un: Jay.T | Text

[leastdramatic]

Anyone got any recommended readings? What're your favorite books and can they be found at the bookstore?

[Indeed if one were to try to seek out Jason, he can be found at Dhaliwal-to-wall Books with a stack of books and making himself comfortable in one of the reading chairs]

Comments

[mostdangerousbird]

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, if you mean standalone novels.

[leastdramatic]

Standalones are fine. Less commitment needed compared to a full series

Good choice btw. Jules Vernes's stuff are classics. Why that one for you?

[mostdangerousbird]

It was always going to be sci-fi or fantasy. I think genre-defining sort of bumps anything up the rankings. Like you can’t outrank Shelley on horror, Vernes on sci-fi, or Tolkien on high fantasy.

Besides, I figured you weren’t looking for niche pulp fiction, like Daybreak 2250 A.D.

[leastdramatic]

Of course you'd be a big enough nerd to reference that

[And he's a big enough nerd to get the reference but still]

Not in the mood for anything with Philip Marlowe either

[mostdangerousbird]

You expected me to reference something more “normal” like Ordinary People?

Philip Marlowe is a terrible detective. If you’re going to slum it in early 20th century detective stories, at least have some self respect and read a Poirot novel.

[leastdramatic]

Never.

And agreed. Now that’s a much classier detective. Something about those stories are more engaging too

[mostdangerousbird]

Yeah, it's called Agatha Christie had a sense of humor. Grim, hard-boiled detective is overdone.

Thank you for not making a case for Sherlock Holmes.

[leastdramatic]

Eh. I respect for what Conan Doyle did for the genre but there are better fictional detectives. Poirot would be up there

[mostdangerousbird]

Also Moriarty's creepy.

[leastdramatic]

Exactly. Archenemies are always creepy when you think about it. No one should hit that level of obsession

[definecat]

Does this mean you have an appreciation for the cultivation of vegetable marrows?

[mostdangerousbird]

Not more than other vegetable? Squash is just sort of there.

UN: definecat | Text

[definecat]

The Left Hand of Darkness is always a good read. Or Parable of the Sower.

[leastdramatic]

Haven’t read those yet but I know I should given who the authors are. What do you like about them?

[definecat]

Mostly the fluidity of identity and what one can make of oneself. I also appreciate that the authors were able to use personal experience to shape the story without breaking out of the scope of the world.

[leastdramatic]

[How appropriate for a shapeshifter]

Yeah, that’s the tricky thing about fantasy and sci-fi. They say “write what you know” but you’re also supposed to be making a fictional world that needs to somehow engage the reader. Quite a feat if you can do both

[definecat]

Speculative fiction is all about projection. That's why the best stories are commentary on the time and place they come from, our fears and dreams made manifest.

[leastdramatic]

It's almost therapeutic and comforting when you relate to a story to that kind of level. It might even help you realize things you didn't think about before

[Text; UN: swordcandy]

[cultivatingsin]

Any of the weird books on Anatomy. There are big ones in the bookstore. Even if you can't read them, the illustrations are crazy!

[leastdramatic]

[Oh Jason has definitely read his share of anatomy books for… work purposes]

oh yeah. Those cross-section illustrations are really detailed. Not easy to do. You’re a med student or something?

[cultivatingsin]

[He laughs at the presumption.]

You mean like a healer? Far from it! But I've definitely cut people open before.

[leastdramatic]

Oh? What do you to then?

[cultivatingsin]

What do you think? I don't do it anymore, but I was a mercenary once.

[leastdramatic]

[Jason doesn't flinch from that, given his previous work]

Wow. That's some pretty crazy stuff then

[cultivatingsin]

I enjoyed it. Maybe too much. I'm not as interested in tearing people apart, but I do know how to do it.

[leastdramatic]

How long were you doing it?

[cultivatingsin]

Years.

[leastdramatic]

And you just got tired of the life?

[cultivatingsin]

I met someone.

[leastdramatic]

And they helped you change your mind?

[cultivatingsin]

For them. Only for them.

[leastdramatic]

They must be really special for you then

You guys been together for long?

[cultivatingsin]

They are mine.

Years.

[leastdramatic]

How’d you guys meet?

[cultivatingsin]

He was chasing me after I committed a crime.

[leastdramatic]

That's a hell of a first meeting

[cultivatingsin]

Right? I wanted his attention.

un: Accelerator | text

[levelshift]

高見 広春の「バトル・ロワイアル」
田中 芳樹の「銀河英雄伝説」
桜坂 洋の「All You Need is Kill」
鎌池和馬の「ヘヴィーオブジェクト」

[leastdramatic]

I've read the first one so good choice there. Haven't read the others though. I need to brush up more on Japanese novels

[levelshift]

They're all really good.

[From the perspective of a 15 year old, at least......]

I haven't checked if anyone of them are at the bookstore, though. There might be translations, given most people here seem to speak English.

[leastdramatic]

Yeah, I would need English translations too. It's how I read Battle Royale

Why those books for you?