Timstar Posted March 27, 2015 Author Share Posted March 27, 2015 I hope you two don't mind me jumping in on the "Sherlock Holmes" discussion . I haven't read any Sherlock stories yet by Doyle, but I did read some adaptations by other authors which I liked. It's a shame not all of the original books and stories are as nice. Not at all If you enjoy Sherlock then I guess you will like or at least appreciate Doyle's writings. Don't listen to them, Athena! All of the original Sherlock Holmes stories are amazing! I can't believe Tim and Signor's blasphemous comments. I need to go and lie down for a while... Haha, some are quite interesting but then they have a very abrupt and unsatisfying ending. Others just feel completely pointless. I also find them quite patronising at times as Sherlock states how obvious the conclusion is based on facts the reader wasn't given. I would like to at least read the Hound of the Baskervilles but i'm not sure I will bother with any more of the short stories. Oh, yeah, I forgot about that. Yeah, it's great . . . unlike the filler he stuffed into the Hobbit movies. It's ridiculous! This is hilarious: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted April 2, 2015 Author Share Posted April 2, 2015 Finished a few books lately: The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett, shamed to say this was my first Pratchett but happy to say it won't be my last, thoroughly enjoyed it Neuromancer by William Gibson, it started off well and I'm not sure if it got a lot worse or I just lost focus but I didn't enjoy it much at all and just wanted to get it finished Messenger's Legacy by Peter V. Brett, this is a novella set between his 3rd and 4th book (with the 4th being released imminently), this I really enjoyed and for the first time since reading the abyssmal The Daylight War I am excited for the next book. Highly recommended for fans of the series. Sandman: The Doll's House by Neil Gaiman, the 2nd graphic novel in the Sandman series, this was pretty disappointing, I wasn't too keen on the first but this was even worse. Just generally pretty boring, no good characters or story and the artwork isn't anything special. That's it for now, no tomes on the go at the moment but I am tempted to start one soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted April 2, 2015 Share Posted April 2, 2015 I'm so glad you liked your first Terry Pratchett book ! It's a shame about Neuromancer and Sandman: The Doll's House, both books / series were on my old wishlist (due for revision), I'm sorry you didn't enjoy them so much. Messenger's Legacy sounds great, I'm so glad you enjoyed it! It seems the $2.99 Amzon.com Kindle version in unavailable in my region and there is another version available that's over 12$ on Amazon.com, so that's too expensive for me to buy any time soon especially for ~113 pags (there is a hardback version of it, but it's hardback and €23 on BD.). I hope to read it eventually, though! Maybe it'll become available or be bundled with something else. I can hope. I'm really glad you enjoyed it though, and I hope you enjoy the fourth book if you read it (I will be waiting for a paperback release, maybe it can be a birthday present to myself, it might be out by October..)! I hope you enjoy your next read . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted April 2, 2015 Share Posted April 2, 2015 Neuromancer by William Gibson, it started off well and I'm not sure if it got a lot worse or I just lost focus but I didn't enjoy it much at all and just wanted to get it finished Ha, I bought that recently. Looking forward to it, personally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted April 2, 2015 Share Posted April 2, 2015 Neuromancer by William Gibson, it started off well and I'm not sure if it got a lot worse or I just lost focus but I didn't enjoy it much at all and just wanted to get it finished I struggled with this one, even though loads of people rave about it. I just didn't get it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted April 3, 2015 Share Posted April 3, 2015 Yay for Pratchett! So glad you enjoyed it. Any major characters from the series show up in Messenger's Legacy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted April 17, 2015 Author Share Posted April 17, 2015 Ha, I bought that recently. Looking forward to it, personally. Hope you enjoy it more than I did, I think it will be one I will go back to in a few years with an open mind. I struggled with this one, even though loads of people rave about it. I just didn't get it. It is very bizarre! Yay for Pratchett! So glad you enjoyed it. Any major characters from the series show up in Messenger's Legacy? A couple are mentioned but some minor characters do show up. I finished the second Pratchett book, The Light Fantastic, I enjoyed it. Thought it was on par with The Colour of Magic. I think I will continue with the Rincewind novels in order, I know some say it's not the best way, but most say it doesn't make a difference. I have also finished Mystic River and The Dead of Night, the second book in the Tomorrow series which was much better than the first. I've also been working through the Y: The Last Man graphic novels which have been great so far. Off on holiday to Venice next week, probably won't get much reading done but I should take 4 or 5 books just in case Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 I'm glad you enjoyed The Light Fantastic . I wish you a great holiday ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted April 17, 2015 Share Posted April 17, 2015 I finished the second Pratchett book, The Light Fantastic, I enjoyed it. Thought it was on par with The Colour of Magic. I think I will continue with the Rincewind novels in order, I know some say it's not the best way, but most say it doesn't make a difference. I've heard arguments for reading the series either way. Personally I wanted to do it the way you're doing, but didn't own enough of the later books. I'm guessing Sourcery will be your next read, then? I read it last week. Hope you have an awesome time in Venice! Ciao. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted April 17, 2015 Author Share Posted April 17, 2015 I'm glad you enjoyed The Light Fantastic . I wish you a great holiday ! Thank you! I've heard arguments for reading the series either way. Personally I wanted to do it the way you're doing, but didn't own enough of the later books. I'm guessing Sourcery will be your next read, then? I read it last week. Hope you have an awesome time in Venice! Ciao. Yeah it will be my next Discworld book, hopefully get to it soonish. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 For a bit of fun (she normally makes more 'normal' videos but she has done some interesting videos on ie. the history of science-fiction and such, if anyone's interested I'd be happy to link them to you): Personally I'm reading them in order, so I get to know all the characters. But it doesn't matter a whole lot exactly how you read the books as most are standalone stories but with familiar characters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted April 27, 2015 Author Share Posted April 27, 2015 Back from Venice, had an incredible time, it is such a beautiful city and the weather was perfect. We also went over to Verona and Lake Garda which are also stunning. Just a few of pics: Didn't get much reading done, but did start the third book in Marsden's Tomorrow series which is great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 Gorgeous photographs Tim. I am yet to visit Venice, but it is on my 'must see' list. Was that last one taken at Sirmione? It looks familiar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 Great pics Tim - Venice looks gorgeous! My sister is going in a couple of months. I'm not jealous at all. Are ALL the streets rivers instead of pavements? Or only some of them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted April 28, 2015 Author Share Posted April 28, 2015 Was that last one taken at Sirmione? It looks familiar. It was, good eye! Great pics Tim - Venice looks gorgeous! My sister is going in a couple of months. I'm not jealous at all. Are ALL the streets rivers instead of pavements? Or only some of them? She'll tell you how good it is as well! The streets are canals instead of roads but there is still pavements and alleyways everywhere, you can visit without ever getting on a boat, but why would you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissy Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 I remember thinking that if I had been a rich Roman I would have built my extensive villa at Sirmione too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted April 28, 2015 Author Share Posted April 28, 2015 I remember thinking that if I had been a rich Roman I would have built my extensive villa at Sirmione too! Haha, no where else would do after seeing that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 Wow, those photos are beautiful! I'm glad you had a great time . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 Amazing pictures, I'm hella jealous Glad you had a great time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signor Finzione Posted April 29, 2015 Share Posted April 29, 2015 The streets are canals instead of roads but there is still pavements and alleyways everywhere, you can visit without ever getting on a boat, but why would you? Canals! I meant canals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timstar Posted May 1, 2015 Author Share Posted May 1, 2015 I have finished Hyperion by Dan Simmons which I really enjoyed. It is a SF told in the same style as The Canterbury Tales with each character relating a different story revolving in some way around the mysterious and deadly being known as the Shrike. The stories are written in a format that portrays the characters profession such as Scholar, Poet, Soldier etc... which means they are all very different from each other, with some being better than others. Overall 9/10 I also read Dexter's Final Cut, the last in the series and I couldn't believe how bad it was. The author changed Dexter into a highly unlikable character that didn't see the very obvious plot twist coming and leaves us with a worse ending than the show (which I didn't think was possible). Very glad it is the last. Overall 5/10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted May 1, 2015 Share Posted May 1, 2015 I read Hyperion a couple of years ago, and I don't remember too much about it, except that I enjoyed the first story the most. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athena Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 I loved Hyperion when I first read it (in Dutch). I saw the book in a book shop, and I was gifted a book voucher, from my grandparents, and I picked that book (omnibus) to buy (in the book shop in their village, unfortunately the shop is no longer there). I didn't know anything about the book or the author other than what it said on the back. It was a lovely surprise that I enjoyed it so much (the omnibus contains Hyperion and The Fall of Hyperion). I bought the English edition a few years later (also an omnibus), because I've been planning to (re)read the book in English, and then read the Endymion omnibus after (which I bought, in English, at the same time). I haven't yet got around to doing so, but I have fond memories of my Hyperion omnibus . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 I struggle hugely with sci-fi, but I gave Hyperion a go after my brother swore it was amazing. Honestly I only read the first story, couldn't get through the second - but I did absolutely love that first story. Can't for the life of me remember why, now, but there you go Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karsa Orlong Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 Glad you enjoyed Hyperion, Tim. Bloody marvellous book. I think Sol's story was my favourite, 'The Scholar's Tale'. I found it heartbreaking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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