What Are You Reading? August 2006/[50]
08-01-06, 11:51 AM
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What Are You Reading? August 2006/[50]
In spite of still having many, many new books to read, I find myself again re-reading a blast from the past!
This time it is a two-in-one volume of A E Van Vogt's "The Weapon Shops of Isher" and "The Weapon Makers".
According to the copyright at least one of these dates back to 1947!
For those who have never read Van Vogt, his work is formulaic but good for its time. He usually has some kind of super-powered character, often a mental &/or scientific giant, battling the state. A stock technique is to keep the reader in the dark about essential points and spring them on you part way through.
This time it is a two-in-one volume of A E Van Vogt's "The Weapon Shops of Isher" and "The Weapon Makers".
According to the copyright at least one of these dates back to 1947!
For those who have never read Van Vogt, his work is formulaic but good for its time. He usually has some kind of super-powered character, often a mental &/or scientific giant, battling the state. A stock technique is to keep the reader in the dark about essential points and spring them on you part way through.
& 
08-05-06, 10:23 PM
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Just finished up:
Half way through:
I’ve only got one more M. Banks sci fi book that I haven’t read yet
and I’m trying to break it up a little. PKD is holding the line.
I leant out this puppy to a work fellow. I’m dying to get it back. If I do, I will re-read it before anything else.
+
"Fuck that!", I just realized. I'm going to re-purchase this tomorrow. Never. Never. Never lend anything to anyone.
Half way through:
I’ve only got one more M. Banks sci fi book that I haven’t read yet
and I’m trying to break it up a little. PKD is holding the line.
I leant out this puppy to a work fellow. I’m dying to get it back. If I do, I will re-read it before anything else.
+"Fuck that!", I just realized. I'm going to re-purchase this tomorrow. Never. Never. Never lend anything to anyone.
Last edited by Kudama; 08-05-06 at 10:34 PM.
08-07-06, 05:32 PM
#19
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Still reading IT by Stephen King. It's good, just a slow read for me.
But I just read the first three Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events.
After IT, I'm onto Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail '72 by Hunter S Thompson.
But I just read the first three Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events.
After IT, I'm onto Fear and Loathing: On the Campaign Trail '72 by Hunter S Thompson.
08-07-06, 06:53 PM
#20
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Just finished Chang-Rae Lee's Native Speaker a few minutes ago. And if I had to rank his works, it would look like this:
1. Aloft
2. A Gesture Life
3. Native Speaker
Not sure what I'm going to tackle next, although I have The Ruins on the way.
1. Aloft
2. A Gesture Life
3. Native Speaker
Not sure what I'm going to tackle next, although I have The Ruins on the way.
08-08-06, 09:05 AM
#24
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Originally Posted by benedict
In spite of still having many, many new books to read, I find myself again re-reading a blast from the past!
This time it is a two-in-one volume of A E Van Vogt's "The Weapon Shops of Isher" and "The Weapon Makers".
According to the copyright at least one of these dates back to 1947!
This time it is a two-in-one volume of A E Van Vogt's "The Weapon Shops of Isher" and "The Weapon Makers".
According to the copyright at least one of these dates back to 1947!
I personally prefer lots of the older stuff to 'newer' sf. I haven't been too impressed by many of the new sf short story authors in the past 10 or 15 years or so. There are exceptions, but I like the 'older' or at least more experienced authors more.
And reading some of the older stories is very interesting, just to review the style of writing, and what topics are discussed and how.
