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| Thread: Recommend books! |  This thread is pages long: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 · «PREV / NEXT» |
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Corribus
Hero of Order
The Abyss Staring Back at You
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posted May 23, 2012 04:50 PM |
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My friend: Let us start with the well known fact that 95% of people are idiots. If this is true, then it stands to reason that the more generally popular something is, the more it is liked by a large number of idiots. Things that idiots like are crap. Therefore, the more popular something is, the greater likelihood that it is crap.
That's not me talking. That's science.
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Salamandre
Admirable
Omnipresent Hero
Wog refugee
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posted May 23, 2012 05:06 PM |
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Corribus' Heroes maps are enjoyed by a lot of people. Well...now we have a new point of view on, author's courtesy 
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Corribus
Hero of Order
The Abyss Staring Back at You
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posted May 23, 2012 05:12 PM |
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Lol, very cute. But I of course mean general popularity, not popularity among HoMM fans, which on average are well known to surpass most of the dreck of humanity in both intelligence and taste. 
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JollyJoker
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
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posted May 23, 2012 05:49 PM |
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Quote:
My general opinion is that if something is swooned over by a gazillion people, it's got to be crap.
Call it Corribus's First Law of Commercial Suckitude: the more popular something is, the more it probably sucks.
If you look into your First Law you'll probably find there are more exceptions from the rule than cases in point.
True is, that if something is swooned over by a gazillion people it will have an element of simplicity to be able to cater to many. Something... catchy, easy to understand, to listen.
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zamfir
Promising
Supreme Hero
Allez allez allez
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posted May 23, 2012 07:38 PM |
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Edited by zamfir at 20:27, 23 May 2012.
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Quote:
My friend: Let us start with the well known fact that 95% of people are idiots. If this is true, then it stands to reason that the more generally popular something is, the more it is liked by a large number of idiots. Things that idiots like are crap. Therefore, the more popular something is, the greater likelihood that it is crap.
That's not me talking. That's science.
If that is true, there's a huge chance both of us are idiots and this discussion has no point.
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5 Times TV
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JollyJoker
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
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posted May 23, 2012 08:10 PM |
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Well, as the opener of the thread I'm actually not too keen on dismissing a large part of the people as too dumb to really know good from bad.
This thread is about recommending CURRENT (meaning read presently) books.
The fact that it's not THAT frequented either means, people sisiting this board don't read or people don't read many books they can recommend.
I have no problem with discussing the merits of a recommendation, like it happened - or happens -, but I don't think that general negativity makes sense.
I mean, Stephen King sold one hell of a lot of books - does that make him bad?
Is he an exception, then?
What about ... Ian Fleming? 100 million copies of Bond novels sold. I read them as a youth - and again, when I was older. Man, they are GOOD. It's just entertainment, but the guy could write a good book.
What about... George Orwell then? 1984 and Animal Farm sold better than ANY two books of ANY author of the 20th century, wiki says ... but that's probably because pupils around the world will either read one or another in school.
What about ... James Ellroy?
That said, what about Philip K. Dick (most stories/novels as Hollywood movies)?
So let's not judge here in terms of good/bad, please.
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Salamandre
Admirable
Omnipresent Hero
Wog refugee
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posted May 23, 2012 08:27 PM |
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Cheeseburger is probably the most consumed meat, this does not make it bad, true, just optimal for quick consummation. And probably most of McDonald connoisseurs will be helpless when it comes to identify or taste quality meats or wines.
I never could dismiss from my library German literature, I could drop all others and live only with. My holy book is Herman Hesse's The Glass Bead Game, but I would not recommend to anyone, unless he has the will and talent to accomplish great things. Because once you read it you will remain socially disabled for the rest of your life.
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JollyJoker
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
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posted May 25, 2012 09:06 PM |
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Oh, I've finished the Hunger Games trilogy, and I repeat, it's pretty frigging good.
I disagree with basically everything The Polyglot said, and a couple of things are downright wrong - for example that no one important dies, that things the main character does have no consequences and so on.
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Ghost
Undefeatable Hero
Therefore I am
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posted May 25, 2012 09:33 PM |
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I read a lot of How is it done? and Animals of the world (1985)* from childhood to adulthood, it had to be good! *picture not found..
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Corribus
Hero of Order
The Abyss Staring Back at You
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posted November 18, 2012 03:38 PM |
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@JJ
Quote:
I really, really, like [Joe Abercrombie's] style of narration. Of course I like his cynical, gritty approach as well, but what I mean is simply his elegant writing with dialogues how they should be, that comes across as, well, effortless.
I know this is a bit of thread necromancy aimed at a single person, but JJ - in case you didn't know - Joe Abercrombie's latest book Red Country was released here in the states a few days ago. It should be on your side of the pond soon, I imagine.
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I'm sick of following my dreams. I'm just going to ask them where they're goin', and hook up with them later. -Mitch Hedberg
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JollyJoker
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
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posted November 18, 2012 04:34 PM |
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It actually IS out since October (he's a Brit, after all).
Have it on my list of Birthday/Xmas wishes (I prefer reading it in English).
But thanks for the reminder anyway.
Speaking of nooks, Philip Glenister's "Things ain't what they used to be" is a pretty witty read, although it needs a modicum of knowledge about a couple of mainly British things in the 70s and 80s,
Since it's basically short "scenes", more like a collection of blog articles, it's a good read when you have a little bit of time - sitting on the toilet, waiting at the dentist, two pages before falling asleep...
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DagothGares
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
No gods or kings
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posted November 19, 2012 07:18 AM |
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Am endorsing Abercrombie's "First Law"-books, here, as well. Am also reading Pullman now and I wish I had done so, sooner. Still, reading about armoured bears and half-dutch, half-gypsy sea nomads is good for the soul.
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If you have any more questions, go to Dagoth Cares.
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mvassilev
Responsible
Undefeatable Hero
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posted November 19, 2012 09:13 AM |
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The "His Dark Materials" trilogy is decent, but I wish I had read it at a younger age. (I read it for the first time this summer.) The first book is fairly average, the second is excellent, and the third... sucks.
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Eccentric Opinion
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Galileo
Known Hero
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posted November 23, 2012 06:51 PM |
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Quote:
and the third... sucks.
Why? I've read it and I think it's really good.
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JollyJoker
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
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posted February 01, 2013 03:12 PM |
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Ok, if you like military fantasy I'd like to point you to Myke Cole and his Shadow Ops series. Two books are available, currently, and the guy has a really interesting take on magic and knows now to write. Technically it's probably the Shadowrun scenario, but without the Cybertech angle, but it comes with a twist: Magic is strictly regulated in the US, and there is even and of course prohibited Magic, like, for example Necromancy, but I don't want to spoil anything.
Pretty cool stuff.
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JollyJoker
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
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posted March 05, 2013 01:19 PM |
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Just finished Ozzy Osbourne's biography
I Am Ozzy
and I have to say I really devoured that book. I can only say it made me speechless on so many levels, and it's a fantastic read - better than any novel, very well written at that.
If you are into rock music or metal, and if the names Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath ring any bells with you, go ahead.
As a sidenote, it will be interesting to compare this with Tony Iommi's biography "Iron Man" which I hope to read soon as well.
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artu
Promising
Undefeatable Hero
My BS sensor is tingling again
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posted March 05, 2013 05:48 PM |
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I dont think it can be considered new anymore but Zadie Smith' s White Teeth is one of the best novels published in the last decade, I ve read it recently and it took me like 2 or 3 days to finish it although it was 550 pages. Its one of those books that you cant stop reading.
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carcity
Supreme Hero
Blind Sage
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posted March 05, 2013 08:05 PM |
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I Am Ozzy is a mind-blowing biography. He's released a new one after it called "Trust me, I'm Dr. Osbourne" that I've yet to read, but I've heard good things about it. I also read another biography about the entire Osbourne family, simply titled "The osbournes", which was equally good as "I am Ozzy".
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Why can't you save anybody?
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artu
Promising
Undefeatable Hero
My BS sensor is tingling again
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posted March 05, 2013 08:35 PM |
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Edited by artu at 20:36, 05 Mar 2013.
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Well, I love reading biography + Rock history but count me out when it comes to Ozzy. I consider Heavy Metal and that kind of Hard-Rock the downfall of the genre. Led Zeppelin and early Deep Purple is where I draw the line, after that they lose touch with Rhythm and Blues and the soul is gone. There are exceptions to the rule like Megadeth's Countdown to Extinction and other stuff but generally speaking what happened to Jazz in the late sixties happened to Rock in the mid seventies, that "whistle me while you walk along" sound is gone and instead we have endless solos just for the sake of solos. A circus mentality. I'll take Johnny Hodges over Ornette Coleman or Rolling Stones over Black Sabbath any day.
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Corribus
Hero of Order
The Abyss Staring Back at You
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posted March 05, 2013 11:21 PM |
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Quote:
Ok, if you like military fantasy I'd like to point you to Myke Cole and his Shadow Ops series. Two books are available, currently, and the guy has a really interesting take on magic and knows now to write. Technically it's probably the Shadowrun scenario, but without the Cybertech angle, but it comes with a twist: Magic is strictly regulated in the US, and there is even and of course prohibited Magic, like, for example Necromancy, but I don't want to spoil anything.
Pretty cool stuff.
JJ, you've got a good track record with this kind of stuff. Might give it a look.
I did get around to reading Red Country. It was pretty good but not as good as some of Abercrombie's earlier works.
Right now I'm reading The Twelve, sequel to the post-apocalyptic book "The Passage". Just like the first book it's a tome, but very enjoyable. If you liked the Stand, you'll enjoy it.
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I'm sick of following my dreams. I'm just going to ask them where they're goin', and hook up with them later. -Mitch Hedberg
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