- Hyperion (I've read this twice--absolutely brilliant. One of my favorite SF books of all time. I consider it an essential SF read.)
- Fall of Hyperion
- Endymion
- Rise of Endymion
Spook Country by William Gibson
Crooked Little Vein by Warren Ellis
Lots of books by Roger Zelazny, the author who more than any other opened my mind to wonder and mad brilliant ideas.
10 comments:
This blog seems to me to be written in a foreign language.... :(
Anyway, hello!
Yes, well, so far it's mostly about my role playing stuff and other hobbies. But hello and welcome!
I'm reading Crooked Little Vein in Borders right now. Every Monday, while Phyl's at choir, I go there and read through a few chapters.
So far it's funny, touching, obscene, and surreal. But *not* essential Ellis. You could easily go to Borders and finish over the weekend.
I'm wondering if there will *be* any more essential Ellis stuff written. Could he be in the same boat as Moore, Ennis, and a host of other writers? Perhaps he's written his magnum opus already and everything else, while good and entertaining--and I can't ask for much more than that, really--won't be as *great* as Transmet?
Oh, I'd absolutely agree with that.
Granted, his situation is nowhere near as sad as Ennis's is, and his post Transmet work *will* be more entertaining than anything Ennis has put out since Preacher, but yeah, he's produced his Great Work, and everything after that will inevitably fall short.
Ellis now seems to be hung up on the same seven Ideas (technology, body modification, underground cultures, etc) and is basically throwing them into the grinder again and again to come up with new stories.
Not necessarily a bad thing, mind you, as he at least has something to SAY (ahem...ENNIS...) and can create a great story around it, but after a short while you feel like you've read it ALL before, y'know?
Your mention of Hyperion (and I know you've mentioned it a few times now) got me to sit down with it in Borders last night and read/glance through.
Would I be correct in saying this is patterned on Canterbury Tales? It looked like each pilgrim had their own story.
Do you think Hyperion is one to own, or just one to read?
You are absolutely correct in making the connection between Hyperion and The Canterbury Tales.
As far as "must-own" or not, my response is, while I think it's an essential read, you will need to consult your bank account and your wife to determine if it's essential to own.
HA!
well said.
My library, unfortunately, does not own a copy of it, but they DO own the Gentleman Bastard books, so I'm going to stop there after work today and pick them up!
The fact that your library doesn't have it surprises me. However, you should be able to get it easily enough through Interlibrary Loan. Ask your librarian about it--it's a wonderful service, and you're paying the taxes that support it, so you might as well get some use out of it.
I, of course, made sure our library owns all the best Fantasy, Horror, and SF. I can do no less and still call myself a man.
Took a little digging through the website, (it was VERY discreetly tucked away...) but I found the link to the interlibrary loan!
Currently stuck for a *book* to read....I'm thinking I'm overdosing on comics right now lol.
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