RPGDot Network    
   

 
 
Darkened Skye
Display full image
Pic of the moment
More
pics from the gallery
 
 
Site Navigation

Main
   News
   Forums

Games
   Games Database
   Top 100
   Release List
   Support Files

Features
   Reviews
   Previews
   Interviews
   Editorials
   Diaries
   Misc

Download
   Gallery
   Music
   Screenshots
   Videos

Miscellaneous
   Staff Members
   Privacy Statement

FAQ
Members
Usergroups
What are you reading now?
  View previous topic :: View next topic
RPGDot Forums > Books & Movies

Author Thread
Jaz
Late Night Spook
Late Night Spook




Joined: 20 Jan 2002
Posts: 9708
Location: RPGDot
   

I'm currently reading Karen Traviss "Republic Commando: Hard Contact" which is surpisingly good for a game franchise book (and far better than most of the 'regular' SW novels of the last few years). But perhaps that's just because I like well-written military fiction in general .
_________________
Jaz
Post Mon Jul 25, 2005 6:00 pm
 View user's profile
RPG Frog
Blade Runner
Blade Runner




Joined: 02 Jan 2004
Posts: 748
Location: the Matrix
   

Count Zero by William Gibson


_________________
Between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities…there was an Age undreamed of, when shining kingdoms lay spread across the world like blue mantles beneath the stars…Hither came Conan, the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand…to tread the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandaled feet. - Robert E. Howard
Post Sat Jul 30, 2005 7:02 am
 View user's profile
RPG Frog
Blade Runner
Blade Runner




Joined: 02 Jan 2004
Posts: 748
Location: the Matrix
   

Blood Follows by Steven Erickson
(Its a novella set in Malazan)
_________________
Between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities…there was an Age undreamed of, when shining kingdoms lay spread across the world like blue mantles beneath the stars…Hither came Conan, the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand…to tread the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandaled feet. - Robert E. Howard
Post Mon Aug 08, 2005 9:46 pm
 View user's profile
txa1265
Magister of the Light
Magister of the Light




Joined: 13 Apr 2004
Posts: 390
Location: Marlborough, MA USA
   

quote:
Originally posted by Jaz
I'm currently reading Karen Traviss "Republic Commando: Hard Contact" which is surpisingly good for a game franchise book (and far better than most of the 'regular' SW novels of the last few years). But perhaps that's just because I like well-written military fiction in general .
That *was* pretty good - both in terms of howit represents the Clones, and also the Jedi. I liked that.

I also liked some other of the 'lead-up' books - 'Yoda: Dark Rendezvous' and 'Labyrinth of Evil' were also very well done.

I'm reading 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince' with the family now, which prompted me to go back and re-read 'Order of the Phoenix' on my own. It is fun - I read aloud to my wife and the boys, which I've been doing since the first book, but now that they are old enough to read them on their own, they *still* want me doing the reading - they like my voice characterizations.

I have also been reading 'A House for Mr. Biswas' by V. S. Naipaul. I had been wanting to read this for years, having loved his 'Guerillas' and 'A Bend in the River', both of which I've re-read several times over the last 20 or so years. Of course, now that he has won the Nobel Prize for literature, they repack the books at twice the price.

Mike
_________________
Dopelar effect (n.) The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.

Check out my blog.
Post Tue Aug 09, 2005 1:44 pm
 View user's profile
Jaz
Late Night Spook
Late Night Spook




Joined: 20 Jan 2002
Posts: 9708
Location: RPGDot
   

Well, since the horrible, horrible NJO book I couldn't finish because it bored me to death I haven't touched another Star wars novel. I had nearly missed Hard Contact as well hadn't I recerived it as a gift. I agree, Hard Contact lived from its excellent characterization... most probably because there was no major SW character in it. Anyway, I'm looking forward to the sequel, Triple Zero, which will be published in March.

Right now I'm reading Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon.
_________________
Jaz
Post Tue Aug 09, 2005 8:18 pm
 View user's profile
txa1265
Magister of the Light
Magister of the Light




Joined: 13 Apr 2004
Posts: 390
Location: Marlborough, MA USA
   

quote:
Originally posted by Jaz
horrible NJO book.
I believe you are being redundent here ... NJO == horrible. For many Star Wars fans, NJO is the anti-Star Wars ...

Mike
_________________
Dopelar effect (n.) The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.

Check out my blog.
Post Tue Aug 09, 2005 10:02 pm
 View user's profile
RPG Frog
Blade Runner
Blade Runner




Joined: 02 Jan 2004
Posts: 748
Location: the Matrix
   

quote:
Originally posted by Jaz
Right now I'm reading Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon.

That is an awesome title. Sounds like H.P. Lovecraft's Necronomican mixed with codes. Is that cyberpunk like his other book Snow Crash?
_________________
Between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities…there was an Age undreamed of, when shining kingdoms lay spread across the world like blue mantles beneath the stars…Hither came Conan, the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand…to tread the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandaled feet. - Robert E. Howard
Post Wed Aug 10, 2005 1:40 am
 View user's profile
Jaz
Late Night Spook
Late Night Spook




Joined: 20 Jan 2002
Posts: 9708
Location: RPGDot
   

@txa: But the NJO book in question was more horrible than those before, I believe its title was 'Traitor'.

@Kengo: So far it's about WWII and Turing machines and (style-wise) not the most enjoyable of reads, but the main story will take part in the present I think. I'll tell you more once I'm finished... which might take a while, it's a big, fat book and I'm on a tight schedule.
_________________
Jaz
Post Wed Aug 10, 2005 4:52 am
 View user's profile
Enderandrew
Keeper of the Gates
Keeper of the Gates




Joined: 07 Mar 2005
Posts: 111
Location: Omaha, NE
   

I read every Star Wars novel released until NJO came around. I haven't read a Star Wars novel since.
Post Tue Aug 16, 2005 10:01 am
 View user's profile
Jaz
Late Night Spook
Late Night Spook




Joined: 20 Jan 2002
Posts: 9708
Location: RPGDot
   

You should read Hard Contact then... it'smore than just a class above the NJO novels.
_________________
Jaz
Post Tue Aug 16, 2005 6:52 pm
 View user's profile
Val
Risen From Ashes
Risen From Ashes




Joined: 18 Feb 2002
Posts: 14724
Location: Utah, USA
   



Amber and Ashes: The Dark Disciple Vol. 1
This is the first Dragonlance novel that I've read in years. I'm actually enjoying it. It's rather different from all of the others. Who knew that gods and goddesses could be such interesting characters?
_________________
Freeeeeeedom! Thank heavens it's summer!
What do I have to show for my hard work? A piece of paper! Wee!
=Guardian, Moderator, UltimaDot Newshound=
Post Tue Aug 16, 2005 9:29 pm
 View user's profile
RPG Frog
Blade Runner
Blade Runner




Joined: 02 Jan 2004
Posts: 748
Location: the Matrix
   

City Come A-Walkin
by John Shirley

This is a cyberpunk classic. So many later books stole ideas from this unique book. Especially the mirror-shades!


_________________
Between the years when the oceans drank Atlantis and the gleaming cities…there was an Age undreamed of, when shining kingdoms lay spread across the world like blue mantles beneath the stars…Hither came Conan, the Cimmerian, black-haired, sullen-eyed, sword in hand…to tread the jeweled thrones of the Earth under his sandaled feet. - Robert E. Howard
Post Sat Aug 27, 2005 6:31 pm
 View user's profile
Namirrha
Noble Knight
Noble Knight




Joined: 03 May 2002
Posts: 218
Location: Utah County, Utah.
   

Kengo, I think I might give that novel a try. Looks good.

I'm reading Moby Dick for the second time around. Like other countless Americans, I read it in high school and didn't quite get it then. Several English classes and years later, I've come back, and I'm really enjoying it. I can see where Melville was influenced by Shakespeare (I am a Shakespeare devotee) and theater (which I used to think was boring, but now have a fascination for) and even appreciate his oft-hated cetology chapters. Sometimes when you read the dialogue, it sounds overworked and ornate, but when you read it aloud, it's magnificent. It's an experiment, but one that I believe works in the end.

Some weeks ago, I finished Perdido Street Station. Despite the lovely setting, I cannot recommend this novel, except to those who can stand half-arsed plots, illogical, flat characters, and constant frustration, first from the author's thinly disguised Marxist propaganda & bias (which he didn't even justify within the context of the novel, so it felt forced and unnatural) and second from the use of the F-word in nearly every sentence. It is an utter disappointment.

Finished William Manchester's biography of Douglas MacArthur: American Caesar. Really liked it, and gave insight into a forgotten and controversial man.
_________________
Give me the shadows, shield me from the light, and I shall let nothing pass in the darkness of the night.
Post Tue Aug 30, 2005 7:39 am
 View user's profile
vaticide
Put food in here
Put food in here




Joined: 21 Feb 2002
Posts: 1122
Location: One step behind a toddler bent on destruction.
   

quote:
Originally posted by Kengo
quote:
Originally posted by Jaz
Right now I'm reading Neal Stephenson's Cryptonomicon.

That is an awesome title. Sounds like H.P. Lovecraft's Necronomican mixed with codes. Is that cyberpunk like his other book Snow Crash?


Hmm... I read this some years ago. It is an OK read, but my biggest complaint (as with most any Neal Stephenson book) is the ending.

This book actually stopped me from reading any of his more recent novels, as I just didn't feel like it was worth the effort after all was said and done.

-vaticide
Post Tue Aug 30, 2005 5:36 pm
 View user's profile
rrreese
Village Dweller
Village Dweller




Joined: 07 Sep 2005
Posts: 2
Location: Dunedin, New Zealand
   

quote:
Hmm... I read this some years ago. It is an OK read, but my biggest complaint (as with most any Neal Stephenson book) is the ending.


I agree his endings arnt that stong, but his plotting and writing more then make up for it in my opinion.
_________________
Robert Anton Reese
http://www.rrreese.com/
Post Wed Sep 07, 2005 10:28 am
 View user's profile


Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9  Next
All times are GMT.
The time now is Mon Apr 08, 2019 5:54 pm



Powered by phpBB © 2001 phpBB Group
 
 
 
All original content of this site is copyrighted by RPGWatch. Copying or reproducing of any part of this site is strictly prohibited. Taking anything from this site without authorisation will be considered stealing and we'll be forced to visit you and jump on your legs until you give it back.