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@Ned - I read Lord of The Flies at 12 or 13 too closely followed by Kes, then Animal Farm

Originally posted by Saruman:
<STRONG>You managed to struggle through Thomas Covenant books at the tender age of 18 and your still alive. Geez those books are so depressing I thought about ending it all before I managed to finish Lord Foul's Bane. </STRONG>

Originally posted by Yshania:
<STRONG>@Saruman - lol! It always made me smile how he had to fall unconscious at the start of each book in order for the story to progress

I was about 23 When I started reading those books - 25 when I finished </STRONG>

I believe it took me about this long as well. Some years ago, I was at a flea market and found the whole collection (In hardback cover) for only $20.00.

@Weasel - a bit of a bargain if you ask me It may have taken me almost ten years to brave the series again - but hard backs tend to stand the test of time. Awkward to read in bed though....

My collection is a battered set of dog-eared paperbacks...

Originally posted by Ivan Cavallazzi:
<STRONG>First phrase of Metamorfosis:
"When in some morning Gregor Samsa wake up from his peacefull dreams, and found himself metamorfosed into a monstruous insect". Kafka</STRONG>

The opening line in Metamorphosis is really setting the story off It also adds to the absurdity that it's so factually stated, like there was no big deal he has turned into a giant beetle

Anything by Tolken.

Originally posted by Darkpoet:
<STRONG>Anything by Tolken. </STRONG>

Really? I like'd Lord of the Rings book 1 and 2, just starting in 3 so no opinion yet.

I must admit that book 2 wasn't super really, a bit boring, but I think this book is building up to book 3 (like BG1 build for BG2).

Weird books: Oh I read some weird stuff in modern literature major, for sure. As far as mind-bending stuff goes I would have to vote for Philip K. ****, another thread mentioned Italo Calvino and Jorge Luis Borges - Borges definitely likes the mind-benders. I personally thought "money" by Martin Amis was a pretty good mind-blower, also Brett Easton Ellis stuff. In the classic vein I personally find Dostoevsky, especially "The Idiot" and "The Devils" to be pretty mind bending just because of the writer having been insane. Thomas Mann's "Dr. Faustus" is a good read. Nabokov is good but everyone's read that. I think some historical non-fiction is mind-blowing, like I remember we read some tract on witchcraft from the 16th century, that was definitely trippy. There's some good authors in San Francisco but i can't remember their names OTTOMH, One author who people talk about as being trippy is Kathy Acker, I remember what I read of hers was pretty trippy, but i don't know if she's hip anymore.

I once read a strange book called "Little Big" - I can't remember the author. Healthy dose of magical realism. I liked it.

Originally posted by THE JAKER:
<STRONG>Brett Easton Ellis stuff</STRONG>

I wondered when someone would mention him Not surprised it is you jaker

Originally posted by Yshania:
<STRONG>I was about 23 When I started reading those books - 25 when I finished </STRONG>

huh... i didny have a moments sleep between starting and finishing those books... you just have to love Tomas Covenant for being a leadcharacter who is less then perfect. overpowering the heroes is a very common fault in fantasy novels...

Some tales in the Arabian Nights. It's a good fun, though.

Ok, gotta comment on the Tolkien part. Although the Silmarilion gets my vote as the most mind numbing book to date, its also the most interesting and in dept. They're a fantastic read if you have the tollerance to tough out the first 100 pages or so, and it only gets better in the unfinished tales.

the lord of the rings books are in no way boring if you read them not as 3 books (well 12 really) but as one large book. then its great, the two towers is just the lull in the storm. the return of the king is fast moving, involved and action packed. the characters in all of his books are excelent and each have their own personality, unlike a lot of other books i've read where everyone's a carbon copy of eachother (later books in the tekwar series anyone?).

But honorable noteriety for me in the catagory must go to the shannara books. brings new meaning to banging your head against the wall. the first book was all i needed to read, and every other book in the series i picked up was a carbon copy of the original layout with new names put in. the characters were all identical and the only enjoyment i got out of them was his descriptive qualities. he paints a good picture, just to bad its always of the same mountain.

(referring to Bret Easton Ellis)

Originally posted by Mr Sleep:
<STRONG>I wondered when someone would mention him Not surprised it is you jaker </STRONG>

Uh-oh, did I out myself too much? I do really like his books though, his whole style always cracks me up. I notice they just finished shooting a movie version of "The Rules of Attraction".

Mr. Sleep I keep mentioning Martin Amis, but no-one ever chimes in. Have you ever read him? If you haven't I would really recommend "London Fields".

I want to add a couple of Chinese fiction novels, both written in the 16th century. (One of which is the original of the Monkey Magic story.) I don't know what they are called/translated in English.

I read The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant The Unbeliever when I was fifteen, which was one year ago. I finished the series, both the first one and the second one. Those books are sooooooooo depressing. It was a pain to read the inner struggle that Covenant had to go through. Also the guilt in the book was too much for me. Somehow everyone is feeling guilty, Covenant in particular. I'd have to wait about another three years before I go back and read it again.

As far as Slaughter House Five is concerned, I thought the book was great although I am a little confused about the constant switching from future, past, and present.

Originally posted by Celegorm:
Although the Silmarilion gets my vote as the most mind numbing book to date

Really? Every time I read it I felt riveted and thrilled. The first 100 pages may seem slow for the casual reader. I love reading creation myths because they give me insight to what the author's idea about how our world was created. I love reading Silmarillion and then LoTR because I know and understand every allusion the characters in LOTR is talking about.

Originally posted by THE JAKER:
<STRONG>(referring to Bret Easton Ellis)

Uh-oh, did I out myself too much? I do really like his books though, his whole style always cracks me up. I notice they just finished shooting a movie version of "The Rules of Attraction".

Mr. Sleep I keep mentioning Martin Amis, but no-one ever chimes in. Have you ever read him? If you haven't I would really recommend "London Fields".</STRONG>

No probs, i was just waiting for somebody to say it

Martin Amis, what genre is he?

He's written some science fiction, but his books "money", "success", "london fields" and I know there was at least one more, are basically what you would call "fiction" I might liken it a bit to Philip Roth, but better. It is very funny, plots and observations about modern life, sexual politics, desire, the movies, professional darts. Hard to explain, but very entertaining reading. Not trashy, he is sort of an intellectual, but not dull either. A lot of great characters. He is british but lives in the states now. His father is also a novelist "Kinsley Amis", but I haven't read him.

I see, i might check it out

Did you ever read any of Iain M Banks' work?

Originally posted by Minerva:
<STRONG>Some tales in the Arabian Nights. It's a good fun, though. </STRONG>

I like some of the tales a lot, too

The weirdest book would probably be either "Ubik" or "Galactic pot healer" by Philip K D*ck. Some of HP Lovecraft's stuff would probably qualify, but I can't remember any titles.

The first cronicle of Donaldson's Covenant-series were dreary but acceptable with some interesting twists. The second cronicle felt like Donaldson had sold it to the publisher as a trilogy even though he only had material enough for a novel... I mean, that trip to the Tree and back, that was just land-( or should I say book-)fill material. I liked his Gap series though.