|
|
Post by blueshift on Aug 6, 2017 23:29:44 GMT
{Spoiler}Well it is a Bendis book. They do have a tendency to meander and go nowhere. Yeah, I only twigged it was Bendis halfway through and literally sighed. I used to love him!! |
|
|
|
Post by The Doctor on Aug 7, 2017 9:28:54 GMT
You have a point re: cost and accessibility for comics. Digital is great but the pricing of that market is silly and consigned to specific comics sites. Single issues and trades (US) are ridiculously expensive. Try telling a civilian how much a trade paperback is (the name itself is confusing) that will take half an hour to read actually costs and then you'll see why new readers don't come in. Heck, look at how much screaming online there was about Hachette Transformers books being "too expensive" at £10 (cheaper than most comic shop trades).
I am a dyed-in-the-wool comics fan and I went back to UK newsstand reprints as they are a lot cheaper. I also use the library to read trades. I also went back to reading 2000AD regularly as it is both cheaper and has more reading in it than a standard US single issue comic. I rarely buy a US single issue: too expensive.
The market itself doesn't help. I think it's mad that comics are never promoted by ads in the cinema before the latest Marvel/DC/Other company film. You can't expect an audience to buy a product if you never tell them it exists.
-Ralph
|
|
|
|
Post by Philip Ayres on Nov 18, 2017 15:01:39 GMT
I enjoyed Richard Marsden's two previous Doctor Who books, the JNT and Verity Lambert biographies, so even though it's outside my area of interest I've bought his Blue Peter diaries which concern his time working for the show. Should be an interesting read!
|
|
|
|
Post by The Doctor on Dec 24, 2017 22:38:43 GMT
For some reason as I was walking about a science-fiction story I studied for Standard Grade English called 'The Ruum' and which I haven't thought of since suddenly popped into my head. The Internet tells me a book currently in print includes it so order placed.
I have not a clue why a story I last read over 20 years ago suddenly came into my head but I am hoping my mind is trying to tell me something.
-Ralph
|
|
|
|
Post by Pinwig on Dec 24, 2017 23:57:14 GMT
I hope your essay was called, 'Ruminations on The Ruum'.
|
|
|
|
Post by Philip Ayres on Dec 24, 2017 23:59:07 GMT
Hands up who else read that first word as Ruinations?
|
|
|
|
Post by The Doctor on Dec 25, 2017 0:11:35 GMT
I hope your essay was called, 'Ruminations on The Ruum'. It's too long ago to remember! -Ralph |
|
|
|
Post by Andy Turnbull on Dec 25, 2017 19:21:34 GMT
It should have just been called "Ruuminations".
Andy
|
|
|
|
Post by The Doctor on Dec 25, 2017 19:46:24 GMT
Sigh.
-Ralph
|
|
|
|
Post by Andy Turnbull on Dec 25, 2017 22:29:49 GMT
You would have made the same pun.
Do not judge me.
Andy
|
|
|
|
Post by The Doctor on Dec 26, 2017 8:46:05 GMT
There is no Ruum for more than one top punster in here.
-Ralph
|
|
|
|
Post by Andy Turnbull on Dec 26, 2017 22:49:07 GMT
Is that not puunster?
Andy
|
|
|
|
Post by The Doctor on Jan 2, 2018 8:06:09 GMT
It shall be read in a ruum with a view.
-Ralph
|
|
|
|
Post by The Doctor on Feb 25, 2018 10:08:02 GMT
Currently 'Hard Times' by (What the) Dickens. Have to read as part of OU course. Had been looking forward to it.
It's awful. Absolutely dreadful. Everyone has the same voice. It's hard to tell what is going on in scenes as characters seem to float in and out without it being clear. There is barely a story in there and very little plot. Writing style is like Dickens discovered Tumblr 150 years earlier.
The highly pretentious essay by this edition's editor also did not help.
I've enjoyed other Dickens' books but this is tripe. A crappy tie-in to the obscure TV show Class that I read prior to it was a better read.
200 pages to go. Ugh.
-Ralph
|
|
|
|
Post by Pinwig on Feb 25, 2018 10:09:32 GMT
Stay on target!
This morning I have been reading mock SATs test papers. Ugh.
|
|
|
|
Post by Grand Moff Muffin on Feb 25, 2018 10:33:38 GMT
Hard Times is the one book our school gave up trying to teach the class (aged 13-14) because we were so unanimous in our dislike of it.
Martin
|
|
|
|
Post by The Doctor on Feb 26, 2018 10:30:05 GMT
Every hack writer has one gem in them. Every great writer has one turd in them. 'Hard Times' is Dicken's turd.
About 100 pages to go. Nothing is happening!!! Such a turgid mess of a novel.
-Ralph
|
|
|
|
Post by Fortmax2020 on Feb 26, 2018 14:36:44 GMT
Mrs M and I are on holiday near Hay-on-Wye - the town of books apparently. There are 25 bookshops in this tiny town (and at least two fudge shops). Thus far today we have browsed through four. Must up the pace before the snow arrives later in the week.
|
|
|
|
Post by Shockprowl on Feb 26, 2018 21:14:35 GMT
Did you see any chess books?
|
|
|
|
Post by legios on Feb 26, 2018 21:29:31 GMT
Mrs M and I are on holiday near Hay-on-Wye - the town of books apparently. There are 25 bookshops in this tiny town (and at least two fudge shops). Thus far today we have browsed through four. Must up the pace before the snow arrives later in the week. Nice! I'd heard that Hay-on-Wye was well supplied with bookshops - never been there myself. Enjoy! Karl |
|
|
|
Post by Fortmax2020 on Feb 27, 2018 14:11:49 GMT
Did you see any chess books? Unknown. I did not look. |
|
|
|
Post by Fortmax2020 on Feb 27, 2018 14:13:39 GMT
Mrs M and I are on holiday near Hay-on-Wye - the town of books apparently. There are 25 bookshops in this tiny town (and at least two fudge shops). Thus far today we have browsed through four. Must up the pace before the snow arrives later in the week. Nice! I'd heard that Hay-on-Wye was well supplied with bookshops - never been there myself. Enjoy! Karl Hugh science fiction sections in many of them... |
|
|
|
Post by Shockprowl on Feb 27, 2018 18:28:18 GMT
Did you see any chess books? Unknown. I did not look. DAMN YOU, SIR!!! |
|
|
|
Post by The Doctor on Feb 28, 2018 8:53:04 GMT
Still about 40 pages left of Hard Times though without page numbers I would have no clue for there is no story or plot to speak of so no sense of progression towards something. Each page could literally be the last page and no reader would notice!!! This is easily the worst novel I have ever read. Dickens may have helped Doctor Who fight those gas people that one time but he dropped a solid turd of epic proportions with this pish!!!
-Ralph
|
|
|
|
Post by blueshift on Feb 28, 2018 8:56:10 GMT
Still about 40 pages left of Hard Times though without page numbers I would have no clue for there is no story or plot to speak of so no sense of progression towards something. Each page could literally be the last page and no reader would notice!!! This is easily the worst novel I have ever read. Dickens may have helped Doctor Who fight those gas people that one time but he dropped a solid turd of epic proportions with this pish!!! -Ralph It's really a commentary and attack on the current social issues of the day |
|
|
|
Post by The Doctor on Feb 28, 2018 8:57:50 GMT
But it's a very badly written commentary and attack of the social issues of the day. I know the intent but it reads like the worst kind of Tmblr shite but with longer sentences.
I've read toilet rolls that are more incisive on social issues.
-Ralph
|
|
|
|
Post by The Doctor on Feb 28, 2018 8:58:44 GMT
In fact I would so far as to say Hard Times is the Nien Numb of literature.
-Ralph
|
|
|
|
Post by The Doctor on Mar 2, 2018 8:19:34 GMT
Hard Times finished. I can honestly say that is the most terrible novel I have ever read and I have read some pish in my time. Yet this was by Dickens, one of the greatest writers who ever lived! This hurts my head.
-Ralph
|
|
|
|
Post by Andy Turnbull on Mar 4, 2018 10:36:24 GMT
Picked up the first two volumes of Mobile Suit Gundam: Thunderbolt to read.
Spotlighting a hot-shot rookie pilot from the Federation and a sniper from Zeon, as the war is framed around their individual struggles and backgrounds.
Only one actual Gundam in it so far, but that is part of the point. It's emphasises as a bit of a status symbol and gives it a mythic weight and power (which is addressed in story). The inconography of Zeon is more than a little inspired by the Nazis, but most of the characters we see are quite sympathetic - indeed most of the pilots are engaging and all are missing limbs and still in combat service using prosthetics. (Again there is a reason for this in the story)
The art is great, although there are a few times when a heavier ink style is deployed, which momentarily took me out of things, but that's a minor quibble.
I'll pick up the rest of the series, I suspect the Kaptain would enjoy this as well.
Andy
|
|
|
|
Post by legios on Mar 4, 2018 21:51:47 GMT
Picked up the first two volumes of Mobile Suit Gundam: Thunderbolt to read. Spotlighting a hot-shot rookie pilot from the Federation and a sniper from Zeon, as the war is framed around their individual struggles and backgrounds. Only one actual Gundam in it so far, but that is part of the point. It's emphasises as a bit of a status symbol and gives it a mythic weight and power (which is addressed in story). The inconography of Zeon is more than a little inspired by the Nazis, but most of the characters we see are quite sympathetic - indeed most of the pilots are engaging and all are missing limbs and still in combat service using prosthetics. (Again there is a reason for this in the story) In fairness, the Duchy of Zeon _is_ basically Nazi Germany in space - there are times in the original MSG that they basically only need to have "Zeon Uber Alles" as their national anthem and they would be pretty much there. I don't know a lot about Thunderbolt I must admit - other than it being a One Year War era story, and somewhat on the gritty and morally complicated end of that. (One of the good things about that era in UC Gundam is that there is a certain moral complexity. The Duchy of Zeon may be definitely the aggressor and a bunch of space facists, but the Earth Federation is capable of being plenty sketchy itself at times). Ta! That recommendation is quite well-timed actually I've come to the conclusion that this is, for me, rather "The Year of Gundam" - I've demolished two series and a TV special already, and am two-thirds of the way through Iron-Blooded Orphans at the moment, and I could do with some new (to me) Universal Century material and some new written material. Might have a look and see if I can pick up a volume or two. Could do with a decent giant robot war story. Karl |
|
