we still doing the what we're reading/etc thing?

[mrmontie]

sure, why not. Last week I ran out of both books and video games on the same night. Which was of course the night before my only real day off during the week. So I was left to the desperate measures of downloading Arkanoid on my xbox.

After all this time, the Amiga version from the 80's is the best one I've seen.

Anyway, I finished off the Night Angel trilogy from Brent Weeks. The Assassin's Creed ripoff cover caught my attention but then made me dismiss the series for the longest time. Not bad books. He ends up cramming what I'd consider 2 books worth into the third one, so it felt rushed and a bit unsatisfying at the conclusion, but I found them to be worth a read.

The main character is a sort of quasi immortal anti hero assassin. Not to be confused with the anti hero assassin from Robin Hobb's books.

Read the latest Harry Bosch book last night. A bit darker than his usual, but good if too quick a read. Read Bourne Identity. The movie needed to have followed the book a bit more closely. At least where Marie was concerned, rather than completely trivializing the only real female role.

Playing Borderlands on xbox. Its touted as the marriage between first person shooter and RPG. So far its delivering entertainment. It has up to 4 person co-op play that people can come and go from at their leisure. Its essentially set somewhere between Mad Max and Fallout but has enough of its own style to come off more as homage than outright robbery.

This will have to tide me over until Dragon Age Origins comes out. If done properly, this could be another Oblivion as far as proper fantasy RPG goes in the video game world. We shall see in a couple of weeks.

Finished up the MST3K offerings that netflix had on instant play. there were fewer of them that I thought, which makes me sad.

Thought of the day: if you're going to do something terrible to someone in the US then make sure they are the same race and sexual orientation that you are. otherwise its illegaler.

[Berin Kinsman]

I haven't had time to read. I'm currently san Netflix and move of my DVDs are packed, so I've been listening to the radio while I write.

Actually, I take it back. Cameron and Linda have started watching the David Tennant Doctor Who ,and I've watched some with them.

[mrmontie]

Wavy Brain closed down a while back didn't it?

[Berin Kinsman]

No idea. I'll ask around and find out.

[Deidzoeb]

I'm in the middle of reading Wuthering Heights, finally following through on the recommendation from my favorite creative writing professor. It's not as difficult as I expected to get through the antiquated language, but I would enjoy it more if I could sympathize with any of the characters. They're either spoiled brats who die from getting too emotional, or so consumed with revenge that they destroy their own lives and everyone they love.

The Color of Magic by Terry Prachett was the first Discworld book I've read. It didn't thrill me enough to make me run out and get others in the series. For those of you who like the series, are there any particular installments that you'd recommend? Ones that might convert me to being a fan?

The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan follows the history of how humans domesticated 4 plants (or were domesticated by those plants): potatoes, apples, tulips and cannabis. Fun fact: up to the time of Prohibition, more people drank apples (in the form of hard cider) than ate them. Ready to reconsider your image of Johnny Appleseed?

[Xose Lucero]

I read that as "The Botany of Desire by Michael Palin" and got excited. It still sounds interesting though.

The Discworld books kind of fall into five divisions: Rincewind the wizard, Witches, Death himself, the City Watch, and, I guess, Potpourri. There's some overlap but you don't have to read one bunch to enjoy the others. If The Color of Magic didn't thrill you it might be worth trying the Death series or the City Watch. The Witches are awesome too but I think more people dig the other two.

There's even a handy chart. :)

[Deidzoeb]

Aha, then maybe one of those other Discworld protagonists would interest me more. Rincewind wasn't very compelling, although I was curious to see what earth-shattering spell he had accidentally memorized. Thought it might be revealed by the end of the book, but I guess that's later (if ever). I saw part of the Hogfather on tv, maybe I should track down the book.

Some of the blurbs said Pratchett was similar to/as good as/in the same league as Douglas Adams. I didn't see it. Guess that's just blurbs being blurbs.

[Xose Lucero]

Not to be a total fanboy but I think Pratchett's pretty solidly in the 80th percentile of Douglas Adams's league. Not right at the top but he'd still get into a good school. Still, The Color of Magic isn't his best. Heck, it's the first in a series of, what, twenty now? It took a bit to hit the stride, or find the formula if you want to be snarky. Actually, his stuff gets very formulaic later but he does the formula so well that, in my opinion, his work transcends itself. Every time I read a Discworld book I think it should be schlock but it's just so good.

So much for not being a total fanboy...

Anyhoo, you might also try the second book, The Light Fantastic. It's a direct continuation of the story from The Color of Magic, whereas the other books in the series are just in roughly chronological order.

[Deidzoeb]

I am kinda curious about where they're going next after The Color of Magic. Just not wowed by the banter between Rincewind and the Tourist, which became rapidly predictable. I'll keep an eye out for more.

[mrmontie]

That was my problem with Heights as well, ages ago. In fact its often my problem with lots of literature. I just don't find a good deal of it to be compelling. Still, it beat Jean Eyre. though getting beaten beats that...

I didn't even remember that I'd read The Pendragon Cycle or whatever until it was mentioned. I found it to be a dull slog as well.

Color of Magic was the first Pratchett book I ever read and it was kind of a wonder that I read any of the others. It was ok, but something about it just seemed to demand that I take a year to finish it despite its brevity. Not the best example of his work, though it does contain some good bits. I don't recall which titles were which as far as the ones i've enjoyed, but it looks as if others have covered that.

I'm waiting for Wuthering Heights and Werewolves to become a reality. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies was a commercial success, but Sense and Sensibilty and Seamonsters is much less so. Perhaps the trend will die there before other authors become involved.

[Xose Lucero]

On a friend's recommendation I just started Stephen Lawhead's Taliesin, part one of the "Pendragon cycle". So far it's a pretty dull slog. We'll see if it gets better.

I'm also rereading Sherlock Holmes.

[Hank Harwell]

I read the series through to Arthur. I thought that was to be the end of the cycle, and stopped. Then i found there was two more (I think) in the series. I was disappointed, but not enough to track them down. I have a set of trade ppbks, and the regular ones at the store wouldn't match. I can't believe I just admitted that.

Anyway, I thought it was a pretty thorouh and decent retelling of the legend.

I'd also recommend Byzantium and Lawhead's Crusade series (I can't remember the name right now).

[Xose Lucero]

Dude, I've also bought (or refused to buy) books based on whether they'd match ones I own. You're among friends, or at least similar weirdos. :)