madra sneachta

Very nice Johnny - The song is playing in iTunes as I write. Somehow, it makes more sense, I must set up a musical slide show with the pics!.

Vital Signs? NNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!! TS

First time I read it, I did so without looking at the glossary at all, and I found after a while, I got into the rhythm of it. I re-read it with a photocopy of the glossary beside me, and found I didn't enjoy it as much.

http://www.harpercollins.com/harperimages/isbn/large/5/9780060890315.jpg

QUOTE (Jack Aubrey @ Oct 26 2006, 02:44 PM) I'm not much for fantasy novels, so I consulted my mega-geek brother in law, Chris (who is). He suggested (with considerable enthusiasm) that you check out Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. I've also heard Madra make mention of these books, so he would be a good one to talk to about them. Your brother in law has taste Jack!!!. I must acknowledge that Slaine is the board's real Pratchett expert. Pratchett writes what could be called comedy fantasy, set on the discworld, which is held aloft by four giant elephants standing on the back of a giant turtle. More info and a far better description than I could offer HERE

QUOTE (treeduck @ Oct 22 2006, 10:50 PM) One good ending off the top of my head was Jonathan Kellerman's The Butcher's Theatre, totally gripped me and blew me away after a slow start... If you haven't come across this one try it, it's waaay above the Alex Delaware series... The man speaks the truth. The Butcher's Theatre is a classic (with none of this I made love to Robin to the unheard music of the greatest guitar she ever made before I went out and fed the f***ing Koi oh by the way I have a gay best friend, arent I SO cool!!!!). Sorry, but Delaware is such a self centred conceited arsehole (I contacted my messaging service, a client wanted to pay me seven gazillion dollars a second but I'm a holier than thou prick so I worked on a poor kid for free, canonise me now why don't you?) tw**. I know he's a fictional character but he annoys the tits off me.

Driver 67 - Car 67

The Decemberists - The Crane Wife (better than I dared hope, they';ve nailed it this time!!!!!). Anathallo - Floating World Opeth - Blackwater Park Simple Kid - SK2 Yo La Tengo - I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass.... Easy Star All Stars - Radiodread

QUOTE (Celine @ Oct 19 2006, 05:47 PM) Maybe someday they'll explain how Shannon managed to get to Australia, when her last flashback had her begging for money to get to New York. Did I miss something? Celine, Shannon begging for money was a flashback. Her wealthy father had died following a car crash (in Jack's emergency room while he was saving Sarah, one of many pre-crash encounters and coincidences). Her stepmother (Boone's mother) effectively cut off all her money as she had control of the fortune after the will, and Shannon entered into a vicious circle of toxic relationships, all of which Boone rescued her from, the most recent of which was in Australia.

QUOTE (queenshall @ Oct 17 2006, 06:49 PM) It was also adapted to radio on the BBC I think. I have never attempted the books though, might do when I get time. Actually Queenshall, it's the other way around - It started life as a radio series by Douglas Adams, who then adapted it into book form. I actually enjoyed the film a lot. I love the books, and have done for decades, but I'm not precious about them. I actually refused to watch the TV series for years, and only watched it for the first time when BBC re-transmitted it in 2001 or so, nearly 20 years after I first read the books.

Slime and Netgirl beat me to my favourite three - Jordan, Martin and Goodkind, the other series I'd recommend is The Gormenghast Trilogy by Mervyn Peake.

Can I just suggest - "Don't You Forget About The Breakfast Club", , and furthermore ask that most probing of questions - "Why do they call you Lassie?"

I voted for the whole kit and kiboodle, because I tend to treat series as single entities rather than a collection of volumes. While there are probably better moments in the first volume, Restaurant... is a better book, probably because it was written as a book, as distinct from its predecessor which was cobbled together from a series of radio scripts and suffers in places from a disjointedness over and above the inherent confusion of the plot. I think the best written of all the books from a literary point of view is So Long and Thanks For All The Fish, and if I were to pick an individual volume, that would actually be it. I envy you Slime - You're in for a treat reading this for the first time.

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/n0/n3855.jpg Real brain candy Shaun Hutson - Renegades

Another bout of replacing worn vinyl with CDs - Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells Queen - A Night At The Opera and one new one The Kooks - Inside In/Inside Out

QUOTE (Jack Aubrey @ Sep 27 2006, 02:12 PM) The 'Lost' experience for this year is officially over. All solved puzzles and revelations can be found here. I've gone through the Lost experience, I've read Bad Twin and I've re-read Flann O'Brien's Third Policeman. Maybe I'm missing something, but I'm even MORE confused now

I actually saw Ferrell's Tallahgeda Nights at the weekend - Thoroughly enjoyed it. I went expecting a rather silly piece of fluff with inane humour and nothing to add to my understanding of life. That's exactly what I got, so no disappointment, and I was able to enjoy it for what it was. Meaningless, silly and very, very funny.

The Stand remains my favourite King book, but I must confess a recurring problem I have with King is his endings can be weak. This was underlined for me again this year when I read Cell. To the list of recommended reading, I'd add It Different Seasons (Four novellas, three of thenm filmed, must be a record) Dolores Claiborne Hearts In Atlantis The Dark Half The Bachman Books (Particularly The Long Walk)

Carol, That's excellent - A wonderful milestone, and kudos to Chaotica and the families for all they've done. I've just been on to my doctor today, and my six monthly tests are all clear, so it's celebrations all 'round hopefully. I know there's a long road ahead for you, but I'm sure with your spirit and the love and support of your nearest and dearest, you can travel it with confidence.

In honour of the imminent return of Lost I've recently finished Flann O'Brien's "The Third Policeman" and am now engrossed in "Bad Twin"

QUOTE (treeduck @ Sep 26 2006, 04:22 AM) QUOTE (Jack Aubrey @ Sep 25 2006, 06:51 PM) I refuse to have anything to do with Mel Gibson ever again. What did he do again? I somehow missed all those Mel flashes and if I look them up I'll just- zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Threatening and hurling anti semitic abuse at cops as they tried to arrest him for driving while mouldy drunk, validating the post ' "Passion of the Christ" concerns of Judaism with a level of reprehensible stupidity that beggars belief. However, that said, I can't help thinking if we were to regularly boycott films or gigs on the basis that the actors/performers were hypocritical assholes who were acting like complete pricks, the cinemas and theatres could became very empty. Having said that, I'll probably wait for this one to hit TV.

I agree with Tick's two - The Shining The Shawshank Redemption I would add The Green Mile Carrie Maximum Overdrive (actually.....no)

Mine is currently travelling through the interdimensional maze that is the Amazon shipping system.

QUOTE (Slime @ Sep 16 2006, 04:27 AM) What do you suppose will become of your favourite ongoing series in ten years. Will it be rememebered nostalgically? Will it be soon forgotten or thrown in the "hype" pile? Or will it remain to be studied in university settings? I imagine a strange future for the Harry Potter series. In ten years, the series will have been over for nine years since JK has stated unequivocally that the next book is THE last one (no prequels or sequels). I imagine that, after ten years, the kids who grew up on it will remember it fondly still and pass it on to their children only to be disappointed that they don't really care who Hermione ends up with. The kids will be told all about the hype machine and the movies, while the kids may end up just being movie fans. As for myself, I'll remember that there was this great series written ten years ago that a lot of people loved, some disliked and some people really hated. It will probably be a standard in children's literature studies (at least the first one) joining Narnia, Peter Pan and the rest of that crowd. The Wheel of Time series, assuming it is finished () should be remembered as a fine entry into the annals of American fantasy. I don't really know anyone who grew up reading the series or was emotionally invested into it like they would be in Harry Potter, but those who were will probably be in a sort of trance for at least a year after the final one is published. After ten years, they'll go back to the texts from time to time to savour a few memories. Hopefully they will NOT be remembering the late Robert Jordan but the current active or at least retired writer of that series. I think Wheel of Time will be more popular, because once it's finished, people can read it from start to finish. I actually started it in 1992 - 14 bloody years ago, The Shadow Rising was the first book I waited for. Once it's over, the frustration of reading a lengthy tome that doesn't advance the overall storyline of Rand heading towards the last battle will be a thing of the past, and we can fully appreciate the sub-plots. Likewise the Song of Ice and Fire (George RR Martin). I can actually see that making a brilliant film / TV series, but a large part of me hopes that doesn't happen because of the shocking plot twists from book one onwards. I can imagine the producer............. WARNING - Potential spoiler ahead so don't scroll down if you intend starting reading the series soon... "Great, so Eddard Stark is the hero, the king dies, and he takes over the kingdom and rules with justice and truth as his hallmarks......no?........BEHEADED............Tyrion does what?????............No F***ING WAY!!!!"