The FBT: Favourite Book Thread

[Ashley]

Angel? lol... ok.

Try and watch any episode of Six Feet Under. That's intepretitive. Same goes for Lynch and Takashi's movies... And yet, books will always be more subjective.

Now if you're speaking of Angel... I'll stop arguing. Anyone who watches that series and takes it seriously is beyond reach.

 

It has serious issues (family - the ones you make and the hellish ones you are born into), xenophobia and other stuff I can't be bothered to think of as im in a rush. But in the last episode they set up a big fight between Angel and co and the powers that will be. You know its going to be epic and bloody and they all happen to meet in an alley (long story) and the demon hordes start piling in and you think a fight is going to start but then Angel just says "personally, I want to slay the dragon" and it cuts. Question its academic creditentials if you like, but the ambigious ending does exemplify my point.

[Oxigen_Waste]

It has serious issues (family - the ones you make and the hellish ones you are born into), xenophobia and other stuff I can't be bothered to think of as im in a rush. But in the last episode they set up a big fight between Angel and co and the powers that will be. You know its going to be epic and bloody and they all happen to meet in an alley (long story) and the demon hordes start piling in and you think a fight is going to start but then Angel just says "personally, I want to slay the dragon" and it cuts. Question its academic creditentials if you like, but the ambigious ending does exemplify my point.

 

... yay?

I won't even bother to reply. You said it all.

[Rummy]

I have read some of Discworld, but not all, so I won't pass judgement on all of those yet, whilst they were very good, I sort of fell out of reading them for some reason(got about 5 books from the series in my possession I need to read, plus about 30 more I don't have which I need to read). The great thing about these is that they are well written, full of great humour, and full of cross references to the discworld universe, but you can actually read them in any order! Brilliant! You'll see various characters cropping up in the different books, and my favourite is probably good ol Death himself.

 

The two obvious ones;

HDM Trilogy - Phillip Pullman

Northern Lights, The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass.

What an awesome series of books, great for young and old readers too, best thing I've probably ever read, it's really that good, everyone should try and read a copy of these, it'll only take a week or so, despite them looking hefty, but they'll suck you in so much you'll find yourself constantly buried in them. Well, I did at least.

 

Harry Potter Series - JK Rowling

Really loved this, despite criticisms that it isn't well written from a english point of view(which is kind of true, alot of dialogue and whatnot, HDM definitely written better) but they have the hook too, they consumed me and I'm quite looking forward to the final installment, even though I kind of don't want it to end.

 

A few others;

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime - Mark Haddon

Something a little bit different, written from the perspective of an autistic boy(think he has Asperger's). It kind of follows him going through a process of growing up and learning the harsh truths of the world(ok, sort of exxaggerated, but whatever). The boy is also a bit of a mathmatical savant, and it also has some nice little facts and stuff in it, it managed to teach me a few things(such as a basic understanding of how encryption on the internet works). It's full of clever little things really, and a nice change of perspective. I wish I could just find my copy and read it again grr!

 

Vernon God Little - DBC Pierre(had to look this up)

Again, this was leant to me by a friend, and it was a bit different. I didn't really like it at first, it seemed like a book about nothing, which...it sort of is! It's just a general book following some kid's life, and I find it hard to describe, but by time I got to the end, I was really glad I had read it, for some strange reason.

 

Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons and Digital Fortress - Dan Brown

These books managed to hook me too, whilst they aren't way up there on the top list, they were good enough to keep me buried, and to buy Angels and Demons and in turn Digital Fortress, having read a copy of the Da Vinci Code that someone lent me. These are all sort of mystery thriller books, and I think they are really very quite clever, with lots of twists and stuff. Again, these are full of LOADS of little bits of information(in fact, digital fortress helped me understand encryption on the internet even more!)

 

All the books here are definitely worth your money(except maybe vernon god little, i dunno how much that is), but if there's just one thing from this post you decide to read, make sure it's His Dark Materials. I've whacked in some wiki links too, in case anyone is curious for some more info. I'd rate and review the books proper, but it's just too hard!

[THE ganondorflol]

That is so agreeable, especially The curious incident. I can't express my love for it enough. The guy needs to do a sequel, but this time Mark should chose a different child, as Christopher's story already has a happy ending!

[Ellmeister]

The series of Eragon "Inheritance" by Christopher Paolini. pure magic

Also Phillip Pullman books, pure legendary, it changed my life im pretty sure, it even has love and i hate reading gushy stuff in a book >_<

 

I'm into fiction especially dragons, magic and stuff.

 

However John Grisham and Chris Ryan books are also a must! Both have some great books, especially John Grisham's latest 'Innocent Man', its actually non-fiction and i was like wow

[Indigo]

Catcher in the Rye is definitely up there. Sure, it's a common favourite, but rightly so. It's hard to explain its quality, but for those that love it, it just feels so personal - as if the book was written just for you. It gives expression to anyone who's at that ambigious time of their life, where it seems you are torn between two worlds: childhood, and the adult world. The cynicism, the dreams, the fear... it's all there.

[Charlie]

That is so agreeable, especially The curious incident. I can't express my love for it enough. The guy needs to do a sequel, but this time Mark should chose a different child, as Christopher's story already has a happy ending!

 

I wouldn't read a sequel to that book as it would lose everything that was special about it in the first place, the prime numbered chapters, the fact that it is such a trivial thing etc.

 

 

I almost forgot to mention... River God, The Seventh Scroll and Warlock all by Wilbur Smith. 3 of the best books ever and there's a 4th coming out in April called "The Quest" which is my most anticapted product this year, ahead of Harry Potter, Halo 3 and Smash Bros Brawl.

[Daft]

Anyone read Hunter S. Thompson? He is my favourite writer!

If you just want to check him out you should read 'Happy Birthday Jack Nicholson'

It's a bargain at £1.50

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Happy-Birthday-Nicholson-Pocket-Penguins/dp/0141022434

 

'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' and 'Hells Angels' are absolutely awesome and shouldn't be missed!!!

[Oxigen_Waste]

I'm into fiction especially dragons, magic and stuff.

... that's fantastic, mate.

[Ashley]

... yay?

I won't even bother to reply. You said it all.

 

That's....vague

[Haver]

Anyone read Hunter S. Thompson? He is my favourite writer!

If you just want to check him out you should read 'Happy Birthday Jack Nicholson'

It's a bargain at £1.50

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Happy-Birthday-Nicholson-Pocket-Penguins/dp/0141022434

 

'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' and 'Hells Angels' are absolutely awesome and shouldn't be missed!!!

 

Also this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc2w979hAnY

[Daft]

Also this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tc2w979hAnY

 

Damn...the video was removed...I don't suppose you have another link for it!?

[Fierce_LiNk]

I'm reading The Amber Spyglass, as I finally was able to purchase some bulbs for my lamp. Hehe.

 

Have been reading a few chapters in bed over the last few nights. I'm on chapter 16, and loving it so far. Really is a great book.

[Haver]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYRTDz3j-eA

[Tellyn]

Da Vinci Code

Harry Potter

Artemis Fowl

Alex Cross series

 

Anyone read the Alex Cross books by James Patterson? They are brilliant, as many twists and cliffhangers as an episode of 24.

[Charlie]

Da Vinci Code

Harry Potter

Artemis Fowl

Alex Cross series

 

Anyone read the Alex Cross books by James Patterson? They are brilliant, as many twists and cliffhangers as an episode of 24.

 

I almost started one of those books (or maybe I did?) when I was skiing last year as I ran out of books to read. My friends dad said they were very good.

[Daft]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYRTDz3j-eA

 

Awesome! Cheers!

[DomJcg]

I know of a guy with asepgers (sp?) and after i read the curious incident of the dead dog at night i gave it to him and asked him to read it. He did and said it was an insightful window into a person like that's mind (he may have added a swear word or 2 into the sentence it was long ago).

 

I literially can't wait for empire (the third book in inheritance) also HDM is a cracking good read, anyone read the Abhorson trilogy? they are the best ive ever read. Also the Bartimaeus trilogy is tight

[The Bard]

anyone read the Abhorson trilogy? they are the best ive ever read.

 

Yeah, but Sabriel was the best of the lot. Lirael and Abhorsen were good too though.

[Supergrunch]

Yeah, but Sabriel was the best of the lot. Lirael and Abhorsen were good too though.

He speaks the truth.

[Oxigen_Waste]

That's....vague

 

Look... I like you, you're a nice guy. But Angel... it just SUCKS. In every possible angle.

[Ashley]

Look... I like you, you're a nice guy. But Angel... it just SUCKS. In every possible angle.

 

Get out a dictionary and look up the difference between opinion and fact, as you seem to be suggesting that because you dislike it, it makes it a bad product.

[Supergrunch]

Look... I like you, you're a nice guy. But Angel... it just SUCKS. In every possible angle.

Come on now, this is a thread about books, not about the merits or demerits of Angel.

 

I bought a few books yesterday: After the Quake and Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami, Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman, You Don't Have to be Evil to Work here but it Helps by Tom Holt, and Impossibility: The Limits of Science and the Science of Limits by John D. Barrow. A good catch, methinks.

 

Talking of Tom Holt, has anyone read the Paul Carpenter trilogy? I think it's pretty great.

[Daft]

I'm making my way through Ghostwritten now! I'm about to finish the Hong Kong Chapter and so far I am loving it! Thanks for the suggestion Supergrunch!!! : peace:

 

I've already got a book qued up for after Ghostwritten about the history of Constantinople...I just hope I am still in the mood to read it after I have finished Ghostwritten!

[Supergrunch]

That's good Daft, it's a great book. It's a bit depressing though, once you work out what happens.