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clientsiman

macrumors 6502
Jun 13, 2009
259
0
Crete,Greece
Mycenaeans and Minoans - Leonard R Palmer. A rollicking action adventure epic. Not. :)

Is this book worth reading? I am living in Chania,Crete a city that was built by the Minoans (Kydonia as it was known back then) so if you think this book is good I would try to find it.


Currently reading: Green Mars - Kim Stanley Robinson (Mars Trilogy)
And God Delusion - Richard Dawkins


I'm always looking for outstanding thrillers, adventures, fantasy, science fiction, and mysteries/court room dramas. Suggestions appreciated! :)
Still working on Eragon.

For science fiction I would suggest you to read some classic stuff:

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, and as many as you want from Dune by Frank Herbert and Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card ( The first 3 of the Ender Series are simply brilliant)
 

skunk

macrumors G4
Jun 29, 2002
11,758
6,107
Republic of Ukistan
Is this book worth reading? I am living in Chania, Crete a city that was built by the Minoans (Kydonia as it was known back then) so if you think this book is good I would try to find it.
It is not very up-to-date, but it is certainly a comprehensive view of a very fascinating period.

As for SF, anyone who has not read Tiger Tiger and The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester is missing out.
 

rdowns

macrumors Penryn
Jul 11, 2003
27,397
12,521
Currently reading Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and The Fifth Witness by Michael Connelly.
 

KeriJane

macrumors 6502a
Sep 26, 2009
578
1
ЧИКАГО!
Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx.
The first book of a collection available on iBooks.

It's..... Interesting. I like how Marx just dives right into a subject.
It explains a lot, I think.

Have Fun,
Keri
 

arkitect

macrumors 604
Sep 5, 2005
7,072
12,406
Bath, United Kingdom
51QcGbmuQAL._SS500_.jpg


I know far too little about the Thirty Years War — but I must admit to sometimes getting a bit confused with all the Rudolfs and Maximillians… ;)
 

Huntn

macrumors Core
Original poster
May 5, 2008
23,469
26,587
The Misty Mountains
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, and as many as you want from Dune by Frank Herbert and Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card ( The first 3 of the Ender Series are simply brilliant)

I have read the first two. :) I'll look at Ender's Game, and I did locate new copies of My Stars, My Destination on ebay coming from the U.K for about $10 including shipping.

Anyone read The Book of the Dead by Preston/Child? I heard it and The Relic were both outstanding? I assume this "The Relic" is not the same story as the movie "The Relic"?

Thanks!
 

Huntn

macrumors Core
Original poster
May 5, 2008
23,469
26,587
The Misty Mountains
That's peculiar, because in the UK it was published as Tiger, Tiger

I guess they got some U.S. copies. These were listed as new. I double checked: The Stars My Destination (S.F. Masterworks) I paid 4.5 GBP plus .9 GBP for shipping. :)
 

TT4T

macrumors newbie
Apr 6, 2011
17
0
I've been working on "Cracking the AP European History Exam 2011"


You have no idea how thrilling it is ... :(
 

Scepticalscribe

macrumors Ivy Bridge
Jul 29, 2008
63,957
46,414
In a coffee shop.
Under Heaven by Guy Gavriel Kay.

Absolutely stellar book. It's absolutely no surprise that it's been named by at least 5 publications as "best fiction of 2010." It's about an alternate 8th century China, where a young man can suddenly influence the future of an empire. The story is riveting and doesn't let you go. The characters are ALL developed incredibly well. Main characters and minor characters all are fleshed out. An amazing book, I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical fiction..


as an aside, I didn't know until I looked him up that Guy Gavriel Kay was the guy who edited Tolkien's stuff after he died. no wonder he's so amazing. I'm definitely going to pick up some of his other books now, when I get the time.

Great choice. All of Guy Gavriel Kay's stuff is excellent; I cannot recommend them highly enough, as they are exquisitely written, beautifully realised, extensively researched, have strong characterisation and are very well told tales. However, a number of them are out of print and they may be a bit difficult to obtain.

Currently reading "Inkdeath", prior to that "Inkspell" and "Inkheart", all by Cornelia Funke.

Original and excellent.


2nd book of the Stieg Larsson trilogy:

The Girl Who Played with Fire.... [Was it the writer's intention to make Lisbeth Salander so ****ing annoying? She's quite possibly one of the most unlikeable protagonists I've ever read.]

Damn this trilogy is boring. I want to read them all before the US remakes hit the theaters.

I loved this trilogy and found them absolutely addictive when I read them over a year ago.

I have just re-read Tiger Tiger/The Stars My Destination, by Alfred Bester, written in 1956, for the first time in thirty years. What an incredible piece of work! I can't imagine why nobody has made a film of it: it would be absolutely stunning.

If you have not read it, do so. Probably the best science fiction book ever written.

I look forward to taking your advice as I haven't actually read this. Worse, I had not even heard of it until I read your recommendation.

I love that book!

I'm about to start my annual reading of the Hitchhikers Guide "Trilogy"...

The Hitchhikers Guide is an absolute classic, loved it when it came out and still do.

Re my own current reading, I'm re-reading "America, Empire of Liberty" by David Reynolds and Niall Ferguson's Civilisation - "The West and the Rest", both of which are texts intended to accompany a TV series.

I liked Tom Holland's "Rubicon" and recently read the final (apparently) volume of Jean M Auel's series, The Land of the Painted Caves.

Cheers
 

Eldiablojoe

macrumors 6502a
Dec 4, 2009
952
70
West Koast
Murder in West Covina. It's about the 1959 murder of the beautiful Barbara Jean Finch by he husband, Dr. Bernard Finch. Very Interesting !
 

Huntn

macrumors Core
Original poster
May 5, 2008
23,469
26,587
The Misty Mountains
I'm a slow reader. Any Honor Harrington fans here? I'm all most done with Basilisk Station. I plan on continuing the series. Thumbs up.

Barnes and Noble has it for $8. This might make a good movie. CAUTION: "This" is one big spoiler if you have not read it.

Image

Just finished On Basilisk Station and the ending was amazing, spoiler>a space duel between star ships<end-spoiler. On to the next edition of Honor Harrington- The Honor of the Queen! :D
 

Plutonius

macrumors G3
Feb 22, 2003
9,032
8,404
New Hampshire, USA
Re-reading the Harry Potter series. I'm currently on Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

I'm currently re-listening to the entire Harry Potter series (audiobooks) in preparation for the final movie this summer :). I highly recommend the Harry Potter audiobooks (Jim Dale does an amazing job with his narration and the character's voices). If you ever wanted to try out an audiobook, the Harry Potter series is the one to get.
 
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Huntn

macrumors Core
Original poster
May 5, 2008
23,469
26,587
The Misty Mountains
I enjoyed the earlier books in the series but found it to bog down somewhat towards the end of the series. Still worth reading though.

If it becomes to formulaic as in been-there-done-that... I'll be bracing for that. The first book was very entertaining. Thanks for the heads up. :)
 

Plutonius

macrumors G3
Feb 22, 2003
9,032
8,404
New Hampshire, USA
If you are "susceptible" to fantasy you can't go wrong with HP and you won't be disappointed. If you like the first book, they get better all the way to the end.

Unfortunately, many people end up dropping the series before they get half way through the first book (it doesn't start getting real interesting until half way through the book when Harry goes to wizardry school). If you are going to read the series, please read the entire first book (the first one isn't that long) before deciding if you are going to continue reading the series.
 

Plutonius

macrumors G3
Feb 22, 2003
9,032
8,404
New Hampshire, USA
If it becomes to formulaic as in been-there-done-that... I'll be bracing for that. The first book was very entertaining. Thanks for the heads up. :)

It's not a problem with it being formulaic. The problem is that it becomes more strategic and less tactical as she goes up in rank (i.e. less fighting and more of what a high ranking officer does). The books are still pretty good but they aren't as exciting as the first books.
 

Huntn

macrumors Core
Original poster
May 5, 2008
23,469
26,587
The Misty Mountains
It's not a problem with it being formulaic. The problem is that it becomes more strategic and less tactical as she goes up in rank (i.e. less fighting and more of what a high ranking officer does). The books are still pretty good but they aren't as exciting as the first books.

Hmm. Well... I guess I'll find out, but the tactical fight seems much more exciting than the strategic planning. :D
 

eMac4ever

macrumors regular
Nov 26, 2005
168
0
I just finished Roseannearchy by Roseanne Barr. Excellent read, hilarious, but also enlightening, as usual.

I've just begun When Abortion Was a Crime: Women, Medicine, and Law in the United States, 1867-1973 by Leslie J. Reagan. Very informative and analytical. Amazing abstract sociological analysis that you might surprise you from the title; intriguing.

I've also nearly finished The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. I love the deranged nature of the novella, as well as the writing. I LOVE THIS MAN'S WRITING.
 
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