what are you reading right now?

[Blackboar]

At the momene I'm reading the Silmarillion and Changing Emma at the same time.

:D ;)

[Andúril]

At the same time: An Introduction to the New Testament. Raymond E. Brown. A Marginal Jew - I. John P. Meier. The Lord of the Rings An Invitation to Theology. UNISA.

[Huan]

Crickhollow, in that case may I ask whose translation of Beowulf? Please not Seamus Heaney's!

And Chaucer too, eh? That isn't remotely as foreign to a modern English reader as Beowulf, so no worries there. Unlike Beowulf, I'm a bit more relunctant to admit to my favorite line in Canterbury Tales; it's in the Miller's Tale. Okay, here goes:
And with his mouthe he kissed her naked erse.
I know it's tacky, but read it in context. What a yarn that Miller's Tale!

[Earniel]

What's wrong with Seamus Heaney's translation? :confused:

[Eruviel Greenleaf]

A historical fantasy called Little Sister, made worth reading mainly because there are Tengu in it. :D
Actually, I finished veeery early this morning, but I'm reading it again. . .it's pretty short and I love the tengu character!
It's where the new quote in my signature is from: "I am a tengu. Impiety is my nature." :)

[Huan]

Earniel wrote: What's wrong with Seamus Heaney's translation?

Okay, Professor Tolkien I think would agree with me on this: most Beowulf/ Old English lovers will never see a "translation" of Beowulf that they like. Translation in quotes because the thing is written in English! The ad copy on the dust jacket always insists that any given translation holds true to the original feel and style of the Old English, but the translators invariably insist on throwing in Latinate or Greek-derived words when the original English, which is still in common usage, would do. Foe example, translators always insist that they must change the word "folc," that is, folk, to nation or people, or modern readers wouldn't get it. Nonsense! Folk means now all the things it meant then. If the original English works, even poetically with a modicum of thought given to it by the reader, use that.
Case in point, my favorite sequence in Beowulf:
com on wanre niht scrithan sceadugenga. Sceotend swaefon, tha thaet hornreced healdan scoldon, ealle buton anum.
Almost literal translation, attempting to preserve the English:
came in the wan night the slithering shadow-walker. The archers (literally "shooters") were sleeping, they that should hold the gabled house, all but one.
ealle buton anum=all but one. Word for word, unchanged from then to now. But Heaney says "all except one." EXCEPT. Latin where the original English would do. "Asleep at their posts," for "sweafon," merely "sleeping." Okay, call me picky, but I tell ya, Tolkien would have made the same objections. Translators always get too darn flowery with Beowulf and then insist that they're "preserving the spirit of the original."

[Earniel]

I see, thanks for explaining. :)

[Radagast The Brown]

The wing of the Dragon - Margaret Weaz and Tracy Hickman.
Diamara - Maggie Fiury

[sun-star]

Today I finished Le Morte d'Arthur, which I started two months ago (I need more time to read! :rolleyes: :mad: ). I think it's spolied me for every other King Arthur story though. I have to read German novels for school (currently tackling Kafka - help!) but when I get some time, I can finally start the CS Lewis books I got for Xmas. That'll be the day :D

[crickhollow]

Originally posted by Huan
Crickhollow, in that case may I ask whose translation of Beowulf? Please not Seamus Heaney's!

And Chaucer too, eh? That isn't remotely as foreign to a modern English reader as Beowulf, so no worries there. Unlike Beowulf, I'm a bit more relunctant to admit to my favorite line in Canterbury Tales; it's in the Miller's Tale. Okay, here goes:
And with his mouthe he kissed her naked erse.
I know it's tacky, but read it in context. What a yarn that Miller's Tale! err...translation. let's see...nope, not Heaney's. it's apparently a *new* translation (c. 2000) by R.M. Liuzza.
Nope, Chaucer's much easier than Beowulf, and I'm not worried about that one at all. Middle English version of course--no translations allowed :) I was always somewhat partial to the Pardoner's Tale...

[Huan]

Pardoner's Tale: isn't that the one where the three thieves meet Death? And they kill each other under a tree? Re. Beowulf: Liuzza. Never heard of him. Shrug.
Sun-star: Malory has spoiled you for all Arthurian stories? Have you read Chretien de Troyes' Arthurian Romances? They are much more coherent. Malory wrote kind of off the top of his head while he was in prison, didn't even bother apparently to check what he had written thirty pages ago. But Chretien shows a real sense of design. The Knight of the Cart (Launcelot) is especially nice.

[crickhollow]

Indeed, that is the Pardoner's Tale. I don't know why I like that one...I suppose merely because it's the one that I know best. by the end of the semester, after we've picked the Tales to death, I may change my mind.
Sun-star: What Huan said. Lancelot follows more closely the modern scheme for fiction (hero, adversary, climax, revelation...etc) I love Gawain, too :). Wait, Gawain isn't DeTroyes. I like it anyway.

[Dúnedain]

I am re-reading Return of the King and The Sil :D

Once I am done I am going to go pick of the HoMe series and Unfinished Tales....

[Huan]

Crickhollow, actually Gawain is in that same Chretien story, The Knight of Cart. Lancelot (we don't know it's him yet, the author keeps us guessing) encounters a dwarf driving a cart. In those days, carts were used to carry criminals, so no innocent person would dream of getting in one; the dishonor would be too great. But Lancelot is riding after a knight who abducted Guinevere and he's lost his horse, so he hops in the cart to get going faster. Gawain comes riding along on the same quest, and the dwarf tells him that if he's as big a fool as this other knight he can also hitch a ride. "I've got a horse," Gawain says. It's a nifty story.
Gawain also appears in another Chretien tale. I can't remember which one, but in it he finds himself unarmed and beset by angry villagers a la Frankenstein, so he has to use a chess board as his shield. Hilarious.

[crickhollow]

yeah, I remember that he was in there, I should have said 'Gawain and the Green Knight' instead of just Gawain. There's one tale, I think it's Chretien but I'm not sure, that's about this really naive guy who didn't know what a knight was, and then meets one in the forest and wants to become one...makes it to Arthur's court, Kay hits some serving girl who laughs when the youth makes fun of him. He ends up trying to hunt down this Red Knight who has been taunting Arthurs court, and he fights him and takes his armour...on and on...does it ring a bell? I can't remember the name. I got a big kick out of it because the youth was so stupid :)

[Huan]

The youth in question is Sir Percival. Yeah, that opening is priceless. The rest of the story is about his quest for the Grail.

[crickhollow]

thank you! that's been bothering me for days. :)

[Starr Polish]

Ahh, bliss. An entire period of school (about forty-five minutes) dedicated to reading!

Starting tomorrow I will be reading "The Agony and the Ecstacy". But, I have a dilemma! Should I read "Farenheit 451", "Dune", "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" or "Brave New World" for my science-fiction novel? Help me decide! The minimum books required this semester (18 weeks) is six. Not a challenge, but help! :D

I could read "The Hobbit" for my British Literature requirement. ;)

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by Starr Polish
Starting tomorrow I will be reading "The Agony and the Ecstacy". But, I have a dilemma! Should I read "Farenheit 451", "Dune", "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" or "Brave New World" for my science-fiction novel?

Dune! Dune! Dune! Dune!! Dune!!! Dune!!!!

[Eruviel Greenleaf]

Originally posted by Starr Polish
Starting tomorrow I will be reading "The Agony and the Ecstacy". But, I have a dilemma! Should I read "Farenheit 451", "Dune", "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" or "Brave New World" for my science-fiction novel? Help me decide! The minimum books required this semester (18 weeks) is six. Not a challenge, but help! :D


Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy would be my suggestion :D

42! 42! :)

[Arathorn]

Originally posted by BeardofPants
Dune! Dune! Dune! Dune!! Dune!!! Dune!!!!

:cool: :cool: :cool:

"Sci Fi's answer to LOTR"

[BeardofPants]

Did I mention Dune? :D

Seriously though: hitchhikers is good in a down right silly way, A Brave New World is good in a creepy, scary, distopic way, but Dune is seriously life changing. You get the same feeling at the end of Dune that you do from reading LOTR... that tingling down your neck... that feeling that something big has just happened... A sense of a whole world at your fingertips.... Gotta read it again. Definately the best piece of sci fi I've ever read.

[Eruviel Greenleaf]

Still have to read Dune. Hmm, I think I'll add that to my summer reading list. . .:eek: :)

[BeardofPants]

Hey, speaking of recommendations, I still have to read American Gods. I started reading it in Borders the other day, but then one of the staff started giving me funny looks. :rolleyes:

[Arathorn]

Originally posted by BeardofPants
Did I mention Dune? :D

Seriously though: hitchhikers is good in a down right silly way, A Brave New World is good in a creepy, scary, distopic way, but Dune is seriously life changing. You get the same feeling at the end of Dune that you do from reading LOTR... that tingling down your neck... that feeling that something big has just happened... A sense of a whole world at your fingertips.... Gotta read it again. Definately the best piece of sci fi I've ever read.

Yeah, societies are now like antfarms to me.

I need to get past page 150 in American Gods. I wish I hadnt started on The Hobbit again. it slows me down. Maybe later.

[Eruviel Greenleaf]

BoP, Arathorn--

read American Gods! read it, read it! :D

I'll get started on Dune if you do. . .:)

[RosieCotton]

Okay, I just joined this thread, and don't really have time to go through 27 pages, so if you could recommend one or two really good sci-fi/fantasy books or series, what would they be?

Rosie

[Grey_Wolf]

Originally posted by RosieCotton
Okay, I just joined this thread, and don't really have time to go through 27 pages, so if you could recommend one or two really good sci-fi/fantasy books or series, what would they be?

Rosie

Here's a list of good Scifi and Fantasy books:

Piers Anthony's Incarnations of Immortality (Scifi/Fan-series)
Steven R Lawhead's Pendragon Cycle (Fantasy)
A A Attanasio's King Arthur-books (Fantasy)
A C Clarke's Rama-series and Odyssey-series (Scifi)
Terry Brooks' Shanara-series (Fantasy)
Both David Brin's Uplift-trilogies (Scifi)
Patrick Tilley's The Amtrack Wars (Scifi)
Kim Stanley Robinson's Red Mars, Green Mars, Blue Mars and an antology called The Martians. (Scifi)
Michael Moorcock's Swords-trilogy (Corum-books) and The Chronicles of Corum (Fantasy)
Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time-series (Fantasy)

AND, OF COURSE:
If you haven't read them already: J R R Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion.

[crickhollow]

Out of the Silent Planet
Perelandra
both by CS Lewis

[Hanza]

Starr polish I would say Hitchhikers because it is hilarity to its max!

I'm reading Lord of the Flies for school. Nearly half way through. Much easier reading than LotR. a nice change i think. but only for a week or two.

[Coney]

Ye Gods! I have to read Jane Ayre (sp?) for Uni:eek:

The nearest I've come to that kinda stuff was watching Cliff Richard prance in the heather on me mum's Heathcliffe (the musical) video :(

Ah well, maybe it is time this Coney broadened his literary horizons:o

[crickhollow]

I'm sorry for you, Coney. I'm not a huge fan of anything by the Brontes. They're so depressing. But better to read Jane Eyre than Wuthering Heights, I say.

[Coney]

Originally posted by crickhollow
I'm sorry for you, Coney. I'm not a huge fan of anything by the Brontes. They're so depressing. But better to read Jane Eyre than Wuthering Heights, I say.

Thanks for the sympathy (tho' I was secretly hoping someone would say "wow, it's cool, you'll love it" ;) ).

Yeesh, guess I was right with my last sub-heading:(

*wanders off to Amazon in the hope that they sell an unabridged audio edition*

[Miranda]

Originally posted by Coney
Thanks for the sympathy (tho' I was secretly hoping someone would say "wow, it's cool, you'll love it" ;) ).

Yeesh, guess I was right with my last sub-heading:(

*wanders off to Amazon in the hope that they sell an unabridged audio edition*

Oh I adore the Brontes. There's a really good black and white film of Jane Eyre that is very close to the book but can't remember director etc (sorry) That'd be a good bet if you want to watch it rather than read it. Mx

[Huan]

Quote: Thanks for the sympathy (tho' I was secretly hoping someone would say "wow, it's cool, you'll love it"

Sorry, Coney, sympathy is probably all you'll get. When it comes to the Brontes, you're advised to invest in lots of caffeine.

[cee2lee2]

I agree with Crickhollow: better Jane Eyre than Wuthering Heights.

[Starr Polish]

BoP, I KNEW you were going to say "Dune". I'll probably read "Brave New World", because "Dune" is worth two books, but so is "The Agony and the Ecstacy". I promise to read Dune this summer, okay :D

I really want to read the Adams book as well. Maybe it will be one of the extras I read.

[Eruviel Greenleaf]

Tried Jane Eyre. Didn't like it (much to my mother's dismay :)). Good luck, Coney :D

Archer's Goon, by Diana Wynne Jones.

[Starr Polish]

I also tried to read Jane Eyre when I was in ninth grade, adn I couldn't stand it. It's one of the books I could read for my class, but I don't think I'll be picking it up. I'm actually interested in reading Wuthering Heights though..hm.

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by Starr Polish
BoP, I KNEW you were going to say "Dune". I'll probably read "Brave New World", because "Dune" is worth two books, but so is "The Agony and the Ecstacy".

Was I that obvious? ;) Brave New World is good, too. I'll have to re-read it sometime. I found it a lot more chilling than 1984 in some ways...

Edit: I liked Jane Eyre. Wuthering Heights was torturous though.

[Arathorn]

Argh! I went out for lunch to pay my cellphone bills and found myself packing 5 vols. of HoME. I'm still looking for volumes 1 and 6 and am saving up for vol. 12. 10 and 11 are arriving in 2 weeks from amazon along with the M-E atlas and Letters.

I'm under the power of the dreaded One Credit Card. Gollum, gollum...

[cassiopeia]

I hate my library. It's only go 1 copy of Dune and will be out for the next few weeks. And I'm too cheap to fork out the two dollars to put it on hold. :o Since I've pretty much been reading only Tolkien or Tolkien related works for the last year, I've decided to have a break from them. So now I'm reading Douglas Adams Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency.

[crickhollow]

You have to pay to put books on hold??:eek: :eek: :eek:

[cassiopeia]

Originally posted by crickhollow
You have to pay to put books on hold??:eek: :eek: :eek:

If someone else has borrowed a book and you want that copy reserved, yes you must pay. But you can borrow CD's for free, which is great.

[Huan]

Quote: If someone else has borrowed a book and you want that copy reserved, yes you must pay.

I work at a library and I must say that is just ridiculous.

[BeardofPants]

We pay to put a book on hold as well. $1 per book, IIRC.

I've finished HoME 5, and now I'm starting on HoME 6... so excited! :D

[Arathorn]

I think, in general, you have to pay for book reservations if either copies are limited, or the library has problems with funds.

Anyway, I jumped to The End of the Third Age (The History of The Lord of the Rings,
Part Four) (The History of Middle-Earth - Volume 9). It gives an account, among others, of Sam telling stories from the Red Book to his kids. (Soooo cute) Elanor's only 15 then. No more details. ;)

[Spock]

I just finished the last installment of the "Area-51" series entitled "The Truth". Somewhat disappointing but a must if you've started the whole series.

[goodwarlord]

i'm reading the hobbit right now, it's a cool bok!

[Elfhelm]

Heinlein's "future histories". I started with Time Enough For Love but realized I had skipped Methusalah's Children. I guess next will be To Sail Beyond the Sunset.

[Coney]

*kicks Charlotte Bronte in her ethereal shins*

That was like watching paint dry on the shell of a tortoise:rolleyes:

Currently reading, or about to start:Hidden Lives by Margaret Forster.

[cee2lee2]

Just finished the first Lemony Snicket. Now I'm hooked! :)

[cee2lee2]

Just finished the first Lemony Snicket. Now I'm hooked! :)

[crickhollow]

Lemony Snicket is great! I read teh first one this fall...haven't had time to pick up the rest, but I'll get around to it...

[hobinator]

just finished reading Dracula, and now im reading LOTR:FOTR (for the first time) and im also reading Harry Potter and Philosophers Stone

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Have switched, and am now reading the Letters of JRR Tolkien, since it came into the library (putting books on hold is free here :D )

[Dunadan]

Just finished The Sopranos by Alan Warner (no relation to the TV series). Tip-top, anarchic stuff. He seems to be able write really well from a woman's perspective (or so I think, but I'm not a woman so who knows)

Any other Warner fans out there? He also wrote Morvern Callar.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

You mean Eilene Warner? ;)

[Radagast The Brown]

I'm reading now "Forbidden Spell"

[Treebeard's apprentice]

Just finished From a Buick 8 by Stephen King.
I will start Eaters of the Dead by Michael Crichton soon. It's been on my list and I've put it off for way too long.

[Fatty Lumpkin]

i'm pretty much a freak because i usually read many books simultaneously. right now:

kurt vonnegut: slapstick and hocus pocus
howard zinn: the zinn reader
fast food nation by i forget who
crashing the party by ralph nader
and i've been working ulysses by james joyce for the past ten years

i need to learn to focus on just ONE thing at a time. it would make me much more sane.

[BeardofPants]

HoME 7, and Wizard of Earthsea.

[sun-star]

I'm reading the Wizard of Earthsea too. And the Wings of a Dove. Both very interesting :)

[Elven Archer]

i was reading To The Far Blue Mountains but i just stopped reading it. i guess i lost interest after i read the end.

[cassiopeia]

I read George Orwell's Animal Farm in about two hours yesterday. Very interesting. I'm now reading Isaac Asimov's Fantasy Collection (the ones about the little demon thing, Azazel) and a book about ME, Author of the Century.
I have ordered Dune from the library, so I will be reading it soon! :D

[crickhollow]

The History of Nursery Rhymes

[Sicirus]

I have finished The haunting of Hill house and recomend it to all.
I got bored of Tamsin though:( .
I am now reading Dogland : which is about the 1950's and a familly of white southerners hiering an African American to work in Dogland in Florida.

[Coney]

The Amish Phone Book - Very light reading this one.
Adolf Hitler, My Part in His Downfall - Spike Milligan (v.funny)
The Arts Good Study Guide - Tedius, boring but necessary.

Hidden Lives was good, if you like autobiographies that are written by people who aren't famous movie stars :)

[Evenstar1400]

the hobbit
the house on mango street (4 english)

thats it for now... trying to keep unread books in my bookshelf for at least a week

[Legolas_Frodo_Aragorn]

return of the king

and i am the cheese (for english)

[Khamûl]

Right now I'm reading Sun Tzu's 'The Art of War'. Very fascinating book.

[Cirdan]

Khamul, how is the translation, as far as readability?

[Khamûl]

It's not hard to read. It's Samuel B. Griffith's translation with comments under some of the points. At some points, he'll leave a footnote and say, "[This translator] thought that this verse meant [whatever], but it is literally translated as [whatever]." It's actually pretty easy to read and understand.

[_orerunyar_]

Hmm, I usually have a few books going at once, but with school and everything it's kind of hard to find a lot of time to just kick back and read. The book is called The Metaphysical Club by Louis Menand. It's about a group of people in the late 1890's who shared a common idea, and developed the concept of pragmatism (something I believe in for sure). The discussion is part narrative, part history, part drama. It reads almost like Simon Singh (Fermat's Enigma, The Code Book), but with a bit more of a factual-history feel to it. Has anyone else read this book? It was a pretty big seller if I can recall right.

And as always, I have a copy of the Silmarillion close at hand :) and I'm always poking through one computer book, currently The Missing Manual for Dreamweaver MX. Whee :p

[_orerunyar_]

Hmm, I usually have a few books going at once, but with school and everything it's kind of hard to find a lot of time to just kick back and read. The book is called The Metaphysical Club by Louis Menand. It's about a group of people in the late 1890's who shared a common idea, and developed the concept of pragmatism (something I believe in for sure). The discussion is part narrative, part history, part drama. It reads almost like Simon Singh (Fermat's Enigma, The Code Book), but with a bit more of a factual-history feel to it. Has anyone else read this book? It was a pretty big seller if I can recall right.

And as always, I have a copy of the Silmarillion close at hand :) and I'm always poking through one computer book, currently The Missing Manual for Dreamweaver MX. Whee :p

[BeardofPants]

About to start on Red Mars...

[Shadowfax]

I have just started Beowulf, and so far, I love it.:D

[cassiopeia]

I just go Beowulf from the library today! I kept reading about it in regard to Tolkien and his writings, so I thought I'd give it a go.

[Starr Polish]

So far I have finished reading "The Agony and the Ecstasy", "I Never Promised You a Rose Garden" and "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy". All very good books. I think I'm getting a bit more ::quotefingers::worldly::/endquotefingers:: because I understood much of the satire in the last book. Very funny.

Currently reading AP Psych book and the Silmarillion.

[Huan]

Cassiopeia, Beowulf is just plain incredible. And it is indispensible in an understanding of Tolkien. The Rohirrim especially have a lot of Beowulf in them: the sentry who does all the "who goes there?" to Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, and Gandalf at Edoras is taken wholesale from Beowulf and his men's approach to Heorot. And Bilbo taking a cup from Smaug is based on a bit of Beowulf! But LOTR as a whole owes much to Beowulf's sensibility: that sense of an age ending, things going where fate has decided, that kind of sadness of a something that once was great doomed to pass with the wind, but first here's some awesome fights with two ogres and a dragon!
The what-I'm reading update: just finished Stephen Ambrose's Band of Brothers, which was so very good. Now juggling Philip J. Caputo's A Rumor of War, a memoir of one man's experience in the Vietnam War, Mapping Human History, a book about what our species' DNA can tell us about the species' history as a whole and why bigotry is therefore stupid, and the graphic novels Batman: Dark Victory and House of Java, a black-and-white independent.

[BeardofPants]

Changed my mind... I'm reading Northern Lights by Philip Pullman instead. Very readable. Been reading it all day, and I'm almost finished! Been a while since I devoured a book like that.

[crickhollow]

War in Heaven

Huan--the when you watch the TT, do you see Theoden as a sort of "old Beowulf", seeking death and glory?

[Cirdan]

Originally posted by BeardofPants
Changed my mind... I'm reading Northern Lights by Philip Pullman instead. Very readable. Been reading it all day, and I'm almost finished! Been a while since I devoured a book like that.

Where did you find that one? It's not even in print yet here in the US.

[Shadowfax]

Originally posted by Huan
Beowulf is just plain incredible. And it is indispensible in an understanding of Tolkien. The Rohirrim especially have a lot of Beowulf in them: the sentry who does all the "who goes there?" to Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, and Gandalf at Edoras is taken wholesale from Beowulf and his men's approach to Heorot. And Bilbo taking a cup from Smaug is based on a bit of Beowulf! But LOTR as a whole owes much to Beowulf's sensibility: that sense of an age ending, things going where fate has decided, that kind of sadness of a something that once was great doomed to pass with the wind, but first here's some awesome fights with two ogres and a dragon! I totally agree with that! I've read about a quarter of Beowulf and I'm seeing some of these similarities. But what was really interesting was that from when I first started it, it really felt like Rohan, or I guess I should say Rohan seems like it was inspired by Beowulf. (There's even someone named Eomer.) So yeah, I'm basically loving it!:cool:

[cassiopeia]

Originally posted by Huan
Cassiopeia, Beowulf is just plain incredible. And it is indispensible in an understanding of Tolkien. The Rohirrim especially have a lot of Beowulf in them: the sentry who does all the "who goes there?" to Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas, and Gandalf at Edoras is taken wholesale from Beowulf and his men's approach to Heorot. And Bilbo taking a cup from Smaug is based on a bit of Beowulf! But LOTR as a whole owes much to Beowulf's sensibility: that sense of an age ending, things going where fate has decided, that kind of sadness of a something that once was great doomed to pass with the wind, but first here's some awesome fights with two ogres and a dragon!
The what-I'm reading update: just finished Stephen Ambrose's Band of Brothers, which was so very good. Now juggling Philip J. Caputo's A Rumor of War, a memoir of one man's experience in the Vietnam War, Mapping Human History, a book about what our species' DNA can tell us about the species' history as a whole and why bigotry is therefore stupid, and the graphic novels Batman: Dark Victory and House of Java, a black-and-white independent.
I havn't actually gotten past the introduction of Beowulf yet, since I'm juggling a couple of books at once (including Tolkien's Roverandom, I'm very excited about finding that!). I'm going to read Band of Brothers as well, I just watched the series on DVD and it was very good.

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by Cirdan
Where did you find that one? It's not even in print yet here in the US.

Oh, this doesn't bode well. I bought it from a dusty little bookshop somewhere. They had the 3 in a box set, but I only had enough money for the first book, so I bought that. Unfortunately, the only copy they had of the second book was in the box set, so I was kinda counting on borders to have the second one... But if you don't have it over there, then dammit, I'm gonna have to buy the boxset anyway. :rolleyes: [/end ramble]

Oh, and I finished it -- Very good read. Now, if I can only get my hands on the second one. *sigh*

[Cirdan]

It may be worse than that since it was the Spanish language edition listed on Amazon. What is the publish date? It looked to be 2002 but that could be just that version.

Finished UT, BTW.

[billiam]

The Breaking of Northwall - Paul O. Williams

This is the first book (of 7) in The Pelbar Cycle

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by Cirdan
Where did you find that one? It's not even in print yet here in the US.

I just found out that it's called "Golden Compass" over there. I'm not sure why they changed it -- must be one of those dumb yank things. ;)

[Cirdan]

Oh, the Darl Materials trilogy! It was referenced here earlier.

Another dumb yank thing:


From the Amazon reader reviews

"His Dark Materials" is well-written, but since its target audience is pre-adolescent children, it deserves two stars at best. This is NOT a book for children. It is staunchly anti-Christian, and the author has spoken at length about his disdain for Christianity. His motivation for writing this trilogy was to create an atheist version of C.S. Lewis' "Chronicles of Narnia." Characters include a homosexual angel, and the books are suffused with pointless violence and sexuality. God, of course, is portrayed as a sadistic kill-joy who wants to ruin everyone's sex life. If you're a recaltricant atheist who idolizes the ACLU, hates the pledge of allegiance, and thinks that the United States is a "Christian fundamentalist theocracy" on par with Afganistan, then I suppose these books are great for your children. If you're sane, stay away from them."


Ummmm... well, it isjust one point of view.:rolleyes:

[Radagast The Brown]

I have read from my last post (a month ago?) to now one book... pretty boring, but I had to read it when I started. It called Forbiden magic, I think.

[Sicirus]

I am reading a book for school that is pretty good. its called Dust Tracks On A Road By Zora Neale Hurston.:D

[Huan]

Crickhollow, actually I don't see "old Beowulf" when watching TTT, because Peter Jackson's characters are all indesicive and mamby-pamby until they finally come to some big last-minute decision at the very end, which is neither the way of Tolkien nor of Old English poetry. Old Beowulf and Old Theoden (in the book) are just as seize-the-day as they were in their youths. Incidentally, in Beowulf: The Monsters and the Critics, Tolkien says he doesn't think Beowulf's dragon is a particularly successful one, in terms of communicating how awesome (in the true sense of the word) a dragon should be. This once, I disagree with the Professor.

[cassiopeia]

I finished Beowulf! I really liked it. I was surprised I actually got through it, because I had never read that type of work before. I enjoyed reading the small things which Tolkien borrowed for his works as well. I still haven't got Dune yet, still waiting for the library to get it in....:rolleyes:

[Sicirus]

i've never heard of the book by Tolkien called Beowulf. IS it good?

[Cirdan]

Beowolf is not by Tolkien. It is an old English tale. The language is a bit archaic but it is iteresting to see how some of it inspired Tolkien.

[Khamûl]

Isn't there going to be a new found Tolkien translation of Beowulf coming out sometime? That's the version I'm going to buy.

I'm still working on The Art of War, btw.

[Cirdan]

Yep. Someone found at Oxford while researching Tolkien (like digging for treasure).

[Huan]

Is this true!!!???? Oh my god!!! Oh it will be so good. I spent a semester translating Beowulf from the Old English, and if this is true, I just can't wait to see how Tolkien put all those "faithful" translators to utter shame. He's one of the only medieval translators I've read who attempt to preserve the original English words when they are words we're still using, rather than resort to fancy Latin-derived words "modern" readers will supposedly understand better.

[Celandine]

i am reading 'Island of the Blue Dolphins' by Scott O'Dell

[Sicirus]

Originally posted by Celandine
i am reading 'Island of the Blue Dolphins' by Scott O'Dell

I've read parts of that book and found it to be very interesting and good.:D

[Andúril]

Well, I might as well list the books I'm going through for my paper: On Being a Christian. Hans Küng. The Church Struggle in South Africa. John W. de Gruchy. Liberating Life: Contemporary Approaches to Ecological Theology. Charles Birch et al. The Lion Handbook of Christian Belief. Robin Keely et al. Selected articles from the Anchor Bible Dictionary. David Noel Freedman et al.Oh, and a bit of UT on the side... ;)

[Ithilwin]

right now?I'm reading BoLT 2

[Hanza]

Just finished 4th book in 'the confessions of georgia nicolson' series. It was really good and i'd recommend it to any girl. Hilarious!!

[Elf.Freak]

I'm reading Pure Dead Magic

[Aralyn]

Are you sure you people have enough time to read all the books I am reading right now?

See I start a book then take it all over and leave it somewhere ao then I start a new book and the cycle continues . . .

The Last Tsar: The life of Nicholas II of Russia

Elizabeth: Prelude to the throne

The Lost World Of Nicholas and Alexandra: Tsar

Return of the King (this make the 47th time)
My mom wonders how I can read it over and over. I don't feel I need to explain it to my fellow Tolkienites.

Alias: Recruited and last

Star Wars: The Last Witness (Jedi Apprentice)

Well, That was fun I'd better go find them now . . .

[Blackboar]

I'm reading Tolkien, an autobiography.

[Aralyn]

Ooh that's a good book Blackboar. Loved it!

[IronParrot]

My recent reads (say, since Christmas):

A Canticle For Leibowitz - Walter Miller, Jr.
Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
Catch-22 - Joseph Heller

All excellent works. I'm almost ashamed to admit this, but I'd never read any of them before.

[Sicirus]

The ForestWife
by Theresa Tomlinson

And
Wolf star
by Tanith Lee
(Though I forgot to get the first book to read.)

[Rían]

Originally posted by IronParrot
My recent reads (say, since Christmas):
....
Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
....


Great book! I think it has one of the best opening lines of almost any book I've read! (The opening line of The Hobbit is another favorite)

[Khamûl]

What did you think of Catch-22 IronParrot?

[IronParrot]

I thought it was astounding. At first I was a bit disoriented, since it jumps time and place so erratically, but once I settled in I couldn't put it down. It's really a wonderful character piece, I found.

(And it was hilarious.)

[Rían]

I'm reading E. Nesbit's short stories to the kids right now- they're really funny and very clever. I just finished E. Nesbit Fairy Stories, which has classics like "The Charmed Life; or The Princess and the Lift Man", and we're now starting The Last of the Dragons, where we just finished the story of the last dragon, that was really quite nice and didn't want to eat princesses, just drink petrol. Another good one from the first book - "Melisande; or Long and Short Division".

[Artanis]

I've just picked up "The Corrections" by Jonathan Franzen. Before that I read "Great Expectations" by Dickens, and "A roadside picnic" by Arkady & Boris Strugatsky.

I'm also reading LotR, again.

I've got a generous pile of books onmy desk waiting to be read. "Pride and Prejudice" is in there :)

Iron Parrot, of the 4 books you listed I've only read "Brave New World". I guess I ought to be ashamed as well :D

[Shadowfax]

I'm starting My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok; my friend recommended it to me, has anyone else read it?

[BeardofPants]

I'm in between books at the moment. Just finished reading His Dark Materials trilogy, and Red Mars.

[Arathorn]

I'm getting started on Peter Pan right now. :)

[Radagast The Brown]

I can't read new books because the libaray is closed. :(

[Coney]

Regeneration by Pat Barker (http://www.freud.org.uk/warneuroses.html).

Quite a moving and thought provoking story, with some stunning characterisation:)

[Bodo Fraggins]

The Firm by John Grisham, once Im done Im going to watch the film!

[Ithilwin]

I left BoLT2 unfinished and I am now reading The Silmarillion.I'll get back to BoLT when I finish the Sil though...

[Varda]

I am reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Queen of the Valar reading Harry Potter? There's an interesting picture. ;)

[Starr Polish]

Wuthering Heights and Mere Christianity.

[Treebeard's apprentice]

I finally found Douglas Adam's The Ultimate Hitchhicker's Guide. I've been curious to read it for a while but I couldn't find it for sale anywhere. Now I'm glad I'm reading it because it's so wacky.

[annunerin]

The Bumblebee Flies Anyway by Robert Cormier

[Huan]

I just finished No Place Like Home by Gary Younge. It's an account of a black Englishman's experiences in the American South (where I'm from), and the very complicated differences and similarities between the black experience in America and England. Fascinating stuff. Also just finished Alex Robinson's graphic novel Box Office Poison, which I understand the Comics Journal hated, but I couldn't put it down. I've just started Stephen Pinker's The Language Instinct, which is supposed to be a real landmark in linguistics. I also just reread for like the millionth time Lennon Remembers, which is the complete transcript of the interview John Lennon gave to Rolling Stone's Jann Wenner in I think 1971. It's absolutely one of my favorite books ever. John Lennon is God.

[cassiopeia]

Next you'll be saying the Beatles are bigger than Jesus. ;) :)
I'm reading The Letters of JRR Tolkien, at last. I have been waiting sooo long to read it again. And I've got The Return of the Shadow waiting to be read as well.

[Huan]

Not the Beatles, Cassiopeia: just John Lennon :) . Tolkien's letters include some fascinating material, especially the one where he goes into his personal philosophy/intentions regarding what elves and the rings represent (not "allegorically" of course).

[Spock]

Originally posted by cassiopeia
And I've got The Return of the Shadow waiting to be read as well. [/B]

Is that about the character from the 40's radio shows? Also the one in which Alec Baldwin played in the semi-recent movie?

[Huan]

Return of the Shadow is one of them History of Middle Earth volumes, I think.

[sun-star]

I’ve given up reading fiction for Lent, so I’m reading mainly CS Lewis instead - “Reflections on the Psalms” is next on my list. Going to get it from the library tomorrow.

[Miranda]

I've just finished reading Moorstones by Cole and it was brilliant. Was a book I read in my early teens and I couldn't get passed chapter six because it was too scary but now I've finished it (after years of searching for a copy) and I feel very accomplished. Now moved on to Elidor by Garner because I remember the TV series and want to read the original work. Only a few pages into it at the mo though. Mx

[cassiopeia]

Originally posted by Spock
Is that about the character from the 40's radio shows? Also the one in which Alec Baldwin played in the semi-recent movie?
Nope, the History of Middle Earth, part 6. It's Tolkiens early drafts of the Lord of the Rings. Sam isn't even in it yet. Grr....:D

[Baby-K]

I've just finished re-reading The Power of One - Bryce Courtenay (Coney our convo sparked that) so now I've started The Third Twin by Ken Follet. So far it is ok, I haven't really got into it yet, so I have not yet reached the juicy parts.

[annunerin]

the bumblebee flies anyway by robert cormier

[SlushieSnowGirl]

Right now I'm reading a book called Tangerine.

[BeardofPants]

American Gods by Neil Gaiman. EG WOULD be pleased. :D

[Coney]

Originally posted by BeardofPants
American Gods by Neil Gaiman. EG WOULD be pleased. :D

Brilliant book, loved it to bits:)

Re-reading 45 by Bill Drummond.

[IronParrot]

Just finished J.D. Salinger's The Catcher In The Rye... next I'll be moving onto Anthony Giddens' Runaway World, probably the first assigned reading I've had all year (being an engineering student with one political science class right now)...

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Right now I'm reading a topic on Entmoot. ;)

[TinuvielChild]

Currently? BoLT1, Timeline and The Andromeda Strain by Michael Crichton, Men at Arms by Terry Pratchett, and (soon) Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë (for school). Also, I want to read either (or both!) Mere Christianity and/or The Problem of Pain, by C.S.Lewis.

[Silverleaf]

The Witch of Blackbird Pond and Silmarillion and The Legond of Luke

[Linaewen]

The Silm., followed by LotR and the Hobbit, then followed by HoME, then maybe restart the cycle again?!
Actually, when I've done that, i might read some other books I've reserved before i devour Harry Potter 5

[cee2lee2]

I've been on a reading spree the last few days. Just finished up P is for Peril (Sue Grafton), the second Artmemis Fowl book and In This Mountain (Jan Karon). Getting ready to start Master and Commander (Patrick O'Brien). Ahhh...the joy of having a library card. :D

[Varda]

What's So Amazing About Grace? by Phillip Yancey

[Jadera]

The Two Towers (made the mistake of seeing the movie first, resulting in massive confusion when I got through the middle of the book), the biography of John. D. Rockerfeller, the Goblet of Fire, and something else...just can't think of it right now. :o

[support_your_local_elf]

Timeline by Michael Crichton and The Perfect Murder by Jack Hilt, Larence Block, Sarah Caudwell, Tony Hillerman, Peter Lovesey, and Donald E. Westlake (had to check the book for those) and very soon The Silm. and LotR (again.) Probably something else, too.

[Fili]

LotR

[Starr Polish]

I think BoP will be glad to hear that, after reading the required amount of books for my novels class, I've started reading Dune. I'm also reading "And Then There Were None" by Agatha Christie, for my quick read.

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by Coney
Brilliant book, loved it to bits:)



It was very good. Probably would have made more sense if I'd brushed up on some of the other pantheons tho'. :o

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by Starr Polish
I think BoP will be glad to hear that, after reading the required amount of books for my novels class, I've started reading Dune.

W00t! Hope ya enjoy it as much as I did. :)

[Gwaimir Windgem]

I looked up American Gods on Amazon.com. Looks quite interesting. I'll have to read it some time.

[HobbitChick88]

I'm reading the Chronicles of Narnia right nowand i'm on Prince Capian @ the moment, which is the 2nd one. Both of my parents have read them and have been wanting me to read them for years, but I never did. I really should have listened to them, they're really good books! :)
I'm also in the process of reading the Silmarillion, but I'm not getting very far :rolleyes:.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

I just recently re-read Prince Caspian. Excellent book. :)

[elvendrummer87]

i'm kinda in the middle of a million books right now...
Queen's Arrows by Mercedes Lackey; Eye of the World by Robert Jordan; Green Rider by Kristen Britain; One for the Money by Janet Evanovich; and Dragons of Autumn Twilight by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.
Just finished Sword-Sworn by Jennifer Roberson- the whole six-book series about Tiger and Del is fantastic!!! :D

[BeardofPants]

Revelation Space by Alastair Reynolds. I sure hope it gets less boring sometime. :mad:

[Shadowfax]

I have to finish "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding over Spring Break. I think it's an interesting book, but I find Golding's writing difficult to 'get into'.

[Shadowfax]

[double post]

[Blackboar]

Through the glass darkly,

Its a novel about a girl with an illness that she knows will kill her, she is in bed at christmas, and how this angel comes and talks to her about death.

[gimli-son-of-gloin13]

I'm reading, " Companions of the Night". It's about a girl whose little brother asks her to go get his teddy bear that he left at the laundromat. (of course this is at 11 o'clock at night) She can't stand to see him cry so she goes, when she gets it, three guys come in dragging a gagged guy who is bleeding through his leg. Then they take her prisoner while they beat the other guy to death. I havn't gotten to this part yet but the summary says it's about murder and vampires.

[Grey_Wolf]

Have begun reading Harry Turtledove's WW: Striking the Balance and KSR's Blue Mars. Am halfway through Edward Rutherfurd's Sarum (with the intent of reading London and The Forest). Am also reading Arthur Hailey's The Final Diagnosis.

[Carmen]

hi!
im reading "Gone with the Wind" totally boring...
but I read Paolo Coelho's "The Alquimist" and "The Fifth Mountain" and I thougth they were really good...
oh anyway
i read the hobbit but i dont have the LotR although i'd like to read them... :)

[TwirlingString]

I was on a bing of serious adult books, but now I'm vagly depressed so I'm rereading my trixie belden and every other childrens book I can get my hands on. (ps: Does any one know when the next of Bruce Coville's into the Land of the Unicornbooks is supposed to come out?)

[IronParrot]

I started The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy.

So much literature in the world to read, so little time.

[Artanis]

Currently reading 'What I loved' by Siri Hustvedt. So far it's full of references to artwork that I don't know of :rolleyes:

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Originally posted by IronParrot
So much literature in the world to read, so little time.

Somehow, I don't think you'll manage it all...;)

[cassiopeia]

I finally got Dune from the library! It's...weird. Something about Gom Jabbers and a crysknife (did I spell that right?) I've only read fifty pages. I'm sure I'll get into it soon. It freaked me out when I saw it had appendices. :D

[BeardofPants]

:D

[TwirlingString]

Originally posted by cassiopeia
I finally got Dune from the library! It's...weird. Something about Gom Jabbers and a crysknife (did I spell that right?) I've only read fifty pages. I'm sure I'll get into it soon. It freaked me out when I saw it had appendices. :D It gets MUCH weirder, you'll love it though, trust me...:p

[Spock]

ISN'T "dune" sci-fi" and isn't this in the wrong forum.?

[Starr Polish]

Originally posted by Carmen
hi!
im reading "Gone with the Wind" totally boring...


WHAT? I loved Gone with the Wind! I read the entire thing in a week, and I've read it about seven times since.

About 150 pages from the end of Dune. It does get much stranger. You think gom jabbars and crysknifes are strange? :eek: I think I'm missing a lot of things though, it can be confusing, but I love it. I'm flying through it, considering how busy I am.

[Coney]

Currently reading 'Before I Say Goodbye' by Ruth Picardie (http://www.fsbassociates.com/holt/beforeisaygoodbye.htm) (subtitled 'The Bottom Line is, I'm Dying')

It's the letters, emails and journal extracts from the author, she died of cancer in 1997.

Grim stuff, but ya gotta read a bit of grim 'real life' stuff now and again.......at least I think I need to.

EDIT: The link contains extracts which have a couple of swear words in 'em, don't hit it if yer the sensitive type:)

[gimli7410]

a midsummers night dream by shakespeare

[Orion]

I´m re-reading Terry Pratchett´s "Witches Abroad", which is a great book - very clever and humorous.

[sun-star]

Originally posted by gimli7410
a midsummers night dream by shakespeare

I'm reading that too, for school. I like it, but not so much when you have to write about the bestiality element :D

[Jadera]

Originally posted by Spock
ISN'T "dune" sci-fi" and isn't this in the wrong forum.?


Dune was originally a book series, before it was made into movies. I've never read it, but I suppose I should since it comes highly recommended on the 'Moot. ;)

I'm reading Anne Perry's Face of a Stranger, which is the first in the William Monk series. It's pretty good so far.

[Starr Polish]

I finished Dune. Wow. Not what I expected. I loved it and it is definitely worthy enough of being bought (I TRY not to buy many books, I'm a library person). I'm just getting through the appendices now, and I'm going to start The Count of Monte Cristo next.

[Sicirus]

Have just finished Wolf Tower and cannot wait to go back to library to get Wolf Star. :D

[Huan]

I just read a very funny book about the White Album. I'm currently reading The English: A Portrait of a People, by Jeremy Paxman. It's extremely entertaining; it turns out the English are interesting! :) Recently finished Michael Moore's Stupid White People and Bill Bryson's Notes From a Small Island and I'm a Stranger Here Myself (I think those are the correct titles). Still plowing through Stephen Pinker's The Language Instinct and just started A New Comparative Grammar of Greek and Latin. Sounds like a real page-turner doesn't it?

[Phooka]

I'm reading a compilation of assorted haunted house tales, yes, I love this stuff.

It's one in the "Mammoth" series.

[Millane]

Marilyn Manson's autobiodraphy The Long Hard Road out of Hell ... well what can i say the bloke is a tad wierd but he is undeniably a genius and this shows through in this book... ummm its very intelligent philosophically and raises many issues about the society we live in... im only about halfway through and it is dominated by drugs and all sorts of weird sex and his rejection of christianity... f***ed yes, good read though:)

[Starr Polish]

I am now reading "Stargirl" for my light reading, when I need a break from Count of Monte Cristo. It's a book about nonconformity (:)), and someone told me that I should read it, because I reminded her of Stargirl. I don't know how, since I'm not nearly the individual Stargirl was...we'll see, I haven't reached the end of the book.

[Shadowfax]

Starr, are you enjoying The Count of Monte Cristo? My friend recommended it to me and I hope to read it soon. Right now I'm starting Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott.

[Starr Polish]

It's okay. I liked Wuthering Heights better.

[gandalfstormcrow]

Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind

[Earniel]

Right now I'm reading The Unicorn War by John Lee. Not really 'high' fantasy but surprisingly enjoyable.

[Ornelírë Mistë]

I am reading Doctor Zhivago, Siddharta, and Canterbury Tales.

[Starr Polish]

The Count of Monte Cristo is extremely slow sometimes! It's infuriating. I'll get through it though. I've heard it gets better after some slow spots in the middle.

I finished Stargirl the first day I got it, so now I'm reading Angus, Thongs and Full Frontal Snogging: Confessions of Georgia Nicolson by Louise Rennison. It's supposed to be a good, quirky book. I also have two more books I bought today for when I'm done with that.

I love books.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Books rock. :D

[Starr Polish]

Just finished Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. Definitely can relate some of the events in the story to my freshman year in high school (not all of them, thank goodness.) A good, depressing book. It was an Edgar Allen Poe Award Finalist.

Hmm...should I start on J.R.R. Tolkien: Author of the Century, or actually read Count? It's sooo boring. Blah.

[IronParrot]

Shippey's Author of the Century is probably the best Tolkien analysis I've read. I urge you to wolf it down right away.

But don't leave a book unfinished if you're already on it. It's near impossible to get back to it afterwards...

[GrayMouser]

"The Crusades", by Hans Meyer- it just seemed appropriate for these times- but that's another thread altogether:)

[Earniel]

I finished the Unicorns so now I'm reading From Aegir to Ymir by Paula Vermeyden and the Lays of Beleriand. It's obvious the holidays have started. :D

[Salquënòrëwen]

I'm reading A Ring of Endless Light by Madeline L'lengle. I usually chose books with higher standards, though it is a fairly good book, but at my school, we have to get a certain amount of "points" by reading and then taking a test on a book, and I'm only reading it because I'm in desperate need of points.

[Ninquelote]

I'm reading The Two Towers (again). I've only 30 pages to go, then I'm off to read The Return of The King again.

[Rían]

Originally posted by Eärniel
....and the Lays of Beleriand. It's obvious the holidays have started. :D

Oh, let me know what you think of Lays of B! Enjoy the hols :) Did your practical (?) get finished?

[Earniel]

Yep, practical got finished, not without SOME serious prodding myself to get it (barely) finished in time. (I discovered a typing error just before handing it in. :( whei!) But holidays it is! And when I should actually also be doing some studying I can't help it but catching up with my reading and I've been ogling the Lays of Beleriand for half a year now. I just couldn't help myself anymore. I'll keep you posted. :)

[Ninquelote]

I got to write a book report on the Silmarillion earlier. I got an honours, which is the Public School equivalent of an A.
:D I was happy. He said I took a very confusing book and wrote a very concise and clear summary.

Considering that I really only summarized two chapters, and it's impossible to summarize in one page in it's entirety, it's pretty good. :D

[Sicirus]

I am working on the following
Wolf Star*Tanith Lee
Hexiwood*Diana Wynnejones
Dawn Rider*Jan Hudson
the martian chronicles* Ray Bradbury
Silver Wolf*Alice Bordchart
Alot yes.:p
Oh, and two towers after awhile then finish Goblet of Fire for the 7th time
I have no life really.:D

[cassiopeia]

I just finished Dune...I liked it. Are the sequels worth reading?
I bought Great Expectations by Charles Dickens today for the bargain price of $4.95. I couldn't pass up the oportunity to buy such a great book. It's a very nice edition, with pictures and is in hardcover. So I'm reading that now.

[Gwaimir Windgem]

Lord Foul's Bane, by Stephen R Donaldson. Recommended by a certain 'Mootling.

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by cassiopeia
I just finished Dune...I liked it. Are the sequels worth reading?

The sequels aren't for everyone. For every person I've spoken to about Dune, there've been several who've slammed the sequels as being an overkill. I think they're worth reading, and I certainly don't think he went "asimov" on them, but a warning: Dune Messiah (the next one) *is* the weakest in the series, IMO.

I just finished revelation space. It took ages, cos I just couldn't get into it. It was... weird. I can't quite decide if I liked it or not.

[Linaewen]

Originally posted by Sicirus
I am working on the following
Wolf Star*Tanith Lee
Hexiwood*Diana Wynnejones
Dawn Rider*Jan Hudson
the martian chronicles* Ray Bradbury
Silver Wolf*Alice Bordchart
Alot yes.:p
Oh, and two towers after awhile then finish Goblet of Fire for the 7th time
I have no life really.:D

All at the same time? Even I don't do that. And I'm a total bookaholic. I've been reading truckloads since I was small. Reading is the reason my eyes are screwed up. :cool: But I don't have glasses (as yet).

I have read Wolf Star, but not Hexwood because I don't really like the books Diana Wynne Jones writes for older kids. They are more sci-fi, which is not my cup of tea.

[TheWhiteRider]

I am reading none other than the two towers, right now. I am also in the middle of The Hitchhicker's Guide to the Galaxy, which, if i'm not mistaken, Ninquelote is a fan of as aquired from your sig. Those books are so funny!:D

[TheWhiteRider]

oh, and I have also finished the third book in the Foundation series. Very interesting books to me. They are cool, because it is sci-fi, but it's somehow believable, like the future could happen that way.

[Ninquelote]

Originally posted by TheWhiteRider
I am reading none other than the two towers, right now. I am also in the middle of The Hitchhicker's Guide to the Galaxy, which, if i'm not mistaken, Ninquelote is a fan of as aquired from your sig. Those books are so funny!:D

Hehe, I finished rereading the two towers a few days ago. Sam and Frodo's journey through Shelob's lair still gets to me. So sad.

Yup, that I am. It's hilarious. Although I only got halfway through 'So long and thanks for all the fish' before realizing that I had to go back to school... I haven't picked it up since.

[BeardofPants]

Originally posted by TheWhiteRider
oh, and I have also finished the third book in the Foundation series. Very interesting books to me. They are cool, because it is sci-fi, but it's somehow believable, like the future could happen that way.

Yeah: pity the rest of the series is crap....


Ninquelote, if your lembas is really that bad, then wouldn't it be cram? :p

[Sicirus]

Originally posted by Linaewen
All at the same time? Even I don't do that. And I'm a total bookaholic. I've been reading truckloads since I was small. Reading is the reason my eyes are screwed up. :cool: But I don't have glasses (as yet).

I have read Wolf Star, but not Hexwood because I don't really like the books Diana Wynne Jones writes for older kids. They are more sci-fi, which is not my cup of tea.

Actually I am starting with Wolf Star then going on to the others. I have a load of homework so books are good for spar time and bus rides. Though I get scared to take any of my pracious Tolkien books with me to schgool since the book bag messes up the covers. I love the Wolf books so far.
Claidi is funny.:D I am trying to find a book on werewolf history. I adore werwolves and ohter were animals (weredingo,weretiger,and werehyena(sp)

[TheWhiteRider]

Originally posted by Sicirus
I have a load of homework so books are good for spar time and bus rides.
yea, 40 min. each way on the bus. I've read on the bus since i was little ;)

BeardOfPants: The rest of the series is crap?:( Oh well i probably wouldn't finish them anyway.

Ninquelote: Thats about how far i am in the Hitchhicker's Guide. I stopped when I felt a sudden urge to re-read LotR.:)

[Hasty Ent]

Finally started Clea, Book 4 in Durrell's Alexandria Quartet.
STILL reading the Sil (will it ever get easier?:( )
The Essential Wordsworth
East into Upper East: Plain Tales from New York and New Delhi
by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala
and Bill Bryson's Notes from a Small Island -- Thank You, Coney!!

[Linaewen]

Originally posted by Hasty Ent
Finally started Clea, Book 4 in Durrell's Alexandria Quartet.
STILL reading the Sil (will it ever get easier?:( )
The Essential Wordsworth
East into Upper East: Plain Tales from New York and New Delhi
by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala
and Bill Bryson's Notes from a Small Island -- Thank You, Coney!!

Hehe. It won't get easier if you keep reading while reading other books. I love the Silmarillion, just stick with it all the way through and you won't regret it.

Me:
-FotR
-Then, I will start to read Abhorsen by Garth Nix (or should I just finish rereading the entire LotR first?)

[Aralyn]

I'm reading Jurassic Park. I love it so far. I've seen the movie and being crazy had to read the book. Also Algebra for the Clueless.:rolleyes: Quadratics and all . . .

[cee2lee2]

Acorna's World by Anne McCaffrey. My mom got me started on the Acorna series and this is the 4th book. Read the first three last week.

[Linaewen]

I was going to read that when I was in my 'Read any popular fantasy book' phase.( I basically borrowed any books that were popular. This was because I had just finished a really good book, and when this happens, I get upset. The only way to cure this is to read another really good book... and so the vicious cycle continues) But I didn't due to:

a) It was sci-fi. I don't like sci-fi
b) I reread TT just in time for the movie, then got hooked on Tolkien's books again.

[sun-star]

I can't read as much as I want to at the moment, because I'm revising for exams. Of course, some of my revision involves re-reading books, but it just isn't the same, is it? :(

[Radagast The Brown]

I'm reading Eleen Stars - I think. I'm not sure about the translation. By Tracy Hickman and Margaret Weis.

[Elvellyn]

I'm reading the Silmarillion, too. And I'm not exactly what you'd call a speed reader either. I'm also reading Sense and Sensibiltity by Jane Austen.

[Aralyn]

I'm reading Grandmother Elsie, The Living Clarinet and Tolkien's Book of Virtues

[crickhollow]

I just finished the Wrinkle in Time Trilogy this weekend. The last, I think, is my favorite of the three.

Now I'm starting Phantasties by George MacDonald

[Ragnarok]

Unfinished Tales :-)

[Radagast The Brown]

I'm reading Red Mars.

[Starr Polish]

Schindler's List.

[sun-star]

I can read fiction again now Lent is over! My new PG Wodehouse book is first on my list :D

[BeardofPants]

I'm currently read Sheri S. Tepper's The Visitor. Really, really good. I shall have to track down some of her other stuff once I've finished this one. Before this, I read Maus, and Watchmen.

[Aralyn]

Readin' Song of Power, Goddes of Yesterday and Forests of Night

Th last one mentioned was my first vampire book and I like it

[Earniel]

'The cabinet of curiosities' (or at least I think it is, I'm reading the Dutch translation)by Preston & Child

[Linaewen]

The Two Towers. (as well as the Hobbit and UT). Can't get enought of Tolkien!

[Baby-K]

Finished The Secret Diary of God a few weeks ago ('twas quite funny indeed), now I'm looking for some suggestions, what do you guys think would be a good read?

In the meantime I'll just re-read Jackdaws

[gandalfstormcrow]

Finished "Wizard's First Rule" and now have begun "Tailchaser's Song" by Tad Williams.

[Coney]

At the moment I'm re-reading Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh.....brilliant book, slightly disturbing, but brilliant :)

(should point out to the kiddies that's it's not pg-13, or pg-18 in fact........but IMO it should be read by everyone who actually has to live in the real world :) ).

[Rían]

Originally posted by crickhollow
Now I'm starting Phantasties by George MacDonald

Oh, crick, let me know what you think - I've always wanted to read that book.

[sun-star]

I'm currently listening to a prose version of the Odyssey on cassette. It's so good I can't describe it :)

[Lalaith]

Hhhmmm, me as a Tolkien fan .... no seriously, I'm just reading The Fellowship of the ring, but this time in English. It's not that difficult for me to understand, but it takes a lot of concentration, and therefore I'm reading it since March.
my next book will probably be "Owen Meany" by John Irving.

[Aralyn]

I'm reading Mary, Bloody Mary.

[Earniel]

I'm reading 'Foundation and Earth' by Isaac Asimov.

[Elfhelm]

Sartre these days, Existential is a Humanism at the moment.

[Hanza]

I am reading Boy and Going Solo by Roald Dahl. They are both his autobiographies (sp?)
Its really good so far

[turtlelover]

I'm readin' the return of the king

[frodosgirlfriend]

I'm reading Hearts in Atlantis. My first Stephen King book.

[Dreran the Green]

I'm reading the posts on this thread:D

Oh yeah, and the Silmarillion

[Raistlin]

me a quartet by tamora pierce really good

[markedel]

I just finished Harry Turtledove's latest. He makes me waste so much money :D

[Psycho Kitty]

Bastard out of Carolina - Dorothy Allison

[Ragnarok]

I'm currently working on Unfinished Tales :)

[Miranda]

The Saving Graces- some female empowerment book, or that's the impression I'm getting. Its pretty lame but I hate to give up on a book half way through! Mx

[IronParrot]

Just started making my way through Miguel de Cervantes' Don Quixote for the first time (the Smollett translation).

[elvendrummer87]

Just finished the Janet Evanovich books (so funny!) and am now working on the first Dragonlance book. (Dragons of Autumn Twilight)

[Starr Polish]

Siddhartha, by Herbert Hesse (?). It's...interesting.