Books: What are you currently reading?

[Gulp]

The Dragons of Eden by Carl Sagan. It's his Pulitzer Prize winner about the evolution of human intelligence. Very awesome, just like all things Sagan.

Bring back Carl!

[keglo]

I finally picked up George R.R. Martin's A Feast for Crows. I couldn't stand waiting anymore.

[Gulp]

Originally Posted by keglo

I finally picked up George R.R. Martin's A Feast for Crows. I couldn't stand waiting anymore.

Fantasy fans who haven't read GRRM's A Song of Ice and Fire series will kick themselves for waiting when they finally read it. Most fantasy stuff like Robert Jordan is for young adults. GRRM's stuff is definitely for mature readers.

A Feast for Crows only has a couple of my favorite characters which made it a little slower in the reading, but that just means that his next book is going to be all the awesome characters and storylines (doing my best to remain optimistic).

GRRM ....

[keglo]

Originally Posted by Gulp

Fantasy fans who haven't read GRRM's A Song of Ice and Fire series will kick themselves for waiting when they finally read it. Most fantasy stuff like Robert Jordan is for young adults. GRRM's stuff is definitely for mature readers.

A Feast for Crows only has a couple of my favorite characters which made it a little slower in the reading, but that just means that his next book is going to be all the awesome characters and storylines (doing my best to remain optimistic).

GRRM ....

I agree. At this point Martin is definitely my favorite author. And no, it is not for kids. I actually read the first three books a long time ago. I had read how many characters where missing from A Feast for Crows so I was waiting to read it until it A Dance With Dragons was closer to release. But, I finally couldn't take it anymore and had to read it.

Originally Posted by Gulp

Fantasy fans who haven't read GRRM's A Song of Ice and Fire series will kick themselves for waiting when they finally read it.

You are probably right, but in some ways the opposite is true. After reading Martin, other novels will less enjoyable. Now that I have read Martin I find myself measuring everything against it. And to me, nothing else compares. So if it weren't for Martins books I probably wouldn't be so disappointed in some other fantasy books. Maybe people shouldn't start with the best after all.

[Gulp]

Originally Posted by keglo

You are probably right, but in some ways the opposite is true. After reading Martin, other novels will less enjoyable. Now that I have read Martin I find myself measuring everything against it. And to me, nothing else compares. So if it weren't for Martins books I probably wouldn't be so disappointed in some other fantasy books. Maybe people shouldn't start with the best after all.

Very true. Sometimes when people recommend a fantasy novel I ask if they've read Martin's books. If they say no, then I have a hard time getting motivated to take their suggestion. I'm so tired of reading about the small town farm boy who suddenly gets swept away to eventually save the world with his newfound magic powers. Blood and bloody ashes!

[keglo]

[quote="Gulp"]

Originally Posted by keglo

Blood and bloody ashes!

Laughing out loud. I see that you are one of the less than satisfied WoT readers. I can say that I too am a bit disappointed in some of the books in Jorden's series, and that he milked it for all he could get out of it. But I have to admit that I still love the story and characters and I want to know what happens. Though I am very leery of the last book now that it is being written by a different author. Again, though Jordan is no Martin, I still thoroughly enjoy Rand Land. It might have something to do wit Wheel of Time being the first epic fantasy series that I ever read. It is the series that got me into it.

[Gulp]

Originally Posted by keglo

Though I am very leery of the last book now that it is being written by a different author.

Ahh, that's where we differ. I hated to hear that RJ died before completing his life's work, but to be perfectly honest at this point I'd rather have a different author finish his series. It's like the new Star Wars films. If George Lucas had just let someone else direct them, then they could have been fantastic. He was just too close to the films to be able to see how bad he was screwing up his legacy. Now we have the "real" Star Wars, and then we have the "new" Star Wars. Or he was just making a film that he knew would make lots of money by appealing to kids, which may explain him but not excuse him from disappointing people.

::Steps down from soapbox::

To clarify, my more important point is NOT about Star Wars but about brilliant artists screwing up their own creations, a point which I'm sure has been beaten to death in some other thread and all over the web.

Hope I don't cause this to get hijacked.

[keglo]

Originally Posted by Gulp

Ahh, that's where we differ. I hated to hear that RJ died before completing his life's work, but to be perfectly honest at this point I'd rather have a different author finish his series. It's like the new Star Wars films. If George Lucas had just let someone else direct them, then they could have been fantastic. He was just too close to the films to be able to see how bad he was screwing up his legacy. Now we have the "real" Star Wars, and then we have the "new" Star Wars. Or he was just making a film that he knew would make lots of money by appealing to kids, which may explain him but not excuse him from disappointing people.

Some good points. I will try and be optimistic (not my strong suite) about Donaldson finishing the book. Unfortunately I am not familiar with any of his work. As for Star Wars, I am in total agreement with you.

I am sorry too if I hijacked the thread.

[DarkBladeCB]

I just finished the Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test and am reading Pride of Baghdad real quick before jumping into The Darkness That Comes Before.

[oni]

You Suck: A Love Story by Christopher Moore.

[Bengi]

Martin in next on my list to read, and from everything I've heard I expect good things.

I recently finished all of the Robert Jordan books and was greatly dissapointed. The only reason I finished them at all is because I was listening to them on audiobook during my commute.

My favorite fantasy author has always been Terry Brooks though. I have loved every one of his books, and I have read them all.

For non-fantasy, I highly recommend Bill Bryson's "A Short History of Nearly Everything".

[keglo]

Originally Posted by Bengi

For non-fantasy, I highly recommend Bill Bryson's "A Short History of Nearly Everything".

Someone writes non-fantasy?!? But why?