Re: Books!

by azriel Fri Mar 13, 2015 8:41 pm

A bit late in life I know but, Im reading Orwells "1984" & its chilling. The bit where Winston ( the main character ) has been caught & interrogated & brainwashed is truly frightening.Orwell's mind honed into something as I am of the impression that Big Brother IS alive & well & dictating to us, subtly, sublimely,scarily, unchecked, unreigned. George Orwell knew something & it doesnt feel like coincidence, more like premonition.

by Bluebottle Sat Mar 14, 2015 3:23 pm

Wow, this is some really powerful writing. And it's such a little moment. Maybe I don't give Robert enough credit.

““We shared something special, once,” she said. “You were my—”

“I was an ornament to you!” Rand snapped. He breathed deeply, trying to calm himself. Light, but it was hard around her. “The past is done. I care nothing for it, and would gladly give you a second chance at the Light.

Unfortunately, I know you. You’re just doing it again. Playing us all, including the Dark One himself. You care nothing for the Light. You care only for power, Mierin. You honestly want me to believe that you’ve changed?”

“You do not know me so well as you think that you do,” she said, watching him as he rounded the perimeter of her prison. “You never did.” “Then prove it to me,” Rand said, stopping. “Show me your mind, Mierin. Open it to me completely. Give me control over you here, in this place of mastered dreams. If your intentions are pure, I will free you.” “What you ask is forbidden.”

Rand laughed. “When has that ever stopped you?”

She seemed to consider it; she must actually have been worried about her imprisonment. Once, she would have laughed at a suggestion such as this. Since this was, ostensibly, a place where he had complete control, if she gave him leave, he could strip her down, delve within her mind.

“I …” Lanfear said.

He stepped forward, right to the lip of the prison. That tremble in her voice … that felt real. The first genuine emotion from her.

Light, he thought, searching her eyes. Is she actually going to do it?

“I cannot,” she said. “I cannot.” She said it the second time more softly. Rand exhaled. He found his hand shaking. So close. So close to the Light, like a feral cat in the night, stalking back and forth before the fire-lit barn! He found himself angry, angrier than before. Always, she did this! Flirting with what was right, but always choosing her own path.

“I am done with you, Mierin,” Rand said, turning away and walking from the chamber. “Forever.”

“You mistake me!” she called out. “You have always mistaken me! Would you show yourself to someone in that way? I cannot do it. I have been slapped too many times by those I should have trusted. Betrayed by those who should have loved me.””

--Robert Jordan and A Memory of Light: Chapter 11 - Just Another Sell-Sword

by Eldorion Sat Mar 14, 2015 3:29 pm

I'm sure it's improved by having context. Shrugging

Also, wouldn't that have been written by Brandon Sanderson if it's from AMoL?

by Bluebottle Sat Mar 14, 2015 3:38 pm

Hm, yes, perhaps context helps. It does have almost fifteen books worth of build up I guess. But that moment of almost, hesitation, uncertainty from that character, and then it doesn't happen. I guess it spoke to me.

I'm a bit unclear on who wrote what. From what I remember Brandon said for certain parts he would have stacks of notes from Robert Jordan, in other parts there was simply stated spmething like "This person does this." and then he had to make up the rest, which might be a significant chunk of story, for himself. But, fair point certainly.

by Bluebottle Sun Mar 22, 2015 6:56 pm

by Sinister71 Mon Mar 23, 2015 8:01 pm

Been reading the GoT books but didn't own any myself until yesterday. Been getting them from the library and am on Clash of Kings.... So yesterday I went to the flea market, figuring I would just look around and see what i could find. And what did I find? Well I just happened to see and pick up (still in the factory shrink wrap) the complete set. Normally they are like 50 bucks got the whole set for 20

Books! - Page 18 <a href=

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by Eldorion Mon Mar 23, 2015 9:04 pm

Nice find, Sin. Thumbs Up

That's a bargain for three excellent books and then the other two. Razz

by Sinister71 Mon Mar 23, 2015 9:50 pm

... so only 3 out of the 5 are excellent? Suspect

that's not a good sign Evil or Very Mad

by Mrs Figg Mon Mar 23, 2015 11:27 pm

love finding bargain books Razz

by halfwise Tue Mar 24, 2015 1:08 am

Sinister71 wrote: ... so only 3 out of the 5 are excellent?

that's not a good sign

Oh, they'll keep you reading. They just won't ruin your life from neglect, that's all.

by Forest Shepherd Tue Mar 24, 2015 1:38 am

Bluebottle wrote:Wow, this is some really powerful writing. And it's such a little moment. Maybe I don't give Robert enough credit.

““Blah-blah stuff and talking.""
--Robert Jordan and A Memory of Light: Chapter 11 - Just Another Sell-Sword

Holy Crocuses of Sexual Undertones! That is just dripping with it.

Anyway, for an early birthday present I went shopping at a local bookstore. My mom had a gift certificate from like 10 years ago and we picked up:
The first book in the Dark Tower series, by Stephen King;
The Anansi Boys, and Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman;
The diary of Michael Palin from 1969-79 (well, an edited copy of it);
Tolkien's Ring, by David Day;
and
Into Thin Air, by Jon Krakauer.

Not a bad haul overall! I'm excited for all of them. Smile

by bungobaggins Tue Mar 24, 2015 2:18 am

Forest Shepherd wrote:
Anyway, for an early birthday present I went shopping at a local bookstore. My mom had a gift certificate from like 10 years ago and we picked up:
The first book in the Dark Tower series

Hile gunslinger. Long days and pleasant nights.

Hope the book does ya fine. Thumbs Up

by Eldorion Tue Mar 24, 2015 2:23 am

Sinister71 wrote: ... so only 3 out of the 5 are excellent?

that's not a good sign

I mean, they're still worth a read, and I don't want to sour you on something you haven't read yet, but yeah. Blue has suggested reading books four and five at the same time, intercutting between the two, because they take place at the same time but follow different characters.

by Eldorion Tue Mar 24, 2015 2:29 am

Forest Shepherd wrote:Not a bad haul overall! I'm excited for all of them.

Sounds like a good selection! Tread very carefully around anything by David Day, though. His works are pretty well-polished (and usually have good art), but he slips in countless little additions and alterations that he passes off as being genuine Tolkien stuff.

by Mrs Figg Tue Mar 24, 2015 1:46 pm

The Anansi Boys, and Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman;

cheers

nice!

by Forest Shepherd Wed Mar 25, 2015 7:34 am

Eldorion wrote:
Forest Shepherd wrote:Not a bad haul overall! I'm excited for all of them.

Sounds like a good selection! Tread very carefully around anything by David Day, though. His works are pretty well-polished (and usually have good art), but he slips in countless little additions and alterations that he passes off as being genuine Tolkien stuff.

Devious little toad-grubber!

Thanks for the heads-up. I shall be on my guard.

Oh and Bungo: Twice as many to you. (Or however that goes.)

I finished the book; it didn't take long. Razz

by bungobaggins Wed Mar 25, 2015 12:11 pm

Yeah, The Gunslinger is really short. Just wait until you get to book four, that book took me three years to finish. Mad

by Ringdrotten Wed Mar 25, 2015 2:36 pm

The shortest, but in many ways the best, in my opinion Very Happy

Then again, next week I might say the second one is the best, or the third, or the fifth. Only 20% left of book 7 now, bungo, getting damn close Very Happy

by bungobaggins Wed Mar 25, 2015 3:08 pm

I think I'm at 14 percent. Shrugging

Life, uh, finds a way.

by Forest Shepherd Thu Mar 26, 2015 9:03 am

14%?
What do you guys do, calculate your page number with the total for the book?

I'm sorry to hear that The Gunslinger is the best of the series, or possibly the best, because I didn't actually think it was all that great. It was good, in a growing-on-you sort of way, but not particularly enjoyable for Stephen King.

by Ringdrotten Thu Mar 26, 2015 12:37 pm

We both read them on a kindle, which shows both % and page number Smile

I think I'm in a minority, Forest, fans of the books don't usually rate the first one as the best. I just loved it for some reason. It was so wonderfully weird compared to stuff I've read before, and at the same time one of the coolest books I've ever read. Walter and Roland's palaver at the end is probably my favourite chapter of the entire series Very Happy

by halfwise Thu Mar 26, 2015 12:49 pm

It's an easy fact to lose under the sheer avalanche of horror output: Stephen King is actually a good writer.

by bungobaggins Thu Mar 26, 2015 2:20 pm

I'd say book three and five are my favorites.

by bungobaggins Tue Apr 07, 2015 2:31 am

Philip Glass' autobiography.
Just released today. I'll probably make this my next read after I finish Dark Tower.

by David H Tue Apr 07, 2015 2:39 am

Did you hear Philip Glass interviewed on NPR today? I thought it was really insightful.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/deceptivecadence/2015/04/06/397832333/philip-glass-on-legacy-the-future-its-all-around-us