convore.json/groups/take2/a-thread-for-discussing-fantasy-books-so-we-dont-have-to-do-it-in-pics/messages.json

[{"user_id": 31927, "stars": [], "topic_id": 42170, "date_created": 1310884661.53231, "message": "On the subject of things that are \"similar to\" Song of Ice and Fire\u2026\n\nIt's not heroic fantasy, but\u2026\u00a0I know I'm not the only one to think that George R. R. Martin and all the other authors of the \"political intrigue\" stripe fantasy have taken on board a fair bit of inspiration from Frank Herbert's classic Dune\u2026", "group_id": 9493, "id": 1655803}, {"user_id": 31927, "stars": [], "topic_id": 42170, "date_created": 1310884491.143409, "message": "If I may continue the massive OT that started in the \"pics\" thread\u2026", "group_id": 9493, "id": 1655798}, {"user_id": 25703, "stars": [], "topic_id": 42170, "date_created": 1310885440.7722981, "message": "It's funny, I was thinking of posting this *exact same thing* earlier, but decided against it because I haven't actually read Dune. ><\n\nI've heard the comparison a lot though.", "group_id": 9493, "id": 1655830}, {"user_id": 25703, "stars": [], "topic_id": 42170, "date_created": 1310885495.272687, "message": "I was also thinking of forcefully renaming the topic of the pics thread to \"Book thread\" for the lulz.", "group_id": 9493, "id": 1655832}, {"user_id": 31852, "stars": [], "topic_id": 42170, "date_created": 1310888068.9074309, "message": "I haven't read Dune either, yet I've always been meaning to. I guess I'll just add those to the Kindle, then.", "group_id": 9493, "id": 1655920}, {"user_id": 31852, "stars": [], "topic_id": 42170, "date_created": 1310892976.4446731, "message": "HEY!!! Stop lumping Harry Potter in with *Twilight*! :P", "group_id": 9493, "id": 1656085}, {"user_id": 31927, "stars": [], "topic_id": 42170, "date_created": 1310892584.900233, "message": "Guys\u2026 you REALLY need to drop everything until you've read Dune.  In terms of absolutely required geek-reads it should be up there on the shortlist with the likes of LotR and HHGTTG.  (But arguably it's always been more approachable than Tolkien, and is less tied to a specific time period than the Hitchhiker's Guide.)", "group_id": 9493, "id": 1656063}, {"user_id": 31927, "stars": [], "topic_id": 42170, "date_created": 1310892732.0851851, "message": "Something that really bugs me about the reading habits of Harry Potter Slash Twilight Generation (several times in recent years my mention of Dune has been repaid with a blank look):  If it hasn't been a Major Multimedia Cross-Merchandising Event in the decade since the internet and fandom really took off, it can't be any good.", "group_id": 9493, "id": 1656071}, {"user_id": 25703, "stars": [], "topic_id": 42170, "date_created": 1310921940.6122451, "message": "Okay, done, I'll read it after Dance.", "group_id": 9493, "id": 1657359}, {"user_id": 31852, "stars": [], "topic_id": 42170, "date_created": 1312105775.2329121, "message": "Mr_V, what's your verdict on the Dune sequels?", "group_id": 9493, "id": 1758264}, {"user_id": 31927, "stars": [], "topic_id": 42170, "date_created": 1312107592.4473159, "message": "I'm a lot fonder of them than many others are, that's for sure.\n\nLook, Dune itself stands alone as a stunning classic, and Herbert never again quite regains the same pace and inventiveness.  That said, the original trilogy (as it once was) is well worth reading, and God Emperor draws a very fitting line under the whole thin.\n\nHeretics and Chapter House to some extent feel like an unnecessary continuation of the story, though it is interesting to see Herbert taking his whole universe into the realm of long-view SF.  I, personally, still found a lot to like in those two books \u2014 they introduce a unique and memorable new cast of characters, for one.\n\nPossibly the \"secret\" is to read the whole lot in fairly quick succession while you're entirely immersed in the universe.  I did, and I never reread any of the books except Dune itself.  I'm guessing it may be harder to get into the later novels if you're not \"living\" right there, begging fore more story/details.", "group_id": 9493, "id": 1758329}, {"user_id": 31927, "stars": [], "topic_id": 42170, "date_created": 1312108724.8031931, "message": "I'd advise everyone to read up to Children, at least.  Don't give up during Messiah \u2014\u00a0it's a typical \"middle book\" of a trilogy\u2026\u00a0it provides a bridging narrative without much really happening.  Things pick up again in Children.\n\nIf you're still hooked on the universe by the end of Children, you'll love God Emperor.", "group_id": 9493, "id": 1758372}, {"user_id": 31927, "stars": [], "topic_id": 42170, "date_created": 1312107623.7241321, "message": "The books co-authored by Brian Herbert and Kevin J Anderson after Frank Herbert's death are utter drivel, by the way.", "group_id": 9493, "id": 1758332}, {"user_id": 31852, "stars": [], "topic_id": 42170, "date_created": 1312108068.6204181, "message": "Thanks, that's good to hear.", "group_id": 9493, "id": 1758349}, {"user_id": 35617, "stars": [], "topic_id": 42170, "date_created": 1312182733.332164, "message": "I still enjoyed Dune way more than any of the other books in the series. Though I only touched Frank Herbert's books and none of the others.", "group_id": 9493, "id": 1763912}, {"user_id": 31852, "stars": [], "topic_id": 42170, "date_created": 1313234095.1676109, "message": "Oh god.\n\nTuesday sees the publication of The Omen Machine: A Richard and Kahlan Novel, by Terry Goodkind.\n\nUncommonly wonderful NeoGAF thread here: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=440750", "group_id": 9493, "id": 1863712}, {"user_id": 31866, "stars": [], "topic_id": 42170, "date_created": 1313246960.099889, "message": "Stephen King's The Dark Tower, anyone read the books? I just finished The Gunslinger a while ago, looking forward to reading the rest", "group_id": 9493, "id": 1864267}, {"user_id": 31852, "stars": [], "topic_id": 42170, "date_created": 1313255335.6450601, "message": "I liked it for the most part, but by book 5 it devolves into a tangled, self-indulgent mess and the ending is so not the big pay-off you'll be hoping for. (classic Stephen King then, I guess)", "group_id": 9493, "id": 1864750}, {"user_id": 31753, "stars": [], "topic_id": 42170, "date_created": 1313257237.0417831, "message": "I really loved the Dark Tower series myself. But then I'm also quite a Stephen King fan, so I really enjoyed how it drew in parts of his work through the years. The graphic novels are also pretty ace,", "group_id": 9493, "id": 1864863}, {"user_id": 25703, "stars": [], "topic_id": 42170, "date_created": 1313265013.4671831, "message": "Let's do it, Hermes. For science.", "group_id": 9493, "id": 1865447}, {"user_id": 25703, "stars": [], "topic_id": 42170, "date_created": 1313265005.8428569, "message": "Oh lord.", "group_id": 9493, "id": 1865446}, {"user_id": 31852, "stars": [], "topic_id": 42170, "date_created": 1313266202.465822, "message": "You know me -- I've never been able to resist a book with motherfuckin' TRAILERS.\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYgjOmS1ajE\n\nhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Npf1UBbzbUI", "group_id": 9493, "id": 1865513}, {"user_id": 25703, "stars": [], "topic_id": 42170, "date_created": 1313268615.113312, "message": "Ahahaha, oh maaan.", "group_id": 9493, "id": 1865651}, {"user_id": 31866, "stars": [], "topic_id": 42170, "date_created": 1313286833.6874499, "message": "Books have trailers now?", "group_id": 9493, "id": 1866945}, {"user_id": 31852, "stars": [], "topic_id": 42170, "date_created": 1313315073.230051, "message": "Only the really badass ones.", "group_id": 9493, "id": 1868433}, {"user_id": 31927, "stars": [], "topic_id": 42170, "date_created": 1314027821.802546, "message": "Oh, and Mark\u2026\u00a0great thread that.", "group_id": 9493, "id": 1930906}, {"user_id": 31927, "stars": [], "topic_id": 42170, "date_created": 1314027793.3091249, "message": "While I'm on the subject, it's worth noting that Gemmell is probably one of the post-Tolkien fantasy authors with the best claim to real literary merit.", "group_id": 9493, "id": 1930901}, {"user_id": 31927, "stars": [], "topic_id": 42170, "date_created": 1314027731.4189961, "message": "If you liked the concept of the Dark Tower series, but found the execution less than compelling (*puts up hand*), you could do (much!) worse than reading David Gemmell's Jon Shannow novels.\n\nNote that the three Shannow books are in fact the 4th, 5th and 6th installments in a larger series called the Sipstrassi Tales, but it's entirely possible to read the Shannow books (set in the far future) first, and then read the two preceding books (set in Arthurian times) as prequels later.  (I did.)", "group_id": 9493, "id": 1930894}]