Everybody at Uni seems to be reading this for one class or the other."The World Is Flat"
Insights on the effects of globalization, and it's agents (the internet, productivity software, etc). Very good read.
Everybody at Uni seems to be reading this for one class or the other."The World Is Flat"
Insights on the effects of globalization, and it's agents (the internet, productivity software, etc). Very good read.
I really enjoyed "The story of B"Just read Ishmael by Daniel Quinn. Highly recommended.
I wasn't really sure what to make of it, I enjoyed half of it but it seemed to suddenly rush a conclusion and meandered in the middle.Finished with Iain Banks - 'Transition'. Very interesting read this - infinite parallel universes, an institution called the Concern bent on multi-universe domination, an assasin who travels through the multiverse course-correcting, a torturer called the Philosopher, an epic rivalry between two women who know the secret to everything. Its like Inception/Bourne/Chronicles of Amber/Book of the New Sun rolled into one. Flawed but very enjoyable.
World Without End is good too.Finished The Pillars of the Earth earlier this week, found it remarkably absorbing!! William Hamleigh stood out in the story for me, I don't think I've hated a fictional character as much as him!
Provided a remarkable insight to the era, and I couldn't put it down, despite it being pretty lengthy.
I'm a few hundred pages into the sequel World Without End - but it's got a lot to live up to!
Did you ever finish that miniseries?World Without End is good too.
POTE is a wonderful read - I think you'll find a few recommendations for it if you go back through this thread.
Yes. Really enjoyed it. Wasn't as good as the book, but was never going to be.Did you ever finish that miniseries?
Not sure how you feel about it right now, but don't give up on World Without End. Reading Pillars for so long and watching the characters grow up before your eyes, you can get very attached to them and find it difficult to get into these new characters, but if you stick with it, I think you'll like these characters just as much eventually.I'm a few hundred pages into the sequel World Without End - but it's got a lot to live up to!
A miniseries of that length might be good enough to capture most other books, but probably not one the size of Pillars. But I guess I would like to see one for WWE too.Yes. Really enjoyed it. Wasn't as good as the book, but was never going to be.
Yeah, I'd agree with that. The ending was definitely a bit rushed and a tad anti-climactic. Read some interesting notes on the themes of the book here, you might want to check this out.I wasn't really sure what to make of it, I enjoyed half of it but it seemed to suddenly rush a conclusion and meandered in the middle.
Now I'm on Pelecanos's 'The Turnaround' which is excellent so far. His last few have been exceptional.
I've been ridiculously busy with work lately, but i'm probably about half way through now.Not sure how you feel about it right now, but don't give up on World Without End. Reading Pillars for so long and watching the characters grow up before your eyes, you can get very attached to them and find it difficult to get into these new characters, but if you stick with it, I think you'll like these characters just as much eventually.
Livvie and I both watched it. She posted her thoughts a few posts up from here. I thought it was okay but was never going to live up to the books. I was secretly hoping that with an 8 episode miniseries they could avoid cutting out too much stuff and changing the plot around, but looks like they were forced to do that anyways.I've been ridiculously busy with work lately, but i'm probably about half way through now.
You're 100% right, as a reader you do become very attached to the characters in POTE, because it covers a huge period of their lives.
When I picked up World Without End, and realised it was set a few hundred years later, I was immediately disappointed that Aliena, Jack, Prior Philip wouldn't be in the story. Having said that, World Without End is turning in to a good read also.
Have you seen the TV series of POTE? Is it worth picking up on DVD?! I'd be interested to see how my image of the Priory and Kingsbridge in general fits with the programme.
Franz Kafka?.... if so, fantastic bookThe Trial next. Then some books recommended by my 'niggas' Pogue, Brophs, Frosty et al. Dwayne actually recommended Twilight.
You may be right...... however I remember reading a quote from Joseph Cotten which I cannot find right now, but its definitely out there that goes something along the lines of..Yeah it is. Did you see the movie by chance? It's good. I read that Orson Welles felt it was his best.
Ol' Kafka really knew his audience, didn't he?I've started The Trial. It's got a few lesbian vampire scenes!
Ol' Kafka really knew his audience, didn't he?
Any genre in particular outside of orcs and potions?I need some more recommendations...preferably books without orcs and magic potions
This is pretty random considering your last book was a Kafka but have you read 'Confederacy of Dunces' by John Kennedy Toole? It's a classic in every sense - extremely funny, tragic at times and possibly one of the best lead characters in all literature in Ignatius J Reilly. Well worth a read.I need some more recommendations...preferably books without orcs and magic potions
Not a bad recommendation. I did have to restart a couple times because Reilly just annoyed the shit out of me at first, because I couldn't possibly stand to be around someone like that in real life. But then I realized that I watch plenty of tv shows where the characters are just despicable people and I find them hilarious (It's Always Sunny for example) so if you reapproach the book from that perspective, I think it's much more enjoyable. Definitely glad I decided to finish it.This is pretty random considering your last book was a Kafka but have you read 'Confederacy of Dunces' by John Kennedy Toole? It's a classic in every sense - extremely funny, tragic at times and possibly one of the best lead characters in all literature in Ignatius J Reilly. Well worth a read.
Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. He's not a role model in any sense but he is such a original and ultimately compelling character that he grows on you as the book moves on. I actually felt quite sad reading the book despite its comic core knowing that JK Toole put so much of himself in this one character - his inability to relate to his surroundings or people in general, and what must have caused him to kill himself so soon after finishing his masterpiece.Not a bad recommendation. I did have to restart a couple times because Reilly just annoyed the shit out of me at first, because I couldn't possibly stand to be around someone like that in real life. But then I realized that I watch plenty of tv shows where the characters are just despicable people and I find them hilarious (It's Always Sunny for example) so if you reapproach the book from that perspective, I think it's much more enjoyable. Definitely glad I decided to finish it.
That's on my reading list, funnily enough.Heart of Darkness, the best short novel in the language.
Noted. I'm reading The Castle at moment, reckon I'll have it completed by next day or so. As side from the Penal Colony I don't think I've got anything else by Kafka on my reading list. Here's what I'm planning to read after my current book.... Notes from the Underground, Iliad, Heart of Darkness and Plato's Republic, off the top of my head.This is pretty random considering your last book was a Kafka but have you read 'Confederacy of Dunces' by John Kennedy Toole? It's a classic in every sense - extremely funny, tragic at times and possibly one of the best lead characters in all literature in Ignatius J Reilly. Well worth a read.
Anything really. I've been reading a lot of classics lately but I'm not too fussed.Any genre in particular outside of orcs and potions?
Have you read Lee Child? His last ten books have been cracking. I just read GONE TOMORROW and it is pretty good as well.I need some more recommendations...preferably books without orcs and magic potions
I hope they're not teen novels, R2.Have you read Lee Child? His last ten books have been cracking. I just read GONE TOMORROW and it is pretty good as well.
Another author is Matthew Reilly - try Ice Station, Temple, Contest etc. They are all good books.
I really don't think they are. They are pretty good. They are exactly adult books either. I used to work at Barnes and Noble bookstores. My manager there, who was around 40 I think, suggested me these books and they did not disappoint. They are just regular fiction novels who anyone can read.I hope they're not teen novels, R2.
Yes, it's excellent.I've read 20 odd pages from Notes from the Underground... and I can't be arsed with it anymore. Stick with it or not?