What are you reading right now?

[Nick]

As of right now... I'm reading Lord of The Rings. Only on page 324; chapter VI though, and I borrowed the dang thing from my mom about a year or two ago to read.

I really need to take a day off from the computer and just flop on my bed and try to get through a few chapters. Then my friend will get mad at me because I won't respond to her emails for a whole day unless my will to read breaks and I get on.

[Mania]

The only problem I had with Feast for Crows is that it's only half the book I was wanting.

And Vephriel, it's good -- but it's not Thomas Covenant good.

In my own reading news, I finished book 3 of the series I mentioned and started on book 4 this evening. I believe #4 is the last one that's been published so far, but there's another in the same world coming out in a week. In the meantime, there's always more vampire porn to read ...

[Karathyriel]

More recently I tried to read the Simarillion, but couldn't get very far in that one either.

When I tried that, I kept checking the cover to make sure I didn't grab the wrong book and was reading the bible!
Geez, that was one hell of a boring piece of literature. I could literally feel my beard grow while reading.

I threw it away after one-third of it bored my pants off me...

I am quite cemented in my opinion that the Song of Ice and Fire novels are probably the greatest Fantasy books every written.

That is nothing but the absolute truth!

[Sonata]

Books I'm currently reading is Annie Rice "Interview with the Vampire" almost halfway done.

I need to finish Lord of the Rings at some point, still at the beginning..I'm not even at Rivendell yet. But I'll read that in the weekends at some point, I can't carry it with me to school anyway.

[Karathyriel]

Are Vephriel and me the onyl people enjoying and rereading LotR?!?

Veph, we're strange people... We both have read LotR more than 10 times!

[Vephriel]

Are Vephriel and me the onyl people enjoying and rereading LotR?!?

Veph, we're strange people... We both have read LotR more than 10 times!

*high fives for geekdom*

[Saturo]

I've read LOTR twice, The Hobbit once, and the Silmarillon twice.

Can I join your geekclub?

[Kalasha]

I must have read Lord of the Rings 10 times, easy, brought the damn book on every vacation I ever took and I am a fast reader. I m kinda done with it now, I know it all too well

Oh and Mania, I do love the books of the Unbeliever, but I have to say I like Fire and Ice a bit better. Both are bloody good reads, but somehow i find the end confrontations between the heroes and Lord Foul in Donaldson's work somewhat anti-climactic.

Covenant gets major points for attitude ("Hellfire!") but all in all he isnt very inspiring, a bit of a miser. Gief more Morahm and Foamfollower, at least they took some joy in their adventures. sadly those two are no more...

Fire and Ice gives you so many perspectives, some good people, some bad people, some downright deranged ^^ But all of them are believeable, you understand why they do what they do, even if you don't like them very much. Also the fantasy aspect isnt too over the top, very few people posses any magic skills in Westeros and beyond, and most of what they do is trickery and deception, with enough exeptions to keep you guessing. That's good stuff!

[Mania]

Kalasha, I know what you are saying about the Unbeliever, and on a strictly narrative level I might have to agree with your assessment. But I've never read another book that understood guilt and redemption so clearly ... and communicated it so well.

Keep in mind, however, that I have bipolar disorder. Your mileage may vary. *grin*

[Karathyriel]

I've read LOTR twice,

Only twice? Hmmm... What do you think, Veph?

The Hobbit once,

And that is about enough in my opinion.

and the Silmarillon twice.

Now this8/u] makes you kind of creepy...

Can I join your geekclub?

Let's see what Vephriel is saying about this...

Fire and Ice gives you so many perspectives, some good people, some bad people, some downright deranged ^^

What I so love about the characters is the way they seem to change and that you start trying not to be to attached to one of them as they seem to die just to easily.
My favorites are Jayme and his brother Tyrion, who have made such a change so far. I literally cheered for Tyrion when he dealt with his dad.

[Mania]

But I've never read another book that understood guilt and redemption so clearly ... and communicated it so well.

And just to quote myself, and further weird everyone out, the closest I have seen to this is in the short stories by Ayn Rand. (Betcha didn't even know she wrote short stories, did ya?)

[Vephriel]

Well, I suppose she can join our Geek club. ;D

Ah, SoIaF has the most wonderful and complex characters I've read about in any novels. It's so hard to choose favourites, but for me it would probably have to be Dani and Jaime. Jaime especially...his character evolves so much over the course of the novels. At first I didn't like him at all, but he definitely grew on me as his developed. Daenerys and the dragons are usually my favourite chapters to read about as well. I'm such a dragon lover. ^^

[Kalasha]

As far as th Ice and Fire characters go, I do like the humour of the two Lannister brothers Jaime and Tyrion a lot.

And another character i would LOVE te read more about, espescially from his perspective, is Sandor Clegane, The Hound. His bitter humour and total disregard for the virtues of knighthood are such a stark contrast to all the long-winded 'true' Knights (who more often then not, are anything BUT defenders of the people). Sandor is a cruel and vicious fighter, but he doesnt enjoy hurting helpless people and it seems obvious he has a soft spot for the 'underdog'.

Sandor was considered by the author for a new POV character, but last I heard Martin went with Melissandre instead. Still, this means we most likely will see the Hound's return in the coming books, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed

[Karathyriel]

As for the Hound, I totally agree.
Its been a while that I've read the books but as far I remember, he feigned his death and is with the monks on that island, right?
It will take a while to make him come back, I guess. Martin will give us time to forget about him. I'm not even sure he'll be back.

But I'd sure would liked him better than that knight of onions or others.

[Kalasha]

Tbh Kara, Davos the Onion Knight was another character I really liked. Sure he wasnt very funny, or very brave or very strong. Not a great man in the least, but all the same I enjoyed his view of the would-be messiah Stannis. Especially because Davos is such a regular Joe.

He admires the man so much, and it's tearing him up inside that Stannis seems to be losing his way. He wants to believe Stannis knows what he's doing but it seems that Davos is one of the few people in Stannis' inner circle that sees Melissandre for what she really is.

He's the typical example of a man behind the throne, that nobody will write about in the history books.

[Karathyriel]

I didn't say Ser Davos was not good or his passages were boring. I just said that I like the hounds character more. Davos was just an example.

[Azzrazzah]

I have Read and reread Tolkien, I still have my first set of them.. (I'm 50)
I have done the same for Thomas covanant; much darker and deeper than Tolkien.
Curently rereading... Micheal Moorcock's Elric saga for my Fantasy leanings.. Again for about the 8th or 9th time..
And Clive Barker for my Horror

[Karathyriel]

Oh yeah... I so loved Elric and Corum!

[Sochi]

I have been through The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy a few times. After I proved myself to my grandmother, a major reader herself, with the entire scope of the Narnia books, I was given the Hobbit then after that, the trilogy. I was grade school young (sixth grade, maybe fifth) but I was voracious.

I've branched out since then, widened my fantasy horizons. Lately I have been re-reading a few old favorites (Sword of Shannara, anyone?) and am now enjoying Dennis L. McKiernan again. Tad Williams I may pick up again, but there are I need to get to a book store. I would love a few of Farland's books, what he started has be hooked. There's also got to be the latest Kim Harrison in paperback, as well as maybe J.V. Jones' newest, though that title escapes me. Anyone else every picked up one of Jones'? I recommend The Barbed Coil as it stands alone and is a good read in my opinion.

[Vephriel]

Ooh Tad Williams. Tailchaser's Song was my favourite book in Grade 5. I later discovered Watership Down and enjoyed it due to their similarities. I'm just a big fan of those epic fantasy novels that involve long journeys and rich plots.