Read any good books lately?

Ashen · Wed 05/05/2004 03:08:48

Since a lot of my posts in the 'Movie Sequels' thread seemed to be about the books, just thought i'd use my first thread to bring a bit of literature to youse bums.

So, read any good books lately? Me, I've just started my 9,999th re-read of the Hitchhikers trilogy

rtf · Wed 05/05/2004 03:29:43

haha!Ã,Â Conincedence?

I just started reading "The Restauraunt at the End of the Galaxy"Ã,Â

Or universe,Ã,Â wherever.Ã,Â The main thing is- I like it.

Ashen · Wed 05/05/2004 03:33:21

'Universe', but still well worth a read. Enjoying it?

Also, thank you for being my first reply. I was beginning to think no-one cared :'(

Sylpher · Wed 05/05/2004 03:33:32

Couple books I've read recently..

Zecharia Sitchin - The 12th Planet.. New Age esque mumbo jumbo with an educated edge.

William Golding - Lord of the Flies.. Still good.

Piers Anthony - The Source of Magic.. So I'm a bit behind in the Xanth novels.

Ashen · Wed 05/05/2004 03:35:47

w00t! A second reply. Haven't read Lord of the Flies, though I keep meaning to. Never heard of the others, however.

MrColossal · Wed 05/05/2004 03:37:25

I reread the Hitchhiker's Guide again and man, it's not what it used to be when I was younger.

But anyway, best discworld book ever? Nightwatch.

Best book ever? The House of Leaves

Best book ever again? Even Cowgirls Get The Blues.

Sylpher · Wed 05/05/2004 03:40:09

(I have to second House of the Leaves even though I haven't finished it. Didn't want to mention cause I KNEW!!! eric would be coming along to drop the nuke on your unready conscious's)

Ashen · Wed 05/05/2004 03:44:04

How can you say that, man? I read HHGTTG about every other month and they still rock!

Never really got into Discworld, but of the ones I've read I prefer the Granny Weatherwax/Nanny Ogg ones. Cowgirls is another one of those I've alway wanted to read, but I've never actually seen it for sale anywhere, and can't arsed to spring for it on Amazon.

EDIT:
Hadn't heard of House of Leaves, but, see, this is half the reason I posted this thread. I'm a voracious reader, and I've pretty much read everything I own two or more times, so I'm after recommendations from the (mostly) intelligent AGS people.

LGM · Wed 05/05/2004 03:49:55

I haven't finished the Galaxy series, but that's one of the best books I've read..

books I'm reading or have read as of the late:

Books I've read:
Lord of the Flies - This was a pretty good read, but as I read it for class, the constant discussions kinda made me bored of it..

The Scarlet Letter - I thought this book was boring as hell near the beginning, but then it started to get really good and interesting and emotional and neato.

Midsummer Night's Dream - Not really a book, but it was teh great!

Books I'm reading or want to read:

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Series (Reading, on hold till I finish BoB)
Bag of Bones(Reading)
2001: A Space Odyssey(Reading, on hold till I finish BoB)
Dark Tower Series (Need to read, only have read Gunslinger)
LOTR Series (Started the first, but got sidetracked)
HP Series (Yes, I've read the first and third and none of the others.. But I want to.)
Many many more I need to read (I have a list)

Bag of Bones

Ashen · Wed 05/05/2004 03:53:22

I think I've said elsewhere that it takes a lot to turn me totally off a book. One series managed it easily, however - the Left Behind books. Has anyone else read them?

LGM · Wed 05/05/2004 03:54:42

They don't really interest me.. Even though I'm christian.. they just look really long and drawn out..

Sylpher · Wed 05/05/2004 04:03:50

I read the first two and half of the third Left Behind books..

Meh.

LGM.. HP Series? As in Harry Potter?

(As to not turn this into a back and forth convo better for chatting and let other people a chance to contribute I'll just edit)

I've read all five harry potter's. The 4th (Goblet of Fire) being my favorite. I think Las put it best calling them fast food books. They are extremely enjoyable but don't let them be the only thing in your literary diet.

Ashen · Wed 05/05/2004 04:06:07

LGM:
Interesting. The only reason I even looked at them was that a very Christian mate of mine hyped them at me. I think he thinks they'll convert me. But, it's not so much that they're drawn out, as they're very badly written, and very 'preachy'. I could forgive one, or the other, but not both.

Slypher:
'Meh.' is exactly right.

The Harry Potter books, despite what I may've said in another thread, are worth reading, if you've got nothing better to do. And HHGTTG counts as something better. How far are you?

MrColossal · Wed 05/05/2004 05:09:02

if you're going to read the house of leaves DON'T read anything else about it online

DO NOT let reviews ruin the book for you!

this is all I ask...

LGM · Wed 05/05/2004 05:26:19

I'll add it to my list

Yes, i do mean Harry Potter.. And no, they will not be the only books I read..

I'm in the middle of the third book on HHGTTG

BerserkerTails · Wed 05/05/2004 05:39:54

Just finished re-reading the Hitchhiker's series. Still as awesome as when I read them all a few years ago. Some more books I just finished reading...

Of Mice and Men - John Steinway.
-Excellent book, definatley worth the hour and a half needed to read it.

L'Ã©tranger - Albert Camus
-Very good book. Best to read it in French (If you can), but if not, it's known as The Outsider in English. I've heard the English translation is quite good.

The Real Frank Zappa - Frank Zappa
-I'm a sucker for biographies (My favorite being Bruce Campbell's), and this one doesn't fail to please! Though by the end of the book, it's turned into FZ's view of politics.

Lord of the Rings Trilogy - J.R.R. Tolkien
-Still amazing, after all these readings.

Trapezoid · Wed 05/05/2004 05:57:08

"American Gods" by Neil Gaiman. Very awesome, I definitely recommend it to everyone. Unless you're under 16 and/or easily offended by sex, language and gore.

Peter Thomas · Wed 05/05/2004 06:02:20

Love the Left Behind series. Totally brilliant!
Hugest fan of Discworld ever!
Also the Earthsea Quartet by Ursula le Guinn. She's a fantastic writer.
The Myst books aren't bad, though I've read better.
Lord of the Rings, as always.
Lord of the Flies, too.
One flew over the Cuckoo's nest - brilliant work
How to kill a mockingbird - for the millionth time

They're the most recent one's I've read...

Pesty · Wed 05/05/2004 06:13:41

If by lately, you mean 'at least in the past 10 years', then here's a list:

The 'His Dark Materials' Trilogy (The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass) by Phillip Pullman. A great trilogy I suggest to anyone who liked Harry Potter, but wanted a little more substance.

The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles by Julie Andrews (yes, that Julie Andrews). I had been searching for this book for over a decade, having had it read to me when I was in elementary school. I'm re-reading it now and it's just as great as it was when I first heard it.

Any book by Piers Anthony. I have every single Xanth book, as well as all the books in his Mode series and his Adept series. He's such a great writer.

Callahan's Crosstime Saloon series by Spider Robinson. You might've played the game based on this series, and if you liked that, you'll love the books.

Anything by Tom Holt. Most of his books are out of print, but if you're lucky, you might be able to find some of them. I have yet to find a bad book by him.

If Chins Could Kill by Bruce Campbell. Best autobiography ever.

The Myth series by Robert Aspirin. I enjoyed the ones I've read a lot. Kind of a mix of sci fi and fantasy. It's cool.

That's all I can think of right now. I insist that everyone read them all.

Toefur · Wed 05/05/2004 06:37:41

The Golden Compass!? Is that the Americanised version of the Title of that book? Though, I suppose it's keeping in line with the titles of all the books in the series... but The Golden Compass just sounds a little silly to me...

(It's called, 'Northern Lights' here, by the way).

Last book I read, and I've been slack, but I just read Fahrenheit 451.