Great Books- what are you reading now?

Yeah, my flip camera is great except that it does not have an external mike nor does it allow for one to connect one to it. I may have to see if I can sell it or end up purchasing something different. I don't have the mad skillz to use all that nice software that eliminates background noise.

 

Currently I'm reading, "Storming Eagles: German Airborne Forces in World War II". One of the armies I run for "Flames of War" (a WWII miniature game) is a Fallschirmjager (German Paratrooper) unit. I always read up on any historical army I play, as I find it makes the game play more enjoyable having a grasp of how the real army worked and their various campaigns. While at Game HQ in Oklahoma City last night, I picked up two books from the Planet Stories line. "Death in Delhi" and "Infernal Sorceress". At the risk of sounding heretical, I have never read any of Gary's novels. I am looking forward to correcting this.

 

I can't express how much I've enjoyed Gary's original Gord novels over the years. It was just chance that I fell into that view of totally loving his Greyhawk stuff and being adverse to cheap attempts at "game worlds" but looking back (I pop them open every once in a while) I can't say my "Gary's Game Novels Are Unmatched" view has changed much at all. Gary's original Gord stories are like laser clarity D&D novelizations. Honestly, if you've enjoyed "Gary's game" then as a creation of Gygax these adventures are purely of that era. That resonate a feeling of greatness that later "D&D in name only" stuff can't match HOWEVER prepare for the withdrawals when you realize there should be much much more... and it never comes.

On the "whats in my SONY READER" front, I loaded so many stories in that that I'm going back and forth.

I just read "THE HORLA" by Guy De Mauppasant and watched the film version of it DIARY OF A MADMAN (1963 w/V. Price).

I'm still reading STARSHIP (AKA "NON-STOP" [1958] by Brian Aldiss (where Jim Ward borrowed heavily from for the METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA [1976] game from) because I found out Aldiss borrowed heavily from Heinlein's UNIVERSE (AKA "ORPHANS OF THE SKY" [1941]) and Heinlein borrowed heavily from PROXIMA CENTARII [1935] by Murray Leinster. So I had to read those first...

BTW I'm working on a new game/novel called "SPACE RIP DIGAMMA"... its part of a tradition...

 

At the risk of getting into some serious trouble, I only slightly enjoyed Gary's Gord books but his Setne Hotep books of which you have purchased two are AWESOME! Personally, I think this is some of Gary's writing at its very best. I love the detective feel of the books as well as the character interaction and development over the course of the books.

So, if you read any of Gary's novels I would recommend these as being the best of them all.

 

I started Patrick O'Brian's "Master and Commander". Liking it so far. Can see myself reading the whole series, spread out over a couple of years.

 

No I haven't.

This is my first foray into Age of Sail fiction. I picked up a complete copy of Wooden Ships and Iron Men (for a paltry $20, after years of being patient), and it inspired me to read some of the historical accounts of the scenarios. From there, it was a quick jump to the fiction. I picked the Aubrey series because I really enjoyed the movie (which is an aggregate of a couple of the books, from my understanding.) I figured if the movie was so good, the book ought to be *really* good. We shall see, but so far, so good.

 

I read the Hornblower series after watching the amazing A&E portrayals of the character. While a slight departure from the books, the telefilms were good and exceptionally shot, if nothing else. My father was a big Hornblower fan and the name was one mentioned often in our home, even though I never read the books until much later. I did see the Gregory Peck movie version off and on a few times and that must be held on merits it's own self.

The books are good, though I read them in chronological order of the character's life as opposed to publication. I think they read better that way. I recommend them for multiple reasons, foremost being the strength of character color. Hornblower was not exactly likable in some instances.

O'Brian's sail series I'd like to get into but haven't found the time. Soon, I hope. I enjoyed the filmed portrayal, too.

 

I recently got my wife to read those - she's wrapping up the final book now (of the original 6).

On that note, I haven't read a novel in awhile, but am currently reading the 1st edition rules to the Stormbringer game.

 

Interesting because I've also enjoyed the Dresden Files much more than Christie/Poirot though there was a time when I was a kid that I went through an Ellery Queen phase but he also, IIRC, was more noir.

Oh, and I also loved the Infernal Sorceress novel which was more of a straight up swords & sorcery novel.

Strangely, I never read your dad's novels until I was grown. For some reason, I didn't hear about the Gord novels when they were first published and it wasn't until I got back into gaming in the mid-90s that I heard the mentioned. It's only been the last few years I've tried to pick up some of them. I've only read the later Gord novels and haven't read any of the earlier ones so, under your recommendation, I'll have to check them out.

 

Hello

New here and this is my first post.

I'm reading "Let The Galaxy Burn" an omnibus of Warhammer 40K short stories. I recently picked up an odd lot of books and RPG stuff on ebay and it had 5 WH40K novels in it. The first one was by a writer named Parker. It was an immensely fun and viscious bit of military Sci-Fi, and the best of the 5 novels. But I found I enjoyed the setting.

The omnibus has been a mixed bag. These have proven to be a cut above most game related novels I've read and Parker's book (whose title eludes me at the moment) was a very nice piece of work. The short stories in the omnibus anthology vary greatly, but some are surprising and the worst of them is still entertaining.

Other than that my car book is Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. Been a while since I read it and I am slowly reading it, enjoying Conrad's way of saying things as much as the unfolding story.

 

Welcome JZ! I am glad to see more DF'ers over here. This is a great forum site. I have a friend that devours those Warhammer40k novels. I may have to check them out.

 

Thanks, I followed the link you left from DF.

Make sure to check out your local library for them first. These go for a bit on ebay.

 

Sweet!

Thanks for the tip, I may borrow them from my friend as well.

How's the art world going for you? Keeping busy? My module production project has petered out for the moment.

 

Wrong Jason I think. You probably mean Jason Braun the graphic artist. In the Greyhawk community I'm best known for the Index work I've done.

I am working on converting 3e adventures to AD&D though and I'm about finished with my first conversion.

 

Thank you. I made it to North Texas but the plane ride was harsh. I have nerve damage and extended travel really is an endurance test.

I will definitely have fun posting here though.

 

My bad! Well, welcome anyway! I am familiar with your indexing work! I guess I just got you guys confused... sorry!