I've loved some of the answers here this week,
particularly that bloke with clock made from a Russian countdown timer thingy.

my biggest weakness is books. I love them. new ones, old ones, well worn ones, pristine ones...especially the smell of a brand new book before anyone's read it. I dont care. theres something satisfyingly physical about reading the words on the page thats lacking on any kind of screen, whether it be e-ink or lcd. I've always loved sci fi, and I've got a pair of the '2001' hardbacks that Waterstones commissioned for the same year and then had Arthur C. Clarke sign by hand - one is still in the shrinkwrap and I have no plans to remove it. same with a signed copy of 'Neuromancer'. they contrast nicely with my secondhand copies of 'The Day Of The Triffids' and 'The Kraken Wakes' in the old style orange and white Penguin covers from the fifties (30p and 50p respectively from secondhand bookshops, iirc.) I've bought loads from Amazon recently - I'm worried I'm getting addicted.

which is not to say there is no place for ebooks - I have a folder full of them on my laptop for when I'm at work and things are slow...but they just arent as nice.

as for the poster (I forget who) who said he'd prefer to watch old videos over a new dvd or blu ray - no, I dont get that. the difference in picture and sound quality is like night and day - why would you want to watch a cacky, wobbly picture with the sound dropping out? if it's a genuine improvement (and I did need a bit of convincing with blu ray, it has to be said) then I've got no problem with it. I've just got the Alien br set - I've been obsessed with that film since I first saw it as a kid - and it's like watching a different film. why would I want to go back to a blurry, dull video of it, even for the sake of nostalgia? (and if it's a film I like, I'll watch the extras and listen to the commentaries - you couldnt do that with video.)

and for everyone who says they miss cassette walkmen - why? no more having to lug around extra tapes, spare batteries, (relatively) bad sound quality, chewed up tapes... I've got 70-80 albums and a couple of films (films!! that would have been considered witchcraft in the eighties!) on an mp3 player that only needs recharging once or twice a week, in a package half the size of a cassette box. I know which one I'll keep.

I've still got the PS1 connected to the flatscreen HD tellybox mind - there still hasnt been anything on any console IMHO that gets close to Wipeout 2 and 3 foir a sheer rush, and I still fire up WinUAE for Deuteros and F-19 from time to time - I dont think either of those have ever been improved on fundamentally.

but... the best mobile I've had in terms of sheer ease of use is still the first one I had - a Motorola Graphite from 1997. completely bombproof, perfectly laid out and intuitive menus (are you listening nokia!) and, to borrow a phrase beloved of mactards, 'just worked'. so maybe it didnt have gps, a web browser, a camera, email, mp3 player et al, but on the other hand it made calls when I wanted, had a proper ringtone (are you listening again nokia!), a decent battery life and didnt just shit itself and decide it needed five minutes to reboot itself at random intevals throughout the week. However, I couldnt read the QOTW on it on the way to work either. meh.
(tjn whizzing on the electric fence of life, Sun 7 Nov 2010, 21:51, 27 replies)

Here's a test to see if you're a book lover or not.
I bought my wife a new hardback for her birthday. She opened the package, gave me a kiss, and then put it down on the bedside table... AND PUT HER COFFEE MUG ON IT.
( Amish Information Systems hates misplaced, commas, Sun 7 Nov 2010, 22:19, closed)

ok
what **did** you do with the body then??
(tjn whizzing on the electric fence of life, Sun 7 Nov 2010, 22:22, closed)

pah, books are meant to be read
I rarely buy new books, particularly hardbacks

I've been known to get a brand new book and crack the spine because it makes it easier to read.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 8 Nov 2010, 11:19, closed)

Books are civilization
To be disrespectful of a book is to be disrespectful of all that separates us from the animals.
( Amish Information Systems hates misplaced, commas, Mon 8 Nov 2010, 11:42, closed)

I respect the content
revering the vessel is foolish.

I can't bear to be parted from any of my books, but that's because of what is in them.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 8 Nov 2010, 11:54, closed)

But the only way to preserve the content
is to preserve the vessel.
( Amish Information Systems hates misplaced, commas, Mon 8 Nov 2010, 16:05, closed)

I would be more careful if I had the last remaining copy of something, or a rare one
but a book can take a hell of a beating without becoming unreadable, so one that is new or nearly new doesn't need to be treated with kid gloves.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 8 Nov 2010, 16:25, closed)

this.
besides, I dont think it's any different from looking after a record or a cd. friend of mine just used to leave his vinyl lying around all over the place out of it's sleeve, then wondered why all his records were scratched to buggery and sounded shit. duh.
(tjn whizzing on the electric fence of life, Mon 8 Nov 2010, 19:59, closed)

Are you a factual or fiction man, or both?
Reading a good book at the moment called the Desert Spear (Part of the painted man series). Read the first one in two days on holiday -

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Painted_Man

Worth a read if you're a fantasy fan!
(bROKEN aRROW PUA HVI Master, Mon 8 Nov 2010, 14:19, closed)

before reading this
I will need to have your opinion on several other authors

describe the works of these people in one word each:
David Eddings
Robin Hobb
Terry Goodkind
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 8 Nov 2010, 15:27, closed)

Are they worth looking at??
Don't think Peter V Brett is held in the same regard as these guys maybe??? Anyway here it goes in a word -

American

Joking aside, I am not a hardcare fantasy fan just read the popular stuff like, Raymond E Feist (Rift war saga) etc...and happening to be reading another fantasy book at the moment, can't compare it to the works of the authors you mentioned because I have not read their books...would be intested in reading some of their stuff....If it's worth it??? They seem to write stuff that may be much more epic than the painted man.
(bROKEN aRROW PUA HVI Master, Mon 8 Nov 2010, 16:06, closed)

David Eddings is very popular
but I have come to realise that most of his stuff is shit.

Robin Hobb is great, well worth reading.

Terry Goodkind is a tricky one. I really like his Sword of Truth series, but that's mainly because the first 5 books are ace. The rest of the 13/14 drag on a bit. They're all massive on their own frankly, so it's probably one for the hardcore fantasy reader.

The popular stuff is usually the good stuff with fantasy to be honest.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 8 Nov 2010, 16:23, closed)

Robin Hobb eh Vipros?
I'll check her out (think it's a lady from my earlier research). Should be interesting as some male fantasy writers call in women to help with character development as they find it hard to write from a females perspective. Nearly finished the painted man books and he isn't releasing the 3rd one in the series for another two years!! He's already sold the film rights to that shit director that produced the first/two resident evil films.

Think I'll check her out on Amazon. From what I can tell The painted man will be a bit lightweight for your tastes and definately not epic enough. Cheers for the tip though. which series do you reccomend as an intro?


The Realm of the Elderlings
The Tawny Man Trilogy
The Rain Wild Chronicles
Soldier Son Trilogy
(bROKEN aRROW PUA HVI Master, Mon 8 Nov 2010, 16:37, closed)

she is indeed a ladywoman
Soldier Son is a bit weird to start out with, I don't know the first one, and the other two are sequel trilogies.

I'd go with The Liveship Traders trilogy, or the Farseer trilogy if you can find them.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Mon 8 Nov 2010, 16:57, closed)

Farseer Trilogy
ftw....

Also, check out David Gemmel. My all-time favourite book is "Legend"

Cheers
( Legless Mister Stabby - shanks for the memory, Tue 9 Nov 2010, 4:48, closed)

I've been meaning to read that for a while

( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 9 Nov 2010, 9:06, closed)

Checked out the Farseer trilogy (amazon £6)
It does look good, I like the assasain element to it, not much magic but I am sure this is developed a bit more within the trilogy. Had a quick look at Legend (amazon £5) as well. I feel there may be more scope for epic battles in this will check out both, as suspected Hobb is famed for her character development rather than epic battles etc....Cheers for the tips!
(bROKEN aRROW PUA HVI Master, Tue 9 Nov 2010, 10:39, closed)

that is the case
if you want magic and violence then the Terry Goodkind stuff is for you
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Tue 9 Nov 2010, 11:25, closed)

Since I last posted
I have been reading a whole bunch of reviews, the Farseer trilogy just sounds too good not to take a chance on it. Magic and violence is always a selling point for me but feeling empathy and knowing the characters is what keeps me going, will check out Goodkind as well, can't beat a magician going mental, thats why I loved Raymonds E Feist's Magician so much.
(bROKEN aRROW PUA HVI Master, Tue 9 Nov 2010, 11:43, closed)

Hobb's stuff really is very good
hope you enjoy it :-)
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 10 Nov 2010, 15:24, closed)

Farseer trilogy it is then
Cheers!

Edit - Are you guys also Sci-Fi fans? Again i'm not hardcore but love things like, China Melville's Perdido street station......So basically stuff that's very original that hasn't really been done before.
(bROKEN aRROW PUA HVI Master, Tue 9 Nov 2010, 10:40, closed)

yeah, fucking love sci fi
I prefer the more modern stuff, so Iain M Banks' Culture novels (Player of Games and Excession in particular) and Alastair Reynolds' stuff (try Revelation Space)

I've had a lot of good recommendations from using b3ta. If you want more visit b3ta.com/offtopic and just ask.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 10 Nov 2010, 15:26, closed)

i think iain m banks
Has a command of the english language even beyond william gibsons.
Look To Windward leaves me a quivering jelly every time I read it - utterly heartbreaking but at the same time beautiful as well.
(tjn whizzing on the electric fence of life, Wed 10 Nov 2010, 16:52, closed)

I agree
and I also love Look to Windward and for some reason always forget about it.
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 10 Nov 2010, 17:02, closed)

One word....
Eddings - pedestrian. The belgariad's a great read because it obeys all the rules. Unfortunately he uses up all his good ideas so there is no point going further.
Hobb - challenging. She breaks a lot of the rules that Eddings doesn't, there are few moral absolutes in her work. Excellent reading because they keep you guessing, even if they can frustrate due to a lack of 'happy ever after'.
Goodkind - GHASTLY. Don't even bother. The early stuff is quite obviously a second rate plagiarism of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time, and after that it devolves into an almost completely unreadable defence of objectivist philosophy. No amount of tortured English (believe me, he tries so hardit's embarrassing) can make that hysterical hooey sound reasonable. This series of books is just dreadful. Read the WOT, even if the original author did die before finishing it, and I admit books 6-10 are a little slow, it's infinitely better than anything in the Sword of Truth.

Cheers
I-M
(infinite_monkey, Tue 9 Nov 2010, 14:50, closed)

Thank IM
Hobbs definately stuck out as an author that has made a lot of people very happy, with the odd impatient person not liking her works.
(bROKEN aRROW PUA HVI Master, Wed 10 Nov 2010, 14:12, closed)

good review
I'm revisiting the Sword of Truth stuff at the moment, and the first few books aren't actually all that bad, as I go on I am getting more into the terrible philosophising.

The trouble is, they made a tv series, and I am infatuated with the woman in it...
( Vipros. clever got me this far, then tricky got me in, Wed 10 Nov 2010, 15:24, closed)