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Post by Afterburner on Apr 9, 2010 4:39:34 GMT -5
Interesting stuff, this Celtic Crusades. A bit pathetic in some parts, though, but interesting.
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Post by Διμι on Apr 27, 2010 18:08:46 GMT -5
I wanted to, but this convinced me otherwise.
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Post by Karcentric on Apr 28, 2010 4:56:13 GMT -5
Great... I've ordered that and now I'm expecting chimps in sassy red dresses.
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Post by Διμι on Apr 28, 2010 18:25:06 GMT -5
I liked a lot of the Strugatskys' other works though, like Monday Begins on Saturday, Hard to be a God, and Escape Attempt.
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Post by blackpapermoon on Apr 28, 2010 19:02:47 GMT -5
I've read roadside picnic, I liked it.
Yeah it's not Strelok's memoirs, but still a good read. Its hard to explain because their is nothing to compare to it but it is extremely character driven.
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Post by stormbringer951 on May 24, 2010 4:04:08 GMT -5
The Black Company - Glen Cook A High Fantasy, Black and Grey morality story.
The basic background is taken from Lord of the Rings, you have the Big Bad, The Lady ("Sauron") and her sorcerers, The Ten Who Were Taken ("Ringwraiths"). They are being fought by the Circle of Eighteen, a group of other powerful magicians who think that they are powerful enough to defeat the Lady. So far so trite? The plot follows The Black Company, a group of mercs in the service of the Lady. A day in the life of the orc band, so to speak.
The plot is good, and I mean good. I think that the author was ex-military and everything feels grounded in reality. The soldiers have long periods of boredom, relieved by playing cards, punctuated by short moments of utter terror. The story is narrated in first person by Croaker, the Annalist of the Black Company. Note: most of the characters aren't referred to by name, the Black Company are conceptually similar to the Foreign Legion (the way the Foreign Legion are referred to in fiction, anyhow) in that they are mostly criminals who sign up under false names. And sorcerers can have their powers removed by speaking their real names. Almost everyone has meaningful names: e.g. Croaker - Annalist and Medic Mercy - the Company's most sadistic platoon sergeant. Soulcatcher, The Limper, Shapeshifter, The Howler [...] - Various Taken. Soulcatcher catches souls, the Limper limps... you get the picture.
Inverts the traditional role in that La Resistance are almost as bad as the Taken, as lampshaded by Croaker. Invokes a lot of traditional themes of fantasy (e.g. the Chosen One) and mercilessly mocks the hell out of them. However, it's not comedic or light hearted, at least not more than it should be. Basically: it's awesome.
Reportedly very popular with soldiers in the first Gulf War. Apocryphally, one veteran told the author that they spent more time fighting each other over the copy of the book than with the Iraqi Army.
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Post by Karcentric on May 25, 2010 4:27:49 GMT -5
The chimp reference makes a lot more sense now... I'm about half way through not a bad book so far.
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Post by stormbringer951 on May 25, 2010 11:35:56 GMT -5
I liked a lot of the Strugatskys' other works though, like Monday Begins on Saturday, Hard to be a God, and Escape Attempt. Hard to be a God is good. I've got a translated English .pdf if anyone wants to read it. PM me.
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Post by Karcentric on Mar 1, 2011 9:50:41 GMT -5
Karc is reading The Chrysalids by John Wyndham. He thinks it's a good book and would recommend it.
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Post by Lysander on May 29, 2011 17:42:42 GMT -5
I've Just finished reading the secret speach, a thriller set in soviet russia. Also just finished reading a collection of short stories i found on the GSC game world website.
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Post by Karcentric on May 30, 2011 4:14:52 GMT -5
I'm reading 1984, Winston Smith reminds me of Bosol.
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Post by Lysander on May 30, 2011 14:38:57 GMT -5
Has anyone ever read the book metro 2033, on which the game is based on, i'm about half way through and it's epic.
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Post by Zeno, Lord Camelith on May 31, 2011 1:31:21 GMT -5
I'm reading the first book in the Camulod Chronicles, "The Skystone".
The books give historical backing to the Arthurian legend and are very interesting.
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Post by Karcentric on May 31, 2011 10:55:14 GMT -5
Has anyone ever read the book metro 2033, on which the game is based on, i'm about half way through and it's epic. If your interested in being involved with a Metro 2033 RP Basil has one if your interested.
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Post by Διμι on May 31, 2011 23:16:36 GMT -5
I'm reading the first book in the Camulod Chronicles, "The Skystone". The books give historical backing to the Arthurian legend and are very interesting. More like Camelith Chronicles, amirite?
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