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Watched the end of BBC's big read last night and saw that Lord of the Rings won.
Do you think that this maybe because of the film out now? or is it really the countries best book?
What would you have liked to soo on it
Watched the end of BBC's big read last night and saw that Lord of the Rings won.
Do you think that this maybe because of the film out now? or is it really the countries best book?
What would you have liked to soo on it
i think it may partly have been due to the movies.....the people who read it after that became intersted, maybe, after seeing the movie, but i dont think it is in essence the only reason...i havent read them because i found i couldnt get into the books (if that makes sense) i would have liked sebastian faulkes books to have won, but that's only because he is my fav author...
or classics such as jane eyre and pride and prejudice
i think it may partly have been due to the movies.....the people who read it after that became intersted, maybe, after seeing the movie, but i dont think it is in essence the only reason...i havent read them because i found i couldnt get into the books (if that makes sense) i would have liked sebastian faulkes books to have won, but that's only because he is my fav author...
or classics such as jane eyre and pride and prejudice
I couldn't get into the books either, and fell asleep during the movie. hey ho.
I personally like anne rice books (vampire chronicles etc) but i think most of the books were quite old. There are some brillaint new authors around.
I couldn't get into the books either, and fell asleep during the movie. hey ho.
I personally like anne rice books (vampire chronicles etc) but i think most of the books were quite old. There are some brillaint new authors around.
:rofl: i also fell asleep in the movie.....enjoyed the second one a bit more though
anne rice, not heard that name in a while...sometimes i think that the older books are better.....
another fantastic author is (aghhh cant think of his name, its on the tip of my tongue) who wrote 1984 and animal farm and books like that......very well put together books..every line has some meaning to what is occuring...... wish my novel i am writing would be as well written as that :(
:rofl: i also fell asleep in the movie.....enjoyed the second one a bit more though
anne rice, not heard that name in a while...sometimes i think that the older books are better.....
another fantastic author is (aghhh cant think of his name, its on the tip of my tongue) who wrote 1984 and animal farm and books like that......very well put together books..every line has some meaning to what is occuring...... wish my novel i am writing would be as well written as that :(
George orwell. Loved 1984. have never read animal farm, thats on my to do list.
There is a brillant writer called Matt beumont who wrote a book called 'e' all written in emails. really funny.
aliferste
14-12-2003, 13:40
:rofl: i also fell asleep in the movie.....enjoyed the second one a bit more though
anne rice, not heard that name in a while...sometimes i think that the older books are better.....
another fantastic author is (aghhh cant think of his name, its on the tip of my tongue) who wrote 1984 and animal farm and books like that......very well put together books..every line has some meaning to what is occuring...... wish my novel i am writing would be as well written as that :(
Ugh Anne Rice.......used to be good but then got FAR to flowery and pretentious !!!!
Lord of the Rings.....only won because people are seeing the films. the book is actually pretty dire. A good story but soooooooo boring...... i thought anyway.
Ian M Banks is one of the best authors in the UK just now :)
Ugh Anne Rice.......used to be good but then got FAR to flowery and pretentious !!!!
Lord of the Rings.....only won because people are seeing the films. the book is actually pretty dire. A good story but soooooooo boring...... i thought anyway.
Ian M Banks is one of the best authors in the UK just now :)
Ian M Banks. Thats one of those writers i keep seeing on the bookshelf and meaning to buy, is he a horror writer or crime or something. what books has he written? i no what you mean about flowery and stuff, but i keep going back and reading all her books, and just can't get enough. especially the mayfair witches
aliferste
14-12-2003, 17:21
Ian M Banks. Thats one of those writers i keep seeing on the bookshelf and meaning to buy, is he a horror writer or crime or something. what books has he written? i no what you mean about flowery and stuff, but i keep going back and reading all her books, and just can't get enough. especially the mayfair witches
Hmmmmmm How to describe Ian Banks?
He has some crime kind of books......to be honest they dont really fit into any kind of genre other than when he writes as Ian M Banks and thats when he writes the BEST sci fi books that are being written in the last ten years.
The best sci fi book to introduce you to his world is
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1857231384/qid=1071422284/sr=2-3/ref=sr_2_3_3/026-1368349-2585225
Consider Phlebas........so damn good i am now going to have to read it again starting tonight :)
Mayfair witches ...tremendous book.....although the next two books get a bit silly and there was no need for "Taltos"
The whole homosexual vampire thing just got a bit silly as well!!
Flubflow
14-12-2003, 18:05
I'm chuffed that The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy got as high as it did. Much better than I had expected.
I think the Bored of the Rings vote was helped by the movies.
The interesting thing about the big read is that it has done wonders for DVD sales.
It seems people prefer to watch the film adaptations than spend the time reading the books :(
So you are right that LotR has won because it's out at the moment.
<snip>It seems people prefer to watch the film adaptations than spend the time reading the books :(
i'm actually the opposite, i prefer reading the books, i have a fairly good imagination and always find myself disappointed when i see the movies (apart from bridget jones, but thats only cos i fancy colin firth :naughty: ) remember having read a whole series of books and then watching the film of the first one with a friend and being thoroughly disappointed
I am 100% certain that LOTR only won because of the film(s).
Interesting to see how many were children's books.
downquark1
14-12-2003, 18:30
LOTR was not just a novel but an entire world. If you read the all the work Tolkein did you find he wrote a genesis account, he invented the languages the texts, made maps, timelines etc. There's a whole hiarchy of creatures.
Middle-earth is less of a story and more like an alternative history. If you don't like the story you have to respect the work that went into it
I don't know if it deserved to win, but IMO it was a VERY serious contender.
In case you wonder why they say year **** of the **** age of the sun, it's because originally there was only starlight, before 'man' awoke.
Theodoric
14-12-2003, 18:45
George orwell. Loved 1984. have never read animal farm, thats on my to do list.
There is a brillant writer called Matt beumont who wrote a book called 'e' all written in emails. really funny.
Yes, extremely funny. Well worth hunting out.
George orwell. Loved 1984. have never read animal farm, thats on my to do list.
There is a brillant writer called Matt beumont who wrote a book called 'e' all written in emails. really funny.
that's it orwell...watched an amazing doco about him, was incredibly interesting and i don't normally watch them...and then watched the film 1984....animal farm i read when i was studying sociology a level... great book
i've also read the m.beumont book i think......i'm a bit of a book worm (another reason i havent been on the forum as much, got engrossed in a good book)
Flubflow
14-12-2003, 18:58
LOTR was not just a novel but an entire world. If you read the all the work Tolkein did you find he wrote a genesis account, he invented the languages the texts, made maps, timelines etc. There's a whole hiarchy of creatures.
Middle-earth is less of a story and more like an alternative history. If you don't like the story you have to respect the work that went into it
I don't know if it deserved to win, but IMO it was a VERY serious contender.
In case you wonder why they say year **** of the **** age of the sun, it's because originally there was only starlight, before 'man' awoke.
A lot of people just want to read a darn good story without having to learn whole new alternatives of anything in order to enjoy it.
i'm actually the opposite, i prefer reading the books, i have a fairly good imagination and always find myself disappointed when i see the movies (apart from bridget jones, but thats only cos i fancy colin firth :naughty: ) remember having read a whole series of books and then watching the film of the first one with a friend and being thoroughly disappointed
I know what you mean, films often lose something in the tranfer from paper.
I quite liked the first two LotR films, I think they did a good conversion (and took me back to my rubber sword wielding days)
I enjoyed the books, but he did tend to go into description overload.
Definitely agree with downquark about it being a contender tho
downquark1
14-12-2003, 19:09
A lot of people just want to read a darn good story without having to learn whole new alternatives of anything in order to enjoy it.
:shrug: Fair enough, I'm just saying it was a lot of work.
I like Orwell too - should have came second.
that's it orwell...watched an amazing doco about him, was incredibly interesting and i don't normally watch them...and then watched the film 1984....animal farm i read when i was studying sociology a level... great book
i've also read the m.beumont book i think......i'm a bit of a book worm (another reason i havent been on the forum as much, got engrossed in a good book)
i would definetly describe myself as a book worm. To be honest i really don't go for films that much at all, whether they are made out of books or not, much to the annoyance of all my friends who dont even bother to ask me if i've seen a particular film anymore.
I just seem to get restless with them. especially when they cut out half the book. as i said before i am a big anne rice fan, and the mess they made of the queen of the damned film just made me angry. especially when interview was actually quite good.
cheers aliferste will definetly pick that up. agree with you about Taltos, complete waist of time
i would definetly describe myself as a book worm. To be honest i really don't go for films that much at all, whether they are made out of books or not, much to the annoyance of all my friends who dont even bother to ask me if i've seen a particular film anymore.
I just seem to get restless with them. especially when they cut out half the book. as i said before i am a big anne rice fan, and the mess they made of the queen of the damned film just made me angry. especially when interview was actually quite good.
cheers aliferste will definetly pick that up. agree with you about Taltos, complete waist of time
i do enjoy watching movies, just not movies i have enjoyed the books of....
i think it is good to be a 'book worm' your vocabulary increases and we actually engage our brains...... my room is full to breaking point with books......fiction and not fiction but i couldnt pick one out of all of them and say "that's my favourite" because i like them all for different reasons and in different ways....
i do enjoy watching movies, just not movies i have enjoyed the books of....
i think it is good to be a 'book worm' your vocabulary increases and we actually engage our brains...... my room is full to breaking point with books......fiction and not fiction but i couldnt pick one out of all of them and say "that's my favourite" because i like them all for different reasons and in different ways....
yeah, but i have to admit, its made a little unsociable sometimes, when those damn people keep interupting me with my precious books. They also think i am scared of the dark cause i read in bed and fall asleep with the light on. hey ho
yeah, but i have to admit, its made a little unsociable sometimes, when those damn people keep interupting me with my precious books. They also think i am scared of the dark cause i read in bed and fall asleep with the light on. hey ho
i'm lucky in that respect...my family are all book worms...and my flatmates (or now ex flatmates) were the same....we used to shut ourselves away and read our books and when we needed a break gather for a cuppa in the kitchen.....and means we got to pass books on....but if i get engrossed in a book, i will spend all day reading it literally...take it downstairs to make food....read while eating.....and will stay awake all night and read.......my poor ex boyf didnt get a look in when i was reading a good book! lol
i'm lucky in that respect...my family are all book worms...and my flatmates (or now ex flatmates) were the same....we used to shut ourselves away and read our books and when we needed a break gather for a cuppa in the kitchen.....and means we got to pass books on....but if i get engrossed in a book, i will spend all day reading it literally...take it downstairs to make food....read while eating.....and will stay awake all night and read.......my poor ex boyf didnt get a look in when i was reading a good book! lol
I WANT YOUR FAMILY/ EX FLAT MATES. no one in my flat understands the power of my books
I WANT YOUR FAMILY/ EX FLAT MATES. no one in my flat understands the power of my books
you can have my family....:LOL:
well i think it is sad that people don't read so much anymore....i've had my head stuck in a book since i was old enough to read.....mum used to try and get me to go out on my bike but i wanted to read lol
snippy for humour reasons i've had my head stuck in a book since i was old enough to read.
So have I, will finish it one day but the pop ups are cool :p ;)
you can have my family....:LOL:
well i think it is sad that people don't read so much anymore....i've had my head stuck in a book since i was old enough to read.....mum used to try and get me to go out on my bike but i wanted to read lol
my mums a big reader, but i can't stand her books, catherine cookson etc so i cant get any of hers. I once thought about joining a book group, but i just sounds a bit, well, geeky really. so i didn't
snippy for humour reasons
So have I, will finish it one day but the pop ups are cool :p ;)
sorry i wasn't talking about those sort of books paul ..i'm talking about one's with words and paragraphs not pictures :naughty:
my mums a big reader, but i can't stand her books, catherine cookson etc so i cant get any of hers. I once thought about joining a book group, but i just sounds a bit, well, geeky really. so i didn't
join your local library???? loads of books there :p
mum and i don't always have the same taste in books, but i have such a wide variety that i will read there is generally someone around who has a book i can borrow :D
join your local library???? loads of books there :p
mum and i don't always have the same taste in books, but i have such a wide variety that i will read there is generally someone around who has a book i can borrow :D
yeah the libarys fine, i mean to talk to people about it, and see which ones people liked so i might try it
sorry i wasn't talking about those sort of books paul ..i'm talking about one's with words and paragraphs not pictures :naughty:
:bigcry:
But pictures are nice ;) Used to go through at least 4-5 "proper" (picture-free) books a week. Spent many an hour in the local library :)
yeah the libarys fine, i mean to talk to people about it, and see which ones people liked so i might try it
well you have us lot :D
But pictures are nice Used to go through at least 4-5 "proper" (picture-free) books a week. Spent many an hour in the local library
paul i'm talking about books by orwell and things like that, not soft porn :naughty:
nb: i am not being mean to paul, its a joke between us :P
Do they do soft porn in the library? (hunts for library card) Orwell? Animal Farm? ;)
I enjoy anything by Douglas Adams, Tom Clancy, Lee Childs or any kind of Thriller...
I enjoy anything by Douglas Adams, Tom Clancy, Lee Childs or any kind of Thriller...
read tom clancy before quite enjoyed it.
One of the most memerorable was one called The coming, which is a bit of a drama, but all about religion. v good. can't remember who wrote it though
Tom Clancy is good but I'm a horror fan. Sci-fi too. Read anything really but Stephen King, Herbert, Koontz etc are favourites. Biographies can be good though and factual based books are good for building knowledge.
Tom Clancy is good but I'm a horror fan. Sci-fi too. Read anything really but Stephen King, Herbert, Koontz etc are favourites. Biographies can be good though and factual based books are good for building knowledge.
king and koontz are two of my favs.....another book i couldnt get into was captian correllis mandaline
king and koontz are two of my favs.....another book i couldnt get into was captian correllis mandaline
used to like king, but not so much his new ones. His classics are always the best :)
edit: just realised that was my hundreth post, not much in comparason but still, my mum would be so proud
Hmmmmmm How to describe Ian Banks?
He has some crime kind of books......to be honest they dont really fit into any kind of genre other than when he writes as Ian M Banks and thats when he writes the BEST sci fi books that are being written in the last ten years.
The best sci fi book to introduce you to his world is
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1857231384/qid=1071422284/sr=2-3/ref=sr_2_3_3/026-1368349-2585225
Consider Phlebas........so damn good i am now going to have to read it again starting tonight :)
Mayfair witches ...tremendous book.....although the next two books get a bit silly and there was no need for "Taltos"
The whole homosexual vampire thing just got a bit silly as well!!
I preferred his Player of Games but all of his SF books I've read I've liked.However I've not read his other books(too dark)but my daughter has and raves about them.He is one of her top authors on a very long list.She also raves about Angela Carter so I must try her too.
Incog.
Lord of the rings is not the best book but it was the favorite book there is a diffrence. Most of the voters i would accept have not actually read the book claim to have but only watch the films
One of my fave books is 1984. A classic IMO. Its good to see that Lord of the Rings won it although i still need to read it, oh and read the hobbit again, and unfinshed tales and silmarlion.
I can admit that i like Harry Potter. Best of the modern books although i think Artemis Fowl beats it.
Hope you could make sense of this, lol seemed right in my head but not on screen
"its good to see lord of the rings won it altough is still need to read it?" ARF!
"its good to see lord of the rings won it altough is still need to read it?" ARF! :rolleyes:
Ive read Fellowship and im half way through Two Towers. So i can see its a good book.
One of my fave books is 1984. A classic IMO. Its good to see that Lord of the Rings won it although i still need to read it, oh and read the hobbit again, and unfinshed tales and silmarlion.
I can admit that i like Harry Potter. Best of the modern books although i think Artemis Fowl beats it.
Hope you could make sense of this, lol seemed right in my head but not on screen
i understand what your saying huni....1984 :tu: top book as i said somewhere near the begginning of this thread....
harry potter :tu: loved them..read the finally one in a day...couldn't put it down
Lord of the rings is actually not that good a book.
The description is intense and it is also quite stupid in parts. The Story it self is good "A quest of good vs evil" always is good.
If the big read was for the best book then it LotR would (or should) not have won.
Its funny that 2 of the best lines in the book "Many that live deserve death and many that have death deserve life" & "All we must do is decide what to do with the time that is given to us" is in the same part. ALTHOUGH I CANNOT REMEMBER WHERE! (i havent read lord of the rins for years and dont watch the films)
Although i didn't manage to finish LOTR i did read the hobbit, and can admit it was a great book.
I saw a programme where they were talking about The Lion, the witch and the wardrobe the other day, and remembered that when i was a kid i got a box set of the Narnia chronicles.
So true to form i obviously set about reading them all over again. It's funny that books that you read when you're an adult (supposedly) you can still feel the same excitment you felt as a kid.
I wonder if it will work with Flat Stanley (one of my all favourite kids books)
I saw a programme where they were talking about The Lion, the witch and the wardrobe the other day, and remembered that when i was a kid i got a box set of the Narnia chronicles.
So true to form i obviously set about reading them all over again. It's funny that books that you read when you're an adult (supposedly) you can still feel the same excitment you felt as a kid.
the chronicles of narnia....fantastic books...i loved them when i was younger and loved them when i was in my teens :D
I think lotr was spot on as best read. There are other books I like better (Moorkocks :'The War Hound and the Worlds Pain' for one) but lotr is vaster and grander.
homealone
15-12-2003, 18:22
Although i didn't manage to finish LOTR i did read the hobbit, and can admit it was a great book.
I saw a programme where they were talking about The Lion, the witch and the wardrobe the other day, and remembered that when i was a kid i got a box set of the Narnia chronicles.
So true to form i obviously set about reading them all over again. It's funny that books that you read when you're an adult (supposedly) you can still feel the same excitment you felt as a kid.
I wonder if it will work with Flat Stanley (one of my all favourite kids books)
I also like reading some books again that I enjoyed as a child, even silly stuff like 'The Faraway Tree'. For C.S. Lewis I preferred the 'Sci Fi' trilogy 'Out of the Silent Planet', 'Perelandra' & 'That Hideous Strength' - a bit more 'grown up' than Narnia.
I first read 'The Hobbit' when I was 11 & thoroughly enjoyed it, since then I must have read Lotr at least 4 times.:)
Gaz
aliferste
15-12-2003, 22:08
. For C.S. Lewis I preferred the 'Sci Fi' trilogy 'Out of the Silent Planet', 'Perelandra' & 'That Hideous Strength' - a bit more 'grown up' than Narnia.
I
WOOHOO
I had forgotton all about them.......now they were weird books man........im gonna go and buy them next week :)
homealone
15-12-2003, 22:14
WOOHOO
I had forgotton all about them.......now they were weird books man........im gonna go and buy them next week :)
allegory gone mad - I'm glad I posted that:)
Gaz
I'm surprised at no comment on the 'faraway tree' Mr Moonface & 'everlasting toffees' must survive........
allegory gone mad - I'm glad I posted that:)
Gaz
I'm surprised at no comment on the 'faraway tree' Mr Moonface & 'everlasting toffees' must survive........
I read those as a kid and couldn't wait to give them to my children when the time came.They loved them and still do even though they are much older.
Incog.:)
homealone
15-12-2003, 23:01
I read those as a kid and couldn't wait to give them to my children when the time came.They loved them and still do even though they are much older.
Incog.:)
I know it is 'wrong' , but I still love Enid Blyton - :) Ship of Adventure, anyone?
Ok, feeling better now ....
Fave Authors :
Desmond Bagley
Stephen King
Enid Blyton
James Herbert
Michael Chrichton
Roald Dahl
Edgar Allen Poe
JRR Tolkien
Charles Dickens
JK Rowling
but also like bographies .... Richard Branson, Alec Guinness, etc
Lord Nikon
16-12-2003, 10:14
no Isaac Asimov? Or E.E. 'Doc' Smith?
also try Stephen Donaldson - The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever
And of course, not forgetting the late, great Douglas Adams.
homealone
16-12-2003, 10:27
no Isaac Asimov? Or E.E. 'Doc' Smith?
also try Stephen Donaldson - The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever
And of course, not forgetting the late, great Douglas Adams.
Agree re: Isaac Asimov - especially the 'Foundation' series & Stephen Donaldson's 'Thomas Covenant' series was brilliant also, however I never liked E.E. 'Doc' Smith, the 'Lensman' series seemed, to me, to be written to a formula.
- how about Raymond Feist's 'Magician' series or Larry Nivens 'Ringworld'?
And of course, not forgetting the late, great Douglas Adams.
Now how did I forget him .... must have been the babel fish :D
Ok, feeling better now ....
Fave Authors :
Stephen King
James Herbert
Michael Chrichton
Roald Dahl
Edgar Allen Poe
JRR Tolkien
JK Rowling
but also like bographies .... Richard Branson, Alec Guinness, etc
Yeah definetly, the rest i can't really comment on as have not read them.
I have read a couple of Autobiographies, and did enjoy them, but with me i just always seem to go for the fiction.
NB: read more biographies in 2004
aliferste
16-12-2003, 12:22
also try Stephen Donaldson - The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever
Thats down on my crimbo list....is it good?
Lord Nikon
16-12-2003, 13:18
Thats down on my crimbo list....is it good?
I found it impossible to put down, EXTREMELY compelling reading.
Ok, feeling better now ....Roald Dahl
Charles Dickens
:wavey: welcome back babes :luv: :ghugs:
forgot about these two authors....roald dahl....was my fav author as a kid
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