Horror, Fantasy, and other non-sci-fi genres...

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Originally Posted by Winston*

I don't. What do you mean?

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Describing his books sounds very much like you are describing something by Gaiman. He uses high concepts to tell stories in dark fantasy worlds that often co-exist with our "normal" world. That certain ethereal tone Miéville captures is reminiscent of Gaiman's "Sandman" and high fantasy works like "American Gods" and "Neverwhere".

However, Miéville is a much more accomplished writer, with a more distinct style of prose and feels to, generally, be a more capable storyteller.

Not that I am a Gaiman-basher, I just think he's a little over-hyped. He has some really intense fans.

I think Miéville may appeal to those who are interested in a Gaiman-esque narrative and view of fantasy fiction, but with a more unique style.

The Mieville "Bas-Lag" books I'm reading don't intersect with our world though. Based on these, I'd compare him more to a serious Terry Pratchett.

From what I know, Mieville has more in common with the new weird, while Gaiman is mostly urban-fantasy. Mieville is more like Cisco, Vandermeer, and authors like these. Actually, he was one of the founding authors of the new weird. Gaiman's stories usually take place in our world, and he twists familiar things to make them fantastic, where as authors like Mieville tend to create completely foreign, alien, and weird lansdscapes and settings which feel entirely unfamiliar.

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Originally Posted by D_Davis

From what I know, Mieville has more in common with the new weird, while Gaiman is mostly urban-fantasy. Mieville is more like Cisco, Vandermeer, and authors like these. Actually, he was one of the founding authors of the new weird. Gaiman's stories usually take place in our world, and he twists familiar things to make them fantastic, where as authors like Mieville tend to create completely foreign, alien, and weird lansdscapes and settings which feel entirely unfamiliar.

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This hasn't been my experience with Miéville at all.

The few things I've read by him have taken place in our world, where there is an "underworld" of magic and cults.

Which is why I see a large connection to Gaiman.

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This book consists of ideas, images, & quotations hastily jotted down for possible future use in weird fiction. Very few are actually developed plots--for the most part they are merely suggestions or random impressions designed to set the memory or imagination working. Their sources are various--dreams, things read, casual incidents, idle conceptions, & so on.

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Bruce Sterling publishes a list of Lovecraft's undeveloped story ideas:

http://www.wired.com/beyond_the_beyo...monplace-book/

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Originally Posted by Marley

For those who have read Game of Thrones, when does it actually get good? ... I really hope Martin has a few tricks up his sleeve and the narrative improves.

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The narrative never improves and Martin doesn't use tricks.

Nonetheless I loved the four books madly and just re-read them recently, awaiting the fifth, which should be in my house next week *does a happy dance*

Meanwhile I'm reading the third Shadowmarch-book (T. Williams). Not recommended.

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Originally Posted by Irish

Bruce Sterling publishes a list of Lovecraft's undeveloped story ideas:

http://www.wired.com/beyond_the_beyo...monplace-book/

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that's pretty cool. Lot's of ideas there.

I read the past couple pages, which has me excited to read Robert E. Howard. Right now, I'm working through a Clark Ashton Smith collection called The Maker of Gargoyles. Like most, I was drawn to him via the Lovecraft connection, but Lovecraft's stories were dominantly about curious scientists and artists who confronted beings of cosmic size and indifference (or miscegenated horrors). The short story "The Maker of Gargoyles" is much more about carnal temptation, and I was shocked and delighted by how far it went

An excerpt (with potential spoilers):

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Show Spoiler

He would have said, if asked for the reason of his satisfaction, that he was proud of a skilful piece of handiwork. He would not have said, and perhaps would not even have known, that in one of the gargoyles he had imprisoned all his festering rancor, all his answering spleen and hatred toward the people of Vyones, who had always hated him; and had set the image of this rancor to peer venomously down for ever from a lofty place.

]

It felt to me like the story would've been a perfect fit for Corman during his Poe streak; I imagined the story as Gothic and technicolor and gloriously over-the-top. Cast Peter Lorre as the sculptor, invent a corrupt priest role for Vincent Price. Argh, what could've been.

The other stories I've read are solid but less impressive. In descending order. "The Abominations of Yondo" is an imaginative weird fantasy. "The Nameless Offspring" is an effective Machen/Lovecraft ode to miscegenation. "Thirteen Phantasms" and "The Resurrection of the Rattlesnake" are unexceptional-but-respectable horror stories.

DaMU, you should definitely, and I mean definitely read The Merkabah Rider saga. You will absolutely love it. Even after all of the weird fiction I've read, I gotta say, it's my favorite. It combines the mythos with Jewish and Hebrew folklore all in a weird western setting with crazy monsters and great action.

As far as Klarkash-Ton ;) goes, I like him....in small doses. He was an absolutely amazing writer. Probably the best prose stylist of the pulp authors. I really like the atmosphere he creates, but sometimes I just don't care for the stories. Know what I mean?

Have you read A. Merritt? I just got into him this year. Another pulp author that predates Lovecraft. His story "The People of the Pit" is a masterpiece. It must have been a huge influence on Lovecraft. It is amazing.

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Originally Posted by Dead & Messed Up

It felt to me like the story would've been a perfect fit for Corman during his Poe streak; I imagined the story as Gothic and technicolor and gloriously over-the-top. Cast Peter Lorre as the sculptor, invent a corrupt priest role for Vincent Price. Argh, what could've been.

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I agree. It actually blows my mind how few of the great pulp/weird tales have been adapted to the screen (small or large). They're so cinematic, and full of adventure!

That recent Solomon Kane film was pretty awesome.

And speaking of that bad-ass Puritan, "The Moon of Skulls" is awesome. So freaking good.

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Originally Posted by D_Davis

DaMU, you should definitely, and I mean definitely read The Merkabah Rider saga. You will absolutely love it. Even after all of the weird fiction I've read, I gotta say, it's my favorite. It combines the mythos with Jewish and Hebrew folklore all in a weird western setting with crazy monsters and great action.

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I'll keep an eye out for it next time I'm at Dark Delicacies. Sounds very fun.

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As far as Klarkash-Ton ;) goes, I like him....in small doses. He was an absolutely amazing writer. Probably the best prose stylist of the pulp authors. I really like the atmosphere he creates, but sometimes I just don't care for the stories. Know what I mean?

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Oh sure. He's painting well, but his subjects aren't always colorful enough for me. As I said, the "Rattlesnake" and "Thirteen Ghosts" stories were bland.

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Have you read A. Merritt? I just got into him this year. Another pulp author that predates Lovecraft. His story "The People of the Pit" is a masterpiece. It must have been a huge influence on Lovecraft. It is amazing.

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Haven't read him. Another author to add to my never-ending list.

I want this.

http://www.cthulhulives.org/store/images/boxheader.gif

The Right Hand of Doom & Other Tales of Solomon Kane, by Robert E. Howard

Solomon Kane is a great and entertaining character, and Howard paints him with broad strokes. Even though we know next to nothing about the character's past, or his life specifically, by reading these tales we learn a great deal about the man and his ideals through his actions. Kane is blessed and cursed with the determination of a fanatic; he rights the wrongs he perceives and will stop at nothing to see his mission complete. While Howard doesn't necessarily pass judgement on Kane's Puritan rage, he doesn't let him off the hook either.

The best story in this collection is "The Moon of Skulls." It must have been one of the influences on Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, and it even contains the overt racism and fear of the other as Spielberg's film does. However, it also contains a death-defying adventure into the heart of an ancient city fraught with peril, black magic, and a discovery that harkens back to the days of Atlantis.

Not enough can be said about Howard's ability to write concise and exciting action sequences. They are never too long, easy to follow, cinematic and exciting.

While I haven't yet read a lot of Howard's fiction, I definitely plan on reading more in the future. Although I imagine that reading too many Howard stories in a row could become tiresome. But a tale here and there will be awesome.

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Originally Posted by kuehnepips

The narrative never improves and Martin doesn't use tricks.

Nonetheless I loved the four books madly and just re-read them recently, awaiting the fifth, which should be in my house next week *does a happy dance*

Meanwhile I'm reading the third Shadowmarch-book (T. Williams). Not recommended.

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I recently finished "A Clash of Kings" and enjoyed it a hell of a lot more than "Game of Thrones" although upon further reflection, the latter has considerably grown on me now that I have a more thorough understanding of the seven kingdoms along with the major players. Martin's prose can be uneven at times but he's a wonderful story-teller and I have grown to love many of the characters. I'll probably take a little break now before reading "A Storm of Swords" to mix up my reading material a bit.

Duly noted on the T. Williams books. I tried reading "Dragonbone's Chair" a long time ago but could not force myself to finish it.

Reading is on hold until the move is complete.

Packed up all my shelves of books and comics.

It was kind of sickening to see how many boxes of books I have. They filled the entire trailer.

That's why I've been living in the same house since 1991.

Even if the audio sucks, it was still worth the $25.

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Really looking forward to reading this:

http://photo.goodreads.com/books/127...2l/8077093.jpg

Sounds awesome. Turns out, I've seen a film - The Seven Faces of Dr. Lao - based on one of the author's books - The Circus of Dr. Lao. I think I'm going to like this author a great deal. This particular book is a collection of weird westerns, written in the 1950s, all set in the fictitious city of Manacle, Arizona.

I got this book in a lot of vintage Pyramid books I purchased off of eBay; it looks like there are some really cool discoveries to be made here. I got 25 vintage paperbacks for only $50, and I've already discovered that a few of them sell for $5-15 a piece, so not bad.

"A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies. The man who never reads lives only one."

On page 473 of A Dance with Dragons

I re-read World War Z during my vacation and it wasn't as good as I remember it. I don't know how this is going to translate into a movie.

Also read this:

http://assets.notebookforums.com/1/1...SH20_OU01_.jpg

It's short and it's a doctor's perspective on Zombie biology and a fictional little tale of some scientists trying to find a "cure".


I'm 300 pages deep into this:

http://assets.notebookforums.com/4/4...SH20_OU01_.jpg

The most interesting insight into the US space race, spy race, arms race and R&D at Area-51. This is nonfiction and Im hooked.

I read Some of Your Blood the other day, Davis. It was really good. Are all of Theodore Sturgeon's works southern gothicised takes on familiar genre tropes?

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Originally Posted by Winston*

I read Some of Your Blood the other day, Davis. It was really good. Are all of Theodore Sturgeon's works southern gothicised takes on familiar genre tropes?

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Glad you liked it - it's really good. But no, not all of his stuff is in that style, but it all has a very humanistic and empathetic style.

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Originally Posted by D_Davis

Glad you liked it - it's really good. But no, not all of his stuff is in that style, but it all has a very humanistic and empathetic style.

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The first part of More than Human has the same Faulkneriness. What else would you recommend?

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Originally Posted by Winston*

The first part of More than Human has the same Faulkneriness. What else would you recommend?

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My favorite novel of his is The Cosmic Rape, aka To Marry Medusa. That and Some of Your Blood. I've read about 1/4 of his short stories - mainly his very early ones - and liked a lot of them. I need to read many, many more though. I have the entire 13 volume set.

Oh, and I also like Godbody, his last novel.

I finally got my hands on a copy of Carrie by Stephen King. I'm looking forward to reading the first book he ever wrote.