Lounge of the Planet of the Apes - Part 94

[Lord Valumart]

Nice Vic, I have the day off tomorrow. May go to Barnes and Noble and get a copy. I need a good book to read for once

If you want a good book find the River of London series.

 

[squeekness]

Post modern post structuralist epic fantasy known for its bleak tone offset by irreverent graveyard humor. I've noticed it compared to A Song of Ice and Fire frequently, but the two series are quite different in terms of aesthetics and plot. The Malazan novels are all self-contained and feel more like they were inspired by the sword and sorcery of Robert Howard and Glen Cook and the epic fantasy of Stephen Donaldson.

I'm not a huge fantasy fan anymore. I tend to have a hard time remembering strange place names and keeping all the stupid lands straight.

 

[Marvolo]

I tried to get into Malazan but found that it suffers from what a lot of high fantasy does. Ridiculous names for people and places that I can't wrap my tongue around, and that makes my reading choppy which kills any enjoyment. All these books should come with a dramatis personae at the beginning of the book that has a pronunciation guide for all the names.

 

[squeekness]

I tried to get into Malazan but found that it suffers from what a lot of high fantasy does. Ridiculous names for people and places that I can't wrap my tongue around, and that makes my reading choppy which kills any enjoyment. All these books should come with a dramatis personae at the beginning of the book that has a pronunciation guide for all the names.

Game of Thrones was easier for me because I started it after the first season aired. I struggle now with most fantasy though I read a bit of it when I was much younger.

 

[Marvolo]

Game of Thrones was easier for me because I started it after the first season aired. I struggle now with most fantasy though I read a bit of it when I was much younger.

I don't have much trouble with A Song of Ice and Fire or Tolkien. Neither of them abuse consonants and apostrophes. I mean look at this.

Just a few Malazan names: Apsal'ara, Ba'ienrok, Bre'neigan K'Chain Che'Malle J'an Sentinel, Brukhalian, Estraysian D'Arle, Gunth'an Acyl. I can't make heads or tails out of that nonsense. And it seems like when an author wants to make an exotic name they start throwing around apostrophes.

GOT names: Targaryen, Dany, Jon, Sam, Martell, Oberyn, Dorne, Essos, Golden Company, Unsullied, Tywin, Joffrey, Jaime, Cersei.

Tolkien Names: Celebrimbor, Fëanor, Elrond, Aragorn, Sam, Frodo, Gimli Illuvitar, Melkor, Gandalf, Galadriel.

 

[DarkSentinel]

I'm not a huge fantasy fan anymore. I tend to have a hard time remembering strange place names and keeping all the stupid lands straight.

Really? Conlanging (constructed language making) and worldbuilding are what make fantasy my favorite genre.

 

[DarkSentinel]

Tolkien Names: Celebrimbor, Fëanor, Elrond, Aragorn, Sam, Frodo, Gimli Illuvitar*, Melkor, Gandalf, Galadriel.

Ilúvatar

 

[squeekness]

I don't have much trouble with A Song of Ice and Fire or Tolkien. Neither of them abuse consonants and apostrophes. I mean look at this.

Just a few Malazan names: Apsal'ara, Ba'ienrok, Bre'neigan K'Chain Che'Malle J'an Sentinel, Brukhalian, Estraysian D'Arle, Gunth'an Acyl. I can't make heads or tails out of that nonsense. And it seems like when an author wants to make an exotic name they start throwing around apostrophes.

GOT names: Targaryen, Dany, Jon, Sam, Martell, Oberyn, Dorne, Essos, Golden Company, Unsullied, Tywin, Joffrey, Jaime, Cersei.

Tolkien Names: Celebrimbor, Fëanor, Elrond, Aragorn, Sam, Frodo, Gimli Illuvitar, Melkor, Gandalf, Galadriel.

Exactly, that crap just hurts my brain. These days I tend to read more crime dramas and horror.

Really? Conlanging (constructed language making) and worldbuilding are what make fantasy my favorite genre.

To each their own. I just struggle with it too much now and bore easily.

 

[DarkSentinel]

At least MY characters' and cities'/lands' names are memorable.

LOTW: Mathion, Elekan, Kéle'il, Oharion, Narios Kedaer, Tharion, Azgharáth, Vokošur, Kânavad, Ánovén, Cvedús, Avakaš, Ak'horokaš Kôvudén



t:

 

[Fallen Angel]

They're not.

 

[Victarion]

I should drop a disclaimer: The author's introduction to a reprint of the first Malazan novel states that he deliberately throws the reader into the middle of things and expects the reader to orient himself/herself without too much exposition. He goes on to explain that it was done to figure out who would stick with the series and who would drop it.

 

[squeekness]

I should drop a disclaimer: The author's introduction to a reprint of the first Malazan novel states that he deliberately throws the reader into the middle of things and expects the reader to orient himself/herself without too much exposition. He goes on to explain that it was done to figure out who would stick with the series and who would drop it.

Just another reason for me to pass on it. That's worse for me than brain breaking names. I never have to struggle like that with Koontz or King, Anne Rice and the like.

 

[DarkSentinel]

They're not.

Shaddup.

 

[squeekness]

I have so little time to read. If it's too hard to get started, I'll just drop it. Better if the writer has a good sense of humor as well.

 

[Marvolo]

I should drop a disclaimer: The author's introduction to a reprint of the first Malazan novel states that he deliberately throws the reader into the middle of things and expects the reader to orient himself/herself without too much exposition. He goes on to explain that it was done to figure out who would stick with the series and who would drop it.

It's fine to drop me in the middle of the story. I dont mind, but if the author expects me to get into the story and carry on then he needs to show better creative skills where it matters and drop the pointlessly overcooked and cumbersome names. It's a shame cause I think the Malazan stories are pretty interesting. I actually bought the first book and got a hundred pages into the it before I gave it away. I've got too many good books to read to spend time deciphering his names and spelling.

 

[Victarion]

It's fine to drop me in the middle of the story. I dont mind, but if the author expects me to get into the story and carry on then he needs to show better creative skills where it matters and drop the pointlessly overcooked and cumbersome names. It's a shame cause I think the Malazan stories are pretty interesting. I actually bought the first book and got a hundred pages into the it before I gave it away. I've got too many good books to read to spend time deciphering his names and spelling.

Any good science fiction that you'd recommend? I've had people suggest I look for the Takeshi Kovacs trilogy, as well as some of Poul Anderson's older works.

 

[Marvolo]

Any good science fiction that you'd recommend? I've had people suggest I look for the Takeshi Kovacs trilogy, as well as some of Poul Anderson's older works.

Dan Simmons Hyperion
Dan Simmons Fall of Hyperion

Robert Heinlein's stuff.

Philip K Dick's stuff.

Asimov Foundation and I-robot

Clarke's 2001 A Space Odyssey

If your into low brow space opera, The Expanse series is pretty good. The first book in the series is Leviathan Wakes.

And there is Dune. I have yet to read it yet, but it's a classic so I think I'd be wrong to not mention it.

I've also heard good things about a series called The Old Man's War by John Scalzi.

I recently read The Martian by Andy Weir. I enjoyed it a lot.

Atm, I'm working my way through The Silmarilion and Stephen King's The Stand and Bag of Bones.

 

[Victarion]

Thanks Marvolo. I'll start with Clarke. I forgot to mention, I'm also working on Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun. I'm not sure if its science fiction or fantasy, but he has a really excellent grasp on the English language.

I need to get back into The Stand. I LOVED the chapter that introduced us to Flagg. Describing his past (sort of) and all. The struggling rock star had a pretty good story as well. Larry, I think his name was?

 

[squeekness]

I loved The Stand. A bit long, but great.

 

[Marvolo]

Thanks Marvolo. I'll start with Clarke. I forgot to mention, I'm also working on Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun. I'm not sure if its science fiction or fantasy, but he has a really excellent grasp on the English language.

I need to get back into The Stand. I LOVED the chapter that introduced us to Flagg. Describing his past (sort of) and all. The struggling rock star had a pretty good story as well. Larry, I think his name was?

You're welcome. I just downloaded a sample of Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun Book One on my Kindle. Ill check it out when I get a chance.

I like the Stand so far, but it's just so damn looooong. I would love to have a copy the original 1978 823 page version. The uncut extended paperback that I own is around 1440 pages! This will be the longest book I've ever read and I doubt any single book will come close to this length. Not even War and Peace is this long.

Edit: Just bought a copy of the original version of The Stand on the Amazon Marketplace. Paid $4.95 with shipping. Hopefully it's in good enough condition.

 

[DarkSentinel]

That's an interesting approach, if done right at the start. To just plunk me in the middle, that's what LOTR did so well. Will definitely look it up when I go to Barnes & Noble tomorrow

 

[squeekness]

Ugh... I hate watching shows live that have commercials in them. My ADD can't take it.

 

[DJ_KiDDvIcIOUs]

I just got around to watching The Wolverine and it just pissed me off. Another case of FOX screwing up the source material. Maybe DOFP will leave a better taste in my mouth once it gets on HBO. It's going to take a lot for FOX to win me back to actually pay for one of their movies again.

 

[Marvolo]

That's an interesting approach, if done right at the start. To just plunk me in the middle, that's what LOTR did so well. Will definitely look it up when I go to Barnes & Noble tomorrow

LOTR didn't plunk the readers down in the middle. It has your typical A to C narrative and gives you all relevant information from the first page. Malazan isn't like that. The first book, Garden of the Moon, what I read of it reads like you missed a previous book. If I recall, the opening pages take place after a battle and the book acts like you know the world and it's characters. It starts throwing a bunch of place names, character names, army names, class names, creature names etc at you and there is very little info on it all. Kinda makes you feel like you are in a room of people who don't speak English and you're trying to follow their conversation. It's a different approach and not terrible, cause it makes you feel like a human who has slipped into an unknown alternate world, but it asks a lot of the reader. It's not for everyone.

I thought The Wolverine 2013 was a great movie.

 

[KevanG]

While every X-Men movie after X2 was terrible besides First Class, DOFP is actually amazing. I've watched it a few times and it's a hell of a lot better than X3, origins or Wolverine.

Wolverine isn't shoved into every scene even though they make him the guy to go back in time, the movie is funny as hell, Quicksilvers scenes are amazing and hilarious, there's great character interaction and development and it's just great all around.

Ugh... I hate watching shows live that have commercials in them. My ADD can't take it.

We're all spoiled these days with our no commercial shows and that we can either record them and fast forward through them or just watch them online with them at all.