Is there any triller/sci-fi/detective novel with Dan Brown's style of writing and pace ?
Only sci/trill/det books I have been reading, are Artemis Fowls :blushing: (surprisingly entertaining!)
Besides Da Vinci Code of course.
Ah, I forgot Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy (terrible movie, great book), but that's definitely not Dan Brown style. Great book still!
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Umberto Eco "Foucault's Pendulum"...in general Eco said that Brown owes him royalities, so if you like mysteries, secret societies, etc (but imo much better written) Foucault's Pendulum and The Name of the rose should be a good pick
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Made a pure impulse purchase on Saturday: passed by a bookstore on our way to a grocery store, and there was this "2,95 €/book" sale basket outside. I decided to check it out on our way back, and found the Finnish translation of Marisha Pessl's "Night Film". I'd never heard of the book or the author before, but the book seemed interesting judging by the back cover - and it was a thick tome.
Started reading it last night, and am really glad I bought it. Less than 100 pages in and I'm already captivated by the story. The first book I've read that has newspaper articles (can't tell if they're real) as part of the story.
Started reading it last night, and am really glad I bought it. Less than 100 pages in and I'm already captivated by the story. The first book I've read that has newspaper articles (can't tell if they're real) as part of the story.
Totally agree. I read "The Hobbit" twice - once a couple of years ago and again after the first movie came out. Damn, that book is boring and childish... I mean, I know it's been written for children but elves sitting in trees singing mocking songs about Bilbo's belly? Seriously? *argh* The Fellowship is dragging along as well; it's my least favourite part of LotR because... well... there's all that singing, for Starters. And there's Tom Bombadil. He's SO annoying. The Silmarillion is something else - not an easy read but very interesting and darkI had hard times reading...Hobbit
Currently, I'm reading Chuck Palahniuk, "Make something up". As always, his stories are very entertaining but also at times on the verge of being extremely disgusting. The subtitle of the book says "Stories you can't unread" - more than fitting. Some stories just stick with you after reading them because they're so... weird and intense. In case you're wondering who Palahniuk is: He's the guy who wrote "Fight Club"
haha Yes, I was wondering. Is this "Make something up" a novel or stories collection?
Definitely, and Palahniuk's English is not that difficult to understand - unless he thinks he has to try something new and plays around with the language. But otherwise, he's pretty straightforward. Also, it's good practice
I happened to spot a copy of "Gone with the Wind" when I visited my local library, and since it's a classic I'd never read I decided to read it.
It's a Finnish translation, but then again I bet I'd have trouble with the original, because it's written in the 30's. English as a language has definitely changed in the past 80 years, just like Finnish has.
It's a Finnish translation, but then again I bet I'd have trouble with the original, because it's written in the 30's. English as a language has definitely changed in the past 80 years, just like Finnish has.
Still reading the Dredd series, on case files 15 now. By far my favourite comic ever.
Other than that I've been slowly working through the Ghost in the Shell comics.
(I don't have the time for reading novels at the mo').
Other than that I've been slowly working through the Ghost in the Shell comics.
(I don't have the time for reading novels at the mo').
Nope. Never liked that book, although I was forced to read it for English literature back in school so maybe I am holding some bias hate towards it.
That's encouraging
Seriously - I know that feeling when you are forced to read a boring book and it haunts you for years. In my case, it was an unbelievably boring book by German writer Gerhard Hauptmann - no, make that two, I just remembered that our teacher actually forced us to read two boring books by Hauptmann, one entitled "Die Weber" ("The Weavers"), the other one "Bahnwärter Thiel" ("Signalman Thiel"). I hatedt those books. They were very slim volumes but soooooooo tedious. The only author worse than Hauptmann is Adalbert Stifter *yuck* That guy manages to describe an icicle for three (yes - 3!!!) pages. A whole new level of boredom.
Seriously - I know that feeling when you are forced to read a boring book and it haunts you for years. In my case, it was an unbelievably boring book by German writer Gerhard Hauptmann - no, make that two, I just remembered that our teacher actually forced us to read two boring books by Hauptmann, one entitled "Die Weber" ("The Weavers"), the other one "Bahnwärter Thiel" ("Signalman Thiel"). I hatedt those books. They were very slim volumes but soooooooo tedious. The only author worse than Hauptmann is Adalbert Stifter *yuck* That guy manages to describe an icicle for three (yes - 3!!!) pages. A whole new level of boredom.
That's encouraging
Seriously - I know that feeling when you are forced to read a boring book and it haunts you for years. In my case, it was an unbelievably boring book by German writer Gerhard Hauptmann - no, make that two, I just remembered that our teacher actually forced us to read two boring books by Hauptmann, one entitled "Die Weber" ("The Weavers"), the other one "Bahnwärter Thiel" ("Signalman Thiel"). I hatedt those books. They were very slim volumes but soooooooo tedious. The only author worse than Hauptmann is Adalbert Stifter *yuck* That guy manages to describe an icicle for three (yes - 3!!!) pages. A whole new level of boredom.
Some people's writing style is just so dull, it's why I only really enjoyed The Hobbit out of all of Tolkien's books, I found the rest very dull, I also dislike G.R.R. Martin's writing style for similar reasons, something about it just doesn't immerse me and makes me bored beyond reason - their characters are just so cut-and-dry maybe I didn't give ASoIaF enough of a chance, Martin's 'bad' characters had lots of intrigue to them, but I really disliked the Starks, good for the sake of being good.
I liked George RR Martin's books and writing style, though he did overdo and drag out some segments here and there, especially in the later books. Gave up on the show though. My god did they rape that thing Started out so good as well
Not read the Hobbit, but *almost* got through Lord of the Rings. Towards the end, after most of the action was done, I simply gave up because it bored me to death. "Then.. and then... and then... and then... and then...". It was like reading a really boring news report. He created a fantastic universe that has inspired an incredible amount of other books, games, etc, but his writing style could certainly have been improved.
Have actually started re-reading Blood of Elves recently. Such a great start to it. I've heard the translators did a poor job, but it reads pretty well to my eyes.
Before that, I read American Gods and The Kite Runner. Both good books.
Started out so good as well Not read the Hobbit, but *almost* got through Lord of the Rings. Towards the end, after most of the action was done, I simply gave up because it bored me to death. "Then.. and then... and then... and then... and then...". It was like reading a really boring news report. He created a fantastic universe that has inspired an incredible amount of other books, games, etc, but his writing style could certainly have been improved.
Have actually started re-reading Blood of Elves recently. Such a great start to it. I've heard the translators did a poor job, but it reads pretty well to my eyes.
Before that, I read American Gods and The Kite Runner. Both good books.
I liked George RR Martin's books and writing style, though he did overdo and drag out some segments here and there, especially in the later books. Gave up on the show though. My god did they rape that thing
Not read the Hobbit, but *almost* got through Lord of the Rings. Towards the end, after most of the action was done, I simply gave up because it bored me to death. "Then.. and then... and then... and then... and then...". It was like reading a really boring news report. He created a fantastic universe that has inspired an incredible amount of other books, games, etc, but his writing style could certainly have been improved.
Have actually started re-reading Blood of Elves recently. Such a great start to it. I've heard the translators did a poor job, but it reads pretty well to my eyes.
Before that, I read American Gods and The Kite Runner. Both good books.
George writes 'bad' guys well, but I don't like his 'Good' characters - The show's watchable, the world's very 'Hollywood Fantasy' though, Dragons and Zombies, eh, Sapkowski made Dragon's much more interesting.
The Hobbit is great, much better than that lash-up of a movie adaptation.
Blood of Elves is pretty great, personally I like Time of Contempt the most of the main saga books.
Thinking of picking up a copy of 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep'. Blade Runner is one of my favourite movies, want to see how much it deviates from the book.
*lol* I feel the same way about the Starks too - way too honourable, way too good, way too naive. No wonder they're almost extinct. Up to the fourth book, I really enjoyed ASoIaF, the fourth book being a favourite because it's got lots of King's Landing and lots of Lannisters in it. Book no. 5 was boring beyond belief. While it took me only 2 weeks for each of the previous books, I spent 1,5 months reading A Dance with Dragons. Unbelievably dull. I like Martin's style though he can be somewhat annoying when he describes every single detail. But in the end, the story drew me in, as did Tolkien with Lord of the Rings (although I still cannot stand The Fellowship of the Ring... all that singing and dancing *argh*). If the story is good, I can ignore mediocre or even bad writing to a certain extent.
Now, with Steinbeck, I'm almost through with the book and it's still boring Also, and that's kinda irritating, the characters make me angry. And the fact that Steinbeck didn't even bother to name Curley's wife or flesh her out more. No, he always emphasizes that she wears a lot of make-up and that every single guy working on that farm thinks she's trouble. Why that is - none of them can really explain. I find that highly irritating and annoying.
Now, with Steinbeck, I'm almost through with the book and it's still boring
Also, and that's kinda irritating, the characters make me angry. And the fact that Steinbeck didn't even bother to name Curley's wife or flesh her out more. No, he always emphasizes that she wears a lot of make-up and that every single guy working on that farm thinks she's trouble. Why that is - none of them can really explain. I find that highly irritating and annoying.