I've never read a book!
Discussion
Yes - and never ever ever buy the book of the film(ie some garbage which a hack has knock out on the basis that if the film worked let's do a book too).But the bigger point is that books aren't film scripts - different artforms don't usually translate to different media. Otherwise we'd have the song of the painting - cue remeninder of some forgotten prog rock horror...
It's over 20 years since I read it so I can't remember exactly how it went. What I do remember is that it is more intelligent than the movie - with a more subtle explanation for the failures of the park copmpared to the movies "simplistic" reasoning. The book also contained a few more scenes which were omitted from the film. Some of those scenes were included in the later "Jurassic Park" films.
Crichton was a screenplay writer at heart so his books alwasy read a bit like a scereenplay rather than a book.
Crichton was a screenplay writer at heart so his books alwasy read a bit like a scereenplay rather than a book.
I am very similar OP.
I very rarely read anything other than technical handbooks on something business related because I never seem to get 'hooked', recently I read 'The boy in the striped pyjamas' and I really enjoyed it. I used to read the Brian Jacques books when I was young: "A Tale of Redwall" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redwall and I loved them.
I quite like fantasy books which take you on a journey, would someone recommend me a book? The Terry Pratchet books seem a good start?
I very rarely read anything other than technical handbooks on something business related because I never seem to get 'hooked', recently I read 'The boy in the striped pyjamas' and I really enjoyed it. I used to read the Brian Jacques books when I was young: "A Tale of Redwall" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redwall and I loved them.
I quite like fantasy books which take you on a journey, would someone recommend me a book? The Terry Pratchet books seem a good start?
You could try the Song of Fire and Ice books (those which the Game of Thrones TV series is based upon) I've found them very good but JRR Martin does seem to have a fascination with clothes and food and that slows it down a lot.
Or better yet if you like Sci-Fi try the Neil Asher's Agent Cormac series starting with Gridlinked. A very well thought out and believable futuristic scenario. Go at quite a pace too.
Both of those can be a bit vivid for violence at times but nothing worse than an 80s sci-fi action film e.g. terminator or predator.
Or better yet if you like Sci-Fi try the Neil Asher's Agent Cormac series starting with Gridlinked. A very well thought out and believable futuristic scenario. Go at quite a pace too.
Both of those can be a bit vivid for violence at times but nothing worse than an 80s sci-fi action film e.g. terminator or predator.
Jakdaw said:
Banks... great idea - however suggest leaving the science fiction until after you've read The Wasp Factory, cracking book.
I was waiting in eager for someone to mention The Wasp Factory.This, tonight if you can, I read it in P7 and parts of it had me in tears of laughter. I am not a big reader at all, probably less than 20 books in my life but this stands out every single time. It is so bizarre and macabre and dark and the ending is amazing.
+ not all books are better than the film. Jaws is a s
te book! Eighteeteewhy said:
Well I've done it, I finished my first book in a long time. Scarecrow, and I really enjoyed it. Thanks for the recommendation.
I've now started Jurasic Park but finding it a bit slow to be honest. I think I might move on to one of the others I've bought, Richard Hammonds autobiography possibly?
Just thought I'd pop back in, as I was reminded of you, having picked up "Scarecrow and the Army of Thieves" by Matthew Reilly at the library the other day.I've now started Jurasic Park but finding it a bit slow to be honest. I think I might move on to one of the others I've bought, Richard Hammonds autobiography possibly?
I can definitely understand any other books seeming slow to begin with after reading one of his. It's relentless BANG-BANG-BANG stuff. Not a slow burning period drama with a number of delicate sub plots, but good fun for a day or two.
What are you going on to next?
vladcjelli said:
Just thought I'd pop back in, as I was reminded of you, having picked up "Scarecrow and the Army of Thieves" by Matthew Reilly at the library the other day.
I can definitely understand any other books seeming slow to begin with after reading one of his. It's relentless BANG-BANG-BANG stuff. Not a slow burning period drama with a number of delicate sub plots, but good fun for a day or two.
What are you going on to next?
Hi, well I'm just coming to the end of Jurassic Park. Yes I know, I'm a slow reader. I can definitely understand any other books seeming slow to begin with after reading one of his. It's relentless BANG-BANG-BANG stuff. Not a slow burning period drama with a number of delicate sub plots, but good fun for a day or two.
What are you going on to next?
I have enjoyed it not as good as Scrarecrow and the main problem is I pretty much know what's coming next because of the film.
What to go for next?....
MorrisCRX said:
Eric Mc said:
"Romeo and Juliet" tripe?
my opinion and it's valid. 
Out of all of his works, that is the one that we where force fed and it is the one I can't stand.
My O level in English literature required an in depth knowledge of A Midsummer Nights Dream. My parents took my education seriously, and took me to about 3 versions of this play, and the school took us to Stratford Upon Avon to see it from so far away that I got vertigo, plus I had 2 different versions on a new fangled Betamax, that my dad got from somewhere. I managed to get a C, but refused to ever see anything by the Baird ever again.
Until a couple of years ago, when I went to the Everyman in Liverpool, (Next to the Catholic Cathedral)
It was utterly amazing, to see Macbeth done properly and the layout of the stage meant that I was 4 foot from the stage. I thought the drowning (in a pool of water at the edge of the stage about 6 foot from me about as real as it gets, and the "head" scene, where a hessian sack dripping with fake blood, and apparently containing a head, is thrown across the stage, gruesome.
It makes me wonder at the s
t that I've seen previously. Also,
vladcjelli said:
Bored and looking through some old threads, and came across this.
Have you read much more over the last year?
Only a few, but that's more than none. Have you read much more over the last year?
A few more Mathew Reilly.
I'm currently 3/4 through World War Z. I haven't seen the film yet so I can be one of these "it's not as good as the book" people.
Eighteeteewhy said:
A few more Mathew Reilly.
I'm currently 3/4 through World War Z. I haven't seen the film yet so I can be one of these "it's not as good as the book" people.
The last Matthew Reilly I read seemed to be written as if it was intended to be a film. And there was almost a "kapow!" in the text, which I thought was ridiculous. I don't think I've read another one of his since, though some of the earlier ones (earlier in the order I read them, that is) were better.I'm currently 3/4 through World War Z. I haven't seen the film yet so I can be one of these "it's not as good as the book" people.
droopsnoot said:
Eighteeteewhy said:
A few more Mathew Reilly.
I'm currently 3/4 through World War Z. I haven't seen the film yet so I can be one of these "it's not as good as the book" people.
The last Matthew Reilly I read seemed to be written as if it was intended to be a film. And there was almost a "kapow!" in the text, which I thought was ridiculous. I don't think I've read another one of his since, though some of the earlier ones (earlier in the order I read them, that is) were better.I'm currently 3/4 through World War Z. I haven't seen the film yet so I can be one of these "it's not as good as the book" people.
Silly and cartoonish they may be, but they couldn't be more fast paced and visual. A good way to get someone into the reading habit.
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