The Best Books Ever - Page 4

Magus · 03-31-2008, 08:45 AM

I never read the second half of Animorphs, I quit reading them somewhere around #25 or something. Looking at the plot synopsis it wasn't that bad of an ending to the series. Actually, you know the best thing was the small things in that series, like how you could flip the book and see the person morph into the animal on the lower right hand corner where the page number is? That was boss.

I also read Redwall quite a bit, and Harry Potter although it wasn't until I was like eighteen I could actually finish that series despite my starting it when I was ten. I guess you can argue that Redwall's not a kids' series but usually when you have anthropomorphic talking animals (who don't swear; obviously a book like Blood Jaguar with a sassy lynx addicted to catnip is for young adults to adults) let's just say that they're probably aimed or marketed at kids and young adults but adults can enjoy them too. Yeah.

Actually that's often the doom of good books like Blood Jaguar: the themes are actually pretty adult but 99% of adults aren't going to pick up a book about a talking lynx and his talking skink and fisher buddies. It's sort of like what happens to Watership Down, which is quite violent and ends up dealing with a despotic regime near the end, but hey, it's about talking rabbits. Therefore kids end up reading it (and probably getting traumatized if they're too young

). It's even funnier when they end up reading Shardik or something because hey, it's by the same author, so it's for kids, right? That scene where Kelderek, who has developed into a priest king, kills Shardik's assassin's with his bare hands, beating one of the attacker's head against the floor until his skull cracks--that's kid lit right there, man!

greed · 03-31-2008, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Regulus Tera

My first book was 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea by Jules Verne. I don't know how was I able to read it completely when I was seven years old. Nowadays I would get bored after the second page.

Harry Potter also counts, I guess. However, I also grew up reading The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion being my favourite in that universe.

I was a pretty weird child when it came to reading choices.

Sounds like me, I started with The Hobbit when I was about 5, tried LotR when I was 6, got bored, also demolished most of the Jules Vernes then too. The first series I really got into though were the Eddings and McCaffery's which I first read when I was 6, after getting bored with LotR.

But yeah, the Pern books, the Elenium and especially the Belgariad set off major nostalgia for me. The Malloreon and Tamuli do too, but they're a lot crappier so I can't really read them anymore. Raymond E Feist and Zelazny were early favourites too. Still regularly read the Nine Princes in Amber series. Also I went through as much of my dad's pulp SciFi as he thought suitable for a primary schooler. Still remember him confiscating and hiding his Moorcock's and Illuminatus Trilogy when I was 7. Not sure how much I would have understood of them, I'd probably have gotten a lot of the sex stuff, but the mindfuckery and psychadelia would have confused the hell out of me.
Later childhood got me into Katherine Kerr and Eric Jordan.

So those are the books I remember from my childhood. Yeah I was an utter freak when it came to reading ability. I blame genes, insomnia and a English teacher turned philosopher for a mother.

DFM · 03-31-2008, 10:58 AM

The Happy Hollisters.

Patrat · 07-09-2008, 06:50 PM

Artemis Fowl?
Anyone?

Right, and i think a speak for all foam mouthed and ravenous fangirls everywhere when say, "Oh god not this shi-"

In all seriousness I actually read the whole series...

Doc ock rokc · 07-09-2008, 11:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrat

Artemis Fowl?
Anyone?

yo! Artemis was great for a children's book.
after Artemis I Read the classics (the time machine, the invisible man, Shurlock Homes, 2000 lieges under the sea...I started Dr.Jackle Mr.hide but i lost it)

then the complete Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy seres.

Then Nuklear age(which i hold next to hitchhikers guide and pray for a movie)

EVILNess · 07-14-2008, 07:26 AM

I probably rank The Hobbit as my all time favorite book. Not for any real literary reason. I honestly just enjoy reading it. No other book gives me a more profound sense of awesome when I read it.

There is just something about The Hobbit for me.

BitVyper · 07-14-2008, 12:01 PM

Heart of Darkness. There are thousand page novels out today that don't have half as much in them as this little ninety page wonder.

It's challenging in all the right ways.

Mike McC · 07-14-2008, 01:21 PM

Somehow, I think Heart of Darkness fails the criteria of being a kid's book.

Fifthfiend · 07-14-2008, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeneralissimo

And did anyone else read Encyclopedia Brown?

True fact: When I was eight my kid sister got chewing gum in her hair and I got it out using peanut butter the way I learned reading Encyclopedia Brown.

Mike McC · 07-14-2008, 02:35 PM

I had Encyclopedia Brown books, I just don't recall actually reading them. Probably was too busy rereading Maniac Magee.

03-31-2008, 08:45 AM	#31
Magus Archer and Armstrong vs. the World Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 7,164	I never read the second half of Animorphs, I quit reading them somewhere around #25 or something. Looking at the plot synopsis it wasn't that bad of an ending to the series. Actually, you know the best thing was the small things in that series, like how you could flip the book and see the person morph into the animal on the lower right hand corner where the page number is? That was boss. I also read Redwall quite a bit, and Harry Potter although it wasn't until I was like eighteen I could actually finish that series despite my starting it when I was ten. I guess you can argue that Redwall's not a kids' series but usually when you have anthropomorphic talking animals (who don't swear; obviously a book like Blood Jaguar with a sassy lynx addicted to catnip is for young adults to adults) let's just say that they're probably aimed or marketed at kids and young adults but adults can enjoy them too. Yeah. Actually that's often the doom of good books like Blood Jaguar: the themes are actually pretty adult but 99% of adults aren't going to pick up a book about a talking lynx and his talking skink and fisher buddies. It's sort of like what happens to Watership Down, which is quite violent and ends up dealing with a despotic regime near the end, but hey, it's about talking rabbits. Therefore kids end up reading it (and probably getting traumatized if they're too young ). It's even funnier when they end up reading Shardik or something because hey, it's by the same author, so it's for kids, right? That scene where Kelderek, who has developed into a priest king, kills Shardik's assassin's with his bare hands, beating one of the attacker's head against the floor until his skull cracks--that's kid lit right there, man! __________________ The Valiant Review Last edited by Magus; 03-31-2008 at 08:49 AM.

03-31-2008, 10:58 AM	#33
DFM Om Nom Nom Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 3,850	The Happy Hollisters. __________________ [14:26] ManoftheRus: YOU GODDAMN SNEAKY DEE

07-14-2008, 12:01 PM	#37
BitVyper History's Strongest Dilettante Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Arcadia Posts: 6,662	Heart of Darkness. There are thousand page novels out today that don't have half as much in them as this little ninety page wonder. It's challenging in all the right ways. __________________ "There are worlds out there where the sky is burning, and the sea is asleep, and the rivers dream. People made of smoke and cities made of song. Somewhere there's danger, somewhere there's injustice, somewhere else the tea's getting cold. Come on, Ace; we've got work to do!" Awesome art be here.

07-14-2008, 01:21 PM	#38
Mike McC Time is something else. Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Wherever I am needed, I will be there. Posts: 5,065	Somehow, I think Heart of Darkness fails the criteria of being a kid's book. __________________ WHERE MIKEY IS IN 2022! tumblrs - http://werewolf.zone twitters - @itmightbemikey

07-14-2008, 02:35 PM	#40
Mike McC Time is something else. Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Wherever I am needed, I will be there. Posts: 5,065	I had Encyclopedia Brown books, I just don't recall actually reading them. Probably was too busy rereading Maniac Magee. __________________ WHERE MIKEY IS IN 2022! tumblrs - http://werewolf.zone twitters - @itmightbemikey Last edited by Mike McC; 07-14-2008 at 02:42 PM.

07-09-2008, 06:50 PM	#34
Patrat D8 Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 732	Artemis Fowl? Anyone? Right, and i think a speak for all foam mouthed and ravenous fangirls everywhere when say, "Oh god not this shi-" In all seriousness I actually read the whole series...

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