h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

My favorite "spy" novels are not exactly about sercret agents etc. Tom Clancy's series are some of my favorite books.

*Helena is totally out of her depth here*
Coffee any one?? *poses, she has to be the art too you see*

Oh, poor Helena is pulling a double shift simultaneously. You are a very attractive statue, but you're a little too... vibrant.

~Irving

Hands off the art.

This being a book club, please nobody take it amiss if I keep talking about books

Anybody else besides me into mysteries?

Lil

The only mystery I ever really got into was called "And Justice for One" I forget the author.

I love mysteries. Actually the Stewart Kaminsky's are mysteries/detective novels.
Usually, there are at least two plots going at once.
I'm am just now 'listening' to James Patterson's "Jack & Jill".
Also like Patricia Cornwall, Mary Higgins Clark (the older ones), some Ed Mcbain.......
The list is huge!! If I can figure out 'who-dun-it' before the last chapter, I am terribly disappointed.

I've read a couple of mysteries. A few Agatha Christie novels. Every Sir Arthur Connan Doyle Sherlock Holmes story (including all four novles and all the short stories... it took me a while, but by now I've read most of them twice or more).

~Irving

I read all the Arthur Conan Doyle Sherlock Holmes short stories once, but it was a few years ago now.

Huph, everybody is all criticisms. If you don't look out I'll go in a huff and then you'll have no art or a waitress!

Who's a critic? The last comment I remember making towards you was meant as a complement!

By the way, isn't it wonderful that while at the time they were published the Sherlock Holmes stories were like television would be today, now people look at it as classic literature?

~Irving

And Shakespeare was considered Mob Entertainment.

I have tried to read some mysteries, however, I have found that I solve them before the end. If someone can recommend a good mystery that kept them guessing the entire time I would be greatly indebted to them.

Also, I LOVE Tom Clancy. His stories and characterizations are so complete. I was disappointed with the Op Center novels, however.

Courtesy the hopeful.

Courtesy, have you tried Kaminsky or Hillerman for mysteries. Not always a whodunit, but very intense reading.

I tend to read anything that catches my eye. Mostly Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Mysteries, and alomost anything with vampires.
I'm currently reading the 8th book in "The Vampire Files" series by P.N. Elrod while at the same time listening to
Kaminsky's "Tarnished Icons" on tape: a wonderful invention I might add, especially when you spend most of
your time driving either to or from work or school. Only I must have unabridged books on tape. Whoever the idiot was that thought of abridging a good story should be severly beaten with a "Reader's Digest Condensed Book!!!!"

Thanks for the suggestions. I will check them out.

I mostly read Sci-Fi, used to read Fantasy but all the plots are the same now. You know, group of misfits get together. They have to find a ring, sword, gem, etc. with magic powers to save the world, universed, existance as we know it. Group encounters a mysterious person that helps but no one knows why. After many troubles the group finds the item and saves existance ..... but ..... her comes the sequel

I agree with the anger towards abridged novels. Hey ... can I read a book that doesn't have all the information in it? How about a movie with 1/4 to 1/3 of the dialog missing? I actually just saw an Abridged "Complete Shakespeare" ... oh yeah that makes sense

I'm grabbing some Reader's Digest Condensed Novels and going in search of some editors.

For good old fasioned SciFi try Alan Dean Foster. His books "Codgerspace" "Quozl" and "Cat-A-Lyst" are some of my favorite. These are irreverant and funny. A good mix of comedy and scifi. Kinda like DNA.

I agree ... read them all.

Also, Robert Asprin's Phule novels are a nice jaunt into the comedy of Sci-Fi.

If you are looking for a little more, then I would say, check out Heinlein. Starship Troopers, so much better than the movie, but aren't they always, and The Moon is a Harsh Mistress are great.

Then of course there is Asimov, and Herbert.

Courtesy

If you have seen the movie Starship troopers do not think about it when you read the book. I liked the movie all right but I still can't see where it had anything to do with the book. But it is a good book. One of my favs.

I hear that both the movie and the book had the same title. Other than that, I've been hearing what you're saying -- I've seen the movie but not read the book. I'm never quite comfortable with Heinland's style...

~Irving

The thing to do is join one book club, once, satisfy the obligation, if there is one (buy 4 more books), then quit. After that, I promise, you will regularly receive offers to rejoin baited with huge numbers of free books. I just rejoined the Mystery Guild in exchange for 11 hardback books.

The one thing I have a problem with in any book is when the private eye goes to burgle the suspect's office or apartment. I just know there is going to be jeopardy and it gives me palpitations *pats chest breathlessly*

Has anybody read the books by Minette Walters? The Ice House is a classic. Good plot twist.

Lil

*wanders in and collapses into a chair and smiles expectantly in the direction of caffeine, his eyes slowly wander in the direction of the small virtual knot of virtual people virtually congregating . . . oh forget that*

Hi.

I heard you at the window and thought I would stumble in. Ive read this whole thread, and would scrole back to find out who said what, but that would take time, and Ive been up since 6am (its 9:13 now in Canada).

I too have been watching the 15 days of Bond -- and feeling increasing guit from that stack of old Ian Flemmings I bought at a garage sale (boot sale). Is not Sean Connery dead-on Bond?

If you want to check out Sci-fi comedy, I would suggest a good dose of Terry Pratchett. I have just started the Discworld series and find it very refreshing, and quite intelligent (unlike some sci-fi-com which is just childish) another by him is Good Omens (with Neil Gaiman, another excellent author).

Oh, and hi. I think I just found the place in the world where I belong . . . though I have to see how the coffe is . . .