William ,'Conversations with Dead People'
There's more to life than watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer! No. Really, there is! Honestly! Here's a place for Buffistas to come and discuss what it is they're reading, their favorite authors and poets. "Geez. Crack a book sometime."
Say, anybody read "Ilium" by Dan Simmons?
Yes! And I just finished the sequel a couple of weeks ago. God, loved the first one, even with the faint whiff of pretentiousness. I thought the sequel was good, but I didn't think the ends tied up as neaty as I'd like. Yeah, I love the classical stuff, am less solid on the Shakespeare, and handwave through the Proust.
I've read Hyperion, but can't for love nor money find any of the sequels.
Thanks for the Dan Simmons reminder. I'm another who loved the Hyperion books (and plenty of his other stuff too), and hadn't gotten around to Ilium. I think Neil Stephenson ate the $40+ monster hardback part of my brain. I'll have to scout around for a paperback Ilium.
Had book group tonight. Presented 4 books for next time at my house and we chose The Drowning Tree by Carol Goodman. I stressed that I wanted to get away from the disturbing or depressing. It had to be something that none of us had read too, so tricky.
10 thumbs down on the book we discussed tonight. How to be Good by Nick Hornby. Hated it. But it did generate a lot of discussion. My take was that I felt like I was reading a blog. The type of blog where the writer is pretending to be sincere and is totally making the shit up. The voice was only convincing from time to time. It had moments, but too few and far between.
What did you guys like about "Hyperion?" I read the series, and felt like it got off to a promising start, but didn't live up to that promise. It just sort of got weird. I wondered if I missed some symbolism or something...help?
I wondered if I missed some symbolism or something...help?
Okay, remember the part with the snail in the blender? That was Jesus.
I hope that helps.
Okay, remember the part with the snail in the blender? That was Jesus.
Huh. I could've sworn that was you at work.
Raq! You have a Banjo Patterson tag! I'm very impressed. There was a wombat caught on camera trying to prevent the Crocodile Hunter from fathering any more children.
There was a wombat caught on camera trying to prevent the Crocodile Hunter from fathering any more children.
And people ask why I like wombats.
Oh, and yeah, Banjo Patterson is my homie. I have a problem with tearing up every time I hear "The Man from Snowy River" (Slim Dusty's recording).
Huh. I could've sworn that was you at work.
I frappe for your sins.
I also liked the Hyperion books (read all four), but not nearly as much as my friend who recommended and gave them to me. I never really connected with any of the characters, maybe, which is a crucial factor in whether or not I love a book or series. I always thought the concept was very cool, and I enjoyed the execution of that concept, although I remember being confused sometimes as to what was actually happening... and I remember very little of the actual plot now, besides the whole cruciform thing.