Books

[irishbucsfan]

Originally Posted by Paranoidmoonduck

The fact that the whole series could have been about 4 book long and covered all the important parts of the story?

I actually like the depth and complexity involved in coherently keeping multiple plots running concurrently over the course of thousands of pages. I don't think the series could have been done in four books or so at all - if someone can conjure a world and story as rich as Jordan did why not put it on paper? I mean maybe the sparknotes version would be much shorter, but do you read books to get from A to B, just to finish the story, or do you read them to enjoy the process?

[Paranoidmoonduck]

Originally Posted by irishbucsfan

I actually like the depth and complexity involved in coherently keeping multiple plots running concurrently over the course of thousands of pages. I don't think the series could have been done in four books or so at all - if someone can conjure a world and story as rich as Jordan did why not put it on paper? I mean maybe the sparknotes version would be much shorter, but do you read books to get from A to B, just to finish the story, or do you read them to enjoy the process?

The number one rule of writing is to remove anything that doesn't need to be there (a subjective qualifier to be sure, but still...).

I read them to enjoy the writing, not dry ramblings about the power structure of a world (especially when that power structure winds up having no real impact on the actual story) or reading for the thousandth time how each of the protagonists thinks that the other is better with girls.

I read a great deal of the books (up through 10 or 11) when I was 15 or 16 and just sort of felt dirty afterwards. There was so much useless **** in there.

The first book was good and Lord of Chaos had better pacing than any of the sequels, but the plot dragged along like an elephant with no legs. It's one thing to admire Tolkien's attention to detail, it's a whole other thing to try and top it without having the chops as a writer to carry a thousand page book.

[irishbucsfan]

Originally Posted by Paranoidmoonduck

The number one rule of writing is to remove anything that doesn't need to be there (a subjective qualifier to be sure, but still...).

I read them to enjoy the writing, not dry ramblings about the power structure of a world (especially when that power structure winds up having no real impact on the actual story) or reading for the thousandth time how each of the protagonists thinks that the other is better with girls.

I read a great deal of the books (up through 10 or 11) when I was 15 or 16 and just sort of felt dirty afterwards. There was so much useless **** in there.

The first book was good and Lord of Chaos had better pacing than any of the sequels, but the plot dragged along like an elephant with no legs. It's one thing to admire Tolkien's attention to detail, it's a whole other thing to try and top it without having the chops as a writer to carry a thousand page book.

Fair points. It comes down to the fact that I think he can carry a thousand page book and you don't, which is a subjective opinion. They are international bestsellers though, so I might be able to say I have numbers on my side...;). Also you say there's a lot of useless crap in there, but in a genre like fantasy epic where it's fundamentally about good vs evil but set in another world, I think a lot of the detail he goes into just serves to make the whole thing better by truly immersing you in that world.

If you read that far up in the series, I'd really recommend the latest one that came out, which was co-written by another author using all the notes/files etc Jordan left with his wife when he died. If the pacing was your main issue you'll really like the new one, since you can't really tell which bits Jordan wrote and which Sanderson wrote, but in general the pacing was excellent - it's ~780 pages and you barely notice each one flying by.

[Whistler6]

I haven't finished the 11th book yet, but I agree with Irishbucsfan. If your a fan of the series and the writing you'll enjoy the length of each book. I don't mind books spilling on for hundreds of pages and I'm a fan of Robert Jordan's style, so it entertains me well enough.

I get so flipp'n bored at times during school and stupid pit lectures that having a long novel to plow through over holiday breaks and whatever keeps my mind stimulated...The later books have slowed in pace though and tended to kind of crawl along, I can't deny that.

Hopefully Brandon Sanderson finished book 12 strong.

[Whistler6]

In about 6th grade I read the book Redwall by Brian Jacques. I'm sure pretty much everybody has heard of the Rewall series. I'm not sure why it is, maybe I can't realize I'm 22 and have to grow up, but I HAVE to continue to read each new novel Jacques comes out with.

They aren't nearly as good as they were when I was in middle school, but I have this odd sort of devotion to Brian Jacques. His newes novel in the series is coming out in Feb. and looks decent.....for a 12 year old. =\

[irishbucsfan]

I want your babies, Whistler. No h o m o.

I love Redwall. You forget anything evil exists in the world when you're reading them.

And have no fears about book 12 in the WoT - you can't tell which bits Sanderson wrote and Jordan didn't, but the pace of the book is definitely better than it's been for a while. I don't know if it was inevitable at this point of the plot, or it's Sanderson's contribution, but there are some serious awesome bits in the book. Like pumping your fist in the air awesome.

[Whistler6]

Originally Posted by irishbucsfan

I want your babies, Whistler. No h o m o.

I love Redwall. You forget anything evil exists in the world when you're reading them.

And have no fears about book 12 in the WoT - you can't tell which bits Sanderson wrote and Jordan didn't, but the pace of the book is definitely better than it's been for a while. I don't know if it was inevitable at this point of the plot, or it's Sanderson's contribution, but there are some serious awesome bits in the book. Like pumping your fist in the air awesome.

Hah, thank God I'm not the only Redwall fan around here. I'd give up a testicle to be able to just once go to a Redwall feast. If the fist pumping is anything like when Harry demolished Voldemort, I might consider hiring Snooki to host it for me...Damnit, grow up.

[Paranoidmoonduck]

I read the Redwall series avidly when I was 11 and 12. Had the audio tapes, the books, all that jazz. I refuse to go back and re-read any of them becasue I'm afraid they won't be as awesome.

As for reading the 12th book of the WoT series, no thanks. I honestly don't remember or care to remember how the last book I read left off and I feel I moved onto much better fantasy writers after that point.

[BandwagonPunditry]

[A Perfect Score]

Anyone read Stephen King's new book Under the Dome? I normally dont read his work, but someone gave me the hardcover for Christmas, and I figure I may as well give it a shot.

[TitleTown088]

Anyone ever read it? I just started it today.

[Damix]

Just picked up "The Guinea Pig Diaries."

Hopefully it is good.

[Whistler6]

I wrote this review about Bill Simmon's The Book of Basketball for a random-book assignment in one of my English classes...Thankfully my professor is pretty open to different styles of writing/responses. If you're into Simmon's writing, you'll love the book:

-------------------------

First off, I'm a sad half-a-Buck fan who has a hard time watching a full four quarters of the ever so brittle Michael Redd and painfully slow, "Big White Stiff" (Thank you Bill Simmons, ESPN.com) Andrew Bogut. Yet, for someone who puts the NBA behind the likes of the NFL, MLB, competitive eating and watching paint dry, I just pounded out over 700 pages of "The Book of Basketball" by Bill Simmons in three days.

I had to ask myself whether I actually sat in this chair and read the entire super-sized piece of literature in just under 72 hours with little to no sleep, or had I gone on some sort of drug induced bender and hallucinated the entire event. Drugs are not the answer kids, and I don't condone the use of illegal narcotics.

Jokes aside, Simmon's book is pure gold and an excellent read for any fan of sports in general and/or pop culture references. Whether or not the NBA is your cup of tea, I strongly suggest you pick up a copy and enjoy the ride that is the Sports Guy's writing.

Who matters in the NBA? What does it take to build a championship team? Do I know any good genitalia jokes? Well, all of these questions and more are answered between the covers of "The Book of Basketball" as Simmons discusses rankings, hall of famers, and winning. Never before has a book of such girth, yes I said girth, been such a page turner. From avid sports fan to full blown NBA junkie, this book reaches all audiences. Oh, and it's good for a few laughs along the way.

[MiWolves]

I just read The Lovely Bones, Dear John and The Last Song and I recommend all of them. Lovely Bones is much better then the movie in my opinion.

[SuperMcGee]

Currently reading

[Dr. Gonzo]

Reading this



Pretty interesting stuff.

[Bengals78]

My favorite Author.
I think I read Jurassic Park the first time when I was in like 4th grade, didnt understand it all but dammit I loved the movie and kept re-reading it as I got older and now I have read almost all of his books.

[Paranoidmoonduck]

Originally Posted by Dr. Gonzo

Pretty interesting stuff.

That's a good book. Strassman's research is a little bit out there, but his conjectures are interesting.

Not strictly a book, but this is what I'm reading...

[neko4]

Just read Ayn Rand's Anthem... very beautiful

[fischbowl]

Originally Posted by Paranoidmoonduck

That's a good book. Strassman's research is a little bit out there, but his conjectures are interesting.

Not strictly a book, but this is what I'm reading...

Good ****, eh, mirogi?

[Paranoidmoonduck]

Originally Posted by fischbowl

Good ****, eh, mirogi?

Just finished it today, quite a nice book. Mazzucchelli's drawing tells the story beautifully.

[tEk]

Originally Posted by Bengals78

My favorite Author.
I think I read Jurassic Park the first time when I was in like 4th grade, didnt understand it all but dammit I loved the movie and kept re-reading it as I got older and now I have read almost all of his books.

loved Andromeda strain

[Nalej]

Originally Posted by A Perfect Score

Anyone read Stephen King's new book Under the Dome? I normally dont read his work, but someone gave me the hardcover for Christmas, and I figure I may as well give it a shot.

I got it for Xmas as well. Opened it up yesterday.
Starts off fairly quickly. I'm sure I'll enjoy it though 'cause I've read alot of King's work before

[Whistler6]

In the past 5 weeks I've had to read The Woman Warrior, No-No Boy, Pamela, Shamela, Moll Flanders, City of Glass, and a bunch of literary essays on different criticisms...Blah.

Anyways, now in my Sci-Fi Lit. class we are reading The Hobbit. Beorn and Elyas from Robert Jordan's The Eye of the World in his Wheel of Time series are eerily similar. Obviously Beorn resembles a black bear and Elyas wolves, but they seem alike in a lot of ways.

No real point here, just an observation. One reason I love Jordan's work is because how alike Tolkien he is. He draws a lot of comparison from critics, so I guess it makes sense.

[Ovid]

Finished Rousseau's first and second discourse a few weeks ago and now on book 5 of this: