I thought this book was gonna be cheesy. Turned out to be really good.
Synopsis: Takes place in the distant future. Humans have begun terraforming other planets. On one such planet, a virus that speeds up the process of evolution has been released as an experiment to speed up the evolution of some apes that are to be released, only this doesn't happen and instead infects the invertebrates on the planet. Many thousands of years later humanity has destroyed earth and the last of them are traveling on an ark ship looking for a place to rebuild, the only place left being the aforementioned planet now inhabited by a bunch of sentient spiders with their own civilization.
Much praise to the author for taking a plot that sounds like a shitty home-grown SiFi channel movie and turning it into an extremely well written novel that doesn't follow the predictable plot you'd expect given the synopsis above.
The book follows two paths - the gradual progression of the arachnid society, and the gradual regression of humanity rotting aboard a spaceship until the two meet.
Anyone read The Conquest of New Spain by Bernal Diaz Del Castillo?
It may be the most difficult word salad that I have ever read. Mostly it's just the repetitive sentences, even chapter titles run 20 to sometimes more than 30 words and are repeated again in the 1st paragraph of the chapter.
Still, it's an insane time in our history, as told by someone who was actually there.
He left Spain at 18 and by 1518 had been on 3 expeditions to S.A. and Mexico before he hooked up with Cortez in 1518 for his march from the coast to the center of Motecusuma's (his spelling) capital, now Mexico City.
We have all studied this discovery/conquest/genocide/exploration/exploitation dating back to elementary school, but I never heard it like this, not from someone who was there when 600 men fought and mostly defeated tens of thousands - he claims several hundred thousand during the course of the march and conquest of Mexico.
I'm surprised that this thread hasn't been more popular these past few weeks. Strange that my reading for pleasure has cut back. I guess some of us have had too much reading for survival.
Trump: “We had the safest border in the history of our country - or at least recorded history. I guess maybe a thousand years ago it was even better.”
Yeah, Cortez and his boys were like Slim Pickens related to us in "Blazing Saddles" when he spoke of "whompin" and stompin' ever livin thing in sight" but Cortez took all the gold and destroyed their world on top of the whompin' and stompin'. Sounds like a good book; a true story.
Yeah, Cortez and his boys were like Slim Pickens related to us in "Blazing Saddles" when he spoke of "whompin" and stompin' ever livin thing in sight" but Cortez took all the gold and destroyed their world on top of the whompin' and stompin'. Sounds like a good book; a true story.
They are now deep in the middle of Mexico City with only narrow causeways, through a hundred thousand man army, for escape with all the gold.
Trump: “We had the safest border in the history of our country - or at least recorded history. I guess maybe a thousand years ago it was even better.”
I'm sure that it's interesting, but is it readable? Presently I'm in a bit of a need for well written books - if I ever finish the invasion of Mexico book.
Trump: “We had the safest border in the history of our country - or at least recorded history. I guess maybe a thousand years ago it was even better.”
I'm sure that it's interesting, but is it readable? Presently I'm in a bit of a need for well written books - if I ever finish the invasion of Mexico book.
No, but the excerpts that were frequently read into the miniseries were excellent. Then, as your link says, the "masterpiece" was wildly successful. So, it must have had mass appeal.
A clown with a flamethrower still has a flamethrower.
-- Charlie Sykes on MSNBC
1312. ETTD.
I'm sure that it's interesting, but is it readable? Presently I'm in a bit of a need for well written books - if I ever finish the invasion of Mexico book.
No, but the excerpts that were frequently read into the miniseries were excellent. Then, as your link says, the "masterpiece" was wildly successful. So, it must have had mass appeal.
I may try it, but, barring a first hand recommendation, it may be awhile before I chance it. "Wildly successful" could have a lot to do with his fame as Gereral and President and the creative marketing strategy of having vets go door to door.
His were interesting times. There's no doubt that it would be an interesting read.
Trump: “We had the safest border in the history of our country - or at least recorded history. I guess maybe a thousand years ago it was even better.”
You guys are way too intellectual for me. I tend to sit in the sun playing an audio book, maybe something in the category of John Sandford, Michael Connolly, etc. and the occasional James Lee Burke or Grisham. I go to the library, check out books on CD, download them to my laptop to build a pretty large library. Then I load to my phone and listen or sometimes play as we drive along. When I've finished one, I delete it from the laptop, keeping the collection fresh. Yeah, I know, I could download directly from the online library, but those have a limited life unless you re-copy them again.
You guys are way too intellectual for me. I tend to sit in the sun playing an audio book, maybe something in the category of John Sandford, Michael Connolly, etc. and the occasional James Lee Burke or Grisham. I go to the library, check out books on CD, download them to my laptop to build a pretty large library. Then I load to my phone and listen or sometimes play as we drive along. When I've finished one, I delete it from the laptop, keeping the collection fresh. Yeah, I know, I could download directly from the online library, but those have a limited life unless you re-copy them again.
I read all kinds. I couldn't read the tough ones without balancing easy reads. I just started Christopher Moores new book.
Chances are I'll read 4 or 5 other books before I finish slogging through "The Conquest of New Spain by Bernal Diaz Del Castillo".
Trump: “We had the safest border in the history of our country - or at least recorded history. I guess maybe a thousand years ago it was even better.”
Been on a post-apocalyptic fiction kick. Currently reading "The Death of Grass". Some others that I've read that are really good are "On the Beach", "The Earth Abides", and "The Dog Stars" (really good).
I am going to soon be immersed in "Dick and Jane Take a Trip" as soon as I finish "Spot Takes a Shit in the Neighbor's Driveway." Both of these could be considered anti intellectual but I prefer to consider them light reading.
Been on a post-apocalyptic fiction kick. Currently reading "The Death of Grass". Some others that I've read that are really good are "On the Beach", "The Earth Abides", and "The Dog Stars" (really good).
Have you read The Road? Much better than the movie.
It's by Cormac McCarthy, which reminds me, did you read his books about western NC?
Trump: “We had the safest border in the history of our country - or at least recorded history. I guess maybe a thousand years ago it was even better.”
Been on a post-apocalyptic fiction kick. Currently reading "The Death of Grass". Some others that I've read that are really good are "On the Beach", "The Earth Abides", and "The Dog Stars" (really good).
Have you read The Road? Much better than the movie.
It's by Cormac McCarthy, which reminds me, did you read his books about western NC?
I haven't read the road yet. I've seen the movie, though. Cormac McCarthy is a really good writer. The only other books of his I've read is Blood Meridian , All the Pretty Horses, and The Crossing.
Been on a post-apocalyptic fiction kick. Currently reading "The Death of Grass". Some others that I've read that are really good are "On the Beach", "The Earth Abides", and "The Dog Stars" (really good).
Have you read The Road? Much better than the movie.
It's by Cormac McCarthy, which reminds me, did you read his books about western NC?
I haven't read the road yet. I've seen the movie, though. Cormac McCarthy is a really good writer. The only other books of his I've read is Blood Meridian , All the Pretty Horses, and The Crossing.
Got any suggestions?
The Orchard Keeper (1965)
Outer Dark (1968)
Child of God (1973)
All 3 are short novels and are set in the NC area
Suttree (1979) was different from his other stuff and a little hard to read, but well worth the effort.
Been on a post-apocalyptic fiction kick. Currently reading "The Death of Grass". Some others that I've read that are really good are "On the Beach", "The Earth Abides", and "The Dog Stars" (really good).
Have you read The Road? Much better than the movie.
It's by Cormac McCarthy, which reminds me, did you read his books about western NC?
I haven't read the road yet. I've seen the movie, though. Cormac McCarthy is a really good writer. The only other books of his I've read is Blood Meridian , All the Pretty Horses, and The Crossing.
Got any suggestions?
The Orchard Keeper (1965)
Outer Dark (1968)
Child of God (1973)
All 3 are short novels and are set in the NC area
Suttree (1979) was different from his other stuff and a little hard to read, but well worth the effort.
Been on a post-apocalyptic fiction kick. Currently reading "The Death of Grass". Some others that I've read that are really good are "On the Beach", "The Earth Abides", and "The Dog Stars" (really good).
Have you read The Road? Much better than the movie.
It's by Cormac McCarthy, which reminds me, did you read his books about western NC?
I haven't read the road yet. I've seen the movie, though. Cormac McCarthy is a really good writer. The only other books of his I've read is Blood Meridian , All the Pretty Horses, and The Crossing.
Got any suggestions?
The Orchard Keeper (1965)
Outer Dark (1968)
Child of God (1973)
All 3 are short novels and are set in the NC area
Suttree (1979) was different from his other stuff and a little hard to read, but well worth the effort.
Nice I'll check them out. I started Suttree a while back but got hung up on the writing.
Suttree was hard to read. Very different than his other work.
At about 1/3 of the way in, it became my "bathroom book" and probably another 6 months to finish.
Trump: “We had the safest border in the history of our country - or at least recorded history. I guess maybe a thousand years ago it was even better.”
Have you read The Road? Much better than the movie.
It's by Cormac McCarthy, which reminds me, did you read his books about western NC?
I haven't read the road yet. I've seen the movie, though. Cormac McCarthy is a really good writer. The only other books of his I've read is Blood Meridian , All the Pretty Horses, and The Crossing.
Got any suggestions?
The Orchard Keeper (1965)
Outer Dark (1968)
Child of God (1973)
All 3 are short novels and are set in the NC area
Suttree (1979) was different from his other stuff and a little hard to read, but well worth the effort.
Nice I'll check them out. I started Suttree a while back but got hung up on the writing.
Suttree was hard to read. Very different than his other work.
At about 1/3 of the way in, it became my "bathroom book" and probably another 6 months to finish.
I didn't get far at all. I liked the story/setting a lot, and really really wanted to get through it but couldn't. I'll save it for another time. Which one of the other three that you suggested do you think I should start with?
I haven't read the road yet. I've seen the movie, though. Cormac McCarthy is a really good writer. The only other books of his I've read is Blood Meridian , All the Pretty Horses, and The Crossing.
Got any suggestions?
The Orchard Keeper (1965)
Outer Dark (1968)
Child of God (1973)
All 3 are short novels and are set in the NC area
Suttree (1979) was different from his other stuff and a little hard to read, but well worth the effort.
Nice I'll check them out. I started Suttree a while back but got hung up on the writing.
Suttree was hard to read. Very different than his other work.
At about 1/3 of the way in, it became my "bathroom book" and probably another 6 months to finish.
I didn't get far at all. I liked the story/setting a lot, and really really wanted to get through it but couldn't. I'll save it for another time. Which one of the other three that you suggested do you think I should start with?
hard to say, it's been a while since I read them. All 3 are good.
Trump: “We had the safest border in the history of our country - or at least recorded history. I guess maybe a thousand years ago it was even better.”
