September Reading Thread

[Yozh]

I have read many critiques of Dune. It certainly has its faults, but I have never heard it compared to Ayn Rand.

Not comparing the philosophy, more that with both books the writing and characters put me off such that I did not care to continue. Though philosophy probably informs characterization.

 

[AE35Unit]

I tried to read Dune a few years ago. I didn't get very far. It felt like I was reading a fantasy novel when I was in the mood for SF. It would be interesting to try again now that I no longer read SF

 

[Danny McG]

Well I'm thirty something years late to the party, so all the furore has long died down.
I settled down a couple of hours ago to read The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie.
What a load of arty farty pretentious twonk it was, DNF after about four chapters.

 

[Vince W]

Well I'm thirty something years late to the party, so all the furore has long died down.
I settled down a couple of hours ago to read The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie.
What a load of arty farty pretentious twonk it was, DNF after about four chapters.

Yep. I got through about eight chapters. It’s utter cack. Certainty not worth a knighthood.

 

[Yozh]

Yep. I got through about eight chapters. It’s utter cack. Certainty not worth a knighthood.

I also found SV hard going, though I really liked Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children.

 

[ColGray]

Not half as bad as the utterly boring prologues in David Eddings otherwise excellent fantasy series.

Eddings got ruined for me when i found out was a POS he was. But the Belgariad was one of the first fantasy series i fell in love with.

 

[ColGray]

Just finished up, American Prometheus. It was great, but the utter abuses of power and paranoia inherent in the FBI drive me bananas. It's non-fiction, but given the topic, it almost feels like SF/F. Really loved it.

I started, Downbelow Station by CJ Cherryh and DNF. It was one long slog of uncompelling characters in an obtuse conflict with too few reveals. 100 pages in and I nope'ed out.

Currently reading, Silence of the Lambs. I'd only ever seen the movie and the book is a masterpiece. Nearly done.

Looking for what's next.

 

[Dave Vicks]

UNDERSTANDING DISORDERS OF THE BRAIN,By Sandy Neargardner.

 

[Danny McG]

Currently reading, Silence of the Lambs. I'd only ever seen the movie and the book is a masterpiece.

I'd read it way before they decided to film it, I agree it's great.
I also read Red Dragon when it first came out in the early eighties and thought "I hope there's more books by this writer"

 

[ColGray]

I'd read it way before they decided to film it, I agree it's great.
I also read Red Dragon when it first came out in the early eighties and thought "I hope there's more books by this writer"

I think i may re-read it again right after. It has done a couple things so incredibly well, I want to dig into them -- building tension, building minor and major stakes, setting a clock, having dual mentors, creating a terrifying villain and pacing. The PACING. Truly exceptional.

 

[Dave Vicks]

RED DRAGON was good.

 

[Randy M.]

I started, Downbelow Station by CJ Cherryh and DNF. It was one long slog of uncompelling characters in an obtuse conflict with too few reveals. 100 pages in and I nope'ed out.

For what it's worth, my first attempt ended about 50 pages in. I tried it again a few weeks later, and fell into the rhythm of her prose and had no problem with it from there.

 

[AE35Unit]

Eddings got ruined for me when i found out was a POS he was. But the Belgariad was one of the first fantasy series i fell in love with.

That accusation doesn't stop me reading his books. Or rather their books

 

[ColGray]

That accusation doesn't stop me reading his books. Or rather their books

I get that -- but it recolored much of the Polgara/Garion interactions for me and made the core family dynamics--central to both the Garion and Sparhawk series-- feel very false. It kind of ruined the central theme of, Bio+Found Family can get you through anything, that drove both narratives.

FWIW, it wasn't accusations: they plead guilty to 11 counts of child abuse and each served a year in jail.

 

[Lostinspace]

Well I'm thirty something years late to the party, so all the furore has long died down.
I settled down a couple of hours ago to read The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie.
What a load of arty farty pretentious twonk it was, DNF after about four chapters.

I bought a copy long ago without reading it. I was asked to buy it by a Lebanese friend who was having trouble buying it at home and wanted me to send her a copy.

 

[Danny McG]

I've just finished a short story from Esquire magazine published in 1973.
Rollerball Murder by William Harrison - he later expanded it into a full length novel and they filmed it as Rollerball.

Verdict:- Brilliant and
bloodthirsty little story set in 2012!

 

[Danny McG]

Now it's a re-read of Beau Geste

 

[Dave Vicks]

Essay Carl Jung THE UNDISCOVERED SELF.1957

 

[Dave Vicks]

ISLAND by Aldous Huxley , 1962, reminds me a little of JG Ballard.

 

[Le Panda du Mal]

The Theory of the Four Movements by Charles Fourier