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On May 11 2014 06:20 ticklishmusic wrote:
Guy Gavriel Kay is a really, really, really good writer. I read Tigana awhile ago, and now I'm about halfway through Under Heaven. His prose is incredible (though sometimes he flaunts that a bit), his characters are crisp and distinct, and his plots are complex but not contrived.
I'm a bit torn on Guy Gavriel Kay.
I've only read "Under Heaven" so I might have gotten the wrong impression. Though, while I agree that his prose was incredible, that book started out magnificently and then just fell flat. At first, poetic and beautiful, then some transport/build up, and then meh generic.
I'd love to hear opinons on this, especially if his other books are more like the first part or if they're like the second, because like I say, the first part was excellent.
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On May 11 2014 15:37 lungic wrote:Show nested quote +On May 11 2014 06:20 ticklishmusic wrote:
Guy Gavriel Kay is a really, really, really good writer. I read Tigana awhile ago, and now I'm about halfway through Under Heaven. His prose is incredible (though sometimes he flaunts that a bit), his characters are crisp and distinct, and his plots are complex but not contrived. I'm a bit torn on Guy Gavriel Kay. I've only read "Under Heaven" so I might have gotten the wrong impression. Though, while I agree that his prose was incredible, that book started out magnificently and then just fell flat. At first, poetic and beautiful, then some transport/build up, and then meh generic. I'd love to hear opinons on this, especially if his other books are more like the first part or if they're like the second, because like I say, the first part was excellent.
I've read all of his books except for the Darkest Road, in my opinion the best one was The Lions of Al-Rassan. The Sarantine Mosaic is very good as well. I loved Tigana but it had some weaknesses. The rest I read and liked due to his great writing style and interesting semi-historical worlds but they weren't amazing. I would especially not recommend the Fionavar Tapastry and Ysabel. I know these descriptions are not detailed at all, but it has been a while since I've read them.
But, I would advise you to try The Lions of Al-Rassan.
Also I just finished The City & The City by China Mieville which I liked very much
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On May 11 2014 17:45 Wesso wrote:Show nested quote +On May 11 2014 15:37 lungic wrote:On May 11 2014 06:20 ticklishmusic wrote:
Guy Gavriel Kay is a really, really, really good writer. I read Tigana awhile ago, and now I'm about halfway through Under Heaven. His prose is incredible (though sometimes he flaunts that a bit), his characters are crisp and distinct, and his plots are complex but not contrived. I'm a bit torn on Guy Gavriel Kay. I've only read "Under Heaven" so I might have gotten the wrong impression. Though, while I agree that his prose was incredible, that book started out magnificently and then just fell flat. At first, poetic and beautiful, then some transport/build up, and then meh generic. I'd love to hear opinons on this, especially if his other books are more like the first part or if they're like the second, because like I say, the first part was excellent. I've read all of his books except for the Darkest Road, in my opinion the best one was The Lions of Al-Rassan. The Sarantine Mosaic is very good as well. I loved Tigana but it had some weaknesses. The rest I read and liked due to his great writing style and interesting semi-historical worlds but they weren't amazing. I would especially not recommend the Fionavar Tapastry and Ysabel. I know these descriptions are not detailed at all, but it has been a while since I've read them. But, I would advise you to try The Lions of Al-Rassan. Also I just finished The City & The City by China Mieville which I liked very much
The ending for Under Heaven was a bit flat, I'll agree now that I've finished. However, his prose covers up a lot of problems-- very few authors have the ability to conjure up entire worlds the way he does. Sanderson and Jordan come closest generally, and I think Gaiman almost does it in flashes, especially in Stardust.
Halfway through River of Stars right now, I'll comment on that in a few hours when I'm done. I'm done with school and my internship doesn't start for a few weeks, so I'm binge reading.
EDIT: Ahh, good book again. Kay just can't do happy endings (or particularly satisfying ones for the matter).
I like China Mieville. He's kind of insane, but definitely a good writer. I liked The Scar a lot, Iron Council and Perdido Street Station were good as well. I like the world of Bas-Lag quite a bit.
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Gonna read this book about how I should go find some real friends instead of talking to you guys.
![[image loading]](http://www.pbgtoolkit.com/docs_pbg/1353088148Turkle-Alone_Together_pb.jpg)
As well as Barthes on Japan:
![[image loading]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51fQXIl163L._SY344_BO1,204,203,200_.jpg)
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just finished The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle. good book.
Starting the 1st book of the Malazan series
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oh man we saw a talk by sherry turkle in digital cultures class, she a dumb fuck bro. just read barthes, he's way cooler.
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Guyssss, I'm 1/4th up the Everest Phenomenology of Spirit. Thank god for Jean Hipollyte, compared to the translation of the Logic I had, this is crystal clear. And the notes do help. Gonna get over what's left of Self-consciousness before getting back to Levine.
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Baa?21245 Posts
On May 13 2014 05:49 Surth wrote:
oh man we saw a talk by sherry turkle in digital cultures class, she a dumb fuck bro. just read barthes, he's way cooler.
Barthes is smart and interesting, but I'm prejudiced against him because too many people just mindlessly repeat DEATH OF THE AUTHOR as if that's the end all be all of ~edgy~ literary criticism, without even understanding what the death of the author really entails to begin with.
Blargh.
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Haven't been reading much because of college 
Starting Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence now
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On May 13 2014 07:03 Carnivorous Sheep wrote:Show nested quote +On May 13 2014 05:49 Surth wrote:
oh man we saw a talk by sherry turkle in digital cultures class, she a dumb fuck bro. just read barthes, he's way cooler. Barthes is smart and interesting, but I'm prejudiced against him because too many people just mindlessly repeat DEATH OF THE AUTHOR as if that's the end all be all of ~edgy~ literary criticism, without even understanding what the death of the author really entails to begin with. Blargh.
Word.
On May 13 2014 08:01 dmnum wrote:Haven't been reading much because of college Starting Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence now
Given your previous taste in book choice and critique, I'd guess that you are in for a treat. Lawrence has the unique ability to get at some of the more strange emotional dynamics that take place in what was then the new urban social sphere, due in large part to Lawrence's very odd personal outlook on the world as an author (his obsession with touching comes to mind lol). Enjoy!
On May 13 2014 05:53 corumjhaelen wrote:
Guyssss, I'm 1/4th up the Everest Phenomenology of Spirit. Thank god for Jean Hipollyte, compared to the translation of the Logic I had, this is crystal clear. And the notes do help. Gonna get over what's left of Self-consciousness before getting back to Levine.
Gogogo and tell us of your journey on return.
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Reading Heart of Darkness for school atm. I have a feeling that this is going to be rough and that I'll be rereading several passages over and over again. Luckily my Kindle has a handy dictionary/highlighting app so I won't be so completely lost...maybe.
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On May 13 2014 08:28 MtlGuitarist97 wrote:
Reading Heart of Darkness for school atm. I have a feeling that this is going to be rough and that I'll be rereading several passages over and over again. Luckily my Kindle has a handy dictionary/highlighting app so I won't be so completely lost...maybe.
Insert I didn't have kindle in high school rant here, but it is definitely worth your attention. Unlike Things Fall Apart which is far too read into.
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On May 13 2014 07:03 Carnivorous Sheep wrote:Show nested quote +On May 13 2014 05:49 Surth wrote:
oh man we saw a talk by sherry turkle in digital cultures class, she a dumb fuck bro. just read barthes, he's way cooler. Barthes is smart and interesting, but I'm prejudiced against him because too many people just mindlessly repeat DEATH OF THE AUTHOR as if that's the end all be all of ~edgy~ literary criticism, without even understanding what the death of the author really entails to begin with. Blargh.
The irony is that Barthes has one of the greatest deaths of the author in history. Mofo got run over by a MILK TRUCK
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^ Wait he did? Damn. That sucks.
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Baa?21245 Posts
Laundry truck, but yeah. Poor guy.
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It was a laundry truck?? My professor lied to me!
I've lost all faith in the integrity of the american academy.
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On May 13 2014 08:48 ThomasjServo wrote:Show nested quote +On May 13 2014 08:28 MtlGuitarist97 wrote:
Reading Heart of Darkness for school atm. I have a feeling that this is going to be rough and that I'll be rereading several passages over and over again. Luckily my Kindle has a handy dictionary/highlighting app so I won't be so completely lost...maybe. Insert I didn't have kindle in high school rant here, but it is definitely worth your attention. Unlike Things Fall Apart which is far too read into.
Lol, if it was up to my school I wouldn't be using a Kindle. The only reason I can is because this is an outside reading book and we're not going over anything about it in class. My school won't even let me have a phone on my person during school. That warrants detention and demerits.
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On May 13 2014 18:57 MtlGuitarist97 wrote:Show nested quote +On May 13 2014 08:48 ThomasjServo wrote:On May 13 2014 08:28 MtlGuitarist97 wrote:
Reading Heart of Darkness for school atm. I have a feeling that this is going to be rough and that I'll be rereading several passages over and over again. Luckily my Kindle has a handy dictionary/highlighting app so I won't be so completely lost...maybe. Insert I didn't have kindle in high school rant here, but it is definitely worth your attention. Unlike Things Fall Apart which is far too read into. Lol, if it was up to my school I wouldn't be using a Kindle. The only reason I can is because this is an outside reading book and we're not going over anything about it in class. My school won't even let me have a phone on my person during school. That warrants detention and demerits.
Good for them!
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Finished The Savage Detectives by Robert Bolano last night. That was a pretty fun read, and I really liked the non-linear narrative. There were a lot of really interesting stories throughout the book.
Next on the list is Diana Wynne Jones's Howl's Moving Castle, which I started this morning. So far so good. ^_^
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Count of Monte Cristo is so long xP
Its starting to get really good though. I love the hijinks.
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EPT
