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Makes you wonder... WWJP? What Would Jesus Play?

New Thread?

Jezrael wrote:
I just saw the village for the first time. I had never watched it because I was told the twist before it came to town. But it deffinently was a movie that would be proof for your point. I was totally drawn into the suspence even though I knew the secret.

I would never have seen The Village if I hadn't asked to have the twist ruined for me. Just seemed boring and a period piece from a time/place I don't care much about ... but then I heard it was actually kinda spooky and cool, and then enjoyed the flick all the same when I finally saw it.

On topic, started Cormac McCarthy's The Road, and expect to finish it shortly. Pretty haunting book, I haven't felt so pulled into a character's world in a very long time. I actually had to get up and sit outside in the sun where I could see my fiancee doing things, as I was starting to feel the man's cold, grey, lonely world too acutely.

- Salvage

"The Catcher in the Rye" by J.D. Salinger. Somehow never read it in high school. Saw it on the shelf in my bookstore, and the next thing I knew I had finished Chapter 1. After that, it made sense to purchase it. It's good, though I'd be curious what curriculum was taught around it...

Typically it's taught as an example of young adult
dissatisfaction with society, unique teenage voice that
isn't cliche, an example of contemporary society and the
teen's role in it, post World War 2 psychology, etc. etc.

I just finished reading the first three of the Aubrey/Martin historical novels by Patrick O'Brian. The movie Master and Commander was taken in parts from three of his novels. I also just finished reading The Virgin Suicides and rereading John Dies at the End http://www.johndiesattheend.com/.

Ive been meaning to get the Horus Heresy books but I haven't had a chance to get those.

Ah! I love those Patrick O'brian books grignard. HMS surprise is probably my favorite. My friends dad has all of them and I've been slowly churning through them. loved the movie too BTW.

I find Wheel of Time much more bearable in its audio form.

I'm on book 4 I think.

Since my last update a few months ago... I'm reading Terry Brooks - "Running with the Demon" mostly right now. I got out of order and just finished "Armageddons' Children" and "Elves of Cintra"

Some others that I'm working through are "Legion" - Dan Abnett and "How I trade Options" - Jon Najarian

and always Dr. Seuss for the kid! Speaking of, most of the drawings in his books remind me of worlds conquered by Tyranids!

"Icebound". It's about this doctor at the south pole. "House to House" is a freakin sweet book about the war in Iraq.

jedi76 wrote:Ah! I love those Patrick O'brian books grignard. HMS surprise is probably my favorite. My friends dad has all of them and I've been slowly churning through them. loved the movie too BTW.

Something I borrowed from my father that I found immensely helpful was a lexicon for his books, called A sea of words. Grab it on half.com or a used book store if you see it.

So right grignard, I always forget how much naval jargon is in those novels. A sea of words would have been very helpful, especially when just getting into the books. I still dont know exactly what part of the rigging he's describing, ropes, masts, sails etc The mans technical knowledge of 19th century ships and period is nuts.

I think it is neat because apparently sailing at the time was a complex technical proffession, just like being a mechanic or a doctor or whatever today. I'm guessing the sailing ships were the most advanced piece of military technology of the day.

When they talk about the different sails and ropes and what not, it reminds me of working with the instruments and such that I do, with all of the jargon.

Congo by Michael Crichton, $0.25 at yard sale last weekend.

- Salvage

mercutio531 wrote:Reading "LAMB: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal" for the second time. Its by Christopher Moore. My buddy told me about it, and his Martial Arts teacher told him about it. Its actually quite funny and a good read. Its not meant to be canon or anything, some people take anything involving religion waaay too seriously. This isnt meant to be, just enjoy, and maybe give some thoughts.

Its based on the idea of "What if Jesus knew Kung Fu?" And follows him as he grows up and learns to be the messiah, which isnt really covered anywhere else.

I love this book. It's hilarious.

Right now I'm reading "Wrath of a Mad God" (book 3 of the Darkwar Saga) by Raymond E. Feist. It's a pretty good fantasy novel, but it's still a set up book. Feist's sagas are usually four books long and done so all the really epic stuff will be in the next book. In this one, the main characters have to travel to a lower plane of existence to stop the lower plane's god of evil from invading their plane. Not the most thought-provoking literature, but it entertains and I like it.

I read Reaper Man Mannahnin. Can't really say it was one of my favourites. I'm now reading another Lovecraft anthology ("The Creeping something-or-other"), containing such delights as The Unnameable - A vile creature that claws at its human victims and gouges them with its horns....

I seem to be going from Pratchett to Lovecraft and back again recently. It's a good balance.

Also, I met the guy in my local bookshop on Saturday that is the cause of the shop's slim Lovecraft pickings. The owner has previously described him as "The most dedicated Lovecraft fan this side of the (random location)". He is a good guy though, the book I got today was one of his old ones.

Jazz is for Losers wrote:The owner has previously described him as "The most dedicated Lovecraft fan this side of the (random location)".

Yeah. I consider myself a Lovecraft fan (I made a spreadsheet with a row for everything he's ever written with columns indicating which currently-published anthologies each one appears in so I could acquire his entire body of work in as few volumes as possible), but there are a lot of people out there who make my interest look casual and fleeting.

I am reading the classic Game Theory which I am incorporating into my 40k game simulator. Results have been very good so far.

G

Grand Preceptor wrote:
Hey Boss, you read any Rushdie other than Midnight Children? It's the only one I've read, although my wife bought Moor's Last Sigh and Ground Beneath Her Feet.

Starting The Ground Beneath Her Feet at lunch today. Might make a run of all the Rushdie at the library this summer

- Salvage

I'm about 6 chapters into Horus Rising right now. I haven't read anything in some time before I picked this one up.

Non Stop, which is an interesting take on the colony ship idea.

Listening to Duma Key by Stephen King on audio book.

I'm starting to figure out that Stephen King has a lot in
common with the litwank favorite, Murakami. Both dive
into popular culture and incorporate them into surreality,
but the biggest difference is that Stephen King over explains
his endings while Murakami, um, doesn't explain anything.

I'm about to start re-reading "Old Man's War" by John Scalzi. One of the most interesting and enthralling portrayals of humanity in space I have ever read.

I love these topics... so many interesting books out there that I've never heard of.

I'm currently jumping back into non-fiction. Right now I need to finish up "A History of Hell" by Alice Turner, which is exactly what it sounds like and veeeery interesting. I actually picked it up because I was considering doing a demon army next year, and while it only touches peripherally on demons (being much more concerned with Hell as a place) it touches on the origins of old buddies of ours such as Nergal (Nurgle) and even Harlequins. A great, eclectic read so far.

I'm still in the beginning of "Rise and Fall of the Third Reich", which is slow going because I take such huge breaks in between sessions.

@Malfred - How is Duma Key? I actually love listening to Stephen King on Audiobook. I've never read one of his novels in print format, (just short stories) but I've listened to a ton of his books on cd. They're great for work, really engaging characters, but since you're right and he does tend to over-explain things, I can zone a little bit from time to time without falling out of the story completely. I'm really curious about his latest thought, and would be interested to know if it's any good.

"The Case Against Israel"

A very good book that gets beyond the pointless liberal bs over the issues in Palestine. The book brings up moral argument concerning the illegal status of Israel.

Of course it won't change nothing, as most people decides to ignore facts and history and continue to support a country that shouldn't exist.

Just finished Ghost War, Stackpole. Trite mechwarrior read, but filled in the gaps of time while doing some banal coputer chores. Picking up Lovecraft myself, "Waking Up Screaming" anthology. After that, "The Transition of H.P. Lovecraft", which explores how he got from his really early writings (not the 6 year old schlock every kid tries) to his later pinnacle of fantasy/horror. After that, a book my wife literally threw at me in shear hatred (of the book, I hope) "Critical THeory Today", on literary analysis tools. Then on to a binge in the classics starting with Crime and Punishment.

And then on and on and on...

Currently perusing Bruce Catton's "A Stillness at Appomattox" for the third time, should finish tomorrow.

Then I will be take a first run through "The Coming Fury" (Catton), interspersing it with "The Criminal Trial And Punishment of Animals" for light relief.

Then it will be the last of Elizabeth Moon's "Vatta's War" novels -- just to complete the series -- and I shall plough into the 1,000+ pages of Terrible Swift Sword and Never Call Retreat (Catton.)

There is also some manga stuff on the agenda which I don't count as reading because it's so visual.

Just finished 'The Sum of All Fears' (Tom Clancy) as it was the one Jack Ryan book I hadn't got to. Mostly because the awful film put me off. It's pretty standard Clancy fare. A Little predictable but just plausible enough (at the time it was first written) to give pause.

Just finished reading "Battle for the Abyss" by Counter.. most enjoyable. Burnt through it over the weekend.

Brief sojourn for that aside I'm now returning to finishing off "Arthur", book 3 of Stephen Lawhead's very enjoyable Pendragon cycle. I'm a suckker for Arthurian or Robin Hood type stories. When that's done I'll move onto the books he added later in the series.

I'm in the midst of Ambrose' Band of Brothers at the moment. Fantastic read.

I've also just picked up the new re-printing of Moorcock's Elric: Stealer of Souls, which should serve as a nice gateway drug into the Multiverse.

One of the Lovecraft compilations slowly floats around my apartment. It ends up in the void behind my eyes every once in a while, screaming to be let out. I eventually have to read a story or two to calm it, lest the insanity gain a foothold.

I plan on digging out Hamilton's The Reality Dysfunction soon. I never did finish it the first time around, though I might have finished the first half.

Bova's The Precipice is also on my to-read list.

Kroeger: I just finished Old Man's War a month or so ago. And I agree, it's portrayal of humanity's expansion into space is fascinating. I highly suggest it to anyone who wants a good Sci-Fi read.

Ever since i found out Dan Abbnett is writing another Guants Ghosts (YAY) Ive started re-reading the series, great books every one!!