A jolly good read?

[FrankMunro-371]

Interesting list there.

Gene Wolfe is great but heavy going.
Alastair Reynolds is good stuff.
Love peter f Hamilton books - great space opera.
I never really got on with dune. It reminds me of other kids at school raging about the chronicles of Thomas covenant which I thought were a bag of balls.
Foundation otoh is a fine piece of writing.

That shows how we all differ. I thought the chronicles were excellent. Donaldsons great array of characters, and vivid accounts of the land and its history was great testimony to his imagination. He touched on a fantasy series revolving around a ring, arisky thing to do, but in my opinion I thought he pulled it off remarkably well.
The Illearth War, which was the second in the first trilogy was a truly wonderful read. Definitely the best of all his books, though the others were not far behind.

 

[nimrod]

Amber chronicles is a series I keep meaning to get round to trying. Quite why it is on a sci-fi list I have no idea, as it is fantasy. David eddings used to rant incessantly about book shops putting the two genres together as they had $#@! all in common.
That probably says more about eddings not knowing they share the same readership demographic but there you go.

I rarely do fantasy. maybe was lucky to have read Wolfe's Book of the New Sun and a good series by michael scott rohan but most other fantasy I've read has been pretty awful. there's a book by patrick rothfuss that was raved about a couple of years back. i bought it for a holiday and it's one of the worst books I've ever read. 4.5 starred reviews from 200+ contributors on amazon and it's really poor. Fantasy has to be the most overhyped genre ever.

I have been reading the game of thrones series which I started on a recent hol. First book's storyline a bit weak for me, second book far better. Just on book three. It's an enjoyable series just not there for me.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Can We do worst fantasy books to warn the unwary please?

I will offer

Shannara series by terry brooks. Appalling Tolkien rip that frankly my youngest son could have bettered. Shockingly bad.
Wizards first rule and subsequent by terry goodkind. Oh my god these are bad.

 

[ROVERT47]

I'm currently reading Shadow of the Serpent by David Ashton on my Kindle, it's the first book in a trilogy of Inspector McLevy mysteries set in Victorian Endinburgh, it's like Sherlock Holmes for adults and very good it is too.
I can't wait to read the next two.

 

[Hereford Wolf]

That sounds like my sort of thing ROVERT - I'll give them a go.

 

[Langers]

Still only 300 pages into A Dance With Dragons - it's MASSIVE.

Miles better than A Feast For Crows - loads happening. Really enjoying it.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Restarted book one of wheel of time last night. See you at the end of book thirteen about next Christmas.

 

[Premier Quality]

Can We do worst fantasy books to warn the unwary please?

I will offer

Shannara series by terry brooks. Appalling Tolkien rip that frankly my youngest son could have bettered. Shockingly bad.
Wizards first rule and subsequent by terry goodkind. Oh my god these are bad.

Shannara series is great - its not meant to be the lord of the rings, its a bit more easy reading than that. I thought his magic kingdom series was pish, but then that is aimed at 14 year olds.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

So much of fantasy, pretty much is plagiarism. The basic plot of the belgariad is a quest across the world to find a maguffin that can be then used to kill the Big Bad Evil Guy. Lord of the rings they start with the maguffin and have to destroy it to kill the BBEG. Shall We be kind and say eddings was inspired by papa tolkein? I like eddings, but the comparison is unavoidable.

 

[nimrod]

Still only 300 pages into A Dance With Dragons - it's MASSIVE.

Miles better than A Feast For Crows - loads happening. Really enjoying it.

You can read this when you've finished it!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2012/jan/03/george-r-r-martin-new-chapter

 

[Kenny]

I've just read Paul Merson's autobigraphy "How not to be a Professional footballer"

I was going to come on rip the book to shreds as it basically follows this structure - Got nervous, had a drink, had gamble chapter after chapter. Then it mentions taking drugs so the next few chapters go - got nervous, had a drink, had a gamble & took some drugs. Oh and every chapter he talks about "waxing the dolphin" when bored.

However the saving grace of the book comes when he is talking about Bruce Rioch bollocking Ian Wright after he missed a hatful of chances in a game. An angry Rioch pointed out that his fat lump of a cheating striker at Bolton would have put them away, to which Wrighty replies......"John McGinley? FUCK OFF"

 

[Stan Hullis]

Went to see Girl With a Dragon Tattoo last night.

Got the trilogy for Christmas so looking forward to getting stuck into that when I get chance

 

[ROVERT47]

Just started reading I Partridge on my Kindle, i've only got to 8% but i'm already laughing my bollocks off.

 

[Kenny]

Just started reading I Partridge on my Kindle, i've only got to 8% but i'm already laughing my bollocks off.

Its brilliant. The notes on the bottom of each page are superb.

Love how it follows the flow of his TV shows.

 

[Newbridge Wolf]

Well I'll be contributing a bit more to this thread as I'm reading again oweing to my daily commute.

The other half got me Tony McCarrolls book on his time in Oasis as the original drummer, about 3/4s of the way in and it provides a good insight onto a band I love, he is very scathing of Noel, but not enough to spoil a good read

 

[nimrod]

I've just started A Dance With Dragons now (A Feast For Crows is the weakest so far, though still good).

After I finish this one, I'll be up to date. True Nerd Status.

Have now finished books 3/4 which I read as a collective. probably the best so far. Now started the Crows one. who did they get to play Tyrion in the series? Anthony worrall Thompson?

 

[Langers]

Peter Dinklage. Easily the best performance in the series - he's amazing!

AWT kept nicking props apparently so they sacked him.

 

[nimrod]

i'll try and get to watch it.

if you're up to speed on this, you ought to try dan simmons hyperion series or gene wolfe's book of the new sun. both are ace.

 

[Langers]

Game of Thrones comes out on DVD in March I think.

Series 2 starts in early April. Cannot wait.

 

[UKYankieWWFC]

Just D/L Hunger Games for the good MrsUKY on her Kindle, she says they are rather interesting, i shall be re-aquanting myself with Brian Lumleys epic episode Necroscope later today, i have all his books in paper/hardback (even a signed copy!) up until E-Branch so will be D/L the next in the series...Books 14-16!