Really? Oh dear... The first two Spiderman films were pretty damned decent, it was only the third one with that black goo stuff that spoiled the trilogy. Toby Maguire was perfectly cast for the role, he was almost exactly what I anticipated from the comics.

Next up: Lord of the Rings - Back to Middle Earth.

I meant that even if you don't especially enjoy a classic novel, you haven't completely wasted your time - you're still probably better off for having read it. But yeah, enjoyment of a book - just like music, food, and art - is all about personal taste. I've read very little Russian literature, basically for fear of exactly the same reaction as yourself. (Oddly, though, I did enjoy A Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich, which is about as depressing and plodding as you can imagine.) If you're not fond of the Russians, there are some Americans you should probably avoid too - Faulkner, Steinbeck and some (not all!) of the other early 20th century writers probably first among them.

In reply to this comment by kymbos:
Well, I'm not sure you can't go wrong with classics. I guess it comes down to taste in the end, but I found myself bored to tears with Russian classics, for example. I'm somewhat embarassed to say I just couldn't get through Crime and Punishment - it had no pace, for mine. As someone well read, this is probably sacrilege to you, but then I found the Lord of the Rings trilogy similarly overcooked.

Well, I'm not sure you can't go wrong with classics. I guess it comes down to taste in the end, but I found myself bored to tears with Russian classics, for example. I'm somewhat embarassed to say I just couldn't get through Crime and Punishment - it had no pace, for mine. As someone well read, this is probably sacrilege to you, but then I found the Lord of the Rings trilogy similarly overcooked.

I will get around to reading one of your suggestions when I'm next in the market for a book, and I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks again.
In reply to this comment by jonny:
Well, that's the thing about classics - you can't really go wrong with any of them, so yeah, A Connecticut Yankee is as good place to start as any. But it really comes down to your own preferences. Guys like Faulkner and Melville are generally considered giants of American literature, but I can't stand their stuff and would be very unlikely to recommend them. Steinbeck is another great that, while I personally like most of his work, a lot of people don't care much for it, even if they appreciate the quality.

You might find Good Reads a useful resource for finding the classics you'd most enjoy.

In reply to this comment by kymbos:
Hey, thannks for the leads. I just watched some of Midnight in Paris, and realised I'd never read the classics. Would you suggest I start with your Connecticut one?

>> ^Deano:

I've just started Richard Morgan's The Cold Commands (which I think is sci-fi/fantasy with gay characters but I'm not entirely sure) and then I'm going to reread American Tabloid by James Ellroy as I stopped and forgot all about it and I want to read the entire trilogy eventually.


You, sir, have excellent taste in books. Ellroy and Morgan are both awesome, especially the Dudley Smith and Takeshi Kovacs books respectively.

As for me, my last few were Iain Banks Transition, the Atheists Guide to Christmas and Paul Kimmage's Engage (true account of a tetraplegic rugby player, fascinating story and insight into coping with such a horrific accident).

I'm currently reading Milligan's Meaning of Life: An autobiography of sorts by Spike Milligan. It's really just a collection of Milligans other writings but it's great fun.

Well, I am on the last book of the Night's Dawn Trilogy... I blazed through book one (The Reality Dysfunction), slowed a bit through The Neutronium Alchemist, and now, half way through The Naked God I keep finding other things to do rather than read it, like playing games on my phone. (I read on the train in and out of work)

Not to say it's still not enjoyable when I read it, but it's less of a page turner than it used to be

I've just started Richard Morgan's The Cold Commands (which I think is sci-fi/fantasy with gay characters but I'm not entirely sure) and then I'm going to reread American Tabloid by James Ellroy as I stopped and forgot all about it and I want to read the entire trilogy eventually.

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

Also, Children of the Sky was a little disappointing - though I wanted it to be great.>> ^dag:

I tried to get into a couple of Hamilton books but they never clicked for me. The ones I tried seemed to have a weird mix of space opera (which I like) and the occult (not so much).
Though, having just written that, I really do like Allistor Reynolds' books which are just that same kind of mix. go figure.
>> ^NetRunner:
I'm between books right now. My last was Peter F. Hamilton's The Evolutionary Void which is the third book in a trilogy, set in the same universe as Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained. It's not groundbreaking, but it's fun -- space opera stuff, will make a good movie someday.
Next in the queue will be Neal Stephenson's Anathem. Or possibly John Rawls's A Theory of Justice. Or maybe Vernor Vinge's Children of the Sky. They're all sitting on the table nearby, reminding me that I've been neglecting my dead tree media again...

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

I tried to get into a couple of Hamilton books but they never clicked for me. The ones I tried seemed to have a weird mix of space opera (which I like) and the occult (not so much).

Though, having just written that, I really do like Allistor Reynolds' books which are just that same kind of mix. go figure.
>> ^NetRunner:

I'm between books right now. My last was Peter F. Hamilton's The Evolutionary Void which is the third book in a trilogy, set in the same universe as Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained. It's not groundbreaking, but it's fun -- space opera stuff, will make a good movie someday.
Next in the queue will be Neal Stephenson's Anathem. Or possibly John Rawls's A Theory of Justice. Or maybe Vernor Vinge's Children of the Sky. They're all sitting on the table nearby, reminding me that I've been neglecting my dead tree media again...

the last thing i read that i enjoyed was the 'his dark materials' trilogy. now i am struggling to get through audiobook 7 of harry potter.. even with stephen fry's lovely voice i just find the material friggin boring.

yes i know i am way behind the times on both these series. whatevs!

i really need to get a copy of reamde

I'm between books right now. My last was Peter F. Hamilton's The Evolutionary Void which is the third book in a trilogy, set in the same universe as Pandora's Star and Judas Unchained. It's not groundbreaking, but it's fun -- space opera stuff, will make a good movie someday.

Next in the queue will be Neal Stephenson's Anathem. Or possibly John Rawls's A Theory of Justice. Or maybe Vernor Vinge's Children of the Sky. They're all sitting on the table nearby, reminding me that I've been neglecting my dead tree media again...

Guys like @quantumushroom,@Winstonfield_Pennypacker and @lantern53 are all Bigoted Privileged White Males who Idolize the Wealthy Privileged White Males:
The class/culture they most admire and would like to be a part of one day.


Doesn't this mean you're bigoted against Wealthy Privileged White Males? I don't know lantern and Pennypacker personally and have no idea what "color" they are or their levels of income. I like both, and rest assured, W. Pennypacker doesn't appreciate my incendiary rhetoric.


You know, they're like the humans that do the bidding of Vampires in the hopes they'll be made into immortals in exchange for their blind faith and service.
..but who are really just fodder for their political business masters.


Yeah, I've seen the Blade trilogy, thanks. The third one sucked, and I don't mean blood.

BTW, You nailed it. I'm secretly worshiping Gates, an unlikable nerd who released Windows Sh1tsa so Windows 7 would look good by comparison. I don't want him to pay higher taxes because I'm going to be as rich as him next week.


>> ^GenjiKilpatrick:

@ChaosEngine
You nailed it.
Guys like @quantumushroom,@Winstonfield_Pennypacker and @lantern53 are all Bigoted Privileged White Males who Idolize the Wealthy Privileged White Males:
The class/culture they most admire and would like to be a part of one day.
You know, they're like the humans that do the bidding of Vampires in the hopes they'll be made into immortals in exchange for their blind faith and service.
..but who are really just fodder for their political business masters.

Sadly, I don't think it's just going to be a trilogy

Noomi Rapace (original G.W.D.T. trilogy), Guy Pearce (Memento, LA Confidential), Charlize Theron, Michael Fassbender, Idris Elba (the Wire), Logan Marshall-Green.

Really excited about Noomi, Guy and Charlize being in it.

I wanted to upvote your comment twice. I'm hopeful, though... there are lots of shitty sequels in great trilogies.

>> ^PHJF:

MIB2 is one of the worst movies I have ever seen.

Maybe you had to see the movies? The Girl With trilogy?

I haven't seen them. I also didn't think this was particularly funny, but I figured it was because of not knowing the references.

>> ^spoco2:

>> ^bobknight33:
So at what point was that funny?

Wow, really? Nothing?
Comedy is a funny thing isn't it (ha ha... pun very much intended)?
For instance. Andrew Dice Clay. I have never, ever, EVER seen a single thing he's done that would even slightly move me to laughter, and yet he sold out stadium shows. I SO don't get how he is funny. And yet people do (or at least did).
But people do find it funny.
Same with this, I found it to be quite hilarious, and yet you can't see the humour in it.
Strange.