NOW READING

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After recent discussions on this forum about the atomic bomb, I got the chance to re-read a book focused on this topic, "Les voyageurs de l'Espérance" by french writer Georges Duhamel. It's a mix between an adventure and a fantascientific romance for young people (the edition that I own has even some exercises after every chapter, that makes it suitable for use at school); apart from being highly instructional, I found it very fascinating too.
It's the story of a french family, the Fromond, who survives from an apocalyptic blast of "Bomb Z".  They escape from the devastation aboard a small ship, called "Espérance",  and reach an isle on where they begin - with many difficulties - to build a community.
Life goes on on the isle until something strange happens: an airplane flies over there and launches a message; the initial happiness of seeing that not all humanity was wasted from the bomb turns into disappointment, the message makes them understand that the lesson wasn't enough to let humans take the right way.
 
Now reading:

Ray Bradbury - El Hombre del Espacio (short story from a collection of short stories transltaed to spanish)
Ray's a great writer and is an interesting source for those who like to write songs inspired by science fiction and fantasy.
 
I really enjoyed his short story "The Pedestrian." I read it in Mexico, but when I moved here to Tucson I found the similarities rather disturbing...
 
Susan Faludi - Stiffed, the betrayal of the modern man

It's interesting to read a feminist's views on men, what a man is about and how the male role model has changed over the years. Anyone interested in sociology or social psychology should take a peak at this book.
 
I'm currently finishing off Dune.

I don't think it needs to be said but if you want to know what it is about, just listen to To Tame A Land ;)
Its quite a good read, interesting storyline, not the most engrossing book I've ever read but still quite entertaining. The only thing that I don't like about it is that I don't really get to "know" Paul, but I'm sure that his character will be more developed in the later books (well I hope anyway).
 
Hunlord said:
I'm currently finishing off Dune.

I don't think it needs to be said but if you want to know what it is about, just listen to To Tame A Land ;)
Its quite a good read, interesting storyline, not the most engrossing book I've ever read but still quite entertaining. The only thing that I don't like about it is that I don't really get to "know" Paul, but I'm sure that his character will be more developed in the later books (well I hope anyway).
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I hate to shatter your happy illusion, Hunny, but the books don't get any better after the first one.  Dune Messiah is a bit of a loose end, and I still haven't completed Children of Dune.  And it's not as if I'm easily daunted...I was able to make it through the introduction to an old Oxford translation of Dante's Inferno, and believe me, that required some stamina...reading the acutal poem was the easy bit! :p
 
Dune is great, Dune Messiah is alright but not completely satisfactory, Children of Dune is better but not all too thrilling, God Emperor of Dune started out well but grew considerably less interesting towards the middle, so I've "temporarily" put it down in favour of The Science Fiction Hall of Fame, Vol 1, which I finished a while ago, a brilliant collection of short stories which for once justifies the subtitle "The greatest SF short stories of all time", and the first volume in Robert A. Heinlein's Future History short story series, The Man Who Sold the Moon, which is absolutely brilliant (like most of Heinlein's stuff).

(It's amazing how much you can cram into a single sentence)
 
Raven said:
I hate to shatter your happy illusion, Hunny, but the books don't get any better after the first one.  Dune Messiah is a bit of a loose end, and I still haven't completed Children of Dune.  And it's not as if I'm easily daunted...I was able to make it through the introduction to an old Oxford translation of Dante's Inferno, and believe me, that required some stamina...reading the acutal poem was the easy bit! :p
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<_< Thanks for ruining my day there Raven :P I'll stick with them though, I want to know what happens and everything and once I start some book series, I like to finish it ;)
 
I'm currently reading Agatha Christie's "The Sittaford Mystery".  I love her novels and this one has a really intriguing story (would make one hell of a film or play).  The story is as follows : 

In a remote house in the middle of Dartmoor,  six shadowy figures huddle around a small table for a seance.  Tension rises as the "spirits" spell out a chilling message:  'Captain Trevelyan... dead... murder.' 

Is this black magic or simply a macabre joke?  The only way to be certain is to locate Captain Trevelyan.  Unfortunately,  his home is 6 miles away and,  with snow drifts blocking the roads,  someone will have to make the journey on foot...
 
Hunlord said:
<_< Thanks for ruining my day there Raven :P I'll stick with them though, I want to know what happens and everything and once I start some book series, I like to finish it ;)
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The last of the Dune series that I read was called Chapter house Dune and that was a really good, albeit weird installment in the series. But I've always loved the whole series, from Dune and onward. Go ahead and read them, I don't think you'll be disappointed (at least not too much :P)
 
Anomica said:
The last of the Dune series that I read was called Chapter house Dune and that was a really good, albeit weird installment in the series. But I've always loved the whole series, from Dune and onward. Go ahead and read them, I don't think you'll be disappointed (at least not too much :P)
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Well he's no Robert Jordan, but Frankie Herbert will do for the moment, cheers for that anyway :)
 
Robert Jordan? As in Wheel of time? Well, I loved the series until the last two books where everything seems to be standing still. Nothing really happens and there's still 2 or 3 books left in the series, according to RJ himself. It ruins the books for me :down:

If you're into fantasy, try Steven Erikson (a Canadian or American writer) and his series "The Malazan book of the fallen". They are really great, I think.
 
Yes as in Wheel Of Time, I love all the books, granted nothing really happens in Crossroads Of Twilight, but Knife Of Dreams is a brilliant build up for Tarmon Gai'don and the last book, A Memory Of Light.
Unfortunately Jordan has been diagnosed with a condition that will possibly kill him in the next few years, but he is intent on fighting it and won't stop until he has everything he wants written in life. :)
 
Well, I'm getting anxious to see how mad Rand will get :P Seriously, when you've read 8-9 books in a series and are waiting for the 2-3 books that remain it's annoying to have to wait a year or more for each new installment. I almost wish I never discovered the books until all the books were released :S
 
Anomica said:
Robert Jordan? As in Wheel of time? Well, I loved the series until the last two books where everything seems to be standing still. Nothing really happens and there's still 2 or 3 books left in the series, according to RJ himself. It ruins the books for me :down:

If you're into fantasy, try Steven Erikson (a Canadian or American writer) and his series "The Malazan book of the fallen". They are really great, I think.
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WoT; the only series were it's better for your mental health to just find out the story from the blurbs :p

Seriously, though, RJ could have done without half of books 7-10.  The Aes Sedai politics has got to be some of the most useless trash I have ever read, especially when Egwene becomes Amylrin Seat for the rebels, and shows her power, and everyone is all happy, and then she proves herself to the others, blah blah...

...meanwhile, Rand, Perrin and Matt have clocked in 100's of death attempts, a body count in the thousands, the near destruction of the world at least three times, several wars, and (in Matt's case) several women.  Seriously, the Aes Sedai politics is a waste of paper.  Good trees died to give the paper that that was printed on.
 
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