Following on from the b3tans struggle
with my favourite book of all time - Catch-22...

The book that I purchased and haven't been able to finish, despite numerous attempts, is Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, by Robert M.Pirsig.

Now this is a book that truely, nothing really happens. It's the musings of some philosopher vaguely dressed up as a drawn out story which drags as much as a bike ride around America.

I think that it's a well written book, but it's just SO BORING. I guess you need to be in a particular mood to appreciate it, but I know that I'm far too impatient. I've made 3 attempts and the furthest I've managed is roughly half way. Each time my face collapses in on itself through boredom.
( whenanimalsattackhumans clad in global hypercolour, Sun 27 Jun 2010, 9:59, 16 replies)

I've been reading "Judas Unchained" for the last 6 months on and off
Massive massive sci-fi book with more detail and background stories rolled in than 10 years worth of Eastenders. I managed to read the 1st one quick enough (Pandora's Star), been struggling to finish this one though.

Which is odd as the book has really opened up now and everything is being blown up to shit :)
( Jeccius Steam Borderlands 2 junkie, Sun 27 Jun 2010, 10:08, closed)

Background stories can be so rewarding though
In TV/Film, the difference between something like the Wire where you have episode after episode of background story before the climax of the final 3 episodes in a series is so much more fulfilling than a 2 hour gangster movie.

I started Matter by Iain M.Banks last week and, well it's my first Sci-Fi book in a while. I'm kind of wavering on forgetting about it. There's something about Sci-Fi books in that names mean absolutely nothing to me.. I mean: "'Now, sir...' Fanthile said, before turning to see Harne, the lasy Aelsh, the King's present consort and mother to Ferbin".. this means nothing to me and my eyes kind of gloss over uninterested.
( whenanimalsattackhumans clad in global hypercolour, Sun 27 Jun 2010, 10:15, closed)

Well "Pandora's Star" is a massive book establishing technologies that become commonplace
along with different characters and communities. It also explains general politics and how everything becomes divided into different houses and eventually planets, but it's all done in a sensible way.

Peter F. Hamilton does seem like he's over-doing it at times with the detail but it is all coming into play on the 2nd book, very good read. I would've also thought it would have made an awesome TV series if done right.
( Jeccius Steam Borderlands 2 junkie, Sun 27 Jun 2010, 10:30, closed)

It's worth sticking with Matter
the plot accelerates as it goes on.
( Ring Of Fire A petty, drooling belming butthurt retard., Sun 27 Jun 2010, 10:43, closed)

"Matter" is a poor example of Banks' work.
Please don't judge him on it. Read the Player of Games; there's only two names you need to remember in that. Even if the names are "Jernau Morat Gurgeh" and "Flere-Imsaho".
(Falstaff's Spiritual Successor, Sun 27 Jun 2010, 10:45, closed)

That's good
because my brother has the entire collection. I'm not sure why he intended for me to start on 'Matter'. Must give Player of Games a try. By the way the premise of the series is really interesting so I do hope to get into them.
( whenanimalsattackhumans clad in global hypercolour, Sun 27 Jun 2010, 10:57, closed)

Ah!
FSS is right, it's not a book to start on Ian M. Banks.

Player of Games or Consider Phlebas IMO.
( Ring Of Fire A petty, drooling belming butthurt retard., Sun 27 Jun 2010, 11:06, closed)

I consider "Use of Weapons" to be a masterpiece.

(Pie of Meat ___°¬¯O¯____\o/_____/\_,____Y¯¯Y, Sun 27 Jun 2010, 12:05, closed)

Use of Weapons is an absolute masterpiece.
Although possibly not the best if you want to avoid confusion, since half of it is written backwards, interspersed with the bits preceding it, but written forwards. Simple.

I actually got to appreciate it twice. Read it once, half-comprehending it, absolutely shat myself at the bit with the chair. I then promptly forgot about the whole thing, which meant when I came back to it years later I got to enjoy it for the first time, all over again.
(Falstaff's Spiritual Successor, Sun 27 Jun 2010, 12:56, closed)

Indeed!
I've tried a few times to read it.

Haven't got a clue what's going on as I keep getting distracted by more interesting things....like watching the grass grow out of the the window for instance.
(dchurch bah, Sun 27 Jun 2010, 11:23, closed)

Fair enough it's a philosophical book
but if every philosophical idea is punctuated by 100 pages+ of mundane day to day stuff like getting up in the morning and driving to the next town while going into far too much detail... It's probably the point of the book but yes, that growing grass out there is far more interesting..
( whenanimalsattackhumans clad in global hypercolour, Sun 27 Jun 2010, 11:41, closed)

I must say
that if you've got a few days to actual just plough through it without getting distracted, it is a worthwhile read, if only to get as far as something resembling a climax to the story. Possibly a bit too much "ooh, worrying" over-emphasis of his previous personality bubbling back up spoils it though.
( evilstevie misses the Orange Place of late, Mon 28 Jun 2010, 10:57, closed)

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
Christ yes. It's rubbish. I eventually threw my copy out of a window and never tried again.
(davywavy, Mon 28 Jun 2010, 11:54, closed)

I finished it
It's not the worst book I've ever read.
There's an amusing bit where his son, Chris, shits himself and has to wash himself in a river.

Incidentally, his son got killed in a mugging outside a Zen center.
( Dervel OTBC, Tue 29 Jun 2010, 8:56, closed)

I'm not sure which is most depressing.
The fact about his son, the content of the book itself, or the fact I read it all.
( Blind Meach Cautiously optimistic, Tue 29 Jun 2010, 12:30, closed)

The son getting murdered was awful
but the bit where he said he didn't get his new wife to have an abortion because he thought the new child was his son being reborn, that is fucked up.

I mean, come on. Find an aspect of that statement which isn't hideous.
( Dervel OTBC, Tue 29 Jun 2010, 15:17, closed)