ThunderPeel2001

Books, books, books...

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Any recommendations for a better quality of snack-reading? I would try to get into Robert Rankin or Pratchett, but there's so much there and I hate just diving into the middle of a series.

I'm a big fan of Discworld but it is a little bit of a problem, because the start is not particularly great so if you insist on reading them "in order" it may take a while to get to the good stuff. That said, there are many standalone novels in the Discworld "series" that don't really require having read any of the others. One of the better ones for that might be Monstrous Regiment, but there is also a genuinely standalone novel of his called Nation. No relation to Discworld, and I found it quite enjoyable.

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One of the better ones for that might be Monstrous Regiment,

Yeah, this is the only Terry Pratchett book I read. It works as a standalone; there's cameo appearances by recurring characters, but you don't know it until you hit Wikipedia later. Funny stuff; some scenes in it had me laugh out loud.

Other quickie books: Stephen King's Night Shift (short story collection), Sherlock Holmes short stories, Triage by Jack Ketchum et all, pretty much any thriller. Robert Ludlum's books are great for mindless action, but there's around ten pages between those breaks that let you put the book down.

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Any recommendations for a better quality of snack-reading? I would try to get into Robert Rankin or Pratchett, but there's so much there and I hate just diving into the middle of a series.

sounds like you need the L-space reading guide!

the-discworld-reading-order-guide-20.jpg

Robert Rankin is insane and reads like a delirious Neil Gaiman writing stream of consciousness. Every book is as mad as the next, read whichever one most appeals to you based on title, blurb, or (Rankin made) cover art.

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That reminds me of the Dark Tower connection chart I followed a couple of years ago, that made sure I got all the references in the right order and also ended in disappointment.

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I read all these books tying into the whole Dark Tower universe/world making sure to follow a dependency graph so as to get as many of the references as possible. A lot of it was fantastic, and I don't regret doing the "project" as a whole, but the last Dark Tower book (I believe it was called The Dark Tower) disappointed me to such an extent it almost ruined the whole thing (i.e. the disappointment traversed and subsequently spanned the entirety of the dependency graph. I think this was discussed in another thread, if you care to search for it.

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I read all these books tying into the whole Dark Tower universe/world making sure to follow a dependency graph so as to get as many of the references as possible. A lot of it was fantastic, and I don't regret doing the "project" as a whole, but the last Dark Tower book (I believe it was called The Dark Tower) disappointed me to such an extent it almost ruined the whole thing (i.e. the disappointment traversed and subsequently spanned the entirety of the dependency graph. I think this was discussed in another thread, if you care to search for it.

Ah, I see. I shall avoid that series, then! Definitely.

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Ah, I see. I shall avoid that series, then! Definitely.

I hope you're joking. My taste in anything has never been anything to go by. For example, I didn't like that game Vanquish, which is great.

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Any recommendations for a better quality of snack-reading? I would try to get into Robert Rankin or Pratchett, but there's so much there and I hate just diving into the middle of a series.

I liked The Hollow Chocolate Bunnies of the Apocalypse when I read it years back.

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The Dark Tower is horrendous past book 3. And even then, it's Stephen King so I'm not a huge fan.

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I have finished The Wise Man's Fear and it was good. The wait is on!!

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I have finished The Wise Man's Fear and it was good. The wait is on!!

Should have it done by the afternoon myself. (My sleep schedule as a result of some mild insomnia is now about 3 in the afternoon to 6 in the morning. :tdown:)

I. . .godsdamnit, I need a time machine. Then again. . .

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I'm about two thirds of the way through now and desperately trying to pace myself. I find myself wanting to just keep on reading and reading (usually I limit myself pretty easily to about two hours of reading a day, in a couple of sessions) and the book that seemed so long when I started is rapidly disappearing. I don't want to go another 5 years without! ;(

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Looking through the list, I've read some, I own others. One that sticks out is Dorian Grey... I really didn't like it. I didn't like the message, the humour, the attitude of it. I realise this puts me firmly into some sort of camp for philistines, but I don't know how else to take it. What did I miss?

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I read a paultry 16 of that cloud.

Dorian Gray came at the right time for me, I found it so deliciously dangerous when I read it four years ago, the sheer debauchery and twistedness of ideas really turned my gears. I don't really know what to say to change your mind, or if it's even necessary. You like what you like, and if you don't that's perfectly valid.

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I read a paultry 16 of that cloud.

Dorian Gray came at the right time for me, I found it so deliciously dangerous when I read it four years ago, the sheer debauchery and twistedness of ideas really turned my gears.

Yeah, I just found myself massively disagreeing with huge parts of it, all the while thinking, "just because something is witty, doesn't mean it's right". I also believe, as did the reviewers of the day, that Wilde subscribed to most of these opinions, and that the "moral" ending felt tacked on.

I just feel I misunderstood what's supposed to be so good about it.

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Da Vinci Code is a book everyone should read? I think people just pick what's popular or what they think is the right answer, instead of what they really believe.

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Da Vinci Code is a book everyone should read? I think people just pick what's popular or what they think is the right answer, instead of what they really believe.

The sources are listed under the cloud. This wasn't just from a poll.

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I meant all people who made these lists. I remember one time, Ebert picked his top ten movies and defended Casablanca by saying he wasn't not going to pick it because it was popular - which people do. They will also say they read or highly value what others consider to be great art because they think it's the right thing to do. Like, people will say Black Flag is a great band, but no-one will know why.

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Like it!

[amazing image, with some good books and some bad books that apparently we all should read]

Around 27 for me. Surprising list, really. I guess that's consensus for you. Interesting to chart the shift from 'classics' (the wodge of Dickens) to 'cultural touchstones' (Lolita, Crash, Androids, Foundation, Hitchhikers, Dune!) and then the absolute split between popular and critically-lauded fiction in the late 20th century.

And, wow, two books by the author of The Kite Runner?

Edited by Nevsky

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31, if we're competing. Most of which I wish I hadn't, sadly.

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