Stratovarius Community

Posted: **Tue Aug 25, 2009 1:19 pm**

I didn't really find a similar topic, that's why I just thought I might open one, since I always find it quite interesting to hear about books other people read/like/recommend.
So whoever wishes to share his opinion about a book or an author he really likes or dislikes for whatever reason, is perfectly right in this thread.

I’ve just started reading “Norwegian Wood” by Haruki Murakami and from what I’ve read so far, it really seems to be very well written, but I’ll post a final statement the next few days.

Posted: **Tue Aug 25, 2009 1:28 pm**

Recently finished The Last Temptation by Nikos Katzantzakis. Fantastic book.

I have a copy of The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins as well that I'm sitting on, so to speak, until I get a bunch of other material read for my academic purposes.

Posted: **Tue Aug 25, 2009 1:41 pm**

I am doing a reread of A Game of Thrones, and also reading GODS AND LEGIONS by Michael Curtis Ford, a book about the Roman Empire.

Posted: **Tue Aug 25, 2009 2:11 pm**

A Storm Of Swords by George R.R. Martin, re-reading it.

There are several books I've started to read and lost interest somewhere in the middle, I'll probably return to them later.

Posted: **Tue Aug 25, 2009 3:31 pm**

Been reading William Gibson's cyberpunk stuff lately. Not as amazing as some say, but worth the time. He peppers his prose with loads of interesting ideas and topics on the expense of the whole. Maybe it's just me, but some of his works are bit unfocused.

Currently reading 1968: The Year That Rocked the World by Mark Kurlansky.

Posted: **Tue Aug 25, 2009 4:43 pm**

Itäveri by Ilkka Remes.
a Great finnish author he is.
I think everyone should get familiar with his stuff.

Posted: **Tue Aug 25, 2009 6:13 pm**

Started reading Cosa Nostra: A History of the Sicilian Mafia by John Dickie.

Posted: **Tue Aug 25, 2009 6:28 pm**

Jarkko Sipilä's Likainen kaupunki.

At the moment I read the Finnish detective stories. During the summer, I read throughout Seppo Jokinen's production.

I like Leena Lehtolainen's production. In her books there is a smart female police Maria Kallio. She likes progressive rock music and drinking whiskey.

Posted: **Tue Aug 25, 2009 6:51 pm**

mayhem-for-all wrote:Itäveri by Ilkka Remes.
a Great finnish author he is.
I think everyone should get familiar with his stuff.

What kind of stuff does he write? Are his books translated into English?

Posted: **Wed Aug 26, 2009 2:55 pm**

NeonVomit wrote:
mayhem-for-all wrote:Itäveri by Ilkka Remes.
a Great finnish author he is.
I think everyone should get familiar with his stuff.
What kind of stuff does he write? Are his books translated into English?

That would be interesting for those in here that don't master the Finnish language

Shurik wrote:There are several books I've started to read and lost interest somewhere in the middle, I'll probably return to them later.

Oh yeah, that happens to me quite often, too, and I hate it. I always feel compelled to finish a book I've started and I'm usually unsatisfied with myself if I dont, but reading a book you find boring till the very end really sucks...

Posted: **Wed Aug 26, 2009 3:24 pm**

Oh yeah, that happens to me quite often, too, and I hate it. I always feel compelled to finish a book I've started and I'm usually unsatisfied with myself if I dont, but reading a book you find boring till the very end really sucks...

I hate when it happens too, but on the other hand, I find it hard to make myself read something I don't like (even if it's scientific books or articles I need to read). One of those books is Dan Simmons' Olympos, a second part of the story started in Ilium. It just got too fucking weird even for my taste ... Another is Carl Sagan's Contact, one of the very few instances were the movie is definitely better than the book.

I also have Tom Holland's Millennium (a book about Europe between 8th and 11th centuries) waiting for me to finish the re-read of A Song Of Ice And Fire.

Posted: **Wed Aug 26, 2009 4:04 pm**

NeonVomit wrote:
mayhem-for-all wrote:Itäveri by Ilkka Remes.
a Great finnish author he is.
I think everyone should get familiar with his stuff.
What kind of stuff does he write? Are his books translated into English?

Unfortunately only in german and only some of them.
They are highly international yet several main characters are usually Finnish.
There is english wikipedia page of him.
Go check that for more info.

Posted: **Fri Sep 11, 2009 6:19 pm**

mayhem-for-all wrote:
NeonVomit wrote:
mayhem-for-all wrote:Itäveri by Ilkka Remes.
a Great finnish author he is.
I think everyone should get familiar with his stuff.
What kind of stuff does he write? Are his books translated into English?
Unfortunately only in german and only some of them.
They are highly international yet several main characters are usually Finnish.
There is english wikipedia page of him.
Go check that for more info.

Sounds indeed interesting, though the German wiki page is a bit more detailed than the english one. It's mostly crime stories and thrillers he's writing, right? To me it sounded a bit like the books by Dan Brown, but I could be wrong though

Well, I said I would post a final statement about "Norwegian Wood". I have to say I really liked it, also the way the end still leaves a few questions on the different characters unanswered. I also liked the way he describes and constructs the story, mindset and problems of each character. Highly recommended book, couldn't stop reading!

Posted: **Sat Sep 12, 2009 3:34 am**

Currently reading a Political History book about Mexico that covers from 1940 to 1996, pretty damn interesting.

Posted: **Sat Sep 12, 2009 7:35 am**

sanichi wrote:
mayhem-for-all wrote:
NeonVomit wrote:
mayhem-for-all wrote:Itäveri by Ilkka Remes.
a Great finnish author he is.
I think everyone should get familiar with his stuff.
What kind of stuff does he write? Are his books translated into English?
Unfortunately only in german and only some of them.
They are highly international yet several main characters are usually Finnish.
There is english wikipedia page of him.
Go check that for more info.

Sounds indeed interesting, though the German wiki page is a bit more detailed than the english one. It's mostly crime stories and thrillers he's writing, right? To me it sounded a bit like the books by Dan Brown, but I could be wrong though

Well, I said I would post a final statement about "Norwegian Wood". I have to say I really liked it, also the way the end still leaves a few questions on the different characters unanswered. I also liked the way he describes and constructs the story, mindset and problems of each character. Highly recommended book, couldn't stop reading!

Yes a bit like Dan Brown.
Yet I prefer Remes for his works well..
the Start is not always exitng but the last few hundred pages you can't let go of the book at any time.
He has some amazing books like 6/12, Nimessä ja Veressä and Pääkallokehrääjä.

Posted: **Sat Sep 12, 2009 9:14 am**

Babylon wrote:Currently reading a Political History book about Mexico that covers from 1940 to 1996, pretty damn interesting.

And oh, so depressing...

Finished Fast Food Nation a week ago, awesome if a bit gruesome book, really gets you thinking.

Reading Unberable lightness of being, not too sure if that is the correct translation to english, by Milan Kundera, fucking awesome existential book, really reminds me of Julio Cortázar.

Posted: **Sat Sep 12, 2009 11:18 am**

stratoplayer wrote:

Finished Fast Food Nation a week ago, awesome if a bit gruesome book, really gets you thinking.

Reading Unberable lightness of being, not too sure if that is the correct translation to english, by Milan Kundera, fucking awesome existential book, really reminds me of Julio Cortázar.

There's even a movie adaptation of it with Juliette Binoche and Lena Olin, though I haven't seen it. Julio Cortázar has basicly written short stories, right? I'm not really familiar with his stuff but my dad keeps telling me I should.

Babylon wrote: Currently reading a Political History book about Mexico that covers from 1940 to 1996, pretty damn interesting.

Wow, respect...I never manage to keep interest in a history book for more than ten pages. I'm currently reading one about French Polynesia for a paper French, it's pretty much of a torture for me, though their history is essentially not that uninteresting

.

Posted: **Sat Sep 12, 2009 11:24 am**

stratoplayer wrote:

Finished Fast Food Nation a week ago, awesome if a bit gruesome book, really gets you thinking.

Reading Unberable lightness of being, not too sure if that is the correct translation to english, by Milan Kundera, fucking awesome existential book, really reminds me of Julio Cortázar.

There's even a movie adaptation of it with Juliette Binoche and Lena Olin, though I haven't seen it. Julio Cortázar has basicly written short stories, right? I'm not really familiar with his stuff but my dad keeps telling me I should.

Babylon wrote: Currently reading a Political History book about Mexico that covers from 1940 to 1996, pretty damn interesting.

Wow, respect...I never manage to keep interest in a history book for more than ten pages. I'm currently reading one about French Polynesia for a paper in French, it's pretty much of a torture for me, though their history is essentially not that uninteresting

.

Posted: **Sat Sep 12, 2009 9:44 pm**

stratoplayer wrote: And oh, so depressing...

Yea, tho I'm not @ 1994 yet, I think I'm gonna cry when I get to that part

sanichi wrote: Wow, respect...I never manage to keep interest in a history book for more than ten pages. I'm currently reading one about French Polynesia for a paper French, it's pretty much of a torture for me, though their history is essentially not that uninteresting .

Yea I just love pretty much anything History, but it also depends on the way it is written. Has to be more than just text book facts and dates only.

Posted: **Sun Sep 13, 2009 2:23 am**

sanichi wrote: There's even a movie adaptation of it with Juliette Binoche and Lena Olin, though I haven't seen it. Julio Cortázar has basicly written short stories, right? I'm not really familiar with his stuff but my dad keeps telling me I should.

Mostly short stories, though his novel Rayuela (Hopscotch in english) is my favorite book ever. He really is a master and playing with you and if you were to compare him to another art form it would be like improvisational jazz groups, superb!

Babylon, lo peor en realidad es el siglo XIX, 1850-1890 no hay más que vergüenzas, 35 presidentes en 5 años es una broma...

Posted: **Sun Sep 13, 2009 11:14 am**

stratoplayer wrote:
sanichi wrote: There's even a movie adaptation of it with Juliette Binoche and Lena Olin, though I haven't seen it. Julio Cortázar has basicly written short stories, right? I'm not really familiar with his stuff but my dad keeps telling me I should.
Mostly short stories, though his novel Rayuela (Hopscotch in english) is my favorite book ever. He really is a master and playing with you and if you were to compare him to another art form it would be like improvisational jazz groups, superb!

Hm, that sounds really promising indeed. Seems like I'm gonna read this one next, anyway, thanks for the advice!

Posted: **Sun Sep 13, 2009 1:26 pm**

I am currently reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Posted: **Tue Nov 17, 2009 10:00 pm**

I've already finished Thomas Kyd's The Spanish Tragedy, it is such a work of art.
I am currently reading Meyer's New Moon and Christopher Marlowe's Edward II.

Posted: **Tue Nov 17, 2009 10:04 pm**

Currently reading the Criminal Law book for my course.

I miss reading for my own pleasure

Posted: **Tue Nov 17, 2009 11:04 pm**

NeonVomit wrote:
I miss reading for my own pleasure

If I had to read all those boring things about economy etc I would never finish any, but I don't really mind reading all those books and plays I am told to read. I love reading literature but I always try to find 10 minutes every day to read what I want for pleasure.

Posted: **Wed Nov 18, 2009 12:53 am**

Loads of books for a course on 20th century history.

Eric J. Hobsbawm's shelf-breaker Age of Extremes is good and fairly accessible. Recommended.

Posted: **Wed Nov 18, 2009 1:06 am**

Lurdi wrote:
NeonVomit wrote:
I miss reading for my own pleasure
If I had to read all those boring things about economy etc I would never finish any, but I don't really mind reading all those books and plays I am told to read. I love reading literature but I always try to find 10 minutes every day to read what I want for pleasure.

I mean, it's pretty interesting stuff that I read, I really do enjoy my studies... I just miss reading just for the sake of enjoying it rather than having to stop and take notes all the time.

I should probably do something like that as well, probably would be better than bumming around on the internet posting my idiotic ramblings on an internet forum

Posted: **Wed Nov 18, 2009 1:52 am**

PHANTOM by Terry Goodkind. The 11th book in the Sword of Truth series.

Posted: **Wed Nov 18, 2009 2:32 am**

does the Financial Times count? What about the New York Times? The Washington Post? Phallustine weekly?

Posted: **Wed Nov 18, 2009 11:22 am**

NeonVomit wrote:Currently reading the Criminal Law book for my course.

I miss reading for my own pleasure

I can tell....
I gotta read "Effi Briest" by Fontane for my litterature course atm, and hate, really hate it, the way it's written, everything about it. I usually didn't mind reading books for litterature, but it just seems like Fontane is not my thing at all...I still have about 200 pages to go, nice...

NEA wrote: does the Financial Times count? What about the New York Times? The Washington Post? Phallustine weekly?

sure, as long as it's not the Sun

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