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And I believe I will do just that. Prepare yourself, fellow Latin-learner!

First, The Wheel of Time series is one of the most intriguing, deep series of all time, and certainly takes the cake for the fantasy genre. Everything is precise and the characters are human. What isn't to like?

Far too many fantasies are blah. Their places are poorly drawn, their characters as shallow as cheerleaders, their plots both boring and redundant--Jordan has overcome all of these things and is one of the greatest Fantasists to date.

Besides, no one--and I mean no one--can call those books bad. Because, Obscure, those books are some of the most highly acclaimed books ever written by a Fantasist. His few critics point out the sluggishness of his plot development, but I've never heard another complaint.

Oh, and the series hasn't ended yet, so the last book, really isn't the last book. I tend to read books before I pass judgment on them. It's kind of a principal of mine. An ethic, really.

Second, Terry Goodkind is the John Grisham of Fantasy. His plot(s) are incredibly redundant, and his pace never changes. The sex and violence in his books is not only outrageous, but most seems to be there solely to promote the books themselves. I keep expecting a commercial ad to be on one of his pages. His characters have one flaw, two max. They are as human as cardboard cut-outs (with the exception of Richard, Kahlan, and Nicci, the former two being main characters, and Nicci being the anomaly.).

The only truly well-written book in that series was Faith of the Fallen. That book had the most character development, the most rigorous plot, morally driven characters at opposing ends of the spectrum, more twists than Demon's "reading drink", and a premise that stopped the series from being a complete failure.

Thirdly, Teen Fantasy is crap, but it gets many kids started on the path to bookworm-dom, so it isn't a complete waste unlike Eragon and it's kind....
*****
Now, lastly, I have a huge, huge problem with you saying that you hate "anything not fantasy". If you want some suggestions, then I'll be more than glad to give you some, starting with Barbara Kingsolver's High Tide in Tucson, Mitch Albom's Tuesdays With Morrie, anything of a religious nature, 1984, Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game, Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird (a classic for all times), and though they may be hard to read, any of Shakespeare's plays (though Othello is my favorite).

But it is simply foolish to hate anything that doesn't fall into your personal genre. That stunts growth, mentally at least, and I only hope that that doesn't carry into other areas of your life too.

It's simply unintelligent to turn your back on a genre you've hardly even given a chance. I get the distinct impression that you're one of those people who makes up their mind and doesn't care to take the time to change it. I have a feeling that those 30+ books you read were read under the thought, "I really don't like Fiction, and so, this gets points detracted from it from the get-go."

Allow me to pose a final question to you: Why on earth are you in a book guild when you don't like two of the three genres that it represents? And to go with that: How many times must you see a thread you cannot post on (legitimately at least) before you change you're ways?
*****
I can take a lot of crap. I can take Demon's pointed critiques, Tea's poor spelling/grammar, even many of the senseless posts that I see floating around. Hell, I don't know what I'd do without Demon, and many of the latter are entertaining to read, and provide some comic relief in an otherwise serious guild.

But I will not stand for someone posing as a critic of sorts (and aren't we all, to a point) with a bias towards or against a genre simply for the sake that it is or isn't what we would normally read or because it challenges us a bit, either because the writing is difficult to read or because it doesn't grab our attention like bulletin boards or because it moves us out of our little box and/or challenges our pre-established beliefs or assumptions (the latter of these I'd like you to pay close attention to).

So, I bid you Vale. You at least, should know what it means.
~Leavaros Dapple

Actually, my Muse, it means "Be well, be strong, goodbye" in Latin. It is the most quintessential, simple blessing a person can give. It ranks up there with "Amen".

Even when I'm upset--perhaps especially when I'm upset--I give that little prayer.

You know that Aretha Franklin song "Little Pray"? Well, my prayer or that sort is Vale. I've said it since...for a long time now, and I don't intend to stop now.


Vale,
-LD

i know that people are going to hate me for this but harry potter is absalutly the worst book in the world i had to force my self just to read the first page! my eyes were bleeding like i was going to die when i was reading the third and i never finished the first or second i have tried both like 3 times and cannot get into them!
But i also know that allot of people are going to hate me for this too.. but, Eragon and Eldest rule! i mean if i had to choose between the book of mormon and the inheritance triligy i would choose the inheritance!
but hey what the heck i loved them just because the way it was written and the characters but i would say even though eragon and eldest are good, eldest did'nt really pick up the pace until about the 500th page.

The pendragon series is so good i want to read more! so good for creativity and so easy to make stuff so that it does not have to be logical but can be so very captivating at the same time but my favorites of the series are cloral and 3rd earth!

Well, Let me just say that I got the apology before I read the post...
And I believe I will do just that. Prepare yourself, fellow Latin-learner!

First, The Wheel of Time series is one of the most intriguing, deep series of all time, and certainly takes the cake for the fantasy genre. Everything is precise and the characters are human. What isn't to like?

Far too many fantasies are blah. Their places are poorly drawn, their characters as shallow as cheerleaders, their plots both boring and redundant--Jordan has overcome all of these things and is one of the greatest Fantasists to date.

Besides, no one--and I mean no one--can call those books bad. Because, Obscure, those books are some of the most highly acclaimed books ever written by a Fantasist. His few critics point out the sluggishness of his plot development, but I've never heard another complaint.

Ehem. If you would have read my post the way it was intended you would realize that you just wasted your breath. I did like them, up until 'Knife of Dreams. If any book could damn a series for me, it would have to read much like that one. But I said 'Ended up hating' because I loved the series before I read that waste of two days of my life. I will admit that I misspoke when I said 'they are bad.' And again, I will probably buy the last book just because there HAS to be at least a little movement in it. And I am not willing to admit a waste of my past couple years to that series by not finishing it. But I will probably never read them again.

Oh, and the series hasn't ended yet, so the last book, really isn't the last book. I tend to read books before I pass judgment on them. It's kind of a principal of mine. An ethic, really.

Second, Terry Goodkind is the John Grisham of Fantasy. His plot(s) are incredibly redundant, and his pace never changes. The sex and violence in his books is not only outrageous, but most seems to be there solely to promote the books themselves. I keep expecting a commercial ad to be on one of his pages. His characters have one flaw, two max. They are as human as cardboard cut-outs (with the exception of Richard, Kahlan, and Nicci, the former two being main characters, and Nicci being the anomaly.).

I agree with your assessment completely.

The only truly well-written book in that series was Faith of the Fallen. That book had the most character development, the most rigorous plot, morally driven characters at opposing ends of the spectrum, more twists than Demon's "reading drink", and a premise that stopped the series from being a complete failure.

I actually like the way the 'Wizard's First Rule' moved through the plot. And I actually agree that 'Faith of the Fallen' was probably the best book in the series.

Thirdly, Teen Fantasy is crap, but it gets many kids started on the path to bookworm-dom, so it isn't a complete waste unlike Eragon and it's kind....

I got started on Goosebumps and Animorphs. Later moving to Salvatore when I was about ten. But that doesn't mean I will start reading them again. (Not Salvatore, I still like him.) I only said that I refuse to read them, they may well be very good for young readers, or even old readers who are young at heart, but my phase of that Genre is over.

*****
Now, lastly, I have a huge, huge problem with you saying that you hate "anything not fantasy". If you want some suggestions, then I'll be more than glad to give you some, starting with Barbara Kingsolver's High Tide in Tucson, Mitch Albom's Tuesdays With Morrie, anything of a religious nature, 1984, Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game, Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird (a classic for all times), and though they may be hard to read, any of Shakespeare's plays (though Othello is my favorite).

Now I really didn'y consider what I was forced to read in school. I read 1984, and after reading it we 'got' to watch the movie as a 'treat'. I still get shudders when I think about it and it's old proles... And I actually like all Of Douglass Adams book, from Hitchhikers -to Life the Universe and Everything -to So Long and Thanks for all the Fish. And I consider religion ALL in fantasy and myth. I've read the Poetic and Prose Eddas, The Qur'an, The Bible (Talk about fantasy razz ), I even read up on the creation myth of Toril.

But it is simply foolish to hate anything that doesn't fall into your personal genre. That stunts growth, mentally at least, and I only hope that that doesn't carry into other areas of your life too.

Yep, sometimes when I take a shower I say DAMMIT, I HATE WATER. And proceed to turn off the shower.

It's simply unintelligent to turn your back on a genre you've hardly even given a chance. I get the distinct impression that you're one of those people who makes up their mind and doesn't care to take the time to change it. I have a feeling that those 30+ books you read were read under the thought, "I really don't like Fiction, and so, this gets points detracted from it from the get-go."

You could very well find me a book that is non-fantasy that I might very well read and quite possibly enjoy.

I said that... And I agree with it even now. But I gave up trying to look on my own...


Allow me to pose a final question to you: Why on earth are you in a book guild when you don't like two of the three genres that it represents? And to go with that: How many times must you see a thread you cannot post on (legitimately at least) before you change you're ways?

The was two questions. Do I answer only one then? Nah... Because I still enjoy the books that I enjoy. I like to talk about them. It helps me with closure when I read a book, like Hobb's for instance, that is emotionally draining.

Hmmm... I guess it would take 99% of the guild devoting itself soley to the other two genres, and the other 1% having internet difficulty thus never responding.

*****
I can take a lot of crap. I can take Demon's pointed critiques, Tea's poor spelling/grammar, even many of the senseless posts that I see floating around. Hell, I don't know what I'd do without Demon, and many of the latter are entertaining to read, and provide some comic relief in an otherwise serious guild.

But I will not stand for someone posing as a critic of sorts (and aren't we all, to a point) with a bias towards or against a genre simply for the sake that it is or isn't what we would normally read or because it challenges us a bit, either because the writing is difficult to read or because it doesn't grab our attention like bulletin boards or because it moves us out of our little box and/or challenges our pre-established beliefs or assumptions (the latter of these I'd like you to pay close attention to).

Yes, I may think myself a high-and-mighty critic, but I will not critique anything I have not read fully. I may whine and complain about it, but to an extent we all do sometimes.
And if it doesn't grab my attention, then I simply can't read it. Like I said before, I have a very short attention span.
And I love to debate, usually on religion and politics (very cliche, I know), thus I am used to things challenging my 'established beliefs or assumptions.' And though EVERYone assumes at one time or another, and even though I make no pretext of my assumptions, the saying stays the same. And no matter how true the saying gets we all still assume. But an assumption is not a belief, and can easily be changed.
I understand you were under stress and angry a bit when you posted this, but next time you dont have to apologize. Its a forum and debates are fully allowed to my knowledge. And do you think I wasn't sitting there waiting for someone to respond in kind? I am what one would call an instigator. I try to find anything I can that can cause someone to debate or even argue with me. But I do do it for a reason, I like to think in different ways. I like to change my mind. Few people ever get me to. If you find me a book that isn't fantasy and swear on your family's name that I will like it, (Though you probably won't have to go that far.) odds are that I will read it.

So, I bid you Vale. You at least, should know what it means.
~Leavaros Dapple

Actually, I didn't. Fancy that. But I learned something new, and to learn is to evolve, to evolve is to change, to change is to grow. Yadda yadda yadda. You know the rest.

~Sweet water and Light laughter~

I'm glad we got that out of the way, Obscure. Now, with my Heart-Father in mind, I bid you his prayer:

Pax Tecum,
-LD

I have a tendency to read the last page of a book to see if it ends well. sweatdrop *is guilty* The reason? If a book ends horribly, and I mean almost every character dies an excruciating death horribly, it effects me. I get depressed and stuff. I know I shouldn't let it but that's just how I am. So because of this I am a very picky reader. That and I have different tastes.......yes I know I'm weird. xd

That's why I love anything written by Dave Barry. Just off the wall comedy with no plot. It's stand up in book form!! God, I love that man!! *bows to Dave Barry* blaugh heart whee

I mostly read fantasy because that's what I'm into. I don't usually like sci-fi books that much unless they have a fantasy element to them. I don't mind romance novels but I don't usually read them, unless you count manga. I especially love ones with dragons and magic, though not Storm Constantine. I started reading one of her books, Dragon Sea Heir, I think, and stopped half way through. It's too much for me. Maybe I'll finish it one day. I hate not finishing a book after reading half of it.

Well, when I was younger I refused to read the Harry Potter series just because everyone else was reading it. My mom wanted me to read it too...but I didn't want to. Then I picked it up thinking, What the heck, I'll give it a chance, and I loved it. I learned never to do that again. mrgreen