Favourite Book?
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Darn it... There we so many good choices, but if I had to pick...
Either 1984, or bob, son of battle.
1984 has shaped my beliefs massively. It taught me the values of a free society the the dangers that said societies often head towards.
Bob was my first really dark book. Almost all books I'd read up to that point were light cheery children's novels. Either that or they read like a electric manual(I'm looking at you, Beowulf.). Bob was different. It had some of the most multi-faceted and deep characters that I've ever seen, even now. It was thrilling, it was compelling, and it was very tragic. The characters are so very human it's painful. Well, mostly the protagonist and villain of the story, but still.
Either 1984, or bob, son of battle.
1984 has shaped my beliefs massively. It taught me the values of a free society the the dangers that said societies often head towards.
Bob was my first really dark book. Almost all books I'd read up to that point were light cheery children's novels. Either that or they read like a electric manual(I'm looking at you, Beowulf.). Bob was different. It had some of the most multi-faceted and deep characters that I've ever seen, even now. It was thrilling, it was compelling, and it was very tragic. The characters are so very human it's painful. Well, mostly the protagonist and villain of the story, but still.
Let's see... It depends on my mood, but I'd rescue the following out of a fire :
1984 (George Orwell). Best dystopian novel, bar none
Sophie's world (Jostein Gaarder). Second favorite book as a kid and one that still holds up as an adult for the philosophy
The great and secret show (Clive Barker) best fantasy /horror novel ever. And that's saying something
The never ending story (Michael Ende). Favorite book as a kid. Nostalgia now, but still holds a special place
The new topping book /new bottoming book (Dossie Easton & Janet Hardy). Seriously : if you ponder whether s/m is something for you, forget about 'classics', let alone that 50 shades garbage : THESE are the books that'll tell you something useful
1984 (George Orwell). Best dystopian novel, bar none
Sophie's world (Jostein Gaarder). Second favorite book as a kid and one that still holds up as an adult for the philosophy
The great and secret show (Clive Barker) best fantasy /horror novel ever. And that's saying something
The never ending story (Michael Ende). Favorite book as a kid. Nostalgia now, but still holds a special place
The new topping book /new bottoming book (Dossie Easton & Janet Hardy). Seriously : if you ponder whether s/m is something for you, forget about 'classics', let alone that 50 shades garbage : THESE are the books that'll tell you something useful
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I've read 1984, but I've never even heard of these other books. Are they any good?
Erm...I'm not sure how to reply to that. This is a "favourite book" thread, so I obviously think they're indeed very good. Very different from one another as well, obviously. Lemme give you some more info on each:
Sophie's world is basically "what philosophy should be...but isn't". It's partially a novel of a young girl (Sophie) who starts to get private philosophy lessons from a mysterious teacher. It's not heavy-handed at all, but explores the deep questions of our existence. The other part is an actual course on Western philosophy. This might seem boring at times, but because this as well is written in human language (ever tried reading philosophy? It has so many definitions and phrases that it's not even funny anymore) it's interesting as well. It's a child's book...but one that doesn't patronize you.
The great and secret show...it's especially the first part (say about 50 or 60 pages) that truly sets the stage. It's a struggle that you can define as 'good versus evil', but not JUST that. It's about a world behind this world, and two persons working together to explore this, and in the end realizing they're on opposite sides. And it starts unusual but in a very believable manner.
The rest of the book is great as well. Barker is very good at building a fantasy world (Imajica, Weaveworld and Abarat are also among my favorite literature) but this one stands out even among these (Everville, however, is but an 'okay' sequel).
The never ending story...I've seen the 80s/90s movies first (1st and 2nd, that is). The book explores the lore far, far better. Okay, it's (again) a child's book. But one I hold very deeply in my heart.
The last two...I really don't know how to say it better. I've mentioned that I'm into BDSM a few times, but as this is a gaming forum, it's not something I talk about a lot (why should you? We're here to discuss games. Okay, and some other things. But I'm certainly not here to convince anyone. And I'm not sure I want to talk about it, considering minors might be listening). But to me, I REALLY wished I came across these books about ten years earlier. But noooo...my local library only had a copy of "histoire d'O". Don't get me wrong: it was a novel that was far ahead of its time and turned some ideas of feminism on its head. However, times have changed and things are far more normalized now. The idea that BDSM is some sort of strict hierarchy where wearing latex/leather is obligated, things are all about pain (if they're not about bondage), and so on and so on. The problem is also partially because we don't especially distance ourselves from any of it, but rather encourage interested people into (safely) experimenting with sexual ideas to see what fits them.
And that's where these books shine. The new bottoming book is mostly about the submissive/masochistic/receiving/bottoming side (yeah...we've got a whole bunch of names to give to the person to that person), the new topping book is more about the dominant/sadistic/giving/topping side (I could probably list about ten different names for somewhat the same activity
). But both are written in a clear, simple, personal-but-effective way. The reason I wanted these books read ten years earlier is because those stories of O and writings of De Sade made me think I was a weird creep. Since then, I learned to accept that part ("okay, so I AM a weird creep. Sure beats being boring "), because consensuality is key. Everything that's been done to one another is with full agreement and within what they can and want to handle....and I can just keep on yapping about it, but again: it's all in the book. An absolute must if you're unsure on your sexual preferences but want to know about it. If it's nothing for you but you've got a friend, then Easton and Hardi's "When someone you know is kinky" is probably a better book for you (haven't read that, but basically everything they write is great. Including "the ethical slut", which deals with polyamory, btw).
There are many books I like to read again from time to time. Some examples:
German literature:
- George Orwell – 1984
- Ray Bradbury – Fahrenheit 451
- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle – All of the Sherlock Holmes short stories and novels
- Edgar Allan Poe – The detective stories that came even before Sherlock Holmes
- Mary Shelly – Frankenstein
- H. G. Wells – The Time Machine
- Robert Louis Stevenson – Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde
- Lucy Maud Montgomery – Anne of Green Gables
German literature:
- Hermann Hesse – Steppenwolf
- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe – Faust I
^^^^^^^^^^
These two books really had a big influence on me- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe – Die Wahlverwandtschaften (Elective Affinities)
- Heinrich von Kleist – Die Marquise von O
- Heinrich von Kleist – Michael Kohlhaas
Last edited by KleinesSinchen,
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hard to admit, The Witcher series by Greedy sapkowski I've the first 5 books made in Hardcover.
Anyway, those books are great, unlike the game, it greatly expand all other characters' story in Witcher's universe.
Anyway, those books are great, unlike the game, it greatly expand all other characters' story in Witcher's universe.
Last edited by leon315,
How bout that ending, tho?
I mean, do i REALLY have to go and point out that killing off the entire cast, then retconning the only surviving character to an unmentioned world, for reasons that don't make sense really isn't how one usually ends a series?
-KingKiller Chronicles by P. Rothfuss
-A Song of Ice an Fire by George RR Martin
-Solaris by Isaac Asimov
-Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury
-La Caverna by José Saramago
-Ensayo sobre la Ceguera y Ensayo sobre la Lucidez by José Saramago
-The Foundation Series by Asimov (I've read like 6 of them)
-Mistborn Series by Brandon Sanderson (OMG the plot)
SO A DIFFICULT QUESTION!!! I could continue... The Shining by Stephen King is also really fu6k!ng good
-A Song of Ice an Fire by George RR Martin
-Solaris by Isaac Asimov
-Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury
-La Caverna by José Saramago
-Ensayo sobre la Ceguera y Ensayo sobre la Lucidez by José Saramago
-The Foundation Series by Asimov (I've read like 6 of them)
-Mistborn Series by Brandon Sanderson (OMG the plot)
SO A DIFFICULT QUESTION!!! I could continue... The Shining by Stephen King is also really fu6k!ng good
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