The British Fantasy Society Forum

[benedictjjones]

^i was really impressed with 'Just After Sunset' and thought he'd really hit form again (much better than 'everything's eventual').  i think 'N.' was probably my favourite in there.

[Stephen Theaker]

I've been reading the wonderful Songs of the Dying Earth, but by gum it was heavy! It was only a matter of time before I dropped it on a member of my little family!

So I've taken a break to read Doctor Lerne, Subgod, another of Brian Stableford's translations for Black Coat Press, on the Sony reader. Great fun so far.

[JohanFundin]

UNDER THE DOME - the new Stephen King epic, and one of the most anticipated novels of the year. A book that took the author a quarter of a century to write.

THE HOUSE - a weird, sick and perverse horror novel from Bentley Little, a master of the macabre.

[Stephen Theaker]

UNDER THE DOME - the new Stephen King epic, and one of the most anticipated novels of the year. A book that took the author a quarter of a century to write.

Is it any good? The plot synopsis sounded just like The Simpsons Movie...

[JohanFundin]

Is it any good? The plot synopsis sounded just like The Simpsons Movie...

The book is really good, but whether it's great remains to be discussed. The King novel that readers and critics will draw parallels with is The Stand, in particular the extended version (1100+ pages) from 1990. As for the similarities with The Simpsons Movie, King has indeed been confronted with that question and explained that he started writing Under the Dome in 1976, hence, many years before The Simpsons existed.

/
J.F.

[Kasalivich]

I'm just about to embark on Rick Riordan's "Percy Jackson & The Olympians" series ... the American Harry Potter, except the characters are descended from Greek gods instead of being wizards & witches.

Yes I know it is for 12-year-olds, so is HP.      I don't care, it has a satyr.

[Greg Bauder]

I'm just about to embark on Rick Riordan's "Percy Jackson & The Olympians" series ... the American Harry Potter, except the characters are descended from Greek gods instead of being wizards & witches.

Yes I know it is for 12-year-olds, so is HP.      I don't care, it has a satyr.

I loved the HP series and if Milton can include demons creatures, gods and aliens in PARADISE LOST then certainly there is no need to ever defend a book since he has influenced every writer after him whether they realize it or not. I doubt if any of us as adults could write as well now as John Keats could at 12. I always liked how Ernest Hemingway paraphrased Milton's idea in AEREOPAGITICA: "Thank God for books; ALL books." Personally, I love the visionary poetry of Blake which made me investigate the English tradition of prophecy and shockingly, to me, Astrology. I had no idea Chaucer, Spenser, Shakespeare and Milton were such ardent adherers to Astrology. But,
I digress as there are many excellent writers that others may or may not read ( Remember there is no person today who has read every
English language book ) so modern gifted writers like Bradbury, Atwood, Heinlein, King,etc. IMO may overshadow other fine writers. It is said Ian Fleming couldn't sell his James Bond series until President JFK said he was reading one of his books. I think a rule of thumb for critics is to never totally trash a book nor should they extoll perfection in one. I am Canadian and read almost exclusively English writers because I feel not only are they usually brilliant writers but they represent our history, too. Even Americans admit without writers like Milton and Shakespeare and others we would live in a totally different world. But, attitudes and preferences change because as a teenager I read everything by the American author Edgar Rice Burroughs. Well, that's my spiel for an introduction.   -Greg Bauder

[Natt]

Alone With The Horrors - Ramsey Campbell
The Unbearable Lightness Of Being - Milan Kundera
The Audacity Of Hype - Armando Iannucci
And enjoying all of them immensely...

[Andrew Hook]

"Different Skins" by Gary McMahon
"The Unlimited Dream Company" by JG Ballard

Both very good!

[IanH]

I'm reading "The Gates" by John Connolly, a children's fantasy novel about the inhabitants of hell trying to break through, and take over, our world. I like his crime novels, and his spooky/crime novels,  and his spooky short stores. This is a bit of a hard read, because he is really trying to be overly - chummy with the reader, and also there are loads of very annoying/intrusive footnotes, which I've decided to ignore.
 

What are you reading at the moment?

I'm reading At the Mountains of Mourning by Lois McMaster Bujold, from the Baen Books free library. Good so far.

[Degsy]

I've never read any John Connolly. Been put off by the Dan Brown-style Airport-fiction marketing of his books.

Any recommendations? (If at all?)

[gileadslostson]

Just got "Under the Dome" and the new Wheel of Time delivered as Xmas presents.

Heard lots of good things bout Dome but I'm a little apprehensive about WoT.

No disrespect to the dead, but it seemed to me like Jordan was dragging it out a wee bit too much in the last couple of books  and for a series that was supposed to be 12 books and will now run to 14....

Anyone else read it?

[Degsy]

Planning to finish off DH 55 this afternoon in the Stansted departures lounge (anticipating the worst from good old Ryanair).

And over Xmas I'm planning a short story binge including:

Bullrunning For Girls - Allyson Bird
The Exaggerated Man and Other Stories - Terry Grimwood
The Bride Stripped Bare - Rachel Kendall

A box of Quality Street, a cold beer, and some top reads - Bliss!

[IanH]

Just finished "Scott Pilgrim versus the Universe 5" and just started "Finch" by Jeff Vandermeer.

Ian

www.ian-hunter.co.uk

What are you reading at the moment?

I'm reading At the Mountains of Mourning by Lois McMaster Bujold, from the Baen Books free library. Good so far.

[che2000]

Just started reading The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. It's wonderful - I don't know why I've never read it before.