What do Browncoats/Flans enjoy reading? by StrangeBird

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

What do Browncoats/Flans enjoy reading?

POSTED BY: STRANGEBIRD
UPDATED: Sunday, April 6, 2008 11:46
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Wednesday, April 02, 2008 12:55 PM

Howdy folks,

I've just been wondering what books/book series you all like to read. Feel free to post a top 10 or 20 or 5 or just recommend a few or list by author, give a premise or review... whatever you like. No rules just books and bookworms. Well also no flaming or being trolls but that goes without saying. :biggrin:

Currently reading, and very highly recommended...

Naomi Novik's Temeraire series:

A reimagining of the epic events of the Napoleonic Wars with an air force... an air force of dragons, manned by crews of aviators. It follows the adventures and hardships of Captain William Laurence, former British Naval Captain and his newfound companion Temeraire who find themselves thrust into the dangerous, life-changing and culturally alarming world of His Majesties Royal Aerial Corps.

1 His Majesties Dragon 2 Throne of Jade 3 Black Powder War 4 Empire of Ivory 5 Victory of Eagles*out in early summer 2008*

A short list of other books I enjoy. Or rather the ones I can think of at the moment.

All the collected works of J.R.R. Tolkien Including all published post-humorously.

The Word/Void series by Terry Brooks

The Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer

Tales from Margaritaville and A Salty Piece of Land by Jimmy Buffett

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

The Fourth Realm series by John Twelve Hawks

Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card

More to come...

<------<<< ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(*)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >>>------>

"When you can't do something smart, do something right." -

quoting Book <------<<< ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(*)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >>>------>

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Wednesday, April 02, 2008 1:09 PM

MSB

OOh one of my favorite topics...books

Ok I would highly reccomend J.D. Robb - whole series of In Death books Jim Butcher- Dresden Files Kim Harrison- Rachel Morgan series Alison Weir- Children of King Henry the VIII John Douglas- any of his stuff ( FBI Profiler extraordinaire) Robert Parker- Spencer for Hire series Letters of the Bronte's ( can't remember the author)

Those are my top picks..but I could go on and on...

____________________________________________

Ain't Love GRAND!!!

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Thursday, April 03, 2008 6:35 AM

STRANGEBIRD

Nice picks MSB.

Huh... I guess there aren't too many other Browncoats who are much for the read'n...

Has anyone read the official novelization of Serenity? Only person who I know who has said it was awful. Novelizations of films usually are about as bad as most book-to-film adaptations. I my previous experience, any road.

<------<<< ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(*)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >>>------>

"When you can't do something smart, do something right." -

quoting Book <------<<< ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(*)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >>>------>

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Thursday, April 03, 2008 6:48 AM

FORGE

Hello I mostly lurk here, but I have to speak up when it comes to books. I read basically anything put in front of me.

Currently reading:

Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy by Adams Jim Butchers Dresden Files series (I'm on Storm Front) Dune Messiah by Herbert Well of Ascension by Brandon Sanderson The Crimson Sword by Eldon Thompson and a few others, I swear I have ADD

Other than that I love Salvatore, Terry Brooks, Stephen Ambrose, Tracy Hickman's "The Immortals" is one of my favorite books. Hrmm pretty much anything Fantasy, Sci-Fi and History

This is just another sign of your tragic space dementia, all paranoid and crotchety...breaks the heart.

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Thursday, April 03, 2008 7:18 AM

STRANGEBIRD

You know I need to sit down and actually READ Douglas Adams' work.

Forge if you like Salvatore and Brooks you will absolutely love Novik. Naom Novik's Temeraire is the best series I've read in a very long time. Possibly better than most else I've read since the first time I read The Lord of the Rings when I was 8. The books are very original and have great action and adventure that reminds me a bit of Patrick O'brian. Who by the way I should also sit down and read all the works of, only read one book and it was ages ago in school.

Also adding to my list...

The Demon Wars Saga by R.A. Salvatore

Children of the Mind by Orson Scott Card

Where is Joe Merchant? by Jimmy Buffett

Subterranean, Amazonia and nearly any other book by James Rollins

The Descent by Jeff Long

By the way. I've noticed a few folks who've tried to read Rollins Subterranean gave up after the first few paragraphs... do not fret those idiots die quickly and are by no means the main characters. Though if you give up reading a book because someone uses foul language you should stick to the children's section. Either way it's my favorite book of his and a fun read.

I've read many others. These are just a few that I particularly enjoyed or that stand out for one reason or another. Mainly that I remembered them.

<------<<< ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(*)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >>>------>

"When you can't do something smart, do something right." -

quoting Book <------<<< ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(*)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >>>------>

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Thursday, April 03, 2008 7:42 AM

WOLFEN68

Books...yum. I've always been a sci-fi/fantasy genre buff.

Let's just get this out of the way, Harry Potter is good, but totally overrated IMO.

I'm currently reading David Weber's Honor Harrington Series (which I heard about here) and have been pleasantly surprised. I recommend highly.

Others:

- Geaorge RR Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" Series (The best...period.)(A++) - David Brin's "Uplift" Series (A++) - Dan Simmons "Hyperion" Series (A) - Terry Brook's "Sword of Shannara" (His newer stuff is good also, but it's less gritty than his earlier work) (A) - Kim Harrison's Rachel Morgan Series (some wierd stuff here and there, but overall decent)(B)

Plenty more...but my mind is blank at the moment :)

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Thursday, April 03, 2008 7:50 AM

MSB

Oh there are lots of browncoats into reading. We had our own informal flying library where somoen would read smething they liked and send it on and then the reciever would forward...it was great...kind of died off when everyone got so busy, but we could always do it again...

____________________________________________

Ain't Love GRAND!!!

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Thursday, April 03, 2008 8:38 AM

STRANGEBIRD

That would be cool MSB. Though I'm afraid I'm emotionally attached to my latest book series and won't be able to let go of them for a few months at the least. I'll probably read them all again before the fifth book comes out in June/July. Let me know though if we do start that. My current email is adifferentnest AT yahoo.com. I'm always looking for new reads and I usually read good books in a couple sittings. I've been reading 150-200+ pages a night lately. Yeah, I even get to the point where I don't even notice the words anymore... doesn't happen with any but the best books.

<------<<< ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(*)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >>>------>

"When you can't do something smart, do something right." -

quoting Book <------<<< ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(*)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >>>------>

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Thursday, April 03, 2008 10:41 AM

SPACEANJL

C J Cherryh 'Foreigner' sequence - I can't praise this enough. On the face of it, humans on an alien planet. But a much deeper tale of how language and where you live shape who you are.

William Gibson. The Godfather of Cyberpunk.

Neal Asher - 'The Skinner' is beyond mental. A planet with a leech-like lifeform that bestows immortality. Of a sort. Cracktastic. (The rest of his Polity stuff is pretty good, too.) Think Lewis Carroll on crack.

Otherwise - if you like 'Blade Runner' type noir, try Richard Morgan 'Altered Carbon'.

Anything by Neil Gaiman or Terry Pratchett.

I can also recommend a number of crime writers, whether you want Golden Age (Christie, Sayers, Marsh, Tey, Allingham), hard-boiled (Hammet, Chandler), historical (Ellis Peters, Lindsey Davis), psych (Frank Tallis, Caleb Carr) or classic 'tec (Conan Doyle). On the last one, anyone Sherlock fans should check out Laurie King's Mary Russell series.

As you might guess, I read a lot. (Last HP took me 5 hours straight) I also like the Temeraire series, though I thought the last book a little flabby. She wanted to go H Rider Haggard, but didn't quite pull it off. And I'm also with the Kim Harrison love - does anyone else see Alan Tudyk as Jenks?

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Thursday, April 03, 2008 11:13 AM

STEAMER

I like pretty much anything by Clive Cussler - esp. his classic Dirk Pitt series. That bein' the case, I'm very much into action and high adventure. In fact I like to write it as well as read it, and some of it will get posted here soon. :biggrin:

I also like Patrick O'Brian. Always have had a thing for sea warfare in general, but there's something special about Napoleonic sea warfare.

Speaking of which, Harry Homewood was the last guy to write a really, really good treatise of World War II U.S. submariners (being that he was one himself) - as was Lothaar-Gunther Buchheim for the German U-boaters. What I wouldn't give to read more of that genre on either side.

Trap is open Simon's bait River's smarter Early's late FIREFLY

Captain of the New England Browncoats http://www.myspace.com/nebrowncoats

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Thursday, April 03, 2008 11:25 AM

ALLIETHORN7

Unfortuneately, I've been writin' my own as of late, rather then reading as I'm aught. Still... I simply adore the Redwall series, by Brian Jacques. Talking, fighting animals? Sign me up. Tolkien is also beyond awesome, and the Kevin J. Anderson Saga of the Seven Suns. And suchlike. Good call on the Temeraire series, though!

-Danny

Dead I am the one, Exterminating son Slipping through the trees, strangling the breeze Dead I am the sky, watching angels cry While they slowly turn, conquering the worm

Dig through the ditches, And burn through the witches I slam in the back of my Dragula

Dig through the ditches, Burn through the witches I slam in the back of my Dragula The Band of the week is... Rob Zombie

Gott weiß ich will kein Engel sein. http://www.myspace.com/otherrandomdude

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Thursday, April 03, 2008 11:45 AM

THESOMNAMBULIST

Originally posted by StrangeBird:

Quote:
]Howdy folks,

I've just been wondering what books/book series you all like to read.

Hey StrangeBird.

Always nice to pass books around. I see you read the "Life of Pi" I tried that about two years ago and just couldn't get on with it. I have been meaning to give it another go though. We'll see.

I tend to favour south american writers. I'm sort of partial to magical realism so for me it's most of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's works:

One Hundred Years of Solitude Love in the Time of Cholera Love and Other Demons In Evil Hour Chronicle of a death Foretold No One writes to the Colonel

Edwardo Galliano's Genesis is also a favourite. Jorge Amado's War of the Saints

Otherwise I tend to emerse myself in the classics: Notre Dame by Victor Hugo is a big favourite of mine, same goes for Cervantes' Don Quixote, Charles Dickens A Tale of Two Cities and the Pickwick Papers - absolutely love those. Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms, Thomas Hardy's Far From the Madding Crowd amoung a few.

Also Italo Calvino, Umberto Eco, Albert Camus, Annie Proulx and Spike Milligan.

Nice thread :D

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Thursday, April 03, 2008 12:05 PM

ECGORDON

There's no place I can be since I found Serenity.

I read almost exclusively science fiction, but unfortunately I don't have the time as I once did. My current book is John Scalzi's The Ghost Brigades, which is a sequel to Old Man's War, then if I still want to continue he has two more in the sequence (so far).

My main interest is in the classic SF authors; Heinlein, Clarke, Bester, Asimov, P.K. Dick, Aldiss, Farmer, Herbert, Haldeman, etc. Heinlein is my favorite, and his best novel is The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, followed by Starship Troopers, Friday and Glory Road. However, the best classic SF novel is probably Alfred Bester's The Stars My Destination.

Probably the best (in the literary sense) is Gene Wolfe, and his Book of the New Sun saga is awesome, along with the Book of the Long Sun, Book of the Short Sun, The Fifth Head of Cerberus, plus some great story collections.

But the best book I have ever read is Star Maker by Olaf Stapledon. There are enough ideas on every page of that book to keep hundreds of writers busy spinning off tales for years to come.

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Thursday, April 03, 2008 12:16 PM

STRANGEBIRD

Quote:
Originally posted by TheSomnambulist: Originally posted by StrangeBird:
Quote:
]Howdy folks,

I've just been wondering what books/book series you all like to read.

Hey StrangeBird.

Always nice to pass books around. I see you read the "Life of Pi" I tried that about two years ago and just couldn't get on with it. I have been meaning to give it another go though. We'll see.

Nice thread :D

Yeah. It's definitely an odd book. I wouldn't call it one of my favorites just one that stands out in my memory. I by no means did not like it. It was good, just difficult to immerse into. Took me a week and a half to read it. Ofcourse I was going through one of my "gamer" months where I read less and play games or do puzzles more in my free time. It'd be interesting if they did go forward with a movie version. M. Night Shyamalan has been interested for years but feels he's too close to the subject matter as he comes from a similar background as the protagonist. He tends to make movies only he really gets as it is...

Anyway I would however like to mention that on the topic of the Temeraire series. It is like Patrick O'brian but somewhat lighter on ship-warfare and heavier on fantasy. No actual magic or totally skewed science and of course the battles do not follow the same course as in reality but that's also the point of the alternate history epic. It's a great series and my most favorite recently and among the greats as far as I'm concerned. Let's hope it ends well. And I do agree this last one doesn't flow quite as well as the last three but I'm only three quarters of the way through so far. I'll finish it later this evening. If Peter Jackson does finally get around to making them let's hope he does at least as good a job as he did with Tolkien's work. Adapting book to film is difficult seeing as the two are such different forms of media and flow is so much more important for a movie.

I've gotta get me more books now. I've added Patrick O'brian and Douglas Adams to my list of series I really have to read. I'll be broke again before the end of the month.

Has anyone read the Artemis Fowl series by Eoin Colfer? It's great. In my opinion it's far better than Harry Potter. Which I also agree is very much so overrated. I just realized that Colfer's books as well will be adapted to film... will there be any stories left one has to read to experience?

<------<<< ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(*)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >>>------>

"When you can't do something smart, do something right." -

quoting Book <------<<< ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(*)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >>>------>

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Thursday, April 03, 2008 1:46 PM

TRAVELER

Glad you asked.

Science Fiction first:

J.R.R. Tolkien: Thehe Hobbit and Lord of the Rings

Felitcity Savage: Humiltiy Garden and Delta City --> this a two volume story

Andre Norton: The Zero Stone, Uncharted Stars, Postmarked the Stars, and several others Melissa Scott: Dreamships and Burning Bright

Douglas Adams:The entire series of The Hitchhikers Guide to the Universe and the Dirk Gently's books

Other fiction:

Shakespeare: Much Ado about Nothing, Richard III, Henry V, and King Lear

Jan de Hartog: The Captain and The Spiral Road-> I highly recommend this author. Found him quit excellent.

John Irving: A Pray for Owen Meany->He can get very grafic at times, but an excellent writer.

Herman Hesse: Narcissus and Goldmann, Siddhartha-> Got to be awake when you read this guy.

John Steinbeck: Of Mice and Men

Ellen Hart: Her entire series of Jane Lawless mysteries

Nonfiction:

I read a lot of military history. So I will just give you the books I have on World War II. If I gave you the entire list my keyboard would rebel.

Hampton Sides: Ghost Soldiers

Richard Tregaskis: Guadalcanal Diary

Charles Whiting: Bloody Aachen

Lida Mayo: Bloody Buna

Bliss K. Thorne: The Hump

Rick Atkinson: An Army at Dawn

Major General J.L. Moulton: Battle of Antwerp

David Rame: Road to Tunis

Ralph Ingersoll: The Battle is the Pay-off

Malcolm James: Born of the Desert-> Semibiographical account of a Doctor James service with the British Forces Special Air Service

Des Hicket and Gus Smith: Operation Avalanche

Be happy I did not list the books, from the other wars, I own.

Other Nonfiction:

Herbert Friedman: The Astronomers Universe

Translated from Hebrew by David Rosenberg and Interpreted by Harold Bloom: The Book of J

To many authors to name here: Alcoholics Anonymous

To many books and not enough time; Traveler

http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=28764731 Traveler

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Thursday, April 03, 2008 5:58 PM

STRANGEBIRD

Quote:
To many books and not enough time; Traveler

Sadly. If I could only live forever I'd try but most likely fail.

<------<<< ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(*)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >>>------>

"When you can't do something smart, do something right." -

quoting Book <------<<< ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(*)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >>>------>

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Thursday, April 03, 2008 9:07 PM

NEWOLDBROWNCOAT

Let's see. from what's been already mentioned:

Jimmy Buffet- he's on my list of "gotta get the library to order."

Robert B Parker-- last week read the latest Spenser novel.

Terry Pratchett- I keep reading his stuff. He's marketed as a comic writer, but his stuff doesn't make me laugh. But a lot of it is thought provoking satire, and a lot has good themes.

Robert Heinlein-- I'm a giant fan.

John Steinbeck- I love Cannery Row, Sweet Thursday and Tortilla Flat.

What else? I just finished re-reading one of John D MacDonald's Travis Magee novels.

I read a lot of play scripts, musical librettos, and Shakespeare. Last month: Furth/Sondheim's Company.

Also gonna get my library to order Tom Bodett's The End of the Road.

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Thursday, April 03, 2008 9:38 PM

FINN MAC CUMHAL

This last year some of the books I’ve read are (These are just the ones off the top of my head that I remember.)

The Fall of the Roman Empire, by Dr. Peter Heather

The NeoCon Reader, edited by Irwin Stelzer

The Skeptical Environmentalist, by Dr. Lomborg

Rome and Her Empire, by Dr. David Shotter

The Golden Compass, by Philip Pullman

Several books by Terry Brooks, including: Jarka Ruus, Tanequil, Straken and Armageddon’s Children

In general:

I love Terry Brooks and David Eddings. Their books are fun and interesting and don’t take a year to read. I tried reading Robert Jordan and George R. R. Martin, but their books are just too long. I don’t have that kind of time, anymore. I loved the Lord of the Rings, and the Hobbit.

I read a lot of history, particularly Roman history. And those kinds of books occupy a lot of time. It takes a while to get through a history. I spent three months reading Rome and Her Empire. I spent a year reading a book called Roman Britain and Early England, and that was only about 120 pages long, but it was very technical.

A lot of my reading time is spent doing reading for work, about 35% of my work is reading. Mostly scientific papers or briefings. In turn this tends to pique my interest in other areas of science. I’ve developed some interest in global climate change, so I tend to read a lot on that.

I read a lot of manuals. Those “For Dummies” or “Idiot Guides” are a stroke a genius. Anything you want to learn, you can just get a introductory manual on the topic - it’s great. I have a shelf full of these books. Anytime something piques my interest, I go find a Dummies or Idiots guide.

Nihil est incertius vulgo, nihil obscurius voluntate hominum, nihil fallacius ratione tota comitiorum.

Nothing is more unpredictable than the mob, nothing more obscure than public opinion, nothing more deceptive than the whole political system.

-- Cicero

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Thursday, April 03, 2008 10:10 PM

THESOMNAMBULIST

StrangeBird Wrote:

Quote:
will there be any stories left one has to read to experience?

Well so far every attempt at filming Don Quixote has failed. So I suggest reading that one as it looks like it really could be an unfilmable book. :D

That said I agree with your sentiments. I find it a shame with certain books that flm adaptations are undertaken and worse that the refinement of that book in the making of a film is accepted as part of the process. I often dislike films where they 'modernize' a books structure to make the appeal to audiences easier. Dickens seems to suffer this indignity.

When I read 'The Shippings News' it actuallly read like a script so I don't think in that case it made much difference, but with some of the classics it just doesn't flow..

Anyway. Grumble over. :D

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Friday, April 04, 2008 1:27 AM

FLATTOP

I love books.

Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

The Dresden Files series (new one - Small Favor, was released two days ago!)

William Gibson - I'm a huge fan of Neuromancer, Count Zero & Burning Chrome (collection of short stories).

Neil Stephenson - Cryptonomicon & Snow Crash

Dune The rest of the series is just there to milk this one.

Black Holes & Time Warps interesting overview of well, Black Holes, Time Warps, Worm Holes & other space/time distorting phenomena.

So many others, so little time.

---------- Remember to vote! http://www.usbmicro.com/misc

Sign up NOW! http://fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=11&t=25704 More Information: http://76thbattalion.homestead.com/index.html

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Friday, April 04, 2008 3:34 AM

FOSTER

Right books and authors

Kim Harrison -Rachael Morgan Series

Simon R Green - DeathStalker Series and the Nightside Series

David Weber - anything

Charlaine Harris - Both series

Elizabeth Moon - anything

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Friday, April 04, 2008 4:44 AM

MAL4PREZ

I just re-read Dangerous Liasons while traveling. A novel of letters, and just brilliant. Really. On so many levels.

MiddleSex by Jeffrey Eugenides is on my oft re-readable list, as is anything by Jane Austen. I loooove Kurt Vonnegut, and have a soft spot for the utter insanity of Norman Mailer's Dead Guys Don't Dance. The first half of it anyway.

On the sci-fi front, I'm all about Dan Simmons' Hyperion series. Flattop - I'm with you about Stephenson. Snow Crash is *so* good! A bit heavy with the history of language lectures, but everything else is fabulous.

Donaldson's Convenent series was entertaining fantasy, if a little heavy. It's no Tolkien, but then, nothing is as good as Tolkien. :smile:

----------------------------------------------- hmm-burble-blah, blah-blah-blah, take a left

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Friday, April 04, 2008 5:25 AM

STRANGEBIRD

Quote:
Originally posted by NewOldBrownCoat: Jimmy Buffet- he's on my list of "gotta get the library to order."

Just make sure when you read them to try and read the short story 'Take Another Road' from 'Tales From Margaritaville' before undertaking the sequel novel 'A Salty Piece Of Land'. The story really doesn't make more sense but you'll care more about the character. Also there are many other short stories in 'TFM' that are highly recommended. 'Off to see the Lizard' and 'Boomerang Love' are also great... though the last one describes a love scene which is also pretty much the purpose of the story so it's not for youngsters. Gotta love it when the main protagonists make love outside during a hurricane.... which I can understand having been through a couple myself. They are mighty, terrifying and as beautiful as nature can be.

<------<<< ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(*)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >>>------> "When you can't do something smart, do something right." - quoting Book <------<<< ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(*)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >>>------>

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Friday, April 04, 2008 7:27 AM

WOLFEN68

Finn mac Cumhal mentioned not having time to read Robert Jordan. For that matter...who does?

His Wheel of Time series started off excellent, but after book three or so, it just fell apart into a constant stream of ongoing nonsense.

He milked that series for years...painfully streeeeeching it out, until he passed away recently with his legacy unfinished.

Great thread everyone...I'll try Naomi Novik's series after I'm done with Honor Harrington (it's always good to have something "on deck").

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Friday, April 04, 2008 1:08 PM

TRAVELER

Hello Steamer:

I was going through the book lists everyone has placed here and could not help noticing you mentioning Patrick O'Brian as a novelist of naval warfare. Looked him up in Wikipedia and he wrote about twenty stories in one series. That is a lot of reading, but I will start at the beginning and plod along. I am a military history nut and like to read both fiction and nonfiction stories of past warfare.

Thank you for the heads up on this guy. Always looking for new authors, especially in the historic vain. Traveler

http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=28764731 Traveler

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Friday, April 04, 2008 2:00 PM

NCBROWNCOAT

Here's my rather eclectic list of books I'm reading...Yes, sometimes I read more than one at a time:

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer. A very good young adult vampire story. I can't wait for the movie but the director will have to have special care in casting. The two sequels are on my to be purchased list and I can't wait for her new adult novel to come out.

John Adams by David McCullough. An awesome bio of the second President. The book is so good I'm scared to see the HBO miniseries.

The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillippa Gregory. Believe it or not, it's full of political intrigue (and sex of course) as the Howard family tries to gain power by first encouraging an affair between Mary Boleyn and Henry XIII and when that fails, and then trying and succeeding in getting Anne to be Henry's second wife. And no I haven't seen the movie, but I am reveling in Showtimes "The Tudors".

And last but not least, "Betrayal On Orbis 2" by P.J. Haarsma. It's the sequel to "Virus on Orbis 1".

I'll say up front that I'm a member of KidsNeedtoRead, the literacy group founded by Nathan Fillion and P.J. Haarsma but that's not why I read the book and then passed it on to my 11 year old nephew, who was begging for the second one as soon as he read the first one.

It's a fantastic and good sci fi for middle schoolers (and above). It follows a 13 year old boy that's able to use computers with just his mind. He's just trying to survive in an alien culture and yes there are LOTS of aliens, some good and some bad and some in between.

http://fireflyfaninnc.livejournal.com/

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Friday, April 04, 2008 2:23 PM

NCBROWNCOAT

Those are only the books I've read lately.

I love just about any good book and only regret I only have so much time to read and there're SO MANY good books.

Can I recommend www.goodreads.com? It's a bit like MySpace but for "bookies". You can see what your friends are reading and have read with their ratings and reviews. There are also author, genre and interest groups.

Hey, we could even form Browncoat reading group.

http://fireflyfaninnc.livejournal.com/

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Friday, April 04, 2008 3:53 PM

STRANGEBIRD

Quote:
Originally posted by ncbrowncoat:

Can I recommend www.goodreads.com? It's a bit like MySpace but for "bookies". You can see what your friends are reading and have read with their ratings and reviews. There are also author, genre and interest groups.

Hey, we could even form Browncoat reading group.

Great Idea. I'm a member over at goodreads but I've not done anything since I signed up. If we got together a Browncoat group it would be great. I was originally recommended to the site by a Browncoat as it is.

I'll look into how we could start a group tomorrow if we get enough interested parties. I've been bored out of my mind lately. I could use something constructive to work on.

Quote:
Thank you for the heads up on this guy. Always looking for new authors, especially in the historic vain.

I'm with you traveler. There is a nice box-set of five attractively presented omnibuses out that include all twenty of the Aubrey/Maturin series, a few of the short stories and the first three chapters of the final twenty-first novel that went unfinished at the time of POB's death. I'll be getting that as soon as possible. Patrick O'brian is on my must read list for 2008. May be dropping some hints to my folks as my birthday is coming up in May... hmm.

Here's a link to info on that nice Patrick O'brian boxset. http://www2.wwnorton.com/catalog/fall07/006011.htm

EDIT: Well it appears there has been some trouble with the omnibus editions. Apparently they did not proofread them and there are numerous errors. I might just get the paperbacks now.

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Friday, April 04, 2008 4:16 PM

EMBERS

Quote:
Originally posted by FlatTop: The Dresden Files series (new one - Small Favor, was released two days ago!)

I was going to mention that myself, I have it on order and I hope it is shipped to me soon!

I also love to read EVERYTHING by Terry Pratchett and everything by Neil Gaiman

I also have a long list of mystery authors who I always read: Sue Grafton Laurie R. King Tony Hillerman Jasper Fforde

and I have many old favorites that I reread because they always make me happy: Tolkein, Austen, and JKR

New Firefly fans should check this out: http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=2&t=15816

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Friday, April 04, 2008 9:49 PM

STEAMER

Quote:
Originally posted by traveler: I was going through the book lists everyone has placed here and could not help noticing you mentioning Patrick O'Brian as a novelist of naval warfare. Looked him up in Wikipedia and he wrote about twenty stories in one series. That is a lot of reading, but I will start at the beginning and plod along. I am a military history nut and like to read both fiction and nonfiction stories of past warfare.

Did you ever see the movie 'Master and Commander'? It was based on two or three of O'Brian's novels. My dad flipped when he found out about the movie, as he is a huge O'Brian fan and was eager to see the screen adaptation. Might I add, he loved it!

Another grand master of Napoleonic surface warfare is Alexander Kent. I think he wrote even more than O'Brian did - that's a lot more reading to be sure, but you'll have plenty to keep you busy on a crummy afternoon. :wink:

Serenity has Grace and class She also has A shiny....engine. FIREFLY

Captain of the New England Browncoats http://www.myspace.com/nebrowncoats

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Friday, April 04, 2008 9:55 PM

TRAVELER

Okay Steamer:

Quote:
Another grand master of Napoleonic surface warfare is Alexander Kent. I think he wrote even more than O'Brian did - that's a lot more reading to be sure, but you'll have plenty to keep you busy on a crummy afternoon. :wink:

Crummy afternoon!!! How did you know I live in Wisconsin?:biggrin:

http://www.imdb.com/mymovies/list?l=28764731 Traveler

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Saturday, April 05, 2008 6:40 AM

SPACEANJL

On the historical front -

Bernard Cornwell 'Sharpe' series - mainly Napoleonic, but also the India campaign.

If you like historical crime, Lindsey Davis 'Falco' series is very good on Vespasian's Rome.

Arturo Perez-Reverte - the 'Alatriste' books. The Three Musketeers era, from the Spanish side.

Laurie King 'O Jerusalem' a really interesting insight into the place c 1920.

(Given your name, I assume you've read Michael Shaara! :smile: )

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Saturday, April 05, 2008 1:47 PM

CLJOHNSTON108

Currently reading...

• Childhood's End (Finally!) • The Fountainhead • Lonesome Dove • Red Mars • Ben Bova's Mars

Recent favorites...

• Scalzi's Old Man's War series • Robert J. Sawyer's "Neanderthal Parallax" —• Hominids —• Humans —• Hybrids

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Saturday, April 05, 2008 2:28 PM

JLIN

I started a browncoat group on www.goodreads.com Just search the groups for "Browncoats". It's open to anyone.

Also, I love Sherlock Holmes.

Thank Universal for airing Firefly in HD at http://universalhd.com/Firefly/

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Saturday, April 05, 2008 5:06 PM

STRANGEBIRD

Thanks. I'll check it out tonight.

I know I said I'd start one but I completely forgot about it until now. Been a busy day.

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"When you can't do something smart, do something right." -

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Sunday, April 06, 2008 9:24 AM

NEWOLDBROWNCOAT

This thread would be a good place to ask-- I'm always on the lookout for light fiction- humorous or comic, as opposed to serious or tragic. Suggestions?

I've read a lot of Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams, Keith Laumer, and Donald Westlake.

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Sunday, April 06, 2008 9:36 AM

PARALIAN

Looking over at my bookshelf right now, I see:

Memoirs of a Geisha--Arthur Golden The Five People you Meet in Heaven--Mitch Albom The Secret Life of Bees--Sue Monk Kidd Bridge to Terabithia-Katherine Paterson

And, an empty spot where the Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy was until I lent it to someone.

(Wow I can't remember much about Bridge to Terabithia, I'll have to read it after exams)

I also like the Harry Potter series, have read the Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit.

I've heard the Twilight series are really good, and a book called Prozac Nation.

<3 Chiya http://chiya.crisp-breeze.org

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Sunday, April 06, 2008 10:32 AM

GROTZ

One that hasnt been mentioned that I really like.

Marion Zimmer Bradley, writes historic fiction with female perspective. Among others King Arthur from the eyes of Morgan le Fay, and the Illiad from the eyes of Kassandra(Twin sister of Paris, wasnt mentioned in Troy).

Vote for BDM/FF at http://stargate-news.com/

Never kiss'em on the mouth.

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Sunday, April 06, 2008 11:46 AM

STRANGEBIRD

Quote:
NewOldBrownCoat wrote: Sunday, April 06, 2008 09:24 This thread would be a good place to ask-- I'm always on the lookout for light fiction- humorous or comic, as opposed to serious or tragic. Suggestions?

I've read a lot of Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams, Keith Laumer, and Donald Westlake.

You'll want to try Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl series then. It's young adult so the humor is pretty light and comic with serious points enough to not feel kiddish. It's about a child prodigy of very scrupulous and illustrious ancestry. All crime, faerie folk and crazy technology. It's definitely goofy but still very clever. There are so far only five books to the series with at least two more coming. The first time you discover what Colfer's dwarves are so good at you'll have a hard time not laughing aloud. Either way it's many times better than Harry Potter. Colfer is Irish by the way if that makes you more interested... not too many Irish fantasy authors that I've heard of. It's not your typical elves and dwarves and such either.

I like a bit of light with the tragic myself. If you only have one or the other it can get boring. Though I also enjoy thoughtful and interesting as well.

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"When you can't do something smart, do something right." -

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