Books: Any readers out there?

Game of Thrones is almost anti-sword and sorcery. You should at least give the first book a try.

Mostly philosophy and strategy here. Finishing up The 48 Laws of Power right now.

"cuchulainn wrote:

Grew up reading comics, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Louis L'amour, and various other western or adventure series.

Not a fan of sword and sorcery books, so haven't read any of the GOT books. Odd considering I was a huge Conan and Savage Sword of Conan fan as a kid.

I tend to stick to cops, spies, mysteries, and intrigue type books.

I work as an IT architect and consultant. I travel good bit, so buy books to read on planes or when working remotely. I've read just about everything by James Lee Burke and Vince Flynn. Read some of Greg Iles, David Balducci, Daniel Silva, and Nelson DeMille's stuff of late. Really enjoy DeMille's John Corey character. Hard to find stuff as compelling as the Dave Robicheaux series though. About to give Larry Block's Matthew Scudder series a go as it was recommended to me.

So what series or type of books do you read? Favorite literary characters?

The only thing I can find myself reading nowadays is Christopher Moore. It's the novel equivalent of an Edgar Wright movie.

This is one I'm more predisposed towards, though a lot of his other books get more praise:

"cuchulainn wrote:

Grew up reading comics, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Louis L'amour, and various other western or adventure series.

Not a fan of sword and sorcery books, so haven't read any of the GOT books. Odd considering I was a huge Conan and Savage Sword of Conan fan as a kid.

I tend to stick to cops, spies, mysteries, and intrigue type books.

I work as an IT architect and consultant. I travel good bit, so buy books to read on planes or when working remotely. I've read just about everything by James Lee Burke and Vince Flynn. Read some of Greg Iles, David Balducci, Daniel Silva, and Nelson DeMille's stuff of late. Really enjoy DeMille's John Corey character. Hard to find stuff as compelling as the Dave Robicheaux series though. About to give Larry Block's Matthew Scudder series a go as it was recommended to me.

So what series or type of books do you read? Favorite literary characters?

Check out Carl Hiaasen. His books are generally really funny with fun intriguing cops and/or mystery plots.

Michael Crichton's Prey. Its a thriller featuring nanotechnology. A great read IMO

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

Used to read more fiction, now mostly non-fiction. Lots and lots of old faves from things written 1900-1990. Then I discovered girls and partying. Resumed reading in 2005 with non-fiction stuff.

Reading's for people who are too lazy to watch the film.

"phinsational wrote:

Reading's for people who are too lazy to watch the film.

Film never allows you access to a character's thoughts, only his view or actions. It also doesn't allow you to take a description and paint your own image of it and make it exclusively your own. You're always subjected to the director's depiction and often the visual's move on more quickly than the one painted in your mind and it lacks the same impact. You can make an argument for opposite as well to where certain director's have created outstanding visually impacting movies, but they aren't the same. You also have instances where the director, or in the case of movies like "Jack Reacher" or "Interview with the Vampire" to where Cruise just completely ruined the character and was overshadowed by other actors or bastardized the story on which the movie was based.

“The evening sky was streaked with purple, the color of torn plums, and a light rain had started to fall when I came to the end of the blacktop road that cut through twenty miles of thick, almost impenetrable scrub oak and pine and stopped at the front gate of Angola penitentiary.”
―

James Lee Burke

,

The Neon Rain

“A wet cigarette butt clung to my cheek like a mashed cockroach. I could smell whiskey and beer in my clothes and Gable’s blood on my knuckles and I swore I could taste whiskey surging out of my stomach into my throat, like an old friend who has come back in a time of need.”
―

James Lee Burke

,

Purple Cane Road

Obviously, a director can try and recreate those visuals above, but you've already seen them now, and there is no way they can convey the thoughts of a lifelong alcoholic as he writes the later part of that last quote. They can show pain or angst, but not something like that... With film, you're a voyeur, with a book, you're a part of it.

They've been trying to make a series out of the character for some time after several movies though. http://www.deadline.com/2012/08/hutch-parker-to-resurrect-james-lee-burkes-dave-robicheaux-mysteries-with-cable-series/

There were 2 movies based on the Robicheaux character, played by Alec Baldwin and Tommy Lee Jones. Heaven's Prisoner's and The Electric Mist. While they were gritty and colorful, they fell far short of the mark, even with Eric Roberts, John Goodman, Peter Sarsgaard, Kelly Macdonald, and Mary Steenburgen as supporting cast in the 2 movies. John Goodman as usual, was outstanding his role in the second movie.

I think I just read a book.

"cuchulainn wrote:

Film never allows you access to a character's thoughts, only his view or actions. It also doesn't allow you to take a description and paint your own image of it and make it exclusively your own. You're always subjected to the director's depiction and often the visual's move on more quickly than the one painted in your mind and it lacks the same impact. You can make an argument for opposite as well to where certain director's have created outstanding visually impacting movies, but they aren't the same. You also have instances where the director, or in the case of movies like "Jack Reacher" or "Interview with the Vampire" to where Cruise just completely ruined the character and was overshadowed by other actors or bastardized the story on which the movie was based.

Obviously, a director can try and recreate those visuals above, but you've already seen them now, and there is no way they can convey the thoughts of a lifelong alcoholic as he writes the later part of that last quote. They can show pain or angst, but not something like that... With film, you're a voyeur, with a book, you're a part of it.

They've been trying to make a series out of the character for some time after several movies though. http://www.deadline.com/2012/08/hutch-parker-to-resurrect-james-lee-burkes-dave-robicheaux-mysteries-with-cable-series/

There were 2 movies based on the Robicheaux character, played by Alec Baldwin and Tommy Lee Jones. Heaven's Prisoner's and The Electric Mist. While they were gritty and colorful, they fell far short of the mark, even with Eric Roberts, John Goodman, Peter Sarsgaard, Kelly Macdonald, and Mary Steenburgen as supporting cast in the 2 movies. John Goodman as usual, was outstanding his role in the second movie.

I think he was being sarcastic

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

Sir Edgar Rice Burroughs could do no wrong.

"Desides wrote:

Game of Thrones is almost anti-sword and sorcery. You should at least give the first book a try.

Less sorcery, more epic fantasy. I'm not knocking it, it's just not my thing. I read much of the first book before losing interest. With all the constant intrigue, betrayal and death, it seemed like something I would have enjoyed more, but didn't. My wife and several friends enjoyed it though. Same with the show. I watched several seasons on and off before losing interest in it. My 2 favorite characters were the Hound and Bronn...

"lmeister3 wrote:

Sir Edgar Rice Burroughs could do no wrong.

"Sir"? He was knighted?

"cuchulainn wrote:

Film never allows you access to a character's thoughts, only his view or actions. It also doesn't allow you to take a description and paint your own image of it and make it exclusively your own. You're always subjected to the director's depiction and often the visual's move on more quickly than the one painted in your mind and it lacks the same impact. You can make an argument for opposite as well to where certain director's have created outstanding visually impacting movies, but they aren't the same. You also have instances where the director, or in the case of movies like "Jack Reacher" or "Interview with the Vampire" to where Cruise just completely ruined the character and was overshadowed by other actors or bastardized the story on which the movie was based.

“The evening sky was streaked with purple, the color of torn plums, and a light rain had started to fall when I came to the end of the blacktop road that cut through twenty miles of thick, almost impenetrable scrub oak and pine and stopped at the front gate of Angola penitentiary.”

―

James Lee Burke

,

The Neon Rain

“A wet cigarette butt clung to my cheek like a mashed cockroach. I could smell whiskey and beer in my clothes and Gable’s blood on my knuckles and I swore I could taste whiskey surging out of my stomach into my throat, like an old friend who has come back in a time of need.”
―

James Lee Burke,

Purple Cane Road

Obviously, a director can try and recreate those visuals above, but you've already seen them now, and there is no way they can convey the thoughts of a lifelong alcoholic as he writes the later part of that last quote. They can show pain or angst, but not something like that... With film, you're a voyeur, with a book, you're a part of it.

They've been trying to make a series out of the character for some time after several movies though. http://www.deadline.com/2012/08/hutch-parker-to-resurrect-james-lee-burkes-dave-robicheaux-mysteries-with-cable-series/

There were 2 movies based on the Robicheaux character, played by Alec Baldwin and Tommy Lee Jones. Heaven's Prisoner's and The Electric Mist. While they were gritty and colorful, they fell far short of the mark, even with Eric Roberts, John Goodman, Peter Sarsgaard, Kelly Macdonald, and Mary Steenburgen as supporting cast in the 2 movies. John Goodman as usual, was outstanding his role in the second movie.

Extinction: How Life On Earth Nearly Ended 250 Million Years Ago

Douglas H. Erwin

I'm a nerd in many ways.

"cuchulainn wrote:

"Sir"? He was knighted?

Not really, I just call him that.

He brought me Tarzan.

"finsincebirth wrote:

Michael Crichton's Prey. Its a thriller featuring nanotechnology. A great read IMO

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

Agreed, read this book a while back and it was great.

I read quite a lot, usually average a book a week or so. I love Michael Connolly and John Connelly (might have got the Conno(e)lly's mixed up, often happens!) books, and also an author that's been compared to Hiaasen, Christopher Brookmyre - Scottish author though, so don't know how well his humour will travel. Iain Rankin's another Scottish author that I like too, his Rebus detective novels are pretty well known around the globe.

I used to read a lot of sci-fi and fantasy novels when I was younger, but I don't read them as much anymore, although I still dip into the genres now and again.

"phinsational wrote:

Reading's for people who are too lazy to watch the film.

El Torro PooPoo!

Spent most of my youth on Asimov, Clarke, Heinlein (a lot of Heinlein) and History.
Just re-read the complete Foundation Trilogy for fun.

Of course, what I read for my profession is far away from normal publication, but..

Stephen Ambrose "Band of Brothers" or any good History book will grab my attention. I have been actually spending quite a bit of time reading some Sci/Fi fanfiction recently! Some of it is interestingly good - some abysmally written and boring!

If you wish to get deeply philosophical and experiential at the same time - Try The Cost of Discipleship: Dietrich Bonhoeffer

"RevRick wrote:

El Torro PooPoo!

Spent most of my youth on Asimov, Clarke, Heinlein (a lot of Heinlein) and History.
Just re-read the complete Foundation Trilogy for fun.

Of course, what I read for my profession is far away from normal publication, but..

Stephen Ambrose "Band of Brothers" or any good History book will grab my attention. I have been actually spending quite a bit of time reading some Sci/Fi fanfiction recently! Some of it is interestingly good - some abysmally written and boring!

If you wish to get deeply philosophical and experiential at the same time - Try The Cost of Discipleship: Dietrich Bonhoeffer

But that's because they didn't have moving pictures when you were a kid........:tongue2:

"Fin D wrote:

But that's because they didn't have moving pictures when you were a kid........:tongue2:

"RevRick wrote:

El Torro PooPoo!

Spent most of my youth on Asimov, Clarke, Heinlein (a lot of Heinlein) and History.
Just re-read the complete Foundation Trilogy for fun.

Of course, what I read for my profession is far away from normal publication, but..

Stephen Ambrose "Band of Brothers" or any good History book will grab my attention. I have been actually spending quite a bit of time reading some Sci/Fi fanfiction recently! Some of it is interestingly good - some abysmally written and boring!

If you wish to get deeply philosophical and experiential at the same time - Try The Cost of Discipleship: Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Asimov and Frank Herbert are the Gods of Sci-Fi IMO

"Alex44 wrote:

Asimov and Frank Herbert are the Gods of Sci-Fi IMO

Asimov, Clarke, Heinlein (and you almost have to throw Bradbury in there as well )are the first generation modern Sci/Fi writers who were given the chance to develop under Campbell.. Herbert came along with Dick, Niven, Pohl, Ellison, etc. What passes for Science Fiction today is mostly sword/sorcery/ROB books, which makes most sci/fi purists roll their eyes back and fall on the ground twitching in disgust.

"RevRick wrote:

Asimov, Clarke, Heinlein (and you almost have to throw Bradbury in there as well )are the first generation modern Sci/Fi writers who were given the chance to develop under Campbell.. Herbert came along with Dick, Niven, Pohl, Ellison, etc. What passes for Science Fiction today is mostly sword/sorcery/ROB books, which makes most sci/fi purists roll their eyes back and fall on the ground twitching in disgust.

Totally agree on that point. The line between sci-fi and fantasy has been blurred to a degree that they are now almost the same genre.