December's Deliciously Delirifacient Dabblings Into Fictional Diversions

[gully_foyle]

Not been around much lately. Currently reading, or re-reading, Use of Weapons by Iain M Banks. Some of you will know I am a fan of his, but not necessarily of this book. Will let you know if my opinion has changed.

 

[purple_kathryn]

Finished Scions of Shannara which I actually enjoyed abit more than the previous couple of books - perhaps because it seemed a bit less samey?

Now starting Unseen Academicals! (Terry Pratchett)

 

[D_Davis]

Oh yeah!

Just ordered Have Glyphs Will Travel, the 3rd installment of the coolest series of books ever written - The Merkabah Rider saga.

 

[Forgotten Realms]

I have finished reading: "The History of the French Foreign Legion from 1831 till today" by David Jordan (a non-fiction book).

During Christmas I am going to re-read "The Lays of Beleriand" by J.R.R. Tolkien.

 

[j d worthington]

During Christmas I am going to re-read "The Lays of Beleriand" by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Lovely, if complicated, book. That entire series is, to me, utterly fascinating, and I really need to find a chance to get back to it and reread it....

Finished the short novel and the section of poetry and most of the short stories in The Sword of Zagan, while running errands before work today. While it is still definitely a juvenile work, it is surprisingly well done, and shows a lot of the traits Smith exhibited in his mature work. Unlike The Black Diamonds, which I found to drag a fair amount, this one flows quite smoothly; it also has a great deal of ironic humor and even humor which occasionally borders on slapstick. In all, quite an enjoyable read....

 

[FireDragon-16]

Just finished reading The Dead Whisper On by T.L. Hines. Great read, I highly recommend it!

Currently reading Hammered by Kevin Hearne, Pride and Predjudice by Jane Austen, The Final Hour by Andrew Klavan and Nightmare Academy by Frank Peretti.

 

[HareBrain]

Have got through re-reading five of my Dilbert books; two to go.

 

[Ursa major]

Not been around much lately. Currently reading, or re-reading, Use of Weapons by Iain M Banks. Some of you will know I am a fan of his, but not necessarily of this book. Will let you know if my opinion has changed.

I've tried to read UoW a couple of times and have never even approached getting half-way into it. It'll be interesting to see how you fare.

 

[Rosemary]

Have just finished reading Vengeance by Ian Irvine. Great reading with lots of suspense and an unusual power of magery.

Wonderful start to a series

 

[D_Davis]

So I don't know if it's because of the new updated version, or just because I'm getting more out of it during my third read, but I have to say that The Exorcist is better than ever. I used to rate Legion above it, but now I'm not quite sure. I will say one thing for sure - it shames every other piece of pop-horror I've ever read by a country mile (how long is a country mile?) in every way possible. It is smarter, funnier (this is one that often surprises people, but what should you expect from Blatty, and author who the New York Times said "nobody writes funnier lines," than?), scarier, and contains more humanity - on top of all of that, it is simply a masterfully written novel brimming with some of the very best character interaction I've ever encountered.

I was skeptical when Blatty said that this new version was the one he wanted to be remembered for, and now I am not.

 

[j d worthington]

With all that being said, I may have to invest in this new version. While it has been some years since I last read The Exorcist, I used to revisit it quite often. It is certainly a good deal more than simply a "horror" novel, and yes, I would agree that it is a very well written piece of literature in itself....

On Legion... I don't think I would rate it quite as highly, but it, too, showed much of Blatty's skill as a writer....

 

[Mouse]

Finished Neil Gaiman's Odd and the Frost Giants last night. Wondering what to read next. I should try to start A Dance With Dragons... but it's so huge it'll take me forever.

 

[HoopyFrood]

Was sitting around earlier and started reading the book collection of Evelyn Waugh letters I picked up a while back. Whether I'll carry on reading it is another thing entirely...(not 'cos it sucks or anything, just my reading habits of late).

 

[D_Davis]

With all that being said, I may have to invest in this new version. While it has been some years since I last read The Exorcist, I used to revisit it quite often. It is certainly a good deal more than simply a "horror" novel, and yes, I would agree that it is a very well written piece of literature in itself....

On Legion... I don't think I would rate it quite as highly, but it, too, showed much of Blatty's skill as a writer....

Has Joshi ever weighed in on Blatty? I'm curious about that.

 

[j d worthington]

Yes, he has. He has a chapter devoted to him in The Modern Weird Tale. Being of the thoroughgoing atheist camp, and used to sparring with Christian apologists from a long way back, he fairly well gives Blatty's arguments a dressing-down... and his comments on him otherwise are not overly complimentary.... On the first of these, I am in agreement with him, on the second... not so much.....

Finished off the collection The Sword of Zagan, which included some fragments and unfinished works by Smith, as well as a lovely memoir by Dr. Farmer; one of the best I've seen, along with E. Hoffmann Price's comments on CAS in his Book of the Dead.....

And, in order to participate in Extollager's thread on the subject, have reread E. T. A. Hoffmann's "The Sandman", which is even stranger (and better) than I remembered....

 

[D_Davis]

Yes, he has. He has a chapter devoted to him in The Modern Weird Tale. Being of the thoroughgoing atheist camp, and used to sparring with Christian apologists from a long way back, he fairly well gives Blatty's arguments a dressing-down... and his comments on him otherwise are not overly complimentary.... On the first of these, I am in agreement with him, on the second... not so much.....

Ha! I'd expect nothing less from Joshi.

 

[Alurny]

I'm halfway through 20,000 leagues under the sea, by Jules Verne. I have really enjoyed the pacing of it so far, I appreciate the short chapters as I can dip in and dip out at ease.

I have got Dune sat next to be read, with monstrous regement to follow that.

 

[j d worthington]

At the moment I'm going through some of Clark Ashton Smith's early poetry, along with some of his early letters (largely to George Sterling). Though technically these are still "juvenile" poems (he was about 17 or 18 at the most at the time), already he had become quite assured in his technique and his use of imagery was light-years beyond what he had done just a very short time before. Even with these early pieces, there are lines which can pull a person up short with a catch in the breath... he definitely had the true poet's eye, and it is a great pity his verse isn't much better known than it is....

This, for example, is the earliest of the poems in this set I'm reading:

http://www.eldritchdark.com/writings/poetry/96/cloudland

 

[Mouse]

Just picked up The Possessions of Doctor Forrest by Richard T Kelly. It's written in the form of journal entries and notes, which I've not read something like before.

 

[thatollie]

I am definitely going to finish reading Genius Loci and other tales this time around.