Books you're currently reading???

[richlevy]

A Walk on the Nightside by Simon R. Green. I picked this out of the library. I hadn't heard of the Nightside series, but so far I find the book fascinating.

There are many similarities to the movie Constantine, but that was based on the comic book Hellblazer. The Nightside novels haven't been made into a movie yet, but if they were it would be much more interesting than Constantine. The series explores a mystical underside of London. The style is pure Raymond Chandler with a lot of H.P. Lovecraft thrown in.

Apparently, occult detectives are now in, considering the release of The Dresden Files, on the Sci-Fi channel.

Maybe someone should do what NBC did back in the 70's and have multiple occult detective shows in a single series.

Fantasy Detective novels could include the Garret P.I. series by Glen Cook, the Hawk and Fisher series by Simon Green, and possibly parts of Discworld by Terry Pratchett. The good news is you could use some of the same sets and extras.

The original incarnation of The NBC Mystery Movie consisted of three rotating series. McCloud, starring Dennis Weaver as a modern-day western Marshal who was transplanted from New Mexico to the streets of New York City, was a holdover from NBC's earlier Four in One lineup. McMillan and Wife starred Rock Hudson and Susan St. James as San Francisco Police Commissioner Stewart McMillan and his wife, Sally. And the most successful Mystery Movie segment of all, Columbo, featured Peter Falk reprising his role from the highly rated 1968 NBC made-for-television movie, Prescription: Murder, as a seemingly slow-witted yet keenly perceptive and doggedly tenacious L.A.P.D. homicide Lieutenant.

[wolf]

Originally Posted by DanaC

No way does the word preturnatural appear in an early high school book;nor, come to think of it, does the 'hero' of the book generally commit crimes like rape and end up intrinsically linked to the victim in a high school book. The story dealt with some complex issues and character developments And the character wasn't whiny, he was conflicted and bitter.

American High School is obviously different.

I read Willard in 4th grade, and Interview with a Vampire in 7th.

And he was SO whiny.

[wolf]

Originally Posted by richlevy

Apparently, occult detectives are now in, considering the release of The Dresden Files, on the Sci-Fi channel.

That's the series I'm going to be starting on next, actually nibbled on the first chapter already when it was raining and book three of the crappy series was out in the trunk of the car.

[Urbane Guerrilla]

Originally Posted by DanaC

Hmm. I haven't read any Aubrey-Maturin novels. I may check some out.

First one is Master And Commander. The movie of that name isn't so much adapted from this novel as from the entire series all at a whack. The movie's good too, even if some had misgivings about portraying tall, pudgy, blond, florid English Captain Jack Aubrey in the person of short, dark, Antipodean Russell Crowe. He did a good job anyway.

And believe me, I wasn't about to write Aubrey-Maturin as Aubrey/Maturin... that's a whole 'nother porno! And like many such things, guess where you can find it.

[Urbane Guerrilla]

A lot of people found Thomas Covenant damned hard to swallow, since he was so difficult to like.

Coulda been worse though; it might have been Battlefield Earth or Bio Of A Space Tyrant, a Piers Anthony piece I'm staying away from, deeming it jejune. Anthony in general doesn't satisfy my adult taste, and hasn't since age twenty-two. Hubbard, in three words, is even worse.

[DanaC]

Thomas Covenant was hard to like. That's what made him an interesting choice for a lead character. Not many books go out of their way to make you dislike the central character. Seems to be something Donaldson is interested in playing with, as the main character in the Gap series was profoundly unlikable.....though you end up sympathising with him in the end.

[DanaC]

American High School is obviously different.

The SPOC test which is used to get a rough guide to reading level, is based on the number of words in any 300-400 words of text, which have two or more syllables. It's used in both America and England. That is not to say no book which SPOCs at level 2-3 is ever read in high school, but it won't be the norm.

[Aliantha]

I think you're right about Donaldsons style of character creation Dana. At the end of the Gap series, i really wanted Angus to hit the high road with that beautiful big ship even though he was guilty of such horrific crimes. Quite a feat for the author really imo. Same with Covenant. He's a misery guts and carries on like a big girl, but you can't help but understand why he's so pathetic...and hope that in the end he'll find his courage and save the land.

[Aliantha]

Did you ever read Mordants Need?

[DanaC]

I did read Mordant's need yes. But I didn't get into it like the Chronicles and Gap series. It was interesting though. Again the lead character was intriguing, but didn't hit as hard as the other two.

[Aliantha]

I think mordants need is for a younger reader, so maybe that's why it's not so intriguing? I found the same thing when I read it, although I did still love the story. Who was it looking for a fantasy novel for their child?

[Ibby]

300 pages into The Executioner's Song.

Grapes of Wrath is next.

[DanaC]

Ali, have you read any of Carol Berg's work? I suspect you'd really enjoy the Rai Kirrah trilogy. Wonderful main character and beautifully imagined world.

[Aliantha]

Nope, but I'll look into it. I'm always after new and exciting authors.

[JayMcGee]

you might try your own Sean McMullen, Aliantha, especialy the 'greatwinter series' (soul of the machine, the miocene arrow and eyes of the tabulator) - a great cross between sci-fi ad fantasy.