Return of the Book Thread

[Reg]

The last one that Jordan wrote entirely on his own was actually quite good. Knowledge of impending death really tightened up his style.

edit:grammar

[Sheepherder]

When it's all done, I'll read them again. I quit somewhere around book 85, mostly because I realized the first half of book 85 was everyone reacting to the last chapter of book 84.

I got really fed up with what felt like 6000 pages of "And holy crap, did everyone notice that immense magical working? Let's talk about it for 30 pages, then we shall allow EVERY character still alive who can sense magic to spend 30 pages on their version of 'OMG, WTF?'".

I think there's been three or four books since then, so I figured "why not wait?".

I'm regretting the decision to read through the series again.  Book ten marked a serious dip in my will to live, it is by far the worst of the lot.  Even worse than ZOMG massive magic shit is the fact that Perrin spends the entire duration of another book trying to rescue his wife, who doesn't move from the same fucking captured town she starts in.

If you haven't read it already, book eleven takes a turn for the better.

[Ashamanchill]

When it's all done, I'll read them again. I quit somewhere around book 85, mostly because I realized the first half of book 85 was everyone reacting to the last chapter of book 84.

I got really fed up with what felt like 6000 pages of "And holy crap, did everyone notice that immense magical working? Let's talk about it for 30 pages, then we shall allow EVERY character still alive who can sense magic to spend 30 pages on their version of 'OMG, WTF?'".

I think there's been three or four books since then, so I figured "why not wait?".

I'm regretting the decision to read through the series again.  Book ten marked a serious dip in my will to live, it is by far the worst of the lot.  Even worse than ZOMG massive magic shit is the fact that Perrin spends the entire duration of another book trying to rescue his wife, who doesn't move from the same fucking captured town she starts in.

Oh, that's downright epic compared to what he does in the latest book. He is by far the shittiest of the three of them.

[Sheepherder]

Oh, that's downright epic compared to what he does in the latest book. He is by far the shittiest of the three of them.

Shitty in what way?  "Oh, that's a retarded plot development," or "What the fuck is the purpose of this chapter?"

I can forgive abrupt developments at this point, it took way too fucking long for him to snap and cleave off a fuckers hand to show everyone who's boss.

[Ashamanchill]

Shitty in the fact that, we all know what Rand and Mat's purpose is in the last battle. Rand is going to be the messiash/ultimate weapon of the light, Mat is going to blow the Horn of Valere and be the ultimate general, plus he has his own retinue of ass kickers., who he is outfitting with firearms.

What the fuck is Perrin going to do? Summon some wolves? Use his raggidy ass band of yokals? Seriously, what does he bring to the whole 'the taveren' thing?

[Sky]

The weed.

[HaemishM]

Mat is going to blow the Horn of Valere and be the ultimate general, plus he has his own retinue of ass kickers., who he is outfitting with firearms

Lolwut? 

[Reg]

He's got that fireworks making lady with him remember? She's already invented cannons, maybe she makes a musket in the new book. Although Matt's guys were already incredibly deadly because of those fast-loading crossbows they have.

[Ashamanchill]

Okay maybe firearms was slightly incorrect. He is making cannons and artillery as a support weapon though (as Reg said). Point being, he's on the cutting edge of technolgy and tactics, Perrin is, well, not.

[Xuri]

What the fuck is Perrin going to do? Summon some wolves? Use his raggidy ass band of yokals? Seriously, what does he bring to the whole 'the taveren' thing?

A beard?

[Sky]

He's the weed dealer. You ever see a group of people, and one just didn't fit in? That's their weed guy.

[Reg]

I wouldn't be surprised if Perrin turns out to be the one to revive old Manetheren.  He's already got several kings and queens swearing fealty to him that rule countries that were part of it. Although I'm at a loss as to why they did it. Must be a wacky ta'veren thing.

[Morat20]

Last I read, Perrin was wandering around with an axe and a hammer, angsty over which he was going to choose, and worrying a lot about turning all the way into a wolf.

And his wife was a jealous bitch, but he seemed to get off on that, so, there you go.

[Ashamanchill]

I wouldn't be surprised if Perrin turns out to be the one to revive old Manetheren.

Oh for sure, but even so, what the fuck good is that going to do?
 
Perrin: Hey guys, I've reorganized the shell of a dead old nation!
Rand: Well, I've conquered half the world, forced male and female Aes Sedai back together (my extrapolation), and recovered all sorts of knowledge.
Mat: I've restored combat to a level of order not seen in millennia.
Perrin: Oh yeah, well, uh, I'm really good at talking to...
Rand: What's that sound? Oh sorry guy, that's the last battle, we gotta go. It'll probably reshape the world around you, but good luck on the Mana-whatever thing!
(For Sky)Perrin: I got some primo Shire-I mean Two Rivers Weed though.
Rand: Aight, you can come.

[bhodi]

You know in captain planet, you had that african who they swore was integral to the group even though he seemed completely useless? That's Perrin. He's the "heart" of the group. And, he's got wolves. Motherfucking wolves man. They'll come out of the TREES!

[Sky]

What would you guys say your top ten favorite fiction authors are? Not necessarily sf/fantasy.

[Ashamanchill]

These are not in ranked order, only in the order they came to me.


Edit: Forgot G.R.R. Martin. Well I guess I get 11

[Murgos]

What would you guys say your top ten favorite fiction authors are? Not necessarily sf/fantasy.

In no particular order:

[Ard]

In no real order either.

There are likely others, but these are the ones that came to mind where I'll read anything by them I run across. 

[tar]

Again, not in any order.

[jth]

[WayAbvPar]

Steven Brust
GRR Martin
Neal Stephenson
William Gibson
Jim Butcher
Robert Jordan
Patrick O'Brian
Glen Cook
Larry McMurtry
Raymond E. Feist

[Khaldun]

M.G. Vassanji
Vernor Vinge
Larry McMurtry
Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Ursula LeGuin
Mark Twain
Iain Banks
James Joyce
David Brin
Salman Rushdie


Bonus round:
Roger Zelanzy (wrote a bit too much crap to crack the Top Ten)
E.L. Doctorow
Stephen King
George Orwell (I like his essays better than his fiction.)
Herman Melville (Only Moby Dick really wows me, though.)


There are people I'd almost list because their best stuff is so great, but they've also some really bad shit, like Dan Simmons or Philip Jose Farmer. Or people whom I appreciate but whose self-indulgences are a low-level irritation, like Neal Stephenson. The people on this list are just my "must read their books, generally always like what they do, even a misfire is easily forgiven or forgotten". There are also people like Ralph Ellison, Malcolm Lowry, Harper Lee or Joseph Heller who only wrote one thing (more or less) that was fantastic, but this seems to me a listing I reserve for folks who've done quite a few things.

[HaemishM]

No particular order:

Bruce Sterling
William Gibson
Neal Stephenson
Jack Kerouac
William Burroughs
Albert Camus
Jean-Paul Sartre
Franz Kafka
J.R.R. Tolkien
Leo Tolstoy

[Khaldun]

Camus. Hm. I'm almost revising my own list. Gibson would be on my almost-10, maybe Sterling too.

[WayAbvPar]

Tolkien, Eddings, and Zelazny where on my first alternate's list. Some of their stuff is brilliant, some not so much.

[Murgos]

Vernor Vinge

If he had shown any intent to publish regularly I would put him into top 15 pretty easily but, yeah, two great books doesn't quite get you there for me.  Also, if it was "Author for single favorite book?" then, yes, Joseph Heller would certainly be top 10 for me.

[Merusk]

Alexander Dumas

I just got done listening to The Count of Monte Cristo at work.  Damn, I'd forgotten how good that book is and how wickedly sublime the revenge feels as it begins to unfold.

[Viin]

I've been reading Winds of War for the last couple of weeks and I find it really good. If you like historical fiction, or if you just like WWII stuff, you'd probably enjoy it. Very well written and pacing is good. Covers an interesting time.

[Morat20]

Vernor Vinge

If he had shown any intent to publish regularly I would put him into top 15 pretty easily but, yeah, two great books doesn't quite get you there for me.  Also, if it was "Author for single favorite book?" then, yes, Joseph Heller would certainly be top 10 for me.

Three. I rather enjoyed Rainbow's End.

Also, I had a bit of a thought on the whole Perrin thing -- doesn't his little tiny army include true longbowmen? I'd bet on trained longbow users against muskets any day of the week.

[lamaros]

What would you guys say your top ten favorite fiction authors are? Not necessarily sf/fantasy.

I guess Shakespeare doesn't count right?

Malcolm Lowry (wrote more than just the one book. Hear Us O Lord.. and Lunar Caustic are worth a look to be sure)
Agatha Christie
Ryū Murakami
Umberto Eco
Frank Herbert
Arthur Ransome
George R. R. Martin
Peter F. Hamilton
Ryūnosuke Akutagawa
Albert Camus

[murdoc]

Steven Brust
GRR Martin
Neal Stephenson
William Gibson
Jim Butcher
Robert Jordan
Patrick O'Brian
Glen Cook
Larry McMurtry
Raymond E. Feist

My list would look VERY much like this. I'd just replace Jordan with Neil Gaiman.

[Johny Cee]

I don't really have a top ten.  A top four, based on enjoying the works the first time, my continuing impression of the author, and rereads is probably:

Glen Cook
Neil Gaiman
Lovecraft
Tolkien

- Brust would have been on there a few years ago.  I'll still buy any of Brust's new stuff and reissues, but it's not a fav anymore. 
- Gene Wolfe is borderline. 
- Stephen King wrote a few great horror novels, and a bunch of amazing short stories, but he has lots of mediocre work. 
- Dan Simmons is probably borderline.  Generally really loved what I've read of his stuff, but never really felt the need to read it again.
- Zelazny, when he was on, was a great writer.  As others have noted, he did tend to churn out a bunch of payday type work though.
- Never was a huge fan of Jordan, Feist or Martin.
- Chabon is probably a borderline.
- Historical fiction-wise, Forester is borderline for the Hornblower books.
- Stephenson had one book I loved, a few others I generally enjoyed.
- Richard K. Morgan and Erikson might have been favs a while ago, but their later work has served to kill most of my interest in even their early stuff.

As far as pulpy, entertainment comfort reading goes...   Butcher, Gemmel, and Abnett.  Turn the brain off and go.

[Engels]

"Founding Fathers" category

Ursula K LeGuin
Homer
Frank Herbert
James Joyce
CS Lewis
Madeleine L'Engle
Herman Melville

Pretty amazing category
Elizabeth Moon
Elizabeth George
GRR Martin

[Draegan]

Yeah, instead, you get to spend the next 8 books learning the backstory instead.  Starting through Toll the Hounds now, and I still don't know half of what's going on, or where he's even going with some of these storylines.

I couldn't make it through that book.  Thats where I gave up.

Question though for everyone.  I know I asked somewhere, it was in a nerdrage derail, but what book would I want if I want to start reading The Culture?