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Summer reading?

PostPosted: Wed Jul 02, 2003 5:58 am
by Technomancer
Anyone got any books they're reading right now, or are planning to?

For myself: Barry Unsworth- The Songs of the Kings (almost finished. It's really good)
Haruki Murakami - Norwegian Wood

PostPosted: Wed Jul 02, 2003 7:12 am
by Straylight
I'm reading "Count Zero" by Gibson at the moment

PostPosted: Wed Jul 02, 2003 7:59 am
by Ellana
Since I'm taking college English next year I have to read 5 books over the summer: The Taming of the Shrew, The Return of the Native, Dracula, The Color Purple, and Snow Falling on Cedars.

Hrm... personally, I really like A Ring of Endless Light (it was made into a Disney movie), The Claidi Journals, and books by Tamora Pierce, but mostly I read comic books/graphic novels.

PostPosted: Wed Jul 02, 2003 8:11 am
by Gypsy
I always loved The Taming of the Shrew. Have you seen the Elizabeth Taylor movie of it?

PostPosted: Wed Jul 02, 2003 8:40 am
by Technomancer
I've seen the play performed, but I can't say that it's one of my favourites. With regards to Ring of Endless Light, did Disney rename it, or has it not been released yet? I don't think I've ever heard of it.

PostPosted: Wed Jul 02, 2003 9:06 am
by MyrrhLynn
Heh, I am reading my Java textbook to try to learn everything I was suppose to learn this year. :red: And I confess I just finished the 5th Harry Potter book.

Yes Ring of Endless Light is a movie, no they didn't rename it. It is one of the Disney Channel movies so I have no clue when they will release it. Personally I thought it was "borderline" they combined two of the main guy characters into one and they have a few wierd parts in there with the dolphins.

Ellana you have to read the Color Purple? Wow! You have my sympathy. It's a very... "english class" type book.

My favorite book is The Count of Monte Cristo but I hated the movie it was terrible in comparison.

PostPosted: Wed Jul 02, 2003 9:43 am
by Christianotaku
ummmmmm you shoul read othello!! And the movie with laurence fishburn in it is very good also. I dont think i remember it having any sex scenes althought it might.


Also good are the redwall books, Watership down, And lord of the rings trilogy, althought yo ucan always reread the hobbit that book is so good..........


also if oyu havent read the narnia books those are always good.........

PostPosted: Wed Jul 02, 2003 9:45 am
by uc pseudonym
On a different note, has anyone here read The Dracula Tape? It's a good book in it's own right, but also pokes a lot of fun at the original by Bram Stoker.

PostPosted: Wed Jul 02, 2003 9:49 am
by Rashiir
I just bought and borrowed a whole bunch of books to read...currently I'm reading Screwtape Letters and I Kissed Dating Goodbye, I plan to read The Case for Faith, and Every Young Man's Battle when I finish those.

PostPosted: Wed Jul 02, 2003 9:51 am
by Technomancer
If you mean Fred Saberhagen's books, yeah, they're pretty good.

As for the rest, movie adaptations are often problematic (especially Disney's, look how they butchered Huck Finn). I should problably try reading Graham Greene's 'The Quiet American' sometime to see how it stacks up against the movie (which admittedly was excellent)

PostPosted: Wed Jul 02, 2003 10:38 am
by MyrrhLynn
Originally posted by St. Peter
>My favorite book is The Count of Monte Cristo but I hated the movie it was terrible in comparison.

*agrees wholeheartedly* The recent movie adaptation (there are other older ones which are a little better) is so terrible that if I give away the climax and the ending it won't ruin the book for you at all. Yet, if it attempted to be its own story, it resembles the book enough that someone who's read it before will think the movie is some sort of rip-off.


Well I have seen an older version of the film that was ok, but it somehow seemed soo... 70's ish? If that is possible since they were all wearing time period costumes.

And someone mentioned the Lord of the Rings and the Narnia books. I can't believe I forgot to add those! The Narnia books are the best, my favorite being The Horse and His Boy.

PostPosted: Wed Jul 02, 2003 11:06 am
by Straylight
...currently I'm reading Screwtape Letters ...


Brilliant book, that one.

PostPosted: Wed Jul 02, 2003 12:43 pm
by Ashley
Such a tangent, I know, but I actually preferred the Monte Cristo movie (the one with Guy Pearce). They made the relationship between Dante and Ferdinand was so much greater in the film, IMO...or at least it was portrayed better. Although, it's not suprising I also loved The Man in the Iron Mask, contrary to most Dumas-enthusiasts. Still, I like Dumas...he's like Hawthorne to me. If you can get past the high language he tells a marvelous story. "The Muskateer" stunk so badly...wrote a whole editorial about it. The cardinal was so wimpy!...anyway.

Oh yeah, books. Well, I just finished the Angelic Layer mangas and the Julian Kestrel mysteries (much to my disappoint...no more Kestrel!), so I'm in book two of the Pendragon Cycle (which, ironically I found out about here!). On my "to get" list is The Tribune by Patrick Levian (sp?), the rest of the pendragon cycle, and the two newest books by John Matthews for my arthurian collection. I probably should pick up Beowulf and Frankenstein for my senior English class as well.

PostPosted: Wed Jul 02, 2003 12:59 pm
by majanthehun
so far this summer ive read the unabriged version of pilgrim's progress, calvary chapel distinctives, the visitation, let me be a woman (by elisabeth elliot- great book), ummm.... i'm trying to get ahold of a copy of Tolkien's LoTR- ive been reading the series (including the hobbit) every year for a few years now... but at this very second the only books im reading are Job and Matthew (in my devotions).

oh yeah, i also read Armaggeddon by (LaHaye and Jenkins)... great book.

PostPosted: Thu Jul 03, 2003 8:10 pm
by madphilb
I too, am currently reading the 5th HP book (call me heritic if you want, but not till you've read Connie Neil's book :grin: )

I finally found a copy of Angelic Layer 2, so I'll be reading that from time to time (got 1, 3, 4, and 5 at 15% off, but no #2).

While responding to a person via e-mail from another forum I realized I hadn't ever read the whole Narnia series, so I'm thinking I'll have to see about picking up a boxed set of them or something this summer.

At some point I'd like to get the latest WoT book too.

PHIL

PostPosted: Thu Jul 03, 2003 9:13 pm
by majanthehun
let me tell you, the narnia books are great books... amazing parallels in the christian life.

i'll read connie neils book if you read richard abanes (i think he's the author) "harry potter and the bible"

is that a deal?

PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2003 10:33 am
by uc pseudonym
Hmmm... don't let me stop you from carrying out your deal. But I wasn't extremely impressed by "Harry Potter and the Bible." He makes some points, but doesn't do so well on others. His whole occultic thing is... odd. I'm at least decently qualified to speak on the subject. The best point is the whole thing about it essentially being a battle between bad guys and worse guys.

PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2003 10:52 am
by Mithrandir
Yeah. I'm reading "Sendmail 3rd Ed" and "Web Client Programming with Perl." I also have a VRML book that I want to read, but I can't find a descent VRML viewer. *thinks for a minute* Anyone know one?!?

Ug. Talk about a geek. Then again, I'm taking Japanese this fall, so I may do a little pre-course reading too. :D

PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2003 11:05 am
by EireWolf
Ashley wrote:I'm in book two of the Pendragon Cycle (which, ironically I found out about here!).


Did you find it through oldphilosopher's web site? He has a book review section, and Stephen Lawhead is one of his 2 favorite authors. Lawhead is a powerful writer.

[shameless_plug]

If any of you are interested in seeing oldphilosopher's sci-fi and fantasy book reviews, go to http://www.flactem.com/ocelot/reviews/ . To see only Stephen Lawhead reviews (The Pendragon Cycle, etc.), go to http://www.flactem.com/ocelot/lawhead/index.shtml .

[/shameless_plug]

Incidentally, I am currently reading "Guardians of the West" which is book one of the Malloreon, by David Eddings. I just finished reading all five books of the Belgariad. WARNING: David Eddings' books are addictive. Oldphilosopher got me hooked.
:hug:

i wish someone

PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2003 12:05 pm
by Christianotaku
was coming down so they could bring me some mangas or animes but noones coming till augaust or september :waah!:

PostPosted: Fri Jul 04, 2003 3:26 pm
by madphilb
majanthehun wrote:i'll read connie neils book if you read richard abanes (i think he's the author) "harry potter and the bible"

is that a deal?


I tried to read it, honestly. If he had some decent valid arguments and took time to weight the issue rather than prove his point, then it would have been an intersting read.

In fact, it was a deal I had made with myself when I read Connie's book (which I found in the library while looking for the other, which was out at the time).

And after deleting all the other stuff I've written which would take this thread somewhere totally different from what it's supposed to be :grin:

This is one of those meat-sacrificed-to-idols things (like just about any secular fantasy fiction books will be)... it's between the individual and God (to whom they are accountable).

Frankly Richard could just as easily (and with better results) write a book called "Yu-Gi-O and the Bible." In fact it surprises me that someone hasn't jumped all over that yet (or maybe they have?) (btw - I jest a bit... though Yu-Gi-O does cross the line a bit for me).

Peace and Love :thumb:

PHIL

PostPosted: Sat Jul 05, 2003 12:19 am
by majanthehun
sounds good to me... and youre right, it is a meat-idol-paul thing... i have a problem with it, others dont... but its all good and God loves us anyways, right?

PostPosted: Sat Jul 05, 2003 7:17 pm
by Straylight
I suppose if you count tech books i'm also reading up about php

PostPosted: Sat Jul 05, 2003 9:15 pm
by shooraijin
> but its all good and God loves us anyways, right?

Right! :)