|
What authors do you enjoy?
|
|
| Jamie_the_Hutt | Date: Thursday, 25 April 13, 2:17 PM | Message # 1 |
 Major general
Group: Users
Messages: 295
Status: Offline
| What is everyone's favourite book/author? Be interesting to see what genres we all read.
I'm a big fan of Terry Pratchett, Iain (M.) Banks, Bernard Cornwell fiction wise. C.S. Lewis I enjoy at times I can get past the Christian allegory.
Non-fiction, Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Ian Stewart, Jack Cohen, Christopher Hitchens, David Brion Davis and Roy Porter.
What about you guys?
I don't like Timothy Zahn, I had to buy his books when I played Gavrisom so I understood the context. I went for audio format thinking it'd be a good way to be able to do it on the move. Turns out Star Wars can't just have an audio book, it feels the need to have awful starship noises in the background. Now don't get me wrong on this, I enjoy audio dramatizations of books (a la BBC) or audio books which have a full cast reading them (if they're a good cast) Philip Pulman's "His Dark Materials" has an excellent audio book series that way, but it didn't feel the need to put in sound effects.
Rantette over.
Jamulon Desilijic Tiure
known as "Jamie the Hutt"
_____________________
Bey of the Cygnus Star Empire
Nephew to Jabba the Hutt
Associate Member of the Hutt Cartel
|
| |
|
|
| Alyn_Stark | Date: Saturday, 27 April 13, 8:59 PM | Message # 2 |
 Colonel
Group: Users
Messages: 194
Status: Offline
| Stephen King has always been a favorite of mine, but primarily the books of and pertaining to his Dark Tower series. I like Robert Jordan (tad long-winded though); Simon R. Green with his Ancient Histories series, George R. R. Martin and of course, Terry Goodkind. To name a few.
Alyn Stark
Lord of House Stark
Governor of Kinyov Province
Owner, Stark Unified Defense (presumed)
Owner, Lorrd Engineering (presumed)
|
| |
|
|
| Jace_Varitek | Date: Saturday, 27 April 13, 10:45 PM | Message # 3 |
 Major general
Group: Administrators
Messages: 332
Status: Offline
| I don't think it's fair to judge Timothy Zahn's writing on the basis of the audio versions of his books having sound effects in them. The sound effects undoubtedly detract from the work, but it isn't Zahn's fault, surely. I do think that Timothy Zahn (I can speak only for his Star Wars books) can be criticized for over-reliance on certain storytelling devices. For instance, having a well-meaning, but rather clueless subordinate always in the company of Thrawn both to explain plot points to the reader and also to make Thrawn look smarter than he is. He can also be fairly accused, especially in the Hand of Thrawn duology, of writing hundreds of pages of basically filler. Luke and Mara Jade spelunking for almost 100 pages comes to mind. And does the reader really need to know this:
Quote (Blockade of Sif'kric) The Frezhlix and the Sif'kries had opposed each other since the Galactic Empire withdrew from the sector they shared. When the Frezhlix introduced a resolution in their sector assembly opposing the Bothans, the Sif'kries opposed it, this preventing their common senator from supporting the anti-Bothan Drashtine Initiative in the New Republic Senate. The Frezhlix responded by blockading the Sif'krie homeworld of Sif'kric, cutting them off from outside communications and threatening to destroy up to 20% of their economy, based on pommwomm export.
No, we don't.
Despite this, and his far too self-indulgent fixation on his own characters, Zahn is surely better than any other Star Wars writer. He can be relied upon not to push the Force on us beyond any of the rather simple Force powers we see in the original trilogy, his protagonists are often immersed in events that are far larger than they are, and fundamentally, his plots are logical and fairly compelling and don't rely on gimmicks like superweapons or resurrected Sith Lords. His most recent Star Wars work, set in the trilogy era, is certainly some of his best.
Jace Varitek
|
| |
|
|
| Karth·DeQora | Date: Sunday, 28 April 13, 10:57 AM | Message # 4 |
 Private
Group: Users
Messages: 16
Status: Offline
| For me it's honestly a case of having several favorite writers for every genre. Considering I predominantly read science fiction and fantasy (yes, yes, your standard geek genre) and those two have a plethora of excellent authors, it's hard to narrow down. I suppose Ray Bradbury, George Orwell, Zahn as far as Star Wars goes.. Tolkien, if only for the depth and richness of the world he created. While I think George R.R. Martin is overrated ("ASOIAF is so grimdark, therefore it's amazing writing") I do enjoy his writing style.
Favorite all time, though? Hemingway. Just love his style.
Karth De'Qora, Jedi Knight.
"It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end." ~Ernest Hemingway
Message edited by Karth·DeQora - Sunday, 28 April 13, 11:32 AM |
| |
|
|
