Skip the bits about whale history and read the action sequences. Melville write a mean action sequence, when he gets around to it.
I found Billy Budd, Sailor much more enjoyable.
So what are you reading now?
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I found Billy Budd, Sailor much more enjoyable.
Taking a breif break from Trek again. Reading Tara K. Harper's Wolfwalker series for the first time in ages. And unless I get a chance to pick up Open Secrets before I go out of town, I'm reading The Captain's Table novels next. Except for Book Five, which got put in storage with the bulk of the NF series.
That doesn't sound reassuring. It has picked up pace, though, so I'll probably stay on it. I've bought it ages ago and it's taking up precious shelf space, so I might just as well read it.Thanks for the advice.
Benito Cereno is my favourite of Melville's nautical jaunts. If you know what's going on, the humour really leavens his tendency to overwrite.
Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman
I finished Mere Anarchy and really liked it alot. I liked the new Payav aliens Raya and her Elor and the journey that the Enterprise crew takes in this book.It was nice to see the actions of certain characters had major conequnces throughout the different stories in this book.
The fact the Payav are a complex culture and the changes in the working Political relationship/friendship between Raya and Kirk. The conflicts that happen because of making certain choices they both make,and afffected all the Payav. Truth, lies betrayal hope for a better future.also add the federation,the Payav and the Klingons make for a fascinating series.
The fact the Payav are a complex culture and the changes in the working Political relationship/friendship between Raya and Kirk. The conflicts that happen because of making certain choices they both make,and afffected all the Payav. Truth, lies betrayal hope for a better future.also add the federation,the Payav and the Klingons make for a fascinating series.
Since I last updated the wider world on my reading habits, I've read three books, all of them (ostensibly) research:
- American Fairy Tales by L. Frank Baum. This was research for my paper on Baum's "earthbound" fairy tales. It's a fantastic gem of a collection. I wish these were more widely known; the twelve stories in here are some of Baum's best work.
- The Beauty Queen of Leenane and Other Plays by Martin McDonagh. This was research for my paper on ::groan:: identity in McDonagh's plays. Like all of McDonagh's work, bleakly hilarious.
- War of the Worlds: The Resurrection by J. M. Dillard. This is supposedly research for my The War of the Worlds project, but given my topic is the 1890s American serializations of the novel, and this is the novelization of the pilot episode of the 1980s television series that's a sequel to the 1950s movie, it's really got nothing to do with anything.
I'm somehow managing to squeeze some pleasure reading into the middle of seminar paper hell; I've been reading Kevin Smith's Green Arrow: Quiver these past couple days.
- American Fairy Tales by L. Frank Baum. This was research for my paper on Baum's "earthbound" fairy tales. It's a fantastic gem of a collection. I wish these were more widely known; the twelve stories in here are some of Baum's best work.
- The Beauty Queen of Leenane and Other Plays by Martin McDonagh. This was research for my paper on ::groan:: identity in McDonagh's plays. Like all of McDonagh's work, bleakly hilarious.
- War of the Worlds: The Resurrection by J. M. Dillard. This is supposedly research for my The War of the Worlds project, but given my topic is the 1890s American serializations of the novel, and this is the novelization of the pilot episode of the 1980s television series that's a sequel to the 1950s movie, it's really got nothing to do with anything.
I'm somehow managing to squeeze some pleasure reading into the middle of seminar paper hell; I've been reading Kevin Smith's Green Arrow: Quiver these past couple days.
Billy Budd is the only non-Dick Melville I've had cause to read. I'll get around to it someday.
I took a break from Trek Lit and TrekBBS, but couldn't stay away for long. (I'm also a schizophrenic/ADD reader, so I've got multiple books going at any given time)
I've read the Mere Anarchy series, A Singular Destiny, Open Secrets, Shards and Symbols, and Kobayashi Maru. I've started Over A Torrent Sea, but then started to reread A Singular Destiny.
For non-Trek Lit, I'm reading The Final Days by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan, andThe Thirteen American Arguments by Howard Fineman. I finished reading the play Frost/Nixon, as well as Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray.
I've read the Mere Anarchy series, A Singular Destiny, Open Secrets, Shards and Symbols, and Kobayashi Maru. I've started Over A Torrent Sea, but then started to reread A Singular Destiny.
For non-Trek Lit, I'm reading The Final Days by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan, andThe Thirteen American Arguments by Howard Fineman. I finished reading the play Frost/Nixon, as well as Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray.
Just finished Serpent Among the Ruins - the second TLE.
Not as keen on this one. The Tomed Incident as portrayed isn't nearly as intriguing as I hoped nor are the main players all that interesting - Harriman is as dull as he was in Generations. Plus, the whole Klingon politics sub-plot is awfully underused and feels nothing more than set-up for the next book.
So, not a bad piece of work, but nothing spectacular either.
Not as keen on this one. The Tomed Incident as portrayed isn't nearly as intriguing as I hoped nor are the main players all that interesting - Harriman is as dull as he was in Generations. Plus, the whole Klingon politics sub-plot is awfully underused and feels nothing more than set-up for the next book.
So, not a bad piece of work, but nothing spectacular either.
Of the three Lost Era books (in the original batch) I've read, The Shundered, Serpents among the Ruins and The Art of the Impossible I found Serpents the better book and I really did enjoy the way the Tomad incident was portrayed.
I finished NF: Treason on Saturday. I have decided to have a reread of the Vanguard series before I read Open Secrets so yesterday I started Vanguard 1: Harbinger I should finish that tonight and then start Vanguard 2: Summon the Thunder.
I am also half way through Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin I will get back to this after my Vanguard mini-marathon!
I am also half way through Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin I will get back to this after my Vanguard mini-marathon!
Finished Treason. Unspectacular, but not a complete trainwreck either.
Then I read Jeffrey T. Roesgen's book in the 33 1/3 series, Rum, Sodomy & The Lash, about the Pogues' album of that name. Interesting book. Instead of just going into the history of the band and the making of the album, the way a lot of books in that series do, Roesgen uses the album's cover art (The Raft of the Medusa, with the faces of band members superimposed over some of the people's faces in the painting) to tell a version of the story of the post-Napoleonic sailing disaster of the Medusa, with the Pogues as characters aboard the ship, alternating with nonfiction sections on the album's songs. Given the historical focus of many of the album's songs, it works.
Just started Alaa Al-Aswany's novel The Yacoubian Building.
Then I read Jeffrey T. Roesgen's book in the 33 1/3 series, Rum, Sodomy & The Lash, about the Pogues' album of that name. Interesting book. Instead of just going into the history of the band and the making of the album, the way a lot of books in that series do, Roesgen uses the album's cover art (The Raft of the Medusa, with the faces of band members superimposed over some of the people's faces in the painting) to tell a version of the story of the post-Napoleonic sailing disaster of the Medusa, with the Pogues as characters aboard the ship, alternating with nonfiction sections on the album's songs. Given the historical focus of many of the album's songs, it works.
Just started Alaa Al-Aswany's novel The Yacoubian Building.
NF: Fire on High
The most recent run of the "Thunderbolts" and "Dark Avengers" comics, where Norman Osborn has pretty much taken over the defense of the United States and replaced the Avengers with his own handpicked people. Mighty tasty stuff.
Oh, and this month's Playboy.
But only for the articles.
Really.
Oh, and this month's Playboy.
But only for the articles.
Really.
I just finished Andy McDermott's The Secret of Excalibur, eagerly awaiting the Covenant of Genesis.
Andy, I know you're lurking around here somewhere, so I have to ask, was S31 an influence at all in this book?
Andy, I know you're lurking around here somewhere, so I have to ask, was S31 an influence at all in this book?
The hype (and I mean that in a good way) about the new film has reinvigorated my love for Star Trek, so I'm "rediscovering" the franchise--including the novels. Before I can get caught up on the latest ones, though, I find I need to refamiliarize myself with most of them (and finally pick up the ones I missed). Before that can happen, though, I have to finish rewatching DS9. I love that show, and the Relaunch.
To tide me over until then, I'm re-reading the first three Vanguard novels before getting Open Secrets. I hope Chapters gets it on the shelves soon...
To tide me over until then, I'm re-reading the first three Vanguard novels before getting Open Secrets. I hope Chapters gets it on the shelves soon...
Im taking a bit of a trek break, after burning through the Star Trek Destiny trilogy, Star Trek Vanguard Open secrets, A Singular Destiny, Voyager Full Circle.
I'm jumping back to star wars. Curently reading Star Wars: Death star, then Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor. By that time, I hope my copy of Star Wars FOTJ Outcast arrives in the mail for my vacation.
I'm jumping back to star wars. Curently reading Star Wars: Death star, then Luke Skywalker and the Shadows of Mindor. By that time, I hope my copy of Star Wars FOTJ Outcast arrives in the mail for my vacation.
Finished the first Myriad Universes book, which was quite good. I think the first story was the stand-out, but all three were above-average for modern Trek books in my opinion.
Now on the second one, Echoes and Refractions. I think the author of the first story is a tad optimistic about the "unbreakable" father-son bond and there's a bit too much death and destruction for me, but it's not bad.
Now on the second one, Echoes and Refractions. I think the author of the first story is a tad optimistic about the "unbreakable" father-son bond and there's a bit too much death and destruction for me, but it's not bad.
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