[ice_cube]

Other than the Margaret Atwood books ( ) I don't think I've heard of any of these books

[The_Lonely_Goatherd]

(Original post by ice_cube)
Other than the Margaret Atwood books ( ) I don't think I've heard of any of these books

I haven't even heard of the Margaret Atwood books, so dw

I haven't read anything for fun (barring Harry Potter books) for ages. Damn depression

[Hylean]

(Original post by Craghyrax)
Usurping Earthsea!?

Haha, it really is a far better book, but then it's helped by being significantly longer than A Wizard of Earthsea. I read Ursula's one's second and I couldn't help but feel really quite cheated by Patrick Rothfuss in the end. Whilst he has enlarged and improved the story, it just cheapened his first book for me, sadly.

Now Peter V Brett's books are amazing, really interesting idea. Also a huge fan of James Barclay, Terry Brooks, Anne McCaffrey and James Clemens. Ohh, and no one, and I mean no one is better than Tolkien.

Recently got into Kirsten Britain and her Green Rider books, which are pretty entertaining.

[The Lyceum]

GRRR I want to join in with this talk but still have mad amounts to study tonight. GRRR.

a) I never noticed the similarity between Rothfuss and LeGuin before really. The latter goes for a pseudo bronze/early iron age setting with a heavy emphasise on names, a more...fantastical world. The former...well I can see the similarities, as you say, but its different. Everything feels more developed. I still recommend it highly.

b) Tolkien is the damn master. Seriously, no more may be said.

c) I actually didn't like the Prince of Nothing series too much after the first book, I know...that puts me in the minority. Can't remember if it was Hylean/Aeschylus who brought him up.

d) What about Andrej Sapkowski? I love his world... honourable mentions to Scott Lynch and Joe Abercrombie, whose work I enjoyed immensely.

Also, the more old school amongst you would really like Glenn Cook's Black Company stuff.

[Hylean]

(Original post by The Lyceum)
GRRR I want to join in with this talk but still have mad amounts to study tonight. GRRR.

a) I never noticed the similarity between Rothfuss and LeGuin before really. The latter goes for a pseudo bronze/early iron age setting with a heavy emphasise on names, a more...fantastical world. The former...well I can see the similarities, as you say, but its different. Everything feels more developed. I still recommend it highly.

Really? A young, poor boy from the arse end of nowhere gets into the most prestigious school in the world, where he most wants to learn naming? He goes off on adventures and makes a massive name for himself, making mistakes and impressing people?

Like I say, Rothfuss' book is great and a far better version, but the broad strokes of both books are so similar, it really annoyed me. When reading Ursula's, I had a feeling I'd read the entire story before and I've never had that before.

(Original post by The Lyceum)
b) Tolkien is the damn master. Seriously, no more may be said.

c) I actually didn't like the Prince of Nothing series too much after the first book, I know...that puts me in the minority. Can't remember if it was Hylean/Aeschylus who brought him up.

d) What about Andrej Sapkowski? I love his world... honourable mentions to Scott Lynch and Joe Abercrombie, whose work I enjoyed immensely.

I love you for b.

C wasn't me.

D, haven't read Andrej yet, but love both Lynch and Abercrombie. Also, an honourable mention should go out to Sergei Lukyanenko, who wrote Night Watch and its sequels, amazing books.

(Original post by The Lyceum)
Also, the more old school amongst you would really like Glenn Cook's Black Company stuff.

Haven't read.

[Aeschylus]

(Original post by The Lyceum)
GRRR I want to join in with this talk but still have mad amounts to study tonight. GRRR.

a) I never noticed the similarity between Rothfuss and LeGuin before really. The latter goes for a pseudo bronze/early iron age setting with a heavy emphasise on names, a more...fantastical world. The former...well I can see the similarities, as you say, but its different. Everything feels more developed. I still recommend it highly.

b) Tolkien is the damn master. Seriously, no more may be said.

c) I actually didn't like the Prince of Nothing series too much after the first book, I know...that puts me in the minority. Can't remember if it was Hylean/Aeschylus who brought him up.

d) What about Andrej Sapkowski? I love his world... honourable mentions to Scott Lynch and Joe Abercrombie, whose work I enjoyed immensely.

Also, the more old school amongst you would really like Glenn Cook's Black Company stuff.

You don't like Prince of Nothing? Shame. The sixth is out soon and all hell is about to kick loose.
Love the Black Company. Also have a soft spot for Dan Abnett (Gaunt's Ghosts/EISENHORN. Seriously. Read. Eisenhorn). If you like Black Company you might like Joe Abercrombie? Or James Barclay if you're feelingin a more trashy mood

And I'm sorry to whovere said it (no you Lyceum I don't think) Rothfuss doesn't hold a candle to Le Guin. I still read the first three Earthsea (Tehanu I pretend doesn't exist and the other wind is alright I guess) books very reguarly.

China Mieville as well. Haven't got round to his last two (Embassytown and the new one) but The Scar is still one of my favourite books ever.

Reread the Silmarillion recently so I will agree with you Tolkein is the absolute boss.

[sj27]

Hmm... I love Tolkien, but other than that have never really been able to get into fantasy.

It's my birthday today. I would really, really, really like my cat to come home as a birthday present

[IlexAquifolium]

(Original post by Aeschylus)
I see your Rothfuss and raise you R Scott Bakker

Though the Name of the Wind is pretty awesome.

I've spent the day writing for a creative writing competition for the Black Library - the book offshoot of Games Workshop. It's given me an excuse to crack out all my old Warhammer and I'm bloody loving it. Go High Elves! God I'm cool.

My other half writes a blog about That Sort Of Thing. Not GW very much though. What's the compo for?

[Becca]

(Original post by scarlet ibis)
I love Jasper Ffffforde! I had a whole email conversation with him.about toast and boats after I emailed him a photo of toast hanging in trees. There's not been a new one since One of Our Thursdays is Missing, but TN8, The Woman Who Died a Lot will be out soon. Edit I see hobnob got there before me! I hope the next Shades of Grey will be out soon too.

The Dragonslayer series is "for kids" but I enjoyed it nonetheless. An easy read but good fun.

I don't mind if it's "for kids". His Dark Materials is "for kids" and I still love them now as an adult (although saying that is weird, I don't feel like an adult even though I have a proper job and everything!).
So cool you had an email conversation with Jasper Fforde! If I had something worth emailing him about, I would
My dad had a long email conversation with Conn Igguldon (writes historical fiction) because he wanted to thank him for getting my brother into Cambridge indirectly. It was his Emperor series that got my brother into Rome stuff in the first place. I have not read those books though!

(Original post by ktr)
Sautéing in garlic, oil, and white wine? Though that's not a particularly exciting recipe. I like making ceviche...'cooking' in lemon & lime juice (or parboiling) and then tossing with tomatoes, onions, coriander.

I don't think I trust myself to make a good ceviche! I decided last night to go the sauteeing route but with chilli and garlic and parsley. Not sure what I'll serve it with yet, maybe some wilted greens...will see if the supermarkets have anything interesting.

(Original post by sj27)
It's my birthday today. I would really, really, really like my cat to come home as a birthday present

Happy birthday! I hope your kitty comes back!

[evantej]

Happy birthday sj27! (I share Becca's sentiments about your cat).

[flying plum]

happy birthday sj27 - hope your cat finds his way home

[Little Jules]

Happy Birthday sj27!

I also loved SoG but have never read anything else by Jasper Fforde. I think I should though.

And on king prawns - you could a spicy tomato sauce and pasta? Maybe fresh tomatoes, chilli, garlic, a linguine-type pasta, some rocket, parmesan and black pepper.

I would suggest others but now I think I might be too late...

[Craghyrax]

(Original post by Aeschylus)
And I'm sorry to whovere said it (no you Lyceum I don't think) Rothfuss doesn't hold a candle to Le Guin. I still read the first three Earthsea (Tehanu I pretend doesn't exist and the other wind is alright I guess) books very reguarly.

That was Hylean. And I can readily believe it! Le Guin is just classic.

(Original post by Hylean)
Haha, it really is a far better book, but then it's helped by being significantly longer than A Wizard of Earthsea. I read Ursula's one's second and I couldn't help but feel really quite cheated by Patrick Rothfuss in the end. Whilst he has enlarged and improved the story, it just cheapened his first book for me, sadly.

Le Guin is amazing. If Rothfuss has essentially plagiarised, that doesn't help my opinion for the author.

(Original post by ice_cube)
Other than the Margaret Atwood books ( ) I don't think I've heard of any of these books

Why would you have if you don't read sci fi and fantasy?

(Original post by + polarity -)
Do you (plural) prefer it when all the undergrads have ****ed off?

What do you mean?
Do you mean do we prefer moving from undergraduate degrees to postgraduate degrees, where course mates are more mature? Or are you asking whether we prefer it when it gets to the holidays and undergrads vacate University, creating space and quiet?

If its the latter, then I don't think its anything to do with undergraduates really. At Cambridge I lived in University accommodation all year round, and I always liked it when the other undergraduates went home because things were quieter and there was more space. Postgraduates can be noisy and childish too At my current University I can't wait for them to go home, because there's literally nowhere to work, and the library is really loud.

[The Lyceum]

It's hardly plagiarised, I'm sorry but the whole central plot of "boy goes to magic school" is pretty damn standard the world over and overly prevalent in fantasy literature as it is.

The difference is, Rothfuss actually makes this work very very well despite the baggage of this theme.

If you really like LeGuin btw you should probably read her "Lavinia".

[Aeschylus]

(Original post by The Lyceum)
It's hardly plagiarised, I'm sorry but the whole central plot of "boy goes to magic school" is pretty damn standard the world over and overly prevalent in fantasy literature as it is.

The difference is, Rothfuss actually makes this work very very well despite the baggage of this theme.

If you really like LeGuin btw you should probably read her "Lavinia".

Is that the retake on the Aeneid? I think I picked it up at waterstones once but being a poor student means I have a lot less lovely money to spend on fantasy books

[Aeschylus]

(Original post by IlexAquifolium)
My other half writes a blog about That Sort Of Thing. Not GW very much though. What's the compo for?

Basically the best stories are getting published in their short story/ story publications. I have 10 days to get my geek on!

[The Lyceum]

(Original post by Aeschylus)
Is that the retake on the Aeneid? I think I picked it up at waterstones once but being a poor student means I have a lot less lovely money to spend on fantasy books

Yeah, I was ambivalent about it, before I read it.

Feminist re-tellings suck arse, especially when it comes to antiquity. Yes, you guys, writing about Helen or Laodike or Antonia etc...no one cares, you can't just completely rijig history becau-....well never mind. Generally speaking feminist retellings suck, I shun them.

Yet...it was Earth Sea woman! So I ended up reading it, and it was great. Despite what some of the reviewers say (Marion Bradley fan morons etc) it wasn't at all feminist, but more a really good story with a female main character. I recommend it. Not as a replacement for the Virgil, but in general as a good story.

If you like retellings of old stories like that then Lindsay Clarke's "The War at Troy" is also quite good, you can sometimes Amazon copies for 0.1p.

[ktr]

(Original post by sj27)
It's my birthday today. I would really, really, really like my cat to come home as a birthday present

hope you have a happy birthday! (and that your cat does make their way home)

[The_Lonely_Goatherd]

Happy Birthday sj27. Fingers crossed that your cat will return home

[Becca]

(Original post by Little Jules)
Happy Birthday sj27!

I also loved SoG but have never read anything else by Jasper Fforde. I think I should though.

And on king prawns - you could a spicy tomato sauce and pasta? Maybe fresh tomatoes, chilli, garlic, a linguine-type pasta, some rocket, parmesan and black pepper.

I would suggest others but now I think I might be too late...

You should, definitely

And it's not too late for recipes, I couldn't find any fresh prawns at the first supermarket Hopefully I can get some somewhere!

All this talk of books has inspired me, I went to the library and took out two novels in Norwegian - The Name of the Rose (already read in English) and The Road, which I have never read before. I thought I needed to go for something more challenging than Matilda (although that had a lot of new vocab in!).

I have a month to read both, but break up from work next Friday.