Airellian
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Post by Airellian on Apr 24, 2007 15:10:27 GMT -8
Well, I finished Sabriel, Lirael, and Abhorsen from the Old Kingom series by Garth Nix a while ago. I think there's also a short story but I haven't gotten it yet. It's about necromancers who use their power for the good of the Old Kingdom, by laying the dead to rest instead of raising them to do their bidding. It's a pretty good series and the magical concepts are interesting.
I just started The Warrior Heir by Cinda Williams Chima. It's supposed to be a War of the Roses type thing set in the modern day with opposing wizard factions. I guess. The similarity is glaringly obvious, though, with the factions called the Red and White Roses. I picked it up in the bookstore and thought it sounded interesting. Dunno if it'll keep, though.
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Post by matt on Apr 25, 2007 16:10:59 GMT -8
I've never read anything by R.A. Salvatore before, so I went to the 'start' of his Menzo series, 'Homeland' to see what all the fuss is about, or if it really is overrated. Quite frankly, I found it to be quite a dull read. I can appreciate the world building and the evil society the author captures here, but the prose is tear inducing, and it features what has to be some of the worst, most banal battle sequences ever. I just find it ludicrous when authors start talking about 'rhythms' and 'tempo' in the middle of a fight. Violence is never EVER like how certain authors describe it.
Then there's the annoyingly uber main character, who... yeah, I think I wanted him to die the entire time I was reading it. Never a good sign. I think I'm gonna go kill him a few dozen times in Baldur's Gate just to vent some steam. Needless to say, I doubt I'll be going back for more of this series. Unfortunately, I have a couple of Salvatore's Star Wars novels on my shelf unread too. I hope they're not as bad as this one was.
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Airellian
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Post by Airellian on Apr 25, 2007 20:55:47 GMT -8
Uh... Yeah, I never expect too much from any Forgotten Realms novel. Their protagonists are just too much, whether it be Drizzt, Elminster, or whoever.
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Post by Daos on Apr 25, 2007 21:00:46 GMT -8
I can't stand Elminster books. I really can't. If he just makes a cameo, I can live with that. Like the Times of Trouble series. But if the book is about him...ugh.
Drizzt...I haven't read his books in awhile now. I remember enjoying the early ones. But then, after awhile, things just got redundant. A terrible power creep began, reminding me of Dragonball Z (how the characters got stronger and stronger, until we entered the realm of pure absurdity). Ironically, in the first series (The Crystal Shard) Drizzt was just a party member. But he then later became the spotlight.
The only other series I remember enjoying from FR was the Finder Stone's series. It's been awhile since I read those, too, so I can't say if they still hold up to my tastes nowadays.
All in all, though, I've always preferred Dragonlance instead.
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Post by Josh on May 28, 2007 15:34:34 GMT -8
yay, resurrecting more old topics!
by the way, Crime and Punishment is pretty damn awesome. I had to read it for a class, along with the likes of Moby Dick and Mansfield Park, so maybe I was just so impressed with it because it was so different, but seriously, good writing. And it starts off with a murder, so it's pretty fast paced the whole way through. I've started The Idiot, though I haven't actually gotten past the first few pages before looking for something else. I think I was more burned out with classics with that, though... I think the book at least sounded okay?
Johnathan Strange & Mr. Norrell was amazing, too! I was not at all expecting to like a history-flavored magic tale, but wow.
Sabriel, Lirael, and Abhorsen were also great... though I appreciated the historical flavoring in this trilogy a lot less than Strange and Norrell.
Anyway, I just finished re-reading the Harry Potter series (yeah... i'm one of those people...) in preparation for the last book, and before that finished David B. Coe's conclusion to the Winds of the Forelands quintet. Both are good reads... Coe's characters are wonderfully relatable, though the quintet's multiple story lines were really difficult to keep track of. It had a lot of political stuff in a medieval-type setting, so there was a lot of going to different countries and empires and looking in on the ruling courts. Reading all 5 at once might make that easier, though....
I stopped by the bookstore the other day and picked up Flesh and Spirit by Carol Berg (she wrote the Bridge of D'Arnath series and the Rai-Kirah saga), so this should be fun...
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Post by Daos on May 28, 2007 16:04:35 GMT -8
I'll probably re-read the Harry Potter series myself, in preparation for the new book. I am also one of those people. Err, by which I mean I enjoy the books. I'm not one of those people, you know, who write Snape/Hermione slash or anything.
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Keith
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Post by Keith on May 28, 2007 17:27:56 GMT -8
I too read Harry Potter, and I am the type to write a Snape/Hermoine fanfic!
But seriously, I'm finishing up the Zombie Survival Guide, loads of fun. Some good practical information in there too.
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Post by Josh on May 28, 2007 17:36:58 GMT -8
I am the type to write a Snape/Hermoine fanfic! oh, wow. bad mental images, there. that's almost worse than the sirius/lupin i've heard of >.<
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Keith
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Post by Keith on May 28, 2007 20:45:24 GMT -8
Sirius/Lupin? Why didn't I ever think of that!
*Sets furiously to writing*
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Post by Josh on May 29, 2007 11:58:31 GMT -8
hah, it only gets worse when you start reading the books and see how easily that pairing falls into context. i mean, they are both canines, haven't had any significant others (until HBP), have been hanging out in the Black house all by themselves...
but, yeah, ew. i don't even want to think about what snape does alone in his dungeon. and i'm sure hermione would go for draco, anyway.
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Airellian
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Post by Airellian on May 29, 2007 12:13:13 GMT -8
You can't really call it slash, David, if it's between a guy and a girl. I was under the impression that slash is strictly homosexual. I'm just saying.
That doesn't mean you can't apply other qualifers. Perverted comes to mind. Wrong. Depraved. Et cetera, et cetera.
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Post by Daos on May 29, 2007 12:44:21 GMT -8
I don't know if it's strictly homosexual or not. I thought the term 'slash' was derived from the slash between the names of the pairing (i.e., Harry/Draco).
I just don't understand why people obsess about the relationships of the characters in fiction, particularly when said relationships are not a main part of the story. I mean, really--who cares who Harry winds up with? Isn't that story supposed to be about magic? Not whether Harry winds up with Ginny, Cho, Hermione, or whoever.
I remember once overhearing these kids arguing about whether Beast Boy in Teen Titans 'belongs' with Terra or Raven (quite vehemently). I recall thinking to myself, "What the #$%&? It's a damned children's cartoon!"
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Airellian
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Post by Airellian on May 29, 2007 13:19:37 GMT -8
I don't think the story is just about magic. The most powerful force in the story, after all, is Love. It's not all about magic wands and flying brooms. Harry Potter isn't going to defeat Voldemort simply because he's better at spells. Though, I am glad that JK Rowling tends to gloss over the more romantic parts.
I'm not saying that I enjoy when the number one thing fans obsess over Harry Potter is who he winds up with. But relationships and love in general are an important part of the books, so I understand why other fans might discuss such things (it's beyond me, though, why they write fanfiction).
And yes, it's strictly homosexual pairings. I think there's another word for heterosexual pairings. When someone says, "This story is slash," they're giving you a fair idea of the content of the story. (Note in your example, you even used a homosexual pairing.)
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Post by Josh on May 29, 2007 13:37:42 GMT -8
not to mention the story is a very realistic examination of adolescent development. harry's not just going to school to learn magic; it presents him with an opportunity to be a normal kid. even despite how many times he's confronted evil, it would be odd for him to throw everything into study, and as he gets older, it makes sense for him to begin focusing on people as more than just friends. also, while the story is moving according to his perspective, how he sees other characters does become a major feature of the story. in HBP, his obsession with ginny is just as prevalent as his obsession with draco.
as for the OTP phenomenon, i suppose with readers feeling strongly towards certain characters, coupled with general wishes to couple, i suppose people end up wanting a character to complement their own favorite character. or something.
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Post by Daos on May 29, 2007 13:59:16 GMT -8
Okay, granted, I was being oversimplistic. But what I meant was, that the possible romantic relationships are not a major part of the story. That is to say, it's not really going to matter much who Harry winds up with, if he winds up with anyone at all. Or rather, it won't mean anything to me. Oh! Umm....'ship'? I don't know. I'm just repeating terms I've heard Jackie say (she's obsessed with Harry/Draco, because you know, it's not possible for two men to hate each other--it MUST be displaced hostility). I don't know. I mean, I could see having a discussion on whether Daniel Jackson is better suited to Amanda Carter than Jack O'Neil, or whatever. I just don't understand why people get so passionate about it. I've seen flame wars that you wouldn't believe over whether Sora 'belongs' with Kairi or Rikku. It just strikes me as terribly...asinine to get so worked up over it. But that's why I stay far away from fanfiction, and general fandom in general. I mean, I like Harry Potter. But you couldn't pay me enough to join a Harry Potter community or even worse--a Harry Potter roleplay.
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