posted
RTVU2, I also liked the Time Traveler's Wife. It takes a bit of getting used to the jumping back and forth n time, but once you get the hang of it, it's a fun book.
I recently finished "The Shadow of the Wind" by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. It's an enjoyable book, although it has it's flaws. One of the problems is that it is weak on character development. The villain is a major-baddy, but even by the end, the author hasn't really given a convincing explanation of his motivation. Some of the other supporting characters are a little weak as well. Nevertheless, I think Zafon shows great promise as a writer and I look forward to his next novel.
Registered: Aug 2003
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posted
At the mo I'm reading "The Six Wives of Henry VIII", thought I might brush up on my non-existant English History a little. Pretty interesting reading.
From: Durban, South Africa & Auckland, New Zealand. | Registered: Nov 2004
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HI Blue Cutie!!!! Actually, the first time I went to Wendover (the casino town bordering Utah/Nevada) where Scott was working when we met, his mother gave me her copy of Fevre Dream. So, to me, the book means even more because Ruth Sharritt took it down from her shelf, talked about it, and gave it to me, a virtual stranger. It was a big moment for me, something I will never forget. We had hardly met, and I was this strange Goth girl allegedly in love with her son. When Ruth gave me that book I felt it was a gesture of acceptance. I only wish that Ruth were alive today. She left our lives so shortly after Scott and I were married, and she left this world so young, 54.
From: Utah (non-Mormon!!!) | Registered: Jul 2003
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Hey LL, i read Niven's Lucifer's Hammer. It was aight. I heard he just wrote something good. What is his latest book?
From: Tampa | Registered: Mar 2004
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I'm reading two books right now - "Ilium" by Dan Simmons is a SF tale based on the Iliad among other things. "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell is a non-fictiion book about the power of first impressions (basically a re-working of the left brain/right brain theory).
Registered: Aug 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Semi Transparent Fellow: I recently finished "The Shadow of the Wind" by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. It's an enjoyable book, although it has it's flaws. One of the problems is that it is weak on character development. The villain is a major-baddy, but even by the end, the author hasn't really given a convincing explanation of his motivation. Some of the other supporting characters are a little weak as well. Nevertheless, I think Zafon shows great promise as a writer and I look forward to his next novel.
Wow, did we read the same book? I loved it. It think it is a great book!
The book had so much going for it. It's about friendship, love lost and love never to be returned. It's about identity. It's about trust. It's about not taking things at face value. It's about growing up. It's about misdrection. It's about hatered and happiness. It's just all encompassing.
I thought all the characters were fully realized. Down to all the incidental characters. They all had rich stories to share and a lives that begged for more. I laughed out loud, I was surprised and I got chills reading this book.
I thought the words just flowed of the pages and where almost lyrical in nature. Which is surprising considering this is a translation from the orginal Spanish. I thought I was living in the story of the book. That I had been really transported into the novel.
I have to say this is been one of the better books I have read in awhile.
From: Texas | Registered: Apr 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Jorg-EM: Hey LL, i read Niven's Lucifer's Hammer. It was aight. I heard he just wrote something good. What is his latest book?
Well Niven and Jerry Pournelle have written another book together that was just released, Burner Tower, a sequel to The Burning City. That came out earlier this year.
And I think Niven just released another Ringworld book, Ringworld's Children.
From: Utah | Registered: Jul 2003
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Have any of you Burke readers read "Last Car to Elysian Fields?" It was a bit of a downer. Either Burke's getting tired of writing Dave or the end is near.
Spoiler, just in case....
I missed Bootsie. Did she die "off-panel," or did I miss a book somewhere?
Also, I just started Memoirs of Cleopatra. Pretty good so far.
-------------------- The only consistent feature of all of your dissatisfying relationships is you.
Don't judge me!
Registered: Aug 2003
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Also, Dan Simmons is a genius. Any SF fan who hasn't read the Hyperion books is missing a talent on par with anyone in the field. Matter of fact, may be time to reread Hyperion...
-------------------- The only consistent feature of all of your dissatisfying relationships is you.
Don't judge me!
Registered: Aug 2003
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quote:Originally posted by RTVU2: Wow, did we read the same book? I loved it. It think it is a great book!
The book had so much going for it. It's about friendship, love lost and love never to be returned. It's about identity. It's about trust. It's about not taking things at face value. It's about growing up. It's about misdrection. It's about hatered and happiness. It's just all encompassing.
I thought all the characters were fully realized. Down to all the incidental characters. They all had rich stories to share and a lives that begged for more. I laughed out loud, I was surprised and I got chills reading this book.
I thought the words just flowed of the pages and where almost lyrical in nature. Which is surprising considering this is a translation from the orginal Spanish. I thought I was living in the story of the book. That I had been really transported into the novel.
I have to say this is been one of the better books I have read in awhile.
I did enjoy the book RTVU. I just felt that it was lacking in some areas. For example, I still don't have a good sense of whether Julian Carax was a good writer or not. What was Clara all about? She almost seemed unnecessary. She was introduced in the begining, dropped for most of the book and then appears at the end so that the writer can bitterly tell us that she's lost her looks and been unsuccessfull in love. Nyah-nyah-na-na-na! I guess I was just left a bit unsatisfied becasue I think this writer is capable of a lot. But I assure you, we did read the same book.
Registered: Aug 2003
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Semi, I hope you didn't think I was trying to bash you or anything. I just love this book so much.
I think Crax being a good writer is shown in the book by the devotion that the other characters share for him. Nuria, Miquel, Daniel, Penolpe, Jacinta, Bea and others show that he is a good writer through their love and devotion. Also made the writer is trying to tell us that only one person has to love your writing for you to be succesful. And I think it is beside the point because the book is more about Daniel and his journey into manhood and how the book effects who he will become.
Also I think Clara is there to show us how much first love can be wonderful, hated, confusing and overwhemling. Just in real life you lose contact with the people that mean the most of you. Daniel made a decision not to see her because it hurt him.
From: Texas | Registered: Apr 2004
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HI Blue Cutie!!!! Actually, the first time I went to Wendover (the casino town bordering Utah/Nevada) where Scott was working when we met, his mother gave me her copy of Fevre Dream. So, to me, the book means even more because Ruth Sharritt took it down from her shelf, talked about it, and gave it to me, a virtual stranger. It was a big moment for me, something I will never forget. We had hardly met, and I was this strange Goth girl allegedly in love with her son. When Ruth gave me that book I felt it was a gesture of acceptance. I only wish that Ruth were alive today. She left our lives so shortly after Scott and I were married, and she left this world so young, 54.
