Books

Discussion in 'Off Topic Area' started by Darzeka, Jun 10, 2002.

  1. Darzeka

    Darzeka New Member

    Do any of read any fiction books?

    I love reading fantasy books. I first read R.A. Slavatore and loved the Drizzt and Cadderly adventures then Raymond Feist, David Eddings, David Gemmel and Robert Jordan (I wish Jordan would finish the tenth book, the series will have about 16 books I'm thinking LOL).

    There are so many others that I won't try to list them. Would like to hear from anyone who reads books for the pleasure of the story, not just their informational content.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 10, 2002
  2. Andy Murray

    Andy Murray Sadly passed away. Rest In Peace.

    Hi Darzeka,

    That would be the 'Wheel of Time' Teenology.

    Reccomend Terry Brooks, Sherri S Tepper ( Mavin Manyshaped is a classic ), Robin Hobb, Ursula Le Guin, C.S. Lewis, Lyndon Hardy, Hugh Cook ( a little weird at times ). Keep going back to Feist and Tolkien though.
     
  3. pesilat

    pesilat Active Member

    I'd recommend Tad Williams' "Memory, Sorry, and Thorn" trilogy (the titles of the books are, Dragon Bone Chair, Stone of Farewell, and To Green Angel Tower).

    Also, the "Sword of Truth" series (Wizard's First Rule, Stone of Tears, Blood of the Fold, Temple of the Winds, Soul of the Fire, Faith of the Fallen, Pillars of Creation) by Terry Goodkind. This series has not yet reached its conclusion ... and I'm eagerly looking forward to reading "Pillars of Creation" and its subsequent books :)

    These are my personal favorites in the fantasy genre. Though a close runner-up to these would be the "Guardians of the Flame" series by Joel Rosenberg.

    My 2 favorite sci-fi authors are Steve Perry and Steven Barnes ... both of whom, incidentally, train in Pentjak Silat Serak with Guru Stevan Plinck (though I was reading them before they started training in Silat ... in fact, I was reading them before I started training in Silat ... kinda cool that all three of us wound up training in Silat ... in fact, I've even trained with Guru Plinck and Steven Barnes at seminars :)

    Anyway ... I like everything I've read by these two guys. My favorite from Perry, though, is the "Matador" series (The Man Who Never Missed, Matadora, Machiavelli Interface ... that was the core trilogy ... he also wrote a couple of prequels written and several spin-offs where he delved further into each of the main characters ... but this core trilogy was, IMHO, the best of the series ... though the whole series is excellent).

    Barnes, I love the "Aubrey Knight" series (started with Streetlethal and I don't remember all the titles of the rest of the series). But my favorite books by Barnes (to date) are "Blood Brothers" and "Iron Shadows"

    I also *love* the "Destroyer" series (originally by Richard Sapir and Warren Murphy but now taken over by other authors). They're like cotton candy for me ... taste great but not very filling. When I'm in the mood for light reading, I grab a Destroyer book and zip through it :)

    Some of my other favorite authors (in various genre and in no particular order) are Stephen Hunter, David Morrell, Joe Lansdale (who is also a good friend of mine and an excellent martial artist), Simon Green, Simon Hawke.

    I'm probably leaving out a slew of other authors that I like but who aren't coming to mind right now (probably means they're not at the top of my list of favorites :)

    But I'd recommend anything by any of the authors I've mentioned :)

    Mike
     
  4. Darzeka

    Darzeka New Member

    Yeah I've read the first two Tad William's books of Memory, Thorn and Sorrow, somehow got distracted by something though.

    I've lost some concentration though don't seem to be able to get into any books lately - just read The ill Made Mute and lost interest half way through the sequel.

    At least slamming my brother into the practise mats hasn't got boring yet ;)
     
  5. pesilat

    pesilat Active Member

    LOL ... well, then I'd suggest grabbing a "Destroyer" book. They're great "pallet cleaners" :)

    Or maybe pick up some short stories and read them.

    In fact, here's a couple you might find interesting ... of course, I'm a little biased since I wrote them :)

    http://www.guild-hall.com/writings

    There are two short stories there (Neither has been published ... but "One Ting I Know" is currently entered in a contest). The third item there is an excerpt from a martial arts book I've written. I'm going to take pictures for it and then start hustling it to publishers. I'm hoping to start getting it out to publishers by early July.

    Both short stories, though, have martial arts tie ins.

    Let me know what you think :)

    Mike
     
  6. Freeform

    Freeform Fully operational War-Pig Supporter

    Anyone read any of Eric Lustbaders stuff? Like the Nicholas Linnear books, that guys hard as nails.
     
  7. Darzeka

    Darzeka New Member

    I read the stories Pelisat.

    I liked Wish of the Kris. The guy started out being a little too steroetypical but was better toward the end after he became a real person.
    The girl's background was a bit over the top (with Tom I mean).

    This may be because of my background with novels - getting peoples histories and stuff drawn out through most of the book, not just told all at once.

    Was quite enjoyable.

    One Ting I know I felt was a bit short although the word plays were amusing, they would have been easier to get if I had read it aloud but still clever.

    Try not to make your characters so two dimensional to begin with in future writings. They kinda seem like extras until their great change later in the story. Lew Ting is a good example. I know these are short stories but maybe a more fleshed out character to begin with will be more credible with such a great change.

    Sorry if I am out of line but I liked the stories and want to see more and help you improve you writings.
     
  8. pesilat

    pesilat Active Member

    Always meant to read Lustbader but have never gotten around to it.

    I will at some point, I'm sure :)

    Mike
     
  9. pesilat

    pesilat Active Member

    Hm ... I'm not sure what you mean by "over the top" ... if you mean unrealistic then, unfortunately, I have known women who had similar experiences to that (not exactly that ... but close enough). I've known women with stories much worse than that too.

    Nope. Not out of line at all. That is, in fact, what I'm working on in my current story (though it's likely going to end up being more in the category of novella length than short story :)

    The sad part is that you should have seen some of the stuff I'd written prior to "Wish of the Kris" and "One Ting I Know". I was *really* bad about lack of character development ;-)

    The one I'm currently working on, "Fidelity and Work," has tie ins to Arthurian legend (though it's a bit of a departure from the classic legends). It's set in modern day and the protagonist is an ex-cop, a bartender, and an instructor of Filipino martial arts. She's also a descendant of King Arthur. She comes into possession of Excalibur (which, in my version, isn't, in fact, a sword ;-) and, as a descendant of Arthur and a warrior with Excalibur, it's up to her to stop Medraut (Mordred) from taking over the world.

    It's coming along pretty well. At this point, she's come into possesion of Excalibur and has had a couple of conversations with the spirit of Myrddin (Merlin). She's had a couple of run-ins with Medraut's minions (not exactly an accurate word, but it's the best I can do without going into *a lot* of detail). Now she's about to go on the offensive and try to track Medraut down.

    That's where the story stands right now and it's already in the neighborhood of 14,000 words. For a sense of relative length, "One Ting I Know" is just over 1,000 words and "Wish of the Kris" is around 8,000 words :)

    So, "Fidelity and Work" is nearly twice as long as "Wish of the Kris" and I think I'm only 1/2 to 3/4 finished with it :)

    I know where I'm going with it ... but I'm not sure how much it's going to take to get there while maintaining the "texture" that I'm working to develop.

    Thanks for the feedback. It is helpful :)

    Take care, Mike
     
  10. Darzeka

    Darzeka New Member

    Sounds cool. I always loved trying to figure out which characters from legend the author was basing his on and also new takes on the legends.

    David Gemmel did this with some of his Sipstrassi (I think thats what it was) books. With Alexander the great, Arthur, Merlin and co. Ended up being some my favourite books. Would love to read it when you finish it.

    With the girls background I wasn't saying it was really unbelievable ( I wish it wasn't but it is a sad world ) just maybe a bit too much for the context of the story. Oh well it still worked and the story was good.

    I assume the Kris daggers are real and that is the background behind them. Is there any relation to the Temple knight swords (Huge six foot affairs with a double hilt, 18 curves and were supposed to deflect evil spells and the like. Also look real mean and cut pikes to pieces) just seem that any blade with a wavy or curvy pattern is related to magic somehow.
     
  11. pesilat

    pesilat Active Member

    Yeah. I read "Hero in the Shadows" by Gemmel ... loved it. I know it was part of a series but haven't picked up the rest of the series yet.

    Yes, the Kris is a real thing and the background on the blade is based in the myth of the Kris blades ... particularly from Indonesia.

    The Kris in the southern Philippines tends to have a broader blade and is often (though not always) a sword as opposed to a dagger.

    I believe the large sword you're talking about is what I've usually seen called a "flamberge" ... it's a European blade, right?

    The wavy blades were, as I understand it, a kind of precursor to serration. Also, at least where daggers are concerned, the wavy blade would tend to slide between ribs (when stabbing) instead of getting lodged in them.

    I'm not sure about the mysticism attached to the European "flamberge" ... or even the Kris blades outside of Indonesia. But I know that in Indonesia and Malaysia the Kris blades (authentic ones anyway) are attributed with a lot of mystical powers. By "authentic" I mean, created by an "empu" in the traditional manner. The "tourist" Kris blades are mass produced and have no such mysticism attached to them.

    There are all sorts of interesting legends about the Kris.

    Here are some links to info about the kris blade:
    http://www.nikhef.nl/~tonvr/keris/keris2/keris15.html
    http://www.nikhef.nl/~tonvr/keris/keris2/
    http://www.ewgate.com/resources/BatikC_myths.html

    Take care, Mike
     
  12. Darzeka

    Darzeka New Member

    Yeah I think that it was a Flamberge or something like that and they were eurpoean, made largely to combat hordes of pikemen streaming through the mountains.

    But I was told that they used by temple guards to defend against evil spells. They had 18 curves which is divisible by 6 which is inturn divisible by three - the holy trinity. I found it funny that it is also originally divisible by three 6's and this leads to one of my numerous therories about religion that is inflammatory and christiains don't like it when I start to talk to them about it so I won't post here.

    I firmly beleive that magic was at least at one point in time real, as were dragons and like the theory I have kinda ripped from other places about when magic dies, technology takes over and vice versa but that probably stems from my wanting to go and live in a fantasy realm where all the bad monsters carry enough gold for you to live comfortably and to go and buy that nice new frost saber you want :)
     
  13. fluffydoc

    fluffydoc Carry On MAPper

    My favourite fantasy books are (obviously) Tolkein but really enjoyed David Eddings and Raymond E Feist's stuff. I hated the Thomas Covenant Chronicles with a passion. I read the first trilogy in the hope things would improve with reading but it just got worse.
    I also like Iain M Banks, Neil Stephenson and Jeff Noon. Anyone read this too? In particular, Automated Alice for all you lovers of Alice in Wonderland is worth a shot.
     
  14. NielStewart

    NielStewart New Member

    Hi all,

    Has anyone read any Michael Moorcock? The Elric series is great, I also like Corum but Hawkmoon has to be my favorite.

    Tolkien Hobbit & Lord of the rings I enjoyed but I have to be honest and confess I never finished the silmirillion.

    I also enjoyed the Edgar Rice Burroughs "warrior of mars" series for pure entertainment and something not to heavy going
     
  15. ladyhawk

    ladyhawk Valued Member

    Tery Brooks Landover series was a fun easy read fantasy series.

    Piers Anthony's On a pale horse. First book in a series but I've only read that one.

    Eric Lustbader's Ninja was pretty good.

    Dan Millman's Way of the peaceful warrior.
    I laughed and cried at the end.
     
  16. Chazz

    Chazz Keepin it kickin TKD style

    I just got done reading a book called "Martial Arts Training In Japan, A Guide For Westerners" If cover all the types of martial arts there, the orgs, web sites and contact info for them as well. A great book to read.
     
  17. pesilat

    pesilat Active Member

    I love the Elric series ... just picked up the latest book in it ("The Dreamthief's Daughter: A Tale of the Albino", in fact ;-)

    Later, Mike
     
  18. Chazz

    Chazz Keepin it kickin TKD style

    Im now starting "Mastering The Art of War, Zhuge Liang's and Liu Ji's commentaries on the classic by Sun Tzu" I'll let you know what i think of it when i get the time to finish it.
     
  19. pesilat

    pesilat Active Member

    Cool :) I've finally finished my book, "A Pondering of Principles: One Student's Perspective on Martial Arts" and will be sending a query to Tuttle in a few days. With any luck, by this time next year, I'll be a published (and paid ... I've had some stuff published but never been paid for it) author and you'll be able to buy my book :)

    Mike
     
  20. Chazz

    Chazz Keepin it kickin TKD style

    Kool Mike, Let me know when i can get it and i will.
     

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