Have you read...can you recommend...

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Jude
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Re: Have you read...can you recommend...

Post by Jude »

I'm making my way through The Iliad. I have to say, I'm finding most of it rather dull. It seems at least 90% of it is graphic descriptions of what happens on the battlefield: who kills who, who injures who, technical descriptions of the injuries and how they were inflicted. I can imagine that for a people brought up on tales of military prowess, this sort of thing might keep them on the edge of their seat, but it's not doing much for me.

I'm putting it aside temporarily for a break to read some other stuff. If anyone's read it and enjoyed it, I'd be interested in any advice on how to approach it...
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Frelga
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Re: Have you read...can you recommend...

Post by Frelga »

Do you all know Brandon Sanderson? I saw him mentioned in the same sentence as Pratchett and Gaiman, but neither his name nor any of his books ring a bell. Usually, I am at least aware of who is whom*.
If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn't as cynical as real life.

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Re: Have you read...can you recommend...

Post by Impenitent »

Nope, his name is unfamiliar to me.

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Inanna
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Re: Have you read...can you recommend...

Post by Inanna »

Never heard of him, either! Same breath as Pratchett & Gaiman? Was it “Sanderson will never be as good as Pratchett or Gaiman...”; * it’s still the same breath.

(* Douglas Adams’ reference)
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Re: Have you read...can you recommend...

Post by elengil »

Inanna wrote:Never heard of him, either! Same breath as Pratchett & Gaiman? Was it “Sanderson will never be as good as Pratchett or Gaiman...”; * it’s still the same breath.

(* Douglas Adams’ reference)
:rofl:
The dumbest thing I've ever bought
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"Does anyone ever think about Denethor, the guy driven to madness by staying up late into the night alone in the dark staring at a flickering device he believed revealed unvarnished truth about the outside word, but which in fact showed mostly manipulated media created by a hostile power committed to portraying nothing but bad news framed in the worst possible way in order to sap hope, courage, and the will to go on? Seems like he's someone we should think about." - Dave_LF
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Re: Have you read...can you recommend...

Post by Voronwë the Faithful »

He is, apparently, the writer who was hired to complete Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time, which is not necessarily something that everyone would consider a recommendation.
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Re: Have you read...can you recommend...

Post by Frelga »

V, is there a "not" missing in that sentence?

Inanna, the context was, "every time I ask for recommendations in fantasy, people jump in with Pratchett, Gaiman, and Sanderson." And to me, one of those things is not like the others.
If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn't as cynical as real life.

Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
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Re: Have you read...can you recommend...

Post by Voronwë the Faithful »

No.

(Not anymore)

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Inanna
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Re: Have you read...can you recommend...

Post by Inanna »

Verrry sneaky, V, verrry sneaky.
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Inanna
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Re: Have you read...can you recommend...

Post by Inanna »

This is a great sentence:

“At the beginning of time the Sun was a swaggering oaf.” - NK Jemisin.

(She really is a great writer. Of course, Prim was never wrong about writers.)
'You just said "your getting shorter": you've obviously been drinking too much ent-draught and not enough Prim's.' - Jude
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Re: Have you read...can you recommend...

Post by elengil »

Yeah, I got her 5th Season book that I've just started. (Thick book!!) Enjoying it so far but it's definitely heavier stuff, and still world building just yet. It's a fascinating world, but a lot to introduce the reader to.
The dumbest thing I've ever bought
was a 2020 planner.

"Does anyone ever think about Denethor, the guy driven to madness by staying up late into the night alone in the dark staring at a flickering device he believed revealed unvarnished truth about the outside word, but which in fact showed mostly manipulated media created by a hostile power committed to portraying nothing but bad news framed in the worst possible way in order to sap hope, courage, and the will to go on? Seems like he's someone we should think about." - Dave_LF
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Inanna
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Re: Have you read...can you recommend...

Post by Inanna »

The Broken Earth trilogy, right? I finished the series last month. It’s AMAZING.
'You just said "your getting shorter": you've obviously been drinking too much ent-draught and not enough Prim's.' - Jude
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Jude
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Re: Have you read...can you recommend...

Post by Jude »

I reserved it from my library when it was first mentioned. The book has finally come in this week, so I'll start it over the weekend.
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Inanna
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Re: Have you read...can you recommend...

Post by Inanna »

Excellent. I look forward to chatting about it with y'all.
Prim really liked Jemisin, and for very good reasons. Her writing is gripping.
'You just said "your getting shorter": you've obviously been drinking too much ent-draught and not enough Prim's.' - Jude
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Re: Have you read...can you recommend...

Post by eborr »

Jude
regarding the Iliad - whose translation did you read, they are of variable quality, I would recommend Lattimores, and if you can get them have some of Malcolm Wilcock's commentaries to hand.
Since 1410 most Welsh people most of the time have abandoned any idea of independence as unthinkable. But since 1410 most Welsh people, at some time or another, if only in some secret corner of the mind, have been "out with Owain and his barefoot scrubs." For the Welsh mind is still haunted by it's lightning-flash vision of a people that was free.

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Re: Have you read...can you recommend...

Post by Alatar »

Brandon Sanderson is a decent author in his own right which is why he was asked to complete Wheel of Time. I wouldn’t put him with Pratchett and Gaiman though. Neither in style nor substance.
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Inanna
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Re: Have you read...can you recommend...

Post by Inanna »

But sometimes you have to settle. So, is he worth an attempt, Al? Did you like his books, at least?
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Re: Have you read...can you recommend...

Post by Alatar »

I only read the first few Mistborn novels. I enjoyed them at the time but I don’t remember much about them which maybe tells it’s own story!
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Re: Have you read...can you recommend...

Post by Frelga »

Inanna wrote:But sometimes you have to settle. So, is he worth an attempt, Al? Did you like his books, at least?
Why settle when you can reread Pratchett?
If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn't as cynical as real life.

Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
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Re: Have you read...can you recommend...

Post by elengil »

Frelga wrote:
Inanna wrote:But sometimes you have to settle. So, is he worth an attempt, Al? Did you like his books, at least?
Why settle when you can reread Pratchett?
Yes but if you never tried any new authors, you'd have never found Pratchett to begin with, no? We all eventually have to read something new otherwise our experiences just stagnate.
The dumbest thing I've ever bought
was a 2020 planner.

"Does anyone ever think about Denethor, the guy driven to madness by staying up late into the night alone in the dark staring at a flickering device he believed revealed unvarnished truth about the outside word, but which in fact showed mostly manipulated media created by a hostile power committed to portraying nothing but bad news framed in the worst possible way in order to sap hope, courage, and the will to go on? Seems like he's someone we should think about." - Dave_LF
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