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[Hypereides]

Im in the midst of reading Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and I LOVE it! After I finish it I will read more of Hunter S. Thompson's work.

I started to read the intro of A Clockwork Orange today... its a painful read, due to the strange slang from the 60s. Most of the sentences make little sense (Im reading it in english). It makes it a hard read for me. I ought to get an internet dictionary for this.

 

[overcast]

How is Fight Club as a book? I have yet to read it, but I've owned it for years.

I want to read something before going to The Hunger Games.

 

[Maklershed]

Im in the midst of reading Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and I LOVE it! After I finish it I will read more of Hunter S. Thompson's work.

Read Hell's Angels if you haven't yet. The Rum Diary was good too.

 

[Qwomo]

I was quite disappointed with the saga. I really disliked the fact that the chapters are never over 10 pages long. Its an insult to the readers capability to concentrate. Its like he is writing to ADHD kid with 10 second attention span. Makes perfect for TV-series scenes though. Unsurprisingly the books are 1:1 with the TV series so why bother reading the books when every scene has been superbly acted on wide screen already?

Another thing bothering me was the god awful dialogue. I mean is this really how low the standard american english as a literary language has sunk nowadays? Using words like "freak" in a fantastical/medieval world? It was just a pain to read really with anachronisms like that. Also the whole series a freefall in quaility after the 2nd book.

1560s, "sudden turn of mind," of unknown origin, perhaps related to O.E. frician "to dance" (not recorded in M.E., but the word may have survived in dialect)

Twice in one conversation at the beginning of the book.

 

[Relix]

All set for a long time...

 

[coldvein]

All set for a long time...

nice looking set. how is the cover art? care to pull those guys out and take another photo?

 

[Yen]

I just finished Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep a.k.a Blade Runner.
Great book, already seen the movie. However, I didn't get Mercer. I didn't really understand his appearance towards the end. I understood he was an actor but then how does that explain his appearance at the apartment? It almost seemed like he really was a deity.
Admittedly I was sick and a bit dazed when I finished the book (I've had a terrible cold all week), maybe not ripe conditions for finishing the book.

 

[VonRehausen]

...

I only used that one word as an example. The quality of the dialogue is just not very high. Dont blame me. I was expecting much more.

 

[Qwomo]

I'm going to blame the shit out of you.

 

[VonRehausen]

OK.

 

[Relix]

nice looking set. how is the cover art? care to pull those guys out and take another photo?

Sure. Sorry for the yellow plush though and the girly mantel

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

No? Last time I checked all the chapters in the first book were about 8-13 pages long. Anything else? Or is it the usual ridiculing and bullying of the sole critic?

Uhhh I am still having a really hard time understanding how the length of the chapters is affecting your enjoyment of the book to such a large degree.

Thanks dude, I see we are just in disagreement here.

I found the dialogue and chaptering totally frustrating and a little undermining. Its like they are written for this MTV-generation(which I myself belong to btw)that can only deal with flashes of scenes like a proper Guy Ritchie movie. Its like the book is trying too much to be a tv-show or a movie. I just wasent satisfied with the way the story was carried. It even said on the cover this was supposed to be the American Tolkien...oh please.

Man I have to completely disagree. I don't think I have read a author of fantasy that has such a restrained hand. Nothing is pushed to be over the top at all.

 

[Monroeski]

How is Fight Club as a book? I have yet to read it, but I've owned it for years.

I want to read something before going to The Hunger Games.

Pretty good, nothing amazing. The film is definitely better, but it's worth a read since if nothing else it's a decent read and is pretty short. He's not a remarkably detail oriented author so not much was cut for the film in terms of whole scenes or detail within a scene (though it's been years since I read the book or saw the film).

 

[VonRehausen]

Uhhh I am still having a really hard time understanding how the length of the chapters is affecting your enjoyment of the book to such a large degree.

Its called an opinion. Learn to respects others to.

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

Its called an opinion. Learn to respects others to.

That's like saying "Oh man I just couldn't get into this new series cause the damn font on the front of the cover was embossed and my hand kept bumping into it like one of those new BMX magazines. Screw these new publishing standards!"

 

[VonRehausen]

No, its like saying: I've read better books.

 

[Heel]

No, its like saying: I've read better books.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWdd6_ZxX8c

 

[28 Posts Later]

Its called an opinion. Learn to respects others to.

It would help if you actually explained such controversial opinions [as in this is the first time I have ever heard anyone berate the pacing of the books - particularly the initial trio. The pacing is regularly lauded by critics.]

So, since you want people to actually respect your opinion, please explain in more detail than "it's my opinion" so others can understand your point of view.

I really disliked the fact that the chapters are never over 10 pages long. Its an insult to the readers capability to concentrate.

So why exactly do you feel the chapters are poorly paced? Did you feel you didn't have enough time to see scenarios from a specific viewpoint? Or is it a more deep-rooted notion that novels must contain longer chapters? Did you feel chapters could have contained more or less description, or that the pace of the overall story arc was to slow?

Another thing bothering me was the god awful dialogue.

I'd love to hear an explanation for this. What exactly was wrong with the dialogue?

It was just a pain to read really with anachronisms like that.

Well that's not really the same thing as having poor dialogue; this is more about immersion within the world. Your only current example is the work 'freak', though you don't really explain why you feel it's inappropriate.

Also the whole series a freefall in quaility after the 2nd book.

Why? What made Clash of Kings a superior novel to Storm of Swords?

 

[Dresden]

Its called an opinion. Learn to respects others to.

+'

-s

+o

 

[BanShunsaku]

Speaking of GRRM, I ordered my set of these babies last week:

Game of Thrones turned up yesterday, pretty happy with the quality... no stitched binding though

Been a couple of years since my last re-read, looking forward to doing it in hardcover for the first time!

 

[aidan]

Its called an opinion. Learn to respects others to.

Surely Atwood, More, Faulkner, Burgess, Dickens, Christie and Vonnegut were all purposely talking down to their audiences and brazenly insulting their ability to concentrate.

If you'd like to see a list of dozens of other such insulting novels, go here: http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/7820.Books_with_short_chapters

 

[Vanillalite]

All of you Martin fans need to read both volumes of Dreamsongs. I actually prefer a lot of his stuff in there to ASOIAF.

 

[coldvein]

VonRehausen vs. the world

 

[aidan]

All of you Martin fans need to read both volumes of Dreamsongs. I actually prefer a lot of his stuff in there to ASOIAF.

Yes, this. I think he's an even better short fiction writer than long fiction. It's funny, though, to see how much he's un-learned since the days when he used to write such concise fiction; you can see the lessons and that knowledge in A Game of Thrones, and it's all but disappeared by A Dance with Dragons (ADWD Spoiler:

Spoiler

Except with the Bran, Aegon, Barristan and Quentyn chapters.

.)

 

[coldvein]

Been a couple of years since my last re-read, looking forward to doing it in hardcover for the first time!

eh? hardback is no fun,..

 

[brianjones]

game of thrones is all about the plot and characters.. not literary merit

 

[_Isaac]

game of thrones is all about the plot and characters.. not literary merit

What is literary merit?

 

[Qwomo]

Speaking of GRRM, I ordered my set of these babies last week:

Game of Thrones turned up yesterday, pretty happy with the quality... no stitched binding though

Been a couple of years since my last re-read, looking forward to doing it in hardcover for the first time!

wait what

what is this

where can I get it

oh my god

 

[Dresden]

What is literary merit?

street cred

 

[brianjones]

What is literary merit?

let's just say it won't be studied in classes

 

[_Isaac]

let's just say it won't be studied in classes

How come?

 

[neojubei]

The Black Order by James Rollins on my ipad. Trying to read all the Sigma books before bloodline is released in June.

 

[BanShunsaku]

wait what

what is this

where can I get it

oh my god

Info on Harper Collins site

Amazon UK

Book Depository

The first 4 books are out now, ADWD comes out in March! They plan to release all books once they are released too, which I was worried about at first.

 

[brianjones]

How come?

have you read books before

 

[_Isaac]

have you read books before

I have.

 

[Qwomo]

Info on Harper Collins site

Amazon UK

Book Depository

The first 4 books are out now, ADWD comes out in March! They plan to release all books once they are released too, which I was worried about at first.

I love this and I love you.

 

[aidan]

How come?

Because it has short chapters.

And, on that note, Among Others by Jo Walton, which I'm reading right now, and has chapters ranging in length from 1/3 of a page to seven pages, is just wonderful. I'm hoping to see it appear on the major SFF award ballots this year.

 

[ymmv]

let's just say it won't be studied in classes

That's what they said about Tolkien's Lord of the Rings for many decades too. Now it's one of the most important books of the 20th century and Tolkien's name will be remembered like Dickens or the Bronte Sisters while most of the literary books hailed by contemporary critics will be utterly, completely forgotten.

I'm not saying at all that George RR Martin will achieve the same stature as Tolkien, not at all, but literary merit is a subjective, arbitrary term that won't automatically give a book or author longevity.

 

[Monroeski]

That's what they said about Tolkien's Lord of the Rings for many decades too. Now it's one of the most important books of the 20th century and Tolkien's name will be remembered like Dickens or the Bronte Sisters while most of the literary books hailed by contemporary critics will be utterly, completely forgotten.

I'm not saying at all that George RR Martin will achieve the same stature as Tolkien, not at all, but literary merit is a subjective, arbitrary term that won't automatically give a book or author longevity.

I don't know anybody that studied Tolkien in school. His influence is undeniable, but the writing itself isn't particularly special.

 

[_Isaac]

I don't know anybody that studied Tolkien in school. His influence is undeniable, but the writing itself isn't particularly special.

I read The Hobbit for school. I think we covered hero's journey type of stuff.

 

[JMB]

Touching the Void by Joe Simpson

 

[gabbo]

I don't know anybody that studied Tolkien in school. His influence is undeniable, but the writing itself isn't particularly special.

I've seen people use it for projects, but never seen it assigned due to its fantasy setting. Though that is an assumption I'm making and don't know for sure.

As for me, working through the Gospel of the Flying Spaghetti Monster and Dante's Paradiso

 

[Andrew.]

Just got done reading Tick Tock by James Patterson. Very good and easy to read.

 

[Jenga]

as much as I like GRRM, no

no we are not going to be studying him

 

[Monroeski]

::edit::

Aaargh super delayed double post

 

[RatskyWatsky]

This might not be the best place to ask, but I'm too afraid to go into any of the Song of Ice and Fire threads due to spoilers. Does anyone know where I can find a copy of A Dance with Dragons that matches these other ones from Amazon? The only copy Amazon seems to have in stock besides the Kindle one is hardcover and I want a matching set.

 

[ultron87]

This might not be the best place to ask, but I'm too afraid to go into any of the Song of Ice and Fire threads due to spoilers. Does anyone know where I can find a copy of A Dance with Dragons that matches these other ones from Amazon? The only copy Amazon seems to have in stock besides the Kindle one is hardcover and I want a matching set.

Paperback version isn't out yet. So you'll either have to wait till it comes out or just get the hardcover.

 

[RatskyWatsky]

Paperback version isn't out yet. So you'll either have to wait till it comes out or just get the hardcover.

Rrgh, really? When does the paperback come out?

 

[aidan]

Rrgh, really? When does the paperback come out?

Probably June.

 

[sparky2112]

Just got done reading Tick Tock by James Patterson. Very good and easy to read.

All of Patterson's outlines/screenplays...uh, I mean books usually are.