liber damnatus

[mmtutti]

alright, I shall do my part. books, anyone?

I am an avid reader; it is my main hobby, I suppose it could be said (not counting music). my current record must be something like nine books in one week. I read in both English and Finnish. fantasy, horror, sci-fi, history, mythology, philosophy, physics.

as far as I'm concerned, there are only two genuine Authors of Books in the contemporary world (alive, that is): Umberto Eco and Robert Holdstock, both of whom I admire to the utmost extent. hence, my favourite books include all of Eco's works, namely The Name of the Rose, Foucault's Pendulum, and The Island of the Day Before (a fourth one has recently been published). these are the "epitomes of tomes"... such unparalleled beauty of writing, combined with utterly fascinating plots! furthermore: Holdstock's Mythago Wood Cycle; the only true realms are those of the imagination.

Dan Simmons' Hyperion series. Hyperspace by Michio Kaku (quantum physics; most intoxicating). The Lord of the Rings, Silmarillion, The Hobbit. the Dune series. William Gibson. Robert E. Howard. H.P. Lovecraft. Pratchett. the Marquis de Sade.

name yer poison.

[VauhtiParoni]

American Psycho and Lord Of The Rings are simply the best books I´ve read. Unfortunately I don´t have enough time to read.

[Big J Q]

I haven't read much, but here goes...

H.P.Lovecraft seems to be one of the greatest authors ever. I've only read about 5 novels, but they all kicked some serious peppu.

Clive Barker seems to be quite okay, though I've only read 'Nightbreed' (Yön Kansa).

I've also read Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot books (not all of them, I imagine), and they have proven to be quite intriguing.

Last summer I read Sjöwall & Wahlöö's "romaani rikoksesta"-series (translate to swedish, can't remember the original name). I watched the series of movies in TV (which I forgot to mention in the movie/series-threads) and I got interested. Quite good books, though the criticism on swedish society of the 60's was quite not-so-interesting.

[Pakana]

There are many great books, but the works of Tolkien remain the best. As for the other immortal classics, Bulgakov's "The Master and Margarita" must be my favourite.

[vitr]

I'm working my way through the Poirot books at the moment.

[allissson]

ahh....yes........books.....I love books...I have about 500 or so in my library. I read all the time. But it is a rare occasion that I read a fiction novel. The type of books I like to read are history, philosophy, culture, religions (mainly Pagan), and sometimes biography, depending on who it is.
I read all of Tolkein's books in high school - had a teacher who believed that the only author that exists in British Literature was Tolkien, so that the only thing he taught us about. And I was not complaining. :)

Oh, and I also like to collect cooking books ;)

[Baldur Vulgo]

Since I study to become an English and Swedish teacher I'm forced to read hundreds (well perhaps not hundreds :lol: ) of books each semester. Most of them I couldn't care less for to be honest :)

Well, anyway, just to name a few of my favourite writers:

Stephen King (everything!)
Edgar Allan Poe (everything!)
Dean Koontz (everything!)
Charlotte Brontë (Jane Eyre)
Tolkien (Lord of the Rings)
Dante Alighieri (La Divina Commedia)
Mikael Niemi (Populärmusik från Vittula)
and of course Shakespeare (MacBeth, Hamlet etc.)

I could go on for hours...but I won't...

[WanKKa]

mmtutti: Have you seen the movie made of "the Name Of The Rose" Im just wondering, if the book is better, usually it's so..

I read mostly fantasybooks like...

--Dragonlance [Margaret Weis&Tracy Hickman] My alltime favorite, especially "The Chronicles Trilogy"
--Forgotten Realms [R.A.Salvatore] I Especially like "The Dark Elf Trilogy" from this author.
--And ofcourse J.R.R Tolkien ...I've only red LotR tho.

And if it comes to horror, I like H.P. Lovecraft, espacially those Ctulhu-novels.

[mmtutti]

why, certainly. the book is immensely better than the film, which in itself is not bad at all. it's just that all the wondrous, delirious musings of the book were left out of the movie... it might prove too tedious for some to read, but I think it's all the better for it. if a person cannot focus on a book for a few hundred pages' worth, why does such a person read books in the first place?

note, that I currently hold Umberto Eco second to none, Tolkien included. I have grown weary of fantasy. no longer do I read Weis & Hickman, Salvatore, or any of the lot. their works are for the most part devoid of artistic value. I could easily write similar stuff, but I choose not to lower myself to that.

[Peikkoperkele666]

hmm... last book i read wos Hannibal and it wos great. LoTR is 1 of my fave books too..... i've been looking for sum time for michael chriton's: eaters of the dead.... and if i could even find the finnish version... but english would be ok too :) ... and un of my little yule present would be Ragnarock, have to hint family members ;)

[allissson]

Just ask them for a gift card for the book shop, that way you can get what you want. :)