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Post by GamerL on Jun 29, 2017 3:25:25 GMT -5
I enjoyed the first Hitchhiker's Guide, but the sequels didn't interest me. I much prefer Terry Pratchett's witty hopefulness over Adams's cynical nihilism. This is exactly my opinion, Adams is too cynical, I only read the first Hitchhiker and the whole thing came off as thinking it's more clever than it really is, he reminds me of those "Russell's Teapot" type "New Atheists" Like the whole "computer tries to solve the meaning of life and the answer is just 42" thing, har har har, it just irritates me. Terry Pratchett is much more my style, unfortunately I've still only read the first Discworld novel but I definitely plan on reading more.
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Post by eatersthemanfool on Jun 29, 2017 5:29:59 GMT -5
Fortunately, Pratchett was a pretty prolific writer so it'll be a while before you have to come to terms with his death.
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Post by eatersthemanfool on Jul 22, 2017 2:00:19 GMT -5
Yea. I'm still sore about that.
Fuckin alzheimer's.
Anyway, just finished 'The Ghost in My Brain'. It's one of those books that's really super interesting but kind of incredulous. Except I don't know enough about the subject matter to refute it myself and I can't find anyone credible online who refutes it.
So it's written by Dr. Clark Elliott, an AI researcher at DePaul university. Many years ago, he was in a car accident and had a concussion bad enough that it left him with brain damage. For some 8 years or so he was told that he wasn't going to get any better and that he should learn to live with his new diminished capacity. Then he met a doctor who researches brain plasticity and went through an experimental treatment based primarily around using (and this is where it gets weird) a series of specially made glasses that, together with neurological exercises, retrains his brain to use other signaling pathways to get around the damage.
Now, as he is mostly recovered, he wrote the book detailing what it was like to have concussive brain damage and what he went through to fix it.
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Post by kaoru on Jul 22, 2017 3:48:00 GMT -5
Got done with The Bloody Red Baron, which is another one of Kim Newmans pulpy alternate history book where Bram Stoker's Dracula ended with Dracula winning and vampires now being out and about in society. As usual lots of historic and ficitional figures of the time appear. But it being (obviously) about WWI, the thing seems a bit more "legit" than the Ripper murder case from Anno Dracula. Both interesting reads, tho. I also started Clockwork Angel for some easy digestible fluff, but I doubt anyone cares
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Post by GamerL on Jul 22, 2017 5:32:14 GMT -5
Got done with The Bloody Red Baron, which is another one of Kim Newmans pulpy alternate history book where Bram Stoker's Dracula ended with Dracula winning and vampires now being out and about in society. As usual lots of historic and ficitional figures of the time appear. But it being (obviously) about WWI, the thing seems a bit more "legit" than the Ripper murder case from Anno Dracula. Both interesting reads, tho. I also started Clockwork Angel for some easy digestible fluff, but I doubt anyone cares I love the Anno Dracula series so much, I've already read them all and am hotly anticipating the new one in October. They're pretty much some of my favorite books.
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Post by kaoru on Aug 11, 2017 1:06:38 GMT -5
I've been reading through A Princess of Mars. Which is a quick one, since it was serialized pulp fiction and all. But damn, this book is antiquated. And not just in quaint things like Mars being covered by moss or happy people being described as gay. It makes me almost curious to watch Disneys try to turn this into a big blockbuster franchise. Mainly how much of the overt imperialism, most boring Mary Stues of main characters, White savior syndrome, and constant nudity has been changed to make this work with modern sensibilities.
Funny to think this mostly came from Burroughs being down on his luck trying to make a pay check and after reading some pulp fiction going "This shit sells? Even I could have written something like that... wait a minute!"
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Post by eatersthemanfool on Aug 11, 2017 1:54:46 GMT -5
A few years ago I decided to write a zombie romance since paranormal romance was becoming a big thing. Some other asshole beat me to it.
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Post by The Great Klaid on Aug 11, 2017 1:55:56 GMT -5
A few years ago I decided to write a zombie romance since paranormal romance was becoming a big thing. Some other asshole beat me to it. I fucking feel you man. I'd hate it if Jane Austen came back just to beat me to a punch.
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Post by eatersthemanfool on Aug 11, 2017 1:58:00 GMT -5
I have never liked Jane Austen. Charlotte Bronte was more my speed.
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Post by kaoru on Aug 11, 2017 2:01:10 GMT -5
A few years ago I decided to write a zombie romance since paranormal romance was becoming a big thing. Some other asshole beat me to it. And Warm Bodies is pretty good to boot!
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Post by eatersthemanfool on Aug 11, 2017 2:08:08 GMT -5
See, not just *ONE* zombie romance. But multiples.
I should have finished mine but tbh the only thing going for it was that nobody had done it before. It wasn't very good on its own.
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Post by kaoru on Aug 11, 2017 2:10:25 GMT -5
90% of young adult (paranormal romance) books aren't very good in their own. If you write it, they will come. So go for it.
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Post by moran on Aug 11, 2017 6:57:48 GMT -5
See, not just *ONE* zombie romance. But multiples. I should have finished mine but tbh the only thing going for it was that nobody had done it before. It wasn't very good on its own. History repeats itself If someone already did, do it better. On topic though, I picked up Anno Dracula recently. I'm only a couple chapters in, but I'm liking it so far.
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Post by GamerL on Aug 11, 2017 7:02:08 GMT -5
On topic though, I picked up Anno Dracula recently. I'm only a couple chapters in, but I'm liking it so far. Cool! Hope you enjoy it.
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Post by paperchema on Aug 11, 2017 7:35:20 GMT -5
I'm reading Robert A. Caro's monumental biography of Lyndon B. Johnson. The four volumes published so far are hailed as a masterpiece, and I have to agree. I've never seem so much research put into someone's life and the writing is engaging and powerful. This is essential reading for anyone interested in American history.
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