Sci-Fi/Fantasy Book Discussion/Appreciation Anyone..??

[Krichton]

Just finished these during the last 3 weeks.

The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman
Belgariad Book 1 - David Eddings
Druss Book 1 ("Legend") - David Gemmell
Stardust - Neil Gaiman
Inkworld Trilogy (Books 1-3) - Cornelia Funke
Starship Troopers - Robert Heinlen

Now I'm reading something called the Princess Bride.

[diana6echo]

I've heard that Neil Gaiman is a tough to read. He writes a hardcore novels oO. Tho Stardust is the most adoptived novel ever by a 'normal' reader.

I'm right now in the middle of Robert A. Heinlein's Starship Troopers. So far it's hilarious

[AvatarIII]

my girlfriend, although a heavy reader, likes her books quite pulpy and easy to read, and she loved "the graveyard book" so if you want to start reading his books, that is probably a good place to start, and it's not very long either.

[arelyss]

I remember one sci-fi book i loved to read as a kid - Patrula Stelara ( Space Patrol) by Cicerone Sbantu, a romanian writer. Not sure if this book was ever translated or published outside Romania.

[Spimman]

Easy to read fantasy series is the Xanth Novels. I read pretty much all of them from 6th-7th grade a long time ago, they were challenging at the time as I was new to reading novels but I still have fond memories of the series.

[Krichton]

I've heard that Neil Gaiman is a tough to read. He writes a hardcore novels oO. Tho Stardust is the most adoptived novel ever by a 'normal' reader.

I'm right now in the middle of Robert A. Heinlein's Starship Troopers. So far it's hilarious

I honestly don't know what you mean by "hardcore novels," or "normal reader." If you're literate you can read and understand his books like any other.

I really did not like Starship Troopers at all. It's a boring book and I don't understand the complaints ppl have about the film when in fact there is so little to work with in the first place. If a truly faithful adaptation of the book was made into film that would have been another disaster in of itself but for different reasons. Reading the man character's mundane thoughts on day to day life in the military is dull. So dull in fact that I never even finished the book all the way thru.

[Espeon1962]

I've heard that Neil Gaiman is a tough to read. He writes a hardcore novels oO. Tho Stardust is the most adoptived novel ever by a 'normal' reader.

I'm right now in the middle of Robert A. Heinlein's Starship Troopers. So far it's hilarious

OMG - have not read Starship Troopers in so loongg! Probably not even in my library anymore but packed away in a bin. Just seeing the title makes me want to go digging around for it. Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Henlein is very good, although again it has been "many" (and I wont tell how many but it is a lot) years since I read that as well.

[Iffy]

OMG - have not read Starship Troopers in so loongg! Probably not even in my library anymore but packed away in a bin. Just seeing the title makes me want to go digging around for it. Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Henlein is very good, although again it has been "many" (and I wont tell how many but it is a lot) years since I read that as well.

This just reminded me of Podkayne of Mars another old Heinlein book.

[Mimzy]

Just finished these during the last 3 weeks.

The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman
Belgariad Book 1 - David Eddings
Druss Book 1 ("Legend") - David Gemmell
Stardust - Neil Gaiman
Inkworld Trilogy (Books 1-3) - Cornelia Funke
Starship Troopers - Robert Heinlen

Now I'm reading something called the Princess Bride.

I own a signed copy of The Graveyard Book and of Coraline

And The Princess Bride!!!!!!!!! Is that the same one that was made into the movie?? B/c I LOVE the movie

[Krichton]

I own a signed copy of The Graveyard Book and of Coraline

I really like Coraline and Stardust. The Graveyard Book was ok too. I haven't read any of his other stuff though.

And The Princess Bride!!!!!!!!! Is that the same one that was made into the movie?? B/c I LOVE the movie

I just finished reading the book. I got some mixed feelings about it. On one hand I think it's brilliant and hilarious, especially once you find out the "punchline" so speak, although how you would do this without some some of acknowledgement from the author at the back of the book I wouldn't know. I read this my copy as a doc file. On the other hand I felt a geniunely good fantasy story may have been sacrificed in order to do the book the way it was done.

[diana6echo]

I honestly don't know what you mean by "hardcore novels," or "normal reader." If you're literate you can read and understand his books like any other.

I mean (that's what I heard) that Gaiman isn't afraid to overstep borders and the taboo. Dunno, cos I've never read any of his novels.
Normal reader - guess likes reading LOTR or stories where good is good and bad is bad

I really did not like Starship Troopers at all. It's a boring book and I don't understand the complaints ppl have about the film when in fact there is so little to work with in the first place. If a truly faithful adaptation of the book was made into film that would have been another disaster in of itself but for different reasons. Reading the man character's mundane thoughts on day to day life in the military is dull. So dull in fact that I never even finished the book all the way thru.

I loved the movie - for me it's a great parody on military propaganda and I just want to know if book was good too. I'll tell it when I'm done.

[Iffy]

I mean (that's what I heard) that Gaiman isn't afraid to overstep borders and the taboo. Dunno, cos I've never read any of his novels.
Normal reader - guess likes reading LOTR or stories where good is good and bad is bad



I loved the movie - for me it's a great parody on military propaganda and I just want to know if book was good too. I'll tell it when I'm done.

I don't think that Gaiman oversteps boundaries and is taboo. Tolkien created complex mythological and Language systems for his novels, they were very much based in his love of Linguistics and works written using the traditional Hero motif as Joseph Campbell would call it. They speak to something deeper inside that's why we see them over and over again in new guises.

[Espeon1962]

On the general subject of books with a whole mythology to them, I have never seen any mention of Stephen R Donaldson (who I mentioned in my list of favorite authors in this thread some time ago) and his fantastic series - The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever.

If anyone is interested in a really fantastic fantasy series, one which in my opinion ranks as one of the best I have ever read, the Thomas Covenant series is a definite read. I suspect that it is not as familiar to many of the current Stargate fans since it was published in the late 70s/early 80's, but it will blow you away.

Another fabulous series whose major crime again is that it was published well before the internet age is the Chronicles of Amber series by Roger Zelazny.

I promise to all those who have never read either series that they will delight and keep you entralled for many a night.

[Iffy]

On the general subject of books with a whole mythology to them, I have never seen any mention of Stephen R Donaldson (who I mentioned in my list of favorite authors in this thread some time ago) and his fantastic series - The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever.

If anyone is interested in a really fantastic fantasy series, one which in my opinion ranks as one of the best I have ever read, the Thomas Covenant series is a definite read. I suspect that it is not as familiar to many of the current Stargate fans since it was published in the late 70s/early 80's, but it will blow you away.

Another fabulous series whose major crime again is that it was published well before the internet age is the Chronicles of Amber series by Roger Zelazny.

I promise to all those who have never read either series that they will delight and keep you entralled for many a night.

I;ve looked at Zelazny's work before but never bought any. Too many books so little time. and new books just keep being printed. Too many!

[Mimzy]

I was just in the bookstore the other day and was wandering around...to my dismay I found myself face-to-face with a crapload of vampire-fantasy Twilight imitation novels *runs*