what are you reading?

[grue]

I read Psychamok years ago, and a few of his Cthulhu Mythos books. Tried to like his work, but just can't. His dialogue strikes me as being a bit... stilted, maybe? Clunky? His plotting's alright, mind, but I've never been sold on his characterisation.

Psychamok is the last of the trilogy, no wonder it felt weird to you.

I don't want to read any of his Mythos books, I'm a rabid H.P.L. fan since I was 11 years old and I'm sure I would compare Lumley's work with the master.

B.L. is a very aquired taste, he is very anti-Russian and anti-Japanese and anti-almosteverything. I don't pay attention to his propaganda though, I like his atmosphere and his creativty regarding ESP and monsters. And I so much prefer his primal Vampires than the faggoty ones of Anne Rice.

[Bog]

What's your favorite Culture novel Bog? I can't pick between Excession (sp?) and State Of The Art. (Honourable mention of The Player though.)

Mmmph! Tough one - as the mood takes me, really. Apart from the fairly pointless M. Night Shamalamabama twist at the end, I really like Use of Weapons, if only because it puts the light on a Culture Drone that really likes killing meat. Messily. Almost for the fun of it. (Skaffen Amtiskaw, I think it's name was. Did a messy with a Knife Missile).

Excession, though, is pretty much the pinnacle - it shows you what these Minds get themselves into, it's really rich and fulsome, and strangely it gives me hope that even if we (though SotA makes it obvious that The Culture doesn't include terranic Humanity) end up with a utopia like The Culture, there's still going to be something to make that massed incredible intellect sit back on it's heels, blink and say "What the fuck?"

Seems to me, the moment anyone stops having the WTF Moment, you might as well give up and Sublime

[foxyloxy]

Heh, read "the Algebraist" over the last day and a bit. I almost didn't move - it's brilliant. Seriously good.

[PhilSmith]

Psychamok is the last of the trilogy, no wonder it felt weird to you.

Oh, the background itself was easy enough to pick up. No complaints there. Just his style that grated, I think. Like you say, an acquired taste.

I don't want to read any of his Mythos books, I'm a rabid H.P.L. fan since I was 11 years old and I'm sure I would compare Lumley's work with the master.

You got that right! His Lovecraftian stuff's very derivative of Derleth. Cthulhu and co listed as evil monsters that (gah!) get defeated in Elysia, complete with opposite-number Elder Gods. For a modern, British take on it you're much better off with Ramsey Campbell really. Although thankfully he's moved on from his Lovecraftian pastiches as well.

[SimonB]

Just finished Tim Severin's Viking Trilogy (with a break for Darwin'a Watch in the middle) and now started:

Gene Kranz - Failure Is Not An Option. His perspective on mission control from 1960 onwards. First five pages have been interesting!

[nyarla]

now reading Beelzebub's Tales to his Grandson, by Georges Gurdjieff.
Pretty odd and interesting book!

[Zoot]

Gene Kranz - Failure Is Not An Option. His perspective on mission control from 1960 onwards. First five pages have been interesting!

It's ace, Simon. I thought that he was a dick to start with, but he really isn't at all.

[piku]

Isaac Asimov's I, Robot.

It's 100% completely different to the film except that it has some of the same names in it.

[grue]

Isaac Asimov's I, Robot.

It's 100% completely different to the film except that it has some of the same names in it.

Lovely stuff isn't it?

I quite enjoyed the film though, after I disconected any relation with the book.

[Bog]

I, Robot was the first Asimov I ever read, IIRC. Hooked for life. Still let fly an anguished sob every time I think of the film. Not a bad action film, in it's thickly product-placey, cheese-dripping and stodge way, but there's absolutely no reason on the Blue Marble for calling it that name. The bastards.

Don't they teach "comprehension" in school these days?

[Driller]

I, Robot was the first Asimov I ever read, IIRC. Hooked for life. Still let fly an anguished sob every time I think of the film. Not a bad action film, in it's thickly product-placey, cheese-dripping and stodge way, but there's absolutely no reason on the Blue Marble for calling it that name. The bastards.

Don't they teach "comprehension" in school these days?

I wonder why studios do that? Is it in the hope that book fans will want to see the movie?

[Bog]

I wonder why studios do that? Is it in the hope that book fans will want to see the movie?

I watched interviews with the writer. He seemed to genuinely believe that he had in some deft and subtle way weave together all the stories in "I, Robot" into one cogent, coherent whole by giving Susan Calvin a skintight pair of shiny trousers and an assault rifle.

*shakes head*

I'm not upset anymore. I just think that my brain works the wrong way for this day and age, is all.

[MadHippo]

I thought we agreed never to talk of I, Robot.

Anyway. I liked the arcade game.

[Driller]

I wonder why studios do that? Is it in the hope that book fans will want to see the movie?

I watched interviews with the writer. He seemed to genuinely believe that he had in some deft and subtle way weave together all the stories in "I, Robot" into one cogent, coherent whole by giving Susan Calvin a skintight pair of shiny trousers and an assault rifle.

*shakes head*

I'm not upset anymore. I just think that my brain works the wrong way for this day and age, is all.

Maybe he did and maybe it would have worked before the Evil Corporationion TM got it's hands on the script and changed that small thing called "the words" before handing it to the director.

[grue]

The Warrior Prophet by Scott Bakker.
He is almost up there with Erikson for me now.