UrbanSavage New Member Posts:56  
| 7/13/2009 1:07 PM |
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I'm presently on Duma Key by Stephan King. Just finished Darkest Evening of the year by Koontz. I was quite sad to hear that Stephan King is planning retirement next year. Even though I thought "Cell" was a bust I can't believe he's run out of great stories. Ive been looking for someone who recalls a novel about Post apocalypse America. I can't for the life of me remember the name but one of the main characters is a wrestler or a football star. No it's not "he stand". OL its non SK. I don't read comics or graphic novels as I find them tedious....especially comics though I am collecting the Gunslinger/Dark Tower strictly as a collectors item. Haven't even opened them.  No offense to Mark and his Graphic novel work. As far as Non fiction goes I read Buddhist texts and The Dali Lamas writings, as well as anything that has to do with Native American and African history. Just finished Biko about two weeks ago. |
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mikeclr Basic Member Posts:197 
| 7/13/2009 2:34 PM |
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I'm currently reading Jerry Pournelle and Larry Niven's The Mote In God's Eye . I have been a fan of both authors for years but never got around to reading this until I picked it up recently for a buck at a used bookstore. Great stuff!
Before this I just finished an Executioner, Pele's Fire , by Mike Newton, who I consider the best Bolan author, which I always enjoy.
"Courage is not a man with a gun in his hand. It's knowing you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what." - Atticus Finch
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Dean DeathlandsNew Member Posts:15 
| 7/13/2009 9:19 PM |
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I usally have two or three books on the go at one time, right now I'm reading Hadon of Ancient Opar by Philip Jose Farmer. As a big fan of Tarzan this is one of the few books that gives a origin to the lost city. The other one I'm working on is Swan Song by Robert R. McCammon, this is a post-apocalyptic novel that has been conpared to the The Stand ( Urban Savage I think this is the book you might be looking for, one of the main characters is a football player turned pro wrestler.) Its 956 pages long so its going to take me sometime to finish.
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UrbanSavageNew Member Posts:56
| 7/13/2009 10:20 PM |
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Thanks DD!!! That's the one!!! Just ordered it on Amazon. Heard about it 4 years ago and finally someone remembers the name. Thanks again.
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Ron MilesWebsite Owner  Commander In Chief Posts:864 
| 7/13/2009 10:28 PM |
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Swan Song is good, I have a limited edition hardcover of that one from Dark Harvest. My favorite McCammon book is Boy's Life, it's really a hauntingly beautiful semi-autobiographical novel.
Lately I've been working through the SM Stirling books about "The Change". I started with Dies the Fire, which I really liked. The second one, The Protector's War, was odd in that the climax of the book came 200 pages before the end. I liked the third one much better. Now I have looped back and am reading the Nantucket series, just recently finished Island in the Sea of Time.
"Sadly then I knew the answer. All her life she was a dancer, but no one ever played the song she knew." - The Residents
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One Eyed Vengeance (Leonidas)Basic Member Posts:337 
| 7/15/2009 6:50 AM |
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I really want to share a series I read back in 2006 called"The Lost Regiment"It should appeal to any fan of great sci -fi like Death Lands or Outlanders.There are 8 books in the series and the premise is that a regiment of Union soldiers during the Civil war end up in an alien world battling 10 ft tall cannibalistic humanoids who prey on humans and refer to us as "cattle".I highly recommend this series.
Also the Necroscope Vampire books by Brian Lumley and The Anita Blake Vampire Hunter books by Laurell K. Hamilton.
"Molon Labe"........"Come And Take Them"
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One Eyed Vengeance (Leonidas)Basic Member Posts:337
| 7/15/2009 8:14 AM |
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"The Lost Regiment" by William R.Forstchen
(books 1-8)
"Molon Labe"........"Come And Take Them"
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Bury The SunNew Member Posts:94 
| 7/15/2009 4:53 PM |
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I recently read a very good one called "Death's Head" by David Gunn, the main character is an excellent Anti-Hero, and the action sequences are awesome. I am a battle book kind of guy so just about any book can be good as long as there is enough violence in it. I also got into the Mack Bolan series lately and if you haven't, but enjoy just about non-stop action it might be worth checking out.
Sun
"Better to have weapons and not need them, than to not have weapons when you do need them." -Trader
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Harry Whittleberry 2Basic Member Posts:116 
| 7/17/2009 12:34 PM |
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I'm reading a book called pride prejudice and zombies a reworking of the classic tale with added zombies. im wondering if mr darcy gets it in this one.
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One Eyed Vengeance (Leonidas)Basic Member Posts:337
| 7/17/2009 2:25 PM |
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I highly recommend "Gates Of Fire"by Steven Pressfield("The Legend Of Bagger Vance" author)
It is a way more historically accurate fictional account of the 480 B.C. battle of Thermopylae(than 300 was,which I love)
I am reading it for a second time(it's that good)
"Molon Labe"........"Come And Take Them"
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Harry Whittleberry 2Basic Member Posts:116
| 7/17/2009 3:43 PM |
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Posted By One Eyed Vengance on 17 Jul 2009 02:25 PM
I highly recommend "Gates Of Fire"by Steven Pressfield("The Legend Of Bagger Vance" author)
It is a way more historically accurate fictional account of the 480 B.C. battle of Thermopylae(than 300 was,which I love)
I am reading it for a second time(it's that good)
I read hat a year or so ago and enjoyed it. Its not over the top and well written. |
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One Eyed Vengeance (Leonidas)Basic Member Posts:337
| 7/17/2009 5:21 PM |
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Thanks Harry.I read it about 10 months ago from the local library.
I went out and bought a copy to read again I loved it so much.
300 may have been over the top,but alot of it is in fact accurate to a drgree and almost all the best quotes are completely historically dead on the money! "Molon Labe"........"Come And Take Them"
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Bury The SunNew Member Posts:94
| 7/17/2009 8:02 PM |
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Stumbled upon "The Survivalist" by Jerry Ahern... and I'm honestly on the fence over this one... I love Post-Apoc. fiction, but I'm not sure if this one is for me... check it out though, you might find it perfect for filling in those lonely nights spent waiting for that next DL to come out... lol
Was also wondering, if anybody here is a Bolan fan, could you give me some advice on which are the better books in the series...
Sun
"Better to have weapons and not need them, than to not have weapons when you do need them." -Trader
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Sin-EaterNew Member Posts:42
| 7/17/2009 9:11 PM |
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Was also wondering, if anybody here is a Bolan fan, could you give me some advice on which are the better books in the series... Mackbolan.com |
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Cerberus ManBasic Member Posts:144
| 7/17/2009 11:42 PM |
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Posted By Bury The Sun on 17 Jul 2009 08:02 PM
Was also wondering, if anybody here is a Bolan fan, could you give me some advice on which are the better books in the series... I have autographed copies of Devil's Guard and Hellfire Trigger. I think they're great reads. (More shocking revelations!) "It's better to have a blaster and not need it than to need it and--"
"Oh, spare me," Brigid said irritably.
(Kane and Brigid Baptiste from Armageddon Axis)
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mikeclrBasic Member Posts:197
| 7/18/2009 11:31 AM |
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The Survivalist was the first...and remains the best...of the so-called "post-nuke" series. In my opinion of course.
N' yes, the best place to get advice on the Bolan series is at mackbolan.com. Check out the ratings there for some good advice on where to start.
"Courage is not a man with a gun in his hand. It's knowing you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what." - Atticus Finch
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Bury The SunNew Member Posts:94
| 7/18/2009 1:26 PM |
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hey thanks for the site advice, cool place btw...
So maybe I just need to keep reading the Survivalist? Maybe it will grow on me or something... the local book thrift has a whole lot of them that I can get for dirt cheap, so maybe I'll just buy a bunch... I am just having trouble finding DL for good prices, Amazon does have good prices... just not on the ones I don't have and the shipping is crazy ya know... gotta keep trying I guess...
Sun
"Better to have weapons and not need them, than to not have weapons when you do need them." -Trader
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Bury The SunNew Member Posts:94
| 7/22/2009 7:48 AM |
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Repairman Jack series by F. Paul Wilson! I am a huge fan of Jack, an anti-hero with a penchant for kicking ass and taking names, I mean this guy would be awesome if he was a real person! I like the series, and its at least worth a shot if you've never read it...
Okay and I'm sorry guys, I tried to keep reading the Survivalist... I just couldn't do it... I spent more time napping with the book laying on my face than reading it! I tried though, and I will try again... just not right now. lol
Sun
"Better to have weapons and not need them, than to not have weapons when you do need them." -Trader
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Ron MilesWebsite Owner Commander In Chief Posts:864
| 7/22/2009 8:25 AM |
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Posted By Bury The Sun on 22 Jul 2009 07:48 AM
Repairman Jack series by F. Paul Wilson!
I had dinner with F. Paul Wilson and a group of other poeple a few years ago at the Prime Time Diner at the Disney/MGM Studios in Orlando. He ratted me out to the waitress when he saw I hadn't eaten my green beans. Nice guy, seriously. If he is ever doing a book signing near you, you should definitely go. "Sadly then I knew the answer. All her life she was a dancer, but no one ever played the song she knew." - The Residents
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Bury The SunNew Member Posts:94
| 7/22/2009 4:51 PM |
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haha, got ratted out... I would love to meet him, he is an excellent author and seems to be really in tune with his characters... I had a chance to get Brian Keene's autograph once, but then bugged out after waiting for like an hour in line, cause I needed a damnable cancer stick! When I got back I decided it wasn't important enough to wait for another 2 hours on a chance to kiss somebody's ass for .0005 seconds... I still regret it... lol Now... if I had the chance to sit and chat with the same author, maybe have a bite to eat or a few drinks, I would wait for a week in line... happily  Sun "Better to have weapons and not need them, than to not have weapons when you do need them." -Trader
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Ron MilesWebsite Owner Commander In Chief Posts:864
| 7/22/2009 4:54 PM |
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My favorite autograph I ever got was Clive Barker, back when Weaveworld came out. I waited in line for hours, and as he was signing my books I commented that his hand must get tired from all the signing. He replied, "Not really, i work out this hand quite a bit."
Leave it to Barker to make a masturbation joke at a book signing.
Bruce Campbell is also excellent to meet at a book signing (and both of his books are truly great reads as well).
"Sadly then I knew the answer. All her life she was a dancer, but no one ever played the song she knew." - The Residents
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captainbasilNew Member Posts:30
| 7/23/2009 10:23 AM |
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This is always a great thread to have on any board. Right now I'm reading Exit Wounds by J. A. Jance. By the bed I have a copy of Ghosts In Baker Street. It's a volume of new Sherlock Holmes stories with a supernatural element to them. My vacation's coming up so I bought a 3 in 1 volume of CSI novels all written by the great Max Allan Collins. For any horror fans out there I can recommend Jake's Wake by John Skipp & Cody Goodfellow. Happy reading, gang!
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One Eyed Vengeance (Leonidas)Basic Member Posts:337
| 8/8/2009 10:46 PM |
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Here is an old one but a good one if you like Post Apocalyptic survival stories like DeathLands."Wolf And Iron" by Gordon R.Dickson(1990)
"Molon Labe"........"Come And Take Them"
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)3az )3aziahBritish Bloke  Veteran Member Posts:1060 
| 8/9/2009 6:25 PM |
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I'm currently trying to make my way through a pile of crap called FRAGMENT by Warren Fahy which Amazon.co.uk described as:
Review
'Fahy's imaginative debut puts a fresh spin on the survival-of-prehistoric-beasts theme popularized by Jurassic Park.'
Product Description
Jurassic Park meets Lost in this electrifying new adventure thriller. When the cast and crew of reality TV show 'SeaLife' land on picturesque, unexplored Henders Island it's a ratings bonanza. But they're blissfully unaware that the decisions they make there will shape the fate of mankind ! if they can only survive. For they quickly discover that the island is seething with danger. Having evolved in total isolation from the rest of the planet for millennia, Henders is home to host of vicious and exotic predators, terrifying creatures who live in a lightning fast blur of kill or be killed. A team of crack scientists is sent in to assess the situation and they are astounded by what they find. It soon becomes clear that if even the smallest bug ever made it off Henders island, life on earth as we know it would change very quickly indeed. The President is faced with the toughest decision of his career: take the risk of letting one of these creatures escape so that further research can be done, or nuke the island to protect the rest of planet Earth? Just when it seems the stakes couldn't get any higher, the scientists make a surprise discovery that changes everything!
Well it couldn't be more WRONG, this book is total sh!te. It reads like it was written by a 10 year old. There is less characterisation here than a none Mark Ellis OL book and the author spends page after page showing us that he spent time researching arthropods and wants to tells us all every mind numbing detail he can cram onto a page.
I'm only staying with it because I never leave a book without finishing it.
If you see this one pass it by
1/10
=============================== Billy Fish: He wants to know if we are gods.
Peachy Carnehan: Not gods - Englishmen. The next best thing.
Please check out my FLICKR photos
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Jax2Published Author Veteran Member Posts:269 
| 8/9/2009 8:06 PM |
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Weird timing that you bring up that book, Jim.
Not only did my wife and I briefly discuss it today when we were walking along the ocean, when the book came out in June, it caused me to become extremely annoyed with a couple of professional associates in the "traditional" publishing industry--not to mention made me thoroughly disgusted with the industry as a whole.
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One Eyed Vengeance (Leonidas)Basic Member Posts:337
| 8/9/2009 8:25 PM |
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Here is another really old one I inherited from my dad.
"Lucifer's Hammer" byLarry Niven and Jerry Pournelle(1977)
I read this about 15 yrs ago and still remember it well.An excellent post apocalyptic type scenario that I suspect Steven King may have slightly ripped off for "The Stand".It has civilization ending with the earth being struck by a gigantic comet.The "Stand" comparison I am making is in the fact that their emerges 2 distinctly different groups of survivors.The good guy's and the bad guy's of course.
An incredible read!!!I highly recommend this book!(if you can find it)Way better than alot of The OL and DL books (IMO) "Molon Labe"........"Come And Take Them"
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JettaManDanBasic Member Posts:252 
| 8/10/2009 11:04 AM |
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OEV - you've hit on one of my favorite books of ALL time..great friggin story....i've read everyting it's crazy sometimes how much $$ i've sunk into Novels...
also Try "Inherit the Stars" by James P Hogan..and the next 4 books he wrote...very very cool...
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One Eyed Vengeance (Leonidas)Basic Member Posts:337
| 8/10/2009 8:14 PM |
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It's Chris to you Dan ok?No OEV.
Yeah,it is cool that someone else read that book!I only read it cause it is in my dads old collection.Hell I was 4 when it came out in 77'.
I will check out those books you said to man! "Molon Labe"........"Come And Take Them"
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ScourgeNew Member Posts:65 
| 8/12/2009 2:04 AM |
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Well I also read a lot of the Zombie trifle that is floating around and am currently reading the Morningstar Strain. I like some of the vampire stuff but the vampire eroticism has got to quit!! I am sick of the New Moon freaks panting over some sleazy-looking vampire that glitters!! Another guilty pleasure of mine is anything by Laurel K Hamilton, and JD Robb whom my wife got me hooked on her In Death series because I love SciFI and good cop stories. Ever sat around a bunch of homophobic uber-manly SF guys and read a "romance" novel? I think the only thing that kept them from teasing me too much was the fact that I could put them all on a 12 mile ruck march in full battle rattle for the fun of it.
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JettaManDanBasic Member Posts:252
| 8/12/2009 9:15 AM |
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heh..sorry Chris!  one of the best series i ever read was the Incarnations of Imoortality series by Pieers Anthony - that every day forees were actual jobs - "Death" was a job - Time was a job and so on..pretty frigin cool - "On a Pale Horse was the 1st and i think the best...then they had Nature, Time, War etc....the one with Satan was awesome too - forget the title...worth checking out if you like some Fantasy type if stuff - plus i real everything that Dale Brown writes - and tons of other books.. |
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OutlandersVeteran Member Posts:163 
| 8/12/2009 2:12 PM |
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I've been reading quite a few books as of late. Best of the bunch have been the Axis of Time trilogy by John Birmingham. Basic plot - a task force from 2021 is caught in an experiment gone awry and find themselves sent back in time to June 1942, to the battle of Midway.
Three books are available - Weapons of Choice, Designated Targets, and Final Impact.
Next is the Vatta's War series by Elizabeth moon. Five books in total (on the last) that deal with a powerful merchant family that comes under attack, leaving few survivors. One of the survivors ends up going after those responsible for the attacks. Can be a little slow at times, but I've enjoyed it none the less.
Finally March Upcountry by David Webber and John Ringo. 4 books in the series thus far, starting with March Upcountry, March to the Sea, March to the Stars and We few.
The military battles in book 2 started to make my eyes glaze over, but it's not bad.
Chris
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One Eyed Vengeance (Leonidas)Basic Member Posts:337
| 8/12/2009 4:49 PM |
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No way Scourge!I have read all the Anita Blake books by ol'Laurel K. Hamilton(she is my myspace friend too)She actually was telling me why Anita Carries that Browning Hi Power one time!!!
Her books are getting way too erotic for me(an I admit I am a perv)LOL!I am gonna finish "Blood Noir" any day now.
Nothin'ta be sorry about Dan,I just want friends to call me by my real name bro! "Molon Labe"........"Come And Take Them"
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Ron MilesWebsite Owner Commander In Chief Posts:864
| 8/12/2009 5:03 PM |
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Lately I have been reading the Dexter books by Jeff Lindsay. Good stuff. The next book on my list is The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmasuka Magdalena Rosalia Maria Josefa Barbara Orczy. The Scarlet Pimpernel is pretty much the original masked avenger, the very first superhero with a secret identity. By day he is the foppish Sir Percy Blakeney, but by night he becomes The Scarlet Pimpernel - a master of disguises leading his band of adventurers across the English Channel in order to rescue the victims of The Reign of Terror. Prototypical stuff, that.
"Sadly then I knew the answer. All her life she was a dancer, but no one ever played the song she knew." - The Residents
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ScourgeNew Member Posts:65
| 8/12/2009 7:04 PM |
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I just bought Blood Noir and it is on the pile to be read. I just finished "Plague of the Dead" by ZA Recht - it was pretty good. Yeah the eroticism in Hamilton's books is getting a little thick - but from what I read that is what sells. The fastest selling books are vampire eroticism written for 12 - 15 YO girls. Now I have a 7 YO daughter and there is no way she is reading something like "Blood Noir." I really liked Hamilton's earlier books when Anita was not quite so bad ass but was not effing everything with a stick & two veg. I always admired Anita's choice of a pistol. I do not own a Hi Power (it is on the wish list) but have shot quite a few when I lived in SA. The Panamanian Army issued them as a standard sidearm to its troops and as far as I know they still have them although when we(USA) left Panama disbanded its Army, Airfarce and joke of a Navy.
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One Eyed Vengeance (Leonidas)Basic Member Posts:337
| 8/12/2009 10:07 PM |
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Yeah I agree totally Scourge.I am getting a little tired of how much of a slut she has made Anita into.It is cool to have some sex but she has her screwing anyone and everyone and her lame excuse is to "Feed The Ardure".I think Laurell is just a horny 46 year old is all with some cougar issues.lol.
The older books were alot more action and now it is just all erotica and little action? "Molon Labe"........"Come And Take Them"
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ScourgeNew Member Posts:65
| 8/12/2009 10:54 PM |
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Yeah it is getting to be more erotic fiction than action. I really liked the kick-ass action in the early books. Anita is still bad ass but now she is some super slut with a lame excuse to f everything. It is getting to the point where I might stop buying the books and borrow them from a brother or the library. The Harliquin really lacked on the action and it was more erotic and political intrigue - first of her books I was a bit disappointed in.
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One Eyed Vengeance (Leonidas)Basic Member Posts:337
| 8/13/2009 5:33 PM |
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My thoughts exactly.Early books rocked.The harlequinn was just alot of Anita blowing everyone.I have not finished Blood Noir cause I have been to busy Re reading the old DL books and the new ones too.
"Molon Labe"........"Come And Take Them"
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ScourgeNew Member Posts:65
| 8/13/2009 10:49 PM |
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I have been reading a lot of Zombie books lately - but Blood Noir is up next. I just finished "Robbing the Bees" by Holley Bishop which was non-fiction but really neat about apiararys and bee keeping. If I ever get a large enough place I would like to keep bees as a hobby.
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Bury The SunNew Member Posts:94
| 8/14/2009 8:13 AM |
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The Runelords by David Farland, not a HUGE series, but a very good one! I thought that I was done with fantasy until I ran into this one the other day at a used book store, nope... lol... this guy is a great author, really knows his characters and has a very cool little twist to warrior society... all in all a very cool series IMO!
Sun
"Better to have weapons and not need them, than to not have weapons when you do need them." -Trader
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ScourgeNew Member Posts:65
| 8/15/2009 12:59 AM |
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I still read a lot of fantasy - some of my fav authors are Dennis L. McKiernan, Raymond E Feist, Robert Jordan, David Eddings, and Terry Brooks. I am particularly fond of Eric Van Lustabder's asian-flavored fiction like White Ninja, The Miko, etc due to my interest in the martial arts and Asia.
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One Eyed Vengeance (Leonidas)Basic Member Posts:337
| 8/15/2009 3:41 AM |
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Ok Mac,more info on me.You know how I got involved in using Shuriken Stars and Owned a Ninjato?As well as the climbing claws/Caltrops and my very own NInja suit to go with my Nunchukas?
While most kids wanted to be an "Army man"or a "fireman"or even a "Policeman",I wanted to be a Ninja!!!LOL!!!
I waws never able to get any formal training but I did my best to collect and learn to use any kind of Jappanese martial arts weapon I could obtain(I think my chucks were a Kungfu weapon however)
"Molon Labe"........"Come And Take Them"
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ScourgeNew Member Posts:65
| 8/15/2009 10:18 PM |
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I also admire the Japanese martial arts and always liked reading about some of the skills. I enjoyed reading some of the Lustbader books such as Shan, Jian, and White Ninja which was one of my favorites. I was in my middle teens when the "ninja" craze hit made popular by some truely terrible movies like "Enter the Ninja" and "Revenge of the Ninja."
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One Eyed Vengeance (Leonidas)Basic Member Posts:337
| 8/15/2009 10:54 PM |
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yeah,you are old enough to be my big brother I guess.I was about 12 ir so and I loved Revenge of the Ninja.lol!
"Molon Labe"........"Come And Take Them"
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ScourgeNew Member Posts:65
| 8/15/2009 11:12 PM |
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Yeah I was 17 at the time and thought it was a decent movie. I still remember my younger brothers (I am the eldest by 4 years) arguing over white or black ninja suits, which was better 4 or 8 point stars, etc. Most of the ninja movies did pique my interest in the martial arts although I chose ones that were not so common. I understand from some of the uber-mommies in the day care on post that since "Kungfu Panda" came out attendence at kungfu schools has sky rocketed. I wonder how many of those kids are going to stick with the training. When I was in China I got to spar with some Shaolin priests and they trashed my ass like nothing. We have some S Korean SF as well as some Spetsnaz guys here for cross training and some of them are particularly good at martial arts. The Spetsnaz guys have a neat knife that launches the blade from the handle powered by a standard 12 gr CO2 cartridge!! Way cool!! They use it for quiet work by placing the knife under some poor bastard's ribs and firing the blade up into the body. Slight hazard of hitting yourself though because sometimes the blade comes through the target and tends to bounce off bones. Totally illegal in the States.
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One Eyed Vengeance (Leonidas)Basic Member Posts:337
| 8/16/2009 12:28 AM |
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Ma,n.I know all about those Spetznaz guy's and their self propelled Knife missile!If you watch a show called "Deadliest Warrior" on Spike TV they just had The Spetznaz go up against our green Berets and the Spaetsnaz were the victors.(not saying I agree)But those Spetznaz guys have a30% Deathrate training and they are even taught to feel no pain as they are stood and beaten just like the Spartans were.They are also trained to literally eat one another if they have to!
Of course I vote for my boy's,The USA SF teams!!!
"Molon Labe"........"Come And Take Them"
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ScourgeNew Member Posts:65
| 8/18/2009 11:07 AM |
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Sorry for my abscnese took my platoon in the field for some "corrective" training. Nice thing about having my own platoon if people mess up I get to fix it not have to wash it by the CO. Been a while since some of us fast-ropped Aussie style anyway, and we were able to hitch a ride on a CH46 and parachute into the training area which was a blast. Lately our heat wave here has made great conditions for jumping. Awsome thermals that give some serious hang time. We also got to zero weaps and requal on all various weapons. Of course I gave them the option of shoot the ammo or hump it back to post - guess what they chose? Yeah the Spetsnaz are some bad mo fos!!! They have a lot of problems with guys snapping (cue Psycho music), and they are not really known for being the most intelligent SF troops among our allies - but they are def some tuff bastards. I am surprised that they went against Green Berets should have been Commandos - they are more alike in training. Green Berets are linguistic, training, and psy ops pros - as well as some of the best intelligent-gathering forces - but they used to do a lot of snatch and run in Vietnam. Terrified the Viet Cong that they would find themselves snatched by an A team. Cant fault the Spetsnaz for heart though - I've seen them go on with some horrid wounds that would have stopped a lesser soldier. Met quite a few Russian soldiers in Afghanistan that defected and took Afghani wifes. We avoided those dirt bags - I am conversant in Russian and Arabic (can't read either for shite) so I can get by but I will never sound fluent. We had some GDR and Russian troops in Kabul with us and I understood that the Russian soldiers were telling the defectors that if they were caught out side at night they had better watch themselves.
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JettaManDanBasic Member Posts:252
| 8/18/2009 11:11 AM |
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firggin cool Mac....thanks for giving us an inside look at your life man...guys like you make me real proud to live in this country...can't thank yopu enough or express my appreciation enough...i don't care how unpopular a war is..you guys do what you are trained for an handle stuff as best you can..only people ot blame for some of the messes we are in are some of the politicians..our troops get my total support...
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ScourgeNew Member Posts:65
| 8/18/2009 12:00 PM |
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Well as professional soldiers we do as we are told. The Brits have a saying that when you take the Queen's copper - you do as she says. When I enlisted under Reagon in '86 I promised to defend the country against all enemies foriegn and domestic, and despite my disagreements with some of the presidents - I will serve them as diligently as I did the others.
Only mistake I made is I did not lug enough books in my ruck and ran out batteries for my Surefire mini light. I got to finish one book - A Rush of Wings by Adrian Phoenix and it is typical of the Goth/Vampire erotica drivel being printed. WIthin the first 20 or so pages my thought was "great just what we needed more bi-sexual French-speaking vampires in New Orleans - how original." Tried both editions of the Kindle but they are not quite soldier proof and need to be hardened to take the rigors of field life.
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One Eyed Vengeance (Leonidas)Basic Member Posts:337
| 8/18/2009 5:14 PM |
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Do not take this wrong Mac,but I am envious of you.Not for the combat you have seen but for the knowledge and expertise that you have of all thing's millitary.You are now the 4th member of Dan,Andy and my "Kool Guy's club"lol!I am no coward but I sure as hell am not the soldier or man you are.
"Molon Labe"........"Come And Take Them"
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)3az )3aziahBritish Bloke Veteran Member Posts:1060
| 8/18/2009 8:02 PM |
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Posted By Scourge on 18 Aug 2009 12:00 PM
The Brits have a saying that when you take the Queen's copper - you do as she says. Hey, I guess you mean the Queen's shilling (or King's shilling depending which one we have on the throne at the time) The Shilling was a silver coin (done away with in the early 1970's when we went over to decimal pounds and pence), worth 12 old pennies, which, if accepted from a recruiting officer obliged the
recipient to serve in the British army. Recruiting sergeants in the
18th century would ply likely young men with drink and then persuade them to take the shilling, by taking it they were in fact accepting army
pay. This ranked as a binding agreement from which escape was very
difficult. The British Army no longer offers a shilling to new recruits but it does have them swear an oath of allegiance to the Country and Monarch. =============================== Billy Fish: He wants to know if we are gods.
Peachy Carnehan: Not gods - Englishmen. The next best thing.
Please check out my FLICKR photos
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ScourgeNew Member Posts:65
| 8/18/2009 10:09 PM |
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Thanks for the correction - I am not much of an Anglophile and since I am Irish-Catholic well just say it runs in my blood not to trust the Brits. ;{) My family left Ireland during the Great Potato Famine and settled in Missouri then moved to Idaho after that territory was opened to settlement. I have served with a few of Her Majesties troops but not close enough to catch all the differences. I am actually more familiar with the Canadians as they are our closest neighbors and we do a lot of inter-service training with them. Actually I am better on the Russians (Know thy enemy) and Arabs than the Brits. I have only managed to get to England once and hope to return on my own dime some day so I can explore more. Most of the Brits I have served with were either Royal Marines or SAS and they tend to be a little bit odd.
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One Eyed Vengeance (Leonidas)Basic Member Posts:337
| 8/19/2009 6:20 PM |
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I can't say much on this Jim or Mac,except I thought that the SAS were among the first "Elite"Sf types(beside the Grermans under Otto Scorzney in WW2) and our own Delta force was based on them to some extent?Pls correct me if I am wrong,but I have read some accounts of their preferred weapons(Sig P226 9MM's over their old Browning HI power's) and The Mp5 and US M4,as well as them being way better at "Liberating" a Terrorist held Embassy than the Russian Spetsnaz who killed alot of civillians and lost some of their own when those Chechyen's took over that arts school in Russia years ago???
Just my 2 cents.
"Molon Labe"........"Come And Take Them"
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ScourgeNew Member Posts:65
| 8/19/2009 11:16 PM |
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Actually the SAS and the OSS were developed about the same time the Rangers and the 101st AB were during WW2. If you want to get technical the Rangers were formed back during the War for Independence (on both sides) but were not codified as such until WW2 and were disbanded after WW2 but raised again for Korea. We draw heavily on the Roger’s Rangers although we are not officially decedents of that unit. I have been a Ranger since 1982 and first saw combat in Grenada.
SAS and Delta have much better records for freeing hostages and retrieving persons of interest. Spetsnaz have a better record of job achievement but they do seem to always have a high death rate and tend to lose a few of the targets. Some feel the Spetsnaz units are more inclined to the "acceptable losses" theory than others.
Delta, SAS and Rangers all cross train with each other although the SAS and Delta are a bit more secretive than the Rangers are so we do not have to blank our faces. A lot of times Delta units will hitch a ride with the Rangers and then get off somewhere to do their thing. Since we are all friends now, we are even starting to train with Spetsnaz units, but I still would not trust Russia.
A lot of the Delta guys are carrying Kimber .45s but there are a lot of the Sig 226s out there and even a few Glocks. One of the Delta operatives I had the pleasure of shooting with carried a Glock 20L with an attached suppressor. He said that he only got about 10 rounds or so through it before it needed a rebuild due to gas cutting of the baffles. There are even a few modern suppressed .45 ACP rifles much like the De Lissle carbine from WW2 – one of my favorite rifles which I was glad to see it in the OL series.
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One Eyed Vengeance (Leonidas)Basic Member Posts:337
| 8/20/2009 1:10 AM |
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Thanks for the intel Mac,You just confirmed my theory about Spetsnaz too.
I know a little about you guy's but I am not a pro like you so I of course do not mind you correcting my factoids thet were off at all. "Molon Labe"........"Come And Take Them"
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Bury The SunNew Member Posts:94
| 8/20/2009 7:58 AM |
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lol... Delta Force does not exist, Delta Force does not exist... when I was going into the army the Drill Sergeants said it like it was a mantra or something man... lol...
Sun
"Better to have weapons and not need them, than to not have weapons when you do need them." -Trader
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One Eyed Vengeance (Leonidas)Basic Member Posts:337
| 8/20/2009 5:24 PM |
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Yeah Andy I get ya.lol.
Doesn't the Army rangers sort of look up to or aspire to being Delta?That is the way it was portrayed in "BlackHawk Down"is all I am sayin'? "Molon Labe"........"Come And Take Them"
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The PhantomBasic Member Posts:219 
| 10/24/2009 4:08 PM |
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Anyway... getting back on track, I have recently decided to give James Rollins a try.
I bought Ice Hunt, and so far I am 220 pages into this 505 page novel.
This is really great stuff, I'm enjoying it. Rollins is a very talented writer, I can see why his books are popular. The pacing is a little slower than I would have liked, but there really isn't anything bad to say about this book. It keeps getting better, and I'm really hooked.
I'm considering getting more of his books.
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UrbanSavageNew Member Posts:56
| 10/24/2009 10:44 PM |
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Its been awhile since I posted here so an update...I will passingly recommend Red, Green and Blue Mars by Kim Stanly Robinson. Very intelligent and scientifically sound reading but at times tedious (what trilogy isn't). My biggest complaint is the blatant religious and political endorsement of the authors obvious choice. Not a whole lot of objectivity IMO. All in all a GOOD read, 3 1/2 out of five stars or whatever. The Face and the Good Guy by Koontz are good. Duma Key which i believe I was in the midst of my last post, is an above average SK offering. Was disappointed in Swan Song although for doomsday fans its worth a skim. Just starting "Just after Sunset" by Stephan King.
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ScourgeNew Member Posts:65
| 10/25/2009 6:57 PM |
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Lets see just started reading "Blood Noir."
I tried reading "Killing Johnny Fry" by Walter Mosley but just could not get into the book - not really my cup of tea I guess. Still trying to figure what put me off about the book - maybe the author's writing style?
I also started re-reading the Horseclans books - another guilty pleasure.
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captainbasilNew Member Posts:30
| 10/27/2009 2:17 PM |
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I read the Mars trilogy quite a while ago and I enjoyed them too. It was great, plausible science fiction Yeah, they did get too political and I find almost any trilogy drags at some point but it's good stuff. Right now I'm re-reading Dracula by Bram Stoker and I just bought Dracula The Un-Dead by Dacre Stoker and Ian Holt. The Authorized Dracula sequel. I'll be getting to that pretty soon. Happy reading, folks!
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)3az )3aziahBritish Bloke Veteran Member Posts:1060
| 10/27/2009 3:09 PM |
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Posted By Scourge on 25 Oct 2009 06:57 PM
I also started re-reading the Horseclans books - another guilty pleasure.
Oh my !! I had forgotten about this series, I may even still have the UK editions in the loft someplace. Yet another post holocaust series from the late 70's early 80's Time to grab a torch and start looking me thinks... =============================== Billy Fish: He wants to know if we are gods.
Peachy Carnehan: Not gods - Englishmen. The next best thing.
Please check out my FLICKR photos
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Milo MoraiNew Member Posts:9 
| 1/22/2010 9:08 AM |
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I'm rereading A Game of Thrones by Martin. Will probably go through the whole series again. Also reading some of the Travis McGee I've missed. |
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captainbasilNew Member Posts:30
| 1/28/2010 10:31 AM |
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Reading Kop by Warren Hammond. An excellent blend of hardboiled mystery and science fiction. I also have Ex-Kop which won't stay unread for long.
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RYAN'S BASTARD SONNew Member Posts:71 
| 5/11/2010 8:51 PM |
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The War in 2020 is an excellent WW3 type of story where the Iranians,Arab conglomerate allies, and breakaway soviet states are armed with state of the art Jappanese technology and old Russian gear.
The USA comes to the Russian's aid while America is being ravaged by a new plague called "Runcimans Disease". "Looks Like We Time Trawled Us A Real Triple Dickhead"
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captainbasilNew Member Posts:30
| 5/20/2010 8:14 AM |
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I'm reading This Body Of Death by Elizabeth George. It's almost 700 pages of non-stop mystery goodness.
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RYAN'S BASTARD SONNew Member Posts:71
| 5/20/2010 1:03 PM |
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I just re-read "Gates Of Fire" by Steven Pressfield.
It is a fictional story but a very accurate account of the battle of Thermopylae.Far more than "300", which I love as well.
I am actually going to read it a 4th time.
It is that good!
I highly recommend this book to all Axler fans.
No offense,but it's better than any Axler book I have read in several years.(IMO)
"Looks Like We Time Trawled Us A Real Triple Dickhead"
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The PhantomBasic Member Posts:219
| 5/22/2010 2:55 PM |
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I just started reading Deep Storm by Lincon Child.
I've never read anything by this author before, and decided to try this book out. So far it is good.
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RYAN'S BASTARD SONNew Member Posts:71
| 5/22/2010 11:14 PM |
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At the risk of going against the nature of this thread,I feel I should warn any and all fans of Laruell K.Hamilton's "Anita Blake Vampire Hunter" series.
It was once a fantastic series filled with violence,action,great dialogue,and steamy sex.
It has degenerated into XXX stupidity with the main character "Anita" being a nasty whore.
Laurell has taken Anita from an asskicking petite little female 24 yr old US Marshall (yeah right) and turned her into having an orgy involved with every known male character in the series.
I think Laurell is a horny older woman living vicariously through her character I suppose.
The funny part is she uses Anita's humping 3/4 guys at a time and having 5 men she is in "love" (lol) with at once as a necessary part of the storyline due to it being a Vampiric power's side effect called "The Ardure".
BTW,
Laurell knows shite about firearms as she has Anita using outdated weapons and obviously has no clue how a Federal Marshall would really be armed.
"Looks Like We Time Trawled Us A Real Triple Dickhead"
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)3az )3aziahBritish Bloke Veteran Member Posts:1060
| 5/23/2010 8:46 AM |
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What made you choose William Bowles translation of the Epitaph of Simonides as a sig and not the actual one?
"O stranger, tell Lacedaemonians that here We lie to their sayings in obedience."
Just curious.
=============================== Billy Fish: He wants to know if we are gods.
Peachy Carnehan: Not gods - Englishmen. The next best thing.
Please check out my FLICKR photos
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)3az )3aziahBritish Bloke Veteran Member Posts:1060
| 5/23/2010 8:50 AM |
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Posted By RYAN'S BASTARD SON on 20 May 2010 01:03 PM
I just re-read "Gates Of Fire" by Steven Pressfield.
It is a fictional story but a very accurate account of the battle of Thermopylae.Far more than "300", which I love as well.
I am actually going to read it a 4th time.
It is that good!
You are the second poster in this thread to have read and liked this book more so than 300. Though he says he had only read it twice ? =============================== Billy Fish: He wants to know if we are gods.
Peachy Carnehan: Not gods - Englishmen. The next best thing.
Please check out my FLICKR photos
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RYAN'S BASTARD SONNew Member Posts:71
| 5/23/2010 9:07 AM |
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Posted By )3az )3aziah on 23 May 2010 08:46 AM
What made you choose William Bowles translation of the Epitaph of Simonides as a sig and not the actual one?
"O stranger, tell Lacedaemonians that here We lie to their sayings in obedience."
Just curious.
Because I (until now) had no knowledge of the existence of the original Epitaph being worded in that manner.
I have been studying the Spartans and Thermopylae's history since I was 13 years old (40 now)
I read abut the battle in a Gi Joe comic'
Until now every version of the Simonides epitaph I used is the only one I have seen hundreds of times in other books and it's listed as being the one incribed on the ancient Thermoplae monument at The 300 Spartans.com website.
I would like to thank you for bringing the existence of this correct version of the epitaph to my attention.
To be honest,I still like the english translation better. "Looks Like We Time Trawled Us A Real Triple Dickhead"
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RYAN'S BASTARD SONNew Member Posts:71
| 5/23/2010 9:11 AM |
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Posted By )3az )3aziah on 23 May 2010 08:50 AM
Posted By RYAN'S BASTARD SON on 20 May 2010 01:03 PM
I just re-read "Gates Of Fire" by Steven Pressfield.
It is a fictional story but a very accurate account of the battle of Thermopylae.Far more than "300", which I love as well.
I am actually going to read it a 4th time.
It is that good!
You are the second poster in this thread to have read and liked this book more so than 300.
Though he says he had only read it twice ?
Actually I meant I liked the version of events depicted better than the movie "300".
I have never read "300".
"Looks Like We Time Trawled Us A Real Triple Dickhead"
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)3az )3aziahBritish Bloke Veteran Member Posts:1060
| 5/23/2010 9:35 AM |
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Posted By RYAN'S BASTARD SON on 23 May 2010 09:07 AM
Because I (until now) had no knowledge of the existence of the original Epitaph being worded in that manner.
I have been studying the Spartans and Thermopylae's history since I was 13 years old (40 now)
Not a problem. There are at least a dozen translations of::
Ὦ ξεῖν', ἀγγέλλειν Λακεδαιμονίοις ὅτι
τῇδε
κείμεθα, τοῖς κείνων ῥήμασι
πειθόμενοι. (Ō ksein', angellein Lakedaimoniois hoti tēide
keimetha tois keinōn rhēmasi peithomenoi.) which is carved on the monument (which was placed there in 1955 to replace the original) located on the crest of the hill where the last of the Spartans are said to have fell. =============================== Billy Fish: He wants to know if we are gods.
Peachy Carnehan: Not gods - Englishmen. The next best thing.
Please check out my FLICKR photos
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)3az )3aziahBritish Bloke Veteran Member Posts:1060
| 5/24/2010 8:01 PM |
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Posted By RYAN'S BASTARD SON on 23 May 2010 09:11 AM
Actually I meant I liked the version of events depicted better than the movie "300".
I have never read "300".
So do I. The 300 is a work of Fantasy Fiction where as Gates of Fire is Fiction based on fact. At least in "Gates of Fire" the author keeps to historical fact where as in 300 the writer/artist goes totally out field and has the Persians have Giant Rhinos, Ogres and/or other mythical creatures in there ranks. I dislike 300 for this very reason. Have you read any of the following:: The Spartans by Paul Cartledge The Greco-Persian Wars by Peter Green The Year of Thermopylae by Ernie Bradford All are excellent books on the Greek/Persian Wars =============================== Billy Fish: He wants to know if we are gods.
Peachy Carnehan: Not gods - Englishmen. The next best thing.
Please check out my FLICKR photos
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RYAN'S BASTARD SONNew Member Posts:71
| 5/25/2010 12:22 AM |
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Posted By )3az )3aziah on 24 May 2010 08:01 PM
Posted By RYAN'S BASTARD SON on 23 May 2010 09:11 AM
Actually I meant I liked the version of events depicted better than the movie "300".
I have never read "300".
So do I.
The 300 is a work of Fantasy Fiction where as Gates of Fire is Fiction based on fact.
At least in "Gates of Fire" the author keeps to historical fact where as in 300 the writer/artist goes totally out field and has the Persians have Giant Rhinos, Ogres and/or other mythical creatures in there ranks.
I dislike 300 for this very reason.
Have you read any of the following::
The Spartans by Paul Cartledge
The Greco-Persian Wars by Peter Green
The Year of Thermopylae by Ernie Bradford
All are excellent books on the Greek/Persian Wars
I agree with you on many levels and thank you for the books you have listed. I have not ready any of them yet btw! Ihave but one dissagreement,I love 300 because even though it leaves out the 4000 Greeks who fought with the Spartans,has the Spartans going in first instead of the Plateans,and has them not using the phalanx correctly against the Immortals,it still essentially is a very true story. Did You know that every one liner from Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and Dienekes(Helios) is historically accurate.(According to Herodotus) The commanding performance of Gerard Butler as Leonidas.the incredible fight scenes,the witty dialogue,the sad soundtrack,and the heartbreaking reality of the story makes 300 my favorite movie. The one thing that did piss me off very much was the lack of armor the Spartans wore into battle. The Spartans were covered from head to toe almost in Bronze armor at the real battle of Thermopylae. They wore breast plates,they were not bare chested. Also Leonidas and the officers wore a red transverse Crest on their helmets,while all the Spartiates/Knights wore black front to back horeshair crests on their helmets like the one Leonidas had in 300. I do believe Gates of Fire would make a far superior movie than 300. "Looks Like We Time Trawled Us A Real Triple Dickhead"
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Jeff SichtaNew Member Posts:12
| 2/15/2011 10:05 PM |
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"Assholes Finish First", by Tucker Max. Laugh riot!
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| 9/23/2011 11:03 PM |
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Right now I am presently reading The Grimm Brother Fairytales. I also just finished the Last Unicorn by Peter S. Beagle. Next up I am going to reread The Hobbit by Tolkien. CANNOT wait for the movie as well!
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OneFallenShadowNew Member Posts:29
| 2/6/2012 2:12 PM |
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Aside from Deathlands, I somehow always find my head in a Star Wars novel, World War Z or the Zombie Survival Guide. I'm excited to see a zombie book for Deathlands coming out! Can't wait to read it!
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The PhantomBasic Member Posts:219
| 2/6/2012 5:29 PM |
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I am currently reading the Darwath trilogy, by Barbara Hambly.
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Maximus Advanced Member Posts:518 
| 2/7/2012 1:00 AM |
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Just finished brand new novel: Shadow Ops: Control Point. Military sci-fi/fantasy by Myke Cole. It was real good, too!
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| 2/15/2014 9:52 PM |
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I have just finished reading the Warded Man by Peter V. Brett. (Titled The Painted Man in UK). If you have not read this one GO DO SO! I was not that interest and a clerk at a bookstore I love insisted it was one of the best new books out there! I loved it so much I picked up his next two books in the series and already finished them as well! (The Desert Spear and The Daylight War).
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MaximusAdvanced Member Posts:518
| 2/16/2014 10:42 AM |
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I post a lot of what I currently read besides Axlervers books. Most recent would be the 3 series by Larry Correia.
Also the Gray Man series is excellent. Mark Greaney is a solid author.
Insofar as dark, gritty fantasy goes, Joe Abercrombie is excellent. Very good characterizations with loads of action.
If you like adventerous early man stories, I highly recommend William Sarabande First American series. Beyond the Sea of Ice is probably the very best cave man type book - and series - I ever read. And I've tried tons of them. Sarabande beats them all, in my humble opinion.
If you like historical action adventure, the most recent best book I could recommend is Knight of Shadows. Kinda like the Dark Knight meets Robin Hood. |
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The PhantomBasic Member Posts:219
| 2/16/2014 12:43 PM |
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Right now I am reading Sandstorm by James Rollins.
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MaximusAdvanced Member Posts:518
| 2/16/2014 1:33 PM |
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Ah, Sandstorm is a good book. I have read most of that series, but it lost my interest 2 or 3 books ago.
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twinsrule26Basic Member Posts:109
| 2/17/2014 12:47 AM |
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I have been collecting and reading the RCN series by David Drake right now I'm waiting for the next book in this series but sadly it won't be out in paperback for months. I have read all the Hammers Slammers books by him and I loved them all.
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Ron MilesWebsite Owner Commander In Chief Posts:864
| 2/17/2014 9:12 PM |
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Last week I read 33 A.D. by David McAfee, and I really liked it. It's the first book in a series, and I will definitely be picking up the others. It is essentially a vampire story set in Jerusalem during the last days of Christ. I was a little bit afraid that it would be a cheesy "Jesus Christ: Vampire Hunter" kind of thing, but it is actually very solidly written. The author clearly put in a lot of research to fully realize the time and location, and it shows. Well worth picking up.
I also read Tank Bread by Paul Mannering and liked it just fine. Zombies in Australia. Plenty of action, and some really interesting ideas. Again, definitely worth checking out.
Finally, I read Deck Z (basically zombies on the Titanic). Truly, utterly awful. There was the seed of a good idea there, but the action is so poorly executed that it commits the cardinal sin of being boring. Calling the characters two-dimensional is an insult to cardboard cut-outs. Avoid at all costs.
"Sadly then I knew the answer. All her life she was a dancer, but no one ever played the song she knew." - The Residents
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