Amanda's Book Club

[Amanda_kirby]

Always on the lookout for new and exciting topics, and always game to share my positive 'reading experiences', thought a book club might be nice! Who's in? Post away with your suggestions, brief summaries, and poignant insights.

Muah, Amanda

 

[nolabel]

Zittrain, The Future of the Internet: and how to stop it (2008)

Rather apropos, don't you think?

 

[blank_dave]

Ooo I like this idea....So hook me up!!

I'll chime in with Jim Butcher's Dresden Files. Written in the first person, the main character is Harry Dresden, professional wizard/private investigator. The setting is the pretty standard modern shadow fantasy world. So on the surface the world is like our own...Except in the shadows all the boogly monters are real. Magic? Real. Fairies? Real. Vampires? Real...All three courts. Werewolves? All sorts of varients. The series itself is semiserial, in that each book builds on the previous...But they are also self contained, so you can jump in any where as well. The books standardly start as PI/mystery fare with Harry having to investigate something, but it quickly decends into action/adventure which sees Harry getting the shit kicked out of himself. Don't go in expecting a classic in the rough, or some thought inspiring sage, you won't get it here. They are simple fun reads.

 

[dreamblade]

I'm in too!

I concur that Jim Butcher rocks. He's my favourite author at the moment. You should also check out his straight fantasy series, The Codex Alera. Instead of being set in a medieval or renaissance setting, his world is set in a Roman-like society, where everyone is in tune with an element: Air, water, fire, earth, wood, and metal. The power over the elements stems from a semi-sentient spirit called a fury. The story centers around Tavi, who was born with no furies, and is therefore considered an aberration. The last book just came out less than a month ago.

If you like the Dresden Files, you should also check out Rob Thurman's series, which is what I'm reading now. Two brothers, one a kickass martial artist, the other is not quite human.

 

[Amanda_kirby]

Jim Butcher, eh? He's now officially on my 'take a peek next time I'm at Chapters' list. Dresden Files sounds interesting. And I'm not usually a fantasy person, usually more straight sci-fi. What else do we have on the go out there? I'm hoping my Christmas stocking surprises me with a couple good paperbacks I wouldn't have picked out on my own...

 

[Muddy]

I'll recommend any of the three books by John Burdett - Bangkok 8 and Bangkok Haunt are the two titles that come to mind instantly. Set in Thailand, they're detective/thriller/
adventure novels - with an interesting take on many things in the Far East, including the sex trade.

Also check the new best-seller, Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - a page-tuner detective book set in Sweden. Brilliant stuff!

 

[blank_dave]

Just to carry on the trend...In the same 'World of Darkness.' I offer up....

Thomas Sniegoski's A Kiss Before The Apocalypse.

Another private eye themed book, with heavy religious overtones. The main character is Remy Chandler...Formerly known as the angel Remiel of the Heavenly Host Seraphim. Set in the modern day, it frequently flashes back to Remy's history. (Read: the war in Heaven, the fall of the Morningstar, and Remiel's decision to leave Heaven behind)

It starts out with Remy working a typical adultery case, having tailed the target to a motel. Whilst waiting outside, he hears a gunshot. When he goes to investigate, he finds the mistress naked on the bed with a bible clutched to her breast and a fatal bullet wound. The target, whom is also naked...and holding a gun, claims to be able to see who Remy really is, and can't believe that one has been sent for him, then kills himself. Later in the book, Remy's called to the hospital...The couple aren't dead...But their souls are screaming out in torment, wishing to be collected, along with many others. The Angel of Death has gone AWOL, and has taken his scroll to summon the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

I've also read his short story that appears in the anthology Mean Streets, featuring Remy.

Couple of interesting notes from the books...
A lot of Angels don't like Mankind...Apparently we're God's favourite pets, and have a unique spark of the divine in us that even the Angels lack.

Many of the fallen Angels have really messed up ideas about how to get back into God's good graces, including slaughtering their own children.

Again, nothing really mind alters, or view of the world changing, but a good read IMO.

 

[blank_dave]

Staying in the theme of fantasy, let's talk...

Terry Pratchett's Discworld series!!

Terry Pratchett is a very prolific writer with a very entertaining twist on things...Plus he blatantly rips off other authors. Catch him while you can though, because his days of writing are numbered due to being diagnoses as suffering Early Onset Altziemers (sp?)

I'm going to paraphrase Terry's web page to describe it...I's a series, but no serial, but instead a series of mini-series.

Unlike most series which as a small cluster of main characters, which we follow as reader, Terry keeps all his characters in a bucket. When its time to write a book, he reaches into that bucket and pulls out characters and those are the main characters, the rest can become the supporting cast. So this book you can have the incompetent wizard Rincewind, the next Death and his granddaughter, followed by the Night Watch, or Nanna Ogg.

Also to note, this is not serious series. Tongue is firmly buried in cheek. I find the earlier books to be quite funny...If you have a grounding in earlier fantasy (ie Conan, Elric, Grey Mouser and Ffarhrd), because he draws heavily on it.

And now to rip something off his site...

Terry Pratchett himself sums it up best:

"The world rides through space on the back of a turtle. This is one of the great ancient world myths, found wherever men and turtles are gathered together; the four elephants were an indo-European sophistication. The idea has been lying in the lumber room of legend for centuries. All I had to do was grab it and run away before the alarms went off."

"There are no maps. You can't map a sense of humor. Anyway, what is a fantasy map but a space beyond which There Be Dragons? On the Discworld we know There Be Dragons Everywhere. They might not all have scales and forked tongues, but they Be Here all right, grinning and jostling and trying to sell you souvenirs."

 

[blank_dave]

Yet more fantasy, but this time it's graphical...

Stan Sakai's Usagi Yojimbo.

Literally translated Rabbit Bodyguard.

Yes, it's a comic book, but I pick it up when they release the graphic novel compilations. Should I also point out that this series has been running for 25 years.

At first glance, Stan's style looks like it's aimed at children. It's very open and simplified style. But upon closer examination there is a fair deal of care and attention given to the smaller details. Add to that his style allows him to go pages without the use of dialogue, you get to enjoy a very visual story telling experience.

His stories are heavily based up Japanese folk lore, legends, culture and history. Again, it makes for interesting reading.

And for the younger set, yes you may have already seen Usagi...On the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!! Stan gets along with Eastman and Laird, the creators of TMNT, as such their characters have indeed crossed paths in their respective series.

Apparently Stan is a really cool guy to boot. A few years ago, Stan was one of the guests at Anime North. Wyldstar Comics were one of the vendors there. The owner of Wyldstar saw Stan wandering the vendor room, and asked him if he'd sign a copy of The Art of Usagi Yojimbo. Stan's answer was no. He then came around the table, took the book, seated himself, and did a two page drawing on the inside cover/cover page of the book!!

 

[blank_dave]

Now to switch things up, a book that popped my cherry...

Jonathan Littell's Bad Voltage

My first, and favourite, venture into the cyberpunk genre.

Another first person based novel, given from the point of view of a mixed blood, Paris based, bisexual, drug using gang banger named Lynx..Did I mention he's also possibly a statutory rapist, since the one character is rather young..

First part is just him living it up with his gang and lover. The next part is him falling into a bad, jaded, upper crust crowd and falling out. Ending with him as a corporate saboteur.

It's been a while since I've read it, but looking back, I may agree with Littel, it's "a very bad science-fiction novel" But being my first cyberpunk novel, it still holds a special place for me.

And with that, I'm going to quit spamming this thread.

 

[browsing]

One of my favorite series that I've been able to read over and over again...

Incarnations of Immortality by Piers Anthony. A semi fantasy series.

Each book deals with an Incarnation (Death, Time, Fate, War, Nature etc.) and how they all intertwine. Each book on it's own is very good, but it's the series of books once put together that makes it great.

 

[Amanda_kirby]

I think I'm nominating blank_dave for co-chair. And I'm vaguely ashamed to admit I've never read anything by Pratchett...

To branch out from the fantasy genre, has anyone else read "Neuropath"?

 

[badboy1]

for me, John LeCarre (may remember him from movie Spy Who Came In From theCold) and Viktor Frankl, for those oh so serious, and interesting in thinking.

 

[blank_dave]

I think I'm nominating blank_dave for co-chair.

That is a nomination that I should decline, as my availability and dedication are in question.

And I'm vaguely ashamed to admit I've never read anything by Pratchett...

Most Chapters have a shelf to a shelf and a half of his materials. I personally enjoy the Night Watch 'series' (Guards, Guards; Man at Arms, Feet of Clay, etc), and the Rincewind 'series' (Colour of Magic, The Light Fantastic...)

 

[SpaClient]

Good Omen by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman is a nice end-of-the-world appocolyptic comedy. This was the book that turned me into a Neil Gaiman fan.

 

[demien2k5]

My vote is for "Green Eggs and Ham" by that renowned physician Dr. Seuss. I laughed, I cried, I peed my pants...had me on the edge of my seat right to the very end.

Second nomination would be "Are you there God? It's me, Margaret." For all those fetishists out there....

 

[Amanda_kirby]

Good Omen by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman is a nice end-of-the-world appocolyptic comedy. This was the book that turned me into a Neil Gaiman fan.

Love that book. So I correct myself, I have read something by Pratchett, it was a collaborative effort. Quite funny, in the absurdist vein.

My vote is for "Green Eggs and Ham" by that renowned physician Dr. Seuss. I laughed, I cried, I peed my pants...had me on the edge of my seat right to the very end.

Second nomination would be "Are you there God? It's me, Margaret." For all those fetishists out there....

Yeah, little note to anyone reading "Are you there God?...", the 'breast-enlarging exercises' don't work. Lol!

 

[WineGuy]

Have you tried Neal Stephenson

Amanda,

Have you read Neal Stephenson's books like Snow Crash and Diamond Age.
I think you'll like those books.

Love your touch by the way

 

[freestuff]

I'm more than halfway through Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters. I've also read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. I must admit that I haven't read the "first drafts" of these novels, but these "final versions" are pretty amusing and a nice change of pace.

 

[CRP]

I could make gazillions of recommendations but since we seem to be sticking to Sci-Fi and Fantasy I must put in a word for one of my faves, George R. R. Martin. I discovered him through his epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire. It's quite different from most fantasy in that magic pokes its head up only rarely. In fact, it reads more like medieval historical fiction set in an invented world. And unlike many works in the genre, it's not cleaned up so that it can straddle the "Young Adult" market. It's full of naughty words and <gasp> sex, gore, torture...Just like the real 14th Century! The first book in the series is called A Game of Thrones and I highly recommend it.

Martin is also an excellent science fiction writer. If you lean that way I recommend his recent short story collection Dreamsongs, which covers his entire career and includes fascinating commentary by the author.