Wow Yorick, you covered a lot of literary ground there! Cannot say if those books I sent (and still sending) you will live up to your expectations. Just remember, they are fantasy and basically for fun, nothing exactly educational going on. Intense perhaps would be a good description!

I've got Althalus too. It started promising, I got about a third, maybe half the way through before something else distracted me. It did seem like a fresh direction for him. Good twist in the plot.

My main issue with Eddings was the character development. The interrelation was very limited. (Garion and Ce'Nedras communication was terrible) And I started getting the feeling than any one character could have his lines substituted for anothers without to much problem.

All Eddings women teased the men whether it was Polgara vs Belgarath, Ce'Nedra vs Belgarion or a harlot vs Radek of Boktor! And now Emmy vs Althalus!!! AAAARRRRGGGG!!

Compare this to Nakor the Isalani (Feist) for difference in communication style or Mara of the Acomas (Feist/Wurts) varied ways of relating depending on the circumstances.

I am an Eddings fan though, just a disappointed one.

(LOL) Don't worry about it ladyzekke! I know that. I like to escape too you know - don't I play BG? I am thankful you sent them! Cheers again.

i read alot of Sci-Fi and fantasy like: R.A. Salvatore, Raymond E. Feist, and Terry Goodkind (who totally kicks A**, by the way does anyone read 'Faith of the Fallen', and if so is it any good )

i used to read all the Star Wars books like KJ Anderson, Timothy Zahn.
But of all the writers i have to give the most props to Orsen Scott Card you just cant beat 'Enders Game'

Thats My Rant, Im Out

Ertai I think your grasp of English is too limited to really understand what I wrote (no offense of course). So let me explain again
1. What I was doing was QUOTING or rather summarising the little poem on the front page of Werther, i.e. I am NOT saying anything aboutsuicidal people being morons, just explaining what the poem said.
2. It is well known that a lot of susceptible adolescents are enormously influenced by famous people killing themselves. Think of what happened when Kurt Cobain from Nirvana killed himself: half the fans tried to -or at least wanted to or talked about- follow his example (and believe me - I was one of them (not with regard to the suicide, but I was a fan)). The same sort of mass hysteria happened when Die Leiden des jungen Werther was published. As a comment and a warning to THOSE young people who got carried away by it, the next edition had those lines printed on the front page. All I'm saying is: by the time they grow up, most people realise that their adolescence problems turned out allright and they realise that suicide would have been slightly silly in their cases (please no reactions about people who DO have serious problems in this period of their lives and are not merely fawning over some idol, believe me, I know that they do exist...I know that all too well....)

Hi guys! how could i have missed this post for so long?

I LOVE to read, its escapism, and i need it!!!

OK then the typical Fantasy books: Robert Jordan (if you do not know WOT then what have you been doing??),
R.E Feist (loads a of cool books, gotta love the name Pug?),
Terry Goodkind (great series, sword of truth),
Terry brooks (the guy that wrote all those shannara books, btw theres a new one out in that series),
Eddings, becuase they are cool, not reas the new one yet, its on my list
Robin, also good, not read all teh ship ones yet, i have them at home...
L.E.Modisett Jr, i like the magicical recluce series, thouhg just got the new sorcerss ones...
Tolikien, its ok.....
Katherine Kerr, i love the way she nips about in time....
not read anne macaffery yet, shes on my list...

there are others, my bookcase is SOO full, i have them all 2 deep, 2 high and they are still all falling out....

I also read, some miltry type books, i got the sharp series, and a cool american civil war series... woudl like to read more, but do not have the time right now.

also like to read Anncient history, including greeks, romans but my favorite is egyptians. Gotta love em!

Oh and the Dine series, thats where the signiture is from

Laterz... Bazz

For the SciFi/Fantasy Sherri S. Tepper and Robert Jordan currently, but I spend my days reading medieval sagas, epics, romances, and other medieval poetry and prose: Arthurian, Old Norse, Germanic, Old French etc. (it's my job)

Mildred: I'm interested...tell me more!
What do you read specifically? What is your job?

I can't say as I read as much as I should or would like to, not enough hours in the day now.

Although I've read Tolkiens works many times and loved them I'm not really a fantasy buff.

I read mainly autobiography's, the last three I've read were all gifts, all deal with figures from the London Underworld and were great reading.

Lenny McLean - The Guvnor.
Dave Courtney - Stop the Ride I want to Get off.

I highly recommend the two above.

Mad Frankie Fraziers book whose title unfortunately escapes me atm. Hard going but not a bad read.

Prior to these, and a good few years ago now, I read Winston Churchills book (3 vols) A history of the English Speaking peoples. Absolutely fantastic read if you like history (as I do). Starts from the year dot and concerns many countries.

I've read a lot of Stephen Kings works and those of another famous author in the same vein whose name once again escapes me...wrote the rats and the lair etc. (Sorry, it's been a bloody long weekend, not long home and I'm knackered).

I don't know what it is but for some strange reason I just can't read fiction anymore, maybe I just haven't found the right books.

Good thread btw Ladyzekke.

Melusine,
I'm a grad student & instructor. I'm studying mostly Arthurian legend--Malory & the 13th C. prose (although it's in old French and I'm not able to read that yet, so I have to read translations); if you ever read the old Norse, Germanic and Norweigan sagas (Volsunga Saga and the Siegfried sagas off the top of my head) they are like rough versions of modern fantasy--dragons and all; some cool female characters too. Plus a lot of fantasy (Jordan esp.) draws on Arthurian legend. Check them out if you're bored!
It's a great thing to do all day [other than play addictive computer games...]

--M

I'd just have to say . . . all. In SciFi/Fantasy, I've read Robert Jordan (Thanks LadyWendy) and R.A. Salvatore (Drizz't background for anyone who wants to know, check out his Dark Elf Trilogy) and many many Star Trek books. I know, not the best written books on the earth. Sad to say that I own about oh 350 of em. Got to be an adventure trying to find them in used bookstores to complete the collection. The Deep Space Nine Series was the best.
Anyways, Douglas Adams's Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is also fun reading. Anne McCaffery also populates my bookshelves quiet nicely. Anne Rice is also up there. I've also got an interesting Relious Section, with books on Christianity, Hinduism, Muslim, and a very interesting book on Indian Life call Sele, the Corn Mother. Other Favs are The Good Earth, Memoirs of a Geisha, and many others.

BK

You guys are killing my wallet. Borders Bookstore was real happy to see me walk in this afternoon. I dropped $20 there in about 10 minutes. Hobbs also got a little richer too.

Hey Yorick, Have you read "The Iron Lance" by Lawhead. It was the first one by him I read. I always enjoyed reading about the Crusades when I was young. I actually started reading to get out of class when I was in middle school. I use to love Andre Norton and Robert Heilien. I also enjoyed Biographies.

Hey Idiotrogue, I've read the Killer Angels. It was a great book! I have also read the one his son, Jeff, wrote as a sequel. It was as good as the first. If you would like to read some more obscure books on the Civil war, pick up a book on Nathan Beford Forrest or General John Morgan. They were two colorful charactors. Another one I'd recommend is "Season of Fire" by Joseph Judge. It's about the last Confederate Stike on Washington. I like to read the little known things about the Civil War anymore. Especially if they have a local flavor to them. Well off to read one of my new Hobb books.

BTW, I was trying to remember a series of books the I read in when I was 11 or 12. I can't remember their title or arthor, just what it was about. They dealt with two brothers and a sister that lived in England during the present and they were trying to bring back King Arther. Merlin was in the story and I think he was an Uncle or something and he didn't go by Merlin, but he could do magic. It was also set in Cornwell (I think). I'm trying to remember so I can get them for my daughter. If this rings a bell with anyone let me know.

Night all. Work starts tomorrow!

Has anyone read the Word and the Void books or the Demon wars or even Chronices of Ynis Aielle?

Moiraine, I applaud your quest in learning another language. I have tried to learn French and American Sign Language in high school and College, but am not very proficient at either. The Pern Series by Anne McCaffery is among her best, but what about her newer series? I can't remember what the titles are (I'm at work) but the gist of it is that Earth has been captured by a large cat-like race and the story is about a group of humans and humanoids getting put down on a "colony" along with a high up Cat and the struggle to survive. really good reading. Just wish I could remember the titles. Someone please help! Anyways, the Pern series is very well written. I've read through the first 4 about 5 or times. Good stuff!!

BK

Haven't you noticed that the best fantasy is quite always written by people either Irish, or of Irish origins ? Such a small island, such a great gift. Anyway, the music you write, Yorick, has a definite Irish feeling about it, and I have read that a great number of the first emigrants to Australia were coming from Ireland.

I find English a much more synthetic language than French (often an English word alone carries several meanings that can only be translated in French by a full expression).

I feel that French has a most subtle and rich vocabulary than English (more words with slightly different meanings to express a concept), but it may probably be due to the fact that I am surely more widely read in French. When I have read other kinds of books than Fantasy, especially poetry, I will perhaps have a more supported opinion.

I have yet to read English (not translated) poetry, so I have no opinion at the moment.

As to your last topic, Yorick, I can't wait to buy English-written history books !

Black knight, Anne Mc Caffrey writes in the Fantasy and SciFi domains. I have read only the Fantasy-related stuff (Pern, Crystal Singer, Acorna). My husband, though, has read the SciFi series, so I will maybe be able to give you an answer tomorrow.

I Also have read the entire Vampires Chronicles by Anne Rice, except for the most recent releases. I had to get rid of them though because my wife would not let me keep them when we got married. She doesn't like that sort of thing...(don't know why)...anyway, I read anything that is marked by Forgotten Realms. I am collecting the entire thing! (And keeping them in very good condition.)

I find it interesting the way poetic styles vary from culture to culture and era to era. Of course I've only read translations but Celtic and Hebrew poetic forms are vastly different from modern English poetry.

I have had a few good Poets as friends over the years (I myself write lyrics not poetry) and the statement was made that English was a poets dream and learners nightmare because of the many different words to describe something, from the many influences in English (Latin, Deutsch, Gaelic, Sanskrit, Greek, Hebrew etc etc)

Take good for example:
Good, fine, wonderful, excellent, brilliant, marvelous, superb, super, fantastic, positive, unbelievable, stupendous, magnificent, lovely, nice, heavenly, beautiful, amazing, sublime, successful, adroit. And that's just from memory. (I'm sure a thesaurus has more)

Talieson: "That Devil Forrest" by John Allan Wyeth, a bio of Nathan Bedford Forrest; "One of Jackson's Foot Cavalry," the edited diaries/memoirs of John Worsham, a soldier under Stonewall Jackson's command; "Co. Aytch - a Side Show of the Big Show," the memoirs of a Tennessee private during the war; "Bold Dragoon" by Emory M Thomas, about J.E.B. Stuart and "The Passing of the Armies" by Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain (to name a few).

Speaking of naming a few (more): Raymond Chandler, PG Wodehouse, Tony Hillerman, William Faulkner, Tennessee Williams, Eudora Weldy, Gary Larson, Bill Waterson (?-sp) - the fellow who did Calvin & Hobbs {how much space do I have here?}. Methinks this poll was mildly popular... LOL

I wrote my post before seeing your last reply Moiraine.
Yes, I find it astounding that such beauty has come from the Emerald Isle.

My family ultimately originated from Scotland (Fife, Mull and far north), Northern Ireland and Yorkshire (northern England). The similarity between York and Yorick I just noticed and is coincidental I assure you.

The music that stirs my soul the most is from those areas of the world, which probably explains the similarities.

I have to say I've been a bit selective in my reading the last couple of years..... so here's my top 4 authors that I've been reading.
1. Clive Barker (nobody does it better)
2. Tolkien (can't beat him for fantastic worlds)
3. Feist (haven't gotten past the Rift wars, but still)
4. Terry Pratchet (for shits and giggles)

And that's all I have to say about that

I have posted my book list at the beginning on this thread, and reading all of your answers, I started wondering why I did not think to mention about a good half of the books I read.

I am a real "book addict", you know, I have a room holding only shelves full of books and my piano.

That question bothered me the whole week-end, and I started to realize that I did not think to mention the non-Fantasy books I read ... because I read them in French (even those written by English-speaking writers, like John Irving). Then it dawned on me that, how can I put that on, parts of my life I perceive in English (computer skills and games, AD&D, fantasy worlds in general), while other parts of my life I perceive in French, and these two areas in my mind do not mingle. When I read and write English, I think in English, not in French.

About 10 years ago, I was thinking "My English reading skill is not good enough to read books in English", which was true at the time. Then I started reading in French the first book of David Eddings "Belgariad" ... and discovered that I had 9 books ahead of me, that it would take about 5 years for them to be translated in French. 5 years !!! It was totally impossible for me to wait that long ! So I started buying (and this was not easy before Internet stores, I had to go to Paris) and reading the whole Belgariad and Mallorean series in English (at the time, I slept with my dictionary more often than with my husband !). Then I jumped to the Raymond E. Feist "Empire" series; VERY hard to read, but very worth it. From now on, I have been reading all Fantasy books in English.

BUT, stupid as I am, it never occured to me to question my own thought about not being proficient in English ! So I went on buying all the other books I read in French ...

I seem to be very thickheaded this week ...

Blessed be this board, for opening my tiny mind to new ways of thinking !

(And cursed too, as I will absolutely have now to buy again a new English copy of every book I have ever loved written by English-speaking writers ...)

So ... the books I read (in French) are :

- a lot of books about history, as I found fascinating to get an insight about how people long dead were living, were thinking, what made them at the same time so close and so different to us
- some books about other counries, for about the same reasons as above
- a lot of books about archaeology. The archaeologists are real magicians (and dreamers too) ! They find a tiny bone, a set of holes and some stones, and they build a whole sociological story on so tiny material and their powerful brain.
- a lot of books and novels from the 19th century (Hugo, Zola, Lamartine, ...)
- a lot of books and novels from roughly the large first half of the 20th century (Hemingway, Koestler, Sartre and Beauvoir, Camus, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Steinbeck, ...), for the depth of the philosophical research about the role of man on earth, the mission of the writer, ...
- I am also fond of biographies, any that falls under my greedy hand
- now and again a book from a writer I don't know, that I pick in my French bookshop, to have a try
- some hard to classify writers, like John Irving
- not to forget comics (mostly French, only one in English : ElfQuest)
- other French stuff you won't know

Hi, LadyWendyZekke, I picked the word "ruined" because it conveys the notion that you have no money for the rest of your live and that of 25 generation of your descendants, rather than the word "broke" which I feel to indicate that the lack of money is temporary. The word exist in my dictionary (I checked !). As a French, you see, I have a slight tendancy to exxageration ...

Hey, Yorick, about David Eddings, I am not fundamentally opposed to what you say, but after a book like "The Path of Daggers" (very good, very dense, very gloomy), I found Althalus so refreshing last summer on the beach. If you are fond of interaction between people in Fantasy, I suggest you read Robin Hobb, and also the Pern saga (Anne Mc Caffrey).

Robin Hobb I think is the best when it comes to insight into characters, better than Jordan or Feist : when the book starts, you quickly make your mind about who are the good guys, who are the bad guys, and then, as the book goes on, the whole perspective you have on all characters drastically alters at every turn. Very rare.

Nobody reading the Pern saga ? Come on ! Sociologically speaking, this is the best, most clever, most coherent building of a whole imaginary society I have ever read. So human. To express how you come to love the characters, I would say that this is the only time that a fiction book has made me cry real tears ... (SPOILER)
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at Master Robinton's death.

Wow Moiraine, that was a really long post but had lots of interesting information. I remember the two authors that really got me into fantasy were CS Lewis (The Chronicles of Narnia) and Lloyd Alexander (The Black Cauldron, etc). Remember them?

And how could I NOT mention Anne Rice? Memnoch the Devil is a must-read. And Interview With The Vampire, the way she describes Paris, the City of Lights, in the 18th century is just so evocative.

Tolkien's books got me into books in general.
Now I mostly read books by Terry Brooks.

Hi, Memnoch,

I never read any of the two Fantasy authors you mention !

Anne Rice I read too (in French again), I favour the Witches series. Very gothic descriptions. And I always have been interested by books about vampires and the way they handle immortality. I bought the Memnoch book, but am ashamed to tell you I have still not read it ...
AND, coming back to more mundane thoughts, I would add that the bunch of mysterious guys with long hair is very sexy ! I have tried for years to have my husband grow his hair longer, but utterly failed. Alas ! The perfect man does not exist !

Lady Zekke- I read your reply about painting in the other post and I thought I would reply to it here. The craft stores that I go to here have lots of ceramic dragons. I have never met another female that likes dragons. My computer desk is filled with dragon stuff. I have not been able to find any websites that I can order ceramic unpainted dragons. If I happen to stumble across one, I will let you know and maybe you can start painting dragons again.
I did not mention a writer that I also enjoy that is Louis L'Amour. My husband loves him and is collecting all of his books. I decided to pick one up one day and I really got into it. I don't know if anyone else reads anything he writes but I do enjoy him also. I try to read alot of different types of books. I give everything a chance. Especially if it keeps me wanting to read from the beginning. After reading this post, I have decided that I really need to start finding some time to read. I sure do miss it. I use to always have my nose in a book. I think I will head to the library today and check some out. There are no book stores where I live so the library will have to do until I can get to a book store. I know have some authors and books that I will have to read.

Memnoch, C.S.Lewis' Narnia chronicles got me into fantasy. I read them when I was seven and never looked back. His adult non fiction is absolutely brilliant.

The aforementioned Screwtape is one of his fictional creations.

Moraine the simple mind broadening experience of reading novels in another language has at this stage eluded me, consequently I am in awe of your achievements.
Which language have you found:
a) Has the more gifted writers
b) Has the most liberating vocabulary for writers/poets
c) Has the best poetry
d) Has the most accurate historical accounts (do they ever conflict?)

or is it impossible to compare.

I love the concept of bilinguality and rue the fact that in Australia it's nowhere near as common as in Europe. I speak some Italian and a little French (good accent/bad vocab as you know) but would love mastery of them, and even Gaelic or Deutsch.

Hi Yorick,

Nothing to be in awe with, only a utter lack of patience !

And I feel real real stupid never having realized that NOW I CAN READ IN ENGLISH OTHER BOOKS THAN FANTASY !!!

I'll give a try to Shakespeare first, having wanted to read him for years.

After that, I will ruin my family again buying English copies of the books I love from Steinbeck, Heingway, Fitzgerald.

Then I'll try non-fiction books (history/archaeology, I think).

I would not dare having an opinion about "the more gifted writers". I think that different languages reflect different cultures and ways of life, and so induce different writing subjects and styles. Did you know that when I was at school, I learned a little of Russian, Greek and Hebraic too ? I loved the insight into other ways of looking at the world. I enjoy this board for quite the same reasons !

Second part of my answer in a next post, so as to send this one right now.

There are laods of books you people have read, and i almost certain that i woudl love them ALL! I do love to read, and i can read almost anything.. though maybe not romance... hmmm

But you know i just do not have anywhere near the time, by a long shot. Once i pick up a book, the rest of my life stops until i put it down, which i rarely do unless i am starving, or very very sleepy. (i.e 3am)

So recently i just have not read all that much... there are just not enough hours in the day!

Bazz

P.S. In my post above i meant DUNE not DINE, spot the delibearate mistake?? *ahem*

Draconia - we always speak to eachother in between long intervals! Where do you live? I know you probably posted it before, but I'm too lazy this evening to dig through the backlogs. Anyway, are you familiar with the lead dragons that I mentioned? Ral Partha? Citadel? Just curious. All this dragonspeak has me remembering this website I found that had 1' tall manueverable dragons that you could pose and display. They really looked awesome, but I remember them being around $200.00 or something. I remember e-mailing the site and asking them what exactly were the dragons made of, and then our computer crashed and I never got my mail or went back there. Have to try it again and I'll give you the website address when I do just so you can see it (just for fun, something unique to look at). Cheers!

Draconia - found that website. Check out www.dragonrealm.com. The dragon models are exquisite!

Draconia, ladyzekke perhaps you have heard of the Enchantica models, i afraid they come painted but they are very nice never the less. The books that intudced me to fansty are the Pern books, they are moved me near to tears at times too. but i noticed that with all the stories and poetys people have read, no one has tried the norse sagas or other lengends that have been pass down. i currently reading the Orc books, if you read them you never look at an orc the same way again.

Oh BTW I forgot some other books I read. Quiet often actually. They are Barney, Sesame Street, Spot, Madeline, and various other books. See I have a very varied reading interest.

Lady Zekke- Thanks, I will check that website out. I live in Utah, USA. I usually only come here when my baby is asleep. She is a handful and very time consuming. Plus I have 2 other children and they don't give me much time to do anything. I am not sure if I am familar with the lead dragons. They do not sound familar but I might have seen them but never realized it. I will go to that website and check it out. Thanks again.
Gabriel- I am familar with the Enchantica models. I don't have any of those yet but someday I will. I do have dragons that have already been painted. I love to collect dragons of any type. Painting ceramics is a hobby and if I happen across a ceramic dragon, I buy it and paint it.

Sorry everyone, always end up at the tail end of all these discussions, I've been really busy at work and can't check till the end of the day now! CS Lewis went to Oxford with JRR Tolkien. Lloyd Alexander wrote the Taran the Assistant-Pig Keeper series. The last book, The High King, was excellent. I was about 12 when I read them (along with Lewis's Narnia chronicles) and that was the start of a lifelong romance with fantasy!

I have always been more of a sci fi/fantsy reader myself but classical literature is not unkown to me also. Some of my current favorites anything by douglas adams(hitchikers guides...) r.a. salvatores work. milton(paradise lost, paradise found) dante(the divine comedy) hobbes (levithan) HP lovecrafts assorted works , clive barker(books of blood) weis and hickman , E.A. Poe, Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, and I could go ad nauseum for hours but I shall end it here.

LadyZekke you work in Crystal City How very coincendental I work on the washington navy yard, naval district washington . and yes I am in the military

Moiraine is correct about Anne McCaffrey's Pern series. A true classic. I must also recommend the Mists of Avalon and it's prequels The Forest House and Lady of the Lake by Marion Zimmer Bradley. These are true classics about the legend of Camelot. Definitely makes you rethink the classic story that's represented by the likes of The Sword in the Stone

You guys really influence my way of thinking. Since Im into scary shit, Ill try Anne Rice... well.. Im already with Thomas Harris as I said... : )

Rowenn Sabreur, glad to see someone here who actually lives closeby! Yes there are a lot of people in Crystal City in the Navy. I guess you read my previous response about how I feel about our military men, so I won't repeat it, but just say I have much respect! I also think the Navy has the best uniforms! Also, my boss is retired Rear Admiral Penrose Albright. He went to Kings poing and served in World War II. At work I am always reading our e-mails about Naval current events from his Rotary friends, especially CAPT JG Cotton's, who is at sea (I think). Hey, did you see that movie out about the U-Boats yet? Pretty harrowing and supposedly a true story. I don't know how you guys do it! It takes a lot of courage to get in a giant lead submarine and sink to the depths of the sea, nevertheless with enemies depth charging you!

Bahamut - if you like "scary" books, you must try Robert Macammon's Swan Song! It is my personal favorite horror book and very well written. If they could make a movie about this book, it would make millions! And the book is great in that it starts right off the bat with action. Also Brian Lumley's Necroscope series will keep you up at nights and covers everything from vampires, talking to the dead, corporations that specialize in ESP talents, travelling to other worlds, etc.!

Oh, Miss Ambrosia voice, good to hear from you again! I'm not just a fantasy buff, for some reason i thought this was just fantasy! I'm a big fan of Mario Puzo, read just about all his books. Some suck a bit but the Last Don was excellent. Also a big fan of Michael Crichton, his latest one, Timeline is AWESOME. For sci-fi, Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy is a spectacular, epic tale of the colonization of another planet.

Yeah! Thanx mommy Wendy!!! hehe check out IR's post! Don't get wrong though... hehe : )