[mrganondorf]

Finished Chapter 1, Socrates 'wins' because of a deus ex machina appeal to authority that is completely dependent on a Just World Fallacy?

Considering the whole bit was about Justice, now I know another reason why it's called the Just World Fallacy.

I don't know, but I thought book 1 was all about Socrates answering a sophist as a sophist.  When Glaucon repeats the same concerns in book 2, Socrates has the courtesy to spend the rest of the book answering. 

BTW, got to do a presentation in my daughter's class.  There are now at least a few kids who know the parts of their own souls. 

I am reading Adolf in Wonderland.  Everything you need to know is in the title: nazis + Lewis Carroll.  So far...it is fun.

[Raizen]

I'm wondering if anyone else has read Gene Wolfe's Book of the New Sun series?  I plodded through the first two: The Shadow of the Torturer and Claw of the Conciliator.  So far I'm a bit upset with the overall progress of the series.  The main character Severian isn't a bad subject of interest, but the books lack a certain main direction.  It's chocked full of literary allusions to greater schemes and philosophical points on the human condition, but the plot is just so...lacking.

I understand that philosophy makes for great literature and Bakker seems to have perfected the art of instilling his work with concepts that make one ponder humanity, but Wolfe's series is just a bit dull to me.  Maybe I'm reading it wrong lol

If anyone has read the entire series, I'd appreciate any input on if its worth continuing!

[Wilshire]

A small discuss has taken here:
http://second-apocalypse.com/index.php?topic=1027.0

I felt pretty much the same. Based on reviews and descriptions about the novel I was expect something much different than what I got. I'm not sure if this tainted my overall perspective of the novel (probably), or if I would have otherwise have felt the same way if I hadn't heard anything beforehand.

[Meyna]

I wasn't crazy about Book of the New Sun as I was reading it, but it grew on me well after I had finished.

[Royce]

I read the first book by Wolfe and there was nothing there that kept me reading on. Unfortunately, since this is supposed to be one of the big "to read" series. Well, cant win them all

I am into book two in the Neverness series by David Zindell, and to me this is something very special. Science fiction with a touch of eastern philosophy(and lots of other philosophy stuff) and little action so far. Never been near reading something like this. Even though the first book is first person POV(which I hate), in book two that changes.

I am also starting on Morris Bermans The Twilight of American Culture.

[Somnambulist]

Anyone read The Gap series by Steven R. Donaldson?  No, it's not about the clothing store!  Really dark, f*ked up sci-fi.  It's been a few years since I read the series, but have considered a re-read.  I liked the First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, was meh about the Second, and sorta disliked the Third.  But I remember really being drawn into his sci-fi universe. 

[Wilshire]

Have not read it myself, but a small discussion from a while ago:

Hopefully something dark, gritty, epic, and well-written.

!!!
Stephen Donaldson - The Gap Cycle
!!!

It continues for 2 or 3 posts after that if you follow the link.

Hopefully someone else has discovered the series since then

[Royce]

Finished The Broken God by David Zindell and I am wholeheartedly impressed by this series so far. It contains everything I need in literature. Fascinating world building, embraces almost every philosophical idea ever mentioned and builds on them. At the same time being deeply scientific and ascetic. Characters are very rich and deep. What made it perfect was that only the first book was written in first person POV, and how it went from first person to other was very cleverly done.

Also read The Only Dance There Is by Ram Dass.

[locke]

I just finished the Nonexistant Knight by Italo Calvino.  Highly recommended for Bakker fans.  It's a light and fast read.  The premise is that Agilulf is a knight with a suit of armor but not a body, yeah it's got a subtle (compared to Bakker) philosophic bent, but delights in the absurd/comical while aping the characteristics of older stories, such as the Orlando Furioso.

[mrganondorf]

I liked that story too!  My copy is bound with the Cloven Viscount, also wonderful.  I don't know a lot of Calvino, but I know that some of this stuff is more fantastic than others--I would like the more fantastic stuff--recommendations?

[Wilshire]

I recently got a bookshelf... and its somewhat empty. Maybe I'll just buy cheap used copies of the titles listed on this bored and just see if I ever get through them all .

Better a bookshelf with books left unread than a bookshelf with empty spaces.

[locke]

Well you could read the original Orlando Furioso, but it's a beast, or Ovid's Metamorphises, also a beast but what Ariosto was riffing on with Orlando Furioso, and Calvino was riffing on Ariosto. I just started Cloven Viscount tonight, the heaps of corpses on the first page might be more egregious than anything Bakker has written (though such a wry and sardonic tone to the horrors inscribed upon the page!).

The only other Calvino I've read is Invisible Cities, which you should utterly and absolutely read, it's marvelous.

[Madness]

I recently got a bookshelf... and its somewhat empty. Maybe I'll just buy cheap used copies of the titles listed on this bored and just see if I ever get through them all .

Better a bookshelf with books left unread than a bookshelf with empty spaces.

Lol - if it wasn't an obscene amount of money I would send you my library. It is in desperate need of shelves and they're going to sit around in boxes all summer.

[Wilshire]

Then I'd have to send them all back at some point, and that would just be sad (and, yeah, expensive. I'd be cheaper to drive them myself lol)

[Madness]

LMAO! Road trip with Wilshire?! Come pick me (and my books up) in two weeks and you can drop me off in South Western Ontario on your way back .