Christmas Lists...

[Rane Longfox]

Well, I was forced at gunpoint to write a christmas list yesterday, and two thirds of it is books...

Dan Simmons - The Hyperion Omnibus
Ian Macleod - The Light Ages
Steven Lawhead - Avalon
Peter F. Hamilton - Pandora's Star
Iain M. Banks - The Algebraist
Legends II (thought I should finally get this, I've procrastinated long enough)
Jonathan Stroud - The Amulet of Samarkand
Neal Asher - The Cowl
Neal Stephenson - Snow Crash
Steven Pressfield - Alexander: The Virtues of War
Mary Gentle - Ash: A Secret History
Ben Elton - Past Mortem
Susanna Clarke - Jonathan Strange and Doctor Norrel

rather worrying that all but two of them are either sci-fi or fantasy... I should expand my horizons more...
but anyway, what are you asking for for christmas, book wise?

[Leto]

Originally Posted by caladanbrood

rather worrying that all but two of them are either sci-fi or fantasy... I should expand my horizons more...
but anyway, what are you asking for for christmas, book wise?

Except for a short novel by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, "Love in time of cholera" nothing. I prefer to be surprised

Myfamily, who dislike sci-fi and fantasy, at least know enough of my taste to surprise me with a folkore, myth or history book, or a good thriller. Generally, they choose well.
And for my husband and friends, it's a complete black-out, they're preparing something but I don't know what yet.

[Sirathiel]

It is strange really,... I have absolutely no wish list. And even off the top of my head no books are forthcoming...

Well, I'd like to see one day David Eddings' Malloreon completely in my bookshelves, but only because I've already got the first of them.

Scary...

[Silk]

I didn't come up with an actual christmas list this year because there was nothing I really wanted. Having said that I looked at my Amazon basket yesterday and it contained the following items waiting to be purchased:

Robin Hobb - The Golden Fool
GRRM - A Clash of Kings
Raymond E Feist - King of Foxes
GRRM - Wild Cards
Dan Brown - Th Da Vinci Code
China Meilville - The Scar

and a battery operated paper shredder but that doesn't really count for this thread

[aftermath]

book wise?

Guy Gaverial Kay-The Last Ray of the Sun
Guy Gaverial Kay-The Lions of Al-Rassan (These are the only two kay books i don't have)

Robert Jordan-Wheel Time-1-6
Terry Goodkind-Sword of Trurth
David Brin-Uplift Trilogy
Terry Brooks- (Whatever books of his I don't own :P)

And GRRM- A Feast for Crows if he ever bloody finishes it.

[hodor]

Originally Posted by Silk

I didn't come up with an actual christmas list this year because there was nothing I really wanted. Having said that I looked at my Amazon basket yesterday and it contained the following items waiting to be purchased:

Robin Hobb - The Golden Fool
GRRM - A Clash of Kings
Raymond E Feist - King of Foxes
GRRM - Wild Cards
Dan Brown - Th Da Vinci Code
China Meilville - The Scar

and a battery operated paper shredder but that doesn't really count for this thread

I must tell you that you have excellent taste in books! I see that you have noted The Golden Fool (excellent) GRRM (excellent) Feist (great)!

Me (as I will be in an english speaking country for xmas, and for the first time in two years) will be seaking out:

Everthing by GRRM (except ASoIaF which I have already read to its latest)

The rest of The Dark Tower series (books 5 6 & 7 which are not available to me here)

The Malazan series by Erikson

and

a book on Kama Sutra

[I, Brian]

Ursula LeGuinn - Earthsea
Gene Wolfe - Book of the New Sun.

That's all - Father Christmas has enough to bring here - especially the "talking cat" my 3 year old asked for.

[knivesout]

Excellent choices, Brian. I'm currently in volume 2 of the Book of the New Sun and I'm convinced it's right up there with the fantasy pantheon of Tolkien, Edisson, Peake and the likes.

[Mark Robson]

Originally Posted by I, Brian

Ursula LeGuinn - Earthsea
Gene Wolfe - Book of the New Sun.

That's all - Father Christmas has enough to bring here - especially the "talking cat" my 3 year old asked for.

Both excellent choices, Brian... and as for the talking cat... awesome idea! The worrying thing would be what that cat would teach your 3 year old!!

[Silk]

Originally Posted by hodor

I must tell you that you have excellent taste in books!

You'll make me blush if you keep saying things like that

[LadyFel]

Originally Posted by Mark Urpen

The worrying thing would be what that cat would teach your 3 year old!!

My son's getting one of those 'Fur Real Friends' kittens, he saw it in the shop the other day and spent the next 10min squealing and cuddling it in delight, especially when it 'cuddled' back So I can't resist...

Right now, there's only one book I'd like to get but I doubt they'll have it here, it takes a while for them to re-stock...Excalibur, by Bernard Cornwell. It's the last of a really good trilogy about Arthur, told from his warlord friend's perspective, and is a totally different take than the whole chivalry and goodness thing...I saw the books maybe 12 years ago, but only got the first two this summer and just finished them...

[knivesout]

I can't help but think that a real kitten would be a better pet. Somehow the idea of a mechanical pet creeps me out. Giving children pets is all about teaching them to relate to, love and care for other forms of life, not machinery. Just my opnion.

[Leto]

Originally Posted by knivesout

I can't help but think that a real kitten would be a better pet. Somehow the idea of a mechanical pet creeps me out. Giving children pets is all about teaching them to relate to, love and care for other forms of life, not machinery. Just my opnion.

Err, pets are not toys.
I'd rather see robot toys imitating pets given to kids, than real pets left on the side of the road next summer because now they're adults and not as "cute" than when they were kitten or puppies.
On the other side, I totally agree. Pets are great educators and companions for kids. But the whole household must want the animal, because in the end, all of them will have to deal with him/her, for at least the ten/fifteen next years. No young kid will change litter box or walk out the dog on a regular basis if not ordered to do it. And no kids will pay for the vet (sterilization, vaccines).

[I, Brian]

Oops - my bad. It wasn't a talking cat - it was a "talking rabbit" that was asked for.

As for Gene Wolfe and Ursula LeGuinn - they sound like the sort of high-brow stories I could really enjoy. Maybe push for some discussions on their boards here. I'll see if Santa disappoints.

[LadyFel]

I'm actually tempted (sorely) to get him a real cat, but there are a few problems - the apartment's not ours, and as the building is brand new (we signed the lease before it was finished), the landlord and his wife, who are in all other respects wonderful people, understandably don't want cats and dogs in the house for a long while. Especially since scratched doors etc are pretty expensive to replace, and we're not playing on staying more than a year or two. Hamsters and parrots the'ye ok with

The other problem is that Karlo, while being a wonderfully loving little boy, is still just that - a little boy just over a year old. When he hugs me with happiness, he almost strangles me, when he goes to stroke my cheek he slaps me with all his might. He does the same to his stuffed toys. I'd love to get him a real pet right away, and we're planning to get at least a cat and a dog when we have our own place, but right now I'm still too worried that he would (trust me on this) either suffocate the poor thing by accident, or, failing that, hug it so hard it will fight free and scratch or bite him.

I think this will be a way for us to skow him how to handle a pet and learn to be more gentle - they growl if 'provoked', apparently, and wriggle free if you squeeze too hard...So if he learns this way, in a few years time he'll be ready for a live furball to make him happy...I think when he's about four would be the right time...

Anyway, what I really wanted to write was that I've thought of another book - Anne McCaffrey's Pern novels, any quantity...Read a short Pern story recently and got hooked...