The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum


Visit The *EVEN NEWER* Barrow-Downs Photo Page

Go Back   The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum > Middle-Earth Discussions > The Books
User Name
Password
Register FAQ Members List Calendar Today's Posts


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 06-22-2003, 09:14 PM   #41
Lindril Arvilya
Shade of Carn Dûm
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: In a box at the end of Harrison Ford's street, with a pair of binoculars
Posts: 336
Lindril Arvilya has just left Hobbiton.
Sting

My birthday having only just passed, I'm in the middle of both The Salmon of Doubt and Hitchhiker: A Biography of Douglas Adams.

I'm only reading the two right now because I was exhausted after rereading A Tale of Two Cities, Fifth Business, Death of a Salesman, and The Great Gatsby in one week for my final exam in English.
__________________
Neo, watch out! Trinity's going to steal your pants! Pants thief! Pants thief!
Lindril Arvilya is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-22-2003, 11:48 PM   #42
arianrod
Wight
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Wandering Hobbiton, smiling at the hobbits & trying to sell them vacuum cleaners
Posts: 215
arianrod has just left Hobbiton.
Send a message via AIM to arianrod
Shield

To whoever suggested Terry Pratchett: I love you. Pratchett is an insane man... good, but insane.

Quote:
Also I must say I am guilty of reading Harry potter. I got the new book and am reading it. Is anyone else?
*raises hand shyly* Here. I'm trying to get through it quickly and I'm already on page 500. I've been reading it since about 7:30 Saturday morning. It's a odd thing though; it's the first HP book I've read since I was introduced to LotR. Funny, somehow it's not as captivating as it was 2 years ago...

The reason I'm reading in such a rush is that I'm supposed to be reading A Tale of Two Cities and two other unimportant books, along with my fleeting attempt to finish the Unfinished Tales. Heh heh... that's ironic...
__________________
Eenie, meanie, Samwise Gamgee, Staring after pretty Rosie, If she calls, watch him blush, then turn and leave in a rush.
You want to join the Citadel... You know you do...
Do the Wave for Boromir the Disco King!
arianrod is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-22-2003, 11:49 PM   #43
Lyta_Underhill
Haunted Halfling
 
Lyta_Underhill's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: an uncounted length of steps--floating between air molecules
Posts: 844
Lyta_Underhill has just left Hobbiton.
Sting

Happy days to all of you out there who are currently reading several books at once! I do this sometimes, but not always. And I too, am guilty before the fact of reading Harry Potter. I've ordered book 5 and will definitely read it in short order. Other recent reads: Riddley Walker by Russell Hoban (read it twice and enjoyed it so much, I purchased Pilgermann, also by Hoban, but have not started it yet.

Just finished Silmarillion, will probably read it again; reading Unfinished Tales, always reading Tolkien's Letters, constantly re-reading Lord of the Rings...

I noticed a couple of people who were Dune fans: I read those in the 80's and thoroughly enjoyed them, but slowly became disenchanted after the followups to God-Emperor of Dune and have not picked up the more recent Brian Herbert efforts. I've got one of them, but it is packed in the "going to read it someday" box (there are about 20 of those stored around here). I think Asimov was the first sci-fi beyond Star Trek novelizations I got into: Foundation captured my imagination thoroughly!

Other recent reads: A whole bunch of Toby Peters mysteries set in 1940's Hollywood, with Basil Rathbone and Errol Flynn and Howard Hughes, etc. as players in the stories. Great chewing gum and real hard boiled!

I'm sure I'm forgetting things, but that's how it is when you pour lots of fuel on a burned out brain! Bye for now!

Cheers,
Lyta
__________________
“…she laid herself to rest upon Cerin Amroth; and there is her green grave, until the world is changed, and all the days of her life are utterly forgotten by men that come after, and elanor and niphredil bloom no more east of the Sea.”
Lyta_Underhill is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-23-2003, 07:55 AM   #44
Idunn
Pile O'Bones
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Poland
Posts: 21
Idunn has just left Hobbiton.
Sting

Other good fantasy books which come to my mind are:
Dune
Dragon Lance Chronicles
Xanth series

If you ever get them, enjoyment is guaranteed!
__________________
"To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield"
Tennyson
Idunn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-23-2003, 04:17 PM   #45
OddEvenstar
Pile O'Bones
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 15
OddEvenstar has just left Hobbiton.
Send a message via AIM to OddEvenstar
1420!

I'm still goin on my second run thru the LotR...but on the side I'm reading The Legend of Luke by Brian Jacques. The Redwall series, after all, was my first obsession...before I met the wonders of Tolkien. Ah...the wonders of Tolkien
__________________
*The hands of a king are the hands of a healer, and so shall the rightful king be known.*
OddEvenstar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-23-2003, 05:05 PM   #46
Rumil
Sage & Onions
 
Rumil's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Britain
Posts: 894
Rumil has been trapped in the Barrow!
Sting

Aha, Squatter of Amon Rudh, another I Claudius fan, exellent. I've just read Count Belisarius (could never find it in a library so finally had to buy it!) I can most definitely recomend it.

Lindril, loved the Salmon of Doubt, what do think about the Adams biography?

Much power to the Pratchett lovers (Does Glingleglinglefairy still post?).

Must confess (hangs head in shame) to buying Harry Potter 5 at midnight and finishing it at 8am, I know, I need help.
__________________
Rumil of Coedhirion
Rumil is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-23-2003, 05:39 PM   #47
Eruanna
Memento Mori
 
Eruanna's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Past The Point Of No Return
Posts: 1,120
Eruanna has just left Hobbiton.
Silmaril

I too purchased Harry Potter 5 on Saturday. I'm about half way through....I don't seem to have the enthusiasm for it this time round...it is a big book, but quite repetitive.
I read "The Wee Free Men" by Terry Pratchett last week. Like "Maurice and His Educated Rodents" it is aimed at the "Harry Potter" market, I found it to be charming, funny and thoroughly engaging. I really like the sly sense of humour that comes through.
Still on with Tolkien of course, I am re-reading the Unfinished Tales.
__________________
"Remember, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things. And no good thing ever dies."
Eruanna is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-23-2003, 06:06 PM   #48
Lady_Galadriel
Wight
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: The Shire, Hobbiton, Middle Earth
Posts: 135
Lady_Galadriel has just left Hobbiton.
Send a message via AIM to Lady_Galadriel
Tolkien

Guess what! Today my world geo. teacher announced that we would be studding Britain this week!!! Yipee!! I actually got him going on the history and present times of Oxford and London!!! Maybe with some luck we can talk more about Oxford University tomarrow!!!! Cool hu?! we even get to read books on England and stuff!!! It's the first time I have been able to stay awake in that class!! [img]smilies/tongue.gif[/img]
__________________
" You can't toast me!"
Lady_Galadriel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-23-2003, 06:54 PM   #49
Lady_Galadriel
Wight
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: The Shire, Hobbiton, Middle Earth
Posts: 135
Lady_Galadriel has just left Hobbiton.
Send a message via AIM to Lady_Galadriel
Tolkien

OOh!! I love the Dragonlance Chronicles!!! An old english teacher reccomended them to me after she notaiced I was a Tolkien fan.. [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]
I too have unfortunatly just finished the book a tale of two cities for my english final... I can truly stand up and admit I WOULD RATHER READ TOLKIEN THAN DICKENS ANY DAY!!! too bad my new english teacher is not a Tolkien fan... [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img] [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img] *ponders how to convert her [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img] *
__________________
" You can't toast me!"
Lady_Galadriel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-23-2003, 08:22 PM   #50
Iarwain
Pugnaciously Primordial Paradox
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Birnham Wood
Posts: 808
Iarwain has just left Hobbiton.
Boots

Lucky Galad. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

I suppose we're all Brits at heart.

Iarwain
__________________
"And what are oaths but words we say to God?"
Iarwain is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-23-2003, 08:27 PM   #51
Yavanna228
Shade of Carn Dûm
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: on the wings of the morning
Posts: 410
Yavanna228 has just left Hobbiton.
Tolkien

Hm...other books...It's definitely going to be hard to fit all these in this summer, but hopefully I can do it! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]
The Poem of the Cid
The Odyssey
The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
and the odd bit of Irish mythology/history.
I have a feeling that for World Lit next year I'll be reading alot more, so I'll update you all then. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]
Peace
__________________
'Dulaman na Binne Bui, Dulaman Gaelach/ Dulaman na farraige, 's e b'fhearr a bhi in Eirinn!'
Yavanna228 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-23-2003, 08:43 PM   #52
Orual
Speaker of the Dead
 
Orual's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Superbia
Posts: 901
Orual has just left Hobbiton.
Sting

I'm reading a bit less fantasy than the rest of you, and it's slightly fluffier...

-The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Ann Brashares)
Much better than the title implies...

-The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (Rebecca Wells)
A little depressing, but nonetheless a very good book.

-The Second Summer of the Sisterhood (Ann Brashares)
Sequel to the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants; not quite as good, but if you liked the first one, read this one.

-Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (J.K. Rowling)
The first book I've read in a while that didn't have a girl as the lead...

-Abhorsen (Garth Nix)
Sequel to Sabriel and Lirael...I just started it tonight, so I have no comments yet.

Orual~*
__________________
"Oh, my god! I care so little, I almost passed out!"
--Dr. Cox, "Scrubs"
Orual is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-23-2003, 10:18 PM   #53
greyhavener
Wight
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: austin
Posts: 169
greyhavener has just left Hobbiton.
Silmaril

I just finished Dark Night of the Soul by St. John of the Cross. Very challenging. I think I'll try something lighter next. I'm thinking about Churchill's history of WWII next.
__________________
Do justly, love mercy, walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8
greyhavener is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-23-2003, 10:21 PM   #54
Lindolirian
World's Tallest Hobbit
 
Lindolirian's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Where the view is long
Posts: 2,126
Lindolirian has just left Hobbiton.
Sting

The Great Escape by Paul Brickhill. An amazing book. Not incredibly well written, but the story is great, especially because it's true!
__________________
'They say that the One will himself enter into Arda, and heal Men and all the Marring from the beginning to the end."
Lindolirian is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-23-2003, 10:42 PM   #55
Iarwain
Pugnaciously Primordial Paradox
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Birnham Wood
Posts: 808
Iarwain has just left Hobbiton.
Boots

Hm. Lots of Sisterhoods, Oural. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

In my fit of laziness, I've decided to purchase my favorite film of all time. Gandhi. The thought of that has inspired me to read Tolstoy's writings on Civil Disobedience and Nonviolence, a book I know I will never finish for two reasons. A. I lack a real passion for Civil-Disobedience and cannot stand street protesters of the modern brand, and B. I've never been able to get past the first pages of a Tolstoy book, even though I've read several of his short stories...

Iarwain
__________________
"And what are oaths but words we say to God?"
Iarwain is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-24-2003, 04:18 AM   #56
MLD-Grounds-Keeper-Willie
Ghost Prince of Cardolan
 
MLD-Grounds-Keeper-Willie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 575
MLD-Grounds-Keeper-Willie has just left Hobbiton.
Send a message via ICQ to MLD-Grounds-Keeper-Willie Send a message via AIM to MLD-Grounds-Keeper-Willie
1420!

Quote:
Tis - Frank McCourt
Birdland- I've been meaning to read that, but first I have to buy it. I recently reread Angela's Ashes after watching the movie for the first time. They really captured the mood and atmosphere, and you really get to see (and hear) it very close to what it was. And the commentary on the dvd is great.

Right now I'm reading Bram Stoker's Dracula and I am loving it. Also, I'm going through some of my old Calvin and Hobbes comic books, particulary The Tenth Anniversary one.
__________________
Do Not Touch

-Willie
MLD-Grounds-Keeper-Willie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-24-2003, 08:15 AM   #57
greyhavener
Wight
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: austin
Posts: 169
greyhavener has just left Hobbiton.
Silmaril

Lady_Galadriel, I'm with you. I think reading Dickens is not an assignment it's a sentence. Fortunately the English teacher at our school who assigns Oliver Twisted also assigns The Hobbit and Edith Hamilton's Mythology to atone for Dickens.
__________________
Do justly, love mercy, walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8
greyhavener is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-24-2003, 09:42 AM   #58
Yavanna228
Shade of Carn Dûm
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: on the wings of the morning
Posts: 410
Yavanna228 has just left Hobbiton.
Tolkien

Just a humble opinion...Dickens isn't all that bad. Just cumbersome whenever you want to be reading about Beren and Luthien or the like. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]
Peace
__________________
'Dulaman na Binne Bui, Dulaman Gaelach/ Dulaman na farraige, 's e b'fhearr a bhi in Eirinn!'
Yavanna228 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-24-2003, 09:49 AM   #59
Idunn
Pile O'Bones
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Poland
Posts: 21
Idunn has just left Hobbiton.
Sting

Maybe you didn't get a right Dickens book. I highly recommend 'A Christmas Carol' and 'The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club' (extremely hilarious).

I don't want to be impolite, but why do you discuss Dickens prose? He doesn't seem to have much to do with fantasy, does he?
__________________
"To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield"
Tennyson
Idunn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-24-2003, 12:20 PM   #60
Tinuviel of Denton
Ghost Prince of Cardolan
 
Tinuviel of Denton's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Amid the hills and dales of the Shire... or not.
Posts: 609
Tinuviel of Denton has just left Hobbiton.
Send a message via AIM to Tinuviel of Denton
Sting

I love Dickens. But anyway...

I shall definately read some of these fantasy books that I haven't gotten to yet.

My current reading:

Sword of Truth, by Terry Goodkind

Several books by Mercedes Lackey (I'm in love with Vanyel)

World without End by Sean Russell (Very interesting, I haven't finished yet)

The Farseer Trilogy (can't remember author.) (good books, but so depressing. Makes me want to cry.)
Tinuviel of Denton is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-24-2003, 03:22 PM   #61
Lily
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Wouldn't you like to know!!
Posts: 72
Lily has just left Hobbiton.
Send a message via AIM to Lily
Shield

The book I was reading for awhile was the book my cousin wrote it's called "Do Dandelions Grow on the Moon?". It's a novel about this "princess" who wants to go on a adventure and does. It's really an exciting book! I've learned that well....my cousin writes good! I'm also starting the Dragon Lance books but I haven't got real far in it so when I'm done I'll come back and tell you all about it! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]
Lily is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-24-2003, 03:48 PM   #62
Lady_Galadriel
Wight
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: The Shire, Hobbiton, Middle Earth
Posts: 135
Lady_Galadriel has just left Hobbiton.
Send a message via AIM to Lady_Galadriel
Tolkien

Quote:
Fortunately the English teacher at our school who assigns Oliver Twisted also assigns The Hobbit and Edith Hamilton's Mythology to atone for Dickens.
Yes, I found out today that one of the other english teachers does require the Hobbit to be read... I hope I have her for english next term!!

Dracula rocked!!! I loved that!

My english teacher also required us to read The Odessey. That was the one book we had to read, that I actually liked! I would recommend it to anyone who likes reading about mythology and the like.
__________________
" You can't toast me!"
Lady_Galadriel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2003, 04:51 AM   #63
barandilwen
Animated Skeleton
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 31
barandilwen has just left Hobbiton.
Silmaril

i not reading any new book right now... but im re-reading sir gawain and the green knight.... by sir Tolkein
it's really great!!! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]
__________________
i am barandilwen, also known as bundin snowmallet to the dwarves and robin black of tightfeild to the little ones
barandilwen is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2003, 06:39 AM   #64
Liriodendron
Ghost Prince of Cardolan
 
Liriodendron's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Indiana
Posts: 532
Liriodendron has just left Hobbiton.
Thumbs up

Though I'm usually too busy for fiction...an internet friend wrote a wonderful book called "The Ring of Dark Elves"...Victoria Randall. I've really enjoyed it! It's based on Norse legend, the story of Sigurd Dragonslayer (and Odin and Brynhild, and a whole bunch of other good stuff!) [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] Vicky fleshes it out wonderfully, and it's an easy yet very absorbing read! The author says.."I have tried to make the tale somewhat more accessible for modern readers who are unfamiliar with the opera." (Richard Wagner's..."The Ring of the Nibelung" ) Check it out! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]
__________________
http://www.lizmargason.com
Liriodendron is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2003, 03:44 PM   #65
Rosolas
Animated Skeleton
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: England
Posts: 32
Rosolas has just left Hobbiton.
Sting

I have just finished reading "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix".

Why do people feel guilty about reading Harry Potter? I don't!

My all time favourite book is "A Tale of Two Cities" by Dickens, but I am at a loss of which book to read next.

I have this habit of buying books and never getting around to reading them! If I started reading all the books that I have bought and not read, I would probably be reading for a couple of years!
Rosolas is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-26-2003, 06:56 PM   #66
Tinuviel of Denton
Ghost Prince of Cardolan
 
Tinuviel of Denton's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Amid the hills and dales of the Shire... or not.
Posts: 609
Tinuviel of Denton has just left Hobbiton.
Send a message via AIM to Tinuviel of Denton
Sting

Rosolas, a suggestion.

Try "Great Expectations" if you haven't already. Long, but still good.

And about feeling guilty about HP. I don't. (I don't read HP either, but I will spare you my rant on the subject.)

Some books I forgot to mention.

The Chronicles of the Cheysuli. Very interesting read. Eight book series that centers on a shapeshifting race and their attempts to fulfill a prophecy.

The novels of Tiger and Del: Sword-Dancer, Sword-Singer, Sword-Maker, Sword-Breaker, Sword-Born, Sword-Sworn. (Those are the six books in order.) They follow the adventures of two people who use their sword-skills to settle disputes. Fun.

Both of the above series are by Jennifer Roberson.

The Exiles (Trilogy? Series?) by Melanie Rawn. Very good read, nice looong books.

The Stone and the Flute. Hans Bemman. A truly intriguing tale of a man named Listener (even though that's the last thing he ever does) and how he learns a lot of life lessons from a stone that is called the eye-stone and a magic silver flute.

I will probably be back with more.

[ July 09, 2003: Message edited by: Tinuviel of Denton ]
Tinuviel of Denton is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-27-2003, 02:39 AM   #67
arianrod
Wight
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Wandering Hobbiton, smiling at the hobbits & trying to sell them vacuum cleaners
Posts: 215
arianrod has just left Hobbiton.
Send a message via AIM to arianrod
Shield

Quote:
Why do people feel guilty about reading Harry Potter? I don't!
I think since the HP movies started coming out at the same time as the FotR release, some people thought that the two would be competing for fantasy fans. I don't think this has happened. It really shouldn't seem like a competition, but I suppose sometimes it can feel as though some enjoy comparing one to the other, which really shouldn't be done at all. They're two separate fantasy books and should be able to be enjoyed as such. But, because of all this 'competing' at the box offices and book sales, it can be easy for Tolkien fans to feel as though they'd be seen as traitors if they had a HP book in hand or were standing in line to see one of its movies. I finally finished Order of the Pheonix after 3 days of reading it.

Quote:
Try "Great Expectations" if you haven't already. Long, but still good.
Sorry, Tinuviel, but I got far less out of the book when I finished it. I had to read it for English class and hated every minute of it. Just wasn't my thing I guess, or maybe I just didn't like the thought of having to read it. I may go back some day when I have the time and take a second glance at it, just to see if I like it better without fear of failing an exam on the plot and characters.

Has anyone read the "Left Behind" series? I've heard they're excellent, but haven't gotten around to reading them yet. I'm also working on "The Sword and the Miracle" by Melvyn Bragg on my own time. I'd never heard of him before I found the book on a dusty shelf in my favorite bookshop, but the book looked intriguing so I took it off the shelf and bought it. Any fans of Bragg here? I've just started the book, but it seems quite good so far.
__________________
Eenie, meanie, Samwise Gamgee, Staring after pretty Rosie, If she calls, watch him blush, then turn and leave in a rush.
You want to join the Citadel... You know you do...
Do the Wave for Boromir the Disco King!
arianrod is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-27-2003, 08:29 PM   #68
Tinuviel of Denton
Ghost Prince of Cardolan
 
Tinuviel of Denton's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Amid the hills and dales of the Shire... or not.
Posts: 609
Tinuviel of Denton has just left Hobbiton.
Send a message via AIM to Tinuviel of Denton
Silmaril

Left Behind is very good, but also very intense. I've read all but the latest, and the only reason I haven't read that is my mother hasn't finished (which is rather annoying, as the end of the last one I read was something of a cliffhanger). If you do read them, be warned. The usual "He/she's a main character, he/she'll be okay" does not apply. Some of the best characters die.

Anyway...

I liked Great Expectations, but maybe that's because I didn't have to read it.

I finally remembered the author of The Farseer Trilogy; Robin Hobb. The books are called Assassin's Apprentice, Royal Assassin, and Assassin's Quest. They are so sad, but they are amazingly good. Most amazing, they don't borrow from Tolkien, at least not that I noticed.
Tinuviel of Denton is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:52 AM.



Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.