reading against a dark background by the same author, anyone else read either of these?

Read the Algebraist. I have to say that The Player of Games by Banks is a lot better, tho...Algebraist is a nice read but there's nowt much to think about in it.

[sledger]

i will have to read it, but personally i thought that the algebraist was a very thought provoking novel.

[Steulen]

Must be a law of nature that every book thread on every forum turns into a Wheel of Time debate. I might pick up volume 10 shortly, as I'm still interested to know how it'll all end despite losing a real keen interest midway thorugh book 4 when the only action was women combing their hair.

Lost interest in George RR Martin as well, these endless series just don't do it for me. Give me a good trilogy any day!

[Samuel_Vimes]

Originally Posted by Steulen

Must be a law of nature that every book thread on every forum turns into a Wheel of Time debate.

Lowest common denominator and whatnot. *ducks*

[Chubb]

Originally Posted by Samuel_Vimes

Read the Algebraist. I have to say that The Player of Games by Banks is a lot better, tho...Algebraist is a nice read but there's nowt much to think about in it.

Use of Weapons is the best IMO. I also liked Inversions.

Best book I've read recently is I, Claudius by Robert Graves

[Beleg]

I quite liked Player of the Games myself.

[David]

Originally Posted by sledger

The Algebraist by Iain M Banks.

Just finished that about a week ago. Was pretty good, but not the greatest book of all time.

[Johnners]

Trace - Patricia Cornwell
Four Blind Mice - James Patterson

According to Skull - Autobiography of Kerry O'Keefe, legendary stuff and a book i would recommend to anyone!!

[pug]

Hasn't anyone else here read The Kite Runner by Khaled Hossini?