Try Mary Renault's The King Must Die. Maybe it's historical fiction from the viewpoint of a pre-scientific mind OR maybe the gods intervene in human affairs? If your only objection is to genre fantasy there are number of very well-written and superbly weird pre-genre authors who we would today classify as fantasy. James Branch Cabell, Lord Dunsany, etc. http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/dun/swld/swld09.htm Gene Wolfe can be interesting. His prose is not exactly lyrical but he's a master at unreliable narrators. His "Latro in the Mist" series centers on a Roman soldier with a brain injury who has visions, basically Roman Memento.
|
|
# ? Aug 15, 2019 18:43 |
|
|
# ? Jun 6, 2024 00:18 |
|
I just object to the really poor quality of writing in today’s fantasy, which is usually paired with abysmal politics and/or moral stances of the author. I have read most of what is available, though, or at least sampled a book or two - Bakker, Jordan, Blanderson, Abercombie, Jemisin, Kay, Hobb... They’re all terrible in their own particular ways. Miéville’s Iron Council has some redeeming qualities, Moorcock’s Elric too. Vance is cool, so is Leiber. Thanks for the Renault recommendation, looks interesting. e:I’ve read Dunsany and co. Algernon Blackwood is amazing from that era. Take the plunge! Okay! fucked around with this message at 18:57 on Aug 15, 2019 |
# ? Aug 15, 2019 18:53 |
|
have you read Cabell? read Cabell. I'm reading Figures of Earth right now and it's very odd and excellent and funny.
|
# ? Aug 15, 2019 20:11 |
Hieronymous Alloy posted:I think Mel got mad at us he's not around so much any more =( free botl
|
|
# ? Aug 15, 2019 21:47 |
|
Take the plunge! Okay! posted:Oh, good. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank a human heart for recommending Porius and to whoever recommended Salammbo. Any other books like that you people can think of? Like exotic, fantastical, packed with weirdness but not genre fantasy. Mulata by Miguel Angel Asturias whips rear end
|
# ? Aug 16, 2019 02:05 |
Hieronymous Alloy posted:I think Mel got mad at us he's not around so much any more =( "Us"?
|
|
# ? Aug 16, 2019 05:11 |
Bilirubin posted:"Us"?
|
|
# ? Aug 16, 2019 05:40 |
|
Take the plunge! Okay! posted:Oh, good. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank a human heart for recommending Porius and to whoever recommended Salammbo. Any other books like that you people can think of? Like exotic, fantastical, packed with weirdness but not genre fantasy. Ice by Anna Kavan has cold junkie weirdness mixed with post apocalyptic world, Frankensten in Baghdad (by Ahmed Saadawi) is one of the more recent examples of Middle Eastern fiction where the clearly fantastical things are talked about in a way it makes them seem a natural extension of the everyday life, Also, Can Xue's books are a unique brand of surreal (but incredibly tightly constructed) weirdness.
|
# ? Aug 16, 2019 06:15 |
Bilirubin posted:"Us"? quote:The royal we, or majestic plural (pluralis maiestatis), is the use of a plural pronoun (or corresponding plural-inflected verb forms) to refer to a single person who is a monarch. The more general word for the use of a we, us, or our to refer to oneself is nosism.
|
|
# ? Aug 16, 2019 13:30 |
|
So I'm trying to enjoy my usual trashy paranormal romance series, because most of the time it's fun and has cool murders to solve. This time however the author decided to make the romantic lead a dude who regularly sexually assaults and harasses the heroine, but the author thinks it's sexy so the heroine never objects for long and all the other characters are cheering on the romance. Here's a choice quote: "Riley headed out of Mercy's office with a deep sense of rightness in his gut. She'd accepted the mating dance. He had no intention of letting her escape the mating itself, no matter what he had to do." i just want trashy romance with some were-critters and psychics why is this suddenly so messed up, it's like I'm reading a horror novel instead at how all of the characters are swooning at this guy and how he likes to grab Mercy and say things like "I said no." "But your smell says yes." e: "You ready for a full-time man?" Hard words. "Because I don't do part-time." Dying laughing while being really angry at this book is a trip StrixNebulosa fucked around with this message at 13:44 on Aug 17, 2019 |
# ? Aug 17, 2019 13:28 |
|
StrixNebulosa posted:So I'm trying to enjoy my usual trashy paranormal romance series, because most of the time it's fun and has cool murders to solve. There is trash books (many of which I adore) and then there are gross books.
|
# ? Aug 17, 2019 20:58 |
wow crazy that a book belonging to a genre written entirely by and for sexually insane nerds has some weird sex stuff in it
|
|
# ? Aug 18, 2019 01:43 |
|
Are you reading that book series with the native American werewolf lady? Those have some ridiculous covers.
|
# ? Aug 18, 2019 08:58 |
|
Teriyaki Hairpiece posted:Are you reading that book series with the native American werewolf lady? Those have some ridiculous covers. Nope, not yet. I'm reading Nalini Singh. Speak of the devil though, I was looking at starting Patricia Brigg's series soon.
|
# ? Aug 18, 2019 11:27 |
|
StrixNebulosa posted:Nope, not yet. I'm reading Nalini Singh. I haven't read the Mercy Thompson series, I just know about it because somebody once told me about the premise and I had to decide if I thought that was a real thing or made up and I chose fake and there was money involved and I'm still a little bitter about it. Of course it's real!
|
# ? Aug 18, 2019 16:51 |
|
https://www.enmnews.com/2019/08/19/paging-big-brother-in-amazons-bookstore-orwell-gets-a-rewrite/quote:One reader discovered, to his surprise, that his new copy of “1984” had passages that were “worded slightly different.” Another offered photographic proof that her edition was near gibberish. A third said the word “faces” was replaced in his copy with “feces.” Getting Orwell books that skip a chunk of pages seemed to be a routine experience. Homepage to Catalonia is a pro-level username, TBH
|
# ? Aug 19, 2019 13:39 |
|
https://mobile.twitter.com/sarahljaffe/status/1164144124762738688quote:What are three things a person can do to curate their own home library?
|
# ? Aug 21, 2019 16:13 |
|
I have to admit, "Thatcher Wine" is an almost too on-the-nose perfect name for a book curator to the stars. And his company does have some rather pretty books.
|
# ? Aug 21, 2019 16:44 |
|
thatcher wine
|
# ? Aug 21, 2019 16:46 |
|
I'm vaguely reminded of the lovely parliament wizard in the Bartimaeus Chronicles who had all her grimoires and spellbooks taken out of their original covers and rebound so that they all had the same white exterior with her mark. Eventually her bookmakers got back at her for decades of shittiness by deliberately introducing copying errors into WARDING CIRCLE 302: DO THIS CORRECTLY TO NOT DIE.
|
# ? Aug 21, 2019 18:31 |
|
Not nearly as cool as Johnny Depp in The Ninth Gate. Not sure I'd want someone to make me my own "to-do" list for books. That would be pure misery, even if they were books I might eventually pick myself. Half the fun of reading for me is wandering into a book shop and just finding something that I never thought I'd be reading.
|
# ? Aug 21, 2019 19:43 |
|
Philthy posted:Not nearly as cool as Johnny Depp in The Ninth Gate. Spoilers alert: nobody’s ever reading those books. There are literally decor.
|
# ? Aug 21, 2019 19:47 |
I'd say I'm happier with her glorifying books than glorifying jade vagina eggs, but I'm sure it's 95% trash anyway
|
|
# ? Aug 21, 2019 19:51 |
|
Take the plunge! Okay! posted:Spoilers alert: nobody’s ever reading those books. There are literally decor. Note that his online store has the option to just buy the book jackets if you'd rather not be inconvenienced with real books.
|
# ? Aug 21, 2019 20:38 |
I will be more than happy to be a paid book consultant Look, you're a lost cause already, but if it's on a shelf your heirs or assigns might read it one day
|
|
# ? Aug 21, 2019 20:45 |
|
Hieronymous Alloy posted:I will be more than happy to be a paid book consultant I’d rather sell crack in front of an elementary school. It’s more dignified.
|
# ? Aug 21, 2019 20:51 |
|
when I hit it big I will pay a goon to curate my shelves full of garbage sci fi and fantasy novels turn the complete Brandon Sanderson physical bibliography into a work of art, thanks
|
# ? Aug 21, 2019 21:09 |
|
For you, I have curated only the best M'Lord!
|
# ? Aug 21, 2019 21:38 |
|
when is the book of the month decided on? the week prior to the 'month' of the book of the month? i'll prob read the next one just to have some book chat in my life
|
# ? Aug 22, 2019 11:55 |
Finicums Wake posted:when is the book of the month decided on? the week prior to the 'month' of the book of the month? i'll prob read the next one just to have some book chat in my life If I have my poo poo together, we do nominations from the 20th to the 25th, then a poll goes up and we vote before the next month starts. Check out the tail end of the current BOTM thread for current nominations.
|
|
# ? Aug 22, 2019 13:01 |
https://twitter.com/alloy_dr/status/1164560315079700481
|
|
# ? Aug 23, 2019 19:48 |
|
Personally I've had my share of magick for the year (click through for the dark conclusion): Krankenstyle posted:Here's a fun thing I came across at a used book store:
|
# ? Aug 23, 2019 19:58 |
Dammit, now I have to learn German if I want to know what the future holds. This gonna ruin my side hustle as a sibyl. https://twitter.com/TheRealOwlKing/status/1053316165236330501
|
|
# ? Aug 23, 2019 20:17 |
|
it's Danish you false man of letters
|
# ? Aug 23, 2019 20:30 |
|
This rules, I’ve been getting big into occult stuff recently. It’s all so fascinating!
|
# ? Aug 24, 2019 16:52 |
https://twitter.com/alloy_dr/status/1166434321584070656
|
|
# ? Aug 27, 2019 20:37 |
why are you linking us to a tweet that links us to a thread
|
|
# ? Aug 27, 2019 22:00 |
chernobyl kinsman posted:why are you linking us to a tweet that links us to a thread because i want you to vote! and read!
|
|
# ? Aug 27, 2019 22:10 |
|
chernobyl kinsman posted:why are you linking us to a tweet that links us to a thread You just got incepted, bitch.
|
# ? Aug 28, 2019 14:11 |
|
|
# ? Jun 6, 2024 00:18 |
|
Rand Brittain posted:I'm vaguely reminded of the lovely parliament wizard in the Bartimaeus Chronicles who had all her grimoires and spellbooks taken out of their original covers and rebound so that they all had the same white exterior with her mark. No that was the magician who summoned a demon to beat th poo poo out of the publishers son not Jessica. She's just devoured by the conspiracy guy Demons at the end. E: I did read these a decade ago though so I might have got her name wrong
|
# ? Sep 2, 2019 11:26 |