MetaChat - Quick, I have my finger on the "proceed to checkout" button

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27 December 2006

Quick, I have my finger on the "proceed to checkout" button at Amazon (UK)! I got a gift certificate for Christmas, and I'm getting a pile of books (list inside)... Anything else you think I can't live without? →[More:]

Drawing recommendations from gaspode's last "what are you reading" post, plus an earlier post by me asking for big (fat) books:

We Need to Talk About Kevin
Little, Big
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay
The Endymion Omnibus: "Endymion", "The Rise of Endymion"
The Hyperion Omnibus: "Hyperion", "The Fall of Hyperion"
The Gormenghast Trilogy
The Discovery of Heaven
The Earthsea Quartet

I'd also kind of like something along the lines of "His Dark Materials"... Does anyone know about "The Dark is Rising Sequence" by Susan Cooper? The reviews sound like it may fit the bill...

Also, I haven't read any Michael Moorcock, so thinking about getting The History of Runestaff OR The Dancers at the End of Time OR The Cornelius Quartet. Which should I choose?

Anything else you'd like to recommend? (or "disrecommend"? Mistakes on my list?)

post by: taz at: 07:34 | 12 comments

You surely can live without the Endymion omnibus. Compared to "Hyperion", it's just...crap.

posted by Daniel Charms 27 December | 08:01

Thanks Daniel! That opens a slot for something more deserving, then, which is great.

posted by taz 27 December | 08:06

If you're into sci-fi, then how about Mark Z. Danielewski's "House of Leaves"? I haven't read it myself (only thumbed it a bit), but the sci-fi fans/researchers (*warning* *beep* *warning*) I went to a seminar with were quite fascinated with it.

posted by Daniel Charms 27 December | 08:13

Yep, read that one. I liked it in many ways, but am not such a big fan as others are. I felt the gimmicks (mostly) detracted from the story itself, which I really, really didn't want to be diverted from. I can remember becoming quite exasperated shuffling through page after page of ee cummings-esque scribblings, desperately longing to get back on track with the actual tale. However, it's a book I should revisit in a year or two, and see if my impatience with it has quietened.

posted by taz 27 December | 08:21

I don't much like Hyperion OR Endymion, myself. Have you read Iain M. Banks? I love him. And right now I'm on an Elizabeth Hand kick - I think you'd like her very much. I just finished Mortal Love, but so far everything I've read of hers has been awesome.

posted by mygothlaundry 27 December | 09:07

Thanks, mgl - I've added "The Algebraist" by Banks. Elizabeth Hand seems very interesting, but she's mostly unavailable via Amazon UK, evidently. (except for Star Wars stuff -??-, I only found one available, and one that seems to be available if you pay an extra "sourcing fee".) I see that she wrote "Twelve Monkeys" though, which I didn't know... and which makes me want to read her.

posted by taz 27 December | 09:46

Is it too late?

The Dark is Rising sequence was one one of the works that got me into reading fantastical stuff back when I was a young'un. I re-read it recently and it holds up well. Loved it.

posted by gaspode 27 December | 10:03

Added! Thanks, 'podie!

posted by taz 27 December | 10:13

The Bartimaeus Trilogy! It's like Harry Potter might be if JK Rowland were a real author.

posted by agropyron 27 December | 10:43

Added, as well, agro! Thank you.

posted by taz 27 December | 11:08

Okay, I've ordered! Thanks for all the input, guys.

posted by taz 27 December | 11:20

I was going to suggest Banks (especially "The Wasp Factory") myself but got caught up in work stuff.

*files agro's link under "I want this"*

posted by Daniel Charms 27 December | 12:39

← eponysterical and yummy || It has been mentioned that we need to organise another London meet-up. →

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