What other fantasy books do YOU read?

[Morthoron]

Hmmm...I don't go in much for reading fantasies anymore.

*Shocked gasps from the audience*

No, really. Most of the fantasies I read are with my daughter (currently going through the Narnia Chronicles and Redwall series).

I've read most of the greats, I suppose. Ones I truly enjoyed were Stephen R. Donaldson's Thomas Covenant Chronicles (but only up to the 4th book -- it gets entirely too wordy after that), all of Ursula K. LeGuin, all of Dune (up to God Emperor, anyway), Mary Stewart's Merlin series, Asimov's Foundation, and T.H. White's Once and Future King (the greatest of all latter day Arthurian tales). Then of course there are Lewis Carroll and Orwell which I tend to reread every now and again. I once enjoyed Aldous Huxley, but he's not so much fun sober.

So give me Umberto Eco or a good history book for now and I'm content.

[Gwathagor]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

So give me Umberto Eco or a good history book for now and I'm content.

Can you recommend any of his books besides Name of the Rose, which I've read (and felt extremely erudite while doing so)?

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by Gwathagor

Can you recommend any of his books besides Name of the Rose, which I've read (and felt extremely erudite while doing so)?

Foucalt's Pendulum is a definite read. It makes The Da Vinci Code look like a first grade primer. Read it once through, then go back a second time to research the dizzying amount of obscure references to other works (if you like puzzles).

Baudalino is good as well (although I enjoyed Name of the Rose and Foucalt more). It takes place in the 12th century during the 4th Crusade, wherein the brave and saintly Crusaders decided to ignore the formidable Muslims -- who usually crushed them in battle -- and instead disgracefully sacked and conquered the Christian city of Constantinople. Yes, truth is stranger than fiction (can I get a Deus Vult?).

After you get through those, we can discuss Eco's work in semiotics (the study of symbology and signs). Fascinating reading if you are interested in words and how they relate as symbols in communication.

P.S. By the way, I see you like the Pogues. When I was in bar bands, one of the most requested Christmas songs was always Fairytale of New York. Other tunes we liked playing were South Australia and Bottle of Smoke (great drinking songs). We also did a version of Rocky Road to Dublin, but it was more akin to the Young Dubliners' heavy guitar style.

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

Foucalt's Pendulum is a definite read. It makes The Da Vinci Code look like a first grade primer.

The Da Vinci Code IS a first grade primer!

B.t.w. Eco devotes a whole delightful chapter of Foucault's Pendulum to having a go at The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, the (supposedly) non-fiction book that Dan Brown used as his source material. He has the characters come up with an identical conspiracy via an automatic plot-generator. I loved it.

I don't read fantasy that much as a rule anymore either. There's one I've just started, Temeraire, that isn't bad so far. It's all about the Napoleonic Wars... only with dragons. However, the eponymous Temeraire is showing signs of turning into an extra-special Mary Sue dragon– as if just being a dragon wasn't enough.

So... proceed with caution is my advice to anyone who wants to read it.

What I can wholeheartedly recommend is my favourite third-rate fantasy novel, Blade of the Poisoner. It's hilariously cliched, but without all the padding that you find in similar books. It's been out of print for about twenty years, but if you're curious, I'm summarising it here. (Don't worry, I'm not one of those people who post embarrassing personal stuff in their journals).

[Gwathagor]

Originally Posted by Nerwen

B.t.w. Eco devotes a whole delightful chapter of Foucault's Pendulum to having a go at The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, the (supposedly) non-fiction book that Dan Brown used as his source material. He has the characters come up with an identical conspiracy via an automatic plot-generator. I loved it.

I read that one. Holy Blood, Holy Grail I mean. It wasn't very good; mostly because of absurd claims supported by shoddy scholarship which even I could identify. So, good for Eco.

[Nerwen]

It's the most ridiculous example of house-of-cards arguing I've ever read.

One one page they'll say A might be true. Then three pages later they'll refer back to A as an absolute certainty, which makes B possible. In another three pages the known facts A and B will be used to prove C. Etc, etc, etc.

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by Nerwen

It's the most ridiculous example of house-of-cards arguing I've ever read.

One one page they'll say A might be true. Then three pages later they'll refer back to A as an absolute certainty, which makes B possible. In another three pages the known facts A and B will be used to prove C. Etc, etc, etc.

Oh wait, you're talking about the book; for a minute I thought you were referring to the Bush administration. Yes, the implausibility of Holy Blood, Holy Grail is pronounced, although a study of the Apocrypha and gospels by Mary Magdelene and St. James are interesting in and of themselves.

[Gwathagor]

Originally Posted by Morthoron

After you get through those, we can discuss Eco's work in semiotics (the study of symbology and signs). Fascinating reading if you are interested in words and how they relate as symbols in communication.

You're on.

Originally Posted by Morthoron

P.S. By the way, I see you like the Pogues. When I was in bar bands, one of the most requested Christmas songs was always Fairytale of New York. Other tunes we liked playing were South Australia and Bottle of Smoke (great drinking songs). We also did a version of Rocky Road to Dublin, but it was more akin to the Young Dubliners' heavy guitar style.

off-topic
Ah, Fairytale of New York.I managed to see the Pogues on the first day of their US tour this year, but as it was not Christmas, they played practically every song BUT Fairytale. Actually, they didn't play Lullaby London either, but Rainy Night in Soho made up for its absence. Woooooooo! Pooogues!
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